Friday, December 31, 2010

How to Customize a Progress Bar

In my previous post, you learned How to Make a Progress Bar. Here you can learn how to customize it to fit your blog. Like before, in order for everything to be visible here, I've replaced all of these things:

< >

with these brackets:

[ ]

So when you are using the code, make sure you replace all of the brackets with the little triangle thingies.


What You Will Learn
  • How to change the color
  • How to change the length and width
  • How to change the borders (thickness, color)

Getting Started

Here is the code for the progress bar:

[center][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; width: 0%;"][/div]
[/div]
0/5 books[/center]

Copy and paste that into your post or sidebar. 


Change the Color

[center][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; width: 50%;"][/div]

[/div]

0/5 books[/center]

The part in red is the part you change to adjust the color of the progress bar.When testing out colors, make sure the part in blue is set to something other than zero (otherwise your bar won't be filled and you can't see the color).

To change the color you need to identity the RGB code for the new color. You can do a google search to find this code, or you can refer to the following site: 500+ Named Colors with RGB and Hex Values. That site is the one I will be referring to.

Now, refer back to the part in red. There are three numbers. The first number corresponds to the number in the "R" column on the above linked site. The second number corresponds to the number in the "G" column. The third number corresponds to the number in the "B" column.

To change the color, all you have to do is select which color you want from the list, identify the RGB numbers, and plug in those numbers into the code.

For example, if you want deep pink 2 just replace the 255, 0, 0 with 238, 18, 137

The code will look like this:

[center][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 18, 137); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; width: 50%;"][/div]

[/div]

5/10 books[/center]

And the progress bar will look like this: 





5/10 books



Change the Size

[center][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; width: 0%;"][/div]

[/div]

0/5 books[/center]

If you want to make the bar taller or shorter, then change the numbers in blue. Make sure you change them to the same number. The first number in blue adjusts the overall size of the bar. The second number adjusts the height of the color fill. 

Here is what the bar looks like with the numbers set at 15 as I have them in the code you copied:





5/10 books





Here is what the bar looks like with only the first number changed. I changed it to 35:




5/10 books


Here is what the bar looks like when both numbers are changed to 35:





5/10 books
 

If you want to make the bar wider or squatter, then change the number in red

 Here is what the bar looks like with the numbers set at 185 as I have it in the code you copied:





5/10 books


Here is what the bar looks like with the number increased to 285:




5/10 books


Change the Border

[center][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; width: 0%;"][/div]

[/div]

0/5 books[/center]


To change the thickness of the border, increase the number in red.

Here is what the bar looks like with the numbers set at 1 as I have it in the code you copied:






5/10 books


Here is what the bar looks like with the numbers increased to 10:





5/10 books


Change the Border Color

[center][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 10px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; width: 0%;"][/div]

[/div]

0/5 books[/center]

I've left the border thickness at 10px so you can see the color change clearly. If you want to change the color of the border just replace the numbers in blue. Use the 500+ Named Colors with RGB and Hex Values link from above to find new RGB color codes. Here is an example with the color changed to blue (0, 0, 225):




5/10 books


Change the Border Shape

[center][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-radius: 40px / 20px; height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; border-radius: 40px / 20px; width: 40%;"][/div]

[/div]

0/5 books[/center]

The parts in pink and blue change the degree of curve. If you want to adjust the curve, just play around with changing the numbers in pink and blue.  The pink numbers control the outside border, and the blue numbers control the red bar.





0/5 books


And there you have it! 

If anyone has any other questions you can either ask them in the comments or email me. Please don't feel shy at all! 

I'm certainly not an expert, but I'll try my hardest to explain what I do know and research what I don't know. 

How to Make a Progress Bar



How the heck do you make a progress bar?!

(And what in the world is a progress bar??)



 


I've received a number of questions on how to make a progress bar, so I thought I'd put together this post for anyone who is wondering and would like to add one to their own challenges. In order for everything to be visible here, I've replaced all of these things:

< >

with these brackets:

[ ]

So when you are using the code, make sure you replace all of the brackets with the little triangle thingies (as you can see from my sophisticated jargon, I am well versed in all things...thingy).

