Play Book Tag discussion

The random number for the Trim the TBR Challenge in July is...

23

Head to your list that you posted in your personal challenge tracking thread, find your 23rd book, and get your hands on it! Reading cannot start until July 1, but this gives you a few days to get it physically in your possession.

Feel free to post here what your 23rd book is if you want to see if anyone else is reading it, but this is absolutely not required!

Once July 1st hits, then you can post your reviews here when you complete your book. Reviews must be at least 4 sentences long. Other things to include if it fits:

• Fits the July tag of London.
• Page length of the book.

Still working on your previous books? You can post your review here when you finish, but please label it clearly as your, e.g., #19-January book!

A note on page lengths:
To keep this fair, the official page count will be the hardcover edition OR, if there was no hardcover version, the format that the book was first published in. You can find these numbers on the book details page here on GR or you can also find them on Amazon.

This means your page length you are reporting only for this challenge may not EXACTLY match the edition you read, but it is the best way we can keep things even in the age where mass market paperback editions can have many more pages than other versions. This page length applies to audiobooks as well.

A reminder of the scoring:
• Read your book - 3 points
• Your completed book happens to fit the tag (must be tagged as such on GR) - 2 points (plus you'll get an additional 2 for posting your review in the Monthly Tag folder)
• Read the longest book among all people who completed their randomly assigned book in any given month - 5 points
• Read the most pages in any quarter (up to 3 books total and quarters are Jan-Mar, April-June, Jul-Sept, and Oct-Dec) - 25 points
• Read the most pages for the whole year (up to 12 books total) - 100 points
• Read the most books that fit a tag for the year - 25 points (totally random luck, but still fun!)

A note for people who start the challenge after January 1:

Whenever you join, if you want to participate in the current month, then Anita or I will randomize your list as described above, locking in the book for that month as well as the books for all previous months (exact number depending on when you join). Then, you can have the random number for the next month is announced to rearrange the order of the remaining books to align with any buddy reads or just going with your gut instincts!

Once the random number for the next month is announced, your list is locked and you cannot change it until our mid-year shake-up!

This seems like the best way for people to jump in at any point while still keeping things as fair as possible.

Reminder of numbers:
January: 19
February: 17
March: 34
April: 12
May: 24
June: 30
July: 23

Interesting, my no. 23 is Stray: Memoir of a Runaway

Mine is A Victorian Flower Dictionary: The Language of Flowers Companion. Just had a brief look at it and it appears to be separate from the novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, so I won't need to have read the novel to understand it!

My 23 is The Immortalists

My #23 is In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides.

Olivermagnus wrote: "My #23 is In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides."

That sounds interesting! Will be on the lookout for your review to see if it will go on my TBR!

Mine isFruit of the Drunken Tree-have been wanting to read it for a long time!

All the Light We Cannot See is mine

My #23 is Such a Pretty Face by Cathy Lamb. I haven't read a Cathy Lamb book since Julia's Chocolates, so I'm looking forward to catching up.

I am really loving this challenge. Books are being picked and read from my TBR that have been gathering dust for years! I hope we do it again nect year.

Charlotte wrote: "All the Light We Cannot See is mine"

You've got a good one there!

Mine is Ghost Towns. I'm pretty sure this was another random buy from a library book sale that has been sitting in the house for a long time.

Mine is actually Mrs. Houdini, which is a holdover from my women in remarkable fiction year. I bet that's London, too, right?

Mrs. Houdini

Karen wrote: "My 23 is The Immortalists

"

I really enjoyed this one!

Olivermagnus wrote: "My #23 is In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides."

This book was great! Not sure if you already own it, but I listened to it on audio and it was excellently done.

Joanne wrote: "Mine isFruit of the Drunken Tree-have been wanting to read it for a long time!"

I read this one earlier this year and really enjoyed it! Though, I admit, that it was not exactly what I was expecting....

Charlotte wrote: "All the Light We Cannot See is mine"

One of my all time favorites!

My #23 is The Rule of Four! I have it in hardcover and looks reasonably short!

Jenny wrote: "Mine is A Victorian Flower Dictionary: The Language of Flowers Companion. Just had a brief look at it and it appears to be separate from the novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Language of Flowers. I'll be interested to see what you think of the companion book.

Thanks Jenny and Nicole R... I'm kind of really excited about it. I'm on a WWII kick after The Nightingale so I can't wait until July so I can start it!!

There sounds like there are a lot of good ones this month!

Karen wrote: "My 23 is The Immortalists

"

Darn, I have this on my trim but it is number 31.

My number 23 is We Who Are About To....
Since it is in space I don't think it fits the London tag :P

It's funny we haven't had any single digits chosen!

In any case, my #23 is:
- The Sixteen Pleasures / Robert Hellenga

Margie and I will be reading The Shadow of the Wind for #23. It was the only buddy read on the summary sheet for #23. If anyone wants to join us, let us know! I will also be reading White Teeth by Zadie Smith (London) if anyone is interested in discussing it.

I’ll be (re) reading it in July too! It’s my author and serious challenge, and that’s the next one up for me. So delighted to read it again with you, who are reading it for the first time. That puts me into buddy reads this upcoming month. One for horizons, and one for the trim.

Nicole R wrote: " Olivermagnus wrote: "My #23 is In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides."

This book was great! Not sure if you already own..."

I have some credits ready and waiting so I listened to the sample and purchased it. Thanks for the recommendation!

LibraryCin wrote: "It's funny we haven't had any single digits chosen!

In any case, my #23 is:
- The Sixteen Pleasures / Robert Hellenga"

LOVED that book! I have a treasured paperback copy on my shelves somewhere.

Olivermagnus wrote: "I have some credits ready and waiting so I listened to the sample and purchased it. Thanks for the recommendation! "

Great! I look forward to your review!

My #23 is The Trial by Franz Kafka.

Not exactly a beach read, but I am looking forward to it after reading a fascinating graphic biography recently that detailed Kafka's life.

The Trauma Cleaner is next up for me. Fingers crossed I can get past the fact that it’s non-fiction!

My #23 is 23. The secret on pembrooke park-Julie Klassen

My #23 is Warbreaker.

My # 23 is
The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean

Kimber wrote: "My #23 is The Trial by Franz Kafka.

Not exactly a beach read, but I am looking forward to it after reading a fascinating graphic biography recently that detailed Kafka's life."
That's a great one. I can't recall if I read it or saw the film. I remember it as being confusing and scary, but very powerful. I think the biography could really enrich the whole experience.

Kimber wrote: "My #23 is The Trial by Franz Kafka.

Not exactly a beach read, but I am looking forward to it after reading a fascinating graphic biography recently that detailed Kafka's life."

I haven't read The Trial, but I read The Castle last year, and I was really surprised by how darkly entertaining it was

I'm excited about this one: Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood. I've been meaning to read something by her for a while now.

My #23 is The Woman Who Smashed Codes.

**Sigh** My #23 is The Other Side of the Night: The Carpathia, the Californian and the Night the Titanic Was Lost. While I really want to read this, I have had no luck except once with my Trim books matching the monthly tag!

annapi wrote: "**Sigh** My #23 is The Other Side of the Night: The Carpathia, the Californian and the Night the Titanic Was Lost. While I really want to read this, I have had no luck except once wi..."

I read this a few years bag, I do remember liking it

Susie wrote: "The Trauma Cleaner is next up for me. Fingers crossed I can get past the fact that it’s non-fiction!"

That sounds really promising, sounds like a very interesting story.

My #23 is An Untamed State by Roxanne Gay.

My #23 is Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

I am looking forward to seeing what happens to Britt-Marie after My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry

#23 is Testimony of Two Men by Taylor Caldwell. I've never read any of her work so it should be interesting.

NancyJ, depending on how I do with my planned reads I may join you for The Shadow of the Wind.

Please do, Jenny!

Yay, a light hearted, easy #23: Still Me by Jojo Moyes, 3rd of the Me Before You series.
I'll probably finish July book's before I get halfway through June's!

@Karen, I'm reading The Immortalists right now, and really enjoying.

@Charlotte, you got one I'd consider a PBT Top 10!

My #23 is In the Company of Cheerful Ladies. I'll be very happy to return to this series that I find to be a delight!

Glad to hear it Joi.

My #23 is History is all you left me. I don't know why I have some of these books on my list!

My #23 is Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden. I have a feeling I read this as a child, but I only recall it vaguely. I´ve been wanting to read it (again?) for a while :)
Edit: I don´t think I have read it, looking at the published date - I thought it was older. Maybe I have just had the story outlined to me or watched the film.

Kszr wrote: "My #23 is History is all you left me. I don't know why I have some of these books on my list!"

LOL .... I know just what you mean. I go through my list at least once a year to "purge" and I frequently wonder HOW / WHY that title got on my list in the first place.

My number #23 is
The Shadow of the Wind
I believe I have a buddy read on this one. Yes, I see .. NancyJ
Alrighty then... Anyone else want to jump on this train?