SUMMER 2013 READING CHALLENGE

[Rachel]

Post all of your updates & comments about the summer 2013 challenge in this thread :)



The Summer 2013 Reading Challenge will be from June 7th- August 31st, 2013.

Rules of the challenge:

Read 3 books (or more)
Complete 3 tasks (or more)
Books can be any genre
Re-reads are ok

So this summer complete 3 (or more) of the following tasks:


1. June 16th is Father's Day- So this summer read a book in which the MAIN CHARACTER IS A FATHER.


2. July 4th is Independence Day- So this summer read a book in which the letters F-I-R-E (or) W-O-R-K appear in the title (these letters do not have to appear in order).


3. August 4th is International Friendship Day- So this summer read a book in which A FRIENDSHIP IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY.


4. August 21st is Senior Citizen's Day- So this summer read a book in which A GRANDMOTHER OR GRANDFATHER PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE STORY.


5. Many talented writers were born this season. So this summer read a book by ONE OF THE FOLLOWING AUTHORS:

a. Dean Koontz (born july 9th)

b. Danielle Steel (born august 14th)

c. John Green (born august 24th)

d. Ray Bradbury (born august 22nd)


6. Summer = Water. So this summer read a book with ONE OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE TITLE:

a. POOL

b. LAKE

c. SEA

d. BAY

e. OCEAN

f. RIVER

7. Random Task (This task counts towards the challenge but is not inspired by the season). So this summer read a book that has A NUMBER IN THE TITLE.


HAVE A GREAT SUMMER EVERYONE :D

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Dean Koontz Dean Koontz Dean Koontz. Thanks for doing this again :-) btw I actually completed my Spring Challengeby reading 8 books and now I'm excited to check out this Summer Adventure. Thanks Thanks Thanks

[Rachel]

congrats on finishing the spring challenge dc- very happy you will be joining us for the summer one :)

I can't wait to read whispers!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Rachel wrote: "I can't wait to read whispers!"

Then Don't. :-) Wait, I mean. Read it right now!

[Christine]

Thanks for putting together the summer challenge. Count me in like always. I love your challenges.

[Rachel]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I can't wait to read whispers!"

Then Don't. :-) Wait, I mean. Read it right now!"

lol- i'm trying to save it for the challenge - of course I could read it now and read another dean book for the challenge ;)

[Rachel]

Christine wrote: "Thanks for putting together the summer challenge. Count me in like always. I love your challenges."

you're welcome Christine! I have fun putting together the challenges-very happy you'll be joining us :)

[Danell]

Thank you for putting together another great reading challenge!! My reading slump is over and looking forward to this!!

[Rachel]

you're welcome Danell! happy to hear that your reading slump is over & that you are joining us- we missed you! :)

[Josh]

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!! I can do all of these tasks with books off the top of my head! lol. I must make Deeply Odd take until the 7th to finish. lol.

The number in title challenge, means only books with numbers in them, right? For example, I Am Number Four, One For the Money, would count. But Cirque Du Freak Book 4: Vampire Mountain, Jurassic Park Book 2 The Lost World, Odd Thomas Book 6 Deeply Odd, wouldn't count towards the challenge?

[Rachel]

glad you like the challenge & that you're joining us josh! :D

for the random task the number must appear in the title so deeply odd, etc would not count


some other examples of what does count:
One For The Money
11/22/63
NOS4A2
The 9th Girl
14
etc.

[Josh]

Exactly what I thought! =D

[Tracy]

Just finished First Grave on the Right which have the letters F-I-R-E in the title.

[Christine]

You are speedy! I haven't even started my first book, lol.

[Tracy]

Christine wrote: "You are speedy! I haven't even started my first book, lol."

HAHA I'm sure you will catch up Christine.

[Josh]

Just ideas for me of what I could read, you know how well I stick to that. XD It's also based on what I own or currently reading...

1) Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn (Han Solo is the father of his unborn twins... Leia is pregnant in it... but not sure if it counts. XD)
2) ThE CouRtshIp oF Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton (Fire spelled backwards! XD)
3) The Truce of Bakura by Kathy Tyers
4) Koyasan by Darren Shan
5) Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz
6) Ocean of Blood by Darren Shan...
7) Jurassic Park 3 Novelization... its the only book I have with a number in the title... so I will probably check something out with a number in it.

I am thinking about reading Star Wars novels after finishing Deeply Odd, that's why there are so many. XD

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

So far, I've got Inferno by Dan Brown going with the word FIRE in the title and of course the first of many Dean Koontz books I will read this Summer, By the Light of the Moon :-) will have to add some others to my Summer 2013 shelf that will meet the challenge.

[Tracy]

Finished If You Were Here which also fits 2.F-I-R-E. Looks like all my books are going to fit #2.

[Jenn]

So far I read a book where friendship was the main part of the book and one where the father is the main but twisted character.

[Rachel]

thanks for the updates everyone :D

[Rachel]

Jenn wrote: "So far I read a book where friendship was the main part of the book and one where the father is the main but twisted character."

which books did you read jenn? I always like twisted characters lol.

glad to see you post :)

[Rachel]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "So far, I've got Inferno by Dan Brown going with the word FIRE in the title and of course the first of many Dean Koontz books I will read this Summer, By the Light of the Moon :-) will have to add ..."

have you read whispers yet dc? i'm planning on reading it the last week of the month.

[Rachel]

Tracy wrote: "Finished If You Were Here which also fits 2.F-I-R-E. Looks like all my books are going to fit #2."

hopefully a father or a pair of friends will show up in one of them lol ;)

[Rachel]

Josh wrote: "Just ideas for me of what I could read, you know how well I stick to that. XD It's also based on what I own or currently reading...

1) Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn (Han Solo is the father of..."

sounds like a plan josh :)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I haven't read Whispers yet. I'm currently re-reading By the Light of the Moon :-)

I would like to read Starvation Lake to meet task #6 (pool, lake, sea, bay or ocean in title) and The Five People You Meet in Heaven to meet task #7 (number in
title)

[Rachel]

I read The Five People You Meet in Heaven years ago and really liked it- I love mitch alboum's books

[Danell]

Thanks Dustin, was looking for a book for the #6 task and "Starvation Lake" looks interesting! Right now finishing up "Shutter Island".....which is close to the words in #6!

[Christine]

Here are my ideas for the summer challenge and thankfully most are on my shelf.

1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
2. The Fiery Cross by Diana Galbadon
3. The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien
4. A Grown-up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson (Thanks Rachel for this recommendation. I have already started it and its a good read so far)
5. Frankenstein I: Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz
6. Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
7. Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich or 11-22-63 by Stephen King or NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (which I just got from the library)

I do reserve the right to change my mind, which I do often! Most of these books have been on my shelves for a long time and this gives me the push to read them. I do love these challenges.

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "Thanks Dustin, was looking for a book for the #6 task and "Starvation Lake" looks interesting! Right now finishing up "Shutter Island".....which is close to the words in #6!"

I haven't read Dennis Lehane but I have seen some of the movies based on his books. I was going to suggest Mystic River which was a great movie based on his book but I just realized I forgot to add river to task 6 lol

[Rachel]

Christine wrote: "Here are my ideas for the summer challenge and thankfully most are on my shelf.

1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
2. The Fiery Cross by Diana Galbadon
3. The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien
4. A Grow..."

I hope you continue to enjoy a grown up king of pretty :)

I keep hearing about The Road- I might give that one a try soon too but I heard it's really sad.

11/22/63 is an amazing book-I have a renewed interest in his work since I read it.

I haven't read NOS4A2 but have heard mostly positive comments about it.

whatever you decide to read-looking forward to your comments :D

[Danell]

Rachel wrote: "Danell wrote: "Thanks Dustin, was looking for a book for the #6 task and "Starvation Lake" looks interesting! Right now finishing up "Shutter Island".....which is close to the words in #6!"

I hav..."

