The Next Best Book Club discussion
Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009
LEADERBOARD
ROS - 150
ASHLEY (ID) - 115
FIONA (TITCH) - 115
EVA - 100
PERS - 90
BEV - 85
KAREN - 85
SHARON - 80
SUZIER - 80
CAROL - 70
KRITIKA - 70
LINDSEY - 70
LOUISE - 70
SANDY - 70
JOSIE - 65
LEORA - 65
LIZ (BKLYN) - 60
LIZ VEGAS - 60
SANDIE - 55
BONNIE - 50
EL - 50
LEORA - 50
SUSAN - 50
ANGELA - 45
ANN FROM SC - 45
JAMIE MN - 45
KICKI - 45
KRISTINA - 45
BETH MN - 40
CASSIE - 40
CYNTHIA - 40
JENNY - 40
KATE - 40
SARA - 40
FALLON - 35
MARY BETH - 35
MEGHAN - 35
VICTORIA - 35
ALISHA - 30
JUDITH - 30
MEL - 30
ABBIE - 25
ALICE - 25
DOROTHY - 25
JON - 25
JOY - 25
NATALIA - 25
RORA - 25
SERA - 25
ANGIE - 20
BECKY - 20
BETH - 20
COURTNEY - 20
ELIZ - 20
APRIL - 15
CAITLIN - 15
CATHEROO - 15
ELIZABETH - 15
JEN - 15
KATHRYN - 15
ROBIN - 15
STEPHANIE - 15
WV HEATHER - 15
ELIZABETH NC - 10
JEN - 10
KRISTEN - 10
LAUREN - 10
LINDA - 10
MELISSA - 10
MELODY - 10
SUSANNA UK - 10
TINA - 10
ASHLEY UT - 5
BRIDGIT - 5
LISA CO - 5
MAGGIE - 5
I just finished Karen's 25 pt task- I read Great Tales of Horror by Edgar Allan Poe (pretty trippy stuff... That man is bizarre, but I loved it. I thought they were fun to read)
and
The Runaway Princess by Kate Coombs. It's a cute story about a princess who doesn't like the idea that her father is holding a contest where the winner gets her as a prize, so she sets out to solve the challenge herself... more or less. I liked it. It's simple, but really cute.
That puts me at 115 total!
KATHRYN - Yes you may change what books you use for which tasks later on - you just have to let me know.LOUISE - Yes that book would be fine for Sara's task
ASHLEY - I update the Leaderboard as often as I can - I try to re-post it on each page if I can.
OPERANDI - That would be okay.
FIONA AND ROS - For Jon's Task - What is required is YOUR PERSONAL REVIEW - not a review copied and pasted from another source - I can't award you points for that task until you post new reviews.
LORI - I can't award you the points for The Nixie's Song without knowing what task you are using it for.
WELCOME TO ALL OUR NEW PLAYERS.
4. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Task: The Mandrake (5 pts.)Tasks Completed: 4/39
Pages Read: 1336
Total: 60 pts.
Liz (Bklyn)
Oh..haha...I didn't even know you'd gotten it from my shelf! :D I really did enjoy it- it's one of those ones for me that when I see a bad review I'm mind boggled! I'll be interested what you think of it for sure!
Here's where I am so far...3 books down! I had to readjust some things though in order to find more books that I already own.THE TASKS
5 Points
1. Swallowing Darkness by Laurell K. Hamilton
2. Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger
3.
4. Eiger Dreams by Jon Krakauer
5. If It’s Not Food…Don’t Eat It by Kelly Hayford
(I had planned to give up junk food for Lent, so I found a whole book about giving up junk food!)
6. A Lady’s Secret by Jo Beverley
7. The River Knows by Amanda Quick
8. Jack with a Twist by Brenda Janowitz
9. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
10. The Feast of Roses by Indu Sundaresan
Category Total: 5 / 50
10 Points
1. P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern
2. Gringos by Charles Portis
3. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
4. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (March 4)
5. White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison
6. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
7. Getting Mother’s Body by Suzan-Lori Parks
8. A Very Long Engagement by Sebastien Japrisot
9. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (#19)
10. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (from Spreet)
Category Total: 0 / 100
15 Points
1. Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen (Pisces – Takes place at a bass-fishing tournament)
2.
3. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
4. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (Savannah, GA)
5. Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson (Newbery Medal 1981)
6. Daphnis and Chloe by Longus (Greek to English)
7. The Last TOWN on Earth by Thomas Mullen /
The CROWN Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan
8.
9. The Red Scarf by Kate Furnivall
10. The Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis(Books 3, 4, and 5 of The Chronicles of Narnia series)
Category Total: 30 / 150
25 Points
1. The Giver by Lois Lowry / Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen
2. The Ballad of Dorothy Wordsworth by Frances Wilson
3. From Eva: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max / In the Cut by Susanna Moore
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
5. My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding edited by P.N. Elrod (Short Stories)
6. Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade by James Reston Jr.
7. TBD
8. The Magician’s Nephew / The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
9. Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson
Category Total: 0 / 200
50 Points
1. TBD
Category Total: 0 / 50
Category Totals: 35 / 550
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Hi - Just got my first points, with task number 1! Fantasy - White Witch, Black Curse by Kim HarrisonTotal: 5 points
I'm a bit late but very excited. This is my first time participating in a challenge. My almost finished list is as follows:5 POINTS
1. Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel - Coraline - Neil Gaiman
2. Epistolary Novel - The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
3. Spring Cleaning - Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
4. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - The Midnight Twins - Jaquelyn Mitchard
5. Easter/Lent - A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
6. Women’s History Month - Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli
7. Arbor Day - The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
8. April Fools Day - The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror Version 2.0 - Christopher Moore
9. “Spring” Animals - Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff Christ's Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore
10. April Showers Bring May Flowers - Before the Storm - Diane Chamberlain
10 POINTS
1. St. Patrick’s Day - either Haunted Ground: A Novel - Erin Hart or The Story of Lucy Gault - William Trevor
2. Cinco De Mayo - The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros
3. ANZAC Day - The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
5. Harry Houdini’s Birthday - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
6. Earth Day - Shampoo Planet - Douglas Coupland
7. Mother’s Day - Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier
8. Memorial and Armed Forces Day - TBD
9. TNBBC Top Books (1980) - The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
10. 5 STAR TNBBC MEMBER BOOK - Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk (from Ilinca)
15 POINT TASKS
1. Written In The Stars - Gods Behaving Badly: A Novel - Marie Phillips
2. National Poetry Month - TBD
3. TNBBC Group Read - Blindness - Jose Saramago
4. Vacation Location Book - TBD
5. Award Winner - The World According to Garp - John Irving (National Book Award 1980)
6. Translated Book - Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
7. Rhyme Time - Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell & Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer (cloud/loud)
9. Color/Food - TBD
10. Three, Four, Five - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkeban (reread)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
25 POINT TASKS
1. KAREN'S TASK (G&R) - The Gum Thief - Douglas Coupland & The Raw Shark Texts - Steven Hall
2. EL'S TASK - TBD
3. ANGELA'S TASK - Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris & Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JKR
4. ROS' TASK - I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith
5. BONNIE'S TASK - The Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion
6. JON'S TASK - TBD
7. DARLA'S TASK - TBD
Just Listen - Sarah Dessen
9. SARA'S TASK - TBD
Total Points: 35
I'm going to wait until the end to post mine.
Last night I finished Cold Comfort Farm, which I read for the 20 Point task; read a novel from the list of Big Reads. (It was hilarious!)Total: 55 points.
Ok, I am new to this group and have never posted before. Forgive me if I do this the wrong way.My goal: 295 points
5 pts.
1. The Time Traveller's Wife
3. Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance
5. There is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children
6. Madame Bovary
7. The Human Stain (giving to my friend visiting next week)
8. A Confederacy of Dunces
9. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
10 pts:
1. Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
2. 2666
4. The Feast of the Goat
6. The Known World
7. The Boleyn Inheritance
8. The Things They Carried
9. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
10.The Glass castle
15 pts:
6. Kristin Lavrandstatter 1: The Wreath
7. Snow/ The Rainbow
25 pts:
1. The Golden Notebook/ The Robber Bride
3. Breaking Dawn/ What is the What
4. The Alchemist
5. Watchmen
8. New Moon & Eclipse
9. Three Cups of Tea...
Finished task: In Honor of Mother’s Day…Read a book recommended by mom
Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon for 10 pts.
Tasks completed: 3
New point total: 60
Liz (Vegas)
Jon or anyone else who can help- I can't find the posting with the suggestions for Jon's task and in one of them there was a Diana book- Andrew Morton- is this the one that would fit for that task? Diana Her New Life
This is totally off subject but the only place where I know people and can reach out to so many- hope it's okay. Does anyone know the name of the book that the movie Slum Dog Millionaire was based on? I didn't think to search the same name so going to try that now. I don't even know the author- just saw a description on a book club meet-up around my way and thought it looked interesting. Has anyone read it?
Cynthia, just letting you know that I'm switching books for Bonnie's task (#5 of 25 Read a book outside your normal genre). I was going to read A Game of Thrones, but I've been reading a lot of fantasy, albeit urban fantasy, lately. (And the book's kinda' long, so I'll save it for summer vacation.)I'm now going to read Ghost Walk by Brian Keene since I rarely read horror novels.
Oh- I saw that but didn't think it was that one. I thought the title would be something that would give it away to me. LOL Thanks a lot Lindsey!
King Edward VIII: The Official Biography - Philip Ziegler When I started this book, I thought it would have the usual fancy stuff about how they were raised and went to brilliant schools and nowt went wrong. You know they had a great upbringing. But as I delved deeper, I found that Edward (being the eldest) had a strict upbringing. Of course he went to good schools, but he kinda wanted to do stuff his way and be normal. Of course, we all know being royalty you can never have a normal life. It was interesting to see how he was bought up (especially since all royalty comes originally from Queen Victoria in 1 way and another). Albert, did his duty when Edward meet Mrs Wallis Simpson.
I think Edward did the right thing in my opinion.
Philip Ziegler wrote a fair few bios for Royalty, he hsa even done a few on Mountbatten, which should be interesting to read as well.
Task 6 (25pts)
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1. KAREN’S TASK - As we are all totally completely addicted to GR (Goodreads), let's read…
- A book which title starts with the letter G AND
- A book which title starts with the letter R.
- Books like The Gargoyle or A Raisin In the Sun – that have titles beginning with A OR THE followed by a G or R word are acceptable for this task.
This challenge is just so awesome for me...I'm getting ready to lose it, today as a matter of fact, but I've averaged a book a day for the first week of this month and that is unheard of for me. All because of this challenge!
I know what you mean Eva! I haven't been able to read much lately, because I am going to school, and it's crazy trying to find time, but I've discovered if I work hard enough, I can make time... It's nice. But, I doubt I will be able to keep up this same level... Too much to do. Sigh. It's been great for me though! Love it!
Manday wrote: "Hi! I am joining a bit late, and I have no idea how well I will do since this is my first attempt at one of these challenges, but here I go!!My Goal: 200pts
25pt Tasks
(4) Harry Potter and the C..."
Where is the late part? It is the eight days of three months...:-)
Kicki wrote: "Recently completed task:#1 for 10 points (For St. Patrick's Day). I read: Where Rainbows End (Love, Rosie) by Cecelia Ahern. She's from Ireland and it takes place in Ireland.
Current score: 45.
"
Kicky, how was that one? I have read two other books by Ahern and fel liker eading them all. Have you read others that she wrote, so you can compare?
Eva - i dont think thats the famous one by Andrew Morton, I think thats Diana her true story ..check this out though. Quite a selection!Diana Books
Jeane: I've also read PS. I Love You, and that was much better, in my opinion. This was a nice and easy read, which is what I was after this weekend, and the story is pretty sweet, just like those kind of stories usually are. I just wasn't so fond of it being written as text messages, instant messages, e-mails and letters. That's all it was, different messages sent to the other characters. But overall, it was a nice read.
Just finished another task:10. Read a book that earned a 5-Star rating by another member who is on the same page as you.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
by E. Lockhart
5 Star by Addie on the same page as me.
10 Points
E. Lockhart did a magnificent job writing and crafting this novel. The narrator's voice is perfect, and the plot is well developed and highly entertaining. She takes us through the school year of Frankie Landau-Banks who has recently blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Frankie struggles not only with what her new body means but how she is perceived at home and at her boarding school. Realizing that she does not need to be a bystander to her boyfriend's secret activities, she takes hold of the reigns, cunningly displaying her power for her school to see. The novel contains many funny and clever incidents that make readers cheer Frankie on. It is well deserving of any and all positive criticism it receives.
Thanks for the review Fiona - its interesting, ive started my one which is setting out to uncover a few hidden facts on the Windsor Dynasty and seemingly well researched - it actually mentions Ziegler as being an establishment biographer and that alot of papers are held by the royal family - only released to approved biographers and if abused can end the career of a Royal Biographer, their work must be approved by the Royal family - hence they tend to tow the line. Not got to it yet but my one i think will go over the Nazi allegiances as did the charles Higham Mrs Simpson book i read, which it sounds like Ziegler played down. Mine in common with the Higham one talks about his possible impotence and homosexual affairs. He had a 16year affair with a married woman before he met Mrs Simpson. The Queen Mum was apparently after him but had to settle for the brother Albert (George VI) His Brother George (confusingly a different person to George VI who was actually an Albert!) was well known to have had gay affairs apparently but they possibly shared Noel Coward. I find it interesting that you can get different portraits depending on the biographer and theres no real telling whos the most accurate. Does the approved biographer deliberately miss stuff out or does the rogue biographer bend the truth?. I love this stuff lol
Kicki wrote: "Jeane: I've also read PS. I Love You, and that was much better, in my opinion. This was a nice and easy read, which is what I was after this weekend, and the story is pretty sweet, just like those ..."Didn't know it was written that way.....hmmmdoes put a bumper on my feeling to read it....but I still feel like i will read it. The other one I read of her and loved was thank you for the memories. It was such an original idea I thought and liked the story a lot. It also helped that I finished reading it the day before moving to Ireland, to Dublin....
Phew. I just finished in one sitting The Stolen Child A Novel by Keith Donahue for 15 point task # 8. Get To Know The Author. I didn't know which task I was gonna use it for, but after I finished, I googled it and found an interesting interview with the author on Bookbrowse, so it fit that task perfectly. [image error]
New total: 70
Goal: 305 Points / 28 books---Stats---
Earned Points: 20/305
Books Read: 3/28
Total Pages Read: 1904
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Completed Tasks:
10 POINT TASKS
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 +10 pts / Read 3.4.09
5. March 24 is Harry Houdini’s Birthday – Read a book about magic, a magician etc.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke +10 pts / Read 3.3.09
25 POINT TASKS
1. Karen's Task: Read a book starting with "G" & a book starting with "R".
The Green Mile (Complete Serial Novel) by Stephen King (Read 3.7.09) & Roots by Alex Haley **1/2 Completed**
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5 POINT TASKS
1. Read a Science Fiction OR Fantasy Novel.
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (Science fiction)
2. Read an epistolary novel...
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
4. Read or listen to a book while you are on a plane, on a train, or in a car...
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (audiobook)
5. For Easter/Lent - Read a Christian Fiction novel...
Showdown by Ted Dekker
6. In Honor Of Women’s History Month…
- Read a novel with woman, women, lady, etc in the title.
Lady Susan, The Watsons, Sanditon by Jane Austen
7. For Arbor Day – Do your part to save some trees by reading a book and “recycling” it...
Vital Signs by Robin Cook
8. For April Fools Day read a humorous novel...
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
9. Read a book with a spring animal in the title...
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
10. Read a book with a type of tree or flower in the title...
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy
10 POINT TASKS
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Read a book by an author who was born in March, April, or May.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (born: March 8, 1960)
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susana Clarke
6. In honor of Earth Day (April 22), read a book with the word Earth, Moon, World, etc in the title.
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
7. In Honor of Mother’s Day, read a book recommended by/given to you by your mother.
The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
8. Read a book about a veteran OR someone serving in the military.
Othello by William Shakespeare
10. TNBBC member 5-Star rated book...
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (Thanks Heather from page 39!)
15 POINT TASKS
1. Read a book that corresponds to your astrological sign...
- LIBRA: Read a book about a lawyer, the law, a judge etc.
The Last Juror by John Grisham
2. April is National Poetry Month – Read a book of poetry OR about a famous poet.
Inferno by Dante Alighieri
3. Read a past OR present TNBBC group read that you haven’t read before.
Neverwhere: A Novel by Neil Gaiman
6. Read a book that was has been translated from its original language.
The Plague by Albert Camus
8. Get To Know The Author - Read a book by an author AND then either attend a reading by that author OR read/listen to an interview with that author.
Thinner by Stephen King
9. Read a book with a color in the title AND eat a meal that includes at least 2 foods of that color.
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
(Planned foods: Garlic and Feta cheese mashed potatoes and vanilla ice-cream)
25 POINT TASKS
1. Karen's Task: Read a book starting with "G" & a book starting with "R".
4. Ros's Task: Read a book from the Big Reads List.
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
5. Bonnie's Task: Read a book outside my normal genre.
Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther (Non-fictional memoir -- I normally read fiction: fantasy, horror, classics, etc.)
8. Cassie's Task: Read two YA novels.
Blue Is For Nightmares & White Is for Magic by Laurie Faria Stolarz
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Sorry Cynthia but I have another question, would I be able to use The Theft & the Miracle by Rebecca Wade for the Christian fiction novel (5pts, task 5)? I think this is a bit of a long shot...
I just finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.5 points
1.
2. Epistolary - Elisabeth The Princess Bride, Austria-Hungary, 1853
3. Spring Cleaning - Dragon of the Red Dawn
4. Planes, Trains,... - The Princess Diaries
5. Lent/Book about Sacrifice - Confessions of a Closet Catholic
6. Women's History - Stargirl
7. Arbor Day - Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban
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.
6. Earth Day - Walk Two Moons
7. Mother's Day - Night Flying Woman
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 - Tuck Everlasting
15 points
1. Leo (Royalty) - Fairest
2.
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 - World of Louisa May Alcott
3. Person below post - Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator and The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles (Susanna)
4. Big Read - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
5. Other genre - Woodsong (non-fiction)
6. 400 page British Monarchy - Horrible Histories?
7. 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
8. 2 YA novels - Enna Burning and The Wish
New Total: 30
Jon wrote: "Eva - i dont think thats the famous one by Andrew Morton, I think thats Diana her true story ..check this out though. Quite a selection!Diana Books"
Wow- I had no idea so many were written- THANK YOU for the link Jon. I'm sure I can find something in there that I'll like to read.
I just remembered my grandmothers best friend gave me a huge tub of books that her friend from England gave her before he died. In there was at least a few, if not many, hardback books about Diana. I, of course, forgot about it since it's shoved in the back of my closet but I'm going to pull it out to take a look. Maybe I have one already that would work! LOL
Thanks Jon!
has anyone noticed the spring challenge allready has about 75% of the posts that the winter one ended up on! and i thought winter was pretty big
Jon wrote: "has anyone noticed the spring challenge allready has about 75% of the posts that the winter one ended up on! and i thought winter was pretty big"I noticed too. Only eight days since it started and so many people participate already and so many posts have been added!
I didn't notice that but I noticed how hard it is to keep up with all the new posts!
I've just finished Bonnie's 25 point task - I read One Child by Torey Hayden. I seriously avoid reading this type of book as I just find them so sad and depressing, but I did enjoy it - thanks for the challenge Bonnie!Total points: 80
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Jeane wrote: Where is the late part? It is the eight days of three months...:-)
LOL. True enough! Maybe it just feels late because so many people already have completed tasks posted!!
