Chapter Adventure Reading Challenges (Formerly GXO) discussion

SEPTEMBER Key Words:

"COUNTRY, HOUSE, TOP, MAN, WILD, SWEET, ONCE, WAKE"

--- Comment below with ---
(1) The name and author of the book you're reading for the challenge,
(2) CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've finished reading the book.
(3) Did you like the book? What did you love (or not love) about it?

Challenge Complete!
Word: Man
Book: The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup.
Creepy crime novel, very much enjoyed! See my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Challenge completed with SWEET

Sweet Fire and Stone J.A. Whiting 9/9/21

A fun little series with this one set around Halloween. A little escape to a seaside town, a little bit of paranormal mystery, but a whole lot of friendship and family matter most to the characters.

Challenge Complete
Title: Drowned Country
Author: Emily Tesh

This is a fantasy novella - part 2 in the Greenhollow series. I loved the atmosphere, the imagination and the folklore of the book.

Challenge Complete
Title: The House in the Cerulean Sea
Author: TJ Klune

A fantasy novel about lonely caseworker who investigates an orphanage for magical youth. The themes of acceptance, tolerance, and respect for diversity are a little overt, but the characterization of the supernatural kids is terrific.

I read The summer house, it was a fun read with a summer vibe and some serious themes. I liked it, but I like her Christmas books even better. Challenge complete

Challenge complete
Sweet Tea Tuesdays by Ashley Farley
Sweet book about the importance and friends and family and how we should all consider what we do and say as we never know when it will be our last. Wonderful read with great characters a heart warming read.

Challenge complete (twice!)
Key Word: sweet
Title: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Author: Jamie Ford
I always say any book that makes me cry is a good book. I thought this book set in Seattle when the Japanese internment happened during the war was definitely a good read. I usually don't enjoy the back and forth of past and "present", but it worked in this case. It tells the story of a Chinese boy (with a Japanese friend) at the time and then looking at the past as an adult.

Second book:
Key Word: wild
Title: Chernobyl's Wild Kingdom
Author: Rebecca L. Johnson
Supposed to be a middle school/teen book about what happened (scientifically & biologically) to the animals (and nature) in the Chernobyl's nuclear disaster, but any adult could and should read it. Very interesting and scary that it could happen in multiple places in the U.S., including not very far from me in North Carolina. Also, heartening to know that nature can bounce back, even from something so horrible.

I am sorry that now is that I am posting my challenge word book. I read The bone house by Emily Lloyd-Jones. And I was surprised by how much I loved this book. I believe that it will be considered a fantasy book, is not a thriller and is not horror. I highly recommend it.

My September read was actually a second attempt at finishing the book. I tried to read this book when it came out. I DNFed it then. I believe it was the wrong time in my life for a book like this. The second time around I did not only finish it but actually liked it. I read: The Ninth House