The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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FALL CHALLENGE 2010
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Fall Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks (do NOT delete any posts in this thread)

I chose Option A and read The Bell Witch: An American Haunting and Option D Of Mice and Men I wouldn't say its the most depressing book but it was depressing. I think his book Grapes of Wrath was more depressing than this one.
Points this post 25



Task 15.8 - Is that an eye under that nose?
Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors ***GR Author***
Task points = 15
Total GR Authors = 4
Total Challenge points = 370

Task 05.04: En torn i øjet by Julie Hastrup.
The main character's name is Rebekka - which I'm glad my parents didn't name me.
Task 25.01:: Cop Killer and The Terrorists by Maj Sjöwall
No. 9 and 10 in a series.
Total points: 55

I listened to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
total points: 185

A. Published before 1979-I read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Published 1938. 3*
B. Smile on Cover- I read Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin by Kathy Griffin. 4*
Total Points: 85
Tasks Completed: 5
Books Read: 10
Pages Read: 3,344
Tasks in Process: 15.5, 20.1, 30.1, 30.3

5.6 She's a Beauty
Temptation and Surrender

5.8 Freedom to Read

5.9 Comfort Read.
Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer. Georgette Heyer's Regency romances are filled with wit, human emotions, and tempting men, all without being filled with pages of romps in bed (or the gazebo or the carriage). Those kind of book can be fun, too, but Heyer lets you use your imagination.
15.8 Is That an Eye Underneath That Nose.
By Nightfall: A Novel by Michael Cunningham about an art dealer, his art magazine editor wife, and her younger brother, an exdrug addict who wants to "do" something in the arts.
25.3 Daylight Savings:
A. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum, nonfiction set in 1920s New York City. Very good book if you like forensic or political history.
Today's total: 55
Grand total: 590

Breaking Free by Saira Bronson
*Immigrant coming to the UK in a forced marriage*
Points this task:20
Total Points:315
Tasks Completed:20
Books Read:26
Total Goodreads Authors:3
Total Big Book Tickets:3


A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Task 30.4 Mysteries & Animals
The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst and
White Elephant Dead by Carolyn Hart
Task 30.7 Good Spirits
A Separate Peace by John Knowles (originally published 1959) and
Staying True by Jenny Sanford

Total points these tasks = 65
Total points to date = 280

(Entered author JOHN WYNDHAM...I thought the Lit Map returned a good author with H.G. WELLS; WYNDHAM has stated he was heavily influenced by WELLS and I definitely see the correlation.)

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
Dover Thrift, 1996 (1896)
104 pg.
Read - 10/20/10
4 Stars
TOTAL POINTS: 225

25.3 Daylight Savings - I chose options C and D
C. Read a short book - The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (my addition was 266 pages) - 3 stars
D. Read a book featured as one of the Most Depressing Books of All Time - Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (number 27 on the list) - The subject matter of this book was depressing, however I don't think it was one of the most depressing of all time - 3 1/2 stars
****Mary E. Pearson is a Goodreads Author****
Points This Task 25
Total Points 235
Tasks Completed 13
Total Big Book Tickets 0
Total Goodreads Authors 5

The Chardonnay Charade by Ellen Crosby
**Goodreads Author**
10.7 CITY LIGHTS
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
**Goodreads Author**
10.10 GROUP HUG
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
**Goodreads Author**
This was a Group Read for Urban Fantasy Group
NEW HORIZONS
Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller
This was from the Christian book shelf. It was a very interesting book. I would probably read another book like this.
30.6 EXPLORATION & HIGH ADVENTURE
A. Extreme Experience involving travel -
Rowing to Latitude: Journeys Along the Arctic's Edge by Jill Fredston
B. Explorer, adventurer, etc you have never heard of -
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
30.7 GOOD SPIRITS
A.Book older than you - A Stone for Danny Fisher by Harold Robbins
Originally published in 1952
**Big Book 500+**
B. Smile on the cover The Secret Life of Bees

Points: 105
Tasks: 6
Books: 8
Pages: 3080
GR Authors: 3
Big Books: 1
TOTAL POINTS: 440
TOTAL BOOKS: 38
TOTAL TASKS: 29
TOTAL PAGES: 14,651
GR AUTHORS: 11
BIG BOOKS 500+: 6

10.1 Shorter Days

10.6 In the Pink

20.6 Seeing Yourself in the Title

letters used: e,y,n
20.9 Babies!

20.10 Group Reads

comment posted in discussion thread
Total Points: 80

5.9 Comfort Read: I LOVE Roald Dahl, and I am still reading all of his books. I picked up my copy of this one at a recent library book sale.

15.7 Solve the Mystery (A. The Classics List)

20.1 Bookmarks Magazine

Bookmarks issue: November/December 2010
25.2 As Her Debut...
Any debut novel

Debut novel in 2010

25.3 Daylight Savings
A. Historical Fiction

D. Depressing Books

Previous Total: 80
Points Added: +90
New Total = 170

Completed Task #15.3 - Continental Divide
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Task Points: 15
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Total Challenge Points as of 10/20/10 = 280

3 new tasks
#5.6 She's a Beauty - the colors & the peacefulness of this scene really appealed to me
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

#10.3 Freedom: American slavery
The Pox Party: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson
#10.7 City Lights: Read a book with the word 'city' in the title:
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
* Cassandra Clare is a GoodReads Author
Total Points = 510
Tasks Completed = 33
Total Pages = 13,698
GoodReads Authors = 12

Task 30.1 In the cards
Queen of Hearts: The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
Jack of Clubs: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
***Tess Gerritsen and Neil Gaiman are both GR authors***
Total Points:405
GoodReads author: 10
Big Books: 1

B) Read a book that features time travel.

D) Since dark will come earlier, read a "dark" book - select a book that is over 100 pages from Most Depressing Book of All Time

Task Points: 25
Total Points: 220



20.6 -- Seeing Yourself in a Title
I found my first name, Kristi, in the title All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians, and Artists by Terry Gross
25.3 -- Daylight Savings
C. Read a short book (100-300 pages) -- Captive Star (Stars of Mithra #2) by Nora Roberts (248 pages)
D. Read a "dark" book from Most Depressing Book of All Time list -- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - While I do find the plight of women in Afghanistan to be very depressing and I found parts of this book hard to read, I also found it almost impossible to put down and, ultimately, not depressing at all. Great book!
30.1-- It’s In the Cards
1st Draw: Jack of Spades -- classic (published in 1960 or earlier) written by a man - 1984 by George Orwell (published in 1949)
2nd Draw: 10 of Clubs -- book published in a year ending in an EVEN number written by a Goodreads Author - Diary of a Confessions Queen by Kathy Carmichael (published in 2010) ** GOODREADS AUTHOR **
Total Points: 280/890

Tasks Completed: 16/53
Tasks in Progress: 30.7
Books Read: 22
Books by Goodreads authors: 1 (Kathy Carmichael)
Big Books: 0 (500+), 0 (750+), 0 (1000+)

Upon reflection I need to remove my selection for 15.8
By Nightfall: A Novel and the 15 points, which will drop my total to 575.
After reading discussion in the help thread, it doesn't really fit the criteria or the spirit of the task very well.
Sorry for making more work for you.

Books read: 6
Challenges accomplished: 6
Points : 85

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (from Sept 2000)
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory (from Sept 2009)
*Margaret Atwood is a Goodreads author*
*Please may I have a Big Book Ticket for The Blind Assassin (641pp)*
Total points: 270
Big Book tickets: 500+ (5), 750+ (1), 1000+ (0)
Goodread authors: 5
Books read: 23
Pages read: 9975

30.3 Shipwrecked!
I read A Total Waste of Makeup by Kim Gruenenfelder and Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase by Jen Lancaster
An island has to have a beach! So I picked a couple of fun and entertaining beach books.
Total Points: 130
Tasks Completed: 7
Total Books Read: 9
Books by Goodreads Authors: 0
Big Books: 1(500+), 0(750+), 0(1000+)
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5.4 I'm Glad my Mother didn't Name me...
The Exception: A Novel by Christian Jungersen.
Main characters are named Camilla, Iben and Malene. I'm glad my mother didn't name like that, specially Camilla.
TOTAL POINTS: 25 + 5 = 30

I rolled a 4 and a 3 and a 6 so I read the following books.
Book A: I rolled a 4
4: Read a book about World War II ex. Survival in Auschwitz
Kaleidoscope by Danielle Steel for Part A set in WW II
Book B: I rolled a 3
3: Read a book with a Special Forces main character (if it’s not obvious from the book description, please tell us about the character) ex. Inside Delta Force: The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit
By Order of the President by W.E.B. Griffin ( Delta Force major Carlos Guillermo Castillo) (Big Book 544 pages)
Book C: I rolled a 6
6: Read a book you haven’t read before with the word ‘Honor(able)’ in the title ex. True Honor
Silent Honor by Danielle Steel
Total Points = 890
New Big Book 500+ = By Order of the President by W.E.B. Griffin
Done!!

Read Dead and Gone and Dead in the Family, both by Charlaine Harris-books #9 & 10 in the Sookie Stackhouse series.
Points for this task:25
Books read-12
Tasks completed-11
Tasks in progress-3
Pages for this task-312/311 (623 total)
Total pages read-3125
GR Authors:1
Total Points:120

Broken by Karin Slaughter
and
Marked by P.C. Cast
Points this task: 15
Total Points: 415
Tasks Completed: 29
Books Read: 35
GoodReads Authors: 4
Big Books: 500+ (4), 750+ (1), 1000+ (0)

A. Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener - The book on which South Pacific was based.
This musical holds memories for me: When I was eleven years old and began High School we had no school on Wednesday afternoons. My Dad used to take those afternoons off work to spend time with me, and one Wednesday he took me to see the new film of South Pacific at the Odeon Cinema. This was a big treat and an afternoon I have never forgotten, just me and Dad going to the cinema together!
Total points to date 425


5.1 FALL COLORS - The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan This book was 516 pages so I would like to claim a big book ticket 500+
5.4. I'M GLAD MY MOTHER DIDN'T NAME ME - Nothing Can Keep Us Together by Cecily von Ziegesar. I'm glad my mother didn't name me Cecily.
5.5 TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME - Waiting for Teddy Williams by Howard Frank Mosher
10.1 SHORTER DAYS - East, West by Salman Rushdie
20.10 GROUP READ - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I also made a comment in the group discussion section.
TOTAL POINTS: 190
TOTAL BOOKS: 17
TOTAL PAGES: 5761
BIG BOOK TICKET: 1
GOODREADS AUTHORS: 4

25.3 - Daylight Savings
A. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko (historical fiction)
C. The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst (261 pages)
** Goodreads Author - Gennifer Choldenko**
Total Points = 105 Points

I read Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. This book is on the Sept. 2009 list.
I also read I Love You, Ronnie: The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan by Nancy Reagan-which was beautiful and so heart-warming. This book is on the Nov. 2000 list.
Points for this task-30
Total Points- 480
Books Read- 36
Goodreads Authors-11
Total Pages Read- 11767
15.3 Continental Divide
(Europe) Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Points This Task: 15
Total Points: 125
Tasks Completed: 10
Books Read: 12
GoodReads Authors: 2
Big Books: 500+(0), 750+(0), 1000+(0)
Total Pages Read: 2931
(Europe) Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Points This Task: 15
Total Points: 125
Tasks Completed: 10
Books Read: 12
GoodReads Authors: 2
Big Books: 500+(0), 750+(0), 1000+(0)
Total Pages Read: 2931

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
*** Top 150 Bestsellers List - Sept. 2009 ***
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rawlings
*** Top 150 Bestsellers List - Sept. 2000 ***
Total points- 125
Total tasks- 9
Goodreads Authors- 1
Big Books - 0
15.7 - SOLVE THE MYSTERY
Choose one book based on your solution to the mystery.
C) A heavy book fell off the shelf and hit her in the head. - Read a book from Big Fat Books Worth the Effort.
I read Inkheart.
Total points: 295
Choose one book based on your solution to the mystery.
C) A heavy book fell off the shelf and hit her in the head. - Read a book from Big Fat Books Worth the Effort.
I read Inkheart.
Total points: 295


5.7 Circle of Life
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (who was born on my birthday, Nov. 18)
Points This Task: 10
Total Points: 60
Tasks Completed: 5
Books Read: 5
GoodReads Authors: 1
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(0), 1000+(0)

A. Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener - The book on which South Pacific was based.
This musical holds memories for me..."
That was wonderful! Michener is my very favorite author. We family movied a lot, Drive-Ins all summer and theaters in winter followed by dinner at a Chinese restaurant. I went just once alone with my dad and we saw Sword In The Stone, leading to my fascination with King Arthur and Merlin. That one movie brought me lots of books, Camelot, Mary Stewart, and even Spamalot. Great Memories

Grant
*628 pgs qualifying for a big book ticket*
This is listed on The History Book Club's currently-reading shelf
15.9 - COIN COLLECTOR!
I got 2 The Hell With It! (or tails), read a book or books totalling at least 700 pages
Blameless 355pgs
Pinheads and Patriots 245pgs
The Oresteia: Agamemnon; The Libation Bearers; The Eumenides 335pgs
total: 935pgs
Total Challenges Completed: 7
Total Books Read: 9
Total Points: 85
Big Books: 500+ (2), 750+ (0), 1000+ (0)

A Game of Thrones
Word related to baseball = "game"
Points for this task: 5
Total points: 55

Task #10.2 We Need A Drink - The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine by: Benjamin Wallace
Total Points to Date: 70


20.3 El’s Task (Best Review Contest) – Feminist Literature
The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire (2010) by Jack Weatherford (Hardcover, 352 pages) (specifically approved for this task) 3 *'s
120 + 20 = 140

Tasks Completed: 9
Points for this task: 20
Points thus far: 140/890
Books read: 10
Pages Read: 3443
Read but not claimed: 10
Goodreads Authors: 3
(Goodreads Author) Chris Cleave (#20.10)
(Goodreads Author) Jamie Ford (#20.8)
(Goodreads Author) John Joseph Adams (#20.6)

Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh
I love historical romance, and one of my favorite things about fall/winter is curling up on cold nights with hot chocolate and a good book! So comfortable to be warm and snug and lost in another time.
Total Tasks Completed: 3
Total Points: 40

135 points

TOTALS
Points: 60
Books: 6
Tasks: 5

September 25 - October 2 is Banned Book Week. Read a banned or challenged book. Listopia help: Best Banned and/or Censored Books, The Most Frequently Challenged Books, Banned Books, Banned Books 2007-2008
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Finished 10/21/10
10.8 WHAT A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING- Vacation is over and it is back to work- Read a work memoir (Non-Fiction) Work memoirs focus on the experiences of the author's career. Ex. Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, All Creatures Great and Small, Stet: An Editor's Life, Teacher Man, On Thin Ice: Breakdowns, Whiteouts, and Survival on the World's Deadliest Roads
A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex Finished 10/20/10
Total Point Earned: 120/890
Total Pages Read: 3595/23446
Total Books Read: 14/65
Good Read Authours:
Big Book Tickets: 500(), 750(), 1000()


5.4 I'm Glad my mother didn't name me..."
The Book of Tomorrow by Cecilia Ahern. I'm really glad my mom didn't name me Cecilia, or even Tamara, the book's main character's name...not much better.
5.5 Take me out to the ball game
The Grilling Season
5.7 Circle of Life
Der Augensammler by Sebastian Fitzek who was born October 13.
20.6 Seeing yourself in a title
Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms by Ethan Gilsdorf
My name's Martina. And since this was the only book I had, that had lots of letters in it, is was my only possibility :)
25.3 Daylight Savings
I chose option A and read The Man Who Was Loved by Kay MacCauley.
And I chose option C and read Nachtjagd. Black Dagger 01 by J.R. Ward which is the first volume of the Black Dagger Brotherhood in German and has 286 pages.
30.7 Good Spirits
For A I read Peter Pan which was first published in 1981, I was born in 1987.
And for B I read

Total Points: 320
Tasks completed: 21

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Books mentioned in this topic
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21: The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Deborah Tannen (other topics)
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Noel Streatfeild (other topics)
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I read Girl in Translation. About a girl and her mom who leave Hong Kong to come to the U.S. and the trials and tribulations they experience.
Total Challenges Completed: 5
Total Points: 65
Total books read: 5
Total pages: 1635