Dare to Dream discussion

Please post all questions/comments/updates about the Winter 2017/2018 Reading Challenge in this thread. :D


The Winter 2017/2018 Reading Challenge will begin December 7th and end February 28th, 2018.

Rules of the Challenge:

Read 3 books (or more)
Complete 3 tasks (or more)
All genres ok
Rereads ok

This winter, complete 3 (or more) of the following:

1. Superman apparently has more than one birthday - one of the perks of being a superhero. One of those birthdays is December 1st.

So this winter:

Read a book that features a CHARACTER NAMED CLARK OR KENT (first or last name).
Or
Read a book by an AUTHOR NAMED CLARK OR KENT (first or last name).
Or
Read a book in which one of the CHARACTERS IS A REPORTER/JOURNALIST.
Or
Read a book that features a CHARACTER WHO WEARS GLASSES.

2. Many talented writers celebrate birthdays this season.

So this winter, read a book by one of the following:

Ann Patchett - Dec. 2nd
George Saunders - Dec. 2nd
Jason Reynolds- Dec. 6th
Mary Higgins Clark-Dec. 24th

3. A Christmas Carol is a popular book/movie this time of year.

So this winter:

Read a book by DICKENS.
Or
Read a book that HAS A DUAL TIMELINE.
Or
Read a REDEMPTION STORY ( basically any book in which the protagonist tries to right a wrong).

4. January 1st is New Year's Day. Wishing you all good health and happiness.

So this winter:

Read a book with the WORD "NEW" OR
"YEAR " IN THE TITLE/SUBTITLE.

5. Why should coffee get all the love-January is National Hot Tea Month. :)

So this winter:

Read a book with the LETTERS T-E-A IN THE TITLE/SUBTITLE (these letters do not have to be in order).

6. February is Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month.

So this winter:

Read a book SET (AT LEAST IN PART) IN FLORIDA.

7. Random Task- This task counts towards the challenge but is not inspired by the season.

So this winter:

Read a book YOU'VE BEEN MEANING TO READ FOR A LONG TIME BUT HAVE NEVER GOTTEN AROUND TO IT.

HAPPY WINTER, EVERYONE! :D

Thanks Rachel :-)

Thanks for another great challenge. I can't wait to start browsing my bookshelves for titles to fit the tasks!!!!!

You're welcome. :)

I have enjoyed the novels by Ann Patchett. Here are a few recommendations:

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I have enjoyed the novels by Ann Patchett. Here are a few recommendations:
"

Thanks for the recommendations! :D

A few recommendations:

The Kite Runner is a great redemption story (it's heartbreaking though).

Burial Rites Hannah Kent is a great book that works for the first task-beautifully written.

Did they make a movie of The Kite Runner?
If so, well I don't think I seen it and I ain't read the book neither I don't think.

is one of my all time favorites! Did you know Ann Patchett owns a bookstore in Nashville?

and are both excellent books.

I've been wanting to read for a while.

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Did they make a movie of The Kite Runner?
If so, well I don't think I seen it and I ain't read the book neither I don't think."

There's a foreign language film.

Christine wrote: " is one of my all time favorites! Did you know Ann Patchett owns a bookstore in Nashville?

and are bot..."

I think I'm finally going to read Ann Patchett in 2018-added The Patron Saint of Liars and now Bel Canto. That's cool about the bookstore-wonder if she goes there to talk to customers or if she has a staff that runs it for her.

I haven't read George Saunders either-look forward to hearing what you think of Lincoln in the Bardo if you decide to pick it up.

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Did they make a movie of The Kite Runner?
If so, well I don't think I seen it and I ain't read the book neither I don't think."

Speaking of movies- have you seen anything good in the theater lately?

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Did they make a movie of The Kite Runner?
If so, well I don't think I seen it and I ain't read the book neither I don't think."

Yes, Dustin. It's available on DVD if you're interested.

Recently in the theater I've enjoyed Wonder, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri and Lady Bird.

Excited to join in this challenge!! Thanks for another great one! I started to read which I am using for the book I have been meaning to read for awhile. Happy reading!!

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Recently in the theater I've enjoyed Wonder, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri and Lady Bird."

Wonder was a great book-glad to hear they did a good job with the film. I haven't heard of the other films-I'll have to check out the trailers.

Danell wrote: "Excited to join in this challenge!! Thanks for another great one! I started to read which I am using for the book I have been meaning to read for awhile. Happy reading!!"

Thanks for the update, Danell! :D
Happy Reading! :)

I love The Giver. There are also two other books in the series which are loosely connected to The Giver :-)

I’ll have to look into that Dustin! Just my luck, done with a 4 month reading slump and finished a book by an author named Kent a few days before the challenge started. Maybe I can read another book by him. I read . Really enjoyed it.

Read which works for 7 in the challenge. Feels good to read one off my bookshelf that I have been wanting to read!

Danell wrote: "Read which works for 7 in the challenge. Feels good to read one off my bookshelf that I have been wanting to read!"

Thanks for the update, Danell! :D

Finished Long Way Down 4 stars

Finished . Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Due to a 4 month reading slump I am behind on my challenge so am reading children’s and ya books. Happy reading!

