Reading & Blogging Review for October
Super cool yayness! At the beginning of the year I challenged myself to read 52 books in 52 weeks. It soon became apparent that I would easily surpass that goal. So I challenged myself to read 52 books in 52 weeks in each of the following three categories (in my attempt to be well-rounded in the following age groups): Fiction/Non-Fiction (combined), Young Adult Fiction, and Middle Readers Fiction. I hadn’t counted up my numbers for a couple of months but I reached two of those goals! I’ve read 63 book in Fiction/Non-Fiction, and 53 in Middle Readers. I still have 14 to go on Young Adult. Hmm . . . wondering if I’ll make it.
Between the end of the Darfur campaign, banned books week, Halloween themed reading, three blog tours and not one, not two, but seven author interviews/guest posts this month, I feel like I am barely surviving. I’m just plain tired and realize that I have a completely unbalanced life. But I can’t help it! Blogging has opened up this whole need world of books that I HAVE to read and I have to read them NOW. Anybody relate?
Books Read in October
Fiction
- The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
- The Best Place to Be by Lesley Dorman
- Capote in Kansas by Kim Powers
- Janeology by Karen Harrington
- The Last Beach Bungalow by Jennie Nash
Young Adult Fiction
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
- Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
- The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Spear
Middle Readers
- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
- How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
- A Thousand Never Evers by Shauna Burg
- The Adventurous Deeds of Deadwood Jones by Helen Hemphill (review coming)
- As if Being 12 3/4 Isn’t Bad Enough My Mother is Running for President by Donna Gephart
- T4 by Ann Clare LeZotte
- The Witches by Roald Dahl
- Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Scwartz
- The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
- Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida (review coming)
Non-Fiction
- The Road of Lost Innocence, The True Story of a Cambodian Heroine by Somaly Mam (Memoir)
Picture Books
- There’s No Such Things as Ghosts by Emmanuelle Eekhout
Abandoned
- X-Indian Chronicles by Thomas Yeahpau
How I Recommend Them
Highly Recommended
(this recommendation usually for social issues)
- The Road of Lost Innocence, The True Story of a Cambodian Heroine by Somaly Mam (Memoir)
- T4 by Ann Clare LeZotte
- A Thousand Never Evers by Shauna Burg
- Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
I Enjoyed and Would Recommend
- Capote in Kansas by Kim Powers
- Janeology by Karen Harrington
- The Last Beach Bungalow by Jennie Nash
- The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
- Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
- The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Spear
- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
- How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
- The Adventurous Deeds of Deadwood Jones by Helen Hemphill (review coming)
- As if Being 12 3/4 Isn’t Bad Enough My Mother is Running for President by Donna Gephart
- The Witches by Roald Dahl
- Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Scwartz
- Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida (review coming)
Good but Maybe You’ll Like It More Than Me
- The Best Place to Be by Lesley Dorman
Not Worth It
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- X-Indian Chronicles by Thomas Yeahpau
- The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
Author Interviews/Guest Posts
- Interview with Donna, Gephart, author of As If Being 12 3/4 Isn’t Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President
- Guest Post: Jennie Nash, author of The Last Beach Bungalow
- Interview with Shana Burg, author of A Thousand Never Evers
- Interview with David Ebershoff, author of The 19th Wife
- Guest Post: Karen Harrington, author of Janeology
- Interview with Shannon Hale, Newbery Medal author
- Interview with James Dashner, author of The 13th Reality
More Posts During October
- Happy Halloween from Two Superheroes and a Villian! And Halloween Books for Kids
- Carnivals, Book Club Reminder and Miscellany
- New York Times Bestsellers – October 26th
- New York Times Bestsellers – October 19th
- Everybody’s a Winner! Reading & Blogging for Darfur Winners
- New York Times Bestsellers – October 12th
- Reminders – Darfur Giveaways, Book Club and Carnivals
- Another Twilight Trailer
- Nobel Prize in Literature Goes to . . .
- Reading & Blogging for Darfur Prizes
- Final Update – Reading & Blogging for Darfur
- New York Times Bestsellers – October 5th
- Thank You to My September Visitors
- Banned Books Week is Over! The Past Week in Review
- Reading & Blogging Review for September
Challenge Updates
Did you see my “YAYNESS!” at the beginning of the post. I’ve finished 2 out of the 3 of my own 52 books in 52 weeks personal challenge! Yes!
Officially finished Jessica’s Lit Flick Challenge (my list here) but she’s been gracious enough to let me continue on until February. No other challenges completed this month although I’m getting really close for the A-Z challenge. Visit my Challenge Blog for progress on all of my challenges. Challenges that I’m currently participating in are:
Jessica’s Lit Flick Challenge
Trish’s Classics Challenge
3M’s1% Well-Read Challenge
Joy’s A-Z Challenge
Africa Reading Challenge
Lynne’s I Heard it Through the Grapevine Challenge
My own 52 books in 52 weeks list.
Awards
Rotus from I’ll Never Forget the Day I Read a Book and Lisa from Books Lists Life awarded me the I Love Your Blog award this month. Thanks!
Rich Women Sisterhood
Enriching Fiction Book Club
The Rich Women Sisterhood EnRICHing Fiction Book Club met via a tele-conference call to discuss A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It was a small group given it was our first month but I think the discussion went really well! I’m currently searching out the next selection with the theme of gratitude. Our next meeting will be on Monday, November 24th. I hope you’ll mark your calender because what better way to talk about books then over the phone?! More details to come.
Phew! Here’s looking onward to November!
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Natasha, when do you sleep? I’m glad that you post so much, though, because I love reading them! Congrats again on finishing the Lit Flicks Challenge.
on November 2nd, 2008 at 9:27 pmI can TOTALLY relate – before I started blogging I always was trying to scrounge up a book to read. Now I have a list long enough to last me several years, and it gets longer every day. Bless the Internet!
on November 2nd, 2008 at 9:55 pmJessica – Trust me, I have no idea! I almost feel like I have a newborn in the house because I blog way to much at night.
Janssen – Sometimes I just wish I could have a whole week with no responsibilities just so I could indulge and get all these books off of the TBR list. Blogging has opened up my reading selection a ton!
on November 2nd, 2008 at 11:54 pmI totally relate. I keep telling myself not to request or accept any more books, but I do it anyway. On top of that, I keep signing up for blog tours. I can’t stop myself!
on November 3rd, 2008 at 6:27 amI’m amazed you don’t recommend A Wrinkle in Time. I loved that book! I’ll have to go read your post again to see why you didn’t like it!
on November 3rd, 2008 at 6:56 amWow! I really need to check out some of those books. I miss reading. I’m currently very behind on my books. I don’t know how you do it all with those two cuties!!! (Great costumes btw)
on November 3rd, 2008 at 5:12 pmYou’ve had quite a month! I’m amazed at how much you read/post all while doing everything else required of a mom.
on November 3rd, 2008 at 8:06 pmLet me just say that I am impressed. I first meet Natasha a little over a month ago through a mutual friend and she mentioned that she blogged. My first thought was oh just another blog, but then I looked at her blog. I was blown away. I had no idea to what extent and about books. I think this is awesome and she inspired me to start my own blog on books.
on November 3rd, 2008 at 9:55 pmKathy – My husband told me to stop placing holds because I can’t keep up. I think I have 15 library books sitting here waiting to be read before they have to go back.
Rebecca – I know. When I read it I thought maybe it was a “good but maybe you’ll like it more than me” book (which it probably is) but by the end of the month it got bumped down.
Michelle – It’s hard to blog and read while they are awake, but I have been known to try to get to where we are going 15 minutes early so I can read in the car while they are still strapped in their seats. Is that mean?
Ali – Like I said earlier – totally unbalanced in life right now . . .
Cari – Yay!! You’re blog is up! I can’t believe how much you’ve already posted!! And I can’t believe you started one after talking to me! Hey guess what this means? Now you’re invited to our Utah book bloggers bash which I’m organizing! It’s gonna be fun!
on November 4th, 2008 at 1:43 amWhat a great overview of your October reading Natasha – I have been picking up a lot of great tips from bloggers about keeping track of my reads. The love of organisation and systems!
on November 4th, 2008 at 3:23 amYippee! The book bloggers bash sounds fun. Let me know if I can do anything to help. It helps to get more posts out with my sister doing the blog with me.
on November 4th, 2008 at 10:37 amKsren – Welcome to my blog! I’m glad you commented. There are a ton of ways to organize your reading, find the one that’s best for you and go for it!
Cari – Where does your sister live?
on November 4th, 2008 at 10:46 amShe lives in Washington and if they ever sell their house she will be moving to Boise. Much closer and I am excited.
on November 4th, 2008 at 11:06 amWow, you’ve been busy
Becky
on November 4th, 2008 at 11:28 amI am so sorry I didn’t make the A Tree Grows in Brooklyn discussion. I am still reading the book (tee-hee). I tend to get super side-tracked when it comes to reading. I’m almost done with that, half way through The Virgin Suicides, almost done with A Sweet Far Thing, and finished three other books in the two weeks I was trying to read it. Yeah, I know. On top of that I have three other books checked out from my school library. I tend to overload myself with reading. =]
on November 5th, 2008 at 5:38 pmJust wanted to say I love your blog. You inspire so many people- me included! My sister Cari referred me here and I am so impressed. Especially now that our blog is going, I really don’t know how you do it all.
on November 6th, 2008 at 4:30 pmBecky – I know. I think I’m overextending myself.
Abbi – That’s okay, I’m really glad you are reading the book. Do you like it so far? I overload myself with reading too. Right now I’ve got at least three books started.
Holly – Thanks! I’m really looking forward to seeing your new blog grow.
on November 6th, 2008 at 9:48 pm