Q1 - Best in Show

[oshizu]

TerryJane wrote: "Update to Message #21. 14/12 --> 14/30.

I'm changing my goal to 30. I found some Newbery and Goodreads titles that I can also use toward March's One-Word Wonder challenge. 😁"

Haha, great news and wow, what a goal!

[oshizu]

Navya wrote: "Update to message #4, 6/9 books read

I found some fantastic reads through this challenge this month. So grateful for it :D"

Navya
I'm so happy to hear that ! I've "discovered" some great new authors, too! :)

[Carmen]

Update to message # 12

PROGRESS: 30/45

[oshizu]

Carmen wrote: "Update to message # 12

PROGRESS: 30/45"

Carmen
You are pacing your reads so perfectly for this quarterly! :)

[Nell]

Update to msg #42: 4/6

[Bobbi]

Update msg. 62

Progress: 3/9

[oshizu]

BEST IN SHOW: February Report

Y'all are absolutely rocking this quarterly challenge!
I'll post your latest progress on Page 1 once I've posted this report.

Some of you have remarked that you've encountered some great new-to-you authors due to this challenge. There are some fantastic books "out there" that aren't topping Goodreads popularity lists. :D

Incredibly, we finished 100 books in February as a group!

Books pledged: 338
Books finished: 198 (58.6% of books pledged)
Challenges started: 33 active participants (70% of all signups)
Challenges done: 4 (12%)

Great progress, everyone! And congrats again to the four of you who finished!

[Diane]

Hello Oshizu! I updated Msg #41. Progress 7/12. Thank you.

[Carol]

update #17

Well, a broken kneecap and COVID really knocked me out of my reading plans for the last 6 weeks, especially all of February. But I'm over the COVID and my kneecap has only a couple of weeks left to be totally healed, so I'M BACK!!! And I still have time to finished the challenge in March :-)

completed 6/16 books

[Kelly]

update #44
I chose 4 books from the Goodreads choice awards, fantasy nominations
1/4 completed
Ninth House

[[deleted user]]

message 15

oshizu, please adjust my goal to 8 books. Thanks! 😊

[Megan]

Updated msg 5

Just completed another selection for the RW fiction award - Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras. I really wanted to like this book, and the last quarter of the book was excellent. The first half was long and a little confusing. If the beginning had been shortened, the book would have been better overall. I truly appreciate the author’s efforts in telling parts of heroes story through this fictionalized account. Worth reading for that. 3.5 stars

5/5 - challenge completed!

[oshizu]

Carol wrote: "update #17

Well, a broken kneecap and COVID really knocked me out of my reading plans for the last 6 weeks, especially all of February. But I'm over the COVID and my kneecap has only a couple of w..."

Carol (#17)
So sorry to hear that life has been hard on you recently.
I'm glad to hear you're ove Covid and that your kneecap is healing property.

If you're joining our upcoming readathon, you might want to lower your Best in Show goal. Just let me know.

[oshizu]

Regina wrote: "message 15

oshizu, please adjust my goal to 8 books. Thanks! 😊"

Duly noted, Regina.

[oshizu]

Megan wrote: "Updated msg 5

Just completed another selection for the RW fiction award - Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras. I really wanted to like this book, and the last quart..."

Megan
Congrats on meeting your Best in Show goal!
And thank you for sharing your thoughts on Fruit of a Drunken Tree. I've been saving that book for the Q2 challenges so I'm glad to know you found the book worth reading!

[Carol]

oshizu wrote: "Carol wrote: "update #17

Well, a broken kneecap and COVID really knocked me out of my reading plans for the last 6 weeks, especially all of February. But I'm over the COVID and my kneecap has only..."

Hi, Oshizu!

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to change my goal on this challenge, but I think I'll leave it at 16. I'm not sure about the Readathon yet. I have most of the year already planned out and have some spaces left in March, April, & May for additional books. I don't really want to change the books I've already planned. But I can use those spaces to add books if I want to do the Readathon.

BTW, I have an update on my progress.

update #17:

completed 7/16 books

[oshizu]

Update to msg 11:

Progress: 19/21

[Carol]

update #17:

10/16 books finished

[Sunny]

Update Msg 7:

Read these 2 books to finish my Agatha Christie Award (1994)/Best First Novel list:

One for the Money I read this one several years ago, but didn't recall enough of it to ruin it for a 2nd read. I did remember that it was a fun read; and I had just as much fun with it this time as last. It's a 3 star book for me.

Until Death I did not enjoy this book. I found the characters to be annoying and had found myself considering not finishing the thing, which is something I rarely do. Someone else may find it a better read than me. I gave it 2 stars.

8/8 Completed!

Thanks Oshizu for this fun challenge! 😊 I read some books I might not otherwise have read.

[oshizu]

@Sunny
Yay! Congrats on completing your Best in Show challenge!
So glad that you serendipitously discovered new books! <3

[oshizu]

Everyone's been updated to this point!
Great job, everyone!

[Sunny]

oshizu wrote: "@Sunny
Yay! Congrats on completing your Best in Show challenge!
So glad that you serendipitously discovered new books! <3"

I like when challenges get me reading things I might have missed ... even if it's just finding books from what others have chosen to read for the challenges :)

[Rebecca]

Update message # 19

Progress: 5/20

Goodreads Choice Awards
fiction
5. Beartown (2017)

[Bobbi]

Update msg. 62

Progress: 4/9

[Ushashi]

Update to message #18

Progress: 5/5 Challenge Completed

[Gretchen]

Edit Msg 22
Read 4/5

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

I am done! Update to Message 8

9/9

Goodreads Choice 2020/Fantasy
1. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
2. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
3. The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

Goodreads Choice 2020/Mystery&Thriller

1. One by One by Ruth Ware
2. Long Bright River by Liz Moore
3. The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

Goodreads Choice 2020/Fiction

1. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
3. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

[Joey]

Update Message 28

Progress 5/5
Completed Hugo nominee Artificial Condition
By Martha Wells

[oshizu]

Ushashi wrote: "Update to message #18

Progress: 5/5 Challenge Completed "

Ushashi
Congratulations on finishing your challenge! Hope you enjoyed your reads!

[oshizu]

SarahKat wrote: "I am done! Update to Message 8

9/9

Goodreads Choice 2020/Fantasy
1. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
2. A Deadly Education by [aut..."

SarahKat
Gratz on completing the challenge! Well done! *thumbs up

[oshizu]

Joey wrote: "Update Message 28

Progress 5/5
Completed Hugo nominee Artificial Condition
By Martha Wells"

@Joey
Great job! I love Martha Well's Murderbot series, too! :D

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Update to Message #21. 35/30.

Complete! One-Word Wonders gave my Best in Show quite a boost. Thanks for the challenge!

BEST IN SHOW - Q1 Quarterly Challenge
Duration: January 1 - March 31, 2021
Progress: 14/12 ➡ 35/30

Newbery Medal or Honor (17)
🏆 Bridge to Terabithia
🏆 Hattie Big Sky
🏆 Hatchet
🏆 Shiloh
🏆 Holes
🏆 Hoot
🏆 Sounder
🏆 Wringer
🏆 Homesick
🏆 Dogsong
🏆 Rascal
🏆 Whittington
🏆 Paperboy
🏆 Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
🏆 Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom
🏆 Rules
🏆 Anpao

Goodreads Choice/Historical Fiction (12)
🏆 The Nightingale (2015, 1st)
🏆 The Painted Girls (2013, 7th)
🏆 A Gentleman in Moscow (2016, 4th)
🏆 Transcription (2018, 8th)
🏆 Station Eleven (2014 Fiction, 9th)
🏆 One by One (2020 Mystery & Thriller, 8th)
🏆 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020 YA Fantasy & Science Fiction, 2nd)
🏆 Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir (2012 Humor, 1st)
🏆 Elevation (2018 Horror, 1st)
🏆 Educated (2018 Memoir & Autobiography, 1st)
🏆 Recursion (2019 Science Fiction, 1st)
🏆 Bunny (2019 Horror, 7th)

Agatha Award/Nonfiction (3)
🏆 American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land
🏆 The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
🏆 Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee

Macavity/Best First Mystery Novel (3)
🏆 The Scent of Rain and Lightning
🏆 Death of a Cozy Writer
🏆 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

[oshizu]

TerryJane wrote: "Update to Message #21. 35/30.

Complete! One-Word Wonders gave my Best in Show quite a boost. Thanks for the challenge!

BEST IN SHOW - Q1 Quarterly Challenge
Duration: January 1 - March 31, 2021
..."

@TerryJane
Wow, your final progress reached 35/30!
Great job combing your challenges and thank you for joining us!

[oshizu]

Update to msg #11

Progress: 21/21

I've finished this challenge!
Now I'm just waiting and preparing for the readathon a week from now. *rubs hands together eagerly

[Carol]

update #17:

16/16 books completed & challenge completed

Oshizu, thanks for this great challenge!

[Rebecca]

Update Message #19

Progress: 7/20

Goodreads Choice Awards
fiction
6. Dear Edward (2020)

Alex Awards
7. The Name of the Wind (2008)

[oshizu]

Update to msg 11:

Progress: 22/21

[oshizu]

Carol wrote: "update #17:

16/16 books completed & challenge completed

Oshizu, thanks for this great challenge!"

Carol
Congratulations on reaching your challenge goal! Excellent work!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this challenge! :D

[oshizu]

BEST IN SHOW: March 21st Report

Howdy folks!
With 10 days left for this quarterly challenge, I thought I'd post our group stats so you can see how we're doing.

Books pledged: 340
Books finished: 253 (74.4% of books pledged)
Total sign-ups 47
Challenges started: 34 active participants (out of 47 signups)
Challenges done 12 (35.3% of all active participants)

We have done a splendid job of finishing the books we've pledged!
Let's enjoy our reading for the rest of the month!

[Marleen]

Update to message 3: progress 4/5

🏆 Hugo Awards/Best Novel
✅ Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell winner 2005

[Janine]

Update to message 58: challenge complete, 7/6 books

1. Goodreads Choice - YA Fantasy & Science Fiction
✔ An Ember in the Ashes (2015)
✔ Cinderella Is Dead (2020)
✔ The Raven King (2016)
✔ Starsight (2020)

2. Hugo Award - Best Novel
✔ The Three-Body Problem (2015)
✔ Spinning Silver (2019)
✔ The City & the City (2010)

[Rebecca]

Update message #19

Progress: 9/20

Goodreads Choice Awards
Fiction
8. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (2018)

fantasy
9. The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020)

I'm not going to make my goal, but I'm happy with what I read this quarter. I still think I might have one or two more finishes in this challenge before the end of the month :-)

[Margie]

Update to message #56:

Progress: 5/5 challenge complete!

Thanks for hosting, oshizu! I'm glad I read these books.

[Marleen]

Update to message 3: 5/5, challenge completed!

🏆 Nebula Awards/Best Novel
✅ Spoonbenders shortlist 2018

Thanks for hosting this fun challenge oshizu! I discovered some great books I’d never heard of and will definitely be looking to read more Hugo/Nebula award winners/short listers in the future!

[Sara]

Update to message 48. Wasn't quite able to make my goal.

9/15

[Alison]

update to message #57

oshizu, I am dropping my total books for this challenge to 7 :)
Completed the challenge...Thank You so much for leading!! :)

7/7 books read...Challenge Complete
√ Every Heart a Doorway...Hugo Award/Best Novella 2017

[Navya]

Update to msg #4 - 9/9 books read. Challenge completed!

Thank you for leading, Oshizu!

[Carol]

Update to mssg #65 another book read so now on 9/10! Nearly there 😊 well done to all who have completed the challenge hoping to join you soon.

[Alyana]

Update to message #6
Progress: 16/12

1. Goodreads Choice/Young Adult Fiction
✔ 1.1 Fangirl (2013 nominee) - read on 02/01/21
✔ 1.2 Turtles All the Way Down (2017 nominee) - read on 02/14/21
✔ 1.3 What If It's Us (2018 nominee) - read on 03/01/21
✔ 1.4 Five Feet Apart (2019 winner) - read on 03/07/21
✔ 1.5 Yes No Maybe So (2020 nominee) - read on 03/27/21

2. Goodreads Choice/Romance
✔ 2.1 The Hating Game (2016 nominee) - read on 01/02/21
✔ 2.2 Verity (2019 nominee) - read on 01/04/21
✔ 2.3 Entwined with You (2013 nominee) - read on 01/25/21
✔ 2.4 It Ends with Us (2016 winner) - read on 03/09/21
✔ 2.5 Red, White & Royal Blue (2019 winner) - read on 03/09/21
✔ 2.6 Captivated by You (2015 nominee) - read on 03/20/21

3. Goodreads Choice/Mystery-Thriller
✔ 3.1 Into the Water (2017 winner) - read on 01/02/21
✔ 3.2 The Whisper Man (2019 nominee) - read on 02/07/21
✔ 3.3 The Couple Next Door (2016 nominee) - read on 02/11/21

4. Goodreads Choice/Biography-Memoir
✔ 4.1 Becoming (2018 nominee) - read on 03/02/21
✔ 4.2 Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man (2020 nominee) - read on 03/15/21



Thank you for leading oshizu! :)

[Carol]

Update to mssg #65 final book read 10/10 and challenge complete thanks for hosting so beautifully Oshizu 😊