#Brunei Pre-Owned Books for Sale/Swap

Offers only available within Brunei.
Based in Seria.
Free pick-up in KB district at my appointed meeting point.
BND $5.00 for speed post delivery to the other 3 districts.
*** Comment With Author & Title with your email for contact

BND $3.00
♦ Andre Norton; Dark Piper
♦ Brian Daley; Han Solo at Star’s End
♦ Catherine George; A Vengeful Reunion
♦ Catherine Spencer; The Mediterranean Husband
♦ Elizabeth Bevarly; A Lawless Man
♦ Emma Darcy; The Billionaire Bridegroom
♦ Jennifer Johnson; By His Hand
♦ M. E. Rabb; Missing Persons, The Chocolate Lover
♦ Sharon Kendrick; The Prince’s Love Child
♦ Shirley Rogers; Baby of Fortune
♦ Trish Morey; The Italian’s Virgin Bride

BND $5.00
♦ 100 keajaiban di Dunia
♦ Agatha Christie; Double Sin and Other Stories.
♦ Andre Norton; Android At Arms 
♦ Barbara Taylor Bradford; Her Own Rules
♦ Cathy Hopkins; Mates, Dates, and Great Escapes
♦ Cherry Adair; Edge of Darkness
♦ Debbie Macomber; 92 Pacific Boulevard (Cedar #9)
♦ Debbie Macomber; Navy Woman (Navy #4)
♦ Dorothy Mack; The General’s Granddaughter
♦ Jack Higgins; The Eagle Has Landed (Liam Devlin #1)
♦ Jack Tatum; They Call Me Assassin
♦ Janet Dailey; Tangle Veins
♦ Jayne Ann Krentz; The Ties That Bind
♦ John Sandford; Shadow Prey
♦ Jon Land; The Omega Command
♦ Kate Collins; Mum’s the Word
♦ Linda Lael Miller; Here and Then
♦ Lisa Scottoline; Running From The Law
♦ Marta Perry; Tangled Memories
♦ Mary Higgins Clark; I’ll be Seeing You
♦ Mary Higgins Clark; Let Me Call You Sweetheart
♦ Mary Higgins Clark; My Gal Sunday
♦ Mary Higgins Clark; Stranger is Watching
♦ Michael Crichton; The Andromeda
♦ Sandra Brown; Breakfast in Bed
♦ Sandra Brown; Smoke Screen
♦ Theodore Taylor; The Cay
♦ Walter J, Boyne; Beyond the Wild Blue

BND $6.00
♦ Andrew M. Greeley; White Smoke
♦ Ann Maxwell; Change
♦ Barbara Taylor Bradford; Act of Will
♦ Cecelia Dowdy; First Mates
♦ Danielle Steel; The Kiss
♦ Debbie Macomber; Changing Habits
♦ Debbie Macomber; Dakota Born (Dakota Trilogy)
♦ Elizabeth Berg; Range of Motion
♦ Evelyn Vaugh; Forest of the Night
♦ Fern Michaels; Teh Nosy Neighbor
♦ Harold Robbins; The Raider (The Carpetbaggers)
♦ Ian Caldwell; The Rule of Four
♦ Jerome Preisler; ruthless.com
♦ L.A. Graf; Star Trek: Voyager: Caretaker
♦ Mary Higgins Clark; Moonlight Becomes You
♦ Mary Higgins Clark; Weep No More, My Lady
♦ Meryl Sawyer; Tempting Fate
♦ Patricia Cornwell; Cause of Death (Kay Scarpetta #7)
♦ Patrick A. Davis; A Long Day for Dying
♦ Peter David; Star Trek: TNG: Q-In-Law
♦ Robert C. Atkins; Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution
♦ Rona Jaffe; An American Love Story
♦ Sue Grafton; R is for Ricohet
♦ Suzanne Cox; A different Kind of Man
♦ Susan Wiggs; The Charm School
♦ Teresa Medeiros; A Whisper of Roses
♦ Tony Hellerman; The GhostWay

BND $8.00
♦ Betina Krahn; The Perfect Mistress (Mistress #2)
♦ Dan Brown; Deception Point
♦ Danielle Steel; Bittersweet
♦ Danielle Steel; The Ranch
♦ Danielle Steel; The Ring
♦ Donald Spoto; The Decline and Fall of The House of Windsor
♦ Eloise James; The Taming of the Duke (Essex Sisters #3)
♦ Gary Braver; Gray Matter
♦ James A. Micener; Caribbean
♦ James Patterson; 1st To Die
♦ Johanna Lindsey; Savage Thunder (Wyoming #2)
♦ John Grisham; The Brethren
♦ John Grisham; The Testament
♦ John Stanford; Shadow Prey
♦ Jonathan Kellerman; A Cold Heart
♦ Joy Fielding; The First Time
♦ Judith McNaught; Remember When
♦ Linda Howard; A Lady of the West (Western #1)
♦ Marcus Wynne; Warrior In The Shadow
♦ Mary Higgins Clark; Remember Me (2 copies)
♦ Michael Connelly; Echo Park (Harry Bosch #12)
♦ Michael Palmer; Natural Causes
♦ Nelson DeMille; The Lion’s game (John Coret #2)
♦ Nora Roberts; Carolina Moon
♦ Nora Roberts; True Betrayals
♦ Patricia Cornwell; From Potter’s Field
♦ Patricia Gaffney; The Saving Graces
♦ Peter Benchley; The Beast
♦ Tami Hoag; Dark Horse (Elena Estes #1)
♦ Thomas Harris; Hannibal
♦ Tom Clancy; Debt of Honor
♦ V. C. Andrew; Delia’s Crossing (Delia #1)

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Orang Riak Selalu Rugi #Brunei

Just wow…

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New Releases

Books I’m looking forward on reading, and review.

