Novel Lovers
Thoughts and reflections about book club selections.
What, in your opinion, is the definition of a “reader.” A person who indiscriminately reads everything in sight? A person who reads BOOKS? A person who reads, period, no matter what it is? … Or, more specific? Like the specific person who’s reading something you wrote?
A “reader” is a person who reads for intrinsic rewards. Reading is a hobby, a pass-time, a tool, a babysitter, therapy, work, fun, and an integral part of your daily life.
I saw this Bookmooch during our read-a-thon and didn’t really know what it was. Now I do and I’m so excited! I often buy books and Bookmooch lets you send your books to others who want them, then you receive points that you can use to buy other books. Really neat! I need to sit down and start adding books to my list to share! I already have a list that I want - isn’t that always the case?
The recent read-a-thon that I participated in was great fun and the best part was virtually meeting all these neat people who love books as much as I do. I really do miss having someone to talk with about what I’m reading!
I was one of the lucky winners and my prize was a box of books from Hachette Book Co. - fourteen new books! How wonderful is that??? Wait until you see the titles!
Each prize box will contain a new copy of ALL 14 of these books:
Fact over Fiction
- The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston, $25.99
(ISBN: 0446581194 Read an Excerpt Listen to an Excerpt
View the Video Author Website * Audio Book Available)
- The Preacher and the Presidents by Nancy Gibbs , Michael Duffy, $14.99
(ISBN: 1599951045 Read an Excerpt * Audio Book Available)
Fiction:
- Swine Not? by Jimmy Buffett , Helen Bransford, $21.99
(ISBN: 0316035599 Author Website Listen to an Excerpt)
Historical Fiction:
- Miscarriage of Justice by “Kip” Gayden, $22.99
(ISBN: 159995687X Chapter Excerpt)
Memoirs:
- Trespassers Will Be Baptized by Elizabeth Hancock, $21.99
(ISBN: 1599957086 Author Website Reading Group Guide)
- He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by Trish Ryan, $19.99
(ISBN: 1599957132 Author Website Reading Group Guide )
Reading Group Recommendations:
- A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand, $24.99
(ISBN: 0316018600 * Audio Book Available)
- Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand, $13.99
(ISBN: 0316018597 Chapter Excerpt Reading Guide 1 * Audio Book Available)
- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts, $24.99
(ISBN: 044652901X Read an Excerpt * Audio Book Available)
- Off Season by Anne Siddons, $24.99
(ISBN: 0446527874 Listen to an Excerpt * Audio Book Available)
Romance:
- A Rose by the Door by Deborah Bedford, $6.99
(ISBN: 0446677892 Chapter Excerpt)
- Remember Me by Deborah Bedford, $6.99
(ISBN: 0446690430 Chapter Excerpt Reading Guide 1)
Thriller/Mystery:
(ISBN: 0446402389 Child44book.com Chapter Excerpt
- Close by Martina Cole, $24.99
(ISBN: 0446179965 * Audio Book Available)
It’s over! Many thanks to my daughter, Meaghan, and husband, Richard, who helped by keeping me awake, providing food, and even reading for me! Also, thank you Kittie for the fruit and green bean salads - it helped me stay awake to keep eating and I didn’t feel so guilty with these.
Thank you to all the cheerlearders, friends, read-a-thon participants, and even a couple of authors of books I was reading, for emailing me with your support. I really enjoyed doing this Read-a-thon and plan to do it again. It would be lots of fun we could get a small group together for constant support.
Oh, and thank you Diet Mountain Dew.
- Book I’m still reading: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and Rosewater and Soda Bread by Marsh Mehran
- Number of books read since I started: 2 adult books and 2 kids books (Sick of Shadows by Sharyn McCrumb, Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult, Dexter The Tough by Margaret Peterson Haddix, The Big One-Oh)
- Total pages read in the challenge: 945
- Total amount of time spent reading in the challenge: 600 minutes - 10 hours
- Mini-Challenges completed:
- Blogs visited during the Read-a-thon: Misa , Dewey, Andi,Care’s , Tammy, Debi, Bonnie, Stray Talk, Deweymonster, Jen, Icedream, Andi, Becca, Debi, Jennie, Somer, Wendy, Patti, Beckys, Book Reviews,Ready When you Are, CB
- Blogging - mini-challenges time: 8 hours
- Down Time: 6 Hours includes sleep, eating, walking, shower, Yoga minutes
- Prizes I’ve won: Box of 14 books - YEAH!
Here are the post-event survey questions:
1. Which hour was most daunting for you? 1:00 am (I had a very early morning and the RAT didn’t start here until 12:00 noon)
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Any children’s books - I read those very fast, skimming some of the sections
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? It was great! I’d like to use Skype numbers and talk with each other
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? the mini challenges were fun and reading others blogs but it did keep me from my books - not saying that was bad. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t have made it if we hadn’t had those more interactive activities.
5. How many books did you read? 2 adult - skimming on the second and 2 kids
6. What were the names of the books you read? Sick of Shadows, Picture Perfect, The Big One-Oh and Dexter the Tough
7. Which book did you enjoy most? Picture Perfect
8. Which did you enjoy least? none
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? just a reader this time
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I’ll do it again - raise money for charity. Somehow that part went over my head!
Finished Picture Perfect by Joni Picoult! Yeah!!! I had to stay off the computer because I was spending too much time reading blogs and having a different kind of fun and I was determined to finish at least one more adult book.
Title of book(s) read this hour: Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Pages read: 202 pp
Amount of time spent reading: 90 minutes
Mini-challenges this hour: none
Other participants visited: none
Title of book(s) read this hour: Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Pages read: 52 pp
Amount of time spent reading: on and off for 40 minutes
Mini-challenges this hour:
Other participants visited:
Ooops… fell right asleep with book in hand. It’s too quiet in this house. I did manage to read about 10 pages of Picture Perfect, complete Care’s mini-challenge, read a couple of blogs and update for last hour.
When I started reading Rosewater and Soda Bread, I almost had to get my dictionary! I quickly realized that, because it is written by an Iranian author and the story is set in Ireland, the cultural influences are a very integral part of this book and if I had more exposure to those cultures, these words might not be so unusual. Maybe.
But…how was my sentence for the most annoying run on sentence in this read-a-thon? I’m too incoherent to fix it!
My words:
Craic
Rumormonger
Just plain fun: “Polyester Paddy’s” an Irish nightclub
doppelganger
crenellated
I’m still having trouble staying focused on reading - guess this is where the short stories come in handy. I just cannot get into the Rosewater book in this sleepy stupor so I’ll just have to put it down and go for something lighter. I’m just realizing that I am not really sticking with the list that I posted earlier in my blog as my “intended” reads for this read-a-thon. Has anyone else deviated from your original plans?
Title of book(s) read this hour:
- again picked up Rosewater and Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran - cannot stay focused on this book.
- Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Pages read: 50 pp
Amount of time spent reading: 40 min.
Mini-challenges this hour: non
Other participants visited:
