Book Snails Book Group discussion
2022 & 2023 Book Challenges
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Summer Reading Alphabet Challenge 2022

Candace wrote: "Probably dumb question, but ... how do you find, for instance, a list of authors whose first name starts with "A"? I can't even think of one!"
Oh goodness! I have no idea, Candace. 🙈 I’m sorry! I’m not starting out very well as a moderator 😂
You could try Google, but I think it might be easier to find titles that begin with a particular letter instead of an author’s name (though Agatha Christie comes to mind for me)
I figured people who chose to participate could maybe use books they already had lined up or choose from their TBR list.
I guess I also forgot to mention that there’s no need to complete the letters in order.
Oh goodness! I have no idea, Candace. 🙈 I’m sorry! I’m not starting out very well as a moderator 😂
You could try Google, but I think it might be easier to find titles that begin with a particular letter instead of an author’s name (though Agatha Christie comes to mind for me)
I figured people who chose to participate could maybe use books they already had lined up or choose from their TBR list.
I guess I also forgot to mention that there’s no need to complete the letters in order.
Candace wrote: "Oh, okay. I'll start with my TBR - thanks!"
You’re welcome! So happy to have you on board! 😁
If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I may not have the answer 😆 but I’ll do the best I can!
You’re welcome! So happy to have you on board! 😁
If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I may not have the answer 😆 but I’ll do the best I can!
Heather wrote: "Fun! Do we just comment to claim a letter? I would like C for Crooked Kingdom!"
I figured I would just update the list as books are finished. I worry that “claiming” letters could get messy. It’s more to keep track of and some people might not finish or might lose interest and not follow up. It’s also less pressure, no real commitment.
Let me know when you finish and I’ll be sure to add it!
So happy you’re joining us! 😄
I figured I would just update the list as books are finished. I worry that “claiming” letters could get messy. It’s more to keep track of and some people might not finish or might lose interest and not follow up. It’s also less pressure, no real commitment.
Let me know when you finish and I’ll be sure to add it!
So happy you’re joining us! 😄

Candace wrote: "Well I just started Song of Achilles, so that will be my "S" book. I'll let you know when I finish. It's 369 pages, but so far it's interesting."
Nice! That one has a pretty good lead in the 2nd Quarterly Read poll and I’m planning to pick it up soon too if it ultimately wins. So happy to hear you’re enjoying it so far!
Nice! That one has a pretty good lead in the 2nd Quarterly Read poll and I’m planning to pick it up soon too if it ultimately wins. So happy to hear you’re enjoying it so far!
Samaria wrote: "Oh I love this idea! :) I’m in. I’ll check what book I want to start and post it."
So happy you’re joining us Samaria! 😊
There’s no need to post your book until you finish, though you are welcome to do so for reference of those participating if you’d like.
So happy you’re joining us Samaria! 😊
There’s no need to post your book until you finish, though you are welcome to do so for reference of those participating if you’d like.

“A” using the authors first name so
ASHLEY WINSTEAD and the book is IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE. :)
Samaria wrote: "Ok I will start with the letter
“A” using the authors first name so
ASHLEY WINSTEAD and the book is IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE. :)"
👍🏻 Let me know when you finish and I’ll update the list at the top!
“A” using the authors first name so
ASHLEY WINSTEAD and the book is IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE. :)"
👍🏻 Let me know when you finish and I’ll update the list at the top!

“A” using the authors first name so
ASHLEY WINSTEAD and the book is IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE. :)"
👍🏻 Let me know when you finish and I’ll updat..."
will do for sure :D

Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day
I just finished it but haven't reviewed it yet. You'll probably want to fill in the E or the F, since D titles are easier to find. I'm excited to see how far we get!
Hannah wrote: "Assuming that this doesn't need to be official books we read for this group:
Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day
I just finished it but haven't reviewed it yet. You'll probably want to fill in the E..."
Sounds great Hannah! I’ll use it for “E.”
So excited to have you participate!
Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day
I just finished it but haven't reviewed it yet. You'll probably want to fill in the E..."
Sounds great Hannah! I’ll use it for “E.”
So excited to have you participate!
I finished The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer last night. I’m gonna pop it in for “K” because I think it’s less common than “T” or “R.”
Heather wrote: "I finished Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo!"
Yay! Thanks Heather! I’ll go update the list! 😊
Yay! Thanks Heather! I’ll go update the list! 😊
Heather wrote: "I finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman!"
Woo-hoo! You’re on 🔥🔥🔥
Updating the list now!
Woo-hoo! You’re on 🔥🔥🔥
Updating the list now!
StarMan wrote: "Finished The Declaration by Gemma Malley
(good for 'D' or 'M')"
Awesome! Thanks StarMan!
I’ll go add it to our list! 🙌🏻
(good for 'D' or 'M')"
Awesome! Thanks StarMan!
I’ll go add it to our list! 🙌🏻
Pien wrote: "I’ve finished the Wool omnibus by Hugh Howie 🧶"
I love that one so much! Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks Pien!
I will add it to our growing list! 😁
I love that one so much! Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks Pien!
I will add it to our growing list! 😁
Heather wrote: "I finished The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow!"
You are one speedy snail! 😉 🙌🏻
I’m gonna pop it in for “x” on our master list ~ unless you want me to put it somewhere else.
You are one speedy snail! 😉 🙌🏻
I’m gonna pop it in for “x” on our master list ~ unless you want me to put it somewhere else.
Hannah wrote: "Just finished Passports and Pacifiers by Kaitlyn Jain"
Hooray! Thanks Hannah!
Adding it to the list now! 🙌🏻
Hooray! Thanks Hannah!
Adding it to the list now! 🙌🏻
StarMan wrote: "for letter 'S' or 'M':
I finished Someone Like Me by M.R. Carey"
Thank you StarMan! I think Candace is working toward “S” so I’ll use it for “M.” 😁
I finished Someone Like Me by M.R. Carey"
Thank you StarMan! I think Candace is working toward “S” so I’ll use it for “M.” 😁
Heather wrote: "I finished The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow!"
Dang! You are crushing it! 💪🏻 🙌🏻
Dang! You are crushing it! 💪🏻 🙌🏻

