10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge!

The next and currently final challenge I am joining in the 10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge which is being hosted by Kay Cassidy over at her blog and Jessica at Chick Lit Teens!

Basically this is a challenge to read 10 chick lit books in 2010. Now I don't read much chick lit and this year I would like to change that. So this is going to be the motivation behind that!

To find out more about the challenge and to sign up yourself, check out this post!

My list:

I am only going to add a few for now, and will add more later as I go.

1. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
2. Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
3. The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
4. Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita
5. Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti
6. The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
7. 
   
8. 
   
9. 
   
10. 
    

The books in bold are titles that I already own or I already have made arrangements to receive them (blog tours and the like).

That is all I'm adding for now, I will leave the rest open and fill in as I go.

2010 100+ Reading Challenge!

The next challenge I'm joining is the 2010 100+ Reading Challenge hosted by J. Kaye over at J. Kaye's Book Blog!

This challenge is exactly how it sounds: Read 100 books in 2010. In 2009, I didn't even come close to this number, so I am aiming high to say the least. Either way, I think I can do it!

Find out more and sign up for the challenge here.

Books I've Read:

1. Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma
2. Candor by Pam Bachorz
3. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
4. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
5. Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
6. Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony
7. The Complete History of Why I Hate Her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
8. Girl on the Other Side by Deborah Kerbel
9. Windwhyst by Christine O'Neill
10. Dear Big V by Ellen W. Leroe
11. Falling for Romeo by Jennifer Laurens
12. Nailed by Jennifer Laurens
13. Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
14. 
    

The 2010 Debut Author Challenge!

The first challenge I'm joining is the 2010 Debut Author Challenge, which is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren!

What is the 2010 Debut Author Challenge?

• The objective is to read a set number of YA (Young Adult) or MG (Middle Grade) novels from debut authors published this year.* I'm going to challenge everyone to read at least 12 debut novels! I’m hoping to read at least 30! You don’t have to list your choices right away, but if you do feel free to change them throughout the year. I will also be focusing on mostly Young Adult novels.
• Anyone can join, you don’t need a blog to participate.  If you don’t have a blog you can always share your views by posting a review on Amazon.com/BarnesandNoble.com/GoodReads/Shelfari, or any other bookish site.  
• The challenge will run from January 1, 2010- December 31, 2010. You can join at anytime! 

* I would like to limit the novels to those released in 2010.

You’ll have to do all the research to make sure a novel meets the criteria for the challenge. I do have a few sites that can help with your search; 2010: A Book Odyssey/The Tenners, AuthorsNow & The Class of 2k10.

Find more information about the challenge here and sign up for the challenge on this post!

I am hoping to read at least 15 debut titles this year. Hopefully, there will be more than that, but 15 is the number I'm committing to!

My list:

Titles in bold are the ones that I either own, or already have arrangements to receive (blog tours and stuff like that)

• Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
• Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony
• Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken   
• Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White
• Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
• The Line by Teri Hall
• Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
• The Naughty List by Suzanne Young 
• Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
  
• Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
  
• The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard
• The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
• The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
• Sea by Heidi R. Kling
• Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Now this is just a potential list, although unless something happens the ones in bold will for sure be read this year, the ones not in bold are more up in the air. There are MANY MANY more that i want to read desperately, so this is just to get the post started. This list will probably be added to, subtracted from, etc. So I will keep it updated when there's something new to report.

Challenges!

Okay, so this year I didn't exactly join challenges, I just started blogging and so I spent this year learning the ropes and that kind of thing.

But towards the end of the year, I did join one challenge. I figured, it will be easy, it's two weeks long and you set your own goal and it's self paced; it sounded perfect. But then my family got in the way of what would be my first challenge, and sadly I didn't make my goal. My sister got very sick about three days into the challenge and me and my mother have exhausted ourselves in taking care of her. I didn't get to read a word for almost two weeks.

I had joined The Holiday Break Reading Challenge, My goal was five books, and since I wasn't able to read anything until January 1, 2010 (yes, I know) But since then, I've finished two. Not terrible, since my goal was five, but still. And the challenge doesn't end until midnight tonight, but I don't see me finishing another today, since I haven't actually been to sleep yet. Anyways, if I had been able to read more, this could have been a very successful challenge, but alas there was complications.

So to rectify this challenge experience I have decided to join a few for this year that I think I can accomplish! Three to be exact! Each will get there own post, but I will list them here anyways:

 The Debut Author Challenge hosted at The Story Siren

100+ Reading Challenge hosted at J. Kaye's Book Blog

10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge hosted by Kay Cassidy and Jessica at Chick Lit Teens

All the links and information to these challenges will be posted over the next three posts, so keep an eye out for them!

Holiday Break Reading Challenge: Activity #7!

So I've actually kinda slacked off on my first reading challenge. (I fell, my sister got sick and had to go to the hospital, and last minute shopping have made reading impossible) But I am hoping to fix it this week.

And in getting back on track, this is Activity #7! The activity is to pick the best and worst book to movie adaptations you've seen. So here's mine. And I will explain a bit on why I picked both.

Best: Speak

It wasn't a blockbuster or even a theater release, it was actually a Lifetime movie. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my favorite books of all time, it's so beautiful and so powerful, and the movie captured the story so well. Kristen Stewart starred in it and despite her role in Twilight, her role as Melinda in Speak showed just how talented she really is. This is my favorite book to movie adaptation, and few have been able to capture the original story anywhere near as well as Speak managed to. If you're never seen it, I highly recommend picking it up. You won't regret it.

Worst: My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult is one of the few (and first) books to ever make me cry, and I don't just mean a few tears, I mean this book made me need Kleenex kind of cry. But the movie did not live up to the expectations the book had set. I couldn't buy into Cameron Diaz being a mother or portraying the type of role she did, and the fact that they changed the end, among so many other things, just made me annoyed and angry over anything else. This was one of those books that was tragically perfect, but the movie mostly made me annoyed and bored. I know there are some that loved the movie, but I would have preferred them to stick closer to the book and not try to make it so "Hollywood" like they did. This is not something I would ever willingly sit through again.

Holiday Break Reading Challenge: Activity #1!

So today officially begins the Holiday Break Reading Challenge! The first activity in the challenge was to do something that I've seen over the blogosphere before, but never participated in, so this time I did!

The activity was to create your own Debut YA Cover and write a short synopsis! So here it is:

Synopsis:

Eighteen-year-old Natalia has gone from one thing to the next, flying through life, not taking time to really get to know anyone or focus on anything outside of school, art, and the band she started with her best friend, until now.

When Bryce, a boy from Natalia's past, shows up as her new next door neighbor, it throws Natalia through a loop. Natalia and Bryce share a secret the could potentially destroy everything she's worked for. Now Natalia has to slow down and pause long enough to find out what Bryce is doing back, and what she needs to do to get him to keep the secret a secret.

Just know that I only I was only able to spend a few minutes to put it all together, and so I hope it sounds interesting enough. I'm feeling a bit uninspired today, but I do like the picture!

What do you guys think? And if you want more information about the challenge, check it out here!

Holiday Break Reading Challenge!

That's right! I've decided to join my FIRST! reading challenge! There's been numerous one's I've thought about joining, but wasn't sure if I'd have the time, the books, or the money to buy books if I needed, but this challenge is different!

Karin explains the rules much better than I can, so I'll post those now:

1) Anyone can participate. I'm focusing on teachers and students, but if you want to cram a little extra reading in during the holiday season, please join us.

2) The Reading Challenge is designed to be self-paced. I will ask for you to set a goal for the number of books you want to read, but if you don't reach the goal - no big deal. This is for fun.

3) You don't have to provide a list of books you plan to read in advance. You can, but it isn't required. My mood determines what I read so I usually don't stick to a list. If I can't do it, I don't want to force others to do it.

4) The Holiday Break Reading Challenge corresponds with my time off from school. So, it starts on Friday, December 18, 2009 and ends on Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 at Midnight.

5) I'll have a section set up on the blog for reviews. Please link your reviews of the books you complete during the challenge.

6) Everyday there a new "Challenge" will be posted. These "Challenges" are designed to help you get to know other bloggers, talk about what you are reading, and share information about books. A new Mr. Linky (if I can figure it out) will be used in each post to record everyone's responses.

7) HERE IS THE BIG ONE! At least one prize will be given out everyday during the Reading Challenge. This might be a book, a bookmark, or other swag. No specifics lined up yet.

8) Be sure to follow the Reading Challenge on Twitter. New challenges and prize information will be announced there, too.

9. Grab the button to put on your blog.

So I've not totally decided which books I'm going to read, since like many of us our mood reflects what we'd rather read, but I may come up with a partial list this week and I'll post it then =)

By the way, my goal is at least 5 books. But hopefully more :)

If you decide you want to sign up, then head on over to Holiday Break Reading Challenge and sign up!