2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check In #14

Hub Reading Challenge logoNot signed up for YALSA’s 2014 Hub Reading Challenge? Read the official rules and sign up on the original post. Anything you’ve read since February 3 counts, so sign up now!

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms out there. If you are a mom, how on earth do you have time to read?  Well done, you!  If you have a mom, thank her for helping you learn to read, because I bet she was there for you, starting with singing the ABC song.

In other news:  There are 42* days left in the 2014 Hub Reading Challenge. Don’t Panic!**  That is plenty of time to finish 25 books. And I know many of you fine folks have already read some of the titles on the list, so you don’t even have to try and read .595 books per day to hit 25 on the 22nd.

I just finished The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks and thought it was delightful!  I am not a fan of super hero comics, but you totally don’t have to be to appreciate Superhero Girl and her battles with day-to-day things. (Who hasn’t had a run-in with Skeptical Guy that just ruins your day?) What challenge book have you just finished?

* Ah, the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.

** Since I started with a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy reference, I figured I should continue.

The 2014 Hub Reading Challenge will run until 11:59PM EST on June 22nd. Keep track of what you are reading/listening to as you go along. Every Sunday we’ll have one of these check-in posts so you can share your thoughts about the book(s) you read/listened to that week, and share links to any reviews you post online. You can also share your thoughts via social media using the #hubchallenge hashtag, or join the 2014 Hub Challenge group on Goodreads. We will be compiling posts from various places online into a Storify collection. You can see the social media conversation below!

If you have already completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list of eligible books, be sure to fill out the form below so we can send you your Challenge Finisher badge, get in touch to coordinate your reader’s response, and, perhaps best of all, notify you if you win our exciting grand prize drawing! Be sure to use an email you check frequently and do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading/listening to 25 titles.  Continue reading 2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check In #14

2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #13

Hub Reading Challenge logoNot signed up for YALSA’s 2014 Hub Reading Challenge? Read the official rules and sign up on the original post. Anything you’ve read since February 3 counts, so sign up now!

Happy Spring (and happy May the Fourth for Star Wars fans)! While it has technically been Spring for some time, it is only just starting to feel consistently warm and pleasant where I am, so it is finally the perfect weather to grab a book and read outside. Finish up your Hub Reading Challenge books in the great outdoors or curled up by your favorite window. Even if you haven’t started yet, sign up now! There is still plenty of time to read 25 books before the end of the competition!

Regardless of where you are in the Challenge, let us know how it is going for you. What’s the latest book you’ve finished? What is the best book you have read so far? Have you added anything new and exciting to your Hub Reading Challenge to-be-read list? Personally, my favorite book that I finished since my last check-in post was Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos. I can’t wait to see what else I will discover on the Challenge list.

The 2014 Hub Reading Challenge will run until 11:59PM EST on June 22nd, so even if you haven’t started reading yet, you still have plenty of time to read 25 books! Just be sure to keep track of what you are reading/listening to as you go along. We’ll be posting these check-in posts each Sunday so you can share your thoughts about the book(s) you read/listened to that week and share links to any reviews you post online. If you just can’t wait for our weekly posts, share your thoughts via social media using the #hubchallenge hashtag, or join the 2014 Hub Challenge group on Goodreads. We will be compiling posts from various places online into a Storify collection. You can see the social media conversation so far below!

If you have already completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list of eligible books, be sure to fill out the form below so we can send you your Challenge Finisher badge, get in touch to coordinate your reader’s response, and, perhaps best of all, notify you if you win our exciting grand prize drawing! Be sure to use an email you check frequently and do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading/listening to 25 titles.  Continue reading 2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #13

Hub Photo Challenge: Spine Poetry Final Round-Up and Winner Announced!

national-poetry-monthIn celebration of National Poetry Month, we’ve been hosting a spine poetry contest here on The Hub as part of our 2014 Hub Reading Challenge. Spine poetry is the art of arranging books so their titles form a poem. All month long, readers were invited to get creative with the list of eligible Reading Challenge titles and submit a picture of their book spine poem for a chance to win a signed copy of Every Day by David Levithan, a 2013 Teens’ Top Ten winning title.

We received lots of amazing submissions from readers, and we’re thrilled to share these pictures with you today as we wrap up National Poetry Month! Thank you to everyone who participated!

spinepoetry_rebekah

from Rebekah Stafford

spinepoetry_ariel

from Ariel Birdoff

spinepoetry_killian

from Killian Weston Continue reading Hub Photo Challenge: Spine Poetry Final Round-Up and Winner Announced!

2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #12

Hub Reading Challenge logoNot signed up for YALSA’s 2014 Hub Reading Challenge? Read the official rules and sign up on the original post. Remember, anything you’ve read since February 3 counts, and since the challenge doesn’t end until 11:59PM EST on June 22nd you’ve still got plenty of time.  Sign up now!

