Kelly's comments
(member since Apr 05, 2009)
Kelly's comments from the The Next Best Book Club group.
(showing 1-20 of 39)
I completed a task over my vacation. I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins for 25.2 Ashley ID's Task - Read a Dystopian novel.Prior to reading the book I considered it an expansion of the idea in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery", a short story that I loved teaching. As I read, I was reminded of another short story, "The Most Dangerous Game." I guess I still think like an English teacher, because those would be fantastic tie-ins!
Anyway, this was a marvelous book, and I can't wait to read the sequel. This puts my total to 145 points. Only 55 more points to go until I reach my goal.
I read a few non-challenge books, but I finished a challenge book the other day. It was task 15.3, Read an Entire Book While Sitting Outside – Book Must Be At Least 150 Pages. I chose Body Movers by Stephanie Bond. I discovered the series through a review in Booklist for the latest book in the series, and it sounded really appealing. Very humorous and fast-paced, some romance, and a great mystery. I can't wait to read the next one!My new total is 120 points. Only 80 more points before I reach my goal!
An overdue update on my progress.*Summer Reading Challenge:
- The White Mountains for 30.5 (still have two more to go on that one)
- The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks for 25.10
- Tender Morsels for 10.3
- One for the Money for 5.9
*July reads from to-read list:
Tender Morsels, The White Mountains
*Books I own
Well, I haven't started A Year in Provence yet. I am thinking instead about finishing How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, which I started earlier this year.
*Teens' Top Ten Nominated List
I have read four of the titles so far, most recently The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. I am going to read either The Hunger Games, Graceling, or The Graveyard Book next.
Wow, Kristen, I am so envious of your ARC!I love vacation. I have finished three books in the last two days. My most recently completed task is 25.10, Kristina GA's task. I read
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.I gave it ****, and here are some reasons why:
- I am all about the girl power!
- Frankie is likable and sympathetic
- the narrative voice
- the fun wordplay
- clever misdeeds that had me laughing out loud
A fun read, especially recommended for whip-smart, sneaky, underestimated teenage ladies.
This brings my total up to 105 points! Woo-hoo!
Donna Jo wrote: "Well, I agree that almost any book other than Dickens is a reasonable choice. I've made I don't know how many attempts now at A Tale of Two Cities and I just can't get into it. I think David Copperfield in the 9th grade scarred me for life."I think it was Great Expectations for me. I plowed through most of Oliver Twist for a class in college, but I have never gone beyond page 5 of A Tale of Two Cities. Dickens is not for me.
I just finished task 10.3. I chose to read Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan, because "Snow White and Rose Red" is one of my favorite fairy tales. I wrote a longer review on my bookshelf, but essentially, I gave it 4 stars.Lanagan is talented and wrote an imaginative and original dark fantasy. The pace dragged in the middle, and there some was some confusion regarding who was narrating when, which is why I gave it four stars instead of five. Not a story everyone will love, but definitely great for discussion. Despite marketing, definitely not for most young adults. I am very glad I did not purchase it for my middle school library!
This brings my total up to 80 points. Still seems like a long way before I reach 200, but I'm working on it!
I just finished task 5.9: Read A Mystery Or Crime Fiction Book. I chose One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this read. I rooted for Stephanie, and enjoyed the banter between Stephanie and Morelli. Definite page turner, perfect for summer vacation.That brings my total up to 70 points.
So I am making some progress finally! I have finished three tasks for the Summer Reading Challenge, with my current total at 65 points. Books I read for this task:Lucia, Lucia and Impossible for 30.2
Waves for 5.8
The Adoration of Jenna Fox for 30.9
I am starting Tender Morsels, which is on my to-read list and will also work toward my challenge.
I am going to read A Year in Provence as my next book-I-already-own, unless I spot something else on the shelves that grabs my attention more.
Not sure who said this first, "Blomkvist speculated asperger's syndrome which is a lighter form of autism."I agree with that. I have had students like Salander. I think it is not so much that Salander is a savant of any kind, but that she become a hacker, a superb one, and the descriptions of how she accomplishes it all has a revolutionary/Robin Hood feel to it.
I also am impatient for the next book to reach America so I can learn more about Salander. What a fascinating character!
Abbie K. wrote: "I think that she, as a victim of similar violence, didn't want anyone to be able to use that notebook to sensationalize or victimize the families of the dead girls. Remember, she kept the discs and..."I agree with Abbie. Salander burned the books to protect any of the sensationalism from slipping out.
I completed Sandy's Task, 30.2. The two books I read were Lucia, Lucia by Andrea Trigiani and Impossible by Nancy Werlin (the main character is Lucy). Both were enjoyable reads, although the mix of genres and the sweet love interest in Impossible makes it my favorite of the two.New total: 65 points/200 points (my goal)
Tasks completed: 3
Donna Jo wrote: "25.8 I read The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce and Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn. I must admit I usually avoid werewolf and vampire books at all ..."What did you think of The Will of the Empress? I love Tamora Pierce, and I think her Circle Opens series is underappreciated.
Cynthia,Thanks for pointing out I had earned 5 more points (Yippee!). I was just looking over the most recent leaderboard, and I am still showing only 5 points, though I am now up to 35 (I'm Kelly MA).
Thanks,
Kelly
I just finished The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson for Lizzi's task, 25.6. I liked the blend of genres, and the pacing was slow enough for the story to build without sacrificing suspense. The cover was quite intriguing, and I like that it interprets one element of the story.
This brings my total up to 30 points. Yea!
Since I am only posting now, in July, I will have to be a little less ambitious and a little more realistic than I normally am.
So, I have four sets of goals.
1. Reach at least 200 points in the Summer Reading Challenge.
2. Read at least one book a month from my to-read list.
3. Read five books by the end of the year that I already own (whether they are on the to-read list or not).
4. Read all of the nominated Top Ten Books for Teens before October Teen Read Week (I'm a middle school librarian).
Okay, it's a small start, but I am finally on the board!5-point challenge
8. Let’s Hit The Beach – Read a book with one of these “Beachy” words in the title – Beach, Boardwalk, Island, Lighthouse, Ocean, Sand, Sandcastle, Sea, Seashell, Seaweed, Shell, Starfish, Tide, or Wave.
I read Waves by Sharon Dogar. I thought it would be a light read, but it is definitely not. The main character, Hal, is trying to live life after his sister ended up in a coma a year ago. But Hal is angry and sad, and starting to communicate with his comatose sister. The narrative shifts between the two of them, and also between the current summer and the previous summer, when Charley got hurt. The mystery surrounding what happened to Charley was very interesting. I enjoyed the lyrical style of Dogar's writing, too.
I know I probably won't finish the summer challenge, but I am going to set a goal. I am still hoping to break 100 points for the spring challenge (still have a few days left)! I'm so excited to start assigning books to tasks!Thanks Cynthia for putting the challenge together. I do have a question: is it okay to use books I wanted to read but didn't for the spring challenge for the summer challenge?
I was hoping to get a ton of reading done recently, and it's not happening. However, I did finish a couple while proctoring the MCAS (state test). One is a biography of Margaret Bourke-White which I found really fascinating. The other is only half of the challenge for 25.3, but it's called Bloomability by Sharon Creech. I really enjoyed the story and the main character. It reminded me in some ways of another boarding school story, by Madeleine L'Engle. The name of the book is escaping me, but I remember that the protagonist was Pippa.My update is below. I am close to breaking the 100-point mark, which will make me fairly satisfied as a rookie.
15 POINTS
1.
2. Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros
3.
4. It Happened On Cape Cod by Shawnie Kelley
5. Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively
6.
7. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
8. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (interview on The Colbert Report)
9. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
10. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series
25 POINT TASKS
1. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
2. Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson
3.
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
4. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
5. The White Mountains by John Christopher
6. The Queen’s Fool by Philippa Gregory
7. TBD
8. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
9.
Total points: 95 (May 20)
Lori wrote: "I just finished reading The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde for the 10.9 task. It is number 91 and everyone could read it as I don't think any of us were born before 1900 or in 2000 or a..."It took me a while to get into that book, but once I understood the world I was reading about, I flew through the rest. I recently learned it is part of a series, so I look forward to reading others in the future.
Reading update: I read The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam. The author also made a documentary about Sam, who happens to be her great-grandfather. A neat slice-of-life from the past about a world I didn't know existed.10 POINTS
1.
2. Feathered by Laura Kasischke
3. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
4. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
5.
6. Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
7. Red Glass by Laura Resau
8. Soldier’s Heart: Reading Literature Through Peace and War at West Point by Elizabeth D. Samet
9. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
10. Indignation by Philip Roth
New total: 80 points
