Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge 2016

I signed up for another reading challenge, just for the heck of it! In the 2016 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge you try to read a book which starts with each letter of the alphabet! Find of fun...and challenging when you think about the letters X, Q, and Z.

Care to join me? You can get more information from the Escape With Dollycas page.

Reading Challenge 2016

I've never been one to participate in reading challenges. The one exception is the Witches and Witchcraft Reading Challenge sponsored by Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf. However, this year I created a reading challenge for members of my local chapter of Sisters in Crime, Murder on Ice. I thought I'd offer up the challenge to you too. There's no prize. This is just an exercise to expand your reading. Complete as much or as little as you'd like. I'd love to hear periodic updates and your final results. What do you think of this challenge?   

Reading Challenge 2016

1.       Read a book published prior to 1900.

2.       Read a book published in the 20^th century.

3.       Read a book published in the 21^st century.

4.       Read a book published this year.

5.       Read a nonfiction book.

6.       Read a romance novel.

7.       Read a cozy mystery.

8.       Read a non-cozy mystery.

9.       Read a police procedural.

10.   Read a book from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.

11.   Read a review.

12.   Read a magazine.

13.   Read a short story.

14.   Read an anthology.

15.   Read a book featuring the paranormal.

16.   Read a book written by an author NOT from the USA, Canada, or Great Britain.

17.   Read a book written by an author from the country of your primary ethnicity.

18.   Read a book about mental illness.

19.   Read a play.

20.   Read a children’s book.

21.   Read a YA book.

22.   Read a work from a member of Murder on Ice.

23.   Read a work from a member of Sisters in Crime, not in our Chapter.

24.   Read a book NOT set in the present time.

25.   Read a book from a genre you normally wouldn’t pick.

2016 Witches and Witchcraft Reading Challenge

Once again I'm participating in the Witches and Witchcraft Reading Challenge sponsored by Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf. While I'd like to shoot for the Mother Level, I think the Maiden goal is more reasonable. My goal for 2016 is to read and review 6-10 Witchy books! Are you up for the challenge?

Shopping Challenge Results

You may remember a shopping challenge I made for myself on March 28th. (You can refresh your memory here, if you'd like.) Briefly, I would wander throughout a bookstore and buy 5 books, only one being a mystery. I chose the following genres: Mystery (I just have to have one), Local History, New Age/Religion, Food, and TBD. The TBD turned out to be Psychology. So, what did I get?

The Mystery: Marked Fur Murder by Dixie Lyle. The 3rd in the Whiskey, Tango, & Foxtrot Mystery series. I love this truly unique, funny, paranormal series and was happy to pick out the latest addition which was released this April.

Local History: The Glory Days of Buffalo Shopping by Michael F. Rizzo. A neat book with lots of photos and graphics regarding stores and shopping in Buffalo, NY's past.

New Age/Religion: Isis in America by Henry Steel Olcott. This book was originally published in 1895 as Old Diary Leaves Volume 1. It's part of Olcott's memoirs and this book talks about his dealings with Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, one of the most fascinating figures in the early days of Spiritualism in America. (Religion and Utopian Societies of the mid 19th century is one of my interests.)

Food: Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson. This book explores how cooking tools have transformed how we consume and think about food.

Psychology: Whispers: the Voices of Paranoia by Ronald K. Siegel. This book explores paranoia by looking at various case studies encountered by this psychiatrist.

Now, to find time to read these fascinating choices! What about you? Have you tried my challenge? What books did you choose?

A Shopping Challenge

I've always been quite varied in my reading habits, although always tending to read more mystery, romance, and paranormal. However, since starting this blog I have been reading mostly mysteries, with periodic stops at other genres. I don't have enough time to read all the cozies I need and want to read, let alone all of the other wonderful books out there.

I met a friend at a bookshop the other day and was browsing through the entire store. I was "good" and only bought one book-and it wasn't a mystery. It was a book about garlic-it's history, lore, and more! I haven't had a chance to read it yet, and who knows when I will, but it's mine and I know I'll savour it when the time is right.

I decided to give myself a challenge. As an Easter present for myself instead of only buying cozy mysteries, which would be so easy and worthwhile to do, I'm going to branch out. Here's my challenge-and I challenge you to do the same. I will be buying 5 books, all from different sections of the bookstore. (I chose 5 purely for monetary reasons-I would love to choose more, but I can only spend so much money.) Although I will gladly peruse the entire bookstore, I intended to choose my 5 genres beforehand. However my last choice was difficult as I had several other sections I wanted to use, so the 5th will be dependent upon what catches my eye. It may be YA, Craft, Children's, Romance, or a magazine. Or something else entirely!

I will buy one book from each of the following bookstore sections: Mystery (I just have to have one), Local History, New Age/Religion, Food, and TBD.

I will report back on my specific choices. Now I want to hear from you. In what sections will you be shopping? Tell me your genres and titles-let's broaden each other's reading choices.

Happy New Year! Welcome 2015!

Happy New Year! Here's a toast to all of the readers and writers out there! May 2015 bring the best for all of us. As the new year starts, many people make resolutions and start challenges. I generally don't make any resolutions, but last year I participated in a reading challenge. I didn't do as well as I expected, but I'm going to try again this year!

Once again I'll be participating in the annual Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge at Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf. I'm shooting for the Mother Level-reading AND reviewing between 11-15 witchy books.

I'm also going to participate in The Cozy Mystery Reading Challenge hosted by Chatting about Cozies.  I said I will read 30 cozy mysteries this year.

What about you? Do you have any reading challenges or resolutions for 2015?

Witchcraft Reading Challenge

Sign up here at Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

I've never participated in a reading challenge, aside from one in the second grade, but this one caught my eye and I decided to join in. The challenge runs from Jan 1, 2014 – Dec 31, 2014 and you have to read books featuring witches! Any full length book that includes a witch as a main character or includes major witchcraft elements counts, either fiction or nonfiction. I already read a few cozy mysteries that feature witches-so my goal is fairly high. However, I also just looked at the total number of all books I read in 2013, so my goal won't be that high. I'm aiming for the Mother level-reading 11-15 qualifying books. I also intend to write a review for each of these books.

For full challenge rules and more details about joining check out Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf.