2026 Book to Movie (and TV) Reading Challenge

Welcome to year ten of the Book to Movie (and TV) Challenge!

Let's see what books are coming to the screen in 2026. As usual, these releases are subject to change.

The info below comes from CinemaBlend.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry - Netflix, January 9

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin - January 18, HBO Max

Bridgerton - An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn - Bridgerton Season 4/Part 1: January 29, 2026 & Part 2: February 26, 2026, Netflix

Cold Storage by David Koepp - February 6, in theaters

Broken (contains “Crime 101” novella) by Don Winslow - Crime 101, February 13, in theaters

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - February 13, in theaters

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover - March 13, in theaters

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - March 20, in theaters

The Dog Stars by by Peter Heller - March 27, in theaters

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger - The Devil Wears Prada 2/May 1, in theaters

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann - May 8, in theaters

Is God Is by Aleshea Harris - May 15, in theaters

The Odyssey by Homer - July 17, in theaters

The Book of Magic (Practical Magic 2) by Alice Hoffman - Practical Magic 2/September 18, in theaters

Verity by Colleen Hoover - October 2, in theaters

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman - Other Mommy/October 9, in theaters

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus - October 16, in theaters

Remain by Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shymalan - October 23, in theaters

Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel) by Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping/November 20, in theaters

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis - November 26, in theaters (on Netflix Christmas Day)

Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert - December 18, in theaters

Upcoming Book Adaptations Without A Release Date

Book Lovers movie (by Emily Henry)
A Court Of Thorns And Roses TV show (by Sarah J. Mass)
Dark Matter Season 2 (by Blake Crouch)
The Dark Tower TV show (by Stephen King)
Fairy Tale TV show (by Stephen King)
Fourth Wing TV show (by Rebecca Yarros)
Funny Story movie (by Emily Henry)
Harry Potter TV show (by J.K. Rowling)
Margo’s Got Money Troubles TV Show (by Rufi Thorpe)
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo movie (by Taylor Jenkins Reid)
Recursion movie and TV series (by Blake Crouch)
The Testaments TV series (by Margaret Atwood)

This list is by no means exhaustive. If you find out about any I haven't mentioned, leave me a comment and I'll add to the list.

Main Levels
The Enthusiast: read 1-3 books
First One to the Theater: read 4+ books

Read only books being made into movies/series for release in 2026 (you are not required to only read from the list above. As I stated, if you find another movie or TV series/mini-series, based on a book, coming out in 2026, feel free to read it).

Additional Levels

Not Ready to Let Go: read at least one (1) book made into a movie or series in 2025

Living in the Past: read at least one (1) book made into a movie in previous years

You can Google for previous years, or check Goodreads lists.

The Movie Was Better (What?!): watch the movie(s) for the book(s) you read.

*the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

Additional Guidelines

• The books you read can count for other challenges. Ebooks, audiobooks, and traditional formats all count.
• The start date is January 1, 2026. End date is December 31, 2026.
• Remember, TV series/mini-series count too.
• Pick your level (and additional levels, if you like)
• Sign up below and grab the button (top of post). I hope you will join me!
• If you have any questions, click the contact me button in the sidebar, or leave a comment.

Sign up here: 

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2025 Book to Movie (and TV) Reading Challenge

Welcome to year nine of the Book to Movie (and TV) Challenge!

Let's see what books are coming to the screen in 2025. As usual, these releases are subject to change.

The info below comes from CinemaBlend and Screen Rant.

Legend: Movies = M, Streaming series = S, Streaming movie = SM (these will only be indicated if I know for sure which format the adaptation is.)

M: Paddington in Peru, based on the Michael Bond stories (Jan 17)
M: Dog Man, based on the David Pilkey graphic novels (Jan 31)

SM: The Witcher: Sirens Of The Deep (Book title: The Witcher: Sword of Destiny), Andrzej Sapkowski (Feb 11)
SM: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Helen Fielding (Feb 13)

M: Not Without Hope, Nick Schuyler and Jeré Longman (Feb 20)

M: The Unbreakable Boy: A Father’s Fear, A Son’s Courage, And A Story Of Unconditional Love,  Scott Michael LeRette (Feb 20)

SM: The Electric State, Simon Stalenhag (March 13)

M: The Amateur, Robert Littell (April 11)

M: Mickey 17 (Book title: Mickey7), Edward Ashton (April 18)
M: How to Train Your Dragon, Cressida Cowell (June 13)
M: Animal Farm, George Orwell (July 11)

M: Cold Storage, David Koepp (Sept 18)

M: The Running Man, Stephen King (Nov 21)

The following adaptations' release dates TBD
M: Frankenstein, Mary Shelley 
M: The Housemaid, Freida McFadden 
M: People We Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry 
M: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid 
The Midnight Library, Matt Haig 
M: Wildwood, Colin Meloy 
M: The Twits, Roald Dahl 

M: Book Lovers, Emily Henry
S:A Court Of Thorns And Roses TV show (by Sarah J. Mass)
S: Fairy Tale, Stephen King
S: Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros
M: Funny Story, Emily Henry
M: Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell
S: Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling
S: The Institute. Stephen King
M: The Life Of Chuck, Stephen King
M: The Long Walk, Stephen King
S: Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Rufi Thorpe
M: The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman
M & S: Recursion, Blake Crouch
M: Whalefall, Daniel Kraus
M: Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë

This list is by no means exhaustive. If you find out about any I haven't mentioned, leave me a comment and I'll add to the list.

