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

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

Wow! You are a reading machine!!!

I finished Truly Devious, the first in a series (trilogy?) that seems like it will be quite good. The first set a promising stage.

Nice work! Especially since those look like some long & chewy titles.

Lol. I love big books, I cannot lie! But, yeah, you need a break from even the best of them.

Love the new profile pic, Rosemarie! Grand-babies?

I’m having such a hard time choosing what to read for this!! Too many possibilities!!

I started with The Coldest Girl in Coldtown from my library website. It was an interesting take on the vampire story, just bordering on apocalypse, with digital voyeurism and quarantine cities. All the elements made for an interesting read. But not as satisfying as something like The Girl With All the Gifts or a story by Richard Matheson.

Now I’m looking at my Audible library. Do I really need look elsewhere??? So many unread titles!!! So now I’m thinking that I’ll alternate between the two.... because I’m greedy. And possibly crazy. I should really be finishing one of the massive books I started in June. Better Question: Do I really need to be stressing this?? Yep, definitely crazy! 😝

Loved Good Omens! It has a special place in my heart.

Also, American Gods. And I read the next one which I think is called Anansi Boys. Also good. It’s good to have a bit of Norse mythology in your head. It makes the story make more sense, I think.

Thanks for the recommendation, Eileen! This was one I considered on my library’s website but didn’t know anything about.

So far so good. Kind of the male Eat, Pray, Love.

June Genre : Travel/Adventure/Survival

1) Our Man in Havana: spies, set in Cuba, finished
2) The Lay of the Last Minstrel: Scottish border dispute, finished
3) The Mark of Zorro: bandits, set in Spanish California, finished
4) A Gentleman in Moscow: not technically Adventure but has some elements as Count Rostov eludes soul-crushing bureaucracy in Communist Russia, finished
4) The Far Pavilions: Brits in India, very long, won’t finish until the end of July
5) East by West A Journey in the Recess, Volume 1: Henry W. Lucy’s journal of travels in the US and Asia, might finish in time
6) The Lies of Locke Lamora: Adventure/Fantasy, finished
7) Blue at the Mizzen: Last in a brilliant 20 book Napoleonic Naval Adventure series, finished
8) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values, Travel & philosophy, might not finish


9) Considering a Walter Scott novel, possibly Waverly, which was his first

I wasn’t planning to read anything else for this genre, but i thought I’d give Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values a try. I need a Z for the Alphabet Challenge, anyway. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Looking good!

Lost Z really blew my mind. It seemed right out of H. Rider Haggard!

Oooo! Uprooted was really good!

I did something similar... spent time thins morning combing through my library’s website for YA audiobooks. :D

The Gallagher Girls look like fun reads. I love when I latch onto a fun-to-read series like that!

I’ve read both Unbroken and Wild. They were very different but both quick reads and interesting.

I know! June just flashed by!

Lies is a lot of fun.

Gentleman is absolutely fabulous. The best thing I’ve read in a long time. I can’t say enough good things.

Well, my month of Travel/Survival/Adventure has been a bit thin and I won’t be finishing most of the things I started before the end of June. Here’s where I’ve been playing...

1) Our Man in Havana: spies, set in Cuba, finished
2) The Lay of the Last Minstrel: Scottish border dispute, finished
3) The Mark of Zorro: bandits, set in Spanish California, finished
4) A Gentleman in Moscow: not technically Adventure but has some elements as Count Rostov eludes soul-crushing bureaucracy in Communist Russia, finished
4) The Far Pavilions: Brits in India, very long, won’t finish until the end of July
5) East by West A Journey in the Recess, Volume 1: Henry W. Lucy’s journal of travels in the US and Asia, might finish in time
6) The Lies of Locke Lamora: Adventure/Fantasy, finished
7) Blue at the Mizzen: Last in a brilliant 20 book Napoleonic Naval Adventure series, finished
8) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values, Travel & philosophy, might not finish
9) Considering a Walter Scott novel, possibly Waverly, which was his first

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CATEGORIES...

B1: Exploration - A book out of your comfort zone
B2: Congratulations! - An award winning book (can include Goodreads choice awards)
B3: Participation - A group read (this or any other group)
B4: Information - A non-fiction book or one based on a true story
B5: Collaboration - A discovery made through Goodreads such as through recommendations, suggestions from GR friends, newsletter etc.

I1: Listed it - A book from your GR to-read list
I2: Bought it - A book you own but have not yet read
I3: Eyed it - A book you have been meaning to read for a while now
I4: Downloaded it - An ebook you own but that you have not yet read or an audiobook you have not yet listened to
I5: Scored it! - A book you got for free e.g. sale, gift, giveaway, library etc.

N1: Oldie but goodie - A classic
N2: New kid on the block - A book published this year
N3: FREE - Any book that strikes your fancy :)
N4: Yesterday's news - A book released last year that you haven't yet read
N5: Everybody's talking - A buzz-worthy book, one that you have heard others raving about or that everybody but you seems to have read

G1: Nice to meet you - A book by an author new to you
G2: You seem familiar - A book by an author you have heard a lot about
G3: One of the girls - A book by a female author
G4: One of the guys - A book by a male author
G5: Old friends - A book you haven't yet read by an author whose work you like

O1: Take a stand - A stand-alone book
O2: Take a friend - Any book from a series
O3: Take a trip - A book set in different locale, continent or culture from your own
O4: Take a look - An adult book, any genre
O5: Take a break - A YA book

SUMMER BINGO will run from June 20 through September, and should include books you read during that period of time.
You may set your goal as a single Bingo, as many as you can get, or try to complete the entire board. (As always, many thanks to Karen for creating this Bingo Challenge in the summer of 2014. It's the perfect summer challenge with something for everyone.)

RULES & GUIDELINES

* As with traditional Bingo, you can go for a horizontal, vertical, diagonal, "X" or "around the world". Or aim big and go for a "Blackout!"
* A book can only be used once on the sheet.
* Interpret the categories as broadly as you like.
* Feel free to copy and paste the template below to record your books:

B1: Exploration
B2: Congratulations!
B3: Participation
B4: Information
B5: Collaboration

I1: Listed it
I2: Bought it
I3: Eyed it
I4: Downloaded it
I5: Scored it!

N1: Oldie but goodie
N2: New kid on the block
N3: FREE
N4: Yesterday's news
N5: Everybody's talking

G1: Nice to meet you
G2: You seem familiar
G3: One of the girls
G4: One of the guys
G5: Old friends

O1: Take a stand
O2: Take a friend
O3: Take a trip
O4: Take a look
O5: Take a break