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2024 Independent Challenge
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DONE: Karol's Amended Independent Challenges
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Good plan, Karol. That'll keep you focused!
Good luck and I hope you enjoy your reading :)
#8 for my Around the World challenge:An Eye at the Top of the World: The Terrifying Legacy of the Cold War's Most Daring C.I.A. Operation, by Pete Takeda
Fascinating look at Indian culture, a CIA operation, and mountain climbing - mostly about a climbing expedition that touched on some cold war and other history of the area.
3 stars
Karol wrote: "#8 for my Around the World challenge:An Eye at the Top of the World: The Terrifying Legacy of the Cold War's Most Daring C.I.A. Operation, by Pete Takeda
Fascinatin..."
It really sounds fascinating! I love reading around the world. Good luck with your challenge, you're making nice progress.
Ioana wrote: "I love reading around the world. Good luck with your challenge, you're making nice progress.."Thanks, Ioana. It is so easy for me to get stuck in a rut with my cozy mystery and historical fiction reads - kind of like comfort food. It's really good to get outside those lines!
Finished one for my Read Around the USA Challenge: Moloka'i, by Alan BrennertExceptional writing. The author focuses us on a group of people who, by no fault of their own, brought fear into the hearts and minds of others. I would have never thought a book about a "leper colony" - actually a combination prison/hospital for those with Hanson's disease - would be a story I'd enjoy. There were many terrible things that happened in this book, but there was also the beauty of the Hawaiian surroundings, and the beauty of the love for others, for heritage, and the land.
The author's descriptions helped me to see the whole story clearly in my mind's eye. The way he discussed everything made me feel many emotions.
All in all, an impressive novel with an emotionally moving story.
5 stars
Karol wrote: "Finished one for my Read Around the USA Challenge: Moloka'i, by Alan BrennertExceptional writing. The author focuses us on a group of people who, by no fault of their ow..."
I agree, great book, that was a 5 stars for me too. There is a 2nd one, Daughter of Moloka'i, still good, but not quite the same. Unless you feel you need to complete every series, I think you're fine with just the 1st one.
Karol wrote: "Finished one for my Read Around the USA Challenge: Moloka'i, by Alan BrennertExceptional writing. The author focuses us on a group of people who, by no fault of their ow..."
Definitely a good book and the author did a great job describing the world. Will you be reading the follow up? I still have it on my list and plan to get to it eventually. As soon as I stop getting distracted by all the books everyone talks about in this group, lol
Ioana wrote: "Karol wrote: "Finished one for my Read Around the USA Challenge: Moloka'i, by Alan BrennertI agree, great book, that was a 5 stars for me too. There is a 2nd one, Daughter of Moloka'i, still good, but not quite the same. Unless you feel you need to complete every series, I think you're fine with just the 1st one."
Thanks for the tip, Ioana!
Lillie wrote: "Karol wrote: "Finished one for my Read Around the USA Challenge: Moloka'i, by Alan BrennertDefinitely a good book and the author did a great job describing the world. Will you be reading the follow up?"
Lillie, I probably won't read the follow-up book. Partly based on Ioana's thoughts, and partly because of my own TBR list - there are so many books already that I'm anxious to get to!
Finished for my Read Around the World challenge:The Stationery Shop, by Marjan Kamali
This book is rich in description and emotion. The story takes place in Iran in 1953, when Prime Minister Mossadegh is overthrown by a coup, replacing his leadership with the Shah.
The main character is caught up in ways she cannot understand at the time.
I enjoyed this book from many angles - but especially how a very significant event in history impacted the lives of all the characters in many and surprising ways.
4 stars
Mod
The Stationery Shop, by Marjan Kamali
This book is rich in description and emotion. The story takes place in Iran..."
Definitely sounds interesting.
Bill wrote: "Definitely sounds interesting.."Yes, it was! It is from a woman's perspective - the main character being the daughter of parents who were enlightened in terms of their daughters' education.
