I recently wrote about my 16 most anticipated books of 2016, however I’ve set my Goodreads reading challenge at 100 again (I need to fit in some writing too) so I’ve decided to take part in a couple of challenges to help reach that target (not that I don’t have plenty of books available to read).

Firstly I’m going to join in with ‘Our Shared Shelf’ the Emma Watson instigated Feminist book club on Goodreads. I have the first book My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem on my kindle ready to go and am looking forward to seeing what else gets selected over the year (12 books in total).

Secondly, I am going to join in with Stacey at The Pretty Books ‘2016 Classics Challenge‘. I’m taking Stacey at her word and defining classics in my own way – as ‘older books’ I really should read. Below is the outline of the books I have chosen and an indication of what months I may read them in, though this is a moveable feast

Jan
Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank – I can’t believe I haven’t actually read this already. I am shamed. Therefore I have already started this and am listening to the audiobook narrated by Helena Bonham Carter. I’m actually really enjoying it. Anne’s voice is similar to the witty teens I am used to reading in YA books.

Feb
The Art of Happiness – The Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler – I own this in hardback and am interested in seeing what it says and how it links to other concepts around happiness I’ve read recently.

Mar
1984 – George Orwell (I don’t own this and have never actually read it, or even seen a dramatised version) however this month I’m also planning to re-read Brave New World – Aldous Huxley which is one of my favourites and probably the first dystopia I read.

April
Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery – Holly Smale’s favourite book and one I have neglected. I have this on kindle. I think it might even be the whole series.

May
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood. I actually started reading this at the end of 2015 but for some reason put it down, not that I wasn’t enjoying it. I’m going to give it another go this year.

June
The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger I don’t own this and really feel as a YA fan this is a must

July
Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro – I loved the film version of this and as it’s over 10 years old now I think it can be classed as a modern dystopian classic.

August
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams – I know the answer is 42 but I’ve not actually read this!!!

September
The City and the Stars – Arthur C. Clarke – a sci-fi/dystopian classic. I don’t own this yet.

October
Battle Royale – Koushun Takami – I don’t own this but as a fan of The Hunger Games I’m interested to compare them.

November
The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton – Another YA classic and I will add in a re-watch of the film this month too.

December
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck – I don’t own this either and wasn’t in the right English group at school to have been introduced to this classic.

Stacey recommends using the following questions when discussing the books

WHEN I Discovered This Classic
WHY I Chose to Read It
WHAT Makes It A Classic
WHAT I Thought of This Classic
WILL It Stay A Classic
WHO I’d Recommend It To

Oddly enough tonight at 8pm is the first #ChatClassics twitter chat to discuss the challenge so I might pop in.

Are you joining in with either of these? Are there any others you think I should check out?