5 books challenge .

One of my goals for the bout of books 11 was to participate and at least one challenge and fortunately for me (after putting off getting involved until the end of the week) the last challenge just so happened to be my favourite. It is the "5 Book Challenge" and it's being hosted by Falling down the book hole, who has this to say about it:

It is 11:00 PM on a Sunday night. You are laying in bed thinking about all of the things you must do the next day. Tasks of the coming days consume your thoughts and while your mind is somewhere else you are caught off guard by a flash in the sky that is followed by a large wailing screech that pierces the air and shatters your bedroom window. Slowly you move to the window and what you see catches your breathe and causes you to stumble back a few steps. The aliens (at least you think they are aliens) have began to enter the city and destroy everything that is in their path. Through the window your view is consumed with destruction, screaming people and large flames that are dancing across the city at a fast pace. You notice that the creatures are heading in your direction and you realize you probably have about fifteen minutes before they reach your home. That means you have only about ten minutes to gather your belongings and escape before you are caught in the attack from the aliens invading the city.

Given the short amount of time you are only able to take 5 books with you. What books would you pick to take with you as you escape and prepare for the end of the world. Would you choose books that would help you survive in the post-apocalyptic world ,books for pleasure that would make you happy and take you to a fantasy reality or books that you can’t live without?

1. The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien - If I could, I'd have the entire trilogy in here but The Fellowship is definitely my favourite of the three (Never ask me to rank the films. Seriously). Not least because, come on, Tom Bombadil.

2. North Child by Edith Pattou - Never fails to overwhelm me with nostalgia. I'm not sure that it would be in this list if that wasn't the case. I'm glad that it is. 

3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - There would be a lot less laughter in my life without this book. Also, there would probably be something helpful in here. Right?

4. The Subtle Knife - Another one for the nostalgia, and another favourite within a well loved series. Which could (sigh) just as accurately describe my final choice...

5. ...Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Of course one of them would make it in here. 

bout of books update(s) .

Monday - Started and completed An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. Started and read about half of The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham.

Pages today: 331

Total: 331

Tuesday - Finished The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. Started Vivian Versus the Apocalypse by Katie Coyle.

Pages today: 268

Total: 599

Wednesday - Finished Vivian Versus the Apocalypse by Katie Coyle.

Pages today: 123 (oops)

Total: 722

Thursday - Did. Not. Read. At all.
Pages today: 0 (oops²)
Total: 722

Friday - Deviated slightly and re-read The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman to help me get back on track. Started and finished Down the Rabbit Hole by Juan Pablo Villalobos. Started Perfume by Patrick Suskind.
Pages today: 182
Total: 904

Taken from Bout of Books:
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 18th and runs through Sunday, August 24th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 11 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

bookathon .

This is the first time I'm doing this thing and here is my personal challenge:

Min 4 hours of reading each day
Min 5 books by the end of the readathon

Min 1 challenge

Out of the following selection: The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham, Vivian Versus the Apocalypse by Katie Coyle, The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Perfume by Robert Suskind, Down the Rabbit Hole by Juan Pablo Villalobos, Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome and What is a Designer by Norman Potter.


Taken from Bout of Books:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 18th and runs through Sunday, August 24th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 11 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team