Erin wrote: "Greetings Book Snails!
Summer is upon us (for those of us in the northern hemisphere anyway) and that means summer reading is here!
Are you intrigued by local summer reading programs but overwhelm..."
Teresa wrote: "I have been doing this as a year challenge in another group I am in for years. I have made it a few times but usually the q, x, and z get me, or I run out of time. :-) When doing this challenge, yo..."
Well we’d be thrilled to have you participate here Teresa! And yes, Q, X & Z are tricky! I made an exception for “X” so we’ve gotten that one taken care of, but I’m hopeful that through our collective efforts we’ll get the others as well! 😉
Well we’d be thrilled to have you participate here Teresa! And yes, Q, X & Z are tricky! I made an exception for “X” so we’ve gotten that one taken care of, but I’m hopeful that through our collective efforts we’ll get the others as well! 😉
Candace wrote: "I finished Song of Solomon. Loved it!"
Song of Solomon or Song of Achilles? You mentioned Song of Achilles earlier in the thread so I just want to be sure I’m updating our list correctly. Thanks Candace!
Song of Solomon or Song of Achilles? You mentioned Song of Achilles earlier in the thread so I just want to be sure I’m updating our list correctly. Thanks Candace!
Candace wrote: "Erin, it’s Achilles. D’oh! 😜"
It happens 😆
So glad you enjoyed it!
Your contribution puts us exactly halfway! 🙌🏻 🎉
It happens 😆
So glad you enjoyed it!
Your contribution puts us exactly halfway! 🙌🏻 🎉

It happens 😆
So glad you enjoyed it!
Your contribution puts us exactly halfway! 🙌🏻 🎉"
Alrighty then!
I plan to tackle a couple books for “Q” and “V” to check off those challenging letters, though there will be no hard feelings if someone beats me to them.
Anyone up for “Z?” That might be the hardest one left 😉
Anyone up for “Z?” That might be the hardest one left 😉

For Z books, "Zoo" by James Patterson is on my list. "Zac and Mia" by A. J. Betts is another on my list.
For V books, "Vision in White" by Nora Roberts, "Violets are Blue" by James Patterson, "Virgin River" or "Christmas in Virgin River" by Robyn Carr.
Erin wrote: "I plan to tackle a couple books for “Q” and “V” to check off those challenging letters, though there will be no hard feelings if someone beats me to them.
Anyone up for “Z?” That might be the hard..."

