The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

20.4 Author, Author - Isabell's task: Focus on My Favorite Goodreads Author
Tamora Pierce’s books got me into reading when I was younger and I still love them. So this task will be dedicated to her different Tortall books. To find out on which series your book for this task will be based, roll a die (hit "Roll Again" one time) and pick the option matching the number you rolled.

For the options that require certain words in the title, plurals or possessives are acceptable, but no compound words or other variations.

1. The Song of the Lioness: Alanna trains to be a knight. She is also a mage. Read a book set in medieval times or in which magic plays an important role or that has one of the following words in the title: magic, mage, witch, castle, knight, king, queen, middle, age or medieval. “Medieval times” for the purpose of this task is defined as being set during the timeframe between 400 and 1500 AD.

2. The Immortals: Daine, also known as the Wildmage, has strong magical powers with animals. Read a book in which an animal plays a major role or which has one of the following creatures on the cover or in the title: horse, dog, wolf, squirrel, basilisk, dragon, dinosaur, ape, hyena or a kind of bird.

3. The Protector of the Small: Kel follows in Alanna’s footsteps and trains as a knight, but unlike Alanna she doesn’t hide her sex and has to prove to everyone that she is as good as any boy. Read a book featuring a strong female heroine (if you choose this option please say how the heroine in the book is “strong” when you post the task) or a book written by a female author.

4. The Trickster’s: Aly, the daughter of a spymaster, is kidnapped and finds herself in a foreign land, where she is enlisted by the Trickster God to help him in a rebellion. Read a book in which a main character finds himself in a foreign country (or foreign land), works as a spy or is part of a rebellion. Alternatively you may also read a book with the words spy, country, land, foreign, god, rebel, rebellion or rising in the title.

5. The Provost’s Dog: Beka works as a “Dog”, member of the police force, in the Lower City, which is the poorest part of the city. Read a mystery, a book with the focus on crime or a book centering on someone struggling to make their living or otherwise considered poor.

6. Get lucky and choose any option you like from the above.

Required: State what number you rolled and how your book fits the task when you post.

Approved

Books of the series themselves usually work, as long as they meet the general requirements.

Option 2:
Who Gets Fluffy?

Option 3:
Any book by a female author works for this.

Option 4:
Freedom and Necessity

Option 5:
The Help
Jane Eyre

Placeholder

This thread is now open for questions.

Great task, Isabell! I had not heard of your favorite author, but added a few of her books to my TBR after seeing your descriptions - they're right up my alley! I loved The Hero and the Crown, so these look excellent!

Can I have Who Gets Fluffy? - Judith Summers for number 2?

Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Can I have Who Gets Fluffy? - Judith Summers for number 2?"

Certainly. There's a dog on the cover and he seems to play an important role in the book, so it's a perfect choice.

For 3 - any book by a female author for the last option? I rolled a 6 so trying to decide which option to take

Dee wrote: "For 3 - any book by a female author for the last option? I rolled a 6 so trying to decide which option to take"

Yes, any book by a female author works for that option.

sweet! just wanted to double check! I found a new author at the bookstore to check out today :)

I rolled a 6. My daughter and I checked out the Audio Book Terrier by Tamora Pierce last summer from Cracker Barrel while on a road trip. She likes Tamora Pierce and I was enticed by the name of the main character. Beka had always been my nickname groeing up because my mother didn't like "Becky" I remember having to expalin to teachers how to pronounce it as they often made it sound like Beeka.
I recently bought my daughter Bloodhound so it's okay to actually read a book from one of her series, right?

Rebekah wrote: "I rolled a 6. [...] I recently bought my daughter Bloodhound so it's okay to actually read a book from one of her series, right? "

Certainly. The books usually meet the requirements. In Beka's books for instance she is a policewoman and poverty plays an important role, so you're free to go with it.

By the way a related comment on the Alanna-books:
The only series where there might be a slight problem is with the Alanna books, because they're not actually set in medieval times but in a fantasy world. So if someone wanted to use these for option 1, it would have to be over the "magic"-variation. The Alanna-books might also fit under options 2 or 3.

I rolled a four. Would Freedom and Necessity work for having someone as part of a rebellion? The plot centers around revolutionaries in the 1800s. Thank you!

The plot summary doesn't seem to indicate that the main character is actively involved in the revolution, but from some reviews it seems like it plays at least some importance for him and the plot, so I'll take it.

For option 5 would The Help work?

Pinky_rocks wrote: "For option 5 would The Help work?"

Which alternative did you have in mind? From reading the description I'm not quite certain if it would fit.

There is a disappeared person mentioned, which could indicate a crime bothering one of the main characters, but it's not quite clear from the description itself.

Another main character seems to have lost her job, but from the description she does have a new one, so if there are no other points to indicate she is struggling to make her living or poor, I'd not count a temporary unemployment for that alternative.

So I'd say it depends on how important those points are for the book. If the mystery/crime about the vanished person and/or the unemployment or another struggle to make one's living take up a great part of it for at least one of the main characters, it would be OK, but if it's only mentioned in passing or plays only a minor role, then I'd not count it for this option.

Perhaps someone else has read the book and can comment on it?

Isabell wrote: "Pinky_rocks wrote: "For option 5 would The Help work?"

Which alternative did you have in mind? From reading the description I'm not quite certain if it would fit.

There is a disapp..."

There's definitely not a crime issue. On the other hand, pretty much all of the maids are poor and struggling to make a living.

Sandy wrote: "Isabell wrote: "Pinky_rocks wrote: "For option 5 would The Help work?"

Which alternative did you have in mind? From reading the description I'm not quite certain if it would fit.
..."

Thanks, Sandy. It works for option 5 then.

I rolled a "5" and wanted to know if Jane Eyre works. She is poor (and is even begging at one point) for the majority of the book, but then comes into an inheritance in the last 100 pages or so.

Thanks!

I wouldn't say its a crime - but Ms Skeeter in The Help spends a good amount of the time trying to find out what happens to her old maid Constantine - you don't find out what happened until the very end - its a mystery to her, a few others know bits and pieces, but only her mother knows the true story

Kelly wrote: "I rolled a "5" and wanted to know if Jane Eyre works. She is poor (and is even begging at one point) for the majority of the book, but then comes into an inheritance in the last 100 p..."

As long as the majority of the book fits the option, it'll work, so you can use it.


Dee wrote: "I wouldn't say its a crime - but Ms Skeeter in The Help spends a good amount of the time trying to find out what happens to her old maid Constantine - you don't find out what happened until the ver..."

Thanks, Dee. The Help certainly works for option 5, especially along with the "struggling to make a living" aspect mentioned by Sandy.

I think this works but wanted to double-check...for number 5, The Deception of the Emerald Ring?

Casey wrote: "I think this works but wanted to double-check...for number 5, The Deception of the Emerald Ring?"

It's shelved 51 times as "mystery", so I'll accept it.

Hi Isabell, I rolled a 5 and wanted to know if Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? fits. The memoir is about Steven Tyler's entire muscial career and his struggles to succeed in the music business.

Fran wrote: "Hi Isabell, I rolled a 5 and wanted to know if Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? fits. The memoir is about Steven Tyler's entire muscial career and his struggles to succeed in th..."

having just finished the book, I can tell you that there's very little in that book about any sort of struggle to make a living/being poor. For a very short time, yes, but the vast majority of the book is more about the vast amount of money he had and how much of it he spent on drugs! The struggles in the book were primarily his fights with Joe Perry and his own self-sabotage.

Fran wrote: "Hi Isabell, I rolled a 5 and wanted to know if Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? fits. The memoir is about Steven Tyler's entire muscial career and his struggles to succeed in th..."

Judging by Sandy's description of the book, I'd say no to it. The Goodreads description doesn't indicate that it could fit, either.

I'm sorry, but it won't work for this task.

Ok, no problem

For option 2 would Shiver work? I haven't read it yet, but wolves (werewolves) play a central role.

Yes, it works. The wolves (I really think of them more as wolves as of werewolves how they are portrayed, so they fit the classical animals) play an important role and there is one on the cover.

Are you allowing re-reads for this task? I wanted to double check before I posted!

chucklesthescot wrote: "Are you allowing re-reads for this task? I wanted to double check before I posted!"

Sure.

Thanks!