Pages Read 2016

Easy peasy - Keep track of how many pages you read. 

 It is being hosted by The Crafty Engineer's Bookshelf. 

Levels are as follows:

1 - 13,000 pages read

2 - 26,000 pages read

3 - 52,000 pages read

4 - 78,000 pages read

5 - 104,000 pages read.

I believe that I read just under 14,000 pages last year - so we will go for level 1.  I have more time to read this year, so that should be pretty doable. 

Total to date:  4298

The Drowned Cities  - 437
Hollow City - 352
Matched - 369
This is Where it Ends - 281
Crossed - 367
JANUARY TOTAL: 1806

Goat Mountain - 239
Brotherhood in Death - 388
Only Love Can Break Your Heart - 320
Orhan's Inheritance - 352
How Willa Got Her Groove Back - 240
Journey to the Center of the Earth - 48
Love Me Love Me Not - 200
Into the Dim - 432
A Ghostly Undertaking - 273
FEBRUARY TOTAL: 2492

I Love Libraries Reading Challenge

The I Love Libraries Reading Challenge is simple - read books, ebooks, listen to audiobooks, etc that have all been checked out from your library!  It is being hosted @ Bea's Book Nook. 

I work at our local public library so have a myriad of items checked out at any one time!    

Levels are as follows:

• Board book - 3
• picture book - 6
• early reader - 9
• chapter book - 12
• middle grades - 18
• young adult - 24
• adult - 36
• just insert IV - 50

I think that I am going to go for Young Adult, as that is the area of the library that I work in.  (So of course, most of my books are going to be Young Adult titles as well!)

1. Goat Mountain by David Vann.
2. The Drowned Cities by Paulo Bacigalupi
3. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
4. Matched by Allie Condie
5. Crossed by Allie Condie
6. A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
7. A Ghostly Undertaking by Tonya Kappes

What an Animal Reading Challenge

The requirements for What an Animal Reading Challenge are as follows - 

One of these elements must be present: 

1 - There is an animal in the title of the book

2 - There is an animal on the cover of the book

3 - An animal plays a major role in the book

4 - A main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like). 

It is being hosted at Socrates Book Reviews. 

There are 4 levels
1 - Read at least 6 books.
2 - Read 7 - 12 books
3 - Read 13 -  20 books
4 - Read 21+ books.

I will just try for level 1. 

1. Goat Mountain by David Vann
2. Love Me, Love Me Not by Alyxandra Harvey
3. The Drowned Cities by Paola Bacigalupi
4. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
5. 
   

Books to Movie Reading Challenge

For the Book to Movie Challenge, you just have to read books that have been or are going to be made into movies,tv shows, or mini-series. Neither the book or the production has to be from 2016.  It is being hosted by ebookclassics.

Three book/movie adaptions that I am looking forward to in 2016 include Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Ransom Riggs), The 5th Wave (Rick Yancey) and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Jane Austen/Seth Grahame-Smith)  I am partway through the Peculiar Children series and am interested in how they are going to do some of the special effects.  I have wanted to read The 5th Wave for quite awhile and hope to get it in before the movie comes out.  And for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - who doesn't like a good zombie movie?  

Color Coded Reading Challenge

For the Color Coded Challenge, the color can either be in the title or the dominant color of the book. It is hosted at My Readers Block. 

Here are the rules:

*Read nine books in the following categories.

1. A book with "Blue" or any shade of Blue (Turquoise, Aquamarine, Navy, etc) in the title/on the cover. 

2. A book with "Red" or any shade of Red (Scarlet, Crimson, Burgandy, etc) in the title/on the cover.

3. A book with "Yellow" or any shade of Yellow (Gold, Lemon, Maize, etc.)in the title/on the cover.

4. A book with "Green" or any shade of Green (Emerald, Lime, Jade, etc) in the title/on the cover.

5. A book with "Brown" or any shade of Brown (Tan, Chocolate, Beige, etc) in the title/on the cover.

6. A book with "Black" or any shade of Black (Jet, Ebony, Charcoal, etc) in the title/on the cover.

7. A book with "White" or any shade of White (Ivory, Eggshell, Cream, etc) in the title/on the cover.

8. A book with any other color in the title/on the cover (Purple, Orange, Silver, Pink, Magneta, etc.).

9. A book with a word that implies color (Rainbow, Polka-dot, Plaid, Paisley, Stripe, etc.).  - For "implies color" the image implying color should dominate the cover--for instance a large rainbow, a field of flowers, or the image of a painter.  

*While reviews are not required, they can be posted at their Review Headquarters Page.

Women Challenge

This challenge is to read any kind of book authored by a woman.  

It is hosted at Peek a Book!

Levels:

Level 1: BABY GIRL - read 5 books written by a woman author
Level 2: GIRLS POWER - read 6 to 15 books written by a woman author
Level 3: SUPER GIRL - read 16 to 20 books written by a woman author
Level 4: WONDER WOMAN - read 20+ books written by a woman author

She also asks that we list our three favorite woman authors.  These three were the first to come to mind:  Alex Kava, Emily Bronte, Veronica Rossi.

I am going to go for Girl Power!

1. Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb
2. Orhan's Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian
3. Love Me, Love Me Not by Alyxandra Harvey
4. How Willa Got Her Groove Back by Emily McKay
5. Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor
6. A Ghostly Undertaking by Tonya Kappes

Read the Nobels Challenge

Simple concept - read a book authored by a Nobel Laureate.  This challenge is sponsored by Guiltless Reader @ Read the Nobels.  For a list of Laureates, see here.

Levels:

• Nobel dabbler: 1 to 3 books 
• Nobel keener : 4 to 8 books 
• Nobel enthusiast: 9 to 13 books 
• Nobel devotee: 14 to 18 
• Nobel zealot: More than 19

I am just going to be a dabbler this year.  

New Authors Reading Challenge

The challenge - to find authors that are 'new-to-you' - they don't have to be debut authors.  It is being hosted at Literary Escapism.

There are no levels, so I think I will choose 15 new authors.  

After writing the review - links can be added here. 

1. Goat Mountain by David Vann
2. Orhan's Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian
3. How Willa Got Her Groove Back by Emily McKay
4. Love Me, Love Me Not by Alyxandra Harvey
5. Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington
6. Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor
7. A Ghostly Undertaking by Tonya Kappes

Southern Literature Reading Challenge

For this challenge, books must have that Southern Literature "feel" (use your best judgement) and be set in one of the following states:
South Carolina
Georgia
Alabama
North Carolina
Virginia
Tennessee 
Mississippi
Louisiana
Kentucky 
West Virginia
Texas
Arkansas
Florida

It is being hosted at The Introverted Reader. 

Levels:
Level 1--C'mon in the house! Read 1-2 books.

Level 2--Pull up a seat and stay a while! Read 3-4 books

Level 3--Have a glass of sweet iced tea, honey. Read 5-6 books

Level 4--Y'all come back now, y'hear! Read 7-8 books

I am going to try for Level 2 - Pull up a seat and stay awhile!

1. Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington
2. 
   

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge

Books for this challenge need to be in the mystery, suspense, thriller or crime genres. These are some of my favorite genres, so I had to join this challenge.  It is hosted by Stormi @ Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! and Barb @ Booker T's Farm. 

Levels:

1-10 books – Amateur sleuth

11-20 books – Detective

21-30 books – Inspector

31+ books – Special agent

I will just be doing the Amateur Sleuth level. 

1. Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb
2. A Ghostly Undertaking by Tonya Kappes

2016 Audiobook Challenge

I listen to books in my car and while I am walking on the treadmill.  Just recently I also learned that I can stream my phone through my car - so that has increased my audiobook time also!  This challenge is hosted by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens. 

Levels

• Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
• Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
• Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15
• Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
• Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
• My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
• Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+

I will be trying Stenographer for this challenge. 

2016 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge

This is always a fun challenge as most of your books will fit this one!  You can drop the A's and The's from the beginning of the title. 

Each Letter Counts As 1 Spoonful

The first main word needs to start with the letter you are using for the challenge.  Q, X and Z can be found anywhere in the title though. 

• a
• b - Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb
• c
• d
• e
• f
• g - Goat Mountain by David Vann
• h - How Willa Got Her Groove Back by Emily McKay
• i - Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor
• j
• k
• l - Love Me, Love Me Not by Alyxandra Harvey
• m
• n
• o - Orhan's Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian
• p
• q
• r
• s
• t
• u
• v
• w
• x
• y
• z

2016 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge

For this challenge, each month is assigned a certain motif or theme. Your task is to read one book per month that fits in with the motif for that particular month.   It is hosted by Tanya at GirlXOXO. 

There will be a linky put up the beginning of each month that will remain open until the 10th day of the following month. 

The Motifs

JANUARY- Who Dunnit?
Crack the case and solve the mystery with your first book of the year.
Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb

FEBRUARY- New Releases
Read a book released in the last year.
Orhan's Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian

MARCH- Take a Trip
Time Travel or read a book set in a country different than where you live
Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor

APRIL- Best of the Best
Read a book that has won recognition or a literary award

MAY- Story of Survival
Make it out alive, beat the odds, save yourself stories. Try thinking beyond the typical wilderness survival. Surviving high school? Surviving a family road trip? Yep- those count too! PS. Dystopians would work great in this motif too.

JUNE- Girlxoxo Recommends
We’ve read a lot of great books. Check out our archives and pick one of our recommendations off our book lists.

JULY- LOL
Hilarious memoirs, silly chick lit, comedic scifi. Pick a book that is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.

AUGUST- Genre Jumble
Read from a genre that you don’t normally read from

SEPTEMBER- Steampunk, Science Fiction, and Fantasy
Pretty self explanatory and loads of great books to pick from in this motif.

OCTOBER- Things That Go Bump in The Night
Cozy mystery ghost stories, paranormal creeptastic, murder mystery- it’s up to you!

NOVEMBER- Fiction Takes A Break
It’s all about Nonfiction November this month!

DEC- That’s a Wrap
Finish a series you’ve been meaning to finish or read the next book in a series you started but never finished.

2016 Dystopia Reading Challenge

Dystopia is one of my favorite genres to read, so joining this challenge was a no brainer for me.  It is hosted by Tracy @ Cornerfolds and Claudia @ My Soul Called Life.   

Some rules: 

• There are badges that you will receive for completing each level of the challenge. 
• Quarterly Giveaways
• Dystopia prompts (optional) and review links. 
• Monthly Dystopia Newsletter. 

Levels:

1. Recruit (1-5 books)
2. Rebel (6-10 books)
3. Revolutionist (11-15 books)
4. Leader (16+ books)

I am gonna try to be a Rebel!

Important Dates:

• March 25th - First Quarter Update & Giveaway
• June 24th - Second Quarter Update & Giveaway
• September 30th - Third Quarter Update & Giveaway
• December 30th - Challenge Wrap-Up & Giveaway

Monthly Linkups

• January

Dystopian Book Lists

• Best Dystopian & Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
• Best YA Dystopia Novels

2016 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

My TBR pile was so huge, that I had to clean them out and pass some on without reading them last fall.  I packed up and donated 15 boxes of books -- yes, that was not a typo - 15 boxes...  And in looking at all the books I still have, you wouldn't know I got rid of any.  (Hint to husband -- more shelves. . .)

Anyway, this challenge is to read those TBR books that are still collecting dust in various places in my house.  It is being hosted by Evie @ Bookish Lifestyle.

Some rules I wanted to note:

• There will be a wrap up post every other month on the last Monday of that month. 
• There will be giveaways but you must follow Bookish to enter.
• Use #2016TBRPile in messages. 
• They are also having a TBR Pile Book Club, but you do not have to join it to do their challenge. 

Levels: 

• 1-10 A Firm Handshake
• 11-20 A Friendly Hug
• 21-30 First Kiss
• 31-40 Sweet Summer Fling
• 41-50 Could This Be Love?
• 50+ Married with Children

I will be attempting the first level only - as new releases don't count, I will be doing those this year as well. 

Finishing the Series Challenge

The goal of this challenge is to complete a series - starting from where ever you are - up until the last published book.  

(Challenge is hosted by Bea's Book Nook.)

Level 1 (Novice series reader) - Complete 1 series.
Level 2 (Testing the waters) - Complete 2 -4 series.
Level 3 (Experienced) - Complete 3 - 6 series.
Level 4 (Expert series reader) - Complete 7 or more series.

Series that I am currently in the middle of:

The Singular Menace - John Sanford - I have read the first book, Uncaged.

Undertow - Michael Buckley - I have read the first book, Undertow.

Nil - Lynne Matson - I have read the first two books, Nil and Nil Unlocked.

The Enemy - Charles Higson - I have read the first two books, The Enemy and The Dead.

Worldwalker - Josephine Angelini - I have read the first book - Trial by Fire.

Ship  Breaker - Paolo Bacigalupi - I have read the first book - Ship Breaker.

Wolves of Mercy Falls - Maggie Stiefvator - I have read the first book, Shiver.

Monument 14 - Emmy Laybourne - I have read the first book - Monument 14. 

Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs - I have read the first book, Miss Peregrine's                         Home for Peculiar Children.

New Release Challenge

This challenge is to read books that were published in 2016. There will be monthly update posts that you can link too, and each quarter - the end of March, June, September and December, there will be a giveaway with the update as well. 

(Challenge hosted  by (un)Conventional BookViews and Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!)

Levels: 

1-15 books per year – New Release Newbie

16-30 books per year – New Release Pro

31-45 books per year – New Release Veteran

45+ books per year – New Release Enthusiast

I am just going to be a New Release Newbie for this challenge. 

1. Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb

2. Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington

3. Orhan's Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian

4. How Willa Got Her Groove Back by Emily McKay

5. Love Me Love Me Not by Alyxandra Harvey
6. Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor

Newbery Reading Challenge

For this challenge, you just need to read Newbery Medal Winners, Newbery Honor Books or Caldecott Medal Winners.  Each book has a different point value and you pick your level based on the number of points you think you can earn.  (This challenge is hosted by Smiling Shelves)

List of Newbery Books
List of Caldecott Books

Point Values:

• 3 points for a Newbery Medal Winner
• 2 points for a Newbery Honor Book
• 1 point for a Caldecott Medal Winner (Gotta give the picture books some love, too.)

Levels:

L'Engle: 15 - 29 points

Spinelli: 30 - 44 points

Avi: 45 - 59 points

Lowry: 60 - 74 points

Konigsburg: 75+ points

I'm going to play it easy and go for L'Engle Level.

Pop Sugar's 2016 Ultimate Reading Challenge

This one is easy - read a variety of books - and check off the boxes as you read them! 

 Join the challenge at Pop Sugar!

1. A book based on a fairy tale - Love Me Love Me Not 
2. A National Book Award winner 
3.  A YA bestseller
4.  A book you haven't read since high school
5.  A book set in your home state
6.  A book translated to English
7.  A romance set in the future
8. A book set in Europe - Into the Dim 
9.  A book that's under 150 pages
10.  A New York Times bestseller
11.  a book that's becoming a movie this year
12.  A book recommended by someone you just met
13.  A self-improvement book
14.  A book you can finish in a day
15.  A book written by a celebrity
16.  A political memoir
17.  A book at least 100 years older than you
18.  A book that's more than 600 pages
19. A book from Oprah's Book club 
20.  A science fiction novel
21.  A book recommended by a family member
22.  A graphic novel
23.  A book published in 2016 - Brotherhood in Death
24.   A book with a protagonist who has your occupation
25.  A book that takes place during summer
26. A book and its prequel 
27. A murder mystery 
28. A book written by a comedian 
29. A dystopian novel 
30. A book with a blue cover - Only Love Can Break Your Heart 
31. A book of poetry
32.  The first book you see in a bookstore
33.  A classic from the 20th century
34. A Book from the library - Goat Mountain 
35.  An autobiography
36. A book about a road trip 
37. A Book about a culture you are unfamiliar with - Orhan's Inheritance 
38. A satirical book 
39. A book that takes place on an island 
40. A book that's guaranteed to bring you joy