Suzan’s Comments (group member since May 22, 2020)

Suzan’s comments from the 2020 Big Book Summer Reading Challenge group.

Just a note that today (Monday) is the last day of 2020 Big Book Summer!

Enjoy finishing up those last Big Books (I am still listening to my last audio).

No worries the links list on the challenge page will remain open until September 30, if you want to add more Big Book reviews or a wrap-up. And, of course, this group is still open, too!

Elinor wrote: "Just finished Becoming by Michelle Obama. Review to come"

Well done, Elinor! I just loved listening to Becoming on audio - hope you enjoyed it, too!

Linda wrote: "Finished The House of the Spirits"

Congrats on another Big Book, Linda! I really need to read this one day!

Heidi'sbooks wrote: "I'm starting A Gentleman in Moscow and hoping I finish it before the end of the Big Book Challenge. It sounds like you had a rough time with no electricity and computer access."

Oh, we did, Heidi! August was challenging - ha ha

Glad you are squeezing in one more Big Book! That's one I want to read, too.

Victoria wrote: "I think this will be my last big one for this summer. The Evening and the Morning. A must read prequel for fans of The Pillars of the Earth series. Here’s my review.
https://www.go..."

Oooh...that sounds good! I loved The Pillars of the Earth!

Kate wrote: "I finished my fourth and final big book: The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. I really enjoyed this multi-generational saga and my paperback clocked in at 480 pages. Getting ready to write m..."

Good for you, Kate! I really need to try that one - I've been meaning to for ages. Glad you enjoyed it!

I finished American Dirt on audio Sunday night and decided to try to cram in ONE more Big Book on audio before the end of the challenge! Don't know if I can do it - my listening time has been limited with the whole family at home this year - but I'm going to try!

I'm listening to A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena, a YA novel - good so far! Set in Saudi Arabia so quite different from the typical YA.

Linda wrote: "Starting The House of the Spirits"

I want to read that, too, Linda. I read just one Allende novel, a YA, many years ago, but I didn't love it. BUT, I keep hearing how amazing she is and this book in particular, so I should give it a try! Hope you enjoy it!

Nancy wrote: "Starting Got the Irish version so I am reading The Wych Elm not The Witch Elm (U.S. version)"

Oooh, I love Tana French, Nancy! Hope to get to this one this fall, during my season of spooky reading!

So, I finished listening to American Dirt on audio - it was very good! Gripping and suspenseful but also moving and powerful. I still need to write my review - I've fallen a bit behind in reviews!

Nancy wrote: "Finished both and . The latter is my favorite book of 2020 so far."

I just finished American Dirt, too (on audio). I've heard of the Sam Hell book once or twice lately but "best book this year"? I'm in!

Cheriee wrote: "Suzan wrote: "Cheriee wrote: "Karla wrote: "Finished my 6th book: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (audio book narrated by Martin Jarvis) 400 pages. Great fun! I give it 4 stars out of..."

Wow! We need to get back to it - I think we just sort of started it then forgot about it.

Linda wrote: "Finished Dark Mirror: Edward Snowden and the American Surveillance State at last."

That's a LOT of Big Books for you this summer, Linda!

Jane wrote: "Just posted about my third big book, The Devil's Brood:https://janegs.blogspot.com/2020/08/t..."

That's great, Jane! Way to go! I am WAY behind on visiting all the BBS reviews but plan to catch up this week - I look forward to reading it!

Jane wrote: "Just started The Grapes of Wrath, and still reading The Most Fun We Ever Had."

Oooh, Jane, I'd love to re-read Grapes of Wrath - read it back in 9th grade! Enjoy!

Cheriee wrote: "I am hoping the Big Book time frame stretches until Labour Day since I just started my 10th book, Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins. (432 pages)"

Yes! It ends on Labor Day (oh, wait - you spelled it the Canadian way - American Labor Day is Sept. 7), so you have one more week, Cheriee!

Victoria wrote: "Suzan wrote: "Sorry for being absent for so long, fellow Big Book readers! And for the slew of new comment notifications all at once :) August was crazy here - we lost power and cell service for a ..."

Vicki - Everyone's been telling me that! A friend sent me links to the trailers today - it looks great! A modern multi-cultural cast but still set in the time period of the book. Will definitely watch when I finally finish the book!

Sorry for being absent for so long, fellow Big Book readers! And for the slew of new comment notifications all at once :) August was crazy here - we lost power and cell service for a week, then the day it came on, my laptop quit working and had to be sent off for repairs for another week. Then there were the 700 unread e-mails to go through!

I'm back now, hopefully for good. Just got the news that the electric company is going to fix the underlying issue that has led to us having 8 major power outages so far this year, so yay!

As for reading, not a lot to report because I have been reading the same Big Book since early August!! I'm reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Absolutely loving it, but it is physically a REALLY big book, and I'm getting tired of holding it up every night! ha ha

On audio, I've been listening to American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, which is excellent. My audio time has been curtailed by the whole family being home ALL the time this year, but I am almost finished with it.

Nancy wrote: "Elinor wrote: "Well, I’m still reading Becoming – it and I finally clicked! 🙂 Enjoying it now, and loving the honesty of it so far. Because summer challenge is almost up, would love to squeeze in a..."

I loved it on audio, too!

Cheriee wrote: "I just started Audacity by Melanie Crowder. It squeaks in with 400 pages. It's written in verse so it doesn't look like much reading, but I've discovered that books in verse can end up..."

Hope you enjoy it, Cheriee! I didn't think I'd like books in verse, but then I listened to Brown Girl Dreaming and Solo on audio and both blew me away!