BookRiot Read Harder Challenge

The folks over at BookRiot have challenged readers to "Read Harder" in 2015 with a reading task list. Since the main thing I like about reading challenges is that they encourage me to read books I might not otherwise jump into this one seems like a good fit for me. I have joined the GoodReads group and will try to remember to use the #ReadHarder hashtag when posting about this. There are lots of resource lists to help find books for each task in the original BookRiot post. 

There are 24 tasks to accomplish (basically 24 books to read): 

1. A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25
2. A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65
3. A collection of short stories (either by one person or an anthology by many people)
4. A book published by an indie press
5. A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ
6. A book by a person whose gender is different from your own
7. A book that takes place in Asia
8. A book by an author from Africa
9. A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.)
10. A microhistory (the history of a specific thing, like milk or the color mauve)
11. A YA novel
12. A sci-fi novel
13. A romance novel
14. A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade
15. A book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairytale, Shakespearian play, classic novel, etc.)
16. An audiobook
17. A collection of poetry
18. A book that someone else has recommended to you
19. A book that was originally published in another language
20. A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind
21. A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure (Read, and then realize that good entertainment is nothing to feel guilty over)
22. A book published before 1850
23. A book published this year
24. A self-improvement book (can be traditionally or non-traditionally considered “self-improvement”)

My plan is to deal with these in quarterly groups, so by the end of March I should have completed 6 of them. Here is what I think I will start with:

• A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ -- Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World has been in my reading pile for way too long -- it is time to read this.
• A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure -- I don't actually believe in the concept of guilty pleasures, but the next book in the steampunk/romance series I have been reading would probably be considered a guilty pleasure by people who do buy into the concept, so I will probably count that. 
• A self-improvement book -- there is one in my TBR pile that I bought last year, its time has come.
• An audiobook -- this is an easy one as I am usually listening to one but am currently between audiobooks.
• A YA novel -- I got a beautiful boxed set of the Chronicles of Narnia for Christmas, so I will start on those and accomplish this task at the same time.
• The 6th one for this quarter will be whatever I decide to read that fits a task.

Review: Light Thickens

Light Thickens by Ngaio Marsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dark and foreboding, talk of murder, hints at murder, then actual murder and an inexorable march toward madness. This is the theme of Macbeth and Marsh weaves it brilliantly into her story of a theater company putting on a production of the Scottish play. The book is all about the play (for more than 100 pages of the 181 page novel) and when I had about given up on there being a murder at all there was a stunning one. This was the final novel of this master of mystery fiction.
This novel was the 101st book I read in 2014, thus completing my reading goal for the year.

Lisa's Review: You Might Be from Nova Scotia If...

You Might Be From Nova Scotia If... by Michael de Adder

My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
 
You Might be from Nova Scotia If... is a collection of humorous cartoons depicting what it is that makes Nova Scotians so...well, Nova Scotian.

Even though I moved from Nova Scotia to New Hampshire 18 years ago, part of my daily routine is to scan the Chronicle Herald (the daily newspaper in NS) online. Part of that daily scan includes checking out the editorial cartoon, often which is a creation of Michael de Adder. So when my parents gave me this book for Christmas, I knew there would be some great illustrations - de Adder has definitely put together a collection of amusing and thoughtful cartoons in this book.

A few of my favorites were:

 "You can pronounce Kejimkujik, Tatamagouche, and Musquodoboit."  ~ I would add that you might be from NS is you can spell them too.

 "You sing the answer whenever anybody asks for the number of a cab in Halifax."  ~ And now I can't get that Casino Taxi jingle out of my head!

 "You freak out if Nova Scotia is mentioned in an American movie."  ~ Yes, guilty...I still remember the Nova Scotian salmon reference in Ghostbusters.

This is my tenth book read for the 8th Annual Canadian Book Challenge.

Foodies Read 2014 Challenge Wrap Up

I completed the "sous-chef" level (9-13 books) for the the Foodies Read 2014 Challenge. Here is my list:

Cookbooks

• The French Market Cookbook
• The Secret Lives of Baked Goods
• The Best of American Beer & Food: Pairing & Cooking with Craft Beer
• Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook

Non-fiction

• An Omelette and a Glass of Wine

Memoirs and Biographies

• Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man

Fiction

• Prime Cut
• Strawberry Shortcake Murder
• Delicious!
• Key Lime Pie Murder

Lisa's Review: The Cruelest Month

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny

My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

This is the third book in Louise Penny's Three Pines/Chief Inspector Armand Gamache mystery series. In this installment, spring has arrived in Three Pines and the residents are getting ready for the annual Easter egg hunt. When it's discovered there is a psychic as one of the guests at the B&B over Easter, the wheels are set in motion for a séance at the Old Hadley House to rid the house of its evil spirits. When the séance results in one of the guests being 'frightened to death', Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec returns to Three Pines with his team to investigate whether there is a murderer to blame. 

When I picked up this book I was thinking that for such a quaint, perfect little town, there sure is a lot of bad luck in Three Pines. Then I found myself laughing at Inspector Beauvoir's blunt observations, thinking to himself how the English & this place don't make sense:

"And what was with this case? Didn't anyone die a normal death in Three Pines? And even their murders weren't normal. Couldn't they just haul off and stab each other, or use a gun or a bat? No. It was always something convoluted. Complicated. Very unQuébécois. The Québécois were straightforward, clear. If they loved you they hugged. When they murdered you they just whacked you over the head. Boom, done. Convicted. Next." p. 79
 
The murder investigation plot of this book pretty much followed the same formula as the prior two books. A murder happens, Gamache & team arrive at the scene, interview all involved, we get to see our favorite characters & personalities, meet a few new ones, and determine that the murderer could be one of several people - all of which kept me interested. But I thought the more intriguing part of The Cruelest Month had to do with the side story involving dissent in the ranks with Chief Inspector Gamache and the Sûreté. Who can be trusted & who can't? That was the part that really kept me turning the pages. 

This is my ninth book read for the 8th Annual Canadian Book Challenge. 

TBR Pile Challenge Final Report

The 2014 TBR Pile Challenge was hosted by Roof Beam Reader. It was not a successful challenge for me. I listed 14 books on my master post (12 to read and 2 alternates) but I only got 7 of them read. I did learn some things from this experience:

• Making a stack of books that I am supposed to read makes those books seem like homework to be avoided
• I don't pick up books that seem depressing--most of the unread ones from the pile fall into this category
• I like flexibility in my reading challenges

A few of the books in this pile may still get read sometime. some of them are going to be donated to the library unread. 

What's in a Name Challenge Wrap Up

What's in a Name 7 was hosted at The Worm Hole. I completed all 5 original categories plus the optional sixth one. Here is what I read for each:

• A reference to time: The Hundred Year House
• A position of royalty: The Once and Future King
• A number written in letters: Seventy-Seven Clocks
• A forename or names: Lord Peter 
  + Barney's Version + Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage + Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair + Alena + Letters of Edna St. Vincent Millay + 
• A type or element of weather: Thunderstruck
•  A book with a school subject in the title: Reading Like a Writer

Postal Challenge Wrap Up

I signed up to read 4 books (the postcard level) for the Postal Challenge hosted at Indextrious Reader. I had planned to read The Postman Always Rings Twice, which I didn't. I did end up reading 5 postal books so I completed this challenge.

• The Day the Crayons Quit
• Letters of Edna St. Vincent Millay
• The Moving Finger
• Delicious!
• To the Letter: A Celebration of the Lost Art of Letter Writing

Review: The End of Your Life Book Club

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I put off reading this for a long time because I thought it would be depressing. It was depressing, but not as much as I expected. This book is not funny as all, but something about Schwalbe's tone reminded me of David Sedaris. They talk about a lot of books, several of which I have read, and it was interesting to hear the perspecives of Will and his Mom about them. I found that I generally agreed with Will and not generally with his mother. I was bothered a bit by the fact of the book--the experience seemed very personal and as the reader it didn't seem right to me to be intruding on it. This is addressed to some extent at the end of the book, but I was still uncomfortable with it.
This is one of the books on my 2014 TBR Pile Challenge list.

Lisa's Review: Where I Belong

Where I Belong by Alan Doyle

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to reading this book so much, I was afraid to start in on it as I knew I wouldn't want it to end. I was so very right about that!

I've been following Alan Doyle and Great Big Sea, since what seems like the beginning of time. I've seen them play countless times (seriously I couldn't even begin to count) - from their early days at the Lower Deck in Halifax all the way through to their 20th anniversary tour this past year. I have to say, after moving to New Hampshire 18 years ago, I've been thrilled with the frequency that they have passed through here.

But I digress...back to the book! I picked up my copy of Where I Belong at an author's reading, Q&A session, and signing in the Boston area. In the book, Alan tells many stories about what it was like to grow up in the small fishing village of Petty Harbour, Newfoundland - from cutting out cod tongues with the b'ys, playing hockey, wondering why there was a Catholic side and Protestant side of the village, to finding a passion for music, and many other things in between.

In addition to the stories, the book is has many pictures, a humorous Glossary of Terms for Mainlanders (you can find "cutting out tongues" and "b'ys" here), and some side stories. One of my favorite side stories is Alan trying to get his mother to explain how to make her amazing homemade bread:

"How do you make a loaf of bread, Mom?"
"Alan, honey, I don't know how to make a loaf of bread. I only knows how to make eight." p. 54

During the Q&A session I attended, a young girl (10-12ish in age) asked Alan something to the effect of whether he had any tips or suggestions on writing. Alan admitted that he isn't a great literary writer, but a storyteller. If he had to think of something that guided him through the writing of this book it was that what he wrote had to sound like how he would talk, it had to sound like him. After he wrote a particular section or chapter, if he went back to read it to himself and it did not sound like something he would say, then he would toss that out. After finishing the book, I would agree that this could not be more true. With every word I read, I could hear Alan's voice speak them in his distinct Newfoundland accent - it was like there was an audio-book version of the book playing in my head.

Well done Alan Doyle from Petty Harbour. I hope that there is another book down the road that tells stories of life on the road with GBS.     

This is my eighth book read for the 8th Annual Canadian Book Challenge.

With Alan at his book signing - a genuinely nice guy.
His mother's advice of "Be good" has definitely followed him. 

Cook it Up! Ultimate Soup Cookbook

For the Cook it Up! Challenge I am selecting a cookbook randomly from my collection each month and trying to use it as much as possible during the month. November's cookbook was Reader's Digest The Ultimate Soup Cookbook. It was a cold drizzle-filled month and we ended up eating quite a few soups. They were all good.

• Mexican Pork Stew  -- this called for a dried ancho chile pepper which I couldn't find so I substituted some ancho chili powder instead. It used crushed tomatoes which I really liked the texture of in the stew. 
• Spicy Carrot Soup -- this was quite spicy (a smaller jalepeno would have been better) but really delicious. I will definitely make this again.
• Classic onion soup -- not as rich as I wanted it to be, I should have cooked the onions longer than the recipe called for until they got more caramelized,
• Tortellini-bean soup -- very quick and easy, smaller dice tomatoes would be better than the regular dice ones called for.

December's book is The World Encyclopedia of Bread and Bread Making by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter. It may be overly ambitious to think I will make bread during a month as crazy as this one is going to be, but I am going to give it a shot anyway as it is the one that my random number pointed me to.  Also, it is a perfect book for the Cook it Up! Challenge as I have owned it for years and have never read it or made anything from it. 

This post is my December link for Cook it Up! and is also linked up with Weekend Cooking at Beth Fish Reads. 

Review: Barney's Version

Barney's Version by Mordecai Richler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The rambling back and forth narration took a bit of getting used to, but once I got into the rhythm of it I enjoyed the quirky, cranky point-of-view of Barney, who may or may not be a murderer. The novel is presented as the autobiography of Barney Panofsky with footnotes and an afterword by Michael Panofsky. There is a TON of Canadian hockey information in this book as well as several sections about Quebecois secession. There are also random observations about all sorts of other things as well as a definite voice of the author interjecting opinions into the narrative.

"I understand why our most perspicacious men of letters object to the current trend in biography, its mean practitioners reveling in the carve-up of genius. But the truth is, nothing delights me more than a biography of one of the truly great that proves he or she was an absolute shit. I'm a sucker for studies of those who, in the words of that friend of Auden's (not MacNeice, not Isherwood, the other guy) '...travelled a short while toward the sun / And left the vivid air signed with their honor.' But took no prisoners en route, now that the facts are known." (p. 235)

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz was recommended to me by a friend but I haven't been able to find it yet. Duddy Kravitz makes a cameo in this book and I look forward to reading his story.
This book counts toward the Canadian Book Challenge.