Monthly Wrap-Up: April 2012

So I decided to start doing a monthly  wrap-up to help myself get more organized and see how much I have left to do it my challenges.  I’ve seen this done on a few blogs and like to see the progress listed in one place.  So here goes my first attempt.

Back to the Classics Challenge: 3/9 (33.3%)

I really need to pick up the pace with this one.  This was the first challenge I signed up for.  When I first started it, I had a whole idea of how I wanted to complete it (in conjunction with my other challenges) but that whole thing turned on its head.  Now I’m just reading what I want, when I want and if it fits in a category, then yay!   But, I may have to throw Moby Dick to the side and find another book for the first category.  I haven’t picked it up since putting it down back in January and I don’t think I can bring myself to try again… But I won’t give up yet!

What’s in a Name? Challenge: 1/6 (16.7%)

I’ve definitely neglected this one.  I think it’s because most of the books I selected for this were on my TBR list on Goodreads, but I don’t actually have them yet…so I should take a look on Amazon and see if I can get some cheap for the Kindle, or if I can borrow digital copies from my  library.  (it’s way easier for me to borrow digital copies than  actually get to the library!).

50 States Challenge: 5/50 (10%)

I still haven’t even selected all 50 books for this.  It’s much more difficult than I thought!  I do have 11 listed (not including the ones I’ve read) for some of the states, but that still leaves quite a number of states without a book.  When I read my books I keep in mind where the setting is so I can try to add it to this challenge.  Though, most often, I’ve already read a book that takes place in that state, or the story takes place in a different country… any suggestions???

Historical Fiction Challenge: 3/20 (15%)

Since there are no categories, I have a bit more freedom in this.  Even though I’m not very far in the challenge, I’m not concerned because I know I’ll fill this list by the end of the year.

Mount TBR Challenge: 3/25 (12%)

I have MANY books on my Kindle and my physical book shelf to fill this category…I just need to read them!  Again, not really concerned with this, plus I only signed up for it in March.  I’ll get it done by the end of the year!

Overall Reading Challenge: 17/75 (22.7%)

I only have 16 listed because I still haven’t written the review on my most recently finished book.  I’ll get it up there sometime this week.

With My Reading Buddy #4

A. and I completed another book and started another scary stories book… I just can’t get away from them!

The Franny K. Stein book was another book added to our folder by the program director. The Scary Stories book was, of course, found in the book bin by A. himself.

        

He enjoyed both of them, but of course, really like the Scary Stories one.  Actually, we’re still in the middle of reading it.  When he first picked it up, I thought it was the first one we had read, but he made very sure it was not.  He sometimes comments about similarities between the scary stories and the video games he plays (like Call of Duty).  I know, 8 years old and playing Call of Duty?

There are only 4 weeks left in the program and I can’t believe how quickly it went by.  I will definitely sign up to participate again next year and I hope A. does, too.  If he does, we will be partnered again because they like to keep the pairs together if both continue to participate until the student finishes the 4th grade. (the program runs  for 1st through 4th graders).

At the end of May there is going to be a Power Lunch End of Year Celebration.  It is a breakfast where the parents/guardians, teachers, students and mentors can celebrate the program.  There is also a breakfast, I think  (it is only an hour though).  Mentors are also asked to bring a book as a gift to their students.  I’m not sure what to get A. yet.  But I’m thinking a scary stories book, probably.  Maybe start with an R.L. Stein  Goosebumps or something.  Remember those?  I remember having a “create your own story” kind of book, where at the end of certain sections you can choose where to go next (“If you want to open the door, go to page 50. If you want to go in the basement, turn to page 52″ type thing).  I kind of like the idea of the choose-where-to-go only because you can re-read and choose different “paths” each time…

What do you think? Any suggestions on what I should get him?

Musing Mondays (6)

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Each Monday, a book- or reading-related question will be posted and we blog our answers, then link back to the original post. (You can find this week’s original post by clicking on the above image).

This week’s musing asks…

Do you listen to audiobooks? If not, why not? And, if so, what has been one of your favorites, so far?

I’ve only done a couple audiobooks.  My first attempt with an audiobook ended poorly.  In college my friend Allison and I decided to try an audiobook so we could knit while listening, since we both really liked to read and I was teaching her how to knit. (I use the term “teaching” lightly).  Anyway, the CD set we got was narrated by a man with an accent and he didn’t change his voice between narration and dialogue, or between characters; we quickly got confused and gave up.

The next time I tried an audiobook was earlier this year.  I listened to The History of English Literature. (see my review here).  It was a better experience, I think.  Plus, I was able to listen to it at work, which was pretty great.  It may have been easier for me since there it was a history rather than a novel.  There were no “characters” so it was easier to follow.

I would definitely like to try another audiobook sometime soon.  Any suggestions?

Book Beginnings on Friday (5)

Book Beginnings on Fridays is a weekly meme hosted by Gilion over at Rose City Reader.  She recently took over this weekly meme.  Basically, we post the opening sentence for whatever book we are reading and what we think about it.  I’ve never really done anything like that, and only occasionally pay attention to the first sentence of book…usually only if it really appeals to me. Clicking the image above will take you to Gilion’s Book Beginning for today.

I’m still reading The Count of Monte Cristo and I posted that first sentence last week.

But I have started F nish  Th s B   k by Keri Smith since last week, so here’s the first line of that one:

“INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Complete this book in order. Do not skip ahead (unless instructed to). You will be presented with assignments as you need to learn them.”

There is actually a quote from If On a Winter’s Night A Traveler, but I wanted to put the first words from the book itself.  It’s a pretty interesting book, very interactive.  There are actually 3 steps to the instructions.  But you’ll have to get a copy yourself to see the rest!

Happy Friday everyone!

WWW Wednesday (5)

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.  Each week, we’ll answer three questions about books. Click the image to be taken to MizB’s WWW post for today.

• What are you currently reading? 

Still reading The Count of Monte Cristo.  I kind of put this aside to read another book.  Now I’m really going to focus on it.  Especially after writing that I started it in last week’s WWW and got some good comments about it.

Also reading F nish Th s B  k by Keri Smith.  It’s an interactive paperback book where you get to “write the book”.  I’ve only just begun it, so I’m hoping it’s fun to do.  It appeals to the kid in me that likes mysteries, fill-in-the-blanks, become-part-of-the-story type stuff.  Check it out on Amazon.

• What did you recently finish reading? 

I finished reading The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil.  (I’m not sure if that’s pronounced “gill” or “jill”…but the author is female).  Anywho, I’ll have a review posted on it probably tomorrow.

• What do you think you’ll read next?

Random.org generator to the rescue!

[I'm posting before MizB, so I'll link up to her page later!]

April 25th is World Penguin Day

Reblogged from Penguin Place Post:

Yes, it's time to get out your tuxedo or penguin costume as this April 25th is International (World) Penguin Day.  So, what exactly is International Penguin Day and when did it begin?  For me it began about 20 years ago when I read an article in the Science New York Times about researchers at McMurdo Station in Antarctica who had noticed that every year, like clockwork, on April 25th a colony of…

Read more… 341 more words

Hooray for Penguins!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten All Time Favorite Characters In Books

The Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they choose a new topic for bloggers to list their top ten of whatever books fit into the category. (the image above is linked to today’s post at The Broke and the Bookish…new image they started using last week)

Today’s Top Ten: Top Ten All Time Favorite Characters In Books

Normally, I make my list “in no particular order” but this time,  I think I am going to try to list them in order backwards, so my most favorite will be the last one listed…

10. Marcus Flutie from the Jessica Darling books by Megan McCafferty

He’s a “bad boy” but not quite.  He’s an interesting, quirky character.  I remember when I first read those books that I wished I had a Marcus Flutie.  (Now, not so much).  He was in a band, had a “devil-may-care” attitude, didn’t care what people thought of him one bit (well, except maybe Jessica), and he was smart.  They describe him as having red hair in dreds (at least in the first book) but I never really pictured him that way.

9. Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millenium Series) by Steig Larsson

Hard-core, kick ass.  I wish I had a photographic memory.  I don’t envy her her life (well, her past), but I do envy her technical abilities, and again that “devil-may-care” attitude.

8. Ender from Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

While it was still difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that this book covered Ender’s life at a young age, I still can’t help but admire him.  I felt bad that he never really had any friends.  He was thrown into a situation and made himself the best he could be.  I imagine him to be a cute little boy.

7. Jane Eyre from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

This is one of my favorite classics that I read every few years.  Such a strong female character from that time period.  Considering when the book was written, the character of Jane Eyre is rather forward-thinking. I love that even though she had such a crappy childhood, she still turned out to be a wonderful adult.

6. Claire Beauchamp/Randall/Fraiser from the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

I’m jealous that she got to time travel.  I would love the chance, though I know I would definitely not be as well-equipped to handle that lifestyle as she was. She’s a smart, courageous woman who, when finding herself in an unbelievable situation (literally), “took the bull by the horns” and found a way to fit in.

5. Owen Meany from A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving

What a cute, sad, smart, amazing little boy.  I loved that his voice was distinct as to be WRITTEN IN CAPS ALL THE TIME.  This is also a favorite of mine that I read every couple of years (maybe I’ll re-read it again soon…)  It’s such a sad story, yet not exactly so.  Owen is an extraordinary character that manages to touch my heart.

4. Bailey from A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

I love this dog.  I love the fact that he is the same, no matter how many times he is reincarnated.  He learns from each life he has and is able to use that knowledge and skills to be the most wonderful dog ever.

3. Tyrion Lannister from the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin

Sly, cunning, quick-witted, and not quite good, Tyrion is one of my favorite characters of ASoIaF, hands down.  We get to see the inner-workings of his mind, which is good.  If we didn’t see it, we probably wouldn’t like him nearly as much.  He is definitely one of the main players who drew one of the short straws in life.  Actually, now that I think of it, most of the (current) remaining characters are those who got the shit-end of the stick (pardon the expression). Perseverance, what? (Whited out for “spoiler”-like comment)  Anyway, I think Tyrion is one of the smartest characters in the series and in a world where strength and brawn are king (sometimes, literally) he proves that brains and smarts are contenders, too.

2. Jon Snow from the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin

My other favorite character from ASoIaF.  Much like Tyrion, he is a misunderstood character who kind of had a bad lot in life.  Granted, he had a welcoming home with his father and step-siblings, though his step-mom was quite a cold bitch to him.  But he chooses a cold and lonely life.  He is brave, strong, and smart.  He’s loyal when he truly believes in a person or cause and loves his family (no matter what the oath says).  Also, I wouldn’t have minded being Ygritte sometimes.

1. Einstein from Watchers, by Dean Koontz

Yes, my top one is a dog.  He’s so freakin’ cute and smart.  I want to play Scrabble with a dog after I read this, every time.  Koontz really does a good job of creating a unique character, almost child-like but definitely has animal instincts.  He’s innocent, yet knows about the bad things.  He’s a wonderful companion, pet, and friend.  To be able to communicate with Sonny that way would be awesome.

Is it weird that two non-human characters made my list (and in the top half)?

It was much harder than I thought to put them in order!  I’m not even sure this IS my order.   I love all of these characters, and they’re all so different from each other, I don’t really know if I can put them on a list in a particular order…. so maybe they’re in no particular order after all

Actually, it was harder to list ten characters than I thought.  Not because I couldn’t think of characters, but because I like to think of stories (or series) as a whole.  Usually a particular character pops out at me, but sometimes it’s more about the adventure of the book as opposed to one of the main characters (for example, Timeline by Michael Crichton) .  This is one reason why none of the Harry Potter characters made it on the list.  I just love the idea of the entire series (people, events, places) that I don’t think of them separate from each other.  I honestly don’t think I could choose just ONE character as my favorite from HP without some serious thought.

Who are some of your favorite characters?

Musing Mondays (5)

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Each Monday, a book- or reading-related question will be posted and we blog our answers, then link back to the original post. (You can find this week’s original post by clicking on the above image).

This week’s musing asks…

Other than working at a job, what is your biggest interruption to reading? What takes you away from your book(s)?

Well there are a number of things that take away from my reading time, and if I’m being honest, being on here is one of them!  Sometimes I’m not able to catch up on the blog world/blogging friends until after I get home from work/at the end of the day.  Yet somehow, even though I’m in front of a computer all day long, I don’t mind jumping back on at home to catch up with everyone.

Also, there are a number of TV shows that I enjoy watching which also take time out (especially if I have to watch them OnDemand and I’m unable to fast forward…I hate that!)

And of course, hockey play-offs began last week, so I have to watch my B’s. (even if they haven’t been playing well, but they’re still alive!)

Those are really my biggest interruptions to getting my reading done.  (And sometimes, I’d rather play a few quick games of solitaire on phone while lying in bed before I fall asleep…)

What stops you from reading?

SonnyBear

My boyfriend (M) and I just celebrated Sonny’s 3rd birthday (and 2 year anniversary of adopting him) this week.  We got him a little cake from a dog bakery called Polkadog. It was so cute! (I think I heard they may start selling their products in Target!)

Just so you get an idea of the size, that is the large candle from Yankee Candle

I wanted to take a minute to talk about Sonny because he’s just so freakin’ cute.

M had been talking about getting a dog for a while and then he got laid off.  He determined that getting a dog at this time, especially one from a shelter, would probably be best because he would be home to take care of him and get him acclimated to a new life.

On April 18, 2010 we decided to go up to the Northeast Animal Shelter to see what dogs were available.  We had already discussed that if we didn’t like the name the dog had and if he was young enough, we would change his name to Sonny. The first dog we saw was named Bopper.  He was a cute black and white dog that looked kind of sad and had something wrong with his eye.  But he just looked so cute.  So we decided that if he wasn’t already being considered and no other dog struck our fancy, we would go back to him after we saw all of the other dogs at the shelter.  We saw a really cute brown and white dog named Leo, too.  He was a little guy (and my second choice!).

Anyway, after walking around and seeing what the shelter had to offer (including a dog named Edwin with a serious underbite), we decided we wanted to meet Bopper.  We asked the lady if we could and she took him out of his cage and we went into a visitor’s room.  We sat on the floor of the visitor’s room and he climbed right up into my lap and gave me a kiss.  Love.  He went to each of us and did that.  So we decided we wanted to take him outside to give him some more space to run and explore, etc.

First picture I ever took of him.

He likes me, he really likes me!

How could you not fall in love with that face?!

Anyway, we found out more about Bopper, though they didn’t know much: he was originally from Indiana, liked to chase cats and horses, and was around a year old (maybe a little older).  However, we got to the shelter late and had to wait until the next day to take him home.   So on April 19, 2010, Bopper became Sonny and our lives were changed.

He’s the cutest, most loveable snugglebug ever.   Sometimes, I think he thinks he’s a lapdog and he tries to curl up in my lap.  Or I end up squished on a corner of our long couch while he takes over the rest.  He loves to sleep with his head in my lap or tucked under my legs.  He’s so cuddly I just can’t stand it and want to bite his face (in a purely loving way, though).   He’s not even a big dog, probably considered medium-ish, about 50 lbs.

      

M and I moved in together last April, a couple of weeks before Sonny’s first adoption anniversary and 2nd birthday (since we didn’t know his actual birthday, we decided it would be the day we met him he stole our hearts: April 18).  It was going to be a new experience for all of us.  We were both moving out of  our parents’ houses for the first time (I did live at school but that is different from “real” living on your own), and I had always grown up with a cat (she’s actually still alive and just turned 19…yes 19), and it would be a new place for Sonny again.

We’ve been here for a year now and, as I mentioned, just celebrated Sonny’s second adoption anniversary and third birthday.   He’s our little lovebug.

And at the risk of embarrassing myself, I want to share this picture taken on my birthday last November:

(I think that was the wrong one, I copied it from my phone and it was automatically cropped…but he was lying on the couch behind me and put a paw on each shoulder and stayed like that for a good 10 minutes)

          

I think he may be what’s called a “reactive” dog and he’s very territorial.  He barks at everyone who approaches our house, especially the front door…even my parents.  Acutally, he’ll even bark at us if he only sees our shadow and doesn’t really it’s us right away.  We need to work on it.  So it’s hard to have people over to our house. But he is getting better around my parents at their house, which is very encouraging. He didn’t bark once the last couple of times he’s been around them, but then again that was at their house, not ours.  It’s definitely more at our house than anywhere else. (So if you are familiar with this type of situation and have any tips, help, tricks, etc. please share them!)

But we love him very much and really can’t imagine life without him!

One More…

So I didn’t realize that I had been given another award.  Let’s call it a “technical award”.  It is given to the top 5 people who comment on your blog.  I received it from Jessica at Shhh…Mommy’s Blogging…  Thanks

Created by SJ at Snobbery, this award goes out to the five readers who comment the most on your blog.

In addition to showing the comment love (and using the awesome graphic) each recipient (who wants to accept the award) must answer the following 9 questions and then pass the award on to their top 5.

1. What is your third favourite colour? Purple
2. Would you rather be:  a Jedi, a Pokemon Master or a Wizard/Witch?  Choose ONE I’d want to be a witch. (“It’s leviOsa, not levioSAH”)
3. Who is your favourite Doctor? I’m ashamed to say I have yet to watch Doctor Who (I know!), but I have it on my Netflix instant queue, I swear I do!
4. Can you whistle? Yes, the regular way and through my teeth (but I’m not missing any teeth!)
5. Would you name your child Sirius Albus? While I love the namesakes, no I would not name my child Sirius Albus.
6. What is the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything? cookies
7. Do you own a lawnmower? Nope.
8. Do you think Legolas is a (very pretty) pansy? HA! perhaps
9. What’s the trashiest thing you’ve read in the last year?  Should we [Snobbery] cover it for Trashy Tuesday? Hmmm, to be honest, it was probably a Trashy Tuesday post on Snobbery!

My top 5 who get this award:

1. The Nate Gatsby

2. Mrs. Pea’s Perspective

3. Geoff at the Oddness of Moving Things

4. Jessica @ Shhh…Mommy’s Blogging…

5. Valentina @ PeeK-a-BooK

900 followers?!

I wish that was true!

I feel like I need to put a disclaimer and say the reason that number is so high is because I have enabled Facebook on Publicize.  I almost want to remove it because I feel like it’s a lie.  But in any case, being linked to my FB and now my Twitter will hopefully get more traffic to my site

That is all.

Happy Friday everyone!

Book Beginning on Friday (4)

Book Beginnings on Fridays is a weekly meme hosted by Gilion over at Rose City Reader.  She recently took over this weekly meme.  Basically, we post the opening sentence for whatever book we are reading and what we think about it.  I’ve never really done anything like that, and only occasionally pay attention to the first sentence of book…usually only if it really appeals to me. Clicking the image above will take you to Gilion’s Book Beginning for today.

“On February 24, 1815, the lookout at Notre-Dame de la Garde signalled the arrival of the three-master Pharaon, coming from Smyrna, Trieste and Naples.” – The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas

I’ve never read The Count of Monte Cristo and only recently started it.  I haven’t gotten too far into it, but I can tell you that when I copied the first line, it didn’t really jump out at me as other first lines have.  But, I have it on good authority (a few fellow readers/bloggers/friends) who have enjoyed the book, so we’ll see what happens.  It is long, so I hope it doesn’t eat up a lot of my time.

Because it is so long, I have decided to read a second book at the same time (plus I was able to borrow it for free from Amazon with a trial of Amazon Prime!), in case the length is getting to me and I need a break, I’ll have the second book waiting for me….

“It’s seven o’clock on Monday morning and the movers have been here since six.” The Beach Street Knitting and Yarn Society,  Gil McNeil

Well, it’s a fairly interesting opening.  Why is the narrator moving and what in the world makes anyone get movers to show up at their house at 6 a.m.?!  I’ve only just begun this one, too, so I don’t have any insight.  But I love reading books about knitting (I am a knitter myself) so hopefully it is another knit-fiction that I will enjoy.

Happy reading everyone!

[This was posted before Gilion's, I will link it later today!]

Twitter

I set up a Twitter account months ago, followed about a dozen people/organizations and rarely tweeted. For about a month or so I was reading all the tweets, logging in multiple times a day via my phone while at work and home. After some time, a day would go by, then a couple, and next thing I knew, a whole week had gone by without checking Twitter. I decided to get rid of it.

However, after reading a lot of the Top Ten Tuesday memes from this week (Top Ten Tips for New Book Bloggers), I realized that using other social media outlets is a great way to get my blog out there and reach a larger number of people. And since I originally started my blog to extol the virtues of reading, shouldn’t I try to reach a larger audience?

Having said that, I started a new Twitter account that I’m going to use exclusively for book related stuff. My name on Twitter is @enchantdbybooks. Follow me!

WWW Wednesday (4)

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.  Each week, we’ll answer three questions about books. Click the image to be taken to MizB’s WWW post for today.

• What are you currently reading? 

I’m currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (translated by Robin Buss). I never had to read it in school, and never took it upon myself to read it before. A friend of mine, whose book opinion I trust, has read it and enjoyed it.  I’m hoping to enjoy it as well.  Whenever I hear the title, I think of the scene in Shawshank Redemption when they’re putting the library together and one of the guys says “dumbass”.  Then Andy tells them it’s about a prison break and Red asks if it should be placed under “Educational”.

• What did you recently finish reading? 

I finished reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, and for all of you who have been reading my blog know that this became one of my favorite reads.  Read it.  Here is my review.

• What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m going to use the Random.org generator to choose the next book from my Mount TBR list.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Tips For New Book Bloggers

The Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they choose a new topic for bloggers to list their top ten of whatever books fit into the category. (the image above is linked to today’s post at The Broke and the Bookish)

Today’s Top Ten: Top Ten Tips for New Book Bloggers

What a great Top Ten idea!

I still consider myself a new book blogger, so reading other people’s responses to today’s Top Ten is definitely interesting to me!  I don’t really know a lot of things that may help new bloggers, but I’ll list some tips that I’ve received or things I’ve picked up over the past few months.

1. Read and comment often on other book blogs

2. Join reading challenges

3. Join weekly memes

4. Post links to your blogs on other social media sites (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

5. If you really liked a post, be sure to “like” it

6. Link back to posts you enjoy, or that are related to what you’ve written

7. Use images to break up text

8. Follow other bloggers

9. Use tagging and categories. When you tag, people can find your posts easier

10. BE PATIENT!