1. Hunter’s Moon – C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp
2. Glass Houses – Rachel Caine
3. Shogun – James Clavell
4. Kitty Takes a Holiday – Carrie Vaughn
5. Heat Wave – Richard Castle
6. Ivory Tower Cop – George Kirkham & Leonard Territo
7. Outrageous – Christina Dodd
8. London Bridges – James Patterson
9. Already Dead – Charlie Huston
10. The Seventh Commandment – Lawrence Sanders
11. Shakespeare’s Landlord – Charlaine Harris
12. Rest in Pieces – Rita Mae Brown

If you participated, I hope you enjoyed the challenge too! The Random Reading Challenge was hosted by Caribousmom.

last updated 7/23/10

5 Point Challenges

Read a chick lit book

Read a name with a proper name in the title — See Jane Write by Sarah Mlynowski & Farrin Jacobs

Read a historical fiction book

Read a book with a one word title — Standoff by Sandra Brown

Read a book made into a movie

10 Point Challenges

Read a book with a Civil War theme (any country)

Read a Biblical fiction book

Read a hardcover book — The Anniversary Man by R.J. Ellory 

Read a book about a king or queen

Read a book set in France

15 Point Challenges

Read a book by an author you’ve never read before

Read a biography or autobiography

Read a book with a number in the title

Read any book and then post a review — Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Read any book but read it outside

20 Point Challenges

Read a book in a series AND the one after it

Read a book that was a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Read a book considered Christian fiction

Read a book from The Modern Library Top 100

Read a book by an author born in July, August, September or October

Points earned to date: 35 / 250

5 Point Challenges

Read a book by an author you’ve never read before – Anthem by Ayn Rand

Read a book with a one word title – Outrageous by Christina Dodd

Read a book with an animal name in the title – The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore

Read a book with a proper name in the title – Shakespeare’s Landlord by Charlaine Harris

Read a fantasy

10 Point Challenges

Read an ‘Austenesque’ book

Read a book with a two word title – Desert Heat by J.A. Jance

Read a book that is part of a series – Already Dead by Charlie Huston

Read a book about a real person

Read a mystery – Black Seconds by Karin Fossum

15 Point Challenges

Read a book written in the 60’s (any century)

Read a book with a number in the title – The Seventh Commandment by Lawrence Sanders

Read a book by an author born in March, April, May or June. – What Do We Do Now? by Keith Malley & Chemda

Read a book with a three word title – Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Read a book by an author with three names – Rest in Pieces by Rita Mae Brown

20 Point Challenges

Read a book with over 500 pages – White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

Read a book with a four word title – Gossip of the Starlings by Nina de Gramont

Read a book by two authors – Ivory Tower Cop by George Kirkham and Leonard Territo

Read a book written in the 70s (any century)

Read a book that has been number one on the NYT Best-sellers list – London Bridges by James Patterson

• Dead Until Dark
• Living Dead in Dallas
• Club Dead
• Dead to the World
• Dead as a Doornail
• Definitely Dead
• All Together Dead
• From Dead to Worse
• Dead and Gone

Now, if I could just get caught up on True Blood.

last updated 5/10/10

5 Point Challenges

Read a book by an author you’ve never read before – Anthem by Ayn Rand

Read a book with a one word title – Outrageous by Christina Dodd

Read a book with an animal name in the title – The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore

Read a book with a proper name in the title – Shakespeare’s Landlord by Charlaine Harris

Read a fantasy

10 Point Challenges

Read an ‘Austenesque’ book

Read a book with a two word title – Desert Heat by J.A. Jance

Read a book that is part of a series – Already Dead by Charlie Huston

Read a book about a real person

Read a mystery – Black Seconds by Karin Fossum

15 Point Challenges

Read a book written in the 60’s (any century)

Read a book with a number in the title – The Seventh Commandment by Lawrence Sanders

Read a book by an author born in March, April, May or June. – What Do We Do Now? by Keith Malley & Chemda

Read a book with a three word title – Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Read a book by an author with three names – Rest in Pieces by Rita Mae Brown

20 Point Challenges

Read a book with over 500 pages – White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

Read a book with a four word title – Gossip of the Starlings by Nina de Gramont

Read a book by two authors – Ivory Tower Cop by George Kirkham and Leonard Territo

Read a book written in the 70s (any century)

Read a book that has been number one on the NYT Best-sellers list – London Bridges by James Patterson

Points to date: 190/250

The 2010 Pub Challenge is hosted by 1morechapter.  The guidelines are:

• Read a minimum of 10 books first published in 2010. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2010, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country. For example, if a book was published in Australia, England, or Canada in 2009, and then published in the USA in 2010, it counts (if you live in the USA). Newly published trade paperbacks and mass market paperbacks do not count if there has been a hardcover/trade published before 2010.
• No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.’
• At least 5 titles must be fiction.
• Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
• You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.
• Sign up at the Pub Challenge site using Mr. Linky.
• Have fun reading your 2010 books!

Here is where my list will be! (last updated 7/23/10)

1. The First Rule – Robert Crais   
2. The Kitchen House - Kathleen Grissom  
3. What Do We Do Now? – Keith Malley & Chemda 
4. So Much For That – Lionel Shriver   
5. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest – Stieg Larsson   
6. Horns – Joe Hill   
7. Worst Case – James Patterson   
8. Possessed – Kate Cann   
9. Dead in the Family – Charlaine Harris   
10. The Anniversary Man – R.J. Ellory   

Happy New Year! It’s time for my little 2009 recap:

Books read: 133
Pages read: 34,645
Words read: 12,359,271
Audiobook hours: 14d 3h 11m

Blog posts: 216
Challenges attempted: 18
Challenges completed: 11

The challenge numbers are somewhat estimated… Some of the challenges listed under attempted are not supposed to be completed yet.

And now, my favorite books read each month:

January: Claus, A Christmas Incarnation: Vol I (C. John Coombes)
February: A Fistful of Charms (Kim Harrison)
March: Ok, I’m gonna list 3 for March, cuz these were all so good… The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson), In the Woods (Tana French), The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)
April: Fractured (Karin Slaughter)
May: The Black Tower (Louis Bayard)
June: City of Thieves (David Benioff)
July: Naamah’s Kiss (Jacqueline Carey)
August: August was a mediocre month.  I’m gonna skip it.
September: Evil at Heart (Chelsea Cain)
October: Another multiple great book month! Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins), The Girl Who Played With Fire (Stieg Larsson), A Quiet Belief in Angels (R.J. Ellory)
November: The Maze Runner (James Dashner), Olive Kitteridge (Elizabeth Strout)
December: The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)

As for 2010, I don’t think I’m going to change a whole lot.  There’s a lot of bloggers discussing "reading deliberately", but this is something I think I already started about mid-way through last year.  I have a gigantic stack of review books that I *need* to get through, plus a lot of my own books that I *need* to read, so I’ve started up a rotation with the following categories: (A)mazon, (L)ibrayThing, (S)olicited, (U)nsolicited, (M)ine.  The rotation is ALSMM, ALSUMM.  So for every 3 review copies, I read 2 of my own books, and I only read an unsolicited book every other round.  I know I won’t stick to this 100%, because there may be a tour I participate in, or something I JUST HAVE to read IMMEDIATELY, or something I’m reading for my book club, but it’s a good rule of thumb for me.

I’ve also stopped accepting review copies except in very limited circumstances.  I *really* need to reduce the number of unread books in my house.  And I’ll be turning off my Box-o-Books membership on PaperbackSwap as soon as I complete my pending transactions… I’m finding that I’m choosing books just for the sake of completing the swap, not because I want the book.

So that’s it! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Here’s to a great 2010!

• Anyone can join. You don’t need a blog to participate. –Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.
• There are four levels:
  • Curious – Read 3 Historical Fiction novels.
  • Fascinated – Read 6 Historical Fiction novels.
  • Addicted – Read 12 Historical Fiction novels.
  • Obsessed – Read 20 Historical Fiction novels.
• Any book format counts.
• You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
• Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.
• When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants can find join in and read your reviews and post.

Sign up is at Royal Reviews! My list will be below.  I’m choosing the Addicted option:

list updated 5/18/10

1. Shogun – James Clavell 
2. The Kitchen House - Kathleen Grissom  
3. A Reliable Wife – Robert Goolrick 
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12.  

• Anyone can join. You don’t need a blog to participate. –Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.
• There are four levels:
  • Curious – Finish 2 series.
  • Fascinated – Finish 3 series.
  • Addicted – Finish 5 series.
  • Obsessed – Finish 10 series.
• Any genre counts.
• You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
• Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.
• When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the Finish Your Series Reading Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants can find join in and read your reviews and post.

Sign up is at Royal Reviews! My list will be below.  Most of the series I have to finish are pretty long, so I’m limiting myself to the Fascinated option:

last updated 7/12/10

1. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest – Stieg Larsson   
2. Dead in the Family – Charlaine Harris   
3.  

• Anyone can join. You don’t need a blog to participate. –Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.
• There are four levels:
  • Curious – Read 3 E-Books.
  • Fascinated – Read 6 E-Books.
  • Addicted – Read 12 E-Books.
  • Obsessed – Read 20 E-Books.
• Any genre counts.
• You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
• Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.
• When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the E-book Reading Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants can find join in and read your reviews and post.

Sign up is at Royal Reviews! My list will be below — I’m choosing the Obsessed option:

last updated 7/12/10

1. Kitty Takes a Holiday – Carrie Vaughn 
2. Heat Wave – Richard Castle 
3. Outrageous by Christina Dodd 
4. Anthem – Ayn Rand 
5. Already Dead – Charlie Huston   
6. Rest in Pieces – Rita Mae Brown
7. Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan
8. Desert Heat – J.A. Jance 
9. Definitely Dead – Charlaine Harris 
10. Back to the Bedroom – Janet Evanovich 
11. Pay Dirt – Rita Mae Brown 
12. Worst Case – James Patterson   
13. All Together Dead – Charlaine Harris   
14. From Dead to Worse – Charlaine Harris   
15. Dead and Gone – Charlaine Harris 
16. Dead in the Family – Charlaine Harris   
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