Sanja's 2015 Category Challenge

I was wondering how everyone was going to handle their categories this year. Reading 225 books seems like a lot on top of working and living a relatively social life.

So, categories (not quite set in stone yet):
I. mysteries
II. classics
III. off the shelf
IV. impulse
V. recommendations
VI. non-fiction

I'll try for 10 books in each category, but we'll see how it goes.

Sounds like a nice flexible plan.

I think most of us are using the number 15 somewhere in our challenge, but I don't know if anyone is doing a true 15 x 15 Challenge as 225 is definitely a lot of books!

That looks like a challenge you'll be able to complete with little difficulty. I hope you'll find good reads to fill the categories. Happy 2015!

Y'all are very sweet. I love how supportive everyone here is.

There is no doubt, you'll have fun in this group.

Great idea to include an impulse-reads category! Have fun with your challenge :)

Yeah, 225 is never going to happen for me. :) Impulse is always a good category.

I. Mysteries
1. A Regimental Murder
2. Third Daughter
3. The Glass House
4. Third Girl
5. Endless Night
6. By the Pricking of My Thumbs
7.
8.
9.
10.

II. Classics
1. Cranford
2. The Home-maker
3. It's hard to be hip over thirty
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

III. Off the Shelf
1. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
2. Angels and Demons
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

IV. Impulse
1.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
2. The Spirit Thief
3. The Spirit Rebellion
4. The Spirit Eater
5. The Friday Night Knitting Club
6. This Wicked Gift
7. Proof by Seduction
8. Wanted: Wife
9.
10.

V. Recommendations
1. The 5 Love Languages
2. The Kosher Pig
3. The Martian
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

VI. Non-Fiction
1. In Cold Blood
2. Good Boss, Bad Boss
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

That is a very clear, simple set-up. Enjoy the reading!

I love that you have a category for Impulses - I could certainly use one of those!

Thank you, both of you!

Smaller categories that allow for some impulse reading is the way to go. Great set up!

1. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

I bought this book at a library sale a year ago. It was an amusing read, but I will be donating it.

>19 sanja: I liked this one, it was a nice read. I think that I liked it more than you, afterall I've kept my copy ;)

>19 sanja: My feelings exactly! I liked it fine but had no need to keep it on my shelves.

Electrice and Christina: I'm going through a beginning-of-the-year purge at my house and everything that I'm not totally in love with, including books, is going. I liked the book just fine, I just didn't love it.

>22 sanja: I'm doing it also, I'm donating and trowing away all that is not indispensable. I'm not trowing away books, evidently those go to other readers :) It's been an on-going project for a year now, slow going but oh so rewarding, the flat was beginning to feel a little bit claustrophobic!

>23 electrice: electrice: I live in a house that's entirely too large for me, but I don't want to get to the point where every room is stuffed to the ceiling.

>24 sanja: Exactly, I've once seen a documentary on people having cluttered flat or house. It had nothing to do with the surface of their homes, but everything to do with the inability to let go of things. One man had 350 square meter house which was overstuffed ;( I never want to find myself in this situation if I can help it, 'declustering' is the way to go.

2. In Cold Blood

I don't know yet what I think of this book. But I do know that I won't be keeping it.

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

A fun re-read.

>26 sanja: I was so sure that I didn't want to read Capote but right now I'm reading The Paris Review Interviews: Vol 1; I've just finished the interview with Capote and his work seemed interesting. I don't know ...

>27 sanja: Great! I'm thinking of rereading the whole series, fun is the word :)

>electrice: This is the first thing I've read by him. It was a little off putting, but only because of the actual crime, not his writing.

>29 sanja: Thanks, I'll try another one of his books then ...

4. A regimental Murder

Not really a fan of these books as mysteries, though they technically are so. I like them better just as novels.

5. Cranford

I bought this book because I really liked the PBS mini-series of the same name. The book was much more boring.

>32 sanja: I haven't watched the mini-series but I liked the book.

6. The 5 Love Languages

Several friends recommended this book to me. It's one of those books where everything that the author says is obvious and should be common knowledge, but somehow, it just doesn't click until put together like this.

>34 sanja: I read that book years ago, and I recently purchased the latest edition for about $5 when it was on sale at Lifeway. I'll be reading it again soon.

7. The Spirit Thief

This was a really fun read about magic and spirits. I like Eli Monpress

>36 sanja: Oh, I really like that series too!

8. Angels and Demons

I've been in a book reading slump lately. I've started 8 different books in the last 2 months and couldn't seem to care to finish any of them. I needed a really fluffy book and this book was perfect to break the slump.

9. The Spirit Rebellion

As much as I joke about how it should only rain on Sundays between 10 pm and 3 am, I'm not sure that is like to be that in control of everything.

10. The Kosher Pig

This book was very interesting. I don't know how else to describe it.

11. The Spirit Eater

This book was not as interesting as the rest. It was also much longer. Mostly it seemed like a really long preview for the next book.

12. The Friday Night Knitting Club

This book was pretty fluffy. I think I expected more entertainment out of it. I donated it.

Still going through my purge phase. I'm donating so many books, even ones I haven't read yet, but am just over.

I'm reading a lot of books lately and I think I'm losing track of them. Currently reading The Third Daughter, The Third Girl, and Good Boss, Bad Boss, the best that I can remember.

>43 sanja: It can be very liberating to get rid of books that no longer suit. I had to go through some books left at my parents' place when I moved out and many of them were no longer to my taste. It felt good to clear them off the shelves.

>44 rabbitprincess:: I'm so glad that someone understands.

>43 sanja:
You are definitely not alone - I've donated so many unread books that, when I acquired them, I thought seemed amazing, but that somehow turned into "why?"s in the bookshelf. :)

13. Third Daughter

The book was mostly interesting, though it dragged in parts. I loved the Bollywood steampunk twist thought.

Stopping by with hellos. Purging books can feel liberating if they are books you don't want or have no intention of ever reading. I am worried I may be due for a purge soon.... I must start reading more books off my own shelves.

14. The Glass House

Another Captain Lacey mystery. I like how London at that time was grimy and bleak for the poor and warm and glittery for the rich. I would like to think that things have improved.

>43 sanja: Still going through my purge phase

Making room for new ones? Huh, huh, huh?

>50 mamzel:: Yes, I am. My want to live a minimalist lifestyle apparently does not apply to books. :)

15. Third Girl

Watching the PBS version of the story is so completely confusing, since it really changes some important things.

I got my first Persephone book! I'm so excited! That is all.

>53 sanja: I love Persephone books! They're usually lovely reads...and so pretty!

>54 christina_reads:: So very pretty! And I just got my biannual magazine and another bookmark, and now all is well with the world.

16. Endless Night

A good mystery not associated with any of her detectives. A really good twist at the end.

17. This Wicked Gift

I've read several Courtney Milan books and loved them all. This one wasn't as good as the rest, IMHO. There were some consent issues that bothered me.

18. The Martian

I can't believe I forgot to document finishing this book. It's the best book that I've read in a really long time. The best way to describe it is that this is the entire book of that scene in Apollo 13 where they pour out all the parts needed for the filter out on the conference table and say "This is what they have up there and we're going to make it work." I cannot explain how awesome this book is, but I have recommended it to like 30 people with absolutely no reservations at all.

>57 sanja:
I just finished that one too - such a great read!

The Martian is a book I have been recommending to anyone who asks, regardless of their reading preferences. Loved it! ;-)

19. By the Pricking of My Thumbs

I'm still not sure who the killer is.

20. Good Boss, Bad Boss

The entire premise of this book is "don't be a jerk to your people." There, I saved you 282 pages.

>61 sanja:
Haha! Thanks! :)

>62 -Eva-: -Eva-, you're quite welcome. With so many good books in the world, there really is no reason to read the useless ones.

21. Proof by Seduction

I find I am not liking this series by Courtney Milan nearly as much as the Brothers Sinister series.

22. The Home-Maker
This is such a good book. I cannot describe how well written and touching it is. I smiled through the entire book and did that "I love this book, it is my friend" hug thing when I finished it.

23. It's hard to be hip over thirty

I don't remember the last time I read a book of poetry or when I enjoyed it this much.

24. Wanted: Wife

So fluffy.

>66 sanja: - I am in the mood for a fluffy read. Adding the Gwen Jones book to my possibilities list.