Christmas Reading Challenges 2011

Okay, so although I've already started reading my Christmas books, I'm just now officially signing up for my own reading challenge! Yeah, I'm pretty much late for everything.  It's the cross I bear. =O(

Here are the levels for The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge.  You can read all the rest of the details HERE.
            --Candy Cane:  read 1 book

            --Mistletoe:  read 2-4 books
            --Christmas Tree:  read 5 or 6 books (this is the fanatic level...LOL!)
          Additional levels:
            --Fa La La La Films:  watch a bunch or a few Christmas movies...it's up to you!
            --Visions of Sugar Plums:  read books with your children this season and share what you read
          *the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

I'll be reading at the Christmas tree level and will be doing Fa la la la films and Visions of sugar plums levels too! Here are some of the books I'll be reading:


I actually already finished and reviewed The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts today.  Read my review HERE.

There will probably be other selections added to this list or swapped out.  Never know where the mood will take me!

I'm also overlapping with this challenge:


Christmas in July in Dec., hosted by Wall-to-Wall Books  Here are the details:

So here's the challenge -
*During the month of December to read only Christmas books (or as many as you can) there is no set number as to how many Christmas books you have to read. Read at least one and post about it.
*To do giveaways involving Christmas books (I have quite a few planned!) Please do at least one Christmas book giveaway for the challenge.

My first giveaway - is any Christmas book from Amazon under $10.00 - I will have it shipped to your house! You have till Nov. 30th to sign up.
Winner will be chosen and announced on Dec. 1st.
And Reading Challenge will begin Dec. 1st.
*This giveaway is for Bloggers only!
*Any Blogger who signs up to do "Christmas in July, in Dec.", and posts about it, will be entered!

Sign up HERE.

Since I'm already doing a giveaway for my challenge and I'm doing another Christmas event with another blogger with a giveaway, I have that covered! However, I will not be able to read only Christmas books, as I have a few review obligations.  But, as you can see above, I'm still planning on doing a lot of holiday reading. =O)

R.I.P. VI Challenge

*This is a cross post between Castle Macabre*

It's time for my favorite reading challenge of the year...the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril VI, hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.  Here are the challenge details (condensed version) as laid out by Carl:

The purpose of the R.I.P. Challenge is to enjoy books that could be classified as:
Mystery.
Suspense. 
Thriller. 
Dark Fantasy. 
Gothic.Horror.

Supernatural.

The emphasis is never on the word challenge, instead it is about coming together as a community and embracing the autumnal mood, whether the weather is cooperative where you live or not.

There are two simple goals for the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril VI Challenge:

1. Have fun reading.

2. Share that fun with others.

R.I.P. VI officially runs from September 1st through October 31st.

There are multiple levels of participation (Perils) that allow you to be a part of R.I.P. VI....  Multiple perils await you. You can participate in just one, or participate in them all.

Peril the First: Read four books, any length, that you feel fit (my very broad definitions) of R.I.P. literature.

Peril the Second: Read two books of any length that you believe fit within the challenge categories.

Peril the Third: We all want you to participate. This Peril involves reading one book that fits within the R.I.P. definition.

Peril of the Short Story: I am a big fan of short stories and my desire for them is perhaps no greater than in autumn. I see Poe and Lovecraft in my future for sure. You can read short stories any time during the challenge.

Peril on the Screen: This is for those of us that like to watch suitably scary, eerie, mysterious gothic fare during this time of year. It may be something on the small screen or large. It might be a television show, like Dark Shadows, or your favorite film. 

Peril of the Group Read: This Peril is new for this year. I’ve recently discovered the joys of group reading and I posted about three group reads that I am hosting during this year’s R.I.P. Challenge. If you feel so inclined please join us in one (or more) of the planned group reads, information is located here.

For full, non-condensed details and to sign up, visit the post HERE.  Also, Carl asks that we post any reviews, including books, short stories, film/television viewed, at the R.I.P. VI Review Site.

Now...here are the perils I'm planning on doing:

I have a lot of scary reading to do in the next two months, largely due to starting this blog so the requirement is 4 books, but I may end up reading more:

Dust by Joan Frances Turner

Decayed Etchings by Brandon Ford

Danny Marble & the Application for Non-Scary Things by Jessica McHugh

American Horror edited by Scott Nicholson

will probably add more...

Stories from My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me edited by Kate Bernheimer possibly others...

Oh, I'm a big watcher of horror films!

FOLLOW THAT BLURB READING CHALLENGE

The Follow that Blurb Reading Challenge is being hosted by Jennifer at Reading with Tequila.  Click the button for details and to sign up.

Challenge details:


From Jennifer: The importance of blurbs on book covers is often debated. A blurb on the cover of a book is usually written by an author who writes in the same genre, but occasionally you find a quote from a high-profile, but seemingly random author. After noticing a few of these peculiar choices, I started wondering - if I followed the blurbers, where would they lead me?

The plan is simple. I'm going to chose a book to read. Once I finish that book, I'll chose a blurb from the front or back cover and read a book written by the quoted author. I'll read 10 books in this fashion, just to see where I end up. Will all the books have a common theme? Will they be in the same genre? Will all of the authors be the same gender or ethnicity? Will they all have the same publisher? Are they all equally well known? Or will the books appear to be nothing more than a completely random list?

I will begin with the very next book I read that has a blurb on the cover. For the challenge, I will only read books that have blurbs, so given the choice between a few authors blurbing the same book, I will make sure to choice to move onto an author that have cover blurbs next.

The challenge will run for the next year, July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. 

If you'd like to try this little experiment with Jennifer, click the button above to go to the main post and leave a comment.  She would love to see where the blurbs lead you.

My blurb journey:

1. The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau
2. Katherine Neville
3. 
   

SPRING READING THING WRAP-UP

The Spring Reading Thing Challenge hosted by Callipider Days has ended.  Here is my original list with the titles I completed crossed off.  I didn't finish all I set out to, but I did finish 10 (11 if you count the DNF)  I'm not too unhappy with the result.  I actually did better than I thought I would!

1.  My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares (book tour) 

2.  The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans by David A. Ross (for review) DNF

3.  What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz (finish)

4.  BE: Embracing the Mystery by Shirlee Hall

5.  The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason

6.  Promised Valley Rebellion by Ron Fritsch

7.  Captivity by Deborah Noyes (for review)

8.  Once Wicked, Always Dead by T. Marie Benchley (for review)

9.  The Lucifer Code by Charles Brokaw (review)

10. The Half-Made World by Felix Galman (review)

11. The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry (review)

12. To Serve A King by Donna Russo Morin (review)

13. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

14. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

15. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

16. Across the Veil by Lisa Kessler

17. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber

18. Queen By Right by Anne Easter Smith

Thanks to Callipider Days for hosting this challenge.  I hope she hosts it again next year. =O)

ONCE UPON A TIME V CHALLENGE WRAP-UP

ONCE UPON A TIME V  March 21st through June 20th

This challenge is hosted yearly by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.  I ended up changing my reading goal to The Journey--to read at least one book, but I was going to try to read two books.  My plan was to read A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin and My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me--Editor Kate Bernheimer.  Unfortunately, I was unable to get to the latter book.  But I did finish the excellent A Game of Thrones...a new favorite that is going into my top ten faves of all time.  You can read my review of the book and the HBO series HERE.

Thanks to Carl for hosting this challenge.  I hope to do better next year. =O)

2011 FEARLESS POETRY READING CHALLENGE

This challenge is hosted by Serena at Savvy Verse and Wit.  Click the button to sign up.

DETAILS AND RULES:
So I’m challenging every reader and all your friends to join the year-long 2011 Fearless Poetry Reading Challenge!

My poetry reading challenge is meant to be easy and to challenge everyone to read just 1 book of poetry, whether its contemporary or classic doesn’t matter, as long as you read one. You can even wait until midway through the challenge and join the read-a-long of a poetry book that I’ll be selecting.

It also doesn’t matter if you like all the poems or not or whether you understand every phrase or line. This is the challenge in which you Give Poetry a Chance!
FAILED CHALLENGE--MY APOLOGIES, SERENA, AS I PLANNED ON COMPLETING THIS.  I'M DETERMINED TO ADD POETRY TO MY READING LIST IN 2012 SO I MAY SIGN UP AGAIN.

But remember that as long as you read 1 book, you’ve completed the challenge. You can’t fail if you just give poetry a try.

