Weekly Update: #ReadingMyLibraryChallenge: Week 4

Here are the books I took out this week on Wednesday (finished the book on top yesterday):

And I am still finishing this pile from last week (already finished the two books on top and am now working on the bottom one):

The discussion topic for this week is: Share how often you visit your library.

My answer is quite often.  I always buy cheap book or use a gift card for books if I ever have one, but borrowing them is easiest because it's free.  I like to do a little of both. Often I join challenges for books that I rarely buy so it means going to the library. And often I'll find a book I did not previously know about, so visiting the library is almost like finding a treasure and it's free.  On the receipts we get at our library, it indicates how much we saved by checking a given item out at the library.  I don't have all my receipts from this month anymore, so I'm not sure how much I've saved in total for this month so far, but on my most recent trip, my total amount saved was $145, with the ones still out from last week and those taken out this past Wednesday.  I belong to one other library in the county, but have not been able to get to that one this month unfortunately, because of their unusual hours.

There are other things I got to library for, namely to glance at newspapers. I'm on a bit a budget right now, so I haven't been able to subscribe lately (which sucks). I try to get to the library to read the paper of a  library trip isn't possible on a given day, I'll have to purchase the paper for 1.50 at a nearby minimart.  

How often do you visit your library?

The Rainbow Connection (Goodreads Challenge)

I've decided to try this Goodreads challenge.  This one ends on September 30.  See here for more details  and for how to sign up.

CHALLENGE RULES

♣ When you sign up for the challenge, please post a challenge template so we have a post to which to link your name; post #2 will list participant links which can then be used for making challenge updates.

♣ For each book you read, please indicate the title, the author and the date you finished reading it. If a challenge task gives several options, please make it clear which option you’ve chosen. If the task calls for an item on the cover, include a link to the book cover.* If it’s not obvious from the book title or cover, be sure to explain how your book fits the task. If you don’t, you won’t get credit for completing that task. 

♣ Unless otherwise noted, books must be at least 150 pages long.

♣ Books may only be used for one task in this challenge, but cross-challenge posting is encouraged!

♣ If you want the challenge moderator to check your progress as you make updates, please copy/paste your update into a new message . We don't have time to scroll back through the entire thread looking for "message #15," or to follow links back to an original post. 

♣ When you complete the challenge, please post your entire list as a new message to make it easier for everyone to see what you've read. If you don't repost your list, you won't be included in the list of those who have completed the challenge.

*If you don’t know how to post a link to the book title or cover, see the instructions here: Link Instructions

The Rainbow Connection
Duration: April 1 - September 30, 2015

1) Light: ☂Read a book whose cover shows any light source (natural or manmade) OR read a book with a body of water on the cover OR read book #42 on your TBR.    A Salty Piece of Land--Jimmy Buffett  (lighthouse)



2) Spectrum: ☂Read a book with a bright, colorful cover OR read book #7 in a series OR read a book whose title contains three or more of the letters R,O,Y,G,B,I,V (letters may be in any order; please specify which letters you've used).  Oh My Stars--Lorna Landvik



3)  Newton:☂Read a book pertaining to music OR read a book with any type of celestial body on the cover OR read a book whose title contains a weekday.  The Wednesday Wars--Gary D. Schmidt

4)  Double Rainbow: ☂Read the second book published by any author OR read a book whose title has any type of directional word in it (i.e. forward, sideways, east, etc.) OR read a book with a red cover.
Dork Diaries: Tales of a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker--Rachel Renee Russell



5)  Twinned Rainbow: ☂Read a book featuring twin characters OR read a book with two (and only two) identical objects on the cover OR read a book whose page count contains a “2.”
The Crossover--Kwame Alexander


6)  Circle: ☂Read a book featuring a circular item on the cover (circle should be ~25% of the cover) OR read a book with a clearly visible horizon on the cover OR read a book whose cover shows a tall building or any type of flying machine.   Outlander--Diana Gabaldon



