The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009 COMPLETED TASKS

I'm usually not a fan of short stories (with the exception of Flannery O'Connor's; she is AMAZING), but I did enjoy this book. The stories themselves were fine - the title story being my favorite - but it was Chabon's writing that really enamored me. I must bump Kavalier and Clay to the top of my TBR.
Total Points: 250/690
Books Read: 29/62
Tasks Completed: 18/45
Pages Read: 9,053

I thought the book was the better of the two by far.
In the book, the character of Coraline was sweet, logical, down-to-earth and she had a sense of self-awareness and believed in herself. In the movie, she came across as an angry, petulant child who was easily fooled by the Other Mother.
The movie changed the plot of the book quite a bit by adding extra characters and props and switching scenes around. For example a scene that, in the book, occurs after Coraline's parents are captured, occurs before her parents are captured in the movie.
I also found that Coraline's relationship with the cat is altered. At first, their relationship isn't established and, at the end, the two haven't connected as they did in the book. In the book, Coraline treated the cat as a friend. In the movie, the cat is a prop.
I wonder what Neil Gaiman thinks of the movie version of his book.


1. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
2.
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.
7. Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney
8.
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.
3.
4. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
5. The Book Thief by by Markus Zusak
6.
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
2. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
3.
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.
8. The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky and The House of the Dead by Fyodor Dostoevsky
9. No Place Like Home A Novel by Mary Higgins Clark
10.
20 POINT TASKS
1.Left Behind by Tim LaHaye
2.
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.
4.
5. Beauchamp, Or, The Wheel of Fortune (1817) by James Holroyd Fielding
6. Abraham Lincoln, the True Story of a Great Life: Showing the Inner Growth, Special Training and Peculiar Fitness of the Man for His Work
by William O. Stoddard
7. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer and
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.
50 POINT TASKS
1.Of Sound Mind by Jean Ferris and The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and The Phantom of the Opera: The Original Novel by Gaston Leroux - because it was the first play that i saw on broadway
190/690 Points
5524/19638 Pages Read



15-6 "Dear Theo" edited by Irving Stone. This is an autobiography of Vincent Van Gogh that I was initially really excited to read. It was sooooooo boring! I had to force myself to read it everynight-I actually started in over a month ago. I also worked on a quilting project that I was thrilled to be able to take time to do!
and: 5-9 with 'As We Are Now' by May Sarton. I really like May Sartons writing and this was no exception, a quick read but very sad.
205 points.

I was in Seattle last week and visited the Seattle Art Museum. Great musuem and very good book. I think my students will really enjoy it.
That puts me at
250 points
6316 pages read.

This puts my total point count at 85.

Two great choices for me!
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Next I finished another one 25 points task( *9 Diane's task self-improvement Eat,Pray,Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
My total points is 70


Vanessa is an accidental heroine - a 'regular' person on vacation who treats an old circus horse for an injury (she's a vet), and learns they're planning on "putting him down" because they can't afford to feed a non-performing animal, so she offers to take him off their hands. Then she discovers that he's a Lippizaner stallion who was stolen a decade earlier, so she returns him to the Spanish Riding Academy and gets front-row seats for a performance which culminates, of course, in the "airs above the ground" - I would love to see that!!
25.3 Wendy's Task: Positive Gay/Lesbian Character: Traitor's Moon by Lynn Flewelling Oct 11
Total pages = 11,644
Total Points to Date = 430

Vanessa is an accidental heroine - a 'regular' person on vacation who treats an old circus horse for an injury (she's a ..."
I loved that book and read it as a young girl, and in my big "horsey" stage. And I must say, I was even more fortunate to see them perform, thanks to my parents who took me to a performance when they were in town (during the 70s).
I was curious and checked online and seems that they are doing a 40th anniversary tour. This website gives more info. Perhaps it will be coming somewhere near where you live. It is certainly breathtaking and beautiful to see live!
http://www.lipizzaner.com/lipizzaner_...
Be sure to check the left side bar where it as the "Current Tour Schedule."

15.3 MATH - *Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (pp 291)- (1961/47 =42: 4th in Series) READ 10.11.09
15.3 MATH - Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene - (Addition = 11) (pp 240) READ 9.22.09

TASKS COMPLETED: 12
TASKS IN PROGRESS: 4
BOOKS READ: 20/62
PAGES READ: 6153
TOTAL POINTS EARNED: 195
*Books I Own

Books Read: 7
Tasks Completed: 5
Pages Read: 2,729
Total Points: 65
Gotta love the weekends, more tasks done!
5.8 Agnes and the Hitmanby Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. Crusie is a contemporary romance author and Bob Mayer usually writes thrillers/action (he is also a former Green Beret which is pretty cool). I would compare this book to a Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum/Carl Hiassen with more nookie kind of book. Romance, mafia, kooky characters, flamingos, frying pans, etc. I enjoyed it.
5.10 Time Travel - I read Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard, in which a teen girl is transported back to Regency England when she takes a nasty spill thanks to a too big pair of Prada shoes that she bought to try and fit in with the in-crowd. Now she will have to survive in 1815. Very cute & quick read.
15.10 Teacher/Student:
Teacher: I read Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Patillo about an English teacher/professor, who is disgraced when her teaching assistant accuses her of plagiarising some of her work, and her husband (also a teacher/professor) leaves her for said assistant. Scandal. She takes off to England in order to investigate some supposedly undiscovered letters written by Jane Austen in order to redeem herself and perhaps find true love? Meh.
Student: I read Skinned by Robin Wasserman, I sci-fi book about a high school student who has it all, good grades, cute boyfriend, athleticism and beauty, which is ended when she is struck by a car. Her parents then make the difficult decision to "upload" her into a robotic body. This reminded me of Battlestar Galactica a lot (because I am nerd). It's the whole can machines be considered truly human deal, and its a very interesting perspective, I really enjoyed it and will definitely read the second book.
20.1 Christian fiction: I read Just Another Girl A Novel by Melody Carlson. I really enjoyed this. It's a contemporary young adult book much in the vein of Sarah Dessen or Sara Zarr, but from the perspective of a Christian teen. The book never gets preachy, but the main characters faith is a very important part of the story. I really enjoyed it.
Previous total: 280
Current total: 325
5.8 Agnes and the Hitmanby Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. Crusie is a contemporary romance author and Bob Mayer usually writes thrillers/action (he is also a former Green Beret which is pretty cool). I would compare this book to a Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum/Carl Hiassen with more nookie kind of book. Romance, mafia, kooky characters, flamingos, frying pans, etc. I enjoyed it.
5.10 Time Travel - I read Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard, in which a teen girl is transported back to Regency England when she takes a nasty spill thanks to a too big pair of Prada shoes that she bought to try and fit in with the in-crowd. Now she will have to survive in 1815. Very cute & quick read.
15.10 Teacher/Student:
Teacher: I read Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Patillo about an English teacher/professor, who is disgraced when her teaching assistant accuses her of plagiarising some of her work, and her husband (also a teacher/professor) leaves her for said assistant. Scandal. She takes off to England in order to investigate some supposedly undiscovered letters written by Jane Austen in order to redeem herself and perhaps find true love? Meh.
Student: I read Skinned by Robin Wasserman, I sci-fi book about a high school student who has it all, good grades, cute boyfriend, athleticism and beauty, which is ended when she is struck by a car. Her parents then make the difficult decision to "upload" her into a robotic body. This reminded me of Battlestar Galactica a lot (because I am nerd). It's the whole can machines be considered truly human deal, and its a very interesting perspective, I really enjoyed it and will definitely read the second book.
20.1 Christian fiction: I read Just Another Girl A Novel by Melody Carlson. I really enjoyed this. It's a contemporary young adult book much in the vein of Sarah Dessen or Sara Zarr, but from the perspective of a Christian teen. The book never gets preachy, but the main characters faith is a very important part of the story. I really enjoyed it.
Previous total: 280
Current total: 325

• Listen To An Audiobook While Walking/Jogging/Running Or Exercising In Some Way.
The Guinea Pig Diaries My Life as an Experiment by A.J. Jacobs while on my exercise bike
Tasks Completed:2
Total points:20


5.6 (Halloween) Bloodsucking Fiends - Christopher Moore
5.7 (Thanksgiving) The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole - Sue Townsend***
15.6 (Drama) As You Like It - William Shakespeare**
15.9 (Homework) Home is the Sailor - Day Keene*
*1) Foreshadowing - List three examples of foreshadowing and explain how each plays into the novel's central conflict.
2) Title - Explain the significance of the novel's title given the main character's original intentions as well as the conclusion of the novel.
3) Narrator - Given the many blackouts that occur during the course of the novel, is the narrator reliable or unreliable?
**Read the play and watched Kenneth Branagh's 2006 adaptation.
***The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 was the first book my wife lent to me...thus, all of the Adrian Mole books (anything Sue Townsend writes, really) remind me of how thankful I am that I met my wife and that we ended up together. Plus, since this part of Adrian's story has not been published in the US, I am especially thankful that I was able to find an alternate means of reading the story.
Total Points - 320

Total Points: 75


A Visible Darkness A Mystery by Michael Gregorio
I'd like to say I read this while eating bratwurst mit sohnensosse und spaetzle, which is brats and noodles in apple cider, onion and sour cream gravy. However, the recipe I have must be cooked in copious amounts to enhance the flavor. Plus, the people I would invite over to help me eat it (because it is definitely not a Weight Watchers (tm) meal) are way too entertaining to read while we are eating together.




NEW POINTS:5
OLD POINTS:225
TOTAL POINTS:230
TASKS COMPLETED:15
TASKS IN PROGRESS:3
BOOKS READ:20
PAGES READ:6711

Books ..."
I haven't read any of the Twilight books so I am merely curious in my question here, but where does the Native American thing come in? Is one of the characters Native American?

Next I finished another one 25 points task..."Cindy's task doesn't mean books with the word one/two/three in the title it means the number of words in the title so those titles don't fit. AND task 25.9 requires 2 books so you need to read another before I give credit.
Stephanie wrote: "Finished task 15.5 Study abroad (Spanish) by reading Captain Alatriste and Of Love and Shadows for 15 more points. This brings my total to 225.
"I did go back and look through your previous tasks but in the future as I mentioned to someone else - for 2 or more part tasks if you post parts separately as you read the books PLEASE do re-list the titles in the final post (when your actually claiming points). Thanks.

9. Coming Of Age Or All Grown Up (And Then Some) – Explore Stories Told From The Perspective Of A Character From One Of Two Opposite Ends Of The Age Spectrum By
• Reading A Coming Of Age Novel.
Diamond Age, Neal Stephenson.
25 POINT TASK
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.
Read Derby Girl, Shauna Cross (2007)
Saw Whip It (2009)
Derby Girl was okay, I gave it two stars. It didn't wow me which was disappointing as I have a deep love for roller derby. Bliss Cavendar, the protagonist, came across especially affected which led to the whole story feeling trite. Or maybe I'm just getting old and am sick of reading about disillusioned teenagers who have little reason to even be disillusioned. I guess I'm jaded... of the Gen-X/Y variety.
The movie based on the book, Whip It, directed by the ever-lovely Drew Barrymore, was slightly better but more in the amusement factor. Drew Barrymore manages to light up any screen in my opinion. It was a little too Juno-on-skates for my taste, but worth it maybe for the action sequences which is really the main reason I wanted to see it anyway. The movie stuck pretty close to the book but as always I was highly annoyed by the small changes that were made.



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19 TASKS COMPLETE - 4 PARTIALLY DONE
32 BOOK READ
11,866 PAGES READ

• My Initials Are CS So I Could Read A Book That Take Place In Canada AND One That Takes Place In Spain.
Garden of Beasts: A Novel of Berlin 1936 by Jeffrey Deaver (Germany)
The Constant Princess by Gregory (she lived for 5 months in Wales)
15 points
520 total

Thank you for keeping up on the points for all of us. I expect that it is a time-consuming job and you manage to do it with very few errors. However, I think you overlooked my 25 point task in message #1801. I have completed tasks 5.10, 10.5, 25.4, and 25.10. Thanks for checking on this. I really do appreciate your doing this for all of us.

The Girl Who Played with Fire This was a five star for me! It picked up where The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo left off, but I enjoyed the second one more.
Hanna's Daughters I struggled with this one. The story was okay, but whether it was the translation or just the writing, it was slow going.
Total points: 135

10.3 - Berenstain Bears Task: I read The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room, The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat, The Berenstain Bears and the Ghost of the Forest, The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Car TripThe Berenstain Bears Go on a Ghost Walk = 160 pages total
15.7 Let's Get Physical - Deep Drive A Long Journey to Finding the Champion Within by Mike Lowell and I went to a Red Sox game on October 3rd.
20.2 Rookie of the Season - Erin - (EFG) - Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich, Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich, and Gone by Lisa Gardner.
TOTAL POINTS: 105
TASKS COMPLETED: 8
TASKS IN PROGRESS: 2
BOOKS READ: 14
PAGES READ: 4754

15.4.Science Fact vs. Science Fiction
• Read A Science Fiction Novel
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells -- -- 220 pp (10.11.09)
I forgot just how different the writing of the Victorian era was with this book and with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (144 pp [10.11.09:]). It was a struggle to read because of the style and some of the language of the time period. I read both since they were "novellas" and felt that after all the discussion on J/H, I should go ahead and read it too. I definitely liked Invisible Man better and felt that it had more of a science basis to it than J/H.
And Cynthia, I'm sorry to have been so troublesome by even suggesting Jekyll/Hyde for this task. Thank you for being so patient.
And Watch A Film Related To Science Or Scientific Discovery.
I watched 3 hours of Mythbusters (figured with all the commercials that should bring the time close to a 2-hour movie).
This is my short summary of that:
Mythbusters 10.7.07 - Knock Your Socks Off ep
bullet drop (physics) Confirmed (gravity--learned
something by this myth and was probably my favorite)
Socks knocked off -- busted
Myth Revolution--Myths that got away (2007) 1 & 2
Radio Frequency Identification--busted
Ninja Bullet Slap--busted
Underwater Car (breath from tire)--busted
Airbag explosion-thumbs off @10 &2--busted
Speeding car-license plate--busted
Mesh tailgate worked best for fuel efficiency
Sword vs MachineGun Barrel--busted
Salami rocket re-visit--with some tweaks on nozzles--confirmed
Tasks Completed: 22/45
Partially Completed Tasks: 2
Points Earned: 290/690
Total Books: 28 **counted Invisible Man & J/H as 1 book
Total Pages Read: 4,388
Total Hours listened: 46.75 (approx.)


This book details life in Britain in the year 1940. It is written as though the German Nazi party has invaded the country. However despite the invasion one young school boy cannot help but resist the foreign powers in charge. Against the Day details his experiences as well as others as the Resistance movement in Britain gains strength.

For task 15.8 I had to use the initials C and G. I chose the countries of Cambodia and Guyana. The book I read about Cambodia was The Road to Lost Innocence by Somaly Man. This was a heart felt book written by an amazing women who rose above her early years as a child prostitute to now a rescuer of other children trapped in the sex industry of South East Asia.
For my book on Guyana I read Guyana Massacre An Eyewitness Account by Charles A Krause. Krause was an eyewitness to the tragedy and carnage that occured in Jonestown, Guyana.

15.4. Hunger by Micheal Grant and Mega Disasters on the History Channel.
Hopefully that will count. If not please contact me Cynthia.
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I didn't see where anyone had answered your question... But YES, Jacob and all the werewolves are Quileute Indians. Their culture and mythology actually play a significant role in the development of the story, especially in New Moon and Eclipse.

Task 15.5 — Foreign Language: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (9/21/09) and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke (10/12/09)
Both were pretty darn good. I'm really looking forward to reading Inkdeath! There's a gaping hole in the plot that desperately needs to be filled.
CURRENT STATS
Tasks Completed: 21/45
Tasks Partially Completed: 3
Books Read: 31/62
Pages Read: 11,152
Points Earned: 290/690


"The Poison Apples" by Lily Archer
It was a pretty cute story of 3 girls who formed an otherwise unlikely friendship after bonding over the fact that they all 3 had evil stepmothers. They become each other's support group and vow to take down their evil stepmothers. It seems set up to have a sequel, as some subplots seemed unresolved.


Diane's Task - September is Self Improvement Month
read - The Art of Extreme Self Care by Cheryl Richardson 106 pages and Wasted-a memoir of anorexia and bulima by Marya Hornbacher 289 pages.
Cait's Task - Nouns
read - The Duggars 20 and Counting by Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar 228 pages; Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella 325 pages; and A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber 345 pages

Ah, cool! Thanks Sara.
I finished 10.1, Buddy Holly 1936-1959 with
Mrs. Mike (1947) by Benedict and Nancy Freedman
and I finished 15.9, Home/Work with
Building a Home with My Husband A Journey Through the Renovation of Love by Rachel Simon
Task: Trees are a recurring motif in this book. Discuss their significance.
10.1 +10
15.9 +15
total 540 _
Mrs. Mike (1947) by Benedict and Nancy Freedman
and I finished 15.9, Home/Work with
Building a Home with My Husband A Journey Through the Renovation of Love by Rachel Simon
Task: Trees are a recurring motif in this book. Discuss their significance.
10.1 +10
15.9 +15
total 540 _
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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)
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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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"Dearly Devoted Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay
Dexter is the adopted character in the novel.