Charlie’s Comments (group member since Dec 24, 2010)

Charlie’s comments from the Read This Next! group.

This challenge was previously hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog, and last year by Royal Reviews. When it was offered up for a new host blog, "A Few More Pages," happily volunteered. The 1st in a Series Challenge has a special place in my heart because it was one of the first reading challenges I joined when I started blogging in 2009. If you like reading series as much as I do, I hope you'll join in!

More info and/or to sign up: 1st In A Series

The Object of the Challenge: As a Knight or Lady Knight, to visit as many courts as possible. For example, reading Victoria Victorious by Jean Plaidy would count as 1 visit/chivalrous deed achieved at the court of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Reading No Will But His by Sarah Hoyt would count as 1 visit/chivalrous deed achieved at the court of Catherine Howard and Henry VIII, etc...

More info. and/or to sign up: Chivalrous Deeds

The Book Vixen wants to read more books in 2011 than I did in 2010. Plain and simple. What about you – are you game?

The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2011 than you did in 2010. See the different levels and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.

For details and/or to sign up click: Outdo Yourself

You want to read steampunk, share your opinion and reviews with like minded people? You want to get recommendations from others because you have no idea where to begin? Join the steampunk challenge and share the experience!

The challenge runs from October to October and there are no obligations other than to have fun discovering a genre and let other participants know about what you find.

To sign up click: Steampunk Challenge

Open Oct. 2010-Oct. 2011 -- open to join in all year long.

Have you read a book and at the end said you must read another by this author but haven't? Then this Challenge is for you, what are you waiting for. :-) There are so many amazing authors but sometimes we get caught up in reading all the new we forget about the authors that have already impressed, excited us, gave us what all readers want, a great read, that wow moment, so this Challenge is to show all the authors that have pleased us already how thankful we are by reading more of their literary works.

To sign up click: I Want More

All genres welcome.

Sometimes the title 'historical' sounds stuffy, or boring and stiff, but it doesn't have to be. Actually, the genre is widening and many sub-genres have developed. To celebrate the diversity I designed a challenge that explores various subs of my favorite reading category. READ 6 books from 6 different sub-genres.

To view details and sign up click on: Bitsy Bling Books

Also, there is group reading challenge page set up here at Goodreads

Here are some questions I come up with as I read chapters 1-3

1. Countess Nadasdy. Is she suppose to represent the infamous Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory who married Count Nadasdy. If so, what works about this association with a historical folklore figure. What makes you think this is a 'different' Nadasdy?

2. What do you think about the BUR and its role in social progress?

3. What do you think about government monitoring in order to bring about social tolerance of outlining groups? Is this good or bad?

4. Why hives and clones to describe vampires? What characteristics do they share or not share? Is this fitting or would you choose another insect or animal group to describe them?

Read This Next is comprised of 500 book recommendations arranged in thematic lists. I've randomly and in the most scientific way, selected a list of books to represent most categories for the 2011 grouping.

If you're like me, you've probably signed up for a number of reading challenges. I created this group as a way to maximize the reading dollar and time! Several books can be utilized for 'cross-overs' in challenges. Besides, I'd like to actually discuss a book, not simply just check it off my list.

Discussion questions (taken from Read This Next) will be posted for books featured under main themes. Sub-genres: Well, we'll have to come up with our own.

OPTIONS A: Feel free to read any of the books at anytime -- post reviews, responses to discussion questions, links to blog discussions about books, talk amongst yourselves, or talk to yourself -- under topic folders.

OPTION B: If you'd like to participate and follow along (jump in and out), I will be posting the book (I'm reading and discussing) each month at my blog and also here on Goodreads. The featured book will appear at the top of the page under "currently-reading." This is to help me moderate and expand discussions with other book bloggers.

Here is the host BLOG link. CLICK Bitsy Bling Books: Read This Next!
For meme, review links, discussion...To visit, follow, link-up, stalk...

OPTION C: Waver and waffle between both options -- Let mood, time, and interest dictate. This is for the commitment phobs.

This is a SUGGESTION list. I will not be reading all of the books. That would be insane, right? Instead, I will be selecting a book or two from each theme. Do with it as you like -- it's here to be used, but not abused.

Love:
Camille, by Alexandre Dumas, fils
Endless Love, by Scott Spencer
The Blue Flower, by Penelope Fitzgerald
sub genre: Historical Romance
Forever Amber, by Kathleen Winsor
Music & Silence, by Rose Tremain

Memoir:
The Liars' Club, by Mary Karr
Epileptic, by David B.

Family:
Bastard Out of Carolina, by Dorthy Allison
Cold Comfort Farm, by Stella Gibbons
Geek Love, by Katherine Dunn
Falling Angels, by Barbara Gowdy

Politics:
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
The Man Who Was Thrusday, by G.K. Chesterton

Humor:
Diary of A Provincial Lady, by E.M. Delafield
The Third Policeman, by Flann O'Brien (philosphical)
I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith (escapist lit.)
Decline and Fall, by Evelyn Waugh

Death:
We have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson (haunted house story)
Magic for Beginners, by Kelly Link (Sci-fantasy, slipstream)
Soulless, by Gail Carriger's (steampunk romance)
Homunculus, by James Blaylock (Sci/fantasy, slipstream)
sub-genre Mysteries:
Thus Was Adonis Murdered, by Sarah Caudwell (cozy, humor)
The Big Sleep, By Raymond Chandler (hard-boiled, contemp.)
Murder Must Advertise, by Dorothy Sayers
To Each His Own, by Leonardo Sciascia
Brat Farrar, by Josephine Tey
sub-genre Thrillers;
The Collector, by John Fowles
Green River Rising, by Tim Willocks
The Night of the Hunter, by Davis Grubb
Pale Horse, Pale Rider, by Katherin Anne Porter

War:
Allah Is Not Obliged, by Ahmadou Kourouma

Religion:
The Bell, by Iris Murdoch
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Sotry of Violent Faith, by Jon Krakauer
Wise Blood, by Flannery O'Connor

* To view cover/links click on the Group Book Shelf (bottom of page)