The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
SPRING CHALLENGE 2010
>
Spring Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks
Task 5.3 (SPRING), I read Lady Be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Like anything by Phillips, this one was good! Not her best, but a fun read.For Task 20.4 I read Finding Oprah's Roots: Finding Your Own by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a nonfiction book about researching your ancestry, using Oprah as an example. Interesting, but not something I am interested in doing.
I also read Ambition by Kate Brian which takes place in CT (where I grew up).
For Task 25.9 I read Playing for Pizza by John Grisham. He was very popular when I was in college. I had intended to re-read "The Firm" (which I remember really liking), but picked this up when I was at the library. It was ok (I do love football!) but not as good as his legal thrillers.
This brings me to 680 points.
40/57 tasks
57 books
I have finally finished task 15.6 which is Friends and friends of friends. I read Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell and American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. I've had Cloud Atlas on my bookshelf for years and have been putting off reading it as the thickness and small writing daunted me. I didn't particularly like it that much either so kind of wish I had continued to put it off! Previous Reads
5.2 A Book is Like a Garden in the Pocket - The Girl's Guide to Growing your Own by Alex Mitchell
5.8 Dr Watson Calling - The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith
10.4 Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - We are all Made of Glue by Marina Lewycka
15.9 What's in a Name - A Town Like Alice by Neville Shute
20.3 Best Review Contest, Mental Health - The Silver Linings Play Book by Matthew Quick
25.6 This Day in History - The Judgement of Nuremberg 1947
30.3 Birth and Renewal - Blacklands by Belinder Bauer and Restoration by Rose Tremain
[image error]
Mod
I read The Undomestic Goddess.
It was a lot of fun - a great "treadmill" book - light, funny, nothing complicated about the plot so that I couldn't spread it out over time (and the hardback from the library was well worn, so the book stayed open on the treadmill nicely!)
Points: 470
Books: 32
Books by Goodreads authors: 3
Pages: 8960
Tasks: 25
20.8 - Happy Birthday To You Rachel Lee (March 24th)! - A Magical BirthdayHarry Houdini and I share the same birthday (March 24th)- To celebrate the birthday of this famous magician and escapologist, read a book or two (must be at least 500 pages) where magic, a magician, or an escape is a prominent feature.
I read The High Lord by Trudi Canavan for this task, to complete the trilogy. I have really enjoyed this series and was completely absorbed by them (although I had a big gap between the first two and this one). 4*
Total points:120
I have been MIA for a bit but here's a couple to add...5.9 - You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas by Augusten Burroughs - I did not actually mean to lie in bed throughout this book...I'm sure I should have been doing other things! Oops.
10.7 - In Cold Blood which I completely loved.
30.2 - Savvy by Ingrid Law (Goodreads author!)
and The Maze Runner by James Dashner (Goodreads author!)
New total: 80 points
10.3 Related to Academy Award nominee for best picture: A Serious Man -J.B.: A Play in Verse
both based on the book of Job
740 points
re: message 1216 - Thanks, Liz - i didnt see that BOLD print. LOL. I'll rearrange, and I deleted my previous message as Cynthia hasn't gotten to it. Thanks!Completed: 10.1 (Tree on Cover) In the Woods- Tana French
New Total: 110 points
Completed two tasks - Task #5.2 - "A book is like a garden..." - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Task #20.6 - Favourite Series - Finger Lickin'
Fifteen by Janet Evanovich - This is one of my favourite series and now I'm all caught up on the "number" books (1 thru 15). For me, this series is my "brain candy" - I read it when I'm in reading ruts, and for a good laugh. The series is about Stephanie Plum, a totally inept bounty hunter in Trenton, New Jersey, who is caught in a love triangle with Joe Morelli (a cop) and Ranger (a total bad-a$$ bounty hunter/security secialist). The plots are totally over the top and full of mayhem. My favourite characters in the series are Grandma Mazur, Lula and Stephanie...in that order! :)
15.3 - At Least Once in a LifetimeI read And Then There Were None listed on page 3 of the list. It was my very first Agatha Christie novel, so I had pretty high expectations from the start. I liked the story, but I was expecting something more. I do think I'll try a few more of her novels as several people have told me that this was not their favorite of her's. Even though I was somewhat disappointed I do think this novel has a place on the list of books everyone should read (I just don't know if I would list it as #247...)
Totals
Points: 35
Tasks: 2
Books: 3
Pages: 1165
It has been really slow going for me this challenge for some reason. I had almost zero reading time in March! Hoping things will improve in April, but at least I finished a second challenge:5.5 "Whatever is popular deserves attention"-The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
This was on the popular list for 2005.
Number of Pages in Book(s): 465
Challenges Completed: 2
Books Read: 2
Total Pages Read: 705
Total Points: 15
I completed...15.8-- The Art of the Pre-Raphaelites by Elizabeth Prettejohn.
I love a lot of artists' work, but the artist I chose for this one was John Everett Millais. I was stunned in the book by all the work of his I hadn't seen before. I think all his work is visually beautiful and interesting at the same time. My favorite work of his is "Ophelia" (1851-1852). Here's a link to it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mil...
You will probably recognize it. It was featured in a cool way in a little-known film I love-- "Fire with Fire."
AND...
20.10-- The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I have just posted my comment on that discussion thread!
TOTALS
55 points
4 books
5.9 I think even lying on my bed I can still do something ... 334: A Novel10.8 I could have gone flying through space forever The People of the Wind
15.3 At least once in a Lifetime Prodigal Summer I have difficulty with the idea that 'everyone' should do anything, but I would agree that most people would get something out of this book. The book I think should be at the top is Green Eggs and Ham because no one could complain that it is too difficult or too long to read and it has a nice clear moral.
20.7 Time to Declutter The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold (who is a Goodreads aurhor). We really need to sort out the things we acquired when my husband's parents died. This book is about what happens when the narrater's uncle dies and leaves him a timebelt.
30.5 Six Degrees of Separation
Book from TBR shelf The Iron Dream
by Norman Spinrad who co-wrote Agent of Chaos with Barry N. Malzberg who had a story in The Way It Wasn't: Great Science Fiction Stories of Alternate History edited by Robert Silverberg who had a story in The Mammoth Book of Mind-Blowing Science Fiction which was edited by Mike Ashley who also edited The Mammoth Book of Egyptian WhodunnitsThe Mammoth Book of Roman Whodunnits which had a story by Gillian Bradshaw who wrote
The Sun's Bride
For 30 points...10.2 Jane Fairfax: The Secret Story of the Second Heroine in Jane Austen's Emma by Joan Aiken (3 stars) 3.53 average rating
10.3 The Bell at Sealey Head by Patricia A. McKillip (4 stars)
10.4 Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood (3 stars) Meant to read it for the Fall Challenge, Task 15.8
New total: 85 points
Finished task 10.2 by reading Eve Green: A Novel by Susan Fletcher which has a rating of 3.55. I did not like this book much. I think that the author wrote well but the story did not flow well. It was too choppy for me. I was going to use this for the Fabulous Firsts tasks but cannot get into the second book so I will read something else for that.This will give me 105 points.
15.6 the friends task1st to Die From my friends list. Oddly enough I've read several of Patterson's co-written non-fiction books, but I'd never read any of the thrillers he's known for. It was decent, but I'm not running out to get more.
On friend of friend's list Summer Knight. I love the Harry Dresden series, so this was great!
Total points: 245
I finished a bunch of tasks. I tried to stop reading to focus on classes but I failed miserably.10.2-The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory (Was 3.53)
15.7- The House of Pride and Other Tales of Hawaii by Jack London. The story is about a man who discovers he has an illegitimate brother, something everyone knew but him. He pays his brother to leave Hawaii and never come back. I'm not sure if the man's problem was that his brother was mixed blood, or if he couldn't deal with being reminded that his father was unfaithful. His brother was a good guy and wanted a relationship, but the man's pride robbed him of that. Pride is deadly because it creates a barrier between you and everyone else. You treat others as less when you're prideful.
15.8- The World of Frida Kahlo: The Blue House
20.1- Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett
25.5- Midnight by Erin Hunter, The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder, and Lady Friday by Garth Nix
30.6- Dracula by Bram Stoker and Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
50- The Book Of Dragons by Edith Nesbit and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Sir Orfeo. I rolled a 5 and a 6, so I had to read poetry and short stories. My total was 11 so one of them is YA or children's.
Books- 30
Pages- 8555
Points- 405
Points- 405
A few more tasks done....15.8 - "A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it."
In honor of Michelangelo, famous Italian artist (March 6, 1475 - February 18, 1564)...Read a Fictional or Non-Fictional book about or featuring your favorite artist
I'm not big into art so I went surfing the web looking at different artists works and came across "Rest on Flight to Egypt" by Caravaggio and thought it was beautiful. I really don't have a favorite artist, but this work seemed very angelic and lovely. I also found a mystery book that had a Caravaggio stolen in the story so it fit perfectly! It is called Feint of Art: An Annie Kincaid Mystery
15.9 - What's in a name?
In honor of Charlotte Brontë (April 21, 1816 – March 31, 1855) who wrote under the pen name Currer Bell...Read a novel published under a pseudonym or pen name. When posting this task - create and share a pen name that you might use if you were a writer. Explain why you would choose that name.
For this task I read Scent to Her Grave by India Ink, which is a pen name Yasmine Galenorn uses. If I were to use a pen name I guess I would just use my first and middle initial and then my last name (V.L. Barto).
30.1 - Roseann's Task - Spring Fling
A.Read a book with the word Spring in the title.
And
B. Read a book with "Fling, Throw, or Toss" in the title.
For this task I read The Thing About Jane Spring and Highland Fling.
Total Points: 290/980
Books Read: 27
Tasks Completed: 19/57
Julie McVey20.1 - Confessions of a Closet Catholic ~ Sarah Darer Littman ***Goodreads Author***
I read this book because it was recommended to me when I was standing in the checkout line at the Illinois Reading Conference. The lady in front of me was purchasing it as a gift because it had been given to her as a gift and she loved it. It is a young adult book, but it is both hilarious and touching. This book approaches the subject of religion in a way that no other book I have ever read does. The author does an amazing job of creating a nonjudgemental and open attitude towards faith and spirituality through the humorous story line. I am passing this book to my mom tomorrow and hopefully to many more people soon!
Total Points = 225 points
Total Books = 14 books
Total Pages = 3801 pages
I have completed task #5.8 by reading Tell Me Where It Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon by Nick Trout. I was really disappointed by this book and rated it one star.
I completed 20.3 by reading Lies of the Heart: A Novel which I won through First Reads. All three main characters really seem to be suffering from mental disorders though none are diagnosed. For me the most pronounced would be Jerry who is a mentally retarded man who suffered abused from his mother as a child. He seems to have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He is sometimes triggered by a sight or sound that makes him panic and become unmanageable. I guess what I learned was that people with this disorder can completely go back into that traumatic moment if something triggers a memory.I completed 20.5 by reading the following books to my 4 year old daughter: Daisy Comes Home(32pp),A Hatful of Seuss: Five Favorite Dr. Seuss Stories (304pp), No, David!(32 pp.), Love You Forever(32pp.), Trouble with Trolls(32 pp.),Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse(32 pp.), I Love You, Stinky Face(32 pp.), Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (32pp.) Total=528 pages
My new total is 80 points.
Finished:25.5 - TBR Pile (850 pages)
This Is Where I Leave You - Jonathan Tropper - 339 pages
Remarkable Creatures - Tracy Chevalier - 310 pages
The Privileges: A Novel - Jonathan Dee - 272 pages
Total pages read: 921
Total Points = 110
Finished 20.5 (read across America)I have a 2 year old who loves to read so we have read these books recently:
Good Night Moon, Dr Seuss ABC's, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Hop on Pop, Oh the Places You will Go, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Guess How Much I Love You, Is Your Mama a Llama, Go Dog Go, Green Eggs and Ham, The Lorax, How The Grinch Stole Christmas among others
New point total: 90 points
25.2 - Stephanie Anne's Task - Fabulous firsts or superior seconds?Choose an author and read his/her first and second books published. When you post your completed task, state which book you preferred and why.
Rain Fall and Hard Rain by Barry Eisler
The two books are both part of a longer series, following an assassin John Rain and events that would (eventually) lead him to abandoning his career. They look like an average thriller but there's a lot more under the surface - great dialog and sense of characters for one thing. If I had to choose between the two books I'd probably go for the first one since that's where you first start getting to know the main character and seeing the world through his eyes which was both fascinating and somehow disturbing. The second book (while still great) seemed to have settled in certain patterns, was more predictable and had lesser impact on me as a result.
20.7 - I Like Big Books And I Cannot Lie - Potjy - Time To Declutter
Find a thing in your house/room that should be thrown/given/swapped away, and read a book that related in any way to that object. Just explain how you connect them when you post the task.
The Midnight Mayor by Kate Griffin
I have tons of old paper and cartons scattered around my apartment and never seem to be able to catch the recycling truck when it passes my house. The book features a villain who is literally made of old paper and who kills people by cutting them with paper till they bleed to death - I guess the connection is there and is rather scary :)
25.9 - Wendy's Task - Spring Break
Read a book written by an author who was popular when you were in high school or college.
The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
Started to read the series while in high school, and wanted to return to it ever since.
20.3 - Best Review Contest - Amy MO - Mental Health
A. A fiction book with a main character with a mental health disorder (depression, schizophrenia, anxiety or phobia, eating disorder, personality disorder, etc).
Sharp Objects - by Gillian Flynn
I had a feeling almost everyone in this book had a mental condition of some sort. The main protagonist, Camille, was a 'cutter', and suffered from a craving to carve words into her skin. This disease is a form of self-mutilation, which in the case of Camille was a result of growing up in a family where she was only treated as a trophy and constantly compared to her dead sister. This left her seeking to be both punished and cared for and eventually she started cutting herself. Camille didn't offer much general information about her condition, but I liked the way she described the treatment. The patients are kept in pleasant environment (all sharp objects are removed from their reach, obviously) and taught to 'love their bodies' by being given massages and spending lot of time in spa and relaxing. That's what I call treatment! :)
Task points: 90
Total points: 135
Tasks finished: 6
20.5 an assortment of dr. seuss books:The Lorax,Oh, the Places You'll Go! and The Lorax,The Sneetches and Other Stories,One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish,Horton Hears a Who!,Fox in Socks,There's a Wocket in My Pocket
and from the NEA booklists:
,
,
,
,
, and
Total: 130
For 20.9 - A really cheesy taskI read The Secrets of the Cheese Syndicate. A perfectly acceptable, silly, adventure romp for 8-10 year olds. This book is published by a small independent publisher in Austin, Texas and was recommended to a friend of mine by an employee of Book People, an independent bookstore in Austin. Hooray for the little guys! I give it 3 stars.
New points: 20
15.1A Fiction set in a country with independence in spring = Mauritius (March 12) -Georges by Alexandre Dumas
15.1B Author from different country with indepence in spring = Ghana (March 6) -
The Seasons of Beento Blackbird by Akosua Busia
765 points
30.4 Black MountainRex Stout
and
A Dog at Sea
J.F. Englert
50 POINT MIDWAY TASK - MS ANDERSON - LUCK BE A LADY Ah, Atlantic City. Known for its (surprisingly) clean public beaches, historic boardwalk, and, of course, the casinos. Because the tourists start arriving as soon as the weather warms up in the spring, it makes the perfect setting for the midway task!
For this, you either need a die or to go to ROLL THE DICE for your roll. The numbers you roll (first die, then second die) will let you know what genre of book you will read. You will read two books total for this task.
When you post, tell us both numbers you rolled, the genres you had to read, the sum of your rolls, and anything related to your supplement (ex. post your review, say whose 5-star book you read, tell us you got to read whatever you wanted, etc.).
1 Grave Secret by Harris
4 All Together Dead by Harris (Lisa rated it 5 stars)
50 points
20.7 - I Like Big Books And I Cannot Lie - Potjy - Time To Declutter
Find a thing in your house/room that should be thrown/given/swapped away, and read a book that related in any way to that object. Just explain how you connect them when you post the task.
Example: I let a big box of cassette tapes sitting around in my room for a decade, so I can read The Song Reader (about music and song), The Hotel New Hampshire (published in 1981, the heyday of cassette tapes), The Friday Night Knitting Club (I think the tape should be reused as handicraft material), or any book in audio format.
(If you are a totally tidy person, you can use things you already threw away. And the real throwing is encouraged, but not required.)
Break No Bones by Reich (Cleaned out broken things from basement)
20 points
5.2 - "A book is like a garden carried in the pocket."
When I think of spring I think of flowers and when I think of flowers I think of gardens...For this task read a novel featuring gardens (Ex. The Secret Garden) OR a gardener (Ex. Gardener to the King) OR a non-fiction book about gardening (Ex. The Vegetable Gardener's Bible)
The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama
5 points
15.8 - "A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it."
In honor of Michelangelo, famous Italian artist (March 6, 1475 - February 18, 1564)...Read a Fictional or Non-Fictional book about or featuring your favorite artist
Ex.Sunflowers OR Mary Cassatt
When you post this task please tell us why the artist is your favorite and which of their works you enjoy the most.
Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning PaperHarriet Scott Chessman
Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper by Harriet Scott Chessman (Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas. I studied Degas in college) Harriet Chessman is a Goodreads Author!!!!
5 stars excellent historical fiction for adults who love art.
15 points
15.7 - Beware The Seven Deadly Sins
Read a book with one of The Seven Deadly Sins in the title: wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony. When you post this task you also need to state if/how your book related to the sin that was in the title and why you think that particular sin is so deadly.
You may also use the word sin and deviations of the word sin. If you choose to go that route you would need to explain in your post what specific sins were represented in the book and why you think they are sinful.
Tammi Hoag- Guilty as Sin (Murder, child abuse, adultery)
BIG BOOK OVER 500 Pages
15 points
10.7 - Beware the Ides of March
On March 15th in 44 BC, Julius Caesar, leader of Rome was stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Gaius Cassius Longinus, Decimus Junius Brutus and several other Roman senators...Read a book of True Crime. Ex. The Darkest Night: The Murder of Innocence in a Small Town
I Have Lived A Thousand Years: Growing Up In The Holocaust
by Livia Bitton-Jackson (Criminal acts of the Nazis-nonfiction).
10 points
10.6 - And The Oscar Goes To...
The 82nd Annual Academy Awards Ceremony will be held on March 7th...in honor of this ceremony which celebrates excellence in film read either...
A. A book that relates to one of the films nominated for this years best picture...(if the film was adapted from a book you may read the book it was adapted from...if it is an original story read a book that has a similar theme or plot). Or
B. A biography/autobiography of an Academy Award winning actor, actress, or director.
Push (Precious) by Sapphire
10 points
5.8 -“Mr. Watson, Come Here, I Want To See You.”
