I hear 2013 calling my name.  I think it's time to call 2012 quits and start my end of the year posts.  In total I entered 27 reading challenges this year.  Let's see how I did...  Completed challenges edition.

I went for the highest goal on this one, 16 books, 16 categories.  It really wasn't a hugely difficult challenge as I read nonfiction all the time.  But it did encourage me to pick up different types of books.  My favorite book from this challenge was the Science Fiction and Fantasy pick of The Magicians by Lev Grossman.

• Classics – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (11/8/12)
• Biography – Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun by Gita May (9/21/12)
• Cookery, Food, and Wine – Chocolate by Shara Aaron and Monica Bearden (12/4/12)
• History – The Lost Millennium by Florin Diacu (9/12/12)
• Modern Fiction – Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin (5/22/12)
• Graphic Novel and Manga – Bad Doings and Big Ideas by Bill Willingham (4/23/12)
• Crime and Mystery – Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (5/17/12)
• Horror – The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan (3/1/12)
• Romance – An Offer You Can’t Refuse by Jill Mansell (11/14/12)
• Science Fiction and Fantasy – The Magicians by Lev Grossman (1/21/12)
• Travel – Paris in Love by Eloisa James (5/16/12)
• Poetry – Poems of Emily Dickinson (11/23/12)
• Journalism and Humor – The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs (2/26/12)
• Science and Natural History – The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (4/18/12)
• Children’s and Young Adult – The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (6/27/12)
• Social Sciences and Philosophy – This Book is Overdue by Marilyn Johnson (9/1/12)

 I had been meaning to read more classics.  After reading only classics back in high school, I haven't really gotten around to any for a few years.  This was my chance.  My favorite read from this challenge was The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (a once very few years reread for me, but still awesome).  I'm joining this one again next year.

• 19th Century – The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (8/6/12)
• 20th Century – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1/26/12)
• Reread Classic – Persuasion by Jane Austen (10/3/12)
• Classic Play – The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (8/29/12)
• Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime – The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (4/26/12)
• Classic Romance – Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (8/23/12)
• Translated Classic – Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes (12/3/12)
• Classic Award Winner – A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (11/21/12)
• International Classic – Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson (11/16/12)

An odd challenge for me.  I struggled to find books that I was already going to read to fit the topics.  Once I did I really loved my choices.  My favorite read was The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman, part of His Dark Materials trilogy.

• Topographical Feature –  The Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristin McMorris (12/2/12)
• Something in the Sky – Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (1/13/12)
• Creepy Crawly –  You are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay (2/27/12)
• Type of House – Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean (3/8/12)
• Something from Your Pocket – The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (8/16/12)
• Something on a Calendar – The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees (12/1/12)

I always love reading books and then see the movie.  It's even better when I have read the book before seeing the movie, but sometimes it just doesn't work out that way.  My favorite combo was Do Androids... and Blade Runner.  While the movie doesn't exactly follow the books it does have the same feel.  Loved them!

• Something Borrowed (Emily Giffin) (5/22/12)
• Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep — Philip K. Dick) (11/27/12)
• The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) (1/11/12)
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare) (1/27/12)
• Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare) (8/28/12)
• The Dark Compass (Philip Pullman) (8/12/12)
• Richard III (Shakespeare) (8/28/12)
• Persuasion (Jane Austen) (10/3/12)
• Dorian Gray (The Picture of Dorian Gray — Oscar Wilde) (4/26/12)
• Beastly (Alex Flinn) (4/15/12)
• Kick-Ass (Mark Millar and John Romita Jr) (5/23/12)
• Starship Troopers (Robert Heinlein) (6/1/12)
• Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (Seth Grahame-Smith) (5/25/12)
• The Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum) (8/6/12)
• Tin Man (The Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum) (8/6/12)
• Northanger Abbey (Jane Austen) (8/23/12)
• The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde) (8/29/12)
• Twelfth Night (Shakespeare) (9/1/12)
• Ran (King Lear – Shakespeare) (9/4/12)
• Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) (11/8/12)

J has been trying to get me to read more science fiction for years now.  And I finally warming up to the genre, although I tend to go for softer scifi.  My favorite read was Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein.

• The Martian Chronicles — Ray Bradbury (11/23/12)
• Snow Crash — Neal Stephenson (10/30/12)
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Philip K. Dick (11/27/12)
• Stranger in a Strange Land – Robert Heinlein (1/8/12)
• Starship Troopers — Robert Heinlein (6/1/12)

I super hard challenge to finish.  I think I just picked a ton of mediocre books and it made it really difficult to finish.  As it stands, I want to try to again next year, but with only 5 reads and hopefully better books.  From this year, my favorite read was The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.

• The Goose Girl — Shannon Hale (11/7/12)
• Mythology — Edith Hamilton (11/27/12)
• Beauty — Robin McKinley (6/5/12)
• Beastly — Alex Flinn (4/15/12)
• The Frog Prince — Stephen Mitchell (5/14/12)
• Sirena — Donna Jo Napoli (6/1/12)
• Adrianna’s Fairy Tales by Adrianna White (7/5/12)
• The Princess and the Hound — Mette Ivie Harrison (10/22/12)
• The Princess and the Bear — Mette Ivie Harrison (10/24/12)
• Flower Fables — Louisa May Alcott (11/16/12)

This was quite an interesting challenge.  Out of the 12 we read, I had already read only four.  So I got a ton more Shakespeare.  My favorite is still A Midsummer Night's Dream, followed closely by Much Ado About Nothing.

• January – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/27/12)
• February – Macbeth (2/22/12)
• March – Henry V (3/25/12)
• April – Much Ado About Nothing (8/28/12)
• May – Antony and Cleopatra (8/30/12)
• June – Richard III (8/28/12)
• July – As You Like It (11/18/12)
• August – King Lear (9/4/12)
• September – Cymbeline (11/19/12)
• October – Twelfth Night (9/1/12)
• November – Othello (11/19/12)
• December – Pericles (11/19/12)

I adore zombies!  Reading 24 zombie books was not difficult, but picking my favorite definitely is.  I think I will have to choose the Newsflesh trilogy (Feed, Deadline, and Blackout), but only if you make me choose.

• You are So Undead to Me — Stacey Jay (2/27/12)
• Undead Much — Stacey Jay (2/29/12)
• Allison Hewitt is Trapped — Madeleine Roux (4/26/12)
• Night of the Necromancer — Kyle West (2/3/12)
• Feed — Mira Grant (10/8/12)
• Deadline — Mira Grant (10/14/12)
• Blackout — Mira Grant (10/17/12)
• Zombie Blondes — Brian James (2/4/12)
• Sadie Walker is Stranded — Madeleine Roux (10/2/12)
• The Dark and Hollow Places — Carrie Ryan (1/8/12)
• The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks — Max Brooks (1/7/12)
• Brains: A Zombie Memoir – Robin Becker (1/9/12)
• Autumn: Purification – David Moody (1/24/12)
• Autumn: Disintegration – David Moody (1/27/12)
• The Stupidest Angel – Christopher Moore (2/11/12)
• Rise Again — Ben Tripp (3/15/12)
• The First Days — Rhiannon Frater (10/4/12)
• As the World Dies — Rhiannon Frater (10/5/12)
• Siege — Rhiannon Frater (10/6/12)
• Eat, Slay, Love — Jesse Petersen (3/16/12)
• Aftertime — Sophie Littlefield (4/5/12)
• Hater — David Moody (7/19/12)
• Dog Blood — David Moody (7/25/12)
• Them or Us — David Moody (7/28/12)

This was a great chance to reread all seven HP books and rewatch the movies.  I haven't read these in a few years, so lots of great fun.

1. HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1/7/12)
2. HP and the Chamber of Secrets (2/22/12)
3. HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban (3/29/12)
4. HP and the Goblet of Fire (5/13/12)
5. HP and the Order of the Phoenix (5/29/12)
6. HP and the Half-Blood Prince (6/22/12)
7. HP and the Deathly Hallows (9/28/12)

This was one of the easier challenges to complete.  I turn to romance novels when I need a break from the heavy.  I love predictable romances.  My favorites were the 2nd and 3rd books of the Tudor Rose trilogy (The Maiden's Hand and At the Queen's Summons).

• At the Queen’s Summons — Susan Wiggs (9/11/12)
• Regency Romance (3/23/12)
• A Lady Never Tells — Candace Camp (1/23/12)
• A Gentleman Always Remembers – Candace Camp (2/7/12)
• An Affair Without End – Candace Camp (2/10/11)
• Definitely Not Mr. Darcy — Karen Doornebos (4/12/12)
• Intentions of the Earl — Rose Gordon (6/29/12)
• Twelfth Night (anthology) (7/11/12)
• Carole’s Christmas by Anne Glynn (7/11/12)
• The Maiden’s Hand by Susan Wiggs (9/8/12)

This was my own challenge.  I started reading the Fables series in 2011 and fell completely in love with it.  My goal this year was to finish the back catalog.  Next year I'm definitely going to finish catching up with the published titles.  My favorite was definitely Vol. 14 Wtiches.  Amazing read!

• Vol. 14 Witches (1/6/12)
• Vol. 15 Rose Red (1/10/12)
• Vol. 16 Super Group (2/2/12)
• JF: Vol. 9 The End (1/6/12)
• Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love (9/2/12)

Another easy challenge for me.  My favorite was The Hunger Games trilogy, but I also really loved Anna Dressed in Blood.

• The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins(1/11/12)
• Catching Fire — Suzanne Collins (1/12/12)
• Mockingjay — Suzanne Collins (1/13/12)
• A Great and Terrible Beauty — Libba Bray (5/15/12)
• Rebel Angels — Libba Bray (7/6/12)
• The Sweet Far Thing — Libba Bray (7/12/12)
• The Golden Compass — Philip Pullman (8/12/12)
• The View from Saturday — E.L. Konigsburg (4/20/12)
• Anna Dressed in Blood –Kendare Blake (6/5/12)
• Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher — Bruce Coville (7/7/12)
• Ashfall — Mike Mullin (7/30/12)
• Ashen Winter — Mike Mullin (8/2/12)

I also do love vampires.  This challenge was dominated by my reading of the Vampire Academy series, but it was a good one.  For my favorite, it was easily Sunshine by Robin McKinley.  That one is going into my reread pile.