What You Will Learn

I'll show you how to make a progress bar and also how to add a picture with a link. Basically, this is what you'll be able to make when you're finished:







0/10 books



The picture is a link and leads to my post for the YA Historical Fiction Challenge. If you click on the picture, it brings you to that post. This isn't particularly helpful if you're already on the post, but if you put your challenge button in your sidebar or on a Challenges Page (like I have located on the top link bar) then it can be useful.

The second part you see is the progress bar. As you read books for you challenge, you can adjust this bar so it reflects how many books you've read so far. This bar represents the percentage of books you have finished, not the total amount.

The numbers below the bar (0/10) shows how many books you have read (that would be the 0) and how many books you plan on reading (that is the 10). So, if you have read 5 books, then the progress bar would be filled 50% and the numbers underneath the bar would read 5/10. It would look like this:






5/10 books



Let's Do This!

Step 1:

This is the code you will need. Just copy it and paste it into you post (remember to use the tab "Edit HTML"). Remember to change the brackets to those triangle things.

[center] [a href="http://smallreview.blogspot.com/2010/12/ya-historical-fiction-challenge.html"][img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoHkpAEWn77unJwUZ3hpuncUAhoLwVVpwFpfNfu8Ryh5InQCDBF7RIuZd4Lq3JIryqpoYo_kMfcKeMEasV4LmmsLJGuYaYUnzk8q7etD-NvRF0pfrA4YR4fJ0c6B4qwr3jU0wCyba3h0/s1600/Historical+Fiction+challenge.png" title="YA Historical Fiction Challenge" width="190" /][/a]
[div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; width: 0%;"][/div]
[/div]
0/5 books[/center]

I have code here that will make the picture and bar centered on the post. If you do not want it centered, just remove the [center] and [/center] at the beginning and end of the code.

Step 2:

Now you need to plug in your information. The following is the same code as above, but I've color-coded the different parts you'll need to change.
 
[center] [a href="http://smallreview.blogspot.com/2010/12/ya-historical-fiction-challenge.html"][img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoHkpAEWn77unJwUZ3hpuncUAhoLwVVpwFpfNfu8Ryh5InQCDBF7RIuZd4Lq3JIryqpoYo_kMfcKeMEasV4LmmsLJGuYaYUnzk8q7etD-NvRF0pfrA4YR4fJ0c6B4qwr3jU0wCyba3h0/s1600/Historical+Fiction+challenge.png" title="YA Historical Fiction Challenge" width="190" /][/a]
[div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; width: 0%;"][/div]
[/div]
0/5 books[/center]

The purple part is a link. Here you will copy the url for the page you want the button to link to. I used the url for my YA Historical Fiction Challenge post. 

The green part is the image. Right click on the image wherever you see it (it can be on the host's challenge page) and click on "Copy Image Location." Then paste that into the green section. 

The pink part is the title. Type in the name of the challenge.  

The red part is the percentage. Here you will type in whatever percentage of the challenge you have finished. You'll have to do a little math for this one.

The blue part is the number of books you have read and plan on reading. The first number is how many books you have read. The second number is how many you plan on reading.


If you only want the progress bar and you do not want the linked picture, then use this part of the code only:

[center][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 15px; text-align: left; width: 185px;"][div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 8px; height: 15px; line-height: 8px; width: 0%;"][/div]
[/div]
0/5 books[/center]

And there you have it! 

If anyone has any other questions you can either ask them in the comments or email me. Please don't feel shy at all! 

I'm certainly not an expert, but I'll try my hardest to explain what I do know and research what I don't know. I'll edit this post with any other answers. 

Learn How to Customize Your Progress Bar 

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Library Reading Challenge




40 books






Challenge Basics:  

Name: Library Reading Challenge
Hosts : The Reader Room
Starts: January 1, 2011 
Ends: December 31, 2011 
Eligible Books: Read library books (all formats except audiobooks). 
Levels: None
Prizes? No

Why I'm Interested:  

Because I work in a library and I should support my job. But, honestly, because I'm broke! 

Some books I'm considering: 

Books that will fall under my other challenges.   

Books Completed:
  1. Legend by Marie Lu
  2. My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick
  3. Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris by R. L. LaFevers
  4. The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope
  5. Fortune's Folly by Deva Fagan
  6. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
  7. Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
  8. The Revenant by Sonia Gensler
  9. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers
  10. Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  11. Hexed by Kevin Hearne 
  12. Sirenz by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman
  13. Hounded by Kevin Hearne
  14. Sleeping Beauty: The One Who Took the Really Long Nap by Wendy Mass
  15. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
  16. Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
  17. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
  18. Plain Kate by Erin Bow
  19. Betrayal by Lee Nichols
  20. Enclave by Ann Aguirre
  21. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
  22. Nothing But the Truth by Emily Blake
  23. The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
  24. Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman
  25. The Dust of 100 Dogs by A. S. King
  26. Aphrodite the Beauty by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
  27. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
  28. Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
  29. Warped by Maurissa Guibord
  30. Where I Want To Be by Adele Griffin
  31. All Just Glass by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
  32. Persephone the Phony by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
  33. The Julian Game by Adele Griffin
  34. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
  35. The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
  36. Most Wanted by Kate Thompson
  37. The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston
  38. Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau
  39. Athena the Brain (Goddess Girls #1), by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
  40. StarCrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Wish I'd Read That Challenge

My Love Affair With Books



20/20 +5 books




Challenge Basics:  

Name: Wish I'd Read That 
Hosts : My Love Affair With Books 
Starts: January 1, 2011 
Ends: December 31, 2011 
Eligible Books: Books I wish I've read but haven't yet. 
Levels: Four; I will be trying for Level 4: 20 books 
Prizes? Two $10 Amazon gift cards 

Why I'm Interested:  

Because there are a ton of books I wish I've read but haven't yet! I'm hoping to tackle a bunch of YA "classics" people tend to read when they're younger but I somehow missed. 

Some books I'm considering: 

Not sure yet! I'll have to start browsing around my Goodreads shelves.  

Books Completed: 
  1. My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick
  2. The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope
  3. Fortune's Folly by Deva Fagan
  4. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
  5. Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  6. Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian
  7. Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian
  8. Legacy by Cayla Kluver
  9. Rapunzel, the One with All the Hair by Wendy Mass
  10. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
  11. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
  12. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
  13. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
  14. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
  15. Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
  16. Plain Kate by Erin Bow
  17. The Dust of 100 Dogs by A. S. King
  18. Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin
  19. Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson
  20. Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
  21. Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
  22. Where I Want To Be by Adele Griffin
  23. The Julian Game by Adele Griffin
  24. Persephone the Phony by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
  25. StarCrossed, by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Morbid Romantica Challenge

Steampunkery & Book Reviews


3/12 books



Challenge Basics: 
Name: Morbid Romantica Challenge
Starts: January 1, 2011
Ends: December 31, 2011
Eligible Books: Books that fall into each of the paranormal romance categories selected.
Levels: Five; I will be trying for Level 4: Trying 6 books
Prizes? None that I can see.  
Sign up page 

Why I'm Interested:  

As the tagline for the challenge says: Who doesn't like a bit of Paranormal Romance in their reading? Well, I certainly like it! 

Some books I'm considering: 

Not sure yet! I'll have to start browsing around my Goodreads shelves.  

Books Completed: 
  1.  Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
  2. The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
  3. Tighter, by Adele Griffin

Old World Reading Challenge

Into The Old World Reading Challenge





10/10 books +11


Challenge Basics:
Name: Into the Old World Reading Challenge
Hosts : Splash of Our Worlds and My Love Affair With Books
Starts: 1st January 2011
Ends: 31st December 2011
Eligible Books: Any books published BEFORE 2009 . All Genres included
Levels: None that I can see
Prizes? Yes! Two $10 gift cards to Amazon/Book Depository, etc
Sign up page 

Why I'm Interested: 

I love this challenge. With so much hype and focus on new books, all the old books on my TBR often get neglected. Hopefully this challenge will inspire me to pick up some of those books that have been on my TBR for far too long. I am also hoping to read some of the YA "greats" that I missed out on when I was younger. 

Some books I'm considering: 


Has anyone read any of these books? Did you like them? Dislike them? Have any suggestions for this challenge?  

Books Completed:
  1. My Swordhand is Signing by Marcus Sedgwick (2007)
  2. Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris (2008)
  3. The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope (2001)
  4. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier (2007)
  5. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R. L. LaFevers (2007)
  6. Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (2008)
  7. H.M.S. Surprise by Patrick O'Brian (1973)
  8. Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian (1972)
  9. Sleeping Beauty: The One Who Took the Really Long Nap by Wendy Mass (2006)
  10. Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian (1970)
  11. Legacy by Cayla Kluver (2008)
  12. Rapunzel, the One with All the Hair by Wendy Mass (2005)
  13. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
  14. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
  15. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
  16. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
  17. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (2005)
  18. Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl (2000)
  19. Nothing But the Truth (Little Secrets #5) by Emily Blake (2006)
  20. Song of the Sparrow (2007) 
  21. Where I Want To Be by Adele Griffin (2005)

2nds Challenge 2011




12/12 books +11


Challenge Basics: 

Name: 2nds Challenge
Hosts : A Few More Pages 
Starts: 1st January 2011
Ends: 31st December 2011
Eligible Books: Any book by an author you've only read once before. 
Levels: Four; I will try for Level 3: 12 books 
Prizes? Not that I see 
Sign up page 

Why I'm Interested: 

I'm definitely guilty of reading a book by an author, loving it, having every intention of reading more of their books, and then somehow...not. I'm easily distracted, especially with all these beautiful covers calling me in a million different directions. The plethora of awesome debuts doesn't help with this either! (Not that I'm complaining about that!)

Some books I'm considering: 

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine 
Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman 

That only leaves one more. I'll have to look through my Books read in 2008, Books read in 2009, and Books read in 2010 lists to come up with some ideas.

Books Completed: 
  1. Allegiance by Cayla Kluver
  2. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
  3. Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
  4. Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
  5. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
  6. Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
  7. Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  8. Hexed by Kevin Hearne
  9. Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian
  10. Sleeping Beauty: The One Who Took the Really Long Nap by Wendy Mass
  11. Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith
  12. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
  13. Betrayal by Lee Nichols
  14. Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
  15. Supernaturally by Kiersten White
  16. Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
  17. The Royal Treatment by Lindsey Leavitt
  18. A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine
  19. Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson
  20. The Julian Game by Adele Griffin
  21. Persephone the Phony by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
  22. The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
  23. Most Wanted by Kate Thompson

Most Awaited YA Releases Challenge

Books with Bite



12/12 books + 33


Challenge Basics: 

Name: Most Awaited YA Releases
Starts: 1st January 2011
Ends: 31st December 2011
Eligible Books: Any book released in 2011. 
Levels: One: 12 books (review one per month) 
Prizes? Yes! Each month one participant will win a book released in 2011.
Sign up page 

Why I'm Interested:  

I'm looking forward to a ton of books in 2011, so this challenge is right up my alley.

Some books I'm considering: 

Don't know yet! I'll have to browse through Savannah's great list of books set for release in 2011

Books Completed:  
  1. Legend by Marie Lu
  2. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
  3. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
  4. Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
  5. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
  6. Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
  7. Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
  8. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
  9. Fateful by Claudia Gray
  10. Just Your Average Princess by Kristina Springer
  11. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
  12. Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren
  13. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
  14. Entwined by Heather Dixon
  15. The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell
  16. Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
  17. Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
  18. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
  19. Love Story by Jennifer Echols
  20. The Poisoned House by Michael Ford
  21. Cleopatra Confesses by Carolyn Meyer
  22. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
  23. Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury
  24. Betrayal by Lee Nichols
  25. Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
  26. Enclave by Ann Aguirre
  27. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
  28. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
  29. The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
  30. Clarity by Kim Harrington
  31. Supernaturally by Kiersten White
  32. Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
  33. The Royal Treatment by Lindsey Leavitt
  34. Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman
  35. A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine
  36. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
  37. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
  38. Warped by Maurissa Guibord
  39. All Just Glass by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
  40. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
  41. Dark Mirror by M. J. Putney
  42. Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
  43. The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
  44. Deadly by Julie Chibbaro
  45. Tighter by Adele Griffin

YA Historical Fiction Challenge


15/15 books +12









Challenge Basics: 

Name: YA Historical Fiction Challenge
Hosts : YA Bliss
Starts: 1st January 2011
Ends: 31st December 2011
Eligible Books: Young Adult or Middle Grade historical fiction. 
Levels: Three; I will try for the third level of 15 books
Prizes? Yes!

Why I'm Interested: 

I LOVE historical fiction, so I'm really looking forward to this challenge.

Some books I'm considering: 

Nothing set in stone yet, but I have some possibilities set aside on Goodreads: Historical Fiction Challenge.  

Books Completed:  
  1. My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick
  2. Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris by R. L. LaFevers
  3. The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope
  4. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
  5. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
  6. The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
  7. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
  8. Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
  9. Fateful by Claudia Gray
  10. Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
  11. The Revenant by Sonia Gensler
  12. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers
  13. Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren
  14. The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell
  15. Entwined by Heather Dixon
  16. Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
  17. The Poisoned House by Michael Ford
  18. Cleopatra Confesses by Carolyn Meyer
  19. Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury
  20. Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
  21. Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown
  22. Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
  23. Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
  24. Dark Mirror by M. J. Putney
  25. Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
  26. Most Wanted by Kate Thompson
  27. Deadly by Julie Chibbaro

350 Page Books Challenge







10/10 books + 24


Challenge Basics:

Name: 350 Page Books Challenge
Hosts : What's Your Story?
Starts: January 1, 2011
Ends: December 31, 2011
Eligible Books: Books with 350+ pages, mostly YA.
Levels: None that I can see
Prizes? Yes! One participant will win a prize pack including books, ARCs and swag.
Sign up page 

Why I'm Interested:

I admit I'm more attracted to shorter books. I tend to brush aside longer books, so maybe this challenge will help me read some of the longer books I've been neglecting. 

Some books I'm considering: 

Not sure yet! I'll have to look over my Goodreads shelves and start checking page counts!

Books Completed:
  1. Allegiance by Cayla Kluver
  2. Slayers by C. J. Hill
  3. Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris by R. L. LaFevers
  4. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
  5. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
  6. Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
  7. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
  8. The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
  9. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
  10. Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
  11. Fateful by Claudia Gray
  12. Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
  13. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers
  14. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
  15. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
  16. Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren
  17. Entwined by Heather Dixon
  18. H.M.S. Surprise by Patrick O'Brian
  19. Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
  20. Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian
  21. Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian
  22. Legacy by Cayla Kluver
  23. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
  24. Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
  25. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
  26. Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
  27. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
  28. The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
  29. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
  30. Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
  31. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
  32. Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
  33. The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
  34. Starcrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Off the Shelf Challenge

Off The Shelf!
5/15 books


Challenge Basics: 

Name: Off the Shelf Challenge
Hosts : Bookish Ardour
Starts: January 1, 2011
Ends: December 31, 2011
Eligible Books: Books that you own but have not read. Must own the books prior to 2011.
Levels: Seven; I will be trying for Level 2: Trying 15 books
Prizes? None that I can see.
Sign up page 

Why I'm Interested:  

I buy a ton of books and then let them sit on my shelves unread for an embarrassingly long time. Hopefully this challenge will help me remedy that.

Some books I'm considering: 

Not sure yet! I'll have to start browsing around my Goodreads shelves

Books Completed:  
  1. H.M.S. Surprise by Patrick O'Brian
  2. Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian
  3. Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian
  4. Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
  5. Tighter, by Adele Griffin

2011-Owned Books Completed:  
  1. Slayers by C. J. Hill
  2. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
  3. Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
  4. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
  5. Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
  6. Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler
  7. The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
  8. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
  9. Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
  10. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
  11. A Dog's Way Home by Bobbie Pyron
  12. Just Your Average Princess by Kristina Springer
  13. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
  14. Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
  15. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
  16. Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren
  17. Entwined by Heather Dixon
  18. My Sparkling Misfortune by Laura Lond
  19. The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell
  20. Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
  21. Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith
  22. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
  23. Artemis the Brave by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
  24. Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
  25. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
  26. The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander
  27. Supernaturally by Kiersten White
  28. Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson
  29. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
  30. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
  31. Dark Mirror by M. J. Putney
  32. Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
  33. Deadly by Julie Chiabbaro

Friday, December 24, 2010

Happy Holidays!


I will be taking a short break to spend time with my family during the holidays (and my birthday!)

I will return on Sunday, January 2nd, hopefully with some new books to share in my mailbox! 

Happy Holidays! 

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Spotlight List: Gothic Fiction, part I

Spotlight is a feature I do where I pick a topic or theme and then highlight some books that fall into that theme. Here are some previous Spotlight posts:

Classics that are Actually Fun to Read
Sleeping Beauty Retold
More Spotlight posts



Interested in reading Gothic fiction?

Well, I am. I fell in love with the genre and totally saturated myself with Gothic fiction last year. But being the "More is More" type of person that I am, I want, well, more! I'll be participating in the Gothic Reading Challenge hosted over on Well-Mannered Frivolity in order to get my Gothic fix in 2011.


To help jump start my motivation, I've put together a little list here of some of my favorite Gothic fiction books as well as a few I'll be considering for the challenge. I will be releasing the list in four Spotlight posts:
  1. Part I: Adult Gothic Fiction I Bet You'll Love
  2. Part II: YA Gothic Fiction, part I
  3. Part III: YA Gothic Fiction, part II
  4. Part IV: Gothic Fiction Classics
Unfamiliar with Gothic fiction? Here are the basics: The Gothic movement started in the late 1700s and flourished all through the 1800s as an offshoot of the romantics. All of these authors were focused on evoking strong emotions from their readers, but Gothic writers tried especially hard to evoke feelings of peril, suspense, and fear.

Have you ever told scary stories on a dark and stormy night? You know they're not true, but a part of you still believes them. You almost want the story to be real because it is spooky and exciting and it's fun getting yourself all worked up over the story.

For this reason, the story-within a story motif was a common tactic in Gothic fiction, conjuring the idea of a normal friend relating a scary story they heard, making the frightening aspects of the story seem like they could almost be real.

Some common elements of Gothic fiction include: 
  • A setting in an old castle or other large and opulent house (or boarding school) with a history
  • Isolation
  • Heavy atmosphere, utilizing the weather and other scenery descriptions to set the mood
  • An ancient prophecy
  • Unraveling a mystery
  • Generational curses
  • Visions, premonitions, messages from the dead, omens
  • Supernatural or seemingly supernatural occurrences 
  • Going beyond death
  • Overly emotional characters (wild speeches, passionate, madness)
  • Men who are "mad, bad, and dangerous to know" (but oh so attractive)
  • Powerful, enduring love

And, without further ado, I bring you
Part I: Adult Gothic Fiction I Bet You'll Love

*The books on this list are technically "adult," but there is nothing in them that would be inappropriate for a YA to read. Think of them as "adult" like classics are "adult."



The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield
 Release Date: January 2006
Publisher: Atria
Pages: 406
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page 

I know it isn't the best form to gush about a book by simply saying "OMG SQUEEEE YOU HAVE TO READ THIS @*($&*^#!!!!!" but it's hard not to do that with this book. There was a bit of buzz for this one when it first came out and, I admit, I fell in love with the cover. I finally read it when I snagged a used hardcover copy (for $3!!). All I can say is, all of the hype was completely deserved.

The story begins a little slow with the introduction of Margaret, a sort of lame biographer who works in her father's bookstore. Margaret's big break comes when she is contacted by Vida Winter, a super-star author who has always been enigmatic about her life. She decides to finally tell the truth about her history, and contracts Margaret to pen the story. They meet and Ms. Winter begins telling her tale.

This is when the story picks up and I guarantee you will be swept away in Ms. Winter's chilling tale involving a crumbling old mansion, two generations of twins, and more family secrets and twisty mysteries than you could possibly imagine! Whenever I think of genius storytelling, The Thirteenth Tale always comes to mind.


Canone Inverso
Release Date: 1996
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Pages: 204
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

This was another gem I snagged for a steal and was left breathless. Utilizing the story within a story tactic, this one takes it a step further and adds another story within the first two. Following? It's a twisty, turny, spiral through mystery and darkness with an ending that left me with my jaw on the floor.

The story opens in an auction house as the narrator attempts to purchase a violin. We are then taken back in time as the narrator recounts a chance meeting he had with a violinist of "Sold his soul to the devil" skills; a man who once owned the violin the narrator is attempting to buy. The story then spirals into another story, as the virtuoso relates a dark tale of madness and betrayal. Each layer is somehow connected to the violin, but the mysteries and identities of the players wrap the reader in knots of deception. This book is psychological and Gothic horror at its finest. It is also beautifully written.
 

The Seance, by John Harwood
Release Date:  February 3, 2009
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 336
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page


I admit, I was really turned off by the cover of this one. I shelved this book at work for almost a year before I decided to pick it up for myself. Based on the description, I was hoping this one might possibly be as good as The Thirteenth Tale, though I was afraid to get my hopes up too high. While this one ultimately did not meet the heights of The Thirteenth Tale, it came darn close.

This story also begins a little slow. Set in 1899, Constance, our heroine, relates the sad story of her sister who died in childhood and her mother who has been depressed ever since. Attempting to help her mother move past her daughter's death, Constance brings her mother to a seance and pretends to be her dead sister. She "tells" her mother to move on, and shortly after her mother takes the advice a little too literally by killing herself. The death advertisement catches the attention of a John Montague. Mr. Montague contacts Constance and informs her that she has inherited a house, but he advises her to level the house, salt the earth, and never set foot on the property!

With this dire warning in mind, Constance's curiosity is piqued beyond control (as was mine!). Of course, she must know the reason and so she delves into the diaries and histories of the house Mr. Montague has left her with. The story turns back in time as Constance first reads the diary of a woman who lived in the house, and then the diary of Mr. Montague himself. It then turns full circle in a dramatic confrontation between the past and Constance's present. Murder, mystery, generational secrets, tyrannical madmen, and supernatural elements abound in this thoroughly engrossing tale.


The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill
Release Date: 1983
Publisher:  David R. Godine
Pages: 144
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

I could have put the cover of the book here, but instead I put a movie still from the soon to be released film starring Harry Potter. I mean, Daniel Radcliffe. Who knew he could look so handsome?!

Though this book was written in 1983, it reads as if it were written in 1883. Susan Hill is a master wordsmith, evoking a style reminiscent of, dare I say it, Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters. In case you are unsure, that is high praise indeed!

Set in Victorian times, Arthur Kipps is celebrating Christmas with his family, engaging in traditional tellings of ghostly tales on Christmas Eve. His family urges him to share his own true ghost story, but he refuses. Haunted by this past experience, Arthur finally sits down and puts pen to paper. The story of the woman in black is the telling of that tale. 

This story had me sleeping with the light on! Funny enough, I found the presence of a dog in this book (a little Jack Russel given to Arthur to keep him company and protect him) a very comforting presence. I'm totally afraid of ghosts, but I always tell myself that as long as my dog is cool, then there must not be any ghosts around. Silly, I know, but apparently Ms. Hill shares my sentiments. Without that cute little dog I think I would have been overwhelmed with fear! This book is so, so good. I can't wait for the movie version! I never would have thought it, but if Harry Potter looks like he does in that picture, then I think he'll be perfect in this role. Um, I mean Daniel Radcliffe. 



The Man in the Picture, by Susan Hill
Release Date: December 11, 2007
Publisher:  Profile
Pages: 160
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

Another Susan Hill book, this one isn't quite as good as The Woman in Black, but it's still a very good book in its own right. Another story within a story, this one follows a student as he listens to his old professor's experiences with a spooky painting. The story takes the reader back in time to mansions, forbidden love, paranormal occurrences, death, and tragedy all surrounding one scary, scary painting. A haunting story that will have you looking at artwork in a whole new way.



Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Have I convinced you to add any of these to your TBR?
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