Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

megan wrote: "Hi everyone, I'm Megan,

Have you played Tower Teams before? Yes - last round.

What is your favorite genre? Least favorite? I love mysteries, especially crime/espionage and historical fiction. My ..."

Hi Megan! Welcome to the team!

Cool to have another Historical Fiction fan in the mix. Do you have a favorite? I have read some really good ones since joining Goodreads.
Oh I envy that you can read in the car! It makes me nauseous LOL but I hate giving up all that good reading time. hehe

Look forward to hearing more about Brady. Boxers are sweet.

Speaking of dogs - they are just wonderful!

Well - ate least until they come home looking like this, then they're not all that wonderful anymore....

Annika wrote: "Speaking of dogs - they are just wonderful!

Well - ate least until they come home looking like this, then they're not all that wonderful anymore....

"

I thought this was a picture of a seal looking at it when I first woke up.

Annika wrote: "Speaking of dogs - they are just wonderful!

Well - ate least until they come home looking like this, then they're not all that wonderful anymore....

"

Awwwww still a cutie though, even when filthy like that;-)!

I'm curious if anyone else has any overarching goals for precisely what they want to finish - either before the challenge starts or during the challenge.

Personally, I'm hoping by the end of the challenge to catch up on all the series I have in progress (assuming I care to continue with them at all). At the beginning of the year I had 40 in-progress series. Now I'm down to 13, after finishing a bunch and abandoning a handful once and for all. That will be about 30 specific books to read, assuming I finish the three I'm currently reading before the 4th.

So right now I'm trying to finish The Blood Mirror by Brent Weeks, Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews, and Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer.

Bethany wrote: "I love dogs, but I'm really lazy, and dogs take time out of my potential reading time with their need for walks. Dogs are like children are to me right now -- I love them when they are nice and belong to other people. My ideal situation would be to have a roommate who had a dog, so I could pet it whenever I wanted but wouldn't be my responsibility.."

That's why cats are so great;-). Mine plop down next to me and lay near/on me as I read. For the most part they are very low maintenance, except the younger cat does sometimes like to play at 3 a.m.

Kelly B wrote: "Bethany wrote: "I love dogs, but I'm really lazy, and dogs take time out of my potential reading time with their need for walks. Dogs are like children are to me right now -- I love them when they ..."

I like cats! I'm just allergic. I'm getting shots to help with that, and hope to get a cat someday, once stress tests with my friends' cats prove tolerable.

I find most cats I've met suit me very well. They want to cuddle or play for like a couple minutes a day, and the rest of the time just want to be left alone.

Bethany wrote: "I'm curious if anyone else has any overarching goals for precisely what they want to finish - either before the challenge starts or during the challenge.

Personally, I'm hoping by the end of the c..."

I pulled 5 or 6 short books (under 130 pages) off my bookshelf yesterday that I hope to read during the challenge. I also currently have five library books checked out that I want to finish before the challenge starts.

I have been holding off on reading Stephen King's The Stand. I've had it for years but haven't ever read it.

Wouldn't mind finishing the books on my Kindle. I have lots of impulse purchases on there that I'd like to clear out once and for all.

Caly ☯ wrote: "
Cool to have another Historical Fiction fan in the mix. Do you have a favorite? I have read some really good ones since joining Goodreads. "

Has anyone read The North Water yet? I just checked it out from the library, and I hope to read it before the challenge starts. It's getting really good reviews, and I thought it sounded interesting.

Kelly B wrote: "Caly ☯ wrote: "
Cool to have another Historical Fiction fan in the mix. Do you have a favorite? I have read some really good ones since joining Goodreads. "

Has anyone read [book:The North Water|2..."

This looks really good! I might have to put it on my TBR...

Bethany wrote: "I'm curious if anyone else has any overarching goals for precisely what they want to finish - either before the challenge starts or during the challenge.

Personally, I'm hoping by the end of the c..."

I hope to get through as much arc books I have as possible. Feels like I'm drowning in them at the moment. But I can't say no to a good book describtion and end up with mountains of books.

Annika wrote: "Speaking of dogs - they are just wonderful!

Well - ate least until they come home looking like this, then they're not all that wonderful anymore....

"

LOL That is why I prefer the short haired breeds. 8-)

Bethany wrote: "I'm curious if anyone else has any overarching goals for precisely what they want to finish - either before the challenge starts or during the challenge.

Personally, I'm hoping by the end of the c..."

The only thing I am specifically working on is the 2017 Popsugar challenge which has me reading a total of 52 books that meet specific prompts. So far I have 19 done, so some of the books I will be reading in the coming months will be based on those prompts.

Kelly B wrote: "Caly ☯ wrote: "
Cool to have another Historical Fiction fan in the mix. Do you have a favorite? I have read some really good ones since joining Goodreads. "

Has anyone read [book:The North Water|2..."

That sounds like a great book! I added it to my list so I can't wait to hear what you thought about it.

If i weren't lazy I'd upload a puppers pic but i sorta forget html.

Hello all my deliciously dark droid/ship teamies! I'll be your dark side mentor mod for this book fueled journey through space.

Looking forward to getting this party started!

Bethany wrote: "Annika wrote: "Speaking of dogs - they are just wonderful!

Well - ate least until they come home looking like this, then they're not all that wonderful anymore....

"

I thought this was a picture of a seal looking at it when I first woke up. "

LOL, that was a new one. A very hairy seal in any case ;)

Caly ☯ wrote: "Annika wrote: "Speaking of dogs - they are just wonderful!

Well - ate least until they come home looking like this, then they're not all that wonderful anymore....

"

LOL That is why I prefer the..."

Yeah - grooming him can be a real nightmare, it takes hours!

megan wrote: "If i weren't lazy I'd upload a puppers pic but i sorta forget html."

I totally understand, but if you decide you want to try if you click on the link above the comment box (some html is ok) it gives you the formulas for posting pictures and other things.

Bethany wrote: "I'm curious if anyone else has any overarching goals for precisely what they want to finish - either before the challenge starts or during the challenge.

Personally, I'm hoping by the end of the c..."

I'm so bad at planning my reads so I usually give up that project before starting and just pick up whatever I'm in the mood for that day.

Shannon wrote: "

Hello all my deliciously dark droid/ship teamies! I'll be your dark side mentor mod for this book fueled journey through space.

Looking forward to getting this party started!"

Whooo Hooo! Me too!! And one good think about black, it makes you look skinny. hehhee

Annika wrote: "Bethany wrote: "Annika wrote: "Speaking of dogs - they are just wonderful!

Well - ate least until they come home looking like this, then they're not all that wonderful anymore....

"

I thought th..."

I'm not very perceptive first thing in the morning, lol.

ok so finally had some time to spend at the computer.

Have you played Tower Teams before?
Yes. I've been playing since Tower Teams II. I also did WOBBLE. I love team challenge games.

What is your favorite genre? Least favorite?
Like so many of us here my favorite genre depends on my mood. I love horror, some fantasy and some sci-fi, urban fantasy, some paranormal... I think my least fav has to be historical fiction.

How many books do you average a week?
That also depends a lot. I've been on a reading slum for the past year. Hopefully TT will change that. I try to read 1 book a week. If i get into a challenge i can read about 3-4 a week.

Are you looking forward to being a chatty team? What shall we talk about?
I do prefer a chatty team, even though i'm really not that chatty xD. But chatty teams end up being more fun :)

Are you a dog person?
Cat person all the way. I'm currently living with my sister (who is on the light side on BB-8 team) and she has a cat. His name is simba and he thinks he is a dog xD
Sadly since i read parasite i have this desire of having a labrador. But with simba being old and we living on an apartment that hasn't been possible yet.

Anything else you would like to share.
Aside from our furbaby, i have a 4 year old (going on 5) minion. She's very active, very social and drives me crazy one moment and fills me with cuddles the next.

My shelf
tt_v_2017

BTW *waves* hi shannon!

Eni wrote: "ok so finally had some time to spend at the computer.

Have you played Tower Teams before?
Yes. I've been playing since Tower Teams II. I also did WOBBLE. I love team challenge games.

What is your..."

Hi Eni! Welcome! Glad you had a moment to check in, I remember well what its like to have a youngster in the house, but I agree cuddles are the best. 8-)

Kelly will be happy to see another cat person on board. I am like Bethany, I like cats but I am allergic. If I wasn't I would definitely have a Siamese, they have the coolest personalities.

Cheers also to another Historical fiction fan! Do you have a favorite one you have read lately?

Keep in touch when you can. 2 weeks to go!

Awesome!

We are just waiting for Lauriie to check in and we will be good to go.

What is everyone reading at the moment?

I am reading for UNO and it is pretty good, though the writing style can be a bit annoying at times.

As a rule, I don't really like cats, but I will admit to having a soft spot for big, fat orange cats. My childhood friend had a big, fat orange one and I loved him.

I just started for SOS Bingo and liking it so far.

I just finished , and next up is , which I hope to start later tonight. I'm a big fan of post-apocalyptic, so I'm really looking forward to it.

I also am allergic to cats. I wasn't when I was little and I used to love them!! But then a few years ago I nannied for a family that had a cat and I found out real quick that that arrangement wasn't going to work out! It was quite miserable! :'( I love dogs, however!


^ These are my pups. On the left is cranky Franky the little white schnauzer. My dad is really geeky and named him Franky, which is short for Frank-n-stein. Yes, that's literally what it says on his papers. *eyeroll* On the right is our baby Ellie. She is literally my dream puppy. I had a dream about a year ago that we had a golden retriever named Ellie. Lo and behold here we are today with a 4 month old golden named Ellie. We have so much fun giving her nicknames. And she is so clumsy it is hilarious. We think she is going to be really big and she is having trouble growing into her body because she seriously trips over herself all the time. It is just so cute!! Gah! Dogs are LOVE!!!

Ok, that's enough gushing from me for today. :D

Eni wrote: "BTW *waves* hi shannon! ..."

HI!!!!!!

Bethany wrote: "I'm curious if anyone else has any overarching goals for precisely what they want to finish - either before the challenge starts or during the challenge.

Personally, I'm hoping by the end of the challenge to catch up on all the series I have in progress (assuming I care to continue with them at all). At the beginning of the year I had 40 in-progress series. Now I'm down to 13, after finishing a bunch and abandoning a handful once and for all. "

Wow, that's a lot of series, Bethany!! I don't always begin a series with the intention of finishing it. Also, I have a hard time committing to reading series' back to back (in other words binging on series') because I get really into them that way and go through major withdrawal afterwards. I do have a couple series that I try to keep track of though and that I am trying to finish before really devoting myself to picking up any new ones.

As for general, overarching goals before or during the challenge....I have a few books that are on my TBR that I know that I want to get to....I should make it a goal for myself to only read books and arcs that I already have/own and not buy or request any more unless I have to full a specific requirement. I have been spending way too much money that I don't have on books lately and my TBR has gotten out of control! I own a TON of books that I haven't read. Probably a full A-Z challenge plus a bunch of randoms.

Yeah, it's actually looking like I might have fewer to finish because... well... I picked up a book from a series I started today and remembered why I wasn't enthusiastic about finishing it, and there are like seven in that series, so...

And OH MY GOSH I just looked at the page for said book and it turns out a bunch of you loved it, so, erm, sorry?

Cute puppies Lindsay

Ok, so because I'm going through reviews for Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews and people have nothing but good things to say about it...

I have to ask, am I overreacting with regards to thinking Curran's treatment of Kate is creepy and controlling? I think I'm only like 40% in, but I got really uncomfortable when he (view spoiler)[apparently kept a key to her apartment without her permission, then showed up and let himself in uninvited because she said she was sleeping with someone, even though they don't have any kind of relationship accepted by both parties (hide spoiler)].

Does this relationship either improve in terms of appropriate respect and boundaries, or does the series ever start treating it like a bad relationship or something? I love a lot of the worldbuilding and plot that's going on and I want to like this like everyone else does but I am just VERY uncomfortable with controlling relationships if the readers are just supposed to accept them as being totally fine.

Lindsay♫Sings wrote: "I also am allergic to cats. I wasn't when I was little and I used to love them!! But then a few years ago I nannied for a family that had a cat and I found out real quick that that arrangement wasn..."

Oooohh.. Puppies! She is absolutely adorable. I love taking Annie and Pippin to the dog park and seeing all the silly puppies with their long legs. Thanks for sharing the photo and I think Franky is a cute name. 8-)

Morning all!

Sorry I can't chime in Bethany but I have not read it, Speaking of dogs however, I finished my other book last night ( i would rate it a 3.5) and now I am going to read

Have a great day all. I'm off to work.

Hi Team!
Sorry I'm a little late but I'm not at at home from monday to friday because of work and the weather change (from t-shirt weather to snow and -5) didn't help.

Have you played Tower Teams before?
Yes, I've played last year or the year before I'm not quite sure right now.

What is your favorite genre? Least favorite?
I don't really have a favorite or least favrite genre it depends on my mood but I read a lot of fantasy and YA books.

How many books do you average a week?
Normally 3-5 books depends on the lenght but right now I am a bit unmotivated I hope TT can change that.

Are you looking forward to being a chatty team? What shall we talk about?
I love to read in chatty conversations but I will probably don't write as much as others...

Are you a dog person? (LOL I am more about that later )
I like both dogs and cats but I think I am more a cat person.
I don't have any pets so it doesn't really matter

Anything else you would like to share.
The link will follow when I'm home on my computer.

Kelly B wrote: "I just finished , and next up is , which I hope to start later tonight. I'm a big fan of post-apocalyptic, so I'm really looking ..."

ohhhh just added The Shuddering to my tbr xD

And Caly i meant to say i dislike very strongly historical fiction. sorry :(

Lindsay♫Sings wrote: "I also am allergic to cats. I wasn't when I was little and I used to love them!! But then a few years ago I nannied for a family that had a cat and I found out real quick that that arrangement wasn..."

Awwww, they look like sweet dogs:-). My kids want a dog badly, but, like Bethany, I don't like the idea of having to take them for walks, let them out early in the morning, etc. Plus I think our cats would revolt;-).

Eni wrote: "ohhhh just added The Shuddering to my tbr xD
"

I really liked it--rated it 4 stars. Actually, I've really liked anything I've read by Ania Ahlborn. Have you read any of her books?

Lauriie wrote: "Hi Team!
Sorry I'm a little late but I'm not at at home from monday to friday because of work and the weather change (from t-shirt weather to snow and -5) didn't help.

Have you played Tower Teams ..."

Hi, Lauriie!

Kelly B wrote: "Eni wrote: "ohhhh just added The Shuddering to my tbr xD
"

I really liked it--rated it 4 stars. Actually, I've really liked anything I've read by Ania Ahlborn. Have you read any o..."

not yet

Caly ☯ wrote: "Morning all!

Sorry I can't chime in Bethany but I have not read it, Speaking of dogs however, I finished my other book last night ( i would rate it a 3.5) and now I am going to read "

Ohh, that's a subgenre I can't read...dog books. Same goes for movies. I can't watch them either. I'm too afraid the dogs are going to die or get hurt and then I'll be sad and depressed. That's the worst part about pets is that you outlive them! WHY?!?! Its like losing a child! I have such a hard time with it. :(

Kelly B wrote: "Lauriie wrote: "Hi Team!
Sorry I'm a little late but I'm not at at home from monday to friday because of work and the weather change (from t-shirt weather to snow and -5) didn't help.

Have you pla..."

Hi Lauriie and Welcome!

Brrrrrr on the change of weather! Spring was like that here last month. No problem about not being chatty, just as long as you check in at least once a week and keep your bookshelf up to date.

Eni wrote: "Kelly B wrote: "I just finished , and next up is , which I hope to start later tonight. I'm a big fan of post-apocalyptic, so I'm..."

Opps! My bad not yours. No problem about not liking historical fiction life would be boring if we were all the same. 8-)

Kelly B wrote: "I just finished , and next up is , which I hope to start later tonight. I'm a big fan of post-apocalyptic, so I'm really looking ..."

I've been eyeballing American War....keep me posted on what you think of it. I like dystopian stuff. I'm also really curious about that just came out!

Morning all!

I think it might be helpful if we do some planning about the BoM part of the challenge.
Do any of you normally participate in that? (I don't however I will do 2 of the books in May but not the first one)

The first one is going to be
The discussion will open on May 2. You can start the book before that (a TT exception) but you can NOT finish it before May 4th)

I do not plan to read this one. We do need 1 or more people to read it though so we can get the points associated with participating in the discussion.

The second book is which I plan to read

and the last one is
which I will also read.

Unfortunately all 3 books are rather long (around 450 - 550 pages ) which is why I won't be able to do all three.

So what are everyone's thoughts?

I would love to read either The Circle or Strange the Dreamer, but I am SO FAR DOWN on the holds list for both of them at the library, and I've been trying not to buy books I don't *know* I'm going to enjoy. Soooo.... maybe?