monday ramblings...TBR milestone

I reached a pretty big milestone in August.

I. Finished. All. My. ARC’s.

So what does this mean?  Have I read all my books? Am I never requesting a book again? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Welp, it means that since I started going to BEA/ALA and accepting review arc’s years ago – I’ve been drowning in them. Last year I became determined to read and review them in a timely manner and I’ve been sorting and dutifully making my way through.

No, I haven’t read ALL my books (and I’ll expand on that in a minute) but everything I accepted since last year has been read – still working on the review part though. lol

*These are all physical ARC’s – I don’t really have a Netgalley problem so I’ve always been caught up there. I only allow myself 2 books at a time and need to review before I allow myself to request another title.

Going into the future I will only accept or request books that really appeal to me but I’m following my Netgalley rule – only 2 or 3  at a time and no more until I review them first.

I feel like a HUGE burden has been lifted off of me. And it’s a little scary too. For so long review books have guided my reading - for good and bad. Now I need to decide what to read on my own and I’m such a mood reader that’s not necessarily a good thing, I could end up not reading anything! lol

Now, for the down side.


via GIPHY


My other goal was to read more of my existing TBR pile. That includes ARC’s, some from as long ago as 2011 (*hangs head in shame*) that I totally just gave up trying to read on time and other books that I bought over the years. This was my pic of them all laid out in my kitchen from January. 139 books. I’ve only read maybe…10? And added 10 so…yeah. #epicfail

This is what I’ll be working on next. I would love to whittle that pile down to 50 books by the end of the year. I’m a fast reader but I’m not sure that’s possible. See above…mood reader.







August Wrap-Up

I read 19 books – view the Goodreads shelf
Favorites: Trust with a Chaser  by Annabeth Albert and Last Seen leaving by Caleb Roehrg, In Memoriam by Nathan Burgoine

Enjoyed/cute: Lights, Cowboy, Action by Cindi Madsen, Noteworthy by riley Redgate, Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen, Facing West by Lucy Lennox

Goodreads Challenge

2017 Reading Challenge

Karen has read 156 books toward her goal of 180 books.

hide

156 of 180 (86%)

view books

I’m stunned by how many books I’ve read this year. It doesn’t feel like I’m reading this much but I keep having to raise my goal. I picked 180 this time around.

So what are you guys looking forward to reading this September? What are your goals for the rest of the year?

* I'm drafting this while waiting for Irma to hit FL. I may not have power or internet for a few days so I'll reply/visit blogs once I can again.

**We survived Irma! Just lost a few limbs but our power stayed on the whole time. I lost internet after it passed but that's about it. We were VERY lucky - it broke up just before hitting us. The county I live in did suffer a lot of tree damage and power loss so it's chaos out on the streets but I'm fine.

We're cleaning up around the yard and putting the house back in order after all the preparations so I probably won't be posting or visiting blogs for a few days.

Have a great week!!