Reading Challenge 2015

[khar_muur]

I need help! I'm doing the Reading Challenge and have some trouble finding all the required books.

Things I'm missing are:
- A book written by someone under 30 (no, I will *not* read anything by Christopher Paolini, thanks)
- A book with nonhuman characters (I've read The Animal Farm and Watership Down, and something like 8 Redwall books)
- A memoir (recommend a good one, please)
- A book with bad reviews (no, I will *not* read the Twilight books)
- A book with a love triangle (see above)
- A book set in high school (again, see above; I'd prefer this without awkward romances altogether)
- A book written by an author with your same initials (that's A.K. then)

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Neko täs. Ootko lukenut Michael Cunninghamin A Home at the End of the Worldin? Siinä olis kolmiodraama ja se on äärest kauniisti kirjoitettu.

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

En ole, kiitos vinkistä! Lisään listaan.

[darnaguen.livejournal.com]

-I think all the Brontë sisters were under 30 when they wrote and published their works, as was Jane Austen. Anything from them you haven't read?

-Do random fantasy characters count as nonhuman? As in elves, vampires, shapeshifters and such?

-I'm bad at memoirs lately, can't help you here. :(

-Do controversy, outrage and banning count as bad reviews? 'Cause if they do, you might try Lady Chatterley's Lover for example.

-The Lions of al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay has a nice subtle one, if memory serves.

-Can't think of one set in high school that I'd care to recommend.

-Anneli Kanto: Veriruusut. An excellent if harrowing story of young women fighting on the "red" side in the Finnish Civil War.

Ugh, I should be better at this, I'm sorry. :p

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

- I haven't read anything from cover to cover by the Brontës or Austen. Might consider.

- I'm not sure. I immediately thought of anthro or animal characters but logically any nonhumans ought to count. Got anything in mind that only has nonhuman characters?

- there's a separate banned book listed, I'm thinking more like 'failure' type of reviews maybe.

Thanks for the recommendations!

[castagne.livejournal.com]

ensimmäiseen kohtaan suosittelen mitä tahansa Siiri Enorannalta. vaikka Nokkosvallankumous, tai Painajaisten lintukoto.

Lasse Pöystin muistelmista tykkäsin itse kovasti. (erityisesti ensimmäinen osa, Lassen oppivuodet.)

Michael Cunninghamin Koti maailman laidalla voisi osua toiseksi viimeiseen kategoriaan. se oli myös aika mielenkiintoinen kirja.

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

Kiitos! Cunninghamia jo suositeltiinkin, se ainakin menee listalle.

[pikku-gen.livejournal.com]

A book with nonhuman characters: If you like Jane Austen, you might like Jo Walton's Tooth and Claw. Like Pride and Prejudice, but with dragons. I liked it, especially because the characters really are dragons and not just humans in dragon suits, if you get my meaning. "Consumption" is something you really, really don't want to die on...

Oh! And a memoir: Kyllikki Villa: Vanhan rouvan lokikirja.

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm not sure if I like Jane Austen. I've read some of her work and, well, one is overladen with high class drama quite quickly, though I do like her style.

[pikku-gen.livejournal.com]

Walton isn't as "style-heavy" as Austen, and there is a lot more action than drama in that book. *tries to make you read it* *is obvious*

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

Ha, I'll give it a go!

[panda-eats-moon.livejournal.com]

I was fascinated by Steven Bach's The Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl (that's a memoir, in case you didn't figure). I also liked The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot.

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

Does it count if it's not an autobiography? I guess it does. And what's The Immortal Life like? Which category?

[panda-eats-moon.livejournal.com]

It's a biography as well, about the woman from whom the HeLa-cell strain were taken (most used cells in all of cancer research). Poor woman was properly fucked over and her descendants are being so even today. This had a very personal touch for me while I was doing research but it's a good read either way. FOR SCIENCE!

[andina.livejournal.com]

Hyperion by Dan Simmons (you know I love that book) has nonhuman characters and quite a few of them too.

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

Alright, I've even got a copy!

[(Anonymous)]

- A book written by someone under 30

Iida kirjoitti esikoisensa alle kolmekymppisenä. Oikein ihana. http://www.adlibris.com/fi/product.aspx?isbn=9512083647

- A book with bad reviews (no, I will *not* read the Twilight books)

Mää arvostelin Hannu Raittilan Canal Granden lyttyyn. Ihan hirveä, tylsä setäromaani. Sit se voitti Finlandian. Melkein löytyy arvostelukin netistä, hoh! https://kansalliskirjasto.finna.fi/Record/arto.771130

- Juha

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

Kiitos vinkeistä! Kiinnostavia.

[(Anonymous)]

- A book written by someone under 30
My friend Caroline Carlson writes middle grade novels (written for ages 8-12) about pirates that are quite fun for adults too. The first one was definitely written while she was under 30: "Magic Marks the Spot" (The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates Book 1)
"The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch also qualifies (fantasy)

- A book with nonhuman characters
These are also aimed at young people, but I remember them fondly from years ago: "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM", "Charlotte's Web"

- A book with a love triangle
The Hunger Games, I suppose.

- A book set in high school
It's fantasy, but set at a school for teenagers that (I'm pretty sure) comes before university: "The Rithmatist" by Brandon Sanderson.

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Hadn't heard of any of those, save for the Hunger Games, of course, and I've put that one on the list (the challenge includes reading a trilogy, so I figured I might as well read them all).

A fantasy setting might just be the only thing that could make a high school book bearable. Much obliged.

[darkest-diary.livejournal.com]

love triangle? Ever read any of the 'Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter' books? Love triangles, loves squares, love rectangles.

Hi! I was just clicking on the interest list I have on the back of my journal and you name popped up so I thought I would check out your journal. I think you would be great friend. Friends? :)

[khar-muur.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recommendation! I'm starting a new book challenge this year, encouraged by this year's (albeit partial) success.

Can't have too many friends ^^