2019 TBR Cleanup Challenge

[CBRetriever]

Diane wrote: "Lol, Gabi! I had trouble with my initials too. They are DSM and I could not find a book I own with them in that order. So I fudged and dropped my husband’s name and read Downbelow Station in fulfil..."

I looked for my initials as the beginning or words and as being in a word in the titles which worked for me

7. Your initials are in the title: The Lies of Locke Lamora
---- L amo ra contains my initials

[DivaDiane]

You are cleverer than me, @CBRetriever!

[John]

Allison wrote: "It is hard being both contrary and organized ..."

Wish I could say I did not understand or agree.

From Patrick Rothfuss: Have you ever been annoyed and amused at yourself at the same time? It's an interesting feeling to say the least https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/4130...

[Beth]

Allison wrote: "Yeah, let's be honest, the fun part is making lists. Reading is a separate enjoyment--I actually don't love reading from lists? It's like who do you think you are, list, my boss? Sure, I made you, ..."

Another +1 here. Things like this would probably work a lot better for me if I didn't try to fill in all the blanks the first day I sign on for the challenge. I'm such a mood reader that it's probably better to fill items in as I go, so it's more of a fun discovery than a housekeeping checklist.

[Kaa]

I came by to report that I'd finished two more in this challenge, meaning I only have three left to complete, but I'm happy to join the complaints about finding books with our initials as well!

I ended up giving up on finding my initials at the beginning of words, together, or even in order - K isn't exactly a rare letter, but it's not super common either. Karen Memory contains all three of my initials, two at the beginning of words, even if they are out of order.

[~ Giulia ~]

I never thought about finding them in order or at the beginning of words. I just picked a title that contained them. I like seeing all the different ways people interpret the same prompts :)

[Petar]

I started off trying to find the letters at the beginning of the words in the title but couldn’t do it so went for Perdido Street Station (PD) instead.

[Raucous]

I found a one word title with my initials embedded in reverse order.

I’m just thankful that my name isn’t ZZ Top.

[Anna]

Potz Blitz: Cool abgehangen

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

a true classic.

[Anna]

We should use it in a poll

[Raucous]

Wow. Clearly our problem was looking instead of asking.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Hahaha

[Lost Planet Airman]

Diane wrote: "Lol, Gabi! I had trouble with my initials too. They are DSM and I could not find a book I own with them in that order. So I fudged and dropped my husband’s name and read Downbelow Station in fulfil..."

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. We share M and D, and I found this classic RLS short novel to cover my middle initial. AND, they are all capitals, like initials are meant to be!

[DivaDiane]

Your right! It has my initials too, obviously, if I’m the wrong order, but alas, I’ve read it already, so it doesn’t qualify for the TBR challenge! I swear, I checked maybe half of my TBRs (that’s about 500 books) and gave up! I should’ve asked Anna.

[Anna]

Always happy to help! :)

[John]

Update 2019-11-26, 11 of 20; not sure I gonna get this one done. Happy Thanksgiving!
Also want it noted that I am commenting after comment #666; no pressure.

01. Oldest book: A Logic Named Joe 1946; done by to-read list sorted by pub date. Still going to read Joe but been on Sherlock Holmes binge which gets me to 1887 (extra credit?) for A Study in Scarlet
02. Work of art Jabberwocky, poem from Through the Looking Glass. Also using for initials.
03. Short story collection: see #4
04. Title is a question: Howard Who? - also counts as ugly cover and short story collection; cheating?
05. Ugly cover: see #4
06. Has inspired other art forms: Good Omens - currently on Amazon
07. Your initials are in the title JabberWocky through the looking Glass (JGW)
08. A book recommended to you: The Name of the Wind - daughter-in-law said to stop waiting for 3rd and that I would really like the series. have owned this for over 5 years.
09. added 2019-09-06 A book that intimidates you John Dies at the End this also gets me a Sixth Sense count but the title is past intimidate to scary as he**. gulp.
10. Reminds you of a song NPC's --song from a game: The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone
11. Buddy read The Night in the Lonesome October
12. Book with a luck symbol: Paradox Bound - more infinity but counts as 8
13. The 6th book Monster Hunter Siege
14. Last in a series The Magician's Land
15. One Hit Wonder
16. Hidden Gem Tensegrity One of the Metatropolis stories with this lead: A science fiction detective story set on a living floating city.
17. Someplace you want to go Just went to Washington, Oregon including some wineries in Willamette Valley. Started this series not knowing the location which is Pacific Northwest. Series mentions a wine backed security called "winos" and Pinot Noir grapes. Had some. Metatropolis
18. Get On the Bandwagon Read and finish the Lightbringer series. Have seen this on multiple must/best read lists and finally got on the bandwagon. Finished 4 of 5 and halfway thru The Burning White
19. Alphabetical Order
20.Graphic or illustrated novel: Watchmen - currently reading, so score!. still going to read Watchman but discovered a graphic series by William Gilbson and had to read them Archangel series

[Kristin B.]

I think I'm calling this one done. All I had left was "jump on the bandwagon" and I decided to toss A Night in the Lonesome October in that spot since it was a really active buddy read. :)

All books added to original comment post:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Kristin B. wrote: "I think I'm calling this one done. All I had left was "jump on the bandwagon" and I decided to toss A Night in the Lonesome October in that spot since it was a really active buddy read..."

Hell yea! Well done!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Swapping a few things out because I can't find what I'd originally selected in the formats I want. But I think I'm about to finish!!




16. Hidden Gem -In Search of the Lost Feminine: Decoding the Myths That Radically Reshaped Civilization - very few reviews, very high rating, and we're looking for something lost.

In progress:

7. Your initials are in the title - A Natural History of Dragons - updated. But my initials are right in the title as capitals, and in order!
15. One Hit Wonder - Palimpsest




Finished:

1. Oldest book - The Republic of Thieves
2. Work of art - For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
3. Novella or short story collection - All Systems Red
4. Title is a question So You Want to Talk About Race
5. Ugly cover (and please share it!) A Dirty Job
6. Has inspired other art forms - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
8. A book recommended to you - Assassin's Apprentice
9. A book that intimidates you - The Library at Mount Char
10. Reminds you of a song - The Broken Crown (reminds me of this song by Mumford & Sons- NSFW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXzDu...) Counting this one even though I didn't finish it, as it is off my TBR now.
11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) - Gardens of the Moon
12. Book with a luck symbol - The Red Threads of Fortune
13. The 6th book - Midnight's Children
14. Last in a series - Alpha & Omega
17. Someplace you want to go - Witches Abroad
18. Get On the Bandwagon - Becoming
19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order - Moon Over Soho
20. Graphic or illustrated novel - Welcome to Lovecraft

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Ok, so I'm doing some swap outs:

Still to do:

9. A book that intimidates you - 11/22/63 (less than 100 pages left)
13. The 6th book - The Raven and the Reindeer (6th book I've read with the group this year)


Finished:

✔️ 1. Oldest book - Fever 1793
✔️ 2. Work of art - Artful
✔️ 3. Novella or short story collection - The Wanderer in Unknown Realms
✔️ 4. Title is a question - Who Killed Sherlock Holmes?
✔️ 5. Ugly cover (and please share it!) - White Trash Zombie Gone Wild

✔️ 6. Has inspired other art forms - Lethal White
✔️ 7. Your initials are in the title -A College of Magics
✔️ 8. A book recommended to you - Bite Club!
✔️ 11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) - Dragon Wing
✔️ 16. Hidden Gem - The Case of the Missing Moonstone
✔️ 14. Last in a series - The Shepherd's Crown
✔️ 15. One Hit Wonder - Jack of Shadows
✔️ 18. Get On the Bandwagon - A Discovery of Witches
✔️ 19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order - The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter
✔️ 20. Graphic or illustrated novel - The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: The Apocalypse Suite


Swaps:

✔️ 12. Book with a luck symbol - The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
✔️ 10. Reminds you of a song - Scythe (Don't Fear the Reaper)
✔️ 17. Someplace you want to go - The Masked City

[Meredith]

I decided to swap a book I read earlier this year for my last pick. I have plenty on my plate for December and didn't want the reading to become a chore. (sorry "Radiance" perhaps next year!)

So, I am finished!

20/20

✔1. Oldest book: Three Men in a Boat, published in 1889, oldest book on my TBR pile.
✔2. Work of art: Changed selection to A Taste of Honey. The Birth of Venus, title is name of a painting and there's artists and art in the story.
✔3. Novella or short story collection: Kingdom of Needle and Bone, I picked a novella because I have a couple collections elsewhere in this challenge.
✔4. Title is a question: How Long 'til Black Future Month?
✔5. Ugly cover (and please share it!): , Feedback. This was hard, I was pulling books off my shelf to examine them.
✔6. Has inspired other art forms: Storm Front, the Dresden Files series has inspired fan art, fan fic, and even fan films.
✔7. Your initials are in the title: Murder in Montparnasse. I was looking for a book with two Ms in the title and this one is nearly perfect because my middle initial is J. MIM/MJM
✔8. A book recommended to you: The Once and Future King, by Allison.
✔9. A book that intimidates you: Kushiel's Dart. Dhalgren, lengthy and not an easy read. Nice and intimidating.
✔ 10. Reminds you of a song: changed my pick to The Deep, which reminds me of a song and was also based on a song apparently. Borderline, and now I can't get that song out of my head.
✔11. Buddy read (do not need to participate): Provenance, BR coming in January.
✔12. Book with a luck symbol: War for the Oaks. Gould's Book of Fish: A Novel in Twelve Fish, fish are lucky in many cultures.
✔13. The 6th book: The End of All Things, 6th book in the Old Man's War series. Radiance, by date added to GR.
✔14. Last in a series: Of Noble Family.
✔15. One Hit Wonder: Changed my pick to Magic for Liars, a stand alone book. The Boy Who Lost Fairyland, the other books in this series are all "The Girl Who [does something]," and this is the only "Boy Who..."
✔16. Hidden Gem: The Egyptologist, I rediscovered this 'hidden' on my shelf and it looks like a 'gem' of a book epistolary-mystery-archeology mashup.
✔17. Someplace you want to go: Mortal Arts, Scotland.
✔18. Get On the Bandwagon: The House on Mango Street, a modern classic that I have never read.
✔19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order:State Tectonics.
✔20. Graphic or illustrated novel: Golden Age and Other Stories, a collection of short stories based on fan art for the Temeraire series, the art accompanies the stories.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Yay! I recommend/cram things down people's throats til they like it!! Congrats! Dresden was also a short lived TV series! With um...Paul Blackthorne? Who was in a bunch of the Marvel TV shows too. Did a decent Chicago-ish accent for a guy with a pretty strong British accent naturally.

[Meredith]

Your recommendations are very enthusiastic, and it was a good read!

You are correct about Paul Blackthorne. I will probably chase down that series at some point.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Finally finished 11/22/63!!!

Only one more to go, after swaps.

[Lost Planet Airman]

One-and-a-half books to go!

14. Last in a series Flashman on the March
19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order Alif the Unseen - in progress

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

woohoo!

[John]

3 to go after some swap outs. might make it. This and The 6th Sense (2 to go for the 100) have been driving most of my reading for the last few months. The initials in title was ...going with challenging so not get booted out of the group. Evil mods coming up with fun challenges that introduce me to new books and authors :)

✅Oldest book: Swapped out. Been on Sherlock Holmes binge which gets me to 1887 (extra credit?) for A Study in Scarlet
✅02. Work of art The Night in the Lonesome October Think the cover is outstanding plus have to figure out who is who.
✅03. Short story collection: Target Rich Enviroment
✅04. Title is a question: Questions for a Soldier
05. Ugly cover:
✅06. Has inspired other art forms: The Girl with All the Gifts - Movie on Netflix
✅07. Your initials are in the title: Gods of Jade and shadoW
✅08. A book recommended to you: The Name of the Wind - daughter-in-law said to stop waiting for 3rd and that I would really like the series. have owned this for over 5 years.
09. A book that intimidates you John Dies at the End this also gets me a Sixth Sense count but the title is past intimidate to scary as he**. gulp.
✅10. Reminds you of a song NPC's --song from a game: The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone
✅11. Buddy read Remnant Population
12. Book with a luck symbol: Paradox Bound - more infinity but counts as 8
✅13. The 6th book Monster Hunter Siege
✅14. Last in a series The Magician's Land
✅15. One Hit Wonder: Regarding Ducks and Universes
✅16. Hidden Gem Tensegrity One of the Metatropolis stories with this lead: A science fiction detective story set on a living floating city.
✅17. Someplace you want to go - Just went to Washington, Oregon including some wineries in Willamette Valley. Started this series not knowing the location which is Pacific Northwest. Series mentions a wine backed security called "winos" and Pinot Noir grapes. Had some. Metatropolis
✅18. Get On the Bandwagon - finish the Lightbringer series. Have seen this on multiple must/best read lists and finally got on the bandwagon. Finished The Burning White
✅19. Alphabetical Order Ask a Foolish Question
✅20.Graphic or illustrated novel: Watchmen - done and also found a William Gibson series. Archangel series

[Raucous]

John wrote: "3 to go after some swap outs. ..."

Impressive choices on "ugly cover" and "book that intimidates you!"

[Kristen]

Finished!

1. Oldest book Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (Chose to interpret this one as a book that was on my TBR the longest. Goodreads shows I shelved it to be read in 2011. IT'S FINALLY DONE, EIGHT YEARS LATER.)
2. Work of art Guardians of the Louvre
3. Novella or short story collection After the Apocalypse
4. Title is a question Where Am I Now?
5. Ugly cover Children of Blood and Bone
6. Has inspired other art forms The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession
7. Your initials are in the title The Kingdom of Copper
8. A book recommended to you The Life of Captain Marvel
9. A book that intimidates you The Color Purple
10. Reminds you of a song The Cat Who Walked a Thousand Miles (The cat came back the very next day, lol)
11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) Strange the Dreamer
12. Book with a luck symbol Kitchens of the Great Midwest (a fish)
13. The 6th book The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
14. Last in a series A Court of Wings and Ruin
15. One Hit Wonder Long Way Down (standalone)
16. Hidden Gem The Country of Ice Cream Star
17. Someplace you want to go Crocodile on the Sandbank (Egypt. Egypt is the answer.) I keep thinking about this book, since finishing it a couple days eleven months ago. I think I may have to seek out more cozy mysteries, or more by this author; I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Amelia was a delight!
18. Get On the Bandwagon The Fault in Our Stars uuugggghhhhh
19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order Life of Pi
20. Graphic or illustrated novel Lone Wolf and Cub, Vol. 1: The Assassin's Road

[Raucous]

Congratulations Kristen - especially for dispatching an 8 year old TBR entry! (Looks over at bookshelves and feels a twinge of guilt.)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Woohoo!! You demolished your TBR! Well done! I love cozy mysteries, hope you find more that you like :D

[CBRetriever]

I like Elizabeth Peters and she a real Egyptologist (PhD) so she knows what she's writing about. She also wrote as Barbara Michaels.

[DivaDiane]

Congrats, Kristen!!

[Gabi]

Woot! Well done, Kristen.

[Kaa]

All right, I'm not seeing that I'm going to get around to finishing Always Coming Home this year (I've been working on it literally all year long), and to satisfy my completionist brain, I'm subbing in a book I've already read this year for the "Inspired Other Art Forms" category: Downbelow Station, honor of Jemppu's amazing fanart. That means I've only got one book left!

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Done!

✔️ 1. Oldest book - Fever 1793
✔️ 2. Work of art - Artful
✔️ 3. Novella or short story collection - The Wanderer in Unknown Realms
✔️ 4. Title is a question - Who Killed Sherlock Holmes?
✔️ 5. Ugly cover (and please share it!) - White Trash Zombie Gone Wild

✔️ 6. Has inspired other art forms - Lethal White
✔️ 7. Your initials are in the title -A College of Magics
✔️ 8. A book recommended to you - Bite Club!
✔️ 9. A book that intimidates you - 11/22/63 - took for fucking ever
✔️ 10. Reminds you of a song - Scythe (Don't Fear the Reaper) swapped
✔️ 11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) - Dragon Wing
✔️ 12. Book with a luck symbol - The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter swapped
✔️ 13. The 6th book - The Raven and the Reindeer (6th book I've read with the group this year) swapped
✔️ 14. Last in a series - The Shepherd's Crown
✔️ 15. One Hit Wonder - Jack of Shadows
✔️ 16. Hidden Gem - The Case of the Missing Moonstone
✔️ 17. Someplace you want to go - The Masked City Venice (swapped)
✔️ 18. Get On the Bandwagon - A Discovery of Witches
✔️ 19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order - The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter
✔️ 20. Graphic or illustrated novel - The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: The Apocalypse Suite

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Woohoo!! *pops some fizzy for another successful completion*

Kaa, so close! Good to make concessions in the aim of making the brain weasels happy :)

[Raucous]

Congratulations CtCC!

Did White Trash Zombie Gone Wild live up to (down to) the cover?

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Raucous wrote: "Congratulations CtCC!

Did White Trash Zombie Gone Wild live up to (down to) the cover?"


Ha! It was actually, imo, one of the better installments in the series, after being a bit underwhelmed with the direction the series was taken in the past, and deserves a much better and more fitting cover!

[Kristen]

CBRetriever wrote: "I like Elizabeth Peters and she a real Egyptologist (PhD) so she knows what she's writing about. She also wrote as Barbara Michaels."
I am SHOOK. I loved Barbara Michaels novels as a teenager and had NO CLUE this was the same author. How delightful!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I have ONE LEFT!! Starting it today.

I finished Palimpsest for One Hit Wonder, which was even more appropriate than I thought because not only was it about the wonder of a city you traveled to via the human push me pull you, the experience was drug-like in its addictive properties. So, high five me, aptly chosen.

Also finished A Natural History of Dragons for my initials.

Off to find the hidden gem in In Search of the Lost Feminine: Decoding the Myths That Radically Reshaped Civilization.

[Ariana]

Almost done (with some substitutions):
✓ 1. Oldest book - The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
✓ 2. Work of art - The Ascent to Godhood
✓ 3. Novella or short story collection - Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea Hexarchate Stories
✓ 4. Title is a question - How Long 'til Black Future Month?
✓ 5. Ugly cover (and please share it!) - The Fall of Hyperion
✓ 6. Has inspired other art forms - Assassin's Apprentice Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
✓ 7. Your initials are in the title - In an Absent Dream
✓ 8. A book recommended to you - Soulless
✓ 9. A book that intimidates you - China Mountain Zhang Black Leopard, Red Wolf
✓ 10. Reminds you of a song - Borderline
✓ 11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) - Remnant Population
✓ 12. Book with a luck symbol - Two Serpents Rise Luck in the Shadows
(almost! 85%) 13. The 6th book - City of Stairs The Hanging Tree
✓ 14. Last in a series - State Tectonics
✓ 15. One Hit Wonder - The Flowers of Vashnoi
✓ 16. Hidden Gem - A Labyrinth of Scions and Sorcery
✓ 17. Someplace you want to go - Moon Over Soho
✓ 18. Get On the Bandwagon - The Way of Kings
✓ 19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order - Kings of the Wyld
✓ 20. Graphic or illustrated novel - The Prince and the Dressmaker

[Hank]

I just started my last book, I think I can do it! If I finish this, I will finish 22 books because I swapped 2 for the backups and then ended up reading the original choice anyway.

My favorite parts are that I had already owned all of these books and my ratings. Turns out I made good choices, 5 5stars, 5 three stars and everything else a 4. Well above my general average.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Wow! I giggled that you swapped books and read both anyways, but hey you were clearly on a roll!

[Jemppu]

Allison wrote: "I have ONE LEFT!! Starting it today..."

Yaay! \o/

Argh! I'm 25% through on both of my last two, and a much anticipated buddy read scheduled for next week. Ach. I can't give up this close to the finish, though!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I have finished! It wasn't my favorite book of the year, but it was fast and it's gone now!

I believe in you, Jemina!! You can do it!

[Jemppu]

Allison wrote: "I have finished!..."

Congrats! I shall endeavor to follow suit 💪

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Allison wrote: "I have finished! It wasn't my favorite book of the year, but it was fast and it's gone now!"

Congrats!

[Dj]

Hank wrote: "I just started my last book, I think I can do it! If I finish this, I will finish 22 books because I swapped 2 for the backups and then ended up reading the original choice anyway.

My favorite par..."

Sounds like a very good selection