“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
~ Stephen King
Do you love to read?
In January a group of us embarked on the inaugural Cauldrons and Cupcakes Reading Challenge.
Let me explain the Challenge to you. It’s pretty easy!
It involves four simple steps:
- Read or otherwise consume a book each month. You might borrow a book from the library, or buy one. It might be gifted to you, or it might have been waiting for you in some pile beside the bed since who knows when… Or it could be an e-book, or an audio book. It can be any kind of book at all. A novel, a romance, crime, children’s or young adult’s, a non-fiction book like a memoir or a cookbook or a travel book. It could be a graphic novel. Or even a textbook.
- Post the name of the book you are currently reading here on the blog or over on our Cauldrons and Cupcakes Facebook or Instagram page. Feel free to suggest another book that you have already read and enjoyed. That way you’ll be adding to a list of books that we can all dip into and choose from. I love finding new reading recommendations!
- Download the Reading Challenge Bingo Sheet. Each month write the name of the book you have read in the corresponding square. If you read two books in one month it’s fine to allocate one to another month. Or add the extra book to your existing month. Then add a small amount of money to a jar for each book you read. It could be as little as ten cents per book. Here’s the Bingo Sheet for you to download – just click on this link: Book Reading Challenge Bingo Sheet Then start filling it in when you’ve read your first book.
- In December I am going to ask you to use the money you have saved to buy and donate a book to a charity for a Christmas gift OR donate the money to a literacy project or similar. (Even if you only saved ten cents each month $1 will buy you a decent second-hand book just about anywhere.) It will feel great to help someone else to experience the pleasure and comfort that reading brings. The world needs more readers. If you want to team up for this challenge that’s a great idea too!
For those of you who are already participating, I can’t wait to hear about your book recommendations! Pop them in the comments below.
But if you haven’t joined us yet, it’s not too late. And I’d love you to get your friends involved too, so please feel free to share this post far and wide.
On the first Saturday of every month I’ll post an update here on the blog, and ask you what you are reading and if you have any recommendations to share.
All year we will practice kindness to ourselves by reading.
At year’s end we will pass some of that kindness on to someone else.
Do you want to join me?
Go ahead and write your name below, or pop over to Facebook and join me there.
Happy Reading!
Lots of love, Nicole ❤ xx
I’m reading The Woman in Cabin 10. I’m about 1/3 of the way through, now. I don’t want to put it down, but life intrudes.
The Horse Whisperer When he talks, Horses listen. By Andrew Froggatt
A master at building relationships with these wonderful animals, earning their Trust and Respect.
Then using these skills to help trobled youth along with running successful leadership courses.
Wonderful read <3
Hi Nicole,
Sorry for the delay, but grad school has been far more intense than I ever imagined (and I was warned). So this month I will likely read some fiction just before bed, but the book I am listing for February is A History of the Gypsies of Eastern Europe and Russia, by David Crowe. It is just what the title says, the story of the Roma (as most prefer to be called): the good, bad and in between. It is for one of my classes, but holds personal interest as well since there has always been a rumor/whisper that there is Roma blood on my mom’s side of the family. The persecution these people have faced over the years is unbelievable and most live in poverty. Not a fun or pleasant read, but important.
Kathy
For the last couple of years I’ve listed all the books I’ve read so thanks Nicole for this great idea to help turn a passion into something great for someone else.
I just finished a Robert Moss book, Sidewalk Oracles: Playing with Signs, Symbols and Synchronicity in Everyday Life. I love his books. I’ve also read Dreamgates and A Secret History of Dreaming and thanks to my sister moving country and leaving me a pile of her books I have almost all of them waiting for me. I’m currently part of his online course Awake Dreaming which has been amazing so far and learning techniques for entering the dreamspace I’m finding very exciting.
This year so far I’ve also had a bit of light summer day reading with A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore, and The Scandalous Lady W- an 18th C biography.
I’ve just started Bird Sense: What it’s Like to be a Bird, which I may alternate with something else as ornithology and the behavioral psychology of birds may require a particular mindset and level of concentration I can’t always provide 😉
Meeting Fairies by Ogilive Crombie …… awesome book for it was very thought provoking, I have had to expand my awareness to understand some aspects of the book……. in February I am reading “Tarot – Theory & Practice” by Ly De Angeles….. this book is only for the serious Tarot enthusiast.(!)
Replenish, Lisa grace Byrne. I received it from my sister in law 3 Christmases ago and just finished it, it is a book that I found I picked up only when in needed it and it always spoke to me. Was written from the view point of a newbie mom and I loved it.
I just finished listening to: The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. by Nichole Bernier It was an ok book but a bit of a downer. Also last month I finished very quickly between the last week of Jan and the first of Feb: The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin: by Stephanie Knipper. I was having a hard time putting it down to go to sleep at night. It was an interesting story and an easy read. Dec was The Dress Shop of Dreams: by Menna van Praag. My tablet is full as are my bookshelves. I want to do nothing but read and those are just the novels I’m reading. There are several more that I read at the same time. I listen to books while I sew or do rote things. The one eye gets tired so I have to make the print big on the tablet. Books take a bit longer but I live to read. If there are no books in Heaven, I’m not going. 🙂 I give all my old books back to the library to sell and make money for new books. My gifts are rarely anything but books. I’ve been working on “The Field” by Lynne Mctaggart. Most won’t find that kind of reading interesting.
I read three books in January. I’m now reading The Mayne Inheritance by Rosamond Siemon. It’s not what I expected but it’s interesting.
I read four books in January. I read three kids books and I finished ‘The Point of Vanishing’ by Howard Axelrod. I read it slowly because it was too good to read it any other way. An incredible read – thanks for the loan and the reco, Nic!
In February, I’m finally reading Neil Gaiman’s ‘Stardust’, ‘Meeting Fairies: My Remarkable Encounters with Nature Spirits’ by R. Ogilvie Crombie (another Nic recommendation), I’m continuing reading Penny Billington’s ‘The Path of Druidry’ (it’s a book and a course with writing exercises), and the screenplay of ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ – no need to mention the writer 😉 I daresay I’ll start another book in the meantime, but for now, good luck, everyone!
The Long Earth by Sir Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter followed by the Long War. (That was Jan. missed your Jan blogs) Now have read The Long Mars, also by the same authors
My February books (I’m claiming two per month for this challenge) will be:
Dreams of the Golden Age (Golden Age #2) by Carrie Vaughn – an urban fantasy that centres around superheroes (not the Marvel or DC ‘verses). Only started so yet to see how it goes.
Meeting Fairies: My Remarkable Encounters with Nature Spirits by R. Ogilvie Crombie – on the list after seeing your recommendation of it over on GoodReads.
Both of these books need to be read by about the 12th as they are inter-library loans procured from across the state/country via my council library (so very set loan period). I love libraries 🙂
For January, the book The Memory Code by Lynne Kelly – I found fascinating to the end. The analysis of use of memory spaces and memory tools by Neolithic cultures (eg henges across England, France and the Orkneys), Indigenous cultures across the world (Africa, North, Central and South Americas and Australia and New Zealand) showing how knowledge was kept and shared in cultures that were non-writing. Author also uses a Meso America culture, where there is evidence of the transition to glyph writing and how the memory space/tools changed.
I’m reading the fairy book too, Nickstar! We’ll have to compare notes XOXO
Ooh The Memory Code is on my to-read list so thanks for that xx
I’m re-reading ‘A Few Right-thinking Men’, by Sulari Gentil. An interesting look into Australian political thought pre-second World War. Enjoyed it the first time, enjoying it now.
It must be an interesting read in the context of today’s political scene…
I am reading an old book I found in a cupboard that my mum bought back in 1961
Oh, that sounds exciting! What’s the book, Joanne?
In January I ended up consuming three books. And began a fourth whose words tasted so bad in my mouth that I couldn’t finish it – a rare occurrence for me.
The first was Cate Richard’s recommendation ‘A Man Called Ove’ by Fredrik Backman; I so enjoyed meeting the characters in this book, and its gentle exploration of love and life. Ove is a man in his fifties who is lacking in social skills, and who initially seems to be just a very grumpy and unlovable old man. But as we turn the pages we begin to see what makes Ove tick. I deeply cared for him by the end, and his story will stay with me. Thanks, Cate! It was a top read.
The second book I read was Matthew Kimberley’s ‘How To Get A Grip’ – a tongue-in-cheek business book about moving from procrastination to action. It’s a light and funny read, but with some serious meat on its slender bones.
The final book which I devoured was ‘Last Dinner on the Titanic’ by Rick Archbold and Dana McCauley. It’s a cookbook which is filled with stories and photographs from the Titanic, as well as authentic menus and recipes from the great Liner. What a fine example of Edwardian dining this is! I can see a themed dinner party coming up for me later in the year when the nights are cooler and more suited to cooking and dining in comfort.
The book I could not finish was ‘Secrets of Aboriginal Healing’ by Garry and Robbie Holtz – which was recommended by an American friend who thought I’d find it an informative read for my own healing journey. My well-meaning friend has never travelled to Australia and also knows nothing of Aboriginal culture. It’s been a long time since a book made me so cross. Let’s just say that if Mr Holtz did indeed travel to Australia and meet with Aboriginal healers, both the country he visited and the ‘tribe’ he met with bear no resemblance to the country I call home, nor the indigenous culture of any Aboriginal people I’ve ever known. Enough said. I DON’T RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!
Happily, I now have a jar with thirty dollars towards my end-of-year donation. 🙂 The thought of that helps me overcome my crossness over that last drivel book.
This month I have begun a debut novel translated from German. It is the beautifully wrought ‘This House is Mine’ by Dorte Hansen. This one was recommended by my librarian, and I haven’t had a single suggestion turn out to be a dud from the lovely librarians at Byron Bay Library. I’ll let you know more about it next month.
Good luck with your own reading!
Nicole xx
Nice! Wow – that last book sounds atrocious … XO
Possession by A.S.Byatt
That’s sitting on my shelf, but I haven’t read it yet. Let me know what you think of it! Nx
That’s on my shelf too and I also look forward to your mini review 🙂