If you need direction or suggestions, you can check out my previous reviews or leave a comment about the type of prose writing you enjoy and I can try to match you with a book or poet.

Ok, rules:

1. 2011 Fearless Poetry Reading Challenge will run from Jan. 1, 2011, through Dec. 31, 2011.

2. Read 1+ books during the year and post a review.

3. Leave a link to your review in the Mr. Linky. (at Serena's blog)

My possible list:
1. A Few Figs from Thistle by Edna St. Vincent Millay
2. Renascence and Other Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay

THE ALL MALE REVIEW CHALLENGE

Giving this one a try! All you have to do is read books by male authors and/or male protagonists to participate.  This runs from May 1 through May 31.  They are giving away some awesome prize packs.  If you want to participate, click the button above for details and to sign up.

1. Promised Valley Rebellion by Ron Fritsch

SPRING READING THING/ONCE UPON A TIME V

This was cross posted on The True Book Addict

Callipider Days is hosting her annual Spring Reading Thing Challenge.  March 20th through June 20th.



Guidelines for the challenge:

• Make a list of books you want to read (or finish reading) this spring. Your list can be as long or as short as you’d like. (Also, feel free to modify your list during the challenge if it’s not working for you.)

• Write a blog post containing your list

• Check out other participants’ lists and add to your own to-read-someday pile!

• Write a post about your challenge experience in June, telling us all about whether you reached your goals and how Spring Reading Thing went for you. But remember: this is a low-pressure challenge that should be fun. As long as you do some reading this spring (and enjoy it!), that’s good enough.

I have A LOT of reading on my plate this spring (review books), but I also want to add in some from my TBR pile mountain so here is part of my list and I'm sure I'll add to it once I determine what else I'm going to read.

This will not be a complete list, by far.  I'm just trying to get in on the 12 midnight deadline for sign-up!

1.  My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares (book tour) 

2.  The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans by David A. Ross (for review) DNF

3.  What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz (finish)

4.  BE: Embracing the Mystery by Shirlee Hall

5.  The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason

6.  Promised Valley Rebellion by Ron Fritsch

7.  Captivity by Deborah Noyes (for review)

8.  Once Wicked, Always Dead by T. Marie Benchley (for review)

9.  The Lucifer Code by Charles Brokaw (review)

10. The Half-Made World by Felix Galman (review)

11. The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry (review)

12. To Serve A King by Donna Russo Morin (review)

13. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

14. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

15. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

16. Across the Veil by Lisa Kessler

17. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber

18. Queen By Right by Anne Easter Smith

ONCE UPON A TIME V  March 21st through June 20th

This challenge is hosted yearly by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.  This will be my first time doing this challenge.  I wanted to do it last year, but...not sure why I didn't.  I love Carl's R.I.P. Challenge every Fall so it just makes sense to do this one too.  And who doesn't love fairy tales?  Plus, I think it fits in nicely with the Spring Reading Thing.

Here are Carl's "rules":

The Once Upon a Time Challenge has a few rules:

Rule #1: Have fun.

Rule #2: Have fun.

Rule #3: Don’t keep the fun to yourself, share it with us, please!

Rule #4: Do not be put off by the word “challenge”.

If you have participated in any of the reading events hosted here at Stainless Steel Droppings then you will know that my goal is not to try to reach some preset number of books read. It is simply to take pleasure in what is read. By the same token, I do like setting personal goals for myself and I see the value in “challenging” myself not only to read regularly but also to get out of my comfort zone on occasion. We all have books that we want to read. On top of that some of us have books we are obligated to read, be that for school or commitments we have made, etc. The Once Upon a Time Challenge is not meant to be a burden, nor is it meant to coerce you into participating in something when you feel overwhelmed. That is why you will find that the Once Upon a Time Challenge is designed to cater to everyone–those that want to set a specific goal to reach and those who know that all they really have time for is to read one qualifying book and want to take part in the fellowship that springs up during this challenge.

I'll be attempting Quest the First...Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time criteria. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres.  I'm changing to The Journey...read at least one book.  But I want to try for the two listed.

1.  A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

2.  My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me--Editor Kate Bernheimer

30+ FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Wow! There were 61 people who entered and a total of 370 unique entries after including bonus points.  The winning number was 276, so the winner is

Andresa Dias

Congratulations!

I will email Ms. Dias to make sure I have the correct email address before sending her the gift certificate.  If I do not get a response within 48 hours, I will choose another winner.

Thanks to all who entered...and for following!

Happy Reading!

Winner was chosen with Random.org

30+ FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY

***THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED***

As promised, this blog has exceeded 30 followers so now it's time for the $10 gift certificate giveaway to BetterWorldBooks...and guess what?  They now ship FREE WORLDWIDE!!! Personally, I love them because all purchases contribute to the funding of literacy programs around the world and they offer green shipping.

The rules are going to be fairly simple:

• since this is a follower appreciation giveaway, you must be a follower of this blog
• MUST include email address
• +5 bonus points if you also follow my book blog, The True Book Addict
• must fill out this FORM
• Giveaway is open WORLDWIDE and will end on March 31, 2011 at 11:59pm central time
• Winners will be announced here and will be emailed.  Winner must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected.

Thank you for following and good luck!!!

READING CHALLENGE ADDICT CHALLENGE 2011

The Reading Challenge Addict Challenge is being hosted by Cheryl at CMash Loves to Read and Gina at Hott Books at its dedicated blog.

Some of us have a bit of a problem.
Some of us have a huge problem.
Cheryl from CMash Loves to Read and Gina from Hott Books are two such people. We each can stand proudly and say,

I am a Reading Challenge Addict.

So we are challenging each of you who can also say that you also are a Reading Challenge Addict.

We'll be giving away quarterly prizes and recognizing those who are meeting their own expectations by completing the challenges they've entered.

How addicted are you?

Easy as Pie: 1-5 Challenges (Entered & Completed)
On the Roof: 6-10 Challenges (Entered & Completed)
In Flight: 11-15 Challenges (Entered & Completed)
Out of This World: 16+ Challenges (Entered & Completed)

Rules:

We're not making this a difficult challenge, actually, it's going to be very simple!

1. This challenge will begin on January 1, 2011 and end on December 31, 2011.
2. Write a starting post joining the challenge and outlining your challenges.
3. Track all of your challenge accomplishments - good & bad.
4. Stop by to join us in the mini-challenges, updates & extra giveaways throughout the year.

Easy, right? Who wants to be in on the fun? What else will we be doing? We'll have giveaways for our participants to enter and unannounced special drawings for commenters on the site so be sure to leave your email address with your comment! Are you ready? Sign up here to enter:

I'm signed up for 20 challenges in 2011 and 4 perpetual challenges so my level is...

Out of this World--16+

Wish me luck!

AGATHA CHRISTIE READING CHALLENGE

The Agatha Christie Reading Challenge (a perpetual challenge) is hosted at The Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Carnival.

*click the button to sign up

Details:

The Agatha Christie Reading Challenge is really a challenge in two parts.

Part One

My original idea with the challenge was that I would read the books of Agatha Christie in order of publication to see what I could learn about her development as a writer, her exploration of the genre, development of her main characters and so on.

I've continued to tackle that on two fronts: her novels and her short stories.

I invited other people to join me and some are attempting to read the novels in order as I am, while others are simply reading them as they come across them.

I invite you to join us on this reading journey, reading at your own pace, either in publication order, or not, as you please.

You can join by adding your name to the Mr Linky at the foot of this post.

I find that I am reading about a title a month, aiming for 12 a year.
As I read a new book, I write a review and post it on my blog.
I also write an update post, recording my progress so far.
If you click here, you will see examples of these posts.

Part Two

The second part of the challenge is to be a participant in the monthly Agatha Christie Challenge Blog Carnival which is published 22-23 of each month.

It is an opportunity to submit your Agatha Christie reviews and updates to each carnival.

So when you write a review or an update about your progress in the challenge, then the next step each time is to submit your post to the Carnival here.

The carnival has various categories:
•General
•Miss Marple
•Tommy & Tuppence
•Hercule Poirot
•Superintendent Battle
•Short Stories
•Updates
•Discoveries (here you can submit interesting Agatha Christie related websites that you've discovered)

You submit your posts here

1. Partners in Crime
2. Ordeal by Innocence

ALPHABET CHALLENGE

COMPLETED!
UPDATED: April 30, 2011

The Alphabet Challenge is being hosted by The Life (and lies) of an inanimate flying object.

*Click the button to sign up for this challenge

Details:

1. 26 books!

runs January 1st 2011 –December 31, 2011. For each letter, read a book that has a main character or key supporting character (not some random minor character mentioned twice!) whose name starts with that letter. It doesn’t have to be the title of the book, just the name. Ex: Alice (in wonderland), Bella (twilight), Cathy (Wuthering Heights), Dracula (Dracula) Estella (Great Expectations), etc.

2. only one letter per book!

3. Crossovers are fine

4. audio, e-book, bound book, someone reading it out loud to you, reading a book to your little brother or sister, it all counts.

5. any length—short stories, books of the Bible, etc. they all count for this one.

6. Don’t have to be a blogger, don’t have to review the book. Just tell me you're participating. Goodreads is a great way to keep track of books for non-bloggers (make a shelf for this challenge and keep track of them that way!)

Levels:

Level 1: 10 Letters
Level 2: 20 Letters
Level 3: Completes all 26 letters (yes, that means X and Z and Q. I’m sure you can find something.)

Level 1 for me, to start off!

1. B=Becky in Blue--Lou Aronica
2. J=Juana in The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner
3. M=Maeve in The Raven Queen by Jules Watson
4. D=Daniel in My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
5. A=Alice Perrers in The King's Mistress by Emma Campion
6. E=Elizabeth Stuart in The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason
7. C=Cecily of York in Queen By Right by Anne Easter Smith
8. S=Sugar in Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
9. L=Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
10. K=Kate Bradley in Night Walker by Lisa Kessler

WHAT AN ANIMAL READING CHALLENGE IV

COMPLETED! See full list with review links below.

The What an Animal Reading Challenge IV is being hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews.

*click the button to sign up for this challenge

Details:

1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements:

    a. there is an animal in the title of the book

    b. there is an animal on the cover of the book

    c. an animal plays a major role in the book

    d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like).

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...


3. Challenge runs from March 1, 2011 to February 28, 2012. That’s a full year to read at least 6 books (you can read more if you’d like). You can still sign up after March 1st as long as you can get 6 books read by February 29, 2012).


4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.


5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them.


6. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).


7. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged.


8. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.
 If you don't have a blog, just post in the comment section that you'd like to join. You can post your books in there.

9. Books can be in any format of your choice (print, audio, ebooks)

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (review)
2. The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts (review)
3. The Reindeer Keeper by Barbara Briggs Ward (review)
4. The Dinosaur Hunter by Homer Hickam (review)
5. What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz (review)
6. The Raven Queen by Jules Watson (review)

CLASSICS CHALLENGE 2011

FAILED!

The Classics Challenge 2011 is being hosted by Stiletto Storytime.

*click the pic to sign up

Details:

The challenge is simple: Read classic literature. It can be from any period or genre you choose. The only rule is that it must in some way be considered a classic. What is a classic you ask? A classic to me is a book that has in some way become bigger than itself. It’s become part of culture, society or the bigger picture. It’s the book you know about even if you have not read it. It’s the book you feel like you should have read.

There are four great levels in this challenge designed to suit any reading level and the main goal is to share classics you may or may not have known about otherwise. I encourage you to sign up below and add the challenge button to your blog. The Classics Challenge Page will also allow you to add your reviews as time goes by. Each month I will post a wrap-up along with my own periodic reviews of the classics I am enjoying. And of course I will also be giving away prizes as the year progresses to those who participate. The challenge will run from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011. You can join at anytime. If you have a blog fantastic! If not then we still want you to read along with us. You can post reviews from any platform or just follow along and participate in comments.

Levels:

Student: Read any 5 Classic Books
Bachelor’s Degree: Read any 10 Classic Books
Master’s Degree: Read any 20 Classic Books
P.H.D.: Read any 40 Classic Books

I'm going to start out small with the Student level.  Will see how that goes.

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
2.
3.
4.
5.

2011 FAIRY TALE CHALLENGE

FAILED!


2011 Fairy Tale Challenge hosted by Tif Talks Books.

*click the button to sign up

Details:

During Fairy Tale Fridays, we had the opportunity to read the short tales, explore the longer ones, and even watch a film or two; therefore, in this challenge, we will be exploring any or all of the above, depending upon the level you wish to participate in. Let's take a look at the levels . . .

Fairy (Level 1): Read 1 original tale. Read 1 modern tale. Watch 1 film. (Total of 3 selections.)
Dwarf (Level 2): Read/watch any combination of original tales, modern tales, or films, resulting in 6 total selections.
Royal Prince or Princess (Level 3): Read/watch any combination of original tales, modern tales, or films, resulting in 9 total selections.
Happily Ever After (Level 4): Read/watch any combination of original tales, modern tales, or films, resulting in 12 total selections.

Here are a few other thoughts to share that may or may not be important to you . . .

• The challenge will run from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.
• Selections can include any age level or genre, from picture books and classics to young adult and even graphic novels. Creativity is completely acceptable here!
• You do not need to determine your list of fairy tales. Go with what moves you at the time!
• You need not have participated in Fairy Tale Fridays to participate in the 2011 Fairy Tale Challenge. It is open to everyone interested!
• A blog is not required, but it is encouraged. You are also welcome to keep track of your selections via Goodreads, LibraryThing, Shelfari, or simply the comments section.
• Reviews are not required, but are encouraged . . . I just really want to hear your thoughts and recommendations on what you read! That is just me being selfish!
• A Mr. Linky will be posted at the beginning of every month for you to share your selections if you do choose to review them. Comments are also fine for sharing as well. You will be able to refer to the direct links to these posts on the sidebar for easy reference.
• You can overlap your choices with other challenges.
• Prizes and guest posts will randomly appear in the monthly review posts to share some fairy tale love with participants.

I think I'm going to go with the Royal Prince or Princess (Level 3) since we can watch movies as part of the challenge.  My son wants me to watch Beauty and the Beast with him this week.  Also, I just got the awesome book, My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me, and I just can't wait to read it!

1.
2.
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5.
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9.

MONTHLY MIX-UP MANIA READING CHALLENGE

UPDATED: April 30, 2011

Monthly Mix-Up Mania Reading Challenge hosted by Book Dragon's lair.

*click button to sign up

Details:

What: To read a book for each letter in the year. That's right, a title for the J in January and the A in January, etc.... 74 books total!

Start date: April 1, 2011, because we're fools to try this

End date: March 31, 2013, yes, two years, because well, we have other challenges to do ;)

Guidelines:

•only one letter per book
•books can be moved around if it fits better somewhere else after you've read it
•the letter doesn't have to be the first word, just the first letter of a word in the title (a, an, and the do not count)
•reviews aren't necessary but a quick "I read for letter... it was about... I did/not like it" would be nice.
•if you decide to join in, create a post on your blog telling others then come back and link up (to the actual post, not just your blog's home page)
•a blog is not necessary, just comment on that month's post at the Lair
•if you get stuck, an author's name will do in a pinch but try to have more titles than names
•the most important thing is to have fun!

I tried this challenge last year and failed, but I was really intrigued by it.  Now that Book Dragon has made it a two year challenge...well, how can I resist!

J Johnny One-Eye by Jerome Charyn
A Authenticity Accelerator
N What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz
U
A The Art of War by Angela Panayotopulos
R Queen by Right by Anne Easter Smith
Y Writing Your Way by Julie Smith


F The Flower Reader by Elizabeth Loupas
E The Egyptian by Layton Green
B The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
R The Reindeer Keeper by Barbara Briggs Ward
U
A The Turning of Anne Merrick by Christine Blevins
R Road to the West by Rosanne E. Lortz
Y

M The King's Mistress by Emma Campion
A The King's Agent by Donna Russo Morin
R  The Rebel Wife
C Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
H The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose

A
P Promised Valley Rebellion by Ron Fritsch
R The Catcher in the Rye
I Invisible Sun by S.J. Davis
L The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

M The Memoir of Marilyn Monroe by Sandi Gelles-Cole
A
Y

J Jane was Here by Sarah Kernochan 
U
N Night Walker by Lisa Kessler
E Eromenos by Melanie McDonald

J
U
L The Quiet Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott
Y

A What Alice Knew by Paula Marantz Cohen
U
G A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
U
S  The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
T The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

S The Sister Queens by Sophie Perinot
E
P Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
T Thumbing Through Thoreau by Kenny Luck
E
M  The Time Machine
B Bag of Bones by Stephen King
E
R

O Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie
C The Commander and the Den Asaan Rautu by Michelle Franklin
T The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
O
B  Blood of Anteros by Georgia Cates
E
R

N The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
O
V
E
M
B  The Book of Lost Fragrances
E
R

D The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason
E
C The Christmas Village by Melissa Ann Goodwin
E
M At the Mercy of the Queen by Anne Clinard Barnhill
B
E
R

A-Z MYSTERY AUTHOR CHALLENGE

FAILED!


A-Z Mystery Author Challenge hosted by Red Headed Book Child.

*click the button to sign up

Details:

•Challenge runs from January 1 - December 31, 2011. Sign up ends February 1, 2011.

•Read A-I, J-P or Q-Z. You choose. The letter group you choose must be the last name of the author. (i.e= S for John Sandford).

•Mystery genre can include Cozy, Suspense, Thriller, or Noir. All Adult novels please.

•Leave a comment if you would like to sign up. I am getting rid of Mr. Linky.

•Write a post about this challenge and which group/s you pick. You can list the authors you choose or do it as you go.

•When you post your reviews, mention this challenge and link back to this sign up post.

I think I'm going to do J-P...I like to start in the middle! If I can finish these, I may do another group.



J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.

HISTORICAL FICTION CHALLENGE 2011

COMPLETED!
UPDATED: April 30, 2011


Historical Fiction Challenge 2011 hosted by Historical Tapestry.

*click the button to sign up

Details:

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created. To participate, you only have to follow the rules:

•everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)

• add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)

•any kind of historical fiction is accepted (HF fantasy, HF young adult,...)

•you can overlap this challenge with others kind of challenges

•During these following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

1.Severe Bookaholism: 20 books
2.Undoubtedly Obsessed: 15 books
3.Struggling the Addiction: 10 books
4.Daring & Curious: 5 books
5.Out of My Comfort Zone: 2 books

The challenge will run from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011.

I was going to do the top level, but to play it safe, I'll choose Undoubtedly Obsessed.  I read a lot of historical fiction so I may even exceed that level...we'll see.

1.  By Fire, By Water--Mitchell James Kaplan
2.  Mischief of the Mistletoe--Lauren Willig
3.  The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson by Jerome Charyn
4.  The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner
5.  The Raven Queen by Jules Watson
6.  The King's Mistress by Emma Campion
7.  The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason
8.  Promised Valley Rebellion by Ron Fritsch
9.  Queen By Right by Anne Easter Smith
10.  The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
11.  Johnny One-Eye by Jerome Charyn
12.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
13.  Road to the West by Rosanne E. Lortz
14.  Eromenos by Melanie McDonald
15.  Catherine by Sigrid Weidenweber

CHUNKSTER CHALLENGE 2011

COMPLETED! See full list below--click titles for reviews


Chunkster Challenge 2011 hosted by Wendy at its dedicated blog.

*click on the button to sign up

Details:

February 1, 2011 through January 31, 2012

Definition of a Chunkster:

•A chunkster is 450 pages or more of ADULT literature (fiction or nonfiction) ... A chunkster should be a challenge.

•If you read large type books your book will need to be 525 pages or more ... The average large type book is 10-15% longer or more so I think that was a fair estimate.

The Rules:

•No Audio books in the chunkster. It just doesn't seem right. Words on paper for this one folks. (**Please view THIS POST FOR EXCEPTIONS to this rule)

•No e-Books allowed - we are reading traditional, fat books for this challenge (please see this post to understand the rationale behind this rule; please see this post for exceptions to this rule)

•Short Stories and Essay collections will not be counted.

•Books may crossover with other challenges

•Anyone may join. If you don't have a blog, just leave me a comment on this post with your progress (and to let me know you are playing)

•You don't need to list your books ahead of time.

•Once you pick a level, that's it...you're committed to that level!

You must pick a level of participation:

1.The Chubby Chunkster - this option is for the reader who wants to dabble in large tomes, but really doesn't want to commit to much more than that. FOUR Chunksters is all you need to finish this challenge.

2.The Plump Primer - this option is for the slightly heavier reader who wants to commit to SIX Chunksters over the next twelve months.

3.Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? - this option is for the reader who can't resist bigger and bigger books and wants to commit to SIX Chunksters from the following categories: 2 books which are between 450 - 550 pages in length; 2 books which are 551 - 750 pages in length; 2 books which are GREATER than 750 pages in length (for ideas, please refer to the book suggestions page for some books which fit into these categories).

4.Mor-book-ly Obese - This is for the truly out of control chunkster. For this level of challenge you must commit to EIGHT or more Chunksters of which three tomes MUST be 750 pages or more. You know you want to.....go on and give in to your cravings.

Want Suggestions of what to read?

Check out the Chunky Book Suggestions page.

To review or not to review, that is the quesion...Reviews are not mandatory, but they are strongly encouraged. I will be putting up a Mr. Linky at the beginning of the challenge for links to your reviews. I will also be posting a Mr. Linky for wrap up posts at the end of the challenge.

I have a natural tendency to read chunksters.  It seems like most of my favorite books were all chunksters.  I didn't go for the top level though...maybe next year.  This year I chose the Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? level.

450-550 pages

1. The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason (468 pages)
2. Queen By Right by Anne Easter Smith (494 pages)

551-750 pages

1. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (726 pages)
2. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (662 pages)

750+ pages

1. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber (838 pages)
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (759 pages)

THE DEWEY DECIMAL CHALLENGE

COMPLETED! See full list below with review links


The Dewey Decimal Challenge hosted by The Introverted Reader.

*click the button to sign up

Details:

Read any non-fiction book(s), adult or young adult. That's it. You can choose anything. Poetry? Yes. Memoirs? Yes. History? Yes. Travel? Yes. You get the idea? Absolutely anything that is classified as non-fiction counts for this challenge.

I always like levels in my challenges, so here are mine:

Dilettante--Read 1 non-fiction book.
Explorer--Read 2
Seeker--Read 3
Master--Read 4

This challenge will last from January 1 to December 31, 2011. You can sign up anytime throughout the year.

I am not limiting the challenge to bloggers. You can also link to a review you wrote on another site, such as GoodReads or LibraryThing.

I have a lot of great non-fiction I've been wanting to get to so I'm going for the Master level.

1. Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff (review)
2. Authenticity Accelerator by Robert Rabbin (review)
3. Thumbing Through Thoreau by Kenny Luck (review)
4. The Women of the Cousins' War by Philippa Gregory (review)

PUBLIC DOMAIN E-BOOK CHALLENGE

FAILED!


Public Domain E-book Challenge hosted by Retroredux's Reviews.

*click the button to sign up

Details:

I received a Nook about 6 months ago and I love it. My favorite thing is discovering new (to me) book offerings under the various sites that promote their organization's scanning and saving of these otherwise vanishing books once they hit the "public domain". All of these books are FREE-a bonus to a thrifty reader.

A few sites with public domain books (there is lots of overlap between the sites):

Google Books-to find the public domain books, search for a book under any subject, after the items come up, click "full view" on the left hand side of the page (these are the free books).

The Internet Archive-Search under "Texts" header.

Manybooks.net-Very "newbie" ereader friendly.
Note: after so many downloads they do have a non offensive "if you'd like to help please donate" pop up-that is up to you. (I'm in no way affiliated with this site.)

Project Gutenberg-the site that started it all

Project Gutenberg Australia

http://www.classicreader.com/ site has almost 4000 public domain books that you can read on site-no downloading or ereader required:) (thanks Mommy Wants to Read)

The one problem I saw was that many or even most of these books-there is little to no information of what they are about, or even reviews to let others know what they are about. But, that's part of the fun!

I feel it behooves us as the reading community to help these volunteers "save" these books-simply by giving them "press". Read them, review them, and by doing so, get the word out to other readers about these undiscovered gems.

The Rules:

1-Pick a level of participation for the year:

"newbie"level-read and review 3 public domain books (non bloggers will just post reviews in the reviews comments page)

"advanced" level-read and review 6 public domain books (non bloggers will just post reviews in the reviews comments page)

That's about it-easy peasey:) You pick the book, genre, length, etc. Readers who don't own a e-reader are welcome as well (e-reader apps on phones, etc or just read on your PC). You can cross this over with other challenges as well.

I'm going to start out aiming for the "newbie" level.

1. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
2. The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe
3. History of letter-writing by William Roberts