Into the Forest discussion

Everyone talks so much about that Read Harder challenge, which gets me interested -- until I actually look at it and realize I have no interest at all in about half the categories.

I'm not sure I could even name a book with a trans main character... There's a couple with trans supporting characters, and one memorable series that was very trans themed without *actually* being trans. But actual trans main characters are really hard to come by.

Lila ( formerly Jalilah ) wrote: "... will ruin the ending as she did in Snow in Summer by fast forwarding too much in a nonsensical kind of way. ..."

I attribute that to the fact that she was expanding off a short story and ran out of material cause she needed to change the ending. Maybe there was some back and forth with an editor going on.

Also, keep in mind there's two authors there, not just Yolen.

Melanti wrote: ".Also, keep in mind there's two authors there, not just Yolen.."

That's right! I keep forgetting that Yolen co-wrote it with Midori Snyder!

Could someone please post the link for the "read harder" challenge?

Here's the Read Harder challenge: http://bookriot.com/2015/12/15/2016-b...

I like the idea of reading outside my comfort zone, but there are far too many books I need to read to make room for more challenges!

That seems like a much easier challenge to follow.

Katie wrote: "I had looked at the Book Riot list and then I joined the Around the Year challenge, and there are a few similar topics across both. I think some of the Book Riot ones are a bit too specific, so I'l..."

A bit too specific fits for me too.

Reading a book out loud to someone? I don't have kids, and live alone, so who would I read it to?

Reading a book that's had a movie based on it is trivial, but the second half - watching that movie and comparing the two - I have zero interest in watching a movie about a book I've read.

Reading a non-superhero comic book? Sure, okay. Not a huge comic fan, but when pressed by challenges like this, I've found some decent stuff. But why specify that it has to have been published in the last 3 years?

I hadn't looked at the Around the Year challenge before, but it does seem more broad.

Yes, I meant around the year.

From what I gather (I listen to a couple book riot podcasts), the book riot challenge is meant to literally challenge you. So it's not supposed to be stuff you'd read anyway, but things outside your comfort zone.

Lila ( formerly Jalilah ) wrote: "Could someone please post the link for the "read harder" challenge? "

I was just going to ask the same thing. Thanks :) I think since it's already September, I'll wait for the 2017 one though.

For those on Netgalley, Eowyn Ivey's new book To The Bright Edge of the World is up as a "read now" title (so no approval needed).
The catch is, that it's protected PDF, not Epub or Kindle formats.

I also found Fairy Tales for the Disillusioned: Enchanted Stories from the French Decadent Tradition, which is a fun sounding book. Same caveat. PDF only.

https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...
https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...

Margaret wrote: "I saw this epic, 100 must-read fairy tale and myth retellings list on Book Riot today. It's too much for me to process, but if you like giant lists, you may enjoy it! Several books we've read here are on it, at first glance: http://bookriot.com/2016/09/26/100-mu...."

Wow, that is a fantastic list! Although it lists Tender Morsels as a retelling of "Snow White," when it's actually "Snow White & Rose Red." It's also one of my favorite retellings ever.

I also read The Wrath & the Dawn and agree with Leah's daughter on most of her criticisms. I was not impressed; I think it got so much attention because there are still far too few retellings of non-European tales.

It doesn't bother me to have classics lumped in with fairy tales, myths, etc. The way I see it, at a certain point certain stories become part of the cultural consciousness/imaginative landscape and almost enter into the realm of myth even though they may not have been written as such. A lot of Shakespearean plays aren't actually myth, either, but we accept them as such because of the dominant role they play in our cultural heritage.

So far, I have not met a reading challenge I don't like. :) I get pretty excited by almost every suggestion -- I have about 5 books in my collection that fit the transgender main character item, for example -- and I actually use the challenges to "narrow" my choices because my reading tastes are so eclectic that I get overwhelmed deciding what to read next without a little guidance. The challenge items help me narrow the field. Although I went a little overboard this year -- I pretty much can't read anything that *doesn't* fit a challenge item; I'm going to make sure to build in more flexibility when I choose challenges for next year. :)

Melanti wrote: "For those on Netgalley, Eowyn Ivey's new book To The Bright Edge of the World is up as a "read now" title (so no approval needed).
The catch is, that it's protected PDF, not Epub o..."

Too bad they're not for kindle!

Margaret wrote: "Melanti wrote: "For those on Netgalley, Eowyn Ivey's new book To The Bright Edge of the World is up as a "read now" title (so no approval needed).
The catch is, that it's protected..."

If you have Voyage Kindle e-reader or the most recent Kindle e-reader, you can get it on protected PDF. I used to not be able to read them on my Keyboard Kindle, but now I can with Voyage.

Shomeret wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Melanti wrote: "For those on Netgalley, Eowyn Ivey's new book To The Bright Edge of the World is up as a "read now" title (so no approval needed).
The catch is, th..."

That's just the password protected ones though, right? Not the DRMed ones?

Regardless, I'm not a huge fan of reading PDFs on my paperwhite due to the screen size.
You can try to convert to Kindle format, of course, but in my experience, PDFs don't convert nearly as well as other file formats. Might be okay for a novel though, but I'm sure you'd loose chapter breaks and such.

One of the reasons I took on the Book Riot Read Harder challenge was, in part, so I would read books that I have already bought. There's lots of suggestions, for the various challenges, which helps. I own 10 of the 24 books I read for the challenge.

People read to animals they were house/ animal-sitting, people read to children in libraries, or at schools. I read aloud to my family because we do that on car trips. I reread to them Station Eleven, which we all loved, we were going near the Great Lakes, which is the setting for the novel. As for the comic book I read Nimona, since I had already read Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy and Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal.

I love the idea of reading to animals :)

Margaret wrote: "Here's the Read Harder challenge: http://bookriot.com/2015/12/15/2016-b...

I like the idea of reading outside my comfort zone, but there are far too many books I need t..."

It's an interesting list and I too like the idea of reading out of one's comfort zone. That being said, I think between the challenge here and a few other reads I might discover in other groups I could not fit in any more reading challenges at the moment. I read as a way to learn about new things, different cultures, history periods etc. This year I also did a challenge to read books by female authors from Middle Eastern countries.
We could always use some of the ideas from this challenge in our 2017 challenge.

Lila ( formerly Jalilah ) wrote: "We could always use some of the ideas from this challenge in our 2017 challenge. "

Absolutely.

And like I said earlier, I don't participate in any challenge but this one. I set too many reading challenges for myself to involve any others! But I do like the idea of them.

Regarding the Read harder challenge, for anyone doing it, if your looking for something for book set in the Middle East category,
I read some really good ones this years as part of a challenge
https://www.goodreads.com/user_challe...
These were all books from writers from these countries, fantastic literature and engaging reads!

Lila ( formerly Jalilah ) wrote: "Regarding the Read harder challenge, for anyone doing it, if your looking for something for book set in the Middle East category,
I read some really good ones this years as part of a challenge
htt..."

The two other Read Harder Challenge categories that gave rise to interesting threads (and great book ideas from new authors) were "read the first in a series written by a person of color" and "read a book written by an author from Southeast Asia."

Finished Sustenance (post-WWII Europe and America; St. Germain rebuilds his publishing and shipping businesses in Europe while sympathizing with expatriate American academics driven out by HUAC and McCarthy). Now starting Commedia della Morte (Madelaine de Montalia and St. Germaine face down the French Revolution and The Terror, woohoo!).

How are you liking the Count Michele?

Chris wrote: "How are you liking the Count Michele?"

Oh, I've loved St. Germain for decades. I got Hôtel Transylvania (with this cheesy cover, alas! ) from the science fiction book club back in the early 1980s and have been a fan ever since.

Carol wrote: "Lila ( formerly Jalilah ) wrote: "Regarding the Read harder challenge, for anyone doing it, if your looking for something for book set in the Middle East category,
I read some really good ones this..."

Is that a Goodreads group?

Lila ( formerly Jalilah ) wrote: "Carol wrote: "Lila ( formerly Jalilah ) wrote: "Regarding the Read harder challenge, for anyone doing it, if your looking for something for book set in the Middle East category,
I read some really ..."

@Lila: yes. Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge Group, linked below.

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

I joined because having the discussion threads in "My Groups" is more convenient for me, but I turned off notifications because the size of the group will otherwise overwhelm your notifications list. Task 21 - "read a book about politics in your country or another country" is also an interesting one to browse from time to time.

I just finished rereading Except the Queen by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder. I love this book! It's the perfect book for a book hangover.

I'm about to start Leave Me by Gayle Forman. I need to see if my library system has any of the St. Germain books I haven't gotten around to yet. I've read Sustenance, but not yet Commedia della Morte. I've been reading these for decades, too.

Finished Commedia della Morte (excellent).

Then last night I zipped through Problem Island, which I had discovered through this post on "What's the name of that book? I was really excited when it finally got identified because hello, fascinating premise, but was deeply disappointed in the author's execution.

Next up: either The Unconsoled or getting back to Ken Liu's The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories. Have to dip into each and see which one catches my fancy.

Julia wrote: "I just finished rereading Except the Queen by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder. I love this book! It's the perfect book for a book hangover. I'm about to s..."

I see what you mean about it being a good book to read when you gave a book hangover.
I will definitely be reading Except the Queen again!
I actually had a hard time getting into something new after reading it. However I need to take a break from Fae themed books because I am starting to mix up the plots!

Carol wrote: "I joined because having the discussion threads in "My Groups" is more convenient for me, but I turned off notifications because the size of the group will otherwise overwhelm your notifications list. Task 21 - "read a book about politics in your country or another country" is also an interesting one to browse from time to time. ."

Wow that IS a very large and active group! I will check out the threads you mentioned when I have the time to sit down and read them all!

I just started Malinche by Laura Esquivel, (the same author as Like Water for Chocolate. Many of the reviews are saying it's not as good as Like Water for Chocolate, but it's completely different. Malinche is Historical fiction.
"This is an extraordinary retelling of the passionate and tragic love between the conquistador Cortez and the Indian woman Malinalli, his interpreter during his conquest of the Aztecs. Malinalli's Indian tribe has been conquered by the warrior Aztecs. When her father is killed in battle, she is raised by her wisewoman grandmother who imparts to her the knowledge that their founding forefather god, Quetzalcoatl, had abandoned them after being made drunk by a trickster god and committing incest with his sister. But he was determined to return with the rising sun and save her tribe from their present captivity. When Malinalli meets Cortez she, like many, suspects that he is the returning Quetzalcoatl, and assumes her task is to welcome him and help him destroy the Aztec empire and free her people. The two fall passionately in love, but Malinalli gradually comes to realize that Cortez's thirst for conquest is all too human, and that for gold and power, he is willing to destroy anyone, even his own men, even their own love. "

It does have a lot of Aztec Mythology. It's fascinating to read.

Melanti wrote: "For those on Netgalley, Eowyn Ivey's new book To The Bright Edge of the World is up as a "read now" title (so no approval needed).
The catch is, that it's protected PDF, not Epub o..."

To update this...
I was in netgalley today and a "Send to Kindle" button has appeared for To The Bright Edge of the World

It still says protected PDF, but I've opened it and it seems to be working just like a regular file - no passwords or anything.

It's still not on the other fairy tale book I listed, but at least it's on the Eowyn Ivey book.

"Nick of time" bu Ted Bell

I'm reading The Confession of Jack Straw by Simone Zelitch. It's a historical novel about the life of one of the leaders of the English peasant revolt of 1381. Jack Straw is portrayed as a storyteller , and some of his tales are included in the book. I've just read one that has to do with the fairies that I thought was clever.

About 2/3 of the way through The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories and deeply impressed.

