You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
Challenges: Monthly
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Sept 2017 REPORTING - And None of Them be Missed.
I narrowed my choices to
heroine disguised as a man
.Thanks to Janice I was recently reminded of Bloody Jack, which had been on my shelves since 2013, and was interested enough to read it now.
It is about a street urchin who is not cut out for life as a beggar and so finds her way to becoming a ship's boy at sea. She is very clever in hiding her gender, as well as clever at becoming useful aboard ship. This was a fun coming of age adventure.
Almeta wrote: "I narrowed my choices to heroine disguised as a man. Thanks to Janice I was recently reminded of Bloody Jack."
From that list, your book is the only one I have read. I have five others sitting on my TBR list. Actually, this list could be considered a spoiler. I don't think that I had any idea that they were girls/women, except for one of them. I am not upset to know it though.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Almeta.
My list is: 100 Mysteries and Thrillers to Read in a Lifetime: Readers' Picks. I read Mr. Mercedes (#146)This is definitely a thriller, no question asked. I really enjoyed it. Basically what you expect from a Stephen King thriller.
I'm going to try one from From Best Gothic Books Of All Time: The Thirteenth Tale. Everyone I know seems to like it. I tried to listen to it once before but the very lackluster narration of Jenny Agutter put me off. It wt first you don't succeed.. ....
I read The Crown Tower by Michael J. Sullivan, which was on the list I Marked My Calendar For This Book's Release. I was interested in the author's original series and finally read the first book last year, really enjoying it. This year I've read the first two books in the author's new series, which is a distant prequel. So, I was happy to pick this one, which is a near prequel to the original series, taking place 12 years beforehand. This book shows the events that led to the duo meeting and eventually becoming partners, though they aren't quite friends at the end of the book.The story was darker than I expected, with a strong story line from the perspective of a young woman who had been forced into prostitution and the violence and fear that occurs in her life, though she manages to take control of it and help others in the meantime. In fact, her story was the most compelling, even though I often found it difficult to read. The first book in the original series had more humor and a stronger feeling of adventure. This book had a lot of violence and characters full of unhappiness about their pasts and uncertainty about how to move forward into the future. I did like it, but not as much as the original series.
One of my four lists was Middle School Book List. I decided to read #23 - The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart.
I could tell that the book was well written, but I didn't enjoy reading the story. I have a hard time when children are in danger from adults, like in the Series of Unfortunate Events. I cringe inside. I had to stop reading for a couple of days. And the book seemed to drag a bit towards the middle. (Probably about the time I decided to take a break :)
As to whether the book should be on the list, I'm not sure. I think the criteria is vague. Books should have:
1) high interest
2) background building
3) current trends
for students from 5th to 8th grades
Overall, I'm pretty sure that The Mysterious Benedict Society belongs on the list.
Lanelle wrote: "One of my four lists was Middle School Book List. I decided to read #23 - The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart ..."
Will you read the other two books in the series? I have this one on my TBR list.
Cherie wrote: "Will you read the other two books in the series? I have this one on my TBR list."Probably not. Unless I need books 2 or 3 for a reading challenge, of course ;)
One of my four lists was Recommended Historical Fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1.... I chose #94 Year of Wonders, which I've had on my To Read list for quite awhile. Based on a true event - the plague of 1665-1666 in Eyam, Derbyshire in England and the decision by the residents of the village to quarantine themselves so the plague wouldn't spread to the nearby villages. Author Geraldine Brooks brilliantly captures the life and times of this 17th century working class village and the dilemma, anguish, beliefs and decisions they had to make. Her writing is outstanding - amazing how she was able to recreate the language of the time. A five-star read. The book definitely fits the list.
This challenge is presenting a mixed bag of reads it seems. Sorry to those of you who haven't quite enjoyed your read.
My list was Dual Time Romances and I decided to read #3 The Rose Garden.I chose The Rose Garden because I had read The Winter Sea which is #2 on the list and it was written by the same author Susanna Kearsley. I loved The Winter Sea and was hoping that The Rose Garden would be just as wonderful, but it fell short for me. I think if I had read it before reading The Winter Sea I would have liked it more. When reading Dual Time novels I like it when there is a lot of historical elements/information about the time period that the person goes back too. In The Rose Garden it seemed that the time period (1715) was just there to give a romantic setting - not a lot of substance. That didn't stop me from finishing the book. I had to find out if the girl got the guy.
The Rose Garden definitely fits under the list "Dual Time Romances" because our heroine fades in and out between present day and 1715 and there is romance.
One of my four lists was https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9.... As I went through the list I found that a lot of the selections (there are 272) interested me and several have found their way to my TBR. In the end I decided to read The Baker's Secret. I had decided to read it befor seeing the list and it was available through my library. Historical fiction is probably my favorite genre, and I particularly like anything WWII. Plus I decided this year to try to read more books published in 2017. When it comes to voting for the Goodreads awards, I find I can't since I haven't read any of the books. So this year I've made an effort to incorporate current books. The list was very specific to the year published, so this book fit the criteria (published May 20I7).
I liked the book and gave it 4 stars. The Germans have taken over a small coastal Normandy town. Each person has his/her way of coping with the enemy. Emma, the baker, believes the Allies will never come. She's lost her lover, her mentor, her father, and her faith. But she is determined to help her fellow villagers the best way she can.
One of my four lists was Medicine and Literature, "fiction and non-fiction books about medicine".https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
I chose No. 27 on the list, A Short History of Nearly Everything, which has been on my TBR for awhile. The book was a good read (and Bill Bryson was comparatively easy to take here). It is huge in scope, filled with interesting but sometimes trivial information, and touches the tip of the iceberg on every topic discussed.
43 people voted for this book on the list. However, I fail to see how this fits the list criteria. This is a book about science and history, and is not a book about medicine.
TrudyAn wrote: "One of my four lists was Medicine and Literature, "fiction and non-fiction books about medicine".https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
I chose No. 27 on the list, [book..."
Tell me how anyone would consider [book:The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time|1618] under this topic either, yet 120 voted for it.
@trudyan A Short History of Nearly Everything was my first, and so far, favorite Bryson. Enjoy :-)@cherie - it is a bit of a wierd listing but the kid in the book did have a pretty serious mental health issue.
We can agree to disagree, Margo. ; ) I do not think there is quite enough criteria to make the listing really be successful.
Do you mean that mental health issues don't qualify as medical Cherie? I'm not arguing, I just don't know where you're coming from :-)
No, that is not what I meant at all, Margo. I guess I don't consider Mark's story as a mental health issue, at least as far as I remember it. Yes, he had autism. Does every story about people with autism qualify under this list? What about Me Before You by Jojo Meyer's?
It is hard to tell with some of the titles, what would qualify for this list. When I first saw Frankenstein, I thought to question it, but I agree, on second thought. ; ).
Good point Cherie. The story is not about autism, it just happens that the MC is autistic. There is a difference. I gotcha now :-)
I read His Bloody Project which I found on the list Goodreads Picks for Tournament of Books of 2017 I'm not sure what the tournament of books is, but it says books can be on the list if they are published between December 2015 and December 2016. Strictly speaking it shouldn't be on the list as the book's GR page says it was published November 5, 2015.
I rated it 5 stars, and below is the review I wrote:
"Wow!
I was intrigued from the very beginning and my intrigue only increased throughout. The way this book is structured is very original. I knew it was fiction but still the preface made me Google if I was wrong and I went back to google a few times more to see if I hadn't missed anything. The story and the 'evidence' presented keep you swaying back and forth, and confirmed to me once more that there often is no simple answer to the reasons why people commit (violent) crimes. It also questions if we ever can really know what goes on in someone's mind, and if we can give the most severe of punishments if there's even a glimmer of a doubt. I have been interested in forensic/criminal/legal psychology for a long time and this book fits that interest perfectly.
The book is also very well-written. I was a bit worried before I started that it might be slow or complicated, based on the fact that it was nominated for a highly esteemed literary award and consisting of among others medical reports and police reports. There was no need to worry though, the book was a page-turner and had me on the edge of my seat. It also kept me guessing and thinking about what could have happened and why.
Yes, I think this one will be on my mind for a while and I will recommend to everyone who will listen and who has the slightest interest in this topic."
Peggy wrote: "...I will recommend to everyone who will listen and who has the slightest interest in this topic..."SOLD me!
Almeta wrote: "Peggy wrote: "...I will recommend to everyone who will listen and who has the slightest interest in this topic..."SOLD me!"
I second Peggy's praise, Almeta. I read it last year and thought it was absolutely fantastic. I wish it had won the Man Booker Prize. It was robbed IMO.
I looked at this book when i saw you reading it peggy. The start of the blurb turned me off completely - "a brutal tripple murder.. ". After reading you comments though I have put it on my wish list. It sounds different.
I just went to add it to my TBR, and it was already there. Glad you loved it Peggy!
I read The Thirteenth Tale, from the list BEST GOTHIC READS OF ALL TIME. I think I got a lucky break after seeing some of the lists that came up for others!This was a beautifully written, expertly crafted story. Truly a book for book lovers.
Margaret Lea is the main character. She is a biographer and an expert in antique books. She is commissioned by a mysterious and reclusive author to write her autobiography.
It is difficult to review this book without resorting to a lot of superlatives or giving spoilers. It is a unique story that will intrigue those who see beauty in books.
Initially I was put off by the narration of Jenny Agutter. I will say that the quality of the reading improved as the book goes on. In the first instance I found it impossible to hold the story thread in my mind due the bland almost monosyllabic voice of the narrator. There are those that say all audiobook s should be read in this way, but it doesn't work for me.
Highly recommended, but not on audio!
Margo wrote: "I looked at this book when i saw you reading it peggy. The start of the blurb turned me off completely - "a brutal tripple murder.. ". After reading you comments though I have put it on my wish lis..."I first looked at the book after Lisa's raving review, and the brutal triple murder turned me off too. I don't do well with violence in books. But this is much more about the events that led up to it and the psychology behind it, and although the murders are described, it's not a violent book.
Peggy wrote: "Margo wrote: "I looked at this book when i saw you reading it peggy. The start of the blurb turned me off completely - "a brutal tripple murder.. ". After reading you comments though I have put it ..."Hmm....just listened to the audio sample and the narration is not to my taste although it scores pretty well in the audible ratings.
I read Ready Player One which was on Our Favorite Indie Reads list.I really enjoyed the book and gave it 5 stars. It was such a fun read that had you feeling as if you playing the computer game right along with the characters. There were so many references to 80's pop culture that it felt as if you were in a time capsule.
This list is for Indy Authors even though the title of the list indicates it's for Indy Reads. I don't know if Ernest Cline was at one point an Indy author. This book was sold in a bidding war to Crown Publishing which is a division of Random House. I can't find anything that says he was at one time an Indy author, so I would say it doesn't belong on this list.
Margo wrote: "I also finished RPO and can only echo Janices praise. It is one of my two favorite books so far this year (the other one being Words of Radiance).I also finished [book:Till We Hav..."
Could you remind us what lists they were from, Margo? And do you think they belonged on their respective lists?
I'm so glad you liked them both. I love the original Cupid and Psyche myth, and have been meaning to read that Lewis version for ages.
LOL I posted this to the wrong thread Rus! I meant to tag "what are you reading". Sorry, I deleted it.
Lol I thought you were super super keen!
One of my lists was Recommended Romances August 2017. I chose the book Perilous Trust from the list. I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. The criteria for this list was romances released in August 2017. While there was a romance in the story I felt it was more suspense, but since it did have a romance and was released in August 2017 I guess it belonged on the list. I'm really glad it was on the list or I might not have found it. I plan on reading the rest of the trilogy,
One of my lists was I Only Watched the Movie!, so I read Jaws. I loved, loved the movie! It was scary and suspenseful. I was on edge the whole time. And I didn't go beyond my knees when I ventured into the Gulf or the Atlantic Ocean for years - decades even. That's how much Jaws affected me.
The book was a let down, at least for me. I was neither scared nor felt anxious. I'm truly glad the movie left out the implied Mafia connection and the thing about Helen Brody. I'm not revealing any spoilers here, at all - Peter Benchley candidly says so in his Introduction. But the mention of these two facts did pique my curiosity. What else was different? Well, the horror and suspense level was off in the book, for one. I was so happy when I read the last line. So sometimes the MOVIE is much better than the book.
Anne -You are in the majority of folks who felt the same way regarding the movie vs the book. Seems everyone was pretty much disappointed in the book after seeing the movie. I am grateful to have saved myself from it, after the fact. The movie scared the life out of me. I still can hardly listen to the music without breaking out in a sweat.
Cherie wrote: "Anne -You are in the majority of folks who felt the same way regarding the movie vs the book. Seems everyone was pretty much disappointed in the book after seeing the movie. I am grateful to have ..."
You and me both, Cherie. I woke up to the Theme song of "Jaws" on the radio - a nice way to get myself out of bed lol - and it took me about 5 secs to get out of bed and decided to skip my shower that morning. :))))
My lists were:Biker or MC romance & erotica - First Books in Series or Serial
Best Feminist Books
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Books about the rich, jet-set, leisure class
I read Best Feminist book: The Vagina Monologues
Here's a link to that list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...
This book definitely belongs on the Feminist List, but I think everyone should experience it; i.e., it's not just for females or feminists. It covers a lot of ground for such a short book. I was educated, outraged, entertained, understood, and at times I was laughing out loud. .And that doesn't cover all I got out of this gem.
Debra wrote: "Best Feminist Books..."Looking at the list, it feels like every book with a female MC is on it. I have a ton of book titles on my TBR and another ton that I have already read. I have added your title to my TBR list. ; )
Definitely is a mixed bag this month!
