January 2018 Challenge - Winter Wonderland

[Book Concierge]

January 2018 Challenge - Winter Wonderland
Begins: 01Jan2018 / Ends: 31Jan2018

Let's read some books that celebrate a Winter Wonderland:

1. Snow on cover

2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R (excl a, an, the)

3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)

4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E

5. New year: New Author (to you)


---------------------------------------------------------

Rules of the challenge
Books must be at least 100 pages in length
A book counts for only ONE task per challenge (but feel free to use it for other challenges ... in the past or in another group).
Re-reads are fine, as long as you actually read the entire book
Book should be finished within the time-frame of the challenge.
Any format ("dead tree," e-book, audio...) is fine.

If you want acknowledgement that you have completed the challenge you MUST include the date you finished reading each book.

As always, have fun!

[Book Concierge]

Reserved for list of participants

CLICK on your name to go directly to your post, so you can update as the month progresses.

Connie

Diana S

JennH

Kajoli Barker Conner - ✔ Finished

Koren - ✔ Finished

Lee - ✔ Finished

Sheila - ✔ Finished

SouthWestZippy - ✔ Finished

Terris - ✔ Finished

Tessa - ✔ Finished

[Connie]

January 2018 Challenge - Winter Wonderland
0/5

Let's read some books that celebrate a Winter Wonderland:

1. Snow on cover

2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R (excl a, an, the)

3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)

4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E

5. New year: New Author (to you)

[Koren]

1. Snow on cover-The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalanche finished 1/23

2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R (excl a, an, the)- The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore finished 1/12

3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)-Son of a Gun: A Memoir by Justin St. Germain finished 1/21

4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E- Producer: Lessons Shared from 30 Years in Television by Wendy Walker finished 1/28

5. New year: New Author (to you)-First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies by Kate Andersen Brower finished 1/8

[JennH]

January 2018 Challenge - Winter Wonderland
Begins: 01Jan2018 / Ends: 31Jan2018

✔1. Snow on cover
Seeds of Deception by Sheila Connolly 1/31/18


✔2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R (excl a, an, the)
The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien 1/5/18

✔3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)
Topped Chef by Lucy Burdette


✔4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare 1/8/18

✔5. New year: New Author (to you)
The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg - Lee Goldberg is new to me

[Book Concierge]

January 2018 Challenge - Winter Wonderland
Begins: 01Jan18 / Ends: 31Jan18

5 / 5 completed

Let's read some books that celebrate a Winter Wonderland:

1. Snow on cover - ✔ - 04Jan18

2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R - Inside the O'Briens ✔ - 19Jan18

3. BLUE cover - ✔ - 22Jan18

4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E - Andria Williams / ✔ - 25Jan18

5. New year: New Author (to you) - Heidi W. Durrow / The Girl Who Fell from the Sky ✔ - 01Jan18

[Book Concierge]

I've got everyone linked thus far.

Koren ... somehow you had a duplicate post (been there, done that), so I deleted the duplicate. I did check carefully to be sure they were exactly the same before I hit that delete button.

[Terris]

I'll try it! I think some of the books that I'm planning to read fit into these categories. I'm pretty sure that Doctor Zhivago has snow on the cover! ;)

January 2018 Challenge - Winter Wonderland
Begins: 01Jan18 / Ends: 31Jan18

5/ 5 completed

Let's read some books that celebrate a Winter Wonderland:

✔1. Snow on cover

Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, 4****s, 1-13-18

✔2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R (excl a, an, the)

Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich, 4****s, 1-15-18

✔3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)

Thanks, Obama: My Hopey, Changey White House Years by David Litt, 5*****s, 1-8-18
(this is the most blue I could get this month!)

✔4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E

A Passage to India by E.M. Forster, 4****s, 1-24-18

✔5. New year: New Author (to you)

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell, 5*****s, 1-16-18

FINISHED!! :) Thanks for the fun ;)

[Kajoli Barker Conner]

I'm in! ... and FINISHED!!

January 2018 Challenge:

5/5 complete

1. Snow on cover
Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman 320 pages, completed 1.13.18

2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R (excl a, an, the)
The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish 576 pages, completed 1.7.18

3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)
Deep Crossing by E.R. Mason 342 pages, completed 1.2.18

4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E
One Station Away by Olaf Olafsson 309 pages, completed 1.8.18

5. New year: New Author (to you)
The Wright Brothers byDavid McCullough 337 pages, completed 1.9.18

[Book Concierge]

Welcome to the challenge, Terri and Kajoli. I've got you both linked.

[Sheila]

I'm in. I hope I'm over my slump.

5/5 I did it. I finished!

1. Snow on cover--Merry Murder by C. S. McDonald--finished 1/19/18

2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R (excl a, an, the)
A Room with a Brew by Joyce Tremel--finished 1/18/18

3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult--finished 1/24/18

4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E
Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart--finished 1/15/18

5. New year: New Author (to you) Murder at the Book Group by Maggie King--finished 1/22/18

[Diana S]

January 2018 Challenge - Winter Wonderland
Books Read: 1/5

1. Snow on cover

2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R (excl a, an, the)

3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)

✔4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E
Stuart Woods' Barely Legal (1/3/18) 3.5 ★★★

5. New year: New Author (to you)

January Bookshelf

[Book Concierge]

Diana S & Sheila - you are both linked. Have fun with the challenge!

[SouthWestZippy]

FINISHED with time to spare.

1. Snow on cover

An Echo Through the Snow by Andrea Thalasinos
3 stars
Taken from the book. "Rosalie MacKenzie is headed nowhere until she sees Smokey, a Siberian husky suffering from neglect. Rosalie finds the courage to rescue the dog, and―united by the bond of love that forms between them―they save each other."
I just could not get into parts of the book and struggled to keep up with back and forth stories. I wish the characters were a little more developed and the stories fused together more cohesively. I did enjoy the overall storyline, it is complex, yet simple.

2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N T E R (excl a, an, the)

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
1 star
Set in a dystopian world in which human clones are created so that they can donate their organs.
I could not get into nor could I relate to the overall picture of what I just read. I found it to be an overwhelming Storyline and the reading was dull at the same time. I made myself finish the book, wish I would have just stopped and moved on. Not my cup of tea type of book.

3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)

Why I Jumped by Tina Zahn
5 stars
Taken from the books slipcover synopsis. " On July 19, 2004, an amazing story, accompanied by incredible video footage, broke across network and cable news programs." Tina Zahn is the focus of the incredible video footage as well as the officers who saved her when she jumped off the bridge that day. The book is her story of what happened to get her to the point of jumping.
This book is heartbreaking on so many levels. Tina's clueless Mother who has never been and never will be a Mother is not the only problem but one of many. I do like how Tina finally opens her mind and eyes to see and feel she needs to let go of the toxic people in her life on her terms.
I highly recommend this book.

4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E

The Green Mile by Stephen King
5 stars
I am going to skip writing a synopsis about this book since there are tons already out there and I just can't write anything better.
I had an idea what that book was about because I have seen the movie when it came out. It still did not prepare me for what I read. WOW, Stephen King can draw you in and paint a picture both ugly and beautiful. My emotions were all over the place but the ending of the book had me shed a few tears.

5. New year: New Author (to you)

The Martian by Andy Weir
5 stars
A dust storm hits Mars and the crew is forced to evacuate, Mark Watney is left for dead because they are unable to locate him plus his suit shows no life signs, only he is not dead. Now he is stranded and has no way to signal Earth. You are reading his Log entries showing his very human responses to being alone and dealing with his routines to keep himself alive. I enjoyed his dry humor and his willingness to try anything to keep himself alive and busy. This book is intense at times and draws into to Mark's fight for life and shows you that every life matters and the levels they will go to to get you back home safe.

[Book Concierge]

Glad you're joining us, Zippy. You're link is active.

[Lee]

Let's read some books that celebrate a Winter Wonderland:

1. Snow on cover
Son by Lois Lowry
January 29, 2018

2. Title begins with a letter in: W I N ..."
Without Mercy by Colonel David Hunt and R. J. Pineiro
January 10, 2018

3. BLUE cover (at least 50%)
The Last Dance by Ed McBain
January 1, 2018

4. Author first and last initials in S N O W F L A K E
Afterlight by Alex Scarrow
January 27, 2018

5. New Year: New Author (to you)
Life Inside the Bubble by Dan Bongino
January 31, 2018

[Book Concierge]

Welcome to the challenge, Lee. I've got you linked in message # 2.

However ... be sure to use the "add book/author" feature, just above the comment box when noting the books you've read. Also be sure to post the COVER if it's a challenge task that asks for a cover item or color.

[Terris]

Finished!! Thanks for the fun! :)

[Book Concierge]

Congrats, Terri! I'm working on book # 5 this week.

[Lee]

Book Concierge wrote: "Welcome to the challenge, Lee. I've got you linked in message # 2.

However ... be sure to use the "add book/author" feature, just above the comment box when noting the books you've read. Also be s..."
Didn't realize you wanted a new post for each book added so edited my original post. Also, I don't know how to post the cover of the books I read. Can you help me with that?

[Book Concierge]

Lee wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Welcome to the challenge, Lee. I've got you linked in message # 2.

However ... be sure to use the "add book/author" feature, just above the comment box when noting the books..."

You don't need a new post for each book ... just let me know when you are finished.

To post a link or cover ...
Just above the comment box where you type or edit your post, you'll see a link add book/author. Click that and you get a pop-up window. Type in the title of your book. Choose the appropriate book and click "ADD".

The default is to add a LINK ... if you want a COVER ... go to the bottom of the pop-up window and click COVER.

If you have a book with many different covers/editions, you'll want to first click the other editions link under the ADD button. You may have to scroll through multiple pages to get the exact edition you want.

For example
is the first edition listed. But if I want
I'd have to go all the way to page 3 to find it.

[Book Concierge]

Update Message # 6 - challenge completed, 25Jan18

[Lee]

#1 Snow on the cover

[Lee]

#3 Blue Cover

[Lee]

#5 Life Inside the Bubble by Dan Bongino
January 31, 2018

Just made it! Finished!