The Restricted Section

Well, well, well, I find myself without a reading challenge, and that could just not stand! As you may have guessed, I’m a big sentimental goober. With this decade nearing a close, I had a little light bulb moment. What about one final challenge for the year to read those books from 2010 onward that I missed out on over the years. Before 2020 comes a-barreling, these are the ten books I most want to squeeze in.

2010
The Passage by Justin Cronin

2011
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

2012
Saga by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples

2013
Red Moon by Benjamin Percy

2014
Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare

2015
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

2016
Shrill by Lindy West

2017
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

2018
The Overstory by Richard Powers

2019
How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper

Want to play along? Let me know what your picks would be in the comments 🙂

XOXO

Helloo. No, I haven’t been trapped in a well for the last three months. I was getting some much-needed mental space from all things social media and technology in my free time. Being a grown up is exhausting stuff sometimes.

I’m happy to report I read a TON of books since my last post, but in true “me form”, it was like 50-50 for my current reading challenge. I regret nothing.

So, how’d I do on the Magical Readathon? I got in A in all my NEWTs, except Herbology. Somewhere Pomona is cursing me (for a multitude of reasons surely). And, I got an E in Potions. **flashes back to crying after a Chem final** This is shocking.

The Best

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Worst

Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Raised in Captivity by Chuck Klosterman
Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

The Stuff I’m Bummed I Didn’t Read (Yet)

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

XOXO

I feel like I could write almost exactly the same thing as I did when I posted about O.W.L.’s Magical Readathon a few months ago. Slump, check. TBR backlog, oh you betcha. The last reading challenge really helped, so I’m opting in again. 

If you’re interested in the specifics, be sure to check out the Book Roast intro video or you can skip straight to the prompts. There is still that awesome Career Guide Gi put together that might help guide your selections if you want to play along. I’m changing up some of the rules to be semi kind to myself:

• I’m starting early, aka NOW, because I’m excited to get going. 
• I’m making the challenge longer, because I’m a realist about the sheer volume of books I’m capable of reading in one month while still working and sleeping regularly. A’s for July, E’s for August, O’s for September, or really however long it takes. 
• Once an A level book for a particular class is completed, the E level becomes fair game to read, and so on.

And now to the important part, the picks!

A Levels

Ancient Runes – Recommendation – The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
Arithmancy – Ends on Even Page – Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Astronomy – Moon Cover/Title – Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren
Care of Magical Creatures – Title starts with “A” – An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
Charms – Pretty Cover – The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Defense Against the Dark Arts – Black under Jacket Cover – The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
Divination – White Cover – Hello Sunshine by Laura Dave
Herbology – Audiobook – Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
History of Magic – Fantasy – The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Muggle Studies – Photo Element on Cover – On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
Potions – Bestie’s Fave – Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Transfiguration – LGBT – The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

E Levels

Ancient Runes – Written in Past Tense – Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Arithmancy – Standalone – The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon
Astronomy – Night Title/Series Name – Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet
Care of Magical Creatures – Less than 300 Pages – Radiance by Grace Draven
Charms – Graphic Novel – Watchmen by Alan Moore
Defense Against the Dark Arts – Anything You Remember from TBR – The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
Divination – Short Story/Collection – Raised in Captivity by Chuck Klosterman
Herbology – 350-390 Pages – My Life in Shambles by Karina Halle
History of Magic – Includes a Map – Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
Muggle Studies – Set in the Real World – Bridal Boot Camp by Meg Cabot
Potions – House Colors (#hufflepuffpride) – The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack
Transfiguration – Not the First in Series – Wildfire by Ilona Andrews

O Levels

Ancient Runes – TBR Backlog – Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Arithmancy – Longer than 350 Pages – Soulless by Gail Carriger
Astronomy – Science Fiction – After Life by Marcus Sakey
Care of Magical Creatures – Bird on the Cover – Year One by Nora Roberts
Charms – Paperback – The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
Defense Against the Dark Arts – English Author/Setting – The Magus by John Fowles
Divination – Last Book You Bought – Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Herbology – Flower on the Cover – Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
History of Magic – Re-read – Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Muggle Studies – POC Author – Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
Potions – Starts with Prologue – The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Transfiguration – 500+ Pages – Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

XOXO