Ruth’s Comments (group member since Dec 01, 2021)

Ruth’s comments from the On The Same Page group.

Denise wrote: "I was really on the fence about The Bell Jar, was only a 3 star read for me. A few of the others are on my TBR list. Good luck with your challenge."

I read it years ago, definitely due a re-read. I'm doing quite a few re-reads this year.

Mary wrote: "I love Jane Eyre!"

I've read it before but not fully. Tbis year is the year! 😊

Ioana wrote: "Ruth wrote: "I've just finished Shuggie Bain. Are they similar? I'm thinking they will be"

I don't know, but I'd be very interested. Please let me know after you read Demon Copperhead."

I'm going to be reading before the month is out; I've heard it's meant to be like David Copperfield, but I think it's going to have a lot of comparisons to Shuggie Bain, which was a tough read, but beautifully written.

Ioana wrote: "You have a nice list, with some very good books. Demon Copperhead was a favorite of mine in 2023 and I hope you'll enjoy your selections. Happy reading!"

I've just finished Shuggie Bain. Are they similar? I'm thinking they will be.

Thanks everyone. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into these.
Wishing everyone a very happy new year, and the best of everything to ye all.

On The Same Page Monthly Reading Challenge JANUARY 2024
Start Date: 01/01/2024
End Date: 01/31/2024

COMPLETED

Total Pages Read: 965
Bonus Points: 90

Books Read:
1. The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2024 *PART READ* 02.01.2024 - 31 pages. ✔️
2. A Book of Days*PART READ* 31.01.2024 - 11 pages introduction + 32 pages.✔️
3. The Lost Spells *READ* 01.01.2024 - 240 pages. ✔️
4. Brave New World (Illustrated): A Stunning Dystopian Classic with Striking Visuals *READ* 12.01.2024 - 271 pages. ✔️
5. Little Night Cat *READ* 12.01.2024 - 48 pages. ✔️
6. East of Eden*PART READ* 31.01.2024 - 332 pages. ✔️

10 points:
January means winter so…
RAB with a blue cover or icy scene on the cover.


RAB with a hot beverage on the cover.

RAB by a new-to-you author.
Brave New World (Illustrated): A Stunning Dystopian Classic with Striking Visuals
Little Night Cat

1/5 is National Bird Day - read a book with a bird on the cover.


1/22 is National Grandpa Day - read a book where the MC is a grandfather.

January is Be Kind to Food Servers Month - read a book where the MC is (or has been) a food server.


25 points:
RAB with a wintry or snowy theme.
The Lost Spells

RAB featuring New Year’s resolutions.

January 1st is National Hangover Day.
RAB where someone has a hangover or drinks too much.

January 2nd is World Introvert Day;
RAB where the MC is an introvert or is socially awkward.

1/2 is National Science Fiction Day in honor of Isaac Asimov's birthday - read a science fiction book. Double points if authored by Asimov.
Brave New World (Illustrated): A Stunning Dystopian Classic with Striking Visuals

1/3/55 - Alaska is admitted as the 49th State of the US. Read a book set in Alaska.

1/23/1849 - Elizabeth Blackwell becomes America's first female doctor - read a book where the MC is a female doctor. Double points if nonfiction.


50 points:
January 8th is National Bubble Bath Day;
RAB where someone takes a nice long bubbly bath.

January 12th is National Kiss a Ginger Day!
RAB where either the MC or an important character is a redhead.

January 17th is Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day
RAB where the MC gives up too easily OR abandons something important.

1/19/1809 - Edgar Alan Poe's birthday. Read one of his books.

1/26 is Australia Day. Read a book set in Australia or by an Australian author.

1/29/1891 - Hawaii proclaims Liliuokalani as queen. On 1/24/1895 she was forced to abdicate and Hawaii's monarchy ended. Read a book set in Hawaii or by a Hawaiian author.

PARTICIPANT LIST:

Ruth: 965/90
Denise: 2929/110
Lance: 749/30
Vikki: 3060/70
Anne: 3152/30
Bill: 2300/130
Jan: 1995/130
Eileen: 3478/650
Lindsey: 0/0
Tawallah: ?/35
Alissa: 2012/150
Judy: 4583/0
Ann at the Beach: 881/60
Tonya: 3118/325
Stephanie: 3769/260 *WINNER*
Sherri: 7626/205
Lauri: 2871/130
Veronika: 0/0
Christina's Book: 5062/1165 *WINNER*

Congratulations to JAN for being The Winner Of The Most Bonus Points Read for November.
Here are Jan's prompts for January:

10 points:

1/5 is National Bird Day - read a book with a bird on the cover.

1/22 is National Grandpa Day - read a book where the MC is a grandfather.

January is Be Kind to Food Servers Month - read a book where the MC is (or has been) a food server.


25 points:

1/2 is National Science Fiction Day in honor of Isaac Asimov's birthday - read a science fiction book. Double points if authored by Asimov.

1/3/55 - Alaska is admitted as the 49th State of the US. Read a book set in Alaska.

1/23/1849 - Elizabeth Blackwell becomes America's first female doctor - read a book where the MC is a female doctor. Double points if nonfiction.


50 points:

1/19/1809 - Edgar Alan Poe's birthday. Read one of his books.

1/26 is Australia Day. Read a book set in Australia or by an Australian author.

1/29/1891 - Hawaii proclaims Liliuokalani as queen. On 1/24/1895 she was forced to abdicate and Hawaii's monarchy ended. Read a book set in Hawaii or by a Hawaiian author.

Congratulations to LAURI for being The Winner Of The Most Pages Read for November.
Here are Lauri's prompts for January:

10 points:
January means winter so…
RAB with a blue cover or icy scene on the cover.

RAB with a hot beverage on the cover.

RAB by a new-to-you author.


25 points:
RAB with a wintry or snowy theme.

RAB featuring New Year’s resolutions.

January 1st is National Hangover Day.
RAB where someone has a hangover or drinks too much.

January 2nd is World Introvert Day;
RAB where the MC is an introvert or is socially awkward.


50 points:
January 8th is National Bubble Bath Day;
RAB where someone takes a nice long bubbly bath.

January 12th is National Kiss a Ginger Day!
RAB where either the MC or an important character is a redhead.

January 17th is Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day
RAB where the MC gives up too easily OR abandons something important.

This is a fun challenge where we, as members of the On The Same Page group will collectively post the number of pages for the month of JANUARY 2024. You can contact me if you have any questions or concerns :)

2023 Winners and the months they got to pick topics & won.

July 2023
Bonus Round Creator (Most Bonus Points - Eileen - May 2023)
Bonus Round Creator ( Most Pages Read - Bill - May 2023)

August 2023
Bonus Round Creator (Most Bonus Points - Tawallah - June 2023)
Bonus Round Creator ( Most Pages Read - Tonya - June 2023)

September 2023
Bonus Round Creator (Most Bonus Points - Anne - July 2023)
Bonus Round Creator ( Most Pages Read - Vicki - July 2023)

October 2023
Bonus Round Creator (Most Bonus Points - Ruth - Aug 2023)
Bonus Round Creator ( Most Pages Read - Vikki - Aug 2023)

November 2023
Bonus Round Creator (Most Bonus Points - Kristin - Sept 2023)
Bonus Round Creator ( Most Pages Read - Lindsey - Sept 2023)

December 2023
Bonus Round Creator (Most Bonus Points - Denise - Oct 2023)
Bonus Round Creator ( Most Pages Read - Sherri - Oct 2023)


Purpose:
The purpose of this thread is to find out how many pages we can read and how many bonus points we can amass for the month. The winners of both get to choose the topics for the month after the following one.

Rules:
- If you want to participate, copy the template below and post a new comment. You can do this now or anytime before the challenge ends on 01/31/2024, midnight in what ever time zone you are in. Totals will be calculated on 02/01/2024.
- When you finish reading, go back to your original comment and update it with the number of pages, book link, date read, and your new pages/bonus totals. THIS MUST BE DONE IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED AS A WINNER.
- Any book counts as long as you read it during the month, book club selections or not, add it! Audiobooks also count, just use the page numbers from the most popular hardback/paperback edition.
- Started but DNF (Did Not Finish) a book, add it but only add the number of pages you actually read within the month and comment that you did so. If you started a book in January for example and finished it in February, post the number of pages you read in February and please indicate this.
- Please be sure to type in the areas provided in the template your total number of pages read and bonus points that you have achieved. If your totals are not added up on your template by the end of the month, then I will not be aware of the full total and you will be counted on what I see on the 2nd of the following month.

Participating Members:
Once you comment with your template, I will add you to the list of Participating Members. It will show your totals and what message you are. The totals will be added up at the start of the following month. Please only post one template per participant.

The Winners:
There will be two winners, one for the most pages read during the month, and one for the most bonus points obtained. Please note that you can only win once during a 6 month period for either the most pages or the most bonus points. If you are the participant with the highest number of pages or bonus points, and have already won in the previous 6 month period, then the person with the next highest pages/bonus points will be selected as the winner for the month. Winners will be announced once the totals have been posted and calculated. Winners will be notified via message and given instructions for their bonus round selections.

Template:
(Copy and paste the template in a new comment below if you wish to participate.)

On The Same Page Monthly Reading Challenge JANUARY 2024
Start Date: 01/01/2024
End Date: 01/31/2024

Total Pages Read:
Bonus Points:

Books Read:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5

3470 The 45% Hangover - Stuart McBride
3471 Live Flesh - Ruth Rendell
3472 The Friend - Dorothy Koomson
3473 The Familiars - Stacey Halls
3474 The Bookshop Book - Jen Campbell
3475 I Know What You@e Done - Dorothy Koomson
3476 Fight Club - Chuck Palahnuik
3477 The Five - Hallie Rubenhold
3478 The Beatrix Potter Collection - Beatrix Potter
3479 Manson in His Own Words - Nuel Emmons with Charles Manson
3480 The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman
3481 Carmilla - J Sheridan le Fanu
3482 Shall We Tell The President? - Jeffrey Archer
3483 Nightcrawling - Leila Mottley
3484 Lessons In Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus
3485 Life Drawing - Robin Black
3486 Memory Road Trip - Krista Marson
3487 The Tea Girl Of Hummingbird Lane - Lisa See
3488 The Hypnotist - Lars Kepler
3489 Bloody River Blues - Jeffery Deaver
3490 The Virgin & The Gypsy - DH Lawrence
3491 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
3492 The Seven Husband's Of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid
3493 Dark Places - Gillian Flynn
3494 The Bloody Chamber - Angela Carter
3495 The Pastures Of Heaven - John Steinbeck
3496 Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan
3497 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
3498 Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy
3499 Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia
3500 Shuggie Bain - Douglas Stuart

Congratulations to Jan & Lauri for being our 2 winners this month.

Your emails have been sent to you. :)

Pam wrote: "Demon Copperhead is terrific! I’ve only read 2 Thomas Hardy books and Far from the Madding Crowd is one of them. I definitely recommend it!"
I'm can't wait to read Demon Copperhead and I'm hope Thomas Hardy isn't too long for me, and that my interest doesn't get lost in it early on. I haven’t read him before. Fingers crossed 🤞

Anne wrote: "I love Pride and Prejudice, and Dracula, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Jane Eyre, and In the Woods are good. I hope you enjoy them at least as much as I did."
Thanks Anne, looking forward to them.

I'm not big into series, but I loved Miss Peregrine, etc. Happy reading :)

Alondra wrote: "Fried Green Tomatoes is such a classic. I loved the book and the movie. They did a good job adapting it.

We have Always Lived in the Castle is fabulously gothic and weird.

Bel Canto is and was, ..."

Thanks for the insights; I'm looking forward to starting. I've a few oldies on here.

On The Same Page Monthly Reading Challenge DECEMBER 2023
COMPLETED

Start Date: 12/01/2023
End Date: 12/31/2023

Total Pages Read: 2397
Bonus Points: 725

Books Read:
1. Bedside Companion for Book Lovers: An Anthology of Literary Delights for Every Night of the Year *FINISHED* 31.12.2023 - 55 pages read. ✔️
2. The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2023 *PART READ & FINISHED* 01.12.2023 - 33 pages read. ✔️
3. Lessons in Chemistry *PART READ & FINISHED* 04.12.2023 - 134 pages. ✔️
4. Put On By Cunning *READ* 05.12.2023 - 208 pgs. ✔️
5. Live Flesh *READ* 09.10.2023 - 272 pages. ✔️
6. The Hypnotist *READ* 18.12.2023 - 503 pages. ✔️
7. Paula Spencer *READ* 20.12.2023 - 277 pages. ✔️
8. Her Fearful Symmetry *READ* 25.12.2023 - 485 pages. ✔️
9. Shuggie Bain *READ* 31.12.2023 - 430 pages. ✔️


10 Points:
December 4th is National Cookie Day. Read a book where the main character is a baker or the story takes place in a bakery.
Lessons in Chemistry

December 12th is Poinsettia Day. Read a book with a red cover.

