Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

All right folks here we are again. I still have reviews left to do from 2020 but we are going to set this up to minimize the inevitable mental blocks.

Rules/Objectives/Updates:

210101: Completed Books and Reviews are sorted into weekly blocs. For the review to count for the Team Reading Competition it must be completed within one week of the last date.

210101: There's a vague "I'm going to spend this year developing a coherent and easy to read/digest review format" in here somewhere. Inputs and suggestions on the are not only welcome but encouraged.

210128: An attempt at weekly best/worst books has been scrapped because it was too much work. A new review format is tentatively being tested out— it incorporates the subjective/objective rating scale and numbered paragraphs which attempt to cover Plot, Prose, Worldbuilding, Character and Relationship points. It's still brain omit but more labor intensive than my usual brain vomit so we'll see if it's sustainable.

210128: Never start a new year review list with a bunch of Graphic Novels it's hell on your pristine slate. I learned this the hard way. The Ranma reviews are probably going to be put on hold at least till I get to a reasonable pace with all my other reviews; possibly for the foreseeable future.

210208: The more detailed review format is cumbersome and makes me put off reviewing till the forseeable future we are back to our regularly scheduled brainvomit.

MONTH

DONE:
DT.

PENDING:
DT.

Other Challenges/BRs/Plans I'm doing this year:

Challenges Which Count for Team Reading:
1. Snakes and Ladders Challenge (Self-paced) Tracking Post
2. 100 Book Genre Challenge (Self-paced) Tracking Post
3. Science Fiction & Fantasy Challenge (self paced); Tracking Post

Non-Team Point Challenges
1. Amazin' Eights Challenge (Buddy Read, Diverse)

HAND
(view spoiler)[
4 of Spades - book with mental health as a focus by an ownvoices author
7 of Spades - book with African or Caribbean mythology by an ownvoices author
6 of Diamonds - book with characters with mobility issues by a woman or NB author
7 of Clubs - book with African or Caribbean mythology by a non US/UK author
Q of Clubs - book with Middle-Eastern/Indian mythology by a non US/UK author
Q of Spades - book with Middle-Eastern/Indian mythology by an ownvoices author
J of Hearts - book with South American mythology by an author of color
8 of Clubs - WILD / MULLIGAN
9 of Hearts - book with southeast Asian mythology by an author of color
7 of Diamonds - book with African or Caribbean mythology by a woman or NB author
K of Hearts - book with characters who are neurodiverse by an author of color
(hide spoiler)]

2. Studying for Your O.W.L.S (Partner Challenge) Thread Link
3. Cliched Tropes Game (not a challenge, more like a potential vent thread)

Nonfiction Challenges:
1. Quarterly African NF Buddy Reads

Abandoned Challenges
1. The ReallyX4 Hard Challenge: Too rigid for my monkey brain.

2. 2021 BINGO Challenge (Self-paced); Tracking Post
I really like this challenge but (surprise, surprise) I may have overextended myself and this doesn't really further my reading goals so I'm reluctantly dropping it.

3. Game of Life Challenge (self paced); Tracking Post
Same as the 2021 BINGO Challenge.

2021 Buddy Reads: A Consolidated List (FBR BRs in Bold)

1. When Fox is a Thousand: (Jan 06 - Jan XX): DNF @54%
2. In the Vanishers Palace: Feb 09 - Feb XX

1. Across the Green Grass Fields: (Jan 13- Jan 14): (5 stars)
2. The Killing Moon: (Jan 15 - Jan XX):
3. The Sword of Kaigen: (Feb 01- Feb XX):
4. Transformation: (Jan 12 - Jan 22): 5 stars
5. Revelation: (Feb 02 - Feb XX):
6. The Queen of Atollia: (Jan 29 - Feb XX):
7. Circe: (Feb 15-Feb XX):

Books I tried to read but ultimately didn't:

DNF and no part of me honestly wants to go back to finishing it
1. When Fox is a Thousand
2. The Secret Seven

DNF but some part of me does feel twitchy leaving it unfinished
1. The Rubadub Mystery

Space Elevator Standby; ie this is not a DNF bc I intend to get back to it
1. The Sword of Kaigen
2. The Killing Moon

Reserved post, just in case I end up needing four

Reserved post, just in case I end up needing five

Week: Jan 01-07

DONE:
01. Ranma 1/2 Vol 21: Review Link
02. Ranma 1/2 Vol 22: Review Link
03. Ranma 1/2 Vol 23: Review Link
04. White Trash Warlock: Review Link
11. Cemetery Boys: 3 stars (Subj.) & 3 Stars (Obj.)
12. Hexslayer: 3 stars (Subj.) & 4 Stars (Obj.)

PENDING:
05. Ranma 1/2, Vol. 24
06. Ranma 1/2, Vol. 25 (Ranma ½
07. Ranma 1/2, Vol. 26 (Ranma ½
08. Ranma 1/2 vol. 27
09. Ranma 1/2, Vol. 28 (Ranma ½
10. Ranma 1/2 vol. 29
13. Annhilation of Caste with Reply to Mahatma Gandhi

Weekly Stats:
Best Book:
Worst Book:

Week: JAN 08-14

DONE:
01. Across the Green Grass Fields: Link to Review

PENDING:
NONE

Weekly Stats:
N/A

Week: JAN 15-21

DONE:
01. Desert Flower: Review Link

PENDING:
NONE

Week: JAN 22-31

DONE:
01. When Fox is a Thousand: Review
02. Network Effect: Review
03. The Adventures of Mr. Pink-Whistle: Review
04. Gentleman Wolf: Subjective & Objective (4 stars)
05. The Rockingdown Mystery: Subjective (4 ★) / Objective (3 ★)


PENDING:
NONE

Week: FEB 01-07

Subjective (X ★) / Objective (X ★)

DONE:
01. The Rilloby Fair Mystery: Subjective (4 ★) / Objective (3 ★)
05. The Ring-O-Bells Mystery: Subjective (2 ★) / Objective (3 ★)
02. Transformation
03. Clockwork Angel (Manga)

PENDING:
04. A Fashionable Indulgence

Week: FEB 08-14

Subjective (X ★) / Objective (X ★)

DONE:
01. Secrets
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
02. The Rubadub Mystery
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

PENDING:
03. The Queen of Attolia

Week: FEB 15-21

Objective / Subjective

DONE:
01. Bitterburn: Unrated / ★★
02. A Stitch in Time: ★★★ / ★★
3. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Prince
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4. Young Avengers Volume 1
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
5. Young Avengers Volume 2
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

PENDING:
NONE

I may actually make this monthly

Week: FEB 22-28

DONE:
1. In the Vanishers’ Palace
2. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Princess
3. Calculated Risks
4. The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting

PENDING:
NONE

MARCH

DONE:

02. The Kiss Quotient
03. Paladin's Strength
06. The Whitefire Crossing

10. On the Shoulders of Titans
11. Vexed
11. The Secret Country

17. The King of Attolia

PENDING:

APRIL ★☆

DONE:
03. The Salvage Crew: Review (★★★☆☆)
05. Swindle
05. Zoobreak
05. Call Down the Hawk
07. Framed
07. Hideout
07. Unleashed
07. Showoff
07: Son of the Mob
07: Hollywood Hustle
07. Jackpot

09. Five Run Away Together
10. The Most Dangerous Game
10. The Lottery

16. The Nightmare Affair
16. Bell, Book and Scandal
16. Mystery at the Masquerade
17. The Swiss Family Robinson
17. The Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings
18. Alpha & Omega
18. The Quiet House
18. Fair Game
18. Splintered
18. Dead Heat

24. By Love Unveiled
25. In the Middle of Somewhere
25. Out of Nowhere
25. Where We Left Off
25. Something Permanent

PENDING:

26. Cloaked in Red

MAY ★☆

LIST:

02. Murder at the Mayfair Hotel
04. Heiress in Red Silk
06. Fugitive Telemetry
06. The Last Watch
07. Pixie & Brutus

09. The Siege of Skyhold
09. Siege and Storm
11. Ruin and Rising
12. King of Scars

22. The Assassins of Thasalon
23. Ten Thousand Stitches
(✓) 26. Witch
26. King of the Dark
26. Sage and King
26. East West Street: On the Origins of "Genocide" and "Crimes Against Humanity"

28. Rule of Wolves
28. The High Kings' Golden Tongue
28. Reign of Darkness

31. Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake
32. Redressed

JUNE

LIST:

02. My Dear Cold-Blooded King
05. An Illusion of Thieves

07. The Replacement Husband
07. The Reluctant Husband
07. Yuletide Treasure
07. The Alpha's Warlock
08. Captive Mate
08. A Very Armitage Christmas
08. The Alpha Experiment

T_T