Dec 7 2021

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Tackling the TBR [76]: December 2021

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:

December 2021 TBR Tackler Shelf:

: Memories of Ice by Stephen Erikson

: Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey

: Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham [Feb 15, 2022]

: The Misfit Soldier by Michael Mammay [Feb 22, 2022]

: Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

: The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams

: The Thief Queen’s Daughter by Elizabeth Haydon

: Trouble With Peace by Joe Abercrombie

: Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

: Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

: Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

: Kraken’s Tooth by Anthony Ryan

: Healthy Dead by Steven Erickson

I read 8/13 books on my TBR last month +3 more – holy cow! Now, granted, several of them were novella length, but still, it’s indicative of how much more I’m enjoying reading lately. My lineup is sufficiently stocked for December, and I actually think I’ll make it through a fair number of them. They are all high priority!! I carried over Leviathan Falls because, as it turns out, it didn’t come out until the end of November… peesh. I can’t wait to read and talk about all of these titles. :D

Booktube Tackling the TBR video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ry6WHI2GYA&t=5s

Have a great month in reading!

by Niki Hawkes

Nov 8 2021

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Tackling the TBR [75]: November 2021

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:

November 2021 TBR Tackler Shelf:

: Memories of Ice by Stephen Erikson

: Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey

: Dragon by Steven Brust

: Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

: Trouble With Peace by Joe Abercrombie

: The Thief Queen’s Daughter by Elizabeth Haydon

: King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist

: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

: A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton

: The Wandering Earth by Cixin Liu

: Shadows Past by Lorna Freeman

: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Yep, I’m back to setting up a TBR I can’t possibly get through in a month… and I’m quite excited about it. Reading is fun again since I switched up my habits and am now focusing on only one book at a time. Memories of Ice the the only carry-over from last month. And by-far my highest priority this month is Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey – it’s the Expanse Finale!!!

Booktube Tackling the TBR video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kuj9NkyAkoY

Have a great month in reading!

by Niki Hawkes

Oct 1 2021

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Tackling the TBR [74]: October 2021

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:

October 2021 TBR Tackler Shelf:

: Memories of Ice by Stephen Erikson

: Jhereg by Steven Brust

: Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur

: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie

: You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo

Oh my gosh! It has been so long since I posted a Tackling the TBR post.

All of my reading energies this month are going towards completing Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson. I’m about 10% in and loving it so far! As I mentioned in a recent video, I’ve altered my reading habits and am now committed to only picking up one book at a time…… however, Memories of Ice is so dense that I can’t switch to audio while cleaning, driving, etc., so I’m very carefully and intentionally breaking my rule this month to allow myself to enjoy some very light reads on the side. If and only if I get through that giant tomb of a novel, then I will reward myself with A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie. Too many good books and not enough time spent reading them!

Have a great month in reading!

by Niki Hawkes

Sep 2 2021

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Tackling the TBR [73]: September 2021

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:

September 2021 TBR Tackler Shelf:

: Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley

: Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

: Memories of Ice by Stephen Erikson

: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie

: You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo

So many amazing titles this month! I doubt I’ll have a chance to get through them all with how busy things have been, but if I manage even half of them I’ll be happy. My most anticipated release of the year in Ryan’s Pariah will claim the highest priority. Most of these are darker fantasy novels so I added a lighthearted middle grade novel by Elizabeth Haydon to give myself a break from all the bleakness.

Things are really rolling. I’ve been working on my new Booktube channel which I’ve been wanting to start for YEARS. I started slow with a few posts at the beginning of the year, but now I’m finding it a very satisfying creative outlet and am committed to keeping it going. I’ll have a more official post about it later in the week, but suffice to say it’s a cool new adventure for me.

Last month I finished all but one of my TTTBR lineup, which is amazing. Here’s hopping I carry on strong in August (getting this post up on time seems a great first start, lol).

Have a great month in reading!

by Niki Hawkes

Aug 3 2021

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Tackling the TBR [72]: August 2021

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:

August 2021 TBR Tackler Shelf:

: Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley

: Wurms of Blearmouth by Steven Erikson

: The Pariah by Anthony Ryan

: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie

: The Thief Queen’s Daughter by Elizabeth Haydon

Last month I finished all but one of my TTTBR lineup, which is amazing. Here’s hopping I carry on strong in August (getting this post up on time seems a great first start, lol).

Have a great month in reading!

by Niki Hawkes

Jul 9 2021

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Tackling the TBR [71]: July 2021

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 2021 TBR Tackler Shelf:

: Bauchelain and Korbal Broach by Steven Erikson

: Sharp Ends by Joe Abercrombie

: Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

: Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley

: Thunderhead by Neal Schusterman

A pitfall from posting my June 2021 TTTBR post so late is that I went 10 days into July thinking I’d posted already ::facepalm::. Eventually I’ll get back into a rhythm with that, but I’m not too bothered by my tardiness because I’ve been super busy with a bunch of other creative projects. Everything seems to get done eventually lol.

I finally started the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach short stories per my intentions to continue the Malazan Ultimate Reading Order. So far so good! My highest priority beyond that is continuing all things Abercrombie with Sharp Ends. This month my book club selected Curse of Chalion. I’m currently about 1/3 of the way through it and the jury is still out…

I’ve been trying to be more mindful about my reading commitments because I realized my reading history for the year so far contains WAYYYY too many obligation reads and not enough of the ones I’m super eager for. I get myself into trouble when allowing myself to pick more than one book up at a time. So I’m practicing limiting that and not signing up for ARCs unless I’m prepared to read them immediately. As a result, my lineup this month makes me very, very happy.

Have a great month in reading!

by Niki Hawkes