SuzieR- what was One Child about? I have that and I think two others by her but haven't actually read any yet. I see that you said you liked it- I may start that one soon because I keep hearing a lot about her. I do read that type of book often so I wonder what I'll think of it.
I finally have time to post my two finished tasks:For 5pt, (#5)Christian Fiction novel: The Bounty Hunter's Bride by Victoria Bylin
For 15pt, (#2)Book of Poetry: Sixty Odd by Ursula K. Le Guin
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My ideas for some of the tasks for now. This ones I am pretty sure about:15points: read a 3th,4th and 5th book
Evanovich Janet3,4 and 5th book
10points: magic
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
15 points: color in title
The Red and the Green
15 points: translated book
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea
25 points: 2 YA
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
15 points: TNBBC monthly book
Angela's Ashes
10 points: set in Ireland
The Copper Beech
5 points: humor
Two for the Dough
5 points: spring animal
The Secret Life of Bees
5 points: rain, stars in title
Nights of Rain and Stars
15 points: get to know author and read interview
Scarpetta
5 points: read on bus
Book of the lost books or another non-fiction book of which I forgot the title...
I just finished "Dream When You Are Feeling Blue" by Elizabeth Berg for task 15-9. For breakfast I made blueberry waffles and drank some blue hawaiaan punch (gross).So that's 15 points for a cumulative total of 65.
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Jon wrote: "has anyone noticed the spring challenge allready has about 75% of the posts that the winter one ended up on! and i thought winter was pretty big"Jon, I wasn't here for the Winter Challenge. I did go back and look at that one and also the Fall Challenge. This Spring Challenge, as written, is likely to be so much more fun than those. Cynthia has outdone herself. Perhaps the participants are getting more into it, too, and then, of course, I see we've added greatly to TNBBC numbers.
Angie - no need to tell me that you're changing a book UNLESS you have already claimed points for a particular task and are changing the book you want for that taskLouise - sorry no that book is not appropriate for that task.
I know every time we do this it gets bigger it's crazy but wonderful.
**ANNOUNCEMENT** - I have eliminated Darla's task from the challenge so with the 50 point midway included the total points available for this challenge is 550.
25 POINT TASK6. JON’S TASK - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II is 83 on April 21st, 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.
Ungrateful Daughters The Stuart Princesses Who Stole Their Father's Crown, Maureen Waller.
REVIEW
Keeping track of the House of Stuart is like the children's nursery rhyme ("The toe bone connected to the foot bone, and the foot bone connected to the ankle bone..."), except without all the sense and order of basic anatomy. Going back to Mary, Queen of Scots you then have James VI of Scotland, who helped produce Charles I, who then helped produce James II. From James's loins of a first marriage comes Mary II and her sister Anne, and that is where the trouble begins in Maureen Waller's biography. His second marriage produced another James (try and keep up), who then pushed past Mary and Anne to be the rightful heir to the throne, creating a lot of anxiety and jealousy in Mary and Anne.
So then you throw into the royal mix a difference of opinion on religion and all bets are off. James II was extremely Catholic and wanted to force that upon his people during a time when Catholicism was just not in vogue. His daughters felt opposite of their father's beliefs also, and used that, according to Waller, as a way to take their father's crown away from him.
Lies and betrayal and a lot of cattiness ensue, William of Orange comes along and takes over; he marries Princess Anne, succeeds the throne, leaving James II high and dry. Princess Mary actually managed to feel some sympathy later for her father and is frightened by having a curse placed on her by her father and indeed she dies early, at the age of thirty-two, having not spoken civilly to her near and dear sister Anne.
This is a fascinating story, as most of those of the British monarchy, but Waller's version of it is rather watered down and a little too Melrose Place for my taste. There are a lot of different Jameses, Annes, Marys, etc. in royalty and unfortunately Waller did not manage to clearly keep them straight, even with the family chart and a 'Cast of Characters' in the beginning. The picture inserts in the first quarter and last quarter of the book were decent and helped add some familiarity to some of the names being thrown around. It was good to read about the princesses who often go un-represented in history, but I wish their story could have been told with a little more authority here.
TOTAL POINTS: 50.
Nice review El! I might pick that one up. :)
"Abbie wrote:" Abbie, you will have to tell me how you liked Walk Two Moons! I absolutely love that book! One of my most favorites. I really hope you like it!!
Finished my second book, but first to get me on the leaderboard...
5 POINTS-
1. Twilight
2. Bridget Jones's Diary
3. Hunted A House of Night Novel
4. Three Weeks with My Brother
5. Redemption
6. J. K. Rowling The Wizard Behind Harry Potter
7. Confessions of a Shopaholic
8. One for the Money
9. The Secret Life of Bees
10. Henderson the Rain King
10 POINTS-
1. Bard The Odyssey of the Irish
2. Like Water for Chocolate
3. The Magicians' Guild
4. Good in Bed
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
6. New Moon
7. Mr. Darcy's Diary
8.
The Lucky One
3/8/09
9. Water for Elephants
10. Eragon
15 POINTS-
1. SAGITARIUS: Moneyball The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
2. Where the Sidewalk Ends
3. Stardust
4. The Leisure Seeker A NovelUPDATE (Disneyland)
5. Foreign Affairs A Novel
6. If On a Winter's Night a Traveler
7. The Picture of Dorian Gray/Me Talk Pretty One Day
8. The Choice
9. White Noise
10. Black Dagger Brotherhood 3/4/5:Lover Awakened/Lover Revealed/Lover Unbound
25 POINTS-
1. Guitar Girl/Romeo and Juliet
2. Diaries, 1885-97 With Earlier and Later Diary Fragments from 1875-1917
3. Little Women/
A Wrinkle in Time
3/3/09
4. Anne of Green Gables
5. In Cold Blood
6. Diana Story of a Princess
7. ELIMINATED
8. Eclipse/Specials
9. Wicked The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
[image error]
5 POINTS-
1. Twilight
2. Bridget Jones's Diary
3. Hunted A House of Night Novel
4. Three Weeks with My Brother
5. Redemption
6. J. K. Rowling The Wizard Behind Harry Potter
7. Confessions of a Shopaholic
8. One for the Money
9. The Secret Life of Bees
10. Henderson the Rain King
10 POINTS-
1. Bard The Odyssey of the Irish
2. Like Water for Chocolate
3. The Magicians' Guild
4. Good in Bed
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
6. New Moon
7. Mr. Darcy's Diary
8.
9. Water for Elephants
10. Eragon
15 POINTS-
1. SAGITARIUS: Moneyball The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
2. Where the Sidewalk Ends
3. Stardust
4. The Leisure Seeker A NovelUPDATE (Disneyland)
5. Foreign Affairs A Novel
6. If On a Winter's Night a Traveler
7. The Picture of Dorian Gray/Me Talk Pretty One Day
8. The Choice
9. White Noise
10. Black Dagger Brotherhood 3/4/5:Lover Awakened/Lover Revealed/Lover Unbound
25 POINTS-
1. Guitar Girl/Romeo and Juliet
2. Diaries, 1885-97 With Earlier and Later Diary Fragments from 1875-1917
3. Little Women/
4. Anne of Green Gables
5. In Cold Blood
6. Diana Story of a Princess
7. ELIMINATED
8. Eclipse/Specials
9. Wicked The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
[image error]
Ashley wrote: ""Abbie wrote:" Abbie, you will have to tell me how you liked Walk Two Moons! I absolutely love that book! One of my most favorites. I really hope you like it!!
I'm reading now with a group in my class. It is also one of my favorite books and I was sad to not read it aloud--which is what I usually do. I thought it would hit too close to home with one of my students, so decided to do a small group instead. I hope you find it enjoyable!
"
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Yes, it was from your shelf Stephanie. Thanks I probably will read her shopaholic books.