Our John Irving Random Reader Challenge has finished and now that it’s July and the sun is shining, you can participate in our challenge outdoors with a cold drink in hand. Here’s what we have in store for you next:
Our fourth installment of Random Reader Challenge celebrates Debut Novels. The purpose of this challenge is to showcase new talent. It will run from:
July 1 – August 31
1. Grab the challenge button to display on your blog.
2. Post a comment below with your blog link so we know you’re 
participating.
NOTE: Don’t have a blog but still want to play? Use your social media URL such as Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads, and post your review there instead!
3. Buy, borrow, download (but don’t steal!) and read any ONE of the following books (yes, audiobooks count too!):
Magnified World by Grace O’Connell
A Cold Night for Alligators by Nick Crowe
Touch by Alexi Zentner
Every Time We Say Goodbye by Jamie Zeppa
Shelter by Frances Greenslade (Check out the video trailer!)
Care of Wooden Floors by Will Wiles
Every Day, Every Hour by Natasa Dragnic
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (Check out the video trailer!)
4. Once you’ve completed your challenge, post a link to your review in the comments below.
About the Prize:
If you complete the Debut Novel Challenge, you’ll be entered for aKeep Calm and Read On Bookmark and the book of your choice from the next Random Reader Challenge.
Retail value of this prize is approximately $30.00
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: I have already read and reviewed one of these books on my blog…can that count as my entry?
A: No, nice try. You must read and review one of the books during the challenge dates, July 1 – August 31.
Q: I live outside of Canada. Can I participate?
A: Yes! Of course, we welcome readers from around the world. However, for legal reasons, only Canadian residents excluding Quebec are eligible to win the prize.
Q: I don’t like this genre. Can I substitute another book instead?
A: Sorry, rules are rules. Part of this challenge series is to encourage you to break out of your comfort reading zone and try something new.
Q: What’s the next challenge going to be?
A: Sorry, that’s classified information.
Random Reader Challenge: Debut Novels runs from Sunday, July 1 to Friday, August 31 at 11:59pm EST. Open to Canadian residents, excluding Quebec. Winners will be chosen at random from the eligible entries.
Full contest rules:
1. All entries must be entered on-line, at www.retreatbyrandomhouse.ca, by registering their participation. The entrant must participate in the challenge by reviewing a book of their choice from the list provided. The review may be posted on the entrant’s blog, website, or social media account such as Facebook, Twitter, GoodReads, LibraryThing, etc. The entrant must post a direct link to their review in the comments section of the original challenge post.
2. No purchase is necessary.
3. The Random Reader Challenge: Debut Novels begins on Sunday, July 1, and closes on Friday, August 31 at 11:59pm EST. Random House of Canada Limited is not responsible for on-line entries that are lost or misdirected. The winner will be randomly selected no later than September 3, 2012 and will be notified by email. If we do not receive a response to our email within 7 days, a new winner will be chosen.
4. Entrants may enter only once for each challenge. The chances of being selected depend upon the number of on-line entries received.
5. The prize consists of a Keep Calm and Read On Bookmark ($11.00) plus one book selected from the next challenge book list (Retail value up to $19.99).
6. Prize must be accepted as awarded and is not transferable. Approximate retail value is $44.00.
7. Challenge is open to all Canadian residents over the age of 18 years, except the residents of the province of Québec, employees of Random House of Canada Limited, and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, distributors, dealers, advertising and promotion agencies, or members of their immediate families.
8. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Random House of Canada Limited will not be responsible for telephone, technical, network, online, electronic, computer hardware or software failures of any kind, misdirected, stolen, incomplete, garbled or delayed Internet/e-mail computer transmissions on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in this contest.
9. The winners will be posted on the Retreat by Random House website at the end of the contest period. Entering the contest constitutes consent to the use of the winner’s statement for publicity and promotional purposes on behalf of Randomhouse.ca and with no additional compensation or further permission (except where prohibited by law). Other entry names will NOT be used for subsequent mail solicitation.
Copyright © 2012 Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved.
I’ll be reading The Age of Miracles.
It’s a WONDERFUL debut novel – great choice!
Omg.. it was sooo good! It should be a movie.
I’m going to read Care of Wooden Floors and Every Day, Every Hour.
Two great choices! Thanks for participating.
Here’s my blog post about the challenge:
http://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.ca/2012/07/random-reader-challenge-debut-novels.html
I’m having a hard time deciding between A Cold Night for Alligators by Nick Crowe and The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker!
Hey Darlene! So glad you’re joining the challenge. These two books couldn’t be any more different, so I’m sure it is a tough choice! I can tell you that I read A Cold Night for Alligators a long time ago, and I really liked it. I think I connected with the main character because my family used to take road trips to Florida when I was a kid too, so it was easy for me to get right into it.
Lots of in-house fans of The Age of Miracles too. Good luck with your decision…I hope you’ll love whichever one you choose!
Cheers,
Cass
I just finished The Age of Miracles and really liked it.
Great topic for July to August! I’m in. Not sure, which one I’d like to post about yet, but I will. Thanks for another great Random Reading Challenge. – Z
Here’s my review of “Every Day, Every Hour” by Natasa Dragnic! Thanks for the challenge. Can’t wait until the next one.
http://zaraalexis.wordpress.com/2012/07/09/every-day-every-hour-a-review/
Here is my review of The Age of Miracles posted on Goodreads. I really liked it. I can’t decide what to read next after I’m done The Shadow of the Wind. It’s either Magnified World, Touch, Every Time We Say Goodbye or Shelter. What would you recommend?
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/272682496
Each book is equally entertaining, but I’d recommend trying Grace O’Connell’s book Magnified World. She’s our New Face of Fiction author and she’s got a real talent when it comes to writing gripping literature!
I’ll be reading and reviewing Age of Miracles to tie in with the “meet the author” blog post I’m doing
Awesome! Can’t wait to read it, Jenn!
I read and reviewed The Age of Miracles, here at my blog: http://raidergirl3-anadventureinreading.blogspot.ca/2012/07/book-age-of-miracles-by-karen-thompson.html
I am enjoying these little reading challenges!
I’ll be reading The Age of Miracles for this challenge.
For anyone trying to decide which to read, I highly recommend Grace O’Connell’s Magnified World. Here’s my blog review of it from a couple of months ago: http://literarytreats.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/review-magnified-world-grace-oconnell/
Touch by Alexi Zentner is on my tbr list already so I will be reading that one.
I am entering! I plan to read whichever book gets to me from the library in time
That’s a GREAT idea! Have fun
I am delighted to enter and take part of this Reader Challenge- it definitely shows on my latest post! I will be reading Touch by Alexi Zentner. Take care!
Here is my link for my review of The Age of Miracles that I tried to post before:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/272682496
I really enjoyed this book. I’m thinking of Shelter or Magnified World for my next one.
Looking forward to the Olympic Readathon!
I am going to start Age of Miracles … I’ll keep you posted.
Great book with a fantastic character! Have fun doing the Olympic Readathon!
Someone lent me a copy of Magnified World by Grace O’Connell, so I will post my review of it on Goodreads. I may also have to try Age of Miracles based on some of the comments.
Hi Kris,
Yes, I would highly recommend Age of Miracles. There isn’t a single person that I’ve recommended it to that hasn’t absolutely loved it! It’s a great read!
I loved The Age of Miracles. My blog post: http://literarytreats.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/review-the-age-of-miracles-karen-thompson-walker/
Here’s my review of The Age of Miracles. I didn’t like it as much as some other people did, but it was interesting.
Still planning to read Care of Wooden Floors and Every Day, Every Hour this month.
My review for ‘Magnified World’ (posted on goodreads).
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/310415447
Think I’m going to try Age of Miracles, sounds interesting.
Here is my review of The Age of Miracles. I loved it
http://virginiebarbeau.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/the-age-of-miracles-by-karen-thompson-walker-review-and-giveaway/
PS. There is also a giveaway there..
I really enjoyed The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker! I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was wonderful!
Here is the link to my review on my blog:
http://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.ca/2012/08/audiobook-review-age-of-miracles-by.html
I still want to read A Cold Night for Alligators by Nick Crowe, but the hold queue at the library for that one is ridiculously long!
Thanks for another great Random Reader Challenge! I love discovering new-to-me authors! Can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next!
I’ve just posted my review of Care of Wooden Floors by Will Wiles – I loved it! Am also giving away a copy, too.
My review of Every Day, Every Hour: http://www.giraffedays.com/?p=13855
I’ve completed my goal of reading The Age of Miracles, Care of Wooden Floors, and Every Day, Every Hour! I’m pretty pleased with that!
Did I miss a September version of the Random Reader Challenge?