Erin's Book Challenge 9.0 // Bookworm

Hello friends! I've been super busy working on our house, hanging in there through tons of work events, and visiting with family who is in town! Whew. Not a lot of time for blogging or blog reading. I decided that I had to get some kind of post out there... because I miss it and I need some time for me! :) Hoping to check in with you guys VERY soon! :)

I'm such a mood reader. I want to read something fun and fast most of the time. Like a romance or fantasy novel... but then I go on non-fiction kicks. It's hard for me to follow through with challenges... but I adore them, and I adore Erin's group! So fun and encouraging! So... here's my 9.0 list. (last time I picked as I went... it kind of worked, but that's why there wasn't a post!)

Erin's Reading Challenge 9.0 (Initial Post and Rules)

July 1st - October 31st - each book must be 200+ pages

5 points:  Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages
Arrogant Devil by R.S. Grey

10 points:  Read a book that starts with the letter “N”

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman - currently reading!

10 points:  Read a book that has a (mostly) orange cover

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

15 points:  Read a book with an unlikeable character

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus -- Audrey sent me this one for our summer reading pen pal swap! woohoo! :)

20 points:  Read a book from the list of 100 books that PBS calls “The Great American Read”

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

20 points:  Read a book with something related to water in the title

Seafire by Natalie C. Parker - not out yet, but the author is coming to my city! :)

25 points:  Read a book you've owned for the longest time but haven't read yet. Or has been on your TBR/Kindle for a long time, and you have not read yet.

Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

30 points:  Read a book with an emotion word in the title.

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

30 points: Read a book (must be at least 2 words in the title) where each word in the title of the book begins with the same letter

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

35 Points: Read a book where the main character shares your profession.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Are you participating? I'd love to know your picks!

What are you reading this summer?

XO,

Alexandra

Erin's Book Challenge 7.0 // Bookworm

Hello Friends, this time I am starting Erin's book challenge when it actually starts! Hopefully that means I will finish this time! Here are my initial picks ... I always change them... haha I'm trying to do all books that I own, so I can keep up with my book ban. :)

Erin's Reading Challenge 7.0 (Initial Post and Rules)

July 1st - October 31st - each book must be 200+ pages

5 points:  Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages

Shotgun Love Songs by Nikolas Butler

10 points:  Read a book that starts with the letter “B”

Between Sky and Sea by Jaclyn Dolamore

10 points:  Read a book that has a (mostly) yellow cover

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

15 points:  Read a book that has a picture of an animal on the cover

Tides by Betsy Cornwell

20 points:  Read a book that was published in 2017

Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant

20 points:  Read a book with a compass or cardinal direction in the title (submitted by Mary)

East by Edith Pattou

25 points:  The ALA’s “Banned Books Week” occurs while our challenge is happening.  Read a book from the list of the most commonly banned books in America

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

30 points:  Read a fictional book about mental illness

Looking for Alaska by John Green

30 points:  Read a book with a non-human main character; i.e. animals, elves, gods, robots, merpeople, etc.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

35 points:  Read a book a Disney movie was based on OR a book based on a Disney movie

Either Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie OR Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Are you participating? I'd love to know your picks!

What are you reading this summer?

XO,

Alexandra

Erin's Book Challenge 6.0 // Bookworm

Happy Wednesday! I hope you guys are having a great week so far! We've been moving like crazy, last night was our first night sleeping in our new "apartment" with our cats... oh my. Poor things.

Needless to say, very very little time for reading! Hoping to settle in soon, because I really miss normal life!!

Today I am sharing a reading challenge list I am participating in. This one is Erin's Reading Challenge 6.0.

Because I am doing my Book Ban... (not fully successfully..) I am choosing all (or almost all) books I own/already have from the library! :)

Erin's Reading Challenge 6.0 (initial post and rules)

January 1 - April 30 - each book must be 200+ pages

5 points: Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages.

Blossom Street Brides by Debbie Macomber (library) - because I needed something light, and already had this one from the library!

10 points: Read a book that starts with the letter “W”.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (own) OR Where'd You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple (own)

10 points: Read a book with six words in the title.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert (own)

15 points: Read a book that has a (mostly) green cover.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (own) - not quite sure on this one... 

20 points: Read a book with a homonym in the title (inspired by the book Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin that I read last challenge with a character who is obsessed with homonyms.) Helpful link: https://www.cooper.com/alan/homonym_l...

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (Thrown) (Own)

20 points: (Submitted by Linda) Read a book by your favorite author.

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix (re-read/own) OR Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix (own) OR Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (re-read/own) so that I can read First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen... we'll see!

25 points: (Submitted by Christina) Read a book set in the city/town/state/territory/county/province where you live.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum (can't remember if I own this...) OR In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (own) - Love Capote's writing! Polar opposites these books... hahah

30 points: (Submitted by Peggy) Read a “Rory Gilmore” book. The character of Rory from the Gilmore Girls was shown reading over 300 different books throughout the series. Choose one of them from this helpful link: https://www.buzzfeed.com/krystieyando... HELP! TOO MANY GOOD OPTIONS!!! 

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger (own) OR Eva Luna by Isabel Allende OR Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence (own) OR Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen OR Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Doublas Wiggin OR A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith OR War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

30 points: (Submitted by Stef) Read a book from a genre that you’ve never read (or rarely read.)

Steampunk - Soulless by Gail Carriger

35 points: (Submitted by Ferne) Read a book with time travel. Helpful link: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (do not own!) OR The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier (do not own!) OR Green Darkness by Anya Seton (do not own!) - this last one could also work for the green category!

I'm REALLY excited about this list. These are almost all books I own, already have from a friend or the library, and I have been wanting to get to many of these for quite a while. :) 

Is any one else participating? What's on your list?

XO,

Alexandra

Erin's Book Challenge 5.0 // Bookworm

Happy Monday! I hope you guys had a great weekend! Today I am sharing another reading challenge list I am participating in. This one is Erin's Reading Challenge 5.0.

Erin's Reading Challenge 5.0 (initial post and rules)

July 1 - October 31 - each book must be 200+ pages

5 points: Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages. - Stardust by Neil Gaiman

10 points: Read a book that starts with the letter “R”. - Ruby Red by Kristen Gier (is this double points like Scattergories?! :P)

10 points: Read a book with five words in the title. - Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

15 points: Read a book that has a (mostly) blue cover. - People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

20 points: (Submitted by Barbara A. Wild; she’s a twin and is a mother to twins.) Read a book with twins as characters. - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 

20 points: (Submitted by Christina Mapes) Read a book from the following list of books made into movies: http://www.popsugar.com.au/…/Books-Being-Adapted-Movies-327… - Looking for Alaska by John Green

25 points: (Submitted by Stef Thompson) Read a book set in a country you have always wanted to visit. - Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

30 points: (Submitted by Linda Young Zajac) Read a historical fiction book. - Etta by Jerald Kolpan

30 points: (Submitted by Ericka Blankenship) Read a music related book. (i.e. a memoir from a musician, singer, band, roadie, producer, groupie, music journalist, etc. OR a fictional book with a lead character that is a musician, music teacher, etc.) - The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich

35 points: (Submitted by Ferne Merrylees Read a book originally published over 100 years ago. - War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 

I'm REALLY excited about this list. These are all books I own, already have from a friend or the library, and I have been wanting to get to many of these for quite a while. :) 

Is any one else participating? What's on your list?

XO,

Alexandra

Semi Charmed Summer Challenge 2016 // Bookworm

Hi Everyone! I hope you had a lovely weekend!

I have been working on this list and participating for a few months now, but haven't gotten around to posting my list... and you know, it ends in two days... so why not now? LOL Even though I won't finish, I always end up reading interesting books that I may not have picked otherwise, so I am glad that I participated!

Here is my Semi Charmed Summer List:

Initial Post & Rules Here.

June 1 - August 31 - each book must be at least 150 pages long.

5 Points - Freebie (150+ Pages) The Siren by Kiera Cass  - my review here.

10 Points - A collection of short stories or essays - Fork in the Road edited by James Oseland

10 Points - Read an adult fiction book written by an author who normally writes books for children. - The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (AKA JK Rowling)  - my review here.

15 Points - A book set in Appalachia - Serena by Ron Rash

15 Points - A book with a cover you find personally unappealing. - You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero

20 Points - A book that you had previously seen the film of. - Austenland by Shannon Hale  my review here.

25 Points - Read a book with a punny title. - Pretty Happy by Kate Hudson -  I dunno if this counts, but she's talking about be both pretty and happy...

30 Points - Read a microhistory. - Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson

30 Points - Read one book with a good word in a title and one with a bad word

Good: Gentleman Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos  - my review here.
Bad: Harry Potter and The Cursed Child by John Tiffany, Jack Thorne, and JK Rowling 

40 Points - Read two books that contain the same word in the title, but once singular and once plural.

Singular: The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble
Plural: The Tumbling Turner Sisters by Juliette Fay*  - my review here.

Total Points Earned: 50

Have you read any of these books? What did you think?

Did anyone else participate in this challenge? If so, how did it go?

XO,

Alexandra

Book Challenge by Erin 4.0 Initial List // Yup, Another Book Challenge

Reading challenges are thebomb.com. And so far I have read some every. night. this. year. WOAH! Majorly awesome, not going to last forever... but I'm loving it.

This challenge runs January 1st, 2016 - April 30th, 2016. See full rules and initial post here.

The Categories:

5 points:  Read a book, any book that is at least 200 pages long.

The Heir by Kiera Cass

10 points:  Read a book that begins with the letter “D”.

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

10 points:  Read a book with a four word title.

True - Hilary Duff

15 points:  Read a book with one of the following words in the title: “mother(s)”, “father(s)”, “son(s)”, “daughter(s)”, or “child(ren)”.

Either Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce OR Son by Lois Lowery

20 points:  Amazon ranks their “most popular authors”, and they update this list hourly.  Based on when you make your book list, look at the top 100 authors, and pick a book to read from one of those authors, but here’s the catch – it needs to be an author new to you…one of the most popular authors, yet you’ve never read them before.  http://www.amazon.com/author-rank

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

20 points:  Read a book set in any country in Asia.

Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki 

25 points:  Read a book with a “Season” in the title.

The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek

30 points:  Read a book that will make you laugh from the list attached. http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinchack/books-guaranteed-to-make-you-laugh-out-loud

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

30 points:  Read a book that is a friend or family member’s favorite book (or the favorite book of another participant from this challenge).

Kristen's Favorite (one of them!) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak & one of Shea's too!

35 points:  Read a book published the year you were born.

Possession by A.S. Byatt

Any takers? Either way, let's be friends on goodreads.

What are you reading right now?! Have you read any of these?!

XO,

Alexandra