BOOK POOL CHALLENGE - FEB/MARCH '24

[P.D.R.]

Good fro you, Erica, where're you going? I try my feeble bit with a rat box trap and a mouse trap in my garden. Only caught one rat two years ago but 11 mice have been executed!

[Bronwyn]

Thank you for the invitation. I’ve looked through the books nominated so far and found some I’m happy to read. I’d like to see more titles by Kiwi authors, so will add 3 which are available on Kindle, at reasonable price, not part of a series, women authors preferred as it seems it’s women interested in this challenge!

• The Penguin New Zealand Anthology: 50 Stories for 50 Years in Aotearoa
• Mr Allbones’ Ferrets, Fiona Farrell
• The Girl in the Mirror Rose Carlyle

[Sharlene]

I’m in!

Happy New Reading Year everyone! Dunno how much reading I’ll get done now that school holidays are coming to an end and work ramps back up in Feb. I’ve only got one pick so far but I’ll have two more soon.

1. Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Sharlene wrote: "I’m in!

Happy New Reading Year everyone! Dunno how much reading I’ll get done now that school holidays are coming to an end and work ramps back up in Feb. I’ve only got one pick so far but I’ll h..."

Good to see you, Sharlene!

[Sharlene]

Thanks. My reading has slumped these past few years but I’m hoping to at least get in 50 books this year and finish my first Popsugar Reading Challenge.

2. Dragon Talk by Fleur Adcock

[Erica]

Looks like some good picks for me to add to the pool when I get home to laptop. In answer to your question P.D.R I've been up at Blue Duck Station helping clear and reset their trapping lines. Looking forward to getting home tonight and chilling on the couch with a good book!

[P.D.R.]

Did you manage to see any ducks? They need a lot of help.

[Erica]

Not long to go now until the challenge starts in Feb. If you have any picks left then get them in before it starts :) What's everyone thinking they'll read first?

[Megan]

Looking forward to this challenge.

My three books are:
Treacle Walker - Alan Garner Treacle Walker
The Road Between Us - Nigel Farndale The Road Between Us
Fingersmith - Sarah Waters Fingersmith

[Erica]

Welcome Megan, thanks for joining :) I'll add books to pool this avo

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Erica wrote: "Not long to go now until the challenge starts in Feb. If you have any picks left then get them in before it starts :) What's everyone thinking they'll read first?"

I've picked up my final book & it will be my first read.

Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans. Been on one of my to-read lists since 2018.

[Jennifer]

Erica wrote: "Not long to go now until the challenge starts in Feb. If you have any picks left then get them in before it starts :) What's everyone thinking they'll read first?"

Welcome back Erica :)

I'm very keen on starting The Postcard! So that will be my first :)

[Erica]

Ok I think the participant list and book pool are all up to date. If I've missed anything let me know :)

I think I'll start with Funny Weather as my first read in Feb but also have Homecoming on reserve at the library so looking forward to that one!

[Kerry]

I already have The Postcard out from the library so will need to make a start there before the due date rolls around.

[P.D.R.]

'Dragon Talk's in the library so I'll start there.

[Zellian]

Hope you guys are all ready to start tomorrow!

My three choices are physical books so I'm going to start with them while the others I will probably be sitting on waiting lists for, though I may have one or two others that I physically own too.

[P.D.R.]

Trying to get hold of 'The Yiddish...' Need a physical copy to read.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Zellian wrote: "Hope you guys are all ready to start tomorrow!

My three choices are physical books so I'm going to start with them while the others I will probably be sitting on waiting lists for, though I may ha..."

I'll be a day or two behind. Since I finished my previous book, I have started another one for another group read.

[Jennifer]

I was going to start with The Postcard but Light From Uncommon Stars came up on Libby.

So now it begins! Exciting!

[Erica]

Gosh Feb crept up on me!

The Book Pool Challenge has officially started. If you finish a book just post something like the below:

Book Title
Rating
Date finished
# of books from pool you've read
Thoughts on the book

[Erica]

I've thrown my plans out the door and gonna start with Shuggie Bain haha.

[P.D.R.]

Will settle for whatever the library produces tomorrow!!!

[Sharlene]

Oh I forgot to pick a third book. Never mind!
I’ve read a few in the book pool but I’m up for a re-read if I get to it.
First up for me is Eileen. I’ve had it out from the library for a week already waiting for February to start.
It’s quite a thin book so I hope it’s an easy read.

Good luck book pool-ers!

[Jennifer]

Shuggie Bain is great - I loved it :) Read it last year I think, or the one before.

[P.D.R.]

Library found me 'Court of Thorn and Roses'. Liked the first few chapters but skip read the rest as too formulaic and following the genre rules.

[Erica]

Hi P.D.R does that mean you've finished your first book for the challenge? Can you use the post format I mentioned earlier, so I can keep track of how many books everyone has read :)

[P.D.R.]

Book Title Court of thorn and Roses
2 stars
Date finished Feb 2nd
Number read 1
Thoughts on the book
Liked the first few chapters but skip read the rest as too formulaic and following the genre rules.

[P.D.R.]

How do we count the books we've already read?

[Kerry]

The Attack by Catherine Jinks
3 stars
4 Feb
#1
Not her best adult book though an engaging enough thriller. I prefer her 'Traced' which came out last year.
I've read most of her YA books and really liked them.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

P.D.R. wrote: "How do we count the books we've already read?"
I'm not sure what you are asking pdr. If you are asking to list books you read before the challenge started if I was Erica I would find that very confusing.

[Erica]

Yep just as you read books through the challenge please note how many you've read e.g. first book read for challenge is book 1, second book read for challenge is book 2. Books you've read in the pool that you read before Feb aren't counted :)

[P.D.R.]

Gotcha! Yes there are seven or eight books on the list I have already read. I wondered if they were included or excluded in the count. Now I know they can't be counted. Thank you.

[Stacey-Beth]

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

DNF

Got 3 chapters in and was so bored. Not my style of writing and not intrigued by the genre. Thought I would try something I wouldn’t normally read to kick off the reading challenge. Was a speedy return to the library. Hope those who read it have a much better experience and actually finish the book. So unfortunately, I can’t add this one to my book tally.

[Jennifer]

Stacey-Beth wrote: "Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

DNF

Got 3 chapters in and was so bored. Not my style of writing and not intrigued by the genre. Thought I would try something I wouldn’t normally read to kick off the r..."

Thanks for your review Stacey-Beth. I was considering Wolf Hall. I might read a few other books I like the look of first and leave Wolf Hall until later. It would be nice to get a few under my belt first, so to speak :)

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Jennifer wrote: "I was considering Wolf Hall. I might read a few other books I like the look of first and leave Wolf Hall until later. It would be nice to get a few under my belt first, so to speak"

If it's any help Jennifer, I loved Wolf Hall & Bring Up the Bodies. In Wolf Hall I felt like I was inside Cromwell's skull! I couldn't finish (& was bitterly disappointed in) the long awaited third book though.

[Jennifer]

Carol She's So Novel ꧁꧂ wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "I was considering Wolf Hall. I might read a few other books I like the look of first and leave Wolf Hall until later. It would be nice to get a few under my belt first, so to speak..."

Thank you for sharing your experience with Wolf Hall! How disappointing about the 3rd book! Wolf Hall has been on my To Read list since it came out. I actually have the physical book and for some reason I haven't had the "I must read this" feeling. So, this reading challenge is my chance to stop prevaricating about the bush, as Wallace would say!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I think Mantel cracked under the pressure with the third one.

[Stacey-Beth]

I know the type of books I like are not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m a big fan of fantasy romance and paranormal type genre. I also love YA books with slow burn romance which are enjoyable to read and easy to get through. Wolf hall just didn’t have me hooked. Jennifer, I’m sure you’ll have a much better experience with it than I. Definitely don’t discount it based on my review :)

[Erica]

Great to get some tallies on the board for the challenge - nice one Kerry and P.D.R.

Gutted you Wolf Hall wasn't for you Stacey-Beth but good on you for trying something out of your usual genre :)

I'm a quarter of the way through Shuggie Bain and enjoying the writing even if the content is quite sad.

[Jennifer]

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
3.5 stars
6 February
#1
I really liked this book - it was very original and had almost everything a book can have. It had a young transgender woman as a protagonist, space travel, a demon, music, love, loyalty and more!
A solid 3.5, not quite a 4. This lower than (I) expected rating is probably because my interest waned about 3/4 of the way through. It was only a brief interlude and then I was on track again.
A good first read for this challenge :)

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[Jennifer]

Stacey-Beth wrote: "I know the type of books I like are not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m a big fan of fantasy romance and paranormal type genre. I also love YA books with slow burn romance which are enjoyable to read an..."

Oh no, I'm not discounting it! Not at all :)

[P.D.R.]

Book Title
The Sparrow
Rating
4 stars
Date finished
9th Feb
# of books from pool you've read
number 2
Thoughts on the book
Well up to Tessa Duder's standards. A pleasant read and a good way for kids to learn a bit of New Zealand's history.

[Erica]

Both of those books sound great Jennifer and P.D.R - but couldn't be more different! :)

I've updated the scores.

Hope you're enjoying your weekends and getting some relaxing reading in.

[P.D.R.]

Cheers Erica. I'm belting through 'Starling House' tonight. Now I know what my editors mean when they tell me my story isn't weird enough for them.

[Erica]

Shuggie Bain
4.5*
Finished 10 Feb
Book #1

Thanks to the person that put this in the pool. I've had it on my shelf since it one the Booker Prize in 2020 but hadn't got around to it yet. I really like Douglas Stuart's writing style even if his books can be a bit sad content-wise. He always has interesting characters.

[Jennifer]

Erica wrote: "Both of those books sound great Jennifer and P.D.R - but couldn't be more different! :)

I've updated the scores.

Hope you're enjoying your weekends and getting some relaxing reading in."

Thanks Erica! That's the beauty of this book challenge!

[Jennifer]

Erica wrote: "Shuggie Bain
4.5*
Finished 10 Feb
Book #1

Thanks to the person that put this in the pool. I've had it on my shelf since it one the Booker Prize in 2020 but hadn't got around to it ..."

Yes, it was quite gruelling but so well written. I recommend Young Mungo, but it is pretty gruelling also! However, I loved it!

[Jennifer]

The Postcard by Anne Berest
5 stars
11 February
#2
Loved it!
I read the book mainly but used Audible when I was on the go. I found it a good blend. If you want to choose between an audio version and book/Kindle, I'd recommend the book. Different languages (names, place names, quotes) meant I found it easier to follow the written word. But the Audible version was a great supplement and the narrator had an excellent range of accents.

It's a poignant story about a Jewish family and their journey, ultimately to France. It is a Holocaust story, so it is not for the faint-hearted.

The book has letters, emails, conversations and flits between past and present which I found very interesting and added to the book's appeal.

I was riveted :)

[Bronwyn]

by Kelley Tantau
3.5 The story is ok, but lots of small imperfections - could do with a further edit.
finished 5 Feb
Book #1

I selected and bought kindle editions of a bunch of the books in preparation. At the same time, I bought a couple more. Finished the one above, then read another, Barbara Else's memoir Laughing in the Dark, thinking it was one of challenge books. Now I find it isn't, so the joke is on me!

[P.D.R.]

Book Title
Starling House
Rating
4 stars
Date finished
11th Feb
# of books from pool you've read
number 3
Thoughts on the book
I'm glad I didn't give up on this story. Grubby postmodern heroines don't appeal but the plot was full of hooks so I followed on through the slow start and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the book. Weird, yes, and the theme ended up a little muddled, but think fairy tale plus mild horror = weird.