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I've joined a group reading challenge

OK, so I am already doing a challenge of my own, but the 52 authors challenge does not have any time constraints (although I would like to finish it before the end of 2007).

I discovered this one through Jenclair's (mostly) book blog,
A Garden Carried in the Pocket. The challenge was issued by Michelle and is called From the Stacks. The aim is to read 5 books that have been languising in the TBR stack before 30 january 2007. Click on the above link to read the rest of the rules and join in the fun (there's prizes).

Here are the books I picked and the reasons why (besides having been TBR for too long). To be fair I have not included any book that I plan to read as part of my own challenge:

Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb, because I started reading the In Death series in order of publication but have been stalled at this book for nearly a year.

The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley, because it's been on my night table for a year and a half and I have fond memories of the TV series.

Rhoda: A life in stories by Ellen Gilchrist, because it seems like a fun book to read. I'm going to make it my bedtime read and read one or two stories every night.

The Emperor's Babe by Bernardine Evaristo, because it's time I read some poetry (it's a novel written in blank verse).

My Journey to Lhasa by Alexandra David-Neel, because it's one of the oldest books in my TBR stack and I already read and enjoyed Magic and Mystery in Tibet.

Comments

Booklogged said…
Glad to see you joined the challenge. It such a helpful one, don't you think? I don't think anyone would mind if you combined the two challenges. Actually, I think that's fair game. Your titles look good. I look forward to reading your reviews.
Bibliophile said…
I like challenges like this - they can be invaluable in helping you to break out of a rut. I had mostly been reading the newest books in my TBR - this will get me reading some of the older ones that have been languishing at the back of the TBR shelves for too long.
Anonymous said…
Rhoda is quite a character! I have a dear friend who adores Rhoda and Ellen Gilchrist and sends me some of her old ones. Another friend loves the "In Death" series. A diverse and interesting list. We will see how well we do with this challenge; maybe it could become more of a habit.
Bibliophile said…
Agree on Rhoda. I have already read two stories about her childhood and she reminds me of myself as a child (except for the swearing).

I do hope this challenge will make me pay more attention to the books I already own.
Anonymous said…
Funny, I got stuck on the J D Robb series, too. I read about 20 of them for a strange reason too long to go into in a comment. Now I have a couple in my TBR pile and a couple more in my Amazon basket, but somehow can't bring myself to read them.
Bibliophile said…
I'm also stalled reading the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry.

I think I stopped reading the In Death series because I read too many in too short a time. Same with the Pitts. I have this unfortunate tendency to glom series until I make myself sick of them. It's like eating too much candy: you realise it all tastes similar and then it makes you queasy.

Now I have been reading nothing but cosies for a long time and I think I'm ready to start reading In Death again.
teabird said…
Flame Trees is as enjoyable to read as the series was to watch - I recently reread and re-watched both, and I was amazed at how well the series held up.
melanie
Anonymous said…
Good luck with the group challenge. I have a link to your blog on my blog. I'd love it if you'd link to my blog as well (up to you, though :-). I mostly review fiction books on my site, though there are a few nonfiction reviews, movie reviews, and some commentary. It is mostly about books, though.

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