Rated YA-MA discussion
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New, Brand New, New-ish: 2020 seasonal challenge 1 of 4
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last update: 3/19 post #39Participants/ Score Card
♦ laurel [suspected bibliophile]: 420 (Brand New X6, +10 stay true, +20 committed reader, +50 theme) set 1, (Brand New X6, +20 committed reader, +50 theme, -50 MA/MG)
♦ Jennifer: 195 (Brand New X6, +5 salutatorian +20 committed reader) set 1, (New) set 2
♦ Melanie: 160 (New X4, Newish X2, -10MG/ +10 first blood) set 1, (New, Brand New, Newish X2 -40MA&MG) set 2
♦ Diane: 180 (Brand New X2, New X3, Newish, +20 diversified portfolio) set 1
♦ Dee: 20 (New, Brand New)
♦ Ashley *Hufflepuff Kitten*: 50 (New X2, Brand New)
♦ Anna:
♦ Mich:
Bonus Achievements
1. Over-Achievers:
2. [+20 points] Committed Readers: Jennifer
3. [+20 points] Diversified Portfolios: Diane
4. [+30 points] Themed SET: none…
5. [+20 points] Stay True: none…
6. [+10 points] First Blood: Melanie
7. [+5 points] Salutatorian: Jennifer
I'm in as well. Last quarter did not go well reading wise for me so hopefully this one goes much better.Possibilites:
*New: read a book that’s new to you in some way:
*Brand New: read book that is either a NEW RELEASE:
Gifted:
Finished:
Count me in!
I'm in again! Hoping to get through some of what I got for Christmas and a few other things.Finished books
BRAND NEW: Gifted: The Seafarer's Kiss - finished 11 Jan 2020 - 4 stars
BRAND NEW: New Release: Deathless Divide - finished 2 Mar 2020 - 5 stars
BRAND NEW: Gifted: Now I Rise - finished 8 Mar 2020 - 4.5 stars
BRAND NEW: New Release: Be Not Far From Me - finished 14 Mar 2020 - 3.75 stars
NEW: New series: The Andalite's Gift - finished 15 Mar 2020 - 3 stars
BRAND NEW: New Release: Shadowshaper Legacy - finished 19 Mar 2020 - 4 stars
I have so many unread physical books that I'm trying to whittle down, this should help a little bit!Possibilities:
- NEW (Author, Series, Genre, etc.)
-BRAND NEW (New Release or Gifted)
I came to post my first book and realized I never said I'm in ... so yeah, me too!SET ONE 6 / 6
NEW-
NEWISH-
planned books
NEW- ??
BRAND NEW-
MA (gift)
(gift)NEWISH- Rereading Harry Potter books on audio.
Book 1 (new series)
This was a science-fantasy, super-hero type book. The character were a little dark. There was a mystery to solve in pieces as the book jumped back-and-forth between the past and present. It had a a delightfully suspenseful ending. 3.5 stars.
Book 2 (newish, audio reread)
It has been a really long time since I read these books, so there are a great many details I had forgotten. The narration is good and I am enjoying the rereads. No I have to wait for the next book's hold to come up.
i'm just going to log as i go...NEW - Nothing But Sky - new to me author; finished - 1/10/20 - i've heard about barnstormer and wingwalkers before and found this book lost in the archives of Mt TBR - solid YA book
BRAND NEW - The Grace Year - first published October 2019 - 1/139/20 - i'm kind of conflicted on this - i liked the premise, but the execution was mehhh
Finished my first book!The Seafarer's Kiss - Gift / New Author / New Series: 4 stars! A retelling of the Little Mermaid with a bisexual heroine and a Norse mythology twist. Really solid, looking forward to the second/companion book.
Okay, add me to this please. Even though I totally failed at the last challenge (I think I read like 1 book?) But I'll try again
Scorecard updated!
I finished my first book Nocturna
It was one of the nominees for BOTM so I picked it up. I was intrigued by the idea of a fantasy set in a Latinx world. It was a good enough story but I would have liked more Latinx in the world than a word thrown in here and there. Also listening to this book I would have preferred the narrator to have a spanish accent even slightly to help with the feel of things.
Ok I am keeping up on this one so far. I just finished
which was our BOTM and an Author new to me. It was ok and I will probably go on to the next in the series eventually.I will be hung up for awhile because I am about to start listening to
in honor of black history month. That one is not new to me - I have seen the mini series a few times and have read the book once. Listening on Audible is a new format though so I will see how the experience compares.
Book 3
(new-author)This is a realistic, angsty teenager, e fiction that follows 7 teenagers (each with a vie that correlates with one of the seven deadly sins. It was well crafted and I enjoyed how the author stayed true to the characters and the realism of the work rather than over-focus on the deadly sins. I enjoyed it and would recommend it, not as a favorite, buta as a solidly good book.
*3.5 stars*
Book 4
(new format)This one one of my favorite MG books from last year. The audio was available through my library, so I enjoyed it again just for this challenge. It is still delightful and I am looking forward to book 3 in the series. Olie is "that girl" who everyone pities because she is not taking her mother's tragic death well. When a fit of rage finds alongside a river, she encounters a distraught woman trying to destroy a book along with other crazy things she says. Ollie rescues the book and on a school field trip the next day, discovers the horrors in the book are not quite fiction. She teams up with two unlikely peers, Brian-the jock, and Coco-the pink haired city girl, to save their classmates from a tragic fate.
*4.5 stars*
Diane wrote: "I finished my first book Nocturna It was one of the nominees for BOTM so I picked it up. I was intrigued by the idea of a fantasy set in a Latinx world...."What category for this book- new, brand new, or newish?
post #2 updated!
Melanie wrote: "Diane wrote: "I finished my first book Nocturna It was one of the nominees for BOTM so I picked it up. I was intrigued by the idea of a fantasy set in a..."Brand New to me
Diane wrote: "Melanie wrote: "Diane wrote: "I finished my first book Nocturna It was one of the nominees for BOTM so I picked it up. I was intrigued by the idea of a ..."Got it!
I'm a little behind on my updating. I finished
- it's a new release. It was released in January. I also read it in January, but am a bit behind.
Melanie wrote: "Book 3 (new-author)This is a realistic, angsty teenager, e fiction that follows 7 teenagers (each with a vie that correlates with one of the seven deadly sin..."
Small Spaces is on my TBR list, and after your review I'm definitely going to bump it up. :)
Jennifer wrote: "Melanie wrote: "Book 3 (new-author)This is a realistic, angsty teenager, e fiction that follows 7 teenagers (each with a vie that correlates with one of the ..."
So... I looked back up the thread to remind myself what I said about the book and there's like 5 typos in the review! I am resisting the urge to edit it .... barely.
I listened to the audio, and I definitely think it added to the book because the multiple narrators made it easier to keep track of each character.
Sometimes I find the audio version to be so much better. For example, I absolutely love The Dresden Files as an audiobook more than when I just read them...but then again Marsters is amazing so...Also, I cringe when I make grammatical errors as well, and try to immediately fix them. However, that could just be the teacher in me.
Book 5
(new author, new series)This is a paranormal fantasy full of more angsty teenagers. In small town, Southern USA, the worst thing you can be is different. The MC is a male junior looking forward to getting out for good when A gorgeous new girl arrives on the scene. As strange weather, freak accidents & coincidences abound, the town decides she is a witch--little did they know...
The world' building was okay, but the characters didn't wow me. It was also a little longer and than it needed to be. 3 stars.
Other Notes:
-I probably wouldn't have finished this book, but the audio was really good!
-The book counts towards my Reboot Challenge tally too!
Book 6
(new author)In a world where the spirit of a book can manifest as a human devouring demon, libraries are powerful constructs and the people who inhabit them dedicated public servants and heroes. The MC is an orphan, raised in a library. When she gets thrust into a public sphere because an obvious incident of sabotage, she must challenge her notions of what is right and what is good. And face many personal challenges to do what is right for all of humanity. The world-building was the best part of this book, but the characters were unique too. A solid 3 stars.
1 full set complete!
scorecard updatedAs always, if there is an error, let me know.
Just finished
with the new format of audio. It is long but a powerful story. I loved listing to the voice of the narrator. Very well done! This is #3 for me
Finished #4
This was a book new to me gifted to me by me :) It was one of those moments of I have to treat my self because I had a rough day. I have to say that it was a pretty good YA book especially if you are looking for something with no romance or love triangles. It was a bit predictable but well written and performed for audible.
Finished #5 - new series
It was just ok for me. 3 stars.
score card updated!
Okay, so I am super far behind in my updates here...I've finished 6 books since I last posted, so I am at a total of 7 books finished.
Brand New Author -
- I really enjoyed this book a lot. I loved the world that she created. I love how the main character was described as a child of the books.
- Could not get into this one. Which saddened me as I generally love historical fiction and books with Greek gods
- I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was another historical fiction
- So I totally judged this baby by the cover. IT is gorgeous. Saw it on the shelf at Barnes and had to have it. It was a great choice. I really enjoyed it. Also not a lot of books about Mexican/C.A. mythology/folklore, so that made this fun as well.Brand New Series and Author -
- I really liked this one a lot. I love that the main character has a lot of flaws and is able to see them and try to work through them. I also sped through book 2 and will be getting the 3rd book soon :)
- (Green Rider is Adult) - I beyond loved this book and series. I could not stop after the first book. I continued through book 4, but am now forcing myself to take a break and read a few other books before finishing the last 2 books in this series. IF anyone else loves high fantasy, I highly recommend this baby!!
Here's my update too. I was reading several books concurrently, so I finished them all at the same time.Book 7-MG
(new series)This was a series that one of my students passionately recommended to me, so I had to check it out. it is a pretty classic epic fantasy/ coming-out age book...but with dragons. Some of the best parts are the ensemble cast of characters rather than just having 1 MC that is "special." I'm assuming that the depth of the story, character, and quality of writing improves as the series progresses. The book was good but not amazing. I will continue through the series as I can get them from the library. (3 stars)
Book 8-MA
(brand new-gift, new series)I received this book via a secret Santa exchange program. it is by a favorite author of mine. It was quite thick, so it took me 2 months to read it. Plus I had it as a print book which doesn't travel with me everywhere as my ebooks and audiobooks do.
The story follows several characters in an epic fantasy world. Some are heroes, some are villains, some are human, some are not. When an ancient race of Wreths reemerges from the oblivion of their legends, the humans get pulled into an ancient world and forced to make tough choices. It is kind of in the style of a space opera with a lot of plots and characters that wend into and out of each other. I really liked it and it got WAY exciting near the end ... but the next book doesn't even have a publishing date yet!! (4 stars)
Both of these books I reread on audio because they were part of a literature circle unit I was hosting with my 7th-grade classes. I figured it would be the easiest way to read 3 books along with the kiddos
Book 9-MG
(new format-audio)This is the classic Narnia book. The audio was good, but the story is known and so not very surprising. (3 stars)
Book 10-MG
(new format-audio)This tale follows Luna as she is abducted from her loving parents and left abandoned to the "witch" in the woods. The witch doesn't know the children are her sacrifices, so she rescues them every year. When she accidentally enmagicks Luna, she decides to adopt her. Follow their story and the story of the Protectorate that thinks they need to work tirelessly to merely exist and give up their children for the right to do so. This is a beautiful, sad, epic story. I highly recommend. (4.5 stars!!!)
scorecard updated
Melanie wrote: "Here's my update too. I was reading several books concurrently, so I finished them all at the same time.Book 7-MG
(new series)This was a series that o..."
I have the Wings of Fire on my list to read soon as well. I'm excited by the prospect of a dragon story :)
Also, I have the whole Narnia set on CDs and performed by the London's Children Theatre. It's fantastic. I found the whole set in a bargain bin many years ago. I think I paid $12 for the whole thing.
Jennifer wrote: "Melanie wrote: "Here's my update too. I was reading several books concurrently, so I finished them all at the same time.Book 7-MG
(new series)This was..."
I've read 3 of the Narnia books-- Dawntreader thus far is my favorite.
Finished book 6
It is a new author to me. This was our March Book of the month. It was 3 stars for me. I found though the situation was one that should have been intense I just didn't feel empathy for the characters. I didn't care for the audio. Over all it was not a "bad" book but not my expectations.
I'm up to five books finished so far - I've been doing a big reread of the Animorphs series and realized I'd never read The Andalite's Gift, the first book in the offshoot Megamorphs series, so I'm counting it :)
![laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader)](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1645808644p1/7494844.jpg)
I'm in!FIRST SET: 240 points, committed reader
+100 set
+10 Stay True
+20 Committed Reader (all brand new)
+50 Theme: Female protagonists
+60 On Deck
SECOND SET: 180, Over-Achiever
(YA)
(A)
(A)
(A)
(A)
(A)+100 set
+20 Committed Reader (all brand new)
+50 Theme: LGBT main characters
+60 On Deck
-50 for each Non YA book
Total Points: 420 (let me know if I added this up wrong)
@laurel [suspected bibliophile]- thank you for doing the math for me!Scorecard updated!
Melanie wrote: "@laurel [suspected bibliophile]- thank you for doing the math for me!Scorecard updated!"
I broke my brain doing the math!
5 days left to this month... can you finish your challenge in time?Don't neglect to sign up for the next seasonal challenge: SPRING NUPTIALS
Rated YA-MA
Books mentioned in this topic
Harley in the Sky (other topics)The Hand on the Wall (other topics)
Upright Women Wanted (other topics)
Woven in Moonlight (other topics)
Scavenge the Stars (other topics)
More...
Explanation:
2020 will start off with the traditional challenge, read your new books. See details below for the scoring system and book categories.
Book Categories
*New: read a book that’s new to you in some way: NEW AUTHOR, NEW SERIES, NEW GENRE, etc.
*Brand New: read book that is either a NEW RELEASE (published in the last 6 months, July 2019-March 2020) or a book GIFTED TO YOU (books you gift yourself absolutely count).
*New-ish: re-read a book in a NEW FORMAT (ex. audio or graphic novel if originally read as a print book).
Point System:
[+100 points] Mischief Managed
**read a complete SET (6 books) for this challenge
[+10 points] On Deck
**gain points for each book you read, even if you don’t finish a full SET
[+20 points] Buddy Up
**read a book as a buddy read … use this THREAD to set up a buddy read.
[-10 points] *MA-Nay* / *MG-LetItBe*
**subtract points for each MA or MG book you read for this challenge
Standard Rules:
♦ Audio Books: 1.5+ hours
♦ Paper Books: 150+ pages
♦ Ebooks (without a page number equivalent): 37,500 words
Bonus Achievements
1. Over-Achiever: Complete multiple SETs for this challenge. [bonus points= 100 X #of SETs completed, ex. 2 sets= 200 pts, 3 sets= 300 pts, etc.]
2. [+20 points] Committed Reader: Complete a full SET from the same category (New, Brand New, New-ish)
3. [+20 points] Diversified Portfolio: Complete a full SET with @ least 1 book from each category (New, Brand New, New-ish)
4. [+50 points] Themed SET Your completed SET (6 books) has some kind of common theme (ex. all female protagonists, all titles start with the same letter, none of the covers have people, etc.). Just explain your theme when you post your 6th book.
5. [+20 points] Stay True Complete your challenge without including any MA or MG books
6. [+10 points] First Blood: Be the first to complete a full SET
7. [+5 points] Salutatorian: Be the second person to complete a full SET
Tracking Progress:
I'll be keeping track of participant’s progress (as much as possible) in post #2. If you spot an error, let me know and I’ll fix it.
Posting Suggestions:
1. When posting, let us know which category (New, Brand New, New-ish) your book falls into.
2. It is also nice, but not necessary, to tell us what you thought of the book just in case it grabs the interest of another member.