2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE 2015
>
Jackie B's 2015 Challenge
Goal met! 40/40 on 5/17/15! Goal Doubled! 80/40 on 7/12/15. Holy smokes.
OVER 100 on 8/27/15! Never thought that would happen...
140/40
by Ali Smith
by Carolyn Keene 
by Donald J. Sobol 
by The Boxcar Children 
by Gertrude Chandler Warner 
by Carolyn Keene 
by Donald J. Sobol 
by Gertrude Chandler Warner 
by Tai Sheridan 
byKen Kesey
by Gertrude Chandler Warner 
by Carolyn Keene 
by Marie L'Esperance
by Marissa Meyer 
by Marissa Meyer 
by Marissa Meyer
by Joanne Harris
by Jim Starlin
by Marissa Meyer 
by Marissa Meyer 
by Marissa Meyer 
by Kate DiCamillo
by Erin Morgenstern 
by Neil Gaiman 
by Farnoosh Torabi 
by Brendan Halpin 
by Tina Fey 
by Adam Mansbach 
by Zachary Howe 
by Wendy Copley 
by Marcey Goulder Forman I <3 My Mommy.
by Sylvia Plath 
by David Sedaris 
by Neil Gaiman 
by Rudyard Kipling
by Virginia Lee Burton 
by Virginia Lee Burton
by Claire Huchet Bishop 
by Eleanor Estes 
by Wanda Gág 
by Marjorie Flack 
by Ann Leckie 
by Marissa Meyer 
by Rainbow Rowell 
by Christopher Moore 
by Maurice Sendak 
by Jane Yolen 
by Virginia Lee Burton
by Virginia Lee Burton 
by Simms Taback 
by Pam Conrad; illustrated by Brian Selznick 
by Dan Rix 
by David A. Wells 
by Judy Blume 
by Anna Sewell 
by Sarah Dessen
by Laura Amy Schlitz
by Ian McEwan 
by Gail Carson Levine 
by Kiera Cass 
by Kiera Cass 
by Kiera Cass 
by David Wiesner 
by Mordicai Gerstein 
by Peggy Rathmann 
by Andrew Clements 
by Ann M. Martin 
by Laura Esquivel 
by Catherine Cooper 
by Matt Fraction 
by Neil Gaiman 
by Matt Fraction 
by Hans Christian Andersen and Virginia Lee Burton
by Virginia Lee Burton 
by Virginia Lee Burton 
by Justin Richardson 
by J.K. Rowling 
by Frank Beddor
by Ruth Ozeki 
by Truman Capote
by Judy Blume
by Brian K. Vaughan 
by Brian K. Vaughan
by Roald Dahl 
by Cary Elwes 
by Jim Gaffigan 
by Arna Bontemps 
by Norma Farber
by Stan Sakai 
by Brian Selznick
by Roald Dahl 
by Douglas Adams 
by Neil Gaiman 
by Margaret Atwood 
by Robert Cormier 
by Rae Carson 
by Sherman Alexie 
by Edward Eager 
by Ernest Cline 
by Andrew Clements
by Brian K. Vaughan 
by Brian K. Vaughan 
by Brian Selznick
by Patrick Lencioni 
by Stan Sakai
by Pam Conrad 
by Anna Elizabeth Bennett 
by Hayao Miyazaki 
by Laura Godwin 
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
by Brian K. Vaughan 
by Paul Hersey
by Rae Carson
by Rae Carson
by Sue Monk Kidd
by Madeleine L'Engle
by Louis Sachar
by Rainbow Rowell
by Kazuo Koike
by Andrew Clements
by Rainbow Rowell
by Neil Gaiman
by Brian Selznick
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
by Rosemary Wells 
by Anne MalcolmsonAs I keep reading, I hope to add more posts to this thread. Here goes nothing!
For my Kid's Lit Book Club we are reading mysteries this month. Specifically, we are to each read one book from:* Encyclopedia Brown
* The Boxcar Children
* Nancy Drew
I have surely met and exceeded this goal already, with one week left to go until book club! So far, I have read:
* Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol
* Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man by Donald J. Sobol
* The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
* Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner
* The Yellow House Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner
* The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene
* The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene
I surely will read more of these before next week. I was left with some very distinct impressions, however. I have not read any Encyclopedia Brown or Nancy Drew books before. I read all the Boxcar Children books when I was a kid. I still love those books. I think I enjoy Nancy Drew even more-- but that also might partially be my age. I wonder if I had read those in 4th grade if I would have enjoyed them as much. I am a very different person now, interested in very different things.
Encyclopedia Brown is just not my thing. I appreciate what the series is doing, and how the books are written. Perhaps as a child I would have enjoyed that. I can particularly see how this is useful for a teacher reading to their kids in school, too.
All that said- I will read some more Nancy Drew for sure. I read book 1 and 4, so I should fill in the middle books at least, right?
For a book club in Madison I am reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. I read it once in High School, and reading it now is a very different experience for me. I remember discussing all the symbolism and themes as a child-- but I am struggling to remember it all. When I was younger it was so easy for me to analyze a book. I wonder when that changed? Gotta finish it in the next two days! Book club is on 4/2; and by gumbo, I will get it done and have some insightful things to say! :)
And so the second quarter of the year begins! I can't believe how many books I've read already. I think this is mostly due to my new job; I started it in December.This quarter I want to focus more on my book club books and the I Spy challenge I signed up to join. It's a year long challenge, but that's totally fine.
