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

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

Did you know Summer Reading has started at the library?

For your first challenge, go sign up at chesapeake.beanstack.org.

Comment here that you have done so by July 1st for this to count as a point.

Summer Reading is here! And the best part? It's on Beanstack, the same site we are using for Book Quest. Just log in and you should see an option to register for the Adult Summer Reading program.

Summer Reading runs from today until August 17th. Adults can earn a maximum of 60 digital tickets. How you ask?
- 9 for books
- 2 for reviews
- 3 for completing all 9 books
- Activities (there are 23 library programs you can attend that will give you a secret code which is good for 2 tickets)

Digital tickets? Yes! Tickets are earned through the website. There is a tab for ticket drawing where you can assign your tickets to specific prize baskets. Be aware- once you've assigned a ticket to a basket, you cannot undo it.

All tickets must be assigned by August 17th.

If you have any questions, let me know!

In other exciting news, next week is our Halfway Celebration. We'll have some fun mini challenges and probably daily trivia. Each time you complete one of the challenges, you'll be entered to in to win the Book Lover prize basket. Completing all will earn you an extra entry. Be on the lookout starting next Monday.

What is everyone reading this week? I finished Carols and Chaos yesterday which was a quick, sweet YA Regency story. I started A Court of Wings and Ruin last night as part of my readalong with another group. We'll see if I get to anything else this week; I'm starting to really pack in earnest for my move next month.

Lonna wrote: "I too am a mood reader. I have found myself reading Christmas related book in the summer. I usually choose books based on authors I like, but sometimes I just wander through the stacks and pick boo..."

My dream is to finish all the books I currently have to read so that I can do the wandering through the stacks and stumble onto new reads without feeling guilty.

Happy 2nd week of June! Our online book club's theme this month is "vacation read." This has got me thinking about mood reading vs. every book its season reading.

There are those who read certain books only during certain times - vacation/summer reads, winter reads, spring reads, holiday reads, etc.

There are those who are mood readers - they read whatever they are in the mood for.

Which one are you? Or are you a mixture of both?

I'm definitely a mood reader. I read what I feel like reading when I feel like reading it. It can be the dead of winter and if I want to curl up with a beach read, I will. Or vice versa. I don't think books should be pigeon holed into certain seasons.

Tell us where you fall on the continuum!

We see it all the time on book reviews - "A perfect summer read; Excellent book to read on the beach; Best summer book; etc."

But what do those even mean? What makes a book a "vacation/summer read?" And is this question not answerable due to the number of different tastes and genres (though the publishing industry obviously thinks its answerable)?

Happy June! June's Take It or Leave It is posted. Head on over and find which monthly reading topics you want to try.

Our June Online Book Club theme is "Time to Take a Vacation." Read either a book that you think is perfect for a vacation or a book about people taking a vacation.

What is everyone reading this week? I'm finishing up Return of the King tonight but I don't know what I'll read after that. Definitely a library book as I still have a stack of 20 sitting on my floor.

So you're going on vacation... what book are you taking with you? What book just screams "summer vacation read?"

Tell us your vacation book choice!

I'm still debating on mine. I think I might do Carols and Chaos by Cindy Anstey. Regency romance? Perfect for a vacation. And it's set during Christmas so I can dream about snow while I melt in the heat.

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

1. Show your Pride - June is Pride month. Read a book where the main character is LGBTQ+ or by an LGBTQ+ author.

2. Happy Father's Day! - Read your father's/grandfather's/father figure's favorite book

3. And the winner is... - Read a book that has won the Pulitzer Prize (any year)

4. Time to take a vacation - Read a book that would be the perfect vacation book

5. Where they began - Read a popular author's first book

6. It's all politics - Read a political book (fiction or nonfiction)

7. I see skies of blue - Read a book with a blue cover

8. Passing it on - Read a book that you bought used (pre-owned)

Have fun!

Summer is here! Our Online Book Club theme for June is "Time to take a Vacation."

Read a book you think is perfect for a vacation. Or a book about people taking a vacation.

You've read a book turned into a movie/television show; now go watch it!

Tell us what your favorite and least favorite part of the adaptation is. What do you think they got right? What did they get wrong?

How would you have done the adaption of your book?

How was everyone's Memorial Day weekend? Did you do anything fun? Did you do any reading? I hope you all had a nice holiday.

Thank you again for all your feedback about the prize! I found what I think are some really fun items to make up a bag about books. Look for more information in a couple weeks (week 26 is our halfway point and we'll be having our yearly celebration!).

What is everyone reading this week? I finished A Court of Mist and Fury over the holiday weekend and now am working on Aurora Rising. I should finish that today and then I am finally going to finish my reread of Lord of the Rings; I still have Return of the King left.

Tell us what you are reading this week!

Once again, thank you for everyone for your feedback! :)

Thank you to everyone who responded to my inquiry about what you would want to see in a bag of books! I now have a follow up question for you all. I know that finding books to fit every taste would be hard and most likely, a bag of books would contain a lot of things you wouldn't read.

What do you all think of a bag about books? For example, it might have a mug, a book journal, a library stamp kit, and other bookish items in it. There would be a couple books but they would be books about books (like Anne Bogel's I'd Rather Be Reading or Bibliophile by Jane Mount).

Would you all like this better? And yes, this is the prize for our Halfway Celebration in a few weeks.

Again, thank you so much for your input. I'm really trying to have the best prizes for our program so I greatly appreciate all the thoughts and comments. You all continue to be the best.

What is everyone reading this week? I'm finishing up a few manga and then working on A Court of Mist and Fury. I'm doing a read-along with a few others and I have to get it finished before the end of May. We'll see how it goes; I didn't realize the book was over 600 pages long.

Tell us what you are reading this week!

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts on a bag of books!!

Check out this week's Goodreads thread for a follow-up question. :)

Ingrid wrote: "I like an adaption to follow the main premise & not make big changes. I’m okay with small changes though."

I can understand that. It's hard watching something where the writer or director has taken large liberties with the material.

How is everyone's week been so far? How are you doing on your reading? Going well? Poorly? Just okay? I think I'm still in the "just okay" phase. I had a good run the first week of this month but I've since slacked off. I need to get back on track.

Let's talk about reviews. Do you use them? Or do you try to ignore them until after you've read a book? Where is your favorite place to read book reviews?

I admit, I try really hard to avoid reviews until after I'm at least a little ways through a book. I am so easily influenced by other opinions that if I read a review, it will cloud my perception of the story. This is why when I log books on Goodreads, I generally have either already finished them or are almost done with them. None of the read dates on my profile are right, lol.

What about you?

On an unrelated note, I need your help! If you were to receive a bag of books as a gift, what books would you want to see in the bag? Give me your thoughts! Thank you!!!

What makes a good adaptation? Is it a scene by scene interpretation? Is it keeping to the heart of the story? Can a good adaptation change the trappings of the story but still keep the plot?

I used to think a good adaptation was one that was a scene by scene interpretation. Give me the visual version of the book, but do not change anything. I'm a little more open now. I think as long as it retains the heart of the story, a good adaptation can be a bit more loose. For example, parts of the Lord of the Rings movie were changed from the book. Most of these changes though helped the story or added to it and didn't feel inconsistent.

Tell us what you think makes a good adaptation!

May's Take It or Leave It is posted! Sorry for getting it up so late. I knew May had started but at the same time, I didn't realize May had started. Can anyone relate?

What are you all reading this week? I finished The Binding over the weekend; I really enjoyed it. Started Duels and Deception yesterday and will probably also get to Queen's Shadow. It's amazing how much reading motivation one has when there are holds on the books, lol.

Which book turned into a movie/television show have you picked?

I admit, I'm a bit torn. I can talk all day about The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. Pride and Prejudice is also a good one. I'm currently still reading Outlander from our January book club (I know, I know) but since I've never seen the show, I can't really compare it. So many choices. I'll probably end up doing Tolkien because I need to finish Return of the King.

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

1. Thank you for your service - May is Military Appreciate Month! Read a book written by or featuring a service member.

2. It's so pretty - Read a book solely based on its cover

3. It can't be that bad, can it? - Read a book that got bad reviews (or, alternatively, a book that someone you know did not like)

4. Stop, thief! - Read a book involving a heist

5. Happy Mother's Day! - Read your mother's/grandmother's/mother figure's favorite book

6. Nom de plume - Read a book with a female author who used a male pseudonym

7. Back in my day - Read a book tied to your ancestry

8. Book to screen - Read a book that was turned into a movie or television show