2010 Reading Challenges

So I attempted two reading challenges last year, and am embarassed to say I didn't complete either one of them. It was my first year participating in challenges so let's just say that I took on more than I could handle? Yea, I think that works.

This Year, I will continue both challenges, trying to finish them up, cause I'm not one to give up... most of the time.

But I also signed up for a new challenge, cause it sounds like fun. The What's In A Name Challenge. Here's what I have to do/read.

1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

I'm pretty excited about this one, and finishing last year's remnants!

and Happy Martin Luther Day!

Poison Ivy by Amy Goldman Koss

Poison Ivy
Amy Goldman Koss

OVERVIEW
Ms. Gold is dying for her third period Government class to have a mock trial. Unfortunately, when she asks the students for trial-worthy suggestions, they come up blank. So, upon finding a “suicidal” note by “Poison” Ivy, a girl getting picked on in class, Ms. Gold jumps on and runs with the case. Given from eight different points of view, Poison Ivy takes the reader on the road to “Poison” Ivy’s freedom from the tormenting grip of the “Anns.”

PLOT
Everyone knows that Ivy is always getting picked on, and its due time she got a break, but apparently, that isn’t motive enough for the students of Ms. Gold’s third period to stand up to the Anns. These middle graders are still caught up in the popularity ring, therefore choosing not to cross those with power, hence Ann and her friends. Instead, they sit back, relax, and watch the trail as it unfolds, wrongfully, in favor of Ann.

CHARACTERS
The characters of Poison Ivy were all very realistic. I’m sure we all have one of each in school. Ann was just as superficial as she would have been in real life and Shannon was such a groupie. You’d think Daria would have gotten out of her box, but I think this case actually made her sink farther in. But with the help of Cameron things could be changing for her. [You go girl!] Ivy was just well, Ivy. I don’t think she really cared much about the trial. To her, it was just another form of torment. Owen, the Anns’ lawyer, was my favorite of all the characters. Although he was defending the bad guys, he did a very good job of it. If ever caught in a fix, I know who to turn to for help. Overall, I loved how Poison Ivy was written from a multiple-person POV. I don’t think it would have been enjoyable if it would have been just Ann’s or Ivy’s side of the story. The book then would have been totally bias.

OVERALL
Poison Ivy is purely an ironic tale of doing what is right and/or what is expected of you. I was definitely taken by surprise at how everything turned out, but I guess it just goes to show that life’s not fair. A total tale to reverse psychology, but a funny one at that.

Breaking Up Is Really Really Hard To Do by Natalie Standiford

Breaking Up Is Really Really Hard To Do (A Dating Game Novel)
Natalie Standiford

OVERVIEW

Even though their IDH project is over with, the girls, Lina, Holly, and Mads, continue on with the Dating Game. This time around, as they keep their personal lives out of it, they are stuck with their hardest assignment yet, to match Nuclear Autumn. Autumn is not one to be crossed, she blogs about any and everything on her blog, Nuclear Autumn, so one wrong move, and these girls are in for it. But the girls personal love life, is juicy enough to blog about, too bad Autumn has no clue what's going on, especially for Lina. Could she have finally found a way to get to Dan, her lover? Is Mads finally going to get that long awaited experience from the Art guy? And is Rod ready for what Holly has in stock for him? Is Holly ready for what she has in stock for Rob?

REVIEW

This was a good follow up to the first book, The Dating Game Novel. I liked how it was a fast and easy read. Light and simple, but still good at that. Natalie was good with letting the reader know what was going on and the plot was funny. I loved how she showed us this new side of Lina, we all knew it was coming, but it's a whole norther thing when your suspicions are confirmed. I'm looking forward to reading the third book, Can True Love Survive High School?

I would definitely recommend this book to readers 13+.

I give this one four thumps up.

you can read my review of The Dating Game Novel, the first book in the series here.

2009 Challenges

I have never participated in a challenge before so this is going to be a challenge all in itself. But here are the ones I'm going to attempt. Wish me luck.





The A to Z Title Challenge
Read 26 books whereas each title begins with a different letter of the alphabet. More info here. The challenge runs throughout the entire year so I should have plenty of time to do this. The books can overlap with other challenges. (Yes!)


The 50 Book Challenge
This one is really self explanatory. Read 50books before the end of 2009. More info here.

The RLA Monthly Challenge
Each month, at the YA Books Central Forum, we read a different book according to a theme. So I guess it's like a 12book challenge in a way. More info here.

Book Of The Month
This One is through the YA Books Central Forum also. More info here.

And I'm hoping all these challenges overlap!!

I'll keep track of the last three listed challenges on the YA Book Central Forum and the first one on my blog.