The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (for Challenges)

(That's right - Christmas and Reading Challenges, they go together :)  I'd decided to cut back on the challenges I joined this year, but I think I ended up with the same number.  Most of them are different ones, though, which makes it extra fun!  Here they are and hope you find something you might want to join:

First up is my own challenge, new this year.  The Classic Double Challenge, wherein you read an older classic book and pair it with a newer retelling, sequel, or otherwise related book.  Check out my Classic Double sign-up page for more info or to join in.  I've also got a list of possibe pairs if you want to get some ideas.  I've decided to try Super Size level, which is 4 pairs of books.  I might even try to squeeze in another pair too, if I'm feeling crazy.  Here are my tentative choices:

1. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
2. New Girl by Paige Harbison

3. Persuasion by Jane Austen
4. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

5. The Frog King or Iron Heinrich
6. In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz

7. FAILED!  I only managed to read three pairs this year! :(
8.

And maybe something undecided which may or may not relate to Cyrano de Bergerac, Shakespeare, or ancient Greek mythology (keeping my options open, obviously).

Next up is another new challenge, the Dusty Bookshelf Challenge, hosted by Books: A True Story.  I have a hugely embarrassing number of TBR books and other languishing books that have been waiting so patiently for me to read.  This will give me the impetus to pick them up (I hope).  I'm doing the Dust Bunny level (5-10 books) and hoping I'll get more than that.  Here are just a few of the many needing reading:

1. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede (2+ years)
2. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (2+ years)
3. Rampant by Diana Peterfreund (2+ years)
4. The Brontes: A Life in Letters by Juliet Barker (um, maybe a decade?)
5. Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork (2+ years)
6. EPIC FAIL!!!! I didn't manage to read ANY books for this challenge :(

My next challenge is the only repeat for me, the Debut Author Challenge, hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.  I really enjoyed the emphasis this places on reading books by debut authors (something I totally wouldn't have done before I started blogging).  The challenge is to read 12 books by debut authors.  Here are some of my options:

1. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
2. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
4. Variant by Robison Wells
5. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
6. The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
7. Tempest by Julie Cross
8. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
9. Insignia by S.J. Kincaid 
10. Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin
11. Starters by Lissa Price 
12. The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann 
13. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
14. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
15. Glitch by Heather Anastasiu 
16. False Memory by Dan Krokos 
17. Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
18. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

WIN!  I completed and surpassed the goal of 12 debuts this year!  Yeah!

And lastly, I figured I would be reading as many dystopian/post-apoc/futuristic books as I could get my hands on, so why not join a challenge?  The Dystopia Challenge, hosted by Bookish Ardour looked like a good one (there are several) and I'm going for Contagion level (15 books) and hoping to get about 20 read.  I'm pretty excited to have an excuse to read more in these genres.  (See all the reviews here.) Here are some possibilities:

1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
2. Legend by Marie Lu
3. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
4. A Million Suns by Beth Revis
5. The Death Cure by James Dashner
6. Fever by Lauren DeStefano
7. Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien
8. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
9. Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
10. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
11. The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi
12. Partials by Dan Wells
13. The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker
14. Glitch by Heather Anastasiu
15. Starters by Lissa Price
16. After the Snow by S.D. Crockett
17. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
18. UnWholly by Neal Shusterman
19. All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
20. Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin
21. Rebel Heart by Moira Young 
22. Son by Lois Lowry

WIN!  I completed the contagion level of 15 books and even met my goal for 20!

What is your favorite reading challenge?

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