Chapter Adventure Reading Challenges (Formerly GXO) discussion

The August Key Words are...
Side, World, Sound, Trial, Word, Hotel, Now, Say

Share with us! Which key word did you pick? What book did you read and what did you think of it?

In lieu of the usual post from the mods, I hope it's okay that I jumped in this month...

• The War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells
- Classic/Sci-Fi/Horror
- Finished: August 19th.
- 3 stars on Goodreads.
Close to 4 stars, but not quite there. I’ve seen a few movie adaptations, but somehow never read the book until now. I did mostly enjoy it, but for such a short book it tended to drag on a bit.

Challenge complete!
Key Word: World

I chose to read "The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World" by Laura Imai Messina. It was a poignant read, albeit a bit on the slow side...

Challenge complete!
Key Word: World

I read The Most Beautiful Book in the World: 8 Novellas by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt and really didn't enjoy it. Not sure how to articulate why I didn't, but I'm usually not a fan of compilations of novellas. This book just verified that for me.

Word: Side
Book: Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver
This story, while written 16 years ago, was still a good warning on the dangers of posting online things that you would not say in person. Also the treachery of following podcasters (or bloggers, as in the story) to whatever dark or false bunny trails they lead. Just because someone has a following, that does not an expert make. And the damage created can spread far and wide. Not new news these days, but a good reminder nonetheless.

I read The Last Word by Taylor Adams it was good

For August, I read Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez. I read it for a Goodreads challenge. I ready did enjoy it. It's about a girl who meets this guy and goes on a date with him the day before she moves back to CA. They try to keep a relationship going long distance. Her in CA and him in MN. He's a vet with a fairly new practice so money is tight with both of them. She moved back to CA because her mom has Alzheimer's and she's going to help her dad and sister take care of her.

In the month of August, these are the following books read with the following key words: Side, World, Sound, Trial, Word, Hotel, Now, Say⁠
⁠
Side: My Side of the River by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez 4 stars; The South Side by Natalie Y. Moore 4 stars; Right Girl, Wrong Side by Ginny Baird 3 stars; Another Side of Paradise by Sally Koslow 3 stars; My West Side Story by George Chakiris 3 stars

Read in September: This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald 3 stars


World: Summary of John Strelecky's the Cafe on the edge of the World by Everest Media 3 stars; The World Set Free and The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells both 3 stars; The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay 3 stars; A Short Walk Through A Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke 3 stars; We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr 4 stars; In a Not so Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander 3 stars; Come Fly the World by Julia Cooke 3 stars; The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton 3 stars; Beautiful World Where are You by Sally Rooney 3 stars

Read in June: Saving the World by Julia Alvarez 3 stars


Sound: Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf 3 stars; Safe and Sound by Laura McHugh 3 stars; The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin 3 stars


Trial: The Trial by Franz Kafka 3 stars; Trial by Fire by Scott James 4 stars; The Fiery Trial by Eric Foner 4 stars; Mississippi Trial by Chris Crowe 4 stars; The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson 3 stars; The Trial of Lotta Rae by Siobhan MacGowan 4 stars; The Trial of Sherlock Holmes by Peter Davis 3 stars


Word: The Last Word by Taylor Adams 4 stars; ; Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister 4 stars

Read in July: Three Words for Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor 4 stars

To be read in October: One Wrong Word by Hank Phillippi Ryan; One Last Word by Suzanne Park; Just One Word by Melanie Jacobson


Hotel: The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami 3 stars; Hotel California by Don Bruns 3 stars; Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young 4 stars; The Venice Hotel by Tess Woods 3 stars; Horror Hotel by Victoria Fulton 3 stars; The Hotel by Louise Mumford 3 stars; The Pink Hotel by Liska Jacobs 3 stars; Hotel Portofino by J.P. O'Connell 3 stars; Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison 3stars

Read in September: Hotel Cuba by Aaron Hamburger 3 stars


Now: And Now she's Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall 3 stars; Now You Know by Nora Valters 3 stars; Ciao for Now by Kate Bromley 3 stars; Now and Forever by Margaret Scutt 3 stars; Who's Lying Now by Susan Lewis 3 stars; Now you See Her by James Patterson 3 stars; We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough 3stars; Five Years from Now by Paige Toon 3 stars; Just Now by Blake Pierce 3 stars


Say⁠: What Cannot be Said by C.S. Harris 3 stars; The Things we Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer 4 stars; Say Cheese and Die Screaming by R.L. Stine 3 stars; Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez 4 stars

Thank you Nina!

Last for August, my keyword is “SAY”, I’ve picked “Stop Saying Sorry: How to break free from people pleasing and reclaim your life” by Lena Rae. Nonfiction.