Booklikes-Opoly - BrokenTune's Final Game Wrap Up
July 31st:
Bank account: $215
Many thanks to Obsidian Blue and Moonlight reader for hosting this game. It was so much fun! Both playing and watching everyone else's updates - a special shout out to Magnetic Monkey and Penni, who have been quite the entertaining duo.
My personal goal for this game was to tackle my TBR shelves, both physical and electronic, and try and read as many books that I already own as I could.
In that, I think it has been a resounding success. I managed to read
40 books. Which added up to an amazing 12205 pages! And I loved many of them. Even ones that were outside of my normal reading comfort zone - Hello Sci-fi! and time travel.
In fact, I managed to re-connect with one of my favourite childhood authors - Jules Verne. Not that Verne is a children's author. I just happen to have had my first encounter with Verne when I was a child. Now I want to read more of his works. They are just amazing!
Overall, not all of the books I have read over the game have been impressive. There have been 3 DNFs, and all the books together averaged a 3.36 rating.
However, there were some honourable mentions which I have linked above.
The Thorn Birds, Howards End, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth were re-reads, so the most surprising or best discoveries of the last three months have been Making History by Stephen Fry and The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulff.
Again, many thanks to OB and MR and to all the other BLikers who have taken part or cheered from the sidelines. You all rock!
Below (after the page break) are all my game updates.
Which brings me to my last BL-Opoly Roll:
July 29th:
Bank account: $209
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-29 20:56:35 UTC
....which takes me to: "Paradise Pier" Sq. 31 - Read a book that includes a carnival or where the title starts with any of the letters in "PIXAR".
I'll have a Christie for this one: After the Funeral - 286p.
July 23rd:
Ongoing Free Friday read: Angels in America
Bank account: $199
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-23 01:04:38 UTC
....which takes me to: "Water Works" Sq. 23 - Read a book with water on the cover, or where someone turns on the waterworks (i.e., cries) because of an emotional event.
I am not sure about whether there is crying in this book, but the chances are that there is, so I am going for Christopher Isherwood's A Single Man. I love the film but never got around to read the book, yet.
Update: There is crying when George learns of Jim's death.
July 21st:
Ongoing Free Friday read: Angels in America
Bank account: $193
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-21 16:15:41 UTC
....which takes me to: "New Orleans Square Station" Sq. 14 - Read a book that involves overseas travel or that has a suitcase on the cover."
Well, as BL-Opoly is coming to an end, I might as well follow my theme of Verne reads and read Around the World in Eighty Days for this square. It just screams overseas travel.
I have an audiobook version for this. :D
July 18th:
Ongoing Free Friday read: [none]
Bank account: $184
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-18 21:42:10 UTC
....which takes me to: "BL" Sq. 12 - Roll the electronic dice, and perform the task that corresponds to your roll!
Task roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-18 21:45:46 UTC
12. Let the wheel decide - spin the wheel to pick your next "land" and choose any property in the land for your next book!
Which takes me to: Fantasyland
I choose Fantasyland # 6 (Climb the Matterhorn). I've been on this square before since the Big Shake-Up, so the location multiplier will apply.
My book choice: Queen Lucia by E.F. Benson (279p.)
July 16th:
Ongoing Free Friday read: The Invention of Nature
Bank account: $170
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-16 16:52:53 UTC
....which takes me to: "Electric Company" - Read a book where a main character is in STEM, or where the author's first and last name contain all of the letters in "Tesla"."
Well, I guess the Opoly gods all have a wicked sense of humour. I've been hoping to land on this spot for ages, and now that I have fit in the book I wanted to read on this square in a different task, I get to read a book with a STEM character... Typical.
So, for this square I will go with Steinbeck's Log from the Sea of Cortez, in which Steinbeck joins his marine biologist friend Ed Ricketts to collect marine invertebrates from the beaches of the Gulf of California. So, at least one of the MC's is in STEM.
July 13th:
Ongoing Free Friday read: The Invention of Nature
Bank account: $164
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-13 22:06:49 UTC
....which takes me to: "Start" - Read any book."
Well, it is the Wimbledon finals are coming up this weekend and I have not yet read my usual seasonal tennis book. Seasonal as in "grass season" of course.
As I can choose any book and I need something light, I'll go for Game, Set, and Murder by Elizabeth Flynn. 272p.
July 11th:
Ongoing Free Friday read: The Invention of Nature
Bank account: $158
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-11 04:52:58 UTC
....which takes me to: "Paradise Pier" Sq. 28 - Read a book that is set during Victoria's reign or that is tagged steampunk on GR."
I've been waiting to land on the STEM square just so I could read Deborah Cadbury's The Dinosaur Hunters. A square to read something Victorian sounds like a good opportunity to finally get to that book. I'm sure I'll plenty of other books, should I land on the Electric Company (STEM) square again. 372 pages.
July 9th:
Ongoing Free Friday read: The Invention of Nature
I finished the 4th July read, The Scapegoat (which qualified for a location multiplier), and my read for the previous roll, Taken at the Flood.
Starting from "Ring" Sq. #15
Bank account: $156
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-09 11:59:49 UTC
....which takes me to: "Tomorrowland Station" Sq. 22 - Read a book that involves time travel either to the future or to the past."
I hate this square. Again, it is Verne to the rescue. This time with a short story called "In the Year 2889".
My kindle edition says this has 33 pages.
July 6th:
Ongoing Free Friday read: none
Ongoing 4th July read: The Scapegoat
Starting from Main Street #11 after the 4th of July extra roll.
Bank account: $141
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-06 21:46:29 UTC
....which takes me to: "Ring" Sq. 15 - Read a book where someone gets married, with jewelry on the cover, or where any character is a millionaire/billionaire!
Alright, I need some help here: I've been eyeing up Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie for this square. The character Gordon Cloade is described as "immensely rich" and said to "have been worth well over a million.".
Does this count? I'm asking because, technically, Gordon Cloade is already dead - but I guess his widow and heiress is the real central character.
If not, I'll go for Death on the Nile, where I know Linnet Ridgeway is a millionairess.
July 3rd:
Ongoing Free Friday read: Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmann
Bank account: $127
Dice roll:
You rolled 2 dice:
....which takes me to: Tomorrowland # 36 - Read a book with either an image of or from space, or where the author's full name contains all of the letters in "SPACE".
Ok, this is one of the squares I have been dreading but I have a book that fits the bill - Jules Verne (again!): From the Earth to the Moon. It has a picture of space on the cover of the audiobook version that I have.
Dice roll # 2 (because doubles):
You rolled 2 dice:
....which takes me to: "Fantasyland" Sq. 6 - Climb the Matterhorn! Read a book that is set in a Western European country or has a wintry scene on the cover".
What?! I missed the Electric Company again??!! I have the perfect book for the Electric Company and just can't get there!!
The Europe one is relatively easy but I will wait with picking a book until I know what mood strikes me. :D
Update: I've decided on a book....finally - No wintry scene, an Italian setting: The Gold-rimmed Spectacles by Giogio Bassini.
July 1st:
Ongoing Free Friday read: Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmann
Bank account: $123
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-07-01 10:02:27 UTC
....which takes me to: Adventureland # 27 - Read a book by an author whose initials can be found in the name "Tarzan" or that has a tree on the cover."
Well, I've been here before, but that was before the Big Shake Up. I had another look on my shelves and found Squall by Sean Costello - 176p.
There are lots of other books on my shelf that fit this square, too, but none really appeal right now. :(
June 25th:
Ongoing Free Friday read: [none]
Bank account: $117
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-06-25 22:55:28 UTC
....which takes me to: New Orleans Square 21 - Read a book that is set on an island or that has the ocean on the cover.
As we established already that the UK will count as "island", the possibilities for picking a book I already have to fulfil this task are basically endless which brings me to the dilemma of choosing: I haven't read Christie in a while or Sayers, or another good Golden Age mystery, or the E.M. Delafield that's been sitting on my shelf, or Mapp & Lucia...
But no. Inspired by The better to see you, my dear' review last week, I have a craving for some E.M. Forster. So, I will commit to a re-read of Howards End.
Update: My version - Dover Thrift edition - has 246 pages.
June 22nd:
Ongoing Free Friday read: Farewell Leicester Square by Betty Miller
Bank account: $101
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-06-22 20:01:15 UTC
....which takes me to: Main Street #11 - Read a book that takes place between 1945 and 1965 or that was written by an author who was born before 1955".
There are so so many books to choose from that will fit this task. However, I kinda succumbed to watching The Thorn Birds - The Missing Years the other night and spent most of the time raging how rubbish this "sequel" to the original Thorn Birds is. Of course, I did not manage to change channels and watched the whole thing despite my outrage, but that is not the point of my mentioning it at all. What I took away from watching it is that I really want to re-read the original book.
Although the story of The Thorn Birds begins before 1945 (and I believe ends in the late 1960s....I can't remember, which is another reason that I need to re-read this), the book still qualifies because Colleen McCullough was born in 1937.
My kindle edition has 673 pages.
Judge all you like, The Thorn Birds is a damn fine book.
June 11th:
Bank account: $98
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-06-11 21:05:28 UTC
....which takes me to: Frontierland #4 - Read a book where a character travels by boat, or where the letters in the title can be used to spell "river".
Which means that I will again not miss landing on the Electric Company square. I have the perfect book for that square so I can only assume the Opoly Gods are mocking me!!!
Anyway, my book for this current square will be On the Proper Use of Stars by Dominique Fortier, which I have been meaning to read for ages, too. It's a novel about the Franklin Expedition. Ammy lists this as having 282 pages.
Update: I finished the book on 21st June but I will collect only $3 as I rolled on this square before the Opoly Shake-Up.
June 08th:
Bank account: $92
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-06-08 22:02:29 UTC
....which takes me to: Adventureland #26 - Read a book that is tagged genre: adventure or thriller on GR.
I'm thinking Jules Verne Journey to the Centre of the Earth. I loved Jules Verne when I was a kid. He's probably one of the reasons I have an interest in STEM.
Dice roll # 2:
Timestamp: 2017-06-08 22:05:50 UTC
....which takes me to: "Paradise Pier" Sq. 30 - Read a book with a twist or that is tagged "suspense" on GR, or that has more than 555 pages."
Several choices here:
MR had proposed a Talented Mr Ripley buddy read. This would fit in this category.
Also, Verne's The Mysterious Island will fit here as it has more than 555 pages (700+).
I have also had Before I Go To Sleep (359p.) on my shelves for far too long.
Update: I ended up reading Before I Go to Sleep.
June 06th:
Bank account: $90
Dice roll:
You rolled 2 dice:
Timestamp: 2017-06-06 00:06:57
....which takes me to: Adventureland #24 - Read a book set in Africa or Asia, or that has an exotic animal on the cover.
Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!! So many to choose from!
My shortlist from looking over to the bookshelf includes:
The Leopard - by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
King Leopold's Ghost - Adam Hochschild
Seven Years in Tibet - Heinrich Harrer
Magic and Mystery in Tibet - Alexandra David-Neel
Any book of the Asian Saga by James Clavell:
Shogun
Tai-Pan
Gai Jin
Noble House
Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie
Too Close to the Sun - Sara Wheeler
Imperial Woman - Pearl S. Buck
How on earth am I supposed to pick one?
Update: After much deliberating, I settled on Rashomon for this task.
Update: I DNF'd Rashomon @39%. That is @ 129 p., still earning $2.
June 04th:
I finished Edith's Diary and am eager to move on - hopefully something light and fluffy.
Bank account: $87
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-06-04 00:11:11 UTC
....which takes me to: "?" Sq. 17 - Read a cozy mystery.
I'm picking Scene of the Climb (305p.) for this one.
June 02nd:
I finished The Godfather and my two Memorial Day rolls, so it's time to roll again. I'm starting from "Fantasyland" Sq. 6.
Bank account: $84
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-06-02 18:31:57 UTC
....which takes me to: Main Street 10 - Read a book that takes place in a small town in the U.S.A..
Well, there are so many that come to mind, beginning with Thornton Wilder's essential play about small town USA. As much as I like Wilder, I need something with more bite.
Patricia Highsmith should do it. I took a peek at Edith's Diary to find out whether it had a small town setting and I am delighted to say that it does seem to.
Not only that, but Highsmith's town is called Brunswick Corner. I have a hunch that it might be everything that Wilder's Grovers Corners is not. ;D
May 24th:
I've decided to not play for the Adventureland 27 square that I landed on on 14th May (explanation here), so I am moving on.
Also, again many thanks to Murder by Death for gifting me $10. :)
Bank account: $73
Dice roll:
You rolled 2 dice:
Timestamp: 2017-05-24 17:59:49 UTC
....which takes me to: "Paradise Pier" Sq. 30 - Read a book with a twist or that is tagged "suspense" on GR, or that has more than 555 pages."
Alrighty, I was looking to start The Godfather as a buddy read with Troy, and it appears that 60 people on GR shelved this under "Suspense". It also appears that the kindle version I have has 610p. (according to Ammy UK). I guess The Godfather it will be.
May 14th:
I've spent the last two days "in jail" reading through my sentence with The Franchise Affair (278p.) and twenty odd pages of Der Kaempfer im Vatikan, a biography of Pope Francis, which I will continue reading on the side.
I'm delighted to be able to roll again, tho.
Bank account: $58
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-05-14 16:54:00 UTC
....which takes me to: "Tomorrowland Station" Sq. 22 - Read a book that involves time travel either to the future or to the past."
Ugh, time travel again... Not a fan. The only title that comes to mind is H.G. Wells The Time Machine, unless someone can tell me if Journey to the Centre of the Earth would qualify as they end of finding a prehistoric world...
Edit: I found Making History by Stephen Fry on my kindle, which involves time travel. That's going to be the book I choose. 594p.
Dice roll #2 (because doubles):
Timestamp: 2017-05-14 17:06:02 UTC
....which takes me to: "Adventureland" Sq. 27 - Read a book by an author whose initials can be found in the name "Tarzan" or that has a tree on the cover."
I have just the book for this on my shelves and I am delighted to start Das Wunder the Baums by Annemarie Schwarzenbach. (Tree on the cover.) 295p.
(Update: I will not count Das Wunder des Baums towards the Opoly.)
May 12th:
I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since my last roll, but the Dewey Celebration Bonus Rolls took some time to read.
Bank account: $58
Dice roll:
Timestamp: 2017-05-12 14:36:10 UTC
....which takes me to: "Go to Jail". - Serve a sentence of 300 pages (or pay the equivalent bail of $3.00), unless there are enough pages in the prison library to spring you.
I believe there are enough pages in the library, but I will choose to read my "sentence".
April 29th - update:
3 Extra Rolls move me to a current square of Frontierland #2:
I ended up reading:
Roses Run by Dawn Dumont - Great book. - 288p.
The Jackal by Frederick Forsyth - Great Classic Thriller - 418p.
11/22/63 by Stephen King - Not for me. DNF @ 17% (Ammy lists the paperback at 752p. So, 17% equates to 127p.) - See here or here for reading updates.
April 29th:
Bank account: $38 (one audiobook in progress - potential reward: $5)
Dice roll: 10 (4+6)
....which takes me to: "Cars Land" Sq. 18 - Read a book that was published in 2006, 2011, 2013 or 2014, the year of Cars and its sequels, or that has a car on the cover."
I have a few options for this square but I am going with Die so Geliebte by Melania G. Mazzucco (542p.).
Reward: $5
April 27th:
Bank account: $35 (one audiobook in progress - potential reward: $5)
Dice roll: 5 (2+3)
....which takes me to: "Fantasyland" Sq. 9 - Read a book that is tagged genre: Fantasy or fairy tale on GR.
For this I am choosing The Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan (352p.).
Reward: $3
April 25th:
Bank account: $32 (one audiobook in progress - potential reward: $5)
Dice roll: 9 (6+3)
....which takes me to: "Frontierland" Sq. 4 - Read a book where a character travels by boat, or where the letters in the title can be used to spell "river".
For this I am choosing Boundless: Adventures in the Northwest Passage by Kathleen Winter (288p.). I must say I was rather impressed by the number of unread books I have that would qualify for this square. I hope I land here again.
Reward: $3
April 23rd:
Bank account: $29
Dice roll: 6 (3+3)
....which takes me to: "?" Sq. 25 - Read a book that is tagged Historical Mystery or is part of a series included in the Best Historical Mystery Listopia on GR.
Death Comes as the End (272p.) is tagged as required and I already have it on my tbr. How kind of the BL-Opoly gods to let me squeeze in some Dame Agatha.
Reward: $3
Dice roll #2 (because of doubles): 8 (2+6)
....which takes me to: "BL" Sq. 32 - Roll the electronic dice, and perform the task that corresponds to your roll!
Dice roll: 8
"8. Read in the wild! Take your book with you and find a place to read that isn't your living room for an hour!"
Ok, ... a separate post will be forthcoming for this.
April 21st:
Bank account: $28
Dice roll: 7 (1+6)
....which takes me to: New Orleans Square 19 - Read a book that is tagged Gothic or horror on GR or that is a ghost story.
The Victorian Chaise-longue (99p.) is tagged as horror. I already started it a few days ago, so I will deduct the pages I have already read from the total page count of the book (i.e. 99 - 9 = 90).
Reward: $1
April 19th:
Bank account: $23
Dice roll: 9 (3+6)
....which takes me to: Main Street 13 - Read a book about a (real or fictional) American lawyer or politician, or that is set during the Civil War.
Umm, ok... I am spoilt for choice here: The books on my TBR that come to my mind immediately are:
Thirteen Days by Robert F. Kennedy - 185p.
Hard Choices by Hilary Clinton - 702p. (I'm listing the page number from Ammy for the kindle edition, as this is the book I have. Apparently, the pb is 656 p. and the hb 925p.)
My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg - 402p.
As it is way too early in the a.m. (it's a little past midnight), I won't make a choice right now, but I'm leaning towards RBG.
(Note: I did read My Own Words by RBG.)
Reward: $5
April 15th:
Bank account: $20
Dice roll: 5 (1+4)
....which takes me to: Electric Company.
Hooray! A STEM book it is. I take it, Dr. Fortey telling of his life researching natural history will fit the bill.
Dry Store Room No.1 by Dr. Richard Fortey - 320 p.
Reward: $3
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Let the games begin!
Many thanks to Moonlight Reader and Obsidian Blue for creating this intricate and detailed game for us.
I'll use this post for updates and as a balance sheet (aka score card).
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