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Category: Literary Fiction (Page 2 of 2)

#BestsellerCode100: Number 70. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

12/26/2017 / / 0 Comments

Time to start the discussion of our next novel from The Bestseller Code 100 list, 70. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz.

This post does not contain spoilers.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

This novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 2008, along with many other major awards.

Summary:  We follow the story of Oscar Wao, a young man of Dominican Republic descent who lives in New Jersey. All he wants to do is find love and write like J.R.R. Tolkien, but will his family’s curse destroy his dreams?

Have you read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

 

Related posts:

  1. Book-beginnings, a discussion of the first line of the novel
  2. Karen’s review from a reader’s perspective
  3. Roberta’s review from a writer’s perspective

You can also join us on social media:

Do you have suggestions for ways to improve this reading challenge? We’d love to hear them.

Have you written about The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz? Feel free to add a link to your review in the comments.
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What are we reading next?

If you ever have questions about what we are reading next or when we’re starting the next discussion, check the 100 Book List tab in the navigation bar at the top of the blog. Links in the list go to the landing page from this blog where the discussion starts. However, this is an open-ended challenge so feel free to jump in with any of the books at any time.

The next book is number 69. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (2013) – Discussion begins January 9, 2018
Literary fiction, won the Pulitzer Prize in 2014

#BestsellerCode100: Number 75. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

10/16/2017 / / 0 Comments

It is time to start the discussion of our next novel from The Bestseller Code 100 list, The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga.

This post does not contain spoilers.

 

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga


(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Summary: An example of an epistolary novel, main character Balram Halwai writes about his rags to riches story as he leaves behind his impoverished Indian village to establish his own taxi business.

Although Aravind Adiga was only 33 when he published this debut novel, it won the Man Booker Prize in 2008.


Have you read The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Related posts:

  1. Book-beginnings, a discussion of the first line of the novel
  2. Karen’s review from a reader’s perspective
  3. Roberta’s review from a writer’s perspective

You can also join us on social media:

Do you have suggestions for ways to improve this reading challenge? We’d love to hear them.

Have you written about The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga? Feel free to add a link to your review here.
__________________

What are we reading next?

If you ever have questions about what we are reading next or when we’re starting the next discussion, check the 100 Book List tab in the navigation bar at the top of the blog. Links in the list go to the landing page from this blog where the discussion starts. However, this is an open-ended challenge so feel free to jump in with any of the books at any time.

The next book is number 74. A Day Late and a Dollar Short by Terry McMillan (2000)- Discussion begins October 30, 2017

#BestsellerCode100: Number 84 A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

06/26/2017 / / 0 Comments

Time to start the discussion of our next novel from The Bestseller Code 100 list, A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler.

This post does not contain spoilers.

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Summary:  This novel follows the lives of Baltimore residents Red and Abby Whitshank and their four children.

It is literary fiction and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2015.

Have you read A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler?

We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Related posts:

  1. Book-beginnings, a discussion of the first line of the novel
  2. Karen’s review from a reader’s perspective
  3. Roberta’s review from a writer’s perspective

You can also join us on social media:

Do you have suggestions for ways to improve this reading challenge? We’d love to hear them.

Have you written about A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler? Feel free to add a link to your review here.

__________________

What are we reading next?

If you ever have questions about what we are reading next or when we’re starting the next discussion, check the 100 Book List tab in the navigation bar at the top of the blog. Links in the list go to the landing page from this blog where the discussion starts. However, this is an open-ended challenge so feel free to jump in with any of the books at any time after the discussion begins.

The next book is number 83. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (2009) – Discussion begins July 10, 2017.

#BestsellerCode100: Olive Kitteridge Wrap-Up Poll

02/26/2017 / / 0 Comments

Time to wrap up the discussion of our latest novel from The Bestseller Code 100 list,  Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. The conversation started here.

Note: Post does not contain spoilers.

 

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

 

We are reading these books because they were picked by the computer algorithm in The Bestseller Code by Jodie Archer and Matthew L. Jockers as the best of the bestsellers.  Do you agree with the computer that this book should be on the list?  Why or why not?

 What was your final opinion of Olive Kitteridge?

[yop_poll id=”8″]

 

You can also join us on social media:

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What are we reading next?

If you ever have questions about what we are reading next or when we’re starting the next discussion, check the 100 Book List tab in the navigation bar at the top of the blog.

The next book is number 92. One Day by David Nicholls (2009) – Discussion begins February 27, 2017

#BestsellerCode100: Number 93 Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

02/13/2017 / / 0 Comments

Time to start the discussion of our next novel from The Bestseller Code 100 list, Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. This title won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and was the basis of an award-winning HBO mini-series.

This post does not contain spoilers.

Olive Kitteridge* by Elizabeth Strout

 

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Book Blurb:  Olive Kitteridge lives in the small town of Crosby, Maine, where she touches the lives of those around her and is also changed by their presence.

To give you an idea what the book entails,  check out this trailer from the HBO miniseries.

 

 

Have you read Olive Kitteridge? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Related posts:

  1. Book-beginnings, a discussion of the first line of the novel
  2. Karen’s review from a reader’s perspective
  3. Roberta’s review from a writer’s perspective
  4. After you finish the book, you might want to drop by to take our survey.

Have you written about Olive Kitteridge? Feel free to add a link to your review here.

Join us on social media:

Do you have suggestions for ways to improve this reading challenge? We’d love to hear them.
__________________

What are we reading next?

If you ever have questions about what we are reading next or when we’re starting the next discussion, check the 100 Book List tab in the navigation bar at the top of the blog.

The next book is 92. One Day by David Nicholls (2009) – Discussion begins February 27, 2017

#BestsellerCode100: Little Bee by Chris Cleave

12/19/2016 / / 1 Comment

Time to start the discussion of novel 97 from The Bestseller Code 100 list, Little Bee by Chris Cleave, previously published as The Other Hand.

This post does not contain spoilers.

Little Bee: A Novel* by Chris Cleave

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Summary:  The novel explores the relationship between a young Nigerian refugee and suburban Londoner who was recently widowed.

From the Amazon page for the book:

“We don’t want to tell you too much about this book. It is a truly special story and we don’t want to spoil it.”

 

bestseller-code-100-97-little-bee

What did you think of Little Bee? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Related posts (upcoming throughout the next two weeks):

  1. Book-beginnings, a discussion of the first line of the novel
  2. Karen’s review from a reader’s perspective
  3. Roberta’s review from a writer’s perspective
  4.  After you finish the book, you might want to drop by to take our survey about whether you thought this novel belonged on the list of the best of the bestsellers.

You can also join us on social media:

Have you written about Little Bee? Feel free to add a link to your review here.


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What are we reading next?

If you ever have questions about what we are reading next or when we’re starting the next discussion, check the 100 Book List tab in the navigation bar at the top of the blog.

The next book is number 96. The Last Child by John Hart (2009) – Discussion begins January 2, 2017

#BestsellerCode100: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

11/21/2016 / / 3 Comments

Let’s  start the discussion of State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, the 99th novel listed as the best of the bestsellers in The Bestseller Code (review) by Jodie Archer and Matthew L. Jockers. (Don’t worry, you can still talk about our previous book, Shutter Island. The comments are gathered here.)

This post does not contain spoilers.  (Note:  Out of consideration to those who haven’t read the book yet, please indicate right up front if your comment or review contains spoilers.)

State of Wonder: A Novel* by Ann Patchett

*Affiliate link

Summary:

When the news arrives that her fellow researcher Anders Eckman has died in the Amazon jungle, Dr. Marina Singh is asked to take over his assignment. She must find a scientist who went to Brazil to work on the development of a potentially important new drug, Dr. Annick Swenson. Will she find her or meet the same fate as her predecessor?

Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (May 8, 2012)
ISBN-10: 006204981X
ISBN-13: 978-0062049810

bestseller-code-100-99

 

What did you think of State of Wonder? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Related posts:

  1. Book-beginnings, a discussion of the first line of the novel
  2. Karen’s review from a reader’s perspective
  3. Roberta’s review from a writer’s perspective
  4.  If this novel was a type of food…

After you finish the book, you might want to drop by to take our survey.

[yop_poll id=”2″]

You can also join us on social media:

Have you written about State of Wonder? Feel free to add a link to your review here.

Do you have suggestions for ways to improve this reading challenge? Please let us know. This week we fixed problems with how the survey looked in Firefox and added information about genre to the book list.
__________________

What are we reading next?

If you ever have questions about what we are reading next or when we’re starting the next discussion, check the 100 Book List tab in the navigation bar at the top of the blog.

The next book is number 98 on the list, Primary Colors by Joe Klein (1996) – Discussion begins December 5, 2016. Note:  this book was originally published anonymously.

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