Read 100+ Books in 2015 discussion
October challenge
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Summer has ended. The days are getting colder here in SoCal (finally)!1. Read a book by an author whose last name starts with H.
"Summer of the Big Bachi" by Naomi Hirahara
2. Read a spooky book in honor of Halloween.
3. Since it is still Banned Book Week, read a banned book.
4. Read a book you didn't read in high school but probably should have.
5. Read a book with a piece of jewelry in the title.
6. Since the World Series and playoffs will be occurring this month, read a book about baseball.
7. Read a book by an author whose name is a color.
8. Read a play.
9. Your choice.
Now reading "Summer of Big Bachi," Book 1 of the "Mas Arai" mystery series."In the foothills of Pasadena, Mas Arai is just another Japanese-American gardener, his lawnmower blades clean and sharp, his truck carefully tuned. But while Mas keeps lawns neatly trimmed, his own life has gone to seed. His wife is dead. And his livelihood is falling into the hands of the men he once hired by the day. For Mas, a life of sin is catching up to him. And now bachi—the spirit of retribution—is knocking on his door.
It begins when a stranger comes around, asking questions about a nurseryman who once lived in Hiroshima, a man known as Joji Haneda. By the end of the summer, Joji will be dead and Mas's own life will be in danger. For while Mas was building a life on the edge of the American dream, he has kept powerful secrets: about three friends long ago, about two lives entwined, and about what really happened when the bomb fell on Hiroshima in August 1945."
Summer has ended. The days are getting colder here in SoCal (finally)!1. Read a book by an author whose last name starts with H.
"Summer of the Big Bachi" by Naomi Hirahara
2. Read a spooky book in honor of Halloween.
3. Since it is still Banned Book Week, read a banned book.
4. Read a book you didn't read in high school but probably should have.
5. Read a book with a piece of jewelry in the title.
6. Since the World Series and playoffs will be occurring this month, read a book about baseball.
7. Read a book by an author whose name is a color.
8. Read a play.
9. Your choice.
"The Chronicles of Harris Burdick" by Chris Van Allsburg
Downloaded my first EBook (never thought I would, might as well join the crowd)!Now reading "The Chronicles of Harris Burdick" by Chris Van Allsburg.
"One Pulitzer Prize, five Newbery Medals, three Newbery Honors, two Caldecott Medals, one Caldecott Honor, three National Book Awards, seven National Book Award nominations, and five Coretta Scott King Awards. This is only a partial list of all accolades earn by the contributors of this book. This inspired collection of short stories is based on the original illustrations of Chris Van Allburg in his esteemed and mysterious The Mysteries of Harris Burdick."
-Cindy C. Bennett 10-1-15This was an interesting although quite dark retelling of the "Rapunzel" story. I liked the character development and the interesting twists the plot took along its journey. I found the contemporary setting to be interesting, especially since the idea was that the "Rapunzel" story had never been told before so that no one found Rapunzel's name or long hair odd. It was fun YA novel although quite creepy in places.
October:1. Read a book by an author whose last name starts with H. Hooked on Murder-Betty Hechtman 10-10-15
2. Read a spooky book in honor of Halloween. Rapunzel Untangled-Cindy C. Bennett 10-1-15
3. Since it is still Banned Book Week, read a banned book. N/A
4. Read a book you didn't read in high school but probably should have. N/A
5. Read a book with a piece of jewelry in the title. N/A
6. Since the World Series and playoffs will be occurring this month, read a book about baseball. N/A
7. Read a book by an author whose name is a color. Iced Chiffon-Duffy Brown 10-29-15
8. Read a play. N/A
9. Your choice. VIII-H.M. Castor 10-5-15, Defy-Sara B. Larson 10-7-15, Dead Men Don't Crochet-Betty Hechtman 10-13-15, By Hook or by Crook-Betty Hechtman 10-16-15, A Stitch in Crime-Betty Hechtman 10-17-15, You Better Knot Die-Betty Hechtman 10-19-15, Behind the Seams-Betty Hechtman 10-21-15, If Hooks Could Kill-Betty Hechtman 10-24-15, For Better or Worsted-Betty Hechtman 10-26-15, Ignite-Sara B. Larson 10-31-15
Camping this upcoming weekend and have a couple of books lined up. 1. Read a book by an author whose last name starts with H.
