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Amanda R's 2018 enchanted reading corner
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Week ReadathonHooked on Books
2 - 9 June
TBR:
2/6: 0
3/6: The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey
69 pages
4/6: High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
34 pages
5/6: High Fidelity
44 pages
6/6: High Fidelity finished
60 pages
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie finished
205 pages
265 pages
7/6: The Boy on the Bridge
20 pages
8/6: Op klaarlichte dag by Simone van der Vlugt
11 pages
9/6: Op klaarlichte dag
37 pages
Total Pages: 480
Books Finished:
Reading The Seasons - Summer The Lost Challenges
Duration: 21 June - 22 September 2018
5-10 points - Super Seasonal
11-20 points - Summer Lovin'
21+ points - Hot Hot Hot
10 points
22/8/18
TASKS
1. Read a book published in June, July or August of any year. (Bonus: published in June, July, August or September 2018) - Tell us when it was published.
The Marvellous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Completed 27/6/18 Rating 3 stars
5 July 1904
Sane New World: Taming The Mind by Ruby Wax
Completed 28/7/18 Rating 4 stars
6 June 2013
Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
Completed 20/8/18 Rating 4 stars
1 July 2014
2. Read a book set in the summer.
3. Read a book with the letters S U N somewhere in the title. Does not have to be in order.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Completed 13/8/18 Rating 4 stars
The Night Circus
4. Read a book with a summer word in the title. (Bonus: 'Summer' in the title)
5. Read a book with a cover that reminds you of summer. (Bonus: A swimsuit on the cover) - show us the cover
Evening Class by Maeve Binchy
Completed 22/6/18 Rating 4 stars
6. Flag Day - Read a book with a flag on the cover. Please post the cover.
7. Camera Day (June 29th) - Read a book where a character takes a photo.
8. International Joke Day (July 1st) - Read a book where a character tells a joke.
9. Queen's Official Birthday (UK) - Read a book with an author or character named Elizabeth (or some form of Elizabeth - Liz, Lizzie, Betty etc) (Bonus: also set in England)
10. Midsummers Day - Read a book that is in the middle of a series. Ex. #3 or #4 of a 6 book series.
11. Wimbledon - Read a book where somebody takes part in a sport (does not have to be professionally). (Bonus: The sport is tennis.)
12. Canada Day (July 1st) - Read a book that is set in Canada OR by a Canadian author. (Bonus: Both author and setting are Canadian.)
13. US Independence Day (4th of July) - Read a book where a character rebels against someone/something. Tell us what that is.
14. Bastille Day (France - July 14th) - Read a book set in France OR with a character that is in a parade.
15. Book Lovers Day (August 9th) - Read a book that you are excited to read.
The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey
Completed 4/8/18 Rating 4 stars
16. Positive Thinking Day (Sept. 13th) - Read a book with a positive thinking character.
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Completed 24/7/18 Rating 5 stars
Cassandra Mortmain
17. Summer vacation - Read a book where someone takes a vacation. (Bonus: set on an island)
Escape by Heleen van Royen
Completed 8/7/18 Rating 2 stars
MC goes to Portugal
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Completed 18/7/18 Rating 3 stars
May and her parents go on holiday to Florida
Mario and the Magician by Thomas Mann
Completed 19/8/18 Rating 3 stars
The family are on holiday in Italy
18. Summer camp - Read a book where a character goes to camp.
19. Weddings - Read a book where a wedding takes place. (Bonus: Wedding dress on the cover) - show us the cover
20. Read a book from a list that contains the word Summer. You may find these lists anywhere. Tell us the name of the list.
June Update12/6
I want to read a lot this month so I've signed up for the Marathon Challenge aiming for 7 books and 2,000 pages. 2,000 pages I always chose as a goal and I don't always make it but I do find in months where there is a marathon challenge, I read more than normal. I usually read around 5 books in a month so 7 is also a challenge.
I'm aiming to finish some challenges this month:
2 books to read for the Two by Two challenge
1 to read for the 86th Academy Awards - Best Picture.
One of the books I can use to finish the Members Challenge.
