2012 Finishing the Series Challenge

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Finishing the Series Challenge
Hosts: Socrates' Book Reviews

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Any books read and reviewed in 2012 that are part of a series you're trying to complete.
Levels: Three. I'm choosing Level 3: 3 or more series.
Prizes? None.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

Since it looks like the YA Series Challenge isn't happening, I wanted a challenge to help me keep track of series I read. Plus, since I started so many series last year, it'll feel good to catch up on some of my old favorites.

Some books I'm considering:

An Echo in the Bone
Goliath
River Marked
City of Fallen Angels

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 First in the Series Challenge

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 First in a Series Challenge
Hosts: A Few More Pages

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Any books read and reviewed in 2012 that are the start of a series.
Levels: Four. I'm choosing the Series Expert level: 12 series.
Prizes? None.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

During the course of last year, I started quite a few new series. Since there are always new series coming out in YA fiction, and I still have a few I'd like to start, this challenge seemed appropriate.

Some books I'm considering:

Halfway to the Grave
Divergent
The Ivy
Personal Demons

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 Dusty Volumes Reading Challenge

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Dusty Volumes Reading Challenge
Hosts: Midnyte Reader

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Any books read and reviewed in 2012 that have a publishing date before 1960.
Levels: None. Set your own number.
Prizes? None.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

There are a lot of classics that I still haven't read, and this gives me a good excuse to read them.

Some books I'm considering:

Gone with the Wind
Pride & Prejudice
Brave New World
Wuthering Heights

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 Time Travel Reading Challenge

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Time Travel Reading Challenge
Hosts: Library of Clean Reads

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Books about time travel.
Levels: 4 levels ranging from 1-12 books. I'm choosing Surprise Trip: 1-3 books.
Prizes? None.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

Time travel! It's one of my favorite literary escapes. I had a hard time thinking up titles for this challenge, though, so I'm going the easy route and doing the lowest level.

Some books I'm considering:

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren
An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 Graphic Novels Challenge

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Graphic Novels Challenge
Hosts: Back to Books

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Anything with a cartoon bubble, fiction or non-fiction.
Levels: One: Read 12 books.
Prizes? None.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

I've become infatuated with graphic novels and comic books. This will give me a good excuse to share them on the blog.

Some books I'm considering:

Carbon Grey
Promethea
Captain Swing
Hatter M

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 Speculative Romance Challenge

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Speculative Romance Challenge
Hosts: Book Chick City

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Books (no audiobooks) in speculative romance genres (urban fantasy, steampunk, paranormal, sci-fi, etc.).
Levels: 4 levels of 6, 12, 18, or 24 books. I'm choosing Two Sexy Werewolves: 12 books.
Prizes? None.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

I noticed that I got into speculative romance last year and I'd like to read some more of it.

Some books I'm considering:

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
River Marked by Patricia Briggs
Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
Lover Avenged by J. R. Ward

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 "Books I Started But Didn't Finish" Reading Challenge

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 "Books I Started But Didn't Finish" Reading Challenge
Hosts: A Room of One's Own

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Any books you started at some point prior to 2012, but never finished.
Levels: None specified - read as many as you like.
Prizes? Self-motivation encouraged! If I finish these, I get to buy a new hardcover.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

I have a bunch of these that I'd like to finally get through.

Some books I'm considering:

Graceling by Kristin Cashore, which I put down to read time-sensitive books and desperately want to finish.
XVI by Julia Karr, which didn't hold my attention at the time.
Divergent by Veronica Roth, which also had to be put down in lieu of review books.
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which I put down to read fiction and never went back.

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 Outlander Reading Challenge Sign-Up

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**



Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Outlander Reading Challenge
Hosts: Literary Escapism

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Any of the 7 Outlander series or 4 Lord John Grey series books by Diana Gabaldon.
Levels: None specified - read as many as you like. I know I won't get through all of the Outlander books again, but I'd like to catch up with book 7 and the Lord John Grey series.
Prizes? None.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

Everyone knows I love Outlander. There are going to be monthly chats about this beloved series as well! See the sign-up post for details.

Some books I'm considering:

An Echo in the Bone
Outlander (again)
All of the Lord John Grey series

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 Off the Shelf Challenge Sign-Up

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Off the Shelf Challenge
Hosts: Bookish Ardour

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Any books owned or acquired prior to 2012.
Levels: 7 levels ranging from 5-200 books. I'm choosing Making a Dint: 30 Books.
Prizes? None.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

I tried really hard to get through older books last year, and it didn't work. Because of the blog, I also acquired a lot of new books last year that I'd like to...you know...actually read. So sign me up!

Some books I'm considering:

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Greyfriar by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 Get Steampunked! Challenge Sign-Up

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Get Steampunked! Challenge
Hosts: Bookish Ardour

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: Steampunk or Gaslight Fantasy books.
Levels: 7 levels ranging from 5-200 books. I'm choosing Cogged: 15 Books.
Prizes? None.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

I really got introduced to steampunk last year, and I want to read so much more of it!

Some books I'm considering:

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger
Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 Why Buy the Cow? Challenge Sign-Up

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 Why Buy the Cow? Challenge f/k/a Show Me the Free Challenge
Hosts: The Unread Reader and Reading the Paranormal

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: FREE and LEGAL downloaded ebooks in any genre.
Levels: Three: Coupon Clipper (12 Books), Penny Pincher (24 Books), and Super Saver (30+ Books). I'm choosing Coupon Clipper: 12 Books.
Prizes? Monthly giveaways for participants who link up their reviews.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

I love Missie, and I need this motivation to power through the free books I'm always tempted to load onto my Kindle. If I don't read them for this challenge, I doubt I ever will.

Some books I'm considering:

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear
Probably some classics from Project Gutenberg

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2012 YA Historical Fiction Challenge Sign-Up

**I've swiped Small Review's format for these sign-up posts, because she is awesome and organized and I am lazy and harried**

Challenge Basics:

Name: 2012 YA Historical Fiction Challenge
Hosts: YA Bliss

Starts: January 1, 2012
Ends: December 31, 2012
Eligible Books: YA or MG historical fiction; do not have to be 2012 releases.
Levels: Three: 5, 10, or 15 books. I'm choosing Level 2: 10 books.
Prizes? Giveaways for participants during the year.
Sign up here!

Why I'm Interested:

I love historical fiction, and I find lots of good reads through the link-ups.

Some books I'm considering:

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren
Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan
War Horse by Michael Marpurgo

Books completed:

Check my progress all year on the sidebar or on my 2012 Challenge Index.

2011 Challenge Wrap Up

As 2011 comes to a close and I reflect on my many reading challenges attempted this year, I've learned some valuable lessons for 2012. I was most successful reading books in categories I already read a lot (duh), and where I found the easiest access to the books (double duh). Although there were some surprises, for the most part it's not hard to see why I failed at a lot of these.

Debut Author Challenge - 12/12 books read, and then some

Lesson learned: This one was the most surprising - I was on track for most of the year and found I was more excited to read some of the debut books than I was for books by known and beloved authors. I discovered this year that I love supporting debut authors and reading books with fresh voices. Because I don't know the authors, I don't really know what to expect, which made reading fun and exciting.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Already signed up.

YA Historical Fiction Challenge - 11/15 books read

Lesson learned: I love historical fiction, but not all of it is YA. I had a lot of books I wanted to count, until I realized they were adult fiction. Still, I love the genre regardless of age group and wish I could have completed this one.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Definitely signing up, but at a lower level.

Shifter Challenge - 11/20 books read

Lesson learned: Really? With one of the easiest lists to put together, I still couldn't make this happen? I think I just got distracted by other reads, and had some disappointing experiences on some new series that prevented me from filling up the list with their sequels. I think I prefer my shifters in moderation.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Slim.

Show Me the Free Challenge - 4/12 books read

Lesson learned: I may get them for free, but that doesn't make them any more appealing, particularly if the ONLY reason I got it was because it was free. I had a hard time making myself read these.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Definitely giving it another go, because 1) Missie is awesome; and 2) if I don't sign up, I'll NEVER read these darned free books!

Paranormal YA Reading Challenge - 12/12 books read

Lesson learned: Very easy to complete, but the blogger hosting this one disappeared, then changed her blog name a bunch of times, and I gave up trying to find her again.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Zero.

Get Steampunked! Challenge - 4/5 books read

Lesson learned: SO CLOSE! I have steampunk galore sitting on my shelves, and having started Soulless there's still a chance I can finish this challenge. I did learn, however, that I love this genre hardcore and can't wait to read more.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Guaranteed!

Morbid Romantica Challenge - 11/12 books read

Lesson learned: I loved that this one featured a different category each month. The variety kept the challenge fresh every month.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Good.

YA Series Challenge - 19/30 books read

Lesson learned: I read a lot more new series books than old ones, and didn't feel the need to finish a lot of series I started. Still, it's so satisfying marking off series books so I'm definitely doing this one again.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Guaranteed!

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge - 9/12 books read

Lesson learned: I may love reading these, but I don't like reviewing them. I think I'll keep this category as a pleasure read and not a blog read.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Very slim.

Black Dagger Brotherhood Challenge - 6/9 books read

Lesson learned: I got a bit BDB-ed out midway through this challenge. The stories got less interesting, and I wish more people had participated in Bookaholic Does Blogging's book club discussions of the series. So interesting, but where was everyone?

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: I don't plan to re-read any of these, so no challenge for me.

Take a Chance Challenge 3 - 3/10 books read

Lesson learned: The categories were not as fun as I had hoped, and didn't drum up very many books I actually wanted to read. HUGE FAIL.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Very slim.

Fantasy Reading Challenge - 6/6 books read

Lesson learned: Wow, I read more fantasy than I thought I would. I'm not sure I need a challenge to keep me reading in this genre.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Slim.

Gothic Reading Challenge - 3/5 books read

Lesson learned: There's not a lot of gothic fiction out there, and with such a small genre I had a hard time finding books I wanted to read that fit in. I do like gothic fiction a lot, though, but haven't decided if I want to do another challenge.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: 50/50.

Vacation Reads Challenge - 6/6 books read, but not in dedicated time frame

Lesson learned: Short term challenges are even harder for me. I think I'll stick to year-long ones.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Not good.

E-book Challenge - 48/75 books read

Lesson learned: I really overestimated how many ebooks I'd be reading this year. Because of all the tours I joined, I read a lot more physical books than I thought. This easily accounted for my deficit in this challenge.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Not good.

Writer Musings Reading Challenge - 119/100 books read, and counting

Lesson learned: I'm bad at remembering to link up my reviews, but Tabitha gives away great prizes so if she does this again, I think I'll sign up. I was SHOCKED at how many books I was able to read this year, even if some of them are graphic novels. I used the Goodreads challenge to track my numbers this year, so I hope they do it again in 2012!

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Good.

Reading Challenge Addict - 5/17 challenges complete

Lesson learned: Too many challenges, too little time. I need to read more crossover books and be more judicious in my challenge selections next year. I also want to try out some new ones, so I doubt the total volume will decrease much.

Likelihood I'll sign up next year: Almost guaranteed.

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I'll start posting my sign-up posts for 2012 in the next few weeks, so consider this a pre-emptive apology for glutting up your feeds. :)

Bout of Books 2.0

It's here! Bout of Books 2.0 is going on all week over at On a Book Bender and I'm going to try to actually follow through this time. I completed a short read-a-thon over the weekend that ended in an epic fail when I spent Sunday buying things and then having to update all of my technology through lengthy upgrade downloads, but that's a story for another time.

I'll be updating all week on this post. Here are my goals for the week:

1) Read at least three books start to finish.
2) Read at least one review request book.
3) Read at least one library book.

I hope to get more than that, but we'll start conservatively since my weekend is mostly taken with Halloween activities.

I'm copying Amanda's format for updates, but I'm changing it to tracking page count and not book count since I won't be reading that many whole books.

10/24
Number of pages I’ve read today: 299
Total number of pages I’ve read: 299
Today #insixwords: First one down, two to go.
Books: When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen; The Devil Colony by James Rollins

10/25
Number of pages I’ve read today: 19% on Kindle; roughly 60 pages
Total number of pages I’ve read: 359 or so; more to come
Today #insixwords: I'm not sure about this book.
Books: Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

10/26
Number of pages I’ve read today: 40% on Kindle, roughly 128 pages; 20 or so pages from library book
Total number of pages I’ve read: 508 pages
Today #insixwords: Had to DNF a boring book.
Books: Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett; The Devil Colony by James Rollins

10/27
Number of pages I’ve read today: On Kindle, roughly 100 pages
Total number of pages I’ve read: 600 pages or so
Today #insixwords: My love of steampunk reinforced.
Books: The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong; Soulless by Gail Carriger

10/28
Number of pages I’ve read today: 90 pages
Total number of pages I’ve read: 700 pages or so
Today #insixwords: Why is this book taking forever?
Books: The Devil Colony by James Rollins

10/29
Number of pages I’ve read today: Zero
Total number of pages I’ve read: 700 pages or so
Today #insixwords: Too many plans, none for books.
Books: N/A

10/30
Number of pages I’ve read today:
Total number of pages I’ve read:
Today #insixwords:
Books:

Bout of Books Wrap Up

The read-a-thon is just about complete! Thank you to Amanda at On a Book Bender for hosting this fun challenge. I did not make as much progress as I would have liked, but that's okay. No new books for me I guess.

Here was my planned list:

1) Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (review due 9/12)
2) The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge (library book due back Wednesday) FAIL
I couldn't finish this before its due date, so I'm picking a new book.
2) Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (although I may have to abandon this one too because Galley Grab is not playing nice with my new Nook)
3) Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren (because why haven't I read it yet? It's getting dusty and that is UNACCEPTABLE.)
4) Lover Unbound by J. R. Ward (I've started this one and now just need to finish it)
5) To be determined (something spontaneous that I want to read in the moment)

Here's what I actually read:

1) Lover Unbound by J. R. Ward

This took forever and a day to finish because I just wasn't feeling it. It didn't exactly set the tone for the week.

2) Starstruck by Cyn Balog

This was a tour book that arrived mid-week, which I decided to power through this weekend. Very enjoyable!

3) Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren (partial)

I got almost to the midway point today, but I have a lot more reading to do if I want to finish it in time to get the review up on Thursday. GULP.

4) Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (partial)

Here's the thing about Goliath: my Nook hates it. The beautiful artwork dotted throughout the book causes my Nook to crash out to the home screen, which makes reading it slow going. I read a little on my laptop today, and that's going to be how I finish it if I want to read it before it releases. At this point, I'm thinking of scratching and just pre-ordering a copy to read when it comes out. I am thoroughly annoyed with my Nook at the moment and it is negatively affecting my enjoyment of this book. Grrr.

So that's it. Two whole books. That's basically what I would read anyway, so I'm feeling like a total loser/failure. I also had to drop off the face of the blogging planet this week because I had so much going on, so I didn't even get to enjoy the Twitter updates or giveaways as much as I had hoped. Woe is me!

I hope all of you fared better than I did. I had a great week trying to get books read, and I did manage to catch up on my reviews. I now have a review completed and scheduled for every book I've read, which is a big load off. On to a new week!


Amazingly beautiful and painstakingly crafted signature courtesy of Small Review

Bout of Books Read-a-thon

It's time for another read-a-thon! After moping over the amount of challenges I have left to complete and feeling entirely overwhelmed by my library stock and review piles, I decided that Amanda's read-a-thon over at On a Book Bender is exactly what I need.

If you think you need one too, the good news is that it's going all week long. Personally, I get frustrated by weekday only or weekend only read-a-thons, because it's too much in a short amount of time. This gives me until Sunday night at 11:59pm to get through some books and feel like I actually accomplished something.

If you'd like to participate, it's pretty easy. You can click the button at the top of the page to find the sign-up page, and it's up to you whether you update your progress on your blog, via Twitter, through comments, or at all. Set your own goals, join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #boutofbooks, or just sign up and enter the giveaways. It's entirely your choice.

Speaking of giveaways - there will be 10+ giveaways by different bloggers all week long, and mini challenges too! It's going to be fun, relaxing, and full of awesome people. You can check the list of fellow participants to see who are all the cool kids and maybe even make some new friends.

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Logan's starting line

My personal goals for the week are to get through at least 5 books. I have been burning the candle at both ends lately and my reading has fallen off, so I'm hoping this will be the push I need to find some enjoyment in reading again. With a busy work week facing me, and in-laws descending for the Chicago Triathlon this weekend, I think 5 is a pretty lofty goal, but I'll give it my best.

I have some review books I have to tackle and I want to read at least one book just for fun. Here's my planned list:

1) Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (review due 9/12)
2) The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge (library book due back Wednesday) FAIL
I couldn't finish this before its due date, so I'm picking a new book.
2) Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (although I may have to abandon this one too because Galley Grab is not playing nice with my new Nook)
3) Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren (because why haven't I read it yet? It's getting dusty and that is UNACCEPTABLE.)
4) Lover Unbound by J. R. Ward (I've started this one and now just need to finish it)
5) To be determined (something spontaneous that I want to read in the moment)

I plan to devote at least one solid hour of reading per night instead of watching TV or blogging or Twitter stalking. This means uninterrupted, guilt-free, distraction-free reading time. It can be on the bed while hubby sleeps, but it is not to be reading done while attempting to multi-task (which is what I do most of the time). I also will be reading, per usual, during my morning and evening commutes and my lunch break. All told, that should equal roughly 15-18 hours, depending on how much I can work in on Saturday and Sunday.

To make it really interesting, I'm going to give myself a little carrot to dangle in front of my nose all week. If I successfully complete all 5 books by Sunday night, I will gift myself a "luxury" book. Now, I buy books a lot, but there are some books I still won't buy because I consider them investments, or too expensive, or not relevant to blogging and so I guilt myself into not buying them. If I complete this read-a-thon, I give myself permission to buy one of those books.

I will probably update here as I go, but may end up doing it mostly through Twitter. You can find me there at @loganturner. I'll try to post a short wrap-up post on Sunday.

Ready?........GO!


Amazingly beautiful and painstakingly crafted signature courtesy of Small Review

Reading Challenge Check-In

I signed up for 16 reading challenges this year (17 if you also count my challenge to finish all my challenges), and it's time to do a little check in to see how I'm faring. You can see the books I've read so far, as well as those I'm planning to read, on my Challenge Index page.

Debut Author Challenge: 11/12 books read

Surprisingly, this is the one where I'm sure to finish. I was much more excited than I anticipated to read books by debut authors, and this has been the most fun for me to complete.

YA Historical Fiction Challenge: 8/15 books read

I started off strong with this one, but my efforts have tapered off recently. I think I can do it, but I need to buckle down and get through some of the books I own.

Shifter Challenge: 7/20 books read

Like the HF challenge, I was really booking (pun intended) on this one until a few months ago. Now I'm struggling to come up with more shifter books to read and none of them are sounding that interesting or worth my money to purchase. This one may be destined for failure.

Show Me the Free Challenge: 3/12 books read

I really thought I'd whip through this one. I have lots of free ebooks saved up, but the problem is that they don't always sound so interesting after the luster wears off. Once I get over the FREE FREE FREE high, I realize that maybe it's free because nobody else wanted to read it either. I did manage to scoop up some more promising titles recently, so I'm hopeful I can finish. I don't want Missie to banish me from next year's round. :)

Paranormal YA Challenge: 3/12 books read

The blogger running this one seems to have disappeared, so I lost a lot of momentum on this one. I quit caring about finishing because who was going to check anyway? Still, it's the easiest to mark complete since nearly every YA book has a paranormal element, so I'm pretty sure I can finish this one.

Get Steampunked! Challenge: 3/5 books read

This one has come down to timing. I love steampunk, but took a little break, and now I'm ready to finish up.

Morbid Romantica Challenge: 6/12 books read

This challenge didn't have as much interaction as I'd hoped for when I signed up, which is what helps keep me motivated to finish. As a result, I haven't paid as much attention to this one. Most of the remaining categories contain books I'd like to read this year anyway, so I should be able to finish this one.

YA Series Challenge: 15/30 books read

I thought I'd breeze through this one, but now I'm feeling the pressure. I'm worried I won't make it to 30, so I need to focus on getting through a few more of these titles each month.

Mystery & Suspense Challenge: 3/12 books read

I didn't make as much use of the library this summer as I'd planned, so this one has taken the biggest hit as a result. I'd put off a lot of these thinking once school was out I could scream through them all summer, but...it's August already! Ack! This one is in real danger.

Black Dagger Brotherhood Challenge: 4/9 books read

I've been keeping up with the monthly posts on this one fairly well...until this month. I hope to get book five done this weekend, then I'll be back on track to finish.

Take a Chance Challenge: 1/10 books read

Yikes. This one is tougher than I'd thought. I may need to abandon this one, but I refuse to give up just yet. The categories are pretty specific on this one, so finding books in each one that I want to read is proving difficult, but if I complete this one I could win a prize, and that's a nice dangling carrot!

Fantasy Reading Challenge: 3/6 books read

I'm doing pretty well with this one. No cause for concern just yet, other than that most fantasy books are about 900 pages longer than any other book. Gulp.

Gothic Reading Challenge: 3/5 books read

I've been on a roll lately with the gothic reads, so I'm looking forward to this one a lot more than I was at the beginning of the year. Shouldn't be a problem to finish this one.

Vacation Reads Challenge: 2/6 books read

This is a summer-only challenge, so I need to get moving. There's only a little over a month left to get through 4 books! This one may be a bust.

E-Book Challenge: 36/75 books read

I've surprised myself this year with how many fewer ebooks I'm reading than in years past. Do you see what you bloggers have done to me? You've convinced me that I need pretty covers and crisp pages in my greedy paws! As a result of both more book purchases and more ARC tours, my ebook reading has taken a hit. I might not get through this one!

Writer Musings Challenge: 69/100 books read

I seem well on track to finish this one. Not worried, but blogging has definitely increased my reading! I love it.

Overall, I realized that I need to cross-categorize titles as much as I can in order to finish. It's just not realistic at this point to try to keep each challenge with separate titles. I had planned to do a little crossover from the beginning, but now I'm seeing that as the year goes on, more and more books come up that I want to read and I'm not able to prioritize as well. When ARC tours come through I have to drop everything and get through those, so it messes up my plans to read X number of challenge books each month.

Are you participating in any reading challenges? How is your progress? Think I can finish?


Amazingly beautiful and painstakingly crafted signature courtesy of Small Review

Spring into Summer Readathon Updates

The Spring into Summer Readathon is here and I'm getting this party started! Over the next two days I'm going to be updating this post periodically with my status and participating in challenges and reports. Giveaways and mini-challenges run every two hours and I can't wait to dive in. You can follow all the action on Twitter via the hashtag #SiSRead or get the details at Squeaky Books. And without further ado...

What do you hope to read during the read-a-thon?
I hope to tackle some of my review books and also take the time to read some books I've been putting on the back burner while finishing school. I've gotten into the bad habit of focusing too much attention on review copies and not breaking it up with stuff I actually want to read just for fun. It's time to kick that to the curb!

What book are you starting with?
Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz. I started this on the train to work this morning and am LOVING it so far. I know it's a review copy, but I can't put this one down!



I hope to read:
At least three books, which seems doable, plus finish the two I've already started. I think it will depend on whether husband goes to work tomorrow and/or limits his intrusions.

Here are some of the titles I'm going to try to get through: SPELLBOUND by Cara Lynn Shultz; WHEN YOU DARE by Lori Foster; DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth; THE ESPRESSOLOGIST by Kristina Springer; VAMPIRE EMPIRE: THE GREYFRIAR by Clay and Susan Griffith; WILD CHILD by Mike Wells; OCTOBER GIRLS by L.C. Glazebrook; LEGACY by Cayla Kluver

Where are you going to read?
I'm reading from home. Not too exciting. I'll probably vacillate between the couch and my bed.

What will you include in your updates?
Enna (Squeaky Books) has given us a standard for our updates, which I'm going to use as well. It covers books and pages read, as well as the time spent reading. Mine will have to be modified a bit for Kindle books that don't have page counts, so for those I'll use percentages.

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Update: 5:00 p.m. CDT

I'm finishing up this post and then getting down to business!

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 0
Books read since last update: 0
Pages read since last update: 0
Total time read: 0
How I'm currently feeling: Anxious! I hope I meet my goal. THE PRESSURE! I'm scrapping this mini-challenge attempt so I can get to reading already. I'll check back in a few hours for the next challenge.

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Update and Day 1 Report: 1:09 a.m. CDT

I majorly failed at day one. I was hoping to get through at least one whole book and I couldn't make it happen. We had a big stressful morning at work and I'm now too sleepy to finish. I'm really loving SPELLBOUND, but I have to call it a night.

1. First of all, give us an end-of-day status update. Books read, pages read, you know the drill!

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: around 250 (65% done)
Books read since last update: 0
Pages read since last update: around 250
Total time read: 4 hours or so
How I'm currently feeling: Disappointed! Hopefully tomorrow I can get going and not be so easily distracted by Twitter.

What is the favorite thing you have read today?
Considering I've only read one book, I'd say SPELLBOUND.

Which mini-challenge was your favorite?
I haven't participated in any, but my favorite to read was the picture puzzle challenge.

What has been your favorite thing about the read-a-thon?
Checking out the challenges and tweets. It's nice to feel like this is a community effort.

What has been your LEAST favorite thing about the read-a-thon?
My inability to read quickly. I'm so into this book that I'm savoring it. This may have been a poor choice for a readathon after all, but I don't have the strength to abandon it yet!

Are you on track to meet your goals?
Blech. No. I don't know how much I'll be able to focus/accomplish tomorrow, but I doubt very much that I'll have the patience to read 5 books in one day.

Will you be participating tomorrow? Do you have any new goals?
Yes, I'll be participating. I'll probably unplug for large chunks so I can actually read without as many distractions. I think my new goal is to finish my current read and finish DIVERGENT. If I'm feeling up to it, I'll try for one more.

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DAY 2

Update: 11:30 a.m. CDT - Mini-challenge #7

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 384
Books read since last update: 1
Pages read since last update: around 130
Total time read: 5.5 hours or so
How I'm currently feeling: I'm glad I at least got through one whole book. These are shameful times in the LET house, my friends. Seriously, could I read any slower? Doubtful.

Mini-challenge: Name one book you think should be taught in school, grade of your choice.
Shakespeare. Is that cheating? It's really hard for me to pick just one, as I consider at least a handful of them required reading: Othello, Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Merchant of Venice. Frankly, I think each of these contain life lessons worth some deep reflection. Nobody expresses the power of choice quite so poignantly as Shakespeare. Every action has a consequence, and our decisions (or indecision) impact the world in big ways.

I also happen to think that challenging students to discuss these themes while reading outside of their comfort zone is equally important. Language evolves, but the messages stay the same. Shakespeare can be understood, and this realization builds confidence in young readers. I read my first Shakespeare play in 8th grade, but I think students would be capable of better discussions in high school.

Sorry to get preachy, folks. Will's my man.

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Update: 7:00 p.m. CDT - Mini-challenge #11

Total books read: 2
Total pages read: 586
Books read since last update: 1
Pages read since last update: 202
Total time read: 8.5 hours or so
How I'm currently feeling: Despite the challenge of the readathon, I have been very unmotivated to speed through books. I feel better that I finished another (albeit short) book, but I think I've reached my capacity. Hubs turned on the Tony Awards from last week and I haven't been able to really give my attention to DIVERGENT as a result. I think I might be done for the day.

Mini-challenge: If you could live in the world of one book, which would it be and why?
This is such a great question. I was going to say something historical, but I'm not sure I'd want to rough it without indoor plumbing and modern medicine. Instead, I'll go with ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS. Oh, to be young and in love in a snooty boarding school in Paris! Sign me up!

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Vacation Reads Challenge

I can't help it! I love challenges! So I'm signing up for another one, this time co-hosted by my buddy, Ruby's Reads, and the equally awesome Julie from Manga Maniac Cafe.

This challenge runs from June 21st through September 23rd, and the deadline to sign up is June 21st so get going if you want to play! The challenge is to read at least 6 books that take place in a setting you'd like to visit. It can be contemporary, historical, fantastical - anything as long as you want to visit that place.

Prize packs are being offered each month of the challenge, and good times are going to be had by all. I'm really looking forward to seeing where everyone wants to visit! To sign up, click the button above and add your name to the linky. Be sure to post about it and spread the word to all your friends!

I have some books in mind for the challenge, but I'm looking for recommendations. What are some books you love with cool locales?

Introducing the All Male Review Challenge!

Dear Readers,

Ever feel like you don't read enough YA by male authors or with male protagonists? Then we have the reading challenge for you!

Introducing the All Male Revue Review Challenge!

This reading and reviewing challenge, hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader and myself, will run the entire month of May.

Beginning on May 1st, any book you read and review by a male author or containing a male protagonist is eligible to be entered into our Mr. Linky collection. At the end of the month, Missie and I will chose a winner for our Mega Hot Prize Pack of books!

Throughout the month of May, we will also have spotlight reviews, special guest posts, author interviews, and mini giveaways!

We are still pulling together prize packs and confirming our guest authors, but so far we have features and giveaways planned with authors Charles Benoit, Jon Skovron, R.A. Nelson, Antony John, Joshua C. Cohen, James Kennedy and Hannah Moskowitz!

Are you excited? I know I am! More details are coming soon, but we wanted to prepare you for the fun and also ask for your help.

Readers/Reviewers: To motivate people to take part in the challenge, we are trying to make our Mega Hot Prize Pack as epic as possible. If you'd like to contribute in any way, we'd certainly appreciate it. Books by your favorite male author or containing your favorite male protag, bookmarks, swag, your life sized cut out of Edward Cullen, we'll take it!

Authors: We want to hear from you too! Are you a male author who writes YA? Or do you write a male protag who could put a RL Alpha male to shame? Would you like to be featured, interviewed, or spotlighted? Please contact us!

Bloggers: Are you a male blogger who feels lost in a sea of estrogen? Contact me for information on how you can be interviewed and featured on the blog!

We are hoping to make this a fun challenge for anyone and everyone to participate in. If you got any ideas that you think would add motivation or flare to this challenge, please e-mail us: missie at theunreadreader.com or loganeturnerblog at gmail dot com.