Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

Heather wrote: "I'm about to take a nap, got thing to to tonight so up early, but I'm halfway through 'In Bed With The Tudors' by Amy Licence, so I can put forth an I with the title, then it talks about Catherine ..."

I am totally feeling your pain with the Texas heat!!! Just last week I told my mom, "this summer hasn't been as hot as it usually is. It hasn't even hit 100 yet." Ugh, I should have kept my mouth shut lol. Sorry for jinxing us all! Now it's ridiculously hot. Yesterday the sun wasn't even out because it was very overcast, and it was STILL scorching because of the humidity. I broke a sweat just walking from my car to my front door!!

When is your birthday???

I've been looking through books I've already got downloaded & had started but never finished - which would make for quicker reads.

I'm pretty sure I can finish Burning Both Ends MC Ari Calin & Phoenix Rising Series "Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences" since I've already read around 35% of both books.

Wow, that temperature is unfathomable to me. We're having one of the biggest heatwaves in years and the highest temperatures don't even reach 80 in farehneit. I don't think I'd be able to live in a place that gets so hot!

I'm finished with Of Triton. now I'll read The Rest Falls Away, I hope I'll be able to finish it before the deadline.

That's great Shannon!! Angel, I'll send you speed-reading vibes lol. :)

Lilac--I'm jealous that your summers sound so nice! Yet I'm sure I'd die in your winters!

Shannon wrote: "I've been looking through books I've already got downloaded & had started but never finished - which would make for quicker reads.

I'm pretty sure I can finish Burning Both Ends MC..."

Will you still be reading the Belial Stone?

Texas heat --- when just breathing is enough to scorch your lungs. ;). It's why I almost never visit the folks in July/August!

Yes, I'm going to read it today after I get all my chores done but I'm pretty sure I can get the other 2 done before the cutoff as well.

Shannon wrote: "Texas heat --- when just breathing is enough to scorch your lungs. ;). It's why I almost never visit the folks in July/August!"

I don't blame you!!

Shannon wrote: "Yes, I'm going to read it today after I get all my chores done but I'm pretty sure I can get the other 2 done before the cutoff as well."

Awesome!! :)

Thanks for the vibes Jaclyn, I think I'll need them. By the way I wanted to tell you that I probably won't be able to read as much the coming week. I'm going to France tomorrow with my family for a little vacation. But I'll try my best to read as much as I can.

Angel wrote: "Thanks for the vibes Jaclyn, I think I'll need them. By the way I wanted to tell you that I probably won't be able to read as much the coming week. I'm going to France tomorrow with my family for a..."

Ok thanks for letting us know! That sounds so nice! I've never been anywhere in Europe. Have you been to France before?

I am going to try and finish Unclean Spirits tonight

Yes, very often. I live in Belgium, so it's not so far away. France is so big, there's a lot to see really. Every time we go, we visit another part of the country. Two years ago, we went to Brittany, it was awesome. A lot of castles to visit and places linked to fairytales like the forest of Brocéliande (from the tales of Merlin). Last year we went to Normandy, where the famous D Day landings happened in the second World War. This time we're going in Picardy, near the sea. I've heard that there are some seals up there. I hope I'll be able to see them :)

Angel wrote: "Yes, very often. I live in Belgium, so it's not so far away. France is so big, there's a lot to see really. Every time we go, we visit another part of the country. Two years ago, we went to Brittan..."

That sounds so wonderful!! I wish I could travel more...hopefully when my son is older. I've only been around the US...New York City (twice), Los Angeles, New Mexico, Las Vegas, and Hawaii. I would love to go to Europe someday! But the next vacation I'm planning is to take my son to the Harry Potter World in Florida. He's too little now, but I'm saving so that when he's old enough (maybe 8 or 9?) we can have a great trip!

It must be amazing to live somewhere you have those kind of experiences so easily accessible. I can't even begin to imagine, although I desperately wish I could! ;)

My oldest is going to Switzerland/France next year with her French III class, I'm super excited for her & more than a little jealous!

Shannon wrote: "It must be amazing to live somewhere you have those kind of experiences so easily accessible. I can't even begin to imagine, although I desperately wish I could! ;)

My oldest is going to Switzerl..."

What a great opportunity!! Maybe you can volunteer to chaperone! Lol

Ha I've joked I may just!

I told her it's a far cry from my high school field trip to Schliterrbahn!

Shannon wrote: "Ha I've joked I may just!

I told her it's a far cry from my high school field trip to Schliterrbahn!"

LOL!! I think ours was to Astro World! Omgosh that's too funny! BIG differences!

Shannon wrote: "It must be amazing to live somewhere you have those kind of experiences so easily accessible. I can't even begin to imagine, although I desperately wish I could! ;)

My oldest is going to Switzerl..."

Yes, I can't complain about it ;)

I've never went to Switzerland, unless you count the few times we passed through it to go to Italy. I'll suggest it to my family for next year's vacations.

Yaclyn, your son is really lucky to have a mom like you. Harry Potter World sounds amazing !

We were in Orlando for the first time last month for a volleyball tournament. My kids were dying to go to Harry Potter -- Disney too. But my daughter wound up getting hurt & we had to leave without going to any of the parks. I've had to swear on my life I'll take them back.

Just finished my book....going to see what letter we need next....

Shannon wrote: "We were in Orlando for the first time last month for a volleyball tournament. My kids were dying to go to Harry Potter -- Disney too. But my daughter wound up getting hurt & we had to leave witho..."

That must have been so disappointing for everyone! Well now Diagonal Alley is open so it's even better now! So it all works out if y'all go back :)

Heather, Omens isn't in your wheel-a-thon shelf...can you please add it? Thanks :)

I think I've got post 11 completely updated. We are doing so great everyone!! One more day! It's crunch time! We can do this!

Oops, I'll get Omens in there now.
My birthday is the 12th of August. It meant I got to start school early so I graduated at 17, but I never had the fun of having my birthday during the school year because it was always 1-2 weeks before it started. As a Leo I very much missed the attention I could have gotten. ;)
The biggest trip I've been on was a weeklong vacation down to St. John's. We stayed at an ecological resort and were probably 100ft from the beach. It was the off season so it was us and maybe 3 other couples, once I got over the bugs everywhere I just enjoyed the silence. No phones, no computers, there were chickens and wild donkeys running around, and our cabin had it's own pet hunter lizard. I went scuba diving for the first time and saw turtles and saw an ocean for the first time. Also learned about sand fleas which were less fun. My dream vacation is to go to London, but my fur babies are keeping me from planning that right now. One Day!

I just booked our flight to go to Colorado in September. I'm super exicted. I've never been anywhere off the East Coast nor have I ever been in a plane before. :D

That's so funny that you WANTED to go to school on your birthday! I was always glad I didn't have to!! (Mine is June 10). Your resort trip sounds great though! But what the heck are sand fleas??

Sunshine, do you know anyone in Colorado or are you planning to do/see something in particular? I bet the weather is great there! And how exciting for your very first plane trip!

With all this vacation talk, now I want to go somewhere! Lol Too bad I have to go back to work in 2 weeks! *womp, womp womp*

Angel wrote: "Shannon wrote: "It must be amazing to live somewhere you have those kind of experiences so easily accessible. I can't even begin to imagine, although I desperately wish I could! ;)

My oldest is g..."

Well, he doesn't even know who Harry Potter is yet (he's only 2), but one day he will, and he better be a fan unless he wants to be disowned! (I'm totally kidding lol). But I do plan on reading the books with him when he's old enough to understand and enjoy them, and if he loves them as much as I do, then I'll definitely take him. It does look amazing. I cannot wait to go!

They are literally fleas that live in the sand. When you wear sunscreen it contains a product that repulses them, kind of like mosquito repellant, but I hadn't put on any sunscreen yet because it was our first day and a tropical storm was kicking surf up so I was just wanting to get out onto a beach for my first beach experience(I lived next to Galveston for years and that so doesn't count). They were so bitey!
The only vacations I take these days are twice a year, to an anime/comic convention where I work the medical staff, and the Texas Ren Fest where we camp the weekend. It's 75$ to board our dogs every day so we tend not to do long term things.

I have a friend who lives in the Orlando suburbs and she goes to that all the time, she loves it to pieces. Maybe once he gets old enough they'll have added another expansion and it'll be even more immersive.

Finished Belilal Stone

I finished The Forgotten Ones. I'll read an R book next, just in case Angel is unable to finish hers. I have three to choose from that are around 200 pages, so I should be able to finish by the deadline.

I finished In Bed with the Tudors: From Elizabeth of York to Elizabeth I, so that's a confirmed M or C if you want to move Shannon to another spell through.

Starting The Iron King(The Accursed Kings) by Maurice Druon, which also includes Pope Clement and Robert III of Artois. Not too many E names in French it looks like.

Jaclyn wrote: "Well, he doesn't even know who Harry Potter is yet (he's only 2), but one day he will, and he better be a fan unless he wants to be disowned! (I'm totally kidding lol).

..."

I understand what you mean. I have a little sister, and she only started learning to read (in flemish, she's at the flemish school) this year. When she'll be able to read in french I'll just put Harry Potter into her hands ;) she's already becoming a fan. She has watched the three first movies already. When my mother and I are talking about Harry Potter, she's always too happy to participate in the dicussion, even when she doesn't understand half of it :)

I finished Burning Both Ends

I'm done with The Rest Falls Away

Finished reading To Hold the Crown: The Story of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Shelf updated Wheel-a-Thon. It's got characters for all the 5 letters so count this one in for whatever letter we may be missing.

C: Cecelia
R: Richard
I: Isabella
M: Margaret
E: Elizabeth

Jaclyn wrote: "That's so funny that you WANTED to go to school on your birthday! I was always glad I didn't have to!! (Mine is June 10). Your resort trip sounds great though! But what the heck are sand fleas??
..."

We are going to a Drift Trike Competition on Pike's Peak. My husband has been riding these Trikes for about 4 years. Last fall in NY was the first competition on this magnitude in the States so it's definitely a rising sport. We've been to 2 already this year here on the east coast and have another one in Aug. He has come in 2 both times so... GO HUBBY!!!

Wow!!! We are doing amazing!!! We are up to 395 points and we still have people reading up to the deadline!! Go Team Sherlock!!! Woo hoo!!!

It looks like we have a C and E left now so I'll go check my TBR to see what I can read!

Oh and please check post 11 to make sure I added all your books and that I added them correctly :)

I just finished Iron King, so that can be the C, or the E, as I forgot about King Edward II. Good ol' English to the rescue.

*EDIT* haha I lied, you already have me listed.

I found a C so I should finish within the next few hours! :)

Shannon, do you think you'll be able to finish Phoenix Rising before the deadline?

Just finished

Yay!!! I'll post our results now.

Good job group!

Gotta say I'm glad this week's round is over! I think I actually read myself cross eyed this week!

I know!! We all read our hearts out, especially the last few days! I'm gonna rest tonight and start fresh tomorrow with our new letters. However we end up ranking this week, I'm sooo proud of our team!

I am amazed at how well we managed 'crime.' Because it's so short, that and 'horror' looked the most difficult from the outset. Now I don't know if I like small words so you can go through them fast and not have to worry with a lot of letters, or longer words so you have more flexibility better. We sure ran the gamut and it's been 2 weeks!

So....

SCIENCE FICTION


That gives us tons of letters I guess ;)