Vagabond Treehouse (2023) [Beware of Chicken 3 - December 4th] Showing 3,701-3,750 of 5,829

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I’m generally up for a Schaefer re-read… only done it twice and skipped Revanche…

[Choko]

Me too, but I want our buddies to have the time for it, and it seems like everyone is a tad overbooked as of late...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Yea… 2024… ;)

[Nirkatze]

mmm.... it does seem there's quite a few series scheduled for next year already. But this'll give folks time to collect the books or put holds on them at libraries early!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Our thread group has also kinda dominated the scheduling, for good or ill...

Been working my spreadsheet magic, the past few days... finishing up the cataloging of your TBR in the Mystery Book Club, as a spreadsheet...

And updating my personal Series Tracker, with 2022 data...



629 series tracked, 228 abandoned, 169 finished, 98 up-to-date, 117 incomplete...

1911 of 2428 books read in non-abandoned series... 517 book TBR...
602 of 1843 books read in abandoned series, before abandoning... saved myself from reading 1241 books...

Need to update my ongoing series for new releases still, but otherwise done for the year here, for the most part...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I'm loving Down Among the Dead Men... I dunno if I love being back int he world more, or listening to the distinct narrator for Faust... The Guy

So much fun, down in hell, with Che Guevara and Lizzy Borden as newscasters, that dead pornstar victim from awhile ago hosting a torture bondage wheel of fortune game show, and all sorts of ridiculousness...

Back on Earth, it's a real reunion, with everyone trying to protect Faust's body, and now Harmony Black has been called in... first serious crossover since book 3, I think, when she got her own series?... they barely interacted in Wisdom's Grave trilogy... there's been a couple near-misses in recent books... but Harmony generally swept into town during the times that Faust was out of town on a job...

[Choko]

I am in the minority who love Harmony more than Faust. I know it's a blasphemy, but it is what it is. Everyone thinks that she is the most boring character even in her own series, but to me that is what makes her so wonderful. She makes all the characters around her shine. I am glad she will be in this one:)))

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I like both series/characters, relatively equally... happy when either get a new release...

[Tonari no Emily]

Can't wait to get to the latest St. Mary's! Will read the short and then on to #13 after I finish Daughter of the Moon Goddess.. Been stuck on that one for like a week. Haven't had too much time for reading and it also wasn't really drawing me in.

Would be down for a Faust read... eventually lol

[Brian]

@Choko

I am determined to read the Malayan books this year (2023). I own all the audio and most the paperbacks. Ive only made it to book 4 and read book 1 twice now on BRs. I am relying on you to hold me accountable in 2023 to finally finish main series.


PLEASE!!!! lol

[Brian]

Malazan (spell check)@

[Choko]

Haha! Brian, you got it! I just started book #5 and will be reading a chapter every couple of days... You can join us whenever you want, I think maybe February we will get to book #6...

[Brian]

Ok great! I might start audio book #1 in January so I can get points for competition but I’ll try to catch up

[Choko]

Brian, use the 2016 threads. We have been using those and this way we can chat with you as you go:))) Or if it is too much, just chat with us here:)))

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "Brian, use the 2016 threads. We have been using those and this way we can chat with you as you go:))) Or if it is too much, just chat with us here:)))"

Me and Brian are going to try and BR together in 2023 and catch up... keep each other accountable... accidentally decided this in the Mystery thread, since I posted in the wrong thread earlier, then took a 3hr nap tired...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Been slowly trying to work on my end-of-year GR/spreadsheet maintenance... 10 months behind on ratings/reviews... only 1 month behind on spreadsheet tracking I can use to help myself... luckily, like 50% of my reading this year was re-reads, so that won't be too hard to input into GR... still gonna take me a day or 2, when I start on it...

In the meantime, I built up a TBR list spreadsheet for the Mystery Book Club, for me/Tammie/Brian and maybe others, so we don't keep losing track of our TBR options, and what's available on which service (Hoopla, Audible+, Kindle Unlimited/Prime, etc)

Then, I've been inputting all my 2022 series on to my mega-spreadsheet... 629 series tracked and counting (think I mentioned this a day or 3 ago)... now, I'm going through and checking all the series pages using saved links, for all my Up-To-Date and Incomplete series (about 200 to work through), looking for new releases and continuations of series... my new feature to the sheet this year, is that I'm moving every series lacking audio or that hasn't seen a release in 5+ years to a Limbo section... if there's no concrete plans for a sequel eventually, in a few more years, I'll move them to finished (some have clear plans to continue someday)...

All of this should be helping me to build my list of 2022 releases I missed, and 2023 releases to look forward to... I loved having that list from the January challenge, this year, to look back to, when coming up with ideas for what to read next...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I got very Limbo-happy in my spreadsheet maintenance... romances I wasn't pushing to continue, series that are behind on audio releases, and things I don't want to commit to abandoning yet...



But then, while going through my backlog, I can't help but read Nalini Singh's blurbs... she's a romance author I used to love, in my romance days, and even tho I struggle with ones I try and read these days, I can't help being drawn to the plots... her Guild Hunter series has this crazy angels and vampires world and a world war between the archangels... I'm like 3 books behind on the 15 book series, but kinda want to continue...

I also abandoned some stuff, and cleared about 100 books off my TBR... if I make a new function that subtracts Limbo, my TBR is probably down under 100 books total...

EDIT: 134 books, if I exclude 4 series (Discworld, Malazan, DCI Logan, and Glass & Steele), which add 84 more...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I've pretty much decided to be lazy with my GR read dates this year... instead of trying to set accurate read dates, I'm just gonna focus on month read... if you set the read date to the first day of the month, GR just says it was read in that month, instead of a specific day...

[Choko]

I am so envious of your abilities with the spreadsheets!!! I have been wanting to learn, but just never get time to do so... I have a hard enough time keeping my audio library up to date, because I am so anal about how I want everything organized... I have given up on trying to figure out series which I have started and not finished, because those are usually the ones that are ongoing, and I have a hard time keeping up with new releases. Unless someone tells me a book is out, I completely miss them... Reading as much as we do, keeping up with those is very challenging... This is why I love it when you guys mention the new releases here. This way I can plan on reading them.

Which reminds me, I have no idea why I have been postponing The Lost Metal... I was so excited about it coming out, I pre-ordered it and everything, and I still haven't gotten to it... I need to get in the right emotional place and just do it, but I think I am afraid of it letting me down... Is it good?

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "I am so envious of your abilities with the spreadsheets!!! I have been wanting to learn, but just never get time to do so... I have a hard enough time keeping my audio library up to date, because I..."

I'm a self-taught spreadsheet enthusiast... I learned alot of my fancy skills just fiddling with the group sheet with Virginie and Rob, over the last couple years, and maintaining a couple of my own... any time I come across an idea I want to implement, I search google and figure out how to do it...

My Incomplete Series spreadsheet has slowly become more fancy and time-efficient, over the years... early on, I used to manage like a half dozen subtabs , and it took forever... then I learned how to just maintain a Master Series list, and have the subtabs query the main tab and just grab all the series that meet my criteria, for easy viewing (Incomplete, Limbo, Up-to-Date, Finished, Abandoned)...

Right now, I'm tempted to find a way to do the same thing with my New Release XYZW Year tab, too... less work, the better...

Honestly, my sheet is so feature-rich, for my needs, that it would probably be useful to others, if they just copied my sheet and wiped the data and input their own, I think?

Here's a link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

It could use a cleanup pass, for any old conditional formatting I no longer use, and border/color flubs between tabs, but I've been using it fine as-is for a few years now...

Just input data in the first tab, and the 2nd through 7th tabs will be auto-populated, without some of the frills (the checkbox will display as TRUE/FALSE, the hotlinks will be missing)...

I have every series name hotlinked to the series page of Goodreads, so I can easily open the links to check for new releases... early on, I tried tracking all the short stories in series, as well, but it got hard to give that a numerical value, and some authors releases short stories like every other week/month, so now I just indicate if they exist or not... I also used to call series ALMOST up-to-date/finished, depending on if I'd read all the short stores, but again... too much work...

Whenever I add new series or change status, I just do all the updating, then highlight the whole sheet from row 5 to the end, and sort by column H in Z->A ord and then column L in Z->A or A->Z order... if you want more sorting, you can also sort by last year published (that's what my Year Pub column is for, to track how recently the series released a book, or if there's one expected next year already) or genre or any other column you want, really...

If you don't have much experience copying spreadsheet, just hit File, Copy to My Drive, and Google will make you a copy... I have so many spreadsheets I use that I copied from other people online, especially for them idle games I play, that are math-heavy, when it comes to figuring out the most cost-efficient way to buy things...

[Narilka]

Choko wrote: "I am so envious of your abilities with the spreadsheets!!! I have been wanting to learn, but just never get time to do so... I have a hard enough time keeping my audio library up to date, because I..."

I keep track of my ongoing series over in my "Forever Series" challenge thread hehe Perhaps something similar could help you out?

We both enjoyed The Lost Metal quite a bit. Whenever you're ready, hit up the BR thread and we'll chat about it.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Oh yea... I was raving when I finished it... called it Sanderson's best written book, yet... lots of fun, lots of developments...

[Choko]

You guys are awesome!!! Thank you for all the advice, Iain! I will definitely use that spreadsheet and will probably hit you up with some questions from time to time...

Narilka, thanks for the Lost Metal note:) You guys are a tough crowd and if the two of you liked it, then I am going to love it! I will be by the BR thread soonest:)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I read my last available Drew Hayes book, earlier this year... now, with my spreadsheet maintenance, I find I have 2 more to look forward to:

Noble Roots -- NPCs #5 -- released back in March
Posthumous Education -- Fred, the Vampire Accountant #8 -- released today

Pretty excited... Fred #7 was really good, and had great developments for the future of the series... this new one sounds like a curveball, but I'm sure it'll pay off dividends...

I'd compare the end result of the Fred series to Tarot Sequence... found family supernatural clan shaking up the supernatural power structure...

[Narilka]

I plan to try out Fred eventually. Maybe after working my way through NPCs.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "I plan to try out Fred eventually. Maybe after working my way through NPCs."

There's a haunted/sentient Bed & Breakfast...

.........hmm?

...that doesn't show up until book 4-6, tho...

[Brian]

Fred has been on my TBR pile for a long while

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

After me, Anni, and I think Virginie, read Super Powereds a couple years back, I kind of made it my mission to try all of Drew Hayes' work... and I kinda loved them all, to varying degrees...

[Choko]

Narilka, let me know if you do, we can make it a BR. I have been wanting to read Fred for a while, hearing good stuff about it...

We should do Super Powereds too...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

We still have some other stuff to finish first ;)

Like Marla Mason 6-10 and some short stories... and the Ghosts of Gotham / Hungry Dreaming book :D

I keep meaning to bring up Marla Mason, but have felt like we're already overbooked, lately...

[Choko]

We can get back to Marla in January, in the Vagabond thread. Which reminds me, are we doing a new Vagabond Thread for the New Year? We will do Ghosts of Gotham in it as well...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

That's a reading plan... I've been floating the idea of doing Hungry Dreaming soon, in a few places, including to Nirkatze over in the Awards thread... the general idea there was that standalones & final entries in series, for now, are less commitment than a new series...

I dunno if we plan to make a new thread... I think I just wanna stay with the current thread for now... I think the original thread lasted for 2 years?... and the original Mystery Book Club thread lasted for 2 years?... then again, we might have commented in this thread more in 1 year than the previous thread in 2 years?...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

So much for that theory... the previous thread had 3000 comments in 20 months... this one has 3700 comments in 11 months...

I don't think threads have issues until they're as big as the BR invite thread...

[Narilka]

I'm fine with keeping this thread too. If we manage to break it next year we can always start another easy enough.

[Narilka]

Thinking ahead to 2023, I'm waiting for...

Waybound
Alecto the Ninth
Whatever Dresden Files releases (if any)
Whatever Ilona Andrews releases
Sanderson's 4 Secret Project books
Defiant

What else is supposed to release next year that I'm forgetting?

Edit: I'd love to do another major series BR like we did this year. Those are so much fun :)

[Choko]

I am good with staying here too... We just have to add 2023 in the header...

Narilka, I am waiting for those as well, also let's not forget the new Wandering Inn:)))

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "Thinking ahead to 2023, I'm waiting for...

Waybound
Alecto the Ninth
Whatever Dresden Files releases (if any)
Whatever Ilona Andrews releases
Sanderson's 4 Secret P..."

Oh yea... we totally need to BR those Secret Project books... if everyone bought them... I got the audio...

[Choko]

I ordered everything, but haven't gotten anything yet... Are they out already?

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "Thinking ahead to 2023, I'm waiting for...

Waybound
Alecto the Ninth
Whatever Dresden Files releases (if any)
Whatever Ilona Andrews releases
Sanderson's 4 Secret P..."

We've got several series BRs scheduled already for early next year... not sure if any catch your interest... we're doing Heartstrikers, Laundry Files, Sun Eater... Chronicles of Amber & Sisters Grimm with Monika, I think... Mystery Club is doing Manners & Monsters, Jack Nightingale, and Verity Kent...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "I ordered everything, but haven't gotten anything yet... Are they out already?"

They're supposed to release quarterly... I hope I haven't missed any important emails... I filled out the Backerkit stuff last April/May, and never really checked back on it...

Can't remember when we're getting the stuff, but I believe it's email delivery on the digital content, and the rest is by mail...

[Narilka]

I went looking through my favorite authors and see Scalzi has Starter Villain coming out next year. That synopses sounds hilarious. If the audio is by Wil Wheaton, I'm totally doing that on audio in June :D

The Secret Project books start releasing in January. If you bought the Kickstarter I think the first ebook should email out first week of Jan.

[Narilka]

Found the update...

"The audiobooks and ebooks of Secret Project #1 will go out to backers first thing in January, and will be available for purchase on the 10th for those who missed the Kickstarter. "

There were delays with the cover material for the physical copy of #1 so will be sending out as fast as they can starting January but said it could be February because of such a high volume.

[Narilka]

Timelord Iain wrote: "We've got several series BRs scheduled already for early next year... not sure if any catch your interest... we're doing Heartstrikers, Laundry Files, Sun Eater.."

Oh yeah. I have the first book of Laundry Files purchased already. Looking up some of those others.

I own Heartstrikers too, just not sure I'm ready for a reread. Julian is adorable though so maybe.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "I went looking through my favorite authors and see Scalzi has Starter Villain coming out next year. That synopses sounds hilarious. If the audio is by Wil Wheaton, I'm totally doing..."

Yea... I found Starter Villain a few weeks / months ago...

Alecto the Ninth, Waybound, next Mercy Thompson, next October Daye, next Wayward Children, last Skyward, last New Management (side series to Laundry Files), next Joe Ledger / Rogue Team International, next Orphan X, next Gray Man, next Bosch I'm sure, next Vlad Taltos (#16 of 19, first in 6 years), next Lady Sherlock, a Jasper Fforde book (sequel after like a decade to an old book), 2nd Unkindness of Magicians (finale?), next Veronica Speedwell, new Alex Benedict after 5 years, next InCryptid, Tarot Sequence spinoff book about the kids during book 3, whatever Drew Hayes publishes (Villains Code, NPCs, Fred, 5m Sherlock), whatever Craig Schaefer publishes (Faust, Harmony Black, Ghosts of Gotham, Charlie McCabe), whatever Jodi Taylor publishes (St. Mary's, Time Police, etc)

And I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff... Rachel Aaron started that new Weird Western series... Witchlands isn't done yet... no idea what Ilona Andrews is working on, other than the web serial... Wandering Inn audiobooks are only announced a few months out... I'm not really expecting Jim Butcher stuff (he hasn't finished CInder Spires #2, last I checked)... Genevieve Cogman is working on something new... ML Wang was supposed to be releasing content for a new series... the list goes on...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "We've got several series BRs scheduled already for early next year... not sure if any catch your interest... we're doing Heartstrikers, Laundry Files, Sun Eater.."

Oh yeah. I..."

We try to keep 2/3 of our Mystery Club BRs free... the first 3 Jack Nightingale books are free to read and listen, with Kindle Unlimited... Manners & Monsters and Verity Kent are on Hoopla... Verity Kent is a 1920s historical mystery series from the author of Lady Darby regency historical mystery series...

Planning to announce our 2023 plans in the BR invite thread soon, when I remember... like I did with the Vagabond plans, a few months ago...

EDIT: We don't hard schedule Mystery Club BR dates... we just vaguely plan to read 1 book in each series every month... if we're busy we slow down... if we love it we speed up, credits permitting... the main goal is to not jump ahead in any series until everyone has read the current book in that series... pretty simple with 3-4 people (Soo never followed the rules :D )... not sure how it would work if the club grew... considering the delays we've had with Dresden sometimes :D

[Narilka]

Sweep of the Heart publishes next week in ebook/print. The audio is scheduled for Jan 15.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "Sweep of the Heart publishes next week in ebook/print. The audio is scheduled for Jan 15."

Great news...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "We've got several series BRs scheduled already for early next year... not sure if any catch your interest... we're doing Heartstrikers, Laundry Files, Sun Eater.."

Oh yeah. I..."

Laundry Files is mostly on Hoopla as well, in a pinch...

[Narilka]

I love how interactive they are with their blog. It's one I check frequently :) Though since they've mostly gone self publishing, they're staying mum about other future projects.

The next Witchlands has no info on the work page.

I am interested in Rachel Aaron's new Western series. Been debating on waiting for the full trilogy or not :)

I'm also very interested in Cinder Spires except that he hasn't written in it in years due life. How is his third series? Name is escaping me at the moment.

I saw Will Wight updated his blog. Waybound is first draft complete and in edits. Yay!

Alas, I do not have KU. I don't read enough to feel it's worth it currently.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Narilka wrote: "I love how interactive they are with their blog. It's one I check frequently :) Though since they've mostly gone self publishing, they're staying mum about other future projects.

The next Witchla..."

Codex Alera?... that was great... read it a few years ago, once it was all released, as a Buddy Read... loved it... kinda been waiting for Cinder Spires to complete before trying it, as well...

I really miss when Butcher was a trusty yearly releaser...