You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Decision finally made - I'm going with titles. It will allow me to incorporate my Around the World Challenge and Cross Canada challenge.

Completed:

A. Any Known Blood: A Novel, by Lawrence Hill
B. The Bat, by Jo Nesbø
C. The Calligrapher's Daughter, byEugenia Kim
D. A Daughter of the Snows, by Jack London
E. Equal of the Sun, by Anita Amirrezvani
F. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris
G. A Geography of Blood: Unearthing Memory from a Prairie Landscape, by Candace Savage
H. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
I. Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen by Mary Sharratt
J. Jack of Diamonds, last book by Bryce Courtenay
K. The Keeper of Lost Causes, by Jussi Adler-Olsen
L. Lover Awakened, by J.R. Ward
M. Matterhorn, by Karl Marlantes
N. Nyx, by D.M. Livingston
O. The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin
P. The Power of One, by Bryce Courtenay
Q. The Queen of Bedlam, by Robert R. McCammon
R. The Round House, by Louise Erdrich
S. Snow White Must Die, by Nele Neuhaus
T. The Tenth Chamber, by Glenn Cooper
U. Under This Unbroken Sky, by Shandi Mitchell

To Read:


V. The Villa Triste, by Lucretia Grindle
W. We, the Drowned, by Carsten Jensen
X. The Xibalba Murders, by Lyn Hamilton
Y. Yellow Crocus, by Laila Ibrahim
Z. Z Strain, by Rutger Klamor

Off to find the hard ones - Q, V, X, & Z

Ah there's Year of Wonders again!

Janice, The Bronze Horseman is one of my favourite historical fiction books. It's not a short book but it reads quickly. A Town Like Alice is one of my favourite Shute books, and yay for Bryce Courtenay.

She's on mine too!!

Kat wrote: "Ah there's Year of Wonders again!

Janice, The Bronze Horseman is one of my favourite historical fiction books. It's not a short book but it reads quickly. A Town Like Alice is one of my favourit..."

I have a few doorstops on my list. Why is it that I'm drawn to these epic reads? The Bronze Horseman is on my Around the World challenge for Russia.

I was thinking we could do a buddy read for Year of Wonders. It may be difficult though. For those doing authors, it will be one of the first books read. For those doing titles, it will be one of the last.

Which one didn't you love?

I have Cutting for Stone and Matterhorn. I don't have Fall on Your Knees. It's one of 3 books I've identified as possibles for Nova Scotia read. I thought I'd like to read this one since I read and enjoyed her other book, The Way the Crow Flies

The other 2 books that are possibilities for Nova Scotia are The Bishop's Man and What Is Left the Daughter. Decisions, decisions. I seem to be having trouble making them lately.

You and I do seem to have similar reactions to books. I'm torn between the three books I've identified for Nova Scotia so will have to take your comments into consideration.

I'm feeling a whine coming on. I haven't started my challenge yet because I'm still reading Middlesex all 525 pages of it. You know how some books seem to take forever? This is one of those for me. I want this book to be finished, yet I'm only half way through. I want to start my alphabet challenge. ARGHH!

How am I doing? Was that a good enough whine?

Top notch, Janice!

I never got around to Middlesex. I read The Virgin Suicides, which did not set me on fire. ; ) I shall be looking forward to your review.

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War was a book I liked so much I would give it a re-read later on after I have forgotten more of it. I hope you enjoy it.

Bravo! on the whining. ; )

Hehehe! The whining helped because I feel better. :)

Janice wrote: "I'm feeling a whine coming on. I haven't started my challenge yet because I'm still reading Middlesex all 525 pages of it. You know how some books seem to take forever? This is one of those for ..."

Aaaw... I have Middlesex on my Alphabet challenge, I think the thought of it being one of those books was what had me putting it off til now.

Maybe you will have a better time with it, Gina. I'm not a huge fan of family sagas.

Hey, Slick! Better get a move on!

Oh, Slick! I sm so happy to see you! Happy days are here again! ; )

Go Slick! You can do it. :) *pom pom*

The Bishop's Man is a book on my list, too. I think it looks like a very interesting book, and the reviews seem to bee good. Why did you choose it as a possibility, Janice?

Slick is back!

Connie wrote: "The Bishop's Man is a book on my list, too. I think it looks like a very interesting book, and the reviews seem to bee good. Why did you choose it as a possibility, Janice?"

One reason is that it's set in Nova Scotia and found its way onto my possible reads for the "Read Across Canada" challenge.

Whether or not I read it for the challenge, I will read it someday. I already had it on my wishlist because my friend Bernice recommended it. She and I have similar tastes in books so I trust her when she says a book is good.

Another reason is that I'm intrigued by this priest who seems to struggle with his religious beliefs. What is his story? Why is he questioning his faith?

Yeah!! I have finally finished my "A" book!

1/26 Completed - A, Any Known Blood: A Novel

I didn't like this book as much as Hill's The Book of Negroes. I didn't get a feel for any of the characters.

he's a slow little snaily, isn't he? one down.

That's why I picked Slick. He's slow - like me. :)

Yay Slick, you moved! What a wonder. :)

Slow, but sure, wins the race, right Slick?

LOL! Sometimes Debra. As long as he gets to the end of the 26 books, he will have won my challenge. :)

And I know he will!

Yes, I started a new B choice last night - The Bat. Moving right along... at a snail's pace. :)

Helen wrote: "he's a slow little snaily, isn't he? one down."


But he is beautiful, famous, and has exquisite taste! He just takes his time...slow and steady wins the race! ; )

Janice wrote: "Yes, I started a new B choice last night - The Bat. Moving right along... at a snail's pace. :)"


You just keep moving and we'll see how everything ends up at the end of the race! Yea! Slick!

Hehe! Thanks Connie.

Two down, 24 to go!

I finished The Bat just in time to make some fruitcake. This was the first in the Harry Hole series and Jo Nesbø's first book. Time to decide which "C" book I'll read.

Go, Slick, go!

Amber wrote: "Your snail's pace is quicker than my slothish pace. . Are you the one with the crush on Jo Nesbo? I've eyed up a few of his titles, but haven't leapt into them yet. How do you like them?"

Yes, love me some Jo Nesbo!

I started reading the Harry Hole series with The Snowman which is #7 in the series. Then I read the next book, The Leopard. Going back and reading the first book was a bit of a let down. Not only was it the first book in the series, it was his first book published. I felt a bit of a disconnect from the Harry in the later books. Still, I enjoyed the book and the intricacies of the story and you learn Harry's history and the beginning of his decline ino the wounded warrior he is.

Woo! Woo! (train whistle)

Hey Janice, what's your current status? I think Slick has gotten stuck :) You're not letting real life get in the way are you? I feel like I've been reading my current book forever.

Yes, I need to wake up and get moving. LOL!

ROFL!

I finally finished another book for this challenge. I closed the cover on The Calligrapher's Daughter last night. It was a bit of a snooze fest. But it's done, and I can move on to D. I just have to decide which of the two books I want to read.



The Calligrapher's Daughter

Janice wrote: "Yes, I need to wake up and get moving. LOL!



"

Oh, I ADORE this pic!!! I need a pic of it for my bulletin board. Just the cutest thing I have seen in forever! ROFL!!!

Good luck, Janice, on waking up and getting started with your D book. Maybe something will just jump up and smack you. I hit slumps like that sometimes, and it takes a great book smacking me in the face saying, "Read me!"

LOL!

Connie wrote: "Good luck, Janice, on waking up and getting started with your D book. Maybe something will just jump up and smack you. I hit slumps like that sometimes, and it takes a great book smacking me in the..."

I need a book to smack me too, Connie.

You're doing good, Janice. After all what a poor little snail can do.

Janice wrote: "Yes, I need to wake up and get moving. LOL!



"

love this pic lol! congrats on finishing your c book- hope your d book is more enjoyable

I'll be reading A Daughter of the Snows for my D book. Hopefully, I can start it before the end of the month, but I have a couple of other books to finish first, so I must be patient.

1. Finish The Red Tent
2. Read Misery for the Toppler and monthly challenge
3. Read When She Woke for Buddy read.
4. Go back and finish The Red Tent because at the rate I'm going, I'll have to set it aside for the toppler. Hehehe!

I'm not quite finished my D book, but I've started my E book - Equal of the Sun: A Novel. So far, it's very good.

D is done! I finished A Daughter of the Snows last night. I was disappointed in it having high expectations for Jack London. But it didn't really warm up for me until the last 80% of the book. But, it's done and I can move on. I have already started E, but it may be a while before I can start F since I have the group read and May challenge to read first.

Since I started reading Five Quarters of the Orange for our May group read, and the timing is right for my F book, I decided to include it for this challenge. I feel like I'm finally making some progress even though the challenge tracker says I'm woefully behind.

Glad to hear you can use the group read for your alphabet challenge too - that will move things along nicely for you.

The only time you can't double dip is the challenge books. But group reads and topplers reads can be counted towards challenges.

E book, Equal of the Sun: A Novel is completed! This is a very good book. Simon Vance was the narrator and he did a stellar performance!