"June Bug" by Chris Fabry
Product Description(Amazon.com)
June Bug believed everything her daddy told her. That is, until she walked into Wal-Mart and saw her face on a list of missing children. The discovery begins a quest for the truth about her father, the mother he rarely speaks about, and ultimately herself. A modern interpretation of Les Miserables, the story follows a dilapidated RV rambling cross-country with June Bug and her father, a man running from a haunted past. Forces beyond their control draw them back to Dogwood, West Virginia, down a winding path that will change their lives forever.
# Paperback: 336 pages
# Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (July 9, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1414319568
# ISBN-13: 978-1414319568
"Cry Ohana" by Rosemary & Larry Mild
(from back cover)
When Hank Pualoa drives drunk, killing his beautiful wife, he tears apart his Hawaiian family (Ohana) and leaves the Islands in shame. His children thrive with their grandmother until twelve-year-old Kekoa witnesses the murder of Big John, his loving uncle. The murderer stalks him, plotting to kill his only witness. Kekoa flees, plunging into a hand-to-mouth life in the sugarcane fields, the Chinatown streets, and as a baker's helper to a Japanese couple. A stray black Lab becomes his only friend. He's lost his sister, Leilani, to a foster home, where she falls in love but yearns for her family. And will their father ever return?
# Paperback: 422 pages
# Publisher: PublishAmerica (June 7, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1451213719
# ISBN-13: 978-1451213713
Product Description(Amazon.com)
When prize-winning war correspondent Tony Horwitz leaves the battlefields of Bosnia and the Middle East for a peaceful corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he thinks he's put war zones behind him. But awakened one morning by the crackle of musket fire, Horwitz starts filing front-line dispatches again this time from a war close to home, and to his own heart.
Propelled by his boyhood passion for the Civil War, Horwitz embarks on a search for places and people still held in thrall by America's greatest conflict. The result is an adventure into the soul of the unvanquished South, where the ghosts of the Lost Cause are resurrected through ritual and remembrance.
In Virginia, Horwitz joins a band of 'hardcore' reenactors who crash-diet to achieve the hollow-eyed look of starved Confederates; in Kentucky, he witnesses Klan rallies and calls for race war sparked by the killing of a white man who brandishes a rebel flag; at Andersonville, he finds that the prison's commander, executed as a war criminal, is now exalted as a martyr and hero; and in the book's climax, Horwitz takes a marathon trek from Antietam to Gettysburg to Appomattox in the company of Robert Lee Hodge, an eccentric pilgrim who dubs their odyssey the 'Civil Wargasm.'
Written with Horwitz's signature blend of humor, history, and hard-nosed journalism, Confederates in the Attic brings alive old battlefields and new ones 'classrooms, courts, country bars' where the past and the present collide, often in explosive ways. Poignant and picaresque, haunting and hilarious, it speaks to anyone who has ever felt drawn to the mythic South and to the dark romance of the Civil War.
# Paperback: 432 pages
# Publisher: Vintage; Later Printing edition (February 22, 1999)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 067975833X
# ISBN-13: 978-0679758334
1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011.
2. Our book weeks will begin on Sunday.
3. Participants may join at any time.
4. All forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audio books, etc.
5. Re-reads are acceptable as long as they are read after January 1, 2011.
6. Books may overlap other challenges.
7. Create an entry post linking to this blog.
8. Come back and sign up with Mr. Linky in the "I'm participating post" below this post.
9. You don't have a blog to participate. Post your weekly book in the comments section.
10. Mr. Linky will be added to the bottom of the weekly post for you to link to reviews of your most current reads.
You can chose Easy (one from each continent), Medium (two from each continent) or Expert (3 from each continent).
Africa
Asia
Australasia
Europe
North America (incl Central America)
South America
The Seventh Continent (here you can either choose Antarctica or your own ´seventh´ setting, eg the sea, the space, a supernatural/paranormal world, history, the future – you name it).
From your own continent: try to find a country, state or author that is new to you.
Product Description(Amazon.com)
A neo-primitive cult, possessing secret government documents filled with terrifying information about global warming, kidnaps a famous fashion model and holds her hostage, forcing her to act as their spokesperson. As time runs out, her estranged daughter allies with a dangerous activist group to rescue her, while battling dark agendas from the government and Big Oil.
# Paperback: 384 pages
# Publisher: BelleBooks, Inc. (October 1, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0982175647
# ISBN-13: 978-0982175644
"Drowned. Suffocated. Entombed in a tunnel as tight and cold as a casket.
Sonya Adams wondered bleakly what the media would make of her death."
January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.
How does this reading challenge work? Choose the option that works best for you...
Authors -- Read alphabetically by author. Commit to 26 books.
Titles -- Read alphabetically by title. Commit to 26 books.
Authors & Titles -- Commit to reading 52 books
How strict is the 26 or 52? I know it isn't always easy to find those difficult letters. The thought of finding the X's (for example) might scare folks away. It shouldn't! I'm a merciful host! (Ask anyone!)
If you want to give the X's a go... For authors, try to find an X in the first name, middle name, or last name. For titles, it doesn't have to be the starting word. Try to find an X somewhere in a title, and it'd count in my book.
Still can't find a book for the letter you need? I'll take your word for it. I've been there. I know. If your library doesn't see the need to order books just because it starts with an X, then I don't blame you for not wanting to special order a book that you may or may not enjoy. You gave it your best, don't feel bad. You can still make this challenge work for you.
Think of this as referring to the "E" (Easy) and "J" (Juvenile or Junior) sections of the library.
Sign up by leaving a comment.
You do not have to have a blog.
You may keep in touch and leave links to your reviews.
*But* no reviews are required. January - December 2011
Read 12 Children's Books
As for the reading challenge, Margot of Joyfully Retired is hosting and she has set up a blog of it's own for the Foodie's Reading Challenge. Here is some info and levels.
One thing we all have in common is the need to eat food. Some of us also have a strong need/desire to read about food. I’m one of them, are you? Such people are known as Foodies – people who love to talk, read, watch food tv, or anything else with a food theme.
* Nibbler: 1 to 3 books
* Bon Vivant: 4 to 6 books
* Epicurean: 7 to 9 books
* Gourmet: 10 to 12
* Glutton: More than 12
The only requirement of books for this challenge is that it must have an immigrant story - this includes stories about immigrants, the immigrant experience, and children of immigrants (first generation). Remember - there are immigrants to and from all countries - the challenge is not limited to the American immigrant experience.
Just off the boat: 1-3 books
This Land is My Land? : 4-6 books
Fully Assimilated: 6+ books
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Bonnie Barnett first met her father at the circus. She was a four-year-old spectator; he was one of the world's most famous clowns, a veteran performer for shows like the Shrine Circus and The Ed Sullivan Show. Though his star persona was always present in the periphery of her life, she rarely got to see him in person, and the inconsistency of her mother, a former clown herself, only increased her loneliness. As she entered adulthood, put herself through college, and sought spiritual fulfillment, Bonnie found herself seeking out her father at every turn. It wasn't until she finally showed up at his doorstep that he stopped being a larger-than-life myth and became a very human father, full of faults, regrets, and love. Bobo's Daughter recounts Bonnie's quest for the affection and acceptance of her legendary father--and the lessons she learned along the way.
# Hardcover: 232 pages
# Publisher: Synergy Books (September 14, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0984235876
# ISBN-13: 978-0984235872
"The Red Queen" by Margaret Drabble
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Barbara Halliwell, on a grant at Oxford, receives an unexpected package-a centuries-old memoir by a Korean crown princess. An appropriate gift indeed for her impending trip to Seoul, but Barbara doesn't know who sent it. On the plane, she avidly reads the memoir, a story of great intrigue as well as tragedy. The Crown Princess Hyegyong recounts in extraordinary detail the ways of the Korean court and confesses the family dramas that left her childless and her husband dead by his own hand. When a Korean man Barbara meets at her hotel offers to guide her to some of the haunts of the crown princess, Barbara tours the royal courts and develops a strong affinity for everything related to the princess and her mysterious life. Barbara's time in Korea goes quickly, but captivated by her experience and wanting to know more about the princess, she wonders if her life can ever be the way it was before.
# Paperback: 348 pages
# Publisher: Mariner Books (October 3, 2005)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0156032708
# ISBN-13: 978-0156032704
Bonnie Barnett first met her father at the circus. She was a four-year-old spectator; he was one of the world's most famous clowns, a veteran performer for shows like the Shrine Circus and The Ed Sullivan Show. Though his star persona was always present in the periphery of her life, she rarely got to see him in person, and the inconsistency of her mother, a former clown herself, only increased her loneliness. As she entered adulthood, put herself through college, and sought spiritual fulfillment, Bonnie found herself seeking out her father at every turn. It wasn't until she finally showed up at this doorstep that he stopped being a larger-than-life myth and became a very human father, full of faults, regrets, and love. Bobo's Daughter recounts Bonnie's quest for the affection and acceptance of her legendary father--and the lessons she learned along the way.
Product Description(Amazon.com)
"Surviving a plane crash that claims the life of his mother, 10-year-old Axle Hunter
suddenly finds himself in the jungles of Thailand, wanders into an opium poppy
field and enters an exotic realm far beyond the familiar--the world of the drug cartel.
Rescued and adopted by Chang So’Ming, commander of the poppy farm, Axle works
the fields and trains to become a Thai fighter in the ancient tradition. Axle comes to embrace the jungle and its people as family, and confronts the savagery of revenge when called upon to fight for his father’s life. “This man was torturing his family. Axle was not afraid as he drove the blade into the man’s neck. The gangster lay on the floor, choking on his own blood.” Years later, Axle has become a world champion Thai fighter, husband to the beautiful
nurse May and father of his own son. But rival forces seeking to control the So’Ming
poppy empire thrust Axle into a quest for revenge when they murder his family and
burn down his father’s compound, and Axle enlists the help of the one man he knows
he can trust: Kane Silver."
# Hardcover: 304 pages
# Publisher: Xlibris Corporation (June 25, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1453519246
# ISBN-13: 978-1453519240
All books must have been written before 1960 and be from the mystery category.
*Some suggested authors include: Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, Dorothy L Sayers, Earl Derr Biggers, Georgette Heyer, Edmund Crispin, Cyril Hare, Ellery Queen, Elizabeth Daly, Cyril Hare, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ngaio Marsh, S. S. Van Dine, Philip MacDonald, Rex Stout, Phoebe Atwood Taylor, Josephine Bell, Josephine Tey, Frances & Richard Lockridge, Michael Innes and Stuart Palmer. (Please remember that some of these authors published after 1960 as well--so keep an eye on the original copyright date.)
*You are welcome to count these books towards any other challenges as well.
*Challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011. Sign up any time between now and November 30, 2011.
Challenge Levels:
In a Murderous Mood: 4-6 Books
Get a Clue: 7-9 Books
Hot on the Trail: 10-12 Books
Capture the Criminal: 13-15 Books
Take 'Em to Trial: 16+ Books
OR
The Golden Age Girls*: Read 5-7 books from female authors from the vintage years
Cherchez Le Homme: Read 5-7 books from male authors from the vintage years
The goal of this challenge is to read books that are set in each of the fifty states. Your books can be of any genre and any format (ie. paperback, ebook, audiobook, etc.). No short stories. Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine. You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. January 2011 - December 2011
"Marley & Me" by John Grogan
Product Description(Amazon.com)
The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life.
# Paperback: 307 pages
# Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; Mti edition (October 28, 2008)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0061718653
# ISBN-13: 978-0061718656
This year you have options when reading your fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc. with the U.S. Civil War as the primary or secondary theme.
Books can take place before, during, or after the war. Books from other challenges count so long as they meet the above criteria.
Dip: Read 3-5 books in any genre with the U.S. Civil War as a primary or secondary theme.
Wade: Read 6-10 books in any genre with the U.S. Civil War as a primary or secondary theme.
Swim: Read 11 or more books in any genre with the U.S. Civil War as a primary or secondary theme.
Additionally, we’ve decided that since there are so many great movies out there about U.S. Civil War, that you can substitute or add a movie or two to your list this year and have it count toward your totals.
Product Description(Amazon.com)
A romance novel by an Amish writer, based on true experiences!
It isn't that Lizzie doesn't want to stay Amish. It's just that there is so much to figure out.
Like why can't she let her hair a little looser on top?
And why can't she wear shoes with a little bit more of a heel?
And will she ever really just know for a fact who she is going to marry like her next-older sister, Emma, does?
And how does it happen that her just-younger sister, Mandy, is going on a date before Lizzie ever has a real one?
So does it matter at all if she eats one more whoopie pie? Amos seems to like her a lot when she pounds out the ping-pong games. He even asks her to be his partner in doubles. But then he asks Ruthie if he can take her home!
It has been this way Lizzie's whole life.
She has too hot a temper. She hates housework and dislikes babies. She loves driving fast horses but is petrified of going away from home for a week to work as a maud (maid).
Now that Lizzie is running around, will she scare off the Amish boys with her hi-jinks manners?
She has certainly attracted the attention of the egg-truck driver. A scary thrill runs through her every time the worldly man comes to pick up an order, each time extending his stay a little longer. How long will she keep this a secret from Emma-and from Mamm and Datt?
What will become of Lizzie? Is she too spirited, too innocent, and almost too uninhibited for a young Amish woman?
# Paperback: 345 pages
# Publisher: Good Books (May 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1561486884
# ISBN-13: 978-1561486885
Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.
This idea for this challenge began to percolate in my head sometime in May. I was looking at my long-term challenges and lamenting the fact that it was going to take me a billion years to get through all the Pulitzer fiction winners. Then it hit me: why not read all the winners for the years ending in "0" in honor of 2010? Eight books seemed doable in one year, even though it was already May. And even if I didn't finish, at least I'd be a few steps closer to completing my long-term goal. The idea was born as my personal goal for the year.
For 2011, I'm reading all the fiction winners for the years ending in 1, and I'd love for you to join me!
