Category: Reading Challenges

451 Challenge

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This challenge is hosted by Elizabeth and is based on the 451 Fridays feature at As Usual, I Need More Bookshelves.

Here are the rules, taken from the challenge blog.

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Between January 1, 2010 and November 30, 2010, participants are challenged to read books on the 451 master list (in the sidebar of the challenge blog). There will be several levels of participation:

Spark – read 1-2 books from the master list
Ember – read 3-4 books from the master list
Flame – read 5-6 books from the master list
Blaze – read 7 or more books from the master list

Re-reading is acceptable, as are crossovers with other challenges. Audio, print, and e-books are all acceptable. Each month, participants will be encouraged to post their reviews on the challenge blog, and each review posted will be an entry into a grand prize drawing for a $25 gift card to the online bookseller of the winner’s choice.

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I’m joining at the Ember level but there are a lot of books on the list that I’d like to read in 2010 so I might be able to reach the Flame or Blaze levels.

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Books read for this challenge (updated 13 March 2010)

1. The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye

Chunkster Reading Challenge 2010

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This challenge is hosted by Wendy and runs from February 1, 2010 – January 21, 2011.

A chunkster is 450 pages or more of ADULT literature (fiction or nonfiction) … A chunkster should be a challenge.

To find out more about the challenge and to sign up, please visit the challenge blog.

This challenge is perfect for me as I read a lot of very long books! I’m joining at the “Mor-book-ly Obese” level (6 or more chunksters or 3 books with 750+ pages).

Books read for this challenge (updated 27 March 2010)

1. The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye – 960 pages
2. Drood by Dan Simmons – 775 pages
3. In a Far Country by Linda Holeman – 640 pages

What’s in a Name? 3 Challenge

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I signed up for another challenge today. I’m trying not to sign up for too many as 2010 will be my first full year of challenges, but this one sounded fun!This challenge is hosted by Beth and is called What’s In A Name? 3. Here are the rules as posted on the challenge blog.

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. I’ll figure out a way to make it international.

Books read for this challenge (updated January 9 2010)

1. [Book with a Title in the title] The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
2.

100+ Reading Challenge 2010

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The rules:

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don’t need a blog to participate.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

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 thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

You can sign up on the challenge page at J. Kaye’s Book Blog.

I’m looking forward to this challenge as it will be interesting to see how many books I can read in 2010!

[Updated 16 April 2010]

Books read so far in 2010

1. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
2. Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill by Dimitri Verhulst
3. The Divine Sacrifice by Tony Hays
4. The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson
5. Spring Bear by Betsy Connor Bowen
6. The Far Pavilions by M. M. Kaye
7. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
8. Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin
9. Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
10. Whistling in the Dark by Tamara Allen
11. Drood by Dan Simmons
12. The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole
13. In a Far Country by Linda Holeman
14. O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell
15. Watership Down by Richard Adams
16. The Doctor’s Wife by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
17. Our Promised Land by Michael T. Darkow
18. The Warden by Anthony Trollope
19.

Flashback Challenge

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The Flashback Challenge will run from January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2010 and will be hosted by Aarti and Kristen M.

You can sign up for the following levels:
Bookworm – Up to three books
Scholar – Four to six books
Literati – Over six books

Within these levels, we have mini-challenges! These are:

1. Re-read a favorite book from your childhood
2. Re-read a book assigned to you in high school
3. Re-read a book you loved as an adult

I love re-reading books and this challenge will tie in perfectly with my new Great Books feature, so I’m signing up for the Literati level.

I would like to re-read any or all of the following books, though my list will probably change during the year as I have so many other books I want to re-read too!

Watership Down by Richard Adams (childhood)
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (childhood)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (school)
Shogun by James Clavell (adult)
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (adult)
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (adult)
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (adult)
The Far Pavilions by M.M.Kaye (adult)

Books read for this challenge (updated 2 April 2010)

1. The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye
2. Watership Down by Richard Adams

2010 A to Z Challenge

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I’ve signed up for the 2010 A-Z Challenge hosted by Becky. The challenge runs from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010 and there are 3 options to choose from:

Authors – Read alphabetically by author. Commit to 26 books.
Titles – Read alphabetically by title. Commit to 26 books.
Authors & Titles – Commit to reading 52 books.

I’m going to try 26 books alphabetically by title.

Books read for this challenge (updated March 30 2010)

A – Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
B
C – The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole
D – The Divine Sacrifice by Tony Hays
E – The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson
F – The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye
G
H
I – In a Far Country by Linda Holeman
J
K
L – Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin
M – Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill by Dimitri Verhulst
N
O – O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell
P
Q
R
S – Spring Bear by Betsy Connor Bowen
T – The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
U
V
W – The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
X
Y
Z

Challenge: All About the Brontes

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Laura from Laura’s Reviews is hosting a new challenge for 2010 – All About the Brontes. The challenge runs from January 1st to June 30th 2010 and you need to read, watch or listen to at least 3-6 Bronte-related items.

I would like to read:

Villette by Charlotte Bronte
Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

If I have time I’d also like to read The Professor and Shirley, both by Charlotte Bronte and Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.

More information on this challenge here.

Books read for this challenge (Updated 14 February 2010)

1. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte