Monday 27 January 2014

Reading Challenges 2014


Although the new year celebrations are still fresh in my mind, the first month of 2014 is already drawing to a close. But as they say, time flies when you're having fun and really, when was reading a book anything but fun (the occasional mishap i.e. getting fooled into buying a book based on a gorgeous cover or a catchy synopsis, being the proverbial exception to the rule).

Although I have been absent from the blog for a very long time (I know, bad, bad me), I never stopped reading and before January is really over, I should officially sign up for the reading challenges I have decided to enter this year.

The Reading Challenges I will be participating in this year are:

Instead of making separate posts for every challenge, I decided to regroup them all below and make a new tab on top where they can all be found.

Around the World in 12 books


The title of GiraffeDays' challenge says it all : read books set in different parts of the world, becoming a globetrotter by means of the written word. Doesn't that sound interesting?  It combines my love of books and reading with my curiosity about countries, I have yet to visit in person.

I decided that for this year I would try and become a Seasoned Traveller (level 4), meaning I'll have to read 12 books over the course of the year, each set in a DIFFERENT country and they should include ones set in Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia+New Zealand, North America and South America ( The Middle East is a bonus). I will try to read two books for each continent.
Asia is already set with China and Japan being among my already completed January reads, but I'll have to do some research about the other continents, as I can't think of any book on my TBR pile that meets those requirements.

If you feel like participating as well, head over to GiraffeDays for the rules and the registration link.   See you there :o)

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Book to Movie Challenge



Looking for a new challenge for 2014, I came across this one from Doing Dewey. I took the "read it first" pledge last year, but reading the book ahead of the movie has always been one of my goals.  I have more often than not, been disappointed by the screen versions of books I loved, but that doesn't stop me. :o)

My aim for this year will be to reach level 1 Movie Fan with 3 books.  As I am member of the Goodreads read it 1st group, I should be able to read more then just three "soon to be movies" books but watching all the related movies might prove to be a bit trickier. I am therefore deliberately keeping a low goal.  After all, should I find time to watch more movies I can always up the ante later on.

If you feel like participating as well, head over to Doing Dewey for the rules and the registration link.   See you there :o)

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Mount TBR Reading Challenge



My reader's block, host of this challenge, seems to have the same problems as I do. Being a compulsive bookbuyer, I have always piles of books waiting for me in every corner of the house.  If you were to check out my Goodreads to-read shelf, you'd see than I have more than 180 books patiently awaiting their turn.  Some of those books are obviously wishlist items, but the vast majority are already up and ready to be taken in hand.

Because I would like to clear out that shelf at least a bit over the coming year, I will be aiming for the snowy peaks of Mount Vancouver, which stands of 36 books from the TBR pile :o)

If you feel like participating as well, head over to My reader's block for the rules and the registration link.   See you there :o)
 
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This challenge is hosted by Historical Tapestry. If you would have asked me to join a historical fiction challenge last year, I would have declined the offer as 2013 was all about YA dystopia books for me.  Don't get me wrong, I do love historical novels but somehow I got sucked in the endless numbers of trilogies and I just lacked the motivation of stray into another genre.  This year however I will try to broaden my reads and historical fiction has come back with a vengeance.  I have read hardly anything other than historic novels since the beginning of the year and those most enjoyable reads have rekindled my love for the genre.

Considering I have already reached the second level, by the time I joined this challenge at the end of January, I will set my goal at becoming a Medieval Reader this year, which consists of a total of 15 books.  If I read more, I'll change my goal accordingly.

If you feel like participating as well, head over to Historical Tapestry for the rules and the registration link.   See you there :o)

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Monthly Key Word Challenge


This challenge (hosted by Bookmark to Blog) has a completely different approach to my usual method to chosing which book to read next, so I thought it might be fun to give it a try as a way of pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

Every month of 2014 has been linked to 6 (random) words and the goal would be to read one book each month whose title includes one or more of the key words for that month.

If you feel like participating as well, head over to Bookmark to Blog for the rules and the registration link.   See you there :o)

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Monthly Motif Challenge


This is another challenge hosted by Bookmark to Blog where each month is assigned a certain motif or theme and the task is to read one book per month that fits in with the motif for that particular month.  I liked the sound of the themes (Around the world - Mystery, Murder & Mayhem - The Witching Hour - ... ), so I'll be giving this one a go as well :o)


If you feel like participating as well, head over to Bookmark to Blog for the rules and the registration link.   See you there :o)

1 comments:

  1. That's an impressive list of challenges, some of which I'd never come across before. Good luck with all your reading goals!

    ReplyDelete