Christa's 2106 SFE Challenge

[Christa, The Renewed]

This group was founded on the principles of enabling. I'm not sure why you expected any other response. :D

[Nyssa, Series Addict]

DoodlePanda wrote: "I know you might like to plan ahead, Christa, but reading challenge for 2106... Not that's impressive! ;)"

Now I can't unsee this!

I've not made a challenge for 2020 yet, but I'm all set for next year already.

[Christa, The Renewed]

I'm listing some things ahead of reading them, because otherwise I might forgot which ones I've already selected for certain categories. The ones that are bolded are the ones I've completed.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

I've been doing something similar: I put the book there long before the review goes up, lol.

[HomeInMyShoes]

I just keep another list with the possibilities for each category when I think of something.

[Christa, The Renewed]

*sigh* When I selected Anatomy of a Misfit from the library from my Fire, it definitely looked like a blue cover. Opening it in Aldiko, also looked blue.

Now, it's looking a bit greenish.

Don't care. I'm calling it aqua, which counts as blue. Especially since I've already got it queued up and ready to read tonight.

Edited to add: Ha! I turned off f.lux and it looks blue again. LOL

[DoodlePanda]

Haha :D

[Christa, The Renewed]

DoodlePanda wrote: "Haha :D"

Yeah. :D I did something similar when I was working on the journal layouts. "Why do the colors look off?" Duh. I've been using f.lux long enough (5 yrs, I think) that I should know better.

So, for "a book about a culture you're unfamiliar with" I chose Devil Said Bang because nearly half the book deals with Hellions and how things work in Hell. I think that counts.

Besides, I'd already decided that squeezing square books into round categories was going to be part of the fun. :D

[HomeInMyShoes]

Mine was definitely blue. .

Or maybe purple. LOL.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

Christa wrote: "DoodlePanda wrote: "Haha :D"

Yeah. :D I did something similar when I was working on the journal layouts. "Why do the colors look off?" Duh. I've been using f.lux long enough (5 yrs, I think) that ..."

I've been thinking of using that (program).

I haven't run across any blue books...but I'm totally taking your idea for cultures. :-D

[Christa, The Renewed]

MrsJoseph wrote: "I've been thinking of using that (program).

I haven't run across any blue books...but I'm totally taking your idea for cultures. :-D "

If you decided to install f.lux, I recommend doing it noon-ish. Then the changes will be so gradual it's not at all distracting or even noticeable. But when I have to temporarily turn it off to do graphics work in the evening, I'm snowblind because of how bluewhite the screen is without it.

Yeah, the culture thing was sort of a last-minute inspiration. I really wanted to count the book for something on the list. I was determined to do so, actually. Then it occurred to me that it really isn't a stretch - the book does, in fact, examine Hellion culture and politics quite a bit! :)

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

Christa wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: "I've been thinking of using that (program).

I haven't run across any blue books...but I'm totally taking your idea for cultures. :-D "

If you decided to install f.lux, I recomme..."

Great advice! I just d/l it and OMG. Nirvana.

[Christa, The Renewed]

Yay! Welcome to color temperature heaven! :)

[DoodlePanda]

I have no idea what f.lux is :D

... and I am considering stealing your culture book xD

[Christa, The Renewed]

LOL. Steal away! :D

F.lux (or Flux) is a program for windows that changes the color temperature of your monitor in sync with the natural day cycle for your geographical location.

https://justgetflux.com/

[DoodlePanda]

Ah ok, thanks :)

[Christa, The Renewed]

Made some modifications to the list based on Homie's modifications.

[Christa, The Renewed]

Another one off the list! The Hobbyist's Guide to the Rtl-Sdr: Really Cheap Software Defined Radio was recommended by someone I had just met - on Reddit. Totally counts.

[Christa, The Renewed]

Ha! Finally! The book I just started reading, Plum Island, takes place in (or at least starts in) Summer AND the edition I'm reading is more than 600 pages. Woot!

Edited to add: AND it takes place on an island! Yippeeeee!

Edit #2: I also got it from the library AND it was a NYT Bestseller!

JACKPOT!

[Orlok]

Nice! So you are claiming multiple categories for one book? I'm not doing that (yet) - I'll see how things progress, but I can see how that's also part of the fun.

[Christa, The Renewed]

Well, I wouldn't have been so motivated to do that but the last four or five books I read didn't fit anything on the list so yeah, I'm gonna go for it. :D

Besides, since I finished the last available Rat Pack Mystery, I've been trying to find anything that I can really enjoy, and Plum Island seems really good, so I'm going to milk it for all it's worth. :)

[HomeInMyShoes]

I'm disappointed I didn't do multiple categories for a book. I probably would have been done by now.

I've read 37 library books. O_o

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

Christa wrote: "Ha! Finally! The book I just started reading, Plum Island, takes place in (or at least starts in) Summer AND the edition I'm reading is more than 600 pages. Woot!

Edited to add: AND i..."

My husband read that one! He likes that series. I've only read one in the series.

ETA: WOW! Good choice for your challenge!!

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

HomeInMyShoes wrote: "I'm disappointed I didn't do multiple categories for a book. I probably would have been done by now.

I've read 37 library books. O_o"

And you'd be itching to find a new challenge because 2016 isn't even 1/2 way over.

[Christa, The Renewed]

I've already read some library books, but those also counted as something else so I was kind of saving it as an easy one to pull out later, you know? But shit, if I can knock out 5 in one go... But I might just take the hardest of the bunch (island, 600 pages) and hold the easier ones (library, bestseller, summer) for later in case I need them?

I don't know. Either way, This book can be my fallback "bonus" in the event that I miss the mark (again) this year. :D

[Christa, The Renewed]

Also, MrsJ started this with her 3-category read the other day. I'm just following along... :D

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

Christa wrote: "Also, MrsJ started this with her 3-category read the other day. I'm just following along... :D"

:-D

[HomeInMyShoes]

"It was like that when I got here."
~Homer Simpson~

[Christa, The Renewed]

HomeInMyShoes wrote: ""It was like that when I got here."
~Homer Simpson~"

Precisely. :D

[Christa, The Renewed]

FINALLY finished Plum Island.

Nelson DeMille and I are just not that compatible, apparently. Ugh. It was good, but... it's like that friend who is great but just won't leave your house until you're already tired of them being there. It probably would have gotten 4 stars instead of 3 if I'd been able to get through it faster.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

Christa wrote: "FINALLY finished Plum Island.

Nelson DeMille and I are just not that compatible, apparently. Ugh. It was good, but... it's like that friend who is great but just won't leave your house until you'..."

YES!!!!!!

When I read DeMille I felt like I was reading a GREAT 300 pg beach thriller...except it wrapped in an additional 300 pgs. :-(

[Christa, The Renewed]

MrsJoseph wrote: "When I read DeMille I felt like I was reading a GREAT 300 pg beach thriller...except it wrapped in an additional 300 pgs. :-( "

That's exactly it. It's like when he was a kid someone said, "Now, Nelson, use your words" and he never fucking stopped.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

LOLOLOL

So true

[DoodlePanda]

Haha!! I think I'll stay away from him, I hate when that happens... I don't mind reading a 600 page book, but only if stuff actually happens. I don't like words being added for no other reason than to fill pages.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

DoodlePanda wrote: "Haha!! I think I'll stay away from him, I hate when that happens... I don't mind reading a 600 page book, but only if stuff actually happens. I don't like words being added for no other reason than..."

Oh man, DeMille is a master of that. I was reading a "thriller" but because the page count was soooooooo long...it felt like the bad guy was taking a leisurely trip around the US while killing.

[Christa, The Renewed]

Just knocked another off the list. Pines for Dystopian. Woot!

Also, you may notice that I've got my list all nice and organized now. Looks rather lovely, if I do say so myself. :D

[Orlok]

Christa wrote: "Just knocked another off the list. Pines for Dystopian. Woot!

Also, you may notice that I've got my list all nice and organized now. Looks rather lovely, if I do say so myself. :D"

Enjoy it? I did.

I like the way you have organised the list - makes it a lot easier to see what is still to do. Might borrow that idea...

[Christa, The Renewed]

I liked it enough to give it 5 stars, but it pissed me off a bit. The book was excellent, and I felt that Crouch nailed the pacing perfectly. But, without spoilers for the rest of the gang, I'll just say that the overall premise is one that bothers me. A lot. Which is fine, it's Dystopian! It's supposed to bother me, but it just happened to be something that already bothers me. LOL. So it was very effective because of that.

In case it's not clear, I'm not complaining at all. it just hit me harder than I expected.

[Orlok]

I gave it 5 stars too. I get where you're coming from, and the "reveal" is a shocker, I agree.

[Christa, The Renewed]

Orlok wrote: "I gave it 5 stars too. I get where you're coming from, and the "reveal" is a shocker, I agree."

I was like, why didn't I see his 5-star rating on the book, and then I realized - we aren't friends on GR! Sent you a friend request. :D

[Orlok]

Christa wrote: "I was like, why didn't I see his 5-star rating on the book, and then I realized - we a..."

I thought we were! Surprised me when the request came through. Anyway, I've ignored it... ;-)

[Christa, The Renewed]

LOL! My notifications tell me otherwise, FRIEND. :P

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Resident Book Pusher]

Nice updates, Christa!

[Christa, The Renewed]

MrsJoseph wrote: "Nice updates, Christa!"

Thanks! :)

I've started reading a Stephen King short story collection. It's really big.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Nice. I glanced at the King books on the shelf at the library when I was there. I read quite a few books a long time ago. One of those maybe I'll read one again some day authors.

[Christa, The Renewed]

HomeInMyShoes wrote: "Nice. I glanced at the King books on the shelf at the library when I was there. I read quite a few books a long time ago. One of those maybe I'll read one again some day authors."

He's one of only a few authors I can re-read. (The others are Cliver Barker and Anne Rice.) I have to put years between reads, though. I've read The Stand four times now, I think, starting when I was about 18.

For a few years now, I've been planning to re-read Rice's Mayfair - Vampires chronology, but a) that's like a whole year's worth of reading on its own and b) I still remember too many details from some of the books. There are some in the chronology that I haven't actually read yet, despite owning them, because I've got this stick up my butt about reading them all in order. *sigh*

[HomeInMyShoes]

I was thinking of trying some new (to me) King titles. I don't reread much and am not interested in re-reading more.

[Bianca]

I used to reread regularly, but since getting an ereader I hardly ever do. Like Christa there are only a couple of authors I can reread; Stephen King, Phil Rickman and some classics.

Being able to get the book you want almost instantaneously instead of having to order them and wait several weeks for them has diminished the need for rereading (added bonus is that ebooks are a lot cheaper than paper).

[Christa, The Renewed]

Bianca wrote: "I used to reread regularly, but since getting an ereader I hardly ever do. Like Christa there are only a couple of authors I can reread; Stephen King, Phil Rickman and some classics.

Being able t..."

It really does change things. There are soooo many other books I still haven't gotten to that every time I start to dive into a re-read, I'm conflicted and end up reading something else. Kindle Unlimited and my two library cards just compound that.

I think my only re-read since I got my first ereader is King's Insomnia, and I'm not sure that even counts since I never finished it the first time. (I moved and lost the book for a few months and never got back to it.)

It's not exactly a problem, it's much better to never run out of new things to read, but your post has made me realize that I still consider myself a re-reader of those particular authors when, in reality, I guess I'm not anymore. :D

[Bianca]

Before ereading I usually had either The Stand or It as a stand-by book for when I had to wait for new books to arrive. I do reread, but only one or two books a year, and sometimes accidentally when I haven't logged a book into Calibre or Goodreads. I also try to read one or two classics a year, most of which I have read in the past for school or uni. Reading one of those for myself is a lot more fun than when it's required reading.