2013 Reading Outside The Box Book Challenge

Hi, everyone! Time for a 2013 Reading Challenge!!

This challenge is being hosted by Kate @ Musings of a Book Lover.

Here are the details copied from Kate's blog:

2013 Reading Outside The Box Book Challenge

Okay – for something a little different and a little fun! I hope that you will join me on this excursion through the literary genres! Choose your level, post with us at the end of the month about your experiences, and we will have a winner at the end of the year for a $50 GC from that great book place in the Ethernet!  Each posting will get your name in the hat for a chance to win! So, post monthly and your chances increase!  I hope you enjoy the categories I have created… it was fun doing it!

Choose your level – just how far out of the box do you want to go?

I’m a little Scared: 3-4 categories

It’s not so bad out here!:  5-7 categories

Look at me, outside my comfort zone!:  8-10 categories

No Box can Contain Me!: ALL 13!

Guidelines:

This challenge will run from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013.   

Grand Prize Drawing will be 7 January 2014!

1. Sign up any time. Though, it’s best to do it by the 31^st of December, 2012 – that way you will have more chances to WIN! (However, sign-ups will close 1 December 2013)

2. You cannot use any books or reading material that was read before 1 January 2013 (except for #9 – but you DO have to REREAD that one to count!)

3. At the End of each month, you must post a link to your review for it to count! If you don’t have a blog, be sure to link up the review you did in GoodReads, Amazon, Library Thing, etc. We need to read your review! (There will be a one week grace period to get in the review. i.e. January 31^st rolls around and the linky will be up, but you have until 6^th of February to get your linky in!) Each review will get you a ‘token’!

4. Share the Love (PLEASE!?!) – Write your intentions on your blog, link back to this post, have the button on a side bar, so others will know what fun you are having, and they can have it too!

5.  Overlaps are okay, but the purpose of this is to try other books, not grabbing ONE book to fit four categories! You only get ONE token in for each review, so the more the merrier.

6. Comment below with how comfortable you are of climbing out of your literary box!  BUT, don’t feel you have to be tied to that level! You are shy and want to start slowly but love the feeling of the air outside of where you are…go for it!  You thought you could be a book sphere, but the box is warm and comfy, that’s okay too!

7. Be encouraging!  Sometimes it’s a little frightening coming out of your comfort zone. Go to the other participants’ sites and give them words to help free them. Offer suggestions on the best ways to climb out of the box – give them a ladder that they can use!

8. Optional – share books.  Be willing to swap books with other participants (unless they are library books, or books that are not yours, then you might find yourself in a whole other type of box, and I can’t help you then!)

9. Make sure you post your reviews every month.  Who knows, I just might have a surprise giveaway that month!

Now… to the categories!

#1   To the Screen

Read a book that was adapted to the screen.  Try to read the book first, then see the movie – how did they compare?

#2   Another Voice

Do you typically read books that focus on a Female Character? Try a male protagonist. A male point of view usually? See what it’s like from a woman’s perspective.

#3   Opposites Attract

 Are you always reading young adult or historical fiction? Try something that would be opposite – a contemporary read for those stuck in the past, for instance.

#4   5 Star Day

Is there a book you’ve seen featured on another blog and everyone raves about it? Even if it isn’t your cup of tea – give it a try to see what the hype is all about.

#5   XyZ pdQ

You’ve seen them – ABC book challenges – well this one is light! Grab a book that has either an X, Z or Q in the title!  Too tough? Try going for the author’s name!

#6   It’s my Birthday!

So, have a party! Read a book that was published in either your birth month or birth year!

#7   From one place…

It’s neat to read a book that was first published outside of the United States (or your country – we won’t hold it against you if you don’t live in the Good Ol’ USofA).  Make sure to pull up a slang dictionary of that country, though, otherwise you will always wonder why they put the ‘kettle on the hob’ (and, no, it has nothing to do with short hairy guys with big hairy feet!)

#8   It’s All About ME!

It seems that everyone has written a memoir of one kind or another – or someone wrote about their favorite person.  Read about their life and know that yours is still marvelous, even though you didn’t climb Mt. Everest by the age of 2!

#9   Visit an Old Friend

Do you have one of those books that you tell everyone is your favorite, because of the fond memories you have when you read it eons ago?  Read it again, just to make sure it still is your Favorite!

#10  Look at the pretty pictures!

It seems that Graphic Novels are all the rage.  Check on out and see for yourself! If you have read the original, how did the graphic novel compare?

#11  She made me do it!

You read about the book on another site.  It wasn’t necessarily something that everyone raves about, but this person spoke so well of the book, you just had too! (I know, it’s kind of like #4 – but this one is special, you were moved by the blogger’s recount of the story, you just had to!) Don’t’ forget to mention who made you grab that cookie from the jar!

#12  I couldn’t help myself!

We all do it! We walk through the book store (or even one of those super stores) and it strikes you! You stop in your tracks and you have instant Cover Love! Grab it, buy it, and READ IT! Well, was it worth it?

#13  To be or Not to be…

Time to break in to that section that very few of us fear to tread!  Read a play, memorize a poem and analyze it since it’s rolling around in your head!  Give the Bard (whoever she may be!) a chance!

If you would like to join me in the challenge, click on the challenge badge at the beginning of this post.

I am aiming for "IT'S NOT SO BAD OUT HERE!" (read 5-7 categories).

CHALLENGE UPDATE:
"IT'S NOT SO BAD OUT HERE!" LEVEL COMPLETED ON 11 JUNE 2013

I will keep track of my progress below and link up my reviews: 

1. #9 - Visit an old friend: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (Christmas Books, Book #1)
2. #2 - Another voice: White Cat by Holly Black (Curse Workers, Book #1)
3. #7 - From one place: Undead by Kirsty McKay (Undead, Book #1) 
4. #1 - To the screen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter, Book #1) 
5. #4 - 5 star day: Divergent by Veronica Roth (Divergent, Book #1)
6. #12 - I couldn't help myself: A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies (A Beautiful Dark, Book #1)
7. #3 - Opposites Attract: Nauti Siren by Lora Leigh (Nauti, Book #7)