Suzan’s Comments (group member since May 25, 2023)

Suzan’s comments from the Big Book Summer Reading Challenge 2023 group.

Shout-out to all 2023 Big Book Summer participants:

After a few technical difficulties, the 2024 Big Book Summer Reading Challenge is now officially live!

All the details here: https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/big...

And the new 2024 Goodreads group for Big Book Summer here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Hope you'll join the fun again!

Theresa wrote: "I only finished one but gave it 5 stars. This was my first time with BBS and I really enjoyed it. The one I finished is The Summer House by James Patterson. Thank you Suzan!"

One 5-star Big Book is wonderful, Theresa! Glad you enjoyed it - hope you'll be back for more fun next year!

Maureen M wrote: "Thanks so much for hosting this challenge. This is my second summer, and it really is fun to use the summer to attack some bigger books on the TBR. I'm already looking forward to next year. Definit..."

So glad you enjoyed it, Maureen - and that you are already looking forward to Big Book Summer 2024!

I posted the Wrap-Up for Big Book Summer 2023! You can read it on my blog:
https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/...

Or watch the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGF3...

Both include the overall summary of the entire challenge, plus my own wrap-up. We had a record 60 participants this summer, and Greg of Another Bibliophile Reads YouTube channel won the end-of-summer giveaway.

I hope you all enjoyed your Big Books and the discussions this summer!

Kim wrote: "Thanks for hosting this fun challenge again this summer, Sue! I held off reading several books until after Memorial Day so that they would qualify:-)

I haven’t been as active on this GR thread as ..."

Wow, Kim, that's a LOT of Big Books this summer! And a big variety, too. I'm so glad to hear you liked Project Hail Mary - that was my #1 book read last year - it was just such a surprising delight and so joyful - loved the focus on connections :)

Chris wrote: "I finished Brenda Wineapple’s biography of Hawthorne yesterday, my second 400+ book for the challenge.

Thanks for another fun summer of Big Books, Sue!"

Well done, Chris! I think you should get extra credit for Ulysses!

I reviewed another of my last Big Books: Afterland by Lauren Beukes. This fast-paced, action-packed sci fi thriller takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that is 99+% female, as a mother tries desperately to protect her son. Gripping!
My full review & an audio sample:
https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/...

Allen wrote: "I read 2, the ferryman by Justin Cronin and cloud cucko land . I didn’t get to love songs of WEB Dubois but may read that over Christmas. My schedule didn’t really work out for me to actually sit d..."

Wonderful, Allen! Love Songs of WEB DuBois is on my list for next year, for sure.

Melissa wrote: "Echoing everyone else to say thanks to you, Sue, for hosting once again! This is always a fun event no matter how much or little we read. Cheers to summer 2023 and here's looking forward to 2024!"

Thanks, Melissa!! It's fun for me, too :)

I'm not actually a fan of summer anymore - just too hot and humid for me (though this summer had a few high points) - so I always look forward to Big Book Summer - it definitely brightens my season!

Kate wrote: "Last summer, I read 6 Big Books which was an outlier for me, in general, I only have read 3. Back to my old ways, I read only 3, but I gave them all 5 stars. I read Summer Sisters by Judy Blume, So..."

That sounds like a wonderful Big Book Summer, Kate ... but what about Ulysses? Didn't you also buddy read that with Chris?

I've been meaning to read Russo for years - he's going on my Christmas wish list.

Glad you enjoyed another Big Book Summer, Kate!

HAPPY LABOR DAY IN THE US AND HAPPY LAST DAY OF BIG BOOK SUMMER!!

I just finished my last Big Book in print, The Night Fire by Michael Connelly, featuring all three Connelly main characters: Bosch, Ballard, and the Lincoln Lawyer! It was excellent - and also serves as my first book read for the R.I.P. Challenge in fall (even though it's 95 here today).

Just 20 minutes left of my last Big Book on audio, A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny, which I'll finish in a bit. Everyone is safe - it's all over, except the explaining!

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Big Book Summer, and I hope you'll participate again next year!

Remember, the links list on the challenge page on my blog and this group will remain open for a bit, if you want to post reviews or wrap-ups (I started a new thread here for Wrap-ups).

Kate wrote: "I finished David Copperfield this morning and loved it!"

Wonderful, Kate! I read it a few years ago for Big Book Summer and loved it also :)

Kiersten wrote: "While I went completely off-script from my original Big Book plans, I did pretty well! I did DNF a couple, Mad Honey and The Overstory (for now?), though in addition to some great "regular-sized" r..."

Well done, Kiersten! I've been hearing such good things about The Postcard. I hope you enjoy the rest of Covenant of Water - that was definitely a popular one for Big Book Summer this year!

Lynne wrote: "I finished two big books this summer: Greenwood by Michael Christie and How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny.
I am already looking forward to next year."

Congrats on a good Big Book Summer, Lynne! I'm listening to the latest Louise Penny now - going to finish it today for my last Big Book!

I wrote my review of Lines of Courage by Jennifer Nielsen, a middle-grade novel:
This suspenseful & engrossing historical novel follows 5 young people in different European countries during WWI. Excellent on audio, gripping, and I learned a lot! See my full review and a sample of the audio:
https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2023/...

D.L. wrote: "I only finished 1 big book (The Betsy-Tacy Treasury) but I am happy with that because it's the first time I've been able to say I completed the big book challenge in all the years I've been trying ..."

That's great, D.L.! Glad you enjoyed the challenge this year!

Bill wrote: "I read 2 of the 5 books that I said I was going to read. The other 6 books that I read instead were just under 400 pages each.

I read:
Streets Of Laredo by Larry McMurtry which was very good
The E..."

Well done, Bill! Sounds like a fun Big Book Summer. I think Lonesome Dover might be my Big Book Classic for next summer (and for June on the Range).

Elinor wrote: "Had an exceptionally good reading summer due to being off work - 11 big books (can hardly believe it to be honest!), which you can find listed here.

I'd definitely recommend:

The Testaments by Ma..."

Congratulations, Elinor - 11 Big Books is wonderful! So glad you enjoyed If You Want to Make God Laugh and Pachinko - two of my favorites! Will check out your wrap-up post. I'm behind, but be sure to add it to the Challenge page links list (the 2nd one) so others can find it, too.

Melinda wrote: "Okay, here is my list of big books for Summer 2023. Ten books!
1. The Murmur of Bees
2. The Girls on Chalk Hill
3. The Lincoln Highway
4. [book:The ..."

Wow, Melinda - 10 Big Books! Way to go!

Linda wrote: "I show that I read 6 books that would qualify as chunksters:

The Covenant of Water

When We Had Wings

[book:The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece..."

Sounds like a great Big Book Summer for you, Linda! Glad you participated again - hope you enjoyed it.