The Eclectic Reader Challenge 2014


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Edit: Completed as of December 12, 2014! Well, I’ve finished reading books for all the categories anyway. I did not do well with the reviewing part. Oh, well. There’s always next year!

ShelleyRae at Book’d Out is hosting The Eclectic Reader Challenge again in 2014. As she says, “In it’s third year, the aim of The Eclectic Reader 2014 Challenge is to push you outside your comfort zone by reading up to 12 books during the year from 12 different categories.” In the past this challenge has definitely pushed me into some new genres and it looks like this year will be no different. The challenge runs from January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014. ShelleyRae is also offering up a prize. “All participants that complete the challenge by December 31st 2014 will be eligible to win a book of their choice to the value of $15AUD from bookdepository.com or a $10US Amazon gift card or paypal funds of US$10 to be drawn via random.org Jan 2015.” Head on over to Book’d Out and sign up!

This year’s categories:

  1. Award Winning–Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
  2. True Crime (Non Fiction)–Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer
  3. Romantic Comedy–The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
  4. Alternate History Fiction–Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
  5. Graphic Novel–Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez
  6. Cosy Mystery Fiction–The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters, read by Susan O’Malley
  7. Gothic Fiction–The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter
  8. War/Military Fiction–City of Thieves by David Benioff, read by Ron Perlman
  9. Anthology–The Beastly Bride, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
  10. Medical Thriller Fiction–Mutation by Robin Cook
  11. Travel (Non Fiction)–The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt
  12. Published in 2014–The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

I should be able to complete this one pretty easily. I have surprisingly never really read any alternate history. It seems like something that I would enjoy though. Any recommendations for that category or any of the others?

I’ll track my progress here. Thanks to ShelleyRae for hosting again!

I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop’s, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site. My opinions are completely my own.

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