Book Nook Cafe discussion
2024- Book Prompt Challenge
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Alias's 2024 Book Challenge
Thanks, deb. It seems a book you love or don't. Many of the 1 and 2 stars DNF the book.
Alias Reader wrote: "Another prompt completed !✅ 39- Myth, sci fi, magical realism, or fantasy
Under the Whispering Door
Fantasy is not a favorite genre for me. I listened to this one on Audio. Eve..."
Alias, congratulations on getting through that one.
I think that I end up liking probably anything that is well-written, and though I continue to be drawn to the genres that I first read as a kid (crime, sf, noir, fantasy, mystery, westerns, etc.) (oh, and biography, mythology, ancient history, modern history . . . etc.) some genres, like "romance", have been tough sells for me, too.
I recently read what I would call a romance novel, Leaving: A Novel by Roxana Robinson, and though I don't know if "romance" is how it is really categorized - maybe "literary romance"? - I thought it was extremely well crafted, with an interesting story and three-dimensional characters. It isn't the sort of book that I would normally pick up, but I did end up enjoying the read, and that made me think that maybe I just hadn't previously found the "romance" that spoke to me through a well written, compelling story with characters that I relate to and/or recognize.
That said, (and I'm not trying to promote anything here) I wonder, have you ever read any fantasy by Neil Gaiman, Ursula K. Le Guin, Robert Jackson Bennett, or S.A. Chakraborty?
James wrote: "That said, (and I'm not trying to promote anything here) I wonder, have you ever read any fantasy by Neil Gaiman, Ursula K. Le Guin, Robert Jackson Bennett, or S.A. Chakraborty?"Point well taken. No, I've not read any of those authors.
I did own a paperback of a Gaiman novel. I think it was American Gods. This was a long time ago and when I moved I gave it away unread.
Anyway, maybe in the future I'll consider one of the authors you mentioned. You are right, never say never. I just have to find the right author.
Yes, perseverance paid off. Another prompt with a check mark next to it.
Checked off another prompt !I'll write a review in the Book Salon.
✅32- Self help or creative or How to
Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise
You're really knocking 'em off! This one seems interesting.
James wrote: "It isn't the sort of book that I would normally pick up, but I did end up enjoying the read, and that made me think that maybe I just hadn't previously found the "romance" that spoke to me through a well written, compelling story with characters that I relate to and/or recognize...."James, i think you covered this topic well. I'm going to be quite hesitant to declare my disdain for any genre in the future. It's not fair to those who like them, nor the authors, nor, for that matter, my own well being when i read one i like.
We just have to read one which calls to us in some way, usually via the writing. Well written post. Thanks for sharing those thoughts.
Alias Reader wrote: "Checked off another prompt !I'll write a review in the Book Salon.
✅32- Self help or creative or How to
Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise"
Nicely done, Alias.
John wrote: "You're really knocking 'em off! This one seems interesting."It was, John. Though as I noted in my review in the Book Salon a bit too verbose.
I also wish I had a Kindle version. I read it using Hoopla. For some reason, the ability to highlight a page is hit or miss. This is especially a problem at the top and lower half of the page.
Alias Reader wrote: "Hoopla. For some reason, the ability to highlight a page is hit or miss. This is especially a problem at the top and lower half of the page. ..."How interesting. I use Libby with my iPad. Oddly, on occasion it will not include all a quote i highlighted. Usually i can find what i feel is missing, so it's not a big deal but it takes time i could spend reading. Of Course.
Deb, I have no trouble highlighting with Libby.
It seldom happens for me but when i return to record them in my notes, they are not there. It's possible that i didn't actually highlight them but remember debating whether or not to do so. And it's also possible there are times i do something wrong. ;-(
Alias Reader wrote: "Checked off another prompt !I'll write a review in the Book Salon.
✅32- Self help or creative or How to
Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise"
Good for you. This would not be a genre I would be drawn to. But I will soldier on.
Rachel, it seems every year I do read some books that fall into the self help genre. I don't know that they help much. However, hope springs eternal as they say. ;)
I hear and identify with that, Alias.lol
All that is needed is a germ of an idea to be helpful. Over the years I have been very surprised that some of the best advice I have gotten would not be even a whole book but perhaps a sentence.
Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort ZoneI think I will read this for the self help prompt.
Rachel wrote: "Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort ZoneI think I will read this for the self help prompt."
I see it's only $2 on Amazon.
It sounds similar to what A.J. Jacobs does.
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible
The Know-It-All
Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection
Rachel wrote: "All that is needed is a germ of an idea to be helpful. Over the years I have been very surprised that some of the best advice I have gotten would not be even a whole book but perhaps a sentence."True, Rachel. This is another reason i like our Quotes thread. We can get the kernel of wisdom, check the source & see what else might be there.
Rachel wrote: "Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort ZoneI think I will read this for the self help prompt."
Perfect! I hope it fits your needs on all levels, Rachel.
Alias Reader wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort ZoneI think I will read this for the self help prompt."
I see it's ..."
Hey Alias- One about bodily perfection might be dangerous for me to read because once I get started hard to stop! :)
RE:Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily PerfectionRachel wrote:
Hey Alias- One about bodily perfection might be dangerous for me to read because once I get started hard to stop! :)..."
:) lol
I enjoy his books. He's quite funny.
Rachel, you just made me realize I could use one of his books for the #6 humor prompt. Thanks !
Alias Reader wrote: "RE:Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily PerfectionRachel wrote:
Hey Alias- One about bodily perfection might be dangerous for me to read because once I get started..."
That is a great idea! I never thought of it but why not?
I finished another prompt !✅ 36- a book about one of your 5 senses ( touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste) F/NF
True Biz (Sense Hearing)
I'll write up a review in the Book Salon later today or tomorrow.
Alias Reader wrote: "I finished another prompt !✅ 36- a book about one of your 5 senses ( touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste) F/NF
True Biz (Sense Hearing)
I'll write up a review in the Book Sa..."
Alias, don't you get satisfaction completing a prompt? I know I do. I guess it is the small pleasures in life.
Absolutely ! I'm a big list person. I love checking things off my To Do list.Also "don't break the Streak" is another motivator for me. It works really well for my exercise.
Rachel wrote: "Alias, don't you get satisfaction completing a prompt? I know I do. I guess it is the small pleasures in life. ..."Ditto. As the year ended last year, i had few of those pleasures, as we were busier than usual. This year, it's been fun but not as intense as i was last year at this time. Taking my pleasures as they come & not rushing them, as previously. Much better. :-)
Congratulations on finishing that prompt, Alias.
Thanks, deb ! I found that last year and this year I usually just am selecting books I normally would read. I guess I read more widely than I thought.
That said, as I get more of the list completed, I am sure the prompts will get more difficult for me.
I did try to make the prompts fairly vague so selecting a book for the most part should be easy.
Alias Reader wrote: "I did try to make the prompts fairly vague so selecting a book for the most part should be easy..."I think you did a good job on that front, Alias.
madrano wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "I did try to make the prompts fairly vague so selecting a book for the most part should be easy..."I think you did a good job on that front, Alias."
I agree with Madrano. You did an excellent job with the prompts.
Thank you ! I'm really enjoying seeing how everyone is filling them in.
Alias Reader wrote: "Thank you ! I'm really enjoying seeing how everyone is filling them in."It is fun, isn't it!
Alias Reader wrote: "I finished another prompt !✅ 36- a book about one of your 5 senses ( touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste) F/NF
True Biz (Sense Hearing)
I'll write up a review in the Book Sa..."
Congrats! I've been struggling with this one.
Finished another prompt. ✅22- Debut novel
First Lie Wins- Debut adult novel
In the- About the Author - page at the end of the book it notes,
"Elston has written six young adult novels; First Lie Wins is her adult debut." So I think it fits the prompt.
This is quite the thriller with enough twists and turns to satisfy most readers. I gave this one 3/5 stars.
I'll write up a review in the April Book Salon.
Alias Reader wrote: "In the- About the Author - page at the end of the book it notes,"Elston has written six young adult novels; First Lie Wins is her adult debut." So I think it fits the prompt. .."
I like that logic, Alias. Have you read any of her YA? I ask because in the last few months some of us have mentioned reading a YA and feeling there was no difference from "regular" novels. And vice versa. I've certainly enjoyed more YAs than my age would allow, so to speak. Maybe sex or the level of deception characters employ? Just wondering but not taking the time to look it up. lol
madrano wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "In the- About the Author - page at the end of the book it notes,"Elston has written six young adult novels; First Lie Wins is her adult debut." So I think it fits the prompt. ..."
No. I have not read any of her YA.
For me, most fiction YA probably falls in the coming of age type stories.
First Lie Wins is definitely not YA.
Thanks for the quick reply. I have read a number of YA which don't really fall into coming of age but, rather, adjusting to new situations, be they science-fiction sorts or death in family and such. And, of course, there are many Bildungsroman are written for adults. It's a mixed bag/genre issue, i think.
Deb, I don't read a lot of YA that is fiction. However, I do enjoy YA that is non fiction. This is according to Wiki
A novels are for ages 12–18, and tackle more mature and adult themes and content than middle grade novels. The latter usually feature protagonists between the ages of 10 and 13, whereas young adult novels usually feature protagonists from 14 to 18.
Author and academic Michael Cart states that the term young adult literature "first found common usage in the late 1960's, in reference to realistic fiction that was set in the real (as opposed to imagined), contemporary world and addressed problems, issues, and life circumstances of interest to young readers aged approximately 12–18". However, "
-----Here is full article and discussion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_a....
Alias Reader wrote: "Deb, I don't read a lot of YA that is fiction. However, I do enjoy YA that is non fiction. This is according to Wiki
A novels are for ages 12–18, and tackle more mature and adult themes and conte..."
Alias, what a great idea. It never would have occurred to me to read a non fiction YA book. I am going to look for the to fill the prompt.
I find that YA nonfiction is usually short and to the point. They are often around 200 pages. They often includes maps, glossaries, and photos. All of which I enjoy. I've read quite a few biographies of historical leaders that are YA.
"Alias Reader wrote: "I finished another prompt !✅ 36- a book about one of your 5 senses ( touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste) F/NF
True Biz (Sense Hearing)
I'll write up a review in the Book Sa..."
----------------
John wrote: Congrats! I've been struggling with this one.
.."
John, I was listening to Gretchen Rubin podcast today while on the treadmill. Your post came to mind. I read a book last year that would fit this prompt and I enjoyed it a lot. You might want to check out if you still don't have a book in mind.
Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World by Gretchen RubinThis was my review
Rating 5/5
Gretchen got the idea for the book after visiting her eye doctor for pink eye. He casually notes that because she is very nearsighted she is more at risk for a detached retina !
Rubin, rattled by this doctors comment, decides that she "wanted to appreciate the moments in life more fully; get out of her head and into her life".
The book is a fun exploration as she goes about exploring each sense with helpful tips for the reader too.
this was a fun quick read. I also am a regular listener to her podcast. I gave the book a 5/5 . It covers the topic well and I like her easy writing style.
Alias Reader wrote: ""The term 'young adult literature' is inherently amorphous, for its constituent terms “young adult” and “literature” are dynamic, changing as culture and society — which provide their context — change",[6] and "even those who study and teach it have not reached a consensus on a definition..."Thanks for the link, Alias. The sentence right after the end of your quote from the link is highlighted above. The fact that even those who teach & study it haven't reached a consensus is interesting. I suppose this is something about the dynamism of language & storytelling.
Rachel wrote: "Alias, what a great idea. It never would have occurred to me to read a non fiction YA book. I am going to look for the to fill the prompt..."It took a YA nonfiction science book about computers before i truly understood the binary code and how it could work. That was back in the '90s and my brain just couldn't adjust to doing what i was doing without understanding why.
Actually, for me, YA science books used to my go-to, in order to understand various aspects--dark holes, quantum science, and such. Once i got a good grasp of that, i often moved on to adult writing about the same. Most useful.
Alias Reader wrote: " The book is a fun exploration as she goes about exploring each sense with helpful tips for the reader too...."As i came to parenthood reluctantly, having studiously ignored even home ec in school, once i became pregnant, i read books about raising children. One, which apparently i did not finish, as it's not on my list of "Books Read", had a section on the senses.
There were sensory exercises to try at different stages of their development. The one i best remember was for hearing, using household items (placed outside the child's eyesight) to make a curious noise. If the child reacts, trying to find it, hearing was evident and trained. The one i best recall was crinkling a piece of aluminum foil. They were fun and interesting to me, watching this creature learn or react.
Soon, we lose interest, i guess. *sigh* Or, maybe, just stop taking notice?
madrano wrote: i guess. *sigh* Or, maybe, just stop taking notice?..."This book will help you to notice. :)
Sorry, i meant more that i stopped taking notice of how my children's senses progressed. Some i remember, such as food and colors, but hearing, less so. But i'm sure you are correct that the book will improve one's sense of senses, so to speak.
Alias Reader wrote: " "Alias Reader wrote: "I finished another prompt !✅ 36- a book about one of your 5 senses ( touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste) F/NF
True Biz (Sense Hearing)
I'll write up a review in the Bo..."
This sounds like an interesting book for the senses prompt. I added it to my list. Thanks.
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Sad commentary. But i'm with you, the faster the better.
Well done, Alias, on the prompt.