Saturday, December 10, 2016

Book of the Month Starts December 12 - Small Great Things

Our Anything Goes Book of the Month is Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. Starting December 12, you can join our group read here




Tuesday, December 6, 2016

December 7 Buddy Read - Don't Mean a Thing by Renee Conoulty

Starting December 7 is our group read of Don't Mean A Thing by Renee Conoulty. 

If you didn't enter our giveaway, but would like to join the read, the kindle book is currently on sale at Amazon for just 99c!

You can join us here 

Saturday, October 29, 2016

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab; Young Adult BOM, Starting 2 November

Victoria "V.E." Schwab is one of our favourite authors so we are super excited to be starting her latest work, This Savage Song, on November 2 for our Young Adult Book of the Month.
Join us here

Book synopsis:
"Kate Harker and August Flynn's families rule opposite ends of Verity, a grisly metropolis where violent acts summon real monsters: bloodsucking Malchai; clawing Corsai; and soul-stealing Sunai. The truce that keeps the families at peace is crumbling, and August is sent to spy on Kate. But when Harker's men try to kill her and pin it on the Flynns, August and Kate find themselves running from both sides, in a city where monsters are real.."

Friday, October 21, 2016

Young Adult Book of the Month, The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black


Starting October 22 is our Young adult Book of the Month, The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black.

Faeries, knights, princes, true love. Think you know how the story goes? Think again....
Join us here



Friday, September 30, 2016

Book of the Month, Dracula​ by Bram Stoker​.

Join us October 2 for our Book of the Month, Dracula​ by Bram Stoker​.



Available as a free download from Amazon, and a wonderful full-cast audio narration from many libraries. Perhaps you first read this in high school, or even if this is your first time, I think you will find yourself being totally drawn into the suspense of the novel.

Sometimes Classics can be hard to rate, but Dracula reads just as well for modern audiences. The story is told through a series of letters and diary entries, and occasional newspaper clippings which all add to the suspense and the depth of the story as we receive multiple points of view. Also so many of Stoker's ideas regarding "modern" vampires are still in use today which is also a testament to the longevity of this novel.

Join us for this BOM here


Thursday, September 22, 2016

Book of the Month: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand

Starting September 22 is our Book of the Month, My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand


The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

Join us here!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Happy Kate Daniels Day!






 Magic Binds is out today, so here are the current news from the The Kate Daniels Event:

- Q&A with Ilona Andrews
- The Kate Daniels Reading Challenge
- Faction Quiz
- Informal buddy reads & more here

Monday, September 12, 2016

Book of the Month: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin.

Starting September 12 is our Book of the Month, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin.


Taking place nearly a century before the events of A Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R. R. Martin’s ongoing masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire. These never-before-collected adventures recount an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living consciousness.

Join us here

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Monday, August 29, 2016

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Book of the Month Starting 2 September

Starting September 2 is our Book of the Month, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child​. 

A book that needs no introduction! 

Whether you haven't yet read this, or you would like to read it again, you can join us here




Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Book of the Month: The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom


Our "Anything Goes" book of the month for August has begun!



The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards Best Debut Goodreads Author and Best Historical Fiction you can join us here

Monday, August 15, 2016

A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald by Natasha Lester

Starting august 15 is our group read of A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald by Natasha Lester followed by a Q&A with the author!

Described as “Captivating, romantic and tragic”, A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald follows a young woman ahead of her time amid the fragile hearts and glamour of Jazz Age New York.



Join us here

Friday, August 12, 2016

Adult Fantasy Book of the Month, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

Join for our Adult Fantasy Book of the Month, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley, starting August 12 .

Described as "a sweeping, atmospheric narrative that takes the reader on an unexpected journey through Victorian London, Japan as its civil war crumbles long-standing traditions, and beyond. Blending historical events with dazzling flights of fancy, it opens doors to a strange and magical past"

Join us here 

Monday, August 1, 2016

Our August Netgalley Thread is now open


Join some like-minded souls in trying to get your shelf numbers down and feedback ratio up! 


 Each month we post our NetGalley books, progress and reviews. 


 The August thread is here

Wobble: Our current team challenge

Our current team challenge, WOBBLE, started on June 17, and has about 12 more weeks to run.

We have spaces for new players provided you can check in to Goodreads every few days AND read a book per week as a minimum.

Click on this link to go to the sign up form.


Saturday, July 30, 2016

Young Adult Book of the Month, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertall

Staing August 2 is our Young Adult Book of the Month, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli.

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Join us here



Friday, July 22, 2016

Starting July 22: Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho


Starting July 22 is our book of the month Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho, published by Penguin Random House​.



This is Zen's debut novel, described as "Magic and mayhem clashing with the British elite". 

Please join us here

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Sushi Train Reading Challenge

Feeling hungry?

Why not join our new Sushi Train challenge created by our group member Ray!

You could even earn an Emerald Gem Coin


Photo credit: Yannig Van de Wouwer via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

Thursday, July 7, 2016

New Reading Challenge: As it Flows

Kelly created a new challenge for you today where you read whatever books you like through the month and use the titles to create a story. Come over and have a look and you may even earn yourself an Emerald Coin ;)

As it Flows Challenge


Friday, July 1, 2016

Giveaway of A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald by Natasha Lester





It's time for another giveaway and group discussion!

Natasha Lester has generously donated 4 audiobook copies of her latest novel A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald! Narrated by the lovely Kelly Burke, you can listen to a sample at audible here.

Described as “Captivating, romantic and tragic”, A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald follows a young woman ahead of her time amid the fragile hearts and glamour of Jazz Age New York.

Synopsis:
It’s 1922 in the Manhattan of gin, jazz and prosperity. Women wear makeup and hitched hemlines – and enjoy a new freedom to vote and work. Not so Evelyn Lockhart, forbidden from pursuing her passion: to become one of the first female doctors.

Chasing her dream will mean turning her back on the only life she knows: her competitive sister, Viola; her conservative parents; and the childhood best friend she is expected to marry, Charlie.

And if Evie does fight Columbia University’s medical school for acceptance, how will she support herself? So when there’s a casting call for the infamous late-night Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway, will Evie find the nerve to audition? And if she does, what will it mean for her fledgling relationship with Upper East Side banker Thomas Whitman, a man Evie thinks she could fall in love with, if only she lived a life less scandalous?

Review from our friend and former mod Renee!

“It's been weeks since I finished this and I still can't find all the words.
I'd been waiting for this book to come out since the middle of last year, since I discovered the inspirational Natasha Lester's blog and maybe, perhaps, began to slightly stalk her online ... Natasha has heaps of writing advice to share and I couldn't wait to see how she applied it all in her historical fiction novel.
Wow.
Natasha's writing is a bridge between literary and commercial fiction. There is romance, mystery, medical drama, historical fiction, costumes, dancing, parties, study, life and death. Natasha paints such a vivid picture of life in New York during the 1920's. I felt like I was there, walking alongside Evie, sipping champagne during the prohibition and occasionally breaking into the charleston. I loved Evie's spunk and determination. Even though Evie has blond hair, the girl on the cover captures her essence perfectly (and the cover is so pretty).
This book is the bee's knees, the cat's pyjamas and the bandicoot's bellybutton! It's a book I found myself live tweeting as I was reading (that's the polite way to say twitter stalking).
I listened to the audiobook edition. The narrator was fabulous. Kelly Burke spoke clearly and at a good pace, bringing each character to life”


About the author



Natasha Lester
It took me a while to do something about the dream I’d always had of being a writer. But when I finally quit my job as a Brand Manager for Maybelline Cosmetics and went back to uni to study creative writing, lots of things happened which made me believe I’d taken the right step. The first piece of writing I ever sent off to a journal for publication - a poem - was accepted. It was the best $100 I’d ever earned. This is easy, I remember thinking!

Of course, it wasn’t always that easy. But I was lucky enough to win the TAG Hungerford Award for Fiction and thus receive a publishing contract for my first book, What is Left Over, After. My second book, If I Should Lose You, was published in 2012.

In between all that, I’ve had three children. Nowadays I write while the kids are sleeping, which is, of course, never for long enough.



To enter the giveaway, please fill in the google form here.


This giveaway is open from July 1 to July 10 . The winners will be expected to participate in the group discussion beginning August 15, which you can find here.

The winners will be notified by July 15.
Please note: The giveaway is for audiobook copies where you will be given a code which allows the winners to download the copies from Audible for free.

There is a Q&A with the author open from August 18-22

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Book of the Month: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Starting July 2 is our Book of the Month discussion of Looking for Alaska by John Green


This is Green's first work, published in 2005 and despite the movie rights being sold, apparently the film version has been shelved indefinitely. 


If you are a fan of contemporary YA fiction, or if you just want to give John Green a try, why not join us for this group read here?

