Read My Books results and link up

Did you join us for the Read My Books Challenge?  Today is the day to link-up and tell us how you did.  Yep, it's Thursday in my part of the world, so this post is going live!

I've got (at least) a year's worth of neglected books sitting at home and begging to be read.  I have mysteries and thrillers and YA books.  I have contemporary fiction and historical fiction.  I have books recommended by bloggers and friends, and books I picked up randomly because I liked the cover and synopsis.  I have non-fiction crime stories, rock bios, and a celebrity memoir (or two).  I have plenty to choose from for a month of reading.  I barely made a dent in what is there, but I feel like I accomplished something.

So, how did I do?

Welllllll.....technically, I didn't start tackling this challenge until the 3rd of June because I was in the midst of a library book (The Cartel by Don Winslow) that I didn't finish until then.  It was a good book.  It was worth slightly cheating.

The rest of the month I read SEVEN books from my bookshelf at home.  Four of these I'd purchased at a secondhand bookstore and had been sitting on my shelf for months, possibly years: (Running with Scissors, The Sisters Brothers, Not Without My Sister, Still Missing).  One was a gift from another blogger (The Royal We).  One was on my radar for months (Dumplin'), but the libraries that I use didn't have it.  I'd finally bought it earlier this year.  Lastly, I purchased one (Inside Out & Back Again) using a gift card I received at Christmas, and it's been sitting on my bookshelf since January.

For an added bonus...5 of these counted towards my reading for Semi-Charmed Summer Book Challenge 2016, and the other 2 counted towards my challenge for Around the World in 80 Books.

I was pleased with my results.  How did you do?

Now, link-up and tell Dani & I how you did with the Read My Books Challenge.  Good or bad; successful or failed miserably.  Tell us.

As promised...we are giving away not one, but TWO gift cards on amazon just for participating in the challenge!  Take your chances using the rafflecopter options below.  (For number of books read, please only select ONE option, the one that pertains to the number of books you read during the month of June.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I show you my books, you show me yours... vol.18

Jana & Steph are bringing us book lovin' bloggers our favorite day of the month again - Show Us Your Books day! 

What I've read since our last link-up:

1.  Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs - Severe levels of dysfunction wrapped in a supposedly humorous memoir. Nope. Not the book for me.  I'd have to share spoilers to explain what has disturbed me so much, so if you'd like to chat about it, we can do that via email. 1/5

2.  The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt - The pace of this book is so smooth even with multiple murders, disease, animal deaths, and loneliness.  I'm finding it difficult to articulate why I enjoyed the story so much, but I did.  4/5

3.  Not Without My Sister by Kristina Jones, Celeste Jones, and Juliana Buhring - I strongly believe that using religion to brainwash, manipulate, and abuse children is the most disgusting crime that exists.  I'm infuriated that groups like this have ever existed and still do.  4/5

4.  Still Missing by Chevy Stevens - Solid mystery/thriller with twists and turns and the right degree of fucked-up-ness.  My first to read from this author, and it won't be my last. 4/5

5.  Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai - The story of a Vietnamese refugee family that moves to Alabama during the Vietnam war told through the eyes of a 10 year old girl.  Poignant and emotional, this was a Newberry Award for children's literature, deservedly so. 4.5/5 6.  I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson - Heartbreak, art, family, love, tragedy, self-discovery, and a little whimsy too.  Some parts of the story, I predicted; others, I didn't...but I enjoyed the ride.  I had high expectations, and this book exceeded them. 5/5 7.  The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - I'm just not meant to read "classics".  The end.  P.S. Children's literature is the exception. Currently reading:  In the Woods by Tana French Reminder:  Link-up this Thursday to let us know how you did with the Read My Books challenge.  Feel free to link up if you succeeded, rocked the challenge, failed miserably, intended to read a book from home but didn't.  Just as long as the post has something to do with your reading habits.  There are TWO chances to win $50 Amazon gift cards, so stop by Thursday, and take your chance for a win. Thoughts on any of these books?

Read My Books: challenge starts tomorrow!

In April, I announced that Dani from Faster and Forever  & I are teaming up for a new book challenge:  Read My Books Challenge with Dani and Erin.  The challenge starts TOMORROW!  Are you ready??  Let's do this...

source

Once again, here's some things to know to help with any confusion or questions you may have:

• Challenge is June 1st, 2016 - June 30, 2016
• Link-up to report how you did in the challenge is the second Thursday of July the 14th
• Your link-up post can be anything related to the challenge (i.e. the books you read, why you "collect" so many books that go unread, a book that surprised you once you read it for the challenge, where you get all those books, ebooks, audio books that end up stacking up and neglected, show us pictures of your bookshelves, etc.) 
• The objective is to finally read some of those books that you own that have been feeling neglected
• ONLY read books (audio books, ebooks included) that you currently own already (or have downloaded already; yes, NetGalley can be included)
• You are not required to read ALL the books you own
• I repeat (because this has been the biggest concern/confusion) that you are not required to read ALL the books you currently own
• Just whatever you read in the month of June should be ones that you already have
• No library books (although I love myself some library), no buying new books, no downloading or borrowing new books
• Two Amazon gift cards will be given to randomly selected lucky winners
• A raffle for the Amazon $ will be posted in the link-up
• This isn't a competition for how many books you read; it's just encouragement to read your books; if you have ONE book on your shelf that has been begging to be read, read that book, and you are a challenge participant!
• Any other questions, just ask!
  
  

Who's with us??

Yep. Another book challenge...

I shall not tell a lie:  It's a little weird for me calling this challenge a "Summer Book Challenge" as I enter winter in the southern hemisphere.  But, whatevs. 

The challenge begins in June.  Dani and I are hosting a challenge (Read My Books) that begins in June too.  So, my real challenge was selecting books for these categories, based on the books sitting in my bookshelf at home.  I'm off to a good start...

June reading plan

Here's the categories, and here's my preliminary list:

5 points: Freebie! Read any book that is at least 150 pages long. -

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

10 points: Read a collection of short stories or essays. -
Beneath the Bonfire: Stories by Nickolas Butler
10 points: Read an adult fiction book written by an author who normally writes books for children. Examples: J. K. Rowling, Judy Blume, Suzanne Collins, Rick Riordan, etc. - Submitted by SCWBC15 finisher Kelly E. - I gave up on Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) after The Silkworm; still open to suggestions for this category. 
Tentatively selected: Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
15 points: Read a book set in Appalachia. - Submitted by SCWBC15 finisher Ericka B. (Try this list or this one for inspiration. And here’s a map if you have a book in mind and want to know if it fits the setting.) -
The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows
15 points: Don’t judge a book by its cover! Read a book with a cover you personally find unappealing. -
Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

The book I own ~ this is the cover ~ unappealing enough that I've avoided reading it

20 points: Read a book that you have previously only seen the film (movie) of. - Submitted by SCWBC15 finisher Bevchen. - This was one of the more difficult categories for me to select.  Often, I choose to read a book before the movie.  Or, if I've seen the movie without reading the book, I rarely go back to the book...because the images of the movie are strong in my mind:  

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

25 points: Read a book with a punny title. The title can be a play on another book title, movie title or a common expression. Examples of such titles include Southern Discomfort, We'll Always Have Parrots or Bonefire of the Vanities. - Submitted by SCWBC15 finisher Jamie G. -
The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan
30 points: Read a microhistory. (Try this list or this one for ideas.) -
Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas by Dale Carpenter
30 points: Read one book with a good word in the title, and one with a bad word. Note: This category is reeeeeeeally open-ended! Maybe you like turtles, so The Pearl that Broke Its Shell is a title with a "good" word. Similarly, the "bad" word could be a swear word or a literally negative word like “not” or “none,” or it could just be something you don’t like. Have fun with it! (Remember, you must read both books to get 30 points; this category is not worth 15 points per book.)
LOVE/HATE
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - I've had many unsuccessful intentions to read this author; this book has been sitting on my shelf for over a year; now's a good time to finally open it...and Hate List by Jennifer Brown
40 points: Read two books that contain the same word in the title, but once in the singular and once in the plural. For example: Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter and The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer, or Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff and The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. (Remember, you must read both books to get 40 points; this category is not worth 20 points per book.)
Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed by Those They Trusted by Kristina Jones, Celeste Jones, and Juliana Buhring  and  The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt

What do you think of my list?  Are you participating in this challenge?

I show you my books; you show me yours... vol.16

Jana & Steph , those successful podcasters (I can't wait to say "I was an early listener, before they were such podcast celebrities) are still sharing their time with us to host our favorite link-up...Show Us Your Books!  Oh, and that podcast I mentioned is The Armchair Librarians, and it can be found on iTunes (but, you probably already know that if you are reading this.)

1.  Resurrection Bay by Emma Viskic - I recommend this one and wrote a full review here. 4.5/5

2.  Girl at War by Sara Novic - This book was nominated for a 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards in the debut authors category.  Horrific events occur during war. Innocents are killed (not just soldiers). We know this, but no one really likes to talk about it or think about the impacts on society, individuals, and especially the children who witness such events. What Ana endures is an atrocity so ugly that I had to remind myself that this was a work of fiction. Sadly, I remembered that such events do indeed occur. At one point, I sat the book down and said a silent prayer of gratitude for not witnessing such evil events of wartime and genocide. This particular conflict occurred when I was a teenager and a young adult. I think that made it all the more tangible to me.
I don't mind open-ended endings, but this one felt a little abrupt. That is my only criticism. If you like historical fiction, I recommend this book. 4/5

3.  People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks - Fascinating concept for a book that didn't work for me, but I'm in the minority.  Read my longer review here.

4. & 5. Paper Aeroplanes and Goose by Dawn O'Porter - You know how some people will read a book by a pseudo celebrity just because they like the person?  That's why I read these YA books.  Dawn O'Porter is a Scottish journalist and documentary-maker that is adorable and intelligent.  She is also married to the actor, Chris O'Dowd who is adorable and likeable as well. 

I could sum up these book in a variety of ways: funny, quirky, sad, absurd, provocative, poignant, endearing, silly, triumphant, and even annoying. That pretty much describes most teenage girls too, which is what makes these books feel so authentic. I gobbled them up. But...I still felt something was missing. At times, it felt a little too simplistic, while other parts, it felt so whole. I don't know. Maybe I'm not making sense, much like a teenage girl.

6.  Invisible by James Patterson & David Ellis - Judge me all you want.  I still enjoy James Patterson (and collaborators) books.  This one had an especially depraved bad guy.  It's a stand-alone (not a series), so if you've never read a James Patterson book before, enjoy a fast-paced thriller, then go ahead and give this one a try.  4/5 7.  All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner - A little while ago, Jana shared a post of authors she'll never quit.  Jana and I often feel similar about books we read, so I thought I'd need to give this author (who I'd never read before) a try.  For most of the book, the main character is a pill addict in denial...so...my criticism of the book is that it annoyed me sometimes.  But.  It's pretty legit to make a pill-popping in-denial addict annoying.  So, I don't know.  I bounce around between loving the reality of the book and enjoying the main character to being annoyed with her and the book itself.  3.5/5 8.  Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes - I was one of the few that wasn't "wowed" by Joe and by You (this book's predecessor).  I know, I know.  Grumble, grumble.  But, that didn't stop me from being interested enough to pick up this sequel.  Ok. Don't hate me. Or, if you don't want to hear my negative review, then move along (I'll never know).  I feel like I could have an entire post dedicated all on its own to defend my reasoning for why I don't like this book, but let's just focus on the lead character. I am in the minority, but I find Joe to be one of the most unlikeable characters I've read in a long time. The people that seem to really connect with these books think Joe is a fantastic character. I'm different. I'm alright with that.  I do not find him charismatic, witty, charming, or humorous. Just irritating, ridiculous, and annoying.  I will be a happier person if I never read another story about Joe Goldberg ever again.  I don't care what happens.  I don't care if he gets caught or stays in a relationship or moves somewhere else.  Joe and I are through (which means, I may be a target of his.  If I die, Joe did it.) I should've set this book aside and not finished it. That's how much I disliked it.  But...I fell to peer pressure.  So many readers/bloggers realllllly like Joe and these books.  Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. I probably gave You 3*s because I felt the pressure to score it higher due to how many others enjoyed it. I probably gave this 1* out of anger. Currently Reading:  Extreme Prey by John Sandford Don't forget!:  Check out the Read My Books Challenge; it begins June 1st, and you could win some Amazon $$$ (to buy more books, of course.)

Read My Books Challenge ~ coming soon!

In April, I announced that Dani from Faster and Forever  & I are teaming up for a new book challenge that starts in June:  Read My Books Challenge with Dani and Erin

We've had some great feedback and interest.  Our fellow book lovin' and bloggin' friends, Steph and Jana, The Armchair Librarians podcast hosts AND Show Us Your Book gurus have been super supportive in spreading the word.

I feel like there are a few things to clarify; maybe this list will help:

• Challenge is June 1st, 2016 - June 30, 2016
• Link-up to report how you did in the challenge is the second Thursday of July the 14th
• The objective is to finally read some of those books that you own that have been feeling neglected
• ONLY read books (audio books, ebooks included) that you currently own already (or have downloaded already)
• You are not required to read ALL the books you own
• I repeat (because this has been the biggest concern/confusion) that you are not required to read ALL the books you currently own
• Just whatever you read in the month of June should be one that you already have
• No library books (although I love myself some library), no buying new books, no downloading or borrowing new books
• Two Amazon gift cards will be given to randomly selected lucky winners
• This isn't a competition for how many books you read; it's just encouragement to read your books
• Any other questions, just ask!

Mark your calendar to start reading only books your already own from June 1st through June 30th, link-up to report your success on Thursday, July 14th, and try your luck at winning $$$ from Amazon. 

Use hashtag #readmybooks on any social media sites if you want to support the challenge.  We'd love your help to spread the word to any and all of your book lovin' blogger buddies.

Do you plan to join us?