2012 Reading Challenges

I could be insane but I am looking at a bunch of reading challenges to perhaps participate in. And it's already the 11th, scratch that, the 13th now. This is precious reading time I have wasted. I really should have been looking into the reading challenges in the beginning of December like most other normal people would have. But at the time, I had a birthday party to deal with, Christmas presents and presents to get and wrap, Christmas cards to send out, cookies to bake and another birthday party to plan. Besides, I also hadn't even finished my 2011 reading challenges let alone start thinking of 2012!

So now that all of the above have been taken care of and I may breathe, I have been poking around and looking at challenges for this year. Oh, more of the insanity comes in since I am a bit burnt out because of these reading challenges these last few years. What is this, my 4th or 5th year of doing reading challenges? So why, oh, why am I looking at or even considering reading challenges for this year?? Especially since I also didn't FINISH last year's reading challenges!!! Probably because I'm a glutton for punishment.

It's a bit a challenge to even attempt a challenge. heehee

So these are what I have my eye on....

1 - Book Chick City is hosting the Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge.
2 - Socrates Book Review is hosting the Cruisin' thru Cozies Reading Challenge

These two are just a given since mysteries and cozies are my books of choice. It's not really a challenge per say for me but hey, if they are what I read anyway, why not count them! I can make myself feel good and think I am completing a "challenge."

3 - MizB's Reading Challenges hosts the 2012 Original TBR Challenge.

I love the concept of this challenge because it makes me focus and read the books on my TBR list. It's actually a lot harder than I anticipated. You would think it wouldn't be hard to read books you want to read. I did this last year and the problem is getting distracted by other great books and reviews. Also, I also lost interest in some books as well, so that was a problem. I think I've learned to just get rid of books I no longer want to read - not physically but off my TBR list. Many of the books on my TBR list are sequels or continuation of a series. I think this is going to be a year of "finding out what happens next!"

4 - Teresa's Reading Corner hosts the 2012 Audio Book Challenge.

I actually did not make it with the Audio Book Challenge. I will attempt it again this year. I enjoyed it. It was a break from reading. Plus now that I'm distracted by games on the Nook, listening to a book is a great option.

5 - Reading with Tequila hosts the 2012 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.

I skipped this challenge last year even though I liked it the year before. It just seemed that in 2010, I read all the books that I was interested in and the 2011 list seemed to be be similar. But now there looks be to different books to be enjoyed. Or perhaps I am more open to different books than last year.

The following ones are new to me but caught my eye. I especially like the last two. Because it involves the kids and kids' books.

6 - Historical Tapestry hosts the Historical Fiction Challenge 2012.
7 - Reading with Martinis hosts Those Books I Should Have Read 2012 Reading Challenge.
8 - Tea Time with Marce hosts the I Want More Challenge 2012.
9 - Book Journey hosts Read Dystopia Challenge 2012.
10 - The Introverted Reader hosts the Dewey Decimal Challenge.
11 - Emlyn Chand hosts the 2012 "Books that made me love reading" Challenge.
12 - mommy wants to read hosts the 3660 Minutes Reading Challenge.

Oh, and there's one more that I did last year and can't seem to find this year is a Page to Screen reading challenge which is basically reading books and then watching their movies or television shows. I didn't get to complete the challenge last year, but thought I'd give it another shot. However, I can't find it. Last year's host doesn't seem to be doing it again. So I'm going to just make one up and Ty and I are planning are doing a Page to Screen reading challenge together. We may include Luc in on it, too.

2011 End of Year Stats

I thought this would be fun to do. I stole, ahem, I mean borrowed the idea from someone else. For the first time I can actually figure out the stats because I kept a spreadsheet of the books I read. I didn't keep the best records but they are more or less accurate, just some mislabeling here and there.

12 Chick Lit
13 Children's books
1 Classic
4 Cozies
28 Culinary Mysteries
10 General Fiction
13 Mysteries
1 Nonfiction
4 Romance
1 Suspense
7 Young Adult
2 books I gave up on
1 book I returned because I realized as I was reading the first chapter that I already read the book
3 books I didn't finish by the end of 2011 - one I finished 5 days into the new year

83 books borrowed from the library
29 ebooks
33 Hardcover books - one book overlaps with an ebook because I found the ebook after I started reading the library book
35 Paperback books

85 pages was my shortest ebook read
150 pages was my shortest print book read
1162 pages was my longest ebook read
529 pages was my longest print book read

1 - 2 1/2 star book
20 - 3 star books
46 - 3 1/2 star books
18 - 4 star books
8 - 4 1/2 star books
3 - 5 star books

Oh, and the whole point of keeping the spreadsheet to keep track of the pages read:
28863 pages read

Okay that number is tweaked a little. Just a little. I have a book that I finished 1/5/12, so technically not completed at the end of 2011. However, I forgot to note what page I was on when the year ended, soooooo I just added in the total number of pages instead. I also have two books that are unfinished from 2011 that I suppose I will eventually finish however, I haven't included those numbers either. Yes, I am being anal....

2011 Reading Challenges

2011 Reading Challenges

* Audiobook Challenge
* Mystery & Suspense Challenge - DONE!
* TBR Challenge - DONE!
* Page to Screen Reading Challenge
* Cruisin' Thru Cozies Reading Challenge - DONE!

As you can see, I did not meet my reading challenges for 2011. :(

Audiobooks - needed to listen to 6 audiobooks and I was in the middle of #6 when 2011 ended. So close yet so far!

Page to Screen Reading - Read the five books but didn't watch the five movies. :( Just didn't watch #5. I supposed I could have watched 2 episodes of True Blood but just didn't have time to in the last few days before the year ended.

So, so disappointing! I almost made it...

2011 Book List

So this is what I've got so far for 2011. I think I need to update the list but the following is pretty much what I read last year, give or take a few books. I haven't been the best at keeping this updated here. Please excuse the various lists. And the repeats. I haven't a clue what I was thinking at the beginning of the year, why some books are on multiple lists, etc. But it is what it is... Maybe, hopefully, I'll make more sense in 2012! I'll have to posts my stats another time.

2011 Books

* Now You See Her by James Patterson 162 pgs
* Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich 308 pgs
* Mobbed by Carolyn Higgins Clark 255 pgs
* One Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley 371 pgs
* The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow 256 pgs
* In the Woods by Tana French
* The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larrson 395 pgs
* City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare 259 pgs
* A Million Little Pieces by James Frey 383 pgs
* Wicked by Gregory Maguire 405 pgs
* No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern 341 pgs
* East of Eden by John Steinbeck - 489 pgs
* A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrich 169 pgs
* Rosie Dunne by Cecelia Ahern 431 pgs
* Dreams of Joy by Lisa See 349 pgs
* At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks 216 pgs
* This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen 247 pgs
* Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes 518 pgs
* Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos 307 pgs
* Nefertiti by Michelle Moran 457 pgs
* Shanghai Girls by Lisa Lee 309 pgs
* Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian 362 pgs
* The Postmistress by Sarah Blake 318 pgs
* Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner 397 pgs
* The White Queen by Philippa Gregory 529 pgs
* Undead and Unappreciated by Mary Janice Davidson 271 pgs
* Distant Shores by Kristin Hannah 402 pgs
* Undead and Unemployed by Mary Janice Davidson 272 pgs
* Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner 397 pgs

Mystery & Suspense Challenge - DONE!

