The Next Best Book Club discussion
Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009
My spring challenge update: 5 pts
1. Deeper - Roderick Gordon
2. Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
5. American Savior - Roland Murello
7. Shimmer - Eric Barnes (gave to friend)
10. The Caddie Who Played With Hickory - John Coyne
10 pts
4. Handle With Care - Jodi Picoult (March birthday)
8. The Silent Man - Alex Berenson
15 pts
1. Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan (Aries)
4. Paper Towns - John Green (Florida)
8. Testimony - Anita Shreve (online interviews)
25 pts
5. Unconditional Parenting - Alfie Kohn (parenting/self-help book)
8. Gathering Blue/Messenger - Lois Lowry
9. Traffic - Why We Drive The Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) - Tom Vanderbilt
I reorganized these books a little bit to squeeze the Anita Shreve book in so have a total of 165 points now.
At this point, I imagine that my best case scenario is probably around 250 points. Not too bad.
LEADERBOARD
1. DONNA JO - 575
2. SANDY - 575
***************
WENDY - 570
BJ ROSE - 550
KRISTEN IL - 540
BRIDGIT - 535
LIZZI - 535
RORA - 530
KRISTENR - 525
CAIT - 480
LEORA - 465
SHARON - 455
BEV - 445
BETH MN - 440
ALICE - 440
AMY MA - 435
TINA - 435
ASHLEY ID - 430
KRISTINA GA - 420
SARA TX - 420
ANGELA IL - 410
MEGHAN - 410
JESSICA IL - 395
LOUISE - 395
JOSIE - 385
MAGGIE - 385
RORY - 370
APRIL NY - 365
BONNIE - 365
KRITIKA - 360
LIZ BRKLYN - 360
ANGIE - 345
CYNTHIA (SCM) - 340
EL - 340
NICOLE NC - 340
JILLIAN - 335
PERS - 320
SUSAN - 315
LORI TX - 310
REBECCA J - 310
ELIZABETH NC - 305
SANDIE - 300
CATHEROO - 295
LINDSEY - 285
EVA - 280
JUDITH IA - 280
LYNLEE4 - 280
RHIANNON - 280
MARY BETH - 275
ROSEANN - 275
JOY - 270
LAURA NY - 270
SUZIER - 265
COURTNEY - 255
BECKY - 250
JOANN - 250
MALIADES - 250
RENFREW - 250
FALLON - 245
SERA - 245
KRISTINA UK - 240
JAMIE MN - 230
JENNIFER IN - 230
JON - 230
KATE - 230
STEPH - 230
ALISHA - 225
JEN B - 225
STEPHANIE CA - 225
FIONA (TITCH)- 215
LIZ VEGAS - 210
HAYES - 205
ELIZABETH (ALASKA) - 200
SARA E - 200
WV HEATHER - 200
ASHLEY AL - 190
MANDAY - 190
VICTORIA - 190
CAROL - 185
RALPH - 180
SARAH PA - 175
JOANNA - 165
MARIE - 165
RYAN - 165
JEN MD - 155
JULIE (ID)'S - 155
LACY - 155
POTJY - 155
TRYPHENA - 155
LILY - 150
ROS - 150
CYNDEE - 145
LAUREN - 145
MEGAN - 145
REBECCA - 145
BETH - 140
DAVID - 140
JEANE - 140
KATHRYN - 140
TRACY - 140
KAREN - 135
AMY R - 130
ASHLEY UT - 130
HEATHER KS - 130
JEGKA - 130
JOANIE - 130
ANN FROM SC - 125
JESSICA SC - 125
MADELINE - 125
MELODY - 125
NATALIA - 125
TERRI - 125
CASSIE - 120
SLAYERMEL - 120
KICKI - 115
SUSANNA UK - 115
ABBIE - 110
CATHERINE - 105
LINDA - 105
CYNTHIA - 100
SHANNON - 100
AMANDA - 95
MACKENZIE - 95
JENNY - 90
MEL - 90
SAI - 90
MEREDITH H - 85
JESSICA MI - 80
JULIE TN - 80
RACHEL WA - 80
SAM - 80
VICKI - 80
JAMIE WA - 75
JULIE UK - 75
KIM - 75
RACHEL CA - 75
KELLY MA - 70
SHELLIE - 70
SLAIMI - 70
ALLISON MO - 65
ALYSSA - 60
KELLY - 60
ROBIN - 55
KATIE - 50
5PEASINAPOD - 45
ELIZ - 45
JULIE KS - 40
LDB - 40
LISA CO - 40
LIZ NY - 40
TOBIE - 40
JAMIE 23 - 35
MORGAN - 35
JUDITH NY - 30
DOROTHY - 25
JAIME 26 - 25
KRISTI - 25
MELISSA - 25
LAZARUS - 20
NICOLE CA - 20
CAITLIN - 15
JENNI - 15
GREG - 10
MARY - 10
MICHELLE - 5
SHELBY - 5
Finished the food/color task today. I read Blue Moon and ate blue corn tortilla chips and blueberries. I'm up to 385.5 POINTS
1.
2.
3. Spring Cleaning – Leni: The Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl, Steven Bach
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Spring Animals in title – Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, Christopher Moore
10. April Showers Bring May Flowers – The Enchantment of Lily Dahl: A Novel, Siri Hustvedt
10 POINTS
1. Set in Ireland – Three Bags Full, Leonie Swan
2. Cinco De Mayo -- Set in Mexico, The Falling Woman, Pat Murphey
3. Australian Author – The People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
4.
5.
6. Sun in Title – Mistress of the Sun, Sandra Gulland
7.
8.
9.
10. TNBBC Member 5 star book – Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
15 POINTS
1. SAGITARIUS: The archer – read a book about an athlete or sports. Shanks for Nothing, Rick Reiley
2.
3.
4.
5. Major Literary Prize, 1981 – John Updike, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, Witches of Eastwick
6. Translation – Suite Francaise, Irene Nemirovsky
7. Two books with rhyming titles – Bitten,….Ten Big Ones, Janet Evanovich
8.
9.
10. 3, 4, 5 series or titles – Kim Harrison
A Fistful of Charms
For a Few Demons More
25 POINT
1.
2.Diarist – The World of Louisa May Alcott, William Anderson
3.Jen’s List –
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Book with 12 or more words in the title – The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, Erik Larson
50 Points
1.
Total Points: 385
Tasks Completed: 24.5
Books Read: 29
Total Pages Read: 10,837
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SO I should really should know better by now but I picked up The Color Line last night to read a few pages before going to bed (around 11) and before I knew it...it was 3 am and I was finished all 340 pages of it...lol...not good when I had to be up at 6 to get ready for work. It was a good book though and I just got absorbed in the story - the author lives here in Virginia which is also cool. It's basically a contemporary office romance story with a twist in that it's a inter-racial relationship at the center of the story - it's kinda a long the lines of that movie Something New with Simon Baker & Sanaa Lathan if you've seen that movie and liked it you would like this book. I did it for the Arbor Day task as I plan to put it up on Paperbackswap.com. I'm reading Across The Color Line the sequel for the mother's day task - my mom met the author at a craft fair last year (she was doing book signings) and bought the book for me. So far the format is different but I like it.My TASKS
5 POINTS
2. Epistolary Novel - The Boy Next Door - Meg Cabot
9. “Spring” Animals - Delicate Edible Birds - Lauren Groff
10. April Showers Bring May Flowers - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
10 POINTS
1. St. Patrick’s Day - There's No Place Like Here - Cecelia Ahern
2. Cinco De Mayo - The Wild Girl - Jim Fergus
7. Mother’s Day - Across the Color Line by Lizette Carter (she gave it to me)
8. Memorial and Armed Forces Day - Dear John - Nicholas Sparks
9. TNBBC Top Books - Number 91 (I was born in 1982) - The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
15 POINT TASKS
2. National Poetry Month - The Book of Irish Verse - John Montague
5. Award Winner - The Witches Of Eastwick - John Updike
9. Color/Food - One Thousand White Women: The Journals Of May Dodd - Jim Fergus (not sure what I'm making yet)
25 POINT TASKS
2. EL'S TASK - Eden's Outcasts: the story of Louisa May Alcott and her Father by John Matteson
4. ROS' TASK - Katherine by Anya Seton
6. JON'S TASK - Eleanor of Aquitaine: a life by Alison Weir
7. DARLA'S TASK - Persuasion by Jane Austen as mentioned in The Lake House
9. SARA'S TASK - Old Friends and New Fancies: An Imaginary Sequel to the Novels of Jane Austen by Sybil G. Briton
50 POINTER
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I finished 10.10 (5 stars from a fellow TNNBC'er) with Ian Fleming's You Only Live Twice - enjoyable for the setting, but Bond seems so lobotomized that it's weirdly un-Bond-like. Still, I love a good spy yarn.Current Total: 395
Super-Revised Goal: 500
5.9 type of BirdThe Harsh Cry of the Heron by Liam Hearn
I loved the whole series
5 points
Total points 555
2 to go !!!!
Just finished Storm Front by Jim Butcher for 5.10. I stumbled across it fairly randomly, as it's among the downloadable audio my library has, but I really enjoyed it.Total points: 340
15.5 Prize winner Russell Bertram 1950 nobel prizeMysticism and Logic by Bertram Russell
UUUGGGHHH
15 points
Total 270
1 book to go
25 POINT TASKS5. BONNIE’S TASK - Read a book outside your normal genre(s).
French Milk by Lucy Knisley
This was my first graphic novel, and I actually really enjoyed it. But now I really want to go to Paris...
New Point Total: 225 (my goal for this challenge!)
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15.7 Rhyming - Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See + Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway25.4 Big Read - Great Gatsby
New Tally
4 x 5 = 20
4 x 15 = 60
2 x 25 = 50
Total 130
I finished The Day After He Left for Iraq A Story of Love, Family, and Reunion for the Memorial/Armed Forces Day Task 10.8. We are gearing up for another deployment and this book really hit home. It's such a comfort to hear someone else give a voice to thoughts and emotions you yourself have had... confirmation, from someone in a similar situation, that you might not be so crazy (or alone) after all. I will read this again.Total points: 480
I finished The Rose of Sebastopol last night for the task with the name of a flower in title, which brings me up to 265 ... I'm on the laptop due to pc problems and can't find my ticker to update :(
I just finished Dead Time by Stephen White and read the interview with him at the following site:http://www.authorstephenwhite.com/Int...
It was very interesting reading about his process of writing and his feelings on the characters. He writes a series of mysteries and so the characters have been around for a long time. I don't read interviews very often, but I might do it more after finishing books.
That puts me at:
305 points
6999 pages read
15 points4. The Kindness of Strangers This book was set in the Dayton, Ohio area and that's where I was for Easter! I stayed up all night to finish this book...it was sad...but well worth it!
New total: 175
For 10-3 I read I am the Messenger by Markus Zusack.Really enjoyed this book. Not at all like the Book Thief, liked the book thief better. He definately has one creative mind.
For 15-9 I read the The Red Hat Club by Haywood Smith
This was a fun quick read especially after some of the books I've been reading. I ate a spinach salad with strawberries and craisins.
So with these points I believe I have 155 points.
Thanks!
Jon's Task: The Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir:There are two parts of the book. The First part gives you a history of all the kings and the second part goes into detail of the war. The first part was really hard for me to keep up since it has so many characters and after awhile you get a headache trying to keep up with which King Henry is she talking about and what are they fighting about and which side. I had to keep going back to remind myself what that particular King did. The book just showed me how much cruelty their was. How they would kill the people and even the deaths of some of the kings were so sad. There was just so much violence, lies and affairs. However, even though it was confusing it was a good book and the author did bring a lot of history and explained why certain events were important and why the fighting was important and their positions.
Books I've read and current one is striked5pts:
1. Fantasy Novel: Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
2. Epistolary Novel: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
4. Automobile task: The Lion,the Witch and the wardrobe- C.S Lewis
5. Easter/Lent: Speak Through the Wind by Allison K. Pittman
6. Women's history month: The Lady and the Cad by Tamela Hancock Murray
7. Arbor Day: Dawn In My Heart by Ruth Axtell Morren
8. April Fools Day: Undead and Unwed by Mary Janice Davidson
9. Spring Animal: The Butterfly Garden by Mary Campisi
10. May flowers: His Winter Rose by Lois Richer
10pts:
1. St. Patrick's Day: Maire by Linda Windsor
2. Cinco de Mayo: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
3. Anzac Day: Faith in the Southland by Mary Hawkins
4. Author born in May: A family to share by Arlene James
5. Magic: The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
6. Earth Day: Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
7. Mother's Day: Killer Cargo by Dana Mentink
8. Memorial/armed Forces Day: Military Daddy by Patricia Davids
9. TNBBC Top Book List: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
10. Date Joined: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
15 pts:
1. Aries: The Greek's Bridal Purchase by Susan Stephens
2. Poetry Month: Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
3.TNBBC Group Read: Stardust by Neil Gaiman
4. Spring Break Location: Bayou Justice by Robin Carrol
5. Literary Prize: Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
6. Translated Book: The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho
7. Rhyming Books: Bridal Veil by Cathy Marie Hake and Long Trail to Love by Pamela Griffin
8. Get to Know Author: Operation: Married by Christmas by Debra Clopton
9. Book with a color in title: Bluegrass Peril by Virginia Smith
10. 3rd,4th, 5th book in series: The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader By C.S. Lewis
25 pts:
1. Karen's Task: Glory Be! by Ron and Janet Benrey and Remembered by Tamera Alexander
2. El's Task: Very Truly Yours, Chalres L. Dodgson, Alias Lewis CArroll by Lisa Bassett
3. Angela's Task: The Undomesitc Goddess and Can You Keep a Sercret by Sophie Kinsella
4. Ros' Task: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
5. Bonnie's Task: Simple Genius by David Baldacci
7. Darla's Task: The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
8. Cassie's Task: Confessions of a Serial Kisser by Wendelin Van Drannen and If We Kiss by Rachel Vail
9. Sara's Task: Mr. Lincoln's High tech war: How the North used the Telegraph, Railroads, Surveillance Balloons, Iron-Clads, High Powered weapons, and more by Thomas B. Allen and Roger Macbride Allen
50pt task: Reckless by Shannon Drake and Ghost Walk by Heather Graham
Total Points:
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I'm finally finished with the challenge. Now I can relax until the Summer Challenge. I really tried to finish the Fall challenge but that never happened but this time I was more organized and it paid off. Yeah!! I can relax but I don't think I'll relax by reading a book I'm so exhausted.
Congrats Sandy! Reminds me that I need to read my last two books! :)
Nicole NC wrote: "Just finished Storm Front by Jim Butcher for 5.10. I stumbled across it fairly randomly, as it's among the downloadable audio my library has, but I really enjoyed it.Total points: 340"
I am waiting impatiently for number 2 of this series. My husband and a co-worker swear by the whole series. I think there are 11 of them now.
Congrats Sandy!Which is your favorite book that you read for this challenge?
Jessica wrote: "I've now finished 15.5 (prize winner in birth year) with The Cider House Rules - John Irving won the National Book Award in 1980 for The World According to Garp. I also com..."I read Catcher in the Rye which is referenced in Conspiracy Theory.
El wrote: "Congrats Sandy!Which is your favorite book that you read for this challenge?"
Wow El, That is a hard question because their were books I really didn't care to read but I found out I enjoyed them. However, I think my favorite book to read was Anne of Green Gables but my favorite Literary Character was Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird.
That's why I enjoy this book challenge because it makes you read books that you would have never read before. I know a lot of books that I read for this challenge I wouldn't have read them. I discovered new authors that I would read books from them again.
5.10 Thunder and Lightning (Autobiography of Phil Esposito) by Peter Golenbock ( my brother)5 points
Total 575 DONE!!!!!
Yay sandy and wendy!!
and your brother too!
and your brother too!
Final Accounting5.1 Sci-Fi Salmon of Doubt by Adams
5.2 Epistolary Novel Guernsey Literary
5.3 Spring Cleaning Team of Rivals by Goodwin
5.4 Book in a Car Echo Park by Child
5.5 Book about sacrifice Persuader by Child
5.6 WomensHistGirl in Title Girl Who Married a Lion by McCall Smith
5.7 Audiobook Monkey’s Raincoat by Crais
5.8 Humor Fool by Moore
5.9 Spring Animals The Harsh Cry of the Heron by Liam Hearn
5.10 April Showers Thunder and Lightning by Peter Golenbock
50
10.1 Irish author Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Clarke
10.2 Mexican authorGonzalez /Daughter Trucking Co by Maria Amparo Escandon
10.3 Australian Author The Potato Factory by Bryce Courtenay
10.4 Born in April Mostly Harmless by Adams
10.5 Magic Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold by Terry Brooks
10.6 Earth Day The Land by Taylor
10.7 Mother’s Day Outliers by Gladwell
10.8 Memorial Day Broken Prey by Sandford
10.9 Top Books Water for Elephants by Gruen
10.10 Members Emma by Jane Austen
100
15.1 Virgin Absolutely True Story of a Part Time Indian by Sherman
15.2 Poetry Hate That Cat by Creech
15.3 Group Read Neverwhere by Gaiman
15.4 Place to Visit (CT)The Associate by Grisham
15.5 Prize Winner Mysticism and Logic by Bertram Russell 1950- Nobel
15.6 Translation Span/Eng Shadow of the Wind by Zafon
15.7 Rhymes The Hard WAY by Child; Night and DAY by Parker
15.8 Interview True Detectives by Kellerman
15.9 Color (Mashed Pot/ M-mallow) The Devil in the White City by Larsen
15.10 3/4/5 (Lee Childs) Tripwire3rd/Running Blind4th/Echo Burning5th
150
25.1 G/R Gathering Blue by Lowry; Rip Van Winkle by Irving
25.2 Diarist Very Truly Yours by Tesla
25.3 2 on Sandie’s shelves Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury, Book Thief by Zusak
25.4 Big Reads Love in the Time of Cholera (51. 1950) Garcia Marquez
25.5 Outside genre Surrender Tree by Engle
25.6 Royalty 400 pages Monarch by Lacey
25.7 Movie (Jane Austen Book Club) Persuasion by Austen
25.8 Two YA’s Brisingr by Paolini; Maximum Ride Book 3 by J. Patterson
25.9 12 word title 39 Years … There by Tom Davis
50.1 Name/ Alias Sanctuary by Jenny Carroll; Haunted by Meggin Cabot
275
Total 575
Nicole NC wrote: "Just finished Storm Front by Jim Butcher for 5.10. I stumbled across it fairly randomly, as it's among the downloadable audio my library has, but I really enjoyed it.Total points: 340"
I like Harry Dresden - he is a fun character. Was disappointed when SCIFI channel canceled the show
Hayes wrote: "Yay sandy and wendy!!and your brother too!"
I am really excited as my brother is coming from Florida to visit tomorrow!!
Congrats to those who have finished! I don't know how you managed it, but good for you. No points for this one yet, but I finished the first half of 25.1 with The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Interesting story, but I enjoyed Coraline more.
Sandy wrote: "I'm finally finished with the challenge. Now I can relax until the Summer Challenge. I really tried to finish the Fall challenge but that never happened but this time I was more organized and it paid off. Yeah!! I can relax but I don't think I'll relax by reading a book I'm so exhausted."I don't blame you for not wanting to read. IF I finish, I'm going to go on a movie marathon!
Congratulations to Sandy and Wendy! Yay!
Melody wrote: "Read a book with a color in the title AND eat a meal that includes at least 2 foods that are that color for 15 pts.I read Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell (my first Scarpetta novel) and ate blac..."
What a surprise for that task! What did you think of the book? Will it make you read other cornwell's?
Amy R wrote: "Tonight I finished No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency for 25.5. It was outside of my normal reading because it was a mystery and a series. I thought this was a great book. I really love the character..."Amy, I hope you will read others of him. they are such a light but wonderful stories.
Sara TX wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I'm finally finished with the challenge. Now I can relax until the Summer Challenge. I really tried to finish the Fall challenge but that never happened but this time I was more organ..."Ha ha Sara it's funny that you mention having a movie marathon because that's what I've been doing. After seeing Wolverine last week I decided I needed to watch the other three X-men so that's what I've rented.
And with that, I've finished another task. I'm kicking it into high gear now, I guess.Task 25.8 - 2 Young Adult Books:
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale (4/28/09) was REALLY cute. I think I liked The Goose Girl better, but I loved this one, too. It was partly a coming-of-age story and partly about how incredibly important and freeing an education is your both the educated individual, their family, and their community. Oh, and there's a romance aspect, too... :) I hope that's not saying too much about the book.
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak (5/7/09), which I just finished about 2 hours ago (audiobook)... I REALLY, REALLY liked it. I think it's so interesting how poignantly the author points out how you might be friends with a person, see them all the time, etc... but do you REALLY know them? REALLY? It was just so clever and totally different from anything I'd ever read before. Plus, I LOVED the narrator's Aussie accent! ;)
RANDOM INFORMATION: These two books are ACTUALLY my 15th and 20th YA/Juvie books to read for this challenge, respectively... :)
CURRENT STATS
Tasks Completed: 30/40
Books Read: 37/47
Pages Read: 10,022
Points Earned: 445
I'm a little worried about finishing the challenge.... I have 10 books left, and 9 of them shouldn't be a problem (6 YAs, Like Water for Chocolate, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society); BUT the 10th is JON'S.... 500 pages of Elizabethan history! :P I just got a copy in the mail (I ran out of time with the interlibrary loan)... If I read about 25 pages a day, I should finish in time... I'm not worried about the subject... just the volume and how long it will likely take me to read it. Plus, I'm completely out of audiobooks available for the challenge (I listened to 11), so I won't really be able to multitask like I have thus far...
I'm so impressed by all you speed readers! I've been reading at double my usual speed (and I've finally gotten the hang of audiobooks!), but the only way I think I could actually finish the challenge is if I either lost my job or sustained some kind of athletic injury that would keep me away from the gym. And I'd really rather that neither of those things happen!Congrats Sandy and Wendy!
Congrats Wendy and Sandy!! So that is three 25 point challenges for the summer so far...ladies put yer thinking caps on :)
I too am worried about finishing the challenge. I have all of the books at my disposal with the expection of one and if I cannot get it in time, I will just choose another book.
Just finished Task 5.2 by reading 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene HanffNew total: 340
Congrats to you both!! was there a book you expected to dislike, but pleasantly surprised you? and vice versa?
Over the weekend, on my flight down and back from Seattle to LA, I read Me Vs Me by Sarah Mlynowski for 5 point task #4. It was cute enough, and it had a generally satisfying ending. I feel sort of "meh" about it, though. I doubt I would ever re-read it.My point total is now 85.
Bridgit wrote: "Congrats to you both!! was there a book you expected to dislike, but pleasantly surprised you? and vice versa? "Definitely there were books that I wouldn't have chosen but after reading them I enjoyed it. That's why I like this challenge because it's made me expand my genre in books. As far as which book did I expect to dislike but enjoyed was The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie and the book I chose for El's task which was Very Truly Yours, Charles L. Dodgson, alias Lewis Carroll by Lisa Bassett. I actually enjoyed those books. As far as the one I was looking forward to but was a let down was Speak Through the Wind by Allison Pittman. I read the first book in the series and really loved it but this book wasn't as great.
I completed 5-point task 5. I read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. Fantastic book.This brings me to 370 points!
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Sara - I'm sure you're really going to enjoy Guernsey, and it's such a fast read that it should make up for the time it will take to get through your monarchy book.
Bridgit wrote: "Congrats to you both!! was there a book you expected to dislike, but pleasantly surprised you? and vice versa? "I didn't think I'd like guernsey literary epistolary, but I did.
I expected to hate the Tesla epistolary and I did hate it.
I also didn't like the Bertram Russell essays- nobel prize.
I loved Shadow of the Wind, as well as all of the 5 and 10 point books I read!!!
Jamie wrote: "Sara - I'm sure you're really going to enjoy Guernsey, and it's such a fast read that it should make up for the time it will take to get through your monarchy book."It was a slow start but was truly excellent after that.
LEADERBOARD
1. DONNA JO - 575
2. SANDY - 575
3. WENDY - 575
***************
BJ ROSE - 550
BRIDGIT - 545
KRISTEN IL - 540
LIZZI - 535
RORA - 530
KRISTENR - 525
CAIT - 490
LEORA - 465
SHARON - 455
ALICE - 450
SARA TX - 450
BEV - 445
BETH MN - 440
AMY MA - 435
TINA - 435
ASHLEY ID - 430
KRISTINA GA - 420
ANGELA IL - 410
MEGHAN - 410
JESSICA IL - 395
LOUISE - 395
APRIL NY - 385
JOSIE - 385
MAGGIE - 385
LIZ BRKLYN - 370
RORY - 370
BONNIE - 365
KRITIKA - 360
CYNTHIA (SCM) - 350
EL - 350
ANGIE - 345
PERS - 345
JILLIAN - 340
NICOLE NC - 340
LORI TX - 320
SUSAN - 315
SUZIER - 315
REBECCA J - 310
ELIZABETH NC - 305
SANDIE - 300
CATHEROO - 295
LINDSEY - 285
EVA - 280
JUDITH IA - 280
LYNLEE4 - 280
RHIANNON - 280
MARY BETH - 275
ROSEANN - 275
JOY - 270
LAURA NY - 270
COURTNEY - 255
BECKY - 250
JOANN - 250
MALIADES - 250
RENFREW - 250
FALLON - 245
JAMIE MN - 245
JON - 245
SERA - 245
STEPH - 245
KRISTINA UK - 240
JENNIFER IN - 230
KATE - 230
ALISHA - 225
JEN B - 225
STEPHANIE CA - 225
FIONA (TITCH)- 215
LIZ VEGAS - 210
HAYES - 205
ELIZABETH (ALASKA) - 200
SARA E - 200
WV HEATHER - 200
ASHLEY AL - 190
MANDAY - 190
VICTORIA - 190
CAROL - 185
RALPH - 180
SARAH PA - 175
JOANNA - 165
MARIE - 165
RYAN - 165
JEN MD - 155
JULIE (ID)'S - 155
LACY - 155
POTJY - 155
TRYPHENA - 155
LILY - 150
ROS - 150
AMY R - 145
CYNDEE - 145
LAUREN - 145
MEGAN - 145
REBECCA - 145
BETH - 140
DAVID - 140
JEANE - 140
KATHRYN - 140
TRACY - 140
KAREN - 135
ASHLEY UT - 130
HEATHER KS - 130
JEGKA - 130
JOANIE - 130
ANN FROM SC - 125
JESSICA SC - 125
MADELINE - 125
MELODY - 125
NATALIA - 125
TERRI - 125
CASSIE - 120
SLAYERMEL - 120
KICKI - 115
SUSANNA UK - 115
ABBIE - 110
CATHERINE - 105
LINDA - 105
CYNTHIA - 100
SHANNON - 100
AMANDA - 95
MACKENZIE - 95
JENNY - 90
MEL - 90
SAI - 90
MEREDITH H - 85
RACHEL WA - 85
JESSICA MI - 80
JULIE TN - 80
KELLY MA - 80
KIM UK - 80
SAM - 80
VICKI - 80
JAMIE WA - 75
JULIE UK - 75
KIM US - 75
RACHEL CA - 75
SHELLIE - 70
SLAIMI - 70
ALLISON MO - 65
ALYSSA - 60
KELLY - 60
ROBIN - 55
KATIE - 50
5PEASINAPOD - 45
ELIZ - 45
JULIE KS - 40
LDB - 40
LISA CO - 40
LIZ NY - 40
TOBIE - 40
JAMIE 23 - 35
MORGAN - 35
JUDITH NY - 30
DOROTHY - 25
JAIME 26 - 25
KRISTI - 25
MELISSA - 25
LAZARUS - 20
NICOLE CA - 20
CAITLIN - 15
JENNI - 15
GREG - 10
MARY - 10
MICHELLE - 5
SHELBY - 5
Jamie wrote: "Sara - I'm sure you're really going to enjoy Guernsey, and it's such a fast read that it should make up for the time it will take to get through your monarchy book."Glad to hear it! I'm excited about that one--I wouldn't have put it off so long, but I bought it (40% off coupon at Borders!), and have been trying to get through all my tasks requiring library books before I tackled the others... I really like books written as correspondence, so I'm not too worried about that one!
I finished reading Across The Color Line the sequel for the mother's day task last night - as I said in my last post the format was different than the first book in the series which told the story from only one voice - this second book rotated through speaking from 5 of the different character's voices which was interesting and I liked it even more. I'm reading Delicate Edible Birds And Other Stories by Lauren Groff who wrote The Monster's of Templeton which I read awhile back - I haven't gotten very far into it yet but it's good so far.My TASKS
5 POINTS
2. Epistolary Novel - The Boy Next Door - Meg Cabot
9. “Spring” Animals - Delicate Edible Birds - Lauren Groff
10. April Showers Bring May Flowers - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
10 POINTS
1. St. Patrick’s Day - There's No Place Like Here - Cecelia Ahern
2. Cinco De Mayo - The Wild Girl - Jim Fergus
8. Memorial and Armed Forces Day - Dear John - Nicholas Sparks
9. TNBBC Top Books - Number 91 (I was born in 1982) - The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
15 POINT TASKS
2. National Poetry Month - The Book of Irish Verse - John Montague
5. Award Winner - The Witches Of Eastwick - John Updike
9. Color/Food - One Thousand White Women: The Journals Of May Dodd - Jim Fergus (not sure what I'm making yet)
25 POINT TASKS
2. EL'S TASK - Eden's Outcasts: the story of Louisa May Alcott and her Father by John Matteson
4. ROS' TASK - Katherine by Anya Seton
6. JON'S TASK - Eleanor of Aquitaine: a life by Alison Weir
7. DARLA'S TASK - Persuasion by Jane Austen as mentioned in The Lake House
9. SARA'S TASK - Old Friends and New Fancies: An Imaginary Sequel to the Novels of Jane Austen by Sybil G. Briton
50 POINTER
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I agree, I thought he was amazing! I would switch back and forth between the audio and the physical copy of ..."
I may have to give him a try.