#tbr shelf shaming

[roseunspindle]

Books with “F” Authors I Own and and Need to Read Part 3

[book-lore]

Who's up for a reading challenge for 2025? There are many out there but this is one that I designed specifically to help me, and whoever would like to join me, in getting to read those books I have in my own collection or my local library. This was inspired by a friend talking about how the major publishing companies were often putting out so many books that independent authors often get buried in their wake. Personally, I think this isn't helped by the constant "haul" nature of how many of us hoard books. There's nothing wrong with buying books at all, but often I'm seeing a lot of people buying so many books and reading so few. This isn't meant to be an exercise in shame because I am just as likely to pick up another book as the next person but I would like a reason and a bit of a fun exercise in engaging with my own collection with a little more intention. So this brings me to the Year of Reading Challenge! I'm posting the guide for the squares below so if you are so inclined, feel free to join!

The Challenges:

Centre square is Get or Renew Your Library Card.  The remaining 24 challenges are: 

Numbers Game: Read a full series by the same author(s) in 2025.  Series can be as short as two books, or as long as you want.  If you are a masochist, try the Discworld series, but for all other mortals, choose as you see fit.  Series doesn’t have to be complete, so GOT is fine. 

Mine: Read at least 3 books on your shelf.  These should be books you’ve owned for at least a year.  If you actually read everything you buy, these can be library books. 

Getting To It: Clear at least 2 books off your TBR.  Has to have been on the list for at least six months. 

Nostalgia: Either re-read an old favorite, or read something that reminds you of something you enjoyed. 

Who Are You Again? Choose a book that you’ve forgotten why you put it on your TBR to read. 

Summer: Read a book that reminds you of summer when you were a kid.  Can be a re-read of an old favorite or a book that incorporates something that says summer time to you. 

Winter: Read a wintery or holiday story that you’ve been meaning to get to.  Choose something different than you usually read every year. 

Spring: Budding talent – read a book from an indie author, either one you love or a new to you talent. 

Autumn: Where Tropes go to Die – Read a genre blend that takes common tropes and familiar themes and puts a different spin on them. 

Impulse Buy: You’ve done it.  I’ve done it.  Just read it now. 

Thumbs Up: Read something that has been recommended to you by someone you know. 

Ouch: Read or re-read something that gives you emotional damage.  We all need a good cry sometimes. 

Fluff: Sometimes you just want to feel good.  Read a book that feels like curling up in a large, warm blanket. 

Switcheroo: Is Fiction your life?  Let’s find one non-fiction book you might like.  Are you someone who only reads non-fiction?  Let’s try the land of make believe for one book. 

Thicccc: Stop letting that big book on your shelf bully and intimidate you.  Pick it up and let it know who bought/borrowed it. 

Compact: Sometimes a book doesn’t have to be long to pack a punch.  Read a book that crams as much story as possible into a punishingly small page count. 

Young at Heart: We’re all adults here but sometimes we don’t want to be.  Read a children’s book from any age category. 

Second Date: Find a book on your shelf or from your library that wasn’t your cup of tea.  Give it a second try to impress you this time around. 

Influencer Glamour: You know that book you bought because everyone you know or everyone online said it was the best book in existence, and this is totally different from all the other times another book was the best one they’ve encountered.  Let’s read it and find out if the hype was worth the price tag. 

Perspective is Key: Have you noticed that all the authors you read tend to look the same or have the same background?  Time to get out of your bubble and try reading at least one book from an author who has at least three key differences from your favorite ones. 

Judge by the Cover: We all do it, so let’s just give in to it.  Find at least one book from your own collection or the library where you are intrigued by the cover alone.  Don’t read the synopsis, just dive in. 

Hear Me Out: Audiobooks count as reading.  Better yet, you can read and do other things, like drive or go to the gym or other activities that you can’t do with a physical book.  Listen to at least one audiobook. 

The Book was Better: Find a movie or series that was based on a book and find out if the book really was better after all.  This can include books that have been optioned for adaptation and no, it doesn’t matter if they are languishing in development hell. 

Pulp: It’s trash, they say.  It might be, but it might also be treasure.  Try out a genre of book that gets picked on and see for yourself.  If you are already a pulp reader, it’s time to break out the big guns and get to the stuff that scares off literary critics in the first page. 

Enjoy and happy reading!

[magnusbae]

13 books

What’s up readers?! How about a little show and tell? Answer these 13 questions, tag 13 lucky readers and if you’re feeling extra bookish add a shelfie! Let’s Go!

Tagged by @cuubism Thank you!! 💖 Heads up: if you're tagged, you don't need to read it alllll even if you do want to participate 😌

1) The Last book I read:

I'm pretty sure it was Tress of the Emerald Sea, what a delight!

2) A book I recommend:

.... The Way of Kings... (The Stormlight Archive)

3) A book that I couldn’t put down:

The second book of The Stormlight Archive, Words of Radiance had me by my throat like nothing else. wow. 👏🏻

4) A book I’ve read twice (or more):

Listen. I'll list something other than The Stormlight Archive just because this is getting embarrassing. The books I used to regularly reread were: HP, Eragon and Assassin's Apprentice. (full series rereads, crossing the 10 each) 😌

5) A book on my TBR:

I have a hefty amount of books I bought and never read. Ranging from classics to cheap fantasy-- but alas, my brain is fixated on the other author who doesn't disappoint me and so I just stick to his books XD

Some of the books sitting on my ineffective 'shame you into reading' shelf are: Captive Prince, the rest of the Wolfsong series, the.... shadowhunters books... the new trilogy about Fitz which I have in hardcovers yet never read. And some... others...

6) A book I’ve put down:

One of the reasons I am avoidant of taking on new books at all is because I have a very hard time putting down books I started. I'll suffer through entire series just for the few grains of gratification in the end. Or to... spitefullfy and confidently say it sucked balls.

However... three series managed to break me.

First being GoT, I just didn't manage to get through, not even 10 chapters. A true oddedity for me, but I just couldn't.

Second being The Witcher. I managed to power through like 4-5 books? And then I just couldn't do this to myself anymore. It was so, so, so not my vibe. (even while the pc game is about my most favorite game ever.) 🤷🏻‍♀️

And lastly, although I think I did finish the entire series before deciding that if ever a new book came out, I'll never read it, was the-- god what's the name of it... the First Law Trilogy – The Blade Itself etc from joe abercrombie. What a bleak series! Oh my god!

7) A book on my wish list:

My honest wishlist is just to keep on reading Brando Sando in my slow and enjoying-it phase... Although I admit that there's a large amount of those new spicy fantasy books apparently being released that shorts recommend and older folk rant about, so I naturally do want to check it out to see what's up with that but.... in truth... I just want to keep on enjoying Brando Sando XD

8) A favorite book from childhood:

I genuinely really loved Eragon. Oh and Artemis Fowl was all fun. I also really loved Tunnel in the Sky, like really.

9) A book you would give to a friend:

ngl it'll be an unapologetic The Way of Kings with big and passionate begging session of 'please give it a try' like for real.

In case any one of you is actually interested--- (you don't have to read this part) -inhales deeply-

The Way of Kings is a truly misleading book, that might leave you with the impression that the book is all about wars and kings but that is the furthest from the truth a description and a cover and a name can go.

It has fantasy, it has deep and rich world building, elaborate magic system that is deeply embedded into the story, culture and literal every single stone of the world. There's politics, culture, introspection, deep and varied characters, each reading like the main character of the story, having unique and vibrant personality and motivations.

It is not just a book, it is a work of true and deep love for the genre and writing in general. Beautifully done, enriching and enticing.

And what's most important for people who read too many books?

Hard to predict. It managed to pull the rug from underneath my feet in the most surprising and pleasing ways. Brandon writes in a way that is not 'shock just to shock' nor 'drama just for drama'. Every single scene is true, and forward. You always have everything right in front of you, the key is that you do not know how to put it all together just yet.

That can finally give that refreshing 'I don't know where it's heading but I'm enjoying the experience" I feel I had lost over the years, being able to recognize patterns too easily and predict writing intentions.

God, what a book! It does however have a rough learning curve, being such a massive world, it takes time to ease you in. Say about at least 5 chapters in at the minimum. On a personal note, I recommend the audiobooks read by kate reading and michael kramer, literally the best experience I've ever had, listening to those two bring to life every character and accent and scene, wow!

10) A book of poetry or lyrics that you own:

Come to think of it, I don't actually own any. Ha.

11) A nonfiction book you own:

I don't haha! Looking back, it's a lie, I have a few phycology books gathering dust in various hiding spots.

12) What are you currently reading:

........The Way of Kings....

13) What are you planning on reading next?

.....Words of Radiance.... haha. 😋

Y'all don't need to read all them answers in case you just want to answer it for yourself, or you can skip, too 😊😊😊

@mayhemspreadingguy, @pollyp, @nonbinary-nicolo, @msmongoose, @hardly-an-escape,

@ladymatt, @underacalicosky, @grapenehifics, @your-lordsherlockholmes-posts

@acedragontype, @palfriendpatine66, @heretolurkandnothingmore , @virahaus, @wallsinmyhead

@kittttycakes, @elcaballerodragon, @justsuffilike, @pumpkinkingsalem, @handahbear

@willameena

I am certain this is 13, I am certain. Cheers 💖💖💖

[samkerrworshipper]

the look of shame on my girlfriends face when she went to the parcel locker tonight to pick up a package and came home to discover it was a package full of books was unmatched… did i promise to not buy any more books until i finished my tbr? maybe. were there sales i couldnt pass up … also maybe.

we now have a spot called the book dump which sits directly below my book shelf bcus it’s full, the book dump is a turned hamper basket that is now a fulltime home to my books :) :) :) :) :)

[myclutteredbookshelf]

I've been inspired by @ofliterarynature to ask Bookblr for help with unhauling some of my TBRs. If you reblog this poll, feel free to explain your choice. I'd even be happy to hear your reasoning for why I shouldn't toss a certain book, as it might encourage me to get around to reading it.

I've copied the book blurbs below the cut for your consideration.

Ink by Alice Broadway

From the second you're born, every achievement, every failing, every significant moment are all immortalized on your skin. There are honorable marks that let people know you're trustworthy. And shameful tattoos that announce you as a traitor. After her father dies, Leora finds solace in the fact that his skin tells a wonderful story. That is, until she glimpses a mark on the back of his neck . . . the symbol of the worst crime a person can commit in Saintstone. Leora knows it has to be a mistake, but before she can do anything about it, the horrifying secret gets out, jeopardizing her father's legacy . . . and Leora's life.

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run her husband's household or raise his children, but both wives are promised a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class. Daniela Vargas is the school's top student, but her bright future depends upon no one discovering her darkest secret—that her pedigree is a lie. Her parents sacrificed everything to obtain forged identification papers so Dani could rise above her station. Now that her marriage to an important politico's son is fast approaching, she must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society, where famine and poverty rule supreme. On her graduation night, Dani seems to be in the clear, despite the surprises that unfold. But nothing prepares her for all the difficult choices she must make, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio. Will Dani give up everything she's strived for in pursuit of a free Medio—and a chance at forbidden love?

Bride of Clay by Markus Zusak

The breathtaking story of five brothers who bring each other up in a world run by their own rules. As the Dunbar boys love and fight and learn to reckon with the adult world, they discover the moving secret behind their father's disappearance. At the center of the Dunbar family is Clay, a boy who will build a bridge—for his family, for his past, for greatness, for his sins, for a miracle. The question is, how far is Clay willing to go? And how much can he overcome?

[wri0thesley]

(hope its ok to send u asks but just ignore if u want!) but im glad u feel better and i hope you enjoy all your new books ^^ this is me gently encouraging you to post a review on them i love fantasy novels ;w;

it is more than fine always!!! <3 I realised when they arrived i already had one of them and it was languishing on my to be read pile (shame!!! shame on me!!!)! but i finished one of my tbr today! this anthology of patricia a mckillip books, so technically three books? I only wanted to buy a copy of in the forests of serre but the anthology was cheaper so who am i to deny Free Books!

actually as it turned out in the forests of serre was my least favourite of them (the bell at sealey head was my favourite) but they were all extremely good! my preferred flavour of fantasy is lyrical and fable-like, like it could be a fairytale in a different world, and mckillip is really good at that. I haven’t read anything else of hers but i also have winter rose on my tbr shelf and i am looking forward to it much more now!!!

anyway! that is my review sgddgdg i am glad at least one person does not mind my silly book posting!

[firstdegreefangirl]

January 2023 Reading Wrap-Up

I'm trying something new this year, where I make little mini-reviews for the books I read and share them at the end of the month. There might be a few spoilers, but I'm not dissecting plots here, and it's all for good fun and games. Summaries will be up here, breakdowns by book will be under the drop.

Let me know if there's anything that caught your eye/that you enjoyed too/that made your TBR!

Here we go!

Total books read: 10 

Total pages read: 3,103 

Days read: 29/31 

Average star rating: 3.93 

Challenge Prompts Filled: 5 total. Popsugar: 2/40. Romanceopoly: 2/36. CRAD: 1/12. 

How to Keep House While Drowning by K.C. Davis  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  I don’t want to be the person who’s all “this self-help book changed my life,” but … this self-help book changed my life. For the first time since I moved out, I wouldn’t be mortified if someone dropped by unannounced, and it feels like keeping my house functional is actually something I can achieve. This book helped me break down tasks and changed the rhetoric I use for household upkeep to break the shame cycles that people have around disorganization. It wasn’t really the plan to make this the first book I read, but I knocked it out in like three hours on New Year’s Day, and it’s left me convinced that this is the year I might finally be able to make my space something that works for me. Biggest takeaway: My space should work for me, I should not work for my space. 

Built to Last by Erin Hahn  ⭐⭐⭐(¾)  This was cute! I picked it up from the new additions shelf at my local library because the cover was cute (sue me, I judge books by their covers, blame the Legally Blonde Musical, but I digress). It’s second-chance friends to lovers, but I loved learning how Shelby and Cameron find their ways back to each other. The only reason I didn’t rate it higher is because I don’t think I’d read it again. It was fun, I liked it a lot, but it’s not something that’s going to stick with me forever and ever, y’know? 

Challenge Prompt: Romanceopoly Amour Avenue (read a contemporary romance with an illustrated cover) 

Playing the Palace by Paul Rudnick  ⭐⭐⭐(¼)  I found this at my favorite Salvation Army store while I was Christmas shopping last month (and no, the irony of finding a gay romance novel at SA is not lost on me) and left it at a Little Free Library after I finished reading. The writing was good, the story checked out, but it didn’t hook me quite as well as some of the other books I’ve read in a similar vein. Prince Edgar was delightful, the Queen was by FAR my favorite part of the book, but Carter grated on my nerves in a few places. Overall, glad to have knocked it off my TBR, and I hope that whoever picks it up next loves it more than I did.  

 The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  I’m so glad that I finally got through to reading this book! Given that I pre-ordered for release day last year, it’s been a hot minute, but here we are. I read and adored the prequel (The Worst Best Man) and was excited to hear there’d be another book in the series, but I kept putting it off because I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to the hype I’d created for myself. I was wrong; it absolutely did. This was laugh-out-loud funny in places, and sure made a few night shifts go by faster. I read close to half of it in the first sitting, right after I finished PtP, and surprised both my trainee and my GM by the fact that I can actually read overnight without falling asleep, especially for hours at a time. I dunno, it’s hard to fall asleep when the books are this riveting.  

Challenge Prompt: Chantel Reads All Day January (a book with ‘a’ or ‘the’ in the title) 

Straightforward by Martin Parnell  ⭐⭐(¾)  Honestly I’m still not sure if I liked this one or not, so I know I didn’t like it well enough to be any more than three stars. I got the eBook for free, because I was intrigued by the overarching question: Can a straight country cowboy and an effervescent gay man be friends? The first third-ish dragged on, then I read the last 2/3 in a single sitting, finishing at 5 a.m. curled up in bed because all of a sudden I was dying to know how it ended. I … didn’t love the ending, at least at first (unrequited love isn’t usually my thing, but the ending wasn’t inherently unhappy), but I keep thinking about if I liked it or not, so maybe I do? I don’t know. It wasn’t what I expected, and the writing style wasn't remarkable. It felt like the story might have been building toward a plot twist that never came, but the ending did feel tied down and well rounded. I loved that Cowboy Ty’s first sentence was “Goddammit! Shit piss motherfucker hell goddammit!” if only because that feels so relatable for many days in my own life.  

Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade  ⭐⭐(½)  I didn’t enjoy this. You might, but it wasn’t for me. I wanted to like it, but I didn’t. The writing style is fine, the story was … alright, I suppose, but I didn’t like the characters. Again, to each their own, but I was irritated with both MC’s by the middle of the story, and almost DNF’d 60 pages from the end.  

The Line Becomes a River by Francisco Cantu  ⭐⭐⭐⭐(½)  I wanted a break from contemp romance after the last two books, so I turned to the nonfic section on my shelf, and I’ve been meaning to read this for literally over a year. It was one of the books I put in my “$5 for anything that fits in this bag” library sale bag in fall of 2021, and sounded like an interesting take on immigration policies. This book made me cry, openly, at work, in front of my trainee, at 5 a.m.. It’s that good, that moving. There were definitely some parts that changed my perspective on policy issues, and I’m wholeheartedly recommending it to anyone looking for firsthand accounts of the government side of border policies. Even if it’s a little outdated, it definitely gave me some things to think about. 

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  23 ½ hour read time. I was hooked by the first page, and spent most of the first sitting trying to decide if I should keep reading to find out what happens next or slow down so I could savor it all. Ended up reading over half of it the first time, and finishing it on my shift the next night. This was the first I’ve read by Christina Lauren, but if it’s all this good, I’ll definitely be back for more. Hands down the funniest book I’ve read all year. Toward the end, we brushed up a little bit against one of the tropes I generally don’t much care for, but CL handled it beautifully and it ended up making a beautiful, heartfelt wrap-up. This year, the goal is to unshelf books I own if I don’t see myself reading them a second time, but I’d made up my mind on keeping this one before I finished the prologue. There’s no WAY I won’t be rereading!  

Challenge Prompt: Popsugar – A book that you think your best friend would like 

The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery  ⭐⭐⭐⭐(½)  Honestly, I’m not even sure why I picked this one up when I did. I ordered it from BookDepository AGES ago (the UK cover is prettier than the US one, and I’ll die on this hill), but then it got put on my shelf and left to ferment. But like a fine wine (a theme in the book), it was fantastic when I finally cracked it open. I wasn’t sure how I’d like a story balancing three romances across one plot, but everyone’s story was riveting in its own way and they fit together so well! 40 pages from the end, I said out loud “there’s no way they’ll be able to resolve everything,” but I was so wrong. Three for three on the HAE, which is exactly how I take my romance novels, with a hearty dose of friendship and family dynamics along the way. Susan Mallery has long been one of my favorite authors, and this was a friendly reminder of exactly why.  

No Mercy (A Valerie Law FBI Suspense Thriller - Book One) by Blake Pierce  ⭐⭐⭐  Thrillers aren’t usually so much my thing, but I like reading outside of my usual taste, and I was looking for something short to round out the month. This is under 200 pages, and the FBI element sparked my fancy, since I am a huge fan of crime dramas. It was … alright? Not painful to read, by any means, but it fell a little flat for me in places. Maybe the rest of the series will pick up, but I don’t think I’m curious enough to find out. That said, there are worse things I could have spent three days reading. 

Challenge Prompts: Popsugar – The shorted book (by pages) on your TBR); Romanceopoly Slueth Street (read a thriller or mystery where one of the main characters are a detective or private investigator) 

DNF: Our First Puck by Kat Obie 

[peachyteabuck]

It’s NYE!! We’re hosting a few of our friends tn so this is what I need to do before they arrive:

take out trash, as much as possible

clean off coffee table

clean off regular table

find a cute lil fit!

put away clean laundry

put cowboys new med schedule in discord + write for cabinet

update storygraph TBR to match shelf TBR

clean up bedroom

make bed

clean up/organize bathroom shelves

grab Amazon package from yesterday

spend 20 mins cutting out white

make to do list for tomorrow

organize under coffee table

read a little to keep up momentum

clean up shame corner in bathroom

[batgirlgeek]

Funko Pop Collection

So I got this ask a while back from a mutual (aka @blackcat2907) and I mentioned in the tags that I could show off my funko pops so here I am! I started collecting them in middle school. They’re probably a money waster and will most likely be thrown away by future descendants but I like them🥰

I tried to get them all pictured together since they’re all scattered about my room but that didn’t happen bc I either misplaced some or they weren’t standing right (bc as we all know, Funkos can be finicky with if they want to stand properly on a given day).

My Harlequin Batman/Alfred Hitchcock/Darla/Lock/Mr. Rogers are usually on a shelf together since I don’t know where to put them and I’m not sure where most of them came from. I imagine Lock was purchased around the time when I was making my descendants fics (one of them featured Lock, Shock and Barrel’s Children) but idk for sure😅

From back -> front/left -> right we have:

Carmen Sandiego (she was my first)

Drowned Batman/-11 Batman (I haven’t actually read Death Metal but I really like the aesthetic of that AU Batman😅)

Regular Batman

Harlequin Batman

Darla from Shazam (I really liked the first live action—and the second—and I thought Darla was sweet❣️)

Alfred Hitchcock

Lock (nightmare before Christmas)

Mr. Rogers (I think I bought this when I saw the Tom Hanks’ biopic)

Eric + Ariel (I keep them with my fairytale retellings. I’m hoping to get a Cinderella figure at some point since

Batgirl

Pride month Robin (I usually buy my Funkos from retailers or Amazon but this one I got from funko’s official store since it came out during June last year shortly after Tim came out)

A bonus Dorian from D&D: Honor Among Thieves:

I enjoyed that movie a lot and I have a soft spot for tieflings so when I saw Hot Topic had the movie Funkos, I snagged her. I nearly forgot to include her since she’s usually sitting on a corner bookshelf behind my chair/desk. Since D&D is a roleplaying game, I’ve kept her with my game disks/switch & DS cartridges

The bombshells collection:

Left -> right:

Hawk girl

Supergirl

Batwoman

Poison Ivy

Catwoman

I’ve been trying to collect DC’s Bombshells line because I just love their 40s aesthetic a lot—I’d like to get the comic series also but I’m currently on a book buying ban to curb my physical TBR (there’s 58 books left if my Storygraph’s count is right).

And finally, my minis:

My mom got me this DC funko advent calendar for Christmas last year and it was very fun opening them all up since it gave me something to look forward to every day. Unfortunately, a lot of them were duds as there were so many duplicates (I suspect the company just retooled actual Funkos and didn’t bother to make new ones lol). Also the flash ones don’t stand unless they’re leaning against another mini. But I still think they’re cute so they’re displayed on their own shelf :)

I’ve never officially counted all my Funkos before but in total (excluding my advent calendar minis) we have 18. There’s a lot more I’d love to buy (including a Huntress funko) but at the moment all I can do is stare wistfully at an Amazon wishlist and I’m okay with that for now😅

(I’m sorry this took awhile BTW. I could lie and say I was busy but I really got sucked into the tv series White Collar of all things. It’s good, I’m on s4 <3)

By the way,, before you leave: if anybody is reading this and is collecting the deluxe editions of these dragon age books or knows where I can get copies for a reasonable price, I would appreciate it. They are very hard to find now since they’re technically out of print I think. I’m missing The Calling, The Stolen Throne and Last Flight. Might have to cave and buy them in their original editions which would be a shame bc I think these copies are gorgeous and have incredible art😅

[adornesibley]

I used to feel guilty for not having read every book on my shelves and having a never-ending, always expanding TBR. But I have come to realize that I buy books like I buy food. With the intent to consume but always too much and more than I can afford. Books and stories are sustenance. They give me life and are here to be savored and enjoyed at leisure. Sometimes I binge, sometimes I fast, but it’s never a race or a competition. 

I’m, nowadays, looking at books more like pieces of art. I keep them on a shelf, I look at them and love them. Sometimes I take them down and read a few pages, sometimes I devour them whole. And this is okay. There is no shame here. 

I think it’s important to realize, accept, and embrace that there will never be enough time to read all of the things you planned on reading. Or seeing. Or hearing. We can only go with our guts, and consume what brings us joy (or fear, or sadness, ya know as art does). 

Sustainability in books is a topic that is entwined with this and I wish to come back to. So, this is a pin in this conversation. I do not currently have the spoons and my four cats need to eat XD

The absolutely stunning cover illustration is by the amazingly talented Peter Andrew Jones

[madlovenovelist]

#bookporn #coverlove

These have been sitting on my TBR shelf for way too long. The Timeloopers quartet. Dan Rix always manages to write quick easy reads with an interesting sci-fi premise. I’ve heard Dan Rix removed his titles because he was going to rebrand, and then release his books under a pseudonym, but I haven’t seen either happen yet. So I don’t know if you can still buy his books. Such a shame.

[roseunspindle]

Books with “F” Authors I Own and and Need to Read Part 2

[giraffesonjupiter]

accidentally bought too many books and now I can’t decide what to read next

[riceball1759]

Reading Tips from your Hyper Librarian

"So many books, so little time", right? If anyone understands this, it's us bibliophiles and librarians (and publishers) -especially someone like me! My interests are super varied and many times, I'll start reading a few chapters in a book that REALLY REALLY interests me...but then, I have that ADHD SHINY moment and the poor thing is forgotten. Seriously, this is a constant struggle. Being a librarian makes this even more important that I know what I'm recommending. And I do! I just can't get the focus to actually read them>< I'm part of a committee that is assigned reading every year for 3 months (give or take) and -you guessed it- I get that done. Why? It's got a deadline and I churn through them like nobody's business. It also helps that I didn't choose them and they aren't always what I normally like to read. It gives me an edge when helping certain patrons look for something I normally don't read. Not that I don't have an idea already -it's just more cemented than usual since I actually read that particular book. Though I kinda gave you one of my tips in this blurb, I'll rehash later!

A little more on my SHINY moments and then we'll get to my tips! Like I said before, SHINY really takes a toll sometimes on my goals, but it also helps. How? Situation: I hear all this buzz about this upcoming book (debut author/fresh voice/intriguing plotline/etc.). I either miraculously get an ARC or I'm waiting with bated breath, for the dang thing to get shipped to my library so that I can "steal" it for the weekend before it gets catalogued (I tell everyone I'm borrowing it, so don't judge me!). If all goes according to plan, I DEVOUR it within a day and come back exclaiming all the virtues of reading said book. I might even write a glowing review (if I had the capacity at the time). This has happened with a few books in the past years: Stay Gold, Wicked Fox & Vicious Spirits, Ember in the Ashes, Invisible Differences, and a few others, but I can't remember right now. Point: it's super hard for me to get the reading I want done, actually done.

AND NOW, for the star of our show: The Hyper Librarian's Reading Tips!

Please remember, these are things I remind myself of when I'm having a hard time getting through my TBR (the library-books-out-that-are-due TBR). Some lead into or are extensions of others, but being specific is necessary for me. You can adapt them to your needs or or just copy/paste them into your life :)

1) It's ok to DNF. So you gave this book the 'old college try' and just can't do it -it's becoming torturous and you're at risk of going into the dreaded slump... Just stop already and save yourself more grief. Another reason is that you're just not in the mood to finish, so don't. Why torture yourself (again -I seem to like using this word, but it's so accurate at times!) by seeing a book lying close by that you wish was anywhere but? Some of us (incl. moi) have a shelf on Goodreads just for those pesky things. Let's cut the drama and move on! I find it therapeutic as well as final.

2) You are your own censorship committee. We all have that verbal content line where ~once toed/crossed~ our tolerance, belief, comfort level, etc., is compromised to the point where there's no enjoyment because of that one or more 'tidbits' giving you grief. Sometimes, I'll scan several reviews before starting because I want to make sure I don't get any 'surprises'. Most times, I get to that proverbial part that has me slamming the book closed, never to be opened again (dramatic, yes, but sometimes very true!). {{Point}}: you are the only person keeping you from reading something you don't like!

3) Be picky! You are as unique as your fingerprint. Why wouldn't your reading habits follow? If you get a rec that is absolutely not your thing, say no (thank you). It's not fair to you if you're just going to trudge through it anyway for the sake of being polite to friends/family/librarians/coworkers/etc (publishers, I'm sorry). If you like vampires, werewolves, and all things paranormal (like me) don't despair of the current books coming out -look back to the '90s and '00s! Reading is one of the most personal things we experience in our lives. {{Please, for the sake of your sanity}}: read reviews, look for trigger warnings (if that applies to you), verify that historically under-represented voices are portrayed correctly (misinformation is our greatest threat). For example: I won't buy a book about LGBT+ characters without verifying the plot as authentic (i.e. all fluff and no real problems vs real problems with a happy ending). I need to know that the book about that Transgender girl is written by someone who is either also Transgender or very well-informed.

4) Own your reading preferences. Just own it. I read somewhere in a journal interview that the concept of "guilty pleasure" shouldn't exist. So you like SJM's ACOTAR and are all about that fan community life, but are afraid to talk about it even though it's basically a mainstream subculture now? {{Point}}: Stop feeling guilty for what makes you happy! If people judge, that's their problem. I read romance for stress relief and because I just happen to like happy endings. Seriously, people need to stop shaming romance readers and self-shame is a huge part! Don't shame yourself, "SHUN THE NON-BELIEVERS"! (Charlie the Unicorn, RIP in Youtube history)

5) It's ok to read more than one book at a time. If you're anything like me (the Attention Deficit part), you probably have up to 5 books going at the same time: that paperback at home, the ebook on your phone, audiobook in the car, hardcover in your office, etc. (I know that's not 5 -I ran out of ideas!). Point: it's only natural you're in the mood for something different at certain periods of the day, week, or whatever. They'll get finished eventually. Just spare a thought for the 1 or 2 that are a little extra "dusty" cuz that might mean you need to DNF...just a thought.

6) Book clubs are your friend! They can be your enemy, too; but here's what you do: choose one that reads almost everything you want to in a specific genre. I'm not talking the next bestseller (unless that's you). I'm talking genre-specific and something you researched before joining. Online or in-person, this is has the potential for changing your reading habits for the better because you'll actually want to interact and read the books! I decided to join a book club so I could finally talk about a niche genre that is one of my favorites: Christian fiction. No one around me reads this (anymore) and I have no one to talk to (regularly) and trade recs with, so I joined a Facebook group and it's really nice to chat about all these great books and authors I've recently read with others who do the same:)

7) Book journaling. Yes, you may have heard of these things. There are so many ways to journal about your reading: bullet journals, the blank ones where you can let loose your creativity, the ones like from Moleskin where you just fill in the pre-determined spaces (aka: reading log), lined journals for writing your heart out, themed reading planners and TBR journals... Just look it up, the interwebs has you covered. The key is to use them as a tool for expanding and enriching your enjoyment or education (nonfic). I don't journal for everything, but I do like to do it for the ones I know I'm going to review later or for general reflections as I read. I started doing it by chapters, but that doesn't cut it when something jumps out at me from a random page and I NEED to write about it immediately. So, I make note of the page # and we good! I'm very personal in my writing (if you can't tell) and it can turn into tangents, but that's how I roll. I don't do that artsy stuff because that takes away from the reason I'm doing this in the first place. I write about anything regarding my reading -incl my reading slumps. I love it.

Wishing you Happy Reading! Thank you for reading:)

[beautifulpaxielreads]

October Wrap-Up

Books Completed (ratings out of five stars)

A sky painted gold by Laura Wood (reread, begun in September, ★★★★1/2)

Popular (a memoir): vintage wisdom for a modern geek by Maya Van Wagenen (begun in September, ★★★1/2)

Firekeeper’s daughter by Angeline Boulley (★★★★)

It’s not you, it’s me by Gabrielle Williams* (★★★)

The winner’s kiss (The Winner’s Trilogy #3) by Marie Rutkoski (★★★1/2)

Books currently in progress

The library book by Susan Orlean

The inheritance games (The inheritance games #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Defy the night (Defy the night #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie

Lives between the lines: a journey in search of the lost Levant by Michael Vatikiotis

*Australian author/s

Reflections on October and Goals for November

October was a mixed month for me in terms of reading. The last two books you see on my “in progress” list, I actually only started reading yesterday. The ones I was reading before that (A brief history of capitalism by Yanis Varoufakis and After Story by Larissa Behrendt) I DNF’d. Which was a shame, because the subject matter of both – I felt – were incredibly worthy and necessary.

I DNF’d Varoufakis’ book because despite its enlightening content, it was taking me far too long a time to read it, given it was only about 200 pages. And with After Story, I could tell was an important read by First Nations Australian woman Larissa Behrendt, but the diary-entry style format made it a chore to get through. And given that I have many books on my ever-growing TBR, I was pretty keen to get to them. So that’s how the cookie crumbled, I’m afraid to say.

· I went on a bit of a book-buying spree in October, so much so that I have promised myself not to buy any more until I have got through a decent chunk of the unread ones I have on my shelf already. And I’m going to stick to that promise. Hopefully.

My favourite book this month – aside from my reread of A Sky Painted Gold (as brilliant as ever, btw) – had to be Firekeeper’s Daughter. It was a great insight into a culture I know so little about (First Nations Americans). Least favourite was probably It’s Not You, It’s Me. I read it really quickly and the concept was great, but I think it was too fast-paced for me to take much in.

My chief goal for November is to finish the books on my “in progress” list. If I can do that before the end of the month, then I’ll be tantalisingly close to hitting my goal of 65 books read this year. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Other than the above, I’ll just keep making my way through my TBR.

That will do for now, I’ll see you in December for my November wrap-up. Until then, stay safe and happy reading!

[skyeisproductive]

I own the Silmarillion and much to my *deep* shame have never actually cracked it open, but you're really making me want to pull it down off the shelf and have a look. It's terrible. My TBR stack is so big already.

Oh no I'm sorry! Admittedly, I haven't finished it.. I have every intention to! I have a problem with sitting down to read books, it's hard. I can spend the whole day reading fanfiction no problem, but a book? No.

But I love what the silm fandom creates! That's kinda the main reason I was interested in it. I got into a Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit kick early last year and found out about the other books that Tolkien wrote. Then, like any other thing I'm interested in, I looked into it on tumblr and fell in love with the fanart!

Maybe we can start a silm reading club, read it together?