2022 Bookshelf Rereads

[Anna]

I think posting "anyone up for a BR?" kind of counts as voting?

[Melanie, the neutral party]

Yeah, but these are also part of the pool for VBC. Keep. It DOES motivate me to pick up more books ... just not always the ones I vote for.

[Anna]

VBC could also have a vote! "What do we wanna discuss next time? Let's read that one!"

But I really have no problem doing this! I ask because I don't want to do stuff just to do stuff. As long as it's useful, I'm happy to do it :)

[Bonnie]

in past 1.3 years I did these:

Alphabet of Thorns
The Poppy War
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
{missed Jade City and Annihilation, bc I was in Mich and my dad was sick}
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
The Witcher The Last Wish
Kindred
The Song of Achilles

thanks to the "Official Re-read Program" !
Sometimes I did and sometimes I didn't post to the threads at that time. I will make a concerted effort to do so this year and encourage others if appropriate.

After all, any of us could read any of these books at any time!!!!

[---.... then I wrote paragraphs about the Joy and participating with others in SFFBC but decided it was getting way too philosophical and deleted... ----]

[Tina Reads]

Anna wrote: "Bonnie, that's nice to hear! I was actually going to suggest that we stop doing this after 2022, because on the surface it looks like people love to vote but very few are actually reading the books..."

I recently joined the group and absolutely love that the re-read program is planned three months ahead, so I can work the books into my TBR list and I can figure out timing for my library loans, if needed. Several of the books in the current top tier were books I already was thinking about reading anyway, and it gives me the impetus to get them off the goodreads TBR.

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

This month's rereads starting in a week:

February 15th:
Across the Nightingale Floor >> First impressions | Final thoughts & More
A Memory Called Empire >> First impressions | Final thoughts & Series

[Anna]

Someone has requested access to the *results spreadsheet* to vote. You do not need access, and you do not need the results spreadsheet! Follow the "Vote here" link above, and all you need is to be logged into a gmail account :)

[Karin]

Darn, I don't have a google account so can't vote, but c'est la vie! I can view the results spreadsheet, though :)

[Anna]

Karin, I don't know if it was you who requested access, but whoever it was, the request came from a gmail address, so that's a Google account.

[Jen]

I'll be starting A Memory Called Empire this weekend.

[E.D.]

Started A Memory Called Empire yesterday.

[Aga]

I’m going to start A Memory Called Empire next week.

[Karin]

Anna wrote: "Karin, I don't know if it was you who requested access, but whoever it was, the request came from a gmail address, so that's a Google account."

I didn't request access :) I don't use gmail.

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Vote here: https://goo.gl/forms/joASo8yDfm9oGvDm2
Live results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Voting ends: February 25th / GR links to all books here

--

This month's rereads:

February 15th:
Across the Nightingale Floor >> First impressions | Final thoughts & More
A Memory Called Empire >> First impressions | Final thoughts & Series

[Bonnie]

SFFBC wrote:
"February 15th:
Across the Nightingale Floor >> First impressions | Final thoughts & More"

Hello Moderators,
Is it possible to link threads and books later? If it's possible, I wonder if you would please attach Across the Nightingale Floor to the threads (so that posts show people's star rating, and the topics appear at the bottom of the book page under Discuss This Book). It was in 2012.

If it only works at creation of course, no go!
Thank you

[Anna]

GR drops them on occasion, we add them back when we notice. Fixed!

[Bonnie]

That was FAST! Boom they started showing up
Thank you Anna

[Meredith]

Of the top vote-getters, I'm interested in reading Stranger in a Strange Land. I've read most/many of the other top vote-getters, but I'm happy to boost any that other folks are interested in. Lots of good stuff up at the top!

[D]

Meredith wrote: "Of the top vote-getters, I'm interested in reading Stranger in a Strange Land. I've read most/many of the other top vote-getters, but I'm happy to boost any that other folks are interested in. Lots..."

I've been wanting to re-read the early Pern books for a long time, so Dragonflight interests me and I've got a copy handy.

[E.D.]

