E-Book Challenge 2010 - COMPLETE

This is the other challenge that I've been waiting to join.  I am getting an e-reader (Nook) for Christmas so I'm excited to join the E-Book Challenge hosted by Royal Reviews.

There are four levels and I'm joining at the -- Fascinated – Read 6 E-Books level.
Rules:
Any genre counts.
You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

So I'll list these as I go.

1. Very LeFreak - Rachel Cohn
2. Sister of the Bride - Beverly Cleary
3. A Little Princess - Frances Hodgson Burnett
4. The Clue in the Diary - Carolyn Keene
5. Frost Moon - Anthony Francis
6. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Frank L. Baum

COMPLETED 5/5/2010

Audio Book Challenge 2010 - COMPLETE

So this is one of two challenges I've been waiting for.  I joined last year when it was hosted by J.Kaye and now it is hosted by Royal Reviews.  The Audio Book Challenge 2010 is just that, a challenge to listen to audio books.

There are several levels so I'm joining at the -- Obsessed– Listen to 20 Audio Books level.

Rules:
Audio books only.
 You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.
I will list them as I go.

1. Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace, read by Sutton Foster
2. The Great Brain by John Fitzgerald, read by Ron McLarty
3. A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck, read by Lois Smith
4. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, read by Jeff Woodman
5. Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande, read by Kali Vernoff
6. Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich, read by Lorelei King
7. Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich, read by Lorelei King
8. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene, read by Jessie Birschbach
9. The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene, read by Laura Linney
10. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh, read by Anne Bobby
11. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich, read by Lorelei King
12. The Sign of the Twisted Candle by Carolyn Keene, read by Danica Reese
13. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by by E.L. Konigsburg, read by Jan Miner
14. Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich, read by Lorelei King
15. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich, read by Lorelei King
16. Plum Spooky by Janet Evaonvich, read by Lorelei King
17. Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn, read by Jon Cryer
18. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich, read by C.J. Critt
19. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Jeanna Lamia and David Ledoux
20. Graceling by Kristen Cashore, narrated by David Baker, read by full cast

COMPLETED 4/22/2010

Read Your Name Challenge 2010 - COMPLETE

I've been wanting to do this challenge for a while, but wanted to wait for the new year. So here it is.  The Read Your Name Challenge is just what it sounds like: Using your first name, or blogger name, or your pets name, or even your favorite literary character's name; whichever you like, choose books with first title letters that spell out your name. (Audio books and eBooks are also okay.)



Come back here every month if you wish, and leave your link in the Mr. Linky that will be up containing the link to your challenge page containing the books you've read or each review you've written for books that count for this challenge. (Crossovers with other challenges are okay.) I will make a new post for this during the first week of every month.


The challenge runs from Jan. 1st 2010, to Dec. 31st 2010. You may join at any time.

I'm going to join using my first name Andrea. So my list will be:

A - And Another Thing - Eoin Colfer
N - Nothing Pink - Mark Hardy +
D - Does This Make My Head Look Big - Randa Abdel-Fattah
R - Rampant - Diana Peterfreund
E - Envy -  Anna Godbersen
A - Alice I Have Been - Melanie Benjamin

*cross over with another challenge
+own

The Secret Hour (Midnighters #1)

Jessica Day moves to the small town of Bixby, Oklahoma with her family when her mom gets a new job.  At first, everything seems normal.  That is until midnight rolls around and the world around her freezes.  Jessica learns she is a "Midnighter," one of the handful of teens in town who can live in the blue time between midnight and 1 am.  But something about Jessica is different and she attracts trouble in the form of the darklings who live in the blue time, ancient creatures who are out for Jessica.  With the help of the other four Midnighters, Jessica must fight the darklings and learn why they want to kill her so much.

"Something about you is so ... 11:59.  You don't belong." p.124

So this is Scott Westerfeld's first young adult book.  I've read all the rest except this series and Leviathan, which just came out.  It was really good and I enjoyed it.  The concept is great though less original than his later books.  It came across as appropriately chilling and suspenseful and occasionally funny and moved along at a nice pace.  I liked Jessica and Jonathan and Dess and I'm not real sure about Melissa but Rex was okay.  I've always found the idea of ancient creatures intriguing (must be why I'm a Buffy fan) and the mythology is great in this book without being too overwhelming, just enough to tantalize. I got a good image out of the book and I could definitely see it as a movie.