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

I thought long and hard about the theme for this month's challenge. I was initially going to go with Halloween and have you select a horror story. However, we are already doing that for our monthly read. Instead, I found several observances made on October 31.

Beggars' Night
Books for Treats Day
Halloween
National Carmel Apple Day
National Knock-Knock Jokes Day
National Magic Day
National UNICEF Day
Samhain

Here's the challenge: Select a book that fits into one of these observances as you interpret it!

The rules:

1. The book must be started no earlier than Oct 1, and finished no later than Oct 31.

2. The book may be in any format - hardcover, paperback, ebook, or audiobook.

3. It must be at least 200 pages long. To determine the number of pages, do a search for the book using the Goodread's search. The first version that comes up will be the one we use to determine the number of pages regardless of the version you read or listened to.

4. You may not choose the October Monthly Read, Before I Go to Sleep.

Points are awarded as follows:

Interpretation:
10 points - write a brief explanation that tells which observance you chose and how the book fits into that theme.
5 points - will be awarded by Janice if she agrees with your interpretation.
1 point - will be deducted by Janice if she doesn't agree with your interpretation.

Genre:
5 points - Horror
4 points - Historical Fiction
3 points - Humour
2 points - Mystery
1 point - Romance

Theme:
5 points - poverty
4 points - lost love
3 points - social consciousness
2 points - immortality
1 point - fading beauty


Location/Setting:
5 points - Spain
4 points - Ethiopia
3 points - Louisiana
2 points - England
1 point - California

Author:
5 points - has written more than 10 books
4 points - is/was from the continent of Africa
3 points - first name is one syllable
2 points - last name starts with the initial C, A, N, D, or Y
1 point - male

Title:
5 points - does not start with the word "the"
4 points - is 4 words long
3 points - has the word haunt, haunted, haunting
2 points - has the name of a country in it
1 point - starts with the word "a"

Cover:
5 points - has a raven on it
4 points - has fruit on it
3 points - predominantly red in colour
2 points - has some yellow on it
1 point - the author's name is higher on the page than the title.

Page Length:
200 - 299 pages - 1 point
300 - 399 pages - 2 points
400 - 499 pages - 3 points
500 - 599 pages - 4 points
600 or greater - 5 points

Stars Awarded by you:
5 stars - 5 points
4 stars - 4 points
3 stars - 3 points
2 stars - 2 points
1 star - 1 point

We'll use this thread for reporting as well. Remember to link both the cover and name of the book you read.

Have fun!

I have never done a challenge before so please excuse me if anything below is done incorrectly.

Don't Look Now: Selected Stories of Daphne Du Maurier, Daphne du Maurier.


My rating:

add to my books


I chose this book because it consists of creepy, scary stories, just perfect for HALLOWEEN. Points: 10

Genre: Horror Points 5

Themes: I could probably make an argument for all the themes, but I haven't read the stories yet. I'll get back to you on that.

Location: not sure yet

Author: Has written more than 10 books. Points: 5
Last name starts with "D" Points :2



Title: Does not start with "The" Points: 5

Cover: Red-Orange Points: 3

Page Length: 368 Points:2

I can just imagine your explanation. I look forward to it.

Wow. Clever. Hmm....

Anne wrote: "I have never done a challenge before so please excuse me if anything below is done incorrectly.

Don't Look Now: Selected Stories of Daphne Du Maurier, [author:Daphne du Maurier|2001..."

You have the correct idea, Anne. I'm glad you've decided to join in on the fun. The best thing is to score the book when you are finished so that you can determine the themes. :)

Judy wrote: "Anne, glad you are joining in. I think you will enjoy it!


I've chosen The Shadow of the Wind.

Its going to be a fun challenge writing an interpretation that will work for Books for T..."

I'm looking forward to your justification... er, I mean interpretation. LOL!

Oh goodness you were right this one is a doozie but I do like how open eneded it is kind of...Hope I can participate this time. First must finish Eat, Pray, Love.

