Thursday, January 12, 2012

Throwing the Gauntlet: A Modest Number of Challenges

So, I'm participating in a crap-load of challenges.  I've decided to list them all in three separate posts. The lucky first few challenges are:


2012 Science Fiction Reader Challenge 

My parents were die-hard science fiction and fantasy readers, and so I read quite a lot of it growing up, so this challenge is a great way of continuing that habit.

  YA/MG Science Fiction title
 Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Adult Science Fiction title
 To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
 Blood Music by Greg Bear

  Hugo Winner
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
 To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
 Blood Music by Greg Bear
Spirit Ring by Lois Bujold McMaster

Science Fiction Classic - Pre-1950s
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide by Robert Louis Stevenson

Science Fiction Modern Classic - 1951-1992
Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany

Steampunk Timeless by Gail Carriger

Robots/Cyborgs/Androids ???

Spaceships/Aliens Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold

Time Travel/Alternate History/Parallel Universe
Dragonfly in the Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Kindred by Octavia Butler

Apocalyptic/Dystopia/Utopia
the latest S.M. Stirling book

Cyberpunk
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Mad Scientists/Genetic Testing/Environmental Disaster
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells



Death by Gaslight Reading Challenge


I love mysteries, and lately I've been digging Victorian era mysteries. From the site:
"the goal is to read mysteries set in or written during the Victorian and Edwardian eras (1837 - 1910). I'll probably be reading mysteries set in England... but any location is acceptable, as long as the time frame fits. No more than 3 titles can be from the same series"

I think I can do at least the level of Burke and Hare, Body Snatchers: 15 books with the help of Anne Perry, Tasha Goodrich, Deanna Raybourn, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and maybe some Wilkie Collins. I'll have to check if Georgette Heyer's mysteries were set in Edwardian times, but I suspect they're probably more likely to be 1930s and '40s

 I think I might also do the special challenges.
 The Great Detective: Read 5 (or more) books featuring Sherlock Holmes, at least one of which must be an original story by Arthur Conan Doyle.
Arsenic and Air Ships: Read 5 (or more) books which are steampunk mysteries. I'm not sure where I will get the steampunk books, though I will definitely be reading Timeless by Gail Carriger, which tends to have elements of both steampunk and mysteries, among other genres.


Historical Romance Reading Challenge



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 From the site:
"The challenge is to read 12 Historical Romance novels in a year. Each month you will post your review using the linky tool in that months post. Your book can be a paranormal, fantasy, erotica etc. as long as it takes place in history and is a romance novel."

I've been reading a lot of historical romances lately, so I will probably do just fine. I will likely read a few Georgette Heyer books, for they have been piling up on my TBR list. Ashley March, Shana Galen, and Stephanie Laurens are all also on my list. As are Of Noble Birth by Brenda Novak  and Eulogy's Secret by Grace Elliot.

Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge



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Hosted by The Unread Reader

This reading challenge has been developed specifically for FREE and LEGAL downloaded books. As many of you with e-readers know, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and a few other site periodically offer FREE books for your e-reading devices.

I have sooooo many free books on my kindle, but I haven't read too many of them really, so this is a great challenge to spur me to do it. I am aspiring to the Coupon Clipper: 12 Books level. These are some of the books I plan to read and I believe that they were all free downloads:

Give Me, A Fairy Tale by L.K. Rigel
Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan Bright
Young Things by Anna Godbersen
The Devil's Game by S.L. Pierce
Mayne Attraction by Ann Mauren
Waterfall: A Novel by Lisa T. Bergren
Providence by Jamie McGuire and Ginger Hunter
 There Must Be Murder by Margaret C. Sullivan
Six Moon Summer by S.M. Reine
Of Noble Birth by Brenda Novak
Eulogy's Secret by Grace Elliot
Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark
A Clockwork Fairy Tale by Helen Scott Taylor
Raven by Suzy Turner


The Eclectic Reader 2012 Challenge

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Hosted by Book'd Out

"The aim of The Eclectic Reader 2012 Challenge is to push you a little outside your comfort zone by reading up to 12 books during the year from 12 different genres." To be honest, I seem to read a fairly wide range of books, though it is a stretch for me to come up with any horror or literary fiction that I've read (outside of Jane Austen related books it seems), and I rarely read non-fiction other than knit and food related books.

Genres Literary Fiction-
Crime/Mystery Fiction- Doors Open by Ian Rankin
Romantic Fiction- Lord and Lady Spy by Shana Galen
Historical Fiction- Waterfall: A Novel by Lisa T. Bergren
Young Adult- Hourglass by Myra McIntyre
Fantasy- A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Science Fiction- Cryoburn by Lois Bujold McMaster
Non Fiction- The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
Horror- Thriller /Suspense- The Devil's Game by S.L. Pierce
Classic- The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Your favourite genre- Speculative Fiction


Good god, just one more and I'm calling it quits for a day or two.

TBR Pile Reading Challenge



Hosted by Evie from Bookish - @SeoEvie
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading @caitlingss
From the site: "Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!"

 I will try for 21-30 - A Sweet Kiss. Most of the books from the Why Buy The Cow challenge will overlap this one, but here are a few others that are on my list:

Cryoburn by Lois Bujold McMaster
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Dragonfly in the Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
The Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips
The Wild Machines by Mary Gentle
Doors Open by Ian Rankin
Assasination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
City of Lights by Lauren Belfer
Dancing with Mr. Darcy by Sarah Waters

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