Bea’s Comments (group member since Apr 29, 2011)

Bea’s comments from the Pick-a-Shelf group.

So now are y'all going to join in on FOUND?

I have 5 to go, and 1 is started already and another two are on my desk with library due dates. I should finish in August.

Finished:
Insight for LOST
Black Cherry Blues for PnM Awards

Reading:
The Medusa Amulet for LOST
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice for Wheel 3 (although this is going slowly - owned)
Bury Your Dead for PnM Awards
The Never-Open Desert Diner for MM

PAS wrote: "I think it's a timely reminder that there is ONE other way to unlock a Stage which no one has yet claimed! Here's what it says in the instructions:

"2. Off the Shelf: unlock a Stage
You are encouraged to participate in the Monthly Shelf."

I was thinking that this particular option would take all year, but it dawns on me that the participant could read more than one monthly read and get a point for each used in PnM. Is that correct?

Sandra wrote: "Hi, my name is Sandra. I love the idea of this group. I am trying to get out of my comfort zone and expand what genres I read. I tend to stick to high fantasy books. I would love to narrow my TBR. ..."

Welcome, Sandra! Many of our games and challenges focus on the TBR. Although we are always trying to reduce it, many of us have found ours growing. :)

Rosemary wrote: "I may be a few days late with my current book! I hope that's okay!
I have started reading The Story of a New Name but it's nearly 500 pages so I'm not sure of finishing it by Tuesday."

Thanks for the notice, Rosemary. I usually check near the end of the month, so you might finish before I check. Otherwise, you will get a pass on it this month.

Stage 9: Settings (Time)
Goal: 2,675 pages
up to 5 tasks
OOZ Goal: Magical Realism - You know that I am never going to read this Genre by choice, right?

1. Roman Empire (Rome as Capital - 27 BC to 286 AD)
370p - Daughters of Rome
386p - Medicus
480p - As a Driven Leaf
277p - Venus in Copper

2. Roman Republic (509 BC to 27 BC)
290p - The Judgement of Caesar
896p - The First Man in Rome

Total 2699p.

Reading:
Insight for LOST
The Medusa Amulet for LOST
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice for Wheel 3 (although this is going slowly - owned)
Black Cherry Blues for PnM Awards
Bury Your Dead for PnM Awards

Marina (Sonnenbarke) wrote: "Hey guys, I've thought about this for a long while, but I'm afraid I have to stop playing for the time being - life has taken over, you know how it is. I hope I'll be able to jump in again in some ..."

Do hope life gives you a break and lets you rejoin us in the near future. Thanks for letting us know.

Lusie wrote: "Can we use books we added to our tbr after completing LOST?"

Nope. The counting is 6 months back from the date you finished LOST.

Sorry that I am posting this late. I read Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich. I continue to like this series, and, for now, this is the end...the last book published.

This had enough fantasy elements as well as hot sexual attraction notes to make it more than just the usual cozy mystery...and, of course, with Stephanie and all the usual assortment of characters, there is a bit of the Keystone Cops to it. I love this series.

4*.

Way to go, Blarneygod!

Finished: Don't Let Go for MM and PnM Protagonists, The Man in the Brown Suit for PnM Friends, Prayers the Devil Answers for MM, Wheel 4 and PnM Protagonists, Look Alive Twenty-Five for Monthly shelf.

Wow! What a list of completions!

And, Joyce, I know you can finish Friends' Shelves with one more book.

Sassafrass wrote: "Susan, I have been putting off reading Octavia Butler for a long time, I think I may have to move her up on my TBR!"

I agree with Susan about Octavia Butler. I had also been putting her off because Science Fiction is not my Genre. However, I thoroughly enjoyed Kindred and got really involved with the characters.

Dee wrote: "honestly i just ignored the whole GO cards - i took them as one of those rules that we may or may not use...haha! (house rules right?)"

I accumulate them...and then forget about them. :) Guess I am a hoarder of GO cards.

I have read 7 of the Overall books but not all this year. Of the Non-fiction, I have read 3 and all 4 of the Classics. In addition, I have 4 Overall and 2 Non-fiction on my Wishlist.

I guess I am more mainstream than I thought!

I read Don't Let Go and gave it 4*. Actually since I read it in 2 days, I would have given it 4.5* if possible.

I loved the flawed NJ Detective. The story is as much about his love of his brother and high-school sweetheart as it is about the crimes he is investigating. The supporting characters of Augie, Ellie, and Maura were fleshed out and complex. In fact, I did not see the end coming at all.

I think this character is much more complex than Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar, who makes a cameo appearance in this book.

LOVED it.

I will second the Asian Literature pick: Asian Literature

Thanks for the lists, Karin. I usually find authors of color by chance rather than determination. My preferred genre is mystery...and thus I found Walter Mosley. That is how it goes for me. :)

Tien wrote: "I'm going to put back on shelf Shadow of the Fox this week and restart it next week to fit into this shelf. I also have book 2, Soul of the Sword so I'll see if I ca..."

Children of Blood and Bone is on my Wishlist TBR, and I hope to read it someday. However, when looking at any list for any task, I first look for those books I already have planned for a group's tasks. Only if I cannot find a book already planned do I go to my Wishlist TBR. So...it remains on the Wishlist for now.

I will read Under a Painted Sky (for Wheel 4). However, another possibility for my reading plans is Love Medicine, which is planned for another group.

I read for enjoyment, information, and to learn. This month it will the for the latter reason (to learn about other cultures).

I don't choose books based on the author characteristics, so I was a bit surprised (and pleased) at the books and authors that I have read, which were on the first 10 pages of this list.