One of my first posts on this blog was My Summer TBR and I thought it might be fun to look back over the summer and see how well I did! Spoiler Alert– I did not do so well. This is why I do not ever make TBRs! I am horrible at sticking to them. Not only am I a mood reader but when I buy new books I want to read them immediately! Enough excuses…
Books that were on my summer TBR
As you can see I had nine books on my summer TBR, and they were all books that have been on my shelves for a long time.
Books from my summer TBR that I read
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff– I am so glad that I finally read this book! It was everything that I was hoping it to be and more. I have never had a reading experience quite like this one before! I am hoping to read Gemina in September or October!
The Girls by Emma Cline- I had been wanting to read The Girls for awhile so I am glad that I finally did, but sadly it did not live up to my expectations. I was not a fan of the characters and there wasn’t much of a plot. I wrote a review that you can read here!
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery– As a Canadian I am so ashamed that it took me so long to read this book! I loved Anne and it was such a sweet and charming story. I truly loved it and thought this book was so special.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck– I am currently reading this book and taking my time with it. It is so beautifully written and I adore Steinbeck so I am truly enjoying myself! I will definitely have a review when I finish it.
So as you can see I have read 3 and half books out of the 9 that I planned to read. That is not great but I am okay with it. I read so many great books this summer so I have no regrets! I still plan on reading the rest of these books before the end of the year. I would love to know your opinion on any of these books! Which ones should I make a priority?
I didn’t stick to my summer reading plans either. Like not even close! š my mood changes too much to plan for a whole season. So you reading 3 of the books you planned is pretty good as far as I’m concerned!
Thanks!! š I don’t know how people stick to their TBR! I need to learn their secret!!
Same here! They have some sort of a super power that I’m not aware of!
I love Anne of Green Gables! I also really wanted to read The Girls, but after hearing a lot of reviews that it didn’t live up to the hype I never picked it up. Would you say it is still worth reading or not so much?
It wasn’t a horrible book and I think it might be enjoyable of you go in to it with lower expectations and knowing that its not a lot of action! Emma Cline writes beautifully so it might be worth reading for that alone!
I really need to get around to reading Illuminae! I love sci-fi and I love when books use unique story-telling formats, so really I should love it.
It’s fantastic! Can’t wait for you to read it!!
that’s a great achievement! š
i have “a handmaids tale” on my tbr and i also haven’t read the other ones, so i can’t recommend! but i heard good things haha š
I don’t know why I have put off reading The Hand maids Tale! Hopefully I’ll be in the mood for it soon!
i really don’t know either. there are just too many great books out there…
I just bought “East of Eden” a few weeks ago!! :3 I also have “Grapes of Wrath” and I am so exited to read this book! It is great to read such lovely words! :3
Every time I turn around I see one more book on the shelves T_T and not enough time to catch up T_T
It’s so true. So many books, so little time!
I really loved Grapes of Wrath!
I will need to do a North America reading list and get done with this xD
And yes š we need longer days š or a job reading :3
I’m sad to see that The Girls didn’t live up to your expectations! I have been wanting to read that one for a while but haven’t had time to yet… but the more reviews I read about it the less I think I would really like it…
I’ve seen mixed reviews but I think the problem was it wasn’t at all what I was expecting and hoping for!
I haven’t read any of these so I’m afraid i have no idea.
I have had Illuminae sitting on my bookshelf for like a year and still haven’t got to it. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it. Maybe someday I’ll finally get to it. Like you I’m a total mood reader and those shiny new books are just too tempting.
It’s such a problem! Too many new books!
Illuminae is awesome though. You won’t regret reading it?
I’m so happy you got around to Anne of Green Gables! It’s one of my favorite stories ever. Actually, it is my favorite book.šI really recommend the others in the series!
I definitