Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion
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House of Chains the team not the BR, Year 2!
Do you own a lot of books? I find the Overflowing Bookshelf challenge very useful for tackling my own library :)
Congrats, Scott for the Patriots winning the SB.
Olivia wrote: "Since so far I’ve only got the incomplete series challenge going on I’ve been trying to figure out what else I could do. I’m doing a Classics bingo but it has nothing to do with this group so I g..."
Cover and Bingo challenge? Or like Siobhan said Overflow challenge, though, I find that to be the hardest challenge.
Mod
I’ll have a look at the Overflow challenge!Edit: I had a look through my shelves, and I rarely read from my shelves. Most of what's on my shelf has been read, or has not been read for a reason. I should do a charity shop run haha!
Olivia wrote: "I’ll have a look at the Overflow challenge!Edit: I had a look through my shelves, and I rarely read from my shelves. Most of what's on my shelf has been read, or has not been read for a reason. I..."
Haha! At least some good came out of it! 😂
The challenge can also be used for kindle/ebooks. Or are you a borrow from the library person? XD
I’m a buy then read and otherwise borrow then read person lol but I could use it to catch up on my ARCs lol
I wish I was a buy then read person!! 😅 I'm a buy 10 books, read 1 then buy 10 more person. Hence the Overflowing Bookshelf challenge. 😂😂
I do it as well. The buying and not reading but then turns out I never read those books and shouldn’t have bought them so I think that challenge would just make me angry! Haha!
I like doing challenges that are kind of open and leaves me room to jump genres easily. 1st: I think about how many books I think I can read within the year.
2nd: Try to pick a challenge/s that makes me feel excited to read vs work.
Bingo, Cover & A-Z challenges are some of the easiest to get done.
I make selections that are based on my favorite books, current TBR, likely stereotypes, etc. Without trying too hard, I always read a few new authors, finish a few series, read a variety of genres, etc.
Ex:
- New Author
- Romance
- Mystery
- New Release
- Instant 5 Star
- Last book of Series
- Blue Cover
A-Z Name/Location Challenges look like fun & fairly easy to fill in. (I can't remember who started those. Maybe Manju?) I plan on doing either a Name or Location A-Z later. I think after I finish my Cover Challenge. I'm on my second round of Bingo & have a Round 3 set up to go when I finish R2.
I have spur of the moment reading mini-projects or certain books that move up the TBR to read sooner. I keep that in mind and put topics/goals that would help me to get those books read.
I made up a challenge based on numbers I like and made topics that encourage me to seek out books that are fun. I had to cut down on the numbers one because the challenge was growing too big. lol
I'm definitely a buy 10, read 1 and repeat person!
Mod
Yanique wrote: "I’m a buy 10, read 10, feel proud of myself, so reward myself with 20 type of person 😩."😂😂
Charlie wrote: "I'm definitely a buy 10, read 1 and repeat person!"We're kindred spirits you and I. ❤️
It's a sickness and GR just encourages it!
I haven't really had time for nay reading this week so hoping to get some pages in for The Way of Kings tomorrow. Anyone got any cool plans this weekend?
I'm slacking on reading this weekend! Been so busy moving house. Will catch up next week I hope!
I know the feeling Siobhan, weekends are a killer for my reading. Had a one-year old's birthday party to attend today, living the wild life here! Following that up with a gig tomorrow night so there'll be very little read then too :(I did pick up The Terror on audio book though, so I'll jump into that during next week to get another long book on the list.
I've read a bit of romance and listened to some more Murdebot on audio, nothing substantial really. I really wanted to read more Way of Kings but I need peace and quiet to concentrate on it and there hasn't been any of that this weekend!
Mod
Keep up the good work.
Ugh, totally feeling the rough reading weekends. I was able to fit in some Renegades reading but not much else. Kind of hoping that I get snowed in tomorrow so that I can skip work and read all day. Doubtful that'll happen, but I'm hopeful!I did discover that Walmart has collectible Harry Potter wands and I'm definitely going to go buy one today, but that's the only fun weekend thing I have planned.
Hope you guys were able to have fun non-laundry/chore filled weekends!
I read The Girl of Fire and Thorns this weekend with the YA group. I managed to also get out of the house on Saturday and went to a Snow Lantern Festival in Yonezawa. (view spoiler)
Alas, I spent too much time reading and none doing laundry... best get to that tonight - haha! Still, no regrets.
Melissa wrote: "I read The Girl of Fire and Thorns this weekend with the YA group. I managed to also get out of the house on Saturday and went to a Snow Lantern Festival in Yonezawa. Alas, I spent too much t..."
Wow that looks so beautiful!
Wow, that looks really beautiful, Melissa!
I've barely read anything at all in the last 10 days. I'm really behind on my buddy reads and starting to feel the pressure. I'm out tonight and tomorrow after work too so not going to get much of a chance this week! Why do I sign up for so many!?
Charlie wrote: "I've barely read anything at all in the last 10 days. I'm really behind on my buddy reads and starting to feel the pressure. I'm out tonight and tomorrow after work too so not going to get much of ..."Right there with you! I stalled out and barely read 200 pages in the past week. I think the book I started just slowed me down, so I randomly picked up Gardens of the Moon to cure my woes. Nothing like an unplanned Malzan re-read to get the reading going!
@Seán I love a good re-read to help beat a reading slump. I just wish I could take a day off work and lock myself away with my books.
Mod
Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been around lately. Real life has thrown all sorts of unexpected challenges at us in 2019 (home renovations from a water leak, MIL broke her arm, death of a cousin, strep throat invasion). I HAVE been reading though, unfortunately, it's all had to be via audiobook - and mostly rereads. I've listened to:
When Maidens Mourn
Why Kings Confess
Who Buries the Dead
Where the Dead Lie
Why Kill the Innocent
The Last Kingdom (though my library auodiobook copy came too late to count for the BR points)
And I'm currently listening to The Pale Horseman and, yes, still reading Reaper's Gale. I haven't updated my spreadsheet but I will when I get home tonight (can't access it on work computer).
Mod
I know the feeling. Hope it all works out.
Thanks, o'Capitan. I see you've had a more-stressful-than-usual past month too so hope you're back to your baseline soon. I feel like I can finally start getting back to my normal routines now.
Hope you're doing okay Veronica. Here's hoping 2019 gets better for you! ❤️
I'm sorry to hear so many of us are having a rough time this year. Veronica I hope your MIL recovers quickly, and that you find the support you need during difficult times.I'm glad you've been able to get in some reading still though! I also turn to rereads when in a slump.
Veronica wrote: "Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been around lately. Real life has thrown all sorts of unexpected challenges at us in 2019 (home renovations from a water leak, MIL broke her arm, death of a cousin, strep ..."So sorry to hear that, Veronica. Hopefully everything gets better from now on!
Melissa wrote: "I read The Girl of Fire and Thorns this weekend with the YA group. I managed to also get out of the house on Saturday and went to a Snow Lantern Festival in Yonezawa. Alas, I spent too much t..."
I think Japanese cultural festivals are so interesting. Maybe, I read too many mangas lol. But, I'd love go visit Japan again and explore more of the smaller cities instead of going to the bigger cities like Tokyo or Osaka.
Siobhan wrote: "I'm slacking on reading this weekend! Been so busy moving house. Will catch up next week I hope!"We just moved too about 2 weeks ago. So, had to do some cleaning up a little bit over the weekend. Got some friends coming over for Chinese New Year's dinner (we just ordered pizzas lol!). Dinners with parents and my sister. Other than that I spent last weekend catching up on my reading. Finished Way of Kings yesterday. Damn that was a pretty thick book.
Good job finishing Way of Kings!! Did you enjoy it?Sounds like a busy weekend for you too. Hope your move went smoothly the other week.
I finished Renegades yesterday which was a nice 10+ points! :) Really need to make some progress on Oathbringer.
Glad you enjoyed Renegades, I really liked it!
Mod
Glad things are slowing down for you. This project won't end until May so it will be nuts until then.
