ChainReading Farewell

Well, my break has turned into a decision to stop book blogging. It's been a great couple of years, and it definitely fulfilled me in many ways that I needed. It's been wonderful to find out about other "kindred spirits" who also love to read, and share thoughts about books we've read. I'm still amazed that there were people out there who would take time to read my blog. Thank you! It definitely has made me happy to see visitors and comments.

I'm on to other projects--hopefully a productive vegetable garden and going back to college, among other things. I most likely will not be able to resist reading my favorite book blogs. And of course I will still read books, although maybe not as much. I will just keep track of all of that on GoodReads.

I'm not going to delete or close the blog, just in case any of my posts are of interest to anyone at anytime. (I did however make my ChainNotes blog private. I didn't realize it would be a forum for students trying to get me to do their homework for them, and more recently a place to vent with profanity their hatred for certain books.) And, who knows, maybe in a few years I won't be able to resist starting up again!

Happy reading and blogging to all!!

Countdown Challenge Complete

I'm taking a quick little break from my break to list my books read for the Countdown Challenge. I tried to ignore it, but I was so close to being done I had to finish it. I haven't posted about all of them, but here's the final list:


2009
1. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
2. Honolulu by Alan Brennert
3. Perpetual Check by Rich Wallace
4. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
5. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
6. The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice
7. Winnie's War by Jenny Moss
8. Charles and Emma: the Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman
9. The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket

2008
1. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
2. Nation by Terry Pratchett
3. The Memorist by M.J. Rose
4. The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson
5. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
6. So Brave, Young and Handsome by Leif Enger
7. Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale
8. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2007
1. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
2. Zoo Station by David Downing
3. A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
4. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
5. The Shack by William P. Young
6. The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien
7. Extras by Scott Westerfeld

2006
1. Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
2.The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing Volume I: The Pox Party by M. T. Anderson
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
4. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
5. Larklight by Philip Reeve
6. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

2005
1. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
2. The Penderwicks by Jeane Birdsall
3. Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
4. Ireland by Frank Delaney
5. Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway


2004
1. Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
2. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Schmidt
3. Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
4. Gilgamesh: A New English Version by Stephen Mitchell

2003
1. The Kite Runner
2. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon


2002
1. Blessings by Anna Quindlan
2. Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella

2001
1. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park


Thank you 3M of 1MoreChapter for hosting this challenge. I'm looking forward to Countdown 2010, which should start on 9/9/09 and end on 10/10/10!!