Merry Wanderer of the Night:
read-a-thon

Enna from Squeaky Books is hosting the: Oh-my-word-the-year-is-over-and-I-haven't-reached-my-goal Read-a-Thon. And, because I love Enna and I love read-a-thons, I'm definitely participating:)
Also, I've been rather lame with the Wrapping Up 2011 Read-a-thon & am hoping that this will give me motivation to push through to the end.

I have been in a bit of a reading slump, off and on all year, and I haven't really been motivated to read for the last 2 months or so. This means I'm really far behind on my Goodreads reading goal (like 18 books behind...) There is absolutely no way I can make that (unless I start counting the picture books I read to my nephews...) but I do hope to get a little closer. Really, even just doing something to help push me over this reading slump would be awesome!

So, right now, my goal is to read 2 books. To finish the book I'm currently reading and read at least one more. If I can manage to finish three books, I'll totally feel like I own the world:)

Are you read-a-thoning too?!?! Let me know!

Good luck to everyone!

I totally forgot that I had signed up for Remarkable Read 's Wrapping Up 2011 Read-a-thon... So, I'm a bit late, but I'm hoping to jump in now and use it to motivate myself to actually get some reading done.:)

I did read three books today, and I'm totally counting them, even though they are Roald Dahl's versions of picture books (definitely for the older kids).

For the rest of the year, I keep debating between trying to actually meet my 2011 GR Reading goal of 260 (which currently means I'd need to read 19 books by the end of the year) and just reading books that I really want to read, because some of the books that are really catching my eye right now are larger & not so conducive to the whole — read 19 books in 9 days, 4 of which are holidays (I am totally counting my birthday as a holiday...) .

So, my list of what I'll end up reading is going to fluctuate drastically and I have no idea, right now, what I'll end up picking. AND, another blogger friend talked about having a read-a-thon on the 30th & 31st, which I'll be participating in (if she does it) so it's going to be like reading BLITZ for me. Maybe I'll actually be able to meet my goal... :) We shall see what happens!

I'm participating — BooYa. http://www.whorublog.com/

So, I totally made it! Up all 24 hours, no naps, no caffeine either, which I'm ridiculously proud of and I met my goal of 10 books read! I feel rather awesome: P

My final reading tally-

Book 1 — Variant — Robison Wells (103/375 pgs)
Book 2 — Kane Richards Must Die — Shanice Williams (272 pgs)
Book 3 — Anya's Ghost — Vera Brosgol (221 pgs)
Book 4 — But I Love Him — Amanda Grace (252 pgs)
Book 5 — Geek Girl — Cindy C. Bennett (306 pgs)
Book 6 — Breaking Point — Alex Flinnn (240 pgs)
Book 7 — The Sky is Everywhere — Jandy Nelson (277 pgs)
Book 8 — Justin Morgan Had a Horse — Marguerite Henry (160 pgs)
Book 9 — Misty of Chinconteague — Marguerite Henry (158 pgs)Book 10 — Dark Eden — Patrick Carman (318 pgs)
And, for the end of event survey:
1. Which hour was most daunting for you?Probably between 1:30 and 3:00 am. I was reading a boring book, and it's right about the time that I start to get tired normally, never mind the fact that I am NOT a morning person so getting up at 6am was a struggle. 2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? I STRONGLY suggest verse novels, especially for people who don't read fast or have a hard time just sitting and reading. Because verse novels read VERY quickly and make you feel like you've accomplished something big. 3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? No 4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I don't know... Honestly, I read... I talk to other people on Twitter, follow the hashtag when I get online between books to update and occasionally check the main site, but not very often... I don't really do the mini-challenges or anything like that, and I don't really pay much attention to what it takes to put this together, so if I'm being honest, I highly doubt I will have anything to say in this or the improvements spot, ever...
5. How many books did you read? 10:)
6. What were the names of the books you read? They are all listed at the beginning of the post
7. Which book did you enjoy most? The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. OH MY GOODNESS! AMAZING book.
8. Which did you enjoy least? I had a few disappointing ones. Kane Richards Must Die and all three of my last reads were really really Meh for me... I think I gave all 4 of them only 2 stars... 9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? I wasn't 10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I will for SURE participate again. I LOVE readathons and this one is seriously amazing! I'll just stick to being a reader and unofficial cheerleader. I like the idea of reading for as much of the 24 hours as possible, so I'll just stick to doing some cheerleading in between updates:)

I'm a little late getting this survey up, but I only like to jump online/update when I'm between books so I don't spend as much time online: P

First — My reading status-

Book 1 — Variant — Robison Wells (103/375 pgs)
Book 2 — Kane Richards Must Die — Shanice Williams (272 pgs)
Book 3 — Anya's Ghost — Vera Brosgol (221 pgs)
Book 4 — But I Love Him — Amanda Grace (252 pgs)
Book 5 — Geek Girl — Cindy C. Bennett (306 pgs)
Book 6 — Breaking Point — Alex Flinnn (240 pgs)
Book 7 — The Sky is Everywhere — Jandy Nelson (277 pgs)
Book 8 — Justin Morgan Had a Horse — Marguerite Henry (160 pgs)
Book 9 — Misty of Chinconteague — Marguerite Henry (158 pgs)

And the mid event survey-

1. What are you reading right now?
Nothing. I only update after I've finished a book, so I'm in between:) Thinking about starting Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere next, or I might also read Dark Eden by Patrick Carman. 2. How many books have you read so far?
Six:)
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Not sure yet. I haven't decided what other books I'll be reading for the read-a-thon, so I'll just have to wait and see. But, possibly I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert or Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. I'm pretty sure I'm going to read those, but things change... :)
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? Not really, I don't work on Saturdays, and I just told family/friends that I'd be unavailable today:)
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? My interruptions have been minimal. And, I pretty much just read through them anyway:)
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? Nothing.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? No.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? ... Can't really think of anything... Well, I might get more food to snack on, as opposed to just candy.
9. Are you getting tired yet? Nope. I was WAY more tired early this morning, having to get up and actually start reading and 6am. I won't be getting tired for hours yet:)
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?Not really. I'm pretty sure someone else has already thought of anything that I could add. Although, I've found it's best if I focus on books I legitimately WANT to read, instead of books I think I SHOULD be reading, ESPECIALLY as it gets later and later and you need more and more motivation to stay up.

It is now about 2:30 and I figured now is probably a good time to update!:)

I finished Book 4 a little before 2 and have been updating Goodreads, Twitter & chatting with some other participants, cheering them on. Now, I just need to finish this post and I'll be off to start book 5!

Book 1 — Variant by Robinson Wells (started on 103/375)
Book 2 — Kane Richards Must Die — Shanice Williams (272 pgs)
Book 3 — Anya's Ghost — Vera Brosgol (221pgs, graphic novel)
Book 4 — But I Love Him — Amanda Grace (252 pages)

So, it's just before hour 2 of the Read-a-thon and I just finished my first book!:) I figured now was a good time to do the little intro survey & stuff!:)

So-
1)Where are you reading from today?
Idaho

2)Three random facts about me…
I played both Flute and Tenor Saxophone in high school.
I am currently in love with puzzles.
I make some seriously delicious chocolate chip cookies.

3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
Not a set number. I find it impossible to stick to a list, so really, it's however many I can read. I have my whole shelves to choose from.:)

4)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)?
To read lots of books for the entire 24 hours.:) I think I'm going to set a tentative goal of 10 books... I think I can reach that, so here's hoping.:)

5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Read books you WANT to read. Action-y books are good because they keep you interested and eager to read. Now is the PERFECT time for anyone not sure they want to read a verse novel because they read FAST. I can read 600+ pages in less than 3 hours.:)

As for my status — I have read:

most of Variant by Robison Wells (started on page 103/375)

Yo! It's almost time for the awesome Dewey's 24 hour read-a-thon to begin!:) I'm SUPER excited! Last time (April) I managed to get a lot of reading done AND I stayed up the full 24 hours!:) I'm hoping to do so again this time! We shall see! And can I just say, that it is proof of how much I love read-a-thons and this one in particular that I am willing to get up at SIX AM to do this?! Seriously — if you know me at all, you know I hate mornings and think 9 o'clock is still on the early side... So... For me to be away before 6?! Lots of love I say, LOTS OF LOVE.

I don't have an awesome picture of my read-a-thon pile today for two reasons. One, because I can't find my camera and two, because I'm absolutely terrible at sticking to a list. Instead, I'm going to read the two books I absolutely must have read by next week and then move on to some others. I have a feeling that this read-a-thon is going to be very heavily Contemporary YA because that's what I've really been in the mood for lately and I have a few more books I want to get read before Just Contemporary month starts! It's getting so close!: D

Anyway — I shall update often, I'm sure throughout the day, both in this post and subsequent posts! If you are read-a-thoning too, best of luck! I'd LOVE to chat on Twitter, cheerlead, share what we've read etc, so if you are participating, leave me a comment here or come chat with me on Twitter! (I'm @BasicallyBooks) I will most likely be getting on after each book finished so I can offer updates!

See you in a few hours readers!:)

I've been stressing and down all week (and most of last week too) because I'm really behind on my reading and I haven't really had the motivation to read lately. It's seriously bumming me out, because I have a lot of books that I need to get through, especially since Just Contemporary is coming up, and I have a ton planned for that.

SO — Imagine my delight when I get home to see several posts in my GoogleReader talking about how April at Good Books and Good Wine is hosting an Impromptu/Last Minute Read-a-Thon, running from whenever today until October 3rd. It's not a big prize/challenge filled read-a-thon, just a bunch of people getting together to whittle down that towering pile.

SO

My goal, between now and Monday is to read 8 books. I think that it totally possible IF I stay motivated and DO it. Maybe I'll even get more. That would be awesome, but for now, I'm just hoping to get through these books demanding my attention.

I'll probably update this post, but no promises. But, know that I'm excited for the read-a-thon and hope it will help me get my groove back on!:)

Are you read-a-thoning?! Let me know! I LOVE having read-a-thon buddies! We can chant and cheer each other on! Yay for reading lots of books!:)

So, I'm a total sucker for a read-a-thon. I've been a little stressed lately at how much I need to read and now. I feel really behind on my books and with two events coming up (Psychtember at A Tapestry of Words in September and Just Contemporary in November here) it's getting even worse. So, when my friend Kristen mentioned Once Upon a Chapter's read-a-thon, going from Friday (today) until Sunday, I decided that I'd sign up last minute.:)

So, this is my starting post.

I could technically count the last 100 pages or so of Between Shades of Gray by Ruth Sepetys in my read-a-thon totals, since I finished it after midnight (and... Wow, btw. Amazing) but instead I'm just going to start with what I read starting in the morning. And, I might extend my own personal read-a-thon time into Monday, since I already have the day of work. It is also the day that my sister will be home from vacation, so I might spend time with her instead, so we shall see.

I do know that I won't spend the whole time reading either. I have stuff that needs to be done this weekend, and I need to finalize the pen-pal stuff so I can get that post up and that stuff started this weekend. But, I do plan to get a lot done. I'm going to set my goal between 6 and 9, with a hopeful possibility of 12.

The read-a-thon hosts did ask for a general idea of reading plans and goals, so — at the start, here they are:

What books are you starting with?
Rules of Attraction by Simone ElkelesBet Me by Jennifer Cruise
Also hope to read: Ashfall by Mike Mullin Willow by Julia Hoban Pearl by Jo Knowles The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly Raven by Allison van Diepen
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
I hope to read: 9 books (or more!)
Status:
Total Books Read:
Books Read Since Last Update:
(there are more questions on the host's updates than mine, like pages read, time read. I might add it later, but I doubt it. I don't really keep track of time or pages, and don't want to.: P)
I'll update this post periodically, and will probably have a finish line post, although I might just update this one. We shall see.: P
Wish me luck!:)

I know I should have had this up earlier, but I'm lazy & have an embarrassing little to report...

This has been, by far, my worst read-a-thon ever.: ( I started The Kid, which ended up being a DNF for me, and then spent the rest of the time trying to read through Kara, Lost. It was a combination of picking meh books (The Kid was absolutely terrible and Kara, Lost was rather bland) and also just not having motivation to read. So, I think I managed to read about 420 pages or so... In THREE days... Talk about a fail... : (

I did complete a few mini-challenges, (maybe only 2) but I did host one! I've been having a lot of fun reading the books that everyone has been recommending to me!! I have no idea how I'm supposed to narrow this down to which blurb I like the best!! I haven't even read half of the entries yet and already I'm struggling to narrow it down!

Hope your read-a-thon was better than mine! I had a lot of fun with it though, even if my end result was majorly lame!:)

ALRIGHT — The contest is now over! It's going to take me a while to go through all the entrants, so I'm hoping to have the winners listed by Sunday! Good luck to everyone!

Today is my mini-challenge for the Once Upon a Time Read-a-thon!! I'm hoping to make this one easy for you.:)

Anyone who talks to me on Twitter knows that I simply live for book recommendations and getting someone to read a book I recommend is awesome. Even better though, is having that someone turn around and tell me how much they loved it.:)

Because I'm such a fan of book recommendations, I want you to recommend books to me. I want you to recommend 2 books to me.

The first is any book of your choice. Pick any book you want and tell me and the world why it should be read and loved.

The second is what you would pick as your favorite of the read-a-thon. You can chose to answer this question now, during the third day, or I'll give you one extra day to give that book just waiting to be picked up a chance.:)

How to enter — write your recommendation pitches into your read-a-thon update posts and then come back here and leave a link in the comments. IF you do not have a blog, you may leave your recs in the comments as well, but I would prefer you to link me to a post if possible.

This giveaway is only open to participants of the Read-a-thon. It will be open from now (the time of posting) until Friday around noon MST. That should give you plenty of time to pick those favorites and pitch them to me.

There will be two winners — One winner will be chosen from Random.org. The second winner will be whoever manages to write the most convincing and compelling pitch. If your recommendation manages to instill that happy giddy feeling I get when I hear about an upcoming book I just know I'm going love, you win. (Which, in case you didn't guess, means that this winner will be a completely subjective choice)

:) I'll contact both winners via email, and on Friday, I will also announce the winners on the blog, along with their winning recommendations!:)

*Note — These recommendations are designed to get someone knew to read a book you love. Which means I do not want to see any "Read Book X because it totes rox!" But I also don't want to see a 4 pg review of the book. So, convince me in a standard sized paragraph.:)

*PRIZES:
The winner(s) will have their choice between a copy of
The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott (PB)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (PB)
If I Stay by Gayle Forman (PB)
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (HC)
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (HC)

If they both pick the same book, whoever emails me back first will get their first pick.