The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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SUMMER CHALLENGE 2010
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Summer Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks (do NOT delete any posts in this thread)
20.7 - For those we love to hateListened to Death in Venice by Thomas Mann on audiobook. Very unemotional book... Blah!
My points - 55
Finished 25.5 A. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie, Romance, ChickLit
B. The Thirteenth Tale- Diane Setterfield
C. Romance novels are my guilty pleasure and this one had it all. I loved the funny, real dialogue and the romance was so sweet. 5 stars for sheer enjoyment. The other book was hard to categorize, but part Gothic mystery, part supernatural tale, part bibliophile book, all of which I love. The book kept me interested. I loved the tone and the pace. Probably 3 1/2 stars.
20.9 - Luck Of The Draw - Terri's Task Part A: I read Atonement by Ian McEwan 3* It was a 2003 Honor Book.
Part B: I watched Juno which was a Spirit Award winner.
Total Points: 125
Tasks Completed: 6
Books Read: 11
Pages Read: 3,795
Tasks in Process: 15.6, 20.10, 25.9
25.2 - Coralie's Task - Q & A -- Read The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen(Goodreads Author) and Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie
Books Read: 13
Pages Read: 3913
Tasks Completed: 8
Tasks in Progress: 2
Goodreads Authors: 2 (Allen and Konrath in my last post)
Total points: 175
20.6 Supporting Goodreads AuthorsBook read Bloodstreamby Tess Gerritsen. It was a good thriller, entertaining, not quite sure if I would qualify as a "must" read though as it was slow in places. I typically like Tess Gerritsen's books though, so would recommend her as an author.
Points this task 20
Total Points 155
Total Books 14
Total Pages 3938
20.10 I read The Book Thief for the group read and I loved it! Points this task 20
Total points 40
Total tasks completed 5
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10.4 - Roll The Dice...Do you feel lucky...are the dice on your side? For this task you will need to visit the website (3 Random Dice). The amount shown on the dice (+/- 10) will be the amount of pages that you will need to read for this task. I.E. if you rolled a 3,5,2 you would need to read a book between between 342 and 362 pages long (EXAMPLE: Son of a Witch (Wicked Years, #2)). You can only click on the link one time.
Acts of Love: A Novel by Emily Listfield-6/22
Rolled 355 and this book was 361 pages.
Goodreads Author
New Total: 30
I completed 10.1 by reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.Lisa See is a goodreads author
Total Points: 160
Tasks Completed: 12
Tasks in Progress: 4
Books Read: 17
Pages Read: 5909
Goodreads Authors: 4
Big Books: 2 (500+), 1 (750+), 0 (1000+)
I completed Task 30.4 (The Science of Crime) by reading:The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen and
The Cold Moon by Jeffrey Deaver.
I really enjoy Jeffrey Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme/Amelia Sachs series. Rhyme and Sachs bring a touch of kindness and caring to a crime investigation. Their use of forensics is pretty amazing, too. No matter what is needed, Lincoln Rhyme has the equipment in his Lab. In this book, besides the usual DNA, hair & fingerprint & soil/organic matter analysis, Rhyme brings in a Kinetics specialist, who uses body language, facial expressions (or lack of them) and verbal expressions to help detemine the truth and/or lies being told by witnesses & suspects.
The Surgeon uses profiling, hair DNA and analysis as tools to solve the mystery. I didn't really like this book. I found that the characters were very stereotyped. The men were chauvinistic and excluded women when they could. The practical "jokes" played in this one would have had the men up on harrassement charges pretty quick. The women seemed to be bitter and men-haters. I won't be reading any more Tess Gerritsen books. There are much better thrillers out there.
Finished challenges: 5.6 - The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie (awesome book!)
10.5 - The Future Homemakers of America,
by Laurie GrahamTotal: 15
Completed challenges total: 40 points
25.2E Why
Why Did I Ever by Mary Robison
25.2E Because
Because It Is Bitter, and Because It Is My Heart by Joyce Carol Oates
715 points
I finished the following tasks so far:20.6- More Than It Hurts You by Darren Strauss. At 401 pages it is the furthest thing from a must read that I've had the displeasure of reading in a long time. The storyline in the book goes nowhere, and it reads more like a rough draft/ outline than a finshed book.
25.9- I chose option C and read: An Echo in the Bone- Diana Gabaldon (pub. 2010, 820pgs) and House Rules- Rachel Sontag (pub 2008, 264pgs) I was somewhat dissapointed in both books.
I have yet to read a really GREAT book so far in this challenge... hopefully that'll change soon!
Total points: 45
I'd also like to claim a 'big ticket' for Echo.
I just finished An Abundance of Katherines for 5.4 - Lesser Known Awards it was a Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book in 2007. I'm also going to claim 5.9 - Get Caught Reading - I read I Am Legendat the pool while my daughter was at swim practice and at Starbucks earlier this week.
Total points - 10!
5.4 - Lesser Known AwardsI read The Gathering Anne Enright (Goodreads Author) which won the Man Booker Prize in 2007.
I had a really hard time with this book, I was thrilled when I finished! It just never grabbed my interest.
Points this task 5
total points 100
task done 9
pages read 3277
books read 12
I completed the following task:25.1 - Valorie's Task - Independence Day
A. Open Season, by Archer Mayor
The main character, Joe Gunther, is a veteran of the Korean war
B.The Hunter, Richard Stark (red cover)
Points: 25
Total Points: 155
Tasks Completed: 9
Books Read: 13
Pages Read: 4547
Books by Goodreads authors: 2
Big Books: 2 (500+), 0 (750+), 0 (1000+)
30.3 - Sheila's Task - An Ode To IllinoisA. I read Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
AND
C. Oprah's book club pick:The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography by Sidney Poitier.
Points for this task:30
Total Points: 105
20.2- A Trip to the Past - I read The Prize by Julie Garwood -England 1066 Points for this task- 20
Total Points- 50
Total books read- 5
Pages Read- 1915
GR authors- 1
I have 4 tasks to claim:5.9 Get Caught Reading
My first book by a Goodreads Author!
The Poison Eaters: and Other Stories, 212 pages by Holly Black Goodreads Author
I read this book:
in the HS Library, at the drugstore, at the dentist, at Starbucks and finished it today at McDonald’s!
A great book of short stories--loved it!
15.6 – “Eventually, All Things Merge Into One, And A River Runs Through It.”
Set in Portugal:
Alentejo Blue: Fiction by Monica Ali
This book read like a set of linked stories that created a novel in one small town in Portugal.
Elizabeth Kostova's second longest book:
The Swan Thieves, 565 pages, and worth every moment and every word.
Big Book #1: 500+ Pages
20.7 For Those We Love to Hate
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer
This was a quick read and a look into the mind of the vampires created to fight the Cullens in Eclipse.
25.4 – Nicole OH’s Task – Happy Birthday to Me!
The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig
“But this mourner of Mr. Llewellyn, whoever he may have been, was all but swathed in a traveling dress the shade of blue flame—-” p31
When I found the word dress and knew this second book would work, I didn't realize that the dress would even be the right color:
by Sheri HolmanA “dress lodger” was a prostitute who “rented” a fancy dress from her “employer” in exchange for lodging.
I enjoyed both of these books and The Whistling Season is a favorite in the books I've read for the Seasonal Challenge so far.
Points for These Tasks: 65
Total Points: 165
Goodreads Author: 1
Big Books: 1
I forgot to mention in Post 925 that Tess Gerritsen is a Goodreads Author.I completed Task 5.2 (Blockbuster movie) by reading The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella, which is connected to the movie Eclipse.
