2018 Reading Challenge - A to Z

Early this year, I saw a post online somewhere that people were trying to read a book for each letter of the alphabet this year. I decided that I wanted to try it too. I wasn't sure how I was going to go, but I think I've done quite well. If there's a book in the list that you'd like to see a review of but it hasn't been done yet, leave a comment and I'll review it.

The rules:

- The word "The" didn't count towards the letter T. For example, The Great Gatsby would be under G as Great Gatsby, The.

- At least one title per letter, not the author's name (although I may attempt that another year)

- You get one freebie to use as you wish. Only one though. Such as if you couldn't find a title beginning with Y that you wanted to read, you could use the freebie and use any book you wanted for that letter instead.

A

• A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird #1) - by Claudia Gray
• Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1) - by Beth Revis
• Angel Eyes (Angel Eyes #1) - by Shannon Dittemore
• And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street - by Dr. Seuss
• A Mother's Confession - by Kelly Rimmer
• Awakening, The (The Vampire Diaries #1) - by L.J. Smith
• Assassin's Blade, The (Throne of Glass #0.1-0.5) - by Sarah J. Maas

B

• Before I Let You Go - by Kelly Rimmer
• Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners #3) - by Libba Bray
• Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) - by Maggie Stiefvater
• Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) - by Holly Black
• Beneath the Sugar Sky (Wayward Children #3) - by Seanan McGuire

C

• Cleaning & Household Hacks - by Evelyn Craig
• Cat in the Hat, The - by Dr. Seuss
• Cat in the Hat Comes Back, The - by Dr. Seuss
• Celebrated Cases of Sherlock Holmes, The - by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Complete Sherlock Holmes, The (Sherlock Holmes #1-9), by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) - by Sarah J. Maas
• Christmasaurus, The: The Musical Edition - by Tom Fletcher

D

• Diviners, The (The Diviners #1) - by Libba Bray
• Dream Thieves, The (The Raven Cycle #2) - by Maggie Stiefvater
• Dr. Seuss' ABC - by Dr. Seuss
• Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2) - by Seanan McGuire
• Dear Tiger: I Don't Think I'm Human Anymore (Letters Across Space #2) - by Carlie Simonsen
• Dear Tiger: Don't Look Back (Letters Across Space #3) - by Carlie Simonsen
• Dear Tiger: I Like Your Lab (Letters Across Space #4) - by Carlie Simonsen
• Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2) - by Seanan McGuire [again]
• Don't You Cry - by Mary Kubica
• Dear Tiger: Let's Go A-Hunting (Letters Across Space #5) - by Carlie Simonsen
• Dear Tiger: Help Me Find My Sisters (Letters Across Space #6) - by Carlie Simonsen

E

• Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) - by Sarah J. Maas
• Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1) - by Seanan McGuire
• Eve (Eve #1) - by Anna Carey
• Eve of Man (Eve of Man Trilogy #1) - by Giovanna and Tom Fletcher
• Everything, Everything - by Nicola Yoon
• Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1) - by Seanan McGuire [again]

F

• Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay - by J.K. Rowling
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Hogwarts Library) - by Newt Scamander (J.K. Rowling)
• Foot Book, The - by Dr. Seuss
• Fawkes - by Nadine Brandes
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Hogwarts Library) - by Newt Scamander (J.K. Rowling) [again]

G

• Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) - by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
• Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, The (Guide #1) - by Mackenzie Lee
• Green Eggs and Ham - by Dr. Seuss
• Granny Finds a Gas Mask (Granny Finds Adventure #1) - by Carlie Simonsen

H

• Hunted - by Meagan Spooner
• Hollow City (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #2) - by Ransom Riggs
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas - by Dr. Seuss
• Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) - by Sarah J. Maas

I

• Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) - by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
• I Can Read With My Eyes Shut! - by Dr. Seuss
• InterWorld (InterWorld #1) - by Neil Gaiman & Michael Reaves
• I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1) - by Barry Lyga
• In Full Flight (Wings #3) - by Carlie Simonsen

J

• 
  

K

• 
  

L

• Last Academy, The - by Anne Applegate
• Lorax, The - by Dr. Seuss
• Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #3) - by Ransom Riggs
• Lair of Dreams (The Diviners #2) - by Libba Bray
• LIFEL1K3 (Lifelike #1) - by Jay Kristoff
• Les Miserables - by Victor Hugo

M

• Marge in Charge - by Isla Fisher
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #1) - by Ransom Riggs
• Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? - by Dr. Seuss
• Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! - by Dr. Seuss

N

• Neverland - by Margot McGovern

O

• Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3) - by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish - by Dr. Seuss
• Oh, The Places You'll Go! - by Dr. Seuss
• Oh Say Can You Say? - by Dr. Seuss
• Outliers, The (The Outliers #1) - by Kimberly McCreight
• On the Other Side - by Carrie Hope Fletcher

P

• Paper Magician, The (The Paper Magician #1) - by Charlie N. Holmberg

Q

• Queen Heir (NYC Mecca #1) - by Jaymin Eve & Leia Stone
• Quidditch Through the Ages (Hogwarts Library) - by Kennilworthy Whisp (J.K Rowling)

R

• Remains in the Pond, The - by Ann Swann
• Raven Boys, The (The Raven Cycle #1) - by Maggie Stiefvater
• Red Glove (Curse Workers #2) - by Holy Black
• Ruby Red (Precious Stone Trilogy #1) - by Kerstin Gier
• Raven King, The (The Raven Cycle #4) - by Maggie Stiefvater
• Rocky and the Raptors (Otherworld Adventures #6) - by Carlie Simonsen

S

• Siren, The - by Kiera Cass
• Something of Substance - by Tia Souders
• Splintered (Splintered #1) - by A.G. Howard

T

• This Night So Dark (Starbound #1.5) - by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
• Threads We Weave, The (Starbound #0.5) - by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
• Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6) - by Sarah J. Maas
• Their Fractured Light (Starbound #3) - by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
• Tales of Beedle the Bard, The (Hogwarts Library) - by J.K. Rowling
• Tiger Lily - by Jodi Lynn Anderson
• Talon (Talon #1) - by Julie Kagawa
• This Shattered World (Starbound #2) - by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
• There's a Wocket in my Pocket! - by Dr. Seuss
• Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose - by Dr. Seuss
• Tattoo Thief, The - by Alison Belsham
• Twice Dead (The Necromancer's Song #1) - by Caitlin Seal
• Tiny Pretty Things (Tiny Pretty Things #1) - by Song Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton
• Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #2) - by Sarah J. Maas

U

• Unearthed (Unearthed #1) - by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

V

• Very Hungry Caterpillar, The - by Eric Carla

W

• White Cat (Curse Workers #1) - by Holly Black
• Whisper (Whisper #1) - by Lynette Noni
• What If It's Us - by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

X

• 
  

Y

• 
  

Z

• 
  

BOOKS COMPLETED: 21/26

Life's Rainbow

It was a rainbow.

It was red. The colour of a rose, a strawberry, an autumn leaf. The colour of a sunburn after laughing and playing in the sun all day. The colour of an oversized bow in a little girl’s hair.

It was orange. The colour of a marigold, a penny, a maple tree. The colour of a pumpkin on a front step at Halloween. The colour of orange juice through a straw while unwell.

It was yellow. The colour of a bright and shining sun, a polka dot dress, sand at the beach. The colour of butter as it’s spread on some bread. The colour of a lemon as it sits in a fruit basket.

It was green. The colour of trees, a frog, a cactus. The colour of freshly mown grass just before it rains. The colour of a lime slush drink as it gives you a brain freeze.

It was blue. The colour of a cloudless sky, a robin’s egg, juicy blueberries. The colour of a warm blanket on a rainy day. The colour of the overalls on a little boy.

It was purple. The colour of grapes, a butterfly, a violet. The colour of a chocolate bar wrapper as the goodness inside was eaten. The colour of paint as it’s rolled onto the wall.

It was a rainbow.

Until it wasn’t.

It was purple. The colour of bruises on the little boy’s arm and cheek from where he had been abused by his parents. The colour of the robes of a pastor as they molested a child.

It was blue. The colour of depression that had been left alone too long, turning them to suicide. The colour of a car as it came hurtling towards a motorbike, crushing the rider.

It was green. The colour of jealousy as they find out their partner is cheating. The colour of the vomit as someone forces themselves to throw up to stay thin.

It was yellow. The colour of the sky before the smoke as the bomb went off. The colour of the alcohol as it consumed the little girl’s parents to the point of no return.

It was orange. The colour of the fire as it erupted from the forest, the trees fuelling it on. The colour of the warning that no one listened to.

It was red. The colour of fury and hate as they tore each other apart. The colour of blood as it slowly choked the streets, no one noticing how many lives lost until it was too late.

It was a rainbow.