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FIRST QUARTER CHALLENGE: THE CHINESE ZODIAC (Shēngxiào)
Duration: January 1 - March 31, 2014

Thank you to Danielle for the inspiration for this challenge!

12/12 Complete

1. The Horse. On January 31, 2014, it becomes the Year of the Horse! Horses like being the center of attention. Read a book where the main character is famous OR read a memoir about or a biography of a celebrity.
The Map of Time Completed February 2, 2014.

2. The Goat. Home is where Goats feel the most comfortable. Read a book that takes place in the country you were born in.
Annabel Completed February 21, 2014.

3. The Monkey. Monkeys are the masters of practical jokes. Read a humorous book.
America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't Completed February 12, 2014.

4. The Rooster. Roosters tend to "tell it like it is." Read a non-fiction book.
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban Completed January 26, 2014.

5. The Dog. While loyal and faithful, Dogs have trouble finding mates. Read a book that contains a troubled romance.
Lolita Completed February 4, 2014.

6. The Pig. Pigs love to have fun but tend to prefer spending to saving. Read a book you have purchased (rather than borrowed).
Wolves of the Calla Completed January 16, 2014.

7. The Rat. Constantly seeking knowledge, Rats are curious and clever. Read a book that teaches you something.
The Last Lecture Completed January 19, 2014.

8. The Ox. Oxen aren't very sociable and prefer life-long friendships to casual acquaintances. Read a book in which the main character could be described as an introvert.
1984 Completed January 22, 2014.

9. The Tiger. Tigers love to be challenged. Read a book you find challenging in some way maybe because of its length, style, or subject matter.
A Fine Balance Completed January 5, 2014.

10. The Rabbit. Rabbits tend to enjoy meeting people from different places and learning about different cultures. Read a book about a culture not your own.
Eat, Pray, Love Completed January 18, 2014.

11. The Dragon. The Dragon is often considered to be the strongest sign, and the only one that is a mythical animal. Read a book that contains a mythical or paranormal creature.
Prince Caspian Completed February 5, 2014.

12. The Snake. Snakes work hard but tend to be easily bored. To prevent boredom, read a short book (i.e., one with fewer than 100 pages).
The End of the Party Completed February 24, 2014

January's Let it Snow! Mini Challenge
January 1 - 31, 2014

For those of us living in cold, northern climates during this time of year, it can be very snowy indeed. Let's do a snow-inspired challenge!

4/4 Complete

1. Let it Snow! is a song written in 1945. Read a book written in the 1940s.
1984 Completed January 22, 2014.

2. Whiteout. A whiteout is a weather condition where visibility is severely reduced due to snow. Read a book with a predominantly white cover.
Eat, Pray, Love Completed January 18, 2014.

3. All snowflakes have six sides. Read a book with the number 6 in its page number. (For example, The Golem and the Jinni has 486 pages.)
The Last Lecture Completed January 19, 2014.

4. Is winter over yet? Read a long book (a book with 500 or more pages).
A Fine Balance Completed January 5, 2014.

DAPHNE'S CHALLENGE: EXPLORATIONS IN LOVE
Duration: February 1 - 28, 2014

Love comes in all flavors right?

9/9 Complete

1. Philia. Translated from the ancient Greek as brotherly love. Read a book that features some sort of ‘bromance�� or two strong male characters.
Pride and Prejudice Completed February 25, 2014.

2. Love triangle. There are some pretty famous ones. In honor of Aphrodite, Hephaistos, and Ares, read a book about ancient myths or fables OR a mythic fantasy novel.
Prince Caspian Completed February 5, 2014.

3. Pygmalionism. From the Greek myth of Pygmalion. Read a book that features an artist, a great work of art or architecture, or an inanimate object having some sort of consciousness.
The Birth of Venus Completed February 16, 2014.

4. Autassassinophilia. Another way to say you love death, destruction, or mayhem. Read a mystery, horror, or thriller.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Completed February 11, 2014.

5. Chronophilia. When you only date people of a certain age group, derived from the God Chronos (father time). Read a book where the main characters are vastly different age ranges OR read a book that spans a large amount of time.
Lolita Completed February 4, 2014.

6. Biophilia. A love of nature. Coined by the great E. O. Wilson. Read a book whose setting takes place in nature or wild and untamed lands OR read a book about ecology. Bonus if you read a book by Edward O. Wilson!
The Call of the Wild Completed February 17, 2014.

7. Star-crossed lovers. In honor of the original star-crossed lovers, read a book that takes place in Renaissance Italy, Elizabethan England, or was book to movie that had Claire Danes or Leonardo DiCaprio in them. (There are a lot, seriously. Check out IMDb if you don’t believe me.)
The Great Gatsby Completed February 7, 2014.

8. Mechanophilia. Who doesn't love cool machines? Read a Steampunk/Cyberpunk book OR read a book that machines (like a spaceship) play a big role.
The Map of Time Completed February 2, 2014.

9. Plushophilia. A love of stuffed animals. They even call themselves plushies. Read a book about a sub-culture OR read a book involving anthropomorphism.
Annabel Completed February 21, 2014.

THE MNEMONIC CHALLENGE
Duration: March 1 - 31, 2014

"Spring forward, fall back" is a mnemonic device to help you remember which way to change your clocks during daylight savings time. A mnemonic is a memory aid. Let's explore other mnemonics in this challenge.

6/6 Complete

1. My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos is used to remember the order of the planets. Read a book that takes place in space.
Ender's Game Completed March 27, 2014.

2. My Enormous Penguin Bounces Pretty High is to remember the series of alkanes in chemistry. Read a book that features an animal that is not typically kept as a pet (like a penguin).

3. Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November. Read a book that has a page number count that includes the digits 3 and 0 (in any order).
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America (without the notes and sources section the book contains 390 pages) Completed March 14, 2014.

4. Wives of Henry VIII: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. Read a book in which a character is part of an unhappy marriage.
Gone Girl Completed March 19, 2014.

5. Mrs. Baker is used to remember the eight common law felonies (murder, rape, sodomy, burglary, arson, kidnapping, escape, robbery). Read a book in a which one of these felonies takes place.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower Completed March 2, 2014.

6. Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally (PEMDAS) is to remember the order of operations in math (parenthesis, exponents, multiplication & division, addition & subtraction). Read a book that has a ŷ������ description that includes parentheses.
Song of Susannah Completed March 7, 2014.

7. Every good boy does fine is the mnemonic for the notes on the five lines of the treble clef. Read a book that involves music in some way.
The Hotel Fakir Completed March 25, 2014.

8. I before E, except after C read a book that has a title containing a word following the mnemonic (e.g., it could contain the word "friend" or "receive").

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME MINI CHALLENGE
Duration: March 1 - 31, 2014

In many parts of the northern hemisphere, Daylight Savings Time begins in March. Below is a map showing the usage of Daylight Savings Time around the world. Blue is for areas currently using it, and red and orange areas do not.


4/4 Complete

1. Read a book set in a place that currently uses daylight savings time.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower Completed March 2, 2014.

2. Read a book set in a place that does not currently use daylight savings time.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Completed March 21, 2014.

3. Daylight savings time was first implemented in 1916. Read a book that takes place before 1916.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America Completed March 14, 2014.

4. Daylight savings time was first proposed by a man named George Veronon Hudson. Read a book by an author who shares an initial with George Vernon Hudson.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Completed March 19, 2014.

SECOND QUARTER CHALLENGE: #READWOMEN2014
Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2014

#readwomen2014 is a movement started by Joanna Walsh who was tired of the status quo. In her own words, this is what the movement is all about:

It’s a truth universally acknowledged, and confirmed by VIDA, that, though women read more books than men, and female authors are published in comparable numbers, they are more easily overlooked: a smaller presence in literary journals both as reviewers, and the reviewed, they also account for fewer literary translations.

It’s not whether women are published (because they are) but how they are published. Are men more likely to write what’s considered ‘important�� literary fiction, or could it be that more are regarded that way? I’ve heard female writer friends grouse when their books are given flowery covers though their writing’s not, when reviews, even press-releases, describe their work as “delicate�� when it is forthright, “playful�� when it is experimental, “delightful�� when it is satirical, “carving a niche�� when it is staking a claim (none of these examples is made up).


For this challenge, decide how many new-to-you female authors you would like to read. Once your goal is set, read! And come back and tell us who your favorites were to get great female authors more exposure. Each author can only count once.

32/30 Complete

1) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
2) I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
3) The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
4) Annabel by Kathleen Winter
5) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
6) Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
7) City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
8) Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
9) When Stars Die by Amber Forbes
10) Landing Gear: A Novel by Kate Pullinger
11) Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
12) Divergent by Veronica Roth
13) One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
14)The Eyes of a King by Catherine Banner
15) The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
16) The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
17) All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
18) Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong
19) Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
20) Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
21) The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
22) 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce
23) Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
24) A Rope of Sand by Elsie Burch Donald
25) The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
26) Room by Emma Donoghue
27) Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
28) The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
29) A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
30) The Giver by Lois Lowry
31) Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
32) Tangled by Emma Chase

SECOND QUARTER CHALLENGE: FINISH THOSE SERIES!
Duration: April 1 - June 30, 2014

This challenge focuses on finishing series you've started. They can be series you started as a child and want to know what happened to your favorite childhood characters (for example, Lowry's The Giver or L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time), they can be series you would like to start and finish within the span of the quarter, or they can just be any series you started but never finished.


Rules:

- For the purposes of this challenge, a series must have at least three books in it

- Identify how many and which series you plan to finish

- Books marked as x.5 in the series are optional (for example, Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades is #4.5 in the series so does not need to be read)

- No matter how many books you've read in the series prior to the start of this challenge (even if you've read four of the five books, say), it counts as long as you finish

- You can change your planned lists at any time

- Progress will be tracked by completed series only--individual books will not count, but you can still use this thread to track them

- To count, you must finish the series through books published in 2013 (i.e., if a series has three books currently out but a fourth is coming out later in 2014, you only need to finish the first three books to count it toward this challenge)

4/4 Complete

1) The Dark Tower Series Done!
The Gunslinger
The Drawing of the Three
The Waste Lands
Wizard and Glass
Wolves of the Calla
Song of Susannah
The Dark Tower

2) Chronicles of Narnia Series Done!
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Horse and His Boy
The Magician's Nephew
The Last Battle

3) Mortal Instruments Series Done!
City of Bones
City of Ashes
City of Glass
City of Fallen Angels
City of Lost Souls
City of Heavenly Fire

4) Vampire Academy Series Done!
Vampire Academy
Frostbite
Shadow Kiss
Blood Promise
Spirit Bound
Last Sacrifice

LITTLE APRIL SHOWER MINI CHALLENGE
Duration: April 1 - 30, 2014

Little April Shower is a song from the Disney movie, Bambi. You can watch it here. Let's take a look at other Disney movies that contain rain.

4/4 Complete

1. Beauty and the Beast. Read a book that has "Romance" listed as a genre OR a book where the main character misjudges someone.
Vampire Academy Completed March 31, 2014.

2. The Rescuers. Read a book that has "Adventure" listed as a genre OR a book in which someone needs rescuing.
City of Ashes Completed April 16, 2014.

3. The Little Mermaid. Read a book that takes place at sea OR contains mythical creatures.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Completed April 29, 2014.

4. The Sword in the Stone. Read a book that contains magic of some sort OR read a book that takes place in medieval Europe.
The Dark Tower Completed April 8, 2014.

THE SHOWER DISAMBIGUATION CHALLENGE
Duration: April 1 - 30, 2014

Wikipedia has lots of entries for the word "shower." Let's explore them!

9/5 Complete

1. A shower is the act of bathing under a spray of water. Read a book that has water in some form on its cover. This can be traditional forms of water (such as a lake, a glass of water, or rain), but it could also be ice or steam.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Completed April 19, 2014.

2. A type of precipitation. Read a book that contains some kind of weather event.
When Stars Die (Hail and rain storms)
Completed April 23, 2014.

3. A juggling pattern. The more objects in the shower, the more difficult. The same can be said for page numbers. Read a book with more than 350 pages.
The Dark Tower (845 pages) Completed April 8, 2014.

4. The 1999 short film. This film is only 10 minutes long. Read a short book (fewer than 150 pages).
Heart of Darkness (72 pages) Completed April 20, 2014.

5. The 1999 Chinese drama/comedy. Read a book set in China OR read a book you would consider to be bothh a drama and a comedy.
Water for Elephants Completed April 30, 2014.

6. The episode of The O.C. The O.C. was an American teen drama that took place in Orange County, CA. Read a book set in California OR read something you would consider to be a teen drama.
Vampire Academy Completed March 31, 2014.

7. Baby shower. Read a book in which a character has a baby OR read a book in which something important happened to a main character while he or she was a baby.

8. Bridal shower. Read a book you received as a gift OR read a book in which someone gets married.
Landing Gear: A Novel Completed April 25, 2014.

9. Meteor shower. Read a book that at least partly takes place in space OR (because we sometimes wish upon meteors) read a book in which a character makes a wish.
City of Ashes Completed April 16, 2014.

10. Particle shower. Read a book about science OR read a book with a title containing a word that can be made from the letters in the word PARTICLE (examples: PART, ICE, IT, AT, CLEAR).
The Rosie Project Completed April 10, 2014.

THE VERY MINI BIRTHDAY CHALLENGE
Duration: May 1 - 31, 2014

2/2 Complete

1. Read a book that was published year you were born.
The Joy Luck Club completed May 18, 2014.

2. Read a book from an author who shares a birthday or birth year with you.
The Eyes of a King Completed May 26, 2014.

THE MAY HOLIDAY COVER HUNT (with alternatives)
Duration: May 1 - 31, 2014

Let's take a look at various holidays around the world. Cover hunts can be hard, and because this one is running for just a single month, we've provided a non-cover alternative for you for each task.

7/4 Complete

1. May Day is lei day in Hawaii. Read a book with a flower on its cover OR read a book that takes place in a country that celebrates May day. For a list, see here: ...
One for the Money (takes place in the United States) completed May 22, 2014.

2. World Press Freedom Day. Read a book with a form of media on its cover (such as a book, a newspaper, or a CD) OR read a book in which a character is a reporter.

3. Star Wars Day. May the Fourth be With You. Read a book with a star on its cover OR read a science fiction book.
Completed May 26, 2014.

4. Children’s Day. こどもの��. Read a book that has a child on its cover OR read a young adult book.
Shadow Kiss Completed May 7, 2014.

5. Cinco de Mayo. Read a book with the number 5 somewhere on its cover (even if it’s in the title!) OR read a book with a 5 in its number of pages.
City of Glass (541 pages) completed May 6, 2014.

6. National Train Day. Read a book with a mode of transportation on its cover OR read a book in which a character takes a train ride.
Divergent completed May 22, 2014.

7. Towel Day. "A towel, [The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy] says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have." Read a book with a towel on it OR read a book written by Douglas Adams.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams completed May 16, 2014.

8. World Turtle Day. Read a book with an animal on its cover OR read a book that contains a turtle.
(dragons on the cover) completed May 18, 2014.

THE JUNE SCHOOL YEAR CHALLENGE
Duration: June 1 - 30, 2014

6/2 Complete

1. Summer break: This is the time of year many students look forward to the most. Older students can spend months planning vacations, studying abroad or searching for the right summer job.
Read a book that involves a life changing trip or vacation
Blood Promise Completed June 4, 2014.

2. Good teacher: “Good�� is entirely subjective so think about your favorite teacher, trainer, or educator who really made an impact on your life.
Read a book that explores the subject that person taught

3. Bad teacher: “Bad�� is equally subjective but is sometimes more easily discernible. Think about your least favorite teacher or an educator who didn’t seem to care.
Read a book involving the topic he/she taught or where the characters do something that is generally unacceptable.
City of Lost Souls (Characters summon a demon) Completed June 12, 2014.

4. The Classics: There are hundreds of books that consistently make summer reading lists. Often, reading these allows us to avoid judgment from other readers later in life �� “How have you never read that?�� they tend to say.
Read a book that you feel like you "should" have read by now

5. Seniors: The last year of high school or university is the time when students prepare for the next step in their lives.
Read a book involving a transition (high school to college, human to non-human etc)
City of Heavenly Fire (Vampire to human transition) Completed June 19, 2014.

6. Juniors: Juniors are looking forward to their last year, sending applications (college, job or other) and hoping that they know themselves well enough to make the right choice.
Read a book where a character struggles with his/her identity or is trying to figure out who they are

7. Sophomores: Sophomore comes from two Greek words meaning “wise�� and “foolish.��
Read a book on a subject or a character who is wise, foolish or both
The Silver Chair (Aslan is wise) Completed June 23, 2014.

8. Freshman: Stories of this first year in a new school can be both painful and entertaining.
Read a book where the character(s) are outsiders or experiencing something entirely new to them

9. Foreign Exchange: Exchange students represent the connection between a familiar world and a country that is just another chapter in a geography book.
Read a book set in a foreign country

10. Varsity: This is the paramount achievement for any athlete; yet even after reaching the Varsity team, athletes must work to maintain to their status.
Read a book involving a power struggle
The Last Battle Completed June 26, 2014.

11. Junior Varsity: For athletes in the making, getting a spot on the JV team gives them the opportunity to learn new skills in order to reach Varsity.
Read a book by an author that is new to you
The Goldfinch Completed June 17, 2014.

12. New School Year: As the summer comes to a close and the new year starts, students are barraged with tests to assess what they’ve retained over the long vacation.
Read a book involving memory or memory loss

THIRD QUARTER CHALLENGE: HUNGER GAMES
Duration: July 1 - September 30, 2014
Completed: 14/14

May the odds be ever in your favor.

The Capitol: The capitol is filled with beautiful extravagant people. Read a book with “beauty�� in the title OR read a book where the main character is said to be extraordinarily beautiful.
The Shining (Wendy is described as very beautiful) Completed August 29, 2014.

District 1: District 1 produces luxury items. Read a book about people who are rich OR read a book where a piece of jewelry plays an important role.
Hush, Hush Completed July 28, 2014.

District 2: District 2 produces weapons and trains peacekeepers. Read a book about a war OR read a book with a cop as one of the characters.
Storm Front Completed July 11, 2014.

District 3: District 3 makes electronics. Read a book about a technologically advanced society OR read a book with a computer (or robot) as a main character.
All Our Yesterdays Completed July 27, 2014.

District 4: District 4 is a fishing district. Read a book about a fisherman OR read a book that at least partially takes place on a boat.
Shadowmagic Completed July 29, 2014.

District 5: District 5 is the source of electrical power. Read a book that features a lightning storm OR read a book that is set in a place without electricity.
The Stand Completed July 25, 2014.

District 6: District 6 is the hub of transportation. Read a book written by an author from a different country OR read a book that takes place in a real location you could visit.
The Thirteenth Tale (takes place in England) Completed August 2, 2014.

District 7: District 7 produces lumber and paper. Read a book that takes place in a forest OR read a physical book made out of paper (as opposed to an ebook).
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Completed August 8, 2014.

District 8: District 8 makes textiles. Read a book about fashion OR read with an item of clothing on its cover.
666 Park Avenue (fashion plays an important role in this one) Completed August 11, 2014.

District 9: District 9 produces grain and has no characters named in the books. Read a book with an unnamed main character OR read a book with a character who is a vegetarian.
Orphan Train Completed July 30, 2014.

District 10: District 10 specialized in raising livestock. Read a book that has a domestic animal as a character OR read a book that has an animal in the title.
Sea of Shadows Completed July 28, 2014.

District 11: District 11 is an agricultural district and Rue, a young herbalist, originated here. Read a book where a young person dies OR read a book where an herbalist saves someone from dying.
Death Note: Black Edition, Volume 1 Completed July 17, 2014.

District 12: District 12 is the mining district, and Katniss and Peeta, its tributes, wear clothes that catch fire. Read a book that has a fire that is helpful in it OR read a book that has the word “coal�� somewhere in it (add a quote of the sentence where you found the word)
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie "I was in a space as dark as a coal cellar" (on page 231 in my version). Completed July 11, 2014.

District 13: District 13 is a rebellious district that specialized in nuclear technology. Read a book centered around a nuclear disaster OR read a book where the main character is rebellious.
Paper Towns Completed August 6, 2014.

AUGUST: GREAT EMPIRES
Duration: August 1 - 30, 2014
Completed: 6/3

Our theme for the month is empires, so this challenge is about a few of the greatest ones.

1. The Ottoman Empire (1299 �� 1923) was a multinational/ multilingual empire and was also known as the Turkish Empire. Read a book that was originally written in a language other than your own OR read a book that contains at least one Muslim character.

2. The Persian Empire (Achaemenid Empire) (550 �� 330 BC) was known for its architectural stonework on buildings such as mausoleums and for its metalwork. Read a book that takes place (at least in part) in a cemetery OR read a book that has a metal in the title (for example: The Adventures of Tintin, The Man in the Iron Mask, The Silver Star, etc.)

3. The Byzantine Empire (330 �� 1204 & 1261 �� 1453) had its capital in Constantinople (aka Istanbul, aka Byzantium) and fell once but was temporarily revived. Read a book that takes place in a city that has at least one other name (for example: Bombay/Mumbai, Canton/Guangzhou, Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City, St. Petersburg/Petrograd, New York/ New Amsterdam) OR read a book where something that is broken is put back together.

4. The Han Dynasty (206 BC �� 220 AD) was known for its economic prosperity with the emperor at its head. Read a book that is focused on money OR read a book with a character named “Han/Hans.��
666 Park Avenue Completed August 11, 2014.

5. It was said that the sun never set on the British Empire (1497 �� 1997). Read a book where most of the plot takes place after sunset OR read a book that is set in several countries around the world.
Crescendo Completed August 20, 2014.

6. The Russian Empire was officially founded by Peter the Great who brought European ideas to Russia. Read a book where at least one character is introduced to a foreign culture OR read a book where a character is unhappy with his or her life.
Confessions of a Murder Suspect Completed August 15, 2014.

7. The Roman Empire (Western: 27 BC �� 476 AD; Eastern: 330 AD �� 1453 AD) borrowed from Greek mythology and was well known for its fighting in the Colosseum. Read a book about mythology OR read a book that includes a physical fight.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Completed August 8, 2014.

8. The Holy Roman Empire (off and on 800 �� 1806) was an attempt to revive the Western Roman Empire and spent most of its existence very fragmented. Read a book that features something dysfunctional OR read a book where characters try hold on to something longer than they should.
The Thirteenth Tale Completed August 8, 2014.

9. The Mongol Empire (1206 �� 1368) was the largest land empire (that covered only joining land) spanning from China to Europe and fell because Genghis Khan’s grandchildren kept fighting over leadership. Read a large book (more than 500 pages) OR read a book that contains siblings fighting.
Tell the Wolves I'm Home Completed August 15, 2014.