Okay so I meant to sign up for this challenge back in February. Oh well. I should be able to read 5 nonfiction books about health and wellness by Nov. 14.

1. The Hidden Dangers of Soy by Diane Gregg
2. Nourishing Your Daughter by Carol Beck
3. Stick Figure: A Diary of a Former Self by Lori Gottlieb
4.
5.

Okay I can't resist this one and since no one else took initiative on this one, I will. Start looking through your books for non-fiction books related to spirituality. They can be for a certain religion or none at all. About living the life you were meant to live, or being your best, or connecting with God or whatever. As long as it's non-fiction and you consider it Spiritual.

Full rules, challenge graphic and place to sign up coming within 2 weeks. I'll announce here and at the Novel Challenges blog/group when it's up.

I finished the 2nds Challenge hosted by Joy. This challenge was a lot of fun and gave me an excuse to read a 2nd book by authors I really enjoyed. Thanks for hosting Joy! Here's what I read:

• A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

I finally decided what I'll be reading for my Jewish Literature Challenge from Dec. 4, 2007 to April 26, 2008

The Christmas Revolution by Barbara Cohen
The Rabbi's Girls by Johanna Hurwitz
A Woman in Jerusalem by A.B. Yehoshua
Emil and Karl by Jacob Glatstein
Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy
The Illuminated Soul by Aryeh Lev Stollman

Plus I'll be reading Picture books and Children's Non-fiction on Hannukah and Passover that I just pick from the library at the time.

In 2008 I'll be participating in Becky's Young Reader's Challenge. I need to read 12 books aimed at the 12 and under crowd. I read a lot of these anyways so I figured why not! I'll stay away from picture books since I'm doing that for the Celebrate the Author Challenge.

List to come

Kathleen is hosting the Winter Reading Challenge.

This is a list of books I'll be reading in December, January and February.

The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad
Season of the Witch Natasha Mostert
Looking for Juliette by Janet Taylor LisleThe Slave Dancer by Paula Fox
Nim's Island by Wendy Orr
Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits by Robin McKinley
My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen
Dog Years by Mark Doty

It's here! The 2008 TBR challenge!

I didn't get to participate last year so I'm excited. I just need to finalize my list. I already have a lot of books to read so I can't choose all new books but I don't want them all to overlap either.

So the list is to come, very soon of course since I have to have it done by Dec. 31/08

Have your book-tastes changed over the years? More fiction? Less? Books that are darker and more serious? Lighter and more frivolous? Challenging? Easy? How-to books over novels? Mysteries over Romance?

My reading has changed over the years. In school, I preferred fairy tales and or Enid Blytons. In my college days, I used to read mysteries, thrillers and lots of romances. I used to read classics too but those were not so very often. I rarely read non-fiction. Unless it was to do with travelogues. Now I read more serious books. I can read non-fiction although not too much of it. I also have taken to fantasies. Although paranormal erotic fiction is beyond me even now. I do read lighter stuff but with underlying seriousness. I stay away from frivolous, meaningless reads.

I am already committed to reading from a large list of banned books so I just picked 4 for this challenge which is Feb 24 to June 30.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

For this challenge, I just need to read 3 medical mysteries or thrillers between June 1 and November 1/08

I have 8 picked out already for the 888 challenge so as long as I read three of them during that period.

So, At least 3 of:
Isolation Ward by Joshua Spangole
Manner of Death by Stephen White
Fatal by Michael Palmer
Life Support by Tess Gerritson
With a Vengence by Eileen Dreyer
Instensive Scare Unit by J.S. Borthwick
Critical Conditions by Stephen White

Once again Katrina at Callapidder Days is hosting a reading challenge. Come join the Spring Reading Thing 2008.

The challenge is for all of Spring: March 20 - June 19.

Here's what I will be reading:
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare (also for Shakespeare)
The Girls by Lori Lansens (Also for Themed Reading)
Hatching Magic by Ann Downer (Also for Here Be Dragons)
Jackfish, The Vanishing Village by Sarah Felix Burns (Also for Canadian Book)
Yellowknife by Steve Zipp (Also for Canadian Book)

Words for Annie is hosting her first challenge.

For all of 2008 I must read at least one book from each category below.

1. A book with a color in its title. - The Color Purple by Alice Walker (also for 888 and Book Awards)
2. A book with an animal in its title. - Elephant in the Playroom by Denise Brodey (also for 888)
3. A book with a first name in its title. - Lessons from Jacob by Ellen Schwarts (also for In Their Shoes)

This is a new challenge from me. From February to May 2008, read at least two books by authors who share the same name as you. More info here.

My list:
Don't Call them Ghosts: the spirit children of Fontaine Manse: a true story by Kathleen McConnell
The Sky is Falling by Kit Pearson (Also 888 and Young Adult)
Looking at the Moon by Kit Pearson (Also 888 and Young Adult)
Awake and Dreaming by Kit Pearson

I'm reading lots of Katherine's and Kathy's already too but I only need to read two so this list is enough.

I haven't participated in BTT lately, not because of my lack of internet access but because I didn't have anything to say for the topics. But this week I'm back.

"What fiction book (or books) would you nominate to be the best new book
published in 2007?(Older books that you read for the first time in 2007
don’t count.)

What non-fiction book (or books) would you nominate to be the best new
book published in 2007?(Older books that you read for the first time in 2007
don’t count.)

And, do “best of” lists influence your reading?"

Every year the same thing happens. As Good Friday approaches, I forget about my hubby's 'no meat on Friday' thing. I'm not Catholic, so of course, it doesn't really cross my mind. I don't know why hubby always forgets since he is Catholic and all. I happened to remember a couple of days ago, so it's halibut tonight.

Last night was the last new Lost episode until April 24. Kookiejar has the discussion. Talk amongst yourselves. Also here's a funny Lost show by show recap.

Anyway let's find take a peek around the web:

- Put on a bib, you're about to drool. Look at these bookshelves!

I finished the Non-Fiction Five Challenge. Given the crazy kind of month it has been at my house and my very limited reading time, I consider this quite an accomplishment. Here's what I read:

• Left To Tell - Imaculee Ilibagiza
• The Children's Blizzard - David Laskin
• Evidence Not Seen - Darlene Deibler Rose
• I Dared to Call Him Father - Bilquis Sheikh
• First They Killed My Father - Loung Ung

My rash, excessive and exuberant joining of challenges in the last few weeks has had an unexpected effect: it has spawned a new and fascinating challenge which I now must be a part of. It's the Science Book Challenge, hosted by Bearcastle, who is a newbie to the book challenge world. As part of his company Ars Hermeneutica, besides the previously mentioned Sun Truck project, there is a great area of his website called Book Notes; this challenge wants people to contribute to that area. If you like reading science-related books, of any kind, join up and check out some of the book notes which already exist on his site.

Booknut is hosting this great challenge to read 4 books by authors that are not Caucasian. More details here.

I'm definitely participating as the majority of the authors I read are white. I don't have a list of books yet but I'll work on them. I'm going to do her second choice and read one from each of the categories listed (that's 6 books, but 4 minimum to finish this challenge) This challenges is from January-April 2008

"What's In A Name?" Reading Challenge
Dates: January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008
The Challenge: Choose one book from each of the following categories.

1. A book with a colour in its title.

Several reviews are underway, but in the meantime you can peruse these links to pass the time.

First, Jake Seliger wonders why so little science fiction rises to the standards of literary fiction. (Via NewPages)

Speaking of science fiction, here's an interview with William Gibson.

Science-fiction not your thing? Well, if you're a Hemingway fan with some extra change, you might be interested in this.

Now THIS is a great idea!

This article raises an interesting question: What’s hiding in your books?

And finally, in honor of Friday the 13th, a clip that had me giggling like a little kid:

From February 1 to July 14, 2008 I'll be re-reading some books I loved as a child. I'll be reading the first 3 for sure and the last 3 are extras. My list is as follows:

Ramona The Pest by Beverly Cleary
Babysitter's Club: Kristy and the Worst Kid Ever by Ann M. Martin
The Overnight by R.L. Stine
Good Work, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
A Light in the Attic by Dennis Lee
Encylopedia Brown by Donald Sobal

Stars: ***

I was sent this book to review from Annick Press and chose to read it during the read-a-thon.

I was excited to read it because I like explanations of how math is used in real life. However I was a little dissapointed, the whole idea was great, it wasn’t just non-fiction, it was fiction too as everything was told as a story. However the explanations weren't very simple and I was lost on a few of them and I’m an adult!

Red Rage by Brigitte Blobel (Translated by Rachel Ward)
The Christmas Revolution by Barbara Cohen
Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert
Baby Be Mine by Diane Fanning
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad
Have You Found Her by Janice Erlbaum
Leaving Simplicity by Claire Carmichael
Looking for Juliette by Janet Taylor Lisle
Nim's Island by Wendy Orr
My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen

Total: 11
Fiction: 6
Non-Fiction: 5
Best Book: Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
Least Favourite Book: Looking for Juliette by Janet Taylor Lisle

Total Page Numbers: 2400

The first Book Awards challenge is coming to a close and the second one will be starting soon. The rules are slightly different this time. From August 1, 2008 - June 1, 2009 I need to read 10 books that represent 5 different awards (in other words, they can't all be from the same award) This list can be made as we go and changed at any time. I'll post some tentative reads after I give it some thought.

I was doing this Sept 2007 to Sept 2008 because I missed sign ups but now since it's starting again in 2008 and I've only read two books out of my whole list, I'm going to change those two books and make this a 2008 challenge. This also means I have to come up with an author list.

A - A Dog So Small by Phillipa Pearce
B - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (re-read)
C - Critical Conditions by Stephen White (also for 888 challenge)
D - Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor
E - Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (also for In Her Shoes Challenge)

This is a good idea. It will help me read from my other challenges. From July 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008 I need to read one book from six challenges I'm signed up for or will sign up for before then. Find out more here.

A tentative list is coming.

I found links at Joy's Blog to two more challenges that I just couldn't resist!

Both of these challenges are hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog.