Our Mutual Friend Challenge Completed

Our Mutual Read (Sign UP Post) The challenge blog link.
Level 2: 8 Books at least four written during 1837-1901.

1. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling. Maryrose Wood. (2010)
2. Emma Brown: A Novel From the Unfinished Manuscript by Charlotte Bronte. Clare Boylan. (2005)
3. She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell (2010)
4. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (1854-1855)
5. Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne. (1850)
6. Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope (1858)
7. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte (1848)
8. Armadale by Wilkie Collins (1866)
9. Soulless by Gail Carriger (2009)
10. Bleak House by Charles Dickens (1852-1853)
11. Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (1868)
12. He Knew He Was Right by Anthony Trollope (1869)
13. Lady Anna. Anthony Trollope. (1874)

Mini Challenge to watch Period Movies

1. North and South, the movie
2. Bleak House, the movie (2005)


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Graphic Novel Challenge Completed

Graphic Novel 2010 Challenge
Level Intermediate
January - December 2010
I will be reviewing the books at Becky's Book Reviews

1. The First Escape by G.P. Taylor
2. Science Fiction Classics (Graphic Classics #17)
3. Julius Caesar (Manga Shakespeare) Mustashrik Mahbab (Illustrator). Richard Appignanesi (Text).
4. Calamity Jack. By Shannon and Dean Hale.
5. Manga Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing. William Shakespeare. 2009. Ill. Emma Vieceli. Adapted by Richard Appignanesi.
6. Manga Shakespeare: As You Like It. William Shakespeare.
7. Mary Anne Saves The Day. Raina Telgemeier and Ann M. Martin. 2007. Scholastic. 158 pages.
8. Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta. Jarrett J. Krosoczka.
9. Olympians: Zeus: King of the Gods. George O'Connor.
10. Olympians: Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess. George O'Connor
11. Mercury by Hope Larson
12. The Sons of Liberty by Alexander Lagos and Joseph Lagos
13. Babymouse Burns Rubber #12. Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm.
14. Babymouse Cupcake Tycoon (#13) Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm.
15. Ender's Game: Battle School. (Graphic Novel) Orson Scott Card.
16. Jane Eyre The Graphic Novel -- Original Text -- Charlotte Bronte
17. Frankenstein The Graphic Novel -- Original Text -- Mary Shelley
18. Koko Be Good. Jen Wang.
19. Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation. Ray Bradbury. Illustrated by Tim Hamilton.
20. The Odyssey. Gareth Hinds.
21. Muppet King Arthur. Paul Benjamin and Patrick Storck.
22. Muppet Robin Hood. Tim Beedle.
23. Muppet Peter Pan. Grace Randolph
24. The Plain Janes. Cecil Castellucci
25. Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean. Sarah Stewart Taylor.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Everything Austen II Challenge Completed

Stephanie of Stephanie's Written Word hosted the Everything Austen challenge again!
July 1, 2010 - January 1, 2011

Here's what I've read and reviewed

1. Pride and Prescience: Or A Truth Universally Acknowledged. A Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery. Carrie Bebris
2. North by Northanger, Or, The Shades of Pemberley. Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mysteries #3. Carrie Bebris.
3. The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James.
4. A Darcy Christmas: A Holiday Tribute to Jane Austen. By Amanda Grange, Carolyn Eberhart, and Sharon Lathan.
5. Bespelling Jane Austen. By Mary Balogh, Susan Krinard, Colleen Gleason, Janet Mullany.
6. Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson. 

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2010 TBR Challenge Completed

TBR 2010
January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010
12 Books
The list CANNOT be changed after January 1, 2010.

1. Fire by Kristin Cashore (480 pages)
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (400 pages)
3. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (400 pages)
4. The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo (201 pages)
5. Saving Juliet. By Suzanne Selfors. (272 pages)
6. Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? by Louise Rennison (310 pages)
7. Prada & Prejudice. by Mandy Hubbard. (288 pages)
8. Alcatraz Versus The Knights of Crystallia by Brandon Sanderson (336 pages)
9. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (448 pages)
*10. Libyrinth by Pearl North (336 pages)
*11. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck (192 pages)
*12. The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James (352 pages)

* from alternate list

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Fall Into Reading Challenge Completed

 Did you finish reading all the books on your fall reading list? If not, why not?

I listed ten books for this reading challenge. I read eight of them.

Desiree: The Bestselling Story of Napoleon's First Love by Annemarie Selinko. Sourcebooks. October 2010. 608 pages.
Elizabeth, Captive Princess: Two Sisters, One Throne. Margaret Irwin. Sourcebooks. October 2010. 352 pages.
Passionate Brood. Margaret Campbell Barnes. October 2010. Sourcebooks. 368 pages.
Bleak House. Charles Dickens. 1852-1853. 912 pages.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. 1868. 544 pages.
Reckless by Cornelia Funke. 2010. Little, Brown. 394 pages.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. 2010. Scholastic. 390 pages.
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 496 pages.

The two I didn't read were Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Dragon's Apprentice by James A. Owen.

Did you stick to your original goals or did you change your list as you went along?

I did not change my list.

What was your favorite book that you read this fall? Least favorite? Why?

My favorite would probably be The Moonstone or Bleak House. I just LOVED these two!  My least favorite was probably Desiree by Annemarie Selinko. It dragged (for me) in places. And I felt it was much too long. Passionate Brood got boring too, but, at least it was short.


Did you discover a new author or genre this fall? Did you love them? Not love them?

I couldn't honestly say this was my first time reading Charles Dickens. I mean, I've technically read Great Expectations twice. Even though I blocked it out (after test time) both times. And I've read A Christmas Carol, too, but this is the first "real" Dickens that I've read where I enjoyed losing myself in the story. And actually by "losing myself" mean enjoyment :)  Wilkie Collins I discovered last December. I've read a handful of his this year. And really, really enjoyed most of them.

Did you learn something new because of Fall Into Reading 2010 – something about reading, about yourself, or about a topic you read about?

I've learned that short books can feel (tortuously) long at times, and that (delightful) long books can seem not quite long enough.

Wrap-up questions.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Completed Challenge: 18th and 19th Century Women Writers...

18th and 19th Women Writers Reading Challenge
Hosted by Becky of Becky's Book Reviews
Minimum 2 books;
All of 2010

1. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (1854-1855)
2. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte (1848)

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Completed Challenge: War Through the Generations (Vietnam)

Vietnam Reading Challenge hosted by War Through the Generations.

1. A Million Shades of Gray by Cynthia Kadohata
2. The Running Man by Michael Gerard Bauer
3. Kaleidoscope Eyes by Jen Bryant
4. Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata
5. MOVIE REVIEW: Across the Universe (2007)

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

R.I.P Challenge Completed

What I've read for the challenge:

1. Paul is Undead. Alan Goldsher.
2. Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
3. Bleak House by Charles Dickens
4. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
5. The Maze Runner. James Dashner.
6. Jane Eyre, the Graphic Novel;
7. Frankenstein, the Graphic Novel
8. Jane Slayre by Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin.
9. I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
10. A Pleasure to Burn by Ray Bradbury (review coming Tuesday)
11. Frankenstein's Monster. Susan Heyboer O'Keefe. 

Short Stories: Ray Bradbury, Part One; Ray Bradbury, Part Two; Part Three; 


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

All About the Brontes Completed

All About the Brontes Challenge 2010
January 1, 2010 - June 30, 2010
Challenge Reviews
3 to 6 books (movies, audio books, etc.)

1. The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle (prequel to Wuthering Heights)
2. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (Charlotte Bronte is undead.)
3. Emma Brown: A Novel From the Unfinished Manuscript by Charlotte Bronte. Clare Boylan.
4. the Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Wilkie Collins Mini-Challenge Completed

I've read two books for the Wilkie Collins mini-challenge.

Man and Wife (1870)
and
Armadale (1866)

I really enjoyed both books though Armadale is the better of the two. I look forward to reading more Collins in the future!

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Huge TBR Readathon Wrap-Up

My goal was to read fourteen books for the read-a-thon hosted by Kristen from Bookworming in the 21st Century. But I only read thirteen books. But thirteen books is thirteen books. I was able to review seven of the thirteen that I read. Reviews of the others will be written this week.

1. House of Dolls by Francesca Lia Block
2. Babymouse Burns Rubber (#12) by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm
3. Babymouse Cupcake Tycoon (#13) by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm
4. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
5. The Babysitters Club: The Summer Before by Ann Martin
6. The Clearing by Heather Davis
7. The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood
8. The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt
9. Soulless by Gail Carriger
10. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
11. Maid to Match by DeeAnne Gist
12. Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer
13. Unburdened: The Secret to Letting God Carry The Things That Weigh You Down. Chris Tiegreen.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Spring Reading Thing Completed

Spring Reading Thing 2010
Host: Callapidder Days

The Books I Read....

1. The Mysterious Howling (Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place). By Maryrose Wood
2. Scarlett Fever. Maureen Johnson.
3. Catching Fire. Suzanne Collins
4. Perfect Chemistry. Simone Elkeles
5. Rules of Attraction. Simone Elkeles
6. Gone. Lisa McMann.
7. The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz.
8. Bleeding Violet. Dia Reeves.
9. Splendor. Anna Godbersen.
10. Princess of Glass. Jessica Day George
11. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott. Kelly O'Connor McNees.
12. Within the Hollow Crown. Margaret Campbell Barnes.
13. The Darcy Cousins. Monica Fairview.

Did you finish reading all the books on your spring reading list? If not, why not?

I listed 24 books. I read 13. Of course, I read more than that--much more than that--but I stuck with my list.

Did you stick to your original goals or did you change your list as you went along?

I did not change my list. If I listed it, then it counted for the challenge. If I didn't list it, I didn't count it towards this challenge.

What was your favorite book that you read this spring? Least favorite? Why?

I really enjoyed Maryrose Wood's The Mysterious Howling and Maureen Johnson's Suite Scarlett.

My least favorite was probably The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott.

Did you discover a new author or genre this spring?

A few of these were written by new-to-me authors. Maryrose Wood, Dia Reeves, Kelly O'Connor McNees.

What was your favorite thing about the challenge? The reading!

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Once Upon a Time IV Completed

I completed 20 books for the Once Upon A Time Challenge hosted by Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings.

1. Falling In. Frances O'Roark Dowell.
2. The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge
3. The Runaway Dragon by Kate Coombs
4. The Thirteenth Princess. Diane Zahler.
5. The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz.
6. Bleeding Violet. Dia Reeves.
7. Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
8. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner.
9. The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
10. The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner.
11. The Princess and the Bear. Mette Ivie Harrison
12. Any Which Wall. Laurel Snyder.
13. Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse. Marilyn Singer.
14. Olympians: Zeus: King of the Gods. George O'Connor.
15. Olympians: Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess. George O'Connor
16. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
17. The Wager by Donna Jo Napoli
18. A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
19. The Phoenix and the Carpet. E. Nesbit.
20. Sisters Red. Jackson Pearce.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

48 HBC Finished

Well, I've finished the 48 Hour Reading Challenge. (It's hosted by MotherReader.) I like to keep things as stress-free as possible. Which for me means trying not to read the most books humanly possible within that time, but instead just reading a comfortable amount at an enjoyable pace.

These were the books I read in but did NOT finish:

• The first eight chapters of Dawn of the Dreadfuls (54 pages)
• The first seven chapters of Heist Society by Ally Carter (62 pages)

I finished 8 books. Here is what I read:

• The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba. Margarita Engle.
• The Sons of Liberty (#1). Alexander Lagos and Joseph Lagos.
• The Sword by Bryan M. Litfin
• The Last River Child by Lori Ann Bloomfield.
• The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare.
• The Prometheus Project: Trapped by Douglas E. Richards.
• Captured (Prometheus Project #2) Douglas Richards.
• Keeper. Kathi Appelt.

Total page numbers: 1864

Time spent reading: 21 hours
Time spent blogging/reviewing: 4 hours

Which makes for a combined 25 hours spent this weekend.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge Completed

This one was hosted by The Little Bookworm. The initial challenge post. The reviews post.

1) A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999)
2) A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)
3) William S. and the Great Escape. Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
4) Manga Shakespeare: Julius Caesar
5) Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors
6) Manga Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing
7) Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by Erin Dionne
8) Romeo's Ex: Rosaline's Story. By Lisa Fiedler.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

End of Readathon Meme

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? I went to bed around Hour 19 I think.
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Life As We Knew It is one I always recommend.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Not really.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I did like the cheerleading!
5. How many books did you read? 7

The Runaway Dragon by Kate Coombs. 2009. FSG. 304 pages.
The Thirteenth Princess. Diane Zahler. 2010. HarperCollins. 245 pages.
The Best and Hardest Thing. Pat Brisson. 2010. May 2010. Penguin. 240 pages.
Gone. Lisa McMann. 2010. February 2010. Simon & Schuster. 214 pages.
Bleeding Violet. Dia Reeves. 2010. January 2010. Simon & Schuster. 454 pages.
Mercy Watson Thinks Like A Pig. Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. 2008. Candlewick. 80 pages.
Prowling the Seas. Exploring the Hidden World of Ocean Predators. Pamela S. Turner. 2009. Walker.

I started two others, but did not finish them.

6. What were the names of the books you read? Listed above.
7. Which book did you enjoy most? The Runaway Dragon
8. Which did you enjoy least? The Best and Hardest Thing
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? Wasn't a cheerleader
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I'll probably keep participating as a reader.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sci-Fi Experience Completed

Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings hosted this experience. It will be from January through February of 2010.

Links to reviews on this post about the experience.

Here's what I read:

1. Science Fiction Classics (Graphic Classics #17)
2. 2001 A Space Odyssey by Arthur Clarke
3. Under the Dome by Stephen King
4. Candor. By Pam Bachorz.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Classics Challenge 2010

I'm so excited to be joining this challenge again! It is one of my favorites!!! It's hosted by Trish and you can read all about it here at the challenge blog. The dates for this one are April 1, 2010 through October 31, 2010.

I'm signing up for a classics feast--committing to reading six classics. I'm not sure which books I'll end up reading. I almost always create a list and then go with something completely different. But I'll be aiming to read from these authors...

Wilkie Collins
Anthony Trollope
Charlotte Bronte
Anne Bronte
George Eliot
Elizabeth Gaskell
Charles Dickens
Jane Austen

The six I've read:

1. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
3. Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope
4. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
5. Armadale by Wilkie Collins
6. Bleak House by Charles Dickens
7. Moonstone by Wilkie Collins



Bonus:


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews