You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Chit Chat About Books
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What Are You Reading? 2016.1
@ Cherie - I didn't dislike the book. I think, for me, it may have been timing. Even when I put it aside I thought it seemed like an interesting book and I wasn't sure why I wasn't into it. I plan to try again eventually and see if it grabs my attention.
I was debating about next year's challenge, and this discussion has given me some direction.
I think what makes the challenge so difficult is that the tasks are very specific. A character is a baker, or a book about fossils, has slaves, endangered species, a fort. It was sometimes hard to find a book that fit the task, and sometimes even harder to find a book you would be interested in reading.I've found my self leaning toward your tactic, Janice. Reading a book I want to read then seeing where it may fit.
I started doing it that way - read then add - but I don't always like to search through all those options to see if it fits anywhere. I ended up just picking a few sites with books that looked really interesting to me and planning to read those. I think my struggle with the challenge this year was that I kept changing my way of accomplishing it.
I was discouraged off and on with some of the tasks initially. Yes, some were hard, but that was the point, wasn't it? It was a challenge. Janice - you never intended for anyone to really finish the whole thing. Only the crazies or the speed readers would even try, you knew that.
12 books for a yearly challenge badge, with all of the sites and tasks to choose from? 1 book a month! I'm sorry, but come on!
I admit that some selections are less desirable than others, but how do you know you are not going to find a gem of a story unless you keep trying? There are still 3 1/3 months left in the year. Don't give up now!!!
Kristie - I happen to love listening to Simon Vance and he could read to me from the phone book and I would love it. I understand not being in a mood for a specific book. I had to throw myself at some more than once before I could get into them. I just happened to like the story and The Darwin Elevator was a 5 star read for me. Don't feel down because it wasn't for you this time. All you can do is keep trying to find a story that YOU want to read or listen to.
I think there were a lot of not-so-specific tasks to choose from. I selected one site for each continent based on how interesting I found the tasks and how easy I expected it to be to find books. It still took some gophering, but I stuck with the plan, read mostly good books, and will definitely finish before the end of the year.Not making much progress now though, still reading suite francaise (for the monthly challenge)
I love the Geocache challenge and found it so flexible to be able to find books to fit the tasks. It was fun finding books to fit the categories and so many options to choose from - there are some books I probably would not have read that I enjoyed and I was able to knock off some books from my TBR list too - win-win! I also loved the back and forth discussions on what books we were selecting - gave me ideas for books I was looking for and -- groan -- added to my TBR list - that was fun too. :-)
And forgot to post in the geocache reporting thread that I finished all continents with the last read being The Book of Life!
Janice wrote: "I've been plugging every book I read into the geocache "slots" and it's surprising how quickly sites get read. So instead of planning, perhaps try that and see where it gets you."Oh I have been doing this too! I have read less books this year though which hasn't helped. Plus the fact that many of the books I have read are either set in the US (and not in the States I want) or in some fictional realm.
Challenges are great for finding gems and books ypu may never even consider. I think I have just been busy woth my own personal. Hallenge of reading through books I own anf not buying more. Trying to get rid of backlog
I agree that the geo challenge gave an incredible amount of options, and completing the challenge with only 12 books should make it very accessible. I'm trying to read one site in each continent, so that makes 18. I still like the books I planned, but if I happen to read another one that fits a task, I log it. The problem is not the challenge. I get distracted very easily. However, my plan is to focus on it for the rest of the year. I want a badge!And I can see how after this year I will going on "plugging" books in the list. Maybe in 10 years I can have all of them!
I'm in the same boat as you, Sandra. I think the geocache challenge is a great challenge. It's really imaginative and it gives you a wide scope when it comes to choosing and reading books for it. However, I have been quite distracted this year when it comes to reading. I have had books planned and then I go and read something else. I have also had a very up-and-down year in terms of the amount of books I get through each month. Some months I have read several but there have been others when I have only managed to read one. I only need to read 3 more books in order to complete 4 sites in the geocache challenge (one of which I am currently reading) so I should get it completed by the end of the year.
The amount of books I have read this year so far is pretty much the same as last year, but I have read more books published this year. I have also read more middle grade novels.
@ Cherie - No worries. I have a whole list of books that fit that challenge slot, a few that I already own. I just need to decide which to go with. Listopia was my friend!I really enjoyed this challenge and gophering for tasks. My issue this year was my own disorganization and prioritizing of reads. I still hope to finish the challenge and hopefully all six continents.
I started reading The Golem and the Jinnin and the first chapter has hooked me immediately!As far as the geocache challenge goes, I think it's been a really fun challenge and one I plan on completing...the 12 book version of it that is. I have one more site to complete. I also slotted books in as I read them bc I wasn't sure how much of the challenge I planned to complete but I am going to be very happy with completing the original part of the challenge. I loved looking through all the tasks, I thought that was fun. For the additional challenges added on I can see where that could get overwhelming and cause people to possibly read for 'points' and not pleasure which I think is why, unless a book fit a task after I read it, I didn't gopher for tasks.
I also started listening to Big Stone Gap on audio.
