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!!