BOOKWORMS: The Short Story Carnival

The Carnival is ready for this month. What is the Carnival? you ask. I wondered that when I first heard about it. Someone (Armenian Odar) organizes a different theme of bookish topics (Short Stories). Different bloggers submit posts that relate to the theme. Some posts are written specifically for the Carnival, others submit previously written posts. Then the organizer puts them altogether in the Carnival.

Some past themes have included classics, and scary stories. Since I have been participating in Short Story Mondays, I finally felt brave enough to submit a post to this Carnival which is all about short stories. A couple of people even wrote their own original stories for this carnival! So head on over to The Armenian Odar and check out this months Bookworms Carnival. Lots of interesting posts and new blogs to discover.

MEME: Twofer Things

I found this meme at literary feline's musings of a bookish kitty. I am trying to blog everyday on this adventure in reading, for that NaBloPoNo, which is some sort of sane response to NaNoWriMo and for the people who don't want to write a book, but want to be able to put cool letters smashed together on their blog. I didn't officially sign up, because I didn't want to put that pressure on myself, so I have only committed to do it in my head. Sometimes it's hard to come up with something new everyday. That's why meme's were invented - to have something to write, and to get to know people better. Here's me:


Two names you go by:
1. Mom - my children
2. Mrs MacAulay - my students

Two things you are wearing right now:
1. comfy fleece sweatshirt and pants. Who invented this new soft fleece? I love them.
2. contact lens. Only one though, I have monocular vision

Two of your favorite things to do:
1. reading
2. talking - on the phone, in the staff room, ...

Two things you want very badly at the moment
1. a spa weekend alone, with much wine and reading
2. to get organized around the house

Two favorite pets you have had/have:
1. I never, ever had a pet

Two things you ate today:
1. leftover ice cream birthday cake from last weekend
2. hot turkey sandwich with perfect diner fries, at lunch with my son at a local restaurant

Two people you last talked to:
1. my husband (thank you, the stew was delicious)
2. one of my three children at supper.

Two things you're doing tomorrow:
1. put up Christmas decorations
2. having lunch at my parents

Two longest car rides:
1. PEI to Ontario by way of the States. I was in grade 5
2. train ride from NS to Alberta, then drove from Calgary to Vancouver through the Rockies

Two favorite holidays:
1. Christmas. I know Christmas can be a bad, sad time for many people, but I live in a perfect bubble and Christmas is full of happy family memories and get togethers
2. Canada Day. We have an annual party we go to, and it means summer vacation has begun.

Two favorite beverages:
1. diet pepsi
2. Long Island iced tea

Just as a final note, the phrase "twofer", sounds so much like "two-four", which is slang for a 24 case of beer around here. That subliminal message has made its way to my head, and now I shall go have a nice, cold Corona, which didn't make the list of favorite beverages, but could have.

BLOGGING: Advent Tour 2007

Kailiana and Marg are organizing an advent Christmas Blogging Tour. It sounds like a lot of fun. There are more details at their blogs, but the idea is everyone takes a turn hosting a day during December with a Christmas treat of some sort. I signed up for December 9th, and there are still some spots left, so you should go and check it out. I am looking forward to visiting other blogs and getting into the Christmas spirit. Only about 5 more weeks til Christmas!

MEME: Booking Through Thursday

Today’s question comes from Conspiracy-Girl:I’m still relatively new to this meme so I’m not sure if this has been asked yet, but I’m curious how many of us write notes in our books. Are you a Footprint Leaver or a Preservationist?

I don't write in books, but not for any noble reason. I've never been a writer in books, it wouldn't occur to me to write anything. Probably because we didn't buy many books when I was growing up. We were library people. I think I'm too scared to write in a book, but I wish I was a person who did write in books.

I actually enjoy getting library books that have been written in, I find it interesting to see what other people thought was interesting enough to underline or write in. My copy of Galileo's Daughter from the library had been studied, and was underlined and annotated; I wanted to keep it, and buy another book for the library to have.

I think I am neither a Footprint Leaver not a Preservationist.

CHALLENGE: Young Adult Challenge

Oh that Joy,
She just doesn't stop,
The challenges she makes,
Put me over the top

We have all year,
Just take a look,
All we have to read,
Is 12 YA books.

I don't have a full list yet, but young adult books can be a quick read, and very enjoyable after those 'important Pulitzer' winners. Plus, I work at a high school and have easy access to these books. Cause if they don't have it, it's not young adult.

Here's a list of potential reads (probably already on another list):

• The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
• Pretties, Specials, by Scott Westerfield
• Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Twilight by Stephanie Myer
• Beauty by Robin McKinley
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O"Dell (Newbery )
• So Long, Jackie Robinson by Nancy Russell
• The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
• Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn
• Vegan Virgin Valentine by Carolyn Mackler
• Zel by Donna Jo Napoli
• Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (Newbery 1991)
• The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

And since each of these authors has written other books, I am leaving room for reading sequels and other books by them.

update: April 30th, challenge completed, wrap up posted here

BOOK: Monkfish Moon by Romesh Gunesekera

Monkfish Moon by Romesh Gunesekera

short story collection

2nds Challenge

This was a nice collection of short stories, all set in Sri Lanka. Gunesekera writes beautifully, really giving the reader a sense of life in Sri Lanka. And while all different, the history and nature of Sri Lanka, the wars and upheavals provide a background to all the stories. His characters face dilemmas, between past and present, old ways and new, but the beauty of Sri Lanka is always there.

The titles are a little obscure for me; had to look up one last week, but I was pleased to recognize Carapace, which was probably my favorite story. A girl is deciding between two men, the local cook who has no promises for her, and not much of a future but true love, and the rich bloke going to Australia with a big house and a secure future, but actually unknown. Around here, carapace is the shell of the lobster, and carapace size determines whether a lobster is to be kept or thrown back.

SHORT STORY MONDAY: Two Tales For the Holidays

The Christmas Tree by David Adams Richards
Two Tales for the Holidays

I recently read Richards book Hockey Dreams and really enjoyed the writing of his reminiscence of life playing hockey on the Miramichi River. This slim little volume is more of the same, but fictional, thoughts of Christmases from ago.

Carmichael's Dog tells the story of two little boys, who find a dog on Christmas Eve, which is, of course, the perfect present for their widowed mother. But the story is more about what life used to be like, when kids ran the neighbourhood, outside all the time, with nothing more than a 'be home by dinner' as they live. It is also about the rules of the street, being confronted by another kid when you are doing something you aren't supposed to do. And Richards has a way of writing, that brings you right back there.

The Christmas Tree is the story with the miracle of sorts. Two brothers, again, in their twenties go looking to chop down a tree, because in those days, nobody buys a tree. My husband was like this when I met him - they always chopped down a tree from the woods, he could not understand buying a tree. So these boys, and a neighbourhood urchin whom they don't know, go to the woods looking for a tree. But like most university age kids, the trip was afoot before any real plan, like an axe, was thought of.

Both stories had plenty of humor, and were perfectly touching for Christmas. And because they are memories, just like all Christmas memories can be, are looked at through the rose coloured glasses. But this is just the kind of story to read to get in the mood for Christmas. I am becoming quite a fan of Mr Richards' writing. My only problem here was that these were fiction, and the last book of his I read was nonfiction, and I felt like these was his real stories, so that distracted me a bit. Christmas stories are perfect for short stories, so I'll have to look for some more.

ETC: It's a Small World

How small of a world is it, you ask? Let me tell you a story.

Woo hoo! I won a book at The Book Mine Set this week, for answering the quiz about all the books that have been read so far. It was a really fun quiz, and I discovered a few new books to read. To top it off, I won Unsettled, a book of poetry, by Zachariah Wells. Yesterday, John Mutford emailed me to let me know, and to remind me to send my address so the book could be mailed to me. I remember thinking, Cool, john won't have to pay crazy postage since we are both in Canada. I sent my address off, and my thanks.

Today we are lounging around the house, enjoying the 'day in lieu of' Remembrance Day, recovering from the sleepover with a few ten year old boys last night, and I'm trying to get some blasted correcting done. A car pulls in the driveway, but it's not a parent coming to gather up their child.

It's Zachariah Wells. Delivering my book. To my house. He happened to be in Hunter River, (a little village about 15 minutes from Charlottetown) and figured it would be easier to drop off the book and save the postage. So he came in, signed the book for me, and left. I may not have been as polite as I could have, because the shock of it all sort of stunned me. So, I am sorry I didn't invite you in, but thank you so much for the book.

In typical Island fashion, I think I figured out who his father is, since Zachariah is originally from the Island, and it isn't that hard to pinpoint family names. It's a fun game we play here. So, how many published authors came to visit you today?

BOOK: Gods and Monsters by Christopher Bram

Gods & Monsters by Christopher Bram

Books to Movies Challenge

originally titled Father of Frankenstein

I haven't seen this movie yet, but I remember when it was nominated for a few Academy Awards, back in 1997. I don't actually see a lot of movies, so it isn't surprising. Bram tells the story of James Whale, director of Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. Set in 1957, Whale is retired by now, and recovering from a stroke. He is getting mixed up in his head, past and present, and looking for a way out. He forms an unlikely friendship with his gardener, Clay Boone, a white trash he-man who is put off a bit by Whale's homosexuality, and yet fascinated by the famous director at the same time.

Bram took the true basis of Whale's life and built a world of what the last few weeks of his life may have been like, based on the available information. He provides an afterward to my paperback edition to explain what was true, and what was conjecture - Boone is completely fictional. The look at Hollywood in the thirties and forties, even the glamourous fifties, with lots of name dropping, and the background and filming of some of the movies, and the interesting friendship between Boone and Whale made this an interesting read. Bram is obviously a fan of the old horror movies, and his love and respect comes through. It also shows how the effects of war are life lasting, as Whale descends in his mind back to the trenches of World War I. Rather touching for today, Remembrance Day.

LIST: Favourite Reading Series [not mysteries]

I've always read a lot of mysteries, and I'll leave that list for another day, but a series is very satisfying to read. You get to know the characters, and you want to read about them. I think some authors feel handcuffed by their series books, that they can write other characters, much like some actors become so well known for a part that the audience only wants to see them as that character. Oh, hello Kelsey Grammer. And we want to read more and more about our favorite characters. Arthur Conan Doyle killed Sherlock Holmes off, but the public outcry demanded he resurrect him.

These are the series' that I am glad were written. My favorites over the years. I notice a large number are from my childhood. I think for this list and my purposes, a series has to be more than two books, that is, a trilogy minimum, which is why Bridget Jones isn't here. This list is in no particular order.

1. The Earth Children by Jean Auel
The prehistoric sex books, I was lucky to find these after they had all been written, except for the last book which was published within a year of reading about Ayla and the cave men. You must watch Ice Age after reading these books.

2. The Outlander by Diana Gabaldron
The Scottish sex books, that were passed around our staffroom for a few years. Claire and Jamie and their time travelling adventures throughout history. How can you not love Jamie? hmm, third daughter is named Jamie. That's weird.

3. Harry Potter by JK Rowling
Fabulous books, I read the first five aloud to my son. Luckily, he learned to read them himself this year. The imagination of Rowling to create this wizard world amazed me. I want an owl to bring me messages. I have found it very difficult not to read these books straight through. I knew it about Snape!

4. Bruno and Boots (MacDonald Hall) by Gordon Korman
Probably one of my favorite set of books all time. Korman has written much more than Bruno and Boots, but for young teenagers, these hilarious stories are terrific. Korman wrote the first book, This Can't Be Happening! (at McDonald Hall) when he was just fourteen, and I was ten when it first came out - it seemed so close. I still remember Mrs Adams reading it aloud to our grade five class, and laughing so hard she couldn't continue reading. Books can be so much fun.

5. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
What little girl didn't read this series? And wonder how they went to the bathroom? Laura and Mary, and Manly, and the Long Winter. I reread this series continually, and still have my books in the basement. I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to read these. She better enjoy them!


6. Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
My comfort food. I think it gets better as the series goes along, and Anne becomes a smaller and smaller character. Once Anne finds her family, and the love she needed, she becomes quieter, and leaves the scrapes to her neighbours. Still lots of interesting people, and her children's story, especially Rilla's, is a wonderful view of life in Canada during World War I.

7. The Great Brain by John D Fitzgerald
Life in a small Utah town at the end of the nineteenth century, with The Great Brain, swindling and conning everyone in sight. Another funny series of my youth, and such a different life than I was used to.

8.??

So, what did I forget? Remember, mysteries don't count here, we'll look into that another day. I never read Chronicles of Narnia, or The Lord of the Rings, because I'm sure those will make many other lists. I'm know I've forgotten some British series; I've always read a lot of British books. I contemplated Enid Blyton, but I don't remember a particular series that I loved to read. What are some of your favorite reading, non-mystery, series?

CHALLENGE: Christmas Books

There was talk of a Christmas challenge a while ago, and then no one knew whether it was on or not, and then, voila!, it appeared at this site. Susan is hosting this nice little lead into Christmas. She challenges us to read two books with a Christmas theme during November and December. That sounds easy and fun. I was surfing around the blogging world last night, getting all kinds of great ideas.

Here's a list of books that I will read two from:

• Irish Stories for Christmas by John B Keane
• Christmas Tree by David Adam Richards
• The Cricket on the Hearth by Dickens (I don't think I've read much Dickens ever)
• something by Debbie Macomber that I saw at the school library
• A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
• A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
• or something that catches my eye The Christmas Thief by Mary Higgins Clark

A few of these are very short, and I picked up two at the library tonight, so it might not take very long.

MEME: Booking Through Thursday

Would you say that you read about the same amount now as when you were younger? More? Less? Why?

I read a lot more this year than I have in the past five years, definitely.

As a child though, I'm sure I read all the time. I remember getting piles from the library, and reading all the time, even after I was supposed to turn my light out, gasp! And seriously, for a long time, that was the baddest thing I ever did.

I think I changed in my teens, found more bad things to get into, and probably read less. I couldsn't let myself read in University, however, because if I started to read a book, I'd read until it was done. So I couldn't let myself read novels until summer break.

But as long as I can remember, I've always read. But never as much as this year.

BOOK: Hockey Dreams by David Adams Richards

Hockey Dreams by David Adams Richards

Memories of a Man Who Couldn't Play

New Brunswick book for the Canadian Book Challenge

When I started this book, all about Canada and hockey, while a good choice obviously for the Canadian Book Challenge, I wasn't sure how much it would be about New Brunswick. I am hoping that most of the books that I read by province evoke a sense of the province as well as a good story. This book is actually several books in one: history and role of hockey over the last fifty years, how Canadians identify with hockey, and finally, the author's memories growing up on the Miramichi River, playing hockey. It certainly gave me a feel for growing up in the Miramichi.

This was a touching and patriotic read. I may have to get this for my husband for Christmas - he grew up in a small village, playing hockey on natural ice, and Richards' stories of playing hockey as a youngster remind me somewhat of my husband and his brother's stories. Richards recalls that during talk of expansion in the sixties, he assumed that Newcastle would be a logical spot for a new franchise. When he was young, my husband thought his father's old-timer league was the step below the NHL. So I could definitely identify with most of what Richards wrote; I think many Canadians could.

There are reminisces of a lot of international hockey, of course including Henderson's goal and the 1972 series with the Russians. I certainly haven't thought so much about the Canadian identity and hockey as in depth as he has, but I know that there are others who also have looked into it. I would love to read a Richards' article after the Salt Lake City Olympics, when we finally iced the best hockey players in the world, male and female. He must have been over the moon. Picture Gretzsky

And although the book is filled with hockey analysis, it is the memoir parts, his childhood that is the strong part of the book. Life in a small town Canada during the 1950s and 60s, and the characters that filled his life made for a wonderful read. I wondered what happened to Stafford, why Paul didn't make the NHL, where Michael and Tobias went, and who survived. So many pivotal points in his life are connected to hockey games, and he remembers where he was and who he was with. Even games on the river he can reconstruct with precision, which I know from experience, is believable, play by play. Hockey players really remember every part of every game they ever played.

I really enjoyed this book, and think any Canadian who likes hockey, (you can't be a hockey snob or you'll be offended or maybe you just won't get it), would like to read this. Richards writing is readable, and he travels back and forth in time, connecting events and memories, all under a layer of hockey. Go Leafs!

MEME: Nearest Book

I've seen this meme a lot of places and I've always wanted to do it. So I am.

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don’t search around and look for the “coolest” book you can find. Do what’s actually next to you.

I had a little pile of books beside me and I couldn't pick one.

There was no tomorrow. - from Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho

"He's a pirate," said Kit, "a playhouse pirate." - from Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease

The sloughs were dry, their white beds glittering in the destroying heat. - from The Dog Who Wouldn't Be by Farley Mowatt

I am off to read the pile of mind-numbing 70 lab reports, which will all be essentially identical, some more identical than others. I would much rather be reading a good book.

SHORT STORY MONDAY: Monkfish Moon

I bought this collection of short stories by Romesh Gunesekera after I read his book Reef earlier this year. I enjoyed it, sort of a Half of a Yellow Sun light, but set in Sri Lanka instead of Nigeria.

Gunesekera is from Sri Lanka and his stories describe the immigrant dilemma - living in a new place but remembering the old country, trying to assimilate and yet maintaining old traditions. The short story Storm Petrel, has the narrator meeting CK, and old mate from Sri Lanka. CK has just returned from a visit and is marvelling at the changes, and planning for a new life back home. The narrator listens to his tale and inserts comments, both aloud and internally.

I had to look up storm petrel, to understand the significance of the title. It's a little seabird, colonial nesters, displaying strong philopatry to their natal colonies and nesting sites. I don't usually like having to look up information to understand what I read, but I'll do it for Short Story Monday. In this case, it makes sense, the immigrant wanting to return home.

Although the characters and setting are London and Sri Lanka, it reminded me of the Maritimes, and the people who leave, but always have in their mind that they will return. They will have made tons of money, tons for what you need to live here, they'll come home to this imagined place in their memory. But it does change, and so have they. It isn't the place they remember. They want to return to an idyllic life, simple, like they remember the life they left. But what makes it appealing to come to is that the life has changed and progressed. So it can't be the way they remember.

So welcome to short story Monday; leave a comment, tell us what you've read. I'm hosting this week, and if you are interested in hosting, let john mutford or my know, we don't mind sharing! The more the merrier, and all that.

BOOK: a boy of good breeding by Miriam Toews

a boy of good breeding by Miriam Toews

a Manitoba book for the Canadian Book Challenge

Toews is more famous for her novel A Complicated Kindness which won the Governor General's award in 2004, but I read a good review of this book recently, so decided to try it.
Hosea Funk, the mayor of Algren, Canada's smallest town, is on a mission: If Algren is officially the smallest town, exactly 1500 people, the Prime Minister, who Hosea believes may be his father, will come to visit on Canada Day. Hosea is keeping very close tabs on Algren's citizens in his orange Hilroy scribbler - people returning, people dying, people having babies - maybe triplets! It is driving him nearly crazy (it might not be a long drive).

As he hovers around, looking after his town, we get to know some of the people, like people in small towns every where. There is Combine Jo, a drunk who drives her combine, natch, up Main Street once a year; Summer Lovin', a four year old who has returned (more people!) with her mother, Knute, to look after her father; and Bill Oliver, a local dog who cannot be told what to do, none of the Olivers ever could. Hosea is going so nuts, he won't let his girlfriend move in with him, since she would increase the population by one, moving down from Winnipeg.

It's a whimsy little story, with some pretty amusing parts. But Toews has hidden some more layers to the story, about living your life, and doing what you can to be happy, living without regret and making amends. It was touching story, with interesting characters, and people you want to find out about.

SHORT STORY MONDAY: coming soon

Just letting you know, I'm hosting short story Monday this coming week. If you happen to read a short story, why not write a little reveiw and come here, and I'll put all the links together. I kept pretty much to the creepy theme during September and October, so I am hoping to branch off, and find some of those links that johnmutford at The Book Mine Set kept posting. He finds all finds of short stories on the internet, for free, and then posts about them. I've been intrigued, and imagine with the power of google, I can find some short stories of my own.

I'll bet there are some short reads at http://www.dailylit.com/ , a pretty cool little site that will deliver public domain books to your e-mail box, everyday. Then, as you read your emails for the day, you can read a book. Some take a long time, but many are shorter.

Or, if you are like me, you have a Norton's Anthology of Literature in your basement somewhere from University. I didn't take the time to enjoy assigned reading in those days, but there are a few short stories that still stand out, and could do with a reread.

If Hurricane Noel gets crazy here, we might lose power. If that's the case, now you know why I might not be around. You should still read a short story though, and post here if you have to. I'm sure I'll get internet connection back up at some point.