• American Vampire — Jennifer Armintrout (2/2/12)
• The Radleys — Matt Haig (4/27/12)
• Sunshine — Robin McKinley (2/17/12)
• Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter — Seth Grahame-Smith (5/25/12)
• Vampire Academy — Richelle Mead (6/11/12)
• Frostbite — Richelle Mead (6/22/12)
• Shadow Kiss — Richelle Mead (6/27/12)
• Blood Promise — Richelle Mead (7/14/12)
• Spirit Bound — Richelle Mead (7/15/12)
• Last Sacrifice — Richelle Mead (7/19/12)

With J's influence, I really got into some comics this year.  While I stay away from the big Marvel vs. DC debate, I found some great titles out there.  My favorite was the first five volumes of The Sandman series.  I will be finishing that series next year with my Neil Gaiman RC.

• Hatter M Vol. 1 (1/15/12)
• Hatter M Vol. 2 (1/17/12
• Hatter M Vol. 3 (1/18/12)
• The Boys: The Big Ride (1/8/12)
• The Walking Dead Book 4 (4/22/12)
• Manga Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/27/12)
• Doctor Who: Through Time and Space (2/22/12)
• The Boys Vol. 10: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker (6/7/12)
• Doctor Who: The Forgotten (3/26/12)
• Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew (5/23/12)
• Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. (5/23/12)
• League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 (5/30/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 1 Preludes and Nocturnes (6/4/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 2 The Doll’s House (6/6/12)
• The Boys Vol. 11: Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men (6/12/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 3 Dream Country (6/30/12)
• Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (7/2/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 4 Season of Mists (7/2/12)
• Persepolis: The Story of a Return (7/4/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 5 A Game of You (7/5/12)

Easy peasy.  Although next year, I am putting myself on a library ban for at least the first four months (except for my book club selections).

1. Jack of Fables: The End(1/6/12)
2. Fables: Witches (1/6/12)
3. The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (1/8/12)
4. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks (1/7/12)
5. Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker (1/9/12)
6. Fables: Rose Red (1/10/12)
7. Autumn: Purification by David Moody (1/24/12)
8. Autumn: Disintegration by David Moody (1/27/12)
9. Undead Much by Stacey Jay (2/29/12)
10. The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore (2/11/12)
11. Rise Again by Ben Tripp (3/15/12)
12. You are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay (2/27/12)
13. Manga Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/27/12)
14. Fables: Supre Group (2/2/12)
15. Doctor Who: Through Time and Space (2/22/12)
16. Macbeth by Shakespeare (2/22/12)
17. Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield (4/5/12)
18. Eat, Slay, Love by Jesse Petersen (3/16/12)
19. Doctor Who: The Forgotten (3/26/12)
20. Everneath by Brodie Ashton (4/1/12)
21. Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos (4/12/12)
22. The Walking Dead: Book Four (4/22/12)
23. Bad Doings and Big Ideas by Bill Willingham (4/23/12)
24. The Frog Prince by Stephen Mitchell (5/14/12)
25. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (5/17/12)
26. Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew (5/23/12)
27. Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. (5/23/12)
28. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 (5/30/12)
29. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (6/11/12)
30. Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli (6/1/12)
31. Beauty by Robin McKinley (6/5/12)
32. The Sandman Volume 1 Preludes and Nocturnes (6/4/12)
33. The Sandman Volume 2 The Doll’s House (6/6/12)
34. Frostbite by Richelle Mead (6/22/12)
35. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (6/27/12)
36. The Sandman Volume 3 Dream Country (6/30/12)
37. The Sandman Volume Season of Mists (7/2/12)

Another fairly easy challenge.  Although those Es gave me some difficulty.

• T – Rise Again by Ben Tripp (3/15/12)
• O – The Boys Vol. 11: Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men (6/12/12)
• B – The Zombie Surivival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks (1/7/12)
• E – Jack of Fables: The End (1/6/12)
• F – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1/26/12)
• R – HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (1/7/12)
• A – Autumn: Purification by David Moody (1/24/12)
• N – Night of the Necromancer by Kyle West (2/3/12)
• C – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (1/11/12)
• E – Evermore by Alyson Noel (3/2/12)
• S – Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley (1/29/12)
• B – The Boys: The Big Ride (1/8/12)
• U – Undead Much by Stacey Jay (2/29/12)
• F – Doctor Who: The Forgotten (2/26/12)
• F – Beastly by Alex Flinn (4/15/12)
• E – Eat, Slay, Love by Jesse Petersen (3/16/12)
• N – Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (3/4/12)
• B – Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker (1/9/12)
• A – Autumn: Disintegration by David Moody (1/27/12)
• R – The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (1/8/12)
• G – The Magicians by Lev Grossman (1/21/12)
• E – Everneath by Brodie Ashton (4/1/12)
• R – Fables: Rose Red (1/10/12)