.::December 2011
1
• Benjamin Buchholz; One Hundred and One Night: A Novel
• Catherine Mann; Hot Zone (Elite Force #2)
• Jill Shalvis; Head over Heels (Lucky Harbor #3)
• Judith Graves; Second Skin (Skinned #2)
• Kathryn Lasky; Frost Wolf (Wolves of the Beyond #4)
• Katy Madison; All About Seduction
• Kristen Painter; Bad Blood (House of Comarre #3)
• Lilith Saintcrow; The Headwitch Queen (Hedgewitch #1)
• M. L. Sawyer; Tallen (Quest of the Demon Aftermath #1)
• Marilyn Brant; A Summer In Europe
• Michael Adelberg; A Thinking Man’s Bully
• Miranda Kenneally; Catching Jordan
• Richard Finney; Demon Days: Angel of Light
• Robin Kaye; Wild thing (Domestic Gods #5)
• Sidney Ayers; Demons Like it Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)
• Stephenie Julian; How to Worship a Goddess (Forgotten Goddesses #2)
• Suzy Davis; Seilver Dew (The Lost Magic #2)
• Terry Spear; Dreaming of the Wolf (Heart of the Wolf #8)
• Zoe Archer;  Devil’s Kiss  (The Hellraisers #1)
2
• Angela Kulig; Pigment of My Imagination
• Melanie McCullough; Breathe
5
• H. Terrell Griffin; Collateral Damage (Matt Royal Mystery #6)
• James Petterson;  The Fire (Witch & Wizard #3)
• Lara Adrian; A Taste of Midnight (Midnight breed #9.5)
• Stephen Emond; Wintertown
6
• Allison Chase; Recklessly Yours: Her Majesty’s Secret Servants
• Amanda Bonilla; Shaedes of Gray (Shaede Assassin #1)
• Angela Corbett; Eternal Starling
• Brian Anderson; The Prince’s New Pet
• Caragh M. O’Brien; Tortured (Birthmarked #1.5)
• Carolyn Crane; Head Rush (The Disillusionists Trilogy #3)
• Cassandra Clare; Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)
• Catharine Arnold; The Sexual History of London: From Roman Londinium to the Swinging City –Lust, Vice, and Desire Across the Ages.
• Cindy C. Bennett; Geek Girl
• Dawn Rae Miller; Larkstorm (Larkstorm #1)
• Deborah Cooke; Winging It (The Dragon Diaries #2)
• Derek Kirk Kim; Same Difference
• Dianne Duvall;  Night Reigns  (Immortal Guardians #2)
• Donna Alward; Breathe
• Ed Kovacs;  Strom Damage
• Ellen Connor; Daybreak (Dark Age Dawning #3)
• Ellie James; Shattered Dreams (Midnight Dragonfly #1)
• Faith Hunter; Cat Tales (Jane Yellowrock #4.5)
• Gini Koch; Alien Proliferation (Katherine “Kitty” Katt #4)
• Greg Iles; The Bone Tree
• Greg Iles; Unwritten Laws (Penn Cage #4)
• Jane Little; Agony / Ecstasy
• Jennifer Echols; The One That I Want
• Jennifer L. Armentrout; Obsidian (Lux #1)
• Jessica Fellowes; The World of Downton Abbey 
• Joan Holub; Artemis the Loyal; (Goddess Girls #7)
• Joey W. Hill; Bound by a Vampire Queen (Vampire Queen #8)
• Jude Watson;  A King’s Ransom  (39 Clues: Cahills Vs Vespers #2)
• Juliet Blackwell; Dead Bolt (A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery #2)
• K.A. Mitchell; Bad Boyfriend (BAd In Baltimore #2)
• Kailin Gow; (Heaven and Hell (Beautiful Beings #2)
• Katie MacAlister; It’s All Greek To Me
• Kelley York; Hushed
• Lora Leigh; Lawe’s Justice (Breeds #26)
• Lorelei Jame; Cowboy Cassanova (Rough Riders #12)
• Lou Beach; 420 Characters
• Laurie Faria Stolarz; Deadly Little Voices (Touch #4) 
• Lee Nichols;  Surrender (Haunting Emma #3)
• Luis Alberto Urrea; Queen of America: A Novel
• Michelle Rowen; The Old Black Magic (Living in Eden #3)
• Monica Ferris; Threadbare (A Needlecraft Mystery #15)
• Nancy A. Collins; Left Hand Magic (Golgotham #2)
• Nicola Marsh; Busted in Bollywood
• P. D. James; Death Comes to Pemberley
• Pamela Beason; Endangered (A Summer Westing Mystery)
• Patricia Cornwall;  Red Mist  (Kay Scarpetta #19)
• Prudence Bice; The Kissing Tree
• Rhonda Stapleton; Strick: Stupid Cupid; Flirting with Disaster; Pucker Up.
• Roberto Bolanao; The Last Interview and the Other Conversations
• Robin D. Owens; Gearts and Swords (Celta’s Heartmates)
• Rune Michaels; Fix Me
• Sara Shepard; Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars #10)
• Sara Shepard; The Lying Game (the Lying Game #1)
• Sarah McCarty; Slade (Shadow Warnglers #4)
• Stephanie Madoff Mack; Teh End of Normal
• Stephen Hunter; Soft Target (Ray Cruz #1)
• Stephen J. Cannell; Vigilante (Shane Scully #11)
• Whitley Strieber;  Melody Burning
7
• Chelsea Fine; Anew (The Archers of Avalon #1)
8 
• Anita Desai; The Artist of Disappearance
• Erica Orloff; Illuminated
• Lindsey Kelk; I Heart Vegas (I Heart #4)
• Mary Lindsey; Shattered Souls
• Michelle Madow; Vengeance (Transcend Time Saga #3)
• Shannen Crane Camp; The Breakup Artist
• Wendy Wunder; The Probability of Miracles
11
• Michael Scott; Thirteen Hallows
12
• Kailin Gow; Fire Frost (Frost #6)
• Samantha Young; Shades of Blood (Warriors of Ankh #3)
13
• Abbi Glines; Existance
• Ayize Jama-Everett; The Liminal People
• Bill Willingham, Joao Ruas; Fables: Super Group (Fables #16)
• Blake Nelson; Dream School
• Dylan Sheldon; The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love
• John Bevere; Relentless: The Power You Need To Never Give Up
• Juan Jose Saer; Scars
• Nancy Holder; Unleashed (Wolf Springs Chronicles #1) 
• Natania Barron; Pilgrim of the Sky
• Thea Harrison; True Colors (Elder Races #3.5)
• Todd Colby Plss; The Only Living Man With A Hole in His Head
14
• J. D. Stroube;  Caged by Damnation (Caged #2)
16
• Brenda Pandos; The Onyx Talisman (Talisman #3)
• Cambria Hebert; Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)
• J. D. Stroube; Death’s Leash (Hellbound #1)
• Lilli Feisty; Deliciously Sinful
• Megan Duncan; (Warm Delicacy #2)
19
• Helen Landalf;  Flyaway
20
• Alyxandra Harvey; Bleeding Hearts (Drake Chronicles #4)
• Delilah Marvelle; Forever and a Day
• Emma Carlson Berne; Still Waters
• Gena Showalter, Jill Monroe; Dating the Undead
• Hannah Moskowitz; Zombie Tag
• Lauren Hammond; Asphodel (The Underworld Trilogy #1)
• Maria V. Synder; Touch of Power (Healer #1)
• Molly Cochran; Legacy
• Rachel Bertsche; MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend
• Rachel Haimowitz; Break and Enter(red Cell #1)
• Sarah Rayner; One Moment, One Morning
21
• John Berger; The Success and Failure of Picasso
27
• Cecilia Grant; A Lady Awakened
• Cheryl Rainfield; Hunted
• Christina Meredith; Kiss Crush Collide
• Christine Feehan; Spirit Bound  (Sisters of the Heart #2)
• Christy Reece; Sweet Reward (Last Chance Rescue #9)
• Dean Koontz; 77 Shadow Street
• Dani Harper; Changeling Dawn (Changeling #3)
• Daniel Handler, Maira Kalman; Why We Broke Up
• Diana Pharoah Francis; Shadow City (Horngate Witches #3)
• Duncan Jepson; All The Flowers in Shanghai
• Ellen Schreiber; Magic of Moonlight (Full Moon #2)
• Eloisa James;  The Duke is Mine (Happily Every Afters #3)
• Gaelen Foley; My Ruthless Prince (Inferno Club #4)
• Jaime Reed;  Living Violet  (The Cambion Chronicles #1)
• Jennifer Lynn Barnes; Every Other Day
• J. H. Trumble; Don’t Let Me Go
• J.K. Beck; When Passion Lies (the Shadow Keepers #4)
• Jordan Dane; On A  Dark Wing
• Jude Deveraux; Moonlight in the Morning (Edilean #6)
• Julie Anne Long; How the Marquess was Won (Pennyroyal Green #6)
• Juliet Dark, Carol Goodman; The Demon Lover (Fairwick Chronicles #1)
• Larissa Ione; Immortal Rider (Lord of Deliverance #2)
• Laura Lee Gurke; Trouble at the Wedding (Abandoned at the Altar #3)
• Linda Erin Keenan; Suburgatory: Twisted Tales from Darkest Suburbia
• Linda Robertson; Wicked Circle (Perephone Alcmedi #5)
• Lucy A. Snyder; Switchblade Goddess (Jessie Shimmer #3)
• Lynne Ewing; Sisters of Isis: Volume 1 (Sisters of Isis #1-2)
• Lynn Weingarten; The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers
• Marjorie M. Liu; The Mortal Bone (Hunter Kiss #4)
• Melissa Mayhue; Warriror’s Redemption
• Paula Guran; Jeanne Du Prau, William Sleastor,; Brave New Love: 13 Dystopian Tales of Desire
• Richelle Mead; Shadow Heir (Dark Swan #4)
• Robyn Carr; Hidden Summit (Virgin River #17)
• Sable Grace; Bedeviled (dark Breed #2)
• Sabrina Benulis; Archon: The Books of Raziel
• Sarah Jio;  The Bungalow: A Novel
• Sarah Tregay; Love & Leftovers
• Suzanne McLeod; The Bitter Seed of Magic (Spellcrackers.com #3)
• Tami Hoag; Down the Darkest Road (Oak Knoll #3)
• Taylor Stevens; The Innocent (Vanessa Michael Munroe #2)
• Teresa Medeiros; The Pleasure of Your Kiss
• Victoria Laurie; Ghoul Interrupted (Ghost Hunter Mystery #6)
28
• Jaye Wells; Silver-Tongued Devil
• Nina Bangs; Eternal Prey (Gods of the Night #3)
29
• Robert VS Redick; The Night of the Swarm (Chathrand Voyages #4)
• Sam Sommers; Situation Matter: Understanding How Context Transforms Your World
30
• Tina deCoux; Temptation  (The Soul Collection Series #1)

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Teaser Tuesdays: We Can’t All Be Rattlesnakes

♣ Hosted by Mizb of Should Be Reading
♣ Grab your current read
♣ Open to a random page
♣ Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
♣ BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
♣ Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

He slid on some fresh skins that he took from a box that he pulled out of a larger box. Humans are bizarre.
~ We Can’t All Be Rattlesnakes; Patrick Jennings

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Book Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid | By Jeff Kinney

Finally! I have my hands on this book! Yes, it just suck to actually read the second book first before reading the first book within a series. Honestly… that was really annoying to do.

Regressing!

This is a wonderful start to a wonderful series. It is attention grabbing enough to cater our reluctant readers as well as our middle graders (being in an ESL educated school). It’s “new” way to get kids to read (not just kids, we adults seem to be like this book too.) Other than paving a way through new sub-genre, this just shows.. what’s normal, is relative.

I actually have fun reading this book that I actually finished reading this in one seating! It was a quick 1 hour or so sort of book, so it’s a wonderful quickie. The comics are silly and not quite as just illustrations, it’s more of part of the story itself.

Bottomline, don’t you just wish you wrote this book? hehe

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #1)
By Jeff Kinney
Boys don't keep diaries—or do they?
The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to
It's a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you're ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.
In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend's newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.

finished reading : 20th November 2011
rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
genre } fiction | children | realistic | humor |graphic novels | juvenile 
release day }  April 2007
publisher } Amulet Books 
format } paperback
isbn } 9780810994553
pages } 224 pages
source } bought
age group } 12+
interests } reluctant readers | middle graders | 9 yo+  
awards } ALA Teens’ Top Ten (2008)
Get Your Copy } Amazon.com

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2012 Ebook Challenge

The 2011 E-book Challenge was hosted by The Ladybug Reads. She has decided not to host it for 2012, and I was the lucky lottery winner who gets to host it. That's right, there was so much interest from people wanting to host it that she had to hold a lottery.
Challenge Guidelines:

1. This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012.
2. Anyone can join, you don't need to be a blogger. If you don't have a blog, feel free to sign-up in the comments. You can post reviews to any book site (i.e. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Goodreads, etc).
3. Any genre or length of book counts, as long as it is in ebook format.
4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
5. When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the E-Book Reading Challenge.
6. You can move up levels, but no moving down.
7. Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.

Levels:

1. Floppy disk - 5 ebooks
2. CD - 10 ebooks
3. DVD - 25 ebooks
4. Memory stick - 50 ebooks
5. Hard drive - 75 ebooks
6. Server - 100 ebooks
7. Human brain - 150 ebooks

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Book Review: 1001 Books You Must Reads Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition (1001 Before You Die) By Peter Boxall

rate } ♠♠♠
genre } non-fiction | reference | lists
release day } 23rd March 2010
publisher } Universe
format } Hardcover
isbn } 9780789320391
pages } 1006
source } bought
age group } general
interest } general
challenge }
Buy @ Amazon.com | Nolly Book | D BookHaus

1001 Books You Must Reads Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition
(1001 Before You Die)
By Peter Boxall

Via GoodReads
A newly revised and updated guide to the world’s best literature—all at your fingertips. For discerning bibliophiles and readers who enjoy unforgettable classic literature, 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die is a trove of reviews covering a century of memorable writing. Each work of literature featured here is a seminal work key to understanding and appreciating the written word. Addictive, browsable, knowledgeable—1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die is a boon companion for anyone who loves good writing and an inspiration for anyone who is just beginning to discover a love of books. Each entry is accompanied by an authoritative yet opinionated critical essay describing the importance and influence of the work in question. Also included are publishing history and career details about the authors, as well as reproductions of period dust jackets and book designs.

My 2 Cents
This is naturally a magnet for a Booklist enthusiastic like me, hence my excuse of purchase. Naturally I even have the list *points at the sidebar* listed out for you.

Cover. Beautiful! It’s like that one clean relax moment, where you actually leave everything and read.

List. Boxall has list out books that are naturally known classics; eg. Aesop’s Fables (Aesopus), Metamorphoses (Ovid), The Thousand and One nights (Anonymous), and Don Quixote (Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, up to the recent years novels, eg; Never Let Me Go (Kazuo Ishiguro), Saturday (Ian McEwan), and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (Mark Haddon). 

Well… I’m glad to say that I have a dent in my have read list. But not as impressive since it is 1001 books. so.. Ouch! I need to read more. But heads up, I won’t read all of the books listed here, cause not all are accessible for me, nor I find them my fancy. Hence the 3 ♠♠♠. But it could be for you, so who am I to judge.

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Back to the Classics Challenge 2012

January 2012 – December 2012

• Any 19th Century Classic
• Any 20th Century Classic
• Reread a classic of your choice
• A Classic Play
• Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime Fiction
• Classic Romance
• Read a Classic that has been translated from its original language to your languange  - To clarify, if your native language is NOT English, you may read any classic originally written in English that has been translated into your native language.  
• Classic Award Winner - To clarify, the book should be a classic which has won any established literary award.  
• Read a Classic set in a Country that you (realistically speaking) will not visit during your lifetime - To Clarify, this does not have to be a country that you hope to visit either.  Countries that no longer exist or have never existed count.

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Mount TBR Reading Challenge

Mount TBR Reading Challenge
Hosted by My Reader’s Block
January 1 to December 31, 2012

Challenge Levels
Pike's Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s (gonna upgrade from here)
Mt. Vancouver: Read 25 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Ararat: Read 40 books from your TBR piles/s
Mt. Kilimanjaro: Read 50 books from your TBR pile/s
El Toro: Read 75 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Everest: Read 100+ books from your TBR pile/s


And the rules:
*Once you choose your challenge level, you are locked in for at least that many books. If you find that you're on a mountain-climbing roll and want to tackle a taller mountain, then you are certainly welcome to upgrade.

*You may sign up anytime from now until November 30th, 2012.

*Books must be owned by you prior to January 1, 2012. No ARCs (none), no library books. No rereads. [To clarify--based on a question raised--the intention is to reduce the stack of books that you have bought for yourself or received as presents {birthday, Christmas, "just because," etc.}. Audiobooks may count if they are yours and they are one of your primary sources of backlogged books.]

*Books may be used to count for other challenges as well.

