You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
Challenges: Monthly
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June 2012 Challenge - Let's Go to the Beach
Back from vacation and now I can score my book for this challenge. I read
Subject: (13)
10 points - Romance
2 points - Chick Lit
1 point - Paranormal Fantasy (there is an apple tree that throws apples at people, the main love interest glows purple ... )
Theme: (0)
No theme points
Location: (0)
No Location points
Author (9)
5 points: Last name starts with A
(5 points - Last name starts with a B, E, A, C, or H)
3 points - Has 3 names
1 point - is Female
Cover: (0)
Title: (0)
Stars: (3.5)
Bonus Points: 10 points each: (10)
3) Perennial Gardening Month: One of the characters is an avid gardener.
Bonus Points for Audio Books: (giving myself 3 here; I listened to the first two chapters on audio book)
1) Audio Book Appreciation Month: 10 points if you listen to your book.
Points: 13 + 9 + 3 + 10 +3 = 38
My review is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Thanks Judge Janice :-) I'm happy with 35, I was dubious about the initial so thanks for clarifying
Gaeta1 wrote: "People, I just know that I am going to win this thing--er...if I ever start my book, that is! I just cannot do two audio books at once."LOL! I'm just past the half way mark in 11/22/63 and am going to set it aside for the Toppler so that I can read The Graveyard Book. It will be a good break.
Janice wrote: "Gaeta1 wrote: "People, I just know that I am going to win this thing--er...if I ever start my book, that is! I just cannot do two audio books at once."LOL! I'm just past the half way mark in 11/..."
Janice, did you know you could watch Neil Gaiman read the entire book aloud here? http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour....
Thanks for that link Sharon! If I'd known that site existed, I wouldn't have purchased the audiobook. LOL!
Judy wrote: "Is he good looking? If he is, Janice will be right on it. hehe .."Only if he's a guard at the library! :)
Janice wrote: "Judy wrote: "Is he good looking? If he is, Janice will be right on it. hehe .."Only if he's a guard at the library! :)"
Have you gone back to ogle him some more?
jaxnsmom wrote: "Janice wrote: "Judy wrote: "Is he good looking? If he is, Janice will be right on it. hehe .."Only if he's a guard at the library! :)"
Have you gone back to ogle him some more?"
He wasn't there the last time I was at the library. :(
Great - an excuse to read another Janet Evanovitch. Very enjoyable fluff, easy reading, rom-com combined with detective thriller. I'll be reading High Five
Turns out Box Socials is pretty *L*iterary, not really a beach read. I'll get through it, I think, but I might get around to something fluffier after the Toppler.
Janice wrote: "Gaeta1 wrote: "People, I just know that I am going to win this thing--er...if I ever start my book, that is! I just cannot do two audio books at once."LOL! I'm just past the half way mark in 11/..."
I loved The Graveyard Book. I've read it and listened to it. The audiobook is awesome!
I haven't read Coraline. I've enjoyed Gaiman's adult novels very much. Stardust was just so-so for me. The Graveyard Book is both my hubby's and my favorite.
Just finished
by Charlaine Harris. It's basically the same as the first one, but with a higher body count, so it would give me 24 too :)I've just made a start on Perdido Street Station, which I don't really think is a 'beach read'. I reckon it'll keep me busy for a while, but I'll try and squeeze in another one for the challenge before the end of the month.
Jane in SC wrote: "I am thinking about an audiobook (my first!) of Mary Higgins Clark's 
Plumbing For Willy."Yeah! I was hoping we'd have someone listening to their first audiobook.
Janice wrote: "Jane in SC wrote: "I am thinking about an audiobook (my first!) of Mary Higgins Clark's Plumbing For Willy."Yeah! I was hoping we'd have someone listening to their..."
You were the only one :)
Oh well, I do think everyone should try audiobooks - a good narrator adds a whole other dimension to the pleasure of a good book! And who doesn't enjoy having someone tell them a story? :D
I finished
The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews. An extremely annoying book. My point counting also doubles as my mini review :pGenre:
10 points - Romance (are they in high school, or what? Very cheesy and not romantic, totally impalusible!)
2 points - Chick Lit (maybe for baby chicks, like 10-12 year olds, except for the sex, which wasn't even that good)
Theme:
Wedding (none, but the moronic boyfriend proposed after only a few actual dates, two sexual encounters, and only knowing each other a few months)
3 points - Adventure (could possibly qualify if learning to restore a house counts [esp. if you're perfect at it], and dealing with being accused of bribing a senator with hookers)
1 point - Music (she listens to her iPod while working on the house [a lot of Michael Jackson, sorry, not a fan] and several other people like to hum)(oh, and moronic boyfriend hummed song from the big dance before asking her to stay with him)
Location:
She visits her dad in Florida, but only for a few days, and no wonder, he and his much younger wife are jackasses.
Author:
5 points - Last name starts with a B, E, A, C, or H
3 points - Has 3 names
1 point - is Female
Cover:
1 point - Author's name across the top (I would have been so embarrassed to claim this book that I would have insisted my name be printed in the tiniest font possible, hidden on the cover like one of those hidden object puzzles)
Title: Is appropriate, this book needs a lot of fixing up.
Stars:
2 points - 2 stars
Bonus Points for Audio Books:
1) Audio Book Appreciation Month: 10 points if you listen to your book.
35 points (I didn't count adventure, although maybe I should have - it was a nightmare trip for me)
jaxnsmom wrote: "Janice wrote: "Jane in SC wrote: "I am thinking about an audiobook (my first!) of Mary Higgins Clark's Plumbing For Willy."...a good narrator adds a whole other dimension to the pleasure of a good book! "
The narrator is Carol Higgins Clark.
jaxnsmom wrote: "2 points - Chick Lit (maybe for baby chicks, like 10-12 year olds, except for the sex, which wasn't even that good)..."Well! What good is a book that has bad sex in it?
Box Socials by W.P. Kinsella just barely qualifies. It is 'smart but not too heavy' and I would take it travelling.Genre:
10 points - Romance
Theme:
4 points - Wedding
2 points - Sports
Location:
none (Norway was mentioned, but we never went there. ;)
Author:
3 points - Has 3 names
2 points - First name is one syllable
Cover:
2 points - Red lettering
1 point - Author's name across the top
Title: none
Stars: 4 points - 4 stars
28 points max - probably take out the 10 for Romance, cuz it was def. a theme, but not so much a genre. And the author's name is also iffy, so maybe less 3 more points, so probably actually only 15 points. :)
Gaeta1 wrote: "If Jane is doing her first audio book (35 points) than we will be left far, far, behind on the racking-up points quest. Which is fine--I love audio books and it is great to see someone else enjoy ..."It doesn't have to be romance. It could be a mystery. Will your family listen to a romantic mystery?
Cheryl in CC NV wrote: " Box Socials by W.P. Kinsella just barely qualifies. It is 'smart but not too heavy' and I would take it travelling.Genre:
10 points - Romance
Theme:
4 points - Wedding
2..."
I will give you Romance. And I'll take away 5 for author (initials don't count)
Total - 23 points
Tx. I may try again after the TBR Toppler.
Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "28 points max - probably take out the 10 for Romance, cuz it was def. a theme, but not so much a genre. And the author's name is also iffy, so maybe less 3 more points, so probably actually only 15 points. :)"That's right Cheryl, keep on deducting til you get to zero :) I assume you're feeling guilty after all those points in May.
LOL! I am, actually, feeling a twinge of guilt. Not enough to purposefully have chosen a low-scoring book though!
Oh heffalumps. I'll go down to the book exchange and figure things out...trouble is that anything I read tends to be a beach read as long as it's less than 400 pages... and I like reading heavy literature! So I'll try to find something at the moment that's well-written-- everything free on the kindle looks icky.
CHERYL: You are fantastic. I never think of not worrying about points until it's too late and I've already worried. I'll search through my easier books, find something I wouldn't mind reading, and go with that.Er... would anyone accept The Alchemist for this? It's got nothing to do with water, of course, but it's a pretty easy read from what I see, and it's a short book, and um... I want to read it.
If no one takes that, I've got Edward Payson Roe, who wrote older books that aren't being reviewed on GR. They're really sweet romances.
I've been doing that all year, Gaeta. I've read 92 'pringle'/bubblegum books this year. I've read 166 books total. You can understand, perhaps, my desire to read THE ALCHEMIST instead?
Alright, I think I've got The Secret by Julie Garwood. I'll sit down and read that after the toppler. ^_^There's at least 5 points, there. XD
And I'm definitely not mad.
Started my June tippler today, and it's a hoot! Tomato Rhapsody: A Novel of Love, Lust, and Forbidden Fruit. Had a cuppa before leaving home this morning, and another on the plane. Should I be recording this somewhere? (sorry if I've missed some instructions somewhere!). The woman in the seat next to me was reading Death Comes to Pemberley, and said she was really enjoying it. has anyone read it? Did you like it? I'm so intrigued !
Sharon wrote: "Started my June tippler today, and it's a hoot! Tomato Rhapsody: A Novel of Love, Lust, and Forbidden Fruit. Had a cuppa before leaving home this morning, and another on the plane. Should I be recording this somewhere?.."You've veered off course somewhere Sharon. This thread is for the challenge discussion. You want the TBR Toppler discussion thread which is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9...
To report your daily totals for the Tippler group, post here:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9...
It's no big deal. There's always someone around who can get you back on course.
Ended up reading Marvellous Hairy by Mark A. Rayner for this challenge and my god it was funny (probably a good thing I wasn't on a beach while reading it giving the amount of boistrous laughter that resulted...), points as follows:Genre - Mystery = 3pts
Theme - Wedding and Adventure = 7 pts
Location - 0 pts
Author - Lives near the ocean and 1 syllable first name = 6
Cover - Has a sun on it = 3 pts
Title - 0 pts
Stars - 5pts
No bonus or extras :-(
Total = 24 points (but soooo worth the read!)
by Suzanne Collins Completed 6/11/12Point Qualifiers:
Genre:
4 points - Young Adult
Theme:(war) no points
Location: (fictitious) no points
Author:
5 points - Last name starts with a B, E, A, C, or H
1 point - is Female
Cover: no points
Title:
5 points - Is one word which starts with the letters "S, U, M, M, E, or R"
Stars:
4 points - 4 stars
Bonus Points for Audio Books:
1) Audio Book Appreciation Month: 10 points if you listen to your book.
Total=29 pts
Sam wrote: "Ended up reading Marvellous Hairy by Mark A. Rayner for this challenge and my god it was funny (probably a good thing I wasn't on a beach while reading it giving the amount of boistrous laughter th..."Sounds good, I'm adding it to the groaning tbr shelf.
My score for High Five
;Genre: mystery 3
Author's name starts with E: 5
Female author: 1
Name at the top of the cover: 1
Stars 4: 4
Total - 14
I'd quite like to claim an extra 10 point for it being romance as well as mystery, though this might be cheating. It's got a great ending (which isn't a spoiler, more of a cliff hanger) " "Nice dress," he said. "Take it off." "
Alison: Best part of the series so far-- I've finished #9. XD
Gaeta1 wrote: "Drat! I listened to my proposed book and the narrator is just terrible. A grating American accent for a Brit romance AND bad Scots burrs--no way can I put up with that for 10 hours. I am STILL det..."I love the narrator for the Parasol Protectorate series! She does an amazing job. And I agree with you that poor accents can ruin a story-telling.
Alison wrote: "My score for High Five;Genre: mystery 3
Author's name starts with E: 5
Female author: 1
Name at the top of the cover: 1
Stars 4: 4
Total - 14
I'd quite like to claim an extra..."
Yes - the extra 10 points applies. Many readers have tagged it as a romance. So that makes 24 points.
Dracula in Love by Karen Essex.Genre:
10 - Romance
1 - Paranormal/fantasy
Theme:
4 - Wedding (2 weddings in this book)
Author:
5 - Author's last name begins with an "E"
4 - Author lives near the ocean
1 - Author is female
Cover:
5 - Cover is primarily black
Rating:
4
Total - 34 points
I'm not much into romance novels, but this one was a bit unique and likeable. No great writing going on here, but good entertainment. A lot of talk about sex, a bit more explicit than you'd expect characters to think/discuss in that era. All women were nymphomaniacs way back when, according to the "esteemed" doctors. It was nice to read the Dracula story from the point-of-view of a woman.
I'm moving that one up on my wishlist, Debra. :)
Janice wrote: "I'm moving that one up on my wishlist, Debra. :)"Cool, let me know what you think!
Janice wrote: "For June 2012, the challenge is "Let's Go to the Beach". In honour of summer, read a book that you would take to the beach or travel with.
My book is :
Genre: Romance, although not a bodice ripper. Doesn't really qualify as Chick lit. I would place it in domestic fiction except for the underlying current of sexual tension that is never alleviated - 10 pts.
Theme: Summer holidays, college reunion, lost love, potential wedding, and of course adventure 5 + 3 = 8 pts.
Location: United States and Philipines. One character is from Florida...Maybe 1 point?
Author: Marisa de los Santos, 1 pt for female
Cover: 1 point - Author's name across the top
Title: Falling together - none
Stars: 3 stars - 3 pts.
Bonus Points: Fathers are characters, but not the main character.
Bonus Points for Audio Books: 10 pts.
Total is 33 pts.
Well, I was going to try to read various books to see which would best fit, but have decided not to try to increase my score. The book I read, Mistress by Amanda Quick (a pseudonym of Jayne Ann Krentz), was one of my favorites by her so far. Very light and fun.Genre:
10 points - Romance
3 points - Mystery
Theme:
4 points - Wedding
Location: 0
Author:
4 points - Lives near the ocean
3 points - Has 3 names (her real name)
2 points - First name is one syllable (her real name)
1 point - is Female
Cover:
2 points - Red lettering
1 point - Author's name across the top
Title:
5 points - Is one word which starts with the letters "S, U, M, M, E, or R"
Stars:
4 points - 4 stars
Bonus Points: 0
Bonus Points for Audio Books: 0
TOTAL POINTS: 39
Gaeta1 wrote: "Argh! I finished my book--but I am not going to win as I REFUSE to do the follow-up on Audio. I should have stuck with The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie Ugh, again, I say! I like silly, but not dum..."Which book did you read Gaeta? I'm sorry that it wasn't a good experience for you.
Here are my grand totals! Death Comes to Pemberley
1 point - Author's name across the top
3 points – Mystery
3 points – 3 stars
3 points – author has 3 names (er. though I don't really know what two of them are! P. D.)
1 point – author is female.
3 points – 3 stars
total: 14 points
Tomato Rhapsody: A Novel of Love, Lust, and Forbidden Fruit
10 points – romance
4 points – wedding
4 points – author lives near beach (L.A.)
1 point – title has a fruit in it (though some would say a tomato is a veggie!)
4 points – 4 stars
10 points – main character is avid tomato gardener
Total: 34 points
This gives me a grand total of 48.
this was fun, but next time, I hope to be not travelling to parts unknown and without wifi next Toppler week! (I did think of the challenge and all of you each time I drank my tea that week, though, so that counts for being in with the spirit of the thing, don't you think? ;-))
I read Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta for this challenge. The book reminds me a bit of the fantasy books I used to read by Robin McKinley.Points:
Genre:
10 points - Romance
4 points - Young Adult
Theme:
3 points - Adventure
Location:
0 points
Author:
4 points - Lives near the ocean
1 point - is Female
Cover:
1 point - Author's name across the top
Title:
2 points - Has a name of a city in it ("Rock" as a fictional city)
Stars:
5 points - 5 stars
Bonus Points:
Unfortunately none although the book talks a lot about father/son relationships. (The main character is the son though.)
Bonus Points for Audio Books:
0 points
Total Points
30 points
Sharon wrote: "Here are my grand totals! Death Comes to Pemberley
1 point - Author's name across the top
3 points – Mystery
3 points – 3 stars
3 points – author has 3 names (er. though I don't really know what..."
Oh! and I should add that though I originally said I'd read three (what was I thinkinG!!!) I only read two and changed my challenge to fit.
Sharon wrote: "Here are my grand totals! Death Comes to Pemberley
1 point - Author's name across the top
3 points – Mystery
3 points – 3 stars
3 points – author has 3 names (er. though I don't really know what..."
You can read as many books for the challenge as you like, but we only count your highest scoring book. We will count Tomato Rhapsody for you.
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
Long Walk to Freedom (other topics)Third Grave Dead Ahead (other topics)
Third Grave Dead Ahead (other topics)
Third Grave Dead Ahead (other topics)
Plumbing For Willy (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Mary Higgins Clark (other topics)Carol Higgins Clark (other topics)
Mary Higgins Clark (other topics)
Melina Marchetta (other topics)
Melina Marchetta (other topics)
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Romance 10
I'd say it's chick lit too 2
Wedding 4
Adventure 3 it is set on a ranch for visitors who can go horse riding, in trips, etc (d..."
I would count 35. I have in the past asked for an author with initials in his/her name, so there is a differentiation between a name and initial established.