R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril / X

Artwork by Abigail Larson

Dates: September 1 through October 31, 2015
Hosted by: The Estella Society

Guidelines:

✸ There are several different levels of participation:

• Peril the First: Read four books of any length, from any subgenre you choose.
• Peril the Second: Read two books of any length, from any subgenre you choose.
• Peril the Third: Read one book of any length, from any subgenre you choose.
• Peril of the Short Story: An extra option, for those who want to read shorter works.
• Peril on the Screen: Another extra option, for those who like to watch scary or suspenseful fare on the large or small screen.
• Peril of the Group Read: A third extra -- see announcement page for info.

✸ Choose books from the following subgenres:

• Mystery
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Dark Fantasy
• Gothic
• Horror
• Supernatural

✷ I'm signing up at the Peril the First level (four books), and I'll be combining that with Peril on the Screen and possibly Peril of the Group Read.

See my original post about the challenge HERE.
See the challenge announcement page HERE.
See the review site HERE.

MY BOOK LIST (books read, with links to any reviews/notes):

1. A Man of Some Repute. Elizabeth Edmondson (Mystery) 
2. The Quick. Lauren Owen (Gothic / Horror / Supernatural)
3. Champagne for One (Nero Wolfe #31). Rex Stout (Mystery)
4. Slade House. David Mitchell (Horror / Dark Fantasy) 
5. The Maltese Falcon. Dashiell Hammett (Mystery) 
6. The Night Sister. Jennifer McMahon (Horror / Supernatural)  

MY SCREEN PERIL LIST, Part 1 (Movies):

1. The Apparition (2012)
2. The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
3. Children of the Damned (1964) 
4. Corruption (1968) 
5. Hands of a Stranger (1962) 
6. The Haunting (1963) 
7. Mad Love (1935) 
8. The Nanny (1965)
9. Two On A Guillotine (1965) 
10. White Noise 2: The Light (2007) 

MY SCREEN PERIL LIST, Part 2 (TV Shows):
1.
2.

❖❖❖❖❖❖

Perilous Reading Possibilities:

• Blue Labyrinth. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
• The Book of Lost Things. John Connolly
• The Colony. F.G. Cottam 
• Doll Bones. Holly Black; illus. by Eliza Wheeler
• The Girl on the Train. Paula Hawkins
• The Haunted Hotel. Wilkie Collins
• The Midnight Side. Natasha Mostert
• The Night Sister. Jennifer McMahon 
• The Quick. Lauren Owen ✓
• A Shadow on the Wall. Jonathan Aycliffe
• Shadow Ritual. Eric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne
• A Song of Shadows. John Connolly 
• Strangers on a Train. Patricia Highsmith 
• Tales of Men and Ghosts. Edith Wharton 
• This House Is Haunted. John Boyne
• The Vanishment. Jonathan Aycliffe

Screen Peril Possibilities:

• The Awakening (2011 film)
• The Beast with Five Fingers (1946 film) ✓
• Dream House (2011 film)
• Heavenly Creatures (1994 film)
• I Confess (1953 film; Alfred Hitchcock)
• The Haunting (1963 film; I watch this every year) ✓
• Perception (TV series, 2012-15)
• The Uninvited (1944 film; another one I watch every time RIP comes around)

Once Upon a Time IX

 Once Upon a Time IX Reading Challenge/Event

 

Dates: March 21 - June 21, 2015
Hosted by: Carl @ Stainless Steel Droppings 

● See the announcement page HERE.
● See the review page HERE.
● See my original post about the challenge HERE.

I'll be signing up at the Journey level -- reading at least one book from one of the challenge genres (Fairy Tale, Folklore, Fantasy and Mythology). Of course, I'll be hoping to do a little better than the one book, and maybe work my way up to Quest the First.

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

1. Elidor. Alan Garner
2. Nightbird. Alice Hoffman
3. The Tale of Despereaux. Kate DiCamillo (illus. by Timothy Basil Ering)
4. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Lewis Carroll (re-read)

BOOKS STARTED BUT NOT FINISHED:

1. Ella Enchanted. Gail Carson Levine 
2. The Well-Wishers. Edward Eager

I'm also hoping to participate in Quest on Screen this year. If I succeed, I'll be listing the movies/TV shows here--

MY VIEWING LIST (with links to reviews):
1.

2015 "Reading Through Time" Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

***I'm assuming this challenge is ended, as the host has abandoned her blog***

2015 "Reading Through Time" Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 

Hosted by: Amy Yingling @ A Bookish Girl

Dates: January 6 - December 31, 2015

Guidelines:

• Read any novel, short story or author just so that the genre is historical fiction.
• 1 novel counts as 1 novel (a novel is anything over 100 pages); 5 short stories count as 1 novel.
• Audio books and e-books also count.
• There will be a monthly post for you to add a link or links to your post showing the progress that you have made so far.
• There will be a book giveaway each month and for initially signing up.

Levels:

• 5 books = Anthony Doerr
• 10 books = Kate Morton
• 15 books = Sarah Waters
• 20 books = Linda Lafferty
• 25 books = Hilary Mantel
• 30 books = Philippa Gregory
• 35 books = Ken Follett
• 40+ books = Diana Gabaldon

✹ My Goal: "Anthony Doerr" (5 books)

● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the announcement /sign-up page HERE.
● See the review pages: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

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

1. The Witch of Painted Sorrows. M.J. Rose (published 2015 / set in 19th Century France)
2. 
   

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2015

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2015

***Challenge complete. See my wrap-up post HERE.***

Hosted by: Amy Bruno @ Passages to the Past

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015

Guidelines:

• Choose your level.
• Read any sub-genre of historical fiction (Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Young Adult, etc.)
• You don't need a blog to participate.

Levels:

• 20th century Reader - 2 books
• Victorian Reader - 5 books
• Renaissance Reader - 10 books
• Medieval - 15 books
• Ancient History - 25 books
• Prehistoric - 50+ books

✹ My goal: "Victorian Reader" (5 books)

● See my original post about the challenge HERE. 

● See the announcement/sign-up page HERE.
● See the review link-up pages: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December .
● See my wrap-up post HERE.

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

1. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia de Luce #7). Alan Bradley (published 2015 / set around 1950)
2. The Witch of Painted Sorrows. M.J. Rose (published 2015 / set in 19th Century France)
3. A Fine Summer's Day (Inspector Ian Rutledge #17). Charles Todd (published 2015 / set in 1914)
4. The Silence of Ghosts. Jonathan Aycliffe (first published 2013 / set during World War II)
5. The Angel Court Affair (Charlotte and Thomas Pitt #30). Anne Perry (published 2015 / set in Victorian England) 
6. Newport. Jill Morrow (published 2015 / set in 1921) 
7. The Quick. Lauren Owen (published 2014 / set in late 19th Century England) 
8. A Man of Some Repute. Elizabeth Edmondson (published 2015 / set in 1953) 

Vintage Mystery Bingo 2015

Hosted by: Bev @ My Reader's Block

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015

Guidelines (quoted from the announcement post):

• All books must be from the mystery category (crime fiction, detective fiction, espionage, etc.). The mystery/crime must be the primary feature of the book--ghost stories, paranormal, romance, humor, etc are all welcome as ingredients, but must not be the primary category under which these books would be labeled at the library or bookstore.
• Challengers may play either the Silver Age or Golden Age Card—or both. For the purposes of this challenge, the Golden Age Vintage Mysteries must have been first published before 1960. Golden Age short story collections (whether published pre-1960 or not) are permissible provided all of the stories included in the collection were originally written pre-1960. Please remember that some of our Golden Age Vintage authors wrote well after 1959--so keep an eye on the original publication date and apply them to the appropriate card. Silver Age Vintage Mysteries may be first published any time from 1960 to 1989 (inclusive). Again, Silver Age short story collections published later than 1989 are permissible as long as they include no stories first published later than 1989.
• Challenge runs from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. Sign up any time between now and November 4, 2015. Any books read from January 1 on may count regardless of your sign-up date. If you decide to go for broke and try to score on both cards, you only need sign up once--pick a card, any card for your link. 
• Books can be used for other challenges.
• Reviews aren't required, but would be nice.
• One Free Space per card—you may use your Free Space to cover any spot on the board. The Free Space book must fulfill one of the categories from the card, but it may fulfill ANY space you like—even a category you have already fulfilled. For example…if you are having trouble finding a book to meet the “mode of transportation” category, but you really need that space to complete a BINGO then you may read a book that meets any other category on the board and use your Free Space to claim the “mode of transportation” space.
• No double-counting. A book may not count for both the original category (say, "Woman in the Title") and as the Free Space to replace "mode of transportation." A second "Woman in the Title" would need to be read to complete the Free Space and replace "mode of transportation."
• BINGOS may be claimed by completing all spaces in a row--horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. You may also claim a “Four Corner” BINGO by reading a book for each of the four corners plus two more spaces—any two. A valid BINGO must have six complete spaces.

✹ I'll be reading Golden Age mysteries and working on Gold Card bingos. 

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

FOUR CORNER BINGO:

1. Color in the Title or Cover Color: The Red House Mystery, by A.A. Milne (first published 1922)
2. Method of Murder in Title: .
3. Eat, Drink and Be Merry: Champagne for One (Nero Wolfe #31), by Rex Stout (first published 1958)
4. Book with Professional Detective: The Maltese Falcon, by Dashiell Hammett (first published 1930)
5. First Extra Square - Book featuring Lawyer, Courtroom, etc.: The Case of the Velvet Claws (Perry Mason #1), by Erle Stanley Gardner (first published 1933)
6. Second Extra Square - Book Set in US or England: Gently Does It (Chief Inspector George Gently #1), by Alan Hunter (first published 1955; set in England)

Possible for "Method of Murder":

• Behold, Here's Poison (Inspector Hannasyde #2). Georgette Heyer (1936) 
• The Canvas Dagger (Inspector McKee #26). Helen Reilly (1956) 
• The Case of the Drowning Duck (Perry Mason #20). Erle Stanley Gardner (1942) 
• Cold Poison (Hildegarde Withers #15). Stuart Palmer (1954) 
• The Drowning Pool (Lew Archer #2). Ross Macdonald (1950)
• Name Your Poison (Inspector McKee #14). Helen Reilly (1942)
• The Poisoned Chocolates Case (Roger Sheringham Cases #5). Anthony Berkeley (1929) 

The Reporter's Challenge 2015

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015
Hosted by: Ellie Oberth (Dead Herring)

This is a GoodReads Challenge.
Sign up for the challenge on GoodReads (In The Challenge Factory under 2015 yearly challenges)

Guidelines (quoted from Dead Herring's announcement page):

• For this challenge – Each book can only be used for 1 category (Ex: Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap – victim is strangled, the setting is in England and they are cut off from the world due to bad weather. But you can only place this story in 1 of the categories)
• You don’t have to choose your books in advance. If you do, you can change your list at any time during the year.
• Books can be in any format – paper, ebooks, audio…
• Crossovers with other challenges are fine.

Levels:

• Cub reporter: 5 books (1 from each category) 
• Columnist: 10 books (2 from each category) 
• News Anchor: 15 books (3 from each category) 
• Editor: 20 books (4 from each category) 
• Newspaper Mogul: 25 books 

✹ I'll be trying for Cub Reporter, to start. (I'm hoping to become a Columnist some day, but this might not be my year.)

LIST OF CATEGORIES 

WHO

1. Protagonist is a librarian: The Book of Speculation. Erika Swyler
2. Protagonist is a government agent 
3. Protagonist is a ghost 
4. Protagonist works with animals (vet, dog walker, zoo, etc) 
5. Protagonist is a crook 

WHAT

1. Holiday in the title 
2. Animal in the title: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie ("Sister" Jane #9). Rita Mae Brown
3. Weather in the title 
4. Poison in the title 
5. Title starts with the same letter as your last name 

WHERE

1. Set in England 
2. NOT set on land (cruise ship, boat, airplane, spaceship, etc) 
3. Set on an Island 
4. Set on foreign soil (not America or England) 
5. Historical novel: As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia De Luce #7). Alan Bradley (The Flavia De Luce novels are set during and just after World War II.)

WHEN

1. One book set during any holiday 
2. One that centers around a convention or conference 
3. One Dark & Stormy night – bad weather plays big role in story 
4. One where the protagonist has to beat the clock (time is crucial to solving mystery)
5. One set during a vacation: Gently Does It (Inspector George Gently #1). Alan Hunter (Inspector Gently is on vacation when a local murder case catches his attention.)

HOW (Method of Murder)

1. Poison is murder weapon 
2. Knife/stabbing is murder weapon 
3. Gun/shooting is murder weapon: The Red House Mystery. A.A. Milne
4. Blunt object is murder weapon 
5. Rope/strangulation is murder weapon 

2015 Chunkster Challenge

***Challenge Complete. See my wrap-up post HERE.***

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015
Hosted by: Vassily  

Guidelines:

• A chunkster is any book (adult or YA) with 450 or more pages.
• Both fiction and nonfiction are allowed.
• Audio books and e-books are allowed. Graphic novels are not.
• Essay, short story, and poetry collections are allowed but must be read in their entirety to count. 
• Books may crossover with other challenges. 
• Anyone can join. 
• You don’t have to list your books ahead of time. 
• There are no set levels; participants can determine their own level to aim for. 

✵ I'm setting myself a goal of two books for the challenge.

● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement/sign-up page HERE.
● See the challenge blog HERE.
● See the page for linking up reviews HERE. 
● See my wrap-up post HERE.


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

1. The Quick. Lauren Owen (544 pages)
2. 
   

POSSIBILITIES:

• The Book of the Dead. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (454 pages) 
• The Children's Book. A.S. Byatt (675 pages)  
• Crimson Shore. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (464 pages) 
• A Gentle Madness. Nicholas A. Basbanes (638 pages) 
• The Girl Who Played With Fire. Stieg Larsson (503 pages) 
• Inkheart. Cornelia Funke (500+ pages) 
• Jane Eyre. Charlotte Brontë (450+ pages)
  
• The Land of Painted Caves. Jean M. Auel (757 pages) 
  
• The Map of Time. Felix J. Palma (613 pages) 
• The Mists of Avalon. Marion Zimmer Bradley (over 800 pages) 
• The Peabody Sisters. Megan Marshall (602 pages) 
• The Secret History. Donna Tartt (522 pages) 
• The Secret Keeper. Kate Morton (496 pages) 

Newbery Reading Challenge 2015

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015

Hosted by: Julie @ Smiling Shelves

Guidelines:

• Choose books from among Newbery Award winners, Newbery Honor Books, and Caldecott Medal winners
• Rereads count 
• Audiobooks and e-books count
• All books must be read between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2015. Books begun before January 1 don’t count. 
• Books can overlap with other challenges
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate. You can link up reviews from Amazon, Goodreads, etc., or leave your remarks in the comments.
• Reviews are encouraged, but not necessary
• There will be a monthly link up for reviews
• Choose your point level. You can always aim for a higher point level, but you can't move to a lower one.

Each book you read is worth points:

• 3 points for a Newbery Medal Winner
• 2 points for a Newbery Honor Book
• 1 point for a Caldecott Medal Winner

Choose a level to aim for.  "You can get to this level with any combination of points you want. You can read all Newbery Medal winners. You can throw in a few Honor Books. If you want, you can even read 75 Caldecott Medal winners! How you get to your point level is totally up to you."

1. L'Engle: 15 - 29 points
2. Spinelli: 30 - 44 points
3. Avi: 45 - 59 points
4. Lowry: 60 - 74 points
5. Konigsburg: 75+ points

✷ I'm signing up at the first level (L'Engle = 15-29 points)

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

~ See the list of Newbery Medal Books HERE.
~ See the list of Caldecott Medal Books HERE.



MY READING LIST (books I've read):

1. The Tale of Despereaux. Kate DiCamillo; illus. by Timothy Basil Ering (2004 Newbery winner) = 3 points
2. Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Beverly Cleary; illus. by Jacqueline Rogers (1982 Newbery Honor Book) = 2 points
3. 
   

POSSIBLE  CHOICES: Newbery Winners (3 points each)

Dead End in Norvelt. Jack Gantos (2012)
The Door in the Wall. Marguerite De Angeli (1950)
Ginger Pye. Eleanor Estes (1952)
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village. Laura Amy Schlitz (2008)
The Higher Power of Lucky. Susan Patron (2007)
Hitty, Her First Hundred Years. Rachel Field (1930)
Miracles on Maple Hill. Virginia Sorensen (1957)
Miss Hickory. Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (1947)
Roller Skates. Ruth Sawyer (1937)
Strawberry Girl. Lois Lenski (1946)
The Tale of Despereaux. Kate DiCamillo (2004) ✓
Thimble Summer. Elizabeth Enright (1939)
The Trumpeter of Krakow.  Eric P. Kelly (1929)
The View from Saturday. E.L. Konigsburg (1997)
The Westing Game. Ellen Raskin (1979)
The Wheel on the School. Meindert De Jong (1955)
When You Reach Me. Rebecca Stead (2010)
The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Elizabeth George Speare (1959)
Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze. Elizabeth Lewis (1933)

POSSIBLE  CHOICES: Newbery Honor Books (2 points each)

Afternoon of the Elves. Janet Taylor Lisle (1990)
Black Fox of Lorne. Marguerite De Angeli (1957)
By the Shores of Silver Lake. Laura Ingalls Wilder (1940)
The Cricket in Times Square. George Selden (1961)
Feathers. Jacqueline Woodson (2008)
The Golden Name Day. Jennie Lindquist (1956)
Gone-Away Lake. Elizabeth Enright (1958)
The Headless Cupid. Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1972)
The Light at Tern Rock. Julia Sauer (1952)
Little Town on the Prairie. Laura Ingalls Wilder (1942)
The Long Winter. Laura Ingalls Wilder (1941)
Millions of Cats. Wanda Gág (1929)
The Moorchild. Eloise McGraw (1997)
Penny from Heaven. Jennifer L. Holm (2007)
Ramona and Her Father. Beverly Cleary (1978)
Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Beverly Cleary (1982) ✓
Splendors and Glooms. Laura Amy Schlitz (2013)
Surviving the Applewhites. Stephanie S. Tolan (2003)
These Happy Golden Years. Laura Ingalls Wilder (1944)
Three Times Lucky. Sheila Turnage (2013)
The Witches of Worm. Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1973)

POSSIBLE  CHOICES: Caldecott Winners (1 point each)

The Funny Little Woman. llustrated by Blair Lent; text: retold by Arlene Mosel (1973)
Golem. David Wisniewski (1997)
The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Brian Selznick (2008)
Many Moons. Illustrated by Louis Slobodkin; text: James Thurber (1944)
Owl Moon. Illustrated by John Schoenherr; text: Jane Yolen (1988)
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. William Steig (1970)

Nonfiction Reading Challenge 2015

***Challenge complete. See my wrap-up post HERE.***

Hosted by: The Introverted Reader

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015

Guidelines: (quoted from challenge announcement page) "Read any non-fiction book(s), adult or young adult. That's it. You can choose anything. Memoirs? Yes. History? Yes. Travel? Yes. You get the idea? Absolutely anything that is classified as non-fiction counts for this challenge."

• Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• There will be a link for reviews.
• Sign up anytime during the year.

Levels:

1. Dilettante -- Read 1-5 non-fiction books
2. Explorer -- Read 6-10
3. Seeker -- Read 11-15
4. Master -- Read 16-20 

✹ I'll be signing up at the Dilettante level again this year.

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

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

1. Last Man Standing: Tales from Tinseltown. Roger Moore
2. 
   

POSSIBILITIES: 

• 1959: The Year Everything Changed. Fred Kaplan (history)
• Books: A Memoir. Larry McMurtry (autobiography) 
• The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. Erik Larson (history/true crime)
• A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books. Nicholas A. Basbanes (reading/book collecting)
• In Cold Blood. Truman Capote (true crime) 
• Just Kids. Patti Smith (memoir)
• The Library at Night. Alberto Manguel (reading and books)
• Manhattan '45. Jan Morris (history) 
• Old Books, Rare Friends: Two Literary Sleuths and Their Shared Passion. Madeleine B. Stern and Leona Rostenberg (book collecting) 
• The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws. Margaret Drabble (family history) 
• The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm. Juliet Nicolson (history) 
• The Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels. Janet Martin Soskice (history)

Books in Translation Reading Challenge 2015

***Challenge Completed. See my wrap-up post HERE.***

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015

Hosted by: Jen @ The Introverted Reader

Guidelines:

• Read translations of books, from any language into the language(s) you're comfortable reading in; they don't have to be in English.
• Any genre and any age range.
• Crossovers with other challenges are fine.
• Any format that you choose is also acceptable.
• You don't need a blog to participate; you can link up from another site like Library Thing or GoodReads.
• There will be a link to add reviews.

Levels:

1. Beginner: Read 1-3 books in translation 
2. Conversationalist: 4-6 books
3. Bilingual: 7-9 books
4. Linguist: 10-12 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 for reviews HERE.
● See my wrap-up post HERE.

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

1. Vertigo. Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac (trans. from the French by Geoffrey Sainsbury)
2. The Truth and Other Lies. Sascha Arango (trans. from the German by Imogen Taylor)
3. South of the Border, West of the Sun. Haruki Murakami (trans. from the Japanese by Philip Gabriel)
4. Backstabbing in Beaujolais. Jean-Pierre Alaux, Noël Balen (trans. from the French by Anne Trager  

LIST OF POSSIBLE READS:

After Dark. Haruki Murakami
Beauty and Sadness. Yasunari Kawabata
Buddenbrooks. Thomas Mann
The Castle. Franz Kafka
The Double. Jose Saramago
Farewell Waltz. Milan Kundera
If on a winter's night a traveler. Italo Calvino
Last Year at Marienbad. Alain Robbe-Grillet
The Map of Time. Félix J. Palma
The Nautical Chart. Arturo Perez-Reverte
The Prisoner of Heaven. Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Skylark. Kosztolanyi Dezso
South of the Border, West of the Sun. Haruki Murakami
Steppenwolf. Hermann Hesse
The Three Sisters. Anton Chekhov
The Trial. Franz Kafka

Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2015

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015
Hosted by:  Emily @ Falling For YA

Guidelines:

• You don't need a blog to participate
• Any genre, release date, request date, length, etc. is acceptable so long as it comes from Edelweiss or Netgalley
• There will be monthly link-ups for reviews; if you forget to link up one month, you can add your reviews the next month
• You can change level, up or down, at your own discretion

Levels:

1. Bronze – 10 books 
2. Silver – 25 books 
3. Gold – 50 books 
4. Platinum – 75 books 
5. Diamond– 100 books 

✷ I'm signing up at the Bronze Level (10 books), but hoping to read MANY more than that.

● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement page HERE.
● Monthly review page links: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December .

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

1. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia de Luce #7). Alan Bradley (NetGalley)
2. The After House. Michael Philip Cash (NetGalley)
3. The Room. Jonas Karlsson (NetGalley)
4. The Resurrection Maker. Glenn Cooper (NetGalley)
5. The Book of Speculation. Erika Swyler (NetGalley) 
6. Nightbird. Alice Hoffman (NetGalley)
7. The Book of Painted Sorrows. M.J. Rose (NetGalley)
8. The Fifth Gospel. Ian Caldwell (Edelweiss) 
9. A Fine Summer's Day (Inspector Ian Rutledge #17). Charles Todd (Edelweiss)
10. Wylding Hall. Elizabeth Hand (NetGalley)
11. As the Crow Flies (DI Nick Dixon #1). Damien Boyd (NetGalley)
12. Fear the Darkness (Brigid Quinn #2). Becky Masterman (NetGalley)
13. The Ice Twins. S.K. Tremayne (NetGalley) 
14. Jack of Spades: A Tale of Suspense. Joyce Carol Oates (Edelweiss)
15. The Silence of Ghosts. Jonathan Aycliffe (Edelweiss) 
16. A Head Full of Ghosts. Paul Tremblay (Edelweiss)
17. The Truth and Other Lies. Sascha Arango (Edelweiss) 
18. Tail Gate (Mrs. Murphy #23). Rita Mae Brown (NetGalley) 
19. The Forgotten Room (Jeremy Logan #4). Lincoln Child (NetGalley)
20. In the Dark Places (Inspector Banks #22). Peter Robinson (Edelweiss) 
21. Goodbye Stranger. Rebecca Stead (NetGalley) 
22. A Man of Some Repute (A Very English Mystery #1). Elizabeth Edmondson (NetGalley)
23. The Quick. Lauren Owen (NetGalley)
24. Slade House. David Mitchell (NetGalley)
25. The Night Sister. Jennifer McMahon (NetGalley)
26. Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Potting Shed Mysteries #3). Marty Wingate (NetGalley)
27. 
    

NetGalley books I need to read:

1. Abandon. Blake Crouch (9/01/2015) 
2. The After House. Michael Phillip Cash  (9/30/2014)
3. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust. Alan Bradley (1/06/2015)
4. As the Crow Flies. Damien Boyd (1/20/2015)
5. Berlin Noir (Three Novels). Philip Kerr  [1]
6. Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Marty Wingate (8/04/2015) 
7. Blue Labyrinth. Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (11/11/2014) 
8. The Book of Speculation. Erika Swyler (6/23/2015) 
9. Broken Promise (Promise Falls #1). Linwood Barclay (7/28/2015) 
10. The Children's Home. Charles Lambert (1/05/2016) 
11. The City of Blood. Frederique Molay (1/20/2015)
12. The Collector. Anne-Laure Thiéblemont (8/11/2015) 
13. The Competition. Marcia Clark  (7/08/2014) 
14. Cognac Conspiracies. Alaux & Balen (2/18/2015)
15. Crimson Shore (Pendergast #15). Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (11/10/2015)
16. A Curious Beginning. Deanna Raybourn (9/01/2015) 
17. Fear the Darkness. Becky Masterman (1/20/2015) 
18. The Forgotten Room. Lincoln Child (5/12/2015)
19. Front Yard. Norman Draper (9/29/2015) 
20. The Gap of Time. Jeanette Winterson (10/06/2015)
21. Goodbye Stranger. Rebecca Stead (8/04/2015)
22. The Gossips. Teresa Waugh (11/06/2105) 
23. The Hundred-Year House. Rebecca Makkai (7/10/2014) 
24. The Hog's Back Mystery. Freeman Crofts (7/07/2015) 
25. The Ice Twins. S.K. Tremayne (6/19/2015)
26. The Last Painting of Sara de Vos. Dominic Smith (4/05/2016) 
27. A Man of Some Repute. Elizabeth Edmondson (7/01/2015) 
28. My Name Is Lucy Barton. Elizabeth Strout (1/05/2016)
29. Nightbird. Alice Hoffman (3/10/2015) 
30. The Night Sister. Jennifer McMahon (8/04/2015) 
31. Only Love Can Break Your Heart. Ed Tarkington (1/05/2016) 
32. The Peace Process. Bruce Jay Friedman (10/13/2015) 
33. A Question of Inheritance. Elizabeth Edmondson (10/27/2015) 
34. The Quick. Lauren Owen (6/17/2014)  [3]
35. The Religious Body. Catherine Aird (5/05/2015) 
36. The Resurrection Maker. Glenn Cooper  (11/15/2014)
37. The Room. Jonas Karlsson  (2/17/2015) 
38. Rubbernecker. Belinda Bauer (8/14/2015)
39. Saffron and Brimstone. Elizabeth Hand  (6/03/2014)  [2]
40. Shadow Ritual. Giacometti & Ravenne  (3/25/2015) 
41. Silence. Mechtild Borrmann (5/05/2015) 
42. Slade House. David Mitchell (10/27/2015) 
43. Small Blessings. Martha Woodroof  (8/12/2014)
44. A Song of Shadows (Charlie Parker #13). John Connolly (9/29/2015) 
45. Stillwell. Michael Phillip Cash (6/21/2015) 
46. Tail Gate. Rita Mae Brown (5/26/2015)
47. This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! Jonathan Evison (9/08/2015) 
48. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. Natasha Pulley (7/14/2015)
49. Where the Memories Lie. Sibel Hodge (9/22/2015) 
50. The Widow's Son. Thomas Shawver (7/07/2015)
51. The Witch of Painted Sorrows. M.J. Rose  (3/17/2015) 
52. Wylding Hall. Elizabeth Hand (2/17/2015)

Edelweiss books I need to read:

1. An Illustrated Death (Secondhand Prose Mystery #2). Judi Culbertson  (10/01/2013)
2. Bellman & Black. Diane Setterfield  (11/05/2013)
3. Black Dog (Cooper & Fry #1). Stephen Booth  (10/08/2013)
4. Blood from Stone. Frances Fyfield  (11/26/2013)
5. A Cold Season. Alison Littlewood  (9/24/2013)
6. The Fifth Gospel. Ian Caldwell  (3/03/2015)  
7. A Fine Summer's Day (Inspector Ian Rutledge #17). Charles Todd (1/06/2015) 
8. A Head Full of Ghosts. Paul Tremblay  (6/02/2015)
9. Hunting Shadows (Inspector Rutledge #16). Charles Todd  (1/21/2014)
10. In the Dark Places (Inspector Banks #23). Peter Robinson  (8/11/2015) 
11. Jack of Spades. Joyce Carol Oates  (5/05/2015) 
12. No Man's Nightingale. Ruth Rendell  (11/05/2013)
13. The Pierced Heart (Charles Maddox #4). Lynn Shepherd  (10/21/2014)
14. Ripper. Isabel Allende  (12/03/2013)
15. Sexplosion: From Andy Warhol to A Clockwork Orange - How a Generation of Pop Rebels Broke All the Taboos. Robert Hofler  (2/04/2014) 
16. The Silence of Ghosts. Jonathan Aycliffe (2/10/2015)
17. The Truth and Other Lies. Sascha Arnago (6/23/2015) 
18. The 7th Woman (Paris Homicide #1). Frédérique Molay  (2/25/2013)

And, just because I'm a serious OCD victim, here's a list arranged by Date Published:

The 2015 Books

1. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust. Alan Bradley (1/06/2015) NG
2. A Fine Summer's Day (Inspector Ian Rutledge #17). Charles Todd (1/06/2015) EW
3. As the Crow Flies. Damien Boyd (1/20/2015) NG
4. The City of Blood. Frederique Molay (1/20/2015) NG
5. Fear the Darkness. Becky Masterman (1/20/2015) NG
6. The Silence of Ghosts. Jonathan Aycliffe (2/10/2015) EW
7. The Room. Jonas Karlsson (2/17/2015) NG
8. Wylding Hall. Elizabeth Hand (2/17/2015) NG
9. Cognac Conspiracies. Alaux & Balen (2/18/2015) NG
10. The Fifth Gospel. Ian Caldwell (3/03/2015) EW
11. Nightbird. Alice Hoffman (3/10/2015) NG
12. The Witch of Painted Sorrows. M.J. Rose (3/17/2015) NG
13. Shadow Ritual. Giacometti & Ravenne (3/25/2015) NG
14. Jack of Spades. Joyce Carol Oates (5/05/2015) EW
15. The Religious Body. Catherine Aird (5/05/2015) NG
16. Silence. Mechtild Borrmann (5/05/2015) NG
17. The Forgotten Room. Lincoln Child (5/12/2015) NG
18. Tail Gate. Rita Mae Brown (5/26/2015) NG
19. A Head Full of Ghosts. Paul Tremblay (6/02/2015) EW
20. The Ice Twins. S.K. Tremayne (6/19/2015) NG
21. Stillwell. Michael Phillip Cash (6/21/2015) NG
22. The Book of Speculation. Erika Swyler (6/23/2015) NG
23. The Truth and Other Lies. Sascha Arnago (6/23/2015) EW
24. A Man of Some Repute. Elizabeth Edmondson (7/01/2015) NG
25. The Hog's Back Mystery. Freeman Crofts (7/07/2015) NG
26. The Widow's Son. Thomas Shawver (7/07/2015) NG
27. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. Natasha Pulley (7/14/2015) NG
28. Broken Promise (Promise Falls #1). Linwood Barclay (7/28/2015) NG
29. Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Marty Wingate (8/04/2015) NG
30. Goodbye Stranger. Rebecca Stead (8/04/2015) NG
31. The Night Sister. Jennifer McMahon (8/04/2015) NG
32. The Collector. Anne-Laure Thiéblemont (8/11/2015) NG
33. In the Dark Places (Inspector Banks #23). Peter Robinson (8/11/2015) EW
34. Rubbernecker. Belinda Bauer (8/14/2015) NG
35. Abandon. Blake Crouch (9/01/2015) NG
36. A Curious Beginning. Deanna Raybourn (9/01/2015) NG
37. This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! Jonathan Evison (9/08/2015) NG
38. Where the Memories Lie. Sibel Hodge (9/22/2015) NG
39. Front Yard. Norman Draper (9/29/2015) NG
40. A Song of Shadows (Charlie Parker #13). John Connolly (9/29/2015) NG
41. The Gap of Time. Jeanette Winterson (10/06/2015) NG
42. The Peace Process. Bruce Jay Friedman (10/13/2015) NG
43. A Question of Inheritance. Elizabeth Edmondson (10/27/2015) NG
44. Slade House. David Mitchell (10/27/2015) NG 
45. The Gossips. Teresa Waugh (11/06/2015) NG 
46. Crimson Shore (Pendergast #15). Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (11/10/2015) NG

The 2016 Books

1. The Children's Home. Charles Lambert (1/05/2016) NG
2. My Name Is Lucy Barton. Elizabeth Strout (1/05/2016) NG
3. Only Love Can Break Your Heart. Ed Tarkington (1/05/2016) NG
4. The Last Painting of Sara de Vos. Dominic Smith (4/05/2016) NG

New Authors Reading Challenge 2015

***Challenge completed. See my wrap-up post HERE.***

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015
Hosted by: Literary Escapism

Guidelines:

• Read books by authors you've never read before.
• Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Set your own goal. You can choose to read 15, 25, or 50 new authors.

✹ I'm hoping to read at least 15 new authors.

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

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

1. Michael Phillip Cash: The After House 
2. Glenn Cooper: The Resurrection Maker 
3. Jonas Karlsson: The Room 
4. Erika Swyler: The Book of Speculation 
5. Charles Todd: A Fine Summer's Day (Inspector Rutledge #17)
6. Elizabeth Hand: Wylding Hall 
7. Damien Boyd: As the Crow Flies (DI Nick Dixon #1)
8. Becky Masterman: Fear the Darkness (Brigid Quinn Thriller #2) 
9. Alan Hunter: Gently Does It (Inspector George Gently #1)
10. Martha Ockley: A Saintly Killing (Faith Morgan #3) 
11. Brian Harvey: Beethoven's Tenth (Frank Ryan #1)
12. S.K. Tremayne: The Ice Twins 
13. Jonathan Aycliffe: The Silence of Ghosts 
14. Pierre Boileau (and Thomas Narcejac): Vertigo 
15. Blake Crouch: Pines (Wayward Pines #1) 
16. Kate DiCamillo: The Tale of Despereaux 
17. Paul Tremblay: A Head Full of Ghosts
18. Sascha Arango: The Truth and Other Lies 
19. Anne Perry: The Angel Court Affair (Charlotte & Thomas Pitt #30) 
20. Rebecca Stead: Goodbye Stranger 
21. Jill Morrow: Newport: A Novel 
22. Elizabeth Edmondson: A Man of Some Repute (A Very English Mystery #1)
23. Lauren Owen: The Quick  
24. David Mitchell: Slade House 
25. Jennifer McMahon: The Night Sister 
26. Kaylie Jones: The Anger Meridian 
27. Haruki Murakami: South of the Border, West of the Sun 
28. Elizabeth Berg: What We Keep 
29. Marty Wingate: Between a Rock and a Hard Place 
30. Jean-Pierre Alaux (and Noël Balen): Backstabbing in Beaujolais 

Foodies Read 2015

***Challenge complete. See my wrap-up post HERE.***

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015
Hosted by: Vicki @ I'd Rather Be At The Beach

Guidelines:

• Read books centered around food and/or drinks
• Books can be: cookbooks; food biographies or memoirs; nonfiction focused on specific foods, drinks, chefs, or restaurants; or a fictional story in which food plays a major role.
• Choose a level of participation.
• A preliminary list of books isn't required.
• Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
• All formats are allowed -- print, audio, e-book.

Levels:

1. Short-Order Cook = 1 to 3 books
2. Pastry Chef = 4 to 8 books
3. Sous-Chef = 9 to 13 books
4. Chef de Cuisine = 14 to 18 books
5. Cordon-Bleu Chef = More than 19 books

✹ I'm signing up at the first level ("Short-Order Cook"), and trying to read at least three books.

● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement page HERE.
● See the challenge blog HERE. 
● See my wrap-up post HERE.

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

1. Backstabbing in Beaujolais. by Jean-Pierre Alaux, Noël Balen (trans. by Anne Trager)
2. 
   

European Reading Challenge 2015

***Challenge complete. See my wrap-up post HERE.***

Dates: January 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016

Hosted by: Gilion Dumas @ Rose City Reader

Guidelines (quoted from the announcement page):

The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from). The books can be anything – novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, or any other genre. You can participate at different levels, but each book must be by a different author and set in a different country – it's supposed to be a tour. 

• Books should be read between January 1, 2015 and January 31, 2016.  If you participated in the 2014 European Reading Challenge, you can only count books read in January 2015 for one year -- either the end of the 2014 challenge or the start of the 2015 challenge -- you don't get to count one book for both challenges. 
• 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 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 announcement post. 
• 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.

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

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


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

1. The Third Man. Graham Greene (Vienna, Austria) 
2. The Room. Jonas Karlsson (Sweden)
3. The Witch of Painted Sorrows. M.J. Rose (Paris, France)
4. The Fifth Gospel. Ian Caldwell (Vatican City, Rome, Italy)

I Love Picture Books Challenge 2015

***Challenge complete. See my wrap-up post HERE.***

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015
Hosted by: Gina @ Book Dragon's Lair

Guidelines (quoted from the announcement page):

• Read picture books.
• Pick a number and go for it. Twelve too easy? Go for 20. Piece of cake? Go for 40.
• Books you own and library check outs count. So do e-books and re-reads.
• Please post about the challenge and sign up with a direct link.
• A blog is not necessary, just link to where you talk about the challenge
• Reviews are not necessary but would be nice (so we know which ones to read ourselves!) A link for reviews will be posted in January.

✹ I'm going to set twelve books as my original goal, and hope to do a little better than that.

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

MY READING LIST (books I've read):

1. Corduroy. Don Freeman. 1948 / 32 pages
2. The Little House. Virginia Lee Burton. 1942 / 40 pages / 1943 Caldecott Medal
3. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Virginia Lee Burton. 1938 / 56 pages 
4. Katy and the Big Snow. Virginia Lee Burton. 1943 / 40 pages
5. A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee. Chris Van Dusen. 2003 / 36 pages
6. Stella and Charlie, Friends Forever. Bernadette Peters; illus. by Liz Murphy. 2015 / 40 pages
7. Little Bird, Be Quiet! Kirsten Hall; illus. by Sabina Gibson. 2015 / 36 pages
8. Anatole. Eve Titus; illus. by Paul Galdone. 1956 / 40 pages / 1957 Caldecott Honor Book
9. Harry the Dirty Dog. Gene Zion; illus. by Margaret Bloy Graham. 1956 / 32 pages
10. Harry and the Lady Next Door. Gene Zion; illus. by Margaret Bloy Graham. 1960 / 64 pages
11. One Morning in Maine. Robert McCloskey. 1952 / 62 pages / 1953 Caldecott Honor Book
12. The Bees (Down in the Garden #1). DC Swain; illus. by Anna Bonita. 2015 / 24 pages

My "HOPE-TO-READ" LIST:

• Anatole. Eve Titus; illus. by Paul Galdone. 1956 / 40 pages / 1957 Caldecott Honor Book
• Anatole and the Cat. Eve Titus; illus. by Paul Galdone. 1957 / 40 pages / 1958 Caldecott Honor Book
• Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions. Margaret Musgrove; illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon. 1976 / 32 pages / 1977 Caldecott Medal
• Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Dr. Seuss. 1948 / 64 pages / 1949 Caldecott Honor Book
• Blueberries for Sal. Robert McCloskey. 1948 / 64 pages / 1949 Caldecott Honor Book
• Castle. David Macaulay. 1977 / 80 pages / 1978 Caldecott Honor Book
• Cathedral. David Macaulay. 1973 / 80 pages / 1974 Caldecott Honor Book
• Chanticleer and the Fox. Barbara Cooney, Geoffrey Chaucer. 1958 / 44 pages / 1959 Caldecott Medal
• Cinderella. Marcia Brown. 1954 / 32 pages / 1955 Caldecott Medal
• Drummer Hoff. Barbara Emberley; illus. by Ed Emberley. 1967 / 32 pages / 1968 Caldecott Medal
• The Egg Tree. Katherine Milhous. 1950 / 32 pages / 1951 Caldecott Medal
• The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship. Arthur Ransome; illus. by Uri Shulevitz. 1968 / 48 pages / 1969 Caldecott Medal
• Frog and Toad Are Friends. Arnold Lobel. 1970 / 64 pages / 1971 Caldecott Honor Book
• Frog Went A-Courtin’. John Langstaff; illus. by Feodor Rojankovsky. 1955 / 32 pages/ 1956 Caldecott Medal
• The Funny Little Woman. Arlene Mosel; illus. by Blair Lent. 1972 / 40 pages / 1973 Caldecott Medal
• The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. Chris Van Allsburg. 1979 / 32 pages / 1980 Caldecott Honor Book
• The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher. Molly Bang. 1980 / 48 pages / 1981 Caldecott Honor Book
• Hide and Seek Fog. Alvin Tresselt; illus. by Roger Duvoisin. 1965 / 40 pages / 1966 Caldecott Honor Book
• If I Ran the Zoo. Dr. Seuss. 1950 / 64 pages / 1951 Caldecott Honor Book
• Inch By Inch. Leo Lionni. 1960 / 32 pages / 1961 Caldecott Honor Book
• In the Night Kitchen. Maurice Sendak. 1970 / 34 pages / 1971 Caldecott Honor Book
• Jumanji. Chris Van Allsburg. 1981 / 32 pages / 1982 Caldecott Medal
• The Little House. Virginia Lee Burton. 1942 / 42 pages / 1943 Caldecott Medal
• The Little Island. Golden MacDonald; illus. by Leonard Weisgard. 1946 / 48 pages / 1947 Caldecott Medal
• Madeline’s Rescue. Ludwig Bemelmans. 1953 / 56 pages / 1954 Caldecott Medal
• Many Moons. James Thurber; illus. by Louis Slobodkin. 1943 / 48 pages / 1944 Caldecott Medal Winner
• Marguerite De Angeli's Book of Nursery & Mother Goose Rhymes. Marguerite de Angeli. 1954 / 192 pages / 1955 Caldecott Honor Book
• May I Bring a Friend? Beatrice Schenk de Regniers; illus. by Beni Montresor. 1964 / 48 pages / 1965 Caldecott Medal
• McElligot’s Pool. Dr. Seuss. 1947 / 64 pages / 1948 Caldecott Honor Book
• Mei Li. Thomas Handforth. 1938 / 48 pages / 1939 Caldecott Medal
• Mice Twice. Joseph Low. 1980 / 32 pages / 1981 Caldecott Honor Book
• The Most Wonderful Doll in the World. Phyllis McGinley; illus. by Helen Stone. 1950 / 61 pages / 1951 Caldecott Honor Book
• One Morning in Maine. Robert McCloskey. 1952 / 62 pages / 1953 Caldecott Honor Book
• On Market Street. Arnold Lobel; illus. by Anita Lobel. 1981 / 40 pages / 1982 Honor Book
• Outside Over There. Maurice Sendak. 1981 / 40 pages / 1982 Caldecott Honor Book
• Owl Moon. Jane Yolen; illus. by John Schoenherr. 1987 / 32 pages / 1988 Caldecott Medal
• Ox-Cart Man. Donald Hall; illus. by Barbara Cooney. 1979 / 40 pages / 1980 Caldecott Medal
• Play With Me. Marie Hall Ets. 1955 / 32 pages / 1956 Caldecott Honor Book
• The Relatives Came. Cynthia Rylant; illus. by Stephen Gammell. 1985 / 32 pages / 1986 Caldecott Honor Book
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Wanda Gág. 1938 / 44 pages / 1939 Caldecott Honor Book
• Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. William Steig. 1969 / 32 pages / 1970 Caldecott Medal
• They Were Strong and Good. Robert Lawson. 1940 / 72 pages / 1941 Caldecott Medal
• Time of Wonder. Robert McCloskey. 1957 / 64 pages / 1958 Caldecott Medal
• A Tree Is Nice. Janice May Udry; illus. by Marc Simont. 1956 / 32 pages / 1957 Caldecott Medal
• When I Was Young in the Mountains. Cynthia Rylant; illus. by Diane Goode. 1982 / 32 pages / 1983 Caldecott Honor Book
• White Snow, Bright Snow. Alvin Tresselt; illus. by Roger Duvoisin. 1947 / 32 pages / 1948 Caldecott Medal
• Yonie Wondernose. Marguerite de Angeli. 1944 / 45 pages / 1945 Caldecott Honor Book

2015 Women's Fiction Reading Challenge

Women's Fiction Reading Challenge 2015

***Challenge Complete. See my wrap-up post HERE.***

Hosted by: Kathryn T @ Book Date
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015 (sign-ups are open until mid-October)

Kathryn T. is hosting this reading challenge for readers who enjoy women's fiction. As she defines it, women's fiction is "mainly written for women (although that doesn't stop men reading them)." It "may contain elements of romance but the book mainly centres around the development of women or a woman throughout the book. Women centered books, that might focus on the issues relating to women, it may be a mainstream novel, slightly less or slightly more."

But she also says that each challenge participant should define the term for herself (or himself), and use that as a guide. She includes a definition from the Romance Writers of America organization that says women's fiction is:

"...about a woman on the brink of life change and personal growth. Her journey details emotional reflection and action that transforms her and her relationships with others, and includes a hopeful/upbeat ending with regard to her romantic relationship." 

...and I think I can pretty much go along with that, except for the part about the hopeful/upbeat ending -- personally, I don't think that's an absolute requirement (nice, but not necessary). I've read plenty of books that I'd label as "women's fiction" that had more ambiguous endings, as well as some that didn't involve actual romantic relationships at all. So, I guess my definition will be a little broader than most.

More Guidelines:

• Crossovers with other challenges are OK.
• All formats are allowed.
• Blogs are not required (you can set up a GoodReads shelf for the challenge, if you prefer) 

Challenge Levels:

1. Motivated = 1-5 books
2. Savvy = 6-10 books
3. Classy = 11-20 books
4. Go-getter = 20-30 books
5. Fearless = 30+ books

I'm signing up at the first ("Motivated") level, and hope to read more than one book.

● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement page HERE.
● See the link for January-June reviews HERE.
● See the link for July-December reviews HERE. 
● See my challenge wrap-up post HERE.


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

1. The Anger Meridian. Kaylie Jones 
2. What We Keep. Elizabeth Berg

POSSIBILITIES:

• All Passion Spent. Vita Sackville-West
• The Debut. Anita Brookner
• Dreams of Joy. Lisa See
  
• The Elm Creek Quilters series, by Jennifer Chiaverini
• The Evolution of Jane. Catherine Schine 
• Leaving Home. Anita Brookner
• Lolly Willowes. Sylvia Townsend Warner
  
• Nora Webster. Colm Toibin
  
• The Pull of the Moon. Elizabeth Berg
• The Radiant Way. Margaret Drabble 
• The Rector's Daughter. F.M. Mayor
• The Road to Lichfield. Penelope Lively
• Sarah's Key. Tatiana de Rosnay
• The Seven Sisters. Margaret Drabble
• Shanghai Girls. Lisa See
• Still Life with Bread Crumbs. Anna Quindlen
• The Summerhouse. Jude Deveraux 
• Tapestry of Fortunes. Elizabeth Berg 
• Visitors. Anita Brookner
• The Weight of Water. Anita Shreve
• What We Keep. Elizabeth Berg
• While I Was Gone. Sue Miller
• A Wreath of Roses. Elizabeth Taylor

Read Scotland 2015

Hosted by: Peggy Ann @ Peggy Ann's Post

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015

Guidelines:

• Read and review books written by Scottish authors (by birth or immigration), or about or set in Scotland.
• All genres and formats are allowed.
• Books may count for other challenges.
• You don't need a blog to participate.

Challenge levels:

1. Just A Keek (a little look): 1-4 books
2. The Highlander: 5-8 books
3. The Hebridean: 9-12 books
4. Ben Nevis: 13-24 books
5. Back O' Beyond: 25+ books

I'm signing up at the first level (Just a Keek), and hope to read four books.

● See my original post about the challenge HERE.
● See the challenge announcement page HERE.
● See the challenge group at GoodReads HERE.
● See the page for linking wrap-up posts HERE.

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

1. The Ice Twins. S.K. Tremayne (set in Scotland)
2. Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Potting Shed Mysteries #3). Marty Wingate (set in Scotland)

2015 Sci-Fi Experience

Dates: December 2014 and January 2015

Hosted by: Carl V. Anderson @ Stainless Steel Droppings

Not a challenge. Only goal is to have fun reading/viewing just as much sci-fi as you feel like.

● See my original post about the event HERE.

● See the announcement post HERE.

● See the review page HERE.

MY READING LIST (what I read, with links to reviews or discussions):

1. With Folded Hands. Jack Williamson (1947; novelette)
2. Against the Fall of Night. Arthur C. Clarke (1948; novel)
3. 
   

MY VIEWING LIST (what I watched, with links to reviews or discussions):

1. Film: Mission to Mars (2000; Directed by Brian De Palma)
2.