2013 Double Dog Dare Challenge

From Ready When You Are, C.B.:

The TBR Dare is back again for a third year; except this time it's much more intense.  It's not just a dare, it's a double dog dare.  Dakota and I double dog dare you to join in the fun.

But, remember, especailly those of you who do not participate in reading challenges, the TBR Double Dare is not a "reading challenge;"   it's a dare.

We dare you, no we double dog dare you to join in the fun.

The rules are extreme, but you can change them to fit your needs.  The TBR Double Dog Dare is meant to be fun, so rule number one is--have fun.

The goal of the TBR Double Dog Dare is to reduce the size of your TBR stack, to read those books you've had for years and always meant to get around to reading one day.  January 1, 2013 just might be the day.

If you agree to the full Double Dog Dare, then you pledge to read only books in your TBR stack as of January 1, 2013 from the start of the new year until April Fool's Day. Your TBR stack is officially defined as the books you have purchased  or have requested from the library as of January 1, 2013.  This includes books that have not arrived in the mail or at the store yet.  Dakota and I will be making exceptions only for books selelcted by my book club, and possibly not even those depending on what my book club selects.  If you're a member of a book club, then you know how that works. You can make whatever exceptions you would like to or need to make.

We understand.

If you don't want to sign up for the full four months, you can sign up for whatever period of time you'd like. We think it's more fun if people spell out the details of their personal Double Dog Dare in a post on their blogs, but you may do as you like.

We've posted a button for the TBR Double Dog Dare and hope that you'll use it on your own blog to help us get the word out.  And, if you'd like to post a link to this page or any page at Ready When You Are, C.B. featuring the Double Dog Dare, Dakota will make a special visit to your home to deliver a wonderful thank you gift.  Not really.  But she will let you pet her if you're ever in Vallejo, California and I can make some coffee and maybe some sandwiches.

I attempted to read from my owned books last year and failed miserably.  I am recommitting myself to read from my shelves.  And so I am joining this challenge.  It will be hard, but I have to try.  The only exceptions that I am going to make are book club selections (we choose monthly so no yearly schedule) and any books needed to complete series already started (e.g. Reached by Ally Condie).

December 2012 Wrap-Up

Books Read and Reviewed (21 books)

1. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees
2. Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris
3. Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes
4. Chocolate by Shara Aaron and Monica Bearden
5. The Boys Vol. 12: The Bloody Doors Off
6. Social Q's by Philip Galanes
7. Not Quite What I was Planning edited by Smith Magazine
8. Click edited by Courtney E. Martin and J. Courtney Sullivan
9. Sprezzatura by Peter D'Epiro and Mary Desmond Pinkowish
10. A History of Egypt by Jason Thompson
11. Words Words Words by David Crystal
12. Active Liberty by Stephen Breyer
13. Blue by Lisa Cregan
14. Minigami by Gay Merrill Gross
15. The Green Book
16. The White Pearl by Kate Furnivall
17. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
18. The Magician King by Lev Grossman
19. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
20. The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
21. Batman: Earth One

1,000,000 Page Goal

Monthly Total: 6666 pages
Pages Remaining: 886,055 pages

Current Read

None as I am switching to my 2013 lists.

Books Won (1)

• The Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews from Maggie at Literary Winner

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Challenges Completed

• What's in a Name 6 -- I didn't think only 6 books would be hard to complete, but somehow it took me all year.  But I will be adding this to my challenges for next year.
• Back to the Classics -- Difficult but I did it and read some great classics.
• Mixing It Up -- 16 books from 16 different genres.  Loved it!
• Historical Fiction -- I never get to it until the second part of the year, but I do love this genre.
• Seasonal Reading Challenge
• Fantasy Reading Challenge

Comments

I ended the reading year with a bang.  Look at those numbers!  I am very excited about my progress.  And while I didn't finish all the challenges that I started, I still think my completion rate is pretty awesome.  I'm hoping to start 2013 well with some great books.

2012 Reading Challenge Round-Up -- Finishing Edition

I hear 2013 calling my name.  I think it's time to call 2012 quits and start my end of the year posts.  In total I entered 27 reading challenges this year.  Let's see how I did...  Completed challenges edition.

I have a few challenges that I am trying to finish by the end of the year.

I won't finish this completely, but I can add four more titles to make a total of 95 TBR books read out of 150 goal.

1. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (1/8/12)
2. Lost in Austen by Emma Campbell Webster (1/29/12)
3. Zombie Blondes by Brian James (2/4/12)
4. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (2/1/12)
5. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (1/21/12)
6. Regency Romance (3/23/12)
7. Sunshine by Robin McKinley (2/17/12)
8. Allison Hewitt is Trapped by Madeleine Roux (4/26/12)
9. Night of the Necromancer by Kyle West (2/3/12)
10. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dance by Katherine Howe (5/7/12)
11. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (1/11/12)
12. Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean (3/8/12)
13. The Boys: The Big Ride (1/8/12)
14. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (1/12/12)
15. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (1/13/12)
16. Hatter M Vol. 1 (1/15/12)
17. Hatter M Vol. 2 (1/17/12)
18. Hatter M Vol.3 (1/18/12)
19. A Lady Never Tells by Candace Camp (1/23/12)
20. American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout (2/2/12)
21. A Gentleman Always Remembers by Candace Camp (2/7/12)
22. An Affair Without End by Candace Camp (2/10/12)
23. The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan (3/1/12)
24. Evermore by Alyson Noel (3/2/12)
25. Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (3/4/12)
26. Timeless by Gail Carriger (3/18/12)
27. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (4/8/12)
28. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (4/18/12)
29. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (4/26/12)
30. The Radleys by Matt Haig (4/28/12)
31. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (5/15/12)
32. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (5/19/12)
33. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin (5/22/12)
34. Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein (6/1/12)
35. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (6/5/12)
36. The Boys Volume 10 by Garth Ennis (6/7/12)
37. The Boys Volume 11 by Garth Ennis (6/12/12)
38. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick (6/17/12)
39. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (6/27/12)
40. Intentions of the Earl by Rose Gordon (6/29/12)
41. Adrianna’s Fairy Tales by Adrianna White (7/5/12)
42. The Maiden’s Hand by Susan Wiggs (9/8/12)
43. At the Queen’s Summons by Susan Wiggs (9/11/12)
44. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray (7/6/12)
45. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville (7/7/12)
46. 12th Night (anthology) (7/11/12)
47. Carole’s Christmas by Anne Glynn (7/11/12)
48. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray (7/12/12)
49. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (8/6/12)
50. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (8/12/12)
51. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (8/16/12)
52. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (8/20/12)
53. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (8/23/12)
54. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (8/29/12)
55. Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love (9/2/12)
56. Richard III by Shakespeare (9/1/12)
57. Antony and Cleopatra by Shakespeare (9/1/12)
58. Twelfth Night by Shakespeare (9/1/12)
59. King Lear by Shakespeare (9/4/12)
60. Sadie Walker is Stranded by Madeleine Roux (10/2/12)
61. Persuasion by Jane Austen (10/3/12)
62. The First Days by Rhiannon Frater (10/4/12)
63. Fighting to Survive by Rhiannon Frater (10/5/12)
64. Siege by Rhiannon Frater (10/6/12)
65. Feed by Mira Grant (10/8/12)
66. Deadline by Mira Grant (10/14/12)
67. Blackout by Mira Grant (10/17/12)
68. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (10/91/12)
69. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (10/30/12)
70. The Girl from Junchow by Kate Furnivall (11/5/12)
71. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (11/7/12)
72. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (11/8/12)
73. The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall (11/11/12)
74. An Offer You Can’t Refuse by Jill Mansell (11/14/12)
75. Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott (11/16/12)
76. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson (11/16/12)
77. As You Like It by William Shakespeare (11/18/12)
78. Othello by William Shakespeare (11/19/12)
79. Pericles by William Shakespeare (11/19/12)
80. Cymbeline by William Shakespeare (11/19/12)
81. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (11/21/12)
82. Poems of Emily Dickinson (11/23/12)
83. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (11/23/12)
84. Mythology by Edith Hamilton (11/27/12)
85. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick (11/27/12)
86. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees (12/1/12)
87. Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris (12/2/12)
88. Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes (12/3/12)
89. The Boys Vol. 12: The Bloody Doors Off (12/5/12)
90. The White Pearl by Kate Furnivall (12/13/12)
91. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky (12/14/12)
92. The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins (12/19/12)
93. The Magician King by Lev Grossman (12/19/12)
94. Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan -- finishing this week
95. Batman: Earth One (12/19/12)

