Reading Journal Challenge

So apparently these reading challenges don't have to start with the new year. Through Novel Challenges I find new challenges starting all the time. I know I should stop looking, but I'm a bit addicted. I particularly like challenges that I can use my current reading for. The Reading Journal Challenge is one such challenge. You may have to scroll down the page to find the rules for this one. All the challenges set up on the readingwithsea blog seem to be on the one page.

The idea of the Reading Journal Challenge is to keep a journal of all books bought and read between March 2010 and February 2011. The minimum information required is the name and author of the books you've bought
and/or read in each month. I already make a note of books I've read, but not what I've bought.

50 ways to find a lover

I feel like I've read some pretty serious books lately, so I decided to
read something very light. Like most chick lit books there is a serious
undertone at times, but on the whole this was a fun book to read. I had
several laugh out loud moments that caused me to get funny books from other
people in the room.
50 ways to find a lover by Lucy-Anne Holmes is about Sarah Sargeant. She
hasn't had a date in 3 years and is about to give up on love. After a close
call with being on a reality tv show she decides to start a blog and
document the challenge of trying 50 different ways to find a man.
It was a fun, light read. I am looking forward to reading more books by
Lucy-Anne Holmes.

The Wild Things by Dave Eggers

I don't know how I managed it, but I managed to grow up and do some children's library work without ever reading Where the wild things are by Maurice Sendak. I think that takes a certain amount of talent. I have a friend who was mortified that a video of the book made a little girl cry.

It still didn't make me read the book. I have seen the preview for the 2009 movie, but not seen it yet although I do want to. Then I heard about a novel made from the book and the movie called "The wild things" by Dave Eggers, an author I've always wanted to read.

It is an odd experience reading a book based on another book that you've heard so much about but never actually read. I didn't really know the story... a boy comes across some monsters. Right? 

The Wild Things was quite different to what I was expecting... given that I didn't know what I was expecting. The boy, Max, was there. The monsters -Carol, Judith, Ira, Douglas, Katherine, Bull and Alexander were there. The story was a bit different to what I was expecting. I talked about reading it in Book chat and one of the members said that kids enjoy the controlled scare, and that there is safety at the end.

It was an enjoyable read. I'd be interested in seeing the movie to see how it translates to the screen. Max seemed like a normal little boy, although he seemed to act on every thought he had. That could be normal behaviour for a boy of his age for all I know. When he got to the island, he was still doing that to some extent, only he thought the things he chose to do would make the Wild Things happy. It didn't. To me the book seemed to be about the safety and security of home. As when Max went to the island everything was a bit chaotic. I could have completely missed the point though.

A Buck a Book Reading Challenge

DelGal is hosting the A buck a book reading challenge.

You put aside a dollar for every book you read between 1 January 2010 to
31st December 2010. At the end of the challenge you get to spend the money on something fun for yourself! This sounds like a great challenge and it will link in with the 100+ reading challenge that I'm already doing. I can spend the year thinking of things to spend $100 on!! I have to remember to put $8 aside so far.

At the end of my monthly reading updates I will include the total amount saved so far.


Well back to the books for me!

January Roundup 100 + Challenge

Well January is over for another year. My goal is to read 2 books a month.
I read 6 books in January, which isn't great but isn't too bad either. I
think I can catch up... I just need to spend a little less time on Facebook
and more time reading. I think I will be more settled in February with no
overseas holidays to distract me... sadly!
Books read in January
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee - Rebecca Miller
The Good Luck Girl - Kerry Reichs
Invisible - Paul Auster
The Innocent - Harlan Coben
The Best Day of Someone Else's Life - Kerry Reichs
The Portrait - Willem Jan Otten (Also for The Art History Reading
Challenge)