Bout of Books 10 Reading Updates

 

I am such a slacker for not posting on Bout of Books 10 until today. However, in my defense, it is the end of the school year. That means Field Days, Yearbook Days, this reward party, that reward party, Honor's Day, and entering end of year grades and planning for final conferences. Whew....just glad that I am getting in some reading.


Updates

Monday, 5/12
Books Read Today:
  Completed: The Nazi Invasion, 1944 (Book 9 in the I Survived series) by Lauren Tarshis

This book will be going in my classroom library. My boys love this series, and I always make a point to read any new release.

In-Progress:Hero's Trial (Agents of Chaos 1) by James Luceno ( I had started this book this past weekend with the hopes that I would complete it before Bout of Books began. Once this one is complete, I will attack my B.O.B. 10 TBR pile)

Total Books Read: ~1
Total Pages Read: 166

Tuesday, 5/13
Books Read Today:1
  Completed: Didn't finish one today.
In-Progress: Hero's Trial (Agents of Chaos 1 by James Luceno (I'm 70% finished and hope to complete it tomorrow night.

Total Books Read: 1
Total Pages Read: 232

Wednesday, 5/14
Books Read Today:1
  Completed: Hero's Trial (Agents of Chaos 1 by James Luceno

I've always been a HUGE Star Wars fan, but had only read a handful of the Extended Universe novels. There are so many of them I really didn't know where to start. My Sweetie solved that problem by buying me the entire 19 novel New Jedi Order series for my birthday. This is book four in that series.)

  In-Progress:This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
Total Books Read: 2
Total Pages Read: 358

Thursday, 5/15
Books Read Today: 0
Total Pages Read: 12 (not a good reading day...LOL)
In Progress: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

I just can't get into this book right now. I don't think it is the book, I honestly just think it is my reading slump rearing its ugly head. May try another book tomorrow.
Total Pages Read: 370

Friday, 5/16
Books Read Today: part of two books
Total pages read today: 130 (much better than yesterday!)
In Progress: The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng

Reading this one before I add it to my classroom library. So happy that the main character is an American Born Chinese girl. Diversity for the win!!
Total pages read so far: 500

I'm really hoping I can knock out two book on my original TBR pile this weekend. I've really strayed from my original Bout of Books TBR pile.

Bout of Books 10 Goals

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Time Devoted to Reading

I will be reading approximately two hours a day.

My Goals

• Read at least a book a day.
• Comment on at least two blog posts a day.
• Participate in at least one challenge.

Books to Read

These are the five books that I plan on reading during Bout of Books 10. I hope to add more if I can.

Bout of Books 10

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 12th and runs through Sunday, May 18th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 10 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Book


I will be participating once again in the Bout of  Books read-a-thon. I really enjoyed participating last time, and I hope this really gets me out of the mini book slump I am currently suffering.

Life gets in the way....

I haven't blogged too much lately. Right after my last post, my uncle called to inform me that he had liver cancer. A little over a month later, the cancer won and we lost my Uncle. He was only 59. So, needless to say, I wasn't in the blogging mood. My Uncle wasn't one to get mired down in depression, so I finally got myself together a week and half ago.

I haven't read too much since that time. Just couldn't concentrate on anything I suppose. However,  I am slowly getting myself out of this reading slump.

Since my last post, the last of my birthday presents from my Sweetie arrived. I am a HUGE Star Wars fan, so I was shocked when he gave me the complete New Jedi Order book series. Since my last post, I have read the following from that series: Vector Prime, Dark Tide I: Onslaught, and Dark Tide II: Ruin.  So far, I am really enjoying these books.

I have also read quite a few books that are now on my classroom library shelves. I am trying to collect more nonfiction books for my students. These three were excellent additions. My students and I really enjoyed these.

The last book that I have completed since my last blog post is a book that I read for professional reasons. I am always looking for ways to motivate my students into becoming avid readers. This book was wonderful and full of ideas that I will be implementing in my room next year.

A Book Heavy Month

Wow! It has been almost a month since my last post, but it has been a huge one. This month I turned the Big 40. What's funny is that I still think I'm in my 20s! Needless to say, my sweetie has spoiled me rotten. He bought me a Kindle Fire HDX to take the place of my plain Jane Kindle. I just love it so much. He also purchased several books for me, but only one box set has arrived. I would do a book haul vid, but this girls not going to video herself....no Sir...LOL. However, I have no problem giving the run down of the books that I have gotten so far this month.

From my local Goodwill for only $12 (all hardback)!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Nancy Drew #1 and #2
Nancy Drew and The Clue of the Broken Locket
Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House)

For my Birthday:

(This replaces my HEAVILY read one.)

Books I bought for myself:

(I have already finished this one and it was excellent!)

This won't be all the books I get this month. I will be posting soon with an update.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Newbery Reading Challenge Post #1

I recently finished The One and Only Ivan, and find myself wondering why I let it sit on my Kindle for so very long. Ivan's voice is amazing, and you immediately find yourself pulling for the great ape. I also love all of the secondary characters, but Bob had to have been my favorite hands down. I will admit to having a tear or two fall as I read this story. This is one that I will be reading to my students during testing week.

On a side note, I visited Zoo Atlanta, where the real life Ivan wound up. I wonder now if I possibly saw him in his new domain. I'm hoping that I did.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a heartwarming read, with an amazing lead character that you can't help but fall in love with.

My Newbery Challenge total: 3 points

This book should be read by EVERYONE!!!

This year for Christmas my lovely sweetie gave me a $250 gift card to Book-A-Million. I was so happy...he knows me so well. On my first visit to the bookstore, I stumbled across this lovely title. As I read the blurb on the back I became immediately interested! I'm so glad I picked up this book that I had heard little to nothing about. I feel like I somehow have unearthed a gem. Something that the world had yet to discover.

I don't want to give too much away, because I feel that my not knowing much played a huge part in my enjoyment of the book. I will say that this book follows Finny and Autumn, two teenagers who have spent their lives living next door to each other. Their mothers are best friends, and they were born in the same month. This book follows Finny (whom I immediately fell in love with) and Autumn over their high school years. The years in which the people whom you thought would be your best friends forever, start to veer off in different directions, into different social groups. Despite all of this, Finny and Autumn still have a connection....it is this connection that will reach into your chest and grab a tight hold of your heart.

I can't scream my recommendation from the rooftops loud enough, "YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK ASAP!" You will thank me  for it.

5 out of 5 Stars....hands down...no hesitation.