Gearing Up for Reading Challenges!

I haven’t been reading much lately and that’s not good. I can’t seem to make time for it even though I want to read….so I’ve signed up for several reading challenges! One challenge is to read 6 books that are set in a different country…that’s the Armchair Traveler Challenge. And then there is the challenge to read 12 books from an awards list. I had planned on checking these books out from the library but I think I may have found a better option for me.

BooksFree.com is quite similar to Netflix but instead of movies, you rent books and audiobooks. I went there earlier today and added my challenge books to my queue. BooksFree had all the books I need except for two. I signed up for a free 1-month complimentary membership in which I will receive two books at a time. After I finish reading them, I will place them in the postage paid return envelope and send them back to BooksFree. There are several different memberships available. The one I am trying for free is the $9.99 membership and really, if you were to see my local library fines you would agree that this is going to cost us less money!

***This is a sponsored post.***

Book Awards Reading Challenge

Really...this is the last challenge I'm going to join...maybe! lol!! This one takes place over at the Book Awards Reading Challenge blog and the theme is award-winning books. You have a year to complete 12 books and there are prizes! I'm going to throw in one extra book 'cause it's a "skinny" book!

Here's my list:

The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint - Brady Udall (Spur Novel of the West 2002)
Gilead - Marilynne Robinson (Pulitzer Prize 2005)
The Inheritance of Loss-Kiran Desai (NBCC Award 2006)
Eucalyptus- Murray Bail (Miles Franklin Literary Award 1999)
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood (Arthur C. Clarke Award 1987)
Life of Pi - Yann Martel (Man Booker Prize 2002)
Captain Corelli's Mandolin -Louis de Bernières (Commonwealth Writer's Prize 1995)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon(Costa/Whitbread 2003)
Bel Canto - Patchett (Orange Prize 2002)
Miss Hickory - Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (Newberry Award 1947)
The Stone Diaries - Carol Shields (Pulitzer Prize 1995)
Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen - 2007 Alex Award
and
Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices - Paul Fleischman (Newberry 1989)

Arm Chair Traveler Reading Challenge

Yes...I'm going to participate in another reading challenge! lol!! This one is hosted by A Life in Books and you can find all the details here.

Here's my list for this challenge:

Caribbean
The Kite Runner (Afghanistan)
The Cross on the Drum (Caribbean)
Reading Lolita in Tehran
Jerusalem Vigil
Amy Carmichael