• Home
  • About Me
  • 5* Elements
  • 2019 Reading Challenges
    • Other Reading Challenges
    • 2013 Reading Challenges
    • 2014 Reading Challenges
    • 2015 Reading Challenges
    • 2016 Reading Challenges
    • 2017 Reading Challenges
    • 2018 Reading Challenges
  • My Bookish Lists
    • My Classics Club List
    • Reading the Newberys
    • Reading My Own Books
Smiling Shelves

European, Around the World in 12 Books & Global Reading Challenges - Complete!

12/4/2014

4 Comments

 
I love reading books that take place in different countries, so I signed up for three reading challenges this year that would help me do that!
Picture
This challenge was hosted by Rose City Reader. I officially signed up for the Deluxe Entourage level, which meant I needed to read five books, all of which needed to be set in different European countries. I wanted to challenge myself, so I set my sights at ten books set in different European countries. Well, I didn't quite make it. . . but I'm content with the eight I accomplished!
Germany: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Norway (Norwegian author): The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder
United Kingdom: Serving Victoria: Life in the Royal Household by Kate Hubbard
Italy: Living in a Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Love in Italy by Michael Tucker
France: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Spain: The Curriculum Vitae of Aurora Ortiz by Almudena Solana
Austria: Vienna Nocturne by Vivien Shotwell
Ireland (technically Northern Ireland): The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom

The Global Reading Challenge (hosted here) and Around the World in 12 Books (hosted by Giraffe Days) had similar rules. For each challenge, I needed to read a book set on each continent (well, minus Antarctica). Then, for the Around the World challenge, I needed to read an additional six books to add up to twelve altogether, each of which needed to be set in a different country. These two reading challenges really stretched me as a reader, because I don't often read outside my comfort zone of Europe and the U.S. And I really enjoyed being stretched as a reader. I love experiencing things I normally wouldn't ever come across!
Picture
Africa: A Guide for the Perplexed by Dara Horn (Egypt)
Asia: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (Japan)
Australia/Oceania: The Service of Clouds by Delia Falconer (Australia)
Europe: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Germany)
North America: Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson (Canada)
South America: Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru)
Seventh Continent: Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde (Kazam)
Picture
Africa: A Guide for the Perplexed by Dara Horn (Egypt)
Asia: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (Japan)
Australia/New Zealand: The Service of Clouds by Delia Falconer (Australia)
Europe: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Germany)
North America: Never Look a Polar Bear in the Eye by Zac Unger (Canada)
South America: Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru)
The Constantine Codex by Paul Maier (Turkey)
King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard (Zimbabwe)
Riding the Iron Rooster by Paul Theroux (China)
The Case of the Love Commandos by Tarquin Hall (India)
Jerusalem Vigil by Bodie & Brock Thoene (Israel)
The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley (Thailand)
4 Comments
Gilion link
12/8/2014 04:36:28 am

Congratulations on completing the 2014 European Reading Challenge! I hope you enjoyed it and are going to participate again in 2015. The sign up page for the 2015 challenge is up now -- you can find it <a href="http://www.rosecityreader.com/p/2015-european-reading-challenge.html">here</a>.

Thanks for participating and for linking your wrap up post! I'm going to go read your reviews now I hope you like the Count of Monte Cristo -- it is one of my favorites.

Reply
Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
12/8/2014 11:41:57 am

Thanks, Gilion! I definitely plan on participating again. This is one my favorite challenges!

Reply
sharon link
12/8/2014 01:56:36 pm

well done!
seems we've been reading for the same challenges - I've enjoyed them as well and look forward to repeating this coming year...

Reply
Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
12/11/2014 11:59:12 am

Thanks, Sharon. Isn't it fun to visit other places from the comfort of our homes? :)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    My name is Julie, and I own a lot of books. As in, they are stacked on the floor because I've run out of room on the shelves. And those shelves? There are so many books on them that they smile -- not sag; smile. This blog will cover book reviews and all manner of other bookish things.

    You can contact me at julie@smilingshelves.com.

    Picture
    What are 5* Elements all about?

    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Follow on Bloglovin

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Currently Reading

    Clara and Mr. Tiffany
    A Little Folly

    2019 Reading Challenge

    2019 Reading Challenge
    Julie has read 9 books toward their goal of 75 books.
    hide
    9 of 75 (12%)
    view books

    Archives

    November 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All
    5* Atmosphere
    5* Characters
    5* Learning
    5* Learning
    5* Meaning
    5* Plot
    5* Plot
    5* Voice
    5* Voice
    5* Writing
    Book Club
    Book Club
    Challenges
    Children's
    Classics Club
    Fiction
    Historical Fiction
    It's Monday
    It's Monday
    Library Loot
    Life
    Newbery Reading Challenge
    Nonfiction
    Read A Thons
    Reading
    Review
    Saturday Snapshot
    Smiling Shelves Soapbox
    Stacking The Shelves
    Top Ten Tuesday
    Travel
    Young Adult


    Picture