I hope you can join in on it as well, Robin. :)

Judy wrote: "Anne wrote: "I can just imagine your explanation. I look forward to it."

I might be asking you for help! (Don't tell, Janice.:-)
haha"

Fun.

Janice wrote: "Anne wrote: "I have never done a challenge before so please excuse me if anything below is done incorrectly.

Don't Look Now: Selected Stories of Daphne Du Maurier, [author:Daphne du..."

Okay. Should I erase the part of my message with the points?

That's fine, Anne. You can leave it and then rescore it when you're done.

Janice wrote: "That's fine, Anne. You can leave it and then rescore it when you're done."

Okay.

Judy wrote: "Anne wrote: "I can just imagine your explanation. I look forward to it."

I might be asking you for help! (Don't tell, Janice.:-)
haha"

Hmmm... someone is walking a fine line. LOL!

I am going to read The Book of Lost ThingsI think it was recommended for a book group read a few months ago maybe...I think that is when I first read about it. And while I was searching for something for this read I ran across it again, so today I went and got it at the library. And I'm finished with Eat, Pray, Love now so I can participate! I hope I have time to read it and my course work, research...lol

Robin wrote: "I am going to read The Book of Lost ThingsI think it was recommended for a book group read a few months ago maybe...I think that is when I first read about it. And while I was searchin..."

I think I know which observance you have chosen in the challenge for this book. Like a good ajudicator, I will be silent until you score your book. :)

I'm reading The End of Mr. Y for this challenge. I think it will fit with a couple of the observances in the list , but so far it's very mysterious!

Robin wrote: "I am going to read The Book of Lost ThingsI think it was recommended for a book group read a few months ago maybe...I think that is when I first read about it. And while I was searchin..."

Favorite book! I hope you like it!

Judy wrote: "And I'm finished with Eat, Pray, Love now so I can participate!

Was that a sigh of relief, Robin? :-)"

Umm I think so. lol

Kipahni - I am really liking it so far!

THis is my report on The End of Mr. Y .
The storyline had a kind of creepy gothic feel to start off - so I reckoned it would fit with Halloween or National Magic day. Ariel finds a cpy of a very rare book she has been searching for, written by an author who died in mysterious circumstances, as do many others with connections to the book. THe book is purported to be cursed. In the book within the book, Mr Y meets a strange doctor in a fairground who offers him a potion allowing entrance to the ralm of thought. Ariel herself concosts the potion and finds herself in this realm. The book has shades of the supernatural and theology, but tauthor Scarlett Thomas offers us an explanation for the existence of this other world which is based on metaphysics, sub particle physics and relativity. Thought provoking and entertaining at the same time!
So to the scoring:
Observances :10
Mystery: 2
Immortality: 2
England: 2
Title 4 words long: 4
Red cover: 3
With yellow: 2
Author's name above title: 1
502 pages: 4
4 star read: 4 - making a total of 34

Super job Alison! Add another 5 points for my thumbs up, making a total of 39 points. :)

I'm impressed! Well-done Alison!

Judy wrote: "I believe that is a new point record, congrats, Alison!"

Well I think the criteria was different this month - 10 for the halloween!

Robin wrote: "I am going to read The Book of Lost ThingsI think it was recommended for a book group read a few months ago maybe...I think that is when I first read about it. And while I was searchin..."

That's quite a creepy book.. whoooh whoooh

I read The Midnight Palace

I have to admit that I didn't set out to read this book specifically for this challenge. It wasn't until I got into it, that I realized it was a horror story. So, I substituted it for the horror story I was going to read. It could fall under Beggar's Night because it is set in Calcutta and there are a couple of beggars in the story and much of the action happens at night. But I'm going to place it under Halloween because it is a ghost story.

Interpretation - 10 pts
Genre, Horror - 5 pts
Theme, Immortality - 2 pts
Author, written 20 distinctive works - 5 pts
Cover, predominantly red - 3 pts
Cover, has yellow on it - 2 pts
Pages, 301 - 2 pts
Stars, 3 - 3 pts

Total points = 32

Oh Janice good for you!

Am going to try to fit in 'Knock Knock. Who's there?'

Susan wrote: "Am going to try to fit in 'Knock Knock. Who's there?'"

I'm looking forward to seeing what book you find to fit in that task. :)

I'll read No Rest for the Wiccan which is part of a mystery series featuring a young witch and her mentor set in modern-day America. So witches for Halloween or for National Magic day!

10 pts explanation, 2 pts mystery, 2 pts author's last name starts with "a," 5 pts title doesn't start with "the," 3 pts predominantly red cover, 2 pts for some yellow on the cover, 1 point book length (295 pgs) and we'll see how many points I give it although I gave the first two in the series 4 pts.

Sounds interesting, Jennifer. When you finish reading and do up your final score, make sure you add in the points for the cover being predominantly red. You'll also want to consider what themes you discover in the book.

That is the name of the book!

Susan wrote: "That is the name of the book!"

Ha! And here I thought you mean the category. There is not doubt about which category Knock Knock Who's There? fits. LOL!

It's probably best to use the 'add book/author' function at the top of the comment box when naming a book.

Super job Judy. Add another 5 points for your explanation. That makes a total of 43 points. :)

HALLOWEEN
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
Started October 19th
Finished October 20th
Hardcover
Mass Market Paperback, 412 pages


Points are awarded as follows:

Interpretation:
10 points - I chose Halloween, because the book Good Omens, has as major characters - a witch and demons and the four horses of the Apocalypse and other spooky things. All excellent Halloween themes.
5 points - because Janice will agree with my interpretation! ;o)


Genre:

3 points - Humour


Theme:

3 points - social consciousness - Good Omens is a tongue-in-cheek look at how humanity manages to be harmful to one another, as well as decent to one another, without the interference of good or evil forces. The polar opposites are just part of the human condition. Demons and angels may set the stage, but human beings have free will and manage acts of destruction or kindness all on their own.


Location/Setting:
2 points - England


Author: There are two authors, but I am only taking one set of points. (Or else add 6 more points for second author!!!)
5 points - has written more than 10 books - Both authors have!
3 points - first name is one syllable - well Neil's is!
1 point - male - both are.

Title:
5 points - does not start with the word "the" - true.


Cover:
2 points - has some yellow on it - check.
1 point - the author's name is higher on the page than the title - yep.

Page Length:
400 - 499 pages - 3 points

Stars Awarded by you:
4 stars - 4 points

Total points = 47

Judy wrote: "I like that, 5 points - because Janice will agree with my interpretation! ;o) LOL!"

HeHeHe.

Notice also that I am trying to weasel an extra six points out of her for a second author?

I'm not competitive...No, not me!! ;o)

I read Halloween treats which actually fits Halloween and UNICEF but really was a pretty short and stale children's book so I won't bother adding up the points.

Almeta wrote: "Judy wrote: "I like that, 5 points - because Janice will agree with my interpretation! ;o) LOL!"

HeHeHe.

Notice also that I am trying to weasel an extra six points out of her for a second..."

Ha! Nice try, Almeta. Actually, I don't agree with your interpretation. So deduct the 5 points and one extra. LOL! I'm just kidding. I do agree with you.

Hmmm, maybe I'm getting too predictable!

I agree with the way you've scored the author(s). Yup, I like it a lot. :)

No biggie, thanks.

I began reading The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly, on Oct. 5th and finished it on Oct. 20th.

Interpretation:
I felt there were a few observances this book could fit under, including Books for Treats, because the main character David is a child who loves books, and that is kind of what books for treats is about – giving books instead of candy for Halloween to children. However I found this book on a list of Magic/Magical books here on goodreads, so really National Magic Day was the observance I believe this book fits most. It certainly has a great deal of magical happenings that occur, such as hearing books “talk” or whisper, and this whole traveling to different world thing. I really can’t go into it that much without giving too much away, to those who haven’t read it. However think fairy tales, and not always the happy Disney-fied kind. It was also rather scary at times or gory so it also could fall under the Halloween observance.
10 points –
5 – maybe (hopefully) ;)

Genre:
5 points - Horror
4 points - Historical Fiction – this I didn’t know when I selected it what a surprise – set in WWI or maybe II but I am pretty sure its WWI.
2 points - Mystery – not overtly a mystery but definitely has mysterious elements throughout

Theme:
4 points - lost love
2 points - immortality

Location/Setting: part of the book was set in England
2 points - England

Author: John Connolly
5 points - has written more than 10 books
3 points - first name is one syllable
2 points - last name starts with the initial C, A, N, D, or Y
1 point - male

Title: 0 points. :/

Cover:
2 points - has some yellow on it
1 point - the author's name is higher on the page than the title.

Page Length: 339 pages so…
300 - 399 pages - 2 points

Stars Awarded by you:
4 stars - 4 points

So that make my total (so far) – 49!! (wow-unless I miss calculated…lol)
The Book of Lost Things

I count 49 too, Robin. Add another 5 for my agreement, and you've got a total of 54! That was a great choice. :)

Thanks! When I selected it I didn't even realize it was historical fiction so that was an added bonus. :) I also really did enjoy the book, despite its creepy/disturbing parts. haha.

I began reading City of Whispers , a Sharon McCone mystery by Marcia Muller, on October 14, and finished it October 20.


Hardcover, 320 pages

Observance: Beggars' Night
Interpretation: Sharon is searching for her half-brother Darcy, who can't hold a job for more than a week, and so has become homeless, a beggar and a thief. There are other beggars also.
10 points

Genre:
2 points - mystery

Theme:
5 points - poverty. Sharon notes that there are "pockets of grinding poverty" in San Francisco.
4 points - lost love. Sharon is also trying to solve a two-year-old murder of Gaby, a woman who was engaged. After losing the love of his life, her fiancé married Gaby's college roommate.
3 points - social consciousness. The dead woman had been trying to reform several homeless people.

Location/Setting:
1 point - California

Author:
5 points - has written more than 10 books

Title:
5 points - does not start with the word "the"

Cover:
3 points - predominantly red in colour
2 points - has some yellow on it
1 point - the author's name is higher on the page than the title.

Page Length:
300 - 399 pages - 2 points

Stars Awarded:
4 stars - 4 points

Total points, 47

Add another 5 points, Jane, for my bonus. That brings your total to 52.

I can't do the add book /author thing on my iPhone via the app. As far as I know anyway...

Thank you Judy, thank you Janice.

I had been wondering what book I could choose for your challenge, and then realized that the one I just finished would work well.

Jane wrote: "Thank you Judy, thank you Janice.

I had been wondering what book I could choose for your challenge, and then realized that the one I just finished would work well."

It worked extremely well. :)

Jennifer wrote: "I'll read No Rest for the Wiccan which is part of a mystery series featuring a young witch and her mentor set in modern-day America. So wit..."

Finished! In this book she's finally getting her main character to do more than just nibble at the witchcraft theme. But the ending was a little pat and I don't think the author had the main character deal adequately with a couple of her family members' foibles-- feels left undone-- so I'm only giving this one three stars. So 28 points. Fun challenge- thank you!

Add another 5 points for my bonus, Jennifer. That makes your total 33.

And the winner is?

Drum roll....

The final scores are:

Robin - 54
Jane - 52
Almeta - 47
Judy - 43
Alison - 39
Jennifer - 33
Janice - 32

The winner is Robin. Your badge is :



Everyone else can copy this badge:



I hope everyone enjoyed this challenge.

Yay! It was a fun challenge. I opted not to do this months challenge because of grad school stuff, but I might participate again in December, or maybe January. Thanks Janice for the lovely badge. Not completely sure what I'll do with it just yet...except post on facebook.