Zaz’s Comments (group member since Dec 27, 2014)

Zaz’s comments from the 2015 Reading Challenge [Closed] group.

Lots of groups have a monthly book club, so it would be nice to have one. Maybe apart from the weekly challenge, because you know, there are these members who don't like to read in order and I'm pretty sure they won't like the "week together" :p
We can put a light week at the end of each month, so everyone will have enough time to read it or to catch-up with other books or side-reads.
I would enjoy something like one different genre each month.

Don't worry, if I like the 1st book, I'll read the series. I'm faithful to authors who write good stories, so if there's nothing really disappointing, I read all their work.

I thank some publishers who set really high prices to books, so I don't buy them immediately :p

Mar 7: The folder for week 18 (a Pulitzer-prize winning book) is now available. Looking at the plans, most of us will read the same books, so don't forget to join the discussions.

Some interesting "off topics" these last weeks:
Ideas for the 2016 challenge list:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Other reading challenges and goals:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Literary Turn-offs:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Week 18: a Pulitzer-prize winning book
April 30 - May 5, 2015

Authors can write outstanding stories or inconvenient ones. Sometimes because of this, the books are banned or receive awards, depending on the theme and country.
Pulitzer was a man who wanted to reward texts fulfilling "standards of excellence".

"More than 2,400 entries are submitted each year in the Pulitzer Prize competitions, and only 21 awards are normally made" (each for one of the 21 categories). Maybe all of them are not the best books ever, but you'll read one which won against lots of other books submitted for a reason or another. More about the prize here: http://www.pulitzer.org/


How to Create a Topic:
1. Create a topic in the appropriate folder using your book's author and title (Title by Author). Link your book with the "This topic is about" feature.

2. In the body of your post, comment about why you chose this book. Have you read it before? What are your expectations?

3. Feel free to use the thread as a way to update the group on your progress. Also, when you are finished reading, add a small review and your thoughts about the week's challenge.

4. Comment on everyone else's posts as well! Participation and group involvement will make this challenge so much fun!

**If you chose the same book as another group member for the same week, do not create a duplicate thread.**

Books ideas:
List of fiction books: http://www.pulitzer.org/bycat/Fiction
Other categories: http://www.pulitzer.org/bycat

I moved this to the friend recommendation week, if it's not the right one, change it (with "edit") or send me a private message ;)

I've to try Song of a lioness ^^ So many interesting books, so little time...

I totally avoid War (mostly WWII), rape and torture. I fear child abuse (in a fiction it could be ok if it's not heavy detailed and used well to build the character, but it can be a hit or a total fail and I don't know that when I start the book).
I choose my books mostly by covers (beautiful, intriguing or funny), so a dull/sexual cover won't help me to reach the summary step.
About reviews, it's sure some are turn-off, but I don't know why exactly. Maybe things like: can't finish the book, boring story, bad writing, rape.

I'm currently trying to overcome my "story with an antihero who is a very bad guy doing torture and rape" turn-off, because there are some really good writers in dark fantasy (I enjoy bad guys stories and Stephen King is one of my comforting author so...).

I was thinking that a Goodreads poll won't work as you can choose only one answer. A survey where you can order answers would be better. If someone has an idea on how to do this...

Megan > wow, the main character with the same name will be very difficult for some people (I won't have lots of choices, like The Sleeping Beauty and... maybe another book?). I like the idea but I'm not sure it's better than "a book... in your hometown" :)

I hope there are fantasy books with LGBT heroes :D

If we have a LGBT one, we need:
A book with a hero from a different ethnic group than yours (and no, elves are not included :p).

I rate if I enjoyed or not the story, the quality/originality of it, the world building and the characterization (lately this one became very important for me, I'm tired of shallow or annoying characters).
I rate too the writing: it's easy to read, immersive, smooth with free flow or heavy, filled with boring or useless descriptions/paragraphes, etc. Sometimes, there is something about it in particular, like being a page turner, making me feel everything or when words are dancing.
I try to tell about all of this when I write reviews, without long descriptions and spoilers.

I can add a star for something really well done and remove one when I disagree totally with something (like detailed torture scenes, approved racism, over bulling characters...).

My rating system:
* This was a mistake, writing this is as wrong as reading it.
** Several things are ok, but overall I didn't enjoy the book.
*** The author did good things (writing, story, characters, world...) but some important things could be a lot better. The reading was not fully pleasant.
**** The book was good, nothing is really bad or average, I enjoyed it.
***** The book was great. Everything is almost perfect, I liked the characters, their relationships and how the author told the story.
****** I will re-read this over and over because I miss the world or the characters (it's my "always and forever" shelf).

I do well with the BBCs The Big Read list (31 books). Some other books are on my to-read since some time.

Jodez > do you have a link to your "strong female" challenge or to some interesting book lists? I'm searching books like this and it's not always easy to find something interesting.

Brittany > I discovered the ARC existence this year, I'm totally curious about them :)

My goal this year is to read unknown or independent authors (mostly self-published books). I like supporting indies and Goodreads is a nice way with the ratings and reviews :)

I do another challenge based on a list of fantasy authors (some I know, some new).

"A book you could use as a doorstop" haha, this is a great description :D
I like the "person's name in the title" and the "initials" one :)

Some ideas:
A picture book (the ones for children)
A self-published book
A poetry book
A short story (under 100 pages)
A book out of the author's comfort zone (like a romance written by a fantasy writer)
A book written by an author born the same month (or year) as you
A book with a magical creature (give me some unicorns!)
A fairytale
A book you already read at least once (yes, I need this category a lot :p)
A book from a series (1st or sequel)
A book with an antihero

I count all the books too for the Goodreads reading challenge (comics, manga, picture books, children books...) but for the Popsugar one, I don't use them (except as double or for the graphic novel week).
I already read 32 books of 68. I'll finish the challenge before the end of the year again :D

We can start suggestions here, so if someone has a brillant idea, it won't be lost :)
I agree with the poll in october or november, the list must be finished before the end of the year and december is not a good moment for this.

In 2016, I would like to explore more different genres, so it could be interesting to have some weeks with genres like we did for the romance week (historical book, steampunk...).

There is already a topic for the feb recap :)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Copy-paste your post there :)

Hi, there is already a thread for this book on this week ;)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I close this one.

For a non-fiction, you can for example read a science or history book or one based on true events. The true story will be more about "the true story about someone".

I'm not sure it's a good idea to follow what Hadrian wants, except if you want to finish in a pretty silly situation. I prefer rely on Royce, it seems less dangerous (with the situation and to keep you safe from him). It's nice to see they found a voice to write them (well), they'll probably be some of my favorite characters soon, but I need to learn more about them.
If you put a unicorn in your next book, I'll buy it (ok, I'll buy it without a unicorn). And don't forget to ask Marc Simonetti to draw the unicorn on the cover ;)

About Wall-e, I saw it in your questions&answers before starting Riyria. It was funny because I thought it was Hadrian and I was thinking all the time "No really, he's not like Wall-e". After, I met Myrion and it was totally obvious. In a scene, he picks up an herb, I didn't know the word so at first I pictured it as a bug. I laughed a lot with his discoveries (the horses and children ones were great), great character.

Haha, book blogger, no way! Once upon a time, I was young and I liked to update my blog, like 3 times per day (and I was blogging all the time in my head). I decided to stop and, after that, I spent 4 years reviewing video games on a website. I'm waiting to see what will come next, an idea for a book would be very welcome, but it's not me who decide. Annoyingly, my brain shares its stories only when I sleep and I really can't write about that. For the moment, I play with english words, it's not easy because I lack vocabulary but it's interesting and a bit challenging too.

Ghostcat Nice big post! I didn't think a lot about animals, I see them as independent and resourceful creatures who can survive an apocalypse or whatever. I hope the engineered pets are not bald :p

It was recommended to me when I asked for steampunk books. As I liked the summary, I'll try to read it this year as a side-read :)