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SP 25 Completed Tasks
Choose Your Own AdventureSample Post
15.3 CYOA
Path: Classics - 301+ pages - Seeker -
The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal
Posting out of order: this is my third CYOA claim but the second book on my posted plan, with more than 301 pages
Post total = 15
Season total = 205 (assuming mid-season with previous total of 190)
Choose your own adventure 15.9
Path: fantasy /science fiction
read a book with with <5K ratings
De zaak Magritte
Toni Coppers 287 p. 2 marchBook has 6.694 ratings
Posting out of order: this is my first CIYO claim, but the ninth book on my posted plan
my plan
15 points
total 15 points
Post 3 Claire wrote: " Choose your own adventure 15.9
Path: fantasy /science fiction
read a book with with <5K ratings
De zaak Magritte
"Claire (and everyone), when you post for CYOA, please number the tasks in the order that you are posting. So this should be 15.1 even though it is the ninth book in your plan (and it's great to say so, thank you).
Thank you, Rosemary, I didn’t get this. Hope it’s okay like this? Choose your own adventure
15.1
Path: fantasy /science fiction
read a book with with <5K ratings
Task 9
De zaak Magritte
Toni Coppers 287 p. 2 marchBook has 6.694 ratings
Posting out of order: this is my first CIYO claim, but the ninth book on my posted plan
my plan
15 points
total 15 points
15.1 Create Your Own Adventurepath: mystery
Always a Cold Deck by Robert Bruce Stewart
15 task
_____
15
Running total: 15
15.2.Path science fiction/fantasy
Task 2 : Read a book set in ancient times
Hier waak ik Danila Comastri Montanari 272 p. 3 march The book is set in the first century A.D.
Posting out of order: this is my first CIYO claim, but the ninth book on my posted plan
my plan
15 points
total 30 points
Claire wrote: "Thank you, Rosemary, I didn’t get this. Hope it’s okay like this? Choose your own adventure
15.1
Path: fantasy /science fiction
read a book with with <5K ratings
Task 9"
Yes, thank you!
15.1 CYOAPath: Classics -
England Made Me by Graham Greene
Task 1, MPG Classics.
Post total = 15
Season total = 15
20.1 Adaptation and ResilienceHow to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann
We think we know their tales, but in this retelling we get their stories--and hear the lasting repercussions from the unusual circumstances they lived through--from their own mouths. Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard's last wife, Gretel, and Cinderella meet with a mystery woman and a "therapist" in a basement somewhere in Manhattan for group therapy.
This one was hard to put down--I loved the writing, the characters, the creativity, the pacing. I am a sucker for a retelling so I know I'm def the target audience, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good story well told.
+20 Task
+5 Combo: Brandon (a.k.a.: Prince Charming) drinks whiskey (out of a peanut butter jar, no less)
+10 Review
Task total: 35
Season total: 35
10.1 Back to BasicsLe Voleur d'amour by Yannick Corboz
Part of the book takes place in the 18th century and the hero travels a lot by horseback, to Paris, Venice and around Istambul for war campains for instance.
+10 Task
No style points, graphic novel
Task total = 10
Points total = 10
10.1 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
… ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
… ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
20.3 Climate PolicyLes Yeux Verts by Hubert
The book takes place during the french révolution, specifically La Terreur, when a lot of people were guillotined
+20 Task
No style points, graphic novel
Task total = 20
Points total = 30
10.1 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
… ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
… ; … ; 20.3 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
15.1 Choose Your Own Adventure, RwS versionDeath at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson
Mystery
+15 Task
Task total = 15
Points total = 45
10.1 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
15.1 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
… ; … ; 20.3 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
15.3. Path science fiction/fantasy James
Task 8 Your task is to read a book that has won at least two awards
Percival Everett 320 p. 5 marchPosting out of order: this is my third CIYO claim, but the eight book on my posted plan
my plan
15 points
Total: 45 points
10.3 - April ShowersThe River House Inn by Veronica Mixon
+10 task - river
+5 Combo - 20.9 - drinking beer at a BBQ
Task total: 15
Grand total: 15
10.2 - St. Patrick's Day The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan
+10 task - Irish author and takes place in Ireland
+5 Combo - 20.9 - drinking beer in pub after work
Task total: 15
Grand total: 30
20.9 - Temple Bar PubThe Scholar by Dervla McTiernan
+20 task - drinking beer with late night supper
+5 Combo - 10.2 - Irish author and takes place in Ireland
Task total: 25
Grand total: 55
15.1 CYOA: MysteryThe God of the Woods by Liz Moore (15.1: MPG Mystery)
+15 Task
Task total: 15
Season total: 50
Choose Your Own Adventure15.1 - Mystery
Find Her Alive by Diane Saxon
+15 task
Task total: 15
Grand total: 70
Task total: 15
Grand total: 70
20.4 Climate Science10:04 by Ben Lerner
This is a novel about a poet who has been given a big advance to write a novel that he doesn't write, except that he does, and this is it. Meanwhile he is trying to appreciate his city and the world, help an immigrant family, deal with a potentially life-threatening health condition, consider the nature of time, and conceive a child with a friend.
After reading some reviews I expected this to be difficult or pretentious, and I still don't know if the sometimes pompous language was supposed to be funny, but I certainly found it so. I also liked the narrator, mostly, and I found his anxiety and his clumsiness with people endearing(view spoiler).
The section in Marfa was an unwelcome interruption, partly but not entirely because I knew nothing about the place or its artists and assumed there was some connection between Marfa and Marfan Syndrome, which is described in the book (there is not). But the overall effect for me was an intelligent and amusing novel.
20.8: "I ordered something with bourbon and mint and a sparkling water for Alex" p 135
+20 Task (shelved 5 times as cli-fi)
+ 5 Combo (20.8)
+10 Review
Post total = 35
Season total = 50
20.3 Climate Policy:book that features a politician or political event
*This series always is heavy on politics and politicians
Capture or Kill by Don Bentley 4 Stars
Review
Mitch is in Pakistan and Afghanistan chasing the bad guys, killing the bad guys, and splitting the Senators of the U.S. Government into "for and against". Nothing new here about the plot.
Don Bently is the newest author to take on the Mitch Rapp series. This is book #23. What I love about Mitch is that as the books came out, Mitch grew old with me. So, imagine my surprise that this book went back to when Mitch was a younger man. It confused me at first, but as the book continued, I realized I loved this about it. (This is not a spoiler, as the GR's main page gives you the date of the action). While following the formula of the books, I do think that Bentley put his mark on the book by traveling back in time with Mitch. Will Bentley stay there, or will his next book jump to where #22 left off in the present time? Some anticipation now as to what he will do. Anticipation for the next release is always a good thing.
I 💟 Mitch
+20 Task
+10 Reveiw
Task Total 30
Season Total 30
15.2 CYOA: Mystery->PoirotSupercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg (15.2, suPercOmmunIcaTORs)
+15 Task
Task total: 15
Season total: 65
15.4 Path science fiction/fantasy
6. For this task, choose a title that has a a compound word
Schuilplaats Harlan Coben 301 p. 7 maartHOW IT FITS: Schuilplaats is a compound word, literary meaning ‘a place (plaats) for schelter (schuilen)’
Posting out of order: this is my fourth CIYO claim, but the sixth book on my posted plan.
my plan
15 points
Total: 60 points
20.8 Temple bar Pubread a book where a character drinks beer or whiskey
If I Asked You to Stayby Brianna Remus
Characters drink beer when they go out to a bar. "She took a sip of her beer." p 280
Book Total: 20
Grand Total: 20
20.8 Temple Bar PubBlack Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey
Pg 33: "How about you just get me a beer."
Author Eowyn Ivey has written a dark fairy tale combining magical realism with the reality of the Alaskan wilderness. Birdie, a loving but sometimes neglectful single mother, is waitressing at the Wolverine Lodge. She gets acquainted with Arthur, a scarred man who spends a great amount of time in an isolated cabin in the mountains. Birdie is tempted by the wildness and freedom of a life in the woods, and moves there with her six-year-old daughter, Emeleen. She is surprised to discover that Arthur has a secret, a second nature that might pose a danger to them.
"Black Woods, Blue Sky" is a loose retelling of the "Beauty and the Beast" tale. Ivey is a wonderful storyteller and handles the supernatural well. Emaleen is seen as a child and again as a recent college graduate going back to visit Alaska. The book explores love, fear, memory, and forgiveness. This is a book of fantasy written as lovely literary fiction with gorgeous descriptions of the natural world. I've enjoyed reading three books authored by Eowyn Ivey, and hope she'll be writing another soon.
