You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

To quote my very proud Mum this arvo who had just heard this saying :)
I know a lot of people have already been tidying their to read lists trying to get ready for 2025. This month's challenge is similar in it's intent.

I want you to look at your physical bookshelves, or your ebook library, or audiobook library.

Which is the author on these lists or piles that you have the most books of that you have not read yet? Who's books do you pick every time you go past a secondhand book shop, there is an Audible sale, there is a Humble Bundle/Storybundle deal, that you see in the little libraries who you have not read yet, but you have every intention to read and grab their books for one day.

Go through and count out which authors you have the most books of but have never read as yet. Tell us the top 5 authors, and how many books you own of theirs. Then choose one of them and read one of their books.

If you are the pinnacle of self control that we all aim to emulate, and don't have a couple of authors that you own their entire catalogue and have never read. Or lets be honest and more likely, you have a tie - choose 5 authors from the tied list.

Ideally you'll love them, and you have new author to add to your priority reading lists this year. Worst case, you dislike them and clear a whole heap of books of your lists.

Reporting:

- WOF name
- Author you chose, and how many books of theirs you own.
- What you chose to read
- What did you think of it? Give us a couple of sentences so we can see if we want to snaffle this on to our own lists. "I liked it" will not count.

General Rules:

1. The book may be in any format - paperback, ebook, audiobook.
2. The book may be combined with the Year Long Challenge and the Group Themed Read.
3. The book must be started and read between January 1 - 31, 2025 (based on your local time zone).
4. The challenge is for one book. You may read more books if you chose but you need only report one.
5. The book must be 175 pages or more determined by the issue you read.
In the case of ebooks & audiobooks, the ebook edition must be at least 200 pages and the audiobook must be a minimum of 6 hours long.

This is perfect!!!! Off to count…

I will be reading A Court of Thorns and Roses. I own 8 audiobooks by Sarah J. Maas and have never read her. lol.

Other contenders
Sara Driscoll 6 books)
N.K. Jemisin(3 books)
Michael J. Sullivan (2 books)
Then just single book authors

This was a lot harder than I thought. I have a lot of books from individual authors, but have read at least 1 of their books. The only author that I have multiple books, but haven't read yet is Mark Coleman (3 books), so I will be reading Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery.
Apparently I wanted to start mediating/mindfulness at some point. Here's to finding peace in 2025.

Update: I just picked up a book from Amazon First Reads and realized I have another book from that author so will read it instead. I really don't feel like getting mindful in 2025 and am planning on taking those books to the Book Exchange tomorrow. Bye bye Mark Coleman.
Sonali Dev (2 books)

Just to clarify, this is a new to me author? Could be tough. I have a lot of Joe Abercrombie's books, but I have read a lot of his books too.

New to you.

As an example - I have about 10+ China Miéville books on my shelf, but as I have read The City & the City, he doesn't count for this challenge.

Oh this will be tough for me too. I have a lot of shelves with a lot of books on each of them. I'll have to choose something more specific, like audiobooks or physical shelves, and see if I can work it out that way.

I know I have authors like this as I've said a few times that I can't believe I haven't read anything by so-and-so, I have so many of their books on my TBR. It's just that my GR TBR is sooo long. lol

Kristie wrote: "Oh this will be tough for me too. I have a lot of shelves with a lot of books on each of them. I'll have to choose something more specific, like audiobooks or physical shelves, and see if I can wor..."

We're looking at books you have. Your physical books, your e and audio book libraries. Not sure if that will help, but not TBRs

That didn't take long. I have a bookshelf of my father's books, and he really liked Margaret Frazer. There are 4 of her books on it, so I will read the first book in the series, Joliffe the Player, A Play of Isaac.

Rusalka wrote: "Kristie wrote: "Oh this will be tough for me too. I have a lot of shelves with a lot of books on each of them. I'll have to choose something more specific, like audiobooks or physical shelves, and ..."

That does help. I will just need to decide which shelf to use. Thanks, Rus.

I have the following possibilities:

Jesse Newton: 2 books owned
Leigh Ann Edwards: 4 books owned
Robyn Widerman: 4 Books
Sarah Sutton 2 Books owned
T.g. Brown: 2 books owned

I am going to read O'Henry by T.G. Brown. This is the first book of his I will read and book 1 in a series.

Well, let’s see:

-Steven Erikson: the complete Malazan-series. (10 books)
-Erin Hunter: the Warrior Cat-series. I think I’ve got around 30 books now. I’m going nuts if I would actually count them and I don’t have them all yet.
-Stephen King: 10 books. (And still buying)
-Haruki Murakami: 11 books. (And still buying)
-T.J. Klune: Green Creek - series. (4 books and complete)

I’m going to stop here, because it will be a very long list. No, not a book hoarder at all, haha!

I am not sure I have any that fit this criteria but am off to have a look


I did find something Death at Bishop's Keep 11/01/2025
I will try to get through 2 or 3 in the series

These are all new series that I have multiple books in the series but not read any of yet. I have others but have read other works by those authors. These series I have never read anything by the author's of, but am familiar with them through recommendations or adaptations.

Series: The Gentleman Bastard Sequence
The Lies of Locke Lamora
Red Seas Under Red Skies
The Republic of Thieves

Series: Regency Faerie Tales
Half a Soul
Ten Thousand Stitches
Longshadow

Series: The Dinosaur Lords Trilogy
The Dinosaur Lords
The Dinosaur Knights
The Dinosaur Princess

The Last Kingdom
The Last Kingdom
The Pale Horseman
Lords of the North

Cool! I'll have to check my shelves because I can't think of any particular author off the top of my head.

This was certainly revealing :)

I have:
5 ebooks by Judith K. Ivie
3 paperbacks by Elise Broach
3 ebooks by Carl Ashmore
3 ebooks by Dan Walsh
3 ebooks by Nicola Palmer (but the first book in the series is below the minimum page limit, so that's out)

I'll have to think about which book I'm in the mood to read.

Ok, that took a while. I started with my Audible shelf because I know I own all of those and any authors that were on there multiple times I clicked on and went through their book lists to see if I owned any others since I read in multiple formats.

I share my Audible with my husband and we currently have 1763 books in there, so it was interesting to see what I ended up with.

Robert Dugoni (14) - Hubby loves the Tracy Crosswhite series
Harlan Coben (13) - no rational reason for this lol
Lisa Gardner (8)
Sara Driscoll (8) - just bought the 8 book series of hers in an Audible sale
Karin Slaughter (7)
Rhys Bowen (7) - I swear I read one of her books, but I couldn't find one so *shrug*
Shalini Boland (7)

I have three authors tied for 5th place, but I'll probably go with Robert Dugoni or Harlan Coben anyway.

I may go with The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell.

I was quite pleased with my results, I only have 4 authors with multiple books that I've never read before - and two of them are because I'm part of a Christmas book exchange and they were bought for me.

Jessica Khoury - 3 books - Trilogy bought for me
JC Williams - 2 books
Lisa Jewell - 2 books
Victoria Hanley - 2 books - Duology bought for me

I'll be starting Jessica Khoury's Skyborn trilogy with Sparrow Rising

Marie (UK) wrote: "I am not sure I have any that fit this criteria but am off to have a look


I did find something Death at Bishop's Keep by Alison Paige
I will try to get through 2 or 3 in the series"

If you own a book in any format by an author you haven't read, you will meet the criteria. But for those of us who may have accidently gathered all books by someone and have never read them, this is the chance to get going :)

Kristie wrote: "I share my Audible with my husband and we currently have 1763 books in there, so it was interesting to see what I ended up with..."

Lexx skews my shelf too.

Lynn wrote: "I was quite pleased with my results, I only have 4 authors with multiple books that I've never read before - and two of them are because I'm part of a Christmas book exchange and they were bought f..."

Nice! I'm glad you had a surprise in the good direction :D

My count is:

Andrzej Sapkowski - 7
Lavie Tidhar - 7
Stephen Fry - 5
Chris Hammer - 5
Cory Doctorow - 4

Sapkowski is because I bought the whole Witcher series for Lexx. Tidhar is because Lexx got two anthologies of best SciFi writing in years 20blah in a Humble Bundle years ago that Tidhar edited (so 90% not his writing) but still have 4 of his books on my list.

Thinking then between Chris Hammer and Stephen Fry, both of which would also slot into my yearly...

These are the only ones I have on my owned list, just 4 authors that I haven't read yet.

Buroker, Lindsay x 3
Robinson, Kim Stanley x 2
Sansom, C J x 3
Scull, Luke x 2

I think I'll read Dissolution as I have it on audible

I was surprised as I found several authors I have not read on my TBR list

Natasha Pulley - 3
Kerry McGinnis - 3
Samantha Shannon - 2
Simone St. James - 2
Vanessa McCausland - 2

I will read one of Natasha Pulley's books. Either The Watchmaker of Filigree Street or The Kingdoms

Sarah wrote: "These are the only ones I have on my owned list, just 4 authors that I haven't read yet.

