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

1. What is your name? (First, Last, Middle, Nickname – you only need to pick one if you prefer. Feel free to list them all.)
Amanda Rachel Smith
2. What is your favourite sport?
Hockey
3. What colour are your eyes?
Hazel
4. Have you ever had a broken bone?
No
5. What is your favourite movie?
Blues Brothers
6. What is your favourite book?
Dry
7. Pick a number between 1 and 10.
5
8. What is your favourite holiday?
Christmas
9. What is your relationship status?
Married
10. Are you right or left handed?
Right handed
11. What is your birthday month?
January
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.)
Mom's dog
13. What is your favourite type of food? (Chinese, Italian, Mexican, etc)
Mexican
14. What is something you use daily? (brush, computer, car, get creative)
Laptop
15. What is your shoe size? (No halves; roll up to next number)
10
16. What is your favourite Ice cream flavour?
Mint chocolate chip
17. What is your country of birth?
USA
18. What is your favourite season?
Fall
19. What is your current desk top picture?
Ocean with islands
20. What is your preferred mode of transport?
Car, driving
21. How many candles were on your last birthday cake?
7 - I turned 34, 1 for each decade and 1 for each single year
22. Have you been in an accident?
Yes, but not a bad one. A multiple car fender bender.
23. Do you prefer a shower or bath?
Shower
24. Name a place you’d like to visit.
San Francisco
25. What is your favourite genre?
Memoir
26. Do you prefer a car or truck?
Car
27. Do you have a tattoo?
No
28. Do you prefer Classic or Contemporary?
Contemporary
29. What is your favourite flower?
Rose
30. Have you been to Europe? Where? (If you live in Europe, specify country other than your own.)
No. Would like to visit Ireland.
31. If you could meet anyone famous, infamous, notorious, who would it be?
John Piper
32. What is the feature on you are most often complimented?
Eyes
33. Would you rather encounter a ghost, an alien, or neither?
Neither
34. What is your favourite animal (other than domestic pets)?
Narwhals
35. What type of holiday do you prefer? (Beach, Mountain, Camping, exotic, etc)
Touristy trips with a hotel stay
36. If you had to lose one of the 5 senses, which would you prefer it to be?
Smell
37. Who is your favourite author?
Jared Wilson
38. Do you prefer tea, coffee, or water?
Water
39. What is your birthstone using the US 2016 listing: (https://www.americangemsociety.org/en...)
Garnet
40. What is your favourite fruit?
Banana
41. Issue you are passionate about (abortion, euthanasia, animal rights… etc)
Abortion, prison watch, parental rights
42. Would you rather explore in space or undersea?
Undersea
43. To what time period would you like to time travel?
1960s
44. Do you prefer shoes or barefeet?
Barefeet
45. Do you prefer green or black olives? Neither?
Green
46. What is your Zodiac sign?
Capricorn
47. What is your height in inches?
65
48. Who is someone you miss?
My mother in law
49. What is your hobby?
Reading
50. What language would you like to learn to speak?
Russian

Welcome to the challenge, Amanda. Can't wait to see your book picks for your answers. Feel free to steal book choices from any of us. We all do it with pride. :0). There is also a huge thread for suggested books, so look for that.
Have fun reading!

My favorite genre is also memoir. Look forward to exchanging book reads and notes. Welcome : )

I hope you enjoy the challenge, Amanda.

Re: Number 30 - if you haven't been to Europe, you need to specify a country you would like to visit there.

Thanks everyone!

Oops, I'll go fix question 30 now.

Good luck with the challenge Amanda!

Part 1: 1/12

19. What is your current desk top picture?
Ocean with islands

The Inn at Ocean's Edge

The book has the word ocean in the title and a picture of the ocean on the cover.

First book done! I hope you enjoyed it.

Good luck with your challenge. I think I may do some of these

Jennifer wrote: "Good luck with your challenge. I think I may do some of these"

I hope you do join us. The annual challenges are a lot of fun. and you still have lots of time to complete it.

Janice wrote: "First book done! I hope you enjoyed it."

Read it for another book club. Best thing about this book is that it fit a category for this challenge. :)

Part 1: 2/12

15. What is your shoe size? (No halves; roll up to next number)
10
Sensible Shoes: A Story about the Spiritual Journey

Put 10 book titles off my TBR into Fruit Machine - this is the one that popped up. I wasn't sold on this book because I didn't pick it for myself to read, a friend recommended it to me, but it was a really enjoyable read.

Part 1 3/12

28. Do you prefer Classic or Contemporary?
Contemporary
Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content

Published in 2014. It was not as helpful for me as I was hoping it would be.

Not fiction, I hope that's ok.

Non-fiction is perfectly acceptable. It had better be, since I just started a memoir. :)

Part 1: 4/12

1. What is your name? (First, Last, Middle, Nickname – you only need to pick one if you prefer. Feel free to list them all.)
Amanda Rachel Smith
I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy

Author shares my last name (and my first initial).

After reading this book, I'm planning to read more of her books. Amazing author, heartwrenching book.

Part 1: 5/12

45. Do you prefer green or black olives? Neither?
Green
What Women Fear: Walking in Faith that Transforms

Green cover. The picture on Goodreads actually doesn't do justice to how green the cover is.

Part 1: 6/12

17. What is your country of birth?
USA
The Butterfly Garden

Book is set in the US, I believe in Massachusets (?) with part of it set in New York.

Part 1: 7/12

9. What is your relationship status?
Married
The $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden

The author is married and talks about his wife and their relationship quite a bit in the book.

Part 1: 8/12

50. What language would you like to learn to speak?
Russian
The Patriots

Book is set in Russia, most of the characters speak Russian, and the author is Russian.

2.Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts

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.

4. Have you ever had a broken bone? – If yes, read a book with the word “Bone” in the title. If no, read a book about archeology (the character may be an archeologist, the book may be set in a museum, etc)

5. Five Flavors of Dumb

6. Dry

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.

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.

10. Are you right or left handed? – Read a book with that word in the title.

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

22. Have you been in an accident? – If yes, read a book set in a hospital, or with the word “accident” in title. If no, read a book that is a thriller, in which an accident is a high probability.

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

24. Name a place you’d like to visit. – Read a book set in that location.

25. Ruined

26. Do you prefer a car or truck? – Read a book with your selection on the cover or in the title.

27. Spurgeon's Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who Suffer from Depression

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.

31. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist

32. What is the feature you are most often complimented on? – Read a book with that feature on the cover or in the title.

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. If neither, read a book about another supernatural being other than a ghost or alien (werewolf, vampire, witch, succubus, etc).

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.

35. What type of holiday do you prefer? (Beach, Mountain, Camping, exotic, etc) – Read a book in that setting or that represents your choice.

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.

37. The Pastor's Justification: Applying the Work of Christ in Your Life and Ministry

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 (ie China for tea, Brazil for coffee). If water, read a book with the word in the title, or set on/near a large body of water.

39. What is your birthstone using the US 2016 listing: (https://www.americangemsociety.org/en...) – Read a book with that gemstone on the cover, in the title, or the colour of that gemstone is the colour of the cover.

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.

41. My Final Word: Holding Tight to the Issues that Matter Most

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

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.

44. Fun Loving You: Enjoying Your Marriage in the Midst of the Grind

46. What is your Zodiac sign? – This one is wide open. Read a book that represents your zodiac sign in some way. Mine is Sagittarius (the archer). I could read a book with Sagittarius in the title, Archer in the title, author named Archer, bow and arrow on the cover, horse on the cover, a Western with Indians (bow & arrow).

48. The Mother-In-Law Cure

Part 1:9/12

47. What is your height in inches?
65

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

This was book 65 on my TBR. Very enjoyable book. As a semi-homesteader, I could relate a little to her life.

Part 1: 10/12

21. How many candles were on your last birthday cake?
7 - I turned 34, 1 for each decade and 1 for each single year

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Book 7 on my TBR. Really loved this book.

Part 1: 11/12

49. What is your hobby?
Reading

My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues

A memoir of reading. I thought it might be difficult to find a book about reading because the only one I could think of off the top of my head was Adler's How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading, but I'm glad I found this one. So interesting.

Part 1: 12/12

30. Have you been to Europe? Where? (If you live in Europe, specify country other than your own.)
No. Would like to visit Ireland.

Circle of Friends

Book is set in Ireland.

Congratulations on finishing Part 1, Amanda!
You've read some interesting books.

Cherie wrote: "Congratulations on finishing Part 1, Amanda!
You've read some interesting books."

Thanks! It's been an interesting challenge so far, making me really think about how to fill some of these tasks.

Part 2: 1/12

5. What is your favourite movie?
Blues Brothers

Five Flavors of Dumb

Blues Brothers was not adapted from a book, and the only book I could find about the movie was less than 100 pages. So, here's my justification for this book - Blues Brothers is, at heart, a story about two brothers who need money for a good cause. They decide to get their band back together and put on a concert to get the money. Five Flavors of Dumb is about a deaf girl who needs money for college, so when a band in her high school decides she should be their manager and split the profits with them, she agrees. She then has to basically build the band from the ground up. (view spoiler)[The book ends on a concert where the band performs and the crowd loves them. The movie has a similar scene very close to the end. (hide spoiler)]

Great link to you movie, Amanda.

This book may fit my "sense" question.
Was it a good read?

Cherie wrote: "Great link to you movie, Amanda.

This book may fit my "sense" question.
Was it a good read?"

I really liked it. It was a good story with relateable characters.

Sweet! That's what I like. I'm adding it to my TBR to see if I can find a copy. Thanks!

Part 2: 2/12

41. Issue you are passionate about (abortion, euthanasia, animal rights… etc)
Abortion, prison watch, parental rights

My Final Word: Holding Tight to the Issues that Matter Most

Book was written by the founder of Prison Fellowship, a prison ministry, and talks at length about prison/justice issues.

Amanda wrote: "Part 2: 1/12

5. What is your favourite movie?
Blues Brothers

Five Flavors of Dumb

Blues Brothers was not adapted from a book, and the only..."

Excellent justification. :)

Part 2: 3/12

44. Do you prefer shoes or barefeet?
Barefeet

Fun Loving You: Enjoying Your Marriage in the Midst of the Grind

Two pairs of bare feet on cover. I feel like I should get bonus points. :)

Amanda wrote: "Part 2: 3/12...

Two pairs of bare feet on cover. I feel like I should get bonus points. :) ..."

I like it Amanda - it made me chuckle at my desk. You're a real trier ; )

Part 2: 4/12

48. Who is someone you miss?
My mother in law

The Mother-In-Law Cure

Mother-in-law in the title

That looks like an interesting book. I thought the cover was similar to and had to get a closer look. The book blurb is intriguing - not what I expected.

Janice wrote: "That looks like an interesting book. I thought the cover was similar to and had to get a closer look. The book blurb is intriguing - not what I expected."

It was an interesting book. The story was weird, but pretty enjoyable.

Part 2: 5/12

27. Do you have a tattoo?
No

Spurgeon's Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who Suffer from Depression

If I got a tattoo, it would be a quote from Spurgeon about his depression - "I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages."

I've heard that the text or cursive doesn't stand up well over time. Interesting quote. Where would you have it inscribed?

Depends where you put it I think, Cherie.

It's a great quote.

*+Cherie wrote: "I've heard that the text or cursive doesn't stand up well over time. Interesting quote. Where would you have it inscribed?"

I'd probably get it on the inside of my forearm. The odds I'll ever get a tattoo are crazy small, though. I'm a huge chicken. :)

Thanks, Rusalka. It's very meaningful for me and has been for years now.

Part 2: 6/12

31. If you could meet anyone famous, infamous, notorious, who would it be?
John Piper

Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist

This is Piper's seminal work on theology - the book he is known for.

Part 2: 7/12

6. What is your favourite book?
Dry

Dry

I love this book. This was at least my third time through it.

Wow, that many rereads is a good recommendation!

Part 2: 8/12

2. What is your favourite sport?
Hockey

Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts

True crime story about a man who works hard to become a goalie for a professional hockey team in Hungary, then decides to make money as a bank robber. Really interesting story, if a bit dry in the writing.

Part 2: 9/12

25. What is your favourite genre?
Memoir

Ruined

Memoir about a crime the author lived through. Very well-written, but really hard to read.

Ruined sounds like a very tense book. It's good that she shared her story. Likely, it was healing for her and for others who have been through similar situations.

Part 2: 10/12

37. Who is your favourite author?
Jared Wilson

The Pastor's Justification: Applying the Work of Christ in Your Life and Ministry

Book by Jared Wilson. While I'm not the target audience, it was very enjoyable.

Part 2: 11/12

8. What is your favourite holiday?
Christmas

The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror

Set during Christmas and half takes place during a Christmas party. My favorite Christmas book.

One more!!