Chapter Adventure Reading Challenges (Formerly GXO) discussion

MAY - In It to Win It

“Read a book that involves a game or contest of some sort. Virtual reality, Video games, war games, psychological mess-with-your-mind games, characters who participate in a contest, or a story in which the character takes on a personal challenge."

Comment below with the name of the book you read this month and what you thought of it.

Lightlark! I was so excited to read it, and it didn't disappoint. A little annoyed at the Love interest is 500-plus years old and "in love" with a teenager trope, but it was still an enjoyable read.

I also finished re-reading The Selection series. Still love it :)

I read Simply Lies by David Baldacci.
The woman who "hired" Mickey did it as a competition of sorts, not that Mickey knew that.

I read Sara's Game by Ernie Lindsey, a fairly short and intense story about revenge gone over the top. A worthwhile read. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
5 stars for me. Such a psychological thriller that was a page turner for me.

Challenge Complete: Seeker by Jack McDevitt

A truly excellent installment in the Alex Benedict series. Once again, the book is in the first person, with, again, Chase as the narrator. But unlike the previous volume, I felt her portrayal this time was spot on. I don’t know if she matured or if McDevitt’s writing did. In either case, Chase is the perfect character to move the story forward.

And move it does. The reader is taken on a fast paced ride, as one discovery leads to another. And while the series is named for Benedict, Chase is being given a bigger role; just as big, if not bigger, than Benedict’s.

I don’t know of a lot of hard science fiction writers out there, but of those I do know, McDevitt is at the top of the list. And this book has only solidified his position. Part science fiction, part mystery, part archaeological search, the book keeps the reader guessing until the end. No surprise that it won the Nebula award for best novel of 2006.

There are several more books in the series, with a new one just out. I can’t wait to start the next one.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

The End Games - T. Michael Martin
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
WOW! This was great! There’s nothing I love more than having zero expectations for a book, and then being surprised by how much you enjoy it. At the start I was a bit unsure, but as the storyline progressed, my opinion slowly climbed. In a market that sometimes seems to be inundated with sub-par zombie fiction, once in a while you come across an absolute gem - The End Games is absolutely that.

Jennifer wrote: "The End Games - T. Michael Martin
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
WOW! This was great! There’s nothing I love more than having zero expectations for a book, and then being surprised by..."

Based on your response alone, I have added this book to my TBR list :-)

I picked two books for this month's motif - The Night Circus and Carrie Soto Is Back. Unfortunately, halfway through The Night Circus my Kindle library loan expired and I'm back on the waitlist for it. (Argh! But so grateful for libraries!) Anyway, I had checked the physical copy of Carrie Soto Is Back out from library but had ignored it a bit. I read Daisy Jones & The Six last summer and it wasn't my favorite. But I was shocked how much I enjoyed Carrie Soto Is Back! Carrie was interesting and I really empathized for her struggle at feeling misunderstood for her desire to win. I do think there could have been a bit more development of the idea that men are praised for being cut throat about winning and women are demonized for it, but it was there enough to be a good reminder. Carrie's dad's unwavering support of his daughter and her blossoming love story all make for a fun read. I hope to still finish The Night Circus but am glad to have Carrie Soto Is Back as my book for this month's motif challenge!

Here are some psychological thrillers read this month:
1. The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda --- I wasn't riveted or in suspense as I was hoping to be. I gave it 3 stars.
2. It's one of us by J.T. Ellison-- this one kept me in suspense but fell flat at the end and I gave it 3 stars.
3. Verses for the Dead by Preston & Child--You can't go wrong with the Pendergast series with twists and turns. It's always a thrilling game ride--love this series. 4 stars
4. The Guilty by David Baldacci -- again more games of whodunit in this legal mystery thriller. 4 stars
5. Fear Nothing by Lisa Gardner -- the best Lisa Gardner novel I've read so far--- another psychological thriller I rated 5 stars.
6. The Six by Anni Taylor- a game of life and survival story filled with twists and turns. I gave it 4 stars.

I read "Icebreaker" by Hannah Grace.

I read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this read. It was entertaining and I appreciated the world development more than anything else in the story.

I read "The Island" by Natasha Preston

CHALLENGE COMPLETE! I have waited so long for the fourth and final installment in this series. It was totally worth the wait! The main character, Jennifer Strange, completes her journey which - unbeknownst to her - has been three centuries in the making. The previous three books have led to this moment and did not end anywhere close to what I expected. I cried like a baby! Although I love all of Fforde's work, I believe this series is my personal favorite.

For May, I read The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks. The Contest or Game in the book is twofold. The most obvious Contest is Bull Riding. The book is about 2 different groups of people. the first, is a bull rider and a college student meet in modern day. The second is about an elderly man who is reminiscing about his life with his deceased wife of 40+ yrs. Near the end of the book, their paths finally cross. The second Game/Contest is the Ride of life itself. It's finding joy in the journey of life and who you take the journey with. I mainly chose the book for the Bull Riding aspect for the challenge. I do recommend if you are a Nicholas Sparks fan. There is also a movie adaptation that follows the main story of the book, with some changes of course. However, the main story is still intact.

Challenge Complete! I read Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Prisoners travel as Links in Chain-Gangs, competing in death-matches.

Complex, beautifully written, but brutal book.

An unkindness of magicians by Kat Howard

Challenge complete in May (behind on my posts)! Read The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd.

Just want to note that a very interesting fact I learned reading this is that cartographers would put fake towns on their maps as kind of a safeguard to know if others were copying their maps. So clever, but hate to follow that map and think there is a town coming up in my travels and then it's not there! Crazy!

An unkindness of magicians by Kat Howard