European Reading Challenge 2014

I haven't yet finished reviews for the books I read last year for this challenge. I will shortly. I am signing up for the 2014 edition hoping to read more than 5 books based in Europe for the European Reading Challenge. I am planning to count books read in January for the 2014 Edition. 

Women Challenge

I am signing up for Level 4 to read 20+ books by women authors for the Women Challenge. My favourite authors are

George Eliot

Agatha Christie 

Ruth Rendell

The Eclectic Reader 2014 Challenge

In it’s third year, the aim of The Eclectic Reader 2014 Challenge is to push you outside your comfort zone by reading up to 12 books during the year from 12 different categories.

Categories

1. Award Winning
2. True Crime (Non Fiction)
3. Romantic Comedy
4. Alternate History Fiction
5. Graphic Novel
6. Cosy Mystery Fiction
7. Gothic Fiction
8. War/Military Fiction
9. Anthology
10. Medical Thriller Fiction
11. Travel (Non Fiction)
12. Published in 2014

Back To the Classics 2014

I do love reading classics but sometimes I need the extra push to pick a classic instead of a crime novel. I find this challenge helps me to pick up those books that I enjoy but keep putting it off for another day. I am mostly aiming for the required categories may read one or two optional categories.

Karen K at Books and Chocolate has agreed to take on Sarah's Back to the Classics Challenge for 2014.  

To check out the rest of the guidelines click on the link above.

And finally. . . . The 2014 categories: 

Required:

1. A 20th Century Classic
2. A 19th Century Classic
3. A Classic by a Woman Author
4. A Classic in Translation  If English is not your primary language, then books originally published in English are acceptable.  You could also read the book in its original language if you are willing and able to do so.
5. A Classic About War  2014 will be the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I.  Any book relating to a war is fine -- WWI, WWII, the French Revolution, the War of the Worlds -- your choice.
6. A Classic by an Author Who Is New To You This can be any author whose works you have not read before.  It doesn't necessarily have to be an author you've never heard of.  

Optional Categories:

1. An American Classic
2. A Classic Mystery, Suspense or Thriller 
3. A Historical Fiction Classic.  This is any classic set at least 50 years before the time when it was written.  For example, Margaret Mitchell published Gone with the Wind 70 years after the end of the Civil War; therefore, it is considered a historical novel.  A Tale of Two Cities and The Scarlet Letter are also historical novels.  However, older classics set during the period in which they were written are not considered historical; for example, the novels of Jane Austen.
4. A Classic That's Been Adapted Into a Movie or TV Series.  Any period, any genre!  This is practically a free choice category.  However, it's a separate category than the required categories.
5. Extra Fun Category:  Write a Review of the Movie or TV Series adapted from Optional Category #4.  This should be some kind of posting reviewing the book read for the previous optional category above. It can be any adaptation -- does not have to be adapted before 1964.  For example, if you chose Pride and Prejudice as your the optional classic above, you could review any adaptation -- 1940, 1980, 1995, 2005, etc. These two optional categories go together, but this must be a separate blog posting -- no fair just mentioning it in the book review!

What’s In A Name VII

I am signing- up  for the seventh annual What’s In A Name challenge, originally started by Annie, handed to Beth Fish Reads, and now continued here at The Worm Hole. 

The basics

The challenge runs from January to December. During this time you choose a book to read from each of the following categories (examples of books you could choose are in brackets):

• A reference to time (Eleven Minutes, Before Ever After)
• A position of royalty (The People’s Queen, The Last Empress, The Curse Of The Pharaoh)
• A number written in letters (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, A Tale Of Two Cities)
• A forename or names (Rebecca, Eleanor & Park, The Unfinished Work Of Elizabeth D.)
• A type or element of weather (Gone With The Wind, Red Earth Pouring Rain)

Meet the Protagonist Reading Challenge 2014

I am signing up for the Meet the Protagonist Reading Challenge 2014

The Protagonist Categories:

• A woman who is a mother.
• A real life person who written into a fictional story.
• A person that changes forms.
• A person who is from a country different than the one you currently live in.
• A person who lived before WW1.
• A person who lives by a body of water.
• A person younger than 18.
• A character that is in a book series.

2014 Book Bingo Challenge

I am signing up for the 2014 Book Bingo Challenge, hosted by Kristilyn from Reading in Winter and Anne fromCreativity’s Corner!   I saw Bev @ My Reader's Block having lots of fun with it last year, I was very much tempted but to read 72 Books for one challenge didn't look doable to me, this year the number is lower, only 55 amd seems almost do-able. As of now I am looking for two bingos only. Lets see about later. 

• Reading the books in our TBR pile
• Re-reading some books
• Stepping outside of our comfort zone in reading
• Reading some newly released books
• Reading books from series that we have started & have been neglecting

In order to keep track of everything, they came up with a fancy, schmancy scoreboard:

Mad Libs Challenge

I couldn't resist this! Here is mine 

Here’s the list:

character name – Miss Phyrne Fisher Investigates by Kerry Greenwood

adjective1 – Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

adjective2 – Black Mountain by Rex Stout 

item – White Bones by Graham Masterton

occupation – The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo

act of violence – Pushing the Limits by Katie Mcgarry

adjective3 – The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg

noun1 –  Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin

noun2 –  Killer's Island by Anna Jansson

 

Here’s the story:

I just read the greatest book!

This guy Phyrne Fisher ends up in the middle of a Crooked conspiracy. Turns out her ancestors were pirates, and she might be the key to finding the Black Bones. It’s a mythic artifact that disappeared centuries ago, and now a shadowy group of Policemen are looking for it. No one knows what uncovering it might do, but these guys are willing to Push the Limits for it.

I won’t say anything else. But believe me, if you like Ice(y) stories with Saints and Killers, you have to read this one.

Bout of Books 9.0 Sign Up

I am signing up for the Bout of Books Read-a-Thon! I haven't read anything from the start of the New Year. I may not be able to do much Reading later into the the month. So it is a perfect time to catch up on some reading. Here is the information about the Read-A-Thon

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 6th and runs through Sunday, January 12th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 9.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I am not very ambitious I hope to read may be three books. I have already started one and hope to finish it too! 

The Color Coded Reading Challenge 2014 Sign Up

I am signing up for The  Color Coded Reading Challenge hosted by Bev@ My Reader's Block

*Read nine books in the following categories.

1. A book with "Blue" or any shade of Blue (Turquoise, Aquamarine, Navy, etc) in the title. 

2. A book with "Red" or any shade of Red (Scarlet, Crimson, Burgandy, etc) in the title.

3. A book with "Yellow" or any shade of Yellow (Gold, Lemon, Maize, etc.) in the title.

4. A book with "Green" or any shade of Green (Emerald, Lime, Jade, etc) in the title.

5. A book with "Brown" or any shade of Brown (Tan, Chocolate, Beige, etc) in the title.

6. A book with "Black" or any shade of Black (Jet, Ebony, Charcoal, etc) in the title.

7. A book with "White" or any shade of White (Ivory, Eggshell, Cream, etc) in the title.

8. A book with any other color in the title (Purple, Orange, Silver, Pink, Magneta, etc.).

9. A book with a word that implies color (Rainbow, Polka-dot, Plaid, Paisley, Stripe, etc.).

Vintage Mystery Bingo 2014

I am signing up for the Vintage Mystery Bingo Gold and Silver Edition. I am planning to read 12 books in the Gold Edition and six for the silver edition. So a total of 18 books which is what I read for the 2013 edition.