150+ Reading Challenge For 2012

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Details/Rules:

1. The goal is to read 150 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Posting on GoodReads or wherever you post your reviews is good enough.

2. Allowed are: Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st, 2012 thru December 31, 2012. Books started before the 1st do not count. You can join at anytime.

6. When you sign up under Linky, put the direct link to your post where your books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

2012 Paranormal Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

The challenge is for ANY paranormal with the exception of vampires. They have their own challenge.

Rules:

• Starts January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012
• Anyone can join
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers feel free to share your list of books in the comment section of the monthly link up post.
• Reviews though not required are always nice.
• Audio, E-books, Bound and re-reads all count
• There is no need to come up with your list of books in advance.
• Challenge crossovers ok
• Create a sign up post and link up using the linky.

Levels:

Level 1 – Read 1-5 Paranormal Novels
Level 2 – Read 6-10 Paranormal Novels
Level 3 – Read 11-20 Paranormal Novels
Level 4 – Read 21+ Paranormal Novels

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

2012 100+ Books Reading Challenge

 

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

Rules:

• Starts January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012
• Anyone can join
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers feel free to share your list of books in the comment section of the monthly link up post.
• Reviews though not required are always nice.
• Audio, E-books, Bound and re-reads all count
• There is no need to come up with your list of books in advance.
• Challenge crossovers ok
• Create a sign up post and link up using the linky.
• The goal of this challenge is to read 100+ books during 2012.

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

2012 Vampire Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

Rules:

• Starts January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012
• Anyone can join
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers feel free to share your list of books in the comment section of the monthly link up post.
• Reviews though not required are always nice.
• Audio, E-books, Bound and re-reads all count
• There is no need to come up with your list of books in advance.
• Challenge crossovers ok
• Create a sign up post and link up using the linky.

Levels:

Level 1 – Read 1-5 Vampire Novels
Level 2 – Read 6-10 Vampire Novels
Level 3 – Read 11-20 Vampire Novels
Level 4 – Read 21+ Vampire Novels

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

2012 Read Your Own Books Reading Challenge

 

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

This challenge is for those of us who have books that we’ve purchased and just haven’t gotten to. I will go into what does and does not qualify for this challenge below.

Rules:

• Starts January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012
• Anyone can join
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers feel free to share your list of books in the comment section of the monthly link up post.
• Reviews though not required are always nice.
• Audio, E-books, Bound all count
• Re-reads DO NOT count
• There is no need to come up with your list of books in advance.
• Challenge crossovers ok
• Create a sign up post and link up in the linky below.

What qualifies for this challenge?:

• Any book that you have personally purchased, been gifted, or swapped, BEFORE January 1, 2012 and just have not gotten the chance to read yet.

What DOES NOT qualify for this challenge?:

• Any book that has been purchased AFTER January 1, 2012.
• Any book that you have been asked to review
• Tour sites, Netgalley, GalleyGrab, etc.
• Library Books

Levels:

Level 1 – Read 1-5 Your Own Books
Level 2 – Read 6-10 Your Own Books
Level 3 – Read 11-20 Your Own Books
Level 4 – Read 21+ Your Own Books

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

2012 Paranormal Romance Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

Rules:

• Starts January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012
• Anyone can join
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers feel free to share your list of books in the comment section of the monthly link up post.
• Reviews though not required are always nice.
• Audio, E-books, Bound and re-reads all count
• There is no need to come up with your list of books in advance.
• Challenge crossovers ok
• Create a sign up post and link up in the linky below.

Levels:

Level 1 – Read 1-5 Paranormal Romances
Level 2 – Read 6-10 Paranormal Romances
Level 3 – Read 11-20 Paranormal Romances
Level 4 – Read 21+ Paranormal Romances

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

2012 Men in Uniform Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

Who doesn’t love a man in uniform? I sure do! And I love reading about them too. They’re hot, resourceful and they’re always well equipped. Do you like reading books featuring men in uniform too? If so, then this is the reading challenge for you!

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to read as many novels that feature men in inform as you’d like. It can be a policeman, firefighter, paramedic, doctor, veterinarian, Army, Navy, Marine Corp., etc. – As long as the leading man wears some sort of uniform, it counts. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Levels:

Sergeant – Read 1–5 men in uniform novels
Lieutenant – Read 6–10 men in uniform novels
Captain – Read 11–15 men in uniform novels
Chief – Read 16+ men in uniform novels

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

What’s your reading goal for 2012? If it’s to read more books, then this is the reading challenge for you There were 227 readers who wanted to outdo themselves in 2011. Are you up for the challenge?

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2012 than you did in 2011. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Levels:

Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

50 States Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

The goal of this challenge is to read books that are set in each of the fifty states. Your books can be of any genre and any format (ie. paperback, ebook, audiobook, etc.). No short stories. Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine. (Re-read reviews must be written within the year 2012; you can not use old reviews.)

You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. The idea of this challenge came from a Goodreads group.

**Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.
**Non-Bloggers: Sign up in the comments section. Post your reviews with other book sites (ie. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Shelfari, etc.) and post the link in the comments section of the 50 States Reading Challenge. (will post January 1).
When you sign up on Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your blog post about this challenge. Include a link to this post, so that your followers can sign up too! You can either list your books on your challenge post, sidebar, or a page dedicated to your challenges.

Feel free to sign the Mister Linky with your name and blog name. (ie. Tasha (Book Obsessed)) or just your blog name (ie. Book Obsessed) You are welcome to sign up now, but please check back on January 1, 2012 for the 50 States Reading Challenge Review Link! (You will be able to link your review of the book for others to read and drive traffic to your blog.)


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–A Tale of Redwall

Perpetual – starting January 1, 2012

I've heard good things about the series and I always meant to read it. Now's my chance. I'm setting this up as a perpetual challenge that begins January 1 but you can start now if you like. It looks like there are 21 books in the Redwall series plus a cookbook and a graphic novel. There challenge is to read them all, well maybe not the cookbook ;) If anyone has a list of the books in their proper order, could you please share it with me? Thanks

It has been recommend that I read the series in published order so I headed over to Wiki....hope this is correct!
What: Read all the books in the Redwall series
When: January 1, 2012 on.... finish when you finish
Titles:
Redwall (1986)
Mossflower (1988)
Mattimeo (1989)
Mariel of Redwall (1991)
Salamandastron (1992)
Martin the Warrior (1993)
The Bellmaker (1994)
Outcast of Redwall (1995)
Pearls of Lutra (1996)
The Long Patrol (1997)
Marlfox (1998)
The Legend of Luke (1999)
Lord Brocktree (2000)
Taggerung (2001)
Triss (2002)
Loamhedge (2003)
Takkety Tam (2004)
High Rhulain (2005)
Eulalia! (2007)
Doomwyte (2008)
The Sable Quean (2010)
The Great Redwall Feast (picture book)
A Redwall Winter's Tale (picture book)
The Redwall Cookbook
Redwall: The Graphic Novel
The Legend of Redwall Abbey (musical script)
CD: Song from Redwall
The Rogue Crew (2011)
Chronological Order (per Wikipedia)
Lord Brocktree
(The Legend of Luke - book 2 substory)
Martin the Warrior
Mossflower
The Legend of Luke
Outcast of Redwall
Mariel of Redwall
The Bellmaker
Salamondastron
Redwall
Mattimeo
The Pearls of Lutra
The Long Patrol
Marifox
The Taggerung
Triss
Loamhedge
Rakkety Tam
High Rhulain
Eualia!
Doomwyte
The Sable Quean
The Rogue Crew


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–Getting Lost in a Comfortable Book

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

Guidelines:
Make a post
link up (coming)
read 5 books from the list that you haven't read before
Reviews:
would be nice but I'd be more interested in why you pick each book and what you thought of it. This can be added to your post about the challenge.

The list didn't turn out as long as I'd hope so there will be no voting....just read five books (not yours) from the list. Yes, there are a couple of series on the list.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Arabella by Georgette Heyer
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Briar's Book by Tamora Pierce
The Cat Who series by Lilian Jackson Braun
The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Anne Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowlings
The Hawk and the Jewel, The by Lori Wick
The Hobbit, The by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
How to Make an American Quilt by Whitney Otto
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman
The Irish Country series Patrick Taylor
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Key Trilogy by Nora Roberts
Le Grand Secret (The Immortals) by René Barjavel
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Mist of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Mitford series by Jan Karon
The Negotiator by Dee Henderson
The Night Watch by Sergej Lukianenko
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
Persuasion by Jane Austen
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
The Phryne Fisher Mystery series by Kerry Greenwood
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Princess Bride, The by William Goldman
The Protector of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce
Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice
Secret Garden, The by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Spy Wore Red, The by Aline, Countess of Romanones
Stand, The by Stephen King
Stone and the Flute, The by Hans Bemmann
Tangled Web, A by L.M. Montgomery
Time Traveler's Wife, The by Audrey Niffenegger
Venetia by Georgette Heyer
Westing Game, The by Ellen Raskin
Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce
Worthing Saga, The by Orson Scott Card

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–Magic Kingdom of Landover

Perpetual

I've discovered a new Landover novel and feel I need to read the others again before reading it. I've enjoy reading about Ben and his motley crew, after all, wouldn't it be nice to "purchase" your very own Magic Kingdom?

All is not as easy as it should be at the beginning and I was very pleased with the first three books. I don't believe I've read four and five and I don't even own book six.

So, as a personal challenge: read/re-read the series, in order. Which means that I'll have to find them first ;)

Want to join me?
Books 1-3 are available in a single binding (Volume One) as are books 4-5 (Volume Two)


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Welcome to Cedar Cove Challenge

Perpetual – now till whenever you finish (but hopefully December 31, 2012)

Ms. Macomber has written a delightful series with the town setting based on her real life home town! Visit her website for a look at all the books she has written or skip right to her Cedar Cove page which has cover graphics, book descriptions and links to excerpts.

As a personal challenge, I will finish reading this series. Why don't you join me?

Must they be read in order? I don't think so but I will be. I think it will spoil some of the previous story lines. I'm pretty sure each is a stand alone book, except book 12. If I remember correctly each book has characters from the other stories but they're there just in passing. Book 12 gives us a chance to catch up with everyone....and say good-bye.

The first 9 books were re-released with new covers in 2010 so they shouldn't be too hard to find and with the author's popularity, your local library may have a copy.

What: Read all the books related to Cedar Cove, maybe not the cookbook ;)

When: now to ???? (hoping for December 31, 2012)

Titles:
16 Lighthouse Road
204 Rosewood Lane
311 Pelican Court
44 Cranberry Point
50 Harbor Street
6 Rainier Drive
74 Seaside Avenue
8 Sandpiper Way
92 Pacific Boulevard
1022 Evergreen Place
1105 Yakima Street
1225 Christmas Tree Lane - release date: Sept 27
plus two related stories:
5-B, a novella in the Hearts Divided anthology (Feb 2006)
A Cedar Cove Christmas (Oct 2008)


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge 2012

January 1, 2012 – December 31st, 2012

I will be sponsoring the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge--but with a bit of a twist. I wanted to mix things up a bit to keep it interesting for all of you who have joined me in Vintage fun for 2011. This year it's all about Vintage Themes. In order to participate, you will need to choose at least one Vintage Theme listed below (minimum 8 book commitment).
Here are the general rules:
*All books must have been written before 1960 and be from the mystery category (crime fiction, detective fiction, espionage, etc.). Please remember that some of our Vintage authors wrote well after 1959--so keep an eye on the original publish date.

*You are welcome to count these books towards any other challenges as well.

*Challenge runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Sign up any time between now and November 30, 2012. If you have a blog, please post about the challenge and your theme commitment. Then sign up via the linky below. And please make the url link to your Challenge post and not your home page.

*I would love to see reviews of your challenge books, but it is not necessary to participate. If you do not have a blog, post to the comments what your challenge commitment will be and then post again at the progress site (see below) when you have completed your challenge (include a list of books read).

*No matter what theme you choose, please read from at least two different vintage authors.

*Everyone who completes their declared theme/s will be entered for a prize drawing at the end of the year. Anyone who completes two or more themes (16 or more books) will automatically receive their choice from a prize list.

*On January 1st, I will post a site where you can link up your reviews/progress.

Vintage Themes:
1. Colorful Crime: 8 books with colors in the title
2. Murder by the Numbers: 8 books with a number in the title
3. Occupational Hazards: 8 books with a "detective" who is not a P.I.; Police Officer; Official Investigator (Nurse Keate, Father Brown, Miss Marple, etc.)
4. Perilous Policemen: 8 books with a policeman as the primary investigator
5. Lethal Locations: 8 books that are all about place (for instance: country houses, hospitals, schools or even particular cities/countries)
6. Dangerous Beasts: 8 books with an animal in the title (The Bat; The Canary Murder Case; etc.)
7. Deadly Decades: 8 books, one from each time period plus one of your choice (Pre-1900s; 1900-09; 1910-19; 1920-1929; 1930-1939; 1940-1949; 1950-59)
8. Golden Age Girls: 8 books by female authors OR 8 books with female detectives
9. Cherchez le Homme: 8 books by male authors OR 8 books with male detectives
10. Murderous Miscellany: Choose your own theme. Get creative--surprise us! The only stipulation is that the theme cannot be reading books by a single author.


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

2012 Reading Challenge Addict

  January 1 – December 31, 2012

Good day, Addicts!!
It's that time of year where we finally admit to our addictions and try to do something about them. Some of us need to admit we have a bit of a problem. Some of us need to admit we have a huge problem. Some of us just really want to enjoy each other's pain and humiliation while completing challenges. So we are challenging each of you who can also say that you also are a Reading Challenge Addict.  We'll be giving away 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)

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN-UP, PLEASE SEE THIS POST.

Outlander Reading Challenge

January 1 – December 31, 2012

I am a huge fan of Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER series and I keep hearing how people want to read this series, but never do.  Sadly, I haven’t read any of the Outlander novels since A Breath of Snow and Ashes came out in 2005.  The seventh novel, An Echo in the Bone, has already been out for a year and the eighth novel, Written in My Heart’s Own Blood, will be coming out soon (although not soon enough).  So I’m thinking I really need to get reacquainted with Jamie, Claire and all the other wonderful characters in the Outlander novels by starting from the beginning. I’m also thinking this is the perfect time for all everyone who keeps saying they want to read it, to finally picking them up.  Plus, for those who have read Outlander, but haven’t picked up the Lord John novels – yea, I’m including those too.  *grin*

So for 2012, I’m hosting the Outlander Reading Challenge.  Here are the details:

1. The challenge will run from January 1st through December 31st.
2. The goal is to read all 7 Outlander novels as well as all 4 Lord John novels, listed below, or as many as you can or want to do. (I don’t like inflexible reading challenges, so don’t stress out if you don’t think you’ll be able to get through them all).
3. Once a month, we’ll get together and chat about where and what we’ve read (more details about this to come).
4. After reading one of the novels, write your review and then come back to the main challenge page and add your link to Mr. Linky.  Make sure you include your name and which title you’ve read.
5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome.  You don’t have to have a site to participate. You can link up via Facebook, GoodReads or even Amazon if you’d like.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN-UP, PLEASE SEE THIS POST.

New Author Challenge 2012

January 1 – December 31, 2012

It’s the fourth year for the New Author Challenge and I’m hoping everyone is still enjoying this reading challenge.  Last year I attempted to do more mini-challenges and wasn’t that successful. So this year I’m not going to promise that I’ll be more consistent with them, but I will say that I am going to attempt to do a few during 2012. So we’ll see if I can’t do better this year.

For those new to the New Author Challenge, the whole idea started when I first started book blogging. I didn’t know that many authors in my favored genre, so I went looking.  I gave myself a goal of finding 50 new authors and ended up reading 56 the first year I did this.  I loved finding these new worlds and cultures, so I want to help others find new ones as well.  Since 2007, I’ve tried over 100 different authors I may not have tried otherwise and I have found some great authors.

The idea behind this is to find new authors that you’ve never tried before, not necessarily ones that are debuting.  They can be in your genre of choice or be brave and try something new.  You never know what you’re going to like until you try it.  If you’re looking for some suggestions, you can check out the Author page here at Literary Escapism or the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Challenge pages.  With over 1000 reviews posted, I’m sure there will be something there for everyone.

Here are the guidelines:

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012.
2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels.  Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies.
3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors.  It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be.  For me, I want to say I’m going to do another 50 new authors, but with two kids, I didn’t made my goal in 2011, so I’m going to be smarter and say 25.  If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop.  Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky.  We all want to know about your new experience.
4. After reading your new author, write your review and then come back here and add your link to Mr. Linky.  Make sure you include your name and the author, but adding the title is completely up to you.
5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome. You don’t have to have a site to participate. You can link up via Facebook, GoodReads or even Amazon if you’d like.

Once you reach your goal, you don’t have to stop.  Any new author you try, go ahead and head back here and add it to the list.  Introduce us all to whoever you find.  Afterall, there’s no reason to stop trying new authors, right?

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN-UP, PLEASE SEE THIS POST.

Challenge: 2012 Medieval Reading Challenge

January 1-December 31, 2012

Join with us in challenging ourselves to read some of those incredibly famous books that few of us have ever actually read, the bright sparks in the midst of the "Dark Ages".  Choose 12 books off the approved reading list--an average of one per month for the year, though you can read them in whatever increments you like.  Out of the ten genres of books available, your choices must cover at least four.  Put the challenge button on your site with the code located in the right sidebar, sign up on the initial link when it goes live on December 30, 2011, and come back to link up a new review on the last day of each month.  The challenge will run from January 1-December 31, 2012, and only books read within that time frame may be counted.
In order to truly challenge ourselves, we are NOT reading fiction set in the Middle Ages, books by modern experts on the Middle Ages, or biographies of major figures from the Middle Ages.  Sorry, the latest account of that daring temptress, Eleanor of Aquitaine, will not count for this challenge, nor will a Philippa Gregory novel.  We are reading works written between the rather arbitrarily chosen dates of 400-1550 CE (chosen by me, because nobody can really seem to decide what the exact Medieval dates are).  We are, however, reading them IN TRANSLATION!  Believe me, I won't be tackling any of the originals!  Please feel free to double dip this challenge with any others where there is overlap, especially my own "Read Your OWN Library!"  To be honest, that's why I thought of this challenge in the first place; if I'm going to read the medieval works that have been waiting on my shelves, I want extra credit!
For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Event: German Literature Month

November 1, 2011 - November 30, 2011

We plan on comprehensive coverage – not quite the A-Z of German literature in our badge – but certainly literature from the 18th century onwards! In order to do this, we have structured the month thematically and will include two readalongs with lots of giveaways that generous publishers like And Other Stories, Bitter Lemon Press, Melville House, One World Classics, Pereine Press and Portobello Books have kindly contributed.

Readalongs

My readalong choice is Theodor Fontane’s Effi Briest.   I would take Effi to that proverbial desert island.  Most people have read Madame Bovary or Anna Karenina, but not many are acquainted with Effi.  I hope you’ll consider joining Caroline and me as we read and discuss Effi over the course of three weeks. The readalong starts on Saturday 5th November (chapters 1-15), continuing on the 12th (Chapters 16-24), finishing on the 19th (chapters 25-36).

