The Reading Challenge Group discussion

This is the month to relax and read children's stories, picture and seasonal books. Animal stories and comics count too.
It's up to you!

I've just finished a charming old-fashioned story called Christmas Tree Land by Mrs. Molesworth.

I listened to A Mummy Ate My Homework which is actually a children's book but I loved it!

It sounds like a fun read!

Maybe because of the movie versions, since Dickens does have a sense of humour.
I love the last stave of The Christmas Carol!

I've just finished a light-hearted story about an eccentric inventor and his 13 year old son-The Little City of Hope: A Christmas Story by F. Marion Crawford.
It was fun, considering that this author is known for writing spooky stories.

Sonia wrote: "I have started A Christmas Carol, having never actually read it before. It's really funny - why did no-one tell me how funny it was?"

I’ll be reading A Christmas Carol: What if Scrooge were a woman? later this month!

Sounds cool!

I read the short story The Heavenly Christmas Tree by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It definitely wasn’t a “fun” read but was beautifully written & thought-provoking. I recommend it, but not really for this particular theme. (You may find it with the alternative title “The Beggar Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree”.)

I read that two years ago, Trisha. It does make you reflective.

Red Ink Angela Makholwa
Don't know about a fun read. Reading about a serial killer was a bit much for me at times. I did enjoy it and gave it three star rating only because of one or two annoying aspects which detracted from the main action. It is the 2007 debut Novel by this author, a black South African woman. I read it for the December mystery read for the group RATW with Melanie Martin.

Merry Christmas From the Family - a short book that is totally hilarious. Photos, recipes, and crafts illustrate Keen's Christmas song - and it is the antidote to all the too sweet stuff. More Christmas Vacation than It's a Wonderful Life. The tampon angel craft and cigarette stars are the anti-Martha Stewart. Such fun!

That does sound funny, Cindy!

My 8th Angela Thirkell, The Brandons. These books are so much fun, and so entertaining.

I read High Rising a couple of years ago and loved it. She is a fun writer.

Finished Little Women - this is one I did not read when young and found I enjoyed it. It is a little sweet seen from modern times but when written in the 1860s is very forward thinking in its treatment of women.

I didn't read Little Women as a child either. I finally read it five or so years ago and liked it. Alcott can get preachy at times, but not so much in this one.

Rosemarie wrote: "I didn't read Little Women as a child either. I finally read it five or so years ago and liked it. Alcott can get preachy at times, but not so much in this one."

You are right - it is more dated than some other classics, but still enjoyable and fun, especially for the family interactions. It seems so true - the squabbles, plots, sweetness - everything seemed to ring true if sometimes as you point out preachy.

I liked the interactions amongst the sisters too.

I reread The Chimes by Charles Dickens.

This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart.
A reread but a fun read and just a perfect revisit. A favourite author.

I like Mary Stewart as well. I've read most of her books at least once.

I read Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah. Want to start a new one and would love some recommendation(s).

What kind of books do you like, Sharjeel?

I read two short stories today: The Tapestried Chamber; Or, the Lady in the Sacque by Walter Scott and Christmas at Kirkby Cottage by Anthony Trollope.

There was a Victorian tradition of telling ghost stories around Christmas time, and the first story I read is from The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories.

The second is a cute story by one of my favourite authors.

I read Dark Side of the Rainbow. What can I say I love Oz.

So do I!

The Christmas Angel by Abbie Farwell Brown has a Scrooge type main character, but she's an American woman, not miserly, just hard-hearted. It's sappy in a good way!

I finished A Christmas Cornucopia by Mark Forsyth which I realised had the date as having started in December 2020. I was only a few pages in so left it as it was.
I love this author and found this book of Christmas facts and fun to be just as enjoyable as his other work. 4 stars

It looks interesting, Penny.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. This is my year long read with the Reddit group. Decided to include in December fun reads. I am so proud to have kept up all year and to have completed it. I had read it before but I was very young and a lot of the detail was lost. A billiant way to read a long book, totally involved and fully committed to the cause.

Bravo on finishing, Penny. I read in 2021 as well-it's brilliant!

Penelope wrote: "War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. This is my year long read with the Reddit group. Decided to include in December fun reads. I am so proud to have kept up all year and to hav..."
Penelope,

I would like to talk with you about your long read group. Is there a way we can discuss it? I think Goodreads has a rule against discussing other book clubs, although I may be confusing it with another club.

Pamela wrote: "Penelope wrote: "War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. This is my year long read with the Reddit group. Decided to include in December fun reads. I am so proud to have kept up al..."

The best way is to join www.reddit.com and download the app for easy access. they have endless possibilities for reading novels plays poetry etc. a lot of my notifications for news are for Australia but its the world over. Don Quixote, Middlemarch and Buddenbrooks are about to start. all the scheduling is in the section on the site. just join whatever appeals. I don't if know if War and Peace is part of it in 2022. I think that group is going to do Proust. its fantastic and it took me ages before I had the courage to comment. I am also involved in the Zola Rougan-Marquet novels. although 'im behind this month. Let me know how you go.

Thanks, Penelope!

December got me over the finish line with my reading challenge. I finished La Belle Sauvage which recaptured some of the magic of His Dark Materials. I also introduced my daughter to A Series of Unfortunate Events with the The Bad Beginning. Finally, I read We'll have a wonderful Cornish Christmas which started as a fun holiday romance, but fizzled out in the kast few chapters.

It's too bad when a book doesn't keep up your interest.
But I'm glad you did have some fun reads as well, Brenda.

I read Hollow Kingdom for my animal book. It's the zombie apocalypse from the POV of the animals. It was definitely weird and hilarious, but I wasn't expecting how heartfelt it was, as well. An unexpected favorite to end the year with.

That sounds like a crazy read!

From what I've read, I'd say I love fiction. Murakami, Kafka, Orwell, and such. But I do love me some world building, like One Piece and LoTR. And sometimes I just want to read some feel good stories. And this was one of them.

I feel the same way, Sharjeel. I read different things in different moods.

I just finished reading All Things Bright and Beautiful, or rather listening to it, and I loved it, not surprisingly. My husband has been watching all the vet shows on Disney+ but I don't have time to watch tv so I listen to audiobooks instead. So this was my answer to all his vet shows, lol. I've seen parts of his shows and they really are wonderful.

I'm also finishing up the Cork O'Connor books and have one book left, Lightning Strike, which is a prequel of the series. I'm looking forward to it!

I'm glad you're enjoying all the books you're reading, Eileen.