The TBR Double Dog Dare

The TBR Double Dog Dare

Hosted by James Reads Books

Full rules can be found HERE.

James says that The TBR Double Dog Dare is not really a reading challenge but a dare.
All you have to do to win the TBR Double Dog Dare is to read only from your TBR pile between January 1 and April 1.
I think this may be the hardest for me to achieve if it wasn't for the "exceptions.". Fortunately the rules, or non-rules, are flexible and you can exempt review books, arcs and book club books. With those exceptions I certainly have enough books to meet this dare. I even realized I have many Audible titles on my TBR that I can read during this three months too. I do expect overlap with other TBR and Audio challenges. :-)

I have been mindful of reading for COYER (and TBR DOUBLE DARE) so that other than selecting two audible books per month from my automatic subscription I have purchased NO books since December. I have only added six NetGalley books and six review books since the beginning of January. So, except for free Kindle books I have done well reading from my own TBR piles!

JANUARY
1. Book Review: Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and NOT Be Overwhelmed by Carolyn Mahaney, Nicole Mahaney Whitacre, Kristin Chesemore, Janelle Bradshaw; Nonfiction, Motivational; my rating 4.5.
2. Book Review: Only Enchanting, A Survivors' Club Novel by Mary Balogh; Historical Romance; my rating 4.75.
3. Audible Book Review: 25 Perfect Days by Mark Tullius; Sci Fi, Dystopian; my rating 3.75. (This one might be better in text.)
4. Audible Book Review: FREE: The Jester (A Riyria Chronicles Tale) Written by Michael J. Sullivan; Fantasy;  my rating 4.5.
5. Book Review and Giveaway: Amish White Christmas Pie by Wanda E. Brunstetter; Amish, Christian Fiction; my rating 3.75.
6. Audio Book Review: The Eighth Day by Michael O'Neal; Thriller, Action Adventure, YA; my rating 4.0.
7. Book Review: Exodus 2022 by Kenneth G. Bennett; Sci Fi Thriller;  my rating 4.25.
8. AudioBook Review: Time and Again: Book 1 in the History Mystery Series by Deborah Heal; Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Time Travel; my rating 4.0.
9. Book Review: 'Tis The Season: Under the Christmas Tree\Midnight Confessions\Backward Glance by Robyn Carr; Contemporary Romance, Small Town; my rating 4.5. 
10. Book Review: Starship Blackbeard by Michael Wallace; Sci Fi, Action Adventure; my rating 4.75.
11. Book Review: Just in Time for a Highlander (Sirens of the Scottish Borderlands) by Gwyn Cready; Time Travel, Highlander; my rating 4.0. 
12. Book Review: The Founders' Plot by Frank Victoria; Political Thriller; my rating 4.25.
13. Book Review: Hawk (The Quiet Professionals, Book 2) by Ronie Kendig; Military Romance, Christian; my rating 4.25.
FEBRUARY
14. Book Review: Enchanted by Alethea Kontis; Fantasy, Highlander; my rating 4.25.
15. Book Review and Giveaway: Saving Hope: The Men of the Texas Rangers - Book 1 by Margaret Daley; Romantic Suspense; my rating 4.5. 
16. Audio Book Review: Betrayal in Death: In Death, Book 12 by J. D. Robb Crime Thriller; my rating 4.75.
17. Audio Book Review: Heart of Stone: Irish Angel Series by Jill Marie Landis; Historical Romance, Christian; my rating 4.0.
18. Book Review: The Oath of Nimrod: Giants, MK-Ultra and the Smithsonian Coverup by David S. Brody; Mystery, Historical Theories; my rating 4.0.
19. Book Review: Snow Angel Cove by RaeAnne Thayne; Contemporary Romance; my rating 4.5.
20. Book Review: Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart; Historical Romance, Christian; my rating 4.5.
21. Audible Book Review: Dead Reckoning: Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mystery #11 by Charlaine Harris; Fantasy, Paranormal; my rating 4.0.
22. Audible Book Review: Review: The Beast Master by Andre Norton; Sci Fi, Fantasy; my rating 4.0.
MARCH
23. Audible Book Review: Finding Mr. Right by Emily Carmichael ; Fantasy, Paranormal; my rating 4.0.
24. Audible Book Review: Legendarium by Kevin G. Summers, Michael Bunker; Fantasy, Humor; my rating 4.0.
25. Book Review and Print Giveaway: Interlude in Death, In Death 12.5, by J.D. Robb; Futuristic Crime Mystery; my rating 4.5.
26. Audio Book Review: Quitter by Jon Acuff; Nonfiction; my rating 4.0.

Completed: 26 books from my TBR shelf out of 39 titles read before April 1. 10 of these were NetGalley or audio review titles picked up in 2014 but that still left 16 TBR books in the first three months so I am pleased with that. It exceeded the 13 new titles (all reviews and none purchased). :-)

The Official 2015 TBR Pile Challenge

The Official 2015 TBR Pile Challenge

hosted by Roof Beam Reader

Check all rules at Roof Beam Reader.com

Goal: Specify and read 12 books that must have been on your bookshelf or “To Be Read” list for AT LEAST one full year. (All published prior to 1/1/2014.)
The list must be finalized by 1/15/15. I think I am comfortable with the list below so I don't expect changes. My list shows the book, author and date added to my library.

1/10/15 I have updated my list to replace two print books with ebooks although I still hope to read the two print wins during the year. Also, I replaced one audio choice with an ebook. Chances are I'll get to the audios anyway. :-)   The alternates also changed to an older ebook and an older Audible title.
Four books are from authors I have read before (including one of the alternates); the other ten will be new to me.  All of the choices are books I have had since 2012 or earlier.
(The links go to my review of the book as I post them.)

1. Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and NOT Be Overwhelmed Carolyn Mahaney, Nicole Mahaney Whitacre, Kristin Chesemore, Janelle Bradshaw September 4,2009
2. Homespun Bride Jillian Hart May 4,2009
3. Kiss of Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novel (The Midnight Breed.. Lara Adrian May 4,2009
4. Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour by Lynne Olson Audible Nov 2011
5. Awaken His Eyes: The Awakened Book One Jason Tesar May 2011
6. The New World (FREE short story) (Chaos Walking) Patrick Ness Nov 2010
7. On the Run (The Elijah Project) Bill Myers, James Riordan Nov 2010
8. The Lord Is My Shepherd: The Psalm 23 Mysteries #1 Debbie Viguie Oct 2010
Dead Reckoning Ronie Kendig Sept 2010
9. Sheltering Hearts (Virgin River) Robyn Carr Sept 2010
10. Fatal Judgment (Guardians of Justice Book #1): A Novel Irene Hannon April 2012
Spying in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries #1) Gemma Halliday Sept 2011

Alternates:
11. Frozen Past (A Jaxon Jennings' Detective Mystery Thriller Series, Book 1) Richard C Hale July 2012
12. Extremes: A Retrieval Artist Novel by Kristine Kathryn Rusch Audible Oct 12

Plus for sure I will read Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles Book 1) by Marissa Meyer - I wasn’t positive if I should count this book as it was on my Wish list since 2012 but not purchased until 2/2014. I'm such a fuddy-duddy stickler when it comes to rules that I decided not to include it in the “official” list but it is a definite read for me in early 2015.

COYER Winter 2014-2015 Challenge

Winter 2014-2105 COYER

COYER is hosted by Berls @ Fantasy is More Fun and Michelle @ Because Reading.

Anyone who sees my Mailbox Monday knows that I am overloaded with Freebies in my Kindle Library. I have been thinking I need to schedule reading more of those for 2015. Today I stumbled across this Challenge and decided to go for it!

Winter 2014-2015 COYER (Clean Out Your E-Reader) is hosted by Berls @ Fantasy is More Fun and Michelle @ Because Reading.  It runs from December 20th 2014 – March 6th 2015 and you can sign up here until January 25th! The Kick-off is December 20 so go check out the details and join me/us. If you do sign up, be sure to indicate that I sent you on the linky, where it says “Who referred you?” so I can win $5 to Amazon!

I do not know what books I will be reading but I have started a file with titles of interest that date back as far as 2011. (If I had known my free Audibles would be included I might have waited on the one I am reading.)  I plan to do one or two Flash giveaway posts to let my followers help pick titles too.  I guess review books get to be included so they would be an easy add in for the challenge.  

Here are my goals:

• Read & review at least 20 books, half of which are Not NetGalley or review selected books. 
• Over 11 weeks this  should be doable for me. -- Fell Short by two
• Visit and comment on at least 3 reviews from the linky a week. This is not easy as I find it hard to set aside time to visit even with good intentions.  --Did not complete
• Participate in 1 of the read-a-thons. Read-a-thons are hard for me because the DH does not like to see me spend ALL my time reading . But the scavenger hunt sounds like fun! --Did one Scavenger Hunt.
• Join in at least 1 social media activity a month in the Facebook group. I will try. --Late to FB event twice.
• Do at least 1 mini-challenge. I'll try this too. --Mini-scavenger Hunt.
• Hope I can meet these goals!

 COYER WINTER 2014-15 LIST
My Libraries (kindle, print or audible)                    NetGalley (NG)
1. The Jester (Audible TBR)                               1. Only Enchanting (NG)
2. Shopping for Time (Kindle TBR)                   2. Exodus 22 (NG)
3. Amish White Christmas Pie (Kindle TBR)     3. Tis The Season (NG)
4. The Founders Plot (Review Sept)                   4. Just in Time for a Highlander (NG-Nov 14)
5. Saving Hope (Kindle July 2012)                     5. Hawk (NG- Dec 14)
6. Enchanted (SYNC Audio 2013)                     6. Snow Angel Cove (NG)
7. Betrayal in Death Book 12 (Audible TBR)
8. The Oath of Nimrod (Review Sept)
9. Heart of Stone (Audible TBR)
10. Homespun Bride (Kindle 2012)
11. Dead Reckoning (Audible)
12. The Beast Master (Audible)