In Honor of Scottish-Canadian inventor - Alexander Graham Bell (March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) most famous for his invention of the telephone...Read a book with one of the following words in the title (Phone, Telephone, Cell, Cellular, Call, Calling, Called, Communicate, Communication, Conversation, Talk, Talking, Talked...similar words may be acceptable check with me).
One Night at the Call Center by Bhagat
5 points
5.10 - "The important thing is not what they think of me, but what I think of them."
In honor of Queen Victoria, the longest reigning British Monarch, read a book written by an author who lived during her lifetime (May 24, 1819 – January 22, 1901).
After Dark by Wilkie Collins (1824-1889)
5 points
30.4 - DLM Rose's Task - One if by Land, Two if by Sea
Paul Revere’s ride took place on April 18-19, 1775.
Paul Revere
To commemorate his ride read two books:
A. One book with a natural landform or land feature in the title- mountain, valley, plain, volcano, cliff, cave, cape, canyon etc.
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (Moon)
And
B. One book with a natural body of water in the title: ocean, pond, lake, stream, river, bay, fjord, etc.
Iron River- T. Jefferson Parker
30 points
total 700
5.2 Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers5.4 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
10.1 The Giver by Lois Lowry
10.4 The Host by Stephenie Meyer
10.6 Evensong by M.L. St. Sure (I also watched Inglourious B's to complete the task - both WW2 related...both great stories!)
20.2 Wench: A Novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Total Points: 60/980
Books Read: 6
Tasks Completed: 6/57
Mod
I read Poison Study and Magic Study, the first and second books by Maria V. Snyder (a goodreads author, so 2 more books by a goodreads author). Both were terrific - I didn't want to stop reading Poison Study and was quite happy that I had Magic Study here to pick right up when I finished Poison Study. I immediately put a hold on Fire Study at the library.
Which did I prefer? I think Magic Study, because the characters were more fully developed. Since the main character had to deal with a whole new set of challenges, it didn't just feel like more of the same. On the other hand, I don't think Magic Study would work well as a stand alone read - you definitely should read Poison Study first.
Points: 495
Books: 34
Books by Goodreads authors: 5
Pages: 9713
Tasks: 26
Finished task 20.1 by reading My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands.This book is more like a collection of essays about Chelsea's life. Raunchy, drunk, and HILARIOUS!!! I was almost embarrassed at how hard I laughed out loud while reading this book.
New point total: 195
Heather in KS
25.9 Wendy's Task Read a book by an author who was popular when you were in high school or college.Halleluyah! I found a place for the book "Malinche" by Laura Esquivel. Laura Esquivel's first book, Like Water for Chocolate, was on the NY best seller list for an entire year following its release in 1989. I read it in 1989 -- the year i graduated college! Yippee! Not a bad book, btw. (Malinche, that is. Been awhile since I read Like Water for Chocolate, but I liked it at the time) Malinche was like a long poem, in many ways. Very lyrical. Not so much with the plot, but I am sure that was the point.
total pages: 5780
total points: 245
books: 20
tasks:15
[image error]
Julie McVey50 - A. What I Saw and How I Lied ~ Judy Blundell
B. Sarah's Key ~ Tatiana De Rosney ***Goodreads Author***
I rolled a 6 (mystery) and then a 5 (historical fiction), which totaled 11(one book must be a childrens or young adult book). My mystery "What I Saw and How I Lied," was a young adult book.
Total Points = 275 points
Total Books = 16 books
Total Pages = 4375 pages
I just completed task 10.9 by reading Half Broke Horses. Beautifully written. It's about the author (Jeannette Walls) grandmother and let me tell you- this woman was amazing! Tasks Completed: 23/57
Books Read: 33
Pages Read: 9982
[image error]
25.5 - Leora's Task - Spring Cleaning
For this task you must read at least 850 pages from your TBR pile.
I entered the world of “Doctor Who” and read the following just-like-an-episode tie-in books:
Doctor Who: Forever Autumn by Mark Morris (Hardcover, 256 pages); Doctor Who: Ghosts Of India by Mark Morris (Hardcover, 256 pages); Doctor Who: Beautiful Chaos by Gary Russell (Hardcover 256 pages); and Doctor Who: Wooden Heart by Martin Day (Hardcover, 256 pages)
Page count: 4x256=1024
215+25=240
Tasks Completed: 14
Points for this task: 25
Points thus far: 240/980
Books read: 19
Pages Read: 5302
Books by Goodreads authors: 2
Read but not claimed: 7 books
COMPLETED TASKS:
50.1 Luck Be a Lady
A. Rolled a 3 (Romance)
*All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris - READ 4.3.10
RATING: 5 stars
Another entertaining paranormal romance by Harris. Sookie's romance with a werepanther heats up and a few other couples tie the knot.
B. Rolled a 5 (Historical Fiction)
*March by Geraldine Brooks - READ 4.4.10
RATING: 5 stars
Brooks delivered a lyrical and moving story about Mr. March, the father from Alcott's, Little Women.
C. Total Roll is 8 - One of the above has to be an award winner.
March won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize.
TASKS COMPLETED: 15/57
POINTS COMPLETED: 305/980
BOOKS READ: 20/73
*BOOKS READ FROM MY PERSONAL LIBRARY: 11
30.5 - PJ Reads' Task - Six Degrees of Separation - How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls by Zoey Dean and Real Real by Emma McLaughlinZoey Dean wrote How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls, which was turned into a TV series called Privileged, starring Lucy Hale, who was also in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with Blake Lively, who is also in New York I Love You with Natalie Portman. Portman starred in The Other Boleyn Girl with Scarlett Johansson, who was in The Nanny Diaries, which is written by Emma McLaughlin. Emma McLaughlin also wrote The Real Real.
1) Zoey Dean
2) Lucy Hale
3) Blake Lively
4) Natalie Portman
5) Scarlett Johansson
6) Emma McLaughlin
Total Points: 160/980
Books Read: 13
Tasks Completed: 8/57
Tasks in Progress: 3
25.5-- Spring CleaningThe Killing of Mindi Quintana (247 pages)
Shade (309 pages)
Runaway (320 pages)
Last Breath (240 pages)
Finally able to claim enough points from the TBR for this! None were new purchases, but 3 of the 4 were "must read right now" books because I am a book reviewer, and had to be at the top of the TBR. These are a total of 1,116 pages.
I have just finished reading The Rapture by Liz Jensen for task 10.2. When I started reading it the average rating was 3.55.Previous Reads
5.2 A Book is Like a Garden in the Pocket - The Girl's Guide to Growing your Own by Alex Mitchell
5.8 Dr Watson Calling - The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith
10.4 Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - We are all Made of Glue by Marina Lewycka
15.6 Friends and Friends of Friends - Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell and American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
15.9 What's in a Name - A Town Like Alice by Neville Shute
20.3 Best Review Contest, Mental Health - The Silver Linings Play Book by Matthew Quick
25.6 This Day in History - The Judgement of Nuremberg 1947
30.3 Birth and Renewal - Blacklands by Belinder Bauer and Restoration by Rose Tremain
[image error]
5.2 "A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.": Garden SpellsGOODREADS AUTHOR *Sarah Addison Allen
POINTS FOR THIS TASK: 5
Total Points: 135/980
Tasks Complete: 9/57
Finished:5.2 The French Gardener by Santa Montefiore
20.4A Middling Folk: Three Seas, Three Centuries, One Scots-Irish Family by Linda Matthews. Matthews traces her Scotch Irish family back to the Norman Conquest (sort of--some of her connects seem a little shaky)
20.4D Trails, Rails and Tales: Olathe's First 150 Years by George Bauer. As part of my librarian's job, I got to help Mr Bauer track down some of the pictures for this book.
