Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 2nd Read Harder task. Sign up for our new Read Harder newsletter to get recommendations for each task delivered straight to your inbox! https://bookriot.com/newsletter/read-...

Also leaning toward the earlier named The Sentence since I l already have it on hold from the library and I am a longtime Louise Erdrich fan, but also considering The Uncommon Reader and Time Was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare & Co.. This is a category with so many good options.

The Sentence; A Novel Bookstore; Provenance: Tales from a Bookshop; The Bookshop on the Corner; The Bookshop on Rosemary Lane; Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore; The Lost for Words Bookshop; The Bookshop of Yesterdays; The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II

I was Googling this topic and The Shadow of the Wind came up. If you've read this, can you tell me if it takes place in a bookshop? Google was a bit ambiguous on that.

Jessica wrote: "I was Googling this topic and The Shadow of the Wind came up. If you've read this, can you tell me if it takes place in a bookshop? Google was a bit ambiguous on that."

It does not that I remember but it has been a few years.

The Will Darling series by K.J. Charles has a very prominent bookstore location. The first book is Slippery Creatures.

Jessica wrote: "I was Googling this topic and The Shadow of the Wind came up. If you've read this, can you tell me if it takes place in a bookshop? Google was a bit ambiguous on that."

Parts of Shadow of the Wind Happens in the bookshop, and it is the central location for everything, the whole book is about books and bookstores.

The Sentence I think, although also thinking of The Bookseller of Kabul

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

You
Camino Island
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

I find this one a bit difficult because most books have a variety of settings? For instance, would Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch work for this? Aziraphale's bookshop is a significant setting where many of the events take place, though certainly not the only one.

Any recommendations for queer authors for this category? I'm also trying to add an extra challenge of no cis men authors (unless co-authored with someone else queer).

Kari wrote: "I find this one a bit difficult because most books have a variety of settings? For instance, would Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch work for this? Az..."

I think it's meant to be one of those sorts of books that is bookshop-themed? I'm thinking The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, The Bookshop on the Corner, The Little Paris Bookshop, and The Sentence (I think - I haven't read it yet). But it is pretty book-themed, so it does sort of fit.

If anyone's looking for something light, quick, and funny, Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops makes me laugh every time I pick it up and flip through it. It's just quotes and illustrations though.

I'm not positive about what I want to read for this task yet, but I'm leaning towards making this the year I finally read The Shadow of the Wind. I've been trying to read more works in translation, and this one in particular is one I've been meaning to get to.

I’m going to do either The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry or Mooncakes. Highly highly highly recommend Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Rebecca wrote: "Any recommendations for queer authors for this category? I'm also trying to add an extra challenge of no cis men authors (unless co-authored with someone else queer)."

Mooncakes!

Dani wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "Any recommendations for queer authors for this category? I'm also trying to add an extra challenge of no cis men authors (unless co-authored with someone else queer)."

[book:Moonca..."

This is looks PERFECT! Thanks!

For sure this one is going on my list:

The Sentence

I wanted to get to it this year (2021) but didn't have the time.

Do you think this needs to be fiction set in a bookshop or can it be nonfiction about a bookshop?

Arlene wrote: "Do you think this needs to be fiction set in a bookshop or can it be nonfiction about a bookshop?"

I think there's room for both. Nonfiction about a bookshop would still be centered there. Had I not already read it, I would be considering 84, Charing Cross Road.

I have The Bookshop of Yesterdays on my library TBR and had tagged it as a Book Riot rec so it must have been on one of their lists over the past year. I think I'll do this one for the challenge.

Won-Pyong Sohn's Almond was a very pleasing read and would also satisfy the asexual character requirement of challenge 11

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm not positive about what I want to read for this task yet, but I'm leaning towards making this the year I finally read The Shadow of the Wind. I've been trying to read more works in ..."

This is one of my absolute favorite books! Do read it...you'll be glad you did.

Josh Lanyon's Adrien English series is based in a bookstore. They are great reads.

Kari wrote: "I find this one a bit difficult because most books have a variety of settings? For instance, would Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch work for this? Az..."

I'd say if a bookstore is one of the settings, it counts - go for it! Also, Good Omens is such a great book!

Going to go with Kaouther Adimi's short novel, Our Riches (aka "A Bookshop in Algiers"), which won both the
Prix Renaudot des lycéens and the Prix de l'Algue d'Or.

I have a lot of options for this, mostly cozy mysteries- The Whispered Word, Color Me Murder, or Lost Books and Old Bones.

I'm going to do The Sentence by Louise Erdrich.

If I can get my 8 year old to do it with me, I'll challenge him to read April Fools' Fiasco by Ron Roy

Margaret wrote: "I'm going to do The Sentence by Louise Erdrich.

This is great. It's on my list as well.

I'm not in a major rush to read it so I'll get my copy later but it's certainly one I do want to read at some point next year.

Audra wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I'm not positive about what I want to read for this task yet, but I'm leaning towards making this the year I finally read The Shadow of the Wind. I've been trying to r..."

Thanks for saying so, it makes me feel more sure this needs to be my pick.

Jessica wrote: "I was Googling this topic and The Shadow of the Wind came up. If you've read this, can you tell me if it takes place in a bookshop? Google was a bit ambiguous on that."

The book is fantastic, I read it a long time ago. There is a bookseller and a bookshop, in the context of the reign of Franco in Spain. However, I would say it's set in Madrid (?) not in a bookstore.

Margaret wrote: "I'm going to do The Sentence by Louise Erdrich.

If I can get my 8 year old to do it with me, I'll challenge him to read April Fools' Fiasco by [author..."

Nice! That's on my list too! I've heard good things about this book.

So I am going to pick the The Sentence by Louise Erdrich.

A book where one of the settings is a bookstore, then I would like to recommend the Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, interesting combination of a quest and thriller or Eight Perfect Murders

Lisa wrote: So I am going to pick the The Sentence by Louise Erdrich.

Nice. That one is on my list as well.

Mr. penumbras 24 hour bookstore

I'm going for The Library of Shadows for this one

I will probably read Shakespeare and Company, by Sylvia Beach.

Other possibilities are Bookshop, by Penelope Fitzgerald; and We Are Inevitable, by Gayle Foreman.

Two I recommend are The Shadow of the Wind and 84, Charing Cross Road.

I am thinking of reading The Reading List for this prompt.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend has been on my TBR a while so I'm going to read it for this category.

One of the settings in If on a Winter's Night a Traveler is a bookstore, and it's been on my list for a while - have just started reading this one.

I bought The Bookshop of Yesterdays last year and never got around to reading it, so I will read it for this one! I am so excited.

If anyone is looking for a sweet YA read for this category- I recommend Words in Deep Blue.

If anyone's looking for something a little different, Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, Vol. 1 is a fun little comedy manga about working in a bookstore in Japan. I watched the anime, and it was really interesting to learn about how bookstores and publishing work in another country! I'm hoping reading the manga might have more fun facts that they couldn't share in the adaptation.

Currently reading Mystery Man by Colin Bateman for this prompt. He's a favourite author, and the books a re-read, but I love it. A goofy comedy/mystery, set in a crime-book shop. Well worth a read!

I read The Shadow of the Wind, it was wonderful!

I'm almost done with The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry & I love it! The only thing I don't like is the fact that I've added more than 20 books to my TBR list just by reading this one. My list is long enough!

Chris wrote: "The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

I read this a few years ago and it's really stayed with me. The power of one caring person...

Not that you asked me, but I like Mr. Penumbra better.

John wrote: "I'm almost done with The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry & I love it! The only thing I don't like is the fact that I've added more than 20 books to my TBR list just by reading this one. My list is long..."

I heard this is going to be a movie soon. That would be interesting. Of course, the book is better.

I just heard about The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher and it sounds like a good fit for this one.