2018 Reading Challenge

[Grandpa2390]

@kittysbecute the books are so much better than the movies. I tried watching the clips of Snape's memories from the Deathly Hallows... It was so bland and underwhelming. I don't blame the actors. they have to do with the script. I don't understand why they couldn't make this pivotal point in the story more like the story. If they want to cut out something like the quidditch World Cup... fine. but Snape's memories... and the drama. I feel bad for Alan Rickman. A great actor and a fan of the series... forced to do a mediocre rendition.

Even in the midst of it, there is still room for humor.
"you must kill me"
long pause
"Would you like me to do it now" said heavy with irony "or would you like a few moments to compose an epitaph"
You don't get this in the movie version.

This chapter also makes me cry. I don't feel anything from the movie... its too...

 

[kittysbecute]

I like it. The voices sound just like the movies. It was my first real audiobook and couldn't believe they were all the voices were by the same guy. You want to get the Stephen Fry version. Jim Dale reads the U.S.A. versions and he does really whiny annoying voices for the female characters. and his pauses between sentences and so forth are... off-putting.

Good to know. I will look for the Stephen Fry version.

@kittysbecute the books are so much better than the movies. I tried watching the clips of Snape's memories from the Deathly Hallows... It was so bland and underwhelming. I don't blame the actors. they have to do with the script. I don't understand why they couldn't make this pivotal point in the story more like the story. If they want to cut out something like the quidditch World Cup... fine. but Snape's memories... and the drama. I feel bad for Alan Rickman. A great actor and a fan of the series... forced to do a mediocre rendition.

Even in the midst of it, there is still room for humor.
"you must kill me"
long pause
"Would you like me to do it now" said heavy with irony "or would you like a few moments to compose an epitaph"
You don't get this in the movie version.

This chapter also makes me cry. I don't feel anything from the movie... its too...

Ah yeah, I've read the books. I've only read Deathly Hallows once though. I think Alan Rickman was a great choice being cast as Snape.
I was mostly disappointed with the movie version of Half Blood Prince, because it was so weak and odd in comparison to the book.

Spoiler: Major spoiler don't read this if you haven't read HP and the Half Blood Prince :p

I'll try to be vague about this spoiler. The very ending of the movie Dumbledore didn't freeze invisible Harry Potter, instead Snape just kinda gestured to him to stay put. (I do need to re-watch it but that's what I remember) Harry Potter in the book would have never just stood there so he had to be frozen by magic. It was just so odd how they did the movie. I was so shocked by that part of the book that I literally threw my book down and didn't read the rest until the next day. The movie in contrast was just a letdown and very lame imo.

I do like the movies in general, but of course they could never quite be as good as the books. However, I did like the Order of the Phoenix movie better than the book.... I need to reread it to see if my opinion is still the same now.

 

[Grandpa2390]

Good to know. I will look for the Stephen Fry version.


Ah yeah, I've read the books. I've only read Deathly Hallows once though. I think Alan Rickman was a great choice being cast as Snape.
I was mostly disappointed with the movie version of Half Blood Prince, because it was so weak and odd in comparison to the book.

Spoiler: Major spoiler don't read this if you haven't read HP and the Half Blood Prince :p

I'll try to be vague about this spoiler. The very ending of the movie Dumbledore didn't freeze invisible Harry Potter, instead Snape just kinda gestured to him to stay put. (I do need to re-watch it but that's what I remember) Harry Potter in the book would have never just stood there so he had to be frozen by magic. It was just so odd how they did the movie. I was so shocked by that part of the book that I literally threw my book down and didn't read the rest until the next day. The movie in contrast was just a letdown and very lame imo.

I do like the movies in general, but of course they could never quite be as good as the books. However, I did like the Order of the Phoenix movie better than the book.... I need to reread it to see if my opinion is still the same now.

once you get to Goblet of Fire, Prisoner of Azkaban too if I remember, but definitely GoF, the movies are all lame.

The scenes are basically one after another. quick paced. they read each others minds. I will occasionally look on youtube for dramatic scenes in the story (like the Riddle memories, or the cave in half blood prince) and in the movies they are anemic. A Dumbledore is always answering questions harry never asks in the movies. He doesn't have to think or anything. He always seems angry.

This isn't a matter of, the books are better than the movies. What I'm saying is that the movies are just not that good. I wonder how people who never read the books can understand the movies.

 

[Travelers.Soul]

Yesterday I finished R.C. Sproul's little book, "What is the Trinity?" and I will soon be finished with Arthur Conan Doyle's "Tales of Terror and Mystery".

 

[Citanul]

Book #3 is Diamond Star by Catherine Asaro.

Book #3 done. Book #4 is Cauldron of Ghosts by David Weber & Eric Flint.

 

[Citanul]

Book #3 done. Book #4 is Cauldron of Ghosts by David Weber & Eric Flint.

Book #4 done. Book #5 is Farnor by Roger Taylor.

 

[kittysbecute]

The two books I'm reading this month are textbooks for a class... but I'm going to count them towards my goal even though they aren't that interesting.

 

[Travelers.Soul]

I am making progress on my goal. I have 11 books finished!

 

[Citanul]

Book #4 done. Book #5 is Farnor by Roger Taylor.

Book #5 done. Book #6 is The Search for Fierra by Stephen Lawhead.

 

[LadyOfMystery]

It's been awhile since I've updated this thread.

So I found out via GoodReads that I'm two books behind schedule. I need to tighten up on that! For the longest time I was like 3 books ahead. So far I've read these books:

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
My Life in France by Julia Child
Sister by Rosamund Lupton
North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Fearless by Eric Blehm

So far my favorites have been Orphan Train, Fearless and Behind Closed Doors.

Orphan Train I felt was really well written. It had a few cons to it that I didn't like but honestly there's not many "perfect" books out there. There will be always something people disagree with. Anyhowww... In a nutshell it was two stories in one, some of the book was about when a woman who lives in a really big house was little and rode on the Orphan Train and her journey and what it was like for her in some of the foster homes, and part of the book was when the woman was elderly and a girl who is currently in foster care came to clean her house for 30 days because of a crime she had committed (stole something). Anyhow it's about how the two link together and talk about their lives and their stories they tell us. It was really awesome. It IS however a work of fiction, but I do feel like someone somewhere has lived this story.

Fearless is a true story about a Navy SEAL who was killed in the line of duty. This book really spoke to me. I enjoyed the fact that this man was human, he had faults and not all the time was he a great person... He did a few things in his life he ended up being ashamed of but for God he turned his life around and God blessed him so much for it. This story talks about how Adam Brown was as a kid, teenager, young adult and as he grew up and found himself in the Navy and then became a SEAL. I know this will sound cliche but I laughed, cried, was angry, and had hope too. It's one of those books that make you think about your own life. Or it did for me anyhow.

Behind Closed Doors is a thriller work of fiction, this book was definitely right up my alley. Long story short (no pun intended), the book was about this woman who's married to a man who's keeping her against her will. She married him thinking he was someone completely different and he's kept her hostage for a few years under fear and beatings and whatnot. It's a nail biter of a story, especially when she is trying to escape. I actually ended up reading this book in one day, I was constantly wanting to see what happens next, lol.

 

[Travelers.Soul]

All the books I was planning to read are boxed away so I need to find others. Fiction suggestions anyone?

 

[kittysbecute]

It's been awhile since I've updated this thread.

So I found out via GoodReads that I'm two books behind schedule. I need to tighten up on that! For the longest time I was like 3 books ahead.

So, I'm surprised I'm only 1.5 books behind schedule because I haven't had time to do a ton of reading lately. My goal is basically a book and a half a month. I have a few I'm currently reading though. So I'll definitely read them this month. One of them I'm just rereading a book I read years ago, because I'm just in the mood for it.

Fiction suggestions anyone?

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
Airman by Eoin Colfer
any book by LM Montgomery
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
anything by Jane Austen
The School for Good and Evil series by Chainani
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

there's a few suggestions... not sure that's what you are looking for or not

 

[( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Currently reading thru Billy Graham's autobiography Just As I Am

 

[Travelers.Soul]

So, I'm surprised I'm only 1.5 books behind schedule because I haven't had time to do a ton of reading lately. My goal is basically a book and a half a month. I have a few I'm currently reading though. So I'll definitely read them this month. One of them I'm just rereading a book I read years ago, because I'm just in the mood for it.


Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
Airman by Eoin Colfer
any book by LM Montgomery
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
anything by Jane Austen
The School for Good and Evil series by Chainani
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

there's a few suggestions... not sure that's what you are looking for or not

Thanks for the suggestions! I have already read Lord of the Rings and everything by Austen, I would reread them but I am trying to read new books, I will look up the others.

 

[alsughasoughaiuyfygh]

.

 

[kittysbecute]

Thanks for the suggestions! I have already read Lord of the Rings and everything by Austen, I would reread them but I am trying to read new books, I will look up the others.

I figured there were bound to be some on the list that you've read. If you like fantasy Howl's Moving Castle is excellent. School for good and evil is humorous - I think of cartoons when I read it. And Ella Enchanted is a shorter kids book - however it is my favorite overall book... I could (and have) read it over and over again.
Adventure - Airman or Kidnapped are great (interestingly one is written by someone from Ireland, and the other by someone from Scotland).
LM Montgomery is my favorite women writer which is why I've suggested her. Another option could be to read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (you may have already read that though).
My favorite women author who is currently alive is Robin McKinley, she has a lot of fantasy books I've enjoyed, however I can't recommend every book by her. A good one to start with is Beauty or the Blue Sword.
I haven't included any christian fiction, but if you are interested I could suggest some. They might be a little harder to get a hold of.

 

[LadyOfMystery]

All the books I was planning to read are boxed away so I need to find others. Fiction suggestions anyone?

What kind of fiction do you like? Fantasy fiction/sci fi/thriller/mystery/etc?

I would highly suggest Orphan Train! I mentioned it in an earlier post, it's kind of like historical fiction. There are some touchy subjects in the book when she's in foster home (abuse) but it can be easily skipped over and doesn't really change how the book is. I know that kind of thing isn't for everyone. But it made me have all the feels (happy,sad, even angry and frustrated haha) and so I would recommend.

Behind Closed Doors was a thriller/mystery fiction. I finished it in a day. Again it's kind of stressful, a bit dark but it's worth recommending in my opinion.

So, I'm surprised I'm only 1.5 books behind schedule because I haven't had time to do a ton of reading lately. My goal is basically a book and a half a month. I have a few I'm currently reading though. So I'll definitely read them this month. One of them I'm just rereading a book I read years ago, because I'm just in the mood for it.


Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
Airman by Eoin Colfer
any book by LM Montgomery
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
anything by Jane Austen
The School for Good and Evil series by Chainani
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

there's a few suggestions... not sure that's what you are looking for or not

Currently reading thru Billy Graham's autobiography Just As I Am

Very good suggestions. I haven't read Kidnapped but I need to see what that's about. lol

My Bestie loves Howl's Moving Castle so I might actually have to read that one! I'll see if my library has it and go from there.


Currently I just read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Pros: It was a fantastic psychological thriller. It really made me start thinking about people differently. Like in their minds, when no one can hear them, do they really think this certain way? Anyhow I've seen the movie but this book is more in depth (obviously) and I'm so glad I read it. It tied up loose ends for me. Lots of twists and turns. There were a lot of things I could relate to in this book as well, and also a lot of things I agreed with on how the female narrator wanted women to act, to be stronger and not be doormats.

Cons: Tons of cursing and crude language. It was every where. Usually I don't go for this type of book but it was so realistic it made me kind of wonder if in some men's minds does this language really happen, do they view women like in this book. Not all men, obviously, but it made me think about how I've met these types of men, how they're portrayed on the outside, and if that's really how they are on the inside. Anyway if you're not fond of this kind of thing, then it might not be even worth picking up.


As of right now I have three books in my currently reading spots. They're all non-fiction too!

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that can't stop talking by Susan Cain

A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley

Endurance: A Year In Space, a Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly

All of which I'm really excited to read and learn about.

Also @Bortsss I'm going to put that on my to read list as well, I find Billy Graham fascinating and such a beautiful soul, I know that book is definitely something I want to read.

 

[LadyOfMystery]

Lately I've been super busy so I haven't really read much although I have 5 books checked out to me from the library... I really should do some reading today.

 

[Travelers.Soul]

I am making myself read today. I found some books by Melanie Dickerson that look interesting so I have started The Healer's Apprentice. I think I may have read it before or something similar...we'll see.

 

[LadyOfMystery]

I'm reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. Veryyyy interesting read but I'm going to put it down for a little bit and start on some of my other books I have checked out before their time runs out. I've started reading Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly.