Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2019 Challenge Prompt - Advanced
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50 - A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent
Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn. The house is a deconsecrated Abbey.Also, the Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny is set in a monestary. It's pretty far into the series though so it would probably only work if you were already reading the series!
Bewildering Cares: A Week in the Life of a Clergyman's Wife - WWII - rationing just starting in England. This is the start of a series.. not mystery!
Tons of cozy mysteries - you can find by perusing cozy themes here:https://www.cozy-mystery.com/cozy-mys...
El wrote: "Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie."This is probably what I'll pick, if I can get a copy of it. Definitely one of the most difficult prompts for me.
I read Bill Bryson's At Home: A Short History of Private Life last year for the micro history, and his home is a former vicarage. Would that be a stretch? It was an interesting book!Some Tame Gazelle by Barbara Pym is filled with vicars and scenes that take place at a vicarage, taking place in a small English village. Her book Excellent Women features a clergyman's daughter, and a vicar lives next door.
I would consider The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough to work for this one.
Mod
Red Sister
or
Grave Mercy"
Yes! I loved Grave Mercy!! There is a fourth book possibly coming out in 2019, and I'm hoping it will work for this category
Personally, I'd like nothing better than to reread
The Name of the Rose
. I've bought a new copy because my previous editions have become worn from frequent rereading. It's one of my very favorite books. However, if I'm going to do something new, then I might read
Teresa, My Love: An Imagined Life of the Saint of Avila
by Julia Kristeva.
The Thorn Birds was excellent!!I also read and loved The Smell of Other People's Houses, part of this ( not all) takes place in a convent.
The Grantchester mystery series by James Runcie take place around a vicarage.
One of the Odd Thomas books takes places in a monastery (I think...where ever it takes place, it fits this category)
Yes, thank you Hope! I was just thinking there must be some fantasy set in a monastery/convent.
Great prompt!Fiction: House of Brede
Non-Fiction: Cloister Walk
Gah, love this prompt! I've been wanting to read Priestdaddy for awhile, so that's my choice.My favorite book of all-time, Circle of Friends, also works for this. A big chunk of the book takes place in a convent.
I loved The Guineveres by Sarah Domet. 4 girls with the same first name living together being raised by nuns.
The Vicar of Dibley: The Great Big Companion to DibleyBeneath the Cassock: The Story of the Real Vicar of Dibley
If you haven't read any of the Inspector Gamache books by Louise Penny, you are in for a treat."The Beautiful Mystery" takes place at a monastery - loved it.
The Dark Monk Would work for this prompt. It is the 2nd in a series and I would highly recommend the first, The Hangman's Daughter. It could be used for a book about a family, or an amateur detective.
poshpenny wrote: "The Vicar of Dibley: The Great Big Companion to DibleyBeneath the Cassock: The Story of the Real Vicar of Dibley"
I loved Vicar of Dibley. Had no idea that it was made in to a "prayer" book. Oh no now I don't know what to pick. Even though I probably won't be able to get my hands on it where I live. But it has definitely made it to my TBR list. Next time I get over there I will have to buy it.
Hope wrote: "Time to read about murder nuns...Red Sister
or
Grave Mercy"
These look SO GOOD, I had never heard of them. Straight onto my plan. Thank you!!
Käthe wrote: "The Dark Monk Would work for this prompt. It is the 2nd in a series and I would highly recommend the first, The Hangman's Daughter. It could be used for a book about ..."Thanks Kathe. I have The Hangman's Daughter on my kindle in KINDLE IN MOTION format. I can read this for the dective or family then The Dark Monk.
I'm just finishing The Pillars of the Earth which is set in a priory that builds a cathedral. I'll probably read the second book in the trilogy World Without End for the challenge as it is also based there. I'll be happy to have a little rest in between though as each book is around 1200 pages.
The Mermaid Chair would work for this, especially if you prefer something with a contemporary setting.
Would the Infernal Devices series count? The London Institute is in a church...
I recently read
The Monk and while it can be slow at times, the ending makes up for everything! If you're into Gothic lit and the origins of the horror genre, this is a must read.
Abbie wrote: "The Mermaid Chair would work for this, especially if you prefer something with a contemporary setting."Thank you!! This one is sitting on my shelf waiting to be read :)
Nadine, I think Northanger Abbey is (partially) set in a private residence that had been an Abbey? I actually can't remember for sure where the abbey comes in to the name, but it's definitely a private residence at the time of the story, so it depends how you want to count that. For those who like historical fiction, The Cloister and the Hearth is quite good, or at least I thought it was when I read it years ago.
The Hawk and the Dove is good middle grade/YA historical fiction option for this category.
Unless the mood strikes me to re-read one of these off my shelf:
A Vow of Silence
A Vow of Obedience
Novena for Murder
Murder in Ordinary Time
I'l probably try a Brother Caedfael mystery: A Morbid Taste for Bones. (I saw several of the movies when I was in my teens and only more recently found out they were based on books.)
Hope wrote: "Time to read about murder nuns...Red Sister
or
Grave Mercy"
Oh perfect! I've been wanting to read Red Sister!
I'm probably going to read the second book in The Midwife Trilogy by Jennifer Worth. Since the midwives live with the nuns at Nonnatus House, I'm thinking it counts as a convent...
Dissolution (mystery set in Tudor England)or
The Name of the Rose (literary mystery set in medieval Italy)
or
A Canticle for Leibowitz (post-apocalyptic monastery that preserves the few relics remaining of previous civilization) It's a personal favorite!
Yep the second book Brother Odd.Kristy wrote: "One of the Odd Thomas books takes places in a monastery (I think...where ever it takes place, it fits this category)"
I'm excited about reading The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness by Karen Armstrong.It also looks like Saint's Gate would work.
I read A Canticle for Leibowitz for my book mentioned in another book this year, which is good if you want a bit of apocalypse with your religion.I can't remember how much Thief of Time is in the monastery but it's about the Monks of Time (and one of my favourite Discworld books).
I will read A Morbid Taste for Bones. I totally forgot Cadfael was a book series as well as a television one. My dad has some of the books I think. We used to watch the show together! Yay!
I guess any of the Call the Midwife books could work, since they all live in a convent of sorts
I'm considering getting back to The Historian - pretty sure it mentions or takes place in a church and monastery at various points. Been on my To Finish list for awhile but I'll need to reread all of it as I can't remember!Northanger Abbey should fit as well.
Alisia wrote: "I read Bill Bryson's At Home: A Short History of Private Life last year for the micro history, and his home is a former vicarage. Would that be a stretch? It was an interesting book!..."I second At Home! He does base the book around the rooms and items in his vicarage home and talks a lot about the history of vicarages.
I highly recommend Flesh and Spirit for those that like fantasy (& mystery & plots). The main character takes sanctuary in a monastery. I would warn people away from reading the blurb on the goodreads page for this if you wish to maintain the mysteries in the book until they are revealed in the book!
Joyce wrote: "I'm just finishing The Pillars of the Earth which is set in a priory that builds a cathedral. I'll probably read the second book in the trilogy World Without End for ..."Do you know if the third one would fit? I'm reading World Without End in December, so I'd like to finish out the trilogy!
I found these two mysteries that fit this prompt. I’ve never read either author before but they sound promising. 
I'm planning to read Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence for this one. It's the third and final book in the Red Sister trilogy and is due out start of April. Loved Red Sister and Grey Sister so have been anxiously awaiting the big finale.
Aimee Dars wrote: "I'm excited about reading The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness by Karen Armstrong.It also looks like Saint's Gate would work."
Yes, I think I will read The Spiral Staircase too as it's on my TBR!
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This is NOT going to be the year I read The Name of the Rose, because I do not have the patience, but maybe some of you will pick that up! Maybe this is a good year for a Brother Cadfael mystery! (A Morbid Taste for Bones). Is Northanger Abbey set in an abbey?
A few lists to kickstart your search:
Popular Monastery Books
Get Thee to a Nunnery
Taking the Veil