Team Captivating Cryptic Conquerors - chat and planning

[Gail]

I'll be checking the reporting thread to see what people have read, and on the spreadsheet I'll be highlighting in green the read books, and then I'll work out the score at the end.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I was thinking the same thing, Gail. I WANT TO KNOW THE SECRET!!!! :)

I'll be done with my first book in an hour or two. It was faster than I thought, but it's not a great book. Good enough, though.

[Berit]

Me too! I want to know the secret as well, I was excited to finish one very short book in one day :-)just woke up going to try to finish my second book right now, there is no way I'm going to read more than Connie!

[Shanna_redwind]

I've started Breakers as well.

[Berit]

I have a question, do you get the points more than once in a task if more than one person in the group has read a book for that task? I probably should've asked this along time ago, but I'm just getting used to all this challenge stuff.

[Gail]

Berit, yes, as far as I understand, each person gets points for each book read that fits a category, even if several people read a book from the same category, or even if one person reads several books from the same category.

[Berit]

Thanks Gail, I was a little confused on that one.

[Berit]

So, it is more beneficial to read the tasks with the higher point level. Which tasks exactly are those? I can try to find books to fit those categories, to help you guys out. Almost done with second book :-)

[Gail]

All tasks are worth ten points. There are bonuses for if a team covers all the tasks in certain categories, but we have those covered, so long as everyone reads the books they said they would.

[Berit]

I got it, I think! Let me know if it comes Wednesday or Thursday and we need something covered, I have a lot of books here so I can find something.

[Ava Catherine]

No trick, Gail. The more you read, the faster you get at it, and I read an awful lot. I started reading when I was between 3 and 4 years old and have been a voracious reader ever since. Now, some types of books slow me down. For example, a book of philosophy or something with a lot of scientific content will slow me down, but I can get through regular fiction and most nonfiction pretty quickly.

Not watching television makes a difference, too.

[Marie Claude]

I started Le Liseur du 6h27 earlier this afternoon for the "job you wouldn't want your date to have". The main character's job is to operate a machine to destroy books and reduce them to paper paste :( I would really not be able to date someone who is paid to destroy books!

So far, the book is cute: the guy hates his job and tries to save as many lost pages as he can. And then he reads them out loud during his morning train transit...

Since I go to the theater tonight I won't be able to read as much as I would like, but I hope to be able to finish it before going to bed tonight...

[Sandra, Moderator]

Don't worry, Marie Claude, we are doing pretty well. Enjoy the theater!

[Elsbeth]

Have fun, Marie Claude! What is it you are going to see/hear?

[Gail]

I dunno, Connie - I've also been reading voraciously since an early age, but I've got slower as I've got older. I don't have a TV either - but I do spend way too much time on the internet!

[Berit]

Almost done with my third book :-) I will start Fairest book. Five in the Lunar Chronicles next. This will cover the book that takes place in outer space. Can't imagine not having a television ;-)

[Ava Catherine]

Gail wrote: "I dunno, Connie - I've also been reading voraciously since an early age, but I've got slower as I've got older. I don't have a TV either - but I do spend way too much time on the internet!"

Reading is my escape-- my way to relax. When I start reading, I truly enter another world (unless the book is a real dog! which does happen every blue moon. haha). Of course, I happily read the back of the cereal boxes. The down side of reading fast is that I am always scrambling for books. : )
I taught AP English for years and had to read fast to survive professionally. When confronted with 150 essays to read and grade over the weekend, your reading speed increases dramatically. I also had to read enormous amounts of literature to prepare for my classes. It not a trick; just lots of reading practice.

Just keep reading what you enjoy and your reading speed will increase. Speed and fluency are sort of like playing the piano or basketball-- the more you practice, the better you get. You may not even realize how much you are improving, but you are increasing your speed and fluency. It is also not good to compare yourself to others no matter how tempting it is because everyon'e's path is different. The most important thing is that you are reading books you enjoy.

[Ava Catherine]

I have finished The Girl with No Shadow for Daniel and Connie: magical realism.

[Berit]

Going to try and finish my fourth book before I go to sleep, it is 6:40 5 PM here right now. Will see if I can do it :-) our team looks like it's doing really well!

[Ava Catherine]

I know that Bill Cosby has lost much of his credibility; however, this is one of the best articles I have found about increasing reading speed. Maybe some of it will be interesting to you.

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.ph...

[Berit]

doubt I will finish this book tonight, I'm going to go to sleep in about an hour. Catch up with all of you in the morning! Great job so far team, yay us!I think I've come to realize, the best way to go about this is finding books that you find easy to read. I have never really read for speed before, but I think I can read more if I find shorter easy reads than trying to read a deep book this week. So, I may be making some changes to my list;-)

[Elsbeth]

Berit wrote: "doubt I will finish this book tonight, I'm going to go to sleep in about an hour. Catch up with all of you in the morning! Great job so far team, yay us!I think I've come to realize, the best way t..."

That happened to me to! :D That's why my first 2 reads were books I hadn't planned to read!

