Beyond Reality discussion

Time for our final quarterly challenge of the year! For this quarter's challenge, without reading the description, choose a book to read solely based on its title. Maybe the title makes you laugh, intrigues you, doesn't make sense, choose however you want!

Let us know what you're reading and what you thought of it here!

Even though it’s next month’s BotM, and even though I think I’m the one who nominated it, I don’t actually know anything about Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke other than it’s her debut novel and there’s a British TV series based on it. I think the title is just “strange” enough to fit the challenge, and the book has been on my shelf for ages, so I will apply this to the challenge when I read this for our November BotM.

I went onto my library's "available now" ebook section to see if there were any good titles, and A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking jumped out at me! I've read and enjoyed other T. Kingfisher, so I think that's going to be my selection this time around.

Shel and Kathi, I have read both of the books you have selected and I think you will like them both. I did, though Jonathan was pretty darn long.

I am going to select a title already on my list to read, also, How to Survive a Fairy Bargain, though the first book had an even better title for this challenge, How to Summon a Fairy Godmother

I think I'm going with Automatic Noodle. I added it to my TBR recently because of it's great name.

I decided tonight I was going to try this
Through Struggle, the Stars

I heard about this a while back, not sure where. I think it is a self published affair but we will see

Dawn wrote: "I think I'm going with Automatic Noodle. I added it to my TBR recently because of it's great name."

It was good. I liked it. I felt that it was worldbuilding that might turn into a series (I hope) but still very cool

So this has been on my radar because of the author and my husband read it and recommended, but I don't think I have read the blurb yet.

Flybot

And its driving me crazy to have not read the blurb. I always read the blurbs unless they are later books in a series.

Yeah I know, more based on author than title, but its what I've got. :)

Finished Flybot and enjoyed it.

I really think this is as close as I'm going to be able to come for this challenge. I just can't not read the blurbs on books. Its the first thing I do.

Kateblue wrote: "I am going to select a title already on my list to read, also, How to Survive a Fairy Bargain, though the first book had an even better title for this challenge, How to Summon a Fairy Godmother"

I am replying to my own message to say that I think that I have read the first book of this fun and light series about fairy godmothers. So reading the second is not based solely on the title. Therefore, I am changing this book in this challenge to Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America. Some people in another group are reading it, and I thought the title was unique and felt like some older books from the 18th or 19th centuries, so I will join in and let you know if it is good

Julian Comstock was great! The group read it some time back so feel free to dig through the archives and resurrect the discussion thread if you like!

I read A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, and it was as delightful as I anticipated, knowing the author. If whimsy appeals to you, I definitely recommend it! There’s a sort-of sentient sourdough starter named Bob. It’s that kind of book.

Shel, good to know Julian Comstock is a good one. I am about 15% in, perhaps, and I am waiting for it to take off any time. I may go and read How to Survive a Fairy Bargain first because I think it is shorter and an easier read.

Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America is pretty good. Very similar idea to Fitzpatrick's War

I did finish Julian Comstock, but I got bored at about 50% and leapt to the last three or four chapters. They were great.

I think it was just the writing style that bored me. I get why it was written that way, but meh . . .

I'm going to count Automatic Noodle because it was indeed the title that caught my attention earlier this month. :)

Cheryl wrote: "I'm going to count Automatic Noodle because it was indeed the title that caught my attention earlier this month. :)"

OH! You reminded me.

Some years back I bought a book purely based upon it's title. It was cheap and I just could not help myself.

Series: Starship Ass
Title: Of Donkeys, Gods, and Space Pirates: The Adventures of Harold the Donkey

Never got around to reading it. It doesn't look very long. I'll have to give it a go this weekend. :)

That’s a pretty epic title! 😂

And I just remembered that I borrowed The Unicorn in the Barn based entirely on the title. I mean, who would do that, and why, and *how* to such a creature? Turns out to be just a nice children's fantasy, but I'm glad I read it (yesterday).

I finished Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke and put my comments in the topic thread for our BotM. I’ll just say I wanted to like this book more than I actually did, but I am glad I read it.