April 2017 #Readathon

Another Readathon has come and gone, whomp-whomp. I did manage to complete my goal of reading The Vegetarian by Han Kang, so yay! That makes it the first and only book I've ever started and finished in a single Readathon. I wouldn't say I enjoyed reading it, but I'm pretty sure it's not meant to be an enjoyable read anyway. It was really dark and violent and weird and disturbing. But, if you can get past that, well worth the time to read I think.

If you read The Vegetarian too, be sure to check out my discussion post for it on BBI.

CLOSING SURVEY

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

Honestly, there were a lot of daunting hours. The three hours it took to make dinner, which turned out to be a disaster, for example. Also around 2am I was just really tired and fed up with reading The Vegetarian.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a reader engaged for next year?

No.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next season?

Idk, I kind of miss the cheerleaders. Maybe people could commit to a length of time and platform?

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

Even though I got annoyed with it, reading one short book during the Readathon worked out better than I expected. I may do something similar next time.

5. How many books did you read?

One (and on a side note, how do people manage to read multiple books??? I know I got a late start, but I was also up until 4am, so it's not like I wasn't putting time into reading)

6. What were the names of the books you read?

Don't make me type it again.

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

I didn't.

8. Which did you enjoy least?

All of them.

9. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

I will definitely participate if I am able!


STATS

Mini-challenges completed:

• One Night Reads
• Show Us the Weather
• A few of the #IGReadathon challenges
• Summer Road Trip

Consumed:

• 2 glasses of water
• 1 cup of coffee
• A piece of breakfast casserole
• Snacks: grapes, apple, hummus and pita chips
• Roasted chicken, paprika-parmesan corn, yeast roll
• Wine/martinis

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Hallo hallo. For those of you who don't know, today is the 24 Readathon, aka the bibliophile's Super Bowl. I'm getting a late start on the Readathon this time around, even by my standards, but I am awake at last a ready to read!

Let's get this party started with the opening survey. I'll be updating this post throughout the Readathon instead of creating new posts because laziness.

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

"I believe I have seen hell and it's white, it's snow-white."

A snow-packed Colorado.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

My goal is only to read one book this time around, The Vegetarian by Han Kang, for a readalong I'm hosting over at Book Bloggers International. It's a live readalong!

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

I don't really do snacks. I am looking forward to the breakfast casserole I currently have in the oven, and maybe leftover enchiladas for lunch.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

Okay! I have three dogs: two Scottie/schnauzers from the same litter and one miniature schnauzer who's a rescue dog. They enjoy watching Cesar Millan and Animal Planet.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

Usually I just try to finish what I'm currently reading during the readathon, but this time I'm focused on getting through one book. Fortunately Andi said it was a fast read and she was right! I'm already 10% through it and I literally just woke up.

MID-EVENT SURVEY

It's the middle of the Readathon already??? Wow, time flies when you sleep in till 10. Here's the mid-event survey:

1. What are you reading right now?

The Vegetarian

2. How many books have you read so far?

Zero!

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

I'll probably pick up What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 3 if I ever get through The Vegetarian (I'm actually more than halfway through already, I just know that after dinner when Doctor Who comes on and everyone piles into the living room it will be a challenge to focus on reading).

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

Not really. I took a shower.

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

It's been a pretty quiet Readathon. I wish it was warm so I could sit outside with a glass of rosé, but otherwise it's been what I imagine an ideal Readathon would be like.


Are you joining in the Readathon today? What are your plans?



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24 Readathon Today!

Hello my little cabbages! Today is Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon. As usual I got a late start, but I'm awake now and ready to get started.

The Dewey Ladies have some questions for us to begin, and I'll be updating this post with my progress as the day goes on. Chat with y'all soon!

Readathon Opening Meme

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Colorado

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

I don't really plan to start a new book. If I do I guess maybe The Invisible Library. But I'd really like to finish my current Craig Johnson read.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

I didn't plan any snacks. #fail

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I'm currently mildly obsessed with apple cider vinegar as cura-all for everything.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

This is my bazillionth Readathon. Kidding. I don't remember how many Readathons it's been, but I think I've only missed four since it started. ANYWAY. One thing I'm doing differently this time is only having the one Readathon post to update throughout the day. Usually I do at least three, but now that cheering has moved to Twitter this way seemed more efficient.

