Twenty-Ten Challenge

To spice up this year a bit, I will join a challenge from this blog. I never had experience with reading-challenges before, so this is my first and I think this will be interesting for my blog. This challenge seemed fun to do, with 10 categories to be followed, and 2 books for each category to be read. Nice! Here is the summary of the challenge (I also include the titles of the books I plan to read, but it could change during the challenge, and I will update the list regularly. The books I already read will be crossed afterwards. I will also review the books I already read, and especially for this challenge, try to do it in English!):

The aim is to read a total 20 books, over ten categories, in 2010. (Was this challenge based solely around the name? I’ll let you decide!)

Rules:

• Read 2 books from each category, making a requirement of 20 books total.
• The categories are intended to be loose guidelines only, if you decide it fits, then it fits. (Apart from those marked **)
• Categories marked with ** have tighter rules, and these must be followed.
• Each book can only qualify for one category.
• Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
• Books read from 01/01/2010 to 31/12/2010 are eligible.

So, on with the categories

1. Young Adult
   Any book classified as young adult or featuring a teenage protagonist counts for this category. (Catching Fire-Suzanne Collins ; Thirteen Reasons Why-Jay Asher)
2. T.B.R. **
   Intended to help reduce the old T.B.R. pile. Books for this category must be already residents of your bookshelves as of 1/11/09. (Midnight Children -Salman Rushdie;  I Capture The Castle – Dodie Smith)
3. Shiny & New
   Bought a book NEW during 2010 from a bookstore, online, or a supermarket? Then it counts for this category. Second-hand books do not count for this one, but, for those on book-buying bans, books bought for you as gifts or won in a giveaway also count! (Her Fearful Symmetry – Audrey Niffenegger; The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton)
4. Bad Blogger’s ***
   Books in this category, should be ones you’ve picked up purely on the recommendation of another blogger count for this category (any reviews you post should also link to the post that convinced you give the book ago).
   *** Bad Bloggers: Is hosted by Chris of Stuff as Dreams are Made on. ( The Ask and The Answer – Patrick Ness, recommended by Darren ; Monsters of Men, also recommended by Darren)
5. Charity
   Support your local charity shops with this category, by picking up books from one of their shops. Again, for those on book-buying bans, books bought for you as gifts also count, as long as they were bought from a charity shop. (We haven’t got many charity shops here in Jakarta, so I will put used books/second books instead in this category….—> The Neverending Story – Michael Ende ; The Inheritance of Loss-Kiran Desai
6. New in 2010
   This category is for those books newly published in 2010 (whether it be the first time it is has been released, or you had to wait for it to be published in your country, it counts for this one!)  —> Twenties Girl, Sophie Kinsella ; Ford County:Stories, John Grisham
7. Older Than You
   Read two books that were published before you were born, whether that be the day before or 100 years prior! (A Tree Grows In Brooklyn – Betty Smith 1943 ; Harriet The Spy, Louise Fitzhugh
8. Win! Win!
   Have a couple of books you need to read for another challenge? Then this is the category to use, as long that is, you don’t break the rules of the other challenge by doing so! (Since I haven’t joined another challenge yet, I will put Indonesian books in this category…—>Metropolis, Windry Ramadhina; Pak Beye dan Istananya, Wisnu Nugroho
9. Who Are You Again?
   This one isn’t just for authors you’ve never read before, this is for those authors you have never even heard of before! (The Elegance of the Hedgehog – Murriel Barbery ; A House in the Sunflowers, Ruth Silvestre)
10. Up to You!
    The requirements for this category are up to you! Want to challenge yourself to read some graphic novels? A genre outside your comfort zone? Something completely wild and wacky? Then this is the category to you. The only requirement is that you state it in your sign-up post. (I will put the Bronte sisters in this category, since I have wanted to read their books for so long but never made myself to do that yet! —> Jane Eyre –  Charlotte Bronte ; Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte )

Challenge completed: 20/20

Challenge started: January 12, 2010

Challenge completed: January 14, 2011

Most favorite book (s) of the challenge:Catching Fire, Monsters of Men

Least favorite book of the challenge: The Midnight’s Children

Most dissapointed book of the challenge: Her Fearful Symmetry

Most surprising book of the challenge: I Capture The Castle

I stepped out of my comfort zone, tried several new genres and unknown authors. I enjoyed my first book challenge, and I hope to do more in the future. For 2011, I don’t think I joined any challenge, since I have a bigger project for this year, so I think I spend most of my time to do the project. But I promised myself I will tru to reach out for more books, books that are outside my comfort zone, and I am so ready for 2011.

Happy new year folks, keep on reading! =)