The Next Best Book Club discussion
Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009
Ashley wrote: "Shannon, you will have to let me know what you thought of Ginger Pye. I am trying to read the Newberry Award and Honor list, and that is one that I keep putting off. I hope you like it...!"Will do, Ashley!
Cynthia, I am around at Ros's place 23rd March til 27th March and she is at mine 20th April til 1st May. So we are both usin each other's pc to let u know our scores for the challenge xx
Thanks Shannon!
Cynthia, can we listen to an audio book for task 4 (5pts)?
Fiona, the task says read or listen to a book, so I'm guessing yes. I think other people have counted them also.
8. CASSIE'S TASK - Read two young adult novels: The 13 Clocks and Coraline (25 pts). Tasks Completed: 3/39
Pages Read: 1269
Total: 55 pts.
Liz (Bklyn)
LEADERBOARD
ROS - 145
ASHLEY - 75
EVA - 75
CAROL - 70
KAREN - 70
FIONA (TITCH) - 65
LIZ (BKLYN) - 55
BONNIE - 50
LIZ VEGAS - 50
PERS - 50
SANDY - 45
BETH MN - 40
BEV - 40
CASSIE - 40
KATE - 40
LINDSEY - 40
LOUISE - 40
SANDIE - 40
SARA - 40
CYNTHIA - 35
FALLON - 35
KRISTINA - 25
MEGHAN - 35
VICTORIA - 35
ALISHA - 30
JUDITH - 30
MEL - 30
SHARON - 30
SUZIER - 30
ALICE - 25
DOROTHY - 25
JENNY - 25
JON - 25
NATALIA - 25
RORA - 25
SERA - 25
SUSAN - 25
ANGELA - 20
ANGIE - 20
ANN FROM SC - 20
BECKY - 20
BETH - 20
JAMIE MN - 20
KICKI - 20
LEORA - 20
ABBIE - 15
CAITLIN - 15
CATHEROO - 15
COURTNEY - 15
JOSIE - 15
ROBIN - 15
STEPHANIE - 15
WV HEATHER - 15
EL - 10
JOY - 10
KRISTEN - 10
MELISSA - 10
MELODY - 10
TINA - 10
LISA CO - 5
MAGGIE - 5
Yes Fiona an audiobook can be used for any task unless the task specifically states otherwise.
Just finished A Home at the End of the World A Novel - loved it, 5 stars, 10 pnts, made me feel emotional and lonely though...sniff sniffFive Point Tasks
1. Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel: Brave New World
2 Letters: Paper Darts by Virginia Woolf
3. Spring Cleaning: Girl with a Pearl Earring
4. While Traveling: True History of the Kelly Gang A Novel
5. Christian: The Magician's Nephew
6. Women's History: Smart Blonde
7. Arbor Day: Fugitive Pieces A Novel
8. Humorous The Uncommon Reader A Novella
10. Book with Flower: The Name of the Rose
10 Point Tasks
2. Mexican Theme: Under the Volcano A Novel
3. ANZAC Day: Cloudstreet A Novel
4. Author B'Day in May: Heat and Dust
5. Book with Magic: The Mistress of Spices
7. Mother's Day: Moominvalley in November
8. Armed Forces Day: The Ghost Road
9. TNBBC Top Books List: 84, Charing Cross Road (#98)
10. Five Stars: Of Human Bondage
15 Points
1. GEMINI: Twelfth Night
2. National Poetry Month: Singing the Snake Poems from the Western Desert, 1979-88
3. TNBBC Group Read:The Witch of Portobello
4. Spring Visit: Possession A Romance
5. Award Winning Author: Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally (won Miles Franklin Award for Australian Literature in 1968)
6. Translated Book: Our Lady Of The Flowers
7. Rhyming Books: The Remains of the Day / The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
8. Get to Know the Author: The Blind Assassin
9. Book with Colour Title: White Teeth
10. 3-4-5: Three Continents , Four Queens The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe>, Slaughterhouse-Five
25 Points
1. G/R The Godfather/The Road Home
2. Diarist Illustrated Pepys Extracts from the Diary
3. Jamie's Shelves: Interpreter of Maladies and Mrs. Dalloway
4. Big Read : Pride and Prejudice
5. Off Genre - True Crime Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
6. Monarchy: War of the Windsors A Century of Unconstitutional Monarchy
7. PENDING
8. YA : I Am the Messenger/I Capture the Castle
9. Saras Crazy Title Sisters to the King The Tumultuous Lives of Henry VIII's Sisters - Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France
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Updating \o/ THAT was an easy 25pts task lol5 Points
1 - Coraline by Neil Gaiman
2 - Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
3 - Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
5 - Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice
6 - [[book:Girl, Interrupted|68783] by Susanna Kaysen
7 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling audiobook
8 -
9 - The Midnight Kittens by Dodie Smith
10 - The House of Thunder by Dean Koontz
10 Points
1 - In the Woods by Tana French
2 - Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
3 - not yet
4 - Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
5 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
6 - Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
7 - Pandora by Anne Rice
8 - Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
9 - I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
10 - http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/... Interview With the Vampire
15 Points
1 - Nightmare in Pink by John D. MacDonald
2 -
3 - Dracula by Bram Stoker
4 - Blindness by José Saramago
5 - The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike
7 - ---
8 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling audiobook
9 - not yet
10 - ---
25 Points
1 - not yet
2 - not yet
3 - not yet
4 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
6 - not yet
7 - not yet
9 - Switching Time A Doctor's Harrowing Story of Treating a Woman with 17 Personalities by Richard Baer
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<- is a big YA fan. Interesting conversation going on here yesterday!
As a couple of you had mentioned pretentious books, I was immediately reminded of The Sunday Philosophy Club. I would rather read a good YA book any day than read that again! : )
I just finished "The Reader" for 15 points (German to English Translation). My mom actually loaned it to me, and it was so not my mom, but I loved it!That gives me 15 points for a total of 25.
Susan
I just got another 15 pts. I read Ella Minnow Pea, by Mark Dunn, and read some interviews with him. I was going to use this as my epistolary novel, but I found the idea so fascinating, and I loved the political satire interwoven, that I wanted to hear what he had to say. Very interesting. I liked the book a lot, and can only imagine how incredibly hard this would be to write!
The interviews were pretty interesting too.
Total: 75!
http://www.bookmunch.co.uk/view.php?i...
http://www.randomhouse.com/boldtype/1...
Recently completed task:#1 for 15 points (It's Written in the Stars). I read: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. It's about Greek mythology, and I'm an Aries.
Current score: 20.
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Woot! I'm on the board:15 pts
4. Read a novel that takes place in a location you plan to visit during this challenge...
Cynthia,for the 25 point read a book from a genre you wouldn't normally read task, is it okay if I read Watchmen by Alan Moore? It's a 407 page graphic novel and I definately do not normally read graphic novels.
Ashley wrote: "Shannon, you will have to let me know what you thought of Ginger Pye. I am trying to read the Newberry Award and Honor list, and that is one that I keep putting off. I hope you like it...!"Ashley, Eleanor Estes was a favorite author of my youth. Ginger Pye is a fun family story. I hope you and Shannon both enjoy it.
Cool! Good to know, Thanks Elizabeth!
I joined this group so I could participate in the Official Spring Challenge. LOL
Kritika wrote: "Does anyone have ideas about a good 'rain/showers/storm' book?I haven't been able to find one that looked exciting..."
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein or Wrapped in Rain A Novel of Coming Home by Charles Martin. I haven't read either, but both have been on my TBR list for a while. :)
Becky wrote: "Holy cow... Is I Capture the Castle YA?? I never knew! In my bookstore it's found amongst th..."I just read I Am The Messenger and wouldn't have considered it YA either, but it's shelved in the YA section at the library. I wouldn't have considered The Book Thief necessarily YA either, but same thing there.
I'm really glad that conversation yesterday is over now. I was getting WAY too worked up over it.I've finished another of the many many YA books on my challenge list... You see, to me, the challenge is to read SO MANY BOOKS in such a short timeframe, which is very very difficult for me, because my life is CRAZY right now. Plus, I LOVE YA, and I feel like I should spend what little free time I have doing things that I love.
Anyway... I've completed Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott, who was born sometime in April or May, since her MySpace page says she's a Taurus. That task is worth 10 points, which brings me to a total of 40 points.
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Run Frogger, Run! (or maybe JUMP...)
Victoria wrote: "Leora wrote: "I just now finished 1/2 of the YA task, read 'Marked'. Wow, I got sucked right in.
Has anyone read the sequel-'Betrayed'? Is it as good as the first one?"
I loved Betrayed just..."
I, too, enjoyed the entire House of Night series and am excited to read the new one which comes out on Tuesday!
Has anyone read the sequel-'Betrayed'? Is it as good as the first one?"
I loved Betrayed just..."
I, too, enjoyed the entire House of Night series and am excited to read the new one which comes out on Tuesday!
6. In Honor Of Women’s History Month… - Read an autobiography/biography of a woman you admire OR
- 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
Total: 20 points
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5 Points 1. Fire Study - Maria V. Snyder
2. Ella Minnow Pea A Novel in Letters - Mark Dunn
3. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer
4.
5. The Shack - William P. Young
6. Blackout Girl Growing Up and Drying Out in America - Jennifer Storm
7.
8. Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch - Terry Pratchett
9. Down the Rabbit Hole An Echo Falls Mystery - Peter Abrahams
10. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafón
10 Points
1.
2. Rain of Gold - Victor Villaseñor
3.
4. Until I Find You A Novel - John Irving
5. Magic Study - Maria V. Snyder
6. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things - Carolyn Mackler
7. Postmortem - Patricia Cornwell
8. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
9. The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
10. The Virgin Suicides - Jeffrey Eugenides
15 Points
1.
2.
3. Neverwhere A Novel - Neil Gaiman
4. Drood A Novel - Dan Simmons
5. The Witches of Eastwick - John Updike (National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction - 1981)
6. Ines of My Soul A Novel - Isabel Allende
7. Night - Elie Wiesel and A Northern Light - Jennifer Donnelly
8.
9. Redwall - Brian Jacques
10.
25 Points
1. Gossamer, The Red Shoe
2.
3. The Art of Racing in the Rain and Whale Talk
4. Noughts & Crosses
5. Blood Brothers
6.
7.
8. The White Darkness
9. The Boyfriend List 15 guys, 11 shrink appointments, 4 ceramic frogs, and me, Ruby Oliver
Total
35 Points, 3 Tasks
I just find reading all these comments so fascinating and entertaining. The variety of interests and tastes is great -- we tend to think everyone who is a booklover would love the same things we do, don't we? I absolutely ADORE Alexander McCall Smith, and his Sunday Philosophy Club series is my favorite, but I enjoy a good YA book, too -- I Capture the Castle, the Narnia series -- I have six children ranging in age from 2 to 17, and I homeschool them, so I read all kinds of books, constantly. And I'm just thrilled to have all of you recommending (and even trashing) books and authors -- it's giving me so much more to choose from (not that I ever lacked for reading material, but still...).
Anyway, I've only been participating in this for a few weeks, but I'm getting addicted already. Thanks (I think)!
I'm still sorting through my lists, but can't wait to start adding up my points!
Cynthia, can we listen to an audio for the book we are readin for the Spring Cleaning?
Fiona, Cynthia said above that audio books are ok for any task unless it specifies that you cannot.
Yes, but as it was my Spring Cleaning task, I thought I might have to read the book instead of gettin an Audiobook instead to listen to.But thanks hon xx
Just finished a task:
7. Rhyming Books - When We Were Romans: A Novel & The Children of Men (Men & When)
15 points.
When We Were Romans was good but sad. It is from the view point of a child, Lawrence, and I liked that very much. The main character, his three year old sister, and his mother turn bad situations into adventures but those, too, go horribly wrong. We watch as Lawrence's view of reality are created and then smashed.
I really enjoy the movie Children of Men which took the main idea and a few bits from the novel. In The Children of Men, P.D. James alternates between diary entries and traditional narrative over 2 parts. They cover the main character, Theo, in his remembrances about childhood with his cousin who is the current Warden of England in a time when the world sees that man can produce no more children through the most exiting part of his life. Theo meets up with some people who want change, and that is what the story is about. I found the diary entries to be boring but the second part of the novel to be the best. It is where all the action takes place!
Hey,This is a cool challenge....So for my first post in this group I think I will join in the fun! (bold means I've read it, otherwise it's TBR)
5 points
1. The Suicide Collectors
3. Farthing
5. The Sovereign's Last Battle
6. Lady Windermere's Fan
7. The Mysterious Island
10. Crystal Rain
10 points
4. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
5. Blood Rites (Dresden Files)
6. The First Men in the Moon
7. The Carousel
8. Chain of Thought: The Story of a WWII Marine
9. 84 Charing Cross Road
10. When God Was a Woman
15 points
3. The Audacity of Hope
6. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
7. What Dreams May Come, Swann's Way
8. The Crown Conspiracy
25 points
1. Goodbye Lemon, Red Mars
3. The Pact, The Golden Compass
8. Little Brother, Artemis Fowl
9. The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal
Total points: 50
I have updated my reading list if you could have a look at it and have also read the following books5 points
Spring Cleaning
3. Falling Out of Fashion – Karen Yamplosky READ
25 points
8. CASSIE'S TASK -
The growing pains of Adrian Mole – Sue Townsend
Private peaceful – Michael Morpurgo
Thanks
Sharon
Total
30 points
Susanna, I enjoyed Dissolution very much. I'm a big Tudor fan so it was fun to read a story set during the Reformation period. I will probably continue to read the rest of this series down the road. I liked the main character, Shardlake, too. He is atypical as a leading man, so to speak, which I thought was pretty cool.
I just joined this group today and I have most of my list ready for the Spring Challenge. However...Any suggestions for an author/main character whose first name is Betty?
Any suggestions for books set in Arizona? That is the only place I have ever been on Spring Break.
Thanks in advance.
Oh, yeah. I never saw it, did we ever get a Darla Task?
Betty Smith wrote A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver is set in Arizona.
Don't know if either of these options help.
Lori wrote: "Oh, yeah. I never saw it, did we ever get a Darla Task?"
We haven't gotten a Darla task and if she doesn't submit one by the end of this week, there won't be one.
We haven't gotten a Darla task and if she doesn't submit one by the end of this week, there won't be one.
Thanks for the suggestions and information.
By the way, welcome to the challenge! :)
I have read a few high tasks since I last posted Here's my planned books for spring challenge
5 point tasks
1. fellowship of the rings - J. R. R. Tolkin
2.
Jane Dawkins
3. Just Business - Ber Carroll
4. Little Women - Louisa Mary Alcot
5. The Schack - W. M. Paul Young
6. Nice Girls Do - Sarah Duncan
7. The Risk of Darkness - Susan Hill
8. Adrian Mole Weapons of mass destruction -
Sue Townsend
9. Birdsong - Sebastion Faulks
10. The tea rose - Jennifer Donnelly
10 point tasks
1. The gift - Celia Ahern
2. Like water for choclate - Laura Equivel
3.
4. Twisted - Jeffery Deavers (May)
5. Harry Potter the half blood prince -
J. K. Rowling
6. Always Moon - Alice Sebold
7.
8. Caprtian Correll's Mandelin - Louis Du Bernieres
9.
10. The Twin Towers - J. R. R. Tolkin
15 point tasks
1.
2. Best Loved Poems
3. Jane Eye - Charlotte Bronte
4. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickins
The last place I went was to London to see Oliver
5. Docherty - William Mcillanney - (1975)
6.
origanially sweedish
7. Salmon Fishing Paul Torday
Missing - Susan Lewis
8. Whose's line is it anyway?- Sinead Moriarty
9.
10 Three Men in a Boat Jerome K Jerome
The Four Temperaments - Yona Mcdonough
Five Quarters of Orange - Joanne Harris
25 point tasks
1. The Girl next door - Elizabeth Noble
Recipes for a perfect marriage -
Kate Kerrigtan
2.
Kathryn Hughes
3. Angela's ashes & Tis - Frank Mccourt
4. Watership Down - Richard Adams
5. (Horror) Dracula - Bram Stoker
6.
7.
8. New Moon & Eclipse - Stephene Meyer
9.
170/525
This was a very intresting book and the life of the queen mother.
From her privileged aristocratic childhood , to the abdiction and problems with Diana - this book questions how she faced her challenges and crises, assesses her hole, how powerful she was, and how she coped. This is a candid, personal portrait of one of Britain's most loved national treasures.
hugo Vickers, an acknowledged expert on the House of Windsor, has spent seventeen years researching this book, and obsereved the Queen Mother in public and private over a period of forty years.
Can anyone help with the following books please?15 points
2. April is National Poetry Month – Read a book of poetry OR about a famous poet.
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).
The year is 1975
7. In honor of both Dr. Seuss’ birthday (March 2) and Mother Goose Day (May 1) find and read two books with rhyming titles. By this I mean that there is a word in the title of one book that rhymes with a word in the other book’s title.
- Example: You could read The Scent of Sake AND The Red Tent
25 points
2. EL’s TASK - Read a Non-Fiction book about OR by a noted diarist from This List http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dia... who lived prior to the 1900’s.
And for the Monarchy can I read books which are related to Scotland rather than the British Monarchy?
thanks
Sharon
hi I am 1975 I have Docherty - William Mcilvanney
winer of Whitbread award for fiction
here is a couple of review on it
'An Intense, witty and beautifly wrought novel ....marvellously rendered' The Times
He has a hard muscular quality to his writing. Soe of his phrases hammer against you like a collier's pick' The Guardian
'A penetrating insight into a poor community but one which is wealthy in pride, dignity and zest for life' daily express
Sharon wrote: "Can anyone help with the following books please?15 points
2. April is National Poetry Month – Read a book of poetry OR about a famous poet."
I can absolutely, positively recommend Lawrence Ferlinghetti's A Coney Island of the Mind - it is my favorite book of poetry ever, and I am constantly pushing it on my friends.
Sharon - for 1975 I found:E. L. Doctorow (National Book Critics)
Robert A. Caro (Pulitzer - Biography)
Edward Albee (Pulitzer - Drama)
Michael Shaara (Pulitzer - Fiction) - his The Killer Angels is fabulous historical fiction about Gettysburg
Nicholas Meyer (Crime Writers' Golden Dagger) - this was for The Seven Percent Solution
P. D. James (Crime Writers' Silver Dagger)
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (Booker)
Peter Shaffer (Tony Award for Best New Play)
Ursula K. LeGuin (Hugo)
Ros, did you forget to mark a 15-pt. task? I'm only coming up with 155.
Ros and Natalia - can't get those titlesat the library Susanna - I have gone for something by PD James - there are lots of titles available in the library so will pick one the next time I visit
thanks all,
Sharon
Sharon wrote: "Ros and Natalia - can't get those titlesat the library ..."That sucks! Ferlinghetti was the 2nd most prominent beat poet (after Ginsberg) and in my opinion was a significantly better poet than Ginsberg. (frankly, he's my favorite writer of all the beats, since he seemed to keep a sense of humor about himself at all times) If they have any of his other books of poetry, I would recommend them just as highly.
A Far Rockaway of the Heart was published much more recently, only about 10 years ago, so your library may be more likely to have it.
Charity wrote: "Ros, did you forget to mark a 15-pt. task? I'm only coming up with 155."yes 15.6 did strike out as I put a capital S for the
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Thanks Jon! The Musketeers it is then!