Roof Beam Reader
Adam Burgess
TBR Pile Checkpoint #5 – May Progress!
Congrats to this month’s winner: Jean of Howling Frog Books!
Hello, TBR Pile Challengers!
It is May 15th and we are now at Checkpoint #5 for the 2013 TBR Pile Challenge! Can you believe we’re almost half-way through our challenge? Congrats to all those who have been keeping pace and making some progress – it has been great to see all the discussions on Twitter, Facebook, and your blogs!
Where I’m At: I have already read 9 of my required 12 books. I can’t believe I’m almost done! I plan to read my next book, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, very soon, and I will be reading Persuasion in August, so that will bring me to 11 of 12! I might actually be able to read all my alternates this year, too.
Progress:
Book #1: O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
Book #2: The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
Book #3: Orlando by Virginia Woolf
Book #4: The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Book #5: The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
Book #6: Sodom on the Thames: Sex, Love, and Scandal in Wilde Times by Morris Kaplan
Book #7: A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Book #8: Shine by Lauren Myracle
Book #9: Gods and Monsters by Christopher Bram
My favorites so far have been Orlando, A Streetcar Named Desire, and O Pioneers! but, I’ve been very lucky so far with my choices – they’ve all been good! What have been YOUR favorites, so far? Any surprises?
Below, you’re going to find the infamous Mr. Linky widget. IF you have completed any reviews for books on your challenge list, please feel free to link them up here so that we can easily find your posts, encourage one another, see what progress is being made on all these piles, etc. Also, feel free to link-up to your own checkpoint post, should you decide to write one (not required – but feel free!)
Giveaway!: This month’s checkpoint comes with a giveaway! Be sure to link-up your reviews (or a checkpoint post) by the deadline. Every link you post (provided it is new to this month – no posts/reviews used previously!) will earn you one entry into a random drawing. The prize is a book of your choice, up to $15 USD, from The Book Depository!
Link-up Your Reviews for April 21st – May 20th:
Roof Beam Reader 
After a slow March and April due to moving, I am right on track with 5 books! I have a lot of other TBR’s that aren’t on my official list, and some new ones that I’ve bought recently, so for now I’m feeling like sticking to 1 per month for this challenge… but we’ll see! I’ve been reading a lot more lately now that I’m all through that move and summer has pretty much started. Yay!
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Ah! I just realized I completely missed the April check-in! Derp.
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That’s awesome – way to be on track! I hope to read a lot of pleasure reading this summer, myself. During the school year, I have very little time to read anything that is not related to my classes (either those that I’m taking or those that I’m teaching). So, this summer I plan to knock out as many of the fun, personal selections as I can.
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I’m not going to post this to the real check in. It has been slow reading for me, I had a DNF book on my list and just finished one but haven’t had a chance to write a review. Here’s my post on the one I didn’t finish – http://littlethoughtsaboutbooks.blogspot.com/2013/04/tbr-challenge-dnf-how-to-be-single.html
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You are doing so well =) I have another one to mark off the list, towards the end of the year I think I’ll be a little rushed but I’m pretty confident I can swing it. The best part is that for three of the reads I have been able to coerce others into group reads bwahaha which helps aid my progress. =)
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That is always fun! I love turning “big” reads (lengthy books or books that I’ve been intimidated by) into group reads – gives me so much more drive to actually get through it.
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I’ve got two this time! And one was my Horrible Nemesis book, so I’m quite proud. I’ve got another one going now, so I’m feeling good. 🙂 My total so far is 6 finished books.
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That’s great!
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Dang it, I posted the wrong link. I meant to add Birdsong, but I added Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. This is what happens when I try to do things before I’ve had enough coffee.
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Lol No worries! I removed the wrong link.
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Thank you!
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“Magic Study” by Mary V Snyder
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/610552398
“Highland Velvet” by Jude Deveraux
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/605970634
“Anything He Wants” by Sara Fawkes
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/603294143
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Three more! Wow – good work! These should be linked on the Mister Linky widget – I took care of it for you this time. 🙂
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6 finished. In a strange turn of events, I’m currently reading two of my picks (Les Miserables and Montaillou) and one of my alternates (A Lion Called Christian) all at the same time. Which is weird coming from a one-book-at-a-time reader. Les Mis is shaping up to be my favourite read of the year so far, but my last finish (A life in Stitches, by Rachel Herron) turned out to have a weird family connection, so that was fun too!
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I’m also a one book at a time reader, for pleasure reading especially. For school, I have no choice but to read multiple things at once – but I really prefer to stick to one book untl it’s finished and then move on. I think it makes for a deeper experience. But I too have found myself reading a couple books at a time, lately. Not sure what’s going on! Les Miserables is one of my favorite books – glad to hear that you’re enjoying it!
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I wrote my first checkin post here (http://figandthistle.com/2013/05/15/book-drunk-tbr-check-in-pym-news-and-classics-spin/) and it is smoshed in with other bookish bloggy things. I feel like I have my reading mojo back. Baby Persephone is almost 15 weeks old and now that she is pretty much sleeping through the night (I hope I don’t jinx myself) I am much better about reading, retaining what I’ve read in my brain, and blogging.
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That’s great! I’m glad little Persephone and you are both healthy and well. And I’m glad you’re getting back in the groove! Good luck with the rest of the year!
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I’ve read two so far, but I haven’t checked in yet. The first was The Iron King by Julie Kagawa, the second A Weekend With Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly. Both have been excellent selections. Right now, I’m pushing through Betsy-Tacy, but I’m not loving it. I think I would have liked it if I’d read it as a kid, but the book is too young for me to enjoy as an adult.
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Good for you! I’ve heard a lot of people like that Kagawa series, but I haven’t had a chance to look into it. Someone recently gave me a copy of Beautiful Creatures, though, and that one looks interesting too. And the movie looked pretty groovy.
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Holy cats, you are doing GREAT Adam! I read The Great Gatsby (one of my alternates) in April. I read it during the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon and did a mini review of it. I’ll link it up 🙂
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Thanks! I didn’t finish last year (the first time I hadn’t at least finished 12 of 14) so I’m really glad to know that I’ll almost definitely be finishing this year. I might even get to all 14, which would be awesome!
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You are dong a great job at keeping this challange! I am afraid I am a bit behind, I just read 3 of my list. But I have two books I want to read this month, and I hope I will manage that and then I am back on track.
Kind regards,
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I just linked up my post for A Fatal Grace. Now I have 7 left out of 12, and I have read one of my alternates. I am so glad you have this challenge. These are all books I have wanted to read for a while.
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I’m an epic fail so far — I’m still at zero. I’ve been reading too many newer releases from the library! But I’m starting the first one from my list as soon as I finish the book I’m reading now. And I’ll have some commute time for the next couple of months because of my summer job in NYC, so I’m planning to tackle my list on the train. Gotta catch up!
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I FINALLY reviewed another book and now I’ve messed up the link. I tried to redo it but I don’t know if it took. Anyway — now I’ve finished three and I’m working on an alternate. I think next year I’ll choose less books that I’m dreading!
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Okay, I added the two books I hadn’t already linked to in previous Check-Ins, which brings me up to date. I’m through 4 of my 12. My personal Round-up Page is here: http://talekyn.livejournal.com/846122.html
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I’ve only completed 4/12 of my challenge, but here’s the link to my latest.
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4 out of 12 is pretty good! You’re basically on-pace. 🙂
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I’m super behind :/. But I’m plugging along, determined to catch up!!
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