Tackling The TBR March Update 3

In 2019 I'm making a big effort to reduce my TBR by buying less, getting stuff read and getting rid of the things that I just don't want to read from my bookshelves and my ereaders Maurice and Myrnin! I'll be doing this regular post to show my progress-what came into the house, what I read and DNFed and what was taken off the TBR.

The TBR total shown is the total number of books I own but have not read yet-wishlist books are NOT in my TBR! Re-reads have already been taken off the TBR when I first read them so don't count in reducing the pile but is just here as a note to help for end of year stats! The re-read total is the running total so far for the year, not what I've read each week.

BOOKS IN

-Books in refers to bought, downloaded or gifted THIS WEEK. 

-Books added are books I bought a while back but haven't yet added to my Goodreads TBR so they aren't newly bought, just newly added. Both of these categories together are my 'in' total. 

BOOKS OUT

-Books read and DNFed are obvious. 

-Deleted from the TBR are books I lost interest in reading, or sequels to DNFed books I no longer want to read and have been removed without starting to read them. These three categories added together are my books 'out'.

Sarah over at https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.blogspot.com/ is also trying to reduce her book pile and we hope to keep each other motivated! I'm posting my progress on the 7th, 14th, 21st and final day of the month and noting what is coming in and out of my house. Anyone else is welcome to join in. No rules, set up your your posts how you want and when you want just reduce the pile!

MARCH 1st-7th

TBR Start Total: 1124

BOOKS IN:

New Books In: 2

Old Books Added: 1

BOOKS OUT:

Books Read: 4

Books DNF: 1

Others Deleted From TBR: 2

Rereads: 2

New Total: 1113

********************

March 8th-14th 

TBR Start Total: 1113

BOOKS IN:

New Books In: 1

Old Books Added: 3

BOOKS OUT:

Books Read: 6

Books DNF: 0

Others Deleted From TBR: 5

Rereads: 2

New Total: 1106  

********************

March 15th-21st

TBR Start Total: 1106

BOOKS IN: 

New Books In: 3

Old Books Added:

BOOKS OUT: 

Books Read: 1

Books DNF:

Others Deleted From TBR: 4

Rereads: 2 

New Total: 1104

Reading Challenges March Update 3

Whether we are getting spring weather or storms, there is still every excuse to curl up with a good book and read! Here are the books for the various challenges that I'm trying to get to this month. If I deal with them all, I'll be happy!

WORLD READS-Antarctica
1) Hunter Shea-Antarctic Ice Beasts (read)
2) William Meikle-Operation Antarctica (read)
3) Brad Harmer-Barnes-Tempest Outpost (read)

ROYAL CHALLENGE
1) E Knight-My Lady Viper
2) Kate Emersen-The Pleasure Palace

SERIES CATCHUP
1) Jaye Wells-Green Eyed Demon
2) Jaye Wells-Silver Tongued Devil
3) Jaye Wells-Blue Blooded Vamp
4) Jaye Wells-Rusted Veins

PAPERBACK PURGE
1) Thomas E Sniegoski-The Demonists (DNF)

E-BOOK ELIMINATOR
1) Suzanne Lazear-The Secret Lives of Rockstars (read)

FOR FUN
1) William Meikle-Infestation (read)
2) JR Tate-Tornado Warning (read)
3) George RR Martin-Fire & Blood 

ALPHABET SOUP 
E: Bobby Adair-Ebola K (read)
U: Chris Pike-Unexpected World (read)
V: Matt Shaw-Voyage to Hell (read)

Why do all my reads have the same letters?  Gameland, Going Home and Graduation Day! Independent Study, Into the Darkness, Infestation and Into the Mist! Royal Marriages, Rebel, The Remaining, Redfall and Red Headed Stepchild!

A) A Dance With Dragons
B) Booked 4 Murder
C) The Chalk Man
D) The Devil's Fingers
E) Ebola K
F) The Farm
G) Gameland
H)
I) Independent Study
J) Jack and Jill
K)
L)
M) The Mage in Black
N)
O) Operation Antarctica
P) Premonitions
Q) Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault
R) Red Headed Stepchild
S) Secret Lives Of Rockstars
T) The Testing
U) Unexpected World
V) Voyage to Hell
W)
X)
Y)
Z) 

Welcome to my ebook challenge! This year I plan to get as many books off the ereader and the tbr and free up space for other things. 

