Read-a-thon - (2013-2015)

[Chrissy]

Good Luck all you Read-A-Thonners!   

 

I hope to join you next time - zero mojo and a busy weekend already planned have prevented me this time around.

[chaliepud]

Good luck everyone!! :)

[frankie]

Yep, good luck everyone and have fun! :readingtwo:

 

Janet, I'm sorry to hear about your cough, I really hope it goes away!!

 

Poppyshake, of course you can join, you silly billy Everyone's welcome :readingtwo:

 

Athena's the one who came up with this, but in my opinion this seems to have gotten such great interest from the members on here that I think we should definitely do this another time so others (who weren't able to join this weekend) can join in! The more the merrier

 

Edit: The weather's perfect for this! It was raining just now and I think it's going to rain later today and we've been promised that there's going to be some nice thunders ahead

Edited May 31, 2013 by frankie

[Raven]

I'm reading this thread, does that count?

[chesilbeach]

Was planning to try and get all my chores done before I joined in, but need a break, so I'm going to kick off my read-a-thon reading by finishing off Skios by Michael Frayn.  I've treated myself to some Fentimans Curiosity Cola and a bag of Tyrells Sweet & Salty Popcorn, so I'm officially declaring it the start of my read-a-thon weekend.

 

I'm currently on chapter 38 of 51, but they're short chapters so I think about an hour should see me finish this book.

[Athena]

Athena, it's okay if you don't get a lot of reading done on Friday since you seem to be planning on doing read-a-thon on Saturday and Sunday as well I hope you're not feeling too exhausted tomorrow, though!

 

I'm thinking I would love to record the hours that I actually spend on reading. (And how much time was spent on reading this thread, too... maybe ) For some reason I don't think I will get a lot of books read, because I'm afraid of being too keen on checking out everyone else's progress on here... But I shall try! :readingtwo:

x

Thank you! I'm actually feeling not too bad, tired yes, but my project is progressing nicely. It's been a pretty positive day.

 

I plan to record the hours, amount of books and pages I get through (or % if on Kindle, then calculate the pages through there).

x 

I'm sorry to come late to the party .. I'm so slow at finding things .. I don't know why I have eyes sometimes Is it ok if I join you? .. I'd really like to and I've lots of time to fill this weekend as hubby is working long shifts. Is it the aim to read as many different books as poss or one book or do you just go with the flow?

x

Of course you may join ! 

x

Have fun fellow marathoners, this is going to be great.

x

Have fun, everyone!  

x 

I'm not sure how much I'll get done today.  I woke at 4am with a random cough which won't go away (I hope it's not so bad this evening as I'm off to the theatre    ) and I think I might go back to bed once Peter has gone to work (I got up at 4.30am so as not to disturb him, but haven't picked up a book yet I'm really tired so I can't concentrate!).  He's out tomorrow so I might get some more done then but I'm not aiming to do all three days straight.  

x

I hope you feel better soon, Janet!

x 

I'll participate! I can't guarantee I will get through a book, but will try!

x

Excellent ! 

x 

Athena's the one who came up with this, but in my opinion this seems to have gotten such great interest from the members on here that I think we should definitely do this another time so others (who weren't able to join this weekend) can join in! The more the merrier

x

I agree, we should do it more often so more people can join !

 

I haven't read a lot yet (I've been working on my project) but I managed to finish Charles H. Elliott & Laura L. Smith - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder for Dummies and have read 70ish pages of Susan R. Lisman and Karla Dougherty - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for Dummies. So not bad so far, more than I planned! I plan to do a bit more reading later today, not sure yet which book(s).

[Devi]

47% through my first book for the read-a-thon.

[poppyshake]

Just finished Nikolai Gogol's short story The Nose  

[chesilbeach]

Finished Skios by Michael Frayn.  Back later after I've done some work, then I'll write up my review and pick my next book to start reading.

[dex]

I've read 7 of 12 Charlie Resnick short stories so far. Plus 2 more since original post.

About 5 hrs for me, 214 pages on Friday.

Read the remaining 3 in 2 hrs, 83 pages on Saturday morning

 

So Total 7 hrs app. for 297 pages.

 

Going to have some breakfast and then onto Rebus

5 hrs of Rebus today, 188 pages.

1 1/2 hrs of Rebus Sunday 65 pages.

 

So Total 6 1/2 hrs app. for 253 pages

Edited June 2, 2013 by dex

[Ben]

1. Inconceivable by Ben Elton.

Time spent reading so far: 4 & a half hours (roughly).

Pages: 272.

 

Shall keep this short and sweet (will review properly after the weekend is over, in my own book thread) but I will say that I definitely enjoyed this. The language is crude and coarse in places which is why I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but the plot is fascinating and there is more wit and humour on display than I would've deemed possible in a book discussing one couple's attempts to have a child, and the tensions, difficulties and arguments that result because of how unsuccessful they are.

 

What I will say is that with Ben Elton's comedic background you would have thought that I'd expect the laughs, but as I wasn't exactly familiar with his works I wasn't quite prepared. The characters throughout this book are very hard to invest in. I mean, they all have completely flawed personalities - but it works. Elton's writing here is light (interesting considering the themes at work), interesting, and it's a page-turner - although I will say the ending seemed rushed.

 

Overall nothing spectacular but a solid, enjoyable read and I'd look at Ben Elton's work again.

 

★★★☆☆.

Edited May 31, 2013 by Ben

[Janet]

I'm half way through Roy Hattersley's memoir A Yorkshire Boyhood - I'm aiming to finish that if I can and then I'll see what grabs me from my shelves!

 

Janet, I'm sorry to hear about your cough, I really hope it goes away!!

Thanks, frankie - still coughing but not as badly and I don't feel poorly, so that's good

 

Progress

Reading (on and off) from 12.00 noon until 4.30pm

 

A Yorkshire Boyhood by Roy Hattersley - P133 to end = 161 pages

 

I don't think I'll be able to start anything else today but I'm really pleased with my progress.

 

ETA getting to grips with a tablet and missed loads of posts

[Athena]

Wow, you're all making excellent progress!!

 

So far I've read just over an hour, finished Charles H. Elliott & Laura L. Smith - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder for Dummies (there were about 30-50 pages left, not sure because it was on Kindle), I started Susan R. Lisman and Karla Dougherty - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for Dummies and read about 70 pages. I read 20-30 pages in George R. R. Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire 1: A Game of Thrones. Total pages read: ~135 (I've written it down so will look at my notes later), total time spent reading ~ 1h 15 mins (have to calculate it more exactly from my notes).

[Kylie]

Doh! I missed the start of the read-a-thon! Good luck everyone.

 

Unfortunately I can't start until Sunday, but I have a lot of books piled up and ready to go.

[frankie]

Athena, it's good to hear you're not feeling too tired!

 

And Janet, I'm glad to hear you're feeling better too!

 

Wow, people have already made lots of progress! Well done everyone, keep it up

 

I woke up very late today, because I had problems sleeping, and then I did some regular foruming, and then had to go for a coffee with a friend and then .... so I haven't had much time to read yet! Only 1 hour and 31 minutes. I hope I do better tomorrow I'm currently reading Valley of the Dolls, I'm totally engrossed in it, it's unbelievably good and it seems to fit my current mood perfectly.

[Eleonora]

It's nice reading all your progress.. go on my friends!!

[dex]

Tick another off the list, It's motivated me to finish characters I like off.

[chesilbeach]

Starting Miss Phryne Fisher Investigates by Kerry Greenwood next.

[poppyshake]

Read Roald Dahl's The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me and then F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby. I didn't think I'd have much time for reading today so quite pleased 

[Athena]

Nice reading, you all !

 

I read and finished Maureen Lee - A Dream Come True (QuickReads) yesterday evening (I don't know much about this author, but I liked the book). All in all I read more yesterday than I planned, so that's good.

[dex]

Morning, 214 down 83 pages till rebus

[chesilbeach]

I'm upto chapter six of Miss Phryne Fisher Investigates and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.  Glad I bought all three of the books that were on offer a few weeks ago!  It's set in 1920s Melbourne, and is about an adventurous, young woman who doesn't know what to do with herself at the start of the book, but after showing spirit and intelligence during an attempted theft at a dinner party, is asked to help a couple investigate why their daughter appears ill every time she visits them after spending time with her husband.  I think this first book was originally published as Cocaine Blues and Death by Misadventure in 1989.

[frankie]

Chesilbeach, I'm so happy you're enjoying the book, I'm now more confident about having them on my wishlist. Don't you just love the era I've heard that in the books the food and the drinks play a big part, everything's described in detail, is that something you've noticed? Does it make you want to go and order fancy food?

 

I'll be starting late today, too, because I had another trying night. It's these light nights! Fortunately I remembered I still had one of those thingies Carrie Bradshaw would wear to bed when she wanted it to be dark. Thank you Virgin Atlantic

 

Edit: It's a 'sleep mask'. What a boring word for such a thing Carrie Bradshaw would wear!

Edited June 1, 2013 by frankie

[Ben]

Morning all. Another sleepless night got me entirely through a book I bought yesterday afternoon.

 

2. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker.

Time spent reading: 5 hours, 15mins (roughly).

Pages: 370.

Time spent reading (total): 9 hours, 45mins (roughly).

Pages (total): 642.

 

The Age of Miracles is Karen Walker's début novel, and it glitters with the promise and talent she has. It is an apocalypse-style story, but far from the clichés of running through burning buildings, seeing cracks in the ground, etc. Instead, a refreshing and fascinating concept: the earth has begun to slow its rotation, the hours are lengthening in the day. The scientists and experts are clueless, the government are trying to keep everyone calm - but already the population is divided on opinion, and it seems like the whole world is slowly, piece by piece, starting to unravel.

 

With the world adapting around her, eleven-year-old Julia is struggling with her own journey out of childhood. The long-haired Seth Mereno, skateboard in hand at the bus stop - the object of her attentions. Friendships are changing and fading away all around her as flocks of people begin to move away in an attempt to form new colonies and civilizations. The light problems are affecting food growth, and the earth's magnetic field begins to shift. Danger lurks.

 

Walker's novel is one of love, death and betrayal. She writes beautifully, capturing an authentic feel of how the world would actually react in a situation like this - something quite difficult to do when it never has. In some ways it's a sad and haunting novel, one which really makes you think about the future and how dependant we are upon certain things. Overall, The Age of Miracles is a wonderfully written début and I eagerly await Karen Walker's next novel.

 

★★★★☆.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Ben

[Janet]

I've not long been in from work and I really must do some ironing before I get going...