Those were my thoughts as I hurried to finish book #3. I was pretty sure I could do it, but I was getting tired and having trouble staying awake by about 11:00. (Pathetic, I know) And, if you're like me, reading late at night is about ten times harder than most other things you would do late at night(i.e. it's a little easier to stay awake at the computer because you are actively doing something with your hands and stuff...but I must admit about 2:00-3:00 a.m. is pretty tricky even for that) and thus is kind of a "gateway" to sleep.
Anyway, you may be thinking: "Three books in three days? Psssh...that's easy. I could do twice that in half the time!" (Actually, I really hope that's not what you're thinking because I would be semi-convinced that you have no life...either that or you can read at the speed of light, which is simply not fair!) Although, I consider myself pretty good at reading and enjoy it immensely, I don't usually isolate myself for 6-8 hours a day doing just that. So to be perfectly honest, I know I could have fit in at least one more book (probably more) if I had not been so busy the first two days of the Read-A-Thon and completely shut myself up for the whole time, never talking to anyone. But, this was my first time doing a Read-A-Thon (Or rather, my first "official" one) so I feel like considering the circumstances and my amateur-ness I did pretty well.
So here's what I read:
Fifteen by Beverly Cleary (203 pages)
Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare (274 pages)
and
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards (277 pages)
Books: 3
Page Count: 754
(Oh, and by the way? The last two were both read almost entirely in the same day. Minus about twenty pages. But that's still like 530 pages in a day! So, I'm still rather proud of myself. )
Yeah, I deviated a little from my originial plan. My Antonia was a little slow going, so I gave up. And I assumed Betty Wales would take too long as well. (FYI: I do plan on finishing these two, just later when I have more time)
But the three that I did read were all excellent! Can't wait for the next one! (And, wow! I should win the "Over-usage of Parenthetical Statements" award, yeah?)
Now last mini-challenge:
*Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing*
Here's the challenge:
"Because I'm such a fan of book recommendations, I want you to recommend books to me. I want you to recommend 2 books to me.
The first is any book of your choice. Pick any book you want and tell me and the world why it should be read and loved.
The second is what you would pick as your favorite of the read-a-thon. You can chose to answer this question now, during the third day, or I'll give you one extra day to give that book just waiting to be picked up a chance. :) "
My recommendations:
1) Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Okay, so a lot of my friends are probably sick of me gushing about this book. But it is absolutely amazing! This book and its sequel/companion are on my top 5 list. I don't think I have ever read a book that was as well-written and beautiful as these. Wildwood Dancing is a combination of several fairy tales--The Twelve Dancing Princesses being the most obvious from the beginning--all rolled into one story. There are perfectly gorgeous metaphors (or maybe they're similes. Whatever...) and the ending is the type that leaves you with that ecstatic uncontainable feeling of joy. Just read it! Everyone I know who has read it (all the way through) loved it almost as much as I did.
2) The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
This book was just....wow! It's like The Wizard of Oz meets The Chronicles of Narnia meets Alice in Wonderland meets The Phantom Tollbooth with slight hints of Doctor Dolittle and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory here and there. Julie Andrews has created Whangdoodleland and a multitude of fascinating creatures to go along with it including The Whangdoodle (of course!), Flummoxes, Jiffies, Oincks, Sidewinders, Tree Squeaks, and let's not forget the "oily" Prock. There's berries that make you hiccup and the flowers and trees smell like all kinds of delicious things. Now, can you honestly tell me that that doesn't pique your curiosity just a little?
As for the rest of you.... I'll not be posting for a few days as I'm going on a sort of vacation for a few days (instead of going to the midnight showing of Harry Potter... *pouting* so don't say a word, or else!!). So have a marvelous weekend!
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