FULL HOUSE READING CHALLENGE 2017

At last the 2017 Full House Reading Challenge is up.  I love this one.

Challenge Guidelines:

Challenge will run from Jan 1st to December 31st 2017

Write and publish a post stating your intention to participate. In the post please include the Challenge graphic and a link back to this post. Then link your intention post at the bottom of this post.  Make sure it is the actual post and not just a generic link to your blog.

Add your reviews back here on the link in this post. At the end of every three months there will be a U.S. $12 prize with a book of your choice from the Book Depository or U.S. Amazon voucher, for the entries. There will be a new linky then for the next quarter and so on to the end of December.

Reviews are not mandatory and if you prefer to keep a list of the books read and the category they cross off the card, then you can still enter for the completion of a Full House by linking to that list on the final linky or in a comment. The list could be kept on somewhere like Goodreads or in a Google doc.

Link Ups

Jan - March will open on first week of January    

Each review can only be linked up once in the year. However it doesn't matter when you read the book in 2017 - which month, just link as you remember or have time. So if you read it in January you may not get around to linking it until say... May. That is fine.

Books may cross over from other challenges that you are doing. However a different book for each square, one book cannot cover two squares.

There will be a final post to link in a summary post for the challenge for those who have completed a full house. This will close on the 2nd January 2018  and a winner will be chosen using random.org for a U.S. $30 prize which again can be used to buy books at the Book Depository or be received as an Amazon voucher.

Completion Link will go here.

Complete the card below.  You can do it in any order you wish.  You are allowed "one free exchange", if there is something on the square you really dislike you may change it to something of your choice. Once you have played this free choice that is it. Mention the exchange in the final summary post.

* Book about books.  This can be fiction or non-fiction. It can be anything for example where the setting is a book shop for example. 

* Not really for you.  This can be a kind of book you don't usually read, or it could be one you just DNF, or one you just didn't enjoy that much.

* Diversity.  Think ethnic, cultural, religious, and gender diversity and you may come up with something you think of as well, as the list is basic.  But it must be somehow quite different to you. 

* Book from a list.   There are heaps of lists out there, from bestsellers to numerous Goodreads ones.

*Authors  UK/European author reads   UK or European author. 

*Size Word in Title   e.g small, little, tiny, huge, large, big, mini....etc. 

My Books for this one:

1. USA/Canadian Author: Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs--Wallace Stegner
2. Attractive Cover: One Thousand White Women--Jim Fergus
3. Nonfiction: Hope--Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus
4. UK/Eurpoean Author: The Abominable Man--Maj Sjowall
5. Borrowed: The Impossible Knife of Memory--Laurie Halse Anderson
6. Diversity Book: To All the Boys I've Loved Before--Jenny Han
7. Two-Worded Title: Lady Susan--Jane Austen
8. Published Pre-2000: Black Beauty--Anna Sewell
9. Western: More Brains Than Bullets/The Road to Casas Piedras/West of Dodge--Louis L'Amour
10. Page Turner: The Field of the Dogs--Katherine Paterson
11. Food on Cover or in Title: Cakewalk--Kate Moses 
12. Award Winner (Pulitzer): Angle of Repose--Wallace Stegner
13. Not Really For You: Killing Reagan--Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
14. Size Word in Title:  A Million Little Pieces--James Frey
15. Middle Grade Book: The Goose Girl--Shannon Hale
16. Cozy Mystery: Southern Ghost--Carolyn G. Hart
17. From a List (Goodreads Best Books of  2016): The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo--Amy Schemer
18. Over 500 Pages: Martin Chuzzlewit--Charles Dickens
19. Backlist Book From a Favorite Author: First Comes Love--Emily Giffin
20. Australian/NZ Author: The Light Between Oceans--M.L. Stedman
21. On TBR 2+ Years: Just One Year--Gayle Forman
22. Debut Book: Willow Weep for Me--Meri Nana-Ama Danquah
23. 2017 Published: The Rules Do Not Apply--Ariel Levy
24. Book About Books: Reading Lolita in Tehran--Azar Nafisi
25. Book From Childhood: Little House in the Big Woods--Laura Ingalls Wilder

Challenge completed on July 23

2017 MONTHLY KEYWORD READING CHALLENGE

Another one I enjoy doing is up now.  Go here to sign up.

Welcome to the 5th Annual Monthly Keyword Reading Challenge!

How does this challenge work?

For this challenge, I have chosen six keywords associated with each month in 2017. Your task is to read one book each month whose title includes one or more of the keywords for that month. Simple right?

Challenge Guidelines

• This challenge will run from January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2017
• You can join anytime before December 31, 2017
• Books must be read and reviewed in 2017
• You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate! You can track your progress on Goodreads, Shelfari, Booklikes, etc.
• The book title you choose can be a variation on one of the keywords. Meaning, you can tweak the keywords. For example, your title could include the word ‘snowing’ or ‘snowflake’ even though the key word is ‘snow.’ Further, if the key word is ‘family‘ then your title could include the word ‘sister’ or ‘mother.’ It’s similar to the word game Word Association.
• Link up below to participate linking your post, Goodreads shelf, Shelfari, Booklies, etc.
• Lastly, have fun! This challenge is simply for the pure satisfaction of reading so please don’t worry if you have to skip a month or if you have to read your books out of order!

  ---

Here Are Your 2017 Keywords 

JAN- Court, Fall, Of, Way, Deep, Thousand  

One Thousand White Women--Jim Fergus

FEB- And, Rose, Promise, Every, Deception, Blazing
The Language of Flowers--Vanessa Diffenbaugh

MAR- Shall, Go, By, Silence, Her, Saga
A  Sudden Silence--Eve Bunting

APR- From, Trigger, Tale, His, Crown, Mist

The Cat Who Had 14 Tales--Lilian Jackson Braun

MAY- Four, Wind, All, Fury, Days, Shade

No Promises in the Wind--Irene Hunt

JUN- Without, Know, Good, Watch, One, Have
One Plus One--JoJo Moyes

JUL- Before, Final, All, Freedom, Life, Dream

All the Little Live Things--Wallace Stegner

AUG- Sun, Infinite, Big, My, Wherever, Most
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life--Benjamin Alire Saenz

SEP- Sand, From, Between, Ever, Reasons, Clash

Patterns in the Sand--Sally Goldenbaum

OCT- Darker, You, Ashes, Out, House, Sea

The Fall of the House of Usher and Four Other Tales--Edgar Allan Poe

NOV- Place, War, Heart, Why, Give, Meet

Heartless--Marissa Meyer

DEC- Forget, Twilight, Only, Crystal, On, Will

The Crime and the Crystal--E.X. Ferrars

Challenge completed on December 1

FLIGHTS OF FANTASY READING CHALLENGE 2017

Doing this one again. Click here to sign up and see more.

Rachel of Hello, Chelly & I will be hosting the Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge for the third time in 2017! We sure hope that you will be signing up to join us as we endeavor to read more fantasy novels (and series) in the year to come. Whether you're new to fantasy or a total veteran in the genre, we can promise that our challenge is real simple and that you can totally meet your goal, whatever it may be.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

The challenge will run from January 1-December 31, 2017.

We're welcoming all readers to join us for this challenge! In order to sign up, readers just need to link to one of the following: blog, Goodreads profile, Twitter account, YouTube channel or Instagram account in the Linky below. That way, we'll have a chance to see where you guys will be talking about all of your fantasy reads (and we can come and visit you).

You can read as little or as much as you'd like to. There are no levels for this challenge!

There will be two giveaways, one at 6 months and one at the end of the year. More details will be provided closer to those dates.

Help us spread the word! Feel free to tweet about the challenge using our official hashtag #flightsoffantasy, grab the button to link to the challenge in your blog sidebar, share the image on Pinterest / Instagram or even write your own post about it. We love talking with fellow fantasy fans and want to connect with as many of them as possible!

My Books:

1. Epic of Gilgamesh
2. Beast--Donna Jo Napoli
3. Not Your Typical Dragon--Dan El-Bar
4. Slaughterhouse Five--Kurt Vonnegut
5. The Goose Girl--Shannon Hale
6. Lost Horizon--James Hilton
7. Southern Ghost--Carolyn G. Hart
8. Crenshaw--Katherine Applegate
9. Soulless--Gail Carrier
10. Ash--Malinda Lo
11. Fuzzy Mud--Louis Sachar
12. When She Woke--Hillary Jordan
13. Night of the Ninth Dragon--Mary Pope Osborne
14. Angelina Ballerina--Katherine Holabird
15. Candide--Voltaire
16. Angelina's Cinderella--Katherine Holabird
17. Carry On--Rainbow Rowell
18. Wicked Lovely--Melissa Marr
19. Stardust and Shadows--Janelle Taylor
20. Love You Forever: The Best of Robert Munsch
21. Dragon of the Red Dawn--Mary Pope Osborne
22. Monday With a Mad Genius--Mary Pope Osborne
23. Dark Day in the Deep Sea--Mary Pope Osborne
24. Daughter of Smoke and Bone--Laini Taylor
25. 1984--George Orwell
26. All Our Wrong Todays--Elan Mastai
27. The Trouble With Magic--Madelyn Alt
28. Pirates--Linda Lael Miller
29. The Fall of the House of Usher and Four Other Tales--Edgar Allan Poe
30. The Spiderwick Chronicles 1-5--Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
31. Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles: The Nixie's Song--Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
32. Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch--Nancy Atherton
33. The Shack--William Paul Young
34. Bloodlines--Richelle Mead
35. The Girl With All the Gifts--M.R. Carey
36. Nightlight: A Parody--Harvard Lampoon
37. Zombies Calling--Faith Erin Hicks
38. Legend: The Graphic Novel--Leigh Dragoon
39. Prodigy: The Graphic Novel--Leigh Dragoon
40. Champion: The Graphic Novel--Leigh Dragoon
41. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish--Mo O'Hara
42. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: The SeaQuel--Mo O'Hara
43. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: Fins of Fury--Mo O'Hara
44. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: Any Fin is Possible--Mo O'Hara
45. Blood Red, Snow White--Marcus Sedgwick
46. Heartless--Marissa Meyer
47. Snow & Rose--Emily Winfield Martin
48. Caraval--Stephanie Garber
49. A Wish for Elves--Mark Gonyea
50. One Second After--William R. Forstchen
51. Three Wishes--Barbara Delinsky

Challenge completed on December 24

Foodies Read 2017

The Foodies Read for 2017 is now up. This is one of my favorite challenges. I will try for the highest level again.  Sign up here.

Do you read books about food?  There are books about food in so many different genres.

• Cozy mysteries set in bakeries
• Romance books set in tea shops
• Nonfiction books about the history of ingredients
• Cookbooks
• Memoirs from chefs or waiters or people who just love to eat
• …the list goes on and on.  Need more ideas? Check out our Pinterest page!

Want to challenge yourself?  Pick a level below.

Short-Order Cook: 1 to 3 books
Pastry Chef: 4 to 8 books
Sous-Chef: 9 to 13 books
Chef de Cuisine: 14 to 18
Cordon-Bleu Chef: More than 19

Don’t like to plan?  Choose the a la carte option and let us know when you read a book about food.

Each month I’ll have a new page for book reviews that you post.  You can find the page for the month linked on the blog’s right sidebar.  Posts will be pinned to Pinterest and publicized on Twitter to get the word out.

Here is what I am reading:

1. The Lemonade Babysitter--Karen Waggoner
2. Cakewalk--Kate Moses
3. The Chocolate War--Robert Cormier
4. Easter Bunny Murder--Leslie Meier
5. La Cucina--Lily Prior
6. Love and Gelato--Jenna Evans Welch
7. Killer Gourmet--G.A. McKevett
8. Sweetbitter--Stephanie Danler
9. Cold Pressed Murder--Kelly Lane
10. A Dead Liberty--Catherine Aird
11. Ming Tea Murder--Laura Childs
12. Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch--Nancy Atherton
13. Peaches and Screams--G.A. McKevett
14. Wedding Cake Murder--Joanne Fluke
15. The Apple Orchard--Susan Wiggs
16. Christmas Caramel Murder--Joanne Fluke
17. Banana Cream Pie Murder--Joanne Fluke
18. Fat Free and Fatal--G.A. McKevett

Challenge completed on December 25

Wild Goose Chase Reading Challenge 2017

The Bookshelf Gargoyle is doing a new challenge for 2017, the Wild Goose Chase.  Only seven books are needed.

* The Challenge will run from January 1st to December 31, 2017.

* Challengees must read at least one book from each category (listed below).  Challengees must read a DIFFERENT book for each category – even if your book title might fit a number of categories, it will only count towards a single category.  Challengees are free to choose which category best suits.
* Books selected can be from any genre and aimed at any age group.  Picture books, anthologies, nonfiction, graphic novels and audiobooks are all okay to include.
* The categories listed are a loose guide and creative interpretation of the categories is not only encouraged, but applauded.
* Challengees should link their reviews/progress under the relevant linky lists on this page.  If you don’t have a blog, you could link to your Goodreads shelf/reviews, or simply comment on this page as you go.
*Feel free to display the challenge button (html for which is in the sidebar) and share about the challenge wherever you like

1. A book with a word of phrase relating to wildness in the title – any interpretation of the word “wild” is acceptable (eg: The Call of the Wild, Angry Aztecs, Crazy for You; An Untamed State):
Beast--Donna Jo Napoli

2. A book with a species of bird (or the word “bird”) in the title: (eg: The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Thorn Birds, Turkey: A Modern History):  Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs--Wallace Stegner

3. A book with an exotic or far-flung location in the title – fantasy and mythical locations are acceptable (eg: Paradise Lost, The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu, Atlantis Rising):
Lost Horizon--James Hilton

4.  A book with an object you might hunt for in the title (eg: Treasure Island, One for the Money, The History of Love, Dreams from my Father, A Monster Calls, All the Answers):  
The Big Rock Candy Mountain--Wallace Stegner 

5. A book with a synonym for chase in the title (or its derivatives: chasing, chased, etc) (eg: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, Follow the River, Man’s Search for Meaning, The Night Stalker):
Chasing Stanley--Deirdre Martin

6.  A book with a means of transport in the title (eg: If I Built a Car, Walk Two Moons, The Girl on the Train):
Orphan Train--Christina Baker Kline

7.  A book with an object you might take on a search or hunt in the title (eg: The Golden Compass, The Map to Everywhere, Water for Elephants, Team of Rivals ):

The Treasure Map of Boys--E. Lockhart

Challenge completed on May 2

2017 MONTHLY MOTIF READING CHALLENGE

One of the challenges I've been waiting to see for next year, the Monthly Motif, is now up.

JANUARY 1, 2017 – DECEMBER 31, 2017 ~

Welcome  to the 2017 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge! For this challenge, each  month is assigned a motif or theme. Your task is to read one book per month that fits in with the assigned motifs…

JANUARY – Diversify Your Reading

Kick the reading year off right and shake things up. Read a book with a character (or written by an author) of a race, religion, or sexual orientation other than your own.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before--Jenny Han

FEBRUARY – Undercover Thriller

Read a book involving spies, detectives, private investigators, or a character in disguise.
Rainbow Drive--Roderick Thorp

MARCH – Time Traveler

Read a book set in a different dimension, a book in which time travel is involved or a dystopian or science fiction book where reality looks very different than what we’re used to.
Slaughterhouse Five--Kurt Vonnegut

APRIL – Award Winners

Read a book that has won a literary award or a book written by an author who has been recognized in the bookish community.
Out of the Dust--Karen Hesse (Newbery)

MAY – Book to Movie or Audio

Read a book that has a movie based off of it. For an extra challenge, see the movie or listen to the audio book as well.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly--Jean-Dominique Bauby

JUNE – Destination Unknown

Read a book in which the character(s) take a trip, travel somewhere, go on a quest, or find themselves on a journey toward something.
The Oregon Trail--Rinker Buck

JULY – Believe the Unbelievable

This month it’s all about fantasy. Epic fantasy, urban fantasy, fairytales, magic, etc.
Wicked Lovely--Melissa Marr

AUGUST – Seasons, Elements, & Weather

Read a book in which the season, the elements, or the weather plays a role in the story.
Beach Town--Mary Kay Andrews 

SEPTEMBER – Creepy, Chilling, & Frightful

Cozy mystery ghost stories, paranormal hauntings, murder mysteries, weird and scary creatures- it’s up to you!
The Trouble With Magic--Madelyn Alt

OCTOBER– Games, Challenges, & Contests

Read a book that involves a game of some sort. Video games, war games, psychological mess-with-your-mind games, characters who participate in a contest, or a story in which the character takes on a challenge.
The Spiderwick Chronicles 1-5--Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

NOVEMBER – Last Chance

Read a book you’ve been meaning to get to all year but haven’t yet or read the last book in a series you started.
Heartless--Marissa Meyer

DECEMBER – Picking Favorites

Read a book by one of your favorite authors or read a book that Girlxoxo has recommended this year.
Christmas Caramel Murder--Joanne Fluke

Challenge completed on December 4