I Know I Said No Challenges This Year . . .

In years past, my excitement and eagerness for challenges usually struck in late November, early December. This year, I felt nothing.  None of the challenges appealed to me.  The idea of signing up and obligating myself to read a certain type or number of books sounded more like work than fun.  As January rolled out, however, I found myself wondering if I was too hasty in my decision to write off all challenges.  I could still sign up for one or two challenges, after all.  I can change my mind, and none of you would hold it against me. Having participated in many challenges in the past, I know for a fact that nothing--absolutely nothing--happens when I don't quite meet my goal.  I may feel a little bad, but I get over it so quickly that it really doesn't matter.  What matters is the fun I have along the way; I enjoy the community aspect more of blogging; and I read wonderful books.  I think, too, participating in a few reading challenges this year will help spice up my blogging life.

As I had these thoughts and wrestled with the idea of signing up for challenges this year, I came across C.B. James's post, in which he says:

One of my long-time blogging friends Gautami Tripathy pointed me towards a reading challenge in a comment yesterday.  I was whining about how few people seem to participate in reading challenges these days, usually complaining that they never finish them as though we will all be graded on this and no one wants to risk lowering their overall G.P.A.

I say signing up for challenges and making your reading list is not just half the fun, it can sometimes be all the fun you need at the moment. [I had to ask myself: isn't that, in part, why I created the One Night Stand feature on my blog all those years ago?]   

He's right.  And I really want to join a couple of challenges.  Okay, more than a couple.  From the look of the sign up lists, James and I aren't the only ones who still like participating in challenges.   

As late into the month as it is, I hope no one will mind my late entries:

My favorite challenge is back this year with a new host, Charlie from The Worm Hole.  What I love about the What's In A Name Challenge is how random it can be.  The only requirement is that one book be read from each of the following categories (no overlap):

(Titles listed or possibilities, not guaranteed reads)

~ A reference to time in the title 

The Daylight Gate by Jeanette Winterson

In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

~ A position of royalty in the title

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka

Little Princes by Conor Grennan

~ A number written in letters in the title

Six Years by Harlan Coben

Just One Evil Act by Elizabeth George

~ A forename or names in the title

Stella Bain by Anita Shreve

Delia's Shadow by Jamie Lee Moyer

~ A type or element of weather in the title

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Snow Child by Ivey Eowyn

 *                    *                    *

I am also going to participate in the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge this year, tackling the Victorian Reader level in which I commit to read at least 5 historical fiction novels.  One of my favorite aspects of this challenge is that books can be chosen from just about any genre, just as long as they have a historical element in them.  This challenge is hosted by the ladies over at Historical Tapestry.

1. Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson ~ Completed

2. The Final Solution: A Story of Detective by Michael Chabon ~ review pending

A handful of possibilities:

Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian

Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan

The Last Romanov by Dora Levy Mossanen

Stella Bain by Anita Shreve

Changeless by Gail Carriger

A Study in Darkness by Emma Jane Holloway

Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris

 *                    *                    *

Since there are a long list of movies coming out this year I want to see (after I rush to read the books), I thought I would go ahead and join Doing Dewey's Book to Movie Challenge hosted by Katie of Doing Dewey and Sergio of Tipping my Fedora. The rules are pretty relaxed for this particular challenge, depending on how difficult I want to make it for myself.  I am going to go with the idea that as long as I read the book and watch the movie in 2014, it counts, regardless of whether the movie is on television, DVD, streamed in, or in the theater.  I am committing to read 6 books and watch their corresponding movies for this challenge, aiming for the Movie Devotee category.

A handful of possibilities:

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (I'm just a movie away from having this one done!)

Labor Day by Joyce Maynard  (I'm just a movie away from having this one done!)

Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (I doubt I'll be able to see the movie this year, but you never know, so it's on the list.)

 *                    *                    *

I was not going to do this one, but I might as well.  I seem to have already read a few bigger books at the start of the year and plan to read a few more.  Why not make it official and join the Chunkster Challenge? Vasilly at 1330V is hosting this year.  Chunksters are defined as being 450 pages or more.  While graphic novels do not count, audiobooks and young adult novels do, along with the usual adult fiction, nonfiction, and short story or essay collections (as long as they are read in their entirety). There are no levels this year, and participants are free to set their own numeric goal.  I am going to be conservative and commit to reading 5 chunksters this year.

Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie - 496 pgs ~ review pending

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 577 pgs ~ review pending

A handful of possibilities:

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (which I'm listening to now)

Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin

Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

A Prayer for Own Meany by John Irving

Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

Divergent by Veronica Roth

 *                    *                    *

And just to make it official, although I mentioned it in passing in my year end wrap up for 2013, I am also participating, in part, in Carrie of Books and Movies' "I've Always Meant to Read That Book!" Challenge.  I will not be participating every month, but I would like to participate in at least five, maybe six of the discussions.  I have highlighted the ones I want to join Carrie in reading.

• January – The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor 
• February – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 
• March – State of Wonder by Ann Patchett 
• April – The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood 
• May – The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
• June – A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving 
• July – American Gods by Neil Gaiman 
• August – The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver 
• September – Watership Down by Richard Adams 
• October – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 
• November – A Passage to India by E.M. Forster 
• December – Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Three of the titles (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, American Gods, and Catcher in the Rye) I read in the past, and, after much thought, do not want to re-read them at the this time.  I am still undecided about whether I want to tackle The Poisonwood Bible again.  I have tried twice already and could not get into it.  Watership Down has never really appealed to me, but it comes highly recommended, so maybe.  I might read A Passage to India with Carrie.  I haven't quite decided.  With this challenge, I am really more interested in reading books I have been wanting to read for what seems like forever and haven't yet, just like the challenge title implies.

I think that will do.  Five challenges seem like a good place to stop.  I am sure there will be crossovers.  I am not that prolific a reader as to think there will not be.  I am not putting any pressure on myself in terms of absolutely having to complete any of the above challenges. I will still read what I want, when I want.  And I will have lots of fun reading the books I do read.

Are you participating in any challenges this year?  If so, which ones?

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© 2014, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.