OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009 Showing 401-450 of 6,381

[Cynthia]

MEXICO
Sofi Mendoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico
Pillars of Gold and Silver
Leona A Love Story
What the Moon Saw

[Elizabeth (NC)]

Mel wrote: "Ahh, thanks, Sara! I'll have to see if I can do another Stephenie Meyer in this challenge! I tend to need a bit of a break after each book of hers that I read. Options are always good!"

Barbara Kingsolver also has an early book--
Animal Dreams that I believe was set in Arizona.

[Elizabeth (NC)]

Jamie wrote: "Becky - I thought so too, but I looked at the first pages on Amazon and the book is actually written in letter format. Can't wait to start!"

I read this book a while ago--and it is very interesting. there is a monument with letters that is very old and as they begin to fall off, they are banned from being allowed in the community--so they disappear from the novel as well. As more and more letters are gone it is fascinating to see how people communicate.

[Abbie]

Susanna, I loved From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler so that is why I am rereading it for the challenge. I am probably going to read Pippi Longstocking because Inkheart is really long! Thank you very, very much!

[Elizabeth (NC)]

Abbie wrote: "This list is what I'd like to read for the challenge. I'm not sure about a couple books yet. Do you have any suggestions? I'm in middle school so I can only read children's or young adult books. I'..."

What about Esperanza Rising for Mexico? (I teach 5th grade and it may be a little low for you, but I think it is a great book.) Or Becoming Naomi Leon by the same author--Pam Munoz Ryan

[Becky]

Jamie wrote: "Becky - I thought so too, but I looked at the first pages on Amazon and the book is actually written in letter format. Can't wait to start!"

Well, learn something new every day! Now I wanna read it even more! :)

[Abbie]

Thank you, Cynthia and Elizabeth! I think I'll read What the Moon Saw or Esperanza Rising.

[Elizabeth (NC)]

Abbie wrote: "This list is what I'd like to read for the challenge. I'm not sure about a couple books yet. Do you have any suggestions? I'm in middle school so I can only read children's or young adult books. I'..."

Ok, a couple more. I think Olive's Ocean would count for color--by Kevin Henkes, or Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry (a companion to The Giver--I didn't like it as much as The Giver, but it is very intersting to read along with it.)

[Maggie]

Beth wrote...Like everybody else, I’m excited to start too. I moved all my “owned an unread” books that will fit this challenge from the downstairs bookshelf to my night stand so I can easily see and access them. I gaze at them lovingly whenever I’m in the bedroom. I think my husband is getting jealous. :)~

My husband is the same way. I had all my "to-reads" spread across the bed and then stacked them up like a skyscraper on the nightstand. I think he's wondering when he's going to see me without my nose in a book!!

[Avory]

All right, here we go:
[Tweaked slightly to add 25 point challenges and change a little something:]

5 POINTS

1. Gabaldon, Outlander
2. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
3. Rachel Cohn, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
4. Stern & Stern, Two for the Road Our Love Affair with American Food (to be read en route to L.A.)
5. Either Miles, Take This Bread A Radical Conversion or Debeljak, Forbidden Bread
6. Jessica Valenti, Full Frontal Feminism A Young Woman's Guide to Why Feminism Matters
7. Dan Brown, Angels & Demons (e-book)
8. Burroughs, Running with Scissors A Memoir
9. Moore, Birds of America Stories
10. Bryson, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid A Memoir

10 POINTS
1. O'Neill, At Swim, Two Boys A Novel
2. Puig, Kiss of the Spider Woman
3. CultureShock! Australia
4. Binchy, Evening Class
5. Stevermere, A College of Magics
6. Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises
7. Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible
8. Timberg, The Nightingale's Song
9. Hosseini, The Kite Runner
10. Sparks, Dear John (Linda)

15 POINTS
1. Block, Echo (Pisces)
2. Rich, The Fact of a Doorframe Poems Selected and New 1950-1984
3. Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera
4. Block, Dangerous Angels The Weetzie Bat Books (set in L.A.)
5. Hulme, The Bone People (1985 Booker Prize)
6. Gangopadhyay, Those Days- A Novel (from the Bengali)
7. Jacobs, The Know-It-All One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
Douglas, Dance Hall Road
8. Pearl, The Dante Club A Novel (coming to a reading here on March 26)
9. Pamuk, My Name Is Red
10. Why Do Men Have Nipples? Hundreds of Questions You'd Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini
DelFattore, The Fourth R Conflicts Over Religion in America's Public Schools
Bushnell, One Fifth Avenue

25 POINT TASKS
1. Roy, The God of Small Things
Caldwell & Thomason, The Rule of Four
2. Sutin, Do What Thou Wilt A Life of Aleister Crowley
3. Jordan, The Wheel of Time
Brashares, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
4. Tolkien, The Hobbit Or There and Back Again
5. Frank, Sullivan's Island (chick lit)
6. Carroll, Royal Affairs A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures That Rocked theBritish Monarchy or
Fraser, The Story of Britain From the Romans to the Present A Narrative History

[Heather]

Mel wrote: "Can anyone help me with a book or two that takes place in Arizona? That's about the most exciting place I've been over spring break -- we do most of our travel during the off seasons.

And, in t..."
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver. It starts out in Kentucky, but the majority of the book takes place in Arizona. Very funny book.

[April]

I like the tasks, except for the written in the stars one because I am a cancer and I can tell you my sign has nothing to do with a disease. It's represented by the crab. Cancers are known for being emotional, nurturing, and homebodies. :-(

[Heather]

April, I'm a cancer too! I figured I'm probably not going to make it through all the tasks anyway so I'll ignore the Stars one. I prefer the "Cancer the Romancer" idea.

[April]

Heather (one of many) wrote: "April, I'm a cancer too! I figured I'm probably not going to make it through all the tasks anyway so I'll ignore the Stars one. I prefer the "Cancer the Romancer" idea."

I like the sound of that, Cancer the Romancer.
I suppose it's a weird pet peeve of mine, but I hate that my star sign is always associated with the ailment of the same name.

[Angela]

I too am a Cancer (a lot of cancers)! I found a book to read, thanks to Cynthia's suggestion, but I also like to think of our sign as the romantic, sensitive type! I am especially a homebody :)

[Bonnie]

If anyone is looking for good three/four/five titles, I'd suggest:

The Three Musketeers
Four Queens The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe (REALLY good nonfiction history about the Middle Ages)
Slaughterhouse-Five

[Eva-Marie]

I'm having a hard time with those Bonnie so I'll be taking a look- thanks. I have one or two dozen series I want to read but some don't go up to five, some have the fifth not out yet or not out until the summer, some I haven't started at all so I'd have to read all five, etc. LOL
It's hard! I only have 1 book that I could find/think of that would fit in the 3,4,5, in the title too so I can't go that route. I don't read most of the fictional authors like that.

[April]

5 POINTS
1. The Dark Is Rising
2. The Diary of a Young Girl
3. 1984
6. America's Women 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines
8. Dirty Jokes and Beer
9. Birdsong A Novel of Love and War
10. Anne of Windy Poplars

10 POINTS
1. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
4.The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
6. Journey To The Center of The Earth - Jules Verne
8. Corelli's Mandolin
9.1987 - I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith
10. The Nanny Diaries - taken from Kellie who is also my goodreads friend!

15 POINTS
2. Sylvia Plath - Collected Poems
3. Love In The Time of Cholera
4. Any suggestions with a novel that takes place in Florida?
5. 1987 - Sid Fleshiman - The Whipping Boy - Newbury Medal
6. The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas
8. Just read a Jodi Piccoult interview so I'll read something by her
10. Anne's House of Dreams by Lucy Maud Montgomery

[Melody]

Robin - I'm also born 1962 and for the major literary prize winner, I am thinking of reading a John Steinbeck novel. He won the Pulitzer in 1962. There is not alot of choice for that year as many awards commenced afterwards.

[Melody]

Robin - Sorry Ive just told you the wrong thing. Steinbeck won the Nobel prize in 1962, Edwin O'Connor won the Pulitzer in 1962.

[Fallon]

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/firsttuesday...

Small collection of author interviews.

[Bonnie]

April wrote: "4. Any suggestions with a novel that takes place in Florida?"

The Dexter series takes place in Miami. The first book is Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Honestly, though, the book series is not that great. Fairly standard crime thriller. I read the first two books because the TV series is amazing, but I couldn't be bothered to read book 3.

[Terri]

A suggestion for the 3/4/5 task ... The Five People You Meet in Heaven - great book!

[Elizabeth (NC)]

April wrote: "5 POINTS
1. The Dark Is Rising
2. [b:The Diary of a Young Girl|..."

Carl Hiassan also has several books set in Florida. Hoot (a YA book that won the Newbery--or maybe the Newbery Honor) is a good one about enviornmental issues. He also has an adult mystery series that I'm pretty sure is set in Florida.

[Elizabeth (NC)]

Abbie wrote: "This list is what I'd like to read for the challenge. I'm not sure about a couple books yet. Do you have any suggestions? I'm in middle school so I can only read children's or young adult books. I'..."

Isabel Allende also has a series of books for YA that are translated from Spanish. The first is called City of Beasts.

[Jenny]

I've never done a challenge before but I've had loads of fun just finding the books I want to read :P Let me know if any of these are wrong. If they've got a question mark it's because I don't know what to go for or I'm stuck!

5 Points

1. Alice in Wonderland
2. The Color Purple
3. The Last Empress
4. TBA
5. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
6. Falling Leaves The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter
7. Pride & Prejudice audio book
8. The Princess Bride
9. To Kill a Mockingbird
10. Sea of Poppies

10 Points

1. In the Woods
2. Like Water for Chocolate
3. True History of the Kelly Gang A Novel
4. Watership Down, Richard Adams (May Bday!)
5. The Magician's Nephew
6. Stardust
7. The Horse Whisperer
8. Suite Française
9. The Bell Jar
10. The Kite Runner

15 Points

1. Virgo Lolita/The Virgin's Lover
2. TBA
3. Jane Eyre
4. Aberystwyth Mon Amour
5. The Lover
6. Sky Burial An Epic Love Story of Tibet
7. Wuthering Heights & Northern Lights
8. The Lies of Locke Lamora
9. Redwall
10. 3, 4 & 5 of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series

25 Points

1. The Russian Concubine & The Good Women of China Hidden Voices
2. Something about Lewis Carroll
3. TBA
4. Lord of the Flies
5. Into the Wild
6. TBA
7. TBA
8. I Capture the Castle & Across the Nightingale Floor
9. TBA


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[Avory]

Oh, incidentally, my goal for this challenge is 140 points. I think that's reasonable since I'm a full time law student in my last semester. For summer I'll aim higher ;-)

[[deleted user]]

Bonnie wrote: "April wrote: "4. Any suggestions with a novel that takes place in Florida?"

[Sara ♥]

I have to pick a new audiobook. I just finished the one I'd planned to read.... (What I Did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips) Oops! It was fabulous though--no regrets! It was a STEAMY hollywood romance novel.....

I wonder what I'll pick to replace it....... I'll browse at the library next time I'm there. Which will be at lunch time... ;)

[Lindsey]

For the military topic, I highly recommend Jeff Shaara. He's the only thing my little sister and I agree on.

[April]

Thanks for the Florida suggestions, Children's lit and Y.A. are very dear to me.

[Fiona (Titch)]

Cynthia, do we have to read the Rhyming books together (ie 1 after the other) or can we read them separately?

[Cynthia]

If anyone wants to read an inspirational book by a Mexican author I would try Carlos C. Sanchez. his books are incredible and they are translated from Spanish to English...

any suggestions for a book in the state of Washington? or Portland area?

[Victoria]

For 10pt. question 6. Is star ok?

[Cynthia]

Heres my plan this is my first challenge, so I am not sure how many points I can do (200?):

Five Point Tasks
1. Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel: A wrinkle in time
2. Letters collection: 84, Charing cross road
3. Spring Cleaning: Twilight
4. While Traveling: TBA
5. Christian Fiction: Confessions of a closet catholic
6. Women's History Month: Girl interupted
7. Arbor Day: TBA
8. Humorous Novel: Naked
9. Spring Animal Title: A lion amongst men
10. Book with Tree or Flower: TBA
Category Totals:

10 Point Tasks
1. Irish Author: PS I love you
2. Mexican Theme: Inez
3. ANZAC Day: A town like Alice
4. Author B'Day in May: Of love and other demons
5. Book with Magic: Harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
6. Earth Day: Birth of venus
7. Mother's Day: Sinue the Egyptian
8. Armed Forces Day: TBA
9. TNBBC Top Books List:The book thief
10. Five Stars Member's List: Their eyes were watching god
Category Totals:

15 Points
1. AQUARIOUS: Life of pi
2. National Poetry Month: TBA
3. TNBBC Group Read: A great and terrible beauty
4. Spring Visit: TBA
5. Award Winning Author: Look at me
6. Translated Book: Youth in ecstasy
7. Rhyming Books: TBA
8. Get to Know the Author: Why we suck
9. Book with Colour Title: the green mile
10. 3-4-5: I think that I will end up reading harry potter 3, 4, 5 again for this one!

[Cynthia]

Fiona- no they do not have to be read back to back but you can't count the points until you finish both.

Victoria - I ok'd star for that task.

Washington State
On Mystic Lake
East of the Mountains
Debbie Macomber - Cedar Cove Series

[Jon]

April - not read the book only seen the movie but isnt the Prince of Tides, half based in Florida (early years/flashbacks) - rest is New York

[Jen B]

Would you accept tiger for a spring animal?

[Cynthia]

Jen - I see no connection between Tiger and Spring so no.

[Cynthia]

Thanks Cynthia, your a doll!

[Jen B]

Cynthia wrote: "Jen - I see no connection between Tiger and Spring so no. "

Thanks, Cynthia. I managed to find another place for it! :)

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

No, Prince of Tides "past" settings are South Carolina; Pat Conroy is from here in S.C.

[Jon]

ah..ok.. there you go, i knew it was in the south somewhere!

[Elizabeth (NC)]

Cynthia wrote: "If anyone wants to read an inspirational book by a Mexican author I would try Carlos C. Sanchez. his books are incredible and they are translated from Spanish to English...

any suggestions for a b..."

Snow Falling on Cedars is set in Washington and so is Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford (I think that is his first name). I can't remember the author for either one

[Bonnie]

Cynthia wrote: "any suggestions for a book in the state of Washington? or Portland area? "

I can't believe no one has said this yet: the Twilight series. It's set in Washington. I saw you already have the first one on your spring cleaning task, so if you get through that and still want to read more, you can read the second book in the series for the Spring Visit task.

I'm from the Pacific Northwest, so I hope you like your trip out there/enjoyed it if you've already been. It's a great area!

[Sandy]

Cynthia for the following challenge:
A novel with one of the following in the title (woman, women, lady, ladies, female, feminine, girl, girls, maiden).
Is Babe acceptable? He he:) If you don't allow babe then how about madame?

[Stephanie]

Elzabeth wrote: "Snow Falling on Cedars is set in Washington and so is Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford (I think that is his first name). I can't remember the author for either one"

Snow Falling on Cedars was writen by David Guterson. I own it but haven't read it yet. I loaned it to my Grandma, though, and she seems to be enjoying it, although she did say it started slow.

[Cynthia]

Sandy - Babe (no), Madame (yes)

[Shaggy]

I won't win by a long shot, but I'm game.

1. Fantasy: [Book: The Unlikely Ones]
2. Epistolary: [Book: Poor Folk], Dostoevsky
4. Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: [Book: Murder on the Orient Express], Christie
5. Women's History Month: [Book: The Secret Magdalene], Longfellow
6. Comedian bio: [Book: Moab is my Washpot], Fry
7. Spring animal: [Book: Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff]
8. April Showers: [Book: The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid]
9. Irish writer: [Book: The Best of Myles] (Flann O'Brien)
10. Set in Mexico: [Book: Treasure of the Sierra Madre]
11. Anzac Day: [Book: The Spare Room], Helen Garner
12. Earth Day: [Book: Venus on the Half Shell], Vonnegut
13. Mother's Day: [Book: The Bad Seed]
14. Sagittarius: [Book: Black Beauty], Sewell
15. Poetry Month: [Book: Under Milk Wood], Dylan Thomas
16. Translated Book: [Book: The Master and Margarita]

[Ashley]

I haven't really posted much or tried any of these before, but I was wondering if the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis would work for Christian fiction in the 5 point section. (number 5). Thank you!