The Next Best Book Club discussion

Three Imaginary Boys (1979)

“10:15 Saturday Night” – Stay in on a Saturday night, read a book, and take credit for it here The Keepers of Metsan Valo
“Accuracy” – Read a book that required the author to do a lot of research to get right Costalegre
“Grinding Halt” – Take credit for a book you DNFd
“Another Day” – Read a book you attempted to read in the past but walked away from
“Object” – Read a book that focuses heavily around an object (bonus points if it’s a haunted object!)
“Subway Song” – Read a book on the subway / that takes place in a city
“Foxy Lady” – Read a book that is a homage to another work of literature Tidepool
“Meat Hook” – Read a book that features cannibalism or a different spin on eating meat
“So What” – Take credit here if you read a book that everyone else was raving about but left you feeling ‘meh’
“Fire in Cairo” – Read a book that is set in a country other than your own Costalegre
“It’s Not You” – Read a book that’s told in first person POV Costalegre
“Three Imaginary Boys” – Read a book with a child protagonist / that involves children The Essex Serpent
“The Weedy Burton” – Read a book that has a protagonist with a strange name

Seventeen Seconds (1980)

“A Reflection” – If you read a book in which you relate to one of the characters, take credit here
“Play for Today” – Take credit here for a book that you finished in one day
“Secrets” – Read a book that you’d consider a guilty pleasure The Keepers of Metsan Valo
“In Your House” – Break up the monotony! Read a book in different rooms of your house and take credit for it here The Keepers of Metsan Valo
“Three” – Read the third book by an author (either the third book they’ve published, or the third book in general that you’ve read of theirs) The Haunting of Brynn Wilder
“The Final Sound” – Read a book that still resonates with you after you’ve finished it
“A Forest” – Read a book that takes place in or features a forest (bonus points if it’s scary!) The Keepers of Metsan Valo
“M” – Read a book with a title that starts with M or features an initial in the title
“At Night” – Read a book that’s too scary to read at night
“Seventeen Seconds” – Read a micro fiction or flash fiction collection
 
Faith (1981)

“The Holy Hour” – Read a book that heavily features religion or has religious references The Essex Serpent
“Primary” – Read the first book in a series or an author’s debut book
“Other Voices” – Read a book that is told from multiple POVs
“All Cats are Grey” – Read a book that features a cat or has a cat on the cover Costalegre
“The Funeral Party” – Read a book that focuses on a death, grief, or features a cemetery Tidepool
“Doubt” – If you read a book that you were doubtful of, but ended up loving, take credit for it here
“The Drowning Man” – Read a book that features water on the cover or that takes place on or near a body of water Tidepool
“Faith” – Read a book in which the main character loses faith


Pornography (1982)

“One Hundred Years” – If you read a book that felt like it took ages to finish, take credit for it here The Essex Serpent
“A Short Term Effect” - Read a book that is less than 100 pages
“The Hanging Garden” – If you read a book that creeped you out, take credit for it here
“Siamese Twins” – Read a book that features a medical anomaly
“The Figurehead” – Read a book that a social media influencer put on your radar
“A Strange Day” – Read a book that was just plain weird
“Cold” – Curl up with a blanket and a good book, and take credit for it here
“Pornography” – Read a book that’s a little (or a LOT) sexy (negative points if it’s Fifty Shades of Gray!)

The Top (1984)

“Shake Dog Shake” – Read a book that features a dog or has a dog on the cover (bonus points if the dog doesn’t die!)
“Bird Mad Girl” – Read a book with a nonsensical title
“Wailing Wall” – Read a book with a title that contains the same first letters
“Give Me It” – Run out and buy a book that you MUST have, read it immediately, and take credit for it here
“Dressing Up” – Read a book that makes you feel fancy
“The Caterpillar” – Read a book that features bugs/insects or has one on the cover
“Piggy in the Mirror” – Read a book that focuses on mental health, or features a character who is struggling mentally
“The Empty World” – Read a post apocalyptic book
“Bananafishbones” – Read a bizarro book
“The Top” – Read the book that is currently sitting at the top of your TBR pile

The Head on the Door (1985)

“In Between Days” – If you’re reading two books at the same time, take credit for them here
“Kyoto Song” – Read a book that was written by a musician or that frequently quotes song lyrics
“The Blood” – Read a splatterpunk book, or a book that features an awful amount of blood
“Six Different Ways” – Read a book in a different format than you normally do (digital instead of print, audiobook, graphic novel instead of traditional)
“Push” – Read a book someone ‘pushed’ onto you
“The Baby Screams” – Read a book that features creepy babies (or baby dolls) or in which the main character is pregnant
“Close to Me” – Read a book by an author you’ve met in RL, or that you attended a reading for
“A Night Like This” – Stay up late reading a book and take credit for it here The Essex Serpent
“Screw” – Read a book with a one word title Tidepool
“Sinking” – If you read a book that sucked in right from the start, take credit for it here


Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987)

“The Kiss” – Read a book that contains the ‘enemies to lovers’ trope or in which there is a delayed hook up The Essex Serpent
“Catch” – Buy a book that caught your attention solely based on the cover and take credit for it here when you read it
“Torture” – Take credit here for a book that you didn’t DNF but should have
“If Only Tonight We Could Sleep” – If you read a book that scared you silly, take credit for it here
“Why Can’t I Be You” – Read a book that is written in second person
“How Beautiful You Are” – Read a book that you think is visually gorgeous (cover, illustrations, French flaps, sprayed edges, whatever!)
“The Snakepit” – Read a book that contains vicious behavior or is set in a place of squalor
“Hey You!” – Read a book that you can’t stop telling people about!
“Just Like Heaven” – Read a book that you anticipate will become a year-end favorite
“All I Want” – Read a book that you were DYING to get your hands on but that sat sitting on your TBR until now
“Hot Hot Hot!!!” – Read a book that everyone’s talking about
“One More Time” – Pick up a book you’ve read years ago, and reread it now
“Like Cockatoos” – If you read a book that feels familiar, take credit for it here
“Icing Sugar” – Read a book that you’d classify as “brain candy”
“The Perfect Girl” – Read a book that features a female protagonist Tidepool
“A Thousand Hours” – Read a book that’s more than 400 pages long The Essex Serpent
“Shiver and Shake” – Read a horror book Tidepool
“Fight” – If you read a book that contains a lot of violence, take credit for it here Tidepool

Disintegration (1989)

“Plainsong” – Read a book that has flown under everyone’s radar
“Pictures of You” – Read a graphic novel or a book that contains illustrations
“Closedown” – Take credit here if you let your true introvert shine, and read a book during a social event
“Lovesong” – Read a book that features love or in which the main character is pining for someone
“Last Dance” – Read the last book an author published, or the last book of a series
“Lullaby” – Read a fairy tale retelling
“Fascination Street” – Read a book on a topic that you find fascinating
“Prayers for Rain” – Take credit here if you stayed inside on a rainy day and read a book
“The Same Deep Water as You” – If you read a book that has left you just as confused as everyone else, take credit here
“Disintegration” - Read a badly beat up used book (bonus points if you show us how bad a condition it was in!)
“Homesick” – Read a book that’s set in your hometown, or written by an author from your hometown
“Untitled” – Free space, take credit for any book here

Wish (1992)

“Open” – Read a book that you’ve been putting off
“High” – If you read a book that’s left you feeling all the feels, take credit here
“Apart” – Read a book in which the cover doesn’t match the content
“From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea” – Read a magical realism or speculative fiction book
“Wendy Time” – Read a book that’s written by someone who identifies as female
“Doing the Unstuck” – Read a science fiction book
“Friday I’m in Love” – Read a book that you think is the author’s equivalent of a ‘sell out’
“Trust” – Read a book a close friend recommended to you
“A Letter to Elise” – Read a book that’s told in an alternate format – texts, letters, emails, etc Costalegre
“Cut” – If you read a book that you can’t stop highlighting or quoting passages from, take credit for it here
“To Wish Impossible Things” – Give a new genre a try and take credit for it here
“End” – if you read a book that just sort of… ends, leaving you with a WTF did I just read feeling, take credit for it here

Wild Mood Swings (1996)

“Want” – Read a book you’ve been dying to get your hands on
“Club America” – Read a book that’s been translated into English
“This is a Lie” – Read a book that ended up being different than you thought it would be
“The 13th” – Read a ‘feel good’ book and take credit for it here
“Strange Attraction” – Read a book didn’t you expect to like that really surprised you
“Mint Car” – Read a book while on a road trip and take credit for it here
“Jupiter Crash” – Read a space opera / book that takes place in space
“Round & Round & Round” – Play Spin the Bottle with your books and take credit for the one you landed on here
“Gone!” – Read a book in which magic is heavily featured The Keepers of Metsan Valo
“Numb”- Read a book for so long, in the same position, that your arms or legs go numb, and take credit for it here
“Return” – Read a book that you borrowed (from the library, from a friend, from a little free library, etc)
“Trap” – Read a book that you literally could not put down
“Treasure” – Read a book in which someone is searching for something / read a mystery book
“Bare” – Read a book that is exactly what it claims to be
“It Used to Be Me” – Read a book that’s been on your TBR for a super long time, that a much younger you bought, but you realize you aren’t into anymore.


Bloodflowers (2000)

“Out of This World” – Read a book that features aliens or things that are not of this world
“Watching Me Fall” - Read a new to you author that you’ve instantly fallen in love with
“Where the Birds Always Sing” – Read a book that features birds or has birds on the cover
“Maybe Someday” – Read a book that you keep meaning to pick up and take credit for it here
“Coming Up” – Read a book by a debut author
“The Last Day of Summer” - Read a book that is set in the summer time
“There Is No If…” – Read a book you that strongly loved or strongly hated and take credit for it here
“The Loudest Sound” – Listen to an audiobook and take credit for it here Costalegre
“39” – Read a book with a number in the title
“Bloodflowers” – Read a book that you know will haunt you for some time to come
“Split Milk” – Read a book that was mildly unpleasant


The Cure (2004)

“Lost” – Read a book that made absolutely no sense to you
“Labyrinth” – Read a book that was published in the 80’s
“Before Three” – Read one of the first three books of an author’s bibliography
“Truth, Goodness, and Beauty” – Read a book that blew you away
“The End of the World” – Read a dystopian book or a book in which the world has severely changed
“Anniversary” – Read a book in which something cyclical happens The Keepers of Metsan Valo
“Us or Them” – Read a book that is written in first person plural, or forth person POV
“Fake” – Read a book you are too embarrassed to admit you did / didn’t like
“alt.end” – Take credit for a book that you caught yourself skimming through, either because you wanted to get through a slow part or you couldn’t wait to discover what was happening
“(I Don’t Know What’s Going) On” – Read a book that has amazing twists and turns that you couldn’t predict
“Taking Off” – If you read a book that started off slow but then got really good, take credit for it here
“Never” – Read a book in a genre that you thought you’d never read
“The Promise” – Read a book that you kept promising someone you would get to, but kept putting off
“Going Nowhere” – Read a book that seemed to go nowhere
“This Morning” – Read a book in bed The Keepers of Metsan Valo

4:13 Dream (2008)

“Underneath the Stars” – Read a book outside at night
“The Only One” – Read a book by your favorite author
“The Reasons Why” – Read a book and immediately review it everywhere you can
“Freakshow” – Read a book you’d be embarrassed to have people see you read
“Sirensong” – Read a book by an author whose books just keep calling to you / your auto-buy author
“The Real Snow White” – Read a book that puts a spin on a fairy tale
“The Hungry Ghost” – Read a book that features ghosts
“Switch” – Read a book that switches up the narrators / tells the story from multiple POVs
“The Perfect Boy” – Read a book that was absolutely perfect, a 5 star read
“This. Here and Now. With You” – Carry a book around with you and read it wherever you go, whenever you can, then take credit for it here
“Sleep When I’m Dead” – Read a book cover to cover in one sitting
“The Scream” – Read a book that pissed you off so badly you wanted to throw it across the room
“It’s Over” – Read a book that convinces you to never read another book by that author again

I think my theme this year is going to be The Year of Mystorical Reading: mysteries, histories, and magical realism.

Hi Marie! Thanks for joining this challenge, and good luck!!

1. Tidepool by Nicole Willson:
“Foxy Lady” – Read a book that is a homage to another work of literature;
“The Funeral Party” – Read a book that focuses on a death, grief, or features a cemetery;
“The Drowning Man” – Read a book that features water on the cover or that takes place on or near a body of water;
“Screw” – Read a book with a one word title;
“The Perfect Girl” – Read a book that features a female protagonist;
“Shiver and Shake” – Read a horror book;
“Fight” – If you read a book that contains a lot of violence, take credit for it here;

2. Costalegre by Courtney Maum:
“Accuracy” – Read a book that required the author to do a lot of research to get right;
“Fire in Cairo” – Read a book that is set in a country other than your own;
“It’s Not You” – Read a book that’s told in first person POV;
“All Cats are Grey” – Read a book that features a cat or has a cat on the cover;
“A Letter to Elise” – Read a book that’s told in an alternate format – texts, letters, emails, etc;
“The Loudest Sound” – Listen to an audiobook and take credit for it here;

3. The Keepers of Metsan Valo by Wendy Webb:
“10:15 Saturday Night” – Stay in on a Saturday night, read a book, and take credit for it here;
“Secrets” – Read a book that you’d consider a guilty pleasure;
“In Your House” – Break up the monotony! Read a book in different rooms of your house and take credit for it here;
“A Forest” – Read a book that takes place in or features a forest (bonus points if it’s scary!);
“Gone!” – Read a book in which magic is heavily featured;
“Anniversary” – Read a book in which something cyclical happens;
“This Morning” – Read a book in bed;

4. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry:
“Three Imaginary Boys” – Read a book with a child protagonist / that involves children;
“The Holy Hour” – Read a book that heavily features religion or has religious references;
“One Hundred Years” – If you read a book that felt like it took ages to finish, take credit for it here;
“A Night Like This” – Stay up late reading a book and take credit for it here;
“The Kiss” – Read a book that contains the ‘enemies to lovers’ trope or in which there is a delayed hook up;
“A Thousand Hours” – Read a book that’s more than 400 pages long;

5. The Haunting of Brynn Wilder by Wendy Webb:
“Three” – Read the third book by an author (either the third book they’ve published, or the third book in general that you’ve read of theirs);
“Piggy in the Mirror” – Read a book that focuses on mental health, or features a character who is struggling mentally;
“Numb”- Read a book for so long, in the same position, that your arms or legs go numb, and take credit for it here;
“Bare” – Read a book that is exactly what it claims to be;
“The Last Day of Summer” - Read a book that is set in the summer time;
“The Hungry Ghost” – Read a book that features ghosts;

6. The Wickeds by Gayle Forman:
“Play for Today” – Take credit here for a book that you finished in one day;
“A Short Term Effect” - Read a book that is less than 100 pages;
“The Real Snow White” – Read a book that puts a spin on a fairy tale;

7. Little Slaughterhouse on the Prairie by Harold Schechter:
“The Snakepit” – Read a book that contains vicious behavior or is set in a place of squalor;
“Bloodflowers” – Read a book that you know will haunt you for some time to come;
“Sleep When I’m Dead” – Read a book cover to cover in one sitting;

8. Persephone by Lev Grossman:
“Like Cockatoos” – If you read a book that feels familiar, take credit for it here;
“It’s Over” – Read a book that convinces you to never read another book by that author again;

9. Inlandby Téa Obreht:
“Grinding Halt” – Take credit for a book you DNFd

It's not that I didn't enjoy the book--I just put it down and couldn't get back into it.

10. Dead Dames Don't Sing by John Harvey:
“Treasure” – Read a book in which someone is searching for something / read a mystery book;
“This. Here and Now. With You” – Carry a book around with you and read it wherever you go, whenever you can, then take credit for it here;

11. Delphi by Clare Pollard:
“Faith” – Read a book in which the main character loses faith;
“Fascination Street” – Read a book on a topic that you find fascinating;
“Split Milk” – Read a book that was mildly unpleasant;
“alt.end” – Take credit for a book that you caught yourself skimming through, either because you wanted to get through a slow part or you couldn’t wait to discover what was happening;

12. Ms. Mirage by Joe Tone:
“Subway Song” – Read a book on the subway / that takes place in a city;
“M” – Read a book with a title that starts with M or features an initial in the title;

13. Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia:
“In Between Days” – If you’re reading two books at the same time, take credit for them here;
“Just Like Heaven” – Read a book that you anticipate will become a year-end favorite;
“Sirensong” – Read a book by an author whose books just keep calling to you / your auto-buy author;
“The Perfect Boy” – Read a book that was absolutely perfect, a 5 star read;

14. A Thousand Steps by T. Jefferson Parker:
“In Between Days” – If you’re reading two books at the same time, take credit for them here;
“Catch” – Buy a book that caught your attention solely based on the cover and take credit for it here when you read it;
“Lovesong” – Read a book that features love or in which the main character is pining for someone;

15. Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix:
“Meat Hook” – Read a book that features cannibalism or a different spin on eating meat;
“The Hanging Garden” – If you read a book that creeped you out, take credit for it here;

16. The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia:
“Pornography” – Read a book that’s a little (or a LOT) sexy (negative points if it’s Fifty Shades of Gray!);
“Give Me It” – Run out and buy a book that you MUST have, read it immediately, and take credit for it here;

17. Murder at the Royal Ruby by Nita Prose:
“Closedown” – Take credit here if you let your true introvert shine, and read a book during a social event;
“Return” – Read a book that you borrowed (from the library, from a friend, from a little free library, etc);

I always felt bad about not finishing this challenge. I may go back and complete this one.

That's a cool idea!

18. Black Rainbow by Barbara Michaels:
“Primary” – Read the first book in a series or an author’s debut book;
“Labyrinth” – Read a book that was published in the 80’s;

19. Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima:
“Seventeen Seconds” – Read a micro fiction or flash fiction collection;
“From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea” – Read a magical realism or speculative fiction book;

20. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata:
“Club America” – Read a book that’s been translated into English;
“Strange Attraction” – Read a book didn’t you expect to like that really surprised you;