Midyear Reading Challenge Update

 As June wraps-up and we hit the halfway point of the year I thought I would do a quick update for how various different challenges are going.  

 Modern Mrs Darcy Challenge
    I have completed 6/12
    I read The Jane Austen Society for the debut novel category
    I read Circle the Sun for the book recommended by a source I trust
    I read Bossypants for a book by a local author
    I read A Man Call Ove for the book in translation category
    I read Wings of Fire: The Lost Heir for the not my genre book
    And Anne of Avonlea was my reread

For the Unread Shelf Project 2020 hosted by Whitney of the Unread Shelf
   I have read 5 of my top ten list, read and 'returned'  4 of my Prime Reading borrows and have met the monthly reading challenge every month but March, which I skipped to focus on Lenten reading.

For The 20th Century in Books hosted by Ashley of The Big White Farmhouse this year I've read Anne of Avonlea (1909), Rilla of Ingleside (1921), 
Cotillion (1953), Across Five Aprils (1964), and Numbering the Stars (1989).  
At this point I have read a book from 46 of the 100 years.
         


Finally on Goodreads back in January I challenged myself to read 40 books this year.  'Sheltering at Home' and the fact that reading is one of my favorite stress relievers will likely combine to have me hitting that goal sometime next month (currently at 37) and am curious what my yearly total will be.

How is your reading year going?
   

Quick Takes #290: Mid-June Check-in

1. Hi ~  we made it to Friday. In my case a sunny morning ~ storms predicted for afternoon Friday but still a chance to put down a few thoughts. Here we are slowly resuming to going places; wearing a mask and with a lot of crowd control but expanding the bubble none the less.
2. Our community pool has opened and we have been a couple of times. The older two quickly passed their deep water test and Caitlin re-found her 'doggie paddle.  One of the adjustments for this year is that the pool is not offering lessons so it looks like it will be up to Dr Dad and me to help Caitlin organize her movements into an actual stroke.  So good to actually see people (at a respectful distance) and watch my kids play with some of the friends they are been missing.
3. One upside of the otherwise bummer of no camp is that there is a lot of options of when to do the summer work assigned in a day. After a well deserved break from school work; we are now back at it but at a more leisurely pace.  
4. In the category of 'better late than never' I finally got a couple of tomato plants in the ground, as well as some basil and trying for the first time this year summer squash.  As always we already have a bumper crop of mint, but I am hopefully that with a steady weeding the others plants might have their chance.
5. Nice weather and a still mostly empty calendar has allowed me to keep reading at a wonderful pace. Currently reading this and these titles coming up next.  I had in January set the Goodread challenge of reading 40 books this year; however in the craziness that is this year I'm likely to hit that goal next month!!
6. Another treat that June has brought is the return of HGTV's Good Bones.  While their design direction is often different from mine, I love the mother-daughter dynamic!  The show also really makes me want to go to Indianapolis; which I haven't thought a lot about since I was a kid watch One Day at a Time.
7. Wishing everyone a good weekend ~ and the dads out in blogland Happy Father's Day!!

Please head over to Kelly's for more 7QTs!

Open Book ~ June'20

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer is another fun Regency comedy of manners.  Kitty is being pressured into marriage by her guardian and appeals to a long-time friend to become betrothed to buy some time.  Freddy agrees reluctantly but then takes her to London and in every way behave in such a way to become one of my favorite Heyer Heroes  As I've come to expect from this author the supporting cast is wonderful and adds to the general confusion and very much to my enjoyment.






Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell is the story of young love between two hurting teens.  They meet on the school bus when Eleanor moves to town and slowly come to care for each other.  Told in alternating perspectives the story is angsty and sweet in that way that good YA can without ever minimizing the serious problems they were facing.  Given the serious issues discussed and blatant examples of bullying would not recommend for young teens.












Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery is the last of the Anne of Green Gables series (book 8).  Told from the perspective of Anne's youngest daughter Rilla who at 15 is ready for her first dance and other delights. The story beginning in 1914 tells the story of WW1 as experienced in a little town on the coast of P.E.I. Wonderful characters 'do their bit' and serve from the Homefront, but the next four years are the carefree growing into womanhood she had imagined.  Written for young girls the description of the battles are not at all gory but Montgomery does convey the emotions of waiting for the latest papers.  While those who have read the series better appreciate the cameo's by the minor characters the book can be read as a stand-alone.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles is the story of Captain Jefferson Kidd who has lived through 3 wars and fought in 2. It is now 1870 and he makes his living traveling around north Texas reading the news from various newspapers aloud in towns along the way.  He is now as a favor to another former officer returning young girl, stolen by the Choctaw Indians four years earlier,  to her aunt and uncle near San Antonio.  I liked this quiet, sometimes slow moving story of breaking down communication barriers and forming relationships in this time place. Jiles descriptions of the Texas landscape are wonderful.











Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is the story of two girls in Nazi Occupied Denmark that I borrowed from my 12 year old after she read it with her class.  Annemarie is 10 years old and so is her best friend Ellen; and the book tells the story of how Annemarie's family comes to help and hide Ellen.  While clearly written for middle schoolers I really enjoyed the narrative and it peaked my curiosity enough to spend a couple of days researching the Danish Resistance.

My thanks to Carolyn for hosting this link-up!

Please click over for more Open Book!

First Day ~ Last Day 2019-20

First two trimesters spent in the brick & mortar and the last spent remote learning from home!!

Liam ~ 3rd Grade

Caitlin ~ 1st grade

 Elisabeth ~ 6th grade