11. A book with an X connection

[Amy]

I went fairly literal with this prompt and read XOXO by Axie Oh. I do not read much YA and am making an effort to read a variety of genres this year. This was a fun read. I learned about K-pop, a topic I know almost nothing about!

[Anne]

I will be reading the Woolworths Girl's Promise by Elaine Everest. It is connected to the topic as a female has two x chromosomes.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

I had a tough time on this-- wish I hadn't already read The Ex Hex but I did. So I was looking for a home for Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts and since it's about a game where you look for things, it counts!

[Roxana]

Amy wrote: "I went fairly literal with this prompt and read XOXO by Axie Oh. I do not read much YA and am making an effort to read a variety of genres this year. This was a fu..."

I just started that for this prompt, too! (I guess it's an obvious choice, but I like doing the prompts thoroughly, lol.)

[Joyce]

I read the two part Swedish detective novels Motive X and the slightly better X Ways to Die. They are proper page-turners with some creative, though rather graphic, murders.

[Jill]

I read The Silent Speaker by Rex Stout ( X in the author's name)

[Jordan]

I'm reading Acceptance by Jeff Vandermeer, which is the final book in the Southern Reach trilogy. The books surround the mystery of a place known as Area X.

Really recommend them if you like weird sci-fi.

[Sherri]

I read The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

[Guylian]

I read by Jennifer Egan (female author = XX chromosome).

[LeahS]

I read x + y: A Mathematician's Manifesto for Rethinking Gender. It is by a generation X author, and involves the X chromosome. It also references X as a mathematical symbol.

The author suggests turning away from examining unfairness in society through gender and looking at it through the lens of ingressive and congressive behaviours. It was an interesting book and very clearly written, even for those who find maths hard (not too much maths, more a mindset). The sort of book that makes you want to continue a discussion with the author.

I also read Rise Up, Women - the struggle of women in Britain to be allowed to put an X on a ballot paper. A slow read, as it was more of a detailed chronicle than a normal history book, but well written. It was good to read about the lesser known women who took part in this fight, and the issues around militancy, policing and political suppression are pertinent to modern protests e.g. climate change

[Cathy C]

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros - male lead is named Xaden.

[Anastasia]

I love all the ways people are interpreting this prompt.

[Book Concierge]

Self-explanatory ...


✔ - 17Feb24
The Poet X – Elizabeth Acevedo – 5*****
In her debut novel, Acevedo tells the story of a teen from Harlem, who finds her voice in writing poetry, but who struggles against her mother’s expectations. I love poetry. I am in awe with how much a poet can convey in so few words. And Acevedo does a truly marvelous job in this novel-in-verse.
LINK to my full review

[Joan]

I read The Exchange: After The Firm for this one. I didn't even know he had written a follow up to The Firm. I stumbled across it on Libby and I listened to it on audio. It was pretty entertaining. It wasn't the follow up story I wanted for Mitch McDeere but it was a good audio. I rated it 3 stars.

[Kimberly]

I’m reading

Biography of X

[Laura]

Read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, reasoning that there is an "x" in author's last name, as well as procreation is in a lab with genetic engineering of not only the sex of the baby, but also traits the babies will have. This was a reread for me, having read it the first time in high school. Liked it then but understood it better in my middle-age.

[Severina]

I read Love Code by Ann Aguirre, with the X connection being the (alien) sex scenes.

[Kathy]

I read Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley, who was born in 1971 making her a member of Generation X.

[Tracy]

NancyJ wrote: "Pageboy - I first saw it on the five books site, but I like your prompt options for it too.
Added: The reviews for the book are a little disappointing so I might wait to suggest it to my book club."

Yes, I tried Pageboy while on a train trip from California to Colorado. Even though I'm not really an audiobook reader, I've found that I like memoir/autobiographies if read by the author, so chose to use audio for this. I DID find this one very disappointing. I ended up not finishing it. For being an actor, Page gave a very lackluster reading. Also, the things they chose to discuss were not very enlightening. It almost felt like they wrote this book because it was expected, not because they had a great need to share their experience.

[Tracy]

I've already chosen my book for this prompt, but I just thought of an idea for others who may not have landed on a title yet.

If you are at all interested in Elon Musk, you could read a book by or about him. He is OBSESSED with "X" — hence, SpaceX, changing Twitter to X, and he even named some of his 12 children using X :
Nevada Alexander (who sadly died of SIDS at 10 weeks old)
Æ A-Xii
Exa Dark Sideræl
his transgender daughter was originally named Xavier
Saxon

[Stacey]

For this prompt, I read Ten Little Indians by Sherman Alexie. This collection of stories about Native Americans in the Spokane tribe is by a Gen X author (born in '66) and includes 'ten' in the title -- both represent the X connection.

[Liz]

For this prompt, I read Deep Storm by Lincoln Child. This novel met the prompt in two ways: the protagonist is a doctor (x-ray) and the theme of X marks the spot applies as well.

In this novel, the US military operates a scientific research facility in the depths of the ocean, where excavation of the ocean floor is intended to reach the earth's crust.

3.5 stars
My review here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


It's also interesting that a suggestion was made today for Poll 15: a book relating to under the sea or underground. This one is a perfect fit for that prompt if it comes in.

[C-A]

For this prompt, I read The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. Well, actually, I let my ten-year-old read it to me, and the experience warmed my heart.

[Tracy]

Love that C-A 🥰