I wasn’t tagged for this, but liked the questions so decided to answer them. Feel free to tag yourself!
How do you keep track of your TBR pile?
I used to live in fear that I would stumble upon a book that could be THE BEST BOOK OF ALL TIME and forget that I wanted to read it, and therefore bought books every time I visited a book store. Which was often. And while owning tons of books isn’t a bad thing per se, it can be expensive. I still have to fight my hankering to spontaneously spend half my paycheck on books, but I’m much better about it now. I have a GoodReads account where I try to add books that appeal to me as soon as I find them. I also keep track of them via Amazon wishlists, library holds, and Evernote. I’ve spent the last couple of years trying very hard to resist buying books unless it’s an author I really love or a book I’ve borrowed that I want to read again.
Is your TBR mostly print or ebook?
It’s both. I own hundreds of printed books, and have probably read half of them so a chunk of what I like to think of as my life-long TBR list is sitting on my shelves. As for books I haven’t purchased yet, I would say mostly print because the ebooks I buy tend to be books that are self-published and aren’t available in print, or a lot more expensive in print. While I understand that authors need to make money and try to support any writer I can, I’m not made of money and sometimes a $4.99 kindle deal is too good to pass up.
How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?
I find that my next book selections are often based on the last book I read and whether I feel a desire to immerse myself in a similar world (or the same world if it’s a series) or to distance myself from it. For example, I have a hard time picking up another mystery after reading Gillian Flynn or another thriller after reading Stephen King and typically crave something lighter. Or if I’ve just finished a fluffy romance novel, I may feel pulled toward something a bit more challenging and head for a classic novel I haven’t read before. But if I really loved a story and don’t want to leave it, I often find myself frustrated with any book I pick up and end up rereading the one I just finished. (This has happened with every single Rainbow Rowell book and every time I reread the Harry Potter series.)
A book that’s been on your TBR list the longest?
At least a couple dozen have been on my list for years and years. But I don’t mind. It gives me so much to look forward to!
A book you recently added to your TBR?
The last three books I added to my GoodReads were all recommended from a recent Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast — Lila by Marilynne Robinson, The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell and The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters.
A book on your TBR strictly because of its beautiful cover?
The last book I bought based almost entirely on its cover was The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton.
A book on your TBR that you never plan on reading?
Well, I plan on reading all of them. Or at least hope to. But there are a lot, so perhaps my ambition will exceed my time on this planet.
An unpublished book on your TBR that you’re excited for?
I’m really excited to hear that Rainbow Rowell is planning a sequel for Eleanor & Park.
A book on your TBR that basically everyone has read but you?
Hmmm. I haven’t read all of Jane Austen’s novels?
A book on your TBR that everyone recommends to you?
I’ve been told by more than a few people that I should read House of Leaves and finally plan to this month in the spirit of Halloween.
A book on your TBR that you’re dying to read?
I’m really excited to read Just Kids by Patti Smith and finally bought it last month.
How many books are on your Goodreads TBR shelf?
As of today, 312.
is the outrageously funny debut novel about three super-rich, pedigreed Chinese families and the gossip, backbiting, and scheming that occurs when the heir to one of the most massive fortunes in Asia brings home his ABC (American-born Chinese) girlfriend to the wedding of the season.
observed novel about the secrets, joys, and jealousies that rise to the surface over the course of an American family’s two-week stay in Mallorca.
was another book that I’ve read glowing reviews for that I thought was just kind of okay. Mostly I found myself wanting to visit Spain again and glad that my husband’s family is not as dramatic as the Post family. Because really, what is better to read while on vacation with family than something that makes you glad that the people you’re with are better than the ones you’re reading about? For that alone, I should send Emma Straub a thank you card.
is the story of a man who engages in a seven month affair and tries to fall back in love with his wife (and make her fall back in love with him) after his mistress ends the affair to marry another man.
seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins. Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. 
, so I was really excited for 
, despite the not-so-glowing reviews. And I wasn’t disappointed. Sure, the plot had a few holes, and I probably should have expected the ending because (spoiler alert) Ann Brashares seems to be really opposed to happy endings, but overall I found myself captivated by this book. So much so that I read it all in one sitting. I’m really looking forward to the film adaptation of it (and really hoping for a sequel.)
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and sometimes find myself hugging it in between the eloquently powerful answers that Sugar provides.
Kelley Writes Stuff 