Book Review Lists

Life as a Journey is hosting the 7 Continents, 7 Billion People, 7 Books challenge 2015. She has asked us to read seven books meeting seven different geographical criteria. A book from.... One of the 7 countries with the largest populations--Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, read by Grayce Wey (USA) One of the 7 highest countries in the world--The Places in Between by Rory Stewart (Afghanistan) One of the 7 oldest countries of the world--Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks--(Egypt/Iraq/Iran)--I'm fudging a bit on this one. The author travels all around the Middle East but spends significant time in these three countries One of the 7 megacities of the world--Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts (Mumbai/Bombay) One of the 7 countries with the most immigrants--The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak (Russia) A continent not visited yet--The Discreet Hero by Mario Vargas Llosa, translated by Edith Grossman (South America) A book with a journey from one continent to another--When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi (Afghanistan to England) This should push me out of my comfort zone! I'll track my progress here. You can find lists and links, as well as more information, at Life as a Journey. Update as of January 1, 2016: I'm counting this challenge as complete. I'm over halfway through The Discreet Hero and should finish it this weekend.

Shelleyrae at Book'd Out is hosting the Eclectic Reader Challenge again for 2015. The goal is to read 12 books across a variety of genres and expose ourselves to some books we might not have found otherwise. The categories this year are Retellings--Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier (Beauty & the Beast) A book set in a country starting with the letter S--The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson (Sweden) PI Crime --The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, read by a full cast A novel published before you were born--My Ántonia by Willa Cather (1918) Contemporary romance--How to tell Toledo from the Night Sky by Lydia Netzer Fiction for foodies --First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen Microhistory (Non Fiction)--Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach Science Fiction set in space--The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury Sports (Fiction or Non fiction)--Rome, 1960: The Olympics that Changed the World by David Maraniss Featuring diversity--Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, read by Grayce Wey Epistolary Fiction --Frances and Bernard by Carlene Bauer, read by Angela Brazil and Stephen R. Thorne Middle Grade/YA Adventure--Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger Some of these (Retellings, middle grade, before I was born) will be pretty easy. Others (Science fiction set in space, sports, food, microhistory) will be tough. But that's the whole idea of the challenge, right? Right. I'll track my progress here. My personal challenge will be to review more of the books that I read for this. Last year I only reviewed three! That's pathetic. For more details visit Book'd Out. Thanks to Shelleyrae for hosting again! Update on January 1, 2016: I completed the challenge, reading and reviewing all twelve books! Woohoo!