Jill's Week Four/Week Five

Hi, everyone! I finished two books last week - Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Friend by Christopher Moore (review) and The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (review). Two different yet enjoyable books.

I am currently reading Anne Tyler's Ladder of Years, and I hope to start on my last book of this challenge, Billy Bathgate by E.L. Doctorow, later this week.

Happy Reading!
=) Jill
http://mrstreme.livejournal.com

alison's progress

i'm making slow progress . . . life just keeps interfering with my reading time, it seems!

i spent week 4 reading Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes - the first of the five Picoult novels that comprise my list - and i really liked it. (you can read my review here.) week 5 will be spent on Perfect Match.

The Bone People by 3M

Here are all my June reads, but the only book officially on this challenge was The Bone People. Click on the titles to see the reviews.

37. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde ****
38. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken ****
39. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle ****
40. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry ****1/2
41. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys ****
42. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke ****1/2
43. New Testament *****
44. Coraline by Neil Gaiman ****1/2
45. The Bone People by Keri Hulme ****
46. Wild Swans by Jung Chang ****1/2

Week 4 catchup / Start of Week 5

Hi! Last week I finished Sweet Thames by Matthew Kneale, an historical fiction set in London, 1849, during a cholera epidemic. My review is here.

I'm currently reading three more challenge books: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Aphrodite by Russell Andrews, and Godforsaken Sea by Derek Lundy.

Benjie - Week 4

I'm this close to finishing Bridge to Terabithia. It is better than I remember it. I plan to rent the new movie as soon as I'm finished reading (the review to follow will probably lambast the movie in favor of the book). I've also completed my reading of Leading from Your Strengths. It is a small volume based on a leadership seminar. I can see how the seminar might be helpful, but without it the book lacks some luster. I'm still debating on whether or not to post a review.

In other news, I'm also approaching completion of a bonus book (a gift for father's day). More on that when the review is done.

More to come.

Laura - Weeks 4 & 5

Well, I've been hard at work on Vanity Fair since week 3, although I was not reading it for this challenge. Here's my review for anyone interested.

For the Summer Reading Challenge, I'm reading Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series (books 4-6), and need to read two in July. But first I need to take on a couple of other challenge reads. This week I'll be reading Alice Sebold's Lucky. It looks like a short book so I will probably at least start Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man as well. Then maybe it will be time for Stephanie again ...

Happy reading everyone!

Pheelya - Week 4

Danse Macabre is finished and reviewed on my blog. I have also finished Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off: The Yarn Harlot's Guide to the Land of Knitting but haven't reviewed it yet.

1. The Poe Shadow - Matthew Pearl
2. Danse Macabre - Laurell K. Hamilton
3. The Double Bind - Chris Bohjalian
4. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer
5. A Killer Stitch - Maggie Sefton
6. Mistreal's Kiss - Laurell K. Hamilton
7. Rain Village - Carolyon Turgeon
8. Black Moon Rising - Damien Ashton
9. The Demon Awakes - R.A. Salvatore
10. Disobedience - Naomi Alderman
11. Ophelia - Lisa Klein
12. Voodoo Season - Jewell Parker Rhodes
13. Wild Women's Weekend - Lynne Kaufman **up next

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off: The Yarn Harlot's Guide to the Land of Knitting - Stephanie Pearl-McPhee **added after list was created

Athena's Week 3 and 4

Happy Canada Day and early 4th of July! Onto the books, I did not blog in Week 3 because all I did was rereadHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling. I was much more productive in the fourth week as I reread Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (review has spoilers), read The Road by Cormac McCarthy, finished Best American Travel Writing 2006, and started reading The Diary of Anne Frank and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I'll have more books to read this month as the Book Awards Challenge begins today. Have a good first week of July, everyone.

Jill's Halfway Point!

I can't believe July is almost upon us, and therefore, we've reached the halfway point of this challenge! I am happy to report that I have more than half of my books read so far:

1) Looking for Alaska by John Green (completed June 1, 2007)
2) Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (completed June 3, 2007)
3) The Black Flower by Howard Bahr (completed June 8, 2007)
4) The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory (completed June 11, 2007)
5) The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory (completed June 16, 2007)
6) Wicked by Gregory Maguire (completed June 19, 2007)
7) The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (completed June 24, 2007)
8) Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow (completed June 29, 2007)

Please visit my blog for my reviews and feel free to leave comments!

Left to read:
1) The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
2) Lamb: The Gospel Acording to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore (READING NOW)
3) Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler
4) Billy Bathgate by E.L Doctorow

Happy Summer Reading!
=) Jill

Week 4

I did finish Water for Elephants in 5 days time! It was phenominal, you can see my review at my blog Shannon's Book Addiction. Then I started Entering Normal By Anne D. LeClaire. It was alright. It kept me intrigued, but I got frustrated with some of the characters. Some of their attitudes towards different events just seemed so fake. That was the only thing I really didn't like about it. Other than that, it was a good storyline, and it read quickly, I finished it in 4 days. And now I am reading Drowning Ruth. It is an Oprah's Book Club selection. So far....it is alright. As of now I would rate it at a B-...but then again I'm only about 30 pages into it. It seems like one of those books that you read it once you sorta get it, but it takes two tries to really "get" it. There are shifts between the here and now and the past and some of them aren't too clear. Also it shifts between different character's accounts of the overall story, and if you aren't careful and miss a character shift then you get lost. But then again, like I said I am only 30 pages in and I started it sorta late at night, right after I'd finished Entering Normal. So right now I'm probably not grading it fairly, I need to give it more of a chance. So, I have two more books finished for this past week and am into the next. I hope to get some good chunks of reading time in this weekend.

Week 4 - Kelly

I just posted a review of Michael Cunningham's Specimen Days here. I was very impressed by this book. It is very complex and intelligent, but still a great read. I'm also finishing up Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find for the Southern Reading Challenge. Not sure what my next pick for SRC2 will be. I'm contemplating The Book Thief... Enjoy your weekend reading!

3rd and 4th Books

Book # 3 - 4th of July by James Patterson (Review)

Book # 4 - The Shape-Changer's Wife by Sharon Shinn (Review)

Week Four

This week I've felt like I've read less. I don't know if that is technically true or just general discouragement. Anyway, here are my reads and reviews:

For Becky's Book Reviews

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford
Ellie McDoodle: Have Pen Will Travel by Ruth McNally Barshaw
Once Upon A Crime (Sisters Grimm) by Michael Buckley
Girl Overboard by Aimee Ferris
Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

For Becky's Christian Reviews

The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers by Amy Hollingsworth
Can We Trust the Gospels by Mark D. Roberts
A Taste Of Heaven by R.C. Sproul

I guess looking back, I read more than I thought. It's just been a tiring week. In the list of books I've read but not reviewed, add The Three Witches by Caroline B. Cooney. And in case you're wondering...it's a novelization of Macbeth.

Week 3/4 Janiejane

I'm currently reading "Children of God" by Mary Doria Russell, but real life is really cutting into my reading time. I think I'll still manage the challenge, but we'll see!

Another Down

Another one down!

Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling (Book On Disc-Currently Listening)
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austin (Just Started Reading - Got the Book on Disc for work)
The Harlequin - Laurell K. Hamilton (Have to Purchase)
Nightseer - Laurell K. Hamilton (Been sitting on the Shelf For Years)
The Inferno - Dante Alighieri (Always wanted to read and purchased at a Book Sale)

For a review, see my reading blog.

Gogol's Diary of a Madman meets Terry Gilliam's Brazil

I've begun reading Jose Saramago's All The Names which I've posted on here.

I will be away a few days but probably back by July 9 or so.

1st and 2nd Books

Book # 1 - The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip (Review)

Book # 2 - Bubbles Unbound by Sarah Strohmeyer (Review)

I'm reading my fifth book for this challenge but I haven't found the time to review the other ones. When the reviews are up I'll let you all know! :-)

Reconstructing The List

I don't know if this is allowed but I have found that I seriously have no desire to read:

1984 - George Orwell
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen

At least not right now. So I am going to reconstruct my list with books that I know I am interested in reading and intend to start right away.

Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling (Book On Disc-Currently Listening)
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austin (Just Started Reading - Got the Book on Disc for work)
The Harlequin - Laurell K. Hamilton (Have to Purchase)
Nightseer - Laurell K. Hamilton (Been sitting on the Shelf For Years)
The Inferno - Dante Alighieri (Always wanted to read and purchased at a Book Sale)

So hopefully now I will not continue to be a pittiful slacker.

Jill's Week Three/Week Four

Hi everyone!

I finished Wicked by Gregory Maguire for the third week of this challenge (you can read my review on my LiveJournal page if you're interested).

For week four, I have started The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (so far, an excellent read). I also hope to start Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow. If you have read any of these novels, please let me know what you think!

Have a wonderful week!
Jill =)

Week One thru Nine

Hello SRC Round Two Challengers!

Week One Label
When you prepare to talk about your reading for week one of SRC round two please use the "week 1" label so other readers can find what everyone was reading in the first week.

Week two Label
When you prepare to talk about your reading for week two of SRC round two please use the "week 2" label so other readers can find what everyone was reading in the second week.

Week three Label
When you prepare to talk about your reading for week three of SRC round two please use the "week 3" label so other readers can find what everyone was reading in the third week.

Week four Label
When you prepare to talk about your reading for week four of SRC round two please use the "week 4" label so other readers can find what everyone was reading in the fourth week.


Week five Label
When you prepare to talk about your reading for week five of SRC round two please use the "week 5" label so other readers can find what everyone was reading in the fifth week.

Week six Label
When you prepare to talk about your reading for week six of SRC round two please use the "week 6" label so other readers can find what everyone was reading in the sixth week.

Week seven Label
When you prepare to talk about your reading for week seven of SRC round two please use the "week 7" label so other readers can find what everyone was reading in the seventh week.

Week eight Label
When you prepare to talk about your reading for week eight of SRC round two please use the "week 8" label so other readers can find what everyone was reading in the eighth week.

Week nine Label
When you prepare to talk about your reading for week nine of SRC round two please use the "week 9" label so other readers can find what everyone was reading in the ninth week.

Completed Challenge Summary Label
When you prepare to talk about your completed reading challenges of SRC round two please use the "challenge complete" label so other readers can find what everyone finished.

Happy Reading
Amanda