Book links: Read-a-thon wrap up, top YA books, and my 200th post!

Technically this is post #200...but it's really kind of not, because some of those posts are scheduled and waiting to be released into the world later this week. But it does mean I've written 200 blog posts at this point, and that's something, isn't it?

This weekend was the 24 hour read-a-thon. My husband summed up my participation this way: "You making a goal to read a lot of books in a day is like someone making a goal to breathe a lot in one day. You're going to do it anyway!" And he's right - this wasn't like the bloggiesta where I really needed a community of support to help keep me working. During the bloggiesta we were all online at the same time, almost constantly, and we were constantly giving each other new ideas and helping out people who were stuck, because I don't usually spend hours at a time working on the nuts and bolts of my blog. This time around, while it was nice seeing the encouraging tweets and comments left by the cheerleaders I didn't feel it was something I needed. For one thing, I had to go out of my way to see the encouragement, since I wasn't already on the computer. Also, during the hours I was reading, it wasn't a great struggle at all. Waking up early so I could start reading right at 8:00 am was a bit of a struggle (I had to repeat my Starbucks order because the first time it was horribly mangled as I was so sleepy!) but after that I was on a roll. The only difference between yesterday and other Saturdays is that normally I take more breaks when I'm reading to surf the internet. So I'm not too sure I'll be participating in the next one. I like the idea, but the execution just doesn't work for me.

Something else I discovered this weekend: there's another top 100 YA books list being started. First there was the Fuse #8 list of the Top 100 Middle Grade fiction titles of all time, and then next I saw April at Good Books and Good Wine did a list for the top 100 YA books. I've been following that one as its been posted and I've been thinking it must have had a significantly smaller group of voters than Fuse #8's list, or at least a significantly different type of voter, because the list is weighted so heavily towards recent and very popular titles. I mean, I love The Hunger Games more than is probably healthy, but the best YA book of all time? I really don't think we can declare it that yet. I know YA is a younger genre than middle grade (well, technically, since I doubt books were marketed as "middle grade" until they'd come up with the "young adult" category, but there have been separate books for kids longer than there have been separate books for teenagers because even the idea of "teenagers" is a relatively recent one) but having so many books from just the last 5 years feels a little off.

Now I see that Persnickety Snark is doing her own top 100 YA list, with the methodology poached directly from the Fuse #8 middle grade list (with permission, obviously). She's directly solicited teachers and librarians and publishing folks before opening it wide for the general blogosphere to join in. Voting started March 19th and continues through April 30th. I just sent in my list of votes and just might share them once the list starts going up!

Read-a-Thon Update #3

Going with numbers 'cause I'm too tired to figure out what hour I'm on!

Title of book(s) read since last update: Of All the Stupid Things The Thirteenth Princess, The Firefly Letters
Number of books read since started: Four complete books, bits of two others
Pages read since last update: 761
Running total of pages read since you started: 1018
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 6.5 hours
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 9? That sounds about right

Just wanted to post about what I've finished since 8 o'clock this morning. Took more breaks than I planned in order to spend some quality time with the husband (he spent the entire month of March travelling for work, so we're still playing catch up! But we bought him a book while we were out tonight, so now we're reading together and calling it quality time). I had been planning on going to the gym this evening and reading on the treadmill or stationary bike, which was supposed to wake me up, but that didn't happen. Instead we got ice cream and Chinese food - kind of the opposite of the gym!

It's about 11:30 for me now. I might read a few more pages in Crossing Stones, but then I'm going to call it a night. Good luck to those of you who can keep going (or are in an earlier time zone)!

Read-a-thon Update, 3rd hour

Title of book(s) read since last update: City of Cannibals
Number of books read since started: 1/4 of one, 3/4 of another
Pages read since last update: 187
Running total of pages read since you started: 257
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1.5 hours
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 2.5 hours

Two older women have joined me at my tiny table at Starbucks. They have covered their half in paper towels and keep glancing at my book and/or computer dubiously. I don't know if they think I'm weird for reading/blogging in Starbucks, or if they wish I wasn't taking up space at the table. Whatever - they're the ones that joined me. I've been here since 8:15 or so.

I want to do more reading than blogging today, but I pick up the computer to check the challenges and I really like hour three's mini-challenge! I'm not putting much thought into this one - I could spend hours deliberating my answers, but I need to get back to 16th century London (in City of Cannibals).

This is hosted by Til We Read Again.

Favorite Female Character in a book: Katniss from The Hunger Games
Favorite Male Character in a book: Logan from Almost Perfect
Favorite Side Kick in a book: Gonzo from Going Bovine
Favorite Couple in a Book: Probably just because I finished reading it, but right now Lennie and Joe from The Sky is Everywhere
Favorite Book Series: Animorphs (spent too many years of my life obsessing over that series to considering anything else at the moment!)
Favorite Author: Scott Westerfeld
Favorite Book Cover: I really like the Out of my Mind cover right now - illustrates a great metaphor from the book.
Favorite Book of 2009: UGH. Catching Fire? I don't know - I couldn't rank my favorites in December, and four months hasn't changed anything!

Okay, I'm going to relinquish my table to these ladies so I stop getting the stink eye from them. Going to pack up and head back home, reading more of City of Cannibals on the bus!

Read-a-thon Update: 1st hour

Title of book(s) read since last update: The Sky is Everywhere
Number of books read since started: 1/4 of one
Pages read since last update: 70
Running total of pages read since you started: 70
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 1 hour

I'm at the local Starbucks inside the local Barnes & Noble. I've had one tall non-fat White Chocolate Mocha (that I had a hell of a time ordering since I was still half asleep). I also ordered a "raspberry" "scone," but it was an abomination and I owe my body some serious apologies for making it ingest even a nibble of that...thing.

Just taking a short break because I finished up The Sky is Everywhere (and ended up almost sobbing in Starbucks) and Barnes & Noble opened which means the free WiFi is now in effect (I am not an AT&T person so no free Starbucks wifi for me). I'm debating whether it's too soon to order another coffee.

Also, mini-challenge number 1 is up. As I learned in the Bloggiesta, I'm not one to shy away from a challenge! This is the traditional hour 1 read-a-thon meme

Where are you reading from today? As mentioned above, the B&N Starbucks in Forest Hills. Later I will go back to my apartment (after my husband has woken up so I can have the bed to myself - the other draw of Starbucks, aside from the coffee, was the comfy booths. We still don't have a couch in our apartment after a year and a half living there!)

3 facts about me
1) I have a very patient and understanding husband who only rolls his eyes a little bit when I tell him I'm doing something like a 24 hour readathon
2) Starbucks' White Mocha Latte is the only coffee drink I can stand, and this is the first one I've had in months
3) I always have a terrible time coming up with the requisite number of facts for these things. Um...my favorite color is black? And I am, in fact, wearing my favorite comfy black T-shirt for this readathon.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? That library book pile I mentioned in my last post contains 28 books at this point. But I'm planning on sneaking to the library later and picking up the three or four books I have on reserve there. I'm hoping to get through 5 books today.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? No specific goals, just want to read!

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time? This is my first time, so no advice from me yet!

24 Hour Read-a-thon!

I'm up early on a Saturday morning, all because the 24 hour read-a-thon is starting in a few minutes! My camera currently has no batteries, otherwise you would get a post showing off the huge stack of library books I need to put a dent in.

This read-a-thon is at a perfect time for me. My husband was doing some cleaning around the apartment the other day and said he'd almost just scooped up all my library books and returned them! Considering how long I had to wait for some of these things, I wouldn't have been happy.

First on my list is The Sky is Everywhere, which I started yesterday and so far absolutely love. I'm about 3/4 of the way through, so it shouldn't take me too long to finish it and move on. I think I'm going to start my reading day at Starbucks - caffeine and comfy chairs beckon me! Also, I can pick up batteries at the Duane Reade next door.

I'll check in again soon. Happy reading to my fellow participants!