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Post by Claire on May 31, 2015 21:07:33 GMT 1
Hi all I just can't believe we are nearly into Summer already! Could be because of the atrocious Spring weather we've been having in the UK!
Anyhow I am hoping that a few of you will sign up for another Reading Challenge this year.
For those who haven't taken part before the aim is to choose up to 10 books to read over the summer and try and finish them all by the end of the challenge. We post on here to describe the various books we have read and whether we liked them or not. I also set up a special web page where we can see each other's progress and award smiley or frowny faces to the books and there are 'virtual rosettes' to the readers when they have read a certain number of titles. To give a little variety to the challenge we decide upon a number of categories of book which it is suggested you try and fulfil with your book list. There is no need to choose 10 titles - if you don't have much time or you are a slow reader you can just choose 3 or 4.
These are the categories we had last year.
AN OLD CLASSIC PONY STORY A NEW PONY STORY (2013/2014) A PONY STORY BY AN AUTHOR YOU HAVEN'T READ BEFORE A STORY ABOUT ANY ANIMAL OTHER THAN AN EQUINE A NON PONY BOOK BY A PONY AUTHOR A BOOK SET IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN YOUR OWN
I think we will stick to the Old Classic and New Pony Book categories, but if anyone has suggestions for the other categories please post here.
Please also post here to let me know if you would like to take part. We normally start the challenge some time in July so that will hopefully give us time to get everything sorted.
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Post by brumby on Jun 1, 2015 0:02:53 GMT 1
I'm keen I love the Summer Reading Challenge, here in Australia its great to curl up with a pony book in the depths of winter! Looks like it will be a wet one we've had plenty of rain this Autumn (although probably not a lot by English weather standards )
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 1, 2015 2:14:44 GMT 1
I guess == well, ok, I know! lol == I'm a nonconformist, but I think it would be great if we could just choose 10 books this year of any category, so we can all tackle our mounting TBR piles if we wanted. The categories are great for ideas and discussion, but maybe choosing according to the categories could be optional??
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Post by trixiepony on Jun 1, 2015 7:07:27 GMT 1
Yes think I'll be in again Claire.
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Post by haffyfan on Jun 1, 2015 18:31:32 GMT 1
A yes for me again too please.
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Post by susanb on Jun 1, 2015 19:20:34 GMT 1
I'll join in as well....just have to scour the tbr pile to figure out what has a print size I can get on with (the new glasses aren't working out as hoped)
A suggestion, as the reading circle's May read is running over....why not let people use Dark Sunshine as one of their challenge books, if they like, and sort of run a mini-reading circle on it?
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Post by Claire on Jun 1, 2015 23:16:02 GMT 1
I'll join in as well....just have to scour the tbr pile to figure out what has a print size I can get on with (the new glasses aren't working out as hoped) A suggestion, as the reading circle's May read is running over....why not let people use Dark Sunshine as one of their challenge books, if they like, and sort of run a mini-reading circle on it? Thats an excellent idea Susan. Rally - I like your idea of not having categories this year. I may try that and see how it goes. I would suggest that we all try and read 1 newish book though, just to keep us up to date with the current pony book offerings. What do other people think?
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Post by susanb on Jun 1, 2015 23:45:47 GMT 1
I like the idea of keeping it open, Claire...I've got a lot of books I haven't yet read, but being able to pick 'em based on print rather than category will be a help! I've still got books two and three of Lauren St. John's Dollar Horse trilogy, and The War that Saved My Life which just came out this year, so should be able to do a "new" book too.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2015 6:41:26 GMT 1
I'm sorry to hear that Susan, I hoped you be one of the lucky ones that gets on with them. My mother, after having her cataracts done, has just bought a new pair and walked out of the shop wearing them with no trouble at all. Grrr! Having said that she is finding reading more of a challenge this time, as before the op she would take her varifocals off to read like a lot of people do. Now she can't do that. But she says she is getting used to it slowly. Sorry well off topic!
I'm afraid I don't think I will be able to join in properly this year as my life is rather topsy-turvy. Perhaps if it is all right with you Claire I could just read the odd book now and then over the summer and join in that way? Although I'm not sure that will work as you have to set the page up and I don't know what I'll be reading!
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Post by susanb on Jun 2, 2015 15:47:38 GMT 1
Thanks, Rosie.....I'm hoping that maybe it's just that they're not sitting properly, and am planning to go back to have frames adjusted...maybe that will help! Sorry things are topsy-turvy at the moment....hope everything straightens out ok. I think you were going to do Dark Sunshine, so that might be a place to start? I'm in a not great place myself right now....just got laid off....back on the job hunting trail for me I plan to pick pure comfort reads for my list this year, that's for sure!
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Post by Claire on Jun 2, 2015 16:04:08 GMT 1
Sorry to hear about everyone's troubles. Hope you find a new job soon Susan. I'm in a state of flux with everything at the moment too so I know what its like. Rosie no worries if you can't join in properly - as Susan says you can at least join in with the Dark Sunshine reading circle read, and if you want to talk about books you have read on the Reading Challenge thread thats fine even if you don't have a set list of them.
Yep I think I'll just let people pick whatever books they want to this time. I'll get a dedicated thread set up shortly. So everyone get your thinking caps on and your TBR piles out!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2015 12:51:07 GMT 1
Oh dear Susan Good luck with finding a new job. Thanks Claire, I'll join in with Dark Sunshine
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Post by trixiepony on Jun 4, 2015 9:34:13 GMT 1
By when do you need our book list Claire?. See how I go this year.
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Post by Claire on Jun 4, 2015 20:48:12 GMT 1
By when do you need our book list Claire?. See how I go this year. No hurry for book lists yet. We usually start in July so if people could possibly get their lists in for then it would be great. But as with previous years anyone can join in later. I will set up a dedicated thread for the Challenge in the next few days.
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Post by garej on Jun 5, 2015 20:50:05 GMT 1
I will join in though I am doubting that I will choose ten books as I have only managed 8 since I have done the challenge. I doubt that I will join in with Dark Sunshine as I dont have a copy. I would like to read All that Glitters because it qualifies as a new book.
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Post by kunuma1 on Jun 6, 2015 14:31:25 GMT 1
Yes I'm up for it, will def do the ten, had a bad night last night and read three books in one night!! Plus have finished the Game of Thrones series so in desperation have started rereading the whole Saddle Club series!! Need to be distracted!
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Post by Claire on Jun 6, 2015 18:17:08 GMT 1
Not back to the Saddle Club again Kumuma you must have read them more than anyone on the planet!!! There's still a copy of Dark Sunshine left up for grabs if you want it Garej. And if there's more people interested than copies no problem as it could be passed on to someone else when one of us has read it. No way I will manage 10! I'll probably pick about 7.
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Post by haffyfan on Jun 6, 2015 19:21:22 GMT 1
Yes I'm up for it, will def do the ten, had a bad night last night and read three books in one night!! Plus have finished the Game of Thrones series so in desperation have started rereading the whole Saddle Club series!! Need to be distracted! lol desperate times eh? Considering i'm still on Sword of stones i think i'll be lucky to manage one book for the summer read...unless i can have 1 or 2 non horsey of course. Like the idea of it being a bit more free as i don't have anything 'new' i haven't read but i do have a couple of Linda Chapman books (i think she's the author anyhow) i'd like to get round to reading.
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Post by kunuma1 on Jun 9, 2015 15:00:48 GMT 1
Have read Dark Sunshine but am going to pretend I haven't and have that as one of my summer reading challenge books, Claire can I count Monica Edwards as a pony book writer who wrote non pony books? I tried not to read it so quickly but it is impossible for me to have a book in the house I haven't read - I just can't do it!
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Post by Claire on Jun 11, 2015 8:11:24 GMT 1
Claire can I count Monica Edwards as a pony book writer who wrote non pony books? We are just having a free choice this year Kunuma. Anything goes, non-pony too, although preferably a few pony ones included and it would be good to try and fit in something newish. Sorry I haven't set up the dedicated thread yet folks. Life's been a bit hectic the past few days!
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Post by kunuma1 on Jun 11, 2015 12:57:35 GMT 1
Claire can I count Monica Edwards as a pony book writer who wrote non pony books? Life's been a bit hectic the past few days! OMG What are you up to now? ??
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Post by susanb on Jun 11, 2015 13:54:19 GMT 1
Hoping it's good hectic, Claire!
I like the free choice format....with not having to slot in specific categories, I'm looking at a list of 9 or 10 pony books....possibility of one non-pony. One is new this year (The Glory by Lauren St. John*), 6 are authors I've never read before and 1 is an adult title; half are American, half are British. Several have been lurking in the tbr pile for YEARS!
*I'm thinking The Glory is a good one for a new title, because it's also about an endurance test, as is Dark Sunshine....should be cool to compare/contrast two books with a fairly unusual discipline written so many decades apart!
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Post by Claire on Jun 11, 2015 20:24:08 GMT 1
Life's been a bit hectic the past few days! OMG What are you up to now? ?? Haha its OK Kunuma it doesn't involve men this time! Susan thanks for asking yes its good hectic, partly good for me partly for a friend. I'm going to check out The Glory. It would be good to compare the two from different eras. Not really on topic but I wonder how many pony books there are featuring endurance races - I can't think of many, there are some of long distance rides like T. Tschiffely's Tale of Two Horses. May start a thread about this topic if I have a spare mo.
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Post by trixiepony on Jun 12, 2015 0:09:18 GMT 1
I have asked at the Liberty about getting sum pony books in. Wounded what will turn up.
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Post by susanb on Jun 13, 2015 17:46:49 GMT 1
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Post by rallycairn on Jun 13, 2015 18:52:19 GMT 1
Hummer by Linda Gruenberg is a great one about endurance. One of the few I sold through the bookstore I had in the early 2000's that I wish I could have kept.
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Post by trixiepony on Jun 16, 2015 11:04:03 GMT 1
I went to the library today 2 books there for me Bonnie & Sam Saving Mr Pinto by Alison Lester and Roland Harvey, and Stacy Gregg Comet and the Champions Cup, thay have to be back in 2 weeks is it ok if there 2 off mien Claire. Or would it be too early if I start know?.
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Post by susanb on Jun 16, 2015 16:24:44 GMT 1
ooops....just realized that you need our lists before you can set the thread up, don't you Claire? Here's mine:
Old Classic- Dark Sunshine by Dorothy Lyons New - The Glory by Lauren St. John Flying Ebony by Iris Vinton Skylark Farm by Joan Beckman Penny's Bargain Horse by Kate Wehren Pony Trekking Summer by Jane McIlwaine Four Ponies by Judith Campbell Steep Farm Stable by Mona Sandler Gin and Murder by Josephine Pullein-Thompson (adult) Timbered Treasure by Mildred Wirt (non-pony)
a mix, for me...one re-read (Dark Sunshine); several authors I've never read before, (Iris Vinton, Joan Beckman, Kate Wehren, Jane McIlwaine, Judith Campbell), one adult book by a familiar author, (JPT) and my summer treat...the third in Mildred Wirt's Trailer series (four book series, have been allowing myself one book per summer to stretch them out!)
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2015 19:19:09 GMT 1
Only one on my list for now Dark Sunshine. Thank you Susan.
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Post by susanb on Jun 16, 2015 20:09:24 GMT 1
You're welcome! Hope you enjoy it!
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