2016 Reading Challenges

2016 Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge

The 2016 Hardcore Rereading Challenge is being hosted by Lois Johnson over at You, Me, and a Cup of Tea; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Reread books you’ve already read!
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
How: Reread physical books or ebooks or “reread” audiobooks to reach your goal. Sign up for the challenge here.
Levels:

1. Rereading Itch | 0 – 15 books
2. Rereading Bug | 16 – 25 books
3. Rereading Fever | 26 – 35 books
4. Rereading Paralysis | 36 – 50
5. Rereading Coma | 50+

I’m going to be aiming for Rereading Itch, though I may increase my goal at some point during the year.

1. Chasing the Dream (Dolphin Diaries, #5) by Ben M. Baglio
2. Racing the Wind (Dolphin Diaries, #6) by Ben M. Baglio
3. Following the Rainbow (Dolphin Diaries, #7) by Ben M. Baglio
4. Dancing the Seas (Dolphin Diaries, #8) by Ben M. Baglio
5. Leaving the Shallows (Dolphin Diaries, #9) by Ben M. Baglio
6. Beyond the Sunrise (Dolphin Diaries, #10) by Ben M. Baglio
7. Meet Felicity (American Girls: Felicity, #1) by Valerie Tripp
8. Felicity Learns a Lesson (American Girls: Felicity, #2) by Valerie Tripp
9. Felicity’s Surprise (American Girls: Felicity, #3) by Valerie Tripp
10. Happy Birthday, Felicity! (American Girls: Felicity, #4) by Valerie Tripp

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2016 I Love Libraries Reading Challenge

The 2016 I Love Libraries Reading Challenge is being hosted by the reviewers over at Bea’s Book Nook; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Read library books!
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
How: Sign up at your blog or make a dedicated shelf at Goodreads or a similar site, and let everyone know why you love your library. Anything you can check out from your library counts toward your goal: physical books, audiobooks, ebooks, magazines, and the like. Then review your books and link them up over at Bea’s Book Nook!
Levels:

1. Board Book | 3 books
2. Picture Book | 6 books
3. Early Reader | 9 books
4. Chapter Book | 12 books
5. Middle Grades | 18 books
6. Young Adult | 24 books
7. Adult | 36 books
8. Just Insert IV | 50 books

Honestly, the primary reason I love libraries–beyond the sheer nostalgia of being a member of my local library for literally longer than my memory extends!–is that it’s the only way I can afford to read. When money’s tight enough that having to choose between reading and eating is a real concern, there’s no question that reading isn’t going to win that fight. So libraries are absolutely vital for the underprivileged, as for many of us–at least in America–it’s the one of the only ways we have access to books.

I’m going to be aiming for Just Insert IV this year; I doubt I’ll have any problem. The majority of my reading is from library books (and the rest is by purchasing discarded library books for about $0.10 each from my local branches).

Books Read

1. Samantha Learns a Lesson (American Girls: Samantha, #2) by Susan A. Adler
2. Samantha Saves the Day (American Girls: Samantha, #5) by Valerie Tripp
3. Nellie’s Promise (American Girls: Samantha, #7) by Valerie Tripp
4. The Curse of Ravenscourt (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #1) by Sarah Masters Buckey
5. The Stolen Sapphire (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #2) by Sarah Masters Buckey
6. The Cry of the Loon (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #3) by Barbara Steiner
7. Clue in the Castle Tower (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #4) by Sarah Masters Buckey
8. Danger in Paris (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #5) by Sarah Masters Buckey
9. Danger in Ancient Rome (Ranger in Time, #2) by Kate Messner
10. Long Road to Freedom (Ranger in Time, #3) by Kate Messner
11. The Tiara on the Terrace (Young and Yang, #2) by Kristen Kittscher
12. Don’t Stay Up Late (Fear Street Reboot, #2) by R.L. Stine
13. Menace from the Deep (Killer Species, #1) by Michael P. Spradlin
14. Feeding Frenzy (Killer Species, #2) by Michael P. Spradlin
15. Out for Blood (Killer Species, #3) by Michael P. Spradlin
16. Chasing the Dream (Dolphin Diaries, #5) by Ben M. Baglio
17. Racing the Wind (Dolphin Diaries, #6) by Ben M. Baglio
18. Following the Rainbow (Dolphin Diaries, #7) by Ben M. Baglio
19. Ultimate Attack (Killer Species, #4) by Michael P. Spradlin
20. Dancing the Seas (Dolphin Diaries, #8) by Ben M. Baglio
21. Leaving the Shallows (Dolphin Diaries, #9) by Ben M. Baglio
22. Beyond the Sunrise (Dolphin Diaries, #10) by Ben M. Baglio
23. Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian
24. They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
25. Ida, Always by Caron Levis and Carles Santoso
26. Nobody Likes a Goblin by Ben Hatke
27. A Hungry Lion, or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals by Lucy Ruth Cummins
28. When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano
29. A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers
30. Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie
31. School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex
32. Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat
33. The Thank You Book (Elephant & Piggie, #25) by Mo Willems
34. Snappsy the Alligator by Julie Falatko
35. Flora and the Peacocks by Molly Idle
36. Twenty Yawns by Jane Smiley
37. The Runaway Friend (American Girl Mysteries: Kirsten, #1) by Kathleen Ernst
38. Meet Felicity (American Girls: Felicity, #1) by Valerie Tripp
39. Felicity Learns a Lesson (American Girls: Felicity, #2) by Valerie Tripp
40. Felicity’s Surprise (American Girls: Felicity, #3) by Valerie Tripp
41. Happy Birthday, Felicity! (American Girls: Felicity, #4) by Valerie Tripp

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2016 Cloak and Dagger Challenge

The 2016 Cloak and Dagger Challenge is being hosted by the reviewers over at Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Read books in the mystery, thriller, suspense, and/or crime genres or any subgenres therein. Novels and novellas count, but no short stories!
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016 | The sign-up period ends on April 15th.
How: Make a goal post and link up here. Tweet your progress and your reviews with #2016CloakDaggerChal
Levels:

1. Amateur Sleuth | 1 – 10 books
2. Detective | 11 – 20 books
3. Inspector | 21 – 30 books
4. Special Agent | 31+ books

I’m going to be aiming for Amateur Sleuth, though I may increase my goal at a later point in the year.

1. The Curse of Ravenscourt (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #1) by Sarah Masters Buckey
2. The Stolen Sapphire (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #2) by Sarah Masters Buckey
3. The Cry of the Loon (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #3) by Barbara Steiner
4. Clue in the Castle Tower (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #4) by Sarah Masters Buckey
5. Danger in Paris (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #5) by Sarah Masters Buckey
6. The Tiara on the Terrace (Young and Yang, #2) by Kristen Kittscher
7. The Runaway Friend (American Girl Mysteries: Kirsten, #1) by Kathleen Ernst

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What An Animal IX Reading Challenge 2016

The What An Animal IX Reading Challenge 2016 is being hosted by Yvonne over at Socrates Book Reviews; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Read at least six books with an animal in the title, an animal on the cover, an animal playing a major role in the story, or a main character that’s an animal. (Obviously, humans are being excluded from the umbrella of “animal” here!)
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
How: Sign up over here, and then get reading!
Levels:

1. Level 1 | 6 books
2. Level 2 | 7 – 12 books
3. Level 3 | 13 – 20 books
4. Level 4 | 21+ books

I’m going to be aiming for Level 1, but I doubt I’ll have any problem reading Level 4.

1. Danger in Ancient Rome (Ranger in Time, #2) by Kate Messner
2. Long Road to Freedom (Ranger in Time, #3) by Kate Messner
3. Menace from the Deep (Killer Species, #1) by Michael P. Spradlin
4. Feeding Frenzy (Killer Species, #2) by Michael P. Spradlin
5. Out for Blood (Killer Species, #3) by Michael P. Spradlin
6. Chasing the Dream (Dolphin Diaries, #5) by Ben M. Baglio
7. Racing the Wind (Dolphin Diaries, #6) by Ben M. Baglio
8. Following the Rainbow (Dolphin Diaries, #7) by Ben M. Baglio
9. Ultimate Attack (Killer Species, #4) by Michael P. Spradlin
10. Dancing the Seas (Dolphin Diaries, #8) by Ben M. Baglio
11. Leaving the Shallows (Dolphin Diaries, #9) by Ben M. Baglio
12. Beyond the Sunrise (Dolphin Diaries, #10) by Ben M. Baglio
13. Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian
14. They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
15. Ida, Always by Caron Levis and Carles Santoso
16. A Hungry Lion, or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals by Lucy Ruth Cummins
17. The Thank You Book (Elephant & Piggie, #25) by Mo Willems
18. Snappsy the Alligator by Julie Falatko
19. Flora and the Peacocks by Molly Idle

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2016 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

The 2016 TBR Pile Reading Challenge is being hosted by the reviewers over at Bookish Lifestyle; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Read the books you’ve had sitting around on your shelves. Novellas and short stories count, but 2016 ARCs and 2016 new releases do not.
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016 | Sign-ups close on November 30, 2016.
How: Sign up over here, and then get reading! Keep up with the challenge with #2016TBRPile and follow Bookish to participate in challenge giveaways. Also, check out the schedule on the sign up page!
Levels:

1. A Firm Handshake | 1 – 10 books
2. A Friendly Hug | 11 – 20 books
3. First Kiss | 21 – 30 books
4. Sweet Summer Fling | 31 – 40 books
5. Could This Be Love? | 41 – 50 books
6. Married with Children | 50+ books

I’m going to be aiming for A Firm Handshake, but I’d love to get to Married with Children. I have, after all, way too many books sitting around waiting for my attention!

Books Read:

1. Meet Samantha: An American Girl (American Girls: Samantha, #1) by Susan A. Adler
2. Samantha’s Surprise (American Girls: Samantha, #3) by Maxine Rose Schur
3. Happy Birthday, Samantha! (American Girls: Samantha, #4) by Valerie Tripp
4. Changes for Samantha (American Girls: Samantha, #6) by Valerie Tripp

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2016 New Release Challenge

The 2016 New Release Challenge is being hosted by Lexxie over at (un)Conventional Book Views; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Read books published in 2016. Books must be at least 100 pages long, but may be either physical books, ebooks or eARCs, or audiobooks.
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016 | Sign-ups close on February 15th, 2016.
How: Sign up over here, and then get reading! And you can check out the challenge’s Facebook group over here.
Levels:

1. New Release Newbie | 1 – 15 books
2. New Release Pro | 16 – 30 books
3. New Release Veteran | 31 – 45 books
4. New Release Enthusiast | 45+ books

I’m going to be aiming for New Release Newbie. I doubt I’ll do any better (I read so few new releases!), but if I do, I may increase my goal later in the year. Really, I’ll just be pleased to get around to any new releases; I rarely do.

1. The Tiara on the Terrace (Young and Yang, #2) by Kristen Kittscher
2. Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian
3. They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
4. Ida, Always by Caron Levis and Carles Santoso
5. Nobody Likes a Goblin by Ben Hatke
6. A Hungry Lion, or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals by Lucy Ruth Cummins
7. When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano
8. A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers
9. Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie
10. School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex
11. Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat
12. The Thank You Book (Elephant & Piggie, #25) by Mo Willems
13. Snappsy the Alligator by Julie Falatko
14. Flora and the Peacocks by Molly Idle
15. Twenty Yawns by Jane Smiley

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2016 Review Writing Challenge

The 2016 Review Writing Challenge is being hosted by Shari and Sophia Rose over at Delighted Reader; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Challenge yourself to write a certain number of reviews in 2016. There are no levels here; choose your own goal!
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
How: Sign up over here, and then get reading!

My first, ridiculously low goal is going to be twelve reviews, though I hope to increase that (significantly!) before the end of the year.

Reviews of 2016:

1. Picture Books 2016 #1: Dr. Seuss, Interstellar Cinderella, and More
2. Picture Books 2016 #2: Quirkiness, Crayons, and the Scientific Method
3. Picture Books 2016 #3: It’s All About Animals
4. Picture Books 2016 #4: A Blast from the Past
5. Picture Books 2016 #5: This One’s For Boo
6. Picture Books 2016 #6: Dogs, Dogs, Dogs

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2016 Blogger Shame Review Challenge

The 2016 Blogger Shame Review Challenge is being hosted by Anna over at Herding Cats & Burning Soup check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Read and/or review any review books that you’ve had for more than six months. There aren’t levels for this one; set your own goal!
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
How: Sign up over here, and then get reading!

I’m also going to aim for twelve books/reviews with this one, but I hope to do better than that before the end of the year!

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2016 I Love Picture Books Reading Challenge

The 2016 I Love Picture Books Reading Challenge is being hosted by the reviewers over at Bea’s Book Nook; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Read picture books! There aren’t any levels here, either; choose your own goal!
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016 | Sign-ups close December 1, 2016.
How: Sign up here and get reading!

I’m going to aim for twenty picture books in 2016; I know I’m at least going to check out the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards nominees when November rolls around, so I shouldn’t have any problem with this.

1. Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian
2. They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
3. Ida, Always by Caron Levis and Carles Santoso
4. Nobody Likes a Goblin by Ben Hatke
5. A Hungry Lion, or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals by Lucy Ruth Cummins
6. When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano
7. A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers
8. Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie
9. School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex
10. Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat
11. The Thank You Book (Elephant & Piggie, #25) by Mo Willems
12. Snappsy the Alligator by Julie Falatko
13. Flora and the Peacocks by Molly Idle
14. Twenty Yawns by Jane Smiley

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2016 Horror Reading Challenge

The 2016 Horror Reading Challenge is being hosted by Tracy over at Cornerfolds; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Read and review horror books, audiobooks, rereads, and/or short stories!
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016 | Sign-ups close October 15, 2016.
How: Sign up here and get reading!

1. Running Scared | 1 – 5 books
2. Brave Reader | 6 – 10 books
3. Fearless | 11 – 15 books
4. Horror Hound | 16+

One of my New Years Resolutions is to increase my horror intake, so this challenge is perfect for me! I’m going to aim for Running Scared first, but I’m tentatively hoping to get to Horror Hound.

1. Don’t Stay Up Late (Fear Street Reboot, #2) by R.L. Stine

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2016 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

The 2016 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge is being hosted by Amy over at Passages to the Past; check it out here. Here’s a quick rundown of the gist:

What: Read and review books from any historical fiction subgrenre from historical romance to historical fantasy to young adult and more!
When: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016
How: Sign up here and get reading!

1. 20th Century Reader | 2 books
2. Victorian Reader | 5 books
3. Renaissance Reader | 10 books
4. Medieval | 15 books
5. Ancient History | 25 books
6. Prehistoric | 50+ books

I plan to go back through some of the American Girl books in order to review them this year, so I’m adding this challenge to my list! I’m going to aim for Medieval first, but I might keep going past that.

Books Read:

1. Meet Samantha: An American Girl (American Girls: Samantha, #1) by Susan A. Adler
2. Samantha Learns a Lesson (American Girls: Samantha, #2) by Susan A. Adler
3. Samantha’s Surprise (American Girls: Samantha, #3) by Maxine Rose Schur
4. Happy Birthday, Samantha! (American Girls: Samantha, #4) by Valerie Tripp
5. Samantha Saves the Day (American Girls: Samantha, #5) by Valerie Tripp
6. Changes for Samantha (American Girls: Samantha, #6) by Valerie Tripp
7. Nellie’s Promise (American Girls: Samantha, #7) by Valerie Tripp
8. The Curse of Ravenscourt (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #1) by Sarah Masters Buckey
9. The Stolen Sapphire (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #2) by Sarah Masters Buckey
10. The Cry of the Loon (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #3) by Barbara Steiner
11. Clue in the Castle Tower (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #4) by Sarah Masters Buckey
12. Danger in Paris (American Girl Mysteries: Samantha, #5) by Sarah Masters Buckey
13. Danger in Ancient Rome (Ranger in Time, #2) by Kate Messner
14. Long Road to Freedom (Ranger in Time, #3) by Kate Messner
15. The Runaway Friend (American Girl Mysteries: Kirsten, #1) by Kathleen Ernst
16. Meet Felicity (American Girls: Felicity, #1) by Valerie Tripp
17. Felicity Learns a Lesson (American Girls: Felicity, #2) by Valerie Tripp
18. Felicity’s Surprise (American Girls: Felicity, #3) by Valerie Tripp
19. Happy Birthday, Felicity! (American Girls: Felicity, #4) by Valerie Tripp

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Anything Else?

I might add some more challenges to my agenda as the year goes on, and I will be tracking my challenge progress here. So check back during 2016 and see what I’m reading! And, of course, at the end of the year, I’ll be posting a challenge wrap-up.

2015 Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge: I’m In!

This year, Falling for YA is hosting their Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge for the second year, and I’m taking the plunge. Since I have absolute mountains of books long overdue for a review from both Netgalley and Edelweiss, I’d like to make 2015 the year that I tackle those books.

Here’s a brief run-down of how the challenge works; for more information or to join in yourself, check out the sign-up page here.

The challenge runs the entirety of 2015, and the goal is simple: read your damn eARCs! It doesn’t matter if they’re books you’ve requested this year or last or, gods forbid, even before that–if you got it from Netgalley or Edelweiss, it falls under the umbrella of acceptable books. Obviously, books must be reviewed in some sense to count for the challenge, but you need not be a blogger to participate.

There are five levels to the challenge, and these are Bronze with a goal of ten books, Silver with a goal of twenty five books, Gold with a goal of fifty books, platinum with a goal of seventy five books, and Diamond with a goal of one hundred books. I hope to read at least twelve eARCs this year (and would love to fly past that number if at all possible!), so I will be aiming for Bronze.

And again, if you’re interested in participating in this challenge, you can sign-up here.

10 / 10 (100.00%)

1. Play Dead (A Dog and His Girl Mysteries, #1) by Jane B. Mason and Sara Hines Stephens | Review
2. Iris and the Aloha Wedding Adventure by Lynelle Woolley | Review
3. Made in China: A Story of Adoption by Vanita Oelschlager | (Mini!) Review
4. Baby Santa by M. Maitland DeLand | (Mini!) Review
5. Baby Santa’s Worldwide Christmas Adventure by M. Maitland DeLand | (Mini!) Review
6. Baby Santa and the Lost Letters by M. Maitland DeLand | (Mini!) Review
7. Baby Santa and the Missing Reindeer by M. Maitland DeLand | (Mini!) Review
8. Magic Words: From the Ancient Oral Tradition of the Inuit by Edward Field | (Mini!) Review
9. A Storm Called Katrina by Myron Uhlberg | (Mini!) Review
10. How the Meteorite Got to the Museum by Jessica Hartland | (Mini!) Review

2015 Snagged @ the Library Reading Challenge: I’m In!

I read a lot of library books. Well, I suppose it’s more accurate to say I check out a lot of library books. See, I have this bad habit of letting books that I’ve checked out sit around in my room… and sit and sit and then sit some more… only to go back to the library, unread, at the end of their check-out periods. I’ve long since realized it’s become something of a problem.

But even with that said, I do read a lot of library books. More than most people, I’d wager. My budget doesn’t exactly have room for any book buying–at least not at book stores (yard sales, I’m all over)–so the library is my best friend. Whether it be the local library’s shelf of used books for sale, the statewide catalog, or the Overdrive site, most of what I read come from the library in one sense or another. So the Snagged @ the Library Reading Challenge, co-hosted by The Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog and The Book Nympho, is right up my alley. This is one I should be able to pass with flying colors!

Here’s a brief run-down of the rules. To read more about the challenge, check out the sign-up page here.

The goal of the challenge is to read at least twelve library books during 2015, whether those be physical books, audiobooks, or ebooks. The only requirement here is that they come from the library. If you’re rereading a book or reading it for another challenge, it can count, too!

This challenge has four levels: Dewey Decimal with a goal of twelve books, Thrifty Reader with a goal of twenty-four books, Overdrive Junkie with a goal of thirty-six books, and Stalking the Bookstacks with a goal of fifty or more books. I will be aiming for  Dewey Decimal, but I fully expect to move past it. I’m hoping to make it to Stalking the Bookstacks!

If Snagged @ the Library sounds like something you’re interested in participating in, or if you’d like to learn more about the challenge, you can find more information and the sign-up page here at The Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog.

And here’s what I’ve read for this challenge so far!

