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

RULES

CHALLENGE
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
BADGES
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
HELP
Badge 1:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Later badges:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
PLANNING
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
TINEYE
https://labs.tineye.com/color/

BADGE 1

📍B - Books about books The Midnight Library
📍C - Childhood Hum If You Don't Know the Words
📍D - Dogs Lily and the Octopus
📍F - FantasyThe Kaiju Preservation Society
📍G - Ghosts Spirited
📍H - History Cleopatra & Julius
📍L - Love The Love of My Life
📍M - Mythology Ithaca
📍N - Nature To the River: A Journey Beneath the Surface
📍P - Pirates Ship of Destiny
📍R - Religion Haven
📍S - Survival The Road
📍T - True Crime A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Substances and the Killers Who Used Them
📍V - Villainy reread Fingersmith
📍W - Women The Invention of Wings

BADGE 2 (25 book Titles)

📍A- All the Murmuring Bones
📍B- The Book of Witching
📍C- Capital
📍D- The Dark Lake
📍E- Esrahaddon
📍F- Farilane
📍G- Good Girl, Bad Girl
📍H- The Hemlock Cure
📍I- The Invisible Women’s Club
📍J- James
📍K- Kala
📍L- The Last White Rose
📍M- The Memory of Music: An Irish Family Saga of War & Redemption
📍N- Nolyn
📍O- Olive Kitteridge
📍P- Pod
📍Q- The Queen of Bloody Everything
📍R- Remarkably Bright Creatures
📍S- Sometimes People Die
📍T- The Toll House
📍U- Us Three
📍V- Verity
📍W- Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
📍Y- Young Bess
📍Z- Zone One

BADGE 3 (Female Authors)
📍A- Lucy Atkins Magpie Lane
📍B- Sharon J. Bolton The Craftsman
📍C- Costanza CasatiBabylonia
📍D- Louise Doughty A Bird in Winter
📍E- Lissa Evans Small Bomb at Dimperley
📍F- Francine Toon Pine
📍G- Elizabeth Gilbert City of Girls
📍H- Joanne Harris Broken Light
📍I- Laila Ibrahim Paper Wife
📍J- Jane Johnson The White Hare
📍K- Lily King Five Tuesdays in Winter
📍L- Liz Nugent Lying in Wait
📍M- Bianca Marais The Witches of Moonshyne Manor
📍N- Rebecca Netley The Black Feathers
📍O- O- Roisín O’Donnell Nesting
📍P- Natasha Pulley The Kingdoms
📍Q- Frances Quinn The Smallest Man
📍R- Rainbow Rowell Slow Dance
📍S- Sarah Moss Ripeness
📍T- Tana French Faithful Place
📍U- Sarah Underwood Lies We Sing to the Sea
📍V- Val McDermid The Skeleton Road
📍W- Ruth Ware The Woman in Suite 11
📍Y- Yaa Gyasi Transcendent Kingdom
📍Z- Zadie Smith On Beauty

BADGE 4: Mix of Male/Female Authors
📍A-
📍B-
📍C- Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities
📍D- Robert Dugoni My Sister's Grave
📍E-
📍F- Michel Faber The Crimson Petal and the White
📍G-
📍H-
📍I-
📍J-
📍K- Ken Follett Circle of Days
📍L- C.S. Lewis The Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength
📍M- Kate Mascarenhas The Psychology of Time Travel
📍N-
📍O-
📍P-
📍Q-
📍R- Riley Sager Middle of the Night
📍S- Sangu Mandanna The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
📍T-
📍U-
📍V-
📍W-
📍Y-
📍Z-

R

R

1. Badge 1, Book 1
2. Themes list, B
3. Link – The Midnight Library
4. Listened to Audiobook, 9 hours 9 min
5. Read a book about books
6. This is a story set in a library where each book represents a possible life in a a parallel universe.

Annnd... she's off! Did you enjoy The Midnight Library? It sounds interesting.

Janice wrote: "Annnd... she's off! Did you enjoy The Midnight Library? It sounds interesting."

It was a relisten for me. I said after the first time that I didn't know if it was a 3 or a 5 star listen, and I'm still not sure! There's a lot of philosophy in there but it's packaged in a story. If you can get your hands on it it's worth a go.

I won't go looking for it, but if it falls in my lap, I'll give it a go.

