For 2022, I decided to do the alphabet reading challenge. Overall I read 30 books, including 26 for the actual alphabet challenge and four ‘bonus books’ with specific types of titles. I finished the challenge in November, and I had such a great time getting through it!
I was using a template created by shadowbooker on Instagram to track the challenge. There are a lot of great reviews, templates, and content over on their page to check out too!
Check out my previous alphabet challenge post if you want to see what I read for O-U. For this post I’ll be sharing what I read for titles beginning with the letters V-Z, and the four bonus challenges.
V is for Varjak Paw
Varjak Paw by S.F. Said is a children’s story about a Mesopotamian Blue cat named Varjak. Varjak and his family are a treasured breed, and they’ve never had to go outside to find shelter or hunt for food. One day, a cruel gentleman and his two sinister cats take over Varjak’s home, and he’s forced to leave to find help in the form of a dog. But will he be able to track one down? And if so, how will he, a pampered house kitty, get it home?
This story is a fantastic and heart warming (even if at times quite sad) story that you’ll love no matter what age you are when you pick it up. There’s magic, and secrets, and a brave little kitty that you can’t help but root for.
W is for Wake From Reality
Wake From Reality is a gripping sci-fi novel written by C.S. Davis. The story follows Martin, who discovers discovers his AI creation, Zeno, has been duplicated. The AI, whose trained in hacking and espionage, escapes the lab where he was created, and begins to make himself known out in the real world. Only Martin and his friends know what chaos Zeno could cause, but will they be able to stop him in time?
Wake From Reality is a superb sci-fi story which will keep you on the edge of your seat! I loved the constant questioning of not just what consciousness is and how one inherits it, but the nature and origins of the universe. The story grips you with a great plot and brilliant characters, and there’s plenty of questions presented that will really get you thinking.
X is for X7: An Anthology of Seven Deadly Sins
X7: An Anthology of Seven Deadly Sins, is a chilling anthology edited by Alex Davis. There are seven tales overall, each correlating to one of the deadly sins. Some are definitely more horrific than others, but there’s something in each story to make your skin crawl, your heart race, or the goosebumps appear. My personal favourite was ‘Gravy Soup’, a grim tale about two friends who partake in a very peculiar delicacy.
I love a good horror anthology. It’s really satisfying reading a whole story in one sitting, and with anthologies you’ve got a whole range of such stories with a common theme to delve into. X7 is the perfect anthology for anybody looking for some short, horrific and mind-blowing tales.
Y is for The Yellow Wallpaper
The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, is a work of feminist fiction which follows a married couple on holiday. For the wife, the getaway soon becomes a psychological battle that she’s left alone to fight.
This short story is incredibly popular, and it’s likely that if you’ve found your way here then you’ll have heard of it. If you’ve not yet made the choice to read the story yet, this is a sign to give it a go! It’s a quick and compelling read.
Z is for Zikora
Zikora, written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is a short story about a woman’s experience during child birth. This emotional tale follows Zikora, a DC lawyer from Nigeria, as she is giving birth. Zikora’s boyfriend decided he wanted nothing to do with the baby, and now she only got her overbearing mother by her side.
Zikora is the sort of story I wouldn’t normally pick up. Stories about maternity and childbirth only usually interest me in the context of horrors and thrillers, but there’s something very intriguing about this one. There were some parts I wanted to cry, some I wanted to cheer Zikora on, and much to my surprise there were even moments when I could really relate to what she was saying. Not something I expected in a story so focused in on the experience of coming into motherhood!
Extras for the challenge:
The template that I used from Shadowbooker on Instagram came with four extra challenges. These included to read a story with a number in the title, a story with a colour in the title, a story with an animal in the title, and a story with a one word title. These were a lot easier to complete than the actual alphabet challenge itself, so got done quite early in the year!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Number in Title)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, is a fantastic sapphic novel that I won’t want to put down. Evelyn Hugo is a Hollywood icon, and after years of silence she’s finally ready to tell her story. Monique Grant is honoured to take on the role of ghostwriter for Evelyn’s tale, but she’s not too sure why she’s been chosen. Still, she listens to Evelyn’s story with intrigue, especially when Evelyn begins to tell all about her old co-star, Celia James…
This story broke my heart. I was crying ugly tears towards the end. If you’re looking for a romantic drama with some fantastic writing and a gripping plot, you’ll love The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
The Masque of the Red Death (Colour in Title)
The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe is a spooky short story about a party and a pandemic. It’s one of my favourite Poe stories, and I thought it would be the perfect choice to complete this challenge.
I wrote a review of my favourite Poe stories, including this one, in another post. You can check it out here!
Six of Crows (Animal in Title)
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo really blew me away. The story follows a 6-man crew put together by criminal Kaz Brekker as they try to pull of a high-risk heist. They each have valuable skills to bring to the table, but will it be enough? And more importantly, will they be able to stop fighting each other long enough to find out?
This fantasy story is packed full of magic and adventure, as well as characters you’ll both love and hate. This was one of my favourite books of 2022, and I’m so excited to read the sequel, Crooked Kingdom.
Wretched (One Word Title)
Wretched, by Emily McIntire, is a smutty dark-romance part of a fractured fairy-tale series (where the villain gets the girl). It’s loosely based on the characters from The Wizard of Oz. This is a new genre to me, because I’ve never really taken much interest in romance or smutty stories before. This was a perfect place for me to start exploring those genres I think!
Thank you for reading my book-blog!
If you’re interested in finding out about the rest of the books I read as part of the alphabet reading challenge, check out my ‘book lists’ tag. You can read part 3 here.
You can also see more of what I’m reading over on my socials. Find me on Instagram, and Goodreads. Subscribe below for posts straight to your inbox!
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