CHALLENGE: Themed Reading Challenge

Wendy, over at caribousmom, while not busy keeping everyone organized at A Novel Challenge, is coming up with interesting challenges as well. She has designed the Themed Reading Challenge, and everyone gets to make up their own theme. I am going with a decidedly nonimaginative theme of books. This one last for the first half of the year, and asks for at least four books. I have a big list of books that fit this theme that I might read, including:

• The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
• The Case of the Missing Books by Iam Sansom
• Housekeeping vs the Dirt by Nick Hornby
• 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff
• Booked to Die by John Dunning
• The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
• Reading Lolita in Tehran
• The Bookseller of Kabul
• Literary Murder: A Critical Case by Batya Gur
• The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
• Ex-Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman
• The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

This seems more ambitious than it actually is. Most of these books are from the Something About Me challenge list; not surprising that so many readers picked books about books to describe themselves. And several of these books are on other challenges I've signed up for. I thought I had written this all up months ago, because I already ordered a few books form amazon, and in my mind, the month of January will be devoted to reading these. I'm really looking forward to these books, especially The Book Thief. I find I like to read a challenge all at once, focus on one challenge for a month or so.

Wrap up for challenge is here

BOOK: Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coehlo

Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coehlo

I really didn't know what to expect with this book. I've heard mixed reviews of Coehlo's The Alchemist, and I don't think I'll like that one, as I'm not into magic realism as a genre - I tried Pedro Paramo earlier this year, and didn't get it at all. All this lead up is to suggest that I didn't think I'd like this book. I was so wrong.

I'm not even sure if I can summarize why I liked this book so much. I don't think it is completely due to the drugs I was taking from my wisdom teeth operation. The story of Veronika, a twenty four year old who is so bored with her life, and how she doesn't see any future for herself, so decides to kill herself, sucked me in with its whimsy and quiet comments on what makes people sane, or crazy. Veronika doesn't succeed at her attempt, and is put into a mental institute in Slovenia, where the book takes place. There she meets other 'crazies' and we see different perspectives of life, and we decide who is crazy or not.

Paohlo covers a lot of territory in his story, including parents expectations of children, family responsibilities, medical ethics - I couldn't decide if I liked the doctor or not, law and rules, just about any issue you would like, but mostly mental illness and how society and people deal with it. But throughout, the writing is clear and easy to follow, with an interesting message. The endnotes of my edition include some notes about Paulo, and this appears to be a semi-autobiographical account of his early twenties.

We are discussing this over at booksintranslation, a yahoo book group, and I can't wait to find out what I liked so much about this book. I know I did, but when I discuss it with other people, it helps clarify some details about the book, and my understanding of the themes and ideas. I always had a problem in English classes in school with the theme; with there being a theme, and being marked right or wrong about the theme.

"You're someone who is different, but who wants to be the same as everyone else. And that, in my view, is a serious illness."
"Is wanting to be different a serious illness? "
"It is if you force yourself to be the same as everyone else. It's a distortion of nature, it goes against God's laws, for in all the world's wood and forests, he did not create a single leaf the same as another."

UPDATE: October Books Read

It was looking slow at the beginning of the month, but with the wisdom extraction on the 25th, I was able to get to a very respectable 11 books. I can't believe the number of books I've read this year, and it just happened with a more concerted effort, an awareness of reading, and trying to read more places than just in bed at night. And these challenges have certainly focused goals. Next month I'll focus on completely a few challenges - Books to Movies, Something About me and the Seconds challenge. And I'm very distracted by the Canadian Book Challenge. Off I go to correct - I wish I could read, A Boy of Good Breeding is such a good book so far and I want to read more, but alas, school work calls. happy reading!
total books read: 11 books

RIP II reads: 4 and done!
Canadian Book Challenge: 2, 11 more to go
Books to Movie: 1, 2 more to go
something about me: 1 and pretty much done
Dystopian: 1 and done!

116. Veronika Decides to Die - Paulo Coelho
115. Fragile Things - Neil Gaiman
114. The Lost Salt Gift of Blood - Alistair MacLeod
113. The Inuk Mountie Adventure - Eric Wilson
112. Rises the Night - Colleen Gleason
111. The Road - Cormac McCarthy
110. Everything's Eventual - Stephen King
109. Farewell, My Lovely - Raymond Chandler
108. Shakespeare's Champion - Charlaine Harris
107. The Gum Thief - Douglas Coupland
106. The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo