Kyria: Another Bookmark Break Challenge 2011 Winner!

As Kyria put in her email to me, it is better late than never!!! Here is another winner of last year's wonderful Bookmark Break Challenge. Kyria read a toatl of 66 books, almost twice the amount of books I read last year, and still more than the goal I set for myself this year!!! WAH-HOO! Kyria is also taking part in the challenge this year!

But here is what Kyria had to say about last year...

Challenge Questions:

1.      Why did you join the Bookmark Break Challenge in 2011? I like to set goals for myself and this seemed like a fun way to set a reading goal, to interact with other bloggers and to have a healthy competition!

2.      Did you set a goal for yourself in this challenge? I wanted to read at least 52 books last year and to hopefully beat AubrieAnne and be in the top third of the readers in the challenge.

3.      Do you have a goal for this challenge in 2012? This year I also hope to read at least one book a week and to beat AubrieAnne. My loftier goal is to hopefully beat my own total from 2011 (66 books).

4.      How did you learn to read so fast!? I have always read a lot. I am not sure if that helps. Also, I think that we each make time for different things in our life. Reading, for me, is one of the most important things, so I make more time for it rather than other things.

5.      What was the kind of thing you were reading the most? (Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, a certain genre, books for school?) I mostly read fiction with a touch of nonfiction thrown in from time to time.

6.      How did your love for books begin? My mother probably. She used to be an avid reader.

7.      What was your favorite book you read this year and why? There were quite a few, but one that you may not have heard of is The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer. It was about Jewish brothers during WWII. It was very sad but enlightening at the same time.

8.      What was your least favorite book you read this year and why? I read a lot of pretty bad chick lit books which are not even worth mentioning, but one that I had high expectations of due to other blogger reviews was The Wednesday Letters. I didn’t love it. Maybe it was because people hyped it up.

9.      Any books you are looking forward to in 2011? My To-Read book list is about a mile long, but I have heard good things about The Night Circus. I will have to check that one out.

10.   Any advice for those entering the challenge in 2012? Pick short books!

Random Questions:

1.      What do you love the most about yourself?  I am organized.

2.      What’s the most random thing that popped into your head today? I want to go to Mexico.

3.      What’s your blog and what’s it about? My blog is Travel Spot and it’s a mix of life, books, travel, running and photography.

4.      Tell me and my readers 2 truths and 1 lie and we’ll try to guess the lie. I love dogs. I never sleep with my socks on. I have a toy penguin.

5.     Tell me and my readers something you hold true to your heart, some wisdom. I hate backstabbers. I would rather you tell me to my face what you think rather than talk behind my back. So, be honest with people! Don’t be a fraud. Be true to yourself.

Thanks, Kyria!!! I loved hearing from you and reading all your answers. Good luck in this year's challenge!!!

PoeKitten: Another Bookmark Break Challenge 2011 Winner!

PoeKitten from Many Waters

Poekitten joined the Bookmark Break Challenge in 2011, having read 114 books in total, and she is rejoining for the year of 2012! She's a fabulous competitor and I am so pleased to have her around 2 years in a row!
(NOTE: If you are a BMBC '11 Winner and you have not recieve the questionaire, please email me at redmatinee7007@aol.com and give me your email address. I was missing a few and plus my demon mailer shot some questionnaires back to me.)

Let's see what PoeKitten had to say!

Challenge Questions:

1.      Why did you join the Bookmark Break Challenge in 2011?
I thought it would be fun to keep track of how many books I read.  I love to read and knew that I read a lot but had never kept track.  This seemed like a great way to figure out how many books I read.
2.      Did you set a goal for yourself in this challenge?
Nope, just read as much as I could!
3.      Do you have a goal for this challenge in 2012?
Again, I just want to read as many as I can.  I did set a goal of 115 on Good Reads so I guess that works!  I read 114 last year and I’m hoping I can at least read as many as I did last year.  I didn’t increase it too much cause my first child is due in July and I’m not sure how much reading I’ll be able to do once munchkin arrives!
4.      How did you learn to read so fast!?
I have no idea.  I’ve always read fast but it can be a blessing and a curse.  I don’t always catch all the details.  I think this is why I don’t mind rereading books!
5.      What was the kind of thing you were reading the most? (Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, a certain genre, books for school?)
I was mostly reading Christian Fiction.  I got most of it for free on Amazon for my Kindle.   I did read other stuff too, like Harry Potter.
6.      How did your love for books begin?
It began before I could read.  I remember watching my mom read and I wanted to be able to read too!  I was so excited when I learned and I’ve never stopped.
7.      What was your favorite book you read this year and why?
I don’t have a single favorite.  I really enjoyed the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series.   The Hunger Games series was also enjoyable (though I hate saying that cause it’s not a fun/nice topic!)
8.      What was your least favorite book you read this year and why?
I’m not sure.  There were some that I didn’t think were as well written as others (that what you get for reading free books) but none that stick out in my mind.
9.      Any books you are looking forward to in 2011?
2011?  Do we mean 2012?  Um, not that I can think of.  I’m rereading some favorites now.  I’m hoping to get a little ahead in the beginning so I if I can’t read as much at the end of the year it will be ok.
10.   Any advice for those entering the challenge in 2012?
Just read.  Even reading for 5 or 10 minutes is good!  I bring my Kindle with me just about everywhere I go and if I have some downtime I love being able to read instead of wasting it.

Random Questions:

1.      What do you love the most about yourself?
This is a hard one.  Um, I love my eyes.  They’re brown and I just like them.
2.      What’s the most random thing that popped into your head today?
How I really want to have baked chicken for today.  Food hasn’t been sounding good so I’m excited that something finally does!
3.      What’s your blog and what’s it about?
My blog is called Many Waters and it’s about my life.  I write about being a military spouse, what I’m sewing/crafting, what we’re doing on our house, our about furbabies (we have 4) and about being pregnant.  Before we were pregnant I did share a little bit about our struggle with infertility.  It’s a little bit of everything.
4.      Tell me and my readers 2 truths and 1 lie and we’ll try to guess the lie.

• I love to eat Salmon
• I have at least 5 quilts to finish is my sewing room at the moment
• I lived in Asia for 3 years.

So…what do you think?  If you want some help you can find the answers on my blog.
5.      Tell me and my readers something you hold true to your heart, some wisdom.
Never give up hope.

Thanks, Poe for the fantastic answers!

Let's not all forget to try and guess what Poe's lie might have been out of her 2 Truths and 1 Lie!

Natalie: A Bookmark Break Challenge 2011 Winner!

Natalie from The Adventures of the Vereen-Davises


Natalie is a contender form 2011 who has also joined in for 2012! I am so very happy to have her around again. Last year she read a total of 52 books and really gave me a run for my moneu thoughout most of the competition until she start to pull ahead of me and then there was no catching up to her!


Here's what she had to say about the challenge!


Challenge:

1. Why did you join the Bookmark Break Challenge in 2011? I loved the idea of tracking the reading that I did in 2011--it was interesting to see how much I would read without any school assignments or outside pressures.
2. Did you set a goal for yourself in this challenge? When I first started, I didn't have a goal, but about halfway through the year I began to aim for 50 books (which would work out to slightly less than a book a week). I was happy with how things turned out this first year.
3. Do you have a goal for this challenge in 2012? To read more than I did in 2011. So, 2012's goal is at least 53.
4. How did you learn to read so fast!? I've always been a reader--ever since I read my first book without any help (Curious George Flies a Kite) at age 5. However, I got the reading thing down to a science when I went to law school and then English graduate school. I would read between 6 and 9 hours a DAY during those years of my life, and speed reading becomes the only way you can humanly get through all of the material necessary. I wish I'd thought to write down the number of books I'd read during grad school!!
5. What was the kind of thing you were reading the most? (Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, a certain genre, books for school?) I adore contemporary British fiction--like Kazuo Ishiguro, Iain Banks, Ian McEwan and Patrick McGrath--but I'm also a sucker for something I can zip through in a short time (like a Patricia Cornwell thriller). There are also some really random books on my list from when I was unpacking my library this year and found some oldie by goodie teen novels like Caroline B. Cooney and Anne Brasheres!
6. How did your love for books begin? My parents read to me constantly when I was a child: newspapers, magazines, novels, picture books. Anything with words on it was fair game.
7. What was your favorite book you read this year and why? I loved Eric Larson's Devil in the White City, one of my first forays into nonfiction: it was incredibly interesting and the fact that everything in the book was true made this book one that I couldn't put down. I also re-read some favorites like Audrey Niffenigger's Her Fearful Symmetry (spooky, haunting and about London--in other words, AWESOME!) and The Time Traveler's Wife (beautiful in every way), and Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves (which makes you rethink everything you know about the way a novel is written. At points in the book, the text goes in circles, follows the edges of the page or needs to be read in a mirror. Literary, postmodern, yet all around creepy and entertaining).
8. What was your least favorite book you read this year and why? Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Angel's Game. I loved his first novel, The Shadow of the Wind, and thus, I was expecting more great things from the second book. The Angel's Game was a classic Gothic thriller until the last twenty pages or so, when the book takes an odd, odd direction, then leaves you scratching your head and going, "Huh? What just happened?" (and not in a good way, as Ian McEwan often does).
9. Any books you are looking forward to in 2012? I really want to read The Woman in Black; I saw the West End play that is based on the book back in November 2011, and I'm intrigued to see how the book was translated onto the stage. Plus, I'm excited about the movie version coming out this year with Daniel Radcliffe--and I can't see the movie without reading the book first!
10. Any advice for those entering the challenge in 2012? Be consistent. Reading dozens of book might seem overwhelming at first, but if you say, "I'll read one chapter a night," you'll be surprised how quickly you can start to finish your books.

Random:

1. What do you love the most about yourself? I'm consistently optimistic. Of course, I have my down moments, but for the most part, I tend to see the good in everything and everyone until I'm given a reason not to.
2. What’s the most random thing that popped into your head today? "I need to get some white linen pants this summer." (Because white linen  is totally what I need to be thinking about on a 40 degree day in January!)
3. What’s your blog and what’s it about? My blog is The Adventures of the Vereen-Davises (www.vereen-davis.blogspot.com), and it basically follows my life: teaching, photography, travel, family moments, and our ongoing house renovations.
4. Tell me and my readers 2 truths and 1 lie and we’ll try to guess the lie. 1) I used to jog past Hugh Grant's house and talk to his security guard in the hopes of catching a glimpse of him. 2) I only knew my husband a month before we decided to get married. 3) I'm an English major who secretly doesn't understand why people love Shakespeare so much.
5. Tell me and my readers something you hold true to your heart, some wisdom. As corny as it sounds, be happy and try to make the people around you happy. And travel every chance you get--it's good for your spirits. :)

Thanks, Natalie! Can't wait to see you meet your goals this time around!

REMEMBER!!! Absolutley anyone and everyone can join in on the Bookmark Break Challenge 2012. If you are intested, comment below or check out the official BMBC '12 page here.

Shah: Another Bookmark Break Challenge 2011 Winner!

Shah from Words in Sync

I've known Shah for a while now. We started out together on WEbook.com and she is really the person that got me into blogging in the first place so I was more than thrilled when I learned that she would be willing to enter my little challenge. She started in the first year (2011) and is now continuing into the 2012 challenge as well!

(NOTE: If you are a BMBC '11 Winner and you have not recieve the questionaire, please email me at redmatinee7007@aol.com and give me your email address. I was missing a few and plus my demon mailer shot some questionnaires back to me.)

Here's what Shah had to say in the Bookmark Break Challenge 2011 Questionnaire!

Challenge Questions:

1.      Why did you join the Bookmark Break Challenge in 2011?

Because you hosted it and I like the idea of freeing those poor bookmarks :) Although I read mostly on Kindle now so... ?

2.      Did you set a goal for yourself in this challenge?

Not really - I’d never recorded how many I read before so had no idea. Before 2010 I hadn’t been mentally at peace (bipolar disorder) enough to read much for years, so last year was the first year of actual reading throughout I have had in years. Love it.

3.      Do you have a goal for this challenge in 2012?

I’m really busy this year so I’ll say around 50

4.      How did you learn to read so fast!?

I’m definately NOT a fast reader - Not compared to anyone I know except perhaps my younger sister who hardly reads at all. I read as slowly as I speak.

5.     What was the kind of thing you were reading the most? (Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, a certain genre, books for school?)

98% fiction - fantasy/horror mostly. Love vampires and spooks ;P

6.      How did your love for books begin?

I read a book called DOG when I ws very young and just adored it. I related very much with the isolation of the main character and felt a similar kind of connection to that of a kindred spirit. I read many books between then and much later, when I read a house-mate’s vampire novel. I adored it. That’s how I found my genre ;)

7.      What was your favorite book you read this year and why?

Dracula - Bram’s! I always wanted to read it and thought the archaic language and writing style would drive me nuts. It didn’t in the least. A really great book indeed.

