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Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009
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Maliades
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Apr 12, 2009 04:36PM
Just finished The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman for task 10.4 - Alice Hoffman was born on March 16. My new points total is 120. It's a good thing I've had a wrist injury, can't do much other than read!
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25 POINT TASK3. 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.
Off Eva's shelves:
In the Beginning Was the Ghetto Notebooks from Lodz, Oskar Rosenfeld.
Priestblock 25487 A Memoir of Dachau, Father Jean Bernard.
TOTAL POINTS: 205.
El wrote: "25 POINT TASK3. 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 ..."
Oh, I'm jealous! I don't even have the Rosenfeld yet! LOL
How was the other one? I thought that was a pretty unique look at the camps- from Bernard's p.o.v. Was that worth reading for you? (I never say did you "like" it or I "liked" it with a book like this because some people take it wrong even though I don't mean it like that.)
♡ Eva ♡ wrote: "El wrote: "25 POINT TASK3. 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 ..."
Eva, the p.o.v. was certainly different and provided a very unique description of a concentration camp. I know what you mean about saying whether or not you "like" a work of Holocaust literature - I have the same trepidation when I say that Priestblock wasn't my "favorite" Holocaust memoir, but it certainly was fascinating and I'm glad I chose it from your list.
I haven't gone through your entire Holocaust shelf yet, but have you read Man's Search for Meaning?
LEADERBOARD
SANDY - 425
DONNA JO - 410
BRIDGIT - 400
KRISTEN IL - 400
LIZZI - 400
MEGHAN - 395
BONNIE - 355
SHARON - 355
BJ ROSE - 335
BEV - 325
LEORA - 325
JOSIE - 315
RORA - 315
TINA - 310
KRISTENR - 305
ASHLEY ID - 295
RORY - 290
EVA - 270
KRISTINA - 270
PERS - 265
BETH MN - 255
ANGIE - 245
CAIT - 245
LIZ BRKLYN - 245
LOUISE - 245
SARA TX - 240
MARY BETH - 230
ALICE - 225
KRITIKA - 225
SUZIER - 225
ANGELA - 220
COURTNEY - 220
FIONA (TITCH)- 215
LAURA - 210
EL - 205
LINDSEY - 205
MAGGIE - 200
AMY - 195
NICOLE NC - 195
APRIL NY - 190
ASHLEY AL - 190
CATHEROO - 190
LORI - 190
SANDIE - 185
BECKY - 180
ELIZABETH NC - 180
JON - 180
WENDY - 180
JAMIE MN - 175
REBECCA J - 175
CYNTHIA (SCM) - 170
STEPH - 170
STEPHANIE CA - 170
SUSAN - 170
FALLON - 165
LYNLEE4 - 165
LIZ VEGAS - 160
JUDITH IA - 155
VICTORIA - 155
LILY - 150
ROS - 150
CYNDEE - 145
ELIZABETH (ALASKA) - 145
JOY - 145
ALISHA - 140
DAVID - 140
TRYPHENA - 140
KAREN - 135
KATE - 135
ROSEANN - 135
JEGKA - 130
SERA - 130
CAROL - 125
HAYES - 125
HEATHER KS - 125
MANDAY - 125
RHIANNON - 125
CASSIE - 120
MALIADES - 120
ANN FROM SC - 115
POTJY - 115
RENFREW - 115
CATHERINE - 105
ABBIE - 100
JENNIFER IN - 100
JOANNA - 100
RYAN - 100
WV HEATHER - 100
AMANDA - 95
BETH - 95
LACY - 95
LINDA - 95
CYNTHIA - 90
KRISTINA UK - 90
SAI - 90
TRACY - 90
JEN B - 85
JESSICA SC - 85
LAUREN - 85
MEREDITH H - 85
SUSANNA UK - 85
JENNY - 80
JESSICA IL - 80
JULIE (ID)'S - 75
JULIE UK - 75
KATHRYN - 75
KICKI - 75
MEGAN - 75
MELODY - 70
NATALIA - 70
REBECCA - 70
SARAH PA - 70
SLAIMI - 70
JEANE - 65
SHANNON - 65
JEN MD - 60
KELLY - 60
ALYSSA - 55
JOANIE - 55
MEL - 55
ROBIN - 55
SARA E - 55
JESSICA MI - 50
RACHEL - 50
ALLISON MO - 45
ELIZ - 45
JULIE TN - 45
ASHLEY UT - 40
JAMIE WA - 40
JULIE KS - 40
KIM - 40
LDB - 40
LISA CO - 40
LIZ NY - 40
SHELLIE - 40
TERRI - 40
TOBIE - 40
VICKI - 40
KATIE - 35
KELLY MA - 30
DOROTHY - 25
JAIME 26 - 25
KRISTI - 25
MELISSA - 25
JAMIE 23 - 20
LAZARUS - 20
MACKENZIE - 20
NICOLE CA - 20
CAITLIN - 15
JENNI - 15
GREG - 10
MORGAN - 10
JUDITH NY - 5
MICHELLE - 5
SHELBY - 5
Kathryn wrote: "I just realized it was zombies.. Plural. I wanted to read lock and key by Sarah dessen as well as pride & prejudice & zombies..." Zombies and Key no...Zombie and Key would have been ok though♡ Eva ♡ wrote: "Now, I have a question too! Cynthia- would this book count for the sacrifice task?
[b:Alex the Life of a Child|3054455|Alex the Life of a Child|Frank Deford|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocove..."I can't particularly tell from the descriptions I've seen what sacrifices were made but if you can from you've found it would be fine with me
Maliades wrote: "This just might be a dumb question.. but can I read non-fiction for the spring break/vacation task #15.4? I wanted to use Country Roads of New Mexico: Drives, Day Trips, and Weekend Excursions by S..."Yes non-fiction would be fine - the task was specifically for a Spring Vacation - I made exceptions for those who have rarely traveled or don't travel in the Spring
Kicki wrote: "For the spring-cleaning task, would it be okay to read a book that you've had at home (unread) for a long time instead than the first book I put on my TBR-list? I've had this certain book unread fo..."That would be fine
Louise wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "LEADERBOARD
DONNA JO - 410
KRISTEN IL - 400
LIZZI - 400
MEGHAN - 395
Hi Cynthia! You've put me down as having 210 points but I've worked it out as 230 points. Have I miss c..."No it was just another case of me having updated my spreadsheet and not changing the leader board to reflect that change - but I fixed it.
Latest UpdateTHE 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.
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: 100 / 200
50 Points
1. TBD
Category Total: 0 / 50
Category Totals: 205 / 550
Goal: 205 / 250
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5 points4. Simply Sinful by Carly Phillips
Read it on my way to/from Ohio for Easter!
New total: 70
Dudes - Just an updated ticker because Cynthia's spreadsheet is more accurate a number than I can get on ten fingers and ten toes ! Thanks C !
El wrote: "♡ Eva ♡ wrote: "El wrote: "25 POINT TASK3. 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 pic..."
No, I hadn't heard of that one before- I already add it to-read here and it's bumped up on my amazon order list! LOL Thanks! Yeah- the same thing goes with me with I say a 'favorite' holocaust book. I read a lot of abuse recovery books too and the same goes with those. Sometimes people tend to assume you mean the story itself I guess and not the writing, how the author comes through, the feelings that were evoked, etc. I always watch what I say about a book like that!
I'm "glad" you "liked" Preistblock though!
Tasks Completed 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
#7 Read and recycle a book- The Bride Wore Chocolate by Shirley Jump
#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
#9 Read a book w/a color in the title- Redwall by Brian Jacques
#10 Read the 3rd, 4th, and 5th books of one series- Lover Awakened, BDB#3; Lover Revealed, BDB#4; Lover Unbound, BDB#5 by J.R. Ward
25 Points
#1 Read a book whose title starts w/the letter G & read a book whose title starts w/the letter R- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and The Rules of Gentility by Janet Mullany
#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
#8 Read two YA novels- Confessions of a Serial Kisser by Wendelin Van Draanen and Love, Cajun Style by Diane Les Becquets
Total Points= 245
Cynthia wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I just realized it was zombies.. Plural. I wanted to read lock and key by Sarah dessen as well as pride & prejudice & zombies..." Zombies and Key no...Zombie and Key would have been..."Thanks Cynthia- I'm reading it anyway right now so I'll make sure- I don't want to use it if it doesn't "feel" right for making that task because then I'll feel like I cheated. LOL Thanks!
Cynthia, I'm probably wrong, but did you make an exception to the 100 pages or more rule for the poetry task? I just noticed that my book of choice for that task (Lee Herrick's This Many Miles From Desire) only has 88 pages.
If you didn't, I'll find another book.
Finished the Science Fiction/Fantasy 5 point challenge, which brings me up to 155 points. I read Faerie Wars, which is a fun YA fantasy you YAers might enjoy.
