Reading challenges for 2012

Why a reading challenge? So that I'm pushed to pick up books for myself and finish them.

I tend to read more of children's books. Not really reading for myself. Also, I tend to read a dozen books at a time, skimming, browsing, but never really sticking with one till the end unless it can give competition to a Harry Potter.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? A little bit of both, I suppose. I get to read so much more at a time. But some books are worth sticking to, mulling over, learning from. I do that too, but not every book I read seems to get that attention. And I should be giving that kind of attention to more of those I read.

The reading challenges of 2011 set me on the way to correcting my reading habits, for sure. The rules for those challenges, though, required that I look for books beyond what I already own, and should be reading first.

So here are few challenges that a person like me, a book hoarder (who has to wade through books to get to the other side of a certain room) should take up!

Off The Shelf challenge: Hosted by Bookish Ardour.

These are the different challenge levels.:-
*Tempted - 5 books
*Trying - 15 books
*Making a dint - 30 books
*On a roll - 50 books
*Flying off - 75 books
*Hoarder - 76-135 books
*Buried - 136-200 books

This challenge requires me to read as many of the books in my collection already owned by me before 2012. Books bought after 31st Dec 2011 do not count. Crossovers permitted.

Let me sign up for Trying - 15 books at the beginning. If I can, I will try going up to the next level. I really need this kind of pressure to get through at least some of my books. (Though buried under books is more the scene at my home!)

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Mount TBR Reading Challenge. Hosted by Myreadersblock.

Only books that I own prior to 1st January 2012 count. No library books, no re-reads. Crossovers permitted.

The challenge levels are:
*Pike's Peak: Read 12 books
*Mt Vancouver: Read 25 books
*Mt Ararat: Read 40 books
*Mt Kilimanjaro: Read 50 books
*El Toro: Read 75 books
*Mt Everest: Read 100 books

I'm signing up for Pike's Peak - 12 books from my TBR pile for now. As with the previous challenge, I shall try to upgrade.

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The Unread Book Challenge of 2012. Hosted by The Hopeful Librarian.

Another challenge similar to the above two- that much more push for me to read more of the books I've accumulated!

Any books lying around on my shelves (or elsewhere!!) waiting to be read, count- even books I may buy after I've signed up! There is no limit to the number of books. So no levels. Just the pleasure and satisfaction of getting through that humongous collection of books!





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2012 Banned-Challenged Book Reading Challenge. Hosted by The Eclectic Bookshelf.

Considering that my last two years' reading included many books that are challenged / banned at some time, and that I enjoy reading books dealing with conflict, I thought I could include this challenge- upping the ante on clearing my shelves of unread books. No re-reads are allowed, and I can count these books for other challenges.



I may choose books from these lists:
The most frequently challenged books: Goodreads
Popular challenged books: Goodreads
Banned and frequently challenged classics: ALA
100 most frequently challenged books 1990-1999: ALA
100 most frequently challenged books 2000-2009: ALA

I am signing up for Level 1- for which I have to read 12 books. I really hope to read some gems from these, and I'm going to choose from books I already own...I'm sure there are many!

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2012 Fearless Poetry Exploration Challenge. Hosted by Savvy Verse & Wit.

I enjoy reading poetry, books on poetry. So it is natural that I will be reading some poetry along the way- soul food. Why not incorporate a poetry challenge along with the other challenges?

In this challenge I shall have to read and review at least 2 books of poetry. Signing up!




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Charles Dickens Reading Challenge 2012. Hosted by Newly Impassioned Soul.

I love love love the work of Charles Dickens. And this is after having read only 3 of his books in their entirety- Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities. These are books I've read over and over again.

7th February 2012 is the bicentennial anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth, and why not celebrate one of my favourite authors by reading more of his works?

So I'm signing up at the basic level- 3 books by Dickens. Why not read 3 books that I haven't yet read, but have been planning on reading forever? I will read A Christmas Carol, The Pickwick Papers, and David Copperfield, which is supposed to be autobiographical.

They can all be counted as part of my first three challenges.:)

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There is just one more challenge for which I shall sign up- the challenge I'm expecting Papertigers to host this year, and I'll be signing up for both A and myself. We had fun with their Reading the World Challenge 2011, and would like to do it in 2012 too.