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: 1,016 titles
BOOKS 321-325:
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare – added 01.12.17
At least once a week, I consider dropping all of my current reads and just binge reading Cassie Clare books, if that tells you anything.
DECISION: KEEP
A List of Cages by Robin Roe – added 01.13.17
ADHD rep, and this book has an average rating of 4.32? I don’t see why not.
DECISION: KEEP
Thin Air by Michelle Paver – added 01.14.17
I don’t know why, but I’m so intrigued by horror movies set in snowy atmospheres.
DECISION: KEEP
Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver – added 01.14.17
This book by the same author, however, sounds less appealing, just because there’s a wolf-cub companion involved, and books with animal companions stress me out. (Plus, it just… doesn’t sound super interesting.)
DECISION: REMOVE
Dark Matter by Michelle Paver – added 01.14.17
Past self: STOP ADDING A MILLION BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR AT ONE TIME.
DECISION: REMOVE
BOOKS 326-330:
Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry – added 01.15.17
I have never read a “motorcycle romance”, and I keep hearing this is a good introduction to the subgenre.
DECISION: KEEP
Talon by Julie Kagawa – added 01.16.17
I don’t hear this series talked about much, but… DRAGONS.
DECISION: KEEP
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken – added 01.16.17
I have heard so many polarizing reviews on this book, but, you know what? I like books with ships, dammit.
DECISION: KEEP
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – added 01.16.17
I actually bought this several years ago, but never got around to it, and then when I heard how it ended, I gave the book to a friend.
DECISION: REMOVE
A Whole New World by Liz Braswell – added 01.16.17
1. I have that whole “one book per series” rule (with exceptions for books I own, but still), and I own another book in this series (they don’t have to be read in order)
2. I just said last week that I’m not big on Aladdin retellings, so…
DECISION: REMOVE
BOOKS 331-335:
Monster by Walter Dean Myers – added 01.16.17
I want to say yes to this book since it’s won so many awards, but the ending has been spoiled for me and I’m not feeling it.
DECISION: REMOVE
Luna by Julie Anne Peters – added 01.16.17
I added this because of the trans rep, but quite a few reviews are calling it out on some harmful things, so I’ll let this one go.
DECISION: REMOVE
Hate List by Jennifer Brown – added 01.16.17
I really don’t want to read books about school shootings. I just don’t. I know we have to read about tough topics in the world, but I just… don’t.
DECISION: REMOVE
Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz – added 01.16.17
A lot of my friends love this book a lot, and I enjoy the author’s twitter account enough to warrant checking out at least one of her books.
DECISION: KEEP
This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab – added 01.17.17
I’m actually low key dying to read this but I keep telling myself I’ll finish her Shades of Magic trilogy first.
DECISION: KEEP
BOOKS 336-340:
The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates – added 01.18.17
Darcy Coates writes some of the most fun, casual, loosely creepy, easy-reading horror stories.
DECISION: KEEP
Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson – added 01.18.17
My gut keeps telling me this is gonna be another Final Girls, where it seems like everyone loves it and then I come in and hate it from start to finish.
DECISION: REMOVE
Dust Bath Revival by Marianne Kirby – added 01.18.17
I’m mostly over the zombie book craze, but this one sounds interesting enough to hold on to for now.
DECISION: KEEP
Idaho by Emily Ruskovich – added 01.18.17
This has one of those really vague summaries that intrigues me, but the reviews are not tremendously promising, and we all know I’m pretty “meh” about most mystery novels.
DECISION: REMOVE
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – added 01.18.17
Yes, please.
DECISION: KEEP
Bree's Books
March 18, 2018Awwe??
I’m almost done with Me Before You and if you did want to change your mind it would be worth the read?
Especially as it follows Lou’s journey afterwards in the next two books 🙂
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 19, 2018Aww thanks for the tip, Bree! I’m glad you’re enjoying it! I might have to rethink it sometimes. 🙂
Lena @ The Printed Girl
March 18, 2018I’ve recently finished This Savage Song and it’s completely different from the Shades of Magic series, but also really good and again, such amazing world building. I can’t wait to start reading the second book, so I’m happy to see it stays on your list!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 19, 2018Awesome! I figured it probably would be different, since Shades is more “adult” fantasy and I heard TSS was 100% YA, but like… her writing is just so incredibly talented that I honestly can’t fathom disliking anything by her!
cdfolse
March 18, 2018I have made it my mission to get some books read off my TBR list on Goodreads. So over my Christmas break I went through what was already on my list and weeded off some that were read or didn’t seem that interesting anymore. Then each week when I bring my kid for our weekly visit to the public library, I request/check out 5 more books on my TBR list. Its quite effective. I am finally reading books I have put on the back burner. As i find new book they continue to got on the TBR list but each week I start from the top.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 19, 2018That’s awesome! I really like your method. Also, I feel sometimes like, if I sat down one evening while I’m in a good “de-cluttering” mood, I could wipe out SO much of my Goodreads TBR, and I consider it sometimes. I just have so much fun doing these Down the TBR Hole posts that I haven’t been able to bring myself to do it yet!
cdfolse
March 19, 2018I totally get it.
Christina T.
March 18, 2018Nice job on the removal from your TBR! I really need to start this. My “Want to Read” in Goodreads is at 1314 and that’s just on Goodreads, not counting any books that I’ve downloaded onto my Kindle, or the books I purchased that are sitting around my house. Tackling Goodreads sounds like the easiest of the three to handle!
I love the ones you kept, but I am sad you heard about Me Before You and how it ends without getting to read it. I just got book three and I’ve loved the first two. Me Before You is a tear jerker though.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 19, 2018Thank you, Christina! My Goodreads shelves used to not include all of my ebook and physical purchases, but I had to start adding them because I was accidentally double-buying books, haha!
Dorine
March 18, 2018I feel the same about A List of Cages, it’s rated so well, I don’t know why I shouldn’t read it haha!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 19, 2018Haha I’m glad I’m not alone on that one, Dorine!
Cody
March 18, 2018Great post! You’re the first person I’ve seen do more than ten books!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 19, 2018Thank you, Cody! 😀 I figure my list is just way too long for me to only do 10 a week!
Angela @ Angela's Library
March 18, 2018I’m glad to see you’ve decided to keep Teeth on your list! It’s my favorite of Hannah Moskowitz’s books, and it’s so peculiar and perfect and unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I highly, highly recommend it.
Sadly, I can’t say the same thing about Nowhere But Here. It’s been a few years since I read it, but I remember being super annoyed by how cliche it was and by the way the biker group –
including the love interest – viewed/treated women. It really pissed me off and has kept me from reading any more of McGarry’s books.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 19, 2018Ooooh, that makes me even more excited to read Teeth, so thank you for that!
As far as Nowhere But Here goes, though, that was my biggest concern – that the way the bikers treated women might be gross – so I may have to rethink that one. Ugh. :/ Thank you for the warning! If I do read it, at least now I know to just get it from the library instead of spending my money on it.
Kelly | Another Book in the Wall
March 18, 2018I have A List of Cages, This Savage Song, and Passenger on my tbr as well!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 19, 2018Oooh yay! I hope we like all of them. 😀
whitreadslit
March 19, 2018I was not a big fan of Nowhere But Here. It just didn’t do it for me. But, I know some people who love it, so to each his own. Several of the books you kept are on my tbr too…I really should probably do this challenge haha
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
March 19, 2018Another person commented saying they didn’t care much for it either, and now your comment – I haven’t heard any GOOD reviews for that book, now that I think about it, so maybe I should just let it go? I do have my hands full of other (probably better, lol) contemporaries I could read!