#SCSBC15

Earlier this month, while conducting an online search in hopes of discovering exactly what it means to be "well read," I stumbled upon a blog written by a lady who "hosts" category based reading challenges throughout the year.  Intrigued and always up for a good challenge, I viewed this as an opportunity to broaden my literary horizons in my personal quest to become better read, since I am still trying to figure out what it means to be well read.  (I am beginning to suspect it may be like the answer on the Tootsie Roll Pop commercial of the 1970s:  Q: "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?"  A: "The world may never know."  But, I digress...)  Granted, the Semi-Charmed Summer 2015 Book Challenge was already a month underway by the time I discovered it, but when have I ever let a little thing like a late start stand in my way?

The rules of the challenge are pretty simple:

• Books read only between midnight on May 1 through 11:59pm on August 31 may count.  
• Each book must at least 200 pages long.  
• Audiobooks are allowed as long as the print version meets the 200 page requirement.  
• A book cannot count for more than one category. 
• If you plan to re-read books for the challenge, you are allowed up to three "re-reads."  This is to encourage people to try new books.
• There are 200 max points for the challenge and the first 5 people to finish the challenge will be invited to contribute a category for the next reading challenge.

Here are the categories:

• 5 points - FREEBIE! (Any book your heart desires as long as it meets the general rules.) 
• 10 points - A BOOK YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE
• 10 points - A BOOK THAT HAS BEEN ON YOUR "TO BE READ LIST" FOR 2+ YEARS
• 10 points - A BOOK THAT WON A GOODREADS BEST BOOK AWARD IN 2014.
• 15 points - A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR WHO IS NEW TO YOU
• 15 points - A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR YOU HAVE READ BEFORE (No re-reads are allowed on this one!)
• 15 points - A BOOK THAT HAS "LIGHT" OR "DARK" IN THE TITLE ("Lightness" and "darkness" is accepted)
• 20 points - A BOOK WITH A REAL CITY, STATE, OR COUNTRY IN THE TITLE
• 20 points - A BOOK WITH AN ANIMAL ON THE COVER
• 25 points - A BOOK THAT IS PART OF A SERIES (Series must have at least 4 books in it.)
• 25 points - A BOOK THAT IS AT LEAST 500 PAGES LONG
• 30 points - A BOOK WITH AN ALLITERATIVE TITLE (Basically all the words in the title must begin with the same letter, like Gone Girl.  No exceptions for articles or prepositions.)

Having missed the first check-in on June 1, my first check-in will be this Wednesday, July 1.  I am under no delusion that I will be the first to complete the challenge.  I am not in it to win it.  I am simply in it to finish.