Fall Into Reading Challenge

I just learned about a low-key reading challenge that is commencing this week. The challenge is open to any person who likes to read. It begins September 22nd and runs until December 20th.

Interested in participating? Here are the guidelines:

1. Create a list of some books you’d like to read or finish this fall. This is the only real requirement for participating in the challenge.

2. Feel free to set some additional reading goals (such as reading to your kids two hours per week, getting through your pile of magazines, etc.). However, this is not required; setting additional goals is completely optional.

3. Write a blog post that includes the list of books you want to read (and any additional goals you’ve set), and get ready to post it on your blog on September 22nd.

4. Visit Callapidder Days on September 22nd to sign up for the challenge. I’ll have an official launch post up that morning, complete with an area for you to submit a link to your personal Fall Into Reading post, where it will be added to the master list of participants.

5. Read! Work on your goals throughout Fall 2010.

6. Report your results. Write another blog post in December to let everyone know how you did. (Callappider will post an official wrap-up to the challenge on December 21st, where you’ll be able to share your results.)

7. Have fun! Visit other participants to see what they’re reading. Write reviews if you’re so inclined. But most of all, enjoy your fall reading!

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My Fall Into Reading Challenge Goals - 2010:

1. I plan to finish out the Agatha Christie Blog Tour, which ends on September 30. I have a final post set to run on the 29th. I'm very excited about this particular post. In addition to this I plan to finish out the year by participating in the monthly Agatha Christie Reading Challenge, which means if I am to stay on target I need to read at least one Agatha Christie mystery in September, October, November and December.

2. October marks the launch of the second annual Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge. As my part in this challenge I plan to read the remaining books by Mrs. Lovelace that I have not yet read. Amongst these include The Tune in the Tree, Gentlemen From England, and some Betsy-Tacy short stories just to name a couple. Also I will be hosting give-aways (chances to win the newest reprints by HarperCollins) and other fun posts. Please come back next Friday (October 1) to sign up to join in the fun!

3. Set a tradition. In 2008 I took a month and read Charles Dickens' Bleak House. I loved the book. Then in 2009 I spent most of 2009 reading a mix of light classics, modern classics, and fluff. This year I'd like to get back to reading a true classic. I've selected another Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities. I've never read this one, but I've wanted to for a long time.


4. Pretty much the rest of the fall I plan to not plan. I will read whatever crosses my nightstand or tickles my reading fancy. If you're curious as to what I'll be reading come back for the monthly "What's On My Nightstand" post.

As for the Fall Into Reading Challenge, happy reading and I'll see you back here for the wrap up in December.

June Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Carnival

I have posted a couple Agatha Christie mystery reviews of late and they are now linked up as part of the June edition of Kerrie Smith's Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Blog Carnival. Kerrie has been running this reading challenge/carnival for about a year and a half now and it continues to grow as more mystery fans link up their blogs each month.

If you are interested in participating you can sign up by visiting the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Join Page. Or if you are interested in finding out what other readers are saying about books they've read (especially their latest Agatha Christie read) then head over to the June Carnival page and follow the links to each review.

Happy reading!

Attention Mystery Readers

I'm a few days late in posting this, but all you mystery lovers out there -- check out the latest posting by Kerrie of Mysteries in Paradise of the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Carnival. I'm linked up with two reviews and you could join in next month.

Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Carnival

After my recent review of Murder at the Vicarage Kerrie left a comment suggesting I check out her Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Carnival. Kerrie, like me, is also working her way through all of Christie's mystery novels in order of publication and so just for fun she started a blog where she can not only link to her own reviews, but also link to other blogger's reviews.

This weekend marks the February carnival and two of my reviews from January are posted. So if you are interested in mysteries, the Queen of Crime, or just curious about this carnival head on over to the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Carnival.

For those curious, I still intend to meet my goal of on Christie novel a month. I am starting my next book, The Sittaford Mystery this weekend and hope to have it finished and reviewed before the end of the month. Stay tuned!

Reading Challenge: Lucy Maud Montgomery

Carrie over at Reading to Know has posted a new reading challenge for 2009: the Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge. Carrie's goal in establishing this challenge is not only for readers to have fun, but to also learn more about Lucy Maud Montgomery as well as the worlds she creates in her works.

I am somewhat familiar with Lucy Maud Montgomery. As a teenager I read the Emily of New Moon series, about half of the Anne of Green Gables series, and Kilmeny of the Orchard. Also when I was 14 my family took a summer vacation to Prince Edward Island, which included a visit to Green Gables... but that is the extent of my knowledge and considering the fact that Montgomery wrote 20 novels, a series of short stories, a couple books of poetry, and some non-fiction works (including an autobiography), that isn't very much.

And so I thought the Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge was a good excuse as any to get me reading more of this great classics. I've chosen at least two books to read this month (the challenge runs January 1-30).

The first is Blue Castle. I was so excited to start this book... but have somehow managed to misplace it in my house within the last 24-hours! I'm hoping to find it before the week is over and I'm forced to pick up another book.

The second selection is Anne of the Island. As I mentioned I read the Anne series years ago, but only made it to Anne's House of Dreams. This time I plan to read all the way to the end. You can check out my reviews of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea by clicking on the links.

If you would like to join in the fun head over to Reading To Know and sign up. The Mr. Linky's Sign-Up will be available until Friday, January 9. Readers can read one or all of Montgomery's works, or however many they wish. The challenge will run for the month of January ending January 30.

Stay tuned for my own reviews of The Blue Castle and Anne of the Island.