Book Thief Challenge 2009

I’m adding another challenge to my list. This challenge is hosted by The Young Reader, whose blog I just recently discovered. The blogger is young individual who is enjoying the reading adventure. I definitely want to encourage any literacy in our youth so when I found that a challenge was being hosted, I had to jump in.

This one is more based on a theme and not really much of a challenge since I already scoped out the books I’ll be reading to fulfill the challenge.

Here are the details: (Can also be found here at The Young Reader):

This challenge is all about getting to know the thief. You may pick how many books to read (since I know a lot of you have many other books to read!):

1-3 books ~ Pickpocket
3-6 books ~ Candy Shoplifter
6-9 books ~Bank Robber
9-12+ books ~ Grand Thief

Guidelines/Rules/Notes

* The book can be of any genre (fiction or nonfiction) but must have some relation to thieves/theft. The book can have the word “Thief” in the title, can be about thieves, can involve a scene where something is stolen, etc. Use your imagination if necessary.
* Since this started later in the year, any thief-related books may be added to your current list.
* Please sign up with Mr. Linky. Make sure the link you added leads to your list/post not just your blog.
* Please feel free to use books you read here for other challenges too!
* It’s not required for you to pre-list your books
* The challenge begins today (3/19/2009) and ends December 31st, 2009

I love the categories for the number of books read.

I have two books on my list to start this challenge but I plan to add more. My personal goal is to read at least 6 books to reach the ‘Bank Robber’ status.

1) The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
2) The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
3) The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
4)
5)
6)

Beachcomber’s Series by Catherine Mann

I picked up the first book in this series as my selection for the AvidBookReader’s TBR challenge and enjoyed it enough to pick up the second in the series.
The series is about three women who became sisters as they moved into foster care. Each girl arrived at Beachcomber with her own baggage and each found a home.

Baby, I’m Yours tells the story of Claire who had a bit of a romantic encounter with Vic Jansen. He is the one that has the real scars even though Claire suffered from abandonment issues. Vic once had a wife and child but when his daughter drowned in an accident his world fell apart. He has an affair with Claire but things get rocky quick and they break it off even though they are both attracted to each other. It’s not until Claire finds herself pregnant that Vic realizes that he will need to risk his heart and trust himself to love again.

This one was a nice well rounded story that picks up in the middle of a romance allowing the story to flow within the short pages of a Category Romance. The relationship was already there and we just needed to get a recap of what happened before. This one landed a solid B and made me look for the next book.

Grade: B
Format: ebook



Under the Millionaire’s Influence did not have the same impact. Star was the troublemaker among the three girls because her road into foster care was the most traumatic. She was not abandoned so to say but neglected. Her parents are still alive and pop in on occasion to suck the life out of her. As a child and teenager she found solace with her wealthy neighbor’s son, David. He had his own family issues but has become a strong man who wants to make a life of his own far from the Beachcomber’s B&B. Star on the other hand will not leave the only home she has known.

The story was very choppy and Star seemed to be all over the place on her feelings. One moment she doesn’t want David, another she wants him. I found myself having to go back and re-read passages because I felt I had missed something and actions were taking place with no forethought. It was just a mess. It was so bad I decided not to look up the last in the series (don’t know if it actually exists but there was still one more sister with a story to tell).

Grade: a solid D (not an F because I liked David)
Format: ebook