Play Book Tag discussion

The Tradition of Trim the TBR Continues:

This thread is our Community Thread. This is where the announcement of the new number will go, and so we can talk together. I think it’s best to try not to have it be a place for reviews, although you may feel free to link your review.

What is It – How Does it Work?

PBT is continuing to hold an unofficial challenge for the community, meant for old and new members both. This challenge emerged from one of the yearlong challenges in 2019, and we liked it so much, that we are still continuing it. It’s meant to be something that new or old members can join in, and join in at any time. My role in this, is to make sure it gets a good strong organized dynamic kickoff, and then just to keep up excitement and morale.

This is not an official PBT challenge, and is meant to be secondary to the yearlong challenges. You do not have to participate, you can drop or enter participation at any time. You can switch your books, you can read them earlier or later than you were “supposed” to, or not at all. You can substitute, change your list completely, throw it out and start over. There is complete flexibility. This is the ultimate easy extra. You will not receive any extra points for books that you read, but you should put them in the monthly or other folders to get points, as well as if they fit into particular challenges. It is for fun. And for some, the fun is creating Buddy Reads that we can read something together.

This is how it works. You create (or recreate) a list of 12 books that are on your TBR and that you would like to get to. Each month, a participating member will randomly pick (or we’d never know if you picked decisively) a remaining number from 1-12, and we all read the number on our list, thus ensuring that this book comes off your TBR. And for some, creating the opportunity to do a Buddy Read together. And no pressure with the Buddy Reads either. Just because you signed up to read something does not commit you in any way to do so. In the past, some people have put more than one book choice on their list – feel free. The reason some people choose to have more books added to their lists is because they either want to have choices, or participate in more than one buddy read. Or folks will talk together and switch a number, so they can do more than one without it being the same month. Again, totally flexible, and I will continue to add and help arrange the Buddy Reads as they evolve.

How Do I Join?

Many of us have already constructed our list of 12, as left over from the 2024 year. But it is a chance to totally recreate your list if wished. But to join, all you need to do is to reference this thread below….. And create your list of 12. (Minusing the ones that have been already picked) If you see that others have a book you also want to read and you want to potentially read it together, you can put yours on the same number and we will add it to the list of existing Buddy Reads. If you want to join a Buddy read, you look to the list in Message 2, and you just put the book on that identical number. Let me know and I will add you as well to Message Two. For anyone wanting to reference the old thread with our lists, or to create their own, the link is here:

Link to Trim 2025 Planning and Organizational Thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Evolving Buddy Reads for Trim 2025:

1.
2. The Two Lives of Sara (BnB, Amy, HayJay)
2. The Invention of Wings (Melanie Joy, Sue)
4. The House of Doors - (Amy, BnB, JenK)
5. Greenlanders (JoyD, OliverM)
5. Tender at the Bone (Theresa, BnB)
5. The Last Equation of Issac Severy (JenK, HayJay, Melanie Joy)
5. The Last Days of Barcelona (Amy, HayJay?)
5. The Art of Racing in the Rain (Diana, Jen M)
6. The Bastard of Instanbul (JoyD, Theresa, Amy, Hannah, JenK)
7. Open Water (JenK, BnB)
7. The Garden of Evening Mists (OliverM, Diana)
8. The Storyteller of Casablanca (Amy, HayJay)
9. Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl (HayJay, Kelly)
9. River Sing Me Home (BnB, Hannah, Diana)
10. Valley Forge (KTLoves, Joanne, JoyD, BnB?)
10. The Secret Healer (Amy, Jen M)
10. Tom Lake (Sally, Kelly, Diana)
10. The Night Travelers (Amy, Hannah)
10. The Bird and the Sword (Amy, Melanie Joy)
11. Enter Ghost (Sally, OliverM, Heather)
11. Eventide (JenK, Kelly)
11. Precipice (Joanne, JoyD)
11. Red thread of Fate (Amy, HayJay)

Participating Members and Trim Picker List

Amy
Jason
Melanie Joy
Sue
HayJay
LibraryCin
OliverMagnus
Theresa
Jen K
Book Concierge
Diana
Joanne
JoyD.
Booknblues
Hannah
Purple Jen
Pam
Linda C
Jen Mays
Kelly
Heather Reads Books
Sally
Vanessa
Sabrina

Trim Pickers (If they stay with the challenge)

January: Purple Jen
February 2025 Sally
March 2025 Linda C
April 2025. Joanne
May 2025 Diana
June 2025 Joy D
July 2025. OliverM
August 2025. LibraryCin
September 2025 Jason
October 2025 Kelly
November 2025 Melanie Joy

reply | edit | delete | flag

Purple Jen has already picked the number 12 to kick us off for January 2025. Our next Trim Picker for February shall be Sally. Please use this thread for announcements and community conversation. Again, lets try to keep reviews off this page, as it will only serve to clutter the list.

Added Vanessa and Sabrina to our list.... Welcome to you both!

My # 12 is On the Wrong Track by Stephen Hockensmith.

Amy wrote: "Purple Jen has already picked the number 12 to kick us off for January 2025. Our next Trim Picker for February shall be Sally. Please use this thread for announcements and community conversation. A..."

I get to start off with a great Alaska book that has been on my TBR for a whale’s age, Tide, Feather, Snow: A Life in Alaska. It’s all cued up on my Kindle.

#12 Trim
Added to TBR: August 2019

The Legend of Baggar Vance - Steven Pressfield

My Review

Is this the thread we should post our reviews on?
#12 The Engineer's Wife 2 stars
Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Amy and Hayjay, I think I had a buddy read with you, but went ahead and read. I really did not like it.

Booknblues wrote: "Is this the thread we should post our reviews on?
#12 The Engineer's Wife 2 stars
Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Amy and Hayjay, I think I had a buddy read..."

It's disappointing to learn of the author's direction in this book when she had such a fascinating person to base it on. Off my TBR this goes!

I’m deleting it too. Thank you for taking one for the team!

Booknblues wrote: "Is this the thread we should post our reviews on?
#12 The Engineer's Wife 2 stars
Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Amy and Hayjay, I think I had a buddy read..."

I'm still planning on reading this one, though mainly because I've managed to get an audio copy, so I can easily listen to it whilst I pack more boxes this weekend. I've not read your review yet, as I prefer to read reviews after I've read the book, but I'm hoping I like it more than you did.

So sorry we bailed Hannah, but maybe you will like it more than Fran did. Let me know if we should pick it up after all....

Hannah wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Is this the thread we should post our reviews on?
#12 The Engineer's Wife 2 stars
Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Amy and Hayjay, I think..."

It does have far more 5 star ratings than 2 star.

#12 We All Want Impossible Things


Here's my Review

Hello Everyone - Hope you are enjoying your Number 12. Just want to make sure everyone knows that Sally is the Trim Picker for February. She will announce the new number here, after Anita announces the tag...

I included as extras on my 2025 list those 2024 trim books I did not get to before December 31. Rather than resurrect the 2024
reporting thread and causing untold confusion and chaos, I'm reporting them here as a double read for whatever month I read them in. None are particularly long and most were started. I just finished 1 of them - the December 2024 pick. I feel so virtuous!

December 2024 - Killed by Clutter by Leslie Caine - extra for January 2025.

Link to My Review

January #12

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
3 stars

review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

January #12

The Autobiography of an Execution / David R. Dow
4 stars

The author is a lawyer for inmates on death row in Texas. In fact, at one point, this lawyer was in favour of the death penalty. The main part of this book is when he was fighting to save the life of a man convicted of killing his wife, then two kids. But it was all circumstantial evidence and his lawyer was completely inept. Another death row inmate talked to Dow to tell him he knew who killed the other man’s family and it was a mistaken identity. You can’t always believe these guys, but Dow and his staff looked further into it, and they were pretty convinced the man didn’t do it.

In the meantime, other cases came up with people looking for help. Like with our main case in this book, many were represented in their trials by inept lawyers who didn’t do their jobs. There are appeals after appeals for the people on death row, but they rarely help or change anything. There are so many rules, it’s almost impossible to overturn these sentences, despite the legal issues with some of the inmates even being on death row.

I already don’t agree with the death penalty. But the more I read about it, the more convinced I am (once upon a time I wasn’t convinced).

LibraryCin wrote: "January #12

The Autobiography of an Execution / David R. Dow
4 stars

The author is a lawyer for inmates on death row in Texas. In fact, at one point, this lawyer was in favour of t..."

The Green Mile was the book that made me really really anti death penalty. Not just for the sake of those wrongfully convicted but for the sake of those who have to carry out the executions. I'm sure having to do that, even on vile people, must be absolutely awful for their mental health (and if it isn't then those people are probably almost as evil as those executed). So glad we don't have it here.

Finished #12:
Miracle Country by Kendra Atleework - 4* - My Review

PBT Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I had put down 2 options for each number. I had planned on reading Wintering by Katherine May as a buddy read with Hayjay, but I am still in the queue at the library, so I read the alternate.

I did reach out to Sally on Tuesday. So she does know to come in and announce the trim picker number. I’m sure she’ll get around to it.

Jen wrote: "must be absolutely awful for their mental health (and if it isn't then those people are probably almost as evil as those executed). So glad we don't have it here...."

Agreed. I don't even know how people can watch.

Sorry for the delay. And the February #..............3!!!

Worth waiting fo, Sally!

I will be reading Death of an Avid Reader. Looking forward to it.

I will be reading The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google - Scott Galloway

My # 3 is Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson

Probably won't get to it in February ... but I WILL get it read in 2025!

I have two really great books! The Book of Doors and A Buddy Read for There Are Rivers In the Sky!

My number 3 is Chasing the Sun.

My #3 is If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood

I'll be reading Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson/Ellen Hagan, which feels VERY timely right now...

I have 2 good options but since one is an Everest book The Everest Years: The challenge of the world's highest mountain I think we all know which one I'll end up reading.....

I'm part of the buddy read for There Are Rivers in the Sky! I'm excited to dive into my first Elif Shafak! When in February would we all like to start reading this?

Oh, that's some true crime for me!
Everything She Ever Wanted: A True Story of Obsessive Love, Murder, and Betrayal / Ann Rule

Well, first it has to come in from the library….

Im also in the buddy read for Rivers In the Sky. Excited to read this after a couple of disappointing reads.

Hayjay315 wrote: "I'm part of the buddy read for There Are Rivers in the Sky! I'm excited to dive into my first Elif Shafak! When in February would we all like to start reading this?"
Such a great book! Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

I'll be reading The Garden of Small Beginnings

I picked up really there are rivers in the sky

It came in at the library for me too!!!! I’m super excited to read it with you guys!

Just wanted to say that I am starting the Love Elixer of Augusta Stern because the book group is next wednesday... But NEXT UP after that is There are Rivers in the Sky! Can't wait to share this with you guys....

So good so far!

OOP, once again running behind! Slow start to the new year 😅

I think I'm going to aim for Private Rites and/or Dragons of Autumn Twilight for my #3!

Heather Reads Books wrote: "OOP, once again running behind! Slow start to the new year 😅

I think I'm going to aim for Private Rites and/or Dragons of Autumn Twilight for my #3!"

Um, it's only Feb 1st so how far behind can you be?
Of course I have yet to read my January book...🫣

So I read my number 11 trim book in January, so I'm going to review that and count it as my January trim book and I'll move #12 book elsewhere.

I also read one of my #8 books too so now I have to update my list!

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Welcome back Melanie Joy!!!

Thanks Amy! This challenge is helpful to get back in to PBT, sometime the Tag is hard to get into. I didn't read any Canada books in Jan but I'm thankful I can still participate.

Amy wrote: "Just wanted to say that I am starting the Love Elixer of Augusta Stern because the book group is next wednesday... But NEXT UP after that is There are Rivers in the Sky! Can't wait to share this wi..."

I'll start There Are Rivers in the Sky right around the same time as you, Amy! I need to finish Hotel Hamilton for my Canada book and then Life of Pi by Thursday for my book club.

I finished my #12 The Engineer's Wife

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I didn't enjoy it much more than Booknblues, and I definitely think that Amy and Hayjay won't be missing anything by just deleting it from their TBRs.

Thank you, Hannah for also taking one for the team!