Friday, March 04, 2011

Operation Read Own Books (updated)


This is an old photo of my unread books.  But every now and again I think to myself that I'm dying under a massive pile of unread books and I really need to do something about it.  I find that creating a list like this helps in that it brings a better understanding of just how bad things are getting or have become.

I find it incredibly interesting that I have such an abundance of contemporary books unread.  In all the other lists I've created, there were always more parnormals than anything else.  I shall try to keep this list updated of my progress.

The total number of books as of 12th October, 2012 =  139 books.

*denote British authors for the British Reading Challenge.


Contemporary YA

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
Beads, Boys and Bangles by Sophia Bennett*
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Verity Fibbs by Cathy Brett*
Candy by Kevin Brooks*
Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown
One Seriously Messed-Up Week by Tom Clempson*
John Belushi Is Dead by Kathy Charles
Body Blow by Peter Cocks*
Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti
Take Me There by Carolee Dean
Waves by Sharon Dogar*
Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols
Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols
Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
Infinite Sky by CJ Flood
Illegal by Miriam Halahmy*
This Is Shyness by Leanne Hall
Girl Overboard by Justine Chen Headley
Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
He's After Me by Chris Higgins*
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Burned by Ellen Hopkins
Identical by Ellen Hopkins
Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz*
The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells
Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert
Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert
Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Dramarama by E Lockhart
Lottie Biggs Is Not Tragic by Hayley Long*
Turf by John Lucas*

Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga
Hero Type by Barry Lyga
Diary of a Crush: French Kiss by Sarra Manning*
Diary of a Crush: Kiss and Make Up by Sarra Manning*
Diary of a Crush: Sealed with a Kiss by Sarra Manning*
Itch by Simon Mayo*
Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie*
Blood Ransom by Sophie McKenzie*
Sister, Missing by Sophie McKenzie*
The Haunting Ground by Cliff McNish*

Becoming Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty
Finding Cassie Crazy by Jaclyn Moriarty
Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz
Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done by Sarah Mylnowski
Shine by Lauren Myracle
Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece by Annabel Pitcher*
Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid*
So Shelly by Ty Roth
Struts and Frets by Jon Skovron
Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
Pink by Lili Wilkinson


Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic 

The Dead by Charlie Higson*
Awaken by Katie Kavinsky
The Third Day, the Frost by John Marsden
Darkness, Be My Friend by John Marsden
The Other Side of Dawn by John Marsden
Burning For Revenge by John Marsden
The Night Is For Hunting by John Marsden
The Glimpse by Claire Merle*
Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts
The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
Slated by Teri Terry*
Rebel Heart by Moira Young*

Paranormals

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
Rapture by Lauren Kate
Fins Are Forever by Tera Lynn-Childs
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
A Witch in Love by Ruth Warburton*
Numbers 2: The Chaos by Rachel Ward*
Numbers 3: Infinity by Rachel Ward*
Angel Fire by LA Weatherley*


Fantasy

A Reckless Magick by Stephanie Burgis*
Wintercraft: Blackwatch by Jenna Burtenshaw*
Mystic City by Theo Lawrence
Huntress by Malinda Lo
The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney*
Finnikn of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott*

Alanna by Tamora Pierce
Everlost by Neal Shusterman


Historical

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
The Diviners by Libba Bray
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Gladiator: Street Fighter by Simon Scarrow*
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Science-fiction

1.4 by Mike Lancaster*
The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve*
Skinned by Robin Wasserman

Review

The Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost
Pantomime by Laura Lam

28 comments:

  1. I daren't count my TBR pile. Mine's mainly a HUGE stash of adult crime novels picked up from Freecycle/Freegle - who's going to say 'no' to books being offered by the boxful?
    Tip - put Wasted, Mortlock and Earthsea Quartet near the top of the pile - they're all brilliant in their different ways.

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  2. i have a clever system for my TBR pile. i have the pile as a stack and once it can't hold it's own weight anymore or falls down then that's my sign to stop buying books!

    still going strong!

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  3. Had to stop reading the list as it was making me breathless. I don't even want to know how many unread books I own. I am in complete denial and happy to stay there for the forseeable future!

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  4. Hey at least you have lots of lovely reading to do :) I just keep thinking that if there's ever a book shortage I'll be ok for a year or two. I have ... 209 ... on my tbr shelf (I just checked it on Goodreads to confirm it was up to date).

    You have some great titles there and I noticed quite a few from my shelves too.

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  5. Seeing your TBR listed like this is making me want to buy books to add to my own towering TBR... ;)

    Good luck and happy reading!

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  6. Wow. I thought I had a lot of books to read. Right now my bin of to-read books has maybe 35 or so, but no where near your amount. I'm doing my best to get through them and having a reviewing blog where I post once a week is helping.

    Good luck reading.

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  7. What a great list. I to have so many book to read but never getting around to it, it's ridiculous. Must try harder. x

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  8. Emma - It's shocking, isn't it?

    maryom - Oh totally. I didn't even count my double-stacked unread adult books. Though I did make a list of them once before and never updated it.

    Mortlock is already at the top of my pile! (Next or next but one!) I've already read the first book in the Earthsea Quartet and it especially appealed to my interest in psychology. And Wasted just sounds brilliant, thank you for the recommendations! :)

    Laura - Ha, good luck with that plan :)

    Viv - I was in denial for awhile.. until my urge to rearrange them happened and just seeing that many books in front of me just made me speechless.

    TSB - Yes, there's always a silver lining, isn't there? Before I took the picture and wrote up the list, I actually weeded out all the books I thought I'd never get to as well, so this is just the stuff that made the cut. I'm excited about them all :)

    Luisa - Really, it's making you want to buy MORE when you must already have so many? That's bizarre! :)

    Dawn - I think book reviewing has both helped and hindered my attempts and keeping my unread books under control! :)

    Susan - I think it's a pretty universal problem amongst us bloggers, but yes, good luck to you as well :)

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  9. I don't know how many unread I have...probably around the same but I daren't count. And a few more on the way. I've given up on buying bans. I never stick to it. I love having tons of books, but feel sad and anxious sometimes that I've not got round to reading lots of them yet!

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  10. Wow! That is a LOT! At least you'll never be stuck for something to read! I suggest you put The Medusa Project: The Set Up t the top. It's amazing!

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  11. Wow that's a lot of books! I've read 2 of them. Burned and Linger. My TBR pile is nowhere near that big.. Most of mine are library books though. If I was allowed to go to bookstores by myself I'm sure my pile would be just as big! lol

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  12. That is a lot of books. Good luck trying to get through that pile! Your bookshelf must be stacked to the ceiling :P. I see White Cat by Holly Black is on your list; I just read it and it was amazing. Anyway, happy reading!

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  13. OMG! That is one huge TBR pile! I don't have that many as I just don't have the space for them, so I have to keep my numbers under control. I have regular clear out's when I'll give books to friends etc. I would love to have space for all my books, but for now it's not going to happen. As it every available storage space I have is taken up with unread books.

    I don't do book buying bans - I never stick to them.

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  14. Wow, that is definitely a huge task ahead of you. There are so many titles there that I want to read, and I can see a few titles that sound like ones I will want to add to my to read list.

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  15. You need to read between shades of gray like now!! It is the best book I have read it ages!!!!

    I just counted up my TBR shelves whilst in the process of doing my bookcase showcase post (first one tomorrow!) and I have 70! it is madness!!

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  16. hi!! new follower from the YA book blog directory! love the blog and i'm excited to read more!! i have sooo many books too that need to be read!!

    follow me too?!
    http://lindsaycummingsblog.blogspot.com/

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  17. that is an amazing pile of books. I notices so many titles I want to read or have read and loved! Good luck :) I haven't counted how many books on my shelves I haven't read...ignorance is bliss, or so I've heard.

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  18. Nope. Not even going to count mine. I'm better off not knowing... ;)

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  19. You are definitely not the only one in this position. I have boxed up some of my unread books and hidden them to ease some of my guilt. I am trying desperately hard not to buy books. But only because I want to buy lots when I go to America in the summer. I must be crazy. Can't believe how many books you own that are realism and paranormal.

    I wish I could give you some advice on how to solve this but I really don't have the answer. Unless you can read in your sleep?!

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  20. Ha! I am your friend in this. I am too scared to go through my book shelves because there are just way too many books that I have yet too read. I've become a bit of a book hoarder of note. I keep buying books, but then never get around to reading all of them. I've got to make a plan eventually. You've got some awesome books that you need to get through. Holding thumbs that you get through them all.

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  21. I made a list like this right before we moved, and now we've almost exclusively used the library and haven't touched the list. But the library books are fresh and new and interesting! Good luck on doing better than I have.

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  22. Vicki - Yeah, I definitely know that feeling. I think that if I don't do something about it NOW than I'll just keep buying and collecting and continuing that feeling of guilt/anxiety about all my unread books. I figure I can go out without buying for a few months until things are better.

    Cliona - I know, it's definitely out of control. I shall definitely move The Medusa Project up the list, it's quite thin as well, which makes me feel all accomplished when I finish :)

    Becca - If you're *allowed*?! Oh dear!

    Liz - Thank you, I'll need all the luck I can get to get through this lit :) I've heard good things about White Cat, I shall consider adding towards the top of the stack!

    Leanna - I know, right? :( I know that buying bans are difficult to stick to, but I'm only thinking of short-term here, not for a long period of time at all.. I don't know!

    Jenni - As I was going through them I did start to get excited all over again at the prospect of reading some of these!

    Kirsty - I'm definitely keeping Between Shades of Gray at the top of my pile! It sounds amazing. I think 70 is still a massive number, good luck to you :)

    Lindsay - Hello and thanks for your comment!

    resugo - I think ignorance is the path most taken amongst book bloggers and the books we have yet to read :)

    Darren - Good for you! Stay strong :)

    Becky - You've boxed them and put them out of sight?! :) Must be a pretty dire situation :) I'm just going to turn into a challenge and hope that my competitive side comes out.. all I can do, really!

    Tammy - Thank you :) As you can see I've definitely been a book hoarder for awhile, this doesn't even include my adult books!!

    Lisa - The library could well be my undoing. So many wonderful, free books there that I'm not sure how I'll resist!!

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  23. Lol. When I say if I were allowed, I mean that I spend way too much money in bookstores. I find the book I'm looking for, but then I also find a new author or another book I've been wanting or etc.. So the hubs comes with me to limit my spending.. Otherwise I would probably walk out with as the new owner of the bookstore or some such..

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  24. Aha, I kind of knew what you meant, it just sounded amusing :)

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  25. My TBR list stands at 15 so nothing compared to you but I aim to read them and review them by may.

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  26. Garfiun - An excellent goal, good luck to you :)

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  27. This list makes me laugh, cause it looks so alike my own over stuffed TBR shelves!! I actually did a massive book clear out earlier in the year and got rid of a few titles form my TBR cause I don't think I'll ever get around to them! I don't know my current total of TBR's but I suspect it's around the same as yours, but now I'm highly tempted to make a list of mine, cause I think it's a great idea of seeing just what a state you're in.

    Also, I'd like to mention that Such a Rush and Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols, and Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz are all exceptioinally good reads! ;)

    Enjoy what you do get to on this list!

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