The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009 COMPLETED TASKS
Dlmrose wrote: "re post 1692: We might not have survived our teen years with another sister- but it might have helped the ever shifting two against one alliances!
We're all heading to our parent's 50th annive..."
Good luck at the anniversary--and congratulations to your parents.
just finished task 25.7, by finally finishing the "three-word title book." (i had finished the other two books some time ago, they're listed on this thread wayyyyyyyyyyyy back there somewhere!)One word title: Night
Two word title: The Help
Three word title: The Good Thief
Total Points: 140/690
Books Read: 12/60
Tasks Completed: 9/45
Tasks in Progress: 2
Completed Geography Lessons with Child 44 Russia and
Bangkok Tattoo Thailand
My initials are TR. This gets me to 60 points
5.2 How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World I read this twice, not like it matters, but thought I'd add that anyway :) cute and informative.
10.4. Hispanic Heritage Month Begins On September 15 Which Commemorates The Anniversary Of Independence For Five Latin American Countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, And Nicaragua)/ In Addition, Mexico Declared Its Independence On September 16, And Chile On September 18. Read A Book Written By An Author From One Of Those Countries Or That Takes Place In One Of Those Countries Or A Non-Fiction Book About One Of Them.
GuatemalaWhen the Ground Turns in Its Sleep by Sylvia Sellers-Garcia
I really wanted to like this book, but there was way too much flashing back by way of the narrator "speaking" to his deceased father and way too many people withholding information from one another. I barely could finish the story because I just wanted to whack several people upside the head and say, "For crying out Pete's sake, just tell him/her."
Julia wrote: "I finished 15.1 (prepositions) by reading The Skull Beneath the Skin by PD James and The World Beneath by Aaron Gwyn
and
25.5 by reading The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
"
You claimed points for 15.1 already so your points stand at 85
*****ANNOUNCEMENT*****As some of you may have noticed, both ROSEANN and PJREADS have completed the current tasks well ahead of the mid-way date. Roseann having posted completion of the tasks slightly ahead of PJREADS would have been the one to design the mid-way challenge but she having done so in the previous challenge decided to pass that decision on to PJREADS as the next person in line. So we have a mid-way winner ahead of schedule but I will post the task once I receive it. Congrats to both of them and to everyone else as well - you guys amaze me.
I also finished another task today...I read A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux for 5.10 - Time Travel Past. This book actually has time travel to the past and future. It was a nice historical romance although no where near on par with my favorite time travel series (Outlander). And the ending is a bit bittersweet for my tastes but otherwise it was a very enjoyable story. 17 TASKS COMPLETE - 4 PARTIALLY DONE
30 BOOK READ
11,133 PAGES READ
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5.1 (children)Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop5.4 (adoption)Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg
10.7 (superheroes) The Taste of Night by Vicki Pettersson
Previous total: 10 pts
Current:
4 Tasks Completed: 30 points
I can't b believe that we have barely passed a month and already two people have finished!
15 POINT TASK6. Creative Minds (The Arts) - Become A Member Of The Drama Club - Read A Play And See A Production Of It Live Or On Film.
I watched the 1961 film version of A Raisin in the Sun, and read the play by Lorraine Hansberry.
20 POINT TASK
3. GROUP READ - Read The Shadow of the Wind, Julie and Julia 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, or Shutter Island.
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell.
TOTAL: 80
I finally finished one of the multibook challenges! A great task and one very good and two pretty good books.25.7 One, Two, Three – Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, Rising Tides by Nora Roberts, The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Total: 135/690 points
12/59 books
8/45 tasks
4999 pages
Congratulations, Roseann & PJReads! My big question is, now what do they get to do (besides the mid-way challenge, of course)? :)
I completed 25.2 by reading South of Broad by Pat Conroy and Queen of Broken Hearts by his wife Cassandra King.My total is now 130 points.
15 Point Task2. Rewriting History - Island in the Sea of Time by S.M. Stirling
Review: The "alternate history" in the book involves the island of nantucket mysteriously being transported back in time 3000 years and how the inhabitants deal with that. Some of the changes they effect are introducing unknown diseases (flu/mumps), stopping the proto-celtic invasion of britain, and introducing "modern" technology (iron smithing, ship building/navagation, steam engines, mechanical harvesters, germ-theroy medicine/sanition, etc.) into the bronze age.
I don't believe giving the industrial revolution such a head start would make the world today a better place. Despite the efforts of the main characters to not "make the same mistakes"; I believe that attitude would disappear within a few generations and wouldn't even be acknoledged by many of the locals, leading to resource over-use and pollution all over again, just more quickly. I think we would be poorer off.
Congratulations Roseann and PJreads! You both amaze me. Can't wait to see what your halfway challenge will be.
Julie wrote: "I read Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist for task 25.3.Total: 65 points
6 books"
Julie, you might double-check... I thought Wendy said Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist does not work for her task...? Take a look at Wendy's Task under the Task Help folder... I cut and paste her response about it here.
message 47: by Wendy
08/22/2009 07:27AM
Sara wrote: "Sarah wrote: "This is just so hard for me because I hate to say it but I'm not sure how I feel about the whole issue. I mean I think it's wrong for others to discriminate against you. I guess I jus..."
Nick and Nora, neither are gay so you can't use it. I just finished it and it doesn't work. Sorry.
Finished 15.6.Read:
5 Points
2. Apple Cover or Title: Garden Spells, Sarah Addison Allen
10 Points
3. Children’s Books: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, Bernard Waber 48pgs
Katie and the Sunflowers, James Mayhew 32pgs
Katie Meets the Impressionists, James Mayhew 32 Pages
4. Hispanic Heritage Month: Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Exquivel
15 Points
4.Science Fact vs. Science Fiction: Read: Specials, Scott Westerfield and watched The Greatest Places, an IMAX film about different amazing places all over the world.
6. Learn Your Art History - Book About An Artist Or Art History AND Go To A Museum To View Art Read: The Agony and the Ecstasy, Irving Stone and went to Fernbank Museam, Atlanta, GA
7. Let's Get Physical Read: Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town, Warren St. John and played soccer
25 Points
3. WENDY'S TASK – Positive GL Character: The Funny Thing Is, Ellen DeGeneres
Totals
Points: 95
Tasks: 7
Books: 9
Pages: 2254
Cynthia - you've given me 145 points but I only have 135 :) Off to try to make it 160!
Recently Completed Tasks:5.4 (Adoption) Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery
15.2 (Alt.History) The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde*
15.5 (Sweden) Faceless Killers - Henning Mankell / Let the Right One In - John Ajvide Lindqvist
20.2 (BCD) Beat the Reaper - Josh Bazell / The Confession - Domenic Stansberry / Dutch Uncle - Peter Pavia
25.4 (Book/Movie) The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo**
*Generally speaking, considering the historical events that haven't taken place in this book's version of history, I don't think the world would be a better place. However, the ability to share an actual link with a character with whom I shared a natural affinity as a child...that would personally be a nice change.
**The book was an interesting non-linear children's story told in an intimate setting with little dialogue--instead relying on a very chatty narrator. All of the elements that make the book charming are non-existent in the movie. The plot is more or less the same but greatly embellished. Sigourney Weaver does a decent job of imitating the tone of the book's narrator, but the writers have changed to narrator's role, making it far less interesting. The actors providing the voices all do a great job, but the dialogue has been mostly invented...and isn't necessary to make an interesting film adaptation. The worst part of the adaptation is the insistence on creating giant crowd scenes and writing huge amounts of exposition to increase the scope of the story from intimate to massive. This change alters the entire tone of the story. Generally speaking, the film version is okay on its own merits...as a adaptation of a novel, it blows.
Total Points - 280
Congrats Roseann & pjreads. You guys amaze me! I'm envious of how quickly you devour books. If I was able to read that fast, I'd be able to tackle my TBR in no time. I guess I'll dream on!
congratulations, Roseann and PJReads!!! wow! y'all are awesome. can't wait to see the mid-way task! :)
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-SmithMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The concept of this book fascinated me and I was interested to see if the execution was deft or clumsy. In parts it is very clumsy but that doesn't stop it being very funny. Overall though I prefer the real P & P and Austen's mastery of subtle and ironic comedy.
Nice to see the not so likeable characters in the story get their just deserts though!
Points for this book: 25
Points so far: 195
Kristina UK
I've been reading, but I've only actually finished one task. I think I'll just wait to post the other tasks until I've read all of the books necessary.The one that I did finish is:
5.7. (Thankful) Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata - This may be simplistic, but the thing I am most thankful for is that my family and I are all healthy. It's easy to take that for granted.
TOTAL = 5 POINTS, 1 BOOK
Cynthia wrote: "*****ANNOUNCEMENT*****As some of you may have noticed, both ROSEANN and PJREADS have completed the current tasks well ahead of the mid-way date. Roseann having posted completion of the tasks slig..."
Wowie!! Congrats to the super fast readers! Roseann and PJ, you guys are amazing. Now, what are you going to do with the next two months for reading? :-)
10. 6. November Is Native American Heritage Month - Read A Book Written By A Native American Author, With A Main Character Who Is Native American, Or A Non-Fictional Book About Native Americans. New Moon Stephanie Meyer re-read 10-3-09 Jacob Black, one of the main character is a Quileute 563 PagesCurrent Pages Read: 5191
Books Read: 14
Challenges Completed: 10
Total Points: 150
had to change my ticker so i could be festive!
I had a RIDICULOUSLY busy week, and I feel like I'm losing serious momentum! BUT I finally finished another task:Task 25.7 — Cindy — 1-2-3 Word Titles:
Graceling by Kristin Cashore (9/26/09) 4.95*
Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr (9/13/09) 4.5*
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (10/2/09) 5*
All three were AWESOME! :)
CURRENT STATS
Tasks Completed: 18/45
Tasks Partially Completed: 4
Books Read: 27/60
Pages Read: 9,271
Points Earned: 225/690
Congratulations, Roseann and Pjreads!!! Awesome!!
Congratulations to the finishers!I have completed Candace's task (#25.4) by reading and watching I Love You, Beth Cooper. The book was published in 2007 and a film adaptation was released in 2009. I thought the book was just ok. It was not as entertaining, cute or funny as I hoped it would be. I should have headed the warning signs. All the positive reviews on the back of the book were from other authors. I enjoyed the film version much more. I'm guessing for the sake of MPAA rating they toned it down a notch (thank goodness). Beth Cooper was less skanky and more sweet. Her boyfriend was more dumb jock than a psychotic domestic abuser. I would not recommend this book to friends and family. The movie was just a run of the mill teenage comedy/romance.
i just completed the Grammar task 15.1. My preposition was "of" and I read The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod Eighth Grade Bites, which all my students are loving right now and The Year of Yes. Chronicles was funny, but rather lightweight for my tastes. I liked the premise a lot more than the execution of it. I surprisingly loved Yes even though many people on this site found it to be overbearing crap. Maybe I found it more plausible because I lived in New York my entire life. Lol.[image error]
Finished 5-4 with Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber.135 points
No new points here - just a substitutionFor task 25.7, which I already completed and claimed, I'm replacing Dark Possession with Espresso Tales for the two-word title. I'll be using Dark Possession for another task.
Finished up 5.1 with Kathleen Kent's The Heretic's Daughter - interesting, but takes forever to get moving.Current Total: 125 points
Finished Club Dead for task 5.6. I'm still a little on the fence about this series, but starting to believe those who claim that it gets better. :)Total points: 120
20 point task-read Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
Cynthia, thanks for answering my questions :)25.3 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Sidney, her editor and long time friend is gay.
15.6 The Time Traveler's Wife
for my art I made a nature wall hanging.
I liked both of these books quite well. Guernsey was more in my comfort zone than the Time Travelers wife.
TOTAL: 55 pts
I've finally completed another task. I just finished The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan for Task 25.5. This brings me up to 65 points!65/690 Points
6/60 Books
4/45 Tasks
Pages Read: 1,724
25.2 I read "A Density of Souls" by Christopher Rice and "Belinda" by Anne Rampling/Anne Rice. They are son/mother. Surprisingly, I like Christopher's book better. I have read some other Anne Rice before (The Witching Hour) and liked it better than this one. Brings me to 210.
25.6 BJ Rose's TaskAn Unfinished Life (John F. Kennedy) by Robert Dallek (711 pages not including references & notes)
As major accomplishments, John F Kennedy created the Peace Corps in order to promote national values, enacted a partial Nuclear Test Treaty ban and was considered to be an excellent crisis manager choosing diplomacy over military solutions during problems with the Soviet Union, Cuba, Laos and Vietnam in order to avoid catastrophic events.
As for scandals, there was the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba; military involement in South Vietnam; womanizing with numerous women, including his wife's press secretary, Judith Campbell Exner who had connections with mobster Sam Giancana, Ellen Rometsch a East German spy, as well as other Hollywood stars; received injections for Addison's disease a back pain from Dr. Jacobson also known as Dr. Feelgood.
Total points: 220
Completed two more tasks 15 points
15.7. Let's Get Physical (P.E.)
• Listen To An Audiobook While Walking/Jogging/Running Or Exercising In Some Way.
Listened to A Lion Called Christian, Narrated By John Lee, 3 Cds Complete & Unabridged Audio Work by Anthony Bourke -- 3.5 hours while walking, completed 10.3.09.
This is a revised edition of the early book looking back 40 years ago thanks to a resurrenge on YouTube showing Christian's owners' reunion with their former pet lion, since returned back to the wilds in Kenya. Very heartwarming story. The two men who bought Christian from Harrod's (London) back in 1969 had a wonderful relationship with a warm-hearted and loveable lion and cared enough to give him what he needed as he grew up. And if it hadn't been for Christian, George Adamson would never had established the Kora National Reserve in Kenya. I'm a big animal lover at heart, so of course I loved this book!
If I hadn't listened to this book, I may have chosen some other book/country for the initial challenge, but I happened to have Joy Adamson's book (it had been my mom's well-worn/loved copy) about Elsa the lioness and takes place in Kenya. I haven't read this book since I was in my teens.
Next task, which has been a work in progress for a little while now:
25 points
25.8. CAIT'S TASK - Nouns - The Most Basic Definitions State That A Noun Is A Person, Place, Or Thing. Read 3 Books:
• With The Name Of A Person In The Title. Dexter
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay -- audiobook 8.25 hrs on 9.24.09 -- Really really enjoyed and can now finish watching HBO series to compare the two.
• With The Name Of A Place In The Title. Times Square
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden -- audiobook 2.75 hrs approx on 9.25.09 -- Didn't care as much for it as I did when I read it in grade school
• With A Thing/Object In The Title. Sea or Stone
Over Sea, Under Stone The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper -- 243 pp, on 10.3.09 -- Really enjoyed and can now read the next in the series for the prophecy challenge to keep the sequence.
Total Points: 155
Total Books: 17 (includes 1 for all the kids' books)
Total Tasks Completed: 14
Total Pages Read: 1,709 (not including kids' books)
Total Hours listened: 32.75 (approx.)
I JUST POSTED THE MIDWAY TASK - SO GO CHECK IT OUT!!!
Another finished task20.3 Group Read
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
I liked this book. I thought the story was unique, and I enjoyed the twists throughout. I gave it 4 stars.
Total: 140 + 20 = 160
Books Read: 9
Total Pages: 3456
Congrats to Rosanne and PJReads - I'm going to check out the new task!
Cynthia wrote: "I JUST POSTED THE MIDWAY TASK - SO GO CHECK IT OUT!!!"Mid-way task is posted, but I need a volunteer for a week (Oct 6-13) to answer any questions. (I'm taking a trip to New York and intend to be out & about getting full value for my vacation $$.) Whatever you decide as volunteer goes.
Donna Jo is the Task 50.1 designated decider for the week of Oct 6-13. Thank you!
Also wanted to announce that we've now read OVER 2000 books as a group this challenge - awesome job everyone!!!
15.3 addition 13 letters in name I read The KeepsakeTess Gerritsen
and division 1969 divide by 40 equals 49 read the 4th in a series The Battle of the Labyrinth
new total
340
El wrote: "Julie wrote: "I read Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist for task 25.3.Total: 65 points
6 books"
Julie, you might double-check... I thought Wendy said [book:Nick & Norah's Infinite Pla..."
The movie had some gay characters but not the book.
Congratulations PJ READS and Roseann !!
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Tempt Me at Twilight (other topics)Patterns in the Sand (other topics)
The Shadow of the Wind (other topics)
My Grandfather's Son (other topics)
Soul of a Dog: Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farm (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lisa Kleypas (other topics)Sally Goldenbaum (other topics)
Clarence Thomas (other topics)
Audrey Niffenegger (other topics)
Neil Gaiman (other topics)
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15.1 (prepositions) by reading The Skull Beneath the Skin by PD James and The World Beneath by Aaron Gwyn
and
25.5 by reading The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry