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End of Event Survey (hour 24)

I have slept a few hours and now I am “awake”. The event has ended, so it is time for the End of Event Survey. Here are my answers!

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

I think it was when I just started the third book. I was tired, it was dark outside, so it was very difficult to keep awake.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

I have no idea, maybe an easy read, not too difficult and easy written, but with a nice story that is interesting enough to keep on reading.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next season?

I like it when there is a personal touch to the cheerleading. I know there were so few cheerleaders on so many readers, when this is increased the personal touch would make me more motivated to keep on going.

Also it may be nice when the mini-challenges are a bit more varying. There were so many challenges about road-trips and poetry that I just gave up on doing those challenges. Varying challenges will make me more motivated to do them.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

The way the mini-challenges were ruled. I mean, most of the time it was very clear what you needed to do and this leads to nice challenges and less frustration.

5. How many books did you read?

Three! That’s a personal record and also more than I hoped. I was hoping for one maybe two books, but I managed to read three. So happy 🙂

6. What were the names of the books you read?

Vivian Apple at the End of the World, written by Katie Coyle, The Killing by Robert Muchamore and The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

Oh that one is so difficult. I guess they are all three so different. They all have something that I liked so much. I think I like The Rosie Project the most. It just surprised me so much. The story was so lovely and sweet.

8. Which did you enjoy least?

I am just not going to answer this.

9. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

I think I am going to participate but I also know that I will be with my parents probably, so I am not going to push it.

Update (hour 22)

I finished my last book! I am so happy. The last book I read, The Rosie Project, was such a nice book. I liked it very much and it was also a nice read. I kept on reading, even though I was tired. My boyfriend, the one who kept me company today, fell asleep on my bed, so I think I am going to follow his example and go to bed. It was a nice day!

Mini-challenge (hour 18)

Sorry for keeping you wait so long! I have been reading and reading and reading. Until it was light in my room from the sunlight through the windows. I have to admit that I let my mind wander of to sleep a few times, while reading on my bed. That made me change the place of reading to the couch. In the last 6 hours I finished the second book, the Killing written by Robert Muchamore, and started The Rosie Project written by Graeme Simsion. This book is about a man who has the syndrome of Asperger. He is trying to find a woman to live his life with. What is nice about this book is that it is written from the point of view of this man. Because he has a simple thinking mind, it is also easy to read and to follow. That is simple enough for my foggy mind, even though I don’t read the words anymore, because I let myself wander of to my dreams. Beside that, I like this book very much!

One of the challenges for hour 18 is called ‘Badass Character’. I need to chose my favorite badass character from a book. I chose for Vivian Apple, the main character in the first book I read today. She is badass in my eyes, because even though she was scared of the things that happened in the beginning, in the end she would do what she wanted to do, overcoming her fear and fighting for the people she loved most.

Mid-Event Survey (hour 12)

We’re almost halfway done! I am still reading and awake, even though my eyes are getting tired of reading and I am yawning way to much. But I have more food to eat and enough words to read, so I am going on!

Here are my answers on the Mid-Event Survey.

1. What are you reading right now?

I am reading The Killing written by Robert Muchamore. It is a book in the Cherub series about children who are spies and infiltrate in families to find clues about criminal activities. It is a series I liked since I read the first book many many years ago. I still like it, so I am re-reading the series now I am older.

2. How many books have you read so far?

This is the second book I am reading today. Better than I expected 🙂

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

The book I am reading now! Don’t have any expectations on the rest of the day.

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

Not really. I am interupting myself all the time with social media breaks, toilet breaks, snack breaks andsoforth. Hoping it will be less in the next half of the marathon, but it also keeps me going, so I don’t really mind. Also my boyfriend is distracting me, so once in a while I give in a kiss on the cheek <3

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

How early I was getting tired and sleepy and how well I am going on after that. 🙂

Update (hour 8)

Hello everyone! We are seven and a half hours in this readathon and I finished the first book! I am so happy! Also I finished eating the heavenly chocolate mousse. That was really delicious. Now taking a little break, while finding out which book I am going to read next. Any recommendations there? Here’s some luck for the people participating in the readathon. I hope you are all having fun there.

Mini-challenge (hour 4)

This mini-challenge is called Taco Road Trip Time. I had to choose one character in my book I would be going on a road trip with. I had to choose one of two tasks. The first is about sending a post-card to someone else about this road trip, or choosing a song that fits for the character and the road trip.

I am still reading Vivian Apple at the End of the World. I am currently 128 of 214 pages in this book and I like it very much. I just had pizza, because I was getting hungry. Very much liked that pizza. Now I am taking a little break typing my update.

For the challenge I chose the song-task. I didn’t chose the main character, but a side character named Harp. Here is the song:

What doesn’t kill you – Kelly Clarkson

Harp is a girl that looks very hard. She is a little wild and loves parties andsoforth, but when it gets serious she gets scared. If I was going on a roadtrip with her this song would be perfect. In one way it is about going against the crowd and on the other hand it is about being strong, because you will come out better than you were.

Mini-challenge (hour 2)

I am strong in reading! I read about 50 pages of Vivian Apple at the End of the World. I think it is an awesome book, even though it is different than I expected. The first challenge I am going to do is named “Our bookish childhoods” in which I have to name 5 childhood memories with books involved. Here they are!

1. First I remember reading books in the middle of the night (read: 9 o’ clock in the evening). My mother always wanted me to go to sleep, but I wanted to read on. My mother used to steal my book, so I couldn’t keep on reading. What I did to prevent that was hide my books at my feet so she couldn’t find them. Muahaha.

2. The second thing I remember is going to the library with my mother and my brother. I would take a lot of books, already choosing which book I wanted to read first. In the car I would already begin reading, until I get sick in the car.

3. Thirdly I remember myself discovering the world of Harry Potter. I discovered the books at a house of friends of our family. My brother and I were there for a whole weekend, which gave me enough time to read a few books of the series. Then I was very happy that I could bring the rest of the books with me, so I could read the whole series.

4. The fourth thing I remember is reading in the sun, on vacation, before the tent.

5. Pinkeltje. Dutch stories about a very little person, who has many adventures.

Pinkeltje

Opening meme (hour 0)

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

The Netherlands! I will read in my own room in Nijmegen. That will be on the couch and on my bed.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

I am looking forward to Vivian Apple at the End of the World. I am very curious about this book.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Pizza! For dinner. I want pizza!!!

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I am Rianne, a 20 (almost 21) year old girl. I live in the Netherlands in Nijmegen where I study Economics. I love reading, writing, running and writing. I hope this years readathon will be amazing.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I now have my boyfriend who accompanies me. It will be nice to have someone next to me, even though he will not be reading.