The Book Stacks

I meant to do an update on this over the weekend, but I never quite got to it. The huge project I have mentioned many times over many sites needed the last of its tweaking and, after that, I couldn’t get my mind to function for more writing. It’s amazing how much something can take out of you when it involves sitting in front of a computer most of the day.

Anyway, I’m going to do the honorable thing and take myself out of this challenge while I still can. Hah. Maybe it’s not really all about honor, but with work and everything, I highly doubt I’ll be able to finish up with the book I’m reading and read five more before the month is done.

Maybe I could do it if I had nothing to do for the rest of the week, but the sad fact is I have oodles of work to catch up on from what I got behind on doing the Massive Project. (I’ll tell you what it is when it’s up and live.) So, yes, it’s time to bow out and become a cheerleader for the rest of the participants.

I feel a bit bummed over not completing my first reading challenge, but so it goes. I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo for three years and have yet to complete that. I’ll just use it as motivation to find another challenge and participate in it. Next month if I can get myself all sorted out.

Or maybe I’ll just create my own challenge.

You’ll have to come back and find out if I actually do…

Have a great day!

Mrs. S, the creator of the July Book Blowout, has decided that it’s about time for a mini-challenge for those participating in the challenge. I decided to give it a go before I’m done reading my book…

Here’s how it works - just answer some or all of the following questions about the book you are currently reading (or just finished if you are between books).

Here are the questions:

1. Title and author of the book.

Janeology by Karen Harrington

2. What year is the book set in?

2003

3. What happened on this day in that year? Go to google and type in the date ie 13 July 1952 and see if you can find a news item for that day

Let’s see… Scott McClellan replaces Ari Fliescher as White House Press Secretary. Very exciting. I can’t find much of anything else, really…

4. Where is your book set?

Texas (I’m not quite sure what city, though it may have been mentioned in the book.)

5. Have you visited that place before? If yes tell us something about your trip. If no, look the location up on google and tell us an interesting fact about the city/country.

Nope, I haven’t visited Texas, so here goes…

According to a website, the name for the state is based on a word used by the Caddo Indians meaning ‘friends’.

And just one more for fun: Texas possesses three of the top ten most populous cities in the United States.

If you’re currently reading a book, then consider yourself tagged. (Even if you aren’t in the July challenge.)

It’s a little bit later than I anticipated, but here is my update for the July Book Blowout.

I originally challenged myself to read eight books this month, given that I usually read at least four a month so I can put up reviews every Friday. Given that I’m a bit of a slow reader, eight seemed like a pretty good number to go with.

Well… I’m already seeing that if I’m going to make eight books, then I need to get some arse on chair/in bed time so I can actually get this reading done. I’ve finished up a whopping one book so far and it’s already the 12th. That means I have eighteen days to read seven books. More than two days per book isn’t bad, but it doesn’t mean I should slack.

The first book I finished is the one I posted a review for yesterday – Don’t You Marry Those Mormon Boys by Janet Kay Jensen – and I enjoyed it a lot. I’ll let you read the review for my full impressions, though. No need to repeat myself.

Right now I’m just under halfway through reading Janeology by Karen Harrington. It’s quite an interesting book that gets into heredity and memes (not the internet kind) while taking the reader through an interesting court case. With my background of abuse, I’m finding it quite interesting.

I have a few scheduled reviews coming up, but I think I’m going to take a go at reading Sabriel next. Either that or there are a couple others in my TBR drawer that need reading.

How about you? How is your reading going?

I can’t quite remember how I found it, but Mrs. S at Blue Archipelago is hosting a reading challenge for the month of July and I have decided to take part.

Usually I’m a bit wary of joining reading challenges because either it’s a month that a lot of things are going on in or they have set the bar too high. I’m a bit of a slow reader (compared to some of these devourers of books) and usually feel that reading under pressure takes away from enjoying the book to the fullest extent.

The beauty of this challenge (besides all the fun of doing something with people you don’t even know for the single reason that you all love books) is that you set the bar. You challenge yourself, so there really isn’t a way that you can blame the challenge for not getting all the books read. (Hehe.)

Given that I try to read at least four books a month so I can have a review up every Friday here, I reckon I should double that. So my reading goal for July is eight books. Unimpressive to some; still a challenge to me.

Interested in joining the challenge?

What rules do I need to know?

*Only books read between July 1 and July 31 count towards the challenge
*You can include re-reads - as long as they are read within the month of July
*Books you abandon will only count as half a book
*If you read to your children you can include all books which have more than 100 pages
*You can include up to two graphic novels
*You can include up to two audio books - (if you have a visual impairment that prevents you from reading then you can use just audio books for the challenge)
*Books you read for other challenges are eligible - use this as an opportunity to catch up!
*If you start a book before July 1 and then finish it during the month of July then you can count is as half a book

For more information and to sign up, go to the Blue Archipelago site.

And let me know if you’re joining!