Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

I am currently reading Sweetland by Michael Crummey and am planning on starting Go Set a Watchman tomorrow. I am very flexible and can move my reading list around as needed.

I added both books to the spreadsheet. I didn't add The Great Train Robbery as a goal because I want to give others a chance to chime in - just in case. But if you think it works I am confident in your opinion!

Y is always a tough letter to find, so I put Death of a Red Heroine there. With 200some possible goals, I think we are better off filling them quickly rather than holding on to books just in case.

New Goal: Read a book first published in March

Sounds good, Vicky!

March of any year?

The Inhabited Woman by Gioconda Belli

Date Read: 05/08/15
Pages: 379
Goal: Read a book written by an author who was born in Central America. Gioconda Belli was born in Nicaragua.
Points: Attack 0.5 — Defense 1

I have a couple books only which are first published in March. Dreamcatcher by Stephen King is one (500+ pages). Let me know if any of you has something lined up for that goal already, otherwise I could start it today!

Great work team, we are destroying those goal as kick-ass gladiators. ;)

I finished:

The Duchess War (Brothers Sinister, #1) by Courtney Milan
Date read: 05.Aug.2015.
Pages: 265 (kindle ebook)
Goal: None at the moment

I'll start reading Shadow Scale since it's first published in March and I've already planned to read it soon.

@Sara: So, you are off the hook. You can still read 'Dreamcatcher', if you are in the mood for it, of course. It's a weird alien invasion book. Not one of the King's best but interesting.

@Vicky: Thank you for the insight. I loved the first book which was more fantasy but second book had bigger focus on romance. I like the sound of 'Master of Illusion', so I am going to give it a try. And I like the feeling when I finish a series. :)

Dragana wrote: "@Sara: So, you are off the hook. You can still read 'Dreamcatcher', if you are in the mood for it, of course. It's a weird alien invasion book. Not one of the King's best but interesting."

If you have 'Shadow Scale' lined up already it's fine to me as 'Dreamcatcher' wasn't actually a planned book to read. I've heard that it's not one of the King's best and it's also one of the oldest books I have in my owned TRB list. But we can consider it for possibly upcoming goals.

I've just started Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand instead, which currently doesn't cover any goal but let's see what we have to work on next ;)

Sara wrote: "Dragana wrote: "@Sara: So, you are off the hook. You can still read 'Dreamcatcher', if you are in the mood for it, of course. It's a weird alien invasion book. Not one of the King's best but intere..."

I was looking for an excuse to read 'Shadow Scale', so this is perfect. :)
'Dreamcatcher' is not so bad, but it has more gross scenes than I am used to (from King at least). He usually goes for the chill factor.

We keep getting lucky with goals! *knocks on wood*

I put The Inhabited Woman in for Central America and our new goal was to read a Historical Fiction book, so The Duchess War fit right in!

Our new goal is: Read a book that was originally published between 2011 and 2015.

Viva Jacquelina! Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Over the Hills and Far Away, which im in the process of reading in audio was published in 2012.

Everyone is quiet today, I hope that means you're reading! I just updated our spreadsheet to add The Great Train Robbery as our train book. So our next new goal is: Read a book whose author (first or last) starts with I.

Anyone have anything for that? I have a book I could pull out for it, but it isn't one I was planning to read soon.

I have two books by Irvings on my to read soon list. I have a couple of others to finish first, but if the goal still needs to be filled on Saturday, I can bump one of them into the queue.

I am currently reading 'Shadow Scale' for another goal. I hope I will finish it tomorrow.
After that, if no one has started, I've got a couple books on my Kindle by authors whose name starts with I...

So it seems that each of our current goals is in progress of being covered at the moment, right?

I'm reading 'Unbroken' by Laura Hillenbrand which doesn't take care of any goal currently but I also have a couple books whose authors start with "I" if needed (Ian Pears, Ian McEwan and John Irving too).

Had a busy day yesterday and didn't have time to check Goodreads as often as usual :)

We are more or less covered for goals at the moment. I will finish Viva Jacquelina during my commute today for the 2011-2015 book. Dragana is working on the March publication. It looks like several of us have I authors, so we'll see who gets to that one first!

I'm off for a busy work day, so I probably won't be checking in again until much later tonight. Happy reading! :)

Finished Viva Jacquelina!! So there's another goal down.

Unfortunately I was too quick to say that we were getting easy goals, as our new goal is Read a book that starts with the letter Q. YIKES. Anyone have something?

Just downloaded The Quiet American and have QB VII sitting on a dusty shelf around here somewhere. Saturday is pretty open and I can read whichever meets our needs. :)

Books starting with the letter "Q" are not that hard to find here as we have quite a few Italian words starting with "Q" :) But if Katie has a couple available already I can focus on the goal regarding the "I" author.
I’m halfway through Unbroken - and totally loving it, so I guess I might start that for the "I" goal tomorrow at most.

I'm 3/4 done with Shadow Scale. I still hope to finish it later today or tomorrow morning.

After that I'll see which goal is not covered... I've got books that can work for Q (Quintessence) & I (Vengeance) goal. (My ebook hoarding is paying off at last lol)

Finished

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Date Read: 07/08/15
Pages: 464
Goal: None yet
Points: Attack 0.5 — Defense 0

And just started The Cider House Rules by John Irving for the author with I initial. :)

Yay! You're all awesome. :) I'm not sure what I'll read next. I've started Boston Jacky as my next audiobook, but it'll take me at least a week to read it.

I've also started reading Grey, but I have no idea if I'll actually finish it. I only read the first three 50 Shades books because I felt like a hypocrite trash talking books I hadn't read. I didn't hate them, but I didn't particularly like them either. I was curious when they announced Grey to see how she pulls it off from Christian's point of view without him being a huge creeper. I'm about 30% in and I'm SUPER BORED, she took "Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian" way to literally.

@Dragana: I meant to ask what you thought of The Duchess War. I haven't read any of that series yet, but I did read Courtney Milan's Turner series and LOVED it.

I have managed to finish two more books today and have one book I am 50 pages from the end. I guess that is the way my reading has gone. I start a new book everyday, but only manage to finish them when I have time to sit in my own home. :)

FINISHED



Sweetland by Michael Crummey

pages: 320
points: attack 0.5 defense 0
goals: none at this time

FINISHED



The Quiet American by Graham Greene

pages: 180
points: attack 0.5 defense 1
goal: q title (title starts with a Q)

I am almost finished with Go Set a Watchman-really enjoying it.

I need to read Melmoth the Wanderer
The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner and The Book of Salt next. Then I will have a bit more flexibility.

@Vicky: I know what you mean when saying you feel hypocrite by trash talking books you hadn't read. Personally I haven't read a single book of the 50 Shades series and I think I won't ever do that, but it's really hard for me to avoid trash talking about those specific books ;)

@Kate: Way to go, Kate! You're on a roll! :)

(As always) I'm really curious to see which goals we are going to have next, as I saw a few interesting – read tricky – ones in other groups!

@Vicky: I completely understand you. I read first two '50 Shades' books for the same reason. I'm not surprised to hear about 'Grey' since usually when they switch POVs for popular romance novels it's usually the same book with 75% same lines... :/
'The Duchess War.' was my first C.M. book so I can't compare it to others. I read it because it fit other challenge + it was free for Kindle. It was not bad. Romance didn't really swoon me, but I loved sibling dynamics and squabbles.

@Kate: Wow Kate, you are on the roll. ;)

ETA: I've finished with 'Shadow scale' and I'm half way into Stirring Up Trouble...

FINISHED


Shadow Scale (Seraphina #2) by Rachel Hartman
Read; 08.Aug.2015.
Pages: 608 (kindle ebook ed.)
Goal: Book published in March...

YAY for another goal down! Way to go, Dragana! :)

I love waking up to lots of posts here. ;)

Two new goals!

Read a book that is book 1 in a series.
Read a book first published on the 10th of a month.

Off to my TBR list to see what I have!

Good morning, Vicky!
Here in Italy it's half past 2 pm ;)

I'll have a look to my TBR list to see if I have anything first published on the 10th of a month but I already know I'm plenty of book 1 in a series so you can count me for that too if needed!

Good morning Vicky and good afternoon to Sara.
I'm from Serbia, so it's afternoon for me too.

I'm in a mood for romance this weekend & almost finished with my current book.
I'll see if I can find something interesting published on 10th in the month for my next read. And then I'm off to relax and nail down another goal. ;)

ETA: Found The Exile (published on 10th). :)

Good afternoon to you too, Dragana :)
Have a happy reading weekend, everyone!

You guys are book-eaters ! :)
I am so glad I am on this team *happy dance*.. and I am soooooo loving this challenge *dances like a maniac*

I had a really hectic week at work, didnt get enough time to read, and then I realized I just directly updated the spreadsheet with whatever I read, without ever posting here. Duh !

Dragana wrote: "ETA: Found The Exile (published on 10th). :)"

That's great! :)

FINISHED:


Stirring Up Trouble (Rosewood #3) by Andrea Laurence
Read: 08.Aug.2015.
Pages: 250 (ebook info from pub. website)
Goal: None at the moment

FINISHED
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen


Date Read: 08/08/15
Pages: 319
Goal: Read a book that is book 1 in a series (The Ascendance Trilogy #1)
Points: Attack 0.5 — Defense 1

Wow, the new task is crazy !
Lets see if anyone has anything for this.

Read a book where a character is an undertaker

An undertaker! The mods are trying to kill us! lol I'm going to do some looking.

My first thought was My Girl. The father is an undertaker. I am not sure it will qualify for this challenge; but it should be a fast read.

Rizzoli and Isles series should have one, a lot of the Stephanie plum books do. Also the white trash zombie books do.

Does medical examiner work? Or does it have to be a "person who prepares a body for burial"?

I found Lady of Ashes, which would work... but I'm not sure I can get it from the library in time to finish it for this week.

FINISHED



Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

pages: 278
goals: none at this time
points: Attack 0.5 Defense 0

This was even better than I expected. It feels very relevant to events currently happening in America. I am very glad I got to read it as early as I did.

Vicky wrote: "I found Lady of Ashes, which would work... but I'm not sure I can get it from the library in time to finish it for this week."

I put it on hold at my library, too. With any luck one of us will get it home and read! :)

Kelly wrote: "Rizzoli and Isles series should have one, a lot of the Stephanie plum books do. Also the white trash zombie books do."


Stephanie Plum works ?
Where ? How ? Which one ?
I wanna read it ! I wanna read it !

Apoorv wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Rizzoli and Isles series should have one, a lot of the Stephanie plum books do. Also the white trash zombie books do."


Stephanie Plum works ?
Where ? How ? Which one ?
I wanna read ..."

According to Wikipedia, Constantine Stiva is owns a funeral parlor. He is in Two for the Dough and Eleven on Top for sure. Either of those strike your fancy Apoorv?

Two for the Dough ! Two for the Dough !
Oh my.. I know what I am reading next.. yaaaaaaaaaaaaay ! :D

Fantastic! Glad to see you so excited!