"Summer of the Big Bachi" by Naomi Hirahara
2. Read a spooky book in honor of Halloween.
3. Since it is still Banned Book Week, read a banned book.
4. Read a book you didn't read in high school but probably should have.
"Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury.
5. Read a book with a piece of jewelry in the title.
6. Since the World Series and playoffs will be occurring this month, read a book about baseball.
7. Read a book by an author whose name is a color.
8. Read a play.
9. Your choice.
"The Chronicles of Harris Burdick" by Chris Van Allsburg
Now reading "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury."Firefighters today have the great task of putting out fires. But unlike this day and age, firemen in this book start fires. Fireman Guy Montag loves to rush to a fire and watch books burn up. Then he met a seventeen-year old girl who told him of a past when people were not afraid, and a professor who told him of a future where people could think.
She would get Montag thinking a bit. Guy Montag never really cared about his job or his wife Mildred. But one day something sparks in Montag's mind and he suddenly has a curiosity in books."
Mod
1. Read a book by an author whose last name starts with H.
"Summer of the Big Bachi" by Naomi Hirahara
2. Read a spooky book i..."
I don't want it to be cold yet. Cold season lasts too long in Pittsburgh.
Mod
"Firefighters today have the great task of putting out fires. But unlike this day and age, firemen in this book start fires. Fireman Guy Montag loves ..."
Loved FAHRENHEIT 451. One of my favorites!
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-Cindy C. Bennett 10-1-15This was an interesting although quite dark retelling of the "Rapunzel" story. I liked the character development and the interesting..."
Sounds good. I like retellings of fairy tales. Beauty and the Beast being my favorite.
Mod
Now reading "The Chronicles of Harris Burdick" by Chris Van Allsburg.
"One Pulitzer Prize, five Newbery Medals, th..."
Welcome to the dark side. We all succumb eventually. Plus there are a lot of freebies available on e-books and some stories will never be printed and they turn out to be good.
Mod
5/9, 14 books
1. Read a book by an author whose last name starts with H--To All the Boys I've Loved Before--Jenny Han.
2. Read a spooky book in honor of Halloween--The Devil's Angel by Christine Alvarez--finished 10/6/15.
3. Since it is still Banned Book Week, read a banned book--Animal Farm by George Orwell--finished 10/1/15.
4. Read a book you didn't read in high school but probably should have.
5. Read a book with a piece of jewelry in the title.
6. Since the World Series and playoffs will be occurring this month, read a book about baseball--Bases Loaded by Roz Lee--finished 10/17/15.
7. Read a book by an author whose name is a color.
8. Read a play.
9. Your choice---The Good, The Bad, and the Emus by Donna Andrews--finished 10/14/15.
Bonus reads:
One More Time by Rita Clay Estrada--finished 10/15/15
Duke of Scandal by Gaelen Foley--finished 10;15/15
Cocktber by Various authors--finished 10/15/15
Passionate Stranger by Caroline Gayet--finished 10/16/15
The Bad Boy and the Billionaire by Alyse Zaftig--finished 10/17/15
The Viscount and the Witch by Sahara Kelly--finished 10/18/15
Fledgling by Octavia Butler--finished 10/23/15
Mr. Muo's Traveling Couch by Dai Sijie--finished 10/28/15
The Devil and Winnie Flynn by Micol Ostow and David Ostow--finished 10/31/15
I haven't posted in a while. I've been busy reading though. Throughout the past couple of months I have finished reading Sweetgrass, When Mockingbirds Sing, Being Mortal, The first two books in the Survivor's series, Books 2 & 3 in the Warriors series. Right now, my banned book is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I'm reading the Legends of King Arthur, The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Girl Meets Change, among others. I have also finished 2 devotionals, Small Graces and The Hidden Beauty of Everyday Life. Both of those were excellent. I have also read We Need to Talk About Kevin, which was strange. I have read Animal Farm and liked it. So that is where I am on my reading. Hope you all are having a great fall.
-H.M. Castor 10-5-15This was a brilliantly researched and well written YA historical novel about how Henry VIII grew up to become the man he was. In Castor's portrayal, the young Hal overhears a prophecy that he is convinced he was meant to be the fulfillment of, meaning that he had to have an empire and sons,(view spoiler) It was a truly intriguing picture of one author's idea of why Henry VIII became the king that he was.
-Sara B. Larson 10-7-15This was a well written and highly entertaining fantasy novel full of intrigue, action, and romance. I really liked the character development in Alexa and Damien, and I even found the love triangle entertaining. However, I found this book in the YA section, and I don't think it belongs there as some scenes are just too sensual for a book geared for teens, so I gave it four stars rather than five.
-Betty Hechtman 10-10-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I've gone back and read the first one, and I'm glad I did. Because as was the case with the ninth novel of the series, I thought the writing style was great, and I loved the characters. Even though the first few chapters were a little rough because the scene was being set and the main characters were being introduced, I was quickly drawn into the story. I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading the whole series.
Back from camping this weekend - always nice to be back home!1. Read a book by an author whose last name starts with H.
"Summer of the Big Bachi" by Naomi Hirahara
2. Read a spooky book in honor of Halloween.
3. Since it is still Banned Book Week, read a banned book.
4. Read a book you didn't read in high school but probably should have.
"Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury.
5. Read a book with a piece of jewelry in the title.
6. Since the World Series and playoffs will be occurring this month, read a book about baseball.
7. Read a book by an author whose name is a color.
8. Read a play.
9. Your choice.
"The Chronicles of Harris Burdick" by Chris Van Allsburg
"Eve" by Wm. Paul Young
Now reading "Eve" by Wm. Paul Young."When a shipping container washes ashore on an island between our world and the next, John the Collector finds a young woman inside-broken, frozen, and barely alive. With the aid of Healers and Scholars, John oversees her recovery and soon discovers her genetic code connects her to every known human race. She is a girl of prophecy and no one can guess what her survival will mean. No one but Eve, Mother of the Living, who calls her "daughter," and invites her to witness the truth about her story-indeed, the truth about us all.
Eve is a bold, unprecedented exploration of the Creation narrative, true to the original texts and centuries of scholarship-yet with breathtaking discoveries that challenge traditional misconceptions about who we are and how we're made. Eve opens a refreshing conversation about the equality of men and women within the context of our beginnings, helping us see each other as our Creator does-complete, unique, and not constrained to cultural rules or limitations."
-Betty Hechtman 10-13-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This second novel of the series was definitely interesting as the regular characters were being fleshed out more. As was the case with the other two novels I've read in this series (the ninth and the first), I found the writing style to be good, and the plot was fun. I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading the whole series.
Mod
-Betty Hechtman 10-13-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This second novel of the se..."
I like her books. I've read some of her series with the counted cross-stitch shop. She's good.
Mod
-Betty Hechtman 10-16-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This third novel of the series was just as interesting and entertaining as the other books of the series I've read. As was also the case with the other novels in the series, I found the writing style to be good, and the plot was fun. I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading the whole series.
-Betty Hechtman 10-17-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This fourth novel of the series was just as interesting and entertaining as the other books of the series I've read. As was also the case with the other novels in the series, I found the writing style to be good, and the plot was fun. I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading the whole series.
Sheila wrote: "Rachel wrote: "-Betty Hechtman 10-13-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This second ..."
Yes, I might look into her other series as well. I do like cozy mysteries along with a whole bunch of other genres. I'll probably look at the Meg Langstown and see if it seems appealing eventually.
1. Read a book by an author whose last name starts with H."Summer of the Big Bachi" by Naomi Hirahara
2. Read a spooky book in honor of Halloween.
"The Collected Stories of Greg Bear"
3. Since it is still Banned Book Week, read a banned book.
4. Read a book you didn't read in high school but probably should have.
"Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury.
5. Read a book with a piece of jewelry in the title.
6. Since the World Series and playoffs will be occurring this month, read a book about baseball.
7. Read a book by an author whose name is a color.
8. Read a play.
9. Your choice.
"The Chronicles of Harris Burdick" by Chris Van Allsburg
"Eve" by Wm. Paul Young
Now reading "The Collected Stories of Greg Bear""This collection of Greg Bear's major short fiction ably demonstrates why Bear is one of science fiction's most popular authors. The multiple Hugo and Nebula Award winner offers here a feast of his most famous stories and novellas, accompanied by thoughtful introductions and afterwords that provide insight into the writer and his process. This collection contains Bear's earliest published fiction from the late 1960s and early 1970s as well his remarkable award-winning work from the 1980s and 1990s—stories like the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novella-length version of "Blood Music" and the Hugo and Nebula Award-winner "Tangents." Also included are The Wind from a Burning Woman," in which despair and anger inspire a young woman's terrible act of vengeance; "The White Horse Child," a loving look at the nascence of the creative impulse; "Dead Run," in which the road to hell is paved with concrete, and not all intentions are good; and over twenty others."
Mod
I did read some good books that past few weeks though. Fledling by Octavia Butler was a good vampire story. It had the makings of a trilogy at least but, unfortunately, she died a year after publication. Lots of unanswered questions. I also read a YA story based on the urban myth of the Jersey Devil. I enjoyed the way it was written but the last chapter and a half were weak. I was so let down with the ending. I'm all ready to be scared and bam! not scary. I was disappointed because I don't read books within the horror genre much.
I did read one book that I do not recommend at all: Mr. Muo's Traveling Couch. It was very disjointed with a vaguely followed plot. The back cover says how funny it is but I found no humor in it. I was more like, Huh? Maybe it's funny in it's original language but it lost something in translation.
-Betty Hechtman 10-19-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This fifth novel of the series was just as interesting and entertaining as the other books of the series I've read. As was also the case with the other novels in the series, I found the writing style to be good, and the plot was fun. I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
-Betty Hechtman 10-21-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This sixth novel of the series was just as interesting and entertaining as the other books of the series I've read. As was also the case with the other novels in the series, I found the writing style to be good, and the plot was fun. I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
-Betty Hechtman 10-24-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This seventh novel of the series was just as interesting and entertaining as the other books of the series I've read. As was also the case with the other novels in the series, I found the writing style to be good, and the plot was fun. I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
-Betty Hechtman 10-26-15I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This eighth novel of the series was just as interesting and entertaining as the other books of the series I've read. As was also the case with the other novels in the series, I found the writing style to be good, and the plot was fun. I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series but, unfortunately, I've had to stop reading them for now because I can't get the ninth book back from the library just now and because the tenth book won't be published until closer to the end of this year, but regardless of all that, I've really loved this series, and I really think that Molly Pink is one of the best amateur sleuth characters that I've run across this year.
-Duffy Brown 10-29-15This was a fun southern style cozy mystery with a lot of interesting characters. I found it fun how often Reagan got herself into the strangest predicaments during her hunt for the murderer, and I was just shocked as she was as to who it turned out to be. I will probably read more of this series featuring this broke and bumbling divorcee.
-Sara B. Larson 10-31-15This was a well written and entertaining YA fantasy novel with a lot of intrigue and action plus some much more mild romance than in the first novel of the series. Anyhow, despite how much I liked the plot and where I felt the story to be heading, this book ends far too abruptly. It rather reminded me of the end of Tolkien's The Two Towers where you are left in the middle of the story knowing that there had to be another book to complete the story arc; however, Larson is no Tolkien, and Ignite is simply not good enough to make it so dependent on the next book Endure, which is yet to be published. So, I gave this one three stars instead of four simply because the story was broken off abruptly at the end of the novel.
Read 100+ Books in 2015
Books mentioned in this topic
Ignite (other topics)Defy (other topics)
Dead Men Don't Crochet (other topics)
By Hook or by Crook (other topics)
VIII (other topics)
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1. Read a book by an author whose last name starts with H.
2. Read a spooky book in honor of Halloween.
3. Since it is still Banned Book Week, read a banned book.
4. Read a book you didn't read in high school but probably should have.
5. Read a book with a piece of jewelry in the title.
6. Since the World Series and playoffs will be occurring this month, read a book about baseball.
7. Read a book by an author whose name is a color.
8. Read a play.
9. Your choice.