Summer 2014 Book Challenge!

Megan, over at semi-charmed kind of life, leads some super fun reading challenges.  I have never done a book challenge - but I am ready, since I have recently dived head first into my love for books.  Go check out her blog and read the introduction post (including the rules for the challenge) right here! 

I really enjoy these challenges because they tend to make me read books that I normally wouldn't choose!  It's fun to branch out a little and read some new books!  

Here are the categories for this challenge:

5 points: Freebie!  Read any book that is at least 200 pages long.

10 points: Read a book that was written before you were born.

10 points: Finish reading a book you couldn't finish the first time around.  (You must have at least 150 pages left in the book to use it for this category.)

10 points: Read a book from the children's section of the library or bookstore.

15 points: Read a book that is on The New York Times' Best Sellers List when you began reading it.

15 points: Read a historical fiction book that does not take place in Europe.

15 points: Read a book another blogger has already read for the challenge.  (Yes, you will have to wait until the first check-in to choose this book!  So no one will be able to finish this challenge in only one month; sorry!)

20 points: Read a book with "son(s)," "daughter(s)" or "children(ren)" in the title.  No other words will count -- including kids, offspring, etc. -- so please don't ask.  :)

20 points: Read a book that was/will be adapted to film in 2014.  (Here are 16 ideas to get you started, but I know there are plenty more options.)

25 points: Read a book written by a blogger.  (Submitted by Jessica of The Tangerine.)

25 points: Read a biography, autobiography or memoir.

30 points: Read a pair of books with antonyms in the titles.

Here are the books that I have chosen for my preliminary list of books to read for the challenge.  Some of these books may change as I progress through this challenge, but this is what I'm thinking I'll read right now!

5 points: Freebie: Where'd You Go, Bernadette By:  Maria Semple

10 points: Written before you were born:  Pride and Prejudice By: Jane Austen

10 points: Finish book from before: Safe Haven By: Nicholas Sparks

10 points: Children's section: The One and Only Ivan By: Applegate

15 points: New York Times' Best Seller: Husband's Secret

15 points: Historical fiction: Sarah's Key

15 points: Book another blogger has read for challenge: Gone Girl

20 points: "Son(s)," "daughter(s)," or "child(ren)" in title: The Housemaid's Daughter By: Barbara Much

20 points: Book adapted to film in 2014: Winter's Tale By: Mark Helprin

25 points: Written by blogger: ?

25 points: Biography, autobiography, or memoir: ? Finding Me

30 points: Pair of books with antonyms in titles: One Thousand White Women and The One and Only

Hopefully things go well with this.  I am excited about my list so far!

Literary Junkies .April.

This is a little later than expected, but I was out of town this past week when everybody linked up, and this is also my first time. 

1. What are you reading right now? Tell us about it!

The Longest Ride, by: Nicholas Sparks has been an amazing read.  Well listen, I finished it on my way to Seaworld this past week on Vacation loved it.  This book was suggested by the wonderful group of ladies I meet up with once a month and to be honest from the synopsis I thought it was going to go in a completely opposite direction.  I do love a Nicholas Sparks book because it just makes you feel good inside when you are finished reading it!

2. Divergent, Hunger Games, or Twilight. Which do you prefer and why? (If you’ve never read them which do you think you’d prefer?)

I have never read any of these. Not super big on Science Fiction, but I am thinking of putting all of the above on my "to read" list this summer.  I would like to say that Twilight would be the top on my list, this past year I actually sat down and watched all of the movies. (never really gotten into all of the hype, but they were very interesting and thought the books might be the same way.)

3. TV Series Based on Books they start out very close to the book to draw in the fans but then will start to separate themselves by changing things and adding characters. What are you thoughts on this?

Unfortunately I have not read that many books that have turned into series.  I did truly love the series the White Queen on STARZ, and now these series of books are on my "want to read" list. So perhaps it just opens you to liking a different genre. :)

4. You’ve just been recruited to help a movie studio bring your favorite book to the big screen. What’s the movie and who are you choosing to play the main characters?

I'm not sure on the favorite part - so I just use the last book read, the Longest Ride - the main Sophia should be played by Teresa Palmer, maybe the main male character should be played by Matt Lanter - from that new show on the CW, starcrossed (such a hottie)

5. Going back to the above question, do you keep it word for word the same or do you use this chance to change little things you thought would make the book better?

They always seem to change his books, I think it would have to be changed a bit since they when back and forth between characters - with the one it was over the span of one year and the other was only over one week.  So not exactly sure how they are going to do that, but I would be completely open to however to make the story make sense!

6. After you finish a physical copy of a book do you keep it for a reread, put it on a shelf to collect dust, donate it to Goodwill, or do you just not purchase physical copies of books?

It depends on the the book.  If I liked it, than it stays on the shelf - so I can look back at it and possibly reread it.  If it goes the other way, I will just lend it to somebody who might think a little more of it than I did, and ultimately if I really don't think it is worth the time of day than it definitely goes to Goodwill.

The Book Thief - Book Review

Well I finally finished with the Book Thief, one of the books I wanted to read before seeing the movie.

GoodReads Review: It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time

My Review:  I did enjoy this book.  I think I am in a lull of just reading highly depressive books.  I found this book very moving as it went through trying events of our past.  World War II and the struggles that all people had to endure.  Knowing that all Germans were not fanatics about Hitler is very humbling and moving and this novel portrays that perfectly.  I am very moved by the journey of Liesel.  She had so much to endure through her life, but that was the case with many of the countrymen during that time.  I loved hearing how the  "book thief" went stealing away bits that meant something to her throughout her life.  I loved reading about her journey to read and become a better person.  Her friendship with the "enemy" and  how she grew up to be who she was at the end of the book.  Not growing up during the stint of World History I was very engaged with the events that could have happened.  I did love the way the author used Death as the narrator, it brought a new perspective to what we know happened so many years ago.

One of my favorite quotes from the book was: “It kills me sometimes, how people die.” 

― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

So here is the trailer for the movie: