[Kimberlina]

Hi, all. I've just gotten the okay from Sara to start a monthly Book Challenge thread.

Here's how it works- you set a goal for yourself as to how you want your current reading habits to change. Maybe you will read more "stuff" (intellectual) and less fluff. Maybe you will read more for pleasure. Maybe you want to read 30 books by the end of the year. Maybe you just want to track the books you are reading to see how many books you are actually reading. This goal can either be public- in this thread, in your signature, whatever- or it can be entirely private. It really doesn't matter- this is a personal challenge, like most of the challenges here, and not a competition at all.

Then, each month, you post in the monthly thread the books you have finished in that month. You give the title, author, a brief synopsis (no big spoilers, please) and whether you liked it/why.

I hope you'll all join me in the June Book Challenge.

 

[Kimberlina]

So, starting with the first book I finished in June:

1) Witch's Business by Diana Wynne Jones- " Jess and Frank's father has stopped their allowances for four whole months! That means that Jess can't go anywhere or do anything with her friends. Worse yet, Frank owes money to Buster Knell, the bully. How can Jess and Frank earn some cash -- fast?

By starting a business, Own Back, Ltd. It specializes in revenge, which every kid needs to seek at some time, they figure. Most don't have the courage themselves. But Jess and Frank do -- for a price!

Lots of clients show up. But Jess and Frank soon discover that the revenge business can be pretty complicated, especially when it turns out that there's another one in town -- owned by Biddy Iremonger, the fiercely competitive local witch!"

This is a YA book I pulled off the shelf at the library because I liked the cover. Then I found out later that the author is supposed to have written a lot of good books. I have to say that this book was just okay. I had a bit of a difficult time with it because the author is British and they didn't edit the language for an American version, so some of the phrases are a bit difficult to understand. (This is the first time I have ever encountered this problem in a book, fwiw.) This was the author's first YA novel, though, so I will probably give one or two more of her books a try.

(Just an FYI- I go in jags where I don't read anything but YA for weeks at a time, so be prepared. LOL)

1)Witch's Business

 

[Darlene]

Neat idea Kimberly. I guess my goal would to read more books by the light of day. I usually only read at night and fall asleep soon after getting in bed so I only get a chapter at best read. Sure takes a long time to read a book when you do that. If I read more during the day I will read more books & remember what I just read clearer too, lol. Still want to read for just pleasure.

 

[MirandaK]

(Just an FYI- I go in jags where I don't read anything but YA for weeks at a time, so be prepared. LOL)

1)Witch's Business

KIMBERLINA: I do the same thing! :rockon:

I just finished reading Second Summer of the Sisterhood (book 2 in the sisterhood of the travelling pants series) I won't do a synopsis in case people haven't read the first book yet. However, I will say I really enjoyed both books. The second one was more angst-filled but still quite enjoyable! :thumb:

My goal is to finish a book by Wilbur Smith that i started in April and really liked but I got sidetracked from it. I only have like 100 more pages to read. I also want to read at least 1/2 of TWG. Plus, I'd like to read Bel Canto.

 

[miss_thrifty]

Cool I,m readind a romance paper back, almost done. But then tommorrow Ill start on "
How to Talk So Teens Will Listen and Listen So Teens Will
Author: Adele Faber"

I"m love old romance historical ones. especially Catherine Cookson>

I'm In!!!!

 

[bg]

Count me in! My goal for the year is to read 2 books/month. This month I've read "The Skinny - what every skinny woman knows about dieting and won't tell you" by Patricia Marx and Susan Sistrom. I am currently reading "Voluntary Simplicity" by Duane Elgin.

The Skinny is a very tongue-in-cheek (and really funny) book that looks at dieting. For example, while reading the first few pages of the book I noticed for the first time, that all the skinny people I know drink diet coke! Big shocker for me.

I've struggled with weight issues only for the past 3+ years, but it was a pain in the neck. I was always told to drink milk twice/day, eat a hearty breakfast, and NEVER waste food because of children starving in Somalia. Well eventually all my cheesecake eating, ice cream inhaling habits caught up with me and I began to resemble a pear.

The Skinny contains tips like: if you aren't hungry in the morning don't eat a breakfast, eat it at 10:30 or 11 when you do get hungry. It discusses that eating something like oatmeal will keep you going through lunch while a bowl of cereal (with the recommended serving size) won't.

The book was pretty funny too....the fat free/low fat food at a fast food joint: soy sauce, ketchup, salt and pepper.

There is also discussion of nearly every diet plan I've heard of (and ones that I have not heard of), such as the cabbage soup diet, the fasting diet, the juice diet, the meat eating atkins diet, etc, etc. The authors often ask an expert or two to voice the expert opinion on these various diets and possible explanations on why the diets may actually work. I took most of the info with a grain of salt, because I couldn't figure out when the authors were kidding around, and when they weren't.

A good, fun read nevertheless. And I would recommend it even though I have a strong dislike for artificial sweetners and fat free and low fat anything:read: which the authors are big on.

 

[EmilyD]

I am going to join you all in this challenge. I am reading for fun and pleasure.

I have read several books since Jun 1. James Patterson's series 1st to Die, 2nd Chance, 3rd Degree, and 4th of July. Last night I read Sit, Stay, Slay by Linda O. Johnston and am reading the second book in the series, Nothing to Fear but Ferrets. Fine Feathered Death is the last of the series so far.

Also in my stack is At Risk by Patricia Cornwell.

I used to read several books a week and that is what I am aiming for now.

 

[ravenmoonmother]

I would like to try and read at least one book that isn't for five and under. I used to read all the time but then i had kids and can't seem to find the time, when they go to bed there always seems to be something else that needs doing.
I might go back and re-read one of my favorites, Clan Of The Cave Bear by Jean M Auel, or some thing by Barbara Erskine.
Kimberlina i have read some of Diana Wynne Jones books, i have no idea what a YA book is (probably just being dense) but i really love Howels Moving Castle and Fire And Hemlock.

 

[Vannie]

KIMBERLINA: I do the same thing! :rockon:

I just finished reading Second Summer of the Sisterhood (book 2 in the sisterhood of the travelling pants series) I won't do a synopsis in case people haven't read the first book yet. However, I will say I really enjoyed both books. The second one was more angst-filled but still quite enjoyable! :thumb:

My goal is to finish a book by Wilbur Smith that i started in April and really liked but I got sidetracked from it. I only have like 100 more pages to read. I also want to read at least 1/2 of TWG. Plus, I'd like to read Bel Canto.

Happy to see this post. I did not know of Second Summer .....I really Travelling Pants novels.

 

[MirandaK]

In happy news, I decided to work on the book challenge last night...Instead of watching a movie, I ran a nice hot bath and worked on my wilbur smith book. Only 20 more pages to go! should be finished tonight!

 

[Kimberlina]

Last night I finished So You Want to Be a Wizard by Diane Duane. It is the first of seven books written (starting in) the early 80's. It is another YA book.

"When Nita finds a book called So You Want to Be a Wizard, she discovers a whole new world of spells, magical creatures, and, of course, wizards. She teams up with her Wizard partner, Kit, whom she finds failing at his first wizardry, to stop a great evil. THE evil in fact, the Lone Power, creater of entropy and death."

It is interesting in the whole good/evil respect, but I personally thought it was poorly written and had to force myself to finish it. It has a lot of description, but not enough dialogue.

I actually got it in omnibus form- Support Your Local Wizard (published when there were only three books in the series) and don't think I can make myself read the second or third books. I am apparently the only one who feels this way, though, according to the reviews I've read.

Glad I don't have to waste any more time on it so I can get back to the other book I am reading....

1)Witch's Business 2)So You Want to be a Wizard

 

[chisgran]

I love this idea.

I just skimmed thru It's More than Money, It's your Life by Candace & Bahr, the ladies of The Money Club. I've been to their money club website so the book was more of a refresher for me. Also, since I do lots of reading, financial & stuff, it really had nothing I needed. Probably a good read for someone just starting to work on their financial stuff.

Left Behind, Kids series: Me & my niece started this series, 40 books. She wants to read the Harry Potter & Left Behind, adult series. So I told her she has to start with the kids series. We're now on book #2. We're also working on her reading/comprehension & we've really had some good conversations re: right & wrong, hypothetical situations & how she feels about what's happening. We take turns reading aloud. I read the Dave Ramsey kids' books to her & my grandson & now I've noticed more expressiveness in her voice. When we were on book #1, her voice was humdrum & monotone. So she is trying & doing very good. While reading book #1, it was great to see her face light up when something in the book would coincide with something in the Left Behind movies. Priceless!

 

[chisgran]

Oh, my challenge is to read a Left Behind Kids series one book a week with my niece. This is a tall order but I'll give her a really special treat when we finish.

 

[MirandaK]

Ok...I finished my Wilbur Smith book The Seventh Scroll. It was a good read if a bit over the top. It's about 2 archeologists trying to open a new tomb in egypt but they are racing against the clock, trying to get there before the "bad guys" and before the rains cause the Nile to flood. It was a fun read and I would highly reccommend it for a vacation read! Had a lot of action but didn't require a lot of thought.

Last night I read some more TWG and a Real Simple magazine that a girl at work had loaned me. Tonight I am going to start something new but I'm not sure what yet...I'll keep you all posted!!:thumb:

 

[Kimberlina]

Miranda, I read The Seventh Scroll 6 or 7 years ago, along with its predecessor, River God. I don't remember too much about them, but I do remember I enjoyed them.

Have you ever read any of Elizabeth Peters' books? They are fictional archaeology/Egyptology books. So far I've only read a couple, but they are pretty good.

 

[MirandaK]

ELIZABETH PETERS

Miranda, I read The Seventh Scroll 6 or 7 years ago, along with its predecessor, River God. I don't remember too much about them, but I do remember I enjoyed them.

Have you ever read any of Elizabeth Peters' books? They are fictional archaeology/Egyptology books. So far I've only read a couple, but they are pretty good.

I haven't! I've heard good stuff about her books though. Any in particular you would reccommend?

 

[Kimberlina]

No particular one- I would probably just start with the first one, since they are actually a series.

 

[tlenad]

Ooooo I just found this challenge. Talk about up my alley. I'm a reader but have fallen off the reading wagon lately. Then last Saturday I read two books in one setting. It reminded me how much I love to read.

Smart Women Finish Rich by David Bach. I'd be surprised if some of the frugal women here haven't read this book. I really enjoyed it and it gave me some real ideas and a good kick in the pants to get back on track with my savings and paying down of debt.

I'm not sure of the name of it right now, but a book on landlording. I'm thinking seriously of maybe once debt is paid off giving Landlording a shot. So far with everything I've read, I'm still interested in it. I have a few years to do quite a bit more reading though.

My goal for the rest of the year is to read one book a week.

This weeks book: Re-read The Millionaire Women Next Door. By the same guy who wrote the Millionaire Next Door. Again I needed to give myself a kick in the pants to get really serious about paying down debt and saving. I really enjoyed this book.

I'm already thinking of pursing the to be donated bookshelf and getting one of the books on it read tonight. So I'll probably check in tomorrow.

 

[baxjul]

I just got on here, so include me also! I just started "Three Fat Chicks on a Diet" I'll check in tomorrow with the rest!

 

[Lorelei]

I love the idea of a book challenge! I just finished reading Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark. It was good, if unrealistic. The book starts with identical twins being kidnapped and the suspense builds from there. Most fans of MHC would probably like this book.