Posts tagged 30 day book and literature challenge

Day 30: The book you’re reading right now.

Just finished The Heroes of Olympus: The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan.

Just started Pure by Julianna Baggott.

Next up Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier.

Percy Jackson just makes me happy. Its such a light read, fun, harmless, and a little bit like watching superhero movies, which I also love.

Pure is really good so far. I’m about 200 pages in. So far though, I wish she would have stuck to just Pressia and Partridge for her chapter perspectives. I get why Lyda and El Capitan may be important, but the balance that she had in the beginning got kind of lost with the new settings and voices. And seriously, if anyone should get a chapter, its Bradwell. Does he ever get one? 

Day 29: An author you wish was more well-known.

Jackson Pearce (Sisters Red, Sweetly, Purity and the upcoming Fathomless).

Day 28: The first book you can remember reading on your own.

Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble by Cynthia Rylant

These were my absolute favorite when I was a kid!

Day 27: Your favorite genre.

I love dystopian or post-apocalyptic fiction.
Ever since I read The Giver in fifth grade I’ve been sold on these kind of novels.

The Hunger Games, Divergent, Legend, Delirium, Matched and Glow have just sold me even further on the theme. I’m so glad that it seems to be the next big trend!

Day 26: Your favorite type of non-fiction book.

I like memoirs. 

Day 25: The nerdiest book you ever read.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green 

This book is just all kind of nerdy. In the best of ways. Colin is a child prodigy who wants to make some big impact of the world through his “Eureka Moment”. This moment will signify that he is not just a prodigy, but a genius. He loves math and anagrams.

He has dated nineteen girls names Katherine. They all dumped him.\

He tries to mathematically diagram relationships to predict the outcome.

Basically, this book is a nerd-fest. I adore it.

Day 24: Your favorite series

It’s currently a tie.

Delirium/ Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

and

Divergent by Veronica Roth.

Honstly, Divergent kicks Delirium’s butt. However, as the other two books in the trilogy are yet to be released, I can’t for sure say they’ll be as amazing and Divergent. I bet they are though.

Honorable mention to the Percy Jackson series and The Heroes of Olympus, because they bring a little magic to my life. Even if the protagonists are twelve years old.

Day 23: A book you once hated, but now love. What changed?

It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini 

I read this book right after it came out, and I hated it. I don’t generally go for books that make me sad. On rare occasions, if they’re sad enough, they shoot straight to the top of my list (Example, TFIOS). This book just made me feel depressed. Thinking about the tentacles, I started to feel them. I don’t even think I finished it the first time around. About four years later, my best friend recommended it and I started reading it again, only realizing I had read it previously once I started.

Now it kind of blows my mind. Its still not my favorite book, but I can appreciate it so much more now. I even bought my own copy. Which is saying alot, because as much as I read, I can’t generally afford to own books. 

Day 22: A book you once loved, but don’t anymore. What changed?

There are books I’ve outgrown, that seem childish or immature now that I’m in college. I mean, that kind of a given, but the books I loved, truly loved, will always have a special place in my heart. I sound all sappy and stuff, but its true. 

I will offer up the fact that when I first read That Summer by Sarah Dessen when I was like twelve, I really liked it. It prompted me to read her other books over the years. Now that I have, That Summer is one of my least favorite of her novels. The only one that depresses me more is Dreamland (for obvious reasons).

Day 21: The most disturbing book you’ve ever read.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 

I love this book. Now that I’m a college student, and am mature enough to understand the themes and plot of this novel, I find it hauntingly beautiful.

When I first read it, for Accelerated Reader points when I was in sixth grade but reading on a college level, it horrified me. I mean, the Irwin scene alone made me terrified of boys. Truly. 

Point being AR sucks, as it forces kids to encounter tricky subject matter far before they’re old enough to process it, even if they’re smart enough to comprehend it.

Anyone else have any AR horror stories?

In fifth grade I also had to read The Illiad and The Hound of the Baskervilles. Talk about not age appropriate.