 With my last four books that I am finishing this week, I will be completing this challenge, just in the nick of time.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (9/28/12)
2. The First Days by Rhiannon Frater (10/4/12)
3. Fighting to Survive by Rhiannon Frater (10/5/12)
4. Siege by Rhiannon Frater (10/6/12)
5. Feed by Mira Grant (10/8/12)
6. Deadline by Mira Grant (10/14/12)
7. Blackout by Mira Grant (10/17/12)
8. Sadie Walker is Stranded by Madeleine Roux (10/2/12)
9. The Girl from Junchow by Kate Furnivall (11/5/12)
10. The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall (11/11/12)
11. Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott (11/16/12)
12. Mythology by Edith Hamilton (11/27/12)
13. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (11/7/12)
14. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees (12/1/12)
15. As You Like It by Shakespeare (11/18/12)
16. Cymbeline by Shakespeare (11/19/12)
17. Othello by Shakespeare (11/19/12)
18. Pericles by Shakespeare (11/19/12)
19. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick (11/27/12)
20. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (11/8/12)
21. Persuasion by Jane Austen (10/3/12)
22. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson (11/16/12)
23. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (11/21/12)
24. Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes (12/3/12)
25. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (10/19/12)
26. The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison (10/22/12)
27. The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison (10/24/12)
28. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (10/30/12)
29. An Offer You Can’t Refuse by Jill Mansell (11/14/12)
30. Poems of Emily Dickinson (11/23/12)
31. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (11/23/12)
32. Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris (12/2/12)
33. Not Quite What I was Planning (12/3/12)
34. Chocolate by Shara Aaron and Monica Bearden (12/4/12)
35. Social Q’s by Philip Galanes (12/4/12)
36. The Boys Vol 12: The Bloody Doors Off (12/5/12)
37. Words Words Words by David Crystal (12/6/12)
38. The Green Book (12/11/12)
39. Minigami by Gay Merrill Gross (12/11/12)
40. Sprezzatura by Peter D’Epiro and Mary Desmond Pinkowish (12/6/12)
41. Click edited by J. Courtney Sullivan and Courtney Martin (12/7/12)
42. A History of Egypt by Jason Thompson (12/7/12)
43. Active Liberty by Stephen Breyer (12/10/12)
44. Blue: 350 Inspiring Ways to Decorate with Blue by Lisa Cregan (12/10/12)
45. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky (12/14/12)
46. The White Pearl by Kate Furnivall (12/13/12)
47. The Magician King by Lev Grossman (12/19/12)
48. Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan -- finishing this week
49. The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins (12/19/12)
50. Batman: Earth One (12/19/12)

This one will easily be finished this week.

1. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (5/19/12)
2. The Subtle Knife — Philip Pullman (8/15/12)
3. The Amber Spyglass — Philip Pullman (8/20/12)
4. The Son of Neptune — Rick Riordan
5. The Magician King — Lev Grossman (12/19/12)
6. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children — Ransom Riggs (2/1/12)
7. Evermore — Alyson Noel (3/2/12)
8. Blue Moon — Alyson Noel (3/4/12)
9. Timeless — Gail Carriger (3/18/12)
10. Everneath — Brodie Ashton (4/1/12)

Just finished this challenge.  Woo hoo!

1. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott — Kelly O’Connor McNees (12/1/12)
2. Palace Circle — Rebecca Dean (3/8/12)
3. The White Pearl — Kate Furnivall (12/13/12)
4. Suite Francaise — Irene Nemirovsky (12/14/12)
5. The Bridge of Scarlet Leaves — Kristina McMorris (12/2/12)
6. Lost in Austen — Emma Campbell Webster(1/29/12)
7. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane — Katherine Howe (5/7/12)
8. The Shadow of the Wind — Carlos Ruiz Zafon (4/8/12)
9. The Girl from Junchow — Kate Furnivall (11/5/12)
10. The Jewel of St. Petersburg — Kate Furnivall (11/11/12)

2012 Reading Challenge Round-Up -- Failed Edition

I hear 2013 calling my name.  I think it's time to call 2012 quits and start my end of the year posts.  In total I entered 27 reading challenges this year.  Let's see how I did...  Failed challenges edition.

Wow!  Two years in a row I wanted to read this series and two years in a row I utterly failed...

1. Outlander (1991)
2. Dragonfly in Amber (1992)
3. Voyager (1994)
4. Drums of Autumn (1997)
5. The Fiery Cross (2001)

So close!  Yet, I didn't complete it in time.  Those Us and Xs are very hard to find.  And I cheated a bit with the Q.

• A — American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout (2/2/12)
• B — Bad Doings and Big Ideas by Bill Willingham (4/23/12)
• C — Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (1/12/12)
• D — Doctor Who: Through Time and Space (2/22/12)
• E — The Boys Volume 10 by Garth Ennis (6/7/12)
• F — Frostbite by Richelle Mead (6/22/12)
• G — A Gentleman Always Remembers by Candace Camp (2/7/12)
• H — Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (1/8/12)
• I – Intentions of the Earl by Rose Gordon (6/29/12)
• J — The Joy of Scrapbooking by Lisa Bearnson (1/30/12)
• K — Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew (5/23/12)
• L — A Lady Never Tells by Candace Camp (1/23/12)
• M — The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore (2/11/12)
• N — Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli (6/1/12)
• O — Slanted and Enchanted by Kayla Oakes (9/16/12)
• P — The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe (5/7/12)
• Q — Social Q’s by Philip Galanes (12/4/12)
• R — Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (2/1/12)
• S — Fables: Super Group (2/2/12)
• T — Timeless by Gail Carriger (3/18/12)
• U —
• V — The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg (4/20/12)
• W — Fables: Witches by Bill Willingham (1/6/12)
• X –
• Y — The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs (2/26/12)
• Z — Zombie Blondes by Brian James (2/4/12)

Failed, but a pretty decent showing considering my goal.

• 0-99 — This Book is Overdue by Marilyn Johnson (9/1/12)
• 100-199 — Haunts of San Jose by David Lee (9/1/12)
• 200-299 — The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs (2/26/12)
• 300-309 — Click edited by J. Courtney Sullivan and Courtney Martin (12/7/12)
• 310-319
• 320-329 — Liberty Defined by Ron Paul (9/3/12)
• 330-339 — The Green Book (12/11/12)
• 340-349 — Active Liberty by Stephen Breyer (12/10/12)
• 350-359
• 360-369
• 370-379 — Change.edu by Andrew Rosen (9/16/12)
• 380-389 — On Target by Laura Rowley (9/19/12)
• 390-399 – Social Q’s by Philip Galanes (12/4/12)
• 400-499 — Words Words Words by David Crystal (12/5/12)
• 500-599
• 600-699 — The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (4/18/12)
• 700-709 — Slanted and Enchanted by Kayla Oakes (9/16/12)
• 710-719
• 720-729
• 730-739 – Minigami by Gay Merrill Gross (12/11/12)
• 740-749 — Blue by Lisa Cregan (12/10/12)
• 750-759 — Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun by Gita May (9/21/12)
• 760-769
• 770-779 — The Joy of Scrapbooking by Lisa Bearnson (1/30/12)
• 780-789
• 790-799 — Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley (1/29/12)
• 800-899 — Readings on Shakespeare’s The Histories (3/25/12)
• 900-909 — The Lost Millennium by Florin Diacu (9/12/12)
• 910-919 — Paris in Love by Eloisa James (5/16/12)
• 920-929 — Not Quite What I was Planning (12/3/12)
• 930-939 — Ten Discoveries that Rewrote History by Patrick Hunt (9/18/12)
• 940-949 — Sprezzatura by D’Epiro and Pinkowish (12/6/12)
• 950-959
• 960-969 — A History of Egypt by Jason Thompson (12/7/12)
• 970-979 – Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick (6/17/12)
• 980-989
• 990-999

Another overly ambitious goal, but I gave it a try anyway.

• 1982 — Blade Runner / Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (11/27/12)
• 1983 –
• 1984 –
• 1985 –
• 1986 –
• 1987 –
• 1988 — The Sandman Volume 1 Preludes and Nocturnes (6/4/12)
• 1989 –
• 1990 — The Sandman Volume 2 the Doll’s House (6/6/12)
• 1991 — Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (1/8/12)
• 1992 — The Sandman Volume 4 Season of Mists (7/2/12)
• 1993 — The Sandman Volume 5 A Game of You (7/5/12)
• 1994 —
• 1995 — The Dark Compass by Philip Pullman (8/12/12)
• 1996 — The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg (4/20/12)
• 1997 – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
• 1998 — Reading’s on Shakespeare’s The Histories (3/25/12)
• 1999 — HP 2 by J.K. Rowling (2/22/12)
• 2000 — The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (8/20/12)
• 2001 — Sprezzatura by D’Epiro and Pinkowish (12/6/12)
• 2002 –
• 2003 — HP 5 by J.K. Rowling (5/29/12)
• 2004 — Persepolis: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi (7/4/12)
• 2005 — The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (4/8/12)
• 2006 – Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick (6/17/12)
• 2007 — Lost in Austen by Emma Campbell Webster (1/29/12)
• 2008 — Hatter M Vol. 1 (1/15/12)
• 2009 — The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks (1/7/12)
• 2010 — Fables: Witches (1/6/12)
• 2011 — Jack of Fables: The End (1/6/12)

This one was a bit of a joke.  I think I knew signing up that I wouldn't complete it.  Oh well!

1. Blue — Blue by Lisa Cregan (12/10/12)

2. Red — Fables: Rose Red (1/10/12)

3. Yellow —

4. Green — The Green Book (12/11/12)

5. Brown — Choclate by Shara Aaron and Monica Bearden (12/4/12)

6. Black — Blackout by Mira Grant (10/17/12) 7. White — The White Pearl by Kate Furnivall (12/13/12)

8. Other Color —

9. Word that implies color —

This one was a seasonal challenge with interesting qualifies.  And yet I only finished 9 out of the 14 categories.

1. Read a book chosen for the U.S. 2012 World Book Night.
2. Read a book you were supposed to read in school, but either bailed on or Cliff-Noted.
3. Read a memoir or narrative nonfiction book. – Paris in Love by Eloisa James
4. Read a book in one calendar day. – The Frog Prince: A Fairy Tale for Consenting Adults by Stephen Mitchell
5. Read a book that you’ve always wanted to read but haven’t gotten around to yet. – Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
6. Read a pair of books that have antonyms in the titles. – Beauty by Robin McKinley and
7. Read a book that is set in a place you’ve never been but want to visit. – The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe (Salem, Massachusetts)
8. Find a book written the year you were born that was later made into a movie. Read the book and watch the movie; compare. Or find a movie released the year you were born that was based on a book. Do the same thing.
9. Go into a bookstore or library. Pick any bookshelf. Read the third book from the left on the fourth shelf from the top
10. Read a book about which you’ve heard bad things. – Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
11. Read a trilogy (or any three consecutive books in a series). Total page count for all three books together must be at least 500 pages. – A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray; Rebel Angels by Libba Bray; The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

2012 Reading Challenge Round-Up -- Completed Edition

I hear 2013 calling my name.  I think it's time to call 2012 quits and start my end of the year posts.  In total I entered 27 reading challenges this year.  Let's see how I did...  Completed challenges edition.

I went for the highest goal on this one, 16 books, 16 categories.  It really wasn't a hugely difficult challenge as I read nonfiction all the time.  But it did encourage me to pick up different types of books.  My favorite book from this challenge was the Science Fiction and Fantasy pick of The Magicians by Lev Grossman.

• Classics – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (11/8/12)
• Biography – Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun by Gita May (9/21/12)
• Cookery, Food, and Wine – Chocolate by Shara Aaron and Monica Bearden (12/4/12)
• History – The Lost Millennium by Florin Diacu (9/12/12)
• Modern Fiction – Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin (5/22/12)
• Graphic Novel and Manga – Bad Doings and Big Ideas by Bill Willingham (4/23/12)
• Crime and Mystery – Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (5/17/12)
• Horror – The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan (3/1/12)
• Romance – An Offer You Can’t Refuse by Jill Mansell (11/14/12)
• Science Fiction and Fantasy – The Magicians by Lev Grossman (1/21/12)
• Travel – Paris in Love by Eloisa James (5/16/12)
• Poetry – Poems of Emily Dickinson (11/23/12)
• Journalism and Humor – The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs (2/26/12)
• Science and Natural History – The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (4/18/12)
• Children’s and Young Adult – The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (6/27/12)
• Social Sciences and Philosophy – This Book is Overdue by Marilyn Johnson (9/1/12)

 I had been meaning to read more classics.  After reading only classics back in high school, I haven't really gotten around to any for a few years.  This was my chance.  My favorite read from this challenge was The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (a once very few years reread for me, but still awesome).  I'm joining this one again next year.

• 19th Century – The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (8/6/12)
• 20th Century – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1/26/12)
• Reread Classic – Persuasion by Jane Austen (10/3/12)
• Classic Play – The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (8/29/12)
• Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime – The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (4/26/12)
• Classic Romance – Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (8/23/12)
• Translated Classic – Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes (12/3/12)
• Classic Award Winner – A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (11/21/12)
• International Classic – Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson (11/16/12)

An odd challenge for me.  I struggled to find books that I was already going to read to fit the topics.  Once I did I really loved my choices.  My favorite read was The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman, part of His Dark Materials trilogy.

• Topographical Feature –  The Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristin McMorris (12/2/12)
• Something in the Sky – Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (1/13/12)
• Creepy Crawly –  You are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay (2/27/12)
• Type of House – Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean (3/8/12)
• Something from Your Pocket – The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (8/16/12)
• Something on a Calendar – The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees (12/1/12)

I always love reading books and then see the movie.  It's even better when I have read the book before seeing the movie, but sometimes it just doesn't work out that way.  My favorite combo was Do Androids... and Blade Runner.  While the movie doesn't exactly follow the books it does have the same feel.  Loved them!

• Something Borrowed (Emily Giffin) (5/22/12)
• Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep — Philip K. Dick) (11/27/12)
• The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) (1/11/12)
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare) (1/27/12)
• Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare) (8/28/12)
• The Dark Compass (Philip Pullman) (8/12/12)
• Richard III (Shakespeare) (8/28/12)
• Persuasion (Jane Austen) (10/3/12)
• Dorian Gray (The Picture of Dorian Gray — Oscar Wilde) (4/26/12)
• Beastly (Alex Flinn) (4/15/12)
• Kick-Ass (Mark Millar and John Romita Jr) (5/23/12)
• Starship Troopers (Robert Heinlein) (6/1/12)
• Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (Seth Grahame-Smith) (5/25/12)
• The Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum) (8/6/12)
• Tin Man (The Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum) (8/6/12)
• Northanger Abbey (Jane Austen) (8/23/12)
• The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde) (8/29/12)
• Twelfth Night (Shakespeare) (9/1/12)
• Ran (King Lear – Shakespeare) (9/4/12)
• Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) (11/8/12)

J has been trying to get me to read more science fiction for years now.  And I finally warming up to the genre, although I tend to go for softer scifi.  My favorite read was Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein.

• The Martian Chronicles — Ray Bradbury (11/23/12)
• Snow Crash — Neal Stephenson (10/30/12)
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Philip K. Dick (11/27/12)
• Stranger in a Strange Land – Robert Heinlein (1/8/12)
• Starship Troopers — Robert Heinlein (6/1/12)

I super hard challenge to finish.  I think I just picked a ton of mediocre books and it made it really difficult to finish.  As it stands, I want to try to again next year, but with only 5 reads and hopefully better books.  From this year, my favorite read was The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.

• The Goose Girl — Shannon Hale (11/7/12)
• Mythology — Edith Hamilton (11/27/12)
• Beauty — Robin McKinley (6/5/12)
• Beastly — Alex Flinn (4/15/12)
• The Frog Prince — Stephen Mitchell (5/14/12)
• Sirena — Donna Jo Napoli (6/1/12)
• Adrianna’s Fairy Tales by Adrianna White (7/5/12)
• The Princess and the Hound — Mette Ivie Harrison (10/22/12)
• The Princess and the Bear — Mette Ivie Harrison (10/24/12)
• Flower Fables — Louisa May Alcott (11/16/12)

This was quite an interesting challenge.  Out of the 12 we read, I had already read only four.  So I got a ton more Shakespeare.  My favorite is still A Midsummer Night's Dream, followed closely by Much Ado About Nothing.

• January – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/27/12)
• February – Macbeth (2/22/12)
• March – Henry V (3/25/12)
• April – Much Ado About Nothing (8/28/12)
• May – Antony and Cleopatra (8/30/12)
• June – Richard III (8/28/12)
• July – As You Like It (11/18/12)
• August – King Lear (9/4/12)
• September – Cymbeline (11/19/12)
• October – Twelfth Night (9/1/12)
• November – Othello (11/19/12)
• December – Pericles (11/19/12)

I adore zombies!  Reading 24 zombie books was not difficult, but picking my favorite definitely is.  I think I will have to choose the Newsflesh trilogy (Feed, Deadline, and Blackout), but only if you make me choose.

• You are So Undead to Me — Stacey Jay (2/27/12)
• Undead Much — Stacey Jay (2/29/12)
• Allison Hewitt is Trapped — Madeleine Roux (4/26/12)
• Night of the Necromancer — Kyle West (2/3/12)
• Feed — Mira Grant (10/8/12)
• Deadline — Mira Grant (10/14/12)
• Blackout — Mira Grant (10/17/12)
• Zombie Blondes — Brian James (2/4/12)
• Sadie Walker is Stranded — Madeleine Roux (10/2/12)
• The Dark and Hollow Places — Carrie Ryan (1/8/12)
• The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks — Max Brooks (1/7/12)
• Brains: A Zombie Memoir – Robin Becker (1/9/12)
• Autumn: Purification – David Moody (1/24/12)
• Autumn: Disintegration – David Moody (1/27/12)
• The Stupidest Angel – Christopher Moore (2/11/12)
• Rise Again — Ben Tripp (3/15/12)
• The First Days — Rhiannon Frater (10/4/12)
• As the World Dies — Rhiannon Frater (10/5/12)
• Siege — Rhiannon Frater (10/6/12)
• Eat, Slay, Love — Jesse Petersen (3/16/12)
• Aftertime — Sophie Littlefield (4/5/12)
• Hater — David Moody (7/19/12)
• Dog Blood — David Moody (7/25/12)
• Them or Us — David Moody (7/28/12)

This was a great chance to reread all seven HP books and rewatch the movies.  I haven't read these in a few years, so lots of great fun.

1. HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1/7/12)
2. HP and the Chamber of Secrets (2/22/12)
3. HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban (3/29/12)
4. HP and the Goblet of Fire (5/13/12)
5. HP and the Order of the Phoenix (5/29/12)
6. HP and the Half-Blood Prince (6/22/12)
7. HP and the Deathly Hallows (9/28/12)

This was one of the easier challenges to complete.  I turn to romance novels when I need a break from the heavy.  I love predictable romances.  My favorites were the 2nd and 3rd books of the Tudor Rose trilogy (The Maiden's Hand and At the Queen's Summons).

• At the Queen’s Summons — Susan Wiggs (9/11/12)
• Regency Romance (3/23/12)
• A Lady Never Tells — Candace Camp (1/23/12)
• A Gentleman Always Remembers – Candace Camp (2/7/12)
• An Affair Without End – Candace Camp (2/10/11)
• Definitely Not Mr. Darcy — Karen Doornebos (4/12/12)
• Intentions of the Earl — Rose Gordon (6/29/12)
• Twelfth Night (anthology) (7/11/12)
• Carole’s Christmas by Anne Glynn (7/11/12)
• The Maiden’s Hand by Susan Wiggs (9/8/12)

This was my own challenge.  I started reading the Fables series in 2011 and fell completely in love with it.  My goal this year was to finish the back catalog.  Next year I'm definitely going to finish catching up with the published titles.  My favorite was definitely Vol. 14 Wtiches.  Amazing read!

• Vol. 14 Witches (1/6/12)
• Vol. 15 Rose Red (1/10/12)
• Vol. 16 Super Group (2/2/12)
• JF: Vol. 9 The End (1/6/12)
• Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love (9/2/12)

Another easy challenge for me.  My favorite was The Hunger Games trilogy, but I also really loved Anna Dressed in Blood.

• The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins(1/11/12)
• Catching Fire — Suzanne Collins (1/12/12)
• Mockingjay — Suzanne Collins (1/13/12)
• A Great and Terrible Beauty — Libba Bray (5/15/12)
• Rebel Angels — Libba Bray (7/6/12)
• The Sweet Far Thing — Libba Bray (7/12/12)
• The Golden Compass — Philip Pullman (8/12/12)
• The View from Saturday — E.L. Konigsburg (4/20/12)
• Anna Dressed in Blood –Kendare Blake (6/5/12)
• Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher — Bruce Coville (7/7/12)
• Ashfall — Mike Mullin (7/30/12)
• Ashen Winter — Mike Mullin (8/2/12)

I also do love vampires.  This challenge was dominated by my reading of the Vampire Academy series, but it was a good one.  For my favorite, it was easily Sunshine by Robin McKinley.  That one is going into my reread pile.

• American Vampire — Jennifer Armintrout (2/2/12)
• The Radleys — Matt Haig (4/27/12)
• Sunshine — Robin McKinley (2/17/12)
• Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter — Seth Grahame-Smith (5/25/12)
• Vampire Academy — Richelle Mead (6/11/12)
• Frostbite — Richelle Mead (6/22/12)
• Shadow Kiss — Richelle Mead (6/27/12)
• Blood Promise — Richelle Mead (7/14/12)
• Spirit Bound — Richelle Mead (7/15/12)
• Last Sacrifice — Richelle Mead (7/19/12)

With J's influence, I really got into some comics this year.  While I stay away from the big Marvel vs. DC debate, I found some great titles out there.  My favorite was the first five volumes of The Sandman series.  I will be finishing that series next year with my Neil Gaiman RC.

• Hatter M Vol. 1 (1/15/12)
• Hatter M Vol. 2 (1/17/12
• Hatter M Vol. 3 (1/18/12)
• The Boys: The Big Ride (1/8/12)
• The Walking Dead Book 4 (4/22/12)
• Manga Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/27/12)
• Doctor Who: Through Time and Space (2/22/12)
• The Boys Vol. 10: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker (6/7/12)
• Doctor Who: The Forgotten (3/26/12)
• Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew (5/23/12)
• Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. (5/23/12)
• League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 (5/30/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 1 Preludes and Nocturnes (6/4/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 2 The Doll’s House (6/6/12)
• The Boys Vol. 11: Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men (6/12/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 3 Dream Country (6/30/12)
• Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (7/2/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 4 Season of Mists (7/2/12)
• Persepolis: The Story of a Return (7/4/12)
• The Sandman: Volume 5 A Game of You (7/5/12)

Easy peasy.  Although next year, I am putting myself on a library ban for at least the first four months (except for my book club selections).

1. Jack of Fables: The End(1/6/12)
2. Fables: Witches (1/6/12)
3. The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (1/8/12)
4. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks (1/7/12)
5. Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker (1/9/12)
6. Fables: Rose Red (1/10/12)
7. Autumn: Purification by David Moody (1/24/12)
8. Autumn: Disintegration by David Moody (1/27/12)
9. Undead Much by Stacey Jay (2/29/12)
10. The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore (2/11/12)
11. Rise Again by Ben Tripp (3/15/12)
12. You are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay (2/27/12)
13. Manga Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/27/12)
14. Fables: Supre Group (2/2/12)
15. Doctor Who: Through Time and Space (2/22/12)
16. Macbeth by Shakespeare (2/22/12)
17. Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield (4/5/12)
18. Eat, Slay, Love by Jesse Petersen (3/16/12)
19. Doctor Who: The Forgotten (3/26/12)
20. Everneath by Brodie Ashton (4/1/12)
21. Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos (4/12/12)
22. The Walking Dead: Book Four (4/22/12)
23. Bad Doings and Big Ideas by Bill Willingham (4/23/12)
24. The Frog Prince by Stephen Mitchell (5/14/12)
25. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (5/17/12)
26. Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew (5/23/12)
27. Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. (5/23/12)
28. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 (5/30/12)
29. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (6/11/12)
30. Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli (6/1/12)
31. Beauty by Robin McKinley (6/5/12)
32. The Sandman Volume 1 Preludes and Nocturnes (6/4/12)
33. The Sandman Volume 2 The Doll’s House (6/6/12)
34. Frostbite by Richelle Mead (6/22/12)
35. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (6/27/12)
36. The Sandman Volume 3 Dream Country (6/30/12)
37. The Sandman Volume Season of Mists (7/2/12)

Another fairly easy challenge.  Although those Es gave me some difficulty.

• T – Rise Again by Ben Tripp (3/15/12)
• O – The Boys Vol. 11: Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men (6/12/12)
• B – The Zombie Surivival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks (1/7/12)
• E – Jack of Fables: The End (1/6/12)
• F – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1/26/12)
• R – HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (1/7/12)
• A – Autumn: Purification by David Moody (1/24/12)
• N – Night of the Necromancer by Kyle West (2/3/12)
• C – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (1/11/12)
• E – Evermore by Alyson Noel (3/2/12)
• S – Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley (1/29/12)
• B – The Boys: The Big Ride (1/8/12)
• U – Undead Much by Stacey Jay (2/29/12)
• F – Doctor Who: The Forgotten (2/26/12)
• F – Beastly by Alex Flinn (4/15/12)
• E – Eat, Slay, Love by Jesse Petersen (3/16/12)
• N – Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (3/4/12)
• B – Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker (1/9/12)
• A – Autumn: Disintegration by David Moody (1/27/12)
• R – The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (1/8/12)
• G – The Magicians by Lev Grossman (1/21/12)
• E – Everneath by Brodie Ashton (4/1/12)
• R – Fables: Rose Red (1/10/12)

More about the blog move...

On Christmas day I received a surprise gift from Wordpress.com, a suspension of my (old) blog.  Yep, a suspension!  I logged in like usual to work on some drafts and double check what I already had and this message popped up at the top: "Warning: We have a concern about some of the content on your blog. Please click here to contact us as soon as possible to resolve the issue and re-enable posting."

The click here was a generic email back to wordpress.com.  No explanation, no nothing.  So I emailed and then freaked out a bit.  What did I do?  I sat and waited.  No response.  12 hours later, no response.  I checked the forums.  It seems this had happened to a ton of people, but no real explanations were given.  I waited some more and then called J freaking out.  He calmed me down and after checking into it, decided that it was time for me to move.  So he started the process.  Bought a domain name, got new emails, hosted on our server, and transfered almost everything into the new system.  I dove in and started to piece things back together.  99% of what I had here is now there.  I was setting myself up to thinking that I would have to start from scratch, but my lovely knows things...  hee hee.  So I got a new blog.

After two silent days, I finally received an email from Wordpress.com.

We currently need to limit the number of scheduled posts per WordPress.com site, and your site has exceeded more than 100 of these. Can you please edit your posts and limit those currently scheduled to a more reasonable number (less than 100)? Placing posts in draft status and scheduling/publishing them later is a workable, alternate method. An automatic system check is now in place for this. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.

Really Wordpress, what the hell?  You change something and instead of mentioning it or warning, you just suspend my blog.  Of course, I sent this to J and he thought it was just absolutely ridiculous.  So we are sticking with moving to my own domain.  There may be a few posts still on here as I signed up for some giveaways in January and the other blogs already have address, but I will be primarily checking my new blog (this one)...

Time to start again!

Change of Venue...

The other day I had a random suspension of my original blog.  No warning, no explanation, no way to contact other than a generic email.  So I freaked out, then emailed them.  No answer.  No nothing.  I looked in the forums and found tons of people with the same issue.  And the results were almost unanimous.  The blog was suspended, then deleted without explanation.  I have yet to hear anything back from the support team, so I'm assuming the blog will be deleted any day now.  I still can't access anything.  I freaked out, called J, and he quickly bought me a domain and set up a new blog.  And I kind of hate it.  No, I don't hate it.  It's just a bit wonky.  I have to relearn how to do everything.  I have to add all my features back in.  I have to understand the formatting.  I'm not in love with theme, but it was the best available to me at the time.  I'm still getting used to this new place. But I'm determined to make the best of it.  I've loved blogging this past 2+ years.  I want continue.  I want to add to my circles.  Speaking of, I have no way to let others know of my switch since I can't put anything on the original blog.  Oh well, hopefully people find me.  Or at least I get some new followers.

So here I am blogging in a new place with a new name, hoping to continue enjoying this hobby of mine...

Year End Break

It's that time of year, when I leave the blogosphere for a few weeks.  I love taking this time to decompress, organize, reflect, and plan ahead.  I will also be updating my columns to reflect upcoming events and 2013 reading challenges.  If you happen to log on during this process, it might look a bit messy, but rest assured it will be fixed by the first week in January.  Plus I'm in freezing Indiana with the family.  I want to spend time curling up with a mug of tea, a few cookies, and the boys while watching a movie.  I'll be back after the first of the year (tenatively Jan. 6th...)  To everyone out there reading my blog, if I don't see you in person...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Sunday Salon #39

Listening To: Enjoying the last of the Christmas music, although our local radio channels just play the same 20 Christmas songs over and over.  I have to retreat to my iPod.  I really wish we had Sirius in the cars.  The Indie Christmas channel is just awesome.

Book finished: The Selfish Gene, Batman: Earth One Preview, The Magician King, The Son of Neptune

Reading: None; taking a break for family activities and Christmas.  Will resume my reading with the start of 2013.

On the Nightstand: January 2013 reads

From the kitchen: Since I'm at my mom's house, I'm not cooking.  But I did make sure to stop by the store and pick up some interesting wine for us.  I'll let you know if it was any good.  And I'm planning on making an appetizer of baked brie, caramel, and pecans for Christmas Eve dinner.

On the Web: Reading all the year end book blogger posts and getting ideas for next year's reading challenge.  I think I've finalized my list.

Watching: Whatever my mom and stepdad are watching, which means a lot of sports and reality shows.  I may have to retreat into my bedroom and pop on some scifi or Doctor Who just because.  Maybe the boys' will join me for some Doctor Who.

Wondering: If we will have a white Christmas?  It's been awhile since it snowed on Christmas and didn't just turn into slush or sheets of ice.

From Nature: I'm really not liking the cold.  I want to go back to my climate of 50s in December.

Shopping Scores: I finished my Christmas shopping on Thursday, just in time to miss the crazed last minute shoppers and trying to do it with the boys around.  I did have to enter Toys R Us and the mall, but it wasn't that bad.  I entered the mall right where I needed to go (I actually remembered where the store is) and got in and out within 15 minutes.  Pretty good time.

Project: The boys and I have tie dye shirts and Christmas cards to make.  We're planning on doing them today, but who knows.  I wonder how this will go.

Day Zero Project Update: Week 63-66

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

1. Go to 5 concerts (1/5) -- Free tickets to see Live 105's Not So Silent Night featuring Grouplove, M83, Tegan and Sara, Passion Pit, and The Killers.  Merry Christmas to me!

9. See 101 new movies (91/101)

• The Dictator -- Had a few funny parts, but the rest was so-so
• Love, Wedding, Marriage -- Pretty subpar romantic comedy...
• 21 Jump Street -- Way funnier than I thought it would be
• Our Idiot Brother -- Not as bad as everyone said, but I do love me some Paul Rudd
• 12 Dates of Christmas -- ABC Family cheesy awesomeness
• The Game -- Fincher's second film.  Really good mind bender.
• The Hobbit -- In IMAX 3D!  Holy Crap!  Amazing!

12. See all of IMDB's Top 250 movies  (25/250)

• 119. Blade Runner -- Always a great science fiction movie.

24. Keep a journal for this project

28. Blog 1001 times -- 50 this time period   (709/1001)

32. Finish 30 reading challenges (25/30)

• Telling Tales
• Books2Movies
• Science Fiction
• What's in a Name 6
• Back to the Classics
• Mixing It Up
• 2012 Goodreads Challenge
• Historical Fiction

37. Pass 250,000 pages read for my 1,000,000 pages challenge (109,486/250,000)

Overall Progress

25/101

Persuasion Readalong -- Sign Up Post

From Unputdownables:

Some Facts About the Read-a-Long:

• You do not have to be a book blogger to join.
• We will be reading the book in January (four weeks), with the first discussion happening on Friday, January 4th/ the book is  roughly 235 pages (depending on which edition you read) so that’s roughly 59 pages a week; about 8 pages a day.
• Don’t be intimidated. We will be going at a slow pace and discussing the book throughout our reading. The discussions are quite fun, and make the reading process very enjoyable!

What is Persuasion about?  

Twenty-seven-year old Anne Elliot is Austen’s most adult heroine. Eight years before the story proper begins, she is happily betrothed to a naval officer, Frederick Wentworth, but she precipitously breaks off the engagement when persuaded by her friend Lady Russell that such a match is unworthy. The breakup produces in Anne a deep and long-lasting regret. When later Wentworth returns from sea a rich and successful captain, he finds Anne’s family on the brink of financial ruin and his own sister a tenant in Kellynch Hall, the Elliot estate. All the tension of the novel revolves around one question: Will Anne and Wentworth be reunited in their love? (via Godreads.com)

***

The following is the reading and posting schedule for this read-a-long. Please note, we will be reading roughly 59 pages per week (about 8 pages a day). Because it is always easier for us to stop at chapters (rather than on page numbers, because of different editions), I’ve had to round to the nearest chapter each week. Please look at the week’s page amount to best plan your reading in order to keep up.

Schedule:

Beginning Friday, December 29th and ending Friday, January 25th. 

READING SCHEDULE:

Week #/ Where to Stop (For example, in week one STOP and place your bookmark at Volume One Chapter IX.)

Week One/ Volume One, Chapter IX Week Two/ Volume Two, Chapter II Week Three/ Volume Two, Chapter IX Week Four/ The End

POSTING SCHEDULE:

Post #/ date discussion post will be up on blog:

Start up Post/ Today! Week One/ January 4th Week Two/ January 11th Week Three/ January 18th Week Four/  January 25th (Final Review)

** Please don’t forget to come to this blog each week to share your thoughts in the comments section of the weekly Read-a-Long discussion (see below for more information).**

How it Works:

1. Each week, on Friday, I will post my thoughts about the week’s reading. You will have from Friday through the following Thursday to post yours. If you are stuck on what to comment about, you can respond to my post or others’ comments. Regardless, you MUST check in each week (two weeks without a response and you will be taken off of the list — see below for details on why). You may have only one “off week” (which may not be the last week of reading for obvious reasons) and still be kept on the list, but you must let me know in the comment section by saying something like, “This is my off week — I am catching up!” Please note that, in order to be counted, your offering to the discussion must be about the current weeks’ reading, not about past weeks.***For all week’s discussions please refrain from posting ahead, even if you have read ahead, as to not spoil the book for others***
2. As these Read-a-Longs grow, so do the amount of people who participate – yay, all the more fun!!! Also, all the more keeping track of who is still reading. As you know – if you have been absent from discussion for two weeks, you will be removed from the list. However, now, in order to get back on the list, you need to a.) Have missed no more than two weeks of discussion, b.) Let me know you would like to be on the list again, and c.) Consistently be part of the discussion for the next two weeks after requesting to be put back on the list. Am I trying to be mean? Absolutely not! I LOVE having you all read a long. It is, however, a lot of work to keep track of who’s still reading. To keep taking names off and putting them back on the list becomes tedious. Most importantly though, consistency is good for the group; we tend to get to know each other through discussions and rely on the conversation to keep us reading.SinceI don’t do these read-a-longs to gain followers (I do them because the benefit of reading certain books with a group of dedicated people is often superior to reading them alone), I prefer to have a committed group – even if it is smaller. Reading with undedicated people is worst of all, which is why I care less about numbers and more about dedication to the book and the discussions. (Bonus! At the end of each read-a-long, those who have completed the entire read-a-long are eligible to be entered into the giveaway that correlates to the book… another reason why it is important for me to keep up with who is reading.)
3. If you are a blogger, feel free to post a link to your blog if you are posting about each of the each week’s reading. If I, or other readers, have extra time we will gladly try to visit your blog; however, you must make sure to share your thoughts here on this blog, and be part of the main conversation or your comment will not be counted. This is to make sure that our conversation is easily accessible to everyone who is reading, and also to keep it from becoming disjointed.
4. Comments from the previous week’s reading will be closing Thursday afternoon(before the next discussion takes place on Friday). If you would like to be part of the discussion, please remember to comment before then.

I must join this one, even though I just read Persuasion this last year.  It's my favorite book of all time, I love rereading it and finding a new perspective or a new favorite line.  Plus, rereading a favorite is a great way to start my 2013 reading.  Would you like to join me?  Jump on over to Unputdownables to sign up!

The Magician King by Lev Grossman

Title: The Magician King (Magician #2)

Author: Lev Grossman

Publisher: Viking 2012

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 416

Rating:  5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fantasy; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it!

Quentin Coldwater should be happy. He escaped a miserable Brooklyn childhood, matriculated at a secret college for magic, and graduated to discover that Fillory—a fictional utopia—was actually real. But even as a Fillorian king, Quentin finds little peace. His old restlessness returns, and he longs for the thrills a heroic quest can bring.

Accompanied by his oldest friend, Julia, Quentin sets off—only to somehow wind up back in the real world and not in Fillory, as they'd hoped. As the pair struggle to find their way back to their lost kingdom, Quentin is forced to rely on Julia's illicitly-learned sorcery as they face a sinister threat in a world very far from the beloved fantasy novels of their youth.

I am completely in awe of this book right now.  I finished it over an hour ago and am still waiting to decompress.  My first thought was "Wow that was harsh"  but in a good way.  This series reminds me a lot of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.  It has some wonderful fantasy elements, but also great discussions on philosophy and religion and life.  And they both take a turn for the dark at some point.  Yet, the dark made the stories more real, more grounded, even as they are set in very fantastical realms.

With the first book, I got a bit annoyed at Quentin and his whole "I am destined for something greater" attitude.  It was a bit too teenage angsty.  By the end of the first book, I was starting to get over it, but I still was a little annoyed.  In this volume, Quentin grew into his own.  He started to truly understand his place in the world (or worlds as the case may be) and I really grew to like him.  Plus we meet up with some old friends (and not so much friends) along the journey.  I loved seeing the characters deal with new and challenging obstacles.  I even started to like Poppy by the end of the book.

My only issue with the book has to do with the format.  The abrupt jumps between the present and Julia's past were a bit jarring.  They definitely took some getting used to.  I had to keep reorienting myself to time and place.  It was messing with my reading brain.  Even though it bugged me a bit, I still loved being able to see what happened to Julia while Quentin was at Brakebills and beyond.  Her story really brought everything together in the end.  An excellent read.

The Magicians:

1. The Magicians
2. The Magician King

Batman: Earth One preview

Title: Batman: Earth One preview

Author: Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

Publisher:  DC Comics 2012

Genre: Graphic Novel; Superheroes

Pages: 27

Rating:  4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall into Reading; Mount TBR

How I Got It: iBooks free download

Batman is not a hero.He is just a man.

Fallible, vulnerable, and angry.

In a Gotham City where friend and foe are indistinguishable, Bruce Wayne's path toward becoming the Dark Knight is riddled with more obstacles than ever before. Focused on punishing his parents’ true killers, and the corrupt police that allowed them to go free, Bruce Wayne's thirst for vengeance fuels his mad crusade and no one, not even Alfred, can stop him.

In the tradition of the #1 New York Times bestselling Superman: Earth One, writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank re-imagine a new mythology for the Dark Knight, where the familiar is no longer the expected in this long-awaited original graphic novel from DC Comics.

After reading this little preview of the longer Batman: Earth One volume, I might actually read some of the superhero comics.  So far, I've stayed away.  But I really enjoyed the idea of The Dark Knight.  While I love Adam West's slightly zany Batman, the darker side of Batman has held much more pull with me.  Plus this volume is beautifully drawn.  Everything is a bit dark, but very clear and readable.  Enjoyable few moments.

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

Title: The Selfish Gene

Author: Richard Dawkins

Publisher: Oxford 2006 (30th Anniversary edition)

Genre: Nonfiction -- Science

Pages: 523

Rating:  4 /5 stars

Reading Challenges: Dewey - 500s; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it

Richard Dawkins' brilliant reformulation of the theory of natural selection has the rare distinction of having provoked as much excitement and interest outside the scientific community as within it. His theories have helped change the whole nature of the study of social biology, and have forced thousands of readers to rethink their beliefs about life. In his internationally bestselling, now classic volume, The Selfish Gene, Dawkins explains how the selfish gene can also be a subtle gene. The world of the selfish gene revolves around savage competition, ruthless exploitation, and deceit, and yet, Dawkins argues, acts of apparent altruism do exist in nature. Bees, for example, will commit suicide when they sting to protect the hive, and birds will risk their lives to warn the flock of an approaching hawk. This 30th anniversary edition of Dawkins' fascinating book retains all original material, including the two enlightening chapters added in the second edition. In a new Introduction the author presents his thoughts thirty years after the publication of his first and most famous book, while the inclusion of the two-page original Foreword by brilliant American scientist Robert Trivers shows the enthusiastic reaction of the scientific community at that time. This edition is a celebration of a remarkable exposition of evolutionary thought, a work that has been widely hailed for its stylistic brilliance and deep scientific insights, and that continues to stimulate whole new areas of research today.

This is such a dense book.  Although I must say that I really enjoyed it.  Okay okay, I started to nod off here and there.  Basically those chapters that dealt with DNA and the really long explanations of genetics caused me to nod off a bit trying to read this before bed.  Once I got to the chapters on the applications of genetics on human behavior, I perked right up.  Those chapters sustained my interest through the rest of the book.  I love Dawkin's way of explaining using a ton of analogies.  This really did help me understand the topic.  After reading this one, I am debating about when to read his other books.  I'm intrigued, but I might need a month or two to decompress.

Quote Wednesday - Aida

I want nothing in the world but myself to protect me and I won't lie down, roll over, and die. -- Aida There'd be no ties of time and space to bind me and no horizon I could not pursue. -- Aida

Quotes from one of my favorite musicals.  Back in 2000, my two best friends and I traveled to NYC for Spring Break.  We wanted to see a broadway show, but were pretty lean on cash.  We happened to notice a sign for "Student tickets" outside of the theater housing Aida.  We inquired and walked away with $20 tickets.  I thought we would be in the nosebleeds, but no, we were first row orchestra.  Holy crap!  We could see the individual sweat beads on the actors.  It was crazy!  I loved the show and the music.  After the show, we went to the backstage door to try and meet the stars.  The actress playing Aida, Heather Headley graduated from high school in my home town.  We waited and waited.  We met tons of the actors.  We chatted, we got autographs, but we really wanted to see Heather Headley.  Finally she came out of the stage door.  We immediately tried to grab her attention.  She came over.  We asked for autographs and photographs.  She obliged and asked us where we were from.  "Fort Wayne, IN!" we cried.  Then she asked us what high school we went to.  "Snider."  "Too bad" was her reply.  She graduated from Snider's rival, Northrop.  We had a great laugh about it, chatted a bit more, and then it was time to leave.  I'll never forget my spring break trip to NYC, but seeing Aida and meeting Heather Headley was definitely the highlight for me.

"Elaborate Lives"

"Written in the Stars"

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees

Title: The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott

Author: Kelly O'Connor McNees

Publisher: Berkley Trade 2011

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 384

Rating:  5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction; What's in a Name - Calendar; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it!

A richly imagined, remarkably written story of the woman who created Little Women- and how love changed her in ways she never expected. Deftly mixing fact and fiction, Kelly O'Connor McNees returns to the summer of 1855, when vivacious Louisa May Alcott is twenty-two and bursting to free herself from family and societal constraints and do what she loves most. Stuck in small-town New Hampshire, she meets Joseph Singer, and as she opens her heart, Louisa finds herself torn between a love that takes her by surprise and her dream of independence as a writer in Boston. The choice she must make comes with a steep price that she will pay for the rest of her life.

Little Women is one of my favorite childhood books.  I loved how this story allowed the reader to get to know Louisa May Alcott better, even if it is fiction.  McNees wove the historical life events of Alcott with great dramatic passages.  I especially loved the character of Joseph.  I could see exactly how Louisa/Jo could have fallen in love with him despite herself.  I also loved her reunion with him after all those years.  It gave closure to a tragic story.  Reading this book and short biographies of the real Louisa, I appreciate the story of Little Women even more.

This book was also our book club selection for November-December. Just like our last book club selection, all of us had a slightly different view of the book.  I loved the connections to her fictional works.  We had a great discussion on the family dynamic and the philosophies of the time.  We also discussed the obligations of women of the time period.  It was a great night sharing our love of books and some great food.  Plus, we did our gift exchange and picked our January selection.

Music Monday -- Favorite Christmas Carols Part 3

It's December.  Time to pull out the holiday music.  I thought I would share my all-time favorite Christmas carols.  I've even pinpointed my favorite versions of my favorite carols.  Part 1 of 3.  Part 2 of 3.

Lady Antebellum "Let it Snow, Let it Snow"

Harry Connick Jr. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"

Michael Buble "Ill Be Home for Christmas"

Point of Grace "Jingle Bell Rock"

Sarah McLachlan "O Little Town of Bethlehem"

Lady Antebellum "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

The Sunday Salon #38

Listening To: After the Not So Silent Night concert last week, I finally downloaded the Imagine Dragons cd.  And I absolutely loved it!  I'm so disappointed that I missed them performing at the concert.  Anyway, the cd has been put into regular rotation.

And of course, I am have been playing the crap out of Christmas music.  Although I make sure to do it when J's at work.  I only have a few weeks left before it becomes awkward.

Book finished: Active Liberty, Blue, Minigami, The Green Book, The White Pearl, Suite Francaise

Reading: The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins.  I hope to finish it before leaving for Christmas...

On the Nightstand: Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan, The Magician King by Lev Grossman, and January 2013 reads.

MakingLists: My TBR list for 2013.  I'm determined to read from my personal hoard instead of the library or buying new books.  I am well over 100 books so far...

On the Web:  I'm loving all the Best Of lists and Christmas carol posts.  The Holidays are such a fun time in the blogging community.

Crafting: I had a fun intimate card class on Thursday.  My last for 2012.  We made two adorable Christmas cards (I seriously am stealing the abstract tree idea) and two Christmas crafts (stocking stuffer and wine bottle label.

And I finally got around to making some romance/love/Valentine's Day cards to sell in the shop.  I really love the "Love You" with the typewriter one...

Watching: Stargate Universe S2, Lie to Me S2, The West Wing S5, and J got me to start Star Trek S1.

Wondering: How am I going to shove all this crap into my suitcase?  It's the same question that I had a few weeks ago.  I know I'll figure everything out by Tuesday, but I still get nervous right before traveling.

From Nature: The cooler temperatures and grayer skies are pushing me into the winter depression...  But it's not that bad.  I will still take temperatures in the 50s over the 20s any day.  I'm just a bit cold... I really need a new large sweatshirt (something from the men's department).

Shopping Scores: Christmas gift shopping of course.  I won't reveal what they are, but I am excited to say that I am almost finished.  I just need to grab a gift for my family secret santa and one more thing for the boys.  J and I exchanged gifts last night as we won't be seeing each other for the holidays.  He loved his two new shirts (Spanish Inquisition and the Winchester Tavern) and the summer sausage pack.  He got me a beautiful little dragonfly necklace with blue and purple crystals.  I love it!  Now I need to go pack it to take with me to Indiana.

Project: Packing...  It's a process for me.  I usually start about a week in advance collating things to take.  Then I have to pull almost all of my clothes from the closet to start making outfits.  I finally narrow those down to a manageable number (8 shirts, 3 pairs of pants, two dresses, underwear, socks, couple of sweaters, pjs, and accessories).  I'm in the last stretch.  I'm down to getting my carry on together.  It's a process like every time.

Ornament Exchange Thank You

I signed up for The Reading Fever's Ornament Exchange this year.  I love all these gift exchanges this time of the year.  I received Diana @ Book Adventures for my partner.  And she sent me a most awesome ornament.

Does anyone recognize this awesome image?   It's from one of my favorite books: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams!  This ornament has earned a respected place on my Christmas tree.  Thanks Diana!

Thanks again Diana!

P.S. She wrote me a nice thank you post on her blog.  Check it out here. 

Book Club Bash Readathon -- Finish Line

Pages read today: 434 (Suite Francaise)

Pages read total:  1661

Time read today: 4 hours 10 minutes

Time read total: 11 hours 55 minutes

Comments: Another WWII novel, but this time from someone who wrote it during the war and died in the war.

My goals:

• Read at least 5 books √
• Review all books read √
• Read at least 2 hours a day √
• Update once a day √

TBR List:

• Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
• The Magician King by Lev Grossman
• The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
• Living History by Hilary Rodham Clinton
• Active Liberty by Stephen Breyer
• The White Pearl by Kate Furnivall
• The Green Book
• 350 Inspiring Ways to Decorate with Blue by Lisa Cregan
• Minigami by Gay Merrill Gross