Bout of Books 22: May 14-20

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER BOUT OF BOOKS!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week-long read-a-thon that begins 12:01 am Monday May 14th and runs through Sunday, May 20th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. --From the Bout of Books team



No TBR for me this time. Between a crazy work schedule and a horde of library holds coming in, I'll play it by ear this time around. My goal is to read for a minimum of one hour every day of the read-a-thon.

May 14
Currently reading:
Vicious by V.E. Schwab 182-368 ☆☆☆☆☆
Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds 70-160
Ghost by Jason Reynolds 1-208 ☆☆☆☆
Patina by Jason Reynolds 1-240 ☆☆☆☆

Challenge: Introduce yourself #insixwords
It's not hoarding if it's books. 
via GIPHY

May 15
Currently reading:
Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds 160-270
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds 1-80
Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali 1-68

Challenge: Year of You - A book published the year you were born #yearofyou 
The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood: Though not my favorite book, she is one of my favorite authors.

May 16
Currently reading:
Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds 270-416 ☆☆☆☆
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds 80-320 ☆☆☆☆
Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali 68-336 ☆☆☆
Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy 1-15

Challenge: #showmeyourprecious

Choose a favorite book?!? Who has just one? I chose two books that influenced my life as a reader and changed the way I look at the world. The Hobbit introduced me to fantasy and showed me that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. The Mists of Avalon taught me to listen to alternate voices and perspectives.

May 17
currently reading:
Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy 15-
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante 1-331 ☆☆☆

Challenge: #readalikes

If you enjoyed Adelina Amouteru in Marie Lu's Young Elites trilogy, try Vicious by V.E. Schwab. Victor Vale is an anti-hero you'll hate to love (or love to hate).

 

If you enjoy Margaret Atwood, try Carmen Maria Machado for more surreal stories in which women's bodies are battlegrounds.

 

May 18
currently reading:
Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy 15-105
The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante 1-255

Challenge: #spacescavengerhunt

Mercury - Favorite short story/novella
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
"The Husband Stitch" by Carmen Maria Machado
"The Resplendent Quetzal" by Margaret Atwood

Venus - Favorite book with a female protagonist
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
The Wrath & the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
¡Yo! by Julia Alvarez
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Earth - Favorite book about nature
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

Mars - Favorite book with a red cover
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Holding Out by Anne O. Faulk
Push by Sapphire
Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood

Jupiter - Favorite tome over 500 pages
The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
The Diviners by Libba Bray
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

Saturn - Favorite book with circle/ring on cover/in title
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

Uranus - Favorite book set in winter
The Shining by Stephen King
A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Neptune - Favorite book set at sea, on a boat, or under water
Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf

Pluto - Favorite book featuring a dog
Laika by Nick Abadzis
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Marley & Me by John Grogan
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Moon - Favorite book set anywhere other than Earth
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Sun - Favorite book set in summer
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Space - Favorite book set in space
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Cinder by Melissa Meyer


May 19
currently reading:
Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy 105-200
The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante 255-480 ☆☆☆
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater 1-320 ☆☆☆
Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle 1-61

Challenge: Share your favorite Bout of Books Moment


My favorite moments are connecting with other people whose idea of fun is to read more and chat about books. 


May 20
currently reading:

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy 200-432 ☆☆☆☆☆
Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle 61-272 ☆☆☆

Challenge: Stretch Goal
I purposefully set an easily achievable goal to read at least an hour every day. Thanks to audiobooks during my commute and chore time, I was able to read much more than the minimum I set myself. Plus, my husband watches a lot of baseball, so I read while his attention is there. My stretch for today is to finally finish Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy. I'm enjoying it, but I borrowed it through the Libby app and am reading it on my phone, which I don't love to do. 

I did finish Ramona Blue and I loved it so much that I'll have to buy a print copy for my library now. Ramona's confusion about her sexual identity was portrayed with sensitivity and authenticity. I can see this being a great pick for a teen who's not quite sure which label to pick.

**********
Totals (Updated May 20):
Books started: 8
Books finished: 10
Pages read: 3,462

via GIPHY
Going to read a bit more. Bye!