Since it's Useless to Resist.....

why even bother?? Darla is hosting the Irresistible Review Challenge. Just when I thought there weren't any more challenges I would possibly want to join, here come a few more!! And I'm joining them. At this point, does it really even matter?? Does it matter that I've committed to read more books in all the challenges I've joined than is humanly possible for me to read?? Nope. I'm just happy to join in the first place!!

So here are the rules to Darla's Challenge:

1. Read 8 books between now and Labor Day (September 1) that you were inspired to read after reading a fellow book-blogger's review. Ideally the books will be ones you'd never heard of or would probably not have considered reading had it not been for the review. If you expanded your horizons or went beyond your usual reading comfort zone because of the review, all the better!

2. Write a review of the book on your blog.

3. (The most important step) Make sure you link to the review that inspired you to read the book in the first place!

4. Books read for other challenges count.

5. There is no need to make a list ahead of time - for this type of challenge, it's probably best to remain open to serendipity in the bookblogosphere!

The main problem with this challenge is there are SO MANY books out there, that I had a hard time choosing. And I decided to keep my options open. So here are the first 6 books, with the last 2 selections to come.

• Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (reviewed by Bookfool)
• The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (reviewed by Debi)
• Life as we Know it by Susan Beth Pfeffer (reviewed by Chris)
• The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle (reviewed by Becky)
• Voice of our Shadow by Jonathan Carroll (reviewed by Nymeth)
• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (reviewed by Darla)

Now you guys need to help me choose my last 2 picks!!

Trish from Trish's Reading Nook is hosting this year's Classics Challenge. Lately, I've been neglecting my Classics. It's sad, but I just haven't had time to keep up. Trish set up a Challenge blog, and everything. Here are the rules:

RULES (keep reading for the bonus):
OPTION 1: Read FIVE classics.

OPTION 2: Read FIVE classics from at least TWO different countries

OPTION 3: Read FIVE classics with any combination of at least TWO different countries and TWO different genres (see above for genres).

Cross-posting with other challenges is allowed (and encouraged!);

Audiobooks are fine; books must be finished after July 1st to count for the challenge although re-reads are acceptable.

Lists don't have to be set in stone; you can change your selections at any time.

Have Fun. Oh ya...there will be a drawing for a prize or two. To be entered you must complete any one of the above options. You do NOT need a blog to participate.

Am I going to define what a classic is? Nope! There are lots of definitions offered on the Internet, but essentially we all have different opinions so don't stress too much--and see the bonus below.

BONUS!! (optional)
As you can see, I'm requiring FIVE classics for six months. For the sixth book, I would like the participants to offer suggestions for books that may not be considered classics but that you think should be or books that you think will be a classic one day. Leave your suggestions in the comments below. I'll compile a list of the suggestions and you choose a book from the list and make that your sixth read. I realize this means you may have to wait to make your list if you choose to participate in the bonus round, but I'm hoping this is a modern twist on the old classics challenge.

So....here are my 5 + bonus for this year's Classics Challenge:

• Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
• East of Eden by John Steinbeck
• The Far Pavilions by M. M. Kaye
  

Bonus:

• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The last thing I wanted to mention was Callista's Daring Book Challenge. She has set up this challenge as either a set reading tract or just a perpetual challenge. Here is the challenge blog, A Daring Book Challenge. The key is to read the "list" from The Daring Book for Girls'. The list is HUGE, hence the perpetual challenge. But the books are cool. Girl's Classics, Favorites, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Classic Girl & her horse books, Mythologies & Fairy Tales, Old Fashioned Girl Detective Stories.

I know I will never be able to read all the books on the list, but I'm going to read some....and I wanted to pass this along!!

Happy Reading!