All About Books discussion

I did this in 2015 and was very successful in reducing the number of unread books I own, so I am going to do it again. For 2016 my goal is to read 60 already owned books. I will add them here as I complete them.

Evelyn, I did the same thing several years back. I didn't let myself read anything but those already purchased. What a relief when they were completed. Some of them I simply could not understand what it was that attracted me to them. I have discovered it is much more fun to read a book right after it is purchased and that means if you buy a couple you read them ALL until you buy a few more. You think you are saving money when you buy books on sale - that is not true b/c often you never read them!

I wish you tons of luck in completing the books this year. I think your decision is absolutely correct.

Evelyn, are you adding those books to the "Owned Books" shelf? When you add a book as To Read, there's a box near the bottom you can check off- "I Own This Book". You can go back and edit the book and check the box off. Then when you're in the "My Books" page, you can click on the "owned books" link on the left and it'll list all the books you own. I just noticed this and am thinking of using it for some of the books I own.

Thank you Chrissie that is my goal!

Bella, I don't have an owned book shelf on goodreads- the thought of sitting down and adding all the books I own in a few marathon sessions is very daunting.....

1. Stay Close 3 stars. Haven't read many mystery books in recent years - did not figure out whodunit ahead of time. Very much enjoyed how the three characters stories came together.

Evelyn the owned button seems to have moved to a less visible spot. It's deep in the review of the book. By the time you are writing the review, the book is likely on the way to my shelf.

60 owned books. Way to go! My goal isn't even 60 for all books!!

Thanks for the morning chuckle Jennifer : ) speaking of on the way to your shelf, are you all ready to start Ulysses? Looks like the excitement is building on the thread.
Last year I read 72 books, but only 38 of them were books I already owned. When I moved we carried all my boxes of books up all the stairs to the top level of my 5 level split - my moving helpers made me promise to read and get rid of as many books as possible before my lease is up the end of October!

Ok now I've had my afternoon chuckle. My morning chuckle was an embarrassed one as B had an "accident" at Playgroup so was standing on the train table with no pants on.

Oh no LOL!

2. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid 3 stars. I was struck by how many similarities there were in Bill Bryson's 1950's childhood and my 1970's childhood.

3. Fall on Your Knees 4 stars. This is such a beautifully written book, but such horrible people!

I think that is somewhere in my house too

It's a chunkster for sure, you may be using it as a doorstop somewhere?

Evelyn , I really loved that book too .

Angela, it was so hard to read, but I couldn't put it down!

4. From Here to Eternity 5 stars. Wow, this author really gets inside his characters. Will re-read at some time

5. Our Kind of Traitor 2 stars. Much preferred this author's The Constant Gardener. This was about a Russion money launderer who wants to tell his secrets to the British in exchange for asylum. Much of it was over my head.

Got very distracted by library books in February, must get back on track!

After the last one, I understand your reluctance to return to your personal shelf.

Lol, they can't all be winners!

6. How To Think Like A Boss And Get Ahead At Work 5 stars. This should be required reading for everyone entering the workforce.

7. Sleeplessnesss 3 stars. Some good ideas to help sleep come easier.

8. The Little Book of Office Bollocks 1 star. Not funny.

9. Counter Paradise 2 stars. Old fashioned YA

10. Knit Two 2 stars. Why did this group of ladies become so whiny and self-centered?

Are these the books they cleared out of the library? Perhaps we have a pattern for why they were leaving the library.

Nope, they were from our book sale at the bank mostly

11. Daybreak 2 stars, babies switched at birth, discovered 19 years later. Could have been a very interesting story but I was very turned off by the bigotry of one of the main characters.

12. Emma's Secret 3 stars. Like binge watching old episodes of Dynasty

Great idea Evelyn! When we finally get settled and I get all my books out of storage, I might have to 'borrow' your idea. *:D Having said that I just bought 3 books on sale, all by authors I enjoy.....I can see me packing a few more boxes of books when we are ready to move on.

I'm reading a lot of paper books that I've had for years and in most cases, passing them on to the charity shop once read, so there would be no point in my ticking the 'owned' box in the review! It has mostly stopped me buying more, although I have been a bit undisciplined with Kindle ones lately after Amazon sent a few emails through about some on 99p deals. But I don't know when I'll get to those because I am prioritising the paper ones.

Borrow away Sandy!

Pam, I am passing all but the few 5 star ones on when I finish as well. Am feeling a great sense of accomplishment : )

Indeed! I did a 100 book challenge last year and am doing the same this, in the attempt to declutter as well as finally getting to read books I've had for years ;-)

Having said that I got another one out of the library today (tsk).

Evelyn wrote: "12. Emma's Secret 3 stars. Like binge watching old episodes of Dynasty"

lol! love that description :-)

No shame Pam!

Thanks Leslie : D

13. The Three Kings 3 stars. Enjoyed this book about a young girl in rural Scotland going into service in the 1920's

14. All the Queen's Players 3 stars. More spying, intrigue and double crossing in the court of Queen Elizabeth I

15. Whitethorn Woods 3 stars. Like a series of interconnected short stories.

16. Gardens of Delight 3 stars. An eclectic group of people travel to Italy on a garden tour.

17. Full Circle 3 stars. A WWII book about what the women did during the war in England.

18. Time for a Change 2 stars. Time to stop reading fluffy chick lit and get back to my regular reads.

19. The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World. 2 stars. I prefer more travel and less angst.

Evelyn wrote: "19. The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World. 2 stars. I prefer more travel and less angst."

That sound like my memory of the book. I think belonging to this group has made me a tougher critic over the last 3 years. I think you might have bought this off the library sale table. An item formerly on my bookshelf.

Lol, that's very likely

20. The Beach House 3 stars. An enjoyable read in which everyone lives happily ever after on Nantucket.

21. The Lollipop Shoes 3 stars. Chocolat II. A new town, a new villan, a new chocolate shop. Makes we want to make myself a lovely cup of hot chocolate.

22. One Great Year 2 stars. Not my genre, but I bought the book from the author at a farmer's market in BC. No regrets, I made the purchase to support the author, not out of interest for the story.

23. Letters on Life 4 stars. Excerpts of letters and journal entries written by a German poet. That man had a way with words!

Wow. I am inspired not only to read the books I have, which aren't many but to start chopping down my to read list. It's growing to a book monster.