1. Badge 1, Book 2
2. Themes list, Childhood
3. Link – Hum If You Don't Know the Words ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 14 hrs and 25 mins
5. Read a book with theme of childhood
6. This is a coming of age story told through the eyes of a white child in south Africa and here black caregiver. It is set during Apartheid. At the start of the story the child is 9 years old and sees black people as inferior and violent. She goes through many changes in the following year.

1. Badge 1, Book 3
2. Themes list, N
3. Link – To the River: A Journey Beneath the Surface ⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 8 hrs and 29 mins
5. Read a book with theme of nature
6. The author walked the river bank of the Ouse, from source to see. The book is a blend of nature writing, river mythology and biography. This is the river Virginia Woolf drowned herself in and there was too much of that authors life story included for my taste. I enjoyed the natural history, mythology and discussion on why rivers are so central to our lives.

You have been busy!!

I'm already behind you Margo and Jayme.

Can't have Jayme waiting for me at the finish line again!!!

But she was waiting with gifts and treats wasn't she?

True! There might be advantages to being runner up to Jayme again LOL

I'll be there for you, Margo, but I think this year you will be sitting in a comfy chair with your feet up waiting for me. 😉

1. Badge 1, Book 4
2. Themes list, L
3. Link – The Love of my Life⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 11 hrs and 37 mins
5. Read a book with theme of love
6. This is a story about love in a committed relationship . Leo and Emma have a 3 year child together and are very happy. when he discovers that she has lied to him about almost everything, he is determined to got to the bottom of it and uncover the secrets of her past. He trusts her because she is love of his life. I can't explain any more without giving spoilers but it all works out in the end!

Hope this is acceptable Janice.

1. Badge 1, Book 5
2. Themes list, T
3. Link – A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Substances and the Killers Who Used Them⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 7 hrs and 15 mins
5. theme must be true crime
6. This book is about 11 murders that were committed using poisonous substances. In each case there is details the mechanism the poison uses to interfere with the normal working of the body - cat nip to science nerds like me!

You're moving right along. And yes, Love of my Life is acceptable.

Thanks Janice :-)

1. Badge 1, Book 6
2. Themes list, D
3. Link – Lily and the Octopus⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 8 hrs and 4 mins
5. theme must be DOGS
6. Beautiful, funny and heartbreaking story of a dog called Lily and her owner. The theme of the book is dogs (substitute any other animal) and how much their owners love them.

Awesome - 5 stars. :) I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Yep, my first 5 star of the year!

1. Badge 1, Book 7
2. Themes list, R
3. Link – Haven⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 8 hrs and 34 mins
5. theme must be RELIGION
6. This is a book about a small community of monks living on a tiny island off the irish coast in the 7th century. The tale is about interpretation of the scripture and about surviving in a hostile environment. I'm using it for the Religion task but it would equally fit SURVIVAL and NATURE.

And, following right on it's heels is your second 5-star. Awesome!

Janice wrote: "And, following right on it's heels is your second 5-star. Awesome!"

Whoops, that was meant to be a 4 star! It was a very good story but not quite 5. I can't count 😂

Not quite a 5 stars is good too. I just dnf my nature theme one. That will slow me down.

1. Badge 1, Book 8
2. Themes list, H
3. Link –Cleopatra & Julius⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 12 hrs and 1 min
5. theme must be HISTORY
6. This is a book about Cleopatra, Queen of ancient Egypt, and her relationship with the Roman Emperor Julius. The audio was poorly edited and somehow the dialogue and thought processes attributed to Cleopatra didn't ring true.

Janice wrote: "Not quite a 5 stars is good too. I just dnf my nature theme one. That will slow me down."

The problem I find with most Nature NF is that they're usually read by the author. I can't tell you how many potentially interesting books I've had to DNF due to terrible narration.

Haven was a really good listen, I'd also recommend The Wolf Border. It's fiction, it's about a project to reintroduce wolf to the north of england.

The one I was reading was fiction - The Naturalist Society. They were all scientists tracking and studying nature, and the author threw in this silly magic system. I couldn't wrap my head around the need for it. So what if the MC could light a candle with the touch of her finger. It was way more interesting that she could identify the song of a bird without seeing it.

I'm starting Broken Bayou tonight which I understand is atmospheric with bayou almost a character in itself.

I have Once There Were Wolves on audiobook. It sounds similar the Wolf Border but set in Scotland. I have too many audiobooks slated for Febrauary, so I needed something in print.

Janice wrote: "The one I was reading was fiction - The Naturalist Society. They were all scientists tracking and studying nature, and the author threw in this silly magic system. I couldn't wrap ..."

Thanks for the heads up about the DNF. It seems a strange way to go in a book about scientific expedition. Once There Were Wolves is already on my wish list. I've just added Broken Bayou ;-)

1. Badge 1, Book 9
2. Themes list, M
3. Link –Ithaca⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 12 hrs and 32 mins
5. theme must be MYTHOLOGY
6. This is a story that imagines that was going on in Ithaca in the absence of Odysseus. All the man of fighting age had left with their King. Penelope and her son had to cope without them.

1. Badge 1, Book 10
2. Themes list, F
3. Link –Ship of Destiny⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 33 hrs and 39 mins
5. theme must be FANTASY
6. This might just be my favourite ever fantasy and it's definitely one of the few pirate stories I can tolerate! Set in a fantasy world, much of the story takes place on a ship that has been captured by pirates.

I loved the entire series.

Yeah, best buddy read ever!!!

It was. We should do more buddy reads.

My grandson said that he hasn't found another series since that even compares to Robin Hobbs. I agree with that assessment.

Yes, I'm afraid she's spoilt me for other fantasy writers too! I'd love to get involved in another series buddy read.

1. Badge 1, Book 11
2. Themes list, V
3. Link –Fingersmith⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 23H 35m
5. theme must be VILLAINY
6. This story is full of, deceit double crossing from some of the best literary villains I've ever come across.

I wish Sarah Waters wrote more, I love her writing.

We can do another fantasy buddy read. Do you have a series in mind?

Agreed, she isn't a prolific writer but everything she does put out is top class.

I am always on the lookout for another fantasy series (maybe not quite as long as ROTE lol), but so far no luck. I'm always open to suggestions but since I left my SFF GR group, I'm not getting the recommendations.

1. Badge 1, Book 12
2. Themes list, S
3. Link –The Road⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, , 6 hrs and 39 mins
5. theme must be SURVIVAL
6. Dystopian tale of a father and son struggling to survive in a postapocalyptic America. They have to forage for what little remains along the way. They avoid other survivors as far as possible for fear of being robbed of what little they have, or maybe of worse than that. This is possibly the most miserable book I've ever read but it was well written.

Margo wrote: "Agreed, she isn't a prolific writer but everything she does put out is top class.

I am always on the lookout for another fantasy series (maybe not quite as long as ROTE lol), but so far no luck. I..."


What about The Rise and Fall Series, starting with Nolyn, It's a trilogy. Have you read any of the Ryria series?

I've read 1-4 of Ryria revelations. I own Nolyn so I would like to read it, would I need to read all of them first? I think that's why I stopped listening to Sullivan, sheer volume and confusion LOL

I've read them all. The different series are all set in the same world, generally separated by 1000s of years with the exception of the Ryria Revelations and Ryria Chronicles. Hadian and Royce are the main characters of those series. Legion of the First Empire is set something like 1000 years earlier. This series, The Rise and Fall, seems to be set in prehistory as well. I don't think you need to read any others as a prerequisite.

I looked at your shelves and you've read a smattering of books across all series, plus some of his short stories.

Just a mention here - The Crown Conspiracy is included in the ominbus of Theft of Swords. It looks like you've read Theft of Swords and own The Crown Conspiracy.

Actually, the way these books are listed on the series page is really confusing. Ignore the series called Ryria. Pay attention only to Ryria Revelations and Ryria Chronicles.

If you want to read Rise and Fall, we could start with Nolyn and if you don't like it, we don't need to continue on.

I'd like to read Nolyn. I really enjoy Sullivans writing and what's more he seems to be really nice guy. He was a member of the SSF group I used to be in. He didn't contribute often, too busy writing or something! I love the narrator he works with, Tim Gerard Reynolds.

Lets do it!

I'll set up the buddy read thread.

He is a great guy! He was a member of this group for awhile. I'm not sure if he still is. I had occasion to email him and told him that I was buying his book for my grandson's birthday and replied back extending birthday greetings. When I read that to Tyler, he was thrilled.

1. Badge 1, Book 13
2. Themes list, G
3. Link –Spirited⭐⭐⭐
4. Listened to Audiobook, 11 hrs and 41 mins
5. theme must be GHOSTS
6. The MC is a photographer in 19th century. One day a form appear in one of pictures that she initially thinks is due to a flaw in the plate or maybe a double exposure, but it keeps happening and the forms take on the appearance of the subjects deceased loved ones.