The 2017 AW Reading Challenge! A "Pick 12" Choose Your Own Adventure

Brightdreamer

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And I'm finally getting back to this. Just picked and started my Western title: The Haunted Mesa by Louis L'Amour. It was something of a random pick, though I'd been meaning to try the author for a while. I'm only one chapter in, but so far it's readable. And I have my last book, Golden Son, on deck - I just need to pick it up and start reading, but I keep getting distracted from physical books.

Updated list:
1. A translation. The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin. DONE
2. A book with a color in the title.
The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan. DONE
3.An anthology (poetry, short stories, whatever). The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, edited by John Joseph Adams.
DONE
4. Out of this world: A book taking place in space or on another planet.
Golden Son, by Pierce Brown.
5. A book with a non-human (animal or fantastic creature) main character.
The Hunt for Elsewhere, by Beatrice Vine. DONE
6. A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. DONE
7. A book about a PoC, any variety, written by an author of the same variety.
Wild Seed, by Octavia E. Butler. DONE
8.
A children's book (middle grade or lower). Pax, by Sarah Pennypacker. DONE
9. Steady there, cowboy: A western. The Haunted Mesa, by Louis L'Amour. STARTED
10. A book more than 600 pages.
11/22/63, by Stephen King. DONE
11. A graphic novel or comic book.
Monster on the Hill, by Rob Harrell. DONE
12. A book by someone who’s more famous for doing something else.
Holy Cow, by David Duchovny. DONE
 
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Cobalt Jade

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Finished The Aviary Gate. In conclusion, very English. Not so much of a Romance, it was more of a Historical Intrigue, sandwiched between a tale of a modern-day PhD hopeful getting over a bad affair with one of her teachers. I was expecting more of the stereotypical American romance with manly 6-packs, a feisty heroine, and their back-and-forth. Oh well, I enjoyed it. The author had a background in travel writing and historical writing, and IMO, it showed. A pleasant read even if the character's dialogue occasionally threw me out -- it was just too contemporary, and some of the characters were stereotyped -- the awesome, supportive Best Friend, for one, and the ne'er do well, cheeky sidekick of the hero. I haven't read a novel in third person omniscient for a while, and that was a minor jar, but it worked, even though at times it made the book feel like a story about a story, rather than just a story. But all in all, a pleasant surprise.


  1. Coming to a theater near you: A book made into a major motion picture. (Stardust by Neil Gaimon) FINISHED ***
  2. East meets West: A book taking place in Asia (anywhere in Asia; Turkey to Japan, Siberia to Indonesia) (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See) FINISHED *****
  3. What you read: A book you loved as a child. (The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling)
  4. Loose ends: A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished. (Cinder by Marissa Meyer)
  5. No hablo: A translation. (The King of the Fields, Isaac Bashevis Singer)
  6. Out of the park on first at bat: A debut. (Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer, by Laini Taylor) FINISHED **
  7. Huh, I never knew that: A book in a new-to-you genre. (The Aviary Gate, by Katie Hickman. It's Historical Romance.) FINISHED ***
  8. Rainbow warrior: A book with a color in the title. (Yellowtail, Crow Medicine Man and Sun Dance Chief, an Autobiography told to Michael Oren Fitzgerald)
  9. Who was that, again?: A book about a person you know little about. (The Secret History of the Mongol Queens, How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire, by Jack Weatherford)
  10. God’s mansion has many rooms: A book based in a religion not your own. (Harm, by Brian W. Aldiss)
  11. Ye olde booke shoppe: A book written before 1700. (Gilgamesh.) FINISHED ***
  12. Three-color mythology: A graphic novel or comic book. (Tiger Lung, by Roy Simon) FINISHED *****
 

Chris P

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I love the early chapters of the book; I was less enamored of the second half. Interested to hear what you think when you're done.

I finished The Color Purple today. I must say, I was quite impressed. Having only seen part of the movie over 20 years ago, I thought I knew what to expect and was very happily surprised. I didn't think I would dislike the book, but it delved into a lot more issues more deeply than I expected. I thought Celie's sexuality played out in a very heartfelt way without making it what the book was about, and Albert's change of heart and redemption towards the end was heartening and believable, even if we don't get to see much of how he experienced it. The very ending was the only overdone part, I thought. I would probably read this book again at some point. There were a lot of parts I could tell where representing something very poignant, but I couldn't quite nail it down. I figure I would on a second reading.

What was it about the second half that left you wanting? I admit I got bored with the Africa side trip, and couldn't see the relevance (especially amid all the detail) to the main story beyond the revelations about Celie's father and kids. It seems Nettie didn't need to live in Africa for 30 years for that to happen. I think it would have made a smashing book on its own. I'm open to considering that it paralleled Celie's American experience in some way, and maybe that's one of the things I'll pick up on when I read it again.
 

foxesfairytales

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Finished my first book and started two others. :)

[] 8. Bits and pieces: An anthology (poetry, short stories, whatever).
Warrior: a collection of short stories by Antonica Jones (ed.) [CURRENTLY READING]

[] 21. Loose ends: A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished.
Uprooted by Naomi Novik

[] 24. Crossing the (color) lines: A book about a PoC, any variety, written by an author of the same variety.
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

[] 29. Where is that, again?: A book about a place you know little about.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars by Yaba Badoe

[] 31. What you will read to your grandchildren: A children's book (middle grade or lower).
Who Let the Gods Out? by Maz Evans

[] 34. Wow. Nice: A book with a one-word title.
Timekeeper by Tara Sim

[] 36. Holy moly some authors like to use lots of words: A book whose title is more than six words long.
The Curious Affair of the Somnambulist & the Psychic Thief by Lisa Tuttle

[] 40. He did drone on a bit: A book more than 600 pages.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

[X] 41. What the Greatest Generation to Post-Millennials read: A book published since 1942.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood [5/5]

[] 43. Out of the park on first at bat: A debut.
Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

[] 46. Support the home team: A book by a fellow Awer
The Mermaid's Madness by Jim C. Hines or A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab

[] 48. Three-color mythology: A graphic novel or comic book.
Joyride, Volume 1 by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly [CURRENTLY READING]
 

Chris P

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I got started on my Ye Olde Book Shoppe title (published before 1700): The Romance of Tristan and Iseult by M. Joseph Bedier. So far, the style feels like one of the Old Testament histories in that it's very straightforward: This person went here, then did this and afterward went there and did that. It makes sense that the Bible stories would have inspired writers when few other written works were around.

That's another vote for The Handmaid's Tale. I think my extra credit might be to pick a book from someone else's list. It might have to be this one.
 

Brightdreamer

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Finished my Western pick. Not my cup of cocoa, to say the least...Intriguing idea, that brushed against the plot of a favorite short story ("The Ship That Turned Aside" by G. Peyton Wertenbaker, one of the most interesting takes on parallel worlds I've read), but overall squandered itself and wasted space in repetitious contemplation by the MC. There was also a whiff of white mansplaining of native culture (both whitesplaining and mansplaining - more than once, the macho male MC refers to the intelligent, respected woman leader of a native group as "honey" while dismissing her notion of leadership. And she's totally okay with her judgement being brushed aside.) I know L'Amour's a big name in Westerns; I suspect this title was a past-prime work.

I have a paperback I need to finish before getting to my last title, but it's watching me from the top of the TBR pile. (Well, one of the piles... too many books to be read for a single pile anymore.)

Updated list:
1. A translation. The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin. DONE
2. A book with a color in the title.
The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan. DONE
3.An anthology (poetry, short stories, whatever). The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, edited by John Joseph Adams.
DONE
4. Out of this world: A book taking place in space or on another planet.
Golden Son, by Pierce Brown. <- STARTING SOON
5. A book with a non-human (animal or fantastic creature) main character.
The Hunt for Elsewhere, by Beatrice Vine. DONE
6. A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. DONE
7. A book about a PoC, any variety, written by an author of the same variety.
Wild Seed, by Octavia E. Butler. DONE
8.
A children's book (middle grade or lower). Pax, by Sarah Pennypacker. DONE
9. A western. The Haunted Mesa, by Louis L'Amour.DONE
10. A book more than 600 pages.
11/22/63, by Stephen King. DONE
11. A graphic novel or comic book.
Monster on the Hill, by Rob Harrell. DONE
12. A book by someone who’s more famous for doing something else.
Holy Cow, by David Duchovny. DONE
 
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mrsmig

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Finished THUNDERSTRUCK, my Ripped from the headlines choice. I always enjoy how author Erik Larson juxtaposes an event with some scientific advance: in this case, the Crippen murder with Marconi's work on wireless telegraphy. I wanted a little more Crippen and a little less Marconi in this book, as I felt the trial was given very short shrift. Still, an enjoyable read.

I've decided to swap out THE CATCHER IN THE RYE for my previous No Cliff Notes this time selection. Since I can't get it in an ebook, I'll either borrow it from the library or bite the bullet and buy a hard copy.

Next up is my Revenge of the nerds choice: ATOMIC ACCIDENTS: A HISTORY OF NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS AND DISASTERS by James Mahaffey.


[ ] 1. Coming to a theatre near you - THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN by John Fowles (and I've never seen the movie, so I'm coming to it with no expectations)
[ ] 2. I remember that! - A TIME TO DIE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE KURSK TRAGEDY by Robert Moore
[ ] 3. Bits & pieces - THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR 2016 edited by Paula Guran
[x] 4. What you read - BEAUTIFUL JOE by Marshall Saunders
[x] 5. I've met them! - THE WATERWORKS by E.L. Doctorow
[ ] 6. No Cliff Notes this time - THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger
[ ] 7. Step by step - THE BACKYARD GOAT: AN INTRODUCTORY GUIDE by Sue Weaver
[x] 8. Ripped from the headlines - THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson
[x] 9. Wow. Nice. - SNUFF by Terry Pratchett
[ ] 10. Revenge of the nerds - ATOMIC ACCIDENTS: A HISTORY OF NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS AND DISASTERS by James Mahaffey
[ ] 11. Better known for... BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey
[x] 12. Gramma would have loved this - TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST by Richard Henry Dana

ChrisP, I've been trying to remember why I wasn't crazy about the latter part of THE COLOR PURPLE but it's been so long since I've read it that I can't remember the exact reason. It might have had to do with Shug becoming "tamed," so to speak, and losing her spark in that story, or it may have been with all the stuff about the pants business. Maybe it's time to re-read it.
 

Jason

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I just wrapped up seven pretty insane weeks of work so haven't read much of anything but the one that was ticking down on my library loan.

Game of Thrones - A Song of Fire and Ice
802 pages!

I'll update my list soon after I get back on track this week lol :)
 

Siri Kirpal

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Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

I haven't chimed in in awhile. The one I'm working on now is long (more than 500 pages) and complex. I'm hoping to get it done before we go to CA for a wedding next month, but I may have to take it with me.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal
 

Jason

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Updated list (and I've technically read 12 now!) :) :

02. East Meets West - Kim by Rudyard Kipling - Done!
03. What Your Parents Read - The Andromeda Strain by Michael Chrichton
12. Tuesdays with Balaam's Ass - Animal Farm by George Orwell - Done!
16. Counting Your Chickens - Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - Done!
18. You Really Shouldn't Have - Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose
19. What You Read - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis - Done!
25. No Cliff Notes This Time - 1984 by George Orwell - Done!
31. What You Will Read to Your Grandchildren - The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster - Done!
32. Steady There Cowboy - The Virginian by Owen Wister
34. Wow. Nice! - Frankenstein by Mary Shelly - Done!
40. He did drone on a bit - The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams - Done!
41. What the Greatest Generation to Post-Millenials Read - Night Watch by Terry Pratchett Done!
45. You Also Might Like - Starship Trooper by Robert Heinlan - Done!
49. What Everyone Else Was Reading - Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen - Done!
53. Ye Olde Booke Shop - Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

*****

XX. Game of Thrones - A Song of Fire and Ice by George RR Martin - Done!
 

Cobalt Jade

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Finished Cinder by Marisa Meyer. There's a reason why it took forever to read: it was just tedious, and there were too many plot holes. It even beat Faeries of Dreamdark which is saying something. Maybe I'm too old to be entertained by YA? I'm going to re-read A Wrinkle Out of Time just to see how that holds up, instead of The Jungle Books like I'd planned.

Another thing that annoyed me: bad editing. This was an e-book, but even so, I'm assuming the publisher used the same text files as for the printed version. At one point the heroine sees a "coy pond" when obviously a "koi pond" was meant (the setting is a pseudo-oriental one) and at one point fingers were "preoccupied" with a task. It should have been occupied, as preoccupied applies the subject has a mind and can think. There were many more.



  1. Coming to a theater near you: A book made into a major motion picture. (Stardust by Neil Gaimon) FINISHED ***
  2. East meets West: A book taking place in Asia (anywhere in Asia; Turkey to Japan, Siberia to Indonesia) (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See) FINISHED *****
  3. What you read: A book you loved as a child. (CHANGED: A Wrinkle Out of Time, by Madeleine L'Engle)
  4. Loose ends: A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished. (Cinder by Marissa Meyer) FINISHED *
  5. No hablo: A translation. (The King of the Fields, Isaac Bashevis Singer)
  6. Out of the park on first at bat: A debut. (Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer, by Laini Taylor) FINISHED **
  7. Huh, I never knew that: A book in a new-to-you genre. (The Aviary Gate, by Katie Hickman. It's Historical Romance.) FINISHED ***
  8. Rainbow warrior: A book with a color in the title. (Yellowtail, Crow Medicine Man and Sun Dance Chief, an Autobiography told to Michael Oren Fitzgerald)
  9. Who was that, again?: A book about a person you know little about. (The Secret History of the Mongol Queens, How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire, by Jack Weatherford)
  10. God’s mansion has many rooms: A book based in a religion not your own. (Harm, by Brian W. Aldiss)
  11. Ye olde booke shoppe: A book written before 1700. (Gilgamesh.) FINISHED ***
  12. Three-color mythology: A graphic novel or comic book. (Tiger Lung, by Roy Simon) FINISHED *****
 

Chris P

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*head-desk moment*

I finished The Romance of Tristan and Iseult by Joseph Bedier, thinking it was pre-1700. Oh, the story goes way back, no doubt about that. However, Bedier was anything but pre-1700: he died in 1938. The book I read was Bedier's twentieth century reconstruction of the older stories into a cohesive tale Bedier thought would have been close to an older, now-lost epic.

All that aside, it's a great story that has rightly been retold many times, including the Lancelot and Guienivere tale that it predates. I think a touching modern retelling would be quite moving, as long as the ending is updated to be less hopeless.
 

mrsmig

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Finished my Revenge of the nerds choice: ATOMIC ACCIDENTS: A HISTORY OF NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS AND DISASTERS by James Mahaffey. For such a dense, technical read (and considering that I have no real bent for physics), it was surprisingly accessible, perhaps because Mahaffey has a both a real love and knowledge of the topic, and a dry, somewhat mordant sense of humor that I found very appealing.

Next up is my Better known for... selection: Tina Fey's BOSSYPANTS.


[ ] 1. Coming to a theatre near you - THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN by John Fowles (and I've never seen the movie, so I'm coming to it with no expectations)
[ ] 2. I remember that! - A TIME TO DIE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE KURSK TRAGEDY by Robert Moore
[ ] 3. Bits & pieces - THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR 2016 edited by Paula Guran
[x] 4. What you read - BEAUTIFUL JOE by Marshall Saunders
[x] 5. I've met them! - THE WATERWORKS by E.L. Doctorow
[ ] 6. No Cliff Notes this time - THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger
[ ] 7. Step by step - THE BACKYARD GOAT: AN INTRODUCTORY GUIDE by Sue Weaver
[x] 8. Ripped from the headlines - THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson
[x] 9. Wow. Nice. - SNUFF by Terry Pratchett
[x] 10. Revenge of the nerds - ATOMIC ACCIDENTS: A HISTORY OF NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS AND DISASTERS by James Mahaffey
[ ] 11. Better known for... BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey
[x] 12. Gramma would have loved this - TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST by Richard Henry Dana
 
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mrsmig

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Well, that didn't take long. Finished my Better known for... selection: Tina Fey's BOSSYPANTS. It was fun, and I enjoyed the moments when she got serious, enough that I wished she'd stayed serious for just a skosh longer.

Think I'll tackle my Bits & pieces selection next:THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR 2016. And then I may take a break, because at this rate I'm going to have to do a third installment of the Challenge to get me through the end of the year.

I have a feeling I'll get through the anthology pretty quickly, maybe before the weekend is over. I've been holding off on reading Pratchett's THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN - I've been working my way through the entire Discworld series over the past year, and I know I'm gonna get choked up when I finish it. I have a train trip coming up on Sunday - I love reading on trains, so maybe that will be the best time to finish the series.


[ ] 1. Coming to a theatre near you - THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN by John Fowles (and I've never seen the movie, so I'm coming to it with no expectations)
[ ] 2. I remember that! - A TIME TO DIE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE KURSK TRAGEDY by Robert Moore
[ ] 3. Bits & pieces - THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR 2016 edited by Paula Guran
[x] 4. What you read - BEAUTIFUL JOE by Marshall Saunders
[x] 5. I've met them! - THE WATERWORKS by E.L. Doctorow
[ ] 6. No Cliff Notes this time - THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger
[ ] 7. Step by step - THE BACKYARD GOAT: AN INTRODUCTORY GUIDE by Sue Weaver
[x] 8. Ripped from the headlines - THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson
[x] 9. Wow. Nice. - SNUFF by Terry Pratchett
[x] 10. Revenge of the nerds - ATOMIC ACCIDENTS: A HISTORY OF NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS AND DISASTERS by James Mahaffey
[x] 11. Better known for... BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey
[x] 12. Gramma would have loved this - TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST by Richard Henry Dana
 

Chris P

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I'm glad you enjoyed Bossypants. I think I said upthread it's probably the best celebrity memoir I've read. I was struck by her humility.

I only have one book on my challenge left, Coming to a Theater Near You: About a Boy by Nick Hornby. However, I'm going to get farther along on the books I got for Christmas last year first.
 

Siri Kirpal

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Just finished Of Marriageable Age by Sharon Maas, AW's aruna. It's a rich and deep book that sprawls for more than 540 pages across three countries with three MCs, who appear at first to have nothing to do with each other. It traverses many varieties of love and hate, and many varieties of culture. It is complicated and that made it a slow read for me; the MCs rotate chapters, rather than having blocks of chapters, so it was kind of jolting. But very well worth reading if you have the time and like looks at cultures other than the American US.

My current updated list:

1. Loose Ends: Truth & Beauty by Ann Patchett. Done. [Beautifully written memoir of Patchett's friendship with Lucy Grealy. Liked the writing; didn't like Grealy.]
2. What You Read: Mopsa the Fairy by Jean Ingelow. Done. [Episodic and sometimes confusing, but lovely details.]
3. What Your Great-Grandparents Read: The Sketch Book by Washington Irving. Done. [Could also be Bits & Pieces, a mixed bag, some soporific, some delightful.]
4. You Really Shouldn't Have: Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler. Done. [How I got it was more dramatic than the book. Book is now out of the house.]
5. No Cliff Notes This Time: Othello by William Shakespeare. Done.
6. Bits & Pieces (or No Hablo): Forty Poems by Juan Ramon Jimenez translated by Robert Bly. Done.
7. I've Met Them: Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen.
8. Ripped from the Headlines: The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale.
9. Support the Home Team: Of Marriageable Age by Sharon Maas [AKA aruna] Done. [Complicated, but worth the read.]
10. Steady There, Cowboy: Horseman, Pass By by Larry McMurtry. => Replace with The Late Scholar by Jill Paton Walsh Done.[A fun read, but not true to the canon.]
11. Better Known For...: The Toughest Show on Earth by Joseph Volpe.
12. Enter, Stage Whichever it was :): Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by JK Rowling. [Or maybe it should be whatever the category was named with the book based on a movie.]

Extra-curricular:
1. Becoming Finola by Suzanne Strempek Shea Done. [Fun, but not well edited.]

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal
 

Marlys

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UPDATED:

Coming to a theater near you: THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN--Paula Hawkins DONE

Bits and pieces: SCARS UPON MY HEART: Women's Poetry and Verse of the First World War--ed. Catherine Reilly

Namesakes: MURDER IN A HOT FLASH--Marlys Millheiser Attempted & abandoned

What your great-grandparents read: GASTON DE BLONDEVILLE--Ann Radcliffe DONE

What you read: THE PERILOUS GARD--Elizabeth Marie Pope DONE

Loose ends: STRONG POISON--Dorothy Sayers DONE

Crossing the (color) lines: BLOODCHILD--Octavia E Butler

I've Met Them: STILL LIFE WITH TORNADO--AS King

Rainbow warrior: THE BLUE CASTLE--LM Montgomery

Counting your chickens: TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE--Mary Higgins Clark

Better known for: PRINCESS DIARIST--Carrie Fisher

Out of this world, Wow. Nice., Be your own boss, I've met them: MITWA--Kate MacLeod DONE

Gramma would have loved this: THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER--Karen Dionne DONE

I tried MURDER IN A HOT FLASH. It doesn't appeal to me, which is a pity because when I was a teen I loved a couple of Millheiser's other books. This one feels like it needed a solid edit to avoid basic problems like unattributed dialogue when there are at least three people in a scene. Gave it at least a hundred pages, but there are too many problems for it to hold my attention.

I tore through THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER in about three hours, though. MC was raised until age 12 in the wilds of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, never seeing another soul apart from her parents and not realizing Mom was Dad's kidnap victim. Years later, Dad escapes from jail, and MC feels like she's the only person who can track him down. Gripping, and great use of the UP--I've never been there, but Dionne brought it to life.
 

mrsmig

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Aaaaand I'm done with my Bits & pieces selection:THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR 2016. Like most anthologies, it was a mixed bag, about 50% good (Neil Gaiman) and 50% not so much (authors who shall remain nameless).

As previously stated, I'm taking a little break to read the final book in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN. I'm about a quarter of the way through and already devastated due to the death of my favorite Discworld character, but eager to continue reading all the same. Then I'll head back into my Challenge list.


[ ] 1. Coming to a theatre near you - THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN by John Fowles (and I've never seen the movie, so I'm coming to it with no expectations)
[ ] 2. I remember that! - A TIME TO DIE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE KURSK TRAGEDY by Robert Moore
[x] 3. Bits & pieces - THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR 2016 edited by Paula Guran
[x] 4. What you read - BEAUTIFUL JOE by Marshall Saunders
[x] 5. I've met them! - THE WATERWORKS by E.L. Doctorow
[ ] 6. No Cliff Notes this time - THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger
[ ] 7. Step by step - THE BACKYARD GOAT: AN INTRODUCTORY GUIDE by Sue Weaver
[x] 8. Ripped from the headlines - THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson
[x] 9. Wow. Nice. - SNUFF by Terry Pratchett
[x] 10. Revenge of the nerds - ATOMIC ACCIDENTS: A HISTORY OF NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS AND DISASTERS by James Mahaffey
[x] 11. Better known for... BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey
[x] 12. Gramma would have loved this - TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST by Richard Henry Dana


ETA: Finished THE SHEPHERD'S CROWN ( ::sobs quietly:: ) and started my Coming to a theatre near you selection: THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN
 
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oneblindmouse

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Finished two more on my Challenge list: The Invention of Nature, a biography of von Humbolt (why isn't this amazing person better known? He was phenomenal), and The thousand autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchells, which I absolutely loved. I had been told by a friend that it wasn't one of Mitchell's best, but I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot about Japan and the East India Company.

My updated list:

1. I've met them! - The Red Sari by Javier Moro. DONE
2. East Meets West - A Daughter of the River by Hong Ying. DONE
3. Support your home team - Ageless erotica: an anthology DONE
4. Halcyon Days - Devil Water by Anya Seton. DONE
5. What your great grandparents read: Cosas de encantamiento by Bernal Díaz del Castillo DONE
6. Out of the park at first on bat. A debut. The light between oceans by M. L. Stedman DONE
7. Who was that again? Elfrida, the first crowned queen of England, by Elizabeth Norton. DONE
8. Loose ends Unfinished. Bright Tapestry by Margaret Pearson. DONE
9. Step-by-step How to Outwit Aristotle & 34 other really interesting uses of philosophy by Peter Cave DONE
10. Earth, wind and fire. The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humbolt's new World, Andrea Wulf. DONE
11. Feast your ears – an audiobook. Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes.
12. Holy Moly, some authors use a lot of words - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchells.
DONE

Only one book to go on my list! But I've also been reading many other things, particularly in Spanish, in an attempt to find a Spanish novelist that I like. I've recently finished Háblame, musa, de aquel varón by Dulce Chacón. I absolutely loved it. In addition to a good story and memorable characters, it was highly original in being told in 2nd person singular POV: You did this... you said this... you remember..... you felt ...... It took me quite some time to realise who was telling the story.
 

mrsmig

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Finished my Coming to a theatre near you selection: THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN. I wish I could say I liked it, but I didn't. I enjoyed the beginning of it, but then it just seemed to drag, not helped by the author's ever more frequent direct address to the reader, and to the multiple endings to various scenes. I lost interest in both the story and the characters before I finished it.

On to my I remember that! choice: A TIME TO DIE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE KURSK TRAGEDY. And I just ordered the remaining two books on my list, so I have a suspicion I may have to start a third Challenge to get me through the end of the year!

[x] 1. Coming to a theatre near you - THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN by John Fowles (and I've never seen the movie, so I'm coming to it with no expectations)
[ ] 2. I remember that! - A TIME TO DIE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE KURSK TRAGEDY by Robert Moore
[x] 3. Bits & pieces - THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR 2016 edited by Paula Guran
[x] 4. What you read - BEAUTIFUL JOE by Marshall Saunders
[x] 5. I've met them! - THE WATERWORKS by E.L. Doctorow
[ ] 6. No Cliff Notes this time - THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger
[ ] 7. Step by step - THE BACKYARD GOAT: AN INTRODUCTORY GUIDE by Sue Weaver
[x] 8. Ripped from the headlines - THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson
[x] 9. Wow. Nice. - SNUFF by Terry Pratchett
[x] 10. Revenge of the nerds - ATOMIC ACCIDENTS: A HISTORY OF NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS AND DISASTERS by James Mahaffey
[x] 11. Better known for... BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey
[x] 12. Gramma would have loved this - TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST by Richard Henry Dana
 

Chris P

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Great progress, everyone! I'm still getting caught up on a backlog here. Not much time to read and a lot to get to!
 

Brightdreamer

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oneblindmouse - I have The Invention of Nature in my Kindle queue. Sounds good, though I'm not sure if it would make me even more depressed about our current planetary ecosystem crisis.

As for me, I got distracted and forgot to update, but I finished my challenge. Golden Son was every bit as intense as the first book in its trilogy (Red Rising.) I'd recommend a reread, to refresh one's memory about the net of names and the complex, often betrayal-laced relationships between the characters and houses. I'd also recommend having Book 3 on hand, as the ending's rather bleak. (I admit I've glanced at the last page of Book 3 as it goes through the library, not enough to spoil plot points but enough to reassure me that it might not be a total wipeout downer; I don't think I could take that right now.)

I might consider doing another ten or twelve books, but I'm trying to focus on getting some other stuff done (mostly a website overhaul, and also some writing projects), so I don't know if I could commit to them. Not that I won't be reading another twelve books anyway this year... hmm... will consider it.

Updated list:
1. A translation. The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin. DONE
2. A book with a color in the title.
The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan. DONE
3.An anthology (poetry, short stories, whatever). The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, edited by John Joseph Adams.
DONE
4. A book taking place in space or on another planet.
Golden Son, by Pierce Brown. DONE
5. A book with a non-human (animal or fantastic creature) main character. The Hunt for Elsewhere, by Beatrice Vine. DONE
6. A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. DONE
7. A book about a PoC, any variety, written by an author of the same variety.
Wild Seed, by Octavia E. Butler. DONE
8.
A children's book (middle grade or lower). Pax, by Sarah Pennypacker. DONE
9. A western. The Haunted Mesa, by Louis L'Amour.DONE
10. A book more than 600 pages.
11/22/63, by Stephen King. DONE
11. A graphic novel or comic book.
Monster on the Hill, by Rob Harrell. DONE
12. A book by someone who’s more famous for doing something else.
Holy Cow, by David Duchovny. DONE
 

mrsmig

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Finished my I remember that! choice: A TIME TO DIE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE KURSK TRAGEDY. It was an excellent book, written in an extremely accessible style that made the technical details easy to absorb.

On to my No Cliff Notes this time selection: THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

[x] 1. Coming to a theatre near you - THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN by John Fowles (and I've never seen the movie, so I'm coming to it with no expectations)
[x] 2. I remember that! - A TIME TO DIE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE KURSK TRAGEDY by Robert Moore
[x] 3. Bits & pieces - THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR 2016 edited by Paula Guran
[x] 4. What you read - BEAUTIFUL JOE by Marshall Saunders
[x] 5. I've met them! - THE WATERWORKS by E.L. Doctorow
[ ] 6. No Cliff Notes this time - THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger
[ ] 7. Step by step - THE BACKYARD GOAT: AN INTRODUCTORY GUIDE by Sue Weaver
[x] 8. Ripped from the headlines - THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson
[x] 9. Wow. Nice. - SNUFF by Terry Pratchett
[x] 10. Revenge of the nerds - ATOMIC ACCIDENTS: A HISTORY OF NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS AND DISASTERS by James Mahaffey
[x] 11. Better known for... BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey
[x] 12. Gramma would have loved this - TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST by Richard Henry Dana
 

Chris P

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Great job brightdreamer! Keep us updated if you do any extra credit.

Mrsmig: I haven't read Catcher since high school. I rewd it five times before, and my opinion of Holden went from "wow what an awesome guy!" to "what a tedious whiner." I wonder what I'd think now if I read it again. Hmmm, extra credit?