… on my 2011 reading challenges. And the year technically isn’t over yet. I’m really kind of bummed at how close I got on some of them. But I’m not upset at all for not finishing all of them. I’m very happy at how much reading I’ve done this year (especially since getting that positive home pregnancy test back in September and the subsequent nausea).
However, I signed up for challenges that I had to find books to fit into certain categories. 9 times out of 10, I will fail at those types of challenges. But I don’t care, I had fun with what I did read and what categories I did fulfill!
Out of the 6 reading challenges I signed up for in 2011, only 1 was completed successfully. A second was completed without my goal being 100% met.
Instead of doing a wrap up post for each individual challenge, I’m just going to do one big post.
Criminal Plots Reading Challenge 2011 (83% complete)
I was really looking forward to this challenge; it was right up my alley. Unfortunately, I was 1 book short of completing this challenge. Here’s what I did read:
New author who’s blurbed a book you enjoyed:
Book made into a movie: The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Book with a protagonist opposite your own gender: Double Cross by James Patterson
Book set outside the country in which you live: A World I Never Made by James LePore
Book that’s the first in a new-to-you series: Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
Book by a 2011 debut author: Lonely Deceptions by D.R. Willis
Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2011 (100% complete!)
I actually finished this challenge! And I finished it early in the year. Why? Because Mystery and Suspense books are practically all I read 🙂 I love this challenge and am seriously considering signing up for 2012’s version!
Double Cross by James Patterson (Police Procedural)
Judas Kiss by J.T. Ellison (Police Procedural)
Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark (Psychological Mystery)
Cross Country by James Patterson (Police Procedural)
Divine Justice by David Baldacci
Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson (Cozy Mystery)
Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson (Cozy Mystery)
The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson (Cozy Mystery)
The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer (Legal Thriller)
Blood of My Brother by James LePore
I, Alex Cross by James Patterson (Police Procedural)
Supreme Justice by Phillip Margolin
Take a Chance Challenge 3 (60% complete)
I honestly did take a chance when I signed up for this challenge. I knew I would be stretching myself to fit all the categories. And honestly, this is the challenge that I did the worst on. But that’s okay 🙂
Staff Member’s Choice:
Loved One’s Choice: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Blogger’s Choice:
Critic’s Choice:
Blurb Book:
Book Seer Pick: State of the Union by Brad Thor
What Should I Read Next Pick : Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson
Which Book Pick: The Blue Edge of Midnight by Jonathon King
LibraryThing Pick: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Pick A Method (Random Selection; Public Spying; Random Bestseller): The Chancellor Manuscript by Robert Ludlum
The TBR Dare (85% complete)
So this challenge wasn’t really much of a challenge for me. All I had to do was only read my personal books for the first quarter of the year. I did great on this “challenge.” And while I didn’t meet my goal of 20 books, I was still very glad that I lasted until the end of the first quarter!
Double Cross by James Patterson
Judas Kiss by J.T. Ellison
Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark
Cross Country by James Patterson
Alex Cross’s Trial by James Patterson
Divine Justice by David Baldacci
Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson
The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson
The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer
The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
I, Alex Cross by James Patterson
Supreme Justice by Phillip Margolin
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
The Vig by John Lescroart
The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry
Killing Her Softly by Beverly Barton
TwentyEleven Challenge (85% complete)
I knew when I signed up for this challenge that there were categories that I would have a very hard time fulfilling. But that didn’t stop me from participating anyway. And sure enough, the categories that I knew were going to give me trouble were indeed the ones I didn’t fill. Oh well. I still enjoyed finding what I could for this challenge.
To YA or not YA… Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Shelter by Harlan Coben
…With a Twist.: Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson (cozy mystery)
Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth (Vampire thriller)
Hot off the Presses. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson
Lonely Deceptions by D.R. Willis
It Wasn’t Me! (aka Bad Bloggers*) Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
Show it Who is Boss!: The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry (on shelf since 2009)
Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath (on shelf since 2010)
Bablefish. The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Translated by Lisa Hartford)
Will-Power? What Will-Power? (aka: The Henry Ward Beecher Memorial.) Closer than Blood by Gregg Olsen
Mind the Gap. Hell’s Corner by David Baldacci (Most recent in Camel Club series)
Hotwire by Alex Kava (Most recent in Maggie O’Dell series)
Back in the Day. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Way Back When: Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark (published 1975, 10 years before my birth)
Cop Hater by Ed McBain (published 1956, 29 years before my birth)
Slim-Pickings
What’s in a Name 4 Challenge (83% completed)
This is the other challenge that I really wanted to complete. Bad. And I fell one book short. But honestly, when I looked over my books, I really didn’t have anything that I wanted to read that would fulfill the category properly. Oh well. Excuses 🙂 I’m considering signing up for the 2012 version, but I haven’t decided yet. I only took a cursory glance at the categories, I need to look at my shelves with those categories in mind before I make my final decision.
Number: The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer
Jewelry/Gem: Cross Fire by James Patterson
Size: TBD
Travel/Movement: We‘re Not Leaving by Benjamin J. Luft, M.D.
Evil: Killing Her Softly by Beverly Barton
Life Stage: Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark
Tales of a Book Addict 