Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2022

Host: The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2022

Guidelines:
  • Any sub-genre of historical fiction is accepted (Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Young Adult, History/Non-Fiction, etc.)
  • There will be a monthly link-up for reviews.
  • You don't need a blog to participate; you can post a link to your review if it's posted on Goodreads, Facebook, or Amazon, or you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish.

Levels:
  1. 20th Century Reader - 2 books
  2. Victorian Reader - 5 books
  3. Renaissance Reader - 10 books
  4. Medieval - 15 books
  5. Ancient History - 25 books
  6. Prehistoric - 50+ books
I'm signing up at the Victorian Reader level.

● See my original post about the challenge HERE
● See the challenge announcement/sign-up page HERE
● See the monthly review link-ups: 

MY READING LIST (books read, with links to reviews):
  1. The Christie Affair. Nina de Gramont (2022; set in 1920s) 


..........

2022 New Release Challenge

2022 New Release Challenge 

Host: (un)Conventional Bookworms
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2022

Rules (quoted from the challenge announcement page):

  • Books have to be released and reviewed in 2022.
  • Books can count towards more than one challenge, as long as the ones you use for the 2022 New Release Reading Challenge follow all the rules for the challenge.
  • The minimum length for a book to qualify is 100 pages, it can be in any format though, physical, e-book, ARC or audiobook.
  • The New Release Challenge is open from January 1st through December 31st 2022, and sign-ups are open until September 1st 2022.
  • You don’t have to be a blogger to participate, you can link to your review on Goodreads or Booklikes instead.

Levels:

  1. 1-30 books per year – New Release Newbie
  2. 31-60 books per year – New Release Pro
  3. 61-100 books per year – New Release Veteran
  4. 101-200 books per year – New Release Enthusiast
  5. 200+ books per year – New Release Obsessed

I'm signing up at the New Release Newbie level, though I probably won't read thirty books!


● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement/sign-up page HERE
● See the quarterly Review Link-Up Pages HERE

MY READING LIST (books read, with links to reviews):

  1. Back to the Garden. Laurie R. King (Pub: 15 Sep 2022; Bantam) 
  2. The Children on the Hill. Jennifer McMahon (Pub: 26 Apr 2022; Gallery/Scout Press)
  3. The Christie Affair. Nina de Gramont (Pub: 1 Feb 2022; St. Martin's Press) 
  4. Chrysalis (Jeremy Logan #6). Lincoln Child (Pub: 12 Jul 2022; Doubleday) 
  5. City of the Dead (Alex Delaware #37). Jonathan Kellerman (Pub: 8 Feb 2022; Ballantine) 
  6. Death by Beach Read (Lighthouse Library Mystery #9). Eva Gates (Pub: 7 Jun 2022; Crooked Lane Books)
  7. The Fashion Orphans. Randy Susan Meyers and M.J. Rose (Pub: 1 Feb 2022; Blue Box Press) 
  8. The Final Equinox (Theo Cray & Jessica Blackwood #2). Andrew Mayne (Pub: 13 Sep 2022; Thomas & Mercer) 
  9. J.R. Silver Writes Her World. Melissa Dassori; illus. by Chelen Ecija (Pub: 19 Jul 2022; Christy Ottaviano Books) 
  10. The Omega Factor. Steve Berry (Pub: 7 Jun 2022; Grand Central Publishing)
  11. Small Angels. Lauren Owen (Pub: 2 Aug 2022; Random House) 
  12. Stay Awake. Megan Goldin (Pub: 9 Aug 2022; St. Martin's Press) 

Possible Reads: 
(ARCs and books provided by publishers or authors are marked with an asterisk)

