Play Book Tag discussion

Challenge Summary

Read 48 Books and Write a Review for Each [37/48]
Long Book Challenge: Read 3,000 pages from 500+ page books [1621/3000]
PBT – 1 book per month that fits the PBT tag/shelf [18/12]
Fall Flurries – October/November/December themed books
Fly the PBT Skies – 12 books [7/12]
Dalloway BC – 10 books [5/9]
Featured Author: Dorothy Dunnett--Finish the Lymond Chronicles
Unofficial 2021 Trim the TBR [2/12]
Casually playing Pursue, Book, Track It! [5/48 Items]

Read 48 Books and Write a Review for Each

1. A Curious Beginning > Deanna Raybourn 01.03.21
2. A Perilous Undertaking > Deanna Raybourn 01.09.2021
3. Beach Read > Emily Henry 01.10.2021
4. A Treacherous Curse > Deanne Raybourn 01.14.2021
5. A Dangerous Collaboration > Deanna Raybourn 01.16.2021
6. A Murderous Relation > Deanna Raybourn 01.18.2021
7. Mrs. Dalloway > Virginia Woolf 01.23.21
8. Chez Stinky > Susan Daffron 1.31.21
9. The Forgotten Garden > Kate Morton 02.13.21
10. Starfish > JB Heller 02.14.21
11. What Happens in Paradise > Elin Hilderbrand 02.25.21
12. Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories > Ghassan Kanafani 02.27.21
13. Exhalation > Ted Chiang 03.03.21
14. A Spear of Summer Grass > Deanna Raybourn 03.07.21
15. Troubles in Paradise > Elin Hilderbrand 03.08.21
16. Brown Dog > Jim Harrison 03.14.21
17. Masques > Patricia Briggs 03.21.21
18. The Girl in the Spider Web > David Lagercrantz 03.29.21
19. The Girl Who Takes An Eye For An Eye > David Lagercrantz 04.04.21
20. The Prophet > Amanda Stevens (Graveyard Queen #3) 04.06.21
21. Breath Eyes Memory > Edwidge Danticat 04.12.2021
22. Arcadia Falls > Carol Goodman 04.15.2021
23. Bittersweet > Miranda Beverly-Whittemore 04.20.2021
24. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (p) 04.30.21
25. Pulp by Robin Talley (p) 05.07.21
26. I Hold a Wolf by the Ears: Stories by Laura van den Berg (e) 05.08.21
27. Mothers, Tell Your Daughters: Stories by Bonnie Jo Campbell (e) 05.11.21
28. Lake Like A Mirror by Ho Sok Fong (p) 05.28.21
29. Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett (e) 05.29.21
30. The Big Kahuna by Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich (e) 6.6.21
31. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (e) 6.12.21
32. Camino Island by John Grisham (e) 6.30.21
33. Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flowers (e) 07.16.21
34. Where’d You Go, Bernadette? By Maria Semple (a) 07.23.21
35. The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly (e) 07.30.21
36. Soulless by Gail Carriger (e) 08.08.21
37. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (e) 08.13.21
38. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab (e) 08.30.21
39. Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer (e) 09/09/21
40. Originals by Adam Grant (a) 09/15/21
41. Shades of Wicked by Jeniene Frost (e) 09/20/21
42. World Travel by Anthony Bourdain (e) 09/30/21
43. The Bear by Andrew Krivak (a) 10/08/21
44. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle (a) 10/13/21
45. Dark Currents by Jacqueline Carey (e) 10/18/21
46. Autumn Bones by Jacqueline Carey (e) 10/24/21
47. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry (e) 10/31/21
48. Al Dente’s Inferno by Stephanie Cole (e) 11/13/21
49. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain (a) 11/15/21
50. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (e) 11/17/21
51. Poison Fruit: Agents of Hel #3 by Jacqueline Carey (e) 11/26/21
52. Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (e) 12.06.21
53. Dare to Lead by Brene Brown (a) 12.07.21
54. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (e) 12.16.21
55. Anxious People by Frederick Backman (e) 12.29.21

Long Book Challenge: Read 3,000 pages from 500+ page books

Title: The Forgotten Garden
No. of Pages: 552
Completed: 02.13.21

Title: Brown Dog
No. of Pages: 525
Completed: 03.16.21

Title: The Girl in the Spider's Web
No. of Pages: 544
Completed 03.29.21

Title: Midnight Sun
No. of Pages: 672

Total No. of Pages Read: 2293

PBT – 1 book per month that fits the PBT tag/shelf

January: Mental Health
Beach Read > Emily Henry 01.10.2021
Mrs. Dalloway > Virginia Woolf 01.23.21

