It’s been a bit of a blogapalooza on here recently – this is the last post for a bit as I’m all caught up with my pre-June reading and reviewing (that’s not entirely true, actually) and will have to get some more reading done now before I post again!
Here’s the TBR in all its glory, looking very svelte and empty indeed. I think the only one I added this month was the Salman Rushdie that’s on the top of the Pile, waiting for Mr Liz to start reading it on audio book (he’s still enjoying “Flight Behaviour” at the moment). I’m pleased that after months of horrendousness, I am reading more than I’m acquiring at the moment. I did entertain wild thoughts of getting it down to Zero TBR and just reading books as I acquired them, but that’s a bit scary. Anyway, the front shelf ends at Flintoff and that’s a big gain for me!
I’ve just snuck in two books of Virginia Woolf short stories for #Woolfalong, which took me through the strangely bookless gap after I finished “Night and Day” yesterday, and then this morning, it was time to start the books I’d been itching to start for #20BooksOfSummer – it’s amazing how much you want to read what you can’t read yet, isn’t it! So, there’s a book about the alphabet by Michael Rosen, which is my dinner table / downstairs read, and Charlie Hill’s satire on the book industry, “Books” for my upstairs and handbag read, both now started (if you look closely, you can see the bookmarks) and both very good so far.
I’ve fulfilled my Woolf requirements for the month, so there will be just one Dorothy Richardson volume coming up outside of these (and some from the Pile, maybe) so a nice collection of fiction , non-fiction and social history, with the Kynaston obviously having to wait for me to finish the Rosen so it can be my Downstairs book for a while.
Are you doing #20BooksOfSummer and if so, have you started yet? What’s your first one? And where IS the summer?? It’s freezing, grey and rainy here …
kaggsysbookishramblings
Jun 01, 2016 @ 18:41:07
Summer? Pah! It’s really cold here, just as I’ve put the thick clothes and heaters away for the summer…. I am not doing the 20books of summer, but since I’ve read three or four this half term already I think I could do it quite easily! Currently reading Soviet sci fi which is very, very good…. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Liz Dexter
Jun 01, 2016 @ 19:19:57
Indeed, grey and windy and freezing here! I can’t see 20 being a problem for you and I’m sure you’ll read as many as I do in the time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
heavenali
Jun 01, 2016 @ 18:47:29
I started my first book of summer today. Though it doesn’t feel very summery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Liz Dexter
Jun 01, 2016 @ 19:20:33
I’m glad my two first books have nothing to do with any sunny weather, although “Books” does have a holiday scene …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dagny
Jun 01, 2016 @ 19:13:26
Everyone who doesn’t feel like it’s summer, come and join me in Alabama where it is 90+. Actually, save yourselves and don’t, lol.
Dreaming of a zero TBR – wouldn’t you panic if it ever happened? I know I would.
Started my first today: The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
LikeLiked by 1 person
Liz Dexter
Jun 01, 2016 @ 19:21:43
Goodness! I have been in Birmingham, AL, in May and it was pretty hot then.
I think it would be most odd to have zero TBR. I think I’ll settle for one shelf and a pile!
Hope you enjoy your first book – it’s lovely to start off alongside so many people!
LikeLike
Ste J
Jun 01, 2016 @ 20:37:31
Summer, that’s surely something that happens to other countries lol. I am well impressed with you keeping up with your reading commitments, you are an inspiration.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Liz Dexter
Jun 02, 2016 @ 07:22:50
Not sure how inspiring I am but it is good to have caught up with Woolfalong and to have my TBR under more control. I am glad I didn’t choose actual summery books, though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Margie Brizzolari
Jun 03, 2016 @ 04:28:59
How do you do it? I love reading but seem to be so slow with my books. And I’m not really into reading two or three books at the same time – I can’t seem to concentrate. Ah well! Enjoy your summer reads. Im reading a very heavy (in all ways) book by Margaret Mazzantini AND I’m reading it in Italian. It’s called “Twice Born” in the English version and is set partly in Sarajevo during the seige there. (In the 80s, I think).
LikeLike
Liz Dexter
Jun 03, 2016 @ 07:22:11
Welcome to my blog and thank you for your comment! I have always read pretty quickly, which helps, and I always make time for reading – it’s my main hobby apart from running and exercise. I am usually OK with two books at a time, as one is usually non-fiction and one light non-fiction or fiction, so they stay apart in my head. I couldn’t read two modernist novels at the same time, for example. Yours sounds like a challenging book to read – I presume you’re bilingual to be able to tackle something like that and write in English!
LikeLike
FictionFan
Jun 03, 2016 @ 19:03:16
I’ve started Barkskins – a monster, so it’ll be a while before I finish it. My current factual read is another monster and not part of the 20 Books – so I won’t even get started on 20 Books factuals till mid-June. And crime-wise, I’m still reading books for Bloody Scotland so again mid-June before I can get to 20 Books books! Do I feel like this challenge is destined to be failed?? Hmm… glad you’ve got off to more of a flying start. Enjoy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Liz Dexter
Jun 05, 2016 @ 18:06:41
Well I didn’t even start until mid-June last year and still did as much of mine as I would have anyway, so don’t panic yet!
LikeLiked by 1 person