2014 Summer Book Challenge Sign Up

I'm behind on posts and have not been getting as much reading done as I'd like (thanks a lot, grad school!) so of course it makes sense to sign up for another reading challenge!  Don't judge me, Malin!  However, my term is almost over, and I'm only taking one course over the summer and I think I have a good idea of what the work load will be since it's currently scheduled with a professor I've already had.  Plus, the challenge is from 1 May through 31 August, and during that time I am taking around 30 days leave from work and going on a cruise so I should totally have reading time!  (I'm also moving and deploying but minor details - plus, what else am I going to do on a plane ride across the Atlantic.)

Anyway, I stumbled upon Megan's blog when she was hosting her fall reading challenge last year, and even though I didn't sign up for that one, I've been following it ever since.  And I already have books at home that should help me complete this challenge (some of them I actually just got Monday when my mom took me to Barnes and Noble for my birthday and had me pick some books out).

As you can see, my list is still very tentative and I haven't completely made my decisions since a few of them have more than one option.  Anyway, here are the topics and my choices.  Also, the first five people done get to suggest a category for the next reading challenge - I don't know if I will be one of the five but I totally already have two ideas for what I would suggest!

5 points: Freebie! Read any book that is at least 200 pages long. - Will probably depend on what I do for the last category - a few of them involve books in series that I actually need to read a few books to reach first.

10 points: Read a book that was written before you were born. - The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

10 points: Finish reading a book you couldn't finish the first time around. (You must have at least 150 pages left in the book to use it for this category.) - Hood by Stephen Lawhead, Consider the Fork by Bee Wilson

10 points: Read a book from the children’s section of the library or bookstore. - The Twistrose Key by Tone Almhjell

15 points: Read a book that is on The New York Times' Best Sellers List when you begin reading it. - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (8), Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (2), The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (16), Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (14)

15 points: Read a historical fiction book that does not take place in Europe. - Serena by Ron Rash, Palisades Park by Alan Brennert

15 points: Read a book another blogger has already read for the challenge. (Yes, you will have to wait until the first check-in to choose this book! So no one will be able to finish this challenge in only one month; sorry!) - I'm hoping I can use one of the ones that I already have listed in the bestseller list for this since I already own the books and all and figure that one would have the most overlap between bloggers.

20 points: Read a book with “son(s),” “daughter(s)” or “child(ren)” in the title. No other words will count—including kids, offspring, etc.—so please don’t ask. :) - Son of a Gun by Justin St. Germaine, Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire or The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

20 points: Read a book that was/will be adapted to film in 2014. (Here are 16 ideas to get you started, but I know there are plenty more options.) - If I Stay by Gayle Forman, Serena by Ron Rash or Monuments Men by Robert Edsel and Bret Witter

25 points: Read a book written by a blogger. (Submitted by Jessica of The Tangerine.) - Jack by Shannon LC Cate, The Purity Myth or Why Have Kids by Jessica Valenti

25 points: Read a biography, autobiography or memoir. - I Don't Know Where You Know Me From by Judy Greer, Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

30 points: Read a pair of books with antonyms in the titles. - Girl in Translation and Out of Oz - In and Out? Any Which Way But Dead and Living History - Dead and Living?; Brain on Fire and Miracles on the Water - are Fire and Water antonyms or would that be fire and ice? Monuments Men/Lion Among Men and Dangerous Women - Men and Women? City of Lost Dreams/Number9Dream and The Truth of All Things - Dream and Truth?

 

A friend of mine gave me the books from Maguire's Wicked series for Christmas (we'd seen the musical together in December).  I already the first one years ago, but that's why they are showing up a lot here.  Also, a few books could work for different categories - I can't use them for more than one category of course, but I haven't decided yet which one I want to use them for - it's all going to depend on my mood at the time.  Fortunately, we are also allowed to switch the books as we go if we end up changing our minds later about how we categorized something.

Nonfiction Reading Challenge Sign Up

I was actually hoping for a nonfiction reading challenge to sign up for but didn't notice any before this - or the ones I did notice had too many categories.  Anyway, I'm signing up for Seeker Level (11-15) since that should hopefully encourage me to read at least one a month.

Nonfiction books read so far:

1. Hitler's Furies by Wendy Lower
2. The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius
3. Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan
4. The Second Treatise of Government by John Locke
5. A Discourse on Inequality by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
6. Karl Marx: A Life by Francis Wheen
7. The Book of My Lives by Aleksandar Hemon
8. I Don't Know What You Know Me From by Judy Greer
9. Son of a Gun by Justin St. Germain
10. This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff
11. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
12. Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

2014 British History Reading Challenge Sign Up

I thought I was done with challenges for the year but this one is perfect for me, especially considering that I ended 2013 reading two books related to British history, one fiction and one non-fiction.  There aren't any levels, just a requirement to read a minimum of three which I definitely should have no problems doing.  As far as the fiction, I am going to only use one's that specifically focus on past events rather than simply being set in the past (for example, Bellman and Black which I just read is set in Victorian England but it didn't really focus on any specific historical events so I don't think that is quite what was in mind for this).

1. The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker
 

Anyway, here are a few books I hope to get around to this year:

The Plantagenets by Dan Jones

Mary Boleyn by Alison Weir

Mistress of the Monarchy by Alison Weir

Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott

 

The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer

More novels by Sharon Kay Penman

Various World War I related books due to the anniversary

What an Animal Reading Challenge VII 2014 Sign Up

I'm going to sign up for this one because these categories fit into a few of books I was already planning on reading.  Also, I've been surprised how many books have random birds and other animals on the cover even if they have nothing else to do with animals.

 

For now, I'm going to go for Level 2.

Completed:
1. Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield - prominently features rooks; also rook feathers on cover
2. The House Girl by Tara Conklin - birds (and butterfly) on cover
3. Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin - magical white horse
4. Life of Pi by Yann Martel - Richard Parker (cover and character)
5. Splintered by A.G. Howard (insects on cover, moth character)
6. The Twistrose Key by Tone Almhjell - cover; majority of characters animals

 

Potential Reads:

Cat Sense

The Hare With Amber Eyes

Your Inner Fish

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Eragon

 

 

Welcome to the 2014 What an Animal Reading Challenge VII. The challenge will begin on January 1st. Read on for more details...

The rules are really simple...


1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements:


a. there is an animal in the title of the book

b. there is an animal on the cover of the book

c. an animal plays a major role in the book

d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like).

***** AMENDED:

Level 1 - Read up to 6 books

Level 2 - Read 7-12

Level 3 - Read 13 or more


2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...


3. Challenge runs from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. That's a full year to read at least 6 books (you can read more if you'd like). 


4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.


5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them.


6. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).


7. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged.


8. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.
 If you don't have a blog, just post in the comment section that you'd like to join. You can post your books in there. Or you can sign up by joining my group on Goodreads for this challenge by clicking here.

9. Books can be in any format of your choice (print, audio, ebooks)

2014 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge Sign Up

Last year, I read over 40 historical fiction novels which put me in the Ancient History level.  I'm not sure if I'm going to be reading quite that much historical fiction since I also have quite a few WWI and WWII related non-fiction in my queue.  As a result, I'm going to stick with Medieval - 15 books, and see where I go from there.  The rules are pretty simple and self explanatory.

1. Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield
2. In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
3. The Rhythm of Memory by Alyson Richman
4. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
5. The Soldier's Song by Alan Monaghan
6. No One is Here Except All of Us by Ramona Ausubel
7. The House Girl by Tara Conklin
8. The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele
9. Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin
10. In Falling Snow by Mary-Rose MacColl
11.  Cut to the Quick by Kate Ross
12. Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan
13. The Disappeared by Kim Echlin
14. Lady of Ashes by Christine Trent
15. The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker
16. South of Broad by Pat Conroy
17. The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian
18. Serena by Ron Rash
19. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
20. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
21. The King of the Castle by Victoria Holt
22. The Truth of All Things by Kieran Shields

Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2014 Sign Up

Last year, I signed up for Mt. Vancouver and made it past Mt. Ararat.  Now on the one hand, I expect to have less time next year but I also want to read all the books I bought/received this year and didn't read, which is over 30 alone.  Add to that books that were on my meant to read for last year's challenge, and well, you get the picture.

I'm signing up for Mt. Kilimanjaro with 60 books.  I'm sorry, Barnes & Noble and Amazon, you may see a dip in your sales numbers in the next few months.

Challenge Levels:

Pike's Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s
Mount Blanc: Read 24 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Vancouver: Read 36 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Ararat: Read 48 books from your TBR piles/s
Mt. Kilimanjaro: Read 60 books from your TBR pile/s
El Toro: Read 75 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Everest: Read 100 books from your TBR pile/s
Mount Olympus (Mars): Read 150+ books from your TBR pile/s

And the rules:
*Once you choose your challenge level, you are locked in for at least that many books. If you find that you're on a mountain-climbing roll and want to tackle a taller mountain, then you are certainly welcome to upgrade. All books counted for lower mountains may carry over towards the new peak.

*Challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2014.

*You may sign up anytime from now until November 30th, 2014.

*Books must be owned by you prior to January 1, 2014. No ARCs (none), no library books. No rereads. [To clarify--based on a question raised last year--the intention is to reduce the stack of books that you have bought for yourself or received as presents {birthday, Christmas, "just because," etc.}. Audiobooks and E-books may count if they are yours and they are one of your primary sources of backlogged books.]
*You may count any "currently reading" book that you begin prior to January 1--provided that you had 50% or more of the book left to finish in 2014. I will trust you all on that.

*Books may be used to count for other challenges as well.

1. Hitler's Furies by Wendy Lower
2. Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield
3. Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong
4. Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong
5. Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong
6. In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner

7. The Rhythm of Memory by Alyson Richman

8. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

9. The Soldier's Song by Alan Monaghan

10. No One is Here Except All of Us by Ramona Ausubel

11. The House Girl by Tara Conklin
12. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
13. The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele
14. Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan
15. Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin
16. Dust by Hugh Howey
17. In Falling Snow by Mary-Rose MacColl
18. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
19. What Happened to Anna K. by Irina Reyn
20. Cut to the Quick by Kate Ross
21. The Disappeared by Kim Echlin
22. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
23. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
24. South of Broad by Pat Conroy
25. Palisades Park by Alan Brennert
26. The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
27. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
28. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
29. This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff
30. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
31. The King of the Castle by Victoria Holt

The Official 2014 TBR Pile Challenge Sign Up

This is one of two TBR challenges I plan on participating in.  The catch for this one is that I have to commit to 12 books ahead of time with 2 alternates.  I have until 15 January to finalize this list, but I might use this one to really commit to certain books that I would otherwise add to the pile but still avoid.  Well, at least for part of them - I may still give myself an easy one or two that I know I won't have a problem getting into.

Some of the Specifics:
1. Each of these 12 books must have been on your bookshelf or "To Be Read" list for AT LEAST one full year. This means the book cannot have a publication date of 1/1/2013 or later (any book published in the year 2012 or earlier qualifies, as long as it has been on your TBR pile – I WILL be checking publication dates). Caveat: Two (2) alternates are allowed, just in case one or two of the books end up in the "can't get through" pile.
2. Your complete and final list must be posted by January 15th, 2014.
*Note – You can read the books on your list in any order; they do not need to be read in the order you have them listed. As you complete a book – review it, and go back to your original list and turn that title into a link to the review.
My 2014 TBR Challenge List:
1. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff (2010)
2. The Hare with Amber Eyes (2010)
3. Living History by Hillary Clinton (2003)
4. The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean (2012)
5. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2003) - completed 2/23/14
6.The Disappeared by Kim Echlin (2009) - completed 3/19/14
7. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (2006) - completed 4/5/14
8. The Soldier's Song by Alan Monaghan (2010) - completed 1/11/14
9. Jasmine by Bharati Mukherjee (1999)
10. The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett (2010)
11. Big Girls Don't Cry by Rebecca Traister (2010)
12. South of Broad by Pat Conroy (2010) - completed 4/30/14
Alternates
1. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie (2007)
2. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon (2008) - completed 5/19/14

2014 Book Bingo Reading Challenge Sign Up Post

Anne and Kristilyn are hosting the Book Bingo Reading Challenge again this year, and they have made changes to the board - I might actually get a black out this year since there is much less of a focus on re-reading!

Here is this year's board (books can't be used for more than one square).

Four Bingos Complete!  Four squares and nine books to go for a blackout!

One Book from TBR Pile (Complete):
In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
Two Books from TBR Pile (Complete):
The Soldier's Song by Alan Monaghan
No One is Here Except All of Us by Ramona Ausubel
Three Books from TBR Pile (Complete):
The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
What Happened to Anna K. by Irina Reyn
Four Books from TBR Pile (Complete):
Cut to the Quick by Kate Ross
The Disappeared by Kim Echlin
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Five Books from TBR Pile (Complete):
South of Broad by Pat Conroy
Palisades Park by Alan Brennert
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon


Nonfiction (Complete):
Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan
Classic (Complete):
The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius
Reread (Complete):
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Free Square (Complete):
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Contemporary (Complete):
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

One Book in a Series (Complete):
Splintered by A.G. Howard
Two Books in a Series:
The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker
Three Books in a Series (Complete):
Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong
Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong
Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong
Four Books in a Series (Complete):
A Conspiracy of Faith by Jussi Adler-Olsen
Dust by Hugh Howey
Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger
The Truth of All Things by Kieran Shields
Five Books in a Series (Complete):
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
The Good, the Bad and the Undead by Kim Harrison
Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison
A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison

Fantasy (Complete):
Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin
Free Square (Complete):
The House of Lost Souls by F.G. Cottam
Historical Fiction (Complete):
In Falling Snow by Mary-Rose MacColl
Mystery (Complete):
Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus
Romance (Complete):
The King of the Castle by Victoria Holt

One New Release (Complete):
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Two New Release (Complete):
Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan
That Part Was True by Deborah McKinlay
Three New Releases (Complete):
Redeployment by Phil Klay
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
I Don't Know What You Know Me From by Judy Greer
Four New Releases (Complete):
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire Holt
Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi
Skin Game by Jim Butcher
Five New Releases:
The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham
Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

European Reading Challenge 2014 Sign Up

 

Of course I'm signing up for the European Challenge again - between my love of all things English and World War II obsession, I have at least three countries without doing anything!  Maybe I'll try to do some countries I didn't make it to last year.  Like last year, I'll try to include translated works and authors of a variety of countries, but I do not expect to be quite as involved in this one as last year - I may not make it double digits this year.

 

Each book needs to be a different country and different author to count.

 

The countries: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vatican City.

 

I'm once again signing up for 5 Star ( Deluxe Entourage) - five books or more.

1. Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield (UK; British)
2. The Soldier's Song by Alan Monaghan (Ireland; Irish)
3. No One is Here Except All of Us by Ramona Ausubel (Romania; American - of Romanian descent)
4. A Conspiracy of Faith by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Denmark; Danish)
5. The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius (Italy; Roman/Italian)
6. The Romance of Tristan by Beroul (UK; French)
7. A Discourse on Inequality by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Switzerland; Genevan)
8. Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus (Germany; German)
9. The Book of My Lives by Aleksandar Hemon (Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bosnian)
10. The Twistrose Key by Tone Almhjell (Norway/fantasy realm; Norwegian)
 

2014 Monthly Motif Challenge Sign Up

This is hosted at the same site as the Keyword Challenge so I figured I might as well do both.

"Welcome to the 2014 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge! For this challenge, each month is assigned a certain motif or theme. Your task is to read one book per month that fits in with the motif for that particular month."

MONTHLY MOTIFS:

Jan- Around the World - In the Shadow of Banyan by Vaddey Ratner; Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield

Feb- Award Winner - Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Mar- Fairy tales or Fairy Creatures - Cress by Marissa Meyer

Apr- Short & Sweet - Redeployment by Phil Klay, The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

May- Mystery, Murder, & Mayhem - The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

June- A Long Journey - Orphan Train

July- Assassins, Warriors, & Rebels - The Blade Itself

Aug- Alternate Reality - Eragon

Sep- Book to Movie - One Day

Oct- The Witching Hour -something from The Hollow series

Nov- An Oldie but a Goodie - The Last of the Mohicans

Dec- That's a Wrap - The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

2014 Monthly Keyword Challenge Sign Up

I had a lot of fun with this challenge last year and it helped me knock out a good chunk of my to read pile so I'm back again this year.  This is my sign up post with some possible selections.  I'm sure these will change and see additions over the year. 

"~ JANUARY 1, 2014 - DECEMBER 31, 2014 ~

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Monthly Key Word Reading Challenge! For this challenge I have chosen six key words associated with each month in 2014. Your task is to read one book each month whose title includes one or more of the key words for that month.

GUIDELINES:

* The title you choose can be a variation on one of the key words. For example- your title could include the word 'snowing' or 'snowflake' even though the key word is 'snow.'

*Key words can be tweaked. For example- You could read "Cinder" or "Ashes" for the key word 'Fire' and that would be just fine. If the key word is 'family' then your title could include the word 'sister' or 'mother.'If the key word is 'food' then your title could include the word 'cake.' "

MONTHLY KEY WORDS:

JAN- Angel, Secret, Clock, Black, Day, Wild

Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield, The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele

FEB- Her, Life, Night, Red, Dark, Island

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

MAR- Forever, Inside, Storm, Sky, Flower, Stay

Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan

APR- Star, Light, Never, Princess, Break, Clear

The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian

MAY- Dawn, Death, End, Lost, Beautiful, And 
Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison, Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige, Beautiful Ruins

JUN- Color, Beyond, Found, Place, Grave, Road

The Devil in the White City, Prague Winter

JUL- Crash, Ship, Prince, Whisper, Sun, Of

City of Scoundrels

AUG- Forgotten, Down, True, Run, Danger, Me

The Woman Who Could Not Forget

SEP- Number, Take, Shadow, Ice, Who, After

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much

OCT- Ocean, Blood, Still, Out, The, Fate

Bloody Crimes, Blood and Rage

NOV- Into, Sound, Blue, House, My, Last

The Last of the Mohicans, Blue Nights, The Blue Orchard, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love

DEC- Kiss, Fire, Ruin, White, Promise, Infinity

Inferno, Tales of Burning Love

Lucky No. 14 Reading Challenge Sign Up

This is my sign up post for Lucky No. 14 Reading Challenge - the categories are listed below with planned reads.

This challenge will require you to read 14 books (or more) from 14 categories below. You can combine the books you read with other challenges, but can not use the same book for different categories in this challenge.

Try to match the categories from your TBR piles But if you don't have any suitable books in your TBR – and want to find an excuse to buy a book for this challenge, that's totally fine too!
Here are the 14 categories:
1. Visit The Country: In the Shadow of Banyan by Vaddey Ratner (Cambodia)
2. Cover Lust: Cat Sense (it was a gift, but I requested it because of the cover)
3. Blame it on Bloggers: Cut to the Quick by Kate Ross (gift from Siege)
4. Bargain All The Way: The Rhythm of Memory by Alyson Richman ($3.99 bargain bin)
5. (Not So) Fresh From the Oven: Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield
6. First Letter's Rule: Jasmine
7. Once Upon a Time: Rob Roy
8. Chunky Brick: The Secret History by Donna Tartt - over 500 pages
9. Favorite Author: Americanah
10. It's Been There Forever: Life of Pi by Yann Martel
11. Movies vs Books: Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin
12. Freebies Time: Hitler's Furies by Wendy Lower
13. Not My Cup of Tea: Redeployment by Phil Klay (not a big short story reader)
14. Walking Down The Memory Lane: The Twistrose Key by Tone Almhjell
RULES:
1. To complete the challenge, you have to read at least one book for each category, or total of 14 books during the challenge period. You can set your own pace and do not need to follow the categories in particular order. You can also read more than one book for each category. You have to write your reviews in your blog/FB note/Goodreads page/tumblr/etc.
2. Please write a master post about this challenge in your blog/Goodreads/FB notes/etc, and submit your link below for signing up. You can use this master post to sort down the book(s) that you'll read for each category, and edit them later if necessary. The sign-up linky will be opened from November 12, 2013 throughout the year until December 1, 2014.
3. There are also linkies for each category of the challenge. Please submit your link of review posts for each category in their respective linkies. These linkies will be opened in January 1, 2014 until December 31, 2014.
4. At the end of the challenge, write down a wrap-up post and submit the link in the linky too. The linky for wrap-up posts will be opened until January 10, 2015 to give you more time for wrapping things up. It's okay if you don't finish the challenge but you are not eligible to be selected as the winner.
5. After the wrap up post linky is closed, I will pick two lucky winners who had completed the challenge for winning great bookish prizes (including book vouchers, novels, and other exclusive bookish gimmicks/goodies ) The prizes will be revealed soon, so please stay tuned. You must have delivery address in Indonesia to be eligible for the two grand prizes.
6. If you are an international participant who doesn't have Indonesian mailing address, don't worry, I'll also choose two winners, each winner can pick any book from The Book Depository for maximum of $ 10.
7. I'll try to write a round-up post every month and pick some of the most interesting reviews. And who knows? Probably there will be some surprise gifts and giveaways throughout the year
Now, let's start this wonderful 2014 and get ready to tackle some great books!

What's in Name 2014 Sign Up

This is my sign up for the "What's in a Name Challenge" - there are five categories, and I need to read a book for each one.  These are the ones I'm currently planning on using.

• A reference to time: A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
• A position of royalty: The King of the Castle
• A number written in letters: Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong
• A forename or names: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
• A type or element of weather: In Falling Snow by Mary-Rose MacColl
• A subject in school: The Plantagenets

Back to the Classics Challenge 2014 Sign Up

 

This is my sign up for the Back to the Classics - the rules, categories and some of my possible reads are listed below.  My selections may change over the year, especially given school related reading.

 

"Like last year, there will be six required categories that all participants must complete. Everyone who reads and reviews six eligible books and writes a wrap-up post will automatically be entered into the drawing for an Amazon gift card for $30 (U.S) or a choice of book(s) from The Book Depository.

There will also be five optional categories for additional entries. Participants who complete three of those (with corresponding posts) will also get an additional entry into the prize drawing; those completing posts in all five categories will get another entry, for a total of three. To receive the maximum of three entries, you would need to post eleven times.

I am making one slight change, other than varying the book categories. I'm a little stricter than Sarah regarding the definition of a classic. In my opinion, a classic is a book that has endured for some reason ; therefore, I am defining a classic as a book that was published at least 50 years ago. Therefore, any book published after 1964 is ineligible.

Here are the rest of the guidelines:

• All books must be read in 2014. Books started prior to January 1, 2014 are not eligible. Reviews must be linked by December 31, 2014.
• E-books and audiobooks are eligible! Books can count for other challenges you may be working on. However, books may NOT crossover categories within this challenge. You may NOT count the same book twice for different categories in this challenge.
• If you do not have a blog, you may link your review from Goodreads or other publicly accessible online format.
• Please sign up for the challenge using the linky below BEFORE MARCH 1, 2014. Please link to your sign-up announcement post (if possible/applicable).
• You do not have to list your books prior to starting the challenge, but it is more fun that way :). You can always change your list at any time. You can read the books in any order (including mixing in the optional categories at any time).
• You can decide to attempt the optional categories at any point (you can also bow out of the optional categories at any point as well).
• Please identify the categories you've read in your wrap-up post so that I can easily add up your entries for the prize drawing! Adding links within the post would also be greatly appreciated."

And finally. . . . The 2014 categories:

Required:

1. A 20th Century Classic: The Wrath of Dionysus by Evdokia Nagrodskaia
2. A 19th Century Classic:
3. A Classic by a Woman Author: Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
4. A Classic in Translation: The Prince by Machiavelli
5. A Classic About War  Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott (Jacobite Rebellion)
6. A Classic by an Author Who Is New To You The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius 

Optional Categories:

1. An American Classic: The Last of the Mohicans or Invisible Man
2. A Classic Mystery, Suspense or Thriller:  The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
3. A Historical Fiction Classic.  The Scarlet Pimpernel
4. A Classic That's Been Adapted Into a Movie or TV Series.  The Romance of Tristan by Beroul
5. Extra Fun Category: Write a Review of the Movie or TV Series adapted from Optional Category #4. 

Color Coded Reading Challenge 2014 Sign Up

 

I'm signing up for the Color Coded Challenge again this year since I already have a few titles that would work, and plan on buying one or two others that would qualify.

 

*Read nine books in the following categories.

 

1. A book with "Blue" or any shade of Blue - The Blue Orchard, Blue Night

2. A book with "Red" or any shade of Red - Written in Red

3. A book with "Yellow" or any shade of Yellow - The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele

4. A book with "Green" or any shade of Green -

5. A book with "Brown" or any shade of Brown - The Chocolate Kiss
6. A book with "Black" or any shade of Black - Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield

7. A book with "White" or any shade of White - Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus

8. A book with any other color in the title - Lady of Ashes by Christine Trent

9. A book with a word that implies color - Death in the City of Light; Full Dark No Stars

* Any book read from January 1 through December 31, 2014 will count.

*Crossovers with other challenges are fine.

*Everyone who completes all nine categories will be entered in a year-end drawing for a book-related prize package.

*Please post about the challenge on your blog. Sign ups accepted until Nov 30, 2014.