I've been a reading maniac

Really.

And I have way too many sitting on my "Checked Out from the Library" shelf which I know I will never finish before the end of the year. I mean--we're halfway through November on Monday!!! Where did my year go!?!?

I still haven't any clue how I've managed to read as many books I have, especially considering my extreme busyness in and out of work AND my problem with print books.

(Problem = falling asleep before 1 page is read.)

45 print books. 45! (Obviously not counting the 300+ children's picture books.) Including the 63 audio, this places me at 108 books (of 100+ pages) read so far this year. That's 2 shy of last year's total. And you know I'm not done reading for the year.

So much for my goal to read less. I suppose that goal had to go out the window when I moved over to the Children's department. And with my YA Book Challenge, all those poor Juvenile Fiction titles which I should have been reading were not being read. I'm not sure if I'll do that many challenges next year. Probably just the S'n'H one. We'll see....

Anywho. The next few posts are the various challenges I have embarked on, with some updates. The updates are the levels. Since I surpassed all of my levels already, I thought I would up a few and then report. Then I'll focus the last 6 weeks of the year trying to complete the S'n'H Challenge.

AKB Book Club Friend Post

The Brambler's Answers

EC

1. Who were your favorite characters?
Favorite characters are Uncle Alec, Phebe and Mac.

2. What morals did you agree with? Disagree with?
I don't have the book in front of me, but I mostly really liked what Uncle Alec tried to teach Rose. Good health is eating well and exercising and not being self-indulgent. Serve others. Having advantages means responsibility. Etc...

3. If you were Rose, how would you have reacted to the cousins?
I think I would have responded similarly to Rose when confronted with the cousins. At first, shyness, but when getting to know them, such fun to be had!

4. How would you have felt if you were Phebe and Rose asked to adopt you?
I'm not sure. With Phebe's pride (which is what got her through what she went through), I was a little surprised she didn't feel patronized at Rose's offer. But I suppose she was starved for love, so she was able to take Rose's offer as it was given.

5. What did you think of Uncle Alec?
I LOVE Uncle Alec. A wise and wonderful man who sacrificed a lot for his nieces and nephews.

6. What is your favorite part of the book?
Too hard to choose without the book in front of me. Loved so much about it. Especially when all the cousins are together.

RiB

1. Who were your favorite characters?
Mac and Aunt Jessie and Archie and Uncle Alec.

2. After your first taste of "society," would you have been able to easily give it up?
I'm not sure how I would have reacted to "society." It sounds so fun and romantic, yet exhausting. And I don't know that I would like the reality. Doesn't sound like one would really feel good with that lifestyle.

3. Did the characters grow up like you expected them to?
I read this book when I was pretty young, so they just are who they are in my mind.

4. What is your favorite part of the book?
When Mac drops by to visit Rose "among the haycocks." Delightful visit. So friendly and fun.

5. Did anything make you swoon? :)
Mac makes me swoon. I rooted for him from the first book.

6. Would Charlie have shaped up if Rose had given in to him?
I think he would have remained weak. I agree with I think it was Uncle Alec that years of indulgence might have spoiled him. Which was too bad. He was working on it and I think making progress, but I think if Rose had done what he wanted, he would have lost his momentum.

Rose, Rose, Rose

This blog’s most loyal reader—who happened to supply the questions for our current AKB book choice(s) has beaten me to the punch. She answered the questions before I was able to get around to me. Which told me I needed to get my back side in gear and answer the questions! Her answers are posted in a comment to the post with the questions. But I am going to post them as a guest post as well.

As I embark on answering the questions for myself, I have not as yet read her answers. I’m saving that to comment on later.

Eight Cousins

1. Who were your favorite characters?
Uncle Alec and Cousin Archie. I didn’t click with Rose as much, but I figured most of that was because she was growing up under good care and supervision at last. I did like Mac a lot overall, but there were times that I was disappointed in him.

