It’s the end of May (or it was when I started writing this post; now it’s early June), time for a TBR check-in: I’m still on track to read twelve of my TBR books by the end of the year, though progress has been slower lately. Graceling by Kristin Cashore was on my list, and I loved it so much I went straight on to Fire and now Bitterblue. I don’t feel bad about this at all; rather I’m delighted to have found such a strong YA trilogy (using that word loosely) that I hadn’t read yet. (See my reviews and quotes from Graceling and Fire on LibraryThing.)
I’ve also received a few galleys that captured my attention: Ann Packer’s The Children’s Crusade, Lisa Lutz’s How to Start a Fire, Kate Atkinson’s A God in Ruins (companion to Life After Life), Annie Barrows’ The Truth According to Us (just finished), and Paula McLain’s Circling the Sun (up next).
I’ve had The Te of Piglet on my bedside table since January, and I think I’m giving up on it. Partly the bedside table location is to blame, but the author’s writing style – with constant interruptions from Pooh and Piglet – is not endearing, and I don’t entirely agree with his philosophy. Though there are good bits here and there, I’m not enjoying it enough to continue.
What will be my next selection from my TBR pile? Between Shades of Gray if I’m feeling like YA historical fiction, The Starboard Sea if I want a boarding school book, or The Waterproof Bible if I need Andrew Kaufman’s (All My Friends Are Superheroes) wacky blend of humor, magical realism, and emotion.
Are you participating in a reading challenge this year? How are you doing? Have you discovered any gems?
Jenny Arch 
I’ve read 6 of my 12 TBR Challenge books so I’m on track, but honestly I was hoping to be ahead of the game. Still, can’t complain. A few of my remaining titles are classics and I’m looking forward to tackling them this summer.
Six out of twelve is right on track! I realize now that I forgot to link to my actual TBR list (https://jenny-arch.com/2015/01/07/the-official-tbr-challenge/). I’ve read seven so far: Wild Girls, Kitchen Confidential, Graceling, Invisibility, The Art of Fielding, The Waterproof Bible, and God’s Hospital. Which classics are you reading? I didn’t include any classics on my list.
My classics are Walden, A Separate Peace, and Tender is the Night. Also one called The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher which is definitely old, but maybe not a classic.
Ooh, I remember loving A Separate Peace in high school. Maybe I’ll re-read it – let me know when you start!
Will do!
I loved Graceling. I thought it was a very nice read. I liked the strong female character.