inloveathon tbr.png

Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share with you all my TBR for the #InLoveAThon, hosted by Cristina from christinasjourney, and a bunch of other lovely BookTubers as well!  I was so happy to hear about this readathon, because I had just been thinking about how I wished there was a Valentine’s Day themed readathon, and sure enough, I found this wonderful one!  The #InLoveAThon runs from tomorrow, February 9th – February 15th.  The goal is to read a book corresponding to at least seven of the ten different challenges listed.  There’s also going to be Twitter Sprints available and a group watch-a-long.

Here’s a complete list of the challenges:

1. Read a book from your favorite romance author. It can be contemporary or historical.

2. Read a book that has  your favorite romantic trope.  

3. Read a book with a prince/princess

4. Read an original fairytale and watch the Disney movie or a film adaptation.

5. Read a book while eating some Valentine treats. It could be chocolate, ice cream, or you can change it to having drinks like wine. It’s up to you!

6. Read a book that takes place in a location where you would love to spend Valentine’s Day.

7. Read a book with pink or red in the cover.

8. Read a LGBTQ+ love story.

9. Read a classic love story. (E.g. Romeo&Juliet)

10. Read one of the hosts favorite Contemporary/Historical Romance books.

Cristina’s Journey // Losing It → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Pd…

The Bookish Babbler // Song of Achilles → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIEB…

Paper Faerie // Pride and Prejudice → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDUG…

Tiny Book Dragon // Fill in Boyfriend → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUyH…

jordyn, discombobulated // Hunted → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZo1…

HardbackHoarder // To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before or The Hating Game → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpjGKbwm-ZXBedvkOI1uAjA 

Because I’m delusional and unrealistic, I’ve decided to attempt 8 of the challenges:

Read a book from your favorite romance author.

IMG_2950.JPG

This book is more paranormal than contemporary, and I admit, romance is not necessarily the focal point of this series, but I really love Meg Cabot! She’s one of my favorite authors, writes the best relationships for her characters, and this book has been on my TBR for forever, so I’m going with it.  I’d really love to get both books in this bind-up read, but I definitely want to at least read Safe House.

Read a book that has your favorite romantic trope.

IMG_2967.JPG

Nicholas Sparks books always have such classic romantic tropes! I chose A Walk to Remember, because I love the movie and I’ve been meaning to read this book for literally years, and I love that whole unexpected romance/opposites attract trope.

Read a book with a prince/princess.

IMG_2956.JPG

I’ve been meaning to read The Coronation for a few months now, and with its sequel, The Rebellion, coming soon, I really need to get to this one.  It sounds like such a fun read, I’ve been wanting to read a royalty story lately, and I think this one will be the perfect fit!

Read an original fairytale and watch the Disney movie or a film adaptation.

IMG_2954.JPG

I’m still going back and forth for this one!  I’m definitely going to read either Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, though.  I found this really lovely copy (for FREE) from Project Gutenberg, that has all three of those stories, so I’ll see what I feel like when I decide to do this challenge!

Read a book while eating some Valentine treats.

IMG_2951

I got the Just One bind-up for Christmas, and I think it’ll make a really great Valentine’s Day read.  I don’t know what I’ll be eating yet, though!

Read a book with pink or red in the cover.

IMG_2952.JPG

I just recently got The Choosing, and it’s one that I’ve been wanting to read for a while now!  The book may only be half red, but I think that’s close enough, so I’m counting it!

Read a classic love story.

IMG_2962.JPG

For this challenge, I didn’t want to read anything too large, because classics take me longer to read than other books, and this readathon is only a week long.  So, I decided to go with Breakfast at Tiffany’s!  This novel is quite short, and I’ve actually never seen the movie, so maybe I’ll check out the movie after reading the book!

Read one of the hosts favorite Contemporary/Historical Romance books.

IMG_2959.JPG

For the challenge of reading one of the hosts’ favorites, I went with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before! This is, yet another, book that has been on my TBR for way too long, and I’m excited to read this book and get in on the hype for it!


Alright! There’s my TBR!  Realistically, I’ll be lucky if I can even get more than 3 of those books read, but I’m just going to have fun and try my best!

Let me know if you’re participating in the #InLoveAThon!  Also, tell me your Valentine’s Day plans!!


Follow me on:

Bloglovin’ | Instagram Twitter Facebook Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)

Buy from:

The Book Depository

(I receive a tiny commission if you follow my BD links!)

Top Ten Tuesday new

It’s Top Ten Tuesday again!  It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:

TOP TEN BOOKS ON MY TBR I STILL HAVEN’T READ

The Sweet Far Thing

the sweet far thing

Are any of you even the tiniest bit surprised that this book is on here?! No? I thought so! If you’ve been following for any amount of time, you know pretty much every TBR post I make, I include The Sweet Far Thing, and yet, I still haven’t read it…

 

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

The Help

the help

I loved the movie, and I’ve heard so many good things about this book!  I keep meaning to read it, and I just never get around to it, and that needs to change!

 

 

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

The Outsiders

the outsiders.jpg

Everybody always tells me to read The Outsiders! It’s one of my sister’s favorite books, so naturally, she tells me to read it every chance she gets.  Yet, here I am, still not reading it.  Will I ever find out who this Pony Boy is that everyone speaks of?!

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

 

A Walk to Remember

a walk to remember.jpg

I really adore the movie for A Walk to Remember (even though I cry every single time), and I’ve heard the book is quite different.  So I’m really curious to see how the two compare.  I hope to be getting to this book very soon, because actually it’s on my TBR for the #InLoveAThon, which I’ll be sharing my full TBR for later this week!

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

Trouble is a Friend of Mine

Trouble is a friend of mine

I’ve wanted to read this book for a while now, because a lot of people compare it to having Nancy Drew vibes, which, y’all know I absolutely adore! Trouble is a Friend of Mine sounds so fun and mysterious, and like the perfect mystery read. So…why I haven’t I read it yet?!

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

 

Reached

reached

I have no excuse for why I haven’t read Reached yet.  I loved the first two, I own this one, I actually do want to read it.  I really have no idea why I just haven’t picked this one up yet!

 

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

Jane Eyre

jane eyre.jpg

I’ve heard really good things about this classic novel, and I keep saying I’m going to read it, and yet, I still haven’t.  Maybe this year will be the year I finally read Jane Eyre?!  lol that rhymed.

 

 

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

Where’d You Go, Bernadette?

where'd you go bernadette.jpg

 

Where’d You Go, Bernadette, is yet another book I really want to read but never pick up!  Why am I like this?!

 

 

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

Sinner

sinner.jpg

I admit, I was a bit hesitant about this book when I first heard of Sinner’s release, so I think maybe that’s why I didn’t read it right away.  That being said, I finally decided I did want to read this one a long time ago, and yet I still haven’t.  So, what’s my excuse now?

 

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

Fangirl

fangirl.jpg

Fangirl is a book that has been on my TBR for several years, but I never got around to it because I didn’t own a copy.  Well, my #TBTBSanta gifted it to me this past Christmas, so now I have no excuse! I’m really excited to finally own a copy, and I’m really planning on reading this one soon…Finally!!

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

 


That’s this week’s Top Ten Tuesday!  Share with me some of the books that have been on your TBR the longest!


Follow me on:

Bloglovin’ | Instagram Twitter Facebook Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)

Buy from:

The Book Depository

(I receive a tiny commission if you follow my BD links!)

dreaming with godTitle: Dreaming with God: A Bold Call to Step Out and Follow God’s Lead by Sarah Beth Marr

Pages: 203

Genres: Christian, Non-Fiction, Motivational

Published by: Baker Books (Feb. 6, 2018)

Summary

The world tells us that the way to make all our dreams come true is to set our own course and strive every day. But when it’s all on us, we end up feeling exhausted, frustrated, and, disappointed when things don’t turn out as we’d hoped. Have you ever wondered if there was a better way?

There is. God knows the desires of our hearts–he put them there. And he calls us to trust, to lean on him, and sometimes . . . to wait. Weaving together her unique perspective as a professional ballerina with profound truths drawn from Scripture and the life of faith, Sarah Beth Marr reminds us that we are not dreaming alone. If God has given us a dream, we can be sure that he will come alongside us as we work toward realizing it. Using her own story as a catalyst, Marr encourages women to surrender their plans to God, to stay in tempo with his Spirit, and to step into a deeper relationship with Christ. When they do, she says, they will be able to move confidently into the future, knowing that their dreams and God’s desires are aligned in perfect harmony.

Dreaming with God: A Bold Call to Step Out and Follow God's Lead

What I Thought

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  A huge thank you to Baker Books and Sarah Beth Marr!*

I’ve followed Sarah Beth Marr on Instagram for years now.  From her beautiful dancing, to her meaningful devotionals on her blog, I’ve really adored her, and have loved watching her grow through her writing journey.  When she first announced that she was releasing a book, I just knew I had to read it!

Read More

The New Disney Princess.png

Hi everyone!  I was tagged way back in September, by the lovely Marta from The Book Mermaid, to do The New Disney Princess Book Tag!  This tag is super cute, and looks like so much fun.  So, let’s get started!

The Rules

  • Mention where you saw the tag/thank whoever tagged you because that’s always good fun
  • Tag Book Princess Reviews and Zuky with our posts so we can check out the wonderful Princess fun throughout the blog world (Book Princess Reviews | Book Bum)
  • Play a game of tag at the end!

SNOW WHITE

snow-white.jpg

THIS BOOK (LIKE THE MOVIE) STARTED IT ALL

Favorite Debut Book From an Author 

11366397

I was really blown away by The Program!  It was so much better than I expected it to be, and Suzanne Young’s debut novel was a definite winner for me!

CINDERELLA

cinderella-tag.jpg

A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

Just Like Cinderella, You Either Didn’t Expect Much Out of This Character in the Beginning But Turned Out to Be a Total Jem 
regal hearts season one
I have to go with Arden from Regal Hearts: Season One for this!  I really didn’t expect much out of his character at all.  In the very beginning, I really didn’t even know how much of a part he would actually play in the story.  As the book went on though, oh my goodness, he was so sweet, and quickly became one of my favorites!  I’m so looking forward to reading Season Two and seeing what happens with his story next!

AURORA

aurora.jpg

SLEEPING BEAUTY

A Book That Makes You Sleepy or Just Could Not Hold Your Attention
ink and bone
Unfortunately, I really struggled through Ink and Bone.  I just found myself not caring and getting distracted.  I wanted to love this book, and I know many who do, but this just wasn’t the book for me.  I may read the rest of the series someday, but not for a long while.

ARIEL

ariel-tag.jpg

UNDER THE SEA

A Book With a Water/Ocean Setting
wake.jpg
I actually haven’t read too many books with a mermaid/water setting (which that really needs to change!  Be sure to send me your recommendations!!), but I do remember reading and enjoying Wake by Amanda Hocking.  It’s been a few years since I’ve read it though, so I don’t actually remember a whole lot of what happened, other than that it was kind of creepy and mysterious!

BELLE

belle-tag.png

BEAUTY AND THE BOOKS

Name a Book With the Best Bookworm/Book Lover
the book thief.jpg
Liesel Meminger is such a little cinnamon roll of a character, and I just love her!  Her love and admiration for books and reading is so precious, and this entire book is just so wonderful and memorable!

JASMINE

jasmine.jpg

THE THIEF AND THE PRINCESS

Name Book with an Unlikely Love Story (Either in Terms of Romance or a Book You Didn’t Expect to Love So Much)
122638
The Importance of Being Earnest is a book that I had very low expectations with when I started, and my goodness, I ended up absolutely loving it!  I only picked this book up because I was behind on a reading challenge, and decided to read it because it’s very short.  I was so pleasantly surprised by its wit and humor, the characters, everything!

