Play Book Tag discussion
Footnotes
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Trim Challenge 2024: Announcement and Community Thread
Emerging Buddy Reads List - As they evolve will be posted here:1. Museum of Failures - Thrity Umigar (Amy, Sally, Hannah)
2. The Phoenix Crown (HayJay, Amy)
2. The Two Lives of Sara (BnB, Amy)
2. Tomorrow X3 (Heather, Jenni Elyse)
3. Mansfield Park (Diana, Pam, Sally)
3. Lady Tan's Circle of Women (Amy, JoyD).
3. Above the Bay of Angels (Hannah; Linda C.)
4. The House of Doors - (Amy, BnB, JenK)
5. The Naked Sun (JoyD, Sue)
5. A Girl Called Samson (Amy, Ann)
6. Looking for Jane - (Amy, Sally, Hannah)
6. The Bastard of Instanbul (JoyD, Theresa, Amy, Hannah, JenK)
7. Lessons in Chemistry (Purple Jen and Hannah)
8. One for the Money (Diana, KTLoves)
8. Women Talking (Theresa, Linda C., Meli, Jen K)
8. Watership Down (Sally, Pam)
8. Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Heather, Library Nerd)
9. Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl (Amy, HayJay, Kelly)
9. River Sing Me Home (BnB, Hannah)
10. Valley Forge (KTLoves, Joanne, JoyD, BnB?)
10. The Secret Healer (Amy, Jen M)
10. Tom Lake (Sally and Kelly)
10. The Night Travellers (Amy, Hannah)
10. Lioness of Boston (Anaressa, Amy)
11. A Dress of Violet Taffeta (HayJay, BnB, Amy)
11. Code Name Sapphire (Amy, Hannah)
12. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (KTLoves, BnB, Jen M, Sally, LibN)
15. Hamnet (Diana, Sally)
15. Ink Blood Sister Scribe (Jenni Elyse, Amy)
16. Art of Racing in the Rain (Diana, Jennifer, Kelly)
16. Greenlanders (JoyD, OliverM)
16. Tender at the Bone (Theresa, BnB)
16. The Last Equation of Issac Severy (JenK, HayJay)
19. Open Water (JenK, BnB)
20. The Dressmakers Gift (Amy, Ann)
22. Enter Ghost (Amy Sally, OliverM, Heather?)
22. Eventide (JenK, Kelly)
23. Lock In (Diana, KTLoves)
23. Unlikely Animals (JoyD, BnB)
23. See What I Have Done (Purple Jen and BC)
23. Loot (JenK and HayJay)
24. The Engineer's Wife (Amy, BnB, HayJay, Hannah)
24. We All Want Impossible Things (Sue, Sally, Kelly)
24. His Majesty's Royal Coven (JenK, Amy)
Numbers Already Picked
5, 7, 13, 14, 17, 18, 21
List of participants so far, and Trim Picker Order List. Let me know if I have somehow missed you....January 2024 Jen M
February 2024 Theresa
March 2024 Hannah
April 2024 Heather
May 2024 Sue
June 2024 Amy
July 2024 Meli
August 2024 Pam
September 2024 HayJay
October 2024 Book Concierge
November 2024 Jen K
December 2024 Booknblues
January 2024 Purple Jen
February 2025 Sally
March 2025 Linda C
April 2025 Joanne
May 2025 Diana
June 2025 JoyD
July 2025 OliverM
August 2025 LibraryCin
September 2025 KateNZ
October 2025 Kelly
November 2025 Annaressa
More Players/Substitute Pickers:
Saorse
Ann
Jenni Elyse
Library Nerd
Liz
Looks great, Amy! Wonderful job and I'm looking forward to another great 2 years of Trim reading!Now to finish this year's trim before year end...
So the January tag didn't help me with anything on my personal list, but I did spy a book on someone else's list for whom it would fit, so hoping this helps them out: January's number for Trim will be 13.I'll be reading The Accounting by William Lashner which looks like a fast-paced, entertaining thriller and will be a fun way to start the New Year.
Jen wrote: "So the January tag didn't help me with anything on my personal list, but I did spy a book on someone else's list for whom it would fit, so hoping this helps them out: January's number for Trim will..."My trim book is The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store and it is up to 5 historical mystery tags!! 😀👏🏻
I am also MOST excited to read this than anything I've picked up lately. We'll see if I can get to it. My trim is lowest on the priority list.
Edit: just went back in this thread and see this is also a buddy read! Now higher priority 😉
My #13 is The Thief Who Pulled on Troubles Braids/Lisette's List. I will have to see which one I can get before making a decision. My plan is to read one of the two books listed each month, then take the remaining book and slot it into another month. After a few years of doing this challenge it finally sunk in that I need choices! Took me long enough, eh?
@Joanne - the January trim book is #13... or did I misread this?
Meli wrote: "Jen wrote: "So the January tag didn't help me with anything on my personal list, but I did spy a book on someone else's list for whom it would fit, so hoping this helps them out: January's number f..."Oh yay! That wasn't the book I had checked before picking the number, but I'm so happy that it fits the January tag---looks like a bunch of y'all will be able to tie that one in!
That was a real favor Jen, there are a bunch of us reading it for Trim, Historical Mystery, and Books with Friends! All of the teams will have the same H!
My #13 is The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World.😅 - I KNEW when I put this NF on my Trim that its number would be picked for January when I have a chunkster to read! Almost took it off ... then said to myself to stop being silly.
And here we are!🙃
This is my 13The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter / Hazel Gaynor
Mine is ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister’, which is just the right amount of fun to start the year ❤️
I believe mine is The Heaven and Earth Grocery store
I'm starting with The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne which fits the tag and ended up on my TBR after Theresa's fabulous review!
I am in the HEGS group!!! Jen did all the teams a favor. Thank you Jen.
Buddy Reads Updated 12.23.23Some of you now have Buddy Reads with JenK that you didn't even know about. I am also moving something on my list to join your #24.
Only problem is, and I will note it on the other thread, is that all the Buddy Reads are updated on this newer ongoing thread, not on the original where the lists are posted and the planning is happening. I will make a note so anyone joining us, can be clear to reflect that. Maybe at some point, I will take this one, and move it over, but not while its still in flux.
Hayjay315 wrote: "I'm starting with The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne which fits the tag and ended up on my TBR after Theresa's fabulous review!"Oh! I loved that! Hopeyou like it!
Amy wrote: "Buddy Reads Updated 12.23.23Some of you now have Buddy Reads with JenK that you didn't even know about. I am also moving something on my list to join your #24.
Only problem is, and I will note ..."
Thanks Amy and sorry for the extra trouble!
No extra trouble! And I’m so excited we will be reading together a lot this year! Honestly, this challenge is the tiniest bit of work in December, but it otherwise runs itself. It’s just easy.
Joanne wrote: "My #12 is The Jewel of Medina OR The Luncheon of the Boating Party. I will have to see which one I can get before making a decision. My plan is to read one of the two books listed each month, then ..."Yeah me too. I accepted that I can read anything when life is going ok but when my head is busy dealing with stuff it can't always deal with some books, hence choices last TRIM meant it was the only challenge I completed in 2022 or 2023. Any choices I don't get to I just roll over to the next TRIM list. So long as we get books off the list it doesn't matter right? (I do have more than enough for 12 years at this point if I only do 1 per month so if it is a good month I may do more than one option.)
I was hoping 13 would come up later as one of the options I expect I will enjoy (Blake Crouch) but am definitely not in the head space for now. Oh well it will stay on the list until next time, serves me right for being optimistic. Jan 13th is a trigger date too so number 13 in Jan was not a good start, esp with a book with a similar trigger to the date's trigger. Guess the world is letting me know I am not on the mend yet.Since one option is out I will be reading either The Box in the Woods or Dawn of the Dreadfuls or possibly both. I did like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies so it might turn out ok.
Welcome Anaressa! We have 48 Evolving Buddy Reads! That's really fun and super exciting. So glad this challenge has survived all these years, and is growing. And we are kicking it off with at least two Buddy Reads! The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, and The Chinese Grove.
Jen K wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "My # 13 is The Chinese Groove."Joining you for this one! Excited for it."
Me, too! Will be fun and glad to have a buddy read with you after my fail with Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World.
Welcome Ann! I added you to the list and put in two Buddy Reads for you and I at 5 and 20. If there are any I missed let me know.
Ann☕ wrote: "Thank you, Amy. :-) I'm just looking through the posts now and see you added those books as alternates. I just posted my list last night and this morning added some alternates, plus removed two non..."@Ann☕ - the Marian Babson? That's a delight! I love Marian Babson -- my 2 favorites are The Twelve Deaths Of Christmas and Murder at the Cat Show although there are many others I also just love. I do re=read her books periodically -- the humor!
Number 13 is often considered ill-omened, which fits my book. I’ll be reading The Stoning of Soraya M. by Freidoune Sahebjam. This book was on the suggested reading list in my Sharia law course in grad school — you know, the ones nobody ever gets to. I’m determined that this is the year to read this groundbreaking 1990 book that forced the world to confront the reality of women being stoned to death, for flimsy and often completely manufactured reasons, by male relatives or their spouse.
Saorse wrote: "Number 13 is often considered ill-omened, which fits my book. I’ll be reading The Stoning of Soraya M. by Freidoune Sahebjam. This book was on the suggested reading list in my Sharia law course in ..."Sounds very confronting but unfortunately necessary for people to be aware of.
Saorse wrote: "Number 13 is often considered ill-omened, which fits my book. I’ll be reading The Stoning of Soraya M. by Freidoune Sahebjam. This book was on the suggested reading list in my Sharia law course in ..."That has to be one of the worst way to die :(
Booknblues wrote: "Jen K wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "My # 13 is The Chinese Groove."Joining you for this one! Excited for it."
Me, too! Will be fun and glad to have a buddy read with you after my fa..."
Will be great to share! I was able to borrow on audio but would like to do my BWF book first and then this one. I will probably start sometime next week. I can start a thread.
I finished my January Trim book: All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir - 4 stars, mostly for the emotional content and the great narration job by the author in the audio book.
Trying to get back on track - #13 for me is either Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir or The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshana Chokshi!
Ann☕ wrote: "Theresa wrote: "@Ann☕ - the Marian Babson? That's a delight! I love Marian Babson -- my 2 favorites are The Twelve Deaths Of Christmas and Murder at the Cat Show although there are many others I al..."If you have a local used bookstore, or library sales, her books will show up in the paperback mystery piles.
Finished #13 for January:The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery - 4* - My Review
Renée Michel is a fifty-four-year-old concierge from an impoverished background. She hides her love for literature behind a façade of simplicity. Paloma is a precocious twelve-year-old living in the same Parisian apartment building. She plans to end her life on her thirteenth birthday for reasons explained in the narrative. Mister Ozu is a Japanese businessman who moves into the building and becomes friends with Madame Michel and Paloma. It is a philosophical novel that explores the question: “What makes life worthwhile?”
This is a low-key character-driven book. Themes include class, appearances versus reality, beauty, interpersonal connections, and happiness. The characters form unlikely bonds that lead to a deeper appreciation of their own lives. It examines the search for meaning in a world that is too busy to take time to appreciate the small things of everyday life. It packs a lot of thought-provoking material into a relatively few pages. I have been meaning to read this book for quite a while and glad I finally got around to it.
(Copied from 2023 thread where I inadvertently posted this originally.)
