Dewey's Read-a-thon: Hour 6 Update

So, I've missed a couple of hours, but I'm happy to say that I was reading.  :)  I wanted to take a nap a bit ago, but I got excited about finishing my book.  Yupe, I finished Flowers on Main.  I feel so accomplished.  :)  I'm still not sure which book I'll start next, but I'll update you guys soon.

Hour 5 Mini Challenge: Show Me Your Books

Crystal over at My Reading Room is hosting the Hour 5 Mini Challenge.  She simply asked that we show pictures of our books.  My pictures aren't that interesting, but I'll post anyway.  I'm excited to see everyone else's as well, because I'm looking for book decorating ideas i.e. some fun bookshelves. 

My one and only bookshelf.  I've cleaned it out some recently with Goodreads Swap.  But I couldn't resist the urge to organize it with a classics shelf, fiction shelf, and nonfiction shelf.  Then organize the books alphabetically by author.  Is anyone else weird like this?  Or is it just me?

My kitchen table.  Notice my cute Halloween decoration.  :)

Books on the back of my couch.  Either I just read them or will be reading them soon.  On the bottom, slyly is my kindle - which is my new solution to living in an apartment with limited space

"Hey Mom, whatcha doing?"

I know I know, Bennett doesn't have anything to do with my books.  But he's just soooo cute, I couldn't resist.  On a different note, I've been wanting to put up another bookshelf or something in the living room, but I can't hang floating shelves like I want to.  Any ideas?  Otherwise, my kitchen table is doing just fine. 

Progress:
Currently reading: I can't decide - either Deja Dead or She's Gone Country
Pages finished: 400
Books finished: 1
Updated time reading: 3 hours
Total time reading: 4 hours 25 minutes 

Dewey's Read-a-thon: Hour 1

So far, I've been quite distracted by my puppy dog and his desire to be played with every second of every day.  And since I can't focus just yet, I decided to complete the meme posted at Dewey's Read-a-thon page. 

Where are you reading from today?
 I am reading from my apartment today - though I might venture to Starbucks in a bit.  Mostly I read on the couch, in my bed, or at my kitchen table (while I'm eating and such).

3 facts about me …
I have a mini dachshund 7 month old puppy named Bennett.
I named my puppy after my favorite character (Elizabeth Bennett) in my favorite book (Pride and Prejudice).
I am the youngest of four kids - with my oldest two siblings being adopted from Korea.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
I have four books in my TBR pile, but I really have no idea how much I will read.  So it is more of a which book I'll pick first, and we'll see how far I go.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
Mostly, I just want to have fun.  A lot of times if I make lots of goals and such, then I just stress out about it and don't really enjoy it.  So, I'm just going to read and have fun!

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
I've only participated in one read-a-thon before this one, so I still consider myself a newbie.  The first read-a-thon I completed was in the middle of my work week, so I just read a little more than usual.  Today, I've set aside the day for reading - so we'll see how it goes.

Progress: 
Currently reading: Flowers on Main - Sherryl Woods
Pages: 8% finished (I'm reading it on my kindle)
Amount of time reading: approximately 25 minutes
Total amount of time: approximately 25 minutes

And just for kicks and giggles: my snuggle partner

Fall Into Reading 2010

As usual, I am wide awake this evening; and I have been browsing the blogs that I follow and finding all kinds of books I want to read.  I stumbled upon Crystal's My Reading Room, which has a post dedicated to a Fall Challenge.  Me, being a list person, I happen to LOVE challenges.  If I don't want to do something, I only add it to a list, make it a goal, and give myself a prize - and I'm all over it.  Besides loving challenges, I decided to take part into the Fall Into Reading challenge, which is hosted by Callapidder Days, because I also think it is a great idea.  Being newly out of college, fall is a time I associate with school, learning, and reading.  Since I am no longer in school, I love the idea of challenging myself to stay into reading and continuing to learn.  Plus, it keeps me from being a couch potato and constantly watching the TV.  Working on a challenge with other readers and sharing the books we read an thoughts about those books is just an added plus!  So here's my goal: 50 books between now (October 1, 2010) and December 22, 2010.  I'm going to also give myself the challenge to make some of those books be the books I "need" to read from other lists I've started.  (See my post New Thoughts for more info on my list-making obsession and other book goals I've set.)  Since I've already read a few from those lists, I will exclude those on this challenge and add several other books from my forever-growing TBR pile.  Alright, I'll stop rambling and list my books, in no particular order (I've linked the books to goodreads description pages):




1. Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchel

2. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

3. The Color Purple - Alice Walker

4. The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver

5. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

6. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
7. The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger

8. The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco

9. Portrait of a Lady - Henry James

10. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - Mark Haddon

11. The Reader - Bernhard Schlink

12. The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoevsky

13. Lolita  - Vladimir Nabokov

14. Lord of the Flies - William Golding

15. A Separate Peace - John Knowles

16. The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan

17. The Dirty Secrets Club - Meg Gardiner

18. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - Michael Chabon

19. The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters - Elisabeth Robinson

20. Bourne Supremacy - Robert Ludlum

21. Eragon - Christopher Paolini

22. The Emperor's Children - Claire Messud

23. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

24. The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux

25. House Rules - Jodi Piccoult

26. The Second Coming - David Burton

27. The Apothecary's Daughter - Julie Klassen

28. The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova

29. The Shadow of Your Smile - Mary Higgins Clark

30. The Shack - William Young

31. The Scarlet Pimpernel - Baroness Emmuska Orczy

32. A Beautiful Blue Death - Charles Finch

33. The September Society - Charles Finch

34. The Red Rose Bride - Claire Delacroix 

35. Sooner or Later - Debbie Macromber 

36. Twenty Wishes - Debbie Macromber

37. A Whole New Light - Sandra Brown

38. Under Her Skin - Susan Mallery

39. The Inn at Eagle Point - Sherryl Woods

40. Harbor Lights - Sherryl Woods

41. Masquerade - Melissa De La Cruz

42. Deja Dead - Kathy Reichs

43. One Reckless Summer - Toni Blake

44. Odd Thomas - Dean Koontz

45. She's Gone Country - Jane Porter

46. Evermore - Alyson Noel

47. Blindness - Jose Saramago

48. Home for the Holidays  - Johanna Lindsey

49. The Snow Bride - Debbie Macomber

50. The Sparkling One - Susan Mallery







Bonus:

51. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

52. Wives and Daughters - Elizabeth Gaskell

Goodness!  Seems like a lot more once I write down all of the books I want to read.  I'm sure this list will change, as I find other books I want to read first.  But it's a starting list.  Well - better get started!  I'll be back when I get my nose out of a book....

I even tired Bennett out tonight....

Enquiring Minds Want to Know

I found this weekly meme over at Debbie's Book Bag this week, and I thought it was a great idea.  While I'm still new at this, I've been trying some different things.  But I think this one will keep.  Dollycas's Thoughts first started this in an attempt for bloggers and readers to get to know each other.  Though we often read each others thoughts on books, movies, and life in general, sometimes we do not even know simple things like favorite foods and such.  Here's how it works: Dollycas lists four different questions each week, and those who want to participate post their answers.  Plus, there's a linky thingy on Dollycas's Thoughts blog and others that helps spread the word.  Anyway, here's the questions:

1. List four things you carry in your handbag.

-cell phone
-book (or my kindle of late)
-chapstick
-driver's license, CPR card, and RN license (you know know what might happen...)

2. List four things on top of your desk.
Since I'm using my kitchen table as my desk right now until I get everything all settled (my actual desk is holding boxes), I'll list those things.
-books
-dog treats (for when my puppy actually goes outside - we're getting poddy trained)
-pumpkin candy dish (yah it's fall)
-pictures of the family

3. List four of your favorite things in your bedroom.
-my quilts.  They were homemade by my mom
-my pillow

-my journal - the one place where I can be completely uncensored (sometimes not a pretty picture - my sister has direct orders to burn it if anything ever happens to me)  :) 

-my puppy dog: Bennett  (He's always in my bedroom when I am, so I think that counts).  Isn't he cute?!

Woooo... That's a long ways down...