Play Book Tag discussion

Theresa wrote: "I am in!

UNOFFICIAL TRIM 2022

1. The Martian
2. Euphoria
3. Dear Mrs. Bird
4. La Petite Fadette or The Magic Circle
5..."

The Martian is one of my all time faves. Hope you love it.

I'm in. I realised last year that I was doing too many challenges and not completing any so I dropped back to just ATY, PBT and TRIM for this year and still haven't finished as all the clunkers landed in the crazy busy months where I had multiple jobs. Now we get fired if unvaccinated over here there are a LOT of jobs and still a bunch of incompetent idiots who have to be fired whether vaccinated or not.

Ergo I'll try for the same 3 this year and see if I can manage to say no better when people keep asking me to pick up extra jobs. I need a life which is not just work, however happy it makes the mortgage.

I could have had 5 or 6 against each number but stopped at 3 of 3 genres and different lengths/complexities so hopefully I'll get at least 1 of the 3 done each month and trim my bookroom. Nothing the same as anyone else that I've noticed though I have a couple in the same series as Theresa.

Trim 2022
1) The Red Queen/The Island/9 From the Nine Worlds
2) The Single Ladies of The Jacaranda Retirement Village/The Amityville Horror/Elsewhere
3) Ararat/The Secret Garden/ The Boy Who was Raised As a Dog
4) The Loop/King Solomon’s Mines/Camp Jupiter Classified
5) The Andromeda Evolution/Against all Odds/The Other Emily
6) A Keeper/A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising/The Eyes Of The Dragon
7) The Last/Apierogon/Spiral
8) The Last Migration/ Life on the Leash/Find You In The Dark
9) Oryx and Crake/The Porpoise/Trojan Odyssey
10) The Last Ship/Extreme South/Atlantis Found
11) The Strain/Desert Places/Plague Ship
12) Shackled/Locked Doors/V is for Vengeance
13) Mr Mercedes/Eerie/See What I Have Done
14) The Night Window/Good Behaviour/Dawn of the Dreadfuls
15) Burn/Run/Darwin Elevator
16) Sparrow Hill Road/Mercy Point/A Map of Days
17) Playing Nice/The Continent/Riverdale
18) Breathless/The Survival Guide/Elephants on Acid
19) Ready Player Two/The Perfect Storm/Everest: Impossible Victory
20) The Collide/How to Tame a Fox/Quicksand
21) The Sword of Summer/Mort/A Brief History of Time
22) Where They Found Her/Devoted/The Bookshop of Yesterdays
23) Shift/Nemesis/The Secret History
24) The Ruin/ The Girl in the Spider’s Web/Dry

Don’t bother with Ready Player Two, Jen. Seriously. It’s awful. I adore Ready Player One and I am much of a sucker for pop culture references as anyone, but the sequel is not so much a pale imitation as a wince-worthy parody …

Here's my list of 24 ...

1 The Violin of Auschwitz
2 Britt-Marie Was Here
3 One of Ours
4 Fallen Women
5 The Turtle Warrior
6 Finding Nouf
7 E is for Evidence
8 Strangers on a Train
9 Enemy Women
10 The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
11 The View from Penthouse B
12 Rilla of Ingleside
13 The Sandalwood Tree
14 The Opposite House
15 The Hindi-Bindi Club
16 The Viscount Who Loved Me
17 Icy Sparks
18 The Pianist
19 Cooking with My Sisters
20 Queen of America
21 The Bear's Embrace: A Story of Survival
22 Lucky in Love
23 A Woman in Jerusalem
24 I Am the Messenger


.

Jen, pretty sure someone had Aperigon on their list too. That’s what I got from first glance. Tessa, those are some great books!

I'm finally ready to present my list:)

1. One of Us Is Lying*
2. Euphoria* (buddy read with Theresa)
3. Up the Down Staircase or This Close to Okay
4. The Huntress or The Four Winds
5. The Obsession
6. Wolf Hall* (buddy read with Heather)
7. Inheritance
8. Long Bright River* (buddy read with Sue)
9. People We Meet on Vacation
10. Anxious People*(buddy read with Jenni Elyse)
11. Autumn* (buddy read with KateNZ)
12. Legacy or River's End
13. The Inverted World
14. The Last Thing He Told Me* (buddy read with Heather)
15. Klara and the Sun*
16. Why We Took the Car
17. The Echo Wife or The Lathe of Heaven
18. The President Is Missing or The Devil's Advocate
19. Ready Player Two* (buddy read with Jen)
20. The Constant Princess*
21. The Impossible Fortress or Have You Seen Luis Velez?
22. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
23. Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
24. Once There Were Wolves*

Jen wrote: "I'm in. I realised last year that I was doing too many challenges and not completing any so I dropped back to just ATY, PBT and TRIM for this year and still haven't finished as all the clunkers lan..."

I'd be happy to read Ready Player Two with you, Jen:) switched it to number 19 too

@ Jenni Elyse, I'd like to have a buddy read of The Constant Princess with you, but I already have another buddy read at number 15. Would you like to switch to number 20 so we could read it togethrer?

@ Olivermagnus, I really want to read Once There Were Wolves together. If you'd like a buddy read then maybe you could switch to number 24?))

KateNZ wrote: "Don’t bother with Ready Player Two, Jen. Seriously. It’s awful. I adore Ready Player One and I am much of a sucker for pop culture references as anyone, but the sequel is not so much a pale imitati..."

OK well I'll put that as choice 3 for that month then and not rush to it. Thanks for the heads up.

Check Back to Message 1 - The Buddy Reads are growing exponentially. You might find you have to jump in.

KateNZ wrote: "Right - here is a completely random list of books that are sitting in piles around the place (and most of which have been on Trim lists before lol). Leave me out of trying to align for buddy reads ..."

I've switched Apeirogon to number 1 if you want a tentative buddy read for that?

I say tentative because If it falls on a super busy work month I can't be relied on.

Diana H. wrote: "@ Olivermagnus, I really want to read Once There Were Wolves together. If you'd like a buddy read then maybe you could switch to number 24?))"

I moved Once There Were Wolves to #24 so we can read together.

Amy wrote: "Check Back to Message 1 - The Buddy Reads are growing exponentially. You might find you have to jump in."

You know that Jen K and Jen are 2 different people right?

Yes. I was thinking, did I forget to add you to the list of participants? I couldn’t remember. But yes, I know you are two different folks.

Yay!!! I so slacked on trim 2021!! I'll work on my list today (because I'm procrastinating at work). I'm definitely in and plan on participating more!!! Yay! I'm excited!!

Here's my list (I'll be working on it throughout the day):

1. Die Trying by Lee Child
2. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
3. The Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver
4. Writers & Lovers by Lily King
5. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty (Saw Booknblues has it as a buddy read)
6. The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
7. Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok
8. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
9. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
✔️January: 10. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
11. All Adults Here by Emma Straub
12. The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
13. Kiss the Girls by James Patterson
14. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (may read this at a different time since I think it is going to be a IRL book club pick)
15. The Tear Collector by Shawn Burgess
16. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
17. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
18. I'm Fine and Neither Are You by Camille Pagán
19. Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
20. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
21. Cut to the Bone by Jefferson Bass
22. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
23. Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
24. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

Leftovers from previous Trim:
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
The Brothers K by David James Duncan
The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish
The Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver (added in above)
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (reading in the year-long read-a-long)
The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman (added in above)

Charlotte wrote: "Here's my list (I'll be working on it throughout the day):...."

@Charlotte - I see you have GOT left over from 2021. It hasn't been posted yet in Footnotes, but Heather and I decided that we are doing a Read-Along with discussion of the entire series at a leisurely pace over 2022 and possibly into 2023. We want an unpressured opportunity to really note the minutia, clues, questions raised. Both of us are re-reading, but a first time reader will fit in. We hope to attract more.

Plan is to break each book into manageable sections.

The idea came to us after we had a really good chat about A Dance with Dragons after her reread last summer.

I foresee some excellent stories in the years ahead with the list I've put together and am excited to discover other beautiful stories based on what all the participants are reading too!

1. Songs in Ursa Major
2. The Downstairs Girl
3. Dear Mrs. Bird*
4. The Dress Shop on King Street
5. Lovely War
6. The Botanist's Daughter*
7. The Narrowboat Summer*
8. The Engineer's Wife
9. The Lincoln Highway*
10.Elsewhere, Home
11. A Place for Us
12. The Clockmaker's Daughter*
13. The Kitchen Front
14. We Are All Birds of Uganda
15. The Apple Orchard
16. Blush
17. Win Me Something
18. The Lost Jewels*
19. The Heiress: The Revelations of Anne de Bourgh
20. The Library of Lost and Found
21. The Giver of Stars*
22. Social Chemistry: Decoding the Elements of Human Connection
23. The Lost Love Song
24. Please Look After Mom


* denotes Buddy Read

If something from my list catches your attention and you would like to form a Buddy Read please let me know as I am open to switching around placement of books!

1. On Juneteenth - (Buddy Read with Katie)
2. The Green Knight -Iris Murdoch
3. Dear Mrs. Bird -AJ Pearce - ( Buddy Read with Theresa)
4. Rules of Civility – Towles - (Buddy Read with Sue)
5. Nine Perfect Strangers -Liane Moriarty - ( Buddy Read with Jenni Elyse)
6. West with Giraffes– Linda Rutledge – ( Buddy Read with Oliver Magnus).
7. The Narrowboat Summer- Ann Yougson - ( Buddy Read with HayJay )
8. Mrs. Hemingway– Naomi Wood – ( Buddy Read with Amy)
9. An American Marriage – Tayari Jones - ( Buddy Read with Kate NZ)
10. Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir -(Buddy read with Olivermagnus)
11. Autumn– Ali Smith – (Buddy Read with Kate NZ )
12. The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters– Jaswall - ( Buddy Read with Sue)
13. Gray– Pete Wentz
14. .How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
15. Razorblade Tears
16. Chasing Chaos: My Decade In and Out of Humanitarian Aid -Jessica Alexander
17. The Shining Girls – Lauren Beukes
18. Hidden in Paris -Corine Gantz
19. Rodham - Sittenfeld
20. The Paris Architect -Charles Belfoure - ( Buddy Read with Theresa): The History of Bees- Maja Lunde ( Buddy Read with Kate NZ)
21. The Giver of Stars – Jojo Moyes -( ( Buddy Read with HayJay)
22. The Rose Garden – Susan Kearsley
23. Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table – Ruth Reichel
24. A Fierce Radiance-Lauren Belfer


Extras- These have been replaced by buddy reads anyone interested let me know and I will try to work them in.

The Magician's Assistant - Ann Patchett
The Mirrored World -Debra Dean
What Is the What – Dave Eggers
The Daughters of Mars– Thomas Keneally
Girl in Hyacinth Blue - Susan Vreeland

Booknblues wrote: "1. The Given DayThe Given Day – Dennis Lehane
2. The Green Knight -Iris Murdoch
3. Dear Mrs. Bird -AJ Pearce - ( Buddy Read with Theresa)
4. [book:Rules ..."

In review of your list it looks like Narrowboat Summer could be moved to #6 or #7 and Giver of Stars to #21, #22, or #24. Do you have a preference?

Hayjay315 wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "1. The Given DayThe Given Day – Dennis Lehane
2. The Green Knight -Iris Murdoch
3. Dear Mrs. Bird -AJ Pearce - ( Buddy Read with There..."

How about 7 for Narrowboat Summer and 21 for Giver of stars?

Booknblues wrote: "Hayjay315 wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "1. The Given DayThe Given Day – Dennis Lehane
2. The Green Knight -Iris Murdoch
3. Dear Mrs. Bird -AJ Pearce - ( Bud..."

Great! I'll make those number adjustments now. Looking forward to reading these two with you as well as our Buddy Read of Dear Mrs. Bird with Theresa!

Theresa wrote: "
@Charlotte - I see you have GOT left over from 2021. It hasn't been posted yet in Footnotes, but Heather and I dec..."

Oooooo... that sounds right up my alley! I want to do an unpressured read of it. I have the Kindle and Audible version (from my husband reading it) but am thinking about getting the print version so that I can take notes. I also pick things up better if I'm reading print and since I've heard this one is complicated with a lot of characters it would be easier for me to do print.

I like how the buddy reads are building up!

Thanks BnB but I’m leaving my list as is - too stressful to shuffle

Charlotte wrote: "Theresa wrote: "
@Charlotte - I see you have GOT left over from 2021. It hasn't been posted yet in Footnotes, but Heather and I dec..."

Oooooo... that sounds right up my alley! I want to do an unp..."

I am in for this read too!

Booknblues wrote: "1. The Given DayThe Given Day – Dennis Lehane
2. The Green Knight -Iris Murdoch
3. Dear Mrs. Bird -AJ Pearce - ( Buddy Read with Theresa)
4. [book:Rules ..."

I can probably change numbers if you need me to. I'm only locked in on 15, 21 and 24.

Charlotte wrote: "Here's my list (I'll be working on it throughout the day):

I have Nine Perfect Strangers and Anxious People on my list as well. :)

Olivermagnus wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "1. The Given DayThe Given Day – Dennis Lehane
2. The Green Knight -Iris Murdoch
3. Dear Mrs. Bird -AJ Pearce - ( Buddy Read with There..."

How about changing West with Giraffes to 6 or 13?

Booknblues wrote: " Olivermagnus wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "1. The Given DayThe Given Day – Dennis Lehane
2. The Green Knight -Iris Murdoch
3. Dear Mrs. Bird -AJ Pearce - (..."

I moved it to 6. I don't know whether the book is even any good but that was my maiden name so I couldn't resist buying it when I saw it.

Olivermagnus wrote: "Booknblues wrote: " Olivermagnus wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "1. The Given DayThe Given Day – Dennis Lehane
2. The Green Knight -Iris Murdoch
3. [book:Dear Mrs. Bird|36373..."

Thanks, I thought it sounded cute. I love a good travel book and when you add animals to it, all the better.

Charlotte wrote: "Theresa wrote: "
@Charlotte - I see you have GOT left over from 2021. It hasn't been posted yet in Footnotes, but Heather and I dec..."

Oooooo... that sounds right up my alley! I want to do an unp..."

Great! I'll get an initial post up very soon.

I have them in hardcover - and since all but ADWD are autographed (the first 3 or 4 actually personallized), I will not be reading those! I also have the ebook set. I might just get a paperback set as well because like you, this time I want to mark it up aws I go. Maybe that will be a Christmas present to myself.

Amy - I am not a buddy read on Wolf Hall - read it, hated it and will never read another by that author given it was so poorly written.

But I am for Euphoria. Paris Archtect, and Dear Mrs. BIRD.

I'm tickled to see those with Dear Mrs. Bird and The Paris Architect on their lists! It will be fun to read them together.

I have a suggestion: At least 3 of us are reading Andy Weir, but not all the same book. How would you all feel about an Andy Weir buddy read? Discuss his work more widely? I've got The Martian. I saw Artemis on Sue's list at #5 which I have read, and Project Hail Mary on BooknBlues at #10. Oliver has it too I think? I'm moving my The Martian to #10 in case the idea of a Andy Weir buddy read is of interest.

Great idea Theresa!

I moved Artemis to #10.

I actually think I got them all! The list is ever expanding.

Theresa, forgive me, you and I both DESPISED Wolf Hall and retch at the thought of it. Sorry for that unintended stench of a mistake - lol! I can't remember who that Buddy read is with instead, so I'm sure it will get figured out. Meanwhile, check out this newly revised list guys.....

Amy wrote: "I actually think I got them all! The list is ever expanding.

Theresa, forgive me, you and I both DESPISED Wolf Hall and retch at the thought of it. Sorry for that unintended stench of a mistake -..."

I think it is with Diane....

There is a small but very elite club of anti-Wolf Hall .... Anita was once part of it then decided to re-read it.... which of course meant banishment from the small but exclusive club. Right JoAnne?

Doesn't this double as the drinking club> Oh Wait, I think there is a chance that BC/T actually liked Wolf Hall. Otherwise, the membership is almost identical....

Theresa wrote: "Amy wrote: "I actually think I got them all! The list is ever expanding.

Theresa, forgive me, you and I both DESPISED Wolf Hall and retch at the thought of it. Sorry for that unintended stench of..."

you betcha-when it comes through my donation center at the library, I shudder....and never put it in my store, it gets boxed up for future Book Sales where I do not have to touch it

Amy wrote: "Doesn't this double as the drinking club> Oh Wait, I think there is a chance that BC/T actually liked Wolf Hall. Otherwise, the membership is almost identical...."

🤣

I don't think the drinking club is quite as small and elite as the Anti-Wolf Hall Club -- and we don't oust anyone for failing to join in the alcoholic merriment!

Theresa wrote: "I'm tickled to see those with Dear Mrs. Bird and The Paris Architect on their lists! It will be fun to read them together.

I have a suggestion: At least 3 of us ar..."

I'm very curious to see how this turns out and who likes which best. My fave is The Martian, closely followed by Project Hail Mary and Artemis was the only one I wouldn't rave about.

Theresa wrote: "Amy wrote: "Doesn't this double as the drinking club> Oh Wait, I think there is a chance that BC/T actually liked Wolf Hall. Otherwise, the membership is almost identical...."

🤣

I don't think the..."

Hmm might have to read that since it seems to generate intense feelings. I like to see for myself with those that are polarizing. We'll see how much time I have.

Amy wrote: "I actually think I got them all! The list is ever expanding.

Theresa, forgive me, you and I both DESPISED Wolf Hall and retch at the thought of it. Sorry for that unintended stench of a mistake -..."

Heather has Wolf Hall at number 6 too, so I thought we could have a buddy read:)

OK, Jen, Heather, Diana, for Wolf Hall at 6 - Drinking Club always welcomes you as well, we were just kidding around.

Amy wrote: "OK, Jen, Heather, Diana, for Wolf Hall at 6 - Drinking Club always welcomes you as well, we were just kidding around."

Don't rely on me for any buddy reads as I will only be able to do them if it is a quiet month at work or during school holidays. Nice idea but they would only be tentative and would depend totally when the numbers came up.

Of course! That’s the beauty of this challenge is that you are not obligated to do a thing. It’s completely flexible and no one is counting on you. But should the opportunity arise, it’s there if you want.

Theresa wrote: "I have a suggestion: At least 3 of us are reading Andy Weir, but not all the same book. How would you all feel about an Andy Weir buddy read? ..."

That's a great idea! I've read all three and there is a difference between one compared to the other two.

Looks like I'm ordering a paperbook copy of the first few Game of Thrones lol... wish they had a spiral bound copy with big margins!

Wolf Hall @ #6 for me was a complete accident, but I would welcome a buddy read! I had no idea there were strong feelings against it among some, but I have to say that intrigues me even more. 👀Looking forward to finding out what camp I fall into, as I rarely feel just lukewarm about books, hehe.

I loved Wolf Hall so it is definitely one of those books that inspires strong opinions on both sides of the spectrum. If any of you have an option of which form to read, I definitely recommend the audio (done by a professional actor who is just amazing). His reading all but eliminates one of the primary criticisms, which is who is being referred to when the pronoun "he" is used. (It is almost always Cromwell).