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Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009
Recent release suggestions for the translation task...Crossing the Hudson - German
The Housekeeper and the Professor A Novel - Japanese
A Mad Desire to Dance - French
Brothers A Novel - Chinese
The Book of Chameleons - Portuguese
Pelagia and the Black Monk - Russian
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Swedish
Oh one more thing- I just clicked on the link for Ros' task and I got a message saying the page couldn't be found? It said no such address or something- did this happen to anyone else or is it my computer? Is there another way for me to get to this list of books?
I just clicked on it and it worked fine - just do a search for BBC Big Read 100 - you should find the list.
Thanks Cynthia- maybe it's something with my computer- it must be. I'll try it again and if I can't get it I'll search for it. We can start in the morning right?
Well, in 45 minutes my time I guess right? LOL
The time is getting closer! Good luck everyone! Here goes my "final" list:5 point tasks:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Living History
7. TBD
8. The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0
9. Birds of Prey
10. He Shall Thunder in the Sky
10 point tasks:
1.
2. TBD
3. TBD
4. A Loving Scoundrel
5. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
6. Thirteen Moons
7. Sepulchre
8. North and South
9. I Capture the Castle
10. Life of Pi
15 point tasks:
1. PISCES Midnight Pearls A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid"
2.
3.
4. Cat in a Sapphire Slipper
5. 1984: Nora Roberts Rita previously known as Golden Medallion
6. The Three Musketeers
7.
8.
9. Scarlett
10.
The Fourth Protocol 2
25 point tasks:
1.
2. Eden's Outcasts The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father
3.
4. #18 Little Women
5. Horror Bag of Bones
6. Nine Days Queen A Portrait of Lady Jane Grey
7.
8.
9. 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
50 point task:
1.
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Thanks for the suggestion, Jon!Who's excited? Not only did I finish the non-challenge book I was reading, but I quickly read another checked-out library book that I couldn't sneak into one of the categories. I'm going to bed now but I'll be ready to start tomorrow if I get a chance.
LET THE GAME'S BEGIN - I OFFICIALLY OPEN THE SPRING CHALLENGE!!!
Judith wrote: "Diverse tastes in books and a very, very long to-read list can apparently come in handy sometimes. I had Sara and though I was initially a little worried..."Yes! I'm scary!! ;) I'm glad you found okay stuff. I read a ton of YA and romance novels......
Jon--are you trying to kill me??? Nonfiction AND 400+ pages???!?!?!??!? Geeeeeeeeeez. Mine is much easier.
I gotta go pick more books....
EDIT: Oh wait. My new ticker.
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I went for a Frogger feel... because if I don't read fast enough, I'm going get run over... ?
like your style Sara lol. and i bet you enjoy my task more than you think ;)..plus you get to write a review and say Jons task sucked and he made me read this beastly book, in the unlikely event it goes pear shaped
Okay, clarifications/comments on 25 point tasks:1. I have no idea what I'll read. I'll go through my TBRs and find stuff later.
2. Wilford Woodruff is on that list--he was the president of my church back in the late 1800s. He hasn't written any books, per se, but the church has compiled some of his teachings into this book: Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff. Would that be acceptable to read? It's 260 pages of religious discourses... not exactly light reading... It would definitely be a challenge....
3. I'm in love with this task... I got Maggie!!! Maggie--we need to be friends. Your list is AWESOME! I love vampires... :) I'm going to read Undead and Unwed (which my boss's wife just recommended to me today and is letting me borrow) and Undead and Unemployed!! I'm totally stoked!
4. Ros - That's a GREAT list! So many good books to choose from! I think I'll read Winnie-the-Pooh, if that's okay. Kinda lame for a 25-point task.... but... *shrugs* I've never read it!
5. Bonnie - I'm going to read a thriller (Severance Package). I've never read one before!
6. JON..... I'm going to have to see what everyone else is reading........ because I'm CLUELESS!!!
7 & 8. WILDCARDS!
9. For my task, if Cynthia approves, I'm going to read.... either... I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You or The Boyfriend List: 15 guys, 11 shrink appointments, 4 ceramic frogs, and me, Ruby Oliver...
By the way, for the diarist entry, I definitely suggest reading Boswell's London Journal, 1762-1763. James Boswell lived in 18th century Britain and is best known for his biography of Samuel Johnson. I had to read his London journal for a paper and it was pretty juicy. He kept having flings with prostitutes and getting gonorrhea. He was witty and frank but at the same time haughty and frivolous. He was a very interesting character. I thought it was a very fascinating journal. And for the nonfiction monarchy, I'm reading Royal Panoply Brief Lives of the English Monarchs by Carolly Erickson. I've already started it and it's a very good overview of all the kings and queens of England. Of course, it helps that I already know a lot about English history.
Bonnie... how many pages does Royal Panoply have? ....I think I'm going to read The Life of Elizabeth I, even though it's 160 pages longer than it needs to be. Unless someone mentions one that sounds better.
Here's the books that I have so far. I'm still debating on some5 POINTS
1. Dead Until Dark
2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
3. [book:Defiant HeartTracey Victoria Bateman
4. The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeAllison K. Pittman
6. The Lady and the CadTamela Hancock Murray
7. Dawn In My HeartRuth Axtell Morren I got this on paperbackswap.com and I'll be putting it back up once I'm done.
8. Bob Hope or Lucille Ball but it's still up in the air.
9. Birdsong RoadMary Louise Colln
10. His Winter RoseLois Richer
10 POINTS
1.Maire Fires of GleannmaraLinda Windsor
2.TBD
3. For ANZAC Day Faith in the Great SouthlandMary Hawkins
4.A Family To ShareArlene James she was born in May
5.The Magician's Nephew
6.EclipseorCatch a Rising Star A NovelTracey Victoria Bateman
7. My mom's name is Maria so Killer CargoDana Mentink
8.Military DaddyPatricia Davids
9.To Kill a Mockingbird
10.TBD
15 POINTS
1. Aries: TBD
2. TBD but thinking of Walt Whitman or Carl Sandburg
3. StardustRobin Caroll I've previously been to New Orleans over my Spring break. I wish I could go for this spring break.
5. TBD
6.Carlos Sanchez or Paulo Coelho
7. Two books with rhyming titles: Bridal VeilCathy Marie HakeandTHE LONG TRAIL TO LOVE - H S #753Pamela Griffin
8. Get To Know The Author Operation Married by ChristmasDebra Clopton
9. Read a book with a color in the title AND eat a meal that includes at least 2 foods:Bluegrass PerilVirginia Smith and I'll be making Blueberry cobbler for one of the dishes
10. March, April, and May are the 3rd, 4th, and 5th
The Horse and His BoyPrince CaspianThe Voyage of the Dawn TreaderC.S. Lewis
25 Points
1. G&R: Glory Be!Ron Benrey
2.Little WomenLouisa May Alcott
3. Angela's task: it's between Confessions of a shopalic by sophie kinsella or water for elephants by sara gruen: 2nd choice P.s I love you and Goodnight nobody by jennifer weiner and these are from Stephanie's book shelf.
4. Ros task: Anne of Green GablesL.M. Montgomery
5. Bonnie's task:Simple GeniusDavid Baldacci
6. Jon's task: TBD
Haha Sara, it's okay, after some searching I found two interesting books :-) Actually the Wheel of Time series had been on my list for a while, and I feel like I've heard of Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants before. I don't read a *ton* of YA, but there are some authors I really like, David Levithan for example. Love the frog ticker![image error]
Jon, would a book about ladies in waiting count? It's called Ladies in Waiting: From the Tudors to the Present Day. My version is 401 pages.
Judith wrote: "Haha Sara, it's okay, after some searching I found two interesting books :-) Actually the Wheel of Time series had been on my list for a while, and I feel like I've heard of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants before...."The first Wheel of Time book is the best... the latest ones are... really.... long... and slow. It was a little slow for the first 50-ish pages, but it picks up after that.
As for Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, it's a 4-book series and 2 movies. (Movie 1 is of Book 1, and movie 2 is of the last 3 books all smooshed together.)
Elizabeth wrote: "Jeane wrote: "Angela wrote: "I am going to have trouble with Jon's task too... any recommendations Jon? Also I read all genres, so for Bonnie's task what would you suggest for this? Is there a..."
That is bad! Short stories AND stephen King!
Elizabeth wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Hmmm Sci Fi is an idea I don't think I've read a sci fi book ever! Any suggestions?"I would highly recommend Orson Scott Card for the science fiction. He's written some books that..."
I practically never read any YA either, I think...
Robin wrote: "For 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 shel..."I think Angela wrote somewhere whatever is on their shelves.
Sara wrote: "Bonnie... how many pages does Royal Panoply have? ....My copy, the British version (just called Brief Lives of the British Monarchs), is 434 pages. I don't know how long the American version is.
I can't believe I failed to mention Antonia Fraser. I love, love, LOVE her stuff. Marie Antoinette The Journey was amazing. It was the basis for that (not very good) Kirsten Dunst movie about Marie Antoinette. The book read like a novel; it was hard to put down. I haven't read her other books but I really want to (The Wives of Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scots, and Love and Louis XIV The Women in the Life of the Sun King). You could read these for the royalty challenge OR the Mary, Queen of Scots or Wives of Henry VIII for Jon's 25-point challenge.
Jeane wrote: "I practically never read any YA either, I think..."You should definitely read a YA book then. They're pretty fabulous.
Some I liked that I'm not embarrassed to admit to:
A Great and Terrible Beauty
Ella Enchanted
Airman
Artemis Fowl
Anything by Sonya Sones
A Certain Slant of Light
♡ Eva ♡ wrote: "Thanks Cynthia- maybe it's something with my computer- it must be. I'll try it again and if I can't get it I'll search for it. We can start in the morning right?"
you have to click on the original one given and not mentioend in the psots, it only worked like that for me.
I don't know if I missed your answer Cynthia, but would Sahara by cussler count for the scorpio task?
Sahara sure looks like it should count! Plus, it's named after a desert! I'm reading The Road for Scorpio...
I'd be interested to hear what you think of The Road, Sara... It's definitely a "loved it" or "loathed it" book!
Oh great. I'm going to hate it..... Grrrr...EDIT: After reading some reviews, it seems like a lot of people have issues with the way the book is written--lack of apostrophes, no quotation marks, bad font, etc. I won't have that issue, as I have the audiobook. I just hope the narrator isn't boring...
EDIT TAKE 2: And I say I'll hate it because I hate most books that are "critically acclaimed"... *sigh* But it's good to try new things.... right? I don't know of any YA Fiction books that take place in the desert though, so...... *shrugs* I'll suffer through it. At least it's not very long.
Sara wrote: "Sahara sure looks like it should count! Plus, it's named after a desert! I'm reading [b:The Road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I......"I am not sure yet which one to read but I think I would see if the library has scorpio and of not then i have still other possibilties and maybe if they have The road...
Oh no! I hope not! It's pretty bleak, but I actually liked it. So maybe you will too!Edit to reply to your edits: If you have the audiobook, you might enjoy it more. The writing style did put a lot of people off.
The book only took me about a day to read, so the audiobook shouldn't take you long. I say go for it!
No I start to really hope they will have sahara!!!
Ohhh... Jeane, you said, "I am not sure yet which one to read but I think I would see if the library has scorpio...", which I think was a typo--I think you meant Sahara, BUT, that reminded me of a book called Scorpio..... or maybe it's Scorpia. I was thinking that book might be WAAAAAY easier, being a YA action/adventure book..... BUT not only is it book 5 in the Alex Rider series, it takes place in Venice, which, though I've never been there, I'm pretty sure is NOT a wasteland... ;) "Wasteland", I think, implies a lack of water.
:-)yes Sahara...Venice you said??????? It is easy to convice me to change to anyting related to Italy.....
Yes, but alas, it is not a wasteland. I DID find this book though: Sahara. It's a travel documentary by Michael Palin, who I know as Sir Galahad the Pure and the Leader of The Knights who say NI! from Monty Python and the Holy Grail! Haha! It's supposed to be quite funny. The hardcover version has pictures, apparently!! :)
No, wait. Can I read THIS one: By Balloon to the Sahara?? It's a choose your own adventure book!! *dies laughing* GOSH, I need to go to bed. That wasn't even funny... It was classic 2:40 AM humor... Oye...
Oh frightening... there are some eroticas that are "sahara"-related, apparently. I'll pass on those, thanks.
Sara wrote: "Yes, but alas, it is not a wasteland. I DID find this book though: Sahara. It's a travel document..."
sara, do go to bed. your mind is going weird....it is morning in ireland....so goodnight to you.
Woot! Woot! I stayed up way too late to finish my first book for the Spring Challenge.Tasks Completed
5 Points
#9 Read a book with the word bird or type of bird in the title- The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney by Suzanne Harper
I'll post all my titles tomorrow...well, today, acutally, but at a later time to be approved.
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haha Angie!crazy one:-) I chose A queen's fool so it won't be a one day fast finished book.
Oh, by the way, Jon's task is read a book about the British monarchy. Britain means more than just England, so does that mean people could read a book about, say, a Scottish monarch?
Bonnie wrote: "Oh, by the way, Jon's task is read a book about the British monarchy. Britain means more than just England, so does that mean people could read a book about, say, a Scottish monarch?"Bonnie, you are an angel!..if the answer is yes.....
After I read a huge book about the history of England and my peronal feelings toward the English..well wasn't looking forward to this one. But...there is hope...Joooon wake up!!!!!
I'm sure this question has already been asked, but I just cannot read through 700 posts to check (Cynthia, I apologize profusely upfront if this is a repeat question)...For 5 pt task on planes, trains & autos:Can I start a book on the plane, then continue to read it while in the car from the airport or does it have to be the same "mode of transportation" as when it was started?? Does that make sense??
Yep, that question's been asked and answered. Cynthia said it could be different forms of transportation.
Angie, I might actually finish 2 books today lol.
My extreme goal (as my neighbor kid said when he was doing a fundraiser for his elementary school) is 525 points. I realize that that will very likely NOT happen, so my attainable goal is 275 points. Here's my list:
5 Points
1) Dark Lover
2) 84, Charing Cross Road
3) The Bluest Eye
4) Lover Eternal
5) Bittersweet
6) A Drowned Maiden's Hair A Melodrama
7) The Bride Wore Chocolate
8) Then We Came to the End
9) The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney
10) The Lightning Thief
10 Points
1) PS, I Love You
2) Like Water for Chocolate
3) The Idea of Perfection
4) On the Road
5) Ink Exchange
6) September Moon
7) The Almond Picker A Novel or Chasing Windmills
8) Love and Honor A Novel
9) The Eyre Affair
10) In Defense of Food An Eater's Manifesto
15 Points
1) Oh. My. Gods.
2) This Many Miles from Desire
3) Dracula
4) Yellow Jack A Novel
5) TBD
6) Perfume
7) Iron Kissed and
Beyond the Highland Mist
8) TBD
9) Redwall
10) Lover Awakened, Lover Revealed, and Lover Unbound
25 Points
1) The Graveyard Book and Recipes for a Perfect Marriage
2) Walden, or Life in the Woods
3) The Tenth Gift and
The Tales of Beedle the Bard (from Lizzy)
4) Rebecca
5) A Game of Thrones
6) TBD
7) Pending
8)Fragile Eternity and Uglies
9)
Jeane, it usually takes me, on average, 3 days to finish a book, but I was absolutely determined to finish my book tonight. I figure I won't finish my second book until Tuesday.Fiona, good luck. I'd say don't stay up too late but I see that you're from the UK, so I think that means it's daylight where you are. :)
Its 10.18am here lol. Good Luck in the challenge.
I second that one - I loved it!Jamie wrote: "Kristina wrote: "Does anyone know any good books about Gods, Mythology or Greece? I happen to be an Aries. "
The Lightning Thief (first in the Percy Jackson series)."
For Scorpians, you could also try Stephen King's Dark Tower series--the third book is called Wasteland, but the first two might count if I remember correctly. It is a non-traditional Stephen King series--a kind of western/fantasy and not so much horror. I loved them and the series makes a great audio listen. There are seven in all, so if you get into them they could actually fit for several tasks.
Terri wrote: "I second that one - I loved it!Jamie wrote: "Kristina wrote: "Does anyone know any good books about Gods, Mythology or Greece? I happen to be an Aries. "
The Lightning Thief (first in the P..."
I also give this a high recommendation.
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Thanks!