Challenge Wrap-Up: 2014 Chunkster Challenge

The 2014 Chunkster Challenge was hosted by Vasilly, and the goal was to read books with 450 (or more) pages.

When I signed up, I intended to read at least a couple of chunksters, but ended up only finishing one -- Ten Lords A-Leaping, by C.C. Benison (490 pages). I think it's extremely unlikely that I'll read another 400-page tome before the end of the year (OK, it's definitely NOT gonna happen), so I'm wrapping this one up now. Thanks so much to Vasilly for hosting.

Read Scotland 2015

Hosted by: Peggy Ann @ Peggy Ann's Post

Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2015

For guidelines and other info,
see the challenge announcement page HERE.

I signed up for the 2014 Read Scotland Challenge, and only managed to read two books, even though I had planned to read at least five (I signed up at "The Highlander" level). So for the 2015 edition, I'm lowering my expectations a bit, and signing up at the "Just A Keek" level, 1-4 books. Pretty sure I can fit at least one book in somewhere during the year!

Sign up with the link on the announcement page (HERE), or if you have a GoodReads account, there's a dedicated group for the challenge, and you can sign up THERE.

Challenge Wrap-Up: 2014 Quick Fix Challenge

2014 Quick Fix Challenge

Hosted by: Jessie @ Jessie's Book Place
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2014

The goal of the Quick Fix Challenge was to read books of fewer than 300 pages. I signed up at the "Paperclips" Level -- at least 15 books. Here's what I read:

1. Coup de Grâce. Marguerite Yourcenar (151 pages)
2. The Only Problem. Muriel Spark (188 pages)
3. Fog Magic. Julia L. Sauer (104 pages)
4. Andrew's Brain. E.L. Doctorow (200 pages)
5. The Book Boy. Joanna Trollope (94 pages)
6. The Thief of Always. Clive Barker (288 pages)
7. The Litter of the Law. Rita Mae Brown (233 pages)
8. Midnight in Europe. Alan Furst (272 pages) 
9. The Antiquarian. Gustavo Faverón Patriau (240 pages) 
10. The Lady in the Lake. Raymond Chandler (272 pages)
11. The High Window. Raymond Chandler (272 pages)
12. The Quilter's Apprentice. Jennifer Chiaverini (272 pages)
13. Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster. Terrance Dicks (192 pages)
14. The Colors of Space. Marion Zimmer Bradley (114 pages) 
15. The Transcriptionist. Amy Rowland (246 pages) 
16. The Mist in the Mirror. Susan Hill (288 pages) 
17. The Two Hotel Francforts. David Leavitt (272 pages) 
18. The Celtic Dagger. Jill Paterson (221 pages) 
19. The Dirty Book Murder. Thomas Shawver (220 pages) 
20. Murder at the Painted Lady. Barbara Warren (186 pages) 

This was such a good idea. Thanks so much to Jessie for hosting.

Challenge Wrap-Up: 2014 New Author Reading Challenge

2014 New Author Reading Challenge

Hosted by: Literary Escapism
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2014

I committed to reading 15 new-to-me authors this year, and actually did a little better than that. Here's what I read:

1. Coup de Grâce. Marguerite Yourcenar 
2. Fog Magic. Julia L. Sauer 
3. The Universe Versus Alex Woods. Gavin Extence 
4. Tens Lords A-Leaping. C.C. Benison 
5. While Beauty Slept. Elizabeth Blackwell 
6. The Thief of Always. Clive Barker 
7. The Innocent Sleep. Karen Perry 
8. The Bookman's Tale. Charlie Lovett 
9. Love Story, with Murders. Harry Bingham 
10. Midnight in Europe. Alan Furst 
11. The Antiquarian. Gustavo Faverón Patriau
12. The Quilter's Apprentice. Jennifer Chiaverini
13. The Good Suicides. Antonio Hill
14. Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster. Terrance Dicks
15. The Colors of Space. Marion Zimmer Bradley
16. The Weight of Blood. Laura McHugh 
17. The Transcriptionist. Amy Rowland 
18. Island Girls. Nancy Thayer 
19. The Two Hotel Francforts. David Leavitt
20. The Celtic Dagger. Jill Paterson
21. The Dirty Book Murder. Thomas Shawver 
22. Murder at the Painted Lady. Barbara Warren 
23. Bliss House. Laura Benedict 
24. The Days of Anna Madrigal. Armistead Maupin
25. The Family Under the Bridge. Natalie Savage Carlson

This has always been one of my favorite challenges. Thanks so much to Literary Escapism for hosting.

Challenge Wrap-Up: 2014 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

2014 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Hosted by: Historical Tapestry
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2014

I signed up at the second level, "Victorian Reader" (5 books).

Here's what I read (still working on reviews):

1. Coup de Grâce. Marguerite Yourcenar (first published 1931; set in the last years of the first World War)
2. Midnight in Europe. Alan Furst (first published 2013; set mostly in France during 1937) 
3. The Two Hotel Francforts. David Leavitt (first published 2013; set in Portugal in 1940) 
4. The Mist in the Mirror. Susan Hill (first published 1992; set in England, early 20th Century)
5. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches (Flavia de Luce #6). Alan Bradley (first published 2014; set in England in 1951) 

I'm a little surprised I didn't read more books that would qualify for this challenge, since historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. And, as usual, I'm lagging WAY behind in my review-writing. Still, I did hit my quota mark, and definitely enjoyed the challenge. Much thanks to everyone involved in this one.

Challenge Wrap-Up: 2014 European Reading Challenge

The 2014 European Reading Challenge was hosted by Rose City Reader (thanks, Gilion!), and runs through the end of next month. I signed up at the Four Star Level -- "Honeymooner," four books. Here's what I read, with links to the two reviews I managed to get posted:

1. FRANCE: The Only Problem. Muriel Spark
   (Even though the book is about English characters, written by a Scot, the action takes place in France.)
2. UK (Wales): Love Story, with Murders. Harry Bingham 
3. SPAIN: The Good Suicides. Antonio Hill
4. PORTUGAL: The Two Hotel Francforts. David Leavitt 

Teaser/Intro Tuesday: With Folded Hands

Tuesday again. First Tuesday of December -- if anybody knows what happened to the month of November, please tell me. Somehow it disappeared while I wasn't paying attention.

Anyhow, time for another Teaser Tuesday. And today I'm joining in on First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, hosted by Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea.

This week, my teaser/intro comes from Jack Williamson's classic story (or "novelette" as it was called back then), With Folded Hands -- one of the science fiction works I've got lined up for the Sci-Fi Experience hosted by Carl V. at Stainless Steel Droppings. It first appeared in the July 1947 issue of Astounding Science Fiction magazine. These are the opening lines:

Underhill was walking home from the office, because his wife had the car, the afternoon he first met the new mechanicals. His feet were following his usual diagonal path across a weedy vacant block -- his wife usually had the car -- and his preoccupied mind was rejecting various impossible ways to meet his notes at the Two Rivers bank, when a new wall stopped him.
The wall wasn't any common brick or stone, but something sleek and bright and strange....

July 1947 issue

So, what are your thoughts about this one? Like it? Hate it? Go on reading or not?

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by mizB at Should Be Reading. If you'd like to read more teasers, or take part yourself, just head on over to her blog.

And please feel free to leave me a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in your comment here.