down the tbr hole

Down the TBR Hole #1

kerrimcbooknerd50 Comments

Hello, reader!

In an effort to get my Goodreads Want to Read shelf under some kind of control, I’ve decided to join in on a post I’ve seen around the blogosphere: Down the TBR Hole! I first came across this post on Ellie @ Read to Ramble’s blog, though quite a few people in our Twitter group chat participate, as well. After reading their posts and watching my TBR swell, I thought it was time to join in on the fun.

Down the TBR Hole was originally created by Lost in a Story and here is the basic premise:

  • Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 or 20 or however many you’re feeling) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?

Sounds simple, right? Hopefully, this will help me to clean up my TBR a bit because I know there are books on there that I don’t even remember adding, lol. It’s time to curate my space and make my Want to Read shelf a little more reflective of books I actually plan on reading.

Currently, my Goodreads TBR has 621 books on it. The plan is to do 10 books with each post and, hopefully, bring that number down. With that being said, let’s get started!

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

I don’t need to read the synopsis for this one to know it’s staying. This is my TBR white whale, that book that will forever stay until I finally conquer it. I love the musical and I think I’ll love this book, as well.

Verdict: Keep

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

I’m noticing I have a fair amount of classics right at the beginning of my TBR. I was apparently in some kind of mood when I joined Goodreads back in 2011, lol. Anyways, this is a classic that I’m actually still very much interested in reading. I do love a good book about books, even if this one is based in a world where book burning is sanctioned.

Verdict: Keep

Atonement by Ian McEwan

This is a historical fiction that got on my radar because of the movie… that I never watched. Look, I never said my TBR additions made sense! I distinctly remember one of my best friends loving the movie, reading the book, and loving that, too. So… I bought it. Which is pretty much the only reason Atonement is staying on my TBR, tbh. I’m determined to get through all the books that I own!

Verdict: Keep

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

This is one of those books that I feel like I have to read at one point in my life. Do you have books like that? Books that you feel compelled to read even if they aren’t necessarily your jam? This just seems like an important book and I do want to give it a shot one day. I also own this one, as well, so it’s sticking around!

Verdict: Keep

The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

I added this one as soon as I found out that the movie of the same name was based on a book! The Silence of the Lambs is one of my favorite movies and I was excited to learn there was an entire series I could dive into. I didn’t realize this is the second book in the series, but my desire to read it is still burning strong.

Verdict: Keep

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

I had honestly forgotten what this book was about, lol. Re-reading the synopsis definitely still peaks my interest, though. A secret city located under London? Written by Neil Gaiman, who is one of my faves? Yes, please! Also, it sounds a lot spookier than I remember and that makes me extra excited!

Verdict: Keep

Different Seasons by Stephen King

This is one of those books that I didn’t even remember adding to my TBR… I didn’t even know it was a short story collection! Reading the synopsis, I think I probably added this because it includes The Shawshank Redemption. I enjoyed the movie and wanted to read the source material. Honestly, though, my interest for this and Stephen King in general has waned recently. I would still like to read some of his more classic stories, but I think I can give this one a miss.

Verdict: Remove

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Though this is one of the more intimidating books on my TBR simply because of it’s sheer size, I still really want to give this book a read. I actually “borrowed” this book from my mom because she enjoyed it so much. The fact that it centers around rival magicians makes me even more excited to pick this up. I just gotta give over the chonkiness of it…

Verdict: Keep

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Imma be honest and say I have absolutely no interest in this book anymore 🤷🏾‍♀️ I don’t think I was ever really interested in it… I just added it because it was a classic that seemed like it should be on my TBR. So this is a pretty easy decision, lol.

Verdict: Remove

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Another Gaiman in my first ten TBR books! I think I added a lot of these after reading Good Omens for the first time. That being said, I’m still interested in the story of a young man chasing down a fallen star for his beloved. I have heard mixed reviews on this one, but I still want to give it a go!

Verdict: Keep

Alright, that’s my first round of Down the TBR Hole completed! And I’ve managed to remove two books already! It might not seem like much, but I haven’t removed a book from my TBR since joining Goodreads in 2011 😅 Hopefully soon, my Want to Read shelf will be a much more accurate reflection of books on my radar. Thanks for joining me on this journey!

And, as always, happy reading!

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50 thoughts on “Down the TBR Hole #1”

  4. Silence of the Lambs is such a creepy book – even worse than the movie, TBH! And I’ve read The Jungle. It’s a good book, horrifying and terribly graphic, but the worst part is how it’s based on fact. I remember reading it in high school and not eating meat for quite some time.

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