Sooo… You know how last week I started with a “Want-to-Read” list of 1,010 books? Well, this week, my list sits at 1,022 books? 😂It’s freaking sorcery I tell ya! I mean, the ‘Want-to-Read’ button is like a siren to me, I just can’t resist it, and the next thing I know I’m clicking away through lists wanting to read ALL THE BOOKS. Last week I started off with a review of 5 books and managed to remove 3. Now I’m stepping up my game and reviewing 10 books–let’s see how I do!
Down the TBR Hole is a weekly book meme created by the wonderful Lia @ Lost in a Story that attempts to organize our ridiculously long Goodreads TBR list by choosing either to keep or eliminate the books we’ve saved on there. Here’s how it works:
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. I’m 90% sure that I’ve read this book before in middle or high school? If my memory serves me right, the book had recipes in it and it was awesome? I think this would still be a story that I enjoy so I think I’d like to reread it.
Verdict: Keep
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I just… I enjoyed the movie well enough but I’ve tried to read the book a few times but I just couldn’t get into it? I know it’s a classic that I’d like to maybe read eventually, but for now I think I’m going to have to say…
Verdict: Bye-Bye-Bye
Beloved by Toni Morrison. This is a classic that terrifies me a little bit but I’m more determined than ever to read it now!
Verdict: Keep
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I’ve never read this book but its opening lines are a classic. I would read this for the opening lines alone, but I’ve always been very curious about it and I’m kind of sad we didn’t read this at school? Lol
Verdict: Keep
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I’ve been meaning to read this forever and I was even supposed to join a buddy read for this earlier this year, but I was in an epic reading slump so I bailed. But I really want to read this!
Verdict: Keep
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare. This has one of my favorite quotes that I even want to have tattooed on me somewhere, but I still haven’t read it. I MUST!
Verdict: Keep
The Pianist by Władysław Szpilman. I love historical fictions, I loved this movie, and I think I still want to read this. Adrien Brody made me bawl like a freaking baby in this movie.
Verdict: Keep
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende. I’ve only read one Allende book and I loved it, but then I found out that it was completely different to what she normally writes! I think for now I’m going to kick this off my list because the blurb doesn’t pull me in anymore.
Verdict: Bye-bye-bye
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I mean… This is a classic, right? I feel like this isn’t something I’m going to read anytime soon, even though I’ve got the book on my shelf, but I’ll keep it on my list.
Verdict: Keep
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. I read the synopsis and while it sounds interesting, it’s not really pulling me in. So I’m going to say…
Verdict: Bye-bye-bye
Alright, so this round was a lot harder than the first because most of these I’m interested in reading, but I don’t know when I’ll get to them. Still, it counts that I wanna read them, right? 😂 This week I removed 3/10 books.
Have you read any of these books? Do you find it easy to cull your TBR list? Leave me a comment and let’s chat!
dinipandareads 
A Tale of Two Cities was not the easiest book to get through my first time reading it. I was confused for most of it. BUT, then the end came and tied everything together so beautifully and I absolutely fell in love with the book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can already feel that it’ll be a challenging read but for some reason ever since I first heard about the book in HS, I’ve wanted to read it, just haven’t ever got around to it. I’ll get to it, eventually 😅
LikeLike
Your TBR looks a lot like mine, two of the books (House of the Spirits and Snow Flower) have even been sitting in line on my library’s overdrive waiting list for 2+ months now. x’D This seems like a tough round.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shouldn’t have expected this round to be easy–I feel like last week’s was too easy 😂 It was definitely tough but I think I’m happy I kept the ones I did!
LikeLiked by 1 person
this was hard XD I found myself biting my nails hoping you wouldn’t get rid of some of them but we made the same choices LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha YAY I’m glad we’re on the same page. This week’s choices were definitely hard because there are so many classics I know I wanna read just haven’t got around to it. I will eventually though 😅
LikeLike
I hated the movie for Great Gatsby! The characters just annoyed me so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha I remember enjoying it. I mean, it did get on my nerves a bit but I ended up liking it (or maybe that was just the soundtrack)? My memory is shot haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had to read The Great Gatsby in college and couldn’t get through it at all. I tried later on and still couldn’t. I have a lot of issues with books written in that era. I did the same with Albert Camus’s The Stranger. It’s just a different style of writing that I cannot connect with
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh great, that’s convinced me I’ve made the right decision about Gatsby. I’m sorry to see it go but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t get into it LOL I’ve heard lots of mixed reviews about The Stranger but I also think that’s one that I’ll struggle with. Don’t think I have it on my TBR at all actually but it’ll defo go if it is! Haha
LikeLike
Ooh I didn’t know the pianist was a book?! I’ve only ever seen the film. Great progress this week! My TBR needs some serious clean up but thankfully it’s not at 1000 yet 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah! I don’t know if it was a book first before the movie, but I loved the movie (or maybe it’s that I just love Adrien Brody? LOL)
I don’t think I even had 500 at the start of this year! It’s INSANE how many books I’ve discovered since joining the book community. It’s kinda scary 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s very hard when the list is mainly classics that you want to read. This was a tough round, I wouldn’t get rid of most of these books too.
3/10 is 30%, that’s not bad at all! Keep going! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I was hoping to at least get rid of 50% but this is only the second round of culling that I’ve done, so maybe it’ll get easier the next time 😂 Classics are always so hard to get right of, aren’t they!?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, classics are impossible to kick out of TBRs! It’ll get easier for sure. 🙂
LikeLike
Fab post!
I find it so hard to cull my tbr! I’ve read Gatsby and I enjoyed it at the time, but on reflection I don’t really think you’re missing much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jaz! I’ve had Gatsby on my list for a while and I’ve tried picking it up a few times but it just never hooked me in. Maybe one day in the future, but I’ll say bye for now 😅
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahah that’s totally fair, especially as you’ve already tried a few times! There are so many more books 😂
LikeLike
I’m still laughing that your list is actually going in the wrong direction… growing instead of getting smaller. LOL I’ve given thought to tackling Anna Karenina over the years but oh my goodness what an undertaking! Maybe one day.
LikeLike
Ahh you got rid of the Lisa See book!?!?!? Jk jk I haven’t read anything from her yet but I want to.
LikeLike
HAHAHA that N*Sync reference for the books you booted – I LOVE IT!!! I remember reading Snow Flower & the Secret Fan…maybe when I was in high school? It was a long time ago & I thought it was interesting, but the writing is SUPER hard to get into so I think you made the right decision! 😅
💛 Ngoc
LikeLike