2019 TBR Cleanup Challenge

[Raucous]

There's an option in "add book/author" at the top of the comment box to show the cover instead of the title (change "link" to "cover").

The cover for the edition of that I usually see has always bothered me. There's a beautiful horse but then the composition of the rest just seems off. Maybe if I'd read it the cover would make more sense.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Great list, Adrie! I love the reasoning you came up with! I love The Blue Sword, i hope it makes up for the dated cover Haha

[Bingbong]

Thank you so much Raucous and Allison!!! 😍

[Raucous]

One of the editions of The Blue Sword has a that looks like a piece of batik art. That's inspired things like this:

http://www.nailpolis.com/artworks/won...

which makes it an option for "has inspired other art forms." There's a lot of passion out there for this book. I should try it some time too.

[Bingbong]

Wow!! I like that!! Okay thank you Raucous you saved me there, so I will Change my "book that inspired other arts forms" to The Blue Sword and then i will make my 'ugly book cover' book,
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson. I dont know if my copy is just really old but i think this is hideou

The Well of Ascension

[Bingbong]

Raucous i still dont know how to show cover, when i go to add book it just gives me that!!

[Sarah]

Adrie wrote: "Raucous i still dont know how to show cover, when i go to add book it just gives me that!!"

When you go to add the book/cover there is a little option bubble at the bottom of the white box that says link or cover. Choose the cover option.

Alternatively when you add it if you add the link you can just write cover in after the word book: [book cover :The Blue Sword|407813].
Just take out the spaces.

[Bingbong]

Thank you Sarah!! am going to try it now

[DivaDiane]

Just finished Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut, my entry for Oldest Book. It’s his oldest, 1952, and the oldest book unread on my shelf. Also the oldest actual paperback.

Anyhoo, not my favorite book. The audio was better: the aerator was fantastic.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Womp womp. A good narrator can make all the difference. As can a good aerator--I've had many a bottle of wine saved by proper aeration! ;-)

I've read three so far:

2. Work of art - For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf - stunning in all ways.

3. Novella or short story collection - All Systems Red - fun! But I don't like the narrator and intend to read it with my eyes, or better, have my friend who is the real life Murderbot record it for me.

11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) - Gardens of the Moon - So promising! I'm moving on to book 3, hoping to fall in love.

I'm also a few hours into another read, hoping to finish it this month!

[evofox]

finished a few so far:
4. Title is a question problem children are coming from another world aren't they? volume 1 cant remember exactly when i finished this one. fun read with some pretty cool action scenes. only real complaint is bits of it felt slightly rushed towards the end of the novel.

11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) Knight's Shadow i actually enjoyed this. the book did get slowly darker and the character dynamic did change but i didnt mind that much. looking forward to seeing how some of the plotlines resolve themselves.

19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order: Caliban's War: this book was mostly pretty good. my only real complaint is one of the p.o.v characters seemed slighltly pointless and the books ending was a bit weird. holding judgement on series for next book.

20. Graphic or illustrated novel: Bleach (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 1: Includes vols. 1, 2 & 3: not the one i initially had in slot but couldnt find what i was initially going to read. pretty good start of series which introduced most of the main characters. the characters were different and the concept fun.

[CBRetriever]

added 1 more to my completed list (2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):


1. Oldest book: Les Misérables
---- 1862 and I've been putting this one off for quite a while - I finally finished it

I began Harry Potter: The Complete Collection and that leaves 5 others to start and complete

[Dj]

So I finished the number one slot on the challenge. Oldest Book. I dropped it in when I first started on Goodreads, which would put in on there about 2014.

Miracle at Midway


This is one of the best overall books on the battle that I have ever read. It does well at covering both sides of the battle so that you aren't blinded by the fog of war as the actual opponents were.

The first part of the book talks about the planning by the Japanese and the Intelligence coup on the part of the United States and the planning that followed.

The detail that is in the book makes it clear and easily understood what was taking place and the reasons for some of the decisions that were made. It also reveals a number of things that helped to set the Japanese up for failure. The after battle reviews are quite informative and are interesting since they take the view of after action reviews by the participants involved.

For myself this book and the
Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
Are the only two books that anyone would really need in regards to the battle of Midway.

[DivaDiane]

Finished another in my “meager effort,” the brief Call ofthe Wild by Jack London. That makes 4 books read for the challenge:

Player Piano, Kurt Vonnegut
The Power, Naomi Alderman
Bridge to Terabithia, by ? Paterson, and
Call to the Wild, Jack London

2 of them fit the same prompt though (inspired other works).

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Glad you liked it, DJ! Nice work, Diane!

[CBRetriever]

added 1 more to my completed list (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):

3. Novella or short story collection: Falling in Love with Hominids
---- I liked Skin Folk, so I chose this one

I am on Book 2 of Harry Potter: The Complete Collection and that leaves 4 others to start and complete

[Kaa]

I've finished 4 since my last update:

4. Title is a question: Who Fears Death
9. A book that intimidates you: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
15. One Hit Wonder: Flowers for Algernon
18. Get On the Bandwagon: All Systems Red

I think my only change is switching in Karen Memory for 7. Your initials are in the title.

[Lost Planet Airman]

I figure, end of March is a good landmark date to report on my progress on the TBR 2019 books. Right now, I've got:

1. Oldest book...
...on my TBR is Lord of the Flies, added 03 May 2010 (the day I joined GR).
2. Work of art...
...The Art of War, for two reasons. First, "Art" is in title, then, each page of this edition features the art of Chinese calligraphy.
3. Novella or short story collection:
  Borders of Infinity
5. Ugly cover: Rocannon's World,
6. Has inspired other art forms...
...Watership Down (having inspired a movie and a TV miniseries).

8. A book recommended to you …
...The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
10. Reminds you of a song...
...Ultimate Adventures: One Tin Soldier (but Dreamweaver's Dilemma is a back-up)
11. Buddy read (do not need to participate)…
...finished Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, a March 2019 Buddy Read.

13. The 6th book...
... The Lions of Al-Rassan is the sixth SFFBC bookshelf book I've read in 2019.

16. Hidden Gem: in The Zero Stone, the "zero stone" was a hidden gem!
17. Someplace you want to go: Green Mars

20. Graphic or illustrated novel: The Accidental Genius of Weasel High

Tracking all this here.

12 April 2019:
9. A book that intimidates you: Gardens of the Moon
24 April 2019:
4. Title is a question Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? 

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Good work, everyone!!!

[~ Giulia ~]

In March I read:

8. A book recommended to you - Uno, nessuno e centomila
From the recommended reading list they gave me way back in high school. More often than not a spot on that list is a warning rather than a recommendation, but every once in a while there are some gems hidden amongst all those extremely boring literary masterpieces, so I'm still sloooowly reading through it. This book wasn't one, but the theme at least was fascinating.

14. Last in a series - Inheritance

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

lol Giulia, I love the phrase "a warning rather than a recommendation." That's perfect! Sorry this was not a great book for you, but glad you're getting your TBR down!!

[Jo]

1- Ovid - The Art of Love
2- Thomas Pynchon - Gravity’s Rainbow
3- Neil Gaiman - Trigger Warning
4- Philip K Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
5- Ursula K Le Guin - The Dispossessed
6- John Ajvide Lindquist - Let the Right One in
7- Iain M Banks - Feersum Enjin
8- Stephen King - The Stand
9- Neil Stephenson - Cryptonomicon
10- William Peter Blatty - The Exorcist
11-
12- Neil Gaiman - Coraline
13- Terry Pratchett - Wyrd Sisters
14- Iain M Banks - The Hydrogen Sonata
15- Walter M Miller - A Canticle for Leibowitz
16- Arkady & Boris Strugatsky - Roadside Picnic
17- Larry Niven - Ringworld
18- George R R Martin - A Game of Thrones
19- Neil Gaiman - Anansi Boys
20- Terry Pratchett - The Illustrated Eric

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Awesome list!

[Dj]

Jo wrote: "1- Ovid - The Art of Love
2- Thomas Pynchon - Gravity’s Rainbow
3- Neil Gaiman - Trigger Warning
4- Philip K Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
5- Ursula K Le Guin - The Dispossessed
6- Jo..."

The Exorcist reminds you of a song?

[CBRetriever]

The Theme song was fairly memorable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1PH_...

[Dj]

CBRetriever wrote: "The Theme song was fairly memorable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1PH_..."

Ah yes. That makes since. I believe that it is called Tubular Bells. By theme songs are best remembered by the name of the movie, so I commend you.

[CBRetriever]

I used similar reasoning with my music choice: Thus Spake Zarathustra because of the theme music for the opening sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey which was Richard Strauss' Also Spake Zarathustra.

[Dj]

CBRetriever wrote: "I used similar reasoning with my music choice: Thus Spake Zarathustra because of the theme music for the opening sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey which was Richard Strauss' Also Spak..."

Another great piece of music.

[Petar]

So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving it so far.


1. Oldest book – Dune – Frank Herbert.

2. Work of art – Lords of Destruction – James Silke.

3. Novella or short story collection – The Vital Abyss – James SA Corey.

4. Title is a question – Who Fears Death – Nnedi Okorafor.

5. Ugly cover (and please share it!) – Sundiver – David Brin.

6. Has inspired other art forms – Titus Groan – Mervyn Peake.

7. Your initials are in the title – Perdido Street Station – China Mieville.

8. A book recommended to you - Xenos - Dan Abnett.

9. A book that intimidates you – All Systems Red – Martha Wells.

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

11. Buddy read - Borne - Jeff Vandermeer.

12. Book with a luck symbol – I Am Number Four – Pittacus Lore.

13. The 6th book – Babylon's Ashes – James S.A. Corey.

14. Last in a series - A Conjuring of Light - VE Schwab

15. One Hit Wonder – The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde.

16. Hidden Gem - The Devil's Diadem - Sara Douglass.

17. Someplace you want to go - A Princess of Mars - Edgar Rice Burroughs.

18. Get On the Bandwagon – Ready Player One – Ernest Cline.

19. Words in title in alphabetical order - Altered Carbon - Richard K Morgan.

20. Graphic or illustrated novel - Kick-Ass - Mark Millar.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Nice Petar! Glad you're liking Murderbot ^^

[Meredith]

I've read four more since my last update here. I'm up to 8/20

14. Last in a series: Of Noble Family. This was a satisfying end to the series.
8. A book recommended to you: The Once and Future King. Glad to finally read this classic.
20. Graphic or illustrated novel: Golden Age and Other Stories, Novik wrote a set of short stories based on fan art from the Temeraire series which add depth to aspects of that series.
17. Someplace you want to go: Mortal Arts, set in Scotland, this book definitely had more of a flavor of Scotland than the first in this mystery series.

[Dj]

Petar wrote: "So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving it so far.


1. Oldest book – Dune –..."


Nice list

[Lost Planet Airman]

Petar wrote: "So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving it so far.


10. Reminds you of a song – Babel-17/Empire Star – Samuel R. Delany. –..."

I'm curious now Petar -- what is the song for #10?

(4/6 - I just noticed that my fat fingers fumbled Petar's name into "Peter". Corrected!)

[Petar]

Dj wrote: "Petar wrote: "So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving it so far.


1. Oldest book – [book:Du..."

Thanks DJ :-)

[Petar]

Mike wrote: "Petar wrote: "So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving it so far.


10. Reminds you of a song..."

Mike, Highway Star by Deep Purple.

[Lost Planet Airman]

So, a lot of you know that I usually make these challenges harder on myself than maybe they were meant to be. For my own "14. Last in a series", I am ruling out trilogies and the like, where they were designed to be a distinct, closed set of books.
Hope y'all don't think I am too AR...

[Lost Planet Airman]

Petar wrote: "Mike wrote: "Petar wrote: "So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving it so far.

...Highway Star by Deep Purple. "

IN-ter-rest-ing...

[Petar]

Mike wrote: "Petar wrote: "Mike wrote: "Petar wrote: "So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving it so far.
...IN-ter-rest-ing..."

Haha. I'm not sure how to take that ;-)

[Dj]

Petar wrote: "Mike wrote: "Petar wrote: "So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving it so far.


10. Reminds ..."

Wow, that was my guess, but I didn't want to say anything in case I was wrong.
Well that and I am not a real big Deep Purple fan.
LOL
Congrats.

[CBRetriever]

added 1 more to my completed list (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):

6. Has inspired other art forms: Harry Potter: The Complete Collection
---- Inspired movies, plays and fan art

That leaves 4 others to start and complete

Annihilation
The Dresden Files Collection 1-6
Diadem from the Stars
The Last Policeman

I think the last Harry Potter book wasn't anywhere near as good as the others. Deaths were pretty much glossed over. Harry seems to still be acting like a 13 yo and it was kinda a meh ending.

[Petar]

Mike wrote: "(4/6 - I just noticed that my fat fingers fumbled Petar's name into "Peter". Corrected!)"

I get that all the time Mike. All good :-)

[Petar]

Dj wrote: "Petar wrote: "Mike wrote: "Petar wrote: "So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving it so far.

Well that and I am not a real big Deep Purple fan.
LOL
Congrats...."

Deep Purple is a bit hit and miss with me DJ, but Highway Star is a cracker of a song and I always sing it in my head when I see the title Empire Star.

[Dj]

Petar wrote: "Dj wrote: "Petar wrote: "Mike wrote: "Petar wrote: "So I took a little detour into the world of history and politics but I'm back into the challenge. Halfway through All Systems Red ATM and loving ..."

Apropos of nothing, you might try going to you tube and checking out a group called The Hu.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Finally updating with third book down. I'm lagging on this, but not too stressed yet:

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 Creature of Moonlight or A College of Magics
8. A book recommended to you - Bite Club!
9. A book that intimidates you - 11/22/63
10. Reminds you of a song - Masquerade
√ 11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) - Dragon Wing
12. Book with a luck symbol - Juniper Berry
13. The 6th book - Carnival of Souls
14. Last in a series - Sword and Pen
15. One Hit Wonder - Jack of Shadows
16. Hidden Gem - The Case of the Missing Moonstone
17. Someplace you want to go - The Malice of Fortune
✔️ 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 Absolute Sandman, Volume Two

[Raucous]

TBR entries finished since the last update:

✔︎ 2. Work of art: The Tai Chi Code: An exploration of the science behind the Internal Arts (Or at least a work about an art. Good to see a category that inspired me to get back to this long-standing TBR.)
✔︎ 13. The 6th book: Trumps of Doom (Read this series when it first came out and later had a connection to the author, so I'm rereading for nostalgia's sake).
✔︎ 14. Last in a series: Prince of Chaos (Tenth in the extended Chronicles of Amber series. It felt like a lot of books to check this one off so I used the series for a few other entries too.)
✔︎ 17. Someplace you want to go: You're Going to Mars! (Pointedly improbable but very fun - with a compelling narrator.)

Overall progress: 7/20

I could list others (besides some of these) where I've changed my original reading plan but given my near infinite TBR list and mercurial nature there's little point.

[Helena]

My list for this challenge. I have given reasons for my choices below.

1. The oldest book - The Odyssey
2. Work of art - The Happiest Refugee
3. Novella or short story collection - Doctor Who: 12 Doctors, 12 Stories
4. Title is a question - It
5. Ugly cover - Cybersex
6. Has inspired other art forms - The 26-Storey Treehouse
7. Your Initials are in the title - The Hedge Knight
8. A book recommended to you - Caliban's War
9. A book that intimidates you - Beyond Cyberbullying
10. Reminds you of a song - Unmasked
11. Buddy read - Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
12. Book with a luck symbol - I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
13, The 6th book - Babylon's Ashes
14. Last in a series - The Lost Continent
15. One hit wonder - Wuthering Heights
16. Hidden gem - Unbidden
17. Someplace you want to go - A Traveller's Guide to Icelandic Folk Tales
18. Get on the bandwagon - A Dance with Dragons 2: After the Feast
19. Words in title in alphabetical order - Abaddon's Gate
20. Graphic or illustrated novel - Dig World

Some of my books are not Sci Fi or Fantasy. But for me, the greatest Sci Fi and Fantasy concentrates on people, telling me how they are the same as me, and how they are different. This is why I have included a few books about people in my list.

1. Oldest book The Odyssey
I have never read this. The Odyssey has been sitting on my bookshelf, staring at me for many years, daring me to pick it up. This year I will dare!

2. Work of art The Happiest Refugee
Anh Do is an Australian comedian, author and artist. I am fascinated by his TV series “Brush With Fame” on Australian ABC. He interviews people while painting their portrait. At the end of the interview, he explains to the camera what qualities he saw in the person he was interviewing, and how he displays those qualities in his painting. Until I saw this memoir advertised in my local book shop, I didn’t know he was a refugee. I am really looking forward to reading about how he moved from his beginning hardship to a successful career in his chosen country.

3. Novella or short story collection Doctor Who: 12 Doctors, 12 Stories
This is on my bookshelf at the moment, and Doctor Who was very much a favourite of my childhood.

4. Title is a question It
I remember the first time I heard of this book. My brother asked me "Have you read it?" "What?” "Have you read it? It's really good." I thought he was playing a prank. Some days later, he turned up with this book called "It." He wasn't having me on. I have now read most of It, but I will endeavour to finish It for this challenge. Then I can give my brother an answer to his question. "Yes, I have read it!" The question of the title of this book is why would anyone call a book "It", resulting in conversations everywhere like the one my brother had with me.

5. Ugly cover (and please share it!) Cybersex
I received this book from a pile of books being given away by a friend. The cover both fascinated and repelled me until I finally gave in and read the book a month ago (but thankfully in 2019 so I feel it can still be in this challenge). Sadly, this book was not for me. Some of the stories were good, some were outright repellant. I guess that means the cover was a good choice for the content.

6. Has inspired other art forms The 26-Storey Treehouse
I have read a few of the treehouse books to my children. This particular one I have started many times, but never read to the end. My children keep reading ahead, and by the next night, they are on to another book. So I still don't know how this one ends. I am guessing it must be good as my children have asked me to start reading it more than once. Both the 13 and the 26 Storey Treehouse books have a play based on them. I took my children to the play of the 13 Storey Treehouse two years ago, and I note the play for the 26 Storey Treehouse is doing the rounds of the smaller theatres in Australia now.

7. Your initials are in the title The Hedge Knight
Is it stretching the rules too much that my first initial is in the title, the second is in the author's name? HR. I am stretching here because this is a book that I have just purchased, and really want to read. Which makes it likely that I can actually achieve this one in 2019. I hope.

8. A book recommended to you Caliban's War
My husband has just finished the series (except the new one just come out) and has been raving about them. He is desperate for me to read them so he can share his opinions of what he loved and didn’t love about the books.

9. A book that intimidates you Beyond Cyberbullying
The book itself doesn’t intimidate me, but the subject matter does. My children are just starting to explore the mysterious, intriguing and sometimes dangerous world of the internet. I want to let them fly but also want to protect them, making this one of those scary fine lines – how much protection is too much, how much freedom is too much? I’m hoping this book will give me some valuable tips to answer those questions.

10. Reminds you of a song Unmasked
Reminds me of many songs about loving your inner self and recognising that your outer self is beautiful when you let your inner self shine. Turia Pitt, an Australian woman who was caught in a bushfire while running a marathon, is an inspiration to me, and to many others. Turia is a woman who has lived songs like Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” and Alessia Cara’s “Scars to your Beautiful”, and provides daily proof of the truth underneath these songs. I read this book earlier in 2019, and it was the first one I thought of when I saw these words.

11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
Love both Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, so keen to see how their styles mesh (or not)

12. Book with a luck symbol I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
" When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive. " If that is not luck, what is? I am keen to read the book to find out. I am inspired by someone who at 15, had the kind of courage this girl had.

13. The 6th book Babylon's Ashes
This is the 6th book in the Expanse series. I haven’t finished first one yet, and I want to read them in order, so this could be a challenge.

14. Last in a series The Lost Continent
I love this YA series and have been avidly anticipating the new book each year – watching my children's Scholastic Book Club for it to appear. This book is currently the last in the series.

15. One Hit Wonder Wuthering Heights
She only wrote the one novel, but what a novel! I have read this book twice before, at different ages. Each time I saw different things, and as the last read was many years ago, I may see something new yet again.

16. Hidden Gem Unbidden
This author is a teacher. She taught my children to love the written word, and reminded me of my own love of writing. This book is the third in her series. I have read the first two, Chosen and Scarred, and loved both.

17. Someplace you want to go A Traveller's Guide to Icelandic Folk Tales
I love folk tales, and Iceland is a place I have long wanted to visit. The trip has not happened yet, I've had to live vicariously through a friend.

18. Get On the Bandwagon A Dance with Dragons 2: After the Feast
With the last season of Game of Thrones coming out this year, what is more on the bandwagon than this?

19. Words in title in alphabetical order Abaddon's Gate
Yes, I know this author has already appeared in my list twice before. But my husband really, really wants me to read them.

20. Graphic or illustrated novel Dig World
I am currently reading this with my children, and it is a great sci fi read even for an adult. Another Australian scholastic book club book, if you like to play the odd computer game and don’t mind very easy reads, it’s well worth it.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Helena, great list and I loved reading your reasonings! I especially laughed at It, what a great anecdote and take on that challenge prompt :D

[CBRetriever]

added 1 more to my completed list (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19 & 20 already completed):

8. A book recommended to you: Annihilation
---- Recommended by a friend

That leaves 3 others to start and complete

The Dresden Files Collection 1-6
Diadem from the Stars
The Last Policeman

and I'm starting on Diadem from the Stars which has 5 out of 8 books available in Kindle version, so I'll go through those as well before starting on one of the others. I believe I have the other three available in paperback.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Well done!!

[Raucous]

Helena - Thanks for posting both the list and the motivation for the choices. I especially liked the reasoning behind the choices for "Title is a question" (I had so much trouble finding a book for that one), "Ugly cover" (which really is memorably hideous and reminds me that I still have that book - mostly unread - and need to do what your friend did), "Has inspired other art forms" (So fun. I wish that it was young enough for the second grade Read to Rover program that my wife runs), and "Reminds me of a song" (Wow. What an amazing woman).

I still have nearly all of The Expanse books to read too but I've just finished one long series, which I also used for three TBR entries, and I'm not sure I'm up for another one this year. So many other choices...