Judging June Challenge 2017

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Deborah wrote: "And I am off, beginning with due back soonest Peacemaker

And I still do not like the cover: Normally I like composites but not this one. The main character stands out too pale and ..."

That's a terrible cover :(

[Sharon]

Thanks Brenda :)

[Li'l Owl]

Finished my 1st of 9
Flowery Cover
Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin ★★★★★

Read-a-thon in progress
Review to follow

[Vickie]

Interesting flowery cover! If I didn't look closely, I wouldn't expect to find flowers in this colour scheme at all!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

The black eyed susan is a gorgeous flower Vickie - https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/orna...

[Suzie]

Trying for three books
4. Appropriate by Alan Cumming
6. Boring by Bill Bateman *AA
9. Reader's choice, I think this cover is quite haunting by Lee Child

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Suzie do you have any Aussie authors in your choices? You need at least one :) And could you please mark it with AA - thanks!

[Baz]

This is such a great challenge. I'm pretty bad for judging a book by both its GR rating and cover haha.
Here goes.

2. A cover you don't like.
Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly *AA


4. A really appropriate cover.
Silent Prey by John Sandford


5. A cover that you love.
Atlas of Cursed Places: A Travel Guide to Dangerous and Frightful Destinations by Olivier Le Carrer
I am a fiend for all things geographical, cartographical, travel and location related, so I'm sucked right in with this one.

[Suzie]

Brenda wrote: "Suzie do you have any Aussie authors in your choices? You need at least one :) And could you please mark it with AA - thanks!"

Sorry Brenda, been a while since I did a challenge and forgot to note the Aussie author

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

No problems Suzie :) I couldn't see an obvious one ;)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Welcome to challenge Baz and Suzie. I have added your names to the list at the beginning of the challenge so you can find your posts easily:)

[Diana]

Finished my first The New Year's Quilt
Starting Optimists Die First now.

[Li'l Owl]

Finished my second
Boring cover
Darkest Place by Jaye Ford AA ★★★★★

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Zoey]

1st one for June finished

3. A colourful cover. - The Girl in the Yellow Vest Loretta Hill 5★

[Li'l Owl]

My belated review of my Flowery Cover

Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Valerie]

Finished my first, read on my Kobo during a 2.5 hour walk yesterday, necessary for the readathon. I didn't fall over, but did walk into a parked car :)

4. A really appropriate cover
The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith ) 4★

[Vickie]

Just finished first book over the short work break, #2 Disliked Cover: Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood (1989) (AA). This was my third time attempting the book and as they say, third time's the charm! Now I can watch the adaptation on Netflix—the show where the cover came from!


★★★☆☆

Dislike cover reason summary: General dislike for media tie-ins

Easy Progress: 1/3 | Medium Upgrade Progress: 0/3
Original post updated with rating and link to 20-word review.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Read my second and third - #5 - Love the cover (eye catching) - The Perfect Husband by Chris Taylor 4.5★s

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

#6 - Boring cover - Jeopardy in July by Barbara Venkataraman 4★s

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PattyMacDotComma]

Reader's Choice (#9): I loved the fading butterflies on the cover of Still Alice by neuroscientist and author Lisa Genova. I don't know whether or not the lower case i in the title, ALiCE, is to show that she is disappearing, but that there is still a bit of her left at the core.


Compassionate look at early-onset Alzheimer's disease: Who are we when we aren't ourselves? 5★
My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dree]

Bit late to join as I've not been reading much lately and only finished 1!!! for the may challenge.

Books to follow....

[Dree]

Easy



✔ A cover you don't like -Persuasion by Jane Austen ★★★
✔ Appropriate cover - When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead ★★★★
✔ A boring cover How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk ★★★★
✔ A flowery cover The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriaty AA ★★★★
✔ Reader's choice - The Girl with All the Gifts by MR Carey ★★★★★

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Welcome to challenge Dree. I have added your name to the list at the beginning of the challenge so you can find your post easily:)

[Icewineanne]

Li'l Owl wrote: "Finished my 1st of 9
Flowery Cover
Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin ★★★★★

Read-a-thon in progress
Review to follow"

Congrats Owl :)
This looks good, i want to read it also, so i'm super happy you loved it. Can't participate in this challenge as we leave for vacation at the end of the week (on a tour...i call it vac boot camp...heh heh), so not sure how much time i'll have to read. Will sign up for the Winter challenge.

[Mima]

I have read one so far. Colourful cover ★★★★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm making slow progress on #2, appropriate cover
Anthologies are always a bit of a struggle for me, but I am enjoying it so far.

[Dree]

Phrynne wrote: "Welcome to challenge Dree. I have added your name to the list at the beginning of the challenge so you can find your post easily:)"

Thanks Phrynne - forgot to add my covers! Have done so now :D

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Dree wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Welcome to challenge Dree. I have added your name to the list at the beginning of the challenge so you can find your post easily:)"

Thanks Phrynne - forgot to add my covers! Have d..."

Lol! And I never noticed:)

[Diana]

I just finished Optimists Die First my second book in this challenge. One more to go but right now I'm jumping over to my Winter Challenge books. I'll be back to finish this challenge soon.

[Deb]

Brenda wrote: "Deborah wrote: "And I am off, beginning with due back soonest Peacemaker

And I still do not like the cover: Normally I like composites but not this one. The main character stands o..."

Thank you! It is isn't it. I can't even quite imagine what they were thinking of.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Not much at all obviously! ;)

[Deb]

Brenda wrote: "Not much at all obviously! ;)"

Heh. Sadly the story is similar to the cover in that it is almost very good, but keeps falling short of it's potential. The cover was one of the things that attracted me to the book, I admit it. The mish-mash of the cover design actually echos the rather jumbled elements of the story's plot, characters and settings.

I liked it, but it is probably better suited to non-critical YA than adult readers because I think they (I used to) get carried away by the story and are less inclined to judge the technical details.

two and a half stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Amanda]

Have just finished my first one, Mount! by Jilly Cooper. It's my cover that I love as it's cheeky & sexy.

[Li'l Owl]

Icewineanne wrote: "Li'l Owl wrote: "Finished my 1st of 9
Flowery Cover
Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin ★★★★★

Read-a-thon in progress
Rev..."

Have a great time! I am going to our summer cabin in Wyoming for the last half of June but it's a relaxing place so lots of time to read. =o)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 5th - appropriate cover - Beneath the Apple Leaves by Harmony Verna 5★s

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Janine]

1st finished

#4 An Appropriate Cover
Stars Across the Ocean by Kimberley Freeman(AA) 4*

[Zoey]

2nd one finished

8. A scenic cover - Jamaica Inn Daphne du Maurier 3.5★

[Vickie]

Finished second book, #9 Reader's Choice: The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski (1993). Loved the video game; liked most of the 7 short stories in this original book; can't wait for the Netflix adaptation! Entertainment in all forms! Content note: rape.


★★★★☆

Cover choice summary: I greatly enjoyed the video game adaptation!

Easy Progress: 2/3 | Medium Upgrade Progress: 0/3
Original post updated with rating and link to 20-word review.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 6th - readers choice (creepy) - Forgotten by Nicole Trope 5★s

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Li'l Owl]

Amanda wrote: "Have just finished my first one, Mount! by Jilly Cooper. It's my cover that I love as it's cheeky & sexy. "

lol!

[Jeanette]

3/9
1 Beautiful Cover
Salt Creek by Lucy Treloar
4 Appropriate Cover
The Yellow House by Stella Gibbons
7 Flowery Cover
Summer's End by Alice Carr

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Are these the books you plan to read Jeanette? Can you link the covers for us to see? Thanks:)

[Janine]

I have finished my 2nd but I can't find the actual version that I have on goodreads.

1. A Beautiful Cover
Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell 4*

[Janine]

I have finished my 3rd

9. Reader's Choice ( Handsome man on cover)
Talk Of The Town by Rachael Johns(AA) 5*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 7th - Scenic cover - Diamond Sky by Annie Seaton 5★s

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Vickie]

Finished third book earlier, #4 Appropriate Cover: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003).


★★★★☆

Cover choice note: Such an appropriate cover for such a descriptive book title!

Easy Progress: 3/3 | Medium Upgrade Progress: 0/3
Original post updated with rating and link to 20-word review.

[Li'l Owl]

3 down 6 to go
#2 Cover I don't like
Scared Yet? by Jaye Ford AA ★★★★★


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 8th - #2 - Colourful cover - The Lucky One by Caroline Overington 2.5★s

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Odette]

Finished my 1st for this challenge:

4. A really appropriate cover:
The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov - 4★s

[PattyMacDotComma]

This is also an appropriate cover, but not nearly as cheery as Odette's above! It's a dark, disturbing forest, after all.
Aussie author Louis Nowra wrote Into That Forest, inspired by stories of feral children. I've added links to the fascinating 'real' stories.

My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Deb]

Li'l Owl wrote: "3 down 6 to go
#2 Cover I don't like
Scared Yet? by Jaye Ford AA ★★★★★


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

That is a pretty appalling cover. Misaligned and unappealing. I hope the contents are better.

[Deb]

This is my 'floral' cover, but the GR image does not do it justice: Those orange blotches are actually quite delicate, lovely nasturtiums. The ghostly white image is not nearly that obvious on the real cover. I had actually had the book for a couple of weeks before, in the correct light, I realised the image was there.