The #UnconquerableRAL | a readalong for the @SciFiMonth community : hosted by @joriestory feat. “Unconquerable Sun” by Kate Elliott

Posted Sunday, 11 April, 2021 by jorielov , , 10 Comments

Parajunkee Designs

A new month : A new readalong!

April Blog Calendar banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Remind me again,
where did jan-March go?

seriously – how is it april already!?

#WyrdAndwonder is next month!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comYou might have remembered me mentioning hosting this lovely RAL several months ago – especially as I hosted a poll via @joriestory! I wanted to gauge everyone’s availability and try to host this readalong during a month most of us would feel READY to dive into Ms Elliott’s wicked wonderful gender-swapped adventure! Be sure to scope out my initial thoughts about this novel and how it made my Top Anticipated Reads for 2020 List!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

ORIGINAL SCHEDULE:

Unconquerable Sun RAL banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

MODIFIED SCHEDULE:

Unconquerable Sun RAL badge created by Jorie in Canva.

NOTE: dates removed – this is now an OPEN ENDED readalong due to health issues!

Most likely this will run concurrent to #WyrdAndWonder – stay tuned!

PLEASE DO NOT SHARE THESE BANNERS : I CREATED IT TO PROMOTE THE RAL via my blog & @joriestory

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

welcome, welcome!

Hallo, hallo #SciFiMonth community!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

For me, I will admit I’ve gone through a lot of transitions and health afflictions already this New Year, 2021 – to soak into UNCONQUERABLE SUN this April & May (as yes, sadly, I’m a full week late starting us off – forgive me!) is a wonderful BLESSING! Because of the fatigue I’ve experienced whilst overcoming a bout of vertigo and intensive seasonal allergies I’ve been muddling through since February; I’ve given myself a break on trying to digest this novel ONLY by the lovely hardback copy my Mum and Dad gifted me – instead, I am also borrowing the audiobook via my regional library. I knew this was going to be a challenging read for me and I’d like to give myself the best chance at experiencing it to the best of my abilities without letting my recent afflictions stand in the way.

Thereby, the chapter breakdowns for this readalong were happily given to me by Imyril @imyril – bless her! – whilst, the discussion questions will be generated by me as I move through the book itself. I had planned to begin reading this lovely earlier in the year – but such is life, sometimes our plans are put aside and we get to experience a RAL right alongside those who join us for the community aspect of reading a novel together!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

A short history : I’ve been a participant in #SciFiMonth since it was referred to as #RRSciFiMonth in honour of the creator and founder Rinn @ Rinn Reads – she’s gone into new directions and no longer blogs at Rinn Reads but the foundation of what she established is what is now carried through in the event Imyril and Lisa @deargeekplace annually host every November. You might also know us from our beloved @WyrdAndWonder events, which annually is celebrated every MAY and has special mini-events or RALs throughout the year especially in October for #SpooktasticReads.

I initially planned to host this RAL for UNCONQUERABLE SUN during #SciFiMonth 2020 – however, I pushed it forward to Spring, 2021 due to having issues with my chronic migraines. Blessedly my migraines are still at bay this Spring and I am truly grateful I can host a readalong migraine-free! Isn’t that grand!? I wanted us to have enough time to enjoy reading the book and discussing – which is why its broken into chapter breaks spread over FOUR weeks. I will be posting the discussion questions on Jorie Loves A Story but also on Twitter – those will go LIVE every SUNDAY starting next week, the 18th of April.

Now… for those who are unfamiliar with the plot – let’s take a peek at the synopsis and the wicked AWESOME cover art for the US edition! I am thankful Ms Elliott shared these materials with me – as much as I am delighted to *finally!* host the RAL which truly carried me through 2020 thinking about where this book and the discussion the RAL would create would take us all.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott

Princess Sun has finally come of age.

Growing up in the shadow of her mother, Eirene, has been no easy task. The legendary queen-marshal did what everyone thought impossible: expel the invaders and build Chaonia into a magnificent republic, one to be respected―and feared.

But the cutthroat ambassador corps and conniving noble houses have never ceased to scheme―and they have plans that need Sun to be removed as heir, or better yet, dead.

To survive, the princess must rely on her wits and companions: her biggest rival, her secret lover, and a dangerous prisoner of war.

Take the brilliance and cunning courage of Princess Leia―add in a dazzling futuristic setting where pop culture and propaganda are one and the same―and hold on tight:

This is the space opera you’ve been waiting for.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

It is the final paragraph I felt sealed the curiosity for me to read this lovely! I mean, which GenX girl didn’t grow up on vintage Star Wars and still LOVES the original saga? Besides – I haven’t been wooed to read a new Space Opera series since I finished The Clan Chronicles (see also my reviews).

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

I wanted to make this an enjoyable RAL – thereby, if you’d rather tweet your responses to the discussion points, please do and if you’d like to tweet &/or respond to the discussion via my blog, you’re welcome to do both or just one method of engagement; whatever rocks your boat! Also – if you decide to post a reaction to the weekly chapter breaks of your blog – kindly link those posts in the comments of each weekly discussion post on Jorie Loves A Story. I will be sharing those links in my feeds when I could to tweet the discussion questions, whilst bringing us all together on both platforms of engagement.

Don’t fret if you fall behind OR need longer to get through the chapters – read and/or listen at your own speed. The chapter breaks are guidelines but are not writ in stone. If you want to read/listen at a different pace than the group, come back to my blog and pick up the discussion points when it suits you best; likewise, the same with Twitter. You don’t have to reply once the posts first go LIVE!

I can’t wait to see whose going to be reading with me – I went back through the tweets and *threads about the #UnconquerableRAL and tried to tag everyone I could find who tipped their hat of interest. IF I accidently left you out – please alert me in the comments, as I’m trying to tabulate a list to know whom to contact each week about the discussion posts.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

ready, set, READ!

For those who might have started this during #allsystemsread – forgive me for being tardy on announcing the ral!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Unconquerable Sun RAL banner created by Jorie in Canva.

PLEASE DO NOT SHARE THIS BANNER : I CREATED IT TO PROMOTE THE RAL via my blog & @joriestory

Please leave a comment if your participating in the #UnconquerableRAL this April/May. I’d like to know approx. how many of us are going to be reading this together – whilst be sure to let me know if you’re going to participate in the discussion via Jorie Loves A Story and/or via Twitter or a combination of the two – likewise, give me a head’s up if you might blog about your readerly journey with UNCONQUERABLE SUN!! Let me know if your on Twitter as well – as I will tag those I know who are joining me with this RAL for reminders/updates about when I’m posting new content for the RAL.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

{SOURCES: #UnconquerableRAL banner, #UnconquerableRAL badge and the April Blog Calendar banner created by Jorie via Canva. The book cover and synopsis for “Unconquerable Sun” was given to me by Kate Elliott and is used with permission. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com. Blog News graphic provided by Parajunkee Designs and is used with permission. Tweets are embedded due to codes provided by Twitter.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2021.

I’m a social reader, I tweet my readerly life:

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #UnconquerableRAL

About jorielov

I am self-educated through local libraries and alternative education opportunities. I am a writer by trade and I cured a ten-year writer’s block by the discovery of Nanowrimo in November 2008. The event changed my life by re-establishing my muse and solidifying my path. Five years later whilst exploring the bookish blogosphere I decided to become a book blogger. I am a champion of wordsmiths who evoke a visceral experience in narrative. I write comprehensive book showcases electing to get into the heart of my reading observations. I dance through genres seeking literary enlightenment and enchantment. Starting in Autumn 2013 I became a blog book tour hostess featuring books and authors. I joined The Classics Club in January 2014 to seek out appreciators of the timeless works of literature whose breadth of scope and voice resonate with us all.

"I write my heart out and own my writing after it has spilt out of the pen." - self quote (Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story)

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Posted Sunday, 11 April, 2021 by jorielov in Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Sci-Fi November




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10 responses to “The #UnconquerableRAL | a readalong for the @SciFiMonth community : hosted by @joriestory feat. “Unconquerable Sun” by Kate Elliott

    • Hallo, Hallo Ariel,

      Good timing! With all my health issues this month, I fell a bit behind. I was trying to catch up this past week but instead fell two weeks behind my goals. Therefore, this coming weekend I’ll be posting my first round of discussion posts. It really took me longer to get engaged into the text of the story than I felt it might but I blame that on my migraine. So happy to see your interest in the RAL. I can’t wait to start posting the discussion posts and start engaging with everyone joining me directly. Thanks for leaving me this note – it offered me more encouragement this week to get this done!!

      • ariel_reads

        Yay I’m glad! Totally understand how plans change– no worries! I will be on the lookout for your discussion posts as I go along :) I think it’ll be easier for me to engage on your blog posts, I like how these comments are set up!

        • Thank you!! I tried to make the comments easy for everyone to leave them years ago. I didn’t want anyone to feel hassled about leaving me notes or worrying about Catcha stuff either. So far, everyone agrees with you to have most of the discussions routed on my blog. I’ll announce them via Twitter but I suspect all the communication with all of us in the RAL together will be in the comment threads on those posts.

          Thanks for understanding my delays.. it was truly frustrating for awhile but now I feel better about where I am with it.

    • Hallo, Hallo, Greg,

      As you can tell — I had a bit of a slow start myself this month. It took me a bit longer than I thought to get into the novel which is why the discussion posts haven’t gone live yet. I meant to make up the distance this past week but I needed more time to shake that migraine and its after effects. I’m planning to post the first round of discussion questions this coming weekend and going forward from there – so there will be some more overlap with #WyrdAndWonder but I think it will all work out fine in the end. I’m just thankful you had some interest to pursue this with me and Ariel just posted a note for me this morning herself. I will feel better about the RAL overall once I can formulate the questions and start conversing with you all. Thanks for joining us — if you fell behind, don’t worry… I’m the host and I am 2x weeks behind! ?

      • Don’t sweat it- life happens. :) I’ll be following the discussions with interest, and if I get a chance to read it I’ll jump in too!

        Main thing is I hope you’re feeling better!

        • I truly am… feeling better. The fatigue is gone (knock on wood), my migraines are at bay (blessed) and overall my health is in a better place right now which is a blessing all of its own. Thank you for your encouraging words and concern; I agree with you – health is top priority but I was so excited about the RAL itself, I was just feeling a bit down these past few weeks I couldn’t ink out time to focus on it. Thanks to you and others, I feel re-energised.

    • Hallo, Hallo Imyril,

      As you might have suspected, I fell behind this month with the RAL for ‘Unconquerable Sun’. It took me longer to shake the migraine and in effect, I haven’t posted the discussion questions yet which will run this coming weekend instead. Despite the overlap this will have with #WyrdAndWonder, I still feel good about the RAL. It might have taken me a bit longer to get into the book itself but I noticed most of the people joining me for it also had their own struggles with getting into the book. I think we all ended up encouraging each other and the main bit is that we all want to read/discuss it right now. I wasn’t overly committed to the deadlines by dates but I’m sticking with the chapter deadlines as you broke the book down in such a comfortable way to read it. I should have more to share lateron at the end of the week – watch for my tweets, as I’ll be tagging everyone whose let me know of their interest. Thanks for all your support!!

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