Bill’s Comments (group member since Nov 30, 2021)

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

My review of The Great British Bump-Off by John Allison, a fun graphic combining a baking competition and murder... 3.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

You had another excellent month. I hope your 2nd half of 2024 is as productive. I may have to dig out my copy of In the Lives of Puppets and try to squeeze it in, to compare my thoughts with yours.. At any rate, I look forward to seeing what you think of it.

Lea wrote: "Dear Mr. Westerfeld,

I really enjoyed reading Leviathan, which was the 2009 GRC Award winner. I think it will make a great anime series and I'm looking forward to reading the next t..."

As I recall, they get better. Great series. My favorite character was Nora Barlow..

967. Wycliffe & The Pea-Green Boat
968. The Great British Bump-Off

Lillie wrote: "Great June reading! But I'm refusing to look any of them up...today...I may just write them down on my list for future research..."

That's a very sound plan, Lillie.

My review of Wycliffe & The Pea-Green Boat by W.J. Burley (Wycliffe #6) 4.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next is Wycliffe #7, Wycliffe and the Schoolgirls

Young Adult

Alondra wrote: "Bill wrote: "The Wake is the conclusion of the Sandman according to what I'm reading. I'm glad you tried Red Rising again. But I'm not. 😎"

I had a feeling you weren't, Bill. 🤣🥴

I may try Morning ..."

At least you've enjoyed what you've read so far.

The Wake is the conclusion of the Sandman according to what I'm reading. I'm glad you tried Red Rising again. But I'm not. 😎

I have yet to read Of Human Bondage but The Moon and Sixpence was excellent.

Alondra wrote: "Bill wrote: "My review of The Big Jump by Leigh Brackett. Most enjoyable (4.0 stars)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line might be more horr..."

They are all very short books, Alondra. 😎

You had a great month, Alissa. I'll have to check out the book by Hayley Campbell. I've just purchased her look at the Art of Neil Gaiman and if I like I may check out the one you read.

Alondra wrote: "Great update, Bill. I only added a couple ............. :/"

I'm failing!

Karol wrote: "Bill wrote: "My review of The Caves Of Night by John Christopher, which it turns out, isn't Sci Fi but is still a tense story. 4.0 stars

"

LOL, Bill. Your saying ..."

I hope something does. Sci Fi is very wide ranging. 😃

My review of The Caves Of Night by John Christopher, which it turns out, isn't Sci Fi but is still a tense story. 4.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next story is Sci Fi, Kronk by Edmund Cooper

34. Austria - My visit involved crawling through caves trying to find an exit. Scary.... The Caves Of Night by John Christopher 4.0 stars

Correcting the numbers... this should be

934. The Caves Of Night

n The Same Page Monthly Reading Challenge JULY 2024
Start Date: 07/01/2024
End Date: 07/31/2024

Total Pages Read: 2471
Bonus Points: 150 pts

Books Read:
1. The Caves Of Night by John Christopher 184 pages, finished 2 Jul, 4.0 stars
2.Wycliffe & The Pea-Green Boat by W.J. Burley 207 pages, finished 7 Jul, 4.0 stars
3. The Great British Bump-Off by John Allison 112 pages, finished 8 Jul, 3.0 stars
4. Kronk by Edmund Cooper 160 pages, finished 10 Jul, 2.5 stars
5. Saga, Volume 7 by Brian K. Vaughan 152 pages, finished 14 Jul, 4.0 stars
6. Wycliffe and the Schoolgirls by W.J. Burley 204 pages, finished 16 Jul, 4.0 stars
7. Catwings Return by Ursula K. Le Guin 48 pages, finished 17 Jul, 3.5 stars
8. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin 304 pages, finished 19 Jul, 5.0 stars
9. Six Ostriches by Philipp Schott 263 pages, finished 21 Jul, 3.5 stars
10. The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi 217 pages, finished 24 Jul, 4.0 stars
11. Wycliffe in Paul's Court by W.J. Burley 207 pages, finished 26 Jul, 4.0 stars
12. Poems from the Women's Movement by Honor Moore 238 pages, finished 30 Jul, 4.0 stars
13. Borders by Thomas King 175 pages, finished 30 Jul, 4.0 stars

10 points:
- July is my birthday month 🎂! Read a book where a birthday is celebrated or a book that's been given to you for your birthday.
- 4th of July! Read a book that has a red, white or blue cover. Double points if all three colors are on the cover.
- 4th of July!! Read a book set in the U.S. or has parades, picnics or fireworks in the story. 🎆
- July is an unlucky month for weddings. Read a book that has a wedding in it.
- July 1st is International Joke Day. Read a funny book.
- Summer is a time to catch up on reading. Read a book that's been on your tbr list for at least 7 months or more.
-- Wycliffe and the Pea Green Boat by WJ Burley (since 2013) 10 pts
-- Kronk by Edmund Cooper (since 2021) 10 pts
-- Wycliffe and the Schoolgirls by W.J. Burley (since 2017) 10 pts
-- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (I've had since the '70s) (10 pts)
--Wycliffe in St Paul's Court by WJ Burley (on my bookshelf since 2015) (10 pts)

25 points:
-The Olympics! The Summer Olympics are in Paris, France. Read a book about a sports figure (fiction or non-fiction) or where sports is a dominant part of the story. Or read a book set in France. Double points if it's a sports book set in France.
- July 10th is Pina Colada Day! 🍹Bottoms up! Read a book with a drink on the cover.
- July is a big month for pool time, beach time and vacations. Read a book with any of these activities on the cover or in the story. Or a book you've read during any of those activities.
- Both OJ Simpson and Bill Crosby were born in July. While famous in their own right, both became more notorious for their legal battles. Read a legal thriller.
- July 30th is Father-in-law Day. Read a book where the MC is a father-in-law.
- Everyone seems to have a book club these days. Read a book from a celebrity book club.
- July 5, 1994 Jeff Bezos founded Amazon.com. read a book you got from Amazon or one on your Kindle.

50 points:
- Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in July. Read a classic. Double points if it's a book by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
- July 7th is Global Forgiveness Day. Read a book tagged religious/spiritual or where the MC gives/seeks forgiveness.
- July 6, 1885 was a step forward for modern medicine when Louis Pasteur successfully gave the first anti-rabies vaccination. Read a book about medicine or a medical discovery.
- Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. Read a sci-fi book.
-- Kronk by Edmund Cooper (50 pts)
-- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (50 pts)
- The Tour de France is in July. Read a book with a bicycle on the cover or about cycling.
- July 13, 1923 the famous 50-foot Hollywood sign was constructed. Read a book set in Los Angeles, California.

Good luck, Laurel

My End June 2024 Update
I ended up reading 14 books in June, 8 in the last half. For the first half of the year, I've read 69, with two DNF's. I'm ahead of my planned read for 2024 by 9 books. Roughly 17,000 pages, which is an indication of how many graphics and relatively short books I've tried.

These are the books I completed in the 2nd half of June -

Completed

1. The Paton Street Case by John Bingham, an excellent mystery / police procedural set in London. 4.5 stars
2. The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi, the 1st book in the Amulet graphic novel series. I liked it and have two more on my book shelf now. 4.0 stars
3. The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler-Colonial Conquest and Resistance, 1917-2017 by Rashid Khalidi Thoughtful look at war in Palestine from a Palestinian perspective. 4.0 stars
4. East of West, Vol. 1: The Promise by Jonathan Hickman. Another new graphic novel series I decided to try. Dystopian future and the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Interesting. 3.0 stars
5. Surfeit of Lampreys by Ngaio Marsh As always, an Inspector Alleyn mystery is entertaining and a jolly good mystery. Surprised me. 4.0 stars
6. Global by Eoin Colfer Colfer is known for his Artemis Fowl books. This is a graphic about two young people, one in India, one in the northern Canada, both trying to deal with the effects of climate change. Powerful story, excellent. 4.0 stars
7. Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker by Robert Mankoff A look at 8 decades of New Yorker cartoons, some just neat, some chuckle - worthy, many belly laughs. Fodder for my future posts in other sites too. 4.0 stars
8. Ratlines by Stuart Neville Tenxe, at times violent thriller set in Ireland. 4.0 stars

Currently Reading
1. 12 + 4 - Ursula K. Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness (Hainish stories #4). I've read a couple of times and am enjoying just as much as previously
2. 12 + 0 - Sci Fi - The Caves Of Night by John Christopher I think this might not be Sci - Fi, more just a tension packed story... eventually, about a group trapped underground
3. Series books - Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night by James Runcie, the 2nd book in the Grantchester series. Also my July focus book
-- Six Ostriches by Philipp Schott, the 2nd Dr. Bannerman mystery, ostriches, Viking stuff, etc.
4. Non - Series challenge - With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo. This is my 3rd book by Acevedo and I'm hoping it's as good as the others.
5. Tome Challenge (books over 500 pages) - The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive #1). It's a slow burn but every time I pick it up I enjoy and the pages flow. It is a tome.. :)
-- Wanderers by Chuck Wendig. I decided not to wait to finish off The Way of Kings before starting this. It looks interesting.
6. Monthly Focus Author - W.J. Burley. Burley writes the Inspector Wycliffe mysteries. I've enjoyed them very much. Wycliffe and the Pea-Green Boat (Wycliffe #6)

In the Hopper by Challenge

1. 12 + 4 - Ursula Le Guin - The Dispossessed (Hainish #4)
2. 12 + 0 - Sci - Fi - Kronk by Edmund Cooper
3. Series Challenge - Old Man's War by John Scalzi (I will finally get to this!)
4. Non - Series Challenge - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
5. Tome Challenge - The Poisoned Pilgrim by Oliver Pötzsch (Hangman's Daughter #4)
6. Monthly Challenge - WJ Burley - Wycliffe and the Schoolgirls

There you go, another month and 1/2 a year completed. Onward to the rest of 2024. Enjoy your reading!