So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:22 PM 4 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges

Thanks to Wendy at CaribousMom for hosting this challenge!

These were the 12 challenges and what I did for them:

1. Read a short story - review it. I read and reviewed Politically Correct Bedtime Stories by James Finn Garner

2. Read a children's book - review it. I read and reviewed Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

3. Read a poem - tell us about it. I read Woods on a SnowyEvening by Robert Frost

4. Read a banned book - review it. I read Sula by Toni Morrison

5. Give a book away (you may donate to charity, give a book to a friend, leave a book "in the wild" to be found by another reader...as long as you do not sell it!) - post why you chose the book you did and where it went. I gave away The Horseman's Graves by Jacqueline Baker

6. Read two (2) articles from any one magazine - tell us about them. The two articles were Obama's Mother & Heston

7. Read a classic (for this challenge a classic is defined as a piece of literature which has stood the test of time, has literary merit, is widely read, and was published prior to 1970) - review it. I read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

8. Go to a book event and then tell the group about your experience (book events may be library events, author readings, seminars/lectures pertaining to books or reading, etc...). I attended An Hour With Miriam Toews

9. Read an essay - tell us about it. I read an Animal Rights Essay

10. Read something inspirational - tell the group why it inspired you. The American Journey of Barack Obama

11. Read a book written by a "new-to-you" author - review it. I read Barnacle Love by Anthony De Sa

12. Participate in a group or buddy read and discussion (this can be either a face to face book club, an on line group, or a blog/buddy read). Tell the group what you read and with whom; give us a review. I participated in a group read and discussion of Hawaii by James A. Michener

Posted by Teddy Rose at 7:37 PM 3 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges

Posted by Teddy Rose at 11:06 PM 5 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges

Thanks to Lynne at Lynne's Little Corner of the World for hosting this challenge!

The Challenge:

Read 3 books recommended by others, and you can read more if you like. Cross-challenges are OK and you can change your books at any time.

The three books I read:

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hoesseini

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:38 PM 2 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges

Thanks to Bottle of Shine for hosting this challenge!

The challenge:

1) Make a list of ten books you love.

2) Share the list by posting it on your blog and then give Bottle of Shine the link so she can add it to the master list.

2) Choose 3 books to read from the master list.

3) Write reviews of the books you read! 4) Share the links to your reviews for the challenge.

The three books I read for the challenge:

1. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

2. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hoesseini

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:08 PM 4 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges

Thanks to all of you who participated in The ARC Reading Challenge and making my first challenge as a host such a success! Congratulations to all who completed the challenge and to those who tried to complete it!

Below is a list of those of us that participated in the challenge and links to our reviews (if I left anyone or their updates out, please let me know):

Jen- Total read: 18 Status: Completed
1. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
2. The Glimmer Palace by Beatrice Colin
3. My Father’s Paradise by Ariel Sabar
4. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O’Nan
5. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
6. Among the Cannibals: Adventures on the Trail of Man’s Darkest Ritual by Paul Raffaele
7. The White Mary by Kira Salak
8. The Dracula Dossier by James Reese
9. Superdove by Courtney Humphries
10. Stealing Athena by Karen Essex
11. One More Year: Stories by Sana Krasikov
12. First Daughter by Eric Van Lustbader
13. Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi
14. Sweetsmoke by David Fuller
15. American Savior by Roland Merullo
16. Creepers by Joanne Dahme
17. The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
18. The Dangerous Joy of Dr. Sex by Pagan Kennedy

Wendy -Total Read: 9 Status: Completed
1. Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
2. The House at Midnight, by Lucie Whitehouse
3. The Island of Eternal Love, by Daina Chaviano
4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Societyby Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
5. Leftovers, by Laura Weiss
6. The Map Thief, by Heather Terrell
7. The 19th Wife, by David Ebershoff
8. Rules for Saying Goodbye, by Katherine Taylor
9. The White Mary, by Kira Salak

Lori -Total Read: 7 Status: Completed
1. Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton
2. The Brass Verdict: A Novel by Michael Connelly
3. Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain
4. Die, Decorator, Die: A Novel of Murder, Greed and Interior Design by Franklin H Levy
5. Night Kills by John Lutz
6. The Mercedes Coffin: A Decker and Lazarus Book (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Novels) by Faye Kellerman
7. Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay

Kathleen - Total Read: 5 Status: Completed
1. The New Yorkers by Cathleen Schine
2. The Triumph of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy
3. Aberrations by Penelope Przekop
4. The White Mary by Kira Salak
5. One More Year by Sana Krasikov

3M-Total read: 5 Status: Completed
Undiscovered Country by Lin Enger
The Bible Salesman by Clyde Edgerton
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore
What Was Lost by Catherine O’Flynn (received before publication)
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

Chris- Total read:4 Status: Completed
1. The Other by David Guterson
2. Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
3. False Colours by Georgette Heyer
4. Loyalists and Layabouts, The Rapid Rise and Faster Fall of Shelburne, Nova Scotia by Stephen Kimber

Teddy- Total read: 4 Status: Completed
1. The Horseman's Graves by Jacqueline Baker
2. Ringside 1925: Views From the Scopes Trial by Jen Bryant
3. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
4. Dear John by Norma L. Betz

Jill- Total read: 3 Status: Completed
1. Resistance by Owen Sheers
2. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
3. So Long At The Fair by Christina Schwartz

Alessandra- Total read: 2 Status: Completed
1. Aberrations by Penelope Przekop
2. Admit One: A Journey into Film by Emmett James

Katknit- Total read:2 Status: Completed
1. Songs for the Missing, by Stewart O’Nan
2. Nathan Hale: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy by M. William Phelps

Megan- Total read: 3 Status: Close- Only needed 1 more
1. The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton
2. Home Girl: Building a Dream House on a Lawless Block by Judith Matloff
3. Farworld: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage

Literary Feline- Total read: 3 Status: Close- Only needed 1 more
1. Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake
2. The Servants by Michael Marshall Smith
3. Far World, Book 1: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage

Josette- Total read: 3 Status: Close-Only needed 1 more
1. Crazy Fool Kills Five by Gwen Freeman
2. The Poem I Turn To edited by Jason Shinder
3. Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer

Mizb Total read: 3 Status: Close- Only needed 1 more
1. A Well-Behaved Woman’s Life by Susan McGeown
2. Merciless (Dominion Trilogy, book 3) by Robin Parrish
3. Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World by Kathi Macias

Posted by Teddy Rose at 3:24 PM 7 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges

Just to recap, this is the Challenge:

The challenge will run from June 21, 2008-September 21, 2008.

It will be to help those of us with ARC's to get in gear and read and review them.

Here are the rules:

1. Make a list of all of the ARC's that you currently have and/or are on their way to you.

2. If you have:1-3 ARC's then pick at least one to read and review for this challenge.

4-6 ARC's then pick at least two to read and review for this challenge.

7-9 ARC's then pick at least three to read and review for this challenge.

10 or more Arc's then pick at least 4 to read and review for this challenge.

Here is our progress:

Jen- Total read: 3 Status: Completed

1. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

2. The Glimmer Palace by Beatrice Colin

3. My Father’s Paradise by Ariel Sabar

4. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O’Nan

5. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

6. Among the Cannibals: Adventures on the Trail of Man’s Darkest Ritual by Paul Raffaele

7. The White Mary by Kira Salak

8. The Dracula Dossier by James Reese

9. Superdove by Courtney Humphries

10. Stealing Athena by Karen Essex

11. One More Year: Stories by Sana Krasikov

12. First Daughter by Eric Van Lustbader

13. Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi

14. Sweetsmoke by David Fuller

15. American Savior by Roland Merullo

16. Creepers by Joanne Dahme

17. The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

18. The Dangerous Joy of Dr. Sex by Pagan Kennedy

Wendy -Total Read: 9 Status: Completed

1. Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs

2. The House at Midnight, by Lucie Whitehouse

3. The Island of Eternal Love, by Daina Chaviano

4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Societyby Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

5. Leftovers, by Laura Weiss

6. The Map Thief, by Heather Terrell

7. The 19th Wife, by David Ebershoff

8. Rules for Saying Goodbye, by Katherine Taylor

9. The White Mary, by Kira Salak

Lori -Total Read: 7 Status: Completed

1. Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton

2. The Brass Verdict: A Novel by Michael Connelly

3. Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain

4. Die, Decorator, Die: A Novel of Murder, Greed and Interior Design by Franklin H Levy

5. Night Kills by John Lutz

6. The Mercedes Coffin: A Decker and Lazarus Book (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Novels) by Faye Kellerman

7. Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay

Kathleen - Total Read: 5 Status: Completed

1. The New Yorkers by Cathleen Schine

2. The Triumph of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy

3. Aberrations by Penelope Przekop

4. The White Mary by Kira Salak

5. One More Year by Sana Krasikov

Chris- Total read:4 Status: Completed

1. The Other by David Guterson

2. Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

3. False Colours by Georgette Heyer

4. Loyalists and Layabouts, The Rapid Rise and Faster Fall of Shelburne, Nova Scotia by Stephen Kimber

1. The Horseman's Graves by Jacqueline Baker

2. Ringside 1925: Views From the Scopes Trial by Jen Bryant

3. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

4. Dear John by Norma L. Betz

Alessandra- Total read: 2 Status: Completed

1. Aberrations by Penelope Przekop

2. Admit One: A Journey into Film by Emmett James

Katknit- Total read:2 Status: Completed

1. Songs for the Missing, by Stewart O’Nan

2. Nathan Hale: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy by M. William Phelps

Megan- Total read: 3 Status: 1 more to read

1. The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton

2. Home Girl: Building a Dream House on a Lawless Block by Judith Matloff

3. Farworld: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage

Jill- Total read: 3 Status: Completed

1. Resistance by Owen Sheers

2. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

3. So Long At The Fair by Christina Schwartz

Literary Feline- Total read: 3 Status: 1 more to read

1. Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake

2. The Servants by Michael Marshall Smith

3. Far World, Book 1: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage

Josette- Total read: 3 Status: 1 more to read

1. Crazy Fool Kills Five by Gwen Freeman

2. The Poem I Turn To edited by Jason Shinder

3. Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer

Mizb Total read: 3 Status: 1 more to read

1. A Well-Behaved Woman’s Life by Susan McGeown

2. Merciless (Dominion Trilogy, book 3) by Robin Parrish

3. Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World by Kathi Macias

Other participants who have signed up but who have not yet started:

CCDPiper

Amy

3M

Tracy

Janie

Susan

Kristen

Callista

Bonnie

Congratulations to Jen, Wendy, Lori, Kathleen, Chris, Alessandra, Catknit (Linda), and Jill for completing the challenge already!

For the rest of you, hang in there you can do it! Some of you are very close to the finish!

Posted by Teddy Rose at 3:51 PM 10 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges

Thanks to Becky at Becky's Book Reviews for hosting this challenge!

I chose to watch the BBC 'Cranford' mini-series and the BBC 'North and South' Mini-series.

Based on the book of the same name, Cranford was set in an 1842 rural Cheshire town. It was about the trials and tribulations of the town's people. The town is going through modernization, namely with a railroad being built. Some of the town embrace this change, but many fear it.

I really enjoyed getting to know the Cranford people, warts and all. I hoped and dreamed with them. The crisp filming showed a beautiful landscape.

4/5

Also based on the book of the same name, North and South takes place in 1800's Milton, England. Margaret Hale is uprooted from her southern home because her father has a mid-life crisis of sorts and decides to move the family to Milton, a small cotton-milling town in the north.

With no income, her father decides to teach philosophy. One of his students is the mill owner, mill owner John Thornton. Margaret does not approve of Thorton, thinking he is too harsh with his employees. However, like the leading woman in Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice, Margaret starts to see some good in him.

There have been some comparisons with Pride and Prejudice done with North and South, and I certainly see some similarities. However, this is an excellent story in it's own right and there are some differences. Especially how Margaret befriends the poorer towns people.

I truly enjoyed North and South and highly recommend it. I can see myself re-visiting it from time to time, as I do with Pride and Prejudice. I also hope to read the book North and South one of these days.

5/5

North and South was also reviewed at:

Reading Adventures

Posted by Teddy Rose at 1:04 PM 8 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges, Classics

Thanks to Anne over at Reading Writing and Ranting for hosting this challenge.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:57 PM 4 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges, Historical Fiction

I wanted to give a big THANKS to John over at Book Mine Set for hosting this awesome challenge!

I joined this challenge quite late and honestly didn't think I would be able to finish it, however with a little extra determination I did!

These are the books that I read for the challenge and links to their reviews:

1. Charles the Bold by Yves Beauchemin

2. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Montgomery

3. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

4. The Time in Between by David Bergen

5. The End of the Alphabet by C.S. Richardson

6. Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland

7. Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King

8. Barncle Love by Anthony De Sa

9. A Perfect Night to Go to China by David Gillmor

10. Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels

11. Bang Crunch by Neil Smith

12. Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay

13. Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon by Lyn Hancock

Congratulations to all of you who participated and finished this challenge! Stay tuned for the 2nd Canadian Book Challenge, Starting on July 1, 2008

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:09 PM 7 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges, Canada

This challenge is being hosted by me. That's right, Teddy is finally hosting her own challenge.

The challenge will run from June 21, 2008-September 21, 2008. It will be to help those of us with ARC's to get in gear and read and review them.

Here are the rules:

1. Make a list of all of the ARC's that you currently have and/or are on their way to you.

2. If you have:
1-3 ARC's then pick at least one to read and review for this challenge.
4-6 ARC's then pick at least two to read and review for this challenge.
7-9 ARC's then pick at least three to read and review for this challenge.
10 or more Arc's then pick at least 4 to read and review for this challenge.

3. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.

4. List the books that you plan to read for this challenge (you can change it at any time, as long as the books you change are also ARCs). You can read the books on your list in any order.

5. Read the books and review them on your blog. If you don't have a blog, you can post your review on sites like Amazon. Leave a comment on this post with a link to each of your reviews.

6. Be sure to leave a comment on this post with a link to your blog post about this challenge.

7. Since this is my first challenge as host, please let me know if I have left anything out. LOL!

8. Enjoy!

This is my list of all of the ARC's I currently have (there may be more on their way, but they are unconfirmed, so I will update if there are):

1. Blood Harvest by Brant Randall
2. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
3. The Golden Age by Tahmima Anam
4. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
5. The Longest Journey by Diana Patterson and Rita Turner
6. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
7. The Horseman's Graves by Jacqueline Baker
8. Testimony by Anita Shreve
9. Jakie Ormes: The First African American Woman Cartoonist by Nancy Goldstein
10. Rainbows End by Peter Webb
11. Ringside 1925: Views From the Scopes Trail by Jen Bryant
12. The Glimmer Palace by Beatrice Colin
13. Stealing Athena by Karen Essex
14. Dear John by Norma L. Betz
15. Sweet Mandarin by Helen Tse

The 4 books that I plan to read for the challenge are:

1. The Horseman's Graves by Jacqueline Baker
2. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
3. Dear John by Norma L. Betz
4. Ringside 1925: Views From the Scopes Trail by Jen Bryant

These are the participants for this challenge, so far:
CCDPiper
MizB
Katknit (1)
Amy
Stephanie
Teddy (1, 2 , 3)
Wendy (1, 2, 3, 4) Completed
Lori (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) Completed
3M
thebluestockings
Jen
Kathleen (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) Completed
Chris (1, 2, 3, 4)
Halfginger
Tracy
Jill (1, 2)
Literary Feline (1, 2 )
Janie
Susan
Kristen
Megan (1, 2, 3)
Alessandra (1, 2)
Josette (1, 2)
Callista
Bonnie

Photo credit: Teddy Rose
From Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver, BC Canada

Posted by Teddy Rose at 7:58 PM 97 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges

Posted by Teddy Rose at 3:28 PM 7 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges

This challenge was created by Wendy.

To see the complete details for this challenge, please see my side-bar or visit Wendy.

Mini-Challenge #6 was to Read two (2) articles from any one magazine - tell us about them.

1. In Time Magazine's issue dated April 21, 2008, The was an article about Barack Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, titled 'A Mother's Story'.

She was born in 1942, just 5 years before Hilary Clinton was born. Her father wanted a boy and that's why her parents named her Stanley, however after enduring years of teasing, after high school, she used her middle name Ann.

She attened the University of Hawaii, where she met het first husband, Barack Obama Sr. Not long after they were married, he went back to his home country, Kenya and Ann did not follow. She filed for divorce in January 1964.

After Barack turned two, Ann returned to college where she got her bachelor's degree, which wasn't easy for a single mother on food stamps. But, she had the assistance of her parents to help raise Barack.

Back in school she met her second husband Lolo Soetro. Mother and son moved to Lolo's home country of Indonesia. There was no electricity or running water and inflation was at 600%. Barack attended a Catholic school there and Ann taught English in the U.S. Embassy. She also had a daughter, Soetoro Ng.

When Obama was 10, she sent him back to Hawaii to live with her parents where he attend an elite prep school that he's received a scholarship for. It was important to Ann that Barack get a strong education. A year later Ann returned to Hawaii and wnet back to school, where she received her Master's degree in anthropology.

In 1980 she filed for divorce. Three years later, when Barock was 14, she went back to Indonesia to do field work for her Ph.D. Barack of his own choice, remained in Hawaii. She completed her Ph.D in 1992.

Due to Ann's professional work, she left a last legacy of helping to build a microfinance program in Indonesia. She died of ovarian and uterine cancer on November 7, 1995.

2. The second article I read was titled 'The Epic Man' and was about Charlton Heston, who died on April 5th at the age of 84. As a movie star I believe he was a great, however as the President of the National Rifle Association, I was and am still totally opposed.

Mini-Challenge #12 was to Participate in a group or buddy read and discussion (this can be either a face to face book club, an on line group, or a blog/buddy read). Tell the group what you read and with whom; give us a review.

For this challenge, I read and discussed Hawaii by James A. Michener with my Classics Book Club. If you haven't already read my review, you can read it here.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 1:43 PM 2 comments    

Labels: 2008 Completed Challenges, Barack Obama