2010 Reading Challenges

Here’s a list of all the challenges I’m attempting to complete in 2010 and my progress:

I signed up for Bluestocking level – five books total, two of which were supposed to be non-fiction – for the Women Unbound Reading Challenge. I struggled with the non-fiction portion of the challenge, so I ended up reading five books, only one of which was non-fiction. Oh well. I consider it an accomplishment, and it definitely impacted what books I chose, as I specifically sought books with strong female leads.

1. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
2. Career GPS by Ella L.J. Edmondson Bell, Ph.D.
3. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
4. Public Secrets by Nora Roberts
5. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

I love thrillers, and I love suspense. I knew immediately that I would have no problem meeting the requirements for the highest level, twelve books. Having finished the challenge in four months, I was right.

1. The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova (Psychological Thriller)
2. Truly, Madly by Heather Webber (Romantic Thriller)
3. The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer (Medical Thriller)
4. In the Woods by Tana French (Drama Thriller)
5. Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs by Molly Harper (Supernatural Thriller)
6. Dune by Frank Herbert (Sci-Fi Thriller)
7. Public Secrets by Nora Roberts (Romantic Thriller)
8. Greywalker by Kat Richardson (Paranormal Thriller)
9. Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner (Paranormal Thriller)
10. The Sinful Life of Lucy Burns by Elizabeth Leiknes (Paranormal Thriller)
11. Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz (Paranormal Thriller)
12. Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (Paranormal Thriller)

I thought the Rainbow Connection Challenge was just a very fun challenge, the idea being to read one book that starts with each the same letter as the rainbow. I struggled with the Y category but managed to find something that fit in the end.

R. Rooms by James L. Rubart
O. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Y. Substitute Yourself Skinny by Chef Susan Irby
G. Greywalker by Kat Richardson
B. Be the Change: How Meditation Can Transform You and the World by Ed and Deb Shapiro
I. In the Woods by Tana French
V. Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

Caribousmom started this particular reading challenge last August to run through July 31, 2010. It was the very first challenge to which I ever committed. The idea was to put some spontaneity into our reading by randomly choosing the next book to read, either through Random.org or through some other method. I used Random.org to select on about half, and then I started involving my children by making them go up and select a book for me. They were excited to see me read a book they chose, and I was happy that I did not have to select one out of the hundreds I have to read. It was a win-win situation for everyone!

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Soul Catcher by Leigh Bridger
One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Public Secrets by Nora Roberts
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Keeper by Kathi Appelt
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Amy hosts this challenge every year as a way to support bookstores and literacy. Since I buy books way too often, I knew this would not really be a challenge for me. It wasn’t. I have plenty of more to go around too.

1. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
2. When Washington Was in Vogue by Edward Christopher Williams
3. Dune by Frank Herbert
4. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
5. Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner
6. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
7. Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
8. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
10. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
11. The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
12. 31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan

Hosted by Aarti, this challenge is designed to make it okay to revisit old favorites.

1. Public Secrets by Nora Roberts
2. O Pioneers by Willa Cather
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
4. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
5. Dracula by Bram Stoker
6. Black Boy by Richard Wright

Hosted by Beth F, this challenge makes you work to try to find books to fit the categories!

1. A book with a food in the title – The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
2. A book with a body of water in the title – Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
3. A book with a title in the title – A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
4. A book with a plant in the title – In the Woods by Tana French
5. A book with a place name in the title – When Washington Was in Vogue by Edward Christopher Williams
6. A book with a music term in the title – The Eerie Silence by Paul Davies