FALL 2013 READING CHALLENGE

[Rachel]

Jenn wrote: "I always loved vampire books and pretty much any monster movie book. Fright Night( the original) one is one of my favorite movies. I loved Twilight for the paranormal romance and action later in th..."

It's been too long since I've seen fright night- this thread is making me want to see all these old movies!

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

This Friday is the 13th - it would be good timing in my opinion :-)

[Josh]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Josh wrote: "Fred... she is a female despite her name."

Fred is a female?"

HECK YES!!!! =D

http://images1.fanpop.com/images/phot... PICTURE. lol

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

Well, she is pretty. What is the name of the actress that plays Fred?

[Josh]

Her name is Amy Acker. She has been in an Episode of Supernatural and also Cabin in the Woods. She is AWESOME and is great as playing a super smart character. =D

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

Yes! Yes! I love Amy Acker!!!! I saw her Joss Whedon's recent Shakespeare movie - I didn't much like the movie except Amy Acker and I asked the person I was - "Who is that woman that played Beatrice? I really like her." I own Cabin in the Woods - now I have a good reason to re-watch the movie! Which episode of Supernatural is she in - I might need to re-watch that too!!!! Thanks!!

[Christine]

Hey Dustin, I am glad to see you have not been washed down river. I hope you and all those you care about are safe in Boulder.

[Josh]

She is AWESOME!!! And YES Cabin in the Woods is AWESOME Its one of my favorite movies. I didn't see the new Whedon movie. I wanted to but went to see Fast 6 instead. Its episode 3 of season 1 if I remember right. It was the first Episode I saw all the way through. I am looking up the name now. Yeps I was right season 1 episode 3, "Dead in the Water". Its the one about the ghost killing the people that drowned him and their family's by drowning them different ways. The plus was Amy Ackers was naked in it also. lol. If you want to see other actors from Angel/Buffy, There as an episode in season 7 that some where in.

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

Josh wrote: "Its episode 3 of season 1 if I remember right. It was the first Episode I saw all the way through. I am looking up the name now. Yeps I was right season 1 episode 3, "Dead in the Water"."

Thanks Josh. I own season one :-)

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

Christine wrote: "Hey Dustin, I am glad to see you have not been washed down river. I hope you and all those you care about are safe in Boulder."

I'm still here :-) I am lucky to live in an area that was not significantly affected by the flooding. There are many creeks running through our city. For many years, city officials have been warning us that Boulder has the highest risk of flooding of any city in Colorado and that we were overdue for a 100 yr flood. Now it's here. The creek closest to my home is not running at a high level.

[Josh]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Josh wrote: "Its episode 3 of season 1 if I remember right. It was the first Episode I saw all the way through. I am looking up the name now. Yeps I was right season 1 episode 3, "Dead in the Water..."

No problem! =D

[Rachel]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Christine wrote: "Hey Dustin, I am glad to see you have not been washed down river. I hope you and all those you care about are safe in Boulder."

I'm still here :-) I am lucky to live in an area ..."

very glad you are ok, dc :)

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

Thanks :-) been reading a few books this weekend while stuck in the rain which will meet the Fall Reading Challenge. I think the rain has stopped now.

[Christine]

I finished my second book, Heaven's Prisoners

Its an old book in the Dave Robicheaux series by James Lee Burke. Its one with an alcoholic for a main character. The story is violent and sad. Best part of this series is the descriptions of Louisiana, New Orleans, and the bayou. Burke also makes me hungry when he starts talking about beignets.

Again, Dustin, I am glad you are ok.

[Rachel]

Thanks for the update Christine! I'd love to go to Louisiana someday.

I've always wanted to try shrimp and grits but you just don't see that on the menu in jersey lol.

what are beignets?

[Christine]

Beignets are like a little pocket of fried dough that is sprinkled with powdered sugar. That is not the most appetizing description of a beignet but if they are done right, they are like heaven. A perfect bit of sweet to go with coffee or hot chocolate. You can dunk if you like to do that. You will definitely have to head south for good grits. If you can't get to New Orleans, head for Charleston.

[Rachel]

I wonder if they are like jersey zeppole (I have no idea how to spell it)- either way they sound delicious!

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

Christine wrote: "Beignets are like a little pocket of fried dough that is sprinkled with powdered sugar. That is not the most appetizing description of a beignet but if they are done right, they are like heaven. ..."

I want to eat some!!! I don't think I have ever finished a book by Burke but I know he is a good author :-)

[Josh]

I'll probably have my first book finished this week which will be The Vampire Lestat... its a really long book but also really great. I have about 180 pages left as of right now.

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

I finished Koontz's newest Innocence - it is set partly in a library.

[Rachel]

thanks for the updates guys! :D

[Rachel]

read H is for Homicide for the Sherlock task-the main character, Kinsey, is a private investigator.

[Josh]

I finished my first challenge. The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice. Lestat in the novel gets obsessed with the novel, Interview with the Vampire by Louis. (its actually by Anne Rice but in the novel its by Louis.) He gets so obsessed with it that it drives him into writing his own autobiography AND rockband. He does this to draw out all of the vampires from hiding. In turn this novel in the book is actually Lestat's novel, not Anne Rice's... its kinda confusing to sit down and think about it. But it makes perfect sense in the context of the novel.

4)

My next book I am tackling will be The Master of Rampling Gate. It is shorter than 200 pages... Actually I dont think my edition of the story would count because its in a collection of short stories but it has been published as its own Ebook and also a stand alone comic book. I prefer printed copies of stories. The story itself is 22 pages long. Since I dont plan on reading the entire collection of short stories, I hope to be able to count just The Master of Rampling Gate.

[Rachel]

thanks for the update josh (even though I don't understand what you meant regarding the writer of the novel lol)

p.s. if the short story has been published as a standalone you can count it :)

[Josh]

Anne Rice is the true author. She writes as Lestat in the first person in the story. So in all reality of the context in the story The Vampire Lestat is by Lestat. lol. Pretty much the book is a book in the story. XD

Sweetness!!! =D

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

Rachel wrote: "p.s. if the short story has been published as a standalone you can count it :)"

Are you just making up the rules as we go along? :-)

[Rachel]

not exactly ;)

(the random task states that any book under 200 pages qualifies for that task)

did you ever get copies of fried green tomatoes and benny & joon?

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

HELL YEAH!!! I bought Fried Green Tomatoes and Benny & Joon last week at Barnes & Noble!!!! They were Half Price because they were part of a classics sale. I already watched B&J haven't watched FGT yet.

...and of course I was just kidding about making the rules up as we go along (that's just the way I play)

[Josh]

I finished The Master of Rampling Gate. It was a great short story though I would had loved to know the name of the vampire in it. The end was the only thing that got me, It left me a little confused.

4)
7)

Now it is time for me to read the continuation of The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned. Of course that one meets the Halloween challenge since vampires would definitely be seen rocking out at a Halloween party. lol.

[Josh]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "HELL YEAH!!! I bought Fried Green Tomatoes and Benny & Joon last week at Barnes & Noble!!!! They were Half Price because they were part of a classics sale. I already watched B&J haven't watched FGT..."

I LOVE Benny and Joon. I watched it with my dad years ago. It was one of Johnny Depp's best movies.

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

Benny & Joon is one of my very favorite movies :-) I can really relate to the characters of Joon and Sam.

[Rachel]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "HELL YEAH!!! I bought Fried Green Tomatoes and Benny & Joon last week at Barnes & Noble!!!! They were Half Price because they were part of a classics sale. I already watched B&J haven't watched FGT..."

I knew you were kidding :)

Too bad Jersey isn't close to Colorado or i'd totally crash your condo for movie night! (i'll bring the alcohol if you bring the chocolate lol)

[Rachel]

Josh wrote: "I finished The Master of Rampling Gate. It was a great short story though I would had loved to know the name of the vampire in it. The end was the only thing that got me, It left me a little confus..."

Thanks for the update Josh!

[Jenn]

Yay! I finished book one for my challenge!!!

[Josh]

Jenn wrote: "Yay! I finished book one for my challenge!!!"

What book? lol. I finished two yesterday but then again the second one was really short. lol.

[Rachel]

Jenn wrote: "Yay! I finished book one for my challenge!!!"

thanks for the update jenn but what book lol ;)

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

Rachel wrote: "I knew you were kidding :)

Too bad Jersey isn't close to Colorado or i'd totally crash your condo for movie night! (i'll bring the alcohol if you bring the chocolate lol) "

Oh, Good. Sometimes I think my sarcasm is a too much for some people (of course, readers are usually highly intelligent, especially those who are on goodreads)

Seriously though, when you move to Colorful Colorado, you got a deal :-) Keep me posted when you decide to relocate.

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

Yeah, Jenn, What book?

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

I need to update my books read. So far I've read Innocence with a partial setting in a library. The Book of Mormon Girl for Obsessing about a particular book. I am also currently reading The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane which might count for something....all these meet the same requirement though :-) Books Books Books.

However I did also finish Burned, in which a character is addicted to alcohol and the story tells how this affects all the family members :-(

Still going to try to get around to reading that Mormon Halloween Dance Memoir too.

[Rachel]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I need to update my books read. So far I've read Innocence with a partial setting in a library. The Book of Mormon Girl for Obsessing about a particular book. I am also currently reading The Physic..."

thanks for the update dc- you're on a roll :D

I really need to read Hopkins soon-did you like burned?

also looking forward to hearing what you think of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane-that's been on my tbr for a while (in addition to the book task it also qualifies for the Halloween task ;)

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

I really liked Burned because I could relate to the story. The main character was raised in the Mormon Culture like myself.

I am loving The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. It is very well-written and intriguing. It's about witchcraft :-)

[Danell]

Didn't intend for Joylandto be used in the challenge, but it works for #5 and with a late start for the challenge, it works for me!!

Starting Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet that works for the war part of the challenge.

[Rachel]

Thanks for the update Danell! I thought joyland was a great book-hope you enjoyed it.

p.s. if you like hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet-the author has a new book out Songs of Willow Frost.

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

I am interested in The Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I hope it's not boring.

[Rachel]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I am interested in The Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I hope it's not boring."

I liked it but did not love it- (however many seemed to really enjoy it) I have the new book on my tbr.

[Jenn]

I finished Beautiful Redemption,Dustin.
I am still on my iPod and can't see my progress or anyone else's progress but I'm glad you read Burned, do you like her style of writing?

[Jenn]

I'm eating Candy Apples and reading Fallout for my challenge. I'm winding down after a day at the Fair and pumpkin picking.

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

Jenn wrote: "I'm eating Candy Apples and reading Fallout for my challenge. "

Was eating candy apples part of the challenge? I didn't see that one, but I will be happy to eat some chocolate covered caramel apples - we will start making them soon at the chocolate factory and they are really yummy :-)

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

Jenn wrote: "I finished Beautiful Redemption,Dustin.
I am still on my iPod and can't see my progress or anyone else's progress but I'm glad you read Burned, do you like her style of writing?"

Which task does Beautiful Redemption meet? I really like burned. It's a unique style of writing - I like it because it breaks the rules of a conventional novel - that's my kind of thing since I am a rebel. I liked the subject matter of burned - not only the Mormonism, but the nuclear testing that was done. Where I lived in Southern Utah, people were also affected - lots of cancer and I think birth defects too. I don't know for sure, but I know there was a large percentage of "special" people where I grew up and of course, I am from there so that is evidence. I had some blood work done and found out that I am actually a mutant but I can't say for sure that it was a result of the nuclear testing. I was exposed to a lot of chemicals growing up though. I am kinda like one of those Mutant Ninja Turtles.

[Rachel]

I totally want a candy apple and a caramel apple RIGHT NOW :D