HISTORICAL FICTION READING CHALLENGE 2025

It's a new year! Which means it's time for a new historical fiction challenge, hosted by The Intrepid Reader and Baker. The sign-up is here for anyone who wants to join in!

I didn't make my goal last year.  I aimed for 50+ and read 42. I haven't looked at my own stats, but my gut feeling is that I was reading more nonfiction, mostly for research for my own historical novels. And I was writing, writing, writing...

So, this year, I'm shooting for the Ancient History level of 25+ books and hoping to exceed it. Links will be posted below.

1. Ana Maria and the Fox by Liana de la Rosa

2. Remember When by Mary Balogh

3. To Carve Identity by Susan Steggall

4. Mrs. Lowe-Porter by Jo Salas

5. Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

6. Maurice by E. M. Forster

7. Akmaral by Judith Lindbergh

8. High Wages by Dorothy Whipple

9. The Greek Treasure by Irving Stone

10. Fagin the Thief by Allison Epstein

11. Boy by Nicole Galland

12. The Matrimonial Advertisement by Mimi Matthews

13. White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton

14. Evidence of Evil by Mary Lancaster

15. The Charmer Without a Cause by Katherine Grant

16. My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende

17. The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman

18. Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews

19. Ghost in the Garden by Mary Lancaster

20. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerld

21. Nothing Proved by Janet Wertman

22. Winter's End by Barbara Pronin

23. Eliza and the Duke by Harper St. George

24. Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath

25. A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber

26. Measure of Devotion by Nell Joslin

27. The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

28. There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

29. Asylum Piece by Anna Kavan

30. Word of the Wicked by Mary Lancaster

31. Seeds of the Pomegranate by Suzanne Uttaro Samuels

32. Purely Academic by Stringfellow Barr

33. To Chase the Glowing Hours by Kathleen Kilpatrick

34. A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

35. The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

36. Crooked Cross by Sally Carson

37. The Man in the Stone Cottage by Stephanie Cowell

38. The Hanging of Ruben Ashford by Lauren Small

39. Vengeance in Venice by Mary Lancaster

40. Miss Morton and the Missing Heir by Catherine Lloyd

41. The Hidden City by Charles Finch

42. While You Were Spying by Shana Galen

43. And Then There Was the One by Martha Waters

44. The Resettlement of Vesta Blonik by Denise Smith Cline

45. Saving Vincent: A Novel of Jo Van Gogh by Joan Fernandez

46. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

47. The September Society by Charles Finch

48. I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

49. The Marriage Method by Mimi Matthews

50. Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards

51. Ines by Catherine Mathis

52. Flight of the Wild Swan by Melissa Pritchard

53. Sparrow by James Hynes

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2024

 It's time to sign up for this year's reading challenges. Historical fiction is where I always start.

Thank you, once again, to The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader for hosting. Sign up for the challenge can be found here.

I'm going for the "prehistoric level" - 50+ books.

I'll link back to my reviews here:

1. Troy Chimneys by Margaret Kennedy

2. The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews

3. Always Remember by Mary Balogh

4. How I Danced with the Duke by Eva Devon

5. The King and Vi by Shana Galen

6. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

7. Loving the Dead and Gone by Judith Yamamoto

8. The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch

9. James by Percival Everett

10. The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel

11. Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis

12. My Fair Katie by Shana Galen

13. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

14. The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson

15. Long Island by Colm Toibin

16. A Deceptive Composition by Anna Lee Huber

17. Whale Fall by Elizabeth O'Connor

18. Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner

19. Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti

20. Lady Ambition's Dilemma by Jane Steen

21. All About Genevieve by Shana Galen

22. Jackie by Dawn Tripp

23. Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance by Catherine Lloyd

24. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

25. A Perfect Match by Margaux Thorne

26. The Deserted Heart by Mary Lancaster

27. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

28. A Governess Should Never Tempt a Prizefighter by Emily Windsor

29. Rock Bottom, Tennessee by Kimberly Nixon

30. Rock Bottom Rising by Kimberly Nixon

31. The Captain's Old Love by Mary Lancaster

32. The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

33. Much Ado About Margaret by Madeleine Roux

34. Upon the Corner of the Moon by Valerie Nieman

35. The Spinster's Last Dance by Mary Lancaster

36. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman

37. The Muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Matthews

38. The Women by Kristin Hannah

39. The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain

40. A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

41. Murder in Moonlight by Mary Lancaster

42. Euphoria by Lily King

THE TBR 23 IN '23 CHALLENGE

 I'm signing up again for the TBR challenge hosted by Rose City Reader. (Sign up here.) I tried to tackle my TBR pile last year with the help of this challenge and failed miserably. But I refuse to be daunted.

I'll post links to reviews below.

Thank you to Rose City Reader for hosting!

1. Nora Webster by Colm Toibin

2. The House of Lamentations by S.G. MacLean

NETGALLEY AND EDELWEISS READING CHALLENGE 2023

 I'm signing up again for the Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews. Sign up link is here. I met last year's challenge, but somehow my TBR queue is longer than ever. I'm going for the silver level again: 25 books. That should at least put a dent in my pile.

Thank you to Socrates' Book Reviews for hosting!

Links to reviews will be posted below.

1. After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz

2. Maureen by Rachel Joyce

3. The Duke I Came For by Abigail Bridges

4. Bookworm by Robin Yeatman

5. Connected Women by Kate Hodges

6. The Marquess and the Runaway Lady by Samantha Hastings

7. The Woman with the Cure by Lynn Cullen

8. The Archivists: Stories by Daphne Kalotay

9. The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

10. A Mystery of Mysteries. The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak

11. Entangled by Mary Lancaster

12. Old Babes in the Wood by Margaret Atwood

13. Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

14. Goodnight from Paris by Jane Healey

15. The Boy in the Rain by Stephanie Cowell

16. Yours Truly, The Duke by Amelia Grey

17. The Good Time Girls by K.T. Blakemore

18. Emilienne by Pamela Binnings Ewen

19. Good Town by Mary Louise Wells

20. How Not to Marry a Duke by Tina Gabrielle

21. The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig

22. The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood

23. Big Two-Hearted River by Ernest Hemingway

24. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

25. Like the Appearance of Horses by Andrew Krivak

26. The Guest by Emma Cline

27. The Prodigal Women by Nancy Hale

28. The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

29. Four Weddings and a Duke by Michelle McLean

30. The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

31. The Heiress Bride by Madeline Hunter

32. One More Seat at the Round Table by Susan Normady Eisenberg

33. Remember Me by Mary Balogh

34. A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber

35. Not That Duke by Eloisa James

36. Fatal Legacy by Lindsey Davis

37. Match Me If You Can by Michelle Willingham

38. The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James

39. Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch

40. When the Duke Loved Me by Lydia Lloyd

41. Chenneville by Paulette Jiles

42. The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann by Virginia Pye

43. The Caretaker by Ron Rash

44. Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld by Catherine Lloyd

45. Let the Dead Bury the Dead by Allison Epstein

46. The Bookbinder by Pip Williams

47. Think Like a Lady, Act Like a Lord by Celeste Connally

48. Olav Audunsson. IV. Winter by Sigid Undset

49. Day by Michael Cunningham

50. The General and Julia by Jon Clinch

51. Red Clay, Running Waters by Leslie K. Simmons

HISTORICAL FICTION READING CHALLENGE 2023

 I'm signing up for my favorite reading challenge again, The Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by The Adventures of An Intrepid Reader. See rules and sign up here.

Since historical fiction is my favorite genre, I'm signing up for the "prehistoric level": 50+ books.

Thank you again to Intrepid Reader for hosting!

Links to 2023 historical fiction reviews:

1. After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz

2. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines

3. Spear by Nicola Griffith

4. A Perfect Engagement by Karla Kratovil

5. Godmersham Park by Gill Hornby

6. Trust by Hernan Diaz

7. Sprig Muslin by GeorgetteHeyer

8. The Duke I Came For by Abigail Bridges

9. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

10. The Marquess and the Runaway Lady by Samantha Hastings

11. The Woman with the Cure by Lynn Cullen

12. Voices in the Dead House by Norman Lock

13. The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

14. Entangled by Mary Lancaster

15. The Portrait by Iain Pears

16. Goodnight from Paris by Jane Healey

17. The Boy in the Rain by Stephanie Cowell

18. Yours Truly, The Duke by Amelia Grey

19. The Good Time Girls by K.T. Blakemore

20. Emilienne by Pamela Binnings Ewen

21. Natural History by Andrea Barrett

22. Hold Fast by J.H. Gelerntner

23. Good Town by Mary Louise Wells

24. How Not to Marry a Duke by Tina Gabrielle

25. The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig

26. A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley

27. The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood

28. A Match Made in London by Michelle Willingham

29. Georgiana by Maude Hutchins

30. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

31. Like the Appearance of Horses by Andrew Krivak

32. The Kudzu Queen by Mimi Herman

33. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

34. Captured by Mary Lancaster

35. The Prodigal Women by Nancy Hale

36. The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho by Paterson Joseph

37. Four Weddings and a Duke by Michelle McLean

38. In the Hands of Women by Jane Loeb Rubin

39. The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

40. The Green Hat by Michael Arlen

41. Out Front the Following Sea by Leah Angstman

42. The Heiress Bride by Madeline Hunter

43. One More Seat at the Round Table by Susan Normady Eisenberg

44. West with Giraffes by Lynn Rutledge

45. Remember Me by Mary Balogh

46. If a Poem Could Live and Breathe by Mary Calvi

47. A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber

48. Homestead by Melinda Moustakis

49. Nora Webster by Colm Toibin

50. A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch

51. Deserted by Mary Lancaster

52. Not That Duke by Eloisa James

53. Fatal Legacy by Lindsey Davis

54. The House of Lamentations by S.G. MacLean

55. Match Me If You Can by Michelle Willingham

56. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

57. Beloved by Mary Lancaster

58. Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch

59. And the Crows Took Their Eyes by Vicki Lane

60. When the Duke Loved Me by Lydia Lloyd

61. Chenneville by Paulette Jiles

62. The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann by Virigina Pye

63. Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder by Catherine Lloyd

64. The Caretaker by Ron Rash

65. Lost Lover by Mary Lancaster

66. Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld by Catherine Lloyd

67. Toward the Corner of Mercy and Peace by Tracey D. Buchanan

68. Let the Dead Bury the Dead by Allison Epstein

69. Mrs. Porter Calling by A.J. Pearce

70. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

71. The Bookbinder by Pip Williams

72. Think Like a Lady, Act Like a Lord by Celeste Connally

73. Gentle Conquest by Mary Balogh

74. The Hearts of All on Fire by Alana White

75. Olav Audunsson. IV. Winter by Sigrid Undset

76. The General and Julia by Jon Clinch

77. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

78. Red Clay, Running Waters by Leslie K. Simmons

Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge 2022- Wrap Up

I exceeded my challenge, reviewing 38 books. Still, my Netgalley queue is as long as ever! I'll have to sign up for next years challenge as well.

A link to the books I read and the reviews is here.

Thank you to Socrates' Book Reviews for hosting!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2022- Wrap-Up

 I'm wrapping up my 2022 historical fiction challenge. The challenge was hosted by The Intrepid Reader and Baker. (Wrap ups here.)

I read 53 historical novels. (Listed here with links to reviews.)

I've tried to pick my favorite(s), but I am terrible at that. My favorites fluctuate from day to day. I can say that the book that stood out for me, the one that I find myself thinking about more than the others, was Friends in Funchal by K.G. Fleury, a quiet but very moving book.

I'm looking forward to next year's challenge.

Happy Holidays!! 

THE TBR 22 IN '22 CHALLENGE

 Just in under the wire -- my 100th post of the year!!!

I'm signing up for a challenge to read 22 books off my TBR pile over the next year. The challenge is hosted by Rose City Reader and the sign-up page can be found here. 

Hopefully this will help me put a dent in my pile. Thank you to Rose City Reader for hosting!

