Pick-a-Shelf discussion

This has been suggested by a couple of group members, and we thought now would be the perfect time to try it out! This could be used as another opportunity to shave some titles from your TBR and also read from a variety of shelves.

The rules are simple. Each person starts their chain with any book they like. After reading their first book, the title of the next book in their chain needs to start with the last letter of their first book. For example, if you start your chain with The Hunger Games, your next book might be Shades of Grey. And after that you might want to read The Year of the Flood.

You choose whether or not to ignore the articles "a," "an," and "the" since that will give you more flexibility with title choices. You choose also whether or not to use only the main title or the subtitle as well - for example, the full title of "Shades of Grey" is Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron, so instead of choosing your next title with a "Y," in that case, you could have gone with a title starting with an "N."

Post your first title in this thread and then come back to add titles to your chain as you read books. The one who creates the largest chain in the next two months (March 10 - May 10, 2010) will be the Chain Challenge Champion. :) Feel free to also post your star ratings and links to reviews of your books as you create your chain.

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Chain Challenge Champion:
Karen - 27

Chain Challengers:
Karen - 27
Natasha - 25
Luann - 24
Amy - 15
Sam - 12
Tina - 8
Tara - 7
Lauren - 4
Em - 3
Leonie - 2
Natalie - 1
Heather - 1

Going to start with Catching Firebrilliant but now i need a time machine so that i can go to august and get book three.

Chain Challenge List.

1. Catching Fire * - 10th march
2. The Echelon Vendetta ** - 13th march
3. The Anniversary Man **** - 16th march
4.N or M? *** - 19th march
5.The Monster of Florence *** - 22nd march
6. eifelhiem ** - 27th march
7.The Missing ** - 31st march
8.The Gnostic Gospels *** - 2nd april
9.Silence of The Grave **** - 2nd april
10.Excavation *** - 3rd april
11.Nada * - 4th april
12.Altar of Eden - 5th april
13.Not Dead Enough - 9th april
14.Heretic:The Templar Chronicles **** - 9th april
15.A Sea Of Troubles ** - 10th april
16.The Shadow Project - 11th april
17.Their Eyes Were Watching God *** - 13th april
18.Deep Fathom *** - 15th april
19.Mount Dragon *** - 18th april
20.No Cure For Cancer **** - 18th april
21.Rebels & Traitors **** - 24th april
22.Subterranean - 26th april
23.Nocturnes *** - 27th april
24.Suite Francaise **** - 1st may
25.Empires Of Sand *** - 7th may
26.The Darkest Room **** - 8th may
27.Mistress of The Art Of Death *** - 9th may








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I think I am going to start with The City of Ember.

1. The City of Ember****3/11
2. The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life Through the Pages of a Lost Journal** 3/16
3. Lips Touch: Three Times*** 3/20
4. How I Live Now*** 3/21
5. When You Reach Me 3/23
6. Elsewhere**** 4/10
7. Enter Three Witches 4/30
8. Soon I Will Be Invincible

I think I will end with book 7, but who knows I might finish it by May 10th.

My Chain:

1. Why Do Men Have Nipples? Hundreds of Questions You'd Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini by Mark Leyner
2.

1. Daughters of the North

2. Hiroshima

Sounds like fun. My first book will be:

1.Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo***1/2
2.

I am not doing very well with this, so I think I am going to drop out. I have too many library books that don't fit together this way, and most I am reading for challenges and group reads, so I don't want to give them up. Maybe the next game will go better.

FYI - I will just be updating this post as I add posts. Does this mini-game have a time limit?

Lyn, it runs from March 10 - May 10.

I'll be updating my thread above, too, rather than adding more posts.

Hmmmm.... I'll use this space, but I have to go pick out a book. :oP

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Tara wrote: "I think I am going to start with The City of Ember. Also one of the books I was thinking of using is Fever 1793 can the next book begin with the "R" in Fever?"

I would be inclined to say just spell out the numbers and use "E" as your next starting letter, but I think it's your call.

Tara wrote: "I think I am going to start with The City of Ember. Also one of the books I was thinking of using is Fever 1793 can the next book begin with the "R" in Fever?"

Wow, that's a situation I didn't think of, Tara! (Great book, by the way!). I agree with Em, it's your call. You could ignore the number and use the "R" from Fever or pretend the year is spelled out and use the "E." Either way is fine.

Lyn M wrote: "Does this mini-game have a time limit?"

Yes, we'll go for two months - from March 10 to May 10.

This is a bit like playing dominoes, only with book titles!

1. Feed by M.T. Anderson -- 4 stars -- read March 13
2. Dragonwings by Laurence Yep -- 4 stars -- read March 15
3. Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps by Andrea Warren -- 4 stars -- read March 16
4. Shadow Dragons by James A. Owen -- 4 stars -- read March 24
5. Snowflakes: A Flurry of Adoption Stories by Teresa Kelleher -- 5 stars -- read March 25
6. Skellig by David Almond -- 4 stars -- read March 26
7. Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall -- 4 stars -- read March 28
8. Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe by Bette Greene -- 3.5 stars -- read March 29
9. Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett -- 4.5 stars -- read March 31
10. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley -- 3.5 stars -- read April 4
11. Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell -- 5 stars -- read April 4
12. The Undaunted by Gerald N. Lund -- 5 stars -- read April 9
13. Dragon's Gate by Laurence Yep -- 4 stars -- read April 13
14. Erak's Ransom by John Flanagan -- 5 stars -- read April 14
15. Mort by Terry Pratchett -- 4 stars -- read April 17
16. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan -- 3 stars -- read April 20
17. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley -- 3.5 stars -- read April 24
18. Dragonheart by Todd McCaffrey -- 3.5 stars -- read April 29
19. The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne -- 3 stars -- finally finished April 29!
20. Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George -- 5 stars -- read May 1
21. Signal by Cynthia DeFelice -- 3 stars -- read May 2
22. Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse -- 3.5 stars -- read May 6
23. Anna of Byzantium by Tracy Barrett -- 3 stars -- read May 8
24. My Life in France by Julia Child -- 4 stars -- read May 9
25. Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly - currently reading, although I probably won't finish it in time.

---

Click on my star rating above to read my review.
Chain so far: 24

Luann wrote: "Tara wrote: "I think I am going to start with The City of Ember. Also one of the books I was thinking of using is Fever 1793 can the next book begin with the "R" in Fev..."

Thanks! I ended up changing out one of the books before that one and so it looks like I will be needing a different book now so no more worries, I guess.

I'm going to start with Outlaw by Angus Donald, it's been on my TBR for ages so about time I got around to it I think.

Chain Challenge List:

1. Outlaw by Angus Donald - finished 12/03/2010, 5*
2. The Wrong Kind of Snow by Rob Penn and Antony Woodward - finished 19/03/2010, 4*
3. The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies - finished 25/03/2010, 5*
4. Lost Lives by David McKittrick - finished 05/04/2010, 5*
5. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: Or The Murder at Road Hill House by Kate Summerscale - finished 10/04/2010, 2*
6. Egypt Revealed: Artist Travellers in an Antique Land by T.G.H. James - finished 16/04/2010, 3*
7. Dracula: the Un-dead by Dacre Stoker - finished 18/04/2010, 2*
8. DEAD ish by Naomi Kramer - finished 18/04/2010, 4*
9. Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning by George Monbiot - finished 19/04/2010, 4*
10. The Old Curiosity Shop, Authentic Edition by Charles Dickens - finished 29/04/2010, 3*
11. Pandora's Daughters by Jane Robinson - finished 06/05/2010, 4*
12. Nobody True by James Herbert - finished 06/05/2010, 3*
13. The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan - finished 10/05/2010, 5*

Ooooo, sounds fun! I'll start with The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

1. The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir **** Great read. 3/13/2010
2. The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran Loved it!3/19/2010
3. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell(I'm in the mood for a romance that has a happy ever after :) **** I've finished it and it definitely fulfilled every longing for happily ever after. 3/21/2010
Here be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman. Can't wait to start this trilogy! (If only the second in the series started with an 's', I'd be set!) I'm going to have to shelve this for awhile, I'm stuck here--I think because I know me, when I start a series, I compulsively read it to the end. So, I'm going to choose another 'H' book!
4. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boone, which coincidentally, is on the favorites shelf! Couldn't put it down. An unforgettable book. 4/1/2010
5. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde *** 4/2/2010
6. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier Loved it! 4/7/2010
7. A Thousand Splendid Suns Wow. 4/8/2010
8. Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn **** Distracting, entertaining, served its purpose as a light read. 5/2/2010

I liked this one Tina. I'll be anxious to see what you think of it.

This looks like fun, I've just started Fahrenheit 451 so I guess that will be my first book.

Going to start with Brave New World which I had planned to read anyway for our Dystopia month and I was thinking yesterday I might read the next Dexter book soon, so that fits perfectly.

Drat! I'm reading World War Z. How bad is that? I might have to go for shortest chain!

Sunflower wrote: "Drat! I'm reading World War Z. How bad is that? I might have to go for shortest chain!"

Actually, as I found out while doing a Title A-Z challenge last year, Z is easier than some of the other letters - like X, Q, and K. For the Title A-Z, I read Zia by Scott O'Dell. It's a sequel to Island of the Blue Dolphins.

A few suggestions from my to-read list:
The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story
Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime Sarajevo
Zoobreak (sequel to Swindle by Gordon Korman)

I'm sure there are many others as well.

You could always read The Zombie Survivial Guide!

1. Nineteen Eighty-Four (technically I started this before today but I haven't been reading much lately, so I'm gonna go with it anyway)
Finished March 14, 2010 ****
2. Return to Labyrinth, Vol. 3 (I need a nice light read after 1984!)
Finished March 14, 2010
3. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Finished March 20, 2010
4. Trainspotting

Em, it doesn't matter when you start it. It's when you finish the book that counts. :)

I'm starting with:

1. At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost (***)
2. Deeper than the Dead by Tami Hoag (**)
3. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (**1/2)
4. Dancing in the Dark by Mary Jane Clark (**1/2)
5. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (****)
6. The Only Suspect by Jonnie Jacobs (**1/2)
7. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (***)
8. The Hollow by Nora Roberts (**1/2)
9. Witch and Wizard by James Patterson (***)
10. Don’t Tell by Karen Rose (***)
11. L.A. Requiem by Robert Crais (***1/2)
12. Martin Misunderstood by Karin Slaughter (*1/2)
13. The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan (***1/2)
14. Saving Ceecee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman (****)
15. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (****)
16. Rough Justice by Lisa Scottoline (in progress)

Luann wrote: "Sunflower wrote: "Drat! I'm reading World War Z. How bad is that? I might have to go for shortest chain!"

Actually, as I found out while doing a Title A-Z challenge last year, Z is easier than s..."
Thanks for all the helpful hints, guys!

Lyn M wrote: "I liked this one Tina. I'll be anxious to see what you think of it."

I did enjoy it--but have to say as far as her fiction writing, I liked Innocent Traitor better! I read the The Children of Henry VIII earlier this month, and was hoping that this would cover more of her reign, instead it was a more dramatic telling of what she wrote in the nonfiction book (should have taken the hint from the title "Lady" Elizabth). I've got The Life of Elizabeth I on the way to me, and am eager to dive into it.

Natasha wrote: "I really like your format Luann. I'm going to borrow it if you don't mind."

Feel free!

as long as it's a different book, I don't see why not

Natasha wrote: "Question: Can we repeat letters?"

Definitely!

Tina wrote: "3. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (I'm in the mood for a romance that has a happy ever after :)..."

Tina, have you seen the BBC miniseries of North and South with Richard Armitage as John Thornton?

Luann wrote: "Tina wrote: "3. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (I'm in the mood for a romance that has a happy ever after :)..."

Tina, have you seen the BBC miniseries of North and South with Richard Armita..."

I watched it only a little while--got the Gaskell collection for a Christmas present. Now, since I've just finished the book, I'm going to go watch it again. I loved it and hope I still have the same high regard now that I've read the book. . .

1. The 19th Wife Finished March
2. Eclipse Finished March
3. Empty Cradles Finished April
4. Six Weeks to Toxic Finished May
5. Close Enough To Kill Finished June
6. Life on the Refrigerator Door

Have finished:
Brave New World
Dearly Devoted Dexter
now starting The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, then The Road which I see is on the Favourite list so that will fit in with our April reads. Haven't decided where to go after that but I do love these challenges!

Tina wrote: "Ooooo, sounds fun! I'll start with The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir
... 4. Here be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman


I don't think I'm going to join this challenge, but wanted to suggest: If you like Penman's series, I recommend The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet, which I think is even better.

Thanks for the recommendation--I'll check it out!

Susan wrote: "Tina wrote: "Ooooo, sounds fun! I'll start with The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir
... 4. Here be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman


I don't think I'm going to join this ch..."

1. Not for Packrats Only by Don Aslett
2. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
3. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (audiobook)
4. The Screwtape Letters
5. The Time Traveller's Wife

Susan - The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet isn't Penman, though, right?

I'm just now joining the challenge. I've been slightly absent from my groups because of school *sigh*. This is a great way for me to decide what books to read in what order on another challenge I'm doing to shave off my TBR.

1. Witches Bane by Susan Wittig Albert
2. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
3. The Truth About Witchcraft Today by Scott Cunningham
4. Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay
5. Like A Charm by Candace Havens

Catamorandi wrote: "1. Not for Packrats Only by Don Aslett
2. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
3. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (audiobook)
4. The Screwtape Letters
5. The Time Traveller's Wife"

Catamorandi, is this your list for April's favorites shelf? Because it doesn't really work in that order for the chain challenge.

Lyn M wrote: "Susan - The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet isn't Penman, though, right?"
You're right. Sorry not to be clear. It's Edith Pargeter, though I think that's only a pseudonym.

Quick question...is Martin Misunderstood by Karin Slaughter too short to be counted as a book? It is an unabridged audiobook that is 2.5 hours long.

I would say it counts afterall nobody has said that actual physical books must be a minimum length

I would agree with that

Thanks, because if fits perfectly into my chain. I have six library books that will go right after it.

Amy wrote: "Quick question...is Martin Misunderstood by Karin Slaughter too short to be counted as a book? It is an unabridged audiobook that is 2.5 hours long."

It definitely counts, Amy. There was never a rule about how long the book must be.

I've added a list of "Chain Challengers" to post #1. Please let me know if you should be on the list and aren't, or if I don't have the correct number of books listed for your chain. Thanks! We've got just over three weeks left.

Well, I think my chain might be have been cut short this time around. I've been going back and forth between school and home for work a lot this month and I'm afraid I lost Trainspotting... oh well!

15 more days!

Work and School have ruined my chain, I was only able to read one book this month :0(

Wow....only 15 more days to go, I'll try to post the new Challenge by Friday :0)
I know your probably all dying to know what it is, so I'll give you a hint "it has to do with all the hard work you do every month and the fantastic reviews you write" :0)

Slayermel wrote: "Work and School have ruined my chain, I was only able to read one book this month :0(

Wow....only 15 more days to go, I'll try to post the new Challenge by Friday :0)
I know your probably all d..."

I am with you! I got stuck on "E" and finally found another book. I am going to try and get it in, but that will probably be it.

Did you notice the tie for 1st?