Mid-Event Survey:

(Side note: So, does this mean the Readathon starts at 5am my time? I can't image getting up at 5am to read. Going to sleep at 5am after reading all night, sure. (And this is why I always sleep in.))

1. What are you reading right now?

As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson

2. How many books have you read so far?

None. Nada. Null. Niet.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

Hmm, I guess dinner. I'm pretty hungry.

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

I did! My aunt came over just after I finished my initial Readathon post this morning. We chatted for a few hours and then went to lunch, so I couldn't start reading until mid-afternoon.

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

I'm really enjoying the Facebook group.

And some stats just for my own edification:

Read: Listened to about an hour of Still Life by Louise Penny while I was working up the motivation to get out of bed and performing my morning ablutions.

Read a whole 37 pages in As the Crow Flies. Whoa! I am really ripping through those pages!

Ate: A breakfast burrito and coffee; one glass of diluted apple cider vinegar.

A "sausage sandwich" with green chiles, one cupcake, one vanilla milkshake, and another glass of diluted ACV.

Non-bookish activities: Watched America's Test Kitchen, petted doggies.

Lunch.

Disappointed by: The weather. I was super psyched to sit outside in the sun, but it's all cloudy and yucky out. Maybe the sun will peek out later.

The sun did come out briefly, but I was only able to sit outside for about 30 minutes before the wind picked up and it started raining. WHOMP WHOMP.



I will be updating on Twitter and Instagram as the day goes on, also. Happy Readathon, everyone!






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Readathon Wrap-Up

Not much happened after my mid-Readathon update. I was more or less completely derailed after watching Doctor Who. Then I fell asleep because I'm still adjusting to US time and not up to my usual night owl ways.

Anyway, on to the mid-event survey:

Which hour was most daunting for you?

I wasn't daunted by any hour.

Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

Yes, The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss was PERFECT for the Readathon. Very fast-paced and high energy, and unusual enough to keep me engaged. Imagine The Big Bang Theory with crime and you have a good idea of what this book is like.

How many books did you read?

I read five books but only finished one.

What were the names of the books you read?

• Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
• The Thing from the Lake by Eleanor M Ingram
• Love and Shenanigans by Zara Keane
• Irish Girl by Jeannette something or other
• The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss

Which book did you enjoy most?

Probably a toss up between Darkfever and Unfortunate Decisions.

Which did you enjoy least?

Irish Girl did not do anything for me whatsoever.

If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

N/A

How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

I don't know. I felt very isolated during this Readathon. Interacting with other readers/bloggers is my favorite part of the 'Thon and that was next to nonexistent this time around. It definitely wasn't as much fun as previous Readathons have been, not that that's necessarily the Readathon's fault (although I did sign up for cheerleaders and seem to have gotten lost in the spreadsheets).



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#Readathon Mid Event Survey

Hour 12! This has been a very quiet, relaxing Readathon for me so far. How are you guys doing?

1. What are you reading right now?

The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone. I settled on this one after trying out a few different books that weren't sticking. This one is perfect though: breakneck pace, upbeat and fun.

2. How many books have you read so far?

I've only finished one book so far, but I've dipped into four or five.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

I didn't plan out a stack, so I'll pick out another book I'm in the mood for when the time comes.

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

Not, not really. My mom was going to Readathon with me but she's not feeling good, so she went to Urgent Care instead. That's really been the only hiccup.

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

How quiet and relaxed it seems. I think this is the most focused on reading I've ever been during a Readathon! Usually I'm buzzing around doing minichallenges and cheering.


Now back to reading and maybe a snack and beer to tide me over until dinner. See you guys later tonight!


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Readathon Start Post

Hey everyone! I know it seems like I'm starting late on the 24 Hour Readathon (and I am), but it's not as late as it seems. I've already finished one book and plan to get in a minichallenge before starting Book 2.

Right now I'm finishing up books I'm in the middle of, but I hope to start a new book and make a serious dent in it later this afternoon.

Anyway, here's my belated event start survey:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Colorado, USA

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

The one I just finished–Darkfever by KMM.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Long story, but I didn't prep any snacks this time around. I know.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I just got back from Ireland with a TON of books. Like I had to clear out my bookshelves to make room for them all. I'm hoping to get to at least one today!

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

The last time I participated I was a cheerleading captain. I feel like I intended to cheer this time but I must have forgot. Anyway, no cheering this time (except I will of course cheer people on on Instagram and Twitter), just reading.


See you guys in a few!


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Sunday Snapshot and #Readathon Wrap-Up!

The Spring 2015 Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon is complete, and that means it's time for recovery and the end of event survey. Behold!

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

Probably around 1:30 AM. I guess that was Hour 19 for me? I had been commenting on blogs for about five hours and still hadn't visited everyone on Team Sherlock, but I just couldn't do it anymore. Even Sofie was totally done.

Sofie is so done with cheerleading.

After that, I tried to read for a bit but didn't make much progress before my brother's alarm went off at 5 AM. My brother's alarm is like the clock striking midnight in Cinderella: it means I have officially stayed up too late and it's time to get to bed.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

Think of England by KJ Charles was the absolutely perfect book for the Readathon! I didn't want to put it down and I had so much fun reading it.

I didn't get very far into What Did You Eat Yesterday?, but I think that would also be a good choice. Except for the hunger. The terrible hunger.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

From the perspective of a cheerleading captain, I think somehow language needs to be taken into consideration. There were a lot of blogs I visited that weren't in English! Maybe match up non-English blogs with people who can speak the language, if that's possible.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

Loved all the Instagram challenges. It seemed like the minichallenges were really popular this year, which is awesome!

5. How many books did you read?

One. I only ever read one.

6. What were the names of the books you read?

Think of England by KJ Charles

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

See above.

8. Which did you enjoy least?

Not really applicable.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

Yes–have fun and spread the book love.

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

I will definitely participate next time! This was the best Readathon I've had in a long time; it was perfect. It was a gorgeous day so I spent most of it outside, reading a great book. Today the weather's cold and rainy, so it's the perfect day to spend inside, recovering!

As for roles, I pretty much always read. I may or may not sign up to do other things, depending on how stressed out I am at the time. Being a cheerleading captain was fun and surprisingly low-stress, if you're interested in going that route.

FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Consumed: After the mid-event update, I ate one bison burger, drank several (cough) martinis, put together a cheese and cracker plate for me and my mom, and finished the night off with a glass of rosé cava. Because rosé cava.

Minichallenges: I participated in the Hour 17 Goodreads Challenge. I tried to explain minichallenges to my mom, but she got confused, so I helped her enter the Shelfie challenge. (Explaining minichallenges to my mom was kind of like my own personal minichallenge this Readathon.)



And now for non-Readathon things!

Reviews posted this week:

I compared two New Adult novels I read recently, Attraction by Penny Reid, and Undeclared by Jen Frederick.

Posts in the queue:

I didn't get around to writing a review of The Imitation Game this week (if you remember my Sunday Snapshot from two weeks ago, I had some major problems with it), but the lovely and perceptive Anachronist from Portable Pieces of Thought did, and she offered to let me share it here. Check it out on Monday!

Subscription boxes received this week:

I got my second Stitch Fix on Thursday. This time I took some of my fellow bloggers' advice and was very specific about what I wanted: I asked for one fashionable spring scarf; a pair of dark, skinny blue jeans; a handbag large enough to hold a book (I felt like I had to include that last bit); and two fun, weekend-casual dresses I could wear with flats.

To be honest, this Stitch Fix was not as successful for me as the first. The jeans fit perfectly and were exactly what I wanted, but the purple shirt dress was awful and made me feel fat (side note: when have I ever worn a shirt dress? That would be a never). Not the greatest feeling. The bag was very nice, but when was the last time you saw someone wearing a cross-body handbag as opposed to, like, a messenger bag or diaper bag or something? 2001? I find them uncomfortable and not on-trend. The scarf and maxi dress were okay enough for me to keep them, but I almost sent 4 pieces back.

Me cuddling Sofie and trying out my new scarf.