Barry wrote: "I'd love go visit Japan again and explore more of the smaller cities instead of going to the bigger cities like Tokyo or Osaka."Oh, so you've been to Tokyo and Osaka? I bet that was fun. But yes, I'd have to agree, you really have to get out of the city to appreciate much of Japan.
Finished Way of Kings yesterday. Damn that was a pretty thick book.
Nice going! I'm one of the few who hasn't read Stormlight yet. It has been sitting on my shelf, but in a comfortable way. I know that it is there waiting for me when I choose to dive in. It's a hefty series to reread, so I'm in no particular hurrry.
Thanks, guys! Things are getting better. :-)We were visiting my MIL at the rehab facility last night and I was trying to comment here from my phone but the app was acting weird. There was no place for me to enter a comment and it was telling me I had to join another group for which I'm a Mod! Weird.
Olivia wrote: "Since so far I’ve only got the incomplete series challenge going on I’ve been trying to figure out what else I could do. I’m doing a Classics bingo but it has nothing to do with this group so I g..."
//late but
I usually sign up for all the challenges (book Cover, Bingo, A to Z, Diversity) and then read whatever it is I normally would read. Most of them can fit retrospectively into the requirements, because the requirements are reasonably broad.
Sha wrote: "Olivia wrote: "Since so far I’ve only got the incomplete series challenge going on I’ve been trying to figure out what else I could do. I’m doing a Classics bingo but it has nothing to do with th..."
Ooh that's a good idea. I've been debating about signing up for another challenge. Wouldn't hurt to try them all out.
I did that last year, Sha. But then figured I am doing it wrong haha.
Melissa wrote: "Barry wrote: "I'd love go visit Japan again and explore more of the smaller cities instead of going to the bigger cities like Tokyo or Osaka."Oh, so you've been to Tokyo and Osaka? I bet that was..."
Yeah, we went to Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo with a day trip to Mt. Fuji, which we regretted very much. Not because it wasn't beautiful, but a day trip wasn't enough. We barely had the time to take pictures and walkaround the area a little bit before having to catch the train back to Tokyo. I liked Kyoto the best though. Such an awesome city with many traditional places and looks. So different from Osaka dan Tokyo.
Maybe once our baby is a bit older we'd love to get back and visit another part of Japan. Or maybe if my sister in law decided to extend her study in Japan, we might go visit haha.
Which parts of Japan do you like the best or recommend to visit?
Don't worry if you haven't read Stormlight. It's gonna take quite a few years anyway before he can complete the series, considering the number of books/series Sanderson has committed to write.
Barry wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Barry wrote: "I'd love go visit Japan again and explore more of the smaller cities instead of going to the bigger cities like Tokyo or Osaka."Oh, so you've been to Tokyo and Osaka..."
I can give you recommendations from top to bottom, although some are more accessible than others. Yakushima Island is really out of the way, but has lovely trails through ancient mossy forests. I've gone in early summer to see the sea turtles lay their eggs, and in late summer to watch them hatch.
Kyushu has some of my favorite hot springs, and the vistas and rolling hills around Mt. Aso are breathtaking. Hiroshima is a charming city with convenient transportation. Shikoku's nature and temples are free of crowds, and the Awa Odori from there dance is one of my favorites. Tohoku has amazing summer festivals in August, atmospheric mountain temples like Dewa Sanzan, and I think the best cherry blossoms in Hirosaki. I could go on... but whenever you go, definitely consider the season, and hit the local festivals.
As for Stormlight... I do love to binge read, so I may wait until book 4, and Mistborn Era 2 finishes and then just read everything Sanderson.
Melissa, I'm hopefully planning a trip to Japan later this year, (we're trying to decide what season is best). So I'm definitely coming to you for some recommendations!
Siobhan wrote: "Melissa, I'm hopefully planning a trip to Japan later this year, (we're trying to decide what season is best). So I'm definitely coming to you for some recommendations!"How exciting! Yep, each season has something to offer. Feel free to hit me up while you are planning. :)
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I’m doing a Classics bingo but it has nothing to do with this group so I guess I can’t use it.
And I don’t like choosing books based on anything but mood.
Suggestions?