British Books Challenge 2011

You may remember that on the run up to Halloween I took part in the R.I.P. reading challenge. It was great fun being part of this, and following the reviews posted by other participants, and so I have decided to sign up for a year-long challenge that has just been launched for 2011. Becky (aka The Bookette) posted details of her British Books Challenge earlier in the week, and I find myself completely unable to resist signing up for it.

The challenge is to read twelve novels (adult, kids, YA, any genre) during 2011, although there is a special challenge for hardcore readers to see if they can hit the half century mark. I would like to aim for the big 5-0 but I'm not sure I will have time to write that many reviews, but I am very confident about getting through twelve books. If you want to find out more and/or sign up for the challenge you should pop over to Becky's post here.

I have put some thought to the books that I want to read as part of the challenge. A few of them have been sitting on my shelves unread for too long, many are not yet published but are scheduled for a 2011 release. So in not particular order:

Heartstone by C.J. Sansom
The Traitor's Gate by Sarah Silverwood
Dark Parallel (Joshua Files) by M.G. Harris
The Demon Collector by Jon Mayhew
Zombie Dawn by Steve Feasey
Furnace: Execution by Alexander Gordon Smith
Johnny Mackintosh: Battle For Earth by Keith Mansfield
TimeRiders: The Doomsday Code by Alex Scarrow
The Crowmaster (Invisible Fiends) by Barry Hutchison
Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley
Black Ice (Young Sherlock Holmes) by Andrew Lane
Rebellion by James McGee
The Damned by David Gatward
Prophecy by S.J. Parris
Mysteries of the Diogenes Club by Kim Newman
Several books by Andy McDermott as I am so far behind in his Nina Wilde/Eddie Chase series
A couple of books by Scott Mariani as I am behind in his Ben Hope series as well

.......... and many, many more.

Horror Reading Challenge

I have decided to take part in a reading challenge. Having already had a horror themed month on my blog back in April, I thought it would be a little too much to have another one to coincide with Halloween, but there are some really great horror books coming out in the next month or so. I therefore did a quick google and discovered the R.I.P. Challenge (aka Readers Imbibing Peril Challenge), which appears to be in its fifth year. I duly signed up to take part, and I am aiming to achieve "Peril The First", that is I hope to read at least four books that fit the listed categories of Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Dark Fantasy, Gothic, Horror, and Supernatural (I think most of my choices will fit the Horror moniker). Between now and 31st October I hope to read:

The Dead by Charlie Higson (sequel to his brilliant zombie book The Enemy);
The Dark by David Gatward (sequel to his just-as-brilliant The Dead);
Furnace: Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith (shame on me for not having read this before);
Furnace: Solitary by Alexander Gordon Smith (ditto)
The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey (sequel to The Monstrumologist)
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (another book I should have read years ago)

Hopefully there will be a few more that fit the theme. If you fancy joining me in this challenge then it isn't too late - just pop along to the Stainless Steel Droppings blog and sign up.