1Morphidae
L - Luck of the Draw
Read one of three books that I pick for you.
Provide me the list you want me to choose from on this thread. It can be anything - an LT collection, a GoodReads shelf, an Amazon wishlist, a website list - NOT a list on this thread.*§ The only rule is that it has to have at least 25 books. In return, I'll give you the names of three books to choose from. If for some reason you can't get any of those books in time, e.g. long library holds, I'll give you three more.
Notice I didn't say "if you don't like my choices, I'll give you three more." Choose your list wisely!
It doesn't have to be a list that already exists, you can create a collection/shelf/wishlist just for this challenge.
UPDATES
* #1 It's easier for me when I can see a cover. #2 Touchstones are difficult. Sometimes they don't point to the correct book. Sometimes they are very slow. And sometimes they don't work at all.
NOTE:
How I Pick Books
I spend 15 to 60 minutes choosing the three books. I try to pick books that I am familiar with and thought were good plus that the OP hasn't read before. (If I can tell from their library.) If I haven't read them, I look for books that are on my Mount TBR figuring if they are intriguing to me AND the OP, they must be a good choice.
Then if I haven't read any of them and they aren't on Mount TBR, I look for books where the title is at least familiar to me and I start reading summaries/reviews. Lastly, if none of the above, § this is also why it's important that a list is a collection/shelf/wishlist. Because I'm going to have to intuitively start poking around and I need to see covers, series names, number in series, etc.
But first I go look at the OP's tag mirror. This is a list of tags of how other people tag their books. It gives me an idea of what types of books they enjoy most. I also check ratings. I try to not select books with ratings below 3.8 and prefer a 4.0.
In all cases, I have to admit I lean toward picking the first book in a new series rather than continuing an on-going series.
Read one of three books that I pick for you.
Provide me the list you want me to choose from on this thread. It can be anything - an LT collection, a GoodReads shelf, an Amazon wishlist, a website list - NOT a list on this thread.*§ The only rule is that it has to have at least 25 books. In return, I'll give you the names of three books to choose from. If for some reason you can't get any of those books in time, e.g. long library holds, I'll give you three more.
Notice I didn't say "if you don't like my choices, I'll give you three more." Choose your list wisely!
It doesn't have to be a list that already exists, you can create a collection/shelf/wishlist just for this challenge.
UPDATES
* #1 It's easier for me when I can see a cover. #2 Touchstones are difficult. Sometimes they don't point to the correct book. Sometimes they are very slow. And sometimes they don't work at all.
NOTE:
How I Pick Books
I spend 15 to 60 minutes choosing the three books. I try to pick books that I am familiar with and thought were good plus that the OP hasn't read before. (If I can tell from their library.) If I haven't read them, I look for books that are on my Mount TBR figuring if they are intriguing to me AND the OP, they must be a good choice.
Then if I haven't read any of them and they aren't on Mount TBR, I look for books where the title is at least familiar to me and I start reading summaries/reviews. Lastly, if none of the above, § this is also why it's important that a list is a collection/shelf/wishlist. Because I'm going to have to intuitively start poking around and I need to see covers, series names, number in series, etc.
But first I go look at the OP's tag mirror. This is a list of tags of how other people tag their books. It gives me an idea of what types of books they enjoy most. I also check ratings. I try to not select books with ratings below 3.8 and prefer a 4.0.
In all cases, I have to admit I lean toward picking the first book in a new series rather than continuing an on-going series.
2lindapanzo
Hi Morphy, please pick 3 books from my Christmas wishlist of books located at: https://www.librarything.com/catalog/lindapanzo/christmaswishlist . Thanks.
3Morphidae
>2 lindapanzo:
The Dressmaker because it's the only book I'm sure I recognize plus it's in my LT Recommended collection.
The Last of the Doughboys because it has an average rating above 4.0 (4.3) and the tag for WWII is a bit bigger than politics in your tag mirror (else I would have chosen The Soul of America.)
Twelve Angry Librarians because... librarians and you like cozy mysteries. (I almost picked The Cracked Spine because... bookshop...but saw it had only a 3.3 rating.)
The Dressmaker because it's the only book I'm sure I recognize plus it's in my LT Recommended collection.
The Last of the Doughboys because it has an average rating above 4.0 (4.3) and the tag for WWII is a bit bigger than politics in your tag mirror (else I would have chosen The Soul of America.)
Twelve Angry Librarians because... librarians and you like cozy mysteries. (I almost picked The Cracked Spine because... bookshop...but saw it had only a 3.3 rating.)
4lindapanzo
>3 Morphidae: Thanks. Some good choices. Even though it says "Christmas wishlist" I'll check to see if I own any of these already. I'll also check for library availability.
5Dejah_Thoris
Hiya, Morphy! Just for your challenge, I've made a list of books that I'm considering reading this month (no great hardship - I already had two partial lists for KITS, so I just had to add the soon to be due library books, etc.)
edited to remove list!
edited to remove list!
6Morphidae
>5 Dejah_Thoris: I corrected the rules to state that you can create a collection/shelf/wishlist for the challenge. I didn't mean a list here on the thread! LOL. I'll accept it this one time since I wasn't clear.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January because it's also on my Mount TBR.
Shutter Island because not only is in on Mount TBR it's also on Mount TBW. Supposed to be a great movie.
Magic for Liars* because it looks like something that SHOULD be on Mount TBR.
*My first choice would have been Dead Until Dark but I think that's a reread for you. If not and it would be new for you, sub it for Magic for Liars.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January because it's also on my Mount TBR.
Shutter Island because not only is in on Mount TBR it's also on Mount TBW. Supposed to be a great movie.
Magic for Liars* because it looks like something that SHOULD be on Mount TBR.
*My first choice would have been Dead Until Dark but I think that's a reread for you. If not and it would be new for you, sub it for Magic for Liars.
7Dejah_Thoris
>6 Morphidae: Thank you, Morphy! Excellent choices. The Ten Thousand Doors of January needs to get back to the library (and everyone keep assuring me I'll like it), and while Shutter Island is NOT my normal sort of thing I have heard it's good and fit this month's KITastrophe very nicely.
I've been saving Magic for Liars for this month's MysteryKIT, so that's a no brainer. And you were right, of course, that Dead Until Dark will be a (many times) reread when I get around to it. I haven't reread the series since the final book came out and I figured it might be time to revisit.
Question: As I have three chosen books, may I use them as the Challenge continues to roll? It seems likely I'll read at least two out of the three you picked in July.
I've been saving Magic for Liars for this month's MysteryKIT, so that's a no brainer. And you were right, of course, that Dead Until Dark will be a (many times) reread when I get around to it. I haven't reread the series since the final book came out and I figured it might be time to revisit.
Question: As I have three chosen books, may I use them as the Challenge continues to roll? It seems likely I'll read at least two out of the three you picked in July.
8Morphidae
>7 Dejah_Thoris: Yes, on two conditions...
Please don't do back to back sets unless it's been a couple days. I'd like others to have a chance to be able to do that particular challenge.
Post when you are doing so here.
I'm glad you like my picks!
Please don't do back to back sets unless it's been a couple days. I'd like others to have a chance to be able to do that particular challenge.
Post when you are doing so here.
I'm glad you like my picks!
9susanna.fraser
Hi Morphy! Please pick from my Amazon Books to Buy Eventually list, where I tend to save anything I'm interested in but not so desperate to read I go straight to one-click.
10Morphidae
>9 susanna.fraser:
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel because I thought it was well done.
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix because I like Southern Fiction, the title is fun, and I want to know what you think about it so I know if I should read it myself. I mean, really, how can you beat "Steel Magnolias meets Dracula"?
You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?! by Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo because I was diagnosed in my 50s with ADD and still haven't found a book that discusses how to cope on a day to day basis with (inattentive) ADD rather than what it is. Maybe this one?
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel because I thought it was well done.
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix because I like Southern Fiction, the title is fun, and I want to know what you think about it so I know if I should read it myself. I mean, really, how can you beat "Steel Magnolias meets Dracula"?
You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?! by Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo because I was diagnosed in my 50s with ADD and still haven't found a book that discusses how to cope on a day to day basis with (inattentive) ADD rather than what it is. Maybe this one?
11quondame
I submit this list of books which I have or have a reasonable expectation of getting before the last week of July.
The Spirit Thief Rachel Aaron
We Are All Welcome Here Elizabeth Berg
Red Rising Pierce Brown
Ready Player One Ernest Cline
The Forest Is CryingCharles de Lint
Neverwhere Neil Gaiman
Feed Mira Grant
Being Heumann Judith Heumann
Mindtouch M.C.A. Hogarth
The Light Brigade Kameron Hurley
The Preacher Camila Lackberg
Station Eleven Emily St. John Mandel
Malcolm X Manning Marable
The Road Cormac McCarthy
Empress Evelyn McCune
Cloud Atlas David Mitchell
Weather Jenny Offilt
Tasha and the Grey Wolf Corinna Parr
A Song for a New Day Sarah Pinsker
York: The Shadow Cipher Laura Ruby
The Ranger of Marzanna Jon Skovron
For We Are Many Dennis Taylor
Annihilation Jeff VanderMeer
Sharks in the time of Saviors Kawi Strong Washburn
The Black Prism Brent Weeks
The Martian Andy Weir
The Spirit Thief Rachel Aaron
We Are All Welcome Here Elizabeth Berg
Red Rising Pierce Brown
Ready Player One Ernest Cline
The Forest Is CryingCharles de Lint
Neverwhere Neil Gaiman
Feed Mira Grant
Being Heumann Judith Heumann
Mindtouch M.C.A. Hogarth
The Light Brigade Kameron Hurley
The Preacher Camila Lackberg
Station Eleven Emily St. John Mandel
Malcolm X Manning Marable
The Road Cormac McCarthy
Empress Evelyn McCune
Cloud Atlas David Mitchell
Weather Jenny Offilt
Tasha and the Grey Wolf Corinna Parr
A Song for a New Day Sarah Pinsker
York: The Shadow Cipher Laura Ruby
The Ranger of Marzanna Jon Skovron
For We Are Many Dennis Taylor
Annihilation Jeff VanderMeer
Sharks in the time of Saviors Kawi Strong Washburn
The Black Prism Brent Weeks
The Martian Andy Weir
12Morphidae
>11 quondame: I thought I had updated the rules to say it needed to be an LT collection, a GoodReads shelf, an Amazon wishlist, or a website list but not a list on the thread but looks like it didn't save so I'll accept it one last time. This will take me longer so I'll have to do it tomorrow as there aren't touchstones either.
13quondame
>12 Morphidae: Oh. Well I added touchstones.
14Morphidae
>13 quondame: That helps a lot! Thanks.
15Morphidae
>11 quondame:
Cloud Atlas because it's in my (I have to confess large) list of favorite books. It consists of six nested stories - each with a different genre, setting, and timeline (1850s South Pacific - sea travel journal, 1930s Belgium - epistolary, 1975 California - mystery/thriller, Present Day Britain - comedy, Far Future Korea - dystopia, Extreme Far Future Hawaii - post-apocalyptic.) Not for those who have a poor memory or are unwilling to take notes. Even I have a hard time keeping track of how the stories interconnect. (Much easier to do with a real tree book to flip back and forth.) But it's so worth it!
Red Rising because it's on Mount TBR and I usually enjoy a good YA dystopia. I'd like to hear what you think.
I have a tie for third as it depends on the answer to a question...
Did you grow up in the 80s and/or are very familiar with geeky 80s book/movie/gaming trivia? Then read Ready Player One.
Otherwise read The Martian.
Because both are in that long list of favorites. (Though Ready Player One is in the OMG-I-Love-This-Book category and has been reread numerous times. Hmm... speaking of...perhaps it's that time again! LOL!)
Cloud Atlas because it's in my (I have to confess large) list of favorite books. It consists of six nested stories - each with a different genre, setting, and timeline (1850s South Pacific - sea travel journal, 1930s Belgium - epistolary, 1975 California - mystery/thriller, Present Day Britain - comedy, Far Future Korea - dystopia, Extreme Far Future Hawaii - post-apocalyptic.) Not for those who have a poor memory or are unwilling to take notes. Even I have a hard time keeping track of how the stories interconnect. (Much easier to do with a real tree book to flip back and forth.) But it's so worth it!
Red Rising because it's on Mount TBR and I usually enjoy a good YA dystopia. I'd like to hear what you think.
I have a tie for third as it depends on the answer to a question...
Did you grow up in the 80s and/or are very familiar with geeky 80s book/movie/gaming trivia? Then read Ready Player One.
Otherwise read The Martian.
Because both are in that long list of favorites. (Though Ready Player One is in the OMG-I-Love-This-Book category and has been reread numerous times. Hmm... speaking of...perhaps it's that time again! LOL!)
16Morphidae
Everyone, please note I have added updates to >1 Morphidae:. They are informational only (re: why I ask for no touchstone lists and how I pick books), not rule updates so aren't required reading.
17LizzieD
I'm in, please. Here's my list: Morphy Pick
18Morphidae
>17 LizzieD:
The Ten Thousand Doors of January because I already gave it as a choice to Dejah_Thoris because it's on my Mount TBR. Might as well get a second opinion!
The Night Circus because I gave it 8/10 stars and think it's a very good book. Enjoy!
The Fifth Season because I read the Inheritance Trilogy and thought it was really good. But I didn't care for The Killing Moon. I'm nervous about trying a new series by her and would like to get a 75ers opinion.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January because I already gave it as a choice to Dejah_Thoris because it's on my Mount TBR. Might as well get a second opinion!
The Night Circus because I gave it 8/10 stars and think it's a very good book. Enjoy!
The Fifth Season because I read the Inheritance Trilogy and thought it was really good. But I didn't care for The Killing Moon. I'm nervous about trying a new series by her and would like to get a 75ers opinion.
19LizzieD
Wow, Morphy! Those are three that I really want to read. I'll browse and post my choice on the Wiki. Thank you!
20curioussquared
I don't usually do these but this sounds fun!! Could you pick books from my To read collection? Let me know if it's too long to sort through :)
21Morphidae
>20 curioussquared: Only in that it's giving me far too many good books to choose from. Any particular genre/topic/mood you have a hankering for?
22curioussquared
>22 curioussquared: Lol, it's a good problem to have :) I read a lot of serious dense stuff in June so I could do with some YA or sci-fi or fantasy in July!
23paulstalder
my Swiss literature list: http://www.librarything.com/list/21472/all/Schweizer-Literatur-2020#
24Morphidae
>21 Morphidae:
Oh, my first recommendation will then have to be This Is How You Lose the Time War because it's a moving, rather weird and sometimes hard to follow, yet delightful, epistolary sci fi novella.
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal because everything I've read by Christopher Moore has made me laugh like a loon.
All the Weyrs of Pern because I love Anne McCaffrey.
*****
A book that came in fourth, and, therefore doesn't qualify, I decided against because it didn't fit YA/sci fi/fantasy. You should still read it some time. It's not one of my most highly rated books but for some reason, I enjoy it enough that I've reread it a few times now - A Man Called Ove. It moves and comforts me.
Oh, my first recommendation will then have to be This Is How You Lose the Time War because it's a moving, rather weird and sometimes hard to follow, yet delightful, epistolary sci fi novella.
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal because everything I've read by Christopher Moore has made me laugh like a loon.
All the Weyrs of Pern because I love Anne McCaffrey.
*****
A book that came in fourth, and, therefore doesn't qualify, I decided against because it didn't fit YA/sci fi/fantasy. You should still read it some time. It's not one of my most highly rated books but for some reason, I enjoy it enough that I've reread it a few times now - A Man Called Ove. It moves and comforts me.
25curioussquared
>24 Morphidae: Thank you!! This Is How You Lose the Time War was already on my mental list for this month, and the others appreciate your much-needed boost :)
26Morphidae
>23 paulstalder:
You're killing me here... Google Translate here I come...
Louis Capet, suite et fin because I like the alternate history premise.
Jacob beschließt zu lieben because it seems the most popular of the books with a rating of at least 4.0 on your list.
Das lose Glück because of all the books it has my favorite cover. (Hey, that's what you get when I don't know the language. LOL!)
*****
Just be sure to wait until the set after curioussquared enters her book for this challenge.
You're killing me here... Google Translate here I come...
Louis Capet, suite et fin because I like the alternate history premise.
Jacob beschließt zu lieben because it seems the most popular of the books with a rating of at least 4.0 on your list.
Das lose Glück because of all the books it has my favorite cover. (Hey, that's what you get when I don't know the language. LOL!)
*****
Just be sure to wait until the set after curioussquared enters her book for this challenge.
27paulstalder
>26 Morphidae: Thanks for all your work :)
You're killing me here... hope you recovered well enough for my next list, which will be in Korean, ok?
You're killing me here... hope you recovered well enough for my next list, which will be in Korean, ok?
