On the Bookshelf

Read-a-thon! Wait for meeeeee!

Better late than never I an scrambling to get a start on Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon.

I live in Australia so the starting time was late here and I was already so tired so I figured that it was better to get some sleep. So, here I am, now awake and refreshed and ready to get some ready done.

In these last twelve hours of the Read-a-thon I will be trying to get through...

• Food for Life by Michael Van Straten
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
• Hell Island by Matthew Reilly

If I actually manage to get through those then I will continue on with The Passage by Justin Cronin.

Terra

So, I only just now got back in from my driving lesson with my wonderful dad who endures teaching me. I am still going to keep on reading for the final thirty minutes but instead of starting something new I am going to continue with Boneshaker by Cherie Priest which I am currently in the middle of.

Before that, however, I am going to fill out another survery meme for the Read-A-Thon.

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
The second and third hours when I was the most tired (the event having started at 10PM here) and ended up falling asleep while reading then woke up just long enough to turn off the light and to move my book out of the sleep danger zone.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Checkers by John Marsden as it is short and yet engrossing.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
I thought that between the memes, cheerleaders, and twitter chatter is wonderful. There was always someone reading on alongside you. (Not literally, but you know what I mean.) Just keep up that wonderful connected spirit!

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
The website with it's hourly updates with memes and activities, even if I did not always participate.

5. How many books did you read?
Four (4)

6. What were the names of the books you read?

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
• Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

8. Which did you enjoy least?
I enjoyed my Harry Potter theme pretty well. While all of the companion books are relatively short, they are each quirky and unique and I was never bored.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
I wasn't a cheerleader but thanks to everyone who was for all of your great encouragement!

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I will definitely be back for the next Read-A-Thon. Most likely just as a reader again. If I were a cheerleader I would get so absorbed in my books that I would forget to come back and cheer!

This will be my last post for the Read-A-Thon. It was a wonderful event and I am so happy that I took part. I would have liked to have squeezed in one more book but I am pleased to have gotten started on one of the challenges that I had signed up for and then neglected. I will start posting the reviews over the next few days. A big thanks also goes to all the wonderful people who make this event happen. You guys rock!

Happy reading,

Terra

So far I have made my way steadily through three books. I found that I have not grown at all bored with my Harry Potter theme having now completed Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. In fact, I am wondering whether or not I should just set aside my non-Rowling books and pick up Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets instead. I doubt, however that I will get it finished before the challenge ends. Dad wants to take me out for a driving lesson in a few hours and while it is much needed and definitely appreciated it does fall in to Read-A-Thon time.

Right now I am going to take a half hour or so break to rest my eyes and get in some tidying up. Next up is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Terra

So, I may have, erm, accidentally fallen asleep. For ten whole hours. I was going to stay up until at least 1AM and sleep until 6 or 7AM but I guess my tired brain had other plans. Instead I managed to doze off while reading around eleven o'clock - only one hour in to the Read-A-Thon. I do think that I can still catch up. I am a third of the way through the first Harry Potter book and I don't see why it should take more than two hours to finish the rest. Maybe I can push for one hour?

Okay, so to get back in to the groove of things, I am going to take part in the mid-event meme - a survey!



Terra

Lately I have been doing a pretty good job at keeping up the exercise, if I do say so myself, but sometimes I still need a bit of motivation to keep me going. Especially at this time of the year as Australia leaves summer behind and the weather starts to turn cool again making it is oh so tempting to ditch the jogging shoes and curl up with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate. The 100 Mile Fitness Challenge is a great and fun way for us bloggers to motivate each other to keep healthy and active.

I participated in the first round but joined the challenge quite late and didn't manage to achieve the goal of 100 miles of exercise and fitness. This time around I am jumping on the bandwagon nice and early and have plenty of time to hopefully achieve a goal of 200 miles. Only, to not confuse my poor brain, I am setting my goal in kilometres. I think in kilometres and my exercise bike only reads in kilometres so it is a lot easier for me to track. This makes my 200 mile goal approximately a 322km goal. That's the one downfall of kilometres - it suddenly seems like a lot more exercise!

Head on over to the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge blog to learn more about the challenge and to set your exercise goal!

Terra

I've just made the crazy spur of the minute decision to sign up to participate in the 24 Hour Read-A-Thon! It's not too late for YOU to sign up too!

I am hoping that this event will help me knock a few books off of my massive TBR pile. I don't have much of a plan as of yet but I'm thinking it is a good opportunity to start on the Harry Potter Reading Challeng which I signed up for forever ago and still have not started. So my vague sort-of plan looks a bit like this:

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
• Winter by John Marsden
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
• The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
• Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter companion books are not technically a part of the challenge but I had planned to read and review them anyway. Also, they are short so finishing them in between the longer books will hopefully keep me motivated. The The Zombie Survival Guide is a reread but I want to refresh my memory for review.

I have no idea if I will even be able to finish one book or all of the books. I really just plan to go with the flow. The challenge starts late in the evening here for me and I am rather fond of sleep so I'll stay up for so of it but I don't plan to remain conscious for entire event. As for snacks, I am armed with plenty of chocolate left over from Easter. I'll post some updates throughout the event but have not set myself a schedule.

Mosey on over to the 24 Hour Read-A-Thon website to learn more about the event and to sign up!

Good luck to everyone who is going to participate!

Terra

Booklover Book Reviews is hosting a great challenge featuring Australian authors!

The challenge runs from 1 January 2010 and ends 31 December 2010 and has two different levels: Tourist and Fair Dinkum!

As an Australian, I really should be showing more support for Australian authors. Hence, I am going to aim for the Fair Dinkum level of the challenge. The goal for Fair Dinkum is to read at least eight books by a minimum of five Australian authors. Here is my tentative list of my minimum five Aussie authors:

• John Marsden
• Garth Nix
• Isobelle Carmody
• Kim Wilkins
• Tim Winton
  

I am not going to pick which titles I will read just yet. There are high chances that I might change my author picks or expand the list.

Click here to visit the Booklover Book Reviews site for details about how to join in!

Terra

It just would not be right for me to join a challenge just as it was starting. For some reason I always have to join sometime in the middle or the tail end of things. This challenge is hosted by Trish of Trish's Reading Nook. Trish had the fantastic idea that we should all work out together. Okay, so we cannot actually be physically together but we sure can cheer each other along!

The goal of this challenge is to "travel" 100 miles between October 1st and December 31st. It's heading in to summer over here and this sounds like just the kind of kick up the bum that I need to get me up and exercising. Bikini season is fast approaching and my stomach hardly looks tone after a winter of curling up in front of the heater with my books and eating nice warm comfort foods. Eeeek!

To find out more head on over to the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge Blog!

Terra

If you are interested in helping others, survivalism, and, most importantly, zombies, then the Zombie Squad is the website for you. The Zombie Squad is a community with a mission to help educate people about the importance of personal preparedness, self reliance, and to help you to be prepared to take on any disaster, whether it be an earthquake, flooding, terrorism, or, yes, even a zombie apocalypse.


A paid membership will earn you:

• An official ZS photo ID badge with your ZS membership number
• Your own yourname@zombiehunters.org email that forwards to your current email address!
• Your picture will be displayed on our site for the world to see (optional)
• Access to a special "members only" forum on the ZS boards where you can network with other ZS members
• Invitation to select "members only" ZS events and special merchandise offers
• You can participate in the Volunteers Award Program and get lots of cool free stuff just for volunteering your time
• You'll know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if the undead attack, we've got your brains covered

I would pay fifteen dollars a year just so I could have a badge that I can show people saying that I am an official member of the Zombie Squad. Just think of how useful it could be! When the undead rise, no matter how annoying you may be, you will be the last person that the members of your ragtag group of survivors conspire to kill off as you have a badge that tells them that you, and only you, are the only person there qualified to keep them alive.

But most importantly, Zombie Squad also supports other local and international disaster relief organizations/charities, helping people who's lives have been struck by disasters.

The Zombie Squad website and forums provides lot's of useful information to help you survive any disaster that may befall you. For example, do you know what you should put in your BOB? Do you even have a BOB? Do you know what a BOB is? No!? Then read this Zombie Squad information brochure to find out! Quick! Then when you are done, print it off and give it to all your friends. To think that the world as you know it could end anytime now and you aren't even ready! Tsk, tsk.

Terra

Imagine that you are in your car when you see a small horde of zombies shambling towards you. What do you do? Do you:
A) Drive away fast?
B) Attempt to run them over?
C)Leave your car and attempt to escape on foot?

According to the band Naked Ape, the correct answer is D) None of the above. Instead of fleeing for your life, park your car and make yourself comfortable. These zeds don't want to eat your brains. Oh, no. They just want to wash your car.

(Anyone who is put off by the concept of a scantily clad zombie ladies getting soaped up while washing a car may not be inclined to hit play.)


It turns out that not even the zombie economy is not doing too great at the moment either, prompting some of these zombie ladies to seek out a second job. They wash cars by day and by night they... pole dance? But be careful. Zombies that work hard also bite hard.


Terra

Late onto the band wagon as I usually am, the Zombie Challenge commenced today. As a fan of all things zombie I couldn't just let this event pass me by.

This challenge has been set up to tie in with Zombie Week.


Keep an eye out over the next couple of days for some posts containing some good ol' grr, arg, braaaiiinsss fun!

As if I actually need an excuse to read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series again but Michelle's Harry Potter Reading Challenge seems like a pretty good one. The challenge runs from August 1st 2009 to July 31st 2010 with the goal to read the complete Harry Potter series:

1. Philosopher's Stone
2. Chamber of Secrets
3. Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Goblet of Fire
5. Order of the Phoenix
6. Half-Blood Prince
7. Deathly Hallows
   

One year seems like plenty of time to get through all seven books, especially considering that when each book first came out I would devour each within a day or two.

Definitely looking forward to doing this one.

Terra

I may be a little late jumping on the bandwagon for this challenge (it has been running since April and finishes at the end of October,) but I just cannot say no to reading some good ol' classics. Regardless, I have decided to dive into the Classics Challenge opting for the Classics Feast. I am even inclined to try and squeeze in one of the bonus books. So here are my choices for the challenge:

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker
2. The Jewel of Seven Stars by Bram Stoker
3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
   
5. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
   
6. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
7. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Dracula is a long time favourite of mine and yet it has been far too long since I last picked it up so I look forward to revisiting it. I selected Memoirs of a Geisha over other books that I would usually pick up first because it will be something out of the norm for me.

In case anyone is wondering, my suggestions for someone starting out with classics would be either Bram Stoker's Dracula or To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. As for a future classic, I know that it has already been said, but I really do think J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.

Terra