Reading Challenge Update

Don't worry. I didn't join any more reading challenges, although I will admit I was tempted by a couple of late entries. However, I held fast and stuck with the already overwhelming number I had. Anyway, here's what I've read so far:

The Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family by Mary Ostyn
     This is a terrific book I had languishing on my bedside table waiting for me to get around to finishing it. Now I wish I'd read it a year ago when I bought it. I picked up so many great tips and got a ton of ideas that I will be using in the near future.

The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
The Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
     This is my first foray into steampunk. These are the first and second books in the Infernal Devices series, a series of supernatural steampunk books aimed at young adults. I'm still trying to decide if I really like this genre, but these stories are very interesting.  I can't recommend them for young adults, because there is some profanity and a scene or two of sensuality (the one in the second book made me blush0. You have been warned. Oh, and one last warning: if you get sucked into this series, you should know that according to the website, book three isn't expected until September 2013.

The Disciplined Life by Calvin Miller
     This is one a of multitude of books I have downloaded for free since I got my Kindle several a few years ago. There are many such books available at various times. Check any of the multitude of Kindle blogs for listings of free books on Amazon. Many are free for a limited time, so if you see something that looks interesting, jump on it.
     I really liked this book and will probably re-read it before the year is out. There are lots of nuggets to chew on in this one.

Unfriend Yourself by Kyle Tennant
     Another free e-book. The author issues a challenge to unplug from social media for three days to consider the proper use of it and it's place in your life. Lots of food for thought here as well.

A Thousand Times More by W.S Gray
     Subtitled "A prayer plan to receive all that God wants for you." 'Nuff said.

The Best Gift by Wendy Markham
     I picked this one up last year at a library fundraiser sale. It's a book about a young lady that keeps time-traveling when she least expects it. It was an interesting story. My only real issue with it was that the plot presumes a belief in reincarnation.

That's it for now. Fortunately, some of these crossed over from one challenge to another and counted more than once. I'll post another update when I have another clump of books to report.

Oh, and while I didn't join any more reading challenges, I did get into a challenge with my eldest daughter to make 25 recipes and do 25 projects off of our Pinterest boards before the year is out. Yikes! I'll let you know how that goes.

2012 Reading Challenges

Well, here we are at the beginning of a new year and the old familiar madness has set in. I'm speaking, of course, of the urge to sign up for reading challenges. I am cutting back this year, after last year got so out of hand. I'm attempting to limit myself(!) to the 15 challenges listed below:

1. Foodies Read 2
Short-Order Cook: 1 to 3 books
I'm one of those weird people who loves reading cookbooks and other books about food. This should be fun.

2. Greek Classics Challenge 2012
Sophocles: read 1-4 works
This is a little something to stretch the old brain cells.

3. What Would Jame Do Reading Challenge 2012
A Touch of Pride: Read 1-3 books
I'm not sure what all I'm reading for this one, but I'm pretty sure Mansfield Park is on the list.

4. The 2012 Graham Greene Reading Challenge
Dangling your toes: 1 book
I read The Comedians years ago, and haven't gotten around to reading anything else by this author.

5. Time Travel Reading Challenge 2012
Surprise Trip: 1 to 3 time travel books
I actually bought a time-travel book at the last library sale that I just found again the other day.

6. Fairy Tales Retold Challenge
3 books - Peasant
One of my daughters is a huge fan of fairy tale retellings. She has recommended some to me for this challenge.

7. All the Books of Pern Challenge 2012
Green– The original trilogy (or any 3)
I plan to read at least the original trilogy and if I have time, the Harper Hall trilogy. I was saddened my Anne McCaffrey's passing in November because I have many happy memories of reading her books in my younger years.

8. Clocks, Cogs and Mechanisms Challenge 2012
Brass Gears: Read 1-3 steampunk books
This is a new area for me. I'm usually a mystery buff, so steampunk is a little out of my usual purview. I'm looking forward to the challenge!

9. The 2012 Medieval Reading Challenge
Inferno – at least 4 books
More brain stretching going on here. The books have to be from 4 different genres and have to be written during the middle ages. Should be interesting.

10. The 2012 “Books I started but didn’t finish” Reading Challenge
4 books
1. The Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family
2. Bringing Up Geeks
3. Courageous for Women
4. Loving Our Kids on Purpose
These are all books I started last year and for one reason or another, never got around to finishing.

11. 2012 Operation Deepen Faith
II. Going Deep - I plan to read the book of James in 12 different translations as well as read 6 additional books written about the book of James (bible studies, commentaries, etc. In addition, I will be reading various study notes and additional resources on the book of James.
IV.Christian Nonfiction
10 books (in addition to the ones mentioned in the entry above)
I love this challenge. I have been meaning to take some time out and really study the book of James because it's my favorite.

12. Mount TBR Reading Challenge
Pike's Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s
My TBR piles are definitely in mountain range territory. I'll be posting my list of books I plan to read in a couple of days, if I can narrow down which ones I'm going to focus on. :D

13. Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge 2012
at least twelve (12) legally obtained FREE e-books
My Kindle is filling up fast with free books. I think I've purchased one book so far for it, but have managed to accumulate over a thousand books. I'd like to see how big a dent I can make in the mostly unread portion of them.

14. Wishlist Challenge 2012
12 books from your current wishlist
True confession time here. I have 56 Amazon wishlists. Hey, but only 48 of them are actually book lists. Sigh. Let's just say it's not going to be too much of a challenge to find 12 books to read off my wishlists.

15. 2012 Support Your Local Library Challenge
Level 1 - Read 12 library books
I'm a big fan of libraries and mine constantly amazes me with what pops up there. I'm signing up for the minimum level, but I suspect the final total will be much higher.

Well, that's the extent of the madness for this year. Um, that is unless someone does a Christmas reading challenge again or a Lenten one or a summer one or...

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Food for Thought

"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing."

--Agatha Christie