Erin wrote: "Teresa wrote: "I have been doing this as a year challenge in another group I am in for years. I have made it a few times but usually the q, x, and z get me, or I run out of time. :-) When doing thi..."
Teresa wrote: "I do not know what types of books you like to read but I just finished "Enchanted by the Rodeo Queen" by Melinda Curtis. It came in a Brenda Novak book box as a second book. Enjoyed that read. A "Q..."
Wow! You’ve made quite a lot of progress on your individual challenge Teresa!
I previously read the entire Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, so I just picked up Because of Miss Bridgerton to take care of “Q.”
I also happen to be rereading the Narnia series this year and conveniently I’m at The Voyage of the Dawn Treader which I can use for “V.”
I read Zoo a few years ago when I was doing an alphabet challenge on my own.
The beauty of this summer reading challenge though is that, because this group consists mainly of slow readers, we’re all working together to try to check off the letters so no one will feel overwhelmed trying to read a book for each letter on their own.
You are certainly welcome to continue updating your personal master list here, but let me know if you read anything this summer that you’d like to contribute to the group list as well! 😁 📚 💕
Wow! You’ve made quite a lot of progress on your individual challenge Teresa!
I previously read the entire Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, so I just picked up Because of Miss Bridgerton to take care of “Q.”
I also happen to be rereading the Narnia series this year and conveniently I’m at The Voyage of the Dawn Treader which I can use for “V.”
I read Zoo a few years ago when I was doing an alphabet challenge on my own.
The beauty of this summer reading challenge though is that, because this group consists mainly of slow readers, we’re all working together to try to check off the letters so no one will feel overwhelmed trying to read a book for each letter on their own.
You are certainly welcome to continue updating your personal master list here, but let me know if you read anything this summer that you’d like to contribute to the group list as well! 😁 📚 💕
Books mentioned in this topic
Malibu Rising (other topics)Malibu Rising (other topics)
Two Truths and a Lie (other topics)
The Outside (other topics)
Two Truths and a Lie (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Taylor Jenkins Reid (other topics)Taylor Jenkins Reid (other topics)
Ada Hoffmann (other topics)
Sarah Pinsker (other topics)
John Sandford (other topics)
More...
Summer is upon us (for those of us in the northern hemisphere anyway) and that means summer reading is here!
Are you intrigued by local summer reading programs but overwhelmed at the thought of reading so. many. books? Or maybe you don’t have one at all but wish you did?
Well I’m launching a cooperative summer reading challenge for 2022!
I’m calling it the Summer Reading Alphabet Challenge (because I’m just bursting with creativity 😉) and it’s pretty simple. Through a collective effort, we are going to try to read one book for each letter of the alphabet.
There are three ways to complete a letter:
1. Using the first letter of the title (articles “a,” “an,” and “the” excluded)
2. Using the first letter of the author’s first name
3. Using the first letter of the author’s last name
And since “X” isn’t commonly used, we’ll accept any title or author’s name containing an “x.”
Summer doesn’t officially begin until June 21st, but we’re snails! We need all the time we can get so we’re starting right away! Let’s see how many we can complete by the end of the summer on Sept. 22nd.
(Southern hemisphere friends ~ Feel free to participate and look at this as a winter reading challenge!)
You can contribute as many or as few titles as you choose. I’m not setting a page requirement and we can complete the letters in any order. Just comment below with the title, author, finish date, and which letter you want to use it for (otherwise it will be mod’s choice) and I’ll be sure to update our master list to reflect the progress!
I will also happily answer any questions you may have!
Happy reading!!!
A: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, read by Heather
B: The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson, read by Erin
C: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, read by Heather
D: The Declaration by Gemma Malley, read by StarMan
E: Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity by Felicia Day, read by Hannah
F: A Feather on the Water by Lindsay Jayne Ashford, read by Candace
G: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, read by Heather
H: The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow, read by Heather
I: Into the Water by Paula Hawkins, read by Heather
J: Passports and Pacifiers—Traveling the World, One Tantrum at a Time by Kaitlyn Jain, read by Hannah
K: The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer, read by Erin
L: Sleepless by Louise Mumford, read by StarMan
M: Someone Like Me by M.R. Carey, read by StarMan
N: Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel, read by Keli
O: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh, read by Erin
P: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner, read by Heather
Q: Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn, read by Erin
R: Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons & Dragons by Ben Riggs, read by Hannah
S: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, read by Candace
T: Tainted by Alexandra Moody, read by StarMan
U: Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee, read by Erin
V: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis, read by Erin
W: Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey, read by Pien
X: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, read by Heather
Y: Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson, read by Hannah
Z: The Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths, read by Keli
Summer Acrostics
S: Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes, read by StarMan
U: Under a Black Sky by Inger Wolf, read by Erin
M: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, read by Pien
M: The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick, read by Teresa
E: The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue, read by Erin
R: The Starless Crown by James Rollins, read by StarMan
B: The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi, read by StarMan
E: The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Thirteenth Annual Collection by Ellen Datlow, read by StarMan
A: The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie, read by Hannah
C: Parasite by Darcy Coates, read by StarMan
H: Shift by Hugh Howey, read by Pien
V: Verity by Colleen Hoover, read by Samaria
A: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, read by Kelsey
C: The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal, read by Keli
A: Fable by Adrienne Young, read by Erin
T: The Reckoning: Our Nation's Trauma and Finding a Way to Heal by Mary L. Trump, read by Candace
I:
O: There There by Tommy Orange, read by Erin
N: Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization by Neil deGrasse Tyson, read by StarMan
H: Dust by Hugh Howey, read by Pien
E: The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand, read by Teresa
A: Namesake by Adrienne Young, read by Erin
T: Two Truths and a Lie by Sarah Pinsker, read by StarMan
W: The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty by Sebastian Barry, read by Keli
A: The Outside by Ada Hoffmann, read by StarMan
V: Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore, read by Erin
E: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, read by Pien
G: The Hive by Gregg Olsen, read by Candace
A:
R: The One You Want by Jennifer Ryan, read by Teresa
D: Dead Before Dinner by Kat Bellemore, read by Teresa
E: Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter, read by Keli
N: Network Effect by Martha Wells, read by StarMan
S: Saturn Run by John Sandford, read by StarMan
N:
O:
R: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid, read by Erin
K:
E:
L: