Group Challenge 2017

[Colleen]

I agree with Margo I think Paul's list for the challenge but Kevin's list would be great for the monthly reads :)

[Colleen]

I would vote to drop comt

[Colleen]

Sorry posted to early lol
I vote to drop contemporary fiction

[Trelawn]

I would drop contemporary and keep the rest. If everyone agrees on 7, drop historical fiction too

[Margo]

I agree that contemporary fiction seems the one to drop - it's the most wishy washy. 8 is fine by me =)

[Seraphina]

just in terms of number of books, for this year's challenge we did 7 which I think didn't put people under pressure.

[Andy]

folks - really enjoyed 2016 continent challenge.
great to see the thought and time you are all putting into setting up for 2017 - thank you
late to the party - not clear what counts as Contemporary - is it simply recent publication or a matter of theme or style?
perhaps merging Sci-Fi / Fantasy might encourage more participation.

[Paul]

I'd drop Contemporary as well.
Personally I would like to see Scifi stand on its own as its one to challenge most , the same way crime or classics will challenge me. I do think grouping with fantasy will give the soft option out.
For discussion I think it would be more interesting if we are all on the same genre rather than choosing between them.
I think everyone reads a little fantasy , we've a lot of Outlander readers, Harry Potter, Narnia , Gaiman , Pratchett etc, personally I think scifi will bring more challenge to the challenge and definitely more interesting discussion.

[Paul]

I meant grouping scifi and fantasy would mean two seperate genre discussions at once .
Obviously each section will be at the same time :-)

[Seraphina]

I would suggest eliminating fantasy altogether. means people have to choose s sci fi whilst not putting people off the challenge by having sf and fantasy to read if you don't generally read them.

[Bookworm with Kids]

I think I tried to do too much this year and really didn't give the Continental challenge the attention it deserved. However, this does sound really good for next year. While I would be comfortable enough with Historical and Crime, the idea of Horror fills me with, well, horror! I would also vote for SciFi as a section on its own, not with Fantasy.
Well, that's my tuppence worth. I'm really looking forward to next year.

[Bookworm with Kids]

Emma, by gothic classic, I assume you mean something like Frankenstein or Dracula?

[Bookworm with Kids]

I could probably read one of those. I haven't read contemporary horror for a good few years now after scaring the living daylights out of myself with Stephen King!

[Margo]

I sympathize Bookworm, I used to love horror films until Event Horizon which I actually had to walk out! This link is to some gothic novels you might consider. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[Paul]

I would go more along with Seraphina in dropping a genre rather than combining them . Obviously wouldnt like to see fantasy go but I think scifi and fantasy combined would be too broad

[Margo]

Personally I don't care for biographies/autobiographies nor Travel books. Both catagories I struggle with.

But I'm easy, whatever works for those who feel strongly about it. 7, 8, or 9 books is OK with me but I don't work so I have a lot of free time.

[Paul]

Not two I work well with either Margo but I look at that as the ones that will push me :-)

[Margo]

Yes, that's the point of challenges ;-)

[Paul]

I may even try an audio book ;-)

[SherryRose]

Paul wrote: "I may even try an audio book ;-)"

You might lik it! I hope the first narrator is very good so you're not turned off. Some are great and some...not great...

[Margo]

I'd recommend something read by Tim Gerard Reynalds. He's a dub, but still a good narrator in spite of it :-p

I'll have to think of something to give an extra twist to my challenge!

[Trelawn]

I was thinking I might try some of the Gothic novels Jane Austen read and that influenced Northanger Abbey. I think The Castle at Otranto is one

[Bookworm with Kids]

Margo wrote: "I sympathize Bookworm, I used to love horror films until Event Horizon which I actually had to walk out! This link is to some gothic novels you might consider. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1..."
Margo, that's a brilliant list! I wouldn't have thought of some of those books as gothic horrors!

[Bookworm with Kids]

Emma wrote: "@Bookworm Yes exactly. Dracula, Frankenstein, The Picture of Dorian Grey. They are all officially horror but are a horror I can palate."

Yes, I think I could manage them too!

[Maria Hill]

Once nobody expects me to read a pure Romance novel I'm in. I have never actually finished a travel book or Biography. But it's supposed to be a challenge.

[Margo]

I'm with you on romance, Mills and Boone style anyway! I usually do Bill Byson for travel books. I'll try to come up with something a bit more challanging this time :-)

[Paul]

I was away for a bit there but just a last note to be added. Try not be afraid of the genres outside your usual. Be creative and interesting with you choices and it will be fun.
There are so many interesting possibilities in every category and there is definitely a book for everyone in each section we can come up with.
Don't eliminate all the difficult categories too quickly as they are the very ones that will make the challenge fulfilling for us all. And also the ones you are more likely to get a pleasant surprise like many of us did in the continental challenge.

[Margo]

You're going to a Mills & Boone category aren't you??!

[Maria Hill]

Margo wrote: "You're going to a Mills & Boone category aren't you??!"

:)

[Kevin]

Re. horror, why not give some Edgar Allan Poe a try? It would be predominantly short stories as well, so something to easily dip in and out of. Plus, I'm sure it would be interesting for people to realise how much his writing has influenced today's literature.

[Seraphina]

I think we should throw in romance for the giggle and see if any of us comes up with a half decent read

[Margo]

Go the whole hog and put in chic-lit :-p

[Seraphina]

let's not lose the run of ourselves Margo lol, we could do a romance/chick lit option!?

[Paul]

Think for Romance I'd have a choice or two to hand ;-)

[Margo]

I'm game if you all are. I don't think there's a genre in existence that I wouldn't find something I could read in except.............no, I'm not going to say or you lot will probably propose it!!!!

[Margo]

I think Paul and Trelawn have enough romance on their plates next year!

[Trelawn]

I don't know if Paul would survive a Romance novel. I'd find it tough but it might kill him. Especially if he has to read it on the bus into work

[Paul]

So what genre is it Margo. I swear I'll behave ;-)

[Margo]

I think it would be good for him!

But romance have have to mean trashy. Pride and Prejudice, Middlemarch, Gone with the Wind, Water for Elephants, The Rosie Project etc.
Some chick-lit can be entertaining too e.g. Lianne Morrissey, Marian Keyes. My hubby wouldn't be caught dead reading it but laughs out loud when he I'm listening on audio!

[Margo]

Paul wrote: "So what genre is it Margo. I swear I'll behave ;-)"

You'll never make me tell =p

[Paul]

50 Shades of Offaly ;-)

[Margo]

Oh now that kind of carry on is banned in Offaly! Down with that kind of thing =( =(

[Paul]

Really. Awww. I'm in Offaly for half of next week and now I find that out.

[Trelawn]

You have just shattered Paul's illusions Margo

[Margo]

Now guys you should know that that nothing like that goes on outside of that den of vice that is Dublin! You come here for the fresh air and the good clean fun!!!

Oh yes, and our romantic castles ;-)

[Paul]

We're back staying in a romantic Offaly castle next Friday.
And I'll be in Offaly for work from Tuesday to Thursday. The sheer excitement of it all.

[Margo]

You lucky, lucky boy lol

[Paul]

I know the fun of staying over in Birr and Tullamore. I was supposed to go to Edenderry as well but it was just too much fun already for a week .

[Margo]

Oh,I'm from Birr. Where are you staying?

[Paul]

I'll let you know Monday. Someone else booked it for me.