Reading Challenges - Update for Short Challenges

Here's a post of all the Reading Challenges I'm doing for 2016. This current post is just an update on the ones that have a time limit. 

Tower Teams IV: Tower Teams is OVER! A winner was crowned yesterday (1/24/2016).  For those who don't know, The Tower Teams challenges are hosted/ organized through Novel Books and Reading Challenges group on Goodreads. The goal is for a team to get to 25,000 points, gathered by reading books that fit in certain categories or criteria.

Our team came in 4th for most improved, whatever that means, and 14th (which was the middle) for the overall point score. It was a lot of fun and super challenging to keep up with all the activity in the group. The challenge is full of mini-challenges and Book of the Month participation. It was crazy. I had originally volunteered as team co-captain but had to step down because I had no idea what was going on. 

Because there were so many categories and you get points based on the number of pages you read, regardless, I just focused on reading the books I wanted to read and they almost always counted towards something. This must have been an okay strategy, because I basically came in second within the group. We had one chick we was a rock star. For example, I read 46 books as part of the challenge (tied with two other teammates). The Super Star read 75 books. I also read the second highest number of pages and got the second highest number of total points. It was a totally fun reading group and I might participate in another one.

14n4 - This is the Facebook Challenge group that I "run." It's a challenge to read 14 books in 4 months. January is the third month, so February is the last month to finish all the categories. I've got 4 books to go to complete the challenge I think, because I FAILED to read the book club book that would have counted as my Memoir book. I also have left: a book with Fall or Winter in the title and a microhistory. I refuse to read that one about Salt. I CANNOT!

Question for Readers: What Makes it a #Diverse Book?

Diversity matters. It does. Well, to be fair: diversity matters if you are interested in higher achievement scores, thinking processes, decision making, interpersonal relationships, enjoyment, and developmental outcomes for those involved. I guess if you don't care about any of those things, you might disagree that diversity matters and might argue that it's not important. 

This post isn't about talking anyone into believing that or about spouting off facts that make it true. I'm going to assume that we are all on the same page about that or that you don't need that underlying assumption to engage in a meaningful conversation about diversity in books. 

There's been a shift that I have noticed in the focus on making sure that there are diverse characters in books and other media. It may be that this shift happened 100 years ago and I've just opened my eyes to it. But I don't think so. At the very least, there seems to be a renewed interest in expanding what we think of as diverse characters (to include not just race and gender but also religion, class, sexual orientation, nationality) and to encourage and support authors who are from diverse backgrounds. Just go check out the #RepresentationMatters hashtag on twitter if you don't believe me. This is a THING. Writers who rely solely on homogenous, non-realistic/ representative characters are being called out for their ignorance and their seemingly purposeful attempts to thwart the benefits to all readers of seeing different points of view in their books and media. Interestingly, this shift is also happening in the job market, education, teaching, and training in higher education.

So, here's my diversity problem of the month. I've decided to add a little WNDB sticker to my book reviews for books that count as having characters or author's from an "underrepresented" backgrounds. But, what counts as diversity? I'm still working on this for myself.

Is it enough that a character is not explicitly described as being a middle aged, white, cis-male, heterosexual with a job? Does it count if a "minority" character is described and is the secretary or running a shop that is visited several times in the story but has no development of their own? How important is diversity and the descriptions of diversity if they characters are elves and trolls? I mean, can it be considered representation if the characters are all mythical but have different skin tones and same- sex partnerships? Does an author count as diverse if they are white- appearing but from Spain? What if! What if, there are characters who are described as diverse but the fact that they come from different backgrounds plays no role in the story, at all? If you can remove a person's diversity and it doesn't change the story, does it matter? You see what I'm saying?

So, without considering these things, we really are left with very superficially diverse stories and characters. I'm still working on my criteria, so right now it's really like the difference between porn and art: I know it when I see it. And some things are much more obvious than others.

What's your minimum criteria to consider a book a #diverse book?


Related post on this blog: Diversity and My Little Free Library

Related posts elsewhere on the interwebs:

• Where is the African American Harry Potter or the Mexican Katniss?
• Diversity in literature
• Messages for Parents: Talking to Children about Diversity
• Daniel José Older creates female black heroes to make fantasy more real

Book Review: We Are Called to Rise by Laura McBride

This was one of those Barnes and Noble Buy 2 get one free books. Is anyone else completely roped in by this BN ploy? Even if I have ZERO interest in every single book on the table, there is an almost 90% chance I am walking out with 3 - 6 books when they have this "sale" going on. I am such a sucker. There is really no reason for them to be my favorite major chain bookseller. But, alas, they are.

Here's the modified Goodreads summary:
"An immigrant boy whose family is struggling to assimilate. A middle-aged housewife coping with an imploding marriage and a troubled son. A social worker at home in the darker corners of Las Vegas. A wounded soldier recovering from an injury he can't remember getting. By the time we realize how these voices will connect, the impossible and perhaps the unbearable has already happened. "We Are Called to Rise" is a boomtown tale, in which the lives of people from different backgrounds and experiences collide in a stunning coincidence. When presented the opportunity to sink into despair, these characters rise. Through acts of remarkable charity and bravery, they rescue themselves. Emotionally powerful yet tender and intimate, "We Are Called to Rise "is a novel of redemption and unexpected love." 

My Must Reads of 2015 - YA Edition

Don't miss my post of must read grown up books. I've only separated out Adult and YA books to make the posts easier for me, but my actual Goodreads shelf is not separated. Feel free to check it out. And to be my friend. Does that sound desperate? Whatever. Basically, I've given up on trying to pick my favorite 10 books and am showing you books that I shelved as Must Reads for 2015. I shelve books as must reads as I go along. This whole trying- to- compare- books- across- 12- months thing is nutso! Hats off to all of you who are able to do it well.

Apparently, I didn't do full review posts for many YA novels this year, which is interesting. What was I thinking!? I read some AWESOME YA. Maybe it's because most of my YA reading was at the beginning of the year because of my Rochester Teen Book Festival challenge and I didn't really start blogging/ reviewing until the end of the year. 

Let me see if I can do a few of these justice: 

Book Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

I know exactly when I bought this book. It was at the 2014 Rochester Teen Book Festival, May 17th. I have tried to volunteer at the event each year since I discovered it. That year, I was paired with an author. Each author at the festival gets an adult and a team of teens to show them around, get them stuff, fight off the hordes of adoring fans, etc. Guess who I was paired with. I'll tell you. It was Marie Rutkoski. ::feigned gasp:: I didn't know Dr. Rutkoski's work very well, though I read The Cabinet of Wonders when I found out that I would be her helper for the day. The Cabinet of Wonders, by the way, was quite good. Excellent premise and interesting fantasy elements. Also, I would like a little metal spider, if anyone has one to give me for keepsies. I haven't finished that trilogy, though it is on my "read before I die" list. I can't find the picture I took with the team that fateful day, which totally sucks because I recall having fabulous hair that day!

Update: found it!

Anyway, Dr. Rutkoski was a lovely person, and by the fourth time I heard her talk about the book and her inspiration for it, I was hooked. She also talked about throwing knives and busted fish tanks, and who wouldn't like that.

The Winner's Curse is about two people, really, though I'm sure I would have thought it was simply about Kestrel if I wasn't really paying attention. Kestrel is the general's daughter, rich, respected, restless in her privileged life. She has to choose, soon, if she will join the military or marry an appropriate suitor. She's a good person, as she must be, right? She's actually none to happy about the slave trade. Arin, also known as Smith, is the slave that Kestrel buys, perhaps on a whim. Dr. Rutkoski spilled the beans for me, so I'm spilling the beans for you: Arin is a spy and a war is coming. Before that, Arin and Kestrel become friends, make waves, and generally try to out wit each other, which is just what nerds do on their way to love.

