Wandergurl and I have decided to take on some reading challenges this year. We’re doing some of them as blog-wide challenges, and we’re doing some as individual challenges. I guess it’ll depend on how lazy we get during the year. We reserve the right to be lazy.

You can find the list of challenges on the Reading Challenge page (link on the main menu at the top of the page).

We’re also tossing up whether or not to do the Paranormal 999 Challenge. We’re not sure if we can read 81 paranormals in one year (even split between the two of us and maybe a few guest posts), and more importantly, if we can actually afford such a challenge. Nevertheless, we’ve had some fun coming up with potential categories:

1. Brooding demons OR Demons with a perpetual scowl
2. Shapeshifters on whose shoulders rest the fate of the universe
3. Vampires with a substance abuse problem
4. Virgin vampires
5. Angels out of nowhere
6. Cross-breeding shapeshifters

If you have any other ideas, let us know. They have to be broad enough that we can find 9 books to fit in each, but fun enough to keep us motivated. If we do go ahead with this challenge, we’ll probably need some help coming up with books to complete the list.

Anyway, here are the challenges we’re definitely doing this year.

Harlequin/Silhouette Romance Reading Challenge

All of the books have to be from either the Harlequin or Silhouette imprint. It doesn’t matter which one.

1. Read 1 book with a holiday theme.
2. Read 1 book by an author you never read before.
3. Read 1 book with one of these words in the title – wedding, marriage, husband or wife
4. Read 1 book set in a place you’ve never been before.
5. Read 1 book with a body of water in the title (i.e. water, lake, river, island, etc.)

Rules and participants can be found in this post at the Harlequin/Silhouette Romance Reading Challenge blog.

New Author Challenge

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.
4. Add your name to the Mr. Linky below.  If you do not have your own blog, you can join the group blog here.
5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome.
6. When you read a new author, write your review (either at your site or the group blog) and then come back here and post a link to your review.

Rules and participants can be found in this post at the New Author Challenge blog.

We’re going to track Book Thingo’s progress here.

Re-read Challenge

1. You must have read the book at least once before and the book should preferably be part of your keepers pile.
2. Review must be posted on the last day of the month.

More details can be found here at Nath’s blog.

We’re going to track Book Thingo’s progress here. We’re modifying this challenge slightly since both Wandergurl and I are planning to post reviews. She’ll post on the last day of the month, and I’ll post on the first day of the next month. We’re using the time difference between Australia and Canada as a loophole.

Support Your Local Library Challenge

You all know what a supporter of the library my family and I are. What better way to pay homage than by having a reading challenge in 2009? Since we are all different, there will be three sizes of challenges.

** 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.

Rules and participants can be found in this post at J. Kaye’s Book Blog.

We’re going to track Book Thingo’s progress here.

Pub Challenge

1. Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009 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.
6. Sign up here using Mr. Linky.

Rules and participants can be found in this post at The Pub blog.

We’re going to track Book Thingo’s progress here.

What’s in a Name? 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.

Rules and participants can be found in this post at the What’s in a Name? Challenge blog.

Are you guys doing any challenges this year? Feel free to post links, particularly for those you think we might be interested in doing, too.