Main Levels

The Enthusiast: read 1-3 books
First One to the Theater: read 4+ books

Read only books being made into movies/series for release in 2025 (you are not required to only read from the list above. As I stated, if you find another movie or TV series/mini-series, based on a book, coming out in 2025, feel free to read it).

Additional Levels

Not Ready to Let Go: read at least one (1) book made into a movie or series in 2024

Here's a list of 2024 movies adapted from books. (Note: Some of the movies listed may have been moved to 2025).

Living in the Past: read at least one (1) book made into a movie in previous years

You can Google for previous years, or check Goodreads lists.

The Movie Was Better (What?!): watch the movie(s) for the book(s) you read.

*the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

Additional Guidelines

• The books you read can count for other challenges. Ebooks, audiobooks, and traditional formats all count.
• The start date is January 1, 2025. End date is December 31, 2025.
• Remember, TV series/mini-series count too.
• Pick your level (and additional levels, if you like)
• Sign up below and grab the button (top of post). I hope you will join me!
• If you have any questions, click the contact me button in the sidebar, or leave a comment.

Sign up here:

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2024 Book to Movie (and TV) Reading Challenge

Welcome to year eight of the Book to Movie (and TV) Challenge! 

Let's see what books are coming to the screen in 2024. As usual, these releases are subject to change.

The info below comes from Booklist Queen and Screen Rant.

Legend: Movies = M, Streaming series = S, Streaming movie = SM (these will only be indicated if I know for sure which format the adaptation is.)

S: The Tiger’s Apprentice, Lauren Yep (Jan 19)

M: Argylle, Elly Conway (Feb 2)

M: Force of Nature, Jane Harper (The Dry 2 - Feb 8)

M: It Ends with Us, Colleen Hoover (Feb 9)

M: Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (Lisa Frankenstein - Feb 9)

M: Dune, Frank Herbert (Dune: Part 2 - March 15)

M: Mickey 7, Edward Ashton (Mickey 17 - March 29)

M: The Watchers, A.M. Shine (June 7)

S: It's Not Summer Without You, Jenny Han (The Summer I Turned Pretty: Season 2 - July 14)

M: Harold and the Purple Crayon, Crockett Johnson (Aug 2)

S: Heartstopper: Volume 2, Alice Oseman (Season 2 - Aug 3)

M: The Amateur, Robert Littell (Amateur - Nov 8)

M: Wicked, Gregory Maguire (Part One - Nov 27)

M: LOTR: The Two Towers, J.R.R. Tolkien (The War of Rohirrim - Dec 13)

S: Fool Me Once, Harlan Coben (Jan 1)

S: The Expatriates, Janice Y.K. Lee (Expats - Jan 26)

SM: Orion and the Dark, Emma Yarlett (Feb 2)

SM: Spaceman of Bohemia, Jaroslav Kalfar (March 1)

SM: The Three-Body Problem, Liu Cixin (3 Body Problem - March 21)

S: Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Julia Quinn (Bridgerton Season 3 - May 16)

M: Cold Storage, David Koepp (June 20)

M: Landing on My Feet: A Diary of Dreams, Kerri Strug & John P. Lopez (Perfect - Sept 9)

M: The Legacy of Mark Rothko, Lee Seldes (Oct 25)

S: Lady in the Lake, Laura Lippman (TBD)

S: A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles (TBD)

S: The Sympathizer, Viet Thanh Nguyen (TBD)

SM: Turtles All the Way Down, John Green (TBD)

S: The Sandman, Neil Gaiman (Season 2 - TBD)

SM: The Electric State, Simon Stalenhag (TBD)

S: Trust, Hernan Diaz (TBD)

S: The Spiderwick Chronicles, Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black (TBD)

SM: The Shrinking of Treehorn, Florence Parry Heide (TBD)

SM: Uglies, Scott Westerfeld (TBD)

S: Shogun, James Clavell (Feb 27)

This list is by no means exhaustive. If you find out about any I haven't mentioned, leave me a comment and I'll add to the list.

Main Levels

The Enthusiast: read 1-3 books
First One to the Theater: read 4+ books

Read only books being made into movies for release in 2024 (you are not required to only read from the list above. As I stated, if you find another movie or TV series/mini-series, based on a book, coming out in 2024, feel free to read it).

Additional Levels

Not Ready to Let Go: read at least one (1) book made into a movie or series in 2023

Here's a list of 2023 movies adapted from books. (Note: Some of the movies listed may have been moved to 2024).

Living in the Past: read at least one (1) book made into a movie in previous years

You can Google for previous years, or check Goodreads lists.

The Movie Was Better (What?!): watch the movie(s) for the book(s) you read.

*the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

Additional Guidelines

• The books you read can count for other challenges. Ebooks, audiobooks, and traditional formats all count.
• The start date is January 1, 2024. End date is December 31, 2024.
• Remember, TV series/mini-series count too.
• Pick your level (and additional levels, if you like)
• Sign up below and grab the button (top of post). I hope you will join me!
• If you have any questions, click the contact me button in the sidebar, or leave a comment.

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2023 Book to Movie (and TV) Reading Challenge

Welcome to year seven of the Book to Movie (and TV) Challenge! Movies are coming out in theaters again, then making their way to streaming in record time, often simultaneously. There are also excellent movies and series offered on the various streaming services. How can we ever keep up?!

Let's see what books are coming to the screen in 2023. As usual, these releases are subject to change.

The info below comes from Booklist Queen. As she states on her site, "movie release dates are still shifting constantly. I’d love to say that this is the definitive list of books being made into movies in 2023, but let’s face it. No one can foresee what the future will hold."

I'm going to follow somewhat closely to her method of posting the books to movies. The first list are movies with definitive 2023 release dates, and the second list are most likely 2023 book adaptations. If you would like to see her list of movies under development, visit her original post here and scroll down to the end of the post. 

Legend: Movies = M, Streaming series = S, Streaming movie = SM (these will only be indicated if I know for sure which format the adaptation is.)

M: The Lying Life of Adults, Elena Ferrante (Jan 4)

S: The Witching Hour, Anne Rice (Mayfair Witches, Jan 5)

M, SM: The Pale Blue Eye, Louis Bayard (Jan 6)

A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman (A Man Called Otto, Jan 13)

Wellmania, Brigid Delaney (Jan 15)

S: The Screaming Staircase, Jonathan Stroud (Lockwood & Co., Jan 27)

M: The Cabin at the End of the World, Paul Tremblay (Knock at the Cabin, Feb 3)

Text for You, Sofie Cramer (It's All Coming Back to Me, Feb 10)

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Judy Blume (April 28)

M: Harold and the Purple Crayon, Crockett Johnson (June 30)

M: American Prometheus, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin (Oppenheimer, July 21)

M: The Trench, Steve Alten (MEG 2: The Trench, Aug 4)

M: Dracula, Bram Stoker (The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Aug 11)

M: Hallowe'en Party, Agatha Christie (A Haunting in Venice, Sept 15)

The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty (Untitled, Oct 13)

M: Dune, Frank Herbert (Dune: Part 2, Nov 3)

M: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins (Nov 17)

M: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl (Wonka, Dec 15)

M: The Color Purple, Alice Walker (Dec 20)

Books Becoming Movies In 2023 (Hopefully)

Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman

Blackout, Dhonielle Clayton, Et. Al.

Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid

Evidence of Love, John Bloom and Jim Atkinson (Adaptation title, Love and Death)

Exit West, Mohsin Hamid

The Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe

High in the Clouds, Paul McCartney, Philip Ardagh, and Geoff Dunbar

Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann

The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave

Leave the World Behind, Rumaan Alam

Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus

The Magician's Elephant, Kate DiCamillo

The Marsh King's Daughter, Karen Dionne

The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan (Adaptation title, Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie (Adaptation title, Peter Pan & Wendy) 

The Power, Naomi Alderman

Red, White & Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston

'Salem's Lot, Stephen King

Shriver, Chris Belden

Spaceman of Bohemia, Jaroslav Kalfar

The Field Guide, Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black (Adaptation title, The Spiderwick Chronicles)

The Three-Body Problem, Cixin Liu

Triptych, Karin Slaughter (Adaptation title, Will Trent)

Troubled Blood, Robert Galbraith

Turtles All the Way Down, John Green

Uglies, Scott Westerfeld

White Bird, R.J. Palacio

Wicked, Gregory Maguire

These are by no means exhaustive lists. If you find out about any I haven't mentioned, leave me a comment and I'll add to the list.

Main Levels

The Enthusiast: read 1-3 books
First One to the Theater: read 4+ books

Read only books being made into movies for release in 2023 (you are not required to only read from the list above. As I stated, if you find another movie or TV series/mini-series, based on a book, coming out in 2023, feel free to read it).

Additional Levels

Not Ready to Let Go: read at least one (1) book made into a movie or series in 2022

Here's a list of 2022 movies adapted from books. (Note: Some of the movies listed may have been moved to 2023).

Living in the Past: read at least one (1) book made into a movie in previous years

You can Google for previous years, or check Goodreads lists.

The Movie Was Better (What?!): watch the movie(s) for the book(s) you read.

*the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

Additional Guidelines

• The books you read can count for other challenges. Ebooks, audiobooks, and traditional formats all count.
• The start date is January 1, 2023. End date is December 31, 2023.
• Remember, TV series/mini-series count too.
• Pick your level (and additional levels, if you like)
• Sign up below and grab the button (top of post). I hope you will join me!
• If you have any questions, click the contact me button in the sidebar, or leave a comment.

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2022 Read Your (Book) Shelf Challenge

Welcome to the 2022 new and updated Read Your (Book) Shelf reading challenge! It's year six and this challenge was originally inspired by the #RYBSAT (Read-your-bookshelf-a-thon) which I found on Twitter back in 2017. As this challenge has been updated, if you have not previously participated, and you would like to learn about the previous format, you can read about it on last year's challenge post here.

Now...on to the new details/guidelines!

I'm assuming you own at least one bookshelf, correct? Well, if so, this challenge is for you! 

Here's what you do:

• Count your bookshelves. As an example, I counted mine. I have 21 (yes, that is correct!). 
• Depending on how many shelves you have, you will randomly pick one book from each bookshelf to total 12 books for the year. Ideally, reading one book for each month of the year, though you can decide how you want to read them. You can even choose all 12 books at once if you want to plan ahead for the year. The ultimate goal is 12 books in a year.
• If you have less than 12 bookshelves, you can break it up how you like. For instance, say you have six (6) bookshelves. Then you would choose two books from each shelf to total the 12 books. If you only have one bookshelf, then you just randomly choose a book from that shelf each month. 
• In the case of having more than 12 bookshelves: I have 21 so I plan to assign a number to each shelf, and then randomly choose a shelf each month using an online randomizer (or you can pick from a hat, or whatever works). 
• You can choose three (3) times from each shelf, just in case you really aren't feeling the book you've chosen, or your first choice was part of a series you've already read, or in the middle of a series you haven't started. 
• If you start the challenge late, mid-year, etc., you can read the number of books coinciding with the remaining months in the year, or if you're ambitious and/or a fast reader, you can still go for the 12 books.
• What an awesome way to tackle books gathering dust on your bookshelves. Right?
• Challenge runs January through December of 2022.
• You can cross over books from your 12 books with other challenges.
• Just remember to stick to the guidelines above.
• Easy peasy! 
• Hashtag for social media #ReadYourShelf
• Any questions? Leave me a comment below, or contact me via the button in the sidebar.

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2022 Book to Movie (and TV) Reading Challenge

Here we are at year 6! Things still aren't quite back to normal, though I have been seeing more films at the theater than last year. Still, I'm liking the movies having simultaneous releases on streaming and at the theater. At least we have more options (if we are a subscriber of the service that offers the films). Time will tell if things are going to be bad again. I just want it to be over for good, but sadly, I'm not sure things will ever be the same again. You know one thing that doesn't change? READING! That is the beauty of the written word. We can read anywhere, and if we're stuck at home, reading is a constant companion. It certainly doesn't get shut down because of a virus. Go, READING! 

So, let's see what books are coming to the screen in 2022. As things have been going, these releases are subject to change.

The info below comes from the Bibliofile. A note from the site: "...this list only includes titles that have been affirmatively announced for 2022 or where there’s a high likelihood of it being released (such as if it’s in the process of filming). I’ll of course be updating this list as titles get slated into release dates or other announcements are made."

Legend: Movies = M, Streaming series = S, Streaming movie = SM

M: Deep Water, Patricia Highsmith (Jan 14)

M: Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers (Jan 21)

M: The Black Phone, Joe Hill-from 20th Century Ghosts (Jan 28)

M: Death on the Nile, Agatha Christie (Feb 22)

M: Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, Paul Gallico (Mar 4)

SM: Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens (June 24)

M: White Bird: A Wonder Story, R.J. Palacio (Sept 16)

M: Salem's Lot, Stephen King (Sept 9)

M: The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah (Dec 23)

M: The Wonder, Emma Donoghue (2022)

M: Blonde, Joyce Carol Oates (2022)

M: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikrey, Gabrielle Zevin

SM: Persuasion, Jane Austen (2022 estimated)

M: The School for Good and Evil, Soman Chainani (2022)

M: The Stars at Noon, Denis Johnson (2022)

SM: Luckiest Girl Alive, Jessica Knoll (2022)

SM: Peter Pan & Wendy, J.M. Barrie (2022)

SM: White Noise, Don Delillo (2022)

SM: All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque (2022)

M: Pinnochio, Carlo Collodi - stop motion animated (2022)

S: The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien - this is a prequel (2022) 

SM: Pinnochio, Carlo Collodi - live action (2022)

S: The Power, Naomi Alderman (2022 estimated)

S: Anatomy of a Scandal, Sarah Vaughan (2022)

S: Conversations with Friends, Sally Rooney (2022)

S: The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger (2022)

S: House of the Dragon/Fire and Blood, George R. R. Martin (2022)

S: A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness - Season 3 (2022)

S: Bridgerton, Julia Quinn - Season 2 (2022)

S: Kindred, Octavia E. Butler (2022 or 2023 estimated)

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you find out about any I haven't mentioned, leave me a comment and I'll add to the list.

Main Levels

The Enthusiast: read 1-3 books
First One to the Theater: read 4+ books

Read only books being made into movies for release in 2022 (you are not required to only read from the list above. As I stated, if you find another movie or TV series/mini-series, based on a book, coming out in 2022, feel free to read it).

Additional Levels

Not Ready to Let Go: read at least one (1) book made into a movie or series in 2021

Here's a list of 2021 movies adapted from books. (Note: Some of the movies listed may have been moved to 2022).

Living in the Past: read at least one (1) book made into a movie in previous years

You can Google for previous years, or check Goodreads lists.

The Movie Was Better (What!?): watch the movie(s) for the book(s) you read.

*the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

Additional Guidelines

• The books you read can count for other challenges. Ebooks, audiobooks, and traditional formats all count.
• The start date is January 1, 2022. End date is December 31, 2022.
• Remember, TV series/mini-series count too.
• Pick your level (and additional levels, if you like)
• Sign up below and grab the button (top of post). I hope you will join me!
• If you have any questions, click the contact me button in the sidebar, or leave a comment.

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1000 Books Project: Classic Fantasy 2022

Challenge Backstory:

I picked up a copy of James Mustich's amazing 1000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life Changing List and upon looking through it, I realized it really is a well-rounded reading recommendation book. I was pleased to discover I have read quite a few of the books he lists, and that many of them are on my personal reading lists (and they are books I own). So, to ever expand my reading horizons, and include others in the journey, I decided to create a read-along challenge, or project, if you will.

Note: 2021 was French Classics. I managed to finish The Count of Monte Cristo, but Les Miserables proved too daunting after finishing the Dumas book so I'm working on finishing it gradually. It happens. I'm sure you can relate.

Without further ado, the project for 2022 is Classic Fantasy. Particularly...

The Once and Future King by T.H. White: January - June 2022

Reading schedule for this portion of the read-along here

From 1000 Books to Read Before You Die...

King Arthur and his court have provided our literature with what may be its richest vein of story. A simple list of the names it encompasses--Arthur and Merlyn, Guenever and Lancelot, Avalon and Camelot--conjures a magical spell of adventure, intrigue, and nobility. No narrative enchanter has made more of its power than T.H. White. In the four novels--The Sword in the Stone (1938), The Queen of Air and Darkness (1939), The Ill-Made Knight (1940), and The Candle in the Wind (1958)--collected under the title The Once and Future King, White mined the ore of Arthurian tradition and infused it with both erudition and imagination to create a fresh treasury of humor, romance, fantasy, and tragedy.

and...

The Gormenghast Trilogy: Titus Groan/Gormenghast/Titus Alone by Mervyn Peake: July through December 2022

From 1000 Books to Read Before You Die...

The Other Side of Tolkien

Mervyn Peake lurks in the shadows of literature like a forgotten enchanter obscured by the main action of a fantasy sequence. In the royalty of the genre, one might even see him as J.R.R. Tolkien's dispossessed brother, ruling a realm wilder than the one the creator of The Lord of the Rings commanded. The difference is evident in their prose: Tolkien's writing is sturdy and occasionally poetic, but it pales next to Peake's idiosyncratic, virtuosic style. And where the former's heart lay with salt-of-the-earth types like Bilbo Baggins, the latter's allegiance was to eccentrics, artists, and rebels. Tolkien endorsed systems, hierarchies, and loyalties within both, while Peake railed against not only duties but against governance itself. But anyone of an expressive temperament or taste--admiring, say, the caricatural genius of Dickens and the inherent fatedness of Melville, or possessing a fondness for the Gothic or the baroque--will wander into Peake's imaginative realm with wonder, and likely to return to it again and again.

Watch for the reading schedule for our first read-along, The Once and Future King, which I will have posted on January 1st.

If you would like to join us, sign up below...and spread the word. Thanks!

 

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1000 Books Project - Les Misérables Reading Schedule

Finally! Here is the reading schedule. Hopefully, you saw this post where I changed this read-along to the last five months of the year. We had an August start date, BUT I just finished The Count of Monte Cristo (final discussion here) so I'm starting it now. I'm really going to try to read a little each day so I stay caught up. Now, on to the details and reading schedule....

My edition: Hardcover, 908 pages, Published October 11th 2012 by Fall River Press

Discussions will be posted here on the blog on the dates indicated in the schedule. Feel free to stop by the discussions any time. Post your thoughts in the comments, or share a link to a blog post.

• August: Volume I - Fantine
  Discussion: September 1st
• September: Volume II - Cosette
  Discussion: October 1st
• October: - Volume III - Marius
  Discussion: November 1st
• November: Volume IV - Saint-Denis
  Discussion: December 1st
  
• December: Volume V - Jean Valjean
  Discussion: January 1st (2022)

The original challenge post with info and sign-up is here.

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1000 Books Project: The Count of Monte Cristo Discussion - Final Thoughts...finally!

Dumas really was an author who liked to create an atmosphere along with his story. There are moments where the story lags, but never once was I tempted to abandon the story. It's just too good a story for that. 

What's the price of revenge? Does a person who is wronged in a horrible way, his whole life taken away, have the right to seek revenge on those who wronged him, and still find happiness? This is what Dumas explores in this book. It's actually an excellent example of karma...what goes around comes around. In the end I feel (and apparently so did Dumas) that Monte Cristo (or Edmond Dantes) performed enough good deeds amidst his revenge to warrant him happiness in the end. Although I was a little weirded out that he ended up with Haidee. I guess my only cinematic viewing of the story, the 2002 version of the same name, had me liking that ending better...for Dantes anyway. I'm due for a rewatch since I've now read the book.

I'm not going to go into more detail with this discussion. Frankly, I'm exhausted, yet feeling accomplished that I finally finished. Now have to save my energy for Les Miserables.

So, what did you think? Any thoughts on what I said above, or further insight beyond what I mentioned? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments. 

The official start of the Les Miserables read-along was the beginning of this month, but I had not got around to posting the schedule yet. It is now live and you will find the post here. 

Hope you will join us for another French classic. Les Mis is really one of my favorite stories.

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1000 Books Project - The Count of Monte Cristo Reading Schedule

Time to start this read-along! Long overdue on reading this one. We have six months to finish this 900+ page book. We can do it!

I just discovered that the edition I own is ABRIDGED!!! NO WAY! I ordered the Wordsworth Classics edition from Amazon. I will post the full schedule when I receive the book on Monday. 

My edition: Info coming

Discussions will be posted here on the blog on the dates indicated in the schedule. Feel free to stop by the discussions any time. Post your thoughts in the comments, or share a link to a blog post.

• January: Read through page 155, through the end of Chapter XXII 
  Discussion January 31
• February: Read through page 305, through the end of Chapter XXXVII
  Discussion February 28
• March: Read through page 457, through the end of Chapter LV
  Discussion March 31
• April: Read through page 603, through the end of Chapter LXXVI
  Discussion April 30
• May: Read through page 725, through the end of Chapter XCIII
  Discussion May 31
• June: Read through page 875, end
  Discussion June 30

The original challenge post with info and sign-up is here.

2021 Read Your (Book) Shelf Challenge #ReadYourShelf

Year five! Once again, a shout out to the awesome book bloggers/booktubers who created the #RYBSAT (Read-your-bookshelf-a-thon), which I adapted this challenge from in 2017.

I failed miserably on this one this year. All I can do is try again in 2021! 

Here's what you do:

• Go to your bookshelves, or stack on the floor, or on your nightstand, etc. Pick out a book that you've been wanting to read on a particular shelf.
• Now continue down that line of books on the shelf (in order) until you have 12 books. (See my shelf for the 2021 challenge below as an example.) There are a total of 19 books in my chosen shelf. I have already read three of the books by Ronald Malfi so that brings my total to 16 books. That gives me four alternates.

• You might notice that there are a couple of extra books in my chosen shelf (as I mentioned above). These are alternate titles. I found that part of the reason I failed at this challenge is that I didn't have any options for alternates, which I now feel is essential, especially if your sequence of books has more than one by the same author. I'm limiting the alternates to a three six book maximum.
• You will then read your 12 books over the next twelve months, one book each month. You can read them in order (forward or reverse), or you can plug 1 - 12 (or 1 through your total number including alternates, if any) into a randomizer each month to pick your title for the month or, if you're a planner, you can plan which books you will read for each month.
• If you find that one of the books is part of a series and you've already read it, I will allow a substitution of another book from the series. However, if you find this happening (a whole series, several by the same author, etc) in the stack/shelf you chose, and you don't like it, I would suggest picking a different stack/shelf.
• If you find yourself unable to finish one of your books in a month's time (I recently experienced this with a book I've found will take me a bit longer to finish, as I need to read it in doses), as long as you finish it during the challenge dates (January - December of current year), it counts. So, with the alternate reads option, and this addition, I think things should be much easier. 
• If you start the challenge late, mid-year, etc., you can read the number of books coinciding with the remaining months in the year. For example, if you start in June, you would pick a shelf (or section of shelf) with seven books (and 2 or 3 alternates) to give you your seven books for the remainder of the challenge dates parameters.
• What an awesome way to tackle books gathering dust on your bookshelves. Right?
• Challenge runs January through December of 2021.
• You can cross over books from your 12 books with other challenges.
• Just remember to stick to the guidelines above.
• Easy peasy! 

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2021 Book to Movie Reading Challenge #Book2MovieRC

We're back for another year! Yes, things are looking a bit different now, with movie theaters closed and many newly released movies going straight to streaming. Sadly, I saw more movies in the theater before COVID. The theater we went to had really cheap matinee prices. Now, I just wait to watch after they've been released for a while, or when awesome streaming services release the films free for subscribers (like the new Wonder Woman movie coming out this month. Woot!). 

Anyway, let's see what's on the docket for 2021. As things have been going, these releases are subject to change. 

(Movies and streaming series)

A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness - Season 2 (January 2021)

Chaos Walking [The Knife of Never Letting Go], Patrick Ness (January 22, 2021)

The Dig, John Preston (January 29, 2021)

To All the Boys 3 / Always and Forever, Lara Jean, Jenny Han (February 2021) *anticipated

Without Remorse, Tom Clancy (February 26th, 2021)

Antlers [based on a short story, A Quiet Boy by Nick Antosca] (February 19, 2021)

Cherry, Nico Walker (February 26, 2021)

Fatherhood / Two Kisses for Maddy, Matt Logelin (April 16, 2021)

Peter Rabbit 2, Beatrix Potter (April 21, 2021)

Infinite / The Reincarnationist Papers, D. Eric Maikranz (May 28, 2021)

Fear Street (Trilogy), R.L. Stine (Summer 2021)

Anatomy of a Scandal, Sarah Vaughan (Fall 2021) *Netflix series

The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah (December 22, 2021)

Nightmare Alley, William Lindsay Gresham (2021) *maybe

Blonde, Joyce Carol Oates (2021)

The Stars at Noon, Denis Johnson (2021)

Mothering Sunday, Graham Swift (2021)

The Power of the Dog, Thomas Savage (2021)

Last Letter from Your Lover, Jojo Moyes (2021)

The Woman in the Window, A.J. Finn (2020 or 2021) *as the year is almost over, probably 2021

Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann (2021)

Passing , Nella Larson (2021)

Artemis, Andy Weir (2021)

True Things About Me, Deborah Kay Davies (2021)

Pinnochio, Carlo Collodi (2021)

Wicked, Gregory Maguire (2021)

Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers (2021)

Across the Rivers and Into the Trees, Ernest Hemingway (2021) *maybe

Dear Zoe, Philip Beard (2021)

Macbeth, Shakespeare (2021)

A Spark of Light, Jodi Picoult (2021) *limited series

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams (2021) *Hulu series

Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid (2021 [maybe]) *Amazon series

Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2021) *HBO Max limited series

Conversations With Friends, Sally Rooney (2021) *Hulu limited series
Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo (2021 [likely]) *Netflix series

Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty (2021) *Hulu limited series

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Rick Riordan (2021) *Disney+ series(?)

The Witcher, Andrzej Sapkowski - Season 2 (2021) *possibly Q1

You, Caroline Kepnes - Season 3 (2021)

The Shining Girls, Lauren Beukes (2021) *Apple+ series

The Player’s Table / They Wish They Were Us, Jessica Goodman (2021) *series

The Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan - Season 1 (2021) *Amazon series

Dune, Frank Herbert - (October 2021)

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you find out about any I haven't mentioned, leave me a comment and I'll add to the list.

Main Levels

The Enthusiast: read 1-3 books
First One to the Theater: read 4+ books

Read only books being made into movies for release in 2021 (you are not required to only read from the list above. As I stated, if you find another movie or TV series/mini-series based on a book coming out in 2021, feel free to read it).

Additional Levels

Not Ready to Let Go: read at least one (1) book made into a movie or series in 2020

Here's a list of 2020 movies adapted from books. (Note: Some of the movies listed may have been moved to 2021).

Living in the Past: read at least one (1) book made into a movie in previous years

You can Google for previous years, or check Goodreads lists.

The Movie Was Better (What!?): watch the movie(s) for the book(s) you read.

*the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

Additional Guidelines

• The books you read can count for other challenges. Ebooks, audiobooks, and traditional formats all count.
• The start date is January 1, 2021. End date is December 31, 2021.
• Remember, TV series/mini-series count too.
• Pick your level (and additional levels)
• Sign up below and grab the button (top of post). I hope you will join me!
• If you have any questions, click the contact me button in the sidebar, or leave a comment.
  
  
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1000 Books Project: French Classics 2021

Challenge Backstory:

I picked up a copy of James Mustich's amazing 1000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life Changing List and upon looking through it, I realized it really is a well-rounded reading recommendation book. I was pleased to discover I have read quite a few of the books he lists, and that many of them are on my personal reading lists (and they are books I own). So, to ever expand my reading horizons, and include others in the journey, I decided to create a read-along challenge, or project, if you will.

Note: 2020 was non-fiction. We had four books which were supposed to be quarterly read-alongs. Sadly, I only managed to complete the first quarter book which was Herodotus' The Histories (which was a daunting read!). I moved house in August (from Tennessee to Michigan). It was a major move with months and months of packing (I have thousands of books) and months and months of unpacking (just finished shelving the bulk of my books and STILL unpacking). So, planning the read-alongs last year was overly ambitious. Going to scale it back (a bit) this year. 

Without further ado, the project for 2021 is French Classics. Particularly...

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas:  January - June 2021

From 1000 Books to Read Before You Die...

The Fastest 1,200 Pages You Will Ever Read

When it comes to page-turners, The Count of Monte Cristo is the great granddaddy of them all. Despite the novel's gargantuan dimensions--it runs to more than twelve hundred pages in most editions--each of its chapters is like an exhibit in a compendium of narrative suspense; it's hard to imagine any thriller plot on page or screen that isn't foretold in the fantastic adventures of Edmond Dantès.

