Challenge Accepted!: The British Books Challenge 2012

I've been really getting into challenging myself to read more widely and really focus on improving my readers' advisory "database" in my brain. For 2011, I challenged myself to read and log 200 books on my GoodReads account (please add me as a friend, if you'd like). I'm very proud to announce that I am currently at 246 completed, including picture books. Yay!

I wanted to do something a little different for the next year, so I was really excited when Library Quine blogged earlier today about some 2012 Reading Challenges. I've decided to try the British Books Challenge and am really excited about it. My goal is to read 12 British books, new or old, and from any genre. I'm hoping to mix in some classics that I never got to, as well as some contemporary kids' books. I'd love recommendations from any Brits and non-Brits in the comments! I will most likely start with one or two books from this list.

 I I plan to write short reviews* of the books I read for this challenge and post them to this blog approximately once a month. Full rules for this challenge, including a reminder that Ireland is not part of the U.K., are here. Oh, and of course, this is a challenge open to non-Brits, because I live on the other side of the Atlantic and then some.

I'm going for quality and variety in 2012, instead of quantity. Part of the reason is because my husband and I are expecting our first child in June, and my reading for pleasure time will not be as plentiful. I still plan to challenge myself to log another 200 books on GoodReads in 2012, but probably a larger percentage will be picture books.

Anyone else out there doing a reading challenge in 2012?

*reviews will be tagged BBC12 as this post is for anyone who comes looking for those specific posts.