Spring Reading Thing Wrapup

Today is the last day of The Spring Reading Thing being hosted by Katrina at Callapidder Days. I only got through about half of my list so I’m actually a little disappointed. But what are you gonna do? Life happens, right?

Fiction

1. Atonement – Ian McEwan – FINISHED! (and I really liked it)
2. Keeping Faith – Jodi Picoult – FINISHED! (This wasn’t my favorite of her books, but it was still a nice escape.)
3. My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult (I didn’t even start this one, despite renewing it from the library 3 times…)
4. The Kite Runner – Khaled Housseini – FINISHED! (I would have to say that this might be one of the best books I’ve read…loved it.)
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Housseini – FINISHED! (see comment above. Can’t wait for his next one!)
6. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone – J.K. Rowling (sat on the shelf)
7. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling (sat on the shelf)
8. Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban – J.K. Rowling (sat on the shelf)
9. Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen – FINISHED! (I really enjoyed this book, too…great writer…)

Non-Fiction

1. Raising Self-Reliant Children in a Self-Indulgent World – H. Stephen Glenn and Jane Ed.D. Nelsen – STOPPED READING (this seriously read like a clinical study…I was bored to tears by all the facts and research…)
2. I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids – Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile – FINISHED! (this was a nice light read, I enjoyed it!)
3. Raising Respectful Children in a Disrespectful World – Jill Rigby (I was never able to find this at the library and my friend who owns it kept forgetting to lend it to me so I’ll go ahead and blame her…LOL!)
4. The 7 Stages of Motherhood – Ann Pleshette Murphy – FINISHED! (I didn’t really like this book. I found myself skimming about every other page for something that would interest me, but a lot of the book was spent on stages I passed…and never wish to return to.)
5. Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography – David Michaelis (sat on the shelf)
6. 90 Minutes in Heaven – Don Piper – FINISHED! (This was definitely not my usual fair. I didn’t dislike it, it just wasn’t my cup of tea…)

And here are some questions that Katrina asked…

• Did you finish all the books you had planned to read? If not, why?

Nope. See all the explanations above. I just ran out of time mostly.

• Do you think the challenge helped you read more? Or maybe helped you read books you otherwise wouldn’t have?

This is definitely true. Even though I didn’t read as much as I had in the previous Spring and Fall challenges, I definitely read more than I usually do when there’s NOT a challenge. The trick is to keep up the reading during “down times”.

• What was your favorite book you read this spring? Least favorite?

Ooooh, that’s a tough one. I really liked both the Khaled Housseini books, but I also really liked the Sara Gruen. My least favorite was definitely the Raising Self-Reliant children one. I have a thing about finishing books (or movies, or TV shows) even if I don’t like them, so you know it was bad if I didn’t even finish it.

• Did you discover any new authors or genres that you now love?

That would have to be Khaled Housseini and Sara Gruen. No new genres, though.

• What did you learn about your reading habits or interests?

As much as I love to read, it’s hard to find time to do it with the kids around. I usually end up reading when Dave is watching TV at night. But now the writer’s strike is over so I’m falling back into my reality TV loop.

• Are you interested in another “Fall Into Reading” challenge this fall?

Definitely! Aside from a few speed bumps and detours, I am really enjoying refinding this lost passion of mine!