Jul 2 2018
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Tackling the TBR [36]: July 2018

tackling the TBR

It’s once again time for my favorite feature: Tackling the TBR! There’s nothing I love more than picking out which books to read next, and this slightly organized method of reading has really amped my enjoyment to the next level. Bring on the mantras!

Read the best books first.
&
Life is too short to read books you’re not enjoying.

However you put together your TBR for the next month, the goal is to reduce the amount of obligation in reading and increase the fun.

Here’s a look at how the system works:

1. Identify the titles that take top priority in your TBR.
2. Combine them all in your own Tackling the TBR post.
3. Throughout the month pick from that pile as the mood strikes you.

Here’s what mine looks like:

July 2018 TBR Tackler Shelf:

I actually met a few of my lofty goals in June, devouring 9 of the unreachable 18 titles I put on my list. This month is thankfully a lot more focused between new releases and series continuations. About half of them are books I own, so that moves forward my Overflowing Bookshelf Challenge (my #1 priority). I also have myself into a pretty comfortable reading schedule at the moment, which is really enabling me to fly through some of these titles. <-that always gets me wondering about quantity vs quality though. I love being able to read a ton of titles per month, but anytime I feel like I’m just reading for the sake of completion rather than enjoyment, I either slow down my pace or consider abandoning the book. Do any of you struggle with finding that balance? After all, what’s the point in reading all the things if you’re not enjoying yourself?

Have a great July! :)

by Niki Hawkes

9 comments on “Tackling the TBR [36]: July 2018”

  1. I’ve gotten to the point where I realize some books are the broccoli of my reading. I just have to get through them and then I can have the really good stuff. But I still have to read it for a whole host of reasons.

    The Brother Cadfael books are kind of like that for me now. Outside my genre, decently written, but I don’t get excited at all to read them. But it kind of resets my “excitementometer” so I’m not expecting everything to be all 4 stars and up :-)

    You know, you do an really good job of putting into words just how you do things. It has helped me on several occasions when you’ve articulated a particular way of doing things that I’ve been like “ah hah! so that is why I….”. So thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • To be honest I’m not very good at practicing what I preach when it comes to some “broccoli” titles. Wheel of Time, for instance. I’m not enjoying it very much, there’s a whole host of boring to come, but I’m doggedly determined to get through it so I’m reading it anyway. Same goes with a few others. Do you find low expectations actually help? It has for me haha.

      And thank you! I really appreciate that. This is the kind of excessive organization that keeps me up at night thinking about, so it’s nice to know that what’s helping me (writing it down) is possibly helping you too. Once I gave myself permission to indulge and just post about it, I’ve discovered it’s actually improving my motivation to blog. It goes two ways though – I’ve gotten several ah-hah!s from your writings too.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • Low expectations make a world of difference. Sometimes it means I can enjoy a book I’d otherwise tear to shreds and defecate on.

        For me, it is just really nice to see someone else being, or trying to be, as organized. I was a mood reader for so long but that I’ve got things settled, I feel like I’m taking off as a reader. So to see you reporting success as well just makes me happy that I’m not the only one :-D

        Liked by 1 person

      • It’s nice someone else appreciates it. I used to be a mood reader too, where I’d start new series left and right (because I’ve discovered I’m very rarely in the mood to actually continue with anything), but then I get to a point where all the open series stress me out. Organizing has become almost a necessity for my reading enjoyment these days.

        Liked by 1 person

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