Caroline has chosen a book by her favourite German author, Heinrich Böll.  The Silent Angel readalong coincides with her monthly Literature and War schedule.  It’s not a Böll I have read before and I’m looking forward to Caroline revealing why it is unique! We’ll discuss The Silent Angel on Saturday the 26th.

Weekly Themes

Week 1 (Nov 1 -7) German Literature
Maybe you like Thomas Mann or you are a fan of Genazino.  Perhaps you prefer contemporary German literature. Erpenbeck or Kehlmann perhaps?  Who is your favourite German author?  Now’s the time to share with us.
Week 2  (Nov 8-14) Crime Fiction
There are a lot of German crime novels. Whether you like it gritty or prefer psychological suspense, you are sure to find something to suit.
Week 3  (Nov 15 – 21) From Austria and Switzerland 

You could read some of the 19th century Swiss classics like Gotthelf, Keller or Meyer or finally read those Roths and Zweigs that have been sitting in your TBR for years.

Week 4 (Nov 22-28) Kleist and Other German Classics
November 21 marks the bicentennial of Kleist’s death.  We will read some of his novellas and I may read a play (something I haven’t done since university).  This is also the time to (re-)acquaint ourselves with other German classics – Goethe anyone?

Week 5  (Nov 29-30) Read As You Please and Wrap Up
Here’s your chance to read and review whatever you like.

Giveaways

Just so you have no excuse
To encourage you to join in, we are going to start the Wednesdays-are-wunderbar giveaways in October.  This will allow us to get the books to the winners in plenty of time for November.

Just look at some of the amazing titles we have to share.  I tell you, I’m not easily moved but the largesse of the publishers brought tears to my eyes this week. They are obviously as passionate about German literature as Caroline and myself. We hope some of that will have rubbed off on you by the time November is through. Will you join us?

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

The Rules:

• Anyone can join.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post on Jamie's blog.
• Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.
• No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

There are four levels:

1. The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
2. The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.
3. The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.
4. The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–2012 “Bucket List” Book Reading Challenge

January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2012

The 2012 "Bucket List" Reading Challenge is the challenge to sign up for if YOU have a list of books that you are dying to read but just haven't gotten to them yet.  The rules are simple for this challenge and I've also included a couple of sample "Bucket" Lists to provide a good starting point.  NOTE:  The link titled "Bucket List" Books is a list that I created and if you would like to add books to that list I encourage you to.



Rules:
1. Challenge starts on January 1, 2012 and goes until December 31, 2012.
2. You don't need a blog to participate.
3. Create a "sign up" post and link to the linky below.
4. There are 4 levels to this challenge....
      a. The Mini Cooper level - 4 "bucket" list books
      b. The Mid-sized Sedan level - 8 "bucket" list books
      c. The Pick Up level - 12 "bucket" list books
      d. The Semi level - 13 or more "bucket" list books

NOTE:  I am adding a stipulation to this challenge.  If you originally decided to start small with the Mini Cooper level and decide to upgrade that is fine.  But once you decide to go big you can NOT downgrade.

5. Each month a review link will be posted.  Please feel free to link up your reviews where ever you happen to post them...your blog, goodreads,Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.
Sample "Bucket" Lists:
YAReads
"Bucket List" Books


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–2012 ARC Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

I am using the term "ARC" loosely here in the name of this challenge.  I will go over what reading material qualifies for this challenge below.

What qualifies for this challenge?:
1. Actual Advance Reader Copies - this includes from tour sites like ATW Tours.
2. Any book that YOU ARE ASKED by either an author, publisher, publicist, media group, etc. to review.


What does NOT qualify for this challenge?:
Any book that YOU personally asked for a review copy of.


The Rules:

• Anyone can join.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the monthly wrap-up post on Jamie's blog.
• Audio, eBooks, and bound books count.
• No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
• Create a sign up post and link to the linky below.
• Challenge runs from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012.

There are four levels:

1. The Mini ARC Challenge – Read 4 ARC's.
2. The "Fun Size" ARC Challenge – Read 10 ARC's.
3. The Jumbo Size ARC Challenge – Read 20 ARC's.
4. The Mega size ARC Challenge – Read 21+ ARC's.

NOTE:  You may UPGRADE your challenge but you can NOT DOWNGRADE your challenge.

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–2012 Support Your Local Library Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Rules:

• Anyone can join.
  
• You don't need a blog to participate.  If you are a Non-blogger please leave a comment with a link (if you review elsewhere) to your review or with the book(s) you read.
  
• Audio, ebooks (some libraries allow ebooks to be checked out), bound books are ok.
  
• No re-reads
  
• Create a sign up post and post the link in the linky below.
  
• Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Levels:
Level 1 - Read 12 library books
Level 2 - Read 24 library books
Level 3 - Read 36 library books
Level 4 - Read 37+ library books


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–Banned/Challenged Book Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

We all know that there is a whole week devoted to Banned and Challenged books.  But why stop at a week?!  Why not a whole YEAR?!
Rules:

• Anyone can join
• You don't need a blog to participate.  For non-bloggers, please leave a comment with a link (if you review somewhere else) to the review or leave a list of the books you read on the monthly link up post.
• Audio, ebooks, and bound books are ok.
  
• No re-reads
  
• Create a sign up post and post the link in the linky below.
  
• Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
  
• Challenge Crossovers are ok.

Levels:
Level 1 - Read 12 Banned/Challenged books
Level 2 - Read 24 Banned/Challenged books
Level 3 - Read 36 Banned/Challenged books
Level 4 - Read 37+ Banned/Challenged books


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–2012 Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Rules:

• Anyone can join
• You don't need a blog to participate.  For non-bloggers, please leave a comment with a link (if you review somewhere else) to the review or leave a list of the books you read on the monthly link up post.
• Audio, ebooks, and bound books are ok.
  
• No re-reads
  
• Create a sign up post and post the link in the linky below.
  
• Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
  
• Challenge Crossovers are ok.

Levels:
Level 1 - Read 4 Romantic Suspense novels
Level 2 - Read 10 Romantic Suspense novels
Level 3 - Read 14 Romantic Suspense novels
Level 4 - Read 15+ Romantic Suspense novels


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–2012 Romance Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

This reading challenge is for any genre of Romance with the exception of YA and Erotica.  Have fun with this one peeps!
Rules:

• Anyone can join
• You don't need a blog to participate.  For non-bloggers, please leave a comment with a link (if you review somewhere else) to the review or leave a list of the books you read on the monthly link up post.
• Audio, ebooks, and bound books are ok.
  
• No re-reads
  
• Create a sign up post and post the link in the linky below.
  
• Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
  
• Challenge Crossovers are ok.

Levels:
Level 1 - Read 4 Romance novels
Level 2 - Read 10 Romance novels
Level 3 - Read 14 Romance novels
Level 4 - Read 15+ Romance novels


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–2012 E-Book Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

Here are the rules:
1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.  Create a post about the challenge and link your challenge post up in the linky below.
--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.

2. There are four levels:
--The Mini E-Book Challenge – Read 5 E-Books.
--The "Fun Size" E-Book Challenge – Read 10 E-Books.
--The Jumbo Size E-Book Challenge – Read 20 E-Books.
--The Mega Size E-Book Reading Challenge - Read 25+ E-Books.
3. No Audio or Print books.
4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
5. The Challenge starts on January 1, 2012 and goes until December 31, 2012.


For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Challenge–Frightful Fall Reviewers Challenge

October 1 – 31st 2011

HOW IT WORKS
1) Create a post stating your intent to join the Challenge and add it to the linky. You MUST be registered to to be eligible for Prizes
2) READ! The theme is Frightful Fall so any book that has thrills and chills, vamps and were's, Mystery and Suspense qualifies.
3) Starting October 1st through the 31st, link up your reviews. They must be full reviews not just a few lines.
4) That's It!

PRIZES
3 WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN on November 1st.  First, second, and third place.  First place winner will get first choice of two books, second place chooses the next two books, and so on.  Open to US only.



For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.