Allegra’s Comments (group member since Nov 03, 2017)

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

I love this idea. Way more fun than simple Pick books off your TBR.
First step is admitting the problem...

I'm Allegra and I'm a book-a-holic.
Current TBR: 1046
Goal: 1000 (probably ambitious, as I keep adding)
Goal date: February 20, 2020

I'll start with The Sleeping Beauty Diet--because I like fun, but I'm also fairly lazy--and we'll go from there.(3/15/18)
The Sleeping Beauty Diet (hoping I can find these on audio)
1. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day 3/16
2. The Catcher in the Rye
3. By Myself and Then Some
Bonus book: I'm about a third into The Diary of a Young Girl, but before I knew it would count for this, so...

The Vegetarian Diet (hoping I can find the "same" covers)
1. At the Gates of the Animal Kingdom: Stories
2. Last Chance to See
3. The Penguin Novels
4. The Phantom Tollbooth
5. Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?

The Atkins Diet (my protein = Mysteries)
1. Cat Among the Pigeons
2. Parker Pyne Investigates
3. Broken Ferns
4. Playing With Poison
5.

March 9th
324 pages


March 12th
198 pages

Group Total: 282,992

This sounds like it will be a true challenge, but as always, when there's no time pressures I'm game for a go.
No time to do the set-up now, but I'll be back soon. The hardest part here might be deciding how to rationalize the picks. For instance, I own so many books that I've cut off purchases (thank you, libraries) so how do I define "acquired most recently"?

◈ The Twelve Towers
12 books that you've acquired most recently (from start date: March 12)
1. The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo (Christmas gift)
2. The Family Man (library sale)
3. The Man Who Killed: A Novel (library sale)
4. Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet (library sale)
5. Hallowe'en Party (library sale)
6. Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar (from a friend)
7. Ahab's Return: or, The Last Voyage (library giveaway)
8. In the Woods (from a friend)
9. My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel (free at library)
10. Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents (Christmas gift)
11. Scarpetta (from a friend)
12.

11 books that you never find time to get around to or that have been on your shelves the longest (pre-choose these)
1. The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse
2. The Bell Jar
3. Heartburn
4. In the Fog
5. The Thirteenth Tale
6. The Afternoon of a Writer
7. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare
8. Playing With Poison
9. Scoop
10. The Princess Bride
11. October 1964

10 books you randomly select from your shelves (such as by using random.org -- as you go or pre-choose)
1.

9 sequels, series continuations, or spin-offs
1. At the Bay
2. Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days
3. Waking Gods
4. The Bat
5. Fallout
6. Gone Crazy
7. Artful
8. The Young Inferno
9.

8 novellas or short-stories - they can be part of anthologies, you don't have to read the whole book in this case
1. Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: A Story from Different Seasons
2. "Capricorn Games" in The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg, Volume 4: Trips: 1972-73
3. Prelude
4. Death and Night
5. Bernardo's Revenge
6. The Pleasure of My Company
7. Heart of Darkness
8. Notes from Underground

7 books that everyone seems to have read but you
1. The Diary of a Young Girl
2. Ready Player One
3. 1Q84
4. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
5. James and the Giant Peach
6. Pachinko
7. The Alchemist

6 anticipated releases (release dates after your start date)
1. Spring
2. Searching for Sylvie Lee
3. An Anonymous Girl

5 books that were recommended to you via Goodreads
1. The Refrigerator Monologues
2. Somewhere in France
3. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York
4. The Dead Ex
5.

4 books that you started but never finished
1. Little Women (goes back so long it's a family joke)
2. The House of Mirth
3. Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy
4. Art In The Age Of Aquarius, 1955-1970

3 books that you've already read before
1. Now We Are Six
2. 1984
3. A Christmas Carol

2 books with covers that you don't think fit the storyline or that you don't like the covers of but everyone raves about the books
1.

1 book that intimidates you
1. Moby-Dick or, The Whale

March 8th
272 pages

Group Total: 267,589

I'm in (Midmonth update--trying a new method)

Cliffs, Dance, Drunk, Ghost, Horses, Laughter, Lotteries, Rituals, Shrine, Sing, Tradition, Wail, Wishes, Woven, Yeah, Yellow, Zest

Blessings, Brawl, Charming, China, Coffee, Customs, Crystal, Dramatic, Feast, Gardens, Green, Illusions, Imagination, Inn, Joy, Knight, Laugh, Mist, Music, Myths, Party, Peace, Prince, Rebellion, Religion, Sorrow, Tankard, Tory

Emerald

(Finished up last night, but Internet-vs.-wind issues so here we go again)

Ancestor, Authentic, Balmy, Cheer, Cultural, Diversity, Elf, Folk music, Glimmer, Historic, Hung-over, Magical, Musical, Nostalgic, Rosy-cheeked, Stroll, Universal, Vitriol, Woolens

Fibber Magee, Legends, Magic, Rambling

Bagpipe, Battlements, Bog, Celtic, Clan, Cricket, Crosses, Fiddler, Gaelic, Harp, Humble, ireland, Keen, Lough, Ogham, Patrick, Patron, Pious, Poteen, Rebel, Roundabout, Saint Patrick, Stout, Wizard

Alcohol, Awe, Cap, Day, Enjoy, Fascination, Foolishness, Fun, Happy, Hospitality, Kiss, Loiter, Lorry, Pint, Stew, Whiskey

Cabbage, Celebration, Companionship, Dreamer, Expectation, Holiday, Indulgence, Keg, Knits, March, Mischief, Mischievous, Mysterious, Nonsense, Occasion, Passionate, Potatoes, Quiet, Relatives, Romance, Spell, Steep, Storyteller, Tea, Toast, Unique, Wake, Wonder, Yarn

Emerald

Ballad, Catholic, Coins, Four-leaf clover, Pub, Wee

Beer, Clover, Corned beef, Cottage, Dartboard, Fiddle, Good luck, Irish coffee, Irish stew, Leprechaun, Local, Luck, Lucky, Parades, Quaint, Sweaters, Troubles, Tweed

Brogue, Capriciousness, Enchanting, Insight, Limerick, Snakes, Soda bread

Ale, Biscuits, Draught, Famine, Gold, Inn, Jolly, Nimble, Pipes, Rainbow, Valour

Castles, Dazzling, Festivals, Quest, Turf

Katherine Mansfield Stories Apparel, Hedgerow, Jig, Lace, Mutton, Pints, Teapot


FINISHED--I count 203. Four-leaf Clover!

Scavenger Hunt 7/593 Animals

Beetle, Bison, Crocodile, Fly, Goat, Lion, Yak

I will usea 1-year timeframe to play Zoology Covers and Scavenger Hunt. I will dedicate both to a young man who, in an earlier life, was obsessed with learning about every animal in the world.

Zoology Covers

Some are already on my TBR, enough look interesting. So with no time limit, why not? Can't leave Cheryl here all alone

Current Total:
1/21


3/23

February 28th
208 pages

Group Total: 242,109

February 24
288 pages

Group Total: 226,796 pages

February 17
368 pages

Current Total: 196,002
(You know I love spinning those numbers!)

February 11th
49 pages

Current Total: 174,096

January 31
28 pages (I read this online and can't find any page count, so I estimated)


February 7
284 pages

Group Total: 18,460

I'm in for the Scavenger Hunt--and maybe the lyric line/book title too (though I'm definitely not up for 16 books with the word submarine).

January 18th
339 pages


January 22nd
96 pages


January 30th
288 pages

Group Total: 128,903

Found a bunch more! And since I'm at the end of the list anyway, I figured I'd simply add on. Sorry I couldn't find many "beyond-Christmas" words; the hunt is what kept me going. Added about 35 new words, including Hanukkah and Temple, so Worth it.


Angel (p. 371), Beauty (p. 362), Boughs (p. 381), Candles (p. 11), Cards (p. 10), Children (p.10), Coal (p. 382), Creche (title p. 359), Entertain (p. 13), Faith (p. 361), Festive (p. 383), Fireplace (p. 372), Friends (p. 379), Gold (p. 379), Guests (p. 362), Holiday (p. 367), Hope (p. 381), Hostess (p. 14), Inn (p. 375), Invitations (p. 12), Lists (p. 10), Love (p. 361), Manger (p. 391), Memories (p. 10), Midnight (p.380), Music (p. 382), Pageant (p. 375), Party (p. 6), Presents (p. 370), Ribbons (p. 379), Snow (p. 368), Spirit (p. 375), Star (p. 370), Stockings (p. 382), Surprises (p. 12), Trust (p. 381), Twinkling (p. 387), Winter (p. 8), Wise Men (p. 380), Xmas (p. 388), Yuletide (p. 375)


Angel (p. 23), Bows (p. 39), Candles (p. 18), Chimney (p. 25), Church (p. 18), Fireplace (p. 19), Gold (p. 33), Holy (p. 18), Icicles (p. 14), Inn (p. 10), Jolly (p. 16), Snow (p. 37), Winter (p. 36), Worshiper (p. 34)


Bells (p. 273), Children (p. 264), Donations (p. 208), Duck (p. 250), Entertain (p. 257), Heart (p. 257), Holiday (p. 237), Hope (p. 229), Journey (p. 183), Kisses (220), Lights (p. 191), Memories (p. 211), Peace (p. 139), Shopping (p. 156), Songs (p. 183), Trips (p. 184),Wonder (p. 195)


Beauty (p. 579), Boughs (p. 322), Bows (p. 326), Boxes (p. 326), Camels (p. 335), Candles (p. 338), Candy Canes (p. 322), Celebrate (p. 503), Christmas (p. 562), Christmas Eve (p. 585), Decorations (p. 321), Duck (p. 346), Ebenezer Scrooge (p. 567), Eggnog (p. 341), Gifts (p. 219), Goose (p. 503), Greetings (p. 479), Ham (p. 362), Hanukkah (p. 521), Holiday (p. 502), Holy (p. 517), Hugs (p.344), Jack Frost (p. 333), Jolly (p. 346), Joy (p. 355), Laughter (p. 576), Lights (p. 327), Manger (p. 338), Merry (p. 329), Music (p. 333), Packages (p. 326), Party (p. 576), Reindeer (p. 337), Rudolph (p. 347), Santa Claus (521), Shopping (p. 349), Sled (p. 337), Sleigh (p. 337), Snow (p. 572), Snowman (p. 334), Spirit (p. 575), Star (p. 339), Stockings (p. 576), Symbol (p. 327), Tiny Tim (p. 362), Toys (p. 322), Travel (p. 321), Tree (p. 334), Turkey (p. 362), Wreath (p. 322)


Birth (p. 41), Celebration (p. 165), Chocolate (p. 119), Embrace (p. 165), Expensive (p. 151), Friends (p. 151), Goose (p. 22), Gourmet (p. 41), Harvest (p. 23), Miracle (p. 40), Occasion (p. 160), Relationship (p. 165), Spices (p. 152), Temple (p. 91), Tradition (p. 165), Vacation (p. 45)


Children (p. 60), Embrace (p. 62), Holding Hands (p. 62), Love (p. 62), Music (p. 67), Peace (p. 67), Snow (p. 60), Songs (p. 60), Winter (p. 71)


Coal (p. 136), Fireplace (p. 40), Train, Venison (p. 155)


Chocolate (audio/no page numbers), Crowds, Phone Calls, Priorities, Texts

I thought I'd signed up but I'm guessing it was an older version. Hadn't started anyway. So C'mon, Kitty and Let's Go, Good Boy

B: Buff (a faithful dog who has passed into a pillar) / Standing Woman
Biddy (teetotaling dog) / Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing
Roche (the working warehouse cat) / The Diary of a Young Girl
C: Captain Jack (just the cat you need after a rough day of solving crimes and baking cupcakes) / Dark Chocolate Demise
Clara and Ceasar (cat and dog of the crime-fighting museum exec) / The Laughter of Dead Kings
F: Florrie (a fastidious cat) / At the Bay
H: Hachi (a faithful dog who has passed into a pillar) / Standing Woman
J: Jack (prison pigeon) / Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: A Story from Different Seasons
Jocko aka Sky (a parakeet) / Oreo
K: Kish (the canine companion to a god, and quite powerful in his own right) / Miss Garnet's Angel
Kubrick (a cactus, but...) / Sourdough
L: Lucifer2 (a sexy[?] rat) / Bite Me
M: Marco (Monsignore would be lost without his pug) / Miss Garnet's Angel
Moorage (a public house cat) and Mouschi (hidden house cat) / The Diary of a Young Girl
O: Otto aka Fleck (a not-so-German shepherd) / Oreo
S: Stella (Harriet's cat, yet Julia missed her) / Miss Garnet's Angel
Stanley (a sleek black cat who's in love with Bob) / Aunt Dimity and the Widow's Curse
T: Tua (a long-living tuatara) / Turtles All the Way Down
W: Wag (a happy sheep dog) / At the Bay

I think I'm finally getting the hang of these challenges, but here's another miss from my recent past--I started the challenge, but I don't see where I told anyone. Anyway,

I'm Making Lemonade. Started in December (based on titles logged), so I'll give it until May. I'm shooting for Lemonade but I hope I don't end up with Water.

Back soon to log current progress.

I think I'm finally getting the hang of these challenges, but here's another miss from my recent past--I started the challenge, but I don't see where I told anyone. Anyway,

I'm doing the Scavenger Hunt here. Started in mid-December (based on titles logged), so I'll give it until March.

Back soon to log current progress.

As I understand, I have a year for the coin but I should read in 80-day heats. So...

Writing from the U.S.A.

Heat I: January 28 - April 17
Goal: Silver
1. England: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
--"Bella Fleace Gave a Party" by Evelyn Waugh
--Miss Garnet's Angel by Sally Vickers
--The Hippopotamus by Stephen Fry
2. Japan: Standing Woman by Yasutaka Tsutsui
3. Russian Empire: "The Garnet Bracelet" by Aleksandr Ivanovich Kuprin
4. Israel: A Horse Walks Into a Bar by David Grossman
5. Ireland: Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
--The Secret Rose and Stories of Red Hanrahan by W.B. Yeats
6. Canada: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
--"Readers of the Lost Art" by Elisabeth Vonarburg
7. The Netherlands: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
8. Ecuador: "The IWM 1000" by Alicia Yánez Cossío
9. Argentina: "The Waves" by Silvina Ocampo
10. New Zealand: At the Bay by Katherine Mansfield
11. Scottland: Public Library and Other Stories by Ali Smith
12. Finland: "Baby Doll" by Johanna Sinisalo
13. Portugal: The Yellow Sofa by Eça de Queirós

I hate to end on 13, but maybe I'd better head home for a while.
For Heat II, see message 30.