2015 Challenge Wrap-Ups: European, Foodies, and Nonfiction

Three more challenge wrap-ups for 2015. Didn't do terribly well with all of these, even though I did enjoy the books I read for them (mostly). And I want to say a huge thank-you to all the hosts!

The 2015 European Reading Challenge was hosted by Gillian @ Rose City Reader. One of my favorite challenges. I signed up at the Three-star "Business Traveler" level (read 1-3 books), and actually read four books:

1. The Third Man. Graham Greene (Vienna, Austria) 
2. The Room. Jonas Karlsson (Sweden)
3. The Witch of Painted Sorrows. M.J. Rose (Paris, France)
4. The Fifth Gospel. Ian Caldwell (Vatican City, Rome, Italy)

No reviews -- I might add one or two in the next few days. Or maybe not.

Foodies Read 2015 was hosted by Vicki @ I'd Rather Be At the Beach. I signed up at the first level, "Short Order Cook" (read 1-3 books), and just read one book that would qualify:

• Backstabbing in Beaujolais. by Jean-Pierre Alaux, Noël Balen (trans. by Anne Trager)

Obviously, I'm not much of a cook, even if the orders are very short.

The Nonfiction Reading Challenge was hosted by Jen @ The Introverted Reader. I had high hopes for this one -- I really do want to try to read more nonfiction. But in 2015, I read only one book that would qualify as nonfiction:

• Last Man Standing: Tales from Tinseltown. Roger Moore

Waiting to see if this challenge will be repeated in 2016. If it is, I might have to give it another go.

More wrap-ups to come....

Foodies Read 2015

Foodies Read 2015

Right now, anyone who knows me well is probably saying "Foodies!!!???? Has she lost her mind?"

Or words to that effect.

Because if they know me well, they know I have a real aversion to any kind of kitchen work. Putting it mildly, I'm not much of a cook -- actually I'm not anything of a cook. Can't cook, never could. Never really enjoyed trying. But in 2015, I'm determined to change that. Everyone should be able to cook, at least a little -- right? And I'm thinking maybe looking at a few cookbooks might be a good way to help me along. (Recipes -- what a concept!)

In reality, I know I'll probably just end up reading food-themed mystery novels, but that's OK, too. At least I'll have made an effort.

The 2015 Foodies challenge is hosted by Vicki from I'd Rather Be At The Beach, and runs through December 31, 2015. You can read all about it and sign up by visiting THE CHALLENGE BLOG. There are several levels of participation to choose from --

• Short-Order Cook: 1 to 3 books
• Pastry Chef: 4 to 8 books
• Sous-Chef: 9 to 13 books
• Chef de Cuisine: 14 to 18
• Cordon-Bleu Chef: More than 19

and I'm thinking I'll go with the first ("Short-Order Cook") level. Three books should be doable. Now if I can just manage to READ about food without actually EATING so much of it, I should be OK. This could be the only reading challenge that's fattening!

During the year, I'll be tracking my progress over on my challenge blog (HERE). So, bon appétit, and happy reading!