Reading Challenge reflections

Though you are reading this Monday afternoon, I am writing it Sunday night and am still incredibly sleep deprived. Bear that in mind if this isn't particularly well written.

Now that I've had a little time to contemplate my reading challenge experience this year, I have to say I'm pretty pleased with my overall results. I removed caffeine from my diet for a week before the challenge so the 4 cups I drank during those 48 hours were far more effective. It also meant that when I had to work a 6 hour shift on Saturday (like I did last year) I was far more aware of what was happening around me instead of spending the shift in something of a fog. 

Most importantly, I learned a lot last year about my to read pile. Last year I alternated longer books and shorter books so I'd feel like I was making more progress. It worked really well for the first 24 hours but that second day, with so little sleep, I struggled to process the longer books. 

So, this year I built my stack with all of the long books to be read on the first day. For the most part, it was an effective strategy. I still struggled with the last few, but that was likely to happen no matter what book I was reading. I had a few longer books at the bottom of my stack because I honestly didn't expect to get that far. So, when I made it to Razorhurst at 3:00am Sunday, I made it maybe 2 chapters before I had to give it up and select something else. 

In all, I think if I participate in this challenge again next year my approach will be pretty much the same. Its not easy but it's very satisfying when you hit one of your goals.

Finish Line

This is it! The end of my 48 hours. I've surpassed my both of my goals, having read more titles and more hours than last year. This year I read and reviewed 16 books, leaving just 2 of my pile (plus my 5 back-up books) unread. I also got through 4 1/2 discs of the audio book of The Diviners (which really is horrendously long at 15 discs/18 hours). By my best accounting, I spent 38 hours and 45 minutes reading and reviewing.


I realize this is the same photo I used for my starting line post but, disregarding the audio book at the top, this is my completed list (with the addition of 3 e-books: The Disappearance of Emily H., The Doubt Factory, and Out of the Dragon's Mouth.)

I'll likely do a more in depth look at my experience later today or perhaps Monday, once I've had a chance to sleep.

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13 B

As my final selection for this year's challenge, I have to admit my understanding of this particular novel is probably barely adequate. It's and interesting cast of characters and I'm particularly fond of Wendall/Sweetie as he's such a quirky little kid. He reminds me of the little sister in Tim Wynne-Jones's A Thief in the House of Memory. Now, even in my severely sleep deprived state I couldn't help but note the similarities between the group therapy scenes and the support group in The Fault in Our Stars (though clearly this is a far more productive group than the one John Green describes). And I liked that it wasn't all neat and tidy happy endings. Life is messy and change is necessary. Some things aren't meant to last.

The Dumbest Idea Ever!

I'm quite fond of Gownley's quirky Amelia Rules! series, so when this book arrived at my library just days before this challenge, I knew it needed to make it's way into my "to read" pile. At heart, it's actually a fairly simple story, this idea of some serious event changing the way you view your entire life. More importantly, it answers that perennial question posited to writers: where do you get your ideas? It is, perhaps, a niche graphic novel but worth reading if you enjoy memoirs.

Roller Girl

The first time I saw this book I thought "How strange. Why would anyone want to read a book about roller derby?" But then (maybe because I wanted to prove it's weirdness) I found myself leafing through the pages. And it wasn't long before I knew I needed to read this book. It's a sports story. It's a story of making and losing friends. It's a story of redefining yourself and admitting your faults. Not too shabby for some weird book about roller derby. And it really shines as a graphic novel. Each page has great visual appeal with a slightly muted color palette to prevent it from becoming to garish and an excellent use of light. It's like to dance but for tough girls.

Mr. Terupt Falls Again

When I first read Because of Mr. Terupt a few years ago I was not overly impressed. There were too many narrating characters with not enough to properly distinguish their voices. Honestly, I found it mediocre at best. I hadn't intended to give it another thought. Then I began to notice how it was favored among some of our young patrons and I wondered if I'd judged it too harshly. I figured it was worth reading the sequel to see if I liked this one any better. While some of the narration feels somewhat stiff and unnatural for a sixth grader, this volume seems like a noticeable improvement on the previous one. I still find Alexia in particular annoying and more like an idea of a preteen than a real kid. Her use of awkward slang, in particular, bothered me. Buyea is perhaps a little heavy handed with the lessons he intends for his readers but I'm beginning to see why kids enjoy these books.

Rhyme Schemer

A good verse novel is a thing of beauty. To be able to tell a distinct, artful story while making each word count for maximum impact is not a skill that many possess. Over the years I've read a good number of verse novels, most of them mediocre at best. Seldom does one read a verse novel and thing "poetry really was the best format for this story." Much like my very favorite verse novel (Love That Dog by Sharon Creech) poetry really is the only format for this book, and not just because it's about poetry. The very sparse poetry Holt uses in this novel really captures Kevin's anger. He's constantly on edge and that is well reflected with journal entries that at times have just two words on a line. He's stretched thin, barely contained. And I love that the found poetry pages are pages from existing books, not something specially prepared to make his poems more polished.