It’s 11:27 p.m. on the last day of the Canadian Book Challenge 3 and here I am writing a post in order to squeak in before the midnight deadline. Although I’ve participated in this challenge every year, this is the first time I’ve actually been able to finish it and that’s only because I was bound and determined not to let another year see me chalk up a DNF to a challenge devoted to the books from my home country. (I hear they revoke your citizenship if that happens.) I’d been lax in my Canadian reading for the first several months, so I ended up having to make some strategic maneuvers such as fitting in a few graphic novels (some of which I planned to read anyway) and even a children’s book. But technical or not, a completed challenge is a successful challenge!

Since, as always, I’m behind in my book postings, I’m going to post short teaser summaries of my thoughts on my most recent reads, but will post longer reviews soon. (See update regarding my book blogging.) Books with full reviews are simply linked instead. Beginning with the first book, here are the thirteen qualifying books I read for this challenge:

Remembering the Bones

Mrs. Mike

Someone Knows My Name

My Famous Evening

Pyongyang

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam

Time Was Soft There

River Thieves by Michael Crummey: I love historical fiction and reading that genre set in my home province is even better. This is a brutal and sad story, recounting the clash between Newfoundland settlers (mostly trappers and fishermen), the British government, and the Beothuk Indians in the northern regions of Newfoundland as well as the fight to survive in such an unforgiving landscape. This will probably rank as one of my favorite books of the year.

Applicable Reading Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge 3, What’s in a Name 3, Original TBR Challenge

Book Rating: 5: Excellent. This book has impacted me deeply, or has simply been a pure delight to read.

FTC Disclosure: I purchased a used copy of this book.

Louis Riel by Chester Brown: As a student in the Canadian school system, I was taught about Louis Riel and the Metis rebellion. Brown’s graphic novel treatment of the infamous leader is decidedly more sympathetic that his portrayal in my junior high Social Studies textbooks, but also much more interesting. If only all history books were presented in a graphic format, perhaps we wouldn’t have so many kids who think history is boring! Riel is depicted not only as a reluctant leader cum folk hero, but also a disturbed man whose bizarre behavior may have contributed to his downfall.

Applicable Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library, 100+ Reading Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge 3, Graphic Novels Challenge

Book Rating: 3: Decent, but didn’t grab me in a big way.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library.

The PLAIN Janes by Cecil Castellucci: This is one of those graphic novels that while I’d seen at the library and been vaguely interested in, if I weren’t under time constraints for the challenge, I probably wouldn’t have read it. So my dissatisfaction with the book is probably due in large part to that. Teenagers on the fringes of school society take on the establishment with an art manifesto while dealing with issues of identity and love. OK but nothing that makes me want to read further in the series.

Applicable Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library, 100+ Reading Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge 3, Graphic Novels Challenge

Book Rating: 3: Decent, but didn’t grab me in a big way.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library.

The Sand Castle Contest by Robert Munsch: Okay, so not having kids means I don’t have much call to read children’s books, but again, I was under a time crunch, and I love Munsch’s classic The Paper Bag Princess and since it’s summer, I figured a book about sand castles was apropos. Munsch’s whimsical story shows just what can happen when you start using your imagination. A cute touch for me were the drawings showing the family packed for vacation with everything piled on the back of their popup camper – if you look closely, you can see the kitchen sink in there. Ha!

Applicable Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library, 100+ Reading Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge 3

Book Rating: 4: Good, solid book that I would recommend to others.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. 

The Wife’s Tale by Lori Lansens: I’d wanted to read this book since I really enjoyed her previous novel, The Girls. Beginning in the same Ontario town, but focusing on Mary Gooch, a middle-aged and morbidly obese woman, who embarks on a journey of the mind, body and spirit. Part of this novel were hard to read, as I recognized my old self in some of Mary’s self-destructive behaviors. But this is also a novel of self-discovery, and in that way it reminded me of one of my favorite books in past years, The Memory of Running. Lansens has a way of making even the most extreme characters realistic and able to evoke sympathy. I also liked how she put BookCrossing in there, for no other reason that I guess she’s a fan, too.

Applicable Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library, 100+ Reading Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge 3, 2010 Pub Challenge

Book Rating: 4: Good, solid book that I would recommend to others.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library.

And with that, my first challenge of 2010 is complete! Thanks to John for putting together and maintaining this challenge. I’m looking forward to joining in the 4th edition!

Okay, so there are just a couple more 2010 challenges I want to participate in. I did say in my last challenge post that the possibility did exist. And so ..

Even though I came in one short on the 2009 Challenge, I still want to try one more time before I call it quits (and before the ante is upped even higher). So I’m going to signup for The 2010 Pub Challenge and try for 10 in 2010.

I’ve joined this one a couple times before but have never successfully completed it; however, I have a bunch of award winners on my 2010 TBR list so I’m going to bite the bullet and sign up for the Book Awards Reading Challenge. Here is my list along with their respective awards:

Mr. Pip by Lloyd Jones (Kiriyama Prize)

Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox (Alex Award)

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (Arthur C. Clarke Award)

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantell (Booker Prize)

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (Hammett Prize)

Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill (Commonwealth Writers’ Prize)

Bootlegger’s Daughter by Margaret Maron (Edgar Award)

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (National Book Critics Circle Award)

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (Pulitzer)

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (Debut Dagger Award)

I don’t have a strong track record with short story collections. In fact, in four years of keeping track of books on this blog, it seems I’ve only read five books that contain short story collections. But I do have quite a few short story collections in my personal library, and since one of my reading goals for 2010 is to choose more books from my own bookshelves, I think perhaps I’m up for the 2010 Short Story Challenge. I’ve selected five as-yet-unread books from my shelves:

The Falling Nun and Other Stories by Pamela Rafael Berkman

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Creek Walk and Other Stories by Molly Giles

The Apple: New Crimson Petal Stories by Michel Faber

Karma and Other Stories by Rishi Reddi

I realize that I need to sign up for more challenges like I need another hole in my head, but there are a few more out there that fit within my own planned reading parameters for 2010, so I figured, what can a few more hurt?

Since I’ve successfully completed my first attempt at this challenge and I plan to read more graphic novels in 2010, I’m going to participate in the 2010 Graphic Novels Challenge, at the Intermediate level. There are a few I know right now that I want to read, but I will add more to this list as the year goes on:

Laika by Nick Abadzis

The Rabbi’s Cat by Joann Sfar

Gray Horses by Hope Larson

Pyongyang by Guy Delisle

Houdini by Jason Lutes

Another successful challenge for me in 2009 was the Essay Reading Challenge, so I’m signing up for the 2010 version as well. I will commit to reading 30 essays. Here are my selections:

Rereadings edited by Anne Fadiman (17 essays by multiple authors)

Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornby (15 essays by Hornby)

Another challenge I’ve seen popping up on a lot of blogs is Amanda’s Our Mutual Read: A Victorian Reading Challenge. At first I thought, ”Well, it looks interesting but I don’t read enough Victorian literature to join,” but then the more I got to looking at some of the books I planned to read this year and the more I read about the parameters of the challenge (i.e. NeoVictorian literature can count for some selections), the more I realized that I could participate, albeit at the lowest level. Level One means I have to read 4 book, at least 2 of which must have been written during the years 1837 – 1901. Here are my selections:

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins 

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin

Brontë by Glyn Hughes

And lastly, Book Chick City’s Typically British Reading Challenge. Because of my Anglophilic tendencies and Commonwealth upbringing, a lot of my reading choices tend to come from across the pond and so this is a no-brainer for me. I love the category names and am tempted to pick ‘Bob’s Your Uncle’ just for that reason alone, but I think I can read at least eight books that will qualify for the challenge, so I’m going for the ‘Cream Crackered’ level. Here are some of the books I have slated for this challenge:

Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years by Sue Townsend

The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

Brontë by Glyn Hughes

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

So, barring the discovery of any other irresistable challenges (which is entirely possible), that should complete my challenge participation for 2010.

It’s the season for new challenges, and with a spotty track record for completing challenges, I was thinking that I would forgo signing up for any new challenges, barring those perennial favorites like Carl’s RIP Challenge or John’s Canadian Book Challenge. But then I ended up signing onto the All About the Brontës Challenge, registered for the third year of the What’s In a Name? Challenge, and even went ahead and created my own challenge. And I’m seeing all these other challenges that sound interesting or look like I have a decent shot of maybe actually completing them. So I figured, what the hell, I’m just going to jump in the deep end and sign up for as many challenges as tickle my fancy. And so on that note, here are a few more:

Jenny is hosting the 2010 Reading Resolutions Challenge. This is a big one for me and will likely be my toughest challenge for the year. A month or so ago, as I was reorganizing my bookshelves to reallocate some books to a new bookshelf I received for my birthday (this one a long low-level shelf to go in our bedroom and serve double-duty as a TV stand), I thought of how many books I own that I haven’t even read. I buy them, mainly used but also many new, and of course, never have enough time to read them all, especially as I continue to get more. I began thinking that perhaps I should set myself a personal challenge to not buy any new books in 2010. Well, I then did something really stupid and mentioned that idea to my husband, who of course, thought it a wonderful plan. From that point, there was really no going back, and so I have made it my personal resolution to not buy any new-to-me books in 2010 – either new or used – meaning, no books from the bookstore, none from the used bookstores I love to frequent, and none from the library book sale that I am exposed to on a daily basis. I have to rely on the books I already own and the books I can borrow from the library.

Being the savvy bibliophile that I am, however, I have set up a few exemptions that still keep me within the bounds of the challenge:

• Books purchased through gift cards received prior to January 1, 2010 do not count (i.e. the bookstore gift card I invariably receive in my Christmas stocking can be used to purchase books in 2010). I feel like this will lead to many instances of me standing in a bookstore, wondering if the book I’m holding in my hand is giftcard-worthy (ala Elaine’s sponge-worthy dating process on Seinfeld)
• Books received as gifts or the (now) rare ARC that I agree to take do not count
• If I take books I own to the used bookstore for credit, I can use those credits to get books. Since I have only one bookstore within a 30-mile radius of me that offers this type of deal, and they are picky with what they take, I don’t foresee this offering up much relief.

So that’s it. Which means, if I hold true to my resolution, virtually all books that I read in 2010 will come from my own bookshelves or the library. Starting January 1st, I will state in my posts the source of any books I read.

I’m already starting to hyperventilate a little just thinking about it.

I’ve failed miserably at my first attempt at this challenge, but I’m determined to try again. So I’m signing up for the 2010 100+ Reading Challenge. My friend Susan (not to mention countless bloggers) has no problem reading this many books, and this year she became a mother on top of everything else she does, so I really have no excuse. Let’s see if 2010 will be my year.

Even though I haven’t joined this one before, the Support Your Local Libraries Reading Challenge is one that I simply cannot continue to ignore. I work in a library, for goodness’ sake! To lift the mantle of shame I have carried since this challenge began, I will enlist at the ‘Just My Size’ option of reading 50 library books. Since I’ve only managed to read just over 50 books this entire year (again, shameful) that should present a good challenge for me. Instead of making a list, I will just mention if a book is a library copy when I post my review and keep a tally going in my sidebar.

Since my plan includes using my existing stockpile of books as one of the two main sources of reading material next year, the real challenge in the TBR Challenge is that I have to stick to the the list I create for it – no switching! Granted, Jenn has allowed us to create a list of alternates, but I’m going to go hardcore and forgo that option. On the other hand, since crossovers with other challenges are allowed, all of these books serve at least double duty. Here are my twelve books:

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornby

River Thieves by Michael Crummey

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman

Brontë by Glyn Hughes

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Theatre of Fish by John Gimlette

Although I have participated in the imposing Chunkster Challenge before, I’ve never successfully completed it, and in fact, dismayed by my results, ignored the challenge altogether in 2009. But with a couple qualifying titles sitting in my TBR pile, I feel compelled to try once again. I’m playing it a bit safe and signing up for the Chubby Chunkster level, committing myself to reading three books. Since I don’t have to list titles ahead of time, I won’t, since I’m not sure which ones I’ll be getting to prior to the kickoff date of February 1st.

It seems that everyone but me has read Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White. Well, here’s a read-along challenge to change that. The book has been on my ‘to read’ list for ages, but I’ve never gotten around to it. Here’s hoping that a set timetable and group involvement will help change that!

The Twenty Ten Reading Challenge sounds like a lot of fun – plus, it has a pretty cool name, so what the heck, I’m signing up for this one, too. Thankfully, there’s a way around some of the categories to still fit within my ‘no new books in 2010′ resolution, so I just might be able to pull this one off. Edit: I was just reading through the categories again and noticed that the last option, Up to You, is just that – but that the category needs to be decided now. So I’ve chosen to make my category, If At First, You Don’t Succeed, meaning, reading two books that I have attempted to read in the past but never finished. (Jonathan Strange, I’m looking at you!)

I’m a big fan of historical fiction, so the 2010 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge should be a no-brainer for me. With that said, I’m a little leery of getting in over my head, so I’m going to go in at the Addicted level, committing myself to reading 12 books. I’m going to peruse my shelves and upcoming releases so a specific book list will be added later.

And since I signed up for the prior challenge, I imagine some of my selections would fit the Tudor Challenge, too. That’s one of my favorite periods to read about and Anne Boleyn has always fasincinated me, so I’ve got a few choices that would fit here.  I’m going to be a Commoner and read five books.

In addition to reading books, I also love to watch movies. And while I generally prefer the book over the film adaptation, I do love watching movies based on books. I even started a monthly program at my library where we show a film based on a book and hold a discussion afterwards about how the book and film compare. So when I saw that there was a Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge, I thought, perfect! I’m going to pick the middle of the road and sign up for the Saturday Movie Marathon, which means I have to read four books and watch the corresponding movies. Since I’ve already read the books I’ve chosen for my upcoming program screenings, I’m not sure which ones I’ll do for this challenge yet so will post a list later.

And last but not least, I can’t not particpate in my own challenge! Plus reading more books about books and reading is the whole reason I created the 2010 Bibliophilic Books Challenge in the first place. So here is my list, subject to change:

The Book on the Bookshelf by Henry Petroski

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (reread)

Biblioholism by Tom Raabe

Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley

How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read by Pierre Bayard

The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay

The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers

Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornby

Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don’t Float by Sarah Schmelling

Rereadings by Anne Fadiman

Book: The Sequel edited by Clive Pressler

So there you have it! It’s going to be a challenge just keeping all the challenges straight. I’m sure I’ve probably bitten off more than I can chew, and even still I’ll probably add more challenges as the whim takes me. For those of you interested in discovering what reading challenges are out there, A Novel Challenge has a pretty comprehensive list.

Like many other book bloggers, I enjoy reading books about books and reading. I’ve been spending my time lately perusing my home library and also browsing Amazon for suitable suggestions to offer my husband as Christmas gifts for me, his favorite bibliophile. What I noticed is that while I’ve read quite a few books about books, I also own or want quite a few more that I haven’t read. And then I thought, that would probably make for a good reading challenge. So here it is, the 2010 Bibliophilic Books Challenge!

The challenge will be to read a set number of books that focus on books or reading, including fiction and nonfiction. The challenge will begin on January 1st and last throughout the year.

I have created a blog for the challenge with more information and the sign-up post as well as challenge buttons and whatnot. I hope you join and enjoy my challenge!

I have joined the What’s in the Name? Challenge for each of its two prior years and have really enjoyed it. I’m one book away from successfully completing this year’s challenge (and hope to have that done in time) so I feel justified in joining the challenge for the third time, since it’s a favorite of mine and one that I’m good at! In 2010, ownership of the challenge will switch from Annie to Beth, and the always-clever categories have once again changed as well. Here are the books I’ve slated for the challenge, with the caveat that these choices may change as the year progresses:

Food: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Body of Water: River Thieves by Michael Crummey

Title: Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

Plant: The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

Place Name: Siberia by Nikolai Maslov

Music: La’s Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith

Thanks to Annie for creating and hosting this excellent reading challenge, and to Beth for keeping it going in 2010!

If pressed to name a favorite book, my response invariably is Jane Eyre, the classic story by Charlotte Brontë, ever since I first curled up on the couch as a teenager and read the fabulous story of Jane and her romance with Mr. Rochester. My love for Jane and her creator led me to take a semester-long course during my senior year at university all about the Brontës – one of my favorite courses of my university career, and I have seen countless film adaptations and read works inspired by the Brontës, books like Jane Urquhart’s Changing Heaven and Stella Gibbons’ Cold Comfort Farm.  So when I saw on another book book that a new challenge has been created, a challenge all about the Brontës, well, how could I resist? I couldn’t, of course!

Laura, the creator of this challenge, has given us to leave to use our own discretion with our choice of what venues we will employ in the challenge – whether it’s to read a book by one of the sisters, watch a film adaptation or read a book related to the sisters, and to do anywhere from three to six things to meet the challenge. I will be modest in my goals and say that I will do three things, with the possibility that I may do more or switch our some of the specifics. But here they are, at least for now:

• Read my copy of Brontë by Glyn Hughes, a book I’ve had sitting unread on my bookshelf for about four years.
• Reread one of the original Brontë books, perhaps The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë
• Reread The Thirteenth Tale or The Eyre Affair, the former in preparation for a book club discussion in February, and the latter because I hope to meet the author when he visits Atlanta in January

I daresay I will also watch at least a couple movies during the challenge because let’s face it, I can’t resist watching Mr. Rochester every once in awhile, either.

Thanks for hosting what looks to be a great challenge, Laura!

Kids are back in school, leaves are beginning to color, the sun sets a little earlier each day, the scorching heat of summer is giving way to the cool fall breezes … which means it’s time once again for Carl’s RIP Challenge, now in its fourth year! This is one of my favorite challenges, as much for the reading material as for the time of year in which it takes place. Feeling the crisp breezes, hearing the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot, seeing brightly colored pumpkins on display and the promise of a cozying up with a good book all serve to make fall my favorite time of the year.

Here’s my reading pool for this year’s challenge, although I may add or swap out for other titles if I happen to come across any particularly intriguing and appropriate books in my blog-hopping or library shelf-reading.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
The Observations by Jane Harris
Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter
Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott
The Sister by Poppy Adams
More Than You Know by Beth Gutcheon
The Terror by Dan Simmons
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts by Laura Benedict
The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox
The Girl in a Swing by Richard Adams

Even though I’ve yet to successfully complete The Canadian Book Challenge in either of my first two attempts, for patriotism’s sake I can’t not sign up for the challenge when it comes around and at least try. Here are the books I’ve tagged to read this time round:

Remembering the Bones by Frances Itani
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman
Unless by Carol Shields
Theatre of Fish by John Gimlette
River Thieves by Michael Crummey
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland
The Outlander by Gil Adamson
The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews
The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland

Thanks, John, for hosting this challenge once again!

I was reading through Andi’s blog and noticed a few challenges that she’s undertaking that looked like a good match for some of the reading I’m planning on doing anyway. So, what’s a girl to do? Sign up, of course! Here are the additional challenges I’ve signed up for:

I am joining at the Minor level:

La Perdida by Jessica Abel
Epileptic by David B.
French Milk by Lucy Knisley
Carnet de Voyage by Craig Thompson
Goodbye, Chunky Rice by Craig Thompson
You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons by Mo Willems

I quite enjoy reading essays, so I’m going to go for the gusto and commit to reading 30 essays. I will mainly list these as they come, but here are a few that I have my eye on:

Creationists by E.L. Doctorow (16 essays)
At Large and At Small by Anne Fadiman (12 essays)
Housekeeping vs. The Dirt by Nick Hornby (14 essays)
Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver (23 essays)
Essays of Elia by Charles Lamb (not sure)
Stranger Than Fiction by Chuck Palahniuk (23 essays)
When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris (22 essays)

I’d been wondering if anyone had put together a list of current challenges, and yes, someone has undertaken that task! Books ‘N Border Collies has a list here. There are even more than I thought – I’d better not spend too much time looking at them or I’m liable to get even further in over my head that I probably definitely already am.