POCAHONTAS

poch.jpg

THE REAL LIFE PRINCESS

Name a Book that is Based on a Real Life Person You Want to Read/Have Read
taking flight.jpg
I would really like to read Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina by Michaela DePrince soon!  I watched the ballet documentary, First Position, that featured her a while back, and I was really inspired by her story!

MULAN

mulan.jpg

THE PRINCESS THAT SAVED HER COUNTRY

Name the Fiercest Heroine You Know
the hunger games.jpg

I feel like going with The Hunger Games is such a cliche answer, but I’m doing it anyway.  Katniss really is such a fierce heroine and selfless character, and right now, I really can’t think of anyone braver!

TIANA

tiana-tag.jpg

THE PRINCESS WITH THE COOLEST AND MOST DIVERSE CREW

Name a diverse book whether it is a diverse set of characters (like Tiana’s group of Naveen, Louis, Ray, and more) or just diverse in general.
ink and bone
While Ink and Bone wasn’t exactly my favorite (like I already said), I do have to admire how diverse the characters were, though!  The characters came from all over the world in this book, and so they all had their own unique cultures and styles, and it was so refreshing to see!

RAPUNZEL

rapunzel.jpg

LET YOUR LONGGGGGG HAIR DOWN

Name the Longest Book You’ve Ever Read
bible.jpg
18405
The longest book of any kind that I’ve ever read is the Bible.  It’s 1,000 pages, plus a couple extra hundred, just depending on the binding, font size, etc. I think my particular Bible had around 1,200 pages!
The longest novel I’ve ever read is Gone with the Wind, coming in at over 1,000 pages!

MERIDA

merida.png

I DETERMINE MY OWN FATE

A Book Where There is No Love Story/Interest or Isn’t Needed
33785202
I found it so refreshing that there was not even a hint of romance in The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding!  Since it’s a series, I’m sure some bit of romance will form in the books eventually, but this first book had nothing, and it didn’t need anything either.

ANNA/ELSA

anna.jpgelsa.jpg

FROZEN HEARTS

A Book in a Winter/Cold Setting
snowed in.jpg
Snowed In is a fun and fluffy winter-y read.  Also, if I remember right, it’s not explicitly Christmas – just winter-y – so it’s perfect for those long winter days after Christmas has ended!

MOANA

moana-head.jpg

HOW FAR I’LL GO

A Character That Goes on a Journey
23604559
Elsa from My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is only seven, so her journey is different than some, but her journey is still such an experience!

I tag anyone who wants to do this!  This was such a fun tag to do, and I really enjoyed picking my answers for this one.  Thanks again for tagging me, Marta!

What’s your favorite Disney movie?

Follow me on:

Bloglovin’ | Instagram Twitter Facebook Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)

Buy from:

The Book Depository

(I receive a tiny commission if you follow my BD links!)

monthly wrapup

It’s finally February!!  I don’t know about you, but January felt about three months long.  Last month was also a very emotionally draining and a rather stress-filled month for me for a good chunk of it, too.  So, I’m really glad it’s behind us, and I’m looking forward to happier days in February!

Despite all that, I think I still had a pretty good blogging month, and I also managed to read three books. Although, I’m really surprised that 2 out of those 3 were nonfiction, because that’s a genre I really don’t read a whole lot!

0C9797F7-1A16-4324-BBB6-38E896848B20.JPG

BOOKS READ

– The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

– Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine \\ ⭐️⭐️1/2

– Dreaming with God by Sarah Beth Marr \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH

I have to go with The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up for my Standout Book of the Month.  This book was one that’s really not typical of something that I would pick up, and yet, I really enjoyed it!

BOOKS REVIEWED

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine \\ ⭐️⭐️1/2

BOOK HAUL

I received two books in January!

First, I went to Target right after New Year’s, and that’s a dangerous time to go, because pretty much the entire store is on sale.  I picked up Turtles All the Way Down for only $11!