20.6 Delectable Mountains by Earlene Fowler. There are so many great series out there, but Earlene Fowler's Benni Harper books are interesting mysteries, all named after quilt patterns. In the first book of the series, Benni is a young widow, working as director of a California Folk Art Museum. She meets the new local police chief and sparks fly. This series is as much about personal relationships as about the mysteries.
25.2
If Morning Ever Comes: A Novel by Anne Tyler
The Tin Can Tree by Anne Tyler
Both of these books are about people coping--and they are people whose families, either by birth or by choice, are filled with misfits. After reading If Morning Ever Comes I was intrigued, but reading The Tin Can Tree so soon afterwards was too much. They both were enough like her later book Saint Maybe which I had read several years ago, to make me think she was stuck in a rut.
20.1 - Read a humorous book - Chelsea Chelsea Bang BangTask Points: 20
Total Points: 125
Tasks: 9
Books: 11
Nicki STL
5.2 Life and Times of Michael K by J.M. Coetzee15.8 Favorite Artist - Johannes Vermeer. My favorite of his works is the Girl with a Pearl Earring.
I read: Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier which was great.
Finished:15.9: Lyrics by Sting, whose real name is Gordon Sumner. I would use the pen name K.C. Leigh, which is my first and last initials and my middle name.
20.2: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Before Charlie's operation, he is the janitor at a bakery.
25.3: Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton
and I went to a Third Eye Blind concert on Thursday night.
25.7: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Total Points: 200
I have spent the entire day today in bed - What a great way to spend a bank holiday Monday! While lying in bed I have read The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan. I really enjoyed it and was going to use it for the 20 point task of a magical birthday but it isn't quite 500 pages so instead I am using it for 5.9 which is spend an entire day in bed reading a book. I will read the sequal for the magical birthday task and then I'm going to read the final one of the trilogy for the read a book from your favourite series task! I love it when I find new books that I love but would never have read it if it wasn't for this challenge!Previous Reads
5.2 A Book is Like a Garden in the Pocket - The Girl's Guide to Growing your Own by Alex Mitchell
5.8 Dr Watson Calling - The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith
10.2 Three/Four/Five - The Rapture by Liz Jensen
10.4 Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - We are all Made of Glue by Marina Lewycka
15.6 Friends and Friends of Friends - Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell and American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
15.9 What's in a Name - A Town Like Alice by Neville Shute
20.3 Best Review Contest, Mental Health - The Silver Linings Play Book by Matthew Quick
25.6 This Day in History - The Judgement of Nuremberg 1947
30.3 Birth and Renewal - Blacklands by Belinder Bauer and Restoration by Rose Tremain
[image error]
Finished 25.2. I did the original task, using the Whitbread winners. The author I picked was Kate Atkinson and I read Behind the Scenes at the Museum and Human Croquet: A Novel. I VASTLY preferred her second book, human croquet. It was fanciful and humorous and didnt take itself to seriously. The first book (the award winner) bored me to tears. It is always books of that "type" that win, so I guess I understood that, but I would never recommend it to anyone. Total Points: 315
Tasks Complete: 21
Books Read: 33
Pages Read: 11325
Tasks In Progress: 7
GOODREADS AUTHOR x
BIG BOOK (500)
BIG BOOK (750)
BIG BOOK (1000) x
Percent Complete: 44.6%
Time Elapsed: 39.1%
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Frankenstein (other topics)Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (other topics)
Loving Frank (other topics)
Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began (other topics)
Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Nancy Horan (other topics)Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (other topics)
Elizabeth Gilbert (other topics)
Chelsea Handler (other topics)
Eric Puchner (other topics)
More...
Book set in Ireland In the Woods-Tana French
Book by Irish born author The Picture of Dorian Gray- Oscar Wilde
Total Points: 115"
Liz, for task 15.1 different countries are required for the two parts of the task. Maybe you can shift In the Woods to the "Books grow on trees" task?