SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

This is my space for planning my challenges.

Crap, I should probably plan my challenges.

275 books on TBR as of 1/1/2018. SO THERE, haters.
Update: As of Jan 31, still at 275. I wish my weight stayed as constant as my bookshelf.
3/7/2018 down 4 books!

13/20 TBR

4/?? Owned Book

Points: 330

Inclusive Reads:
Golem and the Jinni
Jews vs. Aliens
Ninefox Gambit
Black Tides of Heaven
Carnival
Everything I Never Told You
Annie Allen
Children of Blood and Bone
Carnival
Among Others
Three Body Problem
Raven Stratagem
Alif the Unseen
Gods, Monsters & the Lucky Peach
Revenant Gun
Changeling
Certain Dark Things
Poppy War
Calculating Stars
Midnight Robber

1. The 13th book - The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

This is the 13th book currently on my TBR. I really loved the Broken Earth, excited to see some "younger" stuff, too.

2. A book written by an author who is/was still in diapers or over-the-hill. - The Art of War

Sun Tzu turns 2061 (ish) this year, so I guess he's kinda old for a human.


3. A book with humor or horror - Rat Queens #1

4. 300-350 pages - Midnight Robber

revised

5. A book that reminds you of home- Trickster's Choice
Bummed. This was not at the level I expect from Ms. Pierce.

6. Suns, skies, stars, or planets on the cover - The Calculating Stars

I should get extra credit for this because it has planet AND stars on it.

7. Chosen for the cover - An Unkindness of Ghosts

Just cool lookin'

8. "Missed it by that much" - a book you really wanted to read but didn't have time for - The Golem and the Jinni

Rolling over from last year >.>

9. Based on the blurb or blerg - Children of Blood and Bone

womp womp.

10. A non-U.S. or UK publication/setting - The Three-Body Problem

11. Gold on the cover, in the title, or in the author's name - Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life
It's a sort of yellowy gold.

12. A book with a vehicle on the cover, from a carriage to a spaceship - Ninefox Gambit

It's all about synergy.

13. An author's debut novel - The Hate U Give

So good!

14. Make a list of 5-7 books and use "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" to choose one - The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

15. A book from a genre that's outside your comfort zone - Annie Allen

It's poetry...BUT! It's the book that won the first Pullitzer ever awarded to a person of color, and her story is pretty amazing, so I'm excited to hear what she has to say.

16. A book with a mystery or romance - An Ember in the Ashes. SUBSTITUTE. Some say too much romance.

17. Standalone novel - The Anubis Gates
It fills so many challenges!!

18. A book with a character you would marry, shag, or kill - Raven Stratagem

I mean...Jedao.

19. Read a genre-bender - Touch

20. A book with an animal, vegetable, or mineral on the cover - Stories of Your Life and Others

My copy's got a horse on it.

2019 planning!

16. Hidden Gem - In Search of the Lost Feminine: Decoding the Myths That Radically Reshaped Civilization - it's lost, so it might be hidden. It's got a high rating and very few reviews.

In progress:

7. Your initials are in the title - A Natural History of Dragons
15. One Hit Wonder - Palimpsest

Finished:

1. Oldest book - The Republic of Thieves
2. Work of art - For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
3. Novella or short story collection - All Systems Red
4. Title is a question So You Want to Talk About Race
5. Ugly cover (and please share it!) A Dirty Job
6. Has inspired other art forms - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
8. A book recommended to you - Assassin's Apprentice
9. A book that intimidates you - The Library at Mount Char
10. Reminds you of a song - The Broken Crown (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXzDu...)
11. Buddy read (do not need to participate) - Gardens of the Moon
12. Book with a luck symbol - The Red Threads of Fortune
13. The 6th book - Midnight's Children
14. Last in a series - Alpha & Omega
17. Someplace you want to go - Witches Abroad
18. Get On the Bandwagon - Becoming
19. Words in Title in Alphabetical Order - Moon Over Soho
20. Graphic or illustrated novel - Welcome to Lovecraft

Jade War through Ch 29

(view spoiler)[ It feels incredibly similar to the build up of book 1. I was expecting to watch the pieces fall in this one, but something else is building. There are a lot of bits I like--Shae having to fight for credibility, Hilo having to learn diplomacy--but I'm really unsure about the need to kill Eyni and what Anden is doing. And now Shae's pregnant?? Feels a biiit soap opera-ish to me instead of wuxia. I also feel the writing is a bit more belabored in this one. I've lost the "feel" of the story I had in JC. Perhaps that's in part because it's not all about Kekon this time, but I do miss the intimacy of the crime family drama that the first book held. Hoping that, like with the first book, it turns around soon. (hide spoiler)]

I look forward to seeing what you think of the poetry book.
Great list!

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (and the whole Inheritance Trilogy) is excellent, great world- and culture-building.

Thanks, Cheryl and Meredith! I'm excited about both! I'm pleased that my library has both, that is extremely helpful!

Jemisin is amazing. I loooved the Broken Earth so all of her books are now jumping lines. I usually try to spread out authors, but she keeps reeling me back in.

Jemisin is on my "read all her stuff" list, for sure. The Dreamblood duology is also excellent and is another whole, rich world. It was written before the Inheritance trilogy, but published after.

She also has some novellas tied to the Inheritance trilogy and a short story Stone Hungerthat she wrote as sort of a "proof of concept" for the Broken Earth. I've been meaning to go back and read that one again, I think it would make more sense to me now (it is not the same characters as the books, just same world).

Jemisin also has a couple free short stories on Tor.com that are more contemporary sci fi, set here, today.

I have a copy of The Anubis Gates and I'm trying to read more of the books I own, so I'll probably read it this year.

And The Art of War is on my list for someday - I don't know if I'll read it this year, but it's short, so I might.

I am doing the owned books challenge, but probably skipping the TBR cleanup challenge.

Allison wrote: "I think I may be demi-sexual when it comes to books..."

I had to look that one up but I think I maybe the opposite.
With TV and film characters I think 'Wow he is cute' and 'fall in love' quite frequently but with book characters I form a deeper emotional attachment and end up wishing they were my friend.

Meredith, thanks for the tip!! I'll definitely check out her shorter works.

Beth, LMK if you want to read either together. I'm pretty flexible on timing right now, but next month is looking kinda packed.

Esther, that makes sense to me! I definitely have several friends in my books, too. :)