It’s finally here, the Book Challenge by Erin 5.0 has officially started. Well, the reading won’t begin until July 1st, but the categories were listed and book selections have begun. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ve seen me participating in Erin of TexErin-in-Sydneyland‘s book challenges since December. It encourages me to read more and helps me find so many great new books.
There is a Facebook group for the book challenge where everyone shares their choices and reviews their books. I have so much fun participating and love seeing all the different selections and peoples reviews. It’s time consuming for me to pick out my book challenge list because I find so many options that I can’t decide what book to pick. I am constantly adding new books to my to-read list.
Instead of writing descriptions of what each book is about, I’m sharing why I picked each book. Check back on the last Friday of every month to see an overview and review of all these books (and more) on the Reading Lately linkup I cohost. You can also see what others have read and link up to share what you’ve been reading!
5 points: Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen: This book is a classic and one of my favorites. I haven’t read it since high school and I’ve been meaning to re-read it.
Note: Get it for free on Amazon here.
10 points: Read a book that starts with the letter “R”
The Runaway Jury by John Grisham: I read a John Grisham novel in the last challenge and I loved it! I could not put it down. So when I came across this novel in my google search I just had to include one this time as well.
10 points: Read a book with five words in the title
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston: I purchased this book a while ago and have been meaning to read it but I haven’t yet. I heard it’s a classic and I might have been required to read it in high school… but didn’t.
15 points: Read a book that has a (mostly) blue cover
If I Stay by Gayle Forman: I heard about this when it was coming out as a movie and it looked really moving. I wanted to see the movie, and never did. And I was struggling with finding a book that looked good with a mostly blue cover.
Note: Paperback currently on sale on Amazon here!
20 points: Read a book with twins as characters
Helpful link: Here
The Shining by Stephen King: I bought this on a Barnes & Noble trip a while back and never got around to reading it. I always hear great things about his writing and I love mysteries. I haven’t even seen this movie and have no idea what it’s about, besides that it involves twins.
20 points: Read a book from the following list of books made into movies
The Revenant by Michael Punke: The original book I chose for this category is apparently similar to one that I really dislike. I might still read it, but don’t want to feel obligated. So I decided on The Revenant because I really want to see this movie.
Note: This book is currently discounted on Amazon here!
25 points: Read a book set in a country you have always wanted to visit
Suite Française by Irene Nemirovsky: I have always wanted to visit France and as I was looking through a list I saw this book. It’s about Nazi Germany, which I’m realizing I have a passion for reading and learning about. But the author was interned in a Jewish camp. This novel series was meant to be a 5 book chain but he died in the internment camp after the second novel. That history of this is so incredible.
30 points: Read a historical fiction book
Helpful links: Here and Here
Atonement by Ian McEwan: Again another movie I always wanted to watch but never got around to (I think I own the DVD). But the story sounds really intriguing and interesting.
30 points: Read a music related book (i.e. a memoir from a musician, singer, band, roadie, producer, groupie, music journalist, etc. OR a fictional book with a lead character that is a musician, music teacher, etc.)
Helpful links: Here and Here and Here and Here
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux: I saw the musical as a young girl and fell asleep before the end. But I know some of the songs from being in my school choir. Maybe I can go see the musical when I’m finished reading it!
Note: Currently offered for free on Amazon kindle here!
35 points: Read a book originally published over 100 years ago
Helpful link: Here
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: My mom recommended this book to me because I love Pride & Prejudice.
Note: Free on kindle by Amazon here!
And those are my selections for the book challenge! Let me know if you’ve read any of these books and what you thought. Or let me know if you decide to join the book challenge.
Add me on Goodreads to see my reviews and all the books I want to read. And so I can see yours! To join the most recent challenge, check out the book challenge Facebook page and come back the first Friday of every month to link up with us for Reading Lately!
I picked Wuthering Heights as my over 100 years old book too! I’m excited to read it – its been awhile since I’ve read a Bronte and I’ve never read this one.
Phantom….you’ll really need to let me know what you think about that. I’ve heard its very different from the musical.
I tried my best to pick from my selves first before buying so I need to only pick up two.
I really should have done that too, but I’ve read most of the books I have or they didn’t fit the categories. Plus I love finding new books that I just have to read haha. I love those classics so I’m hoping I love Wuthering Heights! Definitely will let you know about Phantom of the Opera!
Because you are *much* younger than me, I am enjoying the fact that you are using this challenge (and the last one) to discover some John Grisham books. I read through a lot of his stuff years ago. Somewhere there was a shift. I was so intrigued and gobbled them up…then I got bored with a couple and stopped reading him. Off the top of my head, The Rainmaker and The Confession were both really, really good
Thanks again for the support!!
Thanks for hosting such a great book challenge! I’ll definitely have to check out those two. Even if I really love an author, I try not to binge read all their work haha. But maybe I’ll try and read one of those before the challenge starts 🙂
I’m the same way. For instance, I discovered that I love author Jonathan Tropper’s books, and I want to read them all…but I sprinkle them in every few months 🙂 I don’t like binge reading one author because I think it loses some of the magic.
Absolutely! I totally agree 🙂 I haven’t read any of his books yet but I noticed several people chose one and now I’m interested.
Pride and prejudice is my favorite too!!! I’m in the middle of watching the miniseries for the 4th or 5th time. It’s just so good. Can’t wait to hear how you like the others!
I haven’t read the book in forever, but I love watching the movie! Jeff doesn’t though 🙁 I haven’t watched the miniseries though?! What is it?!
Haha of course he doesn’t! The miniseries was produced I think by the BBC in the mid 90s. It’s 5.5 hours, so it’s very detailed and faithful to the book. Plus Colin Firth is in it 🙂 I’ve been watching on Amazon Prime. Here are the details though… http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112130/
Atonement is amazing! I loved it so so so much.
I actually never made it all the way through Wuthering Heights, it was too dreary for me (I would choose Jane Eyre (still Bronte…just Charlotte instead lol). Pride and Prejudice is delightful of course.
Oh good! I’m glad Atonement was good 🙂 And thanks for the input on Wuthering Heights! I’ll still give it a try since my mom loved it, but if I can’t get through it I’ll read Jane Eyre. I might just want to read that before the challenge starts haha.
You have such a great listing of books selected for the challenge! I love that you have a lot of classics in your listing which I think is so awesome! I read a Kristin Hannah book for the last challenge and loved it so much that I chose another one for this challenge too!
Thank you 🙂 I read a Kristin Hannah book as well and I totally forgot to look into another one. I see you read Nightingale, I’ve been meaning to read it. I keep seeing great reviews for it all over the place! Can’t wait to see all your reviews on your picks!
Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite Austen books, too. I know you’ll have fun with the re-read. Their Eyes Were Watching God is a little difficult at first because of the dialect spelling, but is well worth the effort. I listened to that one on audio, and the narrator did a wonderful job.
Oh good to know! I always find myself sounding it out or reading it as it would sound in my head haha.
I’ve seen the film of The Shining but never read it. I want to though, and the sequel that came out a few years ago.
I HATED Wuthering Heights, but everyone else seems to love it.
Good luck with the challenge 🙂
I honestly have no idea what I’m in for with The Shining.. I’m a little nervous haha. I hope I like it. I didn’t know there was a sequel?! I’ll definitely have to watch the movies afterwards.