If you’re just new to my blog, you probably haven’t yet realized the amount of books that are on my TBR pile. We’re talking HUNDREDS of books! It’s a little insane. Just recently, I marked off some of the books I planned to read as already being read. These were books that I had read previously, but hoped to reread for the blog. Needless to say, when the number of books that I own and haven’t read AT ALL started creeping up, I realized I should probably just mark these older books as read and continue working my way through the ever-growing pile.

So, when Amanda at On a Book Bender and Kelly at Reading the Paranormal talked about a NEW CHALLENGE to wrap up the year which involved whittling down their TBR shelves, I was IN!

My first plan of attack was to go through my Own-Must-Read and Wishlist shelves and get rid of some of books I was no longer interested in. The problem with my To-Read shelf was that I OWNED all of these books. So …

Goal #1: Pick out 10 books I am no longer interested in to donate to my library.

 Goal SURPASSED! I really took a look at the books on my shelves and found SIXTY-FIVE to donate to my library! As well as a pile of ARCs that I won through contests, but am just not interested in (I thought I’d give them to the library assistants, if they want them) AND some books that I’ve read but didn’t like. No sense in them cluttering up my shelves!

** Note: I managed to find more books after taking this picture, culling over 100 close to 150  TWO HUNDRED AND ONE books from my shelves. I’m feeling just a bit of anxiety getting rid of them, but life is about reading the GOOD books, not collecting books I’ll never read. 

**Note: Culled another 25 books from my shelves as of 09/30. 

Goal #2: Read more of my outstanding series books. 

Last month, I compiled a list of the series books that I had started reading, so I could see where I was in a series and what books needed to be read. There are a few of these series (what is the plural of series? series’s? series?) that I would LOVE to continue reading, but I always feel like there are so many OTHER books I need to be reading. So, I went through my list and picked out some series books that I would love to finish before the end of the year the series books I own for series that I’ve started:

1. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (THHGTTG, #2), by Douglas Adams
2. Life, The Universe, and Everything (THHGTTG, #3), by Douglas Adams
3. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (THHGTTG, #4), by Douglas Adams
4. Mostly Harmless (THHGTTG, #5), by Douglas Adams
5. Girl of Nightmares (Anna, #2), by Kendare Blake
6. Deadly Appearances (Joanne Kilbourne, #1), by Gail Bowen
7. Murder at the Mendel (Joanne Kilbourne, #2), by Gail Bowen
8. The Wandering Soul Murders (Joanne Kilbourne, #3), by Gail Bowen
9. A Colder Kind of Death (Joanne Kilbourne, #4), by Gail Bowen
10. A Killing Spring (Joanne Kilbourne, #5), by Gail Bowen
11. Verdict in Blood (Joanne Kilbourne, #6), by Gail Bowen
12. Burying Ariel (Joanne Kilbourne, #7), by Gail Bowen
13. Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood, by Anne Brashares
14. City of Lost Souls (Mortal Instruments, #5), by Cassandra Clare
15. The Strange Case of Finley Jane (The Steampunk Chronicles, #0.5), by Kady Cross
16. The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods, #3), by Melissa de la Cruz
17. Keys to the Repository (Blue Bloods, #3.5), by Melissa de la Cruz
18. Misguided Angel (Blue Bloods, #4), by Melissa de la Cruz
19. One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress, #2), by Jeaniene Frost
20. At Grave’s End (Night Huntress, #3), by Jeaniene Frost
21. Drums of Autumn (Outlander, #4), by Diana Gabaldon
22. The Fiery Cross (Outlander, #5), by Diana Gabaldon
23. A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander, #6), by Diana Gabaldon
24. Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse, #2), by Charlaine Harris
25. Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, #3), by Charlaine Harris
26. Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4), by Charlaine Harris
27. Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, #5), by Charlaine Harris
28. Definitely Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, #6), by Charlaine Harris
29. Altogether Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, #7), by Charlaine Harris
30. The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey, #2), by Julie Kagawa
31. The Iron King (Iron Fey, #3), by Julie Kagawa
32. The Iron Knight (Iron Fey, #4), by Julie Kagawa
33. The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia, #3), by C. S. Lewis
34. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #5), by C. S. Lewis
35. The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia, #6), by C. S. Lewis
36. The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia, #7), by C. S. Lewis
37. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (Twilight, #3.5), by Stephenie Meyer
38. Dark Flame (The Immortals, #4), by Alyson Noel
39. Such Wicked Intent (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, #2), by Kenneth Oppel
40. The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson, #4), by Rick Riordan
41. The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson, #5), by Rick Riordan

Goal #3: Read all of my outstanding review books. 

Since I am NO LONGER accepting review books, one major goal for me is to clear all of my outstanding ones out of my TBR pile by the end of the year. I’m sure I’ve already committed a major blogger faux pas by declining my NetGalley review books that I had on my eReader (I think 5 titles?), but I can’t do that to the physical books. Once they’re read and the review is posted or scheduled, I will feel so much better!

1. Through to You, by Emily Hainsworth
2. Little Star, by John Ajvide Lindqvist
3. Catherine, by April Lindner
4. Almost Amish, by Kathryn Cushman
5. Who I Kissed, by Janet Gurtler
6. Pretty When She Kills (Pretty When She Dies, #2), by Rhiannon Frater
7. The Devil’s Metal (Devils, #1), by Karina Halle
8. Husk, by Corey Redekop
9. At What Cost, by J. Andersen
10. Two and Twenty Tales, by various authors
11. She’s Got Issues, by Nicole Unice
12. The Breath of Allah, by Steven W. Ritcheson
13. Furious, by Jill Wolfson
14. The Humming Room, by Ellen Potter
15. The Night She Disappeared, by April Henry

Note: Yeah, yeah, yeah. This list is getting longer. I just can’t stay away from some titles! Though, I admit, my incoming review books have gone down a LOT. 

Goal #4: Read some of the books that have been given to me.

1. For Darkness Shows the Stars, by Diana Peterfreund (gifted by Lisa)
2. Someone Else’s Life, by Katie Dale (gifted by Kelsey)
3. Never Enough, by Denise Jaden (gifted by Sarah)
4. Tommy Nightmare (The Paranormals, #2), by J. L. Bryan (gifted by Kelsey)
5. Alexander Death (The Paranormals, #3), by J. L. Bryan (gifted by Kelsey)
6. In a Glass Grimmly (A Tale Dark and Grimm, #2), by Adam Gidwitz (ARC gifted by Alexa)
7. Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1), by Tahereh Mafi (gifted by Michele)
8. This is Not a Test, by Courtney Summers (gifted by Sarah)
9. Red Fox (Experiment in Terror, #2), by Karina Halle (gifted by the author!)
10. Death and the Girl Next Door (Darklight, #1), by Darynda Jones (gifted by Jenni)
11. Send, by Patty Blount (gifted by Jenni)

Goal #5: Start some new series books.

As much as I am against the series book, I own a ton of them. I don’t know when I’m going to get around to reading them, so it would be best if I just started reading some of them. Some books aren’t listed here, but there are some series that I’ve actually started reading, but stopped partway through and now have no idea what happened or where they left off. These are all of the first books in series that I own and would like to start:

1. Illuminate (Gilded Wings, #1), by Aimee Agresti
2. The Turning (Blood Ties, #1), by Jennifer Armintrout (audiobook)
3. Bitten (Women of the Otherworld, #1), by Kelley Armstrong
4. Pure (Pure, #1), by Julianna Baggott
5. A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1), by Libba Bray
6. The Carrie Diaries (The Carrie Diaries, #1), by Candace Bushnell
7. Insatiable (Insatiable, #1), by Meg Cabot
8. Belles (Belles, #1), by Jen Calonita
9. Eve (Eve, #1), by Anna Carey
10. The Wishing Spell (The Land of Stories, #1), by Chris Colfer
11. Matched (Matched, #1), by Ally Condie
12. The Au Pairs (The Au Pairs, #1), by Melissa de la Cruz
13. Croak (Croak, #1), by Gina Damico
14. Bared to You (Crossfire, #1), by Sylvia Day
15. Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Jessica, #1), by Beth Fantaskey
16. Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1), by Becca Fitzpatrick
17. The Tale of the Vampire Bride (The Vampire Bride, #1), by Rhiannon Frater
18. Cold Kiss (Cold Kiss, #1), by Amy Garvey
19. Bright Young Things (Bright Young Things, #1), by Anna Godbersen
20. The Changeling (Order of Darkness, #1), by Philippa Gregory
21. Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror, #1), by Karina Halle
22. Deadly Cool (Deadly Cool, #1), by Gemma Halliday
23. The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1), by Jenny Han
24. Switched (Trylle Trilogy, #1), by Amanda Hocking
25. Wake (Watersong, #1), by Amanda Hocking
26. Temptation (Temptation, #1), by Karen Ann Hopkins
27. Reckoning Light (The Afterglow Trilogy, #1), by Alyssa Rose Ivy
28. Possession (Possession, #1), by Elana Johnson
29. 13 Little Blue Envelopes (Little Blue Envelope, #1), by Maureen Johnson
30. Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange, #1), by Lesley Livingston
31. I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies, #1), by Pittacus Lore
32. Pretty Crooked (Pretty Crooked, #1), by Elisa Ludwig
33. The Spellman Files (The Spellmans, #1), by Lisa Lutz
34. Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1), by Sarah J. Mass
35. Rot & Ruin (Benny Imura, #1), by Jonathan Maberry
36. A Rogue By Any Other Name (The Rules of Scoundrels, #1), by Sarah MacLean
37. Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1), by Tahereh Mafi
38. Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful, #1), by Jamie McGuire
39. Bloodlines (Bloodlines, #1), by Richelle Mead
40. Incarnate (Newsoul, #1), by Jodi Meadows
41. Cinder (Cinder, #1), by Marissa Meyer
42. War Horse (War Horse, #1), by Michael Morpurgo
43. Torn (Torn Trilogy, #1), by Erica O’Rourke
44. Airborne (Matt Cruse, #1), by Kenneth Oppel
45. Hemlock (Hemlock, #1), by Kathleen Peacock
46. Summer of the Midnight Sun (Alaskan Quest, #1), by Tracie Peterson
47. Wings (Wings, #1), by Aprilynne Pike
48. Past Midnight (Past Midnight, #1), by Mara Purnhagen
49. Virals (Virals, #1), by Kathy Reichs
50. The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #1), by Carrie Ryan
51. Wicked Nights (Angels of the Dark, #1), by Gena Showalter
52. Inside (Inside-Outside, #1), by Maria V. Snyder
53. Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Smoke & Bone, #1), by Laini Taylor
54. The Deepest Cut (MacKinnon Curse, #1), by J. A. Templeton
55. The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings, #1), by J. R. R. Tolkein
56. The Importance of Being Married (Jessica Wild, #1), by Gemma Townley
57. Rabbit Run (Rabbit Angstrom, #1), by John Updike
58. A Witch in Winter (Winter, #1), by Ruth Warburton
59. Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #1), by J. R. Ward
60. Leviathan (Leviathan, #1), by Scott Westerfeld
61. Blood Red Road (Dust Lands, #1), by Moira Young

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THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH (AS OF 10/08)

Get free ebooks shelf under 20:

As of 10/08 — 69

Get own-must-read shelf under (or around) 300: 

As of 10/08 — 345

Get my raks-won-gifts shelf under 30: 

As of 10/08 — 53

Read my 4 6 signed books (leaving out anthology and series book):

As of 10/08 — 0/6

As far as my calculations go, with the 17 weeks that are left in the year, I could read at LEAST 3 books a week (hopefully more), so that means I COULD read at least 50 books before the end of the year. Of course, I’m hoping that I read slightly more than that, but even if I don’t, this should help with my goals!

PRIORITIES: 

When it comes to reading all of these books, my priorities for the first few months will rotate between review books and spooky books, then series books and gifted/won books.

EVENTUALLY, I’d love to get my Own-Must-Read shelf UNDER 400 300. THAT would be awesome! I dream of the day when it’s only double digits!

PERSONAL GOALS: 

1. STOP BUYING SO MANY BOOKS! 

OK, yes, I do love having books on my shelves, but enough is enough. I have way too many books that I haven’t and will not read. I think part of me just wants to have ALL THE BOOKS on my shelves, but another part of me wants to have the books I love and the books I will want to reread. I have lots of these on my shelves, but I also have plenty of books I’ve gotten for free, or bought super cheap just to bulk up my collection. This has to stop!

2. Start utilizing the library!

My library has a GREAT selection of books! I need to use the library for those books where I don’t know the author, don’t know the genre, or maybe books I want to read, but am unsure on whether or not I’ll like them. More times than not, I’ll buy these books then be totally disappointed with them.

3. Learn to let go of books. 

Just because I bought a book doesn’t mean it has to stay on my shelf. Again, this goes with #1 — if I hate a book, donate it or give it to someone who will love it. Or else it just stays sad on my shelf.

4. Stop accepting review books. 

This was awesome when I first started blogging — it was awesome being accepted for review copies! But this is not why I started my blog. This is why I will NOT be accepted or requesting review copies. I won’t put a time limit on this, but let’s just say this won’t change anytime soon.

Are you participating in this challenge? What are your year-end goals?

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