Since Anya at On Starships And Dragonwings and Molly Mortensen openly tagged readers on their TBR Book Tags, I thought I’d continue the chain! So, I combed through my physical bookshelves, took some photos, and (finally!) finished updating my “To-Read” shelf on Goodreads to include my home collection. Now I’m ready to play!

For anyone who’s not familiar with the acronym, TBR stands for “to be read.” Therefore, a TBR pile or TBR list consists of the books in your personal collection that you haven’t read yet.

Ready to explore my bookshelves and reading wishlists with me? 🙂  

1. How do you keep track of your TBR list?

Usually I have a good memory of which books I’ve read and which ones I’ve yet to read. (Emphasis on the word “usually” here.) So, I don’t use Goodreads or a specific system to keep track of things. Of course, a mental system isn’t foolproof, which explains why I forget about some of the unread books after a while. *blushes*

2. Is your TBR list mostly print or ebooks?

All print! I’m going to be one of the last people on the planet to buy an e-reader. *lol* No tablet could ever compare to running your fingers over the covers (especially hardcover ones) and smelling ink and paper as you turn the pages. Plus, print books provide a welcome break from computer screens, which I spend a lot of time in front of for my day job and for my own writing projects.

3. How do you determine which book from your TBR list to read next?

Usually I read newly published books as soon as I get them. Otherwise, it depends on what I feel like tackling next. Maybe I want to read a particular genre. Or, maybe I’ve heard a sequel is coming out in a few months and I realize, “Oops! I haven’t read the first book(s) yet!” Or, maybe something jogged my memory about a book I own but haven’t read yet, so why not read it next while I’m thinking of it? It’s really on a case-by-case basis.

4. What’s been on your TBR list the longest?

A few books have been sitting on my shelves for a couple years or more. An embarrassing confession, but that’s what happens when you keep adding to your collection!

Anyway, Susan Cooper’s Over Sea Under Stone has probably been there the longest. I bought it 2 or 3 years ago, when I was looking for more fantasy classics. Listing Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising sequence in my recent Top 10 list of science fiction and fantasy series I want to read reminded me that I should make time for this book over the winter.

5. Pick a book you recently added to your TBR list.

A.M. Dellamonica’s Child Of A Hidden Sea. Because, if I read the synopsis correctly, it’s a fantasy novel featuring PIRATES. A swashbuckling alternate reality! This could be a lot of fun. 😀

6. Pick a book that’s on your TBR list strictly because of its beautiful cover.

I was going to list either Sherry Thomas’ The Burning Sky or Alison Goodman’s Eon. However, I gave both of them cover-love recently here, so today I’m going with Barbara Brown Taylor’s Learning To Walk In The Dark. The colors, the owl in the tree, the moon, and the title’s cursive font all captured my attention when I was browsing through Barnes & Noble earlier this year. Absolutely beautiful, in an ethereal, delicate, and breathtaking way. I read the synopsis afterwards, of course, and knew then that I needed to read this book.

7. Pick a book on your TBR list that you’re apprehensive about reading.

The original version of this question is “Pick a book on your TBR list that you’re never going to read.” My response was, “Why would I put a book on my TBR list if I’m not interested in reading it?” So, I rephrased the question, and found my answer with Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love. A friend gave me Gilbert’s best-selling memoir as a birthday gift. We both share interests in new age spirituality (meditation, chakras, etc.), and Eat, Pray, Love is one of her all-time favorite books. I have every intention of reading this… But after reading the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and seeing words like “narcissism,” “self-absorbed,” and “shallow” pop up again and again, I’m wondering if I’ll want to throw the book across the room before I finish it. :S Maybe I should read it just to see if I can catch onto what the other reviewers picked up on…

8. Pick an unpublished book on your TBR list that you’re excited for.

Alyssa Palombo’s The Violinist of Venice, tentatively due out next October from St. Martin’s Press. It’s a historical fiction story about a love affair between Vivaldi and a female violin student, with consequences that reverberate for decades. The Violinist of Venice is a sentimental choice, as I’m friends with the author. Alyssa and I met on an Evanescence messageboard about 10 years ago (?!?!) and became friends by critiquing each other’s work and sharing other common interests like music, reading, and sports teams. After losing touch a few years ago, we finally found each other again on Twitter – after I heard about her book deal! So, you bet I can’t wait to read this one. 😀

9. Pick a book on your TBR list that basically everyone has read but you.

I doubt that everyone has read this one except for me, if you know what I mean, but I’m going with Veronica Roth’s Allegiant. Yes, I know how it ends, but I’m not going to let that deter me from finishing this trilogy.

10. Pick a book on your TBR list that everyone recommends to you.

Three people have recommended David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas to me this year alone. Consider me persuaded! 😉

11. Pick a book on your TBR list that you’re dying to read.

I’m going to cheat by picking an unpublished book. Maria V. Snyder’s Shadow Study is due out in February and continues her original Study trilogy (Poison Study, Magic Study, and Fire Study) that follows magician-diplomat Yelena Zaltana. While I had some qualms about the two later books, I still enjoyed the first trilogy enough that I’m itching to read this new chapter of Yelena’s life – to the point that I may drop whatever I’m reading to dive into Shadow Study as soon as it arrives!

12. How many books are on your Goodreads TBR shelf?

As of today, the grand total is… 62 books! Here’s how it breaks down:

• 21 of the 62 are yet-to-be-read books at home.
• 40 of the 62 are additional titles from Goodreads.
• 1 of the 62 is due out in late 2015 but isn’t listed on Goodreads yet.
• 5 of the 62 are also due out in 2015 and are listed on Goodreads.

And when you look at it by genre:

• Adult Fantasy: 20
• YA Fantasy: 17
• Historical Fiction: 5
• Fiction, Science Fiction: 4 each
• YA Historical Fiction: 3
• Mystery / Thriller, YA Science Fiction / Dystopian, YA Fiction: 2 each
• Spirituality / Self-Help, YA Horror / Suspense, Memoir: 1 each

Somehow, that heavy lean towards fantasy doesn’t surprise me. *lol*

Tag some people!

Hmmmmmm…. Well, I’m curious to see the answers Sumaira at Hyper About Books and Kel at Booked Til Tuesday would give. Otherwise, if this book tag tickles your fancy – TAG! You’re it. 😉

What are some of the books on your TBR list? Have you read any of the books listed above? If so, what did you think of them? I’d love to know your opinions (positive, negative, or otherwise).