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)
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KRISTEN TX:15.4 - Learn Your Numbers - I am number 1.
A. Murder on the Orient Express since Agatha Christie is a 1 as well.
B. The Hours. One of the characters, Virginia Woolf, exhibits some of the same characteristics seen in "1s." She was definitely a pioneer in writing during her life and she seemed to initiate action, even if that ultimately led to her demise.
20.1 - Sweltering Summer Days - I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. My favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip, so it seemed fitting to read a book about a chocolate factory!!
25.6 - Summer Lovin - One of my favorite songs is "Stir it Up" by Bob Marley & the Wailers. It always makes me think of summer and being on the beach.
B. I read No Woman No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley, written by Rita Marley, Bob's widow, who was also a member of the I-Three, who performed in the Wailers. Technically "No Woman, No Cry" is also a Bob Marley song title, but "Stir it Up" with its reggae beats and laid-back style, just makes me want to relax and enjoy the day, both of which remind me of summer.
25.9 - It's Time for the Swim Suit Edition -
C. I'm going to roll with a tankini right now. I read City of Thieves, Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter, and Blood Lies, for a total of 880 pages.
This should mean I end the Summer challenge with a total of 325 points.
5.1 Heat WaveStuart WoodsHot Mahogany
20.1 Favorite ice cream - Fudge because of the rich chocolate taste
Joanne Fluke25.9 Bikini
Joy Fielding 480 pages published 1993Loitering With IntentStuart Woods376 pages published 2009
50.1 Amanda to read Lemon Meringue Pie MurderJoanne Fluke
Amanda currently reading Blueberry Muffin MurderJoanne Fluke
Amanda read Dead Until DarkCharlaine Harris
Task completed: 14
Points earned: 330
Books read: 28
30.2 - PJ Read's Task - As Suggested By Shannon South Africa - For The ChildrenA. A Little Princess
I recommended this book to my niece, Breanna, who will likely read it and then we can discuss it together!
B. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Task Points: 30
Total Points: 305
Hooray! I met my goal!
Hannah The Blonde10. 4 Roll the Dice: The Revolution: A Manifesto
I rolled 1 6 1, and this book was 167 pages long.
25.8 Once Upon a Time...: Castle Waiting
This graphic novel included retellings of several well known fairy tales, and some lesser known ones too.
25.9 It's Time for the Swimsuit Edition: The Gap into Madness: Chaos and Order (688 pages) and Catching Fire (391 pages)
My books fit the bikini criteria (2 books published after 1946 totaling 850+ pages)
50 Let the Tarot Decide:
Past The Gap into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge (Mike's Read shelf)
Present The Wind in the Willows (Kathy G's Currently Reading shelf)
Future The Crucible (Bluemoon's To Read shelf)
Total Points: 180
Total Tasks completed: 10
Completed:Task 10.10: Great Minds Think Alike
Read: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Previous Points: 215
Current and Final Points: 225
Elizabeth MA10.10 Great Minds Think Alike
I read The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling because Kristin, a person on goodreads gave it 5 stars. I found this person because both of us gave Falling Up by Shel Silverstein 5 stars. Falling Up was the last book that I read that I gave 5 stars to.
Total Points: 205
See you next Summer, I'm off to teach high school Math!!
repost of 227815.1 something old something new
A:old and blue
B:Borrowed and new
--Big Book +750
20.6 - Supporting Goodreads Authors - Nicole CA's Task - List MakerManhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer
I liked this book but don't think it's a MUST read. You can get what you need to know about Lincoln's assassination from the history books in school...this was a little overkill.
Also, I forgot to claim a 500+ big book ticket for The Girl Who Played with Fire.
TOTAL: 75 points
Here's my final post. I didn't finish, but I'm happy to have made it to 900!5.5 – Dropping Names
Matilda by Roald Dahl
It was great fun revisiting this old favorite of mine and my daughter's.
5.8 – Take A Walk On Wall Street
Category: Historical Fiction 11/28/2009
Orlando by Virginia Woolf
Task Points: 5 + 5 = 10
Grand Total: 900
Books Read: 75
15 POINT TASK15.6 - "Eventually, All Things Merge Into One, And A River Runs Through It."
A. Read a novel that takes place in Portugal OR a book written by a Portuguese Author.
C. Read a book that is the second longest book written by an author of your choice.
A. The Last Pope, Luis Michel Rocha (Portuguese author).
C. The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness and Obsession, David Grann (338 pp).
25 POINT TASK
25.5 - Helen's Task - Share the Summer Love
Favorite genre = World Fiction.
Symphony in White, Adriana Lisboa.
Great little story about two Brazilian sisters who share a deep secret in their past and how they deal with it together and separately as adults. This was written beautifully which is something that draws me to a lot of fiction written by non-American writers - writing styles differ depending on which country a writer is from so each book I read from a different country is like a new adventure for me.
Second genre = World History.
April Blood: Florence and the Plot against the Medici, Lauro Martines.
This non-fiction book focuses primarily on the political plot to assassinate the leading members of the Medici family in Florence, Italy in the 15th century. I'm particularly interested in Florentine history as I've visited Florence twice now and it's a city that is absolutely filled with fantastic history, mysteries, and all sorts of little gems. The book itself was okay, though not as wonderful as I expected it should have been.
30 POINT TASK
30.1 - Ms Anderson's Task - Birthdays and Birthmonths
June (South America) - Conquest of the Useless, Werner Herzog. In the late 70s/early 80s filmmaker Herzog filmed Fitzcarraldo in South America. He kept a journal of his experiences both with the natives as well as his own crew in this foreign country, and this book is that journal.
Saturday (Sports) - The Natural, Bernard Malamud. I'm glad to not have to ever think about reading this again. I was not impressed.
TOTAL POINTS: 320/950.
Jay wrote: "20.6 - Supporting Goodreads Authors - Nicole CA's Task - List MakerManhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer
I liked this book but don't think it's a MUST read. You can get what..."
Jay, which task did you read The Girl Who Played with Fire for?
On last book under the wire!20.5 Library Love
Free For All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert
Tasks Completed - 16
Books Read - 20
TOTAL POINTS - 250
I'm going to change a book around in order to be able to count all of the books I read for this task. It looked like I wouldn't be able to count one but now I can.I'd like to change The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella from Task 5.2 and move it to half of Task 25.2 (Q&A).
For Task 25.2, I chose Option C ("who" & "name") and read The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator by Tarquin Hall and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer.
The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator is a fun book. I may have liked this one more than The Case of The Missing Servant.
The interaction and personalities of the characters are further defined, the mystery was "darker" (more criminal action and violence/weaponry) and more detailed. The humour throughout the book is chuckle-funny, the character of Mummy is awesome (love her attempts at "doing investigation").
I think the author has really come into his stride with the setting/characters of this series.
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella is an interesting story to explain why poor Bree had to die in Eclipse.
While listening to Eclipse, the story of Bree stood out and it left a sad spot in my memory of the story.
This book explains how Bree and her coven were fooled, how she tried hard to understand what was occurring and how she doubted some of what she was told. It also explains why she could not live. Although the story of Bree is still sad and meloncholy, it at least has a resolution now.
In comparison to the other Twilight books, this one is without the teenage angst.
My new points should be: 410 and, most important, I get to count every book read.
Jen UT15.1 - Wedding Bells are Ringing
A. Old and Blue: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell 184 pages Published: 1960 I was born in 1988.
B. New and Borrowed: The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton 262 pages This book is borrowed from my grandma.
15.4 Learn Your Numbers
I'm a number 7
A. 1984 by George Orwell 328 pages
B. The Tin Princess by Philip Pullman 290 pages I'm a number 7, and some of the characteristics are analysis, understanding, and knowledge. One of the main characters, Adelaide, showed these characteristics as she ruled as a queen and had to make important decisions.
Total Points: 170
Hey,I just wanted to get in the book that I read during this challenge so that I can say I actually competed *lol* in this challenge.
20.10 - The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
5.9 - The Cinderella Society - Kay Cassidy -I read this entire book in Borders.
10.5 - House Rules - Jodi Picoult - The book I read had a lake scene on it.
15.3 - Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay was reviewed at Bart's Bookshelf. This is the URL: http://www.bartsbookshelf.co.uk/2010/...
20.6 - Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer - This was a really good book and I would recommend it as a light read, however, I would not call it a "must read". I found the storyline interesting and I hope to read more of the books in the future, but I am not running out to buy them...
TOTAL POINTS: 70
I had a couple cross country trips this summer (got in around 7000 miles this summer. Anyway, I hope to participate more in the Fall Challenge!
RACHEL CA: 20 pts (540 points total—last post, I promise!)20.06 LIST MAKER "The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers" Elizabeth Pantley (400 pgs) is a wonderful resource for parents. It isn’t one method; rather, it’s a compilation of many ideas, strategies, checklists, and charts. The tone is understanding and friendly, and it never seems judgmental. It’s great to dip into when naps have hit a frustrating turn and you need a boost, or when you’re overtired and can’t think straight. Not a must-read for most people, but for this topic, I haven’t found anything better.
Carly5.4-Lesser Known Awards
I read Masterpiece by Elise Broach .
I found this on the E.B. White Read Aloud Award list. I hadn't heard of the award previously.
Points This Task: 5
Total Points: 220
Tasks Completed: 14
Tasks in Progress: 0
Books Read: 21
GoodReads Authors: 1
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(0), 1000+(0)
Pages Read: 6522
LINDSEY TN15.4 - Learn Your Numbers
A. My number is 7 like Ellen Potter who wrote Slob
B. I read Soulless by Gail Carriger **Goodreads Author**. Alexia Tarabotti fits the profile of a 7. She is very analytical, as am I. A person without a soul (like Alexia) in this book lacks creativity. The other traits associated with a 7 are understanding, knowledge, awareness, studious. Alexia had a library and read all the time. She had as much as or more knowledge than many men in her 19th century society.
20.6 - Supporting Goodreads Authors - Nicole CA's Task - List Maker
The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago
NOT a must read, even though it has good ratings! All the dialogue was just thrown all together in one big paragraph along with the description. Plus no question marks were used! So frustrating to read this thing. It was a giant let down to. I thought the book would be told from Jesus's point of view since that's what the title makes it sound like. Nope, just third person narration. This book was a chore to get through. There were only a few scenes scattered throughout the book that were of any interest to me. The one with God, the Devil, and Jesus in a boat for 40 days was the best.
10.4 - Roll The Dice...
Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness by Joshua Shenk
I rolled 243-263 pages. This one came in at 243.
Tasks Completed - 29
Books Read - 37
Pages Read - 11,753
Total Points - 425
Books by Goodreads authors: 7
Big Books: 2 (500+), 1 (750+), 0 (1000+)
READERBOARD NAME: Rachel OHThis is my last post--I know I'm cutting it SOOOO close! But I made my goal!!
I completed...
15.3 Books and Blogs
The Convenient Marriage, which was reviewed on the blog http://an-evening-at-almacks.blogspot... in 2009. I love the blog--it's about Regency romances. Here's my review of the book: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
15.4 Learn Your Numbers
My number was 9.
A. author with my number: J.D. Salinger. I read The Catcher in the Rye. I actually didn't like it all that much.
B. one of my characteristics was creative, so I read The Taste of Sorrow about the Bronte sisters.
20.10 Group Read
I read The Hunger Games. My post in the discussion is post 148. I loved this book!
25.3 Virtual Foreign Vacation
I read
A. Sepulchre which is set in France, which I've ALWAYS wanted to visit.
B. Every Man Dies Alone which was translated from the original German.
25.5 Share the Summer Love
Genre: Regency romance. I ADORE this genre because of the wonderful novels of Jane Austen, which led me to all the fun entries into the genre written later, by Georgette Heyer and others. I love the setting and the romance most of all. I read At the Sign of the Golden Pineapple by Marion Chesney. Here's my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Genre: young adult fantasy/romance. I enjoy the created worlds of these kinds of books. I think the Harry Potter books got me started on it, and nothing else is ever quite as good, but there are some others I enjoy and am eager to read more. I am not too far from this age group still, so I sigh at the romance and like the detail of imagined settings. I read Shadow. Not one of my favorites but not bad either. Here's my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Also, Jenny Moss is a GoodReads author.
25.8 Once Upon a Time...
I read Enchantment. SO good!
30.1 Birthdays and Birthmonths
September: Everyday objects--I read Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America.
Thursday: Distopia--I read Daughters of the North
TOTALS:
POINTS: 405
BOOKS: 29 [Big Books: 2; GoodReads author books: 3]
TASKS: 21
That's it folks - this challenge is over.Congratulations to all … on to the summer challenge!
Sent by PM earlier, but I did not notice until now.I've been trying all day on several different computers to post this and it keeps not letting me. I don't know if there is something up with the servers or if they're massively busy or what. It could be the shitty internet in my apartment but I went on campus to use their computers to post and that didn't work either. I just got back. I give up now. :p
Below is my list. If I need to send it along to someone else, please let me know.
Thanks,
~Chris~
5.2
The Life and Death of Charlie St. Cloud - Ben Sherwood
5.4
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
5.9
A Lion Among Men - Gregory Maguire
(read it at a combination of being on the bus, at Lollicup, and around campus)
5.10
Memnoch the Devil - Anne Rice
My favorite of the Vampire Chronicles
10.1
(Tomas) Thomas Harris- Silence of the Lambs
10.5
The Five Love Languages - Gary Chapman
10.6
Emancipation Betrayed - Paul Ortiz
10.9
A. Recording Oral History- Valerie Yow
Had to read it for a class where we needed to conduct oral history interviews for a grade
15.1
A. Borrowed and Old: And the Hippos Were Boiled in their Tanks- Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs
B. New and Blue: Blue Like Jazz- Donald Miller
15.6
A. Poisonwood Bible- Barbara Kingsolver
B.Definitely Dead- Charlaine Harris
15.9
A. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
Like Randle McMurphy, I am stubborn as hell, sometimes manipulative and willing to upset the established order. GO ANARCHY!!!!
20.2
The Adventures of Ibn Battuta: A Muslim Traveler of the 14th century - ed. Ross Dunn
20.3
The Inferno- Dante Aligheiri
20.6
Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian - Rick Riordan
This book was awesome. I like it a lot more than the Harry Potter books because it was more lighthearted and I felt more creative. It also made me brush up on a lot of my classic Greek mythology.
20.7
Another Faust- Dina and Daniel Nayeri
told from the view of the headmistress (a substitute for Goethe's devil)
20.8
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
20.10
Book Theif- Marcus Zusak
25.1
A. Dear John - Nicholas Sparks
B. Waves- Virginia Woolf
(I couldn't find a picture of the cover but the edition of it that I got from the library is just a plain red cover with no words or pictures. There was probably originally a jacket to the book, but its not there anymore.)
25.3
A. Ireland - Frank Delaney
B. The Orange Tree - Carlos Fuentes (originally Spanish)
25.4
A. Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George (pg. 31 - kill)
B. To Kill A Mockingbird- Harper Lee
25.5
A. Blackwood Farm-Anne Rice (Supernatural)
B. Push- Sapphire (Young Adult)
I like Blackwood Farm. It does a good job of tying together Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witch books. The story was well developed and I always love her N'Orleans settings. It also brought back Lestat in a new light; he is much more patient and less the 'brat prince' than he was before.
Supernatural books are my guilty pleasure. They stretch your imagination and make you think beyond the realm of possibility.
Push was very powerful. Its a very depressing story, even though its fictional but I can see why it had to be told. While the likelihood of all this happening to one person is low, many of the instances that Precious deals with affect countless youth growing up in that same kind of background. Hopefully, with its popularity, more attention will be given to the plight of many inner-city abused youth.
Reading young adult books helps me stay in touch with the kids I teach and try to understand a bit of their world. Even though I'm not much older than them yet, its easy to lose touch with my youth and forget how to just have fun and relax. Push wasn't a good example of it, but thats normally the effect of young adult lit.
25.8
Mirror, Mirror - Gregory Maguire 280p
Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine 240 p
25.9
C.
Club Dead 274p
Dead to the World 291p
Dead As a Doornail 295p
all by Charlaine Harris
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters- Rick Riordan 279p
25.10
A. Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
B. Hannibal -Thomas Harris
30.2
A. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
(I volunteered in a 3rd grade class and read parts of this book to them.)
B. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan
30.3
A. Abraham Lincoln - Thomas Keneally
C. The Good Earth- Pearl Buck
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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...
25.2 - Who in the title - The Girl Who Played with Fire and name in the title The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella
Task Points: 5,25
Total Points: 385
Tasks:28
Books:35
Nicki - STL