Sera's comments

Sera's comments from the The Next Best Book Club group.

Note: Sera is no longer a member of this group.

Awesome job finishers of the challenge! You've managed to pull off quite a feat.

Finished another 25 point task

6. Sharon's Task - Edinburgh International Festival - In honor of this annual summer festival that's held in the capital city of the country where Sharon lives...Read a Fiction or Non-Fiction book that takes place in or is about the capital city of the country you live in. If you are a US resident you can read a book that takes place in or is about the State Capital of the state you currently live in or the U.S. Capital Washington D.C.

Cross by James Paterson

I really enjoyed this book. I fell behind in the series a few years, but picking up this one and reading makes me want to go back and read the others. Hopefully, there will be ways to fit them in future challenges.

Total Points: 300 + 25 = 325

November 4 is Election Day

Read one book written by someone on the far left and another book written by someone on the far right regarding the same subject.

Kate wrote: "Read a complete trilogy."

I love this one.

Here's a few more:

Read a book with an unlikeable character who may or may not find redemption before it ends.

Read a book where the main character time travels.

Read a historical fiction mystery or crime novel.

Pick your favorite historical figure and read a fiction or non-fiction book about that person.

Read a fiction book set in your country of natural origin or ethnicity OR

Read a book by an author in your country of natural origin or ethnicity.

Read a book that was on the NY Times Best Seller list the year that you graduated high school.

Read a fiction or non-fiction book about your favorite type of animal.

Hi, all. Although I've been working alot and spending as much time as I can with my little one, I've managed to get some reading done before going to bed each night. I have finished the following tasks:

3. It’s Summer So It’s Time To Enjoy The Great Outdoors - Read an Entire Book While Sitting Outside –Book Must Be At Least 150 Pages. For Those Of You Who Live Where It Is Actually Winter You May Read A Book About Outdoor Activities (Instead Of Reading Outside) Like Camping, Rafting, Fishing - It Should Be An Activity Done In Summer Though Not Like Skiing Or Snowboarding.

Evita: The Real Life of Eva Perone by Nicolas Fraser & Marysa Navarro

This book was dry but the authors did their best to assess what little facts currently exist about Evita. I learned quite a bit from this book, but it was tough to find a decent day to read it outside because of all of the rain that we had been having.

3. Cait's Task - In honor of our Mod Squad, read 2 books - one from Lori's (the TNBBC Mod's) shelf and one from Cynthia (the Seasonal Challenge Mod's) shelf - by an author you've never read before. The book can be on their TBR or Read shelves.

Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (Lori's shelf) and Two For The Dough by Janet Evanovich (Cynthia's Shelf)

Doctor Zhivago was brilliant, and I really enjoyed the Stephanie Plum book. It's only my second in the series, but I will read more.

1. ROSEANN'S TASK - Read a "Book About Books" (non-fiction) and then read one of the books mentioned within it (fiction). In your post, give the reason you chose the second book and if your opinion matches that of the author who mentioned the fiction book.

Leave Me Alone I’m Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books by Maureen Corrigan & Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

The Corrigan books was lame, but Rebecca was fantastic. I bought it two years ago, and I'm glad that I had a chance to finally read it.

2. ROOKIE OF THE SEASON - Tina's Task – June 6 is the Anniversary of D-Day - Read a Book that Takes Place During WWII. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

I thought that the book was an awesome read until the ending. See missed the boat on this one, unfortunately. Until that point, I thought that it would have been my favorite that I had read by her so far, but it wasn't meant to be.

With that said, I had 190 points. Now...

Total Points: 190 + 15 + 25 + 50 + 20 = 300

Yay - this is my best challenge performance to date. I'm happy to hit 300, and I'm still hoping to hit 400 within the next two weeks, but it's going to be difficult.

Alicia wrote: "Just finished two tasks!

15.6- I read The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and Moon Palace by Paul Auster. I LOVED Moon Palace, and detested..."

Alicia, I read The Sun Also Rises in high school, and I hated it, too. I haven't read Hemingway since.

Read a book by a Russian author or a book set in Russia or based upon a historical Russian figure.

The football season kicks off after Labor Day. Read a fiction or non-fiction book about the sport or someone who plays it.

Ashley wrote: "Sera wrote: "Petra wrote: "I just finished Task 25.2 by reading The Giver.
I have mixed feelings about this book. The Society is awful in it's safe-ness. Then the ending left me hangin..."

Thanks, Ashley. I've been traveling for work so I just saw your note. I'll try The Messenger at some point. I appreciate the insight and without any spoilers :)

Rebecca wrote: "Donna Jo wrote: "15.7 Finally got the second book read for this one--Popular--The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. I'm probably the last person in America..."


I have this one on my list for a different task (the trivia quiz one) so I hope that I like it, too. Let us know what you think as we read it.

Petra wrote: "I just finished Task 25.2 by reading The Giver.
I have mixed feelings about this book. The Society is awful in it's safe-ness. Then the ending left me hanging. I really don't like how ..."

Petra, I hated the way the book ended, too. I read Gathering Blue for this task, and I liked it much more than The Giver. I was hoping that Gathering Blue would be a sequel to The Giver, but it's not. Therefore, the end of The Giver is it. I find that to be very disappointing.

Finished a 15 point task

2. Casting Call – Read A Book That Hasn’t Already Been Made Into A Movie And Post A List Of Who You Would Cast If You Were Making The Film.

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

I absolutely loved this story, even though it is heartbreaking throughout.

Here's the cast that I would choose if I were making the film:

Ralph Truitt - Russell Crowe
Catherine Land - Charlize Theron
Ralph's First Wife - Alyssa Milano
Antonio Truitt - Adrien Grenier
Mrs. Larsen - Sissy Spacek
Mr. Larsen - Jim Broadbent
Alice Land - Blake Lively

Total Points = 175 + 15 = 190

Way to go Roseann! Looks like we will have a few others, too, soon.

Roseann wrote: "OK, I know this is really off topic (well, it's sort of book related), but is anyone else as crazy as me and seeing Harry Potter tonight??? My hubby is currently asleep as he will head off to work ..."

You are so lucky, Roseann - to go twice no less! I would love to see HP just once so I'm trying to butter up family to watch the baby while my husband and I go to see the movie.

Sarah wrote: "So I finally got around to figuring out a cast for Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore, this will mean the completion of task 15.2.

Cast:
Jody – Isla Fisher
Tommy – Justin Long
The Emperor - ..."

I can so see Christopher Walken as The Emperor - hilarious :)

Finished another 25 point task

10. Kristina GA's Task - Read A Book About A Secret Society And Post A Little Review About It. It Could Be Fiction Or Non-Fiction.

Twilight by Stephine Meyer

I know that this book is loved by many, but frankly, I hated it. It was a chore to get through. For anyone living on another planet who hasn't heard about this book, it's about a teenage girl and a vampire who fall in love with each other. It's the first book in a series of four. My ride in regard to this series ends with this one. I can understand why many might find the storyline to be appealing, but the book wasn't for me. I thought that the writing was cheesy and that the characters lacked any real development so that I found it difficult to really care about them. I know that I am in the minority here, but sometimes that's the way that these things go. Nevertheless, I'm glad that I gave it a shot and finished it.

Total Points: 150 + 25 = 175

Trying to break the 200 point barrier!

Sarah wrote: "I'd like join this challenge but I have a couple questions before I begin and I hope I'm not repeating what anyone has already asked. I didn't want to go through the last 78 pages. :)

1. Is there ..."

Yes, you can post all at once, and you can count books going back to June 1, 2009. The challenge ends August 31, 2009.

Enjoy! These challenges are so much fun.

Krista wrote: "Sera wrote: "I have two questions, and I apologize in advance for the first one, which I believe has been asked and answered before, but I want to confirm.

First, is Twilight all ri..."

I thought so, too. Thanks, Krista!

I have two questions, and I apologize in advance for the first one, which I believe has been asked and answered before, but I want to confirm.

First, is Twilight all right for the secret society task?

Second, would "summer" and "winter" be acceptable for the opposite task?

Thank you in advance for your help with these.