July 2016 - Randomiser, Random, Randomiser, You're a Randomiser

[Alexandra]

Oh, and thanks for that ear worm, too...

[Sarah]

Only just had chance to watch the video. I hadn't heard of postmodern jukebox either. I liked the Gangsta's Paradise one. Actually i thought most were pretty good versions.

[Poongothai]

I have 53 book in my to read shelf.
The number is generated is 25. The Namesake

Other books closer to that which I may consider are
30. Fates and Furies
20. Everything I Never Told You
21. The Girls

[Jayme, Moderator]

I have 440 books on my TBR shelf and generated #417 The Swans of Fifth Avenue which would be a perfect beach read for vacation next week; however, I'm # 3 on the hold list, so probably won't get it in time which leaves...

#412 My Name Is Lucy Barton
#431 The Improbability of Love
#434 Homegoing

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Rolled for me properly #2070. So that gives me Plain-speaking Jane which I would love to read, but I don't own it.

My options are in those 41 then are:
#2054 - The Secret Chord
#2059 - The Natural Way of Things
#2071 - Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
#2073 - The Girl in the Steel Corset
#2077 - Fates and Furies
#2088 - The Likeness

I'm leaning towards The Natural Way of Things as I really want to read it seeing it won all the awards here in Aus in the last 12 months.

[Janice, Moderator]

The challenge widget is up on the group home page for those of you who like to use it.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Thanks Janice
Reporting thread up in 2 mins too.

[Roz]

My number was 1065.
After a bit of gophering I've narrowed my choices to:

1085 Romancing Miss Brontë
1080 The Fifth Servant
1078 The Astronomer
1075 Sacred Time
1073 Stealing Mona Lisa
1061 The Well and the Mine
1051 Mystic River

It'll be one of these. I just have to think a bit.

[Mariab]

I had to do the whole process over, because I have used my RTRB shelf (a special TBR and not the standard one from GR); and then have I found out, this was not permitted.
Now, I have a number 51, and have decided to read: The Anubis Gates

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Sorry Mariab. Just trying to keep everyone the same. Thanks for being honest!

Hope you enjoy it! I have in on my to read list too.

[Mariab]

Rusalka wrote: "Sorry Mariab. Just trying to keep everyone the same. Thanks for being honest!

Hope you enjoy it! I have in on my to read list too."

Not to worry about! (more ghopering is always fun)

[Lilisa]

Friendli Randi handed me #372 - on my TBR list that's Sea of Poppies but not willing to invest in its 500+ pages just yet. I think I'll head to Jamaica and land on #367 with Goldeneye: Where Bond Was Born: Ian Fleming's Jamaica.

[Jannene]

I rolled 790. I have a lot of good choices before and after that number.

[Roz]

I've decided to read The Astronomer. I must have put it on my TBR because its historical fiction and I tend to gravitate to that genre. Who can resist a plot to kill Copernicus? Plus my library has a copy.

[Esther]

OK. 414... I have a few options that are sleeping in my TBR or available at my library:

1.Like a Mighty Army (would be about time...)
2.1916: A Novel of the Irish Rebellion.
3.The Thirteenth Tale
4.Bones Never Lie

I'm torn between 1 and 3 for now... I will see when I finish my current book.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Esther - I haven't read your first one, but I really enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale.

[Ollie]

My list only has 83 books *blush*

I rolled #41, I See Me, and since I have so few books on my list to begin with, I decided to MAKE myself read the one I rolled.

I don't remember anything about it or why I added it in the first place, but I got a Barnes and Noble store credit from the ebook settlement, so my challenge book is downloaded and awaiting my attention.

[Cathie]

I LOVE Randomizer challenges!

I have 1044 books on my TR shelf (yeah, I plan to live to be very very old, lol) and the randomizer generated #105 for me.

My 105 book on my TR shelf is tThe Pastures of Heaven by John Steinbeck ~ one of my all time favourite authors!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Jeez, I never realised you all loved random challenges so much!

[Heather]

What an interesting challenge! I have 69 books in my TBR shelf (I'm super picky about what goes in there.... That's my excuse for such a little number. LOL) I rolled 51 and that landed me on book #10 of a series that I'm only on #5 of. So I went with book 66, Dark Witch by Nora Roberts. I absolutely love Nora Roberts trilogies, so I'm super excited for an "excuse" to read it. Enjoy everyone!

[Peggy]

After finishing The Thirteenth Tale but before starting the superchunky An echo in the bone, I'm in the mood for something quick and light, and I think Grave Sight which was among my randomised choices might be a good choice. It's my first Charlene Harris book.

[Casceil]

Rusalka wrote: "Jeez, I never realised you all loved random challenges so much!"

It's a love/hate relationship, like playing the lottery.

[Kristi]

I have 1229 books on my TBR and the generator chose 939! I'll be reading Navy SEAL Dogs: My Tale of Training Canines for Combat by Mike Ritland (who has an amazing instagram account) this weekend while we are camping...with the new puppy! Yay!

[Joan]

I'll be reading From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava as soon as I finish the group read.

[siriusedward]

i have 150 books on my tbr and the random num is 116


choices
St. Peter's Fair by Ellis Peters
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Everyday Use by Alice Walker
m Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum


i am going to read The Nightingale as i have read good reviews about it...
and also St. Peter's Fair as i loved the first book read by Ellis Peters..about ordinary lives of that time period...

[siriusedward]

i started the book The Nightingale and the beginning is beautiful...

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'm starting The Dinner by Herman Koch. I remember adding it when it was picked by my RL book club, but never get to read it since I knew before hand I couldn't attend the meeting. I know everybody in the club enjoyed it, so I'm excited about reading it. I also hope to "steal" a few minutes in our August meeting to discuss it with them. :]

[Kristie, Moderator]

I've started my book, The Fireman. I was a little worried at the very beginning because the dialogue was strange, but that seems to have remedied itself quickly. Now I'm flying through it and don't want to put it down. I'm just over halfway through the chunkster.

[jaxnsmom]

I'm so disappointed - I feel like a victim of bait-and-switch, but it's my fault for not paying close attention to the subtitle. But who can blame. I mean, with a title like Bad Dogs Have More Fun: Selected Writings on Family, Animals, and Life from The Philadelphia Inquirer, and with author John Grogan (Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog), I thought every column would have a dog involved in some way. So not true. Even worse, the columns about animals are the fewest. So I'm not in the mood to read it now - except for the few animal ones, and I have to pick another book. I'll probably go with Wonder or Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir, depends on my mood.

[Lisa]

I was planning to read Daughter of the Forest for this challenge but I am currently in the middle of Voyager for the geocaching challenge and I don't really want to start another 500+ page book so I am going to read something a bit shorter instead. I think I will go for Plague Land.

[Annerlee]

I've just started The House on Cold Hill which is supposed to be a modern haunted house story.

A family is just moving in... I'm not their biggest fan.

Here's hoping the creepy house / ghost / whatever scares some sense into them and forces them out of their fluffy pink, privileged, pony-puppy stupour. We'll see... (sigh)

[siriusedward]

have started the book St. Peter's Fair by Ellis Peters too and am finding it very good..i like the setting in this book, as with the last one that i read of hers,Rose Rent...i like the premise of a conflict btw the church and the town...over the tolls and the fair...the existing conflict btw king Philip and Empress Maud...the merchants..their mode of travel...the attitudes of the time...
I reached the point where the fair is just getting started...the mystery hasn't begun yet...

I am also reading The Nightingale Kristin Hannah..i just started it...Vianne's husband just left...i am finding it good..the flow of words is good...i am finding hard to like Vianne here..
Though i can sympathise....
The prologue was excellent...but it will be slow go for me..Mostly because i find it intense and want a break every now & then

[Annerlee]

jaxnsmom wrote: "I'm so disappointed - I feel like a victim of bait-and-switch, but it's my fault for not paying close attention to the subtitle. But who can blame...."

That's a shame. I can see where you're coming from though.

Under the circumstances, Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir might be a fitting title ; )

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I started and have half finished The Natural Way of Things today. Holding my judgement to see how it ends, but very much an Australian homage to The Handmaid's Tale. Incredibly similar but very different.

I'll let you know how I feel when it ends, but so far I can see why it won every single Aussie lit prize in the past 12 months.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Annerlee wrote: "Under the circumstances, Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir might be a fitting title ; ) "

Lol, that's what I thought when I read j'mom's post. :)

[Ann]

Is it too late to start this challenge...? If not, I have 211 titles on my TBR list. The randomizer spit out #15, but I'm jumping to #27 An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth

[Sandra, Moderator]

No, Ann, it's not too late. The challenge is for July, so as far as you finish your book no later than July 31st you qualify for a badge.

[Ann]

Sandra wrote: "No, Ann, it's not too late. The challenge is for July, so as soon as you finish your book no later than July 31st you qualify for a badge."

Awesome! Thanks Sandra! I've been out of the loop for a while. A badge would feel good!

[Janice, Moderator]

CanadAnn wrote: "Awesome! Thanks Sandra! I've been out of the loop for a while. A badge would feel good!..."

Glad to see you back. :) Don't forget to post in the report thread when you've finished the book.

[Cathie]

Rusalka wrote: "I started and have half finished The Natural Way of Things today. Holding my judgement to see how it ends, but very much an Australian homage to The Handmaid's Tale. In..."

Really interested in hearing what your final thoughts on this one is. I never heard of it before you commented on it here, but now I'm very interested.

[Ann]

Janice wrote: "Glad to see you back. :) Don't forget to post in the report thread when you've finished..."

Thanks Janice! Will do!

[Annerlee]

Sandra wrote: "Annerlee wrote: "Under the circumstances, Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir might be a fitting title ; ) "

Lol, that's what I thought when I read j'mom's post. :)"

Hee hee.. I know, it really made me chuckle.

[Annerlee]

I've just finished The House on Cold Hill, 2 stars from me...

I found it hard going and most of the bits I enjoyed were for all the wrong reasons. My review is here, if you're interested.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Has anyone else read this? I'd be interested in any second opinions, as it seems to be one of those love-hate books.

[Mariab]

CanadAnn wrote: "Janice wrote: "Glad to see you back. :) Don't forget to post in the report thread when you've finished..."

Thanks Janice! Will do!"
How are you doing, Ann?

[Ann]

Mariab wrote: "How are you doing, Ann?"

I'm doing great, Mariab! Thanks for asking! I found a new job (better paying! Woohoo!) and I've been really busy learning the ropes there. It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but I'm so happy that I left my old career behind and made the leap onto a new path! Just adjusting to a different set of working hours and finding new and interesting ways to squeeze in my reading time!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Welcome back Ann, and glad your new job is going well.

Thanks Sandra and Janice for jumping in while I've been at work. Looks like they got you all sorted, Ann :D Hope you enjoy your read!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Cathie wrote: "Really interested in hearing what your final thoughts on this one is. I never heard of it before you commented on it here, but now I'm very interested."

Will do! Been dying to get back to it all day while I was at work.

[Ann]

Rusalka wrote: "Welcome back Ann, and glad your new job is going well.

Thanks Sandra and Janice for jumping in while I've been at work. Looks like they got you all sorted, Ann :D Hope you enjoy your read!"

Thanks Rusalka!

[Mariab]

CanadAnn wrote: "Mariab wrote: "How are you doing, Ann?"

I'm doing great, Mariab! Thanks for asking! I found a new job (better paying! Woohoo!) and I've been really busy learning the ropes there. It's been a bit o..."
Oh!, I'm glad to hear all was for the best.
I hope you can find time to read.

[siriusedward]

so, I finished St. Peter's Fair. i found the mystery fine.not gripping.the setting,the characters are the true attractions for me in the series.esp as these books are said to historically accurate.

the ending was a bit dramatic.still the book was enjoyable and entertaining.

loved to read more about hugh and brother cadfael.