2020 Read All the Books: Seven Wonders

[Stephanie]

These are the books that I already own that are yet unread on the list, so I'm going to go for 8. There are others that I get from other people's libraries, but I will add them only if I read them. I'm also adding any I buy throughout the year. :) I'm a glutton on scifi!

Own
The Way of Kings
Leviathan Wakes
A Princess of Mars
The Night Circus
Seveneves
Spinning Silver
Ship of Magic
The Martian Chronicles DONE JULY
Foreigner
The Mote in God's Eye
Ubik
Watership Down
A Fire Upon the Deep
I Am Legend DONE - JULY
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Warbreaker
The Golem and the Jinni
The Song of Achilles
Red Rising - Done July
The Final Empire
Sphere
The Name of the Wind
Altered Carbon
The Lions of Al-Rassan
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? DONE JULY
The Stand
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

[Odette]

I am going for 12 books in 2020.

This is the list of books, from which I will chose 12 to read.

Read 3/12

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (Read January 2020)
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Soulless by Gail Carriger
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Read Feb 2020)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Read March 2020)

[Atlanta]

As soon as I can get on my laptop I am signing up.

[Atlanta]

Is there a known way to export our bookshelf and superimpose it on your bookshelf or should I figure it out?

[Anna]

Atl, check the links for account/list/spreadsheet at the end of Current Events:

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

[Melanie, the neutral party]

I am going to attempt 24 books again.

[Rachel]

I’m aiming for 25. This is my first attempt at this challenge so I don’t know whether 25 is a realistic goal or not yet. Hope so :)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

A good aim! Good luck!

[Bill]

I setup my shelf for the challenge and realized I have 74 books that I either own or have access to from library/hoopla. I’m keeping my goal at 30 but going to try to surpass that.

[Nicol]

I have a quick question: is it true we can count books we read currently for the group for this challenge, for example this alien shore or House of the Spirits? I thought I saw that in one of these threads but now can't remember where. I've been doing this challenge for at least four years and I definitely never did that. Did I miss out?!?!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

You did, Nicol! You can absolutely use the books we read this year--in fact, including upcoming books is highly encouraged, since we love participation! Recalculate! Recalculate!!

[Atlanta]

OK I don't think I have a place marker in this. I just compared shelves and I have 49, well 48 since the man in the high castle is listed twice, on my want to read shelf, so I am going to increase my number to 48. Do we list them here as well?

[Nicol]

Allison wrote: "You did, Nicol! You can absolutely use the books we read this year--in fact, including upcoming books is highly encouraged, since we love participation! Recalculate! Recalculate!!"
Thanks! I'll have to up my 2020 game then!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Atl wrote: "OK I don't think I have a place marker in this. I just compared shelves and I have 49, well 48 since the man in the high castle is listed twice, on my want to read shelf, so I am going to increase ..."

You can if you want! Most folks, if they want to share, do so at intervals after they finish, but others like to say what books they're aiming for! However you'd like to keep this updated :)

[Esther]

I will try for 6

[Stephanie]

I'm planning on 12, which should put me over 100 this year for total books read from the group shelf.

Some contenders (will be including 2020 group reads too):

Nine Princes in Amber
Ninefox Gambit
The Obelisk Gate
Grass
Children of Time
The Martian
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Embassytown
Zoo City
Red Mars
The Dispossessed
Tigana
To Say Nothing of the Dog

Maybe it'll end up being more than 12 :)

Completed:
Nine Princes In Amber
Ninefox Gambit
Embassytown
Six Wakes
The Collapsing Empire
Tigana
The Warrior's Apprentice
Bone Shard Daughter
The Martian
Among Others
The Lathe of Heaven
Foundation

officially complete!

[Maarit]

I think I will try to read 10 books this year. Last year my mark was six books and I ended up reading 11 books, so I think 10 books would be a very realistic number. And I'm also trying to hit 100 group books read this year, so 10 books would help me with that as well :)

[John]

Read 26 last year so going for that again. Trying for 1 BOM and 1 off the shelf each month , 1 for leap year and just because.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I like the leap year nod! Good luck everyone ^^

[Sheri]

I joined this book club years ago, but never really participated. This year, I am challenging myself to read 24 books from the group's shelf and to also participate in the book discussions.

[Anna]

Sheri wrote: "I joined this book club years ago, but never really participated. This year, I am challenging myself to read 24 books from the group's shelf and to also participate in the book discussions."

That is an excellent challenge! :)

[Hamish]

Have just joined this group and have already read 69 off the group list. I'll only actively seek to read 10 or 15 more but will probably read others off the list without even realising.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Welcome, Hamish! Not a bad starting point!

[Hamish]

Allison wrote: "Welcome, Hamish! Not a bad starting point!"

Thanks

[Ellen]

My goal last year was 24 and I read 54. Will go for 50 this year.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Ellen wrote: "My goal last year was 24 and I read 54. Will go for 50 this year."

I, too, often end up doing THIRTY MORE of things sometimes hahaha! That's a funny and impressive leap! Glad you found so many to try out ^^ Good luck this year!

[Sarah]

I'm going to try for 30.

[Lowell]

I'm not really setting a goal this year, for reasons previously discussed, but I am going to put in "six" as the challenge, just because you never know what is going to happen and I do actually like the reading group books and talking about them, and this seems to be one of the best ways for me to do it. as I read backlogged things from the group shelf, I am just going to post them here and up the goal.

*****************

In any case, I just DNF'd a group shelf book, because it is just bloody terrible. Here and Now and Then reads like a whining teenager who just can't focus on things that need to be accomplished and then proceeds to dive headfirst into all the worst possible choices.

It has no humor, and the characters are too flat to be stereotypical. It's just bland blah. I rated it one star, but it wasn't even entertaining enough to get onto my "train wrecks" shelf.

*******READING*******


*******READ*******

*******DNFD*******



*******UNDER CONSIDERATION*******

[KelB]

Going for 12 again...
Read: 9/12

☑️1. The Ocean at the End of the Lane -- 2/27/20
☑️2. The Ten Thousand Doors of January -- 3/30/20
☑️3. Ubik -- 4/9/20
☑️4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- 6/3/20
☑️5. Brown Girl in the Ring -- 10/24/20
☑️6. Uprooted -- 11/11/20
☑️7. Rosewater -- 12/2/20
☑️8. The Collapsing Empire -- 12/7/20
☑️9. Blade Runner -- 12/20/20
The Fifth Season
Alif the Unseen
Here and Now and Then


Read:

[Leticia]

SFFBC 2020 Challenges (Updated September 2020)

So far I really like the books I read for this challenge or I DNF them.

READ ALL THE BOOKS: THE SEVEN WONDERS

9/12
So here is my TBR:

*******UNDER CONSIDERATION*******
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

*******READING*******




*******READ*******
- 5 stars!
- 5 stars!
- 5 stars!
- 5 stars!
-5 stars!
- 4 stars!

*******DNFD*******

at page 80
at chapter 15 of Audiobook.
at page 97.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I enjoy this format that Lowell gave us, though I'm sorry for the book that created it! I agree, H&N&T was one of the most infuriating things I read last year.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

Turns out I've already read two of the bookshelf books this month in Pandora's Star and Nine Princes of Amber so setting a challenge of 24 books for the year doesn't look particularly ambitious. I'm 36 reads short of 100 and with so many of the books already in my elibrary I may as well aim for 150.

86 SFFBC bookshelf reads for the year. Anyone interested in keeping track of my journey can check in on my new bookshelf. Had already planned on reading The Bear and the Nightingale next.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

o.O Dang! Jumping in with both feet! I love it! Good luck :D

[Gabi]

Ryan, I'm curious how you will like "The Bear and the Nightingale" - this was a cute surprise for me last year (and best read when there is snow outside)

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

Thanks! I find it funny that I somehow managed to read the 7th longest and 6th shortest books on the shelf this past week.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

@Gabi, I'll be sure to let you know. Think it was your review that helped sway me to read it next.

[Bill]

So I was organizing my bookshelf to see how many books i had some sort of access to and just ended up taking out a bunch of books from the library and Hoopla. That being said I’ve got 6 done so far with another 7 to do in the next 2 weeks.

1. Rosewater by Tade Thompson - 1/2/20 - hard to follow in the beginning because it jumps around a lot but liked how it came together. Going to continue the series.
2. Catseye by Andre Norton - 1/5/20 - never connected with the Mc or story. Not going to continue the series but will try some of her other work.
3. Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn - 1/7/20 - really like the feudal Japan aspects of the story and will continue the series.
4. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov - 1/8/20 - liked this a whole lot more than I thought I would. Like seeing the development of the robots. Will continue the series.
5. Gun, With Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem - 1/8/20 - absolutely detested this book. The Mc was the worst. Will never read anything by him again.
6. White Cat by Holly Black - 1/9/20 - the characters were all pretty terrible people but really liked the story and magic system. Will continue.

Currently reading: The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner

Up next:
Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Elysium by Jennifer Marie Brissett
Winter Tide by Ruthanna Emrys
The Terror by Dan Simmons
Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones

[DivaDiane]

With Embassytown, I have one under my belt!

I have a lot on my shelves (real and virtual) and Audible queue already.
These two are definites as they have been scheduled!

Elantris - bought but not read after all!
Nine Princes in Amber

Already in Progress:
The Way of Kings
Watchmen

These are the one that most interest me which I plan to choose from throughout the year:
The Fifth Season
The Man in the High Castle in progress (as of November)
Lock In
The Outside
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Station Eleven
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
The Name of the Wind
A Scanner Darkly
The Day of the Triffids
Slaughterhouse-Five

Edit: (November) - Haha! I have read exactly zero of the books that I claimed interested me most. But I have now read 14 of my planned 12, so I'm not doing too badly I suppose.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

Loved The Bear and The Nightingale! That's 3 bookshelf books read for the year (10 in total whoop whoop!). Already started on the audiobook of The Night Circus. I'll write a review for tBatN when I get home and maybe share some further thoughts in the appropriate group thread.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

10 books read in total this year*

The hunt for 150 is off to a good start.

[Anna]

You've read ten books from the group shelf this year already?! That *is* a great start!

Duh, I just read the thing properly :D Still a great start!

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

Making the most of my local libraries audiobook collection. Expecting two more to become available this week.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Three cheers for our libraries and their librarian guardians!

[Gabi]

Wow, Ryan! You rule!

[Karen]

I'm going to attempt 24 this year. I did 14 last year, scooching past my small goal of 12. I'm going through the list trying to figure out which books I'll be getting to.

My first book of the year is going to be A Natural History of Dragons. Only 40-ish pages to go!

[Beth]

I decided on 12 this year. I'm focusing on a challenge for another group at the moment, so there's no progress yet!

I'll also be "lifting from Lowell" for my post format, because I love the stamp-like look of the book covers. Sorry, app users!

Completed:

Currently reading:

On deck:



Uprooted is an upcoming BR which will also be my first SFFBC shelf read this year. Witchmark and Ninefox were holiday gifts.

DNF:

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

I snuck the Time Machine in last night as the audiobook was available and only four hours long with regular playback. I didn't enjoy it, but I'm up to five bookshelf reads for the year now.

I'll read book six, Binti, tonight after I've written up some thoughts on The Night Circus and The Time Machine. The Goblin Emperor will be next alongside something in audiobook format yet to be determined.

Ryan's 2020 SFFBC Bookshelf reads

[Anna]

Binti isn't on the group shelf, but we do have a buddy read thread!

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

Ah! My mistake. It's on the bookshelf of the Women of the Future group.

The Goblin Emperor will still be book seven though as I'll finish whatever I listen to as an audiobook before it. Cormac McCarthy's The Road is available as is Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, but neither excite me enough to read them just yet.

[Bill]

I’ve got 11 done for the challenge and working on number 12 now. I didn’t expect to get this many done so early in the year so may try to get the remaining 64 that I have access to done this year.

7. The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner - 1/12/20 - kind of hard to follow in the beginning because it jumped around so much but really got into the story in the later parts.
8. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant - 1/14/20 - I love her writing as Seanan McGuire and this one matched in quality. Best book I’ve read with mermaids.
9. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - 1/14/20 - I know I’m early on this one but glad it lived up to all the hype. Can’t wait for the discussion next month.
10. Elysium by Jennifer Marie Brissett - 1/15/20 - really weird but interesting concept on this one. Amazing how she was able to develop the characters while constantly changing them.
11. Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones - 1/16/20 - actually liked more than Howl’s Moving Castle. Great story that just got better and better as it went on.

Currently reading Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton