What: Back to History Challenge
When: 1 January – 31 December 2008
Who: Shannon
Rules: Read 12 historical books. Can be historical fiction as well as memoirs and biographies. See Shannon’s site.

Of all the challenges this year, this was the one I thought I could complete. It turned out to be the one I did the worst in.

In one aspect, it wasn’t a complete failure. I have no problem reading historical-set novels. Eighteen books — nineteen if I get one more Christmas anthology in before the 31st — were historicals. Only two of the books were on my lists for the challenge.

The real failure was that I did not read more books outside my “norm”. The majority of the books fell into either the Regency period or the Victorian Era, two time periods I’ve read regularly over the years.  However, the two books that were on my list happened to be set in time periods I don’t read regularly: American Colonial and Medieval.

Would I do this challenge again? No. Since I like historicals in general, reading them isn’t a challenge.  Only way I’d do a historical challenge again is if I only had to read 6 books or less.

My list (Books in RED are on more than one list/alternate list):

• Crusader’s Lady by Lynna Banning ** (Medieval) {18 Jan 08} (REVIEW)
• Rising Wind by Cindy Holby {28 Mar 08} (REVIEW)

The unread and DNFs:

• Duchess: A Novel of Sarah Churchill by Susan Holloway Scott
• The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland
• Through the Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen
• Shadows and Strongholds by Elizabeth Chadwick
• Roselynde by Roberta Gellis
• The Warlord’s Mistress by Juliet Landon ** (Roman)
• A Notorious Woman by Amanda McCabe ** (European)
• His Rebel Bride by Helen Dickson ** (Restoration)
• The Rogue’s Kiss by Emily Bascom ** (Georgian)
• The Defiant Mistress by Claire Thornton (1st in the City of Flames trilogy) ** (Restoration)

Alternatives:

• The Christmas Wedding Wager by Michelle Styles ** (Victorian)
• Forbidden Lady by Anne Herries ** (Medieval) {10 Jan 08} (DNF)
• The Maid of Lorne by Terri Brisbin ** (Medieval)
• The Harlot’s Daughter by Blythe Gifford ** (Medieval)
• The Black Sheep’s Bride by Paula Marshall ** (Elizabethan)
• Rowan’s Revenge by June Francis ** (Medieval)
• Tempted by Innocence by Lyn Randal ** (European)
• His Duty, Her Destiny by Juliet Landon ** (Medieval)
• Her Rebel Lord by Georgina Devon ** (Georgian)
• A Most Unconventional Courtship by Louise Allen ** (Regency/Corfu)
• Rogue’s Widow, Gentleman’s Wife by Helen Dickson ** (Victorian)
• TBA — Leaving it open for new find/buried treasure