Danell wrote: "Finished . Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Due to a 4 month reading slump I am behind on my challenge so am reading chil..."

Thanks for the update, Danell! Merry Christmas! :)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE! :D

Happy Christmas Kids! :-)

I am also behind on my reading this year, but I'll probably just reduce my goal before new years - It will be the least amount of books I've gone through in several years. Last year I did 99. This year my goal was 80. But I do have a few days off work so maybe, we'll see.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I hope you all have a good holiday. I’m visiting my daughter in Utah. It’s snowed all day. Woohoo!

Hi! How was everyone's Christmas????? Pretty quiet around here. I hope everyone is well.

I'm back home. I had a lovely Christmas with my daughter and her boyfriend. It snowed! It even snowed at my home in WA state. Still cold here with little bits of snow in the yard. I'm going to enjoy the rest of the holiday time reading and playing with the new art supplies I got for Christmas.

I finished my first book for challenge: It was entertaining for the holiday. It has a character who is a journalist, fulfills the Superman task.

Nice & Quiet. It was too Cold & Snowy in my Country so wasn't able to ride my Scooter. I hiked to the movie theater 3 days in a row to watch a movie each day. I enjoyed Downsizing and The Greatest Showman. Jumanji - not so much :-)

It was so cold walking home on Christmas Eve that I stopped in at Barnes & Noble to warm up - bought me some DVDs of Stargate and Ancient Aliens. Good Stuff. Did you know that the Aliens helped build the pyramids and that the pyramids are made in a way to become time machines? Fascinating.

The best thing about Jumanji is that I got a Hippopotamus for Christmas.

Christine wrote: "Hi! How was everyone's Christmas????? Pretty quiet around here. I hope everyone is well.

I'm back home. I had a lovely Christmas with my daughter and her boyfriend. It snowed! It even snowed at m..."

Thanks for the update, Christine! Glad you had a wonderful holiday. :)

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Nice & Quiet. It was too Cold & Snowy in my Country so wasn't able to ride my Scooter. I hiked to the movie theater 3 days in a row to watch a movie each day. I enjoyed Downsizing and The Greatest ..."

You are definitely our group’s go to movie guy :) Keep the recommendations coming. :)

I had a quiet Christmas too and it was really f*ing cold- not a fan of winter.

P.S. I really want a time machine!

My newest Netflix obsession is Parks and Rec- I tend to be late to the party- I didn’t watch it when it was originally on tv but I’m loving it.

I started watching Parks & Rec a couple of years ago I think. For some reason, I didn't continue with it.

My first book I've read for the Winter Reading Challenge is: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore


This book can be used to complete task 1 or 5.

It was interesting today, I was also reading in a Dean Koontz book and came across the word Penumbra there, had to look it up. Turns out penumbra represents a gray area where things are not clearly black or white.

Alrighty, I think task #5 is clearly the most easiest one to push titles into. I have just completed my second book for the challenge by re-reading a beautiful little gem:
In the Garden of Happiness

i just finished watching Last Tango in Halifax on Netflix and started Shetland. I have to force myself away from the TV otherwise I end up with very dry eyes and no sleep. I guess I don't blink when I watch a lot of TV. I recommend both shows, very different from each other but both good.

Thanks for the updates, Dustin! :)
I’be been meaning to try Robin Sloan’s books. Can’t decide which one to read first or

Christine wrote: "i just finished watching Last Tango in Halifax on Netflix and started Shetland. I have to force myself away from the TV otherwise I end up with very dry eyes and no sleep. I guess I don't blink whe..."

Thanks for the recommendations, Christine! :)

Have a Happy New Year, Everyone!
Wishing you all good health & happiness. :)

Just read . It was a good read, chick lit meets the superhero world. There are serious issues touched on too. I counted it for T-E-A.

I don't think I weighed in on the Robin Sloan books but I loved and is in my towering TBR pile.

Christine wrote: "Just read . It was a good read, chick lit meets the superhero world. There are serious issues touched on too. I counted it for T-E-A.

I don't think I weighe..."

Thanks for the update, Christine! :)

We haven’t done a group read in a while- maybe Sourdough ?

I’m not sure it actually works for any of the challenge tasks-maybe the random task but it would probably be fun to read.

Let me know :)

Close. The main character is not named Clark or Kent, but she is named Lois Clary

Maybe Lois wears glasses.

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Maybe Lois wears glasses."

Lol- it’s possible.

At any rate, I'm interested in a Sourdough Group Read. I plan to read the book in the near future anyway.

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "At any rate, I'm interested in a Sourdough Group Read. I plan to read the book in the near future anyway."

Awesome-let me know when is good. :)

Anytime. I'm waiting on the audiobook to be available from the library, but I'm open to any start date. We can set the end date for February 28, when the Winter Reading Challenge also ends.

I’m in for a group read. Happy Belated New Years wishes!

Danell wrote: "I’m in for a group read. Happy Belated New Years wishes!"

Most Excellent! :-)

I'm in for the Sourdough Group read. Any time is good for me!

I saw the movie Coco today! I loved it. It was visually beautiful as well as a great story. I hope you all can see it. Bring tissues!