Book Reviews

‘The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.’ Alan Bennett

“Many a book is like a key to unknown chambers within the castle of one’s own self.” ― Franz Kafka

Friday, 4 January 2013

The 2013 TBR Pile Challenge


I have decided to take part in the 2013 TBR Pile Challenge!

 Hosted by Roof Beam Reader
The goal of the challenge is: To finally read 12 books from your “to be read” pile (within 12 months).

Each of the 12 books must have been on your bookshelf or 'To Be Read' list for at least a full year - the books cannot have a publication date of 1/1/2012 or later. (Any book published in the year 2011 or earlier qualifies, as long as it has been on your TBR pile. The rest of the outlines/specifics for the challenge can be found on the main blog post here.
My 2013 TBR Pile Challenge List:
1. Gillespie and I by Jane Harris (2011)
2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2011)
3. The Taste of Sorrow by Jude Morgan (2009)
5. The English German Girl by Jake Wallis Simons (2011)
6. The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller (2010)
7. The German Boy by Patricia Wastvedt (2011)
8. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (1938)
10. The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan (2010)
11. Regeneration by Pat Barker (1991) - READ
12. Cambridge Blue by Alison Bruce (2010) - READ
Alternates:
1. Last Train from Liguria by Christine Dwyer Hickey (2010)
2. The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1867) 
As and when I read and review one of these titles, I'll return to this list and make a link through from the list above to the review.

 Wish me luck! :-) And good luck to everyone else grappling with TBR piles!
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16 comments:

  1. Karen Jones Gowen4 January 2013 at 15:21

    I look forward to your reviews of all these books!

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    1. Lindsay4 January 2013 at 17:51

      Thanks for your comment Karen. I will of course be reading my way through my review books too including your book! :)

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  2. Unknown4 January 2013 at 16:07

    Good luck with your challenge! I have a constant personal TBR challenge, but I refuse to put an exact number in writing because I know as soon as I do that I will fail miserably!

    The Night Circus is wonderful and one of my favourite books I read last year, so I hope you enjoy it. I also have Emotional Geology and Dead Simple on my 'TBR soon' pile to tackle as part of my Literary Exploration challenge, so I will particularly look forward to reading your thoughts on those.

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    1. Lindsay4 January 2013 at 17:53

      Thanks Marie! I don't know if this will definitely work for me but I liked the format of it and thought I would give it a try and see if it helps me to focus on one of these each month and not just exclusively new books. I have so many lovely books on my TBR.

      I can't wait to read TNC and can't believe how long I have left it. It will be nice to compare notes on EG and DS when you've read them too.

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  3. FleurFisher4 January 2013 at 20:58

    Good luck Lindsay! You have a few books I've loved (Rebecca, John Emmett, Regeneration, a couple I liked and was glad I read (The Night Circus, The German Boy), and three from my TBR (Gillespie & I, The Taste of Sorrow, The Earth Hums in B Flat). So I think you have lots of wonderful reading ahead of you, and maybe you'll inspire me a little along the way.

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    1. Lindsay10 January 2013 at 16:28

      Thanks very much. It's lovely to hear that you loved and liked quite a few of these, I've much to look forward to.

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  4. Ellie5 January 2013 at 10:00

    Good luck with this, I've tried making a list of books I must read but it never works. It's like the very act of having to read them mekaes me not want to read them!

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    1. Lindsay8 January 2013 at 14:13

      Thanks Ellie. I know what you mean, I'm generally not very good at reading a book that I've told myself I have to read, but in this case, I really do want to read all of these books very much, so I hope it works!

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  5. Lovely Treez5 January 2013 at 16:53

    Good luck, Lindsay, I tried this a couple of years ago and failed miserably but I have lots of faith in you! I have read 7 of your initial list of 12 and would recommend all of them.

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  6. Anonymous6 January 2013 at 04:26

    Nice list! Good luck with it. I seem to be one of the few people who disliked Morgenstern's "The Night Circus" (weak plot, too much description), but I loved "Rebecca." If you like "Rebecca," you should check out the Rebecca parody/skit from The Mitchell and Webb Look (it's on youtube), particularly if you've seen the Laurence Olivier film.

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    1. Lindsay8 January 2013 at 14:15

      Thank you, and thanks for commenting. I will have a look for that!

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  7. Anonymous6 January 2013 at 17:35

    Oooh you've got some good ones on your list. Regeneration is a favourite of mine, and Emotional Geology and The Earth Hums in B Flat are both rather good too.

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    1. Lindsay8 January 2013 at 14:14

      Thanks for commenting. I am looking forward to those three, good to know you liked them.

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  8. Anonymous7 January 2013 at 17:58

    Some good books here Lyndey. And 'Rebecca' is one of my all time favourites.

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    1. Lindsay8 January 2013 at 14:14

      It's one I've been meaning to read for years.

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