Well, my last several books have been kinda' heavy - so I'm taking a quick break from my challenge to enjoy some fun stuff from my library this week.Cozy mystery paperbacks:
Southern Sass and Killer Cravings
Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse
Southern Sass and a Battered Bride
A very readable cookbook:
Cider Beans, Wild Greens, and Dandelion Jelly: Recipes from Southern Appalachia
Mod
Cozy mystery paperbacks:
[bookcover:Southern S..."
Those do look like fun, cozy reads. Good for you, Karol!
Back to my challenges . . . although I did enjoy the detour above.For the Read Around the World Challenge:
A Disappearance in Fiji, by Nilima Rao
I knew absolutely nothing about Fiji, and the first chapter in the book made me wonder about the ethnicity of the characters, or more specifically why there was a lack of acceptance of the main character (a police sargeant from India) and his fellow Fijian officers. This led me towards a little online research - and so I learned more about the nature of the conflict back in the 1910's when this novel takes place. The author's end notes about the history of Fiji were very helpful as well.
After jumping that hurdle, I ended up thoroughly enjoying the book! I found it fascinating and quite engaging. I loved the main character. The setting was intriguing. The historical aspect of the book was quite surprising to me and seeing how things played out in this story evern moreso.
After having read the book, I was pleased to see in the book jacket that the author intends this to be the first book in a series and that book #2 in underway. I will be looking for it.
5 stars
Karol wrote: "Back to my challenges . . . although I did enjoy the detour above.For the Read Around the World Challenge:
A Disappearance in Fiji, by Nilima Rao"
A 5 star? Definitely going to read this. Already put a hold on it.
Lillie wrote: "Karol wrote: "For the Read Around the World Challenge: A Disappearance in Fiji, by Nilima RaoA 5 star? Definitely going to read this. Already put a hold on it."
..."
Lillie, I really hope you like it! It's not rated all that high on GR, barely over 3 stars. But I truly thought it was one of the most interesting books I've read in a while. Subject matter is pretty dark, though, as it describes what indentured servants had to endure.
For the Around the World challenge: The Marvelous Misadventures of Ingrid Winter, by Janne S. DrangsholtSo many Goodreads reviewers seem to hate this book. But I loved it!
It was very funny, about a neurotic working mother with whom I could relate maybe a bit too much. Every day life was chaotic for her . . . and then there was a business trip where the objective didn't seem entirely clear.
The book takes place in Norway, and was translated from Norwegian into English. Perhaps, one would have to live in Norway and/or be able to read it in the original language to more thoroughly enjoy it. The author made several references to Pippi Longstocking and I thought that if Pippi was an adult this could be her. Several references to the movie Bladerunner as well.
I don't know - I just found it so charming and funny and I really did laugh out loud several times throughout. I've gotta say . . . I loved the business trip to Russia best of all.
4 stars.
For the Read Around the USA challenge (Rhode Island):A Week at the Shore, by Barbara Delinsky
The setup and location for this book was great . . . but as it continued on I found myself just wanting the book to be done already. Too many twisted people having twisted relationships. Not my taste, but I admit the writing was decent.
2.5 stars
Finished another for the USA challenge (South Dakota):Black Hills, by Nora Roberts
This is the first time I've read anything by Nora Roberts. It surprised me in a lot of ways. I didn't enjoy the romance aspect of it at all. But I did enjoy the description of life in the Black Hills, and the suspense element was certainly creepy and scary.
True Sisters, by Sandra DallasI was stunned to learn that in 1856, there were groups of people (Mormons) who traveled from Iowa City to Salt Lake City not by wagon train, but by small carts that they pushed 1,300 miles. Folks who came from Europe due to religious persecution and thought they'd be traveling by wagon train were talked into giving away all their possessions their money because, after all, you wouldn't want to be the wealthiest among all these good people. And besides, everything needed would be supplied in Salt Lake. Who got those possessions? If they had any monetary value, yep - that would be the elders.
So these people pushed their carts. The majority of them did not last for the 1,300 miles. Some who did were sorry they had made the trip, others in fact thrived.
Religious fervor can indeed be a dangerous thing . . . so I found this book to be a cautionary tale to someone like me who tries to be steadfast in her religious beliefs. Faith is a blessing in life, but sadly it can also be misdirected and cause harm.
The Brickmaker's Bride, by Judith McCoy MillerHistorical Fiction/Romance/Christian
The story was enjoyable, and I learned a lot about how bricks were made just after the Civil War. Not sure how that knowledge is going to help me . . .
4 stars
The Calling of Ella McFarland, by Linda Brooks DavisHistorical Fiction/Romance/Christian
I liked this book. The fight for the right for women to vote, and the fight for a good education for girls beyond 3rd grade were major themes in this novel. The author did a great job showing the plight of women who had limited options in the early 1900's, and how individual women were able to help others rise through education and political involvement.
Although I wasn't enamored of the writing style I did enjoy the story. It made me think of my grandmothers (both were born a few years before 1900) and how what they experienced as girls and young women would have been very different than what I did. The book talks about women before they could vote - and before a good education was just as essential for girls as it is for boys. One of my grandmothers was educated through 8th grade, but many of her female classmates had left school years before she did. So she was very proud of her 8th grade education. My other grandmother was a bit of a trend-setter, getting a high school education and then leaving her farming community by train after graduating to go to the city to look for work. I saw bits of them that I could relate to in this book's characters.
3 stars
Dakota Born, by Debbie MacomberWhat is it about Debbie Macomber? Sometimes her books really grab me . . . and this book was one of those. Maybe its the "culture" of North Dakota farmers with towns barely hanging on. The deepness of the community is something I've experienced in small town living myself. Perhaps that is why I found the characters so believable and relatable.
I loved the book enough that I am adding the 2nd and 3rd books in the Dakota trilogy to my To Read list.
4 stars
Ford County, by John GrishamThis was an interesting collection of short stories. I think I prefer Grisham's novels - but some of these shorts packed a punch.
3 stars
Karol wrote: "Ford County, by John GrishamThis was an interesting collection of short stories. I think I prefer Grisham's novels - but some of these shorts packed a punch.
3 stars"
I'm not usually a short story person, but this was good. My highest rated Grisham novels are all full length, but sometimes I think he runs out of steam towards the end, so that was the one nice thing about the short stories. :-)
Mod
This was an interesting collection of short stories. I think I prefer Grisham's novels - but some of these shorts packed a punch.
3 stars"
I liked this one too. I was surprised, but usually I only do horror short stories.
Lea wrote: "I'm not usually a short story person, but this was good. My highest rated Grisham novels are all full length, but sometimes I think he runs out of steam towards the end, so that was the one nice thing about the short stories."I agree with you! I've read a couple of the Grisham books and enjoyed them but I also sensed that lack of steam towards the end.
Alondra wrote: "I liked this one too. I was surprised, but usually I only do horror short stories."I generally love short stories, and have a few collections of them. I thought Grisham's ranked up there with some of the best.
Simple Gifts, by Lori CopelandThis is a Christian fiction book that takes place in a small Missouri town. The main character (Marlene) is pulled in various directions by family - a clingy daughter with two kids who wants Marlene to spend all her time helping her, and an aged aunt who needs Marlene's care.
Throw in the complication of being the "normal" offspring of two mentally challenged adults and Marlene has had (and continues to have) a tough life. It all leads to Marlene becoming a bald-faced liar to cope with it all.
As the book winds through Marlene's challenges and how they mostly get resolved, there were parts of the book and a couple of side characters I liked. But for the most part, I very much disliked the main character and that made the book less than an enjoyable read for me. I also felt that several of the situations were entirely unrealistic (like when her aunt fakes paralysis).
It held my interest enough that I read it to the end, so I have to give it at least 2 stars for that.
Liberty, by Kirby LarsonThis is a wonderful historical fiction book for middle grade readers.
I rarely read children's books because I'm rather old, and don't have grandchildren yet. When I do, I will make sure they read this one. It captures so well the concepts of World War, prisoners of war, racial division, cruelty to animals, and disability in a story that is engaging and somehow through all of this shows us the best that can be found in people.
I chose to read this book because I needed something from Louisiana for my Reading Around the USA challenge, and this seemed the most intriguing option from my local library. I chose well - I absolutely loved the story!
5 stars
So . . . I've decided to cross off one of my challenges - reading 20 books for the Around the World Challenge this year.I'll definitely get in 20 for the Read Around the USA challenge . . . and I think I'll actually exceed 20 to finish off the whole challenge this year. I've got 42 of 51 read for that challenge as of right now.
There are many other books I'm anxious to get to outside of either challenge, and I'm thinking of dropping the Around the World Challenge altogether . . . . we'll see how I feel about that at the beginning of 2025.
In the Shadow of Denali, by Tracie PetersonTakes place in Alaska shortly after Denali (McKinley) became a national park.
Interesting historical fiction in this book, but otherwise not all that remarkable. The villain was not too believable - too one-dimensional and lacking in depth. A more nuanced bad guy would have improved this novel.
3 stars
The Icecutter's Daughter, by Tracie PetersonEnjoyable romance set in Minnesota during the late 1800's. Compelling main character. Christian viewpoint. Too melodramatic with respect to an important secondary character - otherwise I would have given it 4 stars.
3 stars
Residue, by Michael McGarrityHow exciting to find new-to-me author that I thoroughly enjoyed!
Great police procedures, suspenseful plot, confusing (in a good way), and the people being investigated are believably greedy, selfish, and sick. The novel has complex relationships, an intriguing setting (New Mexico), and some unpredictability. To say "I couldn't put it down" is such a cliche but it was true for me.
#13 in a series is perhaps an unusual place to try an author for the first time but this book practically jumped off my library shelves . . . Now, I feel compelled to go back and read earlier books in this series, and perhaps try some other books by McGarrity as well.
5 stars
Dashing Through the Snow, by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins ClarkThis was a very light read that takes place during winter holidays in a small New Hampshire town. I enjoyed it. Quite clever and very fast-paced.
3.5 stars
Mod
I'll definitely get in 20 for the Read Around the USA challenge . . . and I..."
The ATW challenge has no time limit. So, you can leave it alone and come back to it when you want.
Sometimes, you actually read an ATW book without realizing it.
Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West, by Tom ClavinThis book was a great one for me over the last 3 weeks. Due to a hectic and stressful time, I didn't have much time to read. The nature of this non-fiction book was such I could pick it up here and there without anything like continuity in my reading time - and still enjoy it.
Clavin describes a history of Dodge City that is lively; the line between good and bad was certainly blurred as he inspected the lives of some of the folks who came through that town. The author also does a very good job describing the lives of Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterton, Doc Holliday, and other notables before, during, and after the time they spent in Dodge City.
There were quite a few stories within this book that I shared with my husband and son. In a way, as different people came and went in Dodge City, this was at times a collection of short remembrances of those people and events. I liked it all.
4 stars
The Printed Letter Bookshop, by Katherine ReayWonderful story with strong, female characters. Well worth reading. My only criticism is that there were so many complex things going on, all of which got tied up at the end just a bit to tidily for my taste. But I found a lot of wisdom in the story, and overall found it a great book to read.
I didn't realize until I went to see what other books Katherine Reay had written that I have read her once before. The other book was Dear Mr. Knightley back in 2016, and I liked it very much also.
4 stars for The Printed Letter!
So, I am counting this challenge as "Done" - but not exactly "Finished" since I decided to drop my Read Around the World challenge for this year.I did get the 20 books for the Read Around the USA challenge completed.
Karol wrote: "So, I am counting this challenge as "Done" - but not exactly "Finished" since I decided to drop my Read Around the World challenge for this year.I did get the 20 books for the Read Around the USA..."
Congratulations! Have you already started your list for next year? Or are you taking a bit of a breather?
Lillie wrote: "Congratulations! Have you already started your list for next year? Or are you taking a bit of a breather?"Thanks, Lillie. I haven't laid out anything too specific, but I'm thinking about slowing things down for next year and working in a fair number of longer books, like the Eleanor of Aquitaine books by Elizabeth Chadwick (The Summer Queen, The Winter Crown, and The Autumn Throne), Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow (it inspired the musical "Hamilton" so it must be great, right?), and the 2-volume novel The Covenant by James A. Michener (has been on my book shelves for nearly as long as I can remember).
Maybe a re-read of one of my favorites, too: The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
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Alexander Hamilton (other topics)The Summer Queen (other topics)
The Winter Crown (other topics)
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The Autumn Throne (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Ron Chernow (other topics)Elizabeth Chadwick (other topics)
James A. Michener (other topics)
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Katherine Reay (other topics)
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Read 20 books for the Read Around the USA Challenge:
1. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon. Takes place in Maine. Finished 3/4/2024
2. A Friend In Knead, by Judith Jackson. Takes place in Vermont. Finished 3/14/2024
3. My Unscripted Life, by Lauren Morrill. Takes place in Georgia. Finished 5/31/2024
4. The House on Tradd Street, by Karen White. Takes place in South Carolina. Finished 6/5/2024
5. Moloka'i, by Alan Brennert. Takes place in Hawaii. Finished 6/23/2024
6. A Week at the Shore, by Barbara Delinsky. Takes place in Rhode Island. Finished 7/23/2024
7. Black Hills, by Nora Roberts. Takes place in South Dakota. Finished 7/31/2024
8. True Sisters, by Sandra Dallas, Takes place in Utah. Finished 8/2/2024
9. The Brickmaker's Bride, by Judith McCoy Miller. Takes place in West Virginia. Finished 8/15/2024
10. The Calling of Ella McFarland, by Linda Brooks Davis. Takes place in Oklahoma. Finished 8/19/2024
11. Dakota Born, by Debbie Macomber. Takes place in North Dakota. Finished 8/24/2024
12. Ford County, by John Grisham. Takes place in Mississippi. Finished 8/30/2024
13. Simple Gifts, by Lori Copeland. Takes place in Missouri. Finished 9/6/2024
14. Liberty, by Kirby Larson. Takes place in Louisiana. Finished 9/7/2024
15. In the Shadow of Denali, by Tracie Peterson. Takes place in Alaska. Finished 9/13/2024
16. The Icecutter's Daughter, by Tracie Peterson. Takes place in Minnesota. Finished 9/23/2024
17. Residue, by Michael McGarrity. Takes place in New Mexico. Finished 9/27/2024
18. Dashing Through the Snow, by Mary Higgins Clark. Takes place in New Hampshire. Finished 10/1/2024
19. Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West, by Tom Clavin. Takes place in Kansas. Finished 10/21/2024
20. The Printed Letter Bookshop, by Katherine Reay. Takes place in Illinois. Finished 11/4/2024
Read 20 books for the Read Around the World Challenge:1. Without a Country, by Ayşe Kulin. Takes place in Turkey. Finished 1/16/2024
2. The Knowledge, by Martha Grimes. Takes place in Kenya. Finished 1/19/2024
3. The Tenth Island: Finding Joy, Beauty, and Unexpected Love in the Azores, by Diana Marcum. Takes place in Portugal. Finished 1/26/2024
4. Valencia and Valentine, by Suzy Krause. Takes place in Canada. Finished 2/15/2024
5. Poland, by James A. Michener, finished 2/24/2024
6. Homecoming, by Kate Morton. Takes place in Australia. Finished 3/11/2024
7. Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe. Takes place in Nigeria. Finished 6/7/2024
8. An Eye at the Top of the World: The Terrifying Legacy of the Cold War's Most Daring C.I.A. Operation, by Pete Takeda. Takes place in India. Finished 6/18/2024
9. The Stationery Shop, by Marjan Kamali. Takes place in Iran. Finished 6/28/2024
10. A Disappearance in Fiji, by Nilima Rao, Finished 7/10/2024
11. The Marvelous Misadventures of Ingrid Winter, by Janne S. Drangsholt. Takes place in Norway. finished 7/14/2024