Dec 2019 Challenge - Archive Revive

[Anna]

Almeta wrote: "Anna wrote: "Great challenge!

...@ Almeta, I'm curious what will be your pick..."

**grin** I'm curious also!☺
naked man on the cover The Back Passage (Mitch Mitchell Mystery, #1) by James Lear 🌴The Back Passage 199 pages."

Here's a very dubious recommendation The Back Passage has to be one of the worst book I've read ;D

[Jayme, Moderator]

Janice wrote: "Jayme wrote: "Hey Janice - For the "has a Christmas tree on the cover" does it have to be a decorated tree or can it be a Pine tree pre-decorations- like still in the woods waiting to be chopped do..."

I knew that... just thought I would give it a shot!!

[Janice, Moderator]

Jayme wrote: "Janice wrote: "Jayme wrote: "Hey Janice - For the "has a Christmas tree on the cover" does it have to be a decorated tree or can it be a Pine tree pre-decorations- like still in the woods waiting t..."

Tricksy! Sort of like Gollums - what's it gots in its forestsess. Christmas trees!

[Lisa]

I'm partnered with Lanelle who picked Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn.

The book I have decided to read is The Porpoise by Mark Haddon because the two authors share the same first name.

Looking forward to seeing what your choice will be, Lanelle 🙂

[Lanelle]

And I am partnered with Lisa who picked The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton.

I am also going the name route. I will read Disarray by Jessie Cal.

[Kay]

TrudyAn wrote: "I’m partnered with Kaystone, who chose The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

I'm partnered with TrudyAn. Hi TrudyAn. TrudyAn picked The Maid Kimberly Cutter. This is my first challenge and it's nice to be doing it with a partner. I was thinking

The Maidby Yasutaka Tsutsui

Same title
The title and author's name are in different coloured text on cover
Could be considered science fiction - the author is a science fiction writer and the main character reads minds?
244pages
There is a hand on the cover.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I've narrowed down my options for The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy. I think I'm going to read My Story, if it comes in from the library. If not, then I will likely go with Still Life by Louise Penny or Dumplin' by Julie Murphy.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I stopped at the library today and brought To The Bright Edge of the World, so I guess I made my mind already. :)

[Cherie]

Just remembered about the challenge reveal. 58 new posts are showing. I see that I’m partnered with Laura, who gave me such a great title and author to work with. I have already read Something Wicked This Way Comes and many of his books. There are still plenty of his other titles left for me to look at though. I will be able to gopher more from my laptop tomorrow, but I might have a go with The Golden Apples of the Sun and see if I can find a copy to read.

Laura, I hope you get on well with Ella or her author.

[Sarah]

Sandra wrote: "I stopped at the library today and brought To The Bright Edge of the World, so I guess I made my mind already. :)"

I hope you like it. I actually didn't realise the author had written other books. I'll have to add it to my wishlist.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Sarah wrote: "Sandra wrote: "I stopped at the library today and brought To The Bright Edge of the World, so I guess I made my mind already. :)"

I hope you like it. I actually didn't realise the ..."

I didn't read The Snow Child so I am not familiar with the author, but TTBEotW has an impressive 4.12 average rating among my GR friends, so I am very excited about it.

[Peggy]

I absolutely loved TTBEotW!!

[Lucy]

Whoops, I think I may have misread how the challenge works.

So, I pick a book based off of the book my partner picked at sign up...and then...I read the newly picked book...right?

I was initially thinking my partner would read the newly pick book.

Man, my family really took a lot out of me this weekend, LOL!

[Sandra, Moderator]

Peggy wrote: "I absolutely loved TTBEotW!!"

I know! :)

[Janice, Moderator]

Lucy wrote: "Whoops, I think I may have misread how the challenge works.

So, I pick a book based off of the book my partner picked at sign up...and then...I read the newly picked book...right?

I was initially..."

You've got it. The challenge specifies which criteria you may use in selecting a new book - same author, same title (different author) etc.

[Anne ✨]

Margo wrote: "I'm partnered with Anne

What fun!!! Yay, Margo, happy to be paired with you.. oh my gosh the book I chose is a tough one for you to work with!! Glad you found a few possibilities!

Now for me, with your book Bird Box...

I found these two that I've been wanting to read (both have a bird on the cover):
The Sparrow - genre 5pts, pages 4pts
The Hummingbird's Daughter - title 1pt, genre 3pts, pages 5pts

[Peggy]

Sandra, I just reread my review and apparently loved it even more than I remember. Hope the same will be true for you!

[Sandra, Moderator]

Peggy wrote: "Sandra, I just reread my review and apparently loved it even more than I remember. Hope the same will be true for you!"

I'll let you know.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Fiona wrote: "Great challenge, Janice!


Hi Rusalka :)
I will read Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery. Finally found the perfect excuse to read a summer book in winter, plus: Points for Summer!..."

Yay!! Glad you got a good excuse to read something you wanted too!

I'm still searching, hence my silence. I'm looking like I will have to go with an author with either Robert or Harris in their name. No books with arches here, or any books by the same author, or with the work pompeii in the title. Still digging!

[Margo]

Sandra wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Sandra wrote: "I stopped at the library today and brought To The Bright Edge of the World, so I guess I made my mind already. :)"

I hope you like it. I actually didn'..."

TTBEoTW is wonderful Sandra. You're in for a treat :-)

[Sandra, Moderator]

Thank you, Margo. :)

[Margo]

Anne ✨ wrote: "Margo wrote: "I'm partnered with Anne

What fun!!! Yay, Margo, happy to be paired with you.. oh my gosh the book I chose is a tough one for you to work with!! Glad you found a few possibilities!
..."

Yes Anne, I we a lot kinder than you were even though we didn't know what the challenge what the challenge was going to be hehe! Plenty of books with birds on the cover, not so many with insects! The Sparrow has been on my TBR ages.

I think I will go with The Ice if the library get it in time and which I've had for ages.

Happy reading ;-)

[Lucy]

Thanks for the clarification, Janice!

[Carrie]

Wow wow wow this is going to be a tough one!

I am paired with Vicki who chose ... Mr. Penumbra's 24 hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan. (!!!)

Some options I'm considering ...

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway
Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

(does "Mr." count as a word in the title? because if so...)
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

Going to need to decide ASAP so I can get my book from the library before the holiday weekend!

[Kristie, Moderator]

Carrie, Janice can correct me if I’m wrong, but the rules state that it has to be a minimum 4-letter word so Mr. wouldn’t work.

[Janice, Moderator]

I think you're correct Kristie. As it is displayed in the title, it's an abbreviation and not the full word.

Don't forget, Carrie. You can go with the cover. It's primarily yellow and you could find another book with a yellow colour.

[Margo]

Carrie wrote: "Wow wow wow this is going to be a tough one!

I am paired with Vicki who chose ... Mr. Penumbra's 24 hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan. (!!!)

Some options I'm considering ...

Far from the Tree by Ro..."

That is a tough one Carrie! There are a lot of books with "bookshop" in the title but I find they are often disappointing.

[Janice, Moderator]

I've changed my mind about the book I was going to read and have decided to copy Sandra with To The Bright Edge of the World. The word "World" is also in the title of the book Kristie picked which was News of the World.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Yay, Janice! I am not sure when exactly I am starting it, but we can buddy read it, if you feel like it.

[Saar The Book owl]

Hi Lucy, I've just read the challenge. I'll gopher tomorrow for a book.

[Saar The Book owl]

So, if I understand correct Itake the book of my partner and search for another one that is linked somehow with it and then I read it?

[Saar The Book owl]

Lucy wrote: "Whoops, I think I may have misread how the challenge works.

So, I pick a book based off of the book my partner picked at sign up...and then...I read the newly picked book...right?

I was initially..."

Which book did you choose?

[Kristie, Moderator]

Saar, Lucy’s book was Cloud Atlas. You are correct in how the challenge works, but there are specific ways which you can link the book. They are listed in the first message.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Okay Fiona, I think I am going to go with Living Dead in Dallas. Linking Charlaine Harris with Robert Harris.

Probably won't get to it until closer to Christmas, but decision made!

[Janice, Moderator]

Sandra wrote: "Yay, Janice! I am not sure when exactly I am starting it, but we can buddy read it, if you feel like it."

That would be great! I'll set up a buddy read theme and we can figure out logistics there. If anyone else wants to join us, they are welcome!

[Fiona]

Rusalka, I’m glad you found a book and I hope you like it :)

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Fiona wrote: "Rusalka, I’m glad you found a book and I hope you like it :)"

I am sure I will! I am actually looking forward to it on my two week Christmas break, if I don't get to it sooner.

[Beth]

Hey, Peggy, I am still choosing, but I am either going with Hillary Jordan’s other novel or with a Hillary Mantel book. I need to do more checking to see what gives most points.

[Saar The Book owl]

Lucy wrote: "Whoops, I think I may have misread how the challenge works.

So, I pick a book based off of the book my partner picked at sign up...and then...I read the newly picked book...right?

I was initially..."

Hi Lucy, did you found some books for me? For you I've got:
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
(same author, different book; 3 points for proper name in title, 3 points for historical fiction, normally 4 points for pages)

Spare Room
(Last name of the writer is 'Mitchell', 1 point for mystery, 2 points for pages)

Somebody I Used to Know: A Memoir
(Last name of the writer is 'Mitchell', 2 or 3 points for pages)

The Cloud Atlas
(same title, different author; 3 points for historical fiction, 3 points for pages)

Bird Cloud
(same word in title, 2 points for title and name author in different color, 2 points for pages)

The Atlas of Us
(same word in title, 4 points for romance, 3 or 4 points for pages)

[Janice, Moderator]

Saar, I think there's some confusion.


When you signed up, you picked a book from the bookshelf. You picked The Travelling Cat Chronicles.

Lucy signed up with Cloud Atlas.

You are to pick a book based on Cloud Atlas for YOU to read, not for Lucy to read. Lucy will pick a book for her to read based on The Travelling Cat Chronicles.

[Dominique]

My buddy read hasn't posted since the announcement of the partners. Can I still start my book next week if she doesn't post or is not interested anymore?

[Janice, Moderator]

Yes, go ahead Dom. I hope your buddy shows up for the party.

[Dominique]

Janice wrote: "Yes, go ahead Dom. I hope your buddy shows up for the party."

Hope so too.Thanks!

[Beth]

Anne ✨ wrote: "Margo wrote: "I'm partnered with Anne

What fun!!! Yay, Margo, happy to be paired with you.. oh my gosh the book I chose is a tough one for you to work with!! Glad you found a few possibilities!
..."

I LOVED The Sparrow!

[Beth]

Janice, I need a ruling on this: Hillary Jordan and Hilary Mantel have same first name but spelled with a different number of Ls. Can I use Hilary Mantel or do I only get to use Hillarys?

[Janice, Moderator]

Beth wrote: "Janice, I need a ruling on this: Hillary Jordan and Hilary Mantel have same first name but spelled with a different number of Ls. Can I use Hilary Mantel or do I only..."

Don't worry about the spelling.

[Beth]

Janice wrote: "Don't worry about spelling."

Janice, That was fast!

Leaning toward Fludd
2 pts - The title and author's name are in different coloured text.
3 pts - Has a proper name of a person.
2 pts - Is one word. It must be exact and not preceded by an article like a, an, the, etc.
3 pts - Historical Fiction
1 pt - Mystery
1 pts - 175-199
Bonus points - 2 pts each
- If someone takes a bath. It must be a bath and not a shower. (Bathtub Party Day) Maybe--we'll see
- If someone prays to a saint in the story. (St. Nicholas Day)
Maybe--but likely given the prominence of Catholicism in the book.

Other books in the running:
A Place of Greater Safety
3 pts - Historical Fiction
5 pts - 500 +
Bonus points - 2 pts each
- If someone takes a bath. It must be a bath and not a shower. (Bathtub Party Day) Likely
- If someone prays to a saint in the story. (St. Nicholas Day)
Possibly

The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher
2 pts - The title and author's name are in different coloured text.
3 pts - Has a proper name of a person.
2 pts - 200 - 299
Bonus points - 2 pts each
- If there is a hand(s) on the cover. (National Hand Washing Awareness Week).
- If someone takes a bath. It must be a bath and not a shower. (Bathtub Party Day) Maybe
- If someone prays to a saint in the story. (St. Nicholas Day)
Maybe

Eight Months on Ghazzah Street
1 pt - Mystery
3 pts - 300 - 399
Bonus points - 2 pts each
- If there is a number (word or numeral) in the title. (Twelve Days of Christmas)
- If someone takes a bath. It must be a bath and not a shower. (Bathtub Party Day) Maybe

When She Woke
4 pts - Has a hat on it.
5 pts - Science Fiction
3 pts - 300 - 399
Bonus points - 2 pts each
- If someone takes a bath. It must be a bath and not a shower. (Bathtub Party Day) maybe
- If someone prays to a saint in the story. (St. Nicholas Day)
maybe

[Amanda]

Almeta wrote: "Amanda wrote: "...- Same feature on the cover. Feature is a woman with an umbrella. ....."

Have you read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet? [bookcover:Hotel on the Corner of B..."

I haven't, but it looks great! Off to see if it's available at my library.

[Amanda]

Jayme wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Jayme wrote: "What a great challenge to wrap up the year, Janice!

Hi Amanda! I hope you like the book I picked. Yours is great The Night Sister and I already have a ..."

Jayme, I read The Winter People earlier this year and loved it! It was so creepy. Hope you enjoy the book!

[Peggy]

You've got some good options Beth! I had a hard time finding a book, but finally found one that I own and will work for the challenge. I did a quick check for points last week and it will give me some, but not that much. Perhaps I'll get some of the bonus points though!