Book Beginnings: Life After Life

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING

A fug of tobacco smoke and damp clammy air hit her as she entered the café. She had come in from the rain and drops of water still trembled like delicate dew on the fur coats of some of the women inside.

-- Life After Life by Kate Atkinson.  I love Kate Atkinson's books, but the premise of this one didn't appeal to me. The main character dies over and over and keeps living her life over and over, living a little longer each time. It's not Groundhog Day -- the story jumps ahead quite a lot each time without redoing every singe bit.  But it is definitely one I am going to have to just let flow.  I am listening to the audio book, which helps.

2014 European Reading Challenge Winner! FINALLY

THIS IS THE WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT POST FOR 2014

(horribly late -- my apologies!)

TO FIND THE 2014 REVIEWS, GO TO THIS PAGE

TO FIND THE 2014 WRAP UP POSTS, GO TO THIS PAGE

THE 2015 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE IS LIVE NOW -- GO TO THIS PAGE TO SIGN UP OR READ MORE

2014 was the third year for this challenge, which involves reading books set in different European countries or written by authors from different European countries.

Big thanks to all the participants who joined me for the Grand Tour!

JET SETTER GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Maphead was the big winner of the Jet Setter Grand Prize. Maphead posted reviews for books from 20 different countries! I have to say that I am personally pleased that Maphead won because we are both PORTLANDERS! He won a $25 gift card to Powell's Books.

Honorary Mention (but no prizes) go to the seven other participants who read 10 or more qualifying books (meaning books set in different countries, by different authors):

• Jean at Howling Frog Books (15)
• Serena at Savvy Verse & Wit (14)
• Shonna at Canadian Bookworm (14)
• Bev at My Reader's Block (11)
• Jen at Notes from the Officer's Club (10)
• A Hot Cup of Pleasure (10)
• Miguel at St. Oberose (10)

Congratulations to all the readers who completed the challenge! Fourteen people posted wrap-up posts, but many others completed the challenge. For those who finished the challenge but didn't post a wrap-up, feel free to do so now and link it on this page here.

JOIN THE 2015 CHALLENGE! SIGN UP HERE.

The gist: The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from). The books can be anything – novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, or any other genre. You can participate at different levels, but each book must be by a different author and set in a different country – it's supposed to be a tour.