7) Supernumerary: ☂Read a book where the first letter of each title word may be found in SUPERNUMERARY (3 word minimum) OR read a book whose cover shows any type of stacked items OR read a book whose cover shows several similar small items (i.e. raindrops, polka dots).
The Mother-Daughter Book Club--Heather Vogel Frederick



8)  Reflection: ☂Read a book whose cover shows a reflection (i.e. surface of lake reflects trees, mirror image) OR read a book with any type of arched item on the cover OR read a book whose title contains either the word “ABOVE” or “BELOW.”   Blue Ridge Reunion--Mia Ross



9)  Monochrome: ☂Read a book with a red cover (75%) OR read a book whose author’s first and last initials may be found in MONOCHROME OR read a book whose title contains a word that indicates one (i.e. ONE, SINGLE, ONLY).    1st to Die--James Patterson

10)  Moonbows:  ☂Read a book whose cover shows a full moon OR a book in which some kind of waterfall is mentioned (tell us how) OR read a book featuring a photographer.   Light of the Moon--Luanne Rice 




11)  Fogbows: ☂Read a book whose cover shows fog or great cloudiness OR read a book that takes place near a lake OR read a book whose cover colors are soft and muted.  The Martian--Andy Weir




12)  Mythology & Arts: ☂Read a book about classical mythology OR read a book in which a flood occurs OR read a book featuring any of the arts (i.e. music, dance, paintings, etc.)  Art Geeks and Prom Queens--Alyson Noel (photography is mentioned)

13)  Irish:  ☂Read a book that takes place in Ireland or has an Irish character OR read a book with a gold colored cover OR read a book where something is hidden (a real, physical object).
Brooklyn--Colm Toibin


14) Rainbow Flag: ☂Read a book that deals with any social issue (tell us what it is) OR read a book that is marked LGBT OR read a book that takes place in South Africa.   Choose Your Own Autobiography--Neil Patrick Harris

15)  Relaxing & Healing: ☂Read a self-help book OR read a book where a character practices yoga or meditation OR read a book you find relaxing.    A Woman's Worth--Marianne Williamson

16) Wizard of Oz: ☂Read a book with a character who desires making a significant life change OR read a book with an author or main character named Judy or Dorothy (no variations!) OR read a book whose title contains the word “DREAM(S).”   Spring Cleaning Murders--Dorothy Cannell

17)  Muppets: ☂Read a book with a green cover or with a frog on the cover OR read a book in which a character longs or hopes for something (tell us what) OR read #74 on your TBR list.
Daddy's Little Girl--Mary Higgins  Clark




And now, you guessed it, you’re going to make your very own rainbow. You will read a total of seven books, one book whose cover matches each band of the rainbow. 

18) Red:  Assault and Pepper--Tamar Myers



19) Orange:  Carrot Cake Murder--Joanne Fluke
20) Yellow:  Don't Look Down--Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

21) Green:  Cat With an Emerald Eye--Carole Nelson Douglas
22) Blue:   Bet Me--Jennifer Crusie

23) Indigo:  The Company You Keep--Neil Gordon


24) Violet:  Wuthering Heights--Emily Bronte

... Challenge completed on August 4 ....

#ReadingMyLibrary Week 3 Update

On Friday, I did my post of books I took out last week.  See here.  I also starting looking for stuff for the scavenger hunt on Friday, but forgot what some of the things listed were or to jot them down before going to the library.  I took shots of what I could remember off-hand so I am off to a little of a start.  Will try to get more before the end of the challenge.

The topic for this week's update is why you love libraries.  The answer to that is simple: getting books for free.  And not just books, but getting to read newspapers free since I had to stop subscribing to one paper (on a budget right now).  Also getting DVDs, but only every so often, since I am a Netflix user. I may just find a season of a TV series on DVD at the library and borrow it, since I'm one-disc at time Netflix user, and it will take a while to finish the season thru Netflix.  But if getting the show through Netflix is the only choice, I'll gladly do it that way :-)  BTW, the library only allows  DVDs out for one week, where as most everything is three weeks.

Another thing: my rather old computer may not let me get onto to some sites, so if need be, I will use our library's computers.

And you can see info about events on the kiosk in the front entrance.

What do you love about your library?

#ReadingMyLibraryChallenge: Week 3: Books Out this Week

  Here are the books I  have out this week. 

I am in the process of reading the below, which I took out on Thursday last week (April 9).  I  finished The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop all in one day (yesterday, the 16th).  This book is due back on the 30th.

I also took out the following audiobook. Since it's only three discs, I finished it last night and returned it this afternoon.  Note: Audiobooks used to be only allowed out for two weeks, as opposed to most materials being allowed out for three weeks (DVDs are one week only).  But now audios are allowed for three weeks, though the 14-day-book stickers are still on most of the audiobooks. 

And I also took out the following yesterday:

I've read a lot of Mary Kay Andrews's books already, but have yet to read Julie Crusie. 

#ReadingMyLibraryChallenge: Books Out This Week

Here are the books I have out this week from the library, as part of the #ReadingMyLibraryChallenge.

I still have the following out, due back on April 24.  Will be reading them by next week.

And in the picture below are those I took out this past Thursday.  The one on top is an audiobook, which I am finishing listening to as I type this entry.

#ReadingMyLibraryChallenge: Week 2 Update

I am participating  in the #ReadingMyLibraryChallenge this month.  This Wednesday is the last day to sign up if you wish to do so.  See here for details. 

This week's update topic is books you would like to suggest to your library.  

This is a hard one, as I always see or hear about books I'd like to read.  I often pray that the library will get the book, so I won't have to buy it new or wait till it turns up cheap in a second-hand store (who knows how long it will be till that happens).   But if I want it bad enough, I will buy it new.  I had a Barnes and Noble gift card and had to use it (and I wanted to use a B&N coupon I'd received in my e-mail) two months ago, so I had to find some books I wanted and did not want to wait to see if they turned up at my library.   I now just saw that one of them now is at our library.  

But even if the library doesn't have the book, an inter-library loan request is always possible.  But I don't want to have to make so many of those.  And if the county library in Hollister doesn't have the book, I could try to go to the one in San Juan Bautista to see if they might have it.  There have been a few occasions when I'd borrowed a book from the SJB library that I did not know was also at the San Benito library.   In one case, the SJB library got a book I wanted before the county library got it.  See last week's update for more info on my local libraries.  

So if I wanted to suggest some books to the county library, I might ask for the rest of the Lunar Chronicles books.  Last year, I borrowed the first two books, Cinder and Scarlet, and am eager to read the next one, Cress and the novella, Fairest, and Winter, when that one is released. 

 

I would also like to read more of the Savannah Reid books. They only have one, and I just got the first one as an inter-library loan.  

This is all I can think of now.  

#ReadingMyLibraryChallenge: Week One Update

I am participating in the #ReadingMyLibraryChallenge hosted by Stefani at Caught Red Handed and Amy at Read What I Like.  Since I already frequent my library, I knew this was the challenge for me. I intend to keep going to after this month, though :-),  as well as go through my TBR pile at home.  I joined a great deal of challenges for which I have no books at home, so this requires going to the library.  

I am keeping tract of the books I read week on my original sign up post here.  Below is a shot of the books I took out early this week (two were inter-library loans, received this past Tuesday) and the others I took out on Friday.

For the first week's update, the hosts are asking the participants to tell a little about their hometown library, and include pictures of possible.

I live in Hollister, California, a very small and rural town known for agriculture and for its annual Motorcycle Rally each year on the 4th of July Weekend.  We are also known for having very little for the community to do as far as activities go.  Residents have complained about this for years upon years, and very little gets done to resolve it. But we do have the all-important resource known as the library.
Our library is closed on Saturdays and for a while until early last year, they closed on Fridays as well, reopening on Fridays for four hours only.   Along with the physical books, they also carry audiobooks on CD and music CDs, as well as DVDs.  I've never borrowed CDs, and only sometimes DVDs, since I get Netflix, and I only got into listening to audiobooks a few years ago.  Buying new audiobooks is expensive, and I rarely see used ones for sale (occasionally ones on cassette, and yes, I have equipment for that), so most of my audiobooks come from the library.

And of course, we have computers, maps  and other city and county resources people have come to expect from their local libraries.  And a collection of books about our town's history as well as about the history of California.

On Saturdays, the Friends of the Library has a book sale in a shed located behind the library. I've gone to this a few times, but it's early in the morning, closing at noon, and I'm not usually an early riser when I don't need to be.  If Iw ant to do it ever, I'll try to, though.

 I forgot to take pictures while I was getting and returning books yesterday, so today I went to get some shots.   

In addition to the San Benito County Library, there is one other smaller library in the county, the Carl Martin Luck Memorial Library in the nearby smaller town of San Juan Bautista.  (A bookmobile from the county library delivers books to the rest of the county).  I have a card for that one as well, but since I'm a Hollister resident, I got the Hollister one most often.  The San Juan one is nice, too, and though ti's smaller, it has some books the larger county library doesn't have.  I'll go when I can get there, but it's been a while since I last did so.  They don't open till 1PM (closing at 5 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and at 7 on Tuesday and Thursday) on weekdays and from 9AM to 1PM on Saturdays.  Below is a photo shot from the lawn in front of the San Juan Library.

And a side note--Today I was at one of my local thrift shops and saw three books I couldn't resist buying.  They were only 50 cents each, and it's hard to resist getting them for that amount. I stated in my original sign up post that if I buy any books during this period, they will not be read until after this month, when the challenge is over. I intend to stick to that.  

Bookish Bingo--Ready for Spring

OK,  I've been wanting to  do a Book Bingo this year. I was feeling overwhelmed at the beginning of the year with a lot of other challenges so I passed on Great Imaginations Bookish Bingo for January to March, and waited for the next one, for April to June. I like that there are some short-term challenges. I will try to complete as many of the categories as possible from now till the end of June.  Go here to sign up and see more details.

don’t forget that you may only use one square per book

Here are the squares I have completed:

1. Murder Mystery: Maigret and the Loner--Georges Simenon
2. #WeNeedDiverseBooks:  The House on Mango Street--Sandra Cisneros
3. Historical:  Strawberry Girl--Lois Lenski
4. Bullying: Kira-Kira--Cynthia Kadohata
5. Non-Fiction or Memoir: The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop--Lewis Buzbee
6. Forgotten Fridays Pick:  Memoirs of a Geisha--Arthur Golden
7. Dark Contemporary: Hannah--Hannah Westberg
8. Yellow Cover:  Don't Look Back--Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
9. Illustrated Cover:  The Queen Geek Social Club--Laura Preble
10. Reread:  Madeline--Ludwig Bemelmans
11. Free Space:  Choose Your Own Autobiography--Neil Patrick Harris
12. Green Cover: Cat With an Emerald Eye--Carole Nelson Douglas
13. Thieves, Assassins, Pirates:  The Thief--Megan Whalen Turner
14. Classic: Pride and Prejudice--Jane Austen
15. High Fantasy:  Frostfire--Amanda Hocking
16. April, May, June Release:  Ice Kissed--Amanda Hocking
17. Horror: Wuthering Heights--Emily Bronte
18. Plants on Cover: Blue Ridge Reunion--Mia Ross
19. Anthology or Collection:  The Most of P.G. Wodehouse
20. Parental Relationships:  The Mother-Daughter Book Club--Heather Vogel Frederick
21. Aussie Author: On the Jellicoe Road--Melina Marchetta
22. WWII:  Summer of My German Soldier--Bette Greene
23. Rain or Storm in Title: Storm Front--Jim Butcher
24. Parallel Universes: Outlander--Diana Gabaldon
25. Part of a Trilogy: The Book of Life--Deborah Harkness

Completed on June 24