[Berit]

Just woke up, I had woken up in the middle of the night and read for an hour or so. My kids have this whole week off, so I don't need to get up and get them to school. I can lay in bed and read all morning :-) of course I should be doing laundry, cleaning, and all that other very fun stuff :-) think I'll just lay here and read ;-)

[Sandra, Moderator]

I started to read The Color of Magic yesterday for the "new author" task, but I don't think I can read this one really quick. I actually don't want to rush it. So I started instead Cheat River Three for the same task, and it looks a faster read.

Gail, I'll be careful to remind you this in the reporting thread when I'm done, so you don't get confused.

[Ava Catherine]

No doubt much more fun than housework, Berit. : ) Besides, the housework will still be there waiting for you when you finish your book.

I have completed Lady Chatterley's Lover for classic and Lolita for legs.

I started Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free for nonfiction last night and am loving this book.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'd love to read the book about the miners some day. I'm glad you are enjoying it, Connie.

[Ava Catherine]

A snack, a book, and a great YLTO team-who could ask for more? : )

[Ava Catherine]

Congratulations to all our readers and all we have accomplished! WTG! and it is just MONDAY!

[Berit]

I second that, congrats to all! Getting on my exercise bike right now, not getting off till this book is done :-)

[Ava Catherine]

You go girl!

[Marie Claude]

I am past half-way through Morality Play for the historical book task

[Berit]

Finished Fairest, I really enjoy this series it is a definite escape. I'm going to start Tangled a contemporary romance and it short :-), It may fit other tasks but I don't know yet.

[Tejas Janet]

Connie wrote: "A snack, a book, and a great YLTO team-who could ask for more? : )"

So cute, Connie :D
What is this adorable popcorn-eating critter?

[Tejas Janet]

I'm in the middle of Play It as It Lays. Weird book. I like it tho.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Love the memes, Connie! I agree we are doing great. It's being a pleasure to be in this team, ladies.

[Elsbeth]

Really cute, Connie!
And I agree, Team C rocks!
:D

[Kerri]

I have just completed my second book Water for Elephants and thought I was doing pretty well to have finished 2 books. I'm not sure how you people are managing to read 4 books so quickly, but I feel like a snail by comparison. Oh well every little bit helps and I'm happy to be doing my bit.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'm with you Kerri. I'm proud of my book and a half so far. :)
The good thing about Team Topplers is that even we snails could win from time to time. :D

[Berit]

Did you like Water for Elephants? I thought it was a very interesting and good book :-) you guys are not snails ;-) I'm just reading shorter books. I generally like a big thick chunky book, so I have a lot of skinny books on my shelves that I need to read.

[Kerri]

Berit wrote: "Did you like Water for Elephants? I thought it was a very interesting and good book :-) you guys are not snails ;-) I'm just reading shorter books. I generally like a big thick chunky book, so I ha..."

I loved it, I'd put off reading it for so long as I'd seen the movie already.
Slow and steady helps win the race Sandra.

[Berit]

I will finish Tangled, tonight. Won't report until the morning. If there is any task that needs to be filled let me know, I won't decide what to read next until the morning. I'll have to see what I'm in the mood for :-)we are doing amazing!!! Team C is the best :-) ;-)

[Elsbeth]

Kerri & Sandra, just be proud of what you are reading! During my first Toppler I expected to read 3, but managed to read 4 books. During my second Toppler I managed to read 5 books. I was really proud of myself both times! Just let the fast readers earn us the big amount of points and let the rest of us be proud of what we can read!

Berit, do you like sci-fi? I wanted to read a book for 'alien world or space ship', but I'm just not in the mood for that, right now. I feel a bit guilty, because it is a task for bonus-points!

[Berit]

I read Fairest already which would cover book and outerspace. Yes it is two in the morning here and I am still awake, don't know why. Good night and I already have that covered;-) I think we are doing amazing :-)

[Elsbeth]

Thanks, Berit! And sweet dreams!

[Berit]

Good morning! I think I'm going to catch up on the news I've been sort of out of it, reading, reading, reading! :-) The plan is to start Legend by, Marie Lou. This can count as dystopian, book in a series, and there is war in it. I need to get a ruling on does it need to be a real war. I'll need to go ask that question :-) ;-) let you know when I'm done

[Ava Catherine]

Tejas Janet wrote: "Connie wrote: "A snack, a book, and a great YLTO team-who could ask for more? : )"

So cute, Connie :D
What is this adorable popcorn-eating critter?"

Mercy, TJ, I have no idea what it is, but he sure is cute! : )

[Ava Catherine]

Finished Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free for nonfiction

[Ava Catherine]

Have you ever read so much during toppler week that you felt flattened out?

[Elsbeth]

Is this a selfie, Connie?
:D

[Tejas Janet]

I finished and reported Still Life for Origin/Canada and Play It as It Lays for Body/Torso, and Gail has them recorded on the spreadsheet. Thanks, Gail!

Now I'm on to books three and four: Birds, Beasts, and Relatives for memoir, and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet for a book set during a war and the war has a big impact on the characters.