MAY ROOT - Progress Thread

password = ROOTS
We're still doing great! We are 100+ over the monthly goal - great job everyone!

Below is the current list of members that have identified a ROOT goal for 2016 and how many books they read by the end of April.
The percentage is calculated and a star awarded for those on target to reach their goals. More stars for farther toward their goal.

If there is © next to your name, I see a ticker on your thread that is not in the ticker thread. If you could copy the code to the Ticker thread it would be a huge help each month.
If anyone's number is incorrect, please let me know and I will make the necessary adjustments.

So go out there and dig those ROOTs.


50worth 5 / 24 20.8%
amberfly 26 / 50 ★★★ 52.0%
Ameise1 5 / 10 ★★★ 50.0%
auntmarge64 11 / 30 ★ 36.7%
avanders 3 / 12 25.0%
avidmom 5 / 20 25.0%
BBleil 0 / 11 0.0%
Bellettres 0 / 12 0.0%
benitastrnad 24 / 45 ★★★ 53.3%
benuathanasia 13 / 100 13.0%
billiejean 15 / 20 ★★★★★ 75.0%
BookDoc16 10 / 50 20.0%
bragan 45 / 100 ★★ 45.0%
brewergirl 14 / 30 ★★ 46.7%
brit84 11 / 52 21.2%
Caramellunacy 1 / 52 1.9%
Carmenere 13 / 25 ★★★ 52.0%
carriehh 5 / 25 20.0%
clue 12 / 30 ★ 40.0%
coachsully 0 / 25 0.0%
Coach_of_Alva 0 / 25 0.0%
connie53 11 / 36 30.6%
craso 5 / 12 ★★ 41.7%
crazy4reading 8 / 40 20.0%
Crotchetymama 13 / 30 ★★ 43.3%
CurrerBell 29 / 75 ★ 38.7%
cyderry 35 / 84 ★★ 41.7%
deep220 22 / 50 ★★ 44.0%
Dejah_Thoris 11 / 50 22.0%
detailmuse 14 / 30 ★★ 46.7%
dustydigger 6 / 80 7.5%
EmilyD1037 2 / 50 4.0%
enemyanniemae 21 / 52 ★ 40.4%
Familyhistorian 21 / 50 ★★ 42.0%
FiLoMa 5 / 15 ★ 33.3%
fuzzi 25 / 66 ★ 37.9%
getrus 16 / 75 21.3%
GreyhoundGal 5 / 25 20.0%
hairballsrus 0 / 50 0.0%
HelenBaker 17 / 48 35.4%
Helenoel 4 / 20 20.0%
Henrik_Madsen 20 / 25 ★★★★★ 80.0%
ILuvBookplates 2 / 20 10.0%
InfoQuest 63 / 85 ★★★★★ 74.1%
ipsoivan 23 / 30 ★★★★★ 76.7%
Jackie_K★ 15 / 12 125.0%
JacobsBeloved 3 / 15 20.0%
JaneAustenNut 0 / 26 0.0%
jen.e.moore 31 / 52 ★★★★ 59.6%
johanna414 4 / 12 ★ 33.3%
JSTOR_CDU 2 / 22 9.1%
kac522 8 / 30 26.7%
kaledyer 7 / 12 ★★★★ 58.3%
karenmarie 6 / 9 ★★★★★ 66.7%
kaylaraeintheway 11 / 25 ★★ 44.0%
kkunker 14 / 40 ★ 35.0%
klarusu 10 / 24 ★★ 41.7%
Klmesoftly 35 / 40 ★★★★★ 87.5%
LadyBookworth★ 15 / 12 125.0%
LauraBrook 18 / 75 24.0%
leBleuCheese 8 / 24 ★ 33.3%
leslie.98★ 50 / 50 100.0%
liberian 11 / 50 22.0%
lilisin 22 / 50 ★★ 44.0%
limelite 3 / 12 25.0%
lindapanzo★ 57 / 24 237.5%
LittleTaiko 26 / 55 ★★ 47.3%
lkernagh 16 / 40 ★ 40.0%
LoraShouse 1 / 25 4.0%
loreleiunicorn© 0 / 25 0.0%
luvamystery65 22 / 30 ★★★★★ 73.3%
madhatter22 20 / 40 ★★★ 50.0%
mmignano11 8 / 50 16.0%
majkia 24 / 50 ★★ 48.0%
mandymarie 15 / 50 30.0%
MelissaHozey 7 / 25 28.0%
Miss Watson 27 / 52 ★★★ 51.9%
MissSos 2 / 25 8.0%
moonshineandrosefire 24 / 86 27.9%
MrGilpatric 21 / 100 21.0%
mrhr 2 / 24 8.3%
nancyjune 0 / 10 0.0%
nancynova 29 / 50 ★★★ 58.0%
NanjingEmpress 0 / 12 0.0%
nebula21 10 / 30 ★ 33.3%
nerwende 12 / 30 ★ 40.0%
Nickelini 19 / 50 ★ 38.0%
pigletto 47 / 80 ★★★★ 58.8%
Quaisior 2 / 40 5.0%
QuestingforaQuest 1 / 15 6.7%
QuiteTheHuman 1 / 24 4.2%
rabbitprincess 26 / 50 ★★★ 52.0%
rainpebble 9 / 10 ★★★★★ 90.0%
read2relax 2 / 24 8.3%
readingtangent 20 / 45 ★★ 44.4%
RjRBukSlavZM99 5 / 25 20.0%
Robertgreaves 22 / 66 ★ 33.3%
rubyandthetwins 7 / 40 17.5%
sallylou61 14 / 48 29.2%
saraslibrary 29 / 50 ★★★ 58.0%
SoschaF© 0 / 12 0.0%
Soupdragon 18 / 40 ★★ 45.0%
SqueakyChu 3 / 9 ★ 33.3%
storygenie 7 / 40 17.5%
streamsong 15 / 50 30.0%
Tallulah_Rose 2 / 12 16.7%
tames 7 / 13 ★★★ 53.8%
tess_schoolmarm 40 / 50 ★★★★★ 80.0%
torontoc 16 / 30 ★★★ 53.3%
trav 2 / 30 6.7%
valcas 0 / 20 0.0%
verkakte 9 / 20 ★★ 45.0%
VertOlive 6 / 24 25.0%
vestafan 6 / 30 20.0%
weird_o 18 / 40 ★★ 45.0%
WordMaven 3 / 20 15.0%





LadyBookworth was joined this month by lindapanzo, Jackie_K, leslie.98 - at reaching their goals.
Big round of applause!!!
Our leaders to be next are:

rainpebble 90%
Klmesoftly 87.5%
tess_schoolmarm 80%
Henrik_Madsen 80%

So, now, Ladies and Gentlemen, BOOK LOVERS, BIBLIOPHILES, BOOK HOARDERS - get out there and read those BOOKS!
Don't be swept away by the warmer weather and sunny skies! Work on your tan and read a book at the same time! We still need to read those ROOTs!

The goal for May is 1,783 We can do this!

>1 cyderry: Yay! I clawed back 2 stars :-) But now the responsibility ... I have to keep them ;-)

Thanks for the stats and all you do, Cheli!

>3 Tess_W: Definitely seconded!

Sorry I did not reach my goal this month, which is not unexpected since I had a lot of non-ROOT reading to do for adult education classes. Plan to get caught up by sometime this summer. I made my goal challenging for me since I really want to get a lot of ROOT books read. However, I definitely plan to complete the challenge successfully, and not pull the whole group down by the end of the year.

Thanks for all you do, Cheli.

I would also like to thank Cheli for all that you do. First ROOT of May completed The Vor Game. Updated both group trackers.

Hi Cheli, sorry I was late reporting in for April. Could you please adjust my tally to 17/48.

Thank you Cheli for all your hard work!

First for May finished completed ended and over. A Delicate Truth in audio is read by the author and is quite good.

Got my star back :-) However, I do have 2 non ROOTS which must be read this month for my bookclubs.

Thanks so much, Chèli! We're doing great!

>6 brakketh: ha! I just finished that book for my April SciFi reading, but alas! It was not a ROOT...

Addendum: I read Spike of Swift River as my first May ROOT.

