2019 Victorian Reading Challenge

I will be doing this one again. This time there are several options, and I will be choosing the checklist.

Victorian Reading Challenge
Host: Becky's Book Reviews
sign up here 
Duration: January - December 2019
Goal: Read a minimum of 4 Victorian books

Option B: Checklist [Feel free to copy/paste this. You can replace the _ with an X or a ✔ (copy/paste it) when you finish reading a book. If you list the books you read, that may help other people decide what to read.]

1. _ book that was originally published serially
2. _ book published between 1837-1840
3. _ book published between 1841-1850
4. X book published between 1851-1860: Ruth--Elizabeth Haskell
5. _ book published between 1861-1870
6. _ book published between 1871-1880
7. X book published between 1881-1890: The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde--Robert Louis Stevenson
8. X book published between 1891-1901: The Diary of a Nobody--George Grossmith
9. _ a book of poems
10. X a book of short stories: Cavalleria Rusticana and Other Stories--Giovanni Verga
11. _ a play
12. X a children's book: Jo's Boys--Louisa May Alcott
13. _  place name in the title
14. _ a character name in the title
15. _ a color in the title
16. _ a number in the title
17. X  A book published between 1902-1999 with a Victorian setting: Interview With the Vampire--Anne Rice
18. X A book published between 2000-2019 with a Victorian setting: Blameless--Gail Carriger
19. X nonfiction book about the Victorian era: Clothes and Crafts in Victorian Times--Philip Steele
20. _ nonfiction book about Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, or their children

Challenge completed on December 14

Received More Feedback

At the last meeting of the writer's lab I have been attending, one of the members gave a critique of my whole story. The leader had the other members read and critique just the first 10 pages, as the entire document would be too long for the class to discuss. But this one member took time to provide feed back on the rest of the story as well. And for our next meeting (the lab was cancelled last week) we will be critiquing the first 75 pages of a story this same member has written. I got through it all in one night (the night before we were supposed to meet last week!) What he shared so far was good  and now I want to read the rest.

I am glad to have found this group. 

2019 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge

One of my favorite challenges is now up for next year!

JANUARY – New to You Author. Read a book by an author whose writing you’ve never read before.
Hello, Universe--Erin Entrada Kelly

FEBRUARY – Cover Love. Yes. We’re giving you permission to judge a book by its cover and read a book with a cover that really caught your eye:
The Female Persuasion--Meg Wolitzer

MARCH – Royalty, Kingdoms, Empires, Governments. Read a book in which the character is involved in a ruling or governing body in some way:
The Godfather--Mario Puzo

APRIL – Crack the Case. Read a mystery, detective story, true crime, cozy mystery, or book involving a puzzle to solve:

The Heretic's Apprentice--Ellis Peters

MAY – One Sitting Reads. Read something that is short enough you could get through it in one sitting- try a graphic novel, comic book, short story, essay, or short collection of poetry:
Otto's Backwards Day--Frank Cammuso

JUNE – Diversify Your Reading. Read a book with a character (or written by an author) of a race, religion, or sexual orientation other than your own or read about a culture you want to learn more about:

On a Sunbeam--Tillie Walden

JULY – Through The Years. Read a book involving time travel, a book with a ‘time’ setting such as The Great Gatsby (20s), read a historical fiction/nonfiction, or choose a book published in your birth year:
The Color of Lightning--Paulette Jiles

AUGUST – Mode of Transportation. Read a book where the mode of transportation plays a role in the story (ex. Murder on the Orient Express or The Boys in the Boat):

The Wayward Bus--John Steinbeck

SEPTEMBER – Animal, Number, Color, Name. One of those things needs to be in the title of the book you choose (ex. Water for Elephants, Red Queen, Fahrenheit 451, Rebecca, Harry Potter):

The Jane Austen Book Club--Karen Joy Fowler

OCTOBER – Tricks and Trades. Read a book set in a theater, an amusement park, a circus, or a book involving magic, illusions, or characters with special powers:

A Corner of the Universe--Ann M. Martin

NOVEMBER – Seasons, Elements, and Weather. Embrace a winter wonderland setting, pick a beach read, or read about a natural disaster. As long as a season, element, or the weather plays a key role in the story or is part of the title, it counts. (ex. Little Fires Everywhere, The Snow Child, On The Island):
The Summer Guests--Mary Alice Monroe

DECEMBER – Last Chance. Finally read that one book that you’ve been meaning to get to all year long:

Sugar and Spice--Fern Michaels & others


Challenge completed on December 5

THE 2019 #LETSREADINDIE READING CHALLENGE

I will be doing this one again. I didn't get very many books this year, but still want to try again.

The #LetsReadIndie Reading challenge is back in 2019! Join me in 2019 on the journey of discovering new indie books and authors. It doesn’t matter if you are new to the indie world or an avid indie reader. Join me today! 

#LetsReadIndie was created with the idea of getting more people to read indie authors. Indie books have the reputation for “not being as good” as traditional published books. Through my journey of reading indie books, I’ve discovered some amazing books and authors and I’m hoping you will too.

challenge details

• #LetsReadIndie begins on January 1 – December 31. You may sign up at anytime. 
• All books for this challenge must be indie or published by indie publishers. 
• All formats count (ARCs, audio, physical, eBooks). 
• All genres count (even picture books!)
• Re-Reads and crossovers from other challenges are totally okay! 
• You do not have to be a blogger to join the challenge! You can track your progress on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram etc. 
• Use #LetsReadIndie19 so we can keep track of our progress! 
• If you are a blogger, I’d love if you could make a post to help spread the word. You can also grab the button below to post on your blog. If you aren’t a blogger, you can help by spread the word on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
• You don’t have to write a review for every single indie book you read but reviews are definitely encouraged. Every last Monday of the month I’ll have a link up for your reviews. 

levels

• 1-9 – Rookie 
• 10-19 – Semi – Pro
• 20-29 – Professional 
• 30-39 – Veteran 
• 40-49 – Expert 
• 50+ – Master 

My books:

1. Quicksilver Chronicles--Frances K. Woods
2. All That Glitters--Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
3. How the Internet Happened--Brian McCullough
4. Riches to Rags--Casey L. Bond
5. Diary of a Minecraft Zombie--Zack Zombie
6. Tales of a Punk Rock Nothing--Abram Shalom Himelstein & Jamie Schweser

Challenge completed on December 1

Family Tree Reading Challenge 2019

Family Tree Reading Challenge
Host: Becky's Book Reviews (sign up) 
Dates: January - December 2019
# of books: minimum 3

Love reading? Love family? Love researching family history? Want a family-friendly reading challenge?  

I will be reading from the following family birth years (will try to get at least three books form each year): 

1950:

1. Burning Bright--John Steinbeck
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe--C.S. Lewis
3. The Magic Barrel--Bernard Malamud

1971:

1. Journey to Topaz--Yoshiki Uchida
2. That Was Then, This is Now--S.E. Hinton
3. Maigret and the Informer--Georges Simenon

Challenge completed on December 7

2019 Reading Challenge 52 Books in 52 Weeks

Excited to do this one again!

Categories:

1. Published in 2019: The Art of Losing--Lizzy Mason
2. An Author You've Never Heard of Before: The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak--Brian Katcher
3. Book You've Read Before: The Secret Life of Eva Hathaway--Janice Weber
4. With a Strong Female Lead: Wolfsbane--Andrea Cremer
5. A Play: A Raisin in the Sun--Lorraine Hansberry
6. Set in the Southern USA: Bed & Breakfast--Lois Battle
7. Memoir on Someone You Admire: Just Between Us--Mario Lopez
8. Set in the Victorian Era: Blameless--Gail Carriger
9. Character With a Career You Wish You Had: Do This For Me--Eliza Kennedy
10. A Plant on the Cover: The Holy Forest--Robin Blaser
11. Published the Year You Graduated School: The Joy Luck Club--Amy Tan
12. Graphic Novel: A Silent Voice, Volume 1--Yoshitoki Oima
13. Featuring Music: Astral Weeks--Ryan H. Walsh
14. An Ugly Cover: Free to Fall--Lauren Miller
15. Teen as Main Character: Hello, Universe--Erin Entrada Kelly
16. Retelling of a Well-Known Story: Riches to Rags--Casey L. Bond
17. Set During a Holiday: Sugar and Spice--Fern Michaels & others
18. Picked Out for You By Someone Else: The Mysterious Benedict Society--Trenton Lee Stewart
19. Gothic Fiction Novel: Unearthly--Cynthia Hand
20. Book About Time Travel: Opposite of Always--Justin A. Reynolds
21. Title That Starts With the Letter "J": Journey to Topaz--Yoshiki Uchida
22. Fantasy Novel: Wake--Amanda Hocking
23. True Crime Novel: Gangsters & Gold Diggers--Jerome Charyn
24. Self-Published Book: Quicksilver Chronicles--Frances K. Woods
25. Name of a Color in the Title: Between Shades of Gray--Ruta Sepetys
26. One-Word Title: Ulysses--James Joyce
27. Book That Makes You Mad: The Backstagers, Volume 1--James Tynion IV
28. Discusses Mental Health: Wasted--Marya Hornbacher
29. Published by HarperCollins: Ask Again Later--Jill A. Davis
30. Author Who Uses Initials: That Was Then, This is Now--S.E. Hinton
31. Book That Everyone's Talking About: The Rosie Project--Graeme Simsion
32. A Western: The Color of Lightning--Paulette Jiles
33. Book About a Cult: Big Machine--Victor Lavalle
34. Nominated for (But Didn't Win) the 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards: Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating--Christina Lauren
35. Sports-Related Book: A Painted House--John Grisham
36. Humorous Novel: The Diary of a Nobody--George Grossmith
37. Set in South America: The Neighborhood--Mario Varga Losa
38. Allegorical Book: Vinegar Girl--Anne Tyler
39. Military-Related (Fiction or Nonfiction): The Night Watch--Sarah Waters
40. Character Who is an Immigrant: The Inheritance of Loss--Kiran Desai
41. Book Suggested by Someone Else in the Challenge: The Magnolia Story--Chip and Joanna Gaines
42. A Family Member's Favorite Book: Odd and the Frost Giants--Neil Gaiman
43. Children's Book: Tuck Everlasting--Natalie Babbitt 
44. Author Who uses a Pseudonym: Antiques Roadkill--Barbara Allan
45. A "Beach-Read": All That Glitters--Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
46. First Book You See in a Bookstore or Library: So B. It--Sarah Weeks
47. Set in a Country You've Visited  Want to Visit: Paris for One and Other Stories--Jojo Moyes
48. Set in a Post-Apocalyptic World: V for Vendetta--Alan Moore
49. A Speed Read: The Gangster We Are Looking For--Le Thi Diem Thuy
50. A Fairy Tale: The Tale of Genji--Murasaki Shikibu
51. Book About Organized Crime/the Mob: The Godfather--Mario Puzo
52. An Audiobook: Educated--Tara Westover

Challenge completed on December 5

Less Than a Week Till Thanksgiving

What do you plan to do for Thanksgiving? It seems every year the holiday gets ignored, according the the media. There doesn't appear to be many Thanksgiving decorations in stores. But do people really decorate for the holiday? Some maybe. I happened to spot two blow-up turkeys on the lawns near my friend's house as I was driving her home from our writers' lab (it got cancelled this week, BTW). These same two lawns had been decorated by blow-up pumpkins last month. I now expect to see blow-up Santas, snowmen or reindeer on these lawns come December. But doesn't everyone expect that?

But I don't see too many of the inflatable turkeys, certainly not as many as I see of pumpkins or Santa. However, upon finding this craft project, I asked if we could do it for art class this month. It will be for this coming week.

Now that seems like a great way to celebrate the holiday. And today is our potluck for Thanksgiving. We decided to have it today, since the holiday is next week and we will be closed then. Also, my boss suspected many people would be gone next week, so we chose not to have it the day before. I made butterscotch haystacks for the party (I had seen there recipe on the bag of butterscotch chips). I didn't get around to taking any pictures, sorry.

Last year I had wanted to make these paper-cup bells for our class, but didn't get around to doing them (long story). So now I want to do them this year, and decided to wait until December. It was on the same site that I found the turkey project and decided it would be fun. Now those who make one can out it on their tables or something at home. And I look forward to both crafts in the coming months.

And I won't even get started on the day after Thanksgiving, suffice it say I won't be heading to Target or Kmart at 4AM, let alone won't be waiting in line around the store, trying to be first.