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A Bookaholic, Pro-life, Pro-Family, Catholic, with Asperger's, who reads as her obsession. These are the ramblings of the books I read or read aloud to my energetic Autistic 12yo.

I love reading almost any book from classics to mysteries to fantasy to manga. I read everything from Christian fiction/non-fiction to dark, paranormal horror novels, go figure. So I'm liable to offend just about everyone with my book choices LOL :-)

I sometimes go through stages of "genre love", I'm addicted to mystery thrillers, Catholic theology, memoirs, 20th century Chinese historical fiction & Victorian fiction and non-fiction, but you'll find I read an even wider variety of books than that, both fiction and non-fiction. I have a teensy fascination with macabre non-fiction books about death and anything about insane asylums.

I also tend to post a lot of reviews of juvenile/teen books, books I read aloud to my son and books he reads aloud to me but I still do a lot of adult reviews as well. I am so addicted to graphic novels and manga that I have a separate BLOG just for those reviews. I read well over 200 books a year, and for the first time ever made it to over 300 last year (2012)! Come join me you never know what new treasure you'll find to read here!

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

2013 Challenges

It's that time of year again!  I'm going to keep a sign up list running here and I'll eventually be able to mark these off as completed here also but will set up individual pages for each challenge as I get going with each individually.

Let's call this the Master List:

2013 Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge (Jan-Dec)
1 novel = 100 pgs
5 short stories = 1 novel


5 books= Detective
10 books = Sergeant
15 books = Lieutenant
20 books = Captain
25 books = Chief
30+ books = Sherlock Holmes

sign up here.  Will have monthly linkies and contests.  I am signing up for 15 books @ Lieutenant level but hope to make it well past that rank.  I usually read a lot of mysteries but last year (2012) didn't read as many as ususal and I miss them.

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Lieutenant Finished



2013 PRE-1960 CLASSIC CHILDREN'S BOOKS READING CHALLENGE

January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013

sign up here

ALL BOOKS MUST HAVE AN ORIGINAL PUBLICATION DATE OF 1960 or BEFORE.
Minimum length is 60 pages

Must read one book per month. (I think)

1.





2013 TBR Pile Challenge


Rules: sign up here
must make list of 12 +2 alternates in case of DNFs
books must not be re-reads
must be copyright pre-2012

My list:

1. Cezanne Pinto, A Memoir by Mary Stolz (1994)
2. The Weather Witch by Paul Stewart (1989)
3. Let's Kill Uncle by Rohan O'Grady (1964)
4. The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Sparks (1963)
5. Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani (2000)
6. Death Note: Another Note, The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases by Nisioisin (2006)
7. Lizard Music by D. Manus Pinkwater (1976)
8. The Circus is Coming by Noel Streetfeild (1938)
9. Ballet Shoes for Anna by Noel Streetfeild (1972)
10. The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson (1962)
11. The Swamp Robber by Paul Hutchens (1940; revised 1997)
12. The Legend of Tarik by Walter Dean Myers (1981)

+2 alternates
1. As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason (2009)
2. Evidence of Murder by Lisa Black (2009)


I'm currently involved in these perpetual challenges or projects

Chronological Stephen King - I started this project in 2007, hit a snag a few years ago, then since 2011 have started each year off with a Stephen King book.  Other than that this is a long-term project with no goals or objectives other than an "I hope to maybe accomplish "this" this year.  This year I will be starting 2013 off with a Richard Bachman book "Roadwork".  I am hoping to read the next 3 books this year since "Roadwork" is short, then comes "Danse Macabre", non-fiction, which I always read alongside a fiction book, and then "Cujo", another short book.  This shouldn't really be any problem.  If I haven't got to it by then I will slate "Cujo" as my Hallowe'en read in October.

Besides reading the books, I also go off on side trips to watch select movies (not all because some of the old ones are pretty dumb) and read graphic novels based on the books I'm reading.  This currently leaves me in the middle of reading "The Stand" graphic novels and I still have "The Stand" mini series to watch, plus I would now like to re-watch Christopher Walken's "Dead Zone" and I suppose I could line up the TV series now too.  I wonder if it would be too intense for my son.



1. Carrie
2. 'Salem's Lot
3. Rage
4. The Shining
5. Night Shift
6. The Stand
7. The Long Walk
8. The Dead Zone
9. Firestarter
10. Roadwork
11. Danse Macabre
12. Cujo


Newbery Challenge (ongoing) - I intend on continuing this never-ending quest to read all the Newbery winners. However this year, unlike last year (and the year before, and the year before), I pledge to read more than just the new winner ;-P
see progress here


Geographical Project - see progress here
"I will make a conscious effort to finish the Canadian provinces this year as every Canadian book I naturally read takes place in the same set of provinces and I only have two left to finish this stage of the project. I should also try and pay better attention to where novels take place, as I seem to have read all the 'popular' places, and most books continue to take place in these same states/countries." This is what I said at the beginning of 2011 and now I finally read one of those provinces, NWT actually.  Leaving me with PEI only, which I do vow to read this year.  My only stipulation is that it will not be an LM Montgomery (too cliche).

I have 9 States left, I'm going to have to look them up to see what I'm missing:
Arkansas
Delaware
Idaho
Kentucky
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Utah

I'm actively keeping an eye out for unique countries adding 7 new ones last year, but I only added 2 new States so I will have to start looking specifically for the above missing ones now.

The Random Reading Bookshelf Project - Hoping to do better than last year's reading of 4 books and removing 1 of those from the house :-( see progress here

The A-Zed Challenge - progress here

FINISHED


2013 Graphic Novels Challenge (Jan.-Dec. 2013) - FINISHED

This is my second year hosting this long running challenge and I've added a bit of fun this year.  I am going to join
Level 2 = 24 books and will be playing the Advanced game meaning I need to read 1 book from each of these categories:

1. manga (#3 - Nura, Vol. 12)
2. superhero (#13 - Justice League V.2)
3. classic adaptation (#55 - Graphic Classics V. 14 {Northanger Abbey})
4. memoir (#1 - Marbles)
5. fantasy (#9 - The Golden Twine by Jo Rioux)
6. translated from a foreign language (#44 - Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 12)
7. a single-issue comic book (#24. 2000 AD Progs 1803-1805)
8. science-fiction (#4 - Judge Dredd)
9. crime or mystery (#5 - Agent Gates)
10. fairytale or mythology (#31 - Robyn Hood)
11. children's book (#2 - Voltron Force 5)
12. anthology  (#27 - Graphic Classics: H.G. Wells)

1. Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, & Me by Ellen Forney
2. Voltron Force #5: Dragon Dawn by Brian Smith
3. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 12 by Hiroshi Shiibashi
4. Judge Dredd: The Garth Ennis Collection
5. Agent Gates and the Secret Adventures of Devonton Abbey by Camaren Subhiyah
6. Bigfoot Boy: Into the Woods by J. Torres. Art by Faith Erin Hicks
7. Grim Leaper by Kurtis J. Wiebe
8. Binky Takes Charge by Ashley Spires
9. The Golden Twine, Cat's Cradle Book 1 by Jo Rioux
10. Thieves & Kings, Vol. 1: The Red Book by Mark Oakley
11. Transformers, Regeneration One: Volume 1 by Simon Furman
12. Thieves & Kings, Vol. 2: The Green Book by Mark Oakley
13. Justice League, Vol. 2: The Villain's Journey by Geoff Johns
14. Louis Armstrong: Jazz Legend by Terry Collins
15. George Washington: The Rise of America's First President by Agnieszka Biskup
16. True Stories of the Revolutionary War by Elizabeth Raum
17. True Stories of World War II by Terry Collins
18. Alabaster: Wolves by Catilan R. Kiernan
19. The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks
20. Wonderland Vol. 1 by Raven Gregory
21. Think Tank, Vol. 1 by Matt Hawkins
22. The Curse of Dracula by Marv Wolfman
23. Scott Pilgrim`s Finest Hour by Bryan Lee O`Malley
24. 2000 AD Progs 1803-1805
Level 2 = Finished

Extras (still working on completing Advanced Play Categories)
25. Low Life: Paranoia by Rob Williams
26. The Spider: Terror of the Zombie Queen by David Liss
27. Graphic Classics: H.G. Wells edited by Tom Pomplum
28. Curses! Foiled Again by Jane Yolen
29. Thieves & Kings, Volume Three: The Blue Book by Mark Oakley
30. 2000 AD Prog 1806-1808
31. Grimm Fairy Tales: Robyn Hood by Pat Shand
32. Batman Adventures #1-2 by Ty Templeton
33. Superman Adventures #1&3 by Paul Dini & Scott McCloud
34. 2000 AD Prog, 1809-1811
35. Poseidon: Earth Shaker by George O'Connor
36. Redakai: Conquer the Kairu, Vol. 2, The Tiger Terror by Terrance Griep
37. Voltron Force V6 by Brian Smith
38. Graphic Classics, Vol. 24: Native America Classics edited by Tom Pomplun
39. Lost at Sea by Bryan Lee O'Malley
40. Legends From China: Three Kingdoms, Vol. 3: To Pledge Allegiance by Wei Dong Chen
41. Jerusalem: The Story of a City and a Family by Boaz Yakin
42. (2) Tiny Titans Comics by Art Baltazar
43. (2) Young Justice Comics by Art Baltazar
44. Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 12 by Hiroyuki Asada
45. Mind MGMT, Vol 1 by Matt Kindt
46. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 13 by Hiroshi Shiibashi
47. Drama by Raina Telgemeier
48. 07 Ghost Vol. 2 by Yuki Amemiya
49. 07 Ghost Vol. 3 by Yuki Amemiya
50. Barrage, Vol. 1 by Kouhei Horikoshi
51. Lover's Lane: The Halls-Mills Mystery by Rick Geary
52. Cardboard by Douglas TenNapel
53. Thieves & Kings Vol. 5: The Shadow Book by Mark Oakley
54. Bad Island by Douglas TenNapel
55. Graphic Classics V. 14: Gothic Classics edited by Tom Pomplun
Categories Challenge: Finished


2013 ARC Reading Challenge (Jan-Dec. 2013) - COMPLETED

Once again Teddy is hosting the ARC challenge and though I intend on doing more reading of my own books this year that's not going to stop me reading the ARCs that do come in and I'll still be reading from Mt. ARC as well.  Rules are same as usual and I'll be joining the top level of Platinum of 35+ books.  As usual I am self-imposing a 100 pg minimum on the books I include in this challenge.

Post links here.

1. Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors by Ann Rule
2. Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, & Me by Ellen Forney
3. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 12 by Hiroshi Shiibashi
4. Judge Dredd: The Garth Ennis Collection
5. Captain Awesome and the New Kid by Stan Kirby
6. Questions of Life ? by Nicky Gumbel
7. Rally Round the Corpse by Hy Conrad
8. Hating Heidi Foster by Jeffrey Blount
9. Speaking From Amongst the Bones by Alan Bradley
10. Justice League, Vol. 2: The Villain's Journey by Geoff Johns
11. The Starry Window by Patricia Bow
12. Oddkins: A Fable For All Ages by Dean Koontz
13. Alabaster: Wolves by Catilan R. Kiernan
14. The Lady and Her Monsters: A Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and the Creation of Mary Shelley's Masterpiece by Roseanne Montillo
15.The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks
16. Shining Agnes by Sara Banerji
17. A Question of Identity by Susan Hill
18. That Boy Red by Rachna Gilmore
19. Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers by Dav Pilkey
20. Iscariot: A Novel of Judas by Tosca Lee
21. Curses! Foiled Again by Jane Yolen
22. Night's Child by Maureen Jennings
23. Lou Scheimer: Creating the Filmation Generation by Lou Scheimer with Andy Mangels
24. The Bedlam Detective by Stephen Gallagher
25. Bone: Quest for the Spark, Book Three by Tom Sniegoski
26. Graphic Classics, Vol. 24: Native American Classics edited by Tom Pomplun
27. Legends From China: Three Kingdoms, Vol. 3: To Pledge Allegiance by Wei Dong Chen
28. Jerusalem: The Story of a City and a Family by Boaz Yakin
29. Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 12 by Hiroyuki Asada
30. Mind MGMT, Vol. 1 by Matt Kindt
31. Jungleland: A Mysterious Lost City, a WWII Spy, and a True Story of Deadly Adventure by Christopher S. Stewart
32. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 13 by Hiroshi Shiibashi
33. The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler
34. Barrage, Vol. 1 by Kouhei Horikoshi
35. Picturing Disability: Beggar, Freak, Citizen & Other Photographic Rhetoric by Robert Bogdan
Finished Platinum Level
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