Zappo's Read-O-Rama

Sunday, June 05, 2011

Challenge Totals: 15 books (4416 pages) in 21.5 hours of reading

I'm glad I didn't go for the insanity of reading for 48 straight hours.
It was more of an indulgent treat to still eat and sleep (and clean up broken Pyrex), but spend the rest of the time truly losing myself in such a rich variety of books for the weekend:

1. Wither by Lauren DeSefano
2. Bumped by Megan McCafferty
3. Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
4. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
5. Badd by Tim Tharp
6. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
7. If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser
8. Seaborn by Craig Moodie
9. Hero by Mike Lupica
10. Payback Time by Carl Deuker
11. The Roar by Emma Clayton
12. Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill
13. Runaway Twin by Peg Kehret
14. Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell
15. The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson

15 books (4416 pages) - 21 1/2 hours of reading time

The Friendhip Doll by Kirby Larson - 194 pages - 8:00 PM

Ok, I'm glad I kept going after The Roar now - this was a great book to choose as my last book of the Challenge. And page 179 says it so well:

"If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story." - Orson Welles

Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell - 211 pages - 7:00 PM

This woman always writes something that can make you laugh, cry and think. Every time.
"Big love, dude ... beats big hate every time."

Runaway Twin by Peg kehret - 197 pages - 5:30 PM

Good antidote to Wicked Girls -- hopeful with the happiest of endings.

Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill - 406 pages - 4:40 PM

Another book about the Salem Witch Trials??? But doing it in verse was an unexpected twist and all the more powerful for it. Very interesting parallel with current fiction about mean girl cliques....

The Roar by Emma Clayton - 481 pages - 3:30 PM (2:45 reading time)

I'm tempted to stop with this book -- just because I enjoyed it so much - both the tale and the writing - that I really hate to muddy it up with anything else. Do yourself a favor and read this one. A story well-told - with classic elements of timeless tales like A Wrinkle in Time and The Snow Queen - this one is a keeper.

Saturday, June 04, 2011

Payback Time by Carl Deuker - 298 pages - 9:30 PM (1:25 reading time)

Entertaining read with a likable journalist hero......

Hero by Mike Lupica - 289 pages - 7:00 PM

More boys with superpowers....... fun, quick read.

Seaborn by Craig Moodie - 201 pages - 5:30 PM (1:05 reading time)

Good old-fashioned survival story with a slightly unbelievable ending....

Dropping a Pyrex baking dish on the tile floor requires a serious time-out...

If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser - 220 pages - 2:30 PM

A tad bit preachy, but an engrossing read. Think I'll stick with my guy-centric plan awhile...

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - 440 pages - 1:20 PM (2:10 rdg time)

Okay, I loved this one. Alien version of Rick Riordan's mythology series. I think I may shift to reading all guy-centric books for the rest of the day in honor of how much fun this one was.

Not interested in going full-tilt 48-hours -straight crazy. Time for a cat-nap....

Badd by Tim Tharp - 308 pages - 3:15 AM

Dense tale of "misfits" - was curious because of the author, but came away sighing a bit, just as I did when I finished The Spectacular Now....

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han - 276 pages - 2:00 AM

This read so true. Loved all these characters and loved Belly's voice. Wanted to be in that beach house.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr - 214 pages - 12:40 AM

I enjoyed this book and probably would have even without the abduction story stitched in to the narrative.

Monday, May 30, 2011

48 Hour Book Challenge - To Do, Or Not To Do, That Is The Question...

Truly, that IS the question.
Must decide soon.