2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Brian wrote: "I loved curious incident too!! I somehow ended up with two copies of the book - I think an ex-boyfriend left one at my house, but anyway it's been a few years since I've read it. I had no idea ther..."
It is currently only running in London. I would not be surprised if it moves to Broadway eventually. It is an amazing production. I would see it again.

Is anyone dressing up (or did anyone dress up) for Halloween?

We had a decades theme at work, so I dressed as a 20s flapper. I mostly just wanted to wear a bob wig.

Funny, I visited my best friend in Connecticut last weekend for a Halloween party, and she dressed up as a 20's flapper girl! I dressed as a surgeon...incidentally when I arrived, there were already three people dressed as surgeons (and this was a relatively small party...), so I then covered myself in red food coloring and said I was Dexter.

I am not a Halloween fan. I wore witch socks and a snoopy halloween t-shirt. All of my students dressed up though and looked super cute.

I love the flapper idea. At work most of the teachers dressed as chefs. My principal likes themes. Some of the teachers revolted and dressed as Minions? I don't know what that is but they looked cute.

Minions from Despicable Me, Jodi?

Haha! I love those guys. I have no idea how I'd dress up as one though.

Yes that was them! They were cute! They had the denim shorts with suspenders, black leggings under, yellow t-shirts with some symbol on it. They made some kind of headband with the one eye. I didn't realize it was supposed to be an eye. One even painted her face yellow with make up.

Ooh, that's kind of brilliant--I love it. I hadn't seen the movie until just this last month when my intern INSISTED I check it out because it was her favorite.

Anyone seen the Ender's Game movie yet?

How was it Craig?

Thnx, Craig! I'm supposed to see it tomorrow and I've heard mixed reviews

Kara wrote: "Minions from Despicable Me, Jodi?

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I painted my pumpkin like a minion this year so it would last until Halloween and beyond. At least a little through November.

I did dress up for Halloween as an 80's girl...leg warmers, headband, teased up hair...so much fun!

I'm really really wanting to see Ender's Game. Thanks to this group I read Ender's Game earlier this year and absolutely LOVED the book! There are so many good movies coming out in November/December.

I saw previews for The Book Thief last night...Definitely a movie I want to see! :)

I saw Ender's Game opening night--loved it. My boyfriend, though, didn't care much for it. Here's the thing: the movie is so condensed that you really have to have read (and remembered) the book for many of the scenes to be emotionally meaningful. More detail about what I found good and bad behind the spoiler tag...there's not a lot of detail, so I don't think I give anything away, but I just hid it in case you want to go in without preconceived notions.

(view spoiler)[Good: The cinematography was beautiful. Asa Butterfield did a tremendously good job. Battle school was better than I had imagined. The mind game was perfect.

Bad: There wasn't enough battle school. Asa Butterfield was WAY too old and big to play Ender. Time was crazy condensed. Bean and Petra were both...not what I expected. (And there was too much Petra and not enough Bean.) (hide spoiler)]

Kara wrote: "Minions from Despicable Me, Jodi?

LOL I'm reading this in a minion t-shirt I picked up at Kohl's earlier this week. Awesome.

It's Goodreads Choice Awards time! The first round is open, so vote for your favorite books of 2013 here: https://www.goodreads.com/choiceaward...

That's crazy, I realized I haven't read any of those books, I've been reading a lot of old books (or at least previous years books) this year. I wanted to vote :(

Kara wrote: "I saw Ender's Game opening night--loved it. My boyfriend, though, didn't care much for it. Here's the thing: the movie is so condensed that you really have to have read (and remembered) the book fo..."

My friend and I were in the same group with your boyfriend, and I've read the book. We actually had to try to keep ourselves awake. Not my favorite adaptation, but it might be because Card did not write the screenplay. Glad that you liked it, Kara!

How is the weather where everyone else is? It isn't even winter yet and I am cold, cold, cold. Have my fireplace on right now.

Jodi wrote: "How is the weather where everyone else is? It isn't even winter yet and I am cold, cold, cold. Have my fireplace on right now."

Where I am it's 75 degrees at 8:15pm. South Central Texas seldom gets cold. We have a fireplace but have never lit a fire in it!

It has been changing between -2C and 15C. So I've been heating for a few weeks but not much yet. I'm from Quebec. There's a lot a temperature variations during this time. For example: I remember passing Halloween in skirt some year and other my parents were trying to fit my snowsuit under my costume because it was cold and snowing (though those two extreme are rare).

7C here and pouring it down today but yesterday it was -1 and dry. I don't know which I prefer! I'm not looking forward to it getting icy, I sprained my wrist as a kid and it never healed properly and now every winter without fail I slip on the ice and resprain it.

It's cold here in NYC and I'm about to get over my cold.. I hope that since I am sick now, I won't be for the rest of winter ^^

Wow, we haven't gotten into the negative territory yet but it has been cold. Wow Theresa, I can't imagine not having to use my fireplace. Mine will get used pretty regularly from now until March.

It's been about 5-9C where I am and very rainy. Quite typical of this time of year really.

I'm in west palm beach and it's 82 outside. Pretty typical for this type of year and we're all over the humidity

Kara wrote: "It's Goodreads Choice Awards time! The first round is open, so vote for your favorite books of 2013 here: https://www.goodreads.com/choiceaward..."

I've realised with these Choice Awards how few new books I've read from different genres (I think I was only able to vote in 3 categories), which got me thinking that maybe next year there could be a challenge about reading 2014 books from each Goodreads choice awards category. Either that or maybe in October as a group read we could read a book published in 2014?

Yeah I know, I can't vote at all this year:(

Lilac, I LOVE that challenge idea!

Lilac wrote: "Kara wrote: "It's Goodreads Choice Awards time! The first round is open, so vote for your favorite books of 2013 here: https://www.goodreads.com/choiceaward..."

I've realised with th..."

I love that idea. I went to vote and sadly I have not read one book that was nominated. There are several I want to read, but I was sad I couldn't vote. :(

Kara wrote: "I saw Ender's Game opening night--loved it. My boyfriend, though, didn't care much for it. Here's the thing: the movie is so condensed that you really have to have read (and remembered) the book fo..."

I agree on all points - battle school was awesome, but there wasn't enough screen time for it, or for anything else, really. The whole film felt sort of like a summary of the story rather than an actual telling of it, to me.

I sort of understand why they found it appropriate to emphasize Petra-female-character and even prettify her, but... yeah, I missed the standoffish, Armenian original.

(view spoiler)[And the silliest thing - why did they have to change the reason for Bean being called Bean? Wasn't it just in reference to his size, originally? That scene in the film where he goes "You know, not worth a bean" actually had me double-facepalming out of sheer terror of how they'd treat other details, heh) (hide spoiler)]

So...is anyone else tired of Christmas music already? I just don't get why we can't AT LEAST wait until December! That's my gripe for the day :-)

Agree, Kaitlin. It seems like "Christmas" is now a two month thing--a whole 1/6 of the year! Call me a grinch, but I just don't like it.

(I love Christmas, but I think it's so much more special when it's just, you know, one day.)

so excited :) VIP entry into Dymocks tonight 20% off books and wine on arrival :):)

I am trying to mentally set myself a limit to spend but I doubt ill keep to it lol

Kara wrote: "Agree, Kaitlin. It seems like "Christmas" is now a two month thing--a whole 1/6 of the year! Call me a grinch, but I just don't like it.

(I love Christmas, but I think it's so much more special wh..."

I absolutly LOVE Christmas. I put my Christmas tree up last week and when I'm not listening to an audiobook I'm listening to a Christmas station.

Christmas movies were on TV before Remembrance Day. That isn't right. I love Christmas and Christmas movies especially but they shouldn't start until after Remembrance Day.

Here we usually see our first Christmas advertisement, the night of Halloween, after collecting candies.

In stores, the firsts decorations are usually the 1st November, but I've seen a mall putting their Santa-Clause village up 2 or 3 days before Halloween and I was shocked. I was wondering where the pumpkins went.

Some families will put their outside decoration during a warm day of November because December is too cold to work outside without bitching. But rare are the families who set the inside decorations before December, but it does happen.

I love Christmas and I like hearing the occasional xmas song in November to remind me its nearly xmas, as long as it's not all the time.

I vote that the Christmas season should wait until December too. Or at the very least wait until after thanksgiving is over with the season starting on Black Friday, since that's when so many begin their shopping. Lol I feel like a grinch too but commercialization has all but completely disenchanted the whole "holiday season" for me (I swear it gets earlier every year). All I care for are the warm moments and a few days around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day itself, spent with family and friends where we pick out our tree, set up the ornaments, play some Christmas carols, exchange gifts, eat a great feast, drink egg nog, and be merry. :)

I have not heard any Christmas music at all yet. I must be living under a rock :P Christmas means to me sappy Hallmark movies. I can't wait to get started on those!

Kara wrote: "Agree, Kaitlin. It seems like "Christmas" is now a two month thing--a whole 1/6 of the year! Call me a grinch, but I just don't like it.

(I love Christmas, but I think it's so much more special wh..."

It's funny you say you like it to be one day. Personally I always feel like Christmas Day is a bit meh. I do enjoy it of course, but I find the build up to Christmas much more exciting. Everyone is nicer and all the kids are so excited about Santa coming. I might feel different if I had a bigger family, but with only 3 of us Christmas is almost like a regular day (except presents, food and crackers).

I live in Australia and it has already started over here.

So has anyone seen the new Hunger Games movie Catching Fire yet?! I read the books earlier this year and enjoyed them and the first movie quite a bit. A review in the Wall Street Journal said it was excellent and fans' reactions seem to be positive - all saying it's better than the first movie. I'm seeing it with some friends this evening. I can't wait!

I'm seeing it tonight, Brian! I'll let you know what I think.

I'll do the same :) seeing it at 7

I'm planning to go at 9:40 Eastern. But first, I need to take a final. Oh, grad school.

GL with the final, Kara!

I'll be watching Catching Fire on monday, for my birthday :). A lot of dead bodies to celebrate, but what can you do.

I watched it earlier today and yes, it was definitely better than the first one. This is actually one of the best adaptions I've ever seem, unlike the first one, which was just average. Th film itself is much better but also the actors seem to have grown into their roles and all did a much better job (especially Jennifer Lawrence and the girl who played Prim).

Thanks, Silver! It went fine. Not great, but fine.

This is how I see graduate school while working full time:

The bad - finding time to study
The good - GPA isn't nearly as important as it was in undergrad (after all, I already have a job), so it takes a bit of the pressure off
The bad - the decreased pressure makes it even harder to prioritize studying

But that's done with! One more quarter to go, and I'll have my MS Finance degree. :D

Anyone else in school right now? What are you studying?