2008 Classics Challenge

Well, in my 101 goals for 1,001 days, I promised myself that I would complete 100 classic novels. The 2008 Classics Challenge hosted by Trish is a good place to start. Plus, I finally have reason to dive into my never ending TBR classics pile. The challenge runs from July to December 2008.

I'm going to complete option 1 and read 5 classics. I will also complete the bonus read (actually I will read that book first, since it is on loan from the library and I'm moving to Colorado on July 18th) of a book not necessarily considered a classic, but should be, or will be someday.

Anyways, here's my list:

1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë-- Yes, I've never read this before. I loved Charlotte's Jane Eyre, and expect Emily's tale to leave me just as enthralled.

2. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens-- I'm convinced that I need to read one Dickens novel per year and have heard great things about this one.

3. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh-- I am eagerly anticipating this book.

4. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley-- Another classic I haven't gotten around to yet... likely to be completed for Carl's R.I.P. Challenge as well.

5. The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe-- Gothic 18th century goodness and will likely also be completed for Carl's R.I.P. Challenge.

Bonus: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood-- I loved The Robber Bride, so I expect to enjoy this one as well.

Thanks Trish for hosting the challenge!

Reading Challenge: Once Upon a Time

With the recent loss of one of my best friends, my dog C.J., I'm really in need of some great reading right now to deal with my grief and escape from real life and this empty house (it's not really empty, it just seems that way.) I completed Carl's R.I.P. II challenge this fall and loved it. He has brought back another popular challenge and I once again find myself a participant and slightly pushing myself into the book blog world yet again. I'm very excited about this challenge entitled "Once Upon a Time" because the reading parameters are fantasy, folklore, mythology, and fairy tales. I enjoy all of these genres, but particularly in the spring and summer, as my book choices seem to be heavily influenced by the seasons. After all, what a better escape from all this rainy weather (yes, we're getting it in parched for any moisture Georgia) than a good story.

I'm still working on other reads, so I won't likely get to the challenge until around the beginning of April. It lasts from March 21st - June 20th, so I have some time. I am choosing the "Quest the First" option and will read 5 books that fit into the above genres. I plan on reading two books in April and May and one in June to allow for other reading (Agatha Christie and Wuthering Heights are calling my name) and to spread books out. I will post the reviews individually, rather than including them in my monthly book wrap-ups. Anyways, here are my picks.

1. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly- I've actually had this book sitting on my to-be-read pile for months now and this challenge seems like the perfect time to pick it up. My friend Amanda just finished it and loved it.

2. American Gods by Neil Gaiman- I read Coraline years ago and really liked it. I haven't gotten around to any of his other novels yet, and here is another great opportunity to read some more Gaiman.

3. The Helmet of Horror: The Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur by Victor Pelevin- I've always been fascinated by labyrinths and the myth of the minotaur. This is supposed to be a new twist on the myth and I'm looking forward to reading it.

4. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke- This is another book that has sat on my tbr pile for months. It looks long, but I've heard so much about and I can't wait to read it.

5. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley- This is another long book and a re-read for me, but I like to come back to it every few years and this challenge gives me the excuse to do just that.

I will also be reading my copy of Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales in between each book. I have been doing this for about a year now, and am maybe 1/4 of the way through the book. Needless to say, it won't be finished by the time the challenge is over.

I look forward to reading all of the reviews!

My First Challenge

I've decided to participate in my first reading challenge. I'm somewhat scared to do this because while I read habitually, I'm not exactly up to the standards of my friends with their English degrees. After all, this is NOT a book blog, nor do I plan on starting one because I would just appear to be an idiot! The theme of this challenge though, is particularly alluring, so if I was ever going to get the nerves too participate, now is the time.

This is the second year for Readers Imbibing Peril, R.I.P. for short, which will take place from September 1st through October 31st. There are many different options for this challenge, but I'm going to opt for the "vanilla" peril and read 4 books of any length. Each book should be creepy, scary, eerie, Gothic, you name it... basically, perfect Fall reading.

The following are the 4 that I plan to read (in no particular order):

-Dracula, by Bram Stoker
-The Fall of the House of Usher and other Writings, by Edgar Allan Poe (I'm actually going to read something other than a novel for once)
-The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins
-Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klaus

I'm really happy that he included the YA genre in the challenge, because it comprises the majority of my reading piles. Excepting some Poe short stories, I picked books that I have never read before (Yes, I've never read Dracula nor The Woman in White).

If I have time, I might add in a couple more like:

-Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
-The Thirteenth Tale (a reread, but I like it still) by Diane Setterfield

Sadly, my current books are paling in comparison to my September and October TBR pile.

Join if you like to read!