December 21st is Winter Solstice. Read a book that takes place during Winter.
Put On By Cunning
The Hypnotist

There are two December birth flowers: holly and narcissus. Read a book that has a festive dual color on the cover, like silver/gold, red/green, blue/silver, etc.

• Read a book that the title starts with D, for the last month of the year.

• Read a book where the main character receives a gift.
Shuggie Bain


25 Points:
December 7th is Pearl Harbor Day. Read a book about World War II.

December 25th is Christmas. Read a book with items on the cover that you would love to receive as a gift.

December is the last month of the year. Read a book published in 2023 on your TBR list but haven't read yet.

• Read/Finish the book you resolved to read before the end of the year.
Her Fearful Symmetry
Shuggie Bain

• Read a book while drinking a fun festival beverage. Double points if any characters in the book drink the same beverage.

• The winter solstice is on December 21st and it is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight throughout the year, making it the “shortest day” of the year. Read a short novella.


50 Points:
December 13th is National Violin Day. Read a book where the main character is a musician.
Put On By Cunning

December 24th is Mary Higgins Clark's birthday. Mary Higgins Clark was an American author of suspense novels. Read a suspense novel, double points if it was written by Mary Higgins Clark.
Put On By Cunning
Live Flesh
The Hypnotist
Her Fearful Symmetry

Lebron James and Tiger Woods were both born on December 30th. Read a book where the main character plays basketball or golf. Double points if the book is about either Lebron James or Tiger Woods.

• Read a book that is set in a cold country during winter.
Put On By Cunning England
The Hypnotist
Sweden
Paula Spencer
Ireland
Her Fearful Symmetry
England
Shuggie Bain
Scotland

• On December 13th, it is National Device Appreciation Day, read a book with your devices, like an eBook or listen to an Audiobook.

• Read a book where there is a gathering of family or friends, or read a book with characters that you would like to invite to your holiday celebration.
Paula Spencer
Shuggie Bain

Bonus 50 points to anyone who reads a Christmas themed book.

PARTICIPANT LIST:

Ruth: 2397/725
Denise: 1203/135
Anne: 3887/885
Bill: 3313/160 *WINNER MOST PAGES READ*
Tonya: 2230/505
Tawallah: 221/10
Jan: 2368/520
Eileen: 3125/815 *WINNER MOST BONUS POINTS READ*
Judy: 4077/0
Vikki: 2686/820
Vicki: 0/0
Sherri: 3360/55
Lauri: 4443/170
Christina's Book: 261/135

Congratulations to DENISE for being The Winner Of The Most Bonus Points Read for October.
Here are Denise's prompts for December:

10 Points:
December 4th is National Cookie Day. Read a book where the main character is a baker or the story takes place in a bakery.

December 12th is Poinsettia Day. Read a book with a red cover.

December 21st is Winter Solstice. Read a book that takes place during Winter.


25 Points:
December 7th is Pearl Harbor Day. Read a book about World War II.

December 25th is Christmas. Read a book with items on the cover that you would love to receive as a gift.

December is the last month of the year. Read a book published in 2023 on your TBR list but haven't read yet.


50 Points:
December 13th is National Violin Day. Read a book where the main character is a musician.

December 24th is Mary Higgins Clark's birthday. Mary Higgins Clark was an American author of suspense novels. Read a suspense novel, double points if it was written by Mary Higgins Clark.

Lebron James and Tiger Woods were both born on December 30th. Read a book where the main character plays basketball or golf. Double points if the book is about either Lebron James or Tiger Woods.

Congratulations to SHERRI for being The Winner Of The Most Pages Read for October.
Here are Sherri's prompts for December:

10 points:
• There are two December birth flowers: holly and narcissus. Read a book that has a festive dual color on the cover, like silver/gold, red/green, blue/silver, etc.
• Read a book that the title starts with D, for the last month of the year.
• Read a book where the main character receives a gift.

25 points:
• Read/Finish the book you resolved to read before the end of the year.
• Read a book while drinking a fun festival beverage. Double points if any characters in the book drink the same beverage.
• The winter solstice is on December 21st and it is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight throughout the year, making it the “shortest day” of the year. Read a short novella.

50 points:
• Read a book that is set in a cold country during winter.
• On December 13th, it is National Device Appreciation Day, read a book with your devices, like an eBook or listen an Audiobook.
• Read a book where there is a gathering of family or friends, or read a book with characters that you would like to invite to your holiday celebration.

I have decided to make a bonus 50 points to anyone who reads a Christmas themed book. - Ruth, Moderator