* 1 - Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson 315 pgs
* 2 - Whisker of Evil by Rita Mae Brown 297 pgs - don't know how to count this, since I finished after the new year
* 3 - Tick Tock by James Patterson 400 pgs
* 4 - Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris 197 pgs
* 5 - Cross Fire by James Patterson - reading
* 6 - Mary, Mary by James Patterson 319 pgs
* 7 - Club Dead by Charlaine Harris 193 pgs
* 8 - London Bridges by James Patterson 308 pgs
* 9 - Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich 192 pgs
* 10 - Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris 291 pgs
* 11 - Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris 223 pgs
* 12 - Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris 256 pgs
* 13 - Now You See Her 162 pgs

Page to Screen Reading Challenge - didn't complete the challenge, shy one movie

* 1 - The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks 463 pgs *
* 2 - P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern 375 pgs *
* 3 - He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt/Liz Tuccillo 165 pgs
* 4 - The Nanny Diaries by Emma Mclaughlin/Nicola Kraus 305 pgs *
* 5 - Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine 229 pgs *
* Alice's Adventures in Wonderland 86 pgs *
* Southern Vampire series/True Blood by Charlaine Harris

Cruisin' Thru Cozies Reading Challenge - DONE!

* 31 - Mobbed - Carolyn Higgins Clark 255 pgs
* 30 - Bedeviled Eggs by Laura Eggs 302 pgs
* 29 - Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton 281 pgs
* 28 - One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly 253 pgs
* 1 - Fed Up by Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant 259 pgs
* 2 - Roast Mortem by Cleo Coyle 186 pgs (started in 2010)
* 3 - Gingerbread Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke 359 pgs
* 4 - Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle 279 pgs
* 5 - Dying for Dinner by Miranda Bliss 250 pgs
* 6 - Murder Has a Sweet Tooth by Miranda Bliss 231 pgs
* 7 - Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck 291 pgs
* 8 - Fatally Frosted by Jessica Beck 286 pgs
* 9 - Bookmarked for Death by Lorna Barrett 286 pgs
* 10 - Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett 296 pgs
* 11 - Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke 322 pgs
* 12 - The Diva Takes the Cake by Krista Davis 304 pgs
* 13 - Death in Daytime by Eileen Davis 283 pgs
* 14 - I Scream, You Scream by Wendy Lyn Watson 300 pgs
* 15 - Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck 290 pgs
* 16 - Chapter and Hearse by Lorna Barrett 181 pgs
* 17 - Death Takes the Cake by Melinda Wells 266 pgs
* 19 - Crunch Time by Diane Mott Davidson 342 pgs
* 18 - Delicious and Suspicious by Riley Adams 269 pgs
* 20 - Dial Emmy for Murder by Eileen Davidson 284 pgs
* 21 - Throw Darts at a Cheesecake 211 pgs
* 22 - Evil Eclairs by Jessica Beck
* 23 - The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames 309 pgs
* 24 - Scones and Bones by Laura Childs 279 pgs
* 25 - Sentenced to Death by Lorna Barrett 324 pgs
* 26 - The Diva Paints the Town by Krista Davis 304 pgs
* 27 - Buzz Off by Hannah Reed 312 pgs

Ebooks

* In the Woods by Tana French 419 pgs
* The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larrson 395 pgs
* City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare 259 pgs
* Definitely Dead 405 pgs
* Uglies by Scott Westerfeld 199 pgs
* House Rules by Jodi Picoult 423 pgs
* Wake by Lisa McMann 85 pgs
* East of Eden byJohn Steinbeck 489 pgs
* The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon 1162 pgs
* Crunch Time by Diane Mott Davidson 342 pgs
* Cloud Pavilion by Laura Joh Rowland 228 pgs
* A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrich 169 pgs
* Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris 223 pgs
* At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks 216 pgs
* This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen 247 pgs
* Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich 192 pgs
* London Bridges by James Patterson 308 pgs
* Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes 518 pgs
* Mini-Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella 324 pgs
* Holly's Inbox: Scandal in the City by Holly Denham 529 pgs
* What a Lady Wants by Jennifer Crusie 153 pgs
* Watermelon by Marian Keyes 417 pgs
* Club Dead by Charlaine Harris 193 pgs
* Cross Fire by James Patterson - reading
* Mary, Mary by James Patterson 319 pgs
* Sidney Sheldon's After the Darkness by Tilly Bagshawe 333 pgs
* Living Dead in Dallas in Charlaine Harris 197 pgs
* Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - reading
* Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy - reading
* Wish by Alexandra Bullen 336 pgs
* Tick Tock by James Patterson 400 pgs

Children's Books

* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Nervous Lion 150 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Flaming Footprints 182 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Shrinking House 153 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Coughing Dragon 181 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Laughing Shadow 178 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Talking Skull 164 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Moaning Cave 160 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Fiery Eye 180 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Green Ghost 179 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Whispering Mummy 180 pgs
* The Three Investigators and the Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot 174 pgs

Re-evaluating blog

The time has come re-evaluate how I have been maintaining this blog. And quite honestly, it doesn't look so pretty from where I'm sitting. I have two weeks to figure how to do a better job in the coming year. This blog business is a lot harder than it looks. It doesn't help that I'm a reader not a writer. I've got to figure a way to make it easier on myself. I know I get lazy about searching for the cover and a summary for the books. Maybe I should stop worrying about that. It's not like I really have followers who read my blog. If it's just for me then I should make it simple for myself. Just my quick thoughts on the book. Whether I liked it or not. Rate it. The simpler it is, the more likely I'll work on it!

*sigh*

Obviously I suck! For the record, I am on book 60 for the year. Not that you can tell from my mere 2 reviews. But I have been good enough to be diligent on my excel spreadsheet. At least I am keeping up with that. I can't even remember the last time I checked in with blogger. So even my booklist is out of date. Oops.

Okay, of the 60 books, 4 books I have only been reading on and off. Truth be told, more off than on. 6 are children's books of The Three Investigators series that I am re-reading. I'm actually reading one right now. Quite frankly I'm not really into it. I started re-reading the series with zealous and excitedly wrote down all the books in the series with intention to get them from the library. I borrowed the first 6 and read them with enthusiasm. I took a break and recently put the second 6 on hold and have them on hand. But I don't have the desire to read them anymore. Shockingly, I think I might send them back unread. I don't want to fall back into the trap of forcing myself to read the books and then dreading reading like I did a couple of years back. *shudder* It was an awful feeling, not wanting to read.

I'm going to turn a new leaf and not push myself to read when I don't want to. I have Witch & Wizard on my Nook and am not feeling it. I know I only read one chapter but I do not care to force myself to read the book before it's due in a few days. So I won't.

Roast Mortem by Cleo Coyle

About this book - from Amazon.com

The pseudonymous Coyle's strong 9th coffeehouse mystery (after 2009's Holiday Grind) pays tribute to New York City firefighters. Clare Cosi, the head barista at Village Blend; Blend owner Madame Dreyfus Allegro Dubois (who's Clare's ex-mother-in-law); and Blend employee Dante Silva narrowly escape death in the bomb-activated blaze that destroys Enzo Testa's Caffe Lucia in Queens and seriously injures Enzo. Clare informs the irritating, overly flirtatious FDNY captain, Michael Quinn, a cousin of her NYPD detective boyfriend, Mike Quinn, that she suspects arson. As fire marshal Stuart Rossi swings into action, Clare is eager to help catch the firebug (aka the Coffee Shop Arsonist), but Rossi is less than enthusiastic about her getting involved. Later, the arsonist torches a Long Island coffeehouse, killing a firefighter, as a warning. While the media worry that a terrorist is loose, new, even more horrible crimes surface. Coyle (the wife-husband writing team of Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini) provides an appendix of useful tips and tempting recipes.

One thing I like about this series is that it starts off with the crime. It starts off with the "villain" and their mind frame. This is a bit different and refreshing.

It's been so long since I've read this book that I can't even remember what it's about. What I can give is the impression the book has left.

I wasn't as crazy about this book as I was the others in the series. Just the introduction of possible corrupt firefighters left a bad taste in my mouth. And Matteo with whom there is always great dialogue doesn't make much of an appearance in this book.