Dare to Dream discussion
Seasonal Reading Challenges
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SUMMER 2013 READING CHALLENGE
Josh wrote: "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 Thr..."
it was a 3 star book for me- basically I liked it but did not love it. the book goes back and forth about the trip they're on as well as sparks life story- the parts about his life growing up and his family were interesting and sad (he's had a lot of tragedy in his life) but the parts that talked about the trip were dull at times (with a few exceptions).
I would say it's worth reading especially if you're a sparks fan but I thought it would be better.
Just finished Life Expectancy for my Koontz read. ;)
I forgot to mention, I finished yet another Dean Koontz book. This time it was The Face of Fear. It was a really great thriller, It reminded me of a more horrorish version of Die Hard 1. 5.
I am currently reading yet another Dean Koontz novel, The Voice of the Night. I gotta work on other challenges but then again, I do have another 2 months to do that in. lol.
Do audio books count towards the challenge? If so I listened to "Darkness Under the Sun" by Dean Koontz. Currently reading "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury for the challenge as well. Got a late start on the challenge.....had to finish "Under the Dome" by Stephen King.
Happy Reading everyone!!
Danell wrote: "Do audio books count towards the challenge? If so I listened to "Darkness Under the Sun" by Dean Koontz. Currently reading "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury for the challenge as well. Got a late..."
I asked that during the last challenge, She said yes. I assume they would also count this time as well. =)
danell looking forward to your comments about Fahrenheit 451- I think I read it in high school but don't remember it- I was thinking of picking it up but always hesitate with the classics lol.
Glad that audio books count!! Thank you!! Close to 1/4 of the way into Fahrenheit 451, so far so good. I just have to get use to Bradbury's writing style, doesn't flow as easy with me as other authors. Will let you know what I think about it when I am done.
Hey Josh you have a number in the title and Bradbury in one book read? NICE;)
Jenn wrote: "Hey Josh you have a number..."I do?
Hey then he wrote that wrong or I'm goin crazy lol. I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking credit haha
Not at all. XD It was a wonderful story about... Scientists making wormholes through time. One rift in time they opened up was one to the Cretaceous age, setting loose dinosaurs all over earth and through out history. The only possible race to get the dinosaurs back to their own time is vampires. Yeps. That was the story of Fahrenheit 451. I LOVED it. XD
I just finished another Koontz book, The Voice of the Night. I thought it was really slow to begin but also really good even through the slow parts. Once it got going it got going. 5)
I am now reading The Funhouse by Dean Koontz. This will be my last Koontz novel for at least one book. I am going check out a series a books my dad brought up for me when he visited me.
No, not yet. After I finish The Funhouse, I have 9 more books to go to get to reading it... I have been trying to read Dean Koontz books in release date order... except for Odd Thomas since Those were the first Koontz books I read. I mean the Koontz books that are still in print. lol. Once I get to Lighting, I'll let you know what I thought of it. =)
Hey Josh! I read the Funhouse along with 5 other classmates lol. Though now I'm not remembering it too good. Guess I will re read.
I'm back. I was on vacation in Seattle and on the Olympic Peninsula. I didn't get much reading done but did finish one book that had a grandmother as its main character,
. It was a recommendation from Rachel. I loved it. Now on to some Dean Koontz. It looks like that is what everyone is reading right now. I have lots to choose from on my shelves. :)
thanks for the update Christine- glad you enjoyed the book!hope you had a great vacation :D
Christine wrote: "I'm back. I was on vacation in Seattle and on the Olympic Peninsula. I didn't get much reading done but did finish one book that had a grandmother as its main character, [bookcover:A Grown-Up Kin..."Awww... I wanted to go with and visit my home town. lol.
Where's your home town? Seattle?
Christine wrote: "Where's your home town? Seattle?"Bremerton, Washington. An hour from Seattle if you take the Ferry. It varies on the time of day if you drive there. The stop and go traffic during rush hour was killer. lol.
I know Bremerton. I used to live in Woodinville and my in-laws live in Sequim. I have spent plenty of times on the ferries and battling traffic in and around Seattle. Its the worst. My son lives in the Green Lake area now.
The traffic is definitely the worst out of any where I have lived. My step dad's parents live in Sequim, so I have been there as well. I explored that small town once when I was there.
I Just realized that The Voice of the Night counts towards the friendship challenge. XD
Josh wrote: "The traffic is definitely the worst out of any where I have lived. My step dad's parents live in Sequim, so I have been there as well. I explored that small town once when I was there."I agree with you and I used to live in LA! Sequim is not that small anymore. Its kind of sad. The saddest part is its lack of book stores!
Christine wrote: "Josh wrote: "The traffic is definitely the worst out of any where I have lived. My step dad's parents live in Sequim, so I have been there as well. I explored that small town once when I was there...."When I explored Sequim, it was about seven or eight years ago. I remembered there was not much to downtown over there. I think I was 14 or 13. I was able to get back to my step dad's parent's place. I passed a middle school that had a girl's soccer game going on. I watched it a little. XD Anyways, there wasn't much to the town. Nothing I wanted to go in or anything like that. My town is small that I live in, we have a used book store, library, and a goodwill so tons of places to get books at. lol.
Josh wrote: "Mocksville, NC"You seem to move around a bit. What brought you to North Carolina? Its a long way from Bremerton, WA.
Christine wrote: "Josh wrote: "Mocksville, NC"You seem to move around a bit. What brought you to North Carolina? Its a long way from Bremerton, WA."
Actually I left Bremerton to Maple Valley, Washington when I was 13. We moved there so my step dad was closer to work. I lived there until I was 15. We moved to Charlotte, NC because mom wanted to be closer to her family and also she wanted me to be closer to my dad since he moved to Georgia a year prior. Turns out everyone hated it in Charlotte. But we ended up living there in the same house for abut 6 years. Then mom thought it would be great to rent for two years so we could find a farm since she got into owning horses. We moved to another place in Charlotte until it almost caught on fire and the landlord got pissed and kicked us out... long story short, the fire was his fault for hiring guy who wasn't an electrician to move electrical stuff. We ended up in Mocksville because that was the only place we could find that would allow us to keep 4 horses on the property while still renting. We moved back in April because we found a house to buy but also because that landlord in that place was breaking our lease and we got fed up with it, and also the neighbors we terrorizing my family. The place we moved to is still in Mocksville.
it must be so wonderful to have horses- I think they're beautiful animals but i'm afraid to ride them- when I was a kid I went horseback riding and the horse went nice and slow till he saw the stable and then he sped up and I was scared i was gonna fall off and unfortunately I've been too chicken to ever go riding again lol
Wow! Parts of your story sound a bit like a Dean Koontz novel, pretty scary stuff. From your photo, I take it you ride. That's very cool. How do you like NC? We lived in a small town outside of Atlanta after Seattle and I loved living in the south. My neighbors were so friendly and kind. It doesn't seem like you have had the same experiences. I hope its better now.
Rachel wrote: "it must be so wonderful to have horses- I think they're beautiful animals but i'm afraid to ride them- when I was a kid I went horseback riding and the horse went nice and slow till he saw the stab..."I am the same way. I got bucked off a horse when I was 16 and have not been back on one since. Its true about what they say about getting back on that horse when you get knocked off, lol.
The part I left out, would make it into a Dean Koontz novel. The house I live in, is haunted. Well thats what the ghost stories say in the library about the house. I haven't seen any ghosts. I'm pretty fed up with North Carolina. With the first day starting with the first day of school here... I had literally 5 fights in my class in a day. I guess that the school counselor, didn't like that I asked for different classes because she was pissed saying this is how NC is. Since moving into the place I live in now, everyone is a lot nicer, but it's still doesn't feel like Seattle. It doesn't help I dont have ANY interests that most men have living here, I dont like sports nor drinking... not to say I haven't been drunk before... I just don't see a point to do that all the time cause I have fun without booze, and I dont like to party. Plus booze tastes nasty, then again, I hate coffee. XD What I like to do is, read, play video games, write, and go to the library. I am more of a quiter person. I had tons of friends like me in Washington. That is my horse, Devine,(pronounced Divine) in the picture. Like you guys, I dont ride but its not because I have fallen off of a horse. I am very uncomfortable when I ride because I know I am not in total control. A horse is an animal and it can choose to disobey or do something all of a suddenly unexpected. I think thats the same reason why I dont like riding rides at theme parks that are all crazy like.
Haunted! Now that is interesting. It sounds like you have done some research. Do you know who is doing the haunting? What a horrible experience when you moved to NC and what a horrible school counselor! It makes WA look better and better. My son who lives in Seattle is very similar to you. Maybe you can move back someday. I agree about the drinking. Its highly overrated.
I like the name of your horse, Devine. Very cool.
if someone told me my house was haunted- i'm not sure i'd ever get a good nights sleep- although I bet it gives you some inspiration for your writing!I agree with Christine-that counselor sounds horrible- sorry your time in NC has been unhappy-hope things get better for you soon.
fyi-I also hate amusement park rides- (fear of heights)
It totally is interesting. I didn't do the research. My step dad went researching for information about the house at the library. He gets the credit for finding the ghost stories. The ghost's name is Wiley A. Clement. He built this house in the 1890's. He died in the house a few years later. He didn't live in the house for very long. I don't know how he died or how old he was. I have tried to do research online because his story does really interest me but I found absolutely nothing. I don't really know where to start researching at the library. We have a hole closed off section from the rest of the library for the history of Mocksville so I know where I need to go. I just am not sure how to research in history books and the such.
Mr. Clement's story highly interests me and has inspired a story. I want to do more research on him before I begin to think about doing a story though. I also need to do research on ghosts since I don't know anything besides what is in the Odd Thomas books and a few random horror movies. XD
Yeah. The counselor actually called my mom, telling her how ungrateful I was. I am like, how do you expect me to be grateful after YOU put me into a highly violent classes. Thankfully she changed all my classes not once but twice. She put me into the classes for the smartest kids by the end of that day. It was a lot calmer and nicer. It was the smartest class outside of the honor's classes. Smart people are usually less violent. I only went to that school for two weeks before the end of the year and then I moved on to high school.
I love her name also. She is a pretty cool horse. She does boss around my little sister's horse and has some attitude. But that gives her personality. She isn't fully broken quite yet, so I can't even ride her if I even wanted to.
My first memory was about an amusement ride. I was only a couple of months old... so my mom is really surprised I even remember this. Mom had put me on an octopus ride, with bear seats. As soon as it started moving I screamed wanting off. I wanna the place it happened was the carnival that they had near a bunch of stores in Bremerton, pretty close to Fred Meres and Goodwill. I always say that's why I don't like rides. I can't even say why I don't like them. I guess it's the feeling that they give me. I know it's not fear.
Ask a librarian! That is the first step to begin your research on Clement. I keep a notebook of stuff I find that may be put in a book some day. At this point in my life, the research is more fun than the writing, lol. Most of my notebook contains info about supernatural beings. Most good stories have some basis in a true story so I think Clement is a good start. Good luck. I hope to read your story some day. I really don't like that counselor now. Hopefully high school was better for you.
A horse with a personality, I love it. My dad had one like that. His name was Junior. I liked him most of the time, especially from a distance. When I came close to the fence, he would gently nibble at the top of my head and pull my hair. I did not like that! My kids used to ride him all the time, especially my daughter. When my dad sold the ranch, he sold Junior too and I swear, Junior died of a broken heart shortly after they moved. He missed the ranch and all of his people. Junior was more like a really big dog than a horse.
I am not a big fan of amusement parks and rides either, more because of all the people and the noise. I like my adventures where my feet are more connected to the ground.
I thought about doing that. I just haven't actually gone to the library yet to do proper research. I just looked into the historical room. There is a picture of my house in there. I have a few other stories in the works right now. One is a short story. I hope I can get a collection of short stories once I have enough and publish them. I know I could self publish, that seems easy enough. lol. For the most part high school was much better for me. I won't say it was perfect cause normally you have lows and highs in school and it was no different. I stayed for 1 and a half semesters until I decided I want to be home schooled. I was failing geometry because my school had a PE teacher teaching it. I had one really good friend there. I had other friends but now I dont even see them anymore since I started to home school. My one really good friend, I used to see all the time until he joined the military. I still see him whenever he comes up to visit. I am great friends with most of his other siblings as well. He has one really cool sister. We exchange books that we think each other should read... book lists. I am not close enough to actually visit her since I dont drive even though I am 22.
He sounded like a great horse. My horse is really sweet when people are around. I used to calm her down by reading to her when the other horses used to get ridden because she wasn't broken. She really took to me. She can be ridden now but by an experienced rider.
Yeah, I am not a fan of loudness that is there. Though I do want to sometime go to Disney world just once and see everything there. I have been to Universal Studios in Universal, while I didn't ride many rides, I still had a blast. I LOVED Spider-Man. Its probably the best ride there if I am not being bias. If I am being bias, I say Jurassic Park the Ride is the best but to be honest, I thought it was too short an not enough thrills. I didn't like going down the water fall. But it was I really enjoyed it despite the crap I have said of it. Jurassic Park is a love I have. I love the story and I especially love the Dinosaurs.
Finished "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury, using this book as part of the number in the title challenge. His writing style is odd for me, and thought that it was alright, not great or poor, middle of the road. Started "Mystic River" for the challenge, only a few pages in and enjoying it. I also don't like amusement park rides. Went with friends of my family to an amusement park when I was in 5th grade. Only rode the roller coaster because I was told there was brakes on it!! Oh what a fool I am!!
Haven't been on a horse since 4th grade. Horse decided it wanted a bath with me on it!!
Happy Reading!!
Danell wrote: "Finished "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury, using this book as part of the number in the title challenge. His writing style is odd for me, and thought that it was alright, not great or poor, middle..."lmao
I finished my Dean Koontz book, Shattered It was suspenseful but predictable. Definitely one that shows its age.
Rachel wrote: "Danell- I haven't read Mystic River but the movie was very good-great cast."Rachel, I will have to rent the movie, it has been on my list to watch. Only 100 pages in the book so far and very good.
Christine wrote: "I finished my Dean Koontz book, Shattered It was suspenseful but predictable. Definitely one that shows its age."
I thought the same thing as you did. Nevertheless it was still great.
I have finished another Koontz book. This time it is The Funhouse. It was a really great read! =D3)
5)
I am now going try reading One For The Money again since I just bought it earlier last week. Of course it has a number right in the title. XD
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5.
Will this next book fit a different challenge that I am reading, I dont know but it will fit challenge number five again because its Dean Koontz's The Face of Fear! =D