2021 Big Book Summer Reading Challenge discussion

Use this Discussion to share which Big Books you are reading. You can also add them to the group Bookshelf.

Need some Big Book ideas? Check out my list on BookShop, including dozens of Big Books I've enjoyed during previous summers - all genres, all types!
https://bookshop.org/lists/big-books-...

I'm planning on 3 big books this summer:
NO ANGEL by Penny Vincenzi
BENEATH A SCARLET SKY by Mark T. Sullivan
THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE by Ruth Sepetys

I'm going to start with Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

I also want to finish the last book in the Elena Ferrante series and read The Story of the Lost Child

I’m starting out by reading “The Lord of the Rings”. I was planning on doing at least the first one and then trying fit two more Big Books this summer but then I read in the “Note on the Text” that Tolkien considered “The Lord of the Rings” to be “a single novel, consisting of six books plus appendices, sometimes published in three volumes”. Which in turn made my goal to read all three volumes this summer. 💚
I had tried to read them in high school but fantasy reading wasn’t my thing then. But it is now! And I’m in a much better place to really appreciate Tolkien’s writing.

Melinda wrote: "I'm planning on 3 big books this summer:
NO ANGEL by Penny Vincenzi
BENEATH A SCARLET SKY by Mark T. Sullivan
THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE by Ruth Sepetys"

Welcome to Big Book Summer, Melinda! So glad you're joining in this year :) Sounds like a great plan. I LOVE Ruth Sepetys!! And I haven't read Fountains of Silence yet. Hmmm....

Enjoy! Which one are you starting with?

Deb wrote: "I'm going to start with Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

I also want to finish the last book in the Elena Ferrante series and read [book:The Story o..."

Sounds like a great plan, Deb! SO many people are reading Great Circle right now - I need to take a look at it.

Can you do me a favor? Just leave a quick note in the sign-up Discussion. That's where I'll look at the end of the summer to see who signed up for the giveaway - otherwise, it gets really hard to keep track of! Thanks and enjoy your Big Books!

Cassie wrote: "I’m starting out by reading “The Lord of the Rings”. I was planning on doing at least the first one and then trying fit two more Big Books this summer but then I read in the “Note on the Text” that..."

Wow, that sounds like an awesome plan for Big Book Summer! My husband says he's read the full Lord of the Rings trilogy several times - he's a big fan :)

Enjoy!

I finished my book group read last night (The Silent Patient), so today I am starting on my first Big Book of the summer!

I'm starting with End of Watch by Stephen King. It's my shortest "big" book (400 pages), and I still have one more short novel to read for my other book group before they both take a summer break.

Also, my husband has been patiently waiting for me to finish this trilogy, so we can watch season 2 of the Mr. Mercedes TV show together!

I enjoyed the first 2 books in the trilogy, so I'm looking forward to it!

Sue, I checked out your list and wanted to let you know that I LOVED Anna Karenina, I read it with the Oprah Book Club years ago and they had great resources for it. Here’s a link to lots of helpful info, including a downloadable bookmark listing all the characters. I hope it all still works because it was in 2004 I think. https://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/...

Also, I enjoyed Broken Harbor, I like most of the Tana French books.

Victoria wrote: "Sue, I checked out your list and wanted to let you know that I LOVED Anna Karenina, I read it with the Oprah Book Club years ago and they had great resources for it. Here’s a link to lots of helpfu..."

Oooh, thank you, Victoria!! I must admit, I am a bit intimidated by Anna Karenina! By the size and by the fact that I've never read any of the classic Russian literature (!). David Copperfield was about the same size last summer, but I already knew I loved Dickens. I appreciate the resources! Will check those out.

I always include the next Tana French for Big Book Summer - just love her novels and each one seems better than the last!

My list:
MIDDLEMARCH
ANNA KARENINA
and if time permits, GREAT CIRCLE

Maureen M wrote: "My list:
MIDDLEMARCH
ANNA KARENINA
and if time permits, GREAT CIRCLE"

Great list, Maureen! I really enjoyed Middlemarch, read for one of my book groups, though it took me a full month to read it! I loved her writing, though, and found her very clever and witty and still relevant today!

Anna Karenina is in my own Bog Book Summer stack, as well as two other friends, so you'll be in good company with that one!

And you will see LOTS of people here already reading the Great Circle.

Good choices - enjoy! What's up first?

Here's my BBS reading list--2 fictions and 2 non-fictions, all from my TBR shelf:

Black Diamonds: The Downfall of an Aristocratic Dynasty and the Fifty Years that Changed England, by Catherine Bailey (non-fiction, 451 pages) - strongly recommended by my brother Mark and sister Frances
Winter King: Henry VII and the Dawn of Tudor England, by Thomas Penn (non-fiction, 448 pages) - received at Xmas, eager to read
Into the Wilderness, by Sara Donati (fiction, 876 pages) - literally been on my shelf for a decade!
Lionheart, by Sharon Kay Penman (fiction, 684 pages) - next in the Plantagenet series

Mine is similar to Cassie’s! I plan to read all of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I also plan to read Stamped by Ibram Kendi.

Jane wrote: "Here's my BBS reading list--2 fictions and 2 non-fictions, all from my TBR shelf:

Black Diamonds: The Downfall of an Aristocratic Dynasty and the Fifty Years that Changed England, by Catherine Bai..."

Great line-up, Jane! You always come up with some Big Books I've never heard of that sound so intriguing. Enjoy!

Bethany wrote: "Mine is similar to Cassie’s! I plan to read all of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I also plan to read Stamped by Ibram Kendi."

Sounds like a great plan, Bethany! Enjoy!

I’ve settled on a few. I’m going to read The Haj by Leon Uris which I already own. And China, the new title by Edward Rutherfurd since I just got it from the library. Not sure what else I might come up with.

I’ve settled on The Searcher Tana French
28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
Infinity reaper by Adam Silvera

Hi Everyone
I've got a big collection of big books I'm reading from. Right now I'm reading/listening to Child of a Mad God by R.A. Salvatore, a book my brother has been urging me to read. I cheated and started it on Thursday.

I am going to read Dune. My husband has been after me to see the movie and and I said I had to read the book first. Thank goodness the new movie has been delayed.
Dune

No blog, but I will post updates on Instagram.

Victoria wrote: "I’ve settled on a few. I’m going to read The Haj by Leon Uris which I already own. And China, the new title by Edward Rutherfurd since I just got it from the library. Not sure what else I might com..."

Sounds like a great start, Victoria! Enjoy!

Allen wrote: "I’ve settled on The Searcher Tana French
28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
Infinity reaper by Adam Silvera"

I always enjoy Tana French and Adam Silvera - I have a Tana French in my Big Book Summer plans, too!

Cheriee wrote: "Hi Everyone
I've got a big collection of big books I'm reading from. Right now I'm reading/listening to Child of a Mad God by R.A. Salvatore, a book my brother has been urging me to read. I cheate..."

ha ha that counts, Cheriee! Sounds like a great start!

Tina wrote: "I am going to read Dune. My husband has been after me to see the movie and and I said I had to read the book first. Thank goodness the new movie has been delayed.
Dune

No blog, bu..."

Great choice, Tina! Dune is my husband's all-time favorite novel ... and I haven't read it yet, either.

I'm not on Instagram yet, but I bet lots of others here are - please share your Instagram account for your updates, if you like!

I am starting with Middlemarch and then see if I have time to do another one.

Karen wrote: "I am starting with Middlemarch and then see if I have time to do another one."

It's a hefty one, Karen, but well worth the time! Enjoy!

Tina wrote: "I am going to read Dune. My husband has been after me to see the movie and and I said I had to read the book first. Thank goodness the new movie has been delayed.
Dune

No blog, bu..."

I remember reading Dune in my late teens (a very very long time ago). My now partner had an uncle who passed books onto him and I benefitted after he had read them. That's how I ended up reading a lot of Sci Fi. The only author I continued to read after those days was Ursula K Le Guin.

I started reading Becoming by Michelle Obama, my second big book of the summer. I love that she is narrating it herself!

I finished my first book, Lucky Boy by Shanti Sekaran. It had been on my shelf for quite a while so thank you Sue for encouraging me to read my bigger books. Now onto Christopher and Columbus by Elizabeth von Armin.

I finished The Haj by Leon Uris, so one down.

My first (?) book for this challenge is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.

My first big book is The Searcher by Tana French. It is good so far

Cheriee wrote: "Tina wrote: "I am going to read Dune. My husband has been after me to see the movie and and I said I had to read the book first. Thank goodness the new movie has been delayed.
Dune..."
I have yet to read Ursula K LeGuin. I am late to that party. A few weeks ago, I bought one of her books. More for my neverending TBR.

Cheriee wrote: "I started reading Becoming by Michelle Obama, my second big book of the summer. I love that she is narrating it herself!"

Oh, good - you're listening on audio? The audio is wonderful! I just finished listening to it for the 2nd time (my book group was discussing it in May). Wonderful book - enjoy!

Barb wrote: "I finished my first book, Lucky Boy by Shanti Sekaran. It had been on my shelf for quite a while so thank you Sue for encouraging me to read my bigger books. Now onto Christopher and Columbus by El..."

Congratulations on yoru first Big Book of Summer, Barb! Glad the inspiration of the challenge is helping you clear those shelves! That's what I use it for, too.

Enjoy your next Big Book!

Victoria wrote: "I finished The Haj by Leon Uris, so one down."

Congrats on your first Big Book, Vicki! I see Uris is from Baltimore :)

Linda wrote: "My first (?) book for this challenge is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers."

Wonderful, Linda! Glad you decided to join the fun!

Do me a favor and just leave a quick note in the Sign-Up discussion thread - that way, I will know you signed up at the end of summer when I do the giveaway.

Enjoy!

Allen wrote: "My first big book is The Searcher by Tana French. It is good so far"

Congrats on your first Big Book, Allen! I love Tana French and always include one of her novels in my Big Book Summer stack :)

Looks like this one is not a part of her Dublin Murder Squad?

Suzan wrote: "Allen wrote: "My first big book is The Searcher by Tana French. It is good so far"

Congrats on your first Big Book, Allen! I love Tana French and always include one of her novels in my Big Book Su..."
It is not

The one book on my ARC list is Sisters of the Resistance by Christine Wells and I just finished reading it. My review should go live on Friday!

I'm going to read Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

I will be diving into Anna Karenina which has been on my TBR since I've had a TBR.

Davida wrote: "The one book on my ARC list is Sisters of the Resistance by Christine Wells and I just finished reading it. My review..."

Congrats on finishing your first Big Book of the summer, Davida!

Karen wrote: "I'm going to read Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead"

You and everyone else, Karen! You're right on trend with that one - I feel left out!

Enjoy!

Deb wrote: "I will be diving into Anna Karenina which has been on my TBR since I've had a TBR."

Good luck, Deb! Hope you enjoy it!

I finished my second book, "Christopher and Columbus" by Elizabeth von Armin. I love this challenge! I feel so inspired to read.

I just realized that the Jane Fonda biography that I have been reading is 642 pages, so I will put that on my big book challenge pile.

Barb wrote: "I finished my second book, "Christopher and Columbus" by Elizabeth von Armin. I love this challenge! I feel so inspired to read."

Congrats on another Big Book, Barb - and I'm so glad the challenge is inspiring you!

Deb wrote: "I just realized that the Jane Fonda biography that I have been reading is 642 pages, so I will put that on my big book challenge pile."

What a happy coincidence! Hope you're enjoying it.

I think I forgot to mention my first audio Big Book! I'm listening to The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Julia Grames. It's great so far!