2020 Recommended Reading Challenge - Master Thread

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

This is the master list and discussion thread for IRCB's 2020 Recommended Reading Challenge. Use it to discuss the challenge books you're reading, ask questions, and announce when you've completed the entire list.

Those who finish the challenge by December 16th, 2020 will get a personal shout-out on the podcast, and will get to help pick our January 2021 Book of the Month!

ALSO SEE:
Progress Thread: for tracking your progress
Official Tracking Widget

RULES:
- You can join in at any point
- Books you have already read count towards the challenge

MASTER LIST:

IRCB Podcast Team Recommendations:
Tia - Head Lopper, Vol. 1: The Island or A Plague of Beasts
Paul - An Age of License: A Travelogue
Kait - Pride of Baghdad
Kara - Plate Tectonics: An Illustrated Memoir
Kate - Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine
Brian - Venom, Vol. 1: Rex
Nick - Aliens: Dead Orbit
René - D. Gray-man Vol. 1
Zander - SuperMutant Magic Academy
Mike - Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

Patreon Member Picks
James - Cat Diary: Yon & Muu; 猫日記よん&むー; Neko Nikki Yon to Mū
Danny - One Soul
Erin - Black Bolt, Vol. 1: Hard Time
Lenny - Black Magick, Vol. 1: Awakening, Part One
Brandon - Ghost Tree
Tom - Zippy the Pinhead: From Here to Absurdity

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

Just a heads up folks! The originally linked D.Gray Man book was incorrect. It has been fixed in this thread and in the Progress thread, please make sure to update your Progress comment!

[Tom]

Finished Bitch Planet and Plate Tectonics today. I came around on the first (picked up the other available volumes on sale), and absolutely loved the second. Might even consider looking into the other volumes in Motin's series and try brushing off my high school French.

[Erin]

Aaaaand done!

I think my favorite books this go around were:
Best: SuperMutant Magic Academy
Close Second: Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
Also Very Good: Ghost Tree and An Age of License: A Travelogue

My least favorite was Zippy the Pinhead: From Here to Absurdity (sorry Tom!)

Very excited to see everyone's opinions on the books and see next year's picks!

[Tom]

Erin wrote: "Aaaaand done!

I think my favorite books this go around were:
Best: SuperMutant Magic Academy
Close Second: Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
Also Very Good: [boo..."

No worries. I fully expect it will be at the bottom of most everyone's list. :)

[Brandon]

Finished them all! Kept putting off One Soul and Zippy: From Here to Absurdity, and wow am I glad I did. Very much disliked both books (sorry to those who nominated them). Lots of good books though! I like finally having an excuse to buy Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me it was just as good as everyone said. An Age of License: A Travelogue was the biggest surprise of the bunch, I loved that book and would never have picked it up if not for this challenge.

[Tom]

Best: Plate Tectonics: An Illustrated Memoir
Honorable Mention: An Age of License: A Travelogue

Most Surprising (in a good way): Cat Diary: Yon & Muu; 猫日記よん&むー; Neko Nikki Yon to Mū
Honorable Mention: One Soul

The closest I got to liking manga: D.Gray-man, Vol. 1

Most poignant: Ghost Tree
Honorable mention: Pride of Baghdad