The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

Lindsay wrote: "I just started the challenge, here are my completed tasks:
5 pt task #10: The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
25 pt task, Candace's task: Again, The Time Traveler's Wife. Excellent book, ..."

Lindsay, each book can count only once, so you must read a different book for each task.

I completed task 10.9 (Civil War Task)

I read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It felt like it took forever to read this classic. I guess since I knew how it ended since I had seen the movie, it didn't grasp my attention completely. I did like it though.




Tasks Completed: 5
Tasks Started: 3
Books Read: 6 (plus 3 childrens picture books)
Pages Read: 1,989
Points Earned:90
# of Books from "owned and unread" shelf: 4

25.9 read Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb
I really enjoyed reading this book. The main character, Julia, definetely showed a development of self confidence. Her change from the beginning of the book to the end was remarkable. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

25.10 Sam's Task
Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder
Originally I selected this novel to fit the challenge - a quick n' easy teen lit read. The book's description seemed the standard Queen Bee model. Shockingly though, it FIT Sam's Task for Halloween Monster Fest. Well more the Halloween part!


Points: 25

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?ke...

25.7
One word title- Accident- Danielle Steel
Two word title- Twenty wishes- Debbie Macomber
three word title- A good yarn- Debbie Macomber

I really enjoyed reading the books for this challenge-they were all 4* reads for me.
Twenty wishes would satisfy the adoption challenge aswell if anyone likes Debbie Macomber!

Finished task 25.2 (Donna Jo's). For this one, I read Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire and Christopher Rice's Blind Fall. Anne is Christopher's mother, so that would be the 'blood' requirement for this task.

I honestly wasn't a huge fan of Interview. Parts of it were okay, but mostly - boring. Blind Fall was much better and definitely held my interest, I'd recommend that one for sure!!

Total points = 130


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I have finished 20.2 Erin's ABC's (S, T, U) with:
A Stolen Season by Steve Hamilton
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Unless A Novel by Carol Shields

+20 pts
total= 85


I'm so glad I found Unless- I might never have picked it up if I hadn't needed to find a "U".

20.3 Group Read--Julie & Julia


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10.8 - (random word recipe) Diners, Drive-ins and Dives An All-American Road Trip...with Recipes!

Total Points: 75
Tasks Completed: 5

Jennifer wrote: "15.6 Book With A Type Of Music In The Title And Listen To A CD.
Jazz by Toni Morrison and listened to Norah Jones.


"

Jennifer, what did you think of Jazz? I'm thinking of reading that for the 15.6 task also.

I've been having computer issues... (and I mean ISSUES...) I can't remember which tasks I've claimed, so I'll just give you what I've done so far:

Completed Tasks

5 Point Tasks
3. Sea Travel: Catherine and the Pirate by Karen Hawkins (9/1/09)
8. Multiple Authors: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan (9/2/09)
9. Coming of Age: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (9/7/09)
10. Time Travel: The Boy I Loved Before by Jenny Colgan (9/10/09)

10 Point Tasks
6. Native American: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (9/3/09)
8. Random Words (Ride): Thrill Ride by Rachel Hawthorne (9/9/09)
9. Civil War: Love Beyond Time by Nancy Campbell Allen (9/4/09)

20 Point Tasks
1. Julie — Christian Fiction: Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke (9/7/09)

CURRENT STATS
Tasks Completed: 8/45
Tasks Partially Completed: 3/45
Books Read: 11/60
Pages Read: 3,585
Points Earned: 70/690

Total Points = 50

5 point tasks:
1. Why Do They Act That Way? : A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen by David Walsh WHY Do They Act That Way? A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen
2. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
9. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

10 point tasks:
6. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

15 point tasks:
20 point tasks:

25 point tasks:
5. JANICE'S TASK - The Celestine Prophecy by James RedfieldThe Celestine Prophecy

30 point tasks:

15.10 Teacher/Student Relations: 2 books
Teacher: The Fiction Class by Susan Breen (296 pp) Sept 8 4****
Student: Matilda by Roald Dahl (240 pp) Sept. 8 4.5****
If you have never read Matilda or seen the movie, all I can say is - do both!!

25.1 Nicole's Task: Poetry Book + Fiction Book that have rhyming words in titles: back & black
Poetry 180 A Turning Back to Poetry by Billy Collins (272 pp) Sept. 10 2.5**
This is only the 2nd book I've read so far in the Fall Challenge that has been extremely disappointing (the other was Hard Times, but I had been warned!)

AND Black Powder War by Naomi Novik (400 pp) Sept. 10 4****

Total Pages = 4247

Total Points = 155

Lindsay wrote: "I just started the challenge, here are my completed tasks:
5 pt task #10: The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
25 pt task, Candace's task: Again, The Time Traveler's Wife. Excellent book, ..."Nicole is correct you need to let me know which of those 2 tasks you want to use that book for.

Barbara wrote: "25.9 read Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb
I really enjoyed reading this book. The main character, Julia, definetely showed a development of self confidence. Her change from the beginning of the b..."
Barbara - this task requires 2 books. Now if you meant that you had finished part of a task and not that you were claiming points that's fine - but you need to state that somewhere in the post so it's clear. Thanks

Melissa wrote: "Total Points = 50

5 point tasks:
1. Why Do They Act That Way? : A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen by David Walsh [book:WHY Do They Act That Way? A Survival Guide ..."5.1 - The only acceptable word for that task are Son(s), Daughter(s) (Because Their Important Too), Kid(s), Child, or Children none of which are in that title so I can't take that.

Cynthia, Sorry about that - I'm new to this. I meant that this is only for part 1 of the task.
25.9 Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb

Barbara wrote: "Cynthia, Sorry about that - I'm new to this. I meant that this is only for part 1 of the task.
25.9 Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb"No problem.

I just finished Like Water for Chocolate for task 10.4.

This puts me at 20 points so far.

20.1 MOST IMPROVED PLAYER – JULIE KS - I Am Very Faithful In My Christian Beliefs. Read A Christian Fiction Book. The Book Has To Demonstrate The Importance Of Living A Faith Centered Life. Some Good Authors Are Neta Jackson, Karen Kingsbury, And Jeanette Oakes.
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
20 points
145 Total

If a task has more than one book, I tend to wait until I've completed the whole task. Hee. So in this challenge, I may have read 4 books but have only finished 1 task. Thus far!

This is fun!

Nicole wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "15.6 Book With A Type Of Music In The Title And Listen To A CD.
Jazz by Toni Morrison and listened to Norah Jones.


"

Jennifer, what did you think of Jazz? I'm th..."

I thought is was beautifully written in that her words and thoughts are so vivid and descriptive. The problem was I got lost in those descriptions, as well as in the story, the narrator changes constantly. I say it was just OK, but I am planning on reading another one of her books for the challenge.

Jennifer wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "15.6 Book With A Type Of Music In The Title And Listen To A CD.
Jazz by Toni Morrison and listened to Norah Jones.


"

Jennifer, what did you t..."

That sounds like what happened to me the first time I tried to read Jazz. I picked it up a few years ago when I was in college and I couldn't get past the first couple chapters. I will give it another try. I've read several of Morrison's novels: The Bluest Eye, Sula, Tar Baby, Beloved... She does have a beautiful writing style, but not every story is as captivating as the last.

Jennifer wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "15.6 Book With A Type Of Music In The Title And Listen To A CD.
Jazz by Toni Morrison and listened to Norah Jones.


"

Jennifer, what did you t..."

P.S. Thank you, Jennifer, for your insight.

Finished:
15.8 Geography Lesson--the letters D and A, so I chose Denmark and Australia.
Lucca by Jens Christian Grondahl which I found so-so
and
A Town Like Aliceby Nevil Shute which was much more satisfying. I must get the DVD--I missed it years ago when it was on tv.

I finished my challenge--

30.1--

THE GHOST AND MRS. MCCLURE by Alice Kimberly

This delightful little tale is about a bookseller (my real job) who runs a shop that is haunted by a 40's detective type who can't leave. When the author of the fictional stories of the "ghost dectective" dies mysteriously withing the bookshop, he "appears" to Mrs. McClure and helps her solve the mystery. I see this as The Ghost & Mrs. Muir meets The Untouchables.

and

SOMEWHERE IN TIME by Richard Matheson

I love this movie and was so excited to be able to read the hearwrenching tale of a writer who travels back in time to meet his soulmate, a stage actress (my dream job). I absolutly loved the book and, even though I what was going to happen, was crying (not just sniffling) at the end. I feel like such a sap! The thing that really suprised me was that the book was actually set at the Hotel Del in San Diego (where I live!), funny they used another hotel in the movie, maybe too much reference to Some Like It Hot?

This brings me to 205 points!

Jo
5 pt. task. # 8
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
15 pt. task.#6
Frida Kahlo The Brush of Anguish by Martha Zamora
created an art sketch of Frida Kahlo
TOTAL POINTS = 20

Just finished another book:

Task 10.2 - Addiction - Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Holy cow.... meth is freaking dangerous stuff. This book was.... insane. Based on what happened to the author's daughter... And WOW. Addiction makes you do stupid crap. So, so incredibly stupid.

That brings me up to 80 points.

I have officially completed Diane's task (#25.9) by reading the following books:





Thank you Cynthia for keeping me up to speed!

Nicole wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "15.6 Book With A Type Of Music In The Title And Listen To A CD.
Jazz by Toni Morrison and listened to Norah Jones.


"

Jennife..."

Good Luck! I will also tell you that no matter how confusing the story may become, it does come together in the last few chapters.

25 Points
9. Self-Improvement: Japanese Step by Step An Innovative Approach to Speaking and Reading Japanese by Gene Nishi AND Japanland A Year in Search of Wa by Karin Muller.

The first is a grammar book that was approved by the taskmaster because it helps with my self-improvement, which is to get better Japanese! The second is about a woman who comes to Japan to try to find what's missing in her life, and does find calm and inner strength. Both are recommended...the first is really good for my Japanese, the second was a fun read!

Total Points: 150

20 points task 1
Before the Dawnby Dean Hughes

5 POINT TASKS
1. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
2. Twilight By Stephanie Meyer 9/3/09
3. Vanished at Sea: The True Story of a Child TV Actor and Double Murder by Tina Dirmann
4. The Face on the Milk Carton by Carolyn B. Cooney
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, Stephen Gammell (Illustrator)
7. Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney
8. The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance
9. Little Women by Louis May Alcott
10. Something Upstairs : A Tale Of Ghosts by Avi

10 POINT TASKS
1. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
2. A Child Called it By David Pelzer 9/11/09
3. Cat and the Hat/ Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss 9/1/09
4.. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
5. The Book Thief by by Markus Zusak
6. Crossing the Starlight Bridge (Aladdin Fiction) by Alice Mead
7. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
8. Breaking Dawn By Stephanie Meyer
9. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
10. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (Cat Who..., #1) by Lilian Jackson Braun

15 POINT TASKS
1. About a Boy by Nick Hornby and Don't You Forget About Me (Gossip Girl, #11) by Cecily von Ziegesar
2. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
3. The Ex Games (Romantic Comedies) by Jennifer Echols and You're the One That I Want (Gossip Girl, Book 6) by Cecily von Ziegesar
4. The Host by Stephanie Meyer
5. When Jonathan Died by Tony Duvert and The Tenant by Roland Topor
6. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Volume One in the Wicked Years) by Gregory Maguire
7. Adam Copeland On Edge by Adam Copeland
8. The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky and The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
9. No Place Like Home A Novel by Mary Higgins Clark
10. The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee and Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez

20 POINT TASKS
1.The Shack by William P. Young
2.Jessi's Wish (Baby-Sitters Club, 48) by Ann M. Martin and Kristy's Great Idea (The Baby-Sitter's Club #1) by Ann M. Martin and Logan's Story (Baby-Sitters Club Special Edition) by Ann M. Martin 9/2/09
3. Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell

25 POINT TASKS
1. A Light In The Attic By Shel Silverstein And The Friday Night Knitting Club By Kate Jacobs
2. Carrie by Stephen King and Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
3. Rainbow High by Alex Sanchez
4. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 9/7/09
5. Daughter of Fortune: A Novel (P.S.) by Isabel Allende
6. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
7. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer and New Moon by Stephanie Meyer 9/4/09 and Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
8. Heart and Soul of Nick Carter by Jane Carter and Around a Minnesota Campfire by Ruth Hein , Terry Fisk and Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
9. Knitting for Dummies by Pam Allen, Trisha Malcolm and Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb
10. Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1) by Richelle Mead

30 POINT TASKS
1. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber and Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

50 POINT TASKS


70/690 Points
2416/19703 Pages Read

ok woo! i finished ALL of the Planet Earth's! so yeah, now I get those points for 15.4! hehe! :)

I just completed task 5.1 by reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter. I really disliked this book and do not understand how it performed so well and was a best seller. I found it to be incredibly sloppy, indulgent, and unimaginative. My first one-star of the fall.

Point Total: 110
Page Total: 1674

I just finished task 20.1 Christian Faith by reading The Returning by Ann Tatlock. It's about a family - the husband is just returning after spending 5 years in prison for manslaughter (he killed a man when he was driving drunk) having found Christianity while he was there.

It was a truly heartbreaking story that had me in tears and there was a lot about faith, grace, redemption etc. Overall a very good book.

7 TASKS COMPLETE - 2 PARTIALLY DONE
13 BOOK READ
3,967 PAGES READ


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Ok, too many multi-book tasks started and not finished, but here goes

15.2 Rewriting History - Read an Alternative Historical Novel. Afterwards, Post A Review Where You State Whether You Think The World (Or A Particular) Country Would Be Better Today If The Author's Version Of History Is What Really Happened. Give Reasons Why.Fatherland by Robert Harris, read 9/10/2009.

Fatherland was a powerful, disturbing, fast read book. NOOOO, I do not think Germany or the world would be better off if Hitler had won the war. Perhaps the worst thing about this premise is not that millions lived on under oppression, because in our reality Stalin went on oppressing millions after WWII. The horrifying premise in this book is that millions of "undesireable" Jewish people were murdered and no one really knew or remembered or tried to prevent the horror from happening again.

Total points: 40/690
Tasks completed: 3/45
Books read: 6/59
Total pages: 2019

15.10: Teacher-Student Relations

Student: Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
Teacher: Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery

In Anne of the Island, Anne is a college student. In Anne of Windy Poplars she is a high school principal/teacher.

Done with task 10.8 (Random Word). For this one, I was scared when I got my 9th and 10th words... (Footnote and Transient). Then I breathed a sigh of relief when the 11th came up. Proof. *sigh*

That being said, I read Emily Giffin's Baby Proof. I've really come to enjoy her work, so I'm glad that I finally read this one!


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Total points = 140

I just finished On Becoming Baby Wise Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep by Gary Ezzo for task 5.7 (giving thanks).

The thing I'm most thankful for at this point in my life is my unborn child, hence the reason I read a parenting manual for this task. My sister bought this book after having her son 2 years ago and she hated it. She gave it to me anyway and told me to form my own opinion on it, because some people really love it.

So as for me, I thought it was okay but I'm not entirely convinced on buying what the authors are selling. It all seems a little extreme to me and I'm not an extreme person. I'm glad I read it though, it makes me feel more informed on a topic that is a "hot" item on the birth board I frequent.




TASKS COMPLETED: 6
TASKS PARTIALLY COMPLETED: 3
BOOKS READ: 12
PAGES READ: 2,729
POINTS EARNED: 35
NUMBER OF BOOKS READ FROM MY 'OWNED AND UNREAD' SHELF: 7

I finished 10.4 by reading The Ruins by Scott Smith which takes place in Mexico. I had stumbled across this book and I really enjoyed it. It was very creepy though.

I have completed half of task 15.1 I'm choosing to do Prepositions using "to". The first book I Have read is Dead to the World

5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10

10.1
10.2
10.3 The Selfish Crocodile (32pg)Aaron's hair (32pg) Where the Wild Things Are(48pg)
10.4 (Mexico)The Ruins
10.5
10.6
10.7
10.8
10.9
10.10

15.1 (Prepositions=to)Dead to the World & TBR
15.2
15.3
15.4
15.5
15.6
15.7
15.8
15.9
15.10

20.1
20.2
20.3

25.1
25.2
25.3
25.4
25.5
25.6
25.7
25.8
25.9
25.10

30.1

50.1

Total Points = 20
Tasks Completed = 2/45
Books Read = 5
Pages Read = 722



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hi cynthia, sorry to bother you but it seems you have overlooked my last completed task entry. i looked at the leaderboard and you added points for the person above and below mine, just seemed to skip me on accident!
i'll repost it now.

10.8 - (random word was recipe) read Diners, Drive-ins and Dives An All-American Road Trip... with Recipes!

Total Points: 75
Completed Tasks: 4

For Task 5.9 I have read A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly.

Books Read: 5
Tasks Completed: 5
Total Points: 55+5=60
Total Pages: 1538+389=1927

I just read Garden Spellsfor task 5.2 and Emily the Strange The Lost Days for task 5.6.

I definitely loved Garden Spells. I thought it was heart-warming and whimsical. Emily the Strange was a bit of a disappointment. A bit too juvenile for me.

Anyway, that puts me at 10 points.


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Finished one more before bed. I'm done with task 20.1 (Julie's). For this one I read The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis (which I got ok'd through Julie).

This is probably my favorite of the Narnia books so far. I actually haven't read any of them until this year, but I really liked this one & evidently its the next in line to be made into a movie (YAY!)

Total points = 160


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Roseann wrote: "I finished my challenge--

30.1--

THE GHOST AND MRS. MCCLURE by Alice Kimberly

This delightful little tale is about a bookseller (my real job) who runs a shop that is haunted by a 40's detective..."

That sounds like a fun book Roseann. As as running a bookshop is my dream job I may have to see if I can find a copy!

I completed 15.1. I chose prepositions and decided to use the word 'of.' The Man Who Loved Books Too Much The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett and The Forest of Hands and Teeth



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I finished 10.8- the Random Word Generator produced humanity, data, and seeking.
Read An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage
Interesting concept- food as the impetus of social change. Contrary views on current thinking re: green technology, locavores

+10
total = 95

I have complete Sam's task of reading a book with the word devil,witch, vampire, zombie, or werewolf in the title.

I read Zen and the Art of Vampires




Tasks Completed: 5
Tasks Started: 3
Books Read: 6 (plus 3 children's picture books)
Pages Read: 2,321
# of Books from "owned but unread shelf": 4
Total Points: 115

25.4. CANDACE'S TASK - Read A Book That Has Been Written Within The Last 10 Years And Made Into A Movie Within The Last 5. Read The Book And Watch The Movie Both, Then Post A Little Review Of The Two And Tell Us Which One You Liked Better And Why.

In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner

TOTAL = 50

I don't think I could really choose which one I liked better for this one since both the book and movie were very enjoyable. There were certain things that I liked better about one or the other, but overall it was a tie.

The movie followed the book pretty well except for one major part of the story. I actually liked the movie's take on it better. The casting was pretty good for the film version except that the character of Rose in the book is plus-sized and Toni Collette is most certainly not. Cameron Diaz was a perfect fit for Maggie, though.