High Summer Read-a-Thon July 16 - July 22

High Summer Read-a-Thon July 16 - July 22

July 16, 2012 – July 22, 2012

The True Book Addict is hosting a July read-a-thon! Here is more about the read-a-thon:
Books read must be novels or novellas, adult or young adult are fine, but no children's books. Of course, non-fiction is fine too.

You DO NOT have to participate the entire week. Join in when you can, start in the middle, end early...whatever works best for your schedule.

True Book Addict will not be hosting any mini-challenges during the read-a-thon. Trying to keep it more about the reading here by eliminating time spent completing mini-challenges.

There will be a participant giveaway at the end of the read-a-thon for those who sign in at the starting line and complete a wrap-up post. Number of winners will be determined by the number of prize donations I receive.

Other participants may host their own mini-challenges/giveaways, but participation in these is entirely optional.

You do not have to have a blog to participate. You can sign-up, sign-in, and wrap-up...all from Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads. You can also do updates from those locations, if you do not have a blog.

We will be on Twitter during the read-a-thon, tweeting under#HSreadathon. We had some nice little reading sprints last time on Twitter. No prizes, just bragging rights. Fun!

Follow Me Friday #1

 

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
• If you’re new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Our Feature – Cayce @ Fighting Dreamer

1. I started my blog almost exactly 6 months ago, simply because I wanted a place to talk about the books I’ve read. I’d been reading a couple of book blogs for months and thought “Why not start my own?” So I did. Fighting Dreamer is my first blog ever, and I hope to keep blogging for a long time.
2. My favorite part of book blogging is the community, the interaction I have with the other readers and bloggers. I love getting comments and hearing back from my readers. Through blogging, I have “met” many wonderful people from around the world, and discovered books I would never have known about otherwise.
3. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. I also love Pride & Prejudice, Twilight and books by Stephen King, Agatha Christie. And my newest favorite is Slammed by Colleen Hoover.
4. One of the highlights of blogging is getting to know so many people who share my obsession love of books. And the chance to interact with authors I admire.

Q: Q: Birthday Wishes — Blow out the candles and imagine what character could pop out of your cake…who is it and what book are they from??

It's been awhile since I've read anything with a character I wanted so I'm going to have to say a character from one of my Urban Lit novels.

Reading Road Trip - Play Book Tag

Play Book Tag (a group located on Shelfari) often have games. I have late to the game on this one but I going to play anyway. So here are the deets! It sounds complicated and there's alot of info.

READING ROAD TRIP June 1st 12:00 AM EST to August 31st 11:59 PM EST

Summertime is finally here! And what better way to celebrate than to go on a road trip....a Reading Road Trip! Below you will find the rules and guidelines.

Goal: To read books that take place in all 50 states plus Washington DC.
Rules:
1. The characters must actually go to the state and mention it or a city in the state by name. If the location is visited in a flashback in which the story switches to the time period when the characters were actually there then that counts. Simply telling a story about when a character was there without the story switching to that time does not.
2. When you post your review, you must include the name of the state you are claiming points for and a short sentence about what the characters did there.
3. You receive one point per state. (51 points total with DC)
4. A maximum of five states can be claimed with one book.
5. You cannot claim the states until you finish the entire book.
6. Children's books will not count for this challenge.
7. The game will begin June 1st at 12:00 AM EST and will end August 31st at 11:59 PM EST.
Bonuses:
1. If you read one book that visits more than five states, you get a bonus point.
2. You can visit up to ten states twice for an extra point each. You still just get ONE POINT for each of these states. You do not get one point for reading it and a second point for going there twice.
3. If your book also fits the monthly tag, you get two bonus points. The book must be tagged the exact monthly tag on Shelfari to receive the point.
4. If your book mentions a place that is actually a tourist place that is open to the public, you can earn 3 points by telling us basic tourist info about the place: what are their hours? What is the entrance fee? What age group is it targeted to? Four sentences about one of aspect you would be sure to see and why. You can do this a maximum of 5 times but only once per book!
5. When you read a book that takes place in the state you currently live, you can earn 3 points by telling us why YOUR state is the best place to visit on a summer road trip! Include at least three things we could do (i.e. good restaurants, outdoor activities, festivals, plays that are coming to town, the possibilities are endless!) with a couple of sentences description each. You can only do this once. These attractions do NOT have to be mentioned in your book. You are the state expert - show off your home! :)
Note: If you are an international member, please send me a PM and I will randomly select a state for you. If you would like to suggest a state because you have family there, used to live there, have visited and want to brag about the cool stuff you did, you can mention that in the PM and that will most likely work as well.
6. The admins have a summer full of travel planned! We will be announcing one week before our departure the state we are traveling too. If you read a book that takes place in that state by the time we return from our trip, then you will earn a bonus point.
Note: if you have already read for that state and are maxed out on the your extra points for visiting a state twice, you can still earn these points.
Prizes:
1. Completed all 50 states + DC first - $15 Amazon GC.
2. Most points at the end of the competition - $10 Amazon GC.
3. Completed all 50 states + DC with fewest number of books - choice of books from Linda + 5 participation points.
4. Completed all 50 states +DC with most number of books - choice of books from Linda + 5 participation points.
5. Everyone who finishes in the time frame gets 5 participation points.
Score Reporting:
There will be one thread for score reporting and I will start the thread on June 1st. Please DO NOT make a post for yourself and then post your scores as replies. This makes it very hard to keep track of scoring and shelving.
You are welcome to have your own thread to keep track of what you plan to read and your progress as you go along, but will need to copy your reviews to the main thread to get the points.
If you are claiming points please follow the example format. You will also need to include your review in your post and may include a running total and state count if you like.
State: South Dakota: The main characters visit South Dakota to investigate a mine.
State: Washington D.C.: The main character is a Hill staffer in the Capitol.
Bonus: tagged Suspense
Bonus: The US Capitol is a tourist destination that I would visit. It is free to the public....
Total: 7 points

Bunnita's Reading Travel Buggie

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

This is a story about teenage love and angel. It’s suspenseful and a little dangerous. It is a character driven and quite interesting. I wish they would’ve gotten more into the story of Patch as the book focused on the events that the two were going through with only little flashbacks or hints into Patch’s past.

State: Maine: 1pt

Bonus: tagged  Suspense 2pts

Total: 3pts

He Was My Man First by Nancey Flowers and Courtney Parker

This is a story about infidelty, love, trust, and a little obsession. It is fast paced and drama filled. The characters are not likable but real enough. Unfortunately the attitudes of the characters are the attitudes of many people. Women who actively try to take another man woman. Women who blame the woman more than she blame her man for cheating. And men who cheat because there women available to cheat with and woman who will tolerate being cheated on.

State: New York: 1pt
Total: 1pt
Cumulative Total: 4pts


Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine - Hush, Hush
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York - He Was My Man First
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina - Virals
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia - The Rocky Road to Romance
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

2012 Harry Potter Reading Challenge

2012 Harry Potter Reading Challenge

Whether you have read the series 30 times, just once, or are--like me--hiding your ignorance in the closet, this challenge is for you. Don't let the spirit of Potter die with the last movie. Bring it back by reading the books!

The challenge:

Read all seven books in the Harry Potter series during 2012.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

• The challenge will run from January 1st, 2012, to December 31st, 2012. Books read before or after this time frame do not count. You can join anytime until the challenge ends.
• Books can be in any format: Print, ebook, audiobook, etc..
• You do not have to review the books to participate, although you are more than welcome to. If you choose not to review, you can also do the following and still be eligible for prizes:
• Answer the discussion questions each month
• Create a post talking about each book after you finish (any topic)
• Just update your kickoff post after each book
• Those without blogs can leave a comment with their thoughts/review/review link.
• Because this is open to those who have already read HP, old reviews will be accepted. Whether you have read the books within the challenge time frame is on the honor system, so please be honest!
• Be sure to leave the relevant links in each linky to be entered into the drawings for prizes (more on that below).

Once the challenge begins, there will be a new item in the menu bar titled: 2012 HPRC. This will take you to a page that will list all the related posts and linkys where you can post your reviews or discussions.

All About You Reading Challenge

  from Goodreads
Because this is challenge is all about you, you can choose the order, you can trade out one monthly challenge for one you create, or you can substitute the sign or gem you wish you had for the one that is yours. Just let this challenge reflect the uniqueness of you, because this challenge is, after all, All About You.

Month 1: Read your Birthday Month (Spell it out challenge)
M
A
Y
Month 2: Read your Birthstone (Spell it out challenge) or read 3 or 4 books with covers that match the color of your birthstone or 3 or 4 books with the name of your Birthstone in the title

Month 3: Read your sign (Spell it out challenge)
G
E
M
I
N
I
Month 4: Read your Chinese zodiac sign (Spell it out challenge)
H
O
R
S
E
Read your favorite flower (Spell it out challenge) or read 3 or 4 books with your favorite flower on the cover
Month 5: Read 3 or 4 books set in a country you'd like to visit
Month 6: Read 3 or 4 books from your favorite genre
Month 7: Read 3 or 4 books with your child or a friend
Month 8: Read 3 or 4 books written by some of your favorite authors
Month 9: Set yourself a personal goal to exceed the amount of books you normally read in a month
Month 10: Read one of your favorite foods (Spell it out challenge)
Month 11: Read 3 or 4 books by authors you've never read before, but have been meaning to
Octavia E. Butler - Wild Seed (actually wanted to read Kindred)
Month 12: Read your favorite Book Crush's name

P.S. If you want a specific part of the challenge to last longer than a month or shorter it's up to you. You decide. No pressure. It's just for fun. :)

I Love Reading Challenges Facebook

I Love Reading Challenges is a group at the website Shelfari. We also have a fan page on Facebook. If you have a book blog you may want to consider like our page. We posts reading challenges since this is the primary focus of our group but we also post other things. Chances are that things from your blog are posted there or soon will be. We are all about the book blogging community and share book blogs with each other. Author news, give-a-ways, read-a-thons anything book related can be posted there. Also we would like people to just chat. Chat about books you like, blogs you like or visited, give tips book/blog related subjects. If you like this group you will see something posted at least twice a week.

The 50 States Reading Challenge 2012

The 50 States Reading Challenge 2012

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Are you ready to take the challenge!?!

The goal of this challenge is to read books that are set in each of the fifty states. Your books can be of any genre and any format (ie. paperback, ebook, audiobook, etc.). No short stories. Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine. (Re-read reviews must be written within the year 2012; you can not use old reviews.)

You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. The idea of this challenge came from a Goodreads group.


**Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.
**Non-Bloggers: Sign up in the comments section. Post your reviews with other book sites (ie. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Shelfari, etc.) and post the link in the comments section of the 50 States Reading Challenge. (will post January 1).

When you sign up on Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your blog post about this challenge. Include a link to this post, so that your followers can sign up too! You can either list your books on your challenge post, sidebar, or a page dedicated to your challenges.

Feel free to sign the Mister Linky with your name and blog name. (ie. Tasha (Book Obsessed)) or just your blog name (ie. Book Obsessed) You are welcome to sign up now, but please check back on January 1, 2012 for the 50 States Reading Challenge Review Link! (You will be able to link your review of the book for others to read and drive traffic to your blog.)

My books:

Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich (New Jersey)
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Minnesota)
He Was My Man First (New York)
Virals (South Carolina)
The Rocky Road to Romance (Virgina)