Other challenges which finish at or around the end of the month are Reading the Seasons- Spring and A Trip Down Memory Lane - 1968.
I've got 1 more book to read for the monthly sensational challenge.
I've also decided to add some books onto the A Century of Books challenge which overlaps with what I'm reading anyway.
New challenges joined this month:
Summer Bingo! - The Lost Challenges
Art Extravaganza - The Lost Challenges
Camp Gottaread - Nothing But Reading Challenges
Reading the Seasons: Summer - The Lost Challenges
I've got a very bad habit of starting a book and then reading other books for challenges so I've got 6 books on the go at the moment. I'm hoping to get that amount down to 4 by the end of the month as I need to start 3 other books to finish the challenges.
The 6 books are:
4 English and 2 Dutch.
4 physical books, 1 ebook and 1 audiobook
2 classics, 1 thriller, 1 horror, 1 non-fiction and 1 fiction novel/potential chick-lit
June Weekend ReadathonAll About Books
Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th June
Friday:
Evening Class by Maeve Binchy
47 pages finished
Saturday
0
Sunday
Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
64 pages
The Marvellous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum
6 pages
The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket
190 pages finished
Total: 307 pages
Finished:
Movie Challenge: RebeccaThe Lost Challenges
Duration: July 1 2018 - December 31 2018
Rebecca is a 1940 American romantic psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It was Hitchcock's first American project.
Levels:
Observer: 3-5 Tasks
Film Buff: 6-11 Tasks
Cinephile: 12+ Tasks
Tasks:
🎥 1. Read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.
🎥 2. Read a psychological thriller .
🎥 3. Read a debut novel or a Series #1.
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Completed 24/7/18 Rating 5 stars
Debut novel
🎥 4. Read a book by an author whose initials are either in the first half (A-M) or last half (N-Z) of the alphabet. Ex. Geraldine Brooks or PJ Tracey.
Sane New World: Taming The Mind by Ruby Wax
Completed 28/7/18 Rating 4 stars
🎥 5. Read a book by an author whose initials are the same letter.
Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
Completed 17/8/18 Rating 3 stars
The film stars Laurence Olivier as the brooding, aristocratic widower Maxim de Winter and Joan Fontaine as the young woman who becomes his second wife, with Judith Anderson (the housekeeper) and George Sanders (the cousin/lover) in supporting roles.
🎥 6. Read a book where the MC is a widower.
🎥 7. Read a book where the MC is the second wife.
🎥 8. Read a book where a character is a housekeeper.
🎥 9. Read a book where a character has a lover on the side.
Escape De Ontsnapping by Heleen van Royen
Completed 8/7/18 Rating 2 stars
Rebecca won two Academy Awards, Best Picture and Cinematography, out of a total 11 nominations.
🎥 10. Read a book where the first letter of each word in the title is in BESTPICTURE or CINEMATOGRAPHY (three word minimum).
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Completed 13/8/18 Rating 4 stars
CINEMATOGRAPHY
🎥 11. Read a book with a character named Rebecca.
Hitchcock's cameo appearance, a signature feature of his films, takes place near the end; he is seen walking, back turned to the audience, outside a phone box just after Jack Favell completes a call.
🎥 12. Read a book with a cover similar to these - With Their Backs to the Reader.
The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey
Completed 4/8/18 Rating 4 stars
An unnamed naïve young woman is in Monte Carlo when she meets the aristocratic widower. They fall in love, and within two weeks they are married. Maxim takes his new bride back to Manderley, his large country house in Cornwall.
🎥 13. Read a book with a naïve young woman. Tell us her name.
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Completed 18/7/18 Rating 3 stars
May Welland
🎥 14. Read a book where a character lives in a house with a name. Tell us the house's name.
🎥 15. Read a book set in Cornwall or in the country (does not have to be in the UK.)
The new Mrs. de Winter is intimidated by her responsibilities and begins to doubt her relationship with her husband.
🎥 16. Read a book where a young bride is unsure of her place in the household.
🎥 17. Read a book where a husband/wife doubts their spouse. Tell us why.
