Suzan’s Comments (group member since May 28, 2021)

Suzan’s comments from the 2021 Big Book Summer Reading Challenge group.

Hello to all 2021 Big Book Summer participants!

Just wanted to let you know that Big Book Summer Challenge 2022 has officially begun! Here are all the details on my blog:
https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/wel...

And a new Goodreads group for 2022:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Hope you'll join the fun again this summer!

Thanks, Elinor! Ironically, the first few books I read after the challenge ended have also - just by chance - been 400+ pages! I'm into the fall #RIPxvi challenge now - reading darker stuff for the season. I love fall!

Congratulations, Deb! Glad you enjoyed the challenge again!

And Big Book Summer 2022 is officially (finally!) wrapped up!

We had 53 participants total, and Deb from Chicago was this year's Big Book Summer Giveaway winner!!

You can read the full summary - of my own Big Book Summer and the full challenge - here:

(What??? Suddenly, Goodreads is not allowing links to external sites in comments, which puts a big damper on our discussions for next summer! In the meantime, you can visit my blog at (I will leave out the www and see if that gets past) - bookbybook.blogspot dot com)

Still catching up!

I posted my last Big Book review, of A Better Man by Louise Penny:

https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2021/...

And here is my video wrap-up of my own Big Book Summer, from my YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFLOj...

Still working on the full challenge wrap-up on my blog (hope to get it up this weekend), but I can tell you we had 51 participants in the challenge this summer! More to come ...

I am a bit behind, due to the move and the virus, but I did post two more reviews of the last Big Books I finished:

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang, a graphic novel (excellent!):

https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2021/...

And my BIGGEST book of the summer, Anna Karenina:

https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2021/...

Will post my full wrap-up this week!

Linda wrote: "Finished #7 I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump's Catastrophic Final Year. It will be a long time before I stop shaking my head in disbelief that our country elected such an unintel..."

Scary, isn't it, Linda?? Congratulations on an excellent Big Book Summer!

Melinda wrote: "I thought I was a failure at this challenge, but I realized that I actually finished quite a few Big Books, although none were the ones I planned:
1. MAGPIE MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz
2. BURY YOUR..."

Way to go, Melinda! Sometimes it works that way - best laid plans! Glad you enjoyed your Big Books this summer!

Melissa wrote: "Thanks for another great Big Book Summer Challenge, Sue! I finished 3 excellent books:
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
[book:The Menopause Manifesto: Own ..."

Congratulations on a great Big Book Summer, Melissa! Sounds like some interesting (and varied!) Big Books for you. Glad they were all good! Thanks for participating again!

Elinor wrote: "And this is my recap. I’ve started Scythe but won’t be finished in time either - it’ is good though.

This summer, I read:
1. The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett
2. The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas..."

Congratulations on a great Big Book Summer, Elinor! Wow, you made a sizable dent in that list you had at the start of summer - way to go! And you got to some of my all-time favorites - so glad you liked them, too!

Victoria wrote: "Suzan wrote: "Yesterday (Saturday), I finished my last 3 Big Books for the summer! Don't be too impressed - one was in print, one on audio, and the third was a graphic novel - they just happened to..."

I enjoyed it, Vicki! A bit different than I expected. Very long but not difficult to read. Here's my review:

https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2021/...

Rose wrote: "Looks like I won't finish Jonathan Strange by Labor Day -- but I'm still plugging through.

So as a recap for my big book summer reads:

1. This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell
2. Jane Seymou..."

Congratulations, Rose, on an outstanding Big Book Summer! Wow, you read a LOT of Big Books and sounds like some great ones on your list. So glad you enjoyed the challenge and are looking forward to next summer's!

Sorry I've been missing everyone's Big Book Summer wrap-ups! After a busy week moving my FIL into Assisted Living, I got hit by a very nasty stomach virus Friday. Think I am finally past the worst of it this morning & my stomach seems to be settling finally, but I'm still very weak and a bit achy. Glad I've had a good book to read!

Will catch up here ...

Tina wrote: "I made it under the wire. I finished Great Circle this past Sunday."

Nice going, Tina! Hope you enjoyed it.

Yesterday (Saturday), I finished my last 3 Big Books for the summer! Don't be too impressed - one was in print, one on audio, and the third was a graphic novel - they just happened to all wrap up on the same day! Saturday I finished:

- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
- Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
- A Better Man by Louise Penny (audio)

I think that makes 12 total for the summer! (including audios) I'll review these 3 last ones and do my official wrap-up on my blog this week. (busy week - we're moving my 96-yo FIL to Assisted Living)

Victoria wrote: "One day shy of Labor Day and I’ve tallied up my big books list for the summer (well Goodreads has thoughtfully tallied for me). I read 14 books over 400 pages, including 3 that I rated as 5 star, s..."

Wow, 14 Big Books - way to go, Vicki!! Sounds like you had an awesome Big Book Summer! Glad you joined the challenge again this year.

Allen wrote: "I read 3"

Nicely done, Allen! Hope you enjoyed them all. Thanks for joining the fun again this summer!

Kate wrote: "I snuck in a 3rd Big Book: A Better Man by Louise Penny. I am on vacation and I was looking for a mystery and remembered it was on my shelf. I wrote a brief review and I gave it 3 stars. This was n..."

Congrats in finishing a 3rd Big Book and ending the summer strong, Kate! Coincidentally, I just read A Better Man, too! I listened on audio - it was only my 2nd Louise Penny novel ever, so I really enjoyed it.

Glad you enjoyed the challenge!

Heidi'sbooks wrote: "I finished Pachinko before the end of August. I need to write a review soon! I think that'll be my last big book finished. Thanks for hosting the event each year!"

Way to go, Heidi!! I hope you enjoyed it - I loved Pachinko. Glad you joined the fun this summer!

Victoria wrote: "I’m still here and reading! Hope to finish my latest this week, The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois. It’s fantastic if anyone may be interested in it. It’s also 800 pages! When are we ending? Labor Day?"

Wow, that's a hefty one, Vicki! Glad you're enjoying it. Yes, Labor Day is the end of the challenge :)