Going for the 2014 NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

Doing this just makes sense. I registered with NetGalley and Edelweiss last year, and I have done a significant amount of reading via those sources. Thus, I think I should be able to do this without having to go out of my way. The host asks, "Have you ever logged on to Edelweiss or Netgalley with the intention of 'Just Looking' and then logging off  having requested 5 new titles even though your TBR is a mile long?" Oh yes. I have certainly done that. So, without further ado:

2014 NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

Here are the basics (click on link above to see full host post):

• This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2014 – Dec 31, 2014.
• Any genre, release date, request date, length, etc. counts so long as it came from Edelweiss or Netgalley.
• At the beginning of each month there will be a roundup post for you to add your reviews.[This means I will have to remember to check in once in a while. I always post my reviews for items from NetGalley and Edelweiss. Just need to remember to check in with the host then]
• If you forget to link up one month it's not a problem just add your reviews next month. [ah, little leeway. Cool.]

There are six levels. For this challenge, I am keeping it safe and going with the following:

Silver: 25 books

The host does give the option to move up in levels, so I will do so if I read more than 25. I will be adding books to the list as I read them with links to the reviews.

List of books read for this challenge:

1. Scott Lobdell, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Vol. 3: Death of the Family. (review)
2. Kyle Higgins, NightWing, Vol. 3: Death of the Family. (review)
3. Brian Wood, Mara. (review)
4. Jim Butcher and Mark Powers, Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin (review)
5. Kenny Byerly, et.al., Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures, Vol. 1. (review)
6. Stephen Mooney, Half Past Danger. (review)
7. Box Brown, Andre the Giant: Life and Legend (review)
8. Mark Rahner, Dejah Thoris and the Green Men of Mars, Vol. 1 (review). 
9. Cullen Bunn, Helheim, Vol. 1: The Witch War (review).   
10. Sylvain Cordurie, Sherlock Holmes and the Vampires of London (review). 
11. Gene Luen Yang, The Shadow Hero (review). 
12. Chris Roberson, The Shadow, Vol. 3. (review) 
13. Gail Simone, Red Sonja, Vol. 1: Queen of Plagues (review). 
14. Oz Clarke, Let Me Tell You About Wine (review).  
15. Harry Fisch, The New Naked (review).
16. Mark Waid, Rocketeer/The Spirit: Pulp Friction (review). 
17. Mac Walters, Mass Effect: Foundation, Vol. 1 (review). 
18. Ed Brisson and Johnnie Christmas, Sheltered, Vol 1 (review). 
19. Joe Brusha, Grimm Fairy Tales: Realm Knights (review). 
20. Jai Nitz, Dream Thief, Vol. 1 (review). 
21. Mike Richardson, 47 Ronin (review). 
22. Simon Oliver, FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics, Vol. 1 (review). 
23. Phil Jimenez, et.al., Transformers: Dark Cybertron, Vol. 1 (review). 
24. Jamie S. Rich, Archer Coe (review). 
25. Joe Schrieber, Star Wars: Maul: Lockdown (review).
26. Michael Uslan, The Shadow/Green Hornet Vol. 1: Dark Nights (review). 
27. Russ Phillips, Canned! Artwork of the Modern American Beer Can (review). 
28. Ales Kot, Zero, Vol. 1: An Emergency (review). 
29. Peter V. Brett, Red Sonja: Unchained (review). 
30. Jeff Lemire, Green Arrow, Volume 4: The Kill Machine (review). 
31. Scott Snyder, American Vampire, Vol. 6 (review). 
32. William Stadiem, Jet Set (review).
33. Scott Snyder, Batman Vol. 4: Zero Year-- Secret City (review). 
34. James S.A. Corey, Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves (review). 
35. Joe Brusha, Grimm Fairy Tales: Oz (review). 
36. Josh Harris, The X-Files, Season 10, Volume 2 (review). 
37. James Stokoe, Wonton Soup (review). 
34. Greg Pak, et.al., Batman/Superman, Vol. 1: Cross World . 
35. Paul Dini, Black Canary and Zatanna; Bloodspell . 
36. Caitlin Kittredge and Inaki Miranda, Coffin Hill, Vol. 1: Forest of the Night. 
37. Chris Roberson and Jonathan Lau, Codename: Action, Volume 1. 
38. Kyle Higgins, Nightwing, Volume 4: Second City. 
39. Peter Tomasi, et.al., Batman and Robin, Vol. 4: Requiem For Damian . 
40. Jeff Kline, Indestructible, Volume 1 . 
41. Mike Mignola, Hellboy in Hell, Vol. 1: the Descent. 
42. Sean Phillips, et.al., The Heart of the Beast. 
43. Paul Allor, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Utrom Empire. 
44. Marc Andreyko, The Illegitimates . 
45. Grant Morrison, Damian: Son of Batman. 

Update note (12/19/2014) at end of the challenge:

I am wrapping up a bit early so I can do a few holiday season things before the year ends. Still, I think we did pretty well on this and the other three book reading challenges I did for 2014. I liked this one because it involved NetGalley and Edelweiss. I use NetGalley a lot more, and I often get one or two things extra that I may or not get to read because I run out of time (the one rub of electronic galleys is expiration dates). Still, the challenge helped me stay on my toes. This challenge was also one I could book cross, so to speak, which means I could use the titles in other challenges as well. In the end, I read more than 45 titles that came out of NetGalley or Edelweiss; the vast majority came out of NetGalley. These are then the 45 titles that I read and posted reviews for on the blog before the end of the year. I did not need to remove any item from the list. I simply did not add more in the interest of time.

By the way, I read 45 books officially, which means I did meet the silver goal of at least 25 books. I fell 5 short of the next level officially. Oh well. We did well overall, and maybe we can beat that next year (if I manage to get those reviews up sooner).

Will I sign up for it next year? It is very likely I will. I have become a book reviewer, whether I formally admit that or not, and NetGalley and Edelweiss are part of that blogging trade for me, so it makes sense to sign up for the challenge. But then it is one more thing to keep up. Anyhow, stay tuned because if I do sign up again, there will be a post for it.

Happy holidays, and keep on reading.