The Summer Reading Challenge :: 2010

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You're Invited...

to  participate in The Coconut Library Summer Reading Challenge

What: A challenge to get you reading all through the season. 

Why: So that you will have motivation to keep those pages turning!

When:  12 a.m., June 1st - 11:59 p.m., August 31st

Where: On your couch, at the beach, on a plane or a train... anywhere you can read. Check back here to let us know your progress. We can keep each other motivated by doing it together!

How: This season your goal is to finish 3,000 pages in the course of three months. 

Rules

• All pages counted must be from a book (no magazines, newspapers, etc). If you are reading from an e-reader or an audiobook check a book-selling site to find the official number of pages in the book. Use the Trade Paperback (regular paperback) format to count page numbers to add to your total pages. If the book has not yet been published as paperback, use the Hardcover page number count. No Mass Market (smallest versions of books, also soft covers) page counts allowed. E-mail or leave a comment if you have questions about this. 
• You can split the number of pages however you like. You can read twelve 250 page books, or three 1,000 page books (or any other type of combination -- it's up to you). 
• You may combine this challenge with other challenges you are doing. Just keep track of the pages you are reading along the way and record them in the comment section below. 
• You must list the book titles, the page totals per book, and the date you finished reading the book below in the comment section. 
• When you have completed the 3,000 pages, leave a comment in CAPITAL LETTERS saying that you have done so. At that point, I will go back and double check your page numbers that you have recorded along the way. 
• The winner will be the first person to finish all 3,000 pages. The first, second, and third place winners will receive gift certificates to book stores. The top five winners will receive honorable mention. 

I hope you all take advantage of this challenge... you have nothing to lose and only wonderful entertainment to gain! Here are a few lists to help you get the juices flowing for ideas of great books to read. Remember that each Coconut Library Book Club selection will count towards pages read. Please comment below or e-mail me with any questions regarding the challenge. 

Good Luck!

Helpful Lists:

Cult Classics

Best for book Clubs

Best Humorous Books

Best Non-Fiction

Light (but not too dumb) Reads

Comments

[Teresa]

I can definately do this, count me in!

[Coconut Library]

Great! Welcome to the challenge. 5 more days... get those books ready. :)

[Amanda]

With the amount I read, I'd be silly not to do this. Consider this page book-marked!

[Zoe]

I'm definitely in! Do we need to start a new book June 1st or just start at whatever page number we are on as of June 1st of the book we're in the middle of reading?

[jaydek]

Yay! I can easily do this with my other summer reading challenge since it's focused on page count.

[Coconut Library]

Zoe -- fantastic! Just start counting on June 1. But remember, if you are in the middle of the book, you can only count the amount of pages you read AFTER the start of the challenge. I'm glad you're joining in on the book club also... hopefully we will like it as much as everyone else does!

jaydek -- good! That's what I was hoping. There are so many challenges that people are doing and book club books, etc. So this way we will all be motivated to keep up with what's on our lists. :)

[Nadia]

This sounds like just what I need to get me out of my reading rut. Grea idea! Definitely count me in, too!!

[Amanda]

Is it lame that it's the 1st and I've already finished a book?

Anyway, I just finished A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller (http://www.librarything.com/work/book/60642352). I had already read the first 138 pages as of this morning, and there are 288 pages, so that gives me:

150 pages this book

Total: 150 pages

[Coconut Library]

No way Amanda! Way to beat me to it. I thought I was going to be the first one getting serious about this! haha! Love that I've got some competition/ motivation....

Yesterday I picked up Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on page 172 and read through the end to page 590 (I had it on my Kindle, but checked it against the paperback version). That gives me a total of 418.

Total as of June 1: 418 pages

[Zoe]

Wow, I feel like a slacker :P I'm slogging my way through The Shadow of the Wind. Even though I'm almost halfway through, it really hasn't grabbed me yet. Did you like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Wallace? That's one of my favorite books! The sequel, The Girl Who Played with Fire, is even better!!!

[Amanda]

Oh The Shadow of the Wind is on my tbr pile.... "Slogging" doesn't sound like it'll be getting a favorable review though, lol.

[Amanda]

1 day later, but way more pages, lol. :-P

[Coconut Library]

Funny because there's nothing in particular about the story line that has totally caught me yet either, but I read a good hundred pages last night in about one sitting. I was thinking about how strange that is that I kept reading. I don't dislike it at all -- just waiting for the hook.

LOVED Tattoo! I need to get the next one ASAP, but will finish Shadow first. Good to hear the sequel is even better. I the third is the best yet!

[Amanda]

Ok, I just finished From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (http://www.librarything.com/work/4387805/book/60780348).

336 pages this book

Total: 486 pages

Review will be up on my blog Monday!

[Amanda]

Sorry, I forgot we're supposed to list the date. That last is as of June 5th.

[Amanda]

Just realized I forgot to put in the date here too. That total was as of June 1st. :-)

[Zoe]

Finally finished THE SHADOW OF THE WIND! Started on page 96 and read to the end, page 487.

Total as of June 5: 391

The second half of the book was much better :)

[Coconut Library]

Oh good! I'm at page 122 (my assessment of week one will be out on Tuesday... let me know if you agree with what I say), and I'm drawn in. I need to grab a bit of time and read during the day instead of at night before bed! :)

[Amanda]

Yay! The competition thickens. ;-)

[Zoe]

Just finished 'Royal Poxes & Potions: The Lives of Court Physicians, Surgeons & Apothecaries' today, June 8th. 320 pages.

Total as of June 8th: 711 pages

[Coconut Library]

Look at you! You are a rock star reader. I need to get my butt in gear... or rather out of gear and over to my reading chair! :)

[Zoe]

I'm just super-duper competative ;)

I got the Sarah Silverman book today - thank you!

[Zoe]

Wow, I blew through the Sarah Silverman book - it was HILARIOUS! 'The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee'. Finished June 9. 240 pages.

Total as of June 9: 951 pages

[Coconut Library]

You DID blow through that! It was really funny, right? I laughed out loud a lot!

Ok, I'm almost done with The Family Man and am working my way through The Shadow of the Wind. Hopefully by the end of the weekend I will have racked up some more pages. :)

[Amanda]

I went to her reading of that here in Boston and she signed my book to me. She's a lot more reserved in person!