Although I didn't remember the name "Bree Tanner", I did remember the poor, scared Newborn vampire who deserved better treatment than she got. This book filled in the details of Bree's life as a vampire and her thoughts about what was happening to her. Although the Cullens tried to help her, Bree's fate was destined. She fought hard to understand and do no harm and, in her own way, she helped weaken the Volturi and what they stood for. I would have still liked a different fate for Bree but this book helps us understand why it could not have been so.
I enjoyed this little story.
20.9The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
I also watched 500 days of Summer.
I loved the book- didn't love the film so much
15.5 Great Authors/ReadersI read Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani, and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, which is on her Top 10 list.
Total Points: 85
Total Books Read: 11
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I finished my first task: 5.9 - Get Caught Reading: Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk (read in a school office).
10.6 stand of for your rightsSarah's Key (about the holocaust)
by Tatiana de Rosnay
15.8 - "Double, Double, Toil and Trouble..." Borderline by Mark Schorr
That pesky old patient confidentiality thing comes in to play when a patient is murdered.
AND
Borderline by Nevada Barr
A rafting trip in Big Bend National Park on the Texas/Mexico border gets turbulent in more ways than one. I love, love, love Nevada Barr's books. She has the knack of writing such rich scenery in to her Anna Pigeon Park Ranger series that you get immersed in the environment. This book deals with such a contemporary topic as it deals with illegal border crossings that turn deadly. I give this a big ★★★★★'s as I have given all the Nevada Barr books. If you like mysteries I HIGHLY recommend this writer.
Current total points = 15 Points
10.5 Beach on the cover.
The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares. A good light summertime read. Ann Brashares wrote the popular Traveling Pants series for YA and this is her first adult fiction. A little bit of My Sister's Keeper feel but not overwhelming.
My first completed task(s)!5.9 - read at the gym while working out
10.6 - Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson
Finished 20.7 - For Those We Love To HateI read Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, the second book in the Dexter series. I gave it 3* - love Dexter and the series, but this book wasn't what I read here.
Total Points: 60 + 20 = 80
30.3 Read a book about Abraham Lincoln and a book featured in Oprah's Book Club.I read Abraham Lincoln and Midwives , which was Oprah's Book Club pick in October of 1998.
Total points = 65
Goodreads authors = 1
Big books = 1 (750+)
5.4 Lesser known awards - "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. It was awarded the ALA Alex award in 2006.
Total points: 35
5.4 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan BradleyWinner of the Crime Writers' Association's Debut Dagger Award.
Loved it! This was a slightly erudite but charming mystery novel set in post WWII England. The narrator is a cheeky 11 year old girl obsessed with poison. Lovely read.
30.4 - Medical Mystery female author Body Of Evidence and a male author Body BagsTask Points: 30
Total Points:100
Tasks:9
Books:10
Nicki - STL
5.1 - I read Half of a Yellow Sun5.2 - I read Revelations in anticipation of Eclipse
5.5 - I read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
5.10 - I re-read Twilight
10.5 - I read
by Anne Enright10.7 - I read The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston
10.9 - I wanted to learn more about serial killers so I read The Killer Inside Me
10.10 - I read To Kill a Mockingbird - This book was on another users 5 star list from page 6
15.3 - I read The Elegance of the Hedgehog. I found the following blog that mentions it: http://bfgb.wordpress.com/page/7/
- I loved this book. It was beautifully written. The main characters, Renee and Paloma, are interesting, intelligent and insightful. The "supporting" characters helped to add humor to the book. The bittersweet ending left me saddened and hopeful at the same time. This is not a book that will leave me quickly.
15.7 - I read The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. I would like to see recycling added as a curbside service. I would use it quite a bit.
20.6 - I read The Van Alen Legacy which is 369 pages long. Not really a must read. It is not a stand-alone book and is more suitable for Vampire Book Fans
25.8 - I read The Princess Bride which was 420 pages long.
Finally finished 2 more tasks. They seem to be going slower, maybe it is the hot weather, or maybe it is just life in general getting into my reading time.25.2 Q&A -
a. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordonby Stephen King
b. Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey
25.3 VIRTUAL FOREIGN VACATION -
a. I would love to go to Australia, so I read
Moon Sworn by Keri Arthur
b.The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson which was originally written in Swedish
Points: 50
Tasks: 2
Books: 4
Pages: 1461
Total Points: 280
Total Books: 24
Total Tasks: 16
Total Pages: 9196
Finished:15.3 - Books & Blogs
Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things - Randy O. Frost (Goodreads Author)
http://bfgb.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/...
Total Points = 35
Goodreads Author - 1
Big Books - 1
Mod
10.7, Handle the Truth
Animal Magnetism: My Life with Creatures Great and Small by Rita Mae Brown
15.4, Learn your Numbers, I am a 6
a. So Cold the River by fellow 6 Michael Koryta
b. trait: Responsibility, protection, nurturing, community, balance, sympathy- Turquoise Girl
Police Officer Ella Clah fits all these traits as she navigates the clash of Navajo and Anglo cultures on the Reservation
I am so impressed by Michael Koryta- he's a talented young writer that has the successful Lincoln Perry series, yet also writes stand alone books. This one was a departure- sort of midwestern Gothic- creepy, paranormal, but not quite scary enough- it did have a great sense of place.
20.10, Group Read
The ABC Murders
posted in discussion thread
I hadn't read anAgatha Christie mystery in a long time- this was a great reason to pick one up- they're always clever
20.8, Rhiannon's B&N Classic
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
I hadn't read it since high school- much more enjoyable this time around
25.7, Wendy's Passionate about...my garden
a, non-fiction: The Gardener's Year
b. fiction: The Star Garden: A Novel of Sarah Agnes Prine by Nancy E. Turner
I find my daily garden chores meditative.
+90
total 420
15.4 My magic number was 6, same as Madeleine l'Engle.The characteristics for 6 are responsibility, community, protection, nurture, balance and sympathy.
A. I read A Wind in the DoorbyMadeleine L'Engle and
B. Private Justice by Terri Blackstock
Points this task 15
Total Points 170
Total books 16
Total Pages 4528
30.5 - A novel with recipes...American Cookery: A Novel by Laura Kalpakian (4 stars) and food-related non-fiction book...Consuming Passions: A Food-Obsessed Life by Michael Lee West (3 stars) Goodreads AuthorI don't cook, so I don't have a recipe to share. My boyfriend is the cook of the family so he makes something to bring to potlucks/barbecues.
New total: 175 points
5.9 - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson5.10 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
15.7 - Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
30.2 - Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (passed along to the 9 year old I'm tutoring), AND The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick
New Points: 55
Total Points: 120
Tasks Completed: 10
Tasks in Progress: 6
Books Read: 19
Pages Read: 5,368
Here's my first update:Completed Tasks
5 Point Tasks
1. Heat Title - Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot (6/17/10)
6. Spy Book - Surrender to a Wicked Spy by Celeste Bradley (6/8/10)
7. Transportation Cover - Seducing the Spy by Celeste Bradley (horse & carriage) (6/11/10)
9. Read in Public - To Wed a Scandalous Spy by Celeste Bradley (airport) (6/7/10)
10 Point Tasks
1. 2010 Hurricane Author - Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn (6/18/10)
15 Point Tasks
2. State Title, 13 Colonies - Texas Destiny by Lorraine Heath (6/3/10) AND Beguiled by Deeanne Gist (SC) (6/16/10)
10. Family/Member Title - Molly Mommy? by Tamra Norton (6/24/10)
My mom is awesome! I think one of the best things about her (other than her fabulous cooking) is how much help and support she has been during my first years of marriage and my pregnancy. I know I'll be able to count on her for support and advice after my baby is born. PRICELESS!20 Point Tasks
1. Deidre - Ice Cream (Cookies N' Cream) - Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne (6/14/10)
6. Nicole CA - 300pp+ - A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist (6/22/10)
This book is a Christian romance novel, and while it definitely wouldn't make any OVERALL must-read list, I thought it was really great in its genre! If I had to recommend any Christian romance, this one would be at the top of the list!25 Point Tasks
5. Helen - Fav & 2nd Fav Genre - Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel (6/15/10) *REVIEW* AND Mistress by Mistake by Susan Gee Heino (6/1/10) *REVIEW*
My two favorite genres are romance and young adult fiction. I read for escape and entertainment, so I love books that are just fun and happy. These two genres really do that for me. Romance novels are just light and fluffy with people falling in love, etc., etc., and though they aren't terribly substantial, I do love pointing out "I learned THAT from a romance novel" when I know a random old word or obscure answer to a crossword puzzle! ;) As for YA—maybe it's because I'm young at heart or wish I was still young or something. One reason I love YA is that, in general, they're cleaner than adult books. Maybe that contradicts my other genre... but it's true. Overall, if there's a love story in the book, I'm willing to give it a shot! :)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINAL STATS
Tasks Completed: 10/56
Books Read: 15/80
Pages Read: 4,935
Points Earned: 125/950
My first time posting!:)Completed Task:
10.2 The...Who - The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
Tasks Completed: 1
Books Read: 1
Pages Read: 0
Points Earned: 10
(my personal goal is to get 150 points; I'm a slow reader)
For 20.5 - Library Love The Library: An Illustrated HistoryFor 5.1 - Heat Wave - Sizzling Sixteen
*Janet Evanovich and Stuart Murray are Goodreads authors
Adrienne wrote: "For 20.5 - Library Love The Library: An Illustrated HistoryFor 5.1 - Heat Wave - Sizzling Sixteen
*Janet Evanovich and Stuart Murray are Goodreads authors
"
Adrienne I hate to be the bearer of bad news but neither author is a goodreads author.
Oh oops! How does one tell, then? I guess I was looking in the wrong place.
If you're looking at the book, right after the author is in parentheses (goodreads author). If you're looking at the author profile, it is in the upper right corner.
Thanks Elizabeth (Alaska). I should probably look at my GR authors list again. Okay, it looks like only Cathleen Schine is a GR author from my list of books posted.
Sorry about that. Thanks for the heads up.
Finished:10.2 The (BLANK) who (BLANK):
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba.
What an inspirational, eye-opening book. 4.5 Stars.
15.3 Books and Blogs - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith from http://blog.mawbooks.com. Review from blog: "Wow. Loved this book. What took me so long to read it? A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith and my recent read of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was a great reminder to me that I haven’t been reading enough classics lately. I used to read so many and have dropped off in the last couple of years. I need to get back into the habit.Did I mention that A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was great? Because it is.
I read somewhere that A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of those books in which nothing happens but absolutely everything happens. I found that to be so true and so wonderful! It’s a coming of age story about Francie Nolan as her family struggles with poverty, alcoholism, and the realities of life in the tenements of Brooklyn, New York in the early part of the century. But it’s about more than just Francie. It’s a portrait of three generations of an Irish-American family, their hopes and their dreams at a time of life when no thought is given to sending young children down the market for a penny loaf of bread.
Frances is the ultimate strong woman character and I loved every minute that I spent with her."
Books Read: 7
Tasks Completed: 5
Tasks in Progress: 4
Total Points: 75
Goodreads Authors: 0
Big Books: (500)x (750) (1000)
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Daughters of the North (other topics)At the Sign of the Golden Pineapple (other topics)
The Catcher in the Rye (other topics)
Every Man Dies Alone (other topics)
Sepulchre (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Elise Broach (other topics)Virginia Woolf (other topics)
Roald Dahl (other topics)
Shel Silverstein (other topics)
J.K. Rowling (other topics)
More...
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillmanand
The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and Friendship
Jeff Zaslow is a Goodreads author.
Total points 60
Tasks in progress - 4