Second Unread Author Challenge and Bang Bang Challenge - DONE

I'll more or less be reusing the same list for these two challenges, so it goes in the same post:

The Second Unread Authors Challenge

Rules:
1. The challenge will run from August 1, 2008 to January 31, 2009. You may join at any time before or during those six months.
2. During those six months, read at least SIX books by an author whose work you have never read before.
3. You may choose six different "unread" authors to introduce yourself to, or you may choose just one or two and explore their work in greater depth.
4. Authors may be drawn from any genre of literature. The only requirement is that they be authors whose work you substantially regret not having read yet.
5. Your choices may overlap with other challenges you have underway.

My books:
1) Reading Lolita in Tehran - Azar Nafisi
2) Atonement - Ian McEwan
3) The Other Boleyn Girl - Phillippa Gregory
4) Bitten - Kelley Armstrong
5) Kushiel's Dart - Jacqueline Carey
6) A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

All except #4 are reused for the BangBang Book Challenge for which the rules are to read 5 fiction books set during a war between September 1st and February 28th (the challenge said that wars are defined loosely, so I hope that means fictional wars count too ;) ).

2nds Challenge - 2008 - DONE!

Have you recently (or not so recently) read a book by a "new-to-you" author and can't wait to dive into another one of his/her books? If so, please join us in the second 2nds Challenge!

Read 4 books by authors that you have only read one other between September 1st and December 31st, 2008

My list:
* The Scarlet Spy - Andrea Pickens
* Ashling - Isobelle Carmody
* The Novice - Trudi Canavan
* Avalon High - Meg Cabot

Lit Flick Challenge

RULES
1. Challenge runs from September 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009.
2. Read 5 books/pieces of literature that have been made into movies.
3. Then watch at least 2 of the movie adaptations of the works you read.
4. Your list may change at any time and may include overlaps with other challenges.

My list:
1) The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
2) Atonement - Ian McEwan
3) The Jane Austen Book Club - Karen Fowler (Saw the movie and thought the movie was loads better than the book - that's unusual!)
4) The Cider House Rules - John Irving
5) Kramer vs. Kramer - Avery Corman

I haven't yet decided which two to watch, but probably 1) and 3).

(These books will also double for the Book to movie challenge)

Naming Conventions Challenge - Read books dictated by your name - DONE!

Graphic kindly provided by Jaime!

My aim with making this challenge is to have as random a challenge as possible but still having some sort of guideline to work from. Yes, I'm weird, I know.

Even the length of the challenge is random! Well, it starts on September 1st, but how long it lasts depends on how long your name is.

Confused yet? No reason to be, just hang on, and I'll explain it all.

Instructions
1) Write down your first name (or whatever name you usually go by)
2) Do any or all of the following (i.e. do 2a and/or 2b and/or 2c):
2a) For each letter, pick an author whose last name starts with that letter.
2b) For each letter, pick an author whose first name starts with that letter.
2c) For each letter, pick a book that starts with that letter.
3) Books can be cross-overs from other challenges, but each book can only be used once in this challenge. Authors may be repeated though.
4) The challenge lasts one month per letter of your name
5) Sign up by commenting to this post.

The books can be read in any order and the list changed at any time during the challenge.

So for me, my name being Maria, the list could look something like this.

2a	2b	2c
Meyer, Stephenie Applegate, K.A. Rosenthal, Amy Krouse Irving, John Armstrong, Kelley	Marian Keyes Anne McCaffrey R.J. Anderson Ian McEwan Angela Lam Turpin	Magicians' Guild And Then He Kissed Her Reunion I Do Again Avalon High

All books
Stephenie Meyer: Eclipse
K.A. Applegate: Animorphs 35: The Proposal
Amy Krouse Rosenthal: Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life
John Irving: The Cider House Rules
Kelley Armstrong: Bitten

Marian Keyes: Last Chance Saloon
Anne McCaffrey: Dragonflight
R.J. Anderson: Knife
Ian McEwan: Atonement
Angela Lam Turpin: Legs

Trudi Canavan: Magicians' Guild, The
Laura Lee Guhrke: And Then He Kissed Her
Fred Uhlman: Reunion
Scruggs: I Do Again
Meg Cabot: Avalon High

Alternatives:
Reading Lolita in Tehran - Azar Nafisi (for book 'R')
A Mango-Shaped Space - Wendy Mass (for book 'A')
Since my name is 5 letters, the challenge ends on February 1st, 2009.

Finished 2b and 2c

What An Animal - Wrap up

I finished "What An Animal" over the weekend. Even with 12 books instead of 6 it was a quick challenge as they were short books ;) I'll continue reading the series though, so who knows - I may make it through all 64 books before the challenge is out :D

So far my two favourites were #13 The Change and #19 The Departure as I found those the two most poignant and thought-provoking so far. Yes, I know they're children's books, and crappy ones at that, but still.

The Change showed the Hork Bajir(sp?) for what they are when not infested with Yeerks, and gave Tobias another chance.
The Departure finally touched upon the moral dilemma of the Animorphs and the fact that not all Yeerks are intently evil.

Good books both of them.

YA Romance Challenge - DONE

* Read six YA romance novels between July 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009.
* Romance should be a strong element within the story. But it doesn't have to be the only element. Realistic fiction (contemporary). Historical. Fantasy. Science Fiction. Retold Fairy Tales. All genres are allowed.
* They can be part of a series, or stand-alones.
* They can be long or short.
* Happy books are NOT a requirement
* Audio books are allowed.
* Up to three movies can be substituted for books. So you could watch 3 movies, read 3 books if you prefer.

My books:
* Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
* Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
* Avalon High - Meg Cabot
* Checkmate - Malorie Blackman
* Haunted Sister - Lael Littke
* Tell Me How The Wind Sounds - Leslie Davis Guccione

Alternatives:
Dragonfly - Julia Golding

The ARC challenge - DONE

The challenge will run from June 21, 2008-September 21, 2008. It will be to help those of us with ARC's to get in gear and read and review them.

Here are the rules:

1. Make a list of all of the ARC's that you currently have and/or are on their way to you.

2. If you have:
1-3 ARC's then pick at least one to read and review for this challenge.
4-6 ARC's then pick at least two to read and review for this challenge.
7-9 ARC's then pick at least three to read and review for this challenge.
10 or more Arc's then pick at least 4 to read and review for this challenge.

I'm going to just stick with the ARCs I already have, as living in Denmark I can never be 100% sure that the books allegedly on their way here actually arrive (some publishers pull the book when realising the costs of shipping here.

So I'm going to read and review the following:
"The Millionaire's Proposal" by Trish Wylie
"The Hidden Man" by Anthony Flacco
"The Scrapbook" by Peggy B. Baker

...adding more to the list as they come.

What An Animal - DONE

The rules are simple:
1. Read at least 6 books that have any of these requirements:
a. an animal in the title of the book
b. an animal on the cover of the book
c. an animal that plays a major role in the book
d. a main character that is or turns into an animal.

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragons, mermaids, centaurs, fairies, vampires...you get the idea...

3. Challenge runs from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.

This is almost too easy as I want to read the Animorphs series. Every book in this series has an animal on the cover of the book and main characters turning into animals. So since the Animorph books are so short (only around 150 pages each) I'm going to extend the challenge and say I have to read 12 books.
* #7 - The Stranger
* #11 - The Forgotten
* #12 - The Reaction
* #13 - The Change
* #14 - The Unknown
* #15 - The Escape
* #16 - The Warning
* #17 - The Underground
* #18 - The Decision
* #19 - The Departure
* #20 - The Discovery
* #21 - The Threat

July Book Blowout - DONE

This challenge is almost too easy. I don't even have to write a list, but just set myself a goal for how many books I want to read in July. The rules are as follows:
* Only books read between July 1 and July 31 count towards the challenge
* You can include re-reads - as long as they are read within the month of July
* Books you abandon will only count as half a book
* If you read to your children you can include all books which have more than 100 pages
* You can include up to two graphic novels
* You can include up to two audio books - (if you have a visual impairment that prevents you from reading then you can use just audio books for the challenge)
* Books you read for other challenges are eligible - use this as an opportunity to catch up!
* If you start a book before July 1 and then finish it during the month of July then you can count is as half a book

I have a lot of REALLY long books (3 book between 600-1400 pages) coming up, so I'm going to aim for 15 but of course hope I manage more than that :)

This makes me want to do a challenge where you aim for a number of pages rather than a number of books. Hmmm... watch this space :D

A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

I'm glad to say that A Thousand Splendid Suns is MILES better than The Kite Runner and has restored my faith in Khaled Hosseini's writing abilities. I highly recommend it - even if you didn't like KR.

Knife Edge - Malorie Blackman

Unfortunately Knife Edge doesn't quite live up to the first book in the series. It's a lot darker, more slow-moving and ends with a bigger cliff-hanger. I'd already ordered the last book in the trilogy before reading this one, or I'm not sure I'd have bothered.

Wild Mountain Thyme - Rosamunde Pilcher

Wild Mountain Thyme isn't Rosamunde Pilcher's best, but it definitely isn't her worst either. A good read, if you've got nothing better to do.

Whitethorn Woods - Maeve Binchy

Whitethorn Woods is unfortunately not Maeve Binchy's finest work. Not that she could ever write something decidedly boring, but since it's constructed as a bunch of short stories with a common theme, I never got as interested in the characters as I would in one of her other novels. A shame, as I usually consider her among my favourite authors.

Summer Reading Challenge - DONE

Since I just finished the Spring Reading Thing, I do of course have to join the Summer Reading Challenge. The challenge runs from June 1st (so I'm a bit late, but I'll manage) to August 31st. There's no specific number of books to be read, but the purpose is to encourage "intentional" reading - i.e. change the list as little as possible after the challenge has started!

I'm going to be quite busy the next wee while, so I won't stick to my usual 1 book per week, but give myself a bit of leeway and say 1 book per fortnight, so a total of 7 books (rounding up, of course ;) ) However, to add a bit of challenge to the ... ehh... challenge I'm going to set two other rules for myself: 1) the books cannot be used for any other existing challenge except my personal reading challenge (should I add other challenges later, I can use them). 2) the books must all come from my TBR pile (which is why I had to include the personal reading challenge, or I'd have no books at all to choose from! ;) )

• The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down - Neta Jackson
  
• The Amateur Marriage - Anne Tyler
  
• The Yada-Yada Prayer Group - Neta Jackson
  
• Knife Edge - Malorie Blackman
  
• The Colour Purple - Alice Walker
  
• Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult
  
• Let Me Call You Sweetheart - Mary Higgins Clark
  

On the other hand the rules for the Summer Reading Thing clearly states that the list may be identical to that of another challenge, so I'm killing two birds with one stone and doing that one as well here :-)

The Hunted - Mike Dellosso

By finishing The Hunted I've completed the Pub 2008 challenge. The Hunted read a lot like The Oath by Frank Peretti, and I enjoyed it greatly.

Spring Reading Thing - Wrap-up

I finished the Spring Reading Thing today and am actually very satisfied with the books I chose for it. It's a lot more varied than what I usually read, with a nice selection of new reads and rereads, non-fiction and fiction and books based in several different countries and eras.

The books were:

• The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
  
• The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
  
• Pope Joan - Donna W. Cross
  
• Mathilda - Roald Dahl
  
• Seven For A Secret - Victoria Holt
  
• Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma - Diana Birchall
  
• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne
  
• Wild Swans - Jung Chang
  
• No Compromise - Melody Green
  
• The No 1. Ladies Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith
  
• The Clan of the Cave Bears - Jean M. Auel
  
• Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
  
• The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
  

My favourite book was Water for Elephants, the best surprise was Wild Swans, the biggest disappointment a toss between The Poisonwood Bible and The Red Tent as I'd expected a lot from both, but just didn't think they could deliver. Unfortunately.

I don't think the challenge made me read more than I would've otherwise, but it definitely helped me get through some of those books I've wanted to read for awhile, but just never got around to. I'd definitely be interested in another "Fall Into Reading" challenge this fall.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith

After a slow start, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency turned out to be a very enjoyable read. Not great literature, but entertaining and with sympathetic characters.

Book Binge Challenge - Done!

Here’s how it goes: For the month of May, participants keep track of each and every book you read. At the end of the month, everyone will blog their list of books. Simple, no?

I read a lot of really good books this month :)

Alcott, Louisa May: Eight Cousins, 10/10
Alcott, Louisa May: Rose In Bloom, 9/10
Ali, Ayaan Hirsi: Infidel, 9/10

Chang, Jung: Wild Swans, 9/10
Chapman, Gary: The Five Love Languages, 10/10

Green, Melody: No Compromise, 8/10
Gruen, Sara: Water for Elephants, 9/10

Henderson, Dee: The Truth Seeker, 7/10

Kaye, M.M.: The Ordinary Princess, 9/10
Kingsolver, Barbara: The Poisonwood Bible, 7/10

Martel, Yann: Life of Pi, 10/10
Meyer, Stephenie: The Host, 10/10
Montgomery, Lucy Maud: Across the Miles, 9/10

Nesbit, Edith: Nine Unlikely Tales for Children, 9/10

Pierce, Tamora: Shatterglass (Circle Opens #4), 8/10

Stewart, Mariah: Mercy Street, 8/10

Winfield, Jess: My Name is Will, 8/10

My favourites were Life of Pi and The Host.

Across the Miles - L.M. Montgomery

Lucy Maud Montgomery is one of my favourite authors, and one of the only ones where I actually enjoy her short stories. Across the Miles is my very favourite short story collection, and I'm always glad for a chance to reread it.

Classics Challenge - DONE

Classics: We love them, we hate them, now we are going to challenge ourselves to reading more of them. Because there are so many different types of classics, different genres are acceptable and encouraged--for example, novels, short story collections, non-fiction, poetry, essays--I'm open for other suggestions!

Read 5 classics between July 1st and January 1st
Read 1 book that may not considered classics but that people think should be or will be a classic one day - list of suggestions can be found at http://classics2008.blogspot.com/.

My list
5 old:
* The Rosary - Florence L. Barclay
* Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T.S. Eliot
* The Alpine Path - L.M. Montgomery
* Just So Stories - Rudyard Kipling
* Little Women - L.M. Alcott
1 new:
* A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth