OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009 Showing 6,301-6,350 of 6,381

[Beth F]

Congrats Bonnie!!!

[Joy Marie]

Completed #6 in the 10 point category! YIPEE!!!!
Finished "The Pillars of the Earth" which of course I loved! On to the Summer Challenge!

5 POINTS

#1 Coraline by Neil Gaiman 4/15/09
#3 Angels & Demons by Dan Brown 4/9/09
#4 I listened to this audiobook in my car during the 7 hr drive to and 7 hr drive from the Texas Valley. Andrew Jackson by Robert V. Remini 3/21/09
#7 To the Nines by Janet Evanovich Giving the book to my friend at work. 5/5/09
#8 Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich 3/31/09

10 POINTS

#2 Like Water for Chocolate byLaura Esquivel 3/23/09
#3 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 4/25/09
#4 Seven Up by Janet Evanovich 3/5/09
#6 The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett 5/31/09
#7 My mom's name is Kathleen. Calamity Jayne by Kathleen Bacus 4/2/09
#9 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams #77 off the TNBBC Top Books List (I was born in 1977) 3/26/09

15 POINTS

#2 Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell 4/26/09
#4 Went to the Texas Valley for spring break and also crossed the border into Mexico and visited South Padre Island. Living on the Edge of America At Home on the Texas-Mexico Border by Robert Lee Maril 4/21/09
#6 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 3/6/09

25 POINTS

#1 The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams AND
The Glass Castle A Memoir by Jeannette Walls 4/16/09
#3 From Eva's List (THANKS EVA!) The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve AND The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom 3/20/09
#4 Big Reads List #15 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 5/4/09
#5 Manhunt The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson I NEVER read true crime and don't plan to again any time soon!....3/13/09
#6 Royal Affairs A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures That Rocked the British Monarchy by Leslie Carroll 4/30/09
#7 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini referenced in "The Holiday" 5/14/09
#8 Beauty Shop for Rent . . . fully equipped, inquire within by Laura Bowers and Eva Underground by Dandi Daley Mackall 3/30/09
#9 Eat, Pray, Love One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert 5/20/09

50 POINTS

From a Buick 8 by Stephen King and Blaze A Novel by Richard Bachman 5/13/09



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[Kristina]

I've re-jigged one of my books to make way for another. I have moved Jane Austen's Emma to the Spring Break Challenge as I had a picnic on Box Hill this spring and read a chapter of the book there (in the book Emma Woodhouse & Co have a picnic on Box Hill near Dorking, Surrey) so that's task 15.4

In place of Emma I have just finished Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as task 25.4 which brings my total to 280 points.

I may be able to sneak a finish or two in before the midnight deadline.

[Megan]

Well, this is it for me! Thanks everyone, it was lots of fun!

5 Points
1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
2. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
4. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
5. Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher
6. The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
7. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
8. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
9. Firebirds Rising ed. by Sharyn November

10 Points
4. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
6. The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson
7. The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
9. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
10. Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

15 Points
1. My Antonia by Willa Cather
5. Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling/ Villette by Charlotte Bronte
8. The Know-It-All One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A.J. Jacobs
10. Calling on Dragons (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles Book 3), Talking to Dragons (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles Book 4), and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Year 5)

25 Points
1. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and The Ravenmaster's Secret by Elvira Woodruff
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
5. Myth and Middle-Earth by Leslie Ellen Jones
8. Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray/Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
9. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith


Final Points Total: 325

[Kristina]

one more finish for me - The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamed. With The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson that completes task 25.1 and my points total is now 305

[Angela]

DONE!!! and just in time.

6. JON’S TASK - Read a Non-Fiction book of at least 400 pages relating in some way to the British Monarchy past or present. Write a short Goodreads review and post a copy on the Spring challenge thread.
Diana in Search of Herself by Sally Bedell Smith-5/31
My review:
I have to say that reading about the life of Princess Diana was more interesting then I thought it would be for me. I found that I wanted to learn more after almost the first couple of chapters. There was a lot of background information about Diana's parents and Prince Charles parents. I was surprised to read that she had such a difficult childhood, which carried into her adult life.
Her parents Frances and Johnnie wanted a boy, but Frances gave birth to a girl instead. Diana always felt like she was unwanted because she was a girl. Her parents divorced at a young age, which was very hard for Diana to bear as a child. She was often reluctant to form relationships because she lacked trust for others and felt that people would leave her alone. I was surprised to discover that she suffered from bulimia, anorexia, self-mutilation, suicide attempts, and depression. Diana was never a stable individual according to many friends and people who came into contact with her throughout her life. People worried about what would become of Diana before Prince Charles proposed to her because of what all the media attention their marriage would bring into her life. Her marriage to Prince Charles was not a marriage of love, in fact both had numerous affairs throughout their marriage. She had two sons, William and Henry, which she did not spend a lot of with them because they were off to boarding school. She gave Andrew Morton all of the personal details about her marriage and her life, knowing that he was going to release a book. She denied all claims that she took any part in the information that was contained in the book. Prince Charles and Diana eventually separated. The book leads into Diana's last year of life in 1997.
I have to admit that I put this book off because I was not sure that I would be interested initally, but I discovered that I learned a lot about the Princess of Wales. Oh and I loved the pictures :)

[Angela]

Final list..
5 POINTS
1. Read a Fantasy Novel.
Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer-3/22

2. Read an epistolary novel
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows-4/2

3. Spring Cleaning:
Whose Wedding is it Anyway by Melissa Senate-5/12

4. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Task – Read or listen to a book while you are on a plane, on a train, or in a car
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris-3/9

5. For Easter/Lent…
- Read a Christian Fiction novel
Atonement Child by Francine Rivers-3/9

6. In Honor Of Women’s History Month…
- A novel with one of the following in the title (woman, women, lady, ladies, female, feminine, girl, girls).
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen-3/6

7. For Arbor Day – Do your part to save some trees by…
- By reading a book and “recycling” it - giving it away to someone else like a friend or through an online book swap/trading site or by donating it to a local library or charity.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides-5/28

8. For April Fools Day…
- Read a humorous novel, a book of jokes, OR
- A biography/autobiography/memoir of a comedian.
Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart Ass Phase
by Jen Lancaster-5/29

9. Read a book with one of the following Spring animals in the title…
Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd-5/23

10. April Showers Bring May Flowers…
- Read a book with the name of A TYPE of tree or flower in the title.
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg-5/20

10 POINTS
1. For St. Patrick’s Day – Read a book by an Irish author, set in Ireland, OR about Ireland.
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt-4/1

2. For Cinco De Mayo – Read a book by a Mexican author.
Once a King, Always a King: The Unmaking of a Latin King by Reymundo Sanchez-3/15

3. For ANZAC Day – Read a book by an Australian author, set in Australia, OR about Australia.
I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak-3/13

4. Read a book by an author who was born in March, April, or May.
Before the Storm by Diane Chamberlain-(born 3/18)-4/8

5. March 24 is Harry Houdini’s Birthday – Read a book about magic, a magician etc.
Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray-4/20

6. In honor of Earth Day (April 22) read a book with the word Earth, Moon, Sun or one of the other planets.
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer-3/13

7. In Honor of Mother’s Day…
- Read a book where the author/main character shares the same first name as your mother
The Perfect Family by Pam Lewis-5/17
Mom's name Pam

8. In Honor of Memorial and Armed Forces Day – Read a book about a veteran OR someone serving in the military (fiction or non-fiction).
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell-4/13

9. Read a book from the TNBBC Top Books list…
- The number that corresponds to that book must only contain numbers that can be found in the year you were born
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (#19) (born in 1978)-4/6

10. Members of the TNBBC have great tastes in books -- Read a book that earned a 5-Star rating by another member who is on the same page as you.
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb-5/30 (Eva's page)

15 POINTS
1. It’s Written In the Stars…read a book that corresponds to your astrological sign… (books can be fiction or non-fiction)...
- CANCER: Read a book about a cancer patient, cancer survivor, cancer doctor etc.
Life on the Refrigerator Door: Notes Between a Mother and a Daughter by Alice Kuipers-4/30

2. April is National Poetry Month – Read a book of poetry.
Identical by Ellen Hopkins-3/3

3. Read a past OR present TNBBC group read that you haven’t read before
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield-5/11

4. Read a novel that takes place in a location you plan to visit during this challenge OR have visited previously during spring break
How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillan-3/8 (Went to Jamaica for our honeymoon)

5. Read a book written by an author who won a major literary prize (Nobel, Pulitzer etc.) in the year you were born (it does not have to be the book they won the award for).
Final Payments by Mary Gordon-5/8
(Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize)Born in 1978

6. Read a book that was has been translated from its original language.
The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (translated from German to English)-4/9

7. In honor of both Dr. Seuss’ birthday (March 2) and Mother Goose Day (May 1) find and read two books with rhyming titles.
#1 True Colors by Kristin Hannah-3/26
#2 The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand-4/26

8. Get To Know The Author - Read a book by an author AND read to an interview with that author.
Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult-3/17
www.bookreporter.com

9. Read a book with a color in the title AND eat a meal that includes at least 2 foods that are that color
- I.E. if you read Stephen King’s The Green Mile (you could have a mixed green salad and pasta with pesto sauce; or a kiwi and a bowl of mint ice cream for dessert).
A Bright Red Scream by Marliee Strong-4/27

10. March, April, and May are the 3rd, 4th, and 5th months of the year
- Read 3 books with the numbers 3/4/5- three/four/five in the titles (books do not have to come from the same series in this instance)
Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter-3/20
Four Wives by Wendy Walker-4/30
Five Languages of Love by Gary Chapman-5/17

25 POINT TASKS
1. KAREN’S TASK
- A book which title starts with the letter G AND
- A book which title starts with the letter R.
G:The Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice-4/25
R:The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin-5/25

2. EL’s TASK - Read a Non-Fiction book about OR by a noted diarist from This List who lived prior to the 1900’s.
A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich-5/6

3. ANGELA’S TASK - Look for your first post in the Official Spring Challenge. Once you find it, look at the person below you and go to their profile and pick TWO books to read off of their shelves.
Lucky by Alice Sebold-4/12
Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer-5/15
Person:SuzieR

4. ROS’ TASK - Read a book that’s on the big reads list. http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100...
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden-3/30

5. BONNIE’S TASK - Read a book outside your normal genre.
Encyclopedia of Counseling: Master Review and Tutorial for the National Counselor Examination, State Counseling Exams, and the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination by Howard Rosenthal-4/14

6. JON’S TASK - Read a Non-Fiction book of at least 400 pages relating in some way to the British Monarchy past or present. Write a short Goodreads review and post a copy on the Spring challenge thread.
Diana in Search of Herself by Sally Bedell Smith-5/31

7. CASSIE'S TASK -Read two young adult novels.
Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares-4/13
Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty-4/22

7. DARLA'S TASK - Read a book you've either seen in a movie or heard referenced in a movie.
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger-3/26

9. SARA'S TASK - Read a book that has a title of 12 or more words.
Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc-3/7

SANDY'S 50 POINT MIDWAY TASK
***Read 2 books by an author who writes under two different names.***
Don't Scream by Wendy Corsi Staub-5/2
Mike, Mike & Me by Wendy Markham-5/3

Points: 575/575
Tasks Completed: 40/40

FINISHED!!!!

[SusannaW]

Here's my final set of books - ones I've read in the past few weeks since my last update.

5 Points
6. In Honor Of Women’s History Month: Zola, Ladies' Paradise

10 Points
3. For ANZAC Day: Joan Lindsay, Picnic at Hanging Rock
4. Book by author born in March, April, or May: Balzac, Old Goriot

15 Points
7. Two books with rhyming titles: Paul Auster, City of Glass The New York Trilogy Vol 1 and Emmanuel Carrère Class Trip: A Novel

25 Points
9. title 12+ words: Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Ann Turner Trace Your Roots with DNA: Use Your DNA to Complete Your Family Tree

I think that's 65 points to add to my total.

The Paul Auster was a big disappointment, as I usually love postmodern stuff. I think I might have made a mistake picking that one to read first...???

Picnic at Hanging Rock was also a surprise, but in a good way. I wasn't expecting it to be such a good literary work. Not sure if the mystery of what happened at Hanging Rock is a metaphor for lesbian relationships, or female sexuality in general, but it made for a thought-provoking and subtle read. I would never have read it without the Australian task, so thank you!

[Louise]

Congratulations Angela and everyone else who finished. I am in awe of you all!

And once again, thank you Cynthia for all your hard work, time and help. I can't wait to start the summer challenge! (",)

[Cait]

Congrats Angela!

[Angela]

Thanks!!

I was really getting nervous :)

[Sandie]

Completed 2 more tasks:

For 10.10, I read The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (Julie gave 5 stars) and for Cassie's task I read The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, both also by Philip Pullman.

This takes my final score for the Spring Challenge to 360.

To be honest, I didn't think that I would read more than one book a week as I struggle to find time to read. I only read 21 books in 2008 and yet I have managed to read 27 books in the last three months. I have found the challenge is a great way to focus my reading.

Thanks for organising the challenges, Cynthia. I can't wait to start all over again tomorrow.


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[Abbie]

I finished Confessions of a Closet Catholic and HP 5

5 points
1.
2. Epistolary - The Princess Diaries
3. Spring Cleaning - Dragon of the Red Dawn
4. Planes, Trains,... - Love Stargirl
5.
6. Women's History - Stargirl
7. Arbor Day - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
8. April Fool's Day/Humorous - Zippity Zinger
9. Spring Animals - Junie B. First Grader: Dumb Bunny
10. Rain-Related - Electric Storm

10 points
1. Ireland - Maggie's Door
2. Mexico - Esperanza Rising
3. Australia - I am the Messenger
4. Author Birthday - The Tiger Rising Kate DiCamillo - March 25
5. Book about Magic - The Tales of Beedle the Bard
6. Earth Day - Walk Two Moons
7. Mother's Day - Northanger Abbey
8. Military - Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima
9. TNBBC Top Book List - I Capture the Castle
10. TNBBC Member's 5 Star - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

15 points
1. Leo (Royalty) - Fairest
2. Poetry - A Light in the Attic
3. TNBBC Group Read - Stardust
4. Spring Break - The Kingdom Keepers
5. Award Winner - From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler
6. Translated -Pippi Longstocking
7. Rhyming Books - Blizzard of the BLUE Moon & The TWO Princesses of Bamarre
8. Get to Know Author - Princess Academy
9. Color Book/Food - Where the Red Fern Grows
10. 3, 4, and 5 Books - Reach for the Stars, Have Wheels Will Travel, & Look Before You Leap - Amazing Days of Abby Hayes

25 points
1. G & R - The Goose Girl and River Secrets
2. Diarist - The World of Louisa May Alcott
3. Person below post - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets & Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban (Susanna)
4. Big Read - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
5. Other genre - Woodsong (non-fiction)
6. 400 page British Monarchy - Horrible Histories?
7. Book from Movie - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from Inkheart
8. 12+ word title - Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot: Being the Correspondence of Two Young Ladies of Quality Regarding Various Magical Scandals in London and the Country
9. 2 YA novels - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Confessions of a Closet Catholic

New Total: 135

Abbie

[Bonnie]

Thanks everyone! And good luck in the last few hours of the challenge!

[Terri]

Task 25.5

Had a hard tiem picking a book to read for this one because I pretty much read and enjoy all genres. LOL So I picked a book that no one ever can pen down to a specific genre - Holcaust, humor, relaitonships etc...

Everything Is Illuminated by Johnathan Safran Foer.

And I agree, you cant pin it down, But that said, I didnt like it at all either.

Total pts. 200

[Beth F]

Congrats Angela!!!!

[Amy]

Well done, Angela !!!

[Nicole]

well done to all of you! I cannot wait to start the Summer Challenge! I have never been this excited for a Monday!

[April]

I finished five point task 10. I read The Silver On The Tree by Susan Cooper. This brings me to 575 points aka I completed the challenge. Cynthia said this book was acceptable on page 86.


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[Cait]

Alright April, congratulations!

[April]

5 POINTS
1. Greenwitch by Susan Cooper - done
2. Amazing and Death Defying Diary of Eugene Dingman
by Paul Zindel -done
3. 1984 by George Orwell - done
4. Living Dead In Dallas by Charlaine Harris - done
5. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant - done
6. Smart Women by Judy Blume -done
7. She's Not There: A Life In Two Genders by Jennifer Finney Boylan - done
8. Dirty Jokes and Beer by Drew Carey - done
9. The Lioness Tamer by Rebecca Brandewyne - done
10. The Silver On The Tree by Susan Cooper - done

10 POINTS
1. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern - done
2. The Ruins by Scott Smith - done
3. Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally -done
4. Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper- done
5. The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper -done
6. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin - done
7. North and South - John Jakes - done
8. Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien - done
9. 1987 - I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith - done
10. The Nanny Diaries by Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus -done

15 POINTS
1. Mercy by Jodi Piccoult - done
2. You Remind Me Of You - Eireann Corrigan -done
3. Love In The Time of Cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez- done
4. The Yearling by Majorie Rawlings - done
5. 1987 - Sid Fleshiman - The Whipping Boy - Newbury Medal -done
6. Beowulf - done
7. Water For Elephants/Daughter of Fortune - done
8. Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris -done
9. The Grey King by Susan Cooper - done
10. Anne of The Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, and Anne's House of Dreams by Lucy Maud Montgomery - done

25 Points
1. The God Of Small Things by Arundi Roy and Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae - done
2. Walden by Henry David Thoreau - done
3. Melody is below me and I am reading from Melody's bookshelves: Eat Pray Love as well as Memoirs of a Geisha - done
4. Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy - done
5. Watchmen by Alan Moore - done
6. Sex With The Queen by Eleanor Herman/Sex With Kings by Eleanor Herman - done
7. Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank - done
8. Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray - done
9. Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me? by Jen Lancaster -done

50 Points
1. Thinness/ Richard Bachman - Dolores Claiborne /Stephen King - done

[Angela]

Congrats April!!!

[Ashley]

Great job April!

How did you like Susan Cooper's books? I am reading them for the Summer challenge. They have been on my TBR forever. What did you think?

[April]

Ashley, I thought the first one Over Sea, Under Stone was pretty boring. However, I loved all the rest, once magic and the whole battle between Light and Dark became clarified. I'm kind of sad it's over, I feel like I have shut the book on old friends.

[Nicole]

Congrats, April! Can't wait to see your task!!

[Ashley]

That's good to know April! I am looking forward to reading them. I know a lot of people who really liked them. Glad to hear you enjoyed them, and I hope that I do too!!
Thanks!

[Bonnie]

April wrote: "Ashley, I thought the first one Over Sea, Under Stone was pretty boring. However, I loved all the rest, once magic and the whole battle between Light and Dark became clarified. I'm kind of sad it's..."

Congrats April! And I agree...the first one was by far my least favorite. In fact, I didn't truly love the series until Bran was introduced in Bk 4 The Grey King. He was by far my favorite character in the series. I read the series as a tween, though, don't know if I'd like it as much now.

[Susan]

Wow-I am amazed at the number of people able to finish this challenge! Congrats to the winners and the participants-see you on the summer board!

[Beth F]

WTG April!!!

[April]

Thanks Beth!! And thanks to everyone else for the kind words of congratulations!
Now, someone else hurry and finish. I live in EST time-zone, you have 3 hrs and 15 minutes, go go go!

[Ashley]

Thanks Bonnie! Good to know. I will remember this if I get bogged down in the first book!

[Roseann]

Well I managed to read through the night (mostly) and finished three more books.

5.5--Angela, Benson--ABIDING HOPE
Not what I would normally read, but ok for its genre.

5.10--Grahame, Kenneth--THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
I read this many years ago and it still holds up as a charming, lesson story.

10.3--Cleary, Jon--DILEMMA
I really like this one, I liked the way it was set up and found it bold to give away one of the killers at the very beginning, but being able to hold the reader's interest in finding out how he would find justice.

This brings my final total to 510 point, pretty good for a mewbie. I just wish I had found this group a week earlier and I would have been able to add even more tasks to the Summer Challenge ;-).

I'll post my final list after this one and then rest my eyes for a few hours before embarking on the next adventure!

Congratulations to everyone who finished and a VERY BIG THANK YOU to Cynthia for all of her time and effort!

[Roseann]

ROSEANN'S FINAL OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE LIST 2009

5 POINTS:

1. Willis, Connie--FIRE WATCH--COMPLETED!!--

2. Elinore Pruitt Stewart--LETTERS OF A WOMAN HOMESTEADER--
COMPLETED!!--

3. Clement, Blaize--CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT SITTER--COMPLETED!

4. Willis, Connie--BELLWETHER--COMPLETED!!--

5. Boesharr, Andrea: AUTUMN CRESCENDO: 4 NOVELLAS CELEBRATING
THE CHANGING SEASONS OF LIFE

6. Tedlock, Barbara--THE WOMAN IN THE SHAMAN‘S BODY-COMPLETED-

7. H POTTER & GOBLET OF FIRE--read by Jim Dale--COMPLETED!!--

8. Ash, Russell & Lake, Brian--FROG RAISING FOR PROFIT & OTHER
BIZARRE BOOKS--COMPLETED!!--

9. NORMAN, HOWARD--THE BIRD ARTIST--COMPLETED!!--

10. Larson, Eric--THUNDERSTRUCK

10 POINTS

1. O’BRIEN & MAHER--IN SUNSHINE OR IN SHADOW--COMPLETED!!--

2. LIMON, GRACIELA--SONG OF THE HUMMINGBIRD--COMPLETED!!--

3. Kanze, Edward--KANGAROO DREAMING

4. Grafton, Sue--D IS FOR DEADBEAT--COMPLETED!!--

5. Wallace, Daniel--MR. SEBASTIAN & THE NEGRO MAGICIAN-COMPLETE!

6. Smith, L Neil--THE VENUS BELT--COMPLETED!!--

7. Hellman, Lillian--AN UNFINISHED WOMAN--COMPLETED!!--

8.. Kay, Terry--THE VALLEY OF LIGHT--COMPLETED!!--

9. Plath, Sylvia--THE BELL JAR #9 from 1962--COMPLETED!--

10. Kinsella, Sophie--THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESS--COMPLETED!!--

15 POINTS

1. Fell, Derrick--VAN GOGH’S WOMEN--COMPLETED!!--

2. Moore, Christopher--A DIRTY JOB--COMPLETED!!--

3. Kirk, Connie Ann--EMILY DICKENSON:A BIOGRAPHY--COMPLETED!--

4. Smith, Dennis--SAN FRANCISCO IS BURNING--COMPLETED!!--

5. Steinbeck, John--CANERY ROW--Won Nobel in 1962 for Grapes
of Wrath--COMPLETED!!--

6. Lem, Stanislaw--SOLARIS (Trans from French)--COMPLETED!!--

7. Koontz, Dean-YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME & Kingsolver-THE BEAN
TREES

8. TBD

9. Gayford, Martin--THE YELLOW HOUSE--COMPLETED!--Ate a cheese
omelette with a slice of lemon merangue pie, yummy!!

10. Davidson, Mary Janice--UNDEAD & UNAPPRECIATED, UNDEAD &
UNRETURNABLE UNDEAD & UNPOPULAR--COMPLETED!!--

25 POINTS

1. Hudson, W.H.--GREEN MANSIONS & Ishiguro, Kazuo--REMAINS
OF THE DAY--COMPLETED!!--

2. Chesnut, Mary--A DIARY FROM DIXIE--COMPLETED!!--

3. Fowler, Karen Joy--THE JANE AUSTIN BOOK CLUB & Reichs, Kathy- -TBD--FIONA’S READS--COMPLETED!!--

4. DAHL, ROALD--CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY--COMPLETED!!--
5. BRAND, MAX--THE BLACK RIDER--COMPLETED!!--

6. Dunn, Jane--ELIZABETH & MARY-COUSINS, RIVALS, QUEENS

7. Miller, Henry--TROPIC OF CANCER--COMPLETED!!--

8. CABOT, MEG-ENTER THREE WITCHES & COONEY, CAROLINE-PRINCESS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT by Meg Cabot--COMPLETED!!!--

9. ABOTT, KAREN--SIN IN THE SECOND CITY: MADAMS, MINISTERS,
PLAYBOYS, AND THE BATTLE FOR AMERICA’S SOUL--COMPLETED!!--

[Cynthia]

LEADERBOARD
1. DONNA JO - 575
2. SANDY - 575
3. WENDY - 575
4. BJ ROSE - 575
5. KRISTEN IL - 575
6. BRIDGIT - 575
7. KRISTENR - 575
8. LEORA - 575
9. LIZZI - 575
10. RORA - 575
11. JESSICA IL - 575
12. ASHLEY ID - 575
13. CAIT - 575
14. AMY MA - 575
15. BETH MN - 575
16. SHARON - 575
17. BONNIE - 575
18. ANGELA IL - 575
19. APRIL NY - 575
20. KRISTINA GA - 575
***************
TINA - 525
ALICE - 515
ROSEANN - 510
SARA TX - 505
BEV - 500
MAGGIE - 500
LIZ BRKLYN - 480
EL - 475
SARA E - 475
ELIZABETH NC - 455
LOUISE - 450
JOSIE - 430
MEGHAN - 430
JAMIE MN - 415
NICOLE NC - 415
CYNTHIA (SCM) - 410
JUDITH IA - 410
JILLIAN - 400
KRITIKA - 400
SUSAN - 395
PERS - 390
REBECCA J - 385
RHIANNON - 385
JEN B - 380
JOY - 380
LORI TX - 375
ANGIE TX - 370
JON - 370
RORY - 370
SUZIER - 365
SANDIE - 360
MARY BETH - 350
REBECCA - 340
RACHEL WA - 335
STEPH - 335
LINDSEY - 325
MEGAN - 325
WV HEATHER - 325
LYNLEE4 - 320
JENNIFER IN - 310
KRISTINA UK - 305
BECKY - 300
STEPHANIE CA - 300
CATHEROO - 295
SARAH PA - 295
DAVID - 290
JAYME - 285
NATALIA - 285
EVA - 280
FALLON - 280
JEANE - 280
ALISHA - 275
AMY R - 275
BETH - 270
LAURA NY - 270
JULIE (ID)'S - 265
HAYES - 260
KATE - 260
SERA - 260
COURTNEY - 255
JOANN - 250
MALIADES - 250
RENFREW - 250
RYAN - 250
MANDAY - 245
CAROL - 230
LACY - 220
FIONA (TITCH)- 215
TERRI - 215
LIZ VEGAS - 210
ELIZABETH (ALASKA) - 200
KATHRYN - 200
TRACY - 200
VICTORIA - 200
JESSICA SC - 195
ASHLEY AL - 190
ASHLEY UT - 180
POTJY - 180
RALPH - 180
SHELLIE - 180
SUSANNA UK - 180
SAM - 175
MARIE - 170
JOANNA - 165
SLAYERMEL - 165
JOANIE - 160
MADELINE - 160
JEN MD - 155
TRYPHENA - 155
LILY - 150
MELODY - 150
ROS - 150
CYNDEE - 145
LAUREN - 145
MACKENZIE - 145
SHANNON - 145
ABBIE - 135
HEATHER KS - 135
JAMIE WA - 135
JULIE TN - 135
KAREN - 135
JEGKA - 130
KIM UK - 130
ANN FROM SC - 125
CASSIE - 120
JESSICA MI - 120
CYNTHIA - 115
KICKI - 115
ANGIE CA - 110
CATHERINE - 105
JENNY - 105
LDB - 105
LINDA - 105
ALLISON MO - 100
RACHEL CA - 100
AMANDA - 95
JAMIE 23 - 95
KELLY MA - 95
MEL - 95
KIM US - 90
SAI - 90
MEREDITH H - 85
ELIZABETH US - 80
LISA JULIANNA - 80
VICKI - 80
ALYSSA - 75
JULIE UK - 75
SLAIMI - 70
NICOLE CA - 65
KELLY VA - 60
MORGAN - 55
ROBIN - 55
KATIE - 50
5PEASINAPOD - 45
ELIZ - 45
JULIE KS - 40
LIZ NY - 40
TOBIE - 40
JUDITH NY - 30
DOROTHY - 25
JAIME 26 - 25
KRISTI - 25
MARY - 25
MELISSA - 25
LAZARUS - 20
CAITLIN - 15
JENNI - 15
GREG - 10
MICHELLE - 5
SHELBY - 5

[Jamie]

I finished another book today for 25.1 (River Secrets) and I finished Graceling for the same task a couple of weeks ago. I also moved The Bell Jar to task 25.7.

5 points
1. Fantasy - Enna Burning 5/24
2. Epistolary - Ella Minnow Pea 3/27
5. Lent/Sacrifice - The Giving Tree 5/5
7. Arbor Day - Grimm's Fairy Stories - http://ia331311.us.archive.org/2/item... 5/29
8. Humorous - Notes from a Small Island 4/30
9. Spring Animal - The Goose Girl 5/14
10. Rain-Related - The Lightning Thief 4/9

10 points
1. Ireland - The Poor Mouth 3/14
4. Author Birthday - Daisy Miller 3/3 (April 15, 1843)
5. Magic - The Sea of Monsters 4/11
6. Earth Day - Stargirl 4/4
10. TNBBC Member's 5 Star - Dead Until Dark (Ashley) 4/18

15 points
1. Capricorn (Art) - Chasing Vermeer 5/22
2. Poetry - A Light in the Attic 3/2
3. TNBBC Group Read – People of the Book 5/19
4. Spring Break - Revenge of the Spellmans (San Francisco) 3/19
5. Award Winner - The Westing Game (1979 Newbery Winner) 3/31
8. Get to know author - The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency 5/10
9. Color/Food - Anne of Green Gables 5/22 (spinach and broccoli in salad)
10. 3, 4, and 5 Books - The Titan's Curse 4/17, The Battle of the Labyrinth 4/23, and The Last Olympian 5/8

25 points
1. KAREN - Graceling 5/18 and River Secrets 5/31
2. EL - The World of Louisa May Alcott 4/3
3. Angela – I Capture the Castle 3/22 and Ella Enchanted 3/3 (Cassie)
4. ROS - Bridget Jones's Diary 3/21
5. BONNIE - The Call of the Wild (animals) 3/8
7. DARLA - The Bell Jar 3/31 10 Things I Hate About You
8. CASSIE - The Demigod Files 4/17 and The Maze of Bones 4/24
9. SARA - Sorcery and Cecelia, or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot: Being the Correspondence of Two Young Ladies of Quality Regarding Various Magical Scandals in London and the Country 5/12

50 points
Pen Names - Size 12 Is Not Fat 5/26 & Shadowland 5/29

Total Points: 455
Jamie MN

[Rebecca NJ]

I've finished a few more tasks - no where near completion but I didn't do too bad for starting at the end of March. The new finished tasks are in bold below.

5 Point Tasks

1. Every Witch Way But Dead - Kim Harrison
2. Ella Minnow Pea - Mark Dunn 04/28
3. A Tale of Two Sisters - Anna Maxted 04/23
4. No One You Know - Michelle Richmond 03/10
5. The Negotiator - Dee Henderson
6. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Alexander Smith McCall
7. Slayer of the Storm God - Nathan Long 04/29 (audio book)
8. My Booky Wook - Russell Brand 05/27
9. Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
10. Silent Thunder - Iris Johansen

10 Point Tasks

1. Civil & Strange - Clair Ni Aonghusa 04/14
2. Like Water for Chocolate - Laura Esquivel
3. Stanley & Sophie - Kate Jennings 05/19
4. Blind Fall - Christopher Rice 05/26
5. Magic or Madness - Justine Larblestier 05/14
6. My Summer on Earth - Tom Lombardi 05/23
7. Nancy Bush - Candy Apple Red
8. TBD
9. Fair & Tender Ladies - Lee Smith
10. The Soloist - Steve Lopez 04/29

15 Point Tasks

1. Playing for Pizza - John Grisham 05/16 (Sagitarius)
2. Failure - Philip Schultz 05/21
3. The Abstinence Teacher - Tom Perrotta
4. The River Killings - Merry Jones 04/13
5. TBD
6. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
7. Handle with Care - Jodi Picoult 04/15 and Double Dare - Cathy Hopkins 05/06
8. Knit Two - Kate Jacobs 04/06
9. Blue Dahlia - Nora Roberts 04/17 (Had blueberries and blue M&M's)
10. The Third Heiress - Brenda Joyce 05/31, Fourth Watcher - Timothy Hallinan 05/28 and Perfect Fifths - Megan McCafferty 04/17

25 point Tasks

1. Goldengrove - Francine Prose 03/28 and Real Vampires Don't Diet - Gerry Bartlett 03/29
2. TBD
3. A Break with Charity - Ann Rinaldi 05/01 and The Beach House - James Patterson 05/01
4. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
5. TBD
6. TBD
7. TBD
8. The Lightkeeper's Daughter - Iain Lawrence 04/22 and 3 Willows - Ann Brashares 05/04
9. Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest To Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass LookBig, Or Why Pie is Not The Answer - Jen Lancaster 03/01

50 point Task: The Sudoku Puzzle Murders - Parnell Hall 03/16 and The Naked Typist - J.P. Hailey 05/08

Previous Total Points: 210
New Total Points: 340

I had a few favorites (one was Handle with Care) and a few not (Blind Fall was one), read poetry and read an autobiography. This challenge was fun and I'm looking forward to the summer.

[Jayme Pendergraft]

A couple of more. Congrats to everyone on this challenge!

15.2 Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein

15.5 The Color Purple by Alice Walker (1983 Pulitzer winner)

+30 so I finish at 285.

[Kristina]

I am done!
Here are the new ones I finished:

3. Spring Cleaning - The Third Angel (Audio CD) by Alice Hoffman and narrated by Nancy Travis . It was pretty good and had great narration!

6. In Honor Of Women’s History Month - I changed mine from The Women because I couldn't finish it, yuck. So I read The Death of Woman Wang by Jonathan D. Spence which was a re-read and I still like it!

2. For Cinco De Mayo - Como Agua Para Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. It was okay.

3. Read a past OR present TNBBC group read that you haven’t read before - Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez and translated by Edith Grossman which was not as good as I thought it would be.

10. Read the third, fourth and fifth books of one series - I read from the Shadow Children series: Among the Betrayed, Among the Barons, and Among the Brave by Margaret Peterson Haddix. They were all very well done.

5. BONNIE’S TASK - I picked a real mystery because I can do the fluffy ones but not the real ones. I even switched my book a few times but actually finished Death on the Nile: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Audio CD) by Agatha Christie and narrated by David Suchet. It was more fun than I had expected and I liked the narrator.

6. JON’S TASK - Monarch: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth II by Robert Lacey. I have always found Queen Elizabeth II's life to be interesting. I especially wanted to know more about her wartime involvement as a young lady. This book, despite being titled about Queen Elizabeth, spends way too much time on the former Princess Diana. I wanted more Queen and less about Diana, Diana's marriage, and Diana's death. I am not one to believe that the Queen's reign should be focused around Diana. However, there were some interesting chapters to this book and I did learn a lot about the Queen. It would have been much more interesting if there had been more focus on her life growing up, though, like the parts about her and Margaret's relationship with their parents and nannies. All in all, this is an okay read.

100 points, making my total 575.

Here is all I read:
5 points
1. Fantasy - Wicked Lovely
2. Epistolary - Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable
3. Spring Cleaning - The Third Angel: A Novel
4. Car - The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell [sound recording:]
5. Christian Fiction - The Red Tent
6. Women's History -The Death of Woman Wang
7. Arbor Day - The Cat Who Robbed a Bank [Sound Recording:]
8. Humor - Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life [sound recording:]
9. Spring Animal - Owl in Love
10. Rain - Guitar Highway Rose

10 points
1. Ireland - PS, I love you
2. Mexico - Como Agua Para Chocolate
3. Australia - Three Wishes: A Novel
4. Author Birthday - The Sweet Far Thing (March)
5. Magic - Bewitching Season
6. Earth Day - The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
7. Mother's Day - Skin Hunger (Kathleen)
8. Military - Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles [audio recording:]
9. TNBBC Top Book List - Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
10. TNBBC Member's 5 Star - The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (Addie)

15 points
1. Sign - Cordina's Royal Family: Gabriella (Leo - Royalty)
2. Poetry - The Road From Hiroshima
3. TNBBC Group Read - Love in the Time of Cholera
4. Spring Break - The Clock Winder (Baltimore, MD, USA)
5. Award Winner - Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman (1895 Pulitzer Alice Steinbach)
6. Translated - My Invented Country: A Nostalgic Journey Through Chile (Spanish to English)
7. Rhyming Books - The Children of Men & When We Were Romans: A Novel (Men & When)
8. Get to Know Author - Skinned (Robin Wasserman)
9. Color Book/Food - When the Black Girl Sings & food to be determined.
10. 3-5 of a Series - Shadow Children Series.

25 Points
1. G & R - Gone & The Reader
2. Diarist - Extraordinary Women: Louisa May Alcott: Life, Letters & Journals
3. Off Lindsey's List - The Perks of Being a Wall Flower & The Picture of Dorian Gray
4. Big Read - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
5. New Genre - Third Girl (Mystery)
6. 400+ Page Monarchy - Monarch: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth II
7. Reference - Pride & Prejudice
8. 2 Young Adult - Life as We Knew it & Sloppy Firsts
9. 12+ Word Title - The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible

Midway: The Virginity Club and I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader

[Julie (ID)]

First of all I wanted to give a huge thanks to Cynthia this was my first challenge and it was so much fun. So thanks for putting it together.

Second, congratulations to all those of you who have finished AMAZING!! Looking forward to all the new challenges for the summer.

Last I just wanted to update the last of my points:

for 5-1 I read The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

for 10-1 I read Tipperary by: Frank Delaney

for 25-1 I read The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
and The Raven and the Nightingale by Joanne Dobson

for 25-4 I read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
and
for 25-7 I read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen as referenced in the Jane Austen book club menu

So that is 90 points and brings my total to 265 points.

Thanks again!

[Kristen]

Congrats Kristina! So many finishers! my goodness!

[Cait]

Congrats Kristina!

[Terri]

One last one: 15.7
Too Pretty to DIE by Susan McBride and Vampire HIGH by Douglas Rees

And congrats to everyone who finished the challenge! It is impressive.

Total Points 215

[Beth F]

Congrats Kristina!

[Nicole]

Congrats Kristina and I am happily awaiting the task!

[Avory]

Wow, Kristina, I love the posting only intermittently because your finishing was a pleasant surprise to us all! Congrats to all who finished :-) (And still an hour and a half to go!)

[Cynthia]

ONE HOUR LEFT - POST THEM IF YOU'VE READ THEM...LOL.

[Nicole]

Congratulations to all of you who completed all the tasks in this challenge! I didn't come anywhere close to finishing, but I enjoyed the tasks.

Here are the tasks I completed:

5 Points
Task #2—Epistolary Novel—84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Task #7—Arbor Day—Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (bought it from a used book store and am giving it to a friend)
Task #6—Women’s History Month/Task #8—April Fool’s Day—Take the Cannoli—a funny memoir by Sarah Vowell, whose intelligence and wit I admire.

10 Points
Task #3—ANZAC Day—I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

15 Points
Task#8—Get To Know an Author—Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell (read Powell’s interview and watched Daily Show interview)

25 Points
Task #4—BBC Big Reads List—Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (#68 on the list)

Total Points: 65 Points… better than last time. ☺

[Kristina]

Thanks guys! I am super excited and glad to finish this challenge up!

[April]

Congrats Kristina!

[Angela]

Good job Kristina! You snuck up on us :)