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

Bubble and Squeak, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, is the meal that is made with the leftover vegetables mainly, but all leftovers from a roast dinner. They are mashed and fried together and given to you as a meal (with or without other food) on probably a Monday.

The couple of days after a Toppler is sort of similar. Looking at those leftover books you didn't finish in the week or weekend like the limp roast veggies in your fridge, and wondering when you will ever get to them again.

Well fear not! Here is the challenge to deal with those half finished, cast aside, leftover reads you have never gotten back to.

Pick a book that you have started for some reason and cast aside. You may start again if you need, but you need to remember (sometimes roughly depending on time passed and whether you had a bookmark) where you got to the first time for points. So mark that page number down, pick up where you left off, or start again as you have no idea what is going on. But finish that book. Finish it!! I have just remembered a heap of books I forgot about while writing these four paragraphs, so hope you do some shelf cleaning too!

Edit: If you legitimately do not have a book you have ever left unfinished, there is a work around in Message 42. But I expect this to be literally a couple of people.

General Rules: 
1. The book may be in any format - paperback, ebook, audiobook.
2. The book may be in any genre.
3. The book may NOT be combined with the Year Long Survey Challenge.
4. The book must be read between 1 – 31 March, 2017 (based on your own time zone).
5. The challenge is for one book. You may read more books if you chose, but only the highest scoring book will apply.
6. The book must be 175 pages or more determined by the issue you read. If reading eBook or audiobook page numbers will be determined by the issue that comes up first on a Goodreads search. 

Scoring:

Why did you start the book?:
5 points - YLTO Year Long Challenge
4 points - YLTO Toppler
3 points - YLTO Monthly Challenge
2 points - YLTO Group Read
1 point - Other

When did you start the book?:
5 points – 2013 or earlier
4 points - 2014
3 points - 2015
2 points -2016
1 point - 2017

How many pages you had to finish the book as at 1 March 2017? (no matter how many you actually read this month) :
5 points – 150 or less
4 points - 151-200
3 points - 201-300
2 points - 301-400
1 point – 401+

Why did you stop reading the book before this challenge?
5 points – It was a terrible book. I am finishing this book now as I am happy to sacrifice my principles for points and a possible badge.
4 points – The book just wasn't what I needed to read at the time. Whether that was the book's fault or my own.
3 points – I ran out of time, as it was for a timed challenge.
2 points – I had to pick up a challenge, toppler, monthly read and never got back to it.
1 point – I put it down and forgot I was reading it (possibly as I read 10 books at once, possibly as I am like Rusalka and am distracted by shiny things)

Bonus Points:
3 points - Canberra Day: I get a long weekend. 3 points if your book references your home county, region or state.
3 points – Women's History Month: Your book mentions a woman who has made a significant contribution to history or contemporary society. Give us a run down too, as I can't google everyone.
3 points – Ash Wednesday: Your book has a religiously devout character in it. Not lip service, actually devout.
3 points – International Day of Happiness: Your book leaves you overwhelmingly happy. No points unless you explain why (with spoiler tags as required)

I like the challenge (the food doesn't sound too appetizing, fried and mashed.. I envision food that no longer has anything recognizable in it and that you can swallow without chewing ;-)), but honestly don't have any of those books. I hardly ever don't finish a book, and when it does happen (I can think of maybe 3 books) it's because I really don't like it and I get rid of them right away.

I'll focus more on my yearly challenge this month! :)

I love this! I have a shelf just for books that I started and put aside for various reasons. There aren't too many on there, but I keep meaning to get to them.

Peggy wrote: " I hardly ever don't finish a book, and when it does happen (I can think of maybe 3 books) it's because I really don't like it and I get rid of them right away.."

Just so you know, those ones get more points.

But completely understandable, and I knew this wasn't for everyone. You and Lexx, who told me how this never happens ever because he doesn't do it, go forth and read interesting and new things that I will be very jealous of :D

Great challenge idea, Rusalka! I have several books that will fit. Also, I love Bubble and Squeak! We normally have it on Boxing Day as it's a great way to use up the leftover veggies from Xmas.

January 2015 YLTO! had a Buddy Read of Michael J. Sullivan's Avempartha. To prepare for it, I re-read The The Crown Conspiracy and afterward, I continued the series with Nyphron Rising and The Emerald Storm (which I read in November 2015).

I have since included the renaming books as a possibility for challenges, but have never gotten to them. I have picked them up at the library and returned them unread, as other books took front seat.

I really liked this series so why haven't I finished the The Riyria Revelations? Time to rectify that!

Wintertide

Rusalka, just a quick question about the scoring. With regards to the 'how many pages you had to finish the book as of March 1st' part, if I had 170 pages left, would I score 2 points?

This is going to take a special kind of gophering! Thank goodness for Archives.

Rusalka wrote: "Bubble and Squeak, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, is the meal that is made with the leftover vegetables mainly, but all leftovers from a roast dinner. They are mashed and fried together..."

If it is leftover potatoes, I'm in!

Carrots...not so much!☻

Almeta wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "Bubble and Squeak, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, is the meal that is made with the leftover vegetables mainly, but all leftovers from a roast dinner. They are mashed an..."

It can be any leftovers you have, Almeta. We usually have potatoes in ours, alongside other veggies like cabbage, onions etc.

Erm ...... what do you do if you have no books that you've started and put aside?

Seriously, I don't do that.

PS - I love Bubble and Squeak

Sounds fun - I'm finally going to finish Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. It has taken forever!

Ahhhh, I resumed a couple of days ago Under a Painted Sky, which I had stopped on page 114 a month before when it was due at the library. If I had known...

I have a "frozen" shelf of books I stopped but plan to come back later, so I hope I can find something there.

I have decided to reread The Essex Serpent. I started it last year but stopped when I was about halfway through because I wasn't really in the mood for it and had been forcing myself to continue.

I have a number of possibilities. One is Jackaby. I started to read it for a toppler, but I can't remember what year that was. It was the toppler where a team had to construct a person from bookcovers, and Jackaby was a possible read for the head. Does anyone else remember what year that toppler was?

I remember that toppler, Casceil! It was one of the few I joined. I don't know for sure, but I would say 2015, maybe February.

Yes, it was the Mystery Date Toppler - Feb 2015

Hmmm... I've just gone through my dnf shelf and my second chance shelf. There are only a couple that I would consider. Byzantium and Everflame. The main problem here is remembering details.

Lynn wrote: "Yes, it was the Mystery Date Toppler - Feb 2015"

That's it!

Janice wrote: "The main problem here is remembering details. "

Yes. I went through my "frozen" shelf and there are a few I would give a second chance at this moment, but I need to restart them again. I don't remember enough about any of them.

Oh, found another one - What the Body Remembers. From doing a search on the threads, I think I started it for Feb 2013 toppler.

Thanks to all who identified the Mystery Date Toppler.

Thanks to this challenge, my dnf reviews will be a bit more comprehensive - My latest review.

Lynn wrote: "PS - I love Bubble and Squeak"

Sooo does this make your tummy bubble and your backside squeak? Hence the name? ;>)

Sam F wrote: "Sounds fun - I'm finally going to finish Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. It has taken forever!"

Hummm. I set that aside as well. Maybe I should reconsider my options!

This is just what I needed! I started An African Love Story: Love, Life and Elephants in March 2016 and have dragged it along on my currently-reading shelf since then. I think it was for a monthly challenge? Can't remember. But since I didn't complete it then, I decided to use it for the Geo Challenge. Now that the Geo Challenge has officially ended and I'm working on completing all tasks in it "unofficially", I think I will happily finish it.

I need this as well! I have a good number of books on my Currently Reading list that I haven't touched for a year or longer.

LOL Almeta:D

I have a shelf for books started-but-not-finished too AND, I just found out what Bubble and Squeak really was in the last toppler book I finished Saturday morning, just after midnight.
I haven't looked at it in a while. I can't even remember what is there. Off to look...

For the April 2015 Toppler honoring National Library Week, I checked three books out of the library. The third book was Evil Librarian. After reading a few pages of it, I quickly decided it would be the last of three books I would try to read in those 24 hours. I was relieved when I ran out of time.

I guess Evil Librarian gets a second chance.

I put The Girl in the Garden aside for the toppler last week. Maybe I should wait a few more days to pick it up again. I planned to try to finish it before the new month began. I bet I could get a glue stick for that one...

I put Bitterblue aside in 2013 and plan to read it in March, but I was hoping to use it for the yearly challenge.

I have about 7 other options, so we'll see.

Lisa wrote: "Rusalka, just a quick question about the scoring. With regards to the 'how many pages you had to finish the book as of March 1st' part, if I had 170 pages left, would I score 2 points?"

Yes. I'll make that clearer.

I've changed the points for pages left. Double check it.

Lynn wrote: "Erm ...... what do you do if you have no books that you've started and put aside?

Seriously, I don't do that."

I will think on this. I think I have a solution for you and Kristie. I will let you know after work

Edited: sorry, not sure why I thought I needed to help Kristie.

I have an abandoned and a started-come-back-later shelf. I had set myself a challenge to read the ones on the latter shelf this year anyway. I've already read one and I'm reading a second at the moment. Most of the books on the list are chunksters, audiobooks or short stories. I'll have to have a think.

Oh! I think I do have one book! I started The Tea Rose a while ago and after only a few pages decided it was not my type of book. I haven't thrown it out yet (I think) but I'm also not sure whether I even want to finish it. It's chunky :/

I have 11 books on my 'did not finish' list and 2 that are most definitely stuck on 'pause'.

My oldest DNF: The Count of Monte Cristo. I read chapter 1 and gave up on 29 Dec 2014. It's supposedly fantastically good, but at 1276 pages... I'd need audiobook support!

Snow Crash - too zany and chaotic at the time, but IS s'posed to be a classic
Howl's Moving Castle - reading with my daughter on her recommendation, but she went back to uni... and took the book with her...
The Elegance of the Hedgehog- reading for a challenge but couldn't get into it (probably not the book's fault)

Don't know... can anyone inspire me?

Annerlee wrote: "I have 11 books on my 'did not finish' list and 2 that are most definitely stuck on 'pause'.

My oldest DNF: The Count of Monte Cristo. I read chapter 1 and gave up on 29 Dec 2014. It's..."

The only one of these I have read is The Count of Monte Cristo. I highly recommend it, it's one of my favourite classics. Yes, it's very long, but it is worth it in my opinion.

We read Snow Crash as a buddy read recently Annerlee. It it bizarre and quite a bit of the time we didn't know what was going on. It held my interest though and I ended up giving it 4 stars. Perhaps the buddy read thread and our comments will help you get through it? All depends on your mood i guess.

Annerlee wrote: "I have 11 books on my 'did not finish' list and 2 that are most definitely stuck on 'pause'. ..
Howl's Moving Castle ...
The Elegance of the Hedgehog ..."

Read both of these. I loved Howl's. Hedgehog is alright, but I'd got Howl's. Just my two cents

Right, Lynn. I have a solution.

For you, and those of your who legitimately have no unfinished books (I do not expect there to be many of you), if you would like to participate this month here is the work around.

You must read a book off someone else in YLTO's pausing/started-come-back-later/started-but-not-finished/second chance shelf. Once you have chosen your book, message the person who's shelf it's from and find out the details why they stopped reading to score.

Some people have already mentioned what their shelves are titled (mine is "pausing", those are the ones I want to finish reading one day).

This work? I don't want to exclude people if you have different reading habits, so hopefully it helps the handful of people who never not complete books.

Thanks Rusalka, for taking the time to work something out :)

No worries. You raise a valid reading style point (and I prefer to be inclusive), and if I can find a work around, let's do it.

Just stating though for all and sundry, not being able to find a book that fits or that you like is not going to ever get a work around from me. Grrr... in case you all thought I was going soft in my old age.

Just hearing Elegance of the Hedgehog made me wince. My 3 star rating, way back when, must have been pretension on my part.

Should never malign that cute little creature with this titled novel!

Almeta wrote: "Just hearing Elegance of the Hedgehog made me wince. My 3 star rating way back when, must have been pretension on my part.

Should never malign that cute little creature with this titled novel!"

I gave it 4 stars, but I was at the beginning of an overseas holiday. Or on drugs. Or both. Only explanation, and I am shocked now I look that up. I'm going to go have a long, stern talk to myself.

On present day reflection, I want to reduce my rating. What was I thinking?

I really should go review my reviews!☻

Annerlee wrote: "I have 11 books on my 'did not finish' list and 2 that are most definitely stuck on 'pause'.
..."

From your comments
- the Hedgehog option is definitely out, after your barrage of hand-wringing negativity (lol)
- Snowcrash? I'm not in a zany psychedelic frame of mind just now and magic mushrooms aren't in season (joking!!) Would need to checkout the buddy read thread for support...
- The Count of Monte Christo feels like a long term audiobook project. (It worked for Moby Dick...I should do a search on Librivox!)

That leaves (fanfare) Howl's Moving Castle! It has Rusalka's thumbs up. Just need to find a copy...

Thanks for all the feedback folks !!

Annerlee wrote: "From your comments
- the Hedgehog option is definitely out, after your barrage of hand-wringing negativity (lol)"

Oi! ... hang on... yeah alright, fair cop.

But you raise a good point, remember that old Buddy Reads and Group Reads threads are there if you need them for support.

I am a fan of anyone dabbling in the world of Diana Wynne Jones. If you can find a copy, I hope you enjoy!

My options:
Wizard and Glass - started for a buddy read last year and put on hold. Started again last month but put on hold for the toppler. Still on hold for a buddy read. Having a break from it doesn't make me want to get back to it very quick. It's size is daunting.
20th Century Ghosts - read the first short story in the book then it sat on my currently reading shelf for months until I decided to move it to the started-come-back later when I was tidying up my shelves.
Cloud Atlas - read about 11 pages for a buddy read and abandoned. I was never going to go back to it but a few RL friends have mentioned it and suggested I give it another go. So I moved it to my started-come-back-later shelf, also during the same shelf tidy up as the previous option.

EDIT: Also Iron Council which i read as a buddy read with Esther years ago. I got quite far but it wasn't doing anything for me. A shame as it's the last book in the series and i loved the first two books. Not sure if i can remember what was going on now though.