(I just realized that I never published this post . . . so it’s a little late but still accurate.)
I am very happy to say that I reached my annual goal once more of reading 50 books for my library’s Extreme Book Nerd Challenge!
Here is an overview of the book categories I have read along with the books, their blurbs (from Amazon), and my own rating of the reads! I’ll be delving more into the books with my actual book reviews of them so stay tuned!
FANTASY
“Destiny suffers from a reoccurring night terror about a monster with green eyes…”
“TWO SISTERS SOUGHT TO RESURRECT AN ANCIENT EVIL. ONLY ONE SURVIVED…”
“…Cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller’s daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue. Or so everyone believes…”
“Queen. She should be happy, but something about the mirror she was holding filled her with a horrid sense of dread that she could not account for…”
“Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place—he’s the only living resident of a graveyard…”
“Peter Pan lives in the enchanted world of Neverland, refusing to grow up and spending his days with the Lost Boys, battling pirates, and having endless adventures…”
“…Isla Crawford steps into McQuivey’s Costume Shop in London and is swept back in time to 1605, where she and Lord Bancroft attempt to thwart Guy Fawkes’s Gunpowder Plot…”
“Deep in the heart of a mysterious forest, Gretel trades her freedom to save her beloved father from the spell of an evil enchantress…” (from Deseret Book)
“A simple ring couldn’t possibly grant the ability to time travel, could it? …”
HISTORICAL FICTION
“A young stowaway onboard the Titanic will need all her courage and wits to stay alive…”
“Jerry discovers dark family secrets spanning 500 years when she finds a bloodstained lace and other items in an old trunk, connecting her to the Spanish Inquisition’s atrocities…”
“A thrilling tale of a 13-year-old girl’s journey on a treacherous sea voyage, facing a cruel captain, a mutinous crew, and a murder trial…”
“A young Elizabeth I navigates court intrigue, feeling overlooked by her father Henry VIII amidst threats of exile…”
“A poor peasant boy in medieval England flees his village after being accused of a crime he didn’t commit and must navigate dangerous political intrigue to clear his name and find a new life…”
“During the Crimean War, twelve-year-old Robbie becomes Florence Nightingale’s assistant at Barracks Hospital while searching for his brother after the Light Brigade charge…”
“A masterpiece rifle crafted in 1768 passes through multiple owners from the American Revolution to present day, carrying a deadly secret – it remains loaded throughout its journey…”
HORROR/SUSPENSE
“A mother disappears, leaving her daughter to uncover dark secrets and a chilling mystery in a town haunted by strange disappearances and old legends…”
“In 1950s Mexico, a glamorous debutante investigates her cousin’s desperate plea from an isolated mansion, uncovering dark family secrets and supernatural horrors that threaten to trap her forever…”
“A girl discovers her Korean heritage and the supernatural world at a summer camp haunted by a gwishin…”
“Two children are sent to live with their grandparents in a haunted manor, where they discover dark family secrets while trying to survive increasingly dangerous situations and ghostly encounters…”
“A desperate groundskeeper uncovers a terrifying paranormal mystery at an abandoned gothic manor, risking his life to unveil its dark secrets…”
“A graveyard caretaker discovers a serial killer’s ghost in the cemetery, and he’s not happy about it…”
“[A] haunted house awakens, threatening new neighbors as a woman grapples with warning them or becoming its next victim…”
“Four seekers arrive at Hill House for a paranormal investigation, but as terrifying events unfold, the house’s supernatural powers target one of them…”
MYSTERY/THRILLER
“Five students survive a dam failure during a white water rafting trip … [and] … must stay alive while facing nature’s challenges and growing tensions among themselves…”
“A birthday bike tour turns treacherous when supplies vanish, a guide disappears, and sabotage strands Nancy and friends in the wilderness…”
“Three kids solve puzzles and decode ciphers at Idlewood Manor to uncover a famous female explorer’s hidden treasure before others can find it…”
“A seventeen-year-old clairvoyant investigates a series of murders connected to Dylan Walker, whose girlfriend has disappeared, racing against time to prevent another victim…”
DYSTOPIAN/SCI-FI
“In a dystopian society, citizens must pay Credits for every action while an aristocratic council rules through oppressive bureaucracy and surveillance…”
“Jack alone is no match for the hordes of Zombies and Winged Wretches and Vine Thingies … So Jack builds a team: his dorky best friend, Quint; the reformed middle school bully, Dirk; Jack’s loyal pet monster, Rover; and the fiercest girl Jack knows, June…”
“A group of kids discover they can morph into animals and become unlikely champions in a secret war for the planet against invading aliens…”
NONFICTION
“Meet Mary Ann Winkowski, a paranormal consultant who sees and talks to ghosts, and learn about her incredible stories and practical tips for navigating the supernatural world…”
“A comprehensive writing guide that covers the entire process from story development to manuscript submission, with expert editing tips from a seasoned publishing professional…”
“After surviving Auschwitz, Elli Friedmann rebuilds her life in post-war Europe, rescuing Jewish orphans and helping refugees while planning her escape from behind the Iron Curtain…”
“Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography recounts his kidnapping from Africa, years as a slave in British Navy and slave ships, eventual freedom purchase, and leadership in England’s antislavery movement…”
“A comprehensive writing guide covering fundamental narrative components from language to point of view, with practical exercises and guidance for both solo and group writing practice…”
“‘The Prince’ examines how rulers seize and maintain political power, offering brutal but practical lessons from Florentine and Roman politics about effective governance and leadership…”
“Join A.S. Mott as he brings America’s paranormal legacy to life in these and many other fascinating stories drawn from all regions of the United States…”
“A collection of essays and writings exploring C.S. Lewis’s deep love of literature, offering insights on reading science fiction, children’s books, and the value of reading old books…”
ROMANCE
“Jessica sees her ghostly reflection hanging in Wrenthal Castle while trying to romance the hot owner Dan, but jealous spirits threaten her life as she uncovers centuries-old secrets…”
“A shy countess seeks help from a huntsman’s page to learn flirtation, hoping to save her imprisoned brother, but their lessons turn to romance while she hides a dangerous secret…”
“A lost soul searching for hope. A tormented war hero seeking redemption. They must find the courage to take a leap of faith and choose love over fear…”
“A teen stumbles upon a secret that catapults him into the 1850s, where he collides with the love of his life. But time is running out as forces conspire to keep them apart…”
“In 1884 Bristol, Evangeline Moore pursues her academic dreams at University College, where a forbidden attraction to her history professor complicates her educational aspirations…”
CHRISTIAN FICTION
“An old man who has lived an uninspired life dies on his 83rd birthday and learns in the afterlife that heaven is not a destination but a place where your life is explained to you by five people…”
“Three Irish sisters run a detective agency where Moira uses her ability to talk with ghosts to solve cold-case murders and help spirits find peace…”
“Moira, Deirdre, and Nuala are at it again as they help unsettled spirits along in their journey on the Otherside…”
PICTURE BOOKS
“Two sisters move to coastal Bahía de la Luna for Maya’s health. While Maya eagerly seeks local ghosts, Cat must overcome her fears to support her sister with cystic fibrosis…”
“Learn about the Imprisoned Genius (Galilei); the Original Rocket Man (Robert H. Goddard); the First Woman in Space (Valentina Tereshkova); and more pioneers of space…”
“This book is about a group of ghosts who disappear one by one as a bat approaches. It is a fun way to teach counting, addition, and subtraction to young children…”
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