Thoughts from the Hearthfire: Previous Challenges/Awards

2012 British Books Challenge

I really enjoyed taking part in the 2011 British Books Challenge, so I'm signing up again for 2012. This year it's being hosted by Kirsty at The Overflowing Library, but the basic challenge remains the same: to read and review at least 12 books by British authors (I'm aiming for 24 this year). They may be in or out of print, classics or new releases, for any genre or age group: the nationality of the author is the only criterion for this challenge.

This is the list of books I plan to read (to be updated as time goes on):

Dark Parties by Sara Grant
Opal Moonbaby by Maudie Smith
New Beginnings by Rebecca Emin
Fifteen Days Without a Head by Dave Cousins
Venus Rocks by Fiona Dunbar
Hollow Pike by James Dawson
Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale
This is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees
Lolly Luck by Ellie Daines
The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
The Hunting Ground by Cliff McNish
Road to London by Barbara Mitchelhill
Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler
The Queen by Richard Brassey
Drive By by Jim Carrington
A Mystery for Megan by Abi Burlingham
The Sleeping Army by Francesca Simon
Della Says: OMG! by Keris Stainton
The Treasure House by Linda Newbery
A Waste of Good Paper by Sean Taylor
Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts
Emma Hearts LA by Keris Stainton
Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb
Soul Fire by Kate Harrison
A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton
Leopard Adventure by Anthony McGowan
Velvet by Mary Hooper
A Witch in Love by Ruth Warburton
Magic and Mayhem by Marcus Sedgwick
Righteous Exposure by A K James
The Odds by Adam Perrott
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher
Street Duty: Knock Down by Chris Ould
How to Keep a Heron Happy by Lari Don
A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean
Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner
VIII by H M Castor
Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman
Mortal Chaos by Matt Dickinson
Emily Windsnap and the Land of the Midnight Sun by Liz Kessler
Heart-Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne
Siege by Sarah Mussi (read in 2012; reviewed in 2013)

The Transworld Book Group. A book reviewing challenge with amazing books to choose from. I chose:

Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll (and here's my review)
Crippen by John Boyne (and here's my review)
Death Sentence by Mikkel Birkegaard (and here's my review)
The Bomber by Liza Marklund (and here's my review)

The British Books Challenge: to review at least 12 books by British writers in 2011. Hosted at The Bookette. I read and reviewed:

Flood and Fang by Marcus Sedgwick
The Double Shadow by Sally Gardner
The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan
Dark Angels by Katherine Langrish
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick
Paper Wings by Linda Sargent
Adventures of the New Cut Gang by Philip Pullman

Lob by Linda Newbery

Bloodstone by Gillian Philip

Soul Beach by Kate Harrison

Agatha Parrot and the Floating Head by Kjartan Poskitt

All Teachers Great and Small by Andy Seed

Witch Hill by Marcus Sedgwick

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

An Act of Love by Alan Gibbons

When I Was Joe by Keren David

West of the Moon by Katherine Langrish

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

Birdman by Mo Hayder

Firebrand by Gillian Philip

Kaspar - Prince of Cats by Michael Morpurgo

The A-Z blogging challenge: to post for every letter of the alphabet in April 2011. I completed all 26 letters.

The Great Transworld Crime Caper. A book reviewing challenge with fantastic crime books. My choices were:

Birdman by Mo Hayder (and here's my review)

Mistress in the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin (and here's my review)

If I Never See You Again by Niamh O'Connor (and here's my review)

The Writers' Platform-Building Campaign. Hosted by Rachael Harries. I joined two groups: the UK and South Africa group and a children's to YA group including writers of picture books, chapter books, middle grade and young adult books. My entry for the first challenge is here.

Awards