+20 task
+ 5 combo 20.1 (retelling of Beauty and the Beast)
+10 review
Task total: 35
Season total: 35
10.5 Tom Robbins:Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol
+10 Task
+5 Combo (20.1)
+15 Oldies (pub 1842)
Post Total: 30
Season Total: 30
20.6 Reducing EmissionsSunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon
I found this to be a quietly powerful novel. It is a combination of a coming of age novel and elegy to a lost way of life.
It’s a hard life on the land and the characters in the novel are often hard as well. We follow the main character, Chris Guthrie through teen-age years to motherhood. She develops over time, not just due to physical maturing (which changes how she views men and how society views her) but also from her exposure to the wider world through books and education and from adversity. Throughout this time she realizes just how much she loves the land and how much it means to her. As a result she chooses to stay on the farm, unlike her brother who leaves as soon as he can. She marries, has a son and then WW1 starts and slowly has a significant impact on the community and her life. The war hastens the changes to farming practices (from small holding tenant farmers to larger sheep operations).
Gibbon wrote the novel in Scottish dialect, which generally is understandable and readable. There is a glossary at the end of the novel (which I somehow was unaware of). 5*
20 task
10 review
10 oldie
______
40
Running total: 55
20.6 - Reducing EmissionsBlueRidge Crossing by Veronica Mixon
+20 task
+5 Combo - 20.9 - Temple Bar Pub - drinking beer at pub grand opening
Task total: 25
Grand total: 95
10.1 "Back to Basics"A book which features a trip on foot or horseback
The Drillmaster of Valley Forge: The Baron de Steuben and the Making of the American Army by Paul Lockhart
The Baron travels on horseback between Valley Forge and Pennsylvania
Review
A very interesting biography of Baron de Steuben who arrived from Europe with hopes of joining the troops of Washington and the Revolutionary War.
In The Drillmaster of Valley Forge: The Baron de Steuben and the Making of the American Army , Paul Lockhart tells the remarkable story of an extraordinary man - bring to flesh and blood life the hitherto little-known figure whose image has long been part of the iconography of our our Revolutionary heritage.
The only history I ever learned of the man was that he joined the Continental Army and was given the instructions to get them into shape. The man did so much more. Much of the instruction he gave and wrote is still a part of our armed services today.
+10 Task
+10 Not a Novel
+10 Review
Task Total 30
Season Total 60
10.9 Surgery best wishes (Coralie's task):The Midwife by Tricia Cresswell
This was the read for my Friday night book club, and I wasn't sure how I was going to go, and I had stupidly read the book where other groups write their response, which included a spoiler.
I started late (last Sunday, with book club on Friday) and was not going to make my way through, so jumped into the audiobook come Wednesday, and was quickly finished on Thursday, as the performance (some books are read, and those that work best are a performance), was superb.
The book is for the majority, split into two timelines about 3 years apart, one in the late 1830's in the northeast of England, the other in London in the early 1840's, and I kicked myself when the timelines collided for not making the connection sooner.
The earlier part tells the story of Mrs Sharp, a woman found naked in field after a storm with no memory of who she is or where she is from, but as she recovers and interacts with the world seems to have an uncanny knowledge of medicine and procedures.
The latter story is that of Dr Borthwick, an "accoucheurs ", essentially a male midwife, who comes to serve the upper classes, as well as serving to assist in the slums.
This is a well told, intelligent book, and there is more than one twist which will surprise and entice you.
(This is the first book in my 2 years in the group that the librarian host has actually read and finished, which I think is definitely a recommendation!)
+10 task
+10 review
Task Total = 20
Season Total = 20
10.9;
20.1 Adaptation and Resilience:What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson
Made into a film starring Robin Williams, which I have not seen; but from what I have seen of the trailer I would have to say "loosely based on", for anyone who has seen the film
I did not realise that this was the same author as I Am Legend, which I have also not seen, although I have watched the original adaptation "The Omega Man" several times (and not by choice, my husband is obsessed!), but on reflection, this makes sense.
Chris Nielsen dies in a car accident, but finds that there is an after life, and once he accepts his own death is able to make his way to Summerland, but his strong connection to his earthly wife makes the transition difficult and he knows that something is not right.
This will not be for everyone with it's philosophizing about the afterlife and energies, spirit, etc, but it more a story of love and faith rather than religion, it just has a heavy blanket to wrap itself in.
+20 task
+5 oldies (1978)
+10 review
Task Total: 35
Season Total: 55
10.9;
20.1;
20.4 Climate Science:In orbit
Samantha Harvey 192 p. 7 march Climate fiction tag p. 4 5 tags
Combo with task 10
Review :https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
20 points + combo 5 points + review 10 points : 35 points
Total: 95 points
10.3 April showersSalt Water by Andrew Motion
+10 Task
+10 Not-a-Novel
+ 5 Oldies (1997)
Post total = 25
Season total = 25
10.7 Singing SeasonFlower, Song, Dance: Aztec and Mayan Poetry by David Bowles
+10 Task: this book of poetry was full of birds flutes and drums!
+10 Not-a-Novel
Post total = 20
Season total = 45
10.10 Group ReadsThe Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat
+10 Task
+ 5 Combo: 20.6 Reducing Emissions
+ 5 Oldies
Post total = 20
Season total = 65
20.8 Temple Bar PubThe Lonely Girl by Edna O'Brien
+20 Task: "...he went off and got us two glasses of beer."
+10 Combo: 10.2 St Patrick's Day / 20.6 Reducing Emissions
+ 5 Oldies (1962)
Post total = 35
Season total = 100
20.7 Senior SleuthsDeadly Nightshade by Cynthia Riggs
Hmmm, what to say?
> The MC is definitely a senior sleuth at 92, but she kept doing things no 92 year old would do (no matter how fit they are).
> I wouldn’t call this a cozy. Amongst other bad things, there were multiple murders – some of which were quite nasty. There were certain parts of the novel that felt like Riggs really wanted to write a thriller (not a cozy).
> Riggs does excel at descriptive content, although it wasn't always relevant to storyline.
> The reader for the audiobook was British!! This series is set in Martha’s Vineyard. I have a high regard for Blackstone audio, but this was a big miss. It did amuse me by the end of the novel that the local café regulars had Irish accents!
It appears from the GR ratings that the next books in the series are rated higher, so maybe Riggs found her footing. 3* (for a good try), but I’m not sure that I will seek out the next instalment.
20 task
10 review
______
30
Running total: 85
10.7 Singing SeasonThe Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
How does she (Joyce) do that? For maybe the first ¾ of the book I was sure it was predictable … yes, we know where this is going… then it is turned on it’s head. I was worried about Frank (and the other characters). The last quarter turned this novel from a 3* to a 4* for me. Like ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ it is charming and heartfelt (and brought tears to my eyes). I guess I am a sucker for a happy ending, and this one was especially fun with all of the music that played an important role in the story. 4*
10 task
10 review
5 combo 20.6
_______
25
Running total: 110
15.1 CYOAPath: Sci-Fi/Fantasy -
Windfall (Weather Warden #4) by Rachel Caine
+15 Task
Post Total: 15
Season Total: 45
15.2 Choose Your Own Adventure, RwS versionTitle contains all of the letters of whichever button you are going to choose.
“POIROT” / “HOLMES”
Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
Tell the Wo L ve S I'm HOME = HOLMES
+15 Task
Task total = 15
Points total = 60
10.1 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
15.1 ; 15.2 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
… ; … ; 20.3 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
20.8 Temple Bar PubIls abusent grave: Du féminisme et des sciences humaines en BD by Erell Hannah
Several people are shown drinking beer
+20 Task
no style points, graphic novel
Task total = 20
Points total = 80
10.1 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
15.1 ; 15.2 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
… ; … ; 20.3 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; 20.8 ; … ; …
20.5 Human Impacts BOOK:
Yellowface R.F. Kuang 316 p.10 marchReview https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Combo: 20.2 + combo 20.8 5+ 5 =10
Review +10
Points 40
Total 135 points
10.6 David LodgeDeath in the Spires by K.J. Charles
In 1895, Jem Kite's life was ruined when a close friend was murdered just before their final exams at Oxford University. Now, ten years later, an anonymous letter accusing him of the murder has lost him his latest job, and he decides he's had enough. He needs to know who did it - because it can only be one of their other five close friends, one of whom was his lover. But everything fell apart the night of Toby's death, and he hasn't seen any of them since that time. So he tracks them down and goes back to Oxford to find the truth.