Week 13!  How are you all doing?  I’m closing in on 20 eligible books read and I’m feeling pretty good about my progress.  More than that, though, I’ve read some really great titles that I would have almost certainly missed.  Gene Yuen Lang’s Boxers & Saints was just as amazing as everyone said, and I loved Max Barry’s Lexicon, one of those books that wasn’t on my radar before the Alex Awards.  Thanks, Hub Reading Challenge!

I’m also really enjoying the check-in comments, as well as the conversations taking place over social media at the Goodreads 2014 Hub Challenge Group and on Twitter (#hubchallenge hashtag.)  Check out the tweets we’ve collected from participants and join the discussion if you haven’t already!

What about you?  Have you read anything you might have missed if it weren’t for the Reading Challenge?  What are you loving this week?  How are you feeling about your progress?  Keep reading, and don’t forget to track your titles by checking in here each Sunday to let us know how you’re doing and to find out what your fellow participants have to say.

If you are have already completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list of eligible books, be sure to fill out the form below so we can send you your Challenge Finisher badge, get in touch to coordinate your reader’s response and, perhaps best of all, to notify you if you win our exciting grand prize drawing! Be sure to use an email you check frequently and do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading 25 titles.  Continue reading 2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #12

2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #11

Hub Reading Challenge logoNot signed up for YALSA’s 2014 Hub Reading Challenge? Read the official rules and sign up on the original post. Anything you’ve read since February 3 counts, so sign up now!

Happy Sunday! I am loving all the comments on the books you’ve all read and what your favorites are. So excited to see love for Boxers and Saints! Two of my favorites from last year. I put it in the hands of almost everyone and even had the children’s librarian use it as supplemental material for her book club!

What books have surprised you the most in your readings?  If you haven’t finished or even signed up yet, don’t worry! You still have plenty of time. The challenge ends on June 22.

As I said before, I’m not participating in the challenge this year, but I am still following along on social media by checking the Goodreads 2014 Hub Challenge Group and the #hubchallenge hashtag. We’ve collected some tweets from your fellow participants– join the conversation if you haven’t already!

Keep reading, and remember, you have plenty of time to get through this challenge; it ends at 11:59PM EST on June 22nd. Please keep reading and tracking your progress and check back here each Sunday to let us know how you are doing and to see how other folks are doing.

If you are have already completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list of eligible books, be sure to fill out the form below so we can send you your Challenge Finisher badge, get in touch to coordinate your reader’s response and, perhaps best of all, to notify you if you win our exciting grand prize drawing! Be sure to use an email you check frequently and do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading 25 titles. Continue reading 2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #11

2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #10

Hub Reading Challenge logoNot signed up for YALSA’s 2014 Hub Reading Challenge? Read the official rules and sign up on the original post. Anything you’ve read since February 3 counts, so sign up now!

May I make a confession to you all? I have fallen far behind in my reading progress on the Challenge. I have been “cheating” on the books on this list with Brian Jay Jones’ biography about Jim Henson and a collection of short stories about Dangerous Women edited by George RR Martin and Gardner Dozois.  But I promise to get back to reading Maggot Moon and Etiquette & Espionage right away! And also Carter Finally Gets It. I would enjoy some humor.

That is why I love this challenge, there are so many genres on the list you can always find something to enjoy. Fantasy, realistic, romance, humor, adventure, historical – so many kinds of fiction (and some non fiction as well!).

The 2014 Hub Reading Challenge will run until 11:59PM EST on June 22nd, so you have a bit more than two months to finish all 25 books. Do keep a list of what you are listening to/reading. We’ll be posting these check-in posts every Sunday so you can share your thoughts about the book(s) you read/listened to that week and share links to any reviews you post online. As you read, please also share your thoughts on the social medi platform of your choice using the #hubchallenge hashtag, or join the 2014 Hub Challenge group on Goodreads.

If you have already completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list of eligible books, be sure to fill out the form below so we can send you your Challenge Finisher badge, get in touch to coordinate your reader’s response, and, perhaps best of all, notify you if you win our exciting grand prize drawing! Be sure to use an email you check frequently and do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading/listening to 25 titlesContinue reading 2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #10

2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #9

Hub Reading Challenge logoNot signed up for YALSA’s 2014 Hub Reading Challenge? Read the official rules and sign up on the original post. Anything you’ve read since February 3 counts, so sign up now!

How is everyone doing with the competition? Are you just getting started? Or perhaps you have already finished? Have you found any new favorites or appreciated more about a past favorite as you reread it for the competition?

Though warm weather is just starting where I am, I hope at least some of you are enjoying Spring weather and can take your reading outdoors! We want to hear all about your reading experience! And, don’t forget to start thinking about your best spine poetry for our latest photo competition. Hopefully it will make you see the Hub Reading Challenge books in a whole new way!

