Read Women discussion

In a week, we'll start our last quarterly challenge of the year. Our theme is fantasy and horror. Readers who like darkness and readers who like lightness and magic can each find their tribe and books that bring them joy. Fiction and nonfiction alike qualify.

Our challenge starts 1 October and ends 31 December. Our November group read, Son of a Trickster squarely fits, and our October group read of Shirley Jackson's short story collection, Just an Ordinary Day: The Uncollected Stories (a combination of horror and other topics are the subject matter), mostly fits out theme (unless you decide it does not). If you're participating in our BINGO Author Challenge, maybe you're interested in reading one or more Martha Wells Murderbot novels to complete a row or column.

This thread is the place to capture our plans, thoughts and conversations about our challenge reads. We encourage everyone to engage in this thread in order to have more conversations between members about the books we're reading and choosing; however, if it's important to you to set up and maintain a separate thread to capture your progress, feel free to do so in this Quarterly Challenge folder.

If you're a fan of widgets for tracking your challenge reads, access the link here https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/....

Do you plan to participate? Let us know what you're thinking about reading, share lists and suggestions, seek resources and recommendations at your option, and then tell us how you liked the books you read as you go.

These are new genres for me but on GR I've been learning of alot of books that interest me that fit these categories.

I have these planned:

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler, also for Bingo
Son of a Trickster, the November group read by Eden Robinson
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (DNF)
The Houseguest and Other Stories by Amparo Dávila
Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner
In the Dream House, a memoir by Carmen Maria Machado (striking from list as I didn't see this as qualifying)

I've got a few other titles on my shelf too which I'm excited about but TBD what I actually get into this quarter...

Jen wrote: "These are new genres for me but on GR I've been learning of alot of books that interest me that fit these categories.

I have these planned:

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo (The Fox Wife was one of my favorite 2024 reads)
Green Smoke by Rosemary Manning (classic, childrens, UK, dragons!)
The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi (picture book, Japanese author, alt version of Little Red Riding Hood)

I will also look through my Japanese collection for books about yokai and the like.

I've been getting into sci fi/fantasy a lot recently so this challenge has come at the perfect time for me. In fact I'm struggling to read any other fiction for some reason. I'm very particular with what works for me, I haven't really figured out what my criteria are though I just know that there's a lot that isn't working for me right now. I've never dnf'd as many books as I have this year. Anyhow, I'm going for a wide variety. My current plans (which will probably change):

Things They Lost by Okwiri Oduor (African, spiritual)
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler (apocalyptic dystopia) the first in this series was actually my least favourite butler so far but I was gifted the second so...
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (indigenous, high fantasy) I'm not always great with high fantasy but I'm hopeful about this one. Library hold

And another from the following:
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez (feminist, lesbian, vampires)
Chlorine by Jade Song (coming of age, horror, mermaids)
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki (transgender coming of age with aliens and the devil)

Jen wrote: "These are new genres for me but on GR I've been learning of alot of books that interest me that fit these categories.

I have these planned:

Wild Seed by [author:Octavia E. Butler|..."

I'm excited about reading the wild seed series but have read a lot of butler recently so I'm trying to hold off. I loved the trickster trilogy!

@Hannah, I’ll be curious for your thoughts on Uncommon Stars :) Question- what is coa?

I'm currently reading an ARC of Mariana Enriquez's collection A Sunny Place for Shady People uneven like a lot of collections but some really powerful pieces too. Fascinating on social issues, women's bodies/menopause etc It's due out in the UK very soon and think may already be available in the US.

Alwynne wrote: "I'm currently reading an ARC of Mariana Enriquez's collection A Sunny Place for Shady People uneven like a lot of collections but some really powerful pieces too. Fascinating on so..."

I must say, that’s one appealing title.

Jen wrote: "@Hannah, I’ll be curious for your thoughts on Uncommon Stars :) Question- what is coa?"

Oh I was just being to lazy to write coming of age!!

Omg. If anyone wants to read In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado with me, I’d appreciate a second PoV. Just started and it’s slow going. I am actually enamored with the writing but I’m finding it hard to understand.

Jen wrote: "Omg. If anyone wants to read In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado with me, I’d appreciate a second PoV. Just started and it’s slow going. I am actually enamored with the writing but I’m findi..."

Good luck storming the castle! (imagine Billy Crystal and companion waving as you head further into ITDH)

I checked picture book, The Tea Party in the Woods by Japanese author, Akiko Miyakoshi out of my library and read it last evening. The translator is not identified, which is a bit odd, I think, for 2024.

The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. I loved the expressions on the faces of all of the animals. The depictions of the MC and other humans are noticeably less appealing and interesting. I recommend it if it's available to borrow, but don't think it is one you'd reread even as a bedtime story to one's 5-year old. there's just not enough there there to the plot.

I finished In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. Despite getting really into it at first, this one ultimately bored and disappointed me unfortunately. I'm in the minority based on reviews. But I gotta mention the horror tag here on GR mislead me. I wouldn't say it qualified for this quarterly challenge. This is a hybrid type of nonfiction- part memoir, part essays, plus it's like a survey of literary devices or writing exercises. A lot of interesting information here but I wasn't into the execution.

Not sure this would be considered horror, but it is a ghost story. It came out last month, and I am really looking forward to it: Anyone But Her by Cynthia Swanson. Another one that came out last month that is next up on my list: Guillotine by Delilah S. Dawson.

Misty wrote: "Not sure this would be considered horror, but it is a ghost story. It came out last month, and I am really looking forward to it: Anyone But Her by Cynthia Swanson..."

These shiny objects appeal. I'm trying to figure out if I can rationalize characterizing Exposure by Ramona Emerson as in-scope and I think if there's enough magical realism - as there was with Shutter - then that's fantasy-esque enough for this non-purist.

I think ghost stories definitely fit, but that's just me.

I finished the first book that I intended for this challenge Chlorine by Jade Song only to discover that the GR tags were completely misleading and it does not fit this challenge at all! It was still a good read though and I enjoyed it although I found the writing to be quite up and down.

I'm also part way through Parable of the Talents and am just starting Babel by R.F. Kuang which I'm pretty sure will fit the bill!

I've read a few books this month that would work for this challenge:

Nightbane by Alex Aster - it is more romantasy, and honestly, I was underwhelmed with this one. I enjoyed the first book more. I will likely read the next one since my friend and daughter have book been reading the series as well.

Wayward Witch by Zoraida Cordova is the third book of the Brooklyn Brujas series. They are witches living in NYC, but the majority of this book takes places in another world. I loved it.

I also read Incendiary and Illusionary which is a fantasy duology by Zoraida Cordova. I loved the series.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness was a book club selection. It's pretty long, and I was the only one to finish it by our meeting! LOL. (Usually most people had finished - this month was just weird.) I really enjoyed this book. It is part of a long series, but I will likely finish the series.

Man Made Monsters is a collection of short horror stories by Indigenous author Andrea L. Rogers. I enjoyed a lot of them. Some of them were just okay. I like the collection overall.

Finished The International House of Dereliction, a lovely little ghost story with a young girl who determines she is going to "fix up" an old house and in the process meets three different ghosts who have unfinished business that keeps them from "moving on". Really enjoyed this in my unsettled state of mind lately.

Hannah wrote: "I finished the first book that I intended for this challenge Chlorine by Jade Song only to discover that the GR tags were completely misleading and it does not fit..."

I had Chlorine on my list too! So not horror then? I also have Babel on my nightstand… one day I’ll get to it.

I’m just finishing Bloodguard by Cecy Robson, a surprising fantasy read - I actually really like it for the gladiator aspect. Much like Chain-Gang All-Stars, which was more dystopian sci-fi gladiator. I digress, Bloodguard popped up at my library as an available suggested read and I’ve been thoroughly hooked on the audio.

I’m surprised at myself as I tend to read lots of gothic horror this time of year and haven’t felt the tug of the season yet.

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi, a banned YA fantasy that addresses the question: "what do monsters look like?" Trigger warnings for pediophelia and child abuse. Author born in NIgeria and identifies as they/them.

Anita wrote: "Hannah wrote: "I finished the first book that I intended for this challenge Chlorine by Jade Song only to discover that the GR tags were completely misleading and ..."

Hmm I'd say probably not on the horror, although awful things do happen. There's no supernatural horror. The way I interpreted it was a definite no on the fantasy tag. To explain more than this would be a major spoiler!

I really liked Pet, what did you think Gail? It's unusual for me to like YA but I thought this one was very well done. It's also very short which may have helped!

Great list as always Misty, I wish I could devour books at the rate you do!

Hannah wrote: "Anita wrote: "Hannah wrote: "...I really liked Pet, what did you think Gail? ..."

I am a big fan of some YA. I also feel this one was very well done for such an uncomfortable topic.

Gail, happy to hear that you liked Pet and I was glad you reminded me of it as I was gifted Bitter but wanted to read that first.

A couple of yall mentioned your interest in Octavia E Butler's Wild Seed after I mentioned it was in my plans. FYI, I loved it! I think much more than Kindred even. Eager to read part 2, Mind of My Mind, though I have the impression the main character doesn't reappear. The "bad guy" returns and he is himself a very interesting concept and character. He is not pure villain which I like.

Jen wrote: "Gail, happy to hear that you liked Pet and I was glad you reminded me of it as I was gifted Bitter but wanted to read that first.

A couple of yall mentioned your interest in Octavi..."

You definitely want to read pet before bitter Jen, even though it's a prequel.

I'm really glad you enjoyed wild seed. I don't think that kindred is Butler's best work, even though it's the most wildly read. I love how complex she makes all of her characters, there is no clear "good" vs "bad". I found this especially so with fledgling. I think you'd like the xenogenesis series too.

Jen wrote: "A couple of yall mentioned your interest in Octavia E Butler's Wild Seed after I mentioned it was in my plans. FYI, I loved it! I think much more than Kindred even."

Wow. Kindred is probably the best book I have read this year - and that is a high bar. I have Wild Seed downloaded just waiting for me to listen. I'm anxious to get started. With this horrific week, I am definitely "comfort" reading, so it'll have to wait just a bit.

Misty wrote: "Jen wrote: "A couple of yall mentioned your interest in Octavia E Butler's Wild Seed after I mentioned it was in my plans. FYI, I loved it! I think much more than Kindred even."

Wow. Kindred is pr..."

I did really like Kindred too. Maybe I should have said only that I liked it more, rather than 'much more'. Wild Seed deals with slavery too, so in a way it feels a distant cousin to Kindred. Personally I didn't like the Wild Seed narration and dropped the audiobook for the print. But I can be fussy about narration probably more than others... I know it's a popular narrator who does it and I've been okay with her elsewhere...

On another note, I've just finished the group read, Son of a Trickster. For quite a bit I was wondering if this book really qualified as fantasy but now that I finished, I say yes. Low fantasy- it's Canada, not an entirely otherworld. Loved it!

So now I got two sequels I'm looking forward to :) But my next Q4 reads will be the December group read The Houseguest and Other Stories, horror short stories by Amparo Dávila and I hope to fit in- finally- Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger. My husband told me it involves vampires- that excites me! I've never read a vampire story.

Hannah wrote: "Jen wrote: "Gail, happy to hear that you liked Pet and I was glad you reminded me of it as I was gifted Bitter but wanted to read that first.

A couple of yall mentioned your intere..."

Thanks for the recs. After Wild Seed, I'm definitely in for more Butler stories. She's got me. And yes! Her characters, you're so right! Beautiful complexity in the characters.

Anyone catching the show Outlook on BBC today? Interview with someone they're calling the Queen of African Horror- Nuzo Onoh! My interest is piqued. Gotta check out the book descriptions now...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct...

Unhallowed Graves - this cover! plus first line of description got me: "Oja-ale is the night market run by the dead."

I finished up Lolly Willowes earlier this week by Sylvia Townsend Warner- I mentioned this one in my plans in message 2- and started Circe by Madeline Miller which is turning out to be a great light holiday read so far. I didn't know this is witchy too, which is fun :)

Anyone have other recommendations relating to classic Greek myths?

Jen wrote: "I finished up Lolly Willowes earlier this week by Sylvia Townsend Warner- I mentioned this one in my plans in message 2- and started Circe by ..."

I really liked Miller’s The Song of Achilles if you haven’t read it. Her short story Galatea was wonderful, too. Another great alt perspective of those epics is A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes. Pat Barker wrote of the Trojan War from women’s perspective that was good. I think I rated the second book higher than the first, The Silence of the Girls and The Women of Troy. I think there’s a third one but I haven’t read it.

There are so many, I like to read any that I come across. I think Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes was also pretty good. If I remember, it gave an interesting view of Perseus. There’s a fantastic translation of Beowulf by Maria Dahvana Headley I like to read every now and then. It’s very fun. I could probably go on, but I won’t!

Anita wrote: "Jen wrote: "I finished up Lolly Willowes earlier this week by Sylvia Townsend Warner- I mentioned this one in my plans in message 2- and started Circe by ..."

I reall..."

Ohhh, thanks for all the ideas.