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Team Ruby
I get the mixed reviews. They are a collection of short stories. Some of them were just kind of confusing, but then there were some that just really were lovely pieces of prose. I do not think that I would ever tell anyone to go out and read this one. I am not even sure that it deserved the Pulitzer Prize. It is interesting that there are some reviews that put this writer as the finest of all time in America. Hmmm...Well, I would not go there by any means. But the subject was an interesting one.The critiques of the fake broken English are valid. I thought that the thing that the author did a really nice job of doing was capturing the Oriental culture, values...I am not exactly sure how to express it. I had the opportunity about 5 years ago to go on a diplomatic tour in China for a month. There is a way of expressing things and communicating that is different than that in the Western world. I felt he captured that feeling in his writing. He seemed to understand the culture well...the interpersonal nuances, etc. Difficult to explain.
It looks like Team Tourmaline is mounting a serious challenge to our reign at the top. They are only 35 points behind us now. Yikes!
RachelvlehcaR wrote: "Diane, I know that I get red flagged that week. I'm not sure about others. I try to warn everyone when they are close to it. I know that Michelle and Allison Ann have been over. I'm not sure if..."The mods have set up a spreadsheet that tracks your percentage of books read to what you predicted. We jumped in a bit early this time because some people were reading 3 or 4 times what they predicted in TT, and that didn't seem fair. Allison, I got red flagged too before it started ;) I don't realise how much I read, then I read even more during these challenges. I haven't contacted anyone recently.
Rachel, you are doing a great job of tracking everything and keeping an eye on your team. The strategy of reading book over 500 pages should keep you unflagged and highest points.
Go red teams! (All 4 of my red teams are doing really well this round)
Red teams are kicking butt this challenge. Yay us!I finished a godawful book this morning, if it wasn't for you guys I would have thrown it away long ago.
In university I worked in a giant used bookstore. We would buy anything, but if it was an over-represented book we'd only pay a penny and then destroy the book anyway. Only 10 copies of each novel allowed in store (textbooks were different). The book we destroyed the most was
which made me sad so I kept liberating the doomed copies and giving them away on the street. The book I finished this morning, I would have burned with a happy smile. :DBook - Shanna by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - 666 pages - 1 stars
Colour - CHANGEABLES
C - character - Carmelita
H - character - Hergus
A - character - Amelia Beauchamp
N - character - Nathanial Beauchamp
G - character - Sir Gaylord Billingsham
B - character - Ruark Beauchamp
L - character - Dora Livingston
S - title
I finished Banker. Our first spell-out is completed and we. Have started our second spelling! Great teamwork. I should have another finished today and then I'm working on a 20 pointer.I just got The Girl on the Train from the library. I didn't sign up for DQs though because I wasn't sure when it would come. And there are a lot of people already signed up for DQs on that one. Not sure if I will get picked.
Michelle wrote: "I finished Banker. Our first spell-out is completed and we. Have started our second spelling! Great teamwork. I should have another finished today and then I'm working on a 20 pointer..."I'm pretty sure they are randomizing the questions, so if you do want to sign up, then we have one more chance of getting chosen.
Michelle still sign up. They will do a random generated pick. Our chances to get picked will be higher.
Awesome Michelle and Allison. Yay for the first spell out being finished. This is our biggest word yet. I am working on Hannibal in my little breaks. It will be done by tonight same with a shorter book.
I signed up. Fingers crossed that one of us gets picked!
I feel like I've done nothing but read since Sunday morning. :D Not many letter options for this one, sorry.Book - Dune by Frank Herbert - 512 pages - 4 stars
Colour - CHANGEABLES
H - author - Frank Herbert
A - character - Paul Atreides
G - character - Gurney Halleck
L - character - Leto Atreides
Updated the sheet. We are currently at 245 points. Not bad for a Tuesday!Had to put my reading on hold to finish our taxes. Grumble grumble. I hate doing taxes each year and I put it off until the deadline.
I liked Dune. I heard the first three books are best then the series falls after that. Thanks Michelle. Yeah, that isn't bad for Tuesday. Plus I have two by the end of tonight.
Finished a re-readtitle: What the Lady Wants, author: Jennifer Crusie, 256 pages
C: author
H: char - Harold Tennyson
N: char - Nick Jamieson
G: char - Gio Donatello
L: char - Claude Lewis
S: char - Stormy Klosterman/Weathers
Still love this book that is full of quirky characters and a sweet love story.
Michelle wrote: "Updated the sheet. We are currently at 245 points. Not bad for a Tuesday!Had to put my reading on hold to finish our taxes. Grumble grumble. I hate doing taxes each year and I put it off unti..."
I just finished my taxes, I don't know why I procrastinate so badly when they are fairly simple (since I didn't do or earn anything unusual).
Good luck Michelle!
Week 4: ChangeablesMy 3rd book.
Book: Hannibal
Author: Thomas Harris
Date Read: 4/14/2015
Pages: 562
C- Char: Clarice M. Starling
H - Title: Hannibal
A - Char: A. Benning
N - Char: Noonan
G - Char: Gnocco
E - Char: Evelda Drumgo
B - Char: Barney Matthews
L - Char: Hannibal Lecter
S - Char: Clarice M. Starling
I enjoyed it. It reminded me of the TV show but major changes, major. Also, I'm going to continue on to Hannibal Rising.
I updated the Spreadsheet and we are at 275 points. :)
Week 4: ChangeablesMy 4th book.
Book: Artemis Fowl
Author: Eoin Colfer
Date Read: 14-Apr-2015
Pages: 280
C - Author: Eoin Colfer
H - Char: Captain Holly Short
A - Title: Artemis Fowl
N - Char: Nimbus
G - Char: Corporal Grub Kelp
E - Author: Eoin Colfer
B - Char: Domovoi Butler
S - Char: Captain Holly Short
Very disappointed with the book. I bought the books when it first came out for my son. It's only now I read it. He read it back in elementary school. It was just collecting dust on the bookshelf.
Updated the spreadsheet. 285 pts.
Mod
We never could have made it to 10K members without each of you. We'd like you to help us celebrate by adding your voice to the mix and helping choose our next team challenge.
The mod's have brainstormed up 7 different team challenge idea's. Now it's up to you to choose the best! The polls will close in one week and the winning challenge will be announced in the May newsletter.
Vote Here!
Book - Devices And Desires by P.D. James - 503 pages - 3 starsColour - CHANGEABLES
C - character - Caroline Amphlett
H - character - Hilary Robarts
A - character - Adam Dalgliesh
N - character - Neil Pascoe
B - character - Ryan Blaney
L - character - Miles Lessingham
S - character - Stuart Oliphant
I've read over 3200 pages in the past 3 1/2 days. My brain hurts. :D
WOW, Alisson Ann! I cannot believe that you are able to do that. It would be physically impossible for me to accomplish that. I figure that I read about 40 pages/hour (not a fast reader) and so if I read 24 hours/day in 3 1/2 days, I could at best read just over that number of pages...and that would mean absolutely no sleeping or anything else. Amazing!
I always thought I was a fast reader, but then I joined Tower Teams and met the cyborg readers. :D I read about 100 pages an hour normally, but still I'm really pushing it this week because it's my last normal week where I have free time. Next week I start opening camp, so I'll be be back to 16 hour days, 7 days a week. Not much time for reading.
That's crazy Allison Ann! I added what I've finished for this week and it's over 2000 pages. I have been working different hours and unable to read at work as much as I was able to. LOL, the cyborg readers. I was amazed at some of those readers. I was like how the heck are they reading that much because it felt like that's all I was doing. It just blew me away.
I've added your book to the spreadsheet. We are at 305 points. Yay!
I should be able to finish a book tonight.
Finished a book I needed for a BINGO challenge. Just shy of the 500 page mark. Bummer. Definitely a book I would not read on my own. 2 stars. 
by Julie Brannagh. 497 pages. C- Char: Shelly Case
H- Char: Emily Hamilton
A- Char: Anastasia Lee
N- Char: Greg Nordquist
G- Char: Greg Nordquist
E- Char: Emily Hamilton
B- Author: Julie Brannagh
L- Char: Anastasia Lee
S- Char: Shelly Case
Not too many options in this book, sorry.Book - The Valley of the Horses by Jean M. Auel - 544 pages - 3 stars
Colour - CHANGEABLES
C - character - Carlono
A - author - Jean M. Auel
N - character - Noria
L - character - Laduni
S - character - Serenio
Great job Allison Ann. I work until 8:30 pm. I can log in your book then. I finished two books. I will add them when I get home. :)
Another for the list.Book - The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters - 576 pages - 2 stars
Colour - CHANGEABLES
C - character - Christina Lucas
H - character - Constable Hardy
N - character - Netta Rawlins
G - character - Billie Grey
E - character - Emily Wray
B - character - Lilian Barber
L - character - Lilian Barber
S - author - Sarah Waters
Bowling tonight! I will update when I get home. It's been a stressful week so I'm looking forward to getting some reading in.
Week 4: ChangeablesMy 5th book.
Book: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Date Read: 16-Apr-2015
Pages: 387
C - Char: Celia Bowen
H - Char: Hector Bowen
A - Char: Marco Alisdair
N - Title: The Night Circus
E - Author: Erin Morgenstern
B - Char: Celia Bowen
L - Char: Chandresh Christophe Lefevre
I really enjoyed this book. It was so helpful that I read The Golem and the Jinni and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell before this. They have the same kind of atmosphere so it was nice to make those connections.
I should finished Hannibal Rising tonight. I'm hoping to. I'm getting there. Also getting close to finishing a few other books too.
I've updated the spreadsheets. We have 365 points. Just need an "A" to finish our second spell out.
Allison Ann, you are a reading machine! Amazing!
Michelle wrote: "Bowling tonight! I will update when I get home. It's been a stressful week so I'm looking forward to getting some reading in."Have fun bowling!
I loved The Night Circus. I might read it again I loved it so much. Allison Ann, I have been wanting to read The Paying Guests. Only 2 stars might make me hold off. Too many other good ones to read right now.
I too have been wanting to read The Paying Guests. There are just way too many books I want to read. It's not fair!
I updated our spreadsheet for Cards on the Table. Finished up our second spell out and puts us at 375 points.C - Title: Cards on the Table
H - Char: Hercule Poirot
A - Author: Agatha Christie
E - Char: Elsie Batt
B - Char: Superintendent Battle
L - Char: Mrs. Lorrimer
S - Char: Mr. Shaitana
Now off to find a 500+ to knock out for us.
Woohoo! Michelle, your book made us hit the 2000 points mark. 2K! Awesome!
Michelle wrote: "I updated our spreadsheet for Cards on the Table. Finished up our second spell out and puts us at 375 points.C - Title: Cards on the Table
H - Char: Hercule Poirot
A - Author: Ag..."
That is a good book and you learn about bridge.
Week 4: ChangeablesMy 6th book.
Book: Hannibal Rising
Author: Thomas Harris
Date Read: 16-Apr-2015
Pages: 336
H - Title: Hannibal Rising (Hannibal Lecter #4)
A - Char: Alec Trebelaux
G - Char: Vladis Grutas
L - Char: Hannibal Lecter
S - Char: Lady Murasaki Shikibu
Added to spreadsheets.
wasn't the worst book I've ever read, in fact I think it was well written and the story was fairly interesting. I gave it only two stars because I found the characters mainly unpleasant and I want to have someone to like in the book I'm reading. I also really dislike books that glorify adultery as some sort of beautiful soulmate romance when in actuality it's just people being selfish and weak. I will be done Eldest in a couple of hours and I'll post it when I get home. I am struggling through Mexico and 11/22/63 so I'll see which one strikes my fancy after that.
We're hanging on to first place with teeth and nails team. Tourmaline has already read as many books this week as we are allowed in total, so I'm not sure how we're going to keep our lead? Magic maybe? ;) Bribery is a time honoured tradition. Perhaps we should rent a cyborg?
Finished another (and LOVED IT):Book:The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Author: Carson McCullers
Pages: 368
C: author-Carson McCullers
H: title- The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
A: character- Spiros Antonapoulos
G: character- George Kelly
E: character- Etta Kelly
A: character- Alice Brannon
B: character- Biff Brannon
L: character- Lucille
S: character- John Singer
I will finish Where'd You Go, Bernadette today and will make sure that I get one more finished before the deadline. I was hoping to know what next week's word is so that I could decide if one was a better one for next week or not.
Week 4: ChangeablesMy 7th book.
Book: The Rook
Author: Daniel O'Malley
Date Read: 17-Apr-2015
Pages: 486
C - Series: The Checquy Files, #1
A - Char: Alex
N - Char: Noel Bittner
G - Char: Eliza Gestalt
E - Char: Eliza Gestalt
B - Char: Noel Bittner
L - Char: Lady Linda Farrier
S - Char: Peter Van Syoc
I loved and I mean loved the beginning of this book. I just felt the rest of the story fell flat. It is a 2.5 rating (In-between a okay and like) for me. Honestly, the beginning is amazing. I'm debating if I should read the second book.
Added in Spreadsheet.
Allison Ann wrote: "We're hanging on to first place with teeth and nails team. Tourmaline has already read as many books this week as we are allowed in total, so I'm not sure how we're going to keep our lead? Magic maybe? ;) Bribery is a time honoured tradition. Perhaps we should rent a cyborg? "I have a good chunk of books to finish today and tomorrow. Plus everyone on our team will be turning in last minute reads. We will be in good shape.
Finished the 3rd:Book: Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Author: Maria Semple
Pages: 330 pages
A: character-Audrey Griffin
G: character-Audrey Griffin G
E: character-Elgie Brand
B: character-Bernadette Fox
L: character-Soo-Lin Lee-Segal
S: author-Maria Semple
I will finish my final book before the end time. I am reading The Giver by Lois Lowry for a book club. Unfortunately, I am only seeing 3 letter choices from this one, A, G, and L (fortunately, one of them is one of our double letters).
I just saw that our word for next week is Sonic Silver. I was excited about the fact that the next book that I was planning to read is Dibs In Search of Self by Virginia Axline. So, I will commit to the first "V." The other three books I have picked out will take care of an "O" and two "I's".
Oh, the Giver. I really liked that book. I read it three times. I updated the Spreadsheet.
You are right Cheryl the Week 5 word is SONIC SILVER. Lots of options. Thanks for taking care of the V, O, I, and I.
I read a lot so I know I'll have lots of options. The good thing with Fantasy and Sci-fi books is they have very interesting names which normally takes care of lots of letters.
I'll start looking for some of those tougher letters for next week. Tomorrow I should finish
. Lots of letters covered for this week.
I've been checking everyone's bookshelves. Allison would you please add in these books in your bookshelf:- The Clan of the Cave Bear
- The Valley of the Horses
Thank you!
I hope that it is not too presumptuous to talk about what letters I can contribute to our weekly totals. I always feel so very guilty about the very small contribution that I actually add each week on our team totals. I wish that I could contribute so much more...
No worries, Cheryl! We all contribute what we can. I appreciate you planning out for some of this tougher letters. Like V!
Cheryl wrote: "I hope that it is not too presumptuous to talk about what letters I can contribute to our weekly totals. I always feel so very guilty about the very small contribution that I actually add each wee..."No, not at all. I think it's wonderful to plan out what you will read. We've been doing great and finding all kinds of letters.
You are doing wonderful. If we all read lots of books we wouldn't be on the same team. We all are doing what we can do. Our daily life schedules vary. Keep up the good work!
Our big time rock star this week is Allison Ann! All those 500+ books she is reading. Amazing! There is no way I'd be able to do that. She's in cyborg mode. :P
RachelvlehcaR wrote: "I've been checking everyone's bookshelves. Allison would you please add in these books in your bookshelf:- The Clan of the Cave Bear
- The Valley of the Horses
Thank you!"
Done, sorry about that - re-reads.
Didn't make it home last night, so here are Friday's books. Finished Eldest soon after I got to work and then I hit a spot in 11/22/63 where it just started to click and I loved it, after that, the reading went very quickly. :) Today's plan is re-arranging my store shelves and finishing Mexico. I'll post it when I get home tonight.
Book - Eldest by Christopher Paolini - 668 pages - 2 stars
Colour - CHANGEABLES
C - author - Christopher Paolini
H - character - Horst
A - character - Arya
N - character - Nasuada
G - character - Gannel
E - title
B - character - Baldor
L - character - Loring
S - character - Saphira (she's a telepathic dragon which is as close to human as you can get without actually being one I think) ;)
Book - 11/22/63 by Stephen King - 849 pages - 4 stars
Colour - CHANGEABLES
C - character - Charles "Chaz" Frati
H - character - Harry Dunning
A - character - Al Templeton
N - character - Norbert Keene
G - character - George Amberson
E - title
B - character - Bill Turcotte
L - character - Jim LaDue
S - author - Stephen King
It is almost time for me to go to work and I am exhausted and ready for bed again. The worst thing about this time of year is how ridiculously early I wake up. In my head I am yelling at myself "stupid, go back to sleep, soon you are going to have to get up at 4 a.m. on purpose, why are you losing sleep now when you still have the chance???". Unfortunately I'm too dumb to listen to myself. Also, today is supposed to be 22C (76F for our American friends playing at home), which is lovely and all, but then it is supposed to snow 10 cm on Monday. I've already switched to sandals people, it's too late to go back to boots. :D
Nothing But Reading Challenges
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Great teamwork.
Cheryl, the book sounds interesting. I looked at the reviews ans they are all over the place. I tend not to look at reviews much but I knew nothing of the book. I skimmed them.