ŷ������

Susy wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Opening Survey!

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? Northern California
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? [book:The Christmas Hu..."

Yes, it turned out to be a good readathon! I'm so happy that I was able to finish a book and able to get back into reading. Hope to see you in April too!

October 2022 Wrap-up

Books read:
The Christmas Hummingbird - 170 pages FINISHED
Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove - 38 pages
An Unexpected Peril - 52 mins of audio

Total pages read: 208 (not including audiobook)
Total audio time: 52 minutes
Total hours reading (including audiobook): 6 hours 15 minutes

I was able to get 2 Bingos!
Bingo #1: Diagonal from top left to bottom right
�� Read 50 pages
�� Do a reading sprint Hour 8
�� Free Space
�� Read a book with orange on the cover The Christmas Hummingbird and Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove
�� Listen to music while you read I actually listened to ambience by Autumn Cozy on Youtube

Bingo #2: Second column
�� Have a snack
�� Do a reading sprint Hour 8
�� Read over 200 pages
�� Do the opening survey
�� Listen to an audio An Unexpected Peril

Thoughts:
Life has been a rollercoaster for my family for the last 6 weeks. I've been going through grief from a tragic loss which has also spiked my anxiety, so I haven't been able to focus on reading. I did not set any goals or plan anything this time because I knew I would need to go with the flow of my mood. I didn't want to put pressure on myself or be disappointed if something didn't work out.

With that said, I am very happy with my results. That is more than I have read in the last few weeks. I also have my reading mood back.

I'm looking forward to April and hopefully it will be more of a normal readathon for me.

Stephanie wrote: "October 2022 Wrap-up

Thoughts:
Life has been a rollercoaster for my family for the last 6 weeks. I've been going through grief from a tragic loss which has also spiked my anxiety, so I haven't been able to focus on reading. I did not set any goals or plan anything this time because I knew I would need to go with the flow of my mood. I didn't want to put pressure on myself or be disappointed if something didn't work out.

With that said, I am very happy with my results. That is more than I have read in the last few weeks. I also have my reading mood back.

I'm looking forward to April and hopefully it will be more of a normal readathon for me.

..."


💜

Steph, I hope the readathon provided a bit of an escape from life’s recent difficulties. ❤️❤️

Susan wrote: "Steph, I hope the readathon provided a bit of an escape from life’s recent difficulties. ❤️❤️"

Thank you, Susan, it did!

Spring Reading Challenge

I'm just going with the reading flow this year rather than participating in prompt-based challenges...it feels so weird lol. I may not complete this challenge, but if I happen to read a book that fits, I'll fill it in.

1. Read a book mentioned by another Dewey's participant on one of our social media sites.

�� 2. Read a book set in January, February or March. ARC of Cheddar Late Than Dead finished January 16th

�� 3. Read a book where one of the characters does some cleaning. House of Earth and Blood finished January 26th

4. Read a nonfiction book.

5. Read a short story collection, book of plays, book of essays, etc.

6. Read 3 books with Spring-colored book covers.

�� 7. Read a book with flowers on the cover or in the title. ARC of Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame finished January 13th


8. Read a book set someplace where January-March are summer months.

�� 9. Read a book with snow in it. One Month of You finished January 28th

10. Read a book published in 1923.

Pre-Readathon Long Lap 1
April 1 thru April 7

Currently Reading:
Five First Chances by Sarah Jost

Finished:


Total Pages Read: 101
Five First Chances - 101

Total Time Read: 2 hrs 26 mins
Saturday, 4/1: 19 mins
Sunday, 4/2: 15 mins
Monday, 4/3: 1 hr 13 mins
Tuesday, 4/4:
Wednesday, 4/5: 39 mins
Thursday, 4/6:
Friday, 4/7:

Welcome back Stephanie!

Susy wrote: "Welcome back Stephanie!"

Thank you, Susy!

Pre-Readathon Long Lap 3
April 15 thru April 21

I was out of town last week so my attempt for the long laps was derailed. I am trying again with the new long lap!

Currently Reading:
The Devil's Glove by Lucretia Grindle

Finished:
Five First Chances by Sarah Jost


Total Pages Read: 126
Five First Chances - 126
The Devil's Glove - 89

Total Time Read: 4 hrs 56 mins
Saturday, 4/15: 1 hr 29 mins
Sunday, 4/16: 22 mins
Monday, 4/17: 1 hr
Tuesday, 4/18: 57 mins
Wednesday, 4/19: 34 mins
Thursday, 4/20: 12 mins
Friday, 4/21: 22 mins

I'm hoping to have a lot more reading time on the next long lap and for the sprints.

April 2023 Reading Relay

Sprint #1: April 22-23

Currently Reading:
The Devil's Glove by Lucretia Grindle

Total Pages Read:

Total Time Read:
Saturday, 4/22:
Sunday, 4/23:

1.5 hour to go, Happy Readathon!

We're almost there! Best of luck and reading to you today!

Thank you, Susy and Erin! Good luck and happy reading to both of you!

Unfortunately, I have had extremely severe allergies this week and didn't feel like getting up for the 5am start time. My allergies prevented me from finishing my current read before the readathon. I am just going with the flow today and not forcing myself to do anything.

I'm working on finishing my current read when I can and I have some audiobooks if I'm still in a reading mood but need an eye break. I was really looking forward to today so I might do my own readathon in a couple weeks to make-up for it.

So sorry to hear about your allergies, Stephanie! Going with the flow sounds like the smart thing to do. Hope you'll get to enjoy a few of your reads nonetheless. Doing your own readathon in a couple of weeks sounds like a good plan!

How are you doing Stephanie? Are you planning to join this weekend?

Susy wrote: "How are you doing Stephanie? Are you planning to join this weekend?"

Hi Susy! I was hoping to join, but a close friend's sister unexpectedly passed away and her Celebration of Life is tomorrow. I'll probably be emotionally exhausted after it, so I'm not planning on trying to read. I've been reading a lot today though, so I guess I'm joining in a way, just a day early lol. Hopefully my schedule will work out for the next one.

Good luck and have fun with the readathon!

Stephanie wrote: "Susy wrote: "How are you doing Stephanie? Are you planning to join this weekend?"

Hi Susy! I was hoping to join, but a close friend's sister unexpectedly passed away and her Celebration of Life is..."

I'm so sorry for your loss, Stephanie.

Jana wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Susy wrote: "How are you doing Stephanie? Are you planning to join this weekend?"

Hi Susy! I was hoping to join, but a close friend's sister unexpectedly passed away and her Cele..."

Thank you, Jana. Good luck and have fun with the readathon!

Stephanie wrote: "Susy wrote: "How are you doing Stephanie? Are you planning to join this weekend?"

Hi Susy! I was hoping to join, but a close friend's sister unexpectedly passed away and her Celebration of Life is..."

Sorry for your loss. Peace be with you and those close to her this weekend.

Sorry for your loss, that's awful to hear.

So sorry for your your loss Stephanie. Wishing you lots of love and strength!

Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to read very much if at all for the readathon again. But I just saw the pre-readathon long lap and I am going to try option #3...I am hoping to finish 1 book this week. It doesn't sound like much, but it would be a big accomplishment since I haven't read as much as I used to for about a year now. I miss reading so I am trying to get my love to reading to come back. Hopefully I can participate in the next readathon.

Good luck to everyone that will be doing the readathon! ��

Glad if you are able to participate at least some, Stephanie! :)

Stephanie wrote: "Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to read very much if at all for the readathon again. But I just saw the pre-readathon long lap and I am going to try option #3...I am hoping to finish 1 ..."

Thank you Stephanie! Hope you get to read a bit too!

As of right now, I don't have any plans so I should be able to do the readathon this time **crossing fingers**!

Pre-Readathon Directional Challenge:

I have a lot of books picked out for the readathon, so I might start this challenge the week of April 1.

