Denise’s Comments (group member since Mar 31, 2021)

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

I finished the short mystery set in Laos about 3 and half hours after the cheese was thrown! It should work for C and P. I'm not sure that I'll finish the series, but it was an interesting read. It was set in the 70s. (I originally thought it was written in the 70s, based on some language, but I think the author was trying to stay true to the time period). It was kind of a paranormal (or magical realism?) mystery. Cozy-ish, but maybe a bit too much violence for a true cozy mystery.
The Coroner's Lunch

🧀🧀 A CHEESE CHALLENGE!! 😂🤣😂🤣

I've got a book for the August pub date.

Melindam wrote: "Thank you, Denise! We appreaciate the team spirit. 😊"

It's getting better. It was written 50 years ago, so there's some language that may have been acceptable at the time, but it was making me bristle.

I started a book set in Laos. It's meh so far, but I'll finish it.

Sophie wrote: "Denise wrote: "I do have several books that I want to read fairly soon that aren't from a hard country. I am finding that while I enjoy reading books from other countries, most are from the other e..."

Mostly, I didn't want captains to feel like they had to shuffle things around just to get a mystery set in Michigan to fit somewhere if it isn't needed. I'll read a mix of challenge-specific tasks and my normal reads. Use whatever works!

Here are a few book recommendations/comments from my past reads:

The Ghost Bride - Malaysia
The Awkward Squad - France (fun series)
The Red Notebook - France (fun, but very short)
Before the Coffee Gets Cold - Japan
Moshi Moshi - Japan
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Japan
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop - South Korea
The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Dominican Republic (important read, but it's a sad and not a very smooth reading experience - footnotes, etc)
A Man Called Ove - Sweden (I love all of his books)
The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao - Brazil (I did feel like this was a bit overhyped, but it was fine)
The Fury - Greece (also overhyped, IMO)
Headhunters - Norway (this was also made into a movie and I liked it. It fit my mental picture perfectly!)
Gingerbread - Nigeria (it was really weird, but I loved her narration and I couldn't stop thinking about it later.)


If you want something light and fluffy...
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies - Italy
The Little Café in Copenhagen - Denmark (I plan to check out the rest of this series, all set in different countries. They are labeled cozy romance, but this one was more about self-discovery and slowing down the pace of life)

I'm planning to start with Thicker Than Water, set in the Scottish Highlands. I'm trying not to binge this author...at least not until after the challenge. :)

I do have several books that I want to read fairly soon that aren't from a hard country. I am finding that while I enjoy reading books from other countries, most are from the other easier countries. I'll still try to work some tougher ones in, but I also want to say that I won't be offended if all of my books don't get used. I'm pretty sure I'll read a BOM or two also, but I guess this is my confession. I am an "easy country" reader. 😂 (Although I was able to track down a copy of a rec from Melinda that should be here Saturday!)

Keli wrote: "I don’t know how many times I’ve been on a team with you Melindam, but this is the first time I have actually read your name as Melinda-m. For years, and it must be years now, my brain has always s..."

Same! I'm sure I thought of her as Melindam for over a year before I realized. 😂

As far as lazy music goes, I just watched a live recording of Mazzy Star singing Fade Into You at the Shoreline Amphitheater. It took me back to my youth (and probably dates me). I thought she was the coolest! If you're looking for a nice, live, mellow performance, check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4m5j...

I read a shorter, really powerful read from Jamaica a few years ago, but I can't honestly remember if it was 50% in Jamaica. It involves a family in New York learning about their ancestors. Has anyone else read These Ghosts Are Family?

Kari wrote: "Denise wrote: "Keli wrote: "And though there are many from Canada, I recently read Looking for Jane. I recommend it"

From Keli's reads, I also really liked and would recommend A Th..."

I'm not really a big crier and I sobbed at the ending.

Keli wrote: "And though there are many from Canada, I recently read Looking for Jane. I recommend it"

From Keli's reads, I also really liked and would recommend A Thousand Splendid Suns (actually one of my all-time favorites-- I think I liked it better than Keli), Saving Fish From Drowning, My Sister, the Serial Killer, and The Red Tent.

Melindam wrote: "😂

Very fitting gif!!

But also, no hurry.

Some of us are planners, others are mood readers.

I may be a combination of both, which makes for a hectic reading sometime, but I've learned to manag..."

I am definitely a combination mood reader/planner. I like to plan more than I can get to. Sometimes, I'll just put several things on hold at the library and see what's come in by the time I'm ready for my next read.

Vi wrote: "Checking in the thread on a Monday morning



Why do weekends always seem to fly by? 1 day of shuttling kids to football/birthday parties/playdates and another day of forest walk and it's already M..."

Weekends should definitely be longer.

Remember how I said I was rusty at TT? Well...I wouldn't want the captains to get bored.

Could you remind me with BOM reads...if it's a June read, do I need to wait until June to read it? Could I start it in May and participate in the June discussion?

And when I do read it, is BOM like a mini or should I try to find a place for it in the mini-challenges too? (I think I'm asking if will it count for both BOM and a mini?)

Thank you :)

I will try to enter some books on the spreadsheet soon. I'm celebrating Mother's Day in the US today and tomorrow my middle child graduates! I've been doing much more Tower Teams planning than actual reading... So hopefully I'll be ready to jump in next weekend.

I will try to get on this week and add a few of my planned reads and catch up on this thread. Hello to everyone that has joined!

Ingeborg wrote: "Hi, team!

I'm Ingeborg from Norway. I read mostly fantasy, but also some historic fiction and have recently started branching out more to SciFi as well. This is my second TT, but I've done UNO for..."

Do you think Winds of Winter will ever be finished? I've waited for so long...I think I'm giving up on it.

Where on the spreadsheet should we put planned reads? Just the books tab?

I'm planning to read the new Emily Henry, which I see will be the BOM.