350 Page Books Challenge - COMPLETE

Ashley at What's Your Story is hosting the 350 Page Books Challenge.  The  challenge is to read as many books as possible that contain 350 pages and runs from January 1 to December 31st.

The Guidelines:

·      *This challenge does not have to only include YA, but it should be predominantly YA that means at least 75% of the books you read should be young adult fiction.

·     * Each book MUST contain 350 pages or more.

·      *Only physical copies and e-books will count toward the challenge.

COMPLETE 12/30/11

I'll list as I go.

1.  Slice of Cherry Dia Reeves
2.  Withering Tights Louise Rennison
3.  Bright Young Things Anna Godbersen
4.  Brilliant Marne Davis Kellogg
5.  The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group Catherine Jinks
6.  Shine Lauren Myracle
7.  Sister Mischief Laura Goode
8.  Matched Ally Condie
9.  A Long, Long Sleep Anna Sheehan
10. Department 19 by Will Hill
11. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Christmas Reading Challenge - COMPLETE

I love Christmas books and I have a couple I read every year so I'm joining The Christmas Reading Challenge hosted by The True Book Addict.



The Christmas Reading Challenge:

• will run from Thanksgiving Day, November 26 through New Year's Eve, December 31, 2009
• you can choose 1 - 3 books...I know it seems a small amount, but it's a busy time of year and the challenge is only a little over a month.
• These must be Christmas novels, books about Christmas lore or a book of Christmas short stories (sorry, no children's books, but YA novel is okay).

My list:

1. A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card
2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickins (read it every year)
3. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham (listen to it every year)
4. Let It Snow by John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson

The Shelf Discovery Challenge - COMPLETE

Yes, another challenge.  There should be a 12 step program for addicts like me.  Ah well, this looks cool.  Julie at Booking Mama is hosting the Shelf Discovery Challenge.  Here are the details:

The Shelf Discovery Challenge will run for six months (November 1, 2009 - April 30, 2010). To join me in this challenge, all you need to do is grab a copy of SHELF DISCOVERY and pick out what six books you want to read (of course, you can read more than six!) Then, after you read a book, just write a "book report" to share your thoughts with others!

The books are mostly YA or middle grade "classics" that I grew up with so I'm using this opportunity to revisit some of my old favorites and read some that I've never read before.

ETA: Here is my final list. (2/17/10)

√ 1. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (one of my absolute favorite books when I was young.  I can't tell you how many times I have read it but it's been a very long time)

√ 2. The Great Brain by John Dennis Fitzgerald (I remember getting this one from my elementary school library.)

√ 3. Sister of the Bride by Beverly Clearly

√ 4. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (never read it before)

√ 5. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (I've seen the Shirley Temple movie but have never read the book)

√ 6. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

November Novella Challenge - COMPLETE

The November Novella Challenge is hosted by J.T. at Bibliofreak, the novella is, I feel, a marginalized type of fiction.  Longer than a short story, shorter than a novel, sometimes called a novelette, it’s tough to define.  In general, I consider it to be somewhere between 70 and 120 pages.  Perhaps it’s better to say what it is not?  It is not a play.  It is not epic poetry.  It is not a slim book of short stories.  It is not any sort of tract or treatise or manifesto or other such nonfiction.
But it IS perfect for a few things: curling up in front of a fire on a windy night, you can finish it off in one sitting.  And, alliteration?  Awesome.

So I will participate at
Level II: Read four novellas by November 30, 2009

So my list as of today.

1. D.A. by Connie Willis
2. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
3. Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case by Garth Nix
4. A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card

Garth Nix Mini-Challenge - My List - COMPLETE

For my part of this challenge, I'm going to re-read all the Keys to the Kingdom books.  The challenge only calls for 3 books, but I want to prepare for Lord Sunday.








1. Mister Monday
2. Grim Tuesday
3. Drowned Wednesday
4. Sir Thursday
5. Lady Friday
6. Superior Saturday

Pretty Little Liars Challenge - ABANDON

This is a book series that I've been trying and failing to read for some time now.  Maybe this will push me into it.  Hosted by Trisha at Trisha's Book Blog, here are the guidelines:

- This challenge is to read all of the Pretty Little Liars series. You can not count books that you have read prior to the start of this challenge. Sept. 24, 2009. Challenge closes Dec. 31, 2010. Here are the books:

*Pretty Little Liars

*Flawless

*Perfect

*Unbelievable

*Wicked

*Killer

*Heartless (January 19th,2010)

*Heartless (2010)

* Oh and there are prizes.  If you finish the challenge, your name goes in to win all the books in the series.  Pretty cool!

ABANDONING 10/9/2010 I'm never going to get around to this series this year. :(

The Alice in Wonderland Challenge - COMPLETE

I'm falling down a rabbit hole, ya'll! I have trouble resisting challenges, especially challenges about one of my all time favorites, Alice in Wonderland.
Jenny at Take Me Away is hosting the most excellent challenge (with prizes), The Alice in Wonderland Challenge and I am *sigh* joining. Curiouser and Curiouser.


Rules:

• Starts September 1, 2009 and goes through August 31, 2010
• You can join any time during that time frame.
• This challenge has two parts; you can decide at any time until the end if you would like to complete only the first part or both. However, prizes will only be awarded to those who complete both parts.
  
• If you have already completed one of the tasks in the past 6 months you may count ONE towards this challenge.
• Books may overlap with any other challenges.
• Books may be read prior to publish date if you are able to obtain a copy. (Don't worry about the advantage someone has because everyone should have the same opportunity to complete the challenge at the same time).
• When you've made the decision to play, post about the challenge and please link your icon to this post. It doesn't necessarily have to be the link on your sidebar if you put it there and are linking to your post, but at least on the picture when you post about this challenge.
  

Tasks: (Part 1)

• √ Read and review Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• √ Read and review Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
• √ Read and review Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin (publish date December 2009)
  
• √ Read and review one other book from the list of "retellings and sequels" or "literature with allusions and influences" from the list here . Random Magic by Sasha Soren

Tasks: (Part 2)

• √ Watch and review Disney's animated version of Alice in Wonderland
• √ Watch and review one live action (already released) movie version of Alice in Wonderland.
  Watched Through the Looking Glass (Kate Beckinsale) if possible.
• √ Watch and review Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (due for release in 2010)
•  √ Watch and review one other movie listed under "Film" here.  Miyuki-chan in Wonderland

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge IV - COMPLETE

It seems that I can't resist a challenge or at least this one. I'll go ahead and give it a try. This one comes from Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings. The R.I.P. IV challenges has several options but I'm going for:
Peril the Second:
Read Two books of any length, from any subgenre of scary stories that you choose


Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural
R.I.P. IV officially runs from September 1st through October 31st.
So this is what I think I'm going to read:

1. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
2. Beautiful Creatures

Much Ado about Shakespeare Challenge - My list - COMPLETE

For my part in my Much Ado about Shakespeare Challenge, I've put together a list of mostly adaptions or alternate points of view books.

1. Ophelia (Lisa M. Klein)
2. Something Rotten (Alan M. Gratz)
3.The Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate about You (1999)
4. Something Wicked (Alan M. Gratz)
5. The Wednesday Wars (Gary D. Schmidt)
6. Eyes Like Stars (Lisa Matchev)

Much Ado about Shakespeare Challenge

I've been inspired by Saving Juliet and Much Ado about Nothing (the movie). I thought it would be fun to do a Shakespeare Challenge.

The challenge runs from September 1, 2009 - April 26, 2009 (Shakespeare's Birthday). Read 6 of any Shakespeare's works or any book inspired by a Shakespeare play. You can also watch any movie from or inspired by a Shakespeare play. ETA: You can also review plays that you see in a theater as well.

Feel free to take the logo here. If you twitter, please use the hashtag #muchado.

Need some suggestions, check here or here for movies and books check here or here. These lists are intended as inspiration and are by no means comprehensive.


Sign up here with Mr. Linky below. Please post a link to your challenge post. I will have a separate post for reviews starting in September.  The post for reviews is here.




If Mr. Linky is not working, respond in the comments with your information.

Stephanie Plum Reading Challenge - COMPLETE

A challenge that will help me fulfill a long time goal: finally getting around to reading those Stephanie Plum books I have laying around. My mom buys them and then I "borrow" them, but I haven't picked one up in a long time. I'm the one that got her reading them in the first place. *shakes head* Ah, well.

From J. Kaye's Book Blog, the Stephanie Plum Reading Challenge, the goal is to get caught up on the Stephanie Plum series, so create a list of the books you haven't read yet. You have between now and December 31, 2010. Don't include books you've read prior to or started before 7/23/09.

Here are the books that I need to read to get caught up:

1. Twelve Sharp
2. Plum Lovin
3. Lean Mean Thirteen
4. Plum Lucky
5. Fearless Fourteen
6. Plum Spooky
7. Finger Lickin' Fifteen

Everything Austen Challenge

Honestly, who can resist a Jane Austen Challenge? Not me apparently. So I'm joining another challenge from Stephanie's Written Word!

Here are the details:

The Everything Austen Challenge will run for six months (July 1, 2009 – January 1, 2010)! All you need to do is pick out what six Austen-themed things you want to finish to complete the challenge.
What is considered Austen-themed? Obviously, any of the books Jane Austen wrote herself count, so if you’ve been contemplating reading one of her novels, now is the time! Or, maybe watch the different movie versions of Pride and Prejudice. You could even try reading one of the many sequels written by various authors or listen to one in your car on your way to work. Truly, the list can be endless! All you need to do is pick six Austen-themed items to read and/or watch to participate. Note that you can mix it up a bit – maybe commit to watching three movies and reading two books – or if your TBR pile is huge, pick out six movies you would like to watch – YOU DECIDE!

ETA: I've decided to go with the all Pride and Prejudice list. I think that it will be fun to see the different versions or takes on the quintessential Austen book. I'm going to have to read the original version first since it has been a long time.

although I should do an all Pride and Prejudice list...which would look like this:

1. Pride and Prejudice (Austen)
2. Pride and Prejudice (BBC mini-series)
3. Pride and Prejudice (2005 movie)
4. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Grahame-Smith)
5. Bride and Prejudice
6. Enthusiasm (Shulman) which is a YA book based on P&P

My first list if you are interested:

1. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Grahame-Smith)
2. Mr. Darcy, Vamprye (Grange)
3. What Would Jane Austen do? (Brown)
4. Pride and Prejudice (2005 movie)
5. Clueless
6. Emma

or 2. Pride and Prejudice (Austen)

Take a Chance Challenge - COMPLETE

So I have been contemplating this challenge for a little while now and since I finished the YA Challenge, I've decided to join. So here is the Take a Chance Challenge from Jenners' Find Your Next Book Here. The challenge will run from June 1, 2009 through November 30, 2009




This challenge is all about taking chances in your reading. There are 10 tasks in all -- 7 involve finding a book to read in very random ways. The last three tasks are about taking chances as a writer as you are challenged to take on the role of short story writer, poet and movie/book reviewer. The challenge is meant to be fun and no pressure. Complete as many or a few of the 10 challenges as you want. However, the more you complete, the more chances you'll get to win the grand prize.

I'll list my books here as well as on her blog. This will be a true challenge for me.

Here are the challenges:

1. √ Unscripted by Amy Kaye (Random Book.)
   
2. √ The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman (Random Word. Silence.)
   
3. √ Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi & Ron Barrett (Birth Year Book. 1978.)
   
4. √ Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors (Judge A Book By Its Cover.)
   
5. √ The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Phoning An Author) Collins. (googled YA author collins and this was first)
6. √ The Giver by Lois Lowry (Public Spying.)
   
7. √ Mrs. Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico (Random Bestseller.)
   
8.    Lit Riff. write about a song. not doing this one.
   
9. √ Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Poetic Review.)
   
10. √ James and the Giant Peach (Roald Dahl) found at this website. (Movie/Book Comparison)

GLBT Challenge 2009 - COMPLETE

I am joining the GLBT Challenge 2009 hosted by Amanda at The Zen Leaf. The challenge is to read 6 GLBT books from July 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. This will be a real challenge since I don't read a lot of GLBT books in general. Here is my list.





1. √ Kissing Kate - Lauren Myracle

2. √ Boy Meets Boy - David Leviathan

3. √ Another Kind of Cowboy - Susan Juby

4. √ Between Mom and Jo - Julie Anne Peters

5.√ The Straight Road to Kylie - Nico Medina

6. √ Ash - Malinda Lo

********

Some alternates (Mostly YA) are:

The Bermudez Triangle - Maureen Johnson

Belmondo Style - Adam Berlin

Rainbow Boys - Alex Sanchez

Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List - Rachel Cohen & David Leviathan

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - Tom Robbins

Down to the Bone - Mayra Lazara Dole

The Straight Road to Kylie - Nico Medina

Hero - Perry Moore (I've read this before and it was very good. It's about a gay superhero.)

Scott Westerfeld Mini-Challenge - COMPLETE

I am joining another challenge. This one is the Scott Westerfeld Mini-Challenge hosted by Becky. The challenge is to read at least two Westerfeld books, but I've read most of them already. So my challenge is to read the Midnighters series or at least the first two books. Here I go.
January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.

1. The Secret Hour (Midnighters #1)
2. Touching Darkness (Midnighters #2)

DONE 12.9.09

2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge - COMPLETE

Another book challenge! From J. Kaye's Book Blog, the challenge is to read your choice of 12, 25 or 50 books from your local library throughout the year. I am going to choose the 25 book challenge only because I have a lot of books in my office to read. I'll be listing them here as I go.



1. Ender in Exile - Orson Scott Card

2. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman

3. Savvy - Ingrid Law

4. Switch - Carol Snow

5. Need - Carrie Jones

6. Eternal - Cynthia Leitich Smith

7. Impossible - Nancy Werlin

8. Being Nikki - Meg Cabot

9. Dirty Laundry - Daniel Ehrenhaft

10. The Last Olympian - Rick Riordian

11. The Stepsister Scheme - Jim C. Hines

12. Ink Exchange - Melissa Marr

13. Fragile Eternity - Melissa Marr

14. Graceling - Kristin Cashore

15. The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King

16. The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

17. The Forest of Teeth and Hands by Carrie Ryan

18. The Real Deal: Unscripted by Amy Kaye

19. Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle

20. Hunger by Michael Grant

21. Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop by Jennifer Allison

22. Boy Meets Boy by David Leviathan

23. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

24. Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter

25. Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz

2009 Audio Book Challenge - COMPLETE

I have decided to do J. Kaye's Book Blog: 2009 Audio Book Challenge. The challenge is to listen to 12 audio book before the end of the year. I'll be listing them here, but I'll start from today.



1. Charlie Bone and the Beast by Jenny Nimmo

2. Charlie Bone and the Shadow by Jenny Nimmo

3. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

4. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitech Smith

5. Sabriel by Garth Nix

6. The Giver by Lois Lowry

7. Lirael by Garth Nix

8. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

9. Abhorsen by Garth Nix

10. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

11. Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey

12. The Calder Game by Blue Balliet

2009 Young Adult Book Challenge - COMPLETE

COMPLETED

I've decided to do a book challenge and I'll start with something I'm good at, YA books. I'll be doing the 2009 Young Adult Book Challenge hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog and I'll be listing my books here as I go. The challenge is to read 12 YA books this year.


Here is my completed list of books.!


1. Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

2. Need by Carrie Jones

3. Switch by Carol Snow

4. Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

5. I So Don't Do Mysteries by Barrie Summy

6. This Book Isn't Fat, It's Fabulous by Nina Beck

7. Impossible by Nancy Werlin

8. Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

9. Dirty Laundry by Daniel Ehrenhaft

10. The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines

11. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

12. Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr