Book Blogger New Year's Challenge Day 11: TBR Shelf: How Many?

Hi everyone...and a happy, book-filled new year!

I decided to start 2014 doing something completely new to me, blog-wise - that is, joining a challenge. This one is hosted by Parajunkee. And what I like about it is, it deals with blogging and bloggers, not with a mere list of books to read as fast as possible.

And here is her introduction to the challenge...

Hey everyone, it is that time of year again. The time when we get all excited for a NEW YEAR, plan our goals, set our resolutions and just straight-up get motivated. Guess what? I’m here to help you get a little more motivated about your blogging, with 14 writing posts for the New Year.

The Book Blogger New Year’s Challenge will begin on January 1st and run 14 days. It is going to be fun, it is going to be easy and hopefully it will get you motivated in 2014.  Each day I will post my own prompts and at the bottom I will add a linky so you can add your own posts. Here are the topics:

 

January 11 Question: TBR shelf: how many?

(Oops, I skipped the latest 3 days of this challenge. Did anyone miss me? I don't think so...LOL).
I have a really small TBR pile, at least compared with the ones I see around. To date, there are 64 books on it that I do mean to read, and 47 I'm not so sure about. For a grand total of 111 books (neat number, isn't it?). They range from oldies (80s' and such) to 2017 releases (did I mention I love time travel?). The genre spectrum varies a lot too - from a few contemporaries to the vast amount of weird ones (sci-fi, horror, supernatural, you name it). I even keep a list of them all - with release dates etc. - on an Office Calc document, which helps me pick the ones I am more interested in first. How nerdy.
Of course, lots of Pike books in my list (yes Kate, I'm nodding at you). But I'll have to wait for most of them to be re-released, since I don't have a credit card - which rules out Amazon and the like. *sighs*
I very rarely erase a book from my TBR list. It did happen a couple of times though, after I perused the nth review - because I'm always refining my list that way (you know, since I have to actually buy my books). The Not-Sure list is where promising books are kept until a certain review - or a sneak-peek at the actual text - makes the scale droop one way or the other.

So how high is you TBR pile? can you see the top of it? ;)

Book Blogger New Year's Challenge Day 7: Top Ten Book Blogger Pet Peeves

Hi everyone!

I decided to start 2014 doing something completely new to me, blog-wise - that is, joining a challenge. This one is hosted by Parajunkee. And what I like about it is, it deals with blogging and bloggers, not with a mere list of books to read as fast as possible.

And here is her introduction to the challenge...

Hey everyone, it is that time of year again. The time when we get all excited for a NEW YEAR, plan our goals, set our resolutions and just straight-up get motivated. Guess what? I’m here to help you get a little more motivated about your blogging, with 14 writing posts for the New Year.

The Book Blogger New Year’s Challenge will begin on January 1st and run 14 days. It is going to be fun, it is going to be easy and hopefully it will get you motivated in 2014.  Each day I will post my own prompts and at the bottom I will add a linky so you can add your own posts. Here are the topics:

 

Before I proceed with the new topic, I want to apologize in advance for skipping Round 8, 9 and 10. I'm still too new (in a sense) for having a really great blog moment to share, and I can't attend events and such because I'm in Italy. As for new things, I might be repeating some of my blogger resolutions...But I will read your posts and live vicariously ;D.

January 7 Question: Top ten book blogger pet peeves.

Well, since Parajunkee gave us free hand, I thought I'd do a double list: the first one deals with my pet peeves about books, while in the second list I will (respectfully) point out some things about blogs I'm not particularly fond of. So here we go...

Book Pet Peeves

1) The ominous Love Triangle (or Heavy Romance)

Image source

Now, please don't bite my head off. I'm just sayin'. But those are not for me, really. Though I can occasionally tolerate a love triangle of sorts if done smartly. E.g., All Our Yesterdays - where the girl in the present and the one from the future are virtually two separate individuals. And even if Em still cares from James (past James) while being with Finn, it's understandable.
As for romance, I prefer it to be minimal *people stare at her in horror*. It's one of the reasons why I don't read many contemporary books...unless they mainly focus on something else than pure romance.

2) Creature overflow

Image source

Maybe it's not really about creatures so much (though me and fairies or angels don't get along very well...oh, Castiel from the Supernatural series being the necessary exception LOL. He's, well, fun. But I digress). Maybe it's more about the fact that they come two dimes a dozen these days. Don't get me wrong, if you like vampires or zombies or whatever, there's nothing wrong with it (or with you). It's just that I tend to get annoyed with any kind of stuff that's everywhere. And even if I do read a book with creatures in it, I want to read a different take on them. That's why, despite what I said, I am enjoying/have enjoyed both the Last Vampire/Thirst saga by Christopher Pike (Pike, duh. But I don't necessarily love everything he writes) and Jeri Smith-Ready's WVMP Radio series. So, should the right creatures come along...I'm taking the bait. Or bite ;P.

 3) In which the Unpopular Girl suddenly displays unusual and frightening powers, while falling for the New Boy At School who may end up being her ally in saving the world - or not (but usually yes)

Image source
(the bubbles content is my own)

Nuff said LOL. Again, too many of them. If I read such a synopsis, I usually split.

4) Flat writing

Image source

No amount of awesomeness provided by a book will ever make me overlook that. Though I can occasionally tolerate - or even enjoy - simple or dry writing, if it's congenial to the story. E.g., Mike Lancaster's duology Point 4.

5) Disembodied books (i.e. reading on a screen) 

Image source

I know. I'm hopelessly old-fashioned. But I have a hard time reading books on a screen - though I did it before and I'm willing to do it again for review purposes (on my PC), since I can't reasonably expect anyone sending a printed ARC to me (at least at this point). But I don't have an eReader and I don't plan on buying one. I preferably need to sit on my bed and turn actual pages. Sorry for the forests :(.

Book Blogger New Year's Challenge Day 4: The Books of 2014 You Won't Miss

Hi everyone!

I decided to start 2014 doing something completely new to me, blog-wise - that is, joining a challenge. This one is hosted by Parajunkee. And what I like about it is, it deals with blogging and bloggers, not with a mere list of books to read as fast as possible.

And here is her introduction to the challenge...

Hey everyone, it is that time of year again. The time when we get all excited for a NEW YEAR, plan our goals, set our resolutions and just straight-up get motivated. Guess what? I’m here to help you get a little more motivated about your blogging, with 14 writing posts for the New Year.

The Book Blogger New Year’s Challenge will begin on January 1st and run 14 days. It is going to be fun, it is going to be easy and hopefully it will get you motivated in 2014.  Each day I will post my own prompts and at the bottom I will add a linky so you can add your own posts. Here are the topics:

Before I reply to today's question, I want to apologize in advance for not getting involved in the next two rounds of the challenge: Worst Book of 2013 and Best Book of 2013. I'm so far behind with the books released last year (and even before), it's not even funny. (See my previous post for them). So I won't be able to pick the best or the worst of 2013. But I very much look forward to reading what the others have to say...especially about the worst [insert evil grin here].

January 4 Question: The books of 2014 you won't miss.

I'm very picky when it comes to books. Especially when having to buy them LOL. There are a few on my radar, but right now, only 8+2 are books which I'm sure of. Let me explain...
(...and BTW, there's no way I'll be able to buy all the new releases I'm listing here this year. But this is dreamland, right? or an alternate reality...).

Cover Revelead + Date Confirmed

White Space (Dark Passages #1) by Ilsa J. Bick - This Side of Salvation by Jeri Smith-Ready - While We Run (When We Wake #2) by Karen Healey - Black Knight (Witch World #2) by Christopher Pike

Bick. First installment in a duet? duology? anyway. From what people say, it's a complex book. But this never scared me. I'm such a masochist ;P.
Smith-Ready. I liked her WVMP urban fantasy series. This one is...a bunch of things, apparently. Like contemporary, supernatural and mystery rolled into one. Gimme gimme gimme...
Healey. I still have to read the first installment, but I do plan on buying the two books together because I don't want to have to wait. Also, I wasn't able to squeeze Book 1 into my latest shopping list...Anyway, the girl here was frozen and revived 100 years later, in a dystopian world. She fought before, and now she has to run. But ultimately fight again, of course.
Pike. An old friend of mine, so to speak. He introduced me to YA in my "old" age, so if you have to blame someone for being stuck with reading this blog, blame him ;P. This book is the second installment in the Witch World series, not his finest work, but still peculiar and entertaining.

***

Book Blogger New Year's Challenge Day 3: The Books of 2013 You Are Sad You Missed

Hi everyone!

I decided to start 2014 doing something completely new to me, blog-wise - that is, joining a challenge. This one is hosted by Parajunkee. And what I like about it is, it deals with blogging and bloggers, not with a mere list of books to read as fast as possible.

And here is her introduction to the challenge...

Hey everyone, it is that time of year again. The time when we get all excited for a NEW YEAR, plan our goals, set our resolutions and just straight-up get motivated. Guess what? I’m here to help you get a little more motivated about your blogging, with 14 writing posts for the New Year.

The Book Blogger New Year’s Challenge will begin on January 1st and run 14 days. It is going to be fun, it is going to be easy and hopefully it will get you motivated in 2014.  Each day I will post my own prompts and at the bottom I will add a linky so you can add your own posts. Here are the topics:

 

January 3 Question: The books of 2013 you are sad you missed.

I didn't have the chance of shopping much for books last year. So there are many 2013-and-older releases in my TR list (not counting those in my NS one, as in Not Sure). I've been refining my TR list for ages, because I buy my books, and of course I don't like to throw away my money. Who would? Anyway, here are the books of 2013 that survived! because yes, I'm still definitely going to buy them...only later.

January to March

When We Wake (When We Wake #1) by Karen Healey - Man in the Empty Suit by Sean Ferrell - Ferryman by Claire McFall

A sort-of-afterlife/sci-fi/dystopian book with a series of politically correct messages. A time-travel adult book where the main character meets younger and older versions of himself and may be the target of one of them. A true afterlife book with both a journey and a coming-of-age angle (assuming it's possible to be coming of age after you're dead). I was devastated I had to push them to later.

***

Book Blogger New Year's Challenge Day 2: Your Pros and Cons of Blogging List

Hi everyone!

I decided to start 2014 doing something completely new to me, blog-wise - that is, joining a challenge. This one is hosted by Parajunkee. And what I like about it is, it deals with blogging and bloggers, not with a mere list of books to read as fast as possible.

And here is her introduction to the challenge...

Hey everyone, it is that time of year again. The time when we get all excited for a NEW YEAR, plan our goals, set our resolutions and just straight-up get motivated. Guess what? I’m here to help you get a little more motivated about your blogging, with 14 writing posts for the New Year.

The Book Blogger New Year’s Challenge will begin on January 1st and run 14 days. It is going to be fun, it is going to be easy and hopefully it will get you motivated in 2014.  Each day I will post my own prompts and at the bottom I will add a linky so you can add your own posts. Here are the topics:

 

January 2 Question: Your pros and cons of blogging list.

Well, who am I fooling. For me, the very best thing about blogging is being able to say what's on my mind. Even when you're not sure if anyone read what you wrote, or cared at all, there's a sublimating quality in being able to express yourself publicly. Of course, it helps if someone is really reading and caring ;).

I have to say I also enjoy designing graphics, formatting posts etc. It's another way of being creative. Now, I'm not the artistic type at all when it comes to drawing or such, but I learned a couple of things about web graphics (just a couple, but still), and I like to experiment with them. As for formatting posts, Blogspot/Blogger can be a real pain in the ass sometimes, but surprisingly enough, I have fun fighting with it outwitting it ;D.

And of course, you know, books. Dissecting them (erm. I know it sounds cruel, since I'm supposed to love them - which I do. But in this respect, I'm a bit like the kid disassembling her/his new toy in order to understand how it works...). Reconstructing them. Polish them till they shine. Trying to steer someone toward them. Or maybe not sometimes.

As for the cons - um. Since I've not really been in the swing of things to date (like I said in my 1st Day post, I tend to be on the quiet side, blog-wise), I can't say I experienced some real cons - like drama or controversies related to authors or other bloggers. Unless you count as a con when one doesn't really feel like posting, but doesn't want to be M.I.A. for too long either. Or when one posts what she/he regards as a great review or article and nobody seems interested in it. Which I guess happens more than once, especially to less established bloggers.

I'm looking forward to your answers now... :)