The Book Vipers discussion

Challenge completed. My final two books were:
book chosen for the cover- Essie Fox "The Somnambulist" and
favourite genre - Neil Gaiman "Stardust"

Well done Charlotte :)

Thanks :) I'm so pleased.

No idea what I'm going to read now though!! I might have to do the challenge again...

That was quick! I'm still assembling which books to read.

Congratulations Charlotte. That's quick work! :)

Thank you both. It's largely thanks to being away from home a lot earlier this year. I don't expect to be able to keep this speed up!

Wonderful job Charlotte, Congrats!

Congratulatioms. That is some serious reading!

Well Done Charlotte!

Gosh, that's quite a feat of reading Charlotte! I was pleased just to finish my first row a couple of days ago...Well done!

Thanks all! :)

Blimey... This is a good reality check... I've always considered myself a book worm and fast reader... I guess I do take a while between books.. But even so...Well done Charlotte!!

Congratulations Charlotte. Think this is an excellent challenge. Must get on and list my books!

Some update:
First Row
1 Memoir or biography Claire Tomalin, Charles Dickens  A Life Still TBR
2 A book received as a present Susan Collins Hunger Games
3 Science Fiction or Fact Stephen King 22/11/1963
4 Free Choice Harry Bernstein, The Invisible Wall
5 A book of poem

Second row
6 Your favourite Genre (family saga) Rosa Ventrella, Il giardino degli oleandri
7 A travel Book
8 A book still on your shelf after 10 years
9 Richard and July Recommended this one Lauren Beukes The Shining Gilrs
10 A classic Thomas Love Peacock Nightmare Abbey

Third Row from above
11 A new Author Enrico Ruggeri,  Non si può morire la notte di Natale
12 A friend's recomendation Mathew Green, Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend
13 A genre you avoid Weatherly Anna, La rivincita delle mogli
14 Translated into english Emile Zola, Abbe Mouret's Transgression
15 A best seller Michele Serra Gli sdraiati

Fourt Row
16 A book picked because of the cover Julie Anne Peters, Tra mamma e Jo
17 Free Chioce
18 A book from a small Publisher
19 An old favourite Anthony Trollope, Is He Popenjoy?
20 Crime novel or true crime Doris Lessing The Grass is Singing

Way to go, Charlotte! =D

I only just decided yesterday that I was going to do this challenge, so I'm a bit behind!


First
1. A Bestseller: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith ✔
2. Translated into English: Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon ✔
3. A genre you avoid: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. A friend's recommendation: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown ✔
5. A new author: The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway ✔

Second
6. A book received as a present: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern ✔
7. A travel book: Down Under by Bill Bryson
8. An award winner: The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton ✔
9. Free choice: Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin ✔

Third
10. Science fiction or fact: The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking
11. A book still on your shelf after 10 years: Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
12. Free choice: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman ✔
13. A book from a small publisher: The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu

Fourth
14. Free choice: Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern ✔
15. Richard and Judy recommended this: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion ✔
16. Historical Novel or Non-Fiction: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
17. An old favourite: Book of Shadows by Cate Tiernan ✔

Obviously, it's a work in progress!

Late to post but congratulations Charlotte, you simply whizzed through that challenge!

Book Vipers Magic Square Challenge
Start Date: December 20, 2013 - End Date: December 31, 2014

My Book List (Books Read: 5/25)
1 Memoir or biography –
2 – A book received as a present
**3 – Science fiction or fact – Divergent by Veronica Roth (2/11/14)
4 – Free choice –
5 – A book of poems –
**6 – A classic – I Capture the Castle by Dobie Smith (2/13/14)
7 – Richard & Judy recommended this one –
8 – A book still on your shelf after 10 years –
9 – A travel book –
10 – Your favourite genre –
11 – Non fiction –
12 – An award winner –
13 – Free choice –
**14 – History novel or non-fiction – Moloka'i by Alan Brennert (3/1/14)
15 – The author shares your name –
16 – A new author –
17 – A friend’s recommendation –
**18 – A genre I avoid – (Zombies) Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (3/5/14)
19 Translated into English
20 – A bestseller –
21 – A book picked because of the cover –
22 – Free choice –
23 – A book from a small publisher –
24 - An old favourite –
**25 - Crime novel or true crime – The 5th Horseman by James Patterson (1/11/14)

Thanks Catherine :) I'm hoping I keep up this reading pace now, as I've just added 40-odd books for the series challenge!!

Oooh I didn't notice the series challenge. I'll have to check it out too. One of the books on my magic square book challenge could double up on the series challenge. :D

Ooh, what book is it Catherine?

Catherine wrote: "Oooh I didn't notice the series challenge. I'll have to check it out too. One of the books on my magic square book challenge could double up on the series challenge. :D"

It was mentioned in the email Catherine. Did you not receive it?

Charlotte wrote: "Ooh, what book is it Catherine?"

It's The Sword Of ShannaraI've only just admitted to myself that I like fantasy!

Paul wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Oooh I didn't notice the series challenge. I'll have to check it out too. One of the books on my magic square book challenge could double up on the series challenge. :D"

It was m..."

Hi Paul, I double checked and I did get it, but silly me, I glossed over the last part about the chellenge. Sorry!

Enjoy! I'm quite a fan of fantasy :)

Thanks Charlotte : ) I'm going to have a gander through your book lists now!

Update on my challenge.

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My goal for this challenge is 16 books. I intend to do the first column, the second column, the first row and the second row


✓ 1: Memoir or biography: Poirot and Me by David Suchet
✓ 2: Your favourite genre: The Dream of the Celt by Mario Vargas Llosa
✓ 3: Non fiction: I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christine Lamb
✓ 4: A bestseller: A Street Cat Named Bob: How One Man and His Cat Found Hope on the Streets by James Bowen
✓ 5: A book chosen because of its cover: Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
✓ 6: A book received as a present: Op de vleugels van de draak by Lieve Joris ; no English translation I'm afraid
✓ 7: SF or fact: 1984 by George Orwell
✓ 8: Free choice: Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed
✓ 9: A book of poems: Poems of the Great War: 1914-1918
✓ 10: A travel book: Zangeres op Zanzibar en andere reisverhalen by Lieve Joris
✓ 11: An award winner: Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride; it won the Barry Award for best first novel
✓ 12: Translated into English: The Hotel Majestic by Georges Simenon
✓ 13: Free choice: The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi
✓ 14: A book still on your shelf after 10 years: Their Heads are Green and Their Hands are Blue: Scenes from the Non-Christian World by Paul Bowles
✓ 15: Richard and Judy recommended this one: The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne
✓ 16: A classic: The Quiet American by Graham Greene

Finished

I think I'll pop to Persephone Books this week to get my final two :o)

Ok. Here goes. Not sure I will get the whole square read but I am going to try. This is my starting list...

1 - Memoir or biography – Country Girl
2 – A book received as a present -The History of Love - READ
3 – Science fiction or fact –
4 – Free choice – A Tale for the Time Being
5 – A book of poems –
6 – A classic – Middlemarch
7 – Richard & Judy recommended this one – The Rosie Project
8 – A book still on your shelf after 10 years – Behind the Scenes at the Museum
9 – A travel book –
10 – Your favourite genre –
11 – Non fiction –
12 – An award winner – Bring Up the Bodies
13 – Free choice –
14 – History novel or non-fiction –
15 – The author shares your name – Beautiful Ruins - READ
16 – A new author –White Teeth (I wasn't sure if this meant new to the world or new to me? I assumed to me.)
17 – A friend’s recommendation – PLEASE FEEL FREE to Recommend!
18 – A genre I avoid –
19 - Translated into English
20 – A bestseller –The Book Thief
21 – A book picked because of the cover –
22 – Free choice –
23 – A book from a small publisher –
24 - An old favourite –
25 - Crime novel or true crime –

Jessica, as you have read and liked Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, I would recommend How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer

Just updated my list - 19 read, 6 to go :) Then onto the series challenge!

Elizabeth wrote: "Just updated my list - 19 read, 6 to go :) Then onto the series challenge!"

Great stuff!

I really will have to get a shift on, though - I'm miles behind you - and everyone else.
It might have helped had I not taken two and a half months to read Finders, Keepers. (hangs head) :-)

Don't worry Katherine I've only just finished my sixth book of the challenge! :)

I'm only at six as well.

I have been particularly tardy and only read 7 for the challenge so far Katherine

Wendy and amber, you've both made me feel a lot better :-)

Paul wrote: "I have been particularly tardy and only read 7 for the challenge so far Katherine"

Yes, and then there are all those other books ;-)

I find it inspiring (and a little scary) how many books you read.

Yes but Paul, you've read so much else!!

I've only read 10 on the magic square so far. 15 to go. But i keep reading other books.

I need to get back to this! I'm avoiding the crime genre- who knows maybe I'll like it.

I got stuck with my choice for a travel book (a narrow dog to Carcassonne) which I found really badly written and hard going and eventually abandoned - life is too short to waste time on books one doesn't enjoy, I think - so now starting the new Jojo Moyes instead. Anyone readi it?

Roberta, have you read any of Bill Bryson's books? Would make a good travel book choice.

Sandy - if you haven't read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, that would work for the crime category.

Roberta, I find Tim Moore's travel books really funny. Thought French Revolutions: Cycling the Tour de France and Travels with My Donkey: One Man and His Ass on a Pilgrimage to Santiago were great.

I can second Tim Moore. Very funny. There are plenty on here Sandy:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Katherine wrote: Yes, and then there are all those other books ;-)

I find it inspiring (and a little scary) how many..."

Catherine wrote: Yes but Paul, you've read so much else!!

Thank you both.

It's not a race to the finish line. Charlotte has already won that!! lol.
It's about opening you up to different choices of books and having a year to do it in. Take your time and enjoy.
I agree with you Roberta, life is too short to continue reading something you're not enjoying. I wish I could go back and tell my 20 year old self that!!!

Sandy, Patricia Highsmith writes very well. Slim volumes = quick read. The talented Mr Ripley and Strangers on a train are very good.

Debbie wrote: "It's not a race to the finish line. Charlotte has already won that!! lol.
It's about opening you up to different choices of books and having a year to do it in. Take your time and enjoy.
I agree w..."

You're quite right, it isn't a race. I should chill and enjoy the ride, so to speak :-)

Sandy, I don't want to overload on the suggestions but if modern/police procedural crime doesn't grab you - have you considered historical crime. I can recommend Ellis Peters, the Brother Cadfael books are good. Or Bernard Knight, his Crowner John novels are supposed to be good - I'm planning to get round to reading some when I finish with all these challenges ;-)

My own current favourites are the Dandy Gilver series by Catriona McPherson. My crime choice is Dandy Gilver and a Deadly Measure of Brimstone but all the ones that I've read so far have been really enjoyable.