Links to reviews will be posted below.

1. The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer

2. A Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable

HISTORICAL FICTION READING CHALLENGE 2022

 It's that time again! Signing up for reading challenges. 

I'm starting with The Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by The Intrepid Reader. The sign-up link with rules is here. 

Last year I went for the "Ancient History" level, 25 books, and blew right past it. I squeaked past the next level, "Prehistoric"- 50 books. So this year, I'm going out on a limb and setting 50 as my challenge. 

To wrap-up last year, a link to my 2021 challenge with links to all review is here.

I'll tally my 2022 books with links to reviews below.

Thank you to The Intrepid Reader for Hosting again!

1. The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher

2. Universe of Two by Stephen Kiernan

3. The Master by Colm Toibin

4. Violeta by Isabel Allende

5. The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer

6. Argo by Mark Knowles

7. The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart

8. Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

9. The Meddler by Kate Archer

10. Lady Odelia's Secret by Jane Steen

11. Earl on the Run by Jane Asher

12. The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George

13. The Illness Lesson by Clare Beams

14. Unmasking the Duke by Mary Lancaster

15. The Paying Guest by George Gissing

16. The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

17. How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James

18. The Great Passion by James Runcie

19. Ireland by Frank Delaney

20. Goodbye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton

21. A Perilous Perspective by Anna Lee Huber

22. Archangel by Andrea Barrett

23. The Runaway Duchess by Joanna Lowell

24. Desperatelty Seeking a Duchess by Christi Caldwell

25. Unmasking the Thief by Mary Lancaster

26. Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner

27. Remember Love by Mary Balogh

28. How to Steal a Scoundrel's Heart by Vivienne Lorret

29. Arthur & George by Julian Barnes

30. The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson

31. Desperate Undertaking by Lindsey Davis

32. The Dickens Boy by Thomas Keneally

33. The Nurse's Secret by Amanda Skenandore

34. The Devil and the Viscount by Mary Lancaster

35. The Rake's Daughter by Anne Gracie

36. Blame it on the Earl by Jane Ashford

37. How to Woo a Wallflower by Virginia Heath

38. Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen

39. Friends in Funchal by K.G. Fleury

40. Louisville Saturday by Margaret Long

41. The Proposition by Madeleine Roux

42. Thief of Dreams by Mary Balogh

43. Names on a Map by Benjamin Alire Saenz

44. The Jilter by Kate Archer

45. The Deception by Kim Taylor Blakemore

46. Prize for the Fire by Rilla Askew

47. The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

48. Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

49. Olav Audunsson III: Crossroads by Sigrid Undset

50. The Anatomy Lesson by Nina Siegal

51. Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath

52. A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

53. Traces: A Novel by Patricia L.Hudson

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2021

 My favorite reading challenge is the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, now hosted by The Intrepid Reader. I'm signing up for the Ancient History level, 25 historical novels to be read in 2021. 

Thank you to the Intrepid Reader for hosting!

Here are links to my 2021 reviews:

1. Death Comes to the Rectory by Catherine Lloyd

2. Atomic Love by Jennie Fields

3. A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

4. A Lady's Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett

5. The Bear Pit by S.G. Maclean

6. The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

7. The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

8. After Alice Fell by Kim Taylor Blakemore

9. Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo by Stephanie Storey

10. Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig

11. Rhapsody by Mitchell James Kaplan

12. How to Train Your Earl by Amelia Grey

13. An Unofficial Marriage: A Novel About Pauline Diardot and Ivan Turgenev by Joie Davidow

14. Letters to a Lover by Mary Lancaster

15. Book of Love by Erin Satie

16. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

17. The Night in Lisbon by Erich Maria Remarque

18. A Wicked Conceit by Anna Lee Huber

19. The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

20. Ridgeline by Michael Punke

21. Someone to Cherish by Mary Balogh

22. A Betting Woman by Jenni L. Walsh

23. A Tip for the Hangman by Allison Epstein

24. Dangerous Lover by Mary Lancaster

25. A Comedy of Terrors by Lindsey Davis

26. The Master of Measham Hall by Anna Abney

27. The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle by Timothy Miller

28. The Duke Who Loved Me by Jane Ashford

29. In the Cafe of Lost Youth by Patrick Modiano

30. Raphael: Painter in Rome by Stephanie Storey

31. Swimming Back to Trout River by Linda Rui Feng

32. Olav Audunsson. I. Vows by Sigrid Undset

33. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

34. New Grub Street by George Gissing

35. In All Good Faith by Liza Nash Taylor

36. An Eligible Gentleman by Alice Chetwynd Ley

37. The Women of Troy by Pat Barker

38. The Social Graces by Renee Rosen

39. Yours Cheerfully by A. J. Pearce

40. Unmasking the Hero by Mary Lancaster

41. A Lost Lady by Willa Cather

42. A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman

43. Miss Lattimore's Letter by Suzanne Allain

44. Night Came with Many Stars by Simon Van Booy

45. The Magician by Colm Toibin

46. Unmasking Deception by Mary Lancaster

47. The Woodcock by Richard Smyth

48. Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

49. Someone Perfect by Mary Balogh

50. Unmasking Sin by Mary Lancaster

51. Olav Audunsson. II. Providence by Sigrid Undset

52. Rebecca's Tale by Sally Beauman

EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE 2021

 It's been years since I signed up for reading challenges. A few years back, I overcommitted and found I was stressing over my reading and reviewing more than I was enjoying it. But I'm ready to dip my toe back in. I'm starting off with The European Reading Challenge, sponsored by Rose City Reader.

The goal is to read books set in different European countries or by different European authors. This should overlap pretty easily with historical fiction, so I'm shooting for the Five Star Deluxe Entourage level-- five or more books.

Now let's see if I can remember how to set up my sidebars to record my progress.

Happy 2021 everyone!

1. (England) The Bear Pit by S.G. Maclean

2. (Italy) Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo by Stephanie Storey

3. (France) Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley

4. (Portugal) The Night in Lisbon by Erich Maria Remarque

5. (Norway) Olav Audunsson. I. Vows by Sigrid Undset

HISTORICAL FICTION READING CHALLENGE- 2018

The first challenge I'm signing up for this year is in my favorite genre.  If I read nothing else, I'm sure to read historical fiction.  I'm going to go with the "Ancient History" level of 25 books or more. And I'm looking forward to checking out the reviews of other participants!

Sign up at Passages to the Past.

Links to my reviews will be listed below:

1. An Irish Country Courtship by Patrick Taylor
2. Someone to Wed by Mary Balogh
3. The Maze at Windermere by Gregory Blake Smith
4. The Secret Life of Mrs. London by Rebecca Rosenberg
5. Coffin Scarcely Used by Colin Watson
6. Dying for Rome by Elisabeth Storrs
7. A Brush with Shadows by Anna Lee Huber
8. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
9. Bump in the Night by Colin Watson
10. The English Air by D.E. Stevenson
11. Hopjoy Was Here by Colin Watson
12. Lady Helena Investigates by Jane Steen
13. The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes
14. Lonelyheart 4122 by Colin Watson
15. Charity Ends at Home by Colin Watson
16. Someone to Care by Mary Balogh
17. The Third Nero by Lindsey Davis
18. Dear Mrs.Bird by A.J. Pearce
19. Pandora's Boy by Lindsey Davis
20. Blue Murder by Colin Watson
21. Brave New Earl by Jane Ashford
22. Summer by Edith Wharton
23. In the Presence of Evil by Tania Bayard
24. Whatever's Been Going On at Mumblesby? by Colin Watson
25. 1876 by Gore Vidal

CHALLENGES: The Historical Fiction Challenge 2016

My favorite challenge is the historical fiction challenge, now hosted at Passages to the Past.

Here are the Reading Challenge details:

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created. To participate, you only have to follow the rules:

• Everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section back at Passages to the Past if you wish)

• Add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky added each month at Passages to the Past (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide readers directly to your review)

• Any sub-genre of historical fiction is accepted (Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Young Adult, etc.)

