The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

Sara ♥ wrote: "Can I make a request? When you all post, could you tell whether or not you liked the book, or even just what you rated it, so everyone we'll know if the book was good or not?"

What I did was start my own thread for book thoughts and then Cynthia gave it its own title, I think Book review, I hope others make use of it, and help me fail at my goal of not adding to the tbr pile LOL

5 point tasks
7.The Wet Nurse's Taleby Erica Eisdorfer. I am thankful for my children for so many reasons all the more after reading this book. I am thankfull that; like the character Susan Rose; I was able to nurse all of my children. I am also thankfull that all of mine have been healthy because the time period this is set in saw a lot of babies die. Also I am thankfull that; unlike Susan; I didn't have to choose between leaving my baby in an abusive home, and making a living.

15 Point tasks
3. Add (My name=10)The Picture of Dorian Grayby Oscar Wilde=to 10
division (1971/38=52)Two for the Doughby Janet Evanovich second book in the Stephanie Plum series.

Total points--20

Jen wrote: "I finished my first task.

5.2 - Three Cups of Tea One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin."It may be me but I don't see an apple on that cover - if you can point it out I'll give the points.

I completed 5.6 by reading All Together Dead.

I also completed 10.3 by reading Come Back, Amelia Bedelia, Angelina Ballerina, and Fancy Nancy Bonjour, Butterfly for a total of 128 pages.

My total is 15 points.

10.9 Civil War task: March

Total: 10 points

Completed 25.1

Ella Minnow Pea A Novel in Letters- (208 pages) I liked this book, but I didn't like it a lot. I thought that it was interesting and it was a quick read, but it wasn't one of my favorites.

Woman Reading to the Sea Poems- (144 pages) I do not really like free form poetry. I just don't usually understand this type of writing. I did like the second chapter, most likely because it was more traditional and the subject matter (the sea) was more what I was expecting from this book.

Total Books 6/59
Total Tasks Completed 3/45
Total Pages 1396

25.8 I complete the "noun" task
Person: The Sisters Grimm Book 1 The Fairy-Tale Detectives - I think I would have liked this one more when I was younger (especially pre-Shrek and pre-Lemony Snickets - it sort of seemed like a rip off) I much prefer the Fables series as an adult.
Place: Bridge to Terabithia - I definitely read this when I was younger and have been wanting to re-read it for a long time. This is the second book of the challenge that has left me in tears (The Book Thief being the first).
Thing: Fables Storybook Love A great installment in this series - I have to make it to Volume 6 for the math task!

Total points so far: 55

OK! have finished 25.4. I read The Time Traveler's Wife on Tuesday and went and saw the movie in the theater last night. I actually really liked both. Without spoiling either for anyone, the book clearly went into more detail about the characters. So I really got to know the character's better in the book - especially Clare. I think in the movie, we just don't see that much of her character and the book centers so much more on Henry.

Also, the book makes you really feel the depth of the love between the two characters - and while I definitely knew that they loved each other in the movie, I didn't get that "all-consuming, can't live without you" feeling from either of them in it.

On the plus side for the movie, it left out some parts of the book that seemed a little over the top - particularly at the end when it could have gotten very gory and depressing. I appreciated that. In summary, while I definitely cried for both versions, I was bawling for the book and mostly just a few tears rolling down my cheeks for the movie.

Anyway - hope that didnt give anything away. I highly recommend both versions!

Total: 35 points

Katie wrote: "For 25.5 (Fortune Telling) I read The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. I didn't like it at all.

It's been sitting on my bookshelf for eight or nine years, but all these other bo..."


Katie, I remember reading this book many years ago and thinking the same thing. Glad you got some points for reading it.

5. Going Back To School - Re-read A Book That You Were Required To Read For School...See If You Feel The Same About It Now As You Did Then.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller, of which I actually only read the first act before someone took the book out of my locker. I still managed to participate in the assigned discussion panel by asking leading questions of the other memebers. We read this in the early 60s.

This time around, I found the first act as bad as I thought. The idea of the mob hysteria reaction to repression is depressing to me. However I can see why the effect of the play was so very powerful in the wake of the McCarthy debacle.

running total 2 tasks, 2 books, 20 points

Finished task 15.8 (Geography lessons) last night. My initals are CN, so I read one book from Canada and one from New Zealand. For the book that takes place in Canada, I read Losing Joe's Place by Gordon Korman. I used to read this book all the time when I was younger, and I still like it now :). It takes place in Toronto. Then for the book that takes places in New Zealand, I read The Piano A Novel by Jane Campion. This one was pleasantly surprising and I really enjoyed it. I kind of want to see the movie now...

Total points = 60


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Finished

5.3 The Captain's Wife by Douglas Kelley

25.3 Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson.

Reviews in review section below.

Jessica wrote: "10.9 Civil War task: March

Total: 10 points"

I was think of reading that too. Did you like it??

Katie wrote: "Roseann wrote: "Got a couple more--

15.6--MONET'S LANDSCAPES by Vivian Russel
What I liked the most about this book, which tells of the many places that Monet travelled in order to paint, was the ..."

I'm definately not a Miro fan, but the Picasso pieces were interesting as they had some life sketches unlike anything he is known for.

I totally forgot to mention that there was also a jewelry exibit of metal-works which was also very interesting as I recently got into beading. I tried a metal jewelry class, but did not enjoy all the sawing involved.

20. 2. ROOKIE OF THE SEASON - ERIN - Learn Your ABC's - Read 3 Books That Begin With A,B,C Or Any Three Consecutive Letters In The Alphabet. "The" Does Not Count, Unless You Are Using T As One Of Your Letters. Books Must Be Over 100 Pages. The Awakening (Vampire Diaries Series) L.J. Smith 9-2-09 253 Pages Better Off Wed Laura Durham 9-3-09 241 Pages Charlie All NightJennifer Crusie 9-4-09 251 Pages

Current Pages Read: 982
Books Read: 4
Challenges Completed: 2
Total Points: 25

Task 10.3
I read some of our favorite books with my daughter...

Miss Suzy 40 pages
Happy Birthday to You! 64 pages
Big Bear, Little Bear 16 pages

Total points for this task: 10
Tasks completed: 2
Total points for challenge: 15
Books read: 4

15.4 Multiplication: Number of letters in my name: 17, Age: 17.
17*17=289
Just read Saga with 369 pages

Total poinst: 35

Pauline - i think you would need to read a book between 264 pages and 314 pages. Saga wouldn't count because it is not within the +/- 25 page range of 17*17.

Cynthia wrote: "Jen wrote: "I finished my first task.

5.2 - Three Cups of Tea One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin."It may be me but..."

I'm so sorry, I meant task 5.8 - a book with two authors. I don't even know why I wrote 5.2.
Tired from staying up reading?

Sara ♥ wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Katie, I've been doing a lot of bargain book shopping at Goodwill and I keep seeing this book sitting on the shelf. I'm so glad I keep passing it up."

I'm wary of books I see a lot of..."

Sara, you'd be amazed at the great books I've picked up at Goodwill. I only buy hardback or trade. The deals are fantastic: HB are 3/$6.50 and Trade are 3/$4.00. Granted I've picked up some duds too, but I look at my Goodwill excursions as a treasure hunt. I have a shelf on GR dedicated to my Goodwill finds - "god-bless-goodwill" - http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

Lisa wrote: "Sara ♥ wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Katie, I've been doing a lot of bargain book shopping at Goodwill and I keep seeing this book sitting on the shelf. I'm so glad I keep passing it up."

I'm wary of books..."

Okay I'm totally going to have to check out Goodwill for books now. I never thought of it before!!!

Lisa wrote: "Sara ♥ wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Katie, I've been doing a lot of bargain book shopping at Goodwill and I keep seeing this book sitting on the shelf. I'm so glad I keep passing it up."

I'm wary of books..."

I'm a Goodwill book buyer, too. I went a couple of weeks ago and got 13 great books for $16. You do have to hunt for the good stuff.

I can't say that I'm doing right by Goodwill, though. I buy all their good books and give them all my bad ones!

I finished my first task for my first challenge!

For task 25.4 I read PS I love you by Cecelia Ahern (published in 2004) and watched the movie with the same name (released in 2007).

I found that the book and the movie were very different. While the basic concept was the same, a lot of things were changed in the movie, like the character’s background, their ages, their families, where they lived etc. And a lot of the stuff that happened in the book was very different too and to be honest I was a little disappointed by a lot of it. I guess I just liked the book version of things better.

So in comparing the two I definitely liked the book best. But if I look at the movie separate from the book, the movie was okay too. Not the best I’ve seen, but definitely enjoyable.

Total Points: 25

Candace wrote: "Okay I'm totally going to have to check out Goodwill for books now. I never thought of it before!!! "

Ditto!! Although I bet the one in the next town over has a better selection... I'll have to check out both!

10.3-Several Children's Books- My 4 year old has the flu so there has been quite a lot of reading. Here are some we read this morning...
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Melissa wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I can't believe there are so many people who read so fast. I've just finished my first one- Songs of the Humback whale by Jodie Picoult. I didn't enjoy it as much as her others.
Next ..."
I read it for the task about apples 5.2. It has apples on the cover. I did enjoy it but not as much as I expected to.

Kathryn wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I can't believe there are so many people who read so fast. I've just finished my first one- Songs of the Humback whale by Jodie Picoult. I didn't enjoy it as much as her others.
Next..."I'm reading it for5.4 about adoption. I hope I've got that right as I don't know much about the book.

Lene wrote: "I finished my first task for my first challenge!

For task 25.4 I read PS I love you by Cecelia Ahern (published in 2004) and watched the movie with the same name (released in 2007). ..."

I thought the movie version was SO disappointing. My mom and I tried to watch it and ended up stopping halfway through.

Sara ♥ wrote: "Candace wrote: "Okay I'm totally going to have to check out Goodwill for books now. I never thought of it before!!! "

Ditto!! Although I bet the one in the next town over has a better selection....."

Sara, Bryan definitely has a better selection than CS. Just to let you know. :)

No points yet for this one, but I finished The Traveler's Gift Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success by Andy Andrews for the first half of 25.9. I enjoyed the book and the history lessons that went along with it. I thought it was a very inventive way to teach a lesson about life.

Pages read: 353
Books read: 5
Tasks completed: 1
Tasks in progress: 1

15.5 French translations
Suite Francaise By Nemirovsky and Sarah’s Key by De Rosnay
15 points
65 total

Finished another one--

15.4--THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH by Walter Tevis

I remember seeing the movie when it first came out and being very bored. All I remember was that David Bowie was weird and had no genetalia. Luckily, the book proved to be much more interesting. This story of a man who has been sent from a dying planet, who becomes very rich and then is persecuted by our government still holds up, even after thirty years.

I then watched

TESLA:MASTER OF LIGHTNING

This was interesting until Tesla decided to start working with "Death Rays" it then got convoluted and really lost me. I do feel sorry for this man who invented radio transmission, but through bad business deals and outright trickery (by those who did business with him) died poor and alone in a hotel room.

This brings me to 100 point!

Finished

5.3 Bloody Jack Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy

Total Books 7/59
Total Tasks Completed 4/45
Total Pages 1726

25.04 (Prophecy) UnLunDun by China Mieville

This is my first completed book for the Fall Challenge - I unofficially did the Spring and Summer ones but now I'm getting serious :)

I was continually impressed by the mixture and creation of words in this story, which even the character found amusing and almost unbelievable towards the end.

I am glad to be acquainted with China Mieville's work, and will look out for more adult titles, possibly for Goodreads Challenges! :)

I started reading this for the Summer Challenge as it related to my capital city but didn't get very far. Fortunately it features a prophecy concerning the main characters so it counts for 25.04 of the Fall Challenge - who could have prophesied that one?

Completed 5.5 by re-reading The Great Gatsby

It is one of my very favorite books, from my favorite time period in literature to study (20th century American Literature). It's comforting to come back to a book and love it the same. I think I can certainly appreciate it more and understand it on a deeper level than I did in high school, but I loved it then as well.

one of the best last lines of a novel:
"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. "

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15.10 Read a book with teacher in the title and a book with student in it

all you need to know to be your child's best teacher for math

and stragetics for teaching students to be stragetic learners

Blimey you lot read fast, i've just finished my first task.

5.7 (Giving Thanks) The Importance of Being Married - Gemma Townley

I'm thankful for the relationships I have with my friends and family.

Total points: 5

Finished 15.9 A Home at the End of the World A Novel, which I did on audio. Interestingly in was done by Colin Farrell (who I totally dig) and three other people, giving true different voices to the four perspectives the story is told from.

I liked this better than the other Michael Cunningham book I have read, but he still paints pretty bleak, unhappy characters.

Total points: 30

I'm finally on the board with 5 points to claim after finishing 5.1. I read A Child Is Born by Lennart Nilsson ('child' in the title).

I had heard about this book shortly after I found out I was pregnant this spring and that the photographs were amazing. I found a used copy at Half Price Books and have had a lot of fun paging through it over the past several months and seeing what my baby looked like at certain stages.

But I never read it until now and it turns out that was no great loss. I could have gone forever not actually reading this book and only looking at the pictures because the text was lamer than lame. It didn't really change my opinion of the photographs though--they're incredible. His website is pretty cool too: http://www.lennartnilsson.com/




TASKS COMPLETED: 1
TASKS PARTIALLY COMPLETED: 2
BOOKS READ: 3
PAGES READ: 1,285
POINTS EARNED: 5

And just because tickers are fun:




Hehe. :)

Yay! I'm finally on the board.

15.7 Listen to an audiobook while walking/jogging/running or exercising in some way OR read a book written by or about an athlete (fictional or non-fictional) and participate in or watch that same type of sporting event

A-Rod The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez by Selena Roberts

Alex's story was factually driven in this book, but Ms. Roberts really hates the guy so her writing put me off a bit. For a reporter, I would have expected her to be less emotional and more objective. I gave it 3 stars.

I also watched the Phillies beat the Giants last night 2-1.

Total Points: 15

Nicole NC wrote: "Finished 15.9 A Home at the End of the World A Novel, which I did on audio. Interestingly in was done by Colin Farrell (who I totally dig) and three other people, giving true different..."
And then what would be the homework assignment you would create based on that book - once you post that I'll give you credit for the task

Finished 5.4 - an adoption story: Trail of Crumbs Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home by Kim Sunee.

It was the story of a Korean woman who was abandoned by her mother at age three and adopted by a couple from New Orleans, but who ran away to France at age 18. I really like this memoir - Kim, the woman, was an accomplished gourmet chef and the book was full of recipes of all of the amazing french food that she made through the years. I am definitely going to have to try some of them.

Total Points: 40

Completed task:

15.6 The Arts - I read the play Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead and then watched the movie version of the play - starring Tim Roth and Gary Oldman.

I loved both of them. The perspective of Hamlet from the eyes of his two friends is interesting and Stoppard explores the idea of fate/luck and what is beyond our control very well. The sharp, witty banter is amazing.

Tasks Completed: 2
Total Points: 20




Thanks Cynthia!

Jennifer D. (Canada) :)

5.9 I Am Charlotte Simmons by Thomas Wolfe

5 points

Total 70

For task 25.3

The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book though I found the style of writing unusual. It wasn't quite a stream of consciousness novel but it seemed to be written from the perspective of "the voice in your head"

The ending was an unexpected twist but a fascinating story. I have learnt much about the 1920s and the beginnings of the emancipation of women in Europe.

View all my reviews >>


Points to date: 25

Books Finished
15.6 The Importance of Being Earnest and I watched the movie

25.9 The Friendship Factor How to Get Closer to the People You Care for for half of the task

Total: 15 points

Ok so I just finished reading Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon for 5.3 - the main character (Lord John Grey - the same from her Outlander series) works at solving a mystery involving the death of a fellow soldier and missing military documents - a mystery that also involves the fiance of his cousin - I don't want to give anything away but his investigation leads him to be aboard a ship headed from England to India. I have moved this book about in different spots but finally settled on this task when I discovered that he traveled at sea because I wasn't crazy about the book I had picked out for this task. The book itself was good - not as good as the Outlander series - but good in it's own right. I plan on reading the other 2 Lord John books for other tasks.



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2 TASK COMPLETE
5 BOOK READ
1400 PAGES READ

I just finished Chosen by P.C. and Kristin Cast for task 5.8

I really wish that PC Cast wrote the books by herself because she brought her daughter in simply to add a "teen-friendly" element to the book. I thought it was annoying and told a lot about the authors' opinions of teenagers. I know that I spoke and wrote better than that when I was a teenager.

That brings my total to 30 points and 2 books read.

15.6 Creative Arts: The Onion Girl by Charles de Lint

Made my goal of reaching triple digits this week!

5 Points
10. Time Travel: InuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi.

About a Japanese schoolgirl who goes back in time to Feudal Japan.

25 Points
1. Rhyming Poetry and Fiction Books: Great Short Poems by Various AND Hard Eight by Janet Evonovich (Great/Eight)

Great Short Poems was a re-read, but because I have a bad memory I'd forgotten some of the poems and was happy to re-discover them. My favorite non-famous poem from the collection is probably "Richard Cory," which is amazing. Simon and Garfunkel even turned it into a song.

Hard Eight was the second Stephanie Plum book I read, and I don't like it any better than the first. I know they're super popular, but I find them incredibly boring. I don't even like the romance/love triangle, which is usually an easy win from me! I don't know what everyone else is getting from it that I'm missing, but this series just isn't for me.

Total Points: 100