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

This month, you will need to read a book that has under 500 Goodreads ratings (499 people or less have given it stars and reviews). Then, after you read the book, you will need to rate it AND review it in order to be eligible for this challenge.

Books will only be eligible for this if they have less than 500 reviews as of July 1 (I know, that means J.K. Rowling's new book will probably be out by the end of the day). HOWEVER, from 1 July onwards, if you register your intention to read a book on here, and then a frenzy of reviewers knock it to 500, I will allow it. But if you look below, the lower the number of ratings, the higher the points...

When you decide what book you are reading, you will need to let us all know in a post in the challenge discussion thread. Either post in here on 1 July 2014, or the day you decide, and tell us how many ratings it has that day. This post is what we will go off for scoring as well as eligibility.

Your reporting post in the reporting thread should have your scores from below, and a link to your review. No review, no badge. Aim is to not only read a book that may be overlooked due to not many ratings, but to give the next people who look at the book some info. Community service in a way :) I don't mind if your review is two sentences long, but lets get some of the underrated books some ratings!

General Rules:

1. The book may be in any format - paperback, ebook, audiobook.
2. The book may be in any genre.
3. The book may NOT be combined with the Year Long Chunkster Challenge.
4. The book must be read between July 1 to July 31, 2014 (based on your own time zone).
5. The challenge is for one book. You may read more books if you chose, but only the highest scoring book will apply.

Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you declare it as your intended read)
5 pts – less than 100
4 pts – 100-199
3 pts – 200 - 299
2 pts – 300 - 399
1 pts – 400 - 499

Genre
5 pts – Short Stories
4 pts – Sci-fi
3 pts - Biography
2 pts – Young Adult
1 pt - Thriller

Cover (on the version you read)
5 pts – Has a water lily on it
4 pts – Cover is mainly white
3 pts – The Title is in red
2 pts – The author is in blue (these three for both US Independence Day and Bastille Day)
1 pt – has stars on the cover

Author
5 pts – Has only published one book.
4 pts – Last name starts with T (name as on book)
3 pts – has another book that has over 10 000 ratings (for example Lian Hearn has one book under 500 Blossoms and Shadows which you could read, but has another with over 10 000 Across the Nightingale Floor, so you would get points)
2 pts – Born in July
1 pt – is male

Pages
5 pts - 600 - 1000 pages
4 pts - 500 - 599 pages
3 pts - 400 - 499 pages
2 pts - 300 - 399 pages
1 pts - 200 - 299 pages 

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church or offers a prayer (any religion) for Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal "make-a-wish" celebration
5 pts – Characters visit a lolly/sweet/candy shop/store (choose your appropriate terminology) for National Diabetes Week
1 pt per occupation (each only counts once) – Has a Veterinarian, equestrian, furrier, tanner, or pharmacist in it for St James' feast day

I read Emilie and the Sky World by a favorite author of mine: Martha Wells
Reviewed here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Number of Goodreads Ratings
5 pts – less than 100: 70 ratings

Genre
2 pts – Young Adult

Cover (on the version you read)
3 pts – The Title is in red
1 pt – has stars on the cover: old-style astronomical map

Author
0 pts

Pages
2 pts - 300 - 399 pages: 336

Bonus Points (count once):
0 pts

Total: 10 points

Yay Lara! Could you please include a link to your review in the above? I can see you have reviewed it, but others may not be able to.

I read Slaves Of The Son Of Heaven: A Personal Account Of An Australian Pow, 1942 1945 by Roy H. Whitecross



Number of Goodreads Ratings
5 pts – less than 100

Genre
3 pts - Biography

Cover
0 pts

Author
5 pts – Has only published one book.
1 pt – is male

Pages
1pts- 262 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church or offers a prayer (any religion) for Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal "make-a-wish" celebration

Total: 20

Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Rusalka wrote: "Yay Lara! Could you please include a link to your review in the above? I can see you have reviewed it, but others may not be able to."

Done!

Thanks! And yay Anna!

I read From Rum to Roots. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you declare it as your intended read)
5 pts – less than 100

Author
5 pts – Has only published one book.
1 pt – is male

Pages
3 pts - 400 - 499 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church or offers a prayer (any religion) for Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal "make-a-wish" celebration - They visit a church for a wedding, and one character goes to church for confession
5 pts – Characters visit a lolly/sweet/candy shop/store (choose your appropriate terminology) for National Diabetes Week - I'm not sure if I get points for this. They don't go to a store, but they are at a parade where they visit a sweets stand and buy caramelized apples and other sweets.

Total: 19 or 24, depending on the candy store

I read Tailing a Tabby by Laurie Cass

When I "registered" this book back in message 162, it had 6 ratings and 3 reviews. Now it has a whopping 15 ratings, and four reviews if you count mine. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I enjoyed the book very much, but it is not going to get me a lot of points.
Number of ratings, 5 points.
Genre, cover and author, no points.
352 pages, 2 points.
Bonus points-- 1 point for pharmacist, I think. The murder victim had a pharmacy degree and had previously worked as a pharmacist, although she had moved on to selling cars at the time of her death.

Total: 8 points (or maybe 7 if a past as a pharmacist doesn't count).

I read Prickle Moon by Juliet Marillier


Review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Number of Goodreads Ratings
4 pts – 100-199 - 119 ratings

Genre
5 pts – Short Stories
2 pts – Young Adult

Cover
1 pt – has stars on the cover

Author
3 pts – has another book that has over 10,000 ratings - Daughter of the Forest has 27,615 ratings
2 pts – Born in July - born July 27, 1948

Pages
1 pts - 200 - 299 pages - 242 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character offers a prayer - Prayers during a wedding ceremony in "'Twixt..."
1 pt per occupation (each only counts once) – Has a Veterinarian - Vets examines dogs in "The Angel of Death"

24 Total Pts

Peggy wrote: "I read From Rum to Roots. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you ..."

Yep on the lollies.

Casceil wrote: "I read Tailing a Tabby by Laurie Cass

When I "registered" this book back in message 162, it had 6 ratings and 3 reviews. Now..."

Yup on the pharmacist

I finished my book for the "Rating the Underrated Challenge!" I read The Grunt Padre: Father Vincent Robert Capodanno Vietnam 1966-1967, which had 40 ratings at the time of selection.

Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here are my points:

Number of Goodreads Ratings
5 pts – Less than 100 ratings

Genre
3 pts – Biography

Cover
1 pt – has stars on the cover

Author
5 pts – Has only published one book
1 pt – male

Pages
1 pts - 200 - 299 pages - 202 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character offers a prayer - Father Vince prays for his fellow marines

Total Points = 21

For this challenge I read Eliza's Shadow. My review is the 32nd and there are 69 ratings.

Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And here are my points -

Number of Goodreads Ratings : 5 pts – less than 100

Genre : 2 pts – Young Adult

Cover : 5 pts – has a water lily on the cover

Author : 5 pts – has only published one book

Pages : 2 pts - 300-399 pages (340 pages)

Bonus Points : 5 pts – character offers a prayer "We prayed together." location 123 of 5720

Total : 24 points

I read Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good


Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you declare it as your intended read) 363 ratings

3 pts-400-499 (400 pages)

Genre
0

Cover (on the version you read)
0

Author
5 pts – Has only published one book.
1 pt – is male

Pages
3 pts - 400 - 499 pages( 400 pages)
Bonus Points
0
Total points 12

My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This is the first time I have tried this, so I hope I do it correctly!

I am planning to read "The New Me" by Mary Marcus, which currently has 17 ratings. I will have to come back and edit when I am not on my phone to add a link to the book and figure out what the cover colors are, etc. I am reading the e-book version so it all looks grey to me!

Welcome Ashley! If you can report and do your scoring in this thread when you have finished reading, along with the link to your review, that would be wonderful. If you want to let us know what you think of your read while you are reading, head over to our chatting thread here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Look forward to seeing what you think of your read, and hope you enjoy your first challenge!

I read Georges by Alexandre Dumas. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Number of Goodreads Ratings
3 pts – 200 - 299: 217 ratings before and 218 ratings after.

Cover (on the version you read)
3 pts – The Title is in red
2 pts – The author is in blue

Author
3 pts – has another book that has over 10 000 ratings: The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, and others.
2 pts – Born in July
1 pt – is male

Pages
2 pts - 300 - 399 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church or offers a prayer (any religion) for Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal "make-a-wish" celebration
Main character attends church and goes to confession at a church.

1 pt per occupation (each only counts once) – Has a Veterinarian, equestrian, furrier, tanner, or pharmacist in it for St James' feast day
There is a pharmacist, but it isn't a main character.

Total: 22 points if the pharmacist counts, otherwise 21 points.

The Planner Alexandra Swann
My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you declare it as your intended read)
5 pts – less than 100 (27 ratings)

Genre
1 pt - Thriller (Thriller is the second highest Genre selected by readers)


Cover (on the version you read)
4 pts – Cover is mainly white (if you enlarge the cover it is mainly white)
3 pts – The Title is in red
2 pts – The author is in blue (these three for both US Independence Day and Bastille Day)
1 pt – has stars on the cover


Pages
2 pts - 300 - 399 pages (The page count on Amazon states 301 pages)


Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church or offers a prayer (any religion) for Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal "make-a-wish" celebration

1 pt per occupation (each only counts once) – Has a pharmacist

24 Points (If my scoring meets approval.)

Diane wrote: "I read Georges by Alexandre Dumas. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Number of Goo..."

That's okay. Take the points.

Lori wrote: "The Planner Alexandra Swann
My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you declare it as..."

Looks good to me. Look at all those cover points!

First Challenge complete--yeah!
I read: The Frangipani Hotel
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Ratings
4 pts -175 ratings

Genre
5 pts -Short stories

Cover
4 pts - mainly white

Author
5 pts - this is her only book

Pages
1 pt - 240 pages

bonus points
5 - one story takes place in a convent
_____

24 points

Yay Margy! And thanks for alerting me to this book! Best thing about challenges.

I just finished reading The Unknown Sigrid Undset: Jenny and Other Works by Sigrid Undset

My review can be read here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Scoring:

5 pts - 26 ratings before mine
5 pts - Short stories
4 pts - Cover mostly white
0 pts - Did not fit any author category
3 pts - 406 pages
5 pts - Character visits a tiny church in Rome, page 26
5 pts - Character visits a sweet shop. "In Homansbyen she bought chocolate..." page176

Total 27 points

This was a 5 star read for me!

Review: 3 stars
A good solid read that just wasn't quite my cup of tea.

Despite a realistic plot with the many knock backs that life can throw at you, the feel of the book was a bit too sugar coated for me.
I also struggled with the pace of the book; the majority was at a leisurely place (sometimes with unnecessary details), followed by the mystery and conclusion of the story rushed in the last couple of chapters.

Despite that, it is beautifully written with interesting and well thought out characters. Supported by enough twists and turns in the plots too keep you turning the pages.


Number of Goodreads Ratings: 5 pts – less than 100

Genre: 0 pts

Cover: 0 pts

Author: 5 pts – Has only published one book.

Pages: 1 pts - 200 - 299 pages

Bonus Points (count once): 1pt, equestrian

Total points: 12 points

I read S Street Rising: Crack, Murder, and Redemption in D.C. by Ruben Castaneda.

Number of Goodreads Ratings
5 pts - less than 100 (5 on July 1)

Genre
0 pts

Cover
0 pts

Author
5 pts - Has only published one book
1 pts - Is male

Pages
1 pts - 200-299 pages (292 pages)

Bonus Points
5 pts - Character visits a church

Total Points
17 pts

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read form Michael Bishop

Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you declare it as your intended read)
5 pts – less than 100 (on 1 july and today)

Genre
4 pts – Sci-fi

Author
1 pt – is male

Pages
2 pts - 300 - 399 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church or offers a prayer (any religion) for Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal "make-a-wish" celebration

1 pt per occupation (each only counts once) – Has a Veterinarian, equestrian, furrier, tanner, or pharmacist in it for St James' feast day
ONLY IF a mention about a veterinarian counts

Total: 17 or 18

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Ooo I will have to say no Mariab. Nearly! Sorry you didn't enjoy it too much.

Rusalka wrote: "Ooo I will have to say no Mariab. Nearly! Sorry you didn't enjoy it too much."

Perhaps my expectations were a little too high on this one...

I read Albert's War by Sidney A. Walmsley

Number of ratings: 5 pts-There were 0 (I was the first one!)

Genre: 3 pts-Autobiography

Cover: 1 pt-Has stars on the cover

Author: 5 pts-Has only published one book
1 pt-Is male

Pages: 2 pts-337 pages

Bonus: 5 pts-Character attends church before going off to war
1 pt-Character becomes an equestrian at military college

Total: 23 pts

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I Was in Love With a Short Man Once

5 pts - less than 100 GR ratings before mine
3 pts - biography genre (humorous autobio/memoir)
4 pts – cover mainly white
5 pts – author has only published one book
1 pt - length is between 200-299 pages
0 bonus points - no mentions that qualify

Total = 18 points

link to my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Rusalka wrote: "Ooo I will have to say no Mariab. Nearly! Sorry you didn't enjoy it too much."

Ah ok, well then my book needs knocking down a point (which I have edited on my post https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... )

Autobiography is definitely a bio. Sorry you didn't really enjoy your read either.

Sorry Lynn!

Rusalka wrote: "Autobiography is definitely a bio."

I have adjusted my score, as I didn't realize that an autobiography qualified as a biography. I hemmed and hawed over that when I was reporting. Thanks for clarifying, Rusalka!

No worries. I always catch myself out and forget this when I make my scoring genres too.

Rusalka wrote: "Sorry Lynn!"

No apologies, as I was neither competing for the highest or lowest score it really doesn't matter :)

I just finished:
points:
5 - less than 100 reviews (it has only 2)
1 - genre = thriller
4 - cover is maily white - is this white enough?
3 - title is in red
1 - author is male (no idea if he was born in july...)
2 - 340 pages

So that makes 16 points when the white cover counts, 13 when not.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Is definitely white.

Heyya All

I finished reading - I Was in Love with a Short Man Once: And Other Tales from a Crazy Southern Irish Gal
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1....

Here is my report card:

5 pts - less than 100 GR ratings before mine
3 pts - biography genre (humorous autobio/memoir)
4 pts – cover mainly white
5 pts – author has only published one book
1 pt - length - 200-299 pages
0 bonus points - no mentions that qualify

Total = 18 points

Here is my review of the book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Rusalka wrote: "Is definitely white."

Thanks!

Good Talk, Dad: The Birds and the Bees...and Other Conversations We Forgot to Have

Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you declare it as your intended read)
5 pts – less than 100. It has 85 ratings

Genre
3 pts - Biography

Cover (on the version you read)
3 pts – The Title is in red
2 pts – The author is in blue. It's a dark navy blue


Author
1 pt – is male. Rusalka, if there are two authors and they're both male, do I get 2 points?

Pages
1 pts - 200 - 299 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church. Willie gets baptized as an adult.

1 pt per occupation (each only counts once) – Has a pharmacist in it - only sort of so I didn't count it, but on of Willie's uncles prescribes medications - most not found at your local pharmacy :)

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Total points: 20

I read Gilded Wings

Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you declare it as your intended read)

5 points - less than 100

Genre
2 pts – Young Adult


Cover (on the version you read)
No points

Author
No points

Pages
1 pts - 200 - 299 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church or offers a prayer (any religion) for Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal "make-a-wish" celebration

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Total: 13 points

I read another one: Traveling for Love: Searching for Self, Hoping for Love, but for that one I would only get 5 points (less than 100 reviews). Nothing for the cover: ; nothing for the author (a woman, no idea if her birthday is in july), genre = romance and it only has 153 pages...
But I really liked it! My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Just Send Me Word: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Gulag

It had 264 ratings prior to my reading it.

Here is my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sadly, not a great read for me.

Number of Goodreads Ratings
3 pts – 200 - 299

Genre
3 pts - Biography


Cover (on the version you read)
0 points

Author
1 pt – is male

Pages
2 pts - 300 - 399 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
0 points

total: 9 points

Elsbeth wrote: "I read another one: Traveling for Love: Searching for Self, Hoping for Love, but for that one I would only get 5 points (less than 100 reviews). Nothing for the cover: [bookcover:Tr..."

Thanks for sharing your review with us anyways!

Tasha wrote: "I read Just Send Me Word: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Gulag

It had 264 ratings pr..."

Oh that's annoying. I get so annoyed with good premises/ideas that aren't written well.

I read First Kisses https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Number of Goodreads Ratings (before yours and as of the day you declare it as your intended read)
5 pts – less than 100 It has 68 including mine as of 7/16

Genre
5 pts – Short Stories-6 inspirational romance stories

Author
4 pts – Last name starts with T (name as on book)
Two of the authors have last names that start with T-Camy Tang and Janet Tronstad

Pages
3 pts - 400 - 499 pages The ebook is listed at 453 pages.

Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church or offers a prayer (any religion) for Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal "make-a-wish" celebration characters pray or visit a church in almost every story


Total-22 points

Postcards on the beach

Review: I will link later.

Number of Goodreads Ratings 5 pts
5 pts – less than 100

Genre
1 pt - Thriller

total: 11 points.
Cover (on the version you read)
3 pts – The Title is in red

Author 0pts

Pages 1pt
1 pts - 200 - 299 pages

Bonus Points (count once):
1 pt per occupation (each only counts once) – Has a Veterinarian

I just finished Une Anthologie

Number of Goodreads Ratings
5 pts – less than 100 - My review was the 6th I think...

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Genre
5 pts – Short Stories
3 pts - Biography (if we can count more than one, some stories were autobiographical at least in part)

Cover (on the version you read)
4 pts – Cover is mainly white (about a third is white, is it enough?)

Author
4 pts – Last name starts with T (name as on book)
1 pt – is male

Pages
4 pts - 500 - 599 pages


Bonus Points (count once):
5 pts – Character visits a temple/shrine/church or offers a prayer (any religion) for Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal "make-a-wish" celebration

Total: 24, or 27 or 28 or 31 depending on what is accepted... ;o)

Genre - yes if it fits multiples.
Colour - I'll pay that. I shouldn't use words like "Mainly"