Group Challenge 2017

[Bookworm with Kids]

Paul wrote: "Some good choices all round :-)"

Thanks!

[Margo]

Colleen, I far preferred Station Eleven to The Martian but I'm in the minority on that!

The Cuckoo's Calling is a very decent thriller and I loved The Name of the Wind

Bookworm the only 2 I have read of your choices are Middlemarch which was great on audio, and Twilight which I enjoyed much more than the film.

[Margo]

Marcia wrote: "When is a classic a classic?"

That question puzzles me often, who decides? If I'm not sure I look for it in listopia lists.

[Margo]

Sherry wrote: "Paul wrote: "This is for the group challenge rather than the Book of the Month which we'll still be picking as well"

Right. I wasnt thinking at all. I'm having a dumb head day lol!"

Sherry are you going to join? It would be an interesting one to do with library books.

[Maria Hill]

"Bookworm the only 2 I have read of your choices are Middlemarch which was great on audio, and Twilight which I enjoyed much more than the film".

I read all of the Twilight saga (in the wrong order I think - a librarian recommended the second one to me I think because I was reading a lot of werewolf stories at the time). It would be truly "horrific" if someone made me read them again - so I definitely would class them as horror Bookworm . :)

How was Middlemarch on audio? I bought it years ago when it was on special but never got around to listening to it? My version is read by Juliet Stevenson.

[Maria Hill]

I too am going to try my bought but not read shelves for this challenge. I will concentrate on the ones I was "avoiding" reading. I.e. the ones that were on my shelves when I first joined Goodreads in 2015.

1. Historical Fiction - So many choices! The oldest one on my shelves is The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers . Set in the Depression-era USA - it and follows the immortal escapades of the Fireson brothers, Whit and Jason.Dearly Devoted Dexter

2. Crime/ thriller - Again I have a lot of choices but some I have not read yet simply because I haven't read the first in the series. Therefore I choose - as I have read the first book in this case.


4. Sci-fi - The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August . Is the oldest classified as Sci Fi. I didn't actually realise it was Sci Fi - I would have said Fantasy?


5. Autobiography : A Dublin Girl: Growing up in the 1930s .


6. Classic Jane Eyre - probably


7. Horror/Gothic - A genre that I normally read as soon as I get my grubby hands on it :) But one I have never read is Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus: The 1818 Text


8. Travel book - New Europe "We take a coffee break at the self-consciously literary Café Wilde, who published the first medical textbooks in Estonian. This doesn't stop them having a bronze sculpture of Oscar Wilde, seated on a bench outside. The current owner of the café believes that the Irishness of Oscar Wilde resonates with Estonians. Both countries are on the edge of the continent, both love singing and mythology and both have been transformed by the cyber-revolution."

So them's me choices!

[SherryRose]

I might. I've never done a book challenge.

[Paul]

It'll be fun for you :-)

[Maria Hill]

Bookworm with Kids wrote: "Like Margo, I want to do this challenge with as many of the books I own as possible. Here are my choices so far:
1. Historical Fiction - Restoration by Rose Tremain I h..."

That's what it is! My sister has the throne of glass adults colouring book on her Christmas list and I was racking my brains trying to work out what Throne of Glass was!

[SherryRose]

Paul wrote: "It'll be fun for you :-)"

I think so too. :-)

[Donna]

Bookworm with Kids wrote: "Paul wrote: "Hitlers Pope definitely fits the category for biography.
Twilight, for me would be fantasy but as it includes Vampires and Werewolves which are traditionally horror it can be included..."

I read the Twilight series just because I wanted to see what all the hype was about and those are hours of my life that I will never get back. This is a really, REALLY badly written series.

[Maria Hill]

Donna wrote: "I read the Twilight series just because I wanted to see what all the hype was about and those are hours of my life that I will never get back. This is a really, REALLY badly written series. ."

I so agree, Donna

[Margo]

Maria wrote: ""Bookworm the only 2 I have read of your choices are Middlemarch which was great on audio, and Twilight which I enjoyed much more than the film".

I read all of the Twilight saga (in the wrong ord..."

Juliet Stevenson did a wonderful job on the audio Maria. She managed to really bring it to life. A tall order since it's about 36 hours long ;-)

[Margo]

I think I'm the only person in the world who will admit to having read and loved the Twilight series - the only only non-teen anyway.

There - I've outed myself! Don't hate me ;-p

[Seraphina]

MARGO!!!!!.... .

[Donna]

There might be a twelve step program available for that, Margo :-)

[Thomas, Moderator]

People who read books are entitled to secret pleasures. My secrets will remain secret.

[Margo]

As Thomas, I sense a kindred spirit! We will stand tall against those who condemn us XD

[Margo]

Seraphina wrote: "MARGO!!!!!.... ."

I'm sorrySeraphina, I don't want to shock you at this beautiful time, but I can no longer live a lie.

I. liked. it.

[Colleen]

I read them awhile ago and I gave them a 4 . I remember that I read them as a soap opera because they were so corny and melodramatic that they made me happy. I read The Host and that was written for an adult not young adult audience. I like that novel and wished she would continue on with it. I did buy the Chemist which sounds totally different then anything she written. Now for my secret once in awhile I read Cecelia Ahern and Marian Keyes :)

[Donna]

Colleen wrote: "I read them awhile ago and I gave them a 4 . I remember that I read them as a soap opera because they were so corny and melodramatic that they made me happy. I read The Host and that was written fo..."

I also admit to a fondness for Cecelia Ahern and Marian Keyes. And Maeve Binchy.

[Colleen]

Oh yes I love her too :)

[Colleen]

Sherry you should join its a lot of fun.

Paul I just assumed that The fireman had to be horror because Joe Hill wrote it lol . Should I pick something else for horror and move it to science fiction ? I'm so confused where the line is :)

[Paul]

I bought and read Fireman as a horror, its one of those that sits on the border really so can work for either section

[Paul]

Margo !!!
I respect your honesty I suppose

[Margo]

Paul, thank you I suppose lol

Colleen I am also very fond of Marian Keyes and a bit of Maeve warms my heart! Not so sure about Ahern though - maybe it's the name!

I bet the rest have their dirty little secrets too - only me, Colleen, Donna and Thomas are brave enough to name our demons!!

[Paul]

My dirty little secrets would make paint peel Margo ;-)

[Margo]

40 shades of Kildare LOL

[Paul]

I saw the mad night life in Offaly, Kildare all seems quiet now

[Paul]

I think I have picked my Autobiography book -
The Complete Maus
The self told story of a holocaust survivor in graphic novel form.

[Seraphina]

I've read that one Paul, it's genius

[Paul]

Good to here and it sounds like it fits the brief while being something quite different

[Margo]

Paul wrote: "I saw the mad night life in Offaly, Kildare all seems quiet now"

What do you mean - there were 2 other people other there?! That's a party in Birr ;-p

[Paul]

There was a night club nearby though ( obviously closed of a tuesday) It looked quite the mad spot.

[Margo]

It's upstairs. Totally wild. Couldn't possibly show you that, you'd never want to go back to Kildare ;-p

[Andy]

first thoughts
likely to change

1. Historical Fiction
Lady Audley's Secret has been on TBR list since 13th Tale
2. Crime/ thriller
No idea - open to suggestions
3. Fantasy
The Fireman - not sure if it fits genre?
4. Sci-fi
Wool or
Dark Matter
5. Autobiography/biography
When Breath Becomes Air or
Walk Through Walls: A Memoir or
Born to Run
6. Classic
No idea yet - open to suggestions
7. Horror/Gothic
The Essex Serpent Gothic or
End of Watch Horror
8. Travel book
One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey

[Paul]

I'd say The Fireman would be a better fit for Scifi / Dystopia than fantasy to be honest. Its pretty much a mystery virus wiping out mankind type of story.

[Paul]

I havent read Dark Matter but I would highly recommend Wool and the rest of the Silo Trilogy. Well worth the read.

[Andy]

Paul wrote: "I'd say The Fireman would be a better fit for Scifi / Dystopia than fantasy to be honest. Its pretty much a mystery virus wiping out mankind type of story."

Yep, fantasy might take some more time to choose, once upon a time would have had some epic fantasy series or other on the go

[Trelawn]

Lady Audley's Secret would equally work for Classic if you find it easier to pick another historical fiction.

[Paul]

I'd say fantasy is so broad a genre now you'll find something Andy.

[Paul]

On a thought, if you are intent on reading another Joe Hill N0S4A2 or Horns would definitely fall much more into the Fantasy genre ( And in my opinion N0S4A2 is a far better book the The Fireman anyway)

[Andy]

Trelawn wrote: "Lady Audley's Secret would equally work for Classic if you find it easier to pick another historical fiction."

true, thinking Barkskins or The North Water also for historical,

will leave a space for fantasy for the moment
planning for the challenge is half the fun

[Paul]

Thats it . I'm sure a few of my picks will change and I've still no idea for Classics, crime or scifi

[Margo]

Andy some crime novels I've enjoyed:
The Oxford Murders, True Evil, The Woodcutter, Awakening, The Poet, Dark Places, Dolores Claiborne.

I echo Paul - Wool Omnibus is a fantastic read :-)

[Maria Hill]

Paul wrote: "On a thought, if you are intent on reading another Joe Hill N0S4A2 or Horns would definitely fall much more into the Fantasy genre ( And in my opinion N0S4A2 is a far better book the The Fireman an..."

Agree with that NOS4A2 is far better than Fireman

[Maria Hill]

Paul wrote: "Thats it . I'm sure a few of my picks will change and I've still no idea for Classics, crime or scifi"

I am thnking of changing my Sci Fi pick to Ancillary Justice - have you read it ?

[Maria Hill]

Margo wrote: "Andy some crime novels I've enjoyed:
The Oxford Murders, True Evil, [


Good choices and some cross genre would be: [bookcover:The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers|6589672] The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers or Storm Front

[Marcia]

This is my list at the moment. I'm working on culling it. The books with links are set in stone. (I think) :-)

1. Historical Fiction
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Seek the Fair land Walter Macken
Time and Time again Ben Elton

2. Crime/ thriller
Black Wattle Creek (Charlie Berlin, #2) Geoffrey McGeachin
Cairo Chris Womersley
The Silkworm Galbraith, Robert
Finding Nouf Ferraris, Zoë
Maltese Falcon Hammett, Dashiell
Before the Fact Iles, Francis

3. Fantasy
Neverwhere Gaiman, Neil
The Golden compass Pullman, Philip
The Princess Bride Goldman, William

4. Sci-fi
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick

5. Autobiography/biography
Working Class Boy Jimmy Barnes

6. Classic
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Doctor Zhivago Pasternak, Boris
Double Indemnity James M. Cain

7. Horror/Gothic
Villette Brontë, Charlotte
We have always lived in the Castle Shirley Jackson
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Robert Louis Stevenson
The Historian Elizabeth Kostova
The Monk Matthew Lewis
The Italian, Ann Radcliffe

8. Travel book
Literary London, Sam Jordison, Eloise Millar
Plant hunting on the edge of the world, Frank Kingdon-Ward
Himalaya, Michael Palin

[Paul]

I havent read Ann Leckie yet Maria. Sara our moderator has and really enjoyed it. Its one for me to get to.