Welcome to the Chunkster Reading Challenge - a challenge which satisfies those readers who like their books fat and chunky!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Chunkster Challenge - 2012 Sign-ups!


 January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012


Below are the details and sign-ups for 2012. Wendy and I have made a few changes to the rules including the date. Next year’s challenge starts the first day of the year instead of in February as it usually did. That way participants who didn’t sign up for the 2011 challenge or those who’ve already finished, can start reading their chunksters in January and count them for this challenge. The 2011 challenge will still end on January 31, 2012. 

Definition of a chunkster:
A chunkster is 450 pages or more of ADULT literature, whether non-fiction or fiction. A chunkster should be a challenge.

If you read books in large print, your books will need to be 525 pages or more. The average large type book is 10-15% larger or more so it’s a fair estimate.

The rules:
  • No audio books. (There are exceptions to this rule.)
  • No e-books allowed. This was discussed in much detail in the 2011 challenge. The short version: a chunkster isn’t a challenge if you’re reading it on an e-reader. (There are exceptions to this rule.)
  • This year for the first time, essay, poetry, and short story collections will be allowed. Collections have to be read in their entirety to count. If you’ve needed a reason to finally pick up your copy of The Collected Works Of ____ now is the time.
  • Books may crossover with other challenges.
  • Anyone may join. (If you don’t have a blog, just leave a comment on this post with your challenge level and your progress throughout the challenge.) 
  • You don’t need to list your books ahead of time.
  • Once you’ve picked a level, that’s it. You’re committed to it!
You must pick a level of participation:
  1. The Chubby Chunkster – this option is for the readers who want to dabble in large tomes, but really doesn't want to commit to much more than that. FOUR Chunksters is all you need to finish this challenge.
  2. The Plump Primer - this option is for the slightly heavier reader who wants to commit to SIX Chunksters over the next twelve months. 
  3. Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? - this option is for the reader who can't resist bigger and bigger books and wants to commit to SIX Chunksters from the following categories: 2 books which are between 450 - 550 pages in length2 books which are 551 - 750 pages in length2 books which are GREATER than 750 pages in length (for ideas, please refer to the book suggestions page for some books which fit into these categories).
  4. Mor-book-ly Obese - This is for the truly out of control chunkster. For this level of challenge you must commit to EIGHT or more Chunksters of which three tomes MUST be 750 pages or more. You know you want to.....go on and give in to your cravings.
Want Suggestions of what to read? 

Check out the Chunky Book Suggestions page. Throughout the year, we will be adding new books to this page.

To review or not to review, that is the quesion...
Reviews are not mandatory, but they are strongly encouraged. We will be putting up a Mr. Linky at the beginning of the challenge for links to your reviews. We will also be posting a Mr. Linky for wrap up posts at the end of the challenge.

To sign up, please use Mr. Linky below by linking DIRECTLY to your post about the challenge (please, please - do NOT link to your main blog page!!). If you do not have a blog, please just leave a comment telling me you are joining the challenge. Thanks! There is NO deadline for sign ups - sign up whenever you want through the end of the challenge period.

98 comments:

  1. I have been a chunkster challenge participant for three years now-I have however now converted over as much as I can to reading on my Ipad-I love the Kindle app for it and the freedom to get 1000s of free books and stories in an instant-I guess this means there will not be a 4th year for me but thanks for offering it

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  2. We'll be sorry to see you go, Mel...but we are also offering a Chunky Book Club this year and you don't have to join the challenge to join that - so I hope we'll see you there! (There are no restrictions on how you want to read books for the book club)

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  3. I haven't redone my challenge page yet for the 2012 challenges I'd like to do, so I'll follow your directions and sign up through the comments instead of Mr. Linky. I'm trying to cut back on challenge commitments next year, but I definitely know I want to do this one! I have several of the books listed in the survey, so I'm crossing my fingers that some of them get chosen for the club reads. I'm excited and can't wait!

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  4. Glad to have you back, JC! Vasilly and I are also excited about this year...and we hope the Book Club will be a success!

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  5. This will be the first I've participated in the Chunkster Challenge and I'm really looking forward to it!

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  6. My very first "chunky" book was "Exodus" by Leon Uris. I was in the 4th grade, and the librarian in my little town wouldn't let me check it out, thinking it was "too old" for me. I brought my mother with me to the library, where she told Mrs. Becker, "Let her check out whatever she wants." My mother is 92 now, and Exodus is still my favorite book of all time.

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  7. I'm trying to clear off my TBR shelves and I have a TON of chunky books. Hopefully going for the Mor-book-ly Obese level will help me cross some off my list!

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  8. I'm probably going for the Plump Primer although I may be able to go for the Butt one. It will depend on my studies and how much homework I'll be expected to do.

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  9. Welcome, Heather!

    Aunt Marti: I love Leon Uris!

    Lindsey and Satia: Glad to have you on board!!

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  10. This is fantastic! Signing up for 8 :)

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  11. Happy to have you on board, "o"!!

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  12. Oh, I am so pleased that essay collections will count. This opens up lots of new possibilities!

    My sign up post is coming soon.

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  13. Rose City Reader: So glad you like our "new" rules which we hope will entice more participation...

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  14. i would like to sign up for six. i don't have a blot. i am a librarian and love big books

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  15. This is my first year to enter any challenges, but I want to read meatier things and this will definitely help spur me into action. Thanks for hosting, you guys!

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  16. Welcome to the challenge, Phaedosia and Rachel!

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  17. I've been trying to whittle down my TBR stacks, and have a few chunksters on those stacks.

    So here goes with this challenge! I linked to my challenge post.

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  18. Yay - glad to see you here, Laurel!!!

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  19. I have quite a number of fantasy books of that length that need to be read so I decided to sign up.

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  20. I'm going to try go for the Mor-book-ly Obese level. Really looking forward to the challenge!

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  21. I'm signing up for The Chubby Chunkster, but hoping for more in 2012!

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  22. Signing up as a Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? (...yes) participant! My first year as a Chunkster Challenge player and I'm pretty excited. Only problem is that these books have collected so much dust I'm getting allergic reactions! Haha.

    Thanks for hosting!

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  23. Hi!
    I've been wanting to read a couple books that are considered chunksters so this is perfect. Thanks for hosting this challenge. Have a great day!

    Sherrie
    Just Books
    http://sherriesbooks.blogspot.com/2011/12/2012-reading-challenge_19.html

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  24. Welcome to the challenge Flik, Sherrie, Jessie Marie, Annette and Nicky!

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  25. This is my first year on the chunkster :) funny name. I'm glad for the added encouragement to finish those last books on my NYR/2011 list that I have been avoiding for their size. Also, I'm really excited to see that I can read "complete works of" thanks.
    jfeldt

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  26. I'm glad to finally be in the Chunkster Challenge!

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  27. Oops, AutoFill insisted on adding the name of a recent read to my sign-up. In any case, I'm excited about joining in!

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  28. 2012 is my first year in the Chunkster Challenge. I'm in for six Chunksters.

    Kips in Dallas

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  29. 2012 is my first year in the Chunkster Challenge. I'm in for six Chunksters.

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  30. Great to see so many of you signing up! 2012 should be a fun year for this challenge!

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  31. While I've done other challenges not reading related, this will be my first year of doing reading challenges. I am just committing to the Chubby Chunkster. Anything else will be just bonus.

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  32. Sounds interesting. I'm signing up for The Chubby Chunkster and we'll see where I'll be by the end of 2012 :)

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  33. One of my favorite challenges. I am bumping up my participating and signing up for Mor-book-ly Obese!

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  34. #31 and #34 it's all me. When I entered first time I linked to my main blog. In the meantime I created a page dedicated just to the challenge so I entered again and linked to the proper page. Sorry for the confusion.

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  35. Yvann and Evaline - I fixed your links for you :) Thanks for letting me know!

    Welcome to everyone - I love seeing all the enthusiasm!

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  36. Can't wait to get started on this one - hopefully it'll help me dust a few books off from my shelves that have been neglected due to length.

    I'm signing up for the "Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big" level.

    Thanks for hosting!

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  37. Hi first year of reading challenges - am joining a TBR challenge to clear some of my back log and many of those are chunky - am thinking of another challenge with really fat books not sure yet but I have some and I can slot them in here - I am going for Mor-book -ly Obese level
    looking foward to it - will be posting next couple of days (am getting new site up just for books and reading not quite there yet!!!)

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  38. I am now officially in! And at the Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? level. I'm committed this year. At least, I will be committed as soon as I finish my last chunkster for 2011 -- Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth. It is 625 fascinating but dense pages.

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  39. Hello!I'm very excited to be participating in this challenge for the first time! I plan to do the "Do These Books Make My Butt Look Big?" Level.

    Also, I got a little excited when I posted my link and did not read through the rules as carefully as I should have, so my link is to my general blog. I'm so sorry! I hate being the kid who doesn't play by the rules! Is there any way that I can fix it? I did post a blog specifically about the challenge this morning. Thanks!

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  40. I am so excited to see you all joining us!

    Amanda - no problems...I'll pop over to your blog and get the correct link and fix it on the Mr. Linky. Thanks for letting me know...and glad to have you on board!

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  41. Anonymous: I've deleted your comment - it is nasty and pointless. If you don't like what we're doing here, don't read the blog.

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  42. I've been challenge-free for a year or so but this one tempted me! I just posted a link.

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  43. Nice challenge! I'm planning on reading some chunksters in 2012, so this is a good motivation for me not to give up!

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  44. Last year I managed 6 chunksters and didn't even know it vecause I didn't know about the challenge. I'm looking forward to doing the chubsters level as well as fulfilling a personal goal of 75 books for the year/

    JHM

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  45. First year doing Chunkster. I have nine books on my list over 450 pages, but I'm aiming for level 3 since it's pretty tough to find 750+ pagers that I want to read and haven't already!

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  46. I've got some heavy stuff on my TBR-list :-). So, yes, I'm in.

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  47. oh, sorry, forgot. My choice, the Plump Primer !

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  48. Welcome to the challenge Laura, misanthropologist, cricket, jhm, and jannyan!

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  49. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  50. I'm back for another round! I figured I might as well see what chunksters I had lined up since I plan on reading Stephen King's latest doorstop-sized tome. :-)

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  51. Hi I'm going to try the Chubby Chunkster this year!

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  52. Greetings, 2010 was a big reading year but I fell behind on 2011. Looking forward to reading some of the chunksters in my bookshelf this year, aiming for the Chubby Chunkster and might upgrade to a higher level as the year progresses.

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  53. New site ready and I have posted the challenge in - Some Books are Massive - have started East of the Sun - way to go

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  54. Hi and happy new year to all the Chunksters. This is my first year and i'm going all out for Mor-book-ly Obese. I have several 750+ page books that I've been meaning to get around to reading so this is a great way to go about it. I haven't decided on all the books yet but the 750+ ones will be Infinite Jest, Ulysses and 1Q84 and I'll be starting with Chad Harbach's The Art of Fielding. No blog yet but I'll probably get around to setting one up.

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  55. Howdy from Texas, I'm so excited to join in! I have a ton of chunky books on my TBR shelf so I hope this will behoove me to finish some of them. I'm committing to at least six and I'm already making some progress, nearly finished Dr. Thorne by Anthony Trollope while on a long plane ride over the holidays. I'm looking forward to this!

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  56. This is my first year with the Chunkster Challenge, and I'm going for Plump Primer level. Very excited about this! I'll finally get round to reading those chunksters I have been collecting!

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  57. This is such a great challenge! Too often I end up reading shorter books to reach my challenge goals. This will have the opposite effect!

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  58. I signed up for the Mor-book-ly Obese last year and failed miserably. But I am not deterred - I am going for it again. I have a ton of unread chunksters and can't wait to dive in!

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  59. Hi, it's my second year joining :) I'm still behind with my "reviews" for last year's challenge, I've finished the books, not the updating the blog part.Hope to finish in time :) this year I plan to improve my schedule! opted for the The Plump Primer level, hope to do well.looking forward to seeing your choice of books :)

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  60. This is a great challenge. I have signed up for the Plump Primer as I don't want to get too adventurous and over-commit myself. Should be fun!

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  61. This will be my third year. Last year didn't fair so well - only five chunksters and no tomes - but I'm going for the Mor-book-ly Obese again.

    Wish me luck! ^_^ And good luck to everyone else!

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  62. I'm really looking forward to this challenge! I'm going to be doing the Chubby Chunkster level, and I think I'm going to do War and Peace for one of my books to tackle....I won't lie, I'm a little scared!

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  63. I will read The plump primer :) Hope to finish 6 fat books this year :0

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  64. I'm excited to join this challenge again so thanks for hosting it. I joined at the Plump Primer level. I was excited to see that Short Story collections are allowed this year as one of my personal goals is to read more short stories!

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  65. I think I may have posted my link in several sections, but I do want to commit to at least 6 big books. I'm ready to go.

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  66. Totally failed at all challenges last year.
    I am hoping for sucess in 2012 as a 4 book 'chubby chunkster'! Thanks for hosting again.

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  67. Joining the Chunkster Challenge again this year - going for the Does this make my butt look big? option and I'm sure I'm going to make it :-)

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  68. I am committing to The Chubby Chunkster, and I'm starting with Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna (507 pgs). I'm excited to get started!

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  69. So thrilled to sign up again! Thanks for keeping it going. =O)

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  70. I'm going for the Mor-book-ly Obese Level. A rainy day and a big fat book - what could be better?

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  71. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  72. Wanted to edit my comment but apparently can't... anyway it's my first time officially participating in a challenge, looking forward to it! was going to go for the Plump Primer but having had a proper scan of my TBR pile for 750 page chunksters, I'm going to go for Do These Books Make My Butt Look Big? :D

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  73. I'll be participating in this. I will talk about it on my blog on Saturday so I could link it up. It will help me meet a personal book reading challenge.

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  74. I'm trying the "Do These Books Make My Butt Look Big" level this year because I have several Civil War histories to read in addition to fiction...thanks so much for hosting this challenge!

    I just have to remember to come back over and post reviews ;-)

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  75. I hope it's not too late to sign up! I want to do the 'Do These Books Make My Butt Look Big?' level. I love big books and this will be FUN! I'll post reviews for all of the books i read. I have my first 2. They're 'Lionheart' by Sharon Kay Penman and 'Perlman's Silence', by Pascal Mercer. :D I think.. anyway.. that i have 2 also for the 450-550 part of the challenge. But have to find 2 for the over 750 pages. I want to be careful and choose ones i'm pretty sure i'll like.. because.. well you know.. 750 is A LOT of pages!

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  76. I missed last year for reasons I put in my post, but I've already got my first book under my belt, so 5 more should be very doable. Thanks for the suggestions list, I saw some books that look very interesting.

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  77. I'm in! Going for Mor-book-ly Obese, because I already have a rampant reading disorder, so I may as well act as though it is intentional :) Also, hopefully I did not just NOT follow directions and link to the wrong part of my blog, but I am a brand new blogger and still fumbling around quite a bit. So, I apologize in advance if I did it wrong :/

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  78. I know I can handle the Chubby Chunkster. Not sure about the Plump Primer. Possibly.

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  79. I have never done a challenge before so this is all new to me. I'll start off with the chubby chunkster. What do you do if you finish early? Can you start a new challenge? (pleas
    e excuse my ignorance.)

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  80. I just started my book blog on February 9, 2012. And this is my first time to join a blogged reading challenge. Still don't know how this is done, so please bear with me.

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  81. I'm glad this challenge is still on... I'm a bit late in signing up, but I've been reading chunksters nonetheless :-)

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  82. Hi, I decided to sign up for this challenge at the lowest level, and motivate myself to read some of my longer books. I am also new to this. I just started my blog on Feb. 25th, mainly to review books and join challenges.

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  83. gonna start working out my arms now...going with mor-book-ly obese!!

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  84. Forget Shamik #115....that went to my profile rather than my book page. So, if you can delete #115, go for it. Originally I thought I'd do the Plump challenge but found out that since Jan. 1, I'd already 5/6 for that...so just went on to Mor-Book-Ly Obese.

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    1. All taken care of, Shamik, thanks for letting me know!

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  85. Well, THAT was an oops - I accidentally posted my signup so it points to my main blog page. Sorry. Anyhow, I'm trying for the Chubby Chunkster - four big fat books.

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  86. I've just found this and signed up. I'll be tackling the Mor-book-ly obese level.

    Thank you so much for hosting this - I've never taken part in something like this before and am thoroughly excited about it.

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  87. I have just found this challenge and will be trying the "Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big?" level. :D

    Thank you

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  88. Hopefully I'll be able to finish 4 books at this late date. Thanks, Kya

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    1. Kya, glad to see you're joining the challenge! I think you can do it. Happy reading!

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