Bout of Books 26 Progress

Day 1
August 19

Books Read:  0
Pages Read:  290
Total Books Read:  0
Total Pages Read:  290

My Thoughts:    I didn't read as much as I wanted to, and I abandoned one of the books in my line up. 

Day 2

August 20

Books Read:  1

Pages Read:  124

Total Books Read:  1

Total Pages Read:  414

My Thoughts:    Again, didn't read as much as I wanted to, but I finished a book. Hopefully day 3 is better.

Day 3
August 21

Books Read:  1

Pages Read:  427
Total Books Read:  2
Total Pages Read:  841

My Thoughts:    I had a great day for reading! I'm hoping to finish another book on day 4.

Day 4
August 22

Books Read:  1

Pages Read:  212
Total Books Read:  3
Total Pages Read:  1,053

My Thoughts:    One thousand pages in a week is pretty good. I'm really happy with my progress for this read-a-thon.

Day 5
August 23

Books Read:  0
Pages Read:  9
Total Books Read:  3
Total Pages Read:  1,062

My Thoughts:    Well, that was an embarrassing/sad reading day.

Bout of Books 26 Goals

It is time!
Here is my book line up:

 
 

Good luck everyone! Happy reading!

Bout of Books 26 Sign Up

It is time for Bout of Books again!

I haven't participated for a while.

Bout of Books Blurb:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, Twitter chats, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 26 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I really enjoy this read-a-thon because it is low pressure, and you just read when you can.

Adam of the Road

Goodreads Synopsis:  Awarded the John Newbery Medal as "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children" in the year of its publication. "A road's a kind of holy thing," said Roger the Minstrel to his son, Adam. "That's why it's a good work to keep a road in repair, like giving alms to the poor or tending the sick. It's open to the sun and wind and rain. It brings all kinds of people and all parts of England together. And it's home to a minstrel, even though he may happen to be sleeping in a castle." And Adam, though only eleven, was to remember his father's words when his beloved dog, Nick, was stolen and Roger had disappeared and he found himself traveling alone along these same great roads, searching the fairs and market towns for his father and his dog. Here is a story of thirteenth-century England, so absorbing and lively that for all its authenticity it scarcely seems "historical." Although crammed with odd facts and lore about that time when "longen folke to goon on pilgrimages," its scraps of song and hymn and jongleur's tale of the period seem as newminted and fresh as the day they were devised, and Adam is a real boy inside his gay striped surcoat.

My Thoughts:

-    I started reading Newbery books again! Yay me! I was in the middle of this one when my brother died, so I wasn't sure if I was going to pick it up again, but I did, and I finished.

-    This was a little more enjoyable that previous Newbery books. I liked that characters a lot, and I thought the story was good. 

-    The writing was a little boring, and there were a lot of slow parts in the story.

-    I really liked Adam and his determination to be a good minstrel. I liked his journey and the people he met along the way.

-    Roger was a little weird.

-    I'm a sucker for books with dogs, and I loved Nick.

-    I probably wouldn't read this again, but it was alright. 

Reverse Readathon

I participated in Dewey's 24 Hour Reverse Readathon last week. It was a lot of fun.

Readathon Progress:

Hour 1 - 6:00 PM

Pages Read:  55 (Beastly Bones)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  55

Total Books Read:  0

Hour 2 - 7:00 PM

Pages Read:  59 (Beastly Bones)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  114

Total Books Read:  0

Hour 3 - 8:00 PM

Pages Read:  137 (The Iliad)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  251

Total Books Read:  0

Hour 4 - 9:00 PM

Pages Read:  114 (The Iliad)

Books Read:  1

Total Pages Read:  365

Total Books Read:  1

Hour 5 - 10:00 PM

Pages Read:  59 (Beastly Bones)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  424

Total Books Read:  1

Hour 6 - 11:00 PM

Pages Read:  59 (Beastly Bones)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  483

Total Books Read:  1

Hour 7 - 12:00 AM

Went to Bed

Hour 16 - 9:00 AM

Pages Read:  63 (Beastly Bones)

Books Read:  1

Total Pages Read:  546

Total Books Read:  2

Hour 17 - 10:00 AM

Pages Read:  45 (Johnny Tremain)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  591

Total Books Read:  2

Hour 18 - 11:00 AM

Pages Read:  51 (Johnny Tremain)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  642

Total Books Read:  2

Hour 19 - 12:00 PM

Lunch Break

Hour 20 - 1:00 PM

Pages Read:  42 (Chesire Crossing)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  684

Total Books Read:  2

Hour 21 - 2:00 PM

Pages Read:  66 (Chesire Crossing)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  750

Total Books Read:  2

Hour 22 - 3:00 PM

Pages Read:  48 (Chesire Crossing & Johnny Tremain)

Books Read:  1

Total Pages Read:  798

Total Books Read:  3

Hour 23 - 4:00 PM

Pages Read:  44 (Johnny Tremain)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  842

Total Books Read:  3

Hour 24 - 5:00 PM

Pages Read:  52 (Johnny Tremain)

Books Read:  0

Total Pages Read:  894

Total Books Read:  3

I had a great readathon. I wish I could have finished Johnny Tremain. I was really close to finishing it. It was fun to sit and read with friends, and I look forward to the next readathon in October. Thanks Dewey!

July Stats

Books Read:  21

  

 

  

  

  

  

  

Pages Read:  4,308

1 Star:  0

2 Stars:  4

3 Stars:  7

4 Stars:  6

5 Stars:  4

I had a killer July! Woo! I've been reading a lot on my own and with Gnome. We really got our summer reading groove on. I'm participating in the Reverse Read-a-Thon this weekend, so hopefully I'll get a few books finished. I don't know if I'll have numbers like this again, but I'll try.

Goal Progress:

I am 20 books behind on my Goodreads goal, which is better than last month. I'm slowly catching up. (73/160)

I read 9 books off my nightstand. I wish the stack was smaller, but I added some books from Book Swap. 

I finished a Newbery Award Book. I'm proud of myself for starting those again. (4/20)

I re-read 5 books! (6/20)

I only finished 2 books for the Pioneer Book Reading Challenge. I need to focus on these books a little more. (20/44)

Dealing with Dragons

Goodreads Synopsis:    Once upon a time there was a bad princess...

Take one bored princess. Make her the seventh daughter in a very proper royal family. Have her run away. 

Add one powerful, fascinating, dangerous dragon. 

The Princess Cimorene has never met anyone (or anything) like the dragon Kazul. But then, she's never met a witch, a jinn, a death-dealing talking bird, or a stone prince either. 

Princess Cimorene ran away to find some excitement. She's about to...

My Thoughts:

-    This is one of my favorite books from my childhood. My brother introduced me to this series, and I was excited to share it with my daughter.

-    I love the characters. The dragons are fun, and Cimorene is the best. I love that Cimorene doesn't want to fit the princess mold, so she runs away and volunteers to be a dragon's princess. I'd like to think that I'd do the same.

-    The story is charming, silly, and a feel-good read. Gnome and I both enjoyed it immensly. 

I'm Going to Hollywood!

Jenni, Hava, and I have been talking about going on a girl's road trip for a while. We want to visit Prince Edward Island, but we thought that was a bit ambitious for our first trip together, so we are going to work up to that. We decided our first road trip should be closer to home, but still something we've all wanted to do and haven't. We are going to Universal Studios and Hollywood! Woo!

None of us have been to Universal Studios, and we want to see Hogwarts and drink butter beer. We are going to spend two days in the park and one day touring Hollywood. I'm really excited. I've never been to Hollywood. I want to see the walk of fame, and the place by the Chinese theater where I can put my hands in Audrey Hepburn's hand prints. We are going to hike to the Hollywood sign too! 

We've been talking about this trip for a few weeks, but we actually booked our hotel! It just got real! We are going! Yay! 

I have to say, I am really grateful to my friends. They have helped me so much during my time of mourning. It is still really hard, but my friends have made it a bit more bearable. I really value our time together. I love Jenni and Hava, and I would do just about anything for them. Thanks ladies! 

Christy

Goodreads Synopsis:    Christy Huddleston left home at 19 to teach school in the Smoky Mountains. There she came to know and love the wild mountain people with their fierce pride, their dark superstitions, their terrible poverty, their yearning for beauty and truth. Christy found her faith severely challenged in these primitive surroundings; and, confronted with two young men of unique strengths and needs, she found her own growing yearnings challenged by love.











My Thoughts:

-    Even though I read this book last month, I wanted to review it. My thoughts often wander back to this book and its characters. It is one that has stayed with me and won't let me forget. 

-    The story is charming, heart-breaking, frustrating, and lovely. I enjoyed every moment. 

-    The characters are wonderful. Each of them finds a place into your heart and burrows a little home. I love Christy and her kindness and tenacity. I want to be her when I grow up. I loved all the other characters as well, especially the children and Fairlight. 

-    The characters in the book aren't afraid to ask the hard questions, and I really appreciated that. A lot of the questions asked were similar to my own. Sadly, I don't know if there are answers. The characters were very honest and real about life and faith. 

-    My only complaint with the book is the ending. It ends a little abruptly, and I want to know what happens next! Who does Christy marry!?!?!?

-    I understand why this is a beloved classic. It is a book that beckons to be read again and again. The story and messages are timeless.

A Small Zombie Problem

In his fiction debut--and the start of a new series--celebrated illustrator K.G. Campbell brings a touch of Tim Burton to this singularly strange and wonderful story about a lonely boy whose life is about to get a whole lot more complicated when a zombie follows him home.

August DuPont has spent his whole life inside a dilapidated house with his aunt Hydrangea. His lonely existence ends abruptly with the arrival of an invitation to meet an aunt--and cousins--he didn't even know existed. When Aunt Orchid suggests that August attend school with his cousins, it's a dream come true. But August has scarcely begun to celebrate his reversal of fortune when he is confronted by a small problem on his way home. So begins an adventure filled with a wild child, a zombie, a fabled white alligator, and an unimaginable family secret.

I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts:

-    The story is a little slow, especially at the beginning. It gets better towards the end. 

-    The zombie doesn't show up until about halfway through the book. I wish the story had focused a little more on her. 

-    I enjoyed the whimsical characters and the family history. The characters are what really drive the story. I hope Madame Marvell shows up more in the series.

-    I really liked reading this with my daughter. It was fun to see her reactions to things. She liked the story, and she thought it was funny, especially the zombie.