You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

September! It's the time to come out of hibernation or to start getting indoorsy. Either way with our in-between time, lets pull out some board games and push all the bills and clutter from the dining table on to the floor and play!

This month, I would like you to read a book based on a board game. Take an aspect of the game, and apply it to you book. So as examples:

- Checkers: your book cover is only red and black
- Monopoly: one of the main characters is a real estate agent
- Carcassonne: the book is set in the medieval period
- Balderdash: there is an unreliable narrator
- Galaxy Trucker: a spaceship is destroyed in your book

Think a little laterally, I would like a little more than Cluedo = murder mystery, or Scattegories/Taboo = it has words.

Reporting:
- WoF Name
- Tell us what book you read
- Tell us what board game you are drawing from (Edit: links are good too so we can look into it!) and how the book ties in to the game
- Did you like the book?
- A couple of sentences explaining your thoughts on the book.

General Rules:

1. The book may be in any format - paperback, ebook, audiobook.
2. The book may be combined with the Year Long Challenge and the Group Themed Read.
3. The book must be read between September 1 - September 31, 2024 (based on your local time zone).
4. The challenge is for one book. You may read more books if you chose but you may only report one.
5. The book must be 175 pages or more determined by the issue you read.

In the case of ebooks & audiobooks, use the hardcover or paperback edition to determine page length. From the book page, select “all editions”, then select the first paper edition as your guide. If reading an ebook and there is no paper edition, the ebook book must be at least 250 pages. If reading an audiobook and there is no paper edition, your book must be a minimum of 6 hours long.

WoF Marnie

I read The Black Bird Oracle (446 pages) and connected it to the game of chess. The main character’s last name is Bishop which is a chess piece.

It was an ok read for me. I have loved this series but this book didn’t have the whimsy of the others. I found the main character’s impulsiveness less charming than when she was younger and didn’t have others to consider.

A three star read for me.

I read There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak and connected it to the game Rivers, Roads, and Rails - both have rivers in the title. (464 pages)

Through three interconnected stories we follow one drop of water as it spans centuries and impacts the civilizations and people that rise and fall. Do not rush this book. The writing is eloquent and brilliant and hits on a variety of topics. You will need time to reflect. ★★★★★

WoF Nix

I read In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead and connected it to the boardgame Traitors.

The objective of the game is for the faithfuls to hunt out "traitors" and the book follows same suit where a group of friends try to hunt out the murderer amongst them.

I quite liked this book, quick read with dark academia setting. It is too dramatic but I did not mind it in this one. The ending, though not unpredictable, was kind of satisfying to me.

WoF Shirley
I read The Woman in Cabin 10
I connected it to the game of Scrabble because the tiles in Scrabble have a letter and a number. This book's title has letters and a number.

I liked this book. It's been on my TBR for quite some time, and it completes a total of 8 books that I've read by this author.

It's a murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns, and a good satisfying ending. I'm looking forward to the movie adaptation coming soon to Netflix with Keira Knightley as the main character.

WoF Aya

I read A Rover's Story and connected it with First Martians: Adventure on the Red Planet. It's about exploring Mars, collecting samples, and repairing rover.

I once heard about a Mars' rover named Curiosity that sang happy birthday to itself. So when I first saw this book, I immediately put it on my list. Apparently, the story is inspired by real rovers: Curiosity and Perseverance. I really like this book because the author gave a rover a life and feelings, which isn't so robotic. I didn't expect this book would make me emotional.

WofTrudyAn

I read Such a Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry (352 pp). Connection: original Ticket to Ride board game, where players build a railroad across North America.

This novel is set in 1970s Bombay. I enjoyed being immersed in Indian culture, and learned more about the politics of the day, though I feel I probably missed much of the symbolism. Amazing characterisation.

WoF Name - Janice

I read Her Final Breath which ties in with the game Clue. One of the weapons in the game is a rope - https://cluepedia.fandom.com/wiki/Lis...
Her final breath has a rope prominently on the cover.
.

I enjoyed the book but I wasn't blown away by it. It took a long time to read and bogged down in the middle.

WoFSharonBiskit

I read Girls' Trip: A Disturbingly Addictive Psychological Thriller by Jason Letts.

I chose the game Parchesi. This is a game that originated in India. The Indian name, (Pachisi), means 25. This book was published 1/25/24 and has 235 pages (PB). The “25” in the publication date is intact and there is a 2 and a 5 in the page numbers.

All of that and I am afraid I gave the book ⭐️⭐️…actually 1.5. I can deal with suspending reality, but this pushed the limits! It is the first of a series.

Pachisi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachisi

WoF Grainne

I read Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove
The book has the word bells in the title. I linked it to the game Halli Galli. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2...
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=halli+galli

Summary of Halli Galli: There's a bell in the middle of the players. Cards are turned over one by one until there are 5 of the same type of fruit visible on the table. Ring the bell as quickly as possible to get all of the cards on the table. The more cards you have, the better.

The book, Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove, was a little predictable but all in all, it was a cozy romance story set by the seaside.

- WoF Name: Beth
- Tell us what book you read: The Last Kingdom
- Tell us what board game you are drawing from (Edit: links are good too so we can look into it!) and how the book ties in to the game: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3...
An ex of mine had this game, and it took hours, but I loved it. I got a used copy and then it was destroyed when our apartment in Houston flooded. This challenge inspired me to buy another used copy... Kingmaker is about battles for power (in this case War of the Roses) in England. So is this book, but the book is about Vikings and various other ethnic groups in Britain fighting for land and power.
Did you like the book? Yes
- A couple of sentences explaining your thoughts on the book: I liked the book. I sort of groan when I see Viking as a category in annual challenges, because I am not super into Viking things. Or wasn't. Now I am looking at my Viking relatives on 23 and me and will likely read more of this series. So I guess I like the book. It actually is based on the author's family line in the early days of the UK, which is pretty cool.

WoF Silver

I read Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard

Connection I choose the game Backgammon. Backgammon was once banned under gambling laws. Tishomingo Blues is set at a casino and features gambling.

https://usbgf.org/backgammon-basics-h...
https://alexandrallewellyn.com/about/...

I throughly enjoyed this book. It was a fun rolic of a story. A lot of twists and turns. An interesting collection of undesirable characters. I love Leonard’s dark humor and how he show cases the underbelly of society. It was very entertaining with a lot of complexities.

WoF Sarah

I read Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff.

I connected it to board game 'Arkham Horror', I have the card game version https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2... both are based on Lovecraftian lore with cults, magic, strange occurences, and more besides. Less people went insane in the book compared to the game though lol

I listened to the audiobook. The narration was good. I like how the book was structured. It was almost like a collection of separate tales but in chronological order with same setting and characters. It was sufficiently strange. I really enjoyed it so I think i will watch the tv show now.

- WoF Lynn

- Book read: Home Again for Christmas
- Board Game: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2...
MC has a Wish Jar, that she carries everywhere with her and puts a new wish in there every year,
- I enjoyed the book. A thoughtful story about grief, with both the romantic couple and supporting cast of character arcs through that grief, while sprinkled with cozy holiday vibes.

- WoF Name Jannene
- Tell us what book you read
- Tell us what board game you are drawing from (Edit: links are good too so we can look into it!) and how the book ties in to the game
The cover is red and black like checkers which is the board game that I am picking.
- Did you like the book? I did like the book. The ending was unexpected and I cannot wait to start the last on in this duo.
- A couple of sentences explaining your thoughts on the book. The countess was very calculating and her sevants were merely pawns to her gain. She aspired to keep her beauty and would do anything to keep it. The ending was very surprising to me.

- WoF Name Katrisa
- Tell us what book you read I stole Sarah's idea and went with The Fated Sky
- Tell us what board game you are drawing from - I linked to the game Terraforming Mars https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1... which is one of my favorite games and I play it fairly often. The link is that both the game and the book involve trying to make Mars habitable
- Did you like the book? Yes, I liked this book even better than the first book in the series and am looking forward to the next one.
- A couple of sentences explaining your thoughts on the book. This book got pretty intense! I am really enjoying this alternate history. Sometimes with the space exploration, I forget that it is set in the 1960s.

WoF Vicki

I read Shady Hollow for the game Everdell - in which you are making a town of woodland creatures. I meant to post this earlier in the month as they just finished funding a new version for 2 players with a co-op campaign which I'm looking forward to. It's not out yet but here is the game page:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4...

I enjoyed Shady Hollow. (It ties onto Everdell as it is set in a small town of woodland critters) It was a quick read which is what I needed as I'm struggling to read right now. A murder mystery which I thought I had solved but was wrong. Some of the characters are a bit too much their species. (ie; he's a beaver, he's busy/industrious) this just came off as a bit lazy but also inconsistent. I'll read another in the series however I'm not eager.

WoF Name: Kristie

I read The Sunflower House and linked it to Monopoly because you buy houses to put on your Monopoly properties.

I thought the book was excellent. This was Adriana Allegri's debut novel and I was really impressed. The initial dialogue felt slightly off, but after the first couple of chapters it improved and felt much smoother. There were a couple of parts that were difficult to read, but the story was very well-done.

WoF - Rusalka

I read The Raphael Affair tied into the game "Fresco" https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6... where you are a master artist restoring a renaissance painting, by managing apprentices, gathering paints, managing time, etc.

This book was about a Raphael painting, and involved art theft, art restoration, art forgery, and many art museum bits and pieces. It was fun, but a little dated with it's sexism showing. But if you want to chase art throughout Europe, this is a book (and according to my colleague who recommended it, a series) for you.

Hi everyone.
I am so incredibly sorry, but badges are now posted.
Thank you for all your patience with me this year while the wheels have fallen off. Please let me know if anyone is missing a badge you have earnt.