Yes, I know, I'm rather behind on this challenge. It's still doable, but I need to buckle down and read more. Which will be a challenge in and of itself, since my TV shows are about to start back up later this month... I've saved a lot of the books I've been looking forward to most for this later section, though, so that should help.
Also, if anyone has a recommendation for "a book that scares you," please feel free to share. That category sort of has me stumped, since I don't read much horror. Two stipulations: no evil clowns, and minimal usage of snakes. Otherwise I will have very disturbing dreams.
26. A book from your childhood
A Swiftly Tilting Planet, by Madeleine L'Engle
If I had to pick ten favorite books, this one would make it onto that list. I still vividly recall the first time I read it - how it left me in awe, both of the story and of the storytelling. It's good versus evil on an incredibly grand scale, and the writing itself is almost lyrical at points, making this book a joy to read. I love the way the battle for the fate of the world is portrayed as incredibly broad in scope, being fought across the entirety of human history, while at the same time feeling very personal, as everything revolves around just a few crucial characters. The juxtaposition of love and hate in this book is a perspective that has indelibly colored the way I look at the world, and I often think back to this book when the news is full of stories of hatred and violence. I've read this book many times, and I plan to read it many more, because each time I feel like I see a bit more of the truth that's woven throughout this beautiful story.
My rating: 10/10
27. A book with more than 500 pages
Seveneves, by Neal Stephenson
I'm always a little unsure about tackling a novel that weighs in at over 800 pages - if it ends up disappointing me, that's a lot of reading time lost. Even though a Tor.com article had piqued my interest in this book, I was still hesitant at the beginning. Then I read the first sentence -
"The moon blew up without warning and for no apparent reason" - and I was hooked. The scope of this novel is massive, as the ramifications of that pivotal event are explored in great detail, and both the immediate impact and the long-term outcome (we're talking thousands of years here) are laid out very clearly and in such a way that I never lost interest. From the technical details to the societal changes, the world-building was outstanding. As a scientist, I appreciated the attention to detail that was evident throughout, and as someone who loves a good story, I appreciated the complex way this one unfolded. Granted, the pacing was a little off at times, but I still really enjoyed this book overall.
My rating: 8/10
28. A book with a love triangle
The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
When I was first skimming through the categories in this challenge, this one did not make me excited. Between television and YA books, I'd generally had about all that I could stomach of love triangles. And then I realized that The Princess Bride technically has one. Suddenly I was very excited for this category. The humor in this book is more nuanced and subtle than in the movie, which is probably why I only like the movie, but absolutely love the book. Plus, you get more backstory on Fezzik and Inigo, a hair-raising descent into the Zoo of Death, and all of the author's notes where he supposedly cut things out of Morgenstern's "original." (Side note: did you know I've met people who read this and thought there really was an unabridged version out there somewhere? Spoiler alert: there isn't.) All that to say, every time I read this book I find it just as delightful as the first time I picked it up, and it still stands as my favorite humorous fantasy book.
My rating: 10/10
29. A memoir
Greater Than Gold, by David Boudia
Let's just get this out of the way: I am both a Christian and an Olympics junkie. As such, I was predisposed to like this book. And I did like it. It was a quick, easy read, but I was happy to find that David Boudia's understanding of what it means to be a Christian seems to be well grounded in Biblical truth. I had no idea until I was watching the synchro diving at the Rio Olympics that he was a Christian, but I remember watching him dive in London and being very excited when he won (see above comment about me being an Olympics junkie). All in all, it was an enjoyable book.
My rating: 7/10
30. A book more than 100 years old
The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells
It's one of the earliest alien invasion stories, but this book holds up surprisingly well nearly 120 years later. Events are described succinctly but vividly, and the directness of the narration adds to the urgency of the story. The plot is detailed and gripping, the Martians are a formidable foe, and while some people may dislike the anticlimactic ending (preferring something more along the lines of an Independence Day-type battle, I guess), I've always enjoyed the idea of terrestrial bacteria being the Martians' undoing.
My rating: 8/10
