Sarah's Low Octane Alphabet Challenge

[Sarah]

I have just finished reading R - Remix. It's the second book I've read by Lexi Revellian. The first one was a post-apocalyptic/ice age book while this one was more of a cozy mystery. I liked it though. I'm still plodding through my Q read, slowly but surely - I must finish this one before I can move on in the alphabet!

[Sarah]

Woohoo! I've eventually finished my Q book Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You. I'm glad it's over. I thought it was a reasonably simplistic book to give a layman the gist of what quantum physics is about but I didn't understand everything unfortunately and some made my head boggle! But it's done and dusted and I've moved on to my S read with Sharp Objects.

[Janice, Moderator]

Enjoy Sharp Objects, Sarah!

[Brenda]

My head was sort of spinning when I was done with Sharp Objects. I liked it.

[Sarah]

Thanks Janice and Brenda. I've read about 5% and I've been sucked in!

[Sarah]

Finished reading my S book Sharp Objects which I really enjoyed. Like her other book Dark Places, it was very dark but was a total page turner with plenty of suspense and intrigue.

I have Timeline planned for T but I've also decided to read it for the Toppler so I have an enforced break in my alphabet for a week.

[jaxnsmom]

So, what are you going to read in the meantime? Something just for fun? The Toppler will be here before we know it! I need to start making a pile now.

[Sarah]

jaxnsmom wrote: "So, what are you going to read in the meantime? Something just for fun? The Toppler will be here before we know it! I need to start making a pile now."

Well I am reading The Shining for a buddy read in another group plus this month's group read "other books in the category" plus The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency for a group read in another group. I don't think they'll take me to long so I'm also hoping to squeeze in Anansi Boys before the toppler starts.

[jaxnsmom]

I hope you get them all read before Saturday. It's been years since I read The Shining, but I remember having a few sleepless nights while reading it.

I have got to read The No. 1 Ladies soon. I found a copy at a library sale, but too many other things keep getting in the way.

[Sarah]

jaxnsmom wrote: "I hope you get them all read before Saturday. It's been years since I read The Shining, but I remember having a few sleepless nights while reading it.

I have got to read The No. 1 Ladies soon. I..."

Yes I think that might be the case for me too J'mom! There's something about an empty hotel out in the middle of nowhere which screams creepy at me without any of the other things going on!

I think you'll like The No 1 Ladies. It's quite a quick and light read too.

[jaxnsmom]

And I wouldn't even have to be like Danny to start seeing things around every corner!

[Sarah]

Just starting my T read which is Timeline - it is also my first Toppler book for this week.

[Sarah]

Just finished reading Timeline for my T read which was also a Toppler read.

After the Toppler is over, I will get back to finishing The Shining (which is just a random read) because I didn't finish it before the Toppler started, and then I can move on to U for which I have chosen Un Lun Dun.

[Sarah]

Just started my U read - Un Lun Dun - I found it in the kids section at my library so not sure what it will be like but I've heard lots of good things about the author and I have several of his adult books on my TBR.

[Sarah]

Yay! Just finished my U read - Un Lun Dun - I thought it was good - Very strange and obscure but I liked it. Up next is V - Vurt. I've wanted to read it for ages but just have never got around to it - I have read the other books in the series though so I'm sure I'll like it. I need to have a break before I start it though - I don't think my brain can handle going from one super weird book to another super weird book!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Really glad you enjoyed Un Lun Dun Sarah. I'm trying to work out which China Miéville to launch myself into first, and maybe a kids book would be an easier one. Although...

[Sarah]

I had originally planned to read Perdido Street Station for my first book by him and I was going to read it for P but it took ages to come in at the library and I got fed up of waiting so chose another book instead. U was a difficult one and I found Un Lun Dun at the library and thought I'd give it a go. I now have Perdido Street at home too and I hope to read it next month.

[jaxnsmom]

Un Lun Dun sounds like a great read. Have to add it to my tbr. I want to be a bookaneer :)

[Travis]

I recently added Embassytown although I couldn't figure out why. Must be because the sci fi and fantasy group is reading it. Also a China Miéville. Nice I just learned how to do a é as I wrote this.

[Sarah]

Travis of NNY wrote: "I recently added Embassytown although I couldn't figure out why. Must be because the sci fi and fantasy group is reading it. Also a China Miéville. Nice I just learned how to do a é as I wrote this."

I used to know the codes for letters with accents on from when I was studying French and Spanish at school but I can't remember any of them now.

[Sarah]

Well my last alphabet book got me "back on track" according to the Goodreads challenge counter so I'm pleased about that as I had got a little bit behind.

I have just started reading my V book - Vurt

[Marnie]

That tracker can be a pain!!! Good luck on V- hope it's good!

[Sarah]

I have just finished reading my V book Vurt and I absolutely loved it. Very bizarre but great use of language.

Now I'm on to my W read with Wool Omnibus. It is also a group read in another goodreads group.

