2011 challenges

This year it was my plan to do challenges a little differently. There have been some challenges over the years that I have participated in that I thoroughly enjoyed doing, but that weren't really .... challenging. For example, the 100+ Reading Challenge - I liked joining up for it, but it meant maintaining a blog post showing all my reads even though I knew that I would get past 100 books easily. Another example is that Pub10 Challenge - to read 10 books that were published in 2010. Thoroughly enjoyed it, but it would have been a very nasty shock to me if I didn't finish it with months to spare.

So this year I decided that I was going to do challenges that were challenging. The only problem I have just realised that I have only signed up for five challenges so far which doesn't seem like a lot, even to me. Having said that, I am hoping to actually do some reading for my perpetual challenges this year as well, because they have been sadly neglected over the last couple of years.

I will sign up for more during the year I am sure (who knows, maybe even tomorrow) but this is what I am starting off with for this year:

2011 Aussie Author Challenge hosted at Book Lover Book Reviews

Every year I lament the fact that I don't read enough Australian authors, so this challenge helps me to meet that goal. I've signed up for the True Blue level. Here are the rules:

Challenge period:  1 January 2011 -  31 December 2011

Objective: Read and review books written by Australian Authors - physical books, ebooks and audiobooks, fiction and non-fiction!

Challenge Levels: TOURIST or TRUE BLUE!

TOURIST - Read and review 3 books by 3 different Aussie Authors
TRUE BLUE - Read and review 12 books by Australian authors (at least 9 different authors)

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2011 hosted at Historical Tapestry

This is going to be my one can do this easily challenge that I am signing up for early this year, mainly because it is being hosted at Historical Tapestry. I am signing up for the Severe Bookaholism level of 20 books

The rules:

• everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)

•  add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)

• any kind of historical fiction is accepted (HF fantasy, HF young adult,...)

• you can overlap this challenge with others kind of challenges

• During these following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

1. Severe Bookaholism: 20 books
2. Undoubtedly Obsessed: 15 books
3. Struggling the Addiction: 10 books
4. Daring & Curious: 5 books
5. Out of My Comfort Zone: 2 books

The challenge will run from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011.

What's in a Name 4 hosted by Beth Fish Reads

This is a new to me challenge this year. The idea is that you have to read books whose titles fit the criteria below:

Here's How It Works

Between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a number in the title: First to Die, Seven Up, Thirteen Reasons Why
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Ruby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Opal Deception
3. A book with a size in the title: Wide Sargasso Sea, Small Wars, Little Bee
4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Dead Witch Walking, Crawling with Zombies, Time Traveler's Wife
5. A book with evil in the title: Bad Marie, Fallen, Wicked Lovely
6. A book with a life stage in the title: No Country for Old Men, Brideshead Revisited, Bog Child

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know

• Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
• Books may overlap other challenges.
• Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
• Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
• You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
• You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

War Through the Generations

This was one of my favourite challenges from a couple of years ago, but I didn't participate last year. This year the theme is US Civil War, and I am back in again! I am just Dipping my toes into the challenge this year.

This year you have options when reading your fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc. with the U.S. Civil War as the primary or secondary theme.

Books can take place before, during, or after the war.  Books from other challenges count so long as they meet the above criteria.

Dip: Read 3-5 books in any genre with the U.S. Civil War as a primary or secondary theme.

Ireland Reading Challenge 2011

Even though I didn't manage to successfully complete this challenge last year, I am back for it again this year!

~ The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to November 30, 2011.
~ Any books read for this challenge can also apply to other challenges you are working on.
~ Re-reads are allowed.
~ Any book written by an Irish author, set in Ireland, or involving Irish history or Irish characters, counts for the challenge – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, audiobooks, children’s books – all of these apply.
~ Choose your commitment level:
Shamrock level: 2 books
Luck o’ the Irish level: 4 books
Kiss the Blarney Stone level: 6 books
~ Write up a post indicating that you are participating (feel free to copy the lovely graphic at the top of this post), and then add your challenge post’s link to the Mr. Linky on the main challenge page.
~ You don’t have to list your books ahead of time – just have fun reading throughout the year.
~ I will put up a page for the challenge in my left sidebar, and add a Mr. Linky for reviews and wrap-up posts.
~ Everyone who fulfills their challenge level and writes at least one review is eligible for the giveaway prize at the end of the challenge: a copy of Tipperary by Frank Delaney. Wrap-up post and giveaway details will go up at the beginning of December, which is why the challenge ends on November 30th.
~ Thanks to Serena, who had a wonderful idea, we will be adding a new element this year. In the month of March, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we will do a read-along for any challenge participants or other bloggers who are interested. I have no idea which book we should read for the read-along, though, so please leave your suggestions in the comments. I will compile a list and post a poll in which you can vote for your pick.