75 / 50 (150.00%)

1. Spaniel in a Stocking (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
2. Hamster in the Holly (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
3. Terrier in the Tinsel (Animal Ark, #34) by Ben M. Baglio
4. Aliens Don’t Wear Braces (The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids, #7) by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
5. The Blessing Way (Joe Leaphorn, #1) by Tony Hillerman
6. Lizzie at Last by Claudia Mills
7. The Haunting at Stratton Falls by Brenda Seabrooke
8. Who Could That Be at This Hour? (All the Wrong Questions, #1) by Lemony Snicket
9. Power to the Purple! (The Ultra Violets, #2) by Sophie Bell
10. The Doll in the Garden by Mary Downing Hahn
11. Something’s Wicked in Those Woods by Marisa Montes
12. Christina’s Ghost by Betty Ren Wright
13. The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn
14. Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn
15. Sweet Miss Honeywell’s Revenge by Kathryn Reiss
16. The Haunted Playground by Shaun Tan
17. All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn
18. The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn
19. The Monsters Next Door (The Bailey City Monsters, #1) by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
20. Cam Jansen and the Spaghetti Max Mystery (Cam Jansen, #33) by David A. Adley
21. Amy, Number Seven (Replica, #1) by Marilyn Kaye
22. The Ghost of Raven Hill (Raven Hill Mysteries, #1) by Emily Rodda
23. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Raven Hill Mysteries, #2) by Emily Rodda
24. Riding the Storm (Dolphin Diaries, #3) by Ben M. Baglio
25. Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn
26. Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn
27. Dark Waters by Cathy MacPhail
28. Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining (The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes, #1) by Anne Mazer
29. The Wizard’s Apprentice (The Keepers, #2) by Jackie French Koller
30. Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper
31. The Haunting of Holroyd Hill by Brenda Seabrooke
32. Witch Catcher by Mary Downing Hahn
33. The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste
34. Party Games by R.L. Stine
35. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
36. Terror at the Zoo by Peg Kehret
37. Colt in the Cave (Animal Ark Hauntings, #4) by Ben M. Baglio
38. Rescue on the Oregon Trail (Ranger in Time, #1) by Kate Messner
39. Husky with a Heart (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
40. Beagle in a Backpack (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
41. Out of the Dark by Betty Ren Wright
42. Gustav Gloom and the People Taker (Gustav Gloom, #1) by Adam-Troy Castro
43. Sidewalk Flowers by Jon Arno Lawson and Sydney Smith
44. I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
45. Float by Daniel Mirayes
46. Your Baby’s First Word Will be Dada by Jimmy Fallon
47. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
48. Goodnight, Already! by Jor John and Benji Davies
49. The Declaration of Independence (The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes, #2) by Anne Mazer
50. Under the Stars (Dolphin Diaries, #4) by Ben M. Baglio 
51. I’m Not by Pam Smallcomb
52. The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen
53. Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates
54. Dog Loves Counting Louise Yates
55. Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker
56. If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
57. Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman
58. I Will Take a Nap! by Mo Willems
59. Otter in Space by Sam Garton
60. A Dog is a Dog by Stephen Shaskan
61. Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood
62. What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss
63. The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt
64. Waiting by Kevin Henkes
65. The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton
66. This is Sadie by Sara O’Leary
67. Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
68. Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France by Mara Rockliff
69. A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat by Emily Jenkins
70. Imogene’s Last Stand by Candace Fleming
71. How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague
72. All You Need for a Beach by Alice Schertle
73. Beach Day by Karen Roosa
74. The Best Place to Read by Debbie Bertram
75. Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko

Level Progress:

1. “Dewey Decimal” reached February 7
2. “Thrifty Reader” reached March 15
3. “Overdrive Junkie” reached August 10
4. “Stalking the Bookstacks” reached December 31

Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge and Read-a-Thon: I’m In!

After competing the Ho Ho Ho Read-a-Thon (hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Jennifer @ The Book Shelfery), I hadn’t managed to read all of what I wanted. I did fairly well, considering just how bad I’ve been this year about making time to read, but, honestly, two books just isn’t good enough for–after all, I know I can do so much more.

So I was interested in finding another Read-a-Thon to motivate myself… and lo and below, I found the Christmas Spirit Read Challenge and its corresponding Read-a-Thon.

Hosted by Michelle at The Christmas Spirit, the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge will be taking place from November 24, 2014 to January 6, 2015. The challenge has three levels: “Candy Cane”, aka Level One with a goal of one book; “Mistletoe”, aka Level Two with a goal of two to four books; and “Christmas Tree”, aka Level Three with a goal of five or more books. (There’s also a bonus level for Christmas movies and another for reading with your kids.)

I’d quite like to hit “Christmas Tree”, but I’ll be satisfied to get anything done, I suppose. Like I’ve said… I’ve had a lazy year as a reader.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, you can check out the official challenge sign-up page here.

But that’s not all–over at Michelle’s other blog, Seasons of Reading, she’s hosting a Read-a-Thon to go along with the challenge. The Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon (aka #CSreadathon) will be taking place from November 24, 2014 (which is also the first day of the reading challenge) to November 30, 2014.

If you want to join in, you can check it out here. I actually wish it was being held a little later in the year, as I’m going to spend the rest of November scrambling to catch up with my abysmal NaNoWriMo wordcount, but I hope I’ll be able to squeeze at least one book in before the month ends.

If not, here’s to a productive December!

What I’m Hoping to Read

What I Actually Accomplished

As I expected, I didn’t get any reading done during the read-a-thon. (Boo!) But I got a few books read during the challenge period, those being the following:

I also read the Spirits of Christmas anthology (pictured above) during this period, but I didn’t manage to finish it. The rest of these books are still going to be on my to-do list for a little while, though. At the very least, I’ll definitely finish Spirits of Christmas and The Haunting of Stratton Falls in the next few weeks. The others, I might save until next year!

What An Animal Reading Challenge VIII 2015: I’m In!

In 2015, Yvonne of Socrates Book Reviews is hosting the What An Animal Reading Challenge. The challenge is simple: read at least six books with an animal (excluding humans) in the title, an animal on the cover, an animal as a major character or plot point in the story, or a main character who is or becomes an animal. And if you’d like, supernatural creatures like vampires, werewolves, and fairies can count as “animals” for the purposes of the challenge.

There are three levels to the challenge; first, read at least six books; second, read between seven and twelve books; and third, read more than thirteen books. I’m going to be aiming for level two; I hope to read at least twelve books that qualify. Some ideas for what I’ll be reading include revisiting several series, including Dimwood Forest, Animal Ark, Dolphin Diaries, and possibly The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids, most books of which should also qualify for the 2015 Hardcore Rereading Challenge.

Interested in joining in? Check it out here!

And here’s what I’ve read for this challenge so far!

30 / 13 (230.77%)

1. Spaniel in a Stocking (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
2. Hamster in the Holly (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
3. Terrier in the Tinsel (Animal Ark, #34) by Ben M. Baglio
4. Riding the Storm (Dolphin Diaries, #3) by Ben M. Baglio
5. Colt in the Cave (Animal Ark Hauntings, #4) by Ben M. Baglio
6. Rescue on the Oregon Trail (Ranger in Time, #1) by Kate Messner
7. Husky with a Heart (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
8. Beagle in a Backpack (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
9. Santa Paws by Nicholas Edwads
10. Play Dead (A Dog and His Girl Mysteries, #1) by Jane B. Mason and Sara Hines Stephens
11. Your Baby’s First Word Will be Dada by Jimmy Fallon
12. Goodnight, Already! by Jor John and Benji Davies
13. The Magic Spell (My Secret Unicorn, #1) by Linda Chapman
14. Dreams Come True (My Secret Unicorn, #2)  by Linda Champman
15. Flying High (My Secret Unicorn, #3) by Linda Chapman
16. Starlight Surprise (My Secret Unicorn, #4) by Linda Chapman
17. Stronger Than Magic (My Secret Unicorn, #5) by Linda Chapman
18. A Special Friend (My Secret Unicorn, #6) by Linda Chapman
19. A Winter Wish (My Secret Unicorn, #7) by Linda Chapman
20. Under the Stars (Dolphin Diaries, #4) by Ben M. Baglio 
21. I’m Not by Pam Smallcomb
22. The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen
23. Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates
24. Dog Loves Counting Louise Yates
25. Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker
26. If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
27. Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman
28. I Will Take a Nap! by Mo Willems
29. Otter in Space by Sam Garton
30. A Dog is a Dog by Stephen Shaskan

2015 Mount TBR Reading Challenge: I’m In!

A lot of book lovers say you can never own too many books. They haven’t seen my bedroom.

Counting physical books alone, I own over 1700 books. They’re everywhere; I have two large bookshelves that aren’t enough to contain even half of my collection, so there are boxes of books under my bed, bins of books in my closet, and a pile of paperbacks beside my nightstand. I am drowning in books.

Distressingly, I’m nowhere near as on top of all the reading these books require. Reading is only one of my hobbies, and I phase in and out of reading moods suddenly, seemingly randomly, and for extended periods of time. I read a lot in 2011 and even more in 2012. But my stats fell in 2013, and now they’re even worse as of 2014. I’ve only read 89 books this year, and when you’re staring at a collection of unread books that threatens to consume your living space, 89 books just isn’t going to cut it.

The worst of the problem, then, is that of those 89 books, damn near none of them were books I actually own. There’s a lot of library books mixed in there and some ARCs, but my owned TBR pile has languished for quite some time–and I can’t seem to stop myself from adding to it!

I’m hoping the 2015 Mount TBR Reading Challenge, hosted by Bev of My Reader’s Block, can help me with that particular character flaw. I’m officially signing up for Pike’s Peak, the challenge’s “Level 1”. It has the low goal of twelve owned books a year–shamefully more than I think I’ve read in 2014–and while that certainly won’t even make a visible dent in my TBR piles, hopefully it’ll be enough to kick me into gear with reading books I actually own. And if it doesn’t… well, twelve is better than none, right?

13 / 12 (108.33%)

1. Santa Paws by Nicholas Edwards
2. Zora and Me by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon
3. The Cat Who Came for Christmas by Cleveland Amory
4. Nikki & Deja by Karen English
5. Scared to Death by Jahnna N. Malcolm
6. The Magic Spell (My Secret Unicorn, #1) by Linda Chapman
7. Dreams Come True (My Secret Unicorn, #2)  by Linda Champman
8. Flying High (My Secret Unicorn, #3) by Linda Chapman
9. Starlight Surprise (My Secret Unicorn, #4) by Linda Chapman
10. Stronger Than Magic (My Secret Unicorn, #5) by Linda Chapman
11. A Special Friend (My Secret Unicorn, #6) by Linda Chapman
12. A Winter Wish (My Secret Unicorn, #7) by Linda Chapman
13. Boy-Crazy Stacey (The Baby-Sitters Club, #8) by Ann M. Martin

I Love Picture Books 2015 Reading Challenge: I’m In!

For the past few years, I’ve read at least a few picture books per year–for one thing, I usually go through the nominees for the Goodreads Choice Awards to pick my vote. And sometimes, when I haven’t read anything in a while, I’ll read some picture books just so I have some reviews to post here at Amara’s Eden!

So the I Love Picture Books 2015 Challenge, hosted at Book Dragon’s Lair, is as good a fit for me as any. I don’t expect to read a ton of picture books in 2015, so for now I’ll say that my goal is twelve in total–one per month. If I get past twelve before November 2015, I’ll bump it up to twenty-five or thirty. If I fly past it, I’ll aim for fifty.

If you’re another picture book reader and interested in checking out Gina’s challenge, you can find the sign-up page with the challenge rules here at Book Dragon’s Lair.

39 / 30 (130.00%)

1. Made in China: A Story of Adoption by Vanita Oelschlager
2. Sidewalk Flowers by Jon Arno Lawson and Sydney Smith
3. I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
4. Float by Daniel Mirayes
5. Your Baby’s First Word Will be Dada by Jimmy Fallon
6. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
7. Goodnight, Already! by Jor John and Benji Davies
8. Baby Santa by M. Maitland DeLand
9. Baby Santa’s Worldwide Christmas Adventure by M. Maitland DeLand
10. Baby Santa and the Lost Letters by M. Maitland DeLand
11. Baby Santa and the Missing Reindeer by M. Maitland DeLand
12. Magic Words: From the Ancient Oral Tradition of the Inuit by Edward Field
13. A Storm Called Katrina by Myron Uhlberg
14. How the Meteorite Got to the Museum by Jessica Hartland
15. I’m Not by Pam Smallcomb
16. The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen
17. Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates
18. Dog Loves Counting Louise Yates
19. Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker
20. If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
21. Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman
22. I Will Take a Nap! by Mo Willems
23. Otter in Space by Sam Garton
24. A Dog is a Dog by Stephen Shaskan
25. Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood
26. What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss
27. The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt
28. Waiting by Kevin Henkes
29. The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton
30. This is Sadie by Sara O’Leary
31. Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
32. Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France by Mara Rockliff
33. A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat by Emily Jenkins
34. Imogene’s Last Stand by Candace Fleming
35. How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague
36. All You Need for a Beach by Alice Schertle
37. Beach Day by Karen Roosa
38. The Best Place to Read by Debbie Bertram
39. Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko

You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge 2015: I’m In!

You Read How Many Books? is a 2015 reading challenge hosted at Book Dragon’s Lair. To check it out or sign up yourself, see here! Here’s a brief summary of the rules, but remember to check the official version before committing yourself.

The goal of the challenge is to read what nonreaders might refer to as “too many friggin’ books”. Gina from Book Dragon’s Lair has proposed four levels of the challenge: Level 1 with 100 books; Level 2 with 150 books; Level 3 with 200 books; and Level 4 with 250+ books. I’m going to aim for Level 1 right off the bat–100 books is easy unless I’m in a terrible reading slump (you know, like I have been all year…) and hope to get into the higher levels as the year goes on. I’ll hopefully be posting reviews of almost everything I read, and I’m sure there will be plenty of books read for other challenge all mixed up in the bunch.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, again, check out the sign-up page here at Book Dragon’s Lair.

100 / 100 (100.00%)

2014 Ho-Ho-Ho Read-A-Thon: I’m In!

I happened upon a post about the 2014 Ho-Ho-Ho Read-a-thon today, and while I don’t normally participate in these kinds of events, this one’s actually pretty perfect for me. Every year, I try to post twelve reviews during the twelve days leading up to and including Christmas, and I haven’t yet written those review this year–or even read the twelves books! So I’ll be taking part in the read-a-thon, which is hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Jennifer @ The Book Shelfery.

Progress will be tweeted with #HoHoHoRAT, and reading will take place from November 6 to November 11. After that, I plan to post the reviews in December.

Interested in joining in the fun? Check out the read-a-thon rules and sign-up post here!

What I’m Hoping to Read

Update 11/11/2014: What I Read

Not too spectacular, right? Oh, well–at least I got something read this week! In any case, I’m not shelving the books that I didn’t get around to reading for this read-a-thon. Nope, I’m just setting them aside for a little while, because not next Monday but the Monday after that, there’s another holiday-themed Read-a-Thon! That one, which takes place from November 24, 2014 to November 30,2014, is called the Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon and is part of the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge, which itself takes place from November 24, 2014 through January 6, 2014. Check them both out here:

I quite enjoyed participating in the Ho-Ho-Ho Read-a-Thon this year, so if it happens again next year, I’m definitely in! But in the meantime, it’s about time I get crackin’ with my NaNoWriMo project. I’m shamefully behind, so I’ve got some intense “catching up” sessions ahead of me this week. Wish me luck!

2015 I Love Library Books Reading Challenge: I’m In!

I Love Library Books is a 2015 reading challenge hosted at Book Dragon’s Lair. I’m an enormous fan of libraries (seriously, I wouldn’t be able to read without them), so this is a perfect challenge for me. Here are some of the rules, which you can read officially over at the sign-up post.

• The physical books, ebooks, or audiobooks read for the challenge must be checked out from the library and can be used in other challenges, as needed.
• You can choose from eight levels of participation, ranging from three books to fifty books, and you can increase your level goal at any time–but you can’t decrease it!
• You don’t have to write reviews, but you need to keep a list of the books you’ve read.

I’m going to start by aiming for twelve books (Level 4, “Chapter Book”), but I hope to clear fifty books (Level 8, “Just Insert IV”) with ease. If I get through the reading challenge I committed to yesterday–the 2015 Hardcore Reading Challenge–I’ll be over fifty or very close to it already.

If you’re interested in this challenge, remember to check it out at Book Dragon’s Lair.

And here’s what I’ve read for this challenge so far!

75 / 50 (150.00%)

1. Spaniel in a Stocking (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
2. Hamster in the Holly (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
3. Terrier in the Tinsel (Animal Ark, #34) by Ben M. Baglio
4. Aliens Don’t Wear Braces (The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids, #7) by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
5. The Blessing Way (Joe Leaphorn, #1) by Tony Hillerman
6. Lizzie at Last by Claudia Mills
7. The Haunting at Stratton Falls by Brenda Seabrooke
8. Who Could That Be at This Hour? (All the Wrong Questions, #1) by Lemony Snicket
9. Power to the Purple! (The Ultra Violets, #2) by Sophie Bell
10. The Doll in the Garden by Mary Downing Hahn
11. Something’s Wicked in Those Woods by Marisa Montes
12. Christina’s Ghost by Betty Ren Wright
13. The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn
14. Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn
15. Sweet Miss Honeywell’s Revenge by Kathryn Reiss
16. The Haunted Playground by Shaun Tan
17. All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn
18. The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn
19. The Monsters Next Door (The Bailey City Monsters, #1) by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
20. Cam Jansen and the Spaghetti Max Mystery (Cam Jansen, #33) by David A. Adley
21. Amy, Number Seven (Replica, #1) by Marilyn Kaye
22. The Ghost of Raven Hill (Raven Hill Mysteries, #1) by Emily Rodda
23. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Raven Hill Mysteries, #2) by Emily Rodda
24. Riding the Storm (Dolphin Diaries, #3) by Ben M. Baglio
25. Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn
26. Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn
27. Dark Waters by Cathy MacPhail
28. Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining (The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes, #1) by Anne Mazer
29. The Wizard’s Apprentice (The Keepers, #2) by Jackie French Koller
30. Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper
31. The Haunting of Holroyd Hill by Brenda Seabrooke
32. Witch Catcher by Mary Downing Hahn
33. The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste
34. Party Games by R.L. Stine
35. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
36. Terror at the Zoo by Peg Kehret
37. Colt in the Cave (Animal Ark Hauntings, #4) by Ben M. Baglio
38. Rescue on the Oregon Trail (Ranger in Time, #1) by Kate Messner
39. Husky with a Heart (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
40. Beagle in a Backpack (Animal Ark) by Ben M. Baglio
41. Out of the Dark by Betty Ren Wright
42. Gustav Gloom and the People Taker (Gustav Gloom, #1) by Adam-Troy Castro
43. Sidewalk Flowers by Jon Arno Lawson and Sydney Smith
44. I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
45. Float by Daniel Mirayes
46. Your Baby’s First Word Will be Dada by Jimmy Fallon
47. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
48. Goodnight, Already! by Jor John and Benji Davies
49. The Declaration of Independence (The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes, #2) by Anne Mazer
50. Under the Stars (Dolphin Diaries, #4) by Ben M. Baglio 
51. I’m Not by Pam Smallcomb
52. The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen
53. Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates
54. Dog Loves Counting Louise Yates
55. Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker
56. If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
57. Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman
58. I Will Take a Nap! by Mo Willems
59. Otter in Space by Sam Garton
60. A Dog is a Dog by Stephen Shaskan
61. Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood
62. What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss
63. The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt
64. Waiting by Kevin Henkes
65. The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton
66. This is Sadie by Sara O’Leary
67. Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
68. Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France by Mara Rockliff
69. A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat by Emily Jenkins
70. Imogene’s Last Stand by Candace Fleming
71. How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague
72. All You Need for a Beach by Alice Schertle
73. Beach Day by Karen Roosa
74. The Best Place to Read by Debbie Bertram
75. Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko

Level Progress:

1. “Board Book” reached on January 5
2. “Picture Book” reached on January 31
3. “Early Reader” reached on February 4
4. “Chapter Book” reached on February 7
5. “Middle Grades” reached February 18
6. “Young Adult” reached March 15
7. “Adult” reached August 8
8. “Just Insert IV” reached December 31