OOC on Books for the 250 Count Book Challenge

[DustyBelle]

I thought it might be nice to have a place to comment on the books we are reading or trying to read for the challenge of 250 books of 100 pages or more, non textbook from 8-1-2013 through forever. lol

 

I started to post this in the other thread and realized it didn't belong there, so ...

 

Medea would be considered a novella, not a novel and I assume the challenge is for full length books on any level.

 

Shakespeare's works would depend on the actual publisher on whether they count as 100 page works. I gave away my individual works or almost all and kept the complete works which are squished into tiny print. Library, I am coming.

 

Don't think I'll actually hit the 250 as my reading speed has slowed during the last few years.

Edited August 10, 2014 by DustyBelle

[Jennie]

Shakespeare's works would depend on the actual publisher on whether they count as 100 page works.

 

That's how I see it. It depends on the edition. However, what do you think about editions of plays that have lots of notes? If one reads the notes that go along with the play, shouldn't that count? The notes are part of the book, after all. Perhaps a reader could include them in the summary. I mean by saying something like: 'The play was about this... and there were notes about the playwright and so on, which I also read.'

 

I'm a bit of a slower reader than I used to be, as well. But also, my life has gotten more crowded with work and responsibilities since I've gotten older. I'm pretty sure I'll never make it to 250 books this year. :-)

Edited October 30, 2013 by Jennie

[DustyBelle]

I'm almost through Book #7. I have slowed significantly in reading speeds these past 2 years, so I may not make it without reading strictly books for the challenge and I don't want to do that. I want to just read as I normally would. Books that catch my interest.

 

I am tempted to read just the stuff that would count and might allow me to make it, but what about all of the books I really want to read that are being published or just were. Nope, can't do it.

 

Would the notes count as textbook?

 

Do e books have page numbers? I've never read an ebook.

[Jennie]

Would the notes count as textbook?

 

I don't think so, but I'm not the moderator. :-)

 

Textbooks usually are somehow labelled as such, and have textbooky titles. I used the Signet Classic Shakespeare edition of Much Ado About Nothing. It has several essays about the play, yet I don't think one would call it a textbook, even though I'm sure many students have used it for classes on Shakespeare. This edition numbers over 100 pages for the play, so I didn't have to worry about page counts, but if it were, say, 95 pages, I don't see why I couldn't have pointed out that I read the essays in the book as well. But I'm not the mod, so...

 

Do e books have page numbers? I've never read an ebook.

 

Oh, yes. The page count might be different from paper books, though. I've used both ebooks and paper books for my reading during this challenge.

[catstaff]

Do e books have page numbers? I've never read an ebook.

I've got a couple of books on kindle... for those, I go to amazon or goodreads or a similar website and get the page count from that.

 

Since different editions might have different page counts anyway, I figure it's all good... with the romance novels I enjoy, the trade paperback might have 305 pages while the mass market paperback is 347 pages. Either number would be valid, and if I read it on the kindle I'm certainly not going to make a mark every time I hit the button to "turn" the page and then count up the marks to determine the page count, lol!

 

I suppose it would be harder with very short books, but probably 85% of what I read is 250+ pages, so I never worried about the length of my kindle books.

[DustyBelle]

Normally, I don't choose a book to read because of its number of pages. For the challenge since I am so far behind, I need to read 100 page books. Most of mine are but I do like to read young adult books and some of them are just 85+.

 

Thanks for the info on where to go to find out how many pages a book has. It will help.

 

I really did like the David Baldacci book I just finished. I seem to like books in a series until the series becomes too formulaic or untrue to its roots. Anyone else feel the same?

[Trisinity]

I seem to like books in a series until the series becomes too formulaic or untrue to its roots. Anyone else feel the same?

I gotta say, I feel the same. It was that way when I started reading the True Blood series (luckily before the hype of the TV show) and various others. I think any series thats longer than 4 -5 books tends to come out that way. I think thats why I stopped reading the Ender series. Granted, I loved Speaker of the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind just as much as I liked Enders Game, but when I moved on to the Bean Quartet (still part of Ender) I just felt bored with the story. It really just wasn't the same.

[Jennie]

I seem to like books in a series until the series becomes too formulaic or untrue to its roots.

 

I agree, as well.

 

Series seem to build up steam, but then often fizzle out toward the end, unless there is a strong storyline running through it. Some writers do seem to avoid that curse, and I think the secret is not to repeat the same book over and over, but to keep trying something different.

[DustyBelle]

It also works if many different authors write the series someone started like Star Trek or Star Wars. Sometimes though the cannon points are changed with so many authors and that can be bad.

[Ramica]

I just hit number 30 for books. I didn't read 250 last year - read about half I think - this year hopefully a little more then half.

 

While I am an avid reader and will read lots I find I read far less then I did, say five years back, or so. I have a pretty physical demanding job as I get older it takes more out of me so I'm not reading as much as I did.

 

I still have two or more books on the go at once a book for home, a book to read going to and from work on the bus.

 

I like to read true crime, fantasy/sci-fi, mystery, pet/animals, some horror and just straight general fiction. I enjoy some series like Dragon riders of Pern, Game of Thrones - a song of Fire and Ice. Others I don't care for.

 

 

[DustyBelle]

What is a Song of Fire and ice about? Who wrote it?

 

Have you tried David Weber's military science fiction and fantasy? Elizabeth Moon, Mercedes Lackey Fantasy and Mary Janice Davidson's hilarious quick reads starring Betsy Taylor, Fredrika Bimm, and the werewolves? All of them are loads of fun to read.

[Ramica]

What is a Song of Fire and ice about?  Who wrote it?

 

Have you tried David Weber's military science fiction and fantasy?  Elizabeth Moon, Mercedes Lackey Fantasy and Mary Janice Davidson's hilarious quick reads starring Betsy Taylor,  Fredrika Bimm, and the werewolves?  All of them are loads of fun to read.

Song of fire and Ice - better known as The Game of Thrones series, as Game of Thrones was the first book in the series. Written By George R. R Martin - a whole slew of characters, including dragons. It is sort of fantasy/medieval kind of story. Lots of plot twists and things you don't expect.

 

I have tried a few Mercedes Lackey books like some but not really big into them. David Weber no haven't read him or Mary Janice Davidson.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Ramica

[Jennie]

I seem to be conflicted between just wanting to read the books I'd read anyway, and wanting to read enough books to have a respectable total by the end of the challenge. :-)

 

I've pretty much accepted that there's no way I'm going to make it to 250. I just don't have the time. But I don't want my total to be totally pathetic. On the other hand, I'm not going to read books I don't want to read just because they're short enough to add to my total quickly. But mysteries seem to be a good compromise, so I've mostly been reading them. I like mysteries, and they usually go fairly quickly. All the mysteries I've listed so far are pretty good.

 

I like science fiction and fantasy, too. The Game of Thrones books are too long for now, though, unless I really want to get bogged down.

 

Mercedes Lackey is easy to read, but I don't like her books as much as I used to. I love Tolkien, but his books are usually too long as well, for my purposes, anyway. Maybe The Hobbit, though? That's a bit shorter. (I've read it before, of course, but that's okay.)

 

Hmmm. I need to find some fantasy novels that are a bit shorter, but still a good read.

[DustyBelle]

Currently, You are doing better than I am, Jennie.

 

Robert B. Parker's Books read quickly for me as do Janet Evanovich like Metro Girl or Melancholy baby. Try a James Patterson alex cross book or Women's murder Club, they read rapidly as Chapters are short. The total page number may be too high for you to want to give it a try.

 

Fern Michaels is another quick read usually. David B. Weber has fat books that don't read quickly.

 

As you know Agatha Christie reads quickly. I think. Many a Shakespeare play is probably long enough. Check one of the guides mentioned in this thread or the actual book read. Goodreads maybe? not sure that was it or maybe I just don't do well surfing that site.

 

If any of you read a good quick read say so here and link to your review if you'd be so kind. Thanks.

[Jennie]

As you know Agatha Christie reads quickly.

 

Yes, indeed. Her books are quick reads and lots of fun. I haven't read one that is a complete waste of time, though some are better than others, of course.

 

I just started re-reading Terry Pratchett. His books are loads of fun and since Discworld logic isn't supposed to be like Earth logic the idea is to go with the flow and let the craziness carry you away. :-)

 

I'll have to check out Janet Evanovich. But yes, David Weber's books are way too long and wordy for this purpose. My sister always jokes that he must get paid by the word. Much as we love Honor Harrington....

Edited December 12, 2013 by Jennie

[senyi]

Ughhhh...I've read at least 50+ books so far, but I haven't logged most of them.

 

But it's okay, I suppose. I'll just keep it as a personal goal.

[DustyBelle]

As long as you signed up in the official sign up section. Any book you read after that or read I believe it's at least 1/2 of after signing up can count as long as you write each one up with it's own entry. ( Other people have turned in 20 or so books read at a shot. If you have the info and write it up, it should be okay I would think.

 

Having fun with Kids' dragon books. Some are hilarious. I found a few How to Train Your Dragon books I had not read. They run about 200 to 250 pages. Some are even longer as they are special books of some sort.

 

I seem to be reading science fiction space war opera variety interspersed with forensic sculpting in Iris Johansen's Eve Duncan series, and the children's dragon books as my grandson and I read Patterson's Middle School and Eva B___________ 's Which Witch. The later is hysterical. Kid is also howling with laughter.

 

I am just below 30. Should finish a couple of the books I am currently reading tomorrow or later tonight. The odds are stacked high against my making the 250 th book before August first.

[DustyBelle]

Excuse the Double Post, but I edited the original post so this thread is an ooc for the current 250 book challenge. Hopefully we will have many more.

 

It's August 10th and I am at 8 books. I am working on Lullaby. A child hires Spenser to find out who really killed her mom 4 years ago. Spenser, the softie, will take the case and find out I am sure.

 

Read any good books lately? Or ones you feel should be avoided? Lots of floks finishing up summer reading lists about now. SE USA goes back to school within a week or two. Colleges open this week in SC.

 

Anyone read Patterson's Zoo? That was one weird book. Creepy, not my usual style.