British Books Reading Challenge!

Although I had kinda said to myself "don't sign up to loads of reading challenges cos you'll only put pressure on yourself to complete them" I still thought I ought to sign up for this particular challenge what with being British and all.

The British Books Challenge is being hosted by The Bookette

The idea behind the challenge is simple, for those home grown Brit folk like myself the aim is to support our marvellous authors by trying to read 12 books by British Authors in 2011. The books can be new or old and from any genre you like.

If you need more motivation to sign up then never fear! The Bookette has had loads of support from several Fab UK publishers and there will be awesome prize packs chock full of goodies that BBC participants can win during the year (a la The Debut Author Challenge).

My Brit Books Reading List

I'm a tad late to start this challenge but I've already read a couple of books by Brits so it's not too bad. I don't want to pick out a set list of books I want to read since I'll invariably end up not wanting to read them when it's an obligation.

1. The Radleys by Matt Haig - Review

2. Stolen by Lucy Christopher - Review

I'll update reviews on this post as the year goes on and hopefully I can smash the 12 book target to smithereens since I have multiple works by non-YA authors such as Elizabeth Chadwick and Daphne du Maurier which I really need to read.

Toodles folk!

LadyV

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Another Challenge! Wordsworth Classics Challenge

Since I was thinking that I hadn't signed up to enough official reading challenges that I would scour the blogosphere to find some suitable one and look what I came across! Over on Deranged Book Lovers they are hosting the Wordsworth Classics Reading Challenge for 2011.

If you have been following my blog for a while you may have noticed that I have acquired a *lot* of Wordsworth edition classics over the past year with the intention of reading them... someday so this challenge sounds like a fab idea to knock a few books off my TBR pile (which is teetering ever closer to 200). The rules are pretty simple and there's even a contest running over the whole year which will be drawn on Dec 25th 2011 for $15 worth of Classic novels off the Book Depository!

Ze Rules

• You can read any classic novels which are included in list of Wordsworth Classics. You don't need to read wordsworth edition, you can pick any publisher releases as long as those releases are unabridged.
• It’s okay to re-read. You can put the book you’ve read in the past in your list as long as you’re going to read it again in 2011. Set your target and list the book you want to read along with the challenge button in your blog and fill the form. Don't forget to put the link in Mr. Linky! This way I can keep track of your progress and add you as candidate for the giveaway.
• You don't have to review those books but if you want you can link them so I can read it ^^. I will provide a follow-up blog post for that and you can link your reviews or anything related to this challenge.
• This is a year-long challenge (Jan 1, 2011 - Dec 23, 2011) so you can still commit to it in the middle of year 2011. All you need to do is fill the form. I will announce the giveaway winner on December 25, 2011.

You can choose how many books you want to attempt and the different levels are as such:

Set your target!
Peasant: 1-4 books
Bourgeois: 5-8 books
Knight: 9 – 12 books
Noble: more than 12 books

I will probably be aiming for the Bourgeois category but if I can sneak into being a Knight then that's fine by me. Since I'm thinking of doing a month-long feature orientated around Classics sometime in late Spring I may get a good few of my challenge reads done then. 

Some of the books I want to read

1. Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
2. Villette by Charlotte Bronte
3. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
4. The Lost World and other Stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
5. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
6. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
7. Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
8. Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 
9. Dracula by Bram Stoker
10. Vanity Fair by William Thackeray

Obviously I may read more or less than that but I'd rather like to get these in particular read.

I may sign up to a couple more challenges when I find some - does anyone know of a Chunky Book challenge? Cos I have several 600+ page tomes that I could do with knocking off my TBR pile.

It's nearly New Year and I can't wait to see what awesome books I read in 2011!

LadyV

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YA Historical Fiction Challenge!

Ok folks I'm jumping on the bandwagon! I have a good chunk of YA Historical fiction (and adult HF come to that) sat on my TBR pile so this challenge will be a fab way to whittle those books off the ma-hussive pile.

It's being hosted by YA Bliss and there are a few rules for the challenge

Choose your level:

~Level 1 = 5 YA HF books in 2011

~Level 2 = 10 YA HF books in 2011

~Level 3 = 15 YA HF books in 2011

-All HF books must be YA or MG

-Books *don't* have to be 2011 releases

-Anyone can join

-You can join at any time, the challenge runs from 1st Jan until 31st Dec 2011

Some of the books I will read for this challenge

Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

Ivy by Julie Hearn

Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

The Lady in the Tower by Marie-Louise Jensen

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Although I currently only have 8 YA HF books on the TBR pile I shall aim for Level 3 since I'm sure to buy more books in 2011 that can be used for this challenge :P 

So who else is taking part? Does anyone have any suggestions for challenges I should join in 2011?

Let me know!!

LadyV

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