I said in an earlier post that I was only going to do one big reading challenge in 2012, the already ongoing TBR (read or cull) challenge. I also said I might consider some smaller challenges that could be done alongside the big one. The thought was to maybe find a couple of challenges to help me choose books within the TBR challenge, rather than ones that would necessitate going outside it for reading material.
With that in mind I have been looking at what challenges the members of the book blogging community have come up with for 2012. However, I haven't just been looking at challenges that will suit my criteria, but also reading challenges in general, perhaps in the subconscious hope that I might find a really fantastic one to tempt me. I thought it appropriate to first take a look at bloggers who are inviting others to join their TBR challenges, because, as everyone knows, misery loves company ;-)
Click on the links provided or on the challenge badge - either will take you to the sign-up page. Before I take you to the TBR challenges, there is one special meta-challenge I think every challenge crazy reader should know about:
The Reading Challenge Addict challenge! By signing up for this challenge you can enter giveaways and win prizes and declare just how hardcore a challenge addict you are.
This challenge is exactly what it says on the label: to join and finish reading challenges. There are 4 levels and it runs throughout 2012. There are mini-challenges to be entered, giveaways for participants and special prize drawings.
And now for the TBR challenges
I don't see why you couldn't join all of these and thus accomplish the first level of the Addict challenge with no more effort than what is required to finish the easiest level of the hardest TBR challenge ;-)
The Tales from the Crypt blog is hosting the 2012 Read Your Own Books challenge.
It runs throughout 2012, anyone can join and blog ownership is not required, nor is reviewing. Not allowed are re-reads, library books, books acquired in 2012 or books you have been asked to review.
There are four levels, you do not need to post a list beforehand, and crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
When I last checked, 22 participants had already signed up.
Bev Hankins of My Reader's Block is hosting the Mount TBR Challenge.
The challenge is to read or listen to books from your own collection that you acquired before the beginning of 2012.
It runs throughout 2012, has 6 levels named after mountains and the sign-up deadline is November 30th, 2012. Cross-overs with other challenges are allowed. Blog ownership is not necessary, but bloggers can sign up and non-bloggers can leave comments announcing their participation. Bloggers do seem to be expected to post reviews.
There are already 145 participants.
Bonnie and the team at Bookish Ardour are hosting the Off the Shelf 2012 challenge.
The challenge is pretty much the same as the above, except the sign-up deadline is mid-December and there are 7 levels.
If you own very few books you can still join and read books from your TBR list instead.
Reviewing is optional. Participants already number 104.
C.B. James of Ready When You Are, C.B. is hosting the TBR Double Dare.
This challenge runs from January 1 to April 1, 2012.It is left up to you how many TBR books you read in that time, but you must make a pledge to the number beforehand.
50 people have taken the dare so far.
Jen of The Hopeful Librarian is hosting the Unread Book Challenge of 2012.
This is all about finishing books you own and reducing your TBR stack.
The deadline for signing up is until the end of January and blog ownership is not required.
There are no levels, but prizes will be awarded for the number of TBR books read, for most progress made, and there will be an end-of-year giveaway open to the participants.
If you know of a TBR reading challenge you would like me to cover in the follow-up post to this series, just leave a link in a comment to this post and I will take a look at it.
With that in mind I have been looking at what challenges the members of the book blogging community have come up with for 2012. However, I haven't just been looking at challenges that will suit my criteria, but also reading challenges in general, perhaps in the subconscious hope that I might find a really fantastic one to tempt me. I thought it appropriate to first take a look at bloggers who are inviting others to join their TBR challenges, because, as everyone knows, misery loves company ;-)
Click on the links provided or on the challenge badge - either will take you to the sign-up page. Before I take you to the TBR challenges, there is one special meta-challenge I think every challenge crazy reader should know about:
This challenge is exactly what it says on the label: to join and finish reading challenges. There are 4 levels and it runs throughout 2012. There are mini-challenges to be entered, giveaways for participants and special prize drawings.
And now for the TBR challenges
I don't see why you couldn't join all of these and thus accomplish the first level of the Addict challenge with no more effort than what is required to finish the easiest level of the hardest TBR challenge ;-)
It runs throughout 2012, anyone can join and blog ownership is not required, nor is reviewing. Not allowed are re-reads, library books, books acquired in 2012 or books you have been asked to review.
There are four levels, you do not need to post a list beforehand, and crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
When I last checked, 22 participants had already signed up.
The challenge is to read or listen to books from your own collection that you acquired before the beginning of 2012.
It runs throughout 2012, has 6 levels named after mountains and the sign-up deadline is November 30th, 2012. Cross-overs with other challenges are allowed. Blog ownership is not necessary, but bloggers can sign up and non-bloggers can leave comments announcing their participation. Bloggers do seem to be expected to post reviews.
There are already 145 participants.
The challenge is pretty much the same as the above, except the sign-up deadline is mid-December and there are 7 levels.
If you own very few books you can still join and read books from your TBR list instead.
Reviewing is optional. Participants already number 104.
This challenge runs from January 1 to April 1, 2012.It is left up to you how many TBR books you read in that time, but you must make a pledge to the number beforehand.
50 people have taken the dare so far.
This is all about finishing books you own and reducing your TBR stack.
The deadline for signing up is until the end of January and blog ownership is not required.
There are no levels, but prizes will be awarded for the number of TBR books read, for most progress made, and there will be an end-of-year giveaway open to the participants.
If you know of a TBR reading challenge you would like me to cover in the follow-up post to this series, just leave a link in a comment to this post and I will take a look at it.
Comments
That Tales of the Crypt badge is terribly tempting, though.
Isn't it just? Such a lovely design.
I haven't decided whether or not to officially join a TBR challenge, or just keep it private, although I know I can easily read more than 100 books in a year (I even read more than 200 in one particular year). Given my current antipathy for big challenges it might actually prove to be a deterrent rather than a motivation.