The Tudor Challenge-COMPLETED

Apparently the person who was hosting this challenge removed her blog! I believe I had committed to reading 9 books from the Tudor period---I ended up finishing 6.

So, for posterity's sake, if nothing else, here they are:

1. The Pirate Queen by Susan Ronald
2. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
3. Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory
4. Royal Diaries: Elizabeth I by Kathryn Lasky
5. The Tudors by G.J. Meyer
6. The Sisters Who Would Be Queen by Leanda de Lisle

Children's Award-Winning Classics

This is the last month of Children's Award-winning Classics sponsored by 5 Minutes for Books
I have really enjoyed this monthly event focusing on children's classics as these were books I had always meant to read but now had "permission" -lol- to read them!





The Giver by Lois Lowry
This book was amazing on so many levels, I'm not sure where to begin! I liked the idea of a simple community where everything is decided for you but soon became aware of all the things we all take for granted, simple things like making our own choices about our lives. But how do you know what choices to make if you've never been allowed to make your own choices. Definitely an all-time favorite of mine...




The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelley
Another wonderful book. I like the exploration of Calpurnia's relationship with her grandfather whom she never really knew. Also Calpurnia's own exploration as she struggled to deal with her family and society's expectations of her as a young girl.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Sheila from One Persons' Journey Through A World of Books sponsors this weekly event for us to share what we are reading!

I didn't post last week so this covers two weeks!

I finished:
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
The Sister by Poppy Adams
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

I'm currently reading:
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer (and like her other books, it's looking like I can't put it down for long!!)
The Sisters Who Would be Queen by Leana de Lisle (last book for the Tudor Challenge)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (I have been bad about actually participating in the posts for the read-along but I am reading it and enjoying it!)

Waiting in the wings:
The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Audio Book Challenge- COMPLETED

Somehow I missed that we were supposed to write reviews of the books! Her's my list anyway since I kept track of it and listened to 20 books (actually ended up listening to almost 50!!)

1. Queen of the Underworld by Gail Godwin
2. The Pirate Queen by Susan Arnold
3. Three Junes by Julia Glass
4. Son of A Witch by Gregory Maguire
5. A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire
6. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
7. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire
8. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
9. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
10. Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
11. The Shack by William P. Young
12. The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg
13. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stout
14. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
15. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
16. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
17. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
18. I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass
19. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
20. Gap Creek by Robert Morgan

Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge- COMPLETED

Home Girl Book Blog sponsored a great challenge this year encouraging us to read books from our libraries! I completed it at the Super-Size Me level, having checked out 100 books!!!
(Note: This is a combination of both my books and the books of my 8 yo son. )

1. Chicken Dance by Tammi Sauer.
2. The Pirate Queen: Queen Elizabeth I, Her Pirate Adventurers, and the Dawn of Empire by Susan Ronald
3. Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery
4. Kilmeny of the orchard by L.M. Montgomery
5. Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery.
6. Emily's Quest by L. M. Montgomery
7. Katy and the Big Snow by Viginia Lee Burton
8. Shawn Sheep the Soccer Star by Erin Mirabella
9. The Penguin and the Pea by Janet Perlman
10. Ants are Fun by Mildred Myrick
11. Jack's House by Karen Beil
12. James and the Rain by Karla Kuskin
13. Jake Gander, Storyville Detective by George McClements
14. The Mystery on Blizzard Mountain by Gertrude Chandler Warner
15. The Fattest, Tallest, Biggest Snowman Ever by Bettina Ling
16. A Giraffe and a Half by Shel Silverstein
17. Emmett's Snowball by Ned Miller
18. A Really Good Snowman by Daniel J. Mahoney
19. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr by David Adler
20. The Zebra-Riding Cowboy : a folk song from the Old West by Angela Shelf Medearis
21. Three Junes by Julia Glass
22. Explore Antarctica by Bobbie Kalman
23. M is for Meow : A Cat Alphabet by Helen L. Wilbur
24. Penguins! Strange and Wonderful by Laurence P. Pringle
25. Moon plane by Peter McCarty
26. Axle Annie by Robin Pulver
27. Millions to Measure by David M. Schwartz
28. Hit the Ball, Duck by Jez Alborough
29. Bungalow mystery by Carolyn Keene
30. When the fly flew in by Lisa Westberg Peters
31. Kermit the hermit by Bill Peet
32. Jeremy's muffler by Laura F. Nielsen
33. Brewster the Rooster by Devin Scillian
34. The Perfectly Orderly House by Ellen Kindt McKenzie
35. Bartleby Speaks! by Robin Cruise
36. Flying High by Jergen Stamp,
37. Epossumondas Plays Possum by Coleen Salley
38. Bungalow mystery by Carolyn Keene
39. The help by Kathryn Stockett
40. The St. Patrick's Day shamrock mystery by Marion M. Markham
41. Revolutionary War on Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne
42. Cinderdog and the Wicked Stepcat by Joan Holub
43. The Everything Machine by Matt Novak
44. Bed Bouncers by Kimberley Knutson
45. The Baseball Birthday Party by Annabelle Prager
46. Sam, the Minuteman by Nathaniel Benchley
47. Johnny Appleseed Gwenyth Swain
48. Who was Harry Houdini? by Tui Sutherland
49. Who was Harriet Tubman? by Yona Zeldis McDonough
50. Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin : an Irish tale by Jessica Souhami
51. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
52. Rabbits, Rabbits, & More Rabbits! by Gail Gibbons
53. The Story of the New York Yankees by David Fischer
54. Hey batta batta swing! : the wild old days of baseball by Sally Cook
55. Rabbit surprise by Eric L. Houck
56. --if you lived at the time of the Civil War by Kay Moore
57. Lewis and Clark : explorers of the American West by Steven Kroll
58. Moe McTooth : an alley cat's tale by Eileen Spinelli
59. Double play at short by Matt Christopher.
60. Hawaii by William Russell
61. Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse by George Selden
62. The three little Hawaiian pigs and the magic shark by Donivee Martin Laird
63. High tide in Hawaii by Mary Pope Osborne
64. Martin Luther King Jr by Peter Roop
65. When Washington crossed the Delaware : a wintertime story for young patriots by Lynne V. Cheney
66. Our 50 states : a family adventure across America by Lynne V. Cheney
67. Ladybug by Emery Bernhard,
68. The bus ride by William Miller
69. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
70. The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
71. The lady in the tower : the fall of Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir
72. Elizabeth I, red roase of the House of Tudor by Kathryn Lasky
73. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
74. Atomic Ace : (he's just my dad) by Jeff Weigel
75. Slumpbuster by Kevin Markey
76. Alvin Ho : allergic to girls, school, and other scary things by Lenore Look
77. The king's rose by Alisa M. Libby
78. Papa is a pirate by Katharina Grossman-Hensel
79. To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee
80. The Tudors [the complete story of England's most notorious dynasty] by G.J. Meyer
81. The color purple by Alice Walker
82. A monarch butterfly's life by John Himmelman
83. The Penderwicks : [a summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy] by Jeanne Birdsall
84. Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky
85. Viking ships at sunrise by Mary Pope Osborne
86. The haunted lighthouse by Stan Berenstain
87. Oliver's game by Matt Tavares
88. Chomp! : a book about sharks by Melvin Berger
89. Fat cat : a Danish folktale by Margaret Read MacDonald
90. Down at the bottom of the deep dark sea by Rebecca Jones
91. The widower's tale by Julia Glass
92. The castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
93. What a Viking! by Mick Manning, Mick
94. Corn by Gail Gibbons
95. Number the stars by Lois Lowry
96. Lon Po Po : a Red-Riding Hood story from China by Ed Young
97. The hour I first believed : a novel by Wally Lamb
98. Books to build on : a grade-by-grade resource guide for parents and teachers edited by Hirsch, E. D
99. What your third grader needs to know : fundamentals of a good third-grade education edited by Hirsch, E. D.
100. Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand

It's Monday! what are you reading?

MizB from Should Be Reading has discontinued her weekly WWW Wednesday so I'm joining Sheila's ( from One Persons' Journey Through A World of Books) weekly Monday event!

This week I'm reading:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (halfway through this one; last book for the Take Another chance challenge)
A Christmas Carol by Charles dickens (for a read-along)
Safe Haven by Nicholas sparks (I am loving this audio book; by far my favorite of all his books!!!)

Books waiting in the wings:

The Giver by Lois Lowry (audio book for December's Children's' Award-Winning Classics)
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelley ( also for the Classics event)

WWW Wednesdays

MizB from Should Be Reading sponsors this weekly meme so we can all share what we're reading!

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks (he's one of those authors that I have to read his new books as soon as they come out or I can't keep track of what I've read!)
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (for a read-along; really looking forward to this!)

Recently Finished:

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (still not sure how I feel about this one--I enjoyed the parts about the characters' relationships but really didn't get it, I guess. It's about a girl who can taste how others feel in the food that they make.)

Coming Up:

The Giver by Lois Lowry (for December's Children's Award-winning classics)
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelley (Also for December's Children's award winning classics)
The Short Second Life of Bree Turner by Stephanie Meyer

A Christmas Carol Read-along

Cyndi of Dog-Eared and Bookmarked is sponsoring A Christmas Carol Read-Along just in time for December. I was thinking of reading this book this year and thought this would be the perfect opportunity!

The first section is "due" this week; I better get going!!!

Back to the Classic Challenge 2011

Sarah from Sarah Reads Too Much is sponsoring the Back to the Classics Challenge 2011. This appealed to me beacause I have been trying to focus more on reading those classics that I missed along the way.

The challenge runs January 1, 2011-June 30, 2011.

The goals to complete:

1. A Banned Book
2. A Book with a Wartime Setting (can be any war)
3. A Pulitzer Prize (Fiction) Winner or Runner Up: a list can be found here
4. A Children's/Young Adult Classic
5. 19th Century Classic
6. 20th Century Classic
7. A Book you think should be considered a 21st Century Classic
8. Re-Read a book from your High School/College Classes

Here are my choices:

1. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
2. Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
3. One of Ours by Willa Cather
4. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (I know I have started this at various times in my life but I will finish it this time!)
6. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
7 Not sure yet
8. The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Century Challenge

Bookish Ardour is sponsoring The Century Challenge, which will run from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011.

The books selected will be decided by publication year and have to be read in order from the time period chosen.

I've decided to participate at the Decade level which means I will read 10 books from one decade.

Here are my choices:

1970: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
1971: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C O'Brien
1972: Watership Down by Richard Adams
1973: Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
1974: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
1975: Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
1976: Roots by Alex Haley
1977: Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
1978: The World According to Garp by John Irving
1979: The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

For more info or to participate, please click on above image.

WWW Wednesdays

MizB from Should Be Reading sponsors this weekly meme so we can all share what we're reading!

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:


The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte


Recently Finished:



Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
This book was better than I could have ever hoped! I'm just sorry I waited so long to read it! If you haven't read it, you need to!!!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
This book did finally pick up a bit and I found myself enjoying it though I must admit I skimmed over the financial details in some parts. I ended up liking it a lot and will be reading the second book but it's not something I need to read immediately.

Coming Up:


The Short Second Life of Bree Turner by Stephanie Meyer
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (I'm reading this one for December's Children's Award-Winning Classics Carnival)
Emma by Jane Austen

WWW Wednesdays

MizB from Should Be Reading sponsors this weekly meme so we can all share what we're reading!

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?


Currently Reading:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
Yes I am still coming along with this one...I'm about 1/2 way through now and the story is starting to pick up a little

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
I've been wanting to read this for awhile and had the opportunity to get it on Audio. I'm really enjoying it so far. It's one of those books that I wouldn't be able to put down if I was reading the actual book.

Recently Finished:



The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
I thought this would be fun to read for Halloween and put it on hold at the library (I guess everyone else had the same idea!) I ended up listening to it the week after Halloween and absolutely loved it. I was surprised (and disappointed) at how short it was!

The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodwin
This book ended up being so much more than an exploration of two sisters and their relationship and I was sorry to see it end.

Coming Up:



Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
This is the last book I need to read for the Take Another Chance Challenge and I am excited to be so close to finishing a challenge!

Children's Award-Winning Classics

Sponsored by 5 Minutes for Mom, this carnival highlights great award-winning classics! My computer was down for a couple of months and I missed last month so...I'm doing a catch-up post!


The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (National Book Award Winner)

I have been wanting to read this one for awhile and this challenge gave me the perfect excuse! This was defeinitely a light-read, a fun-read, and I found myself completely absorbed in the tale of these four sisters, their widowed dad, and their summer adventure!








Johnny Tremaine by Esther Forbes (Newberry Award)

We got this book for free as part of the Summer Reading Challenge at Borders. I started reading it with Tucker but he was too overwhelmed by all the detail at the beginning and told me "save it, though, I will read it it in a few years" and I think he will. I really enjoyed it and couldn't read it fast enough. I haven't read too much about the Boston Tea Party-era and think I may have to now! My interest has been piqued!








Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Newberry Award)

Another one that's been on my TBR list for awhile. I enjoyed the closeness that the two girls share and their friendship that endures anything. this was another quick read for me (I couldn't put it down) and was sorry to see it end!

WWW Wednesdays

MizB from Should Be Reading sponsors this weekly meme so we can all share what we're reading!

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I'm still working on this one.









The Cookbook Collectors by Allegra Goodman

An audio book I'm listening to. It's the story of two sisters and the give-and-take you must be part of in any relationship.







Recently Finished Reading:



Imperfect Endings by zoe Fitzgerald Carter

I finsihed listening to this over the weekend. I really liked it although I should have known better to read it around the anniversary of my Dad's death.







Coming Up Next:
Bud, not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

I've been seeing this one a lot in the Children's Award-Winning Books Carnival so I picked it up.


Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

I thought this would be fun to listen to in honor of Halloween!

WWW Wednesdays

MizB from Should Be Reading sponsors this weekly meme so we can all share what we're reading!

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larson

With all the recent fuss over this trilogy, I decided to read them and see what it was all about. I haven't had a lot of tiime to read lately so I'm only about 40 poages in, but so far, considering I wasn't sure this was my "type" of book, I am enjoying it. I'm looking forward to having a nice chunk of time to read some more!






Imperfect Endings by Zoe

this is the story of a woman with PArkinson's who asks her daughters to help her kill herself. It is told from the perspective of one of the daughters. During my college years, I was very "into" assisted suiside and Dr Kervorkian and read everything I could get my hands on so this appealed to me in some way.



Recently Finsihed:

My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

For a book that I only picked up because I recognized the author's name (she of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants fame), I have to say that this one left me speechless. It's the story of a man who remembers the multiple past lives he has lived and he is looking to reunite with his first true love whom he continues to meet in mutliple lives. It's sounds weird but it's hard to explain. Trust me when I sayt it was absolutley wonderful!!!


Coming Up:

I'm guessing it may take me awhile to get through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I returned The Girl who played with Fire and I'll probably just pick it up when I get done with this one. Definitely still want to read Wuthering Heights. Not sure what I'll listen to next.

WWW Wednesdays

MizB of Should Be Reading sponsors this weekly meme so we can share what we're all doing reading-wise!

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:












Recently Finished Reading:














Coming Up Next:

WWW Wednesdays

MizB of Should Be Reading sponsors this weekly meme so we can share what we're all doing reading-wise!

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:

The Tudors by G.J. Meyer
I am on the 20th and final CD of The Tudors and am so ready to be done with it! It was good but I think I need a little break from the Tudors!



Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
I've just started this and am already very into it1


Recently Finished Reading:


Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
I cannot put into words how absolutely great this book is!!! I read it in 3 days; I couldn't put it down!


Coming Up Next:

The Penderwicks: A Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Both are my TBR list (and the corner of my bureau!) (Also The Penderwicks can count can count toward the Children's Award-Winning Classics Challenge!!!)