Wacky Reading Challenges - Favorite Album - Away From the Sun Finished

Favorite Album - Away From the Sun hosted by Wacky Reading Challenges on Goodreads.

My goal was Disc Three = 7+ Tasks. Unfortunately I didn't reach my goal as none of the 10 books I read in October fit this challenge. I finished 6 books.


Our next favorite album challenge will focus on "Away From the Sun" by 3 Doors Down. Thanks to Barb for this recommendation!
Date: 09/01/15 - 10/31/15

Levels of Participation
Disc One = 1 to 3 Tasks
Disc Two = 4 to 6 Tasks
Disc Three = 7+ Tasks

Choose a level of participation and complete the required number of tasks. Tasks can be mixed. For example, if you choose to do the Disc One Level (1 to 3 tasks), you may choose to complete a task for numbers 1, 2 and 3, OR you may choose to do a task for numbers 2, 5, and 9.

Challenge Rules:
Books should be at least 125 pages. All formats are acceptable. Re-reads are fine--just be sure to re-read the entire book. When updating your challenge with books you've read, please include a link to the book title, mention the author's name, and post the date you finished reading the book.

1. Away From the Sun:
Is the second studio album released by 3 Doors Down. It was released on November 12, 2002. Read a book originally published in November (any year), OR a Series/TBR #2.
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig (first published November 26th 2007)

2. Recording Sessions:
Took place during the summer of 2002. Read a book with a summer related cover, or a Series/TBR #1.
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe (The Firefighters of Darling Bay #1)

3. Producer:
It was produced by Rick Parashar at London Bridges Studios on Seattle, Washington. Read a book with a character named Rick (any variation will also work), OR a Series/TBR #3.
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts (Born In trilogy #3)

4. Length:
The album is 47 minutes, 57 seconds in long. Read a book in a position on your TBR that contains the number '4', '6', '5', or '7', OR a Series Book #4.

5. 3 Doors Down:
Is an American rock band from Escatawpa, Mississippi. Read a book set in Mississippi, OR a Series/TBR #5.

6. Singles:
Four singles were released from the album: "When I'm Gone", The Road I'm On", "Here Without You", and "Away From the Sun". Read a book whose title starts with 'W', 'T', 'H' or 'A', OR a Series/TBR #6.
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad (title starts with T)

7. Cover:
The album cover is primarily black with white lettering, and features a small burst of sun or sunlight. Read a book with a black and white cover, or one with the sun on the cover, OR a Series/TBR #7.

8. 4 Million Copies:
The album has sold over 4 million copies world wide. Read a book with a Goodreads rating above 4, or a Series/TBR #8.
A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews (rating 4.09)

9. US Billboard 200:
The album is listed at #110 on the US Billboard 200 for their End of Decade Charts, 2000-2009. Read a book with the number 1 or 0 in the total number of pages, OR a Series/TBR #9.
The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa (164 pages)

10. Label:
The album was released on the Universal Records label. Read a book whose title starts with 'U', OR a Series/TBR #10. 

Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad

Drinking and flying is a bad combination. Stephan Forks learns this the hard way when he rams another ship in spite of the vastness of space. A moment later, a strange woman stands on his bridge, looking around with a frown. She's clearly a figment of his imagination. Nothing in his colorful past of smuggling and smaller crimes prepared him for people appearing out of nowhere.
Maria Callaway has carried more names and appearances than she can keep track of, and she's bored beyond belief. When she runs into Stephan, he seems to be an amusing pastime. He's interesting, disorganized, pursued by pirates, and handsome. A little too handsome, actually. Maybe she should leave?
Neither of them can foresee the chain of events set in action from their meeting. Adventure and danger go hand in hand during the upcoming days, and the collision resonates not only through their own lives, but changes the destiny of the world as they know it.
"Touch of the Goddess" is the first book in a series of three, mixing mythology, science fiction, and romance. from Goodreads.

This was quite funny, a 2000 year old goddess who falls in love with a 40ish year old genetically engineered human. Stephan wants to protect Maria but a 2000 year old goddess really doesn't need a lot of protection. This is their adventure. I might just continue this series.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: I Spy
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: House Games
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars
Wacky Reading Challenges: Favorite Album - Away From the Sun
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Wacky Reading Challenges: Character Names, A-Z

Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe

Grace is a fixer. She's good at it, too. In her acupuncture practice, she fixes the community of Darling Bay, and in her personal life, she's rescued her sister too many times to count. Her love life, though . . . Grace doesn't think she needs help, especially not from a man whose very nickname is unhealthy.
Tox Ellis is the hazmat expert at the Darling Bay Fire Department, and he knows about harmful substances. He knows what gases to keep apart to prevent explosions. Why, then, can't he seem to stay away from Grace, the woman who seems to think he needs fixing?
Is Darling Bay ready for the chemical reaction Grace and Tox generate whenever they're in the same place at the same time? And who will be standing by to put out the flames?
From Goodreads.





This was okay and also funny in places. I wasn't wild about Grace who seem to think she needs to fix everybody that includes telling them what is healthy or not all the time. She pushed both her sister and Tox away before she finally realised she had to let them live their own way.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: I Spy
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: House Games
A Million More Pages: Campfire Cookout
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars
A Million More Pages: Summer Games
A Million More Pages: Summer Song Shuffle
Wacky Reading Challenges: Favorite Album - Away From the Sun 
Wacky Reading Challenges: Autumn Fun
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Wacky Reading Challenges: Animal House
Crazy Challenge Connection: Scrabble, anyone?

Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig

Live . . . Laugh . . . Read . . . with New York Times bestselling author Christie Craig . . .
“Readers who enjoy Jenny Crusie and Janet Evanovich will fall head over heels for Divorced, Desperate and Delicious . . .” —New York Times Bestseller Dianna Love
Ever since photographer Lacy Maguire caught her ex playing Pin the Secretary to the Elevator Wall, she's been content with her dog Fabio, her three cats, and a vow of chastity. But all of that changes when the reindeer-antlered Fabio drags in a very desperate, on-the-run detective who decides to take refuge in her house—a house filled with twinkling lights and a decorated tree. (Okay, so it's February, but she has a broken heart to mend, a Christmas-card shoot to do, and a six-times divorced, match-making mother to appease.) For the first time in a looooong while, Lacy reconsiders her vow. Because sexy Chase Kelly, wounded soul that he may be, would be an oh-so-delicious way of breaking her fast. Now, if she can just keep them both alive and him out of jail . . .  From Goodreads.

This was cute and a bit of fun. The description of Lacy and her animals in Christmas attire was hilarious. I think she took to Chase a bit fast but it was okay. It is a feel good book that of course ends well. I will read more books by Christie Craig.  

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: I Spy
Rawk-A-Tiers: Get Ready for Autumn!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars
A Million More Pages: Summer cAMMP BINGO
A Million More Pages: Summer Song Shuffle
Wacky Reading Challenges: Favorite Album - Away From the Sun
Wacky Reading Challenges: Book Tag Challenge #7  
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Wacky Reading Challenges: Animal House
Wacky Reading Challenges: Character Names, A-Z

A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews

Grace has been best friends with Ella and Flick forever. The late-night chats, shared heartaches and good times have created a bond that has stood the test of time.
When Ella invites them to stay for a week in her cottage in South Wales, Grace jumps at the chance to see her old friends. She also hopes that the change of scenery will help her reconnect with her distant husband.
Then Flick arrives; loveable, bubbly, incorrigible Flick, accompanied by the handsome and charming Noah.
This is going to be one week which will change all their lives forever... From Goodreads.

I really liked this but because I think some of the ending was very clear in the beginning of the story it only made it up to 3 polar bears. I did like Grace and the way she did things and I absolutely loved the setting on the Welsh seaside. I intend to read more by Carole Matthews.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: I Spy
Rawk-A-Tiers: Getting Acquainted
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: House Games
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars
Wacky Reading Challenges: Favorite Album - Away From the Sun
Wacky Reading Challenges: Autumn Fun 
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Wacky Reading Challenges: Animal House
Wacky Reading Challenges: Character Names, A-Z

The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa

The first major English translation of one of contemporary Japan's bestselling and most celebrated authors. 
From Akutagawa Award-winning author Yoko Ogawa comes a haunting trio of novellas about love, fertility, obsession, and how even the most innocent gestures may contain a hairline crack of cruel intent.

A lonely teenage girl falls in love with her foster brother as she watches him leap from a high diving board into a pool--a peculiar infatuation that sends unexpected ripples through her life.
A young woman records the daily moods of her pregnant sister in a diary, taking meticulous note of a pregnancy that may or may not be a hallucination--but whose hallucination is it, hers or her sister's?
A woman nostalgically visits her old college dormitory on the outskirts of Tokyo, a boarding house run by a mysterious triple amputee with one leg.
Hauntingly spare, beautiful, and twisted, The Diving Pool is a disquieting and at times darkly humorous collection of novellas about normal people who suddenly discover their own dark possibilities. From Goodreads

 

Unfortunately I found these three novellas boring and uninteresting. I only finished them because they were so short. They stories are twisted but neither beautiful nor darkly humorous as described in the blurb. 

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
I love Library books 2015
Crazy Challenge Connection A-Z Locations - 2014
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Rhyme Time
Rawk-A-Tiers: I Spy
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Getting Acquainted
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: House Games
A Million More Pages: Summer Games
Wacky Reading Challenges: Favorite Album - Away From the Sun
Wacky Reading Challenges: Book Tag Challenge #7
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Wacky Reading Challenges: Animal House
Crazy Challenge Connection: Read your age

Born in Shame by Nora Roberts

Three modern sisters bound by the timeless beauty of Ireland...
Shannon's life is rocked by an emotional earthquake when she learns the identity of her real father: Thomas Concannon.
Obeying her late mother's last wish, American Shannon travels to County Clare, Ireland, to meet the sisters she never knew she had. Warmed and comforted by the bond that grows between her and her sisters, her heart is lured by the charm of the Irish countryside and tempted by the attraction of horseman Murphy Muldoon.
Murphy takes one look at Shannon and knows that she is the woman he's waited for all his life. But Shannon is a practical woman. Will she open her heart and mind to the timeless, magical bond that connects them? Or will she reject fate's plan and leave Murphy to return to her life in America?
And amid the lush Irish landscape, she discovers the possibility of a love that is meant to be. From Goodreads.



I have really enjoyed this Born In trilogy of Nora Roberts. Shannon experiences the loss of her parents that she loved and the loss of her identity as her mother reveals that her father was not her biological father. I like that though these books of course have a happy ending, the characters have to struggle with loss and work their way through it. It also shows that you can get past the loss but it will always stay with you. 
Finally Murphy falls in love with the extremely lovely, nearly too nice, young man, who has been part of all the books. I will definitely read more of Nora Roberts' books.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
I love Library books 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XV
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Words With ... Myself!
Rawk-A-Tiers: I Spy
Rawk-A-Tiers: Get Ready for Autumn!
Rawk-A-Tiers: Troupe Theme Challenges
Rawk-A-Tiers: Getting Acquainted
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: House Games
A Million More Pages: Reading Under The Stars
A Million More Pages: Summer cAMMP BINGO
Wacky Reading Challenges: Favorite Album - Away From the Sun
Wacky Reading Challenges: Book Tag Challenge #7
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Pick One For Me
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt
Wacky Reading Challenges: Character Names, A-Z
Crazy Challenge Connection: Scrabble, anyone?

Wacky Reading Challenges - Favorite Album - Away From the Sun

Favorite Album - Away From the Sun hosted by Wacky Reading Challenges on Goodreads.

My goal will be Disc Three = 7+ Tasks.

Our next favorite album challenge will focus on "Away From the Sun" by 3 Doors Down. Thanks to Barb for this recommendation!
Date: 09/01/15 - 10/31/15

Levels of Participation
Disc One = 1 to 3 Tasks
Disc Two = 4 to 6 Tasks
Disc Three = 7+ Tasks

Choose a level of participation and complete the required number of tasks. Tasks can be mixed. For example, if you choose to do the Disc One Level (1 to 3 tasks), you may choose to complete a task for numbers 1, 2 and 3, OR you may choose to do a task for numbers 2, 5, and 9.

Challenge Rules:
Books should be at least 125 pages. All formats are acceptable. Re-reads are fine--just be sure to re-read the entire book. When updating your challenge with books you've read, please include a link to the book title, mention the author's name, and post the date you finished reading the book.

1. Away From the Sun:
Is the second studio album released by 3 Doors Down. It was released on November 12, 2002. Read a book originally published in November (any year), OR a Series/TBR #2.
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig (first published November 26th 2007)

2. Recording Sessions:
Took place during the summer of 2002. Read a book with a summer related cover, or a Series/TBR #1.
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe (The Firefighters of Darling Bay #1)

3. Producer:
It was produced by Rick Parashar at London Bridges Studios on Seattle, Washington. Read a book with a character named Rick (any variation will also work), OR a Series/TBR #3.
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts (Born In trilogy #3)

4. Length:
The album is 47 minutes, 57 seconds in long. Read a book in a position on your TBR that contains the number '4', '6', '5', or '7', OR a Series Book #4.

5. 3 Doors Down:
Is an American rock band from Escatawpa, Mississippi. Read a book set in Mississippi, OR a Series/TBR #5.

6. Singles:
Four singles were released from the album: "When I'm Gone", The Road I'm On", "Here Without You", and "Away From the Sun". Read a book whose title starts with 'W', 'T', 'H' or 'A', OR a Series/TBR #6.
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad (title starts with T)

7. Cover:
The album cover is primarily black with white lettering, and features a small burst of sun or sunlight. Read a book with a black and white cover, or one with the sun on the cover, OR a Series/TBR #7.

8. 4 Million Copies:
The album has sold over 4 million copies world wide. Read a book with a Goodreads rating above 4, or a Series/TBR #8.
A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews (rating 4.09)

9. US Billboard 200:
The album is listed at #110 on the US Billboard 200 for their End of Decade Charts, 2000-2009. Read a book with the number 1 or 0 in the total number of pages, OR a Series/TBR #9.
The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa (164 pages)

10. Label:
The album was released on the Universal Records label. Read a book whose title starts with 'U', OR a Series/TBR #10.