The Next Best Book Club discussion
Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009

Cynthia, it should be obvious that you've done a marvelous thing concocting this challenge. I sometimes find myself wondering how you'll be able to continue to meet this standard with future Challenges. Then, somehow I know that, with the input of the readers here, it is just as likely to get better and better.

So basically, it is safe to say that we are all pretty much amazing!! With, of course, the leader in the amazingness being Cynthia herself for getting this all together, and taking the time to keep track of it all! Thanks a bunch!
And ya, we all rock out loud...!
(I spent the weekend with my newphews, and younger brothers, so I feel a little like I'm starting to talk like them... Lol.)

8. CASSIE'S TASK - For her friend Melissa (who told her about goodreads and is a YA Librarian): Read two young adult novels.
I read Graceling and Howl's Moving Castle
I thought both were very good and have passed both books on to my daughter. :~)
Point total now is 40 points.

This brings my total to 300 points.

I really enjoyed Wide Sargasso Sea, it was far better than The Private Lives of Pippa Lee as I found the main character of the latter book quite difficult to comprehend. She just didn't make any real sense to me!
This makes my total 205 pts

2. EL’s TASK - Read a Non-Fiction book ABOUT OR A DIARY written by one of the noted diarists on This List http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dia... who lived prior to the 1900’s: The Diary of Richard Wagner 1865-1882 The Brown Book was two very different books. The first half a diary written for/about his future wife was fascinating. The second half was comprised almost entirely of notes and drafts of his published poems, essays, & letters. Most of it literally notes--not even complete sentences and horribly tedious.
Tasks Completed: 13/39
Pages Read: 4527
Total: 235 pts.
Liz (Bklyn)

8. CASSIE'S TASK - For her friend Melissa (who told her about goodreads and is a YA Librarian): Read two young adult novels.
I read Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, and The Arm of the Starfish by Madeleine L'Engle.
I have always loved L'Engle's books, but never read this one - it was an interesting mix of her chronos and kairos series.
Fever 1793 introduced me to an event in American history that I knew nothing about - the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia - written from the point of view of a teenage girl in the midst of it. I'm looking forward to reading more about it!
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5 points
1. Fantasy - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2. Epistolary - The Princess Diaries
3. Spring Cleaning - Dragon of the Red Dawn
4. Planes, Trains,... - Love Stargirl
5. Lent/Book about Sacrifice - Confessions of a Closet Catholic
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.
5.
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.
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.
4. Big Read - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
5. Other genre - Woodsong (non-fiction)
6. 400 page British Monarchy - Horrible Histories?
7.
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 - Enna Burning and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
New Total: 85
Abbie

That's awesome, Cynthia - thanks for sharing. I can't believe how many people we have participating in the challenge. Very cool.

For 15 points I read...The Transition of Titus Crow by Brian Lumley and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan A Novel by Lisa See
(New total: 255 points)

I have to say this is the most books I've read in a long time. I usually average about four books a month. Not sure if I'll be able to complete all of the tasks, but it has been fun participating in the challenge. :)


5 points
1. Fantasy - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2. Epistolary - The Princess Diaries
3. Spring Cleaning - Dragon of the Red Dawn
4. Planes, Trains,... - Love Stargirl
5. Lent/Book about Sacrifice - Confessions of a Closet Catholic
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.
5.
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.
3. TNBBC Group Read - Stardust
4. Spring Break - The Kingdom Keepers
5.
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.
4. Big Read - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
5. Other genre - Woodsong (non-fiction)
6. 400 page British Monarchy - Horrible Histories?
7.
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 - Enna Burning and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
New Total: 100
Abbie

OMG, I LOVE Mairelon the Magician and The Magician's Ward. In fact, I like the second one the most. Besides Dealing with Dragons, those are my FAVORITE Patricia C. Wrede books. I'm so glad you read them too!

