MobileRead Book Challenges discussion

Focus on series and books/audiobooks already owned. I'd like to participate a little more in my book clubs.

Series:

Fable of Tonight 3/4 DONE February!
Chronicles of St Mary's 0/10 DONE April!
Dresden Files series - Jim Butcher 5/18 DONE June!
87th Precinct - Ed Mcbain 52/55 DONE November!
Chronicles of St Mary's 0/11 - Done November!
Myrtle Clover 1/11 DONE November!
Shannara series - Terry Brooks 7/37* DONE December!
Landover series - Terry Brooks 0/6 DONE December!
Vorkosigan saga 5/22
Murder She Wrote! Jessica Fletcher 24/48
Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries - Sue Grafton 5/26
Moreland Series - Cynthia Harrod-Eagles 2/35
War At Home - Cynthia Harrod-Eagles 0/5
Laurel McKay 5/7
Spellsinger 0/7
Cat Who 5/32 (reread 1)
Ringworld (2/4)
Yakima Henry 1/10
Pampered Pets 4/10
Undying Mercenaries 1/12
Myth (Asprin) 7/12
Miss Marple 7/14
In Death 19/59
Bill Slider - Cynthia Harrod-Eagles 0/21
Lorimer & Brightman - Alex Grey 0/16
Cadfael 0/21
Archy McNally 1/13
Deadwood Mysteries 1/10
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache 1/14
Halo (first 3 books only) 0/3
Void Trilogy 0/3
Argeneau Vampires 10/29
Undead (Davidson) 1/15
Womens Murder Club 1/18
Trash n Treasures 3/15
Chief Inspector Barnaby 1/7
Pip and Flinx 1/15
Agatha Raisin 1/29
Kovak and Liska (Tami Hoag) 1/6
King & Maxwell (Baldacci) 1/6
Half-Moon Hollow 1/6
Roderick Alleyn (Ngaio Marsh) 2/33
Harry Bosch 2/21
Alex Cross 1/26
Hamish McBeth (Beaton) 1/33
Sacketts - Louis L'Amour 4/19
Greg Mandel Trilogy - Peter Hamilton 0/3
Cradle - Will Wight 1/6
Stormlight - 0/3
Felse Investigations 0/13
Tawny Man - Robin Hood 0/3
Nights Dawn - Peter Hamilton 0/3

ebook only
Seaside Knitters 8/13
Tea Shop Mysteries 4/20
Ed Noon 2/34
Xanth 1/32
Coffeehouse Mystery
Hannaside and Hemingway (Heyer)
Warlock( Stasheff)
Buchanan - Jonas Ward 2/12
Last Templar Mysteries (Jecks)
Gaius Valarius Verrens (Jackson)

Obviously can't finish all of these in one year. Just listing. So many to choose from!

* Reread in anticipation of the series completion in 2020.
** Reread in anticipation of release of next book in 2020.

SF&F Backlist challenge
The challenge is to read every book on the bookshelf. These are the books I am currently interested in. When I get them done, I'll go through the list again.

Own
The Way of Kings
Leviathan Wakes
A Princess of Mars
The Night Circus
Seveneves
Spinning Silver
Ship of Magic
The Martian Chronicles DONE JULY
Foreigner
The Mote in God's Eye
Ubik
Watership Down
A Fire Upon the Deep
I Am Legend DONE - JULY
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Warbreaker
The Golem and the Jinni
The Song of Achilles
Red Rising - Done July
The Final Empire
Sphere
The Name of the Wind
Altered Carbon
The Lions of Al-Rassan
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? DONE JULY
The Stand
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August DONE August
The Crown Conspiracy

Library
The Handmaid's Tale
A Clash of Kings
Armada

Other
Hyperion
The Fall of Hyperion
Old Man's War
Stranger in a Strange Land
Six Wakes
Parasite
The Island of Dr. Moreau
The Long Earth
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
Consider Phlebas
The Gunslinger
Pawn of Prophecy
The Well of Ascension (Mistborn)
The Last Unicorn
The Neverending Story
The Eye of the World
Flowers for Algernon
The Quantum Thief
Magician: Apprentice Volume 1
The Last Wish
The Way of Shadows
The Black Prism

Here are my focus series. I own or can easily access all the books in these series. I've already read books in most of them. Bold indicates I've read at least one in 2020. Deleting series as I finish them.

Bill Slider series - Cynthia Harrod-Eagles 0/21
Murder She Wrote - Donald Bain & others 26/49
Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries - Sue Grafton 3/25 + 2 out of order
Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold 5/16
Magic Kingdom of Landover - Terry Brooks 1/6 DONE December!
Shannara series - Terry Brooks 19/35 DONE DECEMBER!
Moreland Dynasty - Cynthia Harrod-Eagles 2/35
Lorimer and Brightman- Alex Gray 1/11 (reread 1)
Xanth - Piers Anthony 2/41
Spellsinger 0/8

COMPLETED

Magic Kingdom of Landover
1. Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold - Done January
2. The Black Unicorn - Done July
3. Wizard at Large - Done October
4. The Tangle Box - Done November
5. Witches' Brew - Done December
6. A Princess of Landover - Done December

Myrtle Clover Series - Elizabeth Spann Craig
I'm calling this series done for the purposes of the Challenge as there aren't any more audiobooks.

1. Pretty is as Pretty Dies - Done NOVEMBER
2. A Dyeing Shame - DONE JUNE
3. Progressive Dinner Deadly - DONE JUNE
4. A Body in the Backyard - DONE JUNE
5. Death at a Drop-In - DONE JUNE
6. A Body at Book Club - DONE JULY
7. Death Pays a Visit - DONE September
8. A Body at Bunco - DONE September
9. Murder on Opening Night - DONE October
10. Cruising for Murder - DONE October
11. Cooking is Murder - DONE October
12. A Body in the Trunk - DONE November
13. Cleaning is Murder - DONE November

Update: Done with all the ones I've bought so far.

Haven't bought yet:
14. Edit to Death (2019)
15. Hushed Up (2019)
16. A Body in the Attic (2020)
17. Murder on the Ballot (2020)

Shannara Series Completed!!!

Heritage of Shannara (reread)
1. The Scions of Shannara (1990) - DONE January
2. The Druid of Shannara (1991) - DONE January
3. The Elf Queen of Shannara (1992) - DONE January
4. The Talismans of Shannara (1993) - DONE February

Word and the Void
1. Running with the Demon (1997) - DONE February
2. A Knight of the Word (1998) - DONE February
3. Angel Fire East (1999) - DONE February

Voyage of the Jerle Shannara (reread) No unabridged audiobook avail.
1. Ilse Witch (2000) - DONE March
2. Antrax (2001) - DONE March
3. Morgawr(2002) - DONE April

High Druid of Shannara
1. Jarka Ruus - DONE August
2. Tanequil - DONE August
3. Straken - DONE August

Legends of Shannara
1. Bearers of the Black Staff - DONE Sept.
2. The Measure of the Magic - DONE Sept.

Dark Legacy of Shannara
1. Wards of Faerie - DONE Oct
2. Bloodfire Quest - DONE Oct
3. Witch Wraith - DONE Oct

Paladins of Shannara
1. Allanon's Quest - Done Nov.
2. The Weapons Master's Choice - Done Nov.
3. The Black Irix - Done Nov.

Defenders of Shannara
1. The High Druid's Blade - Done Nov
2. The Darkling Child - Done Nov
3. The Sorcerer's Daughter - Done Nov

Fall of Shannara
1. The Black Elfstone - Done Dec
2. The Skaar Invasion - Done Dec
3. The Stiehl Assassin - Done Dec
4. The Last Druid - Done Dec

Murder She Wrote
1. Nashville Noir - Done January
2. The Queens Jewels - Done March
3. Skating on Thin Ice - Done June

Dresden Files - all caught up now.
7. Dead Beat - DONE February
8. Proven Guilty - DONE March
9. White Night - DONE March
10. Small Favor - DONE April
11. Turn Coat - DONE May
12. Changes - DONE May
13. Ghost Story - DONE June
14. Cold Days - DONE June
15. Skin Game - DONE June
16. Peace Talks - DONE September
17. Battle Ground - DONE October

Ok, done with the main books! Now on to the short stories.
1. Brief Cases - DONE June
2. Side Jobs (relisten) - DONE August
3. Working for Big Foot - DONE November

All Caught Up

Chronicles of St. Mary's Stay-at-Home Series Read

✔ 0.5. The Very First Damned Thing (2015)
✔ 1. Just One Damned Thing After Another (2013)
✔ 2. A Symphony of Echoes (2013)
✔ 2.5. When a Child is Born (2013)
✔ 3. A Second Chance (2014)
✔ 3.5. Roman Holiday (2014)
✔ 4. A Trail Through Time (2015)
✔ 4.5. Christmas Present (2014)
✔ 5. No Time Like The Past (2015)
✔ 6. What Could Possibly Go Wrong (2015)
✔ 6.5. Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings (2015)
✔ 7. Lies, Damned Lies, and History (2016)
✔ 7.5. The Great St Mary's Day Out (2016)
✔ 7.6. My Name is Markham (2016)
✔ 8. And the Rest is History (2017)
✔ 8.5. A Perfect Storm (2019)
✔ 8.6. Christmas Past (2019)
✔ 9. An Argumentation of Historians (2018)
✔ 9.5. Battersea Barricades (2018)
✔ 9.6. The Steam Pump Jump (2018)
✔ 9.7. And Now For Something Completely Different (2019)
✔ 9.8 When Was The Last Time You Saw Your Father
✔ 9.9 Why is Nothing Ever Simple
✔ 10. Hope for the Best (2019)
✔ 11. Plan for the Worst (2020)
11.5 The Ordeal of the Haunted Room (2020)

87th Precinct series - Ed McBain Only 3/55 books left!

1. And All Through The Housee- DONE October
45. Mischief - DONE November
49. The Big Bad City - Done November

Now complete with first read of entire series.

2011 Purchases TO BE DONE

1. Princess of Landover - Terry Brooks
2. Adventures of Langdon St Ives - James Blaylock
3. Door with Seven Locks - Edgar Wallace
4. Devil's Deep - Michael Wallace
5. The Detachment - Barry Eisler
6. Golden Age of Science Fiction - various
7. Golden Age of Science Fiction 2 - Various
8. Works of Andre Norton

Free books (all on Nook)
Darkness Under the Sun - Dean Koontz
Harry Harrison Collection - Harry Harrison
Black Moon - C L Bevill
Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
Silver Moon - 3 C L Bevill

Series
Vorkosigan
0.5. Dreamweaver's Dilemma (1995) (in Dreamweaver's Dilemma)
✔ 1. Falling Free (1988)
✔ 2. Shards of Honor (1986)
✔ 3. Barrayar (1991)
✔ 4. The Warrior's Apprentice (1986)
✔ 4.5. The Mountains of Mourning (1989) (in The Borders of Infinity)
✔ 5. The Vor Game (1990)
✔ 5.5. Weatherman (2011)
✔ 6. Cetaganda (1996)
✔7. Ethan of Athos (1986)
✔7.5. Labyrinth (1989) (in The Borders of Infinity)
✔7.6. The Borders of Infinity (1987) (in The Borders of Infinity)
✔8. Brothers in Arms (1990)
✔9. Mirror Dance (1994)
10. Memory (1996)
11. Komarr (1998)
12. A Civil Campaign (1999)
12.5. Winterfair Gifts (2008)
✔ 13. Diplomatic Immunity (2002)
14. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance (2012)
14.5. The Flowers of Vashnoi (2018)
15. Cryoburn (2010)
16. Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen (2016)
✔ The Borders of Infinity (1989)

First!

Congrats DoodlePanda!

Stephanie wrote: "Congrats DoodlePanda!"
Thank you :D

Wishing you a fantastic 2020!

All I can say is that is a lot of Terry Brooks to read. I mean, I enjoyed them when I read them, but that is a lot of books.

HomeInMyShoes wrote: "All I can say is that is a lot of Terry Brooks to read. I mean, I enjoyed them when I read them, but that is a lot of books."

Yes, but I did manage to finish Diskworld and 3 books short on 87th precinct. There isn't a publication date yet for the last one of the Shannara, but I don't have to be done that quick - just in 2020.

Edited to add: Last Shannara book coming out on June 2. No word on the audiobook however.

Summing up for January, I got through quite a few books this month. A lot of fantasy, not enough scifi. On the last of the 4 book series Heritage of Shannara. Lost a couple of days due to a cold. I've read 21 or 22 books, but a number of those were short stories or short books. My goal on the Shannara series is to read/listen to one series (2-4 books) each month. That would get me to the final series in October. Good goal. We shall see. No series completed this month.

Peace Talks audio by Jim Butcher is scheduled to come out on July 14 of this year. If I get 2 books done a month, I should be caught up when that one comes out. The Last Druid by Terry Brooks lists the hardcover coming out on June 2. No word yet on the audiobook - it might be later if they can't get on Simon Vance's schedule. That's OK as I can't possibly get to the last books until August. Unlike binging on TV series, I have a much harder time binging on series. I like to relish the story for a little while. In the meantime, I'm busy getting through a lot of audiobooks. Every time I finish a regular or long length, I listen to one or two short ones. A lot of these short ones were freebies from Audible. A few are winners, a few are losers, some were fine to listen to once.

Stephanie wrote: "Every time I finish a regular or long length, I listen to one or two short ones. A lot of these short ones were freebies from Audible."

I often do similar - I usually have a short story collection going that I dip into in between novels. They make nice palate cleansers!

Pre-ordered The Last Druid!! Comes out on June 2. Doesn't mention Simon, but I'm sure he was contracted for that!

February went well. Finished 10 full novels and a bunch more short stories and novellas. Nine were owned, Call of the Wild was a freebie for Echo owners. Finished the Fable of Tonight series by Mike Resnick (sadly, he passed away while I was reading the last book). Completed the Word and Void Trilogy by Terry Brooks.

I went on a frenzy for the Audible sale and added a bunch of audiobooks, mostly 20+ hours each. I will be cancelling membership until November to give myself time to do some catching up. I recently did a spreadsheet and found that I have a lot of unlistened to books - more than 5 years even if I listened 8 hours a day, 5 days a week! Gotta get this habit under control as it doesn't include my ebooks!

Listening or reading books has been a bit difficult in the last week with all the concerns I have about immediate family and COVID-19. So, tomorrow, I'll take a break from the news cycle, because I know it's going to be bad, and work on sorting my sewing room - maybe even get a little sewing in. I'll be doing that while listening to an audiobook!

Stephanie wrote: "Listening or reading books has been a bit difficult in the last week with all the concerns I have about immediate family and COVID-19. So, tomorrow, I'll take a break from the news cycle, because I..."

I've started allocating a limited time in the mornings to checking the news, then moving on with my day. I make exceptions for certain headlines that show up in my email (ie, if/when the US Congress actually manages to pass a dang relief bill) but other than that, I'm putting my mental health first as much as possible. I'm at home anyway, so it's not like knowing / not knowing something until the next day changes much, but it's definitely helping with my stress level.

I'm also limiting the amount of news I see/read. Last week I was feeling under the weather so I self isolated. Having the news on didn't help. It was causing anxiety, which in turn caused shortness of breath. After a couple of days I severely limited my news intake and started feeling better. Over the weekend I stayed at my sister's place and the only news we had was what we read online, which was easily limited (a good book and Animal Crossing helps).

I'm now listening to a lot more podcasts and music than normal, and it really helps.

So, what is the book I'm listening to? V-Wars - the spread of a virus that turns folks into vampires.

Stephanie wrote: "So, what is the book I'm listening to? V-Wars - the spread of a virus that turns folks into vampires."

:D I haven't read the books but I enjoyed the first season of the Netflix series!

Oh wow! Had no idea this was a series. I have Netflix! Now I gotta watch it!

Switched to Chronicles of St. Mary's since I now have all but one novella in audiobook. While it has its dark moments, it's pretty funny. Lots of British snark. After today though, I'll only be listening to this series in the evening when either knitting or cross-stitching. I pulled out a quilt that needs quilting and it's hard to listen while running the sewing machine.

Probably easier than reading though. :)

My Bernina had an owie and is in the fix-it shop. Since the dry eye is better, I pulled out my old Brother. It doesn't quilt very well at all, but sews fine, so I'm making masks. Mailed off some masks to my brother today. Due to number of errands I run for 2 households, I need more masks, so making more for me.

Lots of listening to Chronicles of St Mary's. Still reading Mogawr by Terry Brooks when I get into bed. Thus, I can't start the next series of Shannara audiobooks on the 15th as I usually do. This is ok as the final book will now not be released until October due to Coronavirus.

FINALLY finished the Voyage of Jerle Shannara. Reading, even from my kindle, has been a bit of a grind due to problems with dry eye. The rest of the month on the kindle will just be magazines (I have a ton I haven't read) such as Asimov and Lightspeed. Will begin the next trilogy in the Shannara series next month - all the rest are in audiobook.

I'm down to the last book in the Chronicles of St Mary's. There are a couple of short stories as well and then I'm done. Tomorrow, I think. Not sure after that, but I was thinking of listening to listening to one of the freebees on Audible - either Roots (Alex Haley) or Les Miserables (french guy). Who knows.

I decided to skip those stay-at-home freebies from Audible especially since Roots was pulled. No point in starting a long book and have it pulled partway through.

Finished the Chronicles of St Mary's. Wonderful series. Next book is supposed to come out in ebook this month, but the Audible version not until August.

I think May's focus will be on books I received free in exchange for a review. I still have quite a few from last year to get through. I was amazed when I totted them up how many of those I acquired over a 3 month period. No wonder I got behind! I've only accepted a handful this year (all science fiction) so that I can get these others done in a more timely fashion.

My sum-up for April is pretty brief. Completed Chronicles of St Mary's. Another couple books done in relisten of Dresden Files. Another trilogy from the Shannara world completed.

As mentioned in previous message, in MAY I'm going to do a lot more books that I received in exchange for a review. These were all from 2019, so I do want to get them done ASAP. I have 42 left. Ouch.

May wasn't a very good month as I spent most of it caring for our sick cat. Sadly, had to put our mamacat down (almost 15) and now her kittens (13) are at different levels of depression. I just make sure each one is eating and drinking and give each more attention.

I did a few books for review. I really enjoyed Ranger's Oath by Blake Arthur Peel. Sword & Sorcery. Then I needed to make lots of masks so took advantage of finally listening to David Copperfield. Good book. Long. Tomorrow is my last day of mask making for at least a month so that I can get back to quilting.

More progress on Dresden Files. I have 3 books left before the new one comes out in mid-July.

One day, after a discussion about how much stuff we have to read and listen to, I made a list of the hours of all my audiobooks that have yet to be listened to. Over 11,000 hours. Yep. 11,000+. Unlistened. I'm an audiobook hoarder.....

I'm so sorry about your mamacat. Losing a pet is hard.

I'm not yet an audiobook hoarder. But I might be soonish, I'm afraid.

Sorry to hear about your cat. Losing a pet does suck. We lost our cat a few years ago.

Odd thing to happen. Reading a book led me to discover my relative died a week and a half ago.

I am reading The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. I had reached the point where the Bishop is on his way to the Pope's Summer house. Looked it up on the internet to see what that looked like. Learned Pope Benedict retired there originally until his retirement house was completed. Found out that the retirement house was built for nuns within the Vatican. I thought "what did they do? Kick 'em out?". I learned that every 5 years, the order of nuns occupying this house changed. The first order was the Poor Clares.

Three of my late Dad's cousins were nuns - two were Franciscan and one was a Poor Clare. I was well acquainted with the 2 Franciscan's; one died in 2008. I have no memory of the member of the Poor Clares, so I looked her up, finding that she has moved to the local convent. At the same time, I found out that the remaining Franciscan sister had just died the end of May. Nobody told us. :(

I give you this story because reading with ereaders can be so much more than just the book you are reading! This is also a reminder to try to stay in contact with your older relatives as you never know when they will be gone. She was 89 and I last spoke to her sometime after Thanksgiving. I never got there to visit. She was only 2 hours away. :(

Finished the Dresden series books! Now listening to the 2 books of short stories (Butcher writes for a lot of anthologies). The new book comes out in about a month and then another in September. I'm still very much enjoying the series although it went far from Dresden the investigator as he was in the first couple of books. My late sister, who recommended this series, would really have enjoyed these books.

I also try not to get myself involved with author's lives. I still feel badly that Jim and Shannon Butcher divorced. Heck, they divorced in 2013! Why does it bug me? I dunno.

Congrats, Stephanie! How are you doing with 57th Precinct? They were a favorite of my dad's.

GA wrote: "Congrats, Stephanie! How are you doing with 57th Precinct? They were a favorite of my dad's."

I have 3 left. I have yo ho copies of these as 2 are not available in ebook and one just became available but is priced at $11. Goal is to finish this month or next!

Ok, update for June! Finished Dresden Files. While the new book comes out in just a few days, I may wait to get the audiobook until late August as there are RUMORS that there is a cliffhanger in advance of the next book which comes out in September.

Started Myrtle Clover cozy mystery series. Good so far. Doing a lot of cross stitching, so lots of listening - little ereading!

I been listening and reading to a lot of random stuff over the last 2 weeks. Lots of short stories/novellas or short books. Trying to clear my previous starts right now. Book 1 of the Man-Kzin Wars has been in progress for some time. Time to finish it.

Of course this is all in advance of Western Month which is August. I have a group of audiobooks, but mostly ebooks in this genre that remain unread. I was finishing off buying the Buchanan series by Jonas Ward, but Mom wants no more westerns, and that's fine.

Western Month completed books.

1. Buchanan 1: Buchanan's War - Jonas Ward
2.Buchanan 2: Trap for Buchanan
3. Apache Lawman
4. Gun Runners
5. Wanted: Dead or Alive
6. The Blue Mustang
7. Horseman of the Shadows
8. Ambush on the Mesa
9. Buchanan 3: Buchanan's Gamble

For my sum up of August, I did pretty good with western month. 9 books completed. I would have hit 10, but had to stop and listen to a couple of audio books as they were reaching the 1 year limit for return at Audible. I returned one book, but wow, First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North was great!

Completed High Druid of Shannara trilogy by Terry Brooks. In addition to the next trilogy, I'm also listening to the Riyria Revelations trilogy by Michael J Sullivan. So lots of fantasy this month.

I did it! I did it! I reached 1,000 books read (listed on Goodreads) and that is even after removing the short stories and novellas! Yay!!! Considering that in 2007 I was still relearning how to read after a brain injury, this is fabulous!! Yay!

Finished the two book series Legends of Shannara. I could still finish all of Shannara this year, but as I want to complete Landover series this year, I may do the last 4 books in January. I'll see how the time goes. I bought book 6 of the Landover series in 2011 and it's the last one left unlistened, so I really want to get it done! 10 years and unlistened is TOO MUCH! But I was waiting for specials and did get everything on discount.

Listening to a couple of shorter books before taking up the two parter by Jim Butcher. The 2nd book comes out at the end of the month.

Congratulations! That's awesome!! :)