This week has been a quiet one for the most part so I’ve been able to do lots of reading. I’m also in the middle of sorting through my books and trying to get rid of some. I wanted to reduce my TBR this year but I’m still acquiring books faster than I’m reading them! In the process of sorting out the books on my new Kindle last week I realised that I have a lot of unread books that I’ve owned for ages and I just don’t think I’m ever going to read them so I’ve been deleting some books. The flip side of this is that I also found some kindle books that I hadn’t listed on Goodreads (and therefore weren’t included in my TBR count at the start of the year) so this means my total TBR is going to be up and down for a little while as I both delete and add books. Sorting through my Kindle books led to me looking over my bookcases and picking out some books that I also don’t think are to my taste anymore. Hopefully this will get my TBR down to the books I really want to read, and also help to reduce it somewhat!
This week I’ve finished reading six books:
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
I’ve been struggling to get into this novel for a week or two but I finally made time to sit and read it in one sitting and I enjoyed it much more when I did that. It’s a very gentle novel, that has moments in it that took my breath away. There is one moment in particular point where the loss of parents is mentioned and it was such a small sentence but it turned the novel around for me and made me notice all the pain and beauty beneath the surface.
It’s All Absolutely Fine by Ruby Elliot
This is a review book so I will be reviewing it soon (hopefully) but I’ll say here that it’s a really simple book about mental health issues but some of the illustrations and points made are so powerful for being so simple. It’s a book I recommend.
See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt
This book is stunning! I read it in two sittings and I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m so happy that I won a proof of this in a giveaway and that I got a chance to read it now. It’s definitely one to add to your lists to buy once it’s published.
The Unseeing by Anna Mazzola
This is another brilliant read that I read in just a day or two. I was enthralled in Sarah Gale’s story and couldn’t put the book down for wanting to know the truth of what happened. I didn’t realise when I was reading it that a lot of it was based on a true story so it really made me pause once I knew that.
The Good Immigrant ed. by Nikesh Shukla
I have mixed feelings about this book. I’m glad I read it and some of the essays are brilliant and really made me think about things. Unfortunately, there were a couple of essays that I found offensive due to what my own family have been through and I just couldn’t get passed how that made me feel. I would still recommend the book though because it does give an insight into what it is to be an immigrant in Britain.
Black Wood by SJI Holliday
I’ve had this book on my TBR since it was published and when I saw that the third book in the trilogy was now out I decided to pick this first one up. I read it in one sitting and really enjoyed it. I’m going to read the second book this week and I can’t wait!
This week I’ve blogged three times:
Sunday: Weekly Wrap-Up where I share all of my bookish, blogging and real life news from the last week
Wednesday: WWW Wednesday where I share what I’m currently reading, what I’ve recently read and what I plan to read next
Saturday: Stacking the Shelves where I share my accumalated book haul from the last seven days
This is what I’m currently reading:
One of Us by Asne Seierstad
I’ve had this book on my TBR since it was published and I have tried picking it up before but my mind wasn’t in the right place to read it. I’m reading a lot of non-fiction at the moment so decided to give this another go and I’m so glad I did. It’s such a tough subject to read about but Seierstad has clearly done a lot of research and it’s very well written.
The Escape by C.L. Taylor
I was offered a copy of this from the publisher but it never arrived so I requested, and was approved, on NetGalley. I am finding this a fast-paced, intriguing book and I’m very much enjoying it.
Forever Yours by Daniel Glattauer
I absolutely adored this author’s previous two books so was keen to read this one. It’s been on my TBR for ages so as I’m trying to read through my TBR this year I picked this one up. It’s not grabbing me in the way I hoped it would but it’s interesting and I am keen to see where the plot goes.
Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins
This is my husband’s latest audio book pick and I wasn’t that interested in listening to it but once it was playing I found myself laughing at some of the stories Phil Collins was telling and before I knew it we’d been listening for over two hours! We’re going to listen to the rest of it together so I’m looking forward to that.
Everything but the Truth by Gillian McAllister
I’m really enjoying this novel – it’s got an intriguing premise and I can’t wait to find out what, if any, secret Jack is keeping from his girlfriend!
Blue Light Yokohama by Nicolas Obregon
This is a slow-paced but beautifully written crime novel and I’m really enjoying it. I’m keen to find out what happened to the main character in the past.
H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald
This is such a lovely book to listen to on audio and I’m really enjoying it. I’ve not had much time to listen to audio books this week but as soon as I have time I will be putting this on.
And the Sun Shines Now by Adrian Tempany
I’ve read a couple more chapters of this since last week and am still finding it to be such an interesting and, at times, eye-opening read.
Days Without End by Sebastian Barry
I’m absolutely adoring the writing in this book and the only reason that I haven’t read it quicker is that it’s a hardback so I can only read when I can physically manage to hold it. I hope to be able to read more this week though.
Update on my TBR…
TBR at the start of January 2017: 1885 (see my State of the TBR post)
TBR in last week’s Wrap-Up: 1912
Additions:
Books bought/received for review/gifts: 13 (See the books I added this week in my Stacking the Shelves post)
Subtractions:
Books read this week: 6
Books I’m currently reading: 9
TBR Books culled this week: 55
Total:
TBR now stands at: 1862
I’m linking this post up to Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer’s Sunday Blog Share. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.
How has your week been? What have you been reading? Please share in the comments below. If you write a wrap-up on your blog please feel free to share the link. 🙂
RatherTooFondofBooks 
I really wanted to keep track of all my books with a spreadsheet but I think the one I chose was too comprehensive, I don’t want to spend thirty minutes entering data for everything. I’m still hoping to get a real list of what’s in my TBR and what I’m buying but I haven’t found the time yet. Good luck with the TBR cleaning 🙂
I just bought another book despite my hectic schedule that means I can’t read my own TBR before April!
Happy reading 🙂
I just started keeping track of my books on a spreadsheet this year. I’m no good with making spreadsheets but a YouTuber shared her spreadsheet so I use that one. It only takes a minute or two to fill in but tracks quite a few things, which has been very interesting. I’ll see if I can find the link if you want it. I now add books as I buy them… I just need to get the rest of my TBR under control now (which I track on Goodreads but as I said in this post I just found a load of kindle books I’ve not added… oops!). xx
I’d love to, mine is all about every detail and I can’t bother filling everything in. I’m pretty sure TBR will always win and we’ll never get them under control! xx
Here’s a link to the spreadsheet I use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsYV6H40cAk which I got from this YouTuber. I find it only takes me a minute to fill it in but it tracks all the things I want it to. I think you’re right that the TBR will always win – tracking my books has really opened my eyes to how many I buy/receive for review and it’s shocked me. Ah well, at least books are good for us! 🙂 xx
Ha, I had to laugh at the thought of your Kindle books not quite matching your other lists – happens to me all the time, plus I forget what I do have already on Kindle (I don’t forget the physical books on the shelves, though).
Seierstad’s One of Us was one of my favourite non-fiction reads last year, very powerful and chilling, uncomfortable but necessary reading.
I really wanted to get my TBR organised this year but the lack of organisation from before now is such a pain. I’m determined to get it sorted though so will keep working on it!
I’m finding One of Us very chilling but the fact it’s so well-written and researched is keeping me reading.
I’m so glad you’ve had the sort of quiet week that’s allowed you to get more reading done. And as for the TBR? I don’t think that I’ll ever get through all of mine. Amazing how the reads stack up, even when you’ve been able read a few novels in a given week. See What I Have Done sounds intriguing; I’m glad you enjoyed it so well.
Thank you. I’m not sure I’ll ever get to the end of my TBR either but I’m working on it. I want to at least get it organised so I only have books that I still want to read on it, and to get rid of the ones that no longer appeal. I loved See What I Have Done, I think it may will be one of my favourite reads of the year.
The Unseeing and See What I Have Done – are both books I’ve enjoyed recently. I have that same problem of acquiring books quicker than I can read them! Oh well!
I’m glad it’s not just me that acquires books faster than I can read them. I wish I could curb it a bit as my TBR is so huge but I enjoy buying books, and reading them, so it’s all fine really. 🙂
I don’t even have the space for any more or as much time for reading since becoming a mum but neither of those things stop me! 😂
I’m looking forward to getting up in the loft and sort out all the books we’ve got up there. I know there are a fair number I’ll never want to read again. But it’s freezing up there right now so it’s a chore that will have to wait until the weather improves. I’m very admiring of your organised approach to your TBR:). Have a good week Hayley – I also read 6 books this week and regarded it as a major achievement! My Sunday Post – https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/2017/02/26/sunday-post-26th-february-2017/
My attempt at getting my TBR organised is my New Year’s resolution so I’m determined to keep to it. I bet going up into your loft will feel a bit like book shopping and you’ll have some fun looking through them all. I hope you manage to get them sorted out in the warmer weather. I’ll go read your Sunday post shortly. 🙂
When you talk about your TBR, are you referencing just the books you own? Or the ones you checked “want to read” on Goodreads?
I only worry about the ones I actually own.
As for books I won’t ever read…I had to stop downloading those freebies from unknown authors. I have seldom enjoyed any of them.
I also need to stop “clicking to buy” when something appeals to me. If I bookmark something on Amazon, and I go back to it and still want it, then I might buy.
But still I have too many on my Kindle…sigh.
Enjoy the process! Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
My TBR is just the books I already own – when I add a book to the ‘want to read’ shelf on Goodreads it’s because I’ve bought a copy. My wish list is a separate thing (and also huge but I don’t worry about that as those books aren’t mine yet). I no longer downloading the freebies either, unless it happens to be a wish list book as I just never get around to them. I’m now deleting books that I know I won’t read as I need to make space for the books I do want to get to. I also try to use wish lists on Amazon more to note a book I like the sound of rather than buying it straight away, then if it still appeals another time I may buy it then. I’ll go read your post shortly 🙂
So very glad that you have given a mighty thumbs up to See What I Have Done which is the book I’m most excited about.
I really want to go through my books to get rid of the ones I no longer think I’ll like. I own way too many books on my kindle, I don’t know if I’ll ever read all of them but it’s probably a good idea to delete the ones I know I won’t like. I hope you have a wonderful week!
I never used to delete ebooks because they’re not cluttering up my house but when I was sorting out my new Kindle last week I realised how many books I’d forgotten about because they’re lost amongst books I’m no longer interested in. So, I’m now deleting some books and re-organising the others. Hope you have a lovely week too 🙂
What a fantastic reading week! I once thought about inventorying my books on my Kindle, but then realized there were WAY too many. I’ll just read along in ignorant bliss. 🙂 I also realized this year I am completely ignoring my bookcase.
So many wonderful books. Based on the covers, I am intrigued by The Escape, Black Wood and Everything but the truth. I am glad to see that you enjoyed all three so I may add them to my TBR. Have a wonderful week.
Wait, your TBR is bigger than mine! I have finally met someone! Haha.
Haha! I’ve only had one person say that their TBR was bigger than mine and it does make you feel better! 🙂
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