2024 European Reading Challenge

This challenge is hosted by Gillon at Rose City Reader.  I. participated in the challenge several years ago and am planning on doing so again next year.  The challenge is to read books set in European countries or books by European authors. The books can be of any genre – fiction, nonfiction, novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, whatever. You can participate at different levels, but each book must represent a different country -- either written by an author from a different country or set in a different country, no two books from the same country. It's supposed to be a tour! It will be easy for me to select historical fiction novels set in Europe. Typically I read books with an English, French and Italian settings.  I will be participating at the five star deluxe entourage level which requires me to read five books.

WHAT COUNTS AS "EUROPE"?: For this challenge, the standard list of 50 sovereign states that fall (at least partially) within the geographic territory of the continent of Europe and/or enjoy membership in international European organizations will be used. This list includes the obvious (the UK, France, Germany, and Italy), Scandinavian countries, the really huge Russia, the tiny Vatican City, and the mixed bag of Balkan, Baltic, and former Soviet states. Please see note below about the UK in particular. 

These 50 European sovereign states are:  Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vatican City.

NOTE: Even with Brexit, the United Kingdom is still one country, part of Europe, that includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. One book from any one of these four counts as your one book for the United Kingdom. Challenges should be about fun not about rules, so I'm not going to be the Challenge Police about this. However, when it comes to winning the Jet Setter prize, only one book from one of the UK countries counts.

LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION

Participants can read as many books as they want and are encouraged to visit as many European countries as possible. The Jet Setter Prize will go to the person who reads (and reviews) books from the greatest number of different countries (see below). If there is a tie, both (all) win a prize. To participate in the challenge, sign up at the levels below. If you want to go on to compete for the Prize, keep reading!

FIVE STAR (DELUXE ENTOURAGE): Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.

FOUR STAR (HONEYMOONER): Read four qualifying books.

THREE STAR (BUSINESS TRAVELER): Read three qualifying books.

TWO STAR (ADVENTURER): Read two qualifying books.

ONE STAR (PENSIONE WEEKENDER): Read just one qualifying book.

Challenge Rules:

1)    Read all books between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. Participants have until January 31, 2025 to finish writing all reviews and the wrap up post. The winner of the Jet Setter Prize will be announced in February 2025. 

2)    You do not have to commit to your book choices now; you can change your mind about books at any time.

3)    Overlap with other challenges is allowed – and encouraged! 

4)    Re-reads count. Audiobooks count. E-books count. Self-published books count. Magazines do not count. Anything published as a book between two covers counts, even if it is stand alone short story. Any genre or type of book counts. 

5)    As you progress, please link to your reviews on the review list page. You do not have to review the books you read, unless you are competing for the Jet Setter Prize. If you are going for the prize, only books reviewed count toward winning. Link to your review post or post your review in a comment on the review page. When you finish, please link to your wrap-up post on the wrap-up page or list your books and countries in a comment on the wrap-up page.

6)    Re-reads count. Audiobooks count. E-books count. Self-published books count. Magazines do not count. But anything published as a book between two covers counts, even if it is stand alone short story. Any genre or type of book counts. 

7)    As you progress, please link to your reviews on the review list page. You do not have to review the books you read, unless you are competing for the Jet Setter Prize. If you are going for the prize, only books reviewed count toward winning. Link to your review post or post your review in a comment on the review page.  When you finish, please link to your wrap-up post on the wrap-up page or list your books and countries in a comment on the wrap-up page