FALL 2023 READING CHALLENGE

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "I read Trust which works for the Pulitzer Prize winner. Wasn’t for me."

Thanks for the update, Danell! Hope your next book is more enjoyable. :)

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

Read and enjoyed a T-A-C-O title : Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor. Thinking about getting the cover art tattooed on me.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Read and enjoyed a T-A-C-O title : Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor. Thinking about getting the cover art tattooed on me.
[bookcover:Everything That Rises Must Converge: Sto..."

Thanks for the update, Dustin! :)
Where are you thinking of putting it?

[Rachel]

Finished out there screaming which is edited by Jordan Peele for t-a-c-o in the title/subtitle.
It’s not a bad anthology but was hoping to like it more. I feel like I’m reading a lot of liked it but didn’t love it books. I did enjoy the short story by Tananarive Due.

I’m looking forward to reading The Reformatory.

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

chest, upper left. I don't know how soon or if I'll actually do it. but reading the story got me thinking about tattoos again. It's been nearly seven years since my last tattoo.

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

I'm currently reading The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. I recently finished Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I'm currently reading The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. I recently finished Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano.
"

Thanks for the update, Dustin! :)

It’s strange-I started and put down both happiness falls and the heaven and earth grocery store. I just wasn’t happy with the beginning of either. I’m not sure if I should give them both another chance. I really enjoyed Miracle Creek and Deacon King Kong so I thought I’d love both of these new releases.

I’m still looking forward to reading The Reformatory. Are you going to give that one a try?

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

My library doesn't have The Reformatory or Happiness Falls in my preferred audiobook formats, so I'm going to skip both of those.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is the first book I've read by James McBride. It's good, but not one of my favorites.
As far as Ann Napolitano, I preferred Dear Edward over Hello Beautiful.

[Rachel]

Hey everyone-

Just asking for a check in to see how you all are doing this season.
Hope all is well. xo

[Christine]

Hey!

All is good in the PNW, enjoying fall and getting a lot of reading done but not much on my challenge. I have a lot of books come in on my Libby account and have been reading those. Hopefully I will get a couple titles done toward the challenge. Fingers crossed. Thanks for checking in!

[Rachel]

Christine wrote: "Hey!

All is good in the PNW, enjoying fall and getting a lot of reading done but not much on my challenge. I have a lot of books come in on my Libby account and have been reading those. Hopefully ..."

Glad all is well Christine! :D

[Rachel]

This thread is so quiet.
Hope you’re all well. xo

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

I'm only logging into Goodreads about once a week, but I'm reading lots of books related to the Fall Challenge.
I always appreciate the introduction to new authors. Ann Napolitano (Dear Edward) and Richard Powers (Pulitzer Prize for The Overstory) were two of my favorite reads, not only this Fall, but out of the over 200 books I'm reading in 2023.
I'm currently reading Our Town by Thornton Wilder, Pulitzer Prize-winning play. I'd never read or seen a production of Our Town before. The play was a major role in Ann Patchett's newest novel, Tom Lake.

Wishing Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Reading to everyone!

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I'm only logging into Goodreads about once a week, but I'm reading lots of books related to the Fall Challenge.
I always appreciate the introduction to new authors. Ann Napolitano (Dear Edward) an..."

I’m always glad when you find a new favorite book/author through the challenges. I still have to give Ann Napolitano a try.

I read Our Town in school about a million years ago. Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

I appreciate you checking in. :D

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Reading. :)

[Rachel]

Finished Lay Them to Rest: On the Road with the Cold Case Investigators Who Identify the Nameless for taco in title/subtitle.

Really comprehensive look at all of the expertise that goes into identifying Jane and John Does- anthropology, dentistry, dna analysis, etc.

Although this book talks about different doe cases and the obstacles to finding their identities, the focus is on one Jane Doe case that was reexamined and everything that went into finding out who she was.
Compassionate true crime book. The author narrates. Recommend.

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

Honestly, I didn't know what Black Mirror Vibes were, so I skipped that task. i figured maybe it had to do with dark technology or something. I've had the show recommended to me several times, but since I'm old school and don't stream, I reached a barrier that I'm not ready to cross.
T-A-C-O was a really easy task - easy to find titles with these letters.
The Pulitzer-Prize-winner task was my favorite.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Honestly, I didn't know what Black Mirror Vibes were, so I skipped that task. i figured maybe it had to do with dark technology or something. I've had the show recommended to me several times, but ..."

I should have included a description of the show. Sorry about that.
Black Mirror is inspired by the twilight zone but for the modern age. So yes the dark side of technology and media.

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

Has anyone read anything with Dark Mirror Vibes this Fall?

[Danell]

Just squeezed in another William Kent Krueger book. This Tender Land. I enjoyed it

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

I hope there will be a Winter Challenge. Rachel hasn't posted recently - I keep worrying that she's going to give up on us.

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

Danell wrote: "Just squeezed in another William Kent Krueger book. This Tender Land. I enjoyed it"

Glad you liked his books better than I did :-) I liked them enough, but they're not really my preferred style.

My favorite new author from this challenge is Richard Powers, I read his Pulitzer Prize winning novel and look forward to exploring more by the author.

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

Movie Recommendations:
The Holdovers
The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Dream Scenario (Nicholas Cage meets Freddy Krueger and The Talking Heads)
Saltburn (rather strange, relies heavily on shock value, beautifully filmed)