Renee’s Comments (group member since Feb 03, 2014)

Renee’s comments from the The Reading Challenge Group group.

Lol! I loved that series, too! Rick Riordan is a genius.

For March the goal will be to finish Volume 1 (Fantine) and also the first book of Volume 2 (Cosette).

My take on Fantine is completely different. She's so young herself, with no one to give her guidance. She fell for a callus older man who was still behaving like a selfish, irresponsible child. What teenager wouldn't be lost after such a heartless breakup?

As to leaving her child with strangers... There, quite literally, wasn't anyone else. No family. No friends. No support system of any kind. And it would have been impossible for Fantine to get work if She were seen to be a "fallen woman." So she picked a couple who SEEMED to be loving. She trusted that the money she sent faithfully would ensure her child's well-being. She judged others based on herself, which is the response of an innocent, of youth, of most of us until we get battered and bruised for our naïveté. Only for an unprotected woman in those times and circumstances, the battering is quite literal. Look at how she is treated once her secret comes out. There is no pity for her from her peers, from her employers, from the state... Nor any justice.

For me, Hugo does a masterful job of showing just how helpless and desperate a person could become be under a system and an atmosphere of disparity and hopelessness. The smallest misstep could bring one to utter ruin. Both Fantine and Jean Valjean have had this experience. Only he was redeemed by the actions of the Good Bishop.

I finished The Signature of All Things on March 1st. Fiction, but with a terrific strong-female protagonist. Lots of cool history as well.

Hopefully, the heartbreak meant you were emotionally connected to the characters/story of The Poisonwood Bible. I know I felt it was a huge experience.

Ooo! I just finished Riyria Revelations. So much fun to read!

Nice!

Some of you will go way beyond 50 books this year. This is a place to share your achievements after you complete the 50 Book Challenge. Go, You!

Woohoo!! I'm gonna go set up a +50 Challenge right now!

Renee's Books for February: 11
Books Read to Date: 29

It's time to post your books for February. :D

Sports and Madness. Humanity's favorite topics. This is a two book mini-challenge for the month of March. One book should be related to a sport, any sport. The other book should be somehow related to psychology. That could mean a whole lot of things that don't qualify as "insanity."

Ingenuity is always welcome, so feel free to make suggestions that interpret this challenge in creative ways. As usual, please share your thought process as you make your choices for these categories.

*Bonus: if you can find a book that has both sports and madness, you can complete this in one!

According to tradition, Julius Caesar was warned by prophecy to "Beware the Ides of March." For this mini-mini, read one book with paranormal activity by March 31, 2016.

For more info on the assasination of Caesar...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ides_...

This single book challenge is only good for one month! From March 1 to March 31.

Mission: Find and read one book with a story or cover/title that is somehow associated with the "Irish" experience. Books set in Ireland, Irish immigrant stories, anything by Maeve Binchy, etc. For cover/title, this could mean green, orange, luck, clover, lucky charms (rabbit's foot, etc.), or whatever else means "Irish" to you. (Without being offensive, of course. This is a happy, welcoming book group. Everyone on the planet has to deal with some stereotype. It's one thing for me, as a blonde, to tell blonde jokes, but I don't make the mistake of thinking I'm a fool.)

Any genre is welcome. Finding the books is part of the fun! For example, the books below could be counted for this challenge...

Green Mansions
Orange Is the New Black
The Lucky One
Plum Lucky
How the Irish Saved Civilization
My Left Foot


Please include something about the "Irish Connection" in your post, so we can all enjoy your creativity. :)

P. S. You can do this challenge more than one in March, but each book counts as a single.

February: Read 10 of 16

Victorians!: The Old Curiosity Shop**
Trollope Project:
Readers Review: Eugene Onegin
Les Misèrables: 28 chapters**
Aubrey-Maturin: The Reverse of the Medal
Guardian 1000: A Passage to India**
Little House: Little House on the Prairie
Riyria Novels: Heir of Novron**
Outlander Saga: Dragonfly in Amber
Gastronomy: In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Life After Life**
The Swans of Fifth Avenue**
Alone**
Hide**

MONTHLY THEME: Valentine's

Minis ...
I Hate VD:
African-American: Brown Girl Dreaming**
Sweet Talk: To Have and to Kill**

Just finished Brown Girl Dreaming which was terrific.

Roseanne-
This issue has come up in the Goodreads Feedback group several times. Lots of people are having trouble updating since the reread option was added. The response has been that they are working on it so fingers crossed.

*whispers* "Send the snow to Brazil"

Hi, Rohit! This is a great group to start with. The rules, etc. can be found on the homepage, then some of the sections/folders will have a topic thread with information as the first topic. You can also ask questions. Everyone here is very friendly and helpful. It's an excellent place to be.

You might want to think about starting a personal challenge thread for yourself. It helps you keep track of all the things you want to accomplish. Feel free to look at the personal goals of others. It's very helpful to see how members organize theirs goals.

I gave up television a few years back and have been reading instead. It has been an terrific decision for me. Books just feed your brain in a different way. :)

Oh, yes! Poisonwood is a favorite.