First Challenge Accepted: Get Ready! Get Set! Read! Summer Reading Challenge 2012

I have been looking around for the first book challenge that I would accept to put on this blog and I have decided to go with this summer challenge since I am currently off school. This challenge can be found at the following link: http://readingwriters-pet.blogspot.com/2012/05/getready-get-set-read-summer-reading.html

The criteria of the challenge is as followed with my selections if available:

Choose any title in the following categories:

1. A book in an unfamiliar genre [Read outside your comfort zone!]

The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow by Joyce Magnin- This book is considered christian fiction, which is a genre that I have never read in the past because of my deep-seated loathing of Christianity. I figured though that I shouldn't always judge before I have read something out of the genre thus I am giving this book a chance. One of the big reasons for choosing this is that it has a central female character directly in the title, which the focus of a female character sometimes makes it easier to read a book for me. We shall see if it is true in this case.

2. A book that is part of a series-

More Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin- This is book 2 in the Tales of the City series, which I have been meaning to read for years now. This challenge seems like a good time to knock it off my list.

3. A book that your friend or wider society has been raving about!

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer- This is a book that I personally never thought I would read, but the fact is a friend of mine talked me into it recently, so this seems like a perfect time to actually kill two birds with one stone.

4. A book that ‘could’ [This category is open to your interpretation*]

Effective Grant Writing and Program Evaluation by Francis K. O. Yuen- I am selecting this as my "could" book because this is a book that could help me graduate because it is one of the required books for a class I am in this summer. If I read it and get an A in the course I could graduate down the road with my bachelors in Social Work.


5. A book from the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels List.

I am going to read from this list number 33 "Sister Carrie" by Theodore Dreiser. I heard about this book a few semesters ago in a history course and based on the description it always sounded like something I would enjoy reading at least once. I recently found a copy of this book at my local used bookstore and hadn't gotten around to reading it. Now I have a reason.

6. A book that reminds you of your childhood.

The Wakefields of Sweet Valley from Francine Pascals's Sweet Valley High Series. This series is one that I always enjoyed reading when I was young, but my grandmother who raised me was always telling me the series was for girls. This eventually caused me not to be allowed to check out the books, but now that I am adult I have numerous books in the series that I haven't gotten around to reading. This is the one that I have wanted to read the longest, thus this would be the perfect opportunity to knock it off my tbr shelf.

7. A banned or contested book, OR a book that lied to us*

Lord of the Flies by Willam Golding. This is a book that I was actually never required to read as a kid (I hear the bibliophiles gasping, but tis true). I found from various sources that it has been banned numerous times due to the use of a particular old-fashioned word. This is another book that I have always meant to read, but simply never got around to.

8. A book you judged by the cover. [For whatever reason, the cover attracted you.]

Family Pieces by Misa Rush. The cover of this book has a green background. A weirdly designed female with a necklace on. This cover for some reason just dragged me in based on a purely aesthetic level. If I ever made a book I would want my cover to look that beautiful. I guess I have discovered a simple cover is what I like best.

9. Bonus: A blog turned book [OR a book turned blockbuster movie]

Going to go with the book turned blockbuster here and read Nicholas Sparks "A Walk to Remember", which was a book made into a movie featuring Mandy Moore. I have never read the first Nicholas Sparks book, so this will let me know if I like him or not as a writer.

10. Bonus: Free choice!

Wicked by Gregory Maguire!!! This is another book that has been on my shelf for far too long, thus it is time to actually get it marked off.
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When I finished one of these selections I will strike it out, so that there is a cohesive collection of what I have read. I will also mark my postings with the correct label for this particular challenge to make it easier for your finding. I look forward to completing this challenge!!!