Trim 2024 - Welcome and Challenge Planning

[Amy]

I will get that together for you later. And tell you the other ones that I thought I saw on other lists. But that’s a great start. Welcome back.

[Jenni Elyse]

Thanks, Amy!

[Book Concierge]

Updated my list - changed # 18, as I read the book that was originally in that spot.

[Joy D]

Finished my #14 for February:
The Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor - 4* - My Review

PBT Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Kelly]

#14 - February

A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

4 stars

In the small town of Solace, seven year old Clara's sister, Rose, is missing. Clara is very affected by this and also by the death of her next door neighbor, Mrs. Orchard. A man named Liam has moved into Mrs. Orchard's home and has problems related to his marriage and job. Liam is connected to Mrs. Orchard from when he is young. He struggles to find is way, but befriends Clara who is taking care of Mrs. Orchard's cat.

What happens to Rose is only touched upon briefly. There is certainly fear around it, but the details are not discussed. As the book goes along, Clara knows there is information not being told to her and turns to Liam. The author shows how different people cope with bad situations. It also highlights secrets being kept from family, the police and even oneself.

The setting is a town where not much normally happens. But in this story, lives are changed and people need to make decisions on what they are going to do. It was a well written book.

[Booknblues]

Librarynerd ( loves books in a series) wrote: "Do I start with April or January?"

Amy is in charge and will give the definitive answer, but generally we are pretty loose with this.

Your # 21 should be for April's choice.

January -#13
February - # 14
March - #18

I think you can read them in any order you choose.

[Amy]

I think B&B is right on the mark. You can start with April and are welcome to do your first three as well whenever you like. this is the loosest most permissive optional non-binding challenge there is. Did you look at others lists or at the master Buddy list, and do you have somebody reads that I should note or that you have discovered that never existed before? If other people have similar books on their list, you can get them to switch around a bit to be on the same number. Or if you’ve done that in advance, let me know. And welcome. I love how you’re jumping in.

[Amy]

And because of my fairly strong memory (hopefully that concept may be a twisted uncomfortable laugh for those who know me well,) I would wonder if American Gods, the name of the wind, and maybe even the underground library, might be ones that other people have on their lists as well. In fact, I almost guarantee it. Let me rise up and see if there were any more that I thought I might recognize.

[Amy]

Neverwhere…. And of course a bunch of the fantasy ones that I wouldn’t recognize so they wouldn’t stay in my mind. My guess is that you either have a ton of unwitting buddy reads or you already knew that. Either way, just keep me in the loop if something arises and I will put it on our master list upfront.

[Jen]

Booknblues wrote: "Librarynerd ( loves books in a series) wrote: "Do I start with April or January?"

Amy is in charge and will give the definitive answer, but generally we are pretty loose with this.

Your # 21 shou..."

Agreed. I'd interpret it the same way. Welcome.

[Liz]

I'm coming in a bit late, but I've pulled together a list of 19 given that we're already halfway through 2024.

Since my booklist is pretty eclectic, I've included the book genre with each title: (*updated 2024/08/01)

1. Recursion by Blake Crouch (Sci-fi)
2. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkings Reid (Historical Fiction)
3. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (Fantasy)
4. You Light up my Midlife Crisis by Robyn Peterman (Fantasy)
5. The Ministry of Time, Kaliane Bradley (fantasy) 2 stars
6. Genesis, Robin Cook (Medical Thriller)
7. Ce n'est pas un fait divers, Philippe Besson (French Literature) - 5 stars
8. The Housemaid is watching, Frieda McFadden (Thriller)
9. Starter Villain, John Scalzi (Sci-fi, Humour)
10. The Silence in Between by Josie Ferguson (Historical Fiction)
11. One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus (Young Adult) 4 stars
12. Ghosts of Tomorrow, Michael Fletcher (Sci-fi/Cyberpunk)
13. The Deal of a Lifetime, Fredrik Backman (Literary fiction) 4 stars
14. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton) (Fantasy) 5 stars
15. Solito, Javier Zamora (Non-fiction/Memoir)
16. The Altman Code, Robert Ludlum, Gayle Linds (Spy thriller)
17. Razorblade Tears, S A Cosby (Crime/Mystery) - 4 stars
18. My Sister, the Serial Killer, Oyinkan Brathwaite (Contemporary Fiction) 4 stars
19. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë (Coming of age)
20. The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins (Thriller)
21. Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, Charlie N Holmberg (Fantasy) 4 stars

[Amy]

Liz, I am so thrilled that you joined us. This is a great way to jump right in to an extra optional challenge, and another way to connect with folks in the community. Welcome, and I look forward to getting to know you and reading your reviews.

[Liz]

Thanks, Amy!
I just started and already I've updated my list.

My new #5 is :

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley.

[Theresa]

This is a fun Unofficial Challenge and there are a ton of buddy reads that spring from it. So glad to see you jumped right in.

[LibraryCin]

Finally finished my May book and posted the review yesterday:
Deliverance from Evil / Frances Hill. 4 stars

Am reading June's book now.

[LibraryCin]

And done my June book!
On This Day / Nathaniel Bellows
3.25 stars

[Olivermagnus]

Liz wrote: "I'm coming in a bit late, but I've pulled together a list of 19 given that we're already halfway through 2024.

Since my booklist is pretty eclectic, I've included the book genre with each title:

..."

I loved Razorblade Tears, Starter Villain, and one of my favorite classics is Jane Eyre. You have some great reads there.

[Liz]

Great to hear, Olivermagnus. It sounds like we have similar tastes. I loved S.A. Cosby's Blacktop Wasteland so I'm looking forward to reading Razorblade Tears. I'm also a huge Scalzi fan - I love his humour.

[Booknblues]

Liz wrote: "Great to hear, Olivermagnus. It sounds like we have similar tastes. I loved S.A. Cosby's Blacktop Wasteland so I'm looking forward to reading Razorblade Tears. I'm also a huge Scalzi fan - I love h..."

Razorblade Tears was my favorite of his.

[Liz]

Finished my #5 for July.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley - 2 stars
My review is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...