I thought this was a really well plotted mystery and very accurate historically, including in the attitudes to race, homosexuality, and disability, which are treated positively overall but of course not by everyone in that era. The story made emotional sense, and the way the final scene played out was perfect.
Combo 20.8: "He took a meditative sip of whisky." ch 21
+10 Task (set about 80% at Oxford University)
+ 5 Combo (20.8)
+10 Review
Post total = 25
Season total = 75
Choose Your Own Adventure15.2 - CYOA
Poirot
The Opposite of Dark by Debra Purdy Kong
+15 task - The OPpOsIte or DaRk
Task total: 15
Grand total: 110
20.8 Temple Bar PubCeremony by Robert B. Parker
Here Spenser is co-opted to find a teenaged run-away. She has hit the street hard, and Spenser finds she has been working (prostituting) in the seamy side of Boston. Because I’m only three books in, I learned more about Spenser, Susan and Hawk. Spenser, and to a lesser extent Hawk, are interesting characters in that they obviously have their own moral code (especially in this instance of prostitution), but they don’t want to force their views on others. I liked the subtlety of this. There are no black and white pat answers in this novel.
This is instalment 9 in the Spenser series, and it’s another fun, fast read. I’ve only read early ones, and I’ve liked all three of them. A brief perusal of reviews on GR by series fans indicates that instalment 12 is where it goes downhill. Even though I’ve jumped around in the early instalments, after reading this one I think I will go back to number 2 and now read them in order. 4*
20 task pg. 82: "He had a white wine. I had beer."
10 review
5 oldie
5 combo 20.1 (TV series: Spenser: For Hire ran 1985-88, plus movies)
______
40
Running total: 150
15.1 CYOAPath: Sci Fi / Fantasy -
The Secret of Abdu El-Yezdi by Mark Hodder
Post total = 15
Season total = 15
Post 17 Norma wrote: "20.9 - Temple Bar PubThe Scholar by Dervla McTiernan
+20 task - drinking beer with late night supper
+5 Combo - 10.2 - Irish author and takes place in Ireland"
Norma, for the future, please note Temple Bar Pub is task 20.8, not 20.9.
Post 23 Claire wrote: "15.4 Path science fiction/fantasy
6. For this task, choose a title that has a compound word
Schuilplaats Harlan Coben 301 p...."I'm sorry, Claire, this book won't work for this task. When looking at whether a book qualifies for a task, we use the most popular printed edition in English (if there is an English edition), which we call the MPE. This is so that a book works or not for everyone, no matter which edition they read. In this case the MPE is Shelter, which is not a compound word.
So you'll need to find a book with a compound word in the MPE. This could be a hyphenated word or a word made up of two words, like "birthday".
To find the MPE, go to Show All Editions on the book page, then sort by number of ratings. If there's no English edition we will take the most popular printed edition in any language.
Post 27 Valerie wrote: "20.6 Reducing EmissionsSunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon
I found this to be a quietly powerful novel. It is a combination of a coming of age novel and elegy to a ..."
+10 Combo 10.7, 20.1
Hint for everyone: a lot of older books that are still being read today have Wikipedia pages, and those pages often have an Adaptations section that lists movies and TV shows (along with other adaptations that may not count for 20.1).
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Reading with Style
Books mentioned in this topic
Less Is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World (other topics)The Island of Dr. Moreau (other topics)
Smilla's Sense of Snow (other topics)
Black Woods Blue Sky (other topics)
The Know-It-All (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Jason Hickel (other topics)H.G. Wells (other topics)
Peter Høeg (other topics)
Eowyn Ivey (other topics)
A.J. Jacobs (other topics)
More...
Please use the add book/author link for the book titles and include a link to both title and author in your post.
If using an outside source to qualify a book for points, please be sure to post in the appropriate task thread prior to posting in this thread.
Sample Post
10.2 St Patrick's Day
Complete Plays by Oscar Wilde
[100-word review goes here]
+10 Task (Irish author)
+ 5 Combo (20.6)
+10 Review
+10 Not a novel
+10 Oldies (1895)
+ 5 Jumbo (606 pages)
Post total = 50
Season total = 130 (assuming mid-season with previous total of 80)