Play Book Tag discussion
2016-19 Activities & Challenges
>
2019 Fall Flurry of Holidays Challenge--Discussion and Planning
I would love a good book like this: There was a foreign film a few years back (maybe 5+ years?) in which both sides of a war agree to stop fighting and celebrate a holiday (possibly even together). The title might have included "Christmas" in another language. From Europe/eastern Europe maybe?
EDIT
Found it...The movie was Joyeux Noël (2005). The book is in French. It was based on a WWI Christmas truce in 1914.
Any suggestions of fiction or narrative nonfiction books with a similar message?
Or - more broadly- any other form of unusual cooperation and humanity during the holiday season? In any setting?
Heh. Just realized I could catch my August Trim title that I never opened for October, since it's the second book of Seanan McGuire's October Daye series!Also, depending on when my library hold comes in, I might be able to squeak in Pumpkinheads.
I think The Lost Love Letters of Henri Fournier would fit November Armistice Day as it not only addresses WWI - and in part takes place then - but I'm pretty sure there is a modern day segment in Paris during Armistice Day. I read this earlier this year and really enjoyed it -- essentially takes place in 3 time periods and is based on real story, real people, real lost love letters. It is one of the reasons I remembered about Armistice Day.
LibraryCin wrote: "Idit wrote: "How funny. I was planning to write how I have difficulties with November and ask for help - and then I read your second message.r..."Does Australia have some type of Remembrance Day ..."
Yes, as does New Zealand--they all started from Armistice Day but it has another name now. I am not sure if it was just added to or eclipsed by Anzac Day. The US calls it Veteran's Day.
It is also observed in a number of other countries--allies from WW I and/or present or former members of the British Commonwealth. Not all of them have made it a holiday, though.
NancyJ wrote: "Joanne wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Karin wrote: "This year I will try again for this since I bought a few for a quarter each at the Friends of the Library with our Fall Flurries in mind and I am hoping ..."Yes Nancy -Twisted Twenty-Six
Jgrace wrote: "I'd forgotten about The Crucible, which was one I thought about reading last year but didn't get to. Thanks for the reminder, Idit. I've also intended to reread Macbeth in October, but..."I have The Guns of August on list to read this year-but it is a "chunkster" at 608 pages and I just do not know if I can fit in-it has been on my shelf for 3 years now....
I have had a hard 2019 as far as reading goes (lots of personal stuff going on). But I always like this time of year. Cozy mysteries are always my go to for this challenge. I may try but who knows. My main goal this year to complete my challenge at work.
Joanne wrote: "This is on my short list Cindy! Sure you and Michael had a hand in putting there!..."Ha! Probably! I know we both have recommended it in the past. It is one that the two of us agree on. He reads much more literary stuff than I do, so we don't always agree, but this is one that we do. :-)
October:They have Melmoth at my local library, but as I am currently traveling, I don't know if it will be there when I get back. If it is, I will definitely read it. I am not much for horror or paranormal, but I have read Perry's The Essex Serpent, and enjoyed it, so I had put her new one on my TBR a while ago.
November:
I am thinking of reading Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue
December:
The Holidays - this sounds like holidays around my parents' house and it will complete my Popsugar challenge for this year.
...I may have to stop reading your posts Joy.....seems I add a new one to the History portion of my Towering Turret every time I do-lol
Here we go...mysteries set on Guy Fawkes Night - November 5thhttp://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com...
Thanks for the reminder about Snow Gypsy!I couldn't get through Oliver Sacks' Gratitude. Maybe you'll be in the right mindset for it. (I believe in positive psychology but it was just too much.)
I don't know if it's an official holiday in Ireland, but Michael Collins birthday is October 16. I just read a recent release What the Wind Knows, and I loved it. It's historical fiction set during the Irish fight for independence, and Michael Collins is a character. It also has romance, and some spooky stuff to make it a possibility for October.
Joanne wrote: "...I may have to stop reading your posts Joy.....seems I add a new one to to the History portion of my Towering Turret every time I do-lol"Lol, we do seem to have a similar taste in history.
I think I found my book for Veterans Day. This turned up in my recommendations from Goodreads this morning, American Nightingale: The Story of Frances Slanger, Forgotten Heroine of Normandy. If I can't get ahold of this one, I will make an effort to read something about female veterans.
Theresa wrote: "Here we go...mysteries set on Guy Fawkes Night - November 5thhttp://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com..."
