Sally906's Reading Challenges

Readers in Peril – RIP V – Completed

sally906 — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:37:03 +0000

This is the fifth year that Carl from Stainless Steel Droppings has run his R.I.P. challenge. It is one that I look forwards to with great anticipation. R.I.P. stands for R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril and for those of you who haven’t heard about RIP, here’s a brief quote from Carl’s site:

“It was a dark and stormy night…”

Or at least I wish it was, rather than a warm, sunshiny day. Despite the weather refusing to cooperate with my gothic mood, the calendar does not lie, ladies and gentlemen. It is indeed that time of year where two short months are dedicated to reveling in all things creepy, eerie, mysterious, gothic, horrifying, suspenseful and strange.

It is time to celebrate things that go bump in the night; that favorite detective that always gets his man, or woman, in the end; that delicious chill of a creak on the stairs, of the rogue waiting in the dark, of the full moon and the flit of bats wings.

Doesn’t that send a shiver down your spine

There are two simple rules:

1. Have fun reading.
2. Share that fun with others

I am planning on doing ‘Peril the First’:

“…Read four books, any length, that you feel fits my very broad definition of scary…”

My list:

1. Tales of Terror from the Tunnel’s Mouth by Chris Priestley – Read

2. The Passage by Justin Cronin - Read

3. Heir of Mystery by Philip Ardagh - Read

4. The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn – Read

New Zealand Challenge

sally906 — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:00:36 +0000

In anticipation of a holiday in New Zealand next year – I am doing a personal challenge I am going to read 12 books set in New Zealand – I have a list of books available at my local library and my TBR pile.

(August 2010 – August 2011)

1. As the earth turns Silver by Alison Wong – L

2. Genesis by Bernard Beckett – L

3. In the Shadow of Trees by Elenor Gill – L

4. Knotted by Michelle Holman – L

5. TBA

6. Making Lemonade by Kate Langdon – L

7. Blind Sight by Maurice Gee – L

8. Cemetery Lake by Paul Cleave – L

9. Amber by Deborah Challinor - L

10. Kiwis might Fly by Polly Evans – TBR

11. Band of Gold by Deborah Challinor - L

12. Isle of tears by Deborah Challinor - L

Welsh Authors Reading Challenge

sally906 — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:13:45 +0000

Over In the Shadow of my TBR pile there is a a Welsh challenge happening. I decided I would get in touch with my Welsh heritage by joining in – I am going for the silver medal (Arian bathodyn) which is to read four to six Welsh-related books. I have found 5 Welsh related books, either set in Wales – or the authors are Welsh) which are all available from my local library.

Here is my list:

1. Aberystwyth Mon Amour by Malcolm Pryce

2. A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas

3. Evenly Bodies by Rhys Bowen

4. Kingdom’s Dream by Iris Gower

5. The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan

Support your Local Library Reading Challenge – Completed

sally906 — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:01:14 +0000

This challenge is found here at Home Girl’s Book Blog.

The challenge is to support my local library by borrowing books from it. I am doing the mini challenge – read 25 library books.

My list:

1. Water by Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley

2. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

3. Sophie and the Rising Sun by Augusta Trobaugh

4. Aberystwyth Mon Amour by Malcolm Pryce

5. Vampire Diaries 1 – The Awakening by L.J. Smith

6. Vampire Diaries 2 – The Struggle by L.J. Smith

7. Vampire Diaries 3 – The Fury by L.J. Smith

8. Vampire Diaries 4 – Dark Reunion by L.J. Smith

9. Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs

10. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

11. Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M.C Beaton

12. Undead and Unwelcome by Maryjanice Davidson

13. Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

14. Magic Study by Maria V Snyder

15. Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

16. The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes

17. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

18. Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

19. Vanish by Tess Gerritsen

20. Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs

21. The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

22. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

23. Arctic Diary: Surviving on Thin Ice by Sam Branson

24. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

25. Evanly Bodies by Rhys Bowen

Chick Lit Challenge – Completed

sally906 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:55:19 +0000

The Chick Lit Challenge 2010 runs from January 1 – December 31st. The goal is to read at least 8 chick lit books during the year.

My list:

1. The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax

2. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

3. Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

4. The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes

5. Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn

6. The Lacemakers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri

7. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

8. Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber

2010 Challenge – Completed

sally906 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:39:32 +0000

This challenge is being run over on the twenty ten post on Bart’s bookshelf. The aim is to read a total 20 books, 2 each in ten categories, in 2010.

The categories:

Young Adult
Any book classified as young adult or featuring a teenage protagonist counts for this category.
T.B.R.
Intended to help reduce the old T.B.R. pile. Books for this category must be already residents of your bookshelves as of 1/11/09.
Shiny & New
Bought a book NEW during 2010 from a bookstore, online, or a supermarket? Then it counts for this category. Second-hand books do not count for this one, but, for those on book-buying bans, books bought for you as gifts or won in a giveaway also count!
Bad Blogger’s
Books in this category, should be ones you’ve picked up purely on the recommendation of another blogger count for this category (any reviews you post should also link to the post that convinced you give the book ago).
Charity
Support your local charity shops with this category, by picking up books from one of their shops. Again, for those on book-buying bans, books bought for you as gifts also count, as long as they were bought from a charity shop.
New in 2010
This category is for those books newly published in 2010 (whether it be the first time it is has been released, or you had to wait for it to be published in your country, it counts for this one!)
Older Than You
Read two books that were published before you were born, whether that be the day before or 100 years prior!
Win! Win!
Have a couple of books you need to read for another challenge? Then this is the category to use, as long that is, you don’t break the rules of the other challenge by doing so!
Who Are You Again?
This one isn’t just for authors you’ve never read before, this is for those authors you have never even heard of before!
Up to You!
The requirements for this category are up to you!

This is my list

1. Young Adult – This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

2. Young Adult – Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

3. TBR – Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn

4. TBR – Death of a Celebrity by M. C. Beaton

5. Shiny and new – The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax

6. Shiny and new – Gone by Michael Grant

7. Bad blogger – The Lacemakers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri

8. Bad blogger – Poison Study by Maria V Snyder

9. Charity – Peony in Love by Lisa See (Red Cross)

10. Charity – The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine (Red Cross)

11. New in 2010 – The Forest Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan (April 2010)

12. New in 2010 – Kiss of Death by P. D. Martin (Jan 2010)

13. Older than you (pre 1956) – The Crysalids by John Wyndham (published 1955)

14. Older than you (pre 1956) – Eight Cousins by Louisa M Alcott (published 1875)

15. Win! Win! – Water by Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley (Also Fantasy Reading Challenge)

16. Win! Win! – Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein (also YA Challenge)

17. Who Are You Again? – Sophie and the Rising Sun by Augusta Trobaugh

18. Who Are You Again? – Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

19. Up to you (Mystery novels) – Loyalty in Death by J.D. Robb

20. Up to you (Mystery novels) – Vanish by Tess Gerritsen

YA Reading Challenge – Completed

sally906 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:20:08 +0000

This challenge is over on the Home Girl’s Book Blog and I opted to do the Mini YA Reading Challenge – which is to read 12 Young Adult novels.

Here is my list:

1. Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein

2. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

3. The Secret of Killimooin by Enid Blyton

4. Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

5. Five on Kirrin Island Again by Enid Blyton

6. This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

7. Vampire Diaries 1 – The Awakening by L.J. Smith

8. Vampire Diaries 2 – The Struggle by L.J. Smith

9. Gone by Michael Grant

10. Vampire Diaries 3 – The Fury by L.J. Smith

11. Vampire Diaries 4 – Dark Reunion by L.J. Smith

12. The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Fantasy Reading Challenge – Completed

sally906 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:59:28 +0000

This Fantasy Reading challenge is being run by the royal reviewers over on the Queen of Happy Ending’s blog

I decided to do the Fascinated level – Read 6 Fantasy Fiction novels.

1. Water by Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley

2. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

3. Poison Study by Maria V Snyder

4. Magic Study by Maria V Snyder

5. Fire Study by Maria V Snyder

6. The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

No doubt I will read more before the end of the year – but the challenge component is over

E-Book reading challenge – Completed

sally906 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:36:56 +0000

The Royal Reviewers are running this challenge here.

As I am only new to e-books I decided to go for the ‘Curious’ level – here is my list

1. Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson

2. Amanda by Anna Balmer Myers

3. Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart

Challenge now completed – but I have to say that I am now the proud owner of a kindle

I am taking a break

sally906 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:56:47 +0000

For at least 2010 I will be doing no challenges I am tired and want a life for a while – to bring back the joy of reading instead of the stress.

UPDATE: Rest over – I am slowly getting back into challenges – just not over committing myself