Jul 24, 2009

DogEar Reading Challenge!

Okay, maybe this is a bit crazy, but last night I was talking with my husband about all the challenges I've been joining, and he suggested I host one of my own! So I decided to do just that. Announcing the first ever Dogear Reading Challenge!
  • For this challenge, read five books, one for each of the following categories:

    1. A book featuring an animal
    2. An adult fantasy book
    3. A YA or juvenile fiction book
    4. A non-fiction book on an obscure topic (or something you don't usually read about)
    5. A book about plants, gardening, or food

  • Sign up below with Mr. Linky, if you like.
  • Post your list of books online somewhere (here in the comments is fine, if you don't have a blog).
  • Preferably, read the books just for this challenge. But if you want to cross-over, that's fine.
  • If you find you can't finish a book on your list, feel free to pick a new one
  • The challenge starts 8/1/09 and ends 12/31/09.
  • At the end, everyone who's completed will be entered into a drawing for a prize! The prize consists of your choice of three items: my bookmarks, any book off my swap list (I'm on Paperback Swap and Book Mooch, and have a few dozen books waiting to be listed on them, too) or Book Mooch points. Any combination: so you can have three bookmarks, or two books and a bookmark, or two Mooch points and a book, etc.
(I've never hosted a challenge before; if there's something else I need to address, please help out and let me know!)

The books I am planning to read for the Dogear Reading Challenge are:

The Wrong Dog by Carol Lea Benjamin
The Summer Country by James Heltey
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
West with the Night by Beryl Markham
In a Green Shade by Allen Lacy

So... who wants to join me?

24 comments:

  1. Aren't you the uber blogger! Good for you - I'm proud of you! I don't think I can enter because I promised myself to stop the madness. But it really is a fascinating collection of novels!

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  2. Oh, Sandy, me too. It sounds like such a fun challenge, but I had to give up challenges. They were stressing me out! I'm giving up ARCs, sloooowly, too.

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  3. How much fun is this?? And pretty good getting it up right after your husband suggested it. It took me months to work up the courage. :)

    Unlike the others, I'm in. I'm ignoring the madness. I've joined more challenges than I can possibly finish, but I'm having fun. So there!

    For the book about plants, gardening, or food--does this need to be non-fiction? That might be the more difficult topic for me. Hmm, and possibly a book featuring an animal. Gonna go look at the shelves!

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  4. I'm trying to stop the madness myself. This sounds fun, though - good luck to you and everyone joining!

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  5. Sandy N- Hey, thanks! I know, I'm getting a bit crazy about the books, too.

    Bookfool- I've way slowed down on my ARCs, but just got into the challenge thing!

    Trish- thanks! I was almost afraid no one would sign up. I was thinking of making it be about reading your most tattered and worn books instead.... anyway, the plant/food book can be fiction. I can't think of any- something like Grass by Sherri Tepper?

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  6. Tattered and worn would have been a good one, too. I've got a TON of those! I'll keep my eye out for the last category. Food might be easier for me than plants/gardening.

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  7. Sounds like fun, but I think I'm a little too disjointed to even attempt another challenge at the moment. I'll be watching for your reveiws though!

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  8. I want to play! This is going to be my first-ever book challenge - I figure now that I'm between jobs, it's the perfect time to try one. I'm going to post my list of books as soon as I think of them.

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  9. Glad you're joining! For a while there I was afraid Trish would have no competition for the prize!

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  10. I do like challnenges with a few varieties, so I am in

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  11. Hi, I'm going to join your challenge. I'll look around a bit and then put my list up on my blog at
    http://byhookbook.blogspot.com

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  12. Anonymous8/04/2009

    I'm new on the scene of blogging but I love read and write and I figured that taking on a few challenges would be a great way for me to delve in. My blog is still work and progress but it's definitely coming along. Feel free to check it out and hopefully continue coming back - I'd love any feedback!

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  13. I found this challenge while surfing the web and it sounds right up my alley. I'm in.

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  14. Sounds lik a fun challenge-
    I will read

    1. Dewey-Small Town Library Cat
    by Vicki Myron-animal book
    2. The Giver by Lois Lowry-Y A
    Fantasy
    3. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret
    Atwood Adult Fantasy
    4. Beaufort-The Duke and his \
    Dutchess-1657 to 1715 by Molly
    McClain-non fiction
    5. Memories of Philippine
    Kitchens by Amy Besk and Romy
    Dorotan.

    Sounds like a fun challenge

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  15. This sounds like fun.. I am going to read:

    1. Watership Down by Richard Adams(animal book)
    2. Troy: Lord of the Silver Bow by David Gemmell(adult fantasy)
    3. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman(YA fiction)
    4. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson(obscure non-fiction)
    5. Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky(food book)

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  16. Jeane, I'm a little late but I'm joining this challenge! I have 40 books to read before Dec 31 to make my super challenge, so I'm sure I can find five books to go with this one! I'll think about the books and let you know my choices in the next couple of days. Thanks so much for hosting this! I'm really hoping i can find Gerald Durrell's books, I read them as a child and you reading them again has got me wanting to read them now again....And congratulations for hosting your first challenge too!

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  17. Hi!
    I have joined in on the challenge. I have posted about this challenge and linked it back to you. I have also posted my first review. Dewey - Vicki Myron. You can see my review at my place, A View of My Life. Have a great day!!

    Sherrie

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  18. I'm all in!

    I think you will like "West With the Night" I loved it! One of my favorite books...if you don't laugh out loud when you get to the scene's with the parrot I'd be surprised. Or maybe I just laughed so hard because my Grandma had an African Gray just like the one she describes. Will let you know my books soon have to think about them.

    First time I have visited your blog and I have to say I like that you have an Abandoned category that just says it all!!

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  19. Great challenge! Will you do it again in 2010?

    I'm thinking about joining but I've got 50+ books to read before the end of the year and I don't think any of them fit!

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  20. Spigot- I did, very much enjoy West with the Night. You're right, the parrot scene was hilarious!

    Book Dragon- I'm thinking of doing it again, but with a different theme. And probably with a longer time frame; five months isn't very long to read a bunch of books in (especially when you're doing other challenges!)

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  21. So glad you like West With the Night! My Gran's parrot used to make the sound of a car pulling up her gravel driveway so she was always running out to the front window to see who was coming! Hilarious!
    I've narrowed most of my book choices down:
    1. A book featuring and animal
    (From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava)
    2. An adult fantasy book (The Name of The Wind)
    3. A young adult or juvenile fiction (Forest of Hands and Teeth)
    4. A non fiction book on an obscure topic (Collapse) Fall of Society's.
    5. A book about plants, garden or food....not sure yet?
    If you or anyone has a recommendation for this one...send it my way would you!
    http://sporadic-bursts.blogspot.com/

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  22. Jeane, I'm sorry, I thought I'd added myself to the link. Darn! I've just done it. I'm so pleased with this challenge! lol I'm just sending over the first review on your review link, too. I've read 2 of the books and am working on the third. Lovely challenge, Jeane!

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  23. Sounds like fun.
    I will be reading

    1. A book featuring and animal
    (All the Pretty Horses by McCarthy, Cormac, because I never got around reading it before)
    2. An adult fantasy book (Sunshine by Robin McKinley)
    3. A young adult or juvenile fiction (A Ticket to Ride, Paula McLaine)
    4. A non fiction book on an obscure topic (OJ Simpson's If I Did It)
    5. A book about plants, garden or food....(Everything You Pretend To Know About Food And Are Afraid Someone Will Ask by Nancy Rommelmann)

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  24. Anonymous11/25/2009

    sweetblckcherry here to say that I have completed the challenge. Thanks for posting this. It was fun.

    Here's the link to my last blog entry: http://sweetblckcherry.livejournal.com/62019.html

    Good luck to everyone still going.

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