The Winner's Curse is WONDERFUL. It's fast paced and interesting and the first time the two primary characters meet is at least a little different. A little in that it takes place at a slave auction and one of them is the slave. The rest is kinda the usual. You know that Arin is not what he seems and you hope, along with him, that he is able to balance his loyalties in a way that work out for everyone. Obviously, that can't happen in the first book. The author is an excellent world- builder and the writing is great, which is good because I hold Professor Rutkoski to an absurdly high standard given that she teaches English. 

I have already requested the second book in the series from the library with a plan to own the whole trilogy for my own shelves. I hope that I have the opportunity to hear her speak about her books, again. I look forward to hearing her updated thoughts about the story as well as her thoughts about the controversy surrounding the publisher's decision to change the cover art to show Kestrel in fighting clothes. I kid you not, it's apparently a thing. Kestrel is "known for her strategy not her fighting" is one argument I've heard against the new cover. But she's also not know for being in a froo froo dress... but whatever. Both formal dress AND bad-ass military chick covers are overplayed and underwhelming, in my opinion.

The Winner's Curse is an actual economic concept. It's the idea that if you win an item by overbidding for it, you have the item but at too high a cost. Kestrel does, indeed, overpay for Arin. But the farther reaching consequences of having him in her life are much greater.

Book Review: Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement- Moore

My daughter shares many of my reading proclivities. For example, she has been known to go the library to borrow a book or two and leaving with a bag of 12 books she just HAS TO HAVE. She also still owes me money from a $74 library fine several years ago but I'm not one to bring up old stuff... no, siree. Anyway, it's pretty common for her to check out books that I keep after she's ready to have them returned. Case in point: Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement - Moore. 

Texas Gothic is the story of Amaryllis "Amy" Goodnight, a recent high school graduate who lives in Austin and goes to house sit her Aunt's ranch over the summer. The Goodnight family are all witchy, with magical potions, ghosts, and clairvoyance running in the family.  While on the ranch, Amy and her sister Delphinium "Phin" discover a ghost story that's haunting the town and making people a little nuts. Plus, there's a douchy pothead guy and a hot ass-holey cowboy guy who's all flawed and whatnot. You know the hunky neighbor who is totally a jerk but his life has been hard and you can save him from his bitterness if he would just let you! Yes, that guy. On a horse. 

The story blends in some good old fashioned YA tropes and a few Texas ghost stories.  It reminds me a little of Supernatural (the TV show). Ghosts are real and sometimes can be helpful; plus, you have to understand their story and figure out what's going on. It's also got some Scooby Doo elements, too: a rascally group of kids who are just walking around trying to solve a mystery and get almost dead!! Plus, there are the adults who are always in the way and wrapped up in their own bullshit schemes. It's even got a science driven, social awkward girl in Phin who reminds me a little of Egon from the Ghost Busters, but there is really no reason she should. 

Texas Gothic is long, in number of pages, but the story is quick and fun. Lots of action. The supernatural might be a week bit much for the sensitive child but tweens/ teens will probably like it. If they're into that sort of thing. 

Texas is known for many things, ghost stories are just some of the cooler things. The pic below links to tourist site to learn more. While you're there try the Whataburger, the BBQ, and the Mexican food. But try and avoid the politics. 

Book Review: The Golem and The Jinni (#MustRead)

This is one of those books that was recommended on some list for something or other. I actually worry that all of my social media sites are actually just becoming different places for lists of books I should read. It's ridiculous. So, maybe this book was on a list of books for people who like fairy tales, or fable creatures, or something. It could have been on a "best thing we read this week/ month" sort of a list. It's definitely made my best of 2015 list for the year.

This story is really about four characters:

• A rare female golem (Chava) made with curiosity and intelligence for her master, who promptly dies, and the man that created her. 
• A jinni (Ahmad) who has been trapped in a flask for 1000 years and can't remember how he got there, and the man that becomes his mentor and friend.
• There are a number of other characters that move the story along: a man who is struggling to keep a homeless shelter open with scraps, a love- seeking young girl that Chava works with and befriends, etc. 

If I die before reading all these books - Books in Progress (#NaBloPoMo)

A few years ago, I heard someone say something like: After a person dies, you can tell what they loved by how they spent their time and their money. I was already a pretty active volunteer at that time (I think I was at a Girl Scout event) but I also set up a few automatic charitable donations shortly thereafter. I realized that I didn't want the useless junk I buy for myself to speak louder than the causes I care about. Thinking about that today, before I head into surgery, led me to thinking about what my current Books in Progress would tell someone if they were looking after I died. Just to clarify, though, I have no worries that this surgery is going to go badly and I know I'll be super healthier once my defective uterus is feeding the fishes. So to speak.

Anyway, Here's what I'm reading... kind of.

Clockworkers by Ramsey Isler. Now, I added this book to my #TBR list at the end of 2014. And the last time I posted that I was supposedly reading it was August 2015. The problem is not the book. I really like this cute story (it's cute so far) about a girl who finds out her father new elves. Suspicion and high jinks ensue. It would be a quick read if I would just sit and read it. I have it on my kindle app on my phone and have been slowly working my way through it whenever I am stuck somewhere without a regular or audio-book. But I ALWAYS have a book, so it's like the pretty girl at the dance with an empty dance card. I will read this. I will. I've nominated it a couple of times for the #BlerdBookClub chat just to give me a deadline!! It didn't work.

The Pox Party: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson. Matt is a writer I admire for his work but also for his way with the kids. But this audio-book is kind of boring. I'd tried to read it in print form and that was kind of boring, too. I think it's because of the style of the language. The shitty thing, for me though, is that I really want to know what happens!! Again, I like his style and his stories. I'm just not that into Octavian.

The Child Thief by Brom. This book has been getting a lot of buzz, lately. Or maybe that's just in my world. I've only made a small inconsequential dent in this massive tome. Massive. It's almost 500 huge pages. It's a Peter Pan horror retelling and I really like it so far. The author is also an artist and the pictures in the books are beautiful. But it's too big to carry around for general purpose. I'm taking it to the hospital with me. 

So basically, if someone were to take a look at my reading in progress, they'd think I was into fairy tales (true), have trouble finishing things with no clear deadline (true), and love reading (true). Maybe they would see me as whimsical, a fun- loving kind of gal. I think those are the nice words for Heads in the Clouds and immature, right? The thing about being judged is that judgments really tell you as much about the judge-r as they do about the judge-ee. 

Ultimately, and most importantly, if I ever don't make it home for whatever reason, someone please return my library books!!

What I do When I'm Not Reading (or blogging!) #NaBloPoMo

#NaBloPoMo happens every month. Can you imagine challenging yourself to participating every month and blogging every single day? Well, some of you might do that anyway but there’s no way I could for many many many reasons. As I was thinking about all the things that get in the way of me posting as much as I would like to: EUREKA! Post idea!

What I do when I’m not reading.

FAMILY: 
Spending time with my family! I've got two teenagers and their dad. My oldest offspring just went to stay with her grandparents for a while. She turned 18 and NEEDED TO GET OUT!! But before that, we were into zoos, and road trips and sitting around doing nothing. And me taking books to sports events. 

Hubbo isn't into having his picture taken! (Red Wings game)

FRIENDS:
Technically, I hang out with most of my friends as part of Book Club, so it's reading related! But last month we also went on a wine tour!! 

The THE-AH-TAH:

I'm into theatre and try to attend shows that come through when I can. I have gotten into community theatre recently and would love to be able to be more involved on the stage, but my schedule doesn't always allow me to. Last month I did a children's show called The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf, which pretty much sent me completely behind in all other areas of my life (including my reading time!). But it was totally fun and I loved working with the people in the cast. When I can't commit to doing a show, I bug the hell out of the theatre people I know so that I can be part of the crew or help out with the show in other ways. 

