2011 Reading Challenges

I have failed to complete any of the challenges in 2010. I signed up for too many and got too stressed out about completing them.

My main goal is to really put more effort and concentrate on my own challenge, Understand My Sorrow, which I started a few months back. It doesn't have a deadline and anyone who wants to join is always welcome. In the beginning of January, I will be putting up a separate post where all who join can link their reviews.

I am trying again for 2011 and will be keeping my fingers crossed that this time around I will finish what I start.

1. Reading From My Shelves Project hosted by Diane from Bibliophile by the Sea.

Some details:

• Challenge runs from January 1 - December 31, 2011.
• Read books from your own shelves, and then pass the books on to someone else: a friend, relative, the library, used book store, swap them, just as long as the book leaves your house once it has been read.  
• Decide on your goal (12 is the minimum - no maximum). Cross over books are allowed.

I have decided on the minimum of 12 books.

1. The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor - giveaway
2. Matched by Ally Condie - giveaway
3. Hailey's War by Jodie Compton - local library donation
4. The Outer Banks House by Diann Ducharme - local library donation
5. Legacy by Jeanette Baker - local library donation
6. Merely Magic - local library donation

2. Ireland Reading Challenge - 2011 hosted by Carrie from BOOKS AND MOVIES

Some details:

~ The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to November 30, 2011.
~ Any books read for this challenge can also apply to other challenges you are working on.
~ Re-reads are allowed.
~ Any book written by an Irish author, set in Ireland, or involving Irish history or Irish characters, counts for the challenge – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, audiobooks, children’s books – all of these apply.
~ Choose your commitment level:

Shamrock level: 2 books
Luck o’ the Irish level: 4 books
Kiss the Blarney Stone level: 6 books

I am going for the Shamrock level.

1. The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern - Irish author

3. War Through the Generations 2011: U.S. Civil War hosted by Anna from Diary of an Eccentric and Serena from Savvy Verse & Wit.

Details:

This year you have options when reading your fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc. with the U.S. Civil War as the primary or secondary theme.
Books can take place before, during, or after the war.  Books from other challenges count so long as they meet the above criteria.

Dip: Read 3-5 books in any genre with the U.S. Civil War as a primary or secondary theme.
Wade: Read 6-10 books in any genre with the U.S. Civil War as a primary or secondary theme.
Swim: Read 11 or more books in any genre with the U.S. Civil War as a primary or secondary theme.

Additionally, we’ve decided that since there are so many great movies out there about U.S. Civil War, that you can substitute or add a movie or two to your list this year and have it count toward your totals.
I'm doing the Dip level.

1. The Outer Banks House by Diann Ducharme - post Civil War

 4. 2011 Global Reading Challenge hosted by Dorte from DJ's Krimiblog

Continents:

Africa
Asia
Australasia
Europe
North America
South America (please include Central America where it is most convenient for you)

The Seventh Continent (here you can either choose Antarctica or your own ´seventh´ setting, eg the sea, the space, a supernatural/paranormal world, history, the future – you name it).

From your own continent: try to find a country, state or author that is new to you.

Levels:

The Easy Challenge (read one novel from each of the continents - 7 total)
The Medium Challenge (read two novels from each of the continents - 14 total)
The Expert Challenge (read three novels from each of the continents - 21 total).


I picked The Easy Challenge.

5. What's In a Name 4 hosted by Candace from Beth Fish Reads


Some details:


Between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a number in the title: First to Die, Seven Up, Thirteen Reasons Why
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Ruby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Opal Deception
3. A book with a size in the title: Wide Sargasso Sea, Small Wars, Little Bee
4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Dead Witch Walking, Crawling with Zombies, Time Traveler's Wife
5. A book with evil in the title: Bad Marie, Fallen, Wicked Lovely - The Poison Eaters by Holly Black
   
6. A book with a life stage in the title: No Country for Old Men, Brideshead Revisited, Bog Child - A Widow's Story by Joyce Carol Oates
   

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

And that's all folks. It's only five challenges but I know that 2011 will be even busier for me than 2010 has been and I dare not go for more.