Basically, I'm growing less and less impressed with Stitch Fix. Rocks Box is cheaper, better, and I don't have to tell them exactly what I want every single time in order to get great pieces. In fact, I've never told them what I want, they just guess based on what I like on Instagram. If I do order another Stitch Fix–IF–I'm going to just leave it up to the stylists and see what happens.

Theme of the week:

Learning new things! So the owner of the gun shop where I work bought a digital LED billboard–you know, the ones that play video and stuff–and tasked me with programming it. I was like, "This is going to be interesting," because I've never programmed anything, let alone a billboard. But the basics turned out to be pretty easy and I spent the week designing and downloading images to attract customers. So far their favorite is this gif of a kitten shooting an AK-47:

Bonus:

Gosh, I feel like if you've made it to the end of this post you deserve a medal or something. I guess maybe out this cool story about a PhD chemistry student who illustrated her thesis like a comic book.




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#Readathon Fist Bump

We're only a little over halfway through the Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon and I've finished a book! Yes!

Here's some mid-event survey goodness:

1. What are you reading right now?

Right at this moment, nothing.

2. How many books have you read so far?

ONE.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

This same one I was looking forward to when I started. lol (I know, that's a vague answer. I'll probably change it up for a bit after this and read a graphic novel for a while.)

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

Yes, while I was sitting outside reading, I FELT A SPIDER CRAWLING UP MY NECK. It was a big spider, too. I screamed and brushed it off, of course.

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

I think that my mom liked the breakfast casserole I made and actually said so. That was nice!

SO FAR...

Read: Think of England by KJ Charles. Really good book! It reminded me a bit of The Great Impersonation by E. Phillips Oppenheim, only not ridiculously OTT.

Consumed: Some palmiers (French puff pastry cookies) and 2 glasses of water.

Minichallenges: I completed the 100 Years minichallenge. That was tough! I don't think I typically read the types of books that will be remembered 100 years from now.

Cheered: Going to start cheering soon! Deleted the non-participating blogs from the spreadsheet.

THE PLAN

I am starving, so hopefully going to have dinner post-haste. While that's brewing, I'm going to give Alex + Ada a try.

After dinner, I plan out breaking out the laptop and cheering, and also making my mom write an update. Even it's just on Goodreads.


How's your Readathon going so far?







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#Readathon "Start" Post

Hello, everyone! I hope you're all having a most excellent time with this edition of Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon. I actually started a few hours ago, but haven't had a chance to write my start post yet! So here it is:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Colorado, USA

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

Hmm, maybe What Did You Eat Yesterday? by Fumi Yoshinaga.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

The breakfast casserole I made, which I already had!

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

Well, I enjoy long walks on the beach (not really, I'm landlocked). I have three scotties, my favorite TV show of all time is Chuck, and I'm a libra.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

This Readathon is going to be different from other Readathons I've participated in for two reasons: one, I'm a cheerleading captain this year; and two, my mom is participating with me! I'm so excited. Hopefully I can get her to participate in a few minichallenges and do one or two updates here, since she doesn't have her own blog.

SO FAR...

Read: 2 chapters in Think of England by KJ Charles, maybe 10 minutes' worth of The Ladies' Paradise by Emile Zola on audio.

Consumed: 2 cups of coffee (breakfast blend and French roast), 1 large piece of breakfast casserole.

Minichallenges: None so far.

Cheered: Haven't cheered yet, but went through the spreadsheet to sift out blogs that weren't participating.


THE PLAN

Once I finish this post, I'm going to hie off to read some more of Think of England and bug my mom about minichallenges, then I'll probably fold laundry and paint my nails while listening to The Ladies' Paradise.

I'm not planning on cheering until later tonight, but I'm going to keep checking the cheering spreadsheet for maintenance issues and if anyone has questions.


Happy Readathon! See you in a few hours.



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Readathon Wrap Up

The touching story of an apparently homeless and car-less woman with a proclivity for waking up in bathtubs.

This song seemed very appropriate around 8 o'clock last night. I also think I have more believable street cred than Ke$ha does in this video, which makes me feel better about myself.

Moving on...

The Readathon is over! Predictably, I didn't get much reading done once I sat down in front of the TV after dinner. But I did cheer for a few hours, so it wasn't a total waste.

Here are a few pics from my adventures in Readathoning yesterday:

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The t-shirt I wore to remind myself what I was supposed to do for the day. I have no idea why it's flipped around. Dang phone.

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Sofie keeping me company while I read Full Dark House and drank tea on the porch.

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Cheering on the other Readathon-ers with a little martini.



And now for the end of event meme:


1) Which hour was most daunting for you?

Probably hour 11 or so, after I'd finished my first book and was feeling really tired.

2) Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

From this Readathon, no. I think anything by Laura Florand would be good, though.

3) Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Things seemed to go pretty smoothly this year. I can't think of a thing y'all could have done better!

4) What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

The Instagram feed was fun. I didn't participate in any minichallenges, so I can't speak to that.

5) How many books did you read?

I finished two books and started three books.

6) What were the names of the books you read?

Finished: The Genius and the Muse and It Happened in Egypt
Started: The Hundred Foot Journey, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Full Dark House

7) Which book did you enjoy most?

Probably Full Dark House, although I'm not even 10% into it yet, so still reserving judgment.

8) Which did you enjoy least?

The Genius and the Muse. It was so stupid and boring. There was a good book in there somewhere, it just wasn't *that* book.

9) If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

I guess just have fun with it and don't get overwhelmed. When I saw all the people I had to cheer for, I was like, "This is going to take FOREVER!" But actually it took less than two hours and I still had time to comment on a few of my friends' blogs, too.

10) How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

I would love to participate again! I'll definitely do a mix of cheering and reading, and I'd like to focus more on minichallenges next time. I completely neglected them this time around.



Thanks to everyone who made the Readathon happen this fall—you guys are amazing and I had such a good time! See you in April.


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Readathon Mid-Event Survey

Oh hai. Did you know there's an entire Tumblr devoted to Benedict Cumberbatch reading things? You're welcome.

Anyway. I've been informed we're midway through the Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon! I am, like, SO TIRED YOU GUYS. I need tea or something.

Here's what I've been up to since my last update:

• A lot of Instagramming.
• Skimming through that boring book I mentioned last time.
• Playing "Who wants the stick?!" with the dogs. Surprisingly enough, EVERYONE wants the stick.
• Listening to playlists on Amazon Prime. I started off listening to the reading playlists (they have them for different genres like romance, crime fiction, etc.), but I found them really literal and unimaginative. So I switched to Ke$ha and More, and now I'm on Foster the People and More.
• Burned all of the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban audio CDs to my computer. I may listen to them later.

There's a mid-event meme for these types of things, or so I've heard. Let's get to it!

1. What are you reading right now?

The Hundred Foot Journey, but I think I'm going to switch to something else for a bit. The battery in my iPad is dying.

2. How many books have you read so far?

I finished The Genius and the Muse and It Happened In Egypt. I was currently reading both before the Readathon started, however.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

I really don't know. I think I'm going to give Full Dark House a shot.

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

Not really. It's nice to have a day to oneself once in a while.

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

I think how tired I am right now, considering I slept in! I really have to drink that tea.



That's all for now. I'll return for updates in a few hours. Hope your Readathon is going well!



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Readathon Start Post

Hey, everyone! As promised, here I am, up at the crack of noon (technically 11:30) and rarin' to go.

Let's get started with the opening meme for today's Readathon:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Colorado, USA

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

Hmm, maybe The 100 Foot Journey?

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

I didn't prep any snacks. :( I guess the leftover sandwich I was going to eat for lunch? I wish I'd made something ahead for breakfast, like this baked omelet in bread from Full Fork Ahead, but I didn't. Oh well. Next time.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

As of last night I'm one of the new digital editors for my local indie mag! Hooray! It's very part-time—20 hours a week at most; I'll probably work more like 10—but I'm happy to get some newsroom and editing experience under my belt.

Also, back to having 3 jobs! Yayyyyyyyy?

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

Well, I hope to actually finish a book this time around, if not 2! I'm debating whether to try to finish my current read, The Genius and the Muse, before moving on to one of my Readathon books. It's kind of boring and I was actually just using it as a placeholder until I could start a new book for the Readathon, but last night it got marginally interesting. Idk. Maybe I'll just skim through it.


And now I'm off to read for awhile, barring distractions from Twitter and Facebook. See you all in a few!


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Readathon Readathon Readathon!

Hello! Is anyone still out there? I hope so. I know it's been really quiet here lately, but working 3 jobs will do that to a person. Fortunately, my "square" job (which was actually seasonal) ended Tuesday.

I say fortunately not because I was glad it was over--I was actually a little sad--but because that means I can participate in the Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon! For some reason I thought the Readathon was last weekend (when I was working) and that I wouldn't be able to participate, so I was doubly excited when I realized I'd actually be off! With zero obligations to anyone! Yeehaw!

Anyway, my plans for the Readathon are to wake up late (I'm super tired--strangely I've been busier since my job ended than when I had it), read until about 7pm or so, then watch Doctor Who and cheer until bed time.

I don't have any snacks prepared this time around, because time. I haz none. I'll probably go for leftovers and take out and alcohol. But I have been putting thoughts into my Readathon stack!

Here's what I've been thinking of reading:

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley

Colette from A Buckeye Girl Reads gave me this for my birthday. It sounds really good!

The Hundred Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais

Bridget from Portable Pieces of Thoughts gave me this one for my birthday. Its sounds like a fun, fast read that's perfect for the Readathon.

As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson

I'm kinda in the mood to read Craig Johnson right now, and this is the next book in the series I have yet to read.

I know that's not a lot of books, but realistically I never finish books during the Readathon anyway. So I'm looking at it more as a great book to start reading for the week. If I manage to finish it in one day I will be really proud of myself!

If you're participating in the Readathon, good luck and happy Readathoning! I'll be back to check in later on Saturday.

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Dewey Readathon Spring 2014 Wrap-Up

Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon has come and gone. After my last update, I spent about three hours cheering and responding to comments on my blog, then tried to read. Unfortunately, I was super tired. I sat down and the next thing I knew, it was 5:30 a.m. and I was literally waking up with my face in a book.

In other words, I did not complete my Readathon goal of finishing The Bookseller.

sigh

Anyway. Here's the end-of-event meme:

Which hour was most daunting for you?
The hour I fell asleep, I suppose.

Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
I think The Bookseller would be a great choice. It's very fast-paced, not boring at all, and it's a book about books!

Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Andi and Heather did a great job this year! I think someone should make badges for people who actually last the full 24 hours, that's amazing.

What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
For me, myself, and I, I'm glad I started the day off with a solid 2 hours of reading instead of perusing mini challenges and visiting blogs like I usually do. It made me feel like I was accomplishing something right off the bat.

Consumables?
After the last update, I drank 2 glasses of champagne, 2 martinis, and ate a piece of baguette.

TV watched?
Orphan Black, The History of Science Fiction, and Matthew Bourne's production of Sleeping Beauty (which you would think would be really easy to ignore while reading, but in fact isn't).

If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
Pay attention to which blogs have a lot of x's next to them on the spreadsheet. lol

How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I probably won't be able to participate next time because I'll be working. But we'll see! I might try to do half a Readathon (or take the day off, haha).



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Readathon Mid-Event Update

Hey hey. It's about the halfway point in the Readathon (for me), and I figure it's time for an update.

Books so far: Still reading The Bookseller. I'm almost done, though! Really!

Pages read: Like 150-ish. I can't believe it takes me an hour to get through 25 pages now. I have no idea how I read 2-4 books a week in high school and college.

Audiobook time: About 20 minutes.

Interruptions: My mom convinced me to go shopping with her. Minus driving time, that took about 2 hours.

Number of puppy puddles I've stepped in today: 1, predictably just after I'd gotten out of the shower.

Puppy battle.

Cheering: I was going to cheer this afternoon, but I went shopping with my mom instead. So I'm going to cheer for about 2 hours just as soon as I finish this update.

Consumables: 1 glass of iced tea, leftover fettuccine alfredo, several pieces of cheese, a half soup and sandwich from Panera, a glass of champagne (in progress).

Now on to cheering!


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Readathon Start Meme

Hi there. I got a much later start on the Readathon than planned, thanks to a night of insomnia. Cramps (I know, TMI, but it happened), plus for some reason I kept startling awake for no reason whenever I began nodding off. I'm so tired I am VOLUNTARILY wearing my eye glasses instead of contacts. But I'm still ready to participate in the Readathon!

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
Colorado, USA

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
I'm looking forward to finishing the book I'm reading now, quite frankly.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
Hmm, I'm looking forward to cracking open that bottle of champagne later tonight.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
My parents just got two puppies! Stay tuned for pics.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
I'm going to cheer today. Cheering is always something I thought about doing, but never did. I can't wait to visit Team Butler's blogs!

Since I did read into the wee hours of the morning last night, I'm just going to count that as part of my Readathon (if you all don't mind) and do a status update right off the bat.

Books started so far: 1, the Game of Thrones graphic novel. My brother loaned it to me after I went into his room to bother him at 4:30 in the morning (he makes me look like a morning person).

Books finished so far: 0

Currently reading: The Bookseller by Mark Pryor

Do I like it? It's pretty good, actually. Good story, but the incredible coincidences are a little ott. But the main character actually believes in coincidences! smh

Pages read: 50-ish.

Consumables: Toast and coffee.


Okay, off to read for a bit before cheering. I will check in with you guys later!


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Time for the Readathon!

This Saturday is Dewey's Readathon, what I like to think of as the Superbowl for bibliophiles. The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is read until your eyes bleed, bitches. Since I wasn't able to join in for the last Readathon, and probably won't be able to for the next one, I decided I needed to do it this time around even though I'm woefully unprepared. Missing one Readathon really threw me off my Readathon game, it feels like.

Book stack:
I really never manage to read a lot during the Readathon (ironically enough), so my book stack is pretty modest. I plan to finish The Bookseller by Mark Pryor. If that happens, I might dig into a Laura Florand novel or an ARC of the next Craig Johnson novel. I also have Jane, the Fox, and Me if my concentration goes all to hell.

In audiobooks, I'll be working on The Port of Missing Men even though I'm not that into/kind of starting to hate it.

Food and drink:
Just like with the Superbowl, food and drink is a big part of the Readathon. This will probably shock you, but I have plenty of alcohol around for the Readathon. I have a new champagne I want to try, some new beer that I got (purely for research purposes of course), and the basic ingredients for margaritas and other very reader-y cocktails. Question: what's the most literary cocktail? I should make that. Oh, I also made cold brewed iced tea.

As for food... cold pizza? Popcorn? Maybe someone will feed me.

Cheering:
This year I decided to be a cheerleader for the first time! I'm excited.

Game plan:
My plan is to wake up whenever I want (so, late), chillax while I have my breakfast, and then start reading late morning. Early afternoon I'm going to cheer, then go back to reading with a break for TV and dinner in the evenink.

I really don't see myself finishing a whole a book, but we'll see! As Amy Poehler says, lower your expectations.

And with that cheerful thought, good luck to everyone on this Readathon!



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Readathon Wrap-Up

The Readathon is over, which means it's now time to reflect on what we have read after we have read it.

So after my mid-event Readathon update, I read about fifty pages in Mission to Paris before I decided to watch Doctor Who, and things kind of went downhill from there because I feel the need to watch every episode of Doctor Who multiple times in case I miss something. And then we had dinner, and then my mom was like "Look at these funny YouTube videos I found," and then I was like, "Let's watch Django Unchained"—completely unaware that it's nearly three freaking hours long—and then I decided to watch Da Vinci's Demons (really good show, by the way), and basically it was around three in the morning before I started listening to The Three Musketeers, passed out at some point, and now I have to find my place in that audiobook again.

But, overall it was a pretty successful Readathon. I did finish The Great Gatsby, at least. Usually I spend the Readathon doing minichallenges and commenting more than reading, but this time I actually got some reading in, so that was nice.

Food consumed: breakfast casserole, a banana, crackers with hummus and capers (that was my lunch, sad), miso soup and sushi, champagne, martinis (too many martinis, I'm blaming everything on Django), and lots of water.

End of event questions:

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Right now. I'm feeling pretty daunted right about now.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
All the books I read this time would be great choices. If you're into reading chunksters for the Readathon, The Three Musketeers feels like a really fast read even though it's long. Loooong long looong.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Hm, I really liked the minichallenges with pictures. More instagram/photo challenges would be cool.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
It seemed like everything went perfectly.

5. How many books did you read?
One ish.

6. What were the names of the books you read?
The Great Gatsby, Mission to Paris, The Three Musketeers

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
I honestly enjoyed all of them.

8. Which did you enjoy least?
Doctor Who. Haha. Kidding but kind of not.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
I was not a cheerleader.

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I'll definitely participate again!


How did your Readathon/Saturday go?


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Readathon Mid-Event Update

The Readathon continues! I finished my work stuff about an hour ago and then started back on The Great Gatsby and finished it. Yay! Oy, the ending is the worst part of that book. I did not need to go to Gatsby's funeral, thanks though F. Scott.

A slice of breakfast casserole.

Anyway... food! For the Readathon I prepared a breakfast casserole made out of eggs, ham, bread, cheese, and chopped chives. It turned out really yummy and was super-easy to make. If you're thinking about something to make for fall's Readathon I would definitely recommend it. You can view the recipe at Full Fork Ahead.

And now it's time for the mid-event survey:

1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?
No, not really. I feel fine but my neck's stiff. :p

2) What have you finished reading?
Just The Great Gatsby so far.

3) What is your favorite read so far?
Uh The Great Gatsby I guess? That's kind of my only choice.

4) What about your favorite snacks?
The breakfast casserole! Actually that's all I've had except for a banana.

5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!
Nope, I haven't had a chance to visit any blogs yet. Maybe later tonight.


How's your Readathon/Saturday going?


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Readathon Starting Post

Good morning! I know things have been radio silent around here for a bit, but I'm back to participate in Dewey's Readathon. What is Dewey's Readathon? I'm glad you asked! It's kind of like the Superbowl for bibliophiles.

I have some work-y things to do today, but for the most part I'm planning on taking it easy and finishing all the books I'm in the middle of right now, which are:

• The Great Gatsby--Is Gatsby Jesus?
• Mission to Paris--Hollywood star becomes Allied spy.
• The Three Musketeers--Buckles and swashing.
• A non-fiction book about Jane Austen whose title is escaping me right now.

Anyway, the peeps at Dewey also have an introduction questionnaire. So here it is!

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
Colorado, USA

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
Idk, Gatsby I guess. I'm already reading all of them, so.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
I made a special breakfast casserole for the Readathon, so I'm looking forward to that.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
My favorite coffee mug has a kitty cat and the word "mystery" on it.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
I'll probably read outside more this Readathon and spend less time online than I have in previous years.


Want to join in the Readathon? There's still time! Go to http://24hourreadathon.com to find out more.


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Readathon Wrap-Up Post

It's time wrap-up the Readathon that was. Did I manage to read for 24 hours? No. Do I ever? No.

What I read:

• 3 short stories on audiobook, "The Moabite Cipher" by R. Austin Freeman; "A Scandal in Bohemia" by SIR Arthur Conan Doyle; and "The Eye of Apollo" by GK Chesterton.
• I finished The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne, yay!

End of event meme:

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? Probably the one where I woke up. :P
   
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? That I personally read this time around? No.
   
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Actually, yes. Maybe have a mid-event meme? I admit I was looking for this. Also, the way winners were announced seemed a little haphazard to me. And I know this is probably just a personal quirk, but animated gifs at the beginning of posts make my eyes bleed. Sorry--one is okay, but being confronted with a whole page of them is just too much.
   
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? The mini-challenges seemed to go pretty smoothly.
   
5. How many books did you read? 1, and 3 short stories.
   
6. What were the names of the books you read? See above.
   
7. Which book did you enjoy most? Probably "A Scandal in Bohemia".
   
8. Which did you enjoy least? The Black Hawk
   
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? I wasn't a cheerleader.
   
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I'll participate next time if at all possible.
    

How did your Readathon go?