2013 Hub Reading Challenge discussion

Hello all,
The Hub is planning a Reading Challenge Chat on May 22,2-3pm EDT. Since I'm on the Hub Advisory Board, and because I like this Goodreads group, I'll be here to facilitate the chat. Our plan was to hold the chat concurrently on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. On further investigation, Goodreads doesn't have a chat option (please correct me if I'm wrong!)so we can now decide how this Goodreads group can best participate.

I'm thinking we could just start a new discussion thread and use that to share our comments on May 22. That would be simple and keep our group stuff together. It would be there for those of you who can't participate in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon!

Or any of you individually can join the chats on Facebook and Twitter. It might be fun to mingle with others working on the Challenge.

Feedback is more than welcome!

Diane Colson

Whoa! The Hub's Reading Challenge Chat will be held TOMORROW (Wed. 5/22,) 2-3 EST. I'll be here at Goodreads - hope some of you can make it! We don't have a chat function, so we'll be using the comment on comment format, using this discussion thread. They'll be doing the same thing over at Facebook and Twitter (#hubchallenge).
I'll be posting some suggested questions later today. We can use those, or go off on our own tangents!
Reserve some space in your busy day, if possible, to share your thoughts on the books you are reading for the Hub Reading Challenge.

Diane Colson

And...it's already today! Here is a list of potential questions:

* What reading challenge book has been the biggest surprise and why?
* What book has taken you the farthest out of your comfort zone?
* Favorite line/scene/character from a reading challenge book and why?
* Have you finished an entire list and if so, which one?
* Are you working towards finishing a particular list?
* What is your reading strategy?
* Have you notice any genre trends across the board?
* What genres are missing? Which genres would you like to see better
represented?
* Have you listened to an audiobook? Did you like it or dislike it?
* Which book from the challenge do you think would best make the
transition to the big screen? (And who should play the leads?)
* If you could merge the worlds from any two books, which books would
those be and how would they come together?

Hope to see you at 2:00 (that's Eastern time, so the rest of us need to recalculate accordingly.) Later!

Diane

Hey, hello!
The official discussion begins in just a minute or so. Is anyone here yet?

I'm late coming into this group, but I have really enjoyed everyone's comments. It's always interesting when another librarian has a completely different take on a book than I do.

I am curious to know if any of our Goodreads Hub Challenge participants served on a selection committee last year. Anyone?

This might be a little weird, but I'm going to start discussing. I don't want anyone to show up and find that nothing is going on!

"Code Name Verity" appears on our list as a Printz Honor, a Best Fiction, and an Amazing Audiobook.

This book was structurally complex, with the character of Verity shrouded in mystery. It was also painfully suspenseful.

What element do you think readers found most compelling?

Verity herself was so...dashing and independent. Her strong character would have been captivating in any setting.

Wein also shows us Verity's insecurities. Do you think these underlying feelings made Verity more reckless with her own life?

I wonder. Maddie, on the other hand, speaks more openly about her fears, and performs courageously nevertheless.

Certainly, it's a tribute to Wein's writing that we see so many facets of Verity, but never know her.

I actually listened to this one. The audiobook was...amazing!

Okay, I'm sounding silly to myself! Please chime in if you enter this discussion. I will be here!

Hello?

Okay, well it's unlikely that anyone will tune in now. Good luck with your reading!

Diane

Hi Diane,

Sorry you had a discussion alone. I would have joined you, but I was at work at the time. I thought I'd take a minute to answer your questions, though:

* What reading challenge book has been the biggest surprise and why? I was surprised the Saphira, in Inheritance, sounded like a grouchy Cookie Monster. I was also surprised at how LONG the audiobook version of that book is.

* What book has taken you the farthest out of your comfort zone? Either Prom and Prejudice or the Vietnam series. Neither are my favorite genres.

* Favorite line/scene/character from a reading challenge book and why? I don't know that I could pick just one. :)

* Have you finished an entire list and if so, which one? I am working on conquering the entire list. I have six books left to finish, one of which will have to wait until I move, since there isn't a copy anywhere in my state. :(

* Are you working towards finishing a particular list? Yep. The whole thing.

* What is your reading strategy? I request the books from my home library and the library where I work, and I read them in the order they arrive. If I get several books at time, I read the skinny ones first so I can feel like I accomplished something. Also, I listen to the audiobooks on my commute.

* Have you notice any genre trends across the board? I'm seeing subject trends - lots of serial killer books and books about civil rights, but no specific genre trends, really.

* What genres are missing? Which genres would you like to see better represented? I didn't see very much science fiction/fantasy in this list (except maybe the Tamora Pierce books).

* Have you listened to an audiobook? Did you like it or dislike it? I have listened to quite a few audiobooks. I have enjoyed all of them, except Inheritance, which I think would have been better if I had read the print version. Some of the audio books are really well-narrated, even if they are super creepy (like The Isle of Blood).

* Which book from the challenge do you think would best make the transition to the big screen? (And who should play the leads?) Um, no idea on this one. I would love to see The Diviners on the big screen, but I'm not sure how it'd work.

* If you could merge the worlds from any two books, which books would those be and how would they come together? Oi, I've read so many of them now, I'm not sure. I think "The Name of the Star" would mesh well with "The Raven Boys" - both boarding schools, both including characters with special abilities. It might make me like "Raven Boys" a bit more, too.

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts, Jenni. And, wow, great job on all your reading!

Please ( please) don't feel bad about missing the discussion! Totally understandable in the middle of a work day. And I was just being goofy with my solo discussion, thinking it would look like something was happening. If you knew me, you'd just roll your eyes!

Diane