tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60909666049497727252024-03-13T05:33:10.460-07:00Literate Her, LiterallyDebbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-55722036658829121042019-01-01T18:21:00.000-08:002019-01-01T18:21:06.906-08:00POPSUGAR 2019 Reading Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://giphy.com/embed/xTiTnuHsReirhdjEas" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/xTiTnuHsReirhdjEas">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thanks to a few quick-to-read children's books and a graphic novel, I managed to finish the 2018 challenge just in time. And now I've barely caught my breath and it's time to dive into 2019. Get all the details and a printable list of the prompts <a href="https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Reading-Challenge-2019-45450968">here</a>. Well? Happy reading!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. A book becoming a movie in 2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. A book that makes you nostalgic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. A book written by a musician</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. A book you think should be turned into a movie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. A book with at least a million ratings on Goodreads</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. A book with a plant in the title or on the cover</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. A reread of a favorite book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. A book about a hobby</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. A book you meant to read in 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">10. A book with "pop," "sugar," or "challenge" in the title</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">11. A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">12. A book inspired by mythology, legend, or folklore</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">13. A book published posthumously</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">14. A book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">15. A retelling of a classic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">16. A book with a question in the title</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">17. A book set on a college or university campus</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">18. A book about someone with a superpower</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">19. A book told from multiple character POVs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">20. A book set in space</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">21. A book by two female authors</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">22. A book with a title that contains "salty," "sweet," "bitter," or "spicy"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">23. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A book set in Scandinavia</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">24. A book that takes place in a single day</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">25. A debut novel</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">26. A book that's published in 2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">27. A book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">28. A book recommended by a celebrity you admire</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">29. A book with "love" in the title</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">30. A book featuring an amateur detective</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">31. A book about a family</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">32. A book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">33. A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">34. A book that includes a wedding</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">35. A book by an author whose first an last names start with the same letter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">36. A ghost story</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">37. A book with a two-word title</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">38. A novel based on a true story</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">39. A book revolving around a puzzle or game</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">40. Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ADVANCED</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">41. A "cli-fi" (climate fiction) book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">42. A "choose-our-own-adventure" book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">43. An "own voices" book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">44. Read a book during the season it is set in</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">45. A LitRPG book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">46. A book with no chapters, unusual chapter headings, or unconventionally numbered chapters</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">47. Two books that share the same title (1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">48. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Two books that share the same title (2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">49. A book that inspired a common phrase or idiom (e.g., Big Brother from 1984)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50. A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent</span></div>
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<br />Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-47077380948132307352019-01-01T17:00:00.000-08:002019-01-01T17:00:08.854-08:00Read Harder 2019 Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://giphy.com/embed/3oEjHDi636Y1Ldg4Ks" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/betnetworks-3oEjHDi636Y1Ldg4Ks">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I finished the 2018 Read Harder Challenge and am on board for another year of exploring outside my comfort zone. As I'm also doing the </span><a href="https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/reading-women-challenge-2019/" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Reading Women Challenge</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">, I'll focus on women writers (with the exception of books I already own). I'm playing around with the idea of completing the prompts in numerical reader, but library availability may throw a monkey wrench in that plan. We shall see, I suppose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1. An epistolary novel or collection of letters</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2. An alternate history novel</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3. A book by a woman and/or AOC that won a literary award in 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4. A humor book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5. A book by a journalist or about journalism</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6. A book by an AOC set in or about space</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">7. An #ownvoices book set in Mexico or Central America</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An #ownvoices book set in Oceania</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">9. A book published prior to Jan. 1, 2019 with </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10. A translated book written by and/or translated by a woman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">11. A book of manga</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">12. A book in which an animal or inanimate object is a point-of-view character</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">13. A book by or about someone who identifies as neurodiverse</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">14. A cozy mystery </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">15. A book of mythology or folklore</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">16. A historical romance by an AOC</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">17. A business book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">18. A novel by a trans or nonbinary author</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">19. A book of nonviolent true crime</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">20. A book written in prison</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">21. A comic by an LGBTQIA creator</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">22. A children's or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">23. A self-published book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">24. A collection of poetry published since 2014</span></div>
Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-81679855006246148972019-01-01T16:30:00.000-08:002019-01-01T16:30:05.713-08:00Reading Women 2019 Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://giphy.com/embed/3otPoMkrTC7EzK03F6" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/Obama--hope-michelle-obama-3otPoMkrTC7EzK03F6">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I absolutely loved the 2018 challenge and it inspired me to spend the majority of my reading hours and dollars on women writers, especially women of color. 2018 was a phenomenal year of reading (if for little else) and I know I'll need plenty of women's voices to get me through this year as well. Looking forward to discovering more incredible writers!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. A mystery or thriller written by a woman of color</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. A book about a woman with mental illness</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. A book by an author from Nigeria or New Zealand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. A book about or set in Appalachia</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. A children's book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. A multigenerational family saga</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. A book featuring a woman in science</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. A play</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. A novella</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">10. A book about a woman athlete</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">11. A book featuring a religion other than your own</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">12. A Lambda Literary Award winner</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">13. A myth retelling</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">14. A translated book published before 1945</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">15. A book written by a South Asian author</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">16. A book by an Indigenous woman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">17. A book from the 2018 Reading </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Women Award shortlist </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">18. A romance or love story</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">19. A book about nature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">20. A historical fiction book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">21. A book you bought or borrowed in 2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">22. A book you picked up because of the cover</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">23. Any book from a series</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">24. A young adult book by a woman of color</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">BONUS</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">25. A book by Jesmyn Ward</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">26. A book by Jhumpa Lahiri</span></div>
Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-58766415490495568682018-08-16T10:11:00.000-07:002018-08-30T13:24:31.643-07:00Bout of Books 23: August 20-26, 2018<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's time for Bout of Books again! Get all the details and sign up <a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://giphy.com/embed/8hY8FkKfcrux2" width="474"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/success-brenda-marlowe-8hY8FkKfcrux2">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Yay for a low-key readathon with a fantastic community of book lovers. Whether you read a lot or a little this week, be sure to stop by to say hello and connect with people who love books. I'll be ogling everyone's stacks and adding to my ever-growing TBR. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Monday, August 20, 2018</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Day 1 Challenge: Describe yourself <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23boutofbooks%20%23insixwords&src=typd">#insixwords</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My TBR list will outlive me. #truestory</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="269" src="https://giphy.com/embed/UO9jBXaiViJTW" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/book-club-rants-UO9jBXaiViJTW">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Day 1 Instagram </b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Challenge: Currently reading</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books joined in progress: 1(<i>Jane, Unlimited</i>--264 p)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Book started: 2 (<i>Romancing the Duke</i>--384 p; <i>Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake</i>--50 p)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 698</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493651118l/32991569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493651118l/32991569.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Creatively structured series of five interconnected novellas, each presenting the MC with a different choice and in a different genre. The more I think about it, the more brilliant it seems. Begs for a reread.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆✩</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1377311107l/18052985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="294" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1377311107l/18052985.jpg" width="123" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A destitute author's daughter inherits a castle from her godfather. Unfortunately, it's already inhabited by bats and a grumpy, blind duke who is unwilling to relinquish his ancestral home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tuesday, August 21, 2018</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Day 2 Challenge: Book plot emoji</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>👩💬🤵👉👌😍🥞</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Romancing the Duke</i> by Tessa Dare</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Day 2 Instagram Challenge: Covers featuring a favorite color</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Green</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RtzjIcyHSjo/W32DAYpUPOI/AAAAAAAAA-c/3K7ufWm0rg86D58NwUahJB-mo--rgnSPwCLcBGAs/s1600/Green%2Bcovers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RtzjIcyHSjo/W32DAYpUPOI/AAAAAAAAA-c/3K7ufWm0rg86D58NwUahJB-mo--rgnSPwCLcBGAs/s320/Green%2Bcovers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 2 (<i>Amina's Voice</i>--50 p; A Kind of Freedom--110 p)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 1 (<i>Nine rules</i>--270 p)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 430 </span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1286649993l/6584134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="295" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1286649993l/6584134.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sick of following society's rules, Lady Calpurnia makes a scandalous list of things she's always wanted to try and enlists the help of a notorious rake to help her check items off the list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Wednesday, August 22, 2018</b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Day 3 Challenge: Literary Villain</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An anti-hero you'll love to hate/hate to love = Victor Vale from <i>Vicious</i> by V.E. Schwab</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1532011194l/40874032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1532011194l/40874032.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Day 3 Instagram Challenge: Spine Poetry</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My haiku inspired by the wildfires burning across the Pacific Northwest, and way to close to my house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fire, Burn, Ash--</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Flame in the Mist</span></div>
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<a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlNifh8UYAASTaD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlNifh8UYAASTaD.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 1 (<i>Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet</i>--120 p)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 1 (<i>A Kind of Freedom</i>--120)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 240</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492015397l/33946142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492015397l/33946142.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An African-American family saga spanning three generations that shows the lasting legacy of slavery and racial discrimination in America.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆✩</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Thursday, August 23, 2018</b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Day 4 Challenge: Book Trip</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My travel wishlist includes a tour of bookstores around the world, followed by am extended stay in Paris.</span><br />
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<a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlTqGleU4AEzuuL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="800" height="205" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlTqGleU4AEzuuL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Day 4 Instagram Challenge: 5 🌟 Reads</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Just a few of the favorites currently living on my bookshelves.</span><br />
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<a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlT6cEZVAAE685j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlT6cEZVAAE685j.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 1 (A Tale for the Time Being--70 p)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 1 (Hotel on the Corner--184 p)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 254</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348332221l/3367956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348332221l/3367956.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A love story between a Chinese-American boy and a Japanese-American girl that jumps back and forth between 1942 and 1986.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Friday, August 24, 2018</b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Day 5 Challenge: Bookish Playlist</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I don't listen to music as I read, but my favorite book-inspired songs are "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush and "The Battle of Evermore" by Led Zeppelin (featuring Sandy Denny).</span><br />
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<a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlZCWGHU8AETDBP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlZCWGHU8AETDBP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Day 5 Instagram Challenge: Unfinished Book/Series</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is a so-far unfinished series, only because Libba Bray is still working on the final installment.</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Oplbp8QwrHE/W4Bt-ngGZSI/AAAAAAAAA-0/ryiLnFnKLbAjwvhmYJfrkgPBYc7s4STmwCLcBGAs/s1600/Diviners.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Oplbp8QwrHE/W4Bt-ngGZSI/AAAAAAAAA-0/ryiLnFnKLbAjwvhmYJfrkgPBYc7s4STmwCLcBGAs/s320/Diviners.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 1 (<i>Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 3 (<i>A Tale for the Time Being</i>--362 p; <i>Lots of Candles</i>--224; Amina's Voice--158)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 744</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463767452l/15811545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463767452l/15811545.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ruth, a blocked writer, finds a freezer bag filled with old letters on the beach and gradually gets drawn into Nao's story. I didn't love the touch of magical realism at first, but it all came together in the end, so I got on board.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1330649974l/12752313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1330649974l/12752313.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A memoir about turning 60, filled with wit and wisdom. I loved it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1478818044l/30312547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1478818044l/30312547.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Middle grade realistic fiction featuring Amina, a Pakistani-American girl navigating friendships, faith, and family as everything around her seems to be changing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday, August 25, 2018</b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Day 6 Challenge: Discover Books</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Looking at everyones book stacks reminded me that I want to read <i>The Girl from Everywhere</i> by Heidi Heilig. And also to add <i>Crazy Rich Asians</i> to my library hold list. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434729653l/21979832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434729653l/21979832.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1364852559l/16085481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1364852559l/16085481.jpg" width="131" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Day 6 Instagram Challenge: Books published in 2018</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Except for <i>Circe</i>, these are books I have purchased, but not yet read. <i>Circe</i> is one of my favorite reads of the year, so far.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vkz2myGviF0/W4G3LmON5cI/AAAAAAAAA_M/PLN0M8MAcF0B8XApGFZ5I5qEaRyLtKWTQCLcBGAs/s1600/BoB2018New%2BReleases.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vkz2myGviF0/W4G3LmON5cI/AAAAAAAAA_M/PLN0M8MAcF0B8XApGFZ5I5qEaRyLtKWTQCLcBGAs/s320/BoB2018New%2BReleases.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 3 (<i>Hate to Want You</i>--90 p; <i>The Curated Closet; </i><i>Dark Places--110</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 1 (<i>The Curated Closet</i>--265)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 465</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465676327l/28364022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="282" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465676327l/28364022.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Good advice for identifying your personal style and creating a wardrobe that reflects it. I liked the focus on wearing what makes you feel confident, rather than on following rules or trends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">☆☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday, August 26, 2018</b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Day 7 Challenge: Stretch Goal</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm stretching to finish one more book today!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Day 7 Instagram Challenge: Series Love</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of the series I'm most excited to read. </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j3S-bnS1Nac/W4MPFf-rbVI/AAAAAAAAA_k/oup8F_UXfLwVCBR6pMSnP52GsLaoxc4JwCLcBGAs/s1600/BoBSeriesLove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j3S-bnS1Nac/W4MPFf-rbVI/AAAAAAAAA_k/oup8F_UXfLwVCBR6pMSnP52GsLaoxc4JwCLcBGAs/s320/BoBSeriesLove.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 0</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 1 (<i>Hate to Want You</i>--294; <i>Dark Places</i>--432)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 726</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">FINAL STATS FOR THE WEEK:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Books joined in progress: 1</span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Books started: 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Books finished: 11</span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Pages read: 3557</span><br />
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-79864166930732898752018-07-19T18:27:00.000-07:002018-07-23T18:10:52.623-07:00#24in48 Readathon--July 2018<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="265" src="https://giphy.com/embed/LYW7AgsdPngAM" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/bound-2-LYW7AgsdPngAM">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Another #24in48? My heart is all aflutter, even though my husband is going to do his best to lure me away from my TBR stack. I may not make it to 24 hours, but I'll be reading in every spare moment. For full details and the sign-up, click <a href="https://24in48.com/">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'll be updating this post during the readathon, as well as on Twitter under <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%2324in48&src=typd">#24in48</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Happy reading to all!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday, July 21</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Started:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Down Among the Sticks and Bones</i> by Seanan McGuire </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Dietland</i> by Sarai Walker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Year of Yes </i>by Shonda Rhimes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>I'll Be Gone in the Dark</i> by Michelle McNamara</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Finished:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Down Among the Sticks and Bones</i> by Seanan McGuire 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Dietland</i> by Sarai Walker </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hour 6: Marvelous Opening Lines</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"It was late in the spring when I noticed that a girl was following me, nearly the end of May, a month that means perhaps or might be." from <i>Dietland</i> by Sarai Walker</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">Hour 12: A Whole New World</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The first book I read that altered my worldview was <i>The Mists of Avalon</i> by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I grew up obsessed with mythology, fairy tales, and the King Arthur legend. Reading a story I knew so well from the women's perspectives was an a-ha moment for me about the ways in which women are erased from public view. A more recent read that gave me similar feels is <i>Circe</i> by Madeline Miller. The Odyssey by Homer is another well-known narrative that benefits from giving a central female character the chance to tell her side of the story. </span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1529610467l/40605251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1529610467l/40605251.jpg" width="134" /></a> <a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1508879575l/35959740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1508879575l/35959740.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday, July 22</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm getting behind on the challenges because all I want to do is read! My husband wants attention and we have wildfires burning all around us and I'm in a comfy chair with my books like:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://giphy.com/embed/51XVqRxtB4jqo" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/book-read-reading-51XVqRxtB4jqo">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Started:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finished: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Year of Yes </i>by Shonda Rhimes </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>I'll Be Gone in the Dark</i> by Michelle McNamara</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Final Stats:</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7An607-H_r8/W1Z8Bct-vuI/AAAAAAAAA98/5xmFGiGr-O0mITQIL_j5VIFkahBbSsidgCLcBGAs/s1600/24in48day1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="750" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7An607-H_r8/W1Z8Bct-vuI/AAAAAAAAA98/5xmFGiGr-O0mITQIL_j5VIFkahBbSsidgCLcBGAs/s320/24in48day1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CD4NwTQbpBk/W1Z8DWEjuAI/AAAAAAAAA-A/miKJ69sFYlI46QjvaZZ-YtvC6PNIDZEMQCLcBGAs/s1600/24in48day2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="744" height="267" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CD4NwTQbpBk/W1Z8DWEjuAI/AAAAAAAAA-A/miKJ69sFYlI46QjvaZZ-YtvC6PNIDZEMQCLcBGAs/s320/24in48day2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Total time: 27 hours, 31 minutes, 23 seconds</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Books started: 6</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Books finished: 4</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Total pages read: 1,425</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Can't wait to do this again in January!</span></div>
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-19858606540342303082018-07-01T19:03:00.002-07:002018-08-30T14:05:28.032-07:00#SummerSoLit Book Bingo Reading Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://giphy.com/embed/3o7TKobrbS8tv4tMTS" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/happy-fun-peace-3o7TKobrbS8tv4tMTS">via GIPHY</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What better way to spend the summer than with the <a href="http://www.mochagirlsread.com/summersolit-book-bingo-reading-challenge-2018/">#SummerSoLit Book Bingo Reading Challenge</a>? I hope you'll join me in getting out of your comfort zone and reading and supporting books by POC.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you Twitter, post updates at <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SummerSoLit&src=typd">#SummerSoLit</a> to join in on the fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Challenge dates:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Summer Solstice (June 22) - Fall Solstice (September 22)</span></div>
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<a href="https://i1.wp.com/www.mochagirlsread.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/SummerSoLit-1-1.jpg?resize=768%2C432" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.mochagirlsread.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/SummerSoLit-1-1.jpg?resize=768%2C432" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">1. "HEAT" in the title:</span> <i>Heat of the Night</i> by Sylvia Day (For romance readers who like to skip to the good parts. Steamy paranormal romance.)</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">2. Graphic novel with a PoC in it: </span> <i>Monstress, Vol. 1</i> by Marjorie M. Liu (Gorgeously drawn fantasy-steampunk graphic novel with a creative and compelling plot and a badass MC with a secret.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">3. Last in a series: </span><span style="color: magenta;"><i>Manners & Mutiny</i></span> (Finishing School #4) by Gail Carriger (Fun, action-packed conclusion to a steampunk/comedy of manners series.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">4. Takes place on an island: </span>J<i>ane, Unlimited</i> by Kristin Cashore (Kind of a genre-spanning, choose-your-own-adventure in which each choice the main character makes sets her on a path to face a truth about herself. The more I think about it, the more I like it.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">5. Collection of short stories by a PoC:</span> <i>Her Body and Other Parties </i>by Carmen Maria Machado (Genre-defying, feminist stories about women and their bodies. Think Margaret Atwood with way more queer sex.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">6. Read 11+ books this summer: </span>LOL. Done by mid-June.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">7. Non-fiction about a PoC:</span> <i>Handbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling</i> by Rosie Pérez (An inspiring memoir of surviving and thriving despite childhood trauma. Added all of her movies to my Netflix queue. You know, for when my eyes are tired from reading.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8. Disabled male author</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">9. Fireworks on the cover: </span><i>Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake</i> by Anna Quindlen (A memoir about turning 60, full of wit and wisdom.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10. Local author</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">11. Made into a movie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">12. High school summer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">13. FREE SPACE:</span> </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; text-align: center;">In Other Words/In Altre Parole</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> by Jhumpa Lahiri (Her memoir about her love affair with the Italian language and how it reveals her search for identity and belonging.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">14. LGBTQ main character:</span> <i>Every Heart a Doorway</i> by Seanan McGuire (As soon as Nancy arrives at the Home for Wayward Children, she becomes the prime suspect in some creepy murders. All she wants is to find a door back to the land of the dead.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">15. Roadtrip: </span><span style="color: magenta;"><i>Children of Blood and Bone</i></span> by Tomi Adeyemi (Fast-paced fantasy-adventure about a quest to restore magic to a fictional African kingdom. Dynamic characters and fantastic world-building.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">16. One word title:</span> <i>Circe</i> by Madeline Miller (Circe finally gets to tell her side of the story you may have heard if you read <i>The Odyssey</i>. Gorgeous writing and compelling characters. Plus, some subtle LGBTQ rep.) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">17. Latina main character:</span> <i>The Poet X</i> by Elizabeth Acevedo (Xiomara is a teenager struggling to find her voice in a neighborhood where her curvy body brings unwanted attention and her super-religious mother will do anything to keep control of her daughter in this free-verse novel. I loved the way Spanish is seamlessly woven throughout.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">18. Camping:</span> <i>A Walk in the Woods</i> by Bill Bryson (A humorous account of what happened when an inexperienced hiker took on the Appalachian Trail.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">19. 50 year old sci-fi </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">20. "SUMMER" in the title</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">21. A Beach on the cover:</span> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>To the Lighthouse</i> by Virginia Woolf (The story of a family's life, told in two parts--before and after the death of Mrs. Ramsay. The visit to the lighthouse is a metaphor for all that is unfulfilled in her life.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">22. New York Times Bestseller: </span><i>The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl</i> by Issa Rae (An entertaining </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">collection of essays that </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">mostly skim the surface. I'm more of a fan of her work in television, where her voice absolutely sparkles.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">23. One word title:</span> <i>Dietland</i> by Sarai Walker (A feminist manifesto that takes on diet and rape culture.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">24. Muslim female author:</span> <i>Amina's Voice</i> by Hena Khan (Middle grade fiction featuring a Pakistani-American girl navigating friendships, faith, and family.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">25. Historical fiction with Asian main character: </span><i>Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet </i>by Jamie Ford (First love between a Chinese-American boy and a Japanese-American girl that jumps back and forth between 1942 and 1986.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">🌟🌟🌟</span></div>
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-74799759736662948022018-07-01T18:10:00.002-07:002018-08-03T08:42:25.904-07:00High Summer Readathon--July 2018<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Readathons are such fun. Even though I'm already doing several others right now, I'm jumping on the bandwagon for the </span><a href="http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/2018/07/high-summer-readathon-lets-go.html" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">High Summer Readathon</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> hosted by Michelle at </span><a href="http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Seasons of Reading</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. The best thing about this one is that I can read whatever strikes my fancy. YAY!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="320" src="https://giphy.com/embed/rMpSSDHZSD8cM" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/rMpSSDHZSD8cM">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'll keep this simple by noting titles as I start reading and add a star rating as I finish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Week 1: July 1-7</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>A Room with a View </i>by E.M. Forster (119 p) ☆☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Circe</i> by Madeline Miller (400 P) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Monstress, Volume 1</i> by Marjorie Lu (208 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Every Heart a Doorway </i>by Seanan McGuire (176 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict</i> by The Arbinger Institute (288 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life</i> by Thich Nhat Hanh (134 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Week 1 Totals:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books read: 6</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 1325</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Week 2: July 8-14</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child</i> by Thich Nhat Hanh (184 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Pachinko</i> by Min Jin Lee (496 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Pleasures of the Night</i> by Sylvia Day (256 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Heat of the Night</i> by Sylvia Day (304 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck</i> by Sarah Knight (209 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Week 2 Totals:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books read: 5</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 1449 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Week 3: July 15-21</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative</i> by Florence Williams (288 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Her Body and Other Parties</i> by Carmen Maria Machado (248 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Widow Nash</i> by Jamie Harrison (352 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Children of Blood and Bone</i> by Tomi Adeyemi (448 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>In Other Words/In Altre Parole</i> by Jhumpa Lahiri (256 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Down Among the Sticks and Bones</i> (192 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Dietland</i> by Sarai Walker (320 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Week 3 Totals:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books read: 7</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 2104</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Week 4: July 22-28</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>I'll Be Gone in the Dark</i> by Michelle McNamara (352 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Year of Yes</i> by Shonda Rhimes (336 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>My American Duchess</i> by Eloisa James (432 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Hamilton Affair</i> by Elizabeth Cobbs (408 p)</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Alexander Hamilton</i> by Ron Chernow (818 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Exile</i> by Diana Gabaldon (224 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Restless Dead</i> by Deborah Noyes (Ed.) (253 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Torch</i> by Cheryl Strayed (336 p) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Week 4 Totals:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books read: 8</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 3,159 (Thanks to Dewey's Reverse Readathon!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Week 5: July 29-31</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Girl, Wash Your Face</i> by Rachel Hollis (240 p) <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Week 5 Totals:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books read: 1</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Pages read: 240</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>TOTALS FOR THE MONTH:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Books read: 27</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Pages read: 8,277</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Books by women: 22/27</b></span><br />
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-80834109443001160002018-05-14T09:44:00.001-07:002018-05-20T22:11:16.817-07:00Bout of Books 22: May 14-20<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER BOUT OF BOOKS!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">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 </span><a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Bout of Books</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> blog. --From the Bout of Books team</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 14</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Currently reading:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Vicious</i> by V.E. Schwab 182-368 </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Miles Morales: Spider-Man</i> by Jason Reynolds 70-160</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Ghost</i> by Jason Reynolds 1-208 </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Patina</i> by Jason Reynolds 1-240 ☆☆☆☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Challenge: Introduce yourself <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23insixwords&src=tyah">#insixwords</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's not hoarding if it's books. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="269" src="https://giphy.com/embed/UO9jBXaiViJTW" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/book-club-rants-UO9jBXaiViJTW">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 15</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b>Currently reading:</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Miles Morales: Spider-Man</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Jason Reynolds 160-270</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Long Way Down </i>by Jason Reynolds 1-80</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Saints and Misfits</i> by S.K. Ali 1-68</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Challenge: Year of You - </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A book published the year you were born </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23boutofbooks%20%23Yearofyou&src=typd">#yearofyou</a> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Edible Woman</i> by Margaret Atwood: Though not my favorite book, she is one of my favorite authors.</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320439047l/133445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="290" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320439047l/133445.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 16</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Currently reading:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Miles Morales: Spider-Man</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Jason Reynolds 270-416 </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Long Way Down </i>by Jason Reynolds 80-320 </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Saints and Misfits</i> by S.K. Ali 68-336 </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Ramona Blue</i> by Julie Murphy 1-15</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Challenge: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23showmeyourprecious&src=typd">#showmeyourprecious</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 17</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>currently reading:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Ramona Blue</i> by Julie Murphy 15-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>My Brilliant Friend</i> by Elena Ferrante 1-331 </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Challenge: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23boutofbooks%20%23readalikes&src=typd">#readalikes</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you enjoyed Adelina Amouteru in Marie Lu's <i>Young Elites</i> trilogy, try <i>Vicious</i> by V.E. Schwab. Victor Vale is an anti-hero you'll hate to love (or love to hate).</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407318399l/20821111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407318399l/20821111.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1362495700l/13638125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1362495700l/13638125.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you enjoy Margaret Atwood, try Carmen Maria Machado for more surreal stories in which women's bodies are battlegrounds.</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453614621l/856927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="284" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453614621l/856927.jpg" width="119" /></a> <a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485266434l/33375622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485266434l/33375622.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 18</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>currently reading:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Ramona Blue</i> by Julie Murphy 15-105</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Story of a New Name</i> by Elena Ferrante 1-255</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Challenge: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23boutofbooks%20%23spacescavengerhunt&src=typd">#spacescavengerhunt</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Mercury</b> - Favorite short story/novella</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"The Husband Stitch" by Carmen Maria Machado</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"The Resplendent Quetzal" by Margaret Atwood</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Venus</b> - Favorite book with a female protagonist</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Mists of Avalon</i> by Marion Zimmer Bradley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Epic Crush of Genie Lo</i> by F.C. Yee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Uprooted</i> by Naomi Novik</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Wrath & the Dawn</i> by Renée Ahdieh</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>¡Yo!</i> by Julia Alvarez</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Briar Rose</i> by Jane Yolen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Young Elites</i> by Marie Lu</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Earth</b> - Favorite book about nature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Hidden Life of Trees</i> by Peter Wohlleben</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Mars</b> - Favorite book with a red cover</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Inkheart</i> by Cornelia Funke</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Holding Out</i> by Anne O. Faulk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Push</i> by Sapphire</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Hag-Seed</i> by Margaret Atwood</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Jupiter</b> - Favorite tome over 500 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales</i> by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</i> by J.K. Rowling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Outlander</i> by Diana Gabaldon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Diviners</i> by Libba Bray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Les Misérables</i> by Victor Hugo</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Saturn</b> - Favorite book with circle/ring on cover/in title</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Fellowship of the Ring</i> by J.R.R. Tolkien</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Tenth Circle</i> by Jodi Picoult</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Uranus</b> - Favorite book set in winter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Shining</i> by Stephen King</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>A Redbird Christmas</i> by Fannie Flagg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Book Thief</i> by Markus Zusak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Breadcrumbs</i> by Anne Ursu</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Neptune</b> - Favorite book set at sea, on a boat, or under water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Monstrous Beauty</i> by Elizabeth Fama</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Sirena</i> by Donna Jo Napoli</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle</i> by Avi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Life of Pi</i> by Yann Martel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Watch That Ends the Night</i> by Allan Wolf</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Pluto</b> - Favorite book featuring a dog</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Laika</i> by Nick Abadzis</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Because of Winn-Dixie</i> by Kate DiCamillo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Marley & Me</i> by John Grogan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Phantom Tollbooth</i> by Norton Juster</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>A Dog's Life</i> by Ann M. Martin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Love That Dog</i> by Sharon Creech</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Moon</b> - Favorite book set anywhere other than Earth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Little Prince</i> by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Sun</b> - Favorite book set in summer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</i> by Ann Brashares</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Keeping the Moon</i> by Sarah Dessen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Fever 1793</i> by Laurie Halse Anderson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Space</b> - Favorite book set in space</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i> by Douglas Adams</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>A Wrinkle in Time</i> by Madeleine L'Engle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Cinder</i> by Melissa Meyer</span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 19</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>currently reading:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Ramona Blue</i> by Julie Murphy 105-200</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Story of a New Name</i> by Elena Ferrante 255-480 </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives</i> by Dashka Slater 1-320 </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Love Warrior</i> by Glennon Doyle 1-61</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Challenge: Share your favorite Bout of Books Moment</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My favorite moments are connecting with other people whose idea of fun is to read more and chat about books. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 20</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>currently reading:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Ramona Blue</i> by Julie Murphy 200-432 </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Love Warrior</i> by Glennon Doyle 61-272 </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Challenge: Stretch Goal</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I did finish <i>Ramona Blue</i> 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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">**********</span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Totals (Updated May 20):</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Books started: 8</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Books finished: 10</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pages read: 3,462</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="364" src="https://giphy.com/embed/fisUtTuC2ZdKM" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/cat-disney-alice-in-wonderland-fisUtTuC2ZdKM">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Going to read a bit more. Bye!</span><br />
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-55627821293405824332018-04-18T19:13:00.002-07:002018-04-29T22:49:54.416-07:00Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon, April 2018<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm still reading, really. (Me around hour 17.)</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://giphy.com/embed/3orifaKhNjDWjQLvFK" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/season-20-the-simpsons-20x4-3orifaKhNjDWjQLvFK">via GIPHY</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Time for <a href="http://www.24hourreadathon.com/about-2/">Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon</a>! Sign up <a href="http://www.24hourreadathon.com/april-2018-reader-sign-ups/">here</a> to join the fun. Check <a href="http://www.24hourreadathon.com/start-times/">here</a> for the start time in your time zone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'll be posting mostly on Twitter using <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23readathon&src=tyah">#readathon</a>, but will also post stats here (probably not every hour). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ready....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Set...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="392" src="https://giphy.com/embed/VGG8UY1nEl66Y" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/adventure-latin-flinch-VGG8UY1nEl66Y">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo</i> by Jill Twiss ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521430068l/39319227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="318" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521430068l/39319227.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Stink bugs are temporary. Love is forev</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">er.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">40 pages / 10 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Hidden Life of Trees</i> by Peter Wohlleben </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464281905l/28256439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464281905l/28256439.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Made me want to go outside and hug a tree.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">288 pages / 3 hours, 37 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions</i> by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">⭐</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493035257l/33585392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493035257l/33585392.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Being an angry feminist can be extremely tiring. I needed this gentle reminder that feminism isn't a radical idea.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">96 pages / 1 hour, 1 minute</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>They Both Die at the End</i> by Adam Silvera </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">⭐⭐⭐</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494333138l/33385229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494333138l/33385229.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Two teen boys who find out they will die in the following 24 hours meet through an app and spend their final hours falling in love and learning to be the kind of people they always wished to be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">384 pages / 4 hours, 28 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Lighter Than My Shadow</i> by Katie Green </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1416445459l/17456953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1416445459l/17456953.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Powerful graphic memoir about recovering from eating disorders.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">516 pages / 1 hour, 14 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time</i> by Tanya Lee Stone </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465652438l/28766220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="307" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465652438l/28766220.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A collection of biographical essays about girls in developing nations who are fighting for education. Equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">208 pages / 1 hour, 42 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Saving Red</i> by Sonya Sones </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455708962l/28446327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455708962l/28446327.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Molly, dealing with the trauma that destroyed her once-happy family, sets out to reunite a homeless girl with her family for Christmas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">448 pages / 2 hours, 14 minutes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>We Are Never Meeting in Real Life</i> by Samantha Irby</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481727131l/33381433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="174" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481727131l/33381433.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Partially read: 105 pages / 1 hour, 20 minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Mrs. Poe</i> by Lynn Cullen</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1420462099l/16130398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1420462099l/16130398.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Partially read: 127 pages / 3 hours, 48 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">TOTALS: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books Started: 9</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books Finished: 7</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages Read: 2212</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Time Read: 19 hours, 37 minutes </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://giphy.com/embed/3o7bu47Qm59U3MPkK4" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/beautybrands-beauty-brands-liter-sale-laney-3o7bu47Qm59U3MPkK4">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until we meet again!</span></div>
Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-82450619632266213012018-03-09T13:42:00.000-08:002018-07-01T13:41:45.425-07:00YALSA 2018 HUB READING CHALLENGE<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even though I'm no longer teaching, the <a href="http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2018/03/01/2018-hub-reading-challenge-begins-today/">YALSA Hub Reading Challenge</a> is still one of my favorites. I read more adult literature these days, but I will always hold a special place in my heart for YA. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="334" src="https://giphy.com/embed/KiXl0vfc9XIIM" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/recess-KiXl0vfc9XIIM">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here's the lowdown: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pick 25 (or more if you're like me) award-winning 2017 YA reads from this <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YGTDThIFtMFu2Z5I4A70adlJQLc3gdjaoefxEY63tt8/edit#gid=0">sortable list</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Add a comment <a href="http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2018/03/01/2018-hub-reading-challenge-begins-today/">here</a> to sign up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Share your progress on the monthly check-in posts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Use <b>#hubchallenge</b> on your social media posts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once you've read 25 titles, fill out the wrap-up form to be entered into a drawing for a bag of YA books. (I've never won, but there's always this year!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My process for this challenge is to read whatever I can get my hands on, preferably without buying, as I am no longer curating a classroom library. While I still buy YA books books because I still love them, I tend to borrow them first and then only buy the ones that I want to keep on my shelves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So my starting entries are rereads that are already on my shelves or in my Audible library. I've been using the shit out of the Libby app to borrow ebooks and audiobooks from my local library, but hold times are LOOOOONG. I may have to break down and buy a few of the ones I'd really like to read before the challenge ends (Jason Reynolds, for example).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. <b><i>The First Part Last</i> by Angela Johnson</b> ★★★★</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In a twist on the single teen mother scenario, Bobby is a teen father raising his daughter, Feather, on his own. He struggles to care for her while also meeting his other responsibilities. Alternating chapters describe Bobby's life Then (before Feather) and Now (after Feather). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Beautifully written and poetic; even the soap opera-ish ending doesn't detract too much from this lovely little book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>We Are Okay</i> by Nina LaCour</b> ★★★★</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Marin, a college freshman, is spending winter break alone in an empty dorm. No one from home has heard a word from her since she left at the end of summer. Now her best friend/former girlfriend is flying from California to New York to visit her and Marin knows they will have to talk about what happened the day her grandfather died.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The writing is gorgeous and evocative. Marin’s grief and loneliness is palpable and reflected in the cold New York winter and her bare dorm room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. <b><i>Scythe</i> by Neal Shusterman</b> ★★★★★</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In a utopian world where humans have conquered death and disease and people can "turn the corner" as many times as they please, what keeps population from overwhelming the planet's resources? Scythes live on the fringes of society and mete out death as they choose (though they do have quotas to meet and are disciplined if their "gleanings" show bias or laziness).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Scythe Faraday does something out of the ordinary and takes on two apprentices--Citra and Rowan. Neither actually want the job, but take the apprenticeships, party out of curiosity and partly because their families will be immune from gleaning as long as they are scythes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While I tagged this as a dystopian novel, it really isn't one. The world is actually pretty great, if a bit boring. Citra and Rowan are in the center of plenty of action and adventure as they learn the art of taking a life, but what I found more interesting were the ethical questions they grappled with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Thunderhead, the sequel, is sneaking it's way to the top of my TBR.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. <b><i>The Hate U Give</i> by Angie Thomas</b> ★★★★</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After seeing her friend die in a drive-by shooting when she was only ten years old, Starr's parents decide to transfer her and her brothers to a predominantly white school in the suburbs. Though her family still lives in the neighborhood, Starr has lost touch with most of her old friends. She gets talked into going to a party where she sees Khalil, once her best friend. He ends up driving her home after a fight breaks out at the party and they get stopped by police on the way home, even though they are doing nothing wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Starr's terror as Khalil is hauled out of the car is palpable. Though he's unarmed, the officer shoots him in the back. Not only does Starr have to watch another friend bleed to death by the side of the road, but she also has to keep her hands up with the gun trained on her. This scene was especially eye-opening for me. As a white woman, I might be annoyed or inconvenienced by being pulled over, but it would never have occurred to me to fear that I wouldn't survive the encounter. That right there is what white privilege looks like.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As we've seen happen over and over in real life, rumors start being reported about Khalil--he was a drug-dealing thug who just maybe got what he deserved. In the court of public opinion, he is on trial for his own murder.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Starr wants justice for her friend, but what she says about Khalil could put her entire family in danger.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The characters in this book are fantastic and their relationships are well-developed. Even though this is a serious topic, there are many light moments, especially between Starr and her parents. She also has a close relationship with her uncle, a police officer, which was a nice touch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This would be an excellent choice for a book club discussion, especially one with white people who still don't understand that #BlackLivesMatter doesn't mean that other lives don't matter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. <b><i>The Sun is Also a Star</i> by Nicola Yoon</b> ★★★★</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm not a believer in love at first sight (lust, certainly) but I enjoyed watching a relationship develop between Natasha (an undocumented immigrant from Jamaica) and Daniel (American, but part of a traditional Korean family).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Natasha goes to the immigration office in a last-ditch effort to keep her family from being deported. Several coincidences later, she's on the way to an appointment with a lawyer who specializes in immigration issues. She meets Daniel as he is on his way to his favorite barber and a meeting that will set him on the path to a life that he doesn't really want.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Daniel is instantly smitten, but Natasha is just not having it. Thanks to a few more coincidences, though, she gives him a chance to prove that he can use science to get her to fall in love with him. As their day progresses, toward its inevitable conclusion, they share more and more about themselves and their lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What I actually liked even more than the insta-love that strained credibility on more than one occasion were the snippets of random facts and the behind-the-scenes peeks into the lives of random strangers who influenced the main story in large and small ways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2018/04/11/2017-hub-reading-challenge-april-check-2/">Update #1: 2018 Hub Reading Challenge April Check-In</a>: Five complete, one in progress.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">6. <b><i>Flying Lessons and Other Stories</i> by Ellen Oh (ed.) ★★★★⭑</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I loved this collection of short stories about diverse characters. I would highly recommend it for every middle grade reader. I’m not exactly the target audience, but I still found something to love in every story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although I enjoyed all of the stories, these were stand-outs:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Difficult Path by Grace Lin (A Chinese servant girl is allowed an education that takes her to some very surprising places.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sol Painting by Meg Medina (A first-generation immigrant gets a glimpse of the racism her father faces as he tries to make a better life for his children.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn by Kelly J. Baptist (Both sad and hopeful, a boy dealing with grief and loss finds solace in his father’s stories.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Choctaw Bigfoot, Midnight in the Mountains by Tim Tingle (I loved the story-within-story and the interplay between the children and the storyteller. I laughed out loud.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>7. One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus </b></span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★★</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Excellent YA murder mystery with echoes of The Breakfast Club. Five high school students gather for an after school detention, but only four will walk out alive. Simon, author of a gossip blog, has dirt on brainy Bronwyn, popular Addy, athletic Cooper, and bad boy Nate and plans to release their secrets. When Simon dies under suspicious circumstances, all four become suspects in a murder investigation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Kept me turning pages. I think this would translate very well to film or TV series.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8. I Am Alfonso Jones by Tony Medina </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★★</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Alfonso Jones is a gifted student looking forward to playing Hamlet in his school play and crushing on his best friend, Danetta. But while shopping for his first suit, an off-duty police officer mistakes a hanger for a gun and kills him. Alfonso wakes up on a ghost-train filled with other victims of police brutality who are doomed to ride the train until justice is served. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No justice, no peace. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A broad overview of why #blacklivesmatter is important that belongs in every classroom library.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>9. <i>Starfish</i> by Akemi Dawn Bowman </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Excuse me while I feel all the feelings. *sobs</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Kiko is a talented artist who has pinned all of her hopes for a better a life on her admission to art school. She dreams of escaping her narcissistic, emotionally abusive mother, her memories of childhood trauma, and her crippling social anxiety. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The descriptions of her inner monologues (WHAT I WANTED TO SAY vs. WHAT I ACTUALLY SAID) rang so true. Anyone who has struggled with anxiety will be able to relate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“I want to be brave, but I don’t know how.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then she is rejected by the school. A chance encounter with an old friend leads her to California, where she finds an art mentor and discovers a pride in her biracial heritage and an inner strength she had no idea was there. There is also a sweet love story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Artwork isn’t finished just because you’ve colored up to every corner on the page. Artwork is finished when you get to the end of your sentence.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Art plays a huge part in Kiko’s growth and the descriptions of her sketches at the end of each chapter were absolutely perfect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10. <i>Pashmina</i> by Nidhi Chanani </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Priyanka Das has been raised by her mother in California and knows little about her Indian heritage. Her mother came to the US, alone, before Pri was born and refuses to talk about India, or anyone she knew there, including Pri’s father. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When Priyanka finds a mysterious pashmina and wraps it around herself, she is transported to India. The black and white illustrations become vividly colored (like when Dorothy steps out her front door into Oz) as Pri explores a new world and tries to discover the identity of a shadow lurking at the edge of her visions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>11. <i>Honor Girl</i> by Maggie Thrash </b></span><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">★★</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Memoir about falling in love at a Christian summer camp and the struggle about whether or not to come out to friends and family. There are some funny and poignant moments, but I simply didn’t connect with the artwork. And that ending?!? I realize memoirs don’t necessarily have neat and tidy endings, but still. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Could be helpful for a young person coming to terms with their sexuality, but not my cup of tea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">12. <i>Lucky Broken Girl</i> by Ruth Behar </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A sweet story about hope and healing based on the author’s childhood. Fans of Raina Telgemeier’s <i>Smile</i> might enjoy this middle grade memoir. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ruthie and her parents, Cuban-Jewish immigrants, are involved in a serious accident, leaving Ruthie in a full-body cast for a year. While she lies in bed, isolated and terrified that she’ll never walk again, her friends and family do their best to keep her spirits up. I loved the diverse cast of characters and the sensory details of language and culture that weave through the narrative.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">13. <i>Lighter Than My Shadow</i> by Katie Green </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A powerful graphic memoir about the author/illustrator’s struggle with perfectionism, eating disorders, and sexual abuse. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She says in the forward, “You are holding the book I wish had been there for me. It exists because I wanted nobody else to feel as lost, confused and alone as I felt. I wanted to be honest about how hard recovery is, and how long it takes, at the same time proving that it is possible.”</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">14. <i>Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time</i> by Tanya Lee Stone </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This collection of biographical essays about girls from developing nations who are fighting for their right to education is equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And for a change of pace, the book is based on a documentary of the same name, but with more stories included. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is an excellent chapter encouraging young people to get involved in activism to make the world a better place. I’m not young, but I’ll be looking for more information about a nonprofit called Room to Read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">15. <i>They Both Die at the End</i> by Adam Silvera </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In a world that seems contemporary, except for the Death-Cast company that notifies you on the day of your death, Mateo and Emeterio both get the call. They find each other through an app called Last Friend, and decide to spend their last day together. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Though I was intrigued by the premise and loved the end, the middle seemed to drag in places. I finally got invested in the characters, but not until pretty close to the end. I liked it, but didn’t love it.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">16. <i>Brave</i> by Svetlana Chmakova </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Jensen loves to draw and dreams of being an astronaut, despite the fact that he sucks at math. He gets through his day in middle school by treating it like a video game with levels and bosses to beat. He mostly manages to avoid his two biggest tormentors, but it takes him a while to realize that he’s also being bullied by people who he considers friends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">His quest to be seen and included is very sweet. Middle grade readers will connect with his story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">17. <i>Bird</i> by Angela Johnson </span></b></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When thirteen year old Bird’s stepdad leaves, she follows him to his sister’s home in Alabama, determined to convince him to come home. She can’t decide how to approach him, so she hides in a shed and observes the family, hoping she can figure out the secret to their happiness. While she’s in town, she becomes enmeshed in the lives of three lonely and grieving people. Jay, Ethan, and Mrs. Pritchard show kindness to Bird and heal themselves in the process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Such a beautiful, uplifting little book. I loved it.</span><br />
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<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">18. </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Patina</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Jason Reynolds </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In book two of the Track series, we learn more about Ghost’s teammate, Patina. Her dad died suddenly in his sleep when her mom was pregnant with her younger sister, Maddy. And after her mom lost her legs to diabetes, the girls were adopted by her aunt and uncle. At the ritzy new school she attends, Patina struggles to fit in, but at least she has track, where she can shut everyone out and depend on herself alone. Until, that is, the coach makes her the anchor of the relay race and she has to learn to depend on her teammates. Excellent middle grade fiction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">19. <i>Miles Morales: Spider-Man</i> by Jason Reynolds </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Miles Morales brings a new perspective to the Spider-Man story and I am so here for it. Half-black, half Puerto Rican and living in a tough neighborhood, Miles watches his parents struggle to pay the bills. They’ve sacrificed a lot to send him to a private school, and when he’s framed for a crime he didn’t commit, Miles starts to wonder what is really going on at his school. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I would have liked a bit more spidey action and a bit less teen angst, but I still enjoyed getting to know Miles. Can’t wait for the movie.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">May Check-In Total: 19</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">20. <i>Long Way Down</i> by Jason Reynolds </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When Will’s brother Shawn is murdered, he knows just what to do: Follow the rules—No crying. No snitching. Revenge. He picks up his brother’s gun and takes the elevator from the seventh floor to the lobby. As the elevator reaches each floor, someone steps in who can fill in another piece of Shawn’s story. Will has to follow the rules, right? Right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Told in free verse, Will’s descent will keep readers riveted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>21. <i>Saints and Misfits</i> by S.K. Ali </b></span><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Janna is a teenaged hijabi girl struggling to figure out who she wants to be in the world. Being a good Muslim is very important to her, but so is drawing, photography, Flannery O’Connor, and a non-Muslim boy she is crushing on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She starts to doubt herself after a friend’s supposedly pious cousin attempts to rape her. He is highly respected and she doesn’t think anyone will believe her if she tells.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Spoiler alert: There are no terrorists here. Just ordinary people living their daily lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>22. <i>Ramona Blue</i> by Julie Murphy </b></span></span><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ramona, 6’3” and blue-haired, lives in a dilapidated FEMA trailer in Eulogy, Mississippi with her dad and sister. Her mother deserted the family after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home. When Harriet gets pregnant, her immature boyfriend moves in as well, making the already crowded space even worse. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ramona feels trapped, in the too-small trailer, as the one forever responsible for cleaning up her sister’s messes, in her small town. She is trying to maintain a long-distance romance with Grace, when Freddie (her best friend from childhood) comes back to town. They start swimming together and gradually realize that there is more than friendship between them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is a great cast of characters and Ramona’s exploration of her sexuality is sensitive and realistic. Her journey is utterly believable and I loved every step of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This book shows why I still do the YALSA Hub Reading Challenge every year. I wouldn’t have picked it up without a nudge, but it’s one of my favorite reads of the year so far.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>23. <i>The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives</i> by Dashka Slater </b></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">YA narrative nonfiction about a horrifying incident on a bus in Oakland in 2013. Sasha, an agender (meaning they don’t identify as any gender) teen, was napping when Richard, another teen, set their skirt on fire. Sasha was rushed to the emergency room with third degree burns and Richard was arrested. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I didn’t love the writing style, but I appreciated the way Slater showed both Sasha’s and Richard’s humanity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">24. <i>You're Welcome, Universe </i>by Whitney Gardner </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Julia is a Deaf Indian teenager and I kind of loved that she was so prickly and could be quite a jerk at times. She felt like a real person, warts and all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When someone graffitis a rude comment about her friend on school property, she covers it with graffiti of her own. Unfortunately, her friend snitches and Julia gets expelled from Kingston School for the Deaf. At her new public school, she struggles to connect with teachers and students who know little about deaf culture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even though her moms and the translator who accompanies her to classes watch her every move, Julia finds a way to continue creating street art. But she’s soon drawn into a turf war with another street artist who adds details to her tags almost as soon as she puts them up. Julia doesn’t want to admit it, but her rival’s additions actually make her art better. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I loved both the art and the portrayal of Deaf culture.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">25. <i>Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation</i> by Octavia Butler and Damian Duffy </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A graphic novel adaptation of Octavia Butler’s novel about a young black woman who travels back and forth in time. Every time her ancestor, Rufus Weylin, risks his life, she is pulled back in time to pre-Civil War Maryland. Not only does she save his life, but she also tries to help the slaves on the Weylin plantation and teach Rufus to be a better human.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">26. <i>The Stars Beneath Our Feet</i> by David Barclay Moore </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A middle grade title about a tween boy grieving the death of his brother. He’s also facing pressure in the neighborhood to join a gang, but he just wants to hang out with his friends and build legos. I loved that his mom is a lesbian, but that’s just his life, rather than a source of conflict. The after school program where he meets Rose felt very realistic and I thoroughly enjoyed their weird friendship and the way it developed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Lolly is dealing with some tough choices and really trying to find his way in the world. There are plenty of life lessons, but they never feel preachy or unrealistic. An excellent book for middle grade readers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">27. <i>Vincent and Theo</i> by Deborah Heiligman </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A moving biography focused on the deep love between Vincent Van Gogh and his brother Theo. Vincent—driven, mercurial, artistic—struggled with mental illness all his life. Though not an artist himself, Theo was instrumental in nurturing his brother’s creative fire—supporting him financially, challenging him to refine his style, and including Vincent’s paintings in gallery exhibitions.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">28. <i>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</i> by J.K. Rowling/Newt Scamander </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Honestly, I’ve had the physical book for years and never read it because it’s not a story. It’s more of a glossary detailing all of the magical creatures in the Harry Potter universe. But listening to Eddie Redmayne read it was utterly charming. And I was reminded once again of how blown away I was the first time I encountered J.K. Rowling’s wonderful wizarding world.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">29. <i>The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue</i> by Mackenzi Lee </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“There’s really nothing to do but pretend I’m fully clothed and in control of the situation.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That’s Henry Montague, a reckless young nobleman who is anything but a gentleman. He gambles, drinks too much, and sleeps with anyone (man or woman) he can charm into bed. Utterly frustrated with him, his father sends him on a tour of Europe, a last hurrah before he returns to run the family estate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">He is accompanied on the trip by his best friend and his sister. Percy will attend law school in Holland after the trip. Only after he learns that they will soon be separated does Henry realize that he feels more than friendship for Percy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Henry’s sister Felicity is a badass, kind of the Hermione of the trio. During one crisis she says, “Ladies haven’t the luxury of being squeamish about blood,” and then goes on to save Henry’s stupid ass, for the umpteenth time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Henry’s bad decisions set the stage for a rollicking adventure punctuated by both laugh-out-loud and surprisingly touching moments. The romance between Percy and Henry is super sweet and the book’s ending is lovely. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“We are not broken things, neither of us. We are cracked pottery mended with lacquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved.”</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">30. <i>Strange the Dreamer</i> by Laini Taylor </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Strange the Dreamer, book 1.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Lazlo Strange is an orphan taken in and raised by monks. Fueled by the monks’ stories, he is obsessed with the the lost city now known as Weep. As a junior librarian, he’s resigned to spending his life helping great men do great things. And then the Godslayer comes to town, looking to assemble a team to solve a mysterious problem. Lazlo is determined to join the expedition, even if it means staying in the background while others get to be the heroes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you are looking for gorgeous, lush writing, a love story that evokes Romeo & Juliet, and magical gods/monsters, this is the book for you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pro tip: Don’t pick this up until you can also get your hands on book two, Muse of Nightmares. Because cliffhanger.</span><br />
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So many great reads! There were more of my TBR that I didn't get to, but here are my favorites of the books I read:</div>
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<i>Starfish</i> by Akemi Dawn Bowman</div>
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<i>Bird</i> by Angela Johnson</div>
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<i>The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue</i> by Mackenzie Lee</div>
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<i>Ramona Blue</i> by Julie Murphy</div>
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<i>Flying Lessons and Other Stories</i> by Ellen Oh (Ed.)</div>
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<i>Scythe</i> by Neal Shusterman</div>
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<i>Strange the Dreamer</i> by Laini Taylor</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-47400994815749024482018-01-26T17:50:00.000-08:002018-01-28T22:41:50.471-08:0024 in 48 Readathon - January 2018<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://giphy.com/embed/toSMxU7Mguxnq" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/beauty-and-the-beast-toSMxU7Mguxnq">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh, hey. Hi there. It's me again. Just dropping another itsy, bitsy readathon right here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This isn't my first <a href="https://24in48.com/">24 in 48 Readathon</a>. I don't generally bother too much with the challenges or prizes because it interferes with the reading. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The community is great, though. I enjoy tracking my reading time and challenging myself to squeeze in a few more pages, even if I don't post much. I'll be reading along with the official Eastern Time Zone schedule (midnight on Friday, January 26 - midnight on Sunday, January 28). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here's my little gray cat giving our tiny TBR her approval. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I also just started using Libby, an app that makes it super easy to connect to your local library and download ebooks and audiobooks. I may dive into one of my holds if I get the urge. </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JwhOjiocChc/WmvVDOh3-WI/AAAAAAAAA74/vh_Ekav-U7wEKqBeqUkDSd8QITREoW6EwCLcBGAs/s1600/2448LibbyStack.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JwhOjiocChc/WmvVDOh3-WI/AAAAAAAAA74/vh_Ekav-U7wEKqBeqUkDSd8QITREoW6EwCLcBGAs/s320/2448LibbyStack.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I didn't think I'd enjoy reading books on my phone, but it's actually quite convenient. Check out the free app <a href="https://meet.libbyapp.com/">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ready, set, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="348" src="https://giphy.com/embed/QJvwBSGaoc4eI" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/bugs-bunny-running-exercise-QJvwBSGaoc4eI">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday, January 27</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Hour 6 Challenge: Oldest book on your shelves</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The oldest book I have is <i>Lad, A Dog</i> by Albert Payson Terhune. Published in 1919. It's one of many books that have been passed down in my family. It's been in my collection since I was about ten years old.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Hour 12 Challenge: Best first line from your stack</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Eva Nine was dying." --from <i>The Search for WondLa</i> by Tony DiTerrlizzi</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Hour 18 Challenge: Favorite book-to-screen adaptation</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This was hard to narrow down, so I did my top three.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1. <i>The Princess Bride</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2. <i>Stardust</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3. <i>Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Books started:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 406 pages/9 hours, 38 minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerrlizzi 204 pages/1 hour, 55 minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 84 pages/59 minutes</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 694</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Time read:12 hours, 32 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday, January 28</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <b>Hour 30 Challenge: Longest owned, but not read</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Saving the World</i> by Amy Tan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Hour 36 Challenge: Literal Bookends</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Since I'm an alphabetical organizer, the first book on my fiction shelves is <i>Laika</i> by Nick Abadzis and the last is <i>I Am The Messenger</i> by Markus Zusak</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Books started: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The View from the Cheap Seats</i> by Neil Gaiman 125 pages/2 hours, 25 minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Books finished:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Big Little Lies</i> by Liane Moriarty 74 pages/1 hour, 27 minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Search for WondLa</i> by Tony DiTerlizzi 308 pages/5 hours, 5 minutes</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pages Read: 507</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Time Read: 8 hours, 57 minutes</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492239430l/19486412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492239430l/19486412.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a7/The_Search_for_WondLa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a7/The_Search_for_WondLa.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Total books started: 4</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Total books finished: 2</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Total Pages: 1301</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Total time: 21 hours, 29 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="205" src="https://giphy.com/embed/R2m2NzVxQ3pbG" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/reactiongifs-R2m2NzVxQ3pbG">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh, well, maybe next time I'll get there.</span></div>
Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-40678431331638568282018-01-07T09:53:00.000-08:002018-12-30T15:19:11.871-08:00POPSUGAR 2018 Reading Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://giphy.com/embed/xT0BKiK5sOCVdBUhiM" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/friends-nick-at-nite-xT0BKiK5sOCVdBUhiM">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>POPSUGAR 2018 Reading Challenge</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This one's just for fun. If you need a little motivation to jumpstart your reading routine, check out the 2018 Reading Challenge via <a href="https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Reading-Challenge-2018-44138581">POPSUGAR</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book made into a movie you've already seen</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Martian</i> by Andy Weir (</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Astronaut Mark Watney, presumed dead in a dust storm, is left on Mars when the rest of the crew evacuates. He fights to survive until (if) help arrives. His journal entries are hilarious. Great mix of humor and adventure.)</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41i9zBwEU0L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41i9zBwEU0L.jpg" width="206" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>True crime</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>I'll Be Gone in the Dark</i> by Michelle McNamara (A gripping, meticulously-researched book about the search for the Golden State Killer who terrorized California for more than ten years.) </span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499131009l/35068432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499131009l/35068432.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>The next book in a series you started</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Down Among the Sticks and Bones</i> by Seanan McGuire (The backstory of twins Jack and Jill, who were introduced in <i>Every Heart a Doorway</i>. Incredible.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473685781l/31450908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473685781l/31450908.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book involving a heist</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Six of Crows</i> by Leigh Bardugo (Currently reading--last book to complete!)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459349344l/23437156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459349344l/23437156.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Nordic noir</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo </i>by Stieg Larsson (A disgraced journalist joins forces with a tattooed hacker to research the mystery of a missing girl and her family's dark, tangled history.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327868566l/2429135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="302" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327868566l/2429135.jpg" width="214" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★⭑</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A novel based on a real person</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Strays</i> by Emily Bitto (A tale of female friendship set during the start of the modern art movement in 1930s Australia. Languidly descriptive writing.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464211735l/30145124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464211735l/30145124.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book set in a country that fascinates you</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country</i> by Helen Russell (A light and breezy travel memoir about a couple that moves to a rural town in Denmark. Though it oozes privilege, there is some discussion about how critical a strong social safety net is to happiness.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422925714l/23282062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="305" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422925714l/23282062.jpg" width="204" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with a time of day in the title</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer</i> by Fredrik Backman (A man gradually losing himself to Alzheimer's struggles to hold on to his memories and to say goodbye to his beloved grandson. A five-alarm snot-bomb, even on a reread.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472074835l/31373633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472074835l/31373633.jpg" width="280" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book about a villain or antihero</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Vicious</i> by V.E. Schwab (Compulsively readable tale about two friends who make a discovery involving superpowers and become bitter enemies.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1362495700l/13638125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1362495700l/13638125.jpg" width="214" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book about death or grief</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Whiskey & Ribbons</i> by Leesa Cross-Smith (When a police officer is killed in the line of duty, his wife and best friend have to navigate some complicated feelings. Yucky madonna/whore tropes spoiled an otherwise okay story for me.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503938935l/36139786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503938935l/36139786.jpg" width="133" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with your favorite color in the title</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Saving Red</i> by Sonya Sones (A girl haunted by trauma tries to recover by reuniting a homeless girl with her family.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455708962l/28446327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455708962l/28446327.jpg" width="209" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with alliteration in the title</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Fire and Fury</i> by Michael Wolff (Gossipy and snarky behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a truly dysfunctional administration.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81h4dB0jjjL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="527" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81h4dB0jjjL.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book about time travel</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Girl from Everywhere</i> by Heidi Heilig (Nix and her father travel through time and space on a magical ship that can go anywhere, as long as they have the map.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434729653l/21979832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434729653l/21979832.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with a weather element in the title</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Dashing Through the Snow </i>by Debbie Macomber (</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Ash and Dash share the last rental car after their flight to Seattle gets canceled. Like a bad Hallmark Christmas movie.) </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428084471l/24476986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428084471l/24476986.jpg" width="136" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book set at sea</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Siren</i> by Kiera Cass (Kahlen's life is spared during a shipwreck, but the price is to become a siren for 100 years, luring others to their deaths in the sea.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1440086690l/25817407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1440086690l/25817407.jpg" width="132" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with an animal in the title</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Lion</i> by Saroo Brierly (An Indian boy gets lost, adopted, and finds his way home.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1371983160l/18111281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="198" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1371983160l/18111281.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book set on a different planet</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Skippyjon Jones Lost in Spice</i> by Judy Schachner (The tiny Siamese kitten with a big imagination has a super spicy adventure on the red planet. For extra fun, read this aloud to a child you love.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388186194l/6399408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="318" height="386" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388186194l/6399408.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with song lyrics in the title</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Merry and Bright </i>by Debbie Macomber (A cute holiday romance for fans of You've Got Mail.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511226620l/33928751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511226620l/33928751.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book about or set on Halloween</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Creepy Carrots</i> by Aaron Reynolds (Hilarious picture book about a hungry rabbit and the snack that may be more than it seems. A fantastic read-aloud.) </span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1424982083l/13259987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1424982083l/13259987.jpg" width="301" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with characters who are twins</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Big Little Lies</i> by Liane Moriarty (Opens with a murder investigation and then jumps back to gradually reveal the murder, the victim, and how their paths collide.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492239430l/19486412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492239430l/19486412.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The silkworm</i> by Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling (Cormoran and Robin are back, this time to investigate the brutal murder of a famous author.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1392577290l/18214414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1392577290l/18214414.jpg" width="206" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Song of Achilles</i> by Madeline Miller (A gorgeous retelling of the Iliad that centers the love story between Achilles and Patroclus. Even if you know how it ends, be prepared for a five-alarm snot bomb.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51erEvChGpL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51erEvChGpL.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book that is also a stage play or musical</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Alexander Hamilton</i> by Ron Chernow (A biography of the brilliant, outspoken, controversial founding father that inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda to create his amazing hip-hop musical, <i>Hamilton</i>.) </span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436131915l/16130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436131915l/16130.jpg" width="207" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Vegetarian</i> by Han Kang (If you’re up for a dark tale of violence, sexual obsession, and mental illness, this is for you.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41HPlwO0OHL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41HPlwO0OHL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="211" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book about feminism</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions</i> by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (A gentle reminder about the importance of raising feminist daughters, and fifteen suggestions about how to do it.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493035257l/33585392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493035257l/33585392.jpg" width="219" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book about mental health</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Brain on Fire</i> by Susannah Cahalan (A young woman's harrowing account of the sudden onset of a rare brain condition--the same one that inspired The Exorcist.) </span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1353173297l/13547180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1353173297l/13547180.jpg" width="210" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Human Acts</i> by Han Kang (Historical fiction centered around atrocities committed during a student uprising-turned massacre in Gwangju, South Korea in 1980 and the ongoing trauma in the aftermath.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41H05bSiZ7L._SX339_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="341" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41H05bSiZ7L._SX339_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="218" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book by two authors</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg</i> by Erin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik (Conversational and informative introduction of a truly badass woman. RBG's incredible work ethic is matched only by her integrity and intellect.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429924065l/25422234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429924065l/25422234.jpg" width="150" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book about or involving a sport</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Quidditch Through the Ages</i> by J.K. Rowling (If the Quidditch scenes were your favorite parts of the Harry Potter books, this one is for you.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1369689506l/111450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1369689506l/111450.jpg" width="224" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book by a local author</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar </i>by Cheryl Strayed (Compassionate and wise advice, with a healthy dose of ass-kicking on the side. LOVED IT!)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1339807006l/13152194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1339807006l/13152194.jpg" width="258" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book mentioned in another book</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>State of Wonder</i> by Ann Patchett (A woman journeys to the Amazon rainforest to find out the details of her co-worker's sudden death and is forced to confront her own demons along the way. Mentioned in <i>Big Magic</i> by Elizabeth Gilbert.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1454428541l/9118135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1454428541l/9118135.jpg" width="209" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book from a celebrity book club</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Yes, Please</i> by Amy Poehler (Charming and funny, with advice for getting what you want and still being nice about it.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402815435l/20910157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402815435l/20910157.jpg" width="206" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A childhood classic you've never read</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Anne of Green Gables</i> by L.M. Montgomery (Curious and talkative Anne is an orphan who ends up with the Cuthberts in place of the boy they asked for. She soon winds her way around their hearts.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486838076l/814060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486838076l/814060.jpg" width="194" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book that's published in 2018</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo</i> by Jill Twiss (A lovely little children's book about two boy bunnies who fall in love with each other. "Stink bugs are temporary. Love is forever.")</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521430068l/39319227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="318" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521430068l/39319227.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race</i> by Margot Lee Shetterly (Different from the movie, but equally fantastic. Inspiring because of the women themselves and also because of the way they actively supported women who followed.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61sO7vg5olL._SL500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61sO7vg5olL._SL500_.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book set in the decade you were born</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Where the Wild Things Are</i> by Maurice Sendak (After being sent to bed without supper, Max sets out to an island of monsters who make him their king. But being a monster isn''t all he hopes it will be and he longs to return home. A classic from my childhood that I'll love forever.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1384434560l/19543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="318" height="362" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1384434560l/19543.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Fever Dream</i> by Samanta Schweblin (Unrelenting psychological horror that I read in a single, breathless rush. Weird and wonderful.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471279721l/30763882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="283" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471279721l/30763882.jpg" width="226" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with an ugly cover</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Love in the Time of Cholera</i> by Gabriel García Márquez (Billed as a love story, but I read it as an obsession story heavily steeped in rape culture. Absolutely gorgeous writing but not my cup of tea.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51GxFpytqiL._SX321_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="323" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51GxFpytqiL._SX321_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="207" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book that involves a bookstore or library</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Bookshop on the Corner</i> by Jenny Colgan (Nina is a librarian who gets laid off and then uses her savings to buy an old van, which she turns into a mobile bookstore.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465668472l/28372019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465668472l/28372019.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Goldfinch</i> by Donna Tartt (After seeing his mother die during an attack in a museum, Theo clings to the last thing his mother loved--a small and valuable painting of a goldfinch. The plot goes in some strange directions, but the writing is utterly luminous.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451554970l/17333223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451554970l/17333223.jpg" width="207" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">ADVANCED</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A bestseller from the year you graduated high school</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Beloved</i> by Toni Morrison (The gorgeous poetry of Morrison's writing makes the treatment of Sethe and the other slaves even more horrifying.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347984578l/6149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347984578l/6149.jpg" width="207" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A cyberpunk book</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Long Tomorrow</i> by Dan O'Bannon (The comic that started the cyberpunk genre.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1230315699l/91107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="287" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1230315699l/91107.jpg" width="236" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Zookeeper's Wife</i> by Diane Ackerman (Lovely narrative nonfiction about Antonina Zabianski and her husband, Jan. They hid Jewish people in their zoo during the Nazi occupation of Poland.)</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book tied to your ancestry</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>My Brilliant Friend </i>by Elena Ferrante (An intense friendship between two girls set against the backdrop of poverty and toxic masculinity in Naples, Italy.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493655783l/35036409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="287" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493655783l/35036409.jpg" width="204" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Cherry Orchard</i> by Anton Chekov (Part-comedy/part-tragedy about an aristocratic family forced to sell the estate they can no longer afford.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464433142l/87346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464433142l/87346.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>An allegory</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Alchemist</i> by Paulo Coelho (A young shepherd goes on a quest. I wanted to love this, but the way none of the women displayed an iota of agency was off-putting.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483412266l/865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483412266l/865.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book by an author with the same first or last name as you</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative</i> by Florence Williams (Longer than it needs to be, but may motivate you to get outside more.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497194694l/35187181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497194694l/35187181.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A microhistory</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Salt: A World History</i> by Mark Kurlansky (While I didn't love the book's structure, the ways that salt has influenced the course of history is pretty interesting.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1414608893l/2715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1414608893l/2715.jpg" width="210" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book about a problem facing society today</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City</i> by Matthew Desmond (Like the overwhelming rate of incarceration for black men, the eviction rate for black women and children has serious and long-lasting consequences for communities. This is a difficult and fucking depressing read, but one I would recommend to everyone.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453060710l/25852784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="272" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453060710l/25852784.jpg" width="217" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>A book recommended by someone else taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">[thanks to Brandyn from the Goodreads group]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Scrappy Little Nobody </i>by Anna Kendrick (A collection of witty biographical essays about the perks and pitfalls of fame, relationships, social anxiety, and becoming an adult when you’d really rather remain a man-baby.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1469410391l/29868610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1469410391l/29868610.jpg" width="209" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">★★★⭑</span></div>
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-67353956036677366232018-01-07T09:36:00.000-08:002018-08-23T14:35:45.442-07:00Reading Women Challenge - 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>READING WOMEN CHALLENGE - 2018</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As always, I'll be participating in a wide variety of readathons and reading challenges this year. The overarching theme of my reading in 2018 will be to buy and read books by women / POC / LGBTQ+ authors and do my small part of amplifying voices that have been marginalized for too long. The <a href="https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/reading-women-challenge-2018">Reading Women Challenge</a> provides an excellent framework for a year of empowering and informative reading. </span></div>
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<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58435fdf37c581d99d8c1f43/t/5a3ab3dee2c483d969144a8f/1513796586557/RW-ReadingChallenge2018+(1).jpg?format=750w" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="618" height="320" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58435fdf37c581d99d8c1f43/t/5a3ab3dee2c483d969144a8f/1513796586557/RW-ReadingChallenge2018+(1).jpg?format=750w" width="247" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you're on Twitter, tweet your progress at <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ReadingWomenChallenge&src=typd">#WomenReadingChallenge</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Eyes need a break? Find links to the podcast <a href="https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/episode-directory/">here</a>.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> A book by a woman in translation (bonus if also translated by a woman) </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b><i style="color: magenta;">Human Acts</i> by Han Kang</b></span> (Historical fiction centered around atrocities committed during a student uprising-turned massacre in Gwangju, South Korea in 1980 and its aftermath. Not of the faint of heart.)</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41H05bSiZ7L._SX339_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="341" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41H05bSiZ7L._SX339_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>2. A fantasy novel written by a woman of color </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b><i style="color: magenta;">The Library of Fates</i> by Aditi Khorana</b></span> (Indian mythology and a lush, vibrant setting. ) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1477677106l/32766747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1477677106l/32766747.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>3. A book set in the American South </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b><i style="color: magenta;">Their Eyes Were Watching God</i> by Zora Neale Hurston </b></span>(Lush, lyrical writing about a woman of color on a hero's journey of self-discovery.) ☆☆☆☆⭒</span><br />
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5136SPE747L._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="334" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5136SPE747L._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">4. A short story collection</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: magenta;">Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado </span>(Genre-defying collection of feminist stories about women's relationships with our bodies. Like Margaret Atwood, but with way more queer sex.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485266434l/33375622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485266434l/33375622.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">5. A graphic novel or memoir</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><i>Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama</i> by Alison Bechdel </span></b>(The author/illustrator explores her relationship with her artistic, intelligent mother--a companion to Fun Home, which is about her father.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511409644l/11566956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511409644l/11566956.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>6. A book published by an independent press</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><i>The Days of Abandonment</i> by Elena Ferrante</span> </b>(A woman spirals into madness after her husband leaves her for a younger woman.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">⭒</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1412532798l/77810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="257" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1412532798l/77810.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>7. A book set in Russia or by a Russian author</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i style="color: magenta; font-weight: bold;">The Womanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich</i><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>(Hundreds of Soviet women who served during WWII--some of them in support jobs like nurse and laundress, and some in positions usually held by men, like pilot and sniper--recount their memories.)</span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481621902l/32905382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481621902l/32905382.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>8. A book with an immigrant or a refugee viewpoint character</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><i>Americanah</i> </span><span style="color: magenta;">by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie</span></b><span style="color: magenta;"> </span>(A beautifully written love story from and immigrant perspective, filled with perceptive observations about race and culture.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394777793l/19205885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394777793l/19205885.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>9. A book by an Australian or a Canadian author </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: magenta;">The Handmaid's Tale</span></i><span style="color: magenta;"> by Margaret Atwood</span></b><span style="color: magenta;"> </span>(An all-too-real dystopian future in which religious zealots have taken over the US.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498057733l/38447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498057733l/38447.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>10. An essay collection </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b><i>Shrill</i> by Lindy West</b> </span>(West takes on the big issues faced by women in a culture that devalues our worth and she does it with candor, wit, and intelligence.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460015959l/29340182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460015959l/29340182.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>11. A book about someone with a chronic illness</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b><i>Still Alice</i> by Lisa Genova</b></span> (A brilliant Harvard professor notices that she's becoming forgetful and disoriented and gets diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Prepare for a five-alarm snot-bomb. Julianne Moore is fantastic in the movie adaptation.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1236089972l/2153405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="161" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1236089972l/2153405.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>12. A true crime book</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b><i style="color: magenta;">The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir</i><span style="color: magenta;"> by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich</span></b><span style="color: magenta;"> </span></span>(ALL THE TRIGGER WARNINGS. As an idealistic young lawyer, the author is forced to confront her own traumatic memories of childhood sexual abuse as she reviews the case of a child molester/murderer. I was riveted.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493656028i/35036440._UY200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493656028i/35036440._UY200_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>13. A book by an African American woman about Civil Rights</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><i>The New Jim Crow</i></span><span style="color: magenta;"> by Michelle Alexander</span></b><span style="color: magenta;"> </span>(A compelling analysis of the way mass incarceration has decimated African-American communities.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328751532l/6792458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328751532l/6792458.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>14. A classic novel written by a woman (bonus points if not Austen or a Brontë)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b><i>Rebecca</i> by Daphne du Maurier</b> </span>(A classic gothic novel that is still relentlessly creepy. Maxim de Winter is a widower who takes his second wife home to his estate, where she is constantly under the shadow of the first Mrs. de Winter. Is the house haunted by the dead woman's ghost? Is Maxim a murderer? If you don't know, read this marvelous book to find out.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆✩</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386605169l/17899948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386605169l/17899948.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">15. A poetry collection</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>16. A book where the characters are traveling somewhere</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i><span style="color: magenta;">The Magician's Assistant</span></i><span style="color: magenta;"> by Ann Patchett</span></b><span style="color: magenta;"> </span>(When her husband dies suddenly, Sabine finds out that he had lied about his family dying in an accident. Lovely writing. My only complaint is the abrupt ending.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327936126l/16055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327936126l/16055.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>17. A book with a food item in the title </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: magenta;">The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane</span></i><span style="color: magenta;"> by Lisa See </span></b>(Well-researched historical fiction about an isolated tribe and China's tea trade.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆⭒</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472151037l/25150798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472151037l/25150798.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">18. A book written by a female Nobel Prize winner</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>Beethoven Was One-Sixteenth Black and Other Stories</i> by Nadine Gordimer </b>(A slightly uneven collection of stories about the legacy of Apartheid, love, loss, racism, sexuality, memory, and the inner life of a tapeworm.) ☆☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1317064309l/515729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1317064309l/515729.jpg" width="139" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>19. A book from the Reading Woman Award 2017 shortlists</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><i>Pachinko</i> by Min Jin Lee</span> </b>(An engrossing family saga that follows a Korean family through four generations.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9781455563920_p0_v4_s550x406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9781455563920_p0_v4_s550x406.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">20. A memoir by someone who lives in a country different from yours</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><i>In Other Words / In Altre Parole</i> by Jhumpa Lahiri </span></b>(Her memoir about her love affair with the Italian language and her search for identity and belonging.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439837402l/25614298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439837402l/25614298.jpg" width="126" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>21. A book inspired by a fairytale</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><i>Uprooted</i> </span><span style="color: magenta;">by Naomi Novik</span> </b>(A must-read for fantasy lovers. Dragon, the wizard tasked with protecting the kingdom from the malevolent and magical Wood, takes a village girl every ten years. Agnieszka is prepared for her best friend to be taken, but soon finds things getting way worse than she could have imagined. Inventive and magical.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">22. A book by a local author or recommended by your local bookstore</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>23. The book that has been on your TBR the longest</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i><span style="color: magenta;">The Patron Saint of Liars</span></i><span style="color: magenta;"> by Ann Patchett </span></b>(Pregnant and dissatisfied with her marriage, Rose abandons her husband and ends up at St. Elizabeth's Home for Unwed Mothers, where she plans to give up her baby. Then life happens--things change and things stay the same. I loved this beautiful book, right up until the unsatisfying ending.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>24. A book in a genre you have never read</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: magenta;">Oryx and Crake</span></i><span style="color: magenta;"> by Margaret Atwood</span></b><span style="color: magenta;"> </span>(Speculative Fiction set in a future destroyed by out-of-control bioengineering and corporate greed.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>BONUS</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>25. A book by Virginia Woolf </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i><span style="color: magenta;">To the Lighthouse </span></i>by Virginia Woolf </b>(The story of a family's life, told in two parts--before and after Mrs. Ramsay's death. I see why this book is so beloved, but the stream of consciousness writing is not my cup of tea.) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>26. A book by Flannery O'Connor</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i><span style="color: magenta;">Everything That Rises Must Converge </span></i>by Flannery O'Connor</b> (A beautifully written collection that takes on race, class, and morality--with a large dollop of irony.)</span><br />
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-64657940728548506802018-01-07T01:01:00.001-08:002018-09-27T19:29:35.405-07:00Book Riot's 2018 Read Harder Challenge<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="271" src="https://giphy.com/embed/dTRKbSs4dEdbi" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/fitspo-fitblr-working-out-dTRKbSs4dEdbi">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Upping my reading game for the <a href="https://bookriot.com/2017/12/15/book-riots-2018-read-harder-challenge/">2018 Read Harder Challenge</a> </span></span><br />
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<ol style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 21px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A book published posthumously <b><i>Persuasion</i> by Jane Austen</b> <b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★</b> (A lesser known, but utterly Austen romance of manners.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A book of true crime </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer</i> by Kate Summerscale</b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(Meticulously researched tale of a murder and its aftermath.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A classic of genre fiction (i.e. mystery, sci fi/fantasy, romance) <b><i>City of Illusions</i> by Ursula K. LeGuin </b></span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(Falk, an alien with amnesia is taken in by forest-dwelling humans until he's ready to find out the truth about himself. Part of the Hainish Cycle.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A comic written and drawn by the same person Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★</b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> (In this graphic memoir, Bechdel chronicles her relationship with her closeted father and how his secret double life affected the family, as well as her own coming out journey.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, or South Africa)</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>The Lowland</i> by Jhumpa Lahiri</b> </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★</b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> (A beautifully written family saga.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A book about nature <b><i>The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate--Discoveries from a Secret World</i> by Peter Wohlleben </b></span><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></b></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A western <b><i>The Widow Nash</i> by Jamie Harrison </b></span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(After her father dies owing a debt to Dulcy's violent ex-fiancé, she fakes her death and escapes to Montana to try to build a life of her own.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A comic written or illustrated by a person of color <i>The Best We Could Do</i> by Thi Bui </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">(A marvelous graphic memoir in which Thi Bui traces her family's escape from Vietnam. Upon becoming a mother herself, she sees her parents and their struggles in a new light.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A book of colonial or postcolonial literature <b><i>Homegoing</i> by Yaa Gyasi </b> <b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★ </b>(A gorgeous family saga about African half-sisters and the legacy of slavery on their descendants.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A romance novel by or about a person of color: <b><i>A Princess in Theory</i> by Alyssa Cole</b> (Naledi Smith is a graduate student in epidemiology struggling to make ends meet. Raised in foster care, she's slow to count on anyone but herself. Prince Thabisco thinks she may be his long-lost betrothed, who disappeared when her parents fled his kingdom. Loved it, as well as the next in the series, <i>A Duke by Default</i>.) </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★</b></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A children’s classic published before 1980</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>Mary Poppins</i> by P.L. Travers</b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(The magical nanny who inspired a Disney classic.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A celebrity memoir</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>We're Going to Need More Wine</i> by Gabrielle Union</b> </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★⭑ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">(In a series of highly personal essays, Union is by turns outspoken, profane, hilarious, raw, and heartbreakingly vulnerable. A fantastic feminist read.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">An Oprah Book Club selection <b><i>The Underground Railroad</i> by Colson Whitehead </b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★ (All the trigger warnings for this GRIM story of, Cora, a slave who escapes on a literal underground railroad in a desperate bid for freedom.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A book of social science</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>Cinderella Ate My Daughter</i> by Peggy Orenstein</b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★ (Interesting look at pink princess culture and how aggressively it's marketed to girls.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A one-sitting book</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><b><i>Frontier Grit: </i></b><b><i>The Unlikely True Stories of Daring Pioneer Women </i>by Marianne Monson</b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★ (Profiles of twelve women who made a difference in their pioneer communities.) </span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><b><i>The Search for WondLa</i> by Tony DiTerrlizzi </b></span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(Eva Nine has been raised in an underground bunker, cared for by a robot she calls MUTHR. She finally gets her wish to explore the wider world, but that world is not at all what she's imagined.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A sci fi novel with a female protagonist by a female author</span> </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><i>The Year of the Flood</i> by Margaret Atwood ★★★★ (</b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The<b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">God’s Gardeners have long predicted that a waterless flood will wash away all but the faithful. When that flood comes, Toby and Ren, former members, find a way to survive. Since this is Atwood, life is horrible for everyone in this post-apocalyptic future, but she also helpfully highlights the many ways in which women have it SO MUCH WORSE.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A comic that isn’t published by Marvel, DC, or Image </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>Relish: My Life in the Kitchen</i> by Lucy Knisley </b></span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(A graphic memoir about cooking, eating, and the power of sharing meals with the people we love.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A book of genre fiction in translation <b><i>The Neverending Story</i> by Michael Ende </b></span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(A disappointing translation of an utterly imaginative fantasy about a boy who becomes part of a fantasy kingdom after stealing a mysterious book.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A book with a cover you hate</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>MaddAddam</i> by Margaret Atwood </b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★★ </b>(The final installment in a trilogy in which a ragtag group of survivors begin the work of rebuilding civilization after a man-made pandemic. The cartoony cover was not a good fit.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>Trouble is a Friend of Mine</i> by Stephanie Tromly</b> </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(Digby, a young Sherlock type, draws new kid Zoe into the mystery of a young girl’s recent disappearance that may also be related to his sister’s cold-case disappearance.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">An essay anthology</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><b><i>The View from the Cheap Seats</i> by Neil Gaiman</b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(A collection of nonfiction pieces including essays, introductions, album liner notes, and speeches covering a wide swath of topics. Especially good if you can listen to the audiobook, read by the author.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion</i> by Fannie Flagg</b> </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★ </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(After a surprising revelation, a well-mannered Southern lady embarks on a journey of self-discovery and finds links to female pilots who served during WWII.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">An assigned book you hated (or never finished) <b><i>Anna Karenina</i> by Leo Tolstoy </b> <b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">★★★ </b>(I can see why this is a classic and why so many people love it, but it's not one of my favorites. I can say I finally read it, though.)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finished 9/27/18 YAY!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://giphy.com/embed/fnFsmiXwNUYFi" width="319"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/school-turkey-annual-fnFsmiXwNUYFi">via GIPHY</a></span></div>
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-50606408586315514212018-01-07T00:44:00.002-08:002018-01-15T15:25:47.969-08:00Bout of Books 21 (January 8-14)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>BOUT OF BOOKS 21</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins at 12:01 am on Monday, January 8 and runs through Sunday, January 14 in your time zone. Participation is low pressure and challenges and giveaways are completely optional. Visit the <a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/">Bout of Books blog</a> for official info and updates.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Totally wingin' it on this one. Let's see how it goes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Starting by switching between three books because each (for different reasons) is hard to handle all at once.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Their Eyes Were Watching God</i> by Zora Neale Hurston</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Handmaid's Tale</i> by Margaret Atwood</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Fire and Fury</i> by Michael Wolff</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Monday, January 8</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Introduce yourself <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23insixwords&src=typd">#insixwords</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Lavender farmer - loves books, cats, popcorn</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday, January 9</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Share your 2018 reading goals <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23boutofbooks%20%232018readinggoals&src=typd">#2018readinggoals</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read 200 books</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Buy and read mostly books by women and POC authors</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Their Eyes Were Watching God</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Zora Neale Hurston</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387664226l/77212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387664226l/77212.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★★⭑</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mainly dismissed when it was published in 1937, the book was rediscovered in the 1970s when Alice Walker wrote about her quest to find, and put a marker on, Hurston’s unmarked grave.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone. Dawn and doom was in the branches.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There isn’t a whole lot of action, except for the last few chapters, as the story is focused on Janie’s inner life, on her quest for personal growth, on finding her own voice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Raised by Nanny, who wants to see her future safe and secure before she dies, Janie is hustled into marriage to a wealthy old man. She tries to make the marriage work, but feels nothing for her husband. Before long, a stylish man passes through town and catches her attention. He’s got big dreams and wants her to run away with him. Without bothering to divorce her first husband, she does. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“The morning road air was like a new dress. That made her feel the apron tied around her waist. She untied it and flung it on a low bush beside the road and walked on, picking flowers and making a bouquet.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Jody insists on putting Janie on a pedestal, keeping her separate and protected from anyone but him. His jealousy and need to control her chafes at Janie. She wants to experience life, not sit in a glass display case, admired but unheard. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“All dis bowin’ down, all dis obedience under yo’ voice—dat ain’t whut Ah rushed off down de road tuh find out about you.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finally, Janie finds a life partner in her third husband, Tea Cake. She tells her friend, Pheoby, “Dis ain’t no business proposition, and no race after property and titles. Dis is a love game. Ah done lived Grandma’s way, now Ah means tuh live mine.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Though Janie never gets her happily-ever-after ending, her journey brings her full circle, where she finds herself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read it slowly. This is one to savor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Wednesday, January 10</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23boutofbooks%20%23BookSpineRainbow&src=typd">#BookSpineRainbow</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My rainbow consists of books by women. Some I've read and loved; some I hope to read and love this year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UHqYORqcl1w/WlZ0pDQl0gI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/BKziUwP6x_oHfMhSxgNGaJ-JA98hgRKLQCLcBGAs/s1600/BookSpineRainbowWomen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UHqYORqcl1w/WlZ0pDQl0gI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/BKziUwP6x_oHfMhSxgNGaJ-JA98hgRKLQCLcBGAs/s400/BookSpineRainbowWomen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The Handmaid's Tale</i> by Margaret Atwood</div>
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486848363i/688954._UY473_SS473_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="473" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486848363i/688954._UY473_SS473_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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★★★★★</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is my favorite of Atwood's novels. Set in a dystopian society where right wing religious fanatics have taken over the government, it provides a chilling reminder about why it is so necessary to separate church and state. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In a time when fertility rates have dramatically fallen, young women who have previously had children are prized as breeders, but have absolutely no rights. The story is told by Offred, a woman who has been separated from her husband and young daughter and given to a childless married couple. The monthly babymaking ceremony is absolutely revolting, made even worse by the bible reading that accompanies a glorified rape.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The most frightening aspect of this novel is how easy it was for fundamentalists to take over the country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Every time I reread this, Atwood’s chilling vision seems closer to current reality. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Better never means better for everyone. It always means worse, for some.”</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Friday, January 12</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane</i> by Lisa See</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472151037l/25150798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472151037l/25150798.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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★★★★⭑</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4.5 stars. Gorgeous writing and comprehensive research. I learned quite a bit about the tea industry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Li-Yan is a member of the Akha, one of many Chinese minority tribes. Her tiny village is remote and the people eke out a living by picking tea leaves. A stranger arrives from the modern world, in search of the rare Pu’er tea made by her mother from the leaves of an ancient tree that has been cared for by the women of her family for generations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She falls in love with a boy of whom her parents do not approve and ends up pregnant and unmarried. According to the tribe’s traditions, her child should be killed immediately after birth. Instead, Li-Yan gives birth to a daughter in the secret grove. She leaves the baby in a cardboard box in front of an orphanage, a tea cake made from the leaves of the ancient mother tree tucked into the swaddling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">By the time she returns to the orphanage, the baby (renamed Haley) has been adopted and sent to California with her new family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Tea plays a foundational role in the lives of both mother and daughter as they wonder about each other and search for a reconnection that may never come.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday, January 13</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Oryx and Crake</i> (MaddAddam #1) by Margaret Atwood</span><br />
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1296247911i/5088200._UY200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="133" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1296247911i/5088200._UY200_.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★★</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">MaddAddam trilogy, book one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In a world destroyed by bioengineering and corporate greed gone mad, Snowman appears to be the last man on Earth. He tells his story through a combination of flashbacks and his interactions with the Children of Crake. These genetically-engineered beings are the new humans, created by Snowman’s lifelong friend, Crake, in an attempt to usher in an era of peace. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As in Atwood’s other speculative fiction, this is a world that is eerily close to the path we’re already on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday, January 14</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Didn't finish anything today. Reading in progress included in final stats:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Fire and Fury</i> by Michael Wolff (275 0f 336 pages read)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Year of the Flood</i> (MaddAddam #2) by Margaret Atwood (218 of 431 pages read)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Vegetarian</i> by Han Kang (125 of 188 pages read)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>FINAL STATS:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Books started:7</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Books finished: 4</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Pages read: 1,950</b></span><br />
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-52673313393267047262017-12-13T20:00:00.000-08:002018-01-06T23:59:13.558-08:00#ReadersCrossing <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AT9ZD0ClQlQ/WjHy11pPEOI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/khUkZtM9XjwOcpKqpCSi9I6xhSkh4pGbQCLcBGAs/s1600/readerscrossingbingo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="656" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AT9ZD0ClQlQ/WjHy11pPEOI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/khUkZtM9XjwOcpKqpCSi9I6xhSkh4pGbQCLcBGAs/s320/readerscrossingbingo.png" width="290" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Welcome to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ReadersCrossing&src=tyah">#ReadersCrossing</a>, the latest reading challenge from Aentee over at one of my favorite bookish blogs, Read at Midnight. It's inspired by Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, a charming free app available on IOS and Android. Pick a path (Cute, Cool, Sporty, or Natural) and start reading your way around the board. The challenge runs from December 10, 2017-December 31, 2017. Head over to <a href="https://readatmidnight.com/2017/12/03/readerscrossing-sign-up-post/#more-8853">#ReadersCrossing Sign Up Post</a> for full details and to sign up to join in the fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Though I tend not to stick to a TBR, here's my initial plan. I'll be starting on the CUTE path.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>CUTE PATH</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">GRAPHIC NOVEL: <i>Beowulf</i> by Gareth Hinds</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(2 EXP)</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483656616l/346518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483656616l/346518.jpg" width="210" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The artwork in this graphic novel adaptation is absolutely gorgeous. The story as a whole (words and pictures combined) was easy to follow and definitely makes the story more accessible to younger readers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I found the large blocks of exposition a bit disappointing. They felt more like the summaries you might find in CliffsNotes and lost much of the beauty of the poetry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">PINK COVER: <i>Riot Days</i> by Maria Alyokhina</span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61OAhBpmXbL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61OAhBpmXbL.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(3 EXP)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In vignettes based on her jail diary and courtroom transcripts, peppered with song lyrics, Masha describes Pussy Riot’s two minute protest at Moscow’s central cathedral and the two years of prison time that followed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Power built on totalitarian principles cannot admit its mistakes. To admit a mistake is to show weakness, to back down. To lose. This power sees conspiracy everywhere behind its back, so it lives with its head turned backwards, checking that no one is following it, that no one is dreaming up a revolution.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">During her time in two different women’s penal colonies, she continued to resist, standing up for basic human rights and shining a light on desperate conditions that she and her fellow prisoners faced every day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now more than ever, citizens have the responsibility to pay attention and to speak out. “Freedom doesn’t exist unless you fight for it every day.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">MAIN ROMANTIC PLOT: </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Month of Sundays</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Yolanda Wallace</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(3 EXP)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I don’t read much romance, but I enjoyed this light, breezy read. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After a bad break-up, Rachel’s friends fix her up on a blind date with sexy celebrity chef Griffin. Rachel isn’t sure she wants another relationship, but Griffin persuades Rachel to spend the next six months of Sundays exploring local New York restaurants in a sort of culinary trip around the world. (One of the benefits of living in a big city is having access to diverse food.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I liked the way their relationship evolved. The most awkward part was trying to visualize the sex scenes when both characters were “she/her.” I kept having to go back and reread to keep track of who was on top!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">MIDDLE GRADE: <i>Doll Bones</i> by Holly Black</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(2 EXP)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Zach, Alice, and Poppy have grown up together playing imaginative role-playing games with their dolls. Now that they are 12, Zach feels pressure to act more like one of the guys. His dad escalates the situation by throwing away Zach’s action figures, characters in a long-running game between the three friends. Zach feels hurt and betrayed, sure that the only solution is to focus on sports and leave his friends behind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But before he realizes what is happening, he’s been dragged along on a quest to return a creepy china doll to her grave. The creepy-but-not-gory vibe will keep middle grade readers turning pages, wondering if the doll is really haunting the children, or if Poppy herself is behind the mysterious happenings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A perfect book for middle grade readers—lovely writing, atmospheric and creepy, but without being too scary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">CONTEMPORARY: <i>We Are Okay</i> by Nina LaCour</span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61afoFEIxPL._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61afoFEIxPL._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="129" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(3 EXP)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Marin, a college freshman, is spending winter break alone in an empty dorm. No one from home has heard a word from her since she left at the end of summer. Now her best friend/former girlfriend is flying from California to New York to visit her and Marin knows they will have to talk about what happened the day her grandfather died. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The writing is gorgeous and evocative. Marin’s grief and loneliness is palpable and reflected in the cold New York winter and her bare dorm room.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That's it for the cute path. Five books / 1079 pages / 13 EXP</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'll just keep going to see how far I can make it around the board.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>COOL PATH</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">CONTEMPORARY: </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">We Are Okay</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Nina LaCour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(3 EXP)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>See above (on the CUTE path) for review.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">WRITTEN BY A CELEBRITY: <i>You Can't Touch My Hair</i> by Phoebe Robinson</span></div>
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1477907975i/29496435._UY1200_SS1200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1477907975i/29496435._UY1200_SS1200_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(3 EXP)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I was familiar with Phoebe Robinson from her podcast, 2 Dope Queens, which she does with “werk wife” Jessica Williams. They’re hilarious, FYI. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some people will be turned off by this book in written form, as the tone is extremely casual and liberally peppered with hashtags and text message abbreviations. As I’m from the last generation to come of age before the Internet was a thing, I knew enough to pick this up in audiobook. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A mix of personal and political, silly and serious, Robinson uses humor and lots of pop culture references to talk about the micro-aggressions she experiences every day as a black woman in America. Some of the book is about the politics of natural hair and why you shouldn’t touch it. She goes on to talk about serious topics like racism, privilege, and coded language. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She ends with letters to her bi-racial niece about honoring both sides of her identity. Included in this section is a letter written and read by John Hodgeman, apparently the whitest white guy ever. To be honest, that bit about Mr. Rogers might have made me tear up just a little. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This isn’t a perfect book, but Robinson adds to a timely and important conversation that more of us need to engage in. And if you’re the type of white person who would EVER walk up to a stranger and ask to touch her hair (or her pregnant belly), you NEED this book. And probably a more diverse circle of friends. Just sayin’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">BOOK AWARD WINNER (Nebula Award): <i>Uprooted</i> by Naomi Novik</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">RECOMMENDED BY A FRIEND: <i>Labyrinth Lost</i> by Zoraida Córdova</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">SET IN YOUR COUNTRY: <i>Beezus and Ramona</i> by Beverly Cleary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Beatrice (aka Beezus), who’s nine, wishes she had more time to read, but is asked to spend what seems like every waking moment of her life being responsible for her four year old sister, Ramona. While I get that Ramona is the fun, imaginative wild-child, she’s also a naughty little shit who throws a tantrum on the rare occasions she doesn’t get her own way. Possibly because I have two younger sisters, I really felt for Beezus.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Progress on the COOL path. Three books / 726 pages / 8 EXP</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>SIDE QUESTS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>BOOKS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">SEASONALLY INSPIRED: <i>Gather 'Round the Sound: Holiday Stories from Beloved Authors </i></span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">and Great Performers Across the Globe </i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">an Audible collection</span></div>
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<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512911774i/37277005._UY200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512911774i/37277005._UY200_.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A free collection of short stories from Audible. By far, my favorite was “Zip Code 12345,” a nonfiction piece about children’s letters to Santa. “An Aussie Night Before Christmas” by Yvonne Morrison was a fun take on the classic poem and “The Music Coming from the House” was a heartwarming tale by Paulo Coehlo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">FRUIT IN THE TITLE: <i>Blueberries for Sal</i> by Robert McCloskey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sal and her mother go out to pick blueberries, and Little Bear and his mother come to the same patch to eat blueberries. The two little ones get mixed up and hilarity ensues. The parallels between Sal and Little Bear provide both structure and entertainment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Simple, expressive black and white drawings and charming, repetitive language makes this one a fun read-aloud. One of my childhood favorites!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">FREE SPACE: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">TIMED (READ A BOOK IN 24 HOURS): <i>Dancing Girls and Other Stories</i> by Margaret Atwood</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As a whole, this collection is not quite 5 stars for me, though many of the individual stories definitely are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I loved this collection when I read it years ago. As an angsty teenager, Atwood’s dark world view was right up my alley. Especially in the context of the world’s economic and political climate right now, her pessimism feels truer than ever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The women in these stories are mostly middle-aged and dissatisfied with the lives they are living. There is a pervasive sense of futility in their relationships and little sense that any significant change is possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyone who’s ever been in a long-term relationship will recognize the miscommunications and words not spoken that pile up over the years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is not a happy collection, but I kind of like the way Atwood shines a light on the dark corners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My personal favorites:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“Betty” is almost a coming-of-age story, set against the backdrop of the neighbors’ imploding marriage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“The Grave of the Famous Poet” was hilariously dark. A couple bickers while exploring some ruins and later the woman muses that perhaps she could kill the man. “Instead I brush my teeth, wondering if he’ll ever know how close he came to being murdered....” Wrong? Perhaps, but I laughed out loud several times while reading this one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“A Travel Piece” features a travel writer, bored with being pleased, who finally finds herself in a situation she’s never encountered. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“The Resplendent Quetzal” paints a depressing picture of regret, blame, and words not spoken. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“Lives of the Poets” explores a woman’s rage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“Giving Birth” was the jewel in this collection, possibly because so much of it felt like TRUTH (yes, TRUTH in all caps). “She remembers the way women who had babies used to smile at one another, mysteriously, as if there was something they knew that she didn’t, the way they would casually exclude her from their frame of reference.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">INSECT ON THE COVER: </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Their Eyes Were Watching God</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Zora Neale Hurston</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">STILL READING </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">I've been reading this one slowly, savoring the beautiful writing and Janie's journey to self-empowerment. So far, I have read to page 90. Will finish, but not in time for this challenge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">SHOVEL STRIKE (FRIEND PICK): Warcross by Marie Lu </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">SET AT SEAS OR BEACH: <i>The Woman in Cabin</i> 10 by Ruth Ware</span></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51ERfSx5RyL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51ERfSx5RyL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">★★★</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(2 EXP)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In many ways, this was similar to Girl on the Train. The unreliable narrator witnesses a murder and no one will believe her story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Lo Blacklock is a travel writer who never gets the good assignments, mainly because of her history with anxiety and depression. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One night, she wakes up in the dark to find a masked man standing in her apartment, stealing her purse. What is really terrifying is that he is wearing latex gloves and the thought spiral she goes down when she sees them had me terrified along with her. In the aftermath of the break-in, her anxiety gets ramped way up, she stops sleeping, and ends up having a huge fight with her boyfriend, right before leaving on a luxury cruise assignment that dropped in her lap because her boss is pregnant. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She is determined to prove herself on this assignment, the chance she’s been waiting for. The ship gets underway and things are not going all that well for her. When she is awakened by a scream and a big splash, things get worse. She calls security, convinced that she’s witnessed a murder. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course, no one believes her once it comes out that she regularly combines anxiety meds with lots of booze, on top of her recent trauma. She keeps insisting that she’s telling the truth, which leads to some real danger. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There were some suspenseful moments, but also some tedious and repetitive ones. I thought this one started out well, but I didn’t care for the ending.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>SIDE QUESTS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>SOCIAL MEDIA</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">GIVE KUDOS ON A POST/VIDEO: 3 EXP</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">SHELFIE POST OF A CAMPER READING: 2 EXP</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Progress on SIDE QUESTS. Four books / 795 pages / two SM quests / 13 EXP</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aqhHfl3IszU/WlHSXeHuMMI/AAAAAAAAA68/8oPvJxLzcyMZpkVW46DHAfTVD9eNEhhJQCLcBGAs/s1600/RCFinal.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="672" height="228" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aqhHfl3IszU/WlHSXeHuMMI/AAAAAAAAA68/8oPvJxLzcyMZpkVW46DHAfTVD9eNEhhJQCLcBGAs/s320/RCFinal.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twelve books / 2600 pages</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While I had the motivation to read, I did get sidetracked by the combination of a more demanding work schedule than normal and the gaming aspect of the challenge. My husband just shook his head and snickered at me every time I got excited to catch my campers reading. I had a great time and will continue to follow <a href="https://readatmidnight.com/">Read at Midnight</a> for more great book recommendations and (hopefully) more reading challenges.</span><br />
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-2303717274180640202017-10-14T22:40:00.002-07:002018-01-07T00:07:46.894-08:00Litsy A to Z Challenge <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="264" src="https://giphy.com/embed/3o7abnZIGzKF8OjnEI" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/comedy-central-broad-city-3o7abnZIGzKF8OjnEI">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When a fellow Litsy user suggested that I join the #LitsyAtoZ Challenge, to give myself a good reason to read Uprooted by Naomi Novik, I immediately followed the hashtag to get more info. @BookishMarginalia created the challenge. Basically, readers choose 26 books, one for each letter of the alphabet. Choose by title, author, or a combination of the two. Since I just did my own A-Z challenge by author's last name, I'll do titles this time. It started in January, so we'll see how far I get before the end of the year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'll fill in as I go. Happy reading!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A--<i>And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer</i> by Fredrik Backman </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">B--<i>Beartown</i> by Fredrik Backman </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">C--<i>The Case of the Missing Marquess</i> by Nancy Springer </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">D--<i>Dancing Girls</i> by Margaret Atwood </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆✩</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">E--<i>Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine</i> by Gail Honeyman </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">F--<i>The Far Away Brothers: Two Young Migrants and the Making of an American Life</i> by Lauren Markham </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">G--<i>Granny</i> by Anthony Horowitz </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆✩</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">H--<i>Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body</i> by Roxane Gay ☆☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I--<i>I heart You You Haunt Me</i> by Lisa Schroder </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">✩</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">J--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">K--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">L--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">M--<i>Magpie Murders</i> by Anthony Horowitz </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">✩</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">N--<i>N-W</i> by Zadie Smith </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">O--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">P--<i>Pemba's Song</i> by Marilyn Nelson & Tonya C. Hegamin </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Q--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">R--<i>Ready Player One</i> by Ernest Cline </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">✩</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">S--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">T--Today I Will Be Different by Maria Semple </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">U--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">V--<i>Vanishing Girls</i> by Lauren Oliver </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">W--<i>What Happened</i> by Hillary Clinton </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">X--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Y--<i>You Don't Have to Say You Love Me</i> by Sherman Alexie </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Z--</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Ran out of time on this one. I thought about continuing into the new year, but will instead leave this as is and jump into new challenges for a new year. They're stacking up already!</span></div>
Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-78293873188890441662017-09-27T18:53:00.000-07:002017-11-05T20:44:04.070-08:00FrightFall Readathon - October 1-31<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="373" src="https://giphy.com/embed/KupdfnqWwV7J6" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/michael-jackson-popcornjackson-KupdfnqWwV7J6">via GIPHY</a><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If a month of scary stories sounds like a great time, join me for the <a href="https://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/2017/09/frightfall-readathon-sign-up.html" target="_blank">FrightFall Readathon</a>. I pulled a huge stack of frightening reads off my bookshelves and then found a few more at the library. I know I won't get to all of them, but I like to have lots of choices to honor my moods as my cravings shift.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>WEEK 1 TOTALS (OCTOBER 1-7):</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 6</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 1802</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1365199616l/2451090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1365199616l/2451090.jpg" width="137" /></a> <a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327871336l/89717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327871336l/89717.jpg" width="130" /></a></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-align: left;"> The Robe of Skulls</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-align: left;">The Haunting of Hill House</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Vivian French Shirley Jackson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b> </b><i>Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales</i> <i>The Woman in Cabin 10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> </i>Deborah Noyes (Ed.) Ruth Ware </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> ☆☆☆☆ </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆ </span></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="204" height="200" src="https://booklife-resized.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/4bf7eeaabb65884d2409cb4e72b19903-w204@1x.jpg" width="131" /> <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328043955l/153025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328043955l/153025.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <i>Full Tilt</i> <i>Heart-Shaped Box</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> </i>Neal Shusterman Joe Hill</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> ☆☆☆ </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>WEEK 2 TOTALS (October 8-14):</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 3</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total started: 11</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 4</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total finished: 10</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 1667</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total pages: 3469</span></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327930806l/7306380.jpg" width="150" /> <a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51IgIj7k4bL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="230" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51IgIj7k4bL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Picture the Dead The Fireman</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Adele Griffin Joe Hill</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> ☆☆☆ </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1449810298l/22813605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1449810298l/22813605.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Roxane Gay</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">WEEK 3 TOTALS (OCTOBER 15-21):</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 10</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total started: 21</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 11</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total finished: 21</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 3026*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total pages: 6495</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Thanks to <a href="http://www.24hourreadathon.com/">Dewy's 24 Hour Readathon</a>!</span><br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_30/2085841/170727-hillary-clinton-book-mn-0710_355921c6f3c19d87fb2a3fa8a72a5f2c.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg" width="132" /> <a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429150341l/606928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429150341l/606928.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>What Happened</i> <i>The Case of the Missing Marquess</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hillary Rodham Clinton Nancy Springer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"> ☆☆☆☆ </span><span style="text-align: center;">☆☆☆☆</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1414618400l/22465597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1414618400l/22465597.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491367278l/28449270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="304" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491367278l/28449270.jpg" width="127" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Vanishing Girls Today Will Be Different</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Lauren Oliver Maria Semple</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"> ☆☆☆ </span><span style="text-align: center;">☆☆☆</span></span></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="576" height="200" src="https://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/onix/cvr9781501160486/and-every-morning-the-way-home-gets-longer-and-longer-9781501160486_hr.jpg" width="143" /> <a href="http://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/onix/cvr9781501160769/beartown-9781501160769_hr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="521" height="200" src="https://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/onix/cvr9781501160769/beartown-9781501160769_hr.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> And Every Morning the Way Beartown</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Home Gets Longer and Longer</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Fredrik Backman </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Fredrik Backman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"> ☆☆☆</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">☆☆ </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">☆☆☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">☆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">The Adventures of Superhero Girl You Don't Have to Say You Love Me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Faith Erin Hicks Sherman Alexie</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348308364l/606926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="285" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348308364l/606926.jpg" width="142" /></a> <a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328840065l/3339301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328840065l/3339301.jpg" width="137" /></a></div>
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The Case of the Left-Handed Lady Pemba's Song</div>
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Nancy Springer Marilyn Nelson & Tonya Hegamin</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"> ☆☆</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">☆ </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">☆☆</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">☆</span></div>
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Granny</div>
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Anthony Horowitz</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆☆✩</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">WEEK 4 TOTALS (OCTOBER 22-28):</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 6</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total started: 27</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 6</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total finished: 27</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages read: 2051</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total pages: 8546</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492677644l/25899336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492677644l/25899336.jpg" width="135" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41ioUCrTgcL._SX347_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="349" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41ioUCrTgcL._SX347_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="139" /></a></div>
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When Breath Becomes Air I Heart You, You Haunt Me</div>
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Paul Kalanithi Lisa Schroeder</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆☆✩ </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆</span></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1466778769l/30422527.jpg" width="135" /> <a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61K2brgIMrL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="513" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61K2brgIMrL.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
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A Good Idea Wild</div>
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Cristina Morocco Cheryl Strayed</div>
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The Word is Murder Magpie Murders</div>
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Anthony Horowitz Anthony Horowitz</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> ☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆ </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">☆</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">✩</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">A fun month of reading a bit outside my comfort zone. While it didn't go as planned, I enjoyed the readathon. My scary pick generally didn't turn out to be be scary, and the nonfiction and more realistic fiction choices I made turned out to have more scary moments. The formatting for this post gave me nothing but trouble, so it looks wonky and I've decided it's good enough. And done. Until next time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span>Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-10407472169589250942017-09-27T18:35:00.000-07:002018-01-07T00:21:31.237-08:00Book Riot's 2017 Read Harder Challenge<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="246" src="https://giphy.com/embed/SCnmKSVG4zdQc" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/maudit-maudit-reading-me-too-SCnmKSVG4zdQc">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm late to the party on this one, since the <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/12/15/book-riots-2017-read-harder-challenge/" target="_blank">Read Harder Challenge</a> started in January, but I'm going for it anyway. Because why the hell not? Who couldn't benefit from a little stretch?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Looking through the list of reading prompts, I have 18 covered already with what I've read so far this year. However, finishing the few that are left seems a bit too easy, so I'll be starting fresh and attempting to complete all 24 reading prompts between now and the end of the year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Woo hoo! Here we go!</span><br />
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<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://bookriot.com/2014/06/23/world-cup-reading-favorite-books-sports/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/06/22/books-about-basketball-for-wednesday-june-22/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">a</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/07/28/gymnastics-books-ages/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">book</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/08/18/football-books/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">about</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/12/05/100-must-read-books-about-running/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sports</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;">Beartown by Fredrik Backman ☆☆☆☆⭒ (A dying town that has pinned all its hopes for the future on the junior hockey team grapples with issues of loyalty after its star player rapes a classmate.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/09/06/the-center-for-fiction-first-novel-prize-short-list-gets-it-right/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">debut</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/625.Great_Debut_Novels" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">novel</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>Heart-Shaped Box</i> by Joe Hill ☆☆</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">⭒ (Decent writing, but not my cup of tea.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/05/25/100-must-read-books-books/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">book</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/01/12/of-your-favorite-books-about-books/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">about</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2013/02/04/a-list-of-books-about-reading/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">books</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>Touch Magic: Fantasy, Faerie & Folklore in the Literature of Childhood</i> by Jane Yolen</span> </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆ (Loved this collection of essays.</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Yolen lays out the many ways that fantasy literature is developmentally crucial to children, our sense of history, and society as a whole.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a book set in <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/04/25/100-must-read-latin-american-books/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Central or South America</a>, written by a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/26185.Latin_American_Lit_In_Translation_" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Central or South American</a> author. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>In the Time of the Butterflies</i> by Julia Alvarez </span></span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆ (Compelling historical fiction about the Mirabal sisters, Las Mariposas, and their fight for freedom during the reign of Trujillo in the Dominican Republic.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a book by an <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/12/12/8-must-read-immigration-stories-by-and-about-latinos/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">immigrant</a> or with a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/338.Immigrant_Experience_Literature" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">central</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/12640.Immigrant_Voices_Fiction" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">immigration </a>narrative. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>The Far Away Brothers</i> by Lauren Markham</span> </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆ (Combines the personal story of a family's struggle for survival and the larger political and </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">economic factors that drive illegal immigration.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/09/08/reading-rainbow-7-lgbtq-all-ages-graphic-novels/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">an</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/07/06/rec-room-26-favorite-comics-graphic-novels-ages/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">all-ages</a> comic. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur Vol. 1: BFF</i> by Amy Reeder</span> </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆ (I enjoyed the artwork, but there was too little story in the first volume.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a book published between <a href="https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/books-that-shaped-america/1900-to-1950.html" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">1900</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/1900-1950" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">and</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/fiction-1900-1950" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">1950</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;">Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey </span></span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆ (A childhood favorite! Simple, repetitive story and lovely black and white drawings.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/travel-memoirs" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">a</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/02/15/of-your-favorite-adventure-memoirs/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">travel</a> <a href="http://girlvsglobe.com/2015/09/20-inspiring-female-travel-memoirs.html" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">memoir</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail</i> by Cheryl Strayed </span></span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆ (A woman, alone and ill-prepared, hikes a portion of the PCT to prove she can. Raw and honest.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/12/14/retro-rereads-my-2017-reading-plan/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">book</a> you’ve <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/re-read" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">read</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9357.Books_you_have_read_more_than_one_time" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">before</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>The Haunting of Hill House</i> by Shirley Jackson ☆☆☆☆ (Creepy classic ghost story/psychological thriller.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a book that is <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/09/19/100-must-read-books-set-in-new-england/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">set</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/06/14/100-must-read-california-books/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">within</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/04/19/100-must-read-books-american-midwest/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">100</a> <a href="http://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/50-Books-Set-50-States-34822331#photo-34822331" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">miles</a> <a href="http://www.listchallenges.com/books-for-each-state" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">of</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/07/22/done-dickens-books-life-contemporary-london/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">your</a> <a href="https://storify.com/brennacgray/canada-day-literary-celebration-canlit148" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">location</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>The Legend of Indian Mary and Umpqua Joe</i> by Percy T. Booth ☆☆⭒ (Interesting local history of Southern OR with a dash of racism.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a book that is set more than <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/04/28/around-world-80-books-global-reading-list/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5000 miles</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/07/26/100-mystery-crime-novels-around-the-world/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">from</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/09/20/sites-like-read-world/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">your location</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>Veronika Decides to Die</i> by Paulo Coelho</span> </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆ (A young Slovenian woman decides to commit suicide because her life is boring and wakes up in a mental hospital.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/07/13/8-asian-fantasy-books-by-asian-authors/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/10/11/7-fantasy-books-asexual-leads/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">a</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/10/03/100-must-read-ya-historical-fantasy-novels/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">fantasy</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/05/02/100-must-read-sci-fi-fantasy-novels-by-female-authors/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">novel</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>The Robe of Skulls</i> by Vivian French ☆☆☆ (Cute fantasy-adventure for upper elementary readers.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2014/11/12/45-favorite-books-evolution-technology/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nonfiction</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/13430.Silicon_Valley" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">book</a> <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/best-books-about-innovation-2016-180961330/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">about</a> <a href="http://www.inc.com/frederic-kerrest/5-must-read-books-on-technology-and-innovation.html" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">technology</a>.</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://bookriot.com/2014/07/07/48-excellent-world-war-ii-novels/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/824.Best_Non_fiction_War_Books" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">a</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/08/01/100-must-read-books-about-the-civil-war-era/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">book</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/11/11/canadian-reads-for-remembrance-day/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">about</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2014/11/17/genre-kryptonite-women-write-war/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">war</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>Ready Player One</i> by Ernest Cline</span> </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆⭒ (I may be pushing this category a bit. The war in the story is not between nations, but instead between everyday people and an evil corporation attempting to seize control of the Oasis, an online virtual reality. Super fun 80s nostalgia and nonstop action.) </span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/06/13/coming-coming-age-ya-lgbtq-books/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">YA</a> or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/teen/meet-the-lgbtq-authors-who-are-revolutionizing-ya-literature/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">middle grade </a><a href="http://www.gayya.org/masterlist/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">novel</a> by an <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/06/13/lgbtqia-books-middle-grade-readers/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">author</a> who identifies as LGBTQ+. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>We Are Okay</i> by Nina LaCour</span> </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆☆ (Evocative writing about grief, </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">loneliness, and family.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a book that has been <a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/10/01/9-banned-books-across-globe/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">banned</a> or <a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/09/30/comics-get-challenged-banned-books-week/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">frequently</a> <a href="http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">challenged</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_banned_by_governments" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">your</a> <a href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/articles/the-12-most-famous-banned-books-of-all-time/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">country</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>A People's History of the United States</i> by Howard Zinn</span> <span style="color: orange;">CURRENTLY READING</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/08/22/100-must-read-lesser-known-classics/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">classic</a> by an <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/87554.Literary_Classic_by_Black_Women" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">author</a> of color. <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>Their Eyes Were Watching God</i> by Zora Neale Hurston</span> <span style="color: orange;">CURRENTLY READING</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/08/25/crazy-kamala-khan-youll-love-superheroines/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">superhero comic</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/06/04/bat-women-part-1/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">with</a> a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/08/10/the-kickass-ladies-of-marvel/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">female </a><a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/07/02/who-are-the-spider-women/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">lead</a>. <span style="color: #351c75;">The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks ☆☆☆☆☆ (Utterly charming artwork and story featuring an angsty, 20-something superhero struggling to save the world and still pay the rent.)</span></span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a book in which a character of color <a href="https://bookriot.com/2017/01/06/read-harder-recommendations-a-character-of-color-goes-on-a-spiritual-journey/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">goes on a spiritual journey</a> (From Daniel José Older, author of <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Salsa Nocturna</em>, the <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bone Street Rumba</em> urban fantasy series, and YA novel <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Shadowshaper</em>)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read an <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/10/11/ncod-search-bi-women-earth-based-cis-het-romance/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LGBTQ+</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/04/21/letters-romance-beyond-gay-lesbian-lgbtq/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">romance</a> <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/06/13/five-authors-get-started-mm-romance/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">novel </a>(From Sarah MacLean, author of ten bestselling historical romance novels) <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>Month of Sundays</i> by Yolanda Wallace </span></span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">☆☆☆ (Light and breezy contemporary romance.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a book <a href="https://bookriot.com/2017/01/19/read-harder-2017-its-time-to-talk-about-micro-presses/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">published by a micropress</a>. (From Roxane Gay, bestselling author of <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ayiti</em>, <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">An Untamed State</em>, <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bad Feminist</em>, Marvel’s <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">World of Wakanda</em>, and the forthcoming <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hunger</em> and <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Difficult Women</em>) <span style="color: #351c75;"><i>The Legend of Indian Mary and Umpqua Joe</i> by Percy T. Booth (B&B Publishing, Coos Bay, OR) ☆☆⭒ </span></span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(Interesting local history of Southern OR with a dash of racism.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2016/06/06/100-top-notch-short-story-collections/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">collection</a> of <a href="https://bookriot.com/2015/10/13/44-favorite-short-story-collections/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">stories</a> by a woman. (From Celeste Ng, author <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Everything I Never Told You</em> and the forthcoming <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Little Fires Everywhere</em>) <i>D</i><span style="color: #351c75;"><i>ancing Girls and Other Stories</i> by Margaret Atwood </span></span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">☆☆</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">☆☆ (Several stellar stories about relationships and how we wreck them.)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a collection of poetry <a href="https://bookriot.com/category/in-translation/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">in translation</a> on a <a href="https://bookriot.com/2017/01/30/read-harder-2017-poetry-collections-in-translation-not-above-love/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">theme other than love</a>. (From Ausma Zehanat Khan, author of the Esa Khattak/Rachel Getty mystery series, including <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Unquiet Dead</em>, <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Language of Secrets</em>, and the forthcoming <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Among the Ruins</em>)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Read a book wherein <a href="https://bookriot.com/2017/01/25/read-harder-2017-books-featuring-povs-from-people-of-color/" style="border: 0px; box-shadow: rgb(235, 168, 32) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">all point-of-view characters are people of color</a>. (From Jacqueline Koyanagi, author of sci-fi novel <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ascension <span style="color: #351c75;">Sing, Unburied, Sing </span></em><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #351c75;">by Jesmyn Ward ☆☆☆☆☆ (Beautiful writing and a haunting story; a perfect example of why I'm reading more books by women and POC this year; highly recommend.)</span></span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">I loved this challenge because it lead me to stretch out of my comfort zone. Though I bought some new books in order to cover every category, I ran out of time to read them all this year. I'm currently in the middle of <i>Their Eyes Were Watching God</i> by Zora Neale Hurston, reading slowly and savoring the gorgeous writing. Looking forward to a productive and informative reading year in 2018. </span></div>
Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-56639810149620002472017-09-27T18:00:00.000-07:002017-10-22T05:14:51.881-07:00Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon - October 21, 2017<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="234" src="https://giphy.com/embed/Wp0ZtQjgViqR2" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/coffee-suicide-squad-harley-quinn-Wp0ZtQjgViqR2">via GIPHY</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Stock up on books and caffeine! It's time for Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon! The event takes place on October 21, 2017 and you can sign up <a href="http://www.24hourreadathon.com/category/october-2017/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The organizers have come up with a fun photo challenge to keep us busy while we wait for the main event. There are several places to follow along, but I'll be posting at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/30DaysofReadathon?src=hash" target="_blank">#30Days of Readathon on Twitter</a>. Come on by and join the fun!</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3L5b_WfBfRw/WcxDU3MxYpI/AAAAAAAAA30/h7j9RWhYUQE8KA_OFL7xYD5voDgL5OXZwCLcBGAs/s1600/Deweys30Days.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3L5b_WfBfRw/WcxDU3MxYpI/AAAAAAAAA30/h7j9RWhYUQE8KA_OFL7xYD5voDgL5OXZwCLcBGAs/s320/Deweys30Days.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Since I've been doing so many readathons, often more than one at the same time, I do one long post for each event. During the readathon, I'll update this post as I go. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I love that everyone is reading at the same time, no matter where we are in the world. Find out the start and end times for your time zone <a href="http://www.24hourreadathon.com/start-times/?utm_content=buffer47ecb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">here</a>. I'm in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, so I'll be reading from 5:00 am on Saturday, October 21 to 4:55 am on Sunday, October 22. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here we go!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://giphy.com/embed/aQYR1p8saOQla" width="435"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/see-heavy-aQYR1p8saOQla">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Saturday, October 21, 2017</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5:00 am - 2:00 pm: Reading <i>You Don't Have to Say You Love Me</i> by Sherman Alexie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2:00 pm - 2:30 pm: Read The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2:30 pm - 3:00 pm: Read <i>You Don't Have to Say You Love Me</i> by Sherman Alexie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Read <i>The Case of the Left-Handed Lady</i> by Nancy Springer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8:00 pm - 10:00 pm: Read <i>Pemba's Song</i> by Marilyn Nelson & Tonya C. Hegamin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10:00 pm - 12:00 am: Read <i>Granny</i> by Anthony Horowitz</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages: 1097</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Sunday, October 22, 2017</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">12:00 am - 2:00 am: Read <i>I Heart You, You Haunt Me</i> by Lisa Schroeder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2:00 - 5:00 am: Reading <i>When Breath Becomes Air</i> by Paul Kalanithi (So close to the end, but didn't quite finish.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books started: 2</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total started: 7</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Books finished: 1</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total finished: 6</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages: 410</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total pages: 1507</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total hours read: 20-ish. I took a couple of unexpected naps while resting my eyes with an audiobook and had to replay a few tracks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hour One:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Ten Years in 10 Books (Recommend a book published in each year of the readathon):</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2007--<i>The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian</i> by Sherman Alexie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2008--<i>The Tales of Beedle the Bard</i> by J.K. Rowling</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2009--<i>Ash</i> by Malinda Lo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2010--<i>How Reading Changed My Life</i> by Anna Quindlen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2011--<i>Orange Is the New Black</i> by Piper Kerman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2012--<i>Seraphina</i> by Rachel Hartman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2013--<i>Two Boys Kissing</i> by David Leviathan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2014--<i>Bad Feminist</i> by Roxane Gay</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2015--<i>Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear</i> by Elizabeth Gilbert</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2016--<i>The Wrath & the Dawn</i> by Renée Ahdieh</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2017--<i>The Hate U Give</i> by Angie Thomas</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I've read and loved these books and I think you will, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hour Three Gifathon:</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://giphy.com/embed/3oriOiBJx3ADbXFBM4" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/halloween-friday-book-3oriOiBJx3ADbXFBM4">via GIPHY</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hour Five Challenge: #readmorewomen</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n-o5esMwph4/Weu30l1cLzI/AAAAAAAAA4w/GEKa4khwuTkbIh--iSXUsleHWBp4pbcPgCLcBGAs/s1600/womenfavs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n-o5esMwph4/Weu30l1cLzI/AAAAAAAAA4w/GEKa4khwuTkbIh--iSXUsleHWBp4pbcPgCLcBGAs/s320/womenfavs.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Read and loved.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FbR7rmXoec8/Weu30RVapII/AAAAAAAAA4s/W3RSfBXunYIS5iSTfbTKSwGkjSbQZfuXwCLcBGAs/s1600/womentbr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FbR7rmXoec8/Weu30RVapII/AAAAAAAAA4s/W3RSfBXunYIS5iSTfbTKSwGkjSbQZfuXwCLcBGAs/s320/womentbr.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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TBR</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I didn't spend much time on the social media aspect this time. Instead, I focused on reading as much as possible. Which is the point, right? Gotta get that TBR wall under control. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://giphy.com/embed/JEhCPFfqi2Hy8" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/disney-books-beauty-and-the-beast-belle-JEhCPFfqi2Hy8">via GIPHY</a><br />
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-5906599485050599792017-08-09T20:26:00.001-07:002017-08-28T18:00:18.921-07:00Bout of Books 20 <div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html" target="_blank">Bout of Books 20</a> is here!</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://i.imgur.com/nhfiVnq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://i.imgur.com/nhfiVnq.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Bout of Books read-a-thon is </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">organized by Amanda Shofner and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">a week long read-a-thon </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">that begins </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">12:01 am Monday, August 21st and </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">runs through Sunday, August 27th in </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">whatever time zone you are in. Bout </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">of Books is low pressure. There are </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">challenges, giveaways, and a grand </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">prize, but all of these are completely </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">optional. </span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For all Bout of Books 20 </b><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">information and updates, be sure to </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">visit the <a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bout of Books</a> blog. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- From the Bout of Books team</span><br />
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<a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/Nfd1jLVBCR3O0/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="500" height="133" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/Nfd1jLVBCR3O0/giphy.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Updates will follow!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh, by the way, I'll also be doing <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=default&q=%23TheReadingQuest&src=typd" target="_blank">#TheReadingQuest</a> because it starts on August 13. Check <a href="http://literate-her.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-reading-quest-august-13-september-10.html" target="_blank">here</a> for my progress and more details, but hurry if you want to sign up. Once the quest starts, sign-up closes, though you can still follow along for fun.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eV9WGWUo1Wo/WZyuc2JZPUI/AAAAAAAAA0E/-T-3hrhqgTA6YhKKRtvakpCuKRpLy9tQACLcBGAs/s1600/BoutofBooksTBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eV9WGWUo1Wo/WZyuc2JZPUI/AAAAAAAAA0E/-T-3hrhqgTA6YhKKRtvakpCuKRpLy9tQACLcBGAs/s400/BoutofBooksTBR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Since Bout of Books is a lovely, low-key experience, I'll be using the TBR I set up to complete the quests in #TheReadingQuest, which are very specific. Due to forest fires burning close enough to my house to result in crappy air quality (but not any immediate danger), I'm trapped at home with my books with lots of time to read. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>MY GOAL: </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>read at least 200 pages every day of the readathon.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Monday, August 21, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><b>Day 1 Challenge: Introduce Yourself <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insixwords?src=hash" target="_blank">#insixwords</a> </b></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: purple;">I read to escape from reality.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Started: 2 (</span><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Estrella's Quinceañera</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Malín Alegría; </span><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">From Somalia, with Love</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Na'ima B. Robert)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 2</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finished: 1 (<i>Estrella's </i></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Quinceañera</i>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 1</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages: 340</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 340</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Goal met? Yes</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tuesday, August 22, 2017</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Day 2 Challenge: Synopsis Rewrite</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23synopsisrewritebob20&src=typd" target="_blank">#synopsisrewritebob20</a></b></span></span></div>
<a href="http://dolmv3q9e9skh.cloudfront.net/productImage/?sku=guides-feathers&w=200" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://dolmv3q9e9skh.cloudfront.net/productImage/?sku=guides-feathers&w=200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> The poem that Samantha is reading in school is all about hope. But Samantha doesn't have much hope lately. After all, there are so many other things to think about. Her friend Frannie, for example, won't come to church with her. And Trevor, the class bully. And the new kid, Jesus Boy, who looks white even though he says he's not. Who is he? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> As winter goes on, the idea of hope stays with Samantha, and she begins to see things in a new light. She starts to wonder if Jesus Boy really could be what she's been waiting for. She is afraid to say it aloud, but she can't stop thinking of her own desire for "that thing with feathers." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Set against the backdrop of the early seventies, Jacqueline Woodson's powerful story takes readers on a journey into a young person's heart. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Started: 2 (</span><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Feathers</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Jacqueline Woodson; </span><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Fairest of All</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Serena Valentino)</span><br />
<b style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Total: 4</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finished: 3 (</span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">From Somalia, with Love</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">;</span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Feathers</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">;</span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Fairest</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 3</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages: 450</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 790</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Goal met? Yes</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Wednesday, August 23, 2017</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Day 3 Challenge: Book Spine Rainbow <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bookspinerainbow&src=typd" target="_blank">#bookspinerainbow</a></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TpG-AVhZ3xw/WZ3l2Nf2wjI/AAAAAAAAA04/NEDHOs_-S4Eje3nz1Y7E4DSOjzc1rzeOACLcBGAs/s1600/BookSpineRainbowBoB20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="640" height="380" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TpG-AVhZ3xw/WZ3l2Nf2wjI/AAAAAAAAA04/NEDHOs_-S4Eje3nz1Y7E4DSOjzc1rzeOACLcBGAs/s400/BookSpineRainbowBoB20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Started: 2 (<i>Quiver</i> by Stephanie Spinner; Seraphina by Rachel Hartman</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 6</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finished: 1 (Quiver)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages: 284</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 1074</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Goal met?</b> <b>Yes</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Thursday, August 24, 2017</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Day 4 Challenge: If you like this, try that...</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23ifyoulikethistrythat&src=typd" target="_blank">#ifyoulikethistrythat</a> or <a href="http://#boutofbooks day 4" target="_blank">#Day4</a></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you liked The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, try The Young Elites by Marie Lu. #boutofbooks #ifyoulikethistrythat #day4
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Started: 2 (<i>A Sending of Dragons </i>by Jane Yolen; When My Name was Keoko by Barbara Sue Park</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 8</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finished: 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 6</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages: 334</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 1408</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Goal met?</b> <b>Yes</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Friday, August 25, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Day 5 Challenge: Write a review</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23boutofbooks%20%23day5&src=typd" target="_blank">#boutofbooks #day5</a></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>For this challenge, I chose my favorite book from the readathon so far, <i>Quiver</i> by Stephanie Spinner. It is a lovely retelling of the story of Atalanta and the Three Golden Apples, fleshed out with humor and a dash of feminist flair.<br />
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Here's a link to the review on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/0440238196/RVVSG2PQV8G7H/ref=cm_cr_dp_mb_rvw_3?ie=UTF8&cursor=3" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Started: 0</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 8</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finished: 0</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 6</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages: 216</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 1624</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Goal met?</b> <b>Yes</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday, August 26, 2017</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Day 6 Challenge: LOVE to HATE</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23boutofbooks%20%23lovetohate&src=typd" target="_blank">#boutofbooks #lovetohate</a></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So many juicy villains to choose from! Here are a few that came to mind:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Amy Dunne from <i>Gone Girl</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cersei Lannister from <i>Game of Thrones</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dracula (the Bram Stoker version)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Severus Snape from <i>Harry Potter</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Annie Wilkes from <i>Misery</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pennywise from <i>It</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Scarlett O'Hara from <i>Gone with the Wind</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Started: 1 (<i>The Midnight Star</i> by Marie Lu)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 9</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finished: 2 (<i>When My Name was Keoko; Seraphina</i>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 8</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages: 490</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 2114</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Goal met? Yes!</b></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sunday, August 27, 2017</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Started: 2 (<i>Shadow Scale</i> by Rachel Hartman; Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 11</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finished: 0</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 8</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pages: 313</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Total: 2427</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Goal met? Yes</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tID-1LIng1U/WaS4_DUU6tI/AAAAAAAAA2M/QR0pIyYC0dAEp3eYdtYBUFyhbO13w1VaACLcBGAs/s1600/BoB20FinalStack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tID-1LIng1U/WaS4_DUU6tI/AAAAAAAAA2M/QR0pIyYC0dAEp3eYdtYBUFyhbO13w1VaACLcBGAs/s400/BoB20FinalStack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>FINAL STATS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Books Started: 11</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Books Finished: 8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pages read: 2427</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Avg Pages Per Day: 347</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Goal Met? Yes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Bout of Books 21: January 8 - 14, 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Hope to see you there! </span></div>
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-72925799833753346022017-08-09T19:36:00.001-07:002017-09-15T03:01:13.526-07:00The Reading Quest: August 13 - September 10<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Apparently, there are several million reading challenges that I'm not aware of. My reaction upon learning about <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23TheReadingQuest&src=tyah" target="_blank">#The Reading Quest</a>:</span><br />
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<a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/PBM14uaJCbp72/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="452" height="190" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/PBM14uaJCbp72/giphy.gif" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The quest spans from Sunday, August 13 to Sunday, September 10. Sign-up closes on August 13, so go sign up right now if you haven't already!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pick a character (Bard, Rogue, Mage, or Knight) and then start filling in the bingo board on that character's path. As you read, you'll earn points and level up, just like in a video game. I will be trying to fill the whole, board, but I'll start on the Bard's path.</span></div>
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<a href="https://readatmidnight.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/the-reading-quest-character-classes.png?w=656" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="656" height="160" src="https://readatmidnight.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/the-reading-quest-character-classes.png?w=656" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://readatmidnight.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/reading-quest-board1.png?w=656" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="656" height="400" src="https://readatmidnight.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/reading-quest-board1.png?w=656" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Find the sign-up post and full information at <a href="https://readatmidnight.com/2017/07/29/thereadingquest-sign-up/" target="_blank">Read at Midnight</a>. All the artwork for The Reading Quest was created by <a href="https://readthinkponder.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">CW of Read, Think, Ponder</a>. Not only does she do book reviews, but she creates wonderful bookish art. Go check it out!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here is my preliminary TBR. I'm waiting for a reading buddy so I can finalize.</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-34O6oid4iJw/WYvGJoFDlDI/AAAAAAAAAxY/uXsxkgj4FjMVaHVd8zQBgwURT3NjyIUSwCLcBGAs/s1600/ReadingQuestTBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-34O6oid4iJw/WYvGJoFDlDI/AAAAAAAAAxY/uXsxkgj4FjMVaHVd8zQBgwURT3NjyIUSwCLcBGAs/s320/ReadingQuestTBR.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I created my character card with an easy-to-follow <a href="https://paperwanderer.wordpress.com/2017/08/07/how-to-use-photopea-to-make-a-character-card-for-thereadingquest/" target="_blank">tutorial</a> by Glaiza at paperwanderer.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNa62Mu8yc8/WY0rQ28n4DI/AAAAAAAAAx0/eLLEbfxMemMDo7iM7DzIvGIwlmiK1j4XgCLcBGAs/s1600/Debbie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="528" height="247" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNa62Mu8yc8/WY0rQ28n4DI/AAAAAAAAAx0/eLLEbfxMemMDo7iM7DzIvGIwlmiK1j4XgCLcBGAs/s320/Debbie.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I went through my TBR again to add a few more diverse authors. Here's the revised TBR:</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uNm2b7TFZ0c/WZDC0mchJJI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/kUOtmhsvXzoXl-KFqNkfaxnSgwceu3mxACLcBGAs/s1600/RQRevisedTBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uNm2b7TFZ0c/WZDC0mchJJI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/kUOtmhsvXzoXl-KFqNkfaxnSgwceu3mxACLcBGAs/s320/RQRevisedTBR.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bard:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>MOVIE/TV ADAPTATION:</b> <i>Me Before You</i> by Jojo Moyes <span style="color: purple;">(+10EXP, +37HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>FAIRY TALE RETELLING:</b> <i>Belle</i> by Cameron Dokey <span style="color: purple;">(Read but not counting for points) Ash by Malinda Lo </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +26HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>STRIKING TOPOGRAHY: </b><i>Tranny</i> by Laura Jane Grace <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +30HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>TRANSLATED FROM ANOTHER LANGUAGE:</b> <i>The Law of Love</i> by Laura Esquivel <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +26HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>BANNED BOOK: </b><i>Kaffir Boy</i> by Mark Mathabane <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +35HP)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Rogue:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>BANNED BOOK: </b><i>Kaffir Boy</i> by Mark Mathabane <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +35HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>PARTIALLY OBSCURED FACE: </b><i>The Hate U Give</i> by Angie Thomas <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +45HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Less than 500 GOODREADS RATINGS:</b> <i>Estrella's Quinceañera</i> by Malín Alegría <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +26HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>SMALL PRESS:</b> <i>From Somalia, With Love</i> by Na'ima B. Robert <span style="color: purple;">(+20 EXP, +16HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>ONE WORD TITLE:</b> <i>Feathers</i> by Jacqueline Woodson <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +12HP)</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mage:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>ONE WORD TITLE:</b> <i>Feathers</i> by Jacqueline Woodson <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +12HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>CONTAINS MAGIC:</b> Fairest of All by Serena Valentino <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +25HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>BASED ON MYTHOLOGY:</b> <i>Quiver</i> by Stephanie Spinner <span style="color: purple;">(Read but not counting for points) The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee </span></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(+20EXP, +31HP)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>SET IN A DIFFERENT WORLD:</b> <i>Shadow Scale</i> by Rachel Hartman <span style="color: purple;">(+10EXP, +59HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>FIRST BOOK IN A SERIES:</b> <i>Dead is the New Black</i> by Marlene Perez <span style="color: purple;">(+10EXP, +19HP)</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Knight:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>FIRST BOOK IN A SERIES:</b> <i>Dead is the New Black</i> by Marlene Perez <span style="color: purple;">(+10EXP, +19HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>VERB IN THE TITLE:</b> <strike><i>Before I Die</i> by Jenny Downham (+10EXP, +33HP)</strike> <i>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</i> by Jenny Han <span style="color: purple;">(+20 EXP, +37HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>WEAPON ON THE COVER:</b> <strike><i>An Unfinished Life</i> by Mark Spragg (+10EXP, +26HP)</strike> <i>The Rose & the Dagger</i> by Renée Ahdieh </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +42HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>RED COVER:</b> <i>Red Scarf Girl</i> by Ji-Li Jiang <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +28HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>MOVIE/TV ADAPTATION:</b> <i>Me Before You</i> by Jojo Moyes <span style="color: purple;">(+10EXP, +37HP)</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Side Quests:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>POTIONS (2+ authors):</b> <i>A Monster Calls</i> by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd <span style="color: purple;">(+10EXP, +21HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>MULTIPLAYER (buddy read):</b> <i>The Midnight Star</i> by Marie Lu (+20EXP, +32HP)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>GRIND (500+ pages): </b><i>Perfect</i> by Ellen Hopkins <span style="color: purple;">(+10EXP, +62HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>TIME WARP (past/future setting):</b> <i>When My Name was Keoko</i> by Linda Sue Park <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +20HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>OPEN WORLD (free pick):</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>RESPAWN (previously DNF):</b> </span><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Annie on My Mind</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Nancy Garden <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +26HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>EXPANSION (companion book):</b> <i>The Tales of Beedle the Bard</i> by J.K. Rowling <span style="color: purple;">(+10EXP, +11HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>MINI-GAME: (novella):</b> <i>Hiroshima</i> by Laurence Yep <span style="color: purple;">(+20EXP, +5HP)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>ANIMAL COMPANION (animal in title):</b> <i>A Sending of Dragons</i> by Jane Yolen <span style="color: purple;">(+10EXP, 29HP)</span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/612VGrkIZVL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="453" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/612VGrkIZVL.jpg" width="113" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[BARD/KNIGHT] A BOOK THAT HAS A TV/MOVIE ADAPTATION: </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Me Before You</i> by Jojo Moyes</span> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Judging from the cover art, I thought this was going to be a fluffy romance. While there is some romance, Moyes takes on some heavy topics here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Louisa has worked at the same safe job and been with the same safe boyfriend for years. At 26, she still lives at home with her parents. They struggle financially and Louisa helps out as much as she can. After being let go when her boss decides to close his cafe, she gets a few awful jobs through the local job center. When none of these work out, she is hired as a companion for Will, who lost all interest in living after an accident made him a quadriplegic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At first, I didn't like Lou all that much. She exhibits almost no curiosity about the larger world and has no aspirations beyond a steady paycheck. When Will challenges her (and she challenges him right back) she starts to become a more interesting character. They are both damaged, although some scars are more visible than others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When Lou finds out that Will plans to seek out an assisted suicide, she sets out to show him that his life is not over and that he can still have a future. Along the way, she faces a few of her own demons and finds herself more invested in Will's happiness than she ever could have imagined.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Have plenty of Kleenex handy.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[BARD] A FAIRY TALE RETELLING:</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Belle</i> by Cameron Dokey</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An interesting retelling of Beauty and the Beast in which Belle is a gifted wood carver. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">During a storm, Belle's father gets lost in the woods and stumbles into the Beast's home. All is fine until he picks up a branch from the mysterious Heartwood Tree. When the Beast gets angry that the tree would choose to bestow a gift (but not to him), Belle's father tells the Beast about her gift with seeing things in wood. The Beast insists that either Belle or her father remain with him until they can find out what the branch holds inside. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Belle and the Beast don't even meet until about the last third of the book, so the development of their relationship is brushed over pretty quickly. I still enjoyed this version, especially the legend of the Heartwood Tree.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(After I read this one, I found another pick by a marginalized author, so this one is not included in my stats.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[BARD] A FAIRY TALE RETELLING:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Ash</i> by Malinda Lo</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A gorgeous retelling of Cinderella. Lush, evocative descriptions bring Ash's story to life in vivid detail. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Magic has faded from the world, but thanks to the stories her mother told her, Ash still believes. The stories within the main story are wonderful and, for me, illustrate the ways in which we create meaning in our own lives, especially from the stories we read (or have read to us) as children. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After her mother's death, Ash, overcome with grief, first meets Sidhean. When her father remarries and soon dies, Ash is forced to work as a servant for her unkind stepmother and stepsisters. She dreams more and more often about escaping to Sidhean and the fairies, but as her friendship with Kaisa, the King's Huntress, begins to blossom into love, she wonders if another life is possible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As is common in fairytales, the characters and their relationships aren't all that dynamic. I wanted to see more of both Sidhean and Kaisa, as well as how each of their relationships with Ash evolve and help her make her choice. I like that Prince Charming is kind of a side note to the story. Nice touch. And I absolutely loved both the writing and the worldbuilding.</span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">[SIDE QUEST] POTIONS</span> ( A book concocted by 2+ authors) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I also buddy read this with <a href="https://twitter.com/raisinetta?lang=en" target="_blank">@raisinetta</a> so she could use it for the [SIDE QUEST] MULTIPLAYER.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is the sort of book that is so sad and beautiful that it rips your heart right out. After you dry your ugly-cry tears, you hand it to everyone you love and say, "Read this! It's SOOOOOO good." Those words aren't enough, but they are all you'll have left. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">From the first line to the last, I was entranced. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Conor is struggling to deal with his mom's illness. Since she was diagnosed with cancer, he's been having the same nightmare every night. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then a different monster comes to call. This monster tells stories, but they are not stories with neat, happy endings. They are messy and complicated and sometimes unfair. And he wants A story from Conor, a true story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And that is the worst nightmare Conor can imagine.</span><br />
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41zroRL4eHL._SX333_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="335" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41zroRL4eHL._SX333_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="133" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[BARD] A COVER WITH STRIKING TOPOGRAPHY:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout </i>by Laura Jane Grace</span> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I picked up this book after seeing an interview with Laura Jane Grace and wanting to hear more of her story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Most of the book deals with the band she started as Tom Gabel and the ups and downs of the punk rock scene. Punk fans will certainly find this stuff way more interesting than I did. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Her coming out as transgender and her transition to living publicly as a woman was compelling to read, raw and real.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">[BARD] TRANSLATED FROM ANOTHER LANGUAGE:</span> </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Law of Love</i> by Laura Esquivel, Translated by Margaret Sayers Peden </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"...it's not by changing the social order that one's problems are resolved. It's by changing ourselves."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A mix of magical realism, sci-fi, and Buddhist philosophy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Azucena has been given a mission to restore balance to the universe and to be reunited with her twin soul, Rodrigo. Her efforts force her, and the people whose lives are intertwined with hers, to understand the lessons that their souls need to learn. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"An evolving spirit must pass through every imaginable horror before reaching enlightenment, for there is no way of arriving at light except through darkness. A soul is tempered only by suffering and pain. There is no way for human beings to avoid this predicament, nor is it useful to give them lessons in advance. The human soul is basically very stupid and cannot comprehend an experience until it lives it out in the flesh. Likewise, no knowledge ever reaches the brain without first passing through the organs of the senses."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There was a lot to love here, and I think I might like it better on a reread. The plot is convoluted and, at times, the jumps between both perspectives and past/present lives were jarring and confusing. I loved the puzzle of all the ways these souls were put together, again and again, until they learned the lessons they needed to learn.</span><br />
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71HaqwkvH-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="559" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71HaqwkvH-L.jpg" width="139" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[SIDE QUEST]</b> </span><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">MINI-GAME</span> (Graphic novel, novella, or poetry collection):</span></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Hiroshima</i> by Laurence Yep</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Short even for a novella at 50 pages, this story is based on the true events of Hiroshima. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The United States drops a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima and we see the unbelievable destruction through the eyes of a young girl named Sachi. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Written in simple, spare language, this is a story for elementary school children that shows the human cost of nuclear war without too many gory details.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[BARD / ROGUE] A BANNED BOOK:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa</i> by Mark Mathabane</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An eye-opening memoir about life under apartheid in South Africa. I can't even imagine living in those conditions, let alone finding a way to rise above them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mathabane describes the unbelievable squalor and unrelenting poverty he faced as a child. I especially admired his mother. Even with her own limitations--her lack of education and a patriarchal system that left her little respite from abuse and endless childbearing--she fought to give her children a better life.</span><br />
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<a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media/vc/f043712f-4655-4c8a-b60f-fca1e4c6ca9f.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="530" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media/vc/f043712f-4655-4c8a-b60f-fca1e4c6ca9f.JPG" width="131" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[ROGUE] COVER WITH A PARTIALLY OBSCURED FACE:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>The Hate U Give</i> by Angie Thomas</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After seeing her friend die in a drive-by shooting when she was only ten years old, Starr's parents decide to transfer her and her brothers to a predominantly white school in the suburbs. Though her family still lives in the neighborhood, Starr has lost touch with most of her old friends. She gets talked into going to a party where she sees Khalil, once her best friend. He ends up driving her home after a fight breaks out at the party and they get stopped by police on the way home, even though they are doing nothing wrong. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Starr's terror as Khalil is hauled out of the car is palpable. Though he's unarmed, the officer shoots him in the back. Not only does Starr have to watch another friend bleed to death by the side of the road, but she also has to keep her hands up with the gun trained on her. This scene was especially eye-opening for me. As a white woman, I might be annoyed or inconvenienced by being pulled over, but it would never have occurred to me to fear that I wouldn't survive the encounter. That right there is what white privilege looks like. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As we've seen happen over and over in real life, rumors start being reported about Khalil--he was a drug-dealing thug who just maybe got what he deserved. In the court of public opinion, he is on trial for his own murder. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Starr wants justice for her friend, but what she says about Khalil could put her entire family in danger. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The characters in this book are fantastic and their relationships are well-developed. Even though this is a serious topic, there are many light moments, especially between Starr and her parents. She also has a close relationship with her uncle, a police officer, which was a nice touch. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[ROGUE] FEWER THAN 500 GOODREADS RATINGS:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Estrella's Quinceañera</i> by Malín Alegría</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A fairly light, bubbly read about a girl from the barrio struggling with who she wants to be in the world and being pulled in two very different directions. As she tries to be a good girl and please everyone around her, she makes herself miserable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Should she go along with her mother's plan for a tacky, over-the-top quinceañera or be the posh party girl that her new friends at the private school she attends on scholarship want her to be? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Maybe it's predictable, but there are positive messages about the importance of family, community, and being true to yourself. And the Spanish words are integrated nicely, just the right amount of spice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[ROGUE] PUBLISHED BY A SMALL PRESS:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>From Somalia, with Love</i> by Na'ima B. Robert</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An interesting peek into the daily life of a Somali Muslim teenager. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Safia has been raised in England, and lives with her mother and two older brothers. Out of the blue, she finds out that her father, who has been in Somalia, is finally coming to rejoin the family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With the arrival of her father, the family dynamics are suddenly upside down. While Safia wants to support her mother's happiness, she feels left out and unsure of her place, especially after her favorite brother clashes with her father and runs away from home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Safia's choices lead her to a dangerous situation. This is the part of the story that lost me, as there was some overt victim blaming. The resolution that followed was vaguely satisfying, but just didn't resonate with me. Of course, I'm an atheist, so I bring a lot of skepticism to stories where faith wins out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[ROGUE / MAGE] ONE WORD TITLE:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Feathers</i> by Jacqueline Woodson</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Hope is the thing with feathers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">that perches in the soul,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And sings the tune--without the words, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And never stops at all"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> --Emily Dickinson </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Frannie longs to believe that everything is going to be all right, but life hasn't always worked out that way. Her mom is pregnant again and not feeling well. Since she has had miscarriages in the past, the whole family is worried. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Frannie and Sean (her older brother) are very close and she looks up to him, even as she feels like she has to protect him. He's handsome, funny, and a great cook. And he happens to be deaf. I loved him as a character and also for the fact that his deafness is just one thing about him, not what drives the story. Having him in her life does make Frannie more sensitive about how others are treated when they're different, which is important when a new kid joins her class. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Everyone at her school is black, but the new kid is white. Because of his long hair and pale skin, the kids call him Jesus Boy. Frannie's holy roller best friend believes he might really be Jesus. Though Woodson doesn't dig too deep here, Frannie and Samantha have an interesting conversation about doing what is right. I loved that Frannie acts in a more Christian way, even though she's not a believer. Say it louder for the people in the back--it's possible to do the right thing simply because it's the right thing, and not only because an invisible man in the sky is watching. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">[SIDE QUEST] GRIND</span> (500+ pages):</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Perfect</i> by Ellen Hopkins</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sequel to <i>Impulse</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Though there are brief appearances by the main characters from <i>Impulse</i> (Connor, Vanessa, and Tony), this story deals with four new(ish) characters. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cara is Connor's twin sister. She's dealing with Connor's suicide attempt and the pressure of being the perfect daughter that her parents expect. Her boyfriend, Sean, wants a future with her that she's not sure she wants. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sean is a talented athlete using steroids to make sure he performs at a level that will get him noticed by college scouts. He's dealing with the deaths of his parents, but he's also a shitbag and I wanted a much worse ending for him than he got. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Kendra, Connor's ex-girlfriend, is an aspiring model with anorexia who feels abandoned by her dad. I was disappointed in this character, as she didn't seem to change much. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I loved Andre, whose successful parents expect him to follow in their footsteps. He is afraid to tell them that he has been taking dance lessons in secret and that he can't imagine a future for himself without dance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'll skip the spoilers, but don't pick this one up if you're looking for happy endings!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[MAGE] A BOOK THAT CONTAINS MAGIC:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Fairest of All</i> by Serena Valentino</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A retelling of Snow White from the Queen's perspective. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Queen begins as a sympathetic character. Her mother died in childbirth and she was raised by a father who hated her, blaming her for his beloved wife's death. Despite growing up with physical and mental abuse, she grows to be a lovely young woman with a tender heart. The King is smitten by her beauty and they wed shortly after her father's death. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">They are genuinely in love and she is determined to give Snow White all the love she missed during her own childhood. At first, they are a happy family, but the King keeps running off to war and eventually dies. In her grief, the Queen shuts herself away with only the mirror containing her father's captive soul for company. She refuses to love again. There is a combination of psychological and magical factors in her descent into evil. The psychology was more interesting and better explained than the magic. The pacing in the middle could have been handled better, but I loved the twist at the end that left some thought-provoking possibilities. The cover art is absolutely breathtaking and the book itself is of high quality--luxurious paper and a solid binding. I found myself wishing at a few points that the story inside had been crafted with as much love and care as the outside. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Overall, I enjoyed it, but I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings and reimaginings. Especially at the beginning and end of the book, I was wrapped up in a familiar story that's been twisted just enough to make it interesting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[MAGE] BASED ON MYTHOLGY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Quiver</i> by Stephanie Spinner</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When her father abandoned her to die in the woods as an infant, Artemis sent a bear to nurse her. Raised by the hunters who found her, Atalanta runs like the wind and can hit any target with her bow and arrow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When she turns sixteen, her father, a cruel king, summons her back to his palace and demands that she wed and produce an heir. Afraid to betray the vow of chastity she made to Artemis, she tells her father that she will only marry the man who can beat her in a race. The losers will be put to death. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many suitors try and fail, but when handsome Hippomenes comes to race, Atalanta is no longer sure she wants to win. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling. Atalanta was a strong character and the verbal sparring between Artemis and Apollo made me laugh. Also, that thing with the lions was new to me. I've read several versions of this story and never encountered that twist before.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(After reading this, I decided to read something by a marginalized author for the points, so I am not including this in my stats.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[MAGE] BASED ON MYTHOLOGY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>The Epic Crush of Genie Lo </i>by F.C. Yee</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fresh and funny af. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Genie Lo is a sixteen year old overachiever who is hyper focused on getting into a prestigious college and securing a future in which she can leave a life that seems way too small. She's smart, she's funny, and she's angry. She's a perfect match for the new transfer student, Quentin, and the army of demons that shows up in his wake. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Readers familiar with Chinese mythology will recognize the Monkey King right away, but don't worry if this is new to you. Genie's hilarious explanation will bring you right up to speed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I don't think I can adequately put into words how much I loved Genie and the way she was able to channel her anger into getting shit done and saying what was on her mind. While this is just normal for male characters, we don't see it enough in female characters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The relationship between Genie and Quentin was nicely developed and their verbal and physical sparring was tons of fun. Though they get the most page time, there are several other interesting characters, especially the ones who come down from Heaven to help/interfere. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I've been reading a lot of heavy stuff lately and this book was like a breath of fresh air. The narrative is snarky, highly entertaining, and never boring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[SIDE QUEST] ANIMAL COMPANION (References an animal in the title):</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>A Sending of Dragons</i> by Jane Yolen</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pit Dragon Chronicles, book 3.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Jakkin and Akki are presumed dead, but thanks to the sacrifice of Heart's Blood, a mother dragon, they can now survive the cold of the wilderness and communicate with dragons by sending mental images. When a helicopter flies over the cave where they are living with Heart's Blood's five hatchlings, they push further on into the wild, desperately seeking safety. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">They discover a cave entrance that leads deep into the bowels of the earth. Once below ground, they lose touch with their dragon companions and stumble across a giant pile of dragon bones. What monster is capable of killing so many dragons? Unfortunately, it's not long before they find out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[SIDE QUEST] TIME WARP (Set in the past or the future):</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>When My Name Was Keoko</i> by Barbara Sue Park</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Kim family is proud of its Korean heritage and each member of the family finds small (and sometimes not-so-small) ways to rebel against the Japanese occupiers during the years before WWII. The Japanese attempt to entirely wipe out Korean culture, outlawing all Korean symbols, even going so far as to force all citizens to adopt Japanese names. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When the Japanese enter the war, things get worse. Food shortages and forced labor become the norm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sun-hee (Keoko) and her older brother, Tae-yul (Nobuo) have their own ideas about how best to resist the loss of their heritage and protect their family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Looking at war through the eyes of children seems to highlight the futility and nonsensical nature of trying to solve the world's problems this way. Park's novel takes on a small part of Korea's history that will make many readers curious to learn more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[MAGE] SET IN A DIFFERENT WORLD:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Shadow Scale </i>by Rachel Hartman</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The exciting sequel picks up several months after the end of Seraphina. Both books are beautifully written and intensely focused on character development and worldbuilding, though Shadow Scale is markedly more plot-driven. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With Goredd on the verge of civil war, the queen sends Seraphina on a mission to find other ityasaari (half human/half dragon beings), the only hope for defeating the rebel dragons who have broken the treaty. Having spent most of her life in hiding, she can't wait to assemble others like her who can help her save the world and heal her lonely heart. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The only real threat is Jannoula, a fellow ityasaari with the power to control the minds of others. She also wants to unite the ityasaari, but for a much more sinister purpose. At times, her omnipotence bordered on the unbelievable, but what I loved about her as a character was the moral ambiguity of her motivations. She is actually quite similar to Seraphina, but has been so damaged by trauma and cruelty that she might be beyond help. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After all the buildup in the first book, the resolution to the romance with Kiggs was disappointing. Though the resolution to this part of the story makes a certain kind of sense, I didn't find it especially satisfying. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Overall, this was an excellent companion to Seraphina. The world and its characters are rich and vibrant and the music threaded throughout the narrative was an especially nice touch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[MAGE/KNIGHT] FIRST IN A SERIES:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Dead is the New Black</i> by Marlene Perez</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First in a series. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As the only one in her family without psychic powers, Daisy feels left out, especially with her mother working all the time. When cheerleaders around town start passing out, Daisy suspects that some kind of supernatural creature might be behind these mysterious illnesses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And when the head cheerleader suddenly starts dressing all in black, Daisy thinks she might have found the culprit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This book missed the mark for me, but I'm sure there are plenty of readers who better fit the target audience who will love it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[SIDE QUEST] RESPAWN (Previously DNF):</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Annie on My Mind</i> by Nancy Garden</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Eliza has never really given much thought to her sexual identity. Then, on a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she meets Annie, a talented singer from the poor side of town. The zing of attraction hits her right away, although she doesn't acknowledge it for what it is. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The girls' friendship gradually morphs into love. Garden beautifully captures the sweetness of first love and this is where this story shines and feels timeless. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The troubles the girls face (especially Eliza, due to the fact that she attends a private religious school) feels a bit dated, as the book was written in 1982. That said, the discrimination that several characters face after being outed by Bible-thumping bigots could still happen today (2017). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Overall, I enjoyed this and would highly recommend it , especially for LGBTQ teens who want to see themselves in a love story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[KNIGHT] RED COVER:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Red Scarf Girl</i> by Ji-Li Jiang</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"This is the most frightening lesson of the Cultural Revolution: Without a sound legal system, a small group or even a single person can take control of an entire country. This is as true now as it was then."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was horrifying to read about how quickly people turned on each other during the Cultural Revolution in China. This first-person account by Ji-li Jiang, who was twelve years old at the start of this nightmare, captures the constant terror of knowing that everyone is watching and suspecting your every move, and that friends and neighbors would turn on you in a hot second. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The use of propaganda by China's leader and the distrust of education resonates in a pretty scary way with the current political climate in the United States. This book left me pondering a famous quote by George Santayana. "Those who cannot remember he past are condemned to repeat it." Let's remember, then, and not repeat it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[SIDE QUEST] MULTIPLAYER (Buddy read a book with <a href="https://twitter.com/cherish010818?lang=en" target="_blank">@cherish010818</a>):</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>The Midnight Star</i> by Marie Lu</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Young Elites, book three. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The final installment in the trilogy starts with Adelina ruling her conquered lands through fear and cruelty. The more she uses her powers, the more she is pulled into darkness and the more her illusions strike back at her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"I will need to root out these insurgents before they can become a real threat. I will need to make a harsher example of their deaths. I will need to be more ruthless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is my life now."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When she gets a message from the Daggers about Violetta's failing health, she rushes to her sister, even though that means going straight into hostile territory. Raffaele proposes an alliance in the hopes of staving off a new threat, one that could bring an end to the entire living world. Adelina doesn't want to admit that Raffaele is right about the way their powers are affecting the Elites, and she still might betray them if she gets the chance, but she reluctantly agrees to the alliance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The tentative trust that develops between certain characters along the way is well done and utterly believable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Adelina is such a perfect antihero. She causes incredible harm as her ambition and fear make her cling ever tighter to her power and position. However, we also know how much she's suffered and it's impossible not to root for her to find the love and friendship that always seems just beyond her grasp. (Mainly because she refuses to see what's right in front of her.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I always love it when I get to the part of the book where the significance of the title is revealed and the way Lu does that here is marvelous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A thrilling and satisfying end to a dark and twisted trilogy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[KNIGHT] VERB IN THE TITLE:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>To All the Boys I've Loved Before </i>by Jenny Han</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The three Song sisters, Margot, Lara Jean, and Kitty, are very close. Since the death of their mother, Margot has run the household like clockwork. When she leaves for college in Scotland, Lara Jean suddenly has to take on responsibilities that she doesn't feel ready for. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On top of that, letters she wrote to boys she had crushes on somehow get mailed and then she is facing attention that she never anticipated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Overall, this was a light, enjoyable read. While the romance wasn't particularly compelling, the relationships in Lara Jean's family were more interesting. I've read so many depressing, dysfunctional stories lately, that it was kind of nice to spend time with a close-knit family. They take care of each other and enjoy spending time together. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I would recommend this to younger teens who like Sarah Dessen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[SIDE QUEST] OPEN WORLD (Free Pick):</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>The Wrath & the Dawn</i> by Renée Ahdieh</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Arabian Nights is one of my favorite stories from childhood, so I was nervous about reading this retelling. I had high expectations and didn't want to be disappointed. Although I had a few minor issues, the lush language made it a delicious read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Khalid is a brutal young king who marries a different girl every night and has her killed at dawn. After her best friend is murdered at the palace, Shahrzad volunteers to be Khalid's next wife. She plans to avenge Shiva by killing the monster king before he kills her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When the king comes to her bedchamber, she tells a story. He is fascinated and agrees to let her live another day so he can hear the ending. (This is one of my complaints--only a couple of the stories are actually told, so a lot of the story within a story aspect that I love about the original is left out.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sooner than is believable, considering that he murdered her best friend, Shahrzad starts to feel all the feelings. Khalid doesn't seem especially monstrous to her, even though she knows what he's done. She suspects there is more to the story than she knows and sets out to find out just what that might be. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are several hints about magic that I hope will play a bigger role in the next book. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then...that cliffhanger of an ending. I'd be pissed if I didn't already have the sequel on my nightstand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>[KNIGHT] WEAPON ON THE COVER:</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Rose & the Dagger </i>by </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Renée Ahdieh</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sequel to <i>The Wrath & the Dawn</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Separated from her husband and back with her family, Shahrzad is desperate to find a way to break he curse and return to Khalid. Oh, and she has to do it before war breaks out and she loses more people she loves--from both sides. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I loved this sequel and I can't imagine anything that would make it more satisfying. The magic hinted at in the first book plays a larger role and the romance between Shahrzad and Khalil is more mature. They're not spending half the book wondering if they can trust each other. Instead, they're completely on the same team and working together as equals to break the curse and stop he war. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The characters and their relationships really get fleshed out, and yet there are still tons of adventures and revelations. So perfect. I can't wait to reread and savor both of these books (and more by this author).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total Books Read: 27 (2 not counted in EXP/HP stats) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total Pages Read: 7424</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I had such a great time playing along on The Reading Quest. Not only did I make some major inroads on my existing TBR stacks, I also discovered several fantastic authors as other people tweeted their progress. Can't wait for the next one!</span></div>
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<br />Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-79624588789754927202017-07-22T14:13:00.002-07:002017-07-23T22:04:39.144-07:0024 in 48 Readathon<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Whew! It's the weekend of the overlapping readathons. I've already been participating in the <a href="http://literate-her.blogspot.com/2017/07/high-summer-readathon-july-17-30.html" target="_blank">High Summer Readathon</a>, despite having family visiting during the entire first half of it. I'm also finishing up one of my personal reading challenges, <a href="http://literate-her.blogspot.com/2016/10/reading-challenge-alphabetically-yours.html" target="_blank">Alphabetically Yours</a>. I wasn't going to sign up for 24 in 48, but now that I've dropped my visitors at the airport, I suddenly feel like I deserve to do little but read this weekend. I'm starting a bit late, but here goes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My first book is <i>Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood</i> by Karen Zailckas. I like the writing style but the story itself--pampered white girl with a loving family regularly drinks herself into oblivion because, problems--seems a bit melodramatic so far.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hour Zero Challenge: Intro</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1. I'm reading in the lovely Pacific Northwest of the US this weekend.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2. This is my first time doing the 24 in 48 Readathon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3. I found out about 24 in 48 through a post in the Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon Facebook group.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4. As I'm reading the last book in my stack for the High Summer Readathon, I'll be panting from here on in and reading whatever strikes my fancy in the moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5. My husband and I are starting a lavender farm, which leaves plenty of time to spend in the hammock during the hot, lazy afternoons.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6. I'll be posting updates right here. I may use the hashtag on Twitter, but I'd prefer to minimize the social media and spend more time reading.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hour 12 Challenge: Hit the road</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Three audiobooks I'd recommend for a road trip:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1. <i>Eat, Pray, Love</i> by Elizabeth Gilbert, read by the author. Though I'm (mostly) happily married, every time I reread this book, I fantasize about learning Italian in Italy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2. <i>The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency </i>by Alexander McCall Smith, read by Lisette Lecat. Not only is this first book in the series an engaging story, but the narrator's accent is utterly lovely.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3. <i>The Graveyard Book</i> by Neil Gaiman, read by the author (or anything by Neil Gaiman, especially if he's reading it--swoon!). The story is thrilling enough to make you reluctant to get out of the car and Mr. Gaiman, well, he could read pages out of the phone book and I'd be all in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hour 18 Challenge: Diverse Book Stack</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I've read (and loved) <i>Warriors Don't Cry</i> and <i>The Women of Brewster Place</i>. Perhaps I'll finally read another! This was a great challenge to get me to look for books I've been meaning to read, but haven't gotten to yet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hour 24 Challenge: Snacks and Stacks</b></span></div>
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My new stack for tonight and tomorrow. I had some popcorn, but I ate it already. Perhaps there will be a snack run on the agenda tomorrow. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hour 30 Challenge: Write Me a Verse</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Since my first verse turned out so dark, I added a second to lift the mood. But I sure do have a lot of books with gloomy titles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><b>Hour 36 Challenge: Swagalicious</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Too many t-shirts for one photo, but here are a couple of my favorites. The watercolor is a view of Hobbiton painted my a lovely artist friend, </span><a href="http://jennymmathews.com/" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Jenny Matthews</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><b>Hour 42 Challenge: Literary Dinner Party</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Five authors I'd invite to a dinner party:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Margaret Atwood</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">J.K. Rowling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Libba Bray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Kate DiCamillo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Diana Gabaldon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Five fictional characters I'd invite:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Tuesday Next</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Gemma Doyle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Hermione Granger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Mma Ramotswe</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Claire Randall Fraser</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday, July 22, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Reading </span><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> by Karen Zailckas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10:00 am - 11:00 am: 37 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">11:00 am - 12:00 pm: 50 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: 42 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: 12 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2:00 pm - 3:00 pm: 39 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: 38 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5:00 pm - 6:00 pm: 38 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6:00 pm - 7:00 pm: 34 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">7:00 pm - 8:00 pm: 53 pages (Finished <i>Smashed - 343 pages</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Reading <i>Eyes on You</i> by Kate White </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51aloHESnHL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="332" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51aloHESnHL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="132" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">9:00 pm - 10:00 pm: 43 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10:00 pm - 11:00 pm: 41 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">11:00 pm - 12:00 am: 57 pages</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday, July 23, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">12:00 am - 1:00 am: 45 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4:00 am - 5:00 am: 41 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5:00 am - 6:00 am: 48 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">9:00 am - 10:00 am: 40 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10:00 am - 11:00 am: 21 pages (Finished <i>Eyes on You</i> - 336 pages)</span><br />
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<a href="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328770113l/8775393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328770113l/8775393.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Reading <i>Time Temptress</i> by Tianna Xander</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What can I say, author names starting with X are in short supply. It should be a quick read!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: 50 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: 60 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: 55 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5:00 pm - 6:00 pm: 12 pages + 45 pages (Finished <i>Time Temptress</i> - 177 pages)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Reading <i>Hush</i> by Kate White </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348561238l/6939794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348561238l/6939794.jpg" width="131" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Having read several of her standalone thrillers recently, it kind of feels like I've read this book before. Her heroines and villains are pretty much the same in every book, but I'm determined to clear off my TBR pile.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6:00 pm - 7:00 pm: 59 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">7:00 pm - 8:00 pm: 54 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8:00 pm - 9:00 pm: 45 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total books started: 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total books finished: 3</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Total pages read: 1059</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eTn_qWgEC9I/WXV_jVx6zII/AAAAAAAAAwA/yDVihPKvpUAJ8oNMIcT0c9JYThKfZST9wCLcBGAs/s1600/Timer24.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eTn_qWgEC9I/WXV_jVx6zII/AAAAAAAAAwA/yDVihPKvpUAJ8oNMIcT0c9JYThKfZST9wCLcBGAs/s320/Timer24.png" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now that I'm done updating my blog for a while, I think I'll go read some more!</span><br />
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-26187244126168147172017-07-12T16:12:00.002-07:002017-07-31T10:40:33.301-07:00High Summer Readathon, July 17-30Me, getting ready to join another readathon: <iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="392" src="https://giphy.com/embed/e1BxgoFxAOmbK" width="480"></iframe><br />
<a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/woman-weekend-wonder-e1BxgoFxAOmbK">via GIPHY</a><br />
The High Summer Readathon runs from July 17-30, with a bonus "Christmas in July" event during the last weekend. The readathon starts at 12 AM on Monday, July 17 and ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday, July 30. Read whatever you like!
Get full info and sign up <a href="http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/2017/07/sign-up-for-high-summer-readathon.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
My TBR pile is still a mystery, as I'm just finishing up my <a href="https://literate-her.blogspot.com/2016/10/reading-challenge-alphabetically-yours.html">Alphabetically Yours</a> challenge. I will post a shelfie once I have a better idea about what I'd like to read.<br />
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The readathon overlaps with a family visit, but I'm hoping to tempt my visitors with some lazy time in the hammock instead of non-stop sightseeing.<br />
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Updates to follow. Add your goals/books in the comments or use #HSreadathon on Twitter.<br />
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***Update: July 16, 2017<br />
TBR Pile to start the challenge. Still deciding whether or not to read Christmas stories. Since we've got family visiting, my reading has been very slow this week and I'm still trying to finish a previous challenge. I hope to finish these quickly and add a few Christmas titles.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FfqAnuE8u0M/WWwkEcjxblI/AAAAAAAAAuM/8q1An9C55HgTKSi_wTUJeh-qmaXgLV-zQCLcBGAs/s1600/HSReadathonTBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FfqAnuE8u0M/WWwkEcjxblI/AAAAAAAAAuM/8q1An9C55HgTKSi_wTUJeh-qmaXgLV-zQCLcBGAs/s320/HSReadathonTBR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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***Update: July 17, 2017<br />
Books started: 2 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Gang Leader for a Day)<br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 500<br />
<br />
***Update: July 18, 2017<br />
Books started: 1 (Wherever Nina Lies)<br />
Books finished: 2 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Gang Leader for a Day)<br />
Pages read: 549<br />
<br />
***Update: July 19, 2017<br />
Books started: 0<br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 210 (Wherever Nina Lies)<br />
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***Update: July 20, 2017<br />
Books started: 1 (Out of Orange)<br />
Books finished: 1 (Wherever Nina Lies)<br />
Pages read: 106<br />
<br />
***Update: July 21, 2017<br />
Books started: 1 (Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood)<br />
Books finished: 1 (Out of Orange)<br />
Pages read: 305<br />
<br />
***Update: July 22, 2017<br />
Books started: 1 (Eyes on You)<br />
Books finished: 1 (Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood)<br />
Pages read: 484<br />
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***Update: July 23, 2017<br />
Books started: 2 (Time Temptress; Hush)<br />
Books finished: 2 (Eyes on You; Time Temptress)<br />
Pages read: 372<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yw-mnyWhh_o/WXabILPSt0I/AAAAAAAAAwc/ON5ha_UhWi0PHQ2L2MUCSvIejeMAATY6wCLcBGAs/s1600/HSReadathonMidpoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yw-mnyWhh_o/WXabILPSt0I/AAAAAAAAAwc/ON5ha_UhWi0PHQ2L2MUCSvIejeMAATY6wCLcBGAs/s320/HSReadathonMidpoint.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
MIDPOINT PROGRESS (JULY 17-23):</div>
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Books started: 8</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Books finished: 7</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Pages read: 2526</div>
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***Update: July 24, 2017</div>
Books started: 2 (The Art of Horsemanship; Hush, Hush)<br />
Books finished: 1 (Hush)<br />
Pages read: 541<br />
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***Update: July 25, 2017</div>
Books started: 1 (George Eliot)<br />
Books finished: 2 (Hush, Hush; The Art of Horsemanship)<br />
Pages read: 430<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
***Update: July 26, 2017</div>
Books started: 1 (Tunnels)<br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 148<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
***Update: July 27, 2017</div>
Books started: 0<br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 96<br />
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***Update: July 28, 2017</div>
Books started: 1 (Deeper)<br />
Books finished: 1 (Tunnels)<br />
Pages read: 373 pages<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
***Update: July 29, 2017</div>
Books started: 0<br />
Books finished: 0<br />
Pages read: 417 pages<br />
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***Update: July 30, 2017</div>
Books started: 1 (Touch Magic)<br />
Books finished: 1 (Deeper)<br />
Pages read: 330<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MC7IsbB7HdY/WX9lulPQDwI/AAAAAAAAAxA/LlTIiXTkflYqx55pdWN8tgVynw8ONr_hwCLcBGAs/s1600/FinalHSStack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MC7IsbB7HdY/WX9lulPQDwI/AAAAAAAAAxA/LlTIiXTkflYqx55pdWN8tgVynw8ONr_hwCLcBGAs/s320/FinalHSStack.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Final Stack</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Books started: 14</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Books finished: 12</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Pages read: 4861<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
My goal was to read every day and stay focused on cleaning out books that have been languishing on my bookshelves. The downside of this goal was that most of these reads were ho-hum books that I wasn't all that interested in, but I am simply unable to get rid of a book if I haven't read it. Harry Potter and Touch Magic will keep their honored places on my shelves, but everything else can go to make room for books that make my heart sing.</div>
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I enjoyed chatting with other readers in the Facebook group and especially appreciated that this readathon is focused on actually reading and not so much on the social media and cutesy challenges that I've encountered in other readathons. Don't get me wrong--I do the challenges, but what I need most is LESS distraction and MORE concentrated reading time. Many thanks to Michelle at <a href="https://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/2017/07/time-to-close-out-high-summer-readathon.html" target="_blank">Seasons of Reading</a> for bringing us together to celebrate reading. </div>
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Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6090966604949772725.post-28102013000915688792017-05-17T09:06:00.000-07:002017-05-17T09:06:19.677-07:002017 ReadathonsAs an avid reader who has gotten distracted by iPad games, Facebook, and the daily idiocies exploding from the White House like a bad case of diarrhea, I recently noticed that I was talking about books and recommending them to others, but not actually reading all that much. I'm so much happier when I make time to read every day, so I've set out to recapture my daily reading habit with the help of reading challenges and readathons.<br />
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Completing <a href="http://literate-her.blogspot.com/2017/04/deweys-24-hour-readathon.html" target="_blank">Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon</a>, followed by <a href="http://literate-her.blogspot.com/2017/05/bout-of-books-readathon-19.html" target="_blank">Bout of Books 19</a>, I've connected with a community of readers and rediscovered the joy of stepping away from technology and getting lost in a great read.<br />
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Here is a list of some other <a href="http://www.mollysbooknook.com/2016-read-thons/" target="_blank">reading events</a> that I'll be joining to keep the pages turning. Happy reading!<br />
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<br />Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03081101124553187836noreply@blogger.com0