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February's challenge is going to be a complete departure from themes and points and even number of pages!! Woohooo!

You will all probably think I've gone nutty fruity, but I will risk it. Have you ever heard of the fruit machine? If you've been reading the threads, you will have heard talk of it. It is quite simply a random selector.

So, here is the challenge:

Select 5 books from your "to read", "to listen to", or "wishlist" shelves. Write them in a comment in this thread. Don't forget to link them!!

I will summon the fruit machine, put your choices in, whisper "presto-chango", and then tell you which book you will be reading in February. (hmm... feeling a bit like a fortune teller here. Picture me with a turban on, a glass ball, and a wand sitting at a round table, with heavy brocade drapery behind me.)

You may chose books from the Group Read or the February Toppler, but you may not chose books from your Alphabet challenge.

If the book that is randomly selected for you is a complete dud, I can put the remaining 4 in for a reshuffle and selection.

If you want to read all 5 books, the fruit machine can determine the order in which you read them.

Are you ready to make fruitcake? Who's bringing the rum?

Ohhhhhh! Sounds fun! You will be busy!

Madame Janice, the Fruity Fortune Teller! LOL

This sounds like a great time! I'd love to be involved in this challenge! I have to think if I want to read all 5 books.

Ann wrote: "This sounds like a great time! I'd love to be involved in this challenge! I have to think if I want to read all 5 books."

Our monthly challenges are generally designed for one book. Reading more than one is optional.

Here is my list:
An Affair to Remember: The Greatest Love Stories of All Time
Along Came a Dog
From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava
Glow
Wuthering Bites.
I will read the one the machine chooses, so pull the arm down and let the selection begin.

I want to participate, but I need to think about my list.

I was just trying to keep in mind books that could cross over for the toppler, but were not on my ABC list. I did not see a minimum page length. A couple of them are not quite 200 pages. Guess I will have to wait and see what is picked. The suspense will be hard to bear, if I have to wait for February 1st to know.

In!
My books, oh fruity mistress of the futures, are:

The Summer Book
The She-Devil in the Mirror
Wolves of the Crescent Moon
Seven Houses: A Novel
A State of Symmetry

I had to go check out your titles, Rusalka. You read the most amazing mix of stories! I had to add The Summer Book to my TBR list.

All my Around the World books. I promise I would not have heard of half of them if I didn't do that challenge.

Your Wuthering Bites one caught my interest!

Cherie wrote: "Here is my list:
An Affair to Remember: The Greatest Love Stories of All Time
Along Came a Dog
From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava
Glow
Wuthering Bites.
I will read..."

Cherie, the spirits have spoken, and you will read Along Came a Dog. Remember, you may not start reading until Feb 1. Enjoy!

Rusalka wrote: "In!
My books, oh fruity mistress of the futures, are:

The Summer Book
The She-Devil in the Mirror
Wolves of the Crescent Moon
Seven Houses: A Novel
A State of Symmetry"

Oh, student of the mysteries, the book you will read is A State of Symmetry

I'm going to make my request:

State of Wonder
The Rent Collector
The Summoner
The Terror
House of Leaves

If any of these are on my alphabet challenge, I will find another book for the alphabet challenge. I have quite a few alternates.

Bubble boil and trouble... it looks like I will be going to Brazil and reading State of Wonder

This looks like fun, gonna play the newbie card...and hope someone will correct me if I do this wrong. My five choices are:
The Age of Miracles
The First Confessor
The Mark of Athena
A Whole Nother Story
Divergent

None are on my alphabet challenge.

Looks perfect. Janice will whack them all in the machine and tell you your read next time she's on!

Wolf Hunt
Altar of Eden
The Sounding

The Warrior's Path
Exit Strategy

ok, here is my listAmazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale
The Pilot's Wife,
Abide with Me,
Against All Odds: My Life of Hardship, Fast Breaks, and Second Chances
Following Ezra: What One Father Learned About Gumby, Otters, Autism, and Love From His Extraordinary Son
Thanks for picking for me!!

Katieandchris wrote: "This looks like fun, gonna play the newbie card...and hope someone will correct me if I do this wrong. My five choices are:
The Age of Miracles
The First Confessor
The Mark of Athena
A Whole Noth..."

The fruit machine grinded and dug deep before spitting out your title, which is The Age of Miracles

Judy wrote: "What a great idea for a challenge, Janice! Here is my list:

1. Invisible Cities
2. Monaco
3. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
4. The Tie That Binds
5. Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life

I ca..."

Old faithful one, you will be eating fruitcake in Monaco. Sounds like a dream come true.

Travis of NNY wrote: "Wolf Hunt
Altar of Eden
The Sounding

The Warrior's Path
Exit Strategy"

The spirits of our native forefathers took control of the fruit machine and stopped the wheel at Wolf Hunt. Can you hear the fading drums?

Jkmays wrote: "ok, here is my listAmazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale
The Pilot's Wife,
Abide with Me,
Against All Odds: My Life of Hardship, Fast Breaks, and Second Chances
Following Ezra: What One Father Learned About..."

With cheers and bells ringing, the fruit machine produced the amazing title of The Pilot's Wife.

Neat challenge!
My selections are:
1.Honeymoon in Purdah: An Iranian Journey
2.Travels In Mauritania
3.Not Quite Paradise: An American Sojourn in Sri Lanka
4.The Dogs of Riga
5.Cry of the Kalahari
I think I have some rum spiced tea around here somewhere...

Amanda wrote: "Neat challenge!
My selections are:
1.Honeymoon in Purdah: An Iranian Journey
2.Travels In Mauritania
3.Not Quite Paradise: An American Sojourn in Sri Lanka
4.The Dogs of Riga
5.Cry of the Kalahari..."

My prediction is that you will be eating fruit cake and drinking spiced rum on your Travels In Mauritania.

Great idea! Here is my list:

Wicked Intentions
Heron's Cove
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer
A Hidden Fire
The Silent Tower

Lara wrote: "Great idea! Here is my list:

Wicked Intentions
Heron's Cove
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer
A Hidden Fire
The Silent Tower"


The fruit machine is obviously feeling the pull of the spirits from all over the world this morning. They've heard the call of those in Heron's Cove and are sending you there.

Here are my 5 selections: Mary, Called Magdalene
The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero
Burning Bright
Boo Who
Goodnight Nobody
So spin the fruit!

Heres my list!

Once Bitten
UnEnchanted
Secrets
Color Me Grey
Veiled Eyes

Time for the fruit machine! I like this challenge, such a good idea :)

Janice wrote: "Bubble boil and trouble... it looks like I will be going to Brazil and reading State of Wonder"

Let me know what you think of this one.

Gotta come up with my list. This is a fun one!

Here it is!

Wuthering Heights
The Princess Bride
Water for Elephants
Love in the Time of Cholera
A Discovery of Witches

Ooohhhh, I like this one! Great idea Ms. Supreme Fruity Cake Queen :-)

The Night Circus
The Diviners
Splintered
Storm Front
Embracing the Elephant

Chelsea wrote: "Thanks Janice. My selections:

Bartleby, the Scrivener
Notes from Underground
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
The Awakening
Co. Aytch: A Confederate Memoir of the Civil War"

My future telling skills are 100% accurate. You will read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Ann wrote: "Here are my 5 selections: Mary, Called Magdalene
The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero
Burning Bright
Boo Who
Goodnight Nobody
So spin the fruit!"

The fruit has been spun, and the planets aligned. You will read Goodnight Nobody

Mary Alice wrote: "Heres my list!

Once Bitten
UnEnchanted
Secrets
Color Me Grey
Veiled Eyes

Time for the fruit machine! I like this challenge, such a good idea :)"

The gods from the netherworld have drawn Once Bitten with a warning. Read at your own peril, or join them forever.

Debra wrote: "Janice wrote: "Bubble boil and trouble... it looks like I will be going to Brazil and reading State of Wonder"

Let me know what you think of this one."

I will let you know.

Debra wrote: "Here it is!

Wuthering Heights
The Princess Bride
Water for Elephants
Love in the Time of Cholera
A Discovery of Witches"

I waved my witchy wand and was surprised to see in my crystal ball, the title Love in the Time of Cholera.

Cathie wrote: "Ooohhhh, I like this one! Great idea Ms. Supreme Fruity Cake Queen :-)

The Night Circus
The Diviners
Splintered
Storm Front
Embracing the Elephant"

Be warned, my YLTO friend. Enter the flaps of the tent and you may never come out again. Anything can, and does, happen at The Night Circus.

Oh Divine One of the Fruity Crystal Ball, which book do you see in my future?

Wonder,
Miss Pinkerton: Adventures of a Nurse Detective,
A Fistful of Collars,
The Crossing Places
or The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity?

ROFL! Not only do I love the challenge, I am also mesmerized by this fortune teller Janice has turned into. Love how you bring out those wands and the future comes into view.

I will come back with my list soon. My list-
Gone Girl
Speechless
Love Water Memory
MILA 2.0
What a Mother Knows

Janice wrote:

The fr..."

Thanks!

Yes there is definitely something of the gypsy at work here!

Here's my list.

Beauty and the Werewolf
Unnatural Issue
Ever
Dead Sea
Island of the Blue Dolphins

Among Others
Grave Dance
Bitten
The Smoke Thief
Marked


Ok, here is my list

I'm in. Here's my list:

Abdication
12.21: A Novel
Obedience
State of Wonder
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Yea, happy happy dance, as she waits by the tent flap with baited breath...The Night Circus. Thank you, oh wise, teller of dark fruits :-)

Janice wrote: "Katieandchris wrote: "This looks like fun, gonna play the newbie card...and hope someone will correct me if I do this wrong. My five choices are:
The Age of Miracles
The First Confessor
The Mark ..."

Thank you Janice!

Greyfriars Bobby
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
The Kingdom of This World
Gals un sākums
The Song of Achilles

Oh, what should I read, the great all knowing fruitcake?

Janice wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Neat challenge!
My selections are:
1.Honeymoon in Purdah: An Iranian Journey
2.Travels In Mauritania
3.Not Quite Paradise: An American Sojourn in Sri Lanka
4.The Dogs of Riga
5.Cry ..."
Sounds like a dream vacation! :-)