During the following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

20th century Reader - 2 books
Victorian Reader - 5 books
Renaissance Reader - 10 books
Medieval - 15 books
Ancient History - 25 books
Prehistoric - 50+ books

To join the challenge you only need to make a post about it, add your link in Mr. Linky at Passages to the Past or just leave a link to your blog if you are not yet ready to post about it yet.

The challenge runs from January 1st to December 31st, 2016.

I'll be joining at the Ancient History level (25 books) but unofficially seeing if I can reach 50.

Here are the books I've read with links to reviews:

1. Dissolution by C.J. Sansom
2. The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin
3. The Hours Count by Jillian Cantor
4. Georgia by Dawn Tripp
5. The Lion and the Cross by Joan Lesley Hamilton
6. The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia by C.W. Gortner
7. At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier
8. The Daughters of Palatine Hill by Phyllis T. Smith
9. Hanging Mary by Susan Higginbotham
10. The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson
11. Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom
12. Remember the Ladies by Gina L. Mulligan
13. A Friend of Mr. Lincoln by Stephen Harrigan
14. The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson
15. Call to Juno by Elisabeth Storrs
16. The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth J. Church
17. Daughter of Australia by Harmony Verna
18. Mr. Eternity by Aaron Their
19. The Spy of Venice by Benet Bandreth
20. Marlene by C.W. Gortner
21. Penhallow by Georgette Heyer
22. Behave by Andromeda Romano-Lax
23. The Gilded Years by Karin Tanabe
24. The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry
25. A Pressing Engagement by Anna Lee Huber
26. An Untimely Frost by Penny Richards
27. The Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders
28. Buddenbrooks. The Decline of a Family by Thomas Mann
29. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
30. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
31. Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart
32. Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig
33. The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers
34. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
35. Someone to Love by Mary Balogh
36. As Death Draws Near by Anna Lee Huber
37. Death Comes to the Fair by Catherine Lloyd
38. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
39. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
40. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
41. Deadly Election by Lindsey Davis

CHALLENGES: The Nonfiction Reading Challenge 2016

I enjoyed the nonfiction challenge for 2015, finding myself reading a greater variety of nonfiction than is my usual habit. However, there are still some books on my shelf that I intended to read and didn't get to. Luckily, The Introverted Reader is hosting a nonfiction challenge again next year.

Similar to last year, here are the rules:

The Challenge:  Read any non-fiction book(s), adult or young adult. That's it. You can choose anything. Memoirs? Yes. History? Yes. Travel? Yes. You get the idea? Absolutely anything that is classified as non-fiction counts for this challenge.

Challenge Levels:

Dilettante--Read 1-5 non-fiction books

Explorer--Read 6-10

Seeker--Read 11-15

Master--Read 16-20

This challenge will last from January 1 to December 31, 2016. You can sign up anytime throughout the year.

You can also link to a review you wrote on another site, such as GoodReads or LibraryThing.

Crossovers with other challenges are acceptable, and feel free to read your books in any format you like.


The Introverted Reader will have a separate post with a linky for reviews and permanent links to both posts in the sidebar.


I'm going to Explorer level once again, shooting for 10 books. Maybe I'll get to those older ones waiting on my shelf this time around!

Links to reviews of the books I read are here:

1. America in the Gilded Age by Sean Dennis Cashman
2. Health and Wellness in 19th-Century America by John C. Waller
3. It Ended Badly. 13 of the Worst Breakups in History by Jennifer Wright
4. Dead Wake. The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson
5. An Anatomy of Addiction by Howard Markel
6. 1493 by Charles C. Mann
7. Fiend. The Shocking True Story of America's Youngest Serial Killer by Harold Schechter
8. How the Post Office Created America by Winifred Gallagher
9. Belgium. Long United, Long Divided by Samuel Humes
10. Les Parisiennes by Anne Sebba
11. Chivalry and the Medieval Past edited by Katie Stevenson and Barbara Gribling
12. American Gospel by Jon Meacham
13. The Gene. An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee
14. Victoria The Queen by Julia Baird

BACK TO THE CLASSICS CHALLENGE 2016

Even though this is the one challenge I didn't manage to complete this year, I'm not deterred from trying again. I love picking out the classics I want to read--and hope that putting them on this list will make me actually read them.

The challenge is hosted by Books and Chocolate, once again. Head on over to sign up. At the end, one lucky winner will receive a $30 prize from Amazon.com or The Book Depository, courtesy of the wonderful host.

Here's how it works:

The challenge will be exactly the same as last year, 12 classic books, but with slightly different categories. You do not have to read 12 books to participate in this challenge!

• Complete six categories, and you get one entry in the drawing
• Complete nine categories, and you get two entries in the drawing
• Complete all twelve categories, and you get three entries in the drawing

And here are the categories for the 2016 Back to the Classics Challenge:

1.  A 19th Century Classic - any book published between 1800 and 1899.

2.  A 20th Century Classic - any book published between 1900 and 1966. Just like last year, all books MUST have been published at least 50 years ago to qualify. The only exception is books written at least 50 years ago, but published later.

3.  A classic by a woman author. 

4.  A classic in translation.  Any book originally written published in a language other than your native language. Feel free to read the book in your language or the original language.

5.  A classic by a non-white author. Can be African-American, Asian, Latino, Native American, etc.

6.  An adventure classic - can be fiction or non-fiction.

7.  A fantasy, science fiction, or dystopian classic. Dystopian could include classics like 1984.

8.  A classic detective novel. It must include a detective, amateur or professional. This list of books from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction is a great starting point if you're looking for ideas.

9.  A classic which includes the name of a place in the title.  It can be the name of a house, a town, a street, etc. Examples include Bleak House, Main Street, The Belly of Paris, or The Vicar of Wakefield.

10. A classic which has been banned or censored. If possible, please mention why this book was banned or censored in your review.

11. Re-read a classic you read in school (high school or college).  If it's a book you loved, does it stand the test of time?  If it's a book you disliked, is it any better a second time around?

12. A volume of classic short stories. This must be one complete volume, at least 8 short stories. It can be an anthology of stories by different authors, or all the stories can be by a single author. Children's stories are acceptable in this category only.

And now, the rest of the rules:

• All books must be read in 2016. Books started before January 1, 2016 do not qualify. All reviews must be linked to this challenge by December 31, 2016. Links will be posted for each category the first week of January which will be featured on a sidebar at Books and Chocolate for the entire year. 

• You must also post a wrap-up review and link it to the challenge no later than December 31, 2016. Please include links within your final wrap-up. 

• All books must have been written at least 50 years ago; therefore, books must have been written by1966 to qualify for this challenge. The ONLY exceptions are books published posthumously.

• E-books and audiobooks are eligible! You may also count books that you read for other challenges.

• Books may NOT crossover within this challenge. You must read a different book for EACH category, or it doesn't count.

• If you do not have a blog, you may link to reviews on Goodreads or any other publicly accessible online format. 

• The deadline to sign up for the challenge is March 1, 2016.  Please include a link to your original sign-up post, not your blog URL. 

• You do NOT have to list all the books you're going to read for the challenge in your sign-up post, but it's more fun if you do! Of course, you can change your list any time. Books may also be read in any order. 

• The winner will be announced the first week of January, 2017. All qualifying participants will receive one or more entries, depending on the number of categories completed. One winner will be selected at random for all qualifying entries. The winner will receive a gift certificate in the amount of $30 (US currency) from either Amazon.com OR The Book Depository, and the winner MUST live in a country that will receive shipments from one or the other. For a list of countries that receive shipments from The Book Depository, click here. 

So, here are my choices (reviews will be linked when the books are done.):

1. 19th century:  Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
2. 20th century: Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Woman Author: The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
4. Translation: Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann
5. Non-white Author: The Living is Easy by Dorothy West
6. Adventure: Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
7. Science Fiction: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
8. Detective Novel: Penhallow by Georgette Heyer
9. Name of a Place in the Title: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
10. Banned or Censored: Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
11. Re-read a classic: Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
 12. Short Story Collection: A New England Nun and Other Stories by Mary Wilkins Freeman

Wish me luck!