2. Death Message - Mark Billingham

Finished this one last night.  I love the main character-Tom Thorne.  He can really be such a jerk but it all works out for him in the end of this one.  It didn't count for any of my challenges, but I am now caught up with this series.

1. Inkheart - Cornelia Funke

My first book of the year!  I listened to this one on my computer via download from my public library.  I really love this new feature as it is really convenient for me.  For a YA book, this was fun and kept my attention throughout.  Basically, there are people who can 'read' characters out of books.  Not sure if I like this more than Harry Potter, but there are two more in the series to help me figure that out.  I was able to count this book in the following challenges:  New Authors, Support Your Library, Audio, What's In a Name (body part=heart), and Read n' Review.  An excellent start to the new year!

Excitement

I'm getting all of my challenges organized in my spreadsheet, and have my challenge books in a pile ready to go.  Can't wait to really get into these challenges this year, they all sound fun!  Thank you to all who are hosting, we couldn't have challenges without you!

Let the fun begin! 

Audiobook Challenge

Here are the guidelines: 
1) You can join anytime as long as you don’t start listening to your books prior to 2009. 
2) This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is December 31, 2009. 
3) You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009. 
4) You do not have to list your books ahead of time. If you decide to, you can change them as you go. 
5) Our goal is to listen to 12 audiobooks in 2009. No need to list your books now. You can do so as you go.

What's In a Name Challenge

*Dates: January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009
*The Challenge: Choose one book from each of the following categories.
1. A book with a "profession" in its title. 
2. A book with a "time of day" in its title. 
3. A book with a "relative" in its title. 
4. A book with a "body part" in its title. 
5. A book with a "building" in its title. 
6. A book with a "medical condition" in its title. 
*You may overlap books with other challenges, but please don't use the same book for more than one category. 
*You don't need to decide exactly which books you will be reading ahead of time, though you're certainly welcome to. 

Unshelved Reading Challenge

Unshelved Reading Challenge
host: Becky of Becky's Book Reviews
dates: February 1, 2009 - June 1, 2009
books required: 3

Audio books welcome. Blog not required. Overlaps with other challenges allowed. Lists not required. But books must come from their archives. Remember, new books/strips are being added all the time.

See the entire list here: http://www.unshelved.com/bookclub.aspx

2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge

** The first is to read 12 books from your local library in 2009. 
** The second is to read 25 books from your local library in 2009. 
** The third is to read 50 books from your local library in 2009. 
You decide which one of the three challenges is best for you. 

Here are the guidelines: 
1) You can join anytime as long as you don’t start reading your books prior to 2009. 
2) This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is December 31, 2009. 
3) You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009.  
4) Our goal is to read 12, 25, or 50 books checkout from our local library in 2009. Please decide which when you sign up and don’t change it. 
5) These can be audios, downloads, children’s, YA. As long as it’s a book, format and target age group does not matter.

Romance Reading Challenge

1. Choose at least 5 novels read them between Jan 1st though Dec 31st 2009. You can change your choices at any time. Crossovers between other challenges are fine. 
2. Read them at your own pace in 2009 then post the link to your review(s). 

New Author Challenge

Here are the guidelines:

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.
2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels.  They can definitely be from other challenges.  However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels, but anthologies are also a great way to try someone new.
3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you state how many new authors you want to try this year and then that’s your challenge.  For me, I’m trying another 50 new authors.  If you want a number given to you, try for either 25 or 50.
4. When you read a new author, write your review and then post a link to your review.

Pub Challenge 2009

Here are the 2009 rules: 

1.  Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2009, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country.   

2.  No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.’

3.  At least 5 titles must be fiction.  

4.  Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.  

5.  You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.

Numbers Challenge

The challenge is to read 5 books whose titles have a number in them from Jan 1, 2009 to August 1, 2009. This includes written numbers like 'one' and numbers like 10th or first.

You can choose up to three that are on lists for other challenges. So two of the choices must not be on any list. You can re-read books but all books must NOT be read until January 1, 2009.