Teaser Tuesdays - EVENT

Hosted by Jenn at Should Be Reading

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly event which asks readers to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

Visit Jenn's blog each Tuesday and leave a link to your Teaser Tuesday post.

Naming Conventions Challenge

September 1, 2008 - ???

Maria at Reading My Way Through Life is hosting the Naming Conventions Challenge. This one has lots of flexibility built into it - including the length of the challenge and number of books you will read.

The "rules":

1) Write down your first name (or whatever name you usually go by)
2) Do any or all of the following:
2a) For each letter, pick an author whose last name starts with that letter.
2b) For each letter, pick an author whose first name starts with that letter.
2c) For each letter, pick a book that starts with that letter.
3) Books can be cross-overs from other challenges, but each book can only be used once in this challenge. Authors may be repeated though.
4) The challenge lasts one month per letter of your name

Sound like fun? To sign up leave Maria a comment on her post about the challenge. Oh, and she is also looking for someone to create a graphic/button for the challenge.

Genre Challenge

November 1, 2008 - November 1, 2009

Samantha from Bookworms and Tea Lovers is hosting The Genre Challenge. This year long challenge asks readers to read from at least 10 of the following genres: crime fiction, detective fiction, mystery fiction, horror fiction, thriller fiction, romance fiction, science fiction, action/adventure fiction, fantasy fiction, realistic fiction, historical fiction, and western fiction. (Samantha provides a helpful link which defines these!) Participants may choose to read 10, 11, or 12 books - but each book must be from a different genre.

The "rules" are:

• You may not read more than 1 book per genre
• All books must be read within the challenge period
• No crossovers within the challenge, each genre should have a separate book
• Crossovers with other challenges are allowed
• Audio books are allowed, graphic novels are not
• You may make a list of books, but that’s not mandatory and you can change your picks at any time before or during the challenge

To join, go to Samantha's post about the challenge and read the section: How to Join.

Oh, and did I mention there will be book prizes? Yes, there will! Samantha is also looking for someone to design a graphic which will earn them an extra chance at a prize. So what are you waiting for? Get on over there and sign up!!

Musing Mondays - EVENT

Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

Musing Mondays is a weekly event which encourages bloggers to spend time each Monday musing about books. MizB writes:

There’ve been quite a few instances, recently, where my online book groups have discussed something, and it’s sparked a few thoughts in my head. I thought these things would make great fodder for blogging about books! And, I did post a couple of my thoughts here. I just figured that, by creating a weekly event for it, I could regularly blog about books, and it’d serve a dual-purpose by getting me to blog more.

To participate, visit Should Be Reading each Monday and read MizB's post about books; then create your own post! It's not required, but I'm sure MizB would love you to leave a comment and link to your musings!

2008/9 Unread Authors Challenge

August 1, 2008 - January 31, 2009

Ariel of Sycorax Pine is once again hosting this challenge. The 2007/8 challenge was a huge success! The 2008/9 Unread Authors Challenge should be just as fun. Ariel writes:

1. Read at least SIX books by an author whose work you have never read before.
2. You may choose six different "unread" authors to introduce yourself to, or you may choose just one or two and explore their work in greater depth.
3. Authors may be drawn from any genre of literature. The only requirement is that they be authors whose work you substantially regret not having read yet.
4. Your choices may overlap with other challenges you have underway.

Readers may join the challenge at any time by going to the post about the challenge and leaving a comment (to join the dedicated challenge blog, also include your email address).

Disney Literature Challenge

Perpetual Challenge - NO TIME LIMITS

Sarah Miller of Reading, Writing, Musing... is hosting a Disney Literature Challenge. Her post is wonderful (you should read it even if you don't think you want to do this one). In part, she writes:

Now, some of my very favorite book people harbor strong anti-Disney tendencies. (Cam, this means you. I'm betting on Linda and Jim, too.) In their honor, and in hopes of putting a tiny chip in the mountain of gratitude I owe them, I'm proposing a Disney Literature Challenge. Let's dig up the uncorrupted originals, and see how these stories looked before Uncle Walt had his way with them, shall we?

AND:

No time limits, no minimums, no obligations. Pick the ones you like and quit when you get sick of the whole idea. Wanna skip the bulky ones like Dickens, Hugo and White? Be my guest. If the multimedia approach of comparing the book to the movie appeals to you, go for it. I'm particularly hoping some of the anti-Disney camp might be good sports and take a refresher look at some of the films. Rereads are legal, even encouraged.

Sarah has listed the books to read on the post about the challenge. Interested? Why not join in the fun and leave her a comment?

Bang Bang Book Challenge

September 1, 2008 - February 28, 2009

Kelsey of Norwegian Wood is hosting the BangBang Book Challenge where readers read a selection of fiction books set during one or more wars. The rules are:

• choose 5 fiction books and create a list of them (lists may change along the way)
• link to your reviews each month through Mr. Linky
• overlaps with other challenges are allowed

To sign up, visit the challenge blog and use Mr. Linky (be sure to leave Kelsey a comment too!)

Japanese Literature Challenge 2

July 30, 2008 - January 30, 2009

For those of you who enjoyed Dolce Bellezza's first Japanese Literature Challenge, she is hosting a second one. Simply read three books of your choice. They can be a novel, a work of poetry, a children's book, graphic novel, biography or autobiography. There will be occasional prizes as well.

To sign up, visit the post about the challenge and leave a comment.

New Classics Challenge

August 1, 2008 - January 31, 2009
(Joanna is looking for someone to make her a button!)

Joanna from Lost in a Good Story is hosting her first challenge! The New Classics Challenge is based on Entertainment Weekly's list of new classics (1983-2008).

1. Copy the list (which Joanna has pasted here) and bold the titles that you have already read.
2. Choose at least 6 other books from the list , read and review them between 1 August 2008 and 31 January 2009. Post links to your reviews at Joanna's blog.
3. In January 2009, cast your vote for which one of the 100 books on the list is your favorite (and write a post on why). One person will be the lucky winner of the book with the most votes.

To sign up, use Mr. Linky at the post about the challenge!

Presidential Reading Challenge

July 4, 2008 - July 4, 2009
(Length of Challenge depends on the level you choose)

Becky from Becky's Book Reviews is hosting another one! The Presidential Reading Challenge is set up to allow participants to pick a level of reading which suits their needs.

For levels I through 3, readers are asked to read books which are either "fiction or nonfiction, for adults or for children.They need to be about a president or first lady or in someway connected to the President (children, pets, other relatives, friends, etc.) The book can be written from other points of view--from a servant, slave, friend, aide, employee, etc.--but the President and/or someone from his family would need to enter into it at some point."

Level one: Commit to reading ONE book between July 4, 2008 and November 4, 2008.

Level two: Commit to reading THREE books between July 4, 2008 and January 20, 2009. (Inauguration day according to Wikipedia).

Level three: Commit to reading FIVE books between July 4, 2008 and July 4, 2009.

Level four: This one is slightly different. You must commit to read primary documents--speeches and such. (Becky provides links for these on her site) So this level asks you to commit to reading 10 items. This one would go July 4, 2008 through July 4, 2009.

No lists or blogs are required. To sign up, leave a comment with the level you've chosen on the post about the challenge.