Checking in with our challenge participants!
Abby
Tracking her reading: at Goodreads
Read so far: 10 of 25
Comments:

Up next: I’m still working on Dante and Aristotle Discover the Universe. It’s excellent, but I am anticipating it being sad at some point, so I’m having trouble making myself pick it up again once I’ve put it down. I’ve also started Every Day, which is David Levithan and therefore great and Dodger. Terry Pratchett is the best. Always.
Gail
Tracking her reading: at Goodreads
Read so far: 6 of 25
Comments: I did a lot of starts this week but no finished reads so I am static this week. Hopefully this week I will finish most of what I started and be ecstatic (pardon the pun).
Petra
Tracking her reading: here at NFNT
Read so far: 10 of 25
Comments: Nothing new this week – although I’m about 85% of the way through Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore, and about 50% of the way through Me, Earl & the Dying Girl.
Up next: Me and Earl & the Dying Girl.
Robin
Tracking her reading: at her library tumblr
Read so far: 7 of 25
Comments: I finished listening to Monstrous Beauty in one fell swoop, which was a great way to resolve all the suspense toward the end of the story. First, it was an excellent audiobook, and Katherine Kellgren did a fantastic job as the reader. Second, I like how horrific and creepy Fama made the mermaids and the general sea lore — ghosts and murder and prejudice abound, and thus the book deftly avoids any overwhelming cheese factor. It’s also not, ultimately, a love story, but more of a coming of age for our main girl.
I also zoomed through Where’d You Go Bernadette? in about three days, and it was DELIGHTFUL. Hilarious and spot-on spoof, plus just enough character depth and weight to make you care about the madcap plot. You DO want to know what happened to Bernadette, and not just because of a clever plot twist or scheme. I did wonder how much teens would enjoy it — it won an Alex — in that yes, there is a teen character, but the majority of the book is from and about middle age. I’d love to hear from teens who’ve read it as to how well it worked for them.
Up next: Listening to the Diviners still, and have started Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. But first I’ve got to re-read The Scorpio Races for my book club.
Sarah
Tracking her reading: at Goodreads
Read so far: 4 of 25
Comments: I had some minor setbacks when a few of the more popular winners were due back to the library with waitlists but I hadn’t finished them yet. So, I’m back on the list for In Darkness and Bomb and will finish both of those later in the challenge. However, a number of winners came in for me, so I read The Silence of Our Friends and The Flight of Angels.
I felt really moved by The Silence of Our Friends. It’s based on the story of the author’s father, with some details changed to protect identities, artistic license, etc. and the Civil Rights Movement down in Texas in the 60’s. It was very realistic, portraying the difficulties and choices people faced during that time. I immediately put it on the Staff Picks shelf when I was done with it, but it’s definitely for the older or more mature teen audience.
The Flight of Angels was OK. It felt like it was trying too hard, but that could be just me. I thought it was interesting how they melded all those authors together, and it was fairly seamless from the reader’s end. I just never really got into most of the stories. The drawings were beautiful, though.
Up next: I’ve also started several others, so those could be finished at any time!
Sheli
Tracking her reading: here at NFNT
Read so far: 6 of 25
Comments:
Up next: More Tamora Pierce!
Snow
Tracking her reading: at Goodreads
Read so far: 3 of 25
Comments: On vacation, lucky girl. She will report in when she gets back!