Fall Into Reading 2006

Dec 29, 2006

Fall Into Reading Challenge Gift Certificate Winner

Okay – I finally pulled myself away from the tissues and laundry and baby nasal aspirator (which I don’t like anyway) and finished reading everyone’s Fall Into Reading wrap-ups. It was wonderful to read the books you all loved and even the ones you didn’t. I can’t wait to explore some of the authors and books various people mentioned, and I’m also looking forward to hosting a Spring Challenge! I hope you all will join in again – and spread the word so we get even more book-lovers participating.

My ~~lovely~~ very handsome assistant — also known as my husband, Chad — helped me tonight by picking a name out of a ~~hat~~ paper bag – the winner of the Amazon.com gift certificate. And the winner is…

Southern Girl

You all can read her wrap-up here.

Congratulations, Southern Girl! Watch your email for your gift certificate.

Thanks again, everyone. And be watching Callapidder Days in March for information about the Spring Challenge. In the meantime, keep on reading!

Dec 21, 2006

Fall Into Reading Challenge: The Finish Line

written by katrina · 27 Comments

Whew! We made it!

Fall has officially come to a close and along with it, the Fall Into Reading Challenge. I want to thank everyone who participated. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed reading everyone’s lists, catching book reviews along the way, and just sharing this love of books and reading with so many of you!

There’s such a wide variety of reading interests out there: some read only fiction, some prefer non-fiction, some pick up the latest best-sellers while others love to re-read the classics. But I picked up book ideas from nearly every list I visited – my “to read” list is now about a mile long!

I’ve asked each of you to put a “reading challenge wrap-up” post on your blog, letting the rest of us know how the challenge went for you. I’ll put my update in a separate post, but first, I want to remind you to include the link to your post on the Mr. Linky below so that everyone can come read about your experience with the Reading Challenge. Remember to put the link to your specific post, not just your main blog page, so that people will easily be able to find your Reading Challenge post, even if they don’t get around to reading them until next week…or the week after that! (To be eligible for the Amazon.com gift certificate drawing, please publish your post and include your link here by midnight on December 24th!)

With it being almost Christmas and all, it may take me a while to read everyone’s updates. But I WILL get to all of them, eventually. I promise!

Thanks again, everyone! And be watching for a Spring Reading Challenge – we’ll all need something to help us work through our new lists of “books to read soon!”

1. Katrina
2. Debi
3. Jane-Much Ado
4. Heidi
5. Barbara H.
6. Deborah
7. stephanie
8. tricia
9. Shalee
10. Jennifer, Snapshot

11. Karen – The Firstbrook Five
12. Southern Girl
13. Kathrin
14. Miss Erin
15. Karla – To Reflect
16. Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane
17. Gina, Portrait of a Writer
18. chilihead
19. Mommy Dearest
20. Nancy

21. aggiejenn
22. DKRaymer
23. Jenny-up the hill
24. Rachel – gaggle of girls
25. Gail
26. Selima
27. Christine
28. A Chelsea Morning
29. Jenny-homeiswhere

Dec 21, 2006

Callapidder’s Fall Into Reading Challenge Summary

written by katrina · 12 Comments

In this post, I gave a list of things that I’d love to know about everyone’s Fall reading adventures:

The best book you read this Fall
The book you could have lived without
Whether or not you read more than you would have without the challenge
The best thing about joining in the challenge
If you discovered (and enjoyed) a new book or author after reading someone else’s list
Any other insights, enjoyments, thoughts, or impressions!

So I thought, in the interest of fairness, I’d share the same with you.

First of all, I read almost all the books I initially listed. We’re still in progress on the book of fairy tales, and I’m almost done with Espresso with Esther (Bible study book). But I read all the fiction – and 5 or 6 more! And I completed the non-fiction books too… well, except for the Nancy Drew book, which I talked about here.

Best book this Fall: Hmm… In non-fiction, I’d have to say The Most Important Place on Earth. There were so many great nuggets of parenting wisdom in this book. In fact, I have several post-it notes hanging in my kitchen with some of the concepts I want to be consciously incorporating into my parenting. Great book. As for fiction, the one I probably enjoyed the most was The Thirteenth Tale, which I actually added part-way through the challenge. It was a page-turner for me, a book I just couldn’t put down.

Book I could have lived without: I’d have to go back to the Nancy Drew book. I was disappointed, because I had really been looking forward to it. Oh well.

Did I read more than I would have without the challenge? Probably not when it comes to fiction. I’m sure I would have read just as much fiction, since I’m constantly working my way through a novel. But non-fiction? Most definitely. The challenge gave me exactly the motivation I needed to get through some books I’d been wanting to read but just “never got around to.”

Best thing about the challenge: Reading everyone’s lists. It was like browsing in a bookstore, only better… Maybe like browsing in a bookstore with a friend, enjoying all her personal recommendations!

Did I discover/enjoy a new author after reading someone’s list? I certainly discovered many books that I want to read now, and authors I want to explore further. I’d like to read some more by Elisabeth Elliot and Jodi Picoult. And after seeing how many of you enjoy Francine Rivers, I may have to give her a try as well (I think I read a few of hers many years ago, but nothing recently). Overall, I look forward to all the great reads I will continue to discover as a result of all those awesome lists!

Other thoughts/impressions:

- For the next challenge, I know I can make my fiction list longer, and I could probably make the non-fiction list a book or two longer, as well. The tricky part will be picking which books to include – there are so many to choose from!

- I also liked having read-aloud-with-the-kids goals – they really helped me make sure I wasn’t letting that family activity slide. I definitely plan to include read-alouds in the next challenge as well.

- I was really amazed — and thrilled — with how many people joined in! I shouldn’t have been so shocked because it’s obvious that most bloggers are avid readers. But I honestly didn’t expect the idea to take off like it did. It’s been great!

Filed Under: Books/Reading, Fall Into Reading 2006, Reading Challenges 12 Comments

Dec 7, 2006

Fall Into Reading Challenge – Only 2 Weeks Left!

written by katrina · 13 Comments

I almost can’t believe how fast this Fall has gone! But then I look at the stack of books that I’ve finished and it seems much more real. I don’t know about you, but having this challenge has really helped me accomplish some reading goals and maintain discipline in my reading (especially when it comes to non-fiction!).

Two weeks from today – December 21, 2006 – is the last day of Fall, and so will be the last day of the Fall Into Reading Challenge. From all I’ve read, it looks like all you dedicated readers have been doing a great job tackling your lists. But if you haven’t quite accomplished all you’d like to, you still have two more weeks. So get reading!

I know that this time of year is crazy, and if your schedule is anything like mine, your calendars are almost solid with ink for the next several weeks. But be sure to set aside a little time here and there to curl up with a good book – it’s worth it!

On December 21st, I’ll put up another Mr. Linky. I’d love for everyone to submit a link to a post on your blog, telling about your experience in the Fall Into Reading Challenge. Some things I’d love to know:

The best book you read this Fall
The book you could have lived without
Whether or not you read more than you would have without the challenge
The best thing about joining in the challenge
If you discovered (and enjoyed) a new book or author after reading someone else’s list
Any other insights, enjoyments, thoughts, or impressions!

(As far as the prize goes, if you posted your original Fall Into Reading Challenge post by September 24th, and if you post your “update post” by December 24th (you have until midnight) — and entered them on the Mr. Linkies here, of course, you’ll be eligible for the Amazon.com gift certificate.)

I’ve had a few people ask me if there will be a Winter Reading Challenge. I’m sure everyone’s busy with the holidays and we could all use a little breather. Not that we’ll stop reading or anything – we could never do that! But let’s just leisurely enjoy whatever reading we get in this Winter and then think about a Spring challenge.

Okay, enough blog reading – get back to your books. Fourteen days and counting!

Filed Under: Fall Into Reading 2006, Reading Challenges 13 Comments

Oct 23, 2006

Fall Into Reading Challenge Update

written by katrina · 23 Comments

In its first month, the Fall Into Reading Challenge is off to a roaring start!

Several of you – like Barb and Rachel – have already posted that you’ve had to add MORE books to your list because you were zipping right through your initial picks. I am impressed!

Others – like Shalee and Jennifer – have been sharing book reviews as you go. I love reading about the books everyone is reading, seeing your impressions and thoughts…and of course, adding to my own list of “books to read at some point.”

As for myself, I’m making progress. Five down, seven to go (not counting books to read with the kids). And four of those are already “in progress.” I think I’ll be adding a few more books to my list, but I am not “allowing” myself to do so until I get through the initial ones in any category. When I cross of the last non-fiction book, I’m allowed to add more non-fiction, etc.

I must admit that while I’m still sneaking in a chapter here and there from non-list books, the challenge has helped me to stay on track and get through the books that I’ve committed to reading. And while I haven’t loved every book I’ve read, I have appreciated the discipline and the accomplishment that come from sticking to the challenge.

So how about you? Where do you stand one month into the challenge? Has the challenge helped you? Do you need to add more books to the list? Or maybe take some off? I’d love to hear how everyone’s doing!

Filed Under: Books/Reading, Fall Into Reading 2006, Reading Challenges 23 Comments