Challenges for 2011

So. Reading challenges. Lots and lots of reading challenges planned for 2011, and I'm having so much trouble deciding which ones to sign up for. Naturally, I'd really like to sign up for every one I hear about, but I'm trying to go a little easy on the challenges next year. And, as always, I'm looking for challenges that don't have too many rules and limitations.

To save time, I'm not going to do a separate post for each of the challenges I'm joining, so here's my list so far:

1st in a Series Challenge 2011

1 January - 31 December 2011
Four levels: 3, 6, 12, or 20 books
Host: Katy @ A Few More Pages
See the announcement/sign-up page here.
✸ I have a huge list of "firsts" possibilities that I'll be posting on my challenge blog. But I'll also be playing it safe here, and just signing up at the three-book ("Series Novice") level.

2nds Challenge 2011

1 January - 31 December 2011
Read books that are the second in a series, or by an author you've read only once before.
Four levels: 3, 6, 12, or 20+ books
Host: Katy @ A Few More Pages
See the announcement/sign-up page here.
✸ I participated in the 2nds Challenge a couple of years ago, and enjoyed it a lot. Again, I'm playing it safe and signing up for just three books ("Just a Spoonful").

Alex Cross Reading Challenge

1 September 2010 - 31 August 2011
Read as many Alex Cross mysteries as you want (the books are, in order of publication: Along Came a Spider; Kiss the Girls; Jack & Jill; Cat and Mouse; Pop! Goes the Weasel; Roses Are Red; Violets Are Blue; Four Blind Mice; The Big Bad Wolf; London Bridges; Mary, Mary; Cross; Double Cross; Cross Country; Alex Cross's Trial; I, Alex Cross).
Host: Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews
See the announcement/sign-up page here.
✸ I've never read any of the Alex Cross books, but always intended to; so this is a great nudge for me. I'll be starting at the beginning with Along Came a Spider, and then see if I can go on from there.

Mystery and Suspense Challenge 2011

1 January - 31 December 2011
Read a minimum of twelve books, from any of the many sub-genres provided.
Host: Book Chick City
See the announcement/sign-up page here.
✸ This was one of my favorite challenges in 2010, so I'm really looking forward to the 2011 edition. I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers anyway, so this one is a piece of cake.

Off the Shelf Challenge

1 January - 31 December 2011
Choose from books you already own, or that are already on your TBR list.
Seven levels: 5, 15, 30, 50, 75, 75-125, or 125-200 books
Host: Bookish Ardour
See the announcement/sign-up page here.
✸ I really, really need this challenge, so I'm going to be signing up at the 15-book level, even though that may be more than I can really expect to finish. I've got a virtual shelf set up for the challenge, at Shelfari (here).

Vintage Mystery Challenge 2011

1 January - 31 December 2011
The purpose of the challenge is to read mysteries written before 1960.
Five basic levels: 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, or 16+ books
Also two other levels/categories: female or male authors
Host: Bev Hankins @ My Readers Block
See the announcement/sign-up page here.
✸ Bev must have read my mind: I was planning to make reading more vintage mysteries one of my New Year's reading resolutions. I'm going to be signing up at the 4-6 book level ("In a Murderous Mood"), and I'll probably concentrate on Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh, but might branch out a bit, too.

What's In a Name 4 Challenge

1 January - 31 December 2011
Six set categories (one book per category)
Host: Beth Fish Reads
See the announcement/sign-up page here.
✸ I thought about doing this one last year, and talked myself out of it. It sort of goes against my rule about rules, since the categories are set for me. But it looks like so much fun, I couldn't resist. Haven't made up my list yet, except for the "Life Stage" category - I'm thinking that will probably be Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler.

P.G. Wodehouse Challenge

1 December 2010 - 31 December 2013
Three categories: Blandings; Jeeves/Wooster; others (I'll probably be reading the Jeeves/Wooster series)
Host: Andrea @ The Little Bookworm
See the announcement/sign-up page here.
✸ Once again, someone seems to be on my wavelength here. I was planning to read some of the Jeeves/Wooster books next year, and this challenge should help keep me on track.

And that's it for now. Of course, there might be more to come later (I'm weak, I tell you, weak). During the year, I'll be posting progress updates on my challenge blog. At least, that's the plan.