The Reading Challenge Group discussion

Finished Tell No One by Harlan Coben. It's an excellent mystery thriller, a page turner with surprises till the very last page, literally! I loved the main character (Beck) funny humour, there is even some romance. I enjoyed it immensely, 5 stars.

The book is one of my hoarder's but also perfect to cross off another square in my bingo challenge, as well as adding another new-to-me author that I like!

I discovered there is a French film based on the book which I'm tracking down.

Kiwi, I love mystery thrillers and so does my hubby. I'm going to see if this is at the library because of your review. Thanks!

Glad you have another square crossed off the old bingo card. Good job!

You've very welcome Melissa, I hope you and hubby will enjoy it as much as I have

"Ne le dis a personne" rings a bell, but I haven't seen it. Let me know if you watch the film if it's good!

Camille, you're absolutely right. I have asked one of my overseas friends to find it for me, the reviews are quite good IMDb review, beside, I have a soft spot for François Cluzet LOL

Finished . I find Michael Morpurgo comforting warm and wholesome, I like how he can capture the magic of childhood, affinity with animals, and his sensitivity when dealing with sad topics (e.g. war).
This long book is a collection of stories, I was expecting a sampler of Morpurgo’s work but I was disappointed that some of them are simply part of longer novels, they stop abruptly and feel like teasers for the novel themselves. I would not recommend this book for this reason and instead suggest picking up one of Morpurgo’s proper novels, they usually short (and sweet :).

In the meantime I'm reading Hamlet for the first time. I'm integrating the original play with Hamlet's Cliffs notes (the complete ones), which helps me with the translation to modern text and also provides some interesting characters interpretation. At the same time I'm watching the 2009 movie version by Gregory Doran with David Tennant (of Doctor Who and Broadchurch fame) as Hamlet, I'm enjoying this.

Also currently reading Fuzzy Nation. I've become a Scalzi fan since I discovered his sci-fi novels last year, however I'm not enjoying this novel as much as I though I would.

Finished The Lost Crown , another historical novel to go thowards the January's monthly genre tally. I rate it 3 stars. My thoughts:

Don’t be fooled, like I was, by this book cover, it looks like a light chick-lit novel, but instead is it a well researched book on the last years of the Romanov sisters: Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia (OTMA for short), daughters of tsar Nicholas II.
The author chose a mock diary format and the novel starts innocently enough, describing the girls’ privileged life and careless attitude. Soon enough the tone changes as the characters’ lives turn upside down during the events of WWI. The royal family is slowly stripped by their life of luxuries, to be effectively held prisoners and eventually coveting a breath of fresh air from a small open window (painted white from the outside!). My experience of reading this book has been similar to watching the slow progress of a train wreck to its abrupt and bloodied end.
The book focuses on the royal family and as such it does not reveal the events happening outside their limited “world”. I would have l preferred that a timeline be included with historical events happening during the book narration, as well as a better map (the places where the family travels are strangely not included in the one provided).

I'm currently reading Lolita as part of my Masochist challenge. It's a book I have delayed reading during the years. I am aware of the nature of the book and of its high controversy potential, but I finally decided to give it a go

I love your Masochist challenge! What a great idea! And some books are sooo worthy to fit in that challenge!

I totally agree, Melissa, there are some books that I have postponed reading for ages despite having been highly recommended. I needed an excuse, what better than a challenge, to motivate me to try and reading them, you'll never know!

Maybe more for your Maso Challenge, according to Holly's reading challenge thread Lucy and Renee have thumbs down on Hemingway. Was designated for this year; is he on your to-read list? Well anyways, good luck! :D

Then, there's always Catcher in the Rye and Confederacy of Dunces, since you've already got Humbert Humbert in hand, so to speak.
Uh, but, it's probably best to choose your own torture.

haha Renee, I read The Catcher in the Rye last year (hated it) but not Confederacy of Dunces, which I shall pass. On the other thread Hemingway was mentioned, I think I will try that one day, just because it's so often mentioned that I have to "see" for myself if the hype is justified, I'm in no rush though!
I have limited my torture to 4 books this year, I think this is all I can bear.

Finished Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov.

I’m having real trouble rating this book. I have the distinct impression that Nabokov is having fun at the reader’s expense, just as Humbert is when describing other characters in the novel. Nabokov is clearly an accomplished writer, more so considering that he wrote this novel in English, which was not his native tongue. From this viewpoint the novel deserves a high rating for the richness of the language and the clever witticism.
The protagonist is clearly a sick creep and Nabokov masterfully alternates disturbing insights in the pervert’s mind while showing his human side to the point of almost pitying him. On a moral and emotional level, some parts made me literally sick (sometimes to gagging level) and felt like giving up on this book.

I listened (while reading) to the audiobook version by Jeremy Irons (I didn’t see the movie) who did a chilling but brilliant rendition of Humbert Humbert. I watched Irons’ interview on Lolita (available on youtube) and the interesting BBC documentary on Nabokov life and Lolita (also available on Youtube). I also watched the video interviews available on GR Lolita page and finally read some great reviews from fellow GR readers, all of these present valid points but I am still puzzled.

In other cases, when I liked some aspects of the book but not others, I simply averaged the scores; in Lolita’s case, this process feels inadequate. I honestly do not know how to rate this book, for the moment I will mark it as “read” and defer its rating to leave more time to process my thoughts on it.

I am happy to have finally read the book even if I cannot say I enjoyed it; like someone said, Lolita is a good book to have read but it is not a good book to read.

On a different note, I'm really happy with my January books reads, I think has been one of my most successful months probably due to the holidays, now I'm selecting the books to read for upcoming February.

Good job on finishing it. I've owned this book for year and have started it several times, but even the first page makes me want to gag.
I watched the film a couple of times when I was younger. It is a good film, but knowing what happenes doesn't make me want to read the book...

Camille, it was very hard to keep going, however, I have to say, after about a third through it it gets easier, maybe because you get used to it? there are no graphic details of the abuse, what I found disturbing and hard to stand are the Humbert's fantasies and delusions at the beginning.
I am not going to recommend you this book, but just so you know, in case you want to read it later on.

I have started The Bronze Horseman and liking it very much so far! have you decided on your Chick-lit/Romance read for February Camille?

I thought it would be more about his fantasies rather than actual abuse as that was the film is like. You don't really see anything inappropriate happening. But it's the idea of it itself that is disgusting. I was supposed to study it at university, so it has literary merit as you have said. It just happened that my professor was absent for a while and ended up not studying it, so I didn't read it...

I love The Bronze Horseman. The second one is the trilogy is also very good, but the third one I hated. But it's just my personal opinion, I see a lot of people on Goodreads love it.

I'm not overly found of Chick-lit and haven't decided on any read so far. I would reread The Bronze Horseman, but I don't know where it is (in a box somewhere, either at my parents' or my in-laws'...). I think I'm going to "cheat" and pick something that has an element of romance in it. I just started The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, hopefully it has some romance in it and it will qualify!

that book looks good Camille

Updated the stats for January

February reading list
As always, in no particular order (depending on the mood at the time of choosing the next read):

– currently reading (monthly genre: chick-lit/romance + TBR slimming + hoarder’s + new to me author + colossal)
(favourite author + bingo + shortie + TBR slimming)
(guilty pleasure + TBR slimming)
(Favourite Genre: Fantasy + bingo + TBR slimming) and also February SF&F group read
(masochist + classic + decade+ TBR slimming)
(Favourite Genre: YA + chunkster + decade + TBR slimming) and also The Reading For Pleasure Book Club group read
(monthly genre: chick-lit/romance + new to me author + Recommended by family/friends + Bingo + TBR slimming)
(monthly NF: Relationships/Family)
Wit & Wisdom of Mothers (monthly NF: Relationships/Family + bingo)
Maybe ? Eldest (hoarder’s, chunkster/colossal) maybe postponed due to having already included 2 long boos this month

Disappointing start to February, both and rated 2 stars, my reviews the bronze horseman review(with spoilers) and The slow regard ... review respectively.

I'm currenly reading by F. Scott Fitzgerald as one of my maso reads.

It's a shame you didn't like it! I agree there's a lot of unnecessary sex in there, and I'm no prude... I definitely don't recommend the third one, then!

It is a shame Camille, it started so well.
I’m no prude either but I confess am not a fan of romance so I have probably bias against the genre; besides, I found lacking even one of my favourites authors book, maybe it's just a bad reading slump.

There's still hope for February, I still have another book (Me Before You) to read and The Great Gatsby was better the second time around!

Finished by Joe Abercrombie. The second book in a trilogy. Highly recommended to any Fantasy fan. 5 stars

Currently reading

Finished few other books:
a short story by Joe Abercrombie, 2 stars (love the author but Western isn't my style).
for this month's NF genre: family and relationships. 3 stars, easy read with lots of common sense and a few good points to reflect upon. My DD is in her teens and not an adult so I used the chapters regarding the "grown up" relationships by reflecting on my own relationship with my mother.
, 3 1/2 stars rounded to 3, This book will probably be my payoff book of the month: 5 challenges (Favourite genre: YA, chunkster, Decade, TBR slimming and Bingo).

Finished . I enjoyed this book part of my "recommended by family and friends" challenge, more than I thought I possibly could. Jojo Moyes managed to deal with a very sensitive subject with subtlety, humour and compassion and to avoid the "pity" pitfalls. 3 1/2 stars rounded to 4 because I think I won't have another chance of rating a romance book to 4 stars Haha. As a bonus I get to cross out another tile on the bingo challenge Yeah!

Keep it up kiwi

Thanks Sonya

Updated the lists with another couple of books: Pride and Prejudice and The Husband Project: 21 Days of Loving Your Man--On Purpose and with a Plan.

Currently reading . I'm quite excited about this book.

It comes recommended by one of my sci-fi friends Iasa, and I believe it was one of the finalists for the GR awards last year.

I have just started but it is intriguing (at least for me) the mix of Shakespearean theatre and dystopian society.

Just finished Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, that covers my TBR favourite genre (sci-fi) challenge as well as another square in the bingo (a book with a number in the title), my short review

I would recommend having patience with this book, it is well written but slow paced. The emphasis of the first 2/3 of the book is on the many characters pre-collapse stories and frankly, I was a bit bored. Don’t get me wrong: Mandel writes beautifully but still … the events are quite mundane and although many chapters contains clues that will be recognisable later on, I thought that the prose, although beautiful, dragged a bit.
In the last part of the book, the references dropped here and there, some objects, flashbacks of people conversations, interactions and other links to of the main character (Arthur Leander) come together and attach to each other like magnets to form a cohesive whole.
Although I enjoyed more the narration of post-collapse events and how humanity adapts to the post pandemic world (by the way this is sensibly done and the violence that is so common in post-apocalyptic novels is kept to a minimum), I appreciate that this story is also about the memories of the survivors. Well worth the read.

For a change of scene, I'm picking a book for my history challenge. I'm going to read Tides of War by Steven Pressfield. He is the author of Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae one of my favourites for 2014.
Tides of War is set in the Peloponnesian War and retells the story of Alcibiades of Athens.

After reaching 37%, I decided to abandon Tides of War, I think I gave the book a fair chance but it is a total disappointment after Gates of fire.

I have started Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant?, the book has a cartoon format and deals with the topic of ageing parents in a humorous way. I had quite a few chuckles when I recognised some idiosyncrasies of my own parents. At other times it is so emotional that brings me to the point of tears. Although I recognise it is an unavoidable phase of life, I'm dreading the time when I will need to deal with it.

I've also started The City & the City by China Miéville for a group read.

Kiwi, have you read Christian Cameron's Long War series? The series takes place during the 5th century BC. If you're interested in the Persian Wars, have you read The Battle of Salamis: The Naval Encounter That Saved Greece -- and Western Civilization by Barry S. Strauss? (Salamis is the sea battle that took place at the same time as Thermopylae. In part to guard the Persians from being able to sail south and flank the small force.) It's on my TBR list. I love the whole time period.

I read that book by Roz Chast. The author is so brave because she is brutally honest about herself. Very revealing. And I did cry towards the end.

Thanks Bella for the recs, I didn't know about Christian Cameron's series, I've added Killer of Men to my TBR. I am fascinated by the archaic period too :-)

I agree about Roz Chas's book. It's bittersweet, you laugh but you also want to cry. I have to read the book in small doses and def. not at night, otherwise I get depressed, however it's a great book and one that I will likely recommend to others.

Finished by China Miéville. 4 stars

My review

Finished …only 2 stars.

I had planned to read this book for the bingo “funny” square as it is marked by some as “humour”, possibly because of being in cartoon format. It turns out that bar some funny episodes at the beginning it is all but humorous. By the end, the book gets very depressing and I found some things (view spoiler)[ the author drawing her dying mother and keeping ashes in the closet (hide spoiler)] morbid and macabre. Would not recommend.

Finally has arrived from the library, that's what I'm reading next!

Nice! I hope you like it. I just finished it yesterday and loved it.

I did enjoyed it Chase, 4 stars from me, my brief review:

Ever wondered what goes on in the houses you come across on your daily commute? Do you invent stories for the people who live in them? Reality is often far different from the one created by our imagination. Paula Hawkins has written a page turner, despite the ending that, for me, was a bit overdone and predictable, I enjoyed very much reading this book. A great début novel, will be looking forward to her next book.

Not long to go till March and I've spent some time planning my reading for next month to continue with my challenges. I will be picking book from my TBR where possible and mixing them with other “spontaneous” reads, here are the planned ones:

March Reading Plan

• The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo (Chunkster + reading for pleasure group read)
• 600 Hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster (Recommended by)
• Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie (sf&F group read, last of the trilogy)
• 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (shortie)
•The Whale Road by Robert Low (history challenge + already owned) + another book for the same challenge about classical antiquity
• Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder or Parnassus on Wheels (Favourite genre: classic + decade)
• Monthly genre - Contemporary and Literary Merit : The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (+ decade)
• Monthly NF - Autobiography/Memoir: Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally (+ hoarder’s: Booker Prize) or The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
• A couple of Sci-fi books
• Books to finish the bingo challenge

Finished a couple of books from the above list: 84, Charing Cross Road and The Whale Road, both 2 stars.

Finished 600 Hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster, Loved it, 5 stars!

review:

The protagonist is a 39 year old Asperger’s and OCD sufferer who dislikes assumptions or conjectures and prefers facts. Every night Edward writes a letter of complaints but instead of sending these letters, on advice from his therapist (who is a very logical woman), he just files them in green folders for safekeeping.

The story is bittersweet, initially I was annoyed at Edward idiosyncrasies, but his behaviour is exactly what the character requires. As the story progresses, I became engaged with Edward, perhaps because I share with him the love for words (flummox, voluminous, bucolic, chagrin, discombobulated) and R.E.M songs (Losing my religion, It's The End Of The World, Everybody hurts!!!) but I don’t go as far as being a Cowboys football fan nor watch Dragnet episodes.

Some episodes are funny like his attempts at on-line dating (and their related perils), some are sad (preference for self-checkouts) illustrating Edward self-imposed social isolation. Even his relationships with his parents are troublesome, especially with his challenging father with whom he connects only when watching the Cowboys’ matches together.

Strangely for me, I liked even the happy ending (view spoiler)[I acknowledge that it is unrealistic that Edward overcomes his condition to the point of being “cured” (hide spoiler)]. I loved this book, so thanks to my friends who recommended it to me :-)

Favourite quotes:

Doing what you want and what feels right strikes me as being more important than doing something just to prove a point.

It’s OK to get the things you like. It doesn’t mean that you’re slavish to convention.

In the meantime, I bid you good day, until I can bid you good riddance.

I would like to be your friend and your child. I could manage only one of those things with my father.

Finished My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse, my short review:

I listened to the Librivox audio version of this book, which gave me a few small chuckles. It was amusing to see what humour was like in the 20s (who would have known that the society of the period was overrun by hideous rich aunties and peculiar uncles?).

The title is a misnomer as not all the short stories in the book include Jeeves and that was a bit disappointing. It was also interesting to learn some jargon from the period.
Having now being introduced to the man, I might continue the series in order to see what solutions Jeeves will come up with to solve dear old chappie (Bertie) crisis. One thing for sure, I would not dream to let Jeeves comment on my wardrobe, by Jove that would be infernal!

Currently reading The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo

I love your mixture of books this month, Kiwi! 600 Hours of Edward was one of my favorites too. You will like Edward Adrift by Lancaster and Lottery by Patricia Wood.

Have always wanted to read The Hunchback, which was my Grandmother's favorite book; cannot wait to read your review. Maybe not this year, but next will be in my plan. Great reviews!

I'm with your grandmother, Melissa. Hunchback is a favorite. But it's not the book I expected.

Thanks Melissa, I have added Edward Adrift to my TBR. I am enjoying The Hunchback very much.
In what way was not what you expected Renee?

Finished Notre-Dame de Paris, 4 stars, my review

Just finished A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra, 4 stars, review.

With this book I have completed my first challenge of the year: ABB bingo. Yay!

ETA: Currently reading one my "guilty pleasure" books: Chocolat. I need this after the emotional wringer of "A constellation... "

YAH! Glad for your BINGO! And Chocolates are always a fun guilty pleasure and reward! Now I'm going to read your review of "A Constellation..."

Thanks Melissa, well done on your second Bingo too, you'll be finishing it in no time!

Finished Chocolat by Joanne Harris, 5 stars

I fell in love with the movie when I watched it some years ago so I bought Joanne Harris’ book but it has been languishing on my shelves since then. Now that I finally read it, I found the book is just as delicious. Although there are some small deviations in the story line, i.e. revealing the secrets of Monsignor Reynaud and Vianne’s past, the book succeeds in magically enchanting the senses: smell (“wood smoke curling in the air”), touch (“cool hands on forehead…curls tickling my face”), vision (“the greening light at dawn” and Annouk’s red rain coat), sound (the carillon do-si-do-mi-sol), and of course the taste of glossy chocolate!
This book fulfilled my expectations of a guilty pleasure read.

Favourite quotes:

Headscarves and berets are the colour of the hair beneath, brown, black or grey. Faces are lined like last summer's apples, eyes pushed into wrinkled flesh like marbles into old dough. A few children, flying colours of red and lime-green and yellow, seem like a different race. As the char advances ponderously along the street behind the old tractor which pulls it, a large woman with a square, unhappy face clutches a tartan coat about her shoulders and shouts something in the half-comprehensible local dialect"

“At such times I feel I could die for love of her, my little stranger, my heart swelling dangerously so that the only release is to run too, my red coat flapping around my shoulders like wings, my hair a comet’s tail in the patchy blue sky.”

"My walk was unsteady as I made my way back to the vestry, and I caught a number of people looking at me strangely. I must be more careful. Gossip abounds in Lansquenet."

"In the pale grey-green of the dawn they looked like war refugees, white-faced, sullenly tying the last remains of their floating circus into bundles. What was garish and magical-tawdry last night is now merely drab, scorched of its glamour. A smell of burning and oil hangs in the mist. A sound of flapping canvas, the hacking of early-morning engines. Few even bother to look at me, going about their business with tight mouths and narrowed eyes. No-one speaks."

For this month non-fiction genre: Autobiography/Memoir, I have just finished Night by Elie Wiesel. I liked "Se questo e' un uomo" by Primo Levi more, probably because I could read the latter in its original form. I suspect that Night might have suffered from the translation. It is still a very powerful read. 4 stars.

Continuing with the same genre, but a 180 degree turn, I have started The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid a humorous memoir by Bill Bryson.

I realised I've been neglecting YA books, so I read The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera, 3 stars and now reading Looking for Alaska by John Green.

With whale rider I completed another of my challenges: Big and Small challenge, although I will continue to tally my chunkster reads for the whole year.