IMG_2844.jpg

Then, I received The Choosing, for FREE, through the My Reader Rewards Club from Tyndale House and NavPress!  It’s a rewards program where you can answer surveys, watch videos, and other short and easy activities, and you can earn points for prizes.  If you’re interested in signing up, you can click here (if you use my link, you’ll get a bonus 25 points, and I’ll get 10)!

IMG_2771.JPG

MISCELLANEOUS

This month, I participated in some really fun Top Ten Tuesdays!

Top Ten Tuesday new

I also shared some of the books that I’m anticipating for Waiting on Wednesday.

Waitingonwednesday

Some of the other posts I wrote this month were:

What Cats Do

What Cats Do Book Tag

The unique blogger

The Unique Blogger Award

2018 classics challenge banner

Also, I’m hosting the 2018 Classics Challenge!  One of my reading goals for 2018 is to read more classic novels, and so I decided to create some prompts to challenge myself and others!


That wraps up January 2018!  I’m looking forward to February, and all the lovely things in store.

Thanks so much for reading!


Follow me on:

Bloglovin’ | Instagram Twitter Facebook Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)

Buy from:

The Book Depository

(I receive a tiny commission if you follow my BD links!)

Waitingonwednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature started by Breaking the Spine that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases! 

Today’s pick is:

The Belles (The Belles #1)

Releasing February 6th, 2018!

the belles.jpgSynopsis

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

I’ve been seeing so many people talking about The Belles on Twitter lately!  This book sounds so intriguing, and it’s giving me Uglies vibes, which, you may or may not know, is one of my favorite series. So that’s a definite plus for me.  I’m so excited for the release of this book and to see how it is.  Also, look at that gorgeous cover!


Follow me on:

Bloglovin’ | Instagram Twitter Facebook Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)

Buy from:

The Book Depository

(I receive a tiny commission if you follow my BD links!)

Top Ten Tuesday new

It’s Top Ten Tuesday again!  It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish, but is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

This week I actually had a little trouble coming up with books that fit the topic, so I’m only doing a top 5, today.  The topic is:

TOP FIVE BOOKS I CAN’T BELIEVE I READ

 

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

18405

I can’t believe I actually read Gone with the Wind, because of its size!  This book is over 1,000 pages, and aside from the Bible, it is the biggest book I’ve ever read.  I ended up really loving it, too!

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

 

The You I’ve Never Known by Ellen Hopkins

30312837

Ellen Hopkins’ books have always intimidated me.  From the fact that they’re written in verse, to their heavy subject matters, I’ve always been hesitant of her work.  When I got the chance to review The You I’ve Never Known, however, I discovered how great of a writer she truly is!  This book really took me by surprise, and I can’t believe I finally got brave enough to try one of her novels.

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie by Anthony Del Col

the big lie

As many of you know, I’m a big Nancy Drew fan.  So, when I discovered this new, noir-style comic series, I had to try it out!  I can’t believe I read something so different from the regular Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, and not only that, but I can’t believe that I actually loved it!

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

allegiant.jpg

It’s not that I can’t believe that I read this book, but it’s that I can’t believe what I read in this book.  It’s been almost five years, and I’m still not over it.  Yet, I kind of want to reread the entire Divergent series soon…

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

the life-changing magic

A non-fiction book about cleaning just isn’t the typical type of books I read. So, I’m honestly surprised that I picked this one up.  That being said, I’m glad I did, because I really enjoyed it, and actually learned quite a bit from this book!

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

 


That’s this week’s list!  What are some books you can’t believe that you’ve read?


Follow me on:

Bloglovin’ | Instagram Twitter Facebook Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)

Buy from:

The Book Depository

(I receive a tiny commission if you follow my BD links!)

ink and boneTitle: Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine

Pages: 374

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopian, YA, Alternate History

Published by: New American Library (July 7, 2015)

Summary

In an exhilarating new series, “New York Times” bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time. 

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden. 

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service. 

When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe knowledge is more valuable than any human life and soon both heretics and books will burn.

Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1)

What I Thought

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the publisher and Blogging for Books!*

When I read the premise for this book, I thought I was going to love it!  Ink and Bone is all about books and the love of books and reading.  Plus, it has a dystopian, sort of alternate universe setting, which sounded so cool!  Unfortunately, this book just missed the mark for me.

Read More

Top Ten Tuesday new

It’s Top Ten Tuesday again!  It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish, but is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:

TOP TEN BOOKS I REALLY LIKED BUT CAN’T REMEMBER

Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

shadowland.jpg

 

I read this book several years ago, and while I remember the main premise, I really don’t remember much of the characters or the actual plot.  I really love Meg Cabot’s writing style though, so hopefully I can reread this book soon, and continue the series, because I think I would still really enjoy it!

Check it out on Goodreads!

Death by Bikini (Death by Mysteries #1) by Linda Gerber

death by bikini.jpgThis is another book that I read some time ago.  I thought it was a really intriguing mystery, but I just never picked up the rest of the books in the series.  I may reread this book and the rest of the series this summer!

 

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

the body finder.jpg

Basically I think this whole list is going to be books that are first in a series that I never got around to finishing!  The Body Finder is yet another book that I read, really enjoyed, never finished the series, and now I can’t remember anything that happened.

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

 

 

Heist Society by Ally Carter

heist society.jpg

I read this book back when I was a freshman or sophomore in high school. I don’t think I even realized it was going to be a series at the time.  I remember absolutely loving it, being so excited when I found out about the sequel, and then never reading it.  Why am I like this?!

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

 

 

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

tiger lily.jpg

I am so sad to say that, aside from the fact that it is a Peter Pan retelling, I really remember nothing from this book except that it was so wonderful!  I even think it may have been one of my favorite books the year I read it, but now I can’t remember anything about it.

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

 

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

the phantom tollbooth.jpgI read this book for school in, I think, the 5th grade. I remember thinking it was a great book, but the only part I remember is when they were eating some type of word soup that made them hungrier the more they ate it?!

 

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sydney

five little peppers.jpg

I absolutely adored this book when I read it so many years ago! I discovered my mom’s copy when I was 10 or 11, and I just remember loving this story so much! Unfortunately, that’s about all I remember.

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

Extras (Uglies #4) by Scott Westerfeld

extras.jpgThe Uglies series was one of my favorites in high school (I seriously need to reread them)! Extras was an additional book that focused on different characters than the original series. I remember really enjoying it, maybe not quite as much as the original three, but thinking it was a great addition to the series. For some reason, I can’t remember anything about this book. Like, at all! I think someone was a reporter or something? Maybe?

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

Dream Factory by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler

dream factory.jpg

I don’t remember anything that happens in this book! Like, at all. I know that it is about some teens who work at Disney World, and that it’s super cute and I loved it when I read it. That’s it.

 

 

Check it out on Goodreads!

Unraveled (the Amanda Project #4) by Amanda Valentino & Cathleen Davitt Bell

unraveled.jpgLet me just start by saying that The Amanda Project is probably the most underrated YA series I’ve ever read. I loved these books in high school. They were from Harper Teen, but for some reason, had very little publicity?! Now, for some reason, I just cannot remember how everything wraps up! I do remember liking this last book in the series, but I just don’t know what happened!

 

 

 


Wow! My reread TBR pile has now grown! As if I don’t already have enough books to read, I now want to reread all of these and see what I think about them today. 😁

Thank you for reading! Be sure to share with me your favorite books that you can’t remember anything about!


Follow me on:

Bloglovin’ | Instagram Twitter Facebook Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)

Buy from:

The Book Depository

(I receive a tiny commission if you follow my BD links!)

2018 classics challenge banner.png

Hi everyone!  Today, I’ve got a super exciting post to share with you all.  For 2018, two of my blogging and reading goals were 1) read more classics, and 2) host my own event/reading challenge.  Well, I decided to combine the two, and came up with a 2018 Classics Challenge!  The goal for this challenge is to simply read more classic literature based off the prompts below.  There are eleven prompts, so that’s about 1 classic book a month.

I’m mostly a mood reader, so I’m not going to create a specific TBR.  Today, though, I’m going to explain the prompts a bit more, and give some suggestions for each category!

Please know, though, that I haven’t read all the examples I’m sharing with you all. For the most part, I’m simply going off of recommendations from people I know and Google.

2018 Classics Challenge.png

A Classic for your Country

For this prompt, I want you to read a book that is considered a classic for the country where you live, or where you are originally from.  For example, I’m from the US, so I would read a book that is considered an American classic such as…

  • The Great Gatsby
  • Little Women
  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Uncle Tom’s Cabin
  • A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

A Classic for a Country not your Own

For this challenge, read a book that’s considered a classic for a country not your own.  Some examples of this would be:

  • Anne of Green Gables is a Canadian classic
  • Great Expectations is a British classic
  • Picnic at Hanging Rock is an Australian classic
  • Things Fall Apart is an African classic
  • Journey to the West is a Chinese classic

A Classic Written by an Author Whose Name Starts with the Same Letter as Your Name

It can be either your first or last name or the author’s first or last name, but for this challenge, read a book by an author whose name starts with the same letter as your name, or even better, if you can, share the same name as you!

So, for example, my name is Theresa, so I could read a book by T. S. Elliot, Thomas Hardy, or even JRR Tolkien or Leo Tolstoy.  I could also use my last name, which starts with an M. So I could read a book by Margaret Mitchell, A. A. Milne, or Mark Twain.

18th Century Classic

These next few prompts are pretty self-explanatory.  For this one, read a book from the 18th century.

Some examples:

  • Gulliver’s Travels
  • Robinson Crusoe
  • Clarissa
  • The Vicar of Wakefield

19th Century Classic

Read a book from the 19th century, such as:

  • Jane Eyre
  • Pride and Prejudice
  • Tess of the d’Urbervilles
  • Frankenstein
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray

20th Century Classic

Read a book from the 20th century:

  • 1984
  • The Catcher in the Rye
  • Fahrenheit 451
  • The Bell Jar
  • The Hobbit
  • A Farewell to Arms

Modern Day Classic

For this challenge, you have a little more freedom deciding which book you would consider a modern day classic. To more clearly separate a 20th century classic with a modern day classic, I’ve decided anything from about 1980 and beyond is a modern day classic. You could even include a book that you think will be a classic in the future! Some examples:

  • ͏Li͏f͏e of Pi
  • The Handmaid’s Tale
  • The Color Purple
  • Harry Potter
  • A Monster Calls

A Classic Under 200 Pages

Read a classic book that’s 200 pages or less.

Some examples are:

  • The Outsiders
  • Animal Farm
  • The Old Man and the Sea
  • Mrs. Dalloway
  • Northanger Abbey
  • The Metamorphosis

A Classic Over 500 Pages

Read a classic book that’s 500 pages or more (I would recommend starting this particular challenge more than a week before the year ends. 😉).

Some examples would be:

  • Gone with the Wind
  • Les Misérables
  • East of Eden
  • Moby Dick
  • Great Expectations

A Children’s Classic

Read a book that is considered a children’s classic, such as:

  • Peter Pan
  • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • Winnie the Pooh
  • The Wind in the Willows
  • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Classic Freebie

For this last prompt, read any classic book you want. The choice is totally up to you and what you feel like reading!


I’d really love it if you all participated with me for this reading challenge! If you do decide to participate, let me know, and I’ll include a link to your blog in this post. For each classic I read, I’ll write a post and share which one I chose, and my thoughts about it.  Also, I’ll be using the hashtag #2018ClassicsChallenge. So, be sure to follow along and use the hashtag as well! 🎉


Thanks so much for reading! I’m looking forward to reading more classics, and I hope you are, too!


Follow me on:

Bloglovin’ | Instagram Twitter Facebook Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)

Buy from:

The Book Depository

(I receive a tiny commission if you follow my BD links!)