March Readalong/ Readathon/ Challenge Update #3

This past week was a little hectic, I had company from out of state so we did a lot of little touristy things and we did stop at a couple of books stores, but for the most part I haven't been reading much this week.  We also ended up with a "snow" day (I say that because all flights were cancelled, school was cancelled and the state shut down but we ended up not getting any snow) which extended the vacation a bit, but also cut into work a bit so I am frantically trying to catch up now.  But with that I do have a few updates for you.

Anne of Green Gables Read-Along

This week's discussion is on Kami's Library Thoughts on the 22nd to review chapters 14 through 26, I did unfortunately miss the twitter chat last night, I crashed early after the busy week.  Next week's discussion post will be on Jenni's Blog on March 31st and will cover the last chapters of the book.   I had already listened to these chapters early just to be prepared.  I must say that I am still really liking Matthew, and Marilla is just so much like me it is scary.  I have come to the understanding that Anne is just the way she is and I will just be annoyed by her forever.  So on to this week's discussion questions

1. Anne has a gift for loving nature in all its forms, she even gives them delightful names. Do you find yourself appreciating nature more as you read this?

I don't really feel that you have to be able to name everything in order to appreciate their beauty. I have always loved nature and appreciated each bit I get to see, so I don't think that it has increased.

2. We have finally met Gilbert! What do you think of him? Do you think Anne is justified in hating him so much?

So far we don't know too much about him, I find him to be a bit of a typical boy but he seems very intelligent.  I think that is where Anne finds her dislike, he challenges her and in some ways is similar to her. Don't all childhood loves start out as a bit of a battle?!

3. Anne's imagination finally got the better of her in the Haunted Wood. Do you think she learned anything from that experience? Do you think she'll tone down the imagination a bit?

Haha, I loved that part, but imagination can take you down beautiful paths or darker paths, you can't have one without the other right? Also, who doesn't give themselves a good scare with their imagination? I don't think she will tone it down, it is part of who she is and I don't think she could change it even if she wanted.

4. What do you think of Diana and the other school girls? Do you think Anne chose wisely for her bosom friend?

Diana seems like a great friend, they both seem encouraging and supportive of each other.  While the girls do seem to bicker and have their gossips, it is so typical and realistic. I do keep waiting for Anne and Diana to have a real disagreement though, maybe that will come with the awareness of boys (which we have seen some foreshadowing of).

5. I've always dreamed of visiting Prince Edward Island some day. Do you want to visit there also? What other real life literature places do you want to visit?

It does sound lovely and idyllic on Prince Edward Island, though is that part of Anne's imaginings making it so appealing.  I tend to read more fantasy books, though of the actual places that have been described in books near the top are Italy and the country side of France (mostly for the food).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Selection Buddy Read

I have fallen super far behind on this readalong, but luckily it is a series that reads very quickly.  My sister in law is already halfway through this book and is sending me ranting texts and freaking out.  It is so much fun to see a non-reader drawn into the story so much and to be so consumed by it.  I hope to catch up with her soon!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Middle Grade March Read-A-Thon

Another one I have fallen behind on, but not too bad. I completed Letters from Wolfie and am halfway through Monstrous.  I don't think I will be able to finish all the Middle Grade books I had lined up for this month but I am definitely making a lot of progress on my TBR shelves!

1. Read an award winner: Letters from Wolfie
2. Read a book to movie adaptation: (almost done with Anne of Green Gables)
3. Read a children's classic: 
4. Read a childhood favorite: 
5. Read a diverse book: As Brave As You

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Try a Chapter Challenge

  

 

I am really happy with this challenge, I may use it to go through more books on my TBR.  This week I tried a chapter in 5 more books from book boxes. 1 from Unicorn Crate, 1 from Bookcase Club, 2 from Owlcrate and 1 from Noveltea Box.  I ended up putting 3 back on my shelf to read this year, Even the Darkest Stars, A Gift to Remember and The Sandcastle Empire; and 2 are going to be sold or donated, Wild Beauty and Between Two Fires.  I have to say this was the first time I really got sucked into a book though, I didn't want to stop reading The Sandcastle Empire after the first chapter, so expect that to be read sooner rather than later!  I think I have 8 more books to try before the end of the month.  It is really nice to be clearing my TBR shelves a little more. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frankenstein Read-Along

Sadly, I have fallen terribly behind on this readalong, I am two weeks behind!! I will definitely be catching up in the next week or so, this is just one of those books that I really want to be able to read with no distractions.  You can check out the updates and questions from Stef at Noveltea Corner. 
Next week I hope to be able to answer 2 weeks of questions during my update.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So there you have my progress for the this last week. A little disappointing but that was to be expected.  I hope to have better progress next week, especially since it is the end of March next week!!