January Bonus Tag: Historical Fiction
A Curious Beginning > Deanna Raybourn 01.03.2021
A Perilous Undertaking > Deanna Raybourn 01.09.2021
A Treacherous Curse > Deanne Raybourn 01.14.2021
A Dangerous Collaboration > Deanna Raybourn 1.16.2021
A Murderous Relation > Deanna Raybourn 1.18.2021

February: Family Drama
The Forgotten Garden > Kate Morton 02.13.21
What Happens in Paradise > Elin Hilderbrand 02.25.21

March: Africa
A Spear of Summer Grass > Deanne Raybourn 03.07.21

April: Gothic
Arcadia Falls > Carol Goodman (e) (reading) 04.15.2021
Bittersweet > Miranda Beverly-Whittemore 04.20.2021

May: Short Stories
I Hold a Wolf by the Ears: Stories by Laura van den Berg (e) 05.08.21
Mothers, Tell Your Daughters: Stories by Bonnie Jo Campbell (e) 05.11.21
Lake Like A Mirror by Ho Sok Fong (p) 05.28.21

June: Beach Read
The Big Kahuna by Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich (e) 6.6.21
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (e) 6.12.21
Camino Island by John Grisham (e) 6.30.21

July: Regency
Soulless by Gail Carriger (e) 08.08.21

August: Cultural
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 08.13.21

September: Made Me Cry
Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer 09.09.21

October: Feminist
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November: First in a Series
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December: Books About Books
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Fall Flurries – October/November/December themed books

October: Dark Currents and Autumn Bones by Jacqueline Carey - featuring ghosts, demons, goddesses of the underworld, witches, werewolves; plenty spooky

November: Al Dente's Inferno by Stephanie Cole
featuring chefs, feasts, lots of food and cooking

December: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
book is set on New Year's Eve and Day.

Fly the PBT Skies

Report the following info:
Starting location: NAME
Destination: Location name including the link to the book's tag page to verify it has been tagged as such by at least 5 GR users
Miles: as calculated by the official miles calculator
BONUS Miles (if applicable): 500 plus the link to the book's tag page to verify it has been tagged with the monthly tag by at least 5 GR users
Book title and review (or link to review): the standard stuff
https://www.mapdevelopers.com/distanc...

Starting Location: Holland, Michigan

January
Starting Location: Holland, MI
Destination: London
Book tagged "London" 22x: https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Miles: 3,847.78
Bonus miles: 500 (Book tagged "Historical Fiction" 1,441x)
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Book: A Curious Beginning

Total Miles for Jan: 4347.78

February
Starting Location: London
Destination: Australia
Booked tagged Australia 323x
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Miles: 10,094.77 miles
Bonus Miles: 500 (book tagged Family Drama 24x)
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Total miles for Feb: 10,594.77
Book: The Forgotten Garden


The Forgotten Garden Review

March
Starting Location: Australia
Destination: Kenya
Book tagged Kenya 14x
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...

Miles: 6845.35
Bonus miles: 500
Book tagged "Africa" 75x
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Book: A Spear of Summer Grass

Total Miles for Mar: 7345.35

April
Starting Location: Kenya
Destination: Mexico
Booked tagged Mexico 243x
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Miles: 9,185.97 miles
Bonus Miles: 500 (book tagged Gothic 1,158x)
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Total miles for April; 9,685.97
Mexican Gothic


Mexican Gothic Review

Total Miles Accumulated: 31,963.77

May
Starting Location: Mexico
Destination: Malaysia
Booked tagged Malaysia 12x
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Miles: 10036.78 miles
Bonus Miles: 500 (book tagged Short Stories 42x)
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Total miles for May: 10,536.78
Lake Like a Mirror


Lake Like A Mirror Review

Total Miles Accumulated: 42,500.55

Continents visited thus far:
Europe
Oceana
Africa
North America
Asia

June
Starting Location: Malaysia
Destination: Florida
Booked tagged Florida 43x
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Miles: 10189.48 miles
Bonus Miles: 500 (book tagged Beach Reads 10x)
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Total miles for June: 10,689.48
Camino Island


Camino Island Review

Total Miles Accumulated: 53,190.03

Continents visited thus far:
Europe
Oceana
Africa
North America
Asia


July
Starting Location: Florida
Destination: Antarctica
Book tagged Antarctica 177x
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Miles: 7997.87
Bonus Miles: None
Total miles for July: 7997.87
Where'd You Go, Bernadette


Where'd You Go, Bernadette Review

Total Miles Accumulated: 61,187.90

Continents visited thus far:
Europe
Oceana
Africa
North America
Asia
Antarctica

August
Starting Location: Antarctica
Destination: Russia
Book tagged Russia 937x
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Miles: 10,639.87
Bonus Miles: 500
Book tagged Cultural 92x
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...
Total miles for August: 11,139.87
A Gentleman in Moscow


A Gentleman in Moscow Review

Total Miles Accumulated: 72,327.77

Continents visited thus far:
Europe
Oceana
Africa
North America
Asia
Antarctica

Finish Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett

1. Game of Kings (read long ago)
2. Queen's Play (read long ago)
3. Disorderly Knights
4. Pawn in Frankincense
5. Ringed Castle
6. Checkmate

Unofficial 2021 Trim the TBR

1. The Dust of 100 Dogs - AS King
2. Men in the Sun & Other Palestinian Stories - Ghassan Kanafani (January pick) 02.27.21
3. Of Mice & Men - John Steinbeck (June pick)
4. Sons & Lovers - DH Lawrence
5. Steppenwolf - Herman Hesse (April Pick)
6. Steppin' on a Rainbow - Kinky Friedman (May Pick)
7. The Sea Runners - Ivan Doig (March Pick)
8. Masques - Patricia Briggs (February Pick) 03.21.21
9. Still Life With Woodpecker - Tom Robbins (September Pick)
10. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch (October pick)
11. Un Lun Dun - China Mieville (August pick)
12. There's Wild, & Then There's You - M. Leighton (July pick)

Dalloway BC (In-person book club)

January/February - Talking to Strangers - Malcolm Gladwell (read in 2020)

March/April - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton 02.13.21

May - Pulp by Robin Talley

June - Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno Garcia

July - Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

August/September - Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

October - World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain

November - The Bear by Andrew Krivek (sp?)

Dandy is my Dog's Name... One of them....

Amy wrote: "Dandy is my Dog's Name... One of them...."

Aww, what a sweet name! I just like the word dandy :)

My dog's name is Josephine Bean (Josie for short). She turned 1 year old today, and got maple and bacon flavored puppy ice cream for a treat.

I hope you love the Lymond Chronicles - they are my all-time favourite historical novels!

KateNZ wrote: "I hope you love the Lymond Chronicles - they are my all-time favourite historical novels!"

It's good to hear from a fellow lover of Dorothy Dunnett -- I'm surprised by how few in my reading circle of friends have read and/or enjoyed her books as much as I have. I adored the first two of the Lymond Chronicles. Dunnett is a master of nuance. Sir Francis of Lymond may be my all-time favorite character.

I'm planning to be a casual player of PBT It!

The four categories for January's Pursue It! Book It! Track It! challenge are:

Prozac (exact word)
group therapy (exact words or situation)
suicidal ideation (exact words or situation)
coping skills (exact words)

This will also be the reporting thread once January starts! When you report, please post:

Item Collected: name the item that you found
Location in Book: describe where you found the item. Either a page/location/etc number for exact words, or a really brief description if it is a situation.
Number Collected: E.g., 1/4, 2/4, etc. This just helps me as I score to be sure I didn't miss anything!
Book title and review (or link to review): the standard stuff

January Reporting:

Item Collected: Suicidal Ideation (1/4)
Location in Book: Pages 215, 218 (Kindle Edition)

Page 215 (From a letter the main character is reading that was written by her relative):

"He cannot marry her, Max, he must not. It will be my destruction, and he will carry that for the rest of his life."

And then, on page 218, the main character references that passage in the letter, saying:

"And Lily was disconsolate." I picked up the thread of his idea. "She even threatened suicide, albeit obliquely, in her letter."

Book title and review (or link to review):
A Curious Beginning

FEBRUARY REPORTING

Item Collected: Divorce (1/4)
Location in Book: Pages 217 (Kindle Edition)

"Not that he had any chance of stopping me. He'd have been risking the divorce courts if he'd so much as tried."

Book title and review (or link to review):
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (currently reading, review forthcoming)

January Progress toward goals:

Read 48 Books and Write a Review for Each [8/48]

Long Book Challenge: Read 3,000 pages from 500+ page books [217/3,000]

PBT – 1 book per month that fits the PBT tag/shelf [7/12]
January Mental Health Tag: 2
January Historical Fiction Bonus Tag: 5

Fall Flurries – October/November/December themed books [0/?]

Fly the PBT Skies – 12 books [1/12]
Jan.: Traveled from Holland, Mich., to London, England

Dalloway BC – 12-ish books
Currently reading March/April book.

Featured Author: Dorothy Dunnett--Finish the Lymond Chronicles
Have not started Disorderly Knights (book 3) yet.

Unofficial 2021 Trim the TBR [0/12]
Still working on the January book - Men in the Sun; have Masques by Patricia Briggs (Feb. book) on standby.

Pursue it! Book it! Track it! (casually playing)
Found 1 of 4 items in January

February Progress toward goals:

Read 48 Books and Write a Review for Each [13/48]
Long Book Challenge: Read 3,000 pages from 500+ page books [552/3000]
PBT – 1 book per month that fits the PBT tag/shelf [10/12]
Fall Flurries – October/November/December themed books
Fly the PBT Skies – 12 books [2/12]
Dalloway BC – 10 books [2/10]
Featured Author: Dorothy Dunnett--Finish the Lymond Chronicles
Unofficial 2021 Trim the TBR [1/12]
Casually playing Pursue, Book, Track It! [2/48 Items]

Adding the tracking of another long-term challenge here - my personal challenge to read a book set in each country of the world. So far I've read 36/197.

I'm looking at reading Breath Eyes Memory by Edwidge Danticat next, for Haiti.

March progress:

Read 48 Books and Write a Review for Each [19/48]
Long Book Challenge: Read 3,000 pages from 500+ page books [1621/3000]
PBT – 1 book per month that fits the PBT tag/shelf [10/12]
Fly the PBT Skies – 12 books [3/12]
Dalloway BC – 10 books [2/10]
Featured Author: Dorothy Dunnett--Finish the Lymond Chronicles [2/6]
Unofficial 2021 Trim the TBR [2/12]
Casually playing Pursue, Book, Track It! [2/48 Items]
Read a book set in each country of the world [36/197]
Fall Flurries – October/November/December themed books [0/3]

PBT Fly 7 Continents Bonus Challenge
Africa (Kenya)
Antarctica
Asia
Europe (London)
North America
Oceana (Australia)
South America

April Progress:

Read 48 Books and Write a Review for Each [24/48]
Long Book Challenge: Read 3,000 pages from 500+ page books [1621/3000]
PBT – 1 book per month that fits the PBT tag/shelf [11/12]
Fly the PBT Skies – 12 books [4/12]
Dalloway BC – 10 books [3/10]
Featured Author: Dorothy Dunnett--Finish the Lymond Chronicles [2/6]
Unofficial 2021 Trim the TBR [2/12]
Casually playing Pursue, Book, Track It! [5/48 Items]
Read a book set in each country of the world [37/197]
Fall Flurries – October/November/December themed books [0/3]

PBT Fly 7 Continents Bonus Challenge
Africa (Kenya)
Antarctica
Asia
Europe (London)
North America (Mexico City)
Oceana (Australia)
South America

2021 Goals Tracking Results

Read 48 Books and Write a Review for Each [55/48]

Long Book Challenge: Read 3,000 pages from 500+ page books [2293/3000]

PBT – 1 book per month that fits the PBT tag/shelf [21/12]
Although I did not do well on any challenges at the end of the year, I read more than 1 book per month early on, and ended up reading 21 books total for PBT monthly tags.

Fly the PBT Skies – 12 books [8/12]

Dalloway BC – 10 books [10/10]

Featured Author: Dorothy Dunnett--Finish the Lymond Chronicles [2/6]

Unofficial 2021 Trim the TBR [2/12]

Read a book set in each country of the world [40/197]

Fall Flurries – October/November/December themed books -- Oct - Dec were trying months for me and although I read a book for each month of the fall flurries, I didn't review them or, at least, I didn't add my reviews to the flurries thread.

Overall a pretty good year. I'm going to scale way back on challenges in 2022 to minimize stressors. :)