John Steinbeck Mini Challenge

I have only read one John Steinbeck book and thought that was shameful. I saw this challenge and thought I would give it a try. The rules are simple.

This mini-challenge, the John Steinbeck Mini-Challenge, is for the 2009 year. It will be from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.

The goal of the challenge is to read TWO books by John Steinbeck. (Audio books are welcome.) One movie can be substituted for one of the books if you prefer.


Mine will be:

1. The Grapes of Wrath
2. Of Mice and Men

~L

In Their Shoes Challenge

I am going to be participating in the "In Their Shoes" Challenge being hosted at http://shoesreading.blogspot.com/2009/01/welcome.html

The rules are real simple:

1. The challenge starts January 1, 2009 and ends December 31, 2009.

2. Books have to be either a memoir, autobiography, or biography.

3. You can overlap with other challenges:

4. Re-reads count.

5. You pick how many books you want to read.

6. You do not need to make a list. This challenge is flexible and the goal is to have fun and read.

Instead of leaving a review this year, we'll be using Mr. Linky which is much easier for everyone. Happy readings

My list is:
1. Tweak - Nic Shef
2.
3.
4.
5.

~L

Essay Reading Challenge

I am participating in the Essay Reading Challenge at http://booksandmovies.today.com/2008/12/15/essay-reading-challenge-2009/


Here are the details:

~ Join anytime, but don’t start reading until January 1, 2009. The challenge ends December 31, 2009.

~ If you read a book of essays, that book can also apply to any other challenges you are working on.

~ Choose a goal of reading 10, 20, or 30 essays during 2009, and then write a challenge post, linking back to this post. Feel free to copy and paste the above image into your challenge post.

~ Leave a comment here with the link to your challenge post, and I will put all the challenge participants on my sidebar.

~ You don’t have to list your essays ahead of time, just post them as you go.

~ At the end of the year, everyone who completes the challenge will be eligible for a giveaway - prize to be determined later. Probably a book of essays - since that would be appropriate.



I am going to start off slow and do 10 essays.

My list:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

~L

A to Z Challenge

I am going to participate in the A to Z challenge taking place here. http://atozchallenge.blogspot.com/

I am going to go with Option A. Read authors A to Z.

A -
B - Brashares, Ann - Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
C -
D -
E -
F -
G -
H -
I -
J -
K - Kelly, Susan - The Last of Something
L -
M - Meyer, Stephanie - Twilight
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S -
T -
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y -
Z -

~ L

Reading My Name Challenge

I am going to participate in the Reading My Name Challenge 2009. Here is how it works.

When: February 1, 2009 - June 30, 2009
*Slightly Different from Last Year*

Your challenge if you choose to accept it is to read at least two books by authors that share your name OR book titles with your name in them. They can share your first name, middle name or last name. They can share your nickname or online name or email name. They can share a form of your name. If you have a very rare name, just do your best to get as close as you can. (e.g. If your name is Raina, then Rain or Rayne would be okay.) The character can have the same name as you too.

For example, my real first name is Kathleen. I could also read books by a Kathy, Katherine or Katie as these all come from the same name. Even Cathy, Catherine and Catie. I could read a book by a Callista (online name) or someone who shares my middle or last name. Or any of those names in the title.

That's four months to read two books. To join please post about the challenge on your blog and leave the link in the comments. You don't have to make a list beforehand, just make a post stating your intention to participate. If your reviews will go on a blog different from the one your challenge post is one, leave both urls.

After the challenge has started, come back here to post your review.

My books are:
1.
2.


~L

My Year of Reading Dangerously Challenge

Estella is hosting the dangerously reading challenge at http://dangerouslychallenge.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-year-of-reading-dangerously-2009.html

Your job: Read 12 books you deem "dangerous." between January 1st and December 31st 2009. They may be banned or challenged books, new-to-you genres, books that seem to inhabit a permanent space on your stacks, or authors you're afraid of. The possibilities are endless! If it's dangerous to you, it's challenge-worthy to us!

Instead of breaking the year down into monthly Mr. Linky's, we'll be hosting one ongoing Linky this year. We'll post updates and notices to participants in sticky posts at the top of the blog, but your reading will be the centerpiece of this site. Whenever you finish a dangerous book, come leave the link to your review so other participants can ogle your accomplishments.

In the meantime, if you're interested in joining us, leave a comment on this post, so we can start building a list of participants on our sidebar. And while you're here, take a gander at our "recommended" list for 2009. These are books we love or want to read for ourselves

My books are:
1. Canterbury Tales - Chaucer
2. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
3. Forever - Judy Blume
4. Lady Chaatterly's Lover - D.H. Oawrence
5. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey
6. Separate Peace - John Knowles
7. The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
8. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
9. Heather Has 2 Mommies - Leslie Newman
10. Daddies Roomate - Michael Willhorte
11. As I Lay Dying - William Faulkner
12. The Glass Teat - Harlan Ellison

My list is made up of books that I found on several "banned book" lists. I figured this would be fun for me.

~L

Paranormal Challenge

Kathrin at http://cozymurders.blogspot.com/2008/12/paranormal-challenge.html is hosting the Paranormal Challenge.

What?
For the challenge you will read books with paranormal aspects - this can be werewolves, vampires, fairies, witches, ghosts, mediums, psychics etc. It's pretty much your pick!

When?
The challenge will start January 1, 2009 and end December 31, 2009.

How?
The goal is to read 2+ books in 2009, that's it. It should be manageable, I'd say

My list:
1. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer
2. New Moon - Stephanie Meyer

~L

Chick Lit Challenge

Twiga at http://bookaddict4life.blogspot.com/ is hosting the Chick Lit Challenge.

From January 1 through December 31, 2009, read at least 10 chick lit books. Books can overlap with other challenges and you can change your list at any time.

1. Alphabet Weekends - Elizabeth Noble
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8
9.
10.

~L

Casual Classics Challenge

Miz B is holding the Casual Classics Challenge over at her site. Here are the guidelines.

Casual Classics 2009
Read 4 “Classics” between January 1st and December 31st, 2009

Overlaps with other challenges ARE allowed
eBooks and Audiobooks ARE allowed

My list at this time is:

1. Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway
2. Lady Chatterly's Lover - D.H Lawrence
3. A Seperate Peace - John Knowles
4. The Caterbury Tales - Chaucer

~L

Book Give Away

Teddy Rose at http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/ is giving away a book. Here is the info.

Giveaway: Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson, Gabrielle Charbonnet
Thanks to Valerie of Hachette Book Group, I am able to offer 5 lucky winners a copy of Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson, Gabrielle Charbonnet!

As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother, the powerful head of a Broadway theater company, has no time for her. She does have one friend-a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael-but only she can see him.

Years later, Jane is in her thirties and just as alone as ever. Then she meets Michael again-as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they've really been reunited.

SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S is a love story with an irresistible twist, a novel about the child inside all of us-and the boundary-crossing power of love.

Here are the rules:

1. For one entry, leave a comment. Please be sure to include email address so that I can contact you if you win.

2. For a second entry, post about this giveaway on your blog and leave link to your blog post in the comments. You will also get an entry for each person who tells me that they learned about this giveaway from you.

3. For 5 more entries: Become a Follower of my blog or subscribe to my blog through Google Reader. If you are already a subsriber or follower you still get the five extra entries!


The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.


You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.


The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.


Only one entry per household/IP address.


This giveaway will end on Friday January 30th 12:00 Midnight E.S.T The five winners will be notified by email, so remember to include your email address in the comments! Winners must respond within three days or will be disquilified.


If you interested, head on over to her site and comment. Enjoy.

~L

Books into Movies or TV Series

Kathrin at Crazy Cozy Murders is hosting the Books into Movies OR TV Series Challenge.

When?
The challenge will start January 1, 2009 and end December 31, 2009.

How?
The goal is to read 2+ books made into a movie or books that relate to TV series (Murder She Wrote and the likes

This is easy one. I am going to read:

1. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - John Boyne
2. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer

I actually have already read both of these books the first 5 days of January so this challenge is complete. ;-)

~L

Vampire Challenge

Over at Kathrin's Crazy Cozy Murders blog, she is hosting the vampire challenge. Challenge goes as such.

What?
For the Vampire Challenge you will read books with vampires - romance, YA, paranormal, mysteries - anything, as long as there's a or two (or more) vampire in it.

When?
The challenge will start January 1, 2009 and end December 31, 2009.

How?
The goal is to read 2+ books with vampires in 2009, that's it. It's fairly easy, I think.


I think this is definatly obtainable since I have started the Twilight Series. So for this challenge I am going to read

1. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer
2. New Moon - Stephanie Meyer
3. Eclipse - Stephanie Meyer
4. Breaking Dawn - Stephanie Meyer

~L

The 2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge

The 2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge hosted at J. Kaye's Book Blog.

You all know what a supporter of the library my family and I are. What better way to pay homage than by having a reading challenge in 2009? Since we are all different, there will be three sizes of challenges.

** The first is to read 12 books from your local library in 2009.
** The second is to read 25 books from your local library in 2009.
** The third is to read 50 books from your local library in 2009.

You decide which one of the three challenges is best for you.

So for my challenge I am going to get 25 books from the local library. I go to the library often but sometimes I read stuff from my own shelves. So I am going to go conservative. I just went to the library today so I will start off with those.

1. Hana's Suitcase - Karen Levine
2. The Hidden Children - Howard Greenfeld
3. Something Remains - Inge Barth-Grozinger
4. The Last of Something - Susan Kelly
5. The Night Country - Stewart O'Nan
6. I Want Candy - Kim Wong Keltner
7. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shafer
8. Intruder in the Dust - William Faulkner
9. Tweak - Nic Sheff
10. The Good Wife - Stewart O'Nan
11. Snow Garden - Christopher Rice
12. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
13. Mindbend - Robin Cook
14. Vital Signs - Robin Cook

The other 2 I got were audiobooks. Faces of Fear by John Saul and Manhunting by Jennifer Cruise.

~L

Musing Mondays

Today's questions at musing mondays is "Do you have a system for borrowing books from the library? Do you know what you are going to borrow before you get there? How often do you go to the library?

First off I try to go to the library at least once a week or two weeks depending. I like to take my son there to pick up books but sometimes I also like to go by myself.

Do you know what you are going to check out before you get there? Yes and no. I make a list of some books that I would like to read from my reading journal. If the library has them I will pick some up. However I also like to walk around the library and pick up things that catch my eye.

Case in point, I went to the library today. My list had 12 books on it. I ended up coming home with 16 items from the library. 13 books and 3 audio books. Now to curl up with one and enjoy.

~L

Poetry Friday

Today is Poetry Friday. I chose a poem by Robert Frost. It is part of a set of New Hampshire poems. I chose New Hampshire because I desire to move there one day.


Blue-Butterfly Day

It is blue-butterfly day here in spring,
And with these sky-flakes down in flurry on flurry
There is more unmixed color on the wing
Than flowers will show for days unless they hurry.

But these are flowers that fly and all but sing:
And now from having ridden out desire
They lie closed over in the wind and cling
Where wheels have freshly sliced the April mire

Until next time.
~L