Collegedale Public Library discussion

The end of the year is coming to a close. Monkey Paul and I have been working on the the challenge for next year. We should have it available soon. The categories for December are as follows:

A fairytale retelling

A western

One of this year's "It" books (since there really hasn't been an "It" book, something that was on the NYT Bestseller list for awhile will suffice).

A book everyone but you has read (classic or modern)

1. the snow queen by Mercedes lackey.
2. wild horse mesa.
3. miss peregrine's home for peculiar children.
4. bridget jones's diary.

Is there ever one 'it' book? Several get buzz in various genres each year.

Any suggestions on fairytale retelling? Is this only a juvenile or YA level book?

Mercedes Lackey's 500 Kingdoms series is all fairytale retellings. I wouldn't say necessarily YA. I read beauty and the werewolf and I was pretty good.

A fairytale retelling: Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George Completed

A western: Montana Sky by Nora Roberts

One of this year's "It" books: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi Completed

A book everyone but you has read:

Nikki wrote: "Is there ever one 'it' book? Several get buzz in various genres each year.

Any suggestions on fairytale retelling? Is this only a juvenile or YA level book?"

The fairytale retelling category is definitely not only juvenile or YA. A few I can think of would be pretty much anything by Gregory Maquire (auhor of Wicked), lots by Robin McKinley (older YA), The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyre (more recent YA), lots of Alice in Wonderland treatments out there even though that's not *techincally* a fairytale (same is true of Oz stuff) such as The Looking Glass Wars books by Frank Beddor (adult w/ YA crossover appeal), Jane Yolen has a few at different age levels, and lots more I can't think of right now :) You can do a search here on goodreads for fairytale retellings in the listopias, and a ton come up.

Thanks Malissa. I thought of the Lunar Chronicles after posting, but I've read them all (loved them). I think she has a book of short stories out which may be worth exploring. I'll look up your other suggestions too.

1. Fairytale retelling: Stars Above-A Lunar Chronicles collection
2. Western-next book I need in Longmire mystery series if it comes in quickly.
3. 'It' book/best seller list-going to try The Girls by Emma Cline, though y'all were less than enthusiastic, so we'll see.
4. Book everyone else has read-would Peter Pan or Alice in Wonderland count? Are they widely enough read?

So I'm going to need the entire month to finish probably. Will the thread be up through New Years?

Yes m'am, thread will stay up. :)

WESTERN: Paradise Sky (Great fictionalized account of Nat Love aka Deadwood Dick. Loved seeing Calamity Jane and others again.)

BOOK EVERYONE HAS READ BUT YOU: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Enjoying this more than the somewhat clunky Order of the Phoenix, especially Voldemort's backstory.)

YEAR'S "IT" BOOK: White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America (Should be a good book about my people.)

FAIRY TALE RETELLING: A Tale Dark & Grimm(Last priority, but it looks pretty funny and sarcastic like Princess Bride.)

Just finished reading Alice in Wonderland. Huh??!!! Can someone please explain it to me? Says 'an example of literary nonsense genre.' Wha???? SMH

Pretty sure Lewis Carroll and these artists used the same substances when they created their art.

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

1. accidentally ever after: nominally a retelling of the wizard of oz but more a fractured fairy tale. (stupid snow queen wasn't in format my device would download.)
2. hank the cow dog since gullivers travels is taking forever.
3. hammer of thor. not bad but riordan is on a pc steroid power trip with this series.
4. still gullivers travels.

Fairytale retelling-Stars Above-am not much of a short story fan. Some of the back stories were decent.
"It" book-The Girls-ok read. Never get the appeal of cults, but I guess some people have vulnerabilities other can exploit.
Never read classic-Alice in Wonderland-just plain weird.
Western-Junkyard Dogs (Longmire)-a favorite series

That's a wrap on my 2016 reading challenge. Of the 48 I read for the challenge, I would say only 6-7 were actually enjoyable reads. Which begs the question, is a reading life suppose to stretch us into books we would normally NOT gravitate toward, or do we get more satisfaction from it by choosing what we love?

I really liked 18 of my 46. I decided to only complete two this month.

Hopefully, the way we are doing 2017 Challenge will help some with reading more of what you enjoy. There are two books per month, but you can choose to read only one. The random order of selection should help you to put something that you are already reading in a category. I hope you will continue to participate in 2017. I really enjoy your insights!

I will. Just a bummer that so many were duds or meh.