2019 TBR Cleanup Challenge

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Mine wasn't counting the other day, and then I clicked on through to the shelf for the challenge, from the group home page, and all of a sudden the book was there.

[Anna]

colleen the convivial curmudgeon wrote: "Mine wasn't counting the other day, and then I clicked on through to the shelf for the challenge, from the group home page, and all of a sudden the book was there."

This happens to me with all challenges most of the time. Clicking the numbers almost always fixes it, it'll then show the updated numbers everywhere.

[Lost Planet Airman]

My Ugly cover was from The Zero Stone.
Like this:

[CBRetriever]

for those wanting a chuckle or looking for an ugly cover inspiration, check out this website:

http://kindlecoverdisasters.tumblr.com/

ETA: not safe for work (ignore the pounded in... covers)

the Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep cover are pretty bad

[Dj]

Jennifer wrote: "I failed miserably at the 2018 challenge, but I am optimistic about this year.

1. Oldest book - Journey to the Center of the Earth
2. Work of art - The Princess Bride
3...."

I read Contact not that long ago. I hope you find it as Amazing as I did. With the way, Sagan brought it to life it was easy to suspend my disbelief.

[Dj]

So I finished another of my TBR Challenges. This one the Novella/Short Story book.
Beginnings

This book is a compilation of short stories about things that happened prior to the start of the Honorverse books. I have found that I tend to enjoy the short story mixes fairly well. In part due to the fact that other authors contribute to it so it makes for a change from the normal style and since they are short stories they tend to remove Weber's love of the math behind it all.

In this one, I found the best story was by Timothy Zahn, Who brings us a story on how Honor Harrington's parents met.

[Joon]

CBRetriever wrote: "for those wanting a chuckle or looking for an ugly cover inspiration, check out this website:

http://kindlecoverdisasters.tumblr.com/

ETA: not safe for work (ignore the pounded in... covers)

the..."

Most of those covers are deliberately bad or are by ultra-indie authors, so I'm not sure those count.

Old timey sci-fi covers are really bad though. Those 1984 ones especially so.

[CBRetriever]

I just skim through those, but there are some that were pretty bad from the 60s and 70s

[Mareike]

Joon wrote: "CBRetriever wrote: "for those wanting a chuckle or looking for an ugly cover inspiration, check out this website:

http://kindlecoverdisasters.tumblr.com/

ETA: not safe for work (ignore the pounde..."

I saw the second book in that post in a bookstore in September and was like "WTH??? I need to read this, it sounds way too absurd!". I hadn't considered it for this challenge (also cause I've limited myself to books I own for now and I don't own that one. Yet.), but I might now.

[Leticia]

Anna wrote: "Leticia wrote: "Both of my challenges aren't counting the books :-(
Do you know how to fix that?"

The usual reason is incorrect shelf name as Gabi suggested. If you have spaces in the name, GR wil..."

Thanks for the tips, Gabi and Anna, this is exactly the kind of detail I get often lost about lol. I fixed it now.

[CBRetriever]

added 3 more to my completed list (7, 12 & 20 already completed):

11. Buddy read (do not need to participate): Frankenstein; Or, the Modern Prometheus
---- Buddy Read in late February and I've commented on the thread already
15. One Hit Wonder: Emergence
---- Never really had another hit book and this one just came out last year in Kindle format = fantastic re-read in digital format (read it years ago in paper)
19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order: City of Truth
---- C - O - T = did not like this book

[Mareike]

First update:

1. Oldest book Die Leiden des jungen Werther - Band I (The Sorrows of Young Werther)
2. Work of art Harry Potter: A History of Magic
3. Novella or short story collection The Secret Loves of Geeks
4. Title is a question How Long 'til Black Future Month?
5. Ugly cover (and please share it!)
6. Has inspired other art forms Les rois maudits - L'intégrale
7. Your initials are in the title Death in Ten Minutes: Kitty Marion: Activist. Arsonist. Suffragette.
8. A book recommended to you Margot & Me
9. A book that intimidates you Future Home of the Living God
10. Reminds you of a song Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theatre
11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) Parable of the Talents
12. Book with a luck symbol
13. The 6th book Middlesex
14. Last in a series
15. One Hit Wonder The House of Impossible Beauties
16. Hidden Gem The Girl in the Road
17. Someplace you want to go Passing Strange
18. Get On the Bandwagon The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order Perfume River
20. Graphic or illustrated novel

I've added How Long 'til Black Future Month? because I belatedly got a copy for Christmas do it wualifies under my "only books I already own" rule.

Edit: finally finished Future Home of the Living God it was.....ok, I guess.

[~ Giulia ~]

In January I completed 3 prompts:

11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) - Broken Monsters
One of the group re-reads

13. The 6th book - Song of Susannah
6th book in the series

18. Get On the Bandwagon - City of Bones
It seems everyone has read this series, there's a TV adaptation, and the author keeps writing sequels in that world.

[Joon]

I knocked down four in January:


1. Oldest book - The Mysterious Affair at Styles
11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) - Skyward
19. Words in title in alphabetical order - Medusa Uploaded
20. Graphic or illustrated novel - Nimona

[Raucous]

Some additional choices, some changes, some progress:

Progress: 3/20

4. Title is a question: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 1 (Have I really never read this classic?)
6. Has inspired other art forms: The Name of the Wind (Has inspired a board game with an active players association, extensive fan art, fan fic, cosplay, and plans for both a movie and related video game)
7. Your initials are in the title: Free Chocolate (I'll never turn down free chocolate. It's got my name on it.)
✔︎ 16. Hidden Gem: Sign of the Unicorn (This book revolves around a gem that has hidden powers, hidden liabilities, hidden activation instructions and, yes, it is itself also hidden)

Thanks for putting together this challenge. It's encouraged me to look at my very, very extensive TBR list in a new light.

[Dj]

So I finished my Work of Art book.
Heart of Darkness

Admittedly I went into this book having only watched the movie: Apocalypse Now, which is loosely based on the book. After having read the book I can see why the changes were made, but the book is both awe-inspiring and disturbing. Much more than the move could ever be.

Much like Moby Dick, the words that are used to tell this story are crafted more than just written. Unlike Moby Dick, there isn't much in the way of tangents so the story is more direct and easier to keep a firm grip on.

Also while it is a look at the Darkness that can overcome good men it doesn't dwell on the why of it, only the fact that it happened. Leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions. An awesome read that even though it is based on events that are lost in the pages of history, still holds up to the test of time.

[CBRetriever]

I read Heart of Darkness a year or two ago and I have to agree with you. I loved the movie, Apocalypse Now, but the book was also excellent. There was a TV movie version of it with John Malkovitch (Kurtz) and Tim Roth (Marlow) that looks interesting

[Dj]

CBRetriever wrote: "I read Heart of Darkness a year or two ago and I have to agree with you. I loved the movie, Apocalypse Now, but the book was also excellent. There was a TV movie version of it with John Malkovitch ..."

I might have to give it a look for. John Malkovitch could certainly pull the roll off.

[CBRetriever]

added 1 more to my completed list (7, 11, 12, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):

10. Reminds you of a song: Thus Spake Zarathustra
---- Richard Strauss tone poem, part of which was used in 2001: A Space Odyssey

this was one big struggle to read and I did not read the commentary at the end of Friedrich Nietzsche's work. I read the book, so this task is completed. Now on to something lighter

[Meredith]

I have 4/20 completed:
3. Novella or short story collection: Kingdom of Needle and Bone, classic Mira Grant - near future sci-fi bordering on horror, this time focussing on implications of the anti-vaxxer movement. Quite timely.
4. Title is a question: How Long 'til Black Future Month?, Great collection of shorter work by NK Jemisin.
11. Buddy read (do not need to participate): Provenance, Set in another part of Leckie's Imperial Radch universe, mostly different cultures than we have met in the Ancillary books, though Radchaai make an appearance as well as the Geck.
18. Get On the Bandwagon: The House on Mango Street, wonderful, wish I'd read this earlier in life.

[evofox]

finished a total of one so far.
4. Title is a question problem children are coming from another world aren't they? volume 1. really enjoyed it but feeling quite behind with this challenge. hopefully will cross another one off soon.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Still have plenty of time, Bryce!

[CBRetriever]

added 1 more to my completed list (7, 10, 11, 12, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):

17. Someplace you want to go: Paris Revealed: The Secret Life of a City
---- This is more of I want to go back - 5 years of living there didn't cure me

this was a quick, fast read and i was saddened that i knew most of the information contained in it. I was looking for more that I didn't know about Paris

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Bryce wrote: "finished a total of one so far.
4. Title is a question problem children are coming from another world aren't they? volume 1. really enjoyed it but feeling quite behind with this challenge. hopeful..."


I've only done one so far, too. You're not alone!

[CBRetriever]

added 2 more to my completed list (7, 10, 11, 12, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):

2. Work of art: A History of English Food
---- Cooking is an art

14. Last in a series" Y is for Yesterday
---- Author died and there will never be a Z is for XXX book

So sad about the last one as I really liked her books. Not working on another one from this set currently.

[Raucous]

CBRetriever wrote: "...
14. Last in a series" Y is for Yesterday
---- Author died and there will never be a Z is for XXX book

So sad about the last one as I really liked her books. ...

I remember seeing A is for Alibi when it first came out and thinking "Wow that's ambitious." I was also very taken with Kinsey Millhone after I read it. Even though I didn't follow along for much of the series I too was very sad to hear that there will be no "Z is for..."

[CBRetriever]

at least mystery series, unlike fantasy series, tend to wrap everything up in one book so we're not left hanging for years (looks at Rothfuss & Martin) for the next book in the series to continue the story

[DivaDiane]

I finally finished one for the challenge! I read The Power for my “Get on the bandwagon” entry. Really good. 1 down 18 to go.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Woohoo! You're in the race now, Diane!

[Sarah]

Finished two more:

Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan for 20. Graphic novel

and

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James for 11. Buddy read

[Kaa]

I finished three more and made several more changes:

12. Book with a luck symbol: Witchmark
17. Someplace you want to go: The Edge of Worlds
19. Words in title in alphabetical order: Black Leopard, Red Wolf

1. Oldest book: The Woman in White switched to Beowulf - I decided to try to make this challenge all sff, and Beowulf is certainly the oldest book I'm going to read this year.
6. Has inspired other art forms: A Wizard of Earthsea switched to Always Coming Home - both are Le Guin novels that have inspired a lot of other art, but Wizard is a re-read. Plus my copy of ACH comes with an actual cassette tape of music and poems.
11. Buddy read (do not need to participate): Remnant Population switched to The Mere Wife - I didn't end up reading the first, but I'm pretty confident of the second (and it goes with Beowulf)

[Petar]

I had a few borrowed books to get through at the start of the year before getting into the challenge, but I'm into it now. Three down and into the fourth.

3. Novella or short story collection – The Vital Abyss.

This was ok. It has some interest for Expanse fans but not the best novella/ short story from that universe I've read.

10. Reminds you of a song – Babel-17/Empire Star.

I can't say I really liked this. Delany's concepts about language are quite interesting but some pretty ordinary plotting and character development made this pretty disappointing for me.

20. Graphic or illustrated novel - Kick-Ass.
I really enjoyed this. Dark humour, OTT violence. Yep, this was fun.

I'm into Ready Player One now as my bandwagonner.

[Joon]

I'm making so many changes I'm not even going to keep updating my post.

I also found that a number of books currently on my list are ones I bought after making my initial list, which basically defeats the entire purpose of "clearing backlog" lol.

[CBRetriever]

that's why I stuck with Thus Spake Zarathustra even though it was a struggle. I only switched one and that was when I realized I'd finished it in 2018

[CBRetriever]

added 1 more to my completed list (2, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):

4. Title is a question: Where Have All the Young Girls Gone
---- No question mark but the title is a question

[CBRetriever]

added 1 more to my completed list (2, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):


5. Ugly cover (and please share it!): Scorpio, Volume 1: Scorpio & Scorpio Rising
---- Very ugly alien

Makes 11 out of 20 completed. I actually enjoyed Scorpio as it's pretty different from what I normally read.

[~ Giulia ~]

In February I've read:
3. Novella or short story collection - Witches of Lychford

[Bingbong]

Hi I am new to Goodreads. Does everyone choose their own books? This sounds sooooooo interesting i definitely want to give it a try!!! I dont get enough time to read (full time music teacher and mother of 3) but i would love to do this challenge with you!!!!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Adrie wrote: "Hi I am new to Goodreads. Does everyone choose their own books? This sounds sooooooo interesting i definitely want to give it a try!!! I dont get enough time to read (full time music teacher and mo..."

Welcome, Adrie! Yes! Usually people look at books they've been meaning to read and haven't gotten around to yet and then pick ones that fit the prompts in some way!

[Bingbong]

What a great idea. cant wait to sit and workout my list!!! Thank you!!! Will post my list when i am done!!!!!

[Bobby]

Adrie wrote: "Hi I am new to Goodreads. Does everyone choose their own books? This sounds sooooooo interesting i definitely want to give it a try!!! I dont get enough time to read (full time music teacher and mo..."

Hi, Adrie. You choose your own out of books you have been wanting to read. A lot of us have made use of the shelves here on Goodreads to mark what we want to read.

Since you are new you may not have a lot on your Goodreads "to be read" shelf, but you can definitely use the prompts to try to fit in books you have been planning to read eventually but haven't yet.

Most of the fun for me was trying to find books that fit the prompts. If you are unsure about specific prompts, you can leave them blank and fill them in later. There's no pressure to fill them all in or finish, but it's a fun challenge to participate in.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

What Bobby said! Can't wait to see what you come up with, Adrie!

[Sarah]

So work of art- that's subjective right? If I rated a book 5 stars it's art to me...

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Sarah wrote: "So work of art- that's subjective right? If I rated a book 5 stars it's art to me..."

Yep! I love hearing how people interpret the prompts :D

[Marie]

Ellen wrote: "I'm in!
1. Oldest book The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line
going with book on tbr the longest
2. Work of art
3. Novella or short story collection Crazy Like a Fox
4. Title ..."

I enjoyed your #4 selection. Molly Harper's Jane Jameson series is quite hilarious. If you like a sassy sarcastic strong female lead with strong sidekicks (and vampires), you should like this.

[Marie]

Dj wrote: "Marie wrote: "I don't know if I can finish this since I am already on two other challenges. Here are my choices:

1. Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock, #1), Hunter, Faith
oldest audiobook I held that I h..."

I'm sorry I got back so late, but I haven't been monitoring this list like I should.

Adam Ant definitely did not age well. He is looking like Captain Jack Sparrow!

[CBRetriever]

added 1 more to my completed list (2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):


9. A book that intimidates you: The Female Man
---- Too many recommendations and I'm afraid of being disappointed like I was with The Horse Whisperer

Makes 12 out of 20 completed. I wasn't disappointed with this book, but it didn't enthrall me either. I'm sure if I'd read it back when it was first published, I would have loved it and deeply identified with some of the characters in it, but it seems dated today.

[Dj]

Marie wrote: "Dj wrote: "Marie wrote: "I don't know if I can finish this since I am already on two other challenges. Here are my choices:

1. Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock, #1), Hunter, Faith
oldest audiobook I he..."

Oh good, I thought I was might be the only one. I found a current picture of him when he came to Portland in Concert. Tickets were too much for me but would have liked to see if he could still belt the tunes.

[Dj]

So I finished my number four choice.

You Said What?: Lies and Propaganda Throughout History

I was actually hoping for a bit more propaganda and a bit less on the lying side of things. None of the articles in the book were current, although some were topical. Some of the lies in the book were very harmful, The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments. Some of them were beneficial in a way, FDR's legs. All of them were presented in a clear and straight forward fashion, although I missed the humor bits that are in Patriot Games on Netflix. Might just be me though.

And they presented who they decided was the worst (best?) liar of them all and only a mild spoiler, but it wasn't Goebbels.

[Bingbong]

1. Oldest book --oldest in my bookshelf-- Colour of Magic - Terry Pratchett
2. Work of art -- Literary art - The slow regard of silent things. Patrick Rothfull
3. Novella or short story collection -- Rogues, George RR Martin, Patrick Rothfuss Joe Abercombie and 15 others
4. Title is a question - a tough one to find -- Do Androids dream of electric sheet? Phillip K Dick
5. Ugly cover (and please share it!) Robin McKinley - The Blue Sword - Hope the book is better than the cover (I dont know how to add the cover??)
6. Has inspired other art forms --0--
7. Your initials are in the title-- The Abyss Surrounds us- Emily Skrutskie -- My Initials are AS
8. A book recommended to you-- The Golden Compass - Phillip Pullman
9. A book that intimidates you - Tolkien, the Silmarillion - it intimidates me so much i still don't have the courage to attempt it
10. Reminds you of a song -- Fever series -- hence the song FEVER
11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) Death Gate Cycle -- Weiss and Hickman ( going to do the buddy read) bit behind but i should catch up
12. Book with a luck symbol -- Good omens - Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
13. The 6th book - Tower of Dawn, Sarah J Maas (i read all the other books but didn't read this one, bought the hard copies for my daughter (I only read e books) so i will read it with her
14. Last in a series -- Kingdom of Ash Sarah J Maas - I actually have read this book, but since i read it about 2 weeks ago in 2019 i don't feel too bad adding it to the 2019 reading challenge
15. One Hit Wonder -- Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik - One hit wonder as in its not in a series
16. Hidden Gem -- The Giver, Lois Lowry (Hidden only from me 1 000 000 other people have read it and i didnt know it existed)
17. Someplace you want to go -- The Cursed Child - JK Rowlings
18. Get On the Bandwagon -- Court of Thorn and Roses - Sarah J Maas
19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order-- Brave new world, Aldous Huxley and Black Company from Glen Cook
20. Graphic or illustrated novel -- The Slow regard of silent Things( since i added more than one book in other spots i feel okay with adding this book in 2nd place and 20th

This was incredibly challenging but sooooooo much fun!!! Thank you for the great list!!!