Although I very much appreciated reading about the pre-Colombian indigenous Mexican belief system, Malinche is not a page turner. I am in the mood for something that really draws me in so started re-reading The House of the Spirits. It's perfect except for one thing, it's one of my older books that was stored in a musty basement for several years. After reading just the first 40 pages my nose is itchy. Some of you already know about my mold allergy. Too bad! It is a copy I bought in the late 80s with a beautiful cover I have not seen since! I'm going to have to throw this book out :( , but once I have a new copy I will definitely continue. I love this book!

Finished The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories. Wow.

Now starting The Elementals for a group read over on Literary Darkness.

I'm reading The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse for a real life book club and it's funny and Gilliamesque: A Pre-posthumous Memoir by Terry Gilliam, which is a hoot!

Today is my birthday and I only want to read a book that I enjoy. I normally read on my Kindle when I travel on mass transit, but Kindle reads are currently review obligation books. So I'm taking library book The Confession of Jack Straw with me on the bus and will finish it today at the library one of my favorite places to go. I am also bringing my next library book with me to start at the restaurant where I'm having my birthday lunch. It's Will Do Magic for Small Change by Andrea Hairston. I love the title and the opening line "Books let dead people talk to us from the grave."

Shomeret wrote: "Today is my birthday and I only want to read a book that I enjoy. I normally read on my Kindle when I travel on mass transit, but Kindle reads are currently review obligation books. So I'm taking l..."

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

Lila (formerly Jalilah) wrote: "Shomeret wrote: "Today is my birthday and I only want to read a book that I enjoy. I normally read on my Kindle when I travel on mass transit, but Kindle reads are currently review obligation books..."

Happy Birthday, Shomeret. It sounds like you have a wonderful day planned.

I recently finished reading The Interpretation of Fairy Tales. I posted my review on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4....

I plan to read The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca by Tahir Shah next.

Thanks for the birthday wishes. Things didn't work out as planned. I ended up eating lunch at home and having dessert at a bakery/cafe near the library instead. I did finish The Confession of Jack Straw. My review is upcoming. I already love Will Do Magic for Small Change. So it's been a good day.

Melanti wrote: "I'm not sure I could even name a book with a trans main character... There's a couple with trans supporting characters, and one memorable series that was very trans themed without *actually* being trans. But actual trans main characters are really hard to come by."

That challenge item stumped me at first too until I re-read it: "Read a book by or about a person that identifies as transgender." I've already read two books this year by people who identify as transgender. But I agree, finding books in this category is difficult.

I highly recommend All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders. I borrowed it from the library, then loved it so much I bought my own copy.

Lacey wrote: "So far, I have not met a reading challenge I don't like. :) I get pretty excited by almost every suggestion -- I have about 5 books in my collection that fit the transgender main character item, for example -- and I actually use the challenges to "narrow" my choices..."

Lacey, would you mind sharing your list? I'm always on the hunt for books in this category.

The challenge about non-superhero comics threw me for a loop initially because of the "in the last three years." So I asked my daughter's friend, who publishes comics, and he suggested Paper Girls, Vol. 1. He sold me on it when he mentioned the 80s and time travel. (Julia, I completely forgot about Lumberjanes; my daughter loves that one.)

Like many of you, I limit my participation in challenges because if I attempt too many, I rarely complete them all, plus I feel like I'm boxing myself in and can't read as freely. Our group challenge is my favorite and first priority, but I might try out the Read Harder Challenge in 2017.

Just finished The Elementals for a group read over on Literary Darkness. Yikes.

Next up, I think, Women Crime Writers: Four Suspense Novels of the 1940s: Laura / The Horizontal Man / In a Lonely Place / The Blank Wall. My mom was here last week and we youtube'd the trailer for the film version of Laura (early b&w, with a very young Vincent Price!) so I'm all intrigued for that one.

Leah wrote: "Lacey, would you mind sharing your list? I'm always on the hunt for books in this category.
."

Sure! The books I have that fit the transgender challenge item are
Luna by Julie Anne Peters (YA)
Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger (YA)
My Lesbian Husband: Landscapes of a Marriage by Barrie Jean Borich (memoir)
The Last Time I Wore a Dress by Daphne Scholinski (memoir)
and
Rethinking Normal: A Memoir in Transition by Katie Ran Hill

I still haven't decided which one I'm going to read for that challenge item, but I'm leaning toward My Lesbian Husband: Landscapes of a Marriage.

I read Jem and the Holograms Vol. 1: Showtime for my non-superhero comic. Super fun!

I know what you mean about reading challenges boxing in your reading, though, Leah. Next year I'll probably only do this group's challenge and maybe Read Harder so that I have more flexibility in my reading choices.

Lacey wrote: "I know what you mean about reading challenges boxing in your reading, though, Leah. ."

Yes, it's funny, because challenges are supposed to open up your reading -- make you try new things. But in a way it also limits you.

A paradox, a paradox, a most ingenious paradox ;)

Same here. I would feel limited by too many challenges.
I finally decided to read The Fishermen by the Nigerian author Chigozie Obioma. It is more realistic historical fiction but definitely has mythic elements in it.
It is very sad however. It's also a type of Cain and Abel retelling.

Lacey wrote: "Sure! The books I have that fit the transgender challenge item are
Luna by..."

Thank you!

If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read about a year in Casablanca that comes with somewhat murky instructions for exorcising a she-jinn from your home, then look no further than Tahir Shah’s The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca. It is a delightful read "made all the more appealing due to Shah’s ability to capture the sights, sounds, scents, and texture of life in Morocco that waft through every page with vibrancy and color.”
You can check out my full review on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and on my website www.tamaraaghajaffar.com

Tamara wrote: "If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read about a year in Casablanca that comes with somewhat murky instructions for exorcising a she-jinn from your home, then look no further than Tahir Sha..."

I've been wanting to read that book for a while now.
I visited Morocco a number of times in the 80s and early 90s and loved it.
A Street in Marrakech: A Personal View of Urban Women in Morocco by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea was written in the 60s, so dated but sill very good. Have you read it?

Lila (formerly Jalilah) wrote: "Tamara wrote: "If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read about a year in Casablanca that comes with somewhat murky instructions for exorcising a she-jinn from your home, then look no further..."

Hi Lila,
No, I haven't read A Street in Marrakech: A Personal View of Urban Women in Morocco, but it looks interesting. Thanks for suggesting it.

My To Read shelf has about 20 books on it now. I notice that some people have a couple of thousand books on their To Read shelf. I don't know how they do it. I'm a list maker and put a lot of pressure on myself to get things completed. Having that many books on my To Read shelf would freak me out.

Tamara wrote: "My To Read shelf has about 20 books on it now. I notice that some people have a couple of thousand books on their To Read shelf. I don't know how they do it. I'm a list maker and put a lot of pressure on myself to get things completed. Having that many books on my To Read shelf would freak me out. "

Guilty as charged! I don't have thousands on my Goodreads list, but I keep a separate TBR list on my library's website and also consider all the unread books I own as my ultimate TBR, so ... I get depressed when I think too much on the fact that I'll never *actually* get through them all, but I look at it more as a "reminder" list -- when it's time to start a new book, I browse it for something that fits what I'm in the mood for.

Tamara wrote: "My To Read shelf has about 20 books on it now. I notice that some people have a couple of thousand books on their To Read shelf. I don't know how they do it. I'm a list maker and put a lot of pressure on myself to get things completed. Having that many books on my To Read shelf would freak me out. "

I have simply decided Not To Die until I finish everything on my list. I'm trying for immortality via a kind of Scheherezade approach.

Michele wrote: "I have simply decided Not To Die until I finish everything on my list. I'm trying for immortality via a kind of Scheherezade approach. "

Good plan! I just figure that the afterlife is also filled with books, plus plenty of time to read them. ;)