Friday, June 24, 2016

June Books of the Month



July Books of the Month have been voted for!
2nd July is Looking for Alaska​ by John Green​
12th July is At The Water's Edge by Sara Gruen​
22nd July is Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

Join us to discuss these in July here!


Monday, June 20, 2016

Book of the Month: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn


Starting June 22 is our group discussion of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. 



Probably best known for "Gone Girl", Flynn has become a very popular and successful writer. 

Sharp objects was her 2006 debut novel. It was an Edgar Award finalist and the winner of two of Britain’s Dagger Awards—the first book ever to win multiple Daggers in one year. 

Come along and join us here


Friday, June 10, 2016

June Young Adult Book of the Month: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton


Starting June 12 is our Young Adult Book of the Month, Rebel of the Sands. 

This is the debut novel of Alwyn Hamilton ;published by Penguin Random House.


Part Young Adult Fantasy, part Romance, this tells the story of Amani Al’Hiza, a gifted gunslinger looking to leave her back-country town in a world where mortals rule, mythical beats roam, and it is rumoured that somewhere Djinn still perform magic.

Join us to discuss this new novel here


Thursday, June 9, 2016

WOBBLE Team Threads are Open!

Teams have been announced and team threads are open! If you have signed up for WOBBLE, remember to check the spreadsheet linked here (and also is linked in the header of the main page of our group) to find your team name.

REMEMBER: There are over 300 players so we are unable to PM individuals with their team information. If you don't sign in by the 15th you may be replaced. Happy Wobbling!

Thursday, June 2, 2016

June Newsletter

June Newsletter




Books of the Month

(Click on the cover to go to discussion)


New Challenges
Choose Your Own Adventure: Eras


June Challenges
Embrace Your Inner Child
Doughnuts and Donuts
June Challenge: Get Royal
June Bugs & the Jitterbug
Beach Blanket Bingo
Camp Gottaread Summer Reading Challenge
Summer Camping Reading Challenge
Design Your Perfect Wedding Reading Challenge
Something Old, Something New June Challenge

NetGalley Challenge
❀ June NetGalley challenge is here


We're All Ears
Have you ever wondered about audiobooks? Not sure where to start?
Every year over the Northern American summer, Audiobook Sync release a free pair of audiobooks every week for 15 weeks which are usually a mix of Young Adult and Classic titles.
You can chyeck it out here: http://www.audiobooksync.com/
Once you have downloaded, come and join our audiobook challenges. Part one is here

Not sure that you will remember to download the books each week? Follow our Facebook page where a reminder will be posted every Friday :)


RPG
Notice Board
Event: The Great White Dragon


Nominations
Young Adult
Anything Goes
❀ It's a TAKEOVER for our Sci-fi/Fantasy BOM! Congrats to Jen, who won a prize during our leprechaun event and chose the July sci-fi/fantasy BOM. Our BOM will be Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

❀ There will be no BOM nominations/discussions for Back Room(*) during WOBBLE. The group is still open for buddy reads, recommendations and chat for book genres and themes not suited for the main group.



Wobble

Sign-ups are for RESERVE LIST ONLY
From now on, any sign-ups will be placed on the waiting list. Meaning you only get to join a team if a replacement player is needed.

No more teams will be created for W.O.B.B.L.E
No, this is not the mods being mean. Wobble requires both seasoned captains and an even number of teams.

WOBBLE Begins June 17th @ 11am LONDON time.
COUNTDOWN to Wobble!!
Time Converter

NBRC Mods 
P.S. New to our group? Not sure where to start? We have created a new thread explaining the different areas of our group here

*You must be over 18 years old to join the NBRC Back Room

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Our June NetGalley challenge is now open!


Join some like-minded souls in trying to get your shelf numbers down and feedback ratio up! 


 Each month we post our NetGalley books, progress and reviews. 


 The June thread is here


Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Reading challenge for June - Embrace your inner child

June 1st is International Children's Day and we are celebrating it here at NBRC with a reading challenge for you to read books from the Top 100 Children's Books on Goodreads.

So, come on, embrace your inner child and join us for this cute June challenge :)





Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Survive Your Own Apocalypse Reading Challenge

"If you are writing any book about the end of the world, what you are really writing about is what's worth saving about it."
~Justin Cronin 

Help save the world and join us for our "Survive Your Own Apocalypse" Reading Challenge here


Friday, May 20, 2016

May Adult Fantasy Book of the Month starts May 22

Having sold over 15 million copies, The Shadow of the Wind​ by Carlos Ruiz Zafón  is one of the biggest selling books of all time. 

Find out why by joining our discussion starting May 22 here


Thursday, May 19, 2016

READATHON: Waiting for Wobble


Waiting for Wobble ~ a 4 Day Read-a-Thon

May 20-23

➜ 4 Day Read-a-Thon (RaT) open to any and all
➜ You do NOT have to read every day to participate. Can read as much as 24/7 for 4 days or as little as 1 hour. As much or little as each person is able.
➜ To make it stand apart from other run of the mill RaT, this will be set up differently. There will be Daily Questions/Interactions, Daily Recommendations & an overall Task.
➜ Participation in Daily Challenges is not mandatory to join in for RaT. Join in as MANY, or as FEW, Daily Questions, Daily Recommendations, Overall Task as you would like.
➜ You don't have to read during the RaT to participate in the Daily Questions or Recommendations. 
➜ Create goals to help you keep on track (page count / hours read / books read) or just go with the flow. Goals not mandatory for participation.
➜ Mandatory for RaT ----- Have FUN and READ.

Join us here


Have you ever wanted to travel around the world?

Well you can with our ongoing Around The World team challenge. There are teams now looking for new players here

There are two spots on  team"Journey to the Center of the Library" and two on team "Readers of the World, Unite!".

You can read more about this challenge here ; and visit the team threads if you'd like to travel with them!

Bon Voyage :)




Monday, May 16, 2016

Sign ups are open for our next team challenge


Our next team challenge, WOBBLE, starts June 17.
Sign ups are now open!

Click on this link to go to the sign up form.


Saturday, May 14, 2016

NetGalley Review Weekend

Everyone loves weekends, and this weekend is even more exciting because it is REVIEW WEEKEND for our May NetGalley reading challenge.

This "Review Weekend", once each month, is meant to be a time set aside to review. Take one, or both days and get caught up on reviews so you can spend the rest of the month reading!!

Remember to update your post and give us a link to your Goodreads review :)



Friday, May 13, 2016

Friday 13th May is "Show us your Blog" day!

Please feel free to comment on our Facebook post here with a bit about your blog, and the address.

We try and keep self promos, including blogs, in our group to specific threads. So we thought we would try this as a way you can showcase what you have. That's a better way to spend this Friday 13th rather than staying away from black cats and avoiding ladders!





Wednesday, May 11, 2016

May Book of the Month


Our May "Anything Goes" Book of the Month is Orphan Number 8 by Kim van Alkemade.

You can join the discussion, starting May 12, here


WOBBLE: Before you sign up

WOBBLE Sign ups will be open from May 15

IMPORTANT
Before you sign up, please note:
* You must be able to read at least a book every week for the duration of the challenge (18 weeks)
* You may be required to read certain books to meet the challenge requirements. If you do not want to be flexible with the books you intend to read this is NOT the challenge for you
*This is NOT a read-a-thon and WILL go for a few months, so please only sign-up if you are a consistent goodreads user and are willing to discuss books with your team mates over a period of time
*You must be willing to discuss strategy with your team and check in to your team thread at least once EVERY week
*If you only use Goodreads via the app, this is probably not the challenge for you. There is the requirement to look at Google sheets and interact on team threads which is limited if only using mobile devices

CAPTAINS
We can only make teams if we have people willing to be captains and we think you are awesome! But as this will be a fairly crazy challenge, we have some requirements:

*You must have been an active captain or co-captain in a previous team challenge with us
*You must be willing to make calls on books (colours of covers, if a goal fits etc.) and only escalate to mods where you are really unsure
*You must be able and willing to use Google sheets
*You must be over 18 years old, patient & polite with your team and encourage them in a constructive manner

We understand that there will be INCREASED requirements on captains for this challenge so therefore if we don't get enough captains we will be capping participants. (i.e. if we only get 3 captains, and 300 sign ups, we won't be having 3 teams of 100 members! ; it will be first come first served for sign ups).

We won't be sending broadcast messages about reminders of challenge start times etc. If you follow our Facebook page or blog you will be able to get those reminders, so if you haven't already, now is the time to follow us!

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Gem Coin Rewards

Gem Coins

Have you read about our NBRC Gem Coins yet?

They are now available for rewards for certain challenges, and for BOM participation.