Dantès is an earnest, responsible young sailor who, as the novel begins, has returned to Marseilles to marry his beloved Mercèdès. Yet on the eve of their wedding, he is nefariously accused of being a traitor, wrongfully convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment in an impregnable chàteau. So begins Dumas's sprawling tale of vengeance, cunning, patience, and hope. As Dantès is transformed into the unforgettable figure who gives the book its title, he comes to combine the attributes of Odysseus, Robin Hood, a Western gunslinger, and James Bond, meting out his artful and implacable justice with equal doses of vindictiveness and generosity. 

and...

Les Misèrables by Victor Hugo:  July through December 2021

From 1000 Books to Read Before You Die...

An Epic Tale of Injustice and Adversity, Love and Hope

In his long life, Victor Hugo amassed glory on a scale we can scarcely imagine today. Upon his death in 1885 at the age of eighty-three, his body was laid in state in Paris beneath the Arch de Triomphe, and tens of thousands paid their respects to the revered poet, dramatist, and novelist before he was buried (in a pauper's coffin, as his will stipulated) in the Panthèon. Hugo's epic funeral dwarfs the earthly farewell of other writers the way Les Misèrables--in its length, scope, and magnamity--towers over all but a handful of novels.

The product of two decades of literary labor, Les Misèrables was begun while the author enjoyed political favor in Paris, and finished during Hugo's nineteen-year political exile in the Channel Islands. At the core of its vast narrative is Jean Valjean, a peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving children. This rash act will haunt him through all the events that follow, for even though the noble Valjean can escape prison, he cannot escape his past, which relentlessly pursues him in the body of the implacable Inspector Javert. Hugo's fierce advocacy for the poor and oppressed (the book's title might be translated as "The Wretched" or "The Outcasts") runs like an electric current through the intricate plot that leads readers from the countryside to the urban underworld, from the Battle of Waterloo to the Parisian sewers through which Valjean flees in one of the most famous episodes in all of fiction. Teeming with unforgettable characters--including the saintly bishop known as Monseigneur Bienvenu, the young and unfortunate seamstress Fantine, her orphaned daughter Cosette, the street urchin Gavroche, the villainous Thènardier, and the fiery revolutionary Marius--Les Misèrables encompasses historical events, societal injustice, personal suffering and sacrifice, and love in all its hopes and heartaches. As the author leads the reader down what seems to be every alleyway in Paris, he wears on his billowing sleeve the human sympathy that animates the most unforgettable novels. 

Watch for the reading schedule for our first read-along, The Count of Monte Cristo,  which I will have posted on January 1st.  Reading Schedule Here.

Les Miserables - Reading Schedule Here.

If you would like to join us, sign up below...and spread the word. Thanks!

 

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1000 Books Project - An update

I've had to make the executive decision to change up our reading schedule for the project. Some of you may be aware of my move this August, if you follow at my readathon blog, Seasons of Reading. Yes, I'm moving house in August. We live in Nashville, Tennessee (my mom, my sons, and I) and have wanted to move back to my hometown (Midland, Michigan) for a while now since my sister and her family still live up there. We planned to move after both boys were graduated, but my younger son (17) started home school last year so we decided to move sooner. Plus, my older son (who just graduated) is going to Central Michigan University in the fall. We originally were planning on moving by the fourth week in August, as my son was starting school on August 31, but now with the pandemic, they have moved the start date to August 17 (as many colleges are doing), which means we have to move by August 10 to get him moved into the dorms before school starts. Needless to say, the remainder of June and the month of July are going to be very busy with packing, moving prep, etc. Yikes!

What does this mean for our read-alongs? I'm extending Sagas of Icelanders through August 31. In Cold Blood will be September (and into October, if needed). I wanted it to be a Banned Books Week read in September anyway. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee will still be in November (into December, if needed), in honor of National American Indian Heritage Month.

I have updated the official reading schedule post here. The Sagas of Icelanders schedule is also updated here. 

I hope you will still be able to join me for the read-alongs, and thanks for bearing with me. ❤

1000 Books Project - Herodotus The Histories Reading Schedule

I apologize for being a few days late with this schedule. Last time I looked, I only have one participant (Thank you, Lucy), but hoping more will join in.

This book has nine books so I built the schedule around them. The introduction, timeline, and the back matter of the book are not included in the schedule, but feel free to read them (I plan to).

Discussions will be posted here on the blog. Feel free to stop by the discussions any time. Post your thoughts in the comments, or share a link to a blog post.

Reading/Discussion Schedule

• January 1-9 - Book One and
  Discussion January 10
• January 11-20 - Book Two
  Discussion January 21
• January 22-30 - Book Three
  Discussion January 31
• February 1-9 - Book Four
  Discussion February 10
• February 11-19 - Book Five
  Discussion February 20
• February 21-29 - Book Six
  Discussion March 1
• March 2-10 - Book Seven
  Discussion March 11
• March 12-20 - Book Eight
  Discussion March 21
• March 22-30 - Book Nine
  Discussion March 31

The original challenge post with info and sign-up is here.