2011 Historical Fiction Reading Challenges

It's time to start thinking about 2011 Challenges!

Here are two new ones that I've signed up for:

YA Historical Fiction Challenge hosted by Sabrina at YA Bliss,

who says:

"I'm hosting this challenge hoping readers will embrace this awesome genre within YA that is full of outstanding books and many upcoming releases. I will have exclusive giveaways for participants during the year. Lets see how it goes and I will post again with updates.

Share the word!"

I'm signing up at Level One to read five books. I like books that make me smarter for having read them. So much YA out right now, while entertaining, is not enriching. I wish more of it were, and I'm happy to support this challenge and discover some new books!

Want to play? Sign up at YA Bliss!

Historical Tour de Genre Challenge hosted by Charlie at BitsyBlingBooks, who says:

"Welcome to the Historical Tour de Genre Challenge. This is my favorite genre to both read and write. I am a history buff and avid researcher. Although I've signed up for several other reading challenges hosted by great book blogging friends, I decided to start one of my own. I hope you find it interesting and decide to join in. Sometimes the title 'historical' sounds stuffy, or boring and stiff, but it doesn't have to be. Actually, the genre is widening and many sub-genres have developed. To celebrate the diversity I designed a challenge that explores various subs of my favorite reading category. I will also be hosting Tour de Genre Giveaways throughout the year."

Sub-categories:  Mystery, Horror, Thriller, Young Adult, Plantation, Western, Fantasy, Paranormal, Gay/Lesbian, and Romance

You have to read six books from different categories to complete the challenge. I like this idea of taking a "tour" through the genre, and I'm looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone to try a couple of books I wouldn't normally read. Charlie's even created a Goodreads group for participants of this challenge and I think that's a great idea! Head over to Charlie's place to sign up!

And an oldie but a goodie:

And the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, formerly hosted by Royal Reviews, now hosted by Historical Tapestry. I particpated in this one this year at the obsessed level to read and review 20 books. I finished the challenge in July and have read many more books since then! Want to play? Sign up at Historical Tapestry. I'm signing up at the same level for 2011. I really am obsessed with books, you know :)

Which challenges are you participating in next year?

Book Blogger Hop & Reading Challenge Recap

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly BOOK PARTY, hosted by Crazy-For-Books, where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It also gives blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!

Head on over to Crazy-For-Books to sign up and discover some new blogging friends!

It's been a few weeks since I last participated in the hop and since I've spent the last week doing some catch-up work, I'm ready to party again! This week's question:

Who is your favorite new-to-you author so far this year?

JR Ward. I've become addicted to the Black Dagger Brotherhood. I've got two more to go in that series and then I'm starting her Fallen Angels series. She is one heck of a storyteller. I love the world she's created and the characters that live in it and she has a knack for writing unputdownable books!

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2010 Reading Challenge Recap

It had been a while since I'd calculated where I was on the reading challenges I signed up for this year and I was worried that I'd fallen behind. After spending a little time sorting through my reviews I'm actually quite pleased with my progress!

Read and Reviewed:

A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel

Through A Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen

Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran

Status:  Halfway there

3 more to go and I'm reading one right now:
The Count of Monte Cristo.

Read and Reviewed:

The Tudor Rose Trilogy by Susan Wiggs
The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer
The Drifter by Susan Wiggs
Outlaw by Lisa Jackson
The Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy by Nora Roberts
The Chief by Monica McCarty
Dark Lover by JR Ward
The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley

Status:  3/4 completed
I signed up at the Addicted level, 12, so I have 3 more to go.
(I've read more romances than these but I didn't review them.)

Read and Reviewed:

The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran
The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick
For a Queen's Love by Jean Plaidy

Status: Completed!
Turns out I'd only signed up as a Peasant to read 3 books!
Looks like I'm an overachiever :)

Read and Reviewed:

Pendragon's Banner by Helen Hollick

Midnight Fires by Nancy Means Wright
The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick
Dawn on a Distant Shore by Sara Donati
Lake in the Clouds by Sara Donati
The Outer Banks House by Diann Ducharme
Captivity by Deborah Noyes
My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira
Shadowbrook by Beverly Swerling
The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright
The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
Through A Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
Now Face To Face by Karleen Koen
Fire Along the Sky by Sara Donati
Queen of Swords by Sara Donati
Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran
For A Queen's Love by Jean Plaidy
Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt
The Wives of Henry Oades by Joanna Moran

Status:  Completed! And with 5 months left, to boot!
Of course, I will read many more historicals this year and I will post reviews of the best ones to the challenge review board, but now the pressure is off! Whew!


I'm also issuing a NEW challenge to myself:
I have way too many unread review copies from publishers sitting on my shelf. I have neglected my duty to these publishers to read and review the books they have so generously sent to me and so I am devoting the month of August to these books. I'm challenging myself to read and review SIX of them, which is actually only about half of them, but if I can knock out half of them I'll feel so much better!

Romance Reading Challenge

COMPLETED SEPTEMBER 22, 2010!

This challenge is hosted by Royal Reviews.

It runs January-December. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate and any book format counts.

There are four levels:  (I'm Addicted)

Curious – Read 3 Romance Fiction novels.

Fascinated – Read 6 Romance Fiction novels.

Addicted – Read 12 Romance Fiction novels.

Obsessed – Read 20 Romance Fiction novels.

Completed:

The Tudor Rose Trilogy by Susan Wiggs

The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

The Drifter by Susan Wiggs

Outlaw by Lisa Jackson

The Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy by Nora Roberts

The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe

The Chief by Monica McCarty

Dark Lover by JR Ward

The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley

The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

French Historicals Oh-La-La!

The Challenge will run from January 1st to December 15th 2010.

All you have to do is read any Historical Fiction or Non-fiction books based on French history or French historical figures. Books can also overlap with other Challenges. Reading Levels:

La Princesse: Read 3 books

La Dauphine: Read 6 books

La Reine: Read 9 books

L’Impératrice: More than 9 books

Hosted by Enchanted By Josephine

One more challenge I couldn't resist!

Reading A Place of Greater Safety: A Novel by Hilary Mantel,

(Read my Review)

really got me wanting to read more about the French Revolution,

so when I saw this challenge I signed up right away.

I'm going to shoot for the La Dauphine Level.

Read and Reviewed:

A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel

Through A Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen

Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran

A Tournament of Reading

COMPLETED JULY 29, 2010!

Another challenge I've decided to tackle!

This one is hosted by Medieval Bookworm.

I'm entering at the Peasant level:  to read three books set between 500 and 1500 AD.

The challenge is not limited to Europe, so I'm going to see if I can expand my horizons by reading about another civilization. Maybe something about Ghengis Khan, or Russia or Japan?

Anyone have any recommendations?

Completed:

The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran

For a Queen's Love by Jean Plaidy

The Historical Reading Challenge

COMPLETED JULY 30, 2010!

At the Obsessed level, of course! That's twenty books, but I don't foresee any problems meeting that goal! This is the first reading challenge I am undertaking and I'm looking forward to it. This one is hosted by Royal Reviews. Click on the link to view the guidelines and sign up for the challenge.

Here's what I've read and reviewed for this challenge so far this year:

1. Pendragon's Banner by Helen Hollick

2. Midnight Fires by Nancy Means Wright

3. The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick

4. Dawn on a Distant Shore by Sara Donati

5. Lake in the Clouds by Sara Donati

6. The Outer Banks House by Diann Ducharme

7. Captivity by Deborah Noyes

8. My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

9. Shadowbrook by Beverly Swerling

10. The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright
11. The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale
12. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
13. Through A Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen
14. Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
15. Now Face To Face by Karleen Koen
16. Fire Along the Sky by Sara Donati
17. Queen of Swords by Sara Donati
18. Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran
19. For A Queen's Love by Jean Plaidy
20. Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt

And I have officially completed the challenge with 5 months left! Of course, I will read many more historicals this year and I will post reviews of the best ones to the challenge review board, but the pressure is now off! Whew!