christene_littlelibrary’s Comments (group member since May 03, 2022)

christene_littlelibrary’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Update msg 17

Progress:
6/50

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die Challenge
Read in 2024
6/20
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Sign me up

Serious Readers Challenge 2024 - Level 1
100/100


1. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama 01/04 ★★★☆☆
2. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells 01/04 ★★★☆☆
3. River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer 01/05 ★★★★☆
4. Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs 01/06 ★★★★☆
5. The Becoming by Nora Roberts 1/7 ★★★★☆
6. Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld 1/9 ★★★☆☆
7. Crime on the Fens by Joy Ellis 1/10 ★★★★☆
8. Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien 1/11 ★★★★☆
9. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke 1/12 ★★★★☆
10. Powerless by Lauren Roberts 1/13 ★★★★★

11. Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews 1/14 ★★★★★
12. Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson 1/16 ★★★☆☆
13. Dim Sum of All Fears by Vivien Chien 1/17 ★★★★☆
14. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid 1/18 ★★★★☆
15. Never a Hero by Vanessa Len 1/22 ★★★★☆
16. What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli 1/23 ★★★☆☆
17. The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan 1/25 ★★★☆☆
18. 1st to Die by James Patterson 1/27 ★★★★☆
19. Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon 1/27 ★★★☆☆
20. Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon 1/28 ★★★☆☆

21. Radiant Sin by Katee Robert 1/28 ★★★☆☆
22. The Takeover by Cara Tanamachi 1/30 ★★★☆☆
23. Cruel Seduction by Katee Robert 2/1 ★★★★☆
24. The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 2/2 ★★★★☆
25. The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary 2/4 ★★☆☆☆
26. Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs 2/4 ★★★★☆
27. Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews 2/5 ★★★★☆
28. Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews 2/6 ★★★★☆
29. Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews 2/7 ★★★★☆
30. Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano 2/8 ★★★★☆

31. A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin 2/9 ★★★★☆
32. Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier 2/10 ★★★★☆
33. Twisted Love by Ana Huang 2/11 ★★★★☆
34. Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas 2/12 ★★★★☆
35. Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon 2/13 ★★★★☆
36. Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas 2/14 ★★★★☆
37. The Teacher by Freida McFadden 2/15 ★★★★☆
38. It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas 2/16 ★★★★☆
39. Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas 2/16 ★★★★☆
40. How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper 2/19 ★★☆☆☆

41. Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson 2/20 ★★★☆☆
42. Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano 2/23 ★★★★★
43. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose 2/24 ★★★★☆
44. The Bodyguard by Katherine Center 2/25 ★★★☆☆
45. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano 2/26 ★★★★☆
46. Dirty Billionaire by Meghan March 2/26 ★★★☆☆
47. Dirty Pleasures by Meghan March 2/27 ★★★☆☆
48. Dirty Together by Meghan March 2/27 ★★★☆☆
49. Murder Lo Mein by Vivien Chien 2/28 ★★★★☆
50. Shadow Over the Fens by Joy Ellis 3/1 ★★★★☆

51. The Long Game by Elena Armas 3/2 ★★★☆☆
52. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 3/3 ★★★★★
53. Her Last Breath by Linda Castillo 3/3 ★★★★☆
54. Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews 3/4 ★★★★☆
55. Rapture in Death in J.D. Robb 3/4 ★★★★☆
56. Scandal in Spring in Lisa Kleypas 3/5 ★★★★☆
57. Diamond Legacy by Monica McCabe 3/7 ★★★☆☆
58. Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb 3/7 ★★★★☆
59. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston 3/8 ★★★☆☆
60. Truth or Beard by Penny Reid 3/11 ★★★☆☆

61. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley 3/12 ★★★★☆
62. Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert 3/13 ★★★☆☆
63. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas 3/13 ★★★★☆
64. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe 3/14 ★★☆☆☆
65. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas 3/15 ★★★★☆
66. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas 3/16 ★★★★☆
67. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas 3/18 ★★★★☆
68. Happiness Falls by Angie Kim 3/23 ★★★☆☆
69. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan 3/24 ★★★☆☆
70. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 3/27 ★★★★☆

71. Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston 3/28 ★★★★☆
72. Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston 3/29 ★★★★☆
73. Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross 4/1 ★★★★☆
74. Twisted Games by Ana Huang 4/2 ★★★☆☆
75. The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer 4/2 ★★★★☆
76. Ready or Not by Cara Bastone 4/3 ★★★★☆
77. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett 4/4 ★★★★☆
78. Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh 4/5 ★★★★☆
79. The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan 4/6 ★★★★☆
80. One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig 4/7 ★★★★☆

81. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend 4/9 ★★★★☆
82. Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs 4/13 ★★★★☆
83. Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett 4/15 ★★★★☆
84. Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper 4/17 ★★★☆☆
85. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch 4/17 ★★★☆☆
86. Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda 4/19 ★★★★☆
87. Godkiller by Hannah Kaner 4/23 ★★★★☆
88. The Deepest Lake by Andromeda Romano-Lax 4/24 ★★★★☆
89. Hello Stranger by Katherine Center 4/25 ★★★★☆
90. No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall 5/2 ★★★★☆

91. The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore 5/2 ★★★★☆
92. Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank by Elle Cosimano 5/2 ★★★☆☆
93. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware 5/3 ★★★★☆
94. Bride by Ali Hazelwood 5/4 ★★★★☆
95. Leave No Trace by A.J. Landau 5/5 ★★★★☆
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New 2 U Authors 2024
Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2024
Level: Devil May Care
Read: 1/30

1. Michiko Aoyama - What You Are Looking For Is in the Library 01-04-2024
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4.
5.

TBR Tackler
Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2024
6/50

1. Tom Lake
2. Four to Score
3. 1st to Die ✅✅ 1/27 4⭐
4. Magic Strikes
5. Icebreaker
6. Magic Burns
7. King of Wrath
8. Three to Get Deadly
9. Ruthless Fae
10. Cry Wolf


11. Iron Kissed ✅✅ 1/6 4⭐
12. Things We Never Got Over
13. Her Last Breath
14. Foul Lady Fortune
15. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
16. Reckless Girls
17. The Hacienda
18. The Wilderwomen
19. The Bodyguard
20. The Unsinkable Greta James


21. The Fortunes of Jaded Women
22. Dating Dr. Dil
23. The Stardust Thief
24. Part of Your World
25. All the Dangerous Things
26. Breathless
27. The Magnolia Palace
28. The Light Pirate
29. The Verifiers
30. First Born


31. Kiss Her Once for Me
32. Long Live the Pumpkin Queen: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
33. Dial A for Aunties
34. Safe and Sound
35. Slippery Creatures
36. Kingdom of the Wicked
37. Burn for Me ✅✅ 1/14 5⭐
38. Mile High
39. Soul Eater
40. Legends & Lattes


41. Kill Game
42. The Foxglove King
43. IRL: In Real Life
44. Morning Star
45. Crime on the Fens ✅✅ 1/10 4⭐
46. Rapture in Death
47. Radiant Sin ✅✅ 1/29 4⭐
48. Bone Crossed
49. The Dead Will Tell
50. River Sing Me Home ✅✅ 1/5 4⭐

Cleaning out the TBR closet 2024 challenge
Duration: 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024
2/50

Added 2021
1. The Song of Achilles
2. Morning Star (Red Rising Saga, #3)
3. The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike, #1)
4. The Hacienda

Added 2022
✅5. The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
6. Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1)
7. Book of Night (Book of Night, #1)
8. Sea of Tranquility
9. Love & Other Disasters
10. Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked, #1)
11. Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked, #2)
12. Kingdom of the Feared (Kingdom of the Wicked, #3)
13. The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)
14. Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane, #1)
15. American Royals (American Royals, #1)
16. The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus, #4)
17. The King's Traitor (Kingfountain, #3)
18. House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)
19. Layla
20. Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)
21. 1Q84 (1Q84, #1-3)
22. They Both Die at the End
23. Forever, Interrupted
24. The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)
25. Mexican Gothic
26. The Spanish Love Deception (Spanish Love Deception, #1)
27. The Sun Down Motel
28. Local Woman Missing
29. Daisy Jones & The Six
30. Malibu Rising
31. Her Last Goodbye (Morgan Dane #2)
32. Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)
33. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
34. Carrie Soto Is Back
35. All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, #1)
36. The Golden Couple
37. Blood Sugar
38. Baby Teeth
39. To Paradise
40. The Testaments (The Handmaid's Tale, #2)
41. The Once and Future Witches
42. The Anthropocene Reviewed
43. The Final Girl Support Group
44. Project Hail Mary
45. Of Cages and Crowns (The Culled Crown, #1)
46. Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)
✅47. Red Queen (Red Queen, #1)
48. Gone (Gone, #1)
49. Hunger (Gone, #2)
50. The Cartographers

A-Z Author
Completed 0/26

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Monthly Audiobook Challenge: January 2024
Theme: ◈ Dramatizations

Start of Month
Total audiobooks to read: 10
Audiobooks in monthly category to read: 5

Books in category:


Books not in category:


End of Month
Total audiobooks read this year: 4
Audiobooks in monthly category read: 3

MY MONTHLY RECOMMENDATION (and why):
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

2023 Serious Readers Challenge - Level Two
Start Date: 1 January 2023
Finish Date: 31 December 2023
143/200

Level 1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

✔️ 101. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix 10/24
✔️ 102. Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko 10/25
✔️ 103. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater 10/26
✔️ 104. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi 10/27
✔️ 105. All Systems Red by Martha Wells 10/28
✔️ 106. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews 10/29
✔️ 107. Electric Idol by Katee Robert 10/31

✔️ 108. I Have Some Questions for You: A Novel by Rebecca Makkai 11/1
✔️ 109. The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida by Clarissa Goenawan 11/2
✔️ 110. Glory in Death by J.D. Robb 11/2
✔️ 111. The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton 11/3
✔️ 112. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs 11/4
✔️ 113. Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert 11/5
✔️ 114. A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James 11/5
✔️ 115. Starling House by Alix E. Harrow 11/5
✔️ 116. A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham 11/6
✔️ 117. Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon 11/7
✔️ 118. That One Night by Emily Rath 11/8
✔️ 119. Pucking Around by Emily Rath 11/8
✔️ 120. Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs 11/10
✔️ 121. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros 11/11
✔️ 122. Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko 11/12
✔️ 123. You’ve Been Served by Kristen Alicia 11/13
✔️ 124. Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb 11/14
✔️ 125. Anything for Christmas by T. Ashleigh 11/18
✔️ 126. Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young 11/20
✔️ 127. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb 11/21
✔️ 128. Unwrapping Hank by Eli Easton 11/22
✔️ 129. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager 11/25
✔️ 130. Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood 11/25
✔️ 131. The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth 11/26
✔️ 132. Banyan Moon by Thao Thai 11/27

✔️ 133. Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll 12/1
✔️ 134. When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James 12/2
✔️ 135. The Awakening by Nora Roberts 12/5
✔️ 136. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley 12/9
✔️ 137. The Working Elf Blues by Piper Vaughn 12/10
✔️ 138. The Future by Naomi Alderman 12/11
✔️ 139. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears 12/12
✔️ 140. Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 12/13
✔️ 141. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano 12/14
✔️ 142. The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 12/15
✔️ 143. This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron 12/16

Judy wrote: "Christene, can you double check the page count of The Soulmate? The edition on your shelf doesn't match what's on the spreadsheet"

Sorry done.

DQs Day 3

9. I don't know how I feel about the school basically milking Ray owning a Stradivarius and him having to do an interview without even getting asked to do so. I personally would have preferred to keep it private, at least for a while. What are your thoughts on the situation?
I can see how some school took opportunity to advertise themselves. But they should have asked Ray first before taking any steps.

10. I can see where Ray's family is coming from wanting to sell the Stradivarius and divide the money, but they never showed any interest in the violin even though it had been in the family for a century, and Ray's grandmother gave Ray the fiddle for Christmas. He had to take care of everything surrounding it and his school/education himself, and he never even had much money to begin with. Would you be selling whatever in your life might turn out be worth this much money, and would you feel like your family was entitled to fair shares?
Thats the saddest thing about people we loved they only saw things or people when it can benefit them. I would not sell it as it is a family heirlooms and was given by the most important person in Ray's life thus used it as it is and it will double the value when the time of need comes.

11. Another family claiming ownership of the violin - it was bound to happen. On one hand I'm surprised they're suing Ray for the Stradivarius since I doubt they can prove the fiddle was stolen in any way, but on the other hand the odds clearly are against Ray. And now his family is suing him for the violin as well?! Who do you think is the rightful owner of the Stradivarius?
I'm curious as to why they didn't put it on media if they have evidence that they owned the violin. I think Ray is well deserved to have the violin. He values it more than any amout of money offered to him.

12. We've been introduced to a lot of different people (whose names I don't even all remember) and they all (most of them anyway) seem to have different reasons to possibly want to steal Ray's Stradivarius - greed, jealousy, racism,... it's all there. Do you have any more guesses of who's behind it all?
I think the closest the person to Ray the possibility of who stole it is higher. Though if my guess is right then.

DQs Day 2
Chapters 7 - 12

5.His mother and Aunt Joyce had gone to the store - ostensibly because they needed more collard greens, but in reality because one of the biggest family traditions was to keep Aunt Joyce out of the kitchen
Do you have any unusual family traditions, Thanksgiving if it applies, or Christmas, if it's not too early, or any other significant cultural event that revolves around a convoluted family meal?
We do have a lot of family traditions during Christmas that is pass on from older to younger generations

6. When Grandma gifts PopPop's fiddle to Ray, his mother's immediate reaction is that he can't keep it and she even scolds her own mother,
Mama .... what are you thinking?
What do you think motivates Ray's mother's resistance to his pursuit of music?
Is it purely because she wants his focus to be on earning money for the family, or does she anticipate the racism and resistance he could face and is trying to protect him from heartbreak?
I think that Ray's mother based her disinterest in music by experience. Maybe she once like to be musician but was stop by a traumatic reason. No mom would be that negative towards her children if she's not thinking for the future of her child.

7. Ray's meeting with Dr. Janice Stevens seems a pivotal moment, giving him access to the connections that sustain the close-knit classical music world
Do you feel there is a message here that hard work and talent may not be enough to overcome barriers to success, or is Ray's progress and recognition simply a result of his dedication?
I think that hard work and talent may not be enough without the support of people that push you and help you overcome this barriers. Also with connections and luck!

8. So... PopPop's old fiddle might be a Stradivarius, but before the appraisal Rowland offers to buy it for $25,000 dollars. Ray refuses, declaring
I'm not selling it. Ever
What do you think is behind Ray's attachment to the instrument at this point, the rarity of it and the legitimacy it will give him in pursuing his dreams, or the link to his family's history, back to slavery, or something else?
I think that Ray really value the gift of her grandmother. When no one else believed in him, her grandma was there and even offer him the greatest gift he had received.

DQs Day 1
Chapters 1 - 6

1. Can you even imagine losing a 10 million dollar anything?! Have you ever lost something and felt as Ray is portrayed in chapter 1...constantly retracing your steps over and over? What are your thoughts on other security precautions, if any, that should have been in place?
10M$ what a real value. If I were Ray, I won't bring it anywhere when I won't used it. He bring it anywhere he goes but on that one time when he leaves it it got stolen looks fishy. I'm curious as to who stole it.

2. At this point in the book, when/where do you think the Stradivarius was taken?
It will be traced if someone sell it. Maybe keeping it for greater value soon or someone who keeps antics got it or someone close to Ray.

3. Money can be a keen motivator...the ransom note leads us to believe it's all about the money...do you think it's possible it's about something else?
Probably someone who's envy of Ray

4. It's eluded to that Ray is about to make history because of his race with the upcoming competition in Russia. His family sure doesn't seem to be proud or supportive. Should Ray be proud of this accomplishment or is putting the focus on race poor form by everyone concerned?
I don't get why his family is not supportive or proud of him. He did good and everything by himself and by his talent.

2 weeks sure is fast! I think I'm done for this round!

Happy Birthday! 🎉

Listopia with musical instruments cover

🎶https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
🎶https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
🎶https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Round 3 bonus is hard, musical instruments on cover. Lol

Judy wrote: "Christene, can you double-check the edition you've shelved for The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida? It doesn't match the page count on the spreadsheet"

Done! Thanks

Judy wrote: "Christene, can you please add All Systems Red to your wheel shelf (and double-check the edition page count)? Thanks :)"

Done :)