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Book Review: Why Me?; By Sarah Burleton

rate } ♠♠♠♠
genre } non-fiction | biography | child abuse
release day } 27th September 2010
publisher } Kindle
format } e-book
isbn } B0044UHV9U
pages } -
source } bought
age group } pg 13+
interest } young adult | adults
challenge }
Buy @ Amazon.com | Nolly Book | D BookHaus

Why Me?
By Sarah Burleton

Via Goodreads
In the blink of an eye, Mom ran up behind me and pushed me into the fence. Instinctively, I reached out my arms to stop my fall and ended up grabbing the live fence. My hands clamped around the thin wires, and my body collapsed to the ground as the electricity coursed through it. I opened my eyes and saw my mother standing over me with the strangest smile on her face. “Oh, my God, I’m going to die!” I thought in panic.
Imagine never being able to close your eyes and remember the feel of your mother’s arms wrapped around you. Now imagine closing your eyes and remembering your mother’s tears splashing down on your face as she is on top of you, crying as she is trying to choke you to death. My mother left me these memories and many more during my traumatic childhood. After many years of struggling with trying to understand “Why Me?” I took back control of my life and started saying, “It was me, now what am I going to do?” The answer is my book, “Why Me?”. It is my childhood journey through the terrors of physical and mental abuse from first grade until the day I moved out. It is my way of letting the world know what was really going on behind closed doors.

My 2 Cents
The only reason I've picked up this book was... the reference Amazon Kindle was giving out via my account. (after reading The Child called It) I was in a what to read next dilemma since I was reading the last book through like a breeze. I couldn't just ignore the eyes on the cover.

So first impression was.. What the hell? Another memoir of a mother willing to beat her kid senseless? Not just physical, but emotional and mentally as well. She was also taught to shoplift. Her mother lied to destroy her socially as well. What irked me was when she gave her mother a second chance and her Mother just blew that one too. I didn't get how she won't take the way out, but I guess she was in a deep dilemma. Hardly anybody believe her, and with the ones who do, are just helpless.

Emotions aside...This book felt emotionally detached regardless it being a memoir of what was an abused child. Maybe she wished to just get through the book done and over with, I guess. It was a fast read.. but I ended up thinking she's way too focus on her everyday beating. Somehow keeping anything else in arm's length.

Overall, I hope the best for Sarah Burleton.

Btw: I found out there’s a sequel for this, “What It Is”; and I have started reading it. So far, all the absence of emotions has been showing up in this book.

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Book Review: A Child Called It: One Child’s Courage To Survive (Dave Pelzer #1); By Dave Pelzer

rate } ♠♠♠♠
genre } non-fiction | biography | child abuse
release day } 1st September 1995
publisher } HCI
format } e-book
isbn } B004FN1T3K
pages } 195 pg.
source } bought
age group } pg 13+
interest } young adult | teens | adults
challenge }
Buy @ Amazon.com | Nolly Book | D BookHaus

A Child Called It: One Child’s Courage To Survive
(Dave Pelzer #1)
by; Dave Pelzer

Via GoodReads
David J. Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva, was, he writes in this ghastly, fascinating memoir, a devoted den mother to the Cub Scouts in her care, and somewhat nurturant to her children--but not to David, whom she referred to as "an It." This book is a brief, horrifying account of the bizarre tortures she inflicted on him, told from the point of view of the author as a young boy being starved, stabbed, smashed face-first into mirrors, forced to eat the contents of his sibling's diapers and a spoonful of ammonia, and burned over a gas stove by a maniacal, alcoholic mom. Sometimes she claimed he had violated some rule--no walking on the grass at school!--but mostly it was pure sadism. Inexplicably, his father didn't protect him; only an alert schoolteacher saved David. One wants to learn more about his ordeal and its aftermath, and now he's written a sequel, The Lost Boy, detailing his life in the foster-care system.

Though it's a grim story, A Child Called "It" is very much in the tradition of Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul and the many books in that upbeat series, whose author Pelzer thanks for helping get his book going. It's all about weathering adversity to find love, and Pelzer is an expert witness.

My 2 Cents
** SPOILERS ALERT **


People has been bugging me badly to read this book ever since before I was into biographies. And last night, after letting it lay there.. with thunderstorm drumming overhead.. I was bored so I picked it up.

... and I didn't stop reading it until 3 hours later.. at 1 am.. on a work night.... Work night!

…and it left me all emotional after reading it.. thinking.. what the hell?! What a sick sick mother! I was woke up thinking, I must have missed the trigger.

.. and it turned out I didn't. I never thought I be so floored. The last time I read something that left me aghast, was My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

...And there was a heartless mother in that too! That one was at least fiction! I'm beginning to see a pattern here.

Oh wow... I can't really review this. This is a story of a person's real life.
Burnt, gas, stab, starve... I was trying to figure out if he was adopted (he wasn't), or a bastard (he wasn't).. Dear God I need to gather myself.. for this review.

I was pulled into his world. I cringed but I couldn't stop reading. It's like.. I can't abandon him, I feel like I was abandoning him if I Stop reading. What kind of mother woke up one day, and decided "Hey.. I hate this kid." Worse yet, degrade him. refuse acknowledgement, that he has an identity. Kill him slowly. But only him. (turned out there's another brother who "replace" his victim spot when he was taken away from home.)

Oh dear, I'm horrified. He's father was helpless... But he could have taken little Dave away from the monster in the house. but he didn't.

Oh my, I have come down to the point where I'm not sure how to review this book. In fact, I ended up judging instead of reviewing.

Anyway... one thing for sure.. If you are down and think your life stinks, read this. And guess what... Dave Pelzer survived. He pulled through a torturous life with a monster he called mom, who probably killed him if nobody help him out, or if he gave up.

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Teaser Tuesdays; Why Me?

♣ Hosted by Should Be Reading
♣ Grab your current read
♣ Open to a random page
♣ Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
♣ BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
♣ Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Mom’s eyes seemed to glaze over. In two swift steps she was at my side. She grabbed me by my newly permed hair and dragged me out of my room. The pain was excruciating; my scalp was raw from the perm the night before, and my hair was still wet from my shower. I screamed and cried as Mom pulled me down the hallway, but fighting only made my head hurt worse.

~Why Me? by Burleton, Sarah

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Book Review: The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2): by Rick Riordan

rate } ♠♠♠♠
genre } young adult | greek mythology | roman mythology | fantasy | action & adventure
release day } 4th October 2011
publisher } Disney Hyperion
format } e-book & hardback
isbn } B0053TMP24
pages } 544 pg.
source } bought
age group } pg 13+
interest } young adult | teens
challenge }
Buy @ Amazon.com | Nolly Book | D BookHaus

The Son of Neptune
(Heroes of Olympus)
By; Rick Riordan

Via Goodreads
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn't ring and bells with him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth

Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn't do a very good job of it. Sure, she was an obedient daughter, even when her mother was possessed by greed. But that was the problem - when the Voice took over he mother and commanded Hazel to use her "gift" for and evil purpose, Hazel couldn't say no. Now because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk. Hazel wished she could ride away from it all on the stallion that appears in her dreams.

Frank is a klutz. His grandmother says he is descended from heroes and can be anything he wants to be, but he doesn't see it. He doesn't even know who his father is. He keeps hoping Apollo will claim him, because the only thing he is good at is archery - although not good enough to win camp war games. His bulky physique makes him feel like an ox, especially infront of Hazel, his closest friend at camp. He trusts her completely - enough to share the secret he holds close to his heart.

Beginning at the "other" camp for half-bloods and extending as far as the land beyond the gods, this breathtaking second installment of the Heroes of Olympus series introduces new demigods, revives fearsome monsters, and features other remarkable creatures, all destined to play a part in the Prophesy of Seven.


My 2 Cents
Yes!! Percy is back baby! I couldn’t wait for my hardcopy to arrived that I actually bought the Kindle version just to satiate myself. Could you blame me?

This book has been a fresh of air for this whole Percy series. Percy lost his memory, Percy confused, Percy back to square one.. but I have to admit.. I love the fact Percy is not the the main protagonist in this book. Yes, some of you might not agree with me. But I actually enjoy the fact that we’re weren’t going going to reread his past adventures via his memories here.

Frank and Hazel from the Roman camp was actually refreshing. The fresh eyes, fresh history, fresh adventures. But I hate to say it, there were parts that dragged. It’s like the author was trying to explain the background or fun facts of things regarding some of things within the chapters. Hence there’s only 4 ♠s

I can’t help for that special love I have for Ares.. err I mean Mars, has been reaffirmed. He is more attentive, if I may say, to his children here. Maybe it’s due to being in a Roman-ic environment is more of his thing, rather than he was back in Camp Half-Blood. Yup, he was always one of my favorites. *swoon*

So overall? Mythology knowledge should be in that level where you know who is who, and who is what. Knowledge and background of the prequels from this book, is essential, or you be lost. So that means, Pick up Percy Jackson’s series before you read this series! Grab “The Lost Hero” as well. Otherwise, all is good and I’m definitely in ♥ with this book.

So looking forward to The Mark of Athena next year.

Fun Fact: I read this for the 2011’s 24 hr Dewey Read-a-thon

"When She Reads" is a blog mostly dedicated to the almost lost art reading. The Reader, namely Lisa, reads a long range of genre that includes children, young adults, teens, adult fiction, horror, fantasy, steam punk, science fiction, graphic novels, mystery, thrillers, a bit of non-fiction here and there. Lisa is also a librarian, webmiss, book reviewer and a writer all roll in one. Thanks for dropping by and please do leave a comment.

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2012 Paranormal Reading Challenge

The challenge is for ANY paranormal with the exception of vampires.  They have their own challenge.

Rules:

• Starts January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012
• Anyone can join
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers feel free to share your list of books in the comment section of the monthly link up post.
• Reviews though not required are always nice.
• Audio, E-books, Bound and re-reads all count
• There is no need to come up with your list of books in advance.
• Challenge crossovers ok
• Create a sign up post and link up in the linky below.

Levels:

Level 1 – Read 1-5 Paranormal Novels
Level 2 – Read 6-10 Paranormal Novels
Level 3 – Read 11-20 Paranormal Novels
Level 4 – Read 21+ Paranormal Novels

 

My Choice:
Let’s Try with Level 1 first

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2012 100+ Books Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012
Rules:
Starts January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012

• Anyone can join
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers feel free to share your list of books in the comment section of the monthly link up post.
• Reviews though not required are always nice.
• Audio, E-books, Bound and re-reads all count
• There is no need to come up with your list of books in advance.
• Challenge crossovers ok
• Create a sign up post and link up using the linky.
• The goal of this challenge is to read 100+ books during 2012.

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January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Hosted by: My Overstuffed Bookshelf
Details/Rules:
1. The goal is to read 150 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Posting on GoodReads or wherever you post your reviews is good enough.
2. Allowed are: Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.
What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible.
3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.
5. Challenge begins January 1st, 2012 thru December 31, 2012. Books started before the 1st do not count. You can join at anytime.
6. When you sign up under Linky, put the direct link to your post where your books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

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1. Amalan 24 Jam dalam kehidupan Rasulullah; Zulkarnain Dollah
2. Kuasa Iqra: Menguasai Dunia, Menikmati Akhirat; Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri
3. Substituting Ingredients
4. How to Roast a Lamb
5. How to Cook Everything; Mark Bittman
6. Food Rules: Michael Pollan
7. Fifty Shades of Grey; E.L James
8. Snow White, Blood Red; Cameron Jace
9. Princess of the Midnight ball; Jessica Day George
10. Emily the Strange
11. Once Upon a Crime; Michael Buckley
12. The problem Child; Michael Buckley
13. The Unusual Suspects; Michael Buckley
14. The Wall; Eve Bunting
15. Burger Boy; Alan Durant
16. The Boy Who Wouldn’t Swim; Deb Lucke
17. Night Tree; Eve Bunting
18. Dragon’s Breath; E. D. Baker
19. The Merry Shipwreck; George Duplaix
20. The witch in the Cherry Tree; Margaret Mahy
21. Lentil; Robert McCloskey
22. Tiny Little Fly; Michael Rosen
23. Franklin Rides a Bike; Paulette Bourgeois
24. Cut; Cathy Glass
25. Happy Birthday, Moon; Frank Ash
26. Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life; James Patterson
27. Pilot & Huxley; Dan McGuiness
28. The Bad Widow; Barbara Elsborg
29. Medusa The Mean; Joan Holub
30. The Beast Beneath the Stairs; Michael Dahl
31. The Book That Dripped Blood; Michael Dahl
32. The Creeping Bookends; Michael Dahl
33. The Eye in the Graveyard; Michael Dahl
34. The Smashing Scroll; Michael Dahl
35. Escape from Pop-Up Prison; Michael Dahl
36. Poison Pages; Michael Dahl
37. The Twister Trap; Michael Dahl
38. The Word Eater; Michael Dahl
39. The Frog Princess; E. D. Baker
40. The Monster at the end of this book; Jon Stone
41. Dear Bully; Megan Kelley Hall
42. The Fairy-Tale Detectives; Michael Buckley
43. The Serpent’s Shadow; Rick Riordan
44. WWE Triple H
45. Heck; Dale E. Basye
46. What Did We Use Before Toilet Paper?; Andrew Thompson
47. The 100 Most Influential Women of All Time; Kathleen Kuiper
48. John Cena
49. Great Migrations; Laura Marsh
50. How to Help the Earth – The Lorax; Tish rabe
51. The Addicted Brain; Michael Kuhar
52. What Einstein Told His Barber; Robert L. Wolke
53. The librarian from the black lagoon; Mike Thaler
54. Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom; Julia Child
55. How to be a Gentleman; John Bridges
56. Thomas and Friends; The Close Shave; Wilbert Awdry
57. Best in the world; Chris Powling
58. The Girl in the Mirror; Cathy Glass
59. The Girl Nobody Wants; Lily O’Brien
60. 1001 Sexcapades to do if you dare; Bobbi Dempsey
61. 101 Foods that Could save your life; David Grotto
62. The babysitter’s seduction; Kelli Wolfe
63. The Gym teacher from the Black Lagoon; Mike Thaler
64. The Imam’s Daughter; Hannah Shah
65. Birthday Suit; Olive Senior
66. Up Dog; H.J Hutchins
67. Up Cat:; H.J. Hutchins
68. Bound for the Holidays; Mackenzie McKade
69. Goddess Interrupted; Aimee Carter
70. 100 Must-read life-changing books; Nicholas Rennison
71. Twisting up a storm; Cheryl Duksta
72. The princess and the Moon; Daisaku Ikeda
73. The Lipstick Laws; Amy Holder

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2012 Read Your Own Books Reading Challenge

• Starts January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012
• Anyone can join
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers feel free to share your list of books in the comment section of the monthly link up post.
• Reviews though not required are always nice.
• Audio, E-books, Bound all count
• Re-reads DO NOT count
• There is no need to come up with your list of books in advance.
• Challenge crossovers ok

My Choice: Level 1 – Read 1-5 Your Own Books

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2012 Paranormal Romance Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012
Hosted by: Tales from the Crypt

Rules:

• Starts January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012
• Anyone can join
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers feel free to share your list of books in the comment section of the monthly link up post.
• Reviews though not required are always nice.
• Audio, E-books, Bound and re-reads all count
• There is no need to come up with your list of books in advance.
• Challenge crossovers ok
• Create a sign up post and link up in the linky below.

Levels:

Level 1 – Read 1-5 Paranormal Romances
Level 2 – Read 6-10 Paranormal Romances
Level 3 – Read 11-20 Paranormal Romances
Level 4 – Read 21+ Paranormal Romances

My Choice: Level 1 (1- 5 books)

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2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

What’s your reading goal for 2012? If it’s to read more books, then this is the reading challenge for you There were 227 readers who wanted to outdo themselves in 2011. Are you up for the challenge?

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2012 than you did in 2011. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Levels:

Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books


My Choice
Let’s try Getting my heart rate up (1-5 books)

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2012 Getting Lost in a Comfortable Book

Getting Lost in a Comfortable Book
2012 Reading Challenge
hosted by Gina at Book Dragon's Lair

Guidelines:
Make a post
link up (coming)
read 5 books from the list that you haven't read before
Reviews:
would be nice but I'd be more interested in why you pick each book and what you thought of it. This can be added to your post about the challenge.

The list didn't turn out as long as I'd hope so there will be no voting....just read five books (not yours) from the list. Yes, there are a couple of series on the list.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Arabella by Georgette Heyer
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Briar's Book by Tamora Pierce
The Cat Who series by Lilian Jackson Braun
The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Anne Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowlings
The Hawk and the Jewel, The by Lori Wick
The Hobbit, The by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
How to Make an American Quilt by Whitney Otto
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman
The Irish Country series Patrick Taylor
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Key Trilogy by Nora Roberts
Le Grand Secret (The Immortals) by René Barjavel
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Mist of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Mitford series by Jan Karon
The Negotiator by Dee Henderson
The Night Watch by Sergej Lukianenko
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
Persuasion by Jane Austen
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
The Phryne Fisher Mystery series by Kerry Greenwood
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Princess Bride, The by William Goldman
The Protector of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce
Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice
Secret Garden, The by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Spy Wore Red, The by Aline, Countess of Romanones
Stand, The by Stephen King
Stone and the Flute, The by Hans Bemmann
Tangled Web, A by L.M. Montgomery
Time Traveler's Wife, The by Audrey Niffenegger
Venetia by Georgette Heyer
Westing Game, The by Ellen Raskin
Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce
Worthing Saga, The by Orson Scott Card

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New Author Challenge 2012

January 1 – December 31, 2012
Hosted by: Literary Escapism

It’s the fourth year for the New Author Challenge and I’m hoping everyone is still enjoying this reading challenge.  Last year I attempted to do more mini-challenges and wasn’t that successful. So this year I’m not going to promise that I’ll be more consistent with them, but I will say that I am going to attempt to do a few during 2012. So we’ll see if I can’t do better this year.

For those new to the New Author Challenge, the whole idea started when I first started book blogging. I didn’t know that many authors in my favored genre, so I went looking.  I gave myself a goal of finding 50 new authors and ended up reading 56 the first year I did this.  I loved finding these new worlds and cultures, so I want to help others find new ones as well.  Since 2007, I’ve tried over 100 different authors I may not have tried otherwise and I have found some great authors.

The idea behind this is to find new authors that you’ve never tried before, not necessarily ones that are debuting.  They can be in your genre of choice or be brave and try something new.  You never know what you’re going to like until you try it.  If you’re looking for some suggestions, you can check out the Author page here at Literary Escapism or the 2009,2010 and 2011 Challenge pages.  With over 1000 reviews posted, I’m sure there will be something there for everyone.

Here are the guidelines:

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012.
2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels.  Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies.
3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors.  It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be.  For me, I want to say I’m going to do another 50 new authors, but with two kids, I didn’t made my goal in 2011, so I’m going to be smarter and say 25.  If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop.  Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky.  We all want to know about your new experience.
4. After reading your new author, write your review and then come back here and add your link to Mr. Linky.  Make sure you include your name and the author, but adding the title is completely up to you.
5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome. You don’t have to have a site to participate. You can link up via Facebook, GoodReads or even Amazon if you’d like.

Once you reach your goal, you don’t have to stop.  Any new author you try, go ahead and head back here and add it to the list.  Introduce us all to whoever you find.  Afterall, there’s no reason to stop trying new authors, right?



My Choice
Let’s try with 15 first

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2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

The Rules:

• Anyone can join.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post on Jamie's blog.
• Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.
• No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

There are four levels:

1. The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
2. The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.
3. The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.
4. The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

My Choice
I’m going to start low at “The Mini YA Reading Challenge at 12 YA books” and the I’ll upgrade from there.

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2012 "Bucket List" Book Reading Challenge

Rules:
1. Challenge starts on January 1, 2012 and goes until December 31, 2012.
2. You don't need a blog to participate.
3. Create a "sign up" post and link to the linky.
4. There are 4 levels to this challenge....
      a. The Mini Cooper level - 4 "bucket" list books
      b. The Mid-sized Sedan level - 8 "bucket" list books
      c. The Pick Up level - 12 "bucket" list books
      d. The Semi level - 13 or more "bucket" list books
NOTE:  I am adding a stipulation to this challenge.  If you originally decided to start small with the Mini Cooper level and decide to upgrade that is fine.  But once you decide to go big you can NOT downgrade.
5. Each month a review link will be posted.  Please feel free to link up your reviews where ever you happen to post them...your blog, goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

Sample "Bucket" Lists:
YAReads
"Bucket List" Books

My Choice
The Mini Cooper level!: 4 books

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2012 Banned/Challenged Book Reading Challenge

We all know that there is a whole week devoted to Banned and Challenged books.  But why stop at a week?!  Why not a whole YEAR?!
Rules:

• Anyone can join
• You don't need a blog to participate.  For non-bloggers, please leave a comment with a link (if you review somewhere else) to the review or leave a list of the books you read on the monthly link up post.

• Audio, ebooks, and bound books are ok.

• No re-reads

• Create a sign up post and post the link in the linky.

• Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

• Challenge Crossovers are ok.

Levels:
Level 1 - Read 12 Banned/Challenged books
Level 2 - Read 24 Banned/Challenged books
Level 3 - Read 36 Banned/Challenged books
Level 4 - Read 37+ Banned/Challenged books

Goodreads Lists to refer to:
The Most Frequently Challenged Books
Banned Books
Popular Challenged Books

American Library Association Links:
Banned & Challenged Classics
100 Most Frequently Challenged Books: 1990 –1999
Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000 – 2009


My Choice:
Let’s do with Level 1 first

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2012 Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Hosted by The Eclectic Bookshelf

Rules:
Anyone can join

• Audio, ebooks, and bound books are ok.

• No re-reads

• Create a sign up post and post the link in the linky below.

• Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

• Challenge Crossovers are ok.

Levels:
Level 1 - Read 4 Romantic Suspense novels
Level 2 - Read 10 Romantic Suspense novels
Level 3 - Read 14 Romantic Suspense novels
Level 4 - Read 15+ Romantic Suspense novels

My Choice
Let’s try with Level 1 first

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2012 Romance Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Hosted by; The Eclectic Bookshelf

This reading challenge is for any genre of Romance with the exception of YA and Erotica.  Have fun with this one peeps!

Rules:

• Anyone can join
• You don't need a blog to participate.  For non-bloggers, please leave a comment with a link (if you review somewhere else) to the review or leave a list of the books you read on the monthly link up post.

• Audio, ebooks, and bound books are ok.

• No re-reads

• Create a sign up post and post the link in the linky below.

• Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

• Challenge Crossovers are ok.

Levels:
Level 1 - Read 4 Romance novels
Level 2 - Read 10 Romance novels
Level 3 - Read 14 Romance novels
Level 4 - Read 15+ Romance novels

My Choice
Level 1 – Read 4 Romance Novels and I probably go up from there.

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2012 E-Book Reading Challenge

Hosted by The Eclectic Bookshelf
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Here are the rules:
1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.  Create a post about the challenge and link your challenge post up in the sign up page.
--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.

2. There are four levels:
--The Mini E-Book Challenge – Read 5 E-Books.
--The "Fun Size" E-Book Challenge – Read 10 E-Books.
--The Jumbo Size E-Book Challenge – Read 20 E-Books.
--The Mega Size E-Book Reading Challenge - Read 25+ E-Books.

3. No Audio or Print books.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. The Challenge starts on January 1, 2012 and goes until December 31, 2012.


My Choice
I will be doing The Mega Size E-Book Challenge: Read 25+ E-Books. This wouldn’t be a problem since I have been reading E-books lately.

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