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Saturday, January 8, 2011

2011 Reading Challenges

I'm still running consistently behind on my blog postings due to the holidays, having three kids, and actually wanting to sleep at some point. I have a couple of book reviews to post and my 2010 list of top ten books, but I thought instead I would at least get signed up for the challenges I would like to participate in this year!


Historical Fiction is my favorite genre of books to read. I decided this year I should keep track of what historical fiction books I read and participate in a challenge so I can read other's reviews and share my love of historical fiction.
Historical Tapestry is hosting the challenge this year and has the following guidelines:
  • everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)

  • add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)


  • any kind of historical fiction is accepted (HF fantasy, HF young adult,...)
    you can overlap this challenge with others kind of challenges

  • During these following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:
    Severe Bookaholism: 20 books
    Undoubtedly Obsessed: 15 books
    Struggling the Addiction: 10 books
    Daring & Curious: 5 books
    Out of My Comfort Zone: 2 books

  • The challenge will run from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011.

I am aiming for severe bookaholism!

The second challenge I would like to participate in is an online Book Club at Dreams and Speculations that explores "the Women of Science Fiction." Science Fiction is another of my favorite genres that I enjoy reading, but unfortunately, I haven't been reading as much sci-fi the last few years as I would like. I think the concept of this challenge and how there is a book for each month. I haven't read any of the chosen books, and I haven't read many sci-fi books written by women in general. I'm excited to learn about new authors!

As described by Dreams and Speculations, the book club works like this:

"It’s simple. Anyone is invited to participate for one month or all twelve months. And what are we reading? A month ago I posted polls to 40+ possible books. The twelve are our 2011 selections. Each month will get a different book. Any participant has the entire month to read that book and prepare for a review/discussion on the last day of the month here at Dreams & Speculation. It’s that easy. "

The third challenge I want to participate in is the The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011 hosted by Laurel Ann at Austenprose. It has been two-hundred years since Sense and Sensibility was first published and Laurel Ann is spending the year celebrating. I am aiming for the "Disciple" level with 5-8 Sense and Sensibility inspired entries. Knowing myself and Jane Austen challenges, I may exceed this!

I plan to review the following items for this challenge:

1. I have Found it (Kandukondain Kandukondain) 2000

2. Sense and Sensibility 1995

3. Brightsea, by Jane Gillespie

4. Reason and Romance, by Debra White-Smith

5. Sense and Sensibility: The Screenplay and Diaries, by Emma Thompson and Lindsay Doran

6. The Three Weismanns of Westport, Cathleen Schine

My fourth and final challenge I would like to join at this time is The Audiobook Challenge 2011 hosted by Teresa's Reading Corner. The 2011 Audio Book Challenge will run from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. I am aiming for the Addicted level of 12 Audio Books through the year. I may surpase this!

I look forward to all of these challenges throughout this year. For those of you wondering about the All About the Brontes Challenge, I'll have a post up in the next few weeks about it!

5 comments:

  1. I am doing the Historical Fiction challenge too! Good luck with them all!

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  2. Laura, these honestly all sound like great reading challenges, but, for reasons similar to yours, I've joined only a few reading challenges so far (including the audio book challenge in your post).

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  3. I am like you...behind on my reviews from 2010. I think I have about 4 to post, and have yet to do my Top Favorite Reads of 2010. I figure that I will get to it during this month, and that is just fine. :)
    Your joining in on the Sci-Fi bookclub...yay! Me too. I look forward to those reads. The historical and audiobook challenges look great, but I must put a stop to signing up for challenges. It will be interesting to see which ones I complete. Good luck to you, but more importantly...I hope you have fun reading during 2011.

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  4. Glad to see you joining in on the Historical challenge!

    I am also doing the Sense and Sensibility challenge.

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  5. Thanks for the shout out and joining up Laura. I hope you enjoy your selections and I look forward to your reviews, especially of Brightsea - glad you chose it.

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