Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion
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Zaara's Buddy Read Tracker

I'm ill at the moment - which is the second year in a row I'm ill at Xmas, can you believe it?! So yeah that pretty much sucks.
Also, I dunno when I'm going to finish Scarlet Tides. I am 3/4 through right now but I don't see myself making the start date of Unholy War to be honest. I think I"m going to push it forward to the 1st of Feb or something. But as soon as I'm better I'll keep my eye on the threads for Mage's Blood and Scarlet Tides again. Talk soon? Take care in the meantime sweetheart xx

I got the email telling met that Unholy War is coming up. Here it is, a week before the new year and I'm already looking at falling behind on a buddy read and missing competition bonus points lol
I'm 1/3 of the way through Scarlet Tides, but also got delayed. I blame the Witcher, though other stuff had me distracted even before I started on that.
Zaara had talked of getting the buddy read schedule shifted for those though...

Merry Christmas and all the best for the holidays, have a fab time x"
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rbE53XU...
That's us...on different teams...😂 but in some BRs together this year!!
And i DID have a wonderful holiday, tyvm. Sorry for the late reply, lovely, just got back yest and was too tuckered to login.

I'm ill at the moment - which is the second year in a..."
Thank you, Dan...one of my earliest friends on here + fellow Roald Dahl fan.
Oh dear...*hugs* the holiday flu sucks but (annoyingly resolute silver lining play) haha now you had the readymade excuse to retreat cunningly from the "irritating" portions of the season, whatever those may be for you + bf would have been superhelpful and solicitous with the present wrapping and making the toothpick fiddly snacks (since you comveniently and hygenically! can't touch the food with your grottyflu hands) 😂😜 and I hope you were well in time for a fabulous New Year. Of course I wish you all good things too, you elegant creature you!
:) well, that's perfect...since Chris and I put it off too...to get points on this fat four book series and we are proposing to (conditional to Lann availability) get to Scarlet Rides soon-ish, so you still have time for next week if that's something you wanna...we will be going on together tho since we want the points and he waited for me in chivalrous ways so it's only fair I show up and read.
Besides, these are some sexy books in Arabian Nights ways...am I enticign you to finish yet?
Hope you are well now...from one of my all-time fave comfort reads:
(view spoiler) ["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

I got the email telling met that Unholy War is coming up. Here it is, a week before the new year and I'm already looking at falling behind on a buddy r..."
Laaaannisterr
*bear hug*
Hey...did you have a good holiday?? Mine was *air quotes* frabjous!!! So good going back to the Middle East (I did spend some portion of my childhood there)...and just got back yesterday.
Well...I'm here now and :D we are on the same team 💪💪💪 + I prepped vigourously for the tourney by reading NOTHING on my week off..honestly? we were out from breakfast till late...so will it be ok for you if we begin Moontide 2 on Jan 10?
Also Lannister, would you propose a sked for our Abercrombie reread?? We are still doing that, right? I sent all my books into storafe but left those out, of course. And I'm happy to comply with your comfort/timeline on the series since 1. Our speeds and time available to read are similar 2. You let me set pace on Moontide so it's on;y fair. If you dunno your work sked that far in advance you can let me know one book at a time and I will MAKE the time for it.
Also, do you like the Old Man? Pretty potent stuff but...I thought...Auld Lang syne n all...tho I am kinda fashionably late for the nwe year...😂
Weeehll...I am kinda sure you ARE over the drinking age + it is "fake" toasting...here's to you, me & the tourney! Our team is gonna crush it this year!! I will literally kill myself to applease Satan so there's that...😂😂😂
EDIT Uhhh incase it got lost in my flood of words...my request in shorthand:
Jan 10: Moontide 2 if thats ok with you!
When we finish Book 2 we sked Book 3, again, if you're cool with it!
(view spoiler) ["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

Btw...Navi's post over at Raiders reminded me to tell you...I started watching the Witcher last night, I downloaded all of it BEFORE going on holiday when I saw how much you liked it but was out everyday and came back just to crash and never opened comms/logged on except to update my family...
Watched the first episode...(view spoiler)
I'm deffo getting the books now...owned the first one for ages!
EIDT to spoiler tag

I also read some of your posts from all different threads (have to keep up with my nickname after all :)) and it sounds like you had a busy but great holiday season, that's amazing, I'm happy for you and I hope 2020 as a whole will be just as good for you, maybe a bit less busy.

Moontide 2 - sure, the 10th works for schedule. I'd already started it after finishing the first book and I'm about 38% through. BUT, I stalled while I was finishing other stuff for 2019 and haven't touched it in a couple of weeks. So I'd be good to pick back up with y'all on the 10th or so. We'll have to push out the 3rd too, since it's currently on the docket for this month. You want to move it to Feb, or later? Or play by ear?
First Law 2 - I'm ready. Finished The Toll yesterday, so I need an audio. I'm thinking to start it by Sunday then, the 5th, if that works. Maybe put Last Argument out for Feb 5 too. Or does this clash with Moontide too much? For me it won't since this one is audio.
Old Man - Never tried it, but that bottle sure looks inviting. Yes, I'm a tad over the drinking legal age lol. Mentioned reading with my grandson in another thread if that helps hehe.....
The Witcher - glad you liked Ep 1. It was pretty cool and only gets better. I read the first book again (part of what stalled me on Moontide). There's a thread for that book in the group, and it looks like we're going on to Sword of Destiny soon.

I got the email telling met that Unholy War is coming up. Here it is, a week before the new year and I'm already looking at falling behind on a buddy r..."
Thanks Chris. I'm slowly crawling back up again, but now my boyfriend has it (despite being extra careful too), so it's snotty central at my home right now... :-(
Falling behind on buddy reads or wanting to dnf the book in a buddy read is pretty much why I stopped doing them.. that is, until Zaara convinced me to do one again haha.
So good luck with assembling those bonus points and I'll be around for Scarlet Tides and the rest of them - whenever they are read - one way or another. I do like to finish completed fantasy series within a reasonable amount of time but I'm perfectly fine with a few breaks in between.

My humble apologies luv... xxx

Merry Christmas and all the best for the holidays, have a fab time x"
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rbE53XU...
That's us...on different teams...😂 ..."
Omg he's amazing ❤️ can come sit next to me any day!

I also read some of your posts from all different threads (have to keep up with my nickname after all :)) and i..."
Yeah Anni...#hi5✋ the team...that made me smile too!! You, me and Siobhan were the firstest and most ancient FBR trio AND we are deffo gonna read some books together this year!!
❤️~❤️~❤️
I'm still making my January list and panicking already...can you believe it? Missed two days of reading that I can't get back...couldn't help it!
Also here is a 🐨 for you...will you please send a good vibe to them, with that Great Big Heart of yours, luv? They need it right now with the bushfires...😕

My humble apologies luv... xxx"
Oh Dani...😂 such a lady...toldja she was elegant, didn't I Lannister? Well Dan, you've been away from the group for awhile (like she said 😉) and you didn't see how this place is Hoyden Central, hon...its literally free as the wind...and we are always popping in and out of each others' threads in mannerless ways and very proud of it we are!!
So chat away and welcome!!
Lannister don't mind...😉 do ya, Chris?
Also I am very glad you are staying with us thru the entire series...the timing sure worked out great! I kinda fell by the wayside what with seasonal stuff + travelling + not competing last year but I'm picking up the slack quickly now...
Yep, you're right...reading completed series is always the best...you onow there's not gonna be any waiting angst. Well, after seeing what you and Lannister said, I'll tey to reach Scarlet Tides asap.
I pulled an all-nighter with Mage's Blood last night and re-reads are very fast for me since I can speedread....💪

Moontide 2 - sure, the 10th works for schedule. I'd already started it after finishing the first book and I'm about 38% through. BUT, I stalled..."
Yeah rat splat *shrugs* whatever...I hereby pull a "Siscouration" and call 2020 the Year of The Bear...😂😂 also posted a bear meme to wish Andy...our friendly neighbourhood Russian member... :p koalas for Anni...only fair you get in on the Bearhood.
Right so we're safe then!! We can jezzt tot our bot of virtual scotchsomeness over on to wherever he is and go sit with the Very Ancient Scott (five grandchildren, beat that!!) and Co-Cap'n Jenna and we's all drink the whiskey + Pop'll smoke his cigar and we'll all swop bookish/Malazan stories and I will sit quietly and listen and virtually smell the wonderful...I love the smell of tobacco...but never knewdunno how something that smells so wow can ALSO taste so ghastly and make you sickk as a dog.
Ohk...*serious face* right...such very gentle hints...o Lann 😂 ohk all that sounds perfect! And I will try and rush on Mage's Blood and have it finished much before the 10th so we can move on Scarlet Tides immediately after.... 😅
Yea on the Abercrombie too and I will see what I can do about the Witcher...😅
Also, I KNOW you didn't stall on MT2....you waited for us....😊 and are just being too modest now...*small kick*

No, I don't mind Dani addressing me on your thread. I spend more time on this than my own lol.
We'll start the second Witcher book soon but threads haven't been set up past the 1st one yet.
I have 4 grandbabies, but will have one more in a month or so. So can't beat the Very Ancient One, but will tie him at least. I can't handle the smell of tobacco as I'm an ex-smoker (quit 17 years ago). The smell of coffee, however....
I asked to have the Moontide books moved out, to give us 2 months for each. That should give everyone time to catch up. Oh and it was easy to put MT2 on hold when I was struggling to get stuff finished since I'd known y'all were behind me on it. Took the pressure off :)
Year of the Bear sounds good :)

I obtained a copy of Soulless. Were you still wanting to do a buddy read?"
Wooooop...xcellent!! Of course I do...I have back 2 back BRs until then but I'm free on Jan 20/21 if that will suit you??
Will you ask for a thread for us, please Narilka? If we like the first book we can binge the entire series there, b2b.

Yay! It really wouldn't have been the same for me without you, Sha.
I love how unassuming you and Lannister are...one of your best qualities...
Its Feb 11-15 on Feel Good Books!
Just FYI, I'm gonna ask Karishma too....

We'll start the second Witcher book soon but thre..."
😂 you did your lungs a favour! And 💪💪💪 on 17 smokefree years, well done You!
Also I decided I will make a small Witcher watch log for you as 1. new year present 2. reading "siscouragement" for the tourney, seeing as how you decided to play for the team n all...
Witcher 2 log 😂😜😈 haha tooooo cunningly disguise my terrible memory as a present!!
(view spoiler)
What are you watching now??

Nice episode 2 log. I agree with just about everything but won't spoil anything with your wish. I laughed because I thought the exact same thing about Riyria during that part.
Right now I'm between shows. Have been doing more catching up on reading since finishing up The Witcher and Mandalorian. Oh, watched the Irishman too - great movie. But mostly if you're a fan of the Godfather or Goodfellas.

I obtained a copy of Soulless. Were you still wanting to do a buddy read?"
Wooooop...xcellent!! Of course I do...I have back 2 back BRs until then but I..."
That's the same date as the new Ilona Andrews release. It's a novella though, shouldn't take more than a couple days. Is the 24/25 OK instead? If so I'll request a thread.

For you (its an O'Keefe):


☺️ the only movie I rewatched WHILE on Xmas break!!
I had The King and The Irishman downmoaded too but nobody was in the mood to watch anything gritty so we all got smashed and watched 😜 SHAME SPOILER (view spoiler) instead and believe it or not everything was 2x hilarious when you are "super cheerful"...😂😂😂 yeap Chris I run with a real smmooooooth crowd of intellectuals!!
@Lannister...
The bushfires have gotten kinda close to my neice's school...she's five... the kids are all home, of course...but 😞

😳😨😱
January BRs
Jan 1-30: London...gentlepace BR
Jan 07: Before They Are Hanged
Jan 07: Mage's Blood
Jan 13: Vengeful
Jan 15: Ten Thousand Doors of January
Jan 15: Beyond Redemption
Jan ??: The Goblin Emperor
Jan 10: Scarlet Tides
Jan 24: Soulless
January solos:
1. Finish The Toll
2.
3. The Secret...offline/IRL/phone BR with Mom and BFF

😳😨😱
January BRs
Jan 1-30: London...gentlepace BR
Jan 07: Before They Are Hanged
Jan 07: Mage's Blood
Jan 13: Vengeful
Jan 15: Ten Thousand Doors of January
Jan 15: Beyond Re..."
Wow and I thought my January was busy!!! Yeah I think a bit of a freak out is justified. Good luck!!!

😂😂 I read this a "the secret offline buddy read..." and I was like ooh why is it a secret and then realised it wasn't a secret but a book called "The Secret". I'm an idiot 😂😂😂😂😂

😂😂 I read this a "the secret offline buddy read..." and I was like ooh why is it a secret and then realised it wasn't a secret..."
Haha, I thought the same thing xD

😳😨😱
January BRs
Jan 1-30: London...gentlepace BR
Jan 07: Before They Are Hanged
Jan 07: Mage's Blood
Jan 13: Vengeful
Jan 15: Ten Thousand Doors of January
Jan 15: Beyond Re..."
Oh wow! Good luck, Zaara! Way to start 2020 with a bang :)

😂😂 I read this a "the secret offline buddy read..." and I was like ooh why is it a secret and then realised it ..."
Me too 😂😂😂 We should get our own secret BR!!!

😂😂 I read this a "the secret offline buddy read..." and I was like ooh why is it a secret and then realised it
Haha, I thought the same thing xD ..."
Sir Anni wrote: Me too 😂😂😂 We should get our own secret BR!!!
At least I wasn't the only one. And yes we should, it'll have to have secret in the title though to keep with tradition 😂
Sir Anni wrote: "Virginie wrote: "Hailee wrote: "Zaara wrote: ".3. The Secret...offline/IRL/phone BR with Mom and BFF"
😂😂 I read this a "the secret offline buddy read..." and I was like ooh why is it a secret and ..."
We had that secret What If? BR, that we finished before the mods made a thread :D
😂😂 I read this a "the secret offline buddy read..." and I was like ooh why is it a secret and ..."
We had that secret What If? BR, that we finished before the mods made a thread :D

☺️ the only movie I rewatched WHILE on Xmas break!!
I had The King and The Irishman downmoaded too but nobody was in the ..."
Bad about the brushfires. Hope everything's ok soon where they're at...
For Scarlet Tides, ummm. I've actually read a few chapters in the last few days and I'm almost halfway. No way I'm starting that over lol. I won't get points, but I'll lose time I could use on a new book and come out about the same. I had read these chapters because I wanted to read and the anthology I'm working on kinda blows.

Hi...you're here...😀 I normally hate the sucky opposite timezones!
Re ST....ohk then I will start immediately and catch up to you and dan and (I guess) iaim soon!
EDIT Just posted on Mage's Blood....I'm doing the entire series on audio! This is really a Big Thing for me, always been such a hardcore print person....😛

Virginie wrote: "Hailee wrote: "Zaara wrote: ".3. The Secret...offline/IRL/phone BR with Mom and BFF"
Sir Anni wrote: "Virginie wrote: "Hailee wrote: "Zaara wrote: ".3. The Secret...offline/IRL/phone BR with Mom and BFF"
Timelord Iain wrote: "Sir Anni wrote: "Virginie wrote: "Hailee wrote: "Zaara wrote: ".3. The Secret...offline/IRL/phone BR with Mom and BFF"
Hahaha...😂😂😂 the ellipses ( the ... 3dots) are a language in themselves...I've always punctuated that way during informal conversation and now too far gone to suddenly/drastically change it now...
This is funny...I posted drunken Kung Fu Panda anecdote + fineart and all kindsa stuff but the one that tickled everyone pink were the ellipses...remimd me of the time I posted a long book essaylog on the FeelGoodBooks and everyone posted multiple hairy chest GIFs on this single word one word "slaloming"... 😂😝 jesuMaria I must be more unintentionally hilarious than I realise...
*big self kick*
Now I wish my life were that interesting, naaaah it's just a coffeetable book about positive thinking that I'm phone buddyreading with my offline bff and Ma (who read three pages a day and talk for one hour and immediately forget everything she read) so this one just may be the Never Ending BR that took all year like your WYORM and I will not even get the bonus :P

@Narilka thanks you! Wanted to post a GIF of Gotham/Gordom beaming the Bat Signal but my abysmal computer skills let me down with a THUD...btw I'm in on Black Jewels, first time for me...I've wanted to start that series since forevaaaaaaar!
Is it really ten books already??
🙀
Navi wrote: "Oh wow! Good luck, Zaara! Way to start 2020 with a bang :) "
@Navi....a return visit...how nice!!! Guess we'll read a few books together this year...o and i got distracted and never finished Priory...😂 restarting it later this year with Hay and Elizabeth. Its a chunkster so I want the BR poimts!
😝😜😂 but this happens...when I joined this group I was a 50 pages per night reader, now I doubled, then trebled this amount all in print/ebook, now I'm trying (gingerly) my first full big 4 book series on audio and loving it so far.
EDIT AS ALWAYS TO FIX ABSYMAL SPELLING

Hi...you're here...😀 I normally hate the sucky opposite timezones!
Re ST....ohk then I will start immediately and catch up to you and dan and (I gu..."
I'm really supposed to be working ;)
I bet it's good on audio, but I'm enjoying the print (ebook) on this one. A reread would be an option for audio should I ever do that. You'll probably pass me on ST as I juggle that with a boring anthology and review books I have lined up.

😂😂😂 didja see....with all the others BRs I have lined up? I have "stuff" to be getting on with.....nevarr you mind!
We (you, me and Dani) are reading this series together, mate....no way Ima be smallish after you both waited a month for me!
😘 Dani...she really is sweet.
ATB with the boring anthology! At least you can do scathing mental reviews in full italics/Glokta voice. Hey, i will actually want to read your review of that one to see how well you wear your "mask"...
Drop me a link when its finally up, ok?
EDIT Moontide narratoo Nick Pohdehl is good....accents and everything and fabulous Meiros voice...he plays him literally as DRY as paper but still with humour!!! I think i love the char more because of this! Wonder how 😍 Dalinar (a hot dude/char I like from Stormlight) sounds on audio.

To be honest, I might not even do a review of the anthology (Unfettered). Usually when I'm very bored I'm just glad to be finished and move swiftly to something else. Also, it was compiled for a good cause, so I'd had to slander it and hurt sales/popularity. It's really not bad, just uninteresting. Not as good as Moontide or First Law.

@Narilka thanks you! Wanted to post a GIF of Gotham/Gordom beaming the Bat Signal but my abysmal computer s..."
Yes, Black Jewels does have 10 books. Two of them are short story collections though. I reread the original trilogy every so often, though not the remaining books. If you end up enjoying them we can see about putting up a schedule for the in between books too or I can point you to the short story that likely has the most impact for the new release. This is a Love It/Hate It type of series.

Since I never updated any of the challenge threads I started from way back....ugggh what a galling mess...I never got around to doing any housekeeping and I don't wanna create a bunch of new threads in all the folders that I again may not use. I'm just not online often enough to maintain multiple threads.
Also, I won't be doing my non-fiction A-Z (that I still fully intend to get around to someday) since I sent most my books into storage, so I'm just keeping my old threads lying there in dusty misuse and someday I'll resurrect them.
Since any customised challenge made inside the group can be used, I'm just keeping all mine here and will update this single post:
2020 CHALLENGES
*My series "challenge" is a perpetual one...it always has been, I never put a year on it. I might even be good and update that thread (after refurbishing a bit mebbe) for second and onward books in series. I certainly have several meticulous lists offline but the challenge must be INSIDE this group for it to count.
*DNFs ARE allowed, the pages read can be counted.
*NEW CHALLENGES FOR 2020, KEPT VERY SIMPLE:
CHALLENGE 1: Read 20 standalones in 2020

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
CHALLENGE 2: Start 20 new (to me) series in 2020.
*Only the first book in the series counts.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Also, I know I haven't made rounds of everyone's challenge threads...good luck, everyone!!!
And lots of good vibes...❤️

I've had the first three books of BJ for ages, can't even remember when I bought them...it'll be good to get to them...I'm in for at least the entire trilogy, Narilka.

Good question? Have you? You better should Milady! 😜

Nope...lzst time I was here the site kept crashing & freezing everytime I tried to add/see anything. Mainly, I have all notifications off so the only threads I'm alerted on are my active BRs, Random Chat, Invites, team threads + my tracker and Hay's because I'm literally reading all the things with her this year. The only challenge I am alerted on is idiffer's xcuz he uses it as a message board 😂😂😂 and I chat with him whenever he gets active in the group...
I did this bcuz last year I didn't log in much and everytime I did the number of alerts were alarmist/intimidating and none of it was relevant to me so I just unsubbed from everywhere. But when you enter a BR and sighn up, there is a small button at the bottom of each thread which lets you get notified...and I just always remember to click it right after I sign up.
Chris wrote: "I'm very tempted.."
And 😜 was it the blue juice, the levelling up, or the goblins?
Sir Anni wrote: "Good question? Have you? You better should Milady! 😜"
😂 sure...Milady'll check it out if you guys are gonna give it a go and let's get Siobhan too!!
By the way, did you guys start/move forward with Powder Mage? Is it good?
I know y'all were about to read it last year...
Books mentioned in this topic
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The Shadow of the Gods (other topics)
Paladin's Hope (other topics)
City of Stairs (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Courtney Milan (other topics)Ilona Andrews (other topics)
I keep forgetting you didn't finish Priory yet!! Hope you love it in the end.
Merry Christmas and all the best for the holidays, have a fab time x