Showing posts with label Reading Challenges 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reading Challenges 2011. Show all posts

Wednesday, 28 December 2011

Wrap-up of reading challenges 2011

At the start of 2011 I entered 5 reading challenges hosted by bloggers. How did I do completing them?

Challenge 1
The Vampire Challenge hosted by Parajunkee

To read 20 books with a vampire as the main character.

At the start of the year I thought I'd have no problem at all completing this challenge. I really wanted to read the Morganville Vampires series and the Blue Bloods series. I have to confess that I STILL really want to read these series and I STILL haven't read them! Maybe 2012 will be the year!

Final total:
7/20     FAIL!

I read several books which had a vampire character in- but only books where a vampire was a main character could count toward this challenge. Whoops!
Okay- so I failed that one big time.

List of books read for the challenge

Challenge 2
The Shifter Challenge hosted by Parajunkee

To read 20 books with a werewolf or shifter as the main character.

Again- I thought that this challenge would be no problem at all. I really wanted to read the Shifter series by Rachel Vincent and the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Plus various others.

Final total:
8/20  FAIL!

Uh oh- I'm sensing a theme here. Complete failure all round. Unfortunately, I'm a mood reader and I still don't let the fact that I've entered a reading challenge deter me from reading whatever I fancy reading that day. So, yeah, only 8 books read this year with a shifter as a main character (unless my counting is wrong- because it feels like I've done a lot more than that!)
List of books read for the challenge

Challenge 3
The Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren


To read 12 YA books by a debut author.

It's hard to judge at the start of the year what books will leap out at you, but luckily, there have been some fantastic books out this year by new authors, and thanks to reviews by bloggers, have thrust these books onto my radar.

Final total:
17 Completed!

Oh yeah! Smashed it! The goal was 12 and I read 17 books by a debut author. Some really amazing books in there as well, I'll definitely be looking out for more reads by some of these new authors in the new year.
List of books read for the challenge


Challenge 4
The Dystopian Challenge hosted by BA Reading Challenges

To read 15 books set in a dystopic or post-apocalyptic world

There have been many dystopian books out this year- at one time it seemed to be the new favourite theme, and I love this genre when it is well done.

Final total:
16   COMPLETED!

I read some really amazing dystopian novels this year, and completed the challenge- go me!

List of books read for this challenge






Challenge 5
The 2011 E-book Challenge hosted by The Ladybug Reads



To read 12 books or more on the kindle.

When I entered this challenge I hadn't had my kindle for very long, and I was still reading mainly library books. However, I figured I'd get round to reading at least one book a month on the kindle.

Final total:
(lost count, but easily)   COMPLETED!

I loved my kindle this year, and read so many books on it that I've lost count. So this challenge- not really so challenging in the end.



Right- so to sum up, I completed 3 reading challenges and miserably failed 2. Not too bad I suppose!


I also set a Goodreads reading challenge to read 120 books in 2011. This is a much higher total than in previous years.

I set my own personal challenge to read 120 books over 2011.

Final total:
136 books! (So far- there are still a few more days of 2011 to go!)

Wow- I can't believe I read so many! I think being a book blogger over this past year has given me an even greater passion for reading- and with my TBR list expanding every day because of reading so many more reviews, I think it has driven me on to get to the next book. This is a much higher total for me than ever before, and I've always thought I read a lot of books.
Books read in 2011



I'm going to be entering some challenges for 2012 as well. Even though I basically ignore them in the end and read whatever I like anyway! I like having a goal and feeling smug if I complete it.

Saturday, 2 July 2011

Reading Challenges: Progress halfway through the year

June is over, we are half-way through the year now- I thought I'd check up on my progress through my reading challenges.  Links take you to my reviews.
I signed up for 5 reading challenges this year:

The Vampire Challenge hosted by Parajunkee
Read 20 books with a vampire as a main character.

4 / 20 books. 20% done!

I'm not doing very well at this so far, but I still really want to read the Morganville Vampires series, so maybe I will catch up!




Out For Blood by Alyxandra Harvey
Afterlife by Claudia Gray
Defiance by Lili St.Crow
Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel


The Shifter Challenge hosted by Parajunkee
Read 20 books with a werewolf or shifter as the main character.

6 / 20 books. 30% done!

Hmm... I'm not doing very well at this one either, but at some point I want to read the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, and the Shifter series by Rachel Vincent. I really need to get cracking on these if I want to complete the challenge!

Raised By Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
The Lost Saint by Bree Despain
Defiance by Lili St.Crow
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
Trial By Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren.
Read 12 YA books by a debut author.


10 / 12 books. 83% done!

Ok- at least I'm nearly there with at least one of them! There have been some absolutely stunning debut novels this year. This is what I've read for this challenge so far-


Across The Universe by Beth Revis
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Entangled by Cat Clarke
Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
The Body Finder by Kimberley Derting
Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
Hereafter by Tara Hudson
Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Dystopia Challenge hosted by BA Reading Challenges
Read 15 dystopian or post apocalyptic books.

11 / 15 words. 73% done!







Across The Universe by Beth Revis
Pastworld by Ian Beck
Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder
0.4 by Mike Lancaster
Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Outside In by Maria V. Snyder
Matched by Ally Condie
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Ebook Challenge hosted by The Ladybug Reads
Read 12 books on the kindle

9 / 12 books. 75% done!


I get most of the books I read through the library, however, I challenged myself to read at least one book a month on the kindle. I'm actually ahead on this challenge, and there are more books to come!

Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning
Faefever by Karen Marie Moning
Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Hereafter by Tara Hudson

I've still got a way to go, but it could still be achievable! However, at the end of the day, I read for fun and I only read what what I want and when I want. If I don't manage to complete any of these challenges it won't be the end of the world!

 Ebook Challenge

Dystopian Challenge

Debut Author Challenge

Shifter Challenge

Vampire Challenge

Saturday, 29 January 2011

Reading challenges for 2011

I have been meaning to do this since the beginning of January- I have finally got around to joining some reading challenges for the year ahead. The challenges I've signed up for are posted on the side bar- but I'm not really sure yet how I'm going to keep track of what I've read for each challenge (I'm fairly new to this blogging thing!)
The challenges I'm participating in are:
The vampire challenge hosted by Parajunkee- to read 20 books with a vampire main character
I have a good idea of books that I expect I'll read for this challenge- I really want to read the Morganville Vampires series, and Rebecca Maizel's Infinite Days, and several others, so this is a realistic challenge for me. The annoying thing is that so far this year, I have read books FEATURING a vampire character (Paranormalcy, Mortal Coil) but these aren't allowed to count because the vampire is not the main character.

I've also set myself the Shifter challenge hosted by Parajunkee- to read 20 books featuring a shifter or werewolf as the main character.

I want to read Rachel Vincent's Shifter series, and possibly Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series, and I'm a fan of Kelley Armstrong's shifter books as well, so hopefully the 20 books can be achieved this year.

Another one that caught my eye is The Story Siren's debut author challenge- to try and read 12 YA books by a debut author.

There are a lot of books coming out this year by new authors that look really exciting and are getting great reviews, so I should be able to find 12 titles to read.

Also, the Dystopian Challenge hosted by BA Reading Challenges- to read 15 dystopian books in 2011

I really want to read books like Matched by Ally Condie, Delirium, and I've already read Across the Universe and Inside Out which can count for this challenge.
And finally- the E-book challenge hosted by The Ladybug Reads- to read 12 E-books this year

I think I can aim to try to read at least one book a month on the kindle, and complete this challenge.

Phew! So here I go- I'm only going to read books that I enjoy and that I would have read anyway, but I like these challenges so that I can feel like there is a goal, and it will make me feel like I've achieved something at the end of the year if I manage to do it!

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