Play Book Tag discussion
2016-19 Activities & Challenges
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Fall Flurry of Holidays Challenge -- Discussion and Planning
WooHoo! Bring on my favorite time of year!!! I love planning my Fall Flurry reads and have been thinking about them FOR MONTHS. This year, these books are in the mix:
October
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley -- might as well fit in a classic, right? I will probably listen to this one on audio.
The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff -- This one has been on my radar since last year, and it conveniently comes out in paperback on September 27th.
November
LaRose by Louise Erdich -- I struggle most with a November read, but it is high time I read something by Erdich. I am leaning toward this one but may also read The Round House depending on which I can get on audio from my library.
December
THE BEST MONTH! I read nothing but cheesy Christmas romances by the light of my Christmas tree until my little heart might explode with how happy I am. I only read books released this year and have some go-to authors.
It Must Be Christmas: Three Holiday Stories by Jennifer Crusie
Three Christmas Wishes by Sheila Roberts
A Wedding for Christmas by Lori Wilde
Snowfall on Haven Point by RaeAnne Thayne
Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Christmas in Eternity Springs by Emily March
The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis
Mistletoe Cottage by Debbie Mason
I'm in because I've done this every year since you started it. I have to go off and do some research to see what I might read though! Right now I haven't got a clue. :-)
This is tricky - it's spring/summer here in Oz with no Thanksgiving and minimal interest in Halloween! I'm in though. I'm always up for a challenge. I'm going to ride on your coat tails for November and read LaRose too. I'll have to research the others.
Susie wrote: "This is tricky - it's spring/summer here in Oz with no Thanksgiving and minimal interest in Halloween! I'm in though. I'm always up for a challenge. I'm going to ride on your coat tails for Novembe..."Susie, feel free to adapt the challenge to wherever you are. Are there any October or November holidays in Australia? We are totally flexible and I always like to learn more about other countries!
I'll have to think on it, but I'm sure I'll come up with something. The biggest events in Melbourne are the Australian Rules football grand final and the Melbourne Cup horse race! I could read something Spring themed instead of Autumn (Fall).
Susie wrote: "I'll have to think on it, but I'm sure I'll come up with something. The biggest events in Melbourne are the Australian Rules football grand final and the Melbourne Cup horse race! I could read some..."That works for us! To be clear to others, reading for Spring could be an option IF you live in the southern hemisphere. It is not just a pick-your-favorite holiday challenge ;)
I'm going to mull this over and get back to you.(I do hope at least some of you enjoyed my subtle pun there with mull and holidays, and if you don't, no whining ;) ).
I love this challenge. I am thinking of doing a whole non-fiction thing this year.For October I also plan to read The Witches: Salem, 1692.
In November, I want to read a book I have owned for years about the Ute people who lived in Southwest Colorado where I grew up, We Shall Fall As The Leaves.
As for Christmas, I am leaning towards another one featuring the Puritans (hmmm, maybe I should reconsider my November book), The Battle for Christmas.
I have done this every year and will join in again this year, just not too sure of what I will read yet - except for The Witches: Salem, 1692 - which I won't read because I read Cleopatra this year and wasn't impressed with it and it has some lukewarm reviews here on GR.
Sara wrote: "I love this challenge. I am thinking of doing a whole non-fiction thing this year.For October I also plan to read The Witches: Salem, 1692.
In November, I want to read a book I h..."
I am glad we will be reading The Witches together! Like Linda, I heard that it was a bit slow in places, but I am actually going to try and get up to Salem this fall so it seems appropriate.
You will be a Puritan expert at the end of this!
I'll join with a halloween book since I'm going to read whatever the Litsy book club Halloween choice. Definitely not Christmas though :)
I love this challenge.October:
I'm way overdue to read Frankenstein. I'm going to listen to some samples and try to find an audiobook.
There's alsoThe House of Dies Drear, a juvenile historical fiction that is supposed to have a ghost in it.
Or I could go to Salem and read The Crucible
November:
Last year I read Erdrich for a First Nations book in lieu of traditional Thanksgiving, and I still haven't read
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
or Green Grass, Running Water
Three Day Road ( which also works for Veteran's day)
and there are some titles I might read for Veteran's Day
The Guns of August
My Dear I Wanted to Tell You
Goodbye to All That
December:
For Christmas I've got a little list:
Mr. Timothy
Christmas at High Rising
The Honk and Holler Opening Soon
In the Dark Streets Shineth: A 1941 Christmas Eve Story
2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas
Hmmm. Not a clue. As I've never done this challenge before, I wouldn't mind seeing old-timers post some of their favorite holiday reads from previous years.
Nicole R wrote: "You will be a Puritan expert at the end of this! "Too bad I already read Mayflower; that would have been perfect for November.
Denizen wrote: "Hmmm. Not a clue. As I've never done this challenge before, I wouldn't mind seeing old-timers post some of their favorite holiday reads from previous years."Last year I listened to the audio production for World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War and thought it was perfect for the Halloween challenge. Also from last year in November I read The Ghost at the Table which takes place at Thanksgiving and was unexpectedly good.
I am definitely in. I was all set to read LaRose in November and then it was on the "it's your lucky day" shelf yesterday at the library! I'm already in the middle of reading 2 other in print books, plus I checked out a third yesterday as well, so it's highly likely that I might not get to it before it's due. I'll try to save it to November, it felt like fate that it was sitting on the shelf for me though!I'm very interested in The Witches: Salem, 1692 but the reviews say it's written like a textbook and I'm all done with school...Not sure.
I'm in ... again!For October I'm going to try to - FINALLY - get to Dracula (I've never read it). I might try another Ray Bradbury, however, as another group has him as the author of the month - The Halloween Tree seems like the perfect candidate.
For November I think I'll try to get to one of Erdrich's books that I haven't read yet - The Beet Queen. Another option those of us in the USA might consider is something with a political bent ... given that it's our presidential election that month. How about: Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics?
For December I will always re-read Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory. But I may try to fit in a cheesy Christmas story or cozy mystery then as well.
Book Concierge wrote: "I'm in ... again!For October I'm going to try to - FINALLY - get to Dracula (I've never read it). I might try another Ray Bradbury, however, as another group has him as the author of..."
I wasn't very impressed with The Halloween Tree, but Bradbury has another one called The October Country that I keep meaning to get to.
I will read the Witches Market, sequel to the Witches Daughter for October. Tell you what! if the PBT tag is epic fantasy, I will read Wicked which will count towards both challenges. Voted 3 points for historical fiction though, because that's my sweet spot!
World War Z is a great idea! That's what I'll read for October. So there's that, LaRose for November, does anyone have any non-Cheesy Christmas suggestions?
I'll likely join in. Usually in October, I'll do Halloween (for sure), and maybe Thanksgiving - Canadian Thanksgiving for me. November, I'll do Remembrance Day (like Veteran's Day in the US). And, of course, something Christmas-y in December. Not sure what yet, but I'll come up with something!
Jgrace wrote: "I love this challenge.October:
I'm way overdue to read Frankenstein. I'm going to listen to some samples and try to find an audiobook.
"
This is the one I listened to in 2014 for this challenge -I got it from Audible, but I am sure it's available elsewhere. http://www.audible.com/pd/Classics/Fr... I loved the narrator (Dan Stevens aka Matthew Crawley from Downton Abbey). I really loved the story- I felt so bad for the 'monster'. For an audio it was fairly short - about 8 hours.
Book Concierge wrote: "I'm in ... again!For October I'm going to try to - FINALLY - get to Dracula (I've never read it). ..."
I listened to this audio for this challenge last year, I really enjoyed it - http://www.audible.com/pd/Classics/Dr... forget every Dracula movie you have ever read - it's not like this - although Van Helsing is in the book. The book has multiple narrators and it was very good.
I thought this was coming soon! I think, I bombed last year's :pI'm with Susie, being in Oz & not interested in Halloween, but I saw the movie trailer the other day for Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and it looks sooo good I want to read the book (I wasn't that interested in this book, in the first place but... Tim Burton's production!)
