R.I.P. XI takes place from September 1st, 2016 through October 31st, 2016.
I’m a day late in signing up for this, and I blame my old day planner and myself for forgetting to write all the important reading events for the year down in my new planner.
There are multiple levels of participation. I’m only going to give a summary of them here, so for the full details, click on the image above.
Peril the First – Read four books, of any length, from the very broad categories of Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Gothic, Horror, and/or Dark Fantasy.
Peril the Second – Read two books that fit the R.I.P. categories.
Peril the Third – Read one book.
Peril of the Short Story – Read one or more short stories.
Peril of the Screen – Watch one or more movies.
Peril in Play – Play one or more video, electronic, board or table top games.
I’ll be doing Peril the First and, since I’ll also be participating in Castle Macabre’s Gothic September and Season of the Witch, Peril of the Short Story. Though I’m sure to watch several movies in October that would count towards Peril of the Screen, I won’t be writing any movie reviews. However, I might list the ones I watch in my Monday’s Minutes posts, especially if they are based on books.
Are you participating in R.I.P XI? Which Peril(s) are you going to do?
Category: Challenge Accepted
Let the Challenge Begin!
Starting today, June 20th, and running until September 21st (the day before the Autumnal Equinox), is the Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge!
If you haven’t signed up yet, the link-up is at the bottom. You can link up your reviews HERE.
Here are the challenge levels:
- Red Shirt – 1 to 5 books
- Viper Pilot – 6 to 10 books
- Jedi – 11 to 15 books
- Time Lord – 16 or more books
Any book of at least 100 pages that is classified as Science Fiction, including any Sci-Fi subgenres, qualifies for this challenge. That means audiobooks, physical books, ebooks, library books, free books, other borrowed books, anthologies, and graphic novels are all acceptable options. You may also count any Sci-Fi book that counts towards another reading challenge.
Link up your sign-up posts below:
The sign-up will remain open until September 14th, a week before the challenge ends.
#COYER Summer Vacation!
The COYER Summer Vacation reading challenge is from June 18th to September 2nd, and I’ll be participating! The lovely hosts of COYER have decided to throw out the rules and allow ANY book, regardless of price or format. I’m super excited about this because during most of the challenge, I’ll be hosting my Sci-Fi Summer reading challenge, and a large chunk of the Science Fiction titles I own are physical editions, which is what I want to concentrate on clearing from my TBR mountain since I’m also participating in the Shelf Love reading challenge. That’s THREE awesome challenges!
Since the rules for COYER have been tossed like hot potatoes for the Summer, I’m not setting any goals. I’m just going to read as much as I can, mostly Sci-Fi, but also a few of my ARCs that have publication dates between June and September. This is going to be a wonderful Summer! 🙂
Are you participating in the COYER Summer Vacation reading challenge?
Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge
There’s Sci-Fi November, and Vintage Sci-Fi January, but for me, the Summer is the time of year that is best for reading Science Fiction. I don’t know why. Do you think I make the rules of when I read certain genres or books? Oh…wait…I do. Or maybe my cat Dresden does? He seems to be Lord and Master of the rest of my life, so it stands to reason that he does. Regardless, from June 20th, the official first day of Summer, to the 21st of September (the day before the Autumnal Equinox), I’m reading as much Sci-Fi as possible. I’ve got a lot of it on my TBR shelves, and I’m inviting all of you to join me.
Since I’d like to make this a legitimate annual reading challenge, below are the levels:
- Red Shirt – 1 to 5 books
- Viper Pilot – 6 to 10 books
- Jedi – 11 to 15 books
- Time Lord – 16 or more books
Any book of at least 100 pages that is classified as Science Fiction, including any Sci-Fi subgenres, qualifies for this challenge. That means audiobooks, physical books, ebooks, library books, free books, other borrowed books, anthologies, and graphic novels are all acceptable options. You may also count any Sci-Fi book that counts towards another reading challenge. On June 20th, I’ll post the link up for your reviews, and it will stay open until September 25th.
Are you up to the Science Fiction Summer challenge? Link up your sign-up posts below:
The sign-up will remain open until September 14th, a week before the challenge ends.
Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge
The Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge is entering its fourth year, but this is the first year I’ll be participating.
The Rules:
For the entire month of March, read books in your TBR pile released before March 1, 2016. They can be eBooks, physical books, or audiobooks.
My Goals:
- I will read nothing but physical books I already own. That means no borrowed books, whether from the library, a friend, or the Boyfriend’s bookshelves.
- I’ll update my progress in my weekly “Monday’s Minutes” posts, and write a final wrap-up post at the end of the month.
- I’ll also write a review for every book I read.
- I will participate in the 24-hour TBR Readathon on March 12th.
- I will try to participate in the Twitter party on March 16th.
My TBR:
As you all know by now, I have an entire floor to ceiling bookcase full of books I’ve never read. Thanks to the Boyfriend and giveaway winnings, I haven’t cleared out any space yet this year. While I also haven’t run out of space again, that needs to change because we’re moving in March, and I’d love to have at least one box of books headed to the used bookstore before then. While I don’t have any specific books I plan to read during the challenge, I do plan on attacking the paperbacks I’m pretty sure I won’t want to keep after I finish them.
Feel the Paper Love February: My TBR
Yep, that’s right! The photo above of my bookcase is my TBR mountain for Feel the Paper Love February. Why? Because, with the exception of three books I want to read this month, I don’t have a plan. It depends on the weather, my mood, and how quickly I get through the other three books.
What are those three books?
- An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon – I started it on the 1st of the year but kept getting distracted by other books.
- The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith – I borrowed this from the Boyfriend’s Mom’s Husband when we went to visit for Christmas. I don’t know how it will work out, but the plan is that we will exchange books when the Boyfriend’s Mom comes down to Austin every couple of months. Since I don’t know when she’ll be in town next, I want to have the book finished, a note with my thoughts about it written, and a book of mine ready to send with it.
- Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania Del Rio – This is an ARC that I’ve had on my shelf for far too long.
One thing I did decide is that, since I’m choosing to read nothing but physical books this month, but I usually listen to audiobooks when I’m in the car, I’m going to catch up with the ridiculous number of podcasts I’ve been neglecting instead. They’re not books, so I’m not breaking my commitment to the printed page. I’ll return to my audiobooks next month.
Feel the Paper Love February
Litha over at Victorian Soul Book Critiques is hosting the Feel the Paper Love February reading challenge! I’m joining in because if there is any section of my TBR mountain I need to concentrate on, it’s clearing some space on my physical bookshelves. As most, if not all of you know by now, I live in a small apartment with the Boyfriend, and between the both of us and our book collections, there just isn’t enough space to display all of the books we own. At least half of my books are in storage, and the ones I’ve never read are residing in a floor to ceiling bookcase that, to put it frankly, is overstuffed. I’ve lost count since the last time I updated my Goodreads shelves and have since added more, but there are at least 150 physical books I have never read.
The rules are simple: participants have to either read nothing but physical books -or- set a goal number of physical books to read during the month of February.
I’m going with the first option. I don’t know how many books I’ll get through, or even which books I’ll read, but they’ll all be sniffable 🙂
Are you participating in the Feel the Paper Love February challenge?
Bout of Books 15 Mini-Challenge: Would You Rather?
Lori @ Writing My Own Fairy Tale has challenged those of us participating in Bout of Books to a game of Bookish “Would You Rather?” Below are the questions and my responses.
Would you rather…
- Lend books to someone who dog-ears pages or to someone who reads with cheesy Cheetos fingers? I’d much rather lend books to someone who dog-ears pages than someone who eats Cheetos while they read. Why? Cheetos stains never come off the page. I know this from experience. I purchased a used book awhile back, and while I was reading it, it became apparent that the previous owner was a lover of the orange powdered covered snack. *Sigh* maybe someday I’ll be able to find a better copy.
- Be able to meet one character of your choice or meet one author of your choice? Usually, I would rather meet a favorite character than an author, but I think I’d prefer meeting Diana Gabaldon. After all, Jamie Fraser will always belong to Claire, and I’ve got my own Scot to snuggle.
- Never be allowed in a bookstore again or never be allowed in a library again? I’ll take the library over the bookstore any day. Libraries are free, and this is the 2nd year I’m participating in the Show Your Shelves Some Love Challenge, so I can’t buy any books anyway.
- Have to choose one of your favorite characters to die in their book or have to pick one of your favorite couples to break up in their book? I’d rather have a favorite couple break up than have any of my favorite characters die; unless the break up causes so much heartache the character(s) die anyway.
- Be required to read Twilight once a year for the rest of your life or The Scarlet Letter once a year for the rest of your life? The Scarlet Letter hands down. I’ve read Twilight, and I once started The Scarlet Letter but got distracted by another book. Being a classic, I think The Scarlet Letter would stand frequent re-reads much better than Twilight.
Bout of Books 15!
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01 am Monday, January 4th and runs through Sunday, January 10th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 15 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team
It’s that time again! Unfortunately, I’m considerably more busy than I was during Bout of Books 14, but I’m determined not to let that stop me from reading every day instead of doing other things with my free time.
My Goals
- Read for at least 2 hours each day.
- Finish at least 1 book, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to finish 2.
Books to Read
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
- An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
- Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
Updates
I will be posting an update each day with the amount of time I read, the number of pages read that day, and the titles of any books I’ve finished.
#ShelfLove 2016
I’m joining the Show Your Shelves Some Love Challenge again! Below are my goals.
My Goals
- Read at least 51 books from my personal library that I got before January 1, 2016 (my shelves and I are going steady).
- With the exception of one book, I can only buy books using gift cards. I can “buy” as many free books as I would like, accept ARCs, and enter giveaways to my heart’s content, but I may only use my hard earned cash to buy one carefully chosen book.
- The one book I buy this year must be purchased with the funds I raise from selling books to the used bookstore.
- Participate in the monthly discussion posts.
My TBR
These are, of course, only my physical books, and not all of them are books I haven’t read yet, but the majority of them have never been opened. Total, I have approximately 400 unread books sitting on my shelves or in my Kindle and Nook. One of my projects this year will be to update my TBR shelf on Goodreads to get a more accurate total (none of the ebooks on my Nook are on it).