Audio Book Challenge January Link up

Welcome Audio Book Challengers! I'm so excited that you all have decided to join the group. I've been trying to make it to each of your blogs to welcome you. If I haven't made it to your blog yet, I'm still working my way through the list. You haven't been forgotten.

How are things going so far? I've completed a couple of audio books that I'm working on writing the reviews for. I've got some great ideas for other posts as well. If there is anything that you'd like to see, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email.

Make sure you link up your reviews so that the rest of us can check out what you've listened to.

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul

Synopsis from Goodreads:  In a sleepy, snow-covered city, Cora Crowder is busy preparing for the holiday season. Searching for a perfect gift, a fortuitous trip to Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad's (a most unusual bookshop) leads to an unexpected encounter with co-worker Simon Derrick and the surprise discovery of a ticket for a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas Ball. 

Every year, the matchmaking booksellers of the Sage Street bookshop host an enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball for the romantic matches they've decided to bring together. 

This year, will Simon and Cora discover a perfect chemistry in their opposite personalities and shared faith? Or will the matchmakers' best laid plans end up ruining everything this holiday?


My thoughts:  It seems that my reading plan was not quite in line with my activity level in December.  This was one of the few Holiday themed books that I was reading this year.  I didn't get it in before Christmas or even before the New Year so it ended up being my first book in 2011.  

I pretty much knew that it was going to read like a Hallmark special and that was exactly what I was looking for.  I really enjoyed the addition wizardry into the theme.  This story was an exploration of a new relationship, but also of faith .  Sometimes the two combined can really weigh down a story, but in this case the wizardry and the ball made it  more fun.  The story is full of fantastic coincidences and wonderful people.  It is a simple yet elegant holiday read that will satisfy your sweet tooth and is sure to get you in the holiday spirit.  


Check out the trailer...









Edited 1/20/11 to add:

I just realized that this book counts toward my What's in a Name Challenge hosted by Beth Fish Reads for the Number in the title Category.  Yay for achieving one of the challenge goals!


I was provided a copy of Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by the Publisher for review.

My 2011 Challeges

Wow, there are some great challenges popping up all over the place.  You already know that I'm participating in my Audio Book Challenge which runs from Jan 1, 2011 through December 31st 2011.


I also told you that I'll be participating in the What's in a name challenge hosted by Beth Fish Reads.  I'm still compiling my list for this one.  My plan right now is to choose these books entirely from my TBR shelf.  I've got some options for a few of them, but I might have to get a little creative for the others.  This one also runs on the calendar year.



I've also decided to take part in Dollycas's Just for Fun Reading Challenge.  As bloggers we can sometimes get caught up in reading for review purposes only, relying on deadlines to guide our reading.  This challenge asks us to read one book per month just because we want to. 

These two lead me to one that I found this morning hosted by Bookish Ardour.  This one is the Off the Shelf Challenge.  I want a bit more than the initial level of 5 books so I'm shooting for the second level  "Trying=15 books".  This one also runs on the calendar year.

The Amy Einhorn Books Perpetual Challenge is another hosted by Beth Fish Reads.  Unlike the others, this one has no specific time frame.  There are some excellent books listed that I have wanted to read for some time, so I thought I'd jump in on this one. 

My personal challenge (which I haven't created a button for yet) for number of books in 2011 will be 85.  I was shooting for 50 in 2010 and exceeded that, but I don't think I'm going to make it past 80.  I didn't want to go for double because I'm pretty sure that I cannot continue reading at the same pace that I did for most of this year.  I think 85 is a pretty reasonable goal considering all of the other things that I have going on my life.

Have you found any challenges to participate in?

What's in a Name Challenge

Beth Fish Reads has just announced the What's In a Name Challenge for 2011.  

Between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a number in the title: Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: 
3. A book with a size in the title: Small Wars by Sadie Jones
4. A book with travel or movement in the title: 
5. A book with evil in the title: 
6. A book with a life stage in the title: 

I'm not sure how I will fill in these blanks, but it should be fun.

Announcing the 2011 Audio Book Challenge

<a href=”http://teresasreadingcorner.blogspot.com/p/2011-audio-book-challenge.html” target=”_blank”><img src="http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/7479/audiobookchallengebutto.png"></a>

I would like to cordially invite you to participate in the 2011 Audio Book Challenge.  This challenge was formerly hosted by Alaine at Queen of Happy Endings.  Earlier this fall she was looking for a new home for the challenge and I happily volunteered.  

I am going to shoot for the Addicted level.  I think one per month is pretty reasonable.

I hope that you'll jump over the the 2011 Audio Book Challenge Page and join me!