>11 fuzzi: Ha! indeed. It was a triple-threat for me as it was a ROOT, an Alphabet letter book title that I didn't have and a Hugo Award winning novel which are all categories I am trying to flesh out this year. Hope it was an enjoyable read for you, I am looking forward to reading some more Lois McMaster Bujold.

My numbers are correct. No stars for me because of all the chunksters I've been reading. But I will get there some day.

Thanks, Chèli. Nice to see we're doing good.

My first ROOT for May is plucked and it was a 5 star read for me. Krakatoa is so well written, though scientifically technical at times, it kept me glued.

Thanks Chèli, for all you do.

>15 Carmenere: I have now read four of the five books by Simon Winchester that are on my shelves, and they have all been excellent.

I'm reading another ROOT, Drums of Autumn, by Diane Gabaldon, fourth in the eight-book series. It's a re-read in honor of the Starz series, and I'm loving both.

I may be missing in action later this week. My ladies group is putting on a Murder Mystery dinner fundraiser and as the director I'm swamped. But once I've taken my Mom to dinner on Sunday - I'm free for a few weeks! Maybe I'll even get a few ROOTs done myself!

>17 cyderry: Thanks for the number crunching! And have fun with the murder mystery dinner, hope all goes well and you raise lot of money!

I'm rather impressed with the group's progress, everybody's doing so well! I'm personally still aiming to get that first star behind my name...

I have already finished two ROOTs for May, so that's good progress :) One I had almost finished in April, and today I took a day off from work to relax a bit and read an entire book in one go, so that was nice :)

>17 cyderry: Have fun, Chèli.

Root number 12 for the year and number 1 for may is finished. Going to update the group-tickers.

Two more to add: Bleak House, very happy to have finished this ROOT as it had been on my shelves for a number of years, and Jimmy the Hand, group tickers updated.

>1 cyderry: Was a little curious and had a look at the data presented:

11 people contributing 228 books to the ROOT goal have completed 0 ROOTS as yet.
3 people share the highest ROOT goal of 100 books.
2 people share the lowest ROOT goal of 9 books.
19 people share the most common ROOT goal of 50 books.
The average ROOT goal is 36.9 books for 2016.
51.7% of people are on target to complete or exceed their ROOT goal (or have already completed their goal).

Thanks for all your work Chèli! And hope that your Murder night is both fun and profitable.

>21 brakketh: Interesting look at the stats.

Yes echoing everyone: Thank you again, Chèli, for all your work and enthusiasm!
And big congrats to @lindapanzo, @jackie_k, and @leslie.98!!

And alas, I also lost my star this month.. Due to chunksters and many library books. 😳 But I too will get 'em back!

>23 avanders: We can do it, Ava! Getting that star back in the next couple of months is doable.

>21 brakketh: Very interesting. I was wondering about people who committed ROOTs and did not contribute as yet. Maybe we have to do some cheering again as we did last year.

I have completed my first root for May. Updating tickers.

>16 karenmarie: I'm really excited, Karen! I have two more Winchester's on my ROOT list for 2016 and I'm sooooo looking forward to them.

I WILL get a second star. I WILL get a second star. I will I will I WILL get a second star. *go read something, Cindee*

Keeping a good run going, finished The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work by Alain de Botton. Found this a bit condescending in tone but I often feel like that when reading philosophy. It was certainly interesting to hear about other workplaces from an outsiders point of view. Both tickers updated.

>21 brakketh: I love to look at stats like that.

At the end of May I will contact the people who haven't had 1 ROOT yet and see if they still want to participate. At the end of June, anyone who hasn't contributed to the group goal will be moved to a separate list until they begin. Some people are very enthusiastic at the beginning of the year and then fail to follow through on their good intentions. Kind of like New Year's resolutions.

ETA my goal is 84 because I try to read at least 7 each month but most of the time I do a bit more so I'm hoping to reach 100 this year. Each person has to set their goals depending on how many books they read per month/year and how many they own. Me, I have way too many - 200+ sitting on my shelves, nearly 300 on my e-readers, and 100+ audios waiting to be heard. Guess I better get a move on!

>24 connie53: yes, I have faith in both of us! :D

>27 enemyanniemae: lol you can do it!

>29 cyderry: Me too, I have been a little unwell so had some extra time on my hands to read and look at librarything statistics. I came up with my figure of 12 assuming that I could read 1 book a month without being too burdensome as I have a couple of other lists I am trying to read through and many of these books come from my local libraries. I would like to thank you again for putting all of this information in the one place to allow us to share our desire to ROOT.

I am pleased as with the last few ROOTS I have managed to get my TBR pile under 150 and thus far the year has resulted in a net loss for my books.

Root 24 finished, To Be a Pilgrim by Joyce Cary. I can't recommend Cary's work enough--5 stars. All tickers updated.

Crikey, I forgot to update - I've finished root 20. 30 to go!

I'll update my ticker now.

>30 avanders: LOL

>29 cyderry: If you need any help, let me know, Chèli

Finished ROOT # 13 for the year, # 2 for May.

Going to update both the grouptickers

May continues to be a good month for me. Another ROOT pulled Sense and Sensibility, tickers updated.

Congratulations to lindapanzo, Jackie_K,and leslie.98 for reaching their goals!! Way to go peoples!!! Whoo hoo!!

And for those nearly there, or, still have a way to goes : cheering you on to, you can do this! I know you can!

Happy reading to all!

Finished ROOT # 14 for the year, # 3 for May.

Going to update both the grouptickers

My first for May is The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. I should have 2 more before month end. This one gives me 13/30.

My first for May is Alligator Bayou (5*****), a fairly quick-read YA from a few years back by Donna Jo Napoli. Set in rural Louisiana at the tail end of the 19th century, it's about a group of Sicilian immigrants who face the hostility of Whites which is aggravated by the Sicilians' friendship with Blacks and ends in a lynching of the Sicilians. Based loosely on a true story. This gives me 30/75.

Just starting on Hard Times, which I'm rereading from my high-school days. I'm using the Oxford Illustrated Dickens (I'm trying to build a complete Oxford Illustrated set) simultaneously with a Norton Critical Edition (which I've got for the supplementary materials), but I'll only count these two as a single entry. I'm not that crazy about Dickens in general (which just shows my compulsive collecting what with my trying to build a complete Oxford Illustrated set), but Hard Times fits in with the May "Labor, unions, and the working class" theme for the Reading Through Time group. It's also conveniently short, especially by Dickensian standards.

I finished two ROOTS so far. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See was a recorded book and it was another of her very well done books on the Chinese experience in America. There was a great description of getting into the U.S. through Angel Island in 1937.

While spending time in four airports in one day I read the first of the Aurelio Zen books by Michael Dibdin. Ratking was a great way to pass the time in the lounge areas waiting for the next flight. I was transported to Italy and the culture there - complete with middle -age single men still living with their mothers. It was a very good mystery as well.

I have finished reading a book I liked very much The Golem and the Jinni. My ticker has been updated.

>36 LadyBookworth: kudos from me as well, good for those who have already met their goals...but don't stop! See how much farther you can go.

Finished ROOT # 15 for the year, # 4 for May.

Going to update both the grouptickers

I managed to read two books while on vacation in the Philippines: Arc de triomphe and Une langue venue d'ailleurs. Both very good and I particularly liked the second. I also started Dumas' Vingt ans après which is the last Musketeers book I have to read as I've already read the the third part to the series. I will have to update my threads when I'm back home at my computer instead of this not so good hotel in Cebu City.

I finished my 14th ROOT of the year and first for May, Drums of Autumn by Diane Gabaldon. It is the fourth in the 8-book Outlander series, and was a real chunkster at 1070 pages mass market paperback.

I've started The Fiery Cross, 5th book in the series, hardcover 949 pages.

Very pleased to complete my ROOT goal for the year (12 ROOTS). Burial Rites is an excellent historical novel about the last person executed in Iceland. Updated group tickers.

Just finished my 15th ROOT of the year - 2nd for May, Living Dead in Dallas. I enjoy the Sookie Stackhouse series and anticipate reading the 3rd in the series, Club Dead, later this month.

Finished ROOT # 16 for the year, # 5 for May.

Going to update both the grouptickers

>46 brakketh: Congrats!

>46 brakketh: Way to go!

>46 brakketh: I'm adding my congratulations, and great that you ended with one you liked so much.

I finished How German Is It by Walter Abish yesterday. An interesting book. My 25th ROOT, and the first of my new challenge to read my TBR alphabetically.

Monday night I finished my second ROOT for May, a reread of Hard Times, while in the hospital recovering from a case of congestive heart failure. (Got out Tuesday afternoon, after not quite two days of hospitalization.) I read it it in the Oxford Illustrated Dickens but I'm not counting it until I've finished the supplementary materials in the Norton Critical.

Won't be doing as much ROOTing these next few days because I've got an ER to read and review and another ER to get reviewed.

Finished my second ROOT for May, Living Dead in Dallas. Fun, suspenseful and fairly fast read. tickers done.

>53 CurrerBell: oh my goodness, I hope you are feeling ok--only 2 days in hospital too. Relax: those ERs can wait.

If I get to 'D' in my attempt to read my tbr alphabetically, that's the Dickens I'll tackle--I think it's the only one I've never read. Couldn't stand Edwin Drood and abandoned it at about the Pearl Rule mark, so it doesn't count.

Look after yourself.

Finished Root 6 of 10 and have updated my personal ticker.

>53 CurrerBell: Hope you get well soon, that sounds scary!

Third ROOT for May is plucked The Shape of Water. It was as good as everyone's been saying it was!

>53 CurrerBell: sorry to hear about your need for hospitalization. I agree, don't stress about those ERs.

>53 CurrerBell: Mike, please don't worry about ROOTs or ERs, just take care of yourself!

Everything else can wait.

2 ROOTs in one day, one I dragged myself to the end on, the oother I Pearl-ruled. Chatterton and The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein, both by Peter Ackroyd. Both count in my definition of roots, but I always regret giving up on a book.

Another ROOT pulled A Tale of Two Cities, enjoyed this novel more than Bleak House though was still a challenging read. An eminently quotable book. Both group tickers updated.

The plucking continues with Palestinian Walks. 8 more ROOTS to go!

ROOT #1 for May (#16 overall this year) finished yesterday, Harris in History and Legend. I've updated both my own and both group tickers.

Finished ROOT # 17 for the year, # 6 for May.

Going to update both the grouptickers

Get well soon, Mike!

I've finished another Root and have updated all tickers.

>66 Ameise1: good job!

>67 fuzzi: Thanks so much. :-)

One more for the month taking me to 19/48. Trouble is I bought a few new ones at the Auckland Writers Festival and I am keen to read them while I can still hear the authors voice...Discipline is required to stay on track.

I managed to read 3 of my pre-2016 TBRs in the past couple of weeks, which means I'm down to only 1 to-read book that I've had on the shelf prior to the new year, and all of my other TBRs are books I've acquired in the past couple of months. It's a great feeling!

>1 cyderry: Hey cyderry, just a heads up that I've adjusted my ticker goal to 53 from 40! You'll notice that when you look next month. I won't be changing it again in May! :)

Finished ROOT # 18 for the year, # 7 for May.

Going to update both the grouptickers

I have finished several ROOTs so far this month & have updated my thread and ticker but not the group tickers...

Finished ROOT #14 for the year. Update both the group tickers.

finished #`17 - updated tickers and the review is on my thread.

Third ROOT for May and 17th (out of 48) overall: Pretty Little Killers by Daleen Berry and Geoffrey C. Fuller.

Root 28 complete, Brick Lane by Monica Ali. Absolutely brilliant! Tickers all updated.

ROOT #4 in May completed, personal ticker updated.

Finished my first ROOT for May today, #15 for the year. Off to update the tickers.

Root #18- tickers updated

Real life is wreaking havoc on my reading time. I may lose a star this month. :-(

>80 cyderry: Sorry to hear that, always a pain when 'real life' disrupts the perfect reading schedule.

Finished #25 for the year... Joyland by Stephen King. How I love that man's writing. SERIOUSLY.

>80 cyderry: I hate it when that happens...

Root 29 out of 30 "finished". I only managed 77 pages of The Divine Comedy, but that's better than Nancy Pearl would give a book that she can't read, so I"m conceding defeat. It was a worthy effort. For my final ROOT I'm combing the bookshelves for the perfect read right now.

I will continue to read my ROOTS (mostly) alphabetically and add my numbers to the group total. One for all and all for one.

>84 ipsoivan: wow, so close!

>84 ipsoivan: I like my personal reading rule better than Nancy Pearl's. It is: Read until I stop enjoying the book. Abandon with glee or pick up another time. :)

ROOT number 11 down, The Man in the High Castle.

All tickers updated.

>84 ipsoivan: I give books about 50 pages to grab my interest. If they don't, I usually toss them... unless it just feels like I'm not in the mood for that particular style (and it goes back on the shelf in that case). But I had no idea who Nancy Pearl was until just now. So thanks for the introduction!

>85 fuzzi: Yes, and the next book in my pile, A Bastard out of Carolina turns out to be a fantastic last ROOT.

>86 karenmarie:, >88 enemyanniemae: yes, no point putting yourself through the misery of a book you're not enjoying when there are so many other brilliant roots on your shelves.

I don't follow the Pearl Rule, but I have given up on The Tale of Genji for the time being. I'll probably get back to it in the fourth quarter of this year when it will qualify for the Reading Through Time group's quarterly period of the Middle Ages. And of course it qualifies as a doorstopper for the Big Fat Book Challenge. But put it down for now and get some other ROOTing done.

That's a book that looks like it would take a serious investment of time. I used to own it, bit gave it up when I realized that I was unlikely to have the courage to start.

>90 CurrerBell:
>91 ipsoivan:

I got the Dover Thrift edition--PART 1 of The Tale of Genji free for Kindle readers. I figured I would read part one and then decide if I wanted to buy the real thing!

I've reached my goal of 30/30 today with Bastard out of Carolina. What a great book to finish on! I'll be continuing to read alphabetically, adding my totals to the group's.

>93 ipsoivan: Congrats!

4th ROOT for May and 18th out of 48: Stabbing in the Senate by Colleen J. Shogan.

I've read seven ROOTs this month, so far, and I'm surprised at myself. My own ticker is updated, haven't touched the group tickers.

>94 Tess_W: thanks!

Well done, ispoivan

#26 Fool by Christopher Moore

Only this guy can turn one of the most tragic of all Shakespeare's plays into a giggle-snort fest. Seriously. I laughed my butt off.

ipsoivan
Well done! Whoo!!

And a big congratulations!

>98 Robertgreaves:, >100 LadyBookworth: Thank you!

>93 ipsoivan: Glad you made it!

how is everyone doing this month?

Personally, I'm trying to catch up in the next few days, before the end of the month.

I just finished ROOT # 2 for May, which puts me at 16/40 for the year. I want to fit in one more if possible, so I can keep my star.

>103 cyderry: I've slowed down a bit on my current read (partly because it's fiction, which I'm usually slower with, and partly just other stuff going on), and I'm not sure I'll finish it by the end of the month, although I will try. I think May will be my least successful ROOTing month so far in 2016, although I am enjoying both my current read and the one I finished earlier this month.

I will try and finish it this month, but I'm not making any promises.

I have finished my 6th ROOT of the month but have managed to acquire 11 :(

My thread & ticker have been updated but I didn't touch the group tickers.

> 103 My goal is to read 3 every month and I've just completed 2 so far in May. I've got about 150 pages to go in the book I'm reading for my book club meeting Thursday. I'll start another ROOT as soon as I finish the current book so I think should finish the third one before month end.

I usually plan my reading a month ahead, the plan is subject to change of course, and I only have 2 ROOTS in the plan for next month. One of them is about 650 pages. I'll have to go through the TBR soon and decide on what else I can work in.

>103 cyderry: I've finished four so far, which makes me 33/75 overall. I'm hoping to get a couple more finished before the month ends. (One of them's a semi-doorstopper, The Landmark Thucydides, that I'm reading for the Reading Through Time group.) I may bring in a couple of quickie middle-reader books and boost my stats a little.

I've have a good reading month with 5 ROOTS so far. I hope to add another one before the end of the month.

This morning I completed my 22nd ROOT for the month & my 31st of the year. I may get a couple more in before month's end. I have been pushing myself night & day as I want to meet my 100 book goal and sadly got a very late start.
Happy reading, all.

>110 rainpebble: Well done! 22 in one month--that's amazing!

I've only read 4 ROOTs this month (I've been doing 7) but I have a long weekend to maybe sneak in a couple extra. Right now I'm reading an ER book, Braving It. I really wanted to get it read and reviewed quickly, but it's slowing me down in my challenges.

>112 fuzzi: I've got the same problem, a March ER (Devotion) that I really want to get reviewed and that I've barely started. I got myself up to 6 for this month (and 35/75 overall) in the past couple days though by slipping in two quick-reads, Mary Ann in Autumn and The Days of Anna Madrigal, the last two book in Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" series.

>110 rainpebble: well that IS amazing that you hit 22, but don't push yourself too hard! Reading should most importantly be enjoyable :) If you downgrade your goal a little, no one will judge you!!
But congrats on all your success!

>115 cyderry: ...I ask them in return, "Which one?"

>115 cyderry: I believe the technical term is "enablers".

>113 CurrerBell: I've gotten through the first half of my book, wrote a review but will return to it after this weekend. I've got too many ROOTs waiting.

I've created a "readathon" topic to help me get more read this upcoming "long" weekend, feel free to join us here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/223754#5594488

Two more ROOTs read
# 20 for the year, # 9 for the year.

Tickers updated.

ROOTed another one for the month, Time of Contempt, all tickers updated.

#19 - review on mu=y thread and updated the tickers

Wow, congrats to everyone who has met their goal. I thought that I would read a lot more ROOTs this year while reading for all the challenges that I am trying to fulfill every month. But it seems like I pick up less challenge books from my shelves than I do from the library. Still I have managed 4 ROOTs for May and am closing in on a 5th.

I have completed 2 more roots this month taking me to 21/48. Sure and steady. I was delighted at how quickly I read The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters. At almost 600 pages I thought it would slow me down but it is quite the page turner.

One more completed, Tea in the Library by Annette Freeman. That makes a total of 15 against my goal of 30.

I finished 9 ROOTS this month and won't finish another by tomorrow, so 9 will be my total. That is a very good month for me as I usually don't get that many read or listened to in a month's time. Being on vacation sure helped as I did lots of reading.

I have another long trip planned for the next week so hope to get more ROOTS off the shelf.

6th ROOT for May and 20th (out of 48) overall: Chocolate Wars: The 150-Year Rivalry Between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers by Deborah Cadbury. This means I have caught up again with my goal of an average of 4 books per month.

I'm near the end of a long one, but I suspect I won't manage to finish it before the end of this month. I rooted out 7 this month, which sounds far more impressive than it is--a couple of these didn't hold my attention and were deemed done and dusted.

And another sneaking under the wire: Nailbiter, Volume 1, There Will Be Blood. All tickets updated with my 13th ROOT for the year.

I'm pretty sure now that I won't get my current ROOT finished by tomorrow. So my grand total for May is 1 - my slowest month yet this year! I updated all the tickers when I finished the last one, so no more to add to any tickers.

>125 benitastrnad: nice job!

>130 Jackie_K: that's one more than none, don't sweat it!

I'm not going to be able to squeeze in any more ROOTS, so here is my report for May 2016

UpROOTED books: 8
ROOTless books: 7
Added to the TBR shelves: 2

The ROOTs were:

Pagan and Her Parents by Michael Arditti (abandoned)
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
In Dog We Trust by Neil S. Plakcy
Hemlock at Vespers by Peter Tremayne
Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov
Words and Rules by Steven Pinker
Andivius Hedulio by Edward Lucas White
American Gods by Neil Gaiman

ROOTs in YTD: 30

Personal and group tickers have been adjusted, but hopefully not harmed.

>131 fuzzi: Well that's true! And compared to before I joined this group a couple of years ago, it is infinitely more than I was reading before! :)

Here is the list of the ROOTS for May.

