The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

30.3 - Katrisa's task: Missing my Bestie

This year, I lost someone very important to me, my best friend Sarah. There is a line in a Fredrik Backman book that says you never have friends like you do when you are 15 - and for me that is true. Our 27 year friendship began with a book so I am making my task in honor of her.

This is a two book task. Choose two different options from options 1–4.

Required: State your options when you post.

Option 1: Road Trip!
One of my favorite memories with Sarah was the road trip we took when we were 18. There is nothing quite like your first taste of freedom, blasting tunes, rolling down the highway. Our road trip took us from our hometown of San Diego, CA to Salt Lake City, UT. Our route took us from California, through Nevada and Arizona and finally to Utah. Read a book set at least 50% in one of these four states (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah).

Option 2: Nightswimming
One of things I remember about that trip was the mix tape we made (it was the 1990s). We put the R.E.M. song Nightswimming on our tape and in honor of that song, we decided to pull off the road one night and swim in some random pond under the stars.
a. Read a book with an author whose initials are some combination of R.E.M. You must use at least 2 of the letters but do not have to use all three. They can be in any order, but each letter can only be used once (E.M. Forster (EMF) or Richard Paul Evans (RPE) would work, but L.M. Montgomery (LMM) would not)
OR
b. Read a book with a title of at least 2 words where the first letters of each of the words can be found in the word NIGHTSWIMMING.
Optional bonus - watch the Nightswimming video: R.E.M. Nightswimming

Option 3: Sarah’s Favorite Books
Sarah’s favorite kinds of books were mysteries/thrillers starring a female detective or cop and food memoirs.
a. Read a book with a MPG Mystery or Thriller AND has a main character crime/mystery solver who is a female police officer, detective, or private eye. The female MC must be a professional. No amateur sleuths. She can have a male partner. This list may be helpful Women Who Solve Crimes.
OR
b. Read a book with MPGs of BOTH Memoir and Food listed (genres may be standalone or embedded)

Option 4: Our Favorite Things
We grew up in San Diego and even after I moved I would still visit every summer and we would go to our favorite beach, Silver Strand. We had our first job together as baristas at our favorite coffee shop, Experience Coffee. And our friendship started in 11th grade when we sat next to each other in photography class and I lent her my copy of Franny and Zoey. Throughout our friendship we have always had beaches, books and coffee. Read a book with a cover featuring a sandy beach, a book(s) or coffee/tea cup(s). If choosing the beach option, the cover must clearly show a sandy beach and a body of water, not just water or sand. Ex:

Approved books:
Option 1: Always Crashing in the Same Car: On Art, Crisis, and Los Angeles, California (setting CA)

Option 2:

Option 3:
American Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World (food+memoir)
Food: A Love Story (food+memoir)
James Patterson's Women's Murder Club books (female crime solver)
Inspector Lynley series (female crime solver)
A Killing in China Basin (female crime solver)
Kinsey Millhone series (female crime solver)
Sharon McCone series (female crime solver)

Option 4:
(sandy beach)
(sandy beach)

Doesn't Work

Option 1:

Option 2:

Option 3: bond enforcement agent does not work


Option 4:

This thread is now open!

I'd like to get this locked in for MPGs Memoir and Food (memoir is near the bottom of the MPG list). American Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World

Thank you.

Nice task Katrisa panders to my obsession with JD Robb and the In death series

Can I get Food: A Love Story confirmed for 3b (Memoirs and Food MPG)?

Would a Bond Enforcement agent work for option 3a?

Would this group work?

"Four crime-solving friends face off against a killer in San Francisco in the Women's Murder Club novel that started James Patterson's thrilling series.

Each one holds a piece of the puzzle: Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector in the San Francisco Police Department, Claire Washburn is a medical examiner, Jill Bernhardt is an assistant D.A., and Cindy Thomas just started working the crime desk of the San Francisco Chronicle."

This group works together to solve crimes.

Kim wrote: "I'd like to get this locked in for MPGs Memoir and Food (memoir is near the bottom of the MPG list). American Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World

Thank you."

Approved

Emily wrote: "Can I get Food: A Love Story confirmed for 3b (Memoirs and Food MPG)?"

Approved! And highly endorsed! I listened to this one on a long driver and my hubs and I were cracking up the whole time. Also it is absolutely in the spirit of my task as it was literally one of the last books I recommended to Sarah

Marie (UK) wrote: "Nice task Katrisa panders to my obsession with JD Robb and the In death series"

This genre is kinda new to me, but I am reading more of them because they remind me of Sarah, so this series is totally going on my TBR!

Valorie wrote: "Would a Bond Enforcement agent work for option 3a?"

I am going to say no on bond enforcement since their main thing they are paid to do is catch bail jumpers and not necessarily to solve crimes.

Bea wrote: "Would this group work?

"Four crime-solving friends face off against a killer in San Francisco in the Women's Murder Club novel that started James Patterson's thrilling series.

Each one holds a pi..."

I'll accept it since one of the members is a homicide detective. As long as there is a female cop or detective I am ok with it.

Kim wrote: "I'd like to get this locked in for MPGs Memoir and Food (memoir is near the bottom of the MPG list). American Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World

Thank you."

Approved!

Just to make sure I am not confused: Would Children of God by Mary Doria Russell work for Option 2a? (2 of the author's initals, MDR, are found in REM.)

Thanks!

Christine yes you are correct. That will work as you only have to match 2 letters and they can be in any order!

Will Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers from the Inspector Lynley series work for 3a? She's the other main character after Lynley.

Chris wrote: "Will Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers from the Inspector Lynley series work for 3a? She's the other main character after Lynley."

Yes - in the blurb for the first book it says "Along with the redoubtable Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers". The female detective can be part of a team.

Katrisa wrote: "Emily wrote: "Can I get Food: A Love Story confirmed for 3b (Memoirs and Food MPG)?"

Approved! And highly endorsed! I listened to this one on a long driver and my hubs and I were c..."

Perfect, then! I'm glad that I picked one that fits the task's spirit so well!

I listened to the audiobook of Dad Is Fat earlier this year, and loved it. I plan on using the audiobook for this one as well.

Emily wrote: "I listened to the audiobook of Dad Is Fat earlier this year, and loved it. I plan on using the audiobook for this one as well.
..."

I think this one is even funnier than Dad is Fat! I hope you like it!

Kathy KS

Just verifying the female partner, like the Havers question.
"...veteran San Francisco homicide inspector, Ben Raveneau, and his hard-charging new partner, Elizabeth la Rosa, catch their first case together. "
A Killing in China Basin

Just confirming this works for beach

Thanks

Kathy you may use A Killing in China Basin.

Sue your beach cover works.

Please approve this cover for a sandy beach: Death of a Lobster Lover.

Aprilleigh wrote: "Please approve this cover for a sandy beach: Death of a Lobster Lover."

Approved

Morning

Could I just confirm that the following series would fit option 3a? They are both professional (paid) PIs.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/4311..., Marcia Muller
https://www.goodreads.com/series/4088..., Sue Grafton

Thanks.

I would like to confirm that Always Crashing in the Same Car: On Art, Crisis, and Los Angeles, California by Matthew Specktor will work for Option 1?
(setting is in CA and referenced in title as well as on the main book page)

Trish wrote: "Morning

Could I just confirm that the following series would fit option 3a? They are both professional (paid) PIs.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/4311..., Marcia Muller
https://www..."

Both series will work

Natalie wrote: "I would like to confirm that Always Crashing in the Same Car: On Art, Crisis, and Los Angeles, California by Matthew Specktor will work for Option 1?
(setting is in..."

Yes this book will work

Would work for option 4? There is both water and sand.

@Kim The Bookshop by the Sea will work. I can see sand and sea!

Katrisa wrote: "@Kim The Bookshop by the Sea will work. I can see sand and sea!"

Thanks!

Also astral bonus points for combining two of our favorite things! Books and beaches!

just checking Katrissa i could use Edward Rutherfurd for author - I don't need the M of REM

Marie (UK) wrote: "just checking Katrissa i could use Edward Rutherfurd for author - I don't need the M of REM"

Correct! You only need to match 2 letters :)