2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

Going to keep track of challenges in this space, as well as my books read so far this year.

Reading Goal 75 Books
Books Read 50

1. Gone Girl (1/1)
2. The Submarine Job (1/2)
3. Trust No One (1/4)
4. 39 Clues: Rapid Fire Series 1-7 (1/10) Legacy, Turbulence, Crushed, Ignition, Hunted, Invasion, Fireworks by Clifford Riley (1/10)
5. Divergent (1/11)
6. Insurgent(1/12)
7. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (1/15)
8. Death Comes to Pemberley (118)
9. Austenland (1/20)
10. Jane Bites Back (1/21)
11. Masked Ball at Broxley Manor (1/25)
12. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1/26)
13. The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery (1/28)
14. Pride and Prescience: Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged (2/2)
15. Never Let Me Go (2/4)
16. The Night Circus (2/9)
17. Legend (2/10)
18. Thirteen Reasons Why (2/12)
19. Prodigy (2/14)
20. The American Heiress (2/18)
20.5 The Duchess's Tattoo: Thoughts on THE AMERICAN HEIRESS (2/24)
21. Dark Lie (2/28)
22. Day of Doom (3/1)
23. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (3/7)
24. The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team(3/18)
25. 2012 Family Guide to Groceries under $250 a Month (3/18)
26. Blackout (3/19)
27. All Clear (All Clear, #2)
28. The House At Riverton (4/8)
29. The Westing Game (4/10)
30. The 100-Year-Old Secret (4/11)
31. The Storyteller (4/12)
32. Freaks (4/13)
33. The Overnight Diet: The Proven Plan for Fast, Permanent Weight Loss (4/16)
34. Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge (4/29)
35. Tigers in Red Weather (5/3)
36. The Reader (5/6)
37. Murphy's Law (5/16)
38. Death of Riley (5/17)
39. Matched (5/23)
40. Escape from Sobibor (5/27)
41. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (5/29)
42. Gregor the Overlander (6/5)
43. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (6/9)
44. The Girl Who Played with Fire (6/12)
45. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (6/17)
46. Rise of the Darklings (6/21)
47. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (6/26)
48. A Night to Remember (6/28)
49. For the Love of Mike (6/29)
50. In Like Flynn (6/30)
51. The Chaperone
52. The Emerald Atlas
53. Allegiant
54. The Poyson Garden
55. American Psycho
56. The Time Traveler's Wife
57. Champion
58. The Tidal Poole
59. Boston Jacky: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Taking Care of Business
60. Sabrina Soto Home Design: A Layer-by-Layer Approach to Turning Your Ideas into the Home of Your Dreams
61. The Fire Chronicle
62. Heirs and Graces
63. Nowhere to Run

The Every Year Challenge

Trying to decide if I go with my birth year (1975) or the year I graduated from school (1993). My TBR list is getting really long and I don't know how many pre 1990 books are on there, so I'll go with 1993 the year I graduated from high school.

Books By Year


15 Read
21 Total

1993 The Giver by Lois Lowry (TBR)
1994 The Alienist (TBR)
1995 The Reader (5/6) original publication date 1995 was in German, but I read the English version published later
1996 Jane and The Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor (TBR)
1997 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1/26)
1998 The Poisonwood Bible (TBR)
1999 Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban (re-read)
2000 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (6/9)
2001
2002 Murphy's Law (5/16)
2003 Death of Riley (5/17)
2004 Pride and Prescience: Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged (2/2)
2005 Never Let Me Go (2/4)
2006 Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (3/7)
2007 Austenland (1/20)
2008 The 100-Year-Old Secret (4/11)
2009 Jane Bites Back (1/21)
2010: The American Heiress (2/18)
2011: Divergent (1/11)
2012: Gone Girl (1/1)
2013: Prodigy (2/14)

The History Challenge COMPLETE

Goal: 10 books
Read: 11 books

1995: O.J. Simpson: Death Comes to Pemberley
2001 9/11: Trust No One
2012 Possible Apocalypse Divergent
1998 Google: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
2003 Amber Alert: The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery
1996 Dolly the Clone: Never Let Me Go
2008 Music, Monsters, Fame: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
2011 Protests: Prodigy
2000 New Beginnings: The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
2007 Science Fiction: Blackout
1994 Genoide/Holocaust: The Storyteller
2005 Entrepreneur: Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge

2012: Possible Apocalypse: Read a book about a post-apocalyptic or dystopian world. Read
2011: Protests (Egypt, Libya and Occupy Wall Street): Read a book about people standing up for something they believe in. Read
2010: Earthquakes (Haiti, Chile): Read a book where weather takes a toll on a community.
2009: Barak Obama Inaugurated: Read a book where racism plays a role in the character’s lives.
2008: Lady Gaga Releases First Album: Read a book about music, monsters or fame.
2007: iPhone: Read a book about technology, or any science fiction novel.
2006: Pluto Officially Demoted from Planetary Status: Read a book about space, astronauts, or exploration.
2005: YouTube Launches: Read a book about sharing, movies, or entrepreneurs.
2004: Samizdat (poetry magazine) Ceases Publication: Read a book about a poet or a collection of poetry.
2003: Amber Alert System Created: Read a book about someone who goes missing or runs/is running away from something. Read
2002: Arthur Anderson/Enron Scandal Convictions: Read a book about business, capitalism, or dishonesty.
2001: 9/11: Read a book about war, soldiers, terror, or conspiracy. Read
2000: A New Millennium: Read a book about new beginnings, or a book with over 1000 pages(!).
1999: Columbine: Read a book about school or workplace violence.
1998: Google Founded: Read a book about Google, searching, or learning. Read
1997: Movie “Titanic” Opens: Read a book about the Titanic, shipwreck, or a life at sea.
1996: Dolly the Cloned Sheep: Read a book about science, genetics, or animals.
1995: O.J. Simpson Trial: Read a book about law, courts, or any murder mystery novel. Read
1994: Rwandan Genocide: Read Shake Hands with the Devil, or another book about Rwanda or genocide (includes books about the Holocaust). The Storyteller
1993: SAM Colombia Flight 505 Crashes on Mount Paramo Frontino: Read a book where a crash (plane, train, car) occurs.
1992: Jay Leno Takes Over The Tonight Show: Read a book where television plays a role in the characters’ lives.

Possible books for tasks
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust 1994
Passage on the Titanic 1997
Titanic Affair 1997
Hate List 1999
The Dressmaker

Q1 Spell it Out Challenge : Finished 2/10!!!!!
Favorite TV Show: Homeland

Goal: 8 books
Complete: 8

H: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (1/26)
O: Trust No One (1/4)
M: Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (1/21)
E: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2/9)
L: Legend by Marie Lu (2/10)
A: Austenland by Shannon Hale (1/20)
N: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2/4)
D: Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James (1/18)

Members Challenge- 2013. Not sure yet how many I'm going to get through on this list, but love some of these ideas.

Original Goal: 10
Revised Goal (2/28): 15
Reused Goal (4/13): 25
Complete: 18

THE MEMBERS CHALLENGE
Duration: January 6 - December 31, 2013

Complete: Alexandra's Task: Read a book where a character makes a career change. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Complete: Amy's Task: Read that one book you keep meaning to but never get round to it. The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team

Complete: April Lyn's Task: Read a book where a main character is or has been homeless. It can be fiction or non-fiction. Murphy's Law

Ashley's Task: Read a book about medicine or anything about healthcare.

Complete: Audrey's Task: Read a book that is about genealogy or family history. The Storyteller

Barb's Task: . Read a book in which music and/or art are important to the plot or a mystery set in Pennsylvania.

Candiss's Task: Read a book set in Hungary or about Hungary/Hungarian culture or legend or any book by a Hungarian author. Alternatively, read a book in which a character is seeking to learn more about his or her heritage or family.

Complete:Cherise's Task: Read a book involves someone being sick or about an illness during a period in history.In Like Flynn

Christina's Task: Read a book about war, the military, etc from the point of view of the spouse or the one left behind.

Complete:Ellie's Task: Read a book about organizing at least one area of your life, such as your desk, home, or schedule. 2012 Family Guide to Groceries under $250 a Month

Georgina's Task: Read one classic crime mystery written by a golden age queen of crime.

Complete: Gina's Task: Read a psychological thriller or a book that a character has some kind of psychological dilemma. Gone Girl

Complete: JenniferJ's Task: Read a book with the word "Lucky" in the title -OR- read a book that is 13th in a series or has either the number or word 13 in the title Thirteen Reasons Why

Complete: Joanne's Task: Read a book where the main character or one of the main characters is a vampire. Jane Bites Back

Complete: Johanna´s Task: Read a book where a character moves or has to leave her/his home for a long period of time. Prodigy

Complete: Kai's Task: Read a book with a scene that focuses on a place after death has occurred (cemetery, funeral home, crematory). The Westing Game

Complete: Kara's Task: Read a book that has a heteronym in its title. For more on heteronyms, click here. Examples: The Name of the WIND, Extremely Loud and Incredibly CLOSE Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Karina's Task: . Read a book which won some sort of award in that decade. Examples: Neuromancer (Hugo award, 1985), The Color Purple (Pulitzer, 1983)

Complete: Kattibrie's Task: Read a book by R.A. Salvatore or a book where a character is called Catherine or a variation of that name. Never Let Me Go

Complete: Kelsi's Task: Read a non-fiction book that enlightens you, or encourages you to make a positive change in your life. The Overnight Diet: The Proven Plan for Fast, Permanent Weight Loss

Complete: Lorelei's Task: Read a book that takes place in Germany or a book that is a legend or has the word "Legend" in the title or a book that includes a shipwreck. Legend by Marie Lu

Melanie's Task: Read a book where the main character is a librarian, or a significant portion takes place in or around a library.

Melissa's Task:. find out the meaning of your name and pick a book with that in the title (if more than one word like mine) pick one of the words.

Complete: Rachel's Task: Read a book about someone who adopted, was adopted, or placed their child for adoption. Dark Lie

Sasha's Task: Pick a book that's translated from any of those language, set in any of the countries, (Russia, Japan, America) or pick a book with a character having an identity crisis.

Complete: Sharon's Task Read a book that revolves around a family and their life. Or, read a book about large families. The House At Riverton

Complete: Teresa's Task:, I am going to ask you to read a book that takes place someplace you either have visited and loved, have lived and loved or would love to visit/live. The Night Circus

Complete: Toni's Task: Read a book where the author or the main character's name can be used for either sex. Tigers in Red Weather character Nick

Complete: Trev's Task: . Read a book where one character dislikes their name or changes/has changed their legal name. Blackout as historians traveling back in time characters had to change their names, for this task The character's name was Merope and changed to Eileen

TOTAL: 30 TASKS

THE NEW BEGINNINGS CHALLENGE
Duration: January 1 - January 31

Let's celebrate the new year with a challenge all about new beginnings!

1. Read a book by an author new to you: Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D James (1/18)

2. Read a book that was released in the last six months Habits of the House (currently reading)

3. Read a book in a genre that is outside of what you normally read

4. Read a book where the main character starts out on a new part of his or her life

5. Read a book that was published the same year you embarked on a new part of your life (state what part that was)

6. Should auld acquaintance be forgot: Read an old childhood favorite

7. Read a book nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards

8. “Beginnings” is a song by the group Chicago—read a book whose title shares a main word with the lyrics of the song (lyrics can be found here: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/chicago/...)

9. Read a book that is first in a series: Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (1/21)

10. Read a book by an author whose first or last name starts with the letter A

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Kelsi will be the leader for this challenge.

THE BABY NAME HUNT
Duration: January 1 - December 31
YearlyChallenge: The Baby Name Hunt

Read books in which each is the name of: a character, the author, OR the subject of a biography. (One book per name, and each book can only be used once.) It can be the first, middle, last, or nick name, but it must be spelled the exact same way; no variations are allowed.

10/40

Male
1 Liam
2 Ethan The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (character Ethan Barris)
3 Mason
4 Noah
5 Jacob
6 Jack
7 Aiden
8 Jackson
9 Logan
10 Lucas
11 Benjamin
12 William
13 Ryan
14 James : Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James(author)
15 Alexander
16 Jayden
17 Owen
18 Michael : Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (author)
19 Elijah
20 Matthew: The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery by Regina Jeffers (character Matthew Joseph)

Female
1 Emma
2 Olivia
3 Sophia
4 Ava
5 Isabella
6 Ella
7 Mia
8 Emily: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (character Miss Emily)
9 Chloe
10 Lily
11 Madison: Trust No One by Linda Sue Park (Madison Holt -character)
12 Abigail: Mr. Darcy's Refuge: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Abigail Reynolds (author)
13 Avery
14 Charlotte: The American Heiress character Charlotte Beauchamp
15 Amelia
16 Harper
17 Addison
18 Hannah Thirteen Reasons Why (character)
19 Grace The House At Riverton (character)
20 Zoe

All About Cupid Challenge
Duration: February 1 - February 28, 2013

Goal 2 Books: Just Friends
Completed 2/28

Tasks:
1. It Takes Two To Tango: Read 2 books from the same Romance Series
2. The Heart of the Matter: Read a book that either has a heart on the cover or "Heart" in the title. Or read a book by your favorite author or your all-time favorite book.
3. The Color of Love: Read a book that has a title that contains the colors: Red, Pink, White, or Ivory.
4. Covers of Color: Read a book that has a cover that is mostly Red or Pink. Dark Lie
5. The Month of Marriage: Read a book that was released in the month and year you were married in.
6. Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Read a book in which the main characters are a couple in the beginning but end up going their separate ways. Or read a book that you thought you would have liked and actually hated.
7. Holy Matrimony: Read a book that has a bride on the cover, has marriage or wedding or a variation of one of these words in the title, has June in the title, or has wedding rings on the front cover. The American Heiress (2/18)
8. Cupid's Arrows: Read a book that is either set in an age in which bows and arrows were used in combat or is about Native American Indians.
9. Be My Valentine: Read a book that has Chocolate or Flowers (or a type of flower like roses or lilies) in the title.
10. A Date with Prince Charming: Read a book that has a place to go on a date in the title (ex. Movies, beach, dinner, etc.) or that has a Knight or Prince as the leading male character.

Levels:
1. Just Friends - 2 Tasks
2. Courting - 4 Tasks
3. Long Term Relationship: 6 Tasks
4. Engaged: 8 Tasks
5. Happily Ever After: 10 Tasks

Rules:
1. No more than 3 re-reads.
2. Fiction or non-fiction are fine.
3. E-books and audio books are okay.
4. All books should be longer than 100 pages.
5. You have the right to change your desired level of difficulty at any time (up, down or drop out completely).

Possible books for Tasks
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Secret Keeper

Personal Challenge: BBC's The Big Read

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by by J.K. Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy - Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen - Persuasion by Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar - Holes by Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100.

Just started The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, and so far I LOVE it. Probably going to finish it tomorrow.

2013 Challenge Let's Turn Pages:

Goal: 35,000 pages
Complete: 10,785

Gone Girl 419 pp (1/1)
The Submarine Job (The 39 Clues: The Cahill Files, #2) 90 pp (1/4)
Trust No One (The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers, #5) 192 pp (1/4)
Invasion (The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire, #6) 27 pp (1/10)
Hunted (The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire, #3) 32 pp (1/10)
Turbulence (The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire, #5) 24 pp (1/10)
Ignition (The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire, #2) 30 pp (1/10)
Legacy (The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire, #1) 24 pp (1/10)
Crushed (The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire, #4) 25 pp (1/10)
Fireworks (The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire, #7) 24 pp(1/10)
Divergent (Divergent, #1) 487 pp (1/11)
Insurgent (Divergent, #2) 525 pp (1/12)
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore 288 pp (1/15)
Death Comes to Pemberley 291 pp (1/18)
Austenland (Austenland, #1) 197 pp (1/20)
Masked Ball at Broxley Manor 83 pp (1/25)
Jane Bites Back (Jane Fairfax #1) 299 pp (1/25)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1) 310 pp (1/26)
The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery 336 pp (1/28)
Pride and Prescience: Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged 288 pp (2/2)
Never Let Me Go 304 pp (2/4)
The Night Circus 387 pp (2/9)
Legend (Legend, #1) 305 pp (2/10)
Thirteen Reasons Why 304 pp (2/12)
Prodigy (Legend, #2) 384 pp (2/14)
The American Heiress 474 pp (2/18)
The Duchess's Tattoo: Thoughts on THE AMERICAN HEIRESS (2/24) 51 pp
Dark Lie 304 pp (2/28)
Day of Doom 272 pp (3/1)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close 326 pp (3/7)
24. The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team(3/18) 288 pp
25. 2012 Family Guide to Groceries under $250 a Month (3/18) 76 pp
26. Blackout (3/19) 512 pp
27. All Clear (All Clear, #2) (3/29) 643 pp
28. The House At Riverton (4/8) 599 pp
29. The Westing Game (4/10) 192 pp
30. The 100-Year-Old Secret (4/11) 157 pp
31. The Storyteller(4/12) 480 pp
32. Freaks (4/13) 48 pp
33. The Overnight Diet: The Proven Plan for Fast, Permanent Weight Loss 336 pp (4/16)
34. Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge 352 pp (4/29)
35. Tigers in Red Weather 353 pp (5/3)
36. The Reader 220 pp (5/6)
37. Murphy's Law 256 pp (5/16)
38. Death of Riley 336 pp (5/17)
39. Matched 369 pp (5/22)
40. Escape from Sobibor 416 pp (5/26)
41. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane 376 pp (5/29)
42. Gregor the Overlander 311 pp (6/5)
43. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 465 pp (6/9)
44. The Girl Who Played with Fire 660 pp (6/12)
45. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest 563 pp (6/17)
46. Rise of the Darklings 352 pp (6/21)

AWARDS COVER HUNT
Duration: March 1 - March 31, 2013

Goal 3 books

Our March theme is award winners, so let's explore non-literary awards!

1. The Heisman Trophy is given to the most outstanding player in college football. Read a book with has something related to sports on its cover.The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team

2. MacArthur Genius Grants (formally The MacArthur Fellows Program) are awarded to people who "show exceptional merit and promise for continued and enhanced creative work" in any field. Read a book with someone you consider to be a genius on its cover (the person can be fictional or real).

3. Grammy Awards are given by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to music artists. Read a book with something related to music on its cover.

4. The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. Read a book with something related to the military on its cover.

5. The Villa Romana Prize is a German art prize. Read a book with an artist's name in the title or a piece of artwork on the cover.

6. The European Inventor Award is awarded to inventors "who have made a significant contribution to innovation, economy and society in Europe." Read a book with an innovative cover. (This one's very open to interpretation!) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (3/7)

7. The Pritzker Architecture Prize is given to an architect who demonstrates "talent, vision, and commitment." Read a book with a building on its cover. Day of Doom (3/1)

8. The winner of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is given the title of Best in Show. Read a book with a dog on its cover.

9. The People's Hundred Flower Award is the Chinese equivalent of the Golden Globes. Read a book with flowers on its cover.

10. The Craft Guild of Chefs Awards recognizes outstanding chefs. Read a book with food on its cover. 2012 Family Guide to Groceries under $250 a Month

11. The winner of the premier series of of NASCAR gets the Sprint Cup Trophy. Read a book with a form of transportation on its cover.

12. The Merlin Award is an award given to magicians. Read a book with something you consider magical on the cover

Possible books for tasks
Steve Jobs
A Rather Remarkable Homecoming
The Art of Racing in the Rain or Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog
Gretzky's Tears: Hockey, Canada, and the Day Everything Changed
Home Game: Hockey and Life in Canada
The Greatest Hockey Stories Ever Told: The Finest Writers on Ice

LITERARY AWARDS MINI CHALLENGE
Duration: March 1 - March 31, 2013

Goal 2 books
Read: 1 book (almost; will finish it tomorrow 3/19)

1. Read a book by an author who has received the Nobel Prize in Literature. Ernest Hemmingway, John Steinbeck, Samuel Beckett (Waiting for Godot), Pearl S. Buck (The Good Earth), George Bernard Shaw (Pygmalion, or Heartbreak House), William Faulkner (As I Lay Dying, A Light in August)

2. Read a book that has won a Goodreads Choice Award. Blackout

3. Read a book that has won a Hugo or Nebula award. (If science fiction & fantasy really isn't your thing, choose another type of genre-specific award.) All Clear (All Clear, #2)

4. Read a book given an award unique to your country.

I'm not officially participating in this challenge but thought I'd see if what I've read so far this year fits into these tasks.

It' s All About the Oscars and Hollywood Challenge
Duration: January 1, 2013 - March 31, 2013

1. Reviews will make or break a movie in Hollywood – Read a book with a Goodreads rating of 4 or more stars Divergent

2. Word of mouth, "You have to see this movie!" - Read a book recommended to you by a friend Gone Girl

3. The longest movie ever made is called "Modern times Forever." Its a whopping 240 hours long! - Read a long book (500+ pages) Insurgent

4. Hollywood is in L.A. - Read a book whose author's name (first or surname) begins with L or A Legend by Marie Lu

5. Many great movies started out as books - Read a book that was adapted into a movie Never Let Me Go

6. It’s award season. Here come the Oscars! - Read a book that has won a major literary award (Man Booker, Pulitzer, Nobel Prize in Literature, etc.) Blackout

7. Roll out the red carpet - Read a book whose cover is red or whose title is written in red Jane Bites Back

8. Hollywood is known for its sex, drugs, rock and roll - Read a book that features sex, drugs and/or rock and roll Dark Lie

9. Movies weren't always in colour?! - Read a book whose cover is mainly black and/or white The Night Circus

10. Paparazzi are always spying on celebs - Read a book in which the main character is a spy or is being spied on

11. Every celeb has an autobiography nowadays - Read an autobiography by a celebrity or other well-known person

12. They pay him how much per movie?! - Read a book in which the main character is rich or comes into a large sum of money The American Heiress

13. She dating who!? They broke up?! Celeb relationships are everywhere you look. - Read a book in which a relationship ends or a new relationship begins

14. Movie stars travel worldwide to promote their latest film - Read a book set in a country you would like to visit or have visited (not your home country) Pride and Prescience: Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged

15. Celebs are obsessed with technology such as Facebook and Twitter - Read a book that heavily features social networking or technology Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

16. Every actor/actress dreams of having the star role - Read a book in which the main character has the same first or surname as you

17. February 14th is Valentine's day. Studios release several romantic movies this time of year - Read a book from the romance genre

18. Martha Stewart, Lindsay Lohan, 50cent. They've all spent time in the slammer. - Read a book that is set in a prison or in which the main character is a criminal or police officer

19. Harry Potter, The Godfather, The Lord of the Rings, Shrek. There are many great movie series! - Read a book from a series Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

20. Headlines! Celebs are always in the news - Look through a newspaper and find a book review. Read the book that has been reviewed

21. Lots of books have been made in TV series too. - Read a book that has been made into a TV series or mini series

22. No matter what the movie is about there's always a bad guy - Read a book in which the main character is a villain or perceived as a villain

23. Oscars speeches have to be short and snappy with a maximum length of 45 seconds - Read a short book (no more than 100 pages) The Submarine Job

24. I'd like to thank my mom and dad... - Read a book that features a child/parent relationship

25. Paranormal Activity, The Omen, The Exorcist. Some films will give you nightmares - Read a book from the horror genre

26. Cut! And that's a wrap - Read the last book in a series

April Word Play Challenge
Goal: 2 books
Read: 2 books

Our theme for April is poetry, so we thought we should have some fun with words for this challenge.

Complete 1. Palindrome. Read a book with a palindrome in its title, subtitle, or series name (a word that can be read both backwards and forward like “sagas” or “mom”) OR a character or author with a palindromic name (like Ana, Anna, or Hannah). Examples: High Noon, Anna Karenina, and author Kristin Hannah
The House At Riverton character Hannah

2. Onomatopoeia. Read a book with an onomatopoeia in its title (a word that imitates the sound made like “pop” or “meow”). Examples: Thud!, Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

3. Alliteration. Read a book whose title contains alliteration of some sort (words that begin with the same or similar sounds). Examples: The Lies of Locke Lamora, Pride and Prejudice

4. Anagram. Read a book that you can, using the first letters of the title, spell a word from. You do not need to use all of the letters, and they do not need to be in order. Examples: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (DEAD), In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin (HALF or LOAF or FLAT, etc.)

Complete 5. Homophone. Read a book with a title containing a homophone (a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning) Examples: Cannery Row (row a boat versus a row of chairs), The Handmaid's Tale (tale versus tail)

The Westing Game "Game" 1. An amusement or pastime 2. pertaining to or composed of animals hunted or taken as game or to their flesh.


6. Pidgin. Read a book in which the characters speak in some sort of slang. Examples: Honolulu (Hawaiian creole pidgin), Ender's Game (Battle School slang), The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

7. Pseudonym. Read a book by an author who has assumed a pen name under which the book was published. Examples: Ayn Rand (Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum), George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair), Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson)

8. Translations. Read a book originally published in a language that is not your native tongue.

APRIL: THE POEM TYPES MINI CHALLENGE
Duration: April 1 - April 30, 2013
Goal: 2 books
Read: 2 book

This challenge is inspired by poetry, but no you don't need to read books of poetry for this one. You can read any type of book you want that suits the task.

1. Sonnets contain a rhyming scheme. Read a book with a title that contains two words that rhyme with each other (you can include the series name).

COMPLETE 2. Haikus are best known for their brevity. Read a book under 100 pages.
Freaks (4/13)

3. Limericks are short, humorous poems. Read a book with "humor" listed as a genre.

COMPLETE 4. Epic poems celebrate heroes. Read a book in which the main character is someone you consider a hero or a book about one of your personal heroes.
Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge retail hero

ZARA'S INSPIRED SURVIVAL CHALLENGE
Duration: April 1 - June 30, 2013

Goal: Masters - 10 books
Read: 2 books


Background
Zara: "As of 2012, I finished a BA in Theology which was the culmination of five years of hard slog. It was not only I that went through the ups and downs of doing a degree but also my husband and children. Whilst doing my degree, I found a number of students who completed his/her degree celebrated the fact that he/she had 'survived' the grueling study regime.

"'Inspired' relates to how one will persevere, regardless of obstacles, when his/her goal is to finish the grueling task; 'Survival' describes the feeling upon successful completion of the grueling task."

Purpose
To show that perseverance, in spite of obstacles encountered, really does pay off and gives an enormous sense of accomplishment to all involved.

Reward
Each participant, who successfully completes this challenge, will receive a certificate via email congratulating him/her on the level achieved by the end of the quarter.

Rules
Each book read for this challenge must fit into one of the three following categories:

1. Hard to get into books - Find books that you have either struggled to begin or finish in the past and turn to them again and resolve to completely finish them this time;
2. Mammoth books - If reading books in excess of 500 pages long would be an enormous challenge for you, then resolve to read such a book for this challenge;


3. TBR books - Read books that have either been on your GR TBR shelf the longest or that you've had at home on your bookshelves the longest. Remember, these books still need to provide some form of challenge for you.

Levels
Major: 1-3 books
Double Major: 4-6 books
Masters: 7-12 books
PhD: 12+ books

Possible reads
The Witching Hour
Darcy and Fitzwilliam: A Tale of a Gentleman and an Officer
A Rather Remarkable Homecoming
House Rules
The Host
Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog
11/22/63
Mansfield Park
Suspense and Sensibility: Or, First Impressions Revisited
American Psycho
Great Expectations
Anne of Green Gables
A Tale of Two Cities
Bleak House MAMMOTH

Books Read: 11
The House At Riverton (4/8) MAMMOTH
The Westing Game (4/10) TBR
The Reader (5/6) TBR
Murphy's Law (5/16) TBR
Death of Riley (5/17) TBR
Matched (5/22) TBR
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (5/29) TBR
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (6/9) HARD TO GET INTO/TBR
The Girl Who Played with Fire MAMMOTH/TBR
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest MAMMOTH/TBR
Gregor the Overlander TBR

April TBR Twins with Karin

The House At Riverton finished 4/8
The Storyteller

The Favorites Challenge
Duration: January 1 – December 31, 2013

This challenge is all about your favorites! You can take the reins and design this challenge as you wish (perhaps mini challenges for each category?).
*You can choose to read however many books you wish for this challenge.
*Re-reads are allowed, but no skimming. You need to read the entire book.
*You can make your list as you go, or you can make it before you start.
*If you choose to spell in this challenge you can use the title of the book (excluding A, And, or The) or the first letter of the first or last name of the author.
*When you finish your challenge, repost your list so you can get a virtual pat on the back!

Ok, so are we ready for the categories??.....Here we go!

Category 1: Favorite weather: Spell out your favorite season and/or type of weather!
Fall : 4 Books - Complete
F: Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford
A: The American Heiress
L: Legend
L: Prodigy by Marie Lu

Category 2: Favorite Genre: Spell out your favorite genre and/or read at least 5 books from your favorite genre
Young Adult : 10 Books
Y
O: The Overnight Diet: The Proven Plan for Fast, Permanent Weight Loss
U
N: The Night Circus
G: Gone Girl
A: All Clear
D: Death Comes to Pemberley
U
L: Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann
T: Trust No One

Category 3: Favorite Author: Spell out your favorite author’s name and/or read at least 3 books by your favorite author. Or for extra fun go to www.literature-map.com , type in your favorite author’s name and read at least 5 books from a similar author listed.
Rhys Bowen: 3 Books

1. Masked Ball at Broxley Manor by Rhys Bowen
2. Murphy's Law
3. Death of Riley

Category 4: Favorite Holiday: Spell out your favorite holiday and/or read at least 5 books related to your favorite holiday.
Christmas: 9 Books- Complete
C: Rapid Fire Series 1-7 by Clifford Riley
H: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
R: The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery by Regina Jeffers
I: Insurgent
S: Dark Lie by
T: Thirteen Reasons Why
M: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
A: Austenland
S: The Submarine Job

Category 5: Favorite Sport: Spell out your favorite sport and/or your favorite sports team.
Hockey: 6 Books
H: The House At Riverton
O
C: Pride and Prescience: Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged by Carrie Bebris
K: Never Let Me Goby Kazuo Ishiguro
E: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Y


Possible Reads:
Uglies
Under The Never Sky
The Uninvited Guests
Your Spacious Self
The Obituary Writer
Only Mr. Darcy Will Do
One Minute Organizer
The Lace Makers of Glenmara
Lady Fortescue Steps Out
Lady of Ashes

Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge
Matched

Q2 Decades Challenge COMPLETE
Duration: April 1 - June 30, 2013

Goal: 10 books
Read: 10 Books

We will be focusing on different decades over this three month period. We will be able to learn a little history while reading.

The objective of this challenge is to either read a book from each decade or choose something that occured during the decade to read about. Here are our decades and some specific examples for reading...

1900-1909: NAACP founded, Boxer Rebellion, Model T car introduced, etc.
1910-1919: Titanic sinks, World War I, Spanish flu, etc.
1920-1929: Women's Sufferage, Stock Market Crash, First talking movie, etc.
1930-1939: Amelia Earhart, March of Dimes founded, King Edward VIII abdicates throne, etc.
1940-1949: World War II, United Nations founded, Polaroid Camera invented, etc.
1950-1959: First organ transplant, Soviet Satellite Sputnik, Antarctica becomes Scientific preserve, etc.
1960-1969: Biggest earthquake in history hits Chile, Berlin Wall built, Manson Murders, First Man on the Moon, etc.
1970-1979: Watergate Scandal, Civil War in Lebanon, North and South Vietnam form Socialist Republic of Vietnam, etc.
1980-1989: Michael Jackson's Thriller album released, First American Woman in Space, China's Tienanmen Square, etc.
1990-1999: Collapse of Soviet Union, Internet becomes popular, Mad Cow Disease, etc.
2000-2009: 9/11, First Black President (US)
2010-present: read anything you want from 2010-present

Here is a website to help you decide what you might want to read for each decade. Decade Reading

This challenge is open for you to read pretty much anything you'd like between 1900-2013. I gave some examples, but these do not have to be used. Have fun with this challenge and make it your own.

Possible Reads
1910's Titanic Affair, The Dressmaker
1980's American Psycho

Books Read
1900's:: Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge selfridge secured investors for his retail store in London in 1906, the store opened in 1909
1910's: A Night to Remember Titanic sunk in 1912
1920's: The House At Riverton
1930's:
1940's:The Storyteller much of the story takes place in concentration camps during the 1940's
1950's: The Reader (5/6) Hanna and Michael begin their relationship in 1958
1960's: Tigers in Red Weather much of the story takes place in e 60's
1970's: The Westing Game published 1976
1980's:
1990's: Escape from Sobibor published 1995
2000's:Murphy's Law (5/16) published 2002
2010's: Rise of the Darklings published in 2010

The Listopia Challenge
Duration: January - December 2013

It's back! After popular demand, the Listopia challenge is returning for another year! Feel free to carry on your goal from 2012, or to update with new goals and new lists. :)

Goodreads features a number of user created lists which can be found here: Listopia.

Besides the featured and popular lists on the main page you can see lists your friends have voted on as well as search for lists with topics that interest you.

The number of lists you choose and the number of books you read from each is entirely up to you. One person might choose to read the Top 100 books from one list, another person may choose to read the Top 5 books from 10 lists. You decide and mix it up any way you like.

Rules:
Choose your list (or multiple lists!) and the amount of books you plan to read from each.
State your goals in your first post. (posting a link to your lists is recommended*)
Any format of book, cross challenging etc. are all fine.
You can keep track in your Member's Corner or update here.
When you finish off a list, post your completed list here so we can all congratulate you!

* NOTE: Posting a link is not necessary, but it does help others find the list you are referring too if they want to check it out as well! If you do want to post a link, here are instructions.
1. Find your list and copy the URL (which can be found at the top of your browser, in the box with the website address)
2. When posting your comment in the comment box, the code you use to add a link is this: (backspace all the *) <*a href="">Name of list here<*/a*>.
3. Paste the URL of your list between the two " in the first tag.

For example this (without the *): <*a href="http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/19... ">Best Science Fiction Books<*/a> turns into this: Best Science Fiction Books

Downton Abbey-eqsue Books 5 books

The House At Riverton READ
The American Heiress READ
Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle
The House at Tyneford
The Dressmaker


Best Dystopian and Post Apocalyptic Fiction 5books

Legend READ
Divergent READ
Insurgent READ
Matched READ
The Giver
Brave New World
The Handmaid's Tale
Fahrenheit 451
The Host


Recommended Historical Fiction 5 books

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society READ
The Remains of the Day
The Red Tent
The Alienist
The Pillars of the Earth
World Without End
One Hundred Years of Solitude
The Reader READ

Stories For Book Lovers 3 books

The Book Thief
Inkheart
The Princess Bride
The Forgotten Garden
Anne of Green Gables



The Most Disturbing Book Ever Written 3 books
Never Let Me Go READ
American Psycho
The Road
The Lovely Bones
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo READ
Psycho Save Us
Shutter Island
Sharp Objects


Best Teen Books About Real Problems 3 books

Thirteen Reasons Why READ
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Fault in Our Stars
The Outsiders
Looking for Alaska
Uglies
Nineteen Minutes


Best Books of the 19th Century 3 books

Jane Eyre
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Emma
A Tale of Two Cities
Les Misérables
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
North and South
Bleak House


Best for Book Clubs 3 books

The Help
The Time Traveler's Wife
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Poisonwood Bible

May Spell-Out Challenge:
Duration: May 1 - May 31, 2013

What do you first think of when you hear about the month of May? Choose a word or more than one word to spell out this month. You can use the title of the book (excluding A, An, and The),the first or last initial of the author, or the first letter in the name of the main character (first or last initial)

Ex: Beach

B - The Book Thief
E - Epperson, Deborah:Breaking Twig
A - Anna Karenina (Main Character: Anna)
C - The Crossing Places
H - Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Main Character: Hannah Swensen)

Lesley will be the leader of this challenge. Thank you, Lesley! :)

Goal 7 (10) books Read 8 Books
M: Matched (5/23)
O: Death of Riley (5/17)
T: Tigers in Red Weather (5/3)
H: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe (5/29)
E: Escape from Sobibor (5/27)
R: The Reader 3.5 stars. (5/6)
S: Murphy's Law Character Daniel Sullivan (5/16)
(D) Death Cloud
(A) American Psycho
(Y) tbd

Mini-challenge:
Duration: May 1 - May 31, 2013

1) Read a book from the decade you were born. 1970's
2) Read a book from the decade of your favorite band's first album. Maroon 5 1990's
3) Read a book from the decade your favorite author was born. Rhys Bowen 1940's
4) Read a book from the decade you choose. Tbd

Kaitlin will be leading this challenge. Thank you, Kaitlin! :)

Goal 3 Books
Read 3 Books
2) Read a book from the decade of your favorite band's first album. Maroon 5 1990's
The Reader
3. Decade Favorite Author Was Born: Rhys Bowen (born 1940's) Escape from Sobibor
4) Read a book from the decade you choose. 2000's The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

May TBR twins with Sarah.

Matched

THE COLORS OF ROYALTY MINI CHALLENGE - COMPLETE
Duration: June 1 - June 30

Goal: 2 Books
Read 3 Books

Different cultures have different colors to symbolize royalty. In the West, it's purple or "royal blue." In China, it's yellow. For Aztecs, the color red was a symbol of authority. For June's challenge, read one book for each color (purple, blue, yellow, red). The book's cover must be more than 50% that color. (You can decide to not go for all four. Just let us know how many your goal is.)

Purple. For the Love of Mike

Yellow: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Blue: A Night to Remember

KELSI'S ROYALTY CHALLENGE
Duration: June 1 - June 30

Goal: Duchess 3-4 books

Our theme for June is royalty, and Kelsi created this challenge for the group.

1. Suleimon I of the Ottoman Empire r. 1494-1566 was known for conquering much of the Middle East and for reforming the criminal, tax and education systems. Read a book that is set in the Middle East or includes taxes, education, or criminal delinquency as a major topic.

2. James I of England. r. 1603-1625 was a lover of literature and the fine arts. Read a book you deem a great work of literature. (Up for interpretation and based solely on your opinion!)

3. John III of Poland-Lithuania r. 1674-1696 was brilliant both militarily and politically. Read a book where war or politics is central to the plot.

4. Henry VIII of England r. 1509-1547. There are a plethora of books on this monarch and his six wives. Read a book of fiction or non-fiction that is based on his or his wives’ life OR read a book set in England.
The Constant Princess

5. Louis XIV of France r. 1643-1715 Louis built the palace of Versailles and was all about dancing, parties, and showing his wealth off. He even invented ballet. Read a book that involves a party OR has a main character that is wealthy.
Habits of the House

6. Catherine the Great of Russia 1762-1796 was Russia’s longest ruling female. Read a book with a strong, independent heroine.

7. Queen Victoria of England 1837-1901 was Britain’s longest ruling monarch, who expanded English territory to take up a quarter of the world during her reign. The Victorian Era takes its’ name after her. Read a book set in the Victorian Era (1840-1910).
In Like Flynn

8. Isabella and Ferdinand of Castile and Aragon r. 1474-1504. The Spanish Inquisition ladies and gentlemen! Read a book where religion is closely related to the plot or is the main theme of the book.

9. Napoleon Bonaparte of France r. 1804-1814/15 came to rule after the French Revolution and created a French empire. He was either killed by cancer or by stomach poisoning (arsenic). Read a book in which characters revolt OR a death takes place under dubious circumstances.

10. Julius Caesar of Rome r. 60-44 BCE was a Roman consul who contributed to the fall of the Roman Republic. Numerous biographies were written about him, most notably one by Suetonius. Read a biography on any figure you are interested in.
Steve Jobs

Levels
Lord/Lady: 1-2 books
Duke/Duchess: 3-4
Prince/Princess: 5-7 books
King/Queen: 8-10 books

Goal: Duchess 3-4 books
Read: Princess 7 Books

Books Read: 7
6. Strong Female Heroine The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (6/9)
3. War central to the plot Gregor the Overlander
7. Read a book set in the Victorian Era (1840-1910). For the Love of Mike
9. Read a book in which a death takes place under dubious circumstances. The Girl Who Played with Fire
5. Read a book that involves a party OR has a main character that is wealthy. In Like Flynn
4. Read a book set in England. Rise of the Darklings
2. Great Work of Literature The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I Spy Challenge
Duration: July 1, 2013 - September 30, 2013

Goal 6 Books

We did this challenge as a yearly challenge last year. This year we shortened it up a bit and have new categories. This is a pretty open challenge, so you can interpret the categories in ways that work best for you. You can use the cover or the title to cover each category. We have listed some ideas/examples of what we are looking for but you DO NOT have to use them. Have fun with this Quarterly challenge! :)

1. I spy elements from the Periodic Table: Silver, Gold, Neon, etc.
2. I spy celestial bodies: Planets, stars, galaxies, etc.
3. I spy things related to sports: baseball, basketball, football, etc.
4. I spy things/people related to the hospital: doctors, nurses, patients, etc.
5. I spy magical beings: witches, wizards, elves, etc.
6. I spy animals in the circus: monkeys, elephants, tigers, etc.
7. I spy world leaders: Mandela, Gandhi, Dali Lama, etc.
8. I spy things from “down under”: Australia, Kangaroos, New Zealand, etc.
9. I spy a body of water: ocean, river, lake, etc.
10. I spy a month of the year: January, February, March, etc.
11. I spy a day of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.
12. I spy countries in Europe: Italy, Germany, France, etc.

3rd Quarter Challenge: Authors!
Duration: July 1, 2013 - September 30, 2013

Goal 8 Books

Most of our challenges are based on books, but we thought we could do with a change, so this challenge is entirely based on authors.

1. Read a book by an author who shares your initials (first and last only, no need to match middle initials).
2. Read a book by an author from your home country.
3. Read a book written by an author whose first language is different from your own.
4. Read a book by a new-to-you author.
5. Read a book by an author who's known for a genre you don't primarily read.
6. Read a book by an author born in your birth month.
7. Read a book by an author born in the same decade as you. (If you are born in or after 1990, you may read an author born in the 80s.)
8. Read a book by an author who has penned an autobiography (you can, but do not have to, read the autobiography itself).
9. Read a book by a self-published author (the book you read does not have to be self-published, but the author must have self-published at some point in his or her career).
10. Read a book by a Goodreads author.
11. Read a book by a debut author.
12. Read a book by an author who has published more than 15 books by July 1, 2013.
13. Read a book by an author who has fewer than 25 fans. (See the number of fans on an author's profile.)
14. Read a book by an author who has greater than 1,000 fans.
15. Read a book by your favorite author. Oh Danny Boy by Rhys Bowen

-----

Mim will be our leader for this challenge.

Must Read Classics Challenge
Duration: July 1 - July 31, 2013

Goal 6 Books

Our theme for July is classics, so let's see how many classics we can read this month!

This works much like our standard Listopia challenge or our Goodreads 100 challenge, but instead, your task is to read as many books from the Must Read Classics list as you can. Let us know how many of the top 100 you've read so far and what your goal is for the month.

Must Read Classics

Zara will be our leader for this challenge. Thank you, Zara!

July's The Definition of a Classic Challenge
Duration: July 1 - July 31, 2013

Goal 4

What makes a book a classic? According to Italo Calvino, there are 14 definitions of a classic. Read a book that suits each one! (Note: your book doesn't have to be a classic; it just needs to fit the task.)

1. The classics are those books about which you usually hear people saying: 'I'm rereading…', never 'I'm reading….' Read a book on this Read Them Twice...At Least list.
Read them Twice List
2. The Classics are those books which constitute a treasured experience for those who have read and loved them; but they remain just as rich an experience for those who reserve the chance to read them for when they are in the best condition to enjoy them. Read a book that has been recommended to you by a friend that you've been putting off.

3. The classics are books which exercise a particular influence, both when they imprint themselves on our imagination as unforgettable, and when they hide in the layers of memory disguised as the individual's or the collective unconscious. This task is all about imagination--read a fantasy or science fiction book.

4. A classic is a book which with each rereading offers as much of a sense of discovery as the first reading. Reread a book.

5. A classic is a book which even when we read it for the first time gives the sense of rereading something we have read before. Read a new to you book.

6. A classic is a book which has never exhausted all it has to say to its readers. Read a book still popular today which was written over 50 years ago.

7. The classics are those books which come to us bearing the aura of previous interpretations, and trailing behind them the traces they have left in the culture or cultures (or just in the languages and customs) through which they have passed. Read a book about a culture you consider not your own.

8. A classic is a work which constantly generates a pulviscular cloud of critical discourse around it, but which always shakes the particles off. "Pulviscular" means "dusty; resembling fine powder." Read a book whose title contains a word you consider unusual. (Proper nouns can count toward this task.)

9. Classics are books which, the more we think we know them through hearsay, the more original, unexpected, and innovative we find them when we actually read them. Read a book you've heard about on TV, on the radio, in a magazine, from a blog, or through another book.

10. A classic is the term given to any book which comes to represent the whole universe, a book on a par with ancient talismans. A talisman is a magical device that brings good luck. Read a book that contains magic in some form.

11. 'Your' classic is a book to which you cannot remain indifferent, and which helps you define yourself in relation or even in opposition to it. Read a coming of age book.

12. A classic is a work that comes before other classics; but those who have read other classics first immediately recognize its place in the genealogy of classic works. Read a book that's part of a series.

13. A classic is a work which relegates the noise of the present to a background hum, which at the same time the classics cannot exist without. Read a book about a historical event.

14. A classic is a work which persists as a background noise even when a present that is totally incompatible with it holds sway. Read a book that has "Classic" listed as a genre on its main page.