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

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

This is an open thread for the Quarter 4 Take It or Leave It challenges.

Quarter 4 runs from October 1st to December 31st.

Feel free to use this thread to talk about books you used for the challenges or to ask any questions you might have.

Please note, listing books you read here does not count toward the points- all books must be listed under their correct badges in Beanstack.

It's Halloween!! Okay. It's October, not Halloween but it might as well be, right? This is one of my favorite seasons as not only do we have the fall with its falling leaves and cooler temperatures, but a general atmosphere of spookiness takes over. I just love it.

What are you all reading this week? I finished Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda over the weekend. It's a collection of short stories and over all, I greatly enjoyed it. Some of the stories were a bit bland (which surprised me) but there were quite a few that stood out. I definitely recommend checking it out if you are a Black Panther fan.

I'm now working on The Invisible Library. I read this first book almost 5 years ago exactly and then never picked up the rest of the series. This is partly because no other books were out yet and I have a bad habit of getting distracted. But a friend and I are doing a buddy read of the series, one book a month. I'm excited to finally finish the series (or at least get caught up).

Tell us your current reads!

Banned Books Week is here! This initiative from the American Library Association shines a spotlight on censorship and celebrates the freedom to read. Even today, books are frequently challenged in schools and libraries.

Below are the top 10 most challenged books from 2020:

George by Alex Gino
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Remember, books unite us. They let us walk in another’s shoes and give us perspective not our own. When we censor those voices, we do ourselves a disservice.

And this applies to more than just the challenging and banning of books. Think about the books you read. When was the last time you picked up a book by someone who doesn’t look like you? Who is a different religion than you? Who has experienced the world from a different place? We celebrate our freedom to read this week but we should also pay attention to what we’re reading. I’m as guilty of this as anyone. But I’m striving to slowly broaden my reading horizons and pick up books that make me think or that I wouldn’t have necessarily picked up in the past. Because in reading another’s experience, we are united and it opens a path to understanding.

Only two more days until the start of autumn! Who is excited?

Are you reading any fall themed books as the season changes? What is everyone reading this week?

I finished Conventionally Yours over the weekend (I'm a sucker for any book set around a convention) and it was pretty adorable. Continuing to work my way through The Two Towers and I'm not sure what I want to read next. I grabbed the Love Hypothesis because I was informed that it started life as Rey/Kylo Ren fan fiction and while that's not my ship, I definitely need to read the book. Lol. So maybe that'll be the next one.

Have a great week, everyone!

We are finally in September! Woo hoo! I'm eying that temperature gauge, hoping to soon be seeing cooler weather (the little burst we had over the weekend was so nice). In the meantime, while I'm dreaming, there are books to read.

Do you ever binge read series? Pick up book one and then just fly through the rest? What's the last series you binge read if so? I ask this because over the course of the past week, I've binged read the Murderbot Diaries. Currently composed of 5 novellas and 1 full length novel, the series follows a self-aware SecurityUnit who would much rather be watching media than trying to keep the humans it keeps inadvertently adopting alive. Yet, despite claims that it doesn't care, Murderbot finds itself stepping in and helping at every turn.

This series was amazing. Murderbot is so funny and literally the most relatable main character I've encountered. I also haven't read a lot of sci-fi (which I'd like to correct) so it was a nice change to read some science fiction books. I can't recommend this series enough.

Happy Monday, everyone! What are you reading this week? Finish any good books last week?

I finished Small Favors by Erin A. Craig over the weekend. It was lush, atmospheric, creepy and oh so dark. I'm pretty sure my notes for it are just me screaming in all caps plus exclamation points. It was a wild ride. Lol. It's Rumpelstiltskin retelling and while it didn't follow the story exactly, I can most definitely see it.

Next up is another fairy tale retelling: Curses by Lish McBride. Unsurprisingly, it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling where the Beast is a girl. However, it's definitely not following the normal story beats you see in Beauty and the Beast retellings. It's also a lot funnier. So more of a loose adaptation but I'm still loving it so far.

Tell us about your current read!

I hope everyone's week has been off to a great start!

What are you all reading this week?

I've somehow found myself in the middle of five books. I don't know why I do this to myself. Lol. Still in the middle of War of the Ring as that's my month long read. I've started reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I'm also reading book 2 of the Kingston Cycle, Stormsong, plus two random romance books I picked up. I'm close to finishing a few of them so hopefully I'll be at a more manageable state of books by the weekend.

Happy reading!

Happy 1st week of August! What books are you starting the month off with?

I'm currently working on The War of the Ring, book 8 in the History of Middle-Earth series. This one covers most of the writing for Two Towers and Return of the King. It continues to fascinate me how much was different but at the same time, how much he basically immediately wrote exactly the same. Also, as any writer knows, the intrusion of unexpected characters throws even the greatest for a loop - Faramir was a very unexpected character, apparently.

I also picked up the Kingston Cycle series randomly a few months ago and have finally started reading it. The first book, Witchmark, won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 2019 and I can definitely see why. I loved it. I'm working on book two, Stormsong, now.

What are you reading?

PS. For all my Tolkien fans... did you see we now have an official date for the Amazon Prime show (Sept. 22, 2022) and got our first official concept/picture? I am not calm.

We're a few weeks past the midpoint so let's talk about book highs and lows so far. What books have you loved? What books just didn't do it for you? Let's reminisce about the last six months.

I'm going to start with the lows because it's always a good idea to end on a positive note, right? I tend to be pretty positive when it comes to books. I rarely give low reviews and I tend to enjoy a book even if it has issues. But there are times when all I can remember about the book are its issues. My lows so far:

Be Dazzled - I really wanted to love this one. It's all about cosplay! But as someone who frequents (and runs) cons, I couldn't get over the major inaccuracies of con life. Plus whoever heard of cosplay being a team sport? It just kept pulling me out of the book. I also didn't think the resolution between the characters was enough considering what happened.

Romancing the Duke - This was such a cute story but I couldn't get over the fact that of course she paired the fat girl with the guy who had eye sight problems. Like, come on. It's the 21st century; are we still doing that?

Escaping from Houdini - I was pretty impressed with this series as a whole. It's really only this book that gave me problems. It required such a suspension of disbelief. People are being murdered horrifically and you're going to insist there is no problem and still put on nightly shows? Really? Plus love triangles annoy me.

And now for the highs! There have been a lot of highs. Most of the books I've read this year I've loved so I'm only go to pull a couple for this.

Project Hail Mary - I loved this book. It was everything I adored about Weir's The Martian but better. The use of first person really put you in the middle of the action and the bouncing back and forth between past/present was excellent. Plus, without spoiling, there was a perfectly precious character who is now my favorite.

The Raven Cycle - I read the majority of this series for the first time this year and fell in love. The way Stiefvater describes emotions and actions... I can't really put into words what her language is like. It can be so subtle but you just feel it in your soul. I also adore found family and this series is literally found family.

The Bridgerton Series - Who knew I'd fall into the regency romance genre? But this series has so far been excellent. I am here for great sibling dynamics and for family that truly loves each other. The Bridgertons are amazing. And the actual love story given to each of them has so far not been boring. The side characters are also a delight.

Legendborn - Secret societies? King Arthur? Magic? Weaving in the weight of history and the toll it takes? The book was a little "tell not show" heavy but that didn't detract too much for me. Especially when we got to the last 100 pages; I was on the edge of my seat. The wait for book 2, which just had its title revealed, is going to be rough.

What have been your highs and lows so far this year?

This is an open thread for the Quarter 3 Take It or Leave It challenges.

Quarter 23 runs from July 1st to September 30th.

Feel free to talk about books you used for the challenges or to ask any questions you might have.

Please note, listing books you read here does not count toward the points- all books must be listed under their correct badges in Beanstack.

I hope everyone's July has been going well so far! What books have you read so far this month? What's your current read?

I've managed to finish a couple books so far this month, including A Game of Fate and A Touch of Ruin. I've always loved the Hades and Persephone myth and I'm enjoying this "modern day" retelling. I guess it's been a retelling month because I also finished a Phantom of the Opera retelling, Sing Me Forgotten. It was really good but you may need tissues at the end.

Currently reading Things that Should Stay Buried which I won in a giveaway I didn't know I even entered (but it was a nice surprise) and The Treason of Isengard.

As a reminder, the next quarter challenges are available on Beanstack now. They will be available until the end of September.

We're at 26 weeks which means we're officially at our halfway point of both the year and this challenge. Can you believe 2021 is already halfway done? I certainly can't. This year is flying by much faster than the last. How is everyone doing with the challenge or your reading personal goals? Are you ahead? Behind? Right on schedule?

I'm a bit behind on my personal goals but probably on track for the challenge goals. My reading has been up and down the last two months with May being a great reading month and June not so much. Hopefully I can get caught up!

What is everyone reading this week? I'm working on The Treason of Isengard, Sing Me Forgotten, and A Game of Fate.

Happy reading!

Summer is officially here! Bring on the sun, beach days, and hopefully maybe vacation.

Summer also means the start of Summer Reading here at the library. Here's what you need to know.

Summer Reading will run from June 20 to August 15.

For adults, we are not doing a special program because we already have Book Quest. So keep on carrying on as you have been.

For teens (grades 6-12), their program is called It's Lit and it is through Beanstack (the same software we use for Book Quest). Once they've created an account, they can join the program and begin earning badges for every hour of reading they do. Each badge will give them digital tickets that can be used to enter the prize drawings.

For youth (birth to grade 5), their program is called Tails and Tales and they can pick up a paper log at any Chesapeake branch. They will set their own goals each week. If they reach their goal, they can come in and get a prize out of the treasure chest. If they complete their goals for the entire program, they can turn in their logs to be entered to win a larger prize.

Is the library doing any fun activities? Yes, we are! Family Night will be hosted throughout June and July and will be a family fun evening in the great outdoors. Dates:
- June 24, 6 pm, Russell Memorial
- July 8, 6 pm, Major Hillard
- July 17, 6 pm, Central
- July 31, 6 pm, Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee

In addition, take advantage of our Explore 757 program. This program provides a family membership pass to local, cultural, and educational institutions. Holds cannot be placed on passes. In addition, passes can only be checked out from COIL and circulate for one week. You can call COIL at 757-410-7124 for availability. Please note this is a pilot program and plans are in the works to add more places as

Check out more info on events and activities on our Summer Reading site.

Do you like to reread books?

If so, are there particular books you like to reread?

Despite having a never-ending tbr list, I love rereading books. It's such a feeling of comfort to revisit old friends and favorite stories. I also love that during rereadings, I tend to notice new things I missed before or realize deeper meanings behind events. Because I've grown and changed between each reread, what I get out of the book is also different each time.

If I could, I'd probably go back and reread a decent portion of the books I've read over my lifetime. But that's not possible. So which of those books I end up revisiting is random, based in part on my mood or how nostalgic I'm feeling. It can also be tied to when new books come out in a series and I go reread the older books. However, I do actually reread a set of books every year. Unsurprisingly, The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings are on that list. Additionally, I reread Pride and Prejudice and Crown Duel.

So how do you feel about rereads?

PS. This is one of my favorite questions to ask because the answers are almost always the extremes - either absolutely yes or absolutely no. I'm not sure why it seems to be like that.

Did everyone have a good holiday weekend? Hope the week is going well for you!

What is everyone reading this week?

My holiday weekend was great as I managed to finish two books - The Raven King and Be Dazzled. I'm still partly stuck in The Raven King. Have you ever read a book like that? Where it just seems to seep into your soul and you keep thinking about it? Those are rarer books for me but when I find them, it's hard to shake them lose. Not that I'm complaining!

This week, I'm working on The Return of the Shadow, some manga, and hopefully make some progress on Legendborn.

Tell us your current reads!

Agatha wrote: "Hey everyone! I’m new here but I’m currently reading “The wife upstairs”. I just finished “The Last Flight” and “The Vanishing half” both I HIGHLY recommend!"

Welcome, Agatha! We're so happy to have you! I've heard nothing but great things about "The Vanishing Half;" it's definitely on my tbr.

Suzanne wrote: "Joanna wrote: "What's everyone reading this week? Are you loving it? Liking it? Find it meh?

I'm in the middle of two books right now. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is a contemporary fantasy revolvin..."

Hahaha. Stalk my reading all you want. I always find the best book by seeing what everyone else is reading.

Ann wrote: "I've recently started reading Agatha Christie's Lord Edgware Dies (#9 in the series). I also want to read The Duke and I (the first Bridgerton novel) as well as A Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Pir..."

I love the first book in that series! I'm waiting for book 3 to come out before I read "A Lady's Guide". I think it should be out in September. :D

What's everyone reading this week? Are you loving it? Liking it? Find it meh?

I'm in the middle of two books right now. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is a contemporary fantasy revolving around King Arthur. It's absolutely amazing so far. It's the first book of a series, though, and I already know the cliffhanger is not going to be pleasant.

My second book is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. The Martian is probably one of my favorite science fiction books but I wasn't as big a fan of Weir's second book, Artemis, which I didn't think played to his strengths as a writer. But with Project, he's gone back to his roots (so to speak). Weir knows how to write captivating technobabble and science experiments as well as intriguing characters. I'm 200 pages in and honestly, I just want to sit and finish this book in one go (alas, there is work).

What are you reading?

Happy mid-May, everyone! Hope you all are well and that your week is off to a great start.

Do you take notes or annotate while reading (yes, I know, writing in books, sacrilege!)? What is your process if you do?

I wasn't ever much of a note taker while reading (not counting school, of course). I used to just read without trying to have extraneous thoughts. Over the last couple of years, though, that has changed. Now, I'm a massive note taker while I read. Everything from quotes that stand out to plot questions to gushing over characters, it's all in the note section on my phone.

And I've discovered that this helps me remember plot so much better. For a lot of books, I read and enjoy but down the line, I forget what the book was about or what happened. When I look back at books I took notes for, though, I actually remember plot! The books are no longer hazy recollections. Which is of course very useful when talking about or recommending a book.

Obviously, some books will have more in depth notes (and more notes in general) than others but I've still found it to be a very helpful practice.

What about you? What are your thoughts on note taking or annotating?

Feel free to also tell us what books you're reading this week!

Hello, everyone! It's been a few weeks and I apologize for that. How have you all been doing? What have you been reading? Tell me all about the books you've read over the last three weeks.

I've managed to read a decent number of books over the course of the last few weeks, partly because my family and I drove down to Mississippi to see my brother graduate (it's roughly a 14 hour car trip). I don't always do well with my reading goals in the car because I'm prone to stare out the window and daydream. But this time around I was able to focus and get through a few:

- The Shaping of Middle-Earth: My reread of the History of Middle-Earth continues. This volume always impresses me because it contains some of Tolkien's Old English translations of his work. Yes, Tolkien wrote stories in English, complete with his own invented language, and then translated it into Old English. It's an impressive feat.
- The Only Good Indians: Own voices horror that got rather nail biting at the end.
- Firefly: Life Signs: If I can't have another season, I'll take the books. I'm glad to finally have some answers about Inara, even if I think the book was a bit over the top.
- The Code for Love and Heartbreak: A YA retelling of Emma. I actually really enjoyed this even if not everyone lined up with their Austen counterparts.
- The Lost Apothecary: Historical fiction about a woman who sells poisons to help other women get out of bad situations and the modern woman on a quest to learn both more about the apothecary and to figure out her own life. I enjoy books that give you dual narratives (one set in the past and the other in the present) so this book was right up my alley.
- When a Scot Ties the Knot: My romance kick continues and this book was hilarious.
- Witch Hat Atelier Vol.1/2: This series is utterly adorable. And the art is gorgeous.
- Demon Slayer Vol.21: Note to self, don't read books that will make you cry while in the car. Your parents will get concerned.

Tell us about the books that you've been reading!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I hope this week finds you well and with many great books to read. Let's talk about one of my favorite hobbies - buying books! It's such a wonderful thing, going to a bookstore, wandering around the shelves, discovering possible new reads, and then walking out with a handful of books. And whoever said buying books and reading books are two separate hobbies is entirely correct, lol.

What are your favorite local bookstores to shop at? I admit to being a bit sad because Chesapeake doesn't really have any "local" bookstores. I'm a frequent flyer at our Barnes and Noble, though (I actually reactivated my membership there back in February because of how many books I'd been buying). My roommate and I discovered a wonderful used bookstore out in Virginia Beach - Book Exchange. It's by the Lynnhaven Mall. They sell used books for half-off (they also buy books); the setup is great because they're split by genres and such. I don't go there often, but Prince Books in Norfolk is a lovely little bookstore. It's in Downtown by Waterside and I highly recommend visiting if you're ever there.

If you ever travel to the Peninsula, 2nd & Charles is another nifty bookstore. They sell used books (in addition to dvds, video games, etc.) but they also sell new books. It's not local (it's a chain) but it's a lot of fun to go in.

And of course, there's always the library.

Do you have any favorite local bookstores? Tell us about them. I always need more places to go buy books!