The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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SPRING CHALLENGE 2011: AUSTRALIA
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Spring Challenge 2011 Completed Tasks (DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS)
15.3 Earth Day
Reduce: one of the 10 olderst on my TBR list I read The Reckoningby Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong is a goodreads author
Reuse: left over from the Winter Challenge I did not get to I read Dead Is Just a Rumor
Marlene Perez is a goodreads author
5.4 Fan Club read The Body Finderby Kimberly Derting
Kimberly Derting is a goodreads author.
Used Melissa Marr's fan page and went to the fan Jessicas tbr to choose a 5 star book to read.
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Points this task 20
Total points 595/910
Tasks Completed: 31/54
Books read: 41/71
Total pages: 11786
GR Authors: 14
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(0), 1000+(0)
Reduce: one of the 10 olderst on my TBR list I read The Reckoningby Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong is a goodreads author
Reuse: left over from the Winter Challenge I did not get to I read Dead Is Just a Rumor
Marlene Perez is a goodreads author
5.4 Fan Club read The Body Finderby Kimberly Derting
Kimberly Derting is a goodreads author.
Used Melissa Marr's fan page and went to the fan Jessicas tbr to choose a 5 star book to read.
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Points this task 20
Total points 595/910
Tasks Completed: 31/54
Books read: 41/71
Total pages: 11786
GR Authors: 14
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(0), 1000+(0)


20.9. Lucky Me! Laurie's Task
Read a book that has one of the following words in its title: thief, murder, crime, criminal, exile, convict, robber or stolen.
The Christmas Thief by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark
Points this Post: 20
Tasks Completed this Post: 1
Books Read this Post: 1
Pages Read this Post: 204
Total Points: 510
Total Tasks Completed: 33
Total Books Read: 41
Total Pages Read: 14733
Total GoodReads Authors: 10
Total Big Books: 500+ (2), 750+ (2), 1000+ (0)

When you went away - Michael Baron
15.6 The Truth Is -
Bringing Adam Home - Les Stadiford
I read lots of crime novels, but this season, I read Alone by Lisa Gardner. The woman in the novel was abducted as a child, and spent a few weeks with a psychopath. I realized I knew very little about what happens in child abductions and I thought this would be a good place to start -- and I was right! Very informative novel on how the policy of finding missing children has changed since Adam Walsh's unfortunate abduction. Would highly recommend this book!
Points This Post: 25
Total Points: 230
Tasks Completed: 16
Books Read: 16
GoodReads Authors: 4
Big Books: 500+(0), 750+(0), 1000+(0)

A. Immortal in Death by JD Robb read 3/10/11
(Improving safety: police detective / fiction)
B. Bed Number Ten by Sue Baier read 4/28/11
(Improving health: ICU nurses / non-fiction)
Total This Post: 25
Completed Tasks: 35
Total Points to Date: 590
Goodreads Authors: 10
Big Books: 500+ (5), 750+ (1), 1000+ (0)

25.1 - Coralie's Task : In My Backyard
d. Read a book where a main character works in the food preparation industry.
Shades of Earl Grey by Laura Childs (The main character owns a tea shop.)
i. Read a book where a main character works in the film or television industry.
Death in Daytime by Eileen Davidson (The main character is a daytime soap opera star.)
Points This Post: 25
Total Points: 135
Tasks Completed: 9
Books Read: 11
Goodreads Authors: 0
Big Books: 500+(0), 750+(0), 1000+(0)

20.1 Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!
Read: Juliet by: Anne Fortier. The author's initials (A and F) are found in JOECAINFATTUESDAY. I LOVED this book!
Points this task: 20
Total Points: 160
Books Read: 10
Tasks Completed: 8
Big Ticket Books (1) 500+ (0) 750+ (0) 1000+
Goodreads Authors: 4 (Clare, Clare, Snyder, and Allen)

Task 30.4 Dlmrose's Task: Like I Needed an Excuse.......
A. True Crime non-fiction for the amateur detective like me! The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale
B. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - Rosaleen was a nanny / housekeeper until they had to run away but even then she still looks after domestic chores
Task 20.2 Rookie at the Top. Travelgirlut's Task: Random Words: Stretcher, train, decoy, fan, bib
The People’s Train by Tom Keneally
Task 20.3 Best Review Contest. Katy's Task: Happy International Women's Day!
The Awakening by Kate Chopin (USA) I'm in Australia
Task 15.9 -- In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb
The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami
This post: 85 points
Total to Date = 355 points.

5.4 Fan Club: I went to Nora Roberts fan page and then read from Terri's list
Crazy for You by Jennifer Crusie who is a Good reads author
Points this task 5
total points 305
Good reads authors 10
Books read 27
Tasks done26
pages 9926

10.9. No Lawyer Jokes!: I read The Associate by John Grisham
Points this task 10
total Point 315
Books read 28
Tasks done 27
Pages 9520

Finished task 20.5 Alliterative Authors
I read Open: An Autobiography by Andre Aggasi.
New point total: 130

Atonement by Ian McEwan
(Nominee, 2001)
Points This Post: 15
Total Points: 635
Tasks Completed: 41
Books Read: 52
Goodreads Author Books: 6
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(1), 1000+(1)

The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon – ★ ★ ★
Big Book Ticket (500+ pgs): 1
15.5 -- Award Me
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje - ★ ★ ★
25.2. Sandy's Task: Your Bucket List
A. The Eco-Travel Guide by Alastair Fuad-Lukes – ★ ★
My bucket list includes visiting 50 different countries (I’m currently up to 23) and this book briefly examines various earth-conscious destinations around the world. If you’re thinking of buying this book in order to explore eco-friendly destinations – don’t. The uninspired descriptions, surprisingly short bulleted lists of each place’s green efforts, and the single “front of building” photos made this one of the worst travel books I’ve ever waded through.
B. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - ★ ★ ★
25.3. Mrs. Soule's Task: A Better World
A. Breaking the Rules by Suzanne Brockmann – military (improving safety) - ★ ★ ★ ★
Big Book Ticket (500+ pgs): 1
B. Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action by Matthew Sleeth – protecting the natural environment - ★ ★ ★
Points This Post: 70
Total Points: 455
Goodreads authors this post: 0
Goodreads authors total: 6
Total Big Books: (500+) 4

Inspiration: The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs - contains a pregnant character
Non-Fiction: The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine
Total points = 280

and Recycle: Book from library Frostbite by Richelle Mead
15.8 -- From a Different Perspective: books is told from first person and third person sometimes both in the scene. Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon ***BIG BOOK
15.10 Spring break: Read any book Evermore by Alyson Noel
New points: 45
total points: 115
Goodreads Authors: Brooks,Mead
Big books 750+ Dragonfly in amber

A. Travel around Europe
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson read 4/17/11
Goodreads Author: Maureen Johnson
B. 1001 Books to Read Before You Die #284
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams read 4/28/11
Total This Post: 25
Completed Tasks: 36
Total Points to Date: 615
Goodreads Authors: 11
Big Books: 500+ (5), 750+ (1), 1000+ (0)

Task 25.6 - It's All About Australia and Oceania
I decided to do options 1 and 3.
For 1, I read Trapped by Michael Northrop.
For 3, using the word "great," I read The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith.
Points this task: 25
Total points: 325
Tasks completed: 21
Books read: 26
Pages read: 6826
Goodreads authors: 6
Big books: 500+ (1); 750+ (0); 1000+ (0)

Option 1) Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
Tasks Complete: 8
Points this task: 20
Total Points 140
Books read: 11
Pages read: 4,370
Goodreads authors: 4
Big Books: 2 (750+)

20.4 The Royal Wedding....
Option A: The word 'prince' in the title.
Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
by Conor Grennan
4 stars
***Goodreads Author***
+20
total: 165
tasks: 9
books: 11
GR Authors: 1

Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier
First published 1941
Total points to date 395


(a) Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Damon Knight Award 1987)
(b) Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (World Fantasy Award 1977)
Points This Post: 25
Total Points: 660
Tasks Completed: 42
Books Read: 54
Goodreads Author Books: 6
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(1), 1000+(1)

I chose option B and read two books from the Tournament of Books:
2006 entry: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (471 pages)
** Neil Gaiman is a Goodreads author **
2011 entry: Room by Emma Donoghue (mass market paperback edition lists 361 pages)
** Emma Donoghue is a Goodreads author **
Points this post: 25
Total Points: 455/910
Tasks Completed: 29
Books Read: 37
Goodreads Authors: 12
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(2), 1000+(0)

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev.
Fathers and Sons was written in Russian.
Total Points to Date: 675


20.8. It's My Birthday. Jayme VA's Task: The Night I Was Born
For this task, read a book that was later made into a mini series.
A Year in Provence (1989) by Peter Mayle (Paperback, 207 pages)
Here's the IMDB link that details the 12-episode (1 episode per month) mini-series that was made from the book:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108993/
180 + 20 = 200

Tasks Completed: 14
Points for this task: 20
Points thus far: 180 + 20 = 200
Books read: 16
Pages Read: 4455
Read but not claimed: 9
Goodreads Authors: 3
#1 Danielle Evans (#5.3)
#2 Siobhan Fallon (#25.3A)
#3 Michelle Moran (#20.5)

The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch
'Prince' is in the title
Points for this task: 20
Total points: 140
Task Completed: 9
Books Read: 10

30.1 CHERYL`S TASK:LITERATURE MAP BY GENDER
The Beach House by Jane Green
Twelve Red Herringsby Jeffrey Archer
Task points 30
Total points 280
Total tasks 14
Total books 21

1 new task
30.2. Sheila's Task: Sheila’s Guilty Pleasures: “reality” television
A. American Idol Winner Lee DeWyze: Lee Child: Tripwire
B. Dancing with the Stars Jennifer Grey: Jennifer Ashley: Penelope & Prince Charming
Jennifer Ashley is a GoodReads author
Total Points = 605
Tasks Completed = 42
Total Pages = 16,444
GoodReads Authors = 7
Big Books (500+) = 2

Book A - Read One Day by David Nicholls. This had a blurb from Nick Hornby. It said "A big, absorbing, smart, fantastically readable on-off love story".
Book B - So, then I read Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby.
30.5 - "Delicious Dee's task: “All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, or a book" My birthday is July 3rd.
Book A - Read The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera. This was from Nicki (UK)'s shelf. Her birthday is March 3rd.
Book B - Read Ariel by Sylvia Plath. This was from Andreea's shelf whose birthday is also March 3rd.
Points for above tasks: 45
Tasks above completed: 2
Total tasks completed: 12/54
Points completed: 175/910
Books read & claimed: 16
Books by Goodreads authors: 2
Big Books: 1 (500+), 0 (750+), 0 (1000+)

Dlmrose
15.10 Spring Break
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
30.3 Donna Jo's Task: Yours, Mine, and Ours
A. "My": Poser: My Life in Twenty-three Yoga Poses by Claire Dederer
B. Blended: When Madeline Was Young by Jane Hamilton
50.1 MsOPP (Julie)'s Task: "I Need to Know What Happens Next!"
Series: Lisa Gardner's Detective D.D. Warren
#2 Hide
#3 The Neighbor
#4 Live to Tell
Live to Tell was the best of the three- now I have to go get #5 Love You More
total 910
pages read: 21945
average rating: 3.55
15.10 Spring Break
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
30.3 Donna Jo's Task: Yours, Mine, and Ours
A. "My": Poser: My Life in Twenty-three Yoga Poses by Claire Dederer
B. Blended: When Madeline Was Young by Jane Hamilton
50.1 MsOPP (Julie)'s Task: "I Need to Know What Happens Next!"
Series: Lisa Gardner's Detective D.D. Warren
#2 Hide
#3 The Neighbor
#4 Live to Tell
Live to Tell was the best of the three- now I have to go get #5 Love You More
total 910
pages read: 21945
average rating: 3.55

I read My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.
The novel goes back an forth between all the characters. Each one explains their view on what is happening around them.
15.10 -- Spring Break- any book
I read A Fool and His Honey by Charlaine Harris
New Grand Total: 230

Task 25.1 - In My Backyard
I chose to do options A and C.
For A, I read The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon—and me, Ruby Oliver by E. Lockhart. The main character lives on a houseboat.
For C, I read Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts. The main male character is an architect.
Points this task: 25
Total points: 350
Tasks completed: 22
Books read: 28
Pages read: 7428
Goodreads authors: 6
Big books: 500+ (1); 750+ (0); 1000+ (0)

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Points This Post: 10
Total Points: 670
Tasks Completed: 43
Books Read: 55
Goodreads Author Books: 6
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(1), 1000+(1)

10.10 The Final Frontiers
Across Realtime
15.10 Spring Break
The Canterbury Tales
Total points 540

I read Wedding Date with the Best Man by Melissa McClone (and finished it today, on the day of the royal wedding :) )
Points for this task- 20
Total Points- 400
Goodreads Authors- 3
Tasks Completed- 26



25.6. Jennifer N's Task: It’s All About Australia and Oceania
Choose 2 of the options
2. Read a book by an author whose initials are found in the word AUSTRALIA –
Shiner, Lewis
Deserted Cities of the Heart (1988) by Lewis Shiner (Paperback, 273 pages)
AND
5. Read a book that is written by an author from Australia or other country in Oceania.
George Turner
George Turner was born and educated in Melbourne. He served in the Australian Imperial Forces during the Second World War.
George Turner was named as a Guest of Honor for Aussiecon Three, the 1999 World Science Fiction Convention held in Melbourne, but died before the event.
Drowning Towers (1987) by George Turner (Paperback, 387 pages)
200 + 25 = 225
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Tasks Completed: 15
Points for this task: 25
Points thus far: 200 + 25 = 225
Books read: 18
Pages Read: 5115
Read but not claimed: 8

15.10 Spring Break. Take a break and read any book you choose.
Book: Polished Hoe: A Novel by Austin Clarke
Points this post: 15
Total Points: 170
Tasks Completed: 9
Books Read: 9
Goodreads Authors: 3
Big Books: 500+(0), 750+(0), 1000+(0)

15.3 Earth Day.
B. Reuse: Read a book you planned to read for the Winter 2010-2011 challenge, but didn’t get to.
Book: The Grey King, Susan Cooper
C. Recycle Read a book you've borrowed from the library or a friend.
Book: Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
Points this post: 15
Total Points: 185
Tasks Completed: 10
Books Read: 11
Goodreads Authors: 3
Big Books: 500+(0), 750+(0), 1000+(0)

5.3 Gimme Five: March, April, And May are short word name months. Read a book by an author whose last name is five or fewer LETTERS.
Beyond the Night by Joss Ware
10.5. It Takes Two: April is Couple Appreciation Month – read a book with a 2 word title. Articles such as "a, an, the" count as words. Subtitles may be ignored.
Darkness Dawns by Dianne Duvall GOODREADS AUTHOR
This Post
Points: 15
GoodReads Author: 1
Tasks: 2
Total
Points: 90
GRA: 4
Tasks: 8

Read a biography/autobiography/memoir of a musician, or a novel featuring a professional musician or music teacher.
Heat Wave: The Life and Career of Ethel WatersDonald Bogle
This Post: 10
Total Points: 390
Tasks Completed: 28/54
Goodreads Authors: 4
Big Books: 500+ (1), 750+ (1), 1000+ (0)

One of my favorite authors is Jeaniene Frost, so I picked a fan named "Steph" (pg 15 on the fan page) and read Midnight's Daughter by Karen Chance. Steph rated it 5 stars.
15.6 -- The Truth Is...
I recently read Arsenic and Old Paint by Hailey Lind which got me interested in art theft and forgery, so I read The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft by Ulrich Boser (Goodreads author).
20.7 Shorter is Sweeter. Tami's task: Quips and Quotes
My quote is “It's not your blue blood, your pedigree or your college degree. It's what you do with your life that counts.” – Millard Fuller
I read A Pedigree To Die For by Laurien Berenson.
Total Points This Post: 40
Total Tasks This Post: 3
Goodreads Authors This Post: 1
Grand Total Points: 480/910
Total Books Read: 37
Tasks Completed: 30/54
Total Goodreads Authors: 12
Big Book Tickets This Post: 0
Total Big Books: 0
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My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Points this post: 5
Total Points: 330
Tasks Completed: 24
Books Read: 31
GoodReads Authors: 5
Big Books: 500+ (2), 750+ (1), 1000+ (0)