We’ve been roaming for quite some time in a world owned by vampires, werewolves, ghosts, witches and all sorts of fantastical beings, and the inevitable has happened, we’ve been bitten. We can’t seem to stop ourselves trying out new authors, drooling over gorgeous covers, adding series to our wish lists and watching out for new releases. It’s almost like a disease, though it only gets worse!
So setting out to find if there are any ailing souls like us out there we’ve decided to host a new challenge, and thus Reliquiae was born. Please come join us on this journey, grab your sunglasses, don’t forget your broom and spell book, be sure to pack some nourishment and you can even bring your black cat along. But beware, you’re not coming back!
“The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.”
~Albert Einsteinfantasy: a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting.(Wiki)
fairy tale: a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and talking animals, and usually enchantments, often involving a far-fetched sequence of events. (Wiki)
folklore: the traditional beliefs, legends, customs, etc., of a people; lore of a people; The traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people, transmitted orally. (Dictionary dot com)
mythology: a body of myths, as that of a particular people or that relating to a particular person; a set of stories, traditions, or beliefs associated with a particular group or the history of an event, arising naturally or deliberately fostered. (Dictionary dot com)
Fantasy, fairy tale, folklore and mythology. The definitions above are a jumping off point, but those of us who have unabashedly reveled in between the pages of these genres know that each is so much more.
This is really as simple as the name implies. It means you are participating, but not committing yourself to any specific number of books. All reading is a journey, perhaps none more so than reading fantastical fiction. By signing up for The Journey you are agreeing to at least read one book within one of the four categories during March 21st to June 20th period. Just one book. If you choose to read more, fantastic! If not, then we have still had the pleasure of your company during this three month reading journey and hopefully you have read a great book, met some interesting people, and enjoyed the various activities that occur during the challenge. It has always been of utmost importance to me that the challenges that I host be all about experiencing enjoyable literature and sharing it with others. I want you to participate. Hence, The Journey.
I will no doubt read more than one - but not committing myself to any more than one.
My book was selected from'fairy tale':
1. Spells & Sleeping Bags by Sarah Mlynowski - Review is here
What?Read at least four books about "the end of the world." This includes both apocalyptic fiction and post-apocalyptic fiction. There is quite a bit of overlap with dystopic fiction as well. The point being something--be it coming from within or without, natural or unnatural--has changed civilization, society, humanity to such a degree that it radically differs from "life as we now know it." (Aliens, evil governments, war, plague, natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, hurricanes, depletion of resources, genetic manipulation, etc.)
When?
The challenge will start March 10, 2009 and end October 9, 2009.
January: Romance - It’s all about the category, baby. Harlequin, Sil. Intimate Moments, Harl. Blaze, Harl. Presents. A lot of readers have been enjoying some great category titles of late. Hey, they’re quick reads, too! Did you buy any of them last year and didn’t read them? Now is your chance. Don’t have any? Grab a book out of your stacks and get to reading, you’re not excused.
February: Find a DIK (Desert Island Keeper) book that you bought and read . We’ve all bought some of these books and now is the time to see if they truly are DIK. Let’s demystify some of these claims or validate them. Any genre. Don’t have one (really?), just grab a book and read it.
March: This month is dedicated to the historical novel (and dying breed). Do you have a good historical novel just lying around that you really, really, really want to read? If you don’t care to read a historical, follow the procedure as stated above, just grab a book out of your stacks and read it.
April: Urban fantasy, fantasy or SFR…ohhhh, Patricia Briggs, Ann Aguirre, Charlaine Harris to name a few. Did you buy any of their stuff and didn’t read it yet? Now is your chance and if you’re already caught up, just pick a book out of your stacks and read it with the rest of us.
May: Ok, challenges get more specific. For the month of May, pick a book that has a friends to lovers theme, unrequited love, or some variation to it. All of us have these somewhere in our stacks and if not, you know what you need to do (see above).
June: Tortured heroes are my favorite! They are usually found in historicals but see if you can find a tortured guy in your stacks or a tortured heroine (they’re even rarer!). Read and review it and if you have no luck with finding such a hero in your huge, humongous stacks, just grab a book and read it.
July: Wrongfully accused or just released from jail theme books are another favorite of mine. I always seek these out and I may have to do some rereading for this month as there are some real good ones out there that I’ve read but I think I should have some in my stacks. If you don’t have such a book in your huge mountain of books, you know what you need to do (see above).
August: Ok, I’m going to start assigning authors - Julie Garwood, Liz Carlyle, Judith McNaught, Nora Roberts, Johanna Lindsey, Connie Brockway, Laura Kinsale, Mary Balogh, Carla Kelly, Joan Wolf - own any of these author’s books and haven’t read them yet? Now is your chance. Already caught up - you know what you need to do.
September: Linda Howard, Elizabeth Hoyt, Joanna Bourne, Sherry Thomas, Meljean Brook, Lois Bujold, Shanna Abe, Penelope Williamson, Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick, Rachel Gibson, Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, Sandra Brown, Loretta Chase or whoever else you have in your stacks and you just haven’t taken the time to read them yet.
October: Horror. Yep. Stephen King, Dean Koontz, or whoever else you have in your TBR stacks and if you don’t want to read anything scary, you know what you need to do.
November: Turkey day. Find a book that has a Thanksgiving theme (good luck with that!) or if you can’t find a book that does have a turkey theme, just grab a book out of your stacks and read it.
December: Easy. Christmas themes and if you’re like me and can’t stand Christmas themed stories, just grab a book out of your stacks and read it. Congratulations, you’ve completed this year’s challenge.
My list:
1. Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Review is here
2. Five go off to Camp by Enid Blyton - Review is here
3. Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn - Review is here
4. Be Still my Vampire Heart by Kerrelyn Sparks - Review is here
5. The School for Heiresses by Sabrina Jeffries et al - Review is here
6. The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham - Review is here
7. Magyk: Septimus Heap Book 1 by Angie Sage - Review is here
8.
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12.
What?
For the challenge you will read books with paranormal aspects - this can be werewolves, vampires, fairies, witches, ghosts, mediums, psychics etc. It's pretty much your pick!
When?
The challenge will start January 1, 2009 and end December 31, 2009.
How?
The goal is to read 2+ books in 2009, that's it. It should be manageable, I'd say
What?
For the Vampire Challenge you will read books with vampires - romance, YA, paranormal, mysteries - anything, as long as there's a or two (or more) vampire in it.
When?
The challenge will start January 1, 2009 and end December 31, 2009.
How?
The goal is to read 2+ books with vampires in 2009, that's it. It's fairly easy, I think.
The Scott Westerfeld Mini-Challenge will be for 2009. January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. The goal of this one is to read TWO of his books.
1. Books should be chosen from the reader’s TBR pile.
2. The goal is to read 4 to 6 books linked by theme.
3. Overlaps with other challenges are allowed.
4. Readers may change their list of books at any time.
5. Readers may choose three different levels of participation:
* Read at least 4 books with the same theme.
* Read at least 5 books that share at least TWO themes.
* Read at least 6 books that share MORE than two themes.
Themes can be geographic, genre, author, subject matter, or anything in between! Last year’s themes were wonderfully creative and varied and included such things as: books about books, books set in New England, books with a color in the title, books about vampires, books with the word ‘lady’ in the title, Gothic classics, fairy tales retold for adults, highschool classics, Asian culture, feathered friends, WWII, Canada, books in translation, and Beverly Cleary. There were many others I have not listed here!
The only thing limiting your choices is your imagination - so have fun!