Meredith wrote: "Of the top vote-getters, I'm interested in reading Stranger in a Strange Land.
D wrote: I've been wanting to re-read the early Pern books for a long time, so Dragonflight interests me and I've got a copy handy.

I read both of these books in my mid teens over half a century ago. I remember enjoying Dagonflight but later gave up on the Pern books as I thought they were getting too repetitive. However, Stranger in a Strange Land became one of the favourite books of my teens and led me to read more Heinlein.

I haven't voted for either by the way, although may take part if one or both are selected.

[Beth]

There are a couple books in the top six I own and am interested in reading: Night Circus and Spinning Silver.

[Kevin]

So.. how does the re-reads work. I just started A memory called empire and it has been absolutely intriguing so far. I saw the link that was posted from the original reading years ago but was worried about being spoiled so decided not to click it.

[Anna]

It's up to the readers. Some wait until they've finished the book and then read the spoiler thread and comment if they have something to say, others might post in the spoiler thread as they're reading, ignoring the earlier comments, and taking the risk that someone might come in and post a full spoiler. It's possible to open the thread and read the start of the first sentence of the last post to see if the comment is spoilery or not, and then decide if you want to keep reading :D

Sometimes people will post with spoiler tags in the spoiler thread as they read, but it's not the expected behavior in spoiler threads, so someone should mention it if that's what people want to do. Then after everyone has finished, the thread goes back to open spoilers. It's not a perfect system, but it's the best we can do with what GR offers.

Some books that are part of a series might also have a series thread, and those should always be safe to open, because they're buddy read style and use spoiler tags. A Memory Called Empire is one of these, so I'd suggest going to that thread if you want to chat about the first book as you read, using spoiler tags. Then you can pop into the spoiler thread after you finish. This isn't perfect either, because the discussion will be in both threads, but again, the best we can do with GR tools.

[D]

E.D. wrote: "Meredith wrote: "Of the top vote-getters, I'm interested in reading Stranger in a Strange Land.
D wrote: I've been wanting to re-read the early Pern books for a long time, so Dragonflight interest..."

I agree, the later Pern books lost my interest. The first two trilogies were some of my favorite reading. I did read Stranger in a Strange Land when I was in high school and while I enjoyed it, it isn't one I would want to read again.

[DivaDiane]

Oh! Six of Crows! I totally forgot that I have that one in my Audible queue! I’ve now added it to my list of votes, hopefully to secure its 5th place slot.

[Meredith]

I really enjoyed the audio production for Six of Crows.

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Vote here: https://goo.gl/forms/joASo8yDfm9oGvDm2
Live results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Voting ends: February 25th / GR links to all books here

Top 6 will become our rereads for April-June.

13 Spinning Silver (480 pgs)
12 Six of Crows (462 pgs)
11 A Darker Shade of Magic (398 pgs)
11 Gods of Jade and Shadow (338 pgs)
11 The Night Circus (400 pgs)
9 The Way of Shadows (645 pgs)

8 His Majesty's Dragon (353 pgs)
8 Stranger in a Strange Land (528 pgs)
8 A Wizard of Earthsea (183 pgs)

7 Dawn (248 pgs)
7 The Eye of the World (814 pgs)
7 Guards! Guards! (376 pgs)
7 Kushiel's Dart (1015 pgs)
7 The Martian (369 pgs)
7 Slaughterhouse-Five (215 pgs)

6 All the Birds in the Sky (320 pgs)
6 Ancillary Justice (386 pgs)
6 The Black Prism (629 pgs)
6 The Calculating Stars (431 pgs)
6 Consider Phlebas (471 pgs)
6 Elantris (638 pgs)
6 A Fire Upon the Deep (613 pgs)
6 The Goblin Emperor (446 pgs)
6 Ninefox Gambit (384 pgs)
6 Ready Player One (374 pgs)
6 Red Mars (572 pgs)
6 Rivers of London (Midnight Riot) (310 pgs)
6 To Say Nothing of the Dog (493 pgs)
6 White Cat (310 pgs)
6 Wizard's First Rule (836 pgs)

[Melanie, the neutral party]

That's an all fantasy list. Are we okay with that? (I mean *I* am but ...)

[Anna]

Not much we can do about it! In the beginning I tried to manipulate things so that it was half and half, but it doesn't really matter :)

(Wasn't it all scifi a while ago?)

[Bonnie]

Howdy,
Speaking as one data point from 13 (or however many people vote here), I have read much more Science Fiction than I have read Fantasy. Specifically from our backlist, 70% vs. 48% -- and much of that 48 in the past two years. So more of my "Re-read" votes are going toward fantasy.
That explains me! BB.

[Ines, Resident Vampire]

I will probably join the Six of Crows reread, I heard it's very good!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

this is the popular, unscripted vote! if our small world needs for fantasy, I'ma let em have it!

[Aga]

Once again many interesting books to choose from. I’m going to join Spinning Silver, A Darker Shade of Magic, The Night Circus and The Way of Shadows.

[Tina Reads]

I've already got Spinning Silver, A Darker Shade of Magic, and Gods of Jade and Shadow on my TBR, so this list is perfect! Maybe next time Ancillary Justice will make the cut.

[CBRetriever]

Maybe we could do A Darker Shade of Magic in the first group? I just finished reading it and it would be nice to comment while it's fresh in my mind

[DivaDiane]

Can we push Six of Crows to a later month, please?

[Anna]

I’ll post the proposed schedule tomorrow! Any preferences posted before that will be taken into account if possible 🙂

[Ines, Resident Vampire]

I'm completely fine with Six of Crows being pushed to a later month, suits me well!

[Anna]

Anyone care to break the tie?


13 Spinning Silver (480 pgs)
12 Six of Crows (462 pgs)
11 A Darker Shade of Magic (398 pgs)
11 Gods of Jade and Shadow (338 pgs)
11 The Night Circus (400 pgs)

9 The Way of Shadows (645 pgs)
9 A Wizard of Earthsea (183 pgs)

[Anna]

Thanks to whoever broke the tie! We have six fantasy books by women this quarter :)

Let's schedule right here in this thread this time, instead of in the BR thread. Those who are planning on reading any of these, do chime in with whether this schedule works for you, or if you'd like something moved around.

Option A

April 15th:
Spinning Silver (480 pgs)
A Darker Shade of Magic (398 pgs)

May 15th:
Gods of Jade and Shadow (338 pgs)
The Night Circus (400 pgs)

June 15th:
A Wizard of Earthsea (183 pgs)
Six of Crows (462 pgs)

[Tina Reads]

Could we have spinning silver the last month? This small change I'll have one a month to read. Thanks!

[Anna]

I'll have to exchange it with Earthsea, to keep SoC in June, so that means the two longest books are now in the same month. If everyone is OK with that then there's no problem, so everyone, let us know!

Option B

April 15th:
A Darker Shade of Magic (398 pgs)
A Wizard of Earthsea (183 pgs)

May 15th:
Gods of Jade and Shadow (338 pgs)
The Night Circus (400 pgs)

June 15th:
Spinning Silver (480 pgs)
Six of Crows (462 pgs)

[Ines, Resident Vampire]

Six of Crows works for me!
I'll gladly join the conversation around Gods of Jade and Shadow, but I've read it already.

[Tina Reads]

Thank you! I'm excited to read these three and knock them off my TBR.

[CBRetriever]

Thank you for putting Darker Shade in the first group

[Beth]

I'm mildly relieved that there's no book with greater than 500 pages this time.

[CBRetriever]

Beth wrote: "I'm mildly relieved that there's no book with greater than 500 pages this time."

length doesn't bother me as much anymore - back when I was reading paper copies, the weight would get to me.

[Beth]

Length only bothers me when it causes time budgeting problems. Anna's always avoided putting two chonkers in one month, so there are no issues about how the rereads have been scheduled.

[Aga]

I prefer option B.

[D]

Both options have one I've already read in the first two months and one on my tbr for the third, so either way is good with me.