So Many Books, So Little Time

Saturday, December 1, 2012

2012 Standalone Reading Challenge- December Update

2012 Standalone Reading Challenge

Why a Standalone Reading Challenge?
There's a challenge for Debuts, there's a challenge for Sophomores, why not a challenge for Standalones?

So what's the challenge?
To read 15 standalone YA books in 2012!

What books count towards the 2012 Standalone Reading Challenge?
Any Young Adult standalone book that is released between December 27, 2011 and December 31, 2012. Any format (paperback, hardcover, e-book, ARC) counts, but they must be read during the year 2012.

Where can I find out which books can be read for the SARC?
We have started a list for you HERE. Please note, this list is public and won't be 100% accurate. We will try to keep it updated as best as we can. If you know of any standalones we may have missed, please feel free to add to this list.

I'm an author with a standalone novel coming out in 2012!
If you're an author with a standalone novel releasing in 2012, whether its a debut or not, you can participate too. It would be super spectacular if you would like to either donate a book/swag or sign up for an interview/promotional post! Please fill out the form HERE.

Who can participate?
Anyone with a blog or a Goodreads account where they are able to post reviews (in English) can participate.

Why should I sign up?
One, there will be a lot of fun. Two, there will be periodic prize packs (more info to come) given out to participators, as well as fun posts from and interviews with authors who have standalone YA novels releasing in 2012. And three, its a fun way to promote those novels that aren't part of a series/trilogy!

2012 TBR Reading Pile Challenge- December Update

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Welcome to 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge!!!

We all have those books. We buy them, win them, they're gifted to us.. Then we put them up on a bookshelf and there they stay, collecting dust, waiting for the time when we'll finally decide to pick them up..

Join us on a quest to dust off your TBR Pile and read all the books you've been telling yourself you'll read next time you'll get a chance.. This is your chance! And we've got PRIZES!!! :D

Challenge guidelines:

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

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

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!

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.

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!)

You can move up levels, but no moving down.

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

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.

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 ;)

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.

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)

*I am signing up for the Firm Handshake level

Completely Contemp Challenge 2012- December Update

Completely Contemp Challenge 2012

What books qualify?
Any YA contemporary published in 2010, 2011, or 2012. I have lists on Goodreads that show a selection of possible books for each year but this list is NOT exclusive! As long as it was published in one of those years you may count it towards your challenge list! (And note: anyone can “vote” for a book on Goodreads, so it’s best to check the publication date yourself before officially counting it towards your challenge just in case someone added it in error.)

Contemps published in 2010
Contemps published in 2011
Contemps to be published in 2012

When does the challenge run?
Books read in 2012 count towards this challenge.

Can I count books read here for other challenges?
Sure! The goal here is to get everyone to read a few extra contemporary books, so whatever works for you works for me (Make sure your other challenges allow this before counting for both, though!)

Are there places to participate besides on my blog?
Yes! There is a Goodreads group where you can post reviews and talk about the contemporary books you’re reading

*I am choosing the number 5

2010:

2011:

2012:

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge- December Update

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge

Run's January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012.

The Rules:

Anyone can join.

You don't need a blog to participate.

Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post on Jamie's blog.

Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.

No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

There are four levels:

The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.

The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.

The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

*I am participating in the Mega size challenge
**I finished this challenge on 8/13 but I am going to keep adding to it to see how many YA books I read this year.

What's in a Name? 5 Challenge- December Update

What's in a Name? 5 Challenge

Here's How It Works:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:

1.A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley

2.A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas

3.A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm

4.A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House

5.A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary

6.A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking

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

Other Things to Know:

•Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
•Books may overlap other challenges.
•Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
•Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
•You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
•You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

Topographical Feature:
See in the Sky: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Creepy Crawly:
Type of House:
Something You'd Carry in Your Pocket, Purse, or Backpack:
Something You'd Find on a Calendar: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

2012 Debut Author Challenge- December Update

2012 Debut Author Challenge

CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:
•To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.*
*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.
•Any advance reader copies you read from 2012 BEFORE the January 1st start date DO NOT count toward the challenge!
•You can read twelve books in one month, or one book a month. It doesn’t matter as long as you have 12 read by the end of the year!

RULES & GUIDELINES:
•You must have a Blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads. Youtube Book Reviewers count too!
•Your blog/video must be written in English.
•Deadline to join is May 31, 2012.

BOOK GUIDELINES:
•Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
•Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
•If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
•If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2012 DAC, CAN BE FOUND HERE!

*I finished the challenge on 5/16 but I am going to keep adding to the list so I can see how many I read this year.

2012 ARC Reading Challenge- December Update

2012 ARC Reading Challenge

Note: I use the term "ARC" loosely,any book a publisher or author gives you with the expectation that you review it, counts for this challenge.

The Levels

Level Bronze:
a. All of us who have or will have less than 12 ARCS must read all of the ARCS we have. Note, that if you have 11 ARC's and then receive a 12th one you will be bumped up to category b.

b. All of us who have or will have 12 or more than 12 ARCS must read and review at least 12.

Level Silver: Read 24 ARCS

Level Gold: Read 30 ARCS

Level Platinum: Read 35 or more ARCS

Rules:

To sign up, leave a direct link to your blog post about this challenge. Please leave a comment as well.

You Can join this challenge at anytime throughout the year.

You don't have to make a list of which ARC's you plan to read, but you can if you want.

If you choose a lower level, you can always change it to a higher level if you like. However, you cannot go from a higher level back down to a lower level.

Crossovers with other challenges are allowed and Audio-books and ebooks are allowed as long as they are ARC's.

Read the books and review them on your blog. If you don't have a blog, you can post your review on sites like Powells, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

Please subscribe to my blog, as I will be doing a monthly post with MR Linky. Please add your reviews for each month in MR Linky in the monthly post. For your Name, please use this format Name: (Your Name, Book Title and Author's Name) for example: (Teddy, Obsessive Reading by Helen Reader). Please be sure to use the direct link to your review, not just to your blog. Then please leave a comment.

HAVE FUN!

*I will be signing up for the Platinum Level
*I finished this challenge on 5/12 but I am going to keep adding on to it to see how many ARCs I read this year.

2012 Reading Challenge 150+ Update- December

2012 Reading Challenge 150+

DETAILS/RULES:

1. The goal is to read 150 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Posting on GoodReads or wherever you post your reviews is good enough.

2. Allowed are: Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible and comic books.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st, 2012 thru December 31, 2012. Books started before the 1st do not count. You can join at anytime.

Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge- December Update

Welcome to the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge!

Here's your chance to catch up on Sookie and all her friends -- living and undead, fully human and not.

It's easy, it's fun, it's for you! And you have an entire year to complete the challenge.

The Rules:
1. Between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010, catch up on Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire series. No matter if you're starting with book 1 or book 8, you have a year to read all about Sookie. Read Sookie in print, listen to the audio, read an eBook -- format is not an issue.

*ETA--I didn't complete this one on time, but I am going to still keep track of what I have read.

The Books:
~~Dead Until Dark~~
~~Living Dead in Dallas~~
~~Club Dead~~
~~Dead to the World~~
~~Dead as a Doornail~~
~~Definitely Dead~~
~~All Together Dead~~
~~From Dead to Worse~~
~~Dead and Gone~~
~~Dead in the Family~~
~~Dead Reckoning~~

Short stories:
~~Bite~~
Powers of Detection
Night's Edge
My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
Many Bloody Returns
Wolfbane and Mistletoe
Unusual Suspects
Strange Brew
Must Love Hellhounds
A Touch of Dead
Between the Dark and Daylight
Crimes by Moonlight
Death's Excellent Vacation
Down These Strange Streets
The Sookie Stackhouse Companion

There are also Sookie and gang short stories and an up-coming anthology! For more, see Charlaine Harris's website.

I probably won't start this one for while, but I wanted to post it now.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Book Review and Giveaway!- Easy

I just finished reading Easy by Tamarra Webber.

From Goodreads:

A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

I really really liked this book. Because of its sensitive topic, I'm not sure if it's right to say that I enjoyed it. But boy did I just get completely into it. I'm not sure if its because its considred a "new adult" novel (I think that's what they're calling the stories that take place in college) so that it wasn't as juvenile as some of the YA books can be or if it's just that the writing was so great. But yeah, it had me hooked.

Rape and attempted rape is such a serious topic. I think this book handled it really well. I think the author captured what I must imagine the victim must feel like and go through. And I loved the idea of the self-defense class. Such a great thing for college girls to do.

Jaqueline was a great character. I could completely sympathize with her following a boyfriend and then getting dumped and feeling lost. She just seemed completely real. And then there was her roommate, Erin, who was a sorority girl. She could so easily have been they stereotypical air-headed sorority girl, but thankfully the author decided not to portray her this way. I loved how she was bubbly but smart and had a strong backbone and morals. And Lucas. Yum! Bad boy with a fierce protective streak. His story broke my heart. I can't even imagine having to go through what he went through. But he and Jacqueline's chemistry was hot!

I cannot reccommend this book enough! This book had it all for me: an important topic, great characters, and a hot romance!

I gave this book a rating of 4.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 85
Completely Contemp Challenge 2012: 2012-16

*FTC Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by the publsiher for an honest review.

Now for the giveaway!!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ffe1764/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Saturday, December 1, 2012

2012 Standalone Reading Challenge- December Update

2012 TBR Reading Pile Challenge- December Update

Completely Contemp Challenge 2012- December Update

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge- December Update

What's in a Name? 5 Challenge- December Update

2012 Debut Author Challenge- December Update

2012 ARC Reading Challenge- December Update

2012 Reading Challenge 150+ Update- December

Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge- December Update

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Book Review and Giveaway!- Easy

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