SUMMER 2021 READING CHALLENGE

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Finished and .

These were both 3 star reads for me. Hope everyone currently reading or planning to read these tit..."

Glad you enjoyed it. Look forward to your thoughts on . :)

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Rachel wrote: "It’s been a little quiet in this thread-check in if you can. Hope all is well. :)"

I am doing well, been working a bit at the movie theater. Black Widow is doing great for opening w..."

Glad to hear you’re doing well. Happy Summer Reading! :D

P.S. Look forward to hearing your summer movie recommendations. :D

[Janet]

Rachel wrote: "Finished and .

These were both 3 star reads for me. Hope everyone currently reading or planning to read these titles enjoys them..."

Rachel, both these books were 3 stars for me as well. I had high hopes for Mother May I because I really enjoyed Never Have I Ever. And Malibu Rising was just too much like a daytime soap opera for me.

[Janet]

Well, I just bumped my challenge from 8 to 10, since I have managed to finish nine so far. My favorite of the nine was Fredrik Backman's Beartown. I might try to pickup and read it's sequel before time is up.

Challenge reads so far:

Task 1 and

Task 2 and

Task 4 and

Task 5

Task 6

Task 7

Bonus for me??? I only had to buy ONE book for the challenge....woo woo! The rest I already had. I am thinking my current read might even count for Task 3, since most of it takes place in Dublin. It's a doozy of a read (863 pgs) and I'm only on page 26 :)

Sorry I haven't checked in before...no excuses, just too lazy to sit at the computer. June was my best reading month so far this year - eleven books!

[Rachel]

Janet wrote: "Well, I just bumped my challenge from 8 to 10, since I have managed to finish nine so far. My favorite of the nine was Fredrik Backman's Beartown. I might try to pickup and read it's sequel [bookco..."

Good to see you post, Janet! :) Thanks for all of the updates. I really should add [bookcover:Beartown|33413128] to my tbr -have heard good things about it.

[Danell]

I listened to The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. Great book!

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "I listened to The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. Great book!"

Thanks for the update, Danell! Glad you enjoyed it. :D

[Rachel]

Finished Unaccustomed Earth - this was a reread. I really enjoy Jhumpa Lahiri’s writing. The last 3 stories are linked and remain my favorites (especially the last 2) but I think it’s a strong collection overall.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Enjoying Fredrik Backman.
Nearly finished with Anxious People and then I'll start Beartown.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I started Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado. However, I found the first story to be explicitly sexual, and perhaps the entire volume is like that, I don't know. I set the book aside for a while and decided to read Fredrick Backman instead.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

A Few Summer Movie Recommendations:

PIG - starring Nicholas Cage, showcasing the underground food scene in Portland, Oregon and a beloved truffle pig.

VAL - documentary of Val Kilmer featuring over 40 years of home footage - made me cry.

ROADRUNNER - documentary about Anthony Bourdain

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Enjoying Fredrik Backman.
Nearly finished with Anxious People and then I'll start Beartown.
"

I really enjoyed and have heard good things about - look forward to hearing your thoughts on them. Hope you enjoy. :D

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I started Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado. However, I found the first story to be explicitly sexual, and perhaps the entire volume is like that, ..."

I’ve heard really good things about her memoir - I believe it’s told in a creative way- I think each chapter is a different genre or something like that.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "A Few Summer Movie Recommendations:

PIG - starring Nicholas Cage, showcasing the underground food scene in Portland, Oregon and a beloved truffle pig.

VAL - documentary of Val Kilmer featuring ov..."

Thanks for the recommendations!:D
I definitely need to check out PIG.

[Rachel]

Finished Razorblade Tears

You definitely have to suspend your disbelief quite a bit but I enjoyed it. A revenge story with plenty of action and violence (and some humor). This book works for fictional page turner with social commentary.

I’ll have to check out his debut

[Christine]

Hey Everyone! i just got back from a two week road trip. The main purpose was my daughter's wedding in Utah. We kept it small with just immediate family on both sides. We did stop and see a few family members along the way. It was a great trip even if we had to dodge a few fires and go through a lot of smoke. It was crazy!

With that being said, I am way behind on my summer challenge. I did read Hooked: Food, Free Will, and How the Food Giants Exploit Our Addictions It counts toward the "friend" task. Food is not my friend, lol, but the book was informative. Processed food is all of our enemy.

I'm still catching up on all your posts. It looks like you have been reading up a storm. I can't wait to see what you all have been reading.

[Rachel]

Christine wrote: "Hey Everyone! i just got back from a two week road trip. The main purpose was my daughter's wedding in Utah. We kept it small with just immediate family on both sides. We did stop and see a few fam..."


That’s crazy about the fires- glad you got to see your family and that you’re all safe.
So good to see you post, Christine! Missed you! :D

[Christine]

I read It counts for my task of diverse science fiction. What a brutal, haunting adaptation of Butler's novel.

[Christine]

One more to add:
A retelling of Jane Eyre in graphic novel format

[Rachel]

Christine wrote: "I read It counts for my task of diverse science fiction. What a brutal, haunting adaptation of Butler's novel."

Thanks for the updates, Christine! :D

[Christine]

I've caught up! I just finished a gem of book by Jhumpa Lahiri

[Rachel]

Christine wrote: "I've caught up! I just finished a gem of book by Jhumpa Lahiri
"

Thanks for the update, Christine! Glad you enjoyed it. :D

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Christine wrote: "I read It counts for my task of diverse science fiction. What a brutal, haunting adaptation of Butler's novel."

I read Kindred (novel + graphic novel) last year in 2020.
Great choice.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Some New Movie Recommendations:
Coda
The Green Knight
Nine Days
Annette ( bizarre rock opera)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I have finished reading Anxious People and Beartown by Fredrick Backman. Just finished Malibu Rising this morning. Gave up on Her Body and Other Parts.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Some New Movie Recommendations:
Coda
The Green Knight
Nine Days
Annette ( bizarre rock opera)"

Coda looks really good. I’ll have to check out the trailers for the others. Thanks for the recommendations! :D

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I have finished reading Anxious People and Beartown by Fredrick Backman. Just finished Malibu Rising this morning. Gave up on Her Body and Other Parts.
[bookcover..."

Thanks for the updates, Dustin! :D Look forward to seeing your reviews.

[Janet]

After reading I decided not to count it for the seaside/coastal task....even though an island, there just wasn't much happening from the coastal standpoint.

Instead, I read which starts and ends on Key West, with a wild trip to/from Cuba in between. A much better fit. An enjoyable thriller (my popcorn reads)

I also read another diverse sci-fi Loved it!

Dustin, I can definitely understand giving up on Read that one a couple of years ago for bookclub. Not my favorite short story collection, for sure. I read her graphic novel for this challenge, it was a hard read...kinda confusing. I liked Joe Hill's much better.

Christine, I'll have to check out that book by Jhumpa Lahiri, should I check out the graphic novel version of Kindred, as well?

Rachel, Razorblade Tears looks intriguing...I'll have to check it out!

[Rachel]

Janet wrote: "After reading I decided not to count it for the seaside/coastal task....even though an island, there just wasn't much happening from the coastal standpoint.
..."

Thanks for all of the updates, Janet! :D
I really enjoyed -look forward to hearing what you think of it if you pick it up.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I'm re-reading the Moonlight Bay/ Chris Snow Series by Dean Koontz for a few tasks.
Fear Nothing has a coast setting.
Seize the Night is the sequel to Fear Nothing
and there is a Fear Nothing Graphic Novel.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Reading the last 100 pages of The Freedom of Being: At Ease with What Is by Jan Frazier.
This title has the word FRIEND in the title/subtitle.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I'm re-reading the Moonlight Bay/ Chris Snow Series by Dean Koontz for a few tasks.
Fear Nothing has a coast setting.
Seize the Night is the sequel to Fear Nothing
and there is a Fear Nothing Graph..."

Thanks for the updates, Dustin! :D

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Some New Movie Recommendations:
Coda
The Green Knight
Nine Days
Annette ( bizarre rock opera)"

I checked out the trailers-
nine days looks really interesting but wtf is Annette about lol :D

[Christine]

It helps to be on the right thread. I was typing away on the spring one before I figured out my mistake, lol. Now I get to start my post all over again. Chalk it up to paint fumes. We are having our house painted, lol.

I finished and

I liked both books, both had great characters. Anxious People is definitely the meatier of the two. Backman's insight into who we are and what we do as individuals gives me lots to think about.

Janet, I definitely recommend the graphic novel version of Kindred.

Dustin, thanks for the movie recommendations! Coda and Green Knight were already on my list.

[Rachel]

Christine wrote: "It helps to be on the right thread. I was typing away on the spring one before I figured out my mistake, lol. Now I get to start my post all over again. Chalk it up to paint fumes. We are having ou..."

Paint fumes will do that lol

Thanks for the updates, Christine! Glad you enjoyed the books. :D

[Franzi]

Hello everyone
Hope you’re all well :)
I’m 2 1/2 hours of audiobook (The Four Winds, my FRIEND prompt) from finishing the summer challenge. I read and really liked Mother May I (although it he beginning was hard for me to read , as I read it with my 8 months old on top of me, mostly.. pretty harrowing) . I changed plans from Backman (only saving Anxious People for a later time though, so waiting for it to be on offer ;) ) to Dorothy Koomson. I read The Ice Cream girls a few years ago and really liked it and got The Friend on offer last week. I absolutely loved it and finished it today

I’m looking forward lots to the Autumn challenge already :) The nights are drawing in so early already, it is a lot colder here in Germany now and I am actually looking forward to cozy nights and candlelight, warm tea etc

See you soon,

Franzi

[Rachel]

Franzi wrote: "Hello everyone
Hope you’re all well :)
I’m 2 1/2 hours of audiobook (The Four Winds, my FRIEND prompt) from finishing the summer challenge. I read and really liked Mother May I (although it he be..."

Thanks for the updates, Franzi! :D
Glad you enjoyed the books. I really need to read Dorothy Koomson.
The Fall/Autumn Challenge will be posted soon. :)

[Franzi]

Hello all
So I’ve finished The Four Winds, FRIeND prompt covered and done with the challenge :)
It was a great book , once again. I live Kristin Hannah.

Can’t wait to see the autumn/ fall challenge now 🤩

Hope you’re all well ❤️

[Rachel]

Franzi wrote: "Hello all
So I’ve finished The Four Winds, FRIeND prompt covered and done with the challenge :)
It was a great book , once again. I live Kristin Hannah.

Can’t wait to see the autumn/ fall challen..."

Congratulations on completing the challenge, Franzi! :D

[Rachel]

I finished for friend in the title/subtitle. Great book-thanks to everyone who recommended it. :D

[Rachel]

Just want to thank everyone who participated in the challenge.
Congratulations to everyone who completed it. :D

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Rachel wrote: "I finished for friend in the title/subtitle. Great book-thanks to everyone who recommended it. :D"

Glad you liked it, but of course you did! I read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue earlier this year and really enjoyed it :-)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Rachel wrote: "Just want to thank everyone who participated in the challenge.
Congratulations to everyone who completed it. :D"

Thanks Rachel.
Movie Recommendation: The Lost Leonardo ( art painting documentary). If you like this one, there is an older documentary on the subject of art museums: The Art of the Steal.

See you in the Fall Reading Challenge Thread.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Just want to thank everyone who participated in the challenge.
Congratulations to everyone who completed it. :D"

Thanks Rachel.
Movie Recommendation: The Lost Leonardo ( art paintin..."

Thanks for the recommendation. :)