Rebekah’s Comments (group member since Jun 22, 2013)

Rebekah’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Christine wrote: "Ezinwanyi~the Impish Angel wrote: "I got from the library on audio...but I want to watch the movie first.
Have any of you seen it or read it?"

I could not get into ei..."

Been on my to-read list for awhile, I want to read it before I see the movie. It seems like the author is one that people either really love (5 stars!) or hate. Very interesting!

In all fairness, the rules do state that all you have to do is read and post books. I participated in TT2 and really enjoyed it, but I was brand new to challenges & this group at the time. At first I only posted my books and the captain (maybe she was more of a micromanager lol) would post them into the challenges for me if they fit a category. I was not having to plan out what I was reading to get extra points for challenges. I was a little surprised/confused with the Christmas challenge when it seemed we had to figure that out by ourselves, just b/c it was so different from my other group. So maybe some clarifications at to what the expectations are when joining the challenge would be helpful. I liked it that way b/c I felt like I was contributing even in my very minimal way, and I made friends with the ppl in my group who read a lot more than me, but I could still pay attention to their book recs and took them more seriously.

I think a lot of our team really participated and participated a lot! Poor Cassie who had to power through a 1000 page book, Ezi, Christine, etc. I read 2 BRs and 1 BOM that I probably would not have read on my own. (I did happen to be out of town/no internet access when we posted the books for the book-a-thon, so I'm not sure the 2 books I read for that counted & I felt awful but maybe there needs to be more time given for people to back-post?) I liked that you get more points for reading longer books. I liked that the teams tried to encourage discussion this year with the BR, BOM points but I don't think it worked out as they had originally intended.

I do not particularly like the competitive/speed reading nature aspect of this challenge. I read for pleasure and I spend time with my books, highlight, pull out favorite quotes, stop and think, etc. I also tend to read more literature and so was not as interested in the BRs or BOMs and it just takes me more time to read. I am loving The Goldfinch and savoring the characters and don't actually want to rush through it, but will to meet the deadline for the Australia Day challenge.

I honestly don't believe some of the numbers that people post as books they read per year or I think they can't possibly be enjoying it or stopping to process what they read. But if they want to be speed reader, volume readers, then maybe have a challenge for them? I am not one to judge what gives someone else pleasure :)

I think after the first week when it came through that so many teams had planned in advance how to get the most points and there was no way to catch up and the challenge would be over very quickly anyway, a lot of new people probably gave up or didn't care. I also didn't like there were so many "requests" to be on teams with certain people, I felt it was cliquish and not inclusive. It honestly felt like the game was a little rigged this time with the huge numbers some teams posted the first week. Maybe we need to have only books STARTED at the start date count?

I do think it would be interesting to have maybe a pro or book volume challenge versus an amateur or book discussion challenge. I do read more in these challenges but my goal in life is still two books/month. I am a professor, there is limited time and brain space for pleasure reading. It would be fun to have discussion topics within the teams or things that challenge you, read a 5-rated book from someone in your group, say what your favorite book was in the challenge, read a Pulitzer Prize winning book, read a classic, read a new genre/author, etc. I read a couple of good books b/c of the BOMs and BRs but I honestly had no idea what you guys were reading or liking this round, which was different from the last team I was in.

Anyway, I guess I do the challenge to 1) help have accountability to stay on track/increase my reading rate 2) make friends with similar book interests 3) learn about new good books that I might want to read in the future

And I think the Tower Teams is pretty good at that and I wish the competition was removed. It might help us also to put us in teams based on GENRE we prefer to read.

I am gonna be participating. I am finishing The Goldfinch. It is a long one so I am sure I can find a word! I will finish it by the 31st.

Good to know! Good luck everyone!

Anyone else participating in the National Read-A-Thon?

I am hoping to get 4 hours in today!

Ezinwanyi~the Impish Angel wrote: "Sherri wrote: "I'm reading and it looks like it has birds in the background and there is a gold sword.

Since birds has been claimed maybe it will work for gold."

..."

Yes, that's why I think we should switch and Sherri can go for "birds" and I will go for "gold" in the title "Goldfinch"

Christine wrote: " - does this cover count for "desert"?"

I think so! Especially since it is also in the book description! "There is something epic--and almost mythic--about this sparsely beautiful novel by Willa Cather, although the story it tells is that of a single human life, lived simply in the silence of the desert"

Sherri wrote: "I'm reading and it looks like it has birds in the background and there is a gold sword.

Since birds has been claimed maybe it will work for gold."

Ha!! I didn't even see "gold" as a word choice even though it is right under birds! I can use "gold" for "The Goldfinch" title since it's definitely in the title if you want to use the birds. I definitely see birds in the background on yours.

Reading - has a bird on the cover

The book originally reminded me of The Count of Monte Cristo. Any other French authors? I think that the first part was interesting but then it really started to drag and become tedious, hard to finish.

Hi everyone. I was out of town in Vegas over the MLK Jr weekend so couldn't update. I did finish a book Papillon on friday 1/16 and backdated it to that as the date read. I was wondering if it will count for the Read-A-Thon?

Sorry I have not been reading as much. Today I had my psychology oral examination for my TX licensure. I passed! The I drove back to Dallas from Austin in a cold dreary rain. Have been relaxing and conked out! Will hopefully be making up for lost reading time this week now that stupid test is behind me!

Yes Cassie, no worries. All of our books read during that time count as long as you finish it by the 18th. Way to go by the way!!!

Yes Cassie, no worries. All of our books read during that time count as long as you finish it by the 18th. Way to go by the way!!!

That spreadsheet is AWESOME

I cannot do audio books either! I must have poor auditory attention or something!

Ive got one at 576 pages almost finished

Updated post and read 32 new authors/36 total authors in 2014! https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I am reading this now for the TT3 challenge. I like it so far! The island with the lepers is fascinating. I am younger & had never heard of it, and I did not know about the movie. Is the French "underworld" supposed to be the Italian mafia or some sort of other organized crime? I find his story pretty unbelievable! :)

If any of the books you read were past or current BRs or BOMs you can go back and answer questions and get extra points.

Here is the spreadsheet with all of them!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Sherri wrote: "I see a thread to post the books we've read and the point values. Should I go ahead and do that? https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."

Yes Sherri, it is a good way for you and our captain to keep up with all of our points!