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

October 2018 Challenge – Boo!


October is coming up quickly and I will be away from Sep 29 to Oct 6, so I decided to utilize the runner up on the Group Themed Read nominations for October. I know – lazy, right!

Halloween, my favourite holiday, is coming up. I love the kids in costumes coming to the door for Halloween treats. There is always a few ghosts. The challenge will be to read a book with either the word “Ghost” in the title, or a ghost on the cover. The word Ghost may be pluralized, but may not be compounded or imbedded in another word.

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 Challenge.
4. The book must be read between October 1 – October 31, 2018 (based on your local time zone).
5. The challenge is for one book. You may read more books if you chose.
6. The book must be 175 pages or more determined by the issue you read. If reading an audiobook or ebook, page numbers will be determined by the hardcover issue. If there is no hardcover, then paperback issue. Where there are more than one editions, the one with the highest number of ratings will be used.

Scoring:

Title: - sub-titles are not included
5 pts – Contains a word that starts with the letter H for Halloween.
4 pts – The font is red in colour.
3 pts – Is exactly 5 words long (includes a, an, the, etc)
2 pts – Does not contain a, an, the, etc.
1 pts – Is across the bottom of the cover

Cover: (based on the edition you read)
5 pts – Has one or more trees on it. Must be easily seen and identified.
4 pts – Is 75% white.
3 pts – Is a night scene.
2 pts – Has a house on it.
1 pts – Has the author’s name across the top.

Author:
5 pts – The author’s last name begins with the letter G,H,O,S,T. In the case of the author having two last names, go with the first listed. In the case of more than one author it applies to either author. Does not apply to an anthology.
4 pts – Was born in or resides in England, Scotland, or Ireland.
3 pts – Is deceased
2 pts – Was first published in the 2000’s
1 pts – Is female.

Genre: - must be listed on the book’s main page
5 pts – Non Fiction
4 pts – Mystery
3 pts – Historical Fiction
2 pts – Romance
1 pts – Young Adult

Pages: - based on the edition you read. See general Rules about ebooks, audiobooks.
5 pts – 500 +
4 pts – 400 to 499
3 pts – 300 to 399
2 pts – 200 to 299
1 pts – 175 to 199

Bonus Points:
Adopt a Dog Month: If a dog is in the story (not just a mention) - take 3 points
Class Reunion Month: If a school or university is the setting of the story, take 3 points
Halloween: If the book is set in October, take 3 points.
Great Books Week: If the actual title of a book is mentioned, take 3 points.

A reporting thread will be set up to report the book you’ve read, and the score you obtained. Happy reading.

Ooooo I love Halloween too! Some people come up with the most clever costumes. When else do you get to play dress up as an adult?

Fond of ghost stories as well.

Off to gopher.

I have 2 options that I own:
The Ghost Bride
20th Century Ghosts

I don't like ghost stories so I don't expect to have many books with a ghost on the cover. I do have one with ghost in the title, which is The Ghost Bride, so I think I'll go with that one.

I think I'll read Ghost Boy: My Miraculous Escape from a Life Locked Inside My Own Body. It's been on my TBR for years, and my library just got it on Overdrive.

Peggy wrote: "I don't like ghost stories so I don't expect to have many books with a ghost on the cover. I do have one with ghost in the title, which is The Ghost Bride, so I think I'll go with t..."

We might end up reading the same book then. If I manage to get to it.

I'm not sure what I'll go with yet. I just got Ghost Story on a Kindle deal, but it's over 500 pages and I'm not sure I'm up to that right now. I haven't been reading as much lately, so might not finish it on time.

I also have Ghost Gifts on Audible, so that could be an option. I'll check into what my library has first before making a decision.

I'm also considering The Ghost Bride, which my library has. Depends what I'm in the mood for.

I also have Ghost Gifts and I have The Ghost Fields. But I think I'll go look for somethinga bit more spooky 🎃 😈😱

Ghost Fields looks interesting, Margo!

I found 9 titles on my TBR list that have "ghost" in the title. I did not look for ghosts on the cover although I am sure that two of them do.

Sarah, Kristie, and Peggy - I had The Ghost Bride was one of my choices too.

I have a doorstop book that I bought about eight years ago that will fit. If I do the challenge, I will be reading Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by Paul Theroux. I would rather read The Ghost and Mrs. Muir but I have never been able to locate a copy before. I have not looked for a long time, though.

Kristie wrote: "Ghost Fields looks interesting, Margo!"

It is a good series Kristie.

I have Ghost Shadow, The Ghost and Ghost a la Mode.

Margo wrote: "I also have Ghost Gifts and I have The Ghost Fields. But I think I'll go look for somethinga bit more spooky 🎃 😈😱"

I need to get back to the Ruth Galloway series. It's been awhile since I read anything in the series and that was book 4.

I've got 6 books that I own that would qualify. I've narrowed it down to three:

Ghost Gifts
An Unkindness of Ghosts
Winterbay Abbey: A Ghost Story

The Granny Apple Mystery series looks cute. All of the books have "ghost" in the title.

I really like the idea of The Ghost Fields, which although it is #7 in a series it can be read as a stand alone. I don't know who I am fooling, though... I don't think I will have to read anything next month either. :(

I just picked up The Ghost Files as a free Kindle book. It's a YA about a girl who sees dead people. It looks a bit creepy for those looking for more of a Halloween read.

I also found Ghosted, which doesn't work, but it looks interesting so I added it to my TBR. It's a contemporary new adult fiction/romance, not a horror or about ghosts at all.

Kristie wrote: "I'm not sure what I'll go with yet. I just got Ghost Story on a Kindle deal, but it's over 500 pages and I'm not sure I'm up to that right now. I haven't been reading as much lately, s..."

I've been looking for an excuse to read some Peter Straub for a while so I think I'm going to go with Ghost Story especially as I can get it at the library too!

I really enjoyed Ghost Story. I keep meaning to try some of his other work but never get around to it.

Would you believe that I, the one who freaks out even at the mention of ghosts, have a book that fits on my shelf? It's Ghost Hawk, and it's technically on my daughter's shelf, but I'll borrow it for a while if I decide to go that direction.

I was also looking at The Ghost Bride or Ghost Train to the Eastern Star which I think fit without being spooky.

We'll see how I feel in a couple of weeks.

Clive wrote: " Kristie wrote: "I'm not sure what I'll go with yet. I just got Ghost Story on a Kindle deal, but it's over 500 pages and I'm not sure I'm up to that right now. I haven't been reading as much lately, s..."

Sarah wrote: I've been looking for an excuse to read some Peter Straub for a while so I think I'm going to go with Ghost Story especially as I can get it at the library too!

I enjoyed Ghost Story also. So if the number of pages don't scare you the book just might! ☻

Liked the 1981 movie also, with Craig Wasson, Alice Krige, Fred Astaire and John Houseman. Creepy!

I don't think I've read any of Peter Straub's work, except for what he did with Stephen King. I read The Talisman, but not Black House.

Kristie wrote: "I also found Ghosted, which doesn't work, but it looks interesting so I added it to my TBR. It's a contemporary new adult fiction/romance, not a horror or about ghosts at all. ."

You're right about it not being accepted (imbedded), but it does look interesting and I added it to my wishlist when I first heard about it.

Sarah wrote: "I really enjoyed Ghost Story. I keep meaning to try some of his other work but never get around to it."

I enjoyed it too, but not as much as the movie. I LOVED the movie and saw it a bunch of times. The book was quite different.

I’m going to read Paper Ghosts

This is an easy one for me, I have over 40 suitable books in my TBR, 20 of which I own. I think I will go with something short, as I have a ton of library books waiting to be read, so I'll probably choose Ghosts Can Bleed.

ETA: bugger, the paperback is too short…

I'll likely do Ghosts of Yesterday instead.

Paper Ghosts sounds good, Ashley.

That was me last month, Camilla. This month I seem to adding a lot to my TBR.

I read A Head Full of Ghosts not long ago and enjoyed it. I was considering rereading it to see if I missed anything. It’s not a book I would typically choose but someone recommended it and I really liked it. It was quite recently that I read it though so I’ll give it some time before I read it again.

I liked A Head Full of Ghosts too. I can recommend it.

That's impressive Camilla!

Ashley wrote: "I read A Head Full of Ghosts not long ago and enjoyed it. I was considering rereading it to see if I missed anything. It’s not a book I would typically choose but someone recommende..."

That's one of those books that you almost need to do a reread to pick up the nuances. I enjoyed that story.

Janice wrote: "....I enjoyed it too, but not as much as the movie. I LOVED the movie and saw it a bunch of times. The book was quite different....."

Yeah, I feel the same about the movie, Ghost Story

I'll be reading City of Ghosts I think I can collect a couple of points with it.

Cherie wrote: I had The Ghost Bride

I loved The Ghost Bride

Marie Claude wrote: "Cherie wrote: I had The Ghost Bride

I loved The Ghost Bride"

This is good to hear. I'm leaning towards that one.

For younger readers, I reccomend " The Ghost and Mrs.Mewer". This book is also part of a series. It will rack up a few points! Any other suggestions for middle schoolers?

I've had A Head Full of Ghosts on my tbr for quite a while. I may read it. But I'll keep looking in case I find another that may be interesting.

After a lot of looking around, I've decided to read .

I'm most likely going to read either The Ghost Files or Ghost Gifts. I'm not really sure yet, but I'm leaning towards one of those later in the month.

Hannah wrote: "For younger readers, I reccomend " The Ghost and Mrs.Mewer". This book is also part of a series. It will rack up a few points! Any other suggestions for middle schoolers?"

Hi Hannah. Welcome to YLTO!

Lanelle wrote: "After a lot of looking around, I've decided to read ."

Are you sure this one will work Lanelle? It doesn't have ghost in the title and I also don't see one on the cover (although it's very small so I may just not notice it)

Welcome Hannah!

Peggy wrote: "Lanelle wrote: "After a lot of looking around, I've decided to read ."

Are you sure this one will work Lanelle? It doesn't have ghost in the title and I also don't see one on the cover (although it's very small so I may just not notice it)..."

I think that is a ghost floating out of the house's upstairs window at the left, with the orange tree as a backdrop.

Peggy wrote: "Are you sure this one will work Lanelle? It doesn't have ghost in the title and I also don..."

Almeta found one ghost to the left of the house in the orange leaves. There is a second ghost to the right of the turret.

I questioned that myself yesterday and I had to look very closely. I blew the image up about 175%, but there are a couple of ghosts floating around. They look like wisps of smoke. I suspect they'd be more visible if you had the actual book in your hands. Ha! Visible ghosts.

Almeta wrote: "Peggy wrote: "Lanelle wrote: "After a lot of looking around, I've decided to read ."

Are you sure this one will work Lanelle? It doesn't have ghost in the title ..."

Lol! It's like one of those internet images where something's hidden (I thought the ghost was just some colouring in the tree on that tiny picture) but once you see it, you can't unsee it.

So true. I can even make them out on the thumbnail pic, whereas before I had to zoom the picture to see them.

I haven't participated in a monthly challenge for ages! I think I will have a go at this one. I will read The Ghost Writer.

I checked a bunch of books to see what appealed. I'm going with The Ghost Orchid. I've read others by the author. Some are better than others.

I was excited about this challenge and looked forward to reading The Ghost Bride, but I doubt I'll get to it. I've not been in a reading mood for a few days and when I get back into it, I should make some progress on my ZZ challenge. And then there's also the toppler and the Farseer buddy read this month. Aaah!