The 2014 Hub Reading Challenge will run until 11:59PM EST on June 22nd, so you have until then to finish all 25 books. Just be sure to keep track of what you are reading/listening to as you go along. We’ll be posting these check-in posts every Sunday so you can share your thoughts about the book(s) you read/listened to that week and share links to any reviews you post online. If you just can’t wait for our weekly posts, you can also share your thoughts via social media using the #hubchallenge hashtag, or join the 2014 Hub Challenge group on Goodreads. Check out the social media conversation below!

If you have already completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list of eligible books, be sure to fill out the form below so we can send you your Challenge Finisher badge, get in touch to coordinate your reader’s response, and, perhaps best of all, notify you if you win our exciting grand prize drawing! Be sure to use an email you check frequently and do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading/listening to 25 titlesContinue reading 2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #9

2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #7

Hub Reading Challenge logoNot signed up for YALSA’s 2014 Hub Reading Challenge? Read the official rules and sign up on the original post. Anything you’ve read since February 3 counts, so sign up now!

Hey readers! How is the challenge going for you? Are you reading more because it’s finally spring? Or because of the longer days? It’s been spring here since about January so I am already over the warmish temperatures.

Has anyone finished the challenge?  What’s your favorite book so far? Find any gems that are outside your comfort zone?  Tell me!  If you haven’t finished or even signed up yet, don’t worry! You still have plenty of time. The challenge ends on June 22.

As I said before, I’m not participating in the challenge this year, but I am still following along on social media by checking the Goodreads 2014 Hub Challenge Group and  the #hubchallenge hashtag. We’ve collected some tweets from your fellow participants– join the conversation if you haven’t already!

Keep reading, and remember, you have plenty of time to get through this challenge; it ends at 11:59PM EST on June 22nd. Please keep reading and tracking your progress and check back here each Sunday to let us know how you are doing and to see how other folks are doing.

If you are have already completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list of eligible books, be sure to fill out the form below so we can send you your Challenge Finisher badge, get in touch to coordinate your reader’s response and, perhaps best of all, to notify you if you win our exciting grand prize drawing! Be sure to use an email you check frequently and do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading 25 titles. Continue reading 2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #7

2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #6

Hub Reading Challenge logoNot signed up for YALSA’s 2014 Hub Reading Challenge? Read the official rules and sign up on the original post. Anything you’ve read since February 3 counts, so sign up now!

Yesterday, I spotted three robins on my neighbor’s lawn. Spring is coming, everyone! After the neverending winter, this is very good news. Especially since sitting on a bench outside my library and reading is now a viable option for my lunch break. That will help with the challenge. Although I don’t feel like I’m doing too badly; I’ve read or listened twelve books from the list. Almost halfway there!

Perhaps with warmer temperatures and more light at the end of the workday, you can get in some extra reading time as well. There’s no need to rush or worry about it. You have until 11:59PM EST on June 22nd to finish all 25 books. Just be sure to keep track of your progress. We’ll be posting these check-in posts each week so you can talk about what you’ve read or listened to that week. Don’t forget to share your thoughts on social media using the #hubchallenge hashtag, or join the 2014 Hub Challenge group on Goodreads. I’ve just joined Goodreads and am finding it a terrific resource. Perhaps you’ll join me? Take a look at some of tweets people posted about the challenge and where they stand.

If you have already completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list of eligible books, be sure to fill out the form below so we can send you your Challenge Finisher badge, get in touch to coordinate your reader’s response, and, perhaps best of all, to notify you if you win our exciting grand prize drawing! Be sure to use an email you check frequently and do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading 25 titlesContinue reading 2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #6

2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #5

Hub Reading Challenge logoNot signed up for YALSA’s 2014 Hub Reading Challenge? Read the official rules and sign up on the original post. Anything you’ve read since February 3 counts, so sign up now!

How is everyone doing on their reading for the Hub Reading Challenge? Have you read or listened to anything that you wouldn’t have otherwise tried? Did you finally get around to a book that has been on your To-Be-Read list for ages? Have you loved any book from the list? Let us know in the comments. One of the most fun parts of the Hub Reading Challenge is always hearing about everyone’s experience with the books and seeing how different readers react to the books on the list.

I confess I have only read a couple of books for the challenge so far, so don’t feel intimidated if you haven’t started yet! There is still time! You have until 11:59PM EST on June 22nd to finish all 25 books. Just be sure to keep track of your progress. We’ll be posting these check-in posts each week so you can talk about the book(s) you read/listen to that week and share links to your reviews online. If you just can’t wait for our weekly posts, feel free to share your thoughts on social media using the #hubchallenge hashtag, or join the 2014 Hub Challenge group on Goodreads. You can see some of the social media conversation below.

If you have already completed the challenge by reading or listening to 25 titles from the list of eligible books, be sure to fill out the form below so we can send you your Challenge Finisher badge, get in touch to coordinate your reader’s response, and, perhaps best of all, to notify you if you win our exciting grand prize drawing! Be sure to use an email you check frequently and do not fill out this form until you have completed the challenge by reading 25 titlesContinue reading 2014 Hub Reading Challenge Check-in #5