2025 Reading Challenge discussion
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Group Reads
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August Group Read Nominations
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I'll nominate The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri! The connection is in the name and on the cover. Here's the blurb:Family secrets come to light as a young woman fights to save herself, and others, in a Nazi-run baby factory—a real-life Handmaid's Tale—during World War II.
In a sleepy German village, Allina Strauss’s life seems idyllic: she works at her uncle’s bookshop, makes strudel with her aunt, and spends weekends with her friends and fiancé. But it's 1939, Adolf Hitler is Chancellor, and Allina’s family hides a terrifying secret—her birth mother was Jewish, making her a Mischling.
One fateful night after losing everyone she loves, Allina is forced into service as a nurse at a state-run baby factory called Hochland Home. There, she becomes both witness and participant to the horrors of Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program.
The Sunflower House is a meticulously-researched debut historical novel that uncovers the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. Women of “pure” blood stayed in Lebensborn homes for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Aryan population, giving birth to thousands of babies who were adopted out to “good” Nazi families. Allina must keep her Jewish identity a secret in order to survive, but when she discovers the neglect occurring within the home, she’s determined not only to save herself, but also the children in her care.
A tale of one woman’s determination to resist and survive, The Sunflower House is also a love story. When Allina meets Karl, a high-ranking SS officer with secrets of his own, the two must decide how much they are willing to share with each other—and how much they can stand to risk as they join forces to save as many children as they can. The threads of this poignant and heartrending novel weave a tale of loss and love, friendship and betrayal, and the secrets we bury in order to save ourselves.
I nominate Cold Sunflowers, written by Mark Sipping https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...Everything happens for a reason.’
It’s 1972.Raymond Mann is seventeen. He is fearful of life and can’t get off buses. He says his prayers every night and spends too much time in his room.
He meets Ernest Gardiner, a gentleman in his seventies who’s become tired of living and misses the days of chivalry and honour. Together they discover a love of sunflowers and stars, and help each other learn to love the world.
Ernest recounts his experiences of 1917 war-torn France where he served as a photographer in the trenches … of his first love, Mira, and how his life was saved by his friend Bill, a hardened soldier.
But all is not as it seems, and there is one more secret that will change Raymond’s life for ever.
Cold Sunflowers is a story of love. All love.
But most of all it’s about the love of life and the need to cherish every moment.
If I stick my sunflower bookmarker in a book, does that make the book count towards the theme? Lol, just kidding.
This is an interesting theme for the month. I know of nothing that fits. I'm curious to see all the books that get nominated.
I would like to nominate Sunflowers: A Novel of Vincent Van Gogh by Sheramy Bundrick.It is a Historical fiction and re-imagination of Vincent Van Gogh's life. The connection obviously being the title that is in reference to his series of Sunflower paintings.
As I understand, there have been several re-imaginings and fictional accounts of Van Gogh's life, some good and some bad. This one in particular seems to be well received, well researched and has good ratings. The author is an art historian herself
I second Sunflowers A Novel of Vincent Van Gogh
I nominate Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez.
Alyssa wrote: "I nominate Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez."Alyssa, Just for the Summer is #3 in the Part of Your World series, so it is ineligible due to this guideline from the top post.
~ Please do not nominate books that are part of a series, unless it is the first book.
Should you wish to nominate a different book, you have plenty of time to do so, but please remember to state a connection to the theme (also in the guidelines). Thanks!
bailey wrote: "I'll nominate The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri"I'll second this. :) I read the blurb and now I cannot get it out of my head!
I nominate Simon Wiesenthal's book The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness. "Simon first notices the sunflower while traveling to the makeshift hospital. He passes a military cemetery, where a sunflower has been placed on each grave. He is struck by the fact that the Nazis gain this small distinction, while he would likely soon be buried in a mass, unmarked grave, making them superior to him even in death."
Carolyn wrote: "I also nominate The Sunflower Forest..."Carolyn, per the guidelines in the first post, each person may nominate one book.
~Please remember to state a connection to the theme when you nominate.
~Books we have read less than three years ago are not eligible. To see which books are not eligible, see this google sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
~ Each person can nominate 1 book.
~ Book must be available both as a physical copy and as an ebook.
~ Authors: Please do not nominate your own book.
~ Please do not nominate books that are part of a series, unless it is the first book.
~ You can second someone else's nomination, but that will count as your nomination.
Nominations close on the 25th, so you still have a little time to decide which of your suggestions you'd like to see in the poll. If someone seconds one of them, I would recommend going with that choice. 🌻
TerryJane wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "I also nominate The Sunflower Forest..."Carolyn, per the guidelines in the first post, each person may nominate one book.
~Please remember to state a connection to the theme when..."
Hi TerryJane, Sorry I will stick with my original nomination. This is all new to me so am still learning, I will get there.
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2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Secret Life of Sunflowers (other topics)The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness (other topics)
The Sunflower House (other topics)
Just for the Summer (other topics)
Sunflowers: A Novel of Vincent Van Gogh (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Adriana Allegri (other topics)Sheramy Bundrick (other topics)
Adriana Allegri (other topics)
Time to nominate books for August! The theme is Sunflower.
~Please remember to state a connection to the theme when you nominate.
~Books we have read less than three years ago are not eligible. To see which books are not eligble, see this google sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
~ Each person can nominate 1 book.
~ Book must be available both as a physical copy and as an ebook.
~ Authors: Please do not nominate your own book.
~ Please do not nominate books that are part of a series, unless it is the first book.
~ You can second someone else's nomination, but that will count as your nomination.
This thread will be closed by June 25th, and we will choose ten books for the poll. If there are more than ten books nominated, we will choose "seconded" books first. If there is still a tie to get into the top ten, we'll go back to the Goodreads average rating to see which is highest.