Watership Down by Richard Adams

Watership Down by Richard Adams


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Fleeing the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their ancestral home, a band of rabbits encounters harrowing trials posed by predators and hostile warrens — driven only by their vision to create a perfect society in a mysterious promised land known to them as Watership Down. First published in 1972 to world-wide rave reviews and now a modern classic, this is a powerful tale about the destructive impact of our society on nature — written in the same vein as Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit
I read this book a long time ago, so when I noticed it on Audible.com, I decided to give it a listen. I really enjoyed it. The narrator was very good and it had been long enough since I read the book that I didn't remember everything, so there were surprises. This is the story of a group of rabbits that get the inkling that something bad is going to happen to their warren. They decide to run away and find another place to live. Hazel, the unofficial Chief Rabbit, leads them across unfamiliar territory and proves to be an intelligent, resourceful and caring leader. They encounter several different groups of rabbits -- some that are complacent, some hutch rabbits, and some that are ruled with an iron fist...foot? Anyway, it was a very good book and a great audiobook. There were battles and lots of strategical planning. Just really really good. Not just a story about bunnies.




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A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.



"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract".


A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusal book.

I read this book for some reading challenges I am participating in -- a science fiction challenge, a time travel challenge, and the reading the books featured on the TV show LOST challenge. There could be more that I'll use if for, but those are the main ones. I've wanted to read this book for a long time actually. I would see it in the library and wonder about it. Granted it is a young person's book, but it intrigued me. The main characters were 3 children -- each was special in their own way. Two of the children were brother and sister, Meg and Charles Wallace. Their Father was a scientist working for the government and had gone away while working on a project and hadn't been heard of for some time. Meg, Charles Wallace and their friend, Calvin meet and discover 3 beings: Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which who are going to help them get Father back. They tell the children Father has gone through a tesseract or a wrinkle in time to another place. This is a bit different take on time travel than books I have read before. Young people would like this book because it is full of strange creatures, strange planets and evil beings like IT that have to be challenged in order to get Father back. Even though it is a children's book, it wasn't written in a childish way, so I rather enjoyed it. I wouldn't say that I "loved it," but it kept my attention and I am glad I read it.




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Guardian of Time by Linda Hawley

Guardian of Time by Linda Hawley


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It’s the near future, and society is government controlled. Technology tracks everyone, personal privacy does not exist, and even food supplies are being monitored. The hope for freedom lies in the operations of an underground organization, GOG, which fights against worldwide oppression. Their most powerful weapon is Ann Torgeson, a paranormally-gifted operative, who unseals The Prophecies with her powers. With the government doggedly pursuing her, she goes underground, fleeing the Pacific Northwest, but not before leaving three murders, one suicide, and an explosion behind her. Will she and her companions survive to change the world after everything twists and turns upside down?(

This is really a different kind of time travel. This book is the 2nd in this series and the story is unfolding more and more. At the end of the last book, we were led to believe that Ann was going down in a plane crash. Common sense told us that that couldn't be because there's more to her story, but it sure sounded like she was gone. This book goes back and sets things up again, and using her Herkimer crystal, Ann believes she helped the pilot steer out of what would have been a fatal crash. Ann is trying to put things together. She remembers more about the Guardian of Time and The Prophecies, meets Chow again, and is taken away from her current life. She further develops her paranormal abilities and discovers a way she can help the human race. This novel is well-written and moves along with events taking place that you don't expect. Of course, there is a cliff-hanger at the end to lead us into the next book!




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Wildflower Hill by Kimberly Freeman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


SPANNING THREE GENERATIONS AND HALF THE WORLD, WILDFLOWER HILL IS A SWEEPING, ROMANTIC, AND COMPELLING STORY OF TWO WOMEN WHO SHARE A LEGACY OF SECRETS, HEARTBREAK, COURAGE, AND LOVE.


Emma, a prima ballerina in London, is at a crossroads after an injured knee ruins her career. Forced to rest and take stock of her life, she finds that she’s mistaken fame and achievement for love and fulfillment. Returning home to Australia, she learns of her grandmother Beattie’s death and a strange inheritance: a sheep station in isolated rural Australia. Certain she has been saddled with an irritating burden, Emma prepares to leave for Wildflower Hill to sell the estate.


Beattie also found herself at a crossroads as a young woman, but she was pregnant and unwed. She eventually found success—but only after following an unconventional path that was often dangerous and heartbreaking. Beattie knew the lessons she learned in life would be important to Emma one day, and she wanted to make sure Emma’s heart remained open to love, no matter what life brought. She knew the magic of the Australian wilderness would show Emma the way.

Wildflower Hill is a compelling, atmospheric, and romantic novel about taking risks, starting again, and believing in yourself. It’s about finding out what you really want and discovering that the answer might be not at all what you’d expect.

I read this book as the January selection for our book club. I had never heard of it before, but it was suggested by one of our members. It's the story of a professional ballerina, Emma, who lives in London and gets injured and cannot dance anymore, and her grandmother, Beattie, who leaves her a homestead in Australia. Emma goes to Australia to check out the place and discovers many remarkable things about her grandmother's life that she didn't know. Beattie had quite a life. She was very independent and was put down and picked herself back up several times. The way she handled the things that happened to her was inspiring. Emma went through a period of self-discovery herself and turned her life around so that she cared more about other people and was less self-centered. The book went back and forth with sections about Beattie, then sections about Emma. It moved along and was never dull or sluggish. There was always something happening. The things that happened were predictable in a sense...there were no big twists...and the ending was satisfying. I would have liked to have had one more page though to experience the final reaction. You'll know what that means when you read the book! 

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.



With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.


Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.


Another segment in the world that is Infernal Devices! This novel moved along well and was full of new pieces of the puzzle to figure out how the characters in Infernal Devices relate to those in Mortal Instruments. The relationship between Will and Jem and Tessa took a surprising turn. Jem is so kind and good and sweet -- which was mentioned several times by various characters. Will had an epiphany, but it would be a spoiler if I told what it was. Will's family appears on the scene although he cannot contact them. Tessa is searching for what she is which she didn't totally discover -- fodder for the next book. Her brother rears his ugly head again and hurts more of the people he comes in contact with. There were few actual clockwork automatons in this one, but the ones that were featured were definitely beastly. Charlotte and Henry's managing of the Institute in London was questioned by Benedict Lightwood and they set out to prove their worth. Their relationship developed, nay came to a sweet realization, which I really loved.




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One Magic Moment by Lynn Kurland

One Magic Moment by Lynn Kurland


My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Medieval studies scholar Tess Alexander is thrilled for the chance to live in a medieval castle. But then a trip to the village brings her face-to-face with the owner of the local garage, who looks a great deal like the man who married her sister...800 years in the past. She's determined to remain objective about magic and destiny, but she can't help wondering about that mysterious, sword-wielding mechanic.

I haven't read a book by Lynn Kurland for a while, so when I saw this one on the shelf at the library, I had to get it. It didn't disappoint me. I love time travel/historical romance. This was the story of John de Piaget and Tess Alexander. When you start reading Lynn Kurland's books, you get introduced to the MacLeod and de Piaget families and the time gates they employ to go from one century to another -- accidentally and sometimes on purpose. Ms. Kurland writes with a lot of humor and her descriptions make you actually feel the velvet, the wind and the stone. This novel involved a lot of running and driving from one place to another which was a little tiring -- of course, it would have been for Tess (the Future gel) since she had to run from one castle to another. Even though she had a PhD. in medieval studies, she didn't seem to have many problems adjusting to being in the 13th century. Of course, there were so many of John's relatives to describe, that maybe there wasn't time. The reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I think John & Tess's relationship could have been documented more. As I said, they did a lot of running around and I would have liked them to have an opportunity to stop and spend some time together. But I was very happy to have the chance to read this book. Tess's sister, Pippa, and John's brother, Montgomery, are featured in the book that came before this one, "One Enchanted Evening", and there were several times that I wished I had read it first. It's coming in the mail any day. This was a good, clean, time travel historical romance, so if that's your cup of tea (as it is mine), you should pick it up and read it.




