Last of the 2011 Challenges

Whew! I just made it under the wire for my last three challenges of 2011. With my last two books, I managed to read 220 books this year and that allowed me to complete both the Outdo Yourself and Goodreads Challenge goals. And...since my goal for the Get Read-y for 2012 Challenge was to read enough off the TBR stacks to meet those challenges I've completed that challenge as well. Woo Hoo! Here's the run-down of what I managed for each of these:

The reading list for the Goodreads Challenge (see side bar for my progress) and the Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge for 2011 sponsored by The Book Vixen were the same. Basically, I signed up to read more books than I finished in 2010. And I chose the

I'm on fire! --Read 16+ more books

level and wound up needing to read 220 or more books in 2011. I just made it....and if you want to see the complete list of books read, then go HERE.

In December, this challenge, hosted by Loving Books, focused on reducing the to-read books that you might have lying around, waiting for you to read them. The goal is to start 2012 with a small, manageable pile of books that will also allow you to be able to pick up new titles.

Here's my response at the time to that idea:
(Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!! Small! Manageable! Ha Ha Ha!!! Did you hear that maniacal laughter? That was me. Looking at my TBR stacks. Actually, just looking at my 2011 challenge books TBR stack. I'm *cough* *cough* supposed to read about *cough* 20 *cough* more books in ONE month if I'm going to meet the Outdo Yourself Challenge. Um, yeah. That's gonna happen.)

I actually DID manage to read enough books...some of them just came from different piles than anticipated, so I didn't list those books here. But I met the Outdo challenge, so mission accomplished.

December Reads from the TBR pile:1. In the Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy L Sayers (12/4/11)
2. The Habit of Widowhood by Robert Barnard (12/4/11)
3. The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte (12/5/11)
4. Electric City by K. K. Beck (12/6/11)
5. More Holmes for the Holidays by Greenberg, Lellenberg, & Waugh, eds (12/7/11)
6. The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum (12/10/11)
7. An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear (12/12/11)
8. A Christmas Guest by Anny Perry (12/13/11)
9. That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis (12/17/11)
10. The Praise Singer by Mary Renault (12/20/11)
11. Murder on Theatre Row by Michael Jahn (12/24/11)
12. C. B. Greenfield: A Little Madness by Lucille Kallen (12/26/11)
13. The Chinese Bell Murders by Robert Van Gulik (12/30/11)
14. Beware of Trains by Edmund Crispin (12/30/11)

And...being an overachiever...I also used the Van Gulik book to finish reading the complete alphabet in mystery authors for the A-Z Mystery Author Challenge. I had already met my goal (first third of the alphabet), but as a private challenge I wanted to see if I could do the whole thing. Done!

Oh...and seeing as I finished a grand total of 33 out of 36 challenges attempted (two are perpetual, so no fail there--only one was limited to 2011), that means that I have completed the Reading Challenge Addict Challenge level of 16+ as well!