2020 TBR Cleanup Challenge

[Mareike]

Allison wrote: ":) We're finalizing the prompts! They'll be up mid-December :D"

Looking forward to seeing what you've come up with this time!

[DivaDiane]

I have 8 more prompts to fulfill. I'm pretty much not going to make it, BUT I will get one maybe 3 more in, depending on many things but mostly the stars aligning. At any rate, I'm happy that I managed to get over half of the prompts done.

[Dj]

John wrote: "So am I to be honest with you there. Of course not in a hurry to bring in 2021 as that puts me another year closer to 60"

I will take being 58 to get out of a year with a worldwide pandemic, a record hurricane season, and massive fires. I think it more than time to get out of this year. One of the few bright spots was I finished my first yearly challenge, so I am looking forward to the next one.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Reading now:

9. #ownvoices - The Way of Thorn and Thunder (own voices Native person)
6. Steal from someone else - Warbreaker all sorts of thievery goin' on.
2. Nominated for 2+ awards (didn't win) - Everfair (Nebula, Campbell/Astounding, Tiptree/Otherwise)

Read:

4. Relationship between humans/animals - Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance (wolves and Merlin the pig?)
5. Recommended by a public figure - Blackfish City
13. #relatable - Circe - misunderstood women monsters!
16. Pushing the boundaries - The Left Hand of Darkness - I've heard this really is something special and I hope my mind expands for it.
17. The next [insert popular series here] - The Rage of Dragons (this is supposed to be a new Game of Thrones, I think. I hope not though.)
20. Hindsight is 20/20 - How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk - I mean, a bit late now but I'm getting to it.

Still to go

1. Inspired by a meme - Demonspawn (based on the necropost meme)
3. Small publisher - Crossover (Pyr)
7. Makes you wonder - Fever Dream (sounds like it will be one or the other!)
8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme - Amatka - this poor book keeps getting nominated. I see you, book.
10. Won a smaller or regional award - The Bone People (okay, sure, it won a Booker, but it also won a New Zealand Book Award)
11. What a title?! - The Blind Owl (I am compelled. I sympathize, owl.)
12. Published in a memorable year - The Rook (year I joined GR and got married, aw)
14. Seven or Twenty - Scarlet, Book 1 - 7th book on my TBR
15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages - Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard - he's a linguist and the founder of the Klingon language society, so it should fit the bill.
18. LOLed IRL - The Mane Event - I was recommended this during a hilarious conversation.
19. Seen in an ad or on social media - The Wood Wife. The cover got me.

[Petar]

I got off to a quick start this year but between work, study, bushfires, global pandemics and all the other rubbish 2020 threw at us, I stalled a bit. Still got through quite a few titles, just not too many off of my original list so I've gone the 'cheater' route and swapped a few out.

Completed so far are;

1. Inspired by a meme - The Prosperity Gospel: How Scott Morrison won and Bill Shorten lost.
3. Small publisher - A Time to Die: The Untold Story of the Kursk Tragedy.
4. Relationship between humans/animals - Dogs of War.
5. Recommended by a public figure - The World As It Is: Inside the Obama White House.
6. Steal from someone else - All the Birds in the Sky.
7. Makes you wonder - Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War.
8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme - Exilium - From the 2019 TBR Challenge number 20, a graphic or illustrated novel.
9. #ownvoices - Dark Emu - Indigenous Australian.
10. Won a smaller or regional award - The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King—the Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea.
11. What a title?! - I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever After.
12. Published in a memorable year - 2312.
14. Seven or Twenty - A Canticle for Leibowitz - The 7th Hugo Award winner.
15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages - Saga, Vol. 1. Arguably reaching a bit here, but there is some unique slang in this series.
17. The next True Blood (ie, the next series that I will not bother to continue on with unless it improves with this book) - Devil Said Bang.
19. Seen in an ad or on social media - We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy.
20. Hindsight is 20/20 - Time and Time Again.

Still to go;

2. Nominated for 2+ awards (didn't win) - SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome.
13. #relatable - Man's Search for Meaning.
16. Pushing the boundaries - Genghis Khan.
18. LOLed IRL - Witches Abroad.

I'm halfway through Genghis Khan now, so hopefully I might still get through them.

[Dj]

Petar wrote: "I got off to a quick start this year but between work, study, bushfires, global pandemics and all the other rubbish 2020 threw at us, I stalled a bit. Still got through quite a few titles, just not..."

You have some good books on that list. I just wish I could find A Canticle for Leibowitz in an electronic format. I generally don't buy Fantasy or Sci-Fi because I generally don't want them taking up space on my book shelves. That is for WWII books. LOL

[CBRetriever]

Kobo has it here:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-ca...

it's like Nook but in Europe and they have a desktop and an ios app. I'm not sure if it will work outside Europe though

and it is available as an audiobook through Audible:

https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Canticle...

[Petar]

Dj wrote: "You have some good books on that list. I just wish I could find A Canticle for Leibowitz in an electronic format. ..."

It's a great read DJ. I'd never read it before but it's one I can see myself re-visiting in the future.

[Monica]

And I am done!! 20/20 in 2020...

My books here

This was a light scifi year of reading. Only 5 or 6 in the tbr challenge. I have read 8 book club books this year however some were borrowed from the library or didn't fit the challenge tasks.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Woohoo!! Congrats!!!

[Petar]

Monica wrote: "And I am done!! 20/20 in 2020...

My books here

This was a light scifi year of reading. Only 5 or 6 in the tbr challenge. I have read 8 book club books this year however some were borrowed from th..."

Well done Monica. That's an interesting list too. I've added a few to my TBR.

Why does the TBR Challenge always end up with me putting more books on my TBR list than taking off?

[DivaDiane]

Congratulations, Monica! Well done! Great books read this year!

[Monica]

Thanks all!! This is the only (non-numerical) challenge that I will come close to completing this year.

[Lost Planet Airman]

One left to go...

15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages Brown Girl in the Ring

[Nicol]

Definitely had to change a few throughout the year due to availability and reading moods but here is my final finished list. For some reasons my tbr is never shorter lol with this challenge but I absolutely love doing it, it gives a good push to read neglected books on my tbr.

1. Inspired by a meme
Redshirts ✅ a funny quick book for Star Trek fans and Will Wheaton does an amazing audio performance
2. Nominated for 2+ awards (didn't win)
Gods of Jade and Shadow ✅ 4 nominations that it didn't win Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novel (2019), Locus Award Nominee for Best Fantasy Novel (2020), Prix Aurora Award Nominee for Best Novel (2020), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fantasy (2019)
3. Small publisher
Not Your Villain ✅ Trans Superhero MC from Duet Books
4. Relationship between humans/animals
The Princess and the Horse ✅ 4th in a series that has stories of shapeshifting animals to humans or humans to animals and relationships between animals and humans
5. Recommended by a public figure
Wild Beauty ✅ had to stretch public figure to be bookstagrammer since my original choice Know My Name (Saw interview on Daily Show) wasn't available at my library
6. Steal from someone else
I Wish You All the Best ✅ Stole from Queer Lit Challenge List
7. Makes you wonder
The Library at Mount Char ✅ Most of the reviews include WTF did I just read lol; it did make me wonder
8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme
All the SciFi Ladies
The Obelisk Gate ✅ so happy I choose this, ended up re-reading the first book and finished the series, one of my all time favorites
9. #ownvoices
Pet✅ Trans MC by Trans author, wonderful fantasy middle grade fiction
10. Won a smaller or regional award
The Great Michigan Read Award
Station Eleven ✅ I read this at the beginning of the year and boy was it ominous
11. What a title?!
Girl Made of Stars ✅ originally I was going to do Oryx and Crake but my library does not have the ebook and it has been closed most of the year
12. Published in a memorable year: 2020
Heartstopper: Volume Three ✅ I think we all can agree that 2020 is and will be a memorable year - this is the third in my favorite graphic novels this year
13. #relatable
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America ✅ Kendi is a great historian and this a book is a must read
14. Seven or Twenty
Over Sea, Under Stone ✅ 20 on the TBR ended up disappointed in this one
15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages
The BFG✅
16. Pushing the boundaries
Parable of the Sower ✅ I read this at the beginning of the year with Station Eleven and both started hitting too close to home
17. The next Fault in our Stars
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them ✅ heartbreaking and beautiful
18. LOLed IRL
Wow, No Thank You. ✅ Irby always makes me laugh and sometimes cringe lol
19. Seen in an ad or on social media
The Left Hand of Darkness ✅ My urge is always to read all the Le Guin and Butler I can but I try to space it out since no new books are coming so I choose this one since it was a re-read and loved it and the discussion!
20. Hindsight is 20/20
Mistakes Were Made ✅ Chose this for the title not the content, mistakes WERE made lol

[Lost Planet Airman]

Nicol wrote:
"15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages         The BFG✅..."

Dang! Wish I had thought of that one!

I am certainly not avoiding Brown Girl in the Ring, but The BFG would be half as long, half the grade-level, and half as emotionally challenging!

(And please, everyone, think about our future as friends before you come back at me with any "half-as" jokes...)

[CBRetriever]

Mike wrote: "I am certainly not avoiding Brown Girl in the Ring, but The BFG would be half as long, half the grade-level, and half as emotionally challenging!"

I did a short book for that too: The Red Badge of Courage.

[Dj]

Mike wrote: "Nicol wrote:
"15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages         The BFG✅..."

Dang! Wish I had thought of that one!

I am certainly not avoiding Brown Girl in the Ring, but [book:The BF..."

Sometimes something that falls into all of those categories is just what you need at the moment. Kudos for actually saying it.

[Raucous]

I'm continuing to make slow progress on my TBR challenge. Since the last post I've read:

✔︎ 1. Inspired by a meme: Free Chocolate (Which way to the clubhouse chocolate table?)
✔︎ 8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme: The Engines of God ("April 2017 First Contact Sci-Fi" and a good candidate for a future "Reckless and Unprofessional Behavior" poll)
✔︎ 9. #ownvoices: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants (A fascinating book on the intersection of Western science and Indigenous culture)

Overall progress: 16/20

Will I finish this year? Outlook hazy. Ask again later.

[Anna]

I have Braiding Sweetgrass on my TBR, I'd hoped to get to it in 2020.

[Kristin B.]

Finished last week:

1. Inspired by a meme The Future of Another Timeline (view spoiler)[Specifically mentions that she was there for the inception of a Meme in the form of the Country Lad song. (hide spoiler)]
2. Nominated for 2+ awards (didn't win) Cinder
3. Small publisher The Living
4. Relationship between humans/animals Hollow Kingdom (view spoiler)[Told from the point of view of a crow, who is the pet of a human. Discusses the relationship of domestics, humans and the natural world. (hide spoiler)]
5. Recommended by a public figure The Martian (view spoiler)[I mean. A ton. But specifically, Wil Wheaton (hide spoiler)]
6. Steal from someone else Love Poems (view spoiler)[read on the recommendation of a friend on Facebook. So I "stole" the idea to read it. :) (hide spoiler)]
7. Makes you wonder Catfishing on CatNet (view spoiler)[speculative fiction about A.I., robotic helpers and self-driving cars (hide spoiler)]
8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme Robogenesis - We Are Sci-Fi Family (Found Family)
9. #ownvoices The House in the Cerulean Sea (view spoiler)[ Queer author and queer main characters. (hide spoiler)]
10. Won a smaller or regional award Middlegame (view spoiler)[Alex Award (hide spoiler)]
11. What a title?! How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse
12. Published in a memorable year A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking (view spoiler)[ 2020 is the most memorable year I have ever lived through. *Sigh.* (hide spoiler)]
13. #relatable Ready Player One (view spoiler)[How can this not be relatable when I grew up in the 80s? (hide spoiler)]
14. Seven or Twenty Riot Baby (view spoiler)[ Published in 2020 (hide spoiler)]
15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages The Windup Girl
16. Pushing the boundaries The Vanished Birds (view spoiler)[ Pushing the boundaries of space/space travel. Pushing the boundaries of Arho's endurance. (hide spoiler)]
17. The next [insert popular series here] The Burning World (view spoiler)[Similar to The Walking Dead (hide spoiler)]
18. LOLed IRL Artificial Condition
19. Seen in an ad or on social media Rogue Protocol (view spoiler)[ Well. I follow Martha Wells on social media. And Goodreads is social media and several of the folks I follow are (re)reading before Network Effect. So it totally counts. (hide spoiler)]
20. Hindsight is 20/20 This Is How You Lose the Time War (view spoiler)[Time travel. Can't get much clearer hindsight than that. (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

Kristin B. wrote: "2020 is the most memorable year I have ever lived through."

Oof! Oh to be back in 2019 when we were planning all the 2020 related prompts/challenges, thinking it would be a glorious year!

[Raucous]

Kristin B. wrote: "... Published in a memorable year..."

I shouldn't have been drinking coffee when I read the details on that one. Boy howdy. What an excellent choice on the year.

Congratulations on the completion!

[Meredith]

Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one challenge.

✔️1. Inspired by a meme: The Consuming Fire, inspired by the 'This is Fine' meme which is a dog sitting calmly in a room being consumed by fire https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/this-i...
✔️2. Nominated for 2+ awards (didn't win): changed to Raven Tower Leviathan Wakes, nominated for Locus and Nebula but didn't win.
✔️ 3. Small publisher: Rock Manning Goes for Broke, Subterranean Press.
✔️ 4. Relationship between humans/animals: changed to Death Masks, because of the pet cat, Mister Victory of Eagles, dragons (idea for using this series for the prompt was also stolen)
✔️ 5. Recommended by a public figure: Terminal Alliance, Seanan McGuire recommended this series.
✔️ 6. Steal from someone else: Network Effect, thanks Anna!
✔️7. Makes you wonder: Whispers Under Ground, I wonder what they are whispering (also this whole series makes me wonder)
✔️8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme: changed to City of Bones, M. Wells, desert fantasy theme Borderline, mental health (stolen from Kaa)
✔️9. #ownvoices: Lagoon, set in Nigeria and Nnedi Okorafor is Nigerian-American
✔️10. Won a smaller or regional award: Redemption in Indigo, won a Golden Tentacle award.
✔️ 11. What a title?!: A Monstrous Regiment of Women
✔️12. Published in a memorable year: The Bear and the Nightingale, my parent's 50th wedding anniversary year.
✔️ 13. #relatable: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, High School, ugh.
✔️ 14. Seven or Twenty: Record of a Spaceborn Few, #20 on my TBR by date added.
✔️15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages: changed to Happy Hour of the Damned which I DNF'd (it was terrible) Midnight Taxi Tango, has slang (confirmed by reading in a little ways)
✔️16. Pushing the boundaries, changed to Talulla Rising, The Light Brigade, it's by Kameron Hurley and sounds totally intense.
✔️ 17. The next [insert popular series here]: The Big Over Easy, reviewers compared it to Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket, plus The Simpsons, South Park and Monty Python for good measure.
✔️ 18. LOLed IRL: Mort, I anticipate lol-ing IRL when I read this.
✔️19. Seen in an ad or on social media: Heartstone, someone I follow on Twitter posted about this book and I had to have it.
✔️20. Hindsight is 20/20: Geisha, a Life, an autobiography

[Dj]

Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one challenge.

✔️1. Inspired by a meme: The Consuming Fire, inspired by the 'This is Fine'..."

The Big over Easy sounds like it would be schizophrenic. I am not sure what I would think of that much going on in one book. Was it much like any or all of those things?

[Meredith]

Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one challenge.

✔️1. Inspired by a meme: The Consuming Fire, inspired by t..."

It had a lot going on, probably too much (subplots, characters). It was like Monty Python in terms of snarky and smart British humor, but not really like the others.

[Dj]

Meredith wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one challenge.

✔️1. Inspired by a meme: The Consuming Fire, in..."

Maybe I will give it a glance. I like snarky humor. LOL

[Lost Planet Airman]

Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one challenge.

✔️1. Inspired by a meme: [book:The Consuming F..."

Fforde's plots share some similarity with Douglas Adams. This series is a police procedural, set in the world of nursery rhymes and fairy tales, but all the characters have off-screen lives (off-page?). It follows logically from the Thursday Next stories.

[Meredith]

Mike wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one challenge.

✔️1. Inspired by a meme: [book:The ..."

It was fun and had a lot of humor, both overt and subtle. I found it a bit over-stuffed which overshadowed the actual mystery and took away any urgency. I enjoyed the Thursday Next books and found them a bit more focussed on the main story, while still having all sorts of zaniness and literary humor.

[Lost Planet Airman]

Meredith wrote: "Mike wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one challenge.

✔️1. Inspired by a mem..."

I think I just man-splained. Oops. Many profuse apologies.

[Meredith]

Mike wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Mike wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one challenge.

✔️1. ..."

I didn't perceive it that way, I thought you were giving more info to Dj, but I do appreciate and accept your apology.

[Dj]

Mike wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Mike wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one challenge.

✔️1. ..."

Didn't bother me, that was more or less what I was looking for.

[Mareike]

Update: I have three books left and I will somehow get through them before the end of the month.

1. Inspired by a meme - A Stitch in Time (Inspired by this Garashir meme)
2. Nominated for 2+ awards (didn't win) - The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (GR Choice Award for best YA Fiction, Audible Award for best male Narrator)
3. Small publisher - The Terrorists of Irustan (Fairwood Press)
4. Relationship between humans/animals - Guards! Guards!
5. Recommended by a public figure - The Most Fun We Ever Had (got praise from Madeline Miller, and I loved her Song of Achilles.)
6. Steal from someone else - Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening (I stole (= borrowed) a colleagues's copy of this)
7. Makes you wonder - The Birthday Problem (Both an intriguing title and a problem in probability theory)
8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme - Who Fears Death (for Afrocentric Fantasy)
9. #ownvoices - Not So Stories (Writers of color writing back against Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories)
10. Won a smaller or regional award - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Boeke Award)
11. What a title?! - The House of Impossible Beauties
12. Published in a memorable year - The Steerswoman (1989 - fall of the Berlin Wall)
13. #relatable - Bitch Planet, Vol. 2: President Bitch
14. Seven or Twenty - Queen & Commander (the 20th unread book on my e-reader)
15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages - Brown Girl in the Ring (From what I remember of peoples' comments, this has dialect/pidgin. Also, I'm still annoyed I didn't get to this when it was a group read.)
16. Pushing the boundaries - Death of a Clone (Compared to an Agatha Christie mystery. With clones.)
17. The next [Wayfarers] - Record of a Spaceborn Few - I know it says fantasy, but this was one of the very few books I already own that fit the bill even a little.
18. LOLed IRL - Monstrous Regiment (Terry Pratchett usually makes me laugh, so I'm hoping this will, too)
19. Seen in an ad or on social media - No Man of Woman Born
20. Hindsight is 2020 - Becoming (I started reading this autobiography in 2019 and am still not done.....)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

You can do it!! You've got this!

[Anna]

I just finished my last one! Yay, and I also completed Grumpy for the short fiction challenge at the same time.

✔ 1. Inspired by a meme - Voyage of the Dogs / Dogsbody *
✔ 2. Nominated for 2+ awards (didn't win) - The Memory Police
✔ 3. Small publisher - The Girl With No Hands and Other Tales
✔ 4. Relationship between humans/animals - The History of Bees
✔ 5. Recommended by a public figure - Jagannath
✔ 6. Steal from someone else - The Tiger Flu
✔ 7. Makes you wonder - Medusa in the Graveyard
✔ 8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme - Survival
✔ 9. #ownvoices - Love Beyond Body, Space, and Time
✔ 10. Won a smaller or regional award - Wicked Gentlemen
✔ 11. What a title?! - A Wizard's Guide To Defensive Baking
✔ 12. Published in a memorable year - My Real Children **
✔ 13. #relatable - Network Effect
✔ 14. Seven or Twenty - The Relentless Moon
✔ 15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages - Skin Folk
✔ 16. Pushing the boundaries - The Vela
✔ 17. The next [insert popular series here] - Hollowpox
✔ 18. LOLed IRL - Cat Pictures Please and Other Stories
✔ 19. Seen in an ad or on social media - Gamechanger
✔ 20. Hindsight is 20/20 - The Library of Legends

Reasons for choosing these books: (view spoiler)[



1. Inspired by a meme - ^
2. Nominated for 2+ awards (didn't win) - BTBA, NBA, Booker
3. Small publisher - Ticonderoga
4. Relationship between humans/animals - Humans, bees, and the environment
5. Public figure - Recommended by Ursula K. Le Guin
6. Steal from someone else - Stolen from Kaa
7. Makes me wonder why I didn't read it in 2019
8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme - Life scifi
9. #ownvoices - Indigenous LGBT anthology by indigenous authors
10. Smaller award - Gaylactic
11. What a title?! - I love the title! :D
12. Memorable year - I joined GR in 2014
13. #relatable - Murderbot <3 always knows how I feel! ^_^
14. Seven or Twenty - Pub date 07/2020
15. Languages - I'm assuming it'll have Caribbean creole
16. Pushing MY boundaries - Trying a new format!
17. Popular series - Everyone keeps saying this is the new Harry Potter
18. LOLed IRL - What monster wouldn't at least smile?!
19. Social media - I keep seeing this everywhere
20. Hindsight is 20/20 - Historical fiction published in 2020 (hide spoiler)]

* I didn't read Dogsbody yet, I might still, but I left it because I wanted to leave the meme :)

** I don't know how long I would've waited if it wasn't for this challenge, and it was one of the best books I've ever read. I've certainly talked about it a lot this year!

[Mareike]

Wooohooo! Congrats, Anna!

And thanks, Allison! I may have to put some of my other current reads on hold until the new year, but so be it.

[Gabi]

Anna wrote: "I just finished my last one! Yay, and I also completed Grumpy for the short fiction challenge at the same time.

Congratulations, Anna! Wonderfully done!
I had to give up on this one, unfortunately.

[Dj]

Anna wrote: "I just finished my last one! Yay, and I also completed Grumpy for the short fiction challenge at the same time.

✔ 1. Inspired by a meme - Voyage of the Dogs / [book:Dogsbody|157754..."

Congrats I have dipped into A Wizard's Guide and am enjoying it.

[Anna]

A fresh new batch is coming soon! :)

[Lost Planet Airman]

Meredith wrote: "Mike wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Mike wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in more than one chall..."

Yeah. YEAH, that's it! I was Giving More Information. Yeah....

[Edwin]

Anna wrote: "A fresh new batch is coming soon! :)"

Yay!

[Raucous]

Anna wrote: "I just finished my last one! Yay, and I also completed Grumpy for the short fiction challenge at the same time. ..."

Congratulations on getting both of those done!

[Dj]

Mike wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Mike wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Mike wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Dj wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Finished, yay! I changed a few of my original picks so my reads would count in mo..."

LoL

[Dj]

Edwin wrote: "Anna wrote: "A fresh new batch is coming soon! :)"

Yay!"

I am eager to start picking out some new books, that is a part of the fun of this challenge.

[Mareike]

Anna wrote: "A fresh new batch is coming soon! :)"

Yaaay!

[Amanda]

Yeah, for next years I'll need to try to pick books I actually want to read, not just "happen to be on my list" books. I got about halfway through and then ran into a big ol wall of "don't wanna"

[Leticia]

I haven't read all the books so the rest will remain in my TBR for 2021.

TBR Cleanup 2020 - November Update
12/20

(view spoiler)[
✔️1. Inspired by a meme



2. Nominated for 2+ awards (didn't win)
by Steven Erikson
__Nominated for Locus Award and World Fantasy Award and didn't win any major award

3. Small publisher

4. Relationship between humans/animals


✔️5. Recommended by a public figure
A Booktuber, called Emily Fox.

✔️6. Steal from someone else
- because it is a Retelling

✔️7. Makes you wonder


✔️8. Fits a past SFFBC nomination theme
October 2019 Mod Curated Sci-Fi -

✔️9. #ownvoices


✔️10. Won a smaller or regional award
-
Kalbacher Klapperschlange Winners


11. What a title?!


12. Published in a memorable year
- published in 2011

13. #relatable


✔️14. Seven or Twenty
- Published in July

15. Dialect, slang, or pidgin languages


✔️16. Pushing the boundaries


17. The next GOT!
read in an article of books like GOT (https://qz.com/quartzy/1690491/books-...)

✔️18. LOLed IRL


✔️19. Seen in an ad or on social media
- a Booktuber recommended this.

✔️20. Hindsight is 20/20 -
- I think this is one of the books I most heard about in the last 20 years, so I have to read it.

(hide spoiler)]

[Mareike]

Amanda wrote: "Yeah, for next years I'll need to try to pick books I actually want to read, not just "happen to be on my list" books. I got about halfway through and then ran into a big ol wall of "don't wanna""

Eh, I know that struggle from the last two years.
What has helped me this year was to limit my selection to books I actually own, though that, too, isn't foolproof, I guess.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Amanda wrote: "Yeah, for next years I'll need to try to pick books I actually want to read, not just "happen to be on my list" books. I got about halfway through and then ran into a big ol wall of "don't wanna""

I usually take that as a sign. If I put it on my TBR and can't even force myself to read it for a challenge, usually it's time to question if it needs to stay on the TBR. If not, then I still have completed the challenge! TBR shorter! Mischief managed!

[Amanda]

Allison wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Yeah, for next years I'll need to try to pick books I actually want to read, not just "happen to be on my list" books. I got about halfway through and then ran into a big ol wall of ..."

Any other year I'd agree but I think a lot of it in this case is "It's 2020 and everything's a struggle"

Not to mention I also tried to mainly limit it to books I own, unless it's something I'm really looking forward to, so they'd still mentally be there, since I technically could read them at any time.

I think for next year though I will see if I can limit it to books I consciously chose to put on my list, as opposed to "eh, it's on sale and I might be interested at some point"