Laurie R. King Virtual Book Club discussion

Based on a comment in the ChitChat thread, I thought it would be fun to discuss what new books we're looking forward to for 2014. Which releases do you have marked on your calendar? Which authors are you keeping an eye on for their latest books?

I've got a goodly handful of books and authors I'm keeping an eye on this year, though not quite as many as last year, maybe.

Ben Aaronovitch's Broken Homes is supposed to be out in a few weeks and I'm really impatient for that one. And also Taylor Steven's The Catch is out this year; I think in summer.

Other than those two, there aren't many that I'm super excited for, but a bunch that I have an eye out for. The new Flavia book from Alan Bradley just came out (and should be interesting, given the ending from the last one!). Deborah Harkness is supposed to have the final book in her trilogy out this year. And there's supposed to be a new one out from Diana Gabaldon (though her series has become like a train wreck that I can't seem to look away from).

I'm also looking forward to Broken Homes, though I've heard from advance readers in the UK that it ends on a massive cliffhanger. :-/

Did I hear right that Laurie's next won't be till 2015?

The one I can't wait for is The Severed Streets. London Falling was such a great read, and such a fantastic surprise - I'm trying to keep expectations in check, but I am really really excited for #2.

Elisabeth wrote: "Did I hear right that Laurie's next won't be till 2015?"

Yep; sad news. =/ Laurie said she's trying to get back to a different time of year for release (for marketing/competition purposes, you know), so we have to wait a few extra months for her Russell in Japan book.

I'm looking forward to reading Flavia de Luce's newest adventure, The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches.

January is going to be a busy book month. UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY by Nancy Horan is out the 21st and hoping it is as good as LOVING FRANK. Then there is the latest Flavia de Luce: THE DEAD IN THEIR VAULTED ARCHES by Alan Bradley and HUNTING SHADOWS (an Ian Rutledge mystery) by Charles Todd; HOLLOW CITY: THE SECOND NOVEL OF MISS PEREGRINE'S CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs and HER DARK CURIOSITY (Madman's Daughter #2) by Megan Shepherd.

Just finished Flavia's Vaulted Arches, and it was sadly wonderful. Now I'm at a loss for the moment, nothing appeals to me!

Russell in Japan would have been at the top of my list. Guess I'll have to kick off my 2015 list with it.

The sequel to Behind the Shattered Glass, probably. Otherwise, I am working on the Reduce the TBR Challenge and trying, as a result, to read books I own and have not read before buying any more. Alas, there are a large number of those!

C.P. wrote: "Otherwise, I am working on the Reduce the TBR Challenge and trying, as a result, to read books I own and have not read before buying any more. Alas, there are a large number of those! "

I keep making this a goal for the year too, but never seem to get the stack any shorter. Except perhaps in that it is getting physically shorter since I've switched most of my buying to ebooks. =P

For some reason, it's working for me (the rewards of social interaction?). Since January 1, I have read six books that have been lying around for various lengths of time and expect to be halfway through a seventh by the end of this evening. Four of those also qualify for the 2014 History Challenge: A Sail to the Past. Those are the two main challenges I plan for this year (goals 24 books and 15 books, respectively).

I think that's a bigger dent than I made in the TBR in all of last year!

Without a new LRK or Lois McM. Bujold to look forward to I'm working on the TBR already on my Ipod. Several new-to-me authors to try but I'm going for an oldie. Anyone else old enough to remember Aussie author, Arthur Upfield? I have his The Will of the Tribe ready to go as soon as I finish a Kerry Greenwod.

C.P. wrote: "For some reason, it's working for me (the rewards of social interaction?). Since January 1, I have read six books that have been lying around for various lengths of time and expect to be halfway th..."

Are these organized challenges on Goodreads or somewhere? Or just personal challenges? Social challenges really seem to work for me too. That's how i got through all the Jane Austens a few years ago: we were reading them for a book club so it was like an assignment for the month and the reward was getting to go out for a beer with friends =)

Organized challenges. My toppling TBR pile attests to my ability to handle personal challenges. :-)

I got into both the History Challenge and the Reduce the TBR Challenge through another GoodReads group, but I think the challenges began elsewhere on the Internet. It's the social element here (rather than on some amorphous website) that makes them work for me.

C.P. wrote: "Organized challenges. My toppling TBR pile attests to my ability to handle personal challenges. :-)

I got into both the History Challenge and the Reduce the TBR Challenge through another GoodReads..."

That TBR challenge sounds like something I need. Can you share the group link?

I sent you a PM, Erin. It's a private group, so I don't think I should post the link here. But the moderators do accept new members; they are just trying to protect themselves from self-promoters.