Suzan’s Comments (group member since May 23, 2024)

Suzan’s comments from the Big Book Summer Reading Challenge 2024 group.

ANNOUNCEMENT: BIG BOOK SUMMER 2025 STARTED TODAY! But, please do not post in this old group - I just wanted to let last year's participants know about it. Hope you'll join the fun again!

The 2025 group for Big Book Summer is at:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

So glad you all enjoyed it - I enjoy hosting it, too, though this summer got a little hectic.

I finally posted a wrap-up on my blog:

https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/...

Thanks to everyone for helping to make this our BIGGEST Big Book Summer ever! I've already got my eye on some books for summer 2025 :)

Abby wrote: "Really enjoyed this challenge. Thanks for organizing!"

You're welcome, Abby - so glad you enjoyed it!

Apologies if I already posted this ... I've lost track! This past month has been incredibly hectic with birthdays, graduations, weddings, and travel. So, I still haven't had a chance to wrap up Big Book Summer on my blog - and I won't until the end of the month.

But I did manage to post a Big Book Summer Wrap-Up on YouTube, with all the stats from the challenge, plus what I read this summer:

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

And I announced the winner of the Big Book Summer giveaway in that video ... Tina! She already got back to me, and I sent her gift card. Congratulations, Tina!

And a huge thank you to everyone who participated this summer! I hope you all enjoyed both the Big Books and the discussions. This group will remain open in case you still want to post what you read this summer or discuss Lonesome Dove, and the links list for reviews & wrap-ups is still open on the blog's challenge page, until the end of the month.

I'm now reading darker (and mostly faster-paced) books for RIP (Readers Imbibing Peril), as I do every fall, though my first book happens to also be a Big Book, Holly by Stephen King! What can I say? I love Big Books!

Thanks for making Big Book Summer so much fun!

Cheryl wrote: "Sue, Thank you for creating and hosting this challenge. I am already looking forward to next year! And I will definitely check out the RIP for fall! :)"

Glad you enjoyed Big Book Summer, Cheryl! I've already got some in mind for next summer, too!

And guess what? My first book for my darker fall reading for RIP? It's a Big Book! Holly by Stephen King :)

Linda wrote: "Final count!

I finished The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote which was absolutely fascinating.

I also started a book on January 1 which I've been reading 6 pages a da..."

That does sound like a fascinating book, Linda ... and a nice list of Big Books to round out the summer for you! Glad you enjoyed it again.

Kim wrote: "I’ve had a good summer of reading …but was not nearly as good about posting about what I read, or responding to other’s posts when they mentioned a new-to-me book or had an opinion about a book tha..."

Thank you, Kim. Wow, that is a BIG Big Book Summer list - well done! So glad you enjoyed the books and the discussions, too :)

Heidi wrote: "I did it, right down to the wire! Just finished The Stand complete and uncut version by Steven King. It was a 4 star for me."

Woohoo, Heidi! Now that's a Big Book! Glad you enjoyed it.

Melissa wrote: "Finished a total of three Big Books (1,570 pages)! Thanks, Sue, for another fantastic Big Book Summer!

The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America by [author..."

Sounds like an interesting & informative summer, Melissa!

Nan wrote: "I read quite a few big books this summer!

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
The women by Kristin Hannah
You Like it Darker by Stephen King
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich"

Looks like a great reading summer for you, Nan! I listened to The Women and love Louise Erdrich's novels and Stephen King, too, for entirely different reasons!). God of the Woods was the book of the summer this year! Glad you enjoyed Big Book Summer again :)

Julia wrote: "Yes, Suzan, I would also like to thank you for organizing this. It was such fun and rekindled my reading mojo. I’m looking forward to next year. I do hope you’re feeling better!"

Thanks, Julia - glad you enjoyed it!

Kate wrote: "Finished a 3rd Big Book yesterday, Good Night Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea! Had no idea it was a Big Book until I reached the end! 4 stars. Although a brutal read at times. Thanks, Sue for hosting a..."

You're welcome, Kate - glad you enjoyed it! I've been hearing good things about Good Night Irene but hadn't recognized the author's name until just now - I listened to his nonfiction book The Devil's Highway on audio. Wow, talk about powerful (and timely even though it was written years ago).

Julia wrote: "Finished! I’ve completed the three books I had originally planned plus a spare.

Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (832 pages)
Windy City by Scott Simon (432 pages)
Sunne in Splendor by Sharon Kay..."

Well done, Julia! That's a lot of pages combined :) I hope you enjoyed them.

Melissa wrote: "Suzan wrote: "Linda wrote: "Just finished What's Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service. I should buy this book so I can ref..."

Yes! Big Book Summer officially ends midnight on Monday, if you want to push it to the limit! ha ha I'm finishing my last Big Book at bedtime tonight :) though I've already started an audio Big Book for RIP and my first print book for RIP is probably also over 400 pages - lol.

Ann Litwack wrote: "I finished reading Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow By Gabrielle Zevin. I really enjoyed this book. It was a very unusual premises of two young people creating video games. It was truly a book ..."

I enjoyed that one, too, Ann. Have you read The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Zevin? I like that one even more :)

Linda wrote: "Just finished What's Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service. I should buy this book so I can refer to it when I re-watch the..."

We've never watched West Wing, Linda - sounds like we should give it a try. Though we've been watching Scandal for the first time, and between that and election coverage, I think we are full-up on political intrigue, corruption, and scandals! ha ha

Tama wrote: "Just finished my last big book for the challenge - The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Loved it! Highly recommend. It is a book about a book, a story about stories. The writing was so beau..."

So glad you enjoyed the book (I agree, it's a good one!) and the challenge, Tama!

Jane wrote: "I just posted my wrap up - I completed 7 books! I think that is a new Big Book Summer Challenge record for me.

It's always interesting to see what I read versus what I plan to read. I only read o..."

ha ha Jane - I do that, too! "Now this one, I will definitely get to ..." Glad you enjoyed it - I'll check out your post.

Kathy wrote: "It's been a great Big Book Summer! Just finished my last book and am so happy I spent time with some chunksters this summer. My final list:

1. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen (re-read)
2. Celia b..."

Well done, Kathy! Sounds like a great summer of reading - so glad you enjoyed it.

Tita wrote: "I've finished reading: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (643 pgs.), Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (581 pgs.), Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (1059 pgs.) and The Kingdom of Copper by S. A. Chakrabo..."

That's some very BIG books, Tita! I loved Voyager last summer - the next book in the series, Drums of Autumn was also outstanding.