Awesome Authors Challenge

So with 2009 drawing to a close, it is time to start shopping for ... new reading challenges. (You thought I was going to say holiday presents, didn't you?) I promised myself that I wouldn't overdo it on challenges in 2010. But this challenge is pretty flexible and suits my reading style. Plus it runs all year so I have plenty of time! (Of course, I thought that about the A to Z Challenge too and I'm still going to scramble on that one.) So here is my first official challenge of 2010:

Hosted by Alyce over at At Home With Books

The idea behind this challenge is to read works by authors who have been recommended to you time and again, yet somehow you haven't managed to read any books by those authors. These are the authors that everyone else tells you are awesome, thus the "Awesome Author Challenge" title.

The Rules:

• The challenge starts January 1, 2010 and ends December 31, 2010.
• Crossover from other challenges is allowed.
• Choose the level at which you would like to participate, post about it and come back and leave a link to your post in Mister Linky over at Alyce's blog.
  
• Titles and authors do not have to be predetermined, and can change at any time.
• Books can come from any genre or reading level, the only requirement is that you have heard great things about the author, but haven't yet read any of their works.

The Levels:

• Easy: Choose three authors and read at least one title from each author.
• Moderate: Choose six authors and read at least one title from each author.
• Challenging: Choose ten authors and read at least one title from each author.
• Over-Achieving: Anything over ten authors. I'm listing 11 but I reserve the right to change my mind at any time!
  

Here are the authors and books that I plan on reading for the challenge. I chose authors/books based on two things. One was that I had to have heard about the author at least 5 times and everyone was just RAVING about the author. Second was that I chose some authors that I always hear about but have never read for one reason or another. This year, I'll finally read them!

1. Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games — Seriously, if I hear about this book/author ONE MORE TIME, I'm going to throw up. Finished Read my review
   
2. Lisa See - Snow Flower and Secret Fan — I know she has a newer book out but this is the one I always hear about. Finished Read my review
   
3. Markus Zusak - The Book Thief — I have yet to hear anyone say anything less than wonderful things about this book.
4. Steig Larsson - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — Another author that everyone raves about and I'm sick of hearing about. I might as well start with the first book in the series. Finished
5. Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society — Another book that no one has said a bad word about. I know this technically isn't one author but I don't care. I've got to check out this book for myself. Finished. Read my review.
   
6. Richard Russo - Empire Falls — I've been hearing a lot about That Old Cape Magic by this author (I think it is his newest) but thought I would check out this book as I got it for 50 cents at a library book sale. Finished Read my review
   
7. Joyce Carol Oates - We Were The Mulvaneys — I've heard this author's name for years but I don't believe I've ever read anything by her so now I will! Another book I scored at the library book sale for 50 cents!
8. Michael Chabon - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay — Chabon seems to be like the boy wunderkind of authors so I should check him out. And why not with this book, which won the Pulitzer Prize no less!
9. J. M. Coetzee - Diary of a Bad Year — Another author I hear about all over the place but have never read.
   
10. Johnathan Safran Foer - Everything Is Illuminated — I got into blogging when a friend referred me to her blog to read her review of this book. I promised her I would read it. I never did. Now I will. And I've been seeing this book for ages it seems like.

NOW, before you read the last author,
promise me you won't hate me and
you won't stop reading my blog
because this is going to come as a shocker.

Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility — I know! I know! I'm ashamed of myself. But for the life of me, I don't think I've ever read one of her books. Please don't hate me. Don't ban me from book blogging. I'm already embarrassed enough. I am putting to rest a grievous wrong and shall finally read a book by Jane Austen. From what I hear, I will fall in love fast and furious with her books.