Ratking by Michael Dibdin
Vendetta by Michael Dibdin
Imagined London: A Tour of the World's Greatest Fictional City by Anna Quindlen
China Dolls by Lisa See
River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay
Talking God by Tony Hillerman
Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa

The best one of the lost was River of Stars. I just can't say enough good about it. The two Aurelio Zen books were good mysteries for airport reading. The Tony Hillerman was average for him, but still really readable.

I read 3 ROOTS this month and Chatterbox's Non-Fiction Challenge in the 75 Books Read Group is allowing me to go through my book piles and select more books to read on a variety of topics.

UpROOTED books: 8
ROOTless books: 7
Added to the TBR shelves: 2


Good way to count. Alas, mine would be quite higher, especially in the add section this month. A good booksale that I couldn't resist!

May ROOTS

I Am Hutterite by Mary Ann Kirby
An Unlikely Match by Arlene James
Her Christmas Hero by Linda Warren
A Painted House by John Grisham
Whiskey Island by Emilie Richards
The Parting Glass by Emilie Richards
The Rancher's Twin Troubles
A Baby in His Stocking

So...that makes 8 ROOTS of mine this month, which is a bit above my target. I need to get more TBRs from others done, so I can meet that other target, which is way off.

A Painted House was quite good. I read some other non-legal thrillers by Grisham in the past and didn't like them. Maybe his earlier efforts were better?

I've made it up to a total of 21 ROOT's read, so that's 10 for this month - not as many as 22 (wow!), but I'm still quite proud of it :)

Finished #27 today (#6 ROOT for May) I will update my personal ticker but will leave the group ticker to the professionals.

*Muppet dance*

I read 3 this month for a total of 15.

I read 5 for May so I am at 26/50 so far.

Another "quick read," Penelope Fitzgerald's The Golden Child, along with completing The Landmark Thucydides brings me to 8 for March and 37/75. Don't know if I'll get anything else finished before midnight.

My own (but only my own) ticker is updated.

are we trying to reach 150 posts so that there is a link to the June thread?

I only managed the two books I read at the beginning of the month. A busy month of traveling. Will have to see how next month treats me. If the rainy season is long and wet maybe I'll stay indoors and read a lot.

I actually finished my Chunkster! that's 4 for the year, now.. so I'm only 1 book "behind".. ;p
All tickers were updated...

I read 26 ROOTs in May, bringing my yearly total to 35. (clearing out some authors)
Personal tickers are updated. I've not touched the group ticker. It's been a good month though all I have gotten done is a lot of reading but I have enjoyed it.

Hello everyone! So, I wasn't expecting that my May would be quite this slow - five less ROOTs read than last May; and technically all of them were rereads. I also started rereading The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve late last night. I don't think that I will be able to finish it today, but tomorrow is Mareena's birthday and so time for her annual birthday trip to our local library book sale.

Actually, she wants to go to the library book sale on Friday, June 3rd, but we're still counting it as her birthday trip (kind of like a three-day long birthday celebration) Anyway, in keeping with the group theme, here are my totals for May:

Ancient Oaks Pruned: stands for older books read from my TBR pile: 4
Young Saplings Pruned: stands for newer books read from my TBR pile: 0
Trees Replanted: stands for rereads from my TBR pile: 4
New Seeds Planted: stands for additions to my TBR pile: 2
Trees Transplanted: stands for books that were donated: 4

I read 5 ROOTs this month. All tickers updated!

My final tally for May is 8, my own ticker is updated, haven't touched the group tickers.

I read 6 this month, bringing my year-to-date total to 32. I have updated my personal ticker but not the group ones.

I read a total of 2 ROOTS for May, all tickers were updated. I'm at a total of 16/40 for the year.

I'll be working on numbers tomorrow so be sure that your tickers/ numbers are up-to-date!

In case any other ROOTers are interested, the TIOLI Challenge group has a challenge that fits all of us who are trying to read our books for a specific reason:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/223803#5599442

>154 50worth: keep going! :)

I read 6 books in May, and I have updated the tickers.

June thread is up, I lost one of my stars...:-(

>157 cyderry:

I also lost a star! Going to get it back though!