Tasha wrote: "I started reading The Golem and the Jinnin and the first chapter has hooked me immediately!.."Be sure to check out the buddy read thread for this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Good to hear Tasha, it's been on my TBR for ages.
The book I'm reading The Poisoned Pilgrim. Has a golem. I tgink I don't like golems because I find this installment rather silly with a golem added. Also didn't like golem and jinni. Apparantelt I'm prejudice towards golems
Peggy wrote: "Good to hear Tasha, it's been on my TBR for ages."I think we were talking about doing a buddy read of it at some point, weren't we, Peggy? I would still be up for doing one if you are?
Sarah wrote: "Tasha wrote: "I started reading The Golem and the Jinnin and the first chapter has hooked me immediately!.."Be sure to check out the buddy read thread for this book. I thoroughly e..."
I will, thanks!
Oh yes, that's right Lisa. I'm still up for it! Any preference for when to do it?
Peggy wrote: "Oh yes, that's right Lisa. I'm still up for it! Any preference for when to do it?"Yay! What about some time in November? Would that work for you?
I have no plans yet for November :) any date to start will work for me!
Peggy wrote: "I have no plans yet for November :) any date to start will work for me!"Okay, shall we say November 5th?
Perfect! Would you like to open the buddy read thread? Otherwise I can do it tomorrow.
Peggy wrote: "Perfect! Would you like to open the buddy read thread? Otherwise I can do it tomorrow."I don't mind setting up the thread, Peggy. I will go and do it now :)
I really liked The Golem and the Jinni, Tasha! I just wish the author would get done with the next one. I think it is still another two years away.
I watched the last episode of Orange is the New Black yesterday, and now I've started the book.
I love that show, Peggy, but I think you may be a little disappointed with the book having watched the show first. It's good but after all the drama in the show it may be a bit slow. I read it before watching the series and remember getting more sucked in to the show.
Cherie wrote: "I really liked The Golem and the Jinni, Tasha! I just wish the author would get done with the next one. I think it is still another two years away."I'm in awe that this was her first book! She can write. I'll definitely be waiting for her next release as well.
Tasha wrote: "I love that show, Peggy, but I think you may be a little disappointed with the book having watched the show first. It's good but after all the drama in the show it may be a bit slow. I read it befo..."I happened to read your review of the book this morning Tasha, so I am prepared :) I'm interested in prison life, I like documentaries on it on tv too, so I think I will enjoy it even if it's a bit slower.
Peggy, have you seen the show 60 Days In? Not sure if this is aired outside of the states but it's a fascinating show.
Never heard of it. Sounds interesting though! Is it filmed with a secret camera? Or how did that work?
Yes, that's what they say. I think it's probably legitimate. It's fascinating. They take normal people, who for whatever reason want to go into prison, and only a very select group of prison employees know they are not real prisoners. It's fascinating to see what happens and the dynamics that play out. Maybe you can find it on a streaming site?
Just finished and enjoyed Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter
My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/1763039067
I finished Harvest for the geocache challenge. It was quite enjoyable but I did have some problems with it too. I gave it 3 stars.I am now starting Balthazar Jones and the Tower of London Zoo.
I finished The Exorcist. It was interesting to revisit this book. I must be getting jaded because it didn't scare me like it did years ago. Next up is Lord John and the Private Matter.
I started reading Show Me a Story!: Why Picture Books Matter: Conversations with 21 of the World's Most Celebrated Illustrators two days ago, and I'm absolutely fascinated. I checked it out from the library just because it was in the same shelf of one book I was looking for (but wasn't there) and it grabbed my attention. So far I have read the interviews to Eric Carle and Maurice Sendak, which have been very enlightening. I'm really happy I came across this gem.
Have any of you seen this picture about people's obsession with selfies? It's is going viral:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CtOKr_OXE...
Disclaimer: No political message intended! Just thought it is an amazing portrayed of the selfie syndrome.
I finished Balthazar Jones and the Tower of London Zoo. It's always nice to find an unexpected gem and this, for me, was certainly one of those. It wasn't perfect, hence the 4 star rating, but I would still highly recommend it. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Next up for me is The Terror. I was going to start it a bit closer to Halloween but it's very long and will probably take me a while to get through so I thought as might as well start it now.
Who knew that there are "masculine" & "feminine" rhymes?! Something to do with stressed & unstressed syllables.The difference is important to translators of poetry apparently.
I just started "Eugene Onegin" for the lost in translation challenge.
I am taking a reading break. I am reading Faithless
and I cant put it down. I just love this series!
Douglas Hofstadter's passionate explanation of why he decided to translate Eugene Onegin is fascinating and moving:1. Because he loves the poem and wants to "possess" it more completely
2. To get closer to the author/artist he admires
3. To share with others the thrill of knowing this work
Note that Hofstadter is not a professional translator, he is a polymath whose expertise is cognitive science & computer science.
He wrote Godel, Escher, Bach years ago.
I finished Lord John and the Private Matter this afternoon and immediately started Dance of Death. It's about time I got back to the Pendergast series.
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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There's always next time :)