LeahS' Fall Reading Challenge

[LeahS]

1 Has a red cover
Read: finished 13 September

2 Fits the phrase "I'm falling for you"
Plan: Red Sky at Noon
Actually read: The Nowhere City by Alison Lurie
finished 14 September

3 Has a leaf on the cover
Read: finished 17 September

4 Is magical realism
Read: Boneland by Alan Garner finished 21 September

5 Is set in autumn
Read: Autumn Light: Japan's Season of Fire and Farewells by Pico Iyer finished 20 September

6 Is historical fiction
Plan: The Serpent's Mark
Actually read: The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea finished 19 September

7 Makes you think of pumpkin spice
Read: Avoid Being A Salem Witch! by Jim Pipe finished 16 September

8 Is one last summer read
Read: Summer Fever by Kate Riordan finished 4 September

9 Has a tree on the cover
Read: finished 3 September

10 Features family drama
Read Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty finished 10 September

11 Is a banned book
Read: The Grapes of Wrath finished 30 September.

12 Reminds you of homecoming
Plan: Homegoing
Actually read: How to Measure a Cow by Margaret Forster finished 7 September

13 Is set in a small town
Read: A Keeper by Graham Norton finished 13 September

14 Features sports
Read: Beartown by Fredrik Backman finished 27 September

15. Was published in September
Read: The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji finished 17th September

[Leah]

Read for prompt 9: Has a tree on the cover. 3/9/22

Read Summer Fever for prompt 8: last summer read. 4/9/22.

[LeahS]

I read How to Measure a Cow by Margaret Forster for prompt 12: Reminds you of homecoming.

I started reading this for prompt 13: Book set in a small town, but although it is set in a small town, that isn't too relevant to the story. However, it fitted the idea of coming home very well. 7/9/22

[LeahS]

I read Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty for prompt 10: Features family drama. It certainly did. 10/9/22

[LeahS]

Read for prompt 1: book with a red cover. Interesting, but quite hard going.

[LeahS]

I read A Keeper by Graham Norton for prompt 13: Is set in a small town; it is mainly set in a small town in Ireland. A quick but good read.

This book would also work for a tree on the cover or a red cover.

[LeahS]

I read The Nowhere City by Alison Lurie for prompt 2: Fits the phrase 'falling for you'. I haven't read anything of hers for years, but I enjoyed this second hand find.

This book would work for a tree on the cover, or the readathon, book published before 2012 (1965).

[LeahS]

It took me ages to find a book with anything about pumpkin spice for last year's fall challenge, so this year I just took the easy option, and went for 'pumpkins=Hallowe'en = witches' and read Avoid Being A Salem Witch!. It obviously also has a New England connection, which I associate with pumpkins and Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

I studied The Crucible at school, and although this was a simple read, it was interesting to see what Miller kept and what he changed. 16/9/22

[LeahS]

I read for prompt 3: 'Has a leaf on the cover'.

I loved this book, some wonderful prose and poems about wildlife, plants and the feel of the season. It featured a wide variety of authors from well known poets to wildlife bloggers.

Although I'm trying to downsize! my book collection, I would like to buy all the books in this quartet. 17/9/22

[LeahS]

I read The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji for prompt 15 'a book published in September'. I had this on my TBR so it was a lucky find that it fitted this prompt.

A well done homage to Agatha Christie - I did spot the murderer along the way, but then forgot about him!

[LeahS]

I read The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea for prompt 6: historical fiction.

The book is set in Orkney during the Second World War and concerns the relationship between the islanders and Italian prisoners of war, particularly the relationship between one prisoner and a island woman. It is a sad but moving read (contains memories of a sexual assault that occurred before the start of the story).

[LeahS]

I read Autumn Light: Japan's Season of Fire and Farewells by Pico Iyer for prompt 5: 'is set in autumn'.

A gentle meditative book about the change in seasons, aging and loss, hope and love. Quite a zen book. Also features a lot of table tennis!

[LeahS]

I read Boneland by Alan Garner for prompt 4: 'is magic realism'.

I loved The Weirdstone of Brisingamen as a child and this is the third book in a trilogy, including The Moon of Gomrath (which I didn't like as much.

This is a beautiful, perplexing book, with Colin, the boy from the earlier books, as a very troubled adult - it is a book for adults. In Colin's story we can never be quite sure what is what or who is who. His story is interlinked with that of a caveman, the last of his kind, trying to carry out the necessary rituals to keep the world turning - all of his scenes are beautifully described.

[LeahS]

I read Beartown by Fredrik Backman for prompt 14: 'features sports'.

I don't like team sports, so it says something for this book, that revolves around a small town hockey team, that I thought it was excellent - both the good and bad of team loyalty, and the desire to succeed at all costs. A gripping but always nuanced read. I still don't like team sports.

This book would work for other prompts - homecoming, small town, tree on the cover. Contains a rape scene and its aftermath.

[LeahS]

I read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck for prompt 11; 'is a banned book'. It was banned in a number of places including Kansas City and Missouri.

I found a quote about the book from Eleanor Roosevelt that summed up my feelings - that the 'horrors' in the book were so well portrayed that you dreaded reading it, but at the same time, couldn't bear to miss a page.

The sad thing is that the exploitation of workers and the sufferings of migrants (and the reactions of communities to them ) are still happening today, and likely to get worse.