20.6 Seasoned Reader: Beth F's task- The Twenty-tens

[Dlmrose, Moderator Emeritus]

20.6 Seasoned Reader: Beth F's task- The Twenty-tens
2010 marked the first year of the first decade to completely take place within the third millennium as the previous decade (2000-2009) took place across two different millennia.
To select your book for this task you have two options:

Read a book originally published sometime during the decade of your birth. For example, if you were born in 1960 you could read any book originally published between 1960 through 1969. Or if you were born in 1979 you could read any book originally published between 1970 through 1979 and so on. Here is a LINK to popular books by date to help you explore books that were published in your decade
OR
Read a book where a main character shares your same decade in age. For example, if you are 17 you could read any book where a main character is between the ages of 10-19. If you are 31, a main character should be between the ages of 30-39. If you are 40, a main character should be between the ages of 40-49 and so on.

[Beth F]

10's
The Hunger Games, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Z for Zachariah, Blankets, Nick Norah's Infinite Playlist

20's
Some Girls Bite, Darkfever, The Spellman Files, Garden Spells, Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, The Help, The Crimson Petal and the White

30's
The Crossing Places, Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison, Succubus Blues, Manhunting, One for the Money, Nobody's Baby But Mine, Bitten, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Natural Born Charmer

40's
Black Rose, Old Boyfriends, Bound South, Unless, Family Blessings, Feels Like Family, Sex and the Serial Killer, Anyone But You, Fast Women, Scandalous Lovers, No Humans Involved, All About Evie, Just Like Heaven, Dorothy On the Rocks, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, The Ocean Inside

50's
Dave Barry Turns 50, A Pirate Looks at Fifty, I Still Have It, I Just Can't Remember Where I Put It, 311 Pelican Court

60's
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

[Beth F]

Placeholder

[Dlmrose, Moderator Emeritus]

This thread is open!

[Sera]

Anyone know any good books about women in their 40s?

[Dee]

if you don't mind romance - Nora Roberts has one - its the second in a trilogy but can be read stand-alone called Black Rose...Roz is in her late 40's

[Kate]

Anyone know any good books with the main character in their twenties? Anything you really enjoyed that you would recommend?

[Dee]

what kind of stuff do you like reading??

off the top of my head - Merritt from the Chicagoland Vamps is in her 20's - first book in the series is Some Girls Bite, as is Mikayla in Karen Marie Monings Fever series - first book is Darkfever

[Kate]

I don't really know. I read YA most, but they are mainly teens. And a lot of the books I look at, I don't think they ever list an age so I don't know how old the characters are.

[Dee]

the two I listed above are urban fantasy - so they have some paranormal elements - Chicagoland Vamps is obvious; the fever series is Fae and celtic mythology...I wouldn't say they are really hot and heavy on the romance - but there are some elements (if that makes sense)...pm me if you want

[Beth F]

I began working on a list of ages using my read list while I was at work this afternoon.

I have a 13-month-old so structured computer time isn't a guarantee on weekends but depending on how that goes I will try to add some recs when I can-either this weekend or once I get to work on Monday.

[★Meghan★]

I am in my 20s so maybe someone can help me with a good book about someone in their 20s...Anybody know if the women in the Nora Roberts Bride Quartet are in their 20s? I just need to fit the last one in...If I can't find anything I think I may just read The Handmaid's Tale...which fell in 1985 list...

[Kristina Simon]

For the 40-somethings, like me ;o) -- I found this one on my shelf and I think I'm going to use it for this task -- Old Boyfriends. The women in it are attending a 30th high school reunion. So, that should make them, what? 47-48ish?

[Lahni]

I think the mother in Bound South is in her 40's. She has a daughter in high school who then goes to college so I think she'd gave to be.

[Dlmrose, Moderator Emeritus]

in Unless by Carol Shields, Reta is in her mid-forties with college age daughters

[Elizabeth (NC)]

Isabel Spellman from the The Spellman Files is 28. It is a funny series if you like mysteries.

[chucklesthescot]

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "the two I listed above are urban fantasy - so they have some paranormal elements - Chicagoland Vamps is obvious; the fever series is Fae and celtic mythology...I wouldn't say they are really hot an..."

Ooh thank you Dee! You mentioned that Darkfever was Celtic related which has now given me a book to read for 25.4! I thought I was going to have to leave this task blank so thank you!!!

[Fran]

Here are several choices with characters in their 40's- just be sure to double-check just in case -

1.Family Blessings by LaVyrle Spencer
2.Feels Like Family by Sherryl Woods
3.Sex And The Serial Killer by Jennifer Skully
4.Anyone But Youand Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie
5.Scandalous Lovers by Robin Schone
6.No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong
7.All About Evie by Beth Clotta
8.Just Like Heaven by Barbara Bretton

[Kelly]

★Meghan★ wrote: "I am in my 20s so maybe someone can help me with a good book about someone in their 20s...Anybody know if the women in the Nora Roberts Bride Quartet are in their 20s? I just need to fit the last ..."

I'm reading

Garden Spells right now and it is a nice fun/easy read. One of the main characters - Sidney is 28. Also...I read "A Handmaid's Tale" for the Fall challenge and thought it was very good.

Any good books w/people in their 30's?

[Donna Jo]

For those of us who are older than the standard (ahem), the title character in Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson is in his 60s. I just read it for the Fall challenge and it was great.

[Lahni]

I liked The Crossing Places and she is in her upper 30's. She is a forensic archeologist who helps solve murder mysteries. There are two other books out in the series that I want to read for this challenge.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Any good books you know of about people in their 50's?

[Sheila]

I was wondering the same thing Sandy.

Also will plays work for this task? I found The Miracle Worker and The Chalk Garden in the 1950's but both are actually plays.

[Dee]

no problem - i've managed to fit book 1 (new series); book 2 (celtic) and book 3 (this one) in so far...now to see if I can swing book 4 and 5 when they are released

chucklesthescot wrote: "Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "the two I listed above are urban fantasy - so they have some paranormal elements - Chicagoland Vamps is obvious; the fever series is Fae and celtic mythology...."

[Christine US]

Jen Lancaster (author of Bitter is the New Black : Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Officeand others) turned 40 in 2007. Since her books are memoirs/autobiographical, you should be able to read her most recent 2.

[Dlmrose, Moderator Emeritus]

for 50, if non-fiction is ok
Dave Barry Turns 50
A Pirate Looks at Fifty
I Still Have It, I Just Can't Remember Where I Put It

[Karen Michele]

I'm hoping to read Freedom by Jonathan Franzen for this task. The description says middle aged but I don't know if the characters are in their 40s or 50s(which is what I need). Does anyone know for sure?Freedom

[Christine US]

I also found for the 40s crowd Dorothy on the Rocks.

It's hard to find something that specifically says someone is in their 30s!

[Gayla]

Well, there is Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison. Piper Kerman was in her thirties when she spent a year in prison (for nonviolent drug offenses). I had my problems with the book, but it was interesting reading.

[Dee]

Not sure abt this one...she is immortal but became so in her 30's - georgina kinkaid in richelle meads succubus series

[Kate]

Does anyone know what age the main character is in Confessions of a Shopaholic?

[kiki]

i was wondering if you would allow us to read a bunch of children's picture books from our decade, totaling up to 500 pages? as i'm scanning through the 70's i'm seeing so many fun kid's books. there are tons of other books i've found, so i'm fine if you don't want us to do the picture books. thanks for your help! :)

[Kate]

According to Wikipedia, in Anne of the Island Anne is listed as being from 18-22 in the book. I am 22 so in the 20-29 age range. Would thing book work for this task?

[Fran]

In Manhunting by Jennifer Crusie, the main character Kate is 35 for anyone needing the 30's.

[Casey]

Kathryn wrote: "Does anyone know what age the main character is in Confessions of a Shopaholic?"

If I remember correctly, she's 24.

[Beth F]

Kathryn wrote: "According to Wikipedia, in Anne of the Island Anne is listed as being from 18-22 in the book. I am 22 so in the 20-29 age range. Would thing book work for this task?"

Sure, I'll take it.

[Beth F]

Sheila wrote: "I was wondering the same thing Sandy.

Also will plays work for this task? I found The Miracle Worker and The Chalk Garden in the 1950's but both are actually plays."

Plays work!

[Beth F]

Dlmrose wrote: "for 50, if non-fiction is ok
Dave Barry Turns 50
A Pirate Looks at Fifty
I Still Have It, I Just Can't Remember Where I Put It"

Nonfiction is certainly okay.

[Beth F]

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "Not sure abt this one...she is immortal but became so in her 30's - georgina kinkaid in richelle meads succubus series"

Yeah, I'd say that works. I'm not a strict taskmaster and I kind of like to see the stretches people can make and the different directions we all go in. Plus, Georgina Kincaid is awesome. :)

[Beth F]

kiki wrote: "i was wondering if you would allow us to read a bunch of children's picture books from our decade, totaling up to 500 pages? as i'm scanning through the 70's i'm seeing so many fun kid's books. t..."

That would be fine.

[kiki]

awesome, thanks! i might just pick something else, but it seems like it would be fun to break up some of the heavy reading with some fun, silly stuff! :)

[Beth F]

I hear ya. I do the same thing. My read shelf is rather eclectic! :)

[Beth F]

I hope I didn't miss any questions. We're having some connection issues so I'm on my phone.

[Sera]

I believe that Nora Ephron is in her 50s and that she has written a couple of bios.

Thanks for the other recs!

[Dee]

i'm not in my 30's yet - unfortunately! but i'm using book 2 for Christine's challenge (the new to me author)...using KMM's Fever series here since she is in her 20's

Beth F. wrote: "Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "Not sure abt this one...she is immortal but became so in her 30's - georgina kinkaid in richelle meads succubus series"

Yeah, I'd say that works. I'm not a ..."

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Sera wrote: "I believe that Nora Ephron is in her 50s and that she has written a couple of bios.

Thanks for the other recs!"

She's in her 60s.

[Foxy Grandma]

Sandy wrote: "Any good books you know of about people in their 50's?"

The main characters in some of Dorothea Benton Frank is in their 50's

[Kelly]

Anyone know how old Stephanie Plum is in the Janet Evanovich books? I am thinking either late 20's or early 30's, but obviously it makes a difference for this challenge :).

[Beth F]

Stephanie is in her 30's. I think she's 30 in the first book.

[Kelly]

Ooh - that would be great! I am 30 also and was hoping to fit the rest of the series (I am on 14 right now)into this challenge. Thanks!