Alex Awards Challenge

Blogfriends, I am so excited to announce the challenge I will be hosting next year: The Alex Awards Challenge! I have to give a shout-out to Asheley, who directed me to these awards as a way of finding great books to read. Read on for more information!

What are the Alex Awards? The Alex Awards are given each year to books written/marketed to adults that have special appeal to young adults (age 12-18). They often feature teen protagonists.

Why should we care? As an eclectic blogger, I love crossing over from genre to genre. I have found that occasionally there is a division between adults who read adult books and adults who read young adult books (and of course, there are many who read both). I think it would be interesting for both types of readers to try out these books that blur the lines between these two genres.

When does the challenge run? It runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. You have to start the book after January 1, 2012 for it to count.

What are the rules? It's pretty simple -- read Alex Awards winners! I will also count nominees. You can find lists here. There are four levels - 1-3 books, 4-6 books, 7-9 books, or 10+ books. You are not required to post reviews, but on January 1, 2012 I will put up a linky for participants to post their reviews.

Great! How do I sign up? Write an introductory post stating your desired level and link to it in the linky below. You can sign up at any time from now until the challenge ends, so feel free to join in midway through the year.

Because I am hosting the challenge, I am going to go for it and read 10 books, because there are ten winners each year. Here are my potentials:

1. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
2. Room by Emma Donahue
3. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
4. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
5. Never Let Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
6. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
7. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
8. Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett
9. Stiff by Mary Roach
10. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Honestly, there are so many others that sound good I might end up reading more! Let me know if you  have any questions. I am looking forward to the challenge!

By way of introduction...

Once upon a time, I fell in love with reading. That time was so long ago I can't even remember when it really began, although I am pretty sure the first book I ever read was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Ever since then, I have always loved to read. I read when I brush my teeth and blow dry my hair. I read when I walk to class (which can be dangerous). I rarely read sitting in a comfortable chair, completely lost in an adventure, because as a college student and bride-to-be, who has time for that? However, despite my busy schedule, reading has never been something I could bear to cut out.

When I was younger, I wanted to be a writer, because that was the career most connected with books. My inability to finish a story or come up with anything very original killed that dream. I applied for a job in a library once and majored in English for a semester, but neither situation worked out in the long run. For a long time, I thought reading would just be something I enjoyed for myself, a private pastime shared only in occasional book club meetings.

However, the other day as I was procrastinating other pressing tasks, an idea hit me - why not share some of those ideas about books constantly swimming in my head in a blog? I love to think about books, talk about books, and more than anything recommend books. Almost every gift I give is a book, and other than the essentials of life, I spend more money on books than anything else. As I moved my books to the apartment I will begin sharing with my husband-to-be in a few weeks, he could only shake his head as the boxes kept on coming.

So, here is my new venue for recommending books. My plan is to review at least one book a week. I will read almost anything I can get my hands on and love every style, from the newest novel to self-help books to long-standing literary classics. The style of books reviewed on this site will probably be eclectic, but I hope you enjoy them. Happy reading!

Love,
The Story Girl