You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

1. What is your name? (First, Last, Middle, Nickname) – Read a book that contains one of your names in some way – author, title, character.
Monkey One
Little Britches: Man of the Family
(connection: somewhat tenuous but my nickname is from family and so is Little Britches [more than likely I'll find something different if I get this far])

2. What is your favourite sport? – Read a book that is either about your favourite sport or one of the characters plays that sport. You could also chose a book where the cover shows that sport.
Bowling
(God but I wish I'd picked cycling, it's got to be easier than bowling)

3. What colour are your eyes? – Read a book where the colour of your eyes is the main colour of the cover, or the word is in the title.
Blue

(I'm planning on a very rare re-read of this series)

4. Have you ever had a broken bone? – If yes, read a book with the word “Bone” in the title.
Yes


5. What is your favourite movie? – If the movie is not an adaptation, read a book with a similar theme or has the same title.
Star Wars
Promise of Blood
(connection: both distinctive worlds that mix magic with technology)

6. What is your favourite book? – Read it again. Or, read a book that has the same title. Or read a book by the same author. If you can’t find the same title, or the author only has the one book, go to the book page and click on “Readers Also Enjoyed”. Select a book from the list.
Murther and Walking Spirits by Robertson Davies
Tempest-Tost by Robertson Davies

7. Pick a number between 1 and 10. – Select a series and read the book that corresponds to that number. Or, read a book with the number in the title.
2
Stiletto

8. What is your favourite holiday? – Read a book that is about that holiday, set during that holiday, or has the name in the title.
Christmas

10. Are you right or left handed? – Read a book with that word in the title.
Right
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

11. What is your birthday month? – Read a book with the selected month in the title, or set during that month.
May

12. Do you have a pet? What is it? Don’t have a pet? Adopt a pet that someone in your immediate circle has (mother, brother, sister, friend, etc.) – Read a book featuring that type of pet. Or, read a book with that pet in the title.
Cat

13. What is your favourite type of food? (Chinese, Italian, Mexican, etc) – Read a book set in the country or region of choice. (Chinese – set in China, Italian – set in Italy, etc.) If you chose a type of food that is not specific to a country, what region would you find it prevalent? Read a book set in that region. For example – Seafood would be prevalent in the coastal areas of Canada, United States, among others.
Junk Food
All My Puny Sorrows
(connection: book partially set in Winnipeg, Old Dutch chip [my favorite junk food] factory located in Winnipeg)

14. What is something you use daily? (brush, computer, car, get creative) - Read a book with that word in the title. Or, is on the cover. Or…. Get creative. What kind of book will represent that item?
Tea Mug
The Gunpowder Gardens or, A Time For Tea: Travels Through China and India in Search of Tea

16. What is your favourite Ice cream flavour? – Read a book that either represents that flavour by the colour of the cover, or in the title. You may also chose a book that represents that flavour in some way.
If I Had a Million Flavours from Ben & Jerry's

18. What is your favourite season? – Read a book with either the season in the title, or set in that season.
Autumn

20. What is your preferred mode of transport? – Read a book with your selection on the cover, or in the title, or it plays a significant role in the book.
Airplane

21. How many candles were on your last birthday cake? – Go to your TBR and order the shelf by number. Read the book that corresponds to your answer. If you picked “none” or “zero” as your answer, your number will be 100.
None

22. Have you been in an accident? – If yes, read a book set in a hospital, or with the word “accident” in title.
Yes
The Teleportation Accident

23. Do you prefer a shower or bath? – Read a book with your selected word in the title, or depicted on the cover.
Shower

24. Name a place you’d like to visit. – Read a book set in that location.
Russia
Pelagia and the Black Monk

25. What is your favourite genre? – Read a book in that genre.
Fantasy

27. Do you have a tattoo? – Read a book that represents your tattoo in some way.
Yes
Kushiel's Scion
(connection: The rose tattoo on this cover is the rose tattoo I have)

28. Do you prefer Classic or Contemporary? – If Classic, read a book published in 1800 – 1899.
Classic

29. What is your favourite flower? – Read a book with that selection on the cover or in the title. Or, read a book that you feel represents that flower in some way.
Schubert allium
(Ha, ha, ha, this is me being hysterical)

31. If you could meet anyone famous, infamous, notorious… who would it be? – read a biography, autobiography, memoir, or historical fiction about that person.
May West
(Quote: Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution.)

33. Would you rather encounter a ghost, an alien, or neither? – If ghost, read a ghost story. If alien, read a story with aliens in it.
Alien

34. What is your favourite animal (other than domestic pets)? – Read a book with that creature on the cover, in the title, or in the story.
Bushtit

(connection: okay, I know it's not the same bird but the main character is a dedicated bird watcher and the theme is always to do with birds and the murder is always solved by knowing something about birds, and there is no way I find a book with my specific bird in it!)

36. If you had to lose one of the 5 senses, which would you prefer it to be? – Read a book with that word in the title, or read a book where a character is afflicted by that same loss.
Hearing
Deafening

37. Who is your favourite author? – Read either a book by that author, or a book recommended by that author.
Robertson Davies
A Mixture of Frailties by Robertson Davies

38. Do you prefer tea, coffee, or water? – If tea or coffee, read a book with the word in the title, or set in a country where that beverage is a huge export.
Tea
The Couturier of Milan
(connection: this should be set in China for about half the book if it follows the pattern of the rest of the series, and the main characters are all Chinese.)

39. What is your birthstone using the US 2016 listing – Read a book with that gemstone on the cover, in the title, or the colour of that gemstone is the colour of the cover.
Emerald

40. What is your favourite fruit? – Read a book with that fruit on the cover, in the title, or the colour of that fruit is the colour of the cover.
Kiwi

42. Would you rather explore in space or undersea? – Read a book in that setting.
Undersea

43. To what time period would you like to time travel? – Read a book either set in that time period, or published in that time period. Or, read a book about time travel where the character’s time travelled to that period.
1920s

44. Do you prefer shoes or bare feet? – Read a book where your selection is on the cover or in the title, or get creative and find a book that represents your choice.
Barefeet
Surfacing

45. Do you prefer green or black olives? Neither? Read a book with either a predominantly green or black cover depending on your answer. If you said “neither”, read a book with a predominantly white cover.
None

46. What is your Zodiac sign? – This one is wide open. Read a book that represents your zodiac sign in some way.
Taurus

47. What is your height in inches? – Go to your TBR shelf and sort by number. Read the book that matches your answer.
67"

50. What language would you like to learn to speak? – Read a book that was translated from that language to one you do speak. Or, chose a book where a character speaks that language.
German

FINISHED - Part one and two
✔1. What is your name? (First, Last, Middle, Nickname) – Read a book that contains one of your names in some way – author, title, character.
Monkey One
The Golden Mean

✔3. What colour are your eyes? – Read a book where the colour of your eyes is the main colour of the cover, or the word is in the title.
Blue


✔9. What is your relationship status? – Read a book with that word in the title, or where the main character or author shares that status. Or…. Get creative. What kind of book will be representative?
Single
The Secret History of Wonder Woman

✔12. Do you have a pet? What is it? Don’t have a pet? Adopt a pet that someone in your immediate circle has (mother, brother, sister, friend, etc.) – Read a book featuring that type of pet. Or, read a book with that pet in the title.
Cat
The Aeronaut's Windlass

✔15. What is your shoe size? (No halves; roll up to next number) – Select that number of books on your TBR, put them into the Fruit Machine (or another randomizer), and read the one that is selected.
10
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

✔17. What is your country of birth? – Read a book set in that country, or written by an author that was also born in that country.
Canada
Canada

✔18. What is your favourite season? – Read a book with either the season in the title, or set in that season.
Autumn
Sussex Drive: A Novel

✔19. What is your current desk top picture? – Interpret that desk top picture any way you like. Read a book that represents that interpretation.
A Waterfall in Iceland
Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads

✔21. How many candles were on your last birthday cake? – Go to your TBR and order the shelf by number. Read the book that corresponds to your answer. If you picked “none” or “zero” as your answer, your number will be 100.
None
The Polish Officer

✔22. Have you been in an accident? – If yes, read a book set in a hospital, or with the word “accident” in title.
Yes
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary

✔24. Name a place you’d like to visit. – Read a book set in that location.
Russia
The Romanovs: 1613-1918

✔25. What is your favourite genre? – Read a book in that genre.
Fantasy
Celia's Song

✔26. Do you prefer a car or truck? – Read a book with your selection on the cover or in the title.
Car
The Dog of the South

✔27. Do you have a tattoo? – Read a book that represents your tattoo in some way.
Yes
Ink

✔30. Have you been to Europe? Where? – Read a book set in that location.
Yes: Italy, France, United Kingdom, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Vatican City, Slovakia
The Silver Pigs (Italy)

✔32. What is the feature you are most often complimented on? – Read a book with that feature on the cover or in the title.
Hair
A Nation Worth Ranting About

✔35. What type of holiday do you prefer? (Beach, Mountain, Camping, exotic, etc) – Read a book in that setting or that represents your choice
Cultural
Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor

✔36. If you had to lose one of the 5 senses, which would you prefer it to be? – Read a book with that word in the title, or read a book where a character is afflicted by that same loss.
Hearing
Disco For The Departed

✔41. Issue you are passionate about (abortion, euthanasia, animal rights… etc) – Read a book where this issue is prominent or is represented in some way. It may be fiction or non-fiction.)
Racism
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

✔45. Do you prefer green or black olives? Neither? Read a book with either a predominantly green or black cover depending on your answer. If you said “neither”, read a book with a predominantly white cover.
None
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right

✔46. What is your Zodiac sign? – This one is wide open. Read a book that represents your zodiac sign in some way.
Taurus
The Beauty of Humanity Movement

✔48. Who is someone you miss? – Read a book that represents that person in some way.
Wendy
The Best Laid Plans

✔49. What is your hobby? – Read a book that represents that hobby in some way.
Cycling
Bicycling Magazine's Guide to Bike Touring: Everything You Need to Know to Travel Anywhere on a Bike

✔50. What language would you like to learn to speak? – Read a book that was translated from that language to one you do speak. Or, chose a book where a character speaks that language.
German
Monster Hunter Nemesis

Part Three in Progress

2. What is your favourite sport? – Read a book that is either about your favourite sport or one of the characters plays that sport. You could also chose a book where the cover shows that sport.
Bowling

4. Have you ever had a broken bone? – If yes, read a book with the word “Bone” in the title.
Yes
The White Bone

✔5. What is your favourite movie? – If the movie is not an adaptation, read a book with a similar theme or has the same title.
Star Wars

6. What is your favourite book? – Read it again. Or, read a book that has the same title. Or read a book by the same author. If you can’t find the same title, or the author only has the one book, go to the book page and click on “Readers Also Enjoyed”. Select a book from the list.
Murther and Walking Spirits by Robertson Davies
Tempest-Tost

✔7. Pick a number between 1 and 10. – Select a series and read the book that corresponds to that number. Or, read a book with the number in the title.
2
City of Blades

✔8. What is your favourite holiday? – Read a book that is about that holiday, set during that holiday, or has the name in the title.
Christmas
Mrs. Roosevelt’s Confidante

10. Are you right or left handed? – Read a book with that word in the title.
Right
Why the Right Went Wrong: Conservatism--From Goldwater to the Tea Party and Beyond

11. What is your birthday month? – Read a book with the selected month in the title, or set during that month.
May

13. What is your favourite type of food? (Chinese, Italian, Mexican, etc) – Read a book set in the country or region of choice. (Chinese – set in China, Italian – set in Italy, etc.) If you chose a type of food that is not specific to a country, what region would you find it prevalent? Read a book set in that region. For example – Seafood would be prevalent in the coastal areas of Canada, United States, among others.
Junk Food

14. What is something you use daily? (brush, computer, car, get creative) - Read a book with that word in the title. Or, is on the cover. Or…. Get creative. What kind of book will represent that item?
Tea Mug

✔16. What is your favourite Ice cream flavour? – Read a book that either represents that flavour by the colour of the cover, or in the title. You may also chose a book that represents that flavour in some way.
If I Had a Million Flavours from Ben & Jerry's

✔20. What is your preferred mode of transport? – Read a book with your selection on the cover, or in the title, or it plays a significant role in the book.
Airplane

23. Do you prefer a shower or bath? – Read a book with your selected word in the title, or depicted on the cover.
Shower

✔28. Do you prefer Classic or Contemporary? – If Classic, read a book published in 1800 – 1899.
Classic

29. What is your favourite flower? – Read a book with that selection on the cover or in the title. Or, read a book that you feel represents that flower in some way.
Schubert allium

31. If you could meet anyone famous, infamous, notorious… who would it be? – read a biography, autobiography, memoir, or historical fiction about that person.
May West

✔33. Would you rather encounter a ghost, an alien, or neither? – If ghost, read a ghost story. If alien, read a story with aliens in it.
Alien
An Ancient Peace

34. What is your favourite animal (other than domestic pets)? – Read a book with that creature on the cover, in the title, or in the story.
Bushtit

37. Who is your favourite author? – Read either a book by that author, or a book recommended by that author.
Robertson Davies

✔38. Do you prefer tea, coffee, or water? – If tea or coffee, read a book with the word in the title, or set in a country where that beverage is a huge export.
Tea

39. What is your birthstone using the US 2016 listing – Read a book with that gemstone on the cover, in the title, or the colour of that gemstone is the colour of the cover.
Emerald

40. What is your favourite fruit? – Read a book with that fruit on the cover, in the title, or the colour of that fruit is the colour of the cover.
Kiwi

42. Would you rather explore in space or undersea? – Read a book in that setting.
Undersea

43. To what time period would you like to time travel? – Read a book either set in that time period, or published in that time period. Or, read a book about time travel where the character’s time travelled to that period.
1920s

44. Do you prefer shoes or bare feet? – Read a book where your selection is on the cover or in the title, or get creative and find a book that represents your choice.
Barefeet

47. What is your height in inches? – Go to your TBR shelf and sort by number. Read the book that matches your answer.
67"

Reserved

Monkey One? Family nickname?

My sister calls me Cherie Berry when she wants to get my attention. She said it works every time.

No candles? (A lady never tells?) :)

Yep, family nickname. My sister and I are Monkey One and Monkey Two. No idea why my Mom started that but we still answer to it if it's used. :)

As for candles, we just never use them so I answered literally. I'm not sure how that is going to work with this though.

Cherie is actually my nickname for Cheryle, which I have never liked. My 2nd sister's name is Arlene, but I could not say it when I was little and she has always been Nene.

I said 0 for the candles too, and so have several others of us, but we have indicated how many there would have been. I was just teasing you. I think it was Janice asking about our age, but not sure.

I love the nicknames, Dawn! It's like Thing 1 and Thing 2...

My Mom is like that too, she much prefers the shortened version of her name.

Yeah, I know she was probably looking for age, but I'm not sure what this challenge will be so I went uber literal. I'm still worried about how ice cream and desk top photos are going to be turned into tasks. :)

Tasha wrote: "I love the nicknames, Dawn! It's like Thing 1 and Thing 2..."

lol

That's awesome, I'm gonna start calling my sister that!

Cherie wrote: " I think it was Janice asking about our age, but not sure. ..."

You can take it literal or figuratively.

Dawn wrote: "Tasha wrote: "I love the nicknames, Dawn! It's like Thing 1 and Thing 2..."

lol

That's awesome, I'm gonna start calling my sister that!"

:D

Mae West would certainly be fascinating to talk to, she was definitely an original.

Yes, I don't usually want to meet anyone famous but I thought she would be an interesting woman who lived her way in an era that didn't usually appreciate that.

I don't want to meet famous people either, especially the movie/music stars here in the states. Their feelings of self-importance and imagined influence is over the top. The old film stars though would be really fun to meet!

There is a few that would be interesting to meet, like Katherine Hepburn or Mary Pickford. I find them both so interesting. And I am a big classic movie fan, I don't keep up with the current stuff anymore but the old stuff is great.

I would like to have met Grace Kelly.

Love your answer for #13, Dawn. :-)

Thanks, it's been a life long love affair. Apparently when I was asked to bring my favourite food to kindergarten, it was potato chips.

I used to work in a potato chip factory when I was a teen. I used to hate potato chips until I started working there. Nothing tastes better than a chip, fresh out of the fryer and salted. One of my tasks was to sit at the end of the fryer and pick out the bad chips. I would also pick out one or two perfect ones to munch on. A perk of the job. Unfortunately, I now love them.

Ha, I could never work in a potato chip factory, I'd weight 500 lbs!

It was my downfall. It would have been much better if I'd retained that dislike for chips. I got groceries tonight, and two bags found their way into my cart.

1/12
The Silver Pigs
Task #30 - Have you been to Europe? Where? – Read a book set in that location.
Yes: Italy, France, United Kingdom, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Vatican City, Slovakia
Explanation: Book is set in Italy and Britain

2/12
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right
Task #45. Do you prefer green or black olives? Neither? Read a book with either a predominantly green or black cover depending on your answer. If you said “neither”, read a book with a predominantly white cover.
None

3/12
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
Task #41. Issue you are passionate about (abortion, euthanasia, animal rights… etc) – Read a book where this issue is prominent or is represented in some way. It may be fiction or non-fiction.)
Racism
Explanation: Book provocatively argues that we have not ended racial caste in America.

It's not even the middle of January, and you've finished 3 books!

I have been lucky that the books I'm reading fit the challenge and of course it's January so I'm back at the gym, giving me lots of reading and listening time!

4/12
Task #48. Who is someone you miss? – Read a book that represents that person in some way.
Wendy
The Best Laid Plans
Explanation: This one is a bit odd but Wendy is an admin clerk for my government job that I miss very much seeing as she was the only one who knew what I did and I am now left with no knowledgeable help.
This book is about a political aide who quits his job.
I wasn't sure I was going to find a book to represent this person but local government is surprising similar to federal government and I think Wendy would have found quite a few similarities between her job and the political aides job. Also, further connections are that both people are assistants in a government job who quit.

5/12
Task #15. What is your shoe size? (No halves; roll up to next number) – Select that number of books on your TBR, put them into the Fruit Machine (or another randomizer), and read the one that is selected.
10
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
Explanation: I put a collection of books I was planning on reading this year through the fruit machine and came out with one off my list of 'Understanding America' books.

6/12
Task #32. What is the feature you are most often complimented on? – Read a book with that feature on the cover or in the title.
Hair
A Nation Worth Ranting About
Explanation: Well, his entire head is on the cover including his hair so I guess it fits.

Jeez! Look at you go!!

Gotta go fast if I want to attempt more than one badge, :)

7/12
Task #49. What is your hobby? – Read a book that represents that hobby in some way.
Cycling
Bicycling Magazine's Guide to Bike Touring: Everything You Need to Know to Travel Anywhere on a Bike
Explanation: Seems obvious, but a book on the basics of bike touring seems to match very well with my cycling hobby, especially seeing as that's the whole reason I'm reading it.

Does your hair look like the guy's on the cover? ;-)

Ha, well it's short (probably shorter) and it's brown but not curly and it's often pink/green/blue/orange or whatever other colour I deem matches my mood when I visit the hairdresser. :)

8/12
Task #19. What is your current desk top picture? – Interpret that desk top picture any way you like. Read a book that represents that interpretation.
A Waterfall in Iceland
Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads
Explanation: The photo of Iceland was taken on a road trip my sister and I did in Iceland last year (7 days, 3200kms). This book is about a road trip the author did in the Southern U.S.

9/12
Task #17. What is your country of birth? – Read a book set in that country, or written by an author that was also born in that country.
Canada
Canada by Mike Myers
Explanation: I wanted to make this easy. So, the title of the book is Canada, the author is Canadian, the subject of the book in Canada, and it is published by Doubleday Canada.
It's about as Canadian as you can get.

What did you think of it, Dawn? When I saw you read Canada, I was thinking of the one written by Richard Ford, but this was written by Mike Myers.

It's nostalgic and can be quite funny. It has this odd quality like he's writing it to remember what it was like and connect with like minded Canadians but then he's always explaining what Canada is like and how it's different to the US, like he's trying to talk to an American audience. I think he's spent too much time in the states and he's out of touch with the Canada of today, but if you want to know about Mike Myers childhood and early career he has some funny stories.
And the last chapter is an ode to Justin Trudeau, which is kind of bizarre. I mean, not that I don't think he's doing fine, but you'd think he was the solver of the world's problems based on this. I ended up thinking it was just okay.

It sounds a little disjointed. Maybe you were on the mark when you speculate that he's out of touch with the Canada of today.

10/12
Task #35. What type of holiday do you prefer? (Beach, Mountain, Camping, exotic, etc) – Read a book in that setting or that represents your choice
Cultural
Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor
Explanation: When I say I like a cultural vacation, I'm talking about seeing the museums, art galleries and historical architecture of the area I'm visiting. In Italy this included visiting all the fantastic historic sites and related museums.
This book is about a key part of the Roman Empires history, a part of Italy's cultural history.

11/12
Task #9. What is your relationship status? – Read a book with that word in the title, or where the main character or author shares that status. Or…. Get creative. What kind of book will be representative?
Single
The Secret History of Wonder Woman
Explanation: Wonder Woman is single.

WW has been on my list for some time. I saw you gave her 4 stars. I never thought of the association of a single person in a book to the word. I think my book selection has the word in the title. Need to look and reevaluate now.

It's a good book, lots of interesting stuff about the feminist movement in the US.

I figured both the main character and get creative part of this task would give me the leeway to use WW for single. She appeals to me from not only a single and feminist point of view but also her independence, kick-ass attitude and not having kids. I wanted to use a character that reflected me a little more than just single. The kick-ass attitude is just something I wish I was, kind of how everyone wishes they were Lizzy Bennett, but we're not. :)

WW and Amelia Erhart were both women I admired growing up. They both flew planes, were single and yes, had that kick-as attitude. I didn't want to be them, but like them.

Dawn - I can definitely say that I am loving The List of Seven. I found the "reference" to the book title in Chapter 13 today.

As the story has progressed, it has gotten better and better. I think you will like it. I cannot believe how many references to characters, names, and stories the author has built into this tale.
Someone not familiar with all of the Sherlock Holmes books and stories may not appreciate what the author has done. I love coming across them.

Awesome, I'm glad it was a good recommendation.

12/12
Task #26. Do you prefer a car or truck? – Read a book with your selection on the cover or in the title.
Car
The Dog of the South
Explanation: There is a car on the cover and the character drives a car from Arkansas to British Honduras, and it's really a character on its own this car.

Super job on completing the challenge so quickly!

I'm happy I finished before the end of the month!!