Hogwarts Reading Challenge

Admittedly, I am a nerd. No doubt about it. And a lot of that nerd-i-ness centers around an unabashed love for (nearly) all things Harry Potter. (I haven't bought any of the "merchandise," and don't have a vacation to the theme park planned, but the books and the movies are to die for.)

So, me being the nerd that I am, I was intrigued when I was reading book reviews on The Little Bookworm's blog and there would be something random about "Hogwarts" at the end. I did a little digging and found this post about the Hogwarts Reading Challenge, and I couldn't help but want to participate (I hope it's not too late).

Here are the deets:

1. Go to the blog that is hosting the challenge, Worth Reading It?, and get sorted into a Hogwarts house. (I was Hufflepuff.)


Get Sorted By The Hogwarts Sorting Hat!

2. During the duration of the challenge (March 8 - December 13, 2010), list all of the books that you read and (as applicable) categorize them into which class at Hogwarts they fit. Each book is worth 1 point towards the House Cup (HP books are worth 25 points); after five books, you're entered into the drawing at the end of the challenge for a $25 Amazon.com Gift Card, and the House with the most points at the end is the winner (with all the applicable bragging rights).

The classes are...

Transfiguration - read any book that has "trans" or "figure" in its title, is about shape shifting, has a shape shifter in it, or is about anything having to do with changing one thing into another

- Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (Finished May 16, 2010)
- The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler (Read 5/31/2010)
- The Book of Luke by Jenny O'Connell (Finished 6/16/2010)

Defence Against the Dark Arts - read any book that has "defence" ("defense"), "dark" and/or "art(s)" in its title; read any book that is about self defense, war, history of war/marital arts, murder mysteries

- Troy by Adele Geras (Finished 3/28/2010)
- Ithaka by Adele Geras (Finished 3/31/2010)
- Zombie Blondes by Brian James (Finished 4/4/2010)
- Ophelia by Lisa Klein (Finished 5/14/2010)
- Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein (Finished 5/24/2010)

Charms - read any book that has "charm" in its title, any book that deals with giving something or someone a new aspect (for example, the nerdy guy become a handsome doctor)

- Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips (Finished 4/6/2010)

Potions - read any book that has "potion" in its title (cookbooks count, but you must cook at least one recipe out of the book)

Astronomy - read any book that has "astronomy" in its title, books about planets, stars, etc, sci-fi

History of Magic - read any book that has "history" or magic in its title, books about magic, witches, etc.

Herbology - read any book that has "herb" in its title (again cookbooks count and, again, you must cook at least one recipe out of the book)

Arithmancy - read any book that has "arithmancy" in its title, any book with a number in its title, any book that deal with numbers or math

Ancient Runes - read any book that has "ancient" or "runes" in its title, books about historical places like the pyramids, Stonehenge, great wall of china, or any book about symbols

Divination - read any book that has "divine" in its title, any book about psychics or psychic abilities, tarot reading, etc.

Care of Magical Creatures - read any book that has "magical" or "creatures" in its title, about supernatural beings

- The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson, Book 4) by Rick Riordan (Finished 3/15/2010)
- The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson, Book 5) by Rick Riordan (Finished 3/18/2010)
- The Monstrumologist (The Monstrumologist, #1) by Rick Yancey (Finished 6/16/2010)

Muggle Studies - nearly any book works here; what better why to understand Muggle than to read what they read?

- The Off Season (Dairy Queen, Book 2) by Catherine Gilbert Murdock [Audio] (Finished 3/18/2010)
- Troy High by Shanna Norris (Finished 3/22/2010)
- Front and Center (Diary Queen, Book 3) by Catherine Gilbert Murdock [Audio] (Finished 3/25/2010)
- Beginner's Greek by James Collins (Finished 5/28/2010)
- An Off Year by Claire Zulkey (Finished 5/31/2010)
- The Heights by Brian James (Finished 6/13/2010)

3. Link up your book list in the Mr. Linky on the main site for the challenge and watch your points accumulate (point totals displayed on the website are one month [roughly] behind).