2011 Reading Challenge Feedback

[Yz the Whyz]

We are almost done with our third year of reading challenges here the Paranormal Romance group.

Time to get some feedback and some new direction for the coming year.

So, please stop by and take a few minutes to answer some questions.

1. With reading challenges popping all over GR, do we continue our regular monthly challenges for the year 2012? Yes or No?

If your answer is yes, you may continue with the next questions.

2. Pick your top six(6) monthly challenge themes in the year 2011. The six popular ones will be use again for next year.

January - Paranormal Creatures
February - Author's Web
March - The Power of Three
April - Serial April
May - Count with May
June - Reading with Friends
July - The Challenge of a Name
August - Characters' Alphabet Parade
September - Smorgasbord of Power
October - Literary Colors
November - Paranormal Acrostic
December - TBR Clean-Up

All members are invited to respond, even if they are not regular challenge participants.

3. Was there a month's challenge that you didn't like at all and would never want to be repeated?

4. Are there any challenges in the previous years that you would want to play again? You can share up to three choices.

5. Do you have any suggestions for future challenge themes?

Thanks for the responses, and looking forward to another full year of reading.

[Yz the Whyz]

*reserved*

January - Paranormal Creatures
February - Author's Web
March - The Power of Three
April - Serial April
May - Count with May
June - Reading with Friends
July - The Challenge of a Name
August - Characters' Alphabet Parade
September - Smorgasbord of Power
October - Literary Colors
November - Paranormal Acrostic
December - TBR Clean-Up

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Yes on continuing the challenges. With my Mum's health, I've had to drop out of all my other challenges, so I don't want to lose this one. It was the first one that I ever joined, and so it has a special place in my heart. (Doesn't that make you all snigger softly???) Anyway, as long as my Mum's health stays this way, I won't be able to do anything else, but this one.

[Jessica]

1. Yes! Yes! Yes!
2. Paranormal Creatures, Literary Colors, Serial April, Reading with Friends, Characters' Alphabet Parade, The Challenge of Name
3.NO
4. Can't remember the name of it but we had to read a trilogy as part of it.
5. As for theme I've been happy! Would appreciate an extra day or two to prepare our list.

[*Angela*]

Yes, continue the challenges!

[Lauren]

Yes, I really enjoyed the challenges. I enjoyed them all but the ones that really appealed were Reading with Friends and Smorgasbord of Power

[Angie]

1 - PLEASE!!! I've had an awful year and due to lack of time I have had to cut down on a lot of challenges but this is one I've stuck with. I always enjoy it and it always helps me decide what to read next.

2 - January, February, April, May, June and September.

3 - Wasn't keen on the March one just because I'm not a big fan of reading a trilogy in monthly challenges (sorry Jessica!). I've had a couple where I read the first one and hated it and either couldn't finish the challenge because I was then two books short or had to try and find another one quickly.

4 - Can't remember what it was called but it was when we read a book from eachy year from the last ten years.

5 - You are the Queen Yz so I'll always bow to your judgement on themes. Though possibly doing a quartly, 6 month or yearly challenge as well for those who find it difficult to do ten books a month or just want a nice big challenge to get their teeth into.

:)

[Drea]

1. Yes!

2. Paranormal Creatures, The Challenge of a Name, Characters' Alphabet Parade, Smorgasbord of Power, TBR Clean-Up

3. No

4. Just started this year, so no.

5. I like what you have been coming up with so I will leave that in your very capable hands.

[Soo]

I'm re-posting my response. Seems more appropriate to have it here. =)

I just joined in November but I've had fun! I checked out the other Challenges listed and here's what seems interesting to me. I wouldn't mind participating in any of the following:

1. January - Paranormal Creatures
2. December - TBR Clean-up
3. June - Reading With Friends
4. September - Expedition:GoodReads
5. April - Serial April
6. November - Paranormal Acrostic

Dislike: Any challenge that takes more time to find books to fulfill the challenge. Example: Author born/died in my year.

Suggestions:
A) Based on either Title or Author: You pick out a book - Rosemary and Rue by Seanan Mcguire. The next book's title or author has to start with the beginning letters in the last book. If you go by title, the next book has to start with R. If you go by author, the next book has to start with S or M. This challenge can be limited to just Titles, Authors or combined.

B) Top 10: There are a lot of reading lists on Goodreads. For this challenge, you have to pick 1 book out of the top 10 from 10 different PNR lists. For example: Zombies, Vampires, Werewolves, Magic, Witches, Fantasy, Elves, Mythology, Time Travel, Dystopian, Angels or Demons.

C) Author Favs: Look & see what your favorite authors are reading and see what books they've rated 5 stars. Pick 10 books, rate it, and state what you thought of the book. Whether or not your thoughts go in line or against the authors, etc.

-Soo

[Dawn (Kat N Hat)]

1. This was my first challenge I ever joined, so like Ann this one holds a special place in my heart. I however now am a Challenge Addict, I usually have several challenges going a month. I try to use my picks from here to fill in my other challenges. Please don't stop!

2. Reading with friends- I loved this one as someone fairly new to goodreads I didn't have many friends. This challenge changed that. I love going to my home page to see what others are reading to get new recommendations.

Author's Web- This was a great reference link, I still use it when I find a new author I like. My one suggestion for this one is to pick 7-10 names, but still 10 books, repeating authors if you wanted. I found several new authors this challenge and was bummed I couldn't jump right into the next book in the series because I had other authors to get through

Paranormal Creatures, Count with May, Challenge of a name, & Smorgasbord of Power were other favorites

3. The Acrostic of Paranormal wasn't a favorite, I wouldn't say never repeat it. I really think my dislike came from nothing I was reading fit into the challenge. Maybe adding character names into the options would help.

4. I wasn't part of the group in 2010 but Expedition:GoodReads & Cover Hunt Challenge looked fun.

5. You do a great job, and probably not told it enough. So thanks for all the hard work you do to come up with the challenges.

[Kirttimukha]

I've been meaning to say for ages how much I love the reading challenges. I have discovered new authors nearly ever month. The challenges are fun and creative and a great way to help make reading a group rather than just an individual activity. Thank you for all your effort. It makes an impact in my life nearly ever day.

[Barbara ★]

1. I'm a challenge junky so I need them to continue. As a matter of fact I've dropped out of a few groups who don't offer challenges or their challenges were lame.

2.
January - Paranormal Creatures
April - Serial April
August - Characters' Alphabet Parade
September - Smorgasbord of Power
October - Literary Colors
November - Paranormal Acrostic
December - TBR Clean-Up

3. I didn't like these three but I think never want to be repeated is a little harsh.

March - The Power of Three
(I don't read a trilogy straight through so this was difficult)
February - Author's Web
(I couldn't fit most of the new authors into my monthly reading schedule. Though I have used this site to find other books to read. It just didn't work for me as a challenge...oddly enough it was too challenging. I liked the concept just not the execution.)
July - The Challenge of a Name
(I have way too many books to try to find a character/author/etc that's starts with my initials. Just a challenge I wasn't interested in.)

4. Want to play again?
January - Paranormal Creatures
April - Serial April
September - Smorgasbord of Power

5. Yz, you have an amazing mind and come up with really creative ideas. I think you should surprise us with something new and different in 2012. (Not every month but just once or twice.) I honestly don't know how you get any reading done with creating and monitoring all these challenge. Keep it up as we all appreciate your efforts. Thanks.

[Joann]

1. I'm am a huge book-a-holic, so please, please continue the challenges. :)

2. Pick your top six(6) monthly challenge themes in the year 2011. The six popular ones will be use again for next year.

January - Paranormal Creatures
August - Characters' Alphabet Parade
September - Smorgasbord of Power
October - Literary Colors
November - Paranormal Acrostic
December - TBR Clean-Up

3. Was there a month's challenge that you didn't like at all and would never want to be repeated?

I didn't enter all the challenges, but I didn't see any that I particularly disliked.

4. Are there any challenges in the previous years that you would want to play again? You can share up to three choices.

September - Smorgasbord of Power
October - Literary Colors
December - TBR Clean-Up

5. Do you have any suggestions for future challenge themes?

Yz, you do such a great job creating these challenges. Thank you for all the effort you put into making these challenges happen!

(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

[Jennifer]

1. yes, Yes, YES!!!

2. january- paranormal creatures
april- serial
july- name challenge
august- characters name
november- paranormal acrostic
december- clean up

3. february- literature map
march - power of three

[Ashley]

1. Yes, I love this challenge, and try to choose my other challenge books based on this groups.

2. Smorgasboard of Power, Literary Colors, Serial April, Reading With Friends

3. None that I completely hated, although I didn't start until about halfway through the year.

4. Don't know, I haven't done them.

5. I have enjoyed all the challenges I've been apart of. I do like the 'January is ________ Month" or has this holiday and read a book that celebrates that.

For instance January is Volunteer Blood Donor Month (Vampire book), "Someday We'll Laugh About This" Week (Funny book), 'Meat Week' (zombie), 'Intimate Apparel Week' (Sexy book) etc.

this website is great for that stuff http://www.brownielocks.com/month2.html

[Cindy (Squin)]

1. YES!

2. Paranormal Creatures, Power of Three, Serial, Smorgasboard of Power & Literary Colors

3. This TBR Cleanup has been hard just because I can't change it once I put my list down!

4. This was my 1st year.

5. One I've done for another group that I liked: We had 1-10, of course. We had to read a book from a different series for each #. Can be done two ways: either just a book from 10 different series, which is hard enough, or, a different # within 10 different series, matching with the #, like for #1 read book one of a series, #2, read book 2 from a different series, etc.

[Erin]

1. Yes!

2. January - Paranormal Creatures
February - Author's Web
April - Serial April
June - Reading with Friends
September - Smorgasbord of Power
October - Literary Colors

3. There are none that I hated, but the Paranormal acrostic is not one of my favorites.

4. I liked last years' Expedition: Goodreads challenge, that was a fun one.

[Julie]

1. Defintely yes :)

2. 6 favs
January-paranormal creatures
April-serial April
October-literary colors
December-TBR cleanup
September- Smorgasbord of Power

I like challenges that help me on my TBR pile(its in the hundreds); as I follow alot of series and authors :)

[Delaney]

I just started in Oct. but I love them, so I would say yes to keeping them.
I really enjoyed October-literary colors and December-TBR cleanup.
Since I have only been doing the challenges for 3 months there weren't any I hated so far and in the same since I have no suggestions as you are doing a great job and keeping everyone happy.
Very much looking forward to 2012's challenges! Hopefully I will be able to finish some!

[Yz the Whyz]

Love the responses, ladies. I'm busy taking notes. Keep them coming.

[Danielle]

Yes keep um comin! Top 6: Paranormal Creatures, The Challenge of a Name, Characters' Alphabet Parade, Smorgasbord of Power, Count with May, Author's Web (I missed a couple of these since I joined in May, i'm excited to see get to them next year!) I did not like the paranormal acrostic. 3 to see again: Smorgasbord of Power, The Challenge of a Name, TBR Cleanup. I have no input on future ideas, lame I know.

[Samantha]

ok had to chose 8 couldn't just chose 6...and I can't wait to see what comes up this upcoming


January - Paranormal Creatures
April - Serial April
June - Reading with Friends
August - Characters' Alphabet Parade
September - Smorgasbord of Power
October - Literary Colors
November - Paranormal Acrostic
December - TBR Clean-Up

[Tina]

1. Yes, definitely

2. I only did the final 3 and I liked them all.
October - Literary Colors
November - Paranormal Acrostic
December - TBR Clean-Up

3. The Power of Three

4. Literary Colors definitely.

5. Hard to think of any.

[Samantha]

keep the monthly challenges going

[Amanda]

Yes, I hope you continue the challenges! As of right now, this is the only club I'm involved in and I really look forward to the monthly goals. I think they're totally fun, whether or not I finish them. As far as my top six, well I joined late, so I only caught the last three. Honestly, I'm down for any of them. They all look cool to me! :)

[[deleted user]]

so when do we find out the starting topic?

[Samantha]

it's already up

[Coffeentea]

1. Yes, I love doing these monthly reading challenges.

2. My fav challenges are:
Author's Web
Serial April
Smorgasbord of Power
Literary Colors
Reading with Friends
Count with May

3. The challenges that I wouldn't want to do again would be:
The Challenge of a Name
Characters' Alphabet Parade
Paranormal Acrostic
I just don't like to deal with finding titles, authors, charaters with certain initials. It's tedious.

4. Someone earlier mentioned the Expedition: Goodread challenge. It sounds like fun.

5. Not right now.

Yz, thanks for hosting these challenges.

[Lizz (Beer, Books and Boos)]

1.Yes

2. The challenges I lover are
*Paranormal Creatures
*Author's Web
*Serial April
*Reading with Friends
*Smorgasbord of Power
*Literary Colors

3.Challenges I really didn't like
*Count with May
*The Challenge of a Name
*Characters' Alphabet Parade

4.Challenges I would like to see again is
*Expedition:GoodReads
*The Challenge of Time and Place (It was kind of hard for me but maybe me find my genres that I like now)
*Not Your Usual Series

5.Not right now