Exciting Book Challenges

Book Challenges for 2012

While visiting a new blog, I rediscovered book challenges. I had signed up last year but life (and especially school) interrupted the direction of my reading. I still read, but needed different books.

There are so many book challenges this year and I am eager to take part in several of them. One in particular (Off the Shelf) will help me clear my shelf of many books that are just gathering dust!

My biggest weakness is books. I have well over 1000 here at home and an equal number at school. Every time we enter Costgo, I vow I will not buy another book. I usually end up with 2!

I keep lists of books I want to read and love getting recommendations. I always have several books on the go.

Here are the challenges I am joining in on. (I will probably post over several days or this post will be way too long!)

What I especially like about these are that they're supportive of what you do accomplish. I hope in the end that I have read many different genres and that my shelves have room for new books!

(The descriptions of the challenges come from the actual posts)

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1. Off the Shelf:

My goal is to read 15 books (Trying level). I will be able to use many of these books I hope with other challenges. The goal though is to clear my shelf!!

Off the Shelf 2012 Reading Challenge (Jan.1- Dec.31, 20012)

This is the second year running for Off The Shelf!, with last year being an overwhelming success (over 300 participants), and we hope this year it does just as well!

There are some differences this time, thanks to a new year, new place, and some experience. Have a read below, if you have any questions ask away, and the most important part of it is to have fun!
What It’s All About
Do you love books? Do you love them so much your to be read list seems to keep growing, and growing, and growing? Is space on your bookshelf taken up with unread books? Is your eBook library burgeoning with unread stories? We’ve been there at BA and we still are!

This challenge is to read those books you own a copy of, print, digital, and audio, you have been meaning to read, but never gotten to. If you don’t own enough books for the challenge you can read your TBR list instead. And no, you do not need to get rid of your books afterwards, that’s completely your choice, this challenge is only to read them.

The Deets
The Main Rule: Do not include books acquired during 2012, it defeats the purpose, read those books from before 2012 started!
Running Dates: 1st of January – 31st of December 2012
When Can I Sign Up: All the way up to the last two weeks of December!
Crossover Genres: Anything! The name of the game is to turn those unread books into read ones.
Mr Linky: To use the Mr Linky you’ll need to click on the graphic then enter your link. These will be updated and posted into this page every couple of weeks or so.
Further Details: Crossover challenges are fine, you can change levels at any time, this is eBook, short story, and graphic novel friendly, and you don’t need a blog to join in (read further for details).
The How To
Choose Your Level:These are listed further down and you can change levels at any time.
Grab The Badge: Place it somewhere on your blog, profile, or in a signature where possible and link back (main page or this page, it’s up to you).
Sign Up Post: Create a post on your blog, in a group, or on a forum (only if allowed) to let others see what you’re aiming for (a predefined list of books is optional).
Link Up: Grab the direct URL to your sign up post, not your blog, click the Mr Linky graphic and enter your link!
Blogless? Don’t worry, you can sign up with your social network profile (YouTube, Twitter, GoodReads, Shelfari included), just make sure you link to your review list, shelf, tweet, or category. If you don’t have any of those feel free to comment!
Afterwards
Your Reviews: Reviewing is optional! But if you do review we’d love for you to share them by submitting them on the Review Page (including social networks).
Finished: When you’re done it’s completion post time and you can share these on the Completion Post page!
Challenge Levels
Tempted– Choose 5 books to read
Trying – Choose 15 books to read
Making A Dint – Choose 30 books to read
On A Roll – Choose 50 books to read
Flying Off – Choose 75 books to read
Hoarder – Choose between 76-135 books to read
Buried – Choose between 136-200 books to read
For more information and to sign-up, please check this post.

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2. Non-Fiction Non-Memoir

I want to read more non-fiction this year and already have a number of books I want to read (including the Steve Jobs' biography)
This may be the only way I will achieve a Master's degree (lol), so I am aiming high on this one!

Non-Fiction Non-Memoir Reading Challenge

I've decided to host a challenge to motivate myself and others to read more nonfiction. To make it more of a challenge, the Non-Fiction Non-Memoir Reading Challenge will exclude memoirs, which seem to be the most read type of nonfiction among the book blogs I follow. Instead, we'll focus on learning about a variety of different topics and discovering new facts. The challenge will run from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012.
What Counts:
- Books can be any format (bound, ebook, audio) but must be written for adults or young adults.
- Books can cover many different topics, including science, technology, religion, sociology, business, biography, politics, economics, history, food, art/design, etc.- How-to, self-help and travel books are permitted, as long as you actual read them cover to cover, and don't just use them as a reference.
- Crossovers with other challenges are permitted.


What Does Not Count:
- Reference books, cookbooks and instruction manuals that are not meant to be read cover to cover
- Essays and articles
- How-to, self-help or travel books that are not read cover to cover
- Memoirs, journals and autobiographies
- Books written for children
- Re-reads don't count since the point is to learn something new


Levels:
Elementary - 5 nonfiction books
Diploma - 10 nonfiction books
Bachelor's Degree - 15 nonfiction books
Master's Degree - 25 nonfiction books



Details:- Write a starting post that states which level you will be working toward, including a link back to this post. You can include a list of books, but it is not required. Link to your post in the Linky below.- If you don't have a blog, leave your information in the comments on this post.- Reviews are not required, but I will have a post set up where you can link up to your reviews throughout the year.- There will be quarterly update posts to which you can link up, and at least one giveaway at the end of the year. I may host others throughout the year as well. [Note to authors: I'll gladly accept your nonfiction books as giveaways.]- A wrap-up post at the end of the year will be required to be considered for the final giveaway. If you don't have a blog, you'll need to comment on the wrap-up post with your accomplishments.- You can sign up for this challenge through November 30, 2012.This is my first time hosting a year-long challenge so please let me know if you have any suggestions or questions! And here's a button to grab for your sidebar.






For more information and to sign-up, please check post here.




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3. Book 2 Movie Reading Challenge

I love the idea of this challenge. Most of the time I read the book before I watch the movie.
Here are my choices so far:
1. Movie is more famous than the book: "Time Traveller's Wife"
2. to a TV series: "Jane Eyre"
3. Main characters are animals: "Silverwing" by Ken Oppel
4. with favourite actress: "Julie and Julia"
5. book classic made into a movie after 1990 : "Emma"
6. book written for the movie: "I am Number 4"
7. from an author not of your home country: ?
8. about love and you'll probably cry: ?
9. social issue: "The Help"
10. story from over a 100 years ago: "The Pillars of the Earth"
11. playing in Asia/Africa or future: "Memoirs of a Geisha"
12. movie coming out in 2012: "The Hunger Games"






The goal for this challenge is to read a book/ watch a movie in each of the 12 categories, which are further down, during the year of 2012 (01.01.2012 – 31.12.2012) + 1 bonus category, if someone can’t find a book in one of the 12 categories..
This means: 12 books + movies in 12 months, as a result 1 book/ 1 movie per month. (Book can be read/ movie can already been watched – but just one of each)
You want to join?:Then please write me an e-mail to: martina.bookaholic@gmx.net with your book choices with the category #number and your blog address and the name, which I should use in this post.

Check this post for more information.


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4. Memorable Memoirs
I love memoirs and this challenge looks perfect.
I am aiming for: the Autobiographer level.

The 2012 Memorable Memoirs Reading Challenge (Jan.1-Dec. 31. 2012)

It's back again for the 3rd year! If you love memoirs or if you simply want to add more memoirs into your reading life, then the 2012 Memorable Memoirs Reading Challenge is for you!

What Counts as A Memoir?I know there's a difference between memoir and autobiography, but for this challenge, we're going to define memoir as a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation.

Published letters, diaries, journals, autobiographies, nonfiction books on the craft of writing memoirs ... in my book, they all count as Memorable Memoirs for this challenge. (Generally, biographies don't, but I could always be convinced.)

The Rules:Books, e-books, audiobooks, ARCs, NetGalley books are allowed.

Overlaps with other challenges are also allowed.

Re-reads are allowed.No need to create a list of books in advance (but if you want to, please feel free!)

You don't need a blog to participate.

You must select a level. You can increase your level, but you can't go back down.

The Dates:January 1 - December 31, 2012. You can sign up anytime between now and throughout 2012.

The Levels (new this year!)

Diarist: read 1-4 memoirs

Autobiographer: read 5-9 memoirs

Memoirist: read 10+ memoirs.

For more information and to sign-up please see this post.

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Check here for a huge overview of hundreds of book challenges. It is a fantastic resource.