Mammoth Book Challenge

Darlene's Book Nook is hosting another Reading Challenge. 

Here are the details:

1. This challenge will run from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012.

2. You can join the challenge at any time. All books read in 2012 count for the challenge, regardless of when you sign up.

3. This challenge can cross-over to your other reading challenges.

4. You do not need a blog to participate! If you are not a blogger, you can post your reviews at Goodreads, Shelfari, or LibraryThing and link them up here.

5. All formats of books are acceptable: Bound copies, e-books, and audiobooks as long as they meet the guidelines of Point #6 below!

6. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT E-BOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS: If you are using an e-book or audiobook for the challenge, the bound format equivalent must be a minimum of 450 pages. Only unabridged audiobooks will count!

7. Both adult and children’s literature are allowed: As long as it meets the minimum page count of 450 pages.

8. About LARGE-PRINT BOOKS: Same rules apply as noted in Point #6. As long as the regular-bound format equivalent is a minimum of 450 pages, this format will count.

9. No anthologies, short story collections, or poetry: Just novels.

10. There are four levels for the challenge:

a. Level 1: Read 2 mammoth-sized books.
b. Level 2: Read 4 mammoth-sized books.
c. Level 3: Read 6 mammoth-sized books.
d. Level 4: Read 8 or more mammoth-sized books.

11. When you write your sign-up post, you must choose your level. You can go up, but you cannot go down!

12. There will be link-ups for your reviews on a quarterly basis, which will be posted on THIS page.

13. There will be a link for your wrap-up post at the end of the year.

14. Create a sign-up post and link back to this post. Sign up with Mister Linky below! Be sure to use the direct url to your sign-up post and not the url to your blog.

15. Grab the challenge button and post it in your sidebar.

  Click Here to register

I'm daring to go with Level 4. I will update as I read these books and attach reviews as they are completed.

1. 11/22/63 by Stephen King 

2. Under the Dome by Stephen King

3. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
4. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
5. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
6. Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James

7. Fifty Shades Darker by E L James

8. The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon

9. The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

10. The Stand by Stephen King

11. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

12. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

13. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

14. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

15. Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James

16. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

17. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

18. The Given Day by Dennis Lehane

19. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

20. IT by Stephen King

Those Books I Should Have Read 2012 Reading Challenge

Reading With Martinis is hosting another Reading Challenge. This sounds perfect for me since I've been thinking I should finally read the Harry Potter books. I have also been curious about The Earth's Children series. This challenge gives me a good reason to read both. Whatever your reasons, see the details below to participate and happy reading!




Ah, yes. We all have them. That pesky list of books that we “should” have read. This list could consist of “classics” that we somehow managed to miss in high school and/or college (David Copperfield, Madame Bovary, To Kill a Mockingbird), books that we want to read but their size is daunting (The Outlander series, The Game of Thrones series, Anna Karenina, War and Peace), it could be books that just somehow passed us by (The Harry Potter series, The Hunger Game trilogy, The Earth’s Children series), or it could simply be books that have been languishing on our bookshelves forever.

Challenge Rules

• Timeline : This challenge runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012
• You may join the challenge at any time during the year as long as the books were read in 2012
• Levels: There are 4 participation levels to this challenge. You can change levels at any time.

Level 1 – 6 books

Level 2 – 12 books

Level 3 – 18 books

Level 4 – 24 books

• Physical books and e-books count. Audio books DO NOT COUNT
• You do not have to have a blog to participate. You can make a goodreads list or some other tracking method that can be linked to
• You do not have to select your books ahead of time
• If you do make an initial list of books for this challenge, you may change that list at any time during the challenge
• Books read for this challenge may also count for other challenges

Click Here to sign up.

I am sticking with Level 1 for now. I will update as I complete the books.

1. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
2. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
3. The Stand by Stephen King
4. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
7. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
8. The Given Day by Dennis Lehane
9. IT by Stephen King
10. DarkFever by Karen Marie Moning

100+ Books in a Year Challenge

I am going to be participating in the 100+ Books in a Year Challenge hosted by Book Chic City. Here are the details:

Challenge Details

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2012 - 31 Dec 2012
• Rules: Read 100+ books in 2012 (any genre)
• 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.
• Only fiction, no non-fiction.
• This challenge can crossover to other challenges.
• You DO NOT have to write reviews of the books you read, but if you decide to then Mr Linky will be available each month so you can link up your reviews.
• 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. 

So this challenge sounds really fun! I'm hoping to make 100 books and I'm looking forward to the challenge. Happy reading! 

Here are the books I have read for this challenge, I will attach links to reviews as they are posted:

1. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
2. Under the Dome by Stephen King
3. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
4. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
5. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
6. Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning
7. To Tame a Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning
8. Kiss of the Highlander  by Karen Marie Moning
9. The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
10. The Death of King Arthur: The Immortal Legend by Peter Ackroyd
11. Before I go to Sleep by S.J.Watson
12. A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore
13. Defending Jacob by William Landay 
14. Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas
15. About that Night by Julie James
16. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
17. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
18. Paris, My Sweet by Amy Thomas
19. Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James
20. The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
21. Good Girls Don't by Victoria Dahl
22. Bad Boys Do by Victoria Dahl
23. Real Men Will by Victoria Dahl
24. The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye
25. How to Eat  a Cupcake by Meg Donohue
26. Fifty Shades Darker by E L James
27. Come Home by Lisa Scottoline 
28. The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon
29. The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts
30. The Truth of All Things by Kieran Shields
31. The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
32. Rumor has it by Jill Mansell
33. The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton
34. Changing the Game by Jaci Burton
35. Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey
36. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley
37. Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth
38. How to Raise a Good Kid by Starbuck O'Dwyer
39. Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris
40. The Stand by Stephen King
41. Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson
42. Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis
43. Sea Swept by Nora Roberts
44. Rising Tides by Nora Roberts
45. Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James
46. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
47. Nightwoods by Charles Frazier
48. Bared to You by Sylvia Day
49. Nadia Knows Best by Jill Mansell
50. The Taker by Alma Katsu
51. A Secret Wish by Barbara Freethy
52. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
53. The Bridge of Deaths by M.C.V. Egan
54. I Couldn't love You More by Jillian Medoff
55. At Last by Jill Shalvis 
56. Toe the Line by Dick Hannah
57. Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran
58. Summer Nights by Susan Mallery
59. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
60. Fifty Shames of Early Grey by Fanny Merkin (aka Andrew Shaffer)
61. Tumbleweeds by Leila Meacham
62. All Summer Long by Susan Mallery
63. That Thing Called Love by Susan Andersen
64. Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis
65. Instant Gratification by Jill Shalvis
66. The Prophet by Michael Koryta
67. Stolen Prey by John Sandford
68. Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis
69. The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner
70. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
71. Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl
72. Dream Lake by Lisa Kleypas
73. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
74. The Reckoning by Alma Katsu
75. Perfect is Overrated by Karen Bergreen
76. Taking a Shot by Jaci Burton

77. The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley
78. Stairway to my Heart by Marion Marchetto
79. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
80. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
81. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
82. The Given Day by Dennis Lehane
83. A Fool's Gold Christmas by Susan Mallery
84. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
85. The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury
86. The Jazz Cage by Ray Chen Smith
87. Reflected in You by Sylvia Day
88. IT by Stephen King
89. The Highlander's Touch by Karen Marie Moning
90. The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
91. A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane
92. Darkness, Take my Hand by Dennis Lehane
93. Mad River by John Sandford
94. The Witness by Nora Roberts
95. A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell
96. The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts
97. Rescue My Heart by Jill Shalvis
98. Sacred by Dennis Lehane
99 Live by Night by Dennis Lehane
100. DarkFever by Karen Marie Moning
101. Under the Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis
102. BloodFever by Karen Marie Moning
103. FaeFever by Karen Marie Moning
104. DreamFever by Karen Marie Moning
105. ShadowFever by Karen Marie Moning
106. Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane
107. Prayers for Rain by Dennis Lehane