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Yeah, know the feeling. I actually am eyeing a book that fit Horizon's Italy that I did not end up reading for it.
Probably a good choice. I usually have a few leftover's from the previous month that I can fall back on. I've finished all the beautiful, and don't really have another Brazil on my TBR.
I've lots I want to read, but don't want to interfere with next month's as soon as they are chosen which is shortly, I'll be able to make better choices, but I need to read something now.
I always have more books planned for the month than I can possibly read. After fulfilling the challenges, and and personal book club reads, there is always a top list, which coincides with what's out at the library and due. I am never not sure what to read next. Now with 8 days left in the month, starting the Angels Game. I have read it before, but I am reading the entire Cemetery of Forgotten Books Series as my series and author challenge for the year, (Carlos Ruiz Zafon), ending with the new Labyrinth of the Spirits that I haven't read. Haven't read Prisoner of Heaven either. This year will be my third read of Shadow of the Wind. But never in order like this... Exciting...
Excited to plan next month..... Between my phone TBR and the real one, the lineup will be interesting. I have really loved both of the challenges this year. Trim has been great, because I love that a book I have wanted to read is picked for me. I also am loving exploring the other countries and hearing the reviews of other books on the same culture at the same time. That has been true every month, but particularly for South Korea, learning about the Haeyeno. Already misspelled, but you get the drift. Will never forget the "breath (gasp) of life."
And if there's time in May, I am going to finish the Tearling series, the Fate of the Tearling. That's what is up next....
I always have a book or two out from the Library that I can settle into while waiting for the Tag and Horizons. If they happen to fit in the challenges, better yet, but I don't worry about that. This is the time I read what I want to read (This month is the exception, as it was a busy month and I am still not finished with my "beautiful" book or my "trim" book.)
Usually at this time of month I am 1) finishing up any books I need for current month's challenge
2) reading my F2F book clubs' NEXT month selection
Occasionally I wind up with the same conflicts Booknblues mentioned ... but I have no problem starting two or three books simultaneously and then abandoning one (or more) if it would fit NEXT month's tag / horizon / trim #
Of course it's not a perfect system. I completely missed that my Korea pick - Pachinko - was also on my Trim list. And I read it in March/April .... just a month before its number was called for Trim. Oh well .... at least I DID get it off the tbr list.
This month my reading pace has slowed A LOT due to long work hours. Where I usually can read 3 or 4 books a week, I'm finishing maybe 2. I'm still reading my May Trim book - although I'm 60% finished and loving it (Rules of Civility)- and this is very late in the month for me to just have started it at the beginning of this week. I only got to my May Horizon's book at the end of last week. Fortunately both Trim and Horizon fit 'Beautiful' tag!
I already had 2 ebooks returned to NYPL unread -- and they have long wait lists - but I just could not get to them and still read May Trim, Horizons and Tag. Nor am I getting to the remaining 2 ebooks I borrowed. In fact, yesterday I went through and suspended all my NYPL ebook holds because work is going to continue at this pace for a couple more months. Thank goodness I am way ahead on my Pop Sugar and Around the Year challenges!
Plus I really have to balance the more serious reads with very light fluff because my mind is just too distracted to handle anything too complex except on the weekend -- including complicated mysteries!
It's all fine - I'm doing really good and even challenging legal work, and I learned a very long time ago how to balance my time and eliminate artificial stress at these times. And I'm getting lots of cozy mysteries and historical romances off my TBR!
I'm more likely to have to force myself to read the challenge books as I'm always distracted by a bunch of books I want to read. Luckily for this month I am done with my "obligations" and am free to indulge until next month's picks are announced!
I'm similar in both cases - one, I leave some books on the TBR in hopes they fit the next tag and two, I am in this strange limbo as I wait for the next tag / trim to be announced. Lately what I do to keep momentum and wait out the time before the announcements is pick books I can burn through in the last week or two (slower reader than most of you here). I have a spreadsheet with all my TBR (books unread that I actually own) and I sort them by page count first then rating according to Goodreads. I try to pick something short, but quick based on content (light and fluffy / schlocky cheese versus something more deep).
Black Leopard Red Wolf is killing my reading progress since April but I hope to finish this weekend.
Meli wrote: "I'm similar in both cases - one, I leave some books on the TBR in hopes they fit the next tag and two, I am in this strange limbo as I wait for the next tag / trim to be announced. Lately what I ..."
Here's to you for finishing it Meli-I started it, put it the bottom of the
night side pile and then forgot about it until it was due back at the library-I just could not wrap my head around it
Joanne wrote: "Meli wrote: "I'm similar in both cases - one, I leave some books on the TBR in hopes they fit the next tag and two, I am in this strange limbo as I wait for the next tag / trim to be announced. L..."
I can see why many people are giving up but I am quite enjoying it. There is just too much going on to burn through it.
Booknblues wrote: "This is a tricky time of the month for me. The next tag hasn't been announced, I don't know what will be on the Horizon.I need to pick the next book? Nope, not that one, I can use it if creepy is..."
I know exactly how you feel! When I got up yesterday I thought it was the 23rd already, and now I still have to wait and see. I have a trim book, and books from Burma, India, Russia, and wherever Exit West is from. I started three different books before I settled on an ebook that will expire soon. I should just read Exit West (for a f2f bookclub next month), but I'm having trouble getting into it for some reason.
I only plan to read books that are predetermined as a group read, or that I have a commitment to read (I recently read a large chunk of the Man Booker International longlist to help a friend’s blog). Otherwise, I read what sounds good at the moment. Much less pressure that way!
I always have too many books planned and out from the library! Lately I try to do at least one tag and one for each of the challenges. I've enjoyed my reading this year very much but am usually distressed that I can't fit in more. At the same time, I am very busy with many other activities that I don't want to give up!
Right now I have a book for all the tags and I think they are books I really want to read. I may read a book for each tag in June unless something pushes its way to the top past those.
So now we have our choices, where do we go from there?This is me-
Retelling: The Third Witch(Macbeth)
Horizon:
The House by the River
I would like to add a travel book about modern Greece
Trim the TBR-
I wanted to do the other 2 tags for this month
Military -
Creepy - The Wolf and the Watchman
If I read all of those, I think it is going to be a really good reading month.
I am doing so poorly on sll my challenges (except for my Yankees running one, but I digress) that I have completely given up and am winging it every month. It is so unlike me . . .
Anita wrote: "I am doing so poorly on sll my challenges (except for my Yankees running one, but I digress) that I have completely given up and am winging it every month. It is so unlike me . . ."I don't always join the challenges, because there are some I am pretty sure I won't be able to do, but I was excited about this years PBT challenges because they seemed like they were geared toward me. :)
I'm managing to keep up to date on the challenges ... but I am about 6 weeks behind in writing / posting reviews! This has never happened to me before and I'm feeling the pressure (self-imposed).
Book Concierge wrote: "I'm managing to keep up to date on the challenges ... but I am about 6 weeks behind in writing / posting reviews! This has never happened to me before and I'm feeling the pressure (self-imposed)."BC, I'm the opposite of you because I've always procrastinated on papers, but somehow I am staying up to date on my pbt book reviews. I'm keeping up with all the challenges, but I'm behind on two of my other group reads. I try to write a review (or at least some notes) before I move onto the next book. I think I've managed to get reviews in for all my books since I joined this group, and I'm reading more than ever. It must be the motivational magic of PBT. (Though I still need to copy or revise them for general GR reviews.)
This is really out of character for me. My dad would be really surprised to see me voluntarily writing book reviews. When I was a kid I HATED writing book reports. I wanted to just keep reading.
One year I just refused to write any papers that I thought were a waste of time. (I said, what are they going to do, fail me? Only one teacher called my bluff and gave me a 65 for the semester even though I had all A's on the exams.) As rebellions go it was pretty lame, but I felt like a bad-ass at the time.
Anita wrote: "I am doing so poorly on sll my challenges (except for my Yankees running one, but I digress) that I have completely given up and am winging it every month. It is so unlike me . . ."I am failing miserably at running for the Royals but I am hanging in there with my reading challenges! Sticking with running would be better for my physical health, but I choose mental health for now!
Just as important Nicole! I failed to complete Horizons in Jan and decided it was one challenge too many. I am soooooo behind on reporting. Ok. I’m committing to catching up today. Wish me luck!
Susie wrote: "Just as important Nicole! I failed to complete Horizons in Jan and decided it was one challenge too many. I am soooooo behind on reporting. Ok. I’m committing to catching up today. Wish me luck!"
Good luck! The review doesn't have to be long to count. I try to remind myself that a review only has to be a paragraph or two. (Or 3-4 sentences.)
I wouldn't give up on Horizons, because you don't have to "complete it" to get points, and you can earn extra points in good months. We've had a few months when there were a lot of Horizons books that also fit the tag, so that's double points. There are a lot of Greek retellings for this month if that appeals to you at all.
Susie wrote: "Just as important Nicole! I failed to complete Horizons in Jan and decided it was one challenge too many. I am soooooo behind on reporting. Ok. I’m committing to catching up today. Wish me luck!"
I actually skipped South Korea month because I not only had a lot to read already but also did not have a suitable book anywhere in my massive personal library (I my goal is to read only from unread books i own for these challenges.) I decided that i could do that with impunity.
That’s an impressive goal Theresa. How many unread books do you own?
Never counted and never will. Besides print I have ebooks too. THOSE I could reveal because my devices tell me. Let's just say that the last time I moved, about 7 years ago, I had 300 cartons of books. The movers counted. They claim that is the most they have moved. Now not all are unread of course. Plus, I have added.
Susie wrote: "Oh. Em. Gee."🤣😂🤣😂
Although admittedly, I do need to do some purging. But I have been reading about 125 to 150 of already owned books a year between various challenges here and elsewhere. It's very satisfying! What's also nice is that for the most part, if I already own the book I use for a challenge prompt, I tend to like it and not be disappointed. I find when I mostly succumb to reading a book that everyone is raving about for some challenge prompt, and it is not a book I've already been drawn to or own, I'm the odd man out who dislikes it.
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Books mentioned in this topic
The Third Witch (other topics)The Song of Achilles (other topics)
The House by the River (other topics)
In the Distance (other topics)
The Tubman Command (other topics)
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I need to pick the next book? Nope, not that one, I can use it if creepy is the next tag. I really want to read this, but if military is the tag, I will read that. How about this? Nope, wait and see what is on the Horizon.
I finally did choose the next one, but if Mexico is the Horizon choice, I'm going to be a little put out.