Play Book Tag discussion

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

32

Head to your list that you posted in your personal challenge tracking thread, find your 3rd book, and get your hands on it! Reading cannot start until October 1, but this gives you a few days to get it physically in your possession.

Feel free to post here what your 3rd book is if you want to see if anyone else is reading it, but this is absolutely not required!

Once October 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 October tag of crime fiction.
• 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
August: 16
September: 3
October: 32

Despite having a number of books featuring crime on my list, my #32 does not. It is All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot.

The Woman in the Window and it fits the tag!

I thought there was talk of this being a buddy read or at least someone else had this as 32 also... let me know if that was you as I seem to have lost my list :(

My #32 is Lord of the Flies. One of those books you have heard so much about you feel you´ve actually read it. But I haven´t. About time.
This month I actually managed to read a trim book within the month :)
I am thinking of tuning down my yearly challenges (popsugar and AtY) next year and participate more in PBT. This monthly thing is better for my level of planning and attention span.

Johanne wrote: "My #32 is Lord of the Flies. One of those books you have heard so much about you feel you´ve actually read it. But I haven´t. About time.
This month I actually managed to read a trim bo..."

We definitely love having you involved here at PBT, Johanne!

Just so you are aware, we will not do the same two PBT challenges next year, but instead we will be voting on challenges for next year in the next couple of months. Just a heads up!

Though, I have to admit, that these two challenges have been wildly popular. lol

Well I know why #32 Swimming Lessons is on my list - it's set in my home county so it will be interesting to see what places I recognise!

It is crime fiction, but the closest I can get to the actual tag is 'crime-fiction-mystery-thriller', which I don't think you'll allow!

Nicole R wrote: "...We definitely love having you involved here at PBT, Johanne!

Just so you are aware, we will not do the same two PBT challenges next year, but instead we will be voting on challenges for next year in the next couple of months. Just a heads up!

Though, I have to admit, that these two challenges have been wildly popular. lol..."

Yes, it´s a great place this :)

Thanks for the heads-up! I really hope trim will return. But we´ll see :)

Jenny wrote: "It is crime fiction, but the closest I can get to the actual tag is 'crime-fiction-mystery-thriller', which I don't think you'll allow!."

Unfortunately, it will not work for the Trim bonus of fitting the monthly tag BUT you can still report it in the monthly tag folder if you like as we are more lax about the rules for the monthly tag.

I hope that makes sense, it is a little confusing because the rules are slightly different, but drop me a note if you need clarification!

My October #32 TBR is

Shoes Were For Sunday by Molly Weir

Nicole, it makes perfect sense and I wasn't expecting you to allow it anyway!

It's been the same for nearly all my trim books as not fitting the tag, so I am used to reading 2 books per month for this group this year!

I thought the official tag was just "crime?" It wasn't crime fiction in the voting options, I didn't think.

ETA: Got answer in announcement thread; it was crime fiction. And bless the one person on page 37 of tags for Foundryside who tagged it crime-fiction.

Johanne wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "...We definitely love having you involved here at PBT, Johanne!

Just so you are aware, we will not do the same two PBT challenges next year, but instead we will be voting on chall..."

FYI JoHanne, there are a gang of us who are going to go solo (not involving the Mods here) and continue TRIM on our own-join us!

Another short one for me this month-thank goodness! I have way to many "chunksters" on the nightstand already

Of Love and Other Demons

Joanne wrote: "Johanne wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "...We definitely love having you involved here at PBT, Johanne!

Just so you are aware, we will not do the same two PBT challenges next year, but instead we will be..."

Yay!

My #32 is Mystery at Thunderbolt House. It doesn't have the tag so it won't work for extra points for trim but it probably will fit the tag. I didn't realize this was a YA mystery published in 1968. I've had the book sitting around for a long time and I can't even remember where I got it from, maybe my grandma.

Joanne wrote: "Johanne wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "...We definitely love having you involved here at PBT, Johanne!

Just so you are aware, we will not do the same two PBT challenges next year, but instead we will be..."

I might have to do that too because trim has really been a blast!

My #32 is Home to Holly Hills by Jan Caron. I haven't "visited" Mitford in ages. I figured I must do this in audio as it is just the best. I learned to love audio listening to Father Tim (John McDonough). But now I find that this particular story is a different narrator! I don't know what I'll do. Get the print and keep Father Tim's voice in my head or listen to a new narrator and (i hope not) spoil the book for me?

My #32 is Tidewater: A Novel of Pocahontas and the Jamestown Colony - Libbie Hawker.

Hebah wrote: "I thought the official tag was just "crime?" It wasn't crime fiction in the voting options, I didn't think."

The tag is "crime fiction" and that is how it was listed in both the original poll and the revote poll.

Joanne wrote: "FYI JoHanne, there are a gang of us who are going to go slow (not involving the Mods here) and continue TRIM on our own-join us!..."

That is a great idea! It will take you 3 years to get through all of them, but it is a nice goal to have.

Joanne wrote: "Johanne wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "...We definitely love having you involved here at PBT, Johanne!

Just so you are aware, we will not do the same two PBT challenges next year, but instead we will be..."

Will you do a list and randomize it? I am always trying to trim my TBR! The randomized list forces me to go way back sometimes. I like that!

RE: Continuing TRIM:

Amy Came up with idea, and a few us chimed in that we want to continue. I think what we should do is have a Footnotes discussion as to how to handle it. I have a few ideas, I am sure all of you do too. We can take the best of those and go for it. What say you Amy?
Start a thread later this month or November and we will discuss how to proceed?

Barbara wrote: "Will you do a list and randomize it? I am always trying to trim my TBR! The randomized list forces me to go way back sometimes. I like that!."

It sounds like they are planning to continue to read off their current list, but I don't want to speak for the people who will actually be doing it!

I will say to feel free to use the Footnotes folder to continue your discussion of the unofficial continuation of this challenge after the new year!

Hebah wrote: "I thought the official tag was just "crime?" It wasn't crime fiction in the voting options, I didn't think.

ETA: Got answer in announcement thread; it was crime fiction. And bless the one person o..."

Oh Heba-I loved this one!!!! Enjoy girl!

Joanne wrote: "RE: Continuing TRIM:

Amy Came up with idea, and a few us chimed in that we want to continue. I think what we should do is have a Footnotes discussion as to how to handle it. I have a few ideas, I ..."

I randomized the entire set of numbers 1-36 when I started the challenge, and then just assigned the first 12 to the months of this year.

Let me know if you want the remainder of the numbers and I can send them to you in a PM after I announce the final number in November!

You can also re-randomize them yourself, it is not hard, but thought I would offer! the admins just use random.org for all of the random things that PBT does.

I kind of wanted to make a new list of 36, with some doubles and some not. I like the randomness of it. But let's continue the discussion in footnotes later as suggested.

And Joanne everytime I see someone reply to your comments I think it is a reply to mine :) Really glad that H is there, otherwise I would be totally confused.

#32 for me is The Alienist by Caleb Carr and it fits the tag!

#32 for me is That Month in Tuscany

Light romance, does not fit crime fiction but excellent counter to my Proust reading assignment!

Charlotte wrote: "#32 for me is The Alienist by Caleb Carr and it fits the tag!"

I loved this one!

Johanne wrote: "I kind of wanted to make a new list of 36, with some doubles and some not. I like the randomness of it. But let's continue the discussion in footnotes later as suggested.

And Joanne everytime I s..."

I would like to do the same, make a new list but probably keep some from this year's on there.

Will head to footnotes and find the discussion!

My number 32 is A Kind of Freedom. It sounds really good and I'm looking forward to reading it.

My 32 is Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson. Sort of thought I owned it, and that's how it got on my TBR. But I cannot immediately locate it. Thinking of doing it on Audible while I cook for the high holidays....

Charlotte wrote: "#32 for me is The Alienist by Caleb Carr and it fits the tag!"

I enjoyed that one too. Hope you will and yes, it fits the tag!

32. Dead Mountain-donnie eichar

Yay! Another Chris Bohjalian. My #32 is The Flight Attendant.

This will be the second of his I've read this year (the other was for Syria horizon, in addition to the first I read last year. I've really liked everything he has done, seems to be a well rounded author.

Johanne wrote: "I kind of wanted to make a new list of 36, with some doubles and some not. I like the randomness of it. But let's continue the discussion in footnotes later as suggested.

And Joanne everytime I s..."

And I absolutely love that you have the "h"-My husband was born in Poland and his mother always called me "Johanna"-he would always try to correct her and I would smack him one and tell him to leave it alone, I loved how she pronounced it!

Looks like Amy missed the talk about the 2020 TRIM -I sent her a message and asked if she wanted to start a thread-

My # 32 is All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani. I've requested the e-audio through overdrive. I'm # 1 on the hold list and there are 7 copies in our system, so at most I'll wait 2 weeks. Perfect timing!



Does NOT fit the tag ... S*I*G*H

I will be reading Madam Millie: Bordellos from Silver City to Ketchikan by Max Evans

I would love to continue the tbr challenge. I deliberately choose books for my list that I have been putting off reading for one reason or other and might never get to otherwise. They were all ones I really wanted to read but all came with a measure of anxiety: difficult to access, unfamiliar author, unfamiliar genre, unattractive cover, unenticing book blurb etc. I have had some amazing surprises this year and some brand new book best friends. Thanks for organizing it.

My #32 is Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. I've been looking forward to reading Rules for some time now. Woohoo!!!!!!!!

That's a wonderful.story Joanna :)

DianeMP wrote: "My #32 is Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. I've been looking forward to reading Rules for some time now. Woohoo!!!!!!!!"

I really liked this one! I hope you do as well!

Johanne wrote: "I am thinking of tuning down my yearly challenges (popsugar and AtY) next year and participate more in PBT. This monthly thing is better for my level of planning and attention span...."

Wasn't there some interest in unofficially continuing "trim" next year? Completely unofficial. I'd love to if a few of us decide to keep going. :-) We'd probably just get one of us to randomize the remaining numbers and choose that way.

Joanne wrote: "FYI JoHanne, there are a gang of us who are going to go solo (not involving the Mods here) and continue TRIM on our own-join us! ..."

Ah, I see someone else already answered this! And, yes, though I'm a moderator, I just want to continue to work off my list, personally. For those continuing, it would be all unofficial.

Joanne wrote: "Amy Came up with idea, and a few us chimed in that we want to continue. I think what we should do is have a Footnotes discussion as to how to handle it. I have a few ideas, I am sure all of you do too. We can take the best of those and go for it. What say you Amy?
Start a thread later this month or November and we will discuss how to proceed? ..."

This is a good idea. And since I haven't yet read through the entire thread, you might all have decided this already!

DianeMP wrote: "My #32 is Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. I've been looking forward to reading Rules for some time now. Woohoo!!!!!!!!"

Read this a few months ago and loved it!

My #32 is A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R King, which includes an older Sherlock Holmes. It definitely fits the Crime Fiction tag.

Surprisingly (for an older book) there is a library wait list, so I might be waiting for a while.

I answered the call and started the Trim 2020 thread in Footnotes. Thank you Joanne, you are right that i hadn't seen it begin here. I have been slammed. Overambitious for October... But decided to do do my trim book on audio while I cook.

I'll be reading The Humans by Matt Haig and it does not fit the tag as far as I can tell.