I've found that these challenges are really inspiring, and help me pick out new books I wouldn't have normally read. Hopefully I can keep that trend up!
Moar reading!
Last night, I finished up The Hidden Staircase. It was a fun, light read. I have four books I'm needing to read now, but I didn't want to start anything new after I wrapped it up. So, strangely, I read a cookbook cover-to-cover.Best Brunches and Breakfasts was a book I got free from Bookbub (damn you, Bookbub!). I'm not one to read a cookbook cover-to-cover unless it's from Alton or ATK. It was really interesting. A lot of these brunch ideas seemed pretty simple, but I liked that. I can imagine that now I can make more elegant brunch buffets.
All in all, the collection of recipes didn't blow me away. There are a few that I will definitely try, but most of them didn't strike me as something I was interested in. However, I will take some of these recipes nd modify them as needed. I look forward to that.
Now! On to novels. :)
I was scoping around other message boards, and I found a statistics list. It's brilliant! I think I'll copy that and check out my stats as I read:*Okay, this doesn't line up anymore. For 2016, I'll try to come up with a better way to track this... Oops! I stopped keeping track around Sept 2015
2015 Reading Statistics
Total Books Read: 116
Genre/Type
Advice/How-To: 2
Biography/Memoir: 4
Classics: 6
Children/Early Grade: 26
Comic/Graphic Novel: 12
Coming of Age: 6
Cooking: 2
Dystopian Lit: 5
Fantasy: 17
Gaming Fiction: 1
Historical Fiction: 1
Humor: 1
Literary Fiction: 6
Magical Realism: 2
Mystery: 9
Other Nonfiction: 0
Paranormal Fiction: 1
Religion/Spirituality: 1
Romance: 2
Science Fiction: 7
Short Stories: 1
Steampunk Lit: 7
Length
Short (<250 pages): 71
Medium (250-500 pages): 44
Long: (501-800 pages): 4
Epic (>800 pages):
Target Audience Age
Adult: 40
Children/Early Grade: 27
Young Adult: 49
Author Gender
Each author is listed once, if I read more than one book by them
Female: 41
Male: 37
New to Me or Repeat Author?
Each author is listed once, if I read more than one book by them
New to Me: 60
Repeat: 21
Series or Standalone Book?
Each series is listed as a single entity below
Series: 28
Standalone: 63
From Where?
From a Friend: 26
Library: 62
Online Read: 3
Own: 25
Book Format
Hardback: 34
Paperback: 25
E-book: 45
Audiobook: 15
It's amazing what you can learn from the other owners of these pages! I'm also going to track all the challenges I'm a part of here. That's extra convenient because it means I only have one place to stop at to see what I should be looking for next. Plus, I can copy and paste all my formatting from here into the message boards.Thank you fellow reading addicts. You're all brilliant.
MARCH CHALLENGE: SPRING BREAK SPELL OUTFrom: 2015 Reading Challenge Group
Duration: March 1 - March 31, 2015
Spring Break is coming soon for students and teachers everywhere. This is the spring break spell out challenge. I love a spell out challenge. For this challenge choose a word that relates to spring break and spell out that word with books. You can use ANY of the first letters of the main words in a title of a book (don't use words like "a", "an", "the", or "of") or the initials of its authors.
Example: For spring break I am going on a road trip
What a great idea! My first challenge! I'm heading to Belize with some friends in March, so I will try Belize-- even though there is a Z in there!
[6/6]
B. Hunt of the Bandham by Trevor H. Cooley 3/16/15
E. Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol 2/23/15
L. The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene 3/24/15
I. Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner 3/25/15
Z. Zen Prayers For Repairing Your Life by Tai Sheridan 3/29/15
E. Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man by Donald J. Sobol 3/26/15
VICTORY! First challenge: A Success. Bring on the rest.
I SPY CHALLENGEFrom: 2015 Reading Challenge
Duration: January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015
Read a book that contains a word in the title that fits each of the 25 categories below. If you're having trouble with a particular category, ask other members what they are reading for it. You may also use the name of the series for up to three categories.
Here are the 25 categories with examples. The examples are just to get you started - any word that fits the category is fair game.
1. Color - red, crimson, indigo
2. Number - one, twice, third
3. Things That Grow - tree, rose, garden
4. Seasons - spring, fall, autumn
5. First Name - Jacqueline, Robert, Ajax
6. Places - country, empire, London
7. Body Part - hand, bone, mind
8. Weapon - knife, poison, arrow
9. Body of Water - sea, river, pond
10. Form of Water - ice, mist, rain
11. Product of Fire - heat, ash, flames
12. Celestial Body - sun, star, planet
13. Architecture - castle, bridge, house
14. Senses - sight, touch, taste
15. Royal Title - king, duke, emperor
16. Family Member - brother, aunt, parent
17. Elements - fire, wind, air
18. Time of Day - morning, dusk, evening
19. Metal - gold, bronze, steel
20. Emotion/Feeling - love, fear, pride
21. Animal/Insect - dog, tiger, unicorn
22. Something to Read - book, story, newspaper
23. Gender Identifier - wife, man, lady
24. Paranormal Being - vampire, angel, ghost
25. Occupation - doctor, assassin, detective
Awesome! I'm looking forward to trying this. Better late than never to the game. I am going to try to read books from all 25 categories. Bring it on!
Books Read: 20/25
1. Color: The Yellow House Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner 3/25/15
2. Number: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey 4/2/15
3. Things That Grow: The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling Completed 6/8/15
4. Seasons:
5. First Name: Cinder by Marissa Meyer 4/8/15
6. Places: The Heir of Olympus and the Forest Realm by Zachary Howe Completed 5/22/15
7. Body Part: Eye of the Moonrat by Trevor H. Cooley 2/9/15
8. Weapon: The Infinity Gauntlet by Jim Starlin 4/19/15
9. Body of Water: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman 5/5/15
10. Form of Water: Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton 6/20/15
11. Product of Fire:
12. Celestial Body: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 4/27/15
13. Architecture: The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene 3/24/15
14. Senses:
15. Royal Title: The Queen's Army by Marissa Meyer 4/22/15
16. Family Member: The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop 6/10/15
17. Elements: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson 9/10/15
18. Time of Day: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 4/27/15
19. Metal: The Golden Acorn by Catherine Cooper 7/15/15
20. Emotion/Feeling: Bossypants by Tina Fey Completed 5/19/15
21. Animal/Insect: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo 4/26/15
22. Something to Read: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 9/3/15
23. Gender Identifier: When She Makes More: 10 Rules for Breadwinning Women by Farnoosh Torabi 5/14/15
24. Paranormal Being: The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman 6/6/15
25. Occupation: Fool by Christopher Moore 6/18/15
I do this thing where I read on my Kindle on the treadmill or elliptical at the gym. I typically start and end my workout with some warm-up and cool down work there. Until recently, the Kindle had somehow become my primary source for reading. But- then I reestablished my relationship with the Library.I currently have 5 books checked out. 3 of which are over 400 pages (a lot for me right now). I desperately need to make a dent in them. Alas: on Monday when I needed to start a new book at the gym, I picked Cinder. Now I am 46% of the way through Cress and I can't stop! I've got to stop neglecting my library books...
I went to Washington DC this past weekend and took the time to read one book which has been on my nightstand for months:
by Jim Starlin. This graphic novel was given to me by one of my good friends. He is really into comic books and video games, and felt like I needed some education. Which I'm all about. I have nothing against this world; in fact, I was often reading Batman comics as a kid.
However, I felt like this graphic novel was lacking.
My guess is that since I'm not part of those "in the know", jumping into this where I did was a challenge. I was frustrated at the blind acceptance of following Jack Warlock. I was irritated that no one questioned, and when they did, all the "good guys" jumped on them like that was wrong. No one knew this person. No one understood his motivations. They all went the jumped into their own death blindly.
I just think this would have been a lot more interesting if there was anything from the perspective of Jack Warlock. Instead, I found myself disengaged since I didn't care about the outcome. If I understood the motivations behind this specific plan, I think I would have cared more.
Oh well. Off to a new graphic novel!
I wrote this on 4/15, but I didn't ever post it! Oops. Oh well: Cress review!I just finished Cress two days ago. Melissa Meyer's writing is getting better and better with each book. My favorite part is that she really understands the focus and motivations of her characters. She doesn't lose sight of that, even when the characters are just ancillary to the current scenario.
I also think this book had the best ending. There was a cliffhanger, for sure. But the cliffhanger wasn't the focus. There was a lot of interaction between the characters that got resolved. And a lot of subtle fairy tale components that stuck out to me. I feel like all the characters were set up well for a solid conclusion.
That said-- I NEED THE NEXT BOOK.
...Counting the days until November 2015.
2ND QUARTER CHALLENGE: ONE HIT WONDERSFrom: 2015 Reading Challenge
Duration: April 1 - June 30, 2015
For this challenge, we're going to explore authors who have only written one book (or one novel). It's all right if the author has published short stories or has been part of a larger collection of published works with other contributors, but he or she can only have one standalone work.
Kadijah Michelle created this challenge in honor of To Kill a Mockingbird falling off this list in July.
For a variation, you can ALSO read books that was the only book of its type written by that author (for example, a fantasy book written by a nonfiction writer).
Set your goal, and keep us posted on how you do!
Read 5/5
Sounds great. I'm in for 5:
1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Completed 4/27/15 I really loved this book; I thought it had the most perfect ending to a novel I've read in a long while.
2. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Completed 5/28/15
3. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell Completed 6/29/15
4. Russian in the Attic by Marcey Goulder Forman Completed 5/26/15
5. Bossypants by Tina Fey Completed 5/19/15
Well. Of course I just signed up for another challenge. I feel like it's a bit of cheating, actually. Why? Because I have to read one of those for West Side Stories book club (The Night Circus), one for Kids Lit book club (Russian in the Attic), two of those for the I Spy yearly challenge (The Night Circus and Fighting Monks and Burning Mountains), and the remaining book (The Bell Jar) is the May book-of-the-month for the 2015 Reading Challenge. BUT. I am addicted to these challenges. And it forces me to read more. There are timelines now! I must work harder and faster. And all that.
So, here goes nothing. My 3rd challenge I've joined since March.
Jackie B. wrote: "I wrote this on 4/15, but I didn't ever post it! Oops. Oh well: Cress review!I just finished Cress two days ago. Melissa Meyer's writing is getting better and better with each boo..."
I really enjoyed her books too
Karen W
Karen wrote: "Jackie B. wrote: "I wrote this on 4/15, but I didn't ever post it! Oops. Oh well: Cress review!I just finished Cress two days ago. Melissa Meyer's writing is getting better and be..."
I am strangely addicted to The Lunar Chronicles. I am trying to pace myself through reading her short stories right now. I also have yet to read Fairest. There is something incredibly addicting about the world Meyer has created.
Book 36:
by Kate DiCamilloRating 3 stars
Completed 4/26/15
148 pages
This weekend, I finished reading The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. It took me the better part of the week to read it, since I only read it when I was on a treadmill.
Last year, for Kids Lit Book Club, I read Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, also by Kate DiCamillo. I loved that book. I loved the layout, the narrative voice, and the images. There was something about it that really spoke to me. However, I did not feel quite the same about this book.
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo was intended for a younger audience than Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, I believe. I was not prepared for that. I didn't really enjoy the narrator's voice. I did like the characters, and I thought the story was cute. I found myself laughing often-- but it was always a brief chuckle. It was never the full-bellied laugh of Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures
Overall, I give the book 3 stars. I plan on re-reading it someday-- -to my children. I'm sure they will love the adventure.
Categories: Fantasy, From Rebecca, Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: I Spy; Lets Turn Pages
Book 37:
by Erin MorgensternRating: 5 stars
Completed 4/27/15
387 pages
I just finished reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Wow.
Then ending of this book was perfect. The two most common criticisms of this book I have heard is a lack of character development/understanding for the main characters, and a lack of understanding about the magic and it's history. However, I think those two common complaints are some of my favorite parts.
I like the we understand the characters enough to move the plot forward and keep you interested in what is going on. I feel like we get just enough information about the other named characters as well. I'd love to see more about Poppet and Widget, but I am satisfied with where it stands. I also think the appropriate amount of ancillary characters are introduced. We don't have an over abundance of circus performers we get to know. Every characters serves a purpose.
I also loved the mystery around the magic. Or not magic. Whatever it is. It is often alluded to as something anyone can pick up-- which connects me more to my childhood than I expected. Back in a time when anything was possible.
The ending though. I love that I didn't see it coming, despite all the hints. It was just... so satisfying.
I cannot recommend this book enough.
Categories: Fantasy, West-Side-Stories
Challenges: I Spy, One Hit Wonders; Lets Turn Pages
Book Club: West Side Stories
Jackie B. wrote: "I just finished reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Wow.Then ending of this book was perfect. The two most common criticisms of this book I have heard is..."
That was one of my fav books from last year! Glad you enjoyed it too!
Megan wrote: "Jackie B. wrote: "I just finished reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Wow.Then ending of this book was perfect. The two most common criticisms of this bo..."
Do you agree or disagree about character development and the magic system? Any particular criticisms you had for the book?
Jackie B. wrote: "Megan wrote: "Jackie B. wrote: "I just finished reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Wow.Then ending of this book was perfect. The two most common critici..."
I definitely agree about both. I loved the imagery! The prose was not overly flowery, and every word served a purpose.
Are you finding that tracking your reading is helping you read more? That's how it worked out for me.I'm glad to hear you enjoyed The Night Circus. It's one of my favorite books because the world is so mesmerizing. When I finished it, I wanted to immediately go back to the beginning and start reading again (which never happens for me). I had to stop and think, though, that the same way the night circus mysteriously appears and suddenly vanishes, leaving you longing for more, the book should do the same thing. I thought it was the right amount of mysterious while still providing enough detail that I could picture the circus and the characters.
Tracking is definitely helping me read more. It's like a game I'm playing with myself to see how many books I can get read. Luckily, I have very supportive friends and family who are willing to allow me reading time instead of social time. Oops!I really hope that Erin Morgenstern writes more-- but I also hope she doesn't touch that world again. I like the mystery in letting it sit.
I agree! I wouldn't mind having another book about another challenge or that type of magic in another context, but I think the night circus should be done - I would hate for a sequel to take away the magic of it.
Book 38:
by Neil GaimanRating: 4 stars
Completed 5/5/15
181 pages
I just finished The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I specifically was listening to the audiobook-- which I believe changed my relationship with this book for the better.
In general, I am fascinating by Neil Gaiman's writing and the worlds he creates. However, they are always on the dark side of things (no, not Sith-like). My personal "free-time" philosophy is that I don't have a lot of free time, so I don't want to spend that time being scared, upset, or sad. I tend to almost exclusively read/watch/experience things that make me laugh, smile, and generally be in a good mood. Gaiman doesn't often fit into this paradigm. And The Ocean at the End of the Lane is no exception. There are incredibly frightening (particularly from the perspective of a child) and dark moments. However.
I really enjoyed this book. And I believe it's because I heard it read aloud by Neil Gaiman himself. I heard his inflection, his tone, and his pacing. I experienced this fantastic (in the literal sense of the word) world of his from his perspective. And that made it even more magical. Often, I lose the magic of Gaiman's writing because I am focused on the distracting darkness of the situation. But there is surely magic.
If I had read this book on my own, I don't think I would have been as fully immersed in his world. I loved it, too. I want to know more about these characters and the magical-realism that seems to only exist for the Hempstocks and other children. I felt like I was seeing the world from the perspective of a child, and it made me realize how differently I view the world now-- as compared to my own childhood experiences.
In all honesty, I don't normally seek Gaiman out. But, if I can find more of his books narrated by Gaiman himself... well, I will surely read more of this. Perhaps my next Gaiman is Neverwhere or American Gods...
Well. After I read Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch again. But that's Gaiman and Pratchett. So, ... yes.
Categories: Fiction, Paranormal Fiction, Audiobook
Challenges: I Spy; Lets Turn Pages
Book 39:
by Farnoosh TorabiRating: 3 stars
Completed 5/14/15
272 pages
After many weeks, I finally finished When She Makes More: 10 Rules for Breadwinning Women by Farnoosh Torabi. And let me tell you, I had lots to think about...
This book was incredibly thought provoking for me, and therefore a very slow read. I am not good at introspection. It's my tragic flaw, actually... Anyway.
I picked up this book because I recently came to terms with the fact that I will be the breadwinner in my soon-to-be family. For me, it presents some psychological issues, but I find that the world outside my family is more judgmental than I expected they would be. I wanted advice on how to deal with the "But you're marrying beneath you..." and the "You need a man who will support you." and all that. This book did a great job of providing me with food for thought.
I feel confident that this book was appropriate and not just some rubbish. Farnoosh Torabi obviously did her research. A lot of things were brought to light that I had never thought about, and even though I'm not even engaged yet, I'd say 99% of the book applied to me. I had a lot to think about.
During the time I was reading this book, Dave was gone for a week. I discovered during that time period I couldn't read this book before going to bed. I ended up having anxiety-ridden nightmares. Turns out, when someone starts giving you advice about your future, and things you'll run into in your future you had never even thought about, you want to talk to someone about this.
I might read this book again someday, but at that point I'll be seeking advice. Right now I think it's good that I read this so I can prepare for my future as best as possible. I am a planner, for sure. And I want to go into establishing a family making certain I am as prepared as possible. I know that Dave and I can weather any storm-- but I want to make certain we have lifeboats should the time come. This has really helped provide me direction and given me hope.
Here's to consistently successful finances. :)
Categories: Advice/How-To; Non-Fiction
Challenges: I Spy; Lets Turn Pages
Book 40
by Brendan HalpinRating 2 stars
Completed 5/17/15
224 pages
I read this book for my Kids Lit Book Club. The theme this month is "Books Written By People We Know". Donorboy is a bit of a stretch here; this is written by a friend of the Kids Lit Books Club members. So, no one in our book club actually knows Brendan Halpin. That said, this was a really interesting book.
The book is written, instead of in chapters, in emails, texts, IM conversations, and dictated meeting notes. It took me a long time to get used to the format, but I think it did a good job expressing the different characters personalities and view points. That said, I don't feel like there was a lot of depth to any of the characters except Rosalind and Sean. Since we had all these differing view points, I would have liked to see more character development for the other characters. Even then, Sean was a struggle for me. He felt a bit... flat and whiny. In fact, Sean and Rosalind were incredibly similar in a way that annoyed me. I think Halpin was trying to evoke they are blood relations and genetics plays a large part in who we are. However, all it did was make Sean more of a petulant, needy teenager. Which was acceptable for Rosalind's 14-year-old-dealing-with-extreme-grief character.
Regardless of the character development, unsatisfying lack-there-of, I felt like Halpin did a great job with the themes. Grief, trust, acceptance, and what it means to be a family are all deeply explored. Rosalind is very well portrayed as a 14 year old. I imagine some other members of my book club will not think favorably of her character, but I can really relate. I lost my sister two years ago, and the pain never does really go away. She is dealing with her grief in a very real way that makes her character believable. Flip-flopping, acting out, not acting out, hating herself, hating the world, not hating anything-- that's exactly it.
Also-- this is my 40th book read in 2015! I met my Reading Goal!~ Now... to double it.
Categories: Kids Lit Book Club, Young Adult/Early Reader; Fiction
Challenges: Lets Turn Pages
Book Club:: Kids Lit
Book 41:
by Tina FeyRating: 4 Stars
Completed 5/19/15
290 pages
Before "reading" this book (I listened to the audiobook), I didn't know a lot about Tina Fey. I knew she wrote Mean Girls. I knew that she was a writer for Saturday Night Live, and she acted on it occasionally. I knew about 30 Rock, and I never saw a single episode. But mostly, I know that I think Tina Fey is hilarious.
This book was mostly memoir, but it also spoke a lot to being a female in a male dominated world. There was a lot of appropriate feminism in here which I was not expecting. All in all, I've learned that I respect what Tina has done, the commitment she has put in to her career and family, and that she is an incredibly strong female role model. I'm be more interested to hear what she has to stay about being a woman in a boy's club world.
I'm really glad I listened to the audiobook. Hearing this from Tina Fey herself was really insightful. I could tell that she made changes specifically for the audiobook (from the original print version) that were appropriate, funny, and poignant. I didn't always feel like I was listening to a comedy sketch, which I liked. At the same time, her sense of humor was comforting and welcome when it appeared.
I'd recommend this to most people. It was a great listen. :)
Categories: audiobook, memoir, non-fiction
Challenges: I Spy, One Hit Wonders; Lets Turn Pages
Book 42:
by Adam MansbachRating: 4 stars
Completed 5/20/15
32 pages
The Go the Fuck to Sleep audiobook is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. And it's perfect. Completely perfect. It's super short, and lovely. I don't have kids yet, but I am sure this will be me some day. I hope when I have a baby shower, someone gets me this book.
Categories: audiobook, fiction, Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: Lets Turn Pages
Book 43:
by Zachary HoweRating: 2 stars
Completed 5/22/15
Page 376
I have complicated feelings about this book. First, you should know that I read this book as part of my Kids Lit book Club. This month, we are reading books written by authors we know. So, this author is a friend to one of my friends. Second, I have read all of the Percy Jackson books already.
I feel like this is a great book hiding in a lot of poorly written sentences. I like the premise. I like the pop-culture references (there is a snitch reference! Yay HP!). I like how the author is trying to convey differences between characters of drastically different ages and experiences.
However. I feel like there are useless characters. The characters lack development. The writing sounds petulant and is often repetitive. I really dislike the main character. I think he has the worst inner monologue. Plus, he always wins, even when he shouldn't. There must be some sort of failures somewhere.
All in all, I see potential here. I just want a stronger editor.
Categories: Fantasy; Kids Lit Book Club, Owned, Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: I Spy; Lets Turn Pages
Book Club:: Kids Lit
Book 44:
by Wendy CopleyRating: 4 stars
Completed 5/22/15
120 pages
Ahh, Bento Lunches. I fancy myself someone who could easily make this a hobby, but I have yet to find proper inspiration. I enjoyed this book because it showed me how easy it can be to make bento boxes. Other books I've looked at often involved traditional Japanese techniques (as they should), but it makes me a bit more challenging for me to feel like I can easily adapt that to my lifestyle. While I don't have any kids yet, I feel like I should get my practice in now and start coming up with all sorts of fascinating little things. Here goes!
Categories: Cooking; Owned
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages
We're in late May now, but better late than never. I keep seeing this challenge pop up on other people's challenge boards, so I sought it out! I'm joining this challenge and I will aim to read *Updated 7/1/15 since I had already broken 16,000.
I've never counted how many pages I've read before-- this will be enlightening:
January - 7 books, 2,269 pages read (view spoiler) - 2,269 total pages
February- 4 books, 1,296 pages read (view spoiler) -3,565 total pages
March - 12 books, 3,109 pages read (view spoiler) - 6,674 total pages
April - 14 books, 3,435 pages read (view spoiler) - 10,109 total pages
May - 9 books, 1,878 pages read (view spoiler) - 11,987 total pages
June - 24 books, 4,397 pages read (view spoiler) - 16,357 total pages
July - 21 books, 3,550 pages read (view spoiler) - 19,907 total pages
August - 14 books, 2,760 pages read (view spoiler) - 22,667 total pages
September - 11 books, 2,703 pages read (view spoiler)- 25,370 Total pages
Book 45
by Marcey Goulder FormanRating: 5 stars
Completed 5/26/15
119 pages
I love this book. In fact, I read it in a few hours this time. Love Love Love.
When I was a kid, I used to read it all the time. This time, I read it for our Kids Lit Book Club. As mentioned before, the theme this month is "Books Written by People We Know". This book happens to be written by my Mother.
I've never read it with a critical eye before, and I realized some new things this time. First- the audience for the book is younger than I expected it to be. I'm imagining 10-13 year olds. This is due to how everything is very clearly explained. Russian history, Jewish traditions, etc. Shockingly, even as an adult, I didn't see this as condescending. This is not something I've experienced before.
Second-- I found a few typos and continuity errors. This is not super surprising to me, since this book was published in 1988, before the Microsoft red squiggle. It does make me want to read some of my Mom's other manuscripts and see if I can help her out. I am just going to assume when she retires in a few months she will return to YA literature.
Lastly-- This book is brilliant. I mean, I knew that. But seeing it as an adult is a different thing entirely. There are so many great messages in here. It talks about tolerance and freedom and making choices. All great things for kids 8-14 should be hearing more about.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone.
Categories: Fiction, Owned, Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: Lets Turn Pages, One Hit Wonders
Book Club: Kids Lit
Book 46:
by Sylvia PlathRating: 3 stars
Completed 5/28/15
264 pages
This book is a semi-autobiographical depiction of Sylvia Plath's chronic depression, and it is fairly spot on. However, it took me a while to get into the book. At first, I didn't get it. I couldn't relate to any of the characters or the world they were a part of. The 1940s seems so absolutely foreign to me. However, as I progressed through the pages, I found more and more about the novel I enjoyed.
I couldn't find anything to relate to in any way to the novel until chapter 16: "I hated these visits, because I kept feeling the visitors measuring my fat and stringy hair against what I had been and what they wanted me to be, and I knew they went away utterly confounded."
This sentence sucked me in. Then I became fascinated with figuring out what was real and what wasn't... what the relationships all meant, and how a single incident could mean the difference between sanity and collapse for many people.
I am glad that I read this book. It showed me a part of the world I had never experienced before, and rarely speculated on.
Categories: Biographical, Classic, Fiction
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, One Hit Wonders
Recently, I've been beating myself up a bit over my lack of reading. I was on quite a roll the first half of the year and did a ton of reading. However, things have slowed down. I stopped and thought about that today, and I realized that I'm just not into anything I'm reading right now. I am listening to Me Talk Pretty One Day narrated by David Sedaris. It's incredibly well written, but just not my sense of humor. I find that it depresses me.
The book I'm reading on my Kindle is Thinblade. This is a book a friend of mine got for free on Bookbub. It's the only book series he has ever read. I am not a huge fan, but I told myself I'm going to read it so that I can have an intelligent conversation about this with him. Then I can recommend books I like which I think he might read based on his feedback.
The hardback book I'm reading is The Secret History of Wonder Woman. Thus far, this book has been a disappointment. It's not really about Wonder Woman, but about her creators and the events of their lives which led up to her creation. It's very well researched, but incredibly dry. I am just. Not. Into. It.
I don't want to give up on reading it... but we're getting there...
Anyway. Has anyone else run into this issue? Anyone get into a reading rut? Any recommendations on what I should be reading instead to kick my reading back into high gear?!
Any and all help is welcome.
Jackie B. wrote: "Recently, I've been beating myself up a bit over my lack of reading. I was on quite a roll the first half of the year and did a ton of reading. However, things have slowed down. I stopped and tho..."
I have definitely been there and am in a mini-rut right now. There are two options when I get stuck: 1. either stop reading for awhile and focus on something else or 2. stop reading one (or more) of those books and switch to a book you've been dying to read for awhile. Usually one or the other works and you'll be zipping through pages in no time!
Thanks for the encouragement, Megan! I think I'll take the second approach you suggested. I should put down these and start something new. Hopefully I can find something more inspiring.
Oh thank goodness, I thought it was just me. I've hit a rut as well. It's strangely comfortable to know I'm not the only one. Jackie B., I see you are in love with Bookbub too.
Bookbub is both the best and worst part of my day. I've found a few fantastic reads (Division of the Marked by March McCarron I couldn't put down), and some terrible things. It means my TBR list never ends, but sometimes that's magical. I almost want to blame Bookbub for my rut, though. I'm surrounded be mediocre literature that doesn't really excite me. I need to find better literature, more suited to my reading tastes, to dig into!
Book 47:
by David SedarisRating: 3 Stars
Completed 6.4.15
272 pages
I spent a long time thinking about how I wanted to rate this book.
I listened to the audio version of this book. I find that I have very engaging experiences with audiobooks (just as David Sedaris explains he does in these essays) which make me think a lot more before writing a review. I find that I feel more like an observer when I experience an audiobook, rather than fully immersed in the world. That said...
I like how David Sedaris writes. I enjoy his pacing. His tone is fascinating. His descriptions are wonderful if a bit on the morbid side. I love the collection of essays. I like how the stores all relate, but not in a very direct way. I liked that the audiobook included studio-recorded essays of just David Sedaris, and also recordings performances with a live audience.
However. I didn't really enjoy this book. I was interested in where the stories were going, but I didn't find myself laughing. I just don't understand or appreciate David Sedaris's humor. It's very self-deprecating, defacing, and morbid. Which is fine-- but totally not my cup of tea. When he describes the idiosyncrasies of his family, I don't find it humorous; I find it sad. When he talks about his morbid thought process, I find it a bit frightening. I just can't relate to the subject matter or the intent.
I did find that when there was a laughing audience in the background I did occasionally smile. But I never once laughed.
If I didn't think he was just a fantastic writer, this book would have received two stars. Thank you for what you bring to the literary world, Mr. Sedaris, but I doubt I'll read any of your novels again.
Categories: Audiobook; Non-Fiction; Biographical
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages
Book 48:
by Neil GaimanRating: 4 Stars
Completed 6/6/15
240 pages
The Sandman is a fascinating series. This is a re-read for me. I read the entirety of The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 a few years ago, which is a collection of comics #1-20. I recently decided I wanted to finish the Sandman series and get a better, more full picture of Morpheus and his world.
Truth be told, the Jackie of 8-12 years ago was way more into this story. That said, it's still a fantastic narrative in a very creative world. The lettering and inking is fantastic. I love how the lettering for Morpheus, and the other gods/spirits/demons/etc. are all different so you can easily ID who they are talking about. I also love the cross-overs into the DC world. My DC background is fairly limited, but I can still pick up on the important connections. None of which are truly essential for the story.
All in all, it's a bit dark for my tastes now, but I won't let that bring me down. 4 stars. Still.
Categories: Graphic Novel/Comic, Series
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, I Spy
Book 49:
by Rudyard KiplingRating: 5 stars
Completed 6/8/15
277 pages
Every time I read a Rudyard Kipling book I am so happy. He is one of those authors who I absolutely love, but I tend to forget about. I don't know why. His style of writing is so engaging and intriguing.
The Jungle Book is a collection of short stories. This would be surprising for someone who only knows The Jungle Book as a Disney film, or other made-for-TV-type-of-thing. You can think of this book like a collection of fables. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is my favorite story in the whole collection-- He is a mongoose who is adopted by a British family and eventually saves (view spoiler). I have read Rikki-Tikki-Tavi before as a stand alone book. I didn't realize it was originally part of this collection.
All in all, I loved this book and I am sure I'll seek out the rest of Kipling's works before too long.
Categories: Audiobook, Classic, Fiction, Short Stories, Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, I Spy
Book Club: Inquisitive Bibliophiles
Book 50
by Virginia Lee BurtonRating: 4 stars
Completed 6/10/15
44 pages
This is an adorable book. When I was a kid, I'm sure this is the kind of book I would have loved to read over and over again. I will surely recommend this to my Mommy-- she'd love to read this.
Categories: Caldecott Medal Winner; Picture Book; Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, The Complete Works
Book 51
by Virginia Lee BurtonRating: 3 stars
Completed 6/10/15
56 pages
If I was a little boy, this would have been something I loved. I enjoyed the story, but it doesn't speak to me as much as other picture books. Very well written and illustrated; I've learned that I love Virginia Lee Burton's writing. The images are very detailed. I'm sure I could spend hours searching for additional secrets hidden inside-- and that's what I love about books like this.
I will surely seek out more of her works.
...
...
...
In fact... I think I'll read ALL of her works for the yearly Complete Works challenge! Oh, man. Why do I do this to myself...? ;)
Categories: Picture Book; Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, The Complete Works
Book 52
by Claire Huchet BishopRating: 3 stars
Completed 6/10/15
64 pages
I found this really entertaining, and I can understand how a child would think this is hilarious. If I had read this as a child, it would probably be quite a bit of nostalgia now. However, I didn't read it as a child, so I struggled to enjoy it. I found it to be a bit morbid for my tastes. That said, it's a cute story.
Categories: Picture Book; Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages; I Spy
Book 53
by Eleanor EstesRating: 5 stars
Completed 6/10/15
80 pages
What an adorable book, with a wonderful message. I'm so shocked this was not known to me until now. I was a bit surprised when I picked it up that it was a chapter book. Mind you, it's not a large chapter book and it does have many illustrations. I found it in the picture book section of my library, hence my surprise.
This story is very obvious in its message, but that's what I love about it. The story about how picking on people is mean, even if you don't think you're being mean, is important for younger children to hear early on. The books transcends time-- the setting is clear and the characters are easy to relate to. Even in the future this book will be relevant. I will read this to my kids some day.
Categories: Picture Book; Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages
Book 54
by Wanda GágRating: 3 stars
Completed 6/10/15
32 pages
A cute story about an older couple who has everything they want in life but company. The wife wishes she had a kitten, and so the husband heads off to find one. He finds "millions and billions and trillions of cats", hoping to select one... but accidentally brings them all home!
I am not a cat lover, but I can appreciate wanting a furry friend to be with you. I loved the ending of this story, but the falling action was a bit terrifying and slightly ignored. That's cool. I'm capable of ignoring it. In the end, though, I was happy.
Categories: Picture Book; Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages
Book 55
by Marjorie FlackRating: 4 stars
Completed 6/10/15
32 pages
This story was well loved from my roommate's childhood. She was super excited when I brought it home from the library, promptly stole it from me, and read it first. As far as I was concerned, this was a good sign.
I really enjoyed this story. The illustrations are wonderful. There is a lot to notice, and there are a lot of colors. However, I found the message to be a bit lacking. There was so much more which could have been said about being lost and found again and what that means-- not that I'm expecting masterpieces from my picture books! I was just a bit letdown that the moral wasn't more pronounced.
Overall, still an adorable book I'd recommend to others.
Categories: Picture Book; Young Adult/Early Reader
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages
THE COMPLETE WORKS CHALLENGE - 2015January 1st - December 31st, 2015
Do you have authors you like but haven't had the chance to explore his or her writing fully? Here's your chance! For this challenge, pick an author (or two or three) that you enjoy. Look him or her up on Goodreads, and read every book he or she has written (not every version, don't worry, just every unique work). You do NOT need to count short stories or books your author has merely contributed to, introduced, edited or translated.
For example, let's say you pick Jonathan Safran Foer. He has 30 unique works on Goodreads, but there are only five books you would need to read to complete this challenge because most of the books are collections or books he's provided a foreword for:
* Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
* Everything Is Illuminated
* Eating Animals
* Tree of Codes
* New American Haggadah
As with many other challenges-- Better late than never! I'm joining and I plan on reading the complete works of two American illustrator/authors. I plan on reading books they both wrote and illustrated, wrote, OR illustrated. This will be a fascinating study on how they grew as both authors and illustrators, as well as seeing if they got ideas from books they illustrated...
Virginia Lee Burton (view spoiler)
9/9
Brian Selznick (view spoiler)
14/26
Here's to complete works!
2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal (other topics)Winter (other topics)
Unaccustomed Earth (other topics)
Saga, Volume 5 (other topics)
The Situational Leader: The Other 59 Minutes (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
G. Willow Wilson (other topics)Marissa Meyer (other topics)
Jhumpa Lahiri (other topics)
Pam Muñoz Ryan (other topics)
Madeleine L'Engle (other topics)
More...
I've set a goal of 40 books for 2015. I'm not going to create a predetermined list, since I participate in many book clubs. I just want to be help more accountable for my reading.