Into the Forest discussion

Does anyone want to do a 2014 Reading Challenge? If so, do you have any suggestions of what you would like to read?
Personally , I would like to read more Endicott list books because there are many on the following 2 lists that I gave not read yet:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
However I am open to anything and would like to know what group members would like!

I like the Endicott and Mythopoeic lists - though I do a couple of other challenges (not to mention group reads) that will require them so that's not too big of a deal for me either way.

I kind of like the way the challenge from 2012 was worded - giving the option between a retelling or a collection that fit the theme. I read a TON of retellings this year, but I only got halfway through the challenge cause I only read two or three anthologies.

Fractured Fairy tales could be a category

Yep I wanna do a 2014 challenge.

I'd also like the option of a standalone novel / novella or a collection for each category in the challenge as long as the option I pick fits the category. (I was a bit overwhelmed by all the collections in 2013.)

Here are some suggestions for 2014 categories:

* Pick one from Endicott YA list (second Jalilah's suggestion)

* Pick one from Endicott Adult list

* Fractured fairy tales (second Melanti's suggestion) - We could even get more specific and have two or three themes, such as Cinderella + robots

* Read a Greek myth with which you are not familiar (or have forgotten most details) and then read a modern retelling (published 2000 and later)

* Urban Legends

* Scary legends

* Perhaps a critical analysis of Urban Legends in American culture... other cultures?

* Read a retelling of Arthurian legend

* Read a fairy tale that you are not familiar with and then read a retelling or critical look at said tale (I really liked this one from 2013 challenge... even if I'm still working to complete it and it's December 18th :D)

Okay based on what we have talked about, how is this?

1.Read one book from Endicott YA Fairy Tale list https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
2. Read one book from Endicott adult Fairy Tale list https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
3. Read one book from the Endicott Mythic Fiction list https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
4. Read a Greek Myth with which you are not familiar (or have forgotten most of)
5. Then read a modern retelling of that Myth (published 2000 and later)
6. Read Fractured fairy tales (can be one story, a novel or a collection)
7. Read several Tales from Arabian Nights that you are not familiar with
8. Read a book on Urban Legends or a critical analysis of Urban Legends
9. Read a retelling of Arthurian legend or a book about Arthurian Legends
10. Read a collection of non-European Fairy Tales, Myths or Folktales
11.Read a fairy tale that you are not familiar with and.....
12.then read a retelling or critical book about that tale.

Let me know if I should add anything or take something off. Is it too much or too little?
Melanti, I am not sure what a fractured Fairy Tale is, but I put it in anyway!
Leah, Since everyone can choose their own books, they can select something as dark or scary as they want, so I left that part out. Hope that is okay!

Sounds great, Jalilah!

Not too much, especially as two of the categories are probably going to be very short.

Fractured Fairy Tales are retellings that are subverted in some way - where things don't play out like they did in the original tale.

For instance in The Book of Lost Things where Little Red Riding Hood was pursuing the wolf and not the other way around or where it was the seven dwarfs who tried to poison Snow White instead of the wicked queen.

Or, say, in Stardust where by the time the book is over (view spoiler)[the hero falls in love with someone other than the one he went questing for. (hide spoiler)]

The The Stepsister Scheme that Chris mentioned is another example, as are most of the stories in The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories. The comic series Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile probably counts as well though I can't be certain as I haven't read it myself.

Love 'em all! I really like that there's only one collection and it's non-European. Hopefully other members will offer feedback too.

Looks good.

I have edited" Fractured fairy tales" so that they can be either in one short story, a novel or a collection. I am trying to give a lot of options so everyone can read what they want to and have fun.

Looks good to me too. I haven't tried any of the challenges before, but I might try this one.

Margaret wrote: "Looks good to me too. I haven't tried any of the challenges before, but I might try this one."

That's great you'll join us Margaret! I don't usually do challenges either. I did this groups' one last year for the first time. I don't have that much time and read only for pleasure, so I don't want to commit to reading a lot of books that I might not like. That is why I made the challenge short and with a lot of choices.

Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Looks good to me too. I haven't tried any of the challenges before, but I might try this one."

That's great you'll join us Margaret! I don't usually do challenges either. I did t..."

That's why I haven't joined in the past. I like to be an instinctual reader, but the choices are a lot of what I want to read anyway:)

I do a lot of challenges. Don't look at them as something you HAVE to complete. Just look at them as a way to get you to look at your TBR pile in a sligtly different way.

I'm not a fan of alphabetical type challenges cause I don't really see the point in those, but I enjoy the ones based on content, since those make me think just a little bit more about what I wannt to read and what kinds of books I have on hand.

The fun is in the trying and the hunting... Whether you ever finish or not is irrelevent, IMO.

Hey Chris, Jalilah or Melanti,

Just curious when you think our official 2014 challenge (listed in message #4 by Jalilah) will be posted on our Group home page?

Sort of done?

Maybe?

Both 2013 and 2014 are listed at the moment but I'm not sure how to remove the 2013... I don't want to delete the challenge. Hopefully it goes away on its own.

Just 2014 is up now.

Thanks Chris! I have been traveling and not been going on line much.
Happy New Year Everyone!

Sweet! Thank you both.

Jalilah, safe travels and Happy New Year to you!

P.S. The links for 1, 2, and 3 aren't working on the Group's home page. It looks like the URLs were cut off.

Huh. Looks like maybe Chris had to delete and re-add the challenge to get 2013 to disappear.

I've edited the 2014 challenge to re-add the links.

So if anyone else is having issues with trying to find a fractured fairy tale, Barnes and Noble's nook book selection has a collection of them for $0.99.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-...

What an odd collection... Some PG stuff, some R rated stuff, some full books, some partial books, some short stories that depend on you having read books not included in the collection... At first glance, it doesn't really seem to fit together.

Might be worth getting the freebie portions of the collection first and seeing if you like those before spending money. About 1/3 to 1/2 the collection is free on Amazon at the moment.

Melanti wrote: "What an odd collection... Some PG stuff, some R rated stuff, some full books, some partial books, some short stories that depend on you having read books not included in the collection... At first..."

I happened across it today while browsing their Nook book sale. As I've not really read many (if any) fractured fairy tales in the past (and the genre itself is new to me), I was intrigued by the fact that they labeled it as such. As you said, however, the collection is rather a mishmosh. I'd recommend to anyone else interested to check out the list of books listed, see which one(s), if any, appeal to you, and looking for them on Amazon first before committing to the BN price.

Any suggestions for the YA Endicott category?

Robin McKinley is a wonderful author. Of the three listed, I liked A Knot in the Grain and Other Stories best.

I really liked The Goose Girl but hated the rest of the series. When it was a group read here, it seemed to be one of those where half the group liked it and the other half hated it.

Jane Yolen is usually worth reading, though I admit I haven't read Tales of Wonder yet.

I've heard lots of great things about Donna Jo Napoli, though I haven't read any of her books yet.

Margaret wrote: "Any suggestions for the YA Endicott category?"

Margaret, I must admit I put the YA Endicott books on the challenge for my own personal reasons; I have not read any of them yet, but would like to!
I have read many on the Endicott Mythic Fiction list and some on the Adult Fairy tale list and almost all if them have been excellent.
Two books that were nominated for our January-February read, The Phoenix Dance and Scarlet Moon are from the list.

I have not read any on the list as well! But I've never read any Robin Mckinley, and have been meaning to for some time now, so I might try to find A Knot in the Grain. But I like Jane Yolen too, so I'll keep an eye out for both. And I know I can get a copy of Mirror Mirror, but while I loved Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, I did not enjoy Son of a Witch nearly as much.

Margaret wrote: "I have not read any on the list as well! But I've never read any Robin Mckinley, and have been meaning to for some time now, so I might try to find A Knot in the Grain. But I like Jane Yolen too, s..."

If you have never read Beauty by Robin McKinley that is a great place to start.

Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I have not read any on the list as well! But I've never read any Robin Mckinley, and have been meaning to for some time now, so I might try to find A Knot in the Grain. But I like ..."

That's the one I have on my bookshelf. I tend not to make as much time for YA, but whenever I do I'm almost always happy with what I read.

If you are looking for a fractured fairy tale,Wolves and Witches is really good. Just read it - thanks whoever here nominated it last time - it's under $5 for the kindle.

Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I have not read any on the list as well! But I've never read any Robin Mckinley, and have been meaning to for some time now, so I might try to find A Knot in the Gr..."

Robin McKinley's Beauty is in the Endicott Adult Fairy Tale list, although if I remember correctly there is no reason why a YA could not read it.

Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I have not read any on the list as well! But I've never read any Robin Mckinley, and have been meaning to for some time now, so I might try to find..."

Hmm, I thought it was YA. Either way, I'm going to read it!:)

Chris wrote: "If you are looking for a fractured fairy tale,Wolves and Witches is really good. Just read it - thanks whoever here nominated it last time - it's under $5 for the kindle."

I might give it a try after reading your review.

I have to say that I was plesasently surprised by how good it was.

This is Davis' website. It has some links to the stories online, so you can get a feel for it.

http://amandacdavis.wordpress.com/201...

So would. The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter count as a "fractured" Fairy Tale?

Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I have not read any on the list as well! But I've never read any Robin Mckinley, and have been meaning to for some time now, so I m..."

By all means! It's wonderful and if you are going the challenge Beauty will count as an Endicott Adult Fairy Tale!

Jalilah wrote: "So would. The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter count as a "fractured" Fairy Tale?"

I would think Angela Carter would count. In the fairy tale class I took a few years ago, we called her stories and others like them "redacted fairy tales," which essentially means the original tale is altered in the telling. I think that's what fractured probably means as well. Not just using fairy tale elements, but taking a specific tale and altering it, which The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories does, and wonderfully so!

Yep! Angela Carter definitely counts for fractured.

I will probably read Carter's Saints and Strangers after reading a collection of American urban legends (#8). It's supposed to be short stories based on American folklore.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm beginning to get my shelf for the challenge set up. Now on to the reading.

Kathy wrote: , I'm beginning to get my shelf for the challenge set up. Now on to the reading."

Me too! I am excited! I'll definitely read Angela Carter for my Fractured Fairy Tale collection.
I need some ideas for the others except for Urban Legends. I have not got a clue!

Can anyone recommend anything please?

Jalilah wrote: "Kathy wrote: , I'm beginning to get my shelf for the challenge set up. Now on to the reading."

Me too! I am excited! I'll definitely read Angela Carter for my Fractured Fairy Tale collection. I go..."

I was going to read Too Good to Be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends. Jan Harold Brunvand is supposed to be an expert, though I haven't read anything of his before.

Oooo this sounds awesome!! I think I'm going to attempt this challenge. I see y'all talking about a group page? Maybe I'm being ditzy, but can someone give me a link to this page? :)

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

The main group page...
Look just under the group reads and you'll see the challenge listed there.

Excellent challenge and I love all of the suggestions! I love the Aurthurian legends and have read a few books, any suggestions on favorites?
I am having troubles with the non european fairy tales too :)

My favorite Arthurian legend retellings are The Mists of Avalon and The Crystal Cave. The Mists of Avalon retells the legends from the women's perspective, and The Crystal Cave from Merlin's.

Love The Mists of Avalon I have read it twice :) I will check out Crystal Cave! I also liked Talisin, a Merlin story.

Ginger wrote: "Love The Mists of Avalon I have read it twice :) I will check out Crystal Cave! I also liked Talisin, a Merlin story."

I haven't read that one before; I'll have to check it out!

Hmmm sorry (sp) Taliesin :)

Ginger wrote: "Excellent challenge and I love all of the suggestions! I love the Aurthurian legends and have read a few books, any suggestions on favorites?
I am having troubles with the non european fairy tales ..."

Ginger, Non-European could be Asian, Middle Eastern, African, First Nation/Native American, anything not European. I realized now that I should have said "Folk Tales" rather than "Fairy Tales".

How could I have forgotten to include the link to this Group's wonderful bookshelf that Chris put up! https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...
You will find all kinds of books for your Challenge except for Urban Legends.