The Breen Office, Hollywood's censorship board, specifically prohibited any outright hint of a lesbian infatuation or relationship between Mrs. Danvers and the unseen Rebecca, though the film clearly does dwell on Danvers' obsessive memories of her former mistress.
🎥 18. Read a book that features a same sex relationship.
🎥 19. Read a book where there is a relationship between an employee and their employer.
🎥 20. Read a book with the word MRS. in the title.
7/11
BingoHooked on Books
July 1 2018 - December 31 2018
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{-}{-}{X}{-}{X}
{X}{X}{-}{-}{-}
{X}{-}{-}{-}{-}
A book with a one word title:
Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
Completed 20/8/18 Rating 4 stars
A collection of poetry:
A book over 500 pages:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Completed 13/8/18 Rating 4 stars
626 pages
A book with a mostly green cover:
A book with a vehicle on the cover:
***
A classic:
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Completed 18/7/18 Rating 3 stars
A book that has a name in the title:
Mario and the Magician by Thomas Mann
Completed 19/8/18 Rating 3 stars
A YA book:
The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
Completed 18/8/18 Rating 3 stars
A book in translation:
Escape De Ontsnapping by Heleen van Royen
Completed 8/7/18 Rating 2 stars
A book with a face on the cover:
***
A book that fits into the August challenge:
A re-read:
Any book of your choice: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie Read 3/07/18
The oldest book on your TBR pile:
A book with flowers on the cover:
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Completed 24/7/18 Rating 5 stars
***
A book you think you will rate 5 stars:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Completed 13/8/18 Rating 4 stars
A book that’s next in a series you’ve started:
The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey
Completed 4/8/18 Rating 4 stars
A mystery/thriller:
A book that fits into the September challenge:
A book with pictures in it:
***
A book under 200 pages:
Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
Completed 17/8/18 Rating 3 stars
106 pages
A book with an animal name in the title:
A book published in the decade you were born:
Another book by an author you love:
A book you’ve been putting off: ou waiting for? This might be a BINGO for you!
***
Amanda’s Bingo Progress:
A book with a one word title:
Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
Completed 20/8/18 Rating 4 stars
A book over 500 pages:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Completed 13/8/18 Rating 4 stars
626 pages
***
A classic:
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Completed 18/7/18 Rating 3 stars
A book that has a name in the title:
Mario and the Magician by Thomas Mann
Completed 19/8/18 Rating 3 stars
A YA book:
The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
Completed 18/8/18 Rating 3 stars
A book in translation:
Escape De Ontsnapping by Heleen van Royen
Completed 8/7/18 Rating 2 stars
***
Any book of your choice: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie Read 3/07/18
A book with flowers on the cover:
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Completed 24/7/18 Rating 5 stars
***
A book you think you will rate 5 stars:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Completed 13/8/18 Rating 4 stars
A book that’s next in a series you’ve started:
The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey
Completed 4/8/18 Rating 4 stars
***
A book under 200 pages:
Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
Completed 17/8/18 Rating 3 stars
106 pages
Total Bingos:
A Trip Down Memory Lane - 1990 The Lost Challenges
Duration: 1st July 2018 - 30th September 2018
LEVELS
Fond Memories: 1-5 tasks
Reminiscing: 6-10 tasks
Nostalgia: 11-15 tasks
Duration: 1st July 2018 - 30th September 2018
1990
This quarter the year is: 1990
8 tasks
22/8/18
1. Most Watched TV Show - Cheers (NBC)
📺 Read a book set in a bar OR with a character that is a working-class, retired baseball player-turned-bartender or a college-graduate cocktail waitress.
2. #1 Hit Single (UK, AUT, BE, IRL, Norway, Spain) – "All Around the World" – Lisa Stansfield
💿 Read a book set in the UK, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Norway or Spain OR where a couple has a fight and one of them walks out.
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Completed 24/7/18 Rating 5 stars
3. Top Selling Album - Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em by MC Hammer
🎤 Read a book with the word PLEASE in the title OR by a black author.
4. Highest Grossing Film – Ghost
🎥 Read a book with a one word title OR where a character can see a ghost.
Escape De Ontsnapping by Heleen van Royen
Completed 8/7/18 Rating 2 stars
MC's brother
5. Top Selling Book – Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
📚 Read a book with a skeleton on the cover OR from the Adventure genre. Please post the cover.
6. New Food- Cheetos Paws
🐱 Read a book with an orange cover OR with a cat or paw print on the cover. Please post the cover.
7. Born this year: July 2nd – Margot Robbie, Australian actress
👶 Read a book whose author is from Australia OR with a character whose name contains double consonants.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Completed 13/8/18 Rating 4 stars
Ethan Barris
8. Died this year: November 23 – Roald Dahl, Welsh writer
📚 Read a book by Roald Dahl OR a book that won an Edgar Award.
IN THE NEWS
9. February 12 Nintendo releases the NES game Super Mario Bros. 3 in North America. It sells 17.28 million copies, making it one of the best-selling stand-alone video games of all time.
🕹 Read a book with two brothers as the main characters OR with a mustache on the cover. Please post the cover.
10. February 26 - Violeta Chamorro elected as the new president of Nicaragua who was the first elected woman president in the Americas.
👩 Read a book with a title that begins with a V OR with a female character who is in a position of power.
Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
Completed 17/8/18 Rating 3 stars
Mother Courage
11. April 9 – Comet Austin, the brightest comet visible from Earth since 1975, makes its closest approach to the sun.
☄️ Read a book from the SciFi genre OR with a celestial body on the cover.
The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey
Completed 4/8/18 Rating 4 stars
12. May 22 Microsoft Releases Windows 3.0
🖥 Read a book where a character uses a computer OR a Series/TBR #3.
The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
Completed 18/8/18 Rating 3 stars
13. July 26 – U.S. President George H. W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act.
♿ Read a book with a disabled character OR where the first letter of each word in the title is in "Americans with Disabilities " (3 word minimum).
Sane New World: Taming The Mind by Ruby Wax
Completed 28/7/18 Rating 4 stars
14. December 1 - Channel Tunnel workers from the United Kingdom and France meet 40 meters beneath the English Channel seabed, establishing the first land connection between Great Britain and the mainland of Europe for around 8,000 years.
🚗 Read a book where a character travels in Europe OR travels across the English Channel - may be by car or boat.
Mario and the Magician by Thomas Mann
Completed 19/8/18 Rating 3 stars
The family are on holiday in Italy
15. December 10: Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Mikhail Gorbachev
☮️ Read a book with a character or author whose name (first or last) is a form of Michael OR whose title begins with a letter in NOBEL.
Reading Through The DecadesDuration: July 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018
Theme: Love
1. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Completed 18/7/18 Rating 3 stars
1870s - name is important, money is important, keeping up appearances, no freedom, divorce is a scandal
2. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Completed 24/7/18 Rating 5 stars
1930s - money is an issue in this case, nonetheless more freedom to choose. It has progressed since 1870s
2/5
Spanning the YearsDuration: 1 July 2018 - 30 September 2018
1. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Completed 3/7/18 Rating 4 stars
1937
2. Escape by Heleen van Royen
Completed 8/7/18 Rating 2 stars
2006
Difference is 69 years
3. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Completed 18/7/18 Rating 3 stars
1870
Difference is 136 years
4. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Completed 24/7/18 Rating 5 stars
1934
Difference is 64 years
5. Sane New World: Taming The Mind by Ruby Wax
Completed 28/7/18 Rating 4 stars
2013
Difference is 79 years
6. The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey
Completed 4/8/18 Rating 4 stars
2100
Difference is 87 years
7. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Completed 13/8/18 Rating 4 stars
1873
Difference is 227 years
8. Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
Completed 17/8/18 Rating 3 stars
1624
Difference is 249 years
9. The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
Completed 18/8/18 Rating 3 stars
2000
Difference is 376 years
1,287/1,000
Challenge completed
July Update8/7
This month I'm going to finish the books I'm in the middle of. A tidy-up month. I haven't signed up for any monthly challenges for this reason.
I'm hoping to finish the Recommended Non-Fiction challenge.
