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

2018 has been a difficult year for some of our members. So what better way than to wave goodbye to 2018, than with a party! A book reading party. YLTO stylee! We’ve all earned it!

The party will run from 5pm on Friday 4th January to 11:59pm on Sunday 6th January 2019. It will start and end on the times stated in your own timezone. This will mean we’ll all start at slightly different times, unlike with a toppler, but we want as many people as possible to participate and this makes it easier for everyone.

Over the course of the weekend we shall all join together in a special event, chill out, and read books together, chat amongst ourselves, and have some fun, all in the name of saying a farewell to 2018 and welcoming in 2019, hopefully a better year for everyone.

All you need to do is show up to the party, read at least one book that meets one of the criteria below, and chat about what you’re reading, drinking, eating and getting up to whilst you’re there and also if you’ve got anything interesting planned for 2019!

It will be a nice easy-going, laid-back affair. No points. No competing. But don’t worry, you still get to gopher for a book and will be required to report your reads in the reporting thread in order to receive a special party badge!

Books for group read, monthly and yearly challenges can count as party books too!

Criteria:

January: January is named after the Latin word for door (ianua) as January is the door to the year and an opening to new beginnings. It is conventionally thought of as being named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions.
• Read a book set in January or with January in the title
• Read a book by an author whose birthday is in January
• Read a book with 31 chapters
• Read a book with a door on the front cover
• Read a book involving deities from the Roman pantheon

New beginnings: New beginnings come in all shapes and forms for people. They can be a time of excitement and at the same time one of trepidation.
• Read a book where the MC starts a new job/school
• Read a book where the MC moves house
• Read a book where the MC starts a new relationship/gets married
• Read a coming of age story
• Read a book by a debut author
• Read the first book in a series
• Read the first book published by an established author

New year: New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration in many countries. Music, dancing, drinking, and generally having a merry ‘ole time with friends and family.
• Read a book set around New Year’s Eve
• Read a book that relates to one of your new year’s resolutions in some way
• Read a book with fireworks on the cover
• Read a book with champagne on the cover

Auld Lang Syne: This is a Scottish poem, written by Robert Burns that revellers sing (in mainly English speaking countries) as the New Year starts.
• Read a book set in Scotland
• Read a book by a Scottish author
• Read a book of poetry

2019: Time ticks by, another year begins, and we get just that little bit older (some of us have special birthdays this year - ahem). May it be a good year for all YLTO members, in books and in life!
• Read a book by an author who has a book due to be published in 2019
• Read a book with a pig in the story or on the cover (it’s Year of the Pig in the Chinese calendar)
• Read a book that is due to be released as a movie in 2019

Lots of options there to choose from. Do tell us the results of your gophering – it will be interesting to see what you find (especially for a couple of those trickier tasks) and might give some of us ideas.

I’m really looking forward to catching up with you all at the party and having a good time!

Oh brilliant news Sarah, I will definitly by at the party! Just the thing to look forward to after all the feasting is done 😃

Margo wrote: "Just the thing to look forward to after all the feasting is done 😃"

Definitely!

I definitely had a special birthday in 2018. :)

Great idea! Nothing better than spend some time with friends and books.

Such a wonderful idea. Looking forward to the party.

Yay! Party! So much fun stuff going on at YLTO in January!

Party, party, party, party!

Interesting trivia. When Canberra got self-government (we're a territory, not a state in the country, so was run by the feds until 1989 or so, when we got our own local government), one of the political parties that formed and ran for seats in this new government, was the Party! Party! Party! Party. Along with the Sun Ripened Warm Tomato Party, and the Surprise Party.

Unsurprisingly, by the next election, they had tightened the rules to register a political party. But it's only 100 members and a political charter though...

Woohoo! Looking forward to the party!

I will be flying from Virginia to Arizona on Saturday, the 5th. I'll have plenty of time to read for the New Year Party!

My options:(view spoiler)[
January:
• Read a book set in January or with January in the title
• Read a book by an author with a birthday in January Once Upon A Time
• Read a book with 31 chapters
• Read a book with a door on the front cover
• Read a book involving deities from the Roman pantheon

New beginnings:
• Read a book where the MC starts a new job/school A Little Princess
• Read a book where the MC moves house The Unknown Wrestler, The Enchanted Barn
• Read a book where the MC starts a new relationship/gets married His Unknown Wife
• Read a coming of age story
• Read a book by a debut author
• Read the first book in a series The Carter Girls
• Read the first book published by an established author The Mysterious Affair at Styles, My Lady Caprice

New year:
• Read a book set around New Year’s Eve
• Read a book that relates to one of your new year’s resolutions in some way You Know Me Al (Two of my New Year's resolutions are to read more public domain books, and write more letters. This is an epistolary public domain book.)
• Read a book with fireworks on the cover
• Read a book with champagne on the cover

Auld Lang Syne:
• Read a book set in Scotland
• Read a book by a Scottish author
• Read a book of poetry

2019:
• Read a book by an author who has a book due to be published in 2019
• Read a book with a pig in the story or on the cover
• Read a book that is due to be released as a movie in 2019 (hide spoiler)]

Woohoooo! I'm looking forward to the party. I'll be gophering over Christmas, that is if I can restrain myself today.

Sarah, for read a book by an author that has a book due to be published in 2019, can we read the newly published it soon to be published book. I have an arc of a book that is expected to be published later in the year.

What a great idea! I, for one, can't wait for 2018 to end. What better way to celebrate it ending than with a bookish party! I will probably read something for Auld Lang Syne as I have plenty of Scottish books on my TBR. And also because Scotland is my favourite place in the world 😉

Sean is home from camp that weekend, but I'm sure I will be reading something and will try to pop into the party periodically :)

I'll join in too. My new years resolution is to have more 'me' time in 2019. So I was thinking of finding a book by an author with a similar name or which has a character with my name. Something along those lines anyway.

Love the idea by the way.

A party - count me in.

Kristie wrote: "Sarah, for read a book by an author that has a book due to be published in 2019, can we read the newly published it soon to be published book. I have an arc of a book that is expected to be publish..."

Yes that will be fine.

Annerlee wrote: "I'll join in too. My new years resolution is to have more 'me' time in 2019. So I was thinking of finding a book by an author with a similar name or which has a character with my name. Something al..."

Nice idea!

Oh good! I think I will read The Mother-in-Law for the "Read a book by an author who has a book due to be published in 2019" task. Expected publication is on my birthday, April 23rd 2019. :)

Lisa, any recommendations for books set in Scotland? Historical fiction, preferably. I've read a few but don't think I have any more on my tbr, but am looking for a good one for the year long challenge.

Jenn wrote: "Sean is home from camp that weekend, but I'm sure I will be reading something and will try to pop into the party periodically :)"

He can join in too!

I might go with A FREE MAN OF COLOR by Barbara Hambly, which is the first in the Benjamin January Series. I am hesitant about starting another series, but I have been wanting to read this one for a while.

I think I'll read Edgedancer. I need something short if I want to finish in a weekend.

Sanderson has a new book coming out in November 2019, Starsight, so it fits the first of the 2019 tasks.

Rusalka wrote: "He can join in too!"

Uggh, if it's not a magazine about riding quads or fishing, or an instruction manual on quad maintenance or repair it would be a hard sell :(

Would Table for Seven work for this theme? It starts with a dinner party hosted on New Year's Eve that results in the participants forming a monthly dinner party club. The story takes place over the course of the following year. I think it would, but wanted to check. I recently bought this book at a library sale, so it wasn't earmarked for any challenge yet.

Oh awesome a kickstart to 2019. My first thought is that I have To Fetch a Thief from the library already which has the door to a circus tent on the cover. But I was planning on starting it this weekend. Other immediate options are my monthly challenge book Secrets of the Sea House is set in Scotland and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency which I own is the first in a series.

I'm going to be the Emo at the party I'm afraid LOL. I think I am going to go go with The Passage, the first book in a series. I have been meaning to read that series for yonks and 2019 is the year!!

I doubt that I'll manage a second one as it has 780 pages. In fact I'm not sure I will get it finished but, I'll give it my best shot. If it's as good as it's reputation I'll be grand ;-)

I on the other hand I could copy Vicki and read The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, hmm.......

780 pages in a weekend! That's so impressive Margo!

Yeah...........I'm starting to have second thoughts :-/

Leslie wrote: "Would Table for Seven work for this theme? It starts with a dinner party hosted on New Year's Eve that results in the participants forming a monthly dinner party club. The story tak..."

