The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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SPRING CHALLENGE 2010
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Spring Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks
Finished several tasks:20.3 - Mental Health
Cut by Patricia McCormick
The book features a girl who cuts herself to releave stress. I learned by experiencing first hand how hard it can be to stop anything that is addictive.
15.8 - Favorite Artist
Leonardo's Shadow: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci's Servant by Christopher Grey
Leonardo Da Vinci was not only one of my favorite artists, but one of my favorite inventors as well. I particularly injoy his classis, the Mona Lisa.
15.7 - Seven Deadly Sins
Double Sin and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
Murder is the sin in question here... and killing another person is definately sinful.
15.3 - Books to read Once
Anthem by Ayn Rand.
I believe that Anthem should be on the list, and that To Kill a Mocking Bird deserves to stay on top of the list.
Points Before: 610
New Points: 65
Total Points: 675
Completed 20.2Single Men by Dave Hill is about a young single mum who cleans for 3 single men.
10 points10.4 Reuse: To Desire A Devil - Elizabeth Hoyt*
15 points
15.3 The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
20 points
20.2 To Beguile A Beast - Elizabeth Hoyt*
20.6 Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
20.10 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
25 points
25.3 The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
25.4 Brighter Than the Sun - Julia Quinn*
Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
25.7 Fantasy Lover - Sherrilyn Kenyon
The main character is the son of Aphrodite. Aphrodite and Eros also make appearances as secondary characters.
25.8 The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein*
To Seduce A Sinner - Elizabeth Hoyt*
30 points
30.5Book A: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Book B: In the Electric Eden: Stories by Nick Arvin
Totals
Points: 265
Books: 15
Challenges: 11
Also, Julia Quinn just became a goodreads author. So there is that too
A few more points to report. New tasks in bold. Should have 210 points.10.5: The White Mary: A Novel by Kira Salek
15.3 Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck
This was on page 5.
15.10 The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
This reflects a philosophy of life that I need to do better at. It talks about accepting people and life for who they are and enjoying the moment you're in and not worrying about the future.
20.6 Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
This is the second book related to the ladies of the Friday Night Knitting Club. It is about the power of friendship and getting back to the important things in life and I highly recommend these books.
20.7: Sepulchre by Kate Moss
Book related to music and I really need to clean out my CDs!
20.9 The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann D. Wyss
This took me forever!
25.4 Serendipity: A Novel by Louise Shaffer Ozma of Oz by L Frank Baum
My middle name is Louise and the more I read the Oz books, the more I love them!
25.7: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
30.5: A. Last Night at the Lobster by Steward O'Nan and B. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill.
Stewart O'Nan cowrote Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season with Stephen King. King is Joe Hill's father.
30.6: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fford and The Tragedy of King Richard III by Shakespeare
Loved my first Thursday Next book. Returning to Shakespeare not so fun.
Task 15.6 Friends and Friends of FriendsI read Thirteen Reasons Why and The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters for this challenge.
15 points
30.4 Anne of the Islandby LM Montgomery and The Bull from the Sea by Mary Renault. The Bull from the Sea is the first book I've randomly picked up for a challenge that I gave over three stars. It was really good. 250 points
50 POINT MIDWAY TASK - MS ANDERSON - LUCK BE A LADY -- Rolled a 6 - Mystery/Thriller -- read Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz and a 4 20th/21st century Lit -- read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Total 10 Coelho is a Goodreads author.Books Read: 44
Pages Read: 13058
Tasks Completed: 31
Tasks in Progress: 3
15.5 I read Send Bygraves by Martha Grimes a Goodreads Author....My Haiku
Some days my job stinks
Today is one of those days
I plan on drinking
Jennifer - your haiku is hilarious. I can relate.
20.1 The Most Improved PlayerI read Fool by Christopher Moore. I love Shakespeare and I love Christopher Moore, yet this is my 3rd favorite of his three books I have read (I think Lamb is still my favorite, followed by The Stupidest Angel) Not sure if that is more about me and the mood I was in when I read this or about CM. All his books are bawdy -- and that is fine with me -- this one struck me as somewhat gratuitous, but again, that could be more about the mood I was in. I still would recommend CM for any literate friend who needed a lift, and Fool was no excpetion.
