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THE SPRING/SUMMER CHALLENGE (April 1 - June 30)
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Theodora Twist
I didn't realize it was YA (never read what it was about) until I started reading it. It is a really cute story though, and a super easy read! This is the first Melissa Senate I've read and I can tell I will like everything else she's written too!
5/30 books
Just finished The Gatecrasher by Madeline Wickham - I loved it. It was an easy book to lose yourself in. I really enjoyed it, and now I want to read the others she has written.11/ 30 books
I just finished Hope in a Jar
and was kind of disappointed. After reading Beth Harbison's Shoe Adicts Anonymous, I thought for sure I'd found a new author who I'd love all her work. Despite its title, "Hope" in a Jar, this book was a little bit of a downer. Overall, I enjoyed the main characters, Allie and Olivia, each at a pivotal moment in their life. I also liked the format of the book. I also liked the format. The chapters alternated between the present and their high school years, with the high school years providing much background for the circumstances of the present.
I don't want to discount Beth Harbison as one of my favorite authors yet, and will definitely be checking out her second novel soonSecrets of a Shoe Addict
17 Books
170 Points
Cathy wrote: "I just finished Hope in a Jar and was kind of disappointed. After reading Beth Harbison's Shoe Adicts Anonymous, I thought for sure I'd found a new a..."I loved Hope in a Jar. It was a great book.
Kristine wrote: "Just finished The Gatecrasher by Madeline Wickham - I loved it. It was an easy book to lose yourself in. I really enjoyed it, and now I want to read the others she has written.11/ 30 books"
Sophie Kinsella and Madeline Wickham are the same author and I love all her books. Definitely worth reading!
I have read about so many Sophie fans that just can't stand Madeline's books, I was fearful of ever trying them. I read The Gatecrasher and I was just not a fan. I was glad I tried Sleeping Arrangements because I really enjoyed that one! I will be trying her other books under Wickham as well!
Oh! I see someone else has already told you Sophie Kinsella and madeline are the same author! I love all of her books, she is wonderful! She has quite a few under Madeline Wickham, but be sure to check out her Sophie Pen name too!! ( :
I feel so out of the loop on everything! Glad to see everyone enjoying the challenge. My little guys are keeping me busy...baby is almost 3 months old, which is hard to believe! I've been reading and making updates with the GoodReads app on my phone (if you have an iPhone, btw,the app is great!) but since it's too hard to scroll through posts and make comments, I haven't been doing that. So now that I'm at a real computer, I have a lot of catching up to do!My little guy lets me read as I feed him, so I've been trying to keep up with my lists. Here's what I've read so far:
List A – 10 Oldest TBR Books
6. Certain Girls – Jennifer Weiner (04.22.10)
This is my absolute favorite of Jennifer Weiner's books. Really, really loved it, especially all her thoughts on motherhood. I cried at the end -- if a book does that to me, I know it's good!
List B – 10 Random TBR Books
269 – The Spellman Files – Lisa Lutz (04.13.10)
Very quirky and funny. Loved it, and I'm glad I've managed to accumulate the rest of the series because I can't wait to read them.
51 – Nearlyweds – Beth Kendrick (04.02.10)
Light, fluffy, cute, but just kind of meh. A quick read, but kind of blends in with all the rest of the run-of-the-mill chicklit that's out there.
List C – Any 10 TBR Books
2. The Pink Ghetto - Liz Ireland (04.09.10)
A fun look inside the romance publishing industry. This one was on my TBR list for a really long time, so I'm glad my library had a copy. I'll read others by this author, definitely.
3. The Art of Racing in the Rain – Garth Stein (05.06.10)
This is one of those books that I want to give a copy of to everyone I know. I highly recommend this one, especially if you're a dog lover. But have your tissues handy.
4. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - E. Lockhart (04.15.10)
A very clever young adult book. The plays-on-words are great - I actually learned a few new words by reading this one.
5. The Opposite of Me – Sarah Pekkanen (05.05.10)
I found this one slow to start, and I had to put it down for a bit when I was about 100 pages in because I accidentally spilled water on it. I wasn't sure if I was going to go back to it, but when I picked it back up again, I literally finished it in a day. So, yes, it gets much better as it goes along.
Total Books Read: 7/30
I think that's it for me for this challenge. I just started my oldest TBR book, Gone With the Wind, today. But it's nearly 1000 pages, and I'm alternating it with all the new ones coming off holds for me at the library, so I'm thinking I won't finish it by the end of May (more like by the end of the summer). I really love reading off the different lists, though - hope everyone else wants to do it again at some point!
Hoping I'm back for good this time!
Tara wrote: "Cathy wrote: "I just finished Hope in a Jar and was kind of disappointed. After reading Beth Harbison's Shoe Adicts Anonymous, I thought for sure I'd..."I must have missed something cause I just couldn't get that into it...maybe my mind was too much on school that week:( I'll have to read it again at some point.
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and was kind of disappointed. After reading Beth Harbison's Shoe Adicts Anonymous, I thought for sure I'd found a new a..."That's too bad you didn't like it Cathy. I loved it too!
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I read Cocktails for Three but didn't care for it too much. I started reading The Gatecrasher but couldn't get into it. I'm just not a Wickham fan. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE SK though!!! Can't wait for Mini-Shopaholic.
Hi Ladies, I have been extremely MIA for the past few months, but I have a good excuse :-P I have been trying to get through my first trimester with my first baby so I have been sleeping rather than reading. Hopefully I will be waking up soon and be reading again shortly. I am so behind on posts! I am sure I will have a ton of books to add to my TBR pile!
Missed you!
Alicia
Alicia wrote: "Hi Ladies, I have been extremely MIA for the past few months, but I have a good excuse :-P I have been trying to get through my first trimester with my first baby so I have been sleeping rather ..."
Congratulations, Alicia! I basically stopped reading all last summer when I was in my first trimester with my new little guy...I was too sick and sleepy to concentrate on anything! The good news is that it does pass. :) Hope you're feeling back-to-normal again soon!
Alicia wrote: "Hi Ladies, I have been extremely MIA for the past few months, but I have a good excuse :-P I have been trying to get through my first trimester with my first baby so I have been sleeping rather ..."
Congratulations Alicia!!!!! I was starting to wonder where you had disappeared to :)
"Alicia wrote: "Hi Ladies, I have been extremely MIA for the past few months, but I have a good excuse :-P I have been trying to get through my first trimester with my first baby so I have been..."
Congratulations! That is so exciting. I wish you all the best:)
Thanks ladies. I know I will be more excited when I am fully conscience. I keep staring at my Kindle thinking "I miss you". Maybe I can get a few books in for June. Have already got the baby some books, and my one friend made a list of what she is will be buying the baby. This kid will have a full bookshelf before it is born!I did read LA Candy for no apparent reason before I found I was pregnant. I have never watched The Hills or Laguna Beach but I am a sucker for teen lit and reality TV! I will have to check out the 2nd one.
Alicia wrote: "Hi Ladies, I have been extremely MIA for the past few months, but I have a good excuse :-P I have been trying to get through my first trimester with my first baby so I have been sleeping rather ..."
Congratulations!!
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I have been extremely MIA for the past few months, but I have a good excuse :-P I have been trying to get through my first trimester with my first baby so I have been sleeping rather ..."
AWWWW!!!! Congrats Alicia!!!!!
Alicia wrote: "Hi Ladies, I have been extremely MIA for the past few months, but I have a good excuse :-P I have been trying to get through my first trimester with my first baby so I have been sleeping rather ..."
Congrats Alicia! I was wondering where you were.
I am totally slacking on this challenge! The warm weather hit really early this year up in MI and we've been soaking it in- I have been in no mood to read!
I second Ashley's remark on the weather...I even haven't been listening as much in my car..mor inclined to tune into the radio now that it's sunny out! I did finally finish
The Carrie Diaries audiobook by Candace Bushnell last night however while i was cleaning out my closet of summer clothes to give away..It was really cute...I didn't really understand the foreshadowing at the end...I guess because it was so vague..but if someone else has a better idea of what the storyline there was implying, please email me privatley or on the book review...
PS Go see SATC2! So much fun:)
18 Books; 180 Points
Cathy wrote: "I second Ashley's remark on the weather...I even haven't been listening as much in my car..mor inclined to tune into the radio now that it's sunny out! I did finally finish..."It's funny that you mention that because I have been mentally kicking myself for not listening to audiobooks while driving, but I'm just not in the mood :(
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Ashley - I didn't know you were from MI too.
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I loved it. Again I totally related to the main character. Lately, my life has been closely mirroring Libby's.
6/30 books
Stacy wrote: Ashley - I didn't know you were..."Yup, I'm in the TriCities... Without getting too detailed, where abouts are you from?
I just finished my first book in almost 2 months wohooo!! Of course it was not on my list. I read Runaway by Meg Cabot it is the last book in her Airhead books which I totally recommend.
Ashley wrote: "Stacy wrote: Ashley - I didn't know you were..."Yup, I'm in the TriCities... Without getting too detailed, where abouts are you from?"
Ashley, I am from Midland! I live in Cleveland now, it is a small world :)
Joanne wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Stacy wrote: Ashley - I didn't know you were..."Yup, I'm in the TriCities... Without getting too detailed, where abouts are you from?"
Ashley, I am from Midland! I live in C..."
Very small world! What took you to Cleveland?
after college I joined the Army and was stationed in Texas, I got out in January and this is where I found a job and my husband is going to grad school here too.
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Yup, I'm in the TriCities... Without getting too detailed, where abouts are you from?"
I live in Kalamazoo county! :)
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How's the pregnancy going Alicia?
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Fifteen Minutes of Shame - List B (I think)
I absolutely loved this book! I loved Darby and I loved the dating tips that were at the end of every chapter. I think this one would make a great movie!!!
7/30 books
Stacy wrote: "Alicia wrote: "I just finished my first book in almost 2 months wohooo!! Of course it was not on my list. I read Runaway by Meg Cabot it is the last book in her Airhead books which I totally reco..."Unfortunately it has not been as easy as I would of liked. I have asthma and have been a lot of problems breathing. The past 2 weeks I was basically stuck in my bedroom. Was doing better this week until this morning I had to go home after an hour. First trimester is done after next week which is exciting. Just hope my lungs get it together :-P
Thanks for checking on me!
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Sure! Hope everything gets better for you!
Wow, I actually read one of my TBR books! This brings my total to five. The book's good, esp. if you like Jen Lancaster.You Can’t Drink All Day If You Don’t Start in the Morning by Celia Rivenbark
Just finished the audio unabrigded version of Secrets of a Shoe Addict
...Loved it!!! Look for my review on it at the Chick Lit Club soon.And I'm finally getting back to Rachel's Holiday...starting over by listening to the audio version...hoping it will entice me more than the paperback version:)
19 Books
190 Points
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...Loved it!!! Look for my review on it at the Chick Lit Club soon...."
Being a shoe addict myself, I couldn't resist either of Beth Harbison's books. I loved both of them as well!
I liked her new one
, it's the first one I've read by her and it was really good.
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, it's the first one I've read by her and it was really good."I really liked that one too!
Stacy wrote: "Cathy wrote: "Just finished the audio unabrigded version of Secrets of a Shoe Addict...Loved it!!! Look for my review on it at the Chick L..."Ditto to all of what you said...in fact I really hope there's a third of this type...you know I couldn't get that into Hope ina Jar...but I think that was more because Iwasn't paying that close attention to it...so I didn't get to know the characters and the story that well..I ownt he audio so I think I might give it another go soon...
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Exes and Ohs
I loved this book, which doesn't surprise me considering I have yet to read a Beth Kendrick book I didn't like.
Gwen was a very likeable and down to earth main character and the story was great!
8/30 books
Just finished The Importance of Being Married: A Novel
. Defintely recommend to all chick lit fans. Quick easy read. Cute story. Fun leading heroine. Can't wait to read the sequel! Question: does anyone know if her newest book An Ideal Wife: A Novel
is part of the series? Just thought the covers looked similar that's why I ask...20 books
200 points
The series is 1) The Importance of Being Married, 2) A Wild Affair, and 3) An Ideal Wife
Ashley wrote: "The series is 1) The Importance of Being Married, 2) A Wild Affair, and 3) An Ideal Wife"I think they have the description of Ideal Wife on Goodreads wroong..I fgoogled it and it's for Delta Girls...but I wrote someone on GR so they cna change it at theri convenience...thatnks for the info! I'm alwyas getting ahead of myself...I don't even have a copy of #2 yet:)
Yea, but you don't want to read them out of order! :)
Look at that, I finally finished another one of these. Lucky from The It Girl series. Although now I have a different motive. By finishing Lucky and (hopefully) Tempted, I'll be on book 7 for the summer challenge, where I need a book 7 for that 25 point task.Going back to The It Girl series after all this time, I now really wish that the Gossip Girl show writers would use this to write out Jenny. Like if you decide to write out a character who already has a set out that many fans are familiar with, why wouldn't you use it?
Totally agree Nicole! I love the IT Girl series, and I hate what Gossip Girl turned Jenny into. I just finished the last book, not going to lie I am sad it is over. I liked the It Girl books better than the gossip girl ones.
Alicia--I stopped reading It Girl once the show started because Jenny was too different. Actually, most of the characters are quite different, but I still watch. I'm definitely going to try to finish It Girl this year. Have you read the second Gossip Girl set with the triplets? There was a preview at the end of Lucky. Not sure that I'm that interested in it.
Nicole: Yes I started reading the triplets one it was better than I thought it would be. I am wondering if they just stopped that series though because I don't think a new one has come out in over a year and I didn't see anything on their website. I may be done with Gossip Girl the show. Rufus was my biggest disappointment :-PDid you read the Gossip Girl Book that came out last year? I Will Always Love You is the title and it goes into the original characters (including Jenny) in the future (college age). It was great. If you haven't read it finish the It Girl Series and then read it. I have also been reading the A-List Series by Zoey Dean they were a nice substitute for Gossip Girl.
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Books mentioned in this topic
A Total Waste of Makeup (other topics)An Ideal Wife (other topics)
The Importance of Being Married (other topics)
Exes and Ohs (other topics)
Secrets of a Shoe Addict (other topics)
More...
Great! Thanks for posting this Cathy, I didn't want to read it either because of the political stuff (I am SOOOO not into politics!) but it sounds like it'd actually be a really good read.