2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Another fun TBR pile motivator. I love how this challenge has monthly themes & mini giveaways. Awesome idea to motivate every one. I'm going to sign up for the "Love at first sight" level to read between 31-40 books. Even though crossovers are allowed I'm going to push myself to try to chose separate titles for this challenge.

Here are the challenge guidelines:


1. This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012.

2. As we would like to see quality reviews linked up to our monthly wrap-ups, only bloggers can enter. Sorry about that!

3. Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge (You need to include the info + host list + challenge button. You can also grab the button code and add it to your sidebar!)

6. You can move up levels, but no moving down.

7. Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.

8. At the end of each month one of the hosts will post a wrap-up. Every wrap-up will have it's unique theme, a mini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS. For participating in the mini-challenge you will get +1 entry.

9. If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)

10. December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a HUGE giveaway - 12 books, 12 winners, INTERNATIONAL.

11. You don't have to follow all the hosts to join the challenge, but you do have to follow all of us to be entered in giveaways!

Levels:

1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children

Hosts:

Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvie
Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown
Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog
Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net @caitlingss
Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread
Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette
Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks
Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction
Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions


Wrap-up POST Schedule:

January - Donna (Theme: Let It Snow + Book Cover Challenge)
February - Nicole (Theme: Un-requited Love/Love Gone Wrong + Advice Column Challenge)
March - Rie (Theme: Green or Pinched + Green Cover Challenge)
April - Bonnie (Theme: Easter + Mini Challenge)
May - Christa (Theme: MayDay - Disaster Books! + Cover Disaster Challenge)
June - Jenna ( Theme: Camping + Sentence Challenge)
July - Rie (Theme: International Day + Cover Comparison Challenge)
August - Angel (Theme: Summer Memories + Send Your Fav Character On Vacation Challenge)
September - Nicole (Theme: Life Changing Books + Mini Challenge)
October - Caitlin (Theme: Thanksgiving Theme + Share-A-Book Challenge)
November - Vicky (Theme: Spooky Halloween + Book Puzzle Challenge)
December - Evie (Theme: Xmas Bliss + Book Bachelor Challenge)

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2012

This is going to be a really fun challenge. I'm looking forward to trying new genres outside of my usual cozies. It's great that this challenge will combine both. I signed up to read 24 novels. :)


Challenge Details

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2012 - 31 Dec 2012

• Rules: There are TWO LEVELS you can choose from:

- Read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2012
- Read TWENTY FOUR (24) mystery & suspense novels in 2012

• You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

• You can join at anytime. All books read in 2012 count towards the challenge regardless of when you sign up.

• At the beginning of Jan 2012, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews.

• Audiobooks do not count, but all other formats are accepted.

• This challenge can crossover to other challenges.

• You don't have to have a blog to join in - for those without a blog but who use Goodreads, Amazon, LibraryThing etc, you can add the URL to where you track your books. If you don't have a URL at all then choose a name you would like to use and then copy and paste the following link:

http://www.bookchickcity.com/2011/12/sign-up-mystery-suspense-reading.html

• You can choose from the numerous sub-genres of mystery and suspense, from cosy mysteries such as Agatha Christie to the more hard-boiled kind like V I Warshawski by Sara Paretsky, or romantic suspense written by the likes of Linda Howard, forensic crime such as those written by Kathy Reichs and even paranormal/supernatural suspense such as Kelley Armstrong. I'm sure this challenge will have something for everyone! :)

A to Z Book Challenge

Hosted by Lindsey at Babies, Books & Signs

This a challenge I have decided to try just for fun to see how I do.

Technical Stuff
This challenge will run from January 1st, 2012 until December 31st, 2012.
You can join anytime.
If you are blogger, leave the link to your actual post about this challenge.
If you are not a blogger, leave a link to where you will be keeping track of this challenge.

So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z challenge.

A – Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. For example: A – Atonement B- Black Beauty C – The Count of Monte Cristo D – Dances with Dragons etc.

OR

B – The lazy way : Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Hope that by the end of the year you have read one book for each letter. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.

Each month, Lindsey will add another challenge to this main challenge. It might to read a book with both A and Z in the title or to read a book with 3 words that all start with the same letter. She might host a few random giveaways too for good measure.

So to join along….
1. Write a blog post about this challenge and whether you are going go with A or B.
2. Add the button to your blog.
3. Attach yourself to the linky at Babies, Books & Signs.
4. Follow Babies, Books & Signs so that you can see when Lindsey posts the monthly challenge.

This was fun trying to see what I would chose for each letter. Look for my list coming soon.

2012 Cozy Mystery Challenge

I LOVE cozies so this challenge is perfect for me. I did a cozy challenge over the summer but this will be my first full year participating in one so I am really excited. I joined as at the Super Sleuth Level :)


THE RULES

~ Sign-Ups for this challenge will run from December 4, 2011 to February 4, 2012. (This will give those interested two months to sign-up in order to be counted in the challenge)
~ Deb would prefer participants to subscribe via e-mail or twitter for updates (not required, just handy!)
~ The Challenge will begin on January 1 and run through December 31 of 2012. (Books should be read during this time period)
~ There will be four levels of participation. Each participant MUST choose a level, if they read more that’s great… just don’t go below the level you choose or I can’t count it for the grand prize.

Level 1 Snooper: 1 to 3 Cozy Mysteries
Level 2 Gumshoe: 4 to 6 Cozy Mysteries
Level 3 Private-Eye: 7 to 9 Cozy Mysteries
Level 4 Super Sleuth: 10 to 12 Cozy Mysteries

~ You do not have to have a blog to participate, but you must choose a place to post your reviews. I must be able to follow your links back to the place where you post your review. You may suggest alternate locations to me and I will decide if they meet the criteria of the challenge. Reviews will be accepted from these locations:

Your blog
Facebook
Goodreads
LibraryThing
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

~ Participants may read in a variety of different formats: print, audio, e-book, Arc’s, library books, books from your own collections. Most anything will count as long as it’s a cozy!
Here’s a great definition of a cozy mystery.

Deb will be posting a Bi-Monthly post for challenge reviews. (Jan. & Feb., March & April, etc.) Participants will be asked to post a link to any cozy review they posted during each two month period. You don’t have to post a link every time and you can catch up at any time if you feel you are behind.
~ Deb will be sending out e-mail reminders to challenge participants when the two-month post goes up. Just to help you keep in mind that the challenge is still going on.
~ There will be six mini-giveaways through out the year. If you post a review link for a given two month period you will be eligible to win! Prizes will be announced at the time of the mini-giveaway.
~There will also be other mini-challenges and incentives going on throughout the year (For example: Mini Challenge: Read a cozy mystery set during Halloween, Read a cozy mystery will a male protagonist etc.) and there will be prizes for these as well.
~ There will be one grand-prize. Participants who meet the guidelines for their level of participation will be eligible to win the grand prize: A cozy mystery series (Up to Five books). Deb will also allow some mixing and matching if you would prefer. The winner will be chosen January 1st 2013 and prizes will be mailed out by the middle of the month. She will be using random.org to choose the winner!

If you love cozies like I do, head over to Debbie’s Book Bag and fill out the form today!!

October New Releases

October 4th-

Madelyn Alt: In Charm's Way (This will be the 8th in the Bewitching Mystery Series…) (This will be a Halloween theme mystery…)

Jennie Bentley (aka Bente Gallagher & Jenna Bennett) : Flipped Out (This will be the 5th in the Do It Yourself Mystery Series…)

JoAnna Carl (aka Eve K. Sandstrom): The Chocolate Castle Clue (This will be the 11th in the Chocoholic Mystery Series…)

Grace Carroll (aka Carol Culver): Shoe Done It (This will be the 1st in the NEW Accessories Mystery Series…)

Laura Childs: Skeleton Letters (This will be the 9th in the Scrapbooking Mystery Series…)

Linda O. Johnston: The More the Terrier (This will be the 2nd in the Pet Rescue Mystery Series…)

Jenn McKinlay (aka Lucy Lawrence): Death by the Dozen (This will be the 3rd in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series…)

 Delia Rosen: One Foot in the Gravy (This will be the 2nd in the Nashville Katz Deadly Deli Mystery Series…)

Denise Swanson: Murder of a Creped Suzette (This will be the 14th in the Scumble River Mystery Series…)

Penny Warner: How To Party with a Killer Vampire (This will be the 4th in the Party Planning Mystery Series…)

October11th-

 Gayle Trent (aka Amanda Lee): Killer Sweet Tooth (This will be the 3rd in the Daphne Martin Mystery Series…)

October 25th-

C. C. Benison: Twelve Drummers Drumming: A Mystery (This will be the 1st in the NEW Father Christmas Mystery Series…)

Elizabeth J. Duncan: A Killer's Christmas in Wales (This will be the 3rd in the Penny Brannigan Mystery Series…) (This is a Christmas theme mystery…)

Kaitlyn Dunnett (aka Kathy Lynn Emerson): Scotched (This will be the 5th in the Liss MacCrimmon Mystery Series…)

Peter Tremayne: The Chalice of Blood (This will be the 21st in the Mystery of Ancient Ireland Sister Fidelma Mystery Series…)

September New Releases

September 6th-

Susan Wittig Albert: The Tale of Castle Cottage  (This will be the 8th in the Beatrix Potter Mystery Series…)

Rhys Bowen: Naughty in Nice  (This will be the 3rd in the Lady Georgiana Mystery Series…)

Krista Davis: The Diva Haunts the House (This will be the 5th in the Domestic Diva Mystery Series…) (This is a Halloween theme mystery…)

Sofie Kelly: Sleight of Paw  (This will be the 2nd in the Magical Cats Mystery Series…)

Diana Killian: Death in a Difficult Position  (This will be the 4th in the Mantra for Murder Mystery Series…)

Amanda Lee (aka Gayle Trent): Thread Reckoning  (This will be the 3rd in the  Embroidery Mystery Series…)

Kylie Logan (aka Miranda Bliss & Casey Daniels): Button-Holed (This will be the 1st in the NEW Button Box Mystery Series…)


September 27th-

Joelle Charbonneau: Skating Over the Line (This will be the 2nd in the Rebecca Robbins Mystery Series…)

Joanne Fluke: Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden Cookbook: Hannah Swensen's Recipes from the Cookie Jar…

G.M. Malliet: Wicked Autumn  (This will be the 1st in the NEW Max Tudor Mystery Series…) (This will be a Harvest holiday mystery…)

Clare O’Donohue: The Devil’s Puzzle  (This will be the 4th in the Someday Quilts Mystery Series…)

September Reads

September reads-

1. Red Delicious Death by Sheila Connolly
2. Buzz Off by Hannah Reed
3. Murder of a Pink Elephant by Denise Swanson

August Reads

August reads-

1. The Creme Puff Murders by Joanne Fluke
2. Corpse Pose by Diana Killian
3. A Killer Stitch bt Maggie Sefton
4. Ghastly Glass by Jim & Joyce Lavene
5. The Silver Needle Murder by Laura Childs

August New Releases

August new releases from the cozy authors I follow. It's a REALLY busy month. -

August 1st-

Laura Levine: Pampered to Death (This is the 10th in the Jaine Austen Series...)

Sarah R. Shaber: Louise's War (This will be the 1st in the NEW Louise Pearlie Mystery Series…)

August 2nd-

Melissa Bourbon:  Pleating for Mercy (This is the 1st in the NEW Magical Dressmaking Mystery Series...)

Jacklyn Brady: A Sheetcake Named Desire (This will be this 1st in the NEW Piece of Cake Mystery...)

Judy Clemens: Flowers for Her Grave (This will be the 3rd in the Grim Reaper Mystery Series…)

Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell): Bitter Harvest (This will be the in the 5th in the Orchard Mystery Series…)

Cleo Coyle (aka Alice Kimberly): Murder by Mocha (This will be the 10th in the Coffeehouse Mystery Series…)

Laura DiSilverio: Die Buying (This will be the 1st in the NEW Mall Cop Mystery Series...)

Joyce & Jim Lavene: Harrowing Hats (This will be the 4th in the Renaissance Faire Mystery Series…)

Casey Mayes (aka Tim Myers, Chris Cavender, Elizabeth Bright, & Melissa Glazer): A Killer Column (This will be the 2nd in the Math Puzzle Mystery Series…)

Judi McCoy: Till Death Do Us Bark (This will be the 5th in the Dog Walker Mystery Series…)


August 9th-

Mary Daheim: All the Pretty Hearses (This will be the 26th in the Hillside Manor Bed & Breakfast Mystery Series…)

August 15th-

Claude Izner: Strangled in Paris (This is the 6th in the Victor Legris Mystery Series...)

Alan Nolan: Death By Chocolate (This is the1st in the NEW Murder Can be Fatal Series...)


August 16th-

Ellen Crosby: The Sauvignon Secret (This will be the 6th in the Wine Country Mystery Series…)

Anthony Eglin: Garden of Secrets Past (This will be the 5th in the English Garden Mystery Series…)

August 19th-

Gayle Roper: Shadows on the Sand (This is the 1st in the NEW Seaside Mystery...)

August 23rd- 

Penny Warner: The Secret of the Skeleton Key (This is the1st in the NEW Code Busters Club Mystery Series...)

August 26th- 

Cora Harrison: Death of a Chimney Sweep (This is the 4th in the London Murder Mysteries Series...)

August 27th-

Vannetta Chapman:  Falling to Pieces  (This is the 1st in the NEW Quilt Shop Murder Mystery Series...)

 August 30th-

Jessica Beck: Tragic Toppings (This is the 5th in Donut Shop Mystery Series...)

Stephanie Barron: Jane and the Canterbury Tale (This is the 11th in the Jane Austen Mystery Series...)

Tracy Kiely: Murder Most Persuasive (This will be the 3rd in the Elizabeth Parker Mystery Series…)

Total Releases -23
New Series -8

July Reads

July Reads-

1. Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle
2. Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett
3. Peaches & Screams by G A McKevett
4. Tippy Toe Murder by Leslie Meier

June Reads (a little late...)

Summer seems to have made my life even crazier than usual. I still managed to read a few cozies though.

1. Larceny & Lace by Annette Blair
2. Fatally Frosted by Jessica Beck
3. Bundles of Trouble by Diana Orgain
4. Murder Most Frothy by Cleo Coyle

July New Releases

Some of the July releases.

July 4th-

Susan Wittig Albert: The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies (This is the 2nd  in Darling Dahlias Series...) 

Annette Blair: Skirting the Grave  (This is the 4th in the Vintage Magic Mystery Series...)


July 5th-

Sheila Connolly: Let's Play Dead (This is the 2nd in the Museum Mysteries Series...)

Rebecca M. Hale: How to Moon a Cat (This is the 3rd in the Cats and Curios Series...)

Jenn McKinlay: Books Can be Deceiving (This is the 1st in the NEW Library Lover's Mystery Series...)

Melinda Wells: Pie A La Murder (This is the 4th in the Della Cooks Mystery Series...)


July 8th-

Cricket McRae: Wined and Died (This is the 5th in the Home Crafting Mysteries Series...)


July 18th-

Donna Andrews: The Real Macaw (This is the13th in the Meg Langslow Series...) 

July 26th-

Ellen Crosby: The Vintage Vendetta (This is the 6th in the Wine Country Mystery Series...)


Total Releases - 9
New Series-  1

June New Releases

June releases to add to my to be read pile. June 7th is a very busy day :)

 June 1st-

Cynthia Hickey: Chocolate Covered Crime(This will be the 3rd in the Summer Meadows Mystery Series...)
    
Amy Myers: Classic in the Barn (This will be the 1st in the NEW Car Detective Series...)


June 7th -

Riley Adams: Finger Lickin' Dead (This will be the 2nd in the Memphis Barbeque Mystery Series…)

Lorna Barrett: Sentenced to Death (This will be the 5th in the Booktown Mystery Series…)

Juliet Blackwell: (aka Hailey Lind): Hexes and Hemlines (This will be the 3rd in the Witchcraft Mystery Series…)

Julie Hyzy: Grace Interrupted (This will be the 2nd in the Manor of Murder Mystery Series…)

Karen E. Olson: Ink Flamingos (This will be the 4th in the Tattoo Shop Mystery Series…)

Maggie Sefton: Unraveled (This will be the 9th in the Knitting Mystery Series…)

Wendy Lyn Watson: Parfait Murder (This will be the 3rd in the Mystery à La Mode Mystery Series…)

June 23rd-

Natalie Jane Revell: Around the World in Flip Flops (This will be the 2nd  in the Footloose series...)

June 28th-

Leslie Meier: English Tea Murder (This will be the 17th in the Lucy Stone Mystery Series…)

Total Releases- 11
New Series- 1

May Reads

Here is the list of books read in May. I will keep updating it & will be adding reviews soon.

May-
1. Dragonwell Dead by Laura Childs
2. Latte Trouble by Cleo Coyle
3. Nothing to Fear but Ferrets by Linda O. Johnston
4. The Chocolate Cupid Killings by Joanna Carl
5. Angel at Troublesome Creek by Mignon F. Ballard
6. Faux Finished by Peg Marberg
7. Stuck on Murder by Lucy Lawrence

May New Releases

Here is a list of some of the May releases from authors I follow.


May 3rd -

Avery Aames: Lost in Fondue (This will be the 2nd in the Cheese Shop Mystery Series…)

Kate Carlisle: Murder Under Cover (This will be the 4th in the Bibliophile Mystery Series…)

Miranda James (aka Honor Harman, Jimmie Ruth Evans, & Dean James: Classified as Murder (This will be the 2nd in the Cat in the Stacks Mystery Series…)

Gail Oust: Shake, Murder, and Roll (This will be the 3rd in the Bunco Babes Mystery Series…)

Ann Purser: The Measby Murder Enquiry (This will be the 2nd in the Ivy Beasley Mystery Series…)

Hannah Reed(aka Deb Baker): Mind Your Own Beeswax (This will be the 2nd in the Queen Bee Mystery Series…)

Dorothy St. James: Flowerbed of State (This will be the 1st in the NEW White House Gardner Mystery Series...)

Elaine Viets: Pumped for Murder (This will be the 10th in the Dead-End Job Mystery Series…)

May 8th -

Jess Lourey: October Fest (This will be the 6th in the Murder by Month Mystery Series…)

Joanna Campbell Slan: Make, Take, Murder (This will be the 4th in the Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery Series…)

May 31st -

Dorothy Howell: Clutches and Curses (This will be the 4th in the Haley Randolph Mystery Series…)

Total Releases- 11
New Series- 1

April New Releases

Here's a list of April new releases from some of the cozy mystery authors I follow.

April 5th -

Susan Wittig Albertt: Mourning Gloria (This will be the in the 19th in the China Bayles Mystery Series…)

Elizabeth Lynn Casey (aka Laura Bradford): Deadly Notions (This will be the 4th in the Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series…)

Kate Collins: Night of the Living Dandelion (This will be the 11th in the Flower Shop Mystery Series…)

E. J. Copperman (aka Jeffrey Cohen): An Uninvited Guest (This will be the 2nd in the Haunted Guesthouse Mystery Series…)

Diane Mott Davidson: Crunch Time (This will be the 16th in the Goldy Bear Mystery Series…)

Virginia Lowell: Cookie Dough or Die (This will be the 1st in the NEW Cookie Cutter Shop Mystery Series…)

Mary Jane Maffini: The Busy Woman's Guide to Murder (This will be the 5th in the Charlotte Adams Mystery Series…)

Andrea Penrose: Sweet Revenge: A Lady Arianna Regency Mystery (This will be the 1st in the NEW Lady Arianna Regency Series…)

Leann Sweeney: The Cat, the Lady and the Liar (This will be the 3rd in the Cats in Trouble Mystery Series…)

April 26th -

Jessica Beck: Evil Éclairs (This will be the 4th in the Donut Shop Mystery Series…)

Chris Cavender (aka Elizabeth Bright, Melissa Glazer, Tim Myers, & Casey Mayes): A Pizza to Die For (This will be the 3rd in the Pizza Lover's Mystery Series…)

Sarah Graves: Knockdown (This will be the 14th in the Home Repair Is Homicide Mystery Series…)

Total Releases- 12
New Series- 2

Challenges for 2011

Cozy Mystery Challenge– hosted by Kris at Not Enough Books

This is my first ever challenge. I signed up for the "Feeling Very Ambitious" category reading 11+ books. The challenge runs from April 1st, 2011 through September 30, 2011. I'm really excited to participate as my TBR pile is mostly cozy mysteries. My list of books read so far is: (Reviews coming soon!)


April - 
1. I Scream, You Scream by Wendy Lyn Watson
2. Eggsecutive Order by Julie Hyzy
3. Wicked Weaves by Joyce & Jim Lavene
4. The Diva Paints the Town by Krista Davis
5. Sprinkle With Murder by Jenn McKinlay
6. Murder of a Snake in the Grass by Denise Swanson
7. Murder of a Barbie & Ken by Denise Swanson
8. Evans Above by Rhys Bowen 
9. How to Crash a Killer Bash by Penny Warner 
10. Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine 
11. Paper Scissors Death by Joanna Campbell Slan 
12. Death Takes the Cake by Melinda Wells