You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
Challenges: Year Long Main 2021
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Scene on TrudyAn’s bookshelf 2019
Badge 2, book 9Book 12, First Man, The Life of Neil A. Armstrong
Actor: book set in Canada or by a Canadian author
Brother
192 pages
The novel’s setting is Toronto, and the author, David Chariandy, is Canadian.
Badge 2, book 10Book 4, Between Shades of Grey
Genre, Historic Fiction - Read a book featuring women in history.
The Spy: A Novel of Mata Hari
192 pages
Mata Hari was an exotic dancer who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during WWI.
TrudyAn wrote: "Badge 2, book 10Book 4, Between Shades of Grey
Genre, Historic Fiction - Read a book featuring women in history.
The Spy: A Novel of Mata Hari
192 pages
Mata Hari was an exotic..."
That book sounds fascinating! Did you like it?
Amanda wrote: "That book sounds fascinating! Did you like it?”It was okay, but I expected a more compelling story, based on other books I’ve read by Paul Coehlo. This is told in autobiographical style, Mata Hari’s story as written from her jail cell. She is presented as rather one-dimensional, but surely this bold woman was more complex than this. Some day I need to read a factual account of her life.
Badge 2, book 11Book 33, A Simple Favor
Setting: Connecticut. - Read a book set in Connecticut, Iowa, or Chicago.
Did You Ever Have a Family
Listened to audio; hard cover is 293 pages
The majority of the book is set in Connecticut
Badge 2, book 12Book 5, Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family
Author, Read a book with a single word title.
Stoner
278 pages
Badge 2, book 13Book 19, The Jungle Book
Setting: India - Read a book set in India or by an Indian author.
Water
The book is set in colonial India.
228 pages
Badge 2, book 14Book 21 The Little Stranger
Read the book
The Little Stranger
463 pages
I almost abandoned this book a number of times. (view spoiler)
TrudyAn wrote: "Badge 2, book 14Book 21 The Little Stranger
Read the book
The Little Stranger
463 pages
I almost abandoned this book a number of times. [spoilers removed]"
I didn't give this book a very high rating and I keep thinking I should read it again just in case I get more out of it the second time around.
I was thinking too that it would be a good book to reread. Knowing now how it ends, my focus would be different the second time. But, I rarely reread a book. I see you gave it four stars too. You must have liked it better than what your memory is telling you. Sarah Waters is such a good writer.
I haven't read The Little Stranger yet, but I plan to. I was just interested in your comments about rereading the book. I don't think I have read one of her books yet, that I haven't turned right around and read it again. I don't think it is because knowing the ending makes the story all that different, but maybe so. I find myself paying attention to different things in the story during the second read and in some cases, picking up things that I missed. Or even feeling differently about events in the story on the second read. I really think some books are meant to be reread. Maybe just some authors.
This is the second book I have read of hers, and I have two additional books on my shelf. I enjoy reading books a second time, but when it comes to choosing between a new book or a reread, I invariably choose the new book.
Badge 2, book 15Book 30, Ready Player One
Genre: Science Fiction - The movie contained many eighties trivia. Read a book set in 1980's
The Sky Unwashed
263 pages
This is a novel about a family and village affected by the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in 1986. The book spans the period from 1986 to approximately 1989.
TrudyAn wrote: "Read a book set in 1980'sThe Sky Unwashed..."
I have the book on my TBR. I like the cover although it gives me chills. Is it supposed to represent the radioactive cloud, do you think? I remember the news stories as it was happening. We talked about it at work - it was scary!
TrudyAn wrote: "I was thinking too that it would be a good book to reread. Knowing now how it ends, my focus would be different the second time. But, I rarely reread a book. I see you gave it four stars too. You m..."I wavered because it was rather slow. What increased the interest for me was that the ending was ambiguous and you could conceive of a couple of different scenarios. There's a lot I don't remember about the story.
Badge 2, book 16Book 23, Mary Poppins
Trivia: Read a book with an umbrella on the cover.
Above All Things
349 pages
Badge 2, book 17Book 4, Between Shades of Grey
Author: Read a book with "tree" or "house" in the title.
The Birth House
408 pages
Badge 2, book 18Book 25, Monster
Author: Read a book about the First Peoples of North America.
A Geography of Blood: Unearthing Memory from a Prairie Landscape
186 pages
More than half of this book concerns the history of the indigenous peoples around the East End/Cypress Hills area in Saskatchewan.
Badge 2, book 19Book 22, The Long Home
Setting: Tennessee - Read a book set in Tennessee.
Before We Were Yours
I listened to audio; hard cover is 342 pages
More than 50% of the novel takes place in Tennessee.
Badge 2, book 20Book 2, Annihilation
Setting: Eastern Coast USA - Read a book set in Florida.
Before Women Had Wings
304 pages
The entire book is set in Florida.
Badge 2, book 21Book 5 Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family
Genre: Memoir - Read a Memoir. The genre must be listed on the book's main page
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body
304 pages
Genre “Autobiography - memoir” is listed on the book’s GR main page.
Badge 2, book 22Book 21, The Little Stranger
Setting: Read a book set in the 1940's
Warlight
The setting is England, immediately after the end of WWII, starting 1945, and later in the book, looking back at events that occurred during that period.
304 pages
Badge 2, Book 23Book 36, A Wrinkle in Time
Actor: Read a book from Oprah's Book Club or from Reece Witherspoon's Book Club.
Behold the Dreamers
400 pages
This book was a 2017 Oprah Book Club 2.0 pick.
Badge 2, book 24Book 33, A Simple Favor
Author: Read the debut book of any author.
If The Creek Don't Rise
audiobook; hard cover is 320 pages
As per Leah Weiss's GR bio, this book is the writer's debut book.
Congrats on finishing badge 2, Trudy!
Thanks, Cherie and Janice! On to part three ...
Badge 3, book 1Book 3, Bel Canto
Actor, Read a book with a Religious theme or Atheist theme.
The Sound of Gravel: A Memoir
336 pages
This is a memoir of Ruth Wariner to age 13. Ruth’s family lived in a polygamist colony based in Mexico. She is the daughter of the founding prophet of the LeBaron Mormon fundamentalist church.
Badge 3, book 2Book 14, The Girl in the Spider’s Web
Setting: Sweden - Read a book that is set in Sweden or written by a Swedish author.
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
376 pages
Katarina Bivald was born and lives in Stockholm, Sweden
Badge 3, book 3Book 34, The Sisters Brothers
Genre: Western - Read a book that is a Western. The genre must be listed on the book's main page.
News of the World
209 pages
“Western” genre is listed on the book’s GR page.
Badge 3, book 4Book 31, Red Sparrow
Trivia: Read a book with a bird on cover.
Magpie Murders
496 pages
Badge 3, book 5Book 28, Ophelia
Author: Read a book with a dog or dogs as the main focus.
The Friend
212 pages
This is a story of grief, healing, and the bond between the MC and the Great Dane she came to share space with.
Badge 3, book 6Book 3, Bel Canto
Author: Read a book with "Time" in the title.
I Curse the River of Time
Listened to audio; hard cover is 233 pages.
Badge 3, book 7Book 32, Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
Actor, Read book set Croatia.
The Hired Man
293 pages
The book is set in Croatia, about a decade after the most recent Balkan war.
Badge 3, book 8Book 8, The Death Cure
Actor: Read a book with a wolf on cover. It must be prominent on the cover.
Wolf Winter
Audiobook; hard cover is 376 pages
Badge 3, book 9Book 22, The Long Home
Trivia: Read a book where food is major theme.
Baking Cakes in Kigali
308 pages
The MC, Angel, has an active home-based business, baking cakes.
Badge 3, book 10Book 25, Monster
Genre: Crime - Read a Crime or True Crime story where a police officer or lawyer is not the main character. It may be a private detective. The genre must be listed on the book's main page.
The Child Finder
288 pages
Naomi, the MC, is a private investigator.
Genre mystery-crime is listed on the book’s GR page.
Badge 3, book 11Book 25, Monster
Trivia, Read a book that is set wholly or in part in a prison.
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
Audiobook; hard cover is 336 pages
Non-fiction. The author is a lawyer whose work focussed on prisoner injustice, including inmates on death row, those with mental health issues, excessive sentencing, and prison conditions.
Badge 3, book 12Book 17 The House with a Clock in its Walls
Author, Read a book where the main character is a bachelor or bachelorette.
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
Audiobook; hard cover is 288 pages
Satoru, one of the main characters (the other is his cat, Nana) is a bachelor throughout the entirety of the book.
Badge 3, book 13Book 30, Ready Player One
Trivia, book where audio version is narrated by Wil Wheaton
The Android's Dream
Paperback, 396 pages
Book 17, The House with a Clock in its Walls
Setting, set in fantasy world
The Buried Giant
317 pages
The book is a fantasy novel, set in post-Arthurian England. It is a mythical time of ogres, sprites, and a dragon.
TrudyAn wrote: "Badge 3, book 14Book 17, The House with a Clock in its Walls
Setting, set in fantasy world
The Buried Giant
317 pages
The book is a fantasy novel, set in post-Arthurian England. ..."
If this story is set in England, it is not a fantasy world. This task looks for a physical setting that is not identifiable as Earth or any country in it.
Would you be able to put it into another task?
Janice wrote: "TrudyAn wrote: "Badge 3, book 14Book 17, The House with a Clock in its Walls
Setting, set in fantasy world
The Buried Giant
317 pages
The book is a fantasy novel, set in post-Art..."
Okay, I see the distinction. I’ll see if I can fit it somewhere else.
Badge 3, book 14Book 14, The Girl in the Spider's Web
Author, Using letters in "David Lagercrantz", make a word at least three letters long. Read a book with that exact word in the title.
The Buried Giant
317 pages
All letters of word "giant" are in "David Lagercrantz".
Perfect! I'm glad you were able to fit it in elsewhere.
Badge 3, book 15Book 6, Crazy Rich Asians
Genre: Romance - Read a book with the genre Chick Lit or Women's Lit. The genre must be listed on the book's main page.
The Chili Queen
Audio; hard cover is 292 pages
‘Women’s fiction- Chick Lit’ is listed on the book’s GR main page.
Badge 3, book 16Book 27, Nutcracker and the Mouse King
Trivia: Read a book with the main theme of dance.
Dancer by Colum McCann.
342 pages
This is a novel about the life of dancer Rudolph Nureyev.
Badge 3, book 17Book 9, Every Day
Actor: Read a book with "Rhiannon" in the title, or is the name of the author, or is a character in the book.
The Natural Way of Things
230 pages
Ten women are imprisoned in an abandoned Australian property for
their involvement in unrelated sex-related scandals. One of the women, named Rhiannon, appears intermittently throughout the book.
Badge 3, book 18Book 18, Juliet Naked
author, Read a book where autism is a significant theme.
Shtum
313 pages
In this novel, the MC’s son, Jonah, is profoundly autistic. Advocating for appropriate care of Jonah is the significant theme of the book.
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
The Daughter of Time (other topics)Out of the Easy (other topics)
All the Pretty Horses (other topics)
The Tobacconist (other topics)
Fahrenheit 451 (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Robert Seethaler (other topics)Josephine Tey (other topics)
Hazel Holt (other topics)
Chris Hammer (other topics)
Ian McEwan (other topics)
More...
Book 7, The Darkest Minds
Setting: Read a WWII story.
The Book of Aron
272 pages
Required - state how the book fits the task. WWII setting, spanning about five years. MC is Aron, a young Jewish boy, aged 9 at the beginning of the story. This is a very moving story of how he and others struggle for survival in the Warsaw ghetto.