 

Trial of the Big Bad Wolf

Mary Poppins craziness!

Selling merchandise for James and the Giant Peach

Waiting in the wings for our cue to move set pieces! 

WORK:

I'm putting this at the end but really, the bulk of my time is spent as a psychologist. I work mostly with children, teens, and families who are struggling with some sort of behavioral or emotional concern. I provide psyc services in an outpatient clinic and in a doctor’s office. I also spend a lot of time with trainees as a supervisor helping clinicians- in- training become the best clinicians they can be! I’m also involved in a few extra projects at work that let me work in Head Start centers and doing more research – kinds of activities.  I love my job(s) but it’s long hours, sometimes, and much much much more paperwork than I would prefer to have to do. I also have a private practice and try to have a pretty active professional Facebook profile page. I also have a professional blog with is woefully neglected. Maybe I will pick a month to #NaBloPoMo for that one! I'm a child, family, and mental health advocate and most of my non-reading extra- curricular activities stem from my work.

For example:

I run the facebook page for the clinic where I work and am the media maven for the Genesee Valley Psychological Association. I’m also the immediate past- President. I’m on the Board of the New York Chapter of the Association for Family and Conciliation Courts, a group of people focused on making court systems work better for the children and families that come through them. I volunteer as the facilitator of The ACT program, a workshop for parents who are getting divorced that teaches them about the legal process but also how to help their children manage their divorce.  I’ve just been asked to join the Mental Health and Wellness Board for a new girl’s Charter School. I also live tweet when I attend community mental health presentations @KMalcolmPhD.

And of course, there's this:

 

Mission: #ROCTBF2016 Already!! (#NaBloPoMo)

Each year we have an annual event in Rochester called the Teen Book Festival. I say "we," but I really have nothing to do with it, except that I volunteer every year. It's kind of a big deal. Here's a recap from a real life teen, Emily (whom I know not), of last year's event. She did a great job, and this is her pic of the opening ceremony, also known as Truth or Dare with the authors. 

Last year, I challenged myself to read one book by each of the 30 authors that were scheduled to present in what I called Mission: RocTBF2015 (click for my recap). Genius title, right? I almost made it, too, if it weren't for those meddling kids and their dog! Oh, wait. That was something else. Anyway,

This year is Mission: RocTBF2016! The confirmed author list is up to 25 already!! I've read books by six of the authors and pending how I do with the rest of them, I might challenge myself to read a new one by each of them. Here is my pre- Mission prep table. Clearly, It's a work in progress. #JudgeMe

Author	Read	Top Picks
Jesse Andrews		Me, Earl and the Dying Girl (own)
Cathleen Davitt Bell		I Remember You
Charles Benoit*	Fall from Grace
Anna Breslaw		Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here
Tim Federle		Tequila Mockingbird
K. L. Going		Pieces of Why, Garden of Eve
Harriet Reuter Hapgood		The Square Root of Summer
Rachel Hawkins		Hex Hall
Ellen Hopkins*	Burned
A. S. King*	Reality Boy; Ask the Passengers
Justine Labalestier
Mercedes Lackey
Carolyn Mackler
Kekla Magoon		How it Went Down (own)
Ridley Pearson		Disney After Dark
Tamora Pierce*	Song of the Lioness 1-4
Gary Schmidt		Ok for Now, Orbiting Jupiter
Steve Sheinkin
Alan Sitomer
Jessica Spotswood		Born Wicked
Robin Talley		Lives We Tell Ourselves, What We Left Behind
Janet B. Taylor
Terry Trueman*	Stuck in Neutral
Scott Westerfeld*	Uglies, Afterworld, Peeps
Suzanne Young		The Program