May 2009 Reading Challenge

[Kyle]

Of City of Bones? Thats good :D Its really good.

You might even like the trilogy :). Its young adult but its good. :D

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish]

Yep! COB. I hope he'll like it.

Have you tried Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder? It's not as edgy as say, BDB or Midnight Breeds series, but it's good. There are three in the Study series, Poison Study, Magic Study and Fire Study. Something else for you to look into.

[DarkHeart "Vehngeance"]

I'm reading the trilogy right now, UM, and I'm really enjoying it. It seems to improve with each book.

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish]

DarkHeart wrote: "I'm reading the trilogy right now, UM, and I'm really enjoying it. It seems to improve with each book."

It defintely gets better! My daughters went to Maria's book signing when she was out here. They got to do the poison tasting, got pictures and my daughter won a signed set of UK version of the Study Series.

Storm Glass is really good. :)

[Kyle]

Poison Study? I'll have to look for it :D

[Virginia]

Uniquely Moi wrote: "I'm looking for a good, strong UF series without a lot of sexuality for my son. He's 15. Any suggestions?"

Has he read Garth Nix? My boys loved his Old Kingdom books (Sabriel, etc).

http://www.garthnix.co.uk/home

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish]

Virginia wrote: "Uniquely Moi wrote: "I'm looking for a good, strong UF series without a lot of sexuality for my son. He's 15. Any suggestions?"

Has he read Garth Nix? My boys loved his Old Kingdom books (Sabriel..."

No, he hasn't. Thank you for the suggestion. I'll look into that one, too.

We home school and through out the academic year, he reads the required books according to the CDE, along with whatever else he wants to read. During the summer months off, he tends to get too wrapped up in video games and you wouldn't recognize him without a game controller in his hand.

I'm hoping that coming up with several new series will keep him occupied.

[Jacalyn]

Good Luck, UM. We're trying to decide what we want to do this summer. I think the kids are going to finish up their unit on classical musicians and after that, I've no clue. I missed the cool workshop (couldn't find the information on it) at the convention I went to last week about using sci-fi in education. :( Bummer, right? Oh well.... LOL I guess we'll keep trudging along doing things like Earth Science while reading Journey to the Centre of the Earth...

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish]

My son loved Jules Verne! Where we live now, there aren't as many summer programs and offerings, but what I did manage to do with my daughter, and will do with my son, was as soon as she turned 16, I enrolled her at the local JC as a concurrent enrollment student. That way, I paid only $1 per unit AND the courses counted towards high school credit as well as college credit. And the college offers so much more in the way music, arts, sciences, etc.

[Jacalyn]

That's awesome... we don't have a program here like that and I wish we did. Lots cheaper. We plan to do college courses for the teen years as well. All you need is like 26 credits and you are a transfer student. Something like that. So if we do it slowly over several years to break down the cost so it is more affordable maybe we can do it... bleh. It's so expensive but the options are so much better!!!! And there's just something about going ahead and earning some of the college credits...

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish]

Yeah, she would have been able to graduate high school with an AA in college had she not messed up one semester. Grrrrrrr.

Oh well, we try to do the best we can inspite of what life throws at us, right?

[Adrienne]

Hi UM:: has he read any Darren Shan books::15 is an awkward age for reading i would imagine::not into kiddie books but not into adult ones either:: there's also a lack of male protagonists::there are some spy type/action books out there::anthony horowitz writes some good ones::chris ryan::and andy macnabb both write books for teens::these are spy/military stories::or so i'm told ::they also write adult books::some of the titles cross over::

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish]

He loves military/spy/strategy novels. I will look into those. Thanks!!!

[Kyle]

Darren Shan's are good. I just can't get into them anymore. I don't know I've gone into the adult books/slightly older YA and I just can't go back :P

Oh yeah. I ended up staying up till 5 last night finishing the 6th one :P I'm on Lover Avenged :) I wouldn't be on right now if I didn't have to run out somewhere but it was worth it :)

[Jennie]

Well, I got 8 out of 9 done. I probably could have gotten the 9th done, but the library didn't have the book available until the 30th. But I still feel proud. :)

2009 - Curse the Dawn by Karen Chance 05.03.09
2008 - Bound by Shadow by Anna Windsor 05.09.09
2007 - Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin 05.13.09
2006 - Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow
2005 - Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning 05.05.09
2004 - Dark Watcher by Lilith Saintcrow 05.16.09
2003 - In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming 05.28.09
2002 - Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon05.22.09
2001 - HeartMate by Robin D. Owens 05.20.09

[Gail]

Well, I did my best. It's been a BUSY month...

2001: The Secret Swan by Shana Abe. *** 5/12 It wasn't PNR. It didn't say it was, didn't say it wasn't--nice read anyway. Had that lush romantic voice of hers. I'm still counting it.
2002: Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
2003: The Devil Wears Prada by ??
2004: Circusex by William Maltese ** 5/15 It was okay. Interesting.
2005: Afterburn Bio Rescue #2 by S.L. Viehl *** 5/20 Interesting--dolphin-like aliens were the main characters...
2006: The Dawn Star by Catherine Asaro *** 5/13
Liked this one better than the previous Asaro Luna book, I think. It's a good, big adventure, lots-of-plot story.
2007: True Deception by Patricia Waddell *** 5/06 Liked it--space opera--lots of action & hot romance.
2008: Gale Force by Rachel Caine *** 5/22 Once again, I did not like the ending. Caine is TOO mean to her characters. Sigh.
2009: Eternal Craving by Nina Bangs
Never did get hold of this book. Still want to read it.

So, that's six out of 9 read. Not bad, especially given that I'm still afraid to read the Carey book. And given that I was out of town a lot. Ah well.

[Yz the Whyz]

Didn't get to finish this month...but I tried to read as much, even when I was in the process of moving...LOL

2009 - Lover Avenged - JR Ward 5/6
2008 - Shades of Dark - Linnea Sinclair 5/8
2007 - Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr 5/11
2006 - Light My Fire by Katie MacAlister 5/22
2005 - Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder 5/31
2004 - The Demon's Daughter by Emma Holly
2003 - Midnight Pleasures by Amanda Ashley et.al 5/9
2002 - Stolen by Kelley Armstrong
2001 - Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

Overall, I read 14 books for the month of May.

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish]

Ok, we were able to get City of Bones and Stormbreaker from the library, in addition to Fool Moon and...dangit, one other I got from Barnes and Noble by Butcher as well. Can't remember. I'm hoping it will give him some good material to start with.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

Now, a question about the Morganville Vamp series. They are YA? Do they compare with the House of Night series by PC Cast?

[Kyle]

The first in the Alera Codex series you mean? (the other Butcher novel you got :P)

[Ann aka Iftcan]

UM--try some of Andre Norton's books. The Witch World are fantasy, and they alternate between male MC's and female ones. Then, there are several other series that he might like that she writes. Did he see "The Dark Rises" in the theatre? There are I believe 5 books in the series (Susan Cooper is the writer) and they are good.

[Yz the Whyz]

Mrsku wrote: "Mrsku wrote: "2000 - Dark Gold by Christine Feehan
2001 - Dark Dream - by Christine Feehan published in After Twilight by Amanda Ashley, Christine Feehan and Ronda Thompson Completed on 2 May 2009...."

I'm not seeing the complete list. Can you repost it please?

[Yz the Whyz]

Final update:


We had 40 participants.

Yz - 6 books done
Nichole - 3 books done
Shazzy - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
DarkHeart - 5 books done
Stav - 6 books done
Michelle - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Kristen - 8 books done
LadyOzma - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Ann - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Lori - 7 books done
Jael - 4 books done
Brandy - 7 books done
Sarah - 8 books done
Angie - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Annvelwis - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Mitabird - 6 books done
Mel - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Karen - 6 books done
Melinda - 8 books done
Barbara - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Gail - 6 books done
Catherine - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Terri - 1 book done
Valerie - 7 books done
Delitealex - 5 books done
Melody - 2 books done
colleen - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Uniquely Moi - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Mrsku - 2 books done
Jennie - 8 books done
Victoria - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
BJ Rose - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Martina - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Victoria - 6 books done
Lily - 5 books done
Ronelle - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Kyle - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations!
Dawn = 5 books done
Kittiya - 8 books done
rebeccaj - 9 books done - Complete - Congratulations

No one have signed up since the last update.


Group's Final Total: 282 books read.

17 participants had completed all 9 categories

May's challenge is officially closed.

Great job, everyone.

[Jacalyn]

Hey you forgot the numbers!!!!

[Yz the Whyz]

oops..there they are now..

[Jacalyn]

Awesome! Thanks! HEHEHE :)

Good job to everyone!!!

[DarkHeart "Vehngeance"]

Uniquely Moi wrote: "...Now, a question about the Morganville Vamp series. They are YA? Do they compare with the House of Night series by PC Cast? "

They're quite different, but better in my opinion (I've read all of the House of Night books and while I like them, Zoe drives me insane!). Very quick reads with enjoyable characters that you grow really attached to. I'm starting book six today!

[Virginia]

Susan Cooper is amazing. The series is
Over Sea, Under Stone
The Dark is Rising
Greenwitch
The Grey King
Silver on the Tree

Fantastic writing and imagery, excellent twining together of English country life and high fantasy adventure.

Teens may feel the first book is a bit "young," but the stories increase in power as the protagonists age a bit.

[Barbara ★]

Had to do a few substitutions but I did complete by 5/25

2009 - Daring The Moon by Sherrill Quinn 5/17
2008 - The Lady Flees Her Lord by Michelle Ann Young 5/18
2007 - The Alchemyst by Michael Scott 5/6
2006 - A Walk on the Nightside by Simon Green 5/25
2005 - The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor 5/3
2004 - Enchanted By Magic by Gloria Harchar 5/15
2003 - Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon 5/14
2002 - She's My Mom Count on a Cop by Rebecca Winters 5/25
2001 - The Treatment by Mo Hayder 5/20

[Yz the Whyz]

Great, Barbara. I'll go ahead and update the final tally.

[Barbara ★]

Thanks Yz. I was upset that I didn't finish it and started looking at my list of what I did read and realized a few could be substituted. Yippee.

[Yz the Whyz]

LOL..that works...I do that myself.