New challenges joined this month:
Movie Challenge: Rebecca - The Lost Challenges (6 months)
Bingo - Hooked on Books (6 months)
A Trip Down Memory Lane - 1990 - The Lost Challenges (Quarterly)
Reading Through the Decades - 2018 (Quarterly)
Spanning the Years - 2018 (Quarterly)
How do I pick my challenges?
At the start of the year I have a list of books that I want to try to read that year. I have a lot of books on my bookshelves so ideally I want to clear my shelves to make some room. I sign myself up for Yearly Challenges. Some have fixed books, some have a free choice. I do try to make sure that I incorporate books that I have on my list. Of course there's always books that I may read instead - a recommendation, a buddy read, a book that I'm in the mood to read. Or I decide to listen to a book on audio or read an ebook. I do like to have a bit of freedom as I'm not always in the mood to read certain books. This year I've taken part in less Monthly Challenges only joining in if the challenge has overlapped with the books I'm planning on reading. Quarterly Challenges and 6 month Challenges give me more time and choice so I've been enjoying doing those. I like seasonal challenges and I've enjoyed The Trip Down Memory Lane challenges. I do try to overlap books over several challenges but quite often I take it as it comes and when I'm finished a book, I'll see if it fits. Only if a challenge is coming to an end and I don't have enough books, I'll read for that challenge. I sign up for so many yearly challenges, I'm never going to finish them all but that's ok. At the end of the year I can reflect on the new authors I've discovered, the great series I've read, the classics I've enjoyed and the times and places I've escaped to. The challenges are just a way to encourage me to read more and that works for me!
August Update22/8
This month I had a Buddy Read of The Night Circus and since then I've been picking up books I'm in the mood to read.
I'm currently reading a book to finish The Chain Reaction challenge.
Next month starts a new phase in my life. I'm going back to study so I'm not sure how my reading will fit into my schedule. I've been really enjoying it so I hope that I have enough time. I'll certainly make an effort.
I think that maybe from now on I won't join in any new challenges so that I can finish my yearly challenges. However I may be tempted!
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Boy on the Bridge (other topics)The Night Circus (other topics)
Mario and the Magician (other topics)
Wildflower (other topics)
Mario and the Magician (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Hergé (other topics)Hergé (other topics)
Hergé (other topics)
Hergé (other topics)
Hergé (other topics)
More...
Nothing But Reading Challenges
Duration: June 21st through September 21st, 2018
Levels:
Bookie Rookie; Read 3 - 5 Books
Book Bandit; Read 6 - 8 Books
*Book Worm; Read 9 - 11 Books*
Book Aficionado; Read 12 - 14 Books
Book Addict; Read 15+ Books
14 books
22/8/18
Camp Gottaread Activities:
- Climb the intimidating heights of Mount TBR
(Read books from your to-be-read stack)
Evening Class by Maeve Binchy
Completed 22/6/18 Rating 4 stars
The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket
Completed 24/6/18 Rating 4 stars
The Marvellous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Completed 27/6/18 Rating 3 stars
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Completed 3/7/18 Rating 4 stars
The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey
Completed 4/8/18 Rating 4 stars
Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
Completed 17/8/18 Rating 3 stars
The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
Completed 18/8/18 Rating 3 stars
- Fish for new novels you never knew existed
(Read books you just discovered)
- Hike the books you've felt were too big to read
(Read books you've always found intimidating)
- Swim the seas of series you've always meant to finish but never have
(Read books in series you've meant to finish but never found the time to do so)
- Explore the tales of new named authors
(Read books written by new-to-you authors)
Escape by Heleen van Royen
Completed 8/7/18 Rating 2 stars
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Completed 18/7/18 Rating 3 stars
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Completed 24/7/18 Rating 5 stars
Sane New World: Taming The Mind by Ruby Wax
Completed 28/7/18 Rating 4 stars
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Completed 13/8/18 Rating 4 stars
Mario and the Magician by Thomas Mann
Completed 19/8/18 Rating 3 stars
Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
Completed 20/8/18 Rating 4 stars
- Listen to Campfire tales
(Read assorted novellas or short stories in anthologies that are scary)
14/15