In So Many Words

As we say goodbye to fall, it is also time to share how I fared with the Fall Into Reading challenge created and hosted by Katrina at Callapidder Days.

I started with a reading list of 20 books, of which I completed 15. Only one of the unfinished books is fiction, of course. I had put Beauty and the Werewolf on hold at the library at the beginning of the challenge, and my turn just came up this weekend, so I will be reading that within the next week or so.

I still have 4 nonfiction books that are not finished. This is not because they aren’t great books, because they are; it’s just that I have a tendency to procrastinate about reading nonfiction books, no matter how interested I am in the subject matter. I have read parts of all of them, however, and I AM going to finish them SOON!!

In addition to the 15 finished here, I actually read another 18 books, which brings my total for the fall to a whopping 33! Here is my original list with the ones I finished checked off (click on the title to read my review):

From My To-Read List
Fiction
Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey
Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer ✔
The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax ✔
The Judgment by Beverly Lewis ✔
The Mercy by Beverly Lewis ✔

Non-Fiction
Boundaries by Henry Cloud & John Townsend ✔

Newbery Winners
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool ✔
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead ✔
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman ✔
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz ✔
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron ✔

Review Books
Fiction
A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander ✔
Along Wooded Paths by Tricia Goyer ✔
Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Susan May Warren ✔
Turning Point by Melissa Luznicky Garrett ✔

Non-Fiction
How Do I Teach This Kid to Read? by Kimberly A. Henry ✔
Autism and Reading Comprehension by Joseph Porter
Exploring Feelings by Tony Attwood
Special Diets for Special Kids by Lisa Lewis
The New Social Story Book by Carol Gray

I’m not going to list all the extra ones here, but feel free to visit my entire list of 2011 Reads and click over to any of my reviews from there if you are so inclined.

Once again, I am celebrating the arrival of fall by joining in on the Fall Into Reading challenge created and hosted by Katrina at Callapidder Days. The basic idea is to list the books you plan to read this fall and then post an update at the end of the season telling everyone how you did. You can add other reading goals if you wish, but it’s not required.

I always enjoy these challenges, both for the fun of planning out my reading goals and for seeing what everyone else is reading and enjoying. I’m also on Goodreads now, so I have been enjoying the social aspects of that site and finding even more books that I am interested in reading. I ask you, can one’s TBR list ever really be too long???

My reading list for the fall comes partially from my to-read list, partially from my goal of reading through the Newbery Winners, and partially from the books I have agreed to review, for a total of 20 books.

From My To-Read List
Fiction
Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey
Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer
The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax
The Judgment by Beverly Lewis
The Mercy by Beverly Lewis

Non-Fiction
Boundaries by Henry Cloud & John Townsend

Newbery Winners
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Review Books
Fiction
A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander
Along Wooded Paths by Tricia Goyer
Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Susan May Warren
Turning Point by Melissa Luznicky Garrett

Non-Fiction
Autism and Reading Comprehension: Ready-to-use Lessons for Teachers by Joseph Porter
Exploring Feelings: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to Manage Anxiety by Tony Attwood
How Do I Teach This Kid to Read?: Teaching Literacy Skills to Young Children with Autism, from Phonics to Reading Comprehension by Kimberly A. Henry
Special Diets for Special Kids, Volumes 1 and 2 Combined by Lisa Lewis
The New Social Story Book, Revised and Expanded 10th Anniversary Edition by Carol Gray

What about you? What are you planning to read this fall?

Fall Into Reading is an annual reading challenge led by Kristina at Callapidder Days. The main requirements to participate are to create a list of books you would like to read (or finish reading), post your list at the beginning of fall and post your results at the end of the season. This is my wrap-up post with my final results.

I have been keeping track of the books I read and plan to read over at Shelfari for a couple of years now, and when I started the challenge there were 125 books on my TBR list. My goal for the fall was to read 20 of them. Most of these were more recent additions to the list based on recommendations by other bloggers (although unfortunately, I didn’t keep track of which ones).

I did read some books that weren’t on the list, but surprisingly for me I didn’t get through a lot of the original 20. I have listed them again below with my comments about whether I liked the book or why I didn’t end up reading it.

My Fall Into Reading 2010 List

Read:
If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home Now by Claire LaZebnik – Read this one and enjoyed it a lot! I have actually read one of Ms. LaZebnik’s nonfiction books on autism and am interested to read more of her work, both fiction and non.
After You by Julie Buxbaum – Read this one and enjoyed it.
Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch – Read this one and liked it. This is a what if story about a woman who is a stay at home wife and mom and wonders if she made the right decisions. She ends up several years in the past and has the chance to make different choices and see if her life can be better.
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger – Read this one. Very intriguing with amazing prose, not totally thrilled with the ending but it fit the book.
Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury – One of my favorite authors, although not my favorite story of hers. The characters seem a bit too stereotypical, and the transformations are too sudden (not to say that God can’t work miracles, but it doesn’t seem as true to life as other books of hers that I have read).
Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear by Max Lucado – I had started this one almost a year ago and finally picked it up again and read the rest of it. The only reason I finished it is because it was a review copy from Booksneeze. Here’s my review of it.
Autism’s Hidden Blessings: Discovering God’s Promises for Autistic Children & Their Families by Kelly Langston – I received this book as a gift at a faith-based luncheon for moms of children with autism. Kelly was the speaker, and I enjoyed meeting her and hearing her speak very much. I had read most of the book shortly thereafter but somehow just hadn’t finished it, so I picked it up again and finished the last few chapters. It is a very encouraging read about God’s promises for us in the midst of difficult situations.

DNF (Did Not Finish):
While I’m Falling by Laurie Moriarty – Checked out of library, but just couldn’t get into.
Nice to Come Home To by Rebecca Flowers – Another one that I checked out of the library but just couldn’t get into.
The Stuff That Never Happened by Maddie Dawson – I picked this up immediately following Time of My Life and it was the same type of story – a wife who was unhappy and wondered if the other guy would have been the better choice after all. I just couldn’t read another “what if” story so soon and ended up putting it down.
Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie – I should have liked this and might have if I wasn’t so distracted lately, but it just didn’t grab my attention. The premise appears to be a detective story that takes place during the Roman Empire with a doctor as the main character.
The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin – This got so many great reviews, and I probably would actually appreciate it. However, I renewed it twice and still didn’t get to it, so I don’t anticipate reading this one at the moment.
Fat,Forty,Fired: One Man’s Frank,Funny,and Inspiring Account of Losing His Job and Finding His Life by Nigel Marsh – I flipped through this one and even read a couple of pages but just wasn’t interested enough to dive in. This is really unusual for me to have so little interest in books.

Didn’t Find at Library and Wasn’t Willing to Purchase:
The Only True Genius in the Family by Jennie Nash
Terminal Care by Christopher Stookey
Good Enough to Eat by Stacy Ballis
Good Things by Mia King
Club Sandwich by Lisa Samson

Still Pending:
Her Daughter’s Dream (Marta’s Legacy) by Francine Rivers – Put on hold at library, waiting for it to be available.
The Thorn by Beverly Lewis – Put on hold at library, waiting for it to be available.

What I Have Learned About Myself In The Last Three Months

• The quickest way to make me not want to do something is to make it a commitment (even a self-generated one)!
• I use the word “just” a lot. Normally I would go back through and edit them out, but I guess I just don’t feel like it today.

As part of her Fall Into Reading challenge, Kristina at Callapidder Days has been asking a question every week about reading habits. I have been just answering them in the comments of her post until now, but for this last one, she gave several options and I thought I would answer them here.

This week, she asks:

1. Do you write in your books?
2. Can you read in the car?
3. Does the rest of your family enjoy reading?
4. What’s the longest you’ve gone without reading?

Do you write in your books?

I don’t know that I have ever written in a fiction book, unless it was some hugely glaring typo or error that I absolutely couldn’t resist taking a pencil to. And I rarely write in a non-fiction book, but I do use a highlighter, especially when it is a book I plan to refer back to or one I am reviewing for the blog.

Can you read in the car?

Usually I can and do read in the car. If I am a passenger on a long drive, it is incredibly difficult for me to just sit and watch the scenery or listen to music without some written input. There are times where I have to stop, usually if the sun is so bright that it is bothering my eyes or if I am not feeling well.

Does the rest of your family enjoy reading?

Not as much as I do. My son much prefers being read to, although if you find a book he is interested in, he will read it himself and be happy about it once he gets started. My husband almost never reads novels; he much prefers non-fiction such as biographies or books about his favorite musical groups or other areas of interest.

What’s the longest you’ve gone without reading?

There have been a few times in my life where I didn’t feel like always having a novel or two going, but not very many. And even in those times, I still read, just not to the excessive degree I normally do.

I actually have been somewhat distracted lately and have started watching TV shows via Netflix, which has just about replaced my light reading. (I still am reading autism-related non-fiction, however.) In the past few months, I have watched all eight seasons of Monk, the first two seasons of Lie to Me and am currently in the second season of Eureka. A bit strange, perhaps, but probably not stranger than the number of books I would normally have plowed through in the same time period!

So, there you have it. Now you know a bit more useless trivia about me.

Next week, I’ll be posting my wrapup to let you know how I did on my personal Fall Into Reading 2010 challenge. In the meantime, feel free to share your answers to any or all of these questions about your own reading habits!

I’m not sure exactly why, but I haven’t made very much progress on my Fall Into Reading challenge. My list had 20 books on it, 17 fiction and 3 non-fiction, and so far I have only read 3 of them (plus a couple of other books that weren’t on the list). Normally, I would have read over 20 books in a month with no problem, so I’m quite intrigued by this.

Is it because just committing to doing something makes me not want to do it? I think I have so many demands on me that my creating one just for a blogging challenge makes me want to rebel against it, which is kind of funny since it’s my own goal.

I have also gotten into a habit of watching TV to wind down more than I used to, lessening the number of books I am reading. This may be a sign of my stress level, that I am not even up to the mental challenge of reading, preferring instead to lose myself in the world of old seasons of Monk or online episodes of Parenthood and The Apprentice.

For whatever reason, I don’t think I will make my goal. But that’s okay. Anyway, here’s where I’m at so far:

Out of 17 fiction books:

• 3 read
• 2 couldn’t get into and did not finish
• 4 checked out but not started yet
• 4 on hold at library
• 4 not available at library

Out of 3 non-fiction books:

• 2 still not finished
• 1 on hold at library

So, I’ll see how it goes for the rest of the fall season. This does tend to be the most stressful time of year for me, with all the demands of the holidays as well as the ongoing struggles Michael has at school and my need to both support and advocate for him.

For those that have been following my posts on the Tony Attwood conference, I will be continuing them very soon. The last week has been consumed by preparation for team meetings at my son’s school, and my writing time has gone to that instead of to my blog.

Fall Into Reading is an annual reading challenge led by Kristina at Callapidder Days. The main requirements to participate are to create a list of books you would like to read (or finish reading), post your list at the beginning of fall and post your results at the end of the season.

Fall Into Reading is an annual reading challenge led by Kristina at Callapidder Days. The main requirements to participate are to create a list of books you would like to read (or finish reading), post your list at the beginning of fall and post your results at the end of the season. For more details, you can read her posts on The Basics, the Posting Guidelines and the Prizes and Giveaways.

I have been keeping track of the books I read and plan to read over at Shelfari, and as of this writing there are 125 books on my TBR list. So my goal for this fall is to read 20 of them. I am listing the most likely prospects below, although the list may change if I have difficulty getting any of them or change my mind after reading a few pages.

I’ll try to keep you updated as I go along with what I have read or if the list changes!

My Fall Into Reading 2010 List

Fiction
If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home Now by Claire LaZebnik
The Only True Genius in the Family by Jennie Nash
Terminal Care by Christopher Stookey
Good Enough to Eat by Stacy Ballis
Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie
After You by Julie Buxbaum
While I’m Falling by Laurie Moriarty
Nice to Come Home To by Rebecca Flowers
The Stuff That Never Happened by Maddie Dawson
Good Things by Mia King
Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch
Her Daughter’s Dream (Marta’s Legacy) by Francine Rivers
The Thorn by Beverly Lewis
Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Club Sandwich by Lisa Samson
The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin

Non-Fiction
Fat,Forty,Fired: One Man’s Frank,Funny,and Inspiring Account of Losing His Job and Finding His Life by Nigel Marsh
Autism’s Hidden Blessings: Discovering God’s Promises for Autistic Children & Their Families by Kelly Langston (started but not finished)
Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear by Max Lucado (started but not finished)

Wow – this fall went by very quickly! I haven’t been posting much about books lately; heck, I haven’t been posting about much of anything – it’s been so busy around here.

Anyway, my goal for Fall Into Reading 2009 wasn’t so much to read specific books as it was to go through my huge list of books to read and clean it out.

This list has been growing steadily on my Shelfari profile, but I don’t always remember to check the list before going to the library. I started with 192 books listed, which included a variety of fiction and non-fiction books, along with some children’s books I wanted to check out for Michael.

So, how did I do? Well, I managed to cut my list in half, either by reclassifying books I had actually read or by removing books that I couldn’t find through the library and wasn’t interested enough in to purchase. I would have read more of the 96 still on the list, but our library is undergoing major renovations and has had a good chunk of their inventory in storage for the last six months.

Thanks to Katrina at Callapidder Days for creating and hosting this challenge. Hopefully, I’ll win one of the prizes and be able to buy a couple of the books from my list!

Earlier this year, I participated in Callapidder Days’ Spring Reading Thing challenge and really enjoyed it. However, I wasn’t very successful in meeting my main goal, which was to finish the various non-fiction books I had started and left laying around the house. I just couldn’t make myself do it. I have read a lot more non-fiction in the last few years than I used to, but none of these were books I felt compelled enough to actually get all the way through and so I didn’t.

Anyway, I wasn’t sure about joining in with this one until I thought of the perfect goal, one that will feed my craving for fiction and my need for organization and lists at the same time. See, I have a huge list of books that I want to read, titles gathered from trips to the local bookstore to see what’s new as well as from book reviews that have caught my eye on various blogs over the last few months.

This list has been growing steadily on my Shelfari profile, but I don’t always remember to check the list before going to the library. There are currently 192 books listed, which also includes some children’s books I wanted to check out for Michael.

So, my goal for Fall Into Reading 2009 is to clear out my “I Plan to Read” list, either by actually reading the books or by eliminating the ones I can’t locate/decide not to read after all.

My plan is to keep trackly weekly of what books I have read and how many are left on my list. Hopefully by December 22nd, I will be down to ZERO! (Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t add any new books to the list, just that I will be caught up to what I have on there now.)

To find out more about this challenge or join in on the fun, visit Callapidder Days. You can make any kind of goal you want to, even if it’s just to read one book all the way through!