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2009 TBR Ongoing Challenges
by KatherineT-eHqn on January 4th, 2009, 8:29pm
We all groan about the massive sizes of our TBR piles, shelves, rooms; and how they are daunting. So to aid us in whittling down these impressive collections, I've put together these rather fun Challenges.
How this works:
- each TBR Challenge has it's own set of rules, so read each carefully
- each TBR Challenge runs the entire year - retroactive to January 1st
- if a book fits in more than one Challenge you may use it as many times as it fits
- you may sign up to one, some or all of the TBR Challenges
- in the comments section below, tell us which TBR challenge(s) you'd like to sign up for
- once you've made your choices create a blog entry that you will update with your progress -- this can be one blog entry per Challenge or one blog entry with all the Challenges
- you must review each book read -- and note in the review the Challenge name
- at the end of the month, come back here and in the comments section share your progress
- a TBR book is one that has been in your TBR pile for
sixfour months or more, any thing else would be classified as a current read - you may plan out your reads ahead of time, with a list of alternatives, or you may complete the Challenge(s) as you go along in the year --- you do not need to read in order
- the books read may be any type of book, fiction / non-fiction / Harlequin Imprint / Other Publisher etc
- if you cannot finish the book because it does not appeal to you, you may count it and place a DNF designation on your list beside the book title (you do not have to review books that you did not finish) --- limit of ONE book designated as a DNF per Challenge
Those are just some general guidelines and I think you'll find them easy to follow.
The 2009 TBR Challenges I thought might be fun are:
TBR ~ First and Seconds Challenge
- goal is to read a minimum of 12 books written by new to you authors or second read authors
- this can be a combination of firsts and seconds
- EXAMPLE: Mr. Stricktly Business by Day Leclaire (seconds) (review date)
- goal is to read a minimum of 24 books that are a part of a mini-series ... this is your chance to clean up those series that you've started, or to finally get to some that had sparked your interest but have wallowed beneath the pile
- EXAMPLE: The Secret She Kept by Amy Knupp (A Little Secret) (review date)
TBR ~ A to Z Challenge ~ Author
- goal is to read 26 books
- you would use the first letter of the the Author's first or last name
- for difficult letters such as Q, X, Z; you may use authors where the letter appears somewhere in their name
- you may combine this with the A to Z Title Challenge or do them separately
- EXAMPLE: The Secret She Kept by Amy Knupp (review date)
TBR ~ A to Z Challenge ~ Title
- goal is to read 26 books
- you would use the first letter of a word from the title of the book
- excludes filler words like "a, to, the, is, in, for, etc"
- for difficult letters suxh as Q, X, Z; you may use words where the letter appears somewhere in a word from the title
- you may combine this with the A to Z Author Challenge or do them separately
- EXAMPLE: Cinderella and the Sheikh by Natasha Oakley (review date)
Okay, this last one is a combination TBR and Current Release Challenge ... it's the largest one and should really help to sweep out some of our TBR cobwebs!
Combination Challenge ~ 2009 Count Down
- this challenge is to read books from various publication years counting down
- read 9 books published in 2009
- read 8 books published in 2008
- read 7 books published in 2007
- and so on, until you reach 2001, where you would read one book
- the total number of books read if you complete this Challenge would be 45
- EXAMPLE: 2009 ~~ Cinderella and the Sheikh by Natasha Oakley (review date)
So, how about it? Care to join me in reducing that gigantic TBR? If you do, add you name below with the name of the Challenge or Challenges you'd like to sign up for.
To read your fellow Challengers' TBR blogs, just click on the TBR challenge titles above ... if you are not included in the list of the TBR challenge that you are participating in, please let me know and I'll add you.
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
Signing up for the TBR Challenges
I'll be the first ... I'm signing up for the TBR ~ First and Second Challenges .... the TBR ~ A to Z Author and Title Challenge (I'm going to do a combination of the two unless it goes really well and then I might split them into to challenges) .... and I'd like to give the Combination Countdown Challenge a good try
I've set up a personal blog to record my progress ... KatherineT's 2009 TBR Challenges
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
ok sign me up for
A-Z Author
A-Z Title
Combination- 2009 Countdown
and I'll give the mini series one a go
Christa ~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008-2009 Challenge Blog
My Shelfari Page
Amazing idea...
Wow! This is an amazing idea...
Sign me up to all of them... I'll have a lot of fun doing this. It might help me clear up my own massive pile...
Kel
Kel (scoobie)
Quiet Canadians ~ 2008-2009 Challenge Blog
ambitious
Boy Kel's an ambitious little thing this year
Christa ~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008-2009 Challenge Blog
My Shelfari Page
are you serious?
Some of you are pretty ambitious!!
I'm going to keep this one in the back of my little noggin for future reference. Not sure I can handle committing to it yet. That's a lot of books, considering I had a whopping 50 some read last year. That said, this is the year for reducing my life commitments, so perhaps I'll find time to read a little more.
I get to go log my first book of 2009 here in a minute. Wahoo me.
Let me think on the easiest challenge... you think it's the a-z one? I might be in for that. Hmm....
Follow Love Inspired books on Twitter! http://twitter.com/LoveInspiredBks
I'm in for all of them
as long as I can read in any order. I might have one solved with something I dug out of my basement, yesterday-- the mini-series challenge. Although I found out I'm missing some books in the middle of the series. I have one more place to check for the missing books though. I'm not sure if I can do the first and second challenge out of my TBR but I think I may be able to. Have to check that massive TBR pile. As I'm sitting here I can come up with a few books. Maybe there are a few in the Medicals that are new to me. I did read some by new -to -me authors already. I'm ready to go. The A to Z challenges might prove a bit interesting to do but as the series I dug out is by different authors I will be able to find some of the letters required. My biggest challenge will be how to figure out how to post them. I want to read more books than I buy this year and as I'm only buying new this should help me meet my goal there, too.
February 2009 Member of the Month
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
Cats can work out mathematically the exact place to sit that will cause the most inconvenience.--Pam Brown
Just a quick question
Will the challengers all be listed in one place or are we going to have to look for them?
February 2009 Member of the Month
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
Cats can work out mathematically the exact place to sit that will cause the most inconvenience.--Pam Brown
I am up for this
I think I can! I think I can! Or at least I will try to accomplish this series of challenges. For the A-Z ones, I assume they do not have to be in order?!?
Bonsal
May's Member of the Month
quick quesyion about miniseries
we don't need whole series do we? I think I read three holiday Heart books in 2007 but still have one here. Or bought a book and then realized it was in miniseries
Christa ~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008-2009 Challenge Blog
My Shelfari Page
Hey Katherine!
A quick question....on the mini-series challenge, does/can that include a line such as Nocturne? Or does it need to just be the mini-series in the line?
Thank you!
"I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves"...Anna Quindlen
re: Mini-series
Yes Christa, any book that is part of a mini-series (can be a trilogy as well) can apply ... so if you want to use this TBR Challenge to spark you to finish some series you've started, go for it!
Tammy ... sure it can apply to imprints too if you like .. perhaps though you should delare that at the beginning of your Challenge .... just so others are aware how you've chosen to use this Challenge
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
Ok, then sign me up!
I'm in for the mini-series...
Thank you Katherine!
"I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves"...Anna Quindlen
Perfect!
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. The ones who you least likely suspect are the ones who will betray you...feel the cold breeze!
Count me in, I am going to
Count me in, I am going to do the TBR ~ First and Second Challenge.
Tiffany
My Shelfari Page
My Twitter Page
For the author TBR
For the author TBR challenge, how do we decide what author to use? I noticed a lot of people had blogs that were using Maureen Child... is there a specific reason behind this?
Other than that, I love the challenges. I am going to sign up for the firsts and seconds challenge and the mini series challenge. I might sign up for the author one after my above question is answered.
I think 2009 is going to be a lot of fun!
I'm going to try a couple of
I'm going to try a couple of these and see how we go. I started today doing that spelling challenge meeting the letters of the name Maureen Child, but that one I used not just TBR books, but will use some newer ones too. I get to many review books to REALLY do a TBR Challenge well. Well, unless of course I count review books that are several months old. LOL I'm going to try the first and seconds challenge and the Countdown challenge. And the mini series challenge though I'm not going for 24 there. I'll be lucky to get 12!
The D2K Paranormal Junkies
~eHQ April 2008 Member of the Month~
Well...
I'm going to try to do them all, other than the title challenge. Heck, I tried the A-Z author challenge last year and didn't suceed but maybe better luck this time. Going to go set up blogs now....
The D2K Paranormal Junkies 2008 Challenge
Kim
Do you mean A-Z author? Maureen Child is for a test January Wheel of fortune mini -Challenge.
Christa ~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008-2009 Challenge Blog
My Shelfari Page
Sign me up Girlie..
Im going to do two of the TBR Challenges this year. I dont have pile of books to read the ones me have all ready been read.lol..
I get most of my books either from the local library and second hand stores. So my TBR pile is down to one book.
So I hpe thats not a problem for me doing the Challenge this year.
Im doing the Mini Series one. Do the like continue series count like Cavanaugh Justice Series count. I know that Marie doesnt put one out every month. Can't wait for the next one either. I also cant wait for Debra Webb Colby Agency which comes out this summer..
Then Im going to try the Title Challenge too. I might even do a few new authors in there too.lol.
Where do we post things at Katherine? I might have to go and look over my 13 books from the library..lol.
patsy
Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says...
'Oh hell! She's awake!!' thank you for letting me use it Nini
O-KAY.... I just asked Christa
where Katherine's TBR challenges were and Voila! Here you ~ and they ~ are!
One question ~ for now anyway: for the 2009 Countdown challenge do the books have to be read in groups? Like 9 from 2009 ~ all in a row ~ and so on and so forth?
Hmmm, guess that would apply to the other challenges too.
Okay, I'll wait for the answer to Kaelee's and Bonsal's questions... basically they're the same as mine.
OH and for the series, you don't mean that you have to read series with 24 books, right? Just any combination of series that add up to 24?
Wow... okay, I *think* that I'm signing up for all of them.
But I have to write a list first and see how that works...
me and my lists!
And this is VERY exciting Katherine... Yowza! I'm getting psyched!
_______________________________________________________________
"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading,
or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~ Confucius
~ Books, gotta love 'em
Re: Maureen Child ....
Hi KimP .... for the January Challenge, we're doing a test run of a game challenge and yes, Maureen Child is the name every one must match too ..... I've set up a separate discussion thread for this .... January 2009 Mini-Challenge ~ All About Desire
thanks Christa for your help
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
O-KAY! This is so cool...
I just asked Christa where Katherine's Challenges were and voila, c'est ici!
Okay I'm wondering, along with Kaelee and Bonsal, if the books have to be read in order OR
if we keep track? For example, the 2009 Count down Challenge... do I have to read all 9 2009 books, then the 8 2008 and so on and so forth? Or I just have to keep track of what I've read and then update my progress?
And the challenges, are they retroactive to the beginning of the year? Not that we're too far into it.
) LOL
'Cause I gotta tell you I've already got a few of these challenges started... and that is Way COOL (even though I'm not....
_______________________________________________________________
"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading,
or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~ Confucius
~ Books, gotta love 'em
Answers to questions from above ....
Kaelee asked ...
Kaelee, if you're asking if there will be a master list of the members who have joined the Book Challenge .. then yes, I hope to start the build on this shortly and have it available by the end of the month.... if you're asking for a list of those who are participating in the TBR Challenges .... yes, I'll start adding names above with the TBR Challenges that they want to try .... I've asked very one to create their own blog post to record their Challenges in, so perhaps I'll make them tag to a page where they all come up ... hmm, ya, I think I can do that
Bonsal asked ...
Oh, no .... you do not have to read any of the books in order .... as you read be aware of your empty spots and fill them at your leisure all through the year
my apologies to both of you, I don't know how I missed your posts from above!
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
re: no TBR pile
Hi Patsy ....
I think your Library is your TBR pile .... so I'm going to Challenge you to read some of those books at the Library that you've been meaning to get to for more than six months .... and if they fit our TBR Challenge great! ... we'd all love to have you play with us
Yes, an author's mini-series would count as a series .... hmmm, I may decide to try the mini-series challenge after all ... I'd finally get to Julie's Precincts and Debra's Colbys that I haven't read yet .... hmmmm
Patsy, you would post these challenges in a blog you create and as you read a book that fits, you'd go back to your blog, click on "edit" at the top and then simply add the book to it's spot in your challenges .... I've started my blog but haven't added a book to it yet .... will be doing so hopefully before the weekend ... KatherineT's 2009 TBR Challenges
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
Re: series
ROFL, Kathy .... you mean you deleted my January email already?
... well, however you got here -- good to see you 
I think I've answered all your questions in my earlier replies, except for on ...
Correct ... you can use this Challenge to read that stray book to a series that took you forever to track down and when you finally did you let in languish in the TBR pile .... as long as the book is from A series, it applies .... be it a multi-author continuity or an author's triology .... or as we discussed above, if you've allowed an imprint to pile, it could be an imprint, just in this case declare on your Challenge that that's how you are doing this one
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
Re: retroactive
ROFL Kathy ... you'd nippin' at my heals! ... hmmm, or am I nipping at yours? LOL
YES ... the TBR Challenges are retroactive to the books you've read from January 1st ... and will run until December 31st .... if we all do really well with these, I have a few intermediary challenges I can issue that I thought would be fun to do
I'm glad your psyched!
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
I am tentatively in for the
I am tentatively in for the TBR ~ A to Z Challenge ~ Author (Jo) challenge. The link is to my blog entry....
Jo
My blog: Books to the Rescue
Oh... uh... I think it may be a bit of both? LOL
Yeah, that'll probably be me doing both... series and imprints. Boy, do I ever have a LOT of both. But all's good, 'cause I can get through more.
_______________________________________________________________
"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading,
or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~ Confucius
~ Books, gotta love 'em
ROFL, Kathy ....
well, I was very LONG winded in that email, so you're forgiven! LOL .... there was alot to say .. but I promise to keep the following emails shorter!
that's why I put the code at the BOTTOM of the email to make you scroll and hopefully read some of all that blather I wrote .... but I did make the code extra supper BIG so you wouldn't miss it
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
Thanks Jo ...
for your link to your blog .... as I get caught up here, I'll be posting everyone's name in the header, and I'll try to make them clickable to your TBR blogs
I see you're off already!
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
I'm going to sign up
for all the challenges ... I've got a LOT OF BOOKS! and they fit in just about every category....
And do you want me to send you a link for each of the challenges individually?
(Am I drivin' you crazy yet??)
_______________________________________________________________
"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading,
or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~ Confucius
~ Books, gotta love 'em
Posting your blog entries ....
Kathy, you can post each TBR Challenge separately or together .. once you've posted them, sure give us the links here .... that way it will be easier for us to find them ... I'm working on a way for us to generate a page for all our TBR Challenges to show on ..... tagging I think will be the easiest
it's early, so I have some time to sort out how I'd like that part to work
we're off to a great start!
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
Oops!
I did it my way and I hope it's okay as I think it might be the only way I can keep track of all the challanges. http://community.eharlequin.com/content/2009-tbr-challenges-kaelee.
I don't know if the link will work or not.
February 2009 Member of the Month
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
Cats can work out mathematically the exact place to sit that will cause the most inconvenience.--Pam Brown
Re: oops
Hi Kaelee .... no oops there!
Actually I was thinking of doing the same thing with mine ..... there's no right way or wrong way really ... as long as the information is all there
I'm thinking of making it a requirement to post the date the review was added to the Challenge beside the book title and author when you fill your blanks
argh ... I really need to get my first review posted so I can add it to my Challenges and see what things look like! LOL .... not enough hours in the day lately
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
TBR challenges
I soooo need to tackle my towering TBR piles. And the good thing with this is you can use the same book in different challenges. So I will do the A-Z Author, A-Z title, and the Mini Series (which I take is anything that is in a series...eg Harry Potter)
Have fun all!
~ Eleni
http://elenikonstantine.com
http://eleni-konstantine.blogspot.com
here's mine
her's my link http://community.eharlequin.com/content/christas-2009-tbr-challenges I haven't posted reveiws yet. I want this cold gone first so I have a clear head. Right now reviews probably won't make sense, can't spell worth a dang(think I wrote desrt 6 times yesterday, oh I can't forget Inconvient)
Christa ~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008-2009 Challenge Blog
My Shelfari Page
Kelley (shewolf0316)'s links for all the TBR Challenges
TBR ~ Mini-Series Challenge (Kelley AKA shewolf0316)
TBR ~ First and Seconds Challenge (Kelley AKA shewolf0316)
TBR ~ Combination Challenge ~ 2009 Count Down (Kelley AKA shewolf0316)
TBR ~ A to Z Challenge ~ Title (Kelley AKA shewolf0316)
TBR ~ A to Z Challenge ~ Author (Kelley AKA shewolf0316)
The D2K Paranormal Junkies
~eHQ April 2008 Member of the Month~
Links to my various and sundry challenge blogs....
First and Seconds
Multi-series
Harlequin Imprints
A to Z ~ Author
A to Z ~ Title
Combination / 2009 Count Down
I too like that I can use one book in more than one place... I spent an hour after signing off here last night organizing the seven books I've read so far. Well actually I listed the book I'm reading now too... just 'cause.
And I'm definitely excited!
_______________________________________________________________
"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading,
or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~ Confucius
~ Books, gotta love 'em
Here is my link:
Here is my link: http://community.eharlequin.com/content/tiffany-ws-2009-tbr-challenge
I've decided to only start off with one and probably pick up another after this one get under way. I haven't added any books yet though.
Tiffany
My Shelfari Page
My Twitter Page
Sounds like fun!
I'm in. I'll take on the TBR ~ A to Z Challenge ~ Author and TBR ~ A to Z Challenge ~ Title
Here's my challenge blog
I might combine them or I might not. I need to spend some time making a TBR spreadsheet so I know what I have.
--Missy
What am I working on now? Find out at: http://www.myspace.com/elenacroft
TBR Challenge
Katherine,
Please sign me up for the A-Z Challenge-Author
TBR Challenge
Katherine,
I guess I'll also try the A to Z Challenge - Title as well. I probably won't come close to filling in everything but it sounds like a lot of fun to try.
2009 TBR Challenge
My challenge is to be the mini~series challenge. Here is the link---
http://community.eharlequin.com/content/my-2009-tbr-challenge-0
December 2008 MEMBER of the MONTH!
A true teacher is a person who, at the end of the school day, still likes children!
katherine question for you
katherine
on the author challenge do we just list the authors name right?
patsy
Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says...
'Oh hell! She's awake!!' thank you for letting me use it Nini
I have to think about this...
I've always tracked my TBRs and just logged the percentages with my stats at the end of each review. Hmmm.. this one is quite organized and could be lots of fun. I'm not sure which one I will do - I'll get back to you soon.
~ ElleJay - Team member of Novel Obsession
There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the pleasure is having lots to do and not doing it!
About listing the books ...
Hi Patsy
Actually, please list both title and author .... this way we can later find your review ... actually, I'm going to add a new requirement ....
in the spot being used, you must enter the book title, the author, and the date you reviewed it for the Book Challenge .... for the series, challenges and the publishing dates, we'll that information as well
I'll add this above
So heads up Challengers! ~~~ New Guideline being added above!
KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog
Links
Here are my links for the two challenges I'm in. I sure hope I can do this. I'll give it my best shot.
http://community.eharlequin.com/content/my-2009-tbr-z-challenge-title
http://community.eharlequin.com/content/my-2009-tbr-z-challenge-author
Um.. sorry... I just have
a question:
Here's a link to my latest review... is this what you had in mind?
_______________________________________________________________
"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading,
or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” ~ Confucius
~ Books, gotta love 'em
Please sign me up for all of the TBR Challenges,too
I also need to make a big dent in my personal library,plus these sound like alot of fun to keep my mind active this year. Will set up blog site or so as soon as I am able to concentrate(still in fog of disbelief that dh lost his job of 17 years),but know being able to jump into the books is what I need. Thanks,Cheryl
Cheryl
April 2009 MEMBER OF THE MONTH
http://peacefulpond.blogspot.com/
Should we put in links to
Should we put in links to the reviews? That way it's just a click over to find the review for that particular challenge book.
--Missy
What am I working on now? Find out at: http://www.myspace.com/elenacroft