The Serendipity Challenge discussion
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June 2010 Challenge
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For task 1: Confessions of Super Mom by Melanie Hauser OR Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn. I've ordered them both from the library and we'll see which one gets here in time. There aren't many writers named Melanie, so I feel lucky to have found these.
For task 2: Haven't been anywhere public yet. Stay posted!
Task 3: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford from the blog PubRants and because he's a classy guy.
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Dragon Prince is not what I thought either. It's 574 pages long, for starters. And based on the reviews I've read, I might not like it either. So I'm back on the hunt for a good author named Melanie.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet hasn't arrived yet, but that's OK, because I'm deeply immersed in Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesiawhich I'm really loving, except for some occasional language.
Sad to admit, but I STILL haven't been anywhere public to spy on people reading. What are YOU reading?
I was having trouble finding a book with the author Debbie that looked interesting. Until today, I didn't even thing to look for Scott :) I have decided to read the The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald since I have never read it.I am still working on finding one for the other tasks.
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I am currently reading a book by M.J. Rose called The Reincarnationist.
I just finished Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George.
Richard Laymon's "Bite" was a quick read, though a little anticlimactic. I don't know if I'll get through Brandon Sanderson's "The Hero of Ages" with all that is happening to me, but, I'm giving her hell. :D
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I was at a track meet today, and I found a woman reading a trashy novel I would never pick up, so that's out. And I found my 7 year old daughter reading a princess chapter book.
On the other hand, I'm LOVING Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. It's an amazing book.
Yeah, I liked it, too. Jamie deserved that victory. Imagine your first book going to auction for a cool million! And...I'm in Maine. I read. Matter of fact, before the shop's roof caved in, I had a lady walk in with two Clive Cussler books.
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I knew there was someone else in Maine who read. But I never found you because we don't hang out in the same places. Where exactly DO you hang out now that you have no shop?
Well, for the last couple of days, I've been at the shop--or in transit--anyhow.
I've chosen a romance, Rafael's Convenient Proposal by Rebecca Winters, whose books I was introduced to while living in Mesquite, NV and working at the library. Rebecca Winters, at least used to, live in Salt Lake City, but I've not sought her out to meet her...yet!I attended the Get Motivated Seminar in Salt Lake City a few days ago and found two women with books. Without bothering either one of them, I successfully obtained the title and author of one book, CAUGHT by Harlen Coben and the author and partial title of the other one, I'll be looking online to see if I can figure out the unknown word in that title, then decide which book to read!
I am a slow reader. So, although I'm halfway through the short romance by Rebecca Winters. I'm hoping to read the second book quick enough to squeeze the third task in! But, I'm loving the idea of challenges vs having one book assigned for monthly reading! Thank you, Melanie for putting the group together!!! :)
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By the way, I finally found my book for the Spying on Someone in a Public Place challenge. Unfortunately it was my son, which might be considered cheating, but honestly! My family seems to be the only ones who read in public around here. Is it actually a social faux pas and I missed it? Anyway, he was reading Enormously FoxTrot, and so, unless someone is reading something fantastic at the doctor's office tomorrow, that's my book.
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I've got a blog I'm doing my reviews on, and I've linked to them at the bottom. Your reviews don't have to be this in depth, but a lot of you are reading books I'm interested in, so I hope you'll take the time to tell us if they were worth your attention or not.
July's challenges will hopefully be posted tomorrow, for those of you who like to get a head start in picking the books. If you have any ideas for the challenges, please put them in the challenges section.
http://melaniecrousesblog.blogspot.co...
http://melaniecrousesblog.blogspot.co...
http://melaniecrousesblog.blogspot.co...
I read Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George, because her name is Jessica, like mine. It was a 4.5 star book. I really, really liked it and would read it again.
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http://melaniecrousesblog.blogspot.co...
Well seeing as I just signed in I'd have to say I'm really enjoying the Book of Mormon. I saw a few people reading it yesterday and thought hey why not!! :) A bit violent at times but a great message. Loving it. Not sure if I'd be able to find an author with my name...gonna look to the July challenge.
Hello all, sorry for my delay in reporting in with my June report, hopefully I'll do better with next month's challenge. I met one goal of reading a book with the author Lisa See. I chose this book because we have the same first name. I read Shanghai Girls. It was a window into the lives of Chinese immigrants to California. The descriptions of China seemed quite accurate based on other books I have read about the country. I'd recommend this book. As for the July challenge, I hope to acquire 30 to 40 points. Melanie, your goal is ambitious, good luck!
Lisa
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And Lisa, the most ambitious part of my goal is trying to read something in public. You know what my life is like in public. Maybe we should go somewhere together and take turns reading and watching the kids.
Melanie,Love the idea of meeting someplace with the kids and switching off reading in public. When & where would you like to try this adventure?
I was going to read Jessica by Kevin Henkes -- LOVE it -- but since I have read that book a hundred times, I decided to read another "Jessica" book - so I read "Underpants on My head" - by Jessica Harper. It is a YA book with a cute family message; hopeful to me as an aspiring writer and a reminder to me to keep a better journal and to spend some time writing down old family memories. I also re-read "The Boxcar Children" since it has a Jessie character. One of my very favorite books. I have an older copy and it has a map on the front and back cover. I used to trace it as a kid and follow along with their adventures. My sister and I would play in our yard for hours pretending we were the boxcar children. What I liked about rereading this was reminding myself of the detail I used to put into reading. I looked at every single picture in the books and studied them. Now I barely notice if the chapter page has a small graphic or not. I needed the reminder to slow down and enjoy instead of just reading. Task #2: I ride the bus to and from work every day so I saw a lot of books to read but just none that interested me so passed on that task. Task #3: I read some Greenwillow press books. I read the blog by their children's editor (after hearing her speak last year): http://marthamihalick.com/ I chose "Do Not Build a Frankenstein" by Neil Numberman -- it is worth it just for the illustration on the page where Frankenstein says, "I am not a tree." I am looking forward to a few other Greenwillow books waiting for me in the library queue. I know my books are short ones and easy reads but I love children's books.
The Serendipity Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Enormously FoxTrot (other topics)Eat, Pray, Love (other topics)
Confessions of Super Mom (other topics)
Dragon Prince (other topics)
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (other topics)
Task #1: Read a book that has your name in the title or the author's name. For example, my name is JD or Jessica so I could read a book by JD Salinger or I could read the fantabulous book Jessica by Kevin Henkes.
Task #2: Be a spy. Go to a public place and find someone reading a book. Without them noticing you, figure out what their book is and get a copy of it. Read it.
Task #3: "(This one comes from the seasonal reading challenge, and is in honor of my brand new blog). Blogs have an important role in the world of books and reading today...they've even been the inspiration for books themselves. For this task read a book that has been featured on your favorite book/reading related blog. When you post this task include a link to the blog and a review of the book."
Note: You don't have to do all 3 tasks. Heck, you don't even have to do one of them, but I hope you will. Do as many as you have time for, but if you do all 3 I'll think you're really cool! Make sure and tell us which books you've chosen.