Level One: Cardinal Directions I live in California, so I used my home for East and West, and the equator for North and South
�� East - Ghosted (set in NYC) finished April 5
�� West - Murder in the Painted Lady (set in San Francisco) finished April 6
North - The Ice Princess (set in Sweden) currently reading
South - The Dry (set in Australia)

Level Two: Perpendicular I did a slightly different interpretation for these, hopefully it works
Up - Fourth Wing (dragon riders are in the sky) or Fairy Tale (a character lives on a hilltop)
Down - Remarkably Bright Creatures (giant Pacific octopus live in the ocean) or To Kill a Kingdom (siren lives in the sea)

I enjoyed The Ice Princess and Fourth Wing very much. I hope you like them too!

Good luck with the challenge, Stephanie!

April 2024 Readathon TBR:

I got a little crazy with planning my TBR this time! I made the mistake of looking for a graphic novel on Libby and ended up finding a lot lol! I definitely will not read all of these books, but I like to have a wide range to choose from since I never know what I will be in the mood to read.

I have a lot more graphic novels than I need for the hour sprints, but I don't have as many novellas/shorter books as I try to have for quick, light-hearted breaks to help prevent a burnout and headache later in the day. I won't read for the full 24 hours, but I'm going to limit my time on here so I can try to read as much as possible.

Novels:
The Astronaut and the Star
Catwoman: Soulstealer
A Discovery of Witches
Fangs and Frenemies
The French Quarter Mysteries Box Set: Books 1 - 3
Monster Hunter International
The Peyton Brooks' Mysteries Box Set
Reminders of Him
Rivers of London
Unladylike Lessons in Love
A World Without Princes if I get my library hold in time

Graphic Novels and Manga:
Disney Manga: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas - The Battle for Pumpkin King
Dark One if I get my library hold in time
Days of Sugar and Spice
A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel, Vol 1
The Giver: Graphic Novel
The King's Beast, Vol. 1
Maximum Ride, Vol. 1
Maximum Ride, Vol. 2
My Happy Marriage, Vol. 1
Nicola Traveling Around the Demons' World, Vol. 1
Norse Mythology, Vol. 2
Norse Mythology, Vol. 3
Pretty Deadly, Vol. 1: The Shrike
The Prince and the Dressmaker
The Promised Neverland, Vol. 2
Star Wars: Darth Vader, Vol. 2: Shadows and Secrets
A Thief Among the Trees

Shorter Books: 250 or less pages
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
A Night at the Tropicana

Audiobooks:
Rogue Protocol
Exit Strategy

Very nice TBR, Steph! Better to have too many to choose from than not enough! See you this Saturday!

Very nice TBR, Steph! I also do a huge one as I never know what I'll be reading or what mood I'll be in when it's here :)

Thanks Susy and Erin! I hope you both have a wonderful readathon! ��

For me browsing other people's threads and watching their progress is one of the attraction of the readathon, but it definitely eats reading time, so I understand why you want to limit your time on GR!

I think I have everything prepared for tomorrow! If I missed something, then it must not have been very important lol.

The start time is 5am for me so as of now I am planning on getting up at 4am to hopefully be functioning enough by the start time. I'm planning on starting with a graphic novel so I don't have to think a lot and I can get that satisfaction of finishing something early and get a quick motivation boost. I definitely won't read for the full 24 hours, but I'm hoping for 16 hours and I will be happy with 12 hours.

Meals:
Breakfast: cinnamon crunch bagel
Lunch: crack chicken taco
Dinner: pulled pork and baked beans

Snacks:
Cashews, celery sticks w/ peanut butter, Wheat Thins w/ garlic & herb cream cheese, beef jerky, hard boiled eggs

Drinks:
Irish Creme Java Monster, sweet tea, hot tea, Prime Cherry Freeze, cherry limeade sparkling water, Prime Ice Pop (for the bingo new beverage)

Sweets:
Cadbury mini eggs, Pez, homemade brownie cookies

Weather Forecast:
50* and raining...I won't have any outside reading time, but it's good weather for reading and relaxing in a warm sweatshirt and pjs all day

That's a great plan Stephanie. Sorry your start time is a bit rubbish but it looks like you have a good strategy. I like the idea of a quick graphic novel to get off the mark. Enjoy your readathon and I hope you reach your goals.

Sounds great, Stephanie. I am NOT morning person so I do not envy you the start time - although some people like that time, go figure!! I envy those who do. My 8 am isnt bad, I am going to try to get up early as well and hope new health disasters befall us tomorrow with the way this week has been going. Most food premade but have some fun cooking with audio planned tomorrow (hopefully!!) Need to get to cleaning the disaster kitchen some more tonight

Your foods and drinks sound great!

Thanks Kate and Erin! I'm not a morning person either and I usually don't get up for the start of the readathon because it's way too early. But I have been looking forward to this one and I decided that I'll be a little ambitious this time to try to get some extra reading time in. Hopefully I don't burn out really early.

April 2024 Hour Sprints

Sprint #1: 5am-6am
Book read: Star Wars: Darth Vader, Vol. 2: Shadows and Secrets
Pages read: 128 - Finished

Sprint #2: 8am-9am
Book read: Norse Mythology, Vol. 2
Pages read: 158 - Finished

Sprint #3: 12pm-1pm
Book read: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pages read: 123

Sprint #4: 4pm-5pm
Book read: A Thief Among the Trees
Pages read: 89
I only read for 25 minutes this time and needed to take a break

Sprint #5: 8pm-9pm
Book read: Rogue Protocol (audiobook)
Pages read: approx. 42 - Finished
This will be my last sprint.

Sprint #6: 12am-1am
Book read:
Pages read:

Sprint #7: 4am-5am
Book read:
Pages read:

Wow, your page looks great. You are a reading marathon pro. I have a lot to learn!! I will keep checking your page. Enjoy your marathon tomorrow!!

Here's hoping you hold up well!

Excellent plan, Stephanie! I'm looking forward to seeing your status tomorrow.

Hello! Happy Pre-Readathon Greeting! Almost there!

Happy readathon!

Currently Reading: The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg (started on p. 134)


Finished:
Star Wars: Darth Vader, Vol. 2: Shadows and Secrets by Kieron Gillen
Norse Mythology, Vol. 2 by Neil Gaiman
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
A Night at the Tropicana by Chanel Cleeton
A Thief Among the Trees by Sabaa Tahir
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (audiobook)

Opening Survey

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

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, it was one of my favorite movies as a kid, but I have never read the book.

3) Which snacks are you most looking forward to? hard boiled eggs and Cadbury mini eggs

4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I was diagnosed with a form of Muscular Dystrophy at 18 months old and my parents were told I wouldn't live longer than 5 years old. I celebrated my 40th birthday last September :-)

5) What are your goals for this readathon? I'm hoping to read 16 hours, but I'll be happy with 12 hours.

Stephanie wrote: "Currently Reading: The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg (started on p. 134)
..."


Wow, you’re on a roll Stephanie!
How are you liking The Ice Princess? Are you planning on reading the whole series? I’m planning on reading the new release The Cuckoo next month!

Congratulations on your 40th birthday! 💜

Hope you had a wonderful readathon, Stephanie!
See you next time!

Stephanie, for a while ever RAD I read something by Neil Gaiman and something by Ronald Dahl. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a bit more telling/showing than the book, a notch better than the two movie versions I've watched, so I hope you got to read it.

Happy 40th to you. It is a milestone to have reached.

Susy wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Currently Reading: The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg (started on p. 134)
..."


Wow, you’re on a roll Stepha..."


Thanks Susy! It took a while for me to get into The Ice Princess, but I'm liking it. I think I'll continue the series, but I don't think it'll be one that I binge read to catch up.

Cynda is healing 2024 wrote: "Stephanie, for a while ever RAD I read something by Neil Gaiman and something by Ronald Dahl. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a bit more telling/showing than the book, a notch better than the..."

I always try to have something by Neil Gaiman and Roald Dahl is now another must-have for readathons. I was able to start/finish Charlie and the Chocolate Factory yesterday and I loved it! I think the original Gene Wilder movie is the closet to the book, but there were a couple parts that aren't in that movie but are in the Johnny Depp remake.