2. What morals did you agree with? Disagree with?
Goodness. I’m forgetting already which were set out as morals. Most of the morals seemed to correspond with my own. I don’t remember being affronted by anything differing from my own, though there may have been.

3. If you were Rose, how would you have reacted to the cousins?
Probably the same way at the beginning—surprised and shocked. I think I, too, would have enjoyed their company. I’m not sure if I would have aimed at being the good influence on them. I certainly didn’t try that with my own horde of brothers!

4. How would you have felt if you were Phebe and Rose asked to adopt you?
I would have felt honored while also feeling a bit silly—or feeling the silliness of it all. How much is the age difference? Even in a humble position, I don’t think I would be able to help looking down on such an offer. Not a flattering portrayal of me, no. But it’s honest. Phebe is much better than me—I know that.

5. What did you think of Uncle Alec?
I love Uncle Alec and think it the most tragic thing that he is a bachelor! I know why (though the hints were a bit too subtle in the book). But I would love to meet a (clean-shaven) Uncle Alec, close to my age. I would be happy indeed.

6. What is your favorite part of the book?
I did enjoy when Rose took Mac “away” for recovery. That place and time seemed very fun and idyllic. Maybe that’s because I am badly in need of a vacation right now. But I liked how it all was there.

Rose in Bloom

1. Who were your favorite characters?
I definitely liked Rose better, even if I didn’t love her to pieces. But I think my favorite characters of all would be Uncle Alec and Mac. Absolute least favorite: Charlie.

2. After your first taste of "society," would you have been able to easily give it up?
Considering how I am about “society” now, I think I would have been able to. Plus, I love my sleep. :-)

3. Did the characters grow up like you expected them to?
Most of them did. Not Charlie. I did not expect that and I was not happy with it in the least.

4. What is your favorite part of the book?
I think my favorite part was all the little hints of Mac’s affection—even when he didn’t realize them himself.

5. Did anything make you swoon? :)
Unfortunately, no. The writing went into “detail” where I didn’t want it to, and either dragged or rushed through the parts that I most wanted to imagine. There was potential, but the writing didn’t do it justice. If I ignored the writing and just imagined the story myself, then it would probably be when Mac and Rose finally end up together at the end.

6. Would Charlie have shaped up if Rose had given in to him?
I don’t think so. Any person trying to overcome vices should do so to please the Lord and make themselves a better person, not to please someone else. I’m not sure if I’m saying what I mean, but it’s something along the lines of his purpose and cause were not true, righteous, and good enough to have been a sincere and complete change. You can see it wasn’t enough even when Rose WAS a reason for him. Plus, I think Alcott was determined to not let him shape up. Unfortunate, too. For I believe he could have shaped up without Rose. But Alcott didn’t let him. Still not happy with that way of conveniently getting him out of the picture.

Back to America

The AKB Book Club is officially pressing onward! For our next discussion, we will be dealing with two (count 'em: two) books!

We are returning from the world of Bayern and journeying to the (nondescript) 19-Century American New England town in

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

and its sequel Rose in Bloom, also by Louisa May.

These both come highly recommended by fellow AKB Book Clubber The Brambler. She has even so kindly come up with the questions for both books--helping me out during this currently busy time at work and home. (Will it ever not be?!) Not that she isn't busy herself, but I know she loves the books. And I wanted to know what she wanted to know what I (and the rest of you) thought/think of the books.

So, here we go! I'll give a few days for any other interested partakers to review or read the books. They aren't long reads, they're of the American classics era, and they truly are simple and sweet stories.

Eight Cousins:

1. Who were your favorite characters?
2. What morals did you agree with? Disagree with?
3. If you were Rose, how would you have reacted to the cousins?
4. How would you have felt if you were Phebe and Rose asked to adopt you?
5. What did you think of Uncle Alec?
6. What is your favorite part of the book?

Rose in Bloom:

1. Who were your favorite characters?
2. After your first taste of "society," would you have been able to easily give it up?
3. Did the characters grow up like you expected them to?
4. What is your favorite part of the book?
5. Did anything make you swoon? :)
6. Would Charlie have shaped up if Rose had given in to him?

I've actually read them all!

The S of the S'n'H 2010 Book Challenge posted an update on her progress. So, I figured I should post mine. It has been one crazy and busy summer, yet I still found time to read! (Or should I say listen?) I know you can see progress on the sidebars, which I find fun to keep up when I remember. But what's the point of the challenge if I don't share what I'm reading, right?

Right.

So, first, the other challenges updates.

The 1st in a Series Challenge
Going for Fascinated: read 6
Actually read so far: 9

Books Read:
The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
Redwall by Brian Jacques
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
The Scream Museum by Paul Zindel
The Dangerous Days of Daniel by James Patterson
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron
Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

The 2nd Reading Challenge
Going for Addicted: read 12
Actually read so far: 17

Books Read:
Thwonk by Joan Bauer
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick
The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman
The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson
Searching for Dragons by Patricia Wrede
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Jane and the Man of the Cloth by Stephanie Barron
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
Betsy-Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace
The Killer's Cousin by Nancy Werlin

Finish that Series Challenge
Going for Obsessed: finish 10
Actually finished so far: 9

Series Finished:

Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman
The Best Ever... trilogy by Barbara Robinson
Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace
The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter (so far--#4 still not available to me, yet!)
The Brian Saga by Gary Paulsen
Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray
Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins

Audio Challenge
Going for Obsessed--3 times over: read 60
Actually read so far: 58

Books listed later

YA Challenge
Going for Super Size Me: read 75
Actually read so far: 59

Books listed later

And last, but certainly not least

S'n'H 2010 Book Challenge
Categories (letter categories counted individually): finish 50
Actually finished so far: 33
or
Categories (letter categories counted as one): 25
Actually finished so far: 17

Points earned: 690.5
Points + Picture Books (.1) Points earned: 718.1

Books listed...maybe later

One Good Thing Come to an End. Next?

Sorry about the hiatus. But Summer Reading has ended at last! (And am I ever taking the toll from it! But was a splendid summer it has been.)

So I'm up for moving on to another book to discuss in the Austen Book Club.

I still have the list from the previous poll, but I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions?

Goose, Part 5

Whoa. Sorry about the huge break in there. Life went into a crazy overdrive in so many ways. So I'm spending my evening off (finally!) answering the rest of the questions, before move on to the work I brought home.

7. What was your favorite “scene” in the book?

There were a few that I really liked. Of course! I liked any time Geric and Isi where in the meadow together. But I also really liked the face down scene between Isi and Selia in the castle--because I just knew that somehow Selia was going to be caught.

8. What was your least favorite “scene?”

Hmmm.... I guess near the beginning when Isi's mother was so unfeeling. A whole lot of the beginning was not happy for me. But if I hadn't experienced it, I wouldn't have been as happy with how things ended up. (Oh my--another parallel to life.)

9. What was your favorite part of the book?

It's a toss-up between Isi's coming into her own, and the varying and growing relationship between Isi and Geric.

10. What was you least favorite part?

Either Conrad's whininess or just how awful Isi's mother was.

11. What are your thoughts on Hale’s writing style?

I LOVE it! I love her fantasy/fractured fairy tale works. They are so fun and the worlds she creates are so real. Not the biggest fan of her adult works. Of course, I've only read one and had such a horrible distaste for it that I didn't want to bother with the other.

12. Have you read any of Hale’s other works? What are your impressions in comparison?

I've now read the entire Bayern series, the award-winning Princess Academy, Book of a Thousand Days, both graphic novels, and the aforementioned adult novel. (Can it be only a year ago that I had only read Princess, Thousand, and the adult novel?!) Princess Academy was cute and sweet. But I don't remember being mesmerized as I was with some of the Bayern books, and especially by Book of a Thousand Days. The graphic novels are very entertaining. And the adult novel was disappointing partly because I thought she had much more potential in her writing and didn't put the obvious skills from her children's/YA works into the adult work.