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Should I do another reading challenge????

Well, I am a sucker for those challenges that have certain requirements...and I love bracelets!!! What does that mean? It means I'm signing up for the

For this year’s reading challenge, each month has been assigned a color (along with some common alternate words to add variety). You just have to find a book with that color in the title. That’s it! As you read, come post the title and author of the book for that month. This challenge is hosted by Books Make Me Happy. At the end of the year… anyone who has post EACH MONTH, and completed ALL COLORS, will receive a handmade bracelet with a bead for each color, and a book charm to finish it off. There will also be a grand prize (one random winner, only) basket of lovely, color themed books, but that will be a WIP during the year. In order to qualify for the bracelet, or be entered into the grand prize drawing for the basket, you MUST post each month with your title/author. If you post any reviews about the books you’ve read for this challenge, please post the link in your comment and it will be sent out on Books Make Me Happy Twitter and Facebook streams. *All books must be at least 200 pages, or the ebook equivalent.*


Colors for each month are:

•January – Red (burgundy, claret, crimson, fuschia, garnet, magenta, maroon, ruby, scarlet, rose, cherry)

•February – Purple (violet, lavendar, amethyst, lilac, plum, periwinkle)

•March – Aquamarine (teal, tourquoise)

•April – Clear (transparent, transluscent, crystal, diamond)

•May – Green (emerald, jade, malachite, lime, pine, sage)


•June – Black


•July – Pink (blush, carnation, mauve)


•August - Brown (chocolate, tan, bronze)


•September – Blue (cobalt, cerulean, navy, indigo, sapphire)


•October – White (snowy)


•November – Orange (peach, salmon, coral, tangerine, copper)


•December – Silver (sterling, platinum, chrome, gray)

Now go on over to Books Make Me Happy and join this challenge!!! See you there!

Third Sentence Thursday - #2

This is the first Third Sentence Thursday of 2012!!! I almost forgot it was Thursday! Glad I didn't. Here's all you have to do to participate:

1.Take the book you are currently reading and post the third sentence.



2.Share your thoughts on the sentence.


3.Go to Proud Book Nerd and post a link to your blog post in the link list. If you don’t have a blog, just leave it in the comments there.


4.Visit one or two of the other blogs to check out their third sentence.




I just finished I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak and it was GREAT! as expected. Now I'm reading One Magic Moment by Lynn Kurland (quite a difference, right?).

This is the teaser from Goodreads:

Medieval studies scholar Tess Alexander is thrilled for the chance to live in a medieval castle. But then a trip to the village brings her face-to-face with the owner of the local garage, who looks a great deal like the man who married her sister...800 years in the past. She's determined to remain objective about magic and destiny, but she can't help wondering about that mysterious, sword-wielding mechanic.
 Leave it to Lynn Kurland to get right to the action. I've read nearly all of her books, especially the time travel ones, and they are very entertaining. I love her sense of humor and I just love time travel novels.

Hope you have a great week!
 












and here's the 3rd Sentence:

"He was no ghost hunter, to be sure, but even he could bear witness to the paranormal activity going on under his nose."

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Meet Ed Kennedy—underage cabdriver, pathetic cardplayer, and useless at romance. He lives in a shack with his coffee-addicted dog, the Doorman, and he’s hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence, until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery. That’s when the first Ace arrives. That’s when Ed becomes the messenger. . . .



Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary), until only one question remains: Who’s behind Ed’s mission?


Winner of the 2003 Children’s Book Council Book of the Year Award in Australia, I Am the Messenger is a cryptic journey filled with laughter, fists, and love.


Markus Zusak has been my favorite author ever since I read "The Book Thief". "I Am the Messenger" just cements my opinion! He is brilliant! This story seems pretty regular -- an ordinary guy, Ed, is living his ordinary life with his ordinary friends until one day he causes a bank robber to fail at his attempt to rob a bank. Then the ordinary guy gets a playing card in the mail with 3 addresses on it. He figures out that he is supposed to help someone at each of the addresses... Same old, same old, right? WRONG! Just suffice it to say that there is a twist at the end of this tale that you won't expect and will make you understand why Markus Zusak is the best writer of all time. He keeps you interested with the tasks and activities and different characters so that you don't get bored with the ordinariness of Ed and his life, but...you'll see. Zusak is amazing! And, if after you've read this book, you agree with me that he is amazing, you should read "The Book Thief". If you appreciate the humor in "I Am the Messenger", you'll get "The Book Thief" as well. Not everybody does. His humor is very understated, but he just has funny ideas.




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Comfort and Joy by Kristen Hannah

Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah is beloved by readers around the world for her unique blend of powerful emotion and exquisite storytelling. In Comfort & Joy, she offers a modern-day fairy tale—the story of a woman who gets a miraculous chance at happiness.



Joy Candellaro once loved Christmas more than any other time of the year. Now, as the holiday approaches, she is at a crossroads in her life; recently divorced and alone, she can’t summon the old enthusiasm for celebrating. So without telling anyone, she buys a ticket and boards a plane bound for the beautiful Pacific Northwest. When an unexpected detour takes her deep into the woods of the Olympic rainforest, Joy makes a bold decision to leave her ordinary life behind—to just walk away—and thus begins an adventure unlike any she could have imagined.


In the small town of Rain Valley, six-year-old Bobby O’Shea is facing his first Christmas without a mother. Unable to handle the loss, Bobby has closed himself off from the world, talking only to his invisible best friend. His father Daniel is beside himself, desperate to help his son cope. Yet when the little boy meets Joy, these two unlikely souls form a deep and powerful bond. In helping Bobby and Daniel heal, Joy finds herself again.


But not everything is as it seems in quiet Rain Valley, and in an instant, Joy’s world is ripped apart, and her heart is broken. On a magical Christmas Eve, a night of impossible dreams and unexpected chances, Joy must find the courage to believe in a love—and a family—that can’t possibly exist, and go in search of what she wants . . . and the new life only she can find.


This book was really good! I know, it's a romance novel -- a Christmas romance novel to boot, but it was really good. I started it last evening and finished it today. It's the story of Joy, a high-school librarian who's marriage has collapsed into divorce because her husband was sleeping with her sister. Definitely a tragic start for a Christmas novel. Then, after leaving her sister in her driveway, she drives to the airport and on a whim buys a ticket for Hope in Canada. The plane crashes -- yes, the tragedy gets worse. After getting thrown from the wreakage and seeing her mother (who has been dead for 15 years), she decides to walk away from the crash site and have an adventure. She walks through the woods and eventually comes across a closed Bed and Breakfast Lodge manned by a little boy and his father. She spends a few days there and gets very attached to the little boy...and his father...when another surprising twist takes place. I'm not going to ruin it for you, but let me tell you this -- I was surprised and screaming, "No! No! No1" to myself while reading. I had to finish this book today. I couldn't wait. I had to know what happened. It's that kind of book. And, it's a very clean read -- no sex. Sex wouldn't have fit in this story. Love was definitely there. The kind of love that everyone dreams about. A great read!






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Working for the Mandroid's 2012 Science Fiction Reading Challenge

My daughter is taking a Science Fiction course this year as one of her English Major courses and, since I really like Science Fiction, I decided I would read some of the books on her reading list. So, why not participate in a reading challenge, too? I found this one hosted by Working for the Mandroid. Here are the details:

1. The challenge begins January 1, 2012 and runs through December 31, 2012. Books started before January 1st don't count towards the challenge. Re-reads do count, but a new review must be written. Any format of book counts - hard copy, audiobook, e-book - they aren't picky.



2. A review has to be written and posted for each book in the challenge. If you don't have a blog, they can be posted on Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon, Shelfari, Facebook, anywhere else book reviews are accepted and can be linked to.


3. Any books read for another challenge that fit into one of the categories can count towards this one. One book, however, cannot fill multiple categories in this challenge. For example, Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game technically fits into at least four of the categories. It can only count for one though.


4. A post will be set up on Working for the Mandroid beginning January 1st for participants to add their review links.


5. At the end of the year, Mandroid will put all the people who signed up for the challenge and finished 6 of the 12 categories in a contest for a not yet determined prize. Those who finish all 12 of the categories will be entered into a different, better contest. Additional contests throughout the year might also become available depending on participation of readers and availability of prizes. Note: The more participants, the more science fiction friendly sponsors, the more contests.


There are 12 categories as mentioned above. Here's a quick look at them. There are more details and book suggestions on the Mandroid site.

YA/MG Science Fiction title - This can be anything remotely science fiction written for a younger audience.  "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle


Adult Science Fiction title - Same as above, but this time with an adult title.


Hugo Winner - Any book that's won a Hugo Award - see the list on the Mandroid site.
Some of them are clearly fantasy books, but for this category, that's okay.


Science Fiction Classic - Pre-1950s - This category would include things like Frankenstein, 1984, anything by HG Wells or Jules Vern, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you know, classics. Put your high school English caps on! Here's a link to the Classics of Science Fiction website for suggestions.


Science Fiction Modern Classic - 1951-1992 - You can find suggestions for these on the Classics of Science Fiction website, too. 


Steampunk - Any book that could be classified as steampunk - a sub-genre of science fiction that denotes fictional works set in an era or world where steam is the primarily use of power. It often takes place in an alternate form of the Victorian era and features futuristic technology twisted to fit in a historical setting. Here's a good list of titles.


Robots/Cyborgs/Androids - Easy enough - books that predominantly feature robots, such as, I don't know, Robopocalypse or I, Robot or even perhaps Cinder. Here's a list.


Spaceships/Aliens - Any book that heavily involves either spaceships or aliens. Here's a list.


Time Travel/Alternate History/Parallel Universe - Here's a list of time travel books. "One Magic Moment" by Lynn Kurland


Alternate history is a little different. It could be as different as steampunk or as simple as the resulting history caused by the Nazis winning WWII. Here's a list of suggestions.


Parallel universe are two stories occurring simultaneously across two different universes.  Examples can be found here.


Apocalyptic/Dystopia/Utopia - Classics include Brave New World and 1984, YA titles include Divergent, The Hunger Games, Matched, Wither, Ashes, the list goes on and on. I'd even say that any zombie titles would fit into this category too. Zombies = Apocalypse


The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is highly recommended by our host. Here's a list of books: apocalyptic, utopia, and dystopia.


Cyberpunk - This is a bit subgenre of a subgenre. Cyberpunk was started in the 1980s and involves stories that tend to be about grungy societies that happen to be inundated with very high tech. It often involves some sort of crazy computer-based alternate reality and/or androids. William Gibson (Neuromancer, Pattern Recognition, Count Zero, pretty much everything he's ever written) and Neal Stephenson (Snow Crash, The Diamond Age) are your guys here. Here's a list of additional choices.


Mad Scientists/Genetic Testing/Environmental Disaster - The three most obvious titles, I think, would be Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, The Island of Doctor Moreau and Frankenstein. To broaden the spectrum, anything involving genetic testing and altering nature counts. There are additional suggestions on the sign-up post including graphic novels and your standard superhero comics. Here's a starter list of mad scientist titles.


Okay, so my daughter's reading list for her class has several of the titles suggested by the Mandroid site. I should be all set. Want to read some sci-fi this year? Go to this site and sign up! BTW, some of the comments posted here came directly from our host's sign-up post. You can find a much more detailed explanation of the categories there.

Global Reading Challenge 2012

The Global Reading Challenge (GRC) challenges you to expand your reading boundaries, go where you haven't been before, move a little outside your comfort zone.



You may read any genre so long as the books are fiction.


Decide which level you will attempt, although you can change that later if you wish. I'm trying the Easy Challenge. We'll see where it leads. If you want to see the details of the Medium and Expert Challenge, check out this post.  


Use the Mr Linky on the sign-up post to sign up with your name, the level you intend to attempt, and your blog URL. Feel free to include the logo in your blog posts or on your blog (with a link to this page)


Your reading will take place in the calendar year 2012.

The Easy Challenge

Read one novel from each of these continents in the course of 2012:

Africa

Asia

Australasia/Oceania

Europe

North America

South America (please include Central America where it is most convenient for you)

The Seventh Continent (here you can either choose Antarctica or your own ´seventh´ setting, eg the sea, the space, a supernatural/paranormal world, history, the future – you name it).

From your own continent: try to find a country, state or author that is new to you.

Sound like fun? I just realized the number of books I read that are set outside of our country, so I thought I would give this a go.



India Was One by An Indian

India Was One by An Indian


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


…Suddenly, he saw something shiny at the bottom of the abyss. He squinted his eyes to see what it was. He ran back to his binoculars and turned them to see what it was. Sharp barbed wires that separated the two mountains came into focus. He had come as far as he could in his country. But she was standing in another country.



He was in South India and she was in North India…


Have you ever imagined India being divided into two countries? What happens to the millions of Indians who are from South India but are now residing in North India? Kaahi & Jai were two such people who got trapped in this situation. Everything was going smoothly for them and suddenly, their world turned upside down.


How will they get together? Will India become one again?


Take an exciting journey with them from their college days in Mumbai to their life in the US and back to India when they find out that India is divided.

I received this e-book from the author to read and review. I guess since it started out with the main character, Jai, and his wife, Kaahni, on opposite sides of the border between North India and South India, that it would be about their difficulties in getting to each other and the reasons for the separation. It was about that, in the end, but the beginning and about the first half of the book dealt with how they met, their Indian culture and foods, what they did with their friends, their marriage, honeymoon and their first years in the USA. Although it was quite interesting, it moved a bit slowly and the historical and geographical facts that were given sometimes got in the way. The end of the book, after the split occurred, moved very quickly and was exciting. One instance though made me wonder: Jai was talking to his parents in Mumbai about the split and things that were happening and it seemed to me that he got most excited -- upset -- because the cricket matches were cancelled. He seemed to react a lot to that news -- not that the other news didn't disturb him. Maybe it was just the last straw. I really liked Bunty and was saddened by the sacrifice that he had to make. It made me realize how much he and his companions really loved India. The story flowed fairly well, but perhaps it just needs a bit of editing.






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2011 Challenge Wrap-Up

I did pretty well with the reading challenges I participated in in 2011 -- in my humble opinion. Here's a wrap-up before I put all the tracking bars back to zero:

The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge 2010 -- Mistletoe Level -- 4 books

101 Fantasy Mini Challenge -- 10/10/10 to 1/31/11 -- 6/13 books

101 Fantasy Mini Challenge -- 2/1/11 to 5/31/11 -- 6/7 books (I Won!)

101 Fantasy Perpetual Challenge -- 30/101 books

Four-Month Challenge Part V -- 250/250 points!

Four Month Challenge Part VI -- 135/250 points

Four Month Challenge Part VII -- 120/250 points

Harry Potter Reading Challenge -- 1/1/11 to 7/31/11 -- 7/7 books

Fall Into Reading -- 9/23/11 to 12/21/11 -- 12/15 books

A to Z Challenge: Books -- 17/26 books

A to Z Challenge: Authors -- 20/26 books

New Author Challenge -- 33/25 books

YA Reading Challenge -- 12/12 books

What's In A Name 4 -- 6/6 books

Romance Reading Challenge -- 10/12 books

Pages Read Challenge -- 18,664/15,000 pages

Historical Fiction Challenge -- 8/12 books

Buck-a-Book Challenge -- 50/50 books -- $50!

Victorian Literature Reading Challenge -- 4/4 books

TBR Lite Reading Challenge -- 6/6 books

Debut Romance Author Reading Challenge -- discontinued by host

Read Your Own Books Challenge -- 2/17/11 to 12/31/11 -- 33/50 books

Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge 2011 -- 11/21/11 to 1/6/12 -- so far 4/6 books

Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge -- movies -- so far 9/20 movies

Mixup Mania Challenge -- 4/1/11 to 3/31/13 -- 46/74 books

That's it! Now I have to change the HTML on all those bars...

it was a great year for reading! I'm looking forward to this year!

Happy New Year!