Week 31: 7/28 - 8/3

[Nerdy Panda]

Read:
Gathering Blue - the second book in The Giver quartet. I didn't love it as much as I loved the first book, but it was still a good read.

Messenger - third book in The Giver quartet. I enjoyed it since it follows a character I liked from Gathering Blue

Currently Reading:
Son - Time to see how this quartet ends
A Game of Thrones - Only 142 pages left!
Perfect - I've been reading this for awhile and decided to pick up the audio from the library
Holding Up the Universe - So far I'm liking it

QOTW: Besides reading, I mainly like to spend my time writing, drawing, taking pictures, watching TV and YouTube, and going on walks

[Cheri]

Nadine wrote: "NaNoWriMo is a contest with winners? I had no idea!! I thought it was just a motivational sort of thing to encourage amateur writers! (Obviously I've never done it, but I've always been curious.)"

Nadine, you win by writing 50,000 of a novel during the month of November. You validate on the site to join the "winners' circle".

[Christophe]

Hey from Brittany (still). Next check-in will be from Paris; the one after, from Austin (TX)!

I finished one book toward the challenge last week but it took me some time to decide which prompt I'd use it for. Eventually settled on:

✅A1. A book recommended by an author you love: Kate Marsden, On Sledge and Horseback to Outcast Siberian Lepers , Phoenix, 2001 (1st ed. 1892).

My initial plan was to use it for the "interesting woman" propmpt; but I'm not sure the author/narrator is actually a very interesting person. She's a Victorian do-gooder who's dream is to be like Florence Nightingale who decides God wants her to help the lepers of Yakoutia; she does go there (which, before transsiberian trains, recquired some dedication!), visits the lepers, distributes tea rations and gospels; and goes back to Moscow and Saint-Petersburg to raise money for her cause. The book she wrote is obviously part of the fundraising effort. So, that's an interesting story, but is she an interesting character? The "sister of mercy" rhetoric actually turns her into a pretty boring character (who goes on an extraordinary journey). Same for the "eccentric character" prompt... While she travels in Russia (which I haven't visited), she's from England, where I've been quite often: so much for the "country you haven't visited" prompt!

So I was in trouble until I remembered this edition of the book comes with a preface by Eric Newby, one of my favorite travel writers. Writing an intro is a form of recommandation, right? :-)

Now standing at 9/12 for advanced; still 22/40 regular: running a little bit behind schedule!

QOTW: I have way to many hobbies for my own good! Running, obviously (since that was mentioned by our beloved moderator Sara): I try to run 20 to 30 miles a week; there's been a lull in late Spring while I was nursing an injury but otherwise steadily improving my endurance! Ran several 20K or half marathon, one actual marathon and one 30K trail run; planning to up the ante this Autumn!

Then there's film photography (which has been sort of on the backburner lately), music (I took up the clarinet a few years ago; trying the trombone these days), sailing, cycling (both a summer thing); plus I once started a PhD in history that I didn't complete (yet).

[Lynette]

I finished This Is Where It Ends, which was my "bestseller from 2016."

I also finished The Hate U Give, which was my "book recommended by an author you love."

QOTW: Aside from reading, I like to cross-stitch, and listen to the radio. I enjoy going to concerts and the movies. I run, and I go to POUND fitness class. I also like to watch TV.

[Fannie]

Hello all,

Since I'm in vacation, I completly forgot the Thursday check-in so here I am, a bit late.

Last week I finished Code Name Verity and realized that it is a first book in a serie. So another prompt filled.

I also read Norse Mythology. I read 3 or 4 Gaiman's book before and never really liked them, but that one was very good.

I am now reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone just for fun, but I plan on reading something for the steampunk prompt. I rent Soulless from the library and hope it will be ok.

QOTW: Reading is my main hobby also. I like to play games online and I try to go for longer and longer bike rides with my sons. I used to play a lot of piano and I was even in a band for some years, but with kids and job and life, I slow down a bit.

[Paige]

Finished the Two time period prompt with a Spiderman Deadpool comic which presents modern day comics as well as a sample from the 60s. Two time periods is done! That prompt was hard. I'm a writer, dog person, gardener, yoga doer, swimmer, walker, cook, baker, and introverted social butterfly. Love watching gaming videos and mystery shows too. Oh and music is my life! Motley Crue, Queen, Van Halen, etc. And I'm in love with Metal Gear Solid.

[Wednesday]

Read: Court of Fives
It was a very predictable YA book, but also really good. I will probably read the rest of the series after I finish the challenge. This was for the Recommended by an Author prompt, Gail Carrigerrecommended.

Reading: Elizabeth Taylor: The Last Star and Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History
Both are very fascinating reads, each in their own way. The sugar book was written by an anthropologist, not a historian, so he quotes a lot of other anthros and ties the history in to general patterns in human history.

I also have hoarded three paperbacks to go on vacation with me next week, hoping to get in some serious poolside reading amidst the planned activities: Wyrd Sisters, Urban Nightmares, and An Edible History of Humanity.

So are most of you reading non-prompt books too? I am not, so I've finished 40 or 52. I didn't finish the main challenges first because I wanted to start some advanced so I could use them to finish a Gail Carriger series (see above). I need to decide what book I'm re-reading that makes me smile, and I want my ending book to be the book I loved as a child. I think that will be a sweet way to end my first ever reading challenge!

QotW
I watch a lot of movies, and since I often want to discuss the movie afterwards and studied cinema, I count this as a hobby. I'm starting to get into sewing (made my first pair of shorts this week!) , and I am a jogger. A very slow jogger. Obviously reading is a major hobby, and I have a couple blogs that I barely update, one about movies and one about vintage fashion and the Americana of the 50s.

[Tanelle]

I haven't checked in for a couple weeks so I don't know where I left off. I didn't get as much reading done on holidays as I expected to and then I had a work conference that I read zero pages at (some on the airplane however).

In the past few weeks I finished Come Sundown, House of Binding Thorns, We Are The Ants, and maybe a few more I can't think of. I'm currently reading I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.

QOTW:
My other hobbies include cross stitching, scrapbooking, crafting, gardening, and cooking. We have a short growing season here I so make the most of it by canning a lot of what I grow (I'm in a town so my garden is pretty small but I can get a decent crop of tomatoes at least).

[Tanelle]

Oh and one more thing I forgot to mention. I've currently read more books this year than I did all last year. I can't wait to see what my final number will be (finished 80 so far)

[Dani]

Unauthorized Cinnamon wrote: "Dani wrote: "But I ended up liking The Enchanted April a lot. It was a nice light, happy read after so many heavy books this year. "

Ooh, if you haven't seen the movie, check it out! I find I like..."
I had it on DVD from a garage sale lot I got forever ago! I loved the scenery. But watching Professor Slughorn passionately kiss someone was a bit too much for my inner child 😂

[AF]

37/40
I finished Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth today. It was a bit slow at times, but I like it a lot. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. This book was for the prompt "first book in a series".

Now I will start reading The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey for the group read and for my book set in the wilderness. Will it be weird reading a book that takes place in a snowy wilderness while I'm suffering through 90's weather. I wish for snow, not heat. :)

QotW: I love to read and I love to run. I do as much as I can of both whenever there's a spare minute. Like everyone else, life for me is busy! That's what makes it so great. Never a dull moment.

[Julie]

Hi everyone!

I think it's been quite a few weeks since I've checked in - I've been incredibly busy (also no real progress to report either).

Well, this week I FINALLY finished my 800-page book, Stephen King's 11/22/63, which I have been working on since the end of May! I think I've only been able to read maybe ten pages or so a day until recently, which is highly unusual for me. I think I just broke a personal record - "longest time it took me to finish a book that I didn't DNF". It was a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the detour from King's usual works. But it was pretty detail-heavy, and I'm ready for a change of pace with something perhaps a bit lighter now.

I'm working on Snow Crash as an audiobook (book mentioned in another book).

Up next this week I think will be Before I Fall for a book I got at a used book sale.

QOTW: Reading is definitely a hobby for me, but I have quite a few others, including playing video games, playing guitar or piano, traveling (road trips!), camping, movies (I have a thing for campy old horror movies), and baking (I love inventing my own recipes).

[Shannon]

It's been a while since I last checked in I think. I finally finished one of my last two books for the challenge.
I read The Hobbit for the book from a subgenre/genre you've never heard of. I have read The Hobbit before but didn't realize it falls under the mythopoeia. I enjoyed a lot this time around too.

QOTW- Besides reading I enjoy video games and yoga.

[Lu]

I'm slowly going through Historia universal de la infamia, I have it on my computer too so I read a few pages when the boss isn't looking ;)

QOTW: I'm a gamer, now I'm playing Black Desert Online and it's taking a lot of my free time :'( I should game less and read more, I know, but RPGs are addictive! ;-;
I also do sculptures, I don't do as many as I used to, but it's a great stress reliever.

[Sarah]

Theresa wrote: "Cheri wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Important note: get this new translation (bright blue cover) by Peter Bien as it is the ONLY English translation directly from the original Greek. Truth - the only oth..."

That's interesting! I read 20000 Leagues Under the Sea a few years ago and I don't remember anything about the British empire in it so it must have been an old translation.

[Charlsa]

Several weeks ago, I believe a QOTW was if anyone has found a new genre they love. I can now answer that I am developing a love for steampunk novels.

I finished reading Etiquette & Espionage. Il fulfilled the prompt from the advanced reading challenge to read a book from a genre or sub-genre you've never heard of. This is a Mannerpunk novel which a sub-genre of steampunk novels. It incorporates a story about the social manners and customs of that period into a steampunk novel. I seem to be choosing books that are YA and not realizing it until I'm reading it. It happened again. I enjoyed this book. It was a fun read. This author has an adult series of manner punk as well, and I will definitely read that series as well as continue this series.

I went back to comfort books this week. I reread some old favorites by one of my favorite authors, Lisa Wingate.

I read, Texas Cooking, Lone Star Cafe, and Over the Moon at the Big Lizard Diner.

Books so far: 31/40 and 8/12 I think I've read 21 off-prompt.

My plan for this coming week is to read:

Before We Were Yours which I don't think fits a prompt, but again, she is one of my favorite authors.

The Awakening of HK Derryberry: My Unlikely Friendship with the Boy Who Remembers Everything for a book about a person with a disability.

Deep Shadow for a book I got from a used book sale.

QOTW:

So many things. I love to travel. I made my first trip back to Hawaii after 40 years. It had changed a little bit, but thankfully, not too much. I lead a Precept Bible study to an adult co-ed class. It's an in-depth, inductive study. I have 2 dogs and 4 cats that keep me busy. I volunteer as a victim chaplain. We provide spiritual and physical care, primarily spiritual care, to people who are victims of crimes, natural disasters, or terrorists attacks. That keeps me pretty busy as well.

[Wednesday]

Charlsa wrote: "Several weeks ago, I believe a QOTW was if anyone has found a new genre they love. I can now answer that I am developing a love for steampunk novels.

I finished reading [book:Etiquette & Espionage..."

Charlsa, I read one of Gail Carriger's steampunk novels and was hooked. Since you liked Etiquette & Espionage, I'd definitely recommend reading in this order: read the rest of the Finishing School series, then all of the Parasol Protectorate series (4 books) , then the Custard Protocol series (2 books). That's not the order they were written in, but the order they they go through in time period. (Each series starts within 20 years of the last). I managed to use all of the Finishing School and Custard Protocol books for prompts for the challenge. I also quite enjoyed the Mystery of Peculiar Occurances series.

[Aida]

I've posted my reading list for the month of July on my blog, as always: https://theninethrealm.blogspot.com/2...

QOTW: Reading is honestly my big hobby. I also enjoy writing (mostly fanfiction, at this point) and listening to music. I play the piano, but I'm not super-talented with that. I'm trying to get into drawing and dancing more, but those are in the early stages.

[Charlsa]

Paula wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "Several weeks ago, I believe a QOTW was if anyone has found a new genre they love. I can now answer that I am developing a love for steampunk novels.

I finished reading [book:Etiqu..."


Thank you, Paula! I will read them in the order you suggested. I took a quick peek at her other series but had not determined the pecking order yet.

[Sam]

I finished The Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie as my #38 set around a holiday not Christmas. It's not my favourite Poirot story as it meandered rather slowly. I've enjoyed others much more. I too like Gail Carrier's books. I've read her Parasol Protectorate series and loved it. Delighted to read that her other books are just as good.

QotW - hobbies other than reading. Buying or borrowing more books to read, making stuff - cross stitch, knitting, crochet etc, camping, re enactment.