  • Back to the Garden. Laurie R. King (expected publication: 6 Sep 2022)
  • Bleeding Heart Yard (Harbinder Kaur #3). Elly Griffiths (expected publication: 15 Nov 2022) 
  • The Book of Cold Cases. Simone St. James (15 Mar 2022) 
  • The Cartographers. Peng Shepherd (15 Mar 2022) 
  • The Children on the Hill. Jennifer McMahon (26 Apr 2022) *
  • The Christie Affair. Nina de Gramont (1 Feb 2022) *
  • Chrysalis (Jeremy Logan #6). Lincoln Child (12 Jul 2022) *
  • City of the Dead (Alex Delaware #37). Jonathan Kellerman (8 Feb 2022) *
  • The Clackity. Lora Senf (28 Jun 2022) *
  • The Cloisters. Katy Hays (expected publication: 1 Nov 2022) * 
  • Daisy Darker. Alice Feeney (expected publication: 30 Aug 2022)
  • Death By Beach Read. Eva Gates (7 June 2022) *
  • Death on Gokumon Island. Seishi Yokomizo (7 Jun 2022) *
  • The Deepest Black. Randall Silvis (expected publication: 2 Aug 2022) *
  • The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections. Eva Jurczyk (25 Jan 2022)  
  • The Devil to Pay. Gary Blackwood (2 Jun 2022) *
  • Dream Town (Archer #3). David Baldacci (19 Apr 2022) *
  • A Face to Die For (Eve Duncan #28). Iris Johansen (14 Jun 2022) *
  • The Fashion Orphans. Randy Susan Meyers and M.J. Rose (1 Feb 2022) *
  • The Final Equinox (Theo Cray &, Jessica Blackwood). Andrew Mayne (expected publication: 13 Sep 2022) *
  • The Further Adventures of Miss Petitfour. Anne Michaels; illus. by Emma Block (30 Aug 2022) * 
  • The House in the Orchard. Elizabeth Brooks (27 Sep 2022) * 
  • The Ingenue. Rachel Kapelke-Dale (expected publication: 6 Dec 2022)
  • J.R. Silver Writes Her World. Melissa Dassori (expected publication: 19 Jul 2022) *
  • Kiki Man Ray: Art, Love, and Rivalry in 1920s Paris. Mark Braude (9 Aug 2022) *
  • L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Vol 38. David Farland, ed. (28 Jun 2022) 
  • Lucy by the Sea. Elizabeth Strout (expected publication: 20 Sep 2022) 
  • The Maid. Nita Prose (4 Jan 2022) *
  • The Marlow Murder Club. Robert Thorogood (3 May 2022) *  
  • The Old Place. Bobby Finger (expected publication: 20 Sep 2022) *
  • The Omega Factor. Steve Berry (6 Jun 2022) *
  • The Shores of Bohemia: A Cape Cod Story, 1910-1960. John Taylor Williams (17 May 2022)  
  • Small Angels. Lauren Owen (2 Aug 2022) *
  • Stay Awake. Megan Goldin (expected publication: 9 Aug 2022)
  • Take Your Breath Away. Linwood Barclay (17 May 2022) 
  • Upgrade. Blake Crouch (12 Jul 2022) 

..........

Sunday, January 16, 2022

European Reading Challenge 2022



Hosted by: Gilion @ Rose City Reader
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2022 (new timeframe for 2022)


Guidelines (quoted from the announcement page):
The idea is to read books set in European countries or books by European authors. The books can be of any genre – fiction, nonfiction, novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, whatever. You can participate at different levels, but each book must represent a different country  either written by an author from a different country or set in a different country, no two books from the same country. It's supposed to be a tour!  
  • You do not have to commit to your choices now; and you can change your mind about books at any time. 
  • Overlap with other challenges is allowed  and encouraged! 
  • Re-reads count. 
  • Audiobooks count. 
  • E-books count. 
  • Self-published books count. 
  • There will be a page for linking your reviews. Reviews are not necessary, unless you are going for the Jet Setter Prize, in which case only books reviewed count.
  • If you do not have a blog, put your reviews or reports in a comment on the review list page. 
  • There will be a page for posting links to wrap-up posts. 
Levels of participation:
  1. Five Star (Deluxe Entourage): Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.
  2. Four Star (Honeymooner): Read four qualifying books.
  3. Three Star (Business Traveler): Read three qualifying books.
  4. Two Star (Adventurer): Read two qualifying books.
  5. One Star (Pensione Weekender): Read just one qualifying book.
List of 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 (includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), and Vatican City.

✹ I'm signing up for the Three Star ("Business Traveler") level.


● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See my challenge wrap-up post HERE.
● See the challenge announcement page HERE.
● See the review page HERE.
● See the page for challenge wrap-ups HERE.


MY READING LIST (books I've read, with links to reviews):

  1. The Stately Home Murder (Inspector Sloan #3). Catherine Aird (1969; set in England) 
  2. The Omega Factor. Steve Berry (2022; set mostly in Belgium) 
  3. Late Harvest Havoc (Winemaker Detective Series Book 10). Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen; trans. by Sally Pane (2015; set in France and Germany)

 

Saturday, January 15, 2022

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2022


HOST:
Carol @ Carol's Notebook
DATES: January 1 - December 31, 2022


Guidelines (quoted from challenge announcement page):

  • You can read any book that is from the mystery/suspense/thriller/crime genres. Any sub-genres are welcome as long as they incorporate one of these genres.
  • You don’t need a blog to participate but you do need a place to post your reviews to link up (blog, Goodreads, Instagram, etc.).
  • Books need to be at least 100 pages long. Please no short stories.
  • Crossovers with other challenges are fine.
  • The Challenge will run from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st. (Sign up ends March 15th.)
  • There will be a monthly link-up for reviews.

Levels:

  1. Amateur sleuth =  5 - 15 books
  2. Detective =  16 - 25 books 
  3. Inspector =  26 - 35 books 
  4. Special agent =  36 - 55 books
  5. Sherlock Holmes =  56+ books

I'm signing up at the "Detective" level (16-25 books). 

● See my original post about the challenge HERE
● See the challenge announcement/sign-up page HERE.

MY READING LIST (books I've read, with links to reviews):

  1. Homicide Trinity (Nero Wolfe #36). Rex Stout (1962; mystery; 220 pages) 
  2. The Stately Home Murder (Inspector Sloan #3). Catherine Aird (1969; mystery; 160 pages) 
  3. The Hidden. Melanie Golding (2021; mystery / fantasy; 304 pages) 
  4. The Case of the Silent Partner (Perry Mason #17). Erle Stanley Gardner (1940; mystery; 215 pages) 
  5. City of the Dead (Alex Delaware #37). Jonathan Kellerman (2022; mystery; 336 pages)
  6. The Moving Target (Lew Archer #1). Ross Macdonald (1949; mystery; 256 pages) 
  7. The Marlow Murder Club (Marlow Murder Club #1). Robert Thorogood (2021/2022; mystery; 352 pages) 
  8. Black Orchids (Nero Wolfe #9). Rex Stout (1942; mystery; 209 pages) 
  9. Death by Beach Read (Library Lighthouse Mystery #9). Eva Gates (2022; cozy mystery; 288 pages) 
  10. Chrysalis (Jeremy Logan #6). Lincoln Child (2022; thriller; 304 pages) 
  11. Stay Awake. Megan Goldin (2022; thriller; 352 pages) 
  12. Back to the Garden. Laurie R. King (2022; fiction / mystery; 352 pages) 
  13. The Final Equinox (Theo Cray & Jessica Blackwood #2). Andrew Mayne (2022; thriller; 336 pages) 
  14. Late Harvest Havoc (Winemaker Detective #10). Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen; trans. by Sally Pane (2015; mystery; 167 pages) 
  15. Night at the Vulcan (Inspector Roderick Alleyn #16). Ngaio Marsh (1951; mystery; 236 pages) 
  16. Gambit (Nero Wolfe #37). Rex Stout (1962; mystery; 208 pages) 

............

2022 Children's Books Reading Challenge...For Adults!


Dates: Throughout 2022

Read children's books! Anything you might find in the children's section of a library or bookstore is okay, as well as "timeless classics that the whole family would enjoy".
 
● See my original post about the challenge HERE
● See the challenge announcement / sign-up page HERE

MY READING LIST (books I've read, with links to reviews, if any):
  1. Afternoon of the Elves. Janet Taylor Lisle (1989) 
  2. Amelia Bedelia. Peggy Parish; illus. by Fritz Siebel (1963) 
  3. The Barnabus Project. Terry, Eric and Devin Fan; illus. by authors (2020)
  4. Blueberries for Sal. Robert McCloskey; illus. by author (1948) 
  5. Bright April. Marguerite de Angeli; illus. by author (1946) 
  6. The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night. Peter Spier; illus. by author (1961) 
  7. Howliday Inn (Bunnicula #2). James Howe; illus. by Lynn Munsinger (1982) 
  8. J.R. Silver Writes Her World. Melissa Dassori (2022) 
  9. Many Moons. James Thurber; illus. by Louis Slobodkin (1943) 
  10. Mrs Armitage on Wheels. Quentin Blake; illus. by author (1987)
  11. The Night Gardener. Terry and Eric Fan; illus. by authors (2016) 
  12. Skippyjon Jones. Judy Schachner; illus. by author (2003) 



..........

Calendar of Crime 2022

Host: Bev @ My Reader's Block
Dates: 1 January - 31 December 2022

Guidelines (from announcement page):
  • Challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2022. All books should be read during this time period. Sign up any time. 
  • All books must be mysteries. Humor, romance, supernatural elements (etc.) are welcome, but the books must be mysteries/crime/detective novels first.
  • Twelve books, one representing each month, are required for a completed challenge and to be eligible for the end-of-year prize drawing. Each month comes with several categories that may be selected to fulfill the month's reading. 
  • To claim a book, it must fit one of the categories for the month you wish to fulfill. Unless otherwise specified, the category is fulfilled within the actual story. For instance, if you are claiming a book for December and you want to use "Christmas" as the category, then Christmas must figure in some way in the plot. Did someone poison the plum pudding? Did Great-Uncle Whozit invite all the family home for Christmas so he could tell them he plans to change his will? 
  • The "wild card" book is exactly that. If July is your birth month, then for category #9, you may read any mystery book you want. It does not have to connect with July in any way — other than a July baby chose it. The other eleven months, you must do the alternate category #9 if you want to fulfill that slot. 
  • Books may only count for one month and one category, but they may count for other challenges. If it could fulfill more than one category or month, then you are welcome to change the category/month at any time prior to the final wrap-up.
  • Books do not have to be read during the month for which they qualify. So if you're feeling like a little "Christmas in July" (or May or...), then feel free to read your book for December whenever the mood strikes.
  • A wrap-up post/comment/email will be requested that should include a calendar of books read and what category they fulfilled. [Example: January: The House of Sudden Sleep by John Hawk (original pub date January 1930)].

Monthly Categories:


● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement/sign-up page HERE.
● See the challenge Headquarters page HERE.
● See the list of challenge participants HERE.
● See my challenge wrap-up post HERE.


MY  READING  LIST:

JANUARY:
• 

FEBRUARY:
City of the Dead (Alex Delaware #37). Jonathan Kellerman (2022) / Category #6: Original publication month (Feb 8, 2022) 

MARCH:
• 

APRIL:
•  

MAY:
• The Marlow Murder Club. Robert Thorogood (2022) / Category #7: Book title has word starting with "M"

JUNE:
•  The Stately Home Murder (Inspector Sloan #3). Catherine Aird (1969) / Category #3: Primary action takes place during this month

JULY:
The Case of the Silent Partner (Perry Mason #17). Erle Stanley Gardner (1940) / Category #2: Author's birth month

AUGUST:
Death by Beach Read (Library Lighthouse Mystery #9). Eva Gates (2022) / Category #10: Summer holiday setting (beach, resort, etc) 

SEPTEMBER:
Late Harvest Havoc (Winemaker Detective #10). Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen; trans. by Sally Pane (2005) / Category #10: Wild card (my birth month) 

OCTOBER:
•  Black Orchids (Nero Wolfe #9). Rex Stout (1942) / Category #7: Book title has word starting with "O"

NOVEMBER:
•  

DECEMBER:
The Moving Target (Lew Archer #1). Ross Macdonald (1949) / Category #2: Author's birth month


2022 Books in Translation Reading Challenge

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2022

Rules (quoted from the announcement page): 
  • You can read a book that’s been translated from any language into the language of your choosing. The challenge is not limited to translations to or from English.
  • You can read any genre
  • You can read books meant for any age group
  • Crossovers with other challenges are fine
  • Any format that you choose is also acceptable
  • A blog is not required for participation; you can also link to reviews on other sites such as GoodReads, Instagram, etc.
  • Sign up anytime throughout the year

Levels:
  1. Beginner: Read 1-3 books in translation
  2. Conversationalist: 4-6 books
  3. Bilingual: 7-9 books
  4. Linguist: 10+ books
I'm signing up at the Beginner Level, and hope to read at least three books.

● See my original post about the challenge HERE
● See the challenge announcement/sign-up page HERE
● See the link-up page for reviews HERE
● See the link-up page for wrap-up posts HERE


MY READING LIST (books I've read, with links to reviews):
  1. Late Harvest Havoc (Winemaker Detective Series Book 10), by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen; trans. from French by Sally Pane (2015) 
  2. ...
  3. ...

..........

2022 Bookish Resolutions Challenge

Host: Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2022

● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement/sign-up page HERE.

My bookish resolutions for 2022: 

  • Read at least 50 books. This is always my annual goal, but most years I don’t reach it. Last year, however, I managed to read 52 books, and I’m hoping I can do at least that well in 2022. 
  • Post more reviews than I posted last year. This shouldn’t be difficult to achieve, since last year I only reviewed two or three books on the blog. 
  • Do a better job of replying to comments from readers of my blog(s). I always read and appreciate every comment on my posts, but I don’t always remember to leave a reply or thank you. Must do better. 
  • Get my NetGalley review percentage up to an acceptable level. I’m not going to commit to any specific number because at the moment my percentage is so embarrassingly low, any increase would be an enormous improvement. 
  • Finish Jane Eyre! I’ve started Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece several times over the years, but never actually made it through to the end. It isn’t that I don’t find it enjoyable – I just keep being diverted by real life… and other books. Last year I got halfway through, farther than I’ve ever gotten in the past. Hoping 2022 will be the year I can finally check it off my TBR list.

..........

Saturday, January 1, 2022

2022 Reading Challenge Announcements

***Archived List of Reading Challenges from 2022***

I'm not sure I'll be keeping a very thorough list of challenges this year. But I'll see how it goes. 

The list is in roughly alphabetical order,
with links to announcement/signup posts.
(Check marks will indicate challenges I've signed up for.)

Notes and Caveats:

  • The challenges listed are, in general (it's not a strict rule), year-long challenges, open to everyone. I don't usually list read-a-thons, read-alongs, "personal" challenges, or challenges linked to special days or time periods.
  • This list is NOT meant to be a complete list of ALL the reading challenges available for 2022. It's mainly just challenges that seem attractive to me. And I'm not necessarily recommending any of these — just keeping track.
  • I will not be signing up for ALL these challenges! I'm sure I'll be joining in for a few, but definitely not all. (See the challenges I'm participating in HERE.)
  • In general I'm not a fan of the "check list" type of reading challenge with a bunch of set categories — so I'll list a few, but not every one of them. 
  • I don't do a lot of social media hanging out, so if a challenge is being hosted primarily on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram, you probably won't find it on this list.

For a more comprehensive, up-to-date list of 2022 Reading Challenges, you can check the Reading Challenge Addict website.


The 2022 Reading Challenge List

  1. 2022 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge | Host: Escape With Dollycas Into a Good Book
  2. 2022 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge - Author Edition | Host: Escape With Dollycas Into a Good Book
  3. Aussie Author Reading Challenge 2022 | Host : Jo @ Booklover Book Reviews
  4. The Backlist Reader Challenge 2022 | Host: The Bookwyrm's Hoard
  5. Back to the Classics 2022 | Host: Books and Chocolate
  6. Beat the Backlist Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Austine Decker
  7. 2022 Bookish Resolutions Challenge | Host: Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life. ✓ 
  8. 2022 Books in Translation Reading Challenge | Host: Introverted Reader. ✓ 
  9. Calendar of Crime 2022 | Host: Bev @ My Reader's Block. ✓ 
  10. 2022 Children's Books Reading Challenge...for Adults! | Host: Belle's Library. ✓ 
  11. 2022 Chunkster Reading Challenge | Host: Becky's Book Reviews
  12. Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Carol's Notebook. ✓ 
  13. Color Coded Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Bev @ My Reader's Block
  14. 2022 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge | Host: Escape With Dollycas Into a Good Book
  15. Creativity Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Jamie Ghione @ Whatever I Think Of! 
  16. Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Socrates' Book Reviews
  17. 2022 Diversity Reading Challenge | Host: Celebrity Readers
  18. 2022 Diversity Reading Challenge | Host: Jamie Ghione @ Whatever I Think Of!  
  19. Epistolary Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Jamie Ghione @ Whatever I Think Of! 
  20. 2022 European Reading Challenge | Host: Rose City Reader. ✓ 
  21. 2022 Finishing the Series Reading Challenge | Host: Celebrity Readers
  22. 2022 Georgian Reading Challenge | Host: Becky's Book Reviews
  23. Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Adventures of an Intrepid Reader. ✓ 
  24. Humor Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Jamie Ghione @ Whatever I Think Of! 
  25. Literary Loners Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Readeropolis
  26. 2022 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge | Host: Rick Mills @ The Mystillery.
  27. Memoir Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Jamie Ghione @ Whatever I Think Of! 
  28. Mental Health Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Jamie Ghione @ Whatever I Think Of! 
  29. 2022 Monthly Key Word Reading Challenge | Host: Kim & Tanya @ GirlXOXO
  30. 2022 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge | Host: Kim & Tanya @ GirlXOXO
  31. Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Bev @ My Reader's Block
  32. 2022 Nature Reading Challenge | Host: Gum Trees and Galaxies
  33. NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Socrates' Book Reviews
  34. 2022 New Release Challenge | Host: (un)Conventional Bookworms. ✓ 
  35. 2022 Nonfiction Reader Challenge | Host: Book'd Out
  36. The Official TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Roof Beam Reader
  37. Out of Your Comfort Zone Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Bookcheshirecat
  38. 2022 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge | Host: Take a walk down Gregory Road
  39. 2022 Poetry Reading Challenge | Host: Savvy Verse & Wit
  40. The Purrfect Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Socrates' Book Reviews
  41. Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge | Host: Robin @ Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks
  42. Read It Again Sam Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Bev @ My Reader's Block
  43. 2022 Read Your (Book) Shelf Challenge | Host: Gather Together and Read
  44. 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge | Hosts: Somewhere Only We Know / Words Fueled by Love
  45. 2022 Six Shooter Mystery Reading Challenge | Host: Rick Mills @ The Mystillery
  46. 2022 Southern Literature Reading Challenge | Host: Introverted Reader
  47. SpaceTime Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Jemima Pett
  48. Sweet Southern Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Readeropolis
  49. 2022 Tackle My TBR Reading Challenge | Host: Kimberly Faye Reads
  50. The TBR 22 in '22 Challenge | Host: Rose City Reader
  51. 2022 Victorian Reading Challenge | Host: Becky's Book Reviews
  52. 2022 Victorian Reading Challenge | Host: Belle's Library
  53. Vintage Scattergories Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Bev @ My Reader's Block
  54. What An Animal Reading Challenge 2022 | Host: Socrates' Book Reviews
  55. 2022 What's in a Name? Reading Challenge | Host: Carolina Book Nook
  56. 2022 World War II Challenge | Host: Becky's Book Reviews
-----------------------------------------

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Back to the Classics Challenge 2021

Click HERE for guidelines and sign-ups.

Host: Karen K @ Books and Chocolate
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2021

How the challenge works:
  • Complete six categories, and you'll get one entry in the drawing; 
  • Complete nine categories, and you'll get two entries in the drawing; 
  • Complete all twelve categories, and you'll get three entries in the drawing
The Categories:
  1. A 19th century classic: any book first published from 1800 to 1899.
  2. A 20th century classic: any book first published from 1900 to 1971. All books must have been published at least 50 years ago; the only exceptions are books which were written by 1971 and posthumously published.
  3. A classic by a woman author.
  4. A classic in translation, meaning any book first published in a language that is not your primary language. You may read it in translation or in its original language, if you prefer. 
  5. A classic by BIPOC author; that is, a non-white author.
  6. A classic by a new-to-you author, i.e., an author whose work you have never read.
  7. New-to-you classic by a favorite author — a new book by an author whose works you have already read. 
  8. A classic about an animal, or with an animal in the title. The animal can be real or metaphorical. (i.e., To Kill a Mockingbird).
  9. A children's classic
  10. A humorous or satirical classic.
  11. A travel or adventure classic (fiction or non-fiction). It can be a travelogue or a classic in which the main character travels or has an adventure. 
  12. A classic play. Plays will only count in this category.

The Rules (quoted from the challenge announcement post):
  • All books must have been written at least 50 years ago to qualify; therefore, books must have been published no later than 1971 for this challenge. The only exceptions to this rule are books which were published posthumously but written before 1971. Recent translations of classic novels are acceptable. 
  • All books must be read from January 1 through December 31, 2021. Books started before January 1 do not qualify. All reviews must be linked to this challenge by 11:59 p.m. on January 1, 2022. Links for each category will be posted during the first week of January, and will be featured on a sidebar of the host blog for convenience through the entire year. (The link for the final wrap-up will be posted towards the end of the year, to avoid confusion). 
  • The deadline to sign up for the challenge is March 31, 2021. After that, the link will be closed and you'll have to wait until next year's challenge. 
  • Books may NOT cross over within this challenge — that is, you may not count the same book multiple times within this challenge. You MUST read a different book for each category in this challenge, or it doesn't count. 
  • Participants must post a wrap-up and link it to the challenge, and it must include links to all the books they've read for this challenge, specifying which books for each challenge. . . . It is fine to rearrange books for the challenge, since many books can fit multiple categories.
  • The wrap-up post MUST include contact information so the winner can be contacted privately before being announced on the blog. If your blog doesn't have a link, or if you have a Goodreads account, indicate that in the comments of wrap-up post.
  • The winner will be announced on the blog the first week of January, 2021. All qualifying participants will receive one or more entries, depending upon the number of categories they complete as stated above. One winner will be randomly selected from all qualifying entries. Winner will be contacted privately before being announced on the blog. 
  • The winner will receive a gift certificate in the amount of $30 (US) from Amazon.com (US) OR $30 in books from The Book Depository. Winners must live in a country that receives shipment from one of these online retailers. 
See the challenge announcement page for more details and FAQs. 

I'll probably be trying for six categories, at least to start. But I would love to read something for all twelve.

● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement/sign-up post HERE.
● Link up reviews HERE.
● Link up challenge wrap-ups HERE.


MY READING LIST (books I've read, with links to reviews):
  • Category 1: Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë (pub. 1846) 
  • Category 2:
  • Category 3: Summer, by Edith Wharton (pub. 1917) 
  • Category 4:
  • Category 5:
  • Category 6:
  • Category 7: 
  • Category 8: 
  • Category 9:
  • Category 10: 1066 And All That: A Memorable History of England, by W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman, illus. by John Reynolds (pub. 1931)
  • Category 11:
  • Category 12:

POSSIBLE  READS:

This is my list of TBR classics that match up with one or more of the categories in the challenge.

The 101 Dalmatians. Dodie Smith (1956) 
All Passion Spent. Vita Sackville-West  (1931)
The Ambassadors. Henry James  (1903)
The American. Henry James  (1877)
Animal Farm. George Orwell  (1945) 
Anna Karenina. Leo Tolstoy  (1877)
Appointment in Samarra. John O'Hara (1934)
Barchester Towers (Barsetshire #2). Anthony Trollope (1857)
Barry Lyndon. William Makepeace Thackeray (1844)
The Beckoning Fair One. Oliver Onions (1911)
The Bell Jar. Sylvia Plath (1963)
The Bostonians. Henry James (1886)
The Code of the Woosters. P.G. Wodehouse (1938)
Cranford. Elizabeth Gaskell (1853)
Cry, the Beloved Country. Alan Paton (1948)
The Custom of the Country. Edith Wharton (1913)
Delta Wedding. Eudora Welty (1946)
Demian. Hermann Hesse (1919)
The Edwardians. Vita Sackville-West (1930)
Eight Cousins. Louisa May Alcott (1874)
The Enchanted April. Elizabeth von Arnim (1922)
The Europeans. Henry James (1878)
Far from the Madding Crowd. Thomas Hardy (1874)
Fathers and Sons. Ivan Turgenev (1862)
The 42nd Parallel (USA Trilogy #1). John Dos Passos (1930)
Foundation. Isaac Asimov (1951)
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Anita Loos (1924)
The Go-Between. L.P. Hartley (1953)
The Golden Bowl. Henry James (1904)
Grand Hotel. Vicki Baum (1929)
The Heart of the Matter. Graham Greene (1948)
High Rising (Barsetshire #1). Angela Thirkell (1933)
Horseman, Pass By. Larry McMurtry (1961)
The House of Mirth. Edith Wharton (1905)
In Chancery (Forsyte Sage #2). John Galsworthy (1920)
The Invention of Morel. Adolfo Bioy Casares (1940)
Invitation to the Waltz. Rosamond Lehmann (1932)
Jane Eyre. Charlotte Brontë (1847)
King, Queen, Knave. Vladimir Nabokov (1928)
Lady Windermere's Fan. Oscar Wilde (1893)
The Magnificent Ambersons. Booth Tarkington (1918)
The Man in the Queue. Josephine Tey (1929)
The Marble Faun. Nathaniel Hawthorne (1860)
Medea. Euripides (431 BC)
The Metamorphosis. Franz Kafka (1915)
Misty of Chincoteague. Marguerite Henry (1947)
The Moonstone. Wilkie Collins (1868)
The Mousetrap. Agatha Christie (1952)
The Old Wives' Tale. Arnold Bennett (1908)
One Hundred Years of Solitude. Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1967)
Our Man in Havana. Graham Greene (1959)
Persuasion. Jane Austen (1818)
Pinocchio. Carlo Collodi (1883)
The Ponder Heart. Eudora Welty (1954)
Rabbit, Run. John Updike (1960) 
A Raisin in the Sun. Lorraine Hansberry (1959) 
The Red Pony. John Steinbeck (1937) 
Sense and Sensibility. Jane Austen (1811)
The Sheltering Sky. Paul Bowles (1949)
She Stoops to Conquer. Oliver Goldsmith (1773)
Sister Carrie. Theodore Dreiser (1900)
Six Characters in Search of an Author. Luigi Pirandello (1921)
Something Fresh (Blandings Castle #1). P.G. Wodehouse (1915) 
Stuart Little. E.B. White (1945) 
The Spoils of Poynton. Henry James (1896)
Things Fall Apart. Chinua Achebe (1958)
Where Angels Fear to Tread. E.M. Forster (1905)
Wide Sargasso Sea. Jean Rhys (1966) 
The Wind in the Willows. Kenneth Grahame (1908) 
Winesburg, Ohio. Sherwood Anderson (1919)
The Wings of the Dove. Henry James (1902)
A Wreath of Roses. Elizabeth Taylor (1949)


Monday, January 11, 2021

2021 What's in a Name Challenge

 


Hosted by: Andrea @ Carolina Book Nook
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2021

● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement/sign-up post HERE


Guidelines (from announcement post):
  • The challenge runs from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. You can sign up any time, but only count books that you read between those dates.
  • Read a book in any format (hard copy, ebook, audio) with a title that fits into each category.
  • Don’t use the same book for more than one category.
  • Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed, it’s encouraged!
  • You can choose your books as you go or make a list ahead of time.

Categories for 2021 (with links to review pages):
  1. One/1 (example: One Second After; The 100)
  2. Doubled word (ex: In a Dark, Dark Wood; Wolf by Wolf)
  3. Reference to outer space (ex: The Fault in Our Stars)
  4. Possessive noun (ex: The Zookeeper’s Wife)
  5. Botanical word (ex: The Language of Flowers; The Sandalwood Tree)
  6. Article of clothing (ex: Bossypants)


MY  READING  LIST (books read, with links to reviews):
  • Category 1: 1066 And All That, by W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman, illus. by John Reynolds (1930)
  • Category 2: Dead Dead Girls, by Nekesa Afia (2021) 
  • Category 3: Tom Swift and the Visitor From Planet X (Tom Swift Jr. #17), by Victor Appleton II (1961; audiobook 2007)
  • Category 4: Smilla's Sense of Snow, by Peter Høeg; trans. by Tiina Nunnally (1992) 
  • Category 5: Oranges and Lemons (Bryant & May: Peculiar Crimes Unit #17), by Christopher Fowler (2020)
  • Category 6: 

POSSIBILITIES:

● Category 1 (One/1 - word or numeral):


● Category 2 (Doubled word):
  • Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. Tom Franklin
  • Dead Dead Girls. Nekesa Afia 
  • Three Times Time. Jack Matthews
 
● Category 3 (Reference to outer space):
  • Full Wolf Moon (Jeremy Logan #5). Lincoln Child
  • The Moonstone. Wilkie Collins 
  • Number the Stars. Lois Lowry 
  • Star Trap (Charles Paris #3). Simon Brett 

● Category 4 (Possessive noun):
  • Monk's Hood (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #3). Ellis Peters
  • Saint Peter's Fair (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #4). Ellis Peters 

● Category 5 (Botanical word):


● Category 6 (Article of Clothing):
  • The Bluebonnet Betrayal (Potting Shed Mystery #5). Marty Wingate 
  • The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink (Perry Mason #39). Erle Stanley Gardner 
  • The Case of the Singing Skirt (Perry Mason #60). Erle Stanley Gardner 
  • Death in a White Tie (Inspector Roderick Alleyn #7). Ngaio Marsh 
  • Devil in a Blue Dress (Easy Rawlins #1). Walter Mosley 
  • The Monkey's Raincoat (Elvis Cole #1). Robert Crais 
  • Monk's Hood (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #3). Ellis Peters 
  • The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot, the Shoe King's Son. Catherine Besterman
  • Red Mandarin Dress (Inspector Chen Cao #5). Qiu Xiaolong 
  • The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (Nancy Drew #32). Carolyn Keene 


........

2021 World War II Challenge

 

J. Howard Miller 1918-2004,
artwork details on wikimedia commons

HOST: Becky @ Becky's Book Reviews
DATES: January - December 2021

● See my original post about the Challenge HERE
● See the Challenge announcement/sign-up page HERE

GOALS: Read, Watch, Listen, Share WWII related stuff

Books
  • Fiction published during 1939-1945
  • Fiction set during 1939-1945
  • Fiction that is about the leading up to the war
  • Fiction that is about the direct aftermath of the war
  • Nonfiction books about the War
  • Biographies or Autobiographies with sections about the war
  • Poetry or verse novels with a WWII setting OR publication date
  • Essays, Articles, Op-Ed pieces
  • historical-historical (straight up historical with no sub-genres)
  • historical romance
  • historical mysteries
  • historical coming-of-age
  • historical thrillers/suspense/spy novels

Music
  • See YouTube Pop Hits Chronologies for the years 1938-1946

Films and documentaries
  • any film made/released during 1939-1945
  • any film set during the war 
  • any documentary about the war


MY  READING  LIST (stuff I've read, with links to reviews):

  1. The Clue of the Tapping Heels (Nancy Drew #16). Carolyn Keene (1939)
  2. The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (Nancy Drew #22). Carolyn Keene (1945) 
  3. The Hollywood Spy (Maggie Hope #10). Susan Elia MacNeal (2021; set in 1943) 

MY  WATCH  LIST (films/docs I've watched, with links to any reviews):
1. 
2. 
3. 


STUFF  I'VE  LISTENED  TO:


........


POSSIBLE  READS
  • Colour Scheme (Roderick Alleyn #12). Ngaio Marsh (1943)
  • Died in the Wool (Roderick Alleyn #13). Ngaio Marsh (1945)
  • The Hollywood Spy (Maggie Hope #10). Susan Elia MacNeal (2021; set in 1943) 
  • Los Alamos. Joseph Kanon (1997; set in 1945) 

........