5 Points
1 - Coraline by Neil Gaiman
2 - Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
3 - not yet
5 - Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice
6 - [[book:Girl, Interrupted|68783] by Susanna Kaysen
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
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 -
4 - Blindness by José Saramago
5 - People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
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
9 - not yet
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5 POINTS
1.
2. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
3. Ahab’s Wife: Or the Star-gazer: A Novel by Sena Jeter Naslund
4.
5. The Shack by William P. Young
6. Widow of the South by Robert Hicks
7.
8. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
9. Early Bird by Rodney Rothman
10. Thunderball by Ian Fleming
10 POINTS
1. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
2. The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Urrea
3.
4.
5.
6. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
7. The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse
8. Tales of the South Pacific by James Michener
9. Dissolution by C.J. Sansom (#16)
10. Both Sides of Time by Caroline B. Cooney
15 POINTS
1. Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
2. The People Who Didn’t Say Goodbye by Merrit Malloy
3. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
4.
5. …the Heavens and the Earth: A Political History of the Space Age by Walter A. McDougall
6.
7. Coraline by Neil Gaiman & We are all Fine Here by Mary Guterson
8.
9. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Purple Jelly on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and purple onions in a salad
10. Nancy Drew #3, #4, #5
25 POINT TASKS
1. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and Rabbit Run by John Updike
2. The diaries of Sophia Tolstoy
3.
4.
5. Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
6. Anne Boleyn: A New Life of England’s Tragic Queen by Joanna Denny
7. Atonement by Ian McEwan
8.
9.
Total: 190 points!

1:Stolen by Kelley Armstrong (4/05/09)
2:84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (3/04/09)
4:From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (3/10/09)
7: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (3/12/09)
10 POINTS
3:Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody (3/20/09)
4:A Great and Terribly Beauty by Libba Bray (3/02/09)
6:Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (3/11/09)
10:All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris (3/03/09)
15 POINTS
3:The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (4/02/09)
4:Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore (3/30/09)
6:The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (3/13/09)
8:City Dog by Alison Pace (3/01/09)
25 POINTS
1:The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (3/09/09) and Rebel Angels by Libba Bray (3/16/09)
4:The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett (3/24/09)
5:The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (3/27/09)
8:Holes by Louis Sachar (3/17/09) and Life: An Autobiography as Told by Jack Gunthridge by Jack Gunthridge (3/18/09)
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Points: 220
Tasks Completed: 16.5/40
-Beth MN

#10
All Rain, No Mud Simple Secrets for Happiness ... Even on Rainy Days
My Opinion: It was quite disjointed, but uplifting none the less

5 Points
1. Dandelion Fire by N.D. Wilson
8. The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
9. The Book Of Bunny Suicides, Vol. 2: Return Of The Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley
10 Points
4. Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett (April)
5. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
7. The Desperate Housewives Cookbook: Juicy Dishes and Saucy Bits by Christopher Styler (For Christmas)
15 Points
6. The Stranger by Albert Camus
7. Carrie by Stephen King and Sorcery by Terry Pratchett
25 Points
1. Growing Up by Russell Baker and …
4. Mort by Terry Pratchett
5. Stone Heart by Luanne Rice
8. The Quillian Games by D.J. Machale and Coraline by Neil Gaiman
9. Chicken Soup of the College Soul: Inspiring and Humorous Stories for College Students.

Bonnie, I agree about Patricia Wrede--I am always on the lookout for her books. I like her light touch with humor mixed in with her fantasies. I think one reason I enjoyed Magicians Ward so much was because it was such a good Regency romance on top of the magic.

10. March, April, and May are the 3rd, 4th, and 5th months of the year:
- Read the third, fourth and fifth books of one series OR
- 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 Lives, Louis Auchincloss.
Four Chambered Heart, Anais Nin.
Five Dialogues Euthyphro/Apology/Crito/Meno/Phaedo, Plato.
TOTAL POINTS: 180.

2. Poetry: Great Short Poems by Various.
Loved it. Lots of really great poems I'd never read before, plus many classics (Frost's "Two Roads, etc.). I am enjoying poetry a lot more now than in high school.
3. Past or present TNBBC Group Read: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Hated the plot and the characters, loved the writing. It felt very Catch-22ish; absurd and comical and absurdly comical. Not even remotely a love story in my mind, but an obsession story.
7. Rhyming Titles: Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier and Of Swords and Spells by Delia Marshall Turner. (Cybele's/Spells)
Both of these books are LOVE. Cybele's Secret is the companion novel to Wildwood Dancing and I consider both fantastic representations of great YA: well-written, exciting, romantic, stay-up-all-night to finish books. Of Swords and Spells is one of my personal favorite YA/sci-fi books, and along with Ender's Game one of the few sci-fi books I truly love. It is the companion book to Nameless Magery and I think it's the better book of the two. This is the third time I've read it since I got it in August and I love it even more every time. Both books are sadly out of print, but you can buy used editions cheap off amazon and I HIGHLY recommend doing so. You get more out of the end of Of Swords and Spells if you've read Nameless Magery...but I kind of recommend reading Of Swords and Spells first, because there are some problems I found in Nameless Magery that bothered me when I re-read it whereas I have no qualms about Of Swords and Spells. I feel sad because no one else I know has read them and the author hasn't written any more books since. And I think these are some of those underappreciated books that should be read and loved more.
Total Points: 340

5pts:
4.The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
10pts:
1. St. Patrick's day: Maire Fires of Gleannmara Linda Windsor
3.Anzac Day: Faith in the Great Southland Mary Hawkins
5. Magic: The Magician's Nephew C.S. Lewis
8. Memorial/Armed Forces day: Military Daddy-Patricia Davids
10. TNBBC Date Joined: Eclipse
15Pts:
1. Aries: The Greek's Bridal Purchase
2. Poetry: Where the Sidewalk Ends
3. TNBCC group read: Stardust
4. Read a book where you've visited or will vistit for Spring Break: Bayou Justice Robin Caroll
5. Literary prize award: Robin McKinley
6. Translated: The Fifth MountainPaulo Coelho
7. Rhyming Books: Bridal Veil Cathy Marie Hake and THE LONG TRAIL TO LOVE - H S #753 Pamela Griffin
8. Author interview: Operation Married by Christmas Debra Clopton
9. Color book title: Bluegrass Peril Virginia Smith
10. 3rd,4th and 5th book in series: The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader-C.S. Lewis
25pts:
1. Karen's task: Glory Be! Ron Benrey
3. Angela's task: The Undomestic Goddess and Can You Keep a Secret? Sophie Kinsella
4. Ros' task: Anne of Green Gables
5. Bonnie's Task: Book outside your normal genre: Simple Genius-David Baldacci I chose to do crime/spy thriller
8. Cassie's task: Confessions of a Serial Kisser Wendelin Van Draanen and If We Kiss [author:Rachel Vail|15952
Total:
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I thought this was a wonderfully researched and written book. Eleanor's life spanned the reign of four English monarchs-she was married to one and the mother of two, as well as being the Queen of France for a time. Weir does a good job of illuminating Eleanor's character as she transforms from scandalous young woman to political prisoner to a wise and able ruler.
p.s. Jon-This isn't a book I otherwise would have picked up in the bookstore, and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the challenge!

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5.9 spring animal:
10.1 St. Patrick's Day:
15 points added for a new total on 4.5.09 of 275 points

5 Points
#1 Read a sci-fi or fantasy novel- Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
#4 Read a book while in a car- Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward
#6 Read a book with one of the following in the title: woman, women, etc..- A Drowned Maiden's Hair A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz
#9 Read a book with a type of bird in the title- The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney by Suzanne Harper
10 Points
#3 Read a book written by an Australian author- I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
#5 Read a book about magic- Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
15 Points
#6 Read a book that has been translated from its original language- Perfume The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind
#7 Read two books w/rhyming titles- Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs and Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning
#8 Read a book & then read an interview with that author- Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs http://us.penguingroup.com/static/htm...
#9 Read a book w/a color in the title- Redwall by Brian Jacques
25 Points
#4 Read a book from The Big Read's list- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
#5 Read a book outside of your normal genres- Ghost Walk by Brian Keene
#7 Read a book referenced in a movie- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (referenced in the movie Inkheart)
#8 Read two YA novels- Confessions of a Serial Kisser by Wendelin Van Draanen and Love, Cajun Style by Diane Les Becquets
Total Points= 200


5 points
1.Twilight – Stephanie Meyer
2.Last Days of Summer – Steve Kluger
3.Animal Farm – George Orwell
4.A Long Way Down – Nick Hornby
5.
by Nadia Shivack
6.The Last Woman in His Life – Ellery Queen
7.
8.Multiple Choice – Claire Cook
9.The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis
10.And the Rain My Drink – Han Suyin
10 points
1.August is a Wicked Month – Edna O’Brien
2.Like Water for Chocolate – Laura Esquivel
3.Night Keepers – Jessica Anderson
4.The Trials of Tiffany Trott – Isabel Wolff (May)
5.The Invitation – Carla Jablonski
6.The Fall of the Red Star – Helen Szablya
7.Teresa Raquin – Emile Zola
8.Executive Orders – Tom Clancy
9.Night Walk – Bob Shaw (1992)
10.The Eyre Affair – Jasper Fforde
15 points
1.Masterpiece – Elise Broach
2.Modern Life – Mathea Harvey
3.Feel – Christopher Moore
4.Johnny Tremain - Esther Forbes
5.A Thousand Acres – Jane Smiley
6.Dumb Luck – Vu Trong Phung
7.
-A Prayer for Owen Meany – John Irving
8.Keeping Faith – Jodi Picoult
9.A Clock Work Orange – Anthony Burgess
-A Ham and Cheddar Lunchable with an Orange
10.Harry Potter 3,4, and 5
25 points
1.The Glamour – Chrisopher Priest
-Running Blind – Desmond Bagley
2.Heavier Than Heaven – Charles R. Cross
3.Speak – Laurie Anderson
-The Memory Keeper’s Daughter – Kim Edwards
4.A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
5.It Had to be You – Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Romance)
6.Anne Boleyn: A New Life of England’s Tragic Queen – Joanna Denny
7.The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger (Big Fat Liar)
8.
-The Road of the Dead – Kevin Brooks
9. Chicken Soup for the Baseball Lover’s Soul: Inspirational Stories of Baseball, Big League Dreams, and the Game of Life
Total Points: 10
Goal Points: 300


5 POINTS (3/10)
4. THE LADY AND THE UNICORN (CHEVALIER) - IN THE CAR
9. LITTLE BIRDS (ANAIS NIN)
10. OLIVE KITTERIDGE (ELIZABETH STROUT) - OLIVE TREE
15 POINTS (4/10)
1. THE LAST LECTURE (RANDY PAUSCH - CANCER)
4. THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH (CHARLIE HUSTON - LOS ANGELES COUNTY, LOOOVED THE FABRIC DISTRICT)
8. AN EXACT REPLICA OF A FIGMENT OF MY IMAGINATION. SEE: INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH MCCRACKEN (AUTHOR) AND ANN PATCHETT AT WWW.BLACKBIRD, ARCHIVES, FALL 2005, VOL. 4, #2
10. JAMES PATTERSON'S THE WOMEN'S MURDER CLUB BOOKS 3/4/5
25 POINT TASKS (3/10)
4. THE SECRET HISTORY (DONNA TARTT)
5. WESLEY THE OWL (STACEY O'BRIEN) - A BIOLOGIST'S MEMOIR - GENRE VIRGIN READ FOR ME
8. **NEW** SPEAK (ANDERSON) & CORALINE (GAIMAN)

It is fun Michele! You know you can count any bo..."
Hi Eva, thanks for letting me know, I will have to see if I can use any of them.

5. For Easter/Lent…
The Red Tent – Anita Diamant READ
- Read a Christian Fiction novel,
NEW TOTAL = 310 points
5 points
1 Inkheart (Inkheart, Book 1) by Cornelia Funke
2 The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank(ordered)
4 Little Women - EBOOK (reading)
6 Mah, Adeline Yen Title Falling leaves return to their roots : the true story of an unwanted Chinese daughter
7 Barbara Trapido – Juggling - read then give to charity (on shelf)
8 Three bags full / Leonie Swan /
9 The One Flew over the cukoos nest – Kesey
10 The House of Thunder – Dean Kootz
10/50 points
10 points
2 Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel READ
3 Author Grenville, Kate Title The Secret river READ
4 SUE GRAFTON O is for Outlaw
5 Practical Magic – Alice Goffman
7 Walk Two Moons – Sharon Creech
8 Catch 22-Joseph Heller (reading)
9 Numer 1 on the list - I Capture the Castle – Dodie Smith (ordered)
50/100 points
15 points
1 Riordan, Rick Title The lightning thief (ordered)
3 The Audacity of Hope – Barack Obama (ordered)
One city / Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin and Irvine Welsh READ
6 Love in the time of Cholera(ordered)
7 : Alias Grace Mary Higgins Clark & No Place Like Home A Novel Margaret Atwood
Then read about him online. DONE
9 A CLOCKWORK ORANGE READ
CARROT AND SWEET POTATO MASH
10 Stirling, Jessica - Sisters three (on shelf)
Caldwell, Ian – Rule of Four (on shelf)
Harris, Joanna – Five quarters of the orange(on shelf)
75/150 points
25 points
2 Wordsworth, Dorothy Title Dorothy Wordsworth's illustrated Lakeland journals(ordered)
When Will There Be good news – Kate Atkinson READ
4 Animal Farm – George Orwell READ
5 Young Adult – Angus, Thongs and perfect snogging READ
6 In The Footsteps of Robert Bruce – Alan Young & Michael J Stead 190 pages (on shelf)
On the Trail of William Wallace – David R. Ross 146 pages READ
8 The growing pains of Adrian Mole – Sue Townsend READ
Private peaceful – Michael Morpurgo READ
9 Waiting for Daisy : the true story of one couple's quest to have a baby / Peggy Orenstein READ
175/200 points
Total 310 points

---Stats---
Earned Points: 155 of 340
Books Read: 14 of 30
Total Pages Read: 6117
-----------
5 POINT TASKS
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Science fiction)
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
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
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (Sending to Kandice when finished.)
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
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
9. Read a book from the TNBBC Top Book list.
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (#28 - I was born in 1982)
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
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.
Duma Key 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
The Green Mile (Complete Serial Novel) by Stephen King
4. Ros's Task: Read a book from the Big Reads List.
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
(Non-fictional memoir -- I normally read fiction: fantasy, horror, classics, etc.)
Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (Referenced in "The English Patient".)
8. Cassie's Task: Read two YA novels.
Blue Is For Nightmares & White Is for Magic by Laurie Faria Stolarz


I read Brideshead revisited for my face to face book group before Christmas and I was a bit daunted by it before I started it but like you was really glad that I had taken the time to read it.

4. Transportation: Gobbolino the Witch's Cat by Ursula Moray Williams
6. Woman title: Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds by Nancy Martin
7. Arbor Day: The Poet by Michael Connelly
9. Spring animals: The Silver Curlew by Eleanor Farjeon
10 POINTS
2. For Cinco De Mayo – Read a book by a Mexican author, set in Mexico, OR about Mexico. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Unexpectedly, I like it.
4. Author's birthday: The Final Solution A Story of Detection by Michael Chabon (May 24)
6. Earth day: The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
15 POINTS
6. Translated book: Meiroso no Sangeki (The Maze Mansion Mystery) by Seishi Yokomizo
25 POINTS
5. BONNIE’S TASK – off-genre: Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard P. Feynman Non-fiction, Scientist’s biography.
8. CASSIE'S TASK – YA: Firesong by William Nicholson and Superior Saturday by Garth Nix
total points: 115


This challenge is opening my mind to a lot of reading that I would never have looked at before.
Thanks Cynthia
Sharon
x

5.7. For Arbor Day – “recycling” it – What’s a Ghoul to Do? By Victoria Laurie (3/29)
5. 8. For April Fools Day: Bet Me: Jennifer Crusie (3/28)
10.1. For St. Patrick’s Day – Uncertain Magic :: Laura Kinsale (4/4)
10.3 For ANZAC Day – Wings Above the Diamantina (Inspector Bonaparte): Arthur Upfield
15.2. National Poetry Month – A Light in the Attic: Shel Silverstein
15. 4. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time :: Mark Haddon (3/31)
15. 5. THE LONG MARCH by WILLIAM STYRON (3/27) (1968)
25.4 ROS’ TASK - Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
25.5 BONNIE’S TASK - PMP Exam Cram 2 :: David Francis, Greg Horine
130 points/10 tasks
And I finished half of task 15.7. with My Sister's Keeper, which I liked much more than I expected to.
And Sharon, yes, I am loving going thru and figuring out which books might apply to which tasks. It's really helping me get some of the older books off of TBR that I wanted to read but never seemed to get to.

Barefoot A Novel and The Dare
Rhyming "bare" and "dare"
This should make my point total at 90.
Heather in KS

15.2 - National Poetry Month - "Favorite Poems of Emily Dickinson"
My new point total should be 50.
Am working hard to find books to fit each task and organize my list!

15.2 - National Poetry Month - "Favorite Poems..."
What did you think of The Professor & the Madman - would you reccomend it?

#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. If their profile is listed as private, go to the person below that person.
My "person" was Kristina - I selected:
Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton 3/22/09 - 3/28/09
Extras by Scott Westerfeld 3/29/09 – 4/6/09
Thanks Kristina for the great books on your shelf!


170 points

THE TASKS
5 Points
1.
2. Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger
3.
4. Eiger Dreams by Jon Krakauer
5. The Gnostic Mystery by Randy Davila
6. A Lady’s Secret by Jo Beverley
7.
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: 15 / 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.
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.
10.
Category Total: 30 / 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.
6.
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 Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (Books 3, 4, and 5 of The Chronicles of Narnia series)
Category Total: 60 / 150
25 Points
1.
2. The Ballad of Dorothy Wordsworth by Frances Wilson
3. From Eva:
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.
8. The Silver Chair / The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
9. House of Cards: A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street by William D. Cohan
Category Total: 75 / 200
50 Points
1. TBD
Category Total: 0 / 50
Category Totals: 180 / 550
Goal: 180 / 250
I just finished "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell," and I have to say that there were definitely some parts that seriously grossed me out! Some of the stories had me reminiscing about my years in law school, which was nice. But overall, I was a little appalled.
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7. For Arbor Day – Do your part to save some trees by…
- Reading an e-book
I read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, on www.gutenberg.org - free e-books!!
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Books mentioned in this topic
Tempting Fate (other topics)Romeo and Juliet (other topics)
Romeo and Juliet (other topics)
Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze?: And 114 Other Questions (other topics)
Where the Sidewalk Ends (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Anita Shreve (other topics)Markus Zusak (other topics)
Neil Gaiman (other topics)
Paulo Coelho (other topics)
Douglas Adams (other topics)
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Wow- that IS pretty cool! I don't know how you have the time to figure all this out, the leaderboard alone but take forever with so many people. Thanks Cynthia!