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FALL CHALLENGE 2009
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009 COMPLETED TASKS
COMPLETED TASKS:
15.1 GRAMMAR (VERB) - *Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman (pp 384) READ 10.7.09
15.1 GRAMMAR (PARTICIPLE) - Fallen by David Maine (pp 256) READ 10.3.09
- This is the second Tess Monaghan book I've read. I like this sarcastic, Baltimore private eye, especially her pop references to movies and literature.
- A retelling of the story of the first family, who gave meaning to the term dysfunctional.
TASKS COMPLETED: 10
TASKS IN PROGRESS: 5
BOOKS READ: 18/62
PAGES READ: 5654
TOTAL POINTS EARNED: 170
*Books I Own
this is my first challenge so i'm trying to start slow. I'm working on Shutter Island right now, but i have completed task 5.2 twilight by stephanie meyer
20 Points2. ABC Title or Any 3 Consecutive Letters: The Aspern Papers (Henry James), The Boleyn Inheritance (Philippa Gregory) AND The Constant Princess (Philippa Gregory)
The only thing I really want to say about these works is that I've finished all of the Tudor series by Gregory that I plan to read (I refuse to read The Virgin's Lover) and have not loved a single one (which begs the question why I keep reading them). I really wish she wouldn't make the bad guys such cartoon villains. I mean, King Henry is less a character than a prop in The Boleyn Inheritance. An evil prop.
15 Points
5. Two Books in Same Foreign Language: South of the Border, West of the Sun AND The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (both by Haruki Murakami, both translated from the Japanese).
Wow, Murakami is a genius. I'm sorry I've been scared off of Japanese literature for so long. But these are both great and I'm planning to read more Murakami.
10 Points
8. Random Word: The Red Necklace (Sally Gardner) (random word: red)
I was excited before I started this book, but found it incredibly "meh." The love story was tepid at best, the characters were stupid, the plot was slow and unoriginal and my college thesis involved the Enlightenment and 18th century France and I don't care how much research Gardner said she did, she got things WRONG (I usually try to let anachronistic attitudes in YA fiction slide, but in this case it bugged).
Total Points: 320
10.3 The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen (32 pages)
Milo's Hat Trick by Jon Agee (32 pages)
Big Bad Bruce by Bill Peet (40 pages)
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant (32 pages)
Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman (32 pages)
Points: 10
Total Points: 20
El wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I am fairly positive that it was originally published in French. I read it for the Spring challenge. On wikipedia, it was said that the Yiddish version and the French version are di..."I agree... it is definitely one of my all-time favorites. An odd fact about it is that I always remember it because it is so short, but his original version had over 800 pages... I would have liked to have read that one to see more of what he went through!
I have read Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami for 10 points as it has a picture of a cat on the cover.Previous reads
5.2 Apple a day - Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller
5.4 Adoption - Digging to America by Anne Tyler
10.1 Buddy Holly's lifetime - Scoop by Evelyn Waugh
15.3 Addition - Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday (Alice Gould) Muliplication - Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer (10x27=270, 276 pages)
20.3 Group Read - Shutter Island by Dennis LeHane
25.5 Fortune in the title - Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve
25.8 Nouns - person The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, thing Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, place Brick Lane by Monica Ali
30.1 current job and dream job - The History Man by Malcolm Bradbury(I work in a University) and The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (I would love to own a bookshop).
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Tracey wrote: "this is my first challenge so i'm trying to start slow. I'm working on Shutter Island right now, but i have completed task 5.2 twilight by stephanie meyer"Welcome! I just started this week, so I am at the back of the pack with you. I am already having tons of fun with the tasks, and I am sure you are going to love it!
25.5 Janice's TaskThe Fortune Teller's Daughter by Susan Wilson
Total points: 320
Completed Tasks5 Point Tasks
#3 The Old Man and the Sea
10 Point Tasks
#3 The Complete Adventures of Curious George
#7 Wonder Woman Love and Murder
25 Point Tasks
#8 Person: Madame Bovary; Place: Sundays at Tiffany's; Thing: The Lost Symbol
Total Points Earned: 50
Total Books Read: 7
Total Pages Read for Completed Tasks: 1777
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I finished reading Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead last night for task 25.10. I really enjoyed this book. If I could give it 3 3/4 stars I would. It just isn't quite as good or quite as well written as some others I have been reading lately. I really like the characters and the subject matter. And yet another "twist" to the vampire legend.
I finally completed another task - 20.3 I read Shutter Island. It was OK. I can see why they are making it into a movie, its pretty much a movie in book form right now in terms of style, length, speed of the plotline, etc. It should be good.
