2022 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE

 I'm doing this one again, getting as many books as possible.

WHAT COUNTS AS "EUROPE"?: For this challenge, we use the standard list of 50 sovereign states that fall (at least partially) within the geographic territory of the continent of Europe and/or enjoy membership in international European organizations such as the Council of Europe. This list includes the obvious (the UK, France, Germany, and Italy), Scandinavian countries, the really huge Russia, the tiny Vatican City, and the mixed bag of Balkan, Baltic, and former Soviet states. Please see note below about the UK in particular. 

These 50 European sovereign states are:

Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vatican City.

NOTE: Even with Brexit, the United Kingdom is still one country, part of Europe, that includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. One book from any one of these four counts as your one book for the United Kingdom. Challenges should be about fun not about rules, so I'm not going to be the Challenge Police about this. However, when it comes to winning the Jet Setter prize, only one book from one of the UK countries counts.

LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION

Participants can read as many books as they want and are encouraged to visit as many European countries as possible. The Jet Setter Prize will go to the person who reads (and reviews) books from the greatest number of different countries (see below).

Not everyone wants to compete for a prize, review books, or read a lot of books. You can "complete" the challenge by reading one to five books from different countries. If you want to do more, read more books and compete for the prize.

To participate in the challenge, sign up at the levels below. If you want to go on to compete for the Prize, keep reading!

• FIVE STAR (DELUXE ENTOURAGE): Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.

• FOUR STAR (HONEYMOONER): Read four qualifying books.

• THREE STAR (BUSINESS TRAVELER): Read three qualifying books.

• TWO STAR (ADVENTURER): Read two qualifying books.

• ONE STAR (PENSIONE WEEKENDER): Read just one qualifying book.

My Books:

1. The Red Queen--Philippa Gregory (UK)
2. Salt to the Sea--Ruta Sepetys (Lithuania)
3. Dragonfly in Amber--Diana Gabaldon (Scotland)
4. Dogs in the Dead of Night--Mary Pope Osborne (Switzerland)
5. Hour of the Olympics--Mary Pope Osborne (Greece)
6. The Little Paris Bookshop--Nina George (France)
7. Vacation Under the Volcano--Mary Pope Osborne (Italy)
8. Three Stations--Martin Cruz Smith (Russia)
9. Conversations With Friends--Sally Rooney (Ireland)

Calling challenge complete on November 19