Announcing: The Magical March Reading Challenge!
Click to Post Your Review Links: 
Purpose:
To read and review works of Fantasy, Science-Fiction, or Magical Realism (for my literary folks).
Details:
From now until March 4th, the Mister Linky widget below will be available so people can sign-up to participate in the Magical March Reading Challenge.
Throughout the month of March, a Mister Linky will be available for pre-registered challengers to link-up their qualifying reviews. There are different “classes” of magician, outlined below, and completion of the various levels could earn you a prize!
Rules:
- You must register with the Mister Linky below prior to March 5th in order to be eligible to participate.
- You must read only “new” books – meaning, no re-reads are allowed. Books for other challenges can be cross-used for this one, but you must read the book and review it in the month of March (previously completed books for other challenges do not qualify).
- You must link up each book review to a separate Mister Linky, which will be available on March 5th (once registrations close).
- Challengers must post on their blog an “Announcement” post, indicating they are participating in this challenge and which level they hope to attain. One completer from each “Class” will be randomly selected to win the corresponding prize for that level.
- You do not need to meet your level in order to win a prize. If you aim for “Grand Merlin Class” but only achieve “Magician’s Class,” you will still be entered into the Magician’s Prize Pool!
- You do not need to list your books in advance, but I plan on doing so (to keep me motivated and to help me stay organized).
- Any Fantasy, Science Fiction, or Magical Realism books will qualify. This means you can read Young Adult, Dystopian, Steampunk, or Alternative Histories.
Other:
*There will be “Weekly Wand Mini-Challenges” posted on each Saturday of the month. These could be trivia challenges, random tasks, blogger treasure hunts, etc. Winners of each challenge will earn a Wand, and those Wands will be tracked to be entered to win another magical prize!
**Ebooks & Audiobooks are acceptable.
The Levels:
Magician’s Class: 1-2 Books Read & Reviewed 1 Book $10 or Less
Sorcerer’s Class: 3-5 Books Read & Reviewed 1 Book $12 or Less
Wizard’s Class: 6-7 Books Read & Reviewed 1 Book $15 or Less
Grand Merlin Class: 8+ Books Read & Reviewed 1+ Book(s) $20 or Less
**All participants who complete the challenge will also receive a button for their highest completed class, to post pridefully on their blogs!
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I’m aiming for Sorcerer’s Class. The books I plan to read are: The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart (Completed 3/4/2012) The Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart (Completed 3/16/2012) The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart (Currently Reading) Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (Completed 3/23/12) The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials Trilogy Book 1) |
So, that’s it! I hope you will join me in this challenge – I’m really psyched about it! If you want to join, please sign-up with the Mister Linky and be sure to create an “Announcement” post on your blog. I would appreciate it if you used the button I created for this challenge (top of this post).
Visit Other Participants:
You are a terrible person, you know that? Enticing book people to join another reading challenge… argh, trying to restrain myself >.< (but I'll probably join. Sigh
)
Haha – I’ve been dying to host a Fantasy/Magical Realism challenge for years, and I’ve got so many books that fit this category sitting on my shelves waiting to be read. I had to do it!
this is great Adam! i know i only signed up for 4 challenges this year but this was just too good to resist. count me in! c”,)
I thought it would be a neat way to get the Literature folks and the genre folks together in one fun challenge.
it is! alright, i’m off to check my TBR pile now and see what i can find.
I’m excited for this! Sorry that I signed up twice…I accidentally hit “Enter” before I was ready.
No problem – I deleted the erroneous entry.
Haha thank you very much!
You’re killing me.
I’m going to have to do this…you know that, right? I’m going to think about what books to read, but I’ll enter by the end of the week.
Lol. Isn’t it lovely? I’ve had the idea in my head for weeks (well, two years, really – I’ve wanted to do it the last couple years but never bothered). I might edit my list and add one or to pieces of Magical Realism instead of the straight-up fantasy, to keep my literary fiction followers more engaged. But we’ll see – I’ve been dying to read the Stewart’s Merlin trilogy for years and it’s pretty long, so I might not get beyond those three books.
I really love this idea, which is why you’re killing me.
I think it’s fabulous. I scoured my project list-will The Hobbit and The Once and Future King count?
I might also grab another fantasy novel off the shelf too. I’m still deciding.
Yeah! I wasn’t a big fan of The Once and Future King, but I love Arthurian Legend (and I’ll be reading the Mary Stewart trilogy – so maybe we’ll have some notes to compare). A lot of people love that book and consider the “first” classic fantasy novel, so I’ll be interested to see what you think.
And, The Hobbit? LOVE. Great timing, too – the movie is coming out soon!
All signed up.
i posted an announcement about the challenge and here’s the link: http://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/2012/01/magical-month-of-march-reading.html
the badge is up on my right sidebar as well. c”,)
this is my first reading challenge! i’m so excited!
i’m going to put the badge up on my sidebar as well.
now to plan on what to read…
Woo hoo! Glad you’re joining us! It should be fun.
You will all have fun with this challenge! I probably read 20-30 fantasy novels each year, as it really is one of my favorite fiction genres. If folks are looking for a truly awesome fantasy author and series to sink their teeth into, I strongly recommend Steven Erikson’s “The Malazan Book of the Fallen” ten-volume series. It is stunningly good! Well, count me in on this one, Adam, I’ve got a ton on my TBR shelf that qualifies. Cheers! Chris
Awesome! It should definitely be fun – And I’ll be glad to have some hardcore fantasy readers coming along for the ride. Thanks for your suggestion as well! I was also told to check out some Diana Wynne Jones… I think they’re primarily for younger readers, but I hear good things.
I’m tempted, but I’m resisting, at least for now…
You must do it! All the cool kids are joining.
[...] Beam Reader is hosting a Magical March Reading Challenge. As fantasy is my go-to genre, I’m aiming for the Wizard’s Class – 6 to 7 books [...]
Great! Now I can indulge in all the titles I’ve wanted to read but, being running a mock Newbery and mock Printz club, didn’t get around to. Happy reading.
Awesome!
[...] the Roof Beam Reader is organising a Magical March challenge: To read and review works of Fantasy, Science-Fiction, or Magical Realism during the month of [...]
This looks fun
I am in! But I will write my announcement early February.
Excellent!
[...] the Roof Beam Reader is organising a Magical March challenge: To read and review works of Fantasy, Science-Fiction, or Magical Realism during the month of [...]
Oh dear, another challenge? But I’m already signed up for eight!
I’m going to think this one over, but i think I’ll be reading fantasy/science fiction anyways, so might as well…
Exactly! Why not?!
Literally found out about this from Allie @ Literary Odyssey and I just had to join! Looking forward to this! Thanks for hosting
Awesome! Allie is one of my favorite bloggers – I’m glad she’s participating, and glad to have you, too!
[...] ——–from Roof Beam Reader’s Announcement Post ——– [...]
My announcement is posted! This sounds like fun, thanks for hosting!!
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[...] at Roofbeam Reader is hosting a new challenge, Magical March, a month of reading and reviewing works of Fantasy, Science-Fiction, or Magical [...]
Since SciFi is one of my favorite genres I’m sure I can read one or two books in March.
This is my first reading challenge. Excited!
Awesome! So glad you’re joining us!
I read a lot of YA but I’m not sure what would count here…would witchy books count??
Yep – anything supernatural would count.
This is awesome! Thanks for hosting.
I am going to jion this challenge because I have a few books on my shelf that I want to read that fit the genre. But I have a question: I have the spiderwick chronicles and those are 5 separate books, but they are an omnibus, how do I count those? (I don’t think I will read them all, that is why I ask)
Great! Glad you’re joining us. Count each book as one.
I’m going to join with my book-review weblog
My joining post is at http://moonplanet.dreamwidth.org/65063.html
This is my first reading challenge. Sounds like fun!
[...] I downloaded this book for free from Crimezone.nl, who offered this book for free (in Dutch). Sounds like a good book to read for Roof Beam Reader’s Magical March Challenge! [...]
[...] thought it would be nifty to participate in this Fantasy/Sci-Fi reading challenge for the month of March. There’s quite a few Fantasy/Sci-Fi books on my reading list so this [...]
[...] Therefore, I give you the Magical March, A Magical Realism and Fantasy Event! [...]
Just got signed up, although it took me a while to choose! Thanks for another great challenge!
[...] Something out there wants me to finally finish all the fantasy series I’ve got on my to-read shelf, and that something is the Magical March Reading Challenge. [...]
Because I cannot walk away from a challenge, I just put up my announcement post and linked up. Going for Wizard Class, so this should be fun.
Yeaaaah!
I tried to link up my first review through the Mister Linky and it didn’t show up. If it didn’t go through, you can find it here – http://www.workingforthemandroid.com/main/2012/3/5/review-partials-by-dan-wells.html
Yeah, something funky was happening with the link – it should be there now!
Shoot, all the books I checked out from the library recently but one are historical fiction. I’m going to have to finish them in a hurry and look for some fantasy stuff next week.
I will sign up for;
Sorcerer’s Class: with 3 Books Read & Reviewed …
I am excited for this…
I’ve had a bit of dithery start to my reading year so this seems like a perfect way to get some focus back. Can’t wait
Yes! It should be fun… could be a great “Reboot” opportunity for you and others.
[...] I won this book from Amy McKie in her birthday/blogoversary celebrations. This book was one of the books that could be won, and it was on my wishlist, I think because I’d seen Amy’s review about it. I’m looking forward to reading this book, hopefully next month, if I have time, during Adam the Roof Beam Reader’s Magical March challenge. [...]
Love this challenge! I have so many fantasy books to read and review already and I really want to finish the Robin Hobb Farseer trilogy so this gives me the motivation to buy the books and read them!
Yes! Book buying!
[...] would be an excellent book to read for the Magical March Reading Challenge. So I might get this one sooner rather then [...]
[...] This will be another book I’ll read for my March reading challenge. [...]
[...] from Roof Beam Reader is holding this challenge, and his rules are as [...]
Just signed up! I don’t think I’ll have too many books that qualify this month (two at best), but I hope to have losts of reading fun regardless!
Woo hoo!
Found out about the challenge through “The True Book Addict’s” Blog! Excited to be joining the group.
Glad to have ya!
I also found this challenge through The True Book Addict and think it sounds great. I hope it will push me to read a bit more this month.
[...] Beam Reader’s Magical March – sign up until March 4th (tomorrow) to join in and read Fantasy, Science Fiction and Magic [...]
Does fairy tale retellings count?
Collections of Fairy Tales (like The Brothers Grimm or a Hans Christian Andersen collection) would count, as long as you have not read them before; but individual fairy tales will not count because they are considered short stories, and short stories do not qualify for this challenge – only book-length works.
Great idea!
I had already started to read fantasy this month and this will fit great with that.
Love your blog, and good reading to everyone!
[...] book is my first entry in the Magical March reading challenge hosted by Roof Beam Reader. Share this:FacebookTwitterPrintEmailLike this:LikeBe [...]
Wow! Only a week into the month and already 12 reviews posted! Great job, everyone!!
[...] is the second title I’ve read that qualifies for the Magical March challenge hosted by Roof Beam Reader. Share this:FacebookTwitterPrintEmailLike this:LikeBe the [...]
i’m done! i did it. woo hoo! here are the links again:
Iris and the Dragonflies (fantasy)
http://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-iris-and-dragonflies-by-rosemary.html
Dragon Time and Other Stories (fantasy)
http://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-dragon-time-and-other-stories-by.html
Transfer Student (fantasy, sci-fi)
http://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-transfer-student-by-laura-ah.html
thanks Adam for sponsoring the challenge. it was fun! c”,)
Awesome! Nice job – don’t forget, you can always read more if you want to try for the higher level & bigger prize!
Can I share my country’s folklore even though I don’t actually read it, I memorize it by heart and share it in my blog
No, sorry, this is a reading challenge so that’s not quite appropriate. Sounds like a very interesting project, though! I’ll stop by to take a look.
No problem
You can erased the link I have shared in Mr.Linky
thanks Adam! i’ll try but no promises.
by the way, Happy St. Paddie’s Day! c”,)
Ergh. I left a double entry on Mister Linky for my post on The Messenger. I had closed out of it and reopened it to add another entry and it wasn’t showing up, so I added it again, and then it showed up twice. I guess I didn’t wait long enough for it to show up. Sorry about that!
No problem – it’s all taken care of.
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I have just put up another 3 links and that makes my total books read for this challenge 8. I have gone past my goal of 7 books.
I know I have a weird reading habit. Sometimes I go about a week without reading but then I read 3 books in 4 days which is why my links comes in groups
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Been reading all month and finally got a post written! Hard to believe the month is almost over!
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Hi Adam. Sorry to bother you. In the sign up post you wrote “**All participants who complete the challenge will also receive a button for their highest completed class, to post pridefully on their blogs!”
I have not received one and don’t know how to get it.
Sorry about this but I would love to have a button from this challenge on my blog.
Holy Cow! I got so caught up in other thigns with the start of April that I completely forgot to get these out… I made sure to contact all the winners and get their book choices, but missed the buttons! OOPS! I’ll try to get one out to everyone via e-mail in the coming week. Thanks for the reminder!!