2017 Victorian Reading Challenge

Going to try this one. It's at Becky's Book Reviews. The goal is to read a minimum of four books from the Victorian era.  Click the link to sign up and see more details.

X 1. A book under 200 pages: The Turn of the Screw--Henry James
_ 2. A book over 400 pages
X3. A book that REALLY intimidates you: Crime and Punishment--Fyodor Dostoevsky
_ 4. A book you REALLY want to reread
_ 5. A new-to-you book by a FAVORITE author
X6. A book with illustrations: Eight Cousins--Louisa May Alcott
_ 7. A book that was originally published serially
X 8. A book published between 1837-1849: Agnes Grey--Anne Bronte
X 9. A book published between 1850-1860: North and South--Elizabeth Gaskell
X10. A book published between 1861-1870: Lady Audley's Secret--Mary Elizabeth Braddon
X11. A book published between 1871-1880: Lady Susan--Jane Austen
X 12. A book published between 1881-1890: A Study in Scarlet--Arthur Conan Doyle
_ 13. A book published between 1891-1901
X14. A book published between 1902-1999 with a Victorian setting:  The Hound of the Baskervilles--Arthur Conan Doyle
X15. A book published between 2000-2017 with a Victorian setting: Soulless--Gail Carriger
X 16. A book by Charles Dickens: Martin Chuzzlewit
X17. A book by Wilkie Collins: The Moonstone
_ 18. A book by Anthony Trollope
X19. A book by Elizabeth Gaskell: Wives and Daughters
_ 20. A book by George Eliot
_ 21. A book by a new-to-you male author
_ 22. A book by a new-to-you female author
_ 23. A book translated into English
X24. A fiction or nonfiction book about Queen Victoria: Victoria and Albert--Richard Hough
X25. A book that has been filmed as movie, miniseries, or television show: The Scarlet Letter--Nathaniel Hawthorne
X26. A play OR a collection of short stories OR a collection of poems: The Importance of Being Earnest--Oscar Wilde
X27. Biography, Autobiography, or NONFICTION book about the Victorian era: Eminent Victorians--Lytton Strachey
X28. Genre or Subgenre of your choice (mystery, suspense, romance, gothic, adventure, western, science fiction, fantasy): The Fall of the House of Usher and Four Other Tales--Edgar Allan Poe
X29. Book with a name as the title: Nicholas Nickelby--Charles Dickens
_ 30. Book You've Started but Never Finished
X31. A Christian book fiction or nonfiction: The Birds' Christmas Carol--Kate Douglas Wiggin
X32. A children's book: Black Beauty--Anna Sewell

Challenge completed on December 14

2017 Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge

TOnce again, I'm signing up for the Cruisin' Thru the Cozies challenge at Socrates' Book Reviews. This year, she'd doing it a differently.  I will at least try to complete Level One. Click the link for more details.

Welcome to the seventh annual Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge! I'm changing things up a bit this year. Sometimes we get hooked on one type of genre or sub-genre and don't venture out of our comfort zone. Maybe some only read culinary cozies, maybe some only animals or crafts.

To find out exactly what a cozy mystery is, check out Cozy-Mystery.com. This site is dedicated to cozy mysteries and does a great job of defining them as well as giving a list of cozy mysteries. This challenge is NOT restricted to what is on their list, it's just to be used as a guideline in case you need some hints on what to read.

Whatever you might like, I thought it might be fun to read a bit of everything. So here is this year's cozy mystery reading challenge:

Level one (Snoop) - Read one book in each of these cozy sub-genres (total of 10 books)

- One from culinary (anything dealing with food:  restaurants, baked goods, etc.)

- One from animal related (cats, dogs, birds, etc.)

- One from craft related (any kind of hobbies - knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, etc.)

- One from paranormal (witches, vampires, etc.)

- One from British cozy mysteries (example:  Belinda Lawrence series)

- One career-based cozy mystery (housekeeping, wedding planner, etc.)

- One holiday based (set during any holiday - Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines, etc.)

- One travel mystery (character could be on a cruise, touring another area, etc.)

- One historical mystery (any mystery not set in the present)

- One is your choice!  (freebie!)

ADDENDUM:  (I'm adding one more thing for those who aren't sure they want to read some of the sub-genres.)

If you can't find or don't want to read a certain sub-genre, you can switch it out for another one of your choice. However, this can only be done one time.

Level two (Investigator) - Read all the books in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 20)
Level three (Super Sleuth) - Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 30 books)
Level four (Sleuth Extraordinaire) - Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 20 cozy books of your choice (total of 40 books)


I'm going for Level One (Snoop) this year and I will list my progress here:

1. Culinary: Killer Gourmet--G.A. McKevett
2. Animal: The Cat Who had 14 Tales--Lilian Jackson Braun
3. Craft: Patterns in the Sand--Sally Goldenbaum
4. Paranormal: Southern Ghost--Carolyn G. Hart
5. British cozy mysteries: A Dead Liberty--Catherine Aird
6. Career-based: 12th of Never--James Patterson (news reporters)
7. Holiday: Easter Bunny Murder--Leslie Meier
8. Travel:  Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch--Nancy Atherton
9. Historical: The Hound of the Baskervilles--Arthur Conan Doyle
10. Freebie: Turbo Twenty-Three--Janet Evanovich

Challenge completed on October 3

What’s In A Name 2017

Another challenge I've been doing for the last few years is now up. Click here to sign up and see more details.

The basics

The challenge runs from January to December. During this time you choose a book to read from each of the following categories. (Examples of books you could choose are in brackets – translations and other languages most definitely count!):

A number in numbers (84, Charing Cross Road; 12 Years A Slave; 31 Dream Street):
12th of Never--James Patterson

A building (The Old Curiosity Shop; I Capture The Castle; House Of Shadows; The Invisible Library; Jamaica Inn):
Slaughterhouse Five--Kurt Vonnegut

A title which has an ‘X’ somewhere in it (The Girl Next Door; The Running Vixen):
How to Take the Ex out of Ex-Boyfriend--Janette Rallison

A compass direction (North and South; Guardians Of The West; The Shadow In The North; NW):
Southern Ghost--Carolyn G. Hart

An item/items of cutlery (The Subtle Knife; Our Spoons Came From Woolworths):

The Impossible Knife of Memory--Laurie Halse Anderson

A title in which at least two words share the same first letter – alliteration! (The Great Gatsby; The Luminous Life Of Lilly Aphrodite; Gone Girl; The Cuckoo’s Calling):
Black Beauty--Anna Sewell

Challenge completed on March 11

2017 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE

I'm doing this one again. This year was my first time participating in this challenge. I will try to get at least five books.

The European Reading Challenge
January 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018

THIS IS THE SIGN UP PAGE (SEE LINKY BELOW)

TO POST A REVIEW, GO TO THIS PAGE.

TO ADD YOUR WRAP UP POST, GO TO THIS PAGE.

Welcome to the 2017 European Reading Challenge – where participants tour Europe through books.  And have a chance to win a prize. Please join us for the Grand Tour!

THE GIST: The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from). The books can be anything – novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, or any other genre. You can participate at different levels, but each book must be by a different author and set in a different country – it's supposed to be a tour. (See note about the UK, below)

WHAT COUNTS AS "EUROPE"?: We stick with the same 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, Spain, and Italy), the really huge Russia, the tiny Vatican City, and the mixed bag of Baltic, Balkan, and former Soviet states.

THE LIST: 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 after Brexit, the United Kingdom is still one country, in Europe, that includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. So one book from any one of these four counts as your one book for the United Kingdom. I'm not going to be a stickler about it because challenges should be about fun not about rules. However, when it comes to winning the Jet Setter prize, only one book from one of the UK countries will count.

LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION

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.

JET SETTER PRIZE

The participant who reads and reviews the greatest number of qualifying books (more than five) will get a $25 gift card to Powell's Books (can be used in store or on line). Participants living in Europe will get a $25-equivalent gift card to the Amazon store in your country, if possible. If you live in a country where neither Powell's nor Amazon will work, then sorry, you are out of luck.

Each book must be by a different author and set in a different country. This means that only one book from one of the four UK countries will count. Only books reviewed count towards the prize.

OFFICIAL RULES

• Read all books between January 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018. I like having 13 months so there is extra time to finish after the holidays. However, if you participated in the 2016 European Reading Challenge, you can only count books read in January 2017 for one year -- either the end of the 2016 challenge or the start of the 2017 challenge -- you don't get to count one book for both challenges. 

• Sign up here using Mr. Linky under the "PARTICIPANTS" heading below. Please use a link to your challenge post, not your blog home page.   

• If you do not have a blog, please leave a comment below with the level you are signing up for, and your list of books if you want to name them now, and I will add you to the list.

• You do not have to commit to your choices now; you can change your mind about books at any time.

• Overlap with other challenges is allowed -- and encouraged! Have ideas for good overlapping challenge opportunities? Please leave links in comments.

• Re-reads count. Audiobooks count. E-books count. Self-published books count.

• As you progress, please link to your reviews on the review list page. Reviews are not necessary, unless you are going for the prize, in which case only books reviewed count. If you do not have a blog, put your reviews or reports in a comment on the review list page. When you finish, please link to your wrap-up posts on the wrap-up page.

• You can copy and paste the button. Or, if you want me to send you the code, please leave a comment with an email and I will. I cannot figure out the fancy ways of giving button instructions.

Here is what I am reading:

1. The Abominable Man--Maj Sjowall (Sweden)
2. Lady Susan--Jane Austen (UK)
3. Quicksand--Nella Larsen (Denmark)
4. Big Bob--Georges Simenon (France)
5. Girl in Hyacinth Blue--Susan Vreeland (Netherlands)
6. La Cucina--Lily Prior (Italy)
7. Crime and Punishment--Fyodor Dostoevsky (Russia)
8. The Finnish Line--Linda Gerber (Finland)

Challenge completed on August 23

Craving For Cozies 2017 – Reading Challenge

I love reading cozy mysteries so I will be doing this challenge. I'll shoot for level 2, but will probably go over. Sign up here.

Craving For Cozies 2017 – Reading Challenge

Cozy mysteries, also referred to simply as “cozies”, are a sub-genre of crime fiction mysteries in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community. The crime solver is an amateur sleuth, usually but not always a woman, who is thrust into the aftermath of the murder. The protagonist frequently has an occupation or hobby that brings appealing information to the reader.

The challenge runs from January 1, 2017 and ends December 31, 2017

Rules

1. Choose the level you wish to participate:

Levels

• Peckish – 1 – 10 Cozy Mysteries
• Famished – 11 – 20 Cozy Mysteries
• Yearning – 21 – 40 Cozy Mysteries
• Starving  – 41 – 60 Cozy Mysteries
• Ravenous – 61 – 80 Cozy Mysteries
• Voracious – 81 – 100 Cozy Mysteries 
• Completely Satiated – 101 or more

2. You can Feed Your Need To Read with print, digital or audio books.

3. You do not have to post a review but the authors would appreciate it if you did. If you need help just let me know. 

4. You do not need to have a blog to participate.

Just keep track any way you wish and enter a link below or sign up in the comment section. You can even set up a special shelf on Goodreads.com to help you keep track! Your can also participate via Facebook. You can find the Craving for Cozies Facebook Group here.

5.  If you do have a blog, take the button above, put it on your blog and post about the challenge. Then add your name to Mr. Linky below. Please use the link of your challenge post, not the link to your home page. 

6. Follow Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book for cozy giveaways and reviews. 

7. There is also Craving for Cozies Facebook Group. Everyone can share and discuss the cozies we are reading. Just click here to join.  I will also host some pop-up giveaways during the year. 

8. Please share with us the books you are reading all year long by leaving comments on this page or on the Event page on Facebook.

9. No matter how you enter or keep track when you complete this challenge please FILL OUT THIS FORM no later than January 15, 2018. 

10. HAVE FUN!!

Here is what I'm reading:

1. 12th of Never--James Patterson
2. Southern Ghost--Carolyn G. Hart
3. The Hound of the Baskervilles--Arthur Conan Doyle
4. Unlucky 13--James Patterson
5. Easter Bunny Murder--Leslie Meier
6. The Cat Who Had 14 Tales--Lilian Jackson Braun
7. Turbo Twenty-Three--Janet Ivanovich
8. The Neighbor--Lisa Gardner
9. A Study in Scarlet--Arthur Conan Doyle
10. 14th Deadly Sin--James Patterson
11. Killer Gourmet--G.A. McKevett
12. How to Paint a Cat--Rebecca M. Hale
13. 15th Affair--James Patterson
14. The Big Kitty--Claire Donally
15. Cold Pressed Murder--Kelly Lane
16. The Trouble With Magic--Madelyn Alt
17. A Dead Liberty--Catherine Aird
18. Everyone's Dead But Us--Mark Richard Zubro
19. Ming Tea Murder--Laura Childs
20. Patterns in the Sand--Sally Goldenbaum
21. Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch--Nancy Atherton
22. Peaches and Screams--G.A. McKevett
23. 16th Seduction--James Patterson
24. Wedding Cake Murder--Joanne Fluke
25. How to Catch a Cat--Rebecca M. Hale
26. Christmas Caramel Murder--Joanne Fluke
27. Banana Cream Pie Murder--Joanne Fluke
28. The Case of the Calendar Girl--Erle Stanley Gardner
29. The Penguin Who Knew Too Much--Donna Andrews
30. Fat Free and Fatal--G.A. McKevett                                                                                                 

Challenge completed on December 25