SSRC Check-in and giveaway #2

Well, we're officially on day eleven of the reading challenge. Are there any readers, like me, who haven't yet started?

I know, I know, I'm hosting the reading challenge but still haven't started reading. But I knew going in that I wouldn't get to read My Soul to Take until February. Hey, I still have time!

As you may have already known, or are just finding out now, Rachel Vincent's books in this series are one-sit-reads. I mean, they're impossible to put down. So I have absolutely no worries about finishing my first reading month with at least MSTTake read and reviewed.

But what about you? How are things going for you? Have you started reading yet? Are you getting nervous because you haven't begun?

And remember, don't worry. Just because you don't read any book this month doesn't mean you've failed the challenge. Even if you can't start until next month, or the month after that, you're still considered a challenge winner if you've read and reviewed or discussed even just one book in the series during the five months of the challenge.

So don't stress, don't panic! But if you want to share your thoughts again this week, I'd love to hear them.

And once again....

If you leave a comment with your thoughts on the challenge so far, and a way to get in touch - Twitter name, FB page, email or other - I will let Random choose one winner on Saturday night at 10 p.m. Pacific for:

One copy of any of Rachel Vincent's books that I can order from Amazon or The Book Depository.

Yes, it's international. Yes, you have to be at least 13. And yes, if you choose one of the adult reads you need to be at least 18.

I will contact the winner for their book selection by whichever method they leave me to contact them and announce them here in this post on Sunday morning.

And the winner is....

... Smiling Ina! Congratulations. You are the winner of this week's check-in giveaway. I will be contacting you on Twitter for your details and book of your choice.

Thank you so much to everyone who shared their progress with the reads. I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who's so behind, but it's also amazing to see how many readers are so far ahead and are loving the books!

Happy reading! We're two weeks into the challenge and it's awesome to see how many of you have already linked up your reviews!

SSRC Check-in and giveaway

So, the reading challenge began on Sunday and it's now Wednesday. And there are already a few people who posted reviews - YAY! - and a few who've started their reads. (I'm not one of them.)

I would love to know just how things are going so far with those of you who have started. And I'm curious to see if anyone is already thinking of backing out.

Committing to a read - or re-read - for a series that is already five books long, isn't always easy. Which is why I've spread this out over the next few months. A book a month isn't too tough and each book in the series is so wonderfully easy to devour in just one sitting.

And while I'm chomping at the bit (oh what an awful expression that is) to start reading, even if it is just to read and review Never to Sleep, I won't get a chance to start reading until the first week in February. Yes, I'm a last minute kind of girl.

But, if you would like to share your thoughts, I'd love to hear how's it going. Even if you're signed up and haven't yet begun reading.

And....

If you leave a comment with your thoughts on the challenge so far, and a way to get in touch - Twitter name, FB page, email or other - I will let Random choose one winner on Saturday night at 10 p.m. Pacific for:

One copy of any of Rachel Vincent's books that I can order from Amazon or The Book Depository.

Yes, it's international. Yes, you have to be at least 13. And yes, if you choose one of the adult reads you need to be at least 18.

I will email the winner for their book selection and announce them here in this post later that evening.

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. STAY TUNED! I'll be running the numbers through Random to choose a winner. Good luck!

Congratulations Momo! You are the winner for the Rachel Vincent book of your choice! And no, I did not count wrong because Andrea was not entered into the giveaway, so a number wasn't added for her comment!

I will be having another check in (with giveaway) here next month, but feel free to leave any status updates in the comments to let everyone know how you're doing with the challenge!

SSRC Goodreads Discussion Group

A totally awesome participant in the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge came up with the great idea of starting a Goodreads Discussion Group for the challenge. I never would have thought about doing something like this, but I think the idea rocks for those of you who want another forum to discuss those books.

I was totally flattered that she asked if I'd like to help her moderate the group - and that she even thought of the idea in the first place - but due in part to my fear of Goodreads, my complete cluelessness of just how to moderate a group, and because I'm just stretched too thin at the moment to have just one more place I need to check in, I'll leave it up to her to run things there. And I'll try to check in every once in awhile to share my thoughts.

The name of the group that Racquel of the blog The Book Barbies has created and is moderating is "Soul Screamers Reading Challenge." It can be found on Goodreads, HERE, for those of you who'd like to join.

I love meeting new bloggers and I got the chance to "meet" Raquel and her blog because of this challenge.

She has been kind enough to introduce herself and her blog, below. Feel free to check out her blog by clicking on her button.

Introducing Raquel of The Book Barbies

Hello! My name is Racquel, I run the blog The Book Barbies with my lovely co-blogger, Emma.

I'm just teenage girl living in Houston and I obviously adore reading! Since the days when I only read Arabic books or when I was reading kiddy books to help my English fluency, reading has been a love of mine.

Fast forward six year later and I'm still reading but that was not enough and here is where The Book Barbies comes in. I decided to join a blog to share my thoughts on books and discuss them, a great decision on my part! Discussing books makes me just as happy as reading them and that's why I had to create a group for the Soul Screamer Challenge.

I want to take this challenge a step further so this way everyone participating can interact in an easy way and share all their feelings of the books in the discussion! Instead of just writing and reading reviews, this will be a community where we can talk about the books! I'm looking forward to this, I'm sure it will be tons of fun :D

150 Challenge Participants - and an update

The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge has reached 150 participants. This is sooooo amazing! I did not think it would be possible. I mean the books are wicked awesome, but to commit five months out of your life to join a challenge is freaking fantastic! Thank you all so much!

I know I stated in my original sign up post that I would be giving away at the end of the challenge 1 pre-order copy of Before I Wake for every 10 participants that have posted at least one review or discussion post.

Well that's still true. And if by the end of the challenge we get three hundred or more participants who write a review or discussion post, that's at least 30 pre-order copies that will be up for grabs.

BUT, since we had 150 sign ups before the challenge even started, I will make this commitment:

I will be giving away AT LEAST 15 copies. So, even if a few (or more) of those people who signed up don't end up creating any review or discussion posts during the challenge, and no new participants join in, there will be at least 15 copies up for grabs for those who have posted at least one review or discussion post during the challenge.

Thank you all again for participating and for already making this challenge awesome before it's even started!

SSRC starts on Sunday

Just a quick reminder that the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge starts on Sunday, January 15th at 12:01 a.m. Pacific in the U.S.

Hopefully not too many of you started reading in advance of the challenge, but if you have, not to worry!

Be sure to hold off on posting any reviews until the challenge start date. Any reviews posted beforehand won't count toward the challenge or be included for the giveaways.

The first month's post will go "LIVE" on Sunday, where you can link up any reviews or posts you write about the books during the month.

Here are the dates again:

Month One: January 15-February 14 - My Soul to Take

Month Two: February 15-March 14 - My Soul to Save

Month Three: March 15-April 14 - My Soul to Keep

Month Four: April 15-May 14 - My Soul to Steal

Month Five: May 15-June 14 - If I Die

GOOD LUCK! This series is amazing. I'm super excited to be re-reading the series and getting a chance to discuss these awesome books. The first three books I read before becoming a blogger and so I never had the opportunity to review them. Now's the perfect time.

Participation posts

If you want to get a chance to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Giftcard OR $50 in books of your choice from Amazon or The Book Depository, be sure to create a participation post.

You can leave your link for your participation post, to be entered into the giveaway, HERE.

And you can create your participation post at any time during the challenge. The giveaway will be held at the end of the challenge on June 15th.

Happy reading and stay tuned to this blog during the challenge months for a few mini-challenges and giveaways.

Great Giveaway for the SSRC from Blackplume

Challenge Participants be sure to head on over to Blackplume's blog today. She's hosting a giveaway for one of the books in the Soul Screamers series!

The giveaway ends on Sunday, January 15th. Be sure to check it out! Just click the link below.

Blackplume's Soul Screamers Giveaway

Thank you so much for the amazing giveaway, Blackplume! YOU ROCK!

Giveaway: Never to Sleep

I am seriously getting super excited for the reading challenge to begin. Why oh why did I set it to start next weekend?

Oh well, I'm sure one or two of you are just as anxious as I am to start reading, and maybe some of you just couldn't wait. I mean, this is the Soul Screamers series, and it's awesome!

I had given away a few... twenty-six, I think it was... Kindle eBook copies of Never to Sleep during the Heroine Tourney, but I thought I'd do a giveaway for just a few more.

Not everyone has a Kindle eReader, but these are novellas and are super easy to read on the computer or on a cell phone. So, for those challenge participants that have the books but not the novellas, here's a chance to win one of them.

And since Never to Sleep is the third novella, which shouldn't be read until after If I Die, for those who didn't manage to snag My Soul to Lose or Reaper when they were free, I'm offering them as alternatives.

What's Up for Grabs?

A Kindle eBook copy of Never to Sleep or My Soul to Lose or Reaper to five (5) winners

The Deets

• Only one entry per person
• You must be 13 or older
• There will be five (5) winners
• Giveaway is to anyone who can accept Kindle eGifts
• Giveaway ends January 10, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific
• Winners will be chosen by Random.org
• Winners will be announced in this post and notified by email

There is no requirement to follow this blog or any hoops. This blog was created only for the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge.

HOWEVER, this giveaway is for Challenge Participants ONLY. You don't have to be signed up at the time you've entered the giveaway, but if you win, in order to claim your prize you must sign up.

To enter, fill out the form below:


Thanks so much to everyone who entered. The giveaway is now closed. I'll be choosing the five winners in the morning and announcing them here in this post and contacting them by email. Stay tuned...

Congratulations Catarina, Nicki, Darryl, Renee and Kate! I'll be contacting you to confirm your email and then will email you your Kindle book of choice directly from Amazon.

SSRC Poll: Is this a first read or a re-read?

For me, this will be a re-read of the series. I've read each book in the series, and the novellas, once in their entirety.

I have read a few of the books like My Soul to Take, My Soul to Steal and If I Die more than once. And I've read Reaper and Never to Sleep more than once.

After reading If I Die (twice) I just felt it's time to read the series all over again. Especially with Before I Wake coming out this June. And then I thought - encouraged by an awesome Soul Screamers fan on Twitter - maybe it would be great to start a reading challenge and have others read the series with me!

But what about you? You decided to join this challenge - Thank you so much! - and whatever your reason - whether it's because you just can't get enough, you had this on your shelves collecting dust and it's the motivation you needed, or you just want a chance to win some super cool prizes - I'm so psyched that you're joining in!

So, is this a first read or a re-read? Have you read this series once or more than once?

I've kept this poll anonymous, I'm just curious to see who has joined in. Results will be revealed at the end of the challenge.

Future polls may have giveaways attached, so be sure to stop on back.
 

Welcome to the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge Blog!

The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge will be starting up next Sunday! That's one week from today.

If you're already signed up, YAY! If you still haven't signed up but you'd like to, just click on the button above and you'll be taken to the sign up post with all the details.

I decided to create a blog just for this event to host some additional mini challenges, quizzes and giveaways.

For readers who don't have a blog, Goodreads or Facebook page, I thought this would be a great place for them to guest post their reviews or thoughts about the books rather than on MyReadingPile.com.

I also thought it would be a great place to have discussion questions about the previous month's book where readers can leave any thoughts or comments.

And I also plan to have a few polls during the challenge to see whether after each book month, readers love Nash or Tod and whether people like or hate Sabine.

I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I just thought having a blog dedicated to the challenge would really help with the extras.

I am creating a page which will include links to all reviews (unless they're on private Goodreads pages or non-specific Facebook pages) or discussion posts that happen during the event, should anyone want to stalk them easily, rather than having to check the linky's on the main blog.

This site is just the ANNEX for the main challenge, which is still hosted on Fiktshun. But there will be some extra events here, if you are just so inclined to take part.

AND, if you'd like to host a giveaway or other related event during the challenge, let me know and I'll create a post linking to it here!

Stay tuned...