2009 Challenges

I’ve decided to take on several reading challenges during 2009.  Here are my plans for each of them:

50 Book Challenge (2009 Edition): This is a challenge I host here at American Bibliophile. You can find out the details and sign up by clicking here.  I’ll be writing a post each month with a Mr. Linky for other challenge subscribers to link back and detail their challenge progress.  To meet this challenge, you need to really plan on reading a book a week.  For a busy Mom like me, this is definitely a challenge!

January Update: I read two books this month, so I’m a bit behind.  However, I’m still feeling really positive about this goal!  Click here to check out my Book List for the month. Click Here to view my challenge post and sign Mr. Linky for yourself.

New Author Challenge: Jackie at Literary Escapism is hosting this one. You can sign up for it by clicking here. I’ve signed up to challenge myself to read 25 authors that are new to me in 2009.  So far, this list includes Ken Follett, Michael Pollan, Kate Jacobs, Alissa York, Michael Scott, John Elder Robison, Daniel Poliquin, Shalom Auslander, and Martin Amis.

January Update: I committed to reading 25 new authors, and I still feel good about this number.  I read 1 new author in January, and I am set to read several more over the coming months.

Support Your Local Library Challenge: J. Kaye is hosting this challenge at her book blog, and you can sign up for it by clicking here.  My plan is to read 12 library books in 2009, one per month.  Also, I think this will coincide with another challenge that J. Kaye is hosting- the YA Challenge.  I’ll do these both simultaneously. You can sign up for the YA Challenge by clicking here.

January Update: Sadly, I haven’t gotten any books out of the library yet this year. I need to make this a regular outing again with my little guy. Since it’s winter, we haven’t been walking to the library once a week like we used to.

Improve Your Blog Project: Sophisticated Dorkiness is hosting this challenge twice a month for helping you to develop your blog. Since I need something like this to stay motivated, I signed up. You should too. Just click here.

January Update: This is going great and it’s keeping me on my toes!  I did need to play catch up, but I got those challenges completed. Woohoo!

Read Your Own Books: Yes, because I have a ton of them lying around that I haven’t picked up yet.  I’m going for 20 in 2009. You can sign up by clicking here.

January Update: Off to a good start! I read one of my own books this month, and noticed the other day how many great books I have in my TBR pile. I’m so excited about moving forward with this!

Jewish Literature Challenge: This runs from Hannukah to Passover and requires me to read 4 books written by Jewish authors, or about the Jewish faith or customs in some way.  Click here to sign up.

January Update: I’m nearly done with People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. Only 3 more to go!

Check this page for more updates on my challenge progress.  Or, subscribe to my feed- I’ll be giving updates monthly!