And the Melbourne Cup is definitely a big one! The whole nation stops for that hour. It might have a be a book with a generic horse racing theme though...
There is also Remembrance Day. It's not a holiday-theme but we don't have much in these last 3 months of the year.
Oh Tiến, yes! That's a perfect idea! Miss Peregrine must be read now that Burton is involved.
War Horse could be good for a horse theme for Melbourne Cup.
I think for Christmas I might read Fairy Tale Christmas by Michael McLean with my son.
Susie wrote: "War Horse could be good for a horse theme for Melbourne Cup."Not sure if you're into outback romances, Susie, but I remembered a kindle freebie the other week about horses and it is actually Melbourne Cup related... I just checked & unfortunately it's no longer a freebie :/
The Horse Thief by Tea Cooper
I love this challenge!Some from my TBR list include:
October: How to Survive a Horror Movie
My Best Friend's Exorcism
A Dirty Job
Practical Demonkeeping
The Woman in Cabin 10
The Winter People
November:
Winter's Child
something by Louise Erdrich
something in the Longmire series
The Orenda
Nine Years Among the Indians, 1870-1879: The Story of the Captivity and Life of a Texan Among the Indians
December:
Wintering
Winter Solstice
something by Mary Higgins Clark
Tien wrote: "There is also Remembrance Day. It's not a holiday-theme but we don't have much in these last 3 months of the year...."I always do Remembrance Day (it's also Remembrance Day in Canada) for this challenge. I usually read something war-themed: soldiers, fighting. I think I've done something nonfiction the past couple of years.
Speaking of that, I will take this opportunity to, once again, recommend The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan. Play-by-play account of D-Day, written not long after WWII, so he was able to interview people who were actually there (or have them fill in questionnaires).
I haven't been waiting all year but am newly excited. I did some searching and think I will mirror my diet for the end of the year. October
All good intentions so an educational history.
Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night by Nicholas Rogers
November
Overeating, but vegetables are involved so it's not too bad, therefore historical fiction.
Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
December
I can't say no to the baked goods, full fluff fiction.
I will bow to Nicole's experience and try 12 Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber. I did Netflix binge a bit on Cedar Cove, a series based on her novels.
Book Concierge wrote: "I'm in ... again!For October I'm going to try to - FINALLY - get to Dracula (I've never read it)...."
BC, the Dracula audio with Tim Curry and Alan Cummings was phenomenal!
Ladyslott wrote: "This is the one I listened to in 2014 for this challenge -I got it from Audible, but I am sure it's available elsewhere. http://www.audible.com/pd/Classics/Fr... I loved the narrator (Dan Stevens aka Matthew Crawley from Downton Abbey)...."That is not the one at my library but maybe I will use an Audible credit on it...
Blueberry wrote: "December:Wintering
Winter Solstice
something by Mary Higgins Clark ..."
I loved Winter Solstice!
anarresa wrote: "I will bow to Nicole's experience and try 12 Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber. I did Netflix binge a bit on Cedar Cove, a series based on her novels. ..."I have been wanting to read her Cedar Cove books! Her Christmas books are totally cheesy, and more of a sweet romance than a lust-filled romance like some of the others I read.
Not a Halloween person, I now have a need to read a book about Canadian Thanksgiving. Thanks for the challenge
I am going to try this challenge again this year (after falling short last year). I am planning to read the following:October: Ghost Story
November: Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War
December: The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War
My December pick isn't festive but it is generally within the season.
*** Upadate****
I gave up on Ghost Story my October pick after a week and 100 pages. Just couldn't seem to get into it. Onto Pet Sematary and hoping for better vibes.
I think for November I'm going with Autumn Quartet.
Also, did I hear, just re-read that you are going to try to get up to Salem this October? We go every year with the kids and it's fabulous! Only problem with Salem in this season is that it's nearly impossible to park. But if you achieve that, it's wonderful, the whole thing. Plus the New England Colors are beautiful!
Amy wrote: "Also, did I hear, just re-read that you are going to try to get up to Salem this October? We go every year with the kids and it's fabulous! Only problem with Salem in this season is that it's nearl..."We took a ferry up to Salem this summer while visiting Boston. Loved it- especially the House of Seven Gables, and the candy store, of course! I bet it's stunning in the fall- and festive/spooky!
Oh all the witches, the costumes, the haunted houses, the tours, the reinarnatiobs, the psychics - the tree colors, they are all out! Reminds me to find a Sunday for us all to go!
I'm in. I don't know what I'll read, but I have these recommendations.Not specifically Halloween but scary:
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
The Turn of the Screw, Henry James
Three short stories by Truman Capote cover Thanksgiving and Christmas, A Christmas Memory, One Christmas, & The Thanksgiving Visitor
Ok, I've figured out some options. Thanksgiving is tough for me. If I did it, it would be October, because that's when my Thanksgiving is. I might skip it this year, though.
October (Halloween):
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
(which I've read before, but it's quick)
- Second Child / John Saul
November (Remembrance Day):
- Holding Juno: Canada’s Heroic Defence of the D-Day Beaches: June 7-12, 1944 / Mark Zuehlke
December (Christmas/Winter):
- The Mitten / Jan Brett
- The Three Snow Bears / Jan Brett
Nicole R wrote: "Blueberry wrote: "December:Wintering
Winter Solstice
something by Mary Higgins Clark ..."
I loved Winter Solstice!"
Wintering is on my TBR and I would never have connected it with Christmas. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
My loose planOctober:
November:
December:
and
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares will be a re-read, and now I see there's a second Dash & Lily book. I found the first one charming. Both are YA, both are Christmas themed.
This is a fun idea!My IRL book club is going to read Frankenstein for October, so that should be fun. I've never read it and I've always wanted to. I'd also like to read Dracula, but not sure I'll get around to it. I may not be able to handle two classics in one month.
I'm not sure about November or December yet. I don't think that far ahead in terms of reading.
Jenni Elyse wrote: "This is a fun idea!My IRL book club is going to read Frankenstein for October, so that should be fun. I've never read it and I've always wanted to. I'd also like to read Dracula, but not sure I'l..."
Frankenstein is a shorter read than Dracula, if time is an issue. I loved both. I read them both because of this yearly challenge.
I haven't had time to line up my reads, I've had an incredibly busy summer, and I've been sick for a few days but feeling better now. Being sick does allow more reading time.
I'd like to try this challenge. As with most of you, the next three months are the best of the entire year. I'll probably have to borrow or buy some since I've depleted many of my TBR books from my shelves. Every time my son went in for his chemotherapy I donated a book to the Dalton Clinic Cancer patient library. My way of giving back to the patients and staff for all they've done for us while he's been receiving treatment.For OCTOBER these are my possibles: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe or Year of Wonders-A Novel of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks.
I'll select books for November and December this week. They may take a bit more noodling.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Christmas Caramel Murder (other topics)The Passage (other topics)
The Passage (other topics)
Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places (other topics)
Dracula: The Undead (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Mark Z. Danielewski (other topics)Alfred Uhry (other topics)
Louise Erdrich (other topics)
Mary Higgins Clark (other topics)
Tea Cooper (other topics)
For the last several years, we have run a challenge to read books in October/November/December that have holiday/seasonal themes. It is totally laid back, you come and go as you please, and we are flexible as to the seasonal theme you pick.
Some suggestions are:
October -- Halloween, scary, Canadian Thanksgiving, autumn setting, etc.
November -- Thanksgiving, Veterans' Day, Native American themed, etc.
December -- Christmas, Hanukkah, winter themed, etc.
What I will likely do (and this is subject to change if it just doesn't work) is have one thread each month under the Activities Folder for all reviews for that month. This may get crazy and we will adapt if necessary.
For each review you post, you will get a participation point. BUT, be sure to cross post in the Monthly Tag or Monthly Other reads folder to get those participation points too. Basically, this is just a bonus :)
So, without further ado, let's discuss the books we plan to read! Because planning is one of the best parts.