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Lea's Individual Challenge - Filling in the Gaps
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I'm impressed at you've pressed on with the Wheel of Time books as well. I read the first few when they came out years ago, but don't think I would want to start over.Thanks for your review by Ocean Vuong. I hear great things about the writing but feel it would probably not be a good fit for me.
I'm about halfway through Girl with a Pearl Earring. Should finish it a few days. Enjoying it so far.
Happy Reading!
Lea wrote: "September Mid-Month ReportBooks Read: 12 books so far this month, 113 books year to date. 41,494 pages year to date."
You've been on a reading tear! Love that you found an author that you've binged (Jimenez). I've read a couple of her books and keep meaning to read another one. And maybe a rereading of Girl with a Pearl Earring is order. Such a good book.
Hope the rest of the month brings more good books.
Bill wrote: "I have to say I'm so impressed that you just keep reading the Wheel of Time books. I have had #1 on my shelf for a few years now and keep being intimidated by its size. I've read a couple of Georgette Heyer's mysteries and seem to recall enjoying them. I read the Pickwick Papers in high school and remember liking it very much.Good luck with all your selections and enjoy the rest of September."
The size of the Wheel of Time books is tough. Also, the content. It's like Jordan doesn't care about pacing, nothing is more important than world building. I understand that it will all come together in the end and I will probably like these middle books more if I decide to reread the series, but for now, it feels like there's a lot of repetition and extraneous details that we don't need now but may be useful later. That said, nobody builds a world like Jordan, except perhaps Tolkien.
Pickwick Papers also have some pacing issues, but I'm still amused by the characters. It's fun.
Ioana wrote: "Amazing progress, so many books!!I've only read Girl with a Pearl Earring (many years ago, before GR) and liked it a lot. I'm glad you did too.
McCullough's NF also sounds interesting, his books are so well researched, I must add this to my list 😱"
Yes, I am slowly making my way through McCullough's books, at a rate of one per year. He's still writing, though, so hopefully it will be a long time before I catch up with him. :-)
I was worried about Girl with a Pearl Earring because there was such hype surrounding the book, and sometimes books don't live up to the hype. I thought this one did, in a very subtle way.
Happy reading!
Patricia wrote: "I'm impressed at you've pressed on with the Wheel of Time books as well. I read the first few when they came out years ago, but don't think I would want to start over.Thanks for your review by Ocean Vuong. I hear great things about the writing but feel it would probably not be a good fit for me.
I'm about halfway through Girl with a Pearl Earring. Should finish it a few days. Enjoying it so far.
Happy Reading!"
I'm lucky that I didn't start reading Wheel of Time when they first came out, because I'm not sure I would have wanted to wait between books or re-read any of the books. The last book on the GRC Awards that I haven't read is in the Game of Thrones series, and I read the first book. It isn't a completed series yet, so I keep procrastinating and hoping that more books come out, but I think next year, I'm just going to have to finish the series. I'm trying to decide if I should re-read the first one or not. Decisions, decisions.
I'm glad to hear you are enjoying Girl with a Pearl Earring and I cannot wait to hear what you think! :-)
Lillie wrote: "You've been on a reading tear! Love that you found an author that you've binged (Jimenez). I've read a couple of her books and keep meaning to read another one. And maybe a rereading of Girl with a Pearl Earring is order. Such a good book.Hope the rest of the month brings more good books."
Yes! I'm a completist and we had a Jimenez book that I was buddy reading with Alissa. Then, one of my book clubs picked Book #3 in another series, so there I was, FORCED to read both series this year. I think there are one full length book and two short stories that I haven't read yet, but not bad for someone who hadn't picked up a single book by her before this year. I'm so glad that Girl with a Pearl Earring lived up to its hype for me, and I might re-read it again too, after some time has passed. Take care! :-)
Lea wrote: "The last book on the GRC Awards that I haven't read is in the Game of Thrones series, and I read the first book. It isn't a completed series yet, so I keep procrastinating and hoping that more books come out."I've lost that hope, I think he's done and we'll never know how it ends. But to be honest, at this point, I don't care anymore....
Ioana wrote: "I've lost that hope, I think he's done and we'll never know how it ends. But to be honest, at this point, I don't care anymore...."LOL. If only A Dance with Dragons hadn't won the GRC Award for 2011.
Right now, I have read 294 of the 297 GRC Awards, and the end is in sight. These are the remaining books I was thinking about reading:
You Like It Darker - won Horror in 2025. I'm going to read it this month or next month.
Towers of Midnight - won Fantasy in 2010; this is #13 in the Wheel of Time Series. I've finished #10 and have five left.
A Dance with Dragons - won Fantasy in 2011; this is #5 in A Song of Fire & Ice Series. I've only read #1 A Game of Thrones, and it was in 2010. So, that's four left. I think there might be some history thing too that I could consider reading. But I have to say I'm not too inspired to get this one. It will be the last one I finish for sure.
Ioana wrote: "Lea wrote: "The last book on the GRC Awards that I haven't read is in the Game of Thrones series, and I read the first book. It isn't a completed series yet, so I keep procrastinating and hoping th..."I almost feel that way about Patrick Rothfuss. I don't think I'm going to live long enough for him to get that third book out.
294 out of 297 is pretty impressive!
Patricia wrote: "I almost feel that way about Patrick Rothfuss. I don't think I'm going to live long enough for him to get that third book out.294 out of 297 is pretty impressive!"
At least Rothfuss is 52 and supposedly only has one book left to write in that series. (I never believe any book to be the last in a series until after an author dies - and even then there are some surprises - Harper Lee, I'm looking at you.) But, there's a chance!!
Martin is 77 and has at least two books left in his series. It's been 14 years since the last one, so even if his next book is finished this year, at the pace he's going, I am not certain if HE will live long enough for anyone to read the next books. He keeps saying that he doesn't want any other author to finish his series for him, and to that, I say that there is really only one way for him to be sure that doesn't happen.
Patricia wrote: "I almost feel that way about Patrick Rothfuss. I don't think I'm going to live long enough for him to get that third book out."I never started the series, though it’s been on my list for years, specifically because someone on here (can’t remember who) warned me that they’d been waiting forever for the third book. I’m guessing he has no idea how to end the series
Lillie wrote: "I never started the series, though it’s been on my list for years, specifically because someone on here (can’t remember who) warned me that they’d been waiting forever for the third book. I’m guessing he has no idea how to end the series"I never started the Kingkiller Chronicles either. I am interested in it, but I have enough partially completed series to work on in the meantime. I agree; I think he is struggling with the ending of the series. Sometimes an author has a general idea of how the series is supposed to go, and then they either write themselves into a box, or pay attention to what the fans want and have to change things. I feel that Martin pays too much attention to what the fans want and does the opposite. I can't comment on Rothfuss as I haven't read anything by him.
Lea wrote: "Sometimes an author has a general idea of how the series is supposed to go, and then they either write themselves into a box, or pay attention to what the fans want and have to change things. I feel that Martin pays too much attention to what the fans want and does the opposite."I agree with both sentiments. So the Rothfuss series is on the back burner for now and I read the first Martin book, A Game of Thrones and stopped. I did enjoy the book but with no end in sight for the rest of the series, I decided to focus on other series.
Lillie wrote: "I agree with both sentiments. So the Rothfuss series is on the back burner for now and I read the first Martin book, A Game of Thrones and stopped. I did enjoy the book but with no end in sight for the rest of the series, I decided to focus on other series."I am currently in exactly the same spot as you. But, I'm thinking about next year, with A Dance with Dragons being the *only* GRC Award winner I won't have read...and trying to decide 1) do I read it? and 2) if yes, to I re-read A Game of Thrones because it has been years since I read it? Knowing that if, by chance, he actually finishes the series, I might have to read it a third time, and that will really make me twitchy. :-)
Good thing for me that Rothfuss hasn't won any GRC Awards yet. :-)
You've been doing amazing with your series, Lillie. I love watching you read your way through them all. I add as many as I read, so I'm not getting anywhere, is it the same for you?
Lea wrote: "I never started the Kingkiller Chronicles either. I am interested in it, but I have enough partially completed series to work on in the meantime. "Me too. I keep hoping he'll finish the series so I can read it, but I'm not sure he'll ever do. Does the 2nd book end in a cliffhanger? Can we read it and just pretend this is it?
Ioana wrote: "Me too. I keep hoping he'll finish the series so I can read it, but I'm not sure he'll ever do. Does the 2nd book end in a cliffhanger? Can we read it and just pretend this is it?"LOL, I totally agree, Ioana. I have this bad habit of wanting to finish books for the authors who either are too slow (Rothfuss/Martin) or who write splendid beginnings and then run into a deadline and rush the endings (Grisham). I don't like to read fan fiction because it isn't the same as the original and often doesn't go the way I want it to go...but if I was writing the fan fiction and was able to give myself closure...maybe that would be OK. I'm sure I'd run out of time too. I imagine the idea of writing a story is a lot easier than the actual processing of writing it!
Lea wrote: "I add as many as I read, so I'm not getting anywhere, is it the same for you?"Yes! I seem to stumble across so many new series that I have to add and/or read immediately. Today I realized that I've let myself get distracted from finishing some series. It's such a lovely problem to have.
Lillie wrote: "Yes! I seem to stumble across so many new series that I have to add and/or read immediately. Today I realized that I've let myself get distracted from finishing some series. It's such a lovely problem to have."I agree! And so many new books to series I've already started. We are all so spoiled for choice!!
September Month End ReportBooks Read: 16 books this month, 117 books year to date. 43,170 pages year to date.
Books from Filling in the Gaps: 69/100; 2022 Books 1/1, 2023 Books 2/5, 2024 Books 11/14, 2025 books 55/80
Books from 12+4 Challenge: 15/16
Previously discussed:
Crossroads of Twilight
Just for the Summer
The Situationship
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
The Legend Of Sleepy Hallow
How to End a Love Story
The Grand Sophy
Accomplice to the Villain
Passion
Maestro: Greenspan's Fed and the American Boom
Fallen in Love
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Recently finished:
Trail of Obsession - This was a lot of fun. It is a thriller about a couple that is on a horse tour in Yosemite, where it all goes wrong. I have quibbles. I know Yosemite fairly well and certain geographical points have been moved for the sake of plot and certain things could not have happened, but it was a lot of fun. I can't wait to read the next one. 3 stars
The Johnstown Flood - A nonfiction book by David McCullough about a dam that broke in 1889 and the aftermath. My husband and I read it together and his take was that the book was depressing and about something he didn't know much about and wasn't as interested in. Still, his star rating is 3 stars. I had heard about the flood before, in fact recently in Seven Events That Made America America: And Proved That the Founding Fathers Were Right All Along. I was interested in learning more about this; however, I felt like there was a lot of repetition and a good editor could have made this a little better. I also thought it earned 3 stars.
The Pickwick Papers - I'm trying to read a book by Charles Dickens every year, and I picked this book, because it is referenced in some scenes in Little Women. I now understand Little Women a bit more. I really liked it, I'm starting to understand Dicken's humor. That said, it really could have been shortened by quite a bit and would have been even more enjoyable. 3 stars
Norwegian Wood - I tried. I really did. I just don't love coming of age stories that are heavily character driven and I don't like the entire cast of characters. Yes, it is beautiful writing, but it is also super depressing, and I struggle understanding what the point is. 1 star
Currently reading:
The Story Girl - L.M. Montgomery can usually help get me out of a reading funk. :-)
Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery - So far, I'm really loving this.
The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 - Meh, I might be reading too many David McCullough books in a row.
Goals -
One Tome a Month - TWO! Crossroads of Twilight and The Pickwick Papers
Finish One Series a Month - TWO! Part of Your World and Assistant to the Villain
Finish One Book from My Shelves this Month - TWO! Maestro: Greenspan's Fed and the American Boom and Trail of Obsession
Made Progress on the GRC Awards -How to End a Love Story and continued progress on The Wheel of Time series.
Best book: The Grand Sophy
Worst book: Norwegian Wood
Biggest surprise: Girl with the Pearl Earring
Greatest accomplishment: 16 books! That's tied for my best this year. I also read a lot in January.
Great month Lea! 16 books is amazing.
Michelle wrote: "Great month Lea! 16 books is amazing."Yes! Especially since two were tomes. :-) It was nice to have a good month in September, I was feeling a bit behind and wondering if I needed to reduce some of my goals...but no...I just needed a good month in there! Onward to October!
Mod
An interesting mix as usual. Sorry you didn't care for Norwegian Wood. I understand it's not his best but a good starting point. I have The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle waiting patiently on my shelf. If I don't get to it this year, I might put it on my 12 & 4 challenge for 2026.Happy Reading!
Bill wrote: "You had a great month, Lea. I can imagine overloading on one author sometimes. I do need to explore LM Montgomery more.."Thanks, Bill. I'm trying to read one book a year by Montgomery, but this year will be two since I'm going to try to read the second book in the series soon thereafter.
Patricia wrote: "An interesting mix as usual. Sorry you didn't care for Norwegian Wood. I understand it's not his best but a good starting point. I have The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle waiting patiently on my shelf. If I don't get to it this year, I might put it on my 12 & 4 challenge for 2026.Happy Reading!"
I haven't read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle yet, but I still hope to read it sometime. Maybe next year? It's pretty thick and I have so many tomes I'm trying to finish out this year.
I loved 1Q84, and liked Kafka on the Shore. I really expected to love Norwegian Wood since it was hyped to be a love story and without magical realism, (which isn't my favorite plot device). I didn't find it to be much of a love story, but I may have read it wrong. (view spoiler)
Great month and some interesting books! I have some of these on my TBR and I might have to reshuffle them (again). Tomes, finished series, books on the shelves...I'm impressed. Happy October :-)
Ioana wrote: "Great month and some interesting books! I have some of these on my TBR and I might have to reshuffle them (again). Tomes, finished series, books on the shelves...I'm impressed. Happy October :-)"
I'm always reshuffling my TBR after you read your books, so it seems as though the feeling is mutual. Happy October to you as well! :-)
Alissa wrote: "Killing it!!!!"It felt good to read so many books last month. I can already tell that I'll be reading less this month. But maybe I will also read less 1-star books. Positivity. :-)
Mod
Alondra wrote: "Kudos on all of your progress. 16 books is amazing. :)"Thank you, Alondra. I am definitely not on track to break that record this month, but it was super nice while it lasted.
October Mid-Month ReportBooks Read: 5 books so far this month, 122 books year to date. 43,170 pages year to date.
Books from Filling in the Gaps: 71/100; 2022 Books 1/1, 2023 Books 2/5, 2024 Books 11/14, 2025 books 57/80
Books from 12+4 Challenge: 15/16
Recently finished:
The Story Girl - This is a fun children's book about a group of cousins and their friends who spend a summer together on a Canadian island. It is written by L.M. Montgomery of the The Complete Anne of Green Gables fame, and this is considered her favorite of her books. I really enjoyed it. At the time this was written, Montgomery was engaged to marry a Presbyterian minister (spoiler alert: it was a not to be a happy marriage), and the constant Methodist vs. Presbyterian banter was hilarious to me, but probably not to everyone. I thought the kids playing at writing sermons was hysterical. But I didn't fall in love with Peter Craig like I was supposed to. Overall, I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to reading the sequel. 4 stars
Odyssey - I was going to re-read The Iliad & the Odyssey by Homer, but now I don't have to. This is the fourth in the series. The Odyssey is my favorite part of Homer's works, and Stephen Fry brings it to life. I have quibbles, of course. Fry does move around some of the narrative and has to pick between the multiple interpretations. However, he makes classical literature very readable, and I'm only saddened that I've now read the entire series and must now turn to some of my other books to find something to read. 3 stars
New Spring - This is Book #0 in the Wheel of Time series. I decided to read it in the publication order, and it was quite honestly a nice break in the series. Most of the books in the series are enormous and take so long to read; however, this book is much shorter. I found myself enjoying reading the back story and becoming even more invested in some of the characters. After 2 1-star books in the series, I was worried, but this book is back to 3-stars.
The Law - You all, I'm getting ready for the Twelve Months when it comes out in January. I'm so excited for it. This novella is book 17.2 in the Dresden Files series. I had to wait for it to become available at my library for some time. It is a story about how a schoolteacher is being threatened by the supernatural, and we all know how Dresden will not let that stand. And if anyone knows how I can lay my hands on The Fugitive (Book 17.5 in the series) without buying the entire volume of other stuff, let me know. It's under consideration. 3.5 stars
The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 - I love reading books by David McCullough, and this one was pretty good. I might have appreciated it more if I hadn't recently read The Great Divide, a fiction book about the building of the Panama Canal, and The Johnstown Flood. I still enjoyed. 3 stars
Currently reading:
Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery - I was trying to read one chapter a month, but life happened and I've gotten behind. I'm hoping to have a moment to catch up soon. It isn't the book's fault - the book is amazing.
You Like It Darker - Another case where the book is quite good, but it is taking me a long time to read. It is good Stephen King, tightly written and the perfect October read.
Got Your Number: The Greatest Sports Legends and the Numbers They Own - The author, ESPN personality Mike Greenberg and Paul “Hembo” Hembekides had an idea to assign Numbers 1-100 to the athlete that most closely identifies with each number. Jersey numbers I can understand. But what do you do about sports figures who don't have a jersey number? Like golfers, tennis players, etc. Never fear, the authors have a way to include them as well. Some numbers I absolutely know who should be chosen. Some numbers I have no idea who they will pick. And sometimes they pick the wrong person for the number. I do not agree with every choice, and I think all books like this make controversial choices in order to promote debate, but I'm still enjoying it.
Mod
Mod
Books Read: 5 books so far this month, 122 books year to date. 43,170 pages year to date.
Books from Filling in the Gaps: 71/100; 2022 Books 1/1, 2023 Books 2/5, 2024 Bo..."
Great update, Lea.
With #17.5 in series for Dresden; try JBs website. Sometimes he will post those short stories so that we can directly read for free.
I loved the whole Iliad/Odyssey stories. I still have the originals from High school.
Bill wrote: "You have such variety in your reading selections. I find that I sometime like Stephen Fry and sometimes think he's a bit of a blowhard (to be fair, I think I'm a bit of a blowhard too, so it's probably just jealousy because he's so smart), but that's only on TV (QI vs the UK's Jeopardy). I liked his autobiography... ish. I may have to check out his look at the Odyssey. I've never read but have absorbed info on it just from movies and all that sort of thing. Enjoy the rest of the month's selections, Lea."Bill, I think it helps that I don't watch many popular shows, because otherwise, I'm not sure I could read books written by annoying people (Bill O'Reilly comes to mind also). I didn't know too much about Fry, but it is no stretch at all to think of him as a blowhard. :-)
One of my reading clubs suggested Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold, and you know me. Once I get started on a series, I have trouble stopping it. :-) Unfortunately for me, I've read enough on Greek myths to have an opinion, but I honestly think his works are more enjoyable for those who haven't fully absorbed the myths yet. You might try and see what you think.
Alondra wrote: "Great update, Lea.With #17.5 in series for Dresden; try JBs website. Sometimes he will post those short stories so that we can directly read for free.
I loved the whole Iliad/Odyssey stories. I still have the originals from High school."
I did briefly root about JBs website, but I don't see the story posted there yet. I will keep looking; otherwise, I might need to purchase another book this year. :-)
I also loved the whole Iliad/Odyssey stories. How lucky you were to get to keep your book copies, getting a nice set of the series is on my list. In high school, I used a library copy and had to read them fast. I did read them again as an adult at a much more leisurely pace!
Mod
There is no denying that he is a very smart man. He hosted a show on the BBC called QI, humorous and also educational, and he was a great host of that.
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Books mentioned in this topic
Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold (other topics)New Spring (other topics)
The Iliad & the Odyssey (other topics)
Odyssey (other topics)
The Story Girl (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Homer (other topics)Mike Greenberg (other topics)
Stephen Fry (other topics)
David McCullough (other topics)
Stephen King (other topics)
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I've only read Girl with a Pearl Earring (many years ago, before GR) and liked it a lot. I'm glad you did too.
McCullough's NF also sounds interesting, his books are so well researched, I must add this to my list 😱