How well do I know my books? challenge

So this isn’t exactly the most I had planned to do today, but I ended up DNFing the book I was going to review and needed something new. I’ve been seeing this challenge floating around and thought it looked fun, so I wanted to test my own knowledge of my bookshelves and try it myself!

The “How well do I know my books? challenge” was created by Jesse the Reader on Youtube. Click on that link to find all the questions for the challenge! The rules are pretty straightforward: answer all the questions using books chosen at random. I used a number randomizer to choose two numbers, for the shelf number and then the book number.

Here’s a quick look at my bookshelves at the moment…

Now let’s get into the questions!

Without looking at the description, tell us what the book is about!

shelf 5, book 6: The Martian by Andy Weir

There is a NASA mission to Mars, which they end up having to abandon because of a storm. One of the astronauts accidentally gets left behind, though, and he has to figure out first how to contact the others to let them know he’s alive, and then survive until he can be rescued.

Without looking it up, what is the genre of this book?

shelf 3, book 8: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

This is a weird, in-between genres book, but I’d categorize it as speculative fiction/sci-fi!

Without looking at the book, tell us what is on the cover!

shelf 1, book 9: Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

I think it’s Anne standing on a hill with the ocean behind her? Her hair is in a bun (which I know because it’s also on the spine lol) and she’s wearing a blue shirt and a skirt. Let’s see…

NOOO I mixed it up with Anne of the Island! She’s standing by the ocean in THAT one. At least she’s wearing the blue shirt and skirt, though. Sigh.

Without looking it up, what is the main character’s name?

shelf 3, book 17: The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

OH NO I haven’t read this book in at least ten years. I could tell you the name of the main character in the sequel (The Blue Sword) in a heartbeat, but this one is much tougher. It’s a made-up fantasy name and I remember thinking it was really cool when I read it as a kid? I think it starts with an A.

*checks*

AERIN.

Yeah, I…guess I forgot.

Without looking, name a side character!

shelf 6, book 4: Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee

OH BOY. If only I’d gotten this for the last question lol. Ummm okay. So there’s this one character who Tash sorta almost has a thing with…but I can’t remember his name?? But for some reason I think Tash’s friend is named Paul and I have no idea why I remember that.

*checks*

I GOT PAUL! And the sorta-love interest dude is named THOM. Now I remember all the characters joking about how pretentious that name was. Good times.

Guess how many pages the book has without looking! (If you guess 25 below or 25 above the number, you can count it as a win!)

shelf 4, book 15: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

Okay, this is a hefty one. I’ve got the mass market paperback but I don’t think that makes a huge difference in terms of page numbers? I’m going to guess…550 pages.

*checks*

WOW I WAS WAY OFF. 724 pages??? It doesn’t look THAT big from the outside, but I guess the pages are thin! I genuinely do not remember this book being that long.

Without looking it up, what rating did you give this book? If you land on a book you haven’t read, pick a new set of numbers.

shelf 6, book 15: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Easy. 5 stars. I don’t even need to check.

Without looking, where does this book take place?

shelf 3, book 21: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Well, it takes place in ancient Greece and also Troy, but I don’t really remember the names of specific places? I literally just reread this book so you’d think I’d have all those Greek names fresh in my mind, but nope. I’m specifically thinking of the place where Achilles grows up…

*checks*

Phthia. Yeah, that’s easy to remember.

Without looking, what are the parent’s names?

shelf 4, book 25: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

WAIT I ACTUALLY KNOW THIS??? There are multiple sets of parents, since there are multiple main characters but…

Blue’s mom is Maura. Ronan’s parents are Niall and Aurora. Gansey’s parents are Richard Gansey II and…I’m pretty sure his mom is never named. Adam’s parents are Robert and unnamed Mrs. Parrish.

BOOM.

Without looking at the hardback, what color is the book under the dust jacket?

shelf 5, book 31: Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

I’m like 98% sure that it’s white?

*checks*

KILLED IT.

Without looking, is there anything on the hardback? Like an imprint or an image of some sort?

shelf 6, book 13: (it took me a couple of tries to land on a hardback) Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

No.

I don’t think?

*checks*

I was right!!

Without taking the dust jacket off, what is the color of the font on the hardback?

shelf 5, book 33: We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Uhhhh since the font on the spine is white I’m gonna say white??

*checks*

IT’S SILVER. Is that close enough?? It’s practically white!

Without looking do the chapters have titles or are they just numbered?

shelf 4, book 8: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

They don’t have titles! Each chapter is “titled” by the name of the POV character, though.

Without looking at the book cover, does it have an award on it?

shelf 1, book 6: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Um. I don’t think so? That would be weird, right?

*checks*

Nope! Nothing but cover!

Without looking, does this book have any author blurbs on the front cover?

shelf 1, book 23: The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan

I literally have no clue at all. Not even the faintest guess. Since I guess I have a 50% chance of getting this right, I’m going to say…yes?

*checks*

Do news media blurbs count?? There aren’t any by authors but there are plenty of others?? Does that count???

Without looking, does the book have a description on the back?

shelf 4, book 17: City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

I’m gonna say no! It’s a hardcover so the description is on the inside flap, yes? Not sure what’s on the back, though.

*checks*

I was right!

Without looking, does this book have an author photo?

shelf 3, book 16: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Why do I keep picking the difficult ones?? Honestly, I have no clue, but I’m going to go ahead and guess no, since I feel like more literary novels often don’t have author photos?

*checks*

Of course it does.

Without looking it up, is this author using a pen name?

shelf 2, book 2: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

No pen name! At least as far as I know?

Yep, just double checked, and Leigh Bardugo’s name is, in fact, Leigh Bardugo!

Without looking, what POV is this book written in? 1st or 3rd?

shelf 5, book 12: Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

This is 100% written in first person, narrated by none other than Simon Spier himself!

Without looking are there any pictures or graphics in this book?

(please get a graphic novel please get a graphic novel please)

shelf 5, book 5: On a Sunbeam by Tallie Walden

WHAT.

Well, it is a graphic novel so

Without looking, does it have an epilogue?

shelf 2, book 24: Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

No, I’m like 90% sure it doesn’t. In fact, I vividly remember the final scene of the book and I’m almost certain it’s not an epilogue.

*checks*

What’d I tell you! No epilogue.

Without looking, does this book have a prologue?

shelf 3, book 1: The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.

Okay, two Shannon Hale books in a row? No, this book does not have a prologue, though I can tell you the first sentence of the book of the top of my head: She was born Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she did not open her eyes for three days.

*checks*

*flips hair*

Without looking, is this book signed?

shelf 2, book 9: Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake

IT IS SIGNED! From when I met Kendare Blake last fall! It’s the only signed book on that shelf and somehow I landed on it. Woah.

Without looking, do the page numbers have a design above or below them or none at all?

shelf 5, book 19: Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich

Very unsure on this but I’m going to go out on a limb (haha nice DEH reference) and say…none?

*checks*

Alright alright alright alright alright alright!

Without looking, do the chapter headers have designs on them?

shelf 4, book 3: The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

OH NO. I should know this, shouldn’t I?? Why can’t I picture what the chapter headers in Percy Jackson look like???

Mmmmmm I think they don’t have designs. I’m gonna go with that.

*checks*

Wait does that little trident count as a design? I think it does. Did I get it wrong?? Am I a fake Percy Jackson fan???

Without looking, are the acknowledgements in the front or the back of the book?

shelf 1, book 1: The Complete Novels of Jane Austen

Um. I’m just gonna venture a guess and say that there aren’t acknowledgements in this book. Unless it’s from the publisher or something?

*checks*

Yeah, no. Acknowledgements weren’t really a thing in Austen’s day, I think.

Without looking, what year was this book published?

shelf 5, book 16: Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore

Oh, I know this!!! It was published in the fall of 2017.

Noice.

Without looking, what year did you read this book?

shelf 6, book 28: Heartstopper: Volume One by Alice Oseman

Once again, easy. I read the physical book this year, 2019, and I read it as a webcomic in 2018.

*drops mic*

This was lots of fun! I highly recommend it for wasting lots of time rifling through your books 😄

How do you think I did? Am I a fake Percy Jackson fan? How well do YOU know your books?

x Margaret 

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