The Sunday Salon 10/10/10

I am sleepy, I have a headache and I need some coffee.  The day after the read-a-thon is always rough and today is no different! Luckily it’s nothing that some Advil and a hot shower can’t fix.

1. Which hour was most daunting to you? It was 11pm here when I fell asleep.  Was that hour 14? 15? I just could not do it anymore!

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Finding a fast paced YA novel always works well for me.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? My only suggestion would be to try to pump readers up prior to the read-a-thon.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? As always, just the sense of community! The cheerleaders were great!

5. How many books did you read? I finished one book that I had already started, then I read three more books, then I read 1/2 of Wintergirls.  Maybe I will finish it today!

6. What were the names of the books you read? Assholes Finish First, Tucker Max, If I Stay, Gayle Forman, Bad Marie, Marcy Dermansky, Gray Horses, Hope Larson, Wintergirls, Laurie Halse Anderson.

7. What book did you enjoy most? That is impossible to answer that.  I loved all the books I read with the exception of Gray Horses.

8. Which did you enjoy least? Gray Horses, by Hope Larson.

9. If you were a cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s cheerleaders? I wasn’t a cheerleader, although I did spend ample time visiting other blogs.

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? Very 🙂

Here are my final stats:

Total time spent reading: 8 hours and 30 minutes

Total pages read: 803

Total time spent blogging: 2 hours, 39 minutes

This was my second read-a-thon and I definitely participated a bit less this time around, but that was my plan.  I didn’t want to go overboard–I just wanted to keep it fun.  It isn’t fun for me to stay up all night.  I’m lame that way, so when I was ready to go to bed, I went to bed!

I hope everyone enjoyed read-a-thon as much as I did.  Enjoy your Sunday recovering!

Read-a-thon Update #5

I have a feeling this will be my last update.  I am getting sleepy and I have some stuff to do tomorrow, so I don’t want to push myself too hard.  I plan to blog for a little longer and then I will read until I fall asleep.  My wrap up post will be up sometime tomorrow once I wake up.

Currently Reading:

Books finished since last update: None. My time spent reading between now and my last update has been pathetic.  I am getting burnt out.

Books finished since I started Read-a-thon: Assholes Finish First, by Tucker Max, If I Stay, by Gayle Forman, Bad Marie, by Marcy Dermansky, Gray Horses, by Hope Larson

Time spent reading since last update: 47 minutes

Total time spent reading: 7 hours, 26 minutes

Number of pages read since last update: 75

Number of pages read in total: 699

Total time spent blogging: 2 hours, 19 minutes

Read-a-thon Update #4

It’s been awhile since my last update but since that time, not a lot of reading has gone on.  I did eat some Chipotle though while watching some Judge Judy.  The food plus drinking a Pepsi plus NOT reading for a little definitely helped, as I was about ready to crash and burn.  In fact, I felt a little drugged.  Reading in bed for too long kind of turns your brain to mush.  I had a hard time stringing together a coherent thought.  I guess you could say I OD’d on reading.  I’m back now though and it is only 6:15PM here, so I still have a few hours of quality reading in me before I call it a night!

Currently Reading:

Not a damn thing.  I am between books and will have to go sit in front of my read-a-thon pile until one of my books jumps out and slaps me in the face.

Books finished since last update: Bad Marie, by Marcy Dermansky and Gray Horses, by Hope Larson. The former was great.  The latter . . . not so much.  It really irritated me and I don’t really even understand what was going on.  I think the fault actually lies with the book and not the fact that my brain is fried, although that is certainly up for debate.

Books finished since I started Read-a-thon: Assholes Finish First, by Tucker Max, If I Stay, by Gayle Forman, Bad Marie, by Marcy Dermansky, Gray Horses, by Hope Larson

Time spent reading since last update: 1 hour, 3 minutes

Total time spent reading: 6 hours, 39 minutes

Number of pages read since last update: 158

Number of pages read in total: 614

Total time spent blogging: 1 hour, 46 minutes

Read-a-thon Update #3

Time for another update.  It is a little after 3:30EST.  I am still in my pajamas.  I am still in bed.  As soon as I am done blogging, I will throw on some semi decent clothes to run out for about a half hour.  I will likely be picking up some Chipotle.  I am tired, so I am hoping some food and just a break in general will help.

Milo’s back! The weird look on his face is NOT because he saw me taking a picture.  I took the picture because I noticed that he was staring at me with crazy eyes.  That is just how he rolls.

Currently Reading:

I suspected I would enjoy Bad Marie based on the synopsis as well as the reviews for it I have read.  I was right–it’s a great novel.  I have about 40 pages left and my next book will be a mystery, as I haven’t decided what I am in the mood for.

Books finished since last update: None

Books finished since I started Read-a-thon: Assholes Finish First, by Tucker Max, If I Stay, by Gayle Forman

Time spent reading since last update: 1 hour, 54 minutes (exactly the same as my last update.  Very coincidental!)

Total time spent reading: 5 hours, 36 minutes

Number of pages read since last update: 166

Number of pages read in total: 456

Total time spent blogging: 1 hour, 13 minutes

Read-a-thon Update #2

Whew.  All this reading is starting to catch up with me.  I am getting tired again and my coffee is almost gone.  I plan on staying with it for another two or three hours and then I will take a break and go to my cousin’s house for about a half our to feed her cats.  That will give me an excuse to get dressed, stretch my legs and possibly get a bite to eat.  A nap may be in my future as well. What can I say?  I’m weak!

Apparently my cats have decided to go on cheerleading rotation, as now my most recent companion has been Charlie, or, as my husband prefers to call him, Chauncey.

Currently Reading:

Nothing.  Just finished my current book.  Up on deck?

Books finished since last update: If I Stay, by Gayle Forman

Books finished since I started Read-a-thon: Assholes Finish First, by Tucker Max, If I Stay, by Gayle Forman

Time spent reading since last update: 1 hour, 54 minutes

Total time spent reading: 3 hours, 40 minutes

Number of pages read since last update: 162

Number of pages read in total: 290

Total time spent blogging: 33 minutes

If I Stay was an emotional roller coaster and for much of the book, I actually had the feeling of butterflies in my stomach.  What a heart wrenching book!

Read-a-thon Update #1

So far the read-a-thon is flying by! I decided to write an update as it has been almost two hours, but it feels like I have only been reading for about an hour or so.

My husband has been the greatest.  He left for work but before going, he asked me what I would need for the day.  I didn’t run him all over town but I did send him to Starbucks, where he got me a Venti Nonfat Caramel Macchiato and also one of their yummy sandwiches.

My cheerleader must be off somewhere napping, as I haven’t seen him since he and his siblings were fed earlier.  I do have another cheerleader keeping me company though.  As you can see, Fiona is not the most energetic one around but she sure is a great cuddler!

Currently Reading

Books Finished since last update: Assholes Finish First, by Tucker Max

Books finished since I started Read-a-thon: Assholes Finish First, by Tucker Max

Total time spent reading: 1 hour 46 minutes

Total time spent blogging: 11 minutes and counting!