Play Book Tag discussion

First List - January 1, 2025 - COMPLETED 6/8/25
Secondary goal: read books on my TBR pile before 1/1/25 - Yes

✔1. Post three to five books choices in this thread and read the first one someone else picks for you - See msg 5 & 6 for choices and Olivermagnus' selection
Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers, #1) - Lisa Kleypas (3 stars) 4/28/25 - My Review

✔2. A book involving archeology or an archeologist
The Maltese Goddess (Lara McClintoch Archeological Mystery, #2) – Lyn Hamilton (3 stars) 2/28/25 - My Review

✔3. Read a book with a title where all the words begin with the same letter (3 word minimum)
To Taste Temptation (Legend of the Four Soldiers, #1) – Elizabeth Hoyt (3 star) 3/31/25 - My Review

✔4. Listen to an audiobook - Swapped for : Read a book with a character who is an alien (or might be one)
Stolen by an Alien (Stolen by an Alien, #1) – Amanda Milo (3 stars) 3/11/25 - My Review

✔5. Read a book that was reviewed in 2024 and given 5 stars in PBT's Other Books Discussion
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride - (5 stars) 2/13/25 - reviewed by John 5/3/24 - My Review

✔6. A book with the word “history” in the title
Brave Companions: Portraits in History - David McCullough - (3 stars) 6/7/25 - My Review

✔7. A book that someone else in the group put on their Top 10 Reads of 2024 list
The Personal Librarian - Marie Benedict - (5 stars) 1/9/25 - on Lyn's list- My Review

✔8. A book set in a castle
An English Bride in Scotland - Lynsay Sands (4 stars) 6/8/25 - My Review

✔9. A book with a geometric shape in title
Triangle of Hope - Mike Meyer (3 stars) 2/5/25 - My Review

✔10. Read a book set in a country you have never visited
Girl in Ice – Erica Ferencik (4 stars) 1/14/25 - Greenland (never been there) - My Review

✔11. Read a book by a debut author
Buster Midnight's Cafe - Sandra Dallas (4 stars) 5/16/25 - Debut novel published in 1990 - My Review

✔12. A book about forgery or a forgery or counterfeit
And Only to Deceive (Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries, #1) – Tasha Alexander (5 stars) 4/18/25 - Aldwin Attewater is a forger whose work is put in place of original antiquities in the British Museum - the thefts are the mystery of this novel - My Review

Planning for First List - all books on my TBR pile before 1/1/25

1. Post three to five books choices in this thread and read the first one someone else picks for you
Secrets of a Summer Night - Lisa Kleypas - picked by Olivermagnus

2. A book involving archeology or an archeologist
The Maltese Goddess

3. Read a book with a title where all the words begin with the same letter (3 word minimum)
To Taste Temptation - Elizabeth Hoyt

4. Listen to an audiobook - Swapped for : Read a book with a character who is an alien (or might be one) - Stolen by an Alien - Amanda Milo

5. Read a book that was reviewed in 2024 and given 5 stars in PBT's Other Books Discussion
The Briar Club- reviewed by Olivermagnus 8/1/24 or The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - reviewed by John 5/3/24 or Horse - reviewed by Shelly 4/26/24 or The Bird Hotel - reviewed by Susan 1/11/24

6. A book with the word “history” in the title
Brave Companions: Portraits in History - David McCullough

7. A book that someone else in the group put on their Top 10 Reads of 2024 list
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - on John's list or Moon of the Turning Leaves - on NancyJ's list or The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder - on Jen's list or The Berry Pickers - on Hannah's list or The Personal Librarian - on Lyn's list

8. A book set in a castle
An English Bride in Scotland - Lynsay Sands

9. A book with a geometric shape in title
Triangle of Hope - Meyer or My One Square Inch of Alaska - Short or Great Circle - Shipstead

10. Read a book set in a country you have never visited
Girl in Ice - Greenland

11. Read a book by a debut author
Buster Midnight's Cafe - Dallas - debut book published in 1990

12. A book about forgery or a forgery or counterfeit
And Only to Deceive - Alexander

Second List - 6/9/25 - COMPLETED 12/3/25

✔1. Read a book with a title that contains a fraction (quarter, half, third)
My Favorite Half-Night Stand - Christina Lauren - (3 stars) 11/9/25
My Review

✔2. Read a book set in Canada or written by a Canadian author
Sleeping Giants - Sylvain Neuvel - (5 stars) 7/24/25
My Review

✔3. A book with an anti-hero or anti-heroine - Jane Yellowrock is a vampire hunter mercenary
Blood Cross - Faith Hunter - (4 stars) 10/1/25
My Review

✔4. A book published in the year you joined PBT (or its predecessor on Shelfari) - joined GR is 2012 - published Jan 1, 2012
Words Get In the Way - Nan Rossiter - (3 stars) 9/6/25
My Review

✔5. A book involving evolution, revolution or change - suffrage in New Zealand
Fearless(Scarlet Suffragette, #1) – Nicola Claire (4 stars) 11/21/25
My Review

✔6. Read a book that primarily involves an archeological dig or expedition
The Moche Warrior (An Archaeological Mystery, #3) – Lyn Hamilton (3 stars) 8/3/25
My Review

✔7. Read a book that includes a graduation
Best Staged Plans - Claire Cook(3 stars) 8/8/25 - comments about their son who had not moved out of the house since graduation, p.8
My Review

✔8. Read a non-fiction book on a subject related to your work, job, past job, or job of a significant family member - I'm a retired librarian
When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II - Molly Guptill Manning (4 stars) 12/3/25
My Review

✔9. Read a book with a title that begins with U
Unraveled - C.J. Barry - (4 stars) 6/30/25
My Review

✔10. A book you consider light-hearted or fun
Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man - Jesse Q. Sutanto - (5 stars) 6/13/25
My Review

✔11. Read a book that includes a protagonist with a physical disability - blind
The Blind Contessa's New Machine - Carey Wallace - (3 stars) 9/5/25
My Review

✔12. Read a book about one of your hobbies - puzzles
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers – Samuel Burr (4 stars) 7/28/25
My Review

Planning for Second List - 6/9/25
Secondary goal: read books on my TBR pile before 1/1/25

1. Read a book with a title that contains a fraction (quarter, half, third)
My Favorite Half-Night Stand

2. Read a book set in Canada or written by a Canadian author
Sleeping Giants-Canadian author

3. A book with an anti-hero or anti-heroine
Blood Cross-anti-heroine

4. A book published in the year you joined PBT (or its predecessor on Shelfari)-joined 2012 - published Jan 1, 2012
Words Get In the Way

5. A book involving evolution, revolution or change
Fearless-women's suffrage

6. Read a book that primarily involves an archeological dig or expedition
The Moche Warrior - archeological dig

7. Read a book that includes a graduation
Best Staged Plans

8. Read a non-fiction book on a subject related to your work, job, past job, or job of a significant family member - librarian
When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II

9. Read a book with a title that begins with U
Unraveled

10. A book you consider light-hearted or fun
Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man

11. Read a book that includes a protagonist with a physical disability
The Blind Contessa's New Machine

12. Read a book about one of your hobbies - puzzles
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers

1. Post three to five books choices in this thread and read the first one someone else picks for you

5 Books
These are Book #1 of series I added in my first download when I joined this site on 7/3/12 and it's about time I read the first one of each and decided if I want to read the series or donate the volumes to my library book sale



The Inn at Eagle Point (Chesapeake Shores, #1) - Sheryl Woods
Trust Me (The Last Stand, #1) - Brenda Novak
Cutting Loose (The Sisterhood Diaries, #1) - Susan Andersen
Stardoc (Stardoc, #1) - S.L. Viehl
Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers, #1) - Lisa Kleypas

If you have input on any of these series feel free to leave comments

Linda C wrote: "1. Post three to five books choices in this thread and read the first one someone else picks for you

5 Books
These are Book #1 of series I added in my first download when I joined this site on 7..."

I really liked the Wallflowers series and read them all when we had the Regency tag. I haven't read the others but have read Sheryl Woods and Brenda Novak before. I really liked Secrets of a Summer night and would recommend that from your list of choices.

Thanks for the pick. I like Kleypas and have read The Hathaways series (Regency) and Friday Harbor series (Contemporary). Her Regency series was much better than the contemporary one.

Info on SWAP - from Anita

So I've been giving some thought to a "swap", and after some helpful brainstorming with a member, I think it will work like this:

1. Once a quarter, we'll do a "white elephant style" swap.
2. Everyone will get a number. Higher numbers will be better in this case.
3. Everyone submits ONE prompt they really would rather not read to me privately.
4. The first person will select a number, and they will receive a new prompt.
5. The second person may then either steal that prompt from the first person, or open a new prompt.
6. And so forth and so one until all the prompts are redistributed.
7. Each person may only hold a given prompt up to three times.

There's some risk here because conceivably you could end up with a worse prompt than the one you are trading out. But it also upholds the random nature of this activity while also keeping things a bit of a "challenge".

The first swap will happen starting on February 20th.