590/980
books:41
tasks: 30
pages: 12,610
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Congrats to Belinda & Coralie!Also, two more tasks to add to my own:
10.1:
The Penderwicks by Jeanne BirdsallThe background has a couple trees in relief. Hopefully you can see them well enough?
15.3:
I'm not sure this will count, since I read two books that add up to 100 pages instead of one of the longer books. Sorry if I screwed up!
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales: 51 pages
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: 64 pages
New Point Total: 515
5 POINT TASKS:1.
2.
(Like a little garden in my pocket!)3.
SPRI--Neal Gaiman4.
5.
6.
7.
(The main character, Juli, has an Uncle who is developmentally disabled.)8.
9.
(Stayed under the covers to read this one.)10.
10 POINT TASKS:
1.
(In honor of Arbor Day- this book has a tree on the cover.)2.
3.
4.
(REDUCEd my reading pile with the newest one in the series.)5.
Main character is a reporter!6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
(For my style quotient)15 POINT TASKS:
1.
2.
(Keri Arthur is an Australian author, born in Melbourne, and the book is set in Australia.) and
(This is a novel taking place during WWI.)3.
4.
5.
236 pages of poems, Haiku:Emotions complete,
Love is lost and found, new babe
to love and hold now.
6.
7.
SINS IN THE BOOK:
A) SLOTH: Riley is a slob. Everytime she comes in the apartment, she throws her clothes all over and never cleans up.
B) LUST: Sex is almost on every page in this book. Group sex, shifter sex, voyeuristic sex, intimate sex- it's all there and the word lust is featured prominently.
8.
9.
(Her pseudonym is J.D. Robb (for Nora Roberts), but mine would be The Queen...it is one of my nicknames and I always wanted to write books under that so that I would not be famous and have to do book tours.)10.
20 POINT TASKS:
1.
This book made me laugh and cry. The voice of A.J. is funny, sweet and wise with the wisdom of a child. She sees through fools, but can't see through the inane threats of her own siblings. With her dog at her side, and her hamster hidden in the shed, A.J. sails through the days at Indian Lake with a joie de vivre that I remember fondly from my own childhood.
2.
You should see my clean, organized desk! People at work are astounded.3.
4.
written about Beaulac, Louisiana- a fictional town based on where I live- St.Tammany Parish (1/2 done)5.
6.
Anita is a necromancer who hunts down rogue vamps and shifters as part of her other job as a Federal Marshall (aka Bounty Hunter). As she hunts the monsters, she is increasingly drawn into their world and is constantly afraid of becoming a monster herself. I love this series because the characters all have depth and serious character motivations. The sex always furthers the storyline and is interesting because of that. 7.
8.
+
Magic is in the air!9.
For my super cheesy task!10.
25 POINT TASKS:
1.
I am about to get married this year to my boyfriend of 14 years. Now, my biological clock is screaming for a baby. 2.
+
I liked the first one a bit more, but it wasn't because of the writing. It was just that the story was slightly sweeter and more romantic in the first book.3.
4.
(One of the author's name is GINA Wilkins)
(This book has a character's name.)5.
(355 pgs)+
(371 pgs)+
(400 pgs)=1126 pages from my TBR pile6.
7.
Getting your period in the same week that you get a head of snakes and discover you're a Gorgon. Man, times are tough for Dussie!8.
(1/2 finished- this is the book for the B task)9.
10.
30 POINT TASKS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
+
+
=Paul Revere's Task (I read 2 by land due to their being shorter books.)5.
6.
references the story of
, so I read them both.50 POINT MIDWAY TASK:
DICE ROLLS:
3= Romance Novel:
5= Historical Fiction:
8= One of your books must have won a prize!! (North by Night won a Kentucky Book Award for 2000.)
455/980=525 left
Jackie wrote: "Hi! 2 more tasks to report. The first, 20.6 with Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward and second, 15.9 with Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward. Clearly I'm addicted to the series and no..."Hey Boo! Nice to see ya here. I may need some help with the challenges and reporting tasks since I am a newby. I am starting with the Summer Challenge! Can't wait.
10.8 The Planets15.3 The Man in the High Castle
This book was on page 5. I suppose it is worthy of page 5, although I don't think I would put it higher. At first impulse, I would put the major religious texts at the top of the list, but most are so long that I wouldn't really expect people to read them all the way through. I guess I'll choose Fight Club, since that is the book that has stayed in my mind the longest.
25.5 The Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics: The Dos and Don'ts of Presenting Data, Facts, and Figures and Friday and Beyond the Deepwoods
30.5 Unquenchable: America's Water Crisis and What To Do About It and Proust Was a Neuroscientist
Glennon was interviewed by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. Stephen Colbert used to be on The Daily Show and is a close friend of Jon Stewart. Colbert interviewed Jonah Lehrer on his show, The Colbert Report.
Total points: 105
Tasks complete: 7
One more finished:25.2 Stephanie Anne - Costas Awards:
A. Saving Agnes by Rachel Cusk - 1993 Whitbread Winner
B. The Temporary by Rachel Cusk (1995)
I picked and acquired these books under the original task - before it was modified. So I decided to stay with the original selections. I really did not like either of the books. In fact, I would give them both 2* and that is being generous. I never code books less than 3* because if they are less than that, I don't finish them. So this was an exception since I already had the books.
The first book read like an attempt to write an autobiography but in fictional form - lots of flashbacks to all the drama of growing up. Pretty much a coming of age novel without much redeeming value. The plot was convoluted, the characters were not likeable, and the writing was ponderous.
The second book was only marginally better. But still filled with dysfunctional people with lots of paranoia. In fact, both books were pretty neurotic.
POINTS: 925
TASKS: 55
BOOKS: 73
PAGES: 21,837
15.10 For my final task I read A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.I believe in keeping everything in my life balanced. I think this helps in keeping with a well-rounded life. I loved this book but it was depressing. I gave it 5*. Highly recommend.
5.10 - "The important thing is not what they think of me, but what I think of them." Letter to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke. Born on December 04, 1875. Died on December 29, 1926
10.4 - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
The Masters by Colm Tóibín
20.5 - Just Joined In - Melaine - Read Across America (and the rest of the world) total 500 pages
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle from NEA/YSA Youth Leaders for Literacy Booklist, 211 pages
To Kill a Mockingbird from Authors' Favorite Booklist, 336 pages
50 POINT MIDWAY TASK - MS ANDERSON - LUCK BE A LADY
First roll is 4, second roll is 3. Together is 7!!
1. Sex with Kings 500 Years of Adultery Power Rivalry and Revenge P.S. by Eleanor Herman
2. Tempting Fate MacGregors 5 by Nora Roberts
New points : 85
Total Points: 160
Congratulations, Jennifer!! Awesome!You chose such a good book to end the Challenge with, too. I really enjoyed A Fine Balance.
I finished 25.5 by reading Misery (352pp), Finders Keepers (254pp), Olive Kitteridge (270pp). Total: 876pp.Total Points: 640
Tasks Completed: 35
Books Read: 47
Pages Read: 14574
Task 30.5 - Six Degrees of Separation - Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (Part A) and Little Bee by Chris Cleave (Part B)5 Degrees...
Charlaine Harris -> Anna Paquin -> Sam Neill -> Samuel L. Jackson -> Ewan McGregor -> Chris Cleave
Charlaine Harris is the author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, which is the basis of the TV series True Blood, starring Anna Paquin (1 degree). Anna Paquin starred in the movie The Piano with Sam Neill (2 degrees), who starred in Jurassic Park with Samuel L. Jackson (3 degrees). Samuel L. Jackson also starred in Star Wars Episodes I, II and III with Ewan McGregor (4 degrees), who also starred in the movie Incendiary, which was based on Chris Cleave's novel by the same name (5 degrees).
Total Points = 315
25.2 The Thief and The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. I gave them both 3 stars, so I didn't think one was better than the other. New total: 320 points
Congratulations Jennifer! I loved your haiku. I think a lot of people can relate to that.Now you have a whole 3 days to relax before the start of the Summer challenge, haha I look forward to seeing your task.
I finished another one!
25.2 - Stephanie Anne's Task - Fabulous firsts or superior seconds?
I love reading from award lists, so for my task, we'll visit The Costa Book Awards since many people might not be as familiar with this grouping of books.
For this task, select and read a book that has won the award for best first novel/book. Then, read the second book published by the same author and determine which one you enjoyed more. In your posting, answer the following questions: Which book did you enjoy more? Will you continue to read books by this author?
I read two books by Sadie Jones, but I read them in reverse order. First I read her second novel, Small Wars (Hardcover, 352 pages). The story centers on a by-the-book British officier who is stationed in Cyprus in 1956, along with his wife and twin toddler girls. The Small War of the title refer to the guerrilla war the inhabitants of Cyprus were waging against the British.
Then, later, I read Sadie Jones' first novel, The Outcast (Hardcover, 352 pages), the one which won the 2008 Costa Award for First Novel. This novel was about a troubled young man in post-World-War II England. The conventional leaders of the small town he lived in were more violent, both physically and emotionally, than he was.
Sadie Jones has a very clear writing style. She also, apparently, has a deep-seated dislike of WASP men and how British society rewards their behavior.
Her second book Small Wars was the better one of the two.
I'm not sure if I'll read anything more by her .... depends on what the focus of her next novel is. I'll probably begin reading her third novel if it gets nominated for Costa or Booker, but I won't finish it if it is just a re-tread of her first two.
630 + 25 = 655
Tasks Completed: 32
Points for this task: 25
Points thus far: 655/980
Books read: 50
Pages Read: 14,921
Books by Goodreads authors: 2
Read but not claimed: 1 book (will be 20.8 after I finish A Wizard of Earthsea; if I run out of time, it will be 5.4)
Yay to everyone who's finished and/or met their personal goals! For those of you who haven't: GO GO GO! You can do it~!*dances with her book-shaped fans*
5.4 - Newsletter (Jan 10) - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. 5*25.3 - Coralie's Task - I attended Brewtopia which is a beer talk and tasting. I read Red, White, and Brew: An American Beer Odyssey by Brian Yaeger. 3* I've actually learned a lot about beer!
Total Points: 450
Tasks Completed: 21
Books Read: 26
Pages Read: 10,865
Ok so this is it for me. My goal was to get at least 400 points and read at least 10,000 pages. I got 450 points and read over 10,000 pages. Now on to a reading books break so I can catch up on my magazine. Congrats to everyone who finished!
5.2 - "A book is like a garden carried in the pocket." Goddess of the Rose - 5/27/10, the main character raises roses and is put in charge of a mythical rose garden.
10.4 - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Option C - recylcle. I read Glazed Murder: A Donut Shop Mystery on 4/24/10 and then gave it to my mother.
20.6 - Supporting Goodreads Authors - Bridgit - Favorite Series. I love the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong. I read Men of the Otherworld on 5/21/10. The series straddles the line between UF and PNR. The world building is amazing and the characters are great and you continue to see them throughout the books. It covers many paranormal beings - werewolves, witches, ghosts and demons.
30.3 - Ms. Anderson's Task - Birth and Renewal
A. Truly, Madly - 5/15/10
B. Return to Sender - 5/24/10
previous total - 275
current tasks - 65
New total - 340
**this will probably be it for the month unless I get a positive ruling on my 5.8 Mr. Watson question.
15.6 - Friends and Friends of Friends read Three To Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich and New York Dead by Stuart Woods chosen in the manner described in the task.Books Read: 46
Pages Read: 13661
Tasks Completed: 32
Tasks in Progress: 3
30.3 - Change of Heart by Shari Maurer for 2010 publishing and Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman for "re-" prefix.
20.6 - Supporting Goodreads Authors - Bridgit - Favorite SeriesRead a book from your favorite series.
Murder Most Frothy by Cleo Coyle
This book is from the Coffeehouse Mystery series. It's a cozy series revolving around Clare Cosi, the owner of a NY coffee shop and amateur sleuth.
TOTAL = 195
I think I'm calling that my final total for the challenge. It's unlikely that I'll finish another book by Monday so I'm going to catch up on magazines between now and the beginning of the Summer Challenge on Tuesday. Thanks for another great one, Cynthia!
YAY Jennifer!!! I finally FINALLY completed task 20.4 It has been sooooooo busy this week. I wanted to be done already so I could take a break and catch up with about 2 months worth of magazines. LOL. I just became a Tastefully Simple consultant so I have been busy today trying to plan some parties. If anyone is interested, let me know. I can do online parties and you can get some awesome FREE products!
Anyhow...
20.4 For B (family saga) I read The Namesake for the first time and REALLY enjoyed it. For C (fictional regional book) I read Motherless Brooklyn since I hail from the NYC area. I really enjoyed the way Lethem plays with language, even more so than the actual plot line.
THREE TO GO! Trying to get this done in the next 24 hours!
Tasks Completed: 54/57
Books Read: 75
Pages Read: 22,553
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Update
15.4A - The Diamond as Big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald (108pp)
15.4B - Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir (417pp)
(this is an engaging read- pulled me right on through the book. =) Thank goodness! I wasn't sure I'd finish it in time!)
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~
Updated stats
Points Avaliable: 980
Total Points: 950
Tasks Completed: 56/57
Books Read: 81
SRC Pages Read: 24,245
Spreadsheet: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?ke...
Got one I wanted to finish...50 PT- MS ANDERSON- LUCK... I rolled 3,2 --> 5
3=Romance, 2=Nonfiction, 5=1 is 5-star from someone's list
The Host by Stephenie Meyer; UPDATE: Shelbi Anderson (1153018-shelbi) rated it 5 stars
AND
Sports Illustrated Monday Morning Quarterback by Peter King
===== Been Here, Done This =====
5.7 (Mental Disability): More Than Human, by Theodore Sturgeon, features mental retardation.
10.8 (Space...) The Conquest of Space, Willy Ley & Chesley Bonestell
15.3 (1/life 3/4/5) The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson #5), Riordan
20.8 (magic) The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3) by Rick Riordan, at 304 pages, and The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) at 375 pages
25.7 [Gods...:] The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson,audio) by Rick Riordan
25.9 [HS/coll:](1979-1987) Sue Grafton U is for Undertow (audio)
30.4A (land) Brin, Infinity's Shore
B (sea) Riordan, (Percy Jackson) The Sea of Monsters
Total Points: 180
Getting very close to finishing30.5 PJ READS - Six Degrees of Separation
A. The Wizard of London by Mercedes Lackey 4*
B. Catalyst: A Tale of the Barque Cats by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough 4*
For 10.8 Space Exploration, I read The Ship Who Searched by Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey. So for this task, I read a book by each of these authors. Only one degree of separation but all great reads. And they were all in my "gonna-get-to" boxes of books. Now they can be traded.
Only 1/2 of a book to read and I will have conquered this challenge. Wasn't sure I would make it but the finish line is in sight. I can hear the crowd cheering - hubby is waiting with a cold drink - Gotta keep chugging.
POINTS 955
TASKS 56
BOOKS 75
PAGES 22493
I have finished a couple more books, but I'm changing the tasks I've completed. NINETEEN MINUTES (half of 50.1) (rolled a 7)
A LONG WAY GONE (half of 25.4) (name generator Ishmael)
SARAH’S KEY (Goodreads author) (20.7) (threw away an old key)
KEEPING FAITH (half of 25.6) (0303 Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Empire.)
THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PRISONER’S DILEMMA (25.1) (want to have children in the future)
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN (Goodreads author) (25.3) (race in Lobelville, TN)
STUART LITTLE + children's books already listed (20.5)
HALF BROKE HORSES (10.9)
READINGS IN WORLD LITERATURE (half of 50.1)
THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS (half of 25.4) (first name)
NEW TESTAMENT (half of 25.6)
Total Points: 200
Total Books: 11
Tasks Completed: 8
And The Oscar Goes To...Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
This is similar to Avatar because it's about a colony on another planet that peacefully studies an alien species from behind a fence, until government & military officials on Earth get paranoid and want to declare war. Not as good as Ender's game (IMHO), but still pretty brilliant!
20.2 Clean Sweep
Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
One of the main characters, Ania, is a Polish immigrant in Ireland who works as a cleaning lady.
Note: I previously declared this for task 25.9 and am moving it to 20.2
25.9 Spring Break
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Published and became a bestseller during the year 2000, when I was in college
TOTAL POINTS: 460/980
BOOKS READ: 30
TASKS COMPLETED: 23
TASKS IN PROGRESS: 4
REWARDS:
GOODREADS AUTHOR x3
BIG BOOK TICKET (500 pg)
Donna Jo wrote: "Congratulations to Valorie, Belinda and Coralie on finishing."Thanks Donna Jo!
Going through my spreadsheet I found one book that I read for a multiple book task that I will not have time to complete. So I will claim it for 25.1 Michelleo's Future Aspirations. I read Born in Ice (Born In trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts (4*). This book takes place in Ireland and on the cover there is a picture of an Irish Village. I would really like to go to Ireland someday.I think I will take a break for a few days (oh OK I will probably read some for the Summer Challenge but not too much - busy weekend planned) and see you all next week.
CONGRATS TO ALL THE FINISHERS!!!!!
Finished task 15.8: Symphony by Jude Morgan. The artist is Hector Berlioz, the composer, one of my favourites because one of my late Siamese cats, Peda, loved Berlioz, he would listen with eyes closed and his tail moving in time with the music!TOTAL POINTS = 220
I have completed tasks 15.8, 20.7, 30.3, 30.4 and 30.6.For task 15.8 I read Sunflowers. I have always been a big Van Gogh fan. I just think his color and the way he applied the paint is so beautiful. I love any of his self portraits because I think they are so beautiful and haunting. He was really a tortured and mentally ill person, and I think his self portraits were always a very honest representation of himself.
For task 20.7, declutter, I read Mennonite in a Little Black Dress and cleaned out my closet, getting rid of a few articles of clothes (including some dresses) and was able to donate them to the flood relief cause here in Nashville.
Complete
5 Points
5.1 Murder With Peacocks, Donna Andrews
5.2 Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, Barbara Kingsolver
5.5 Metro Girl, Janet Evanovich first published in 2004
5.6 The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami
5.8 Moon Called, Patricia Briggs
10 Points
10.3 Blood Bound, Patricia Briggs
10.9 Half Broke Horses, Jennette Walls
10.10 Bitter is the New Black : Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office, Jen Lancaster
15 Points
15.6 A: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen B: The Turning, Jennifer Armintrout
15.8 Sunflowers, Sheramy Bundrick
15.10 Food Rules: An Eater's Manual, Michael Pollan
20 Points
20.1 The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life, Laurie Notaro20.2 The Help, Kathryn Stockett
20.3 The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
20.6 Dead in the Family, Charliane Harris
25 Points
25.1 The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
25.3 Front and Center, Katherine Gilbert Murdock
20.7 Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, Rhoda Janzen
25.9 Drums of Autumn, Diana Gabaldon
30 Points
30.4 A: Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder, B: The River Wife. Jonis Agee
30.6 A: American Wife, Curtis Sittenfeld B: To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Totals
Points: 325
Tasks: 23
Books: 24
Pages: 8493
Completed 15.3 - At Least Once in a LifetimeI read Dracula by Bram Stoker. When I first looked it up at the beginning of the challenge, it was #308 on page 4. It is now #227 on page 3. I am glad to see that it has increased in the ranks. It is considered a classic for a reason. It is so hard to say what book I think should be at the top of the list as there are so many great books that I loved for so many different reasons. I have to agree that To Kill a Mockingbird falls amongst those many beloved books.
That is it for me this challenge. I end with the following stats:
Points: 65 [between work and school it was hard to find time to read... summer should be better:]
Pages: 1,611
Tasks completed: 4
Big books: 1 (500+)
Looking forward to the summer challenge, during which I should be able to squeeze a few more books in.
5.10: "The important thing is not what they think of me, but what I think of them." I read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1797-1851).
15.1: Independently Speaking.
A. Romania: Der blinde Masseur by Catalin Dorian Florescu.
B. Norway: What Never Happens by Anne Holt.
30.6: Character References.
A. Wanderungen mit Robert Walser by Carl Seelig.
B. Jakob von Gunten by Robert Walser.
Total points: 150 (previous points: 100 + 30+15+5)
Just completed task 25.3. My husband and I went out to the North Market and saw a bluegrass band play outdoors. It was a really gorgeous day and they were so talented! Plus we got to have yummy lunch afterwards and buy some local produce!The book I read that connects to my activity was Fiddler's Dream since the main character is a bluegrass musician trying to make a life for himself in Nashville. It was just ok as far as books go. The more I read, the pickier I am getting.
2 MORE!!!!
Tasks Completed: 55/57
Books Read: 76
Pages Read: 22,801
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Finished quite a few books while staying at my sister-in-law's these past few weeks!10.1. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
25.5. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan - 464 pages
The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen - 374 pages **Goodreads author
Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen - 288 pages **Goodreads author
25.8. Watership Down by Richard Adams
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
30.3. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame Smith (published 2010)
Early Bird: A Memoir of Premature Retirement by Rodney Rothman
30.4. Island by Aldous Huxley
Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie
Updated Totals:
Points: 310
Tasks completed: 15
Tasks in progress: 2
Books read: 24
Pages read: 7,534
I completed...--25.7: Mythology by Edith Hamilton. It was cool to read the actual myths themselves again.
TOTALS:
POINTS= 310
BOOKS= 19 [big books: 2; GoodRead author books: 3]
TASKS= 13
20.2 The main character owns a cleaning service:Death Tidies Up by Barbara Colley
30.2
From the 2009-2010 Texas Bluebonnet Award List:
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall
From the 2010 Texas Lone Star Reading List:
Girlfriend Material by Melissa Kantor
25.6 Date in History: - Dec. 25, 1868 Despite bitter opposition, President A Johnson grants unconditional pardon to all persons involved in the Southern rebellion (the Civil War). A. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (loved this book!)
B. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen: takes place in the Southern State of North Carolina.
TOTAL POINTS: 295
5.3 - S.P.R.I.N.G read book:The Butter Did It: A Gastronomic Tale of Love and Murder|711405] by Phyllis C. RichmanBooks Read: 47
Pages Read: 13972
Tasks Completed: 33
Tasks in Progress: 3
[
Hi Cynthia. I just realized I did not claim my Goodreads Author tickets for three tasks. Here are the details:
Task 20.3 - Mental Health - I read The Gin Closet by Leslie Jamison, who is a GR author.
Task 20.7 - Big Books - I read Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, who is a GR author
Task 30.3 - Birth & Renewal - I read Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson, who is a GR author.
I am also unsure if I claimed my Big Book Ticket for:
Task 30.6 - Character Reference - I read Special Topics in Calamity Physics which is 514 pages long.
I have already reported the tasks previously, but just repeated the particular book and/or author details that qualified for the tickets.
I hope this is okay?
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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)
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10.10 Clothing or Accessory Title
Al Capone Does My Shirts byGennifer Choldenko - READ 5.26.10
My Rating: ★★★★★
Fantastic story!
20.3 Mental Health
A. Mental Health Disorder
*The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell - READ 5.25.10
My Rating: ★★★★★
B. Esme Lennox was institutionalized with bi-polar disorder. During the time Esme was committed it was not unusual to institutionalize people, especially women, who did not conform their behavior to society. Strong-willed girls or disobedient behavior could be enough to "diagnose" a girl as having a mental disorder.
TASKS COMPLETED: 24/57
POINTS COMPLETED: 480/980
BOOKS READ: 34/77
*BOOKS READ FROM MY PERSONAL LIBRARY: 24