the next 30 days

Ticket to Read is a tumblr account that I found through another friend's tumblr account. Among other great posts, TtR has started a 30-day interactive book challenge. Normally, I'm not good at 30-day challenges (as Jilian would remind me, since I bailed on her after a week). We're going to try this, and I would love to see you post your answers in the comment section. I means so much to find your thoughts there, so don't hesitate to join in!


Here's what'll happen. On top of my usual posts about our life, I'll add a post each day about favorite books. This is a painful process to me, as I love most books I read, wait to read books for a long time, am highly selective & then take on characters as my personal friends. I feel like I'm betraying so many, and I'm not good at it. I tried to schedule my answers so that none of them come from the same book, therefore giving 30 books a post. CHALLENGING.

This is ultimately self-serving. My writing has been crap. And almost nonexistent lately. When I get in slumps like this, I tend to stand in the middle of my apartment, looking around aimlessly while trying to figure out what part of me is missing. Do I still have two feet? Have I eaten today? Are my eyes working? This is how I end of sweeping our floor four times a day & sweeping through zero pages of my journal.

So I'm asking for your help. Listen to me write about some books. Yell at me for being wrong. Tell me what books I should be reading. We write more when we read more, I find. (Or perhaps this is how I simply justify spending most nights reading?) Lets give each other a hand, like a take-a-book-leave-a-book stand. The first post will appear tomorrow.

Day 01. Best book you read last year
Day 02. A book that you’ve read more than 3 times
Day 03. Your favorite series
Day 04. Favourite book of your favorite series
Day 05. A book that makes you happy
Day 06. A book that makes you sad
Day 07. Most underrated book
Day 08. Most overrated book
Day 09. A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 10. Favourite classic book
Day 11. A book you hated
Day 12. A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13. Your favourite writer
Day 14. Favourite book of your favorite writer
Day 15. Favourite male character
Day 16. Favourite female character
Day 17. Favourite non-human character
Day 18. A book that disappointed you
Day 19. Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20. Favourite romance book
Day 21. Favourite book from your childhood
Day 22. Best quote from a novel
Day 23. A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t
Day 24. A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25. A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26. First favorite book or series obsession
Day 27. The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28. Favorite title
Day 29. A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30. Your favorite book of all time

*While I'm talking about sticking to things, I've been sticking to my push-ups (mentioned in several posts, starting here). The totals lately have been something like 110, but spread out over sets. I get to about 45 before feeling like death. One hundred straight still feels a long way away, but we're moving. My arms are tighter, & I am much more fierce & intimidating.


**Post script #2: If you have never seen this adorable child narrate her favorite book, please do so now.