Yikes I never knew who he was, but I thought he was a hero, not a traitor. I wonder if Americans ever had events re Benjamin Arnold.
NancyJ wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Here we go...mysteries set on Guy Fawkes Night - November 5thhttp://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com..."
Yikes I never knew who he was, but I t..."
You asked....
https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2018/0...
NancyJ wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Here we go...mysteries set on Guy Fawkes Night - November 5thhttp://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com..."
Yikes I never knew who he was, but I t..."
And here: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/...
Connecticut seems to have a thing for Benedict...
Rosh Hashana is going on October 1 this year, if that counts (that's the second day.)Monday, October 14 is now Native Americans' Day in (South Dakota) and Indigenous People's Day in other states (Ca* , Mn* , Wa*) Elsewhere it's still Columbus Day
To each their own, but I wouldn’t personally count the Jewish high holidays as October, as they are on the lunar schedule, and just as often are not. But Hanukkah and December, absolutely the link is obvious. At least more obvious to me. I can’t really think of what books might fall into that category anyway, unless you are thinking of My Jewish Year. I mean there is an Elul prep book to prepare for Rosh Hashanah, but that’s generally August. To me, and my personal opinion that one is quite a stretch. I’d rather stick with witches and vampires and Halloween and spooky for October or anything that’s more firmly lodged like a Canadian Thanksgiving or what have you. You can still expect the witches of St Petersburg from me.
Just found another one for October: The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine. Looks like a cute contemporary romance trio of stories.
NancyJ wrote: "Jgrace wrote: "I think I found my book for Veterans Day. This turned up in my recommendations from Goodreads this morning, [book:American Nightingale: The Story of Frances Slanger, Forgotten Heroin..."Here is a similar book. I'll be reading it in January.
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
by Sonia Purnell
Theresa wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Here we go...mysteries set on Guy Fawkes Night - November 5thhttp://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com..."
And here: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/...
Connecticut seems to have a thing for Benedict...
"
Oh, I have family near New London! The Benedict Arnold article also has an interesting comment about Trump's casual use of the word traitor.
Amy wrote: "To each their own, but I wouldn’t personally count the Jewish high holidays as October, as they are on the lunar schedule, and just as often are not. But Hanukkah and December, absolutely the link ..."Thanks, I wasn't sure. I do know it's on the Lunar Calendar, but it is in the fall (or does it ever start before the equinox?) However, I will go with what you say.
Karin wrote: "Amy wrote: "To each their own, but I wouldn’t personally count the Jewish high holidays as October, as they are on the lunar schedule, and just as often are not. But Hanukkah and December, absolute..."There is a cozy mystery out there called The Yom Kippur Murder by Lee Harris. In fact, Leed did a whole series of holiday cozies.
I also believe some of Fay Kellerman's mysteries featuring Peter Grant may incorporate the fall Jewish Holidays.
Good to know if I run out of witches and vampires- lol!
Oooooh! Just saw a bunch of Christmas romance preorders downloaded today! Is it December yet?
For October, I am taking part in a #31SpookyStories challenge, one story a day for the month. I don't want to spam this group since it is literally everyday, and I am not sure it counts for fall flurries.
Any recommendations? Or should I keep it out of here? If so, that's fine too. I am not sure how I would accomplish it without being disruptive.
Meli wrote: "For October, I am taking part in a #31SpookyStories challenge, one story a day for the month. I don't want to spam this group since it is literally everyday, and I am not sure it counts for fall ..."
Meli, each story will not count separately for this challenge as I am guessing each one is short and part of a larger anthology? do you have a rough idea of how long each one is?
How about something like one post for every X number of stories you read? Say, maybe, enough short stories that would equal about 150-200 pages? That would be a short, full-length, adult novel.
Then, you could put all of those books into a single post and write a sentence or two about each one? And you would get the participation point for each group of short stories you read.
Does that seem like a workable solution?
Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "For October, I am taking part in a #31SpookyStories challenge, one story a day for the month. I don't want to spam this group since it is literally everyday, and I am not sure it cou..."
That's a great idea!
... and you are correct; these are short stories (at the shortest 2 pages and longest 30 pages) and they span several different anthology collections.
I will post based on page count, so likely just a couple posts or I'll post a summary mid-way through and at the end.
Thanks for your recommendation!
Meli wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "For October, I am taking part in a #31SpookyStories challenge, one story a day for the month. I don't want to spam this group since it is literally everyday, and I a..."
That works great! And, hopefully you'll get about 3 "books" worth of reviews out of that!
Just to clarify... For Halloween - does the book have to refer to halloween, or will any book with ghosts, witches, vampires, demons, Donald Trump (masks), etc. count?
Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "For October, I am taking part in a #31SpookyStories challenge, one story a day for the month. I don't want to spam this group since it is literally ever..."
That might be pushing it, but at least 2 for sure.
I will use 150 pages min as the threshold.
NancyJ wrote: "Just to clarify... For Halloween - does the book have to refer to halloween, or will any book with ghosts, witches, vampires, demons, Donald Trump (masks), etc. count?"It doesn't even have to be Halloween at all, but anything that is October themed. So fall, autumn, Indigenous Peoples Day, I think some people are doing Hispanic Heritage month, or anything that is remotely related to Halloween/spooky. Including, ghost, witches, etc.
I received this book list titled "Awesome Reads for Autumn" and I thought I would share. Terror of the Autumn Skies: The True Story of Frank Luke, America's Rogue Ace of World War I
The Pleasure Quartet: Autumn By Vina Jackson
September Song: Stories
October Light
A Stranger in the Kingdom
Bloody Autumn: The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864
Cider With Rosie
Autumn Rain
October
Whitetail Nation: My Season in Pursuit of the Monster Buck
Red Leaves
I don't remember who recommended it but I'm planning on Rosemary and Rue. I don't mind a little urban fantasy once in a while. Plus it is labeled as Crime-Fiction so that's a double hit.
Louise Penny has several crime mysteries that work for Fall Flurries. I'll be reading Glass Houses in October. It involves a Halloween party and costume. The Brutal Telling also takes place during the fall.
For December, A Fatal Grace (book #2) , and Bury Your Dead both take place during the coldest part of winter in Quebec.
My library finally has Frankissstein: A Love Story by Jeanette Winterson. I think half the fun with a book like this is to spot clever links (or contrasts) to the original book(s). I read the Mary Shelly bio last year as well as Frankenstein. I hope I still have the Mary Shelley movie on my DVR.
From the description of the new book:
"Meanwhile, Ron Lord, just divorced and living with his mom again, is set to make his fortune launching a new generation of sex dolls for lonely men everywhere." This line makes me laugh because the character must be based on Mary Shelly's friend Lord Byron. He was a terrible womanizer.
NancyJ wrote: "My library finally has Frankissstein: A Love Story by Jeanette Winterson. I think half the fun with a book like this is to spot clever links (or contrasts) to the original book(s..."
Ugh! And yet another book to get to in October!
The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - 3 stars
Crime fiction, eerie, spooky and Spain. Cross posted to general feed, PBT Horizons, and PBT Fall Flurries.
Carlos Ruiz Zafon, who is known as the spectacular author of the Shadow of the Wind Series, and Marina, is my author of the year. The Prince of Mist is one of four other titles he has penned, and it appears that like Marina, they may all in fact be Young Adult books. This one, that was just over 200 pages, happens to fit the October bill for numerous challenges all at once, not to mention my personal author of the year challenge.
It was dark, fantasy, and young adult - three genres that are each iffy for me all on their own. I don't like to be scared out of my wits, never have. This one is eerie, and haunting. Its hard to say therefore that I liked it. But I didn't not like it. Zafon has a way with words, and I was certainly drawn into his story. It was engaging. And yet so far, my least favorite of his works. Yet there was something about it.... mist swirls, leaving one chilled and spooked.
NancyJ wrote: "My library finally has Frankissstein: A Love Story by Jeanette Winterson. I think half the fun with a book like this is to spot clever links (or contrasts) to the original book(s..."
I just bought this!! But I don't think I can get to it in October :(
Is this where we post our Fall Flurries? I read Magic Bites, by Illona Andrews, It is both Crime fiction (Oct Tag), and has a scary theme for October Fall Flurries.
Review:
If you like paranormal crime stories with brave kick-@&& female characters, but you're bored with the same old hot vampires and werewolves, then you might like this book. Ilona Andrews steps up the game with creative variations of vampires, shifters, and creatures I can't describe. Our lead lives in Atlanta during a time when magic surges eat up buildings and there are government agencies to deal with all type of magical problems.
Kate Daniels is investigating the murder of her Guardian, and uses her special magical and mercenary skills to solve other murders as well. This is the first book in the series and I can see lots of room for this to go in new directions. Once upon a time, I would have really liked this book, but now, it's just not for me. I couldn't keep track of all the characters, creatures and constant action. I'd give it 2-2.5 stars, but since I was interested just enough to keep with it to the end, I'll round up to a 3.
NancyJ wrote: "Is this where we post our Fall Flurries? I read Magic Bites, by Illona Andrews, It is both Crime fiction (Oct Tag), and has a scary theme for October Fall Flurries..."
This is one of those series that starts out a bit rocky, but gets better as the characters and the writing develop. I wasn't keen on book 1, but there was enough to keep me reading the next book, which had more that got me interested in the third, and then I was hooked. The series has ended at book 10, though if they wanted to they have enough material to continue. I've become a solid fan of this writing team, so far everything that they've written has been very good, and the latest series, Hidden Legacy, is fascinating, amusing and character-driven. I also enjoyed the Innkeeper series which kind of ties into the Edge series. All of them would probably fit in with Fall Flurries.
The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine - 3 novellas by different authors.
2 stars.
This was so promising with its cover art and title...I was absolutely suckered in. Each story is set in a small town in Maine that really does Halloween. Such promise then such disappointment. In fact, I thought this was a total loser until I hit the last novella by Sharla Lovelace called Enchanted By You. There we meet Sidney, a Boston lawyer struggling to make her way in a corporate law firm, and Sawyer, local handyman and gardener in the small Maine town where Sidney lands to negotiate a lease settlement. Turns out they knew each other as teens, nearly running away together from their small southern town. You are cheering for this couple from page one. There is a real story told along with some sizzling encounters.
However, the Kate Angell and Jennifer Dawson novellas barely have any story holding it together around one spicy scene after another. I mean, I love sexy sizzling scenes, but let's have something holding it together that makes sense.
I will say though that Kate Angell does include a couple of cute charming scenes. I just wish there had been more of those to save it. The Dawson novella did not do it for me...couple have been BFF without benefits forever, their friendship has interfered with all other relationships, everyone else knows they are in love, and they only get together after a little magic on Halloween? Did.not.buy.it.
Witchful Thinking by Kristen Painter
4 stars
What a fun seasonal read! It is October at Cranberry Festival time. Charlotte is a librarian and coincidentally a novice witch working in Everlasting, Maine, a town where paranormal is normal and mystical beings coexist with the human world. One day an old book 'accidentally' comes into the library, drawing Charlotte to it. Turns out this is an ancient dark magic grimoire in search of its next witch owner who, once bonded with it, will be the most powerful witch in the world. Enter the gorgeous leopard shapeshifter Walker, an agent of an organization dedicated to protecting the world from evil magic, seeking to find and neutralize the grimoire before it bonds with its new witch.
There is a lot of charm and humor to the story, a colorful cast of characters, enough twists and turns to stay interesting, just enough romance, and a really big long-haired orange kitty named Edgar Allen who plays an important role in saving the day. I do have one complaint: the writing was just a tad too 'perky' at various times.
This is part of the Happily Everlasting series of cozy mysteries with each book written by a different author. I definitely will read more, probably the Christmas one next.
Oh my gosh, Nancy, I totally forgot to start the October thread for reporting! Lol. Been busy at work this week and just completely slipped my mind! I’ll start a thread for reporting. No need to transfer the couple above this over, but if you would post all future ones on the new thread that would be great.
Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I probably wouldn’t have thought of it for another week. Lol
Please post your October reviews on the October reporting thread from this point forwardSorry for the delay in getting that thread open, all! Didn't even cross my mind in the midst of this busy week. Also, I think I am in denile that it is October already. lol
https://www.tor.com/2019/10/01/horror...Just found this-It is a list of "Spooky" for all levels (ie: little bit of spook, mild spook, and pure horror in IMO)
I'm a high tolerance reader so looks like I need to read Hex! I just bought White Is For Witching but I don't think I will get to it for October.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Spending the Holidays with People I Want to Punch in the Throat: Yuletide Yahoos, Ho-Ho-Humblebraggers, and Other Seasonal Scourges (other topics)One Day in December (other topics)
Let It Snow (other topics)
It's a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories (other topics)
Christmas Cake Murder (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Alex North (other topics)Ernest Hemingway (other topics)
Ernest Hemingway (other topics)
Alex North (other topics)
Agatha Christie (other topics)
More...
I saw a video on this:
Broadcasting Happiness: The Science of Spreading Positivity and Creating a Spiral of Success
Or something by Martin Seligman, Shawn Achor, or ... ?