Review of the Year 2014- Challenges

I’ve done just two challenges this year. I’m only doing The Rory List this year, I am trying to make my blogging more relaxed, and Rory is really an if it comes up challenge rather than a strive for numbers challenge

Edward Herman (who played Richard Gilmore) died on New Year’s Eve so it seems fitting that The Rory List should be my only challenge this year

The Rory List (ongoing challenge)

There has been a bit of a crossover with my other challenge, which is good, so I think I did good on this this year, 7 books:

Night (not yet reviewed)

31 Songs

Slaughterhouse 5

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Little Women

House of Sand and Fog (started 2013)

 

I gave up on the TBR Pile Challenge About half way through the year, I was having stress in other parts of my life and wanted to make other things relaxed. I read 5 of 12 books:

A Game of Thrones

Dracula

Persuasion

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Little Women

 

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2014 TBR Pile Challenge

Seeing as my challenges didn’t go so well last year, I’m trying to save money, and I have two tons of books on my To Be Read pile I thought I would sign up to just one challenge this year.

That challenge is the 2014 TBR Challenge hosted by Roof Beam Reader. The aim of the challenge is to read 12 books over 12 months which have been on your TBR pile for over a year (so no adding your Christmas present books!).

Here’s my list of intended reads:

1) Rebecca- Daphne du Maurier (so apparently I don’t actually have this one…opps)

2) A Game of Thrones- George R.R Martin Read March

3) Dracula- Bram Stocker Read January

4) Little Women- Louisa May Alcott Read February

5) Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell- Suzanna Clarke

6) Persuasion- Jane Austen Read May

7) Oryx and Crake- Margaret Atwood

8) The Colour of Magic- Terry Pratchett

9) The Philosophical Baby- Alison Gopnik

10) The Good Angel of Death- Andrey Kurkov

11) The Wizard of Oz- L. Frank Baum Read April

12) The Lord of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Ring- J.R.R Tolkien

Alternates:

1) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies- Seth Grahame-Smith

2) Jemrach’s Menagerie- Carol Birch

Review of the Year 2013- Challenges

I’ve taken part in 3 challenges this year, err and not done great in any. I’m considering the TBR Challenge for next year, but may just go for a challenge free year (except for Rory)

The Rory List (ongoing challenge)

This year I’ve read only 2 books from The Rory List

Emma

House of Sand and Fog (not yet reviewed)

Less than last year, but I have a few lined up for 2014.

I was so excited for the Out of Your Comfort Zone Challenge but things didn’t go so well. I started off well, but partly problems with other people not really participating, partly a lack of finding enjoyable books, and partly trying to save money meant it dropped off my radar after a while. I read only 4 books (and one was an accident!), having aimed for 12

Deep Powder

The Pearl Savage

The Woodcutter

Capitol Hell

I did better with the Wishlist Challenge 2013 and read 9 wishlist books:

The Snow Child

The Lifeboat

Peaches for Monsieur Le Curé

Painter of Silence

Dearly Devoted Dexter

Diary of a Jetsetting Call Girl

Still Alice

The Woman Who Died A Lot

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest

Review of the Year 2012- Challenges

The Rory List (ongoing challenge)

This year I have read 5 (arguably 6) books from the Rory List

The Crimson Petal and the White

The Great Gatsby

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Pride and Prejudice

(Grimm’s Fairytales– I had already read a different version of this)

The Virgin Suicides

I beat last year’s total, which had been my aim, being able to get some for free on my kindle has helped.

Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge 2012

Didn’t do well on this one at all this year, only one book. I had aimed to read 5, but I struggled with 1Q84 and I have an edition with books 1 & 2 together so I wasn’t allowing myself to get another Murakami until I had finished that- which I still haven’t done. The site doesn’t appear to be as active this year either so I don’t know if it will be happening next year.

1Q84 (Book 1)

Next year I am really excited for my own challenge The Out of Your Comfort Zone Challenge. The idea is that you read books you wouldn’t usually read, and hopefully find something new to love.

I’m also participating in the Wishlist Challenge 2013.

Wishlist Challenge 2013

In addition to my own challenge I’ve decided to take part in the Wishlist Challenge next year. As my wishlist has 114 books on it, and I don’t tend to buy from it this seems like the perfect challenge for me.

The basic idea is that you read 12 books which were on your wishlist at the end of 2012, you can’t include books which were added in 2013, or which you bought before the end of 2012. You can join in, and read the full rules at Uniflame Creates

As I’ve sent my wishlist to my family for Christmas presents I’m not going to choose until after Christmas which 12 books I most want to read, but I have made a goodreads list of all the books currently on my wishlist.

Out Your Comfort Zone Challenge

Hi everyone.

After debating it last year (but never actually doing anything about it) I have decided to set up the Out Your Comfort Zone Reading Challenge for 2013. I would love it if you would like to join in.

The idea is that you read genres that you wouldn’t normally read, and hopefully find something new which you love.

I’ve set up a new blog especially for the challenge and you can sign-up there.

Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge

I’ve decided to join in the Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge. It’s a pretty easy one, all you need to do is read one book by Haruki Murakami, as I’ve done at least that the last 2 years that should be really easy so I’m going to go for the Sheep Man level which is to read 3 books…I think that’s achievable!

I’m going to add the reviews I’ve already read to the list too

Related Articles

• Norwegian Wood- Haruki Murakami (lucybirdbooks.wordpress.com)
• Kafka on the Shore- Haruki Murakami (lucybirdbooks.wordpress.com)

The Take a Chance Challenge 2011

I saw this challenge on eclectic/ecentric and thought it looked like a fun one, especially to find some books I wouldn’t have previously look at. The challenge is hosted by Life with books Titles/options in blue are what I pick

The 2011 Challenges

1: Staff  Member’s Choice: Go to a bookstore or library that has a “Staff Picks” section. Read one of the picks from that section.

2: Loved One’s Choice: Ask a loved one to pick a book for you to read. (If you can convince them to buy it for you, that is even better!)

I Am Number Four- Pittacus Lore. Recommended by my wonderful boyfriend

3: Blogger’s Choice: Find a “Best Books Read” post from a favorite blogger. Read a book from their list.

The Siege- Helen Dunmore recommended by Farm Lane Books

4: Critic’s Choice: Find a “Best of the Year” list from a magazine, newspaper or professional critic. Read a book from their Top 10 list.

The Hare with Amber Eyes- Edmund de Waal is mentioned by more than one writer in The Guardian. (So incidentally is Freedom- Jonathan Franzen but that seems like too obvious a choice)

5: Blurb Book: Find a book that has a blurb on it from another author. Read a book by the author that wrote the blurb.

Nick Hornby- About a Boy (from blurb of One Day- David Nicholls)

6: Book Seer Pick: Go to The Book Seer and follow the instructions there. Read a book from the list it generates for you.

The Terrible Privacy Of Maxwell Sim- Jonathan Coe

7: What Should I Read Next Pick : Go to What Should I Read Next and follow the instructions there. Read a book from the list it generates for you.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay- Michael Chabon

8: Which Book Pick: Go to Which Book and use the software to generate a list of books. Read a book from that list.

The Earth Hums in B-Flat- Mari Strachan

9: LibraryThing Pick: Go to LibraryThing’s Zeitgeist page. Look at the lists for 25 Most Reviewed Books or Top Books and pick a book you’ve never read. Read the book. (Yes … you can click on MORE if you have to.)

The Graveyard Book- Neil Gaiman

10: Pick A Method: Pick a method for finding a book from the choices listed below (used in previous versions of the challenge).

• Random Book Selection. Go to the library. Position yourself in a section such as Fiction, Non-Fiction, Mystery, Children (whatever section you want). Then write down random directions for yourself (for example, third row, second shelf, fifth book from right). Follow your directions and see what book you find. Check that book out of the library, read it and then write about it. (If you prefer, you can do the same at a bookstore and buy the book!)
• Public Spying. Find someone who is reading a book in public. Find out what book they are reading and then read the same book. Write about it.
• Random Bestseller. Go to Random.org and, using the True Random Number Generator, enter the number 1950 for the min. and 2010 for the max. and then hit generate. Then go to this site and find the year that Random.org generated for you and click on it. Then find the bestseller list for the week that would contain your birthday for that year. Choose one of the bestsellers from the list that comes up, read it and write about it.

Post a week Challenge

I’ve decided to take part in  Wordpress’ Post a Week challenge next year. The idea s pretty simple, to post at least one post every week during 2011. They are also doing a Post a Day challenge but seeing as I can’t read a whole book everyday, and want my blog to remain a book blog I don’t think I could post everyday without resorting to memes…and lots of memes are something which put me off reading other blogs.