The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

Reading One Man's Love Book One of The Highland Lords for Part B of #30.10

I finished "The Christmas Wish" and I am starting "The Christmas Shoes".

I'm about halfway through Four Spirits A Novel by Sena Jeter Naslund for 20.2. I started and tossed Going Rogue An American Life -- waaaaaaay too much whining (all of Palin's problems are because: OTHER people (the media, Alaskan State officials, McCain staff memebers) did not do the job they were supposed to do. Also reading Strange Brew , a collection of 9 novelettes (each by a different author) starring paranormal individuals (witches, werewolves, vampires).

On deck is Idiot America How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free by Charles P. Pierce (it fits several tasks, including: 5.2 A. Read A Book That Has A Red, White, And Blue Cover. 15.9(B). Read A Book Written By An Author You Have Never Read Before; 25.2(A) Read A Book With A Cover That Is Very Predominantly Red; 25.8(A). Read A Book With An Unnecessarily Long Title; 25.10 A. Making A Great First Impression: Read A Book That's Cover Design Draws You In. (the cover has a dinosaur in line to get onto Noah's Ark! a Noah's Ark that has an AMERICAN flag flying from it!) 30.1(A). Read One Book That Was Published In The Past Decade; 30.3 Read 825 Pages Or More. Any Genre! 30.7 MULTI-TASKING; :


If it turns out to be a stupid or annoying book, I'll toss it after the Sarah Palin one, but if it's good, there are several tasks where it would fit;

and, also On Deck for 35.1(B), An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage. I've read his other books and liked them well enough, and this one looks to have an interesting take on the evolution of human societies and food.

I am ready to start Trilobite! Eyewitness to Evolution by Richard Fortey. Anything to keep from cleaning the kitchen.

I started listening to Number the Stars today. It's already drawn me in.
I'm also reading Ulysses as a "long time" book, meaning I'll be reading it in spurts and slowly.
I just picked up The Complete Maus from the Library after work and am looking forward to starting it, too.

Petra wrote: "I started listening to Number the Stars today. It's already drawn me in.
I'm also reading Ulysses as a "long time" book, meaning I'll be reading it in spurts and slowly..."

I plan to read Numbering the Stars too. Hope it will draw me in as well.

I just started Tartan Tragedy aka The Wild Island last night. It's quite a change from modern-time mystery fiction that I've been reading lately. Anyway, still hard to tell if it will be a good or bad read.

Hello!

I am reading O Pioneers! by Willa Cather.

I'm still reading Faith of the Fallen, and I just started The Princess Bride for the group read. I love the 8 pages I've read so far, but it's hardcover (which means I need both hands free) and my brother's (which means I need to return it in PERFECT condition) so I can only read it before bed, thanks to my clingy 6-month-old. I can't believe my library doesn't have a copy of this!

I finished The Christmas Shoes and now I am on "The Memory Keeper's Daughter for 15.9 task Out with the Old, In With The New.

I'm halfway through The Last Camel Died at Noon. I'm not sure yet where I'll use it in the challenge - I've already used another E. Peters book for #5.8, the cozy mystery task, but I'm sure I'll find something.

I just finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle A Novel. I enjoyed it and feel like I was about the last person left in the country who hadn't read it. Glad I finally got around to it. The frustrating thing is that it was pretty long and even though I have the satisfaction of finishing it I can't claim it for a task yet because I'm using it for one of the two book challenges.
To finish the second part I'm starting The Gunslinger . My fiance has been after me to read it for ages now, so it's the book that's been on my TBR pile the longest. I'm not sure if it's really going to be my style of book, but we had a deal that before we got married he had to read the Harry Potter series (my fav series) and I have to read the Gunslinger series. He lived up to his end of the bargain, so now it's my turn to do it, too!

I never heard of it so I haven't read it so that must mean you aren't the last person left. :)

Deedee wrote: "I'm about halfway through Four Spirits A Novel by Sena Jeter Naslund for 20.2. I started and tossed Going Rogue An American Life -- waaaaaaay too much whining (all o..."

I'm reading Four Spirits A Novel as well and so far am liking it.

I'm currently reading Fragile Eternity and I'm enjoying it. I loved the first 2 so I have quite high hopes for this one. IT if for 10.5 Popularity Contest.

I'm still reading Deck the Halls in print. It's a really quick read. I've just been too busy for much time to sit down and devote to it this week.

I started Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-deficit Disorder on audio in the car this morning. So far it's very interesting.

I started Dark Curse, which I'll use for the 2nd part of Bridgit's World of Books task (25.9), and realized that I can use The Last Camel Died at Noon for the 1st part (maps)

Insomnia by Stephen King

i like it. i haven't read stephen king in so long i almost forgot he's so fantastic!

Stephen King scares me.

I just finished Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements and am now starting The Princess Bride by William Goldman. I haven't even gotten to the story yet, and I am loving it.

Jayme wrote: "Stephen King scares me. "

LOL he scares me too...that's why i like him! except...i've learned my lesson to NOT read him while baby-sitting. more specifically, don't ever read pet semetary while youre baby-sitting for a family that owns a black cat....

hahahaha, I liked his movie Carrie and I watched Carrie 2. R. L. Stine freaked me out when I read "The Chain Letter".

I'm reading a Christmas Carol for 15:8 and I have vowed to also watch every version televised this holiday season. 2 movies down, which could sound impressive until I note that one of them was the Scrooge McDuck Version. :)

Lyn M wrote: "I just finished Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements and am now starting The Princess Bride by William Goldman. I haven't even gotten to ..."

OMG, I am so glad you said that. I was just telling my husband the exact same thing. I love him reminiscing about the movie. Can't wait to get to the story. Really great read for this time of year!

I have seen every version of "A Christmas Carol" Might I suggest watching the version where Patrick Stewart is Scrooge. I thought that was the best one.

Jayme wrote: "I have seen every version of "A Christmas Carol" Might I suggest watching the version where Patrick Stewart is Scrooge. I thought that was the best one. "

I'm pretty sure I have it set to record Christmas Eve, and the George C Scott version on Monday. I have already watched the 1938 version with Reginald Owen> Very good, so I can't wait for the other two versions. Sadly, A Muppet Christmas Carol is not going to be on, but I will settle in to the Car Talk Christmas carol on Christmas Eve. After all, after Scrooge McDuck, why not?

Have you seen A Christmas Carol with Jim Carey that came out recently? There's also the version with Vanessa Williams in it. There's Scrooged with Bill Murrary. I also saw A Muppet Christmas Carol, one of my favorites but it is rare to find. There;s also a female version Scrooge. I see alot of these on Lifetime and Lifetime movie network.

All great suggestions. I'm waiting for my husband to snap and say no more! :)

Still plodding away on The Colour which is good while I am reading it but I am not obsessed with getting back to it. And I am reading The Heretic's Daughter which I am quite enjoying. I am also listening to A Golden Age which I just started.

I just joined the Historical Fiction group and saw that book on the list.

Asho wrote: "I just finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle A Novel. I enjoyed it and feel like I was about the last person left in the country who hadn't read it. Glad I finally got around to it..."

I'm listening to Edgar Sawtelle but every time I turn it back on something bad happens in real life (food poisoning, a death at work, minor surgery followed by some sickness) and I'm really dreading starting it back up. Sounds stupid but this was an extremely unusual rash of stuff so I'm ready to finish this one off.

I'm currently reading Animal Farm by George Orwell. I'll probably use it for 20-1.

To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed in the book. I guess my expectations were too high. The concept is very simple and now and then it even seems to be a little childish. Of course, it is interesting to look at the 'political situation' in the book, but still...

reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. hoping to finish it before taking off for the holidays on Wednesday.

I'm reading The Battersea Park Road to Enlightenment by Isabel Losada and so far really enjoying it.

I was going to use it for the first part of the New Years Resolution task, but once I got into it I realized that it's a memoir and not fiction. It sucked me in so fast that I couldn't put it down so I'm going to count the pages toward the "Snowed In and Loving It" task instead.

I am almost finished with Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. I am loving it--it would make a great movie--steampunk may be my new favorite genre.

I am currently reading The Best Day of Someone Else's Life by Kerry Reichs and I am having a hard time putting it down. I can't wait until I can go home and read some more!

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

I've just started Portnoy's Complaint for Task 15.1 (Make Me Laugh). So far, it's humourously written but no laugh-out-loud moments.
I've also started listening to Running with Scissors A Memoir as part of Task 25.3 (The Game of Clue). I read his brother's memoir and it was weird. This one starts out just as dysfuncionally and I'm only on the first disc. What a weird and bizarre upbringing the two boys had.

Tammy wrote: "Asho wrote: "I just finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle A Novel. I enjoyed it and feel like I was about the last person left in the country who hadn't read it. Glad I finally got..."

Wow, that's really strange. I'd want to be done with it, too!

I am still plugging away with The Memory Keeper's Daughter

I just started The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I loved it when I was a kid and found it at my mom's house when I came home for Christmas. I discovered it's a Newberry winner, so I'm using it for that task.

cool, I never read that one.

Asho wrote: "I just started The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I loved it when I was a kid and found it at my mom's house when I came home for Christmas. I discovered it's a Newberry winner, so I'm using it for tha..."

I just finished this book. I absolutely loved it. It has to be one of my favorite books and I will definitely read it again one day.

Okay I finished Memory Keeper's Daughter. YAY! I also finished "The Midwife's Apprentice". I finished the later book in two days.

I was able to finish "What Jamie Saw", "The Stupidest Angel" and now I am starting Chronicles of Narnia "The Magician's Nephew" for Task 15.2

I'm slowly reading Ulysses for the Lost task and Beside a Burning Sea for the Cover I Like task.
Ulysses is surprising me. It's a tough read but not nearly as bad as I'd been led to believe it would be. Taken slowly, it's quite do-able.
I'm just at the beginning of Beside A Burning Sea. It's a book that draws you right into the story. I'm really liking the characters.

I am just finishing up listening to The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss. I don't normally listen to audio books, but this one is pretty good.
I'm read to start reading Story of My Life by Helen Keller and I'm about halfway through Beloved by Toni Morrison.

I finally finished The Historian. It took me forever to get through it and I wish I had started with shorter books now. Right now I am onto Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I got a lot of his books for Christmas and I intend to read them all and fit them in.

I just finished "The Magician's Nephew and now starting "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis. I also started Moon Called

*sigh* Vacation is over and now I am returning to my normal one-book-a-week pace, rather than the book-a-day pace i can maintain when not working. Even worse, I am working on a longer book -- The Three Musketeers -- which may take two weeks, thoroughly enjoyable but time-consuming.

I just had a whole new batch of books come in for me at the library--I now have 22 books checked out, five of which are due on the 13th. And I have unread books on the Sony Reader. Must.stop.getting.on.computer.
Must.stop.looking.at.what.others.are.reading.