Pick-a-Shelf discussion

POTS Cycle #4 Theme: Halloween. Pick a book with a monster in it (werewolf, vampire, zombie, ghost, demon,witch/wizard, succubus/incubus).

Amy: To Read
Fairlee: Pick
Susan: POTS choices
Tien: Own to Read

for Amy

theme:
A Game of Thrones
The Twelve (the Passage #2)

And the Mountains Echoed
Birdman
Original Sin
The Light Between the Oceans
The Plan: Lose Weight Fast and Forever by Eating the right Foods for your Body
Seven Deadly Wonders
So Cold the River
The Windup Girl

for Fairlee

theme:
The Ghost and Mrs. McClure (Haunted Bookshop Mystery #1)
Triple Witch

Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan #1)
The Eagle Catcher
Killer Librarian
The Light Between the Oceans
The Man in the Brown Suit
Naked in Death
The Resolution for Women
Size 12 Is Not Fat
The Spellman Files
The Surgeon
Three to Get Deadly
Virgin River
Whose Body (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries #1)

for Susan

theme:
The Passage
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Alias Grace
The Casual Vacancy
Cinder Lunar Chronicles 1
The Collectors
The Executioness
Faceless Killers
Raft
So Cold the River

for Tien

theme:
Spellcaster
Star Cursed

Devil's Corner
The Divinity of Dogs: True Stories of Miracles Inspired by Man's Best Friend
Gone Girl
Grace Notes
Jasper Jones
Proper Gauge (Wool # 2)
Scarlet
Suite Française

I can't believe this -- for two of the three of you, I'm able to pick an author from Bloomington, IN, where I live. I think both are very good, though they write very different types of books. But what are the odds of that happening? Bloomington is not that big. (And Tien actually has Insatiable by Cabot on your to-read shelf, but not on the shelf we're picking from. Too bad, because it has vampires, too.)

Susan's choices for Amy:

theme: I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the dragon-person in A Game of Thrones counts as a monster for the theme choice, because I didn't see any other books there I knew would have anything any better.

The Windup Girl - I gave it a rare 5 stars.
So Cold the River, by Bloomington author Michael Koryta
And the Mountains Echoed - I really liked his first book.
The Light Between the Oceans - I've heard it's great, and am hoping to read it soon myself.

Susan's choices for Fairlee:

theme: Triple Witch

Size 12 Is Not Fat by Bloomington author Meg Cabot
Naked in Death - I love detective Dallas and Roarke!
The Eagle Catcher - I've heard good things about this.
and an Agatha Christie book I hadn't heard of: The Man in the Brown Suit.

Susan's choices for Tien:

theme: Star Cursed

I'm going to pick Jasper Jones again, because it's really so good.
Gone Girl, which I rated 4 stars
Grace Notes - I'd really like to know what you think of this.
And I've just recently heard wonderful things about the Wool series, and plan to start it myself, so Proper Gauge (Wool # 2).

Amy's picks:

For Susan:
Theme book: The Passage (vampires)
The Collectors (second book from a good series)
The Casual Vacancy (I'm interested to hear whether there is life after Harry Potter)
Faceless Killers (On my TBR as well)
So Cold the River (your local author)

Thanks for the choices you made for me. I have all of them at home and started on The Light Between Oceans yesterday. I had tried the audio book version a few weeks ago, but the reader wasn't good (very monotone). The book has already captured my interest.

For Fairlee
Theme book: The Ghost and Mrs. McClure
Three to Get Deadly (always a good laugh in the early Stephanie Plum books)
The Surgeon (first Rizzoli and Isles book)
Virgin River (highly rated)
The Spellman Files (dysfunctional family of detectives, also funny)

For Tien
Theme book: Spellcaster (witches)
Devil's Corner (I enjoy Lisa Scottoline's legal thrillers)
Scarlet (highly rated)
The Divinity of Dogs: True Stories of Miracles Inspired by Man's Best Friend (love my furry children)
Suite Française (on your list for a long time)

@Susan: yes, okay, I get the message - I will defo pick it up this time around... ha ha ha

Amy wrote: "Suite Française (on your list for a long time)"

It has been on my list a long time though I've only just got the physical copy weeks ago :) Still looking forward to it though. Thanks!

work access keeps blocking me from book pages so I've resorted to my phone. beware, my html mighty not work at all!

For Amy:
theme: The Twelve (the Passage #2)

Birdman - got a copy & have considered numerous times to let it go without reading... interested in your thoughts

Original Sin - one of the first review books I got from Netgalley. fun & very quick read

The Plan: Lose Weight Fast and Forever by Eating the right Foods for your Body - hubz just lost 8 kgs over 12 weeks so am a little obsessed about losing weight meself ;p

for Fairlee:
theme: The Ghost and Mrs. McClure (Haunted Bookshop Mystery #1) - ghost = monster, yea?

Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan #1) - went through Reichs' phase years ago

Whose Body (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries #1) - one of those must read classic mysteries

Killer Librarian - interesting title!

The Resolution for Women - sounds inspiring!

For Susan:

theme: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Alias Grace - 'twas my first Atwood... interesting perspective

Raft - sounds different, sci-fi isn't a genre I'm cluey with, so just cuz... really... lol

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) - loved Cinderella, interesting sort of retelling with cyborgs etc.

The Executioness - had to double-take at the title! unusual and funky twist on magic.

Tien wrote: "work access keeps blocking me from book pages so I've resorted to my phone. beware, my html mighty not work at all!

For Amy:
theme: The Twelve (the Passage #2)

Birdman - got a copy & have conside..."

I've been eating a Paleo/Primal diet for the past 5 months and am down over 20 pounds. Getting rid of sugar and grains was difficult, but I feel so much better.

wow, great work, Amy! I dont know if I can do paleo/primal at all though I detoxed before and felt great. the difficulty is keeping up with the no sugar, no coffee :(

We're not quite done choosing, but I've put what there is up in message 2. I really thought it was nice when Tien did that last time.

I noticed, by the way, Tien, that you only listed 3+theme for Amy, while you chose 4+theme for the rest of us. I think we'll probably all have plenty to choose from, but wanted to alert you in case it was a problem because of using your phone.

oh dear, sure I had more than that.

let me see...

Can't seem to edit on app, so Amy, the additional option for you is Seven Deadly Wonders -Aussie author :)

I think we're all set except for Fairlee making her choices. Fairlee, any chance that can happen before the weekend is over?

I sent Fairlee a quick note and she told me that her house burned so she's just been busy.

Not sure how bad the fire was but I told her, not to worry about us as I'm sure we've plenty books to choose from as it is.

Tien wrote: "I sent Fairlee a quick note and she told me that her house burned so she's just been busy.

Not sure how bad the fire was but I told her, not to worry about us as I'm sure we've plenty books to cho..."

I've got plenty of choices for sure. I hope Fairlee didn't suffer too great a loss and can join us again soon.

Tien wrote: "I sent Fairlee a quick note and she told me that her house burned so she's just been busy."

Omigosh, that's terrible. I hope she's ok. Of course, we all can manage without her choices. But I feel bad for her.

Haven't read any of mine yet and I've 3 weeks!

I think I must've said somewhere that I wanted to complete the last POTS first and I'm reading that last book, Reconstructing Amelia -really enjoying it though I'm dreading the read from the teen's perspective... in a good way, well written.

I'm on page 258 out of 369 so should finish soon *fingers crossed* - haven't had much time to read lately :( just had a long weekend and I didn't crack open 1 book!

When I finish, I'd probably take a break with a short one (Proper Gauge) then Jasper Jones, Susan? lol

Tien wrote: "When I finish, I'd probably take a break with a short one (Proper Gauge) then Jasper Jones, Susan? lol "

Yes, I think you'll find JJ goes quickly, too. I found it hard to put down.

Finished one -albeit short...

Proper Gauge (Wool #2)...Wow... really didn't expect the ending! 1 & 2 told from different perspectives so felt kinda different but it's getting very gritty and I think now I'm starting to see the what the hype it all about.

4 stars.

ps: @Susan: started JJ this arvo, 50 pages flew by very quickly! and I really didn't expect it (about Laura) -that was a shock! a couple of funny quotes just from chapter 1 ;D

Tien wrote: "ps: @Susan: started JJ this arvo, 50 pages flew by very quickly! and I really didn't expect it (about Laura) -that was a shock! a couple of funny quotes just from chapter 1 ;D ."

Yay!

I finished The Executioness (good, but not as good as I'd hoped), and started So Cold the River.

I finished So Cold the River on 10/14, but only just now got around to reviewing it. I enjoyed it, but only 3-stars worth. My review here .

Read by second book, Jasper Jones and loved it!

Been raving about it to a couple of friends over the weekend :)

Tien wrote: "Read my second book, Jasper Jones and loved it!"

Yay! I knew you would!

I started my 3rd book last night though its looking unlikely that I'll finish it or start my 4th book by end of month as I have a couple of netgalley books due this week! arrgh!

I will get to them though -before next POTS start (ambitious much?!)

I have to say, that it's been a crazy year for me (life-wise) and I've read a lot less than last year :(

I have the problem of being overly ambitious with my reading goal... even when I try to be conservative!

Finished my third (& themed) book: Spellcaster.

Reminded me a bit of Beautiful Creatures though I think I prefer BC as there are lot more exciting supernaturals in there. Spellcaster was primarily witchy though it seems to promise a lot more in book 2 which I believe will be coming in a few months' time.

Onto book 4... quite possibly, Suite Francaise...