Time to teeny tiny minithon!

Konnichiwa fellow readers!

I skipped the intro post this time around because I was joining everyone half way through and there was zero chance I was going to be organised enough to get a post written before hand.

Before I launch into talk of books and snacks THANK YOU to the ever wonderful Tika for organising this and hollering about it on twitter so I didn't forget.

I came into this 'thon with no actual plans. I didn't know what books I'd read and I had no mini snacks. I KNOW. I'M A TRAITOR TO THE CAUSE. But hear me out, we're going to lunch for Tom's grandpa's 90th this afternoon and it's a swanky place and I want to get my money's worth. So no tiny pies or sandwiches or popcorn for me this year, just an extra large cup of coffee and then a decent sized cup of tea when I realised I had no coffee left. But I did enjoy looking at what tiny treats everyone else indulged in. I think I need to get Tom to start baking me mini pies, because Alice's girlfriend has made me realise that I need that for my next minithon.

So this was my minithon.

Aforementioned cup of coffee, Zadie Smith's short story The Embassy of Cambodia (which is also tiny in stature) and Nora Ephron's book of essays I Feel Bad About My Neck. So much tiny in that selection. I didn't even have to stretch for reasons why they were mini this time around. I feel like that's an achievement in and of itself.

  I managed to finish Zadie Smith's short story (67 pages, but it's probably like 20 in a normal sized book) and read 139 pages or 8 of Ephron's essays. I think this might be the most I've ever read during one of these minithons. Probably because I wasn't distracted by tasty, tiny food.

Mini-readathon updates and conclusion

So taking part in a readathon the day I get back from a holiday perhaps wasn't my finest idea, but it's a mini-readathon so how the heck could I resist? 

Because I'm on the other side of the world (and all upside down and stuffs) I'm taking part in this readathon at super weird hours of the day, and this isn't really working for me so far!

Basically this is how it's gone so far: 

1am: One hour till it begins, hmmmm, nap? nap. 

4am: WHOOPS. Shit, better get reading. 

5.30am: So much joy reading Harry Potter, but my god I'm tired 

6.30am: wakes up from another nap.

7am: Ugh, what the hell Kayleigh - get your shit together!

But I don't care! I'm going to finish Harry Potter damn it, and I've tweeted and commented and that's just as much what the readathon is about rigggghht? 

As for my mini-ness, I'm doing everything on my phone (a mini-computer you might say), laying down with my mini-cat (or kitten to the experts) and taking lots of mini-naps. I don't really have any mini-snacks since I just got back from my holiday, except for way too many funsize chocolate bars sold in one great big box. 

And most importantly, I'm reading Harry Potter (who isn't?) which is for mini people, about mini people and is the miniest in the series. And if I finish I'm going to read Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman which is a collection of mini-stories. 

I'll take the obligatory book photo and food photo once I'm a little further with my reading, because at this stage this shit is getting EMBARRASSING! Photo added, note the adult HP cover (boo! hiss! I know everyone hates these!) and the not even looked at Gaiman anthology. If you're wondering what I look like eating those delicious mini-chocolates, here's an illustrated rendition....

It was 4am afterall

End of Readathon Conclusion:

I disappointed Dumbledore *hangs head in shame*

So I didn't finish Harry Potter, but I did get half way through AND hit on several questions that I think i'll be discussing in my first readalong post. Expect a lot of confusion about ages and toilets - and suitable gifs to go along. 

Also, this amped me up so much for the readalong (take part you fools, it'll be giftastic) that I went out and bought the film series on bluray (on sale!!) and I'm going to watch each film after I finish each book as suggested by and discussed with Brie over at Eat Books. Anyone who wants to take part definitely should let me know, and we can try and arrange a mass watchalong on Twitter that hopefully is at a more suitable time for me! 

Also, I came across a HP wand DIY while looking for gifs and now I'm going to make myself one and one for Laura, and if anyone wants I can either document the making here on the blog or I can make you one and send it to your home and you can use it to flip pages as you take part in the readalong or float food from the fridge or something. Just let me know yo.

Anyway, I had a god damn ball even if I napped through most of it and I loved tweeting and meeting all of you and i'm SUPER PSYCHED about the readalong now. Like, unbelievably so. 

PEACE OUT.

"Winter" Mini-Readathon - Final update and challenges

Progress: 

Hours 10-12....
Currently reading: Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk
page tally: 205
I've just finished: --

Overall...
Number of pages read: 675
Books finished: 2 (55 pages off finishing 3!)


Reading Challenges! 

Challenge #1

1. 3 random things about me...
-I collect teapots and teacups
-In three years I will be a doctor of zombies (seriously!)
-I lived in Hong Kong for 2 years as a kid.

2. Is this my first readathon?
Yes and no. It's my first blogger readathon, but last year and for many years as a child I took part in the MS READATHON to raise money for The MS Society here in Australia. There is nothing that gives me more pleasure than turning a passion and a hobby into an instrument to help others!

3. Did I have an specific goals for the readathon?
Not really. I basically wanted to read as much as I could, uninterupted. Even when I'm on uni break I find myself getting distracted or not getting as much reading done as I want, so I wanted to spend 12 hours where I didn't do any washing, I didn't catch up with friends for coffee, or I didn't get distracted by boardgames with the boyfriend.

4. Any specific books/snacks/drinks planned?
I was really winging this, I knew I'd need a bit of coffee (don't we all?!) but other than that I just went up to the bookcase any-time I finished a book. I wanted to try and read some of the books that had been on my shelves longest, but other than that, it was just whatever looked interesting.

5. What were my planned reading hours?
Originally I had planned to read from 11-11, but thanks to a minor hangover, and post-party clean-up and late lunch I didn't get started until 4pm. There was no way I'd be able to stay awake until 4am, so I ended up deciding to split it into two halves to be completed on Sunday and Monday.

Challenge #2

Challenge #3

Challenge #4 

Book:
Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk

Characters:
Carl - newspaper reporter, crushes model homes with his barefeet to dampen the guilt/pain of being responsible for his wife and daughter's deaths
Helen - real estate agent, candy-coloured hair, too many jewels and make-up
Mona - red and black dreadlocks, hippy/wiccan, likes Native American crafts
Oyster - sticky-up blond hair, eco-warrior/terrorist, dangerous

Actors:
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchen, Grey's Anatomy) as Carl.
Cheryl Hines (Curb your Enthusiasm) as Helen.
Lizzy Caplan (Mean Girls, True Blood) as Mona.
Macaulay Culkin (Home Alone) as Oyster.


Challenge #5

1. How many books and/or pages were you able to read?
2 books finished, 675 pages all up.

2. How many hours did you read for?
12 hours over 24 hours. I took a break for dinner in the first half, then a long break to sleep, then read pretty much straight through for the second half.

3. Any likes/dislike about the 12-hour readathon compared to a 24-hour readathon?
I haven't done a 24-hour challenge, but I really enjoyed this one. It was completely do-able, I didn't feel like I had to put anything on hold or disrupt my regular life too much to do it. It's something I'd love to do once every few months.

4. Favourite and least favourite books read?
Death: A Life was definitely my favourite, but I enjoyed all three of the books I chose to read. They were all very different from each other, and had their own draws.

5. Any suggestions?
Do more! I really loved the experience, and even though being on the other side of the world makes the challenges a little harder to do, I still adored taking part in everything, and reading everyone else's responses.

"Winter" Mini-Readathon - Update Number 2

Progress: 

I didn't get much reading done this period because I took a break for dinner and to clean up and now my eyes feel like they might fall out of their sockets. I'm really going to have to get my ass into gear tomorrow for the final leg.

Hours 4-6....
Currently reading: Death: A Life by George Pendle
page tally: 111
I've just finished: The Fog by James Herbert
Current book reminds me of: Douglas Adams. Quirky outlook on a situation that's a breath of fresh air. Decidedly British.
Amount of times I've been distracted by facebook, twitter and goodreads: 6


Overall...
Number of pages read: 222
Books finished: 1

"Winter" Mini-Readathon - first update

Progress:

Nursing a wee small hangover from Tom's birthday party last night, I couldn't bring myself to start the readathon until a few hours ago. So what I'm going to do, since I'm starting ahead of most people, is do half tonight and finish it early tomorrow. I'll split my updates into 4 parts and let you know how I'm going to far.

Hours 1-3....
Currently reading: The Fog by James Herbert
page tally: 112
I've just finished: --
How I feel: sleepy, but it's dinner time so I'll hopefully refresh over dinner and get my second wind.
Current book in three words: sprawling, weighty, lurking.
reading location of choice: sprawled diagonally across my bed (the couch just wasn't working for me).

Overall...
Number of pages read: 112
Books finished: 0

"Winter" Mini-Readathon

I've been wanting to participate in a readathon ever since starting my blog, but unfortunately, they've always been at the most inopportune moments possible so I've always been stuck unable to participate. Luckily, Sarah @Sarah Says Read has organised a "winter" (it is so not winter where I am!) readathon that not only is nice and short (12 hours) but on a day I can join in on. YAY!!!

In case you're thinking of joining (you should) you can do it any time on Sunday you like. So if you want to sleep in till midday you could do it from 12-12, or 1-1, or start early and do a 9-9, it's your choice! I'll probably get started by about 10-11am, and I'm going to set up under a tree in my backyard and just enjoy the crap out of it! There are also a few prizes and other goodies up for grabs, so if you think this sounds like the perfect way to spend a Sunday (it does) then sign up for yourself HERE!