2012 READING CHALLENGE

[Marissa]

Hi. I just joined this challenge and I was wondering if Gold Mountain can count for the Frontier Period part of this challenge. I read it last month and I think it fits right in with this group.

[Emery, GROUP FOUNDER]

Hi Lisa!
I'm delighted to add it to our group shelf as your nomination. It looks like an interested read- both the setting and the inter-racial romance. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!
Emery

[Gaile, co-librarian]

The titles by Elswyth Thane are perfect for the colonial period, the Civil War, the 1890s, WWI and WWII.
If her titles had not been on Emery's list I would have never have discovered her! She is such a compelling writer. I was lucky enough to find her titles in the library!

[~Leslie~]

I just picked up the following book on my kindle. It's a pre-order (pub date 7/3/2012, only $3.99) and it looks like it might work for the WWI category.


by Alexis Harrington

In 1918, Susannah Braddock is devastated by the news that her beloved husband, Riley, has been killed in battle in France. Heartbroken, she turns to Tanner Grenfell for support. Though technically the Braddocks’ hired hand, Tanner has been helping Susannah run the family horse farm since Riley shipped out, and he has become a true and trusted friend. As time passes and Susannah’s grief begins to ebb, her friendship with Tanner deepens into love. They marry, committing their lives to running the farm and raising Tanner’s two young nephews.

But Susannah and Tanner’s newfound happiness is short lived. Two years after being reported dead, Riley Braddock returns home, shell-shocked and with no memory of his life before the war. All he can remember is Véronique, the French woman who rescued him during the final days of the war and nursed him back to health. Now the Red Cross has returned him to America—and to the wife he no longer knows. As for Susannah, she is torn between her love for Tanner and her loyalty to Riley.

[Liz]

not sure this has been mentioned, but Shades of Gray, one of the American civil war bookshelf books, is available for free on Amazon from the Kindle owners lending library. $6.99 to buy, free for a month to prime members

[Liz]

Is it possible to please add Angelique to the bookshelf?

I have recently located the last book in the "Angelique" series by Anne Golon that has been translated into English (these books are OOP but you can find copies if you look. abebooks has a few) and was wondering if "Angelique" would qualify for 17th century. I started rereading the series from the beginning before reading the one I just located which is book 10 because it has been a few years since I read them from beginning to end.

Thank goodness a friend turned me onto abebooks because Amazon wanted $378US for a used paperback copy of book 10. They want $519US for book 8 but I already have that one.

These books are good examples of the old adage that you can't judge a book by its cover. The covers make them look like bodice rippers but they are not. They were written between WWII and sometime in the 1980s I think and were very carefully researched. If you have not read them, they are well worth the effort to locate a copy but best to read in order as one book leads into the next. The books avg. about 500-600 pgs each and the print is quite small. eBook versions ARE available but only in German. It will take me about a year to get through them again but they are the epitomy of Historical Romance as they follow Angelique from France at the age of 8 to Quebec in her 40s as she searches for her 2 sons and her beloved husband Joffrey. The books are a joy to read because of the historical correctness of the court of Louis XIV, the underworld of thieves and the Beggar King of Paris, the savagery of the Mediterranean area's pirates and the vast wilderness of Canada in the 1600s always with the ever present dangers of stepping on the toes of some religious official or other.

[Jessica]

Gaile wrote: "The titles by Elswyth Thane are perfect for the colonial period, the Civil War, the 1890s, WWI and WWII.
If her titles had not been on Emery's list I would have never have discovered her! She is su..."

LOVE Elswyth Thane! Great historical fiction!

[Jessica]

Also, since someone mentioned the Civil War novel Shades of Gray, it is free for everybody on Wednesday, July 11.
http://www.amazon.com/Shades-Gray-Nov...

[Liz]

I'd like to thank Emery for turning me on to Elizabeth Chadwick. I had read The Greatest Knight for my 11th to 14th century book and now am reading the entire series.

I am spending more and more time on wikipedia LOL. I keep finding things to look up while reading her novels to get further background. I've also been giving the Oxford dictionary a workout. Luckily for me, I have it on my Kindle Fire so I don't have to go dragging the hard copy about with me everywhere :)

[~Leslie~]

LOL, Liz! I did the same thing when I read The Greatest Knight. Wikipedia is my best friend when I'm reading historical fiction.
I am set to read the next one in the series soon. I love Elizabeth Chadwick and have read other books by her, but this is my favorite. Have you seen the movie Robin Hood with Russell Crowe? William Hurt portrays William Marshall and I loved it.

[Liz]

I have seen the movie but had no idea how important his role was in history at the time so am going to watch it again.

One of the things I. have been looking at on wikipedia while reading these is castles. Pembroke is HUGE. It makes the story so much richer for me to see the actual sites where all this took place. Other tidbits have also intrigued me. Three or four of Henry VIIIs wives were all William's. descendants through one of his daughters since none of his sons had issue. Which is another mystery in itself that we will never have a satisfactory answer for. It was apparent that not all of these 5 sons had barren wives. Strange.

[Marissa]

Jessica, thank you for the heads up last week! I was able to get Shades of Gray last Wednesday. I'm looking forward to reading it soon. :)

[~Leslie~]

Liz, if you are interested in that time period - Sharon Kay Penman has written several books set then. One is . Very good book.

[Sabrina]

Leslie wrote: "Liz, if you are interested in that time period - Sharon Kay Penman has written several books set then. One is. Very good book."

I agree!! By far one of my favorite books.

[Liz]

Leslie wrote: "Liz, if you are interested in that time period - Sharon Kay Penman has written several books set then. One is. Very good book."

Thanks! I will check that out since I just finished the Marshall series and the Carmen Caine books...which I loved. She has a great sense of humor.

But this book... The Bedeviled Heart is on the wrong bookshelf. This book takes place in the late 1400s so would be the second half of the 15th century, not the 14th century.

[Emery, GROUP FOUNDER]

Leslie wrote: "I just picked up the following book on my kindle. It's a pre-order (pub date 7/3/2012, only $3.99) and it looks like it might work for the WWI category.


by Alexis Har..."

Liz wrote: "Is it possible to please add Angelique to the bookshelf?

I have recently located the last book in the "Angelique" series by Anne Golon that has been translated into English (these books are OOP ..."

Hi Liz!
I just saw your message and woudl be happy to add this title to out shelf. Emery

[Emery, GROUP FOUNDER]

Leslie wrote: "I just picked up the following book on my kindle. It's a pre-order (pub date 7/3/2012, only $3.99) and it looks like it might work for the WWI category.


by Alexis Har..."

Hi Leslie! Did you finish this book and would you like to nominate it for our shelf? (Do you recommend it?)
Emery

[~Leslie~]

Hi Liz, no I haven't read it yet. I'm planning on getting to it in the next month or two. Maybe September. Next month is crazy. I will definitely let the group know whether it should be nominated or not.

[Bonnie]

I only have one book left (the Magic of Ordinary Days) to complete my challenge. I enjoyed almost all these books- with a few dud exceptions.

[Emery, GROUP FOUNDER]

Bonnie wrote: "I only have one book left (the Magic of Ordinary Days) to complete my challenge. I enjoyed almost all these books- with a few dud exceptions."

Fantastic news, Bonnie! (Except for the duds!)

[Rebecca]

Are we going to have another challenge like this one for 2013?

[Shea]

Bonnie wrote: "I only have one book left (the Magic of Ordinary Days) to complete my challenge. I enjoyed almost all these books- with a few dud exceptions."

Congratulations Bonnie! I wish I could have tackled the challenge but I have too much other reading going on between two different book groups and my other challenge of reading 7 classics per year (big fail on that this year). You will finish easily since "The Magic of Ordinary Days" is a very short and fast read. I hope you enjoy it. The Hallmark Hall of Fame movie based on the book is pretty good too.

[Bonnie]

Emery wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "I only have one book left (the Magic of Ordinary Days) to complete my challenge. I enjoyed almost all these books- with a few dud exceptions."

Fantastic news, Bonnie! (Except for th..."
I know many people liked the one/s I didn't. I should have said dud to me. Plus timing is a lot of it. I may have liked them more at a different time.

[Bonnie]

Shea wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "I only have one book left (the Magic of Ordinary Days) to complete my challenge. I enjoyed almost all these books- with a few dud exceptions."

Congratulations Bonnie! I wish I coul..."

I started this challenge when I was in a historical reading phase- but lately have been reading more contemporary. Still, I will finish.

[Emery, GROUP FOUNDER]

Rebecca wrote: "Are we going to have another challenge like this one for 2013?"

Absolutely! I may change the theme a bit but we will have a challenge!

[Emery, GROUP FOUNDER]

Bonnie wrote: "Shea wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "I only have one book left (the Magic of Ordinary Days) to complete my challenge. I enjoyed almost all these books- with a few dud exceptions."

Congratulations Bonnie! ..."

It's good to mix it up. I rarely read comtemporary stories but have just started a great romanceAbout Last Night. Really enjoying it.

[Bonnie]

I completed the challenge!

[~Leslie~]

Congratulations! I'm still stuck on 9 out of 12 books. I may complete one more this month. It's been a great challenge, though.

[Gaile, co-librarian]

I have messed up the 2012 reader's challenge by trying to change my goal. It keeps saying user shelf name not entered. I do not know what it wants to get back to where it was! Now it says I left the challenge and I did not!

[Rebecca]

Emery wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "Are we going to have another challenge like this one for 2013?"

Absolutely! I may change the theme a bit but we will have a challenge!"

Sweet... I completed this years challenge and look forward to next.

[Marissa]

Congrats to everyone for finishing the challenge. I joined in late so I probably won't complete it but I'm looking forward to another challenge next year.

[Gaile, co-librarian]

what is the link for rejoining the 2012 challenge????

[Gaile, co-librarian]

Emery! You answered Rebecca's message. I have really messed up on here. If I do something wrong, I can't get it back the way it was. I can't get back the books I read for your challenge even thought I have a shelf for them also when I put something on my bookshelf and later no longer want that bookshelf, I cannot eliminate it. I'm sorry but I read about the fire on FB so probably my complaint is trivial to you but I need to get myself and my books back. I don't know what happened in the first place. The computer just erased me off and now I can't get back. I don't know what user shelf name it wants! If anyone reading this knows, please tell me!

[Bonnie]

Gaile wrote: "Emery! You answered Rebecca's message. I have really messed up on here. If I do something wrong, I can't get it back the way it was. I can't get back the books I read for your challenge even though..."
Gaile, when I click on your name it takes me to your page and your bookshelves and the Emery's 2012 challenge shelf is still there. It only shows up 2 books as read though. Try clicking on your own name on one of these posts and follow the link to your shelf. Then rate and change to read the ones you have completed.

[Gaile, co-librarian]

Is there going to be a 2013 challenge?????

[Rebecca]

Gaile wrote: "Is there going to be a 2013 challenge?????"

She said she would but maybe change it up a little. I wouldn't mind knowing what it's going to be so I can get started.

[Gaile, co-librarian]

Rebecca wrote: "Gaile wrote: "Is there going to be a 2013 challenge?????"

She said she would but maybe change it up a little. I wouldn't mind knowing what it's going to be so I can get started."

So Emery, WHEN??????

[W.D.]

80 Books? I was intimidated at 13! (2013 challeng?) OK, for the guys - check off Ben Hur - it's in the Ancient Rome bookshelf in the RHFL library - that's practically a gimme - and gives us Europe - it's a 2005 release of the 1880 original - it's in every library - and they probably have the movie too - just saying - I mean me, I'm going to read the book very carefully - and maybe skim the movie later.