12 Books of Christmas - the Official Game Room

[Tien]

This is where you can:
1. Register you interest in participating in the game
2. Share your reading plan
3. Update your progress / changes in reading plan

[Tien]

I'm disqualifying myself from the present but I can still read along with you!! So as an example, here's my reading plan

ok, I've been changing my list every few days but I've just been to the library and this is FINAL

C: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
H: The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
R: The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall
I: I Coriander by Sally Gardner
S: The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Laura Willig
T: The Two Pearls of Wisdom by Alison Goodman
M: The Messenger by Markus Zusak
A: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
S: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

D: Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben
A: Around the world in 80 days by Jules Verne
Y: Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

[Lynlee4]

woo!
What if we've read they book already. Read Holidays on Icea while ago - do I need to re-read? It was great, I love Sedaris!

[Andrew]

Well, I'm joining, I'll post my list later on tomorow or this weekend probably!

[Tien]

>Lynlee,the only must read book for this challenge is A Christmas Carol, the rest of them is up to you, the only condition being the title has to begin with certain letters to enable you to spell CHRISTMAS DAY and you have to read them in that order :)

[Catamorandi]

I decided to make them all Christmas and angel books. Here are the ones I picked:

C A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
H Home for Christmas by Nora Roberts
R A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
I An Irish Country Christmas by Patrick Taylor
S Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas by Ace Collins
T A Treasury of Christmas Miracles by Karen Kinsgbury
M The Magical Christmas by Heather Graham
A An Angel for Emily by Jude Deveraux
S The Spy Who Came for Christmas by David Morrell

D A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid
A The Angel Inside by Chris Widener
Y Yuletide Treasure by Lauraine Snelling & Jillian Hart

[Lynlee4]

duh! sorry - i was having a senior moment...

[Melissa]

Ohhh fun! Hmmm, let's see . . .

C: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
H: The Husband by Dean Koontz
R: Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig (this might change, if I can find something shorter)
I: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
S: The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore
T: Take the Cannoli by Sarah Vowell
M: Marley and Me by John Grogan
A: All the Presidents' Children: Triumph and Tragedy in the Lives of America's First Families by Doug Wead (if I can find this book)
S: Superstud: Or How I Became a 24-year-old Virgin by Paul Feig (Might end up being Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson, since it's most likely a quick read)

D: Dress Your Family In Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris (this might change, if I don't get around to reading A Dirty Job this month)
A: Absolute Power by David Baldacci
Y: Yo, Millard Fillmore! (And All Those Other Presidents You Don't Know) by Will Cleveland

[Tien]

>Operandi, Cool! I'm glad you're right into the spirit of it! :)

>Mel, I've got to check out 'Take the Cannoli' - the title just drew me, I love cannolis, YUM!

[Lisa]

This sounds like fun. I am going to have to go through my TBR shelf and figure out my strategy.

[Melissa]

I might already have to change my Y book. My local library doesn't have it, and I couldn't find it at the bookstore today. Bummer!

Karen, I love Sarah Vowell!!

[Lynlee4]

I'll give this a go and will set my deadline as end of January '09
Christmas Carol-Dickens
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-Adams
Revenge of the Middle Aged Woman-Buchan
In Cold Blook-Capote
Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants-Brashares
Tell No One-Coben
Memory Keeper's Daughter-Edwards
Alchemist-Coehlo
Spot of Bother-Haddon

Day, Wiesel
A - ?
Y - ?

[Catamorandi]

I am changing my H and my Y, because the books I had listed are not in my library.

H Home for the Holidays by Debbie Mccomber
Y Yuletide Homecoming by Carolyne Aarsen

With these two added, all of my books are ordered from the library, and I should get them soon.

[Catamorandi]

I'm changing H again. This book is also the book of the month in one of my groups.

H Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

There will be no more changes. I promise.

[Melissa]

Okay, I'm changing my T to The Time Traveler's Wife, my second S to Shoot the Moon, and my second A to The Art of Racing in the Rain. I'm trying to use as many books as I have at home on this challenge.

[Tien]

Good one, Mel! I love the Time Traveller's Wife!

Can't wait for the movie tho I'm a little bit iffy about Eric Banner as Henry :p

[Lisa]

OK, this is my preliminary plan...
C: Christmas Carol - Dickens
H: Helmet of Horror - Pelevin
R: Reckoning - Penman
I: Ilium - Simmons
S: The Shack - Young
T: Tess of the D'Urbvilles - Hardy
M: The Magus - Fowles
A: Anna Karenina - Tolstoy
S: Short History of Myth - Armstrong
D: Dream Angus - McCall Smith
A: American Gods - Gaiman
Y: Yiddish Policeman's Union - Chabon

I might change some of these to help more with my A-Z authors challenge. I still have some letters left for that.

[Melissa]

Lisa, I have the Yiddish Policemen's Union as a possibility for my Y. :-) If you finish before me, I'd love to know what you think!

[Kate]

I want to compete in this challenge...

C- Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
H- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
R- Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
I- If I am so Smart, Why Can't I Lose Weight by Brooke Castillo
S- Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark
T- Time Travelor's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
M- Madame Bovary by Gustave Glaubert
A- Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
S- Stardust? or Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen or The Secret Life of Bees.

D- The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger or
A- American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield
Y- You Belong to Me by Mary Higgins Clark

These are subject to change. Right now this is just what I am think!
*Sorry, I went to edit it but I guess I pressed the delete button*

[Angela]

I would like to participate in this, but I will post my pickings later. Sounds like fun!

[Kate]

Natasha, they don't have to be Christmas books if you don't want them to be... just the first one (Christmas Carol) has to be.

[Kate]

I am struggling with I. I don't like my book for I. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Julianne]

I have Interred with Their Bones. Don't know if it's at all your genre, but that's my idea, Kathryn

[Kerryn]

Hey,
This sounds like fun. am i too late to participate????

[Jamie]

Kathryn - I would think that A is for Alibi would count as an "A" book since it's referencing the actual letter. It's not a grammatical article in this case. Anyway, some of my "I" books include:

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Ill Wind by Nevada Barr
I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Imagined London by Anna Quindlen

[Melissa]

Kerryn, you have until December 1st to join in! And, I'm sure no one would really care if you hopped in after that, as long as you read your books in order. Have fun!

[Liz]

Christmas Carol, A – Charles Dickens
How Reading Changed my Life – Anna Quindlen
Red Azalea - Anchee Min
I Feel Bad About My Neck: and other thoughts on being a woman - Nora Ephron
Soundless - Lysa Williams
Think and Grow Rich - N. Hill
Mercy, A – Tony Morrison
Angel Doll, The – Jerry Bledsoe
S

Drawing of Three, The – Stephen King
Alchemist, The – Paulo Coelho
Yellow Wallpaper & Other Writings – Charlotte Perkins Gillman

Some of these may change as we get going, but as for now, this is the plan. And is Non-Fiction OK?

[Julianne]

Okay, I'm gonna try for this. I have a hard time reading things in order, though...

C: A Christmas Carol
H: Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince
R: Rebel Angels (Gemma Doyle #2)
I: Interred with their Bones
S: Smashed, Splattered....
T: Twentieth Century Ghosts
M: My Sister's Keeper
A: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
S: Stupidest Angel

D: Darkest Evening of the Year
A: Alive in Necropolis (hope I get this for my BD or XMAS)
Y: Yiddish Policeman's Union

[Kate]

What about if you read several books at once? Can you do that and then just make sure you finish them in that order, or should you be reading a different book altogether?

[Tien]

Liz - fiction or non-fiction is up to you, any book's ok :)

Kathryn, how many books do you read in one go? I guess all's good if you finish them in the prescribed order :)

[Kate]

I read two or three at a time. I like to take thinner books in my purse and I like to leave a book by my bed and one at my desk.

[Liz]

I usually read 2 books at once too.

[Melody]

What is the time frame for reading these 12 books or is it just ongoing?

[Tien]

>Melody

As per the Official Rules discussion, there is no time frame however whoever finishes first (needs to message me to let me know) will get a little gift from me :)

[Kerryn]

yay! guys,
so far ive thought of only a few for my list, so i'll post it when i have a complete list.

[Kate]

Are we allowed to change our list after the challenge starts?

[Luann]

Sounds like fun! My own rule was that the titles all had to come from my existing TBR list, except A Christmas Carol and Skipping Christmas. I like to read Skipping Christmas every December anyhow - except for a few years after the movie since I couldn't read it without Tim Allen's voice in my head. Completely ruined it for me.

Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Room with a View by E.M. Forster
Incident at Badamya by Dorothy Gilman
Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor
Troubling a Star by Madeleine L'Engle
Mammoth by John Varley
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau
Alchemyst, The by Michael Scott
Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy

Started 12/1/08
Finished 12/19/08

[Tien]

>Kathryn,
the list is flexible, you can change it if you want to during the challenge.

[Christina]

I'm definitely in! I'm halfway through my list (having a bit of trouble with both As, R, T and Y =/) but hopefully I'll post it up tomorrow.:D

[Terri]

What a fun idea! Count me in! I've taken all my books from my TBR pile .... but I don't have A Christmas Carol, so need to get hold of that one, and I have no books beginning with Y so will look for some inspiration on that one!

My books are (subject to change!!)

C a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
H How To Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward
R the Red Tent by Anita Diamant
I the Island by Victoria Hislop
S Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roch
T Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Aherne
M Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
A Alentejo Blue by Monica Ali
S Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham

D the Diving-Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
A Are You Dave Gorman? by Dave Gorman
Y Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

[Tricia]

This sounds like fun. I do have a question tho. My copy of A christmas Carol is in audio format would that be acceptable?

[Perkin]

Here's my list, although I might change H, not sure if I want to read two Dickens books in a row. Maybe I'll read one of the Harry Potter books instead.

Christmas Carol (Dickens)
Hard Times (Dickens again)
Restaurant and the end of the Universe (Douglas Adams)
Iliad (Homer)
Study in Scarlet (Arthur Conan Doyle)
Thief of time (Terry Pratchett)
Madame Bovary (Flaubert)
Awkward Age (Henry James)
Solomon Kane (Robert E. Howard)
Dr Who and the monster of Peladon (Terrance Dicks)
Adolf Hitler, my part in his downfall (Spike Milligan)
Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

[Tien]

> Tricia

Yes, audio's acceptable :)

[Tricia]

ok great! I will be getting my selection together so I'll be ready by Dec 1.

[Vicki]

Hi all, just an FYI. I saw A Christmas Carol on Itunes as a complete audiobook for 2.95 if anyone is interested.

[Sonja]

This is a really great idea and as I've never done one of these I'm really eager to try it!

Here's my *updated* list:

Christmas Carol, A - Charles Dickens
Holidays on Ice - David Sedaris
Restaurant at the End of the Universe, The - Douglas Adams
It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken - Greg Behrendt & Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt
Silver Pigs, The - Lindsey Davis
3 Willows - Ann Brashares
Mysteries of Pittsburgh - Michael Chabon
Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, The - M.T. Anderson
Spice, The History of a Temptation - Jack Turner

Dead Travel Fast, Stalking Vampires from Nosferatu to Count Chocula - Eric Nuzum
Alchemist, The - Paulo Coelho
YOU on a Diet - Michael F. Roizen & Mehmet C. Oz

[Tien]

>Sonja

Yes, plays count too :)
I read that one for school - I love it!

[Terri]

Vicki, are you in the US? Wonder if that is available on the UK i-tunes too!! Off to have a look :) I've never 'listened' to a book before, but quite fancy this one!

[Kate]

I have tried to listen to books before, but I don't like most of the readers. There voices are annoying!

[Vicki]

Kathryn, I am so fussy about the voice, but I wasn't bothered by the one I heard for A Christmas Carol.

Suzie, Yeah I am in the US, but I hope you find it too. There are a few versions on there when I looked.