1% Well-Read Challenge 2009/10

March 1, 2009 - March 31, 2010

Michelle from 1 More Chapter is once again hosting this popular challenge - but there are a couple of changes. Michelle writes:

The editors of the book 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die threw a kink into our challenge when they updated the books with new titles last year. So, I’ve got three options for you on this next challenge:

1. Read 10 titles from the original list from March 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.
2. Read 10 titles from the new list from March 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.
3. Read 13 titles from the combined list (of almost 1300 titles) from March 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010. In other words, “What were they thinking dropping titles from Dostoevsky and Jane Austen?”

Sign ups have already started - learn more and sign up by visiting the sign up post.

YA Romance Challenge 2009

March 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009

Becky of Becky's Book Reviews is hosting YA Romance Challenge.

Read six YA romance novels between March 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009.Romance should be a strong element with the story. But it doesn't have to be the only element.

• All genres are allowed.
• They can be part of a series, or stand-alones.
• They can be long or short.
• Audio books are allowed.
• Some re-reads are allowed, but try to have at least two new-to-you books.

To find out more and to sign up, go to YA Romance Challenge.

Classics Challenge 2009

April 1 - October 31, 2009

Trish of Trish's Reading Nook is hosting The Classics 2009 Challenge. She writes:

Classics: We love them, we hate them, now we are going to challenge ourselves to read more of them.

Choose Your Level:

1. Classics Snack - Read FOUR classics
2. Classics Entree - Read FIVE classics
3. Classics Feast - Read SIX classics

Rules/Guidelines:

• Cross-posting with other challenges is allowed (and encouraged!)
• Audiobooks are fine
• Re-reads are acceptable, BUT books must be finished after April 1st to count for the challenge4. Lists don't have to be set in stone; you can change your selections at any time.
• Have Fun!!
• You do NOT need a blog to participate.

For more details and to join, please visit The Classic's Challenge 2009

Thursday Thunks- Event

Hosted by Thursday Thunks

"Thursday Thunks (TT) is a blog meme for those who need a little kick in the butt to find something to post about. Your blog posts/answers to TT's can be type or pictures, doesn't matter! YOU pick, not us, we just give you the assignment (yep, just like English class... only we won't grade your spelling & grammer)."

To find out more or participate go to Thursday Thunks.

Compass Points Challenge 2009

March 1 - August 31, 2009

Kristen at BookNAround is hosting the Compass Points Challenge. Here are the rules:

1. Read one book each with a title echoing the four main compass points: North, South, East, and West.
2. Any genre, fiction or non-fiction but they must have the word north, south, east, or west in the title.

That's it! To sign up, use Mr. Linky on the post about the challenge.

A Book A Week (Yahoo Group)

Perpetual Challenge (Open to new Members Year Round)

Lori from She Treads Softly has recently started a Yahoo Group to support readers who are working toward their personal goal of reading A Book A Week.

Lori writes:

A-book-a-week is a personal challenge group where members are encouraged to try to read at least one book a week. We share any thoughts we have on what we are reading and support each other in the goal of reading a book a week.

She notes that there are no rules about posting lists or reviews.

Anyone is welcome to join at any time. To join the group, visit the home page.

**Please note there is another yahoo group with a similar name which accepts new members between January 1 and February 27 each year. These are two DIFFERENT groups.

Midweek Morsels - EVENT

Hosted by Kristina at Kristina's Favorites

Do you like to cook as much as you like to read? Are cookbooks and recipes overflowing your shelves? Want to share them? Kristina at Kristina's Favorites is hosting a weekly event each Wednesday for cookbook readers and cooks to share their favorite recipes. To read the guidelines, visit the initial post about the event.

To join her, visit Kristina's blog each Wednesday and use Mr. Linky to link to your post.

Romantic Times Book Reviews FEATURE

Thanks to Marcia at The Printed Page who gave me a heads up, I discovered that this blog was featured in the March edition of Romantic Times Book Reviews on page 22 under their regular feature: WebBrowser (I could not find it on-line, it seemed to be only in the print edition of the magazine). They also highlighted the 9 Books for 2009 Challenge being hosted by Isabel at Books and Other Stuff.

Woo hoo!

2009 Vampire Challenge

January 1 - December 31, 2009

**PLEASE NOTE - I earlier posted this challenge as J. Kaye's Challenge as I thought she was doing a similar one to Kathrin's. This is NOT the case. If you are interested in reading for the Vampire Challenge, this is the only one!

Kathrin at Crazy Cozy Murders is hosting the Vampire Challenge, designed for readers who enjoy books about vampires. Genres can be romance, YA, paranormal, mysteries - anything, as long as there's one or two (or more) vampires in it.

For this challenge, readers only have to read 2+ books with vampires in 2009.

To sign up, please leave a comment on the post about the challenge with a link to your blog post.

Spring 2009 Challenge

March 1 - May 31, 2009

Cindy and Melanie of Readers of Romance are hosting a Spring Reading Challenge. Participants must be members of the Shelfari Romance Readers group. You many contact either Cindy or Melanie for more information about how to join.

The FAQs for this challenge are:

1. Select 5,10, or 15 books to read that fit the category.
2. Post your list on the discussion board and blog (Name’s Spring Challenge List)
3. If you need title suggestions please use the Discussion titled Spring TITLE SUGGESTIONS if you don't see it please search (to try and minimize number of discussions)
4. Once you have read a book please find the corresponding discussion by searching you can search by 08 Winter # and use the number that corresponds with the list. (one will be created for each number on March 1, again, to try and minimize number of discussions) and post the book and title you read and rating, and review.
5. It is not required, but if you could post your review on the blog that would be great.
6. Reviews on the blog please include labels list the rating, author, and # of challenge only.
7. Audio books are okay
8. Rereads are okay
9. You can change your list at anytime

Spring '09 Challenge list:
1. Read a Western (united States)- historical or contemporary
2. Read a book set in Scotland- historical or contemporary
3. Title contains Sun, Moon, or Stars (Moonlight, Starlight, etc, is ok!)
4. Title contains Angel or Devil
5. Read any title by one of the first romance authors you ever read (or reread one of the first romance titles you ever read)
6. Title or Cover makes you think of Spring
7. Readers Choice
8. Select a book that has been marked favorite or 5 stars from another group member's shelf.
9. Read an AAR top 100 title (list on allaboutromance.com, AAR Top 100 group, and the AAR Top 100 blog)
10. Title contains the word "Secret" or “Lie” in it
11. Read a title that was read and reviewed during the Winter Challenge
12. read a book with a Romeo and Juliet type theme (feuding family/clan/etc): H/H have to be on opposite sides of the feud (help at AAR)
13. Read a trilogy (or 3 books from same series) Part 1
14. Read a trilogy (or 3 books from same series) Part 2
15. Read a trilogy (or 3 books from same series) Part 3

To learn more and to join, visit the post about the challenge.

The Guardian's 1000 Novels Challenge

February 1, 2009 - February 1, 2010

Jennie at Biblio File is hosting The Guardian's 1000 Novels Challenge to read 1% of the books from their list over the course of one year (for those of you who cannot do math that comes out to 10 books). Jennie writes:

Of these 10, you must read 1 from each category and, if possible, 1 should be a book you have never heard of until you saw it on this list. Feel free to complain about certain books being included or not included.

There will also be prizes.

To learn more and to sign up with Mr. Linky, visit the post about the challenge.

Bookword Game - EVENT

Hosted by Raidergirl at An Adventure in Reading AND Suey at Life's Other Adventures

Raidergirl and Suey have come up with a fun game they call: The Bookword Game. This looks like it will become a weekly event. To join in the first installment, visit the post on Adventure in Reading.

Here is how Raidergirl describes the game:

Here we will, as a book loving community, come up with some phrases to describe books or book-related situations.

For example, if I say Freezer Book, people recognize a book that is making you nervous, like The Book Thief for me or Little Women for Joey from Friends.

More recently, bybee tried to discover the phrase for when you discover the title embedded in the story. It turned out that there was no such phrase! How could that be? We kept going back to find out what it could be, so suggestions were made, and a vote was held: Title Drop was most popular. It perfectly describes a situation that I look for everytime I read now.

To read more and to see the "situation" for this week, make sure you drop by the first inaugural post.

Wondrous Words - EVENT

Hosted by Bermudaonion

Bermudaonion has hosted the Wednesday Wondrous Words event for two weeks now. She isn't sure she is going to keep it up, so if you like this weekly event make sure to stop by and vote in her poll.

The idea is to share new words you've learned from your reading each week.

To play along, visit Bermudaonion on Wednesdays.

Do Re Mi Challenge

February 7 - May 17, 2009

Becky from Becky's Book Reviews is hosting the Do Re Mi Challenge.

4 activities from the list below are required:

1. Read books on music (fiction, nonfiction, biography, memoir)
2. Listen to CDs and 'review' them; why not be brave and try a new genre!
3. watch musicals and 'review' them
4. watch a music documentary and/or concert on tv or dvd
5. make a video of yourself (and share it) making music (singing/playing an instrument)
6. attend a live music event (concert, musical, whatever) and share about it
7. write a post highlighting your favorite musician/performer/artist
8. write a post sharing your favorite music videos
9. create (and share) a playlist on Project Playlist (or similar online service)
   

Becky writes:

A note on 'reviewing' this could be as simple as one to three sentences. ("I read M is for Music by Kathleen Krull. It was a picture book. I liked it.) (I listened to Abbey Road by The Beatles. I love She Came In Through the Bathroom Window.) I essentially just want a record somewhere (either on your blog OR in my comments) that you've completed part of the challenge.

A note on books--picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade (children's/juvenile), young adult (teen), adult--fiction or nonfiction. Poetry is welcome too. No book is too short or too long.

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

The Nattie Challenge

The Nattie Challenge is back!

For those of you who are not familiar with this challenge here is a bit about it:

Natalie was a reader. Boy, is that an understatement. Natalie was THE reader. She epitomized the phrase "So Many Books, So Little Time." Unfortunately for us, Nat's time was even shorter than anyone imagined. She left behind a legacy of books and reading, and this Challenge Blog is to honor her.

This time round, the challenge is:

The Fantastical Challenge

February2009-March 2009

Hosted by Heather at The Nattie Challenge.

I was thinking, this morning, of the kinds of books Natalie liked to read, and I remember her love for Narnia. I decided a Narnia challenge was out though. Most of us have already read it it, many more times than they can count. So, I thought, why not a fantasy fiction challenge. There are 2 reasons for this:

1. Natalie often read to escape. A book can take us out of our lives and into the world of imagination.

2. Fantasy books are popular for a reason. They take us to a world beyond the one we live in. They speak loudly of the human soul's longing for a different place (Eden, where we were created to dwell, Heaven where we shall find ourselves one day). Natalie has managed to escape one final time into a world that is beyond our wildest imaginings.

The rules:

This challenge is for Feb and March.

Read a fantasy book. Or 2. Or 3.

Read to yourself or to your kids.

Choose adult fantasy or young adult fantasy.

Heck, go to the library and read a million children's books. Just go somewhere new and fabulous and be sure to tell us all about the journey.

To learn more or to sign up go to The Fantastical Challenge