Aug 2023 - Shoulda done, and DID. (reporting thread)

[Janice, Moderator]

There will be no scoring for the August challenge. Instead, please address the following:

- your WoF name,
- which task you chose, and why
- link to the book you read, and explain how it fits.

[Marnie]

WoF Marnie

I picked the oldest on my TBR ( March 2013) I kept meaning to read this one and the timing was perfect. I read it while visiting my Malaysian DIL. It was fun discussing it with her.

A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Fiona]

WoF Fiona

I read Oliver Twist because it is a classic I think everyone should have read (and now I did, yay!). I have set a goal for myself to read more classics this year, so this task was perfect for me. Can't say it was a great book but at least I can check it off my list!

[Trudy]

WofF TrudyAn

I read How to Be a Climate Optimist: Blueprints for a Better World by Chris Turner.
Reason for reading: #4 non-fiction you should read.
I heard a review of this book, and I felt I should read it.

[Sandra, Moderator]

WoF Sandra from PA

I chose the task "classic book that I should read". I think every reader has to read these three books by H.G. Wells: The time machine, The war of the worlds, and The invisible man. I had only read the first one, so for this challenge I picked The War of the Worlds, which I loved and rated with 5 stars.

[Jenn]

WoF - Jenn

I chose task 3) book that was given you as a gift and/or someone is bugging you to read
As soon as friends heard that I had enjoyed a Ruth Ware book they started recommending, and one friend gave me a copy of In a Dark, Dark Wood with the direction that I had to read it lol and this was the perfect nudge to make that happen so I can stop dodging a friend lol

I read In a Dark, Dark Wood and quite enjoyed it. Very suspenseful with great ambiance, and interesting being written in multiple timelines. Everybody's got a secret, but who is lying about it?

[Janice, Moderator]

WoF - Janice

I read the oldest book on my audiobook tbr, The Life We Bury. I'm glad I finally got around to it, because it was a solid story. There were some things that seemed implausible, but one could suspend belief.

[Almeta]

WoF Almeta
I read A Princess of Mars
This is a classic by Edgar Rice Burroughs, shelved in 2012, that I shoulda. read a long time ago.

[Sharon]

WoFSharonBiskit

I read Written in My Own Heart's Blood, Diana Gabaldon.

I shelved this book in 2014. I have tried to read it 3 times and always stopped about a third of the way through. I am so glad that I finished it from beginning to end as I didn’t remember what I had read! Now I can read her last book…before the next one comes out!

[Pragya]

WoF Pragya

Oldest book in TBR. Like Water for Chocolate

Finally, so glad to get it out of my TBR. Weird yet very interesting read. Now I can finally watch the movie haha

[christene_littlelibrary]

WoF Christene Paula

Oldest book in TBR
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
Finally got the reason to get rid of it on my tbr. I enjoyed reading this one tho I still like the Lady Sherlock Series. But idk just yet I'm still on one book of the series. Review Here

[Beth]

WOF Beth
Oldest book in TBR
Sitting there forever
The Awakening
It was ok. It was probably pretty shocking when written, but was just meh for me. Woman decides to be own person, including not being faithful to husband.

[Vicki]

WoF Vicki

I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 465 pages, for this task:
3) book that was given you as a gift and/or someone is bugging you to read

I bought book 2 of this series many years ago at a used book store, knowing I had always wanted to read this series. A few years ago my mom bought and read this first book. When I found out, we traded books and she read my book 2 and returned it so long ago. Meanwhile, her copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has languished guiltily on my shelves all these years. I am so happy to have finally read it.

[Kristie, Moderator]

WoF: Kristie

I read The Prisoner for task 2) book you started long ago and set aside.

I started this book a while ago, but didn't get past 15%. I was supposed to buddy read it with a group of GR friends before publication, but I never did. I ended up setting it aside for other reads. I'm glad I finally read it and got it off my NetGalley shelf. I thought it was an ok read, but not my favorite.

[Katrisa]

WoF: Katrisa

I rea City of Bones which was a book I started a few years ago and set aside. It has been on my DNF shelf. I am glad that I picked it back up as I did end up enjoying it enough to continue the series.

[Anna]

Wof Anna M

2) book you started long ago and set aside.

Wilkie Collins: A Life of Sensation a biography I started reading some time ago but had to return to a library. I am happy that this months' challenge made me pick up this book again.

[Janice, Moderator]

🔆

[Nistha]

WoF Nix

I chose 4) non-fiction you should read because this is the genre that I find the most friction to read and there are so many gems here

Book: Paris: The Memoir

I listened to the audiobook and was stunned by the memoir. This book should not be judged by its cover. It is hard-hitting and unapologetic and I am so glad I read this one. It earned me another respect for celebrities and how sometimes things get portrayed unfairly to them.

[Janice, Moderator]

That sounds interesting Nistha. I heard she was taking a lot of flack for "vacationing" in Maui, when in reality, she was there to help out wherever she could.

[Odette]

WoF Odette

I chose a book that I purchased specifically for a challenge and never got to it.
China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F. McHugh

I bought a kindle copy of this book in 2021 to read for a challenge. Though, I am not quite sure which challenge, but maybe it was about the letter Z in title.

This book set in the near future was enjoyable and am pleased to have read it. China appears to be the dominant world power after the economic collapse of America and a subsequent socialist revolution, though that is not what the book is about. However, its focus is on the everyday lives of characters, in particular the main character, China Mountain Zhang,. It was an interesting read and a bit different from what I was expecting.

[Lynn]

WoF - Lynn

2) book you started long ago and set aside.

I read I Must Betray You
I started it fairly soon after it came out in 2022 but I just wasn't feeling it at the time. I have always wanted to get back to it, as I've read all her other books and loved them. However not feeling it the first time around has been putting me off. Glad I finally did though, because while once again I wasn't quite sure at the beginning I ended up loving it. Hurrah!

[Grainne]

WoF Grainne

I read The Climate Book: The Facts and the Solutions

It belongs to the "non-fiction you should read" category of books on my TBR pile.
It was an interesting book. I learned a lot about the earth and earth sciences from human health to crop rotation and everything in between. There's was lots of talk about geopolitics and how scientific changes influence certain areas of the world more than others. I got some good tips that I am going to implement.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

WoF Rusalka

Task 3) book that was given you as a gift and/or someone is bugging you to read

I read The Constant Princess which my grandfather gave me for Christmas around 2006ish just when it came out in Australia. Been overthinking how to read this series since then, and just bit the bullet and started this one.

[Janice, Moderator]

Badges have been posted. Please let me know if I've missed anyone.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Janice - I think you posted on Kristi N's wall instead of mine.

[Janice, Moderator]

All fixed. Sorry about that Kristie.

[Kristie, Moderator]

No problem, Janice. Thanks. :)