That is funny you said you forgot to add river to task 6! I am really enjoying "Shutter Island" and thought about "Mystic River", then I noticed the word wasn't on the list!

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Danell wrote: "Thanks Dustin, was looking for a book for the #6 task and "Starvation Lake" looks interesting! Right now finishing up "Shutter Island".....which is close to the words..."

I just edited the challenge to add river to task #6 as it fits in with the water theme so mystic river counts if you still want to read it :D

[Rachel]

hey everyone

I just added the option of river to task #6 if anyone would like to read a book with river in the title.

[Josh]

That gives me the option of two books. XD Lake of Souls or Dark Rivers of the Heart being the only two I own with water words in the title of them... Though that leaves the tons of books I have with a setting of the sea being a setting. XD

[Christine]

Rachel wrote: "hey everyone

I just added the option of river to task #6 if anyone would like to read a book with river in the title."

Thanks! It may give me more options.

[Danell]

Rachel wrote: "Danell wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Danell wrote: "Thanks Dustin, was looking for a book for the #6 task and "Starvation Lake" looks interesting! Right now finishing up "Shutter Island".....which is clo..."

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!! Can you tell that I am excited and thankful!!!

[Rachel]

you're welcome :D

[Josh]

Just finished my first challenge, Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz!!!!! It was amazing just like all of the other Odd novels! I can't wait for Saint Odd!!! =D

5.

[Rachel]

thanks for the update josh!

I might have to give the odd Thomas series another chance one of these days- maybe try odd thomas on audio. when I read it a few years ago I thought it was boring and didn't finish it but I did like the character. did you like the first book?

[Jenn]

At the library today I seen hardcovers for $1.00, I am so excited to have found Odd Apocalypse to add to my collection;)
I will read Life Expectancy for the summer read.

[Driftwood]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Dean Koontz Dean Koontz Dean Koontz. Thanks for doing this again :-) btw I actually completed my Spring Challengeby reading 8 books and now I'm excited to check out this Summer Adventure. Thanks Th..."

You are such an over achiever! ha ha.

[Jenn]

I found my number book today too, I'm on a roll;)

[Rachel]

Jenn wrote: "At the library today I seen hardcovers for $1.00, I am so excited to have found Odd Apocalypse to add to my collection;)
I will read Life Expectancy for the summer read."

1.00 for a hardcover is a fabulous deal! I think I read Life Expectancy years ago but don't remember it except that there are clowns and bakers in it lol- I really need to re-read it (fyi it's dustin's fave book)

thanks for the updates jenn :D

[Tracy]

Jenn wrote: "At the library today I seen hardcovers for $1.00, I am so excited to have found Odd Apocalypse to add to my collection;)
I will read Life Expectancy for the summer read."

Love Life Expectancy!

[Josh]

Rachel wrote: "thanks for the update josh!

I might have to give the odd Thomas series another chance one of these days- maybe try odd thomas on audio. when I read it a few years ago I thought it was boring an..."
Yes, I loved the first book. It was the first Koontz book I read. lol.


I am reading the Vision by Dean Koontz for a second Dean Koontz book. I am already halfway through the book.

[Rachel]

Josh wrote: "Rachel wrote: "thanks for the update josh!

I might have to give the odd Thomas series another chance one of these days- maybe try odd thomas on audio. when I read it a few years ago I thought i..."

I read the vision years ago and really liked it- I remember it being very creepy and different from the other dean books I've read.

[Rachel]

just finished Three Weeks With My Brother - in addition to a number in the title- sparks is a dad and w-o-r-k is in the title)

[Rachel]

finished The Mist - great book

main character is a father

thanks for the recommendation Christine :D

[Christine]

It is one of my all time favorites. I'm glad you liked it.

[Josh]

Rachel wrote: "just finished Three Weeks With My Brother- in addition to a number in the title- sparks is a dad and w-o-r-k is in the title)"

How is Three Weeks With my Brother? Its the only Nicholas Sparks book I have been iffy about because it's nonfiction.