Judylou: not another challenge?

I cannot pass an interesting challenge by. I thought I would start it in 2010, but then I thought "what the heck, I'll have a go". So I will :)

There will be no time constraints on this challenge. But as always, I will begin by compiling a list from my teetering tower of tbrs; and then, as always, I expect that I will be overcome with the desire to read library books, and change many of the entries. So consider this list to be a first draft, and expect changes along the way!

Here goes:

by title . . .

A. After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell
B. A Boy of Good Breeding by Miriam Toews
C. Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
D. Daughters of the North by Sarah Hall
E. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
F. The Finishing School by Muriel Spark
G. A Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans
H. How I became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely
I. The Innocent by Ian McEwan
J. The Journey Home by Olaf Olaffson
K. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
L. Love and the Platypus by Nicholas Drayson
M. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
N. The Nanny Diaries by McLaughlin & Kraus
O. Of Love and Shadows by Isabel Allende
P. Peony in Love by Lisa See
Q. Q & A by VIkas Swarup
R. Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron
S. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
T. A Taste for it by Monica McInerney
U. The Unexpected Elements of Love by Kate Legge
V. The Van by Roddy Doyle
W. What was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn
X. ??
Y. ??
Z. ??

. . and by author . . .

A. Wilderness Tips by Margaret Atwood
B. The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty by Sebastian Barry
C. When the Night by Cristina Comenici
D. The brief wondrous life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
E. Broken by Ilsa Evans
F. Death of a River Guide by Richard Flanagan
G. Dark Places by Kate Grenville
H. Atomised by Michel Houellebecq
I. Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro
J. Black Mirror by Gail Jones
K. An Unexpected Guest by Anne Korkeakivi
L. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
M. Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
N. The Day we Cut the Lavender by Jill Neville
O. I'll Take you There by Joyce Carol Oates
P. State of Wonder by Anne Patchett
Q. ???
R. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
S. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
T. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
U. ???
V. The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine
W. The Cockatoos by Patrick White
X. ???
Y. Against the Tide by Peter Yeldham
Z. When Dogs Cry by Marcus Zusak

Looks good Judy. This challenge seems like it will be very enjoyable. Happy reading.

Thanks carmenere.

I'm currently reading What was Lost so I'm looking forward to crossing the first one of the list!

Finished the first one. And it was a good one too!

Yea Judy! Hope they're all good ones.

Yeah, me too!

Hi Judylou, I just came by to say you're right - this is a great challenge. In fact I am finding that I enjoy the challenge aspect so much that I have joined the 1010 Challenge and am looking forward to that as well. Good luck on your Alphabet Challenge, I have What Was Lost on my wish list so I was glad to hear you thought it was good.

So I finally got to add to this list! I finished Curse of the Spellmans and Chronicle of a Death Foretold - both good, but both completely different.

Another one down. The Unexpected Elements of Love was an interesting and enjoyable, if not, wonderful story.

Finished Shutter Island

Another one to cross off = A Boy of Good Breeding. It was excellent.

Peony in Love is off the list!

Finished Daughters of the North. Not bad.

Slowly does it in this challenge!

I read and enjoyed Berg's The Pull of the Moon.

. . . . but I should have read he Art of Mending if I wanted it included in this challenge !!! D'OH !!! LOL !!!!

Finally read another from this list - Mudbound was a great story.

Finally read another from this list - Mudbound was a great story.

Atomised was a dud for me, but at least it is off the shelf now.

Q and A was a great story.

A Good and Happy Child - ok, but not great.

Breathing Lessons was a very good book.

Two more from the author list. Catcher in the Rye and Death of a River Guide.

Hi Judy, I have recently completed my first Alphabet author challenge. I see you still need an X and a U. A great author for X is Xinran, my U I won't recommend though.

Helen, I have been trying to make this a challenge for reading my own books, and as I haven't got an x or u author, I thought I might use it as a wildcard. That is if I don't buy any books that fit in the "lost" categories of course!

And I just realised that I had another one to cross off the list. A Taste for It - a good book to read while overseas.

Just read another from the list (only 6months in between books !!!). "Love and the Platypus" was a good read.

Hmmmm, more than one year since I visited here and I have only one book to add. Shame, shame, shame.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was a magnificent book. I should have read it sooner.

I have been revisiting this challenge and have decided to change a few things around. I will still be populating the list with books I own, but if I read one of mine that can replace an original on the list, I will change it. Eg, I am now reading Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan so I will use that instead of the other Lanagan I wanted to read.

H: Title

(thanks ameise for letting me copy your title style :o)

How I became a Famous Novelist. I picked this one up at the op shop a while back and was in the mood for a bit of light reading. It fit the bill really well. Funny and a bit bitey at the same time.

C: Author

When the Night. I received this one for reviewing earlier this year. It was a translated book set in the Italian Alps.

W: Author

The Cockatoos. A series of short stories written by this wonderful author. Very moving and very deep stories which I quite enjoyed.

R: Title

Running the Rift. Another book I received to review. This book set in Rwanda during the war, was unforgettable. It was incredible in its frankness and amazing in its ability to keep me reading through the descriptions of the horrors of war and genocide (something I don't often do). One of the most memorable books I have ever read.

After a long break in this challenge you are catching up very quick. Happy reading and I'll watch your thread.

L: Author

Margo Lanagan This was a brilliant book. A dark and dirty fairy tale.

You're making great progress. If you need a U author Jane Urquhart is one of my favourites.

A: Title

After You'd Gone. This was an interesting story. It flipped from one character to another and from one period of time to another a bit too quickly for me at times, but once I had settled into the story I enjoyed it.

K: Author

An Unexpected Guest. A good story, but not a wonderful story about a Diplomat's wife living in Paris with a secret from her past about to surface.

Just wanted to say you are an inspiration to keep at a challenge! I sometimes feel pathetic that I can't finish one in a year or less like many do. Then again, I barely have time to read... So, thanks for the motivation and good luck on your quest!

Authors I've read:
Q: Kate Quinn / U: Lisa Unger / X: Xiaolong Qiu

Titles:
X: Generation X / Z: Zola Jackson / Y: read in German, I don't know if it is available in English Yoram

Perhaps this will help you. I enjoyed all six books.

P: Author

State of Wonder. Really liked this beautifully written and exciting story. It's my second one by Patchett and I continue to be impressed!

Thank you so much LMHTWB! I am shocked that I have been at this challenge for more than 3 years. And it is looking like I might be here for another 3!!!

Thanks for the suggestions Ameise1. I am sure that one day I will get to those letters!!