Roseann wrote: "Hi everyone,

I've been away--new classes and the flu (not swine) had me down for quite a few days.

Congrats to Diane and Sam and a hearty WAY TO GO GIRL! to Nicole OH (I know you wanted it ba..."

Hey Roseann, Congrats on getting into school. That is fantastic!

Dionisia wrote: "Finished my last book!

Task #10.4 complete by reading Black Fairy Tales. This was my first challenge and I did better than I thought I would.

Final total = 450 points"


Way to go! I love it when you do better than you think you can. :-)

-------------------- << 5 Points >>
--------------------
--------------------

1. Read A Book That Takes Place In A Small Town:
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

3. Read A Fiction or Non-Fiction Book about A Musician:
The Piano Man by Marcia Preston

7. Discover Hidden Gems:
Death's Little Helpers by Peter Spiegelman

-------------------- << 15 Points >>
--------------------
--------------------

1. Dream Vacation – When Finished Reading Create And Post An Itinerary Of Things You Would Do If You Were To Visit That Location:
The Ruins by Scott Smith
Were I to visit the location, I would definately have this on my places to visit:

- Mayan temples
- All the small little villages
- Basically just lurk through the jungle (with tour guide)
- Chill at the beach
- Hit up parties
- Check out the small mercados

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.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
I'm in love with Lost, so basically I'm rearranging the cast of Lost to fit this book. :D

Yann Martel - Henry Ian Cusick
Piscine (Young) - Malcolm David Kelly
Piscine (Old) - Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Pi's Mom - Michelle Rodriguez
Pi's Dad - Harold Perrineau Jr.
Pi's Dad's "Good Friend" - Dominic Monaghan
Pi's Brother - Orlando Brown
The Chef - Michael Emerson


-------------------- << 25 Points >>
--------------------
--------------------

9. April's Task - Reading Through The Ages:
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

-----------------------------------
Well I have a grand total of 70 Points. I was almost finished with the 50 point task as well as some ten pointers... but I couldn't quite get it in time. I'm still pretty proud though! :D This was really fun and a great motivator!

Whoo hoo!!! I met my personal goal of 400!

Task 10.6 The Last Battle

Task 30.8Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

Final total: 400 points. My highest point total in any challenge!

Heather in KS

Donna Jo wrote: "This challenge was so daunting looking at the beginning of the summer that I think everyone who even started one book for it deserves some credit.
BTW, for everyone who tackled my task 30.1, thank..."

I loved your task Donna Jo. It gave a fuller perpective to the historical fiction books I tend to gravitate to. I read about Josephine Bonaparte, and have a more clearer understanding about her life because of the biography.

I'd also like to send a shout out to Cynthia for a fantastic job keeping this mob running on track. We couldn't do it without you!!

Krista wrote: "Donna Jo wrote: "This challenge was so daunting looking at the beginning of the summer that I think everyone who even started one book for it deserves some credit.
BTW, for everyone who tackled my..."

I always think of Cynthia's job as herding cats. Some of us readers have our own little quirks. (Surprise!) I'm certainly glad Cynthia organized us all and that so many people contributed such great tasks.

Whew- finally finished with what I'm going to get done. Didn't finish but I'm pretty proud of what I did read. I read quite a few books I wouldn't have picked up and worked my way through my TBR pile. Congratulations to everyone who did finish and thank you for everything, Cynthia. This has been a lot of fun!

This should give me a points total of 740.

5.6: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris (6/18)
5.7: Gate of the Giant Scissors by Annie Fellows Johnston (8/7)
5.9: A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (read 6/5/09)
5.10: In the Fall by Jeffrey Lent

10.2: Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (read 6/12/09)
10.3: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire (6/16/09)
10.4: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (6/19)
10.5: The Stranger by Albert Camus (7/13)
10.7: The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis
10.8: 6 Rainier Drive by Debbie Macomber (8/19)
10.9 The Natural by Bernard Malamud (7/24)
10.10: The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (6/19)

15.1: Dream Vacation: On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan 8/31

Depressing novel, but still a nice location...

My Itinerary:
While visiting the English seaside, specifically Dorset where this is set, I would:
Day 1: visit Brownsea Island and see the castle built by Henry VIII
Day 2: Walk to Corfe Castle
Day 3: take a boat trip in Poole Harbour
Day 4: visit Bournemouth Beach and a trip to the aquarium. While at the beach I'd take a hot air balloon ride, which I've always wanted to do.
From there I would visit London and drive around England, then on to Ireland and Scotland

15.2: Casting call: The Beach House by Jane Green (7/7)

15.3: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (8/31)

What a perfect way to finish up this challenge. We had a relief from the heat in Northern VA today and I was actually cold as I sat outside and read!

15.4: The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera (8/9)
15.5: O Pioneers! by Willa Cather (7/6/09)
15.6: The Last Battle and Abraham Lincoln, the First American (completed 8/29)
15.10: The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling (8/5) and Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley 8/6)

20.1: Continental Drift by Russell Banks (7/4)
20.2 Maus I A Survivor's Tale My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman (7/20)

25.2: The Giver by Lois Lowry (8/28)
25.3: Lori: Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson (7/29) and Cynthia: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (read 6/14/09)
25.4: Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (read 6/8)
25.6 The Washingtonienne A Novel by Jessica Culter (7/29)
25.8 Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells and The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner (completed 8/29)
25.9: 1800's The Time Machine by HG Wells (7/31)
1900's: The Call of the Wild by Jack London (8/3)
2000's: The Rule of Four (8/11)
25.10: The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury (8/27)

30.1 Versailles A Novel by Kathryn Davis and Last Days of Marie Antoinette An Historical Sketch
30.2 The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian (completed 6/24)
30.3: Persepolis 2 The Story of a Return (8/14) and Maus II A Survivor's Tale And Here My Troubles Began (8/17)
30.4: Thomas Jefferson (8/30)
30.5 Walk Two Moons, The Magician's Nephew, The Horse and His Boy (completed 6/20)
30.6 Rachel's Holidayby Marian Keys (7/19) Girls' Night Out (8/19)
30.7 The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (7/26) Ironweed by William Kennedy (8/1)
30.8 The Passion by Jeanette Winterson and The Optimist's Daughter A Novel By by Eudora Welty (complete 6/5/09)
30.9 The Sand Castle by Rita Mae Brown

50.1 So Many Books, So Little Time A Year of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson (7/26) and Charlotte's Web by EB White (7/27)

Just wanted to sneak in one last task!

30.7 Mildred Pierce (1941) and All Creatures Great and Small (1972).

Total points: 410
I was going for 470, but I'm ok with that.....

Congrats to all the finishers and thanks to Cynthia for all the work!

LEADERBOARD
CHALLENGE COMPLETED (940 POINTS)
1. ROSEANN
2. DONNA JO
3. WENDY
4. CANDACE
5. JANICE
6. BJ ROSE
7. CINDY
8. CAIT
9. DIANE
10. SAM
11. NICOLE OH
*************
SARA E - 855
KRISTENR - 840
ERIN - 810
ANGELA IL - 805
BETH US - 755
JAYME - 740
KRISTA OR - 715
BONNIE - 690
JESSICA OR - 655
RORA - 630
HEATHER WI - 625
LAURA NY - 625
NICKI - 620
CYNTHIA SCM - 600
APRIL NY - 580
LEORA - 580
ANDREEA - 565
RACHEL WA - 565
REBECCA - 565
MINDY - 560
GRACE - 555
MANDAY - 540
PETRA - 515
KAREN OR - 505
KRITIKA - 505
LIZ BROOKLYN - 505
NICOLE NC - 505
TAMMY - 505
LESLIE CA - 500
KRISTEN IL - 480
ELIZABETH NC - 475
JENNIFER L - 470
BRIDGIT - 465
SHELLEY - 460
WV HEATHER - 460
DIONISIA - 450
LIZZI - 450
LORI BNPL - 450
KATHLEEN - 440
JOANIE - 430
SUSAN - 430
ELLEN - 425
SANDIE - 425
AMYMK - 410
SANDY - 410
KRISTINA UK - 405
AMY MA - 400
EL - 400
HEATHER KS - 400
ALICE - 385
COLLEEN - 385
JACLYN - 380
JULIE KS - 365
SARAH PA - 365
KRISTA MA - 360
NIKOLE - 360
STEPHANIE CA - 360
KATE KS - 355
BETH MN - 350
JULIA - 350
KRISTEN MA - 350
MARIE - 350
MELODY - 350
HEIDI - 345
ITPDX - 340
JILLIAN - 335
SERA - 325
TANI - 325
MANDY - 320
TANYA - 320
LIZ VEGAS - 315
LULU - 315
MAGGIE - 315
TERRI - 315
JENNIFER US - 310
POTJY - 310
ADRIENNE OK - 305
AMANDA VA - 305
JENNIFER - 305
RACHEL DC - 295
TANJA - 285
AMBER REBMAV - 280
SUZIER - 275
ASHLEY ID - 275
REBECCA MA - 275
KATE GA - 270
PERS - 270
RHIANNON - 270
KATHY - 265
EMU - 260
NATALIE - 260
JENNA - 255
KIM UK - 250
ALICIA - 245
BETH - 245
JOEY - 245
WHITNEY - 245
KATIE OH - 240
MARY BETH - 240
MIKE - 240
SINGURL - 240
JESSICA CA - 235
MICKEY - 235
SARAH CA - 235
SLAYERMEL - 230
LAURA FL - 225
MARY - 225
PATRICIA - 225
JOY MARIE - 220
LINDSEY CO - 220
SHANNON - 220
BRIDGET MA - 210
BARB - 205
DREE - 205
JUDITH MD - 205
LISA NV - 205
ANGIE CA - 200
STARCATCHER - 200
STEPH - 195
DAWN - 190
RYAN - 190
AMANDA CA - 185
SARAH OH - 185
SHELLIE - 185
JESSICA SC - 180
JENNIFER P - 175
LAURA ME - 175
TAIJA - 170
JAMIE 23 - 165
JEN B - 165
JAMIE WA - 160
LACY - 160
MADELINE - 160
RUBY - 160
TERAD - 160
ALYSSA - 155
DEIRDRE - 155
KATIE TX - 155
LORI TX - 155
ANGIE PA - 150
JULIE TN - 150
BIRISH - 145
KELLY MA - 145
LINDA TX - 145
SUZANNE - 145
APPLE - 140
ELIZABETH B - 140
FELINA - 140
HANNAH - 140
INES - 140
LYNLEE4 - 140
MORGAN - 140
TRISHA - 140
JENNIFER OH - 130
JUDITH NY - 125
LOUISE - 125
TERESA - 125
JENNIFER IN - 120
JNENI - 120
DREE - 115
JESSICA - 115
LORI ANN - 115
MACKENZIE - 110
RACHEL VA - 110
AMY TX - 105
LIZ MN - 105
CAROL - 100
JENSOWNZOO - 100
KRISTINA GA - 100
VICTORIA - 100
MEGAN - 90
ALISHA - 85
EBOSTDORFF - 85
LDB - 85
JESSICA MI - 80
ROBYN - 80
TRYPHENA - 80
CHERYL - 75
LARISSA - 75
BUDDHAFLAKES - 70
ERICA - 70
JEN WA - 70
ALLISON MO - 65
FALLON - 65
JESS - 65
LAUREN CT - 65
TRACY - 65
TURNER - 65
BUCKET - 55
ELIZABETH P - 55
JEN NY - 55
KAREN H - 55
SLAMI - 55
ASHLEY AL - 50
LINDA US - 50
LU - 50
TALIA - 50
NIGHT - 45
AMBER - 40
ANN FROM SC - 40
JEANE - 40
LAUREN H - 40
MICHELLE CA - 40
JACKIE - 35
KRISTY - 30
KT - 30
LIZ SWEDEN - 30
ASHLEY UT - 25
CLAIRE - 25
FIONA TITCH - 25
SARA TN - 25
ANNA - 20
BECKY PA - 20
JAMIE MN - 20
KATHRYN - 20
STACY - 20
NATALIA - 15
BECKY SC - 10
KAREN V - 10
RONDA - 10
ANGIE TX - 5
KATHY R - 5
LINDSEY TX - 5
MARY M-B - 5
NICOLE NJ - 5

I JUST finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with 3 minutes to spare. I also finished The Carniverous Carnival of the Series of Unfortunate Events Series and had finished Flight 116 is down by Caroline B. Cooney about a month ago. This is for the 3 YA books for 30.5.

Total: 140
~Elizabeth B.

That's it put the books down. This challenge is over. I hope everyone had just as much fun participating in it as I had running it. I look forward to seeing you all in the Fall Challenge in the new group.

I also want to congratulate all of those who completed the challenge and announce...

The Most Improved Player for this Challenge is Julie KS.
&
The Rookie Of The Season is Erin.

Thanks A Bunch
Cynthia

Congrats everyone!! I didn't do as well in this challenge as I would have liked to..but there is always the next one! :)

Oh no- I'm an hour too late!!!!! I was totally thinking midnight my time as the posting deadline, so I missed out on 80 points even though the books were done. Phooey!

For the record, I completed 30.6 (Bridget's short story and novel task) with Best American Mystery Stories 2004 and Jeff Abbott's Collision, as well as Roseann's 50-pointer with Ronald Shwartz's For the Love of Books and Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage (recommended by Dave Barry).

I finished Watership Down by Richard Adams for task 10.10. My total 175... Now I'm going to bed!

Sorry, I meant task 30.10.