8.      What was your least favorite book you read this year and why?

There have been a few actually - There were around ten I couldn’t finish and most of them were after around a few chapters. I read as a beta reader and for review so it can get awkward. I’d rather not mention them here :)

9.      Any books you are looking forward to in 2012?

The next Vampire Diaries. I’m going to try to read Hunger Games. I’ll see whats offered for review too. Every day brings another load of books - I love it. But my TBR pile never ends :I

10.   Any advice for those entering the challenge in 2012?

Keep an accurate log of your reads and give AubrieAnne the link - I was remiss in this duty last year !

Random Questions:

1.      What do you love the most about yourself?

I hate this question - reminds me of job interviews! Guess I’d say my level of tolerance. I’ve always been the most tolerant person I ever met. It’s not at all difficult either, so it’s no real virtue. There’s no sacrifice involved. I just seem to be made this way, where I know most others struggle with it. Strange.

2.      What’s the most random thing that popped into your head today?

10cc’s song “I’m not n love.” :)

3.      What’s your blog and what’s it about?

I actually have THREE blogs now! It’s getting silly

Bookish BLOG: WordsinSync: http://wordsinSync.blogspot.com - About books, authors and reviews etc

Author BLOG: Shah Wharton Author Blog: http://shahwharton.blogspot.com/ - About my books, publishing experience etc

Picture Enhancer BLOG: I Beautify Your Pictures: http://beautifyingpictures.blogspot.com/ - About the retouching of pictues I do to make the very best of your digital pictures.

4.      Tell me and my readers 2 truths and 1 lie and we’ll try to guess the lie.

I’m 40 yrs old in April

I drive an old VW Beetle named Rusty.

I married the same man twice

5.      Tell me and my readers something you hold true to your heart, some wisdom.

Not religious, I believe that we should treat those we love like angels and those we don’t as friends. My hubs thinks I’m daft, gullible, naive. He’s correct on all counts, but I still believe it. :)

Thanks, Shah! Looking forward to a brand new year full of reading and writing, and hopefully getting a bit published!!! (On your end at least!)

REMEMBER!!! Absolutley anyone and everyone can join in on the Bookmark Break Challenge 2012. If you are intested, comment below or check out the official BMBC '12 page here.

Susan: A Bookmark Break Challenge 2011 Winner!

Susan from Bloggin' 'Bout Books
Susan is another competitor from 2011 that is returning in 2012. Last year, she read the MOST books out of every competitor with a whopping 186 books! WOW! is all I could say to that!

 (NOTE: If you are a BMBC '11 Winner and you have not recieve the questionaire, please email me at redmatinee7007@aol.com and give me your email address. I was missing a few and plus my demon mailer shot some questionnaires back to me.)

Now, let's see what Susan had to say!

CHALLENGE:

1. Why did you join the Bookmark Break Challenge in 2011?

AubrieAnne left a comment on my blog suggesting that I join up because I read so many books. I guess I'm just a sucker for flattery :)
2. Did you set a goal for yourself in this challenge?
Nope. I had already set a blog goal to read 200 books this year. I didn't make it, but I got close.
3. Do you have a goal for this challenge in 2012?
Since I didn't make last year's goal of reading 200 books, I'm rolling it over for this year and trying again.
4. How did you learn to read so fast?
Um, I have no idea. It's just something I can do - kind of like a super power :)
5. What was the kind of thing you were reading the most? (fiction, nonfiction, etc.)
I read mostly fiction. It was a mix of reading levels (middle grade, YA and adult) and genres (contemporary, dystopian, historical, etc.). My reading is always eclectic!
6. How did your love for books begin?
My parents both love to read and they instilled that love in me. I learned to read before I entered kindergarten and I just haven't stopped.
7. What was your favorite book you read this year and why?
It's hard for me to pick favorites, so I'm going to go with a series I discovered this year: Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer. It's a fabulous swashbuckling series with a hilarious, lovable heroine. I can't get enough of these books!
8. What was your least favorite read this year and why?
Hm ... I can't think of one.
9. Any books you are looking forward to in 2011?
Tons: EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton, UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi, BREAKING BEAUTIFUL by Jennifer Shaw Wolf, LONE WOLF by Jodi Picoult, PARTIALS by Dan Wells ... so many!
10. Any advice for those entering the challenge in 2012?
Just read and have fun.

RANDOM:

1. What do you love most about yourself?

I'm a very calm, laidback person who takes things in stride. I think this is one of my best qualities. Also one of the worst, since it makes me an awful procrastinator.
2. What's the most random thing that popped into your head today?
How about the dream I had last night? It was a big pool party featuring a VERY random cast of family, friends and tv characters. Weak, I know. Sorry.
3. What's your blog and what's it about?
My blog is called Bloggin' 'bout Books. On it, I write long-winded reviews of a very eclectic assortment of books. It's so much fun, you really should stop by!
4. 2 truths and 1 lie:
Truths: I've bungee jumped out of a hot air balloon and I've eaten dog
Lie: I love the summer heat in Arizona
5. Something you hold true to your heart, some wisdom.
Gordon B. Hinckley, who was the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons) before he died, said, "Try a little harder to be a little better." It's a simple mantra, but one that keeps running through my mind. If we all did this every day, just think what a difference it would make!

Thank you, Susan, for the great answers and for letting us get to know you just a bit better! Looking forward to 2012. I KNOW you will be able to reach your goal of 200 books in year!

REMEMBER!!! Absolutley anyone and everyone can join in on the Bookmark Break Challenge 2012. If you are intested, comment below or check out the official BMBC '12 page here.

Ruthie: One of our Bookmark Break Challenge 2011 WINNERS!

Ruthie from Live, Love, Laugh, Write!

I really wanted everyone to be able to get to know some of the fabulous people that have been participating in my Bookmark Break Challenges for the last year. So, as a reward for the winners, I decided to feature each of them on my blog. I sent each a list of both Challenge Questions and Random Questions. (NOTE: If you are a BMBC '11 Winner and you have not recieve the questionaire, please email me at redmatinee7007@aol.com and give me your email address. I was missing a few and plus my demon mailer shot some questionnaires back to me.)

Anyway, Ruthie started with the 2011 challenge and read a total of 170 books!!! Here's what she had to say!

Challenge Questions:

1.      Why did you join the Bookmark Break Challenge in 2011?
I love to read it and dovetailed well with my goal last year to find out how many books I actually do read in year.
2.      Did you set a goal for yourself in this challenge?
Just to stay consistent with recording the books I was reading.
3.      Do you have a goal for this challenge in 2012?
I would love to read 180 books this year. So about 15 books a month.
4.      How did you learn to read so fast!?
I have a lot of health problems so I’ve been reading since I was pretty young, and I’ve had lots of time to spend on it!
5.      What was the kind of thing you were reading the most? (Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, a certain genre, books for school?)
Fantasy and Dark Fantasy
6.      How did your love for books begin?
My Mom loves books and I’ll never forget her reading the Narnia books to us as kids!
7.      What was your favorite book you read this year and why?
I’ve read so many I don’t think I could pick just one! There were a lot of greats. “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline, anything but Patricia Briggs, Tamora Pierce, Terry Pratchett, Robin McKinley, and Mercedes Lackey. I think those were the authors who I read the most books by.
8.      What was your least favorite book you read this year and why?
I’m not going to give the names, but there were a couple of modern fantasy’s that really disappointed me because they were just formulaic and poorly written.
9.      Any books you are looking forward to in 2012?
Oh there’s a whole host of them! I have a to-read list that’s about 40 books long right now…
10.   Any advice for those entering the challenge in 2012?
If you like a book see what else that author has written.

Random Questions:

1.      What do you love the most about yourself?
I have a bit of a zany sense of humor.
2.      What’s the most random thing that popped into your head today?
“Have I had any random thoughts today? Ooo – gummy bears!” Um yeah, that’s how my mind works.
3.      What’s your blog and what’s it about?
www.ruthiestickney.blogspot.com “Live, Love, Laugh, Write.” My blog is all about my adventures in writing. I share updates about my progress working on the two books I’m writing, provide weekly writing prompts, give book reviews, and share bits and pieces of my written works.
4.      Tell me and my readers 2 truths and 1 lie and we’ll try to guess the lie.

• My best friend has broken both of her hands, the first while at a wedding.
• One time, after a bad car accident, the ambulance driver threatened to go through the drive through where I worked so my boss would know I couldn’t come in to work. 
• I’m such a clutz I own ankle, knee, and wrist braces and generally get use out of all them each year.

5.      Tell me and my readers something you hold true to your heart, some wisdom.
Treat others the way you’d like to be treated. Sure, half the time they’ll treat like crap in response, but that’s not what matters, what matters is that you did your part and you can sleep at night.

Thank you, Ruthie! For the great answers and for rocking the 2011 challenge.

Ruthie will also be participating in 2012!

REMEMBER!!! Absolutley anyone and everyone can join in on the Bookmark Break Challenge 2012. If you are intested, comment below or check out the official BMBC '12 page here.