2016 Reading Challenges - Final Update

Hi Everyone!
I'm pleased to announce that I have actually finished all of my reading challenges!

I told you a while ago that I had finished the Bethany House Challenge.

With the Anne of Green Gables challenge, I decided that I had already read the final book earlier in the year - Blue Castle. Plus I had actually had enough of reading her books. Not that I don't  like them (they are childhood favourites), but I was ready to move on to other things.

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With Christmas reading, came the end of the 2016 ABC Soup Challenge.

A - Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
B - Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson
C - Crime Scene Jerusalem By Alton Gansky
D - The Director's Cut by Janice Thompson
E - Every Storm by Lori Wick
F - Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter
G - Greetings From the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay
H - A House Divided by Robert Whitlow
I - In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon
J - Jennifer by Dee Henderson
K - Kilmeny of the Orchard by L. M. Montgomery
L - Lethal Beauty by Lis Wiehl
M -  A Murder Among Friends by Ramona Richards
N - Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island (Lonely Planet Guide)
O - One More Wish by Robin Jones Gunn
P - The Pounamu Prophecy by Cindy Williams
Q - The Quilt by T Davis Bunn
R - Rest Assured by Vicki Courtney
S - Seaside Blessings by Irene Hannon
T - Twice Stolen by Susanne Timpani
U - Undetected by Dee Henderson
V - A Victorian Christmas Cottage by Catherine Palmer, Debra White Smith, Jeri Odell & Peggy Stoks
W - Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow
X - XXIII Olympic Games: The Official Pictorial History, Los Angeles
Y - You Are Special by Max Lucado
Z - Zen Doodle Unleashed by Tiffany Lovering

The final book was for the letter V.

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My other reading goal for the year was to read at least 120 books. I made that yesterday!
There will be a couple more finished by New Years Eve, but I'm happy to have reached that goal.

These books included both fiction and non-fiction and all of the books included in my other reading challenges.

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I don't know if I will be doing any reading challenges next year (other than setting my self a goal of a number of books to read for the year).
I know I won't be doing another ABC Challenge, although I know that is being run again next year.

So stay tuned for news on that account.

2016 Reading Challenges - Update 4

Since my last update I have figured out the last books that I needed for this challenge and read all but one of them.

A - Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
B - Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson
C - Crime Scene Jerusalem By Alton Gansky
D - The Director's Cut by Janice Thompson
E - Every Storm by Lori Wick
F - Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter
G - Greetings From the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay
H - A House Divided by Robert Whitlow
I - In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon
J - Jennifer by Dee Henderson
K - Kilmeny of the Orchard by L. M. Montgomery
L - Lethal Beauty by Lis Wiehl
M -  A Murder Among Friends by Ramona Richards
N - Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island (Lonely Planet Guide)
O - One More Wish by Robin Jones Gunn
P - The Pounamu Prophecy by Cindy Williams
Q - The Quilt by T Davis Bunn
R - Rest Assured by Vicki Courtney
S - Seaside Blessings by Irene Hannon
T - Twice Stolen by Susanne Timpani
U - Undetected by Dee Henderson
W - Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow
X - XXIII Olympic Games: The Official Pictorial History, Los Angeles
Y - You Are Special by Max Lucado
Z - Zen Doodle Unleashed by Tiffany Lovering

So that leaves me with just one more book for the challenge!! I won't be reading this one for a little while because it is a Christmas book.

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I've finished the Anne series and started on the last 4 books for this challenge. I'm still not sure what the final book will be, although I may just count one that I read earlier in the year.
Since my last post I have read:

• Rainbow Valley
• Rilla of Ingleside
• Kilmeny of the Orchard.

I finished Kilmeny of the Orchard just this morning.

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I managed to add 2 books for this challenge, leaving me with just one to go.

• Takes place during your favourite season: Toss the Bouquet by Janice Thompson, Amy Matayo and Ruth Logan Herne
• Is at least 100 years old: Misstress Elizabeth Spencer by Elizabeth C. Traice

So how are you going with your reading challenges?

2016 Reading Challenges - Mid-Year Update

I know, I know ... you haven't heard from me about what I'm reading lately. If you read my last post for my Get Talking series you would see that I've been changing over computers and did't have the files I needed until recently. Some people would say, why don't you just put everything on a cloud so you can access it everywhere. Well, how secure are they? Anybody could hack into them if they really wanted to, so I'll stick with having things on my own device. Anyway, on to books ...

Just 2 more books in the Anne series to read, then on to other L M Montgomery books. I'm still not sure whether I'll try to read as many of her books as possible (as a friend suggested) or not. But I've still got time to work things out, since it is only June.

June's book was Anne of Ingleside. I love reading about the antics of her and Gilbert's children. More to come in the next book - Rainbow Valley!

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I've been doing really well on the Alphabet Soup Challenge - just 6 books to go. Since my last update, I have added (books in bold added since last update):

A - Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
B - Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson
C - Crime Scene Jerusalem By Alton Gansky
D - The Director's Cut by Janice Thompson
E - Every Storm by Lori Wick
F - Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter
G - Greetings From the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay
H - A House Divided by Robert Whitlow
I - In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon
J - Jennifer by Dee Henderson
L - Lethal Beauty by Lis Wiehl
M -  A Murder Among Friends by Ramona Richards
N - Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island (Lonely Planet Guide)
O - One More Wish by Robin Jones Gunn
P - The Pounamu Prophecy by Cindy Williams
S - Seaside Blessings by Irene Hannon
T - Twice Stolen by Susanne Timpani
U - Undetected by Dee Henderson
W - Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow
Y - You Are Special by Max Lucado

I'm in the middle of a book for 'R', then I just need to work out K, Q, V, X and Z.

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Finally the Bethany House 2016 Reading Challenge.
It's been a struggle to find books for this one, but I have managed to add a few squares.

Added this time are:

• Is a nonfiction book about the era/setting of a favourite novel - Lonely Planet Guide: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island
• You found at a yard sale or thrift store - You are Special by Max Lucado
• Has a character with your best friend's name - Jennifer by Dee Henderson (the character is also the title of the book!)

One of my sisters was also doing this challenge, and she has now finished. We will be reading the same book for 'Is at least 100 years old.'

Now you are all up-to-date with my reading challenges. How are you going with yours?

Reading Challenges 2016 - Update 2

I guess you think I've forgotten about my reading challenges for this year ... but you would be wrong. I've made a little progress or a lot depending on the challenge, but haven't really had the time to blog about it. Plus I'm in the middle of changing over computers, and I have not yet been able to transfer over files.

So, here are the updates so far.

I did actually start the next 2 books in the Anne series before the end of the month, but finished them in the correct month. So I've finished:

• Anne of Green Gables
• Anne of Avonlea
• Anne of the Island

I was talking about this challenge with a new friend, and I decided to read as many books by L M Montgomery as I could this year, not just limiting myself to the Anne books and the ones I listed when I first posted about my reading, so I have also read:

• The Blue Castle

So there you have it. I'm going well, in fact, you could say that I am ahead of things, having already finished 4 books. I'm in the middle of another series at the moment, but the next book I read will be Anne of Windy Willows (or Poplars, depending on which edition you happen to have).

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I've been updating my Alphabet Soup page on my blog, so you may already know that I am already 50% through this challenge, with books for 13 letters read. The ones in bold I added since my first update.

A - Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
B - Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson
C - Crime Scene Jerusalem By Alton Gansky
D - The Director's Cut by Janice Thompson
E - Every Storm by Lori Wick
F - Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter
G - Greetings From the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay
H - A House Divided by Robert Whitlow
P - The Pounamu Prophecy by Cindy Williams
S - Seaside Blessings by Irene Hannon
T - Twice Stolen by Susanne Timpani
U - Undetected by Dee Henderson
W - Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow

Unlike a lot of people participating in this challenge, I am not planning ahead of time what books I will read for each letter. As I read a book that fits a letter that I haven't done yet, I add it to my list. I may need to plan a little for Q, X and Z, but so far I'm not having much trouble finding books. The book I'm currently reading will add another letter.

It's pretty good to be halfway through already and only be a third of the way through the year.

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Finally, the Bethany House 2016 Reading Challenge.

This one is a little harder to find books to fit the categories, I think, than their challenge last year. However, I have got 6 of the 12 squares crossed off, so I am also up to 50% on this challenge too.

The corresponding books for this challenge are:

• You haven't read since you were a teenager - The Blue Castle by L M Montgomery
• Is set in a place you'd like to visit - Anne of Avonlea by L M Montgomery (yes, I know Avonlea is not a real place, but I would like to visit Prince Edward Island)
• Has an animal as a significant character - Winnie the Pooh by A A Milne
• Another author recommends - Against All Odds by Irene Hannon (recommended by Dee Henderson)
• Ends a series - Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes by Robin Jones Gunn

That rounds out the books to date. I have a plan for the book found at a yard sale or a thrift store - I actually have 2 to choose from. My Mum keeps suggesting books for one that is at least 100 years old, but I haven't made up my mind which of her suggestions to take up (if any).

And that is the end of my update.

Happy reading!

2016 Reading Challenges - January

I'm on track with the Anne of Green Gables Challenge. I finished Anne of Green Gables, but I must admit I'm finding it hard not to just keep reading the series and limit myself to just one book a month.

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6 Letters done for the Alphabet Soup Challenge
A - Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
B - Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson
E - Every Storm by Lori Wick
G - Greetings From the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay
S - Seaside Blessing by Irene Hannon
U - Undetected by Dee Henderson

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And finally, I have made it on the board for the Bethany House Challenge.

This one is common to all three challenges:

• Anne of Green Gable by L M Montgomery

2016 Reading Challenges

Happy New Year everyone!
So, today begins another year of reading ... which books will I read?

Yes, I have decided to do a reading challenge ... or three!

The first is the 2016 Anne of Green Gables Reading Challenge.

The guidelines are:

Guidelines:

• I’m going to keep it really simple. All you have to do is complete books 1-8 between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016. I’m not setting a schedule, just read at your own pace. Easy, peasy, lemon squeasy!
• Any format is acceptable (hard copy, e-book, audiobook)
• Crossovers to other challenges are allowed encouraged, and totally expected 

Extras: (Updated)

• Since there are 12 months and only 8 books, I decided to add two more titles to my list. If you want to do a book a month, that would leave room for 4 additional titles.

I'm planning to read one a month, but I think I'll find it hard not to just read through the whole series at once.
As well as the Anne books, I plan to read:

• Jane of Lantern Hill
• Magic for Marigold
• Kilmeny of the Orchard
• ? ... The last one I'm not sure of yet, so stay tuned.

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The second challenge is kind of a follow on from 2015. Once again Bethay House is running a reading challenge. I enjoyed it last year, so I thought I'd join in again. One of my sisters was doing it with me last year, and the other one will join me this year.

These are the categories:

I've already got a few ideas for some of these categories, and there will be some cross-overs with at least one of the other reading challenges I'm doing (but probably both)!

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The final challenge is the 2016 Alphabet Soup Challenge.

I liked the idea of this challenge and thought it would be a fun one to do - a real "challenge" for some letters!

I'll be setting up a page on my blog dedicated to this challenge, which I'll update at I go. I'll also add them to my challenge update posts.

There will be some cross-overs with the other challenges, but that is fun too.

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I can't promise regular monthly updates, but I'll do my best to update at often as I can.