What are Gem Coins
- Gem Coins are Rewards received in a variety of challenges around NBRC
- Gem Coins are REWARDS for you to keep/display
- Gem Coins are NOT for competition, no prize for the "most"
- Gem Coins are rewards for you to see what challenges you have completed


Find out more here

WOBBLE Rules


WOBBLE rules have been posted here



◈Those people who want to keep their Profiles Private, must be willing to "Friend" their Team Captain(s), the NBRC Mod account, or one of the Moderators, to allow page count verification and to assist you if you are having difficulty with your 
    bookshelves.
◈ Books must be started after the start date of the challenge to count towards the challenge 
Books must be />100 pages. NOTE: This number is lower than our other team challenges! 
    For page number questions, please check with your captain who can ask in the Captains group for verification.
Audio books are allowed. (For page numbers, use the "default" GR book page numbers.)
No graphic novels. (Sorry.)
Boxed sets are not considered as "one book" and need to be shelved as separate books
No little children's books less than 25,000 words.ArBookFind is a great site to double check. If in doubt, ask your captain.
Any genre counts.
Any book in any language will count, as long as it meets the criteria.
"Re-reads" will be allowed, if it has been six months since you have read the book. This includes listening to the audio version, if you've already read the book. 
This challenge involves adding a special bookshelf to your personal 
    GRs bookshelves other than "read." You may choose a preexisting one. 
Please wait to be told to which Team you are assigned. It might take awhile; however,
    you will be able to count the books you have read from the START date of the challenge.
Once you actually join, please check-in with your team discussion thread by posting the name of your bookshelf. 
    Remember to add a HYPHEN between words for your bookshelf. 
Helpful Tip: Knowing about Sticky Shelves may help you put your assigned 
    bookshelf near the top of your dropdown box.
With MOBILE DEVICES there have been major problems when trying to 
    add books. If that is all you have to access the Internet, or you don't know how to Cut & Paste
    on it, then this challenge probably is NOT the right fit for you. 
Discussion threads will be in the regular NBRC group.
You do NOT have to join the discussion, if you don't want to; communicating
    via posting a book is good enough. Nevertheless, Your Team wants to know if you are
    still participating. We understand Real Life gets in the way. However, please plan to 
    "check-in" in some manner at least once every week. If we don't hear from you for two weeks, you may be replaced with another team member

Waiting for Wobble Read-a-Thon ~ May 20-23

Waiting for Wobble


Waiting for Wobble ~ a 4 Day Read-a-Thon

➜ 4 Day Read-a-Thon (RaT) open to any and all
➜ You do NOT have to read every day to participate. Can read as much as 24/7 for 4 days or as little as 1 hour. As much or little as each person is able.
➜ To make it stand apart from other run of the mill RaT, this will be set up differently. There will be Daily Questions/Interactions, Daily Recommendations & an overall Task.
➜ Participation in Daily Challenges is not mandatory to join in for RaT. Join in as MANY, or as FEW, Daily Questions, Daily Recommendations, Overall Task as you would like.
➜ You don't have to read during the RaT to participate in the Daily Questions or Recommendations.
➜ Create goals to help you keep on track (page count / hours read / books read) or just go with the flow. Goals not mandatory for participation.
➜ Mandatory for RaT ----- Have FUN and READ.


FAQ
Daily Questions FAQ -
╰⊰✿ Each Day will have a Daily Questions
╰⊰✿ You may choose to participate as much or as little as you'd like. You could answer all questions one day, none another, it's all up to you!


FAQ
Recommendations FAQ -
Through this read-a-thon, we're going to recommend books in the hopes of putting a ton more books on our TBR! With recommendations ~
╰⊰✿ Recommendations Thread for Recommendations ONLY! Separate threads will be for Chat/Interactions and so on. Please only make your Recommendations, and nothing else, in the Recommendations Thread!
╰⊰✿ Try to recommend something not extremely popular (no Harry Potter!) We want to get new books and with extremely big series/books, people already know about them. Give us something new to want!
╰⊰✿ REMEMBER: Our group is an ALL AGES group. Please no recommendations of a mature nature. Gore and violence is ok (it's in Hunger Games after all) but nothing too over the top and no erotica please.


FAQ
Tasks FAQ -
╰⊰✿ There will be one Task (suggestions for books to read)
╰⊰✿ The Task is a fun suggestion and not mandatory for participation in the RaT
╰⊰✿ You can chose to do task or not, it's up to you


Waiting for Wobble Read-a-Thon