Update #2 on 2012 Reading Challenges

It's time for an update on my reading challenges:

Historical Fiction Challenge 2012

(complete 6/3/12)

See the first Reading Challenge update for list of books I read

2014 Winter Olympics Reading Challenge

(3/26/12 - )

There are three levels to this challenge: Level 1 (Gold): Read a book from every country that won a medal. (A total of 26 countries) Level 2 (Silver): Read a book from every country that won a Gold medal. (A total 19 countries) Level 3 (Bronze): Read a book from every country that won Gold, Silver AND Bronze medals - the * countries. (15 countries)

I love the Olympics and this challenge caught my eye because it is so unique plus you have four years to finish it…well if you started back in 2010 you’d have four years. I’m not sure if I’ll go back in time very far to see what I can cross off. We’ll see. And I’m definitely going to try for gold.

Here’s the list of the 26 countries that won medals at the 2010 Winter Olympics (* means the country got gold, silver and bronze medals):

• Australia - Gold & Silver (no Bronze)
• Austria *
• Belarus *
• Canada *
• China *
• Croatia - Silver & Bronze (no Gold)
• Czech Republic - Gold & Bronze (no Silver) - Mission Out of Control by Susan May Warren
• Estonia - Silver (no Gold or Bronze)
• Finland - Silver & Bronze (no Gold)
• France *
• Germany * - Goose Girl by Shannon Hale & Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
• Great Britain - Gold (no Silver or Bronze) - Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
• Italy * - The Duke's Promise by Jamie Carie
• Japan - Silver & Bronze (no Gold)
• Kazakhstan - Silver (no Gold or Bronze)
• Latvia - Silver (no Gold or Bronze)
• Netherlands *
• Norway *
• Poland *
• Russia *
• Slovakia *
• Slovenia - Silver & Bronze (no Gold)
• South Korea *
• Sweden *
• Switzerland - Gold & Bronze (no Silver)
• United States * - see the 50 State challenge below

Where are you Reading Challenge

This is simply a fun way to see where the stories take place that you read by pinpointing them on Google Maps. It’s kinda hard to figure out where a fiction story takes place.

View My book travels in a larger map

50 States Challenge

The goal of this one is simple – read a book that takes place in each of the 50 States. And I've thrown in the territories and DC. For a total of 56 places.

(12/56 - 6/3/12)

Alabama - Alabama by Kay Cornelius

Alaska

American Samoa

Arizona 

Arkansas

California - Whatever Tomorrow Brings by Lori Wick

Colorado - Morning Mountain by Peggy Darty

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia - Always a Baker Never a Bride by Sandra D. Bricker

Guam

Hawaii

Idaho - A Vote of Confidence by Robin Lee Hatcher

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas - Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Kentucky - A Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz

Louisiana

Maine - Maine Brides by Susan Page Davis

Maryland

Massachusetts - Prize of My Heart by Lisa Norato

Michigan

Minnesota - Finding Our Way Home by Charlene Ann Baumbich 

Mississippi - The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Missouri - Forever After by Deborah Raney

Montana - Sabrina by Lori Wick

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico - Mercy Come Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergen

New York - Masquerade by Nancy Moser

North Carolina - Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof

North Dakota

Northern Marianas Islands

Ohio - The Memory Jar by Tricia Goyer

Oklahoma

Oregon - The Doctor's Lady by Jody Helund

Pennsylvania - The Messenger by Siri Mitchell

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island - An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser

South Carolina - The Red Siren by M.L. Tyndall

South Dakota

Tennessee - The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury

Texas - A Texan's Honor by Shelley Gray

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Virgin Islands

Washington - The Daughter's Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Can you tell I like geography and traveling? To add a bit of variety here is a challenge with two parts that Abbi over at Christian Novels is doing.

A-Z Challenge 

Read a book and a author for each letter of the alphabet
(Books:12 left to go - 6/3/12)
(Authors: 12 left to go - 6/13/12)
(except I missed a few so the previous stat is a bit wrong)

Books:

A- Always the Baker Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker

B- Blue Moon Promise by Colleen Coble

C- The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz

D- Dancing with Max by Emily Colson

E- Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

F- Finding Our Way Home by Charlene Ann Baumbich

G- The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie

H- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I- Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

J- Jessie by Lori Wick

K-

L- The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

M- The Messenger by Siri Mitchell; My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

N- N or M? by Agatha Christie

O- Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley

P- Prize of My Heart by Lisa Norato

Q- Quiet by Susan Cain (except I didn't quite finish it)

R- Riona by Linda Windsor

S- Sabrina by Lori Wick

T- A Texan's Honor by Shelley Gray

U- An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser

V- A Vote of Confidence by Robin Lee Hatcher

W- Word's Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart

X-

Y-

Z-

Authors

A- Lynn Austin, Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen

B- Charlene Ann Baumbich

C- Jamie Carie, Emily Colson, Suzanne Collins

D- Peggy Darty

E- Elizabeth Eulberg

F- Laura Frantz

G- Shelley Gray

H- Shannon Hale

I- Washington Irving

J- Reginna Jennings

K- Jane Kirkpatrick, Karen Kingsbury

L- Gail Carson Levine

M- Siri Mitchell, Catherine Gilbert Murdock

N- Lisa Norato

O- Bruce Olson

P- Mary Osborne Pope, Delia Parr

Q-

R- Deborah Raney

S- Anne Elisabeth Stengl

T- M.L. Tyndall

U-

V- Clare Vanderpool

W- Lori Wick

X-

Y- Kathleen Y'Barbo

Z- Zee-Zee