2023 Read All The Books: A Decade of AtTENding the Shelf

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Marc shi-lf is a pun for shelf (shi and zehn are 10, this is the 10th year of this challenge. I'm on my phone so linking is hard, but we have many ways to see the books on the group shelf. this challenge is 'read all the books on the group shelf'. Those interested in the challenge decide how many books they want to read either with the group or from the back log and tell us about them here! we have other club inside jokes, like, if you read over a hundred books off the shelf you get access to the "club house" where we have snacks! sadly, virtually only at this time :)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

thanks Beth!!

[Marc]

thanks for the shelf link! a great list of books! Too bad for me I already read about a 10th of them... I'll probably add more as I pare down the pile of TBR books I already have. I edited my earlier post, whittling down 20 to 5. I'll still do my original 20, but anyhoo, I got 5!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

hot damn! a good unintentional list!

[Jamie]

I may get through many of these, and most likely I'll finish more that I was not aiming for, as usual. These are the titles I am most interested in reading for 2023.

1. Piranesi (tried to get into this one at the end of 2022, unsuccessfully)
2. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars (I've been meaning to read a few of Paolini's books, so I may read all of his that our library has available)
3. Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky, #1)
4. The Library of the Unwritten (Hell's Library #1)
5. The Dragonbone Chair (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, #1)
6. Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City (The Siege #1)
7. The Humans (Matt Haig is another author that I may focus on in 2023)
8. The Bone Shard Daughter (The Drowning Empire, #1)
9. A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, #1) (La Guin is another author I may focus on in 2023. I tried to read this series in middle school and couldn't get into it, but I figure I may like it more as an adult.)
10. Zodiac (Stephenson)
11. Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth, #1)
12. His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, #1) (My sister really wants me to read Novik)
13. A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought, #1)
14. Doctor Who: The Coming of the Terraphiles
15. The Windup Girl (Bacigalupi is another author I am thinking of focusing on in 2023)
16. Blackout (All Clear, #1)
17. John Dies at the End (John Dies at the End, #1)
18. The Master and Margarita (need to read for other group lists as well)
19. Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)
20. The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
21. The Yiddish Policemen's Union
22. The Dragon's Path (The Dagger and the Coin, #1)
23. The Last Unicorn (The Last Unicorn, #1)
24. Gun, With Occasional Music
25. Pawn of Prophecy (The Belgariad, #1) (I know I read this series in middle school, but it has been decades and I barely remember it.)
26. Sphere (Crichton)
27. Starship Troopers
28. The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)
29. Six of Crows
30. Hollow Kingdom

[Richard]

Last year I pledged 14 and managed 18.
Not sure I’ll do as well this year but have pushed my goal up one to 15.

Let’s hope I don’t get distracted by too many series not all on our shelves as I’ve currently got my nose stuck in a couple of good’uns.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

crossing all my fingers and toes that you manage both, Richard!

[Marc]

Jamie wrote: "I may get through many of these, and most likely I'll finish more that I was not aiming for, as usual. These are the titles I am most interested in reading for 2023.

1. Piranesi (tried to get int..."

Nice list! loved several of the books you listed!

[CBRetriever]

finished the first one on the list: Legends & Lattes (replaced Homeland by R.A. Salvatore. I'll save the Drizzt books for another year

[Dj]

CBRetriever wrote: "finished the first one on the list: Legends & Lattes (replaced Homeland by R.A. Salvatore. I'll save the Drizzt books for another year"

How did you like Legends and Lattes?

[CBRetriever]

Dj wrote: "CBRetriever wrote: "finished the first one on the list: Legends & Lattes (replaced Homeland by R.A. Salvatore. I'll save the Drizzt books for another y..."

it was a welcome break from Halfhead (gruesome) and 13 1/ 2 (equally gruesome with a Pollyanna heroine). I'm not sure I'd read other books in a series (if one develops) though. Liked the dire cat.

[Dj]

CBRetriever wrote: "Dj wrote: "CBRetriever wrote: "finished the first one on the list: Legends & Lattes (replaced Homeland by R.A. Salvatore. I'll save the Drizzt books fo..."

Well, I looked there are no other books listed, so it may not have a series developed from it. And yes the Dire Cat was very cool.

[Jenni]

In 2022, I pledged to read 5 books since I joined in really late in the year and I figured 5 books was 1 book a month for what was left of 2022. I read 4, but the tracker wouldn't log the 4th for whatever reason.

Anyway, I decided to pledge to read 10 books since I'd inevitably burn out in December and I'd want to try to read the daily read in October. We'll see how it goes!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

awesome! The daily Lonesome October is lots of fun!

[Dj]

Legends & Lattes If you like your fantasy with lots of swinging swords with a dose of blood and gore, this book is not for you. This is a look at a world that could be set in a role-playing game with one of the characters deciding that they have had enough of adventuring and they are going to retire and open a coffee shop. Just to make things more interesting for themselves they are going to do it in a place that pretty much has never heard of much less tasted coffee. The book is fun, quietly enjoyable, and different than almost anything else you will come across in the fantasy genre. It was a very nice way to start the new year.

Now I only have 22 left to go for the year.

[CBRetriever]

and I finished the second one: The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner and all I can say is wow, why'd I wait so long

[Dj]

CBRetriever wrote: "and I finished the second one: The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner and all I can say is wow, why'd I wait so long"

Well with a comment like that I will have to move it up on my reading list.

[CBRetriever]

Dj wrote: "Well with a comment like that I will have to move it up on my reading list."

Dunno - the reading threads for it indicate that a lot of people didn't like the way it was written but I did

[Dj]

CBRetriever wrote: "Dj wrote: "Well with a comment like that I will have to move it up on my reading list."

Dunno - the reading threads for it indicate that a lot of people didn't like the way it was written but I did"

It happens. I think it comes under that individuality clause you get when you are born.

[Tashii]

Just started The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August for my first book for this challenge. I'd like to read 10 books from this bookshelf this year as a good starting goal.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

a good goal and a good starting place! let us know your thoughts, Tasha!

[Tashii]

I'm liking it so far! I needed something with a faster pace after my last read and this meets that prompt. It also is on my local library's bingo card reading list so I get to count it on two lists!

[Banshee]

I finished my first book for the challenge: Kindred. I can totally see why it's a modern classic: it definitely packs a punch. Even though it was so emotionally loaded, it was still quick and easy to read, so Butler is a really good storyteller. It was a bit too light on the SFF elements to my liking, though.

[Tashii]

I also read Kindred this year! Just finished the First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, it was interesting to see two time-traveling books done completely different.

[DivaDiane]

I finished my first challenge book:

Recursion, by Blake Crouch. I enjoyed reading it aloud to my husband. It was a good choice.

[Stephen]

I’ve read Snow Crash, first of the ten I listed. It had its slow moments but was generally inventive and fun. It must have been amazing thirty years ago.

[CBRetriever]

Stephen wrote: "I’ve read Snow Crash, first of the ten I listed. It had its slow moments but was generally inventive and fun. It must have been amazing thirty years ago."

it was, especially the first part.

[Stephen]

I’ve read a second book: Nettle & Bone, an enjoyable 2022 fantasy novel read by the group just a few months ago.

[Dj]

Stephen wrote: "I’ve read a second book: Nettle & Bone, an enjoyable 2022 fantasy novel read by the group just a few months ago."

Always nice to read books that you enjoy

[DivaDiane]

Nettle and Bone was one of my overall favorites last year. I did not manage to read many of last years group reads, but very glad I read this one.

[Marc]

Finally starting my first book of my personal challenge, Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven. Afterward I can start watching the tv show or movie (no clue, just know someone filmed it!)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

hope you like it!!

[Bonnie]

CBRetriever wrote: "Stephen wrote: "I’ve read Snow Crash, first of the ten I listed. It had its slow moments but was generally inventive and fun. It must have been amazing thirty years ago."

it was, especially the first part"

Agreed!

[John]

Successfully completed my challenge from last year of not signing up for any challenges or being driven by club bookshelves.

Was going to do the same this year but saw this challenge and Snow Crash mentioned. Just started Blindsight and knew it was on the bookshelf. So it fits with my inTENtion to finishing a few series and a cyberpunk kick (with a slide to Steampunk and Hard SciFi). But want to keep my no challenge zehn so will stray from the bookshelf a bit.

Series I want to finish with a start from the bookshelf:
The Witcher Series - https://www.goodreads.com/series/4091...
The Sandman series The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes



Karen Memory
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom
When Gravity Fails
Infernal Devices
The Last Policeman
Blindsight
Zodiac
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
Snow Crash - may re-read

not on bookshelf but on a best of cyberpunk list so got my atTENtion:
Beggars in Spain
Data Runner

and Antholo(shi)s with diez or more stories in them:
Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology - completed
Cyberpunk: Stories of Hardware, Software, Wetware, Evolution, and Revolution - completed
Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology - reading
Neo Cyberpunk
Neo Cyberpunk Volume 2

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

A very good way to augment the prompt! I hope it serves you well haha

[Marc]

1 down, 4 to go! Just finished Station Eleven, a great book, didn't want it to end!

[Dj]

Marc wrote: "1 down, 4 to go! Just finished Station Eleven, a great book, didn't want it to end!"

It is always amazing when you find a book like that. And your comment just moved it up on my reading list. Thanks

[DivaDiane]

Marc wrote: "1 down, 4 to go! Just finished Station Eleven, a great book, didn't want it to end!"

I recently read Station Eleven as well. I loved it. Does anyone know if the TV series is any good?

[Marc]

I plan on watching it now! I haven't started though...

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

My SIL, who hasn't read it says it was good byut (mild spoiler for types of content) (view spoiler)[ focused a lot on gore/human violence (hide spoiler)]

[DivaDiane]

Huh. (view spoiler)[yeah, there was some of that in the book, but certainly not enough to make it the focus. (hide spoiler)]

[Bonnie]

I set my challenge to 25, so that I would make progress, and end up the year with a higher percentage than I began it.

Plans:
1. read as many of the monthly group picks as I can.
2. read all the re-read picks that I haven't already read (just finished Rivers of London and The Bear and the Nightingale).

So. How else to prioritize ?...

3. Recent group books that I missed:
Terra Nullius,
Persephone Station,
Howl’s Moving Castle.
4. Crossover: read by the Hugo/Nebula noms group:
The City We Became - N.K. Jemesin
Jade City
5. Crossover: read by IRL group:
Red Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson. Lots of awards.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K Dick

A Closed and Common Orbit - have already read the first one.
The Underground Railroad - Black History Month. also could watch the TV series. Lots of awards.
His Majesty's Dragon - have read the other two on our list by Naomi Novik

I have liked other stuff by these authors:
Cold Magic - Kate Elliot
Pushing Ice - Alastair Reynolds
The Just City - Jo Walton

[DivaDiane]

That's very ambitious. It looks like you might blow that goal out of the water unless you don't believe you can read all the group reads.

[Richard]

Currently on track with two down:



The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins and


Mort by Terry Pratchett.

Both humorous with lots of death, but very very different.

Thirteen left to go for this year’s challenge. Luckily I’ve got lots to choose from on mount TBR.

[Marc]

Just finished A.E. Van Vogt's Slan. great book, but a bit dated. So, about to start my next book on this list, PK Dick's Ubik

[Bonnie]

DivaDiane wrote: "That's very ambitious. It looks like you might blow that goal out of the water unless you don't believe you can read all the group reads."

Well only the first two are "plans." The rest are "hopes" and "dreams"
😂

I also plan -- as I did last year and utterly failed -- to report progress / likes / dislikes to this thread.

This week I got another group book in: A Closed and Common Orbit. (That was after whipping through novella A Prayer for the Crown-Shy for my IRL group.) It is my favorite of four Becky Chambers books I have read, and I promptly sent a copy to my friend in Michigan.

[Dj]

This is my 7th group shelf read of this year.
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City


What a delightful read. A seriously different look at Fantasy/medieval battles that was just what the doctor ordered. It was also interesting to see the role reversal of race in this book. It comes to the fore on a number of different occasions and is the underlying cause of the siege itself, but it isn't really to focus of the story. While the book does seem slow in some places it doesn't drag and when it does speed up it doesn't feel like a runaway freight train steamrolling everything in front of it. It was a book that made me wish that I was at the beach sitting by the window on a stormy night. (Not that there are any real storms in the book mind.)

And even with everything that is involved, I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Alexandra]

Dj wrote: "This is my 7th group shelf read of this year.
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City


What a delightful read. A seriously di..."

Oh, yes! I thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. I am a big fan of K.J. Parker. He takes fantasy logistics to the next level ;) I thought that the second book in the series was even better than Sixteen Ways.

[Dj]

Alexandra wrote: "Dj wrote: "This is my 7th group shelf read of this year.
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City


What a delightful read. A s..."

Thanks, that gives me something to really look forward to.

[Marc]

Wasn't planning on knocking off my list of 5 so soon, but anyhoo, just finished my second book on the list, P.K. Dick Ubik. Took a little bit of effort to accept the lingo, the setting, but once I got it, the story took off.

Anyhoo, now I'm starting book 3 of my list, Daniel Keyes Flowers for Algernon. I see there was a movie adaptation of the book as well, which I have not seen (Charly) and apparently Matthew Modine started in a tv movie which I've also not seen (AFAIK), and referenced by other tv shows like the simpsons! Looking at wikipedia, sounds like the book has been banned and attempted to be banned. My curiosity is now even more engaged!