For What It's Worth


Monday, September 11, 2017

monday ramblings...TBR milestone



I reached a pretty big milestone in August.

I. Finished. All. My. ARC’s.

So what does this mean?  Have I read all my books? Am I never requesting a book again? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Welp, it means that since I started going to BEA/ALA and accepting review arc’s years ago – I’ve been drowning in them. Last year I became determined to read and review them in a timely manner and I’ve been sorting and dutifully making my way through.

No, I haven’t read ALL my books (and I’ll expand on that in a minute) but everything I accepted since last year has been read – still working on the review part though. lol

*These are all physical ARC’s – I don’t really have a Netgalley problem so I’ve always been caught up there. I only allow myself 2 books at a time and need to review before I allow myself to request another title.

Going into the future I will only accept or request books that really appeal to me but I’m following my Netgalley rule – only 2 or 3  at a time and no more until I review them first.

I feel like a HUGE burden has been lifted off of me. And it’s a little scary too. For so long review books have guided my reading - for good and bad. Now I need to decide what to read on my own and I’m such a mood reader that’s not necessarily a good thing, I could end up not reading anything! lol

Now, for the down side.


via GIPHY


20170116_114142My other goal was to read more of my existing TBR pile. That includes ARC’s, some from as long ago as 2011 (*hangs head in shame*) that I totally just gave up trying to read on time and other books that I bought over the years. This was my pic of them all laid out in my kitchen from January. 139 books. I’ve only read maybe…10? And added 10 so…yeah. #epicfail

This is what I’ll be working on next. I would love to whittle that pile down to 50 books by the end of the year. I’m a fast reader but I’m not sure that’s possible. See above…mood reader.







August Wrap-Up

I read 19 books – view the Goodreads shelf
Favorites: Trust with a Chaser  by Annabeth Albert and Last Seen leaving by Caleb Roehrg, In Memoriam by Nathan Burgoine

Enjoyed/cute: Lights, Cowboy, Action by Cindi Madsen, Noteworthy by riley Redgate, Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen, Facing West by Lucy Lennox

Goodreads Challenge


2017 Reading Challenge

2017 Reading Challenge
Karen has read 156 books toward her goal of 180 books.
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I’m stunned by how many books I’ve read this year. It doesn’t feel like I’m reading this much but I keep having to raise my goal. I picked 180 this time around.

So what are you guys looking forward to reading this September? What are your goals for the rest of the year?

* I'm drafting this while waiting for Irma to hit FL. I may not have power or internet for a few days so I'll reply/visit blogs once I can again.

**We survived Irma! Just lost a few limbs but our power stayed on the whole time. I lost internet after it passed but that's about it. We were VERY lucky - it broke up just before hitting us. The county I live in did suffer a lot of tree damage and power loss so it's chaos out on the streets but I'm fine.

We're cleaning up around the yard and putting the house back in order after all the preparations so I probably won't be posting or visiting blogs for a few days.

Have a great week!!

49 comments:

  1. I wonder if Figgy was thinking about jumping on all those books hopscotch-style LOL.

    Good luck (on the books, but of course, on Irma more than anything).

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    1. He was probably planning to mow them down or drool all over them lol

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  2. Awesome job!!! I am working to get all my ARCs done and trying not to request anything unless I REALLY want it.We will see. Great job on reading this year though. Hope you were ok with Irma!

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    1. We were. Just some minor tree damage - limbs falling etc but way in the back of my yard - nowhere near the house. In fact, we never lost power.

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  3. Soo you're totally cool with taking some of my ARCs then right?!

    But seriously, that's so amazing that you managed to finish them all, now you have the rest of the year to tackle that OTHER pile of books. Haha.

    And 19 books? I can only DREAM of reading that many!

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    1. Stay away from me with your arc's! lol

      I've been averaging about 20 per month which shocks me because I don't feel like I'm reading that many.

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  4. Great job! I'm almost through my September ARCs and I have a bit for October, but after that, it slows down a lot so I'm excited about that. I feel like I'm MOSTLY ahead of things which is nice. LOL But yeah, I have so many books that I just own that I really need to spend more time on.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  5. Nothing new coming in for my tbr so it is at a stand still, but since I got it down to less tha n 20 then I am all good

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    1. I would like no more than 50 books on my shelf - not arc's but regular - read whenever - books.

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  6. Congrats on reading them. I don't get many ARC's these days, I just get books I want to read and review them. I don't have a lot of books on my kindle right now but I'm making my way through the ones I do have.

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    1. I take about 2 per month. Most of the pile were ALA books that you get almost 6 months in advance of publishing.

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  7. 156 books?! And I though my 70 was good OMG! Luckily I'm done with ARCs too but now I'm waiting for more to come because I like to torture myself with deadlines.

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    1. It's been nice stepping back but then I also feel lost if that makes sense. lol

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  8. Yay! I have a ton left in my queue right now but plan to not request more until I'm out :)

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  9. Woohoo! Congrats on hitting your arc goal!! That has to feel awesome!

    I've recently been clearing out a lot of my paranormal books (did I tell you this already?) and although I loved pnr for so long and loved having the books, it does feel really good to only keep my fav's.

    Give your furbabies some pets for me.

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    1. You did not tell me.

      Clearing out read books or ones you needed to read but changed your mind?

      I only keep my absolute favorites now. And so many of my faves are only on Kindle :-(

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    2. Both. Some I've read, a lot I haven't. I now have a really cool desk area that I'm digging. The other side of the room is messy for now while I figure out what to do with all of the books but eventually I want to get a nice comfy chair so I can curl up and read.

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  10. Congrats on meeting your ARC goal! I have been on your same path the last two years. I only accept review copies for books I'm dying to read. I have Netgalley always caught up on reviews but my physical books are not doing so well right now. I was on track but Sept crept up on me and as it stands, am already late on reviewing two books before their release date. >.< My problem is I'm also a mood reader and and tend to get distracted by books I want to read from either my forgotten personal stash, or the library.

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  11. Glad you're safe after Irma. And woohoo!!!! Way to go finishing your physical arcs. I like your next goal, too. I've been trying to work on all those at once and it can get daunting with my mood reading issues. :) I go in stops and starts of doing great with limiting myself to splurging.

    Wishing you well on your next step of your reading challenge, Karen!

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    1. I tend to read a review book then get distracted but new releases instead of reading my own shelves.

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  12. Yay! You are awesome. I have a big list to read but nothing is really thrilling me... not sure if it's me or the books.

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    1. Same here. I've been reading SO MANY BOOKS but I can't remember more than a handful of them. They're fun but not WOW reads.

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  13. That's awesome! I'm working my way there. Can't wait to catch up like you have. Great job!

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    1. It took me a year and it helped that I didn't go to any cons. If I did then that would have done me in lol

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  14. Yay for the ARC finishing! Must be a great feeling. I'm a mood reader too and I totally get it. Oh and I love that book pic! Awesome the way you have them all laid out there. :)

    I'm glad Irma wasn't too bad for you. Was really worried for all you Florida peeps!

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    1. It is a great feeling! Also a little scary not having the schedule to guide me lol

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  15. Congrats!! I wish I could say the same. I think I'm 12 or so ARC's in and feel like I will never read a TBR book again. My piles, let's just say, are embarrassing.

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  16. Congrats on doing this!! I don't know if I could give up completely on reading ARC's. But I do make a rule of thumb, balance it out every week. So I read other books I own or library books. And also, ARC's I read are only books I would buy. That way, I am not getting ARC's of books I have NO interest in reading.

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    1. That's how I am now. These are all books mostly from cons where you end up with 40+ books in two days. I've never really recovered from those.

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  17. Congrats!
    My shame is conveniently hidden in my ereaders. I'm trying to do the same thing this year, scheduling once a week to make time for old books, but unfortunately, I've also developed a mild disinterest for reading. Can't win!

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    1. I worked on my Kindle in 2016 and have that pretty much under control.

      Eh - maybe you've just moved on from that. You seem (from Instagram) to have moved on to bigger and better things!

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  18. OMG, I'm glad that all was ok re: Irma. I was hooked to the news, in the UK, for updates on it as we're heading to Orlando in October... I felt like the worst kind of selfish ass worrying about a holiday when people were losing their homes but I was genuinely gutted over the devastation it caused to parts of your state and across the Caribbean. :(

    Well done on working your way through the arc pile! Good luck with the TBR... I tried to set a 'do't buy new books until you've whittled down your tbr' rule a few months ago and failed epically before I'd even begun! It's definitely not easy.

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    1. I get that though. It's a mess down there - power outages and fallen limbs but it should be cleaned up long before you get here!

      The Keys and the small islands though were devastated.

      I'm so good about arc's now but I have all of those from before when I wasn't so good lol

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  19. Oh wow. You're doing really good Karen. I had two or more ARCs I need to read yet but my mood won't cooperate huhu

    And books from your TBR since 2011? My! I can totally relate hihi,

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    1. That happens a lot!

      I went to BEA in 2011 and STILL have books from that to read. *shame*

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  20. Congrats on the ARCs! I usually don't get too overwhelmed (only from time to time) but I've worked hard to pace myself. This year has been a reading disaster for me though. Good luck on the TBR pile. I won't ever finish that one but it is good to know that I will always have something to read. LOL

    Hope the clean up is going well.

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    1. My problem is the book cons. In 2016 I held myself to reading them ALL and I did but the previous years just overwhelmed me and I've never caught up. I'm really good about request reading though.

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  21. Congrats on ARC's and so glad that you survived irma. I really haven't been reading much for personal time. I do have books on my kindle that I'm reading more lately. I'm also doing math and my human class reading . Tough load. Sending hugs to you and Kevin and the dogs.

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    1. You have a lot going on! I can't believe you find time to read at all lol

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  22. I think that sounds like an incredible goal--and to only allow yourself to read the books you actually want to read, will eliminate some of the negative thoughts about having to plow through the pile. Okay, maybe that's what I think when I have a monster pile of books to get through... it becomes less of a joy, and more of a headache, if that makes sense.

    Anyway, I think that's great and you are totally well on your way, and congrats on your ARCs!!

    XOXO and hope you're enjoying the weekend :)

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  23. Wow Karen, I wish I was as organised as you were, I have been trying to whittle away on my ARC pile too, but compared to my ARC pile, my own-tbr pile is more out of control, it's like 280+ I'm thinking when I get my ARCS under control, I can focus on my own pile after! And I'm glad you're all okay after Irma! I hope you have a great week! :)

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  24. Oh wow, LOTS of books you have here. I have the same problem too. I have books I bought 4 or 5 years ago I haven't read yet and I'm not sure I will since I keep adding books every week. Lots of temptation. Hehe. Good luck with your goal. Don't force it though. Read just what you're interested in. I've given up on reading all the books I have. It's impossible. Hehe

    Have a wonderful week. ❤️

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  25. Glad you're okay! There are so many hurricanes in the US now it's really scary watching them from the news, I can't imagine how does it feel living through them! Congrats on finishing all your physical ARCS! That's so awesome! I think I'll try your Netgalley rule, I need to get my e-galleys under control too :D

    Tasya // The Literary Huntress

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  26. Those hurricanes looked fierce Karen. Seeing them on the news from Australia, we have no idea what it's like to live through one but it looks terrifying. The waiting to see the damage, what homes survive, if everyone is safe.

    I'm so glad everyone is okay.

    Gosh you've read a shitload this year already. I'm already behind on my challenge. That's incredible! Hooray! It makes a huge difference even clearing that backlog. I did that with my Netgalley a few years ago. I went nuts after I first joined and spent a good few months only reading Netgalley books and caught up. Next year I want to organise my review copies a little better and keep track. Good luck with your goals Karen, looking forward to seeing your progress <3

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  27. Whaa?! ALL your ARCs?! Congrats! I mean, I've never been drowning in them as bad as many bloggers, but still. I haven't been completely caught up in like over a year lol.

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