Majkia - 2024 TBR Challenge

❌ 1. The Marlow Murder Club - R Thorogood
❌ 2. The Downloaded - Robert J Sawyer
❌ 3. Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead - K J Parker
❌ 4. The Art of Prophecy - Wesley Chu
❌ 5. Persephone Station - Stina Leicht
❌ 6. Daughter of the Moon Goddess - Sue Lynn Tan
❌ 7. The Book That Wouldn't Burn - Mark Sullivan
❌ 8. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars - Christopher Paolini
9. Once Upon a River - Diane Setterfield (Saving for Jan 2025)
❌ 10. Quantico - Greg Bear
❌ 11. Ariadne - Jennifer Saint
❌ 12. Book of Night - Holly Black
❌ 13. The Blighted Stars - Megan O'Keefe
❌ 14. Ministry for the Future - Kim Stanley Robinson
❌ 15. To Ride Hell's Chasm - Janny Wurts
❌ 16. The Life of Elves - Muriel Barbery
❌ 17. Eversion - Alastair Reynolds
❌ 18. Babel - R F Kuang
❌ 19. The Oppenheimer Alternative - Robert J Sawyer
❌ 20. The Seventh Bride - T. Kingfisher
❌ 21. York: The Shadow Cipher - Laura Ruby
❌ 22. Summertide - Charles Sheffield
❌ 23. The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
❌ 24. Lavinia - Urusla K LeGuin

Read - 23

No deep planning on this. Just books I've had in my TBR for too long, and/or sound iinteresting.
I'll do short reviews of the books, but never use spoilers unless they are under spoiler tags.

i love your list! actually, i think 75% of these i have on my want-to-read list too ^_^ would love to see how you feel about them. happy reading!

I'll do reviews so you'll know!

I recognize a couple of books and authors on your list. I'm particularly curious to see how you feel about The Life of Elves. I enjoyed The Elegance of the Hedgehog by her and am curious as to what her other books are like.

One of these years I'm going to give The Eyre Affair another go. For some reason I couldn't get into it, but I'm chalking that up to it just being the wrong time or something. It's the sort of book I should absolutely love.

Happy reading!

>4 LittleTaiko: I read the Eyre Affair eons ago, and really don't remember it much so I must have not particularly liked it. And, as you say, I should have loved it. So I'm giving it another go to see if I was just in the wrong mental place at the time.

>5 majkia: uh oh....i have 3 or 4 jasper fforde books in my shelf that i have yet to read....maybe i should stop acquiring them until i actually finish one of his books :D

Everyone's doing a good job of picking titles I don't know, lol. I'm curious about Babel, almost bought a copy. I recognize Janny Wurts, Paolini and of course LeGuin, so maybe I just haven't been keeping up. When I read The Eyre Affair I made a note in my review about the pre-reading I'd recommend: "Prior to this novel, do read Jane Eyre first. Martin Chuzzlewit and Richard III are optional assets, and Lewis Carrol references are thick on the ground."

Several books on your list are ones I've been curious about so I'm glad you'll be giving them a try for us :D Happy reading in 2024!

1.

The Book That Wouldn't Burn - Mark Lawrence
Series: The Book That Wouldn't Burn #1
Pages: 576
Challeges: TBR, BingoDOG

CAWPILE Rating:

1. Character: 7
   
2. Atmosphere/Setting: 8
   
3. Writing Style: 8
   
4. Plot: 8
   
5. Intrigue:9
   
6. Logic/Relationships: 7
   
7. Enjoyment: 9
   
8. Rating: 4
   
   
   
   Imaginative, very nicely written, with some jaw-dropping plot twists. World-building is terrific and the characters are deeply drawn and those you can come to really care about. Lots to say about conflict and enemies and prejudices and assumptions.
   
   I did find things confusing at first, which dropped my rating of the book a little.
   
   I look forward to the rest of the series, but will have to re-read this one when I get all the books.
   
   I listened to the audiobook read by Jessica Wittaker who did a great job.

>9 majkia: i just got a copy of the audiobook, and i'm really glad to hear that you enjoyed it! will have to shoe this in my reading schedule now

error.

I know of this author but I haven't read him. I like that title, it's practically a quote from The Master and Margarita.

I'm intrigued by your use of the CAWPILE rating. It wasn't something I had heard of before but now I may try it with my reads. It'll be interesting to see if it translates to my gut rating.

3.

York: The Shadow Cipher - Laura Ruby
Series: York #1
pages: 496
Challenges:
AlphaKIT, TBR, ROOT

CAWPILE Rating:

1. Character: 8
   
2. Atmosphere/Setting: 7
   
3. Writing Style: 7
   
4. Plot: 7
   
5. Intrigue: 8
   
6. Logic/Relationships: 8
   
7. Enjoyment: 8
   
8. Rating: 4
   
   
   
   Complex steampunk listed as middle-grade but pretty adultish to me. Only the main characters are kids I suppose makes it listed as middle-grade.
   
   In an alt-NewYork, three kids and a few cronies try to solve a centuries old cipher in an effort to save the building they live in. It's impossible... Or is it. And, what will they win. Can they save their home?

>13 LittleTaiko: I found it a few months ago and decided to attempt it this year. So far, at least it is making me ponder the characteristics of the book in a more focused way.

Eversion - Alastair Reynolds
Pages: 352
Audiobook Read by: Harry Myers
Challenges:
TBR
AlphaKIT
ROOT

CAWPILE Rating:
• Character: 8
• Atmosphere/Setting: 8
• Writing Style:9
• Plot:7
• Intrigue: 8
• Logic/Relationships: 7
• Enjoyment: 8
Rating: 4 💙

Very odd and surprising stand alone book that appears to be alt history but turns out as something quite different.

I've never read Reynolds and have no idea where I'd start. Suggestions?

>17 Cecrow: Maybe House of Suns which is a standalone, or jump into his main series with Revelation Space.

>18 majkia: oooh, House of Suns looks very interesting ^_^ i used to be not into hard sci-fi (or sci-fi at all)...but seems my taste have been changing. reynolds name always comes up in my searches.

Babel - R F kuang
Audiobook read by: Hoi/Fulford-Brown
Pages:560

Challenges:
AlphaKIT
TBR
BFB

CAWPILE Rating:
• Character: 9
• Atmosphere/Setting: 8
• Writing Style: 8
• Plot: 7
• Intrigue: 8
• Logic/Relationships: 7
• Enjoyment: 7
Rating: 3.5 💙

I enjoyed this at times, got frustrated with it at times, but persevered to the end. Imaginative, but heavy handed at certain points.

>20 majkia:, definitely one I'm considering!

The Marlow Murder Club - Robert Thorogood
Series: Marlow Murder Club - #1
Audio - Reader: Nickolette McKenzie
Pages: 480
Challenges: ROOT, TBR Challenge, AlphaKIT, Doublespin

CAWPILE Rating:
• Character: 6
• Atmosphere/Setting: 7
• Writing Style: 7
• Plot: 7
• Intrigue: 8
• Logic/Relationships: 7
• Enjoyment: 7
Rating: 3.5 💙

Similar to The THursday Murder Club series, but not as good, since not so much emphasis on the main characters. More centered on the mystery, which was good.

Totally agree. I love, love, love The Thursday Murder Club series and this is similar but not as strong. Still entertaining though. I read the second in the series recently and might have liked it better than the first book in the series since all the characters had been established.

oooh...The Marlow Murder Club and Babel...2 more added to my list ^_^

>24 riida: sorry... not sorry....:)

The Oppenheimer Alternative - Robert J Sawyer
Pages: 375

Challenges:AlphaKIT, TBR Challenge

Wow. Starts slow, and I don't know enough about Oppie to know how true the first part of the book is, but it was certainly interesting. The second half is where the sci fi comes in. Surprising ending! When all looks lost, science steps up.

I have American Prometheus on my "maybe" list, the book last year's movie was inspired by.

Saevus Corax Deals With the Dead - K J Parker
Series: Corax Trilogy 1

There's no formal training for battlefield salvage. You just have to pick things up as you go along. Swords, armour, arrows - and the bodies, of course.

So the series begins. But just who is Saevus Corax really?

I love love love Parker's black humor and his deeply flawed and twisty characters. Things are never quite what they seem in his books. So be ready for a surpising ride.

Pick things up as you go along ... nice. :)

>29 Cecrow: ;)

The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
Series: Thursday Next #1

Fun series, even if I'm not particularly a Jane Eyre fan. I especially laughed ever time Braxton Hicks made an appearance. And I only wish there'd been more dodos.

Glad it worked for you, it's a substantial series.

Happy that you enjoyed it more this time around. You've almost convinced me to try it again.

oops

Don't feel bad, you didn't convince me, lol.

Lavinia Urusla K LeGuin

Beautifully written but I didn't really enjoy it that much, sadly.

Haven't read that one but fits with my general takeaway of LeGuin. Really appreciate her and her writing, haven't found one I love yet.

>37 Cecrow: The Left Hand of Darkness is the only one of hers that I loved.

>31 majkia: Glad you liked it! I only just picked up a copy of the book because I'm a Jane Eyre fan. I also like dodos ^_^

Persephone Station - Stina Leicht

This was okay, but I never really got drawn into it. Maybe it was the woman reading it as I listened to the audio.

Audio often seems to make quite a different impression compared to reading. Sometimes after I don't like a book but read a review of someone who loved it after listening, I wonder if that would have solved the problem.

>40 majkia: seems like a heady kind of book...somehow i expected a sci-fi re-telling of persephone and hades (i would have loved that, i think)...gorgeous cover!

Summertide - Charles Sheffield
Series: Stellar Heritage 1

Hard SciFi focused on a doublet planet system which is going into a once in several thousand year close approach. What will happen? Especially with the alien atrifact that ties the two planets together?

Interesting and enjoyable, with focus on the planetary science.

Sounds like this author really knew his stuff. I like these quality under-the-radar finds.

The Blighted Stars - Megan E. O'Keefe
Series: Devoured Worlds #1
Audio edition.

Some truly amazing ideas in this book, (one, 'printing your consciousness into a new body when needed' ) with a great plot and complex characters who you aren't sure are the good guys or the bad guys. Turns out, maybe they aren't who they think they are, or at least their minds might not be their own.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars - Christopher Paolini
Series: Fractalverse #1

Immersive, beautifully written, complex space opera. Imaginative world building makes it more than mere space opera. Looking forward to book 2.

That's an impressive review. I guess he's improved since his Eragon days?

>47 Cecrow: I was never an Eragon fan. I think I dnf'd it.

The Art of Prophecy - Wesley Chu
Series: War Arts 1

Sword and sorcery fantasy which turns prophecy on its head. Interesting but I probably won't continue the series.

>46 majkia: oooh, now i'm looking forward to reading my own copy ^_^

>48 majkia: i also haven't been able to get past book 1 of eragon :p but i've seen his recent interviews and he seems to have matured a lot as a writer (?).

in any case, in spite of my eragon book and movie experience, i feel like i still want to finish the books someday...i guess im still not over my awe of how this then tweener finished 4 best selling books when i could barely turn in 1000-word double spaced essays at the same age.

>49 majkia: oh no...and i almost wanted to pick this book just for the cover art :P that's some pretty cover

The Life of Elves - Muriel Barbery
I really wanted to like this. It is beautifully written, but nothing ever seems to happen. I finally decided to DNF at about the half-way point.

The Downloaded - Robert J. Sawyer

People whose consciousnesses were uploaded into a computer matrix and downloaded not to find the world they expected but instead a ruined Earth. Few options, and what to do next.

Interesting concept but this was a damatized version and I really don't like them much, alas. I'd have prefered a regular audio version.

Did you ... download it?

>55 Cecrow: :D

>55 Cecrow: >56 riida: *Blows raspberry*

Book of Night - Holly Black
Series: Book of Night #1

The shadow magic is certainly different and interesting. I enjoyed the last part of the book far more than the first. And I liked Vince more than Charlie. Probably won't continue the series.

The Seventh Bride - T Kingfisher

A young girl is swept up by an evil sorceror. She, and her friend the hedgehog, are determined to get away from him and save the other women's he's ensorcelled.

Enjoyable and surprising at times. I do enjoy her books!

Ariadne - Jennifer Saint - DNF at 3/4th the way through.

I need to stop trying to read these retellings. I find them depressing reminders of how women were considered so inconsequential in the past.

Nicely written but not for me at this time. Maybe never.

>60 majkia:, what about Circe, I keep hearing that one's really good?

>61 Cecrow: I've read that one and gave it 4 1/2 stars. So maybe its just this book.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess - Sue Lynn Tan
Series: Celestial Kingdom 1

I keep getting these books because of the gorgeous covers and I'm generally disappointed in the book itself. It was okay, and I finished it. Not enough dragons to keep me really interested though,.

That's funny, first I saw the image and thought hey at least the cover is pretty, lol

Quantico - Greg Bear

I listened to an hour and a half or so of this and it is definitely not something I'm interested in. I disliked every character in it so far.

DNF

To Ride Hell's Chasm - Janny Wurts

Written beautifully of course but it is a DNF for me because I can't stand books where animals die. Kill as many humans as you like, but knock off the dogs, cats or horses and I'm outta here

I did read 88 percent of it, struggling because of above.

So I've manage to read all my TBR except Once Upon a River but plan to read that in January because of AlphaKIT.

So, go me.

Well done! Even if it did get a little rough toward the end.

Nicely done!

Congratulations!