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: 1,055 titles
BOOKS 241-245:
Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner – added 12.13.16
I don’t own this one, but I do own his book, The Serpent King. I think I’ll remove this until I read that one and decide if I like his writing.
DECISION: REMOVE (for now)
Believe Like a Child by Paige Dearth – added 12.13.16
I don’t know why I added this. I really don’t. I can’t do books about child abuse and the synopsis literally begins with “Alessa is seven years old the first time her uncle rapes her” – nope nope nope. That’s a one-way ticket to Bad Mental States for Destiny.
DECISION: REMOVE
When Smiles Fade by Paige Dearth – added 12.13.16
Same author, same child abuse content. The weirdest thing is that I didn’t realize how much I vehemently wanted to avoid these books until the author sent me an email offering me a copy of this one, but I guess I forgot to remove them at the time.
DECISION: REMOVE
Close Your Pretty Eyes by Sally Nicholls – added 12.13.16
I… feel really weird about a story about a little girl growing up on a farm haunted by loads of unwanted orphan baby ghosts being marketed as “children’s horror”. Also, no clue how this got here.
DECISION: REMOVE
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow – added 12.13.16
This honestly sounds like an interesting story, but the entire premise is about self-harm, and I’ve come to realize that self-harm is just one area where I need to be kind to myself and stay away from content that discusses it too heavily.
DECISION: REMOVE
BOOK 246-250:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – added 12.13.16
Yikes… This one might upset some people. I tried reading this book last year, and kind of hated it. I DNFed it somewhere around page 100 but was gonna force myself to try again since it’s so widely loved, but the longer I’ve thought back on it, the more I’ve realized I don’t want to read this book. Sorry. 🙁
DECISION: REMOVE
We Were Feminists Once by Andi Zeisler – added 12.16.16
Ehhhh… I like the idea of a book about how feminism is being “over commercialized” and all that, but it’s written by one of the founders of Bitch Media, and I have so many problems with that organization that I can’t see myself padding their founders’ pockets.
DECISION: REMOVE
Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez – added 12.18.16
I don’t actually know what this is, besides a horror anthology, but I have too many of those on my shelves as it is.
DECISION: REMOVE
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell – added 12.25.16
… okay, so, I really don’t love Rainbow Rowell as a human being. I think she’s really insensitive and, at times, downright offensive. Buuut I already have this on my kindle, and I’ve heard it’s her second best story, so I guess I’ll try it.
DECISION: KEEP
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – added 12.25.16
Another book that I DNFed but thought I’d try again someday. Let’s be real… it’s not happening.
DECISION: REMOVE
BOOK 251-255:
Summer Days and Summer Nights by Stephanie Perkins – added 12.25.16
I actually just purchased this one recently! I didn’t love the winter anthology that went with this one, but I want to try it anyways.
DECISION: KEEP
How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather – added 12.27.16
I’m pretty sure I just bought this for the cover, but it sounds okay, and I’m usually intrigued by stories revolving around Salem. And there’s a “handsome, angry ghost”?
DECISION: KEEP
Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill – added 12.27.16
This cover is so pretty and I already have it on my kindle, so I’m going to keep it despite my gut, most of my friends, and GR’s average rating telling me not to.
DECISION: KEEP
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood – added 12.27.16
I am so incredibly torn on this book. On the one hand, I know it has a really messed up “romance”. On the other hand, so many bloggers that I trust said it was a really well-written book if you enjoy fucked up reads (I do). What do you guys think?
DECISION: KEEP (for now)
Frostblood by Elly Blake – added 12.27.16
I just like books about magical tournaments.
DECISION: KEEP
BOOK 256-260:
The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck by Sarah Knight – added 12.28.16
I thought I would kind of dig the snark in this one, but realistically, I’ll never get around to reading it.
DECISION: REMOVE
You Can’t Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson – added 12.28.16
Another one I just purchased! It’s a non-fiction book about being a black woman in America, but told through comedy.
DECISION: KEEP
Feminist Fight Club by Jessica Bennett – added 12.28.16
I feel bad that I keep removing books about feminism, but holy hell, the reviews are scathing for so many reasons, the biggest of which is that reviewers claim the author refuses to acknowledge trans women as women. Yuck.
DECISION: REMOVE
I Hate Fairyland #1 by Skottie Young – added 12.28.16
A gruesome, gory, violent little fairytale graphic novel… but I get the feeling it exists more for shock value than actual plot, from the synopsis.
DECISION: REMOVE
That Should Be a Word by Lizzie Skurnick – added 12.28.16
This is literally a nonfiction comedy book about words the author thinks should exist. Who the hell added this to my TBR? ?
DECISION: REMOVE
No Comments
Surprised to hear that Rainbow Rowell is insensitive/offensive. Attachments is a great book though, so I’m glad you decided to keep it. I have Landline on my list for this year.
Yeah, there’s been some stuff circulating in the last few years about her making some vaguely racist remarks, plus she’s just kind of rude in her online mannerisms (like making fun of teenagers despite the fact that she owes so much of her success to teen readers). I don’t know if I’d say I think she’s a bad person or anything, but I’m not in love with the bits of her persona that I’ve seen. That said, I have heard good things about Attachments and since you said you enjoyed it too, I’ll definitely still give it a try!
I’m kind of glad I don’t really follow many authors online, since I have no idea about their personalities/online mannerisms. I’m curious to see how she made fun of teenagers though. That seems really weird considering that’s her target audience.
Yeah, that’s fair! She just makes quips occasionally about how stereotypical she thinks millennials are – a recent example is that she poked fun at millennials being “terrified of phone calls”, despite the fact that one of her most well known books is about a college kid with anxiety. :/ Like I said, I doubt she means much harm, but the impact is still there.
To be fair, I am terrified of phone calls, lol! But I’m also not a teenager. I don’t think she means any harm by it, but it is definitely a little insensitive.
I absolutely loved I Hate Fairyland! While the plot might not be great I still think there were some good messages in there. I also really enjoyed the art style.
I love the concept of this article! Might need to take a look at my to read Goodreads shelf as well haha
I loved I Hate Fairyland too and yeah, mostly for my love for the art style too haha
Oh, I might have to look at that one again! Thanks! ? And you totally should – it’s a blast to do every week!
Ah, sorry you didn’t like the night circus, although I did really enjoy it, I did find it hard to get through as it was quite slow paced and had a lot of info dumping.
you are really good are removing books tho, I’m useless I keep finding reasons to keeps them xD
Aw it’s okay, I’m glad you enjoyed it though! I think it must be one of those polarizing reads in general. Maybe someday, down the road, I’ll try it again and see if my thoughts have changed! ☺️
Haha! It took me a few months to get above 25% or so on any given week so I’m proud of how ruthless I’ve gotten ??
I’ve also tried to read The Night Circus quite a bit but still haven’t finished it. Maybe in the future, I mean I read Caraval and even though it wasn’t my thing I enjoyed it. And I actually have a few issues of I Hate Fairyland and yeah I can say it’s really more for shock value for the most part. I love it though haha.
Caraval was okay for me – I love creepy circus settings, so I think I was hoping for something a little darker than it was, but I’m still really kind of interested in reading Legendary and seeing how it continues! You’re not the first person to say you actually really enjoy IHF though, so I think I might give it a try after all!
Yeah it was okay for me too. At least it wasn’t a DNF, especially since they piled on the hype too much. IHF is just a quirky, sarcastic read lol nothing too poetic about it so if you try and it still doesn’t suit you there’s really nothing you’re missing out on.
Definitely keep Attachments 🙂 that’s such a great book! I really loved it.
But I can see you made good progress on your shelves with this post 😀
Awesome, will do! And thank you ☺️?
I loved You Can’t Touch My Hair! It was one of my favorite reads last year
Oooh awesome! It’s been on my wishlist for a while so when I saw it on BookOutlet recently I immediately added it to my cart! It’s a tiny book, too, so I bet it’ll be quick and enjoyable. I might still try to fit it in before the month ends!
I hope you enjoy it! Phoebe was very funny to read.
Awww, good! I could use something funny right now, so that pushes it even higher on my list!
Night Circus was a bit rough. Understandable deletion. 🙂
Haha, thank you! It’s so widely loved that it always makes me feel a little better when someone else says they can understand not caring for it or wanting to give it a second try.
I’m glad you kept Ever the Hunted and Frostblood on your list! I’ve been wanting to read those two as well. 🙂
Thanks, Kelly! I really hope we both enjoy both of them. 🙂
I have the Night Circus on my list but haven’t read it. I’ve heard mixed reviews. I believe I have To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before? If I remember correctly, but I have yet to read it. So I’m not sure if I’m going to like it. Ugh. Lol
I feel like Night Circus is so widely loved that I would never try to tell anyone not to read it, you know? It just wasn’t for me. But the Jenny Han book… eh. I just don’t think it’s very good writing, truthfully.
Frostblood is only good for it’s tournament scenes, and unfortunately I didn’t quite care for the sequel, and am shocked there’s even more!
I couldn’t get into The Night Circus either, but it’s on my finish later list.
Oh no! 🙁 That’s a bummer! I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy them! I actually didn’t know the series was still going. I always kind of forget that the second book even came out… lol!
I had All the Ugly and Wonderful Things come up on my TBR Hole a few weeks ago and I really struggled with what to do with it. In the end I removed it but I would really love to read your review on it if you pick it up.
It’s such a tough call to make! What a controversial one. :/ If I do pick it up, though, I’ll let you know what I think!
Girl in Pieces is def very descriptive in terms of self harm. It was very very good but I can see why some people cannot read it due to the triggers.
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things was good, as horrible as that sounds considering what it is about. It’s written so well. I didn’t want to like it but I did.
Night Circus wasn’t great for me either. I just wasn’t feeling it and I think I let the hype get to the book, ya know?
Thank you for the warning! Yeah, I’m not sure that Girl in Pieces would be a great read for me, with that in mind. And yes, I feel you 100% on Night Circus!
The Night Circus?! WHYYYY.
Okay, no. I get it. That book is really not for everyone. It isn’t plot-driven. It also doesn’t feel extremely character-driven. It’s more like.. proze-driven? I love the way it’s written and pulled me into that magical world, really. I guess it just depends on what you’re in the mood for as well so I’m definitely not blaming you! I’ve noticed a couple of times that it’s a case of “love it or hate it” with this one, haha.
I’m soooorryyyyyyy! ? prose-driven sounds right, though. I have thought about maybe trying it again someday, I just don’t think it’ll be any time soon. ?
It’s simply one of those books you should pick up when you want some beautiful prose. Like: pretty much smelling and tasting what’s described-kind of prose.
Before that: nu-uh.
You should totally rethink checking out I Hate Fairyland – the art style is amazing and it’s a really fun comic series!
A lot of people are recommending that one in these comments! I’ll see if my library has it!
I read How To Hang A Witch last fall (it seemed like a good fall/Halloween book!) and…was disappointed. It was a forgettable story to me – not bad, but I felt pretty meh afterwards. I’d be curious to see what you think of it if you do read it!
Oh no! I’m sorry it wasn’t a great read for you. 🙁
[…] prompt was actually to list ten books I’m No Longer Interested in Reading, but I do the Down the TBR Hole posts every Sunday, so that felt a little bit redundant. Instead, I decided to highlight ten books […]
good calls on The Night Circus, Attachments, & TAtBILB
man i love these posts
Lmao thank you! And like… I’m always so relieved when someone doesn’t think I’m completely ridiculous for my choice on The Night Circus.