Showing posts with label 30 day book challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 30 day book challenge. Show all posts

21 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 14

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer



This was a tough choice.  I love everything I've ever read by Neil Gaiman.  They are all brilliant.  And trying to choose a favorite... well, it's like trying to decide my favorite child or favorite niece or nephew.  It's difficult.  But, I did finally come up with a choice, and that is Brief Lives.  Sandman is just barely my favorite of all the things he's written, and of all the stories, Brief Lives does come in first.  Because it's Del's story, and you get to see so much strength from her where you weren't expecting it.  It's the beginning of the end for Dream and it's the first real chance we have to see Destruction.  It's a pivotal point in the whole series.  And it's just brilliant.

Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

20 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 13

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer

This one is a tough call.  But I'll have to say that it's Neil Gaiman.  As much as I love Kelley Armstrong and Kay Hooper, Richelle Mead and Peter David, there's no one quite like Neil Gaiman.  It seems like he can write anything.  Graphic novels (The Sandman series, Marvel 1602 and Eternals, to name a few), children's books (Instructions, The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish and Blueberry Girl being among my favorite), darker tales for older children (Coraline and The Graveyard Book are the ones I've loved best) and even books for adults (American Gods and it's sequel Anansi Boys being some of the best works of fiction ever).  I haven't seen or read anything from him that hasn't been complete brilliance.  (His episode "The Doctor's Wife" for Doctor Who was phenomenal. )  Seriously, I can't say enough about Neil Gaiman.  Check him out if you haven't before.

Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

15 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 12

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore



I used to be all about the Valdemar books.  And I still enjoy most of them.  But Owlflight and the others in the Darian's Tale sub-series just don't do it for me any more.  My tastes have changed a lot since I've gotten older.

Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

14 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 11

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 11 – A book you hated



This was a hard one for me to come up with because, as a general rule, I try to forget things that I hate.  So the closest that I could come up with was Crime and Punishment. I was required to read it for AP English Lit my senior year and it just dragged.  I couldn't get into it.  I haven't tried it since, but all the negative connotations of having been required to read it then (and failing a paper on it) make me reluctant to give it another try.

Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

10 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 10

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 10 – Favorite classic book

 I actually saw the movie before I ever read the book, but the movie impressed me quite a bit.  The idea of a future being completely controlled by others is a frightening one. Being basically forced to be happy and compliant makes me shudder.  But Huxley wrote a wonderful story of this confined uptopia and the chance for one man to try to break free from the mold.

Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 9

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving

 As a general rule, I don't care for horror novels.  I have way too active of an imagination and I end up with nightmares and the conviction that someone is coming in the window to kill me.  Not a good combination.  So when a friend suggested I read The Talisman, I was skeptical but thought I'd give it a try anyway.  Not only did I finish it, but I finished it quickly and found that I really enjoyed the story.  It didn't freak me out as much as I suspected it would.  It's not one that I re-read much, but it is a book that I'm glad I read.


Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

08 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 8

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 08 – Most overrated book



This actually a book that I really wanted to like but couldn't.  I love the movie.  It's one of my favorites.  But the book.... I read it and... I just couldn't enjoy it.  I tried to enjoy it.  I really did.  But something about it just didn't connect with me.  It's one of the few books that my husband and I disagree on.

Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

07 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 7

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 07 – Most underrated book



I got this book as a freebie from Harlequin one of the times I subscribed to their book service.  And I loved it.  It is the story of two unlikely friends - a Hollywood star and an ambitious boy from Idaho.  They meet at Sun Valley Ski Resort in 1936.  Wade (the star) is visiting and Jude is working their.  Their unlikely friendship follows them through success and failure, joy and heartbreak.  It is one of the few books that, when I finished it, I immediately flipped back to the front and started it again.


Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

05 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 6

Day 06 – A book that makes you sad



I still remember reading this book.  I'd pre-ordered it and it came the day of my bridal shower.  My best friend was in town, but she was a reading teacher - she knew my need to read.  I finished the book in one night and sobbed my way through the end of the book.  This was at 2 am, and I woke Rich up with my tears. He held me while I cried.  I love books that affect me deeply, and this was one.


Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

04 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 5

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy



I was introduced to Sandra Boyton by friends of mine.  They had Philadelphia Chickens and told me that I needed to hear it.  I fell in love with the CD and anything by Sandra Boyton.  I introduced many people to the wonders of Philadelphia Chickens and Sandra Boyton, including my heart-sister, Barb.

Fast forward to 2006, right after I had Teddy.  A package arrived in the mail from Barb and, among the items she'd sent was the board book for Snuggle Puppy.  And it became one of my favorite books to read to Teddy.  Because I didn't read it to him.  I sang it to him.  And now Teddy and I sing it to Pete.  Sharing this book with my family always makes me happy.  I'm hoping to keep it in good enough condition to pass it along to the boys when they have families of their own.


Day 06 – A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

03 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 4

Day 04 – Favorite book of your favorite series

This is a tough one, because they're all good.  But I think I'm going to have to give the slim nod to Dime Store Magic.




This was my first Women of the Otherworld book.  I identified with Paige and wanted to be like her.  I cheered for her, Lucas and Savannah.  If I'm looking for a book to reread, this is often the first one I'll look to in the series.

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy
Day 06 – A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

02 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 3

Time for day 2 of the 30 day book challenge!  Feel free to click on the links if you want to check out what I chose before.

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times
Day 03 – Your favorite series

The Women of the Otherworld Series by Kelley Armstrong

Far and away, my favorite series.  There is a world where magic is real, vampires exist, werewolves live among us, and half-demons wander the world, getting their power from their demon father.  And that world exists within our own.  The series of books follows the various women in this world, and I just love to read them over and over again.  I own almost all the books and am just waiting until I have the money to get the rest.  If you like paranormal, then check out this series!

Day 04 – Favorite book of your favorite series
Day 05 – A book that makes you happy
Day 06 – A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

01 August 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 2

Time for day 2 of the 30 day book challenge!  Feel free to click on the links if you want to check out what I chose before.

Day 01 – The best book you read this year
Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

There are a lot of books that can fit in this category.  The Harry Potter novels, the Women of the Otherworld series... even Gaiman's Sandman series of graphic novels.  But I'm going to choose one of my all-time, and not well known, favorites.

I actually picked up the third book in this series first.  The series is called Cloak and Dagger.  It's about two friends, one an aristocrat and the other a peasant, and their misadventures as apprentice assassins.  When I finished that book, I knew I had to get the rest.  Anvil of the Sun is truly the beginning, before they ever became assassins and were very close to going rogue.  All because Jen (the main female character) can't trust that the Assassin's Guild won't do anything about rescuing her aunt (who also happens to be their top operative).  It's a fantastic fantasy series and I just wish that Anne Lesley Groell had written more of them.

Day 03 – Your favorite series:
Day 04 – Favorite book of your favorite series
Day 05 – A book that makes you happy
Day 06 – A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 – Most overrated book
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer
Day 14 – Book from your favorite writer
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Favorite book

31 July 2011

30 Day Book Challenge - the challenge

Being the incredible lover of books that I am, I knew I had to do this one when I saw it on a blog I recently started reading.  It's a 30 day book challenge, so expect to see a lot of good books here.  I don't know if I'll manage to get them all done within 30 days, but I will post them as I can get to them (including links).

Day 01 – The best book you read this year: 


 I'm a huge fan of Neil Gaiman.  I think he's one of the most interesting, fascinating and talented writers of our time.  And I read anything that I can get my hands on.  Instructions is a children's book, but it doesn't matter.  It tells us what lessons we should learn from the fairy tales, all the little ways that the heroes and heroines messed up in the stories.  It's also beautifully illustrated by Charles Vess.  It's just a wonderful little book.  It's one of my favorite books of all time.


Watch this week for these answers.

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times
Day 03 – Your favorite series:
Day 04 – Favorite book of your favorite series:
Day 05 – A book that makes you happy
Day 06 – A book that makes you sad:
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 – Most overrated book:
Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book:
Day 11 – A book you hated:
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite writer:
Day 14 –book from your favorite writer :
Day 15 – Favorite male character
Day 16 – Favorite female character
Day 17 – Favorite quote:
Day 18: First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child:
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Book that makes you laugh out loud
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood:
Day 22 - Book you’re currently reading
Day 23 – Your guilty pleasure
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read:
Day 25 - Favorite book you read in school:
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked:
Day 30 - Favorite book: