My TBR Pile is Growing

I started receiving request for reviews (woohoo!)  I love reading, beta reading, and being part of critique groups.  I think it only makes my own writing stronger, but I also love helping other people.  And when I like a book, I love to spread the word about it.

But I think I really outdid myself.  I swear, I have to make a syllabus for my life or something - with due dates and the whole messy lot.

I'm behind on examiner.com posts (I still have to post my review of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness and Hunt by Patti Larsen - but at least I just got The Between review up!).  Which were all fun books, and recommended...  And to top it all off - September approaches!  Meaning that I have to read the next book in the "Books that made me love reading" challenge.

And I'm completely behind on my TBR Pile Challenge.  Okay, not behind really.  I set out to read 10 books on my TBR list.  I've definitely done that, but I haven't actually submitted any posts about them (I'm super lame, I know!)

You can see the picture for the list of books.  They were all sitting on the shelves.  Which, let me tell you something:  My library is awesome.  If they don't have a book, they can get it for me - they can order it on loan from another library in the Los Angeles county area, and poof!  Like magic, I get an e-mail saying it's in.  How's that for awesome?

Here's the thing I hate:  They never really have books that I want on their shelves.

Not today!  The library got a total YA revamping - and these four books that have been on my to-be-read list for entirely too long magically appeared on the shelves!  I couldn't believe it!

So, I'll be reading/reviewing for the next few weeks... and hopefully I'll find some time to finish my third draft of RUHE so that my beta readers can finish beta reading.

Also, I should mention how much I adore Patrick Ness's interview on YA books getting age ratings (he's against, for various reasons).  And I agree with him, but he's very articulate about it.  You should check it out!  I already loved his writing, but now I also like his style.

Monthly Book Recommendations

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien
YA Science Fiction - Dystopian

Highly recommended because of the main character, Gaia.  O'Brien creates an amazing character that works so fluidly in the dystopian world of the Enclave.  She accidentally falls into the hero role because of her good nature and naivety - and her blind determination to save her parents from jail.  O'Brien's writing is well composed, descriptive, and still has you hanging on the edge of your seat.  Though it is not as action packed as some other YA Dystopian novels, I feel like this one is a great change of pace for someone that wants a mellower, but still intriguing Sci-Fi read.  I have a longer review on examiner.com.
*TBR Pile Challenge book*

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion 
YA Zombies / Horror / Romance

Here’s the deal: People that expect this to be a gnarly, gut ripping out, zombie story will be in for disappointment (I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest, though, and I love brain gushing zombies as much as the next person). While Isaac Marion does give us several gory details, his story focuses on “R” a zombie that is way too intelligent. A zombie that feels trapped in a useless body and a useless life and wants to find a reason to live again. Enter Julie. He happens to fall in love with her because he ate part of her boyfriend’s brain (whoops). Marion does a great job with describing what it would be like to be an intellectual person stuck in a rotting, walking corpse. The descriptions are fantastic, and I overall really love the story.  I have a longer review on examiner.
*TBR Pile Challenge book*


Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
YA Urban Fantasy / Vampires
I know, I am so far behind the times.  I picked this up solely on a whim and because some people on goodreads really recommend it.  I wasn't disappointed, but I think the pacing could have been a bit strong in the beginning.  But once I got into it, I tell you... Richelle created an amazingly vicious and beautiful vampire world.  My hope for this series is that it gets a little bit darker, because I really want some deliciously dark YA vampire stuff.  But so far so good, it didn't disappoint, and thus it makes it onto my recommendations list.  For a longer review check my examiner. 
*TBR Pile Challenge book* 

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard
YA Contemporary / Fiction

I had the pleasure of reading this as an Advanced Reader's Copy - and was I happy that I won it.  Jennifer Hubbard's writing was so enticing.  She did such a good job at portraying what life would be like after an attempted suicide.  Ryan's brain is muddled, confused, and he's just starting to figure himself out.  Hubbard's writing and pacing are quiet, but they sneak up to you.  Her words weasel their way into your brain and you are thinking about them for a long time afterward.  This is a great read if you want a change of pace from the action-packed dystopian literature.  I was very pleased.  My full review is on examiner.
*ARC Book*

2012 TBR Pile Challenge

I probably have entirely too much stuff going on in my life - but what is one more?  On top of trying to find an agent, polishing my NaNo novel, writing 40k a month for four months (this month makes number two, I am at a low 11k, but it's getting there... somehow), finding a new job, finishing my third novel, prepping my NaNo for queries, and self-publishing a set of short stories that is in the form of a memoir, why not add a reading challenge?

For the year, I want to read 50 books.  And I don't post reviews, I've said that before.  Therefore I will miss out on some entries to the prizes - but I will still recommend anything that I read and enjoy, as usual.

The TBR (To Be Read) challenge is simple:  Look at your shelves.  Remember that book that you bought one year ago that you wanted to read?  Remember that book you bought five years ago?  Well, now is the time to read them.  Dust them off and finally sit down with your To Be Read pile and finish them!

I don't know how many books I have littering my shelves that are in my To Be Read pile.  I know practically all of the Redwall series hangs there - though I've read Mossflower twice.  I know House of Leaves keeps on getting half read and I can't finish it because I get scared.  Hot Zone is the same reaction.  I have Breakfast of Champions and The Yearling.  There's probably quite a few others that I am not remembering right now.

My problem is, I have recently been given the opportunity to write for Examiner.com again as a YA Fiction examiner.  Most of what I have on my To Be Read shelf is not YA.  So, I'll have to do this challenge and still balance it with the rest of my reading... and writing and life...

Though, I must admit, I am very happy to have a lot of goals.  My goal for my To Be Read shelf is to read fifteen books that are on my shelf.  When I post my monthly recommendations, I'll note whether it was a "To Be Read" book or not.  I might finish more books than I recommend, but that is always the case.  At some point, I'll make a way to track my progress (maybe another sidebar element?)

If anyone joins the To Be Read Pile Challenge - let me know!  I'd be happy to have some followers along for the ride.  There are some fabulous prizes along the way too :)

The fabulous hosts:
Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvie
Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown
Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog
Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net @caitlingss
Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread
Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette
Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks
Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction
Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions