Reading Challenges 2011

I joined a ton of Reading Challenges last year.  Some of them I finished, some of them I gave up.  At some point towards the end of the year I decided that I was going to abandon what was left, even though in some cases I just had 1 or 2 books to complete the challenge.  I just didn't want to spend the last part of the year trying to find something to read with an author with Y in their last name that must be read on the full moon while dancing with your cat in front of the library.  Nope - not for me.

And, of course, I said to myself that I was NOT doing any challenges this year!  We all do that, don't we?  We swear we won't and then challenges start showing up and we can't resist.  It's like the last piece of chocolate in the box - we can say we won't eat it and we'll leave it for our sweetie - but we're lying.  We're eating it.

Since I've broken my vow (fortunately it was not sealed in blood), I've decided to join some challenges that tie into stuff I'll read anyway (plus one challenge for classics because I want to read a few of those this year).  I'll also sign up for mid-range levels so I can complete and move on without feeling like I just don't wanna.  I reserve the right to read more or fewer or scrap it altogether - gotta live dangerously, right?  We'll see how it goes.

Here they are:

First, the Chunkster Challenge.  I tend to read a lot of big fat books with a great deal of glee, so this suits.  This year I'm going for the Chubby Chunkster level - four big fat books - all things in moderation, you know.  Thanks to Wendy for sponsoring this challenge again.  It doesn't begin until February 1, so there's plenty of time to sign up.

Next, the Graphic Novel Challenge.  I love comics and have a stack of them waiting to be read.  I'm going for the Intermediate level - 3-10 books - just to give myself some wiggle room.  Thanks to Vasilly for taking over the hosting for this year.  If you haven't read a graphic novel before, you're totally missing out on some amazing literature.  Go find one!







This is a new one for me -The Wordsworth Classics Reading Challenge sponsored by Lynossa at Deranged Book Lovers.  The idea is to read classics that are on the Wordsworth Classics list.  I've been wanting to dip into more classics this year (I can't stop wanting to re-read Anna Karenina and Mrs. Dalloway - such lovely reads) - so this is a great excuse.  I'm signing up for the Peasant Level - 1-4 books (again, the wiggle room thing).

If you read my blog regularly, you know that I am a sucker for historical fiction - it's one of my go-to genres for times when I need some escapism.  There's a lot of terrible historical fiction out there, but there is also a lot of really great stuff.  I'm signing up for this one at the Severe Bookaholism level (20 books) because I tend to read a lot in this genre so 20 isn't much of a stretch.  You can sign up, too - right here (just call me an enabler).  Thanks to the nice bloggers over at Historical Tapestry for sponsoring the challenge this year.







Last, but definitely not least, the Mystery and Suspense Reading Challenge sponsored by Book Chick City.  It has a cool button and this is another genre I read quite a bit in.  I finished this in no time last year so I'm on again reading 12 books to complete the challenge.

That's it - it's 5 more challenges that the zero I vowed to do for this year, but hey - it's reading!  Who can resist?