The Tudor Book Challenge

The Tudor Challenge is my fourth challenge of the year. I just love the Tudors. This is a must challenge for me.

Here are the guidelines as posted by Benedictionary:

The Challenge:
From January 1st, 2010 to December 31st, 2010 The Tudor Book Challenge challenges you to read books about or inspired by the Tudor era of the English monarchy.

The Challenge Rules:
You may read your books in any format – e-books, audio books, electronic reader books, and printed books are acceptable.

You are welcome to use the books you read for the Tudor Book Challenge in other challenges (where applicable).

Books can be fiction or non-fiction, but they must be about or inspired by Tudor England.

You are not required to post a list of the books you intend to read. You may choose them as you go.

Bloggers and non-bloggers alike are welcome to participate in the challenge. If you do not have a blog, you will need to review the books you’ve read on some book-related website: i.e. GoodReads, Amazon, Borders, etc. and send in the links (via comments) to be eligible for the prizes. I need to be able to verify that these books were read by you.

The Registration Rules:

All registrations must be received by midnight (EST) on December 31st, 2009 to be eligible for the prizes. If you do not register by the midnight deadline, you may still participate in the challenge but you will not be eligible for the prizes.

To keep things official and time-stamped, you will need to comment on this post if you wish to participate in the challenge. Please provide me with the following information:

YOUR NAME or ONLINE ALIAS YOUR BLOG or BOOK SITE YOU’LL BE REVIEWING FROM – Remember, if you do not have a blog you will need to post reviews on GoodReads, Amazon, Borders, B&N, or some other site that allows for book reviews.YOUR CHALLENGE LEVEL – This is very important, so please include it in your comment.

The Challenge Levels:

(I have lowered the required books for each level at the urging of my better half. Feel free to change your selection before the deadline.)

King or Queen – You are the ruler of your dominion. You will read at least 11 Tudor-related books.

Nobleman or Noblewoman - You are honorable, indeed. You have earned your title by agreeing to read at least 9 Tudor-related books.

Courtier – You are a rising star in the royal court. You have decided to read at least 7 Tudor-related books.

Commoner – Your role in the kingdom is small but mighty. You are going to read at least 5 Tudor-related books.

Visit The Tudor Book Challenge if you want some more info.

My Challenge level is commoner. I will try to read 5 books. I have searched my shelves and have come up with at least 4 books.

1.The Sixth Wife by Suzannah Dunn

2. The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir

3. The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

4. The Autobiography of Henry VII by Margaret George (This one my be a killer)

5. ???????? (I was think something to do with Queen Mary)

That is my plan anyway. But it could change.

American Civil War Reading Challenge

This is my third challenge for this year.

Here are the guidelines as posted by Marny:

1. Read books about the Civil War, either fiction or non-fiction
2. There are four levels of participation-
Private: Read three books-
Sergeant: Read six books-
Lieutenant: Read nine books-
General: Read twelve books

3. Read the books between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010
4. Overlaps with other challenges are allowed
5. Ebooks and audiobooks are okay, too
6. You don't have to have a reading list ready to participate in the challenge but please let Marny know which level you're doing.

If this challenge interests you please sign up at American Civil War Reading Challenge.

I will be doing the Private Level. Here are the books I plan on reading.

1. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2. Rebel by Benard Cornwell
3. Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara

Here's hoping I can finish.

I will post another challenge tomorrow.

2010 TBR Challenge

OK I am going to try this challenge again. I did really good the first year I did this challenge, but last year I read only one book off of the TBR list. So lets see what happens this year. Maybe I can finish the list this year.

Here are the MizB's TBR Challenge rules:

** Pick 12 books – one for each month of the year - that you’ve been wanting to read (that have been on your “To Be Read” list) for 6 months or longer, but haven’t gotten around to.
** OPTIONAL: Create a list of 12 “Alternates” (books you could substitute for your challenge books, given that a particular one doesn’t grab you at the time)
** Then, starting January 1, read one of these books from your list each month, ending December 31. )

Additional rules/guidelines for this challenge:
* the challenge is to read 12 TBR books in 12 months — you can read those all in one month if you want, or one a month, or however you wanna do it.

* you should have a list posted somewhere for others to see

* you CANNOT change your list after January 1st, of the current year!!!

* you can create an Alternates list of MAXIMUM 12 books, if you want, in order to have options to choose from (you can read these in place of books on your original list).

* audiobooks and e-books ARE allowed

* re-reads are NOT allowed, as they aren’t TRUE “TBRs”* you CAN overlap with other challenges

* OPTIONAL: you can join the Yahoo! Group created for participants of the TBR Challenge, if you want to have a place to keep your list, or just to share with others about how you’re doing!

If this challenge catches your eye go to Miz Bs Reading Challenge

Here is my list. It is the same list as last years minus one. So I had to add a new TBR book.

1.This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
2. Rebel by Benard Cornwell
3. Queen Bees & Wanna Bes byRosalind WiseMan
4. Flowers In The Rain by Rosamunde Pilcher
5. Hide and Seek by James Patterson
6. East and West by Gerald Green
7. Savage Sunrise by Cassie Edwards
8. The Seventh Stone by Nancy Freedman
9. Air Force Wives by Ruth Walker
10. To Touch The Earth by Fran Kendall
11. In Broad Daylight by Harry N. Maclean
12. Comeback by Dick Francis (moved up)

My Alternatives:
1. The Samurai's Wife by Laura Joh Rowland (new TBR book)
2. The Daughter of the Pangaran by David Divine

3. Midwives by Chris Behjalian
4. Life Of Pi by Yann Martel
5. Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel
6. Circle of Friends by Meve Binchy
7. A Purrfect Romance by Robin Lee Hatcher, Susan Wiggs
8. Potter Springs by Britta Coleman
9. The Gambling Man by Catherine Cookson
10. Cat-A-Lyst by Alan Dean Foster
11. The Baker's Apprentice by Judith Ryan Hendricks
12. Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver

I will post another challenge tomorrow.

2010 Historical Reading Challenge

This is from Royal Reviews:

To kick off our challenge week for 2010 we are starting with a favourite at Royal Reviews. If you've been participating in our Historical Fiction Challenge for the past 2 years then you'll notice we've made some changes. Firstly the challenge will go for the full year as opposed to 3 months that it ran for previously. Then we have different levels for participants. If you're like me you'll dive straight into the Obsessed but then I am a bit of a HF fan!

Challenge Guidelines:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.--Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.

2. There are four levels:--

Curious – Read 3 Historical Fiction novels.--

Fascinated – Read 6 Historical Fiction novels.--

Addicted – Read 12 Historical Fiction novels.--

Obsessed – Read 20 Historical Fiction novels.

3. Any book format counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.6.

To sign up visit Royal Reviews: Historical Reading Challenge

I will be doing level 1 Curious – Read 3 Historical Fiction novels.

Here are my choices:

1. The Triumph of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy

2. The Empire of Darkness by Christian Jacq

3. Duchess: A Novel of Sarah Churchill by Susan Holloway Scott

Here's hoping I can do it.

I will put up another challenge tomorrow.

Challenges?

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year. I know that I did.


I was not going to commit to any challenges this year, but I found some interesting to me challenges. I kept putting off the decision; should I or shouldn't I. I decided sure why not. I will commit to the lowest number of books to read for the challenges and have fun with them. If I finish them awesome. If I don't oh well, we will try again next year.

My personal reading goal is to read 50 books this year. The goal for this year is no pressure and try to keep everything low keyed. Let's see what happens.

Tudor Romances

I have read the Tudor Rose Trilogy by Susan Wiggs. These are reprints of books that she wrote in the nineties. They center around one family for three generations.

Book one was originally called Circle In The Water; the reprint is called At The King's Command. It is set in the time of Henry VIII. The heroine is a Russian Princess named Juliana Romanov. She has to escape Russia after seeing her family murdered. A group of gypsies take her in and learns the traditions of the Gypsies. After stealing Stephen de Lacey's horse, King Henry VIII forces the two to marry.


Book two was originally called Vows Made In Wine; the reprint is called The Maiden's Hand. It is set in the time of Queen Mary. It is about the son of Stephen de Lacey, Oliver de Lacey and the Mistress Lark. Mistress Lark saves Oliver from the Hangman's noose. Little did she realize that after saving Oliver how much a part of her life he would become.


Book three was originally called Dancing On Air. The reprint is called At the Queen's Summons. It is set in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. This book focuses on Pippa de Lacey the Daughter of Lark and Oliver and a Irish chieftain Aidan O'Donoghue. Pippa does not know that she is a de Lacey or that she even has a family. She had lived as sharp tongue street performer. Which gets her in trouble and she seeks mercy from Aidan.

Book One was very enjoyable. Book Two was not so much. It seemed to drag. Book Three picked up a little bit. I found it entertaining. Book One was my favorite out of three.

Another book I read recently is The Winter Queen By Amanda McCabe. It is set during the time of Queen Elizabeth I during the time of when the Thames froze over and the Court had a Frost Fair during the Holiday Season.

The story is about Queen Elizabeth's Lady-in-waiting Lady Rosamund. She sent to court to avoid a suitor that was not suitable for her. She meets Swedish Lord Anton Gustavson, who came to England to claim an inheritance from his grandfather.

This was a nice lite read. I enjoyed the fictionalized peak into Queen Elizabeth's court during the Holiday Season.

These romances may be your thing if you like historical romances set during the Tudor time.

Happy Reading

Blogging Ramblings

Wellll, I have not written a lot lately, I have been taken a break. I am trying to decide if I should keep blogging or not.

I have been blogging about books off and on for the past two years. The first year was fun and wonderful. I found myself enjoying the world of book blogging. I met some great people and read some awesome blogs. I was able to push my doubts about reviewing and writing aside.

Through other bloggers I found Pump up Your Book Promotions. Cheryl and Dorothy are wonderful. Through them I have discovered some great books and awesome authors. If you are interesting in reviewing books, you should check them out. Pump up Your Book Promotions Tour Host. They are always looking for good reviewers.

But as time went on, my self doubts about reviewing continued to resurface and it was becoming harder to push them back. I could tell others to go for it, but it was becoming harder for me to go for it. It was just becoming harder for me to write my thoughts because I kept questioning myself if my reviews were good enough. I am not sure what I am going to do.

The good bloggers also spend a lot of time on their blogs. Not just writing their thoughts but interacting with the people who comment. I don't have the time esp since I discovered social networking. Let me tell you playing those apps on Facebook are very addictive and time consuming. If you are on Facebook stay away form those apps.

I am not sure what I am going to do. I guess in my heart I do like it, because I don't want to give it up completely. I am still soul searching as to what I want to do, but I am guessing I will keep writing. I just won't write as often, maybe focus on book spotlights or maybe do one word reviews. I am not sure how this blog will evolve.

Thanks for letting me ramble. If you have any advice please feel free to give it.