Buroker, Lindsay x 3
Robinson, Kim Stanley x 2
Sansom, C J x 3
Scull, Luke x 2."

I have about 5 or 6 of his books, but I read Dissolution earlier this year, so I couldn't consider him.

I have a few of these. Chirp often has bundles so I will buy the whole bundle. I have quite a few trilogies like this and a few that are more. I think my top ones are
Kate Bold - 16 books
Ava Strong - 8 books
Molly Black- 7 books
Aleron Kong - 6 books (these are because of Kevin)
Richard Fierce - 4 books

I already had an Ava Strong book on my upcoming list so I will just make sure wait a few days before starting it. I will go with Without Mercy

I have all the Bronte sisters' books on Kindle, and have only read Emily's Wuthering Heights. I'm going to go with Charlotte's Jane Eyre.

I had two clear winners here and then a lot of pairs of books. The two that I had more than 2 of were Sinclair Lewis and Anthony Trollope (four each). Of the books I have, It Can't Happen Here has the highest ratings and could work for Villany in the annual challenge, so I am going with that!

Emma Carroll (10 books)
Lisa Regan (15 books)
Mary Stone (11 books)
Carla Kovach (11 books)
Paulo Coelho (14 books)

I read too many thriller books last year, so maybe I'll start with mid grade/fantasy

Need a reporting thread! : )

Already!

I'm just dealing with time changing. Jeez

Okay, done. Thanks for letting me know :D

Rusalka wrote: "Already!

I'm just dealing with time changing. Jeez"

I tend to go a little nuts early in the year while I am off from work!!! Books ALL day!

I'm very impressed with your industrialness :D
I just managed to have breakfast at 4.51pm

Rusalka wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "I am not sure I have any that fit this criteria but am off to have a look


I did find something Death at Bishop's Keep by Alison Paige
I will try to get through 2..."

Thanks Rusalka

Hi, my name is Jenn, and I am a book hoarder . . .

A. Bertram Chandler - 24
Ruth Rendell - 34
J.D. Robb - 34
Sherrilyn Kenyon - 43
Fred Saberhagen - 60

For this I am leaning towards Sherrilyn Kenyon, maybe I will tackle Infinity?

Lots of choices, Jenn. :)

Yes, yes there are 🤦‍♀️

So many great options, Jenn!

I've picked up Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry, but I am thinking my next read will be Scrublands by Chris Hammer. So two authors done for this challenge. Let's see how we go in reality :D

I'll be starting my challenge read today, A Play of Isaac.

Ooof! The book is going back onto Dad's bookshelf. I can't get past the first chapter.

I'll have to rethink the challenge.

In the meantime, a library hold from April 2024 has finally come available and I have 21 days to read it.

April 2024! That is a long wait...

I got all excited there for a moment because Odette posted about Irina Shapiro. I have a couple of audiobooks by her, and have noted some other titles of her's that look interesting. Then, when I went to check her out completely, I discovered I had read one of books. There went that idea!

I didn’t have to think long about this. i know I have multiple books by Bernard Cornwell… Apparently there are eight on my bookshelves and possibly more lurking in boxes. (Don’t ask.. someone recommended them once and I kept seeing them second hand)

I’ve picked out The Winter King: A Novel of Arthur. The cover looks suitably cold and full of snow. Very topical.


… At first, this challenge felt like a corporate ‘name and shame’ session, but I am obviously in great company here, so this has turned into quite a positive experience…almost like therapy!

Saar The Book owl wrote: "Well, let’s see:

-Steven Erikson: the complete Malazan-series. (10 books)
-Erin Hunter: the Warrior Cat-series. I think I’ve got around 30 books now. I’m going nuts if I would actually count them ..."

I am impressed!

Jenn wrote: "Hi, my name is Jenn, and I am a book hoarder . . ..."

Wow. 43 and 60 Are these physical books?!?

I believe that Saberhagen did a whole bunch of short one lol, but like I said, I am a hoarder 🤦‍♀️

Annerlee wrote: "… At first, this challenge felt like a corporate ‘name and shame’ session, but I am obviously in great company here, so this has turned into quite a positive experience…almost like therapy!"

Oh never!! This is a positive, safe space! Just sometimes we need a push :D

Janice wrote: "Ooof! The book is going back onto Dad's bookshelf. I can't get past the first chapter.

I'll have to rethink the challenge.

In the meantime, a library hold from April 2024 has finally come availab..."

Oh I'm sorry it didn't work out.