Update #4 Hour 18

2:31 am here and I'm struggling to stay awake but the hour 18 mini-challenge was a fun one and provide some much-needed laughter. On page 100 of my fourth book, The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum.

Stats-

Books: 3.2

Hours: 14

Pages: 796

Hour #17 Mini-Challenge

Lynn's Give Me 5 Mini-challenge

Here we go, my top 5 favorite children's books:

1. The Giving Tree

2. Where the Wild Things Are

3. Sneeches

4. Falling for Rapunzel

5. Meet Wild Boars

Update #3

It's 11 pm here in North Carolina - hour 16. I have only about 25 pages left of The Giver, which I am enjoying. I'm not a night person at ALL so I am getting pretty tired and the rest of the night is going to be a challenge to stay awake.

Stats:

Books Read: Almost 3!

Hours: 12

Pages: 680

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Book 1 for the YA Dystopian Challenge

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Jonas lives in a community that is completely structured and regulated, marriages are matched, perfect family units consist of two children, mom and dad; zero percent unemployment; bragging is not allowed and the climate is carefully controlled - no sunshine, rain or snow. The Old or sometimes the infants who are not up to snuff are "released" from the community.

"The life where nothing was ever unexpected. Or inconvenient. Or unusual. The life without color, pain or past."

At year 12, all children are given an "assignment" or job that they will have their entire lives until they enter the Home of the Old. Jonas is selected to become a Receiver, a person who will safeguard all the memories of the community. The memories, of pleasure, pain, color, music, misery, choices, etc. All the memories that are no longer remembered by the community because they would interfere with the new standard of "sameness."

This book made me think about life and how sometimes I just want it to be easy with no tantrums, screaming, whining or difficulties. That is how Jonas' life is - no challenges, but no choices either. I really liked reading about the community Lowry created. It is weird at the beginning when Jonas is eating dinner with his "family unit" and they are all pleasantly talking, almost like they are doing a comedy sketch of the perfect family. It is creepy and would be annoying to live like that. I could spend a great deal of time analyzing and thinking about this book, but since it is the readathon, on to the next!

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Update #2 Hour 11

Just checked into our hotel. Planning to get some room service and dive into The Giver.

Stats:

Books Read: 2

Pages: 526

Hours: 8.5

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

My rating: 4 of 5 stars DJ Schwenke is stuck working on her family's dairy farm all summer. Her dad hurt his hip and she is pretty much running the farm by herself. The summer takes an unexpected turn when she has the opportunity to train rival football team quarterback. Dj also learns to follow her own dreams instead of just doing what is expected just like one of the dairy cows. I love the first-person narrative in this story. Dj has a fun sense of humor that had me laughing out loud more than once. Definitely looking forward to the other books in this series. View all my reviews >>

Update #1

Books Read: 2

Pages read: 526

Our plan was to go to the hotel around 3, but we are still stuck on our fannie's at Tricia's house. Loving it so far, even with the lack of snacks. :)