What's In A Name 3 Challenge

January 1 - December 31, 2010

There is a new host for this challenge in 2010. Beth at Beth Fish Reads will be hosting What's In A Name 3 Challenge with a few changes. Here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know

• Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
• Books may overlap other challenges.
  
• Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
• Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
• You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
• You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
  
• There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. Beth says she'll figure out a way to make it international.

On January 1, Beth will publish 7 posts, each with a Mr. Linky (one for each category and one for your wrap-up post), on the dedicated blog for the challenge so you'll have a place post links to your reviews (bloggers) or leave comments (non-bloggers) as you finish up each category.

To learn more and sign up, visit the post about the challenge.

Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge

January 1 - December 31, 2010

Jennifer of Reading With Tequila is hosting the 2010 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.

Here's what Jennifer says:

Book bloggers are my favorite source of book recommendations. More than any other source, they consistently introduce me to books and authors that impact my life. Therefore, I have created the Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.

The Top 25

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling
2. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
3. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
4. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
5. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
6. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
7. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
8. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
9. Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
10. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
11. The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
12. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
13. Eragon - Christopher Paolini
14. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
15. A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle
16. The Host - Stephenie Meyer
17. The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough
18. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
19. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
20. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
21. The Clan of the Cave Bear - Jean M. Auel
22. The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
23. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
24. 11 Minutes - Paulo Coelho
25. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer

Click here to see the entire 2009 Book Blogger Recommendation List.

The Levels:
Level I - Read 5 books from the 2009 Book Blogger Recommendation List
Level II - Read 10 books
Level III - Read 15 books
Level IV - Read 20 books
Level V - Read 20+ books

The Rules:

• Participants can join anytime throughout the challenge.
  
• Create an intro post, linking back to the post about the challenge.
  
• Sign up with the Mr. Linky.
  
• Chose your own books from the list. You can decide to read books only on the Top 25 list or from the entire recommendation list. You do not have to make a list of books before the challenge begins.
  
• All forms of books acceptable (audiobooks, eBooks, etc.)
• Rereads do not count towards the completion of the challenge. The challenge is about discovering books that are new to you.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Reviews, while always appreciated, are not mandatory.

To join, go to 2010 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.

The Complete Booker 2010 Challenge

January 1 - December 21, 2010

There are some changes to this very popular perpetual challenge beginning in 2010. Laura writes:

The Complete Booker originated in August, 2007 to bring together book lovers and book bloggers interested in reading winners of The Man Booker Prize for Fiction. In 2008 we also began posting reviews of short- and long-listed nominees. The challenge blog is now approaching 300 posts, and well over 200 of these are reviews. If you're working towards reading the entire winners list, do you need a little motivation to continue? Have you thought about joining, but shied away from the commitment to read such a long list of books? There are many ways to approach the Booker Prize list, and The Complete Booker aims to please. So in 2010, there will be additional ways to participate.

For the 2010 Complete Booker Challenge, choose a participation level:

• Winners Circle: read at least 6 winners
• Contender: read at least 6 shortlisted nominees
• Longshot: read at least 6 longlisted nominees
• Booker Devotee: choose a year, and read all 6 shortlisted works from that year
• Booker Fanatic: choose a year, and read all 13 long- and shortlisted works from that year

Guidelines:

• Overlaps with other challenges are permitted.
• Book selections don't have to be posted right away, and lists may be changed at any time.
• Post reviews at the challenge blog by sending an email to the moderator

Please note, the perpetual challenge is still in effect!!

For more information and to sign up, visit the post about the challenge.

That's How I Blog: 20 Minute Book Club Challenge

December 29, 2009 - December 29, 2010

Nicole at Linus's Blanket is hosting the Twenty Minute Book Club Challenge. She writes:

The purpose of this challenge will be to read the books being discussed for the Twenty Minute Book Club portion of That’s How I Blog! It’s a great opportunity to share a reading list with your fellow readers. In addition to the show there will be a Google Wave for each book we discuss (no cliques here, contact me for wave participation) and twitter discussion with hashtag #20minbc.

Here you will find the most up-to date Reading List for That’s How I Blog!. Check back at the beginning of each month for 4-5 new additions to the list.

Participants may choose a participation level as follows:

• Aluminum Level – 4 Books (2010 Only, No Substitutions)
• Silver Level – 13 Books (May substitute 1 book from 2009)
• Gold Level – 26 Books (May substitute 4 books from 2009)
• Diamond Level – 39 Books (May substitute 7 books from 2009)
• Platinum Level – 52 Books (May substitute 10 books from 2009)

You might want to:

• Crossover with other challenges.
• Participate even if you don’t have a blog.
• Post reviews on your blog, or e-mail Nicole your thoughts on the book, or do neither.
• Re-read a book that you have read before.
• Call-in and participate in The Twenty Minute Book Club.
• E-mail Nicole or leave a comment saying you’d like to be a guest on the show, thereby contributing to the book list.

TO learn more and sign up, visit the post about the challenge.

Read-A-Long: Banging On the New Tin Drum - EVENT

Hosted by Lizzy's Literary Life

January 1 - March 30, 2010

Lizzy is hosting a read-a-long of The Tin Drum by Nobel Laureate Gunter Grass. She writes:

Günter Grass’s The Tin Drum , first published in 1959 was recently retranslated into English by Breon Mitchell. All the reviews I’ve read of this new translation are superlative. So that’s the version I’ll be reading this time around.

AND:

The Tin Drum is a seminal piece of European magic realism. Amazingly probably the only piece of magic realism I’ve ever got to grips with. Here’s the summary from fantasticfiction: Bitter and impassioned, it delivers a scathing dissection of the years from 1925 to 1955 through the eyes of Oskar Matzerath, the dwarf whose manic beating on the toy of his retarded childhood fantastically counterpoints the accumulating horrors of Germany and Poland under the Nazis.

It is an intense read and best taken slowly. So I’m proposing to read one part per month (around 200 pages) for three months. I’ll post my thoughts here on the final Sunday of each month starting January 2010. And I hope that whether you’re a fully fledged Germanophile, an award winner / Nobel laureate reading challenge participant or simply curious, you’ll read / discuss along with me.

Learn more by visiting the post about the Read-A-Long, or just drop by Lizzy's blog on the final Sunday of January to get started.

ARC Reading Challenge 2010

January 2 - December 30, 2010

Teddy of So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is hosting The ARC Reading Challenge again in 2010.

Here's how it works:

Last year we had a great turn out for this challenge and I have request to run it again for 2010. Since so many challenges start on January 1st and end on December 31st, I decided to change the date a little bit this year. However, if you post a review for January 1st, you are welcome to use it for this challenge.

Please note that there are some changes, so please read the rules!

The rules:

• To sign up, leave a direct link to your blog post about this challenge that includes your list from rule #2, using Mr. Linky at the post about the challenge. Please leave a comment as well.
  List all of the ARC's that you have to read right now. Then throughout the year, you must continue updating that list as you receive more ARC's. (This is important). You should also strike out the ones that you finish.
• Pick a Level:
  

1. Level Bronze: a. All of us who have or will have less than 12 ARC's must read all of the ARC's we have. Note, that if you have 11 ARC's and then receive a 12th one you will be bumped up to catagory a. b. All of us who have or will have more than 12 ARC's must read and review 12.
2. Level Silver: Read 24 ARC's
3. Level Gold: Read 25 or more ARC's

• You don't have to make a list of which ARC's you plan to read, but you can if you want.
• Crossovers with other challenges are allowed and Audio-books are allowed as long as they are ARC's.
• Read the books and review them on your blog. If you don't have a blog, you can post your review on sites like Powells, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.
• Please subscribe to my Teddy's blog, as she will be doing a monthly post with MR Linky. Please add your reviews for each month in MR Linky in the monthly post. For your Name, please use this format Name: (Your Name, Book Title and Author's Name) for example: (Teddy, Obsessive Reading by Helen Reader). Please be sure to use the direct link to your review, not just to your blog. Then please leave a comment.

To join, go to The ARC Reading Challenge

TAKE THE JOURNEY 2010 Reading Challenge

January 1, 2010 - December 15, 2010

Between the Pages is hosting the Take the Journey 2010 Reading Challenge

This is a very detailed challenge, here's how it works:

First, to join, you must join the group on book blogs, here.

During 2010 I will be hosting a reading challenge designed to broaden our literary horizons, move us out of our comfort zone, and help us discover new and uncharted worlds of fun and adventure.

“One change makes way for the next, giving us the opportunity to grow.” Vivian Buchen

Join me, and let’s make 2010 the year we and others celebrate the World of Books.
Challenge Guidelines: This challenge isn’t designed to be easy, so the weak-at-heart may want to exit by the side door. For those of you who are still here, let’s get started. A. Challenge ends on December 15, 2010. Your goal is to accumulate as many points as you can during 2010. Best of success to everyone. I can't wait to begin. All points must be accrued from Jan 1 - Dec 15, 2010.

1. Read 40 or more books by new authors you’ve never read before. (Each book read =4 points)
2. Read 20 or more books by some of your favorite authors. (Each book read = 2 points)
3. Read 3 or more new genres you’ve never tried before. (Each genre = 2 points)
4. Post 12 or more reviews at any site of your choice. (Each review posted = 3 points)
5. Give 1 or more books as gifts during the year. (Each book gift = 2 points)
6. Read 1 or more books to a child (Each book read = 3 points)
7. Read something to an older person, or anyone whose eyesight prevents them from reading for themselves. (Each reading session = 3 Points)
8. Share this reading challenge with a friend. (Each friend that joins the challenge = 3 points)
9. Attend a book event, such as a book signing, book fair, book reading, etc. (Each event = 5 points)

B. Additional Points
1. 30 Points – Become a follower of Between The Pages blog
2. 5 Points – For each month you post your point total updates in our Take The Journey group at Book Blogs.
3. 30 Points – For adding our Take The Journey badge to your blog or website. (email me at btlblog@lyndacoker.com for the html code)

If you do post the badge, please leave the URL in a comment at the group site. I'd like to reciprocate by adding your site to my blog roll or web links. Thank You

This challenge operates on the Honor System. Please remember that when posting your point updates.

Enjoy the challenge, and as you do, share some of the highlights at our group site. Let us know what you're reading, where you've posted your reviews so that we can read them, who you're reading too, and how this challenge has inspired or helped you.

All Challenge participants who post point updates on the group site will have their names added to one of our HONOR LISTS: The 100 Club, The 200 Club, The 300 Club, The 400 Club, or The 500 Club. So be sure to post those point updates during the year.

Small Rewards:
I'll be sending small gifts each month to some of those Challenge participants who post comments and point updates at the group site. These will be chosen randomly. If you want to be added to the Small Rewards list, please indicate that in a comment at the group site, and be sure to add your email to your comment. A form to help you keep your point totals is provided at the group site.

To find out more, go to or to join, go directly to the Take the Journey 2010 Reading Challenge group or visit the post about the challenge.