Down the TBR Hole was originally created over at Lost in a Story, and is a super fun (and simultaneously productive) tag to help you whittle away at those never-ending TBRs! (By the way, you can click on the covers to go to the Goodreads listings!)
It works like this:
- Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
- Order on ascending date added.
- Take the first 5 (or 10 or 15 or 20, if you’re feeling adventurous) books
- Read the synopses of the books
- Decide: keep it or should it go?
- Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!
Current “to-read” shelf: 954 titles
I’m going back to 20 books per post this week, because I noticed a lot less comments while doing 30 per week, and I realized it might be hard to remember which titles you guys want to warn me to get rid of (or keep!) after scrolling through such a damn long list! Let me know if you guys think 20 or 30 is better! ♥
BOOKS 491-495:
The Midnight Sea by Kat Ross – added 03.26.17
I added this because I got it as a free ebook on my kindle, but on second thought, it just sounds really “meh”.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner – added 03.26.17
I probably only added this because I liked The Illuminae Files so much, but I don’t think Amie’s solo writing is my cup of tea at all, sadly. Plus, sci-fi is really not something I get into often!
Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book by Jennifer Donnelly – added 03.26.17
I love the films, and I love retellings, but the retellings have to be way different, and this sounds way too similar.
Enclave by Ann Aguirre – added 03.27.17
Zombies! I don’t get super into zombie books too often anymore, but I dig the idea that these teens are forced into working as zombie hunters and signing their own death sentences, basically. Sounds… tragic?
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan – added 03.27.17
I was actually eyeing this a few days ago, and I’m not sure why I haven’t bought it yet, but I really want to read it after how much I loved her story in Slasher Girls & Monster Boys.
BOOKS 496-500:
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry – added 03.27.17
My mom loves this series and has been begging me to read it.
The Devil Crept In by Ania Ahlborn – added 03.27.17
A lot of people I trust love Ania Ahlborn, so I added this, but given that it’s about missing children – which is one of my #1 fears as a mom – I think this would be less “creepy-fun” and more “panic inducing”.
The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid – added 03.27.17
I’ll be honest… this sounds boring to me. But, I own a copy and soooo many friends have asked me to read it, so I’ll give it a chance.
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh – added 03.27.17
Renee’s writing is funny for me, because I don’t love it that much in the moment, but afterwards, I feel like I think back on it pretty fondly? I dunno. I’ll give it a try.
A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess – added 03.27.17
I bought this cheap on BookOutlet, hence it went on the TBR, but it was a cover buy that I now am not super keen on? It has a neat twist in that the protagonist is not the chosen one, but is pretending to be, but that’s about where my interest in the plot ends.
BOOKS 501-505:
Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis – added 03.27.17
It’s weird, because I own The Female of the Species by this author, which is a book against rape culture, and that sounds super good, but this sounds horribly gross and rape-y? I mean, the blurb & loads of reviews basically say it’s about a fantasy world where women are raised only to be raped until childbirth, and then sacrificed? Yikes. (And I know it’s being “challenged”, but it still doesn’t sound like a fun read.)
Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray – added 03.27.17
When will I learn to stop adding/buying sci-fi books based only on their cover? 🙁
Geekerella by Ashley Poston – added 03.27.17
I really didn’t like Heart of Iron, so my knee-jerk reaction is to remove this, but a LOT of people told me this was way better than HOI, so I’ll try it. Eventually.
Gem & Dixie by Sara Zarr – added 03.27.17
I love dark contemporaries, so when I saw this one about neglected sisters taking care of each other, it sounded good, but a LOT of reviewers that I genuinely trust are saying it’s super “meh” and unrealistic, which I know will irk me.
North of Happy by Adi Alsaid – added 03.27.17
I actually received this as an unsolicited copy from the publisher a while back, and never got around to it because it didn’t appeal to me much at the time, so it’s probably time to let go of it.
BOOKS 506-510:
The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West – added 03.28.17
I already have so many Kasie West titles on my TBR!
Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas – added 03.28.17
It’s a Cinderella retelling! I like retellings, but… eh, this sounds really basic.
Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge – added 03.28.17
I don’t own this, but I do own her book Cruel Beauty, so I’ll remove this until I read that and give her writing a try.
Entwined by Heather Dixon – added 03.28.17
Hm… don’t know what this is, don’t really care based on the synopsis.
The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman – added 03.28.17
Let’s be honest: I give up on Neil Gaiman’s books.
REMOVAL PERCENTAGE THIS WEEK: 70%
DO YOU THINK I SHOULD HAVE REMOVED (OR NOT REMOVED) ANY OF THESE TITLES? IF SO, COMMENT BELOW AND TELL ME WHY!
{TWITTER . BOOKSTAGRAM . FACEBOOK . GOODREADS}
Flavia
May 6, 2018Aweeee I LOVED Defy the Stars! I need to read the sequel soon haha
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018Awww, that makes me second guess removing it haha! Maybe I’ll give it a try! I actually found it on my kindle after removing it, so that made me have second thoughts, anyways lmao – I hate removing books I already bought!
Flavia
May 9, 2018Hehe yaaaay! I hope that you don’t end up regretting your choice to keep it lol I’d feel bad!
booksandblends
May 6, 2018Yes to Geekerella! You should keep that one!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018See, I have such mixed feelings towards the author, but I feel like all of my friends love Geekerella, and you just proved it haha! Okay, I’ll def give it a try 🙂
booksandblends
May 7, 2018What happened with the author?
I definitely enjoyed it! It was really cute!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018Oh she didn’t do anything wrong!! I just didn’t love Heart of Iron. 🙁 It’s the only thing I’ve read by her and I was SO HYPED for it and then I was super disappointed so I’m a little wary now, I guess!
booksandblends
May 8, 2018I did hear mixed reviews on that one!
Sionna (Books in Her Eyes)
May 6, 2018I saw These Broken Stars at the library and fell in love with the cover which is why it is on my TBR… I can’t remember what exactly it is about. I’ll keep it on a bit longer, but who knows.
Oh man, I wasn’t a fan of The Forest of Hands and Teeth. I had to read it in my YA Materials class and had no idea why. There are horror elements, Zombies, but I feel like the relationships were focused on the most :/
I’m glad you kept Geekerella! I really enjoyed it 🙂
Wow, a 70% removal. That’s pretty darn good!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018It honestly does have a GORGEOUS cover! I don’t know why I’m just not a big sci-fi fan. 🙁 I wish I liked sci-fi more.
Oh noooo! I hope I enjoy it more than you did, because I’m actually waiting to receive it in a trade from twitter right now haha!
Thank you ♥
camillesbookishadventures
May 6, 2018I’m the same as you, I don’t want to read anything involving children going missing or getting hurt. It’s too much as a mum, I can’t help but think what if it was my son at the back of my mind. Not a happy thought!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018I’m glad it’s not just me! That’s my problem, too – I keep thinking about something bad happening to my son and it isn’t even a good sense of fear anymore, it’s just dread and anxiety! 🙁
camillesbookishadventures
May 8, 2018I think it’s most parents to be honest. I did try to talk to my husband about it and he even refuses to have a discussion as it’s too horrible a thought to even think about it.
I had anxiety for a couple of weeks prior to flying across the Atlantic last month as I kept having visions of the plane crashing into the ocean and me not being able to save my son. I even had to research plane crash survival advice, which did calm me down once I had a plan. I’m hopeless!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 11, 2018Aww, I think you are right! Your poor husband. 🙁 It’s awful how easy it is to stress us parents out about these things. Oh my goodness! That’s terrifying. I’m so glad you made it safely though!
Elise @thebookishactress
May 6, 2018oh damn, I’m sad about the removal of Defy the Stars – it was one of my top 30 or so of last year! but okay, maybe it’s not the best book ever 😉 honestly, The Wrath and the Dawn isn’t the best thing ever either, but it’s SO much fun. I think you’ll like it – the romance is super angsty in the best way!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018Aww, I might have to reconsider it! It honestly sounds okay, it’s just that I’m so iffy on sci-fi. :/ I’m glad to hear that about The Wrath and the Dawn, though! ♥
Elise @thebookishactress
May 8, 2018if you’re iffy on scifi it’s fine to skip! it just felt like something you might enjoy – very character-driven 🙂 I hope you love TWatD!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 11, 2018Oof… YOU HAD TO USE THE MAGIC WORDS, “CHARACTER DRIVEN”?! ♥ lmao!
Elise @thebookishactress
May 11, 2018THIS IS A MOOD. I swear it’s my biggest buzzword ?
Erin Eliza
May 6, 2018I loved These Broken Stars and the whole series but its definitely not for everyone, with the sci-fi genre and some abstractness to the ideas.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018Right! I think sci-fi is just so hit and miss for me! 🙁
Ellyn
May 7, 2018*cries* These Broken Stars! Don’t worry we’re even – I didn’t like Illuminae but I liked TBS.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018Bahaha oh noooo! Illuminae is one of my babies ♥ But I can see how it wouldn’t be for everyone, for sure!
Tavleen (Travelling Through Words)
May 7, 2018Thus really is a super fun tag. I love Kasie West! Hope you enjoy her books!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018Thank you so much! 😀 I’ve only read one by her so far but it was really cute!
Ally Writes Things
May 7, 2018I really liked Entwined when I first read it, but that was a really long time ago so I’m not sure how I’d like it now. But the concept was super interesting!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018It looks like a lot of my friends enjoyed it, so I almost kept it! I might reconsider it some time. 🙂
Sarah
May 7, 2018I can’t wait to hear your thoughts when you finally get around to The Forest of Hands and Teeth! I’ve read it a couple times and liked it a lot more the first time than the second. I think it’s actually a series, so I don’t know why I haven’t continued on yet!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018I’m honestly super excited about it! I have it heading my way in a trade from a twitter friend this week!
thebibliophagist90
May 7, 2018You did really great this week!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 7, 2018Thank you so much! 🙂
Kathy @ Books & Munches
May 16, 2018I own copies of both Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book and Defy the Stars.. Like.. I don’t even remember why I bought the first; I do know Defy the Stars was a cover-buy – as yours, apparently, haha. We’ll see how it goes when I get to them.. :’)
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 20, 2018Hopefully they’ll be good~ I ended up putting Defy the Stars back on my TBR after a lot of people say they loved it. :’)
Kathy @ Books & Munches
May 22, 2018Okay. Now I’m looking forward to it a BIT more. I think I’ll pick it up in July since that’ll be my scifi month. 😛
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
May 25, 2018Oooh… a sci-fi challenge, or just your own personal TBR?
Kathy @ Books & Munches
May 25, 2018Challenge!