Joanna’s Comments (group member since Dec 27, 2013)

Joanna’s comments from the CPL's Book a Week Challenge group.

The past couple weeks have been a bit of a blur (note to self, hosting virtual events is just as or maybe slightly more stressful than actual full two day events) but now everything is finally calming down once more.

What have you all been reading the last couple weeks? What are you reading now?

I've somehow found myself in the middle of five books, lol (send help). The Hobbit is part of my yearly rereads and I'm buddy reading The Raven Boys with my roommate. Got to finish a library book so working through Poached. Then I picked up Slay and got a eARC of Written in the Stars which has been pretty adorable.

Quick reminder that the Summer Reading Challenge ends August 16th. Be sure to log your book activities (if you haven't already) and complete any of the currently available challenges for a chance to win a Kindle Fire.

August’s Take It or Leave It challenges are below. Do one, do all, do none! It’s totally up to you!

1. CPL’s August Online Book Club Pick Your Own: Graphic Novel Edition – Read a graphic novel of your choosing. Participate in the weekly discussions for it over at our book club.

2. Book Lovers Day – August 9th is Book Lovers Day! Take some time out today to read and then come tell us what you read.

3. Colonel Mustard in the Library – Read a mystery book

4. Don’t Leave Me Hanging – Read the next book in a series you have started

5. Read a book with an orange cover

Good luck and have fun!

What is everyone reading this week? Is it a book you are loving? Do you think it's just okay? Or is it not your cup of tea?

I just finished The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo which is about Alexandre Dumas' father, General Alex Dumas. It was such a good book. I learned so much, not just about Dumas, but also about the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon (subjects I admit I know nothing about). The author kept more to that historical narrative which for me, makes a history book easier to read. It also helped that Dumas was such an interesting character who led an amazing, if tragic, life. Highly recommend.

Picked up an ARC for Monarchs of the Sea which is about cephalopods (sea creatures are my weakness) and also think I'll be starting Slay.

Tell us what you are reading!

As this month continues to roll along, let's talk about reading slumps. Reading slumps can take on all kinds of forms. It can be just not wanting to read period. It can be not being able to settle down with a book. It can be constant book jumping. What do you do when you're in one? How do you reignite the joy of reading?

The answers are of course different for all of us. For me, I find that when I'm in a full on reading slump, where I don't want to read at all, binge watching a tv show or watching movies helps me. A couple days of television viewing and my desire to read returns with a vengeance.

The book jumping can actually be a bit harder. A couple weeks ago, I wanted to read but couldn't find a book to settle with. I literally started five different books, a different book each day. When I managed to get the ARC for The Silvered Serpents, I finally found what I had apparently been looking for in a book. But it's usually not that easy. Generally, rereading an old favorite helps but not always.

So how do you deal with reading slumps in all their varied forms?

Happy July! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend.

What are you all reading this week? My beautiful to be read list got a bit shot to pieces this week when my coworker signed me up for NetGalley. The sequel to one of my favorite books from 2019 was available as an e-ARC so I had to request it. Now, after a reread of The Gilded Wolves, I'm immersed in The Silvered Serpents and I don't ever want to leave. Of course it's only book two of three so I'll be in for a waiting period again.

Other books I need to finish - Chosen Ones, All American Boys, and The Black Count.

So many books, so little time.

Tell us what you are reading!

July’s Take It or Leave It challenges are below. Do one, do all, do none! It’s totally up to you!

1. CPL’s Online Book Club July Pick – Read Go Tell It On the Mountain by James Baldwin. Participate in the weekly discussions for it over at our book club.

2. Red, White, and Blue –Read a book with a cover that is a combination of those three colors

3. Blast Off! – Chesapeake Public Library proudly presents our Virtual FantaSci, Saturday, July 25, from 10 am to 6 pm on our Facebook page. Join us for panels, activities, and more! In honor of it, read a science fiction book this month.

4. Mythological Mysteries – Read a book with a mythological main character or with a mythological creature on the cover

5. Short and Sweet – Read a book under 300 pages

6. There’s Two! – Read a book by two authors

7. Time to Finish – Finish a series you’ve started

Good luck and have fun!

We're at week 26 which means we are officially halfway through Book Quest: The Challenge! Woo hoo! How is everyone doing with the 52 book goal? Are you on track? Behind? Ahead?

I know this year didn't turn out the way any of us expected when we started back in January. The first 26 weeks have definitely been a bit rough.

I admit to being behind. While I've been reading a lot of manga and graphic novels, I don't personally count them toward my 52. I've had a few months where I really didn't read many regular books so now I'm behind. But it's okay. I had a good reading month in June and I'm hoping to carry that momentum into July.

I also want to say thank you so much to everyone for participating, commenting, and engaging with this little program. Words can't describe how much I appreciate you all.

Here's to the next 26 weeks!

A short thread for this week... what are you reading?

I took advantage of 3 days off and knocked out two books and eight manga over the weekend. Trying to reduce my library book pile, lol. Hoping to finish Chosen Ones and All American Boys in the next two days.

Tell us what you're reading!

Updates... updates... updates!

On Monday, June 8, Chesapeake Public Library launched a brand new system including a brand new website. As can be expected with new technology, we are still in the process of working out the kinks. You will find some aspects not working at 100% yet; we are aware and our IT department is on it. So please bear with us and please be patient.

One of the biggest changes with the new system is that it currently requires a PIN and a password. Your PIN is the same number you've always had- this lets you use self-checkout or access the public computers in the building. Your password allows you to access your account on the new website. To create your password, you'll need to acquire your temporary password. You can do this by either calling the library (757-410-7100) or coming in as the "Forgot Username/Password" feature is a bit hit or miss at the moment.

Also, your "Username" is your library card number.

We are very excited for this new system and we think you'll love it, too!

On Wednesday, June 10, the library reopened to the public! That's right, we officially moved into Phase II. All branches are open from 10 am to 6 pm daily. We are asking that you wear a mask, if you are able, and abide by the 6ft. social distancing rule. For those who would prefer not to enter a building, we are still doing curbside pickup for available holds.

Finally, Summer Reading starts today! It will go from June 15 through August 16. You may have noticed when you logged into your Book Quest account that an "Activity Badges" tab has appeared. This year, we've curated a collection of fun activities to do (not all book related).

Individual activities are only available to mark complete during certain weeks of the challenge so make sure you pay attention to the dates! Complete the activity, click the badge and mark it complete, and collect your digital ticket. Enter the tickets for one of two Kindle Fire drawings: 16GB will be drawn from tickets entered by July 12; 32GB will be drawn from tickets entered by Aug 16.

Please note that your logging books for the 52 week challenge will not trigger any of the activity badges. For example, for the Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3 activity badges, you will have to go click them and mark them complete.

Phew. That was a lot of updates. Please let me know if you have any questions about any of it!

So what is everyone reading this week? Let us know!

June's Take It or Leave It challenges are below. Do one, do all, do none! It's totally up to you!

1. "It is a truth universally acknowledged..." - June's Online Book Club Book is Pride and Prejudice. Get swept up in this most famous Austen romance and join the discussion.

2. Got PRIDE? - June is Pride Month! Read a book by an LGBTQ+ author or featuring a LGBTQ+ main character

3. Beach Time - Read a book set near or on a beach

4. Yellow as the Sun - Read a book with a yellow cover

5. Happy Father's Day! - Read a book recommended by your father, grandfather, or father figure

6. Celebrate Curbside - Now that our curbside services are back, read a library book!

7. Still Conquering that TBR - Read a book already on your bookshelf

Have fun!

Happy June! This year is moving right along, isn't it? What books are you all starting the month with?

May was an unusually slow reading month for me which is funny considering April has been my best month for reading so far. I'm hoping to recapture April's magic, though! I have The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires (30 pages in and I have not laughed so hard in a while) and volume 1 of Sherlock Holmes to start. Plus my usual pile of graphic novels and manga.

Here's to another great month of reading!

Hello, everyone! Apologies for no weekly thread last week. The library opened curbside so I was busy pulling holds, sorting, and taking calls. It's been crazy but we are so happy to have some normalcy return.

Basic curbside info- Chesapeake Public Library is offering curbside Monday through Sunday, 10am to 6pm at all branch locations. If you used it last time, it's the same procedure- place items on hold via the website, wait for your pickup notice, and then come to the pickup location where you will call the Circulation department who will bring your items out.

It is very important to wait for the hold pickup notification. We are currently processing an incredible volume of holds so it's taking between 24 and 72 hours to process available items. Staff are not able to go grab items off the shelf to process immediately because of this.

If you had hold items available before we closed, they should still be here unless you cancelled the hold. You can check your hold status via the library website – www.infopeake.org – or by calling your branch

So what is everyone reading this week? Any books you are excited to come get from the library? Let us know!

What is everyone reading this week?

I'm still working my way through The Complete Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1. It's been a number of years since I've read these stories and I'm actually a bit surprised by how much I remember. The Sherlock stories truly are memorable. I'm also working on Rome: A History in Seven Sackings which is a fairly clever way of condensing the history of the city into more manageable pieces. The book is easy to read and informative but definitely needs another glance by an editor. If I can finish that, I'm going to read The Beast Player which looks amazing. Also reading some manga- D.Gray-Man.

Tells us your reads!

Ashley wrote: "I am having so much fun with Vesperia!! I tried another Tales game a while ago (Zesteria, I believe), and ended up getting distracted by other things, but this one has been very enjoyable...."

There are some great female characters in Vesperia. I don't know who they made figures of, though. I've noticed it always seems to be just the main male protagonist (which stinks because I'd love to get Estelle).

I've never heard of Eternal Sonata but about my roommate. She's played so many games, lol.

Everyone has such great hobbies! Thank you for sharing!

Ashley wrote: "I've always been a big nerd, but it was something that I was made to feel badly about for a long time, so I never fully embraced it until recently. I am now perfectly content allowing myself to enj..."

Yes, embrace it! That's awesome that you've been able to find ways to still enjoy Magic despite being in quarantine. And congrats coming in third!

Funny you should mention Vesperia... my roommate just got a Yuri figure so that and her art print of him went up last night. And one of my first photo shoots with her was an alternate costume Judith. She is a huge Tales fan (and, when you live with one, you end up becoming one yourself, lol).

Ann wrote: "I've always been a nerd: Star Wars, Star Trek (and the books about the different series). I love movies: Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and the Hobbit. Lately I've been ..."

I'm always jealous of people who find puzzles relaxing; they just make me want to scream, lol. Have fun building the Marauder's Map! That will be so cool when it's finished. You'll have to share pictures.

Elizabeth wrote: "My hobbies are knitting, sewing, and cooking. I would love to do more creative writing, but with work and small kids it’s just not possible right now. I never have the mental capacity and the solit..."

Are you working on any knitting or sewing projects right now? I have heard such amazing things about The Good Place. It's on my list to watch.

Ingrid wrote: "My two hobbies are reading & cooking. So much cooking happening & lots of eating.
My DVR is down to 40% for the first time in ten years. Ha ha. I love sci-fi, mystery & more. Murdoch Mysteries, Th..."

Cooking is one of the hobbies I wish I had the patience to learn but I never do, lol. Have you tried any fun recipes since this started? And all such good shows! I love Supernatural.

Happy Star Wars Day! I'm currently writing this thread while watching Star Wars: A New Hope. It's the Mos Eisley cantina scene and it's hard not to do a little dance to the music. It's some of the most iconic of the series.

We talk a lot about books on here (and with good reason!) but let's talk about hobbies and other favorites this week. What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing when you're not reading? What are your favorite movies and television shows? Are you into music?

And, do you have any books you like that reflect those hobbies or favorites?

I am an incredibly boring person and don't really have much in the way of hobbies outside reading. I do enjoy photography on an amateur level, though it is heavily tied into my fandom life- my roommate cosplays and I shoot most of her sessions.

We all know I'm a huge nerd- Star Wars, superheroes, Doctor Who, anime/manga, fantasy, science fiction, Disney, Lord of the Rings...- these are just a few of my favorite things! Most of them can tie back either to books or spawned tie-in books. Which are my guilty pleasure.

Tell us about your hobbies and favorites!

May's Take It or Leave It challenges are below. Do one, do all, do none! It's totally up to you!

1. Read a book under 200 pages

2. Did you know Hoopla has digital comics and graphic novels? Check one out and read it.

3. Read a book with a black cover

4. Read the book that has been in your to be read pile the longest

5. Read another e-book

6. Read a book that makes you think of spring

Have fun!

Is it just me or did April fly by? I blinked and suddenly we only have three more days until the end. What? Time has become rather strange with this social distancing and upheaval of normal routine. March seemed to go on forever, April raced by, and now May is here- what will it be like?

As this month winds down, I'm still working on Sherlock Holmes. I also started Dangerous Alliance, a YA historical that is heavily influenced by Jane Austen. Only about 60 pages into it, but it's been fun so far. I appreciate a main character whose first thought is, "What would Ms. Austen's characters do?" Not sure what I'll read after that. I keep buying and acquiring new books which means my "what I'll read next" list is constantly changing, lol.

What are you all reading this week? Any upcoming books you are really looking forward to?

What is everyone reading this week? Are you liking it so far? Would you recommend it?

I'm rolling along quite nicely at the moment with my reading. I finished my reread of The Silmarillion last week and have now picked up Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. A friend recommended Trick by Natalia Jaster so that's been my night book.

I've also been watching random shows as I work from home (I've been doing some data entry tasks and the background noise helps me concentrate) and I started BBC's Sherlock. That of course put me in the mood for Sherlock Holmes so I started on those stories. Has that ever happened to you?

Tell us about your current reads!

Ingrid wrote: "I have always been drawn to books set in New Orleans ever since my first Anne Rice book. I was so excited to see it in person years ago.
Since I like historical fiction, I like England & most plac..."

Hahaha. Yeah, most of the places in sci-fi seem pretty hazardous to your health.

Ann wrote: "My first book destination would be Middle-Earth, of course, my second is a tie between Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter. I would love to spend a year or seven wandering around Hogwarts, checki..."

New Zealand is also super high on my bucket list. The closest to Middle-Earth we will ever get. :D