December Book Pool Challenge

[Sharlene]

If you've never played, here are the rules:

Directions:

1. When you sign up pick 3 books you want to be included in the "book pool."

2. You can pick any book as long as they have been released before the challenge has started. Please no duplicates.

3. Once the challenge starts you will read books from the "pool."

4. At the end of the month whoever read the most books from the pool is the champion!

Have fun!

The challenge begins on December 1st.
To claim points, please don't start your books from the pool until then!

You can sign up and add books until November 30th. You can join the Challenge after this date, but you will not be able to add books to the pool.

[Sharlene]

Participants

#1 Erica - 3
#2 Darkpool - 3
#3 Kathleen - 10
#4 Deborah - 3
#5 Ella's Gran - 3
#6 Sharlene - 1
#7 ☆ C a r o l ☆ - 2
#8 Carole
#9 Mauzi - 2
#10 Kerry - 3
#11 Candice - 1
#12 Caroline

[Sharlene]

Book Pool

[Erica]

Yay totally keen for this :)

[Erica]

Just had a look through my shelves and these are the three books I'll contribute to the pool:

Oscar and Lucinda
How Green Was My Valley
The Cold Cold Ground

[Anna]

I like the idea!

I read too slowly to take part, sorry. My 20 minutes before bedtime doesn't add up to many books in a year as sometimes I fall asleep before the 20 minutes is up. And I enjoy reading slowly and taking it all in if it is a well-written book.

[Darkpool]

So keen for this!!!
Thrilled you have nominated "how Green was my Valley", Erica - that's been on my to read list for ages.

My first book for the pool is Mistress of Rome
The rest are still under consideration. ;-)

[Erica]

Ooh and Mistress of Rome is on my to read list Darkpool so love your first choice :)

[Erica]

Great selection Kathleen...I've particularly heard great things about Fingersmith, so will look forward to checking that one out.

[Deborah]

I will join in but have read nearly all of them before - will nominate 3 I have never read to give me a leg up! ;)

How Green Was My Valley is a 6 star book in my opinion! Probably one of my all time top 5 (am not sure I could ever narrow it down further than that!)

I loved Sarah Waters' first book Tipping the Velvet but have been disappointed in every one since, including Fingersmith.

Mistress of Rome is a fabulously engaging romp, Darkpool!

I am entering:

Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind (am having a bit of a binge on Southern US fiction at present)

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Delilah (a retry - I have loved all her others and got off on the wrong foot with this one - possibly!)

[Lesley]

I'm going to participate but having a time of it picking my three selections!! :)

[Sharlene]

I am rereading Harry Potter during December but I don't want to add them to this bookpool because that's just an easy 3 for me. Will have to put some more thought into this.

[Lesley]

Here's the first of my picks. I should really be choosing from my TBR shelf since I just know it is going to grow again in December!

Set in New Zealand by a New Zealand author -
Inside the Black Horse by Ray Berard

Another I've had on my TBR for some time, and a New Zealand author. A fictionalised account of the navigator's early life, and the first in the trilogy -
The Secret Life of James Cook by Graeme Lay


A bit of HistFic for something different, and said to be for those who enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (me!)
Wake by Anna Hope


That's my three - definite - no changing minds!:)

[Darkpool]

Ok, I have my second selection... a bit of NZ non-fiction. Bright Star: Beatrice Hill Tinsley, Astronomer.

[Lesley]

Just completed my three entries in message #14. Rearing to go!

[Darkpool]

And my 3rd book is The Blind Contessa's New Machine, which is just a tiny wee book to go with my previous 2 non-tiny books.

[Erica]

This is looking to be a really great book pool...bring on December! :)

[Sharlene]

My selection:

[Deborah]

I will have to alter 2 of mine cos I forgot and read them already *hangs head in shame*

Keep Delilah and will also nominate:

Cleopatra's Moon and

A Memory of Violets: A Novel of London's Flower Sellers

[Sharlene]

Deborah wrote: "I will have to alter 2 of mine cos I forgot and read them already *hangs head in shame*"

Updated your pool choices :)

[Darkpool]

Sharlene wrote: "My selection: ..."

Yay!! Winter!!!!

[Erica]

I've got How Green Was My Valley out from the library and Oscar and Lucinda on my home bookshelf so those will be the two books I tackle first. Bring on Tuesday!

I've been hearing great things about Colleen Hoover Sharlene so will try and pick up November 9 before the end of Dec.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Is there room for one more? :)

Also known as Green Dolphin Country by Elizabeth Goudge

by Keri Hulme

by Emily Perkins

Mistress of Rome has been on my to read list for ever, so will definitely try for that one!

[Darkpool]

yay!! another three!
sigh, I used to have a copy of Green Dolphin Country, but it has disappeared. I swear I never took it out of my house.

[Erica]

Novel about My Wife is a great book...think I read it last year. Look forward to hearing what you think of it.

Good on you for joining in Carol!

[Carole]

Hi All,
Can I add:




and

Bad Boy By Janet Elizabeth Henderson

[Mauzi]

I'm in! Here are my three:

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
The Martian by Andy Weir
The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Darkpool (protesting GR censorship) wrote: "yay!! another three!
sigh, I used to have a copy of Green Dolphin Country, but it has disappeared. I swear I never took it out of my house."

*red faced*I can't find my copy at the moment, but I'm sure it will turn up before the read!

Edit which it did! :) All set now

[Carolina]

The books serie:

[Kerry]

I don't usually participate in challenges here on GR as I'm generally busy over on Librarything however since I got an invitation I'll add three that I intend to read in December.
_ _

I'm also looking forward to Winter.

[Mauzi]

Yay, thanks for picking Illuminae! I've been looking forward to it. :)

[Candice]

* sorry, just editing to change one of my picks.

Hi all, new to the group and I'd love to jump in on this. There are a few great picks in the pool that are on my shelf waiting to be read :)

My three picks are:

Once upon a time in Beirut by Catherine Taylor

The Conductor by Sarah Quigley

Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay

[Sharlene]

I'm excited about all the last minute entries. You've still got a few hours to convince our other members to join. I'm updating the pool from a McDonalds in Sydney but I make it back into Auckland at 11pm so if there are any more sign ups, you have until midnight to select your books!

[Sharlene]

Carolina wrote: "Here they are:
"
Hi Carolina
All 3 of your picks are already in the pool, so if you would like to pick 3 more before midnight, I will add them tonight :)

[Sharlene]

The challenge has started!! Here is the format for every time you post:

List the # you are from the participants list (can be found in message 2)

# of books completed from the pool (including current book)
book cover, date finished and the rating you gave it

example:

#12, Book 3 11/6 3 stars

Good luck and happy reading!!!!

[Kerry]

#10 Book 1 05 Dec 4.5 stars

Great crime novel, new writer for me.

[Darkpool]

May we include other posts as well as the results posts? eg a list of which books we plan to read, comment on which books we have started, etc? Or would that sort of conversation be better in a separate thread?

[Lesley]

Kathleen wrote: "#3, Book 1 03/12. 4 stars

I love this little book - beautiful imagery and a poignant tale."

It sounds like a very appealing book, and I was astounded to discover of all the public libraries in this country there are only two holding this title - Wellington City and Auckland Cities!!!

Just a by the way, in 1802 Agostino Fantoni invented a typewriter to allow his blind sister to write. Turri, the character and her companion in the book, didn't invent his typewriter until 1808. I wonder why the book didn't go with her brother!?

[Darkpool]

Ella's Gran wrote: "It sounds like a very appealing book, and I was astounded to discover of all the public libraries in this country there are only two holding this title - Wellington City and Auckland Cities!!!..."

Seriously? how crazy is that?

I've just started "Cleopatra's Moon" (audiobook). I'm interested to see how it compares to Lily of the Nile, A nice little YA on the same subject which I read a few years back.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

#7 here

I always like stating my goals! I'll move to another thread though if Sharlene says this is making it messy for her.

Goals My 3 + Mistress of Rome. Outside chance I might get to the Anita Shreve as her books turn up regularly at my work

Have started The Bone People.

Completed Reads

Book 1 3.5* Finished 29/12 Fast paced and action packed tale about mostly horrible people

Book 2 4* Finished 31/12 Uneven, but the best bits still pack a powerful punch

[Sharlene]

@Darkpool your welcome to write and discuss the books in this thread :) just make sure you post your results like mentioned so I can recognise them easily for collating ;)

Happy to see people have started reading. Tally will go up at the end of the day!

[Candice]

#11 Book one . 5/12 3.5 stars.

I was excited to start this one because I usually adore anything Colleen Hoover writes. This one kinda fell short for me though. It felt a little forced, and I couldn't bring myself to warm to their relationship. Am interested to see what others make of it.

[Erica]

I'm about halfway through How Green Was My Valley and really enjoying it. Just not getting as much reading time at the moment as I would like.

[Lesley]

#5 Book 1, Inside the Black Horse 08/12. 4 stars

Debut novel set in the middle of the North Island, with a plot that centres around armed robbery, alcohol, gangs, drugs and all the havoc that this creates in a small community. The story line is very true to life, so, as you would imagine, the language is pretty earthy, there are some not so likable characters, but also some who are very likable.

[Deborah]

#4

1 star

My review: I considered giving this 1 star but ended by being kinder. Poor writing, cute plotting (not a compliment), trite, twee and irritating - yet readable enough, just. For me, the worst irritant was Florrie's journal being written inan accent, possibly meant to be Irish - this simply wouldn't happen: 'gen'lemen, shimmerin' etc; if she could spell in brogue, she could spell in normal! Also, she was born and grew up in London and while there may have been some flavour of the brogue from her mother (who died when she was very young) she would not have had it whole by the time she was writing her journal.

On the whole - poppycock!

Sorry everyone, I sold you a pup there!

[Sharlene]

#6 Book 1 read 7/12, 5 stars

Quick Review: I was part way through the book and my thoughts were all over the place about where the story could go. "I like how this book is their story and Ben's writing it too. I also understand how Fallon flops between romance stories, what's the best part, what really makes a kiss a 10... This is my kind of story! Colleen Hoover, you just know!" and I can say if you like New Adult Romance, then it's worth reading every page!

[Sharlene]

Candice wrote: "#11 Book one . 5/12 3.5 stars...."

I love all of Colleen Hoover, so I think I just automatically rate her stuff 5 stars. If I could, I would rate this one 4.5 stars. This story just doesn't compare to Confess which I absolutely LOVE!

[Deborah]

If I had known I would be getting my hands on Career of Evil I would have put it forward - bliss!

[Candice]

I know what you mean sharlene :) I do love Colleen, though she's not my fav NA/YA author, that title would go to Christina Lauren... They could write the phone book and I'd probably give it 5 stars :)

[Mauzi]

Hmm Sharlene, that might be next on my list, I've somehow managed to never pick up a Colleen Hoover and I'm usually up to date on YA!

I've just finished one of my picks; The Martian

#9, Book 01: 11/12/15 ★★★☆☆

Somehow I expected a book about a person stranded on Mars to be heaps more exciting - for the first time, I'm hoping the movie will be better than the book!