It’s the beginning of October, and that means time for another update on Reading Challenges!  I have to admit that I have not been paying a lot of attention to this over the summer…but I’ve managed to make at least some progress anyway.  I’ve grayed-out books read in the first half of the year, to make it easier to see recent updates.

Fairy Tales Retold Challenge

My goal here was 7-9 books for the official challenge (which only counts YA and Middle Grade), and 12-15 as a personal challenge, to leave some open slots for grown-up retellings.

1. Frogged by Vivian Vande Velde (MG)
2. Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley (YA)
3. Enchanted by Alethea Kontis (YA)
4. Hero by Alethea Kontis (YA)
5. Half Upon a Time by James Riley (MG)
6. Cress by Marissa Meyer (YA)
7. Jack the Giant-Killer by Charles de Lint
8. Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler (MG)
9. The Castle Behind Thorns by Merrie Haskell (YA)

Not much going on with this one…something to focus on for the fall, clearly!  Anyone with a good recommendation on a retold fairy tale I should explore?

TBR List Challenge

I’ve been working on reading down my To Be Read List, and since my last update, I have added five books to the list…and read seven!  That brings the total for the year so far to 29 read and 21 added, so eight books of progress.  Which is something, though I’d like to manage a bit more before the end of the year.

Prequel and Sequel Challenge

After all my progress in 2012 and 2013 on series, I turned this year to finishing some duets I had only read half of.  I’m listing both books in each duet, with an (R) where I also reread the first one this year.

1) Sophie Hunter Duet by Jenny Davidson: The Explosionist (R) and Invisible Things

2) Dreamhunter Duet by Elizabeth Knox: Dreamhunter (R) and Dreamquake

3) Austenland Duet by Shannon Hale: Austenland and Midnight in Austenland

4) Castle Glower books by Jessica Day George: Tuesdays at the Castle and Wednesdays in the Tower

Nothing new on this one in the last few months!  But since I only have one more duet I’m hoping to finish this year, I’m not too worried about it.

Historic Fiction Reading Challenge

My goal here is a modest five books, and I’ve made lots of progress on that.  Although it appears I don’t review historic fiction!  That wasn’t deliberate or conscious, it was strictly on a by-book basis, but it still seems to be creating a trend…

1. Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman (audiobook)
2. Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry
3. Chasing Orion by Kathryn Laskey
4. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (reread)
5. The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla by Lauren Willig
6. Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan by Robin Maxwell

Carl’s “Experiences”

I almost forgot about the Readers Imbibing Peril event!  But I jumped in, if slightly late, and have been having fun with some mysteries and classic horror.  Soon the Sci Fi Experience will be upon us–and I have plenty that’s been on my list since last year’s Sci Fi Experience (or possibly the year before…)

Do you have reading goals for the year?  How have they been going for you?