Here is my starting list of those I really want to deal with. I'll add to the list through the year.

1) Bobby Akart-Axis of Evil (Lone Star #1) (DNF)
2) Bobby Akart-36 Hours (Blackout #1) (DNS)
3) Bobby Akart-The Loyal Nine (Boston Brahmin #1) (DNS)
4) WR Benton-Premonition of Death (Fall of America #1) (DNS)
5) Lee Murray-Into The Mist (read)
6) Lee Murray-Into The Sounds (DNS)
7) Donna Galanti-Joshua & The Lightning Road
8) Jeff VanderMeer-Annihilation
9) Meg Collett-Fear University
10) Alex Hughes-Clean (DNF)
11) Adam J Wright-Lost Soul (DNF)
12) Norman Christof-Destination Lost
13) Seth Skorkowsky-Damoren
14) Simone Pond-Exodus of Magic
15) Steve McHugh-Crimes Against Magic
16) Suzanne Lazerar-The Secret Life of Rock Stars (read)
17) Michael F Haspil-Graveyard Shift
18) Lisa Blackwood-Betrayal's Price (DNS)
19) Bobby Adair-Ebola K (read)
20) Ania Ahlborn-The Shuddering
21) Saul Tanpepper-Gameland (read)
22) Hunter Shea-The Devil's Fingers (read)

This year, I really need to get a pile of paperbacks off the tbr and bookshelf, and out to the charity shops! Every month I'll be trying to tackle a few that I'm not sure I'm going to like based on gut feelings, reading tastes or Goodreads reviews. On this list I'll indicate what I managed to read, what was DNFed and if any of them are keepers! I'll be adding to the list through the year and the challenge will end in December.

1) A American-Going Home (The Survivalist #1) (read-3 star)
2) Annie Berdel-Alpha Farm (Prepper Chick #1) (DNF)
3) Justin Somper-Allies & Assassins (Allies & Assassins #1)
4) Michael J Sullivan-The Crown Tower (Riyria Chronicles #1)
5) Candace Robinson-Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault (Glass Vault #1) (read)
6) Candace Robinson-The Bride of Glass (Glass Vault #2) (DNS)
7) Conn Iggulden-Darien (Empire of Salt #1)
8) RL King-Stone And A Hard Place
9) Stephen King-Revival
10) Joseph Nassise-Eyes To See
11) Joseph Nassise-By the Blood of Heroes
12) Boyd Craven-Breaking Point
13) Mary Kubika-Every Last Lie
14) CJ Tudor-The Chalk Man (read-3.5 star)
15) DB Thorne-Troll
16) Seth C Adams-If You Go Down to the Woods
17) Belinda Bauer-Snap
18) Terry Brooks-Running With The Demon
19) Thomas E Sniegoski-The Demonists (DNF)

The idea is to read books with a royal theme ie Kings, Princesses, Queens, Dukes, Knights, Castles, Kingdoms, Quests etc. This challenge is hosted by Adriana Garcia over at https://shesgotbooksonhermind.blogspot.com/ .

Here are the books from my tbr that I hope to get read this year for the challenge. I've picked 15 to try and get Queen status but if I do well, more may be added!

1) David Baldwin-Henry's Last Love
2) Shrabani Basu-Victoria and Abdul
3) Jane Bingham-The Tudors (read-4 star)
4) Lady Colin Campbell-The Royal Marriages (read-4 star)
5) Lady Colin Campbell-Diana in Private
6) Sharon Kay Penman-The Queen's Man (DNF)
7) Dinah Lampitt-Pour The Dark Wine
8) E Knight-My Lady Viper
9) Elizabeth Fremantle-Sisters of Treason
10) Katherine Longshore-Tarnish
11) Laurien Gardner-Plain Jane
12) Margaret Campbell Barnes-My Lady of Cleves
13) Diane Haeger-The Queen's Mistake
14) Judith Arnopp-Intractable Heart
15) Kate Emerson-The Pleasure Palace

I'm intending to catch up on quite a few series this year, starting with a few of the shorter series that have been lurking on my shelves for a while! If I can clear them it will help in the battle to reduce the never-ending tbr! 

The Plan is to start this year with a few series that I really must finish or catch up with. Once I've done them all I'll extend the challenge by adding more series on until I run out of days in the year. The challenge will run all year.

SERIES TO BE FULLY READ

1) DD BARANT-BLOODHOUND FILES
1-Dying Bites
2-Death Blows
3-Killing Rocks
4-Better Off Undead
5-Back From The Undead
6-Undead To The World

2) JAYE WELLS-SABINA KANE 
1-Red Headed Stepchild (read)
2-The Mage In Black (read)
3-Green Eyed Demon
4-Silver Tongued Devil
5-Blue Blooded Vamp
 -Violet Tendencies #2.5 (read)
 -Rusted Veins #5.5

3) MLN HANOVER-BLACK SUN'S DAUGHTER 
1-Unclean Spirits
2-Darker Angels
3-Vicious Grace
4-Killing Rites
5-Graveyard Child 

4) CHRISTINA HENRY-BLACK WINGS
1-Black Wings
2-Black Night
3-Black Howl
4-Black Lament
5-Black City
6-Black Heart
7-Black Spring 

5) KELLY MEDING-DREG CITY 
1-Three Days to Dead
2-As Lie the Dead
3-Another Kind of Dead
4-Wrong Side of Dead
5-Requiem For the Dead
6-The Night Before Dead 

6) JOELLE CHARBONNEAU-THE TESTING 
1-The Testing (read-5 star)
2-Independent Study (read-4 star)
3-Graduation Day (read-4 star)

Book Review Backlog Challenge Update 3

Having happily completed catching up on reviews for all the books I read last year I've decided to keep motivated by writing a list of everything I've read this year and have yet to review. Seeing the actual list to be done has really motivated me to get it done so hopefully that will continue right through the year!

JANUARY READS 
1) George RR Martin-A Dance With Dragons part 2 (reviewed Feb 19)
2) Saul Tanpepper-Gameland (reviewed Feb 19)
3) Lady Colin Campbell-The Royal Marriages (reviewed March 2019)
4) Joelle Charbonneau-The Testing (reviewed March 2019)
5) Joelle Charbonneau-Independent Study (reviewed March 2019)
6) Joelle Charbonneau-Graduation Day (reviewed March 2019)
7) A American-Going Home (reviewed March 2019)
8) CJ Tudor-The Chalk Man (reviewed March 2019)
9) Diana Anderson-Premonitions (reviewed March 2019)
10) Lee Murray-Into The Mist (reviewed March 2019)
11) Jay J Falconer-Redfall (reviewed March 2019)
12) Christopher Coleman-They Came With The Snow (reviewed Feb 19)
13) Chris Lowry-Flyover Zombie (reviewed March 2019)
14) MV Stott-66
15) Edward Chilvers-Curse of the Forever Rain (reviewed Feb 19)
16) Cheryl L Cholley-Survivalist By Circumstance (reviewed Feb 19)
17) Kealan Patrick Burke-Jack and Jill (reviewed Feb 19)
18) Doug Kelly-Into The Darkness
19) DJ Molles-The Remaining
20) Bobby Akart-The Loyal Nine (reviewed Feb 19)
21) Bobby Akart-Axis of Evil (reviewed Feb 19)
22) Annie Berdel-Alpha Farm (reviewed Feb 19)
23) Catt Dahman-George's Terms (reviewed March 2019)
24) Adam J Wright-Lost Soul (reviewed Feb 19)
25) Alex Hughes-Clean (reviewed March 2019)

FEBRUARY READS 

1) Jaye Wells-Red Headed Stepchild (reviewed March 2019)
2) Jaye Wells-The Mage in Black (reviewed March 2019)
3) Jaye Wells-Violet Tendencies (reviewed March 2019)
4) Hunter Shea-The Devil's Fingers (reviewed March 2019)
5) Candace Robinson-Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault
6) SM Wilson-The Extinction Trials: Rebel
7) JC Eaton-Booked 4 Murder 
8) Greig Beck-Primordia 
9) Sharon Penman-The Queen's Man (reviewed March 2019)
10) Greig Beck-Primordia 2
11) Bruno Miller-Breakdown (reviewed March 2019)
12) Ryan Casey-Into The Dark (reviewed March 2019)
13) Ryan Casey-Blackout (reviewed March 2019)
14) Mildred Abbott-Cruel Candy
15) Amy Cross-The Dog (reviewed March 2019)
16) Leigh Perry-A Skeleton in the Family

MARCH READS 

1) William Meikle-Infestation 
2) William Meikle-Operation Antarctica
3) Matt Shaw-Voyage To Hell (reviewed March 2019)
4) Brad Harmer-Barnes-Tempest Outpost 
5) Thomas E Sniegoski-The Demonists (reviewed March 2019)
6) Suzanne Lazear-The Secret lives of Rockstars 
7) Bobby Adair-Ebola K 
8) JR Tate-Tornado Warning
9) Hunter Shea-Antarctic Ice Beasts
10) Chris Pike-Unexpected World  

Books From The Backlog-Jurassic Hell

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf.  You might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks. Go to Carole's blog and add your blog post link in to join in the fun! Hosted by Carole at https://carolesrandomlife.blogspot.co.uk/

This seems like a fun feature and I have been planning to take part since Carole launched this so at last, here we go! I have a TON of unread books to choose from in various genres and I'm looking forward to sharing some of them with everybody. 

There are not many places left untouched by man. There are even fewer where dinosaurs roam…

A probe breaks up on its return to Earth, scattering valuable data over an uninhabited island in the South Pacific. A three man crew from private company Space54 investigate, but they fail to return. The local chief refuses further access to the remote island, protecting an ancestral home unseen by man until now. An undercover military unit led by Phoenix Lewbridge is sent to the island to find any survivors and bring them home. What she finds on the island tests her unit’s fighting capabilities to the extreme.

Jurassic Hell: The ultimate showdown begins between man and beast. There can only be one winner… 

I can never resist a good dinosaur adventure and this one sounds just like my kind of thing. Isn't that cover amazing? I've also never tried any books by the author so I'm looking forward to this one! This was added to my shelves in the summer of 2018. 

Top Ten Tuesday-Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/

NB: I don't follow or leave comments on blogs run by Google Plus, or DISQUS as I refuse to join something just to leave comments, and I won't allow them to follow new people, update my profile or post tweets 'on my behalf'. I won't comment on any blog that makes me sign in using another account. 

This week the topic is our spring tbr. These are books I hope to get to in the next couple of months but of course it might change!

1) George RR Martin-Fire and Blood
I'm hoping to read this monster sized book between now and the new series of Game of Thrones coming on TV so that leaves me a few weeks to get it done! 

2) Nicholas Sansbury Smith-Hell Divers
I've been promising to read this one for well over a year and it is on my reading list for next month. If I like it, I'll have a few sequels to buy!

3) Michael Stephen Fuchs-Carnage
I have the last three books in this amazing zombie series to get caught up with so I'd like to get them all read. This is book #12 and I want to get to it soon.

4) MLN Hanover-The Black Sun's Daughter
This was an urban fantasy series that I started back in about 2010. I enjoyed the first book and plan to do a series catchup with it this spring.

5) Jaye Wells-Sabina Kane
I'm already halfway through this series catchup having read the first book back in 2011. I've read two books and a short story, leaving me with three books and another short story which I hope to tackle this month.

6) Jeff VanderMeer-Annihilation
I want to get the book read so I can watch the film. I have no idea what to expect as I keep seeing reviews that talk about both being weird. Guess I better get it out of the way!

7) Diane Haeger-The Queen's Mistake
I read my first book by this author which was about Mary Tudor, Henry's younger sister. I'm looking forward to reading this one about Catherine Howard.

8) Kate Emersen-The Pleasure Palace
I have five tudor books by the author but haven't read any yet. This one deals with the story of one of Henry's alleged mistresses Jane Popyncourt. Hope to read it this month.

9) Seth C Adams-If You Go Down To The Woods
I bought a lot of cheap thrillers in a sale last year at The Works and I plan to read this next month. A group of bored kids interfere with something they shouldn't and get stalked!

10) Michael J Sullivan-The Crown Tower
I picked this up in a charity shop last year. I don't read much fantasy but I thought it sounded interesting so I want to try and get it read soon.