Showing posts with label Challenges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Challenges. Show all posts

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Challenge - The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2020


Unlike previous years, I am not participating in any annual reading challenges this year. I have simply been too disappointed in the administration of too many of the challenges to bother any more. This year, I am still creating a comprehensive list of everything I review in the year, and I am hoping to get a lot of reviews completed. In addition to reviewing books I also review magazine issues, movies, television episodes, and albums, and in order to capture all of these reviews as well as my book reviews I've created this tracking page, which I will use to provide links to my reviews as I post them. This isn't really a "challenge", but I am listing it in place of my old challenge tracking pages, because that seems like the best place to put it.

The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2020:
Becoming Superman by J. Michael Straczynski

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Home

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Challenges - SpaceTime Reading Challenge


Every year I try to find a science fiction oriented reading challenge to participate in. Thus far, I have been disappointed every year, as these genre challenges always seem to founder and fall apart due to poor administration or disinterest on the part of the hosts. I keep searching, hoping that every year I will finally find the challenge that will stay around. In furtherance of that quest, in 2019 I am going to take on the SpaceTime Reading Challenge hosted by Jemima Pett. The parameters are simple: Read science fiction and time travel books. Since I was going to do that anyway, this seems like a good challenge for me to jump into.

The SpaceTime Reading Challenge:

2019 Challenge Tracking Pages
12th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge 2019
2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge
2019 Linz Reading Challenge
2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
2019 TBR Pile Challenge
Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge
Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019

2019 Challenges     Home

Friday, January 11, 2019

Challenges - Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge


This year, I am participating in a print only reading challenge, specifically the Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge hosted by As Told by Tina. The parameters of the challenge are in the title - reading physical printed copies of books. Any kind of printed book will do: hardback, trade paperback, mass market paperback, even board books, so long as they are not e-books. Given that I don't actually own any e-books, and all of the thousands of books on by to-be-read pile are physical copies, this challenge is a natural fit for me.

The Print Only 2019 Challenge:

2019 Challenge Tracking Pages
12th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge 2019
2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge
2019 Linz Reading Challenge
2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
2019 TBR Pile Challenge
Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge
SpaceTime Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019

2019 Challenges     Home

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Challenges - Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge


Every year I try to find a science fiction or fantasy related challenge. In the past, these types of genre challenges have always seemed to kind of fall apart as a result of bad administration by the hosts. This year, I am participating in the Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge hosted by A Dance With Books, and I am quite obviously hoping that this challenge is better run than its predecessors. The challenge consists of three sets of prompts, and completing each section earns the participant a "title". The prompts are as follows:

Fantasy:
1. Classic fantasy
2. Magic school
3. Necromancers
4. PTSD
5. Dragons
6. Fairytale (retelling)
7. Grimdark
8. Ghosts
9. Uncommon fantasy creatures
10. Shapeshifters
11. Gods
12. Animal companion
13. Maternal heritage
14. Set in our world
15. Witches
16. Magical law enforcement
17. Thief
18. Pirates
19. Portal fantasy
20. Warrior

Those who complete this section earn the title Fire Breathing Dragon.

Sci-Fi:
1. On a different planet
2. Utopia
3. Space ship
4. Steampunk
5. Time travel
6. Artificial intelligence POV
7. Proto science-fiction
8. Hive
9. Alien
10. Virtual reality
11. Super powers
12. Science
13. Replicate
14. Space colonization
15. Mecha
16. Space creatures/beasts
17. Teleportation
18. Space Western
19. The Moon
20. Invasion

Those who complete this section earn the title Complete Alien.

Generic:
1. Satire

2. Under 500 pages

3. Under 800 pages
4. Novella
5. Finish a series
6. Mental health
7. Disability
8. Published before 1990
9. Set in Africa
10. Library
11. By a woman of color
12. One word title

Those who complete this section earn the title Generic Robot.

Those who complete all three sections earn the title Dragon Alien Robot.

2018 Challenge Tracking Pages
12th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge 2019
2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge
2019 Linz Reading Challenge
2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
2019 TBR Pile Challenge
Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge
SpaceTime Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019

2019 Challenges     Home

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Challenges - 2019 TBR Pile Challenge


I have participated in TBR challenges in previous years, but I was unsatisfied with their administration. This year, I am participating in a new TBR challenge, specifically the 2019 TBR Pile Challenge hosted by Roof Beam Reader. The premise of this challenge is to read books that have been sitting in your TBR pile for at least one full year. I have literally thousands of books that fit that description, so this is an almost perfect challenge for me to participate in.

The 2019 TBR Pile Challenge:

2019 Challenge Tracking Pages
12th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge 2019
2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge
2019 Linz Reading Challenge
2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge
Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge
SpaceTime Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019

2019 Challenges     Home

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Challenges - 2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge


In 2019 I am going to take on the 2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge hosted by Everyday Gyaan. The object of this challenge is to read more than you did in 2018. For me, this shouldn't be too hard, since 2018 was an absolutely terrible reading year for me in which I only read twelve books. I figure I'll at least double that figure, and I'm aiming to quintuple it or more.

The 2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge:

2019 Challenge Tracking Pages
12th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge 2019
2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge
2019 Linz Reading Challenge
2019 TBR Pile Challenge
Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge
Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge
SpaceTime Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019

2019 Challenges     Home

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Challenge - 2019 Linz Reading Challenge


In 2019 I am going to take on the 2019 Reading Challenge hosted by Linz the Bookworm. This challenge consists of several reading prompts divided into five categories. My goal for this year is to complete all five categories. The prompts are as follows:

Level 1: Book of the Month Club
1. Read a book with a red cover.
2. Read a young adult fiction book.
3. Read a book under 300 pages.
4. Read a book you got for free.
5. Reread the first book of a series you love.
6. Read a book that takes place during the summer.
7. Read a book whose title starts with the letter M.
8. Read a romance novel.
9. Read a book that has been turned into a TV Show or Movie.
10. Read a book with a title done in alliteration (example: Pride and Prejudice).
11. Read a New York Time's Best Seller (past or present).
12. Free Space - Pick any book to read!

Level 2: Casual Reader Club
13. Read a book by John Grisham.
14. Read a fantasy novel.
15. Read a book with a color in the title.
16. Reread a book you have recommended to someone else.
17. Read a detective novel.
18. Read a book with a number in the title.
19. Read a book about dragons.
20. Read a book published by Penguin Random House.
21. Read a book found on Project Gutenberg.
22. Read a book about an artist (fictional or real).
23. Read a book that was published in 1999.
24. Free Space - Pick any book to read!

Level 3: Dedicated Reader Club
25. Read book 1 in a trilogy.
26. Read book 2 in the same trilogy.
27. Read book 3 in the same trilogy.
28. Read a book recommended by a friend on social media.
29. Read a book about a librarian.
30. Read a book about breaking a code or a treasure hunt.
31. Read a book by Brandon Sanderson.
32. Read a book that takes place in a large city.
33. Read a book suggested by What Should I Read Next.
34. Read a book for under $3.00.

35. Read a book with exactly three words in the title.

36. Free Space - Pick any book to read!

Level 4: Speed-Reader Club
37.) Read a book over 500 pages.
38.) Read a book about time travel.
39.) Read a book with a form of weather in the title.
40.) Read a book published in 1969.
41.) Read a book authored by a Catherine/Katherine or variant.
42.) Read a book by Anne Rice.
43.) Read a book from Time's All-Time Top 100 Book List (find it here).
44.) Read a coming of age novel.
45.) Read a book involving mythology.
46.) Read a self-published book.
47.) Read a book with the word "dream" in the title.
48.) Free Space - Pick any book to read!

Level 5: Overachiever Club
49.) Read a book on a banned book list.
50.) Read the most recent book in a series you haven't finished.
51.) Read a book that you judged by its cover (either positively or negatively).
52.) Read a book that takes place in your home state.
53.) Read a book that takes place before 1965.
54.) Read a biography.
55.) Read a book you've previously abandoned.
56.) Read a book about a real or fictional politician.
57.) Read a book set in Asia.
58.) Read a book with a tree or forest on the cover.
59.) Read a book with the letter Z in the title.
60.) Free Space - Pick any book to read!

2019 Challenge Tracking Pages
12th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge 2019
2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge
2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
2019 TBR Pile Challenge
Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge
Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge
SpaceTime Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019

2019 Challenges     Home

Friday, January 4, 2019

Challenges - 2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge


In 2019 I am going to take on the 2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge hosted by Hope, Faith, and Books. I am aiming at reading a fair amount of science fiction and fantasy, and both genres have a fair amount of dystopian fiction contained within them, so this challenge will dovetail pretty well with my projected reading.

The 2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge:
None Yet

2019 Challenge Tracking Pages
12th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge 2019
2019 Linz Reading Challenge
2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
2019 TBR Pile Challenge
Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge
Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge
SpaceTime Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019

2019 Challenges     Home

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Challenges - 12th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge 2019


In 2019 I am going to once again take on the graphic novels challenge hosted by the 12th Annual Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge 2019 Facebook group. I don't have a firm plan, although I will definitely be following up on all of the graphic novels I read in 2018 and trying to read more Captain Marvel, Lumberjanes, Monstress, Ms. Marvel, Saga, and Sex Criminals. I still have several volumes of Girl Genius, and the entire run of Order of the Stick to get to as well. If I get ambitious, I'll get a start on reviewing my Asterix collection and some of the Batman compilations I have. I seem to say this every year, but this may finally be the year that I finally get to reviewing my collection of For Better or for Worse.

The 12th Annual Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge 2018:
None Yet

2019 Challenge Tracking Pages
2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge
2019 Linz Reading Challenge
2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
2019 TBR Pile Challenge
Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge
Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge
SpaceTime Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019

2019 Challenges     Home

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Challenge - The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019


Once again, I am participating in multiple reading challenges this year. They all appear to be good challenges, but while I can use them to provide an annual catalog of the books I read and reviewed in the year, they are not quite comprehensive enough for my needs. In addition to reviewing books I also review magazine issues, movies, television episodes, and albums, and in order to capture all of these reviews as well as my book reviews I've created this tracking page, which I will use to provide links to my reviews as I post them. This isn't really a "challenge", but I'm listing it with my challenge pages anyway, just because I did this way in each of the last two years, and it is now a hoary old established tradition.

The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2019:

2019 Challenge Tracking Pages
12th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge
2019 Dystopia Reading Challenge
2019 Linz Reading Challenge
2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
2019 TBR Pile Challenge
Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi – A (2019) Reading Challenge
Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge
SpaceTime Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

2019 Challenges     Home

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Challenge - Science Fiction vs. Fantasy Bingo 2018


Pretty much every year I try to find a science fiction and fantasy oriented reading challenge, because for the most part, I'm going to read a lot of science fiction and fantasy anyway. One of the challenges I am trying out this year is the Science Fiction vs. Fantasy Bingo 2018, which challenges participants to read science fiction and fantasy stories that fall into a particular set of categories. The list below shows all of the categories and will (eventually) list the books I have read and reviewed in the upcoming year that fall into each of them.

African
TBD

AI

Alien Invasion
TBD

Alternate Reality
TBD

Asian

Bite Me
TBD

Cyberpunk
TBD

Demonic
TBD

Dystopia
TBD

Epic
TBD

Fantastic Beasts
TBD

Haunted

Immortal
TBD

Independent
TBD

It's the End of the World as We Know It

Kings, Queens, and Long Lost Relatives
TBD

Plague
TBD

Portal
TBD

Rebellion
TBD

Re-Telling
TBD

Space

South American
TBD

This Is Totally Going to Happen One Day

Undead
TBD

Wibbly Wobbly Time Travel
TBD

2018 Challenge Tracking Pages
11th Annual Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge 2018
2018 Blogger Shame Challenge
2018 Review Writing Challenge
2018 Swords and Stars Reading Challenge
Beat the Backlist: A Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2018
New Authors: A 2018 Reading Challenge

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2018

2018 Challenges     Home

Friday, January 12, 2018

Challenge - 2018 Swords and Stars Reading Challenge


Because the bulk of my reading is in the science fiction and fantasy genres, every year I try to find a science fiction and fantasy oriented reading challenge. This year I am participating in the 2018 Swords and Stars Reading Challenge, a challenge aimed at reading twenty books containing a particular set of science fiction and fantasy themes. The hashtag #SwordsnStars is associated with this challenge. The list below shows all of the themes and will (eventually) list the books I have read and reviewed in the upcoming year that meet each theme.

A Book with Dragons in It
TBD

A Book Over 500 Pages
TBD

A Science Fiction or Fantasy Novella
TBD

A First Book in a Series
TBD

A Science Fiction Classic
TBD

A Fantasy Classic
TBD

A Book Whose Title Matches the First Letter of your Last Name

A Book That Has a Weapon on the Cover
TBD

A Book That Has a Spaceship on the Cover

A Book That Has Been Adapted
TBD

A Book with Time Travel in It
TBD

A Book That Has Been On Your To-Be-Read Shelf for Over 2 Years
TBD

A Book Whose Cover Has Stars in It or Whose Title Has Any Variation of the Word Star in It
TBD

A Book with Magical Realism in It
TBD

A Science Fiction or Fantasy Graphic Novel

A Sequel

A Diverse Science Fiction or Fantasy Book
TBD

A Random Science Fiction or Fantasy Book

A Fantasy Book Inspired by Another Story, Fairytale, Myth, or Something Similar

A Book with a Map
TBD

2018 Challenge Tracking Pages
11th Annual Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge 2018
2018 Blogger Shame Challenge
2018 Review Writing Challenge
Beat the Backlist: A Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2018
New Authors: A 2018 Reading Challenge
Science Fiction vs. Fantasy Bingo 2018

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2018

2018 Challenges     Home

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Challenge - New Authors: A 2018 Reading Challenge


In part because I am planning on making a concerted effort to read through the backlog of review copies that I have this year, I am also participating in New Authors: A 2018 Reading Challenge, a challenge aimed at reading new authors. A lot of my review copies are books written by authors that I have not read before, so this is a natural dovetail with this challenge.

New Authors: A 2018 Reading Challenge:
The Wicked + The Divine: The Faust Act by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie
Star Brand: New Universe, Vol. 1 by Jim Shooter and John Romita
Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir by Stan Lee, Peter David, and Colleen Doran

2018 Challenge Tracking Pages
11th Annual Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge 2018
2018 Blogger Shame Challenge
2018 Review Writing Challenge
2018 Swords and Stars Reading Challenge
Beat the Backlist: A Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2018
Science Fiction vs. Fantasy Bingo 2018

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2018

2018 Challenges     Home

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Challenge - 2018 Blogger Shame Challenge


Another challenge I am participating this year is the 2018 Blogger Shame Challenge, a challenge aimed at getting people to clear out their backlog of review copies of books. I have far too many review copies of books that I simply have not yet gotten to reading and reviewing. I have let this slip for much longer than I should have, so I am going to make 2018 the year that I make a concerted effort to clear out this backlog and get caught up.

2018 Blogger Shame Challenge:
Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction, David Aja, and Javier Pulido

2018 Challenge Tracking Pages
11th Annual Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge 2018
2018 Review Writing Challenge
2018 Swords and Stars Reading Challenge
Beat the Backlist: A Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2018
New Authors: A 2018 Reading Challenge
Science Fiction vs. Fantasy Bingo 2018

Multi-Year Challenge Tracking Pages
101 Fantasy Reading Challenge
Read All the Books Challenge

Not a Challenge:
The Big List of Everything I've Reviewed in 2018

2018 Challenges     Home