Spring Book Challenge Results

April 1, 2010 - June 30, 2010

I signed up for this Book Challenge as a way to make my reading more interesting, and maybe to help me branch out from my mystery-reading rut.  I do not know how well I will do; I am not sure I can read fast enough to finish in the 3 months allotted, but we'll see how it goes.  I am looking forward to the personal challenge.

June 30, 2010 Final Point Total:  _200_/425
Current (September 10, 2015) Point Total:  _345_/400 (25 points forfeited)

5 Point Tasks (45/50 points available)

1. May 7th is No Pants Day - Read a book with an article of clothing other than pants in the title - The Red Shoes (general fiction)
2. Read a book with a spring word in the title (sun, warm, rain, flower, bird, etc) - An Unthymely Death and Other Garden Mysteries (collections)
3. Read a book with a spring color as the color on the cover (pink, blue, green, yellow) - Fatally Flakey (mystery)
4. It is raining out, so read a book while staying dry - She's All That (religious fiction)
5. Read a book with a number in the title - What Einstein Told His Cook 2 (scientific non-fiction)
6. In honor of spring break, read a book set in a place you would like to visit - The Romanov Bride (historical fiction)
7. Read a book released in April, May, or June of 2010 - Murder on Lexington Avenue (mystery)
8. April is National Frog Month, so hop into a book with an animal in the title or about an animal - Canapes for the Kitties (mystery)
9. Read a book about music - Musicophilia (scientific non-fiction)
10. In honor of Arbor Day, save a tree and listen to an audiobook or read a book online or through an e-reader - Anne of Green Gables (young adult)

10 Point Tasks (90/90 points available; 10 points forfeited)

1. Read a historical fiction novel - The Rose of Sebastopol (historical fiction)
2. Judge a book by its cover/title - The Women (biography)
3. In honor of spring cleaning, read a book that is on your physical TBR list (if you don't have a physical TBR then use your regular TBR) - Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar (scientific non-fiction)
4. Pick a challenger who you know has different taste in books than you do and read what she chooses for you - Child 44 (suspense/thriller)
5. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, read a book written by a Mexican or French author, that has a Mexican or French main character, or takes place in Mexico or France - The Black Tulip (classics)
6. Since series finales will be airing, read a book in a series - The Luxe (young adult)
7. Read a non-fiction book - How to Walk in High Heels (collections) forfeited
8. In honor of prom/wedding season, read a book with a dress on the cover, about a graduation or prom, or about a wedding/getting married - Offbeat Bride (memoir)
9. Since school is out for the summer, read a book set in high school or college - Finished Off (mystery)
10. Read a book about baseball or basketball - For Love of the Game (general fiction)

15 Point Tasks (135/135 points available; 15 points forfeited)

1. Read a book that was mentioned in a book you enjoy - Wuthering Heights (classics)
2. Read a book by an author who was born in the same month as you - An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (mystery)
3. Read a Pulitzer Prize winner - Our Town (drama/plays)
4. Read a book from the 1001 Book to Read Before You Die list - The Tenant of Wildfield Hall (classics)
5. Read April, May, or June's book club choice and participate in the discussion - The Lost Continent (travel writing) forfeited
6. Read a book of your choice, then post a lengthy review on the board and encourage discussion - Breakfast at Tiffany's (classics)
7. Opposites attract: read one book in your favorite genre and one book in a radically different genre -The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (historical fiction)/Service Included:  Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter (memoir)
8. Read a book that you have heard a lot about, but have been hesitant to read.  Then post a review of the book, why you hadn't read it, and your thoughts on the book. - Bel Canto (general fiction)
9. Read a non-fiction or fiction book about any religion - The Tao of Pooh (scientific non-fiction)
10. Ripped from the headlines: read any book that is similar to or the same as a news headline, or that you think could be possible - This Year It Will Be Different (collections)

25 Points (75/125 points available)

1. Read a Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Book Award Winner and post a 100+ word review - I Like You:  Hospitality Under the Influence (humor)
2. Read no more than 15% of books from any one genre (general fiction-4; memoir-3; biography/autobiography-1; young adult-2; collections-32; mystery-5; suspense/thriller-1; historical fiction-3; drama-1; classics-4; humor-1; scientific non-fiction-4; LBGT lit-1; children's-1; inspirational/religious fiction-1; travel writing-1  = total 3634 books)
3. Read a children's (not YA) book and adult book on the same topic and post a comparison as well as which you think covered the topic better - A Mango Shaped Space (children's)/Rescuing Sprite (memoir)
4. Read a romance novel featuring a homosexual couple and compare it to traditional, heterosexual romances - The Night We Met (LBGT Lit)
5. Read a book by a Canadian author other than Margaret Atwood or L.M. Montgomery - Shoeless Joe (general fiction)

In the end I did not fully complete the Spring Book Challenge, but I did have a fairly good whack at it and I am pleased with myself.  I read some books I would not have otherwise and, frankly enjoyed them.

Thank you for my brother for his two recommendations -- they were excellent and I will believe you in the future, and may pick up The Alienist one day soon. 

Thank you to the fellow challenger who recommended Child 44.  It was a great read, and as noted in a previous post, the feel of the book was so much like the feel of Russia when I was there, I could picture it.  I will have to check out the rest of that series.

And a very big thank you to my dearest for putting up with me talking about all the books as I was reading them -- and for not always paying attention to you because there was book sitting temptingly next too me.

I fully intend on reading the remainder of the books on my list; I'll update this post as I do.