I'm going to say yes. Starts on new years eve but also results in the beginning of regular dinner parties. So beginnings all around.

Oh wow... so many categories to choose from! Here are some books I'm considering:

Set in Scotland: The World According to Bertie
Author born in January: A Room with a View
January in the title: January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her
First book in a series: The Passage

Fun idea! Looking forward to it.

I need to do some gophering. Over Christmas. I'm sure I have plenty of options.

What a wonderful idea! Looking forward to partying with you all!

Sarah wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Would Table for Seven work for this theme? It starts with a dinner party hosted on New Year's Eve that results in the participants forming a monthly dinner party club..."

Sarah wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Would Table for Seven work for this theme? It starts with a dinner party hosted on New Year's Eve that results in the participants forming a monthly dinner party club..

Thank you Sarah, I'll go with this book or I see a number of people going with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency which is also on my TBR list. Either way, a great way to start the year.

Nice party! If anyone is looking for a book with a pig on the cover - I just finished and there's a pig in the upper right hand of the number 7. It's a bit hard to see here cos it's small but it's pretty obvious if you have the hard copy.

A party! I’m in :)

Carrie wrote: "January in the title: January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her"

Oh my... the blurb of this one is heartbreaking already. :(

Great! A party.

I will try to read

Read a book by a debut author:
• Read the first book in a series


• Read the first book published by an established author
or

oh I didn't realise White Teeth was Zadie Smith first book. that's on mychallenge list too. It would also be the first I'd read by that author .

Peggy wrote: "Lisa, any recommendations for books set in Scotland? Historical fiction, preferably. I've read a few but don't think I have any more on my tbr, but am looking for a good one for the year long chall..."

Peggy, you seem to have read quite a few of the same books as me which are set in Scotland but I do have quite a few books on my TBR which are set in Scotland that sound like they will be good. Jane Harris (the author of Sugar Money) has two books which are set in Scotland, The Observations and Gillespie and I. They are both historical fiction. I tried to read 'The Observations' once and didn't get very far but I think it was down to my mood more than anything. I also have The Story Keeper and Witch Light which I have heard great things about. The former is set in the 19th century and the latter is set in the 17th century and I think it might also be based on a true story. I am planning on reading one of these for the party.

Thanks Lisa! Added them all :)

Can we use partial doors on covers? Will this work?

Janice wrote: "Can we use partial doors on covers? Will this work?

"

Yes I'll accept that, especially as it has door in the title too.

Thanks Sarah.

I'm planning on reading/listening to The Woman in the Window which fits the task: Read a book by a debut author.

If I have time, I'll being listening/reading Impulse for the task: Read a book of poetry.

And/or:

A Drink Before the War for the task: Read the first book in a series, which I'm planning for a buddy read. Found the audio for this one, too.

Lately, I've been enjoying reading along as I listen to the audiobook. I'm glad all three are available in both formats.

I did some gophering yesterday for the first time. I have a few options. Hoping to double dip and count it for the yearly challenge too. I'll post my options later.

These are my options:
His Bloody Project: Documents Relating to the Case of Roderick Macrae - Scottish author 280pgs
The Ninth Orphan - first in series 274pgs
Ringworld - first in series 288pgs
Sleeping Giants - first in series 320pgs **
Neurypnology or Advanced Hypnosis - first book by author and about hypnosis 175pgs **

I'm leaning towards Sleeping Giants and Neurpnology at the moment. Thinking the latter isn't really party-ish though even if it is short.

Happy New Year! Only a few mores day until we party! Have you got ideas on what you'll be reading yet?

I'm going to start with The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter. The author, Michael J. Sullivan has a new book being published in 2019.

I also have The Thief down as a possibility. It's the 1st in a series.

I was looking at The Lightning Thief or A Drink Before the War, but at this point I'm leaning toward Bloody January. I've still got a couple of days to change my mind four(teen) times lol

I think I've changed my mind. I'm going to read The Nowhere Child for has a new book being published in 2019. It is expected to be published Jan 22nd.

I'm going to look and see if there is a short audio that I can add too in case I have audio time.

Edit: This book was originally published in 2018, so I don't think it would fit that task. It is his debut though, so it should fit for debut author.

When I first looked at it I saw a version that said 320 pages and thought it was doable. This one says 384 pages, which might be too much for me. I'm going to have to think on this before Friday.