My lists wereThe can't wait books of 2017
Favorite Christian books
Best crime and mystery books
Most interesting magic system
I picked most interesting magic system
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
I read Storm Front this book has been on my tbr for a long time. I was very happy to finally be able to get to it. It definitely belongs on the list. I enjoyed the explanations of how magic works especially how potions are made. Magic was very much a part of Harry and his everyday life.
Glad you enjoyed it, Delitealex. The series really picks up at book 3, so if you enjoyed this one, I definitely recommend keeping on going.
My list to choose from were: 1. my 2016 summer list challange
(and yes, that's the way the list creator spelled challenge)
2. I only watched the series
3. The Best Epic Fantasy
4. Sci-Fi: Contemporary (The Best Audiobooks)
I listened to Columbus Day from the list https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
I don't know if I would have enjoyed reading this book but I definitely enjoy listening to it. It deserves to be on this list. It's a combination of Little Fuzzy and Ready Player One with the Armageddon movie thrown in.
My list was What People Born in the 1980's Have Read in 2017 and from that list I picked Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race.I enjoyed the book. It was a bit dry and kind of slow to start, but the story was fascinating and I learned a lot. I consider myself a bit of a history buff, but the time post WW2 to the end of the Cold War isn't a period I'm very informed about. Some of the descriptions of racism and sexism endured in America during that time, especially in the 40's and 50's, was shocking for me, even though I already knew that was how it had been.
I'd have to say it belonged on the list, if only because I was born in 1983 and I read the book in 2017. :)
My four lists were:- Books that would have appalled H.P. Lovecraft
- Best Jane Austen Fan Fiction
- Books About Cutting Yourself
- CLEAN Romance Books
I choose to read, Clockwork Angel, from the CLEAN Romance Books list. It had been on my TBR list since 2014 and after a 2 1/2 day reading marathon, because my library hold had finally became available, I finished it an hour before midnight on the last day of the challenge.
Yes, this book belongs on the list. The criteria is kissing is okay, but no sex. Check! This book is the first in trilogy and written around several other trilogies that the author, Cassandra Clare, has written. I have a list, somewhere, that indicates the order of the books. I am looking forward to the next in the series and will add it to my series list started this year.
I chose Kindred off the list Science Fiction Books by Female Authors.I really enjoyed this read. I thought I wouldn't as it didn't seem to explain the why of what was going on. But I was completely drawn in anyway, and invested in the characters. I have been meaning to read something by Butler for a while, and I really enjoyed her writing style. I don't think I breathed for the last chapter.
I think it belongs on this list. Time travel book by a female writer. My only quibble is whether it is a sci fi book or a fantasy book. I think it was more magic than science that made her travel back in time. But it was never discussed except it just happened. Hence leaning more to magic. But if you default to time travel being sci fi, then yes, on the list.
Cherie wrote: "Debra wrote: "Best Feminist Books..."Looking at the list, it feels like every book with a female MC is on it. I have a ton of book titles on my TBR and another ton that I have already read. I have..."
Enjoy!
Sorry all! Completely forgot about badges due to being sucked into the Toppler. I'll badge you all in the next 24 hours.
You should all be badged now. Let me know if I missed anyone
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
Kindred (other topics)Clockwork Angel (other topics)
Hidden Figures (other topics)
Ready Player One (other topics)
Little Fuzzy (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Peter Benchley (other topics)Trenton Lee Stewart (other topics)
Trenton Lee Stewart (other topics)
Michael J. Sullivan (other topics)
Go up to your Browse menu, and click on the link Lists as below:
This brings up "Listopia" which is a silly name and we shalln't mention it again. Head down to the Lists With Recent Activity. There should be four lists displayed there. This is where we are playing this month.
Your job this month is to read a book on one of these four lists. Depending on the size of your lists, this should give you about 396 books to choose from this month. So from my example, I decide I will read a book from "Best Books about Nineteenth Century History". I click on that list, and I choose to read the first book on that list, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
In order to complete this challenge, you need to do the following:
- Read a book that meets the criteria above in Sept.
- Tell us which list it was on and link it (so we can sticky beak if we are interested in the subject). I recommend bookmarking your list once you choose your book, as you may not be able to find it again.
- Tell us what you thought of the book, whether you thought it should have been on the list or not, and WHY to both of these questions.
Simple!
General Rules:
1. The book may be in any format - paperback, ebook, audiobook.
2. The book may be in any genre.
3. The book may NOT be combined with the Year Long Survey Says Challenge.
4. The book must be read between September 1 - 30, 2017 (based on your local time zone).
5. The challenge is for one book. You may read more books if you chose.
6. The book must be 175 pages or more determined by the issue you read. If reading an audiobook or ebook where page numbers aren't listed, page numbers will be determined by the issue that comes up first on a Goodreads search.