Bucketyell is joining the orange parade

I have read a few and would love to read more. I am a little late to the July party but I did manage to read Tiger's Wife by Obreht and might try to squeeze another one in before the end of the month.

Winners
1996 - A Spell of Winter by Dunmore
1997 - Fugitive Pieces by Michaels
1998 - Larry's Party by Shields
1999 - A Crime in the Neighborhood by Berne
2000 - When I Lived in Modern Times by Grant
2001 - The Idea of Perfection by Grenville
2002 - Bel Canto by Patchett
2003 - Property by Martin
2004 - Small Island by Levy
2005 - We Need to Talk About Kevin by Shriver
2006 - On Beauty by Smith
2007 - Half a Yellow Sun by Adichie
2008 - The Road Home by Tremain
2009 - Home by Robinson
2010 - The Lacuna by Kingsolver
2011 - Tiger's Wife by Obreht
2012 - The Song of Achilles by Miller
2013 - May We Be Forgiven by Homes
2014 - Girl is a Half-Formed Thing by McBride
2017 - The Power by Alderman

Shortlisted stuff read so far:
1996 - Book of Colour by Blackburn
1996 - Hundred Secret Senses by Tan
1997 - Alias Grace by Atwood
1998 - The Weight of Water by Shreve
1999 - The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver
2000 - Amy and Isabelle by Strout
2000 - White Teeth by Smith
2000 - Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Wells
2001 - Blind Assassin by Atwood
2002 - Fingersmith by Waters
2003 - Unless by Shields
2003 - Little Friend by Tartt
2004 - Oryx and Crake by Atwood
2004 - Purple Hibiscus by Adichie
2004 - The Colour by Tremain
2005 - Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Lewycka
2005 - Mammoth Cheese by Holman
2005 - Old Filth by Gardam
2006 - History of Love by Krauss
2006 - The Night Watch by Waters
2007 - A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary by Xialou
2007 - Inheritance of Loss by Desai
2007 - Digging to America by Tyler
2008 - Fault Lines by Huston
2008 - Lullabies for Little Criminals by O'Neill
2008 - The Outcast by Jones
2009 - Molly Fox's Birthday by Madden
2010 - A Gate at the Stairs by Moore
2010 - Wolf Hall by Martel
2011 - Annabel by Winter
2011 - Room by Donoghue
2011 - Great House by Krauss
2012 - Painter of Silence by Harding
2012 - Foreign Bodies by Ozick
2012 - Half-Blood Blues by Edugyan
2013 - NW by SMith
2013 - Flight Behaviour by Kingsolver
2013 - Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Semple
2013 - Bring Up the Bodies by Mantel
2013 - Life After Life by Atkinson
2014 - Goldfinch by Tartt
2014 - Americanah by Adichie
2014 - Burial Rites by Kent
2014 - Lowland by Lahiri
2015 - Paying Guests by Waters
2016 - Portable Veblen by McKenzie
2017 - Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Thien

Sure is nice to 'see' you bucket. And some months are like that as far as our reading time goes, especially the summer months and harvest time. Always so busy.
hugs,
belva

You're welcome here, Bucket! And I'm impressed that you can squeeze another Orange into a couple of days. You've read some really nice ones. Don't forget the long lists!!!

I wouldn't worry about being late, I've only just started my first Orange read this month, The Tiger's Wife. I'm planning on an Orange tinge to my August reads, as well. :)

Orange and Green; sounds good to me wookie.
:-)

Welcome! Better late than never, as my mom always says!

I am still reading Orange - right into August. =)

August will definitely be Orange around my house. I have an 'awarded ones' category in the 11/11/11 challenge so I will focus on Orange winners to finish up that category. I have read some of the long-listed stuff but will need to get better organised before posting but I will!

Orange and green? It's sounding a little Irish around here :)

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII like it!~!~! ;-)
Orange Prize listeds and Viragos...............it can't possibly get better than that.

I really, really liked The Road Home by Tremain and found that I couldn't put it down (despite knowing that I really should be studying for exams). It's a heart-breaking yet inspirational story of an immigrant who leaves his home country to find work to support his family. I loved following him through all the ups and downs and all the mistakes he makes along the way. The one thing that bothered me though is the underlying violent tone there. In the beginning I had pictured him as a somewhat pious man (the scene with the picture in the bathroom etc) but then there are certain epsiodes that really made me dislike him. The scene at the play made me cheer him on but then a few pages later, the scene with Sophie disgusted me. It felt a little out of place and I couldn't really embrace his character after that. I get that humans are flawed and for the most part, his flaws made him who he was and endured him to me. But there were some things that I just don't forgive in anyone and that scene really left a bad taste. Overall though, the book was very well-written and I will have to seek out more of her work.

I am on a roll here... I just finished Molly Fox's Birthday by Madden and liked it as well. I enjoy books where the main character looks back at key moments in their life and attempts to make sense of things. Madden handles the transition really well.

Up next is A Spell of Winter by Dunmore. Looks interesting so we will see what the first winner is all about. I think I will work my way through the winners first and then move on to short/long lists.

Just popping by to say hi! I did my Orange reading in May and July of this year. However, I do have A Spell of Winter waiting on the shelf. I look very forward to it- and what you think of it!

I finished The Colour and while I liked it, I found The Road Home to be a better book. This one jumped around a little too much and I was getting impatient for it to end.

Really? I absolutely loved The Colour, read it a while ago, and wouldn't have minded if it went on for longer. Mind you, I seem to be on a bit of a history/colonisation jag at the moment. Just finished Savage Lands by Clare Clark, a beautiful book, bleak, yes, but ultimately uplifting in a very real, human way. Resolve, rather than fairytale happiness. The Road Home is on my very long list of TBRs, I might have to bump it up the list.

I thought about reading Savage Lands for my September Orange book. Glad to see you liked it!

I have The Road Home on my TBR list for Orange January.

A Spell of Winter is so far my number 1 read of the year. That is how good it is. And I believe that it was also the first book to be honored by the Orange Prize. (1996) I had better double check that for you though.
Yes, it won the prize in it's inaugural year.
You have really read a lot of the Oranges. Good for you. I didn't really fall in love with them until this year. I think I will enjoy a steady diet of them through Darryl's Challange of an Orange a Month plus Orange January & Orange July. I have only read 9 of yours.
Good going bucket!~!

Due to lack to time, A Spell of Winter had to go back to the library partially unread but I enjoyed what I did get to read. September was a busy month so I didn't get much reading done but hopefully October will make up for it. I will make a concerted effort to finish Dunmore's book and possibly another Orange one to catch up.

I never really paid any attention to the prize before so I was very surprised to see that I had read quite a few without realising it.

To make up for my Orange-free September, I have read 2 orange books this month. A Visit from the Goon Squad (good but not great) and Home by Robinson (awesome).

And another one for October - Property by Martin. Very good book about slavery. Usually these types of books have a sympathetic character who you root for throughout the novel but in this case, there are few people to root for so it was a little odd to get used to. It is a gritty look at the reality of slavery - no sugar-coating here. The best part of the book was the last page. It truly summed up slavery to me.

Two down for Orange January:

Fault Lines by Huston was shortlisted in 2008. Very good and highly recommended.

Swamplandia! by Russell was longlisted in 2011. I wish I could say I enjoyed it but it did nothing for me. I found it very odd and confusing.

Swamplandia! sounds like it's going to get a pass from me.

I'm slogging my way through Goon Squad. I read a few chapters and then go on to something else. Glad to hear that I'm not the only one who isn't thrilled by it.

23 - It wasn't bad but its not something I would pick up again.

My fourth Orange book and second downer of the month: The Blue Flower by Fitzgerald. There were parts that I enjoyed but overall, I was happy when it ended. I also read The Bookshop by her last year and wasn't impressed so I think I am done with this author.

I somehow forgot to update that I also read Half of a Yellow Sun by Adichie. Started off slowly but really picked up. I loved the way she went back and forth in time - before the war started and then during. It was interesting to see how it affected each person in different ways.

Hey Danielle, how did I miss you here? I read The Bookshop last year Penelope Fitzgerald and was similarly unimpressed. Oh Good! I can skip The Goon Squad and Swamplandia! ;) I really enjoyed The Siege by Helen Dunmore this January and The Hero's Walk by Anita Rau Badami.

I'm glad you enjoyed Half of a Yellow Sun. I'd like to get to that eventually.

Hi Deb! Welcome :)

Okay so I finally finished We Need to Talk About Kevin and now I know what all the fuss is about. I think my hold up with the book before was the whole stream of consciousness thing. I found the jumping around part a little confusing at first but once I got into it and saw where it was going, I went with the flow and really enjoyed it. I am firmly on Eva's side. I have dealt with people like Kevin many times and I totally get her frustration. She certainly wasn't perfect but she didn't create a monster. I think it's one that will stay with me for a bit. I am still trying to wrap my head around the ending.

now I know what all the fuss is about
Oh, yes, such a great book. Great book to end January with.

I read The Bookshop a few years ago, and I liked it, but it wasn't something that would make me rave and recommend. Perfectly harmless book.

I recently finished We Need To Talk About Kevin also and understand you "still trying to wrap my head around the ending". I suspected where it was going, but the actual ending as described was a little more than I expected. That being said, I can also certainly see "what all the fuss is about"!

I just finished The Sealed Letter by Donoghue and I must say, I am really impressed at her writing because I have now read three very different books by her (Room & Slammerkin) and she is able to do justice with whatever she takes on. I am curious to read more about this case to see how close she followed the storyline. I wonder if Fido was as whimpy and weak as I found her to be. On the one hand, she is supposed to be this championer of woman's rights so I expected her to be a much more formidable character. But on the other, her friend was a manipulative git so really, how far do you go to support her when you realised that you are being used? She just seemed to be constantly questionning her role in the world and she seemed to have a hard time figuring out what it is that she believed.

And how innocent of a party was Mr Codrington? I really didn't like him much after the stunt with the sealed letter. But I do wonder how different my opinion would have been had the roles been reversed and Mrs was the injured party? I think I would be much more sympathetic with a female victim.

I have The Sealed Letter on my shelf. Can't wait to read it!

The Outcast by Jones - I originally bought a copy of this book while in England on a visit and after reading the first few chapters, I left it there unfinished. But, because others here said that it was a pretty good, I bought a second used copy and finished it today. I thought it wasn't bad for a first novel and while I am happy that I finished it, it is not something that I would pick up again. It jumped around and at times, I was just plain confused.

A Spell of Winter by Dunmore - what a beautiful yet sad book! I loved it until the end where it just seemed rather rushed and out of character. She tried to introduce a new storyline there that probably should have been brought up earlier or perhaps explored a little more. But overall, I really enjoyed it.

I have an Orange category in my 12/12/12 challenge and I think I will focus on reading some of the winners that I have missed. And now I can say that I have read the first one.

I love, love, loved Gillespie and I by Harris! What a nail-biter! I was awake until 2am trying to keep my eyes open enough to see who the mysterious servant was and how the trial would unfold.

Just before it I read A Crime in the Neighborhood by Berne. Liked it too but was starting to wonder why I kept picking books about strange, messed up kids!

I am working on The Idea of Perfection by Grenville right now and I can't say its gripped me yet. We will see how it goes though.

Finished Idea of Perfection and ended up liking it a bit more than I thought I would.

This morning I finished When I Lived in Modern Times and while I found the history part interesting, I really didn't like any of the characters.

Good to see some action in the Orange threads, I've been missing all the Orange talk.

Idea of Perfection sounds good - gotta like a book that exceeds expectation. I have that book in paperback form to read, which is great for carrying around in a purse.

Just started White Teeth by Smith and I am liking it so far.

Foreign Bodies is one I found in the cheap-heap at Chapters. Can't say that I was impressed. Everyone annoyed me to no end. The writing was good but the story was rather boring.

So boring! I couldn't believe it was one of the shortlisted books. Everyone was annoying.

The People of Forever Are Not Afraid by Boianjiu - I am really surprised by this one because when I read the summary I thought I would hate this book. But somehow, despite the depressing subject matter, I quite enjoyed it. It's about a group of three young women growing up in Israel as they leave high school and get conscripted into the army. At times they are gossiping about boys and sneaking off to the mall and then other times they are conducting drills with assault rifles and searching for suicide bombers. The whole thing was highly disturbing but yet the author did a good job at presenting it.

I gave Foreign Bodies 1 1/2*s so I guess I was as impressed with it as you & raider were. :-(
The People of Forever Are Not Afraid looks to be one I will have to read. Perhaps not this year but next for sure. You are the 2nd person I have seen mention it today and in a very positive way. So that one is on my list.

Wondering what you are planning to read in Orange July? It's almost upon us.

Bring Up the Bodies by Mantel. Finally finished... not sure why it took so long as it was a great book but I could only handle so much history in a single seating I suppose. I didn't particularly like Anne Boleyn but she got royally screwed (snerk).

Jamrach's Menagerie by Birch. This is my Orange selection for the month and it's pretty good so far. I sort of spoiled it as I just read some of the posted comments - sounds like the story is going to take an interesting twist soon!

This one sounds good but creepy..........Can't decide if I want to give it a go or not. Hmmmmmm........ You are making me think too much bucket!~!

It's an awesome book but yup, it's a little creepy! She writes really well and brings London and the sea alive so I would definitely recommend it. You can have my copy if you would like.

I appreciate the offer Danielle but think I will take a pass on this one. So kind of you though. I have taken author Carol Birch's name down for my library wish list however & will give something else of hers a try.
:-)

Bear by Cameron - not sure how I feel about this. It's supposed to be written from the perspective of a 5-year old but I didn't really think it rang true (but since I really don't remember what I thought when I was five, you knows).

Starting Orange in July a little early with: The Gathering by Enright. From all the mixed reviews I have read on this book, I really wasn't sure what to expect with this one but I quite liked it. But, I seem to be drawn to books on dysfunctional families (especially ones far more dysfunctional than my own family) so maybe that it why I liked it. Family secrets bubble to the surface when a member of a large family dies.

Inheritance of Loss by Desai. This is one that I have pulled off the shelf many, many times but for whatever reason, never read until now. And I am mixed: it is a beautifully written book but, it jumps around too much and I found it rather confusing at times. There are two stories playing out but I found that I really didn't care about the cook's son Biju living in America. I would have preferred a story just about Sai.

The Position by Wolitzer. Someone once told me that they didn't like Wolitzer's books so despite having a couple in the shelf, I never felt all that compelled to read one. But, it's Orange July so I decided to give this one a go and am now kicking myself for waiting so long. The plot in a nut shell: mom and dad write a sex manual and featuring themselves as the participants. It's now 30 years later and the publisher wants to reissue an anniversary edition and then now-grown-up-kids reflect on how growing up in the shadow of this book changed them in ways they never expected.

Niagara Falls All Over Again by McCracken. I quite liked this story. It's about two actors who team up to perform vaudeville and it chronicles all the ups and downs in their long career together.

Alif the Unseen by Wilson - I finished it yesterday and honestly, had no idea what to write! It is one of the most unique books I have read and I found it fascinating and engaging. But don't ask me to describe what I read because I would never be able to do it justice.

I read it because it was nominated for Orange/Bailey Prize - otherwise, I never would have given it a second thought. The cover is rather unattractive and the blurb doesn't really draw you in. When I realised that it was set in some unnamed Middle Eastern country, I thought, okay, this will be a learning experience as I don't read a lot set there. I am not sure what I expected but it certainly wasn't a book about computer hackers, hidden lands and lost books! If you like books with a little fantasy thrown in, you might really enjoy this one.

MaddAddam by Atwood. Finished the trilogy and loved every minute of it.

Gilgamesh by London. Loved the first part but the ending was a little too forced.

Intuition by Goodman. A story about a man who thinks he has found a miracle drug to fight pancreatic cancer and a co-worker who isn't so sure that the results are accurate. Interesting look at ethics and human relationships.

I liked Intuition. Sort of like Jodi picoult, but much better. I'd like to read another by Goodman to see if she always does good solid books.

The History of Love by Krauss. Not bad

9 oranges down.. I will try for 5 more by the end of the year.

A little late but my entry for Orange January:

Girl is a Half-Formed Thing by McBride. If not for my aim to read all Orange winners, I would have given up on this read from the start. I tend to shy away from experimental literature (and am not a fan of Joyce) and generally hate 'stream of consciousness' writing. But I stuck with this one and am glad I did. There is something genuine about the voice that came through and it captivated me to the end.

Made it just in time. My January Orange book was The Luminaries by Catton. Fascinatingly complex story but far too long.

I read The Rehearsal by Catton and really didn't understand or get it. I've been leery of picking up another one by her. Far too long is also not a recommendation! I didn't get any Bailey's read in January. Good on you for reading a long one.

This was my first one by Catton and I am not sure I will read more. The story was cool with lots of twists and turns but I think she got bogged down with the details and at 837 pages, it was a tad too long.

Orange February - I am about half-way through Goldfinch and I am really enjoying it so far. I loved Secret History but didn't like the other one (name escapes me) so I wasn't sure which way this one would go. I feel quite sorry for this poor messed up kid.

The Goldfinch by Tartt. Long but interesting story with a weird ending. I loved all the talk about art and antiques and really wanted to see how things were going to turn out with the painting but ultimately, I think she took the easy way out. It was a little to 'pat'.

Other contenders on the shelf (as I am determined to read what I own):

Almost English by Mendelson
Lyrics Alley by Aboulda
The Falls by Oates
Great Stink by Clark
Hero's Walk by Badami
Bonesetter's Daughter by Tan
What the Body Remembers by Baldwin
State of Wonder by Patchett
The Night Watch by Waters

Ugh, The Goldfinch. I read it quickly, but in the end, was not pleased. That last art manifesto? made no sense to me.
I don't recognize any of your possibilities. Maybe a few authors, but none of the books. Enjoy!

I liked it the beginning but started to lose interest when he moved back to NY. And I can't say I ever liked Boris. He was too much of a walking stereotype I think.

My March selection was Hero's Walk by Badami and it was quite good. An Indian family finds out that their daughter and her Canadian husband have died in a car accident and they are now guardians of a little girl. The story looks at how each family member dealt with their daughter leaving India and marrying a white Canadian. And how they each try to come to terms with her death and all their regrets. Nandana is a 7-year-old, raised in a largely Westernised household and now she is trying to adjust to a vastly different lifestyle. Badami does a pretty good job at getting into each character's head. I read Tamarind Mem years ago and really liked it as well.

Maybe I do recognize a book after all- The Hero's Walk by Badami. I have it to read ahead of Canada Reads. I didn't even realize it was an Orange book. She's speaking at our library tomorrow night- I think I'll go! As soon as I finish my book I'm reading, I'm excited to read it.

Oh how exciting that you get to meet Anita Badami. I've loved all of her books - I think there are 4 or 5 of them and I've read them all. Did you see that the Bailey's aka Orange Long List came out a couple of days ago? I'm currently reading The House at the Edge of The World by Julia Rochester. It's on this years long list. Very interesting so far.

Ohhh! That sounds lovely! I'd quite like to meet Badami. Very cool..

The long list is out? I am very behind in my list-making this year. Thanks! :)

My Name is Lucy Barton by Strout. Wow, I am really behind in my Orange reading! But summer is almost here so it's time to head outdoors and read in the park.

I really liked this book. It's more a string of thoughts as opposed to a linear novel but it works.

I think I read one in January! The Night Watch by Waters. I like her stuff but this one wasn't anything special. I did like the way she told the story in reverse.

A little late for February but I just finished Digging to America which was rather timely considering everything going on in America today. Two American families adopt Korean girls and meet at the airport when they arrive to pick the girls up. They become fast friends and the novel looks at the years that follow.

The Power by Alderman. Wow.... I can see why this won. Fascinating twist in history !

I am trying to increase my Orange/Bailey/Women's Prize reading this year so I have quite a few of the longlist books on hold. A few came in so I just finished A Boy in Winter by Seiffert and am about halfway through listening to Sing, Unburied, Sing by Ward. The first one takes place in 1941 in a small Ukrainian village that has just been taken over by the SS. The story covers three nights and is told from the viewpoint of three different groups of people, all who have different reasons to hate the war.

My list is getting rather long so I will move the longlist down here:

Longlisted stuff read so far:
1996 - The Blue Flower by Fitzgerland
1996 - The Ghost Road by Barker
1997 - Fall on Your Knees by MacDonald
1998 - The Underpainter by Urquahart
2000 - Girl With a Pearl Earring by Chevalier
2000 - Fasting, Feasting by Desai
2001 - The Hiding Place by Azzopardi
2002 - The Secret Life of Bees by Kidd
2002 - Hero's Walk by Badami
2002 - Niagara Falls All Over Again by McCracken
2003 - The Lovely Bones by Sebold
2004 - Notes on a Scandal by Heller
2004 - The Time Traveler's Wife by Niffenegger
2004 - Gilgamesh: A Novel by London
2004 - The Namesake by Lahiri
2005 - Case Histories by Atkinson
2006 - Gilead by Robinson
2006 - Prep by Sittenfeld
2006 - The Position by Wolitzer
2007 - The Girls by Lansens
2007 - Alligator by Moore
2008 - The Gathering by Enright
2009 - American Wife by Sittenfeld
2009 - Intuition by Goodman
2010 - The Help by Stockett
2010 - The Little Stranger by Waters
2011 - A Visit from the Goon Squad by Egan
2011 - Lyrics Alley by Aboulela
2011 - The Invisible Bridge by Orringer
2011 - Swamplandia! by Russell
2012 - The Sealed Letter by Donoghue
2012 - Gillespie and I by Harris
2012 - Night Circus by Morgenstern
2012 - There But For The by Smith
2013 - People of Forever Are Not Afraid by Boianjiu
2013 - Gone Girl by Flynn
2013 - How Should a Person Be? Heti
2013 - Red Book by Kogan
2013 - Lamb by Nadzam
2013 - The Forrests by Perkins
2013 - Light Between Oceans by Stedman
2013 - May We Be Forgiven by Homes
2013 - Alif the Unseen by Willow
2014 - The Bear by Cameron
2014 - MaddAddam by Atwood
2014 - Luminaries by Catton
2014 - Burgess Boys by Strout
2015 - Station Eleven by St John
2015 - Girl Who Was Saturday Night by O'Neill
2016 - My Name is Lucy Barton by Strout
2017 - Hag Seed by Atwood
2018 - A Boy in Winter by Seiffert
2018 - Sing, Unburied, Sing by Ward