[Jess :)]

Sarah, you're almost there! Great book list... a number of these are on my TBR. I see you read Oryx and Crake as well as The Handmaid's Tale. I've wanted to try reading Atwood for a long time... I think I might start with The Handmaid's Tale sometime in 2014. :)

[Sarah]

E :) wrote: "Sarah, you're almost there! Great book list... a number of these are on my TBR. I see you read Oryx and Crake as well as The Handmaid's Tale. I've wanted to try reading Atwood for a long time... I ..."

I know. I can't believe I'd get this far! The end is in sight.

I had never read any of Atwood's books before the Alphabet challenge and I'm quite pleased to have found her. I really like her writing style - it's good to read some dystopian books which are aimed at adults (although I do like some of the YA dystopians). Out of Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake I think I preferred Handmaid's Tale. I'm reading the follow up book to Oryx and Crake for my Y read - The Year of the Flood.

[Sarah]

Just finished by W book Wool Omnibus which was amazing. I absolutely loved it! Now on to my X book and I've gone for the easy option and chosen an "Ex" book - Exit Strategy. It the first in a series which is slightly frustrating as I have been telling myself recently to not take on any new series books until I finish the ones I'm on.

[Sarah]

I'm making progress! Just finished my X (Ex) read with Exit Strategy. I have enjoyed Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series so thought I'd try out this other one of hers too and I really enjoyed it.

Going to take a short break to read my library books and a group read then I'll be back on it!

[jaxnsmom]

Wool Omnibus sounds interesting, have to add it to the ever growing pile. You've got plenty of time to get those last two in.

I've also been taking a break from the alphabet. So many other books I need to read, it seems impossible to catch up.

[Sarah]

I absolutely loved Wool J'mom. I had wanted to read it for ages so I'm pleased I finally got around to it. Looking forward to the two follow up books.

Yes I'm confident I'll get the alphabet finished - the goodreads counter says I'm two ahead so I'm alright reading a couple other non-alphabet books for now. Reading Anansi Boys at the moment then on to Doctor Sleep before returning to the alphabet. I have Y lined up on my kindle but still need to acquire Z from the library.

[Brenda]

Way to go! I read Zoo, by James Patterson for my Z book. It's an easy read and pretty exciting. It's a little cheezy but still a page turner.

[Sarah]

Just starting my Y book - Yesterday's Gone: Season One. The end is in sight!

[Janice, Moderator]

You'll do it Sarah!

[Sarah]

I hope so Janice. My Y ad Z reads are around the 350pg mark so I should manage it. I really want to fit in the group read and the cozy and toppler not to mention the other group read in Stephen King Recommends Grp. Oh yeah and the buddy read starting 20th Dec. Just as well I have 2 weeks off work over Christmas!

[Janice, Moderator]

You are going to be one busy gal! Phew! At least you could read a challenge book or group read book for the Toppler. You won't have to start something new.

[Esther]

Sarah wrote: "I hope so Janice. My Y ad Z reads are around the 350pg mark so I should manage it. I really want to fit in the group read and the cozy and toppler not to mention the other group read in Stephen Kin..."

I am in the same boat. I have cozy, monthly read and the toppler in my pile before the buddy read and my Z book is a 600+p in Spanish, a language I read at slug speed. The good think is wanting to finish all these will force me to sit down and relax.

[Sarah]

OK so my Y read is pretty lame so far. It would seem that quite a few reviewers of the book had a very similar experience to what I am having with it. So I'm thinking of starting my Z book Zoo and then come back to this one. My other option is to listen to The Yard while I read my Z book and perhaps get it done quicker?!? I'm leaning to the second option right now.

[Janice, Moderator]

I gather from the "what are you reading" thread, that you chose the second option. I hope you like The Yard better than your other Y book.

[Sarah]

Yes I've ditched my original choice of Yesterday's Gone: Season One and am about 25% of the way through the audio of The Yard which I'm enjoying. I see you gave it 4 stars!

[Roz]

Zoo is a pretty fast read so you should be able to knock off this challenge in good time. I liked it.

[Sarah]

Y and Z are coming along nicely and with any luck I'll be finished with them both by Friday at the latest.

[Sarah]

Just finished my Z read Zoo. It was a really quick read and I thought it was fun. I have a couple hours left of listening to do on my Y read and then I'll be done!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Woohhooo! Good work!

I'm still trying to work out X. Oh and actually starting V

[Cathie]

Way to go Sarah!! Congratulations! :-)

[Marnie]

Great job Sarah!

[Lisa]

Congrats Sarah!

[Janice, Moderator]

Woohoo! Congratulations, Sarah!

[Sarah]

Yay! Just finished listening to my Y book so ALPHABET IS COMPLETE!!!!

Thanks everyone!

This has been a really fun challenge. I abandoned two and had to swap them for other books, a couple took an extremely long time to read but most of the books I read I really enjoyed. I even discovered a few "new to me" authors too along the way!

[[deleted user]]

Congratulations Sarah!

[Jess :)]

very nice!

[Brenda]

Congratulations! I also liked Zoo... a lot