First Quarter 2009 Reading Challenge, Weekly Update #11
By APOOO • Mar 15th, 2009 • Category: First Quarter 2009 Reading Challenge •
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Hey hey APOOO Challengers! Welcome to week 11 of the First Quarter 2009 Reading Challenge. We’re in the homestretch now; only two more weeks before we see the finished line. How’s your reading challenge coming? Are you on track? Or are you like me…have read tons of books but still haven’t read all of the books on your list? Speaking of books…how many have you read thus far this year?
Regarding the book challenge– Every one who completes the Challenge by reading the books on their original list will receive a personalized bookmark and be entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift certificate to amazon.com. Will you be in the running? So, what did you read last week (from your list) and what do you plan to read this week?
Last week, I read nothing from my list…but I did read a couple of books including Finding Me by Darnella Ford. Great premise…strong beginning…saggy middle…and just so-so finish…but it’s a book that’s different enough that I recommend to others (too bad it wasn’t on my reading challenge list…lol).
Here’s my thirteen books for the First Quarter 2009 Reading List with updates:
The Air Between Us by Deborah Johnson–COMPLETED; Week 9 Read.
The Black Girl Next Door by Jennifer Baszille
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Deadly Charm by Claudia Mair–Completed: Week Seven Read
In Love with a Younger Man by Cheryl Robinson–Completed; Week Three Read
The Island of Eternal Love by Daina Chaviano
Schae’s Story by Angelia Menchan–Completed;Week One Read
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
That Devil’s No Friend of Mine by J. D. Mason; Completed, Week Nine Read
The Ties that Bind by Bertice Berry; Completed, Week Eight Read
What Doesn’t Kill You by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant; Completed, Week Four Read
Where the Lines Bleed by Jesmyn Ward; Completed, Week Two Read
Where There’s Smoke by Terra Little; Completed, Week Six Read
Next week I have my work cut out for me; I’m going to have to double up on books in order to finish the challenge. That said, I will attempt to finish the Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and The Black Girl Next Door by Jennifer Baszille.
Now, your turn. Leave a comment below to let us know what you read last week and what you plan to read this week.
NOTE: If this is your first time visiting APOOO or you need more details regarding what this challenge is, CLICK HERE.
Until next week, keep reading those books and HAPPY READING. See you here (different time, same place) next Sunday for Weekly Update #12.
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APOOO is a book club and an online author and reader community dedicated to advancing African American literature. Our mission is to expose readers of all ages to a good book in any genre; to support African American authors, books, literary events and bookclubs; to provide marketing resources, tools and tips to authors; and, to promote literacy within the African American community.
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I haven’t read anything off my list in some time now. I have been reading though. I still have five on my list to read. I hope and pray to get to two this week. I read two pretty good books last week. The Ultimate NO NO by Tamika Newhouse and Spend My Life with You by Christie Joh’nell.
So far this year I’ve read 17 books not including the text books I’ve read for my classes.
This week I plan on reading Sugar’s Daddy by Kaira Denee, The List by Sherri Lewis, and Bring on the Blessings by Beverly Jenkins.
Jennifer C´s last blog post..Worth More Than a Penny
I read Secret Daughter by June Cross, a memoir or race and identity and The Law of Desire, a romance by Gwyneth Bolton. They were both good reads. When I look at the books I planned to read for the challenge, I have only read two even though I have surpassed 13 books. But the month isn’t over.
Dera Williams´s last blog post..Literature for Women’s History Month
I am done with my thirteen, finally read the Bishop’s Daughter this weekend…I am now reading an Amazon Vine book entitled At The Breakers…
angelia
Angelia´s last blog post..You Can, If You Want To!
Im off the list but still reading. Here is my update:
Schae’s Story by Angelia Menchan
Where the Lines Bleed by Jesmyn Ward
The Right Mistake by Walter Mosley
Something Like Beautiful by ashe bandele
bring on the blessing by Beverly Jenkins
The Prisoners Wife by ashe bandele
The Skull Cage Key by Michel Marriott
The Ancestors by LA Banks, Tananarive Due, Brandon Massey
It’s really hard to stick to the list so I consider that part of the challenge I’m to conquer. I’ve got two books and fifteen days to go for my original list. Just finished Love Begins with Elle by Rachel Hauck. Hate that I waited so long to read this solidly satisfying Christian romance. Also read Francis Ray’s Nobody But You over the weekend. Not on my list but hey, I’ll always go astray for a chance to read another Francis Ray novel.
1) Havah by Tosca Lee — Completed
The Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus — Completed
2) The Someday List by Stacy Hawkins Adams — Completed
3) Love Begins with Elle by Rachel Hauck — Completed
4) The Bishop’s Daughter by Tiffany Warren — Completed
5) Scrapping Plans by Rebeca Seitz — Completed
6) Midnight by Sister Souljah — Completed
7) Gotta Keep On Tryin’ by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant — Completed
9) Body Chemistry by Dara Girard — Completed
10) As I Have Loved You by Nikki Arana
11) In Love With A Younger Man by Cheryl Robinson
12) Be Strong and Curvaceous by Shelley Adina — Completed
13) Never Say Diet by Chantal Hobbs — Replaced by The 4 Day Diet; completed
PatriciaW´s last blog post..Francis Ray on the Bestseller Lists
I am reading the same 2 books from last week.
After the Lies
The Things We do For Love
both are on my list. With my daughter visiting me last week, I did not do alot of reading.
Lashonda´s last blog post..Finer Womanhood Week & Month
Finished book 11- WHAT’S DONE IS DONE by T.A. Terrell. Just two more to go.
Ms. Toni´s last blog post..OOSA Online Book Club gave 5 stars to: Like A Good Neighbor
Like many others – I read a couple of good books last week but none on my challenge list. Since I am trying hard to stick to my original list – I have four books to read in the next couple of weeks
Yas – I also have The Island of Eternal Love on my challenge list – I have been trying to read for the longest
One of my books turns out to be an April BOM read – and I do not want to read before April – so I will probably read another book for the challenge (I know that is cheating – put just a little)
1.) Sinsatiable- Sheila E. Lipsey – finished
2.) My Son’s Wife – Sheila E. Lipsey – finished
3.) The Cooling Board – Tamara Angela Grant – finished
4.) Hot Girl – Dream Jordan – finished
5.) When a Man Loves a woman – LaConnie Taylor Jones – finished
6.) One Taste – Allison Hobbs – finished
7.) Schae’s Stroy – Angelia Menchan – finished
8.) Nothing But Trouble – Bettye Griffin – finished
9.) The Love Child’s Revenge – Nicole Bailey Williams – finished
10.) A Rich Mans Baby – Daaimah S. Poole – finished
11.) Suicide Diaries – Ebonee Monique – Finished
12.) Mistress Memoirs – Lorraine Elzia
13.) What Doesn’t Kill You – DeBerry and Grant – currently reading
14.) The Million Dollar Deception – finished
15.) The Bishop’s Daughter – finished
16.) We Take This Man – finished
I must say that Suicide Diaries is a great book, I just finished it and I cried so much for Lauren, I truly felt her pain in this book. To all who haven’t read it, I can truly say it is a good book. I am currently reading What Doesn’t Kill You now.
I finished Daughter Denied by Alreatha Thomas. The story spans a decade in the life of Tina, from age 7 to 17. Tina’s mom Earnestine is a heroin addict; her step father Brother Floyd is an abusive career criminal. Though Earnestine and Floyd have been together at least a decade, none of Earnestine’s four children are Brother Floyd’s. It seems every time he is in jail she ends up pregnant.
Tina has many emotional issues, the least of which are the physical abuse she endures at the hands of Brother Floyd and the rampant neglect of her mother. Tina has also been sexually abused by a former boyfriend of Earnestine’s, but her biggest issue seems to be that she is the inkspot in a family of very light skinned people. It doesn’t help when others around her point out that Tina doesn’t look like she belongs in her family.
Once Tina thought that her color was the problem, although she finds out down the road that Brother Floyd actually doesn’t like her because she is the child of his former “best friend.”
You might think with all that’s going on in Tina’s life that this story weighs heavily on the heart, but Tina is an extraordinary young lady. She finds beauty, and courage, amid all the ugliness in her life, and by the book’s end Tina has also found something better:
Forgiveness.
Because of some editing issues I can only give Daughter Denied 3 1/2 stars, but the story line supersedes the editor’s lack of diligence. I highly recommend it.
Next up is Murder On The Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young..
I finally finished She Had It Coming by Mary Monroe! It was excellent, with a lot of drama and well-developed characters! This week I’m reading Tall Dark Westmoreland (not one of my challenge books!!), finishing Just Too Good To Be True by E Lynn Harris (I’m taking way too long for this one!LOL!) and getting to Preacherman Blues by Jihad and Something on the Side by Carl Weber! I’m saving the big one for last, since it has almost 500 pages! What was I thinking?! LOL
The last one will be Pecking Order by Omar Tyree!
The S.W.A.P. Game by Brian W Smith completed
2. Up Pops the Devil by Angela Benson completed
3. Neglected Souls by RIchard Jeanty completed
4. The Song Yet Sung by James McBride completed
5. Revenge is Best Served Cold by Danita Carter and Tracie Howard completed
6. The Bishop’s Daughter by Tiffany L Warren completed
7. The Best of Everything by Kimberla Lawson Roby completed
8. The Making of Isaac Hunt by Linda Leigh Hargrove completed
9. Just Too Good to be True by E Lynn Harris completed
10. Going Down South by Bonnie Glover completed
11. The Sunday Brunch Diaries by Norma L Jarrett completed
12. A Taste of Reality by Kimberla Lawson Roby completed
13. Up to No Good by Carl Weber completed
Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou completed (not on list)
A Family Sin by Travis Hunter completed (not on list)
Speak to My Heart by Stacy Adams Hawkins currently reading (not on list)
Last week I finished The Book of Night Women and What you Owe Love deos Not Pay. I’m reading Emilie’s Song by Darlene Dauphin – its okay. Next Up Tutobango (sp) Black Witch of Salem
Nina’s Got A Secret by Brian W. Smith— (read)
Dirty Little Angel by Erica Hilton— (read)
Designated Hitters by Flex & Crystal Perkins Stell —(read)
Chante’s Song by Donneil D. Jackson—(read)
Who You Wit? by Paula Chase—(read)
The Pledge by Chandra Sparks Taylor—(read)
We Take This Man by Candice Dow & Daaimah Poole—(read)
The Bishop’s Daughter by Tiffany L. Warren—(read)
What Doesn’t Kill You by Virginia DeBerry & Donna Grant—(read)
Ghetto Resume by Freddie Simmons—(read)
The Ski Mask Way by Randy Ski Thompson—(read)
Eleven down two more to go….
Desperate Hoodwives and The Sweetest Taboo
Nardsbaby´s last blog post..Nardsbaby gave 4 stars to: A Deal with Death
Hello all and congrats to everyone who’s on task or have completed the challenge…I want to be just like ya’ll when I grow up.
I am currently reading We take this man
How is it Ms. Mary?
I’m really enjoying it. I have to hurry through it because my friend wants to read it next.
Comments closed for this update; Week #12 will be posted shortly.