Okay, I have been working on this task for about a month but just haven't posted.Here goes: 25point tasks:
9. I Became a Christian and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.
15 points tasks:
10 point tasks:
5 Point tasks:
2. Gurensey Potato Peel and Literary Society
5. Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World
9. Velveteen Rabbit
So that's 40 points.
Just finished my first audiobook for the Arbor day challenge (5 pts) (I Know This Much Is True ) and The Things They Carried for the armed forces challenge (10 pts)Current Total-- 5 pts
NEW TOTAL:
Jamie(23)-- 20 pts
I'm doing horrible this time around. I need to step it up.
Cynthia, I noticed you didn't update my points. I hope there isn't anything wrong with the books I've read so far. I updated yesterday on page 82 and my current points was 415. Today I finished reading a 10 point task. Like water for chocolate for the cinco de mayo task: total points: 425
Books I've read and the current one is striked:5pts:
4.The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
6. Women's History Month: The Lady and the Cad--Tamela Hancock Murray
10pts:
1. St. Patrick's day: Maire Fires of Gleannmara Linda Windsor
3.Anzac Day: Faith in the Great Southland Mary Hawkins
4. Author who was born in May: A Family To Share-Arlene James
5. Magic: The Magician's Nephew C.S. Lewis
6. Earth Day: Moon Called-Patricia Briggs
7. Mother's Day: Killer Cargo-Dana Mentink My mom's name is Maria.
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
7. Darla's task:The Wonderful Wizard of Oz-L. Frank Baumseen in the movie Inkheart
8. Cassie's task: Confessions of a Serial Kisser Wendelin Van Draanen and If We Kiss Rachel Vail
9. Sara's task: Full title: Mr. Lincoln's High-Tech War: How the North Used the Telegraph, Railroads, Surveillance Balloons, Ironclads, High-Powered Weapons, and More to Win the Civil War- Thomas B. Allen
total: 425
message by Jamie : Did you skip New Moon, Lacy? If so, that's understandable (it was my least favorite of the series)!
I guess I'm terrible at keeping up on these comments. Sorry I haven't answered this yet. No, I didn't skip new moon. I just counted it for one of the other challenges because of moon in the name. After the Cullens left until they came back it definitely wasn't my favorite. I liked it, but it did seem to drag. In fact I had to peek to the end because if Edward didn't come back I didn't want to keep reading it! hahaha I loved the volturri(sp?)part.
Hello, I've joined your group because I love the idea of this challenge. It's already made me clean out half my "list". :) I know I'm a month out but am looking forward to seeing how many I finish.5p:
1.One Good Knight by Mercedes Lackey
2.The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
3.Weird California by Greg Bishop
4.
5.The Wishing Jar by Penelope J. Stokes
6.
7.Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (E-book)
8.Slay and Rescue by John Moore
9.The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
10.Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow
10p:
1.The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd
2.
3.
4.
5.The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
6.
7.A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
8.Hornblower and the Hotspur by C.S. Forrester
9.Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
10.Uglies by Scott Westerfield
15p:
1.The Queen’s Bastard by Robin Maxwell
2.
3.Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
4.
5.A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
6.The Tales of Genji by Murasaki
7.Court of the Lion by Elanor Cooney and Daniel Atlieri & America’s Report Card by John McNally
8.
9.
10.Greenwitch, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper
25p:
1.A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin & Rose in Winter by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
2.The Amateur Emigrant, Across The Plains, The Silverado Squatters by Robert Louis Stevenson
3.Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne & Holes by Louis Sachar
4.Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
5.
6.Royal Affairs: A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures That Rocked the British Monarchy by Leslie Carroll
7.
8.Witches Forest by Mishio Fukazawa & The Secret History of Tom Trueheart by Ian Beck
9.Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
50p:
1.The Serpent on the Crown by Elizabeth Peters & Ammie Come Home by Barbara Michaels
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I just finished Princess at the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George for the 5 pt fantasy/sci-fi task. It's a fairy tale retelling, so it is fantasy. I must say, I was a little disappointed. It is a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses, which is my favorite fairy tale, and has been for as long as I can remember. This was a fun read, and I did like it, but there were parts that felt forced, and some that felt flat. I didn't feel that there was enough character development, and this author had some awesome ideas in the story that she would briefly mention, and then never return to. I wanted to rewrite parts for her, because she set her self up with an amazing situation, and then never used it!
There were some really good parts to it though, like the ages of the princesses. Most retellings do weird sets of twins, or a really old oldest, but this story only had one set of twins, and the ages were 17 to 6. I liked that idea, it made the story more believable, and it also made it easier to keep track of which princess was which.
So, I did like it, but I just wish there had been a little more to it.
There were some really good parts to it though, like the ages of the princesses. Most retellings do weird sets of twins, or a really old oldest, but this story only had one set of twins, and the ages were 17 to 6. I liked that idea, it made the story more believable, and it also made it easier to keep track of which princess was which.
Total- 295
Goal: 340 Points / 30 books---Stats---
Earned Points: 180 of 340
Books Read: 16 of 30
Total Pages Read: 7048
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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
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
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
5 point task # 5 For Easter/Lent: The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. JacobsTotal Points: 60
Just finished Clementina by Eileen Dunlop for the 10 point task-read a book where the main character has the same first name as your mother. My mom's name is Clementina but she goes by Tina. When I was looking for a book for this task I entered in "Tina" and was amazed when this came up!Total points as of 4/13/09-65 I may break 100 someday!
Can I use The boy in the Striped Pyjamas for the military task?
I've just completed task 15.10. I've read: The Wide Window, The Miserable Mill and The Austere Academy which are the third, forth and fifth book in the Lemony Snicket series.That brings my total up to 245 points.
Thanks!
Just finished task 10.4 - an author born in March April or May. Heather Graham - Blood Red. This is a silly vampire romance book that takes like 10 minutes to read. If you like this genre, its ok, and reads very quickly. If you arent a huge vamp novel fan, definitely skip this one. Total Points: 400
Latest UpdateI just finished The Ballad of Dorothy Wordsworth, and it seemed to take forever! I glad that one is done.
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.
3. From Eva:
4.
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: 125 / 200
50 Points
1. TBD
Category Total: 0 / 50
Category Totals: 230 / 550
Goal: 230 / 250
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I have completed task 5.1 by reading Poison Study. It was a good quick fantasy read, but I was underwhelmed by the quality of writing.
I also completed task 15.9 by reading The Red Badge of Courage and eating green bean casserole with tomatoes in it and an apple cinnamon side dish.
I completely can see why its a classic!
New Point Total = 125
♡ Eva ♡ wrote: "I owe Sara SO BIG after this one! I didn't think I'd be able to use this book for this task (or for any task) because I don't eat a wide variety of foods. Especially black foods. But Sara came through with an awesome recipe for Taco Soup (that EVERYONE at my house tonight LOVED!) and I had black beans and black olives in it! THANKS SARA!!!!"Oh good! I'm glad you liked it!
Sara wrote: "So far I have read - 15 pt task
1. The Virginity Club by Kate Brian - 15 pts (Virgo the Virgin)"
How did you like The Virginity Club? I've been meaning to read it for a really long time...
Kathryn wrote: "I just realized it was zombies.. Plural. I wanted to read lock and key by Sarah dessen as well as pride & prejudice & zombies..."Have you already done my task (25.9)? Because Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! has a 14-word-long title!
PS - I've undergone a name change due to a new Sara joining the fun...
Sharon wrote: "Can I use The boy in the Striped Pyjamas for the military task?"I haven't read it but it seems like The boy in the striped pajamas is not about a military person it takes place during war yes and the boys father is a Nazi but I can't tell that he takes a major role in the story so it wouldn't fit the task - if I'm wrong and he does have a major role then yes it would be appropriateMadeline wrote: "Hello, I've joined your group because I love the idea of this challenge. It's already made me clean out half my "list". :) I know I'm a month out but am looking forward to seeing how many I finis..."Welcome and remember books you've read since the start of the challenge count not just the books since you start the challenge
Sandy wrote: "Cynthia, I noticed you didn't update my points. I hope there isn't anything wrong with the books I've read so far. I updated yesterday on page 82 and my current points was 415. Today I finished rea..."Somehow I must have missed it but I've got it up to date now
She'Davia wrote: "10 points so far :("What task did you complete? - You need to post that along with your point total before I can update the leaderboard.
Angie wrote: "Cynthia, I'm probably wrong, but did you make an exception to the 100 pages or more rule for the poetry task?
I just noticed that my book of choice for that task (Lee Herrick's This Many Miles ..."Yes I said the poetry task could be 75+ pages
LEADERBOARD
SANDY - 425
BRIDGIT - 415
DONNA JO - 410
KRISTEN IL - 400
LIZZI - 400
MEGHAN - 400
BJ ROSE - 360
BONNIE - 355
SHARON - 355
TINA - 335
BEV - 325
LEORA - 325
JOSIE - 315
RORA - 315
KRISTENR - 305
ASHLEY ID - 295
RORY - 290
KRISTINA GA - 275
EVA - 270
BETH MN - 265
PERS - 265
SARANICOLE - 250
ANGIE - 245
CAIT - 245
LIZ BRKLYN - 245
LOUISE - 245
LAURA NY - 235
CATHEROO - 230
MARY BETH - 230
ALICE - 225
COURTNEY - 225
KRITIKA - 225
NICOLE NC - 225
SUZIER - 225
ANGELA - 220
APRIL NY - 215
FIONA (TITCH)- 215
MAGGIE - 210
EL - 205
LINDSEY - 205
CYNTHIA (SCM) - 200
AMY - 195
ASHLEY AL - 190
LORI - 190
SANDIE - 185
BECKY - 180
ELIZABETH NC - 180
JON - 180
WENDY - 180
JAMIE MN - 175
REBECCA J - 175
STEPH - 170
STEPHANIE CA - 170
SUSAN - 170
FALLON - 165
LYNLEE4 - 165
LIZ VEGAS - 160
JUDITH IA - 155
VICTORIA - 155
LILY - 150
ROS - 150
CYNDEE - 145
ELIZABETH (ALASKA) - 145
JOY - 145
ALISHA - 140
DAVID - 140
TRYPHENA - 140
KAREN - 135
KATE - 135
MALIADES - 135
ROSEANN - 135
WV HEATHER - 135
JEGKA - 130
SERA - 130
ANN FROM SC - 125
CAROL - 125
HAYES - 125
HEATHER KS - 125
MANDAY - 125
RHIANNON - 125
CASSIE - 120
POTJY - 115
RENFREW - 115
CATHERINE - 105
ABBIE - 100
JENNIFER IN - 100
JOANNA - 100
KATHRYN - 100
RYAN - 100
AMANDA - 95
BETH - 95
LACY - 95
LINDA - 95
CYNTHIA - 90
KRISTINA UK - 90
SAI - 90
TRACY - 90
JEN B - 85
JESSICA SC - 85
LAUREN - 85
MEREDITH H - 85
SUSANNA UK - 85
JENNY - 80
JESSICA IL - 80
JULIE (ID)'S - 75
JULIE UK - 75
KICKI - 75
MEGAN - 75
MELODY - 70
NATALIA - 70
REBECCA - 70
SARAH PA - 70
SLAIMI - 70
JEANE - 65
SHANNON - 65
JEN MD - 60
KELLY - 60
ALYSSA - 55
ASHLEY UT - 55
JOANIE - 55
MEL - 55
ROBIN - 55
SARA E - 55
JAMIE WA - 50
JESSICA MI - 50
RACHEL - 50
ALLISON MO - 45
ELIZ - 45
JULIE TN - 45
JULIE KS - 40
KIM - 40
LDB - 40
LISA CO - 40
LIZ NY - 40
SHELLIE - 40
TERRI - 40
TOBIE - 40
VICKI - 40
KATIE - 35
KELLY MA - 30
DOROTHY - 25
JAIME 26 - 25
KRISTI - 25
MELISSA - 25
JAMIE 23 - 20
LAZARUS - 20
MACKENZIE - 20
NICOLE CA - 20
CAITLIN - 15
JENNI - 15
GREG - 10
MORGAN - 10
JUDITH NY - 5
MICHELLE - 5
SHELBY - 5
And now to update my points...Task 10.8 - Military/Veteran Book: Dancing at Midnight by Julia Quinn
This was a reread, although I didn't remember much of what happened until I got into the book again. It's really cute though--Julia Quinn is my favorite romance author.
STATS
Tasks Completed: 18/39
Books Read: 23/45
Pages Read: 6050
Points Earned: 250
I'm working on Of Mice and Men now (half of my rhyming title task), which shouldn't take me much longer. Then, I need to read I Capture the Castle, as it's due on Friday (interlibrary loan). And then I REALLY have to buckle down and give serious effort to The Life of Elizabeth I, as it's going to take me a while to get through, due to its length and font size.
I finished Karen's task last night...I read The Gates Of Trevalyan which was okay but not as good as her other Georgia civil war book Sunrise which I also read for this challenge - I just didn't connect as much to the characters in this one as the other - I also read The Rossetti Letter which I loved - it had been sitting on my shelf for a LONG time and I'm glad I finally got to it - I loved the duality of the two stories - the modern day historian and the seventeenth century courtesan. I can't wait to read the next in the series The Devlin Diary.[image error]
Finished another one! For 15.8 I read The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell. I watched the interview at http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/ind.... I'm glad I watched this interview, because she was a little bit different than I had imagined. It is really nice to get to know the author! I should do that a little more often.Total points: 55
Madeline wrote: "Hello, I've joined your group because I love the idea of this challenge. It's already made me clean out half my "list". :) I know I'm a month out but am looking forward to seeing how many I finis..."Welcome, Madeline. You can use anything you've read since March 1st, so maybe you're closer than you think!
I just finished Rabbit, Run by John Updike for 25.1 (With Growing Up by Russell Baker). I didn't like it very much, but I'm not sure what was wrong with it.That brings my point total up to 235.
Just finished:
8. April Fool's Day - Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life (Audio CD) by and narrated by Steve Martin
This was a short listen but I found his life and rise to fame to be pretty interesting.
5 points, making my total 275.
I just finished 10.8, the military task. I read The Things They Carried, which I have been meaning to read for a long time. What a powerful book... and fantastic writing.New point total: 50
Laura wrote: "I just finished Rabbit, Run by John Updike for 25.1 (With [b:Growing Up|88612|Growing Up|Russel..."Laura, thanks to you and others who have read this for the Challenge, and reminding me constantly about it. I need an "R" book, I just don't think I'm up to reading The Road, and I'd like to keep after reading books on the Pulitzer list. I'm thinking I'll run down to the library and pick this up.
saranicole wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I just realized it was zombies.. Plural. I wanted to read lock and key by Sarah dessen as well as pride & prejudice & zombies..."Have you already done my task (25.9)? Because [..."
Thanks for the suggestion... unfortunately, I have done your challenge. Maybe I will put it under humorous novel.
Cynthia, just one more rhyming question, though, does zombies rhy with Annie's or Sophie's?
Sorry for the double post, but I was also wondering when the 50 point question is going to come into play? Because I am kind of excited to hear what someone comes up with that they think is worth 50 points!!!
oh my... I was going to use 'Birds Without Wings' by Louis de Bernieres (writer of Corelli's Mandolin) for the task where 'bird' has to be in the title... and just now opened the book and it's about 550 pages! Yikes... I might need to choose a shorter book. I'll start reading and see how quickly it seems to go... lol!
Kathryn wrote: "Sorry for the double post, but I was also wondering when the 50 point question is going to come into play? Because I am kind of excited to hear what someone comes up with that they think is worth 5..."I believe April 15th. Just a couple more days. And it looks like Sandy will be the one making the choice! :)
Task 15.4 completed: I read Country Roads of New Mexico: Drives, Day Trips, and Weekend Excursions by Sally Moore. I have been to New Mexico many many times -- I've never been anywhere during Spring Break though, or even really anytime in the spring. I tend to vacation during the summer or in the fall, so I hope this is okay. I am also going to New Mexico again this August. This time I plan to visit the Greater World Community near Taos and hopefully stay in an earthship!! Anyway, I really enjoyed the book Country Roads of New Mexico: Drives, Day Trips, and Weekend Excursions because I've been to so many of those towns and driven those back roads and it was nice to remember them as I read.
My new points total is 135.
I love weekends when I have time to catch up on my reading! I completed the following tasks:10 pts
7. In Honor of Mother’s Day…
- Read a book where the author/main character shares the same FIRST name as your mother OR…
- Read a book recommended by/given to you by your mother. – Lottery by Patricia Wood (mom’s name AND book came from my mother-in-law)
15 pts
3. Read a past OR present TNBBC group read that you haven’t read before - The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
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. – It Sucked Then I Cried by Heather Armstrong
I think that brings me to 230 pts!
WooHoo. I'm on Spring Break and have finished a few more tasks.10 points
6. Earth Day task
The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
7. Mother's Day task
Twisted Root by Anne Perry (my mom's name is Anne)
15 points
8. Get to Know the Author
The Fire by Katherine Neville
A few weeks ago I went to the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville and sat in on a round table discussion with Katherine Neville and three other authors. This is the second time I've met Neville - such a fascinating and funny woman. I enjoyed meeting all of the authors there. Oh, and I met Robin (here on goodreads) along with her husband/author. That was the first time I met someone from this site.
New Total: 135 points
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