deep220 is trembling in fear!

Aghhhhh..... Mount TBR....



This year I have a much smaller goal then previous years because my university load is getting ridiculous... I am not counting textbooks towards my numbers so my reading is getting more and more limited. But we can't stop pressing on.... I will be buried soon if I do not keep a close eye on the ever encroaching pile.

I want to add an additional restriction for myself... these 20 books need to have been lingering on my shelves prior to 2010.... lets clear out some dusty ones!!!

My Goal for the year:






Starting TBR: 612

Haha, love the picture!

Any one else suffering from a case of Acrophobia???

Somehow surrounded by books, my acrophobia is not so bad.

The picture took my breath away - WOW!

totally not my photo--- I borrowed it from online. I plan to return it at the end of next year.

Ha! Great photo. I thought of targeting books that have been in my library 3 or more years but thought that might be a bit too ambitious for me. I have a very big weakness for the shiny and new.

Glad that really isn't a picture of your books, I was afraid you would choose your 20 from the bottom of the pile causing it to tumble and bury you. We'd have to send search parties! ;)

I love your opening picture.... that is fantastic!

Sorry can't like that picture. Those books don't look loved!

TBR Books Aquired After 2010 - Books beyond my goal:

Read:

1. Black Wind by Clive Cussler 1/14
2. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
3. River Marked by Patricia Briggs
4. Caden by Sarah McCarthy
5. What Alice Knew by Paula Marantz Cohen
6. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte

TBR Books Acquired Before 2010

Read:

1. The Nazi Officer's Wife by Edith Hahn Beer
2. The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerristen
3. The Planets by Dava Sobel
4. Faith and Betrayal by Sally Denton
5. Everything's Eventual by Stephen King
6. Chronicles of Narina by C.S. Lewis
7. 'Tis by Frank McCourt
8. Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
9. Under the Blood Red Moon by Mena Hepsen
10. Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon
11. Dark Possession by Christine Feehan
12. America's Prophet by Bruce Feiler
13. The Shack by William P. Young
14. The Hours by Michael Cunningham
15. Deeper than Dead by Tami Hoag
16. Left Behind by Tim LaHaye
17. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
18. Dracula Prince of Many Faces by Radu Florescu
19. Mercy by Jodi Picoult
20. Blue Horizon by Wilbur Smith
21. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
22. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

TBR Books Acquired Prior To 2010

Book 1.

The Nazi Officer's Wife by Edith Hahn Beer
5 of 5 stars

On shelf since Dec 2009

Amazing story... not only about survival but how much compassion those that are being persecuted have for one another. Although they have nothing everything was shared and the risk that some where willing to undergo for another. Great book.

Glad to see such a positive review of The Nazi Officer's Wife, as it's been inching up my TBR list for a while.

I enjoyed it... I was lucky enought to see her exhibit when I went to D.C. So that added something special to it also. After I finished the book I rented the TV Program they shot with her. Also recommended (my library had it) it was nice seeing her and her daughter talk directly about it.

Book 2

The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen
4 of 5 stars

The first book in the Jane Rizzoli series I have read and this doesn't look good for the TBR pile. I loved it. I will go searching to see if I have another others I already own but I think it is going to be off the library.

You've started with a sixth part?? You are in for a treat!!!

Yeah it was a free book I received.. so I can't complain that I didn't get them in order.

Book 3

The Planets by Dava Sobel
3 of 5 stars

Very unique take on writing about the solar system. Dava has a very lyrical style of writing (which for me was both good and bad- it was beautifully written but at times I would lose what her point was). She includes a lot of mythology, and plain enthusiasm. Overal a good read but not something I will be holding onto.

Book 4

Faith and Betrayal by Sally Denton
3 of 5 stars

A worth while read. I will probably be donating it as I don't think it is one I would re-read.

From the Cover:

In the 1850s, Jean Rio, a deeply spiritual widow, was moved by the promises of Mormon missionaries and set out from England for Utah. Traveling across the Atlantic by steamer, up the Mississippi by river boat, and westward by wagon, Rio keep a detailed dairy of her extraordinary journey.
In Faith and Betrayal, Sally Denton, an award winning journalist and Rio's great-great-granddaughter, uses the long-lost diary to recreate Rio's experience. While Rio marvels at the great natural beauty of Utah, her enthusiasm for her new life turns to disillusionment over Mormon polygamy and violence against nonbelievers, as well as the harshness of the frontier life. She sets out for California, where she finds new religion and the freedom she longed for. Unusually intimate and full of visual detail, this is an absorbing story of a quintessential American pioneer.

Book 5

Everything's Eventual by Stephen King
2 of 5

Not every impressed... I only made it a little over the first 100 pages in. But off my shelves and on to the donation shelve at the library.

Book 6

Chronicles of Narina by C.S. Lewis
5 of 5 stars

Good Read! I read a couple of the stories in the series when I was a child. It was really nice as an adult rereading those and remembering how much I enjoyed them the first time around.

Book 7

'Tis by Frank McCourt.
5 of 5 stars

It took me forever to read Frank McCourt's first book Angela's Ashes and it was amazing. So I have no idea why I waited so long to read the next. What a fantastic writer. Of course the irish are great story tellers!

You are doing just fine, Deep!

If only I wouldn't keep leaving such fantastic tomes languishing away on my shelves! I feel so guilty ;)

Same here. I bought so many books in the past because they sounded very interesting and people were telling me I had to read that book. So I bought all those books and never had time to read them. That's what happens when you buy more books in a year then you can read in a year.

Book 8

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
5 of 5 stars

I love Frank McCourts writing style. This is the third and last book, I so wish there was more. He is a superb story teller.

Book 9

Under the Blood Red Moon by Mina Hepsen
3.5 of 5 stars.

Not terrible- no great either. If you have read the Carpithian series by Christine Feehan the story is very fimiliar... vampires that communicate telepathicly- a race that dying out due to lack proceration- a race of highly telepathic woman who could be their mates... seems the other borrowed the premise of her story very heavily.

Book 10

Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon
5 of 5 stars

My first book by McCammon- and what a find... why has this book languishing away on my shelve? I will have to go digging to see what else I can find.

Book 11

Dark Possession by Christine Feehan
4 of 5 stars

This series is one of my favorite quick reads. I have never been disappointed.

Book 12

America's Prophet by Bruce Feiler
4 of 5 stars

Great novel. I will definitely be looking into some of his other writings.

Book 13

The Shack by William P. Young
5 of 5 stars

I wish I could find another book like this!!! Amazing read. I don't know why it wasted away on my shelves for so long. I have ready gone out and purchsed some for family members that I know haven't read it. Loved the characters, and what a way to send a message.

Book 14

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

I dont' really want to rate this one. Maybe I didn't get into because I haven't read Mrs. Dalloway? I don't know but couldn't finish it... off to the donation shelve at the library.

Book 15

Deeper than Dead by Tami Hoag
4 of 5 stars

LOVED the characters.. what a great mystery/ thriller-- Kathy Reiches and Linda Fairstein are my fav mystery writers but ofcourse I immediately gobble up what ever they publish so finding another good author to add to the inbetween list is a bonus. I have the next one on request from the library can't wait.

but of course that doesn't help my TBR numbers... it's a never ending problem :)

Book 16

Left Behind by Tim LaHaye
3.5 of 5

well it wasn't a bad read... but I think coming off of The Shack it was just under whelming. Not sure that I would continue any further in the series.

Book 17

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
3 of 5 stars

Wasn't as impressed with this one as I thought I was going to be.

Book 18

Dracula, Prince of Many Faces: His Life and His Times by Radu R Florescu

Currently Reading

Book 19

Mercy by Jodi Picoult
4 of 5 stars

Great book. Will say I didn't love all the characters as much as previous Jodi Picoult books I have read. Particularly the character Cameron- how selfish can you make a person without them actually realizing it. I think she was pushing the line.

Just one more to go, Deep220!

Thanks Connie53- I am still hoping to get a couple more in before the end of the year. It would be amazing if I could actually read more books in a year than I acquire. Especially since I have about 600 books TBR but I think that is asking a lot. LOL No will power when it come to books.

Book 20

Blue Horizon by Wilbur Smith
5 of 5 stars

LOVED the characters... I am going to have to read the books in the series that came before this one. Yes I am incapable of reading series books in order. But the history was only briefly touched on and was so intriguing I can't wait read the entire story.

Oh goody, someone else who reads series out of order! :) I do that more with mysteries though. Enjoy going back through the previous volumes!

on reaching your target. Well done!!!

Congratulations, Deep220!

Book 21

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
5 of 5 stars

LOVED IT--- will be keeping this one around to reread each year.

Book 22
Black Wind by Clive Cussler

Book 23
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Book 24
Caden by Sarah McCarty

Book 25
What Alice Knew by Paula Marantz Cohen

Thanks everyone!

Woo hoo, congrats!!

book 26

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
4 of 5 stars

Great Historical fiction- I have world without end and will be getting into that one next year sometime.

book 27

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
5 of 5 stars

book 28

Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
3.5 of 5 stars