= Excellent
= Good/Very Good
= Okay read
= Not recommended
= Ugh! Don't waste your time.
Themed Reading Challenge - 2009 - INFO & SIGN UPS
February 1, 2009 - July 31, 2009
The Themed Reading Challenge is a six month challenge designed to help readers clear books from their to-be-read stacks which center around a common theme or themes. Here are the “rules”:
- Books should be chosen from the reader’s TBR pile (this may be an actual physical pile or a virtual pile).
- The goal is to read 4 to 6 books linked by theme.
- Overlaps with other challenges are allowed.
- Readers may change their list of books at any time.
- Readers may choose three different levels of participation:
- Read at least 4 books with the same theme.
- Read at least 5 books that share at least TWO themes.
- Read at least 6 books that share MORE than two themes.
Themes can be geographic, genre, author, subject matter, or anything in between! Last year’s themes were wonderfully creative and varied and included such things as: books about books, books set in New England, books with a color in the title, books about vampires, books with the word ‘lady’ in the title, Gothic classics, fairy tales retold for adults, highschool classics, Asian culture, feathered friends, WWII, Canada, books in translation, and Beverly Cleary. There were many others I have not listed here!
The only thing limiting your choices is your imagination - so have fun!
Sign-ups for this challenge will close on March 30th. Please use Mr. Linky below to link DIRECTLY TO YOUR POST about the challenge which should include your theme (or themes) and preliminary list of books. As I did last year, I will provide a Mr. Linky for you to link to your reviews for February/March, April/May, and June/July…as well as for your wrap up posts. IF you do not have a blog, you may still participate…please just enter your name in Mr. Linky below with no http link OR leave me a comment on this post.
Topics: Main Page, Sponsored Challenges |
November 16th, 2008 at 14:09
Thanks for hosting! I look forward to participating in this challenge!
November 16th, 2008 at 15:26
Thanks for hosting this challenge ;0)
November 16th, 2008 at 15:29
I am excited about this challenge!
November 16th, 2008 at 16:10
I’d like to sign up for this please. I will link when I’ve written my post and thought about a theme. This should be fun.
November 16th, 2008 at 17:31
I’m in but don’t have a theme yet so I’ll sign mr.linky when I do.
November 16th, 2008 at 19:49
I’m in, too . . . as soon as I decide on a theme!
November 16th, 2008 at 20:47
Great challenge idea. Will write a post this coming week.
November 17th, 2008 at 05:34
I’m in for this. I’ll try to get my themes and book list up today or tomorrow. When I do, I’ll sign up with Mr. Linky.
November 17th, 2008 at 07:50
I loved this challenge Wendy! I am so glad you are hosting again!
November 17th, 2008 at 09:35
Started building my list. Can’t wait till Feb!
November 17th, 2008 at 10:14
Thanks for hosting the challenge. Count me in. Thanks - Nely
November 17th, 2008 at 10:15
No blog of course. I will do this probably with mysteries, not many of my TBR books are similar. I have a bunch of Connoly, several Evanovitch, a few Sandford.
November 17th, 2008 at 16:08
Count me in. Sounds like the challenge I need to move some books in my TBR stack.
November 17th, 2008 at 16:14
Count me in sounds like fun.
November 17th, 2008 at 20:52
I love this challenge idea! I’ll link after I post - I have to think about this a bit!
November 19th, 2008 at 07:59
I’m in! Thanks for hosting.
November 19th, 2008 at 14:37
Where did Mr Linky go?
Anyway I’ve decided on my theme.
2009: A Year in Books
The sequence starts: Two Faces of January / Summer in February / The March / Broken April …
I intend to read my theme throughout the whole year.
November 19th, 2008 at 20:46
This sounds like a great challenge. Now I just have to find a common theme among my piles of TBR books. I’ll link up as soon as I get settled.
November 20th, 2008 at 06:29
Sounds great I always need to be reading from TBR now have to sort some fun themes out.
November 20th, 2008 at 08:23
Thank you all for being so enthusiastic and signing up! Lizzy…Mr. Linky is back up (he must have been sleeping when you stopped in) so come on back and link up!
I promise to stop in at your blogs over the weekend and see what your themes are
November 20th, 2008 at 08:57
I’m linked-up and have decided on a theme. Check out my post here where I explain why I’ll be rummaging through my husband’s books: http://texasredbooks.blogspot.com/2008/11/to-be-read-book-challenge.html
November 20th, 2008 at 15:28
I plan on joining — I just need to think of a theme!
November 22nd, 2008 at 04:12
Just signed up:)
I will be reading writings by and about artists (including writers). Plath’s journal, Gaskell’s biography of Charlotte Bronte, the letters of van Gogh etc…
November 22nd, 2008 at 18:25
I plan to join. Four books with the same theme sounds about right. Now I just need to think of a theme.
Options:
Poetry
Classics I Missed In School
Mysteries (no challenge there, for me!)
My blog-readers’ choice: browse the archives, leave a comment and assign me a theme!
November 23rd, 2008 at 18:52
I’m in. Thanks for hosting again.
November 23rd, 2008 at 18:53
Elizabeth: I like your idea to have your blog readers choose your theme for you! Sounds like fun
November 27th, 2008 at 11:12
I plan to join in again this year, but I haven’t decided what my theme is going to be. I will be back when I have that worked out!
November 27th, 2008 at 11:35
Amanda said:
Coming up with a theme was hard! But I’m in and I managed to find three themes, though it was a bit of a stretch.
Amanda - sorry my blog was flipping out yesterday and deleted some comments…I’ve re-posted your comment!
November 28th, 2008 at 12:08
Hi!
Would love to do this challenge. I have this challenge and my list of books posted. Take Care!!
Sherrie
November 29th, 2008 at 21:32
Glad you’re doing this one again!
December 1st, 2008 at 00:46
This is a great challenge. By the way, I impulsively typed in Mr. Linky the incomplete link to my post about the challenge. It’s actually in http://becomingjudie.wordpress.com/2008/12/01/early-2009-challenges/.
Thank you.
December 2nd, 2008 at 05:32
Ummm…the Mr. Linky isn’t showing up but here is my list. Thanks for hosting this Wendy!http://hikaruthedragon.livejournal.com/15861.html
December 3rd, 2008 at 01:42
Please disregard the last comment (except for the part about thanks for hosting…I still mean that!)
Mr. Linky is working for me today. My list is number 34.
Quenby, looking forward to starting my 2009 Challenges!
December 3rd, 2008 at 14:59
I’m set up and ready to go with 4 books by British 20th century writers with birds in the title.
December 4th, 2008 at 08:45
Judie: I fixed your link
Quenby: Mr. Linky has been very unpredictable of late! He was down for most of that day…glad you came back and checked again!!
It is so nice to see all the enthusiasm for this challenge…I’m looking forward to checking out your themes!
December 7th, 2008 at 12:21
This is my second challenge
these are rather fun to find books for!
December 12th, 2008 at 23:17
Thank you for hosting! I’ve decided to read books by Utah authors.
December 13th, 2008 at 18:32
Thanks for hosting. I’m doing the 4-book participation, and my four books are all dystopian novels.
December 13th, 2008 at 22:07
Okay, I’m linked and ready to go. I found some books in my stacks with references to music in the titles so that’s my theme. It should be fun.
December 14th, 2008 at 08:38
Wendy,
My theme is new-me-to female authors currently living in NYC. My post can be found here: http://scoutlee.wordpress.com/2008/12/14/2009-themed-reading-challenge/
December 16th, 2008 at 01:53
Haven’t picked my theme - but am going for the first option: to read at least 4 books all with the same theme.
December 18th, 2008 at 17:40
I have about a dozen books on nonbelief (humanism, atheism and agnosticism) which have been calling to me.
December 18th, 2008 at 20:44
Ug Wendy, you sure don’t make it easy to cut back on challenges! I’m in for 4 books. You’ll never guess in a million years what my theme is, historical fiction. LOL!
December 20th, 2008 at 10:15
My theme is books with a musical instrument as a major plot device and you can see my list here: http://www.careyfamily.org/2009-reading-challenges/
December 21st, 2008 at 02:49
I’m in, thanks for hosting!
December 21st, 2008 at 09:46
I love seeing so much enthusiasm about this challenge - and your themes are so wonderful! I’m trying to make my way through all your posts
December 21st, 2008 at 15:53
I’d like to sign up for this - need to decide on my theme - probably medical suspense but need to check my TBR list.
December 21st, 2008 at 16:36
Nope. gonna do a different theme.
Will sign up before January.
December 21st, 2008 at 18:14
Great idea for a challenge! I’m in.
December 21st, 2008 at 19:41
I’m in! My theme will be cozy mysteries.
December 22nd, 2008 at 03:51
Yay I can totally do this as I have a planned reading theme already picked for 2009. I’ll be reading about the 17th century in all its glory - civil war, european intrigue etc
December 22nd, 2008 at 09:44
I’m in! I will pick the 5 book-version with one theme being “Sisters In Literature”. About the second theme: I’m not sure yet.
December 22nd, 2008 at 16:19
Thanks for hosting this challenge. I had fun coming up with my list…trying to find six books with more than two themes. My list is at the address below. See you in February.
http://bookpsmith.blogspot.com/2008/12/themed-reading-challenge-2009.html
December 24th, 2008 at 11:09
My theme is biblical fiction - stories about people from the Bible
December 25th, 2008 at 12:17
I’ve signed up too. Wish me luck!
December 26th, 2008 at 01:19
I know that one of my themes will be Doctor Who. I am coming up with more themes.
Judy/Intergalactic Bookworm
December 26th, 2008 at 04:56
Thanks for hosting again! =)
December 26th, 2008 at 10:47
I’m joining in on the fun this year!!! I am going to be participating in the 5 Books/2 Themes choice. My 2 themes are women authors/vampire genre.
December 27th, 2008 at 12:13
This sounds great! I am going to choose the 4 books and my theme is culinary mysteries. I haven’t picked out the 4 books yet but will in the next day or two. http://nancysrecipes.wordpress.com/reading-challenges-2009/
December 30th, 2008 at 13:59
Hi!
I’m joining too, I’m reading four books about eating disorders.
Direct link to the post:
http://shaluna.livejournal.com/68044.html
December 30th, 2008 at 15:29
I’m excited about this one. I’m going to read four books by Ian McEwan.
January 1st, 2009 at 08:31
I’ve signed up for 6 books w/one theme. Books I own that have the word devil in the title. Thanks for hosting!
http://retroreduxsreviews.blogspot.com/2009/01/themed-reading-challenge.html
January 1st, 2009 at 11:07
Thanks for hosting! I’m trying to organize my challenges, so no theme quite yet.
January 2nd, 2009 at 01:52
i’ll go for “6 books which made last year’s booker longlist”
(sharon bakar)
January 2nd, 2009 at 15:36
Just signed in! I’m doing 4 books with LOVE in the title.
January 3rd, 2009 at 23:15
Thanks. This challenge looks like fun.
January 4th, 2009 at 09:04
Could you delete number 32? I changed where my challenge posts are.
January 4th, 2009 at 09:31
All set, Callista
I am blown away by how many people are signing up - thank you! I am also loving the variation in themes!!
January 4th, 2009 at 09:57
This sounds great. I have a TBR pile that is taller than my ceiling.