Finished my # 13 Lisette's List-just ok. However, fit in BWF's and a few other challenges 😁 Review"https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I need to wait for the audio to come in for mine (not sure why I didn't put it on hold earlier!), so I'm not likely to read my January trim until later.
Did finish my January trim last week The Box in the Woods and it was ok but Ratfink is not well so haven't really slept since Friday and forgot to log it.
Finished my #13. Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. I was very disappointed
Ann☕ wrote: "Sallys wrote: "Finished my #13. Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. I was very disappointed"Sorry, that didn't end up being a good reading experience. Based on your comment, along with some other rea..."
I know everyone recently has been knocking it so it has been a contagion of sorts. I loved it and it made my top 10 of the year.
There was much to be missed from avoiding the epilogue and the authors note at the end.
There are a few difficult scenes, but I do not believe they are there for shock value. There are many wonderful scenes as well and for me the book had a very positive feel. I am sorry that everyone has turned this into a downer, but I do understand that we all love different books and that in itself is a good thing.
Ann☕ wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Ann☕ wrote: "Sallys wrote: "Finished my I know everyone recently has been knocking it so it has been a contagion of sorts. I loved it and it made my top 10 of the year..."Well,..."
Having said all that, it does take some time to get into because there are so many twists and turns. It isn't really a book to read when you are having difficulty reading.
Completed my January Trim bookThe Accounting by William Lashner.
Not a stellar piece of writing that's going to change my life or anything, but it fit the fast-paced mood I was aiming for.
Play Book Tag
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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This thread is our Community Thread. This is where the announcement of the new number will go, and so we can talk together. I think it’s best to try not to have it be a place for reviews, although you may feel free to link your review.
What is It – How Does it Work?
PBT is continuing to hold an unofficial challenge for the community, meant for old and new members both. This challenge emerged from one of the yearlong challenges in 2019, and we liked it so much, that we are still continuing it. It’s meant to be something that new or old members can join in, and join in at any time. My role in this, is to make sure it gets a good strong organized dynamic kickoff, and then just to keep up excitement and morale.
This is not an official PBT challenge, and is meant to be secondary to the yearlong challenges. You do not have to participate, you can drop or enter participation at any time. You can switch your books, you can read them earlier or later than you were “supposed” to, or not at all. You can substitute, change your list completely, throw it out and start over. There is complete flexibility. This is the ultimate easy extra. You will not receive any extra points for books that you read, but you should put them in the monthly or other folders to get points, as well as if they fit into particular challenges. It is for fun. And for some, the fun is creating Buddy Reads that we can read something together.
This is how it works. You create (or recreate) a list of 24 books that are on your TBR and that you would like to get to. Each month, a participating member will randomly pick (or we’d never know if you picked decisively) a remaining number from 1-24, and we all read the number on our list, thus ensuring that this book comes off your TBR. And for some, creating the opportunity to do a Buddy Read together. And no pressure with the Buddy Reads either. Just because you signed up to read something does not commit you in any way to do so. In the past, some people have put more than one book choice on their list – feel free. The reason some people choose to have more books added to their lists is because they either want to have choices, or participate in more than one buddy read. Or folks will talk together and switch a number, so they can do more than one without it being the same month. Again, totally flexible, and I will continue to add and help arrange the Buddy Reads as they evolve.
How Do I Join?
Many of us have already constructed our list of 24. In December of 2024, we (I) will shift the remaining 12 numbers into 12 slots, so the buddy reads remain the same. But it is a chance to totally recreate your list if wished. But to join, all you need to do is to reference this thread below….. And create your list of 24. (Minusing the ones that have been already picked) If you see that others have a book you also want to read and you want to potentially read it together, you can put yours on the same number and we will add it to the list of existing Buddy Reads. If you want to join a Buddy read, you look to the list in Message 2, and you just put the book on that identical number. Let me know and I will add you as well to Message Two. For anyone wanting to reference the old thread with our lists, or to create their own, the link is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...