Denise’s Comments (group member since Dec 26, 2011)

Denise’s comments from the Reading with Style group.

Joanna wrote: "Denise wrote: "The Time It Never Rained by Elmer Kelton

Would drought work, even though human behavior is thought to be involved sometimes?"

Yes, droughts will work."

Thanks, Joanna.

The Time It Never Rained by Elmer Kelton

Would drought work, even though human behavior is thought to be involved sometimes?

15.5 Sweet Sixteen Bingo

Square B2 capital city

Maigret's Mistake by Georges Simenon (set in Paris)

+15 task
+5 old (1953)

+50 second bingo column B

Post total=70
Season total=855

Great, thanks!

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

Would this work, or does the reminiscing disqualify it?

10.1 Member Lotto (Jayme's task)
Read a book whose author's first and last initials are found in SNOW ANGEL.
West of Sunset by Stewart O'Nan

10.2 Shortest Day/Shortest Night
Read a short book (100-175 pages in the MPE).
Jack Reacher's Rules by Lee Child (160 pgs)

10.3 New Year, New Book
Read a book first published in the last 5-6 years (2021-2026).
Highway Thirteen: Stories by Fiona McFarlane (2024)
Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld (2025)
King Sorrow by Joe Hill (2025)
Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson (2025)
Lazarus Man by Richard Price (2024)
Liberation Day by George Saunders (2022)
So Far Gone by Jess Walter (2025)

10.4 Valentine's Day
Read a book where a character consumes chocolate or a chocolate-flavored item.

10.5 Winter or Summer?
Read a book set at least 75% in winter if you live in the northern hemisphere.
A Maigret Christmas And Other Stories by Georges Simenon

10.6 Old Man Time or Baby New Year (Anika's Task)
Read a book whose main character is, throughout the book, either “old” (70+) or a child (for this task, “child” would refer to anyone 12 or younger).
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

10.7

10.8

10.9

10.10 Group Reads
Read one of the following books OR any book by the author of one of these books.
Greek Lessons by Han Kang

20.1 Sense and Sensibility (1811)
Read a book that focuses on a pair or group of siblings.
My Brother's Keeper by Marcia Davenport
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

20.2 Pride and Prejudice (1813)
Read a book shelved as Science 100 or more times.
Obsessive Genius: The Inner World of Marie Curie by Barbara Goldsmith

20.3 Mansfield Park (1814)
Read a novel whose title includes the name of a fictional location.

20.4 Emma (1815)
Read a book that has been adapted into a movie, or read a retelling of one of Austen's novels.
Some Must Watch by Ethel Lina White
Fat City by Leonard Gardner 1972 film

20.5 Northanger Abbey (1817)
Read a book written when the author was in their teens or twenties.
Upon the Sweeping Flood and Other Stories by Joyce Carol Oates
Pub. 1966; Oates born 1938

20.6 Persuasion (1817)
Read a posthumously published book.
Betting on the Muse: Poems & Stories by Charles Bukowski

20.7

20.8 Talking Heads (Apple's Task)
Read a book by a writer born in a Caribbean country.
The Great Yacht Race by Anthony C. Winkler

20.9 Forces of Nature (Joanna's task)
Read a book featuring a natural disaster.
The Time It Never Rained by Elmer Kelton


20.10 Mysteries Challenge (Rosemary's Task)
Read a book with MPG Mystery or Crime published before 1980.
I Was Jack Mortimer by Alexander Lernet-Holenia (1933)
The Trouble Makers by Celia Fremlin (1963)

10.9 Cheese! (Marie's task)

Ocean State by Stewart O'Nan

+10 task (“Along with sauteed button mushrooms and blue cheese crumbles, Russ has ordered a side of creamed spinach for them...easily the best she's ever had.” - 21%)

Task total=10
Season total=785

Maigret's Mistake by Georges Simenon

3.87, 987 ratings

20.6 Fall Equinox (Fall 2018)

The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag by Robert A. Heinlein

+20 task

Task total=20
Season total=775

10.9 Cheese! (Marie's task)

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

+10 task (“She slices cheese for his omelet, Pat eating every other piece.” - pg. 472)

Task total=10
Season total=755

If a movie is made from one short story in an anthology, would that work provided I read the entire book?

The Screaming Mimi by Fredric Brown

3.86, 511 ratings

The Case of the Dancing Sandwiches by Fredric Brown

4.06, 32 ratings

20.1 Happy Birthday Elizabeth

The Case of the Dancing Sandwiches by Fredric Brown

+20 task (4.06, 32 ratings)
+5 combo (10.9-"But they did get excellent Martinis at the bar and they had borscht, filet mignon, and pineapple cheese pie at Lindy's." - 56%)

Task total=25
Season total=745

20.1 Happy Birthday Elizabeth

The Lenient Beast by Fredric Brown

+20 task (3.88, 139 ratings)
+5 combo (10.9-"Loaf of rye bread. I think that's— wait, no. He bought some cheese. Quarter pound of jack cheese." - Specific type of cheese mentioned)

Task total=25
Season total=720

20.4 Uncommon Letter (Fall 2017)!

Fox by Joyce Carol Oates

+20 task
+10 female
+ 5 jumbo (672 pgs)

Task total=35
Season total=695

Jack Reacher's Rules by Lee Child

Adventure near the bottom

Is it okay to start locking in genres that look like they could drop off?

Liberation Day by George Saunders

Fantasy is second from the bottom

Agreed, Valerie! I often have trouble understanding the subchallenges, but this one really blew my brain up. It wasn’t until I read Joanna’s plan that I began to understand. Well, I think I do….
I see others are able to match all four criteria, and I wonder why it seems impossible to me.

Gemini
(M, most recently published, 2025)
Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson

Taurus
(Standalone, Mystery MPG, 2024)
Lazarus Man by Richard Price

Aquarius
(M, standalone, Book Club MPG)
Citizen Vince by Jess Walter

Pisces
(Most recently published, Fantasy MPG, 2022)
Liberation Day by George Saunders