That's a Wrap! Day 2 of the 48 Hour Book Challenge

I am now at the end of the 48 Hour Book Challenge. Over the past two days I have read for 843 minutes (14.05 hours), which means I exceeded my 12 hour goal. Victory! In the interest of making it to bed at a decent hour, I will keep this post and my reviews brief.

While I didn’t finish tons of books, I did finish The Hunger Games—and I loved it. I can be a bit of a contrarian. There are certain books that people go crazy over that I refuse to give in to. I’ve been holding out on The Hunger Games for a while but couldn’t resist any longer. I was totally enveloped by this book. I’d recommend this book for readers 12 and older who like action, adventure, thriller or sci-fi books. Click here for more information on The Hunger Games.

Much of my time has been spent listening to The Carrie Diaries this weekend, but I’m still not done with this book. So far I can say that the author, Candace Bushnell, and the producers of the audiobook truly capture the younger essence of the Carrie Bradshaw we know and love from Sex and the City. Beyond that I have to say that a lot of the situations seem cliché and the conflicts in this story seem to pile on. I know that there are real teens out there who have multiple, complex situations happening in their lives all at once. However, I think that the number of YA characters in the same situation seems to be inflated. Carrie is met with every vice and temptation a high schooler is likely to come across. In addition she has a deceased parent, abusive boyfriend, a best friend who is jealous of the boy friend, doesn’t get into her dream school—I could go on. While this book has been an interesting and enjoyable read/listen, I find that I believe the story less and less as it continues. My existing affinity for Carrie Bradshaw is the only thing keeping me interested in The Carrie Diaries. So, if you are a Sex and the City fan, this may be a fun pick. If not, you may be better off skipping this book. I have not finished The Carrie Diaries—so there may be more updates to follow.

The 48 Hour Book Challenge has been a fun and surprisingly relaxing exercise. I’m all rested up for a week of work, school—and more reading.

It’s Been A Day! The First 24 Hours of the 48 Hour Book Challenge

The Experience
I suspected it was going to be a busy weekend when I embarked on this challenge. I was right. While I have been busy--I’ve been reading. I may not read through a stack of books during this challenge, but I am challenging myself--and that’s the whole point right?

Looking at my reading time sheet for the day, I’ve logged 361 minutes of reading--just over 6 hours. I am most interested in how I logged that time. Most of my reading has been completed in short increments. With 12 separate instances of reading my average read time was 30 minutes. My maximum reading time was 65 minutes, my minimum was 10 minutes.

Why is this important? My schedule is usually busy. I rarely have time to read for hours on end. 10 minutes here and 15 minutes there adds up. Today has made me realize that there is always time to read--even if it’s just a little bit of time.

The Books
At the end of day one I am about 1/2 way through the audiobook of The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell and I’ve read 109/359 pages of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. While I’m really enjoying both books, my overall reactions to each are quite different. The Hunger Games, with all its popularity, obviously has broad appeal. There are very few readers from teen upwards that I could not recommend this book to. I'm excited to provide a more complete review once I’ve finished The Hunger Games.

As for The Carrie Diaries--I am most struck by the context and the content of this book. The Carrie Diaries follows Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw through her senior year of high school. As a prequel, this book is met with a set of expectations from Sex and the City fans. Not all teen readers of this book will be familiar Sex and the City, but many will be. Thus far, The Carrie Diaries meets my expectations. As a high school senior, most of Carrie’s life is learning to handle relationships, both friendly and romantic. While Carrie is perhaps the most conservative and pragmatic of her group of friends, this book is peppered with sex, drinking and references to drug use making it a read for older teens and adults. I will follow up with a complete review of this book after I’ve completed it.

Onward
With 24 hours left in the challenge, I hope to complete 6 more hours of reading. Anything beyond that is bonus. I'm looking to finish The Hunger Games and perhaps sneak in Zombie Blondes or perhaps a graphic novel. Judging by the weight of my eyelids, bedtime is swiftly approaching--so reading will have to wait. Goodnight and happy reading.

Ready, Set, Start! The 48 Hour Book Challenge

The post marks my entry and starting time for the 48 Hour Book Challenge. Over the next two days I will read and blog as much as possible (for prizes, bragging rights, fun etc.) This book challenge focuses on books targeted at middle grades through adult.

While I would love to make a hefty dent in my “to read” pile, progress is measured by hours, rather than number of books read. To win prizes, I have to read for at least 12 hours--since it’s going to be a busy weekend 12 hours is my goal. Wish me luck and check back here to see my progress.

I will be Tweeting my progress @2TheLibrary. You can also follow other contestants of the 48 Hour Book Challenge using the hashtag #48hbc.

Click here for more information on the 48 Hour Book Challenge