Point Total: 255
Page Total: 5301
Janice wrote: "5.7. Giving Thanks - In Honor Of Thanksgiving (November 26th) Read A Book That Relates To The Thing You Are Most Thankful For. • Please Tell Us What That Is When You Claim Points.
[bookcover:M..."
Congratulations!! What a journey you've had!
Eliza wrote: "I actually finished a task5.10 10. Fall Back In Time For Daylight Savings Time – Read A Novel Where One Or More Character(s) Travel Back In Time.
An Echo in the Bone
Task..."
Congrats! I got off to a slow start too!
Manday wrote: "I finally completed another task - 20.3 I read Shutter Island. It was OK. I can see why they are making it into a movie, its pretty much a movie in book form right now in terms of ..."
Manday, this is my thought also. I thought the same with Mystic River. I'll probably not read any other Lehane books but wait for the movies. They would be good to watch.
Just completed task 5.3 Thd Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway. I loved the story and finished it in one gulp!
50/690 points
Tasks Completed: 4
Tasks In Progress: 3
Books Read: 7 (+3 kid's books)
Pages Read: 1,833
I finished task 25.3 by reading Evermore by Alyson Noel. I thought I would like this book because I loved Twilight, but I didn't like this book at all. I would have stopped reading, but I wanted my points! :)That brings my total to 165 points.
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Newly Completed Task: 15.3 – Mathematics Task
1) Addition – 13 Letters in the Authors Name The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
I have to say that this was probably my least favorite of the ‘Outlander’ series so far. I’m only giving it 2 stars. I found it to be slow and rambling without a lot to move the plot along. I did learn more about life in North Carolina in the 1700’s. But how many ways can you describe how badly a person could smell then? Gabaldon seemed to be fixated on body odor in this book. I have ‘A Breath of Snow and Ashes’ checked out from the library right now, but I’m going to read a few other shorter books before I tackle that one.
2) Division. My number was 40: Dead to the World – Is the 4th book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. This series just keeps getting better and better. I gave this one 4 stars.
I may not a huge point total, but boy I’ve read a lot of pages compared to my stats from the last challenge. Wa-hoo!
Total Points: 160
Tasks in Process: 5
Completed Tasks: 9/45
Books Read for Completed Tasks: 13/61
Pages Read for Completed Tasks: 5,082
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Kari ♪ wrote: "Janice wrote: "5.7. Giving Thanks - In Honor Of Thanksgiving (November 26th) Read A Book That Relates To The Thing You Are Most Thankful For. • Please Tell Us What That Is When You Claim Points.
..."
Thank you for the kind thoughts.
My Journey is way too full of celebrity name-dropping for my taste. Ms. Stewart claims to be writing Farrah's story, but I felt she was writing her own - not that her contribution to Farrah's treatment was a small thing. Even after reading the book, I still wonder how well Alana really knew Farrah.
For 25.8: Cindy's Noun task, I read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Price, Prague by Arthur Phillips, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireTotal points: 70
Janice wrote: "Kari ♪ wrote: "Janice wrote: "5.7. Giving Thanks - In Honor Of Thanksgiving (November 26th) Read A Book That Relates To The Thing You Are Most Thankful For. • Please Tell Us What That Is When You..."
At least Alana realized that she was, well, I'm probably being a little more blunt, but "self-centered." I certainly do agree with you about the name-dropping and how it was more Alana's story. I definitely was left wanting to know a lot more about Farrah and think the TV documentary told a lot more than the book did in a lot of ways. And as important as Ryan was to Farrah, I was surprised there wasn't more about him in it too. I'm glad someone else had similiar thoughts on the book. Thanks for sharing!
20.3 I chose to read Shutter Island for the Group Read. This book was crazy good. 
Total points: 100/690
Tasks completed: 4
Books read: 7/59
Total pages: 2202
Finally found a book to go with the second half of this challenge.25 points
25.9. DIANE'S TASK - September Is Self-Improvement Month.
•Read A Nonfiction Self-Improvement Or Self-Help Book.
How to Get Organized When You Don't Have the Time by Stephanie Culp --216 pp (10.8.09)
This was actually my dad's book that he had sitting around here. I'm glad that it's an owned copy. I'll be definitely re-reading sections and trying to put some of these organizing tips into use.
AND
• Read A Book In Which The Main Character Undergoes A Significant Positive Change In His Or Her Life As A Result Of Self-Improvement (Can Be Fiction Or Nonfiction).
Jenna Bush's Ana's Story A Journey of Hope -CD edition/3 hours (10.8.09)
A very good true story about a young girl who was born HIV-positive (from her mom at birth), and overcomes this big secret about her illness, as well as the abuse from several family members and trying to find a home. When she's 17, she gives birth to her daughter Isabelle and through her journey, finds there is hope and strength to finally tell the truth about her secret, the abuse and break free.
It was narrated by Jenna, and to be honest, I think I would have enjoyed it just a bit better had it been a different narrator. (Think I got spoiled from the last book I listened to, Nights of Rain and Stars' narrator, Terry Donnelly with all her wonderful accents!) A wonderful, sad, but inspiring story.
Tasks Completed: 20/45
Partially Completed Tasks: 2
Points Earned: 260/690
Total Books: 25
Total Pages Read: 3,527
Total Hours listened: 46.75 (approx.)
I have completed the following tasks:5.10-The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger;
10.1-I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (published in 1948);
10.9-March by Geraldine Brooks
Books Read: 27
Tasks Completed: 21
Total Points: 295
Total Pages: 9331
Task 25.4 - The Tale of Despereaux Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo.Watched movie & read book - while i LOVE animated movies, the book was much better.
The movie was cute but a bit boring.
The book was much darker & more intriguing.
However, I'd still only rate the movie a 2* and the book a 2.5*.
Pts 25
New Grand Total = 90pts.
For task 20.1 (Christian Fiction), I read Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather. I'm still gushing over this book--loved it. My new time travel dream is to go back to nineteenth century Santa Fe and share a bottle of wine with Bishop Latour and Father Vaillant in the episcopal gardens. :-)Total Points: 250
I just finished 5.7 by reading The Beggars' Ride- Theresa Nelson. I'm grateful that I have my family there all the time, backing me up 100% and fighting all the important fights alongside me. I'm grateful that I have a roof over my head and I've never had to beg or steal for food.
I loved this book. I read it about 10 yrs ago for the first time, but I find I got a whole lot more out of it now than I did back then (even if the book is classified YA).
This should bring my total to 85 pts
I just finished task 10.1 (Buddy Holly) by reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (pub. 1943). A timeless story!Total points = 85
I finished task 15.4 with The Hunger Games and I've watched hours and hours of Planet Earth for the second part.Total: 80 points
7 books
I finished another task today:Task 20.2 — Erin — B-C-D Titles:
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (9/12/09) 3*
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (9/30/09) 1,000,000*
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (10/8/09) 4*
Brave New World was REALLY INTERESTING... and super disturbing at the same time. The Da Vinci Code... geez, I couldn't put that dang book down! The writing... oye... but the story was so compelling, even though I knew it was crazy. Both of those were books I read for my real-life book group.
Catching Fire? Yeah, it was freaking awesome. And now I can't believe I have to wait a year for the third book in the series to come out!!! Gaaah! I love stand-alone books! ;)
CURRENT STATS
Tasks Completed: 21/45
Tasks Partially Completed: 2
Books Read: 29/62
Pages Read: 10,112
Points Earned: 285/690
COMPLETED TASKS:
10.10 CAT - Coraline by Neil Gaiman (pp 208) READ 10.8.09
- Creepy and imaginative, but I expected more.[The cat is to the left of Coraline. It's easier to see on a larger link to the cover.:]
TASKS COMPLETED: 11
TASKS IN PROGRESS: 5
BOOKS READ: 19/62
PAGES READ: 5862
TOTAL POINTS EARNED: 180
Natasha wrote: "Finished 20.2 (D, E, F) Read Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande, and Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur."
What did you think of Dexter? I haven't talked to many people that have read it.
Task 25.4 I just finished The City of Ember and the movie of the same title that came out last year. I'm not exactly sure if two separate reviews are needed, but I'm going to do a compare and contrast. Jeanne DuPrau put forth an extremely interesting premise in Ember. A community of survivors of some kind environmental devastation who are completely unaware that that's what they are. Living in a crumbling underground city that should have been evacuated years before, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow, both in their own way yearn to escape. In the book I found both characters to be a little selfish for my taste. Especially Doon, concerned with revealing any news of saving the city himself to make his father proud.
The characters in the movie were much more sympathetic. Doon wanting to find a way to save his crumbling city for the good of all. Lina, after uncovering that her parents also tried to find a way out, takes the task of deciphering the mysterious note from the Builders. This adaptation does what I like about all good book to movie adaptations. Takes the good stuff and leaves anything unessential to moving the plot along out, while adding a small action just for good measure. I would recommend both to any and all!
Andrea wrote: "Task 25.4 I just finished The City of Ember and the movie of the same title that came out last year. I'm not exactly sure if two separate reviews are needed, but I'm going to do a com..."Wow I didn't know this was a movie, my 10 yr old devoured this book in 24 hrs, Had to hide it to get homework done LOL did you know there are 3 more?
For 25 points, completed Cait's task by reading:"The Last Dickens" by Matthew Pearl (person--Dickens)
"The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane" by Katherine Howe (thing--book)
"The House at Riverton" by Kate Morton (place--Riverton)
25.8 Person(Juliet)-Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors
Place(Guernsey)-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows
Thing(symbol)-The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Cindy WA total-110 points
I finished task 10.2 Addiction by reading Buffalo Lockjaw by Greg Adams. The narrator is an alcoholic. I have been slow to post points as I have been working on multiple book challenges. So hopefully it will pick up soon. This will bring my total to 210 points.
Just finished task 15.9 by reading The Road Home, by Rose Tremain. My homework assignment would be a few questions:1. Where do you think Lev is truly at home?
2. Why do you think Lev's country is never named?
3. Where do you feel at home? Do you miss it when you are away?
4. How do you think Lev coped while he was away from home?
Mod
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris and
Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself by Alan Alda
+15
total 515
I finished Fun Home by Alison Bechdel for 15.9 This is a graphic novel that tells the story of a young girl and her relationship with her father.
My assignment would be to take one or more of the scenes and rewrite them in a different format (prose, poetry, song) and then compare the two versions of the story and explain which one is stronger at conveying the meaning.
I also read The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie for 10.6 (Native American). This was not at all what I expected, but I thought it was good.
I've read a couple of others, but no points yet--need to watch some movies!
That puts me at 225 points
5408 pages read
5.1 The What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys A Growing Up Guide for Parents and SonsNOT the book I thought it was
new total 395
New points to report. New task in bold. New points should be 65. In the middle of a bunch of multi book tasks that are taking a while!5.8 The 5th Horseman 9/14
15.1. A Month of Summer by Lisa Wingate (9/24) and The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (10/3) Preposition = "of"
20.1 House 9/25
25.1. The Friday Night Knitting Club and A Light in the Attic
Jayme wrote: "New points to report. New task in bold. New points should be 65. In the middle of a bunch of multi book tasks that are taking a while!5.8 The 5th Horseman 9/14
15.1. [book:A Month of Summer..."
Yes, so many multi-book tasks. I'm with you on that. I'm in the middle of a few myself. But just think just how many you can report once you do finish. I started doing some of the one book tasks since the books were due at the library and that helped me finally feel like I got something done. Keep on working through it. You still have plenty of time.
20.1 Most Improved Player - Julie KS TaskOceans Apart by Karen Kingsbury
Total points: 340
I finished 25.5 (prophecy task) by reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I actually thought it was a little disappointing, but maybe my expectations were too high.That should bring me to 105 points. Yay for passing the 100 mark! I'm pretty impressed with myself considering how busy I've been with school.
5.8 Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List (Rachel Cohn & David Levithan)5.7 That Summer
5.9 Gingerbread
10.8 Away Laughing on a Fast Camel Even More Confessions of Georgia Nicolson
10.10 Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers
15.3 Boy Meets Boy and Startled by His Furry Shorts
25.7 Shrimp; Rebel Angels; Someone Like You
25.8 Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
total points = 100
I read Where Angels Fall by Chris Stewart for 5.7. The thing I am most thankful for is my faith. This book is part of a series of books about being faithful despite all the problems that happen in life.That brings my points to 170.
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Finished:15.4 The Hunger Games AND watched "Coral Reef Adventures" "Volcanoes of the Deep Sea" and "Living Sea"
The movies were all beautiful and the book was really good. I had tried to read it once before and wasn't in the mood for it at that time. This time I got engrossed early on and read it in 2 hours last night.
Total Points 445/690
Total Books 44/61
Total Tasks Completed 32/45
Total Pages 13997
The Ring by Danielle Steel for task 10.5 This book was set in Germany This is my first task completed
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Tempt Me at Twilight (other topics)Patterns in the Sand (other topics)
The Shadow of the Wind (other topics)
My Grandfather's Son (other topics)
Soul of a Dog: Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farm (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Lisa Kleypas (other topics)Sally Goldenbaum (other topics)
Clarence Thomas (other topics)
Audrey Niffenegger (other topics)
Neil Gaiman (other topics)
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Unholy Fire: A Novel of the Civil War by Robert J. Mrazek
10 points
480 total