I’m working from home now, so I’ll be starting a new routine next week.
I’ve been reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson while I walk the Appalachian Trail virtually on Walking 4 Fun. Since I didn’t start reading until I was well into Stage 6 of the trail, I had a bit of catching up to do in the book. However, now I’m stuck at chapter 8, and I won’t be able to read any more for awhile until I get to where Bryson and his hiking friend are in Gatlinburg, TN. It’s more than 30 miles from where I’m at right now.
Image: hjl Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story. All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
How it works:
Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
I will be repeating this process every week until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR. I have 566 books on my to-read shelf, despite participating in Bout of Books. Also, due to the readathon, I didn’t do a Down the TBR Hole post last weekend, so I’ll being going through 10 books this time.
This week’s ten books:
Alice in Zombieland by Nickolas Cook – KEEP. There’s no way I would ever get rid of a mash up of Alice in Wonderland and zombies! I’m hoping to get around to this one during #RIPXII.
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker – KEEP. I already own this one too, and I’ve been wanting to read it for awhile because I’ve been told that the protagonists become friends with no romance developing. That sounds like a nice change from the usual.
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews – KEEP. I’m not much of a fan of most Urban Fantasy, only because there’s usually more Romance than Fantasy, but I’ve heard great things about this series and I got the ebook for free a couple years ago.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson – KEEP. I own this in paperback, and I’ve been told it is essential reading for any Fantasy fan. So far, it has sat on my shelf because I get the impression it’s of the Epic variety, and I haven’t been in the mood for that in a while.
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie – GO. This seemed so interesting when I first added it to my wish list. Now? Not so much. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel – KEEP. I will tackle this beast of a book someday! I’ve seen the mini-series based on it and loved it, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy this even more. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay – KEEP. I’ve been meaning to read this ever since I saw Gay’s Ted Talk a few years ago. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot – KEEP. I love fun books about cats, and this one supposedly inspired the musical “Cats”. Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris – KEEP. I got hooked on memoirs after listening to the audiobook of The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. I have the hardcover of this one and I will get to it at some point. Get in Trouble by Kelly Link – KEEP. This is a short-story collection that is supposed to be dark. I’ll keep it on my wish list for now.
My to-read shelf is back down to 565 books. I’ll start off next week with book #91.
My FitBit band broke over the weekend. I was carrying it around in my pocket while I waited for a new band to come in the mail, so I’m sure this week’s stats are a little wonky. I know my active minutes should be considerably higher, but without the heart rate monitor, the FitBit wouldn’t know I was sweating my butt off.
Image: hjl Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story. All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
How it works:
Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
I will be repeating this process every week until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR. I currently have 566 books on my to-read shelf. I culled several books towards the bottom of the list while I was looking through them for something to read after a somewhat bad day.
This week’s five books:
Foreign Correspondences by Lesley Krueger – KEEP. I love travel writing and I already own this in ebook format.
The Thickety: A Path Begins by J.A. White – KEEP. I already own this one too, and there’s no way I would get rid of what sounds like an awesome Middle-Grade Fantasy story.
How to Catch a Bogle by Catherine Jinks – KEEP. This is another Middle-Grade book I already own and don’t have plans of getting rid of anytime soon.
Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines – KEEP. I own this in paperback, and I’ve heard nothing but great things about it and the author. I might take it off the shelf to read next month.
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige – GO. This seemed so interesting before there was a ridiculous number of other stories which turn the supposedly “good guys” into bad. No thanks.
My to-read shelf is down to 565 books. I’ll start off next week with book #81.
I realized that I haven’t mentioned my progress on the virtual Appalachian Trail at Walking4Fun. I’m currently on my way through Stage 6 (of 89) and have walked over more than 120 miles of the Trail. I’m just over the Georgia – North Carolina border 🙂 Here is a picture from where I was at yesterday before I went to bed:
Image: hjl
Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story. All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
How it works:
Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
I will be repeating this process every week until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR. I currently have 576 books on my to-read shelf. I cleared out a few books towards the end of the list that I was no longer interested in reading.
This week’s ten books:
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman – KEEP. Why have I not read this book yet?! A friend of mine gave it to me as a Birthday present a couple years ago, and it’s still sitting on the shelf. I need to fix that.
The Shelf by Phyllis Rose – KEEP. I bought this about a year ago, and haven’t managed to get to it yet, despite how much I love reading books about books.
The Library Book by various authors – KEEP. This is a collection of essays and has been on my wishlist for what feels like forever. I’ve never found a physical copy of it, and I don’t want to settle for the ebook.
The Bookshop Book by Jen Campbell – KEEP. This is another book that has been on my wishlist for a long time because I haven’t been able to find a physical copy of it.
When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning – KEEP. A book about books and WWII? Yes, please!
The Uncanny Valley by Gregory Miller – KEEP. I’m putting this towards the top of the list of books I want to read in October.
Turn of the Tide by Margaret Skea – KEEP. If I judged this book solely on the cover, I probably would have gotten rid of it. However, the story is based on real life events in Scotland during the 16th century, so there’s no way I’m getting rid of it.
Ren of Atikala by David Adams – KEEP. This one sounds too fun to get rid of and I got it for free.
The Princess of Dhagabad by Anna Kashina – GO. A story about a Princess who seduces her slave? No thanks, even if it is supposed to be based on The Arabian Nights.
The Librarian: Little Boy Lost by Alexandra Bracken – KEEP. I would never get rid of a book about a magical library.
My to-read shelf is down to 575 books. I’ll start off next week with book #76 and I might do ten books yet again since it looks like I’ll probably be keeping most of them.
Image: hjl
Down the TBR Hole was started by Lia over at Lost in a Story. All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
How it works:
Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
I will be repeating this process every week until I’ve filtered out my entire TBR. I currently have 579 books on my to-read shelf. I took a box of books to Half Price Books to sell and, of course, I ended up buying several books with the money I got. I decided to do 10 books again this week since all but one of them are keepers.
This week’s ten books:
The Beatrice Letters by Lemony Snicket – KEEP. This one is still on my wishlist, but I will eventually have it as part of my Lemony Snicket collection.
The Unauthorized Autobiography by Lemony Snicket – KEEP. I already own this one.
Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier – KEEP. So far I’ve loved every book Marillier has written so this one is staying on my TBR.
Beauty by Robin McKinley – KEEP. “Beauty and the Beast” is my all-time favorite fairy tale, and I’ve heard nothing but great things about this retelling.
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley – KEEP. Even though this is the 1st in the “Damar” series, I was told I should read the 2nd book, The Hero and the Crown, first. I did and really enjoyed it, so I’m keeping this one.
Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley – KEEP. Another re-telling of “Beauty and the Beast” by the same author that I’ve heard great things about.
Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley – KEEP. This is a retelling of “Sleeping Beauty” and it’s been on my wishlist for what feels like forever. I haven’t bought a copy yet because I wanted to read the other books by McKinley that I already own and “Sleeping Beauty” might be my least fave fairy tale.
Sunshine by Robin McKinley – KEEP. I don’t know if this is a fairy tale retelling or not, but it involves vampires and I got it in a Humble Bundle so it’s not going anywhere until I read it.
The Magician’s Book: A Skeptic’s Adventures in Narnia by Laura Miller – GO. I added this to my wishlist years ago when I was still interested in getting a different perspective on “The Chronicles of Narnia” series by C.S. Lewis. The synopsis makes it seem that this book is more about C.S. Lewis than about the series, and I’m just not interested anymore.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken – KEEP. I get the impression from the synopsis that this is at least partly a darker version of the X-Men, and I’m always down for that.
My to-read shelf is down to 578 books. I’ll start off next week with book #66 and I might do ten books again since it looks like I’ll probably be keeping most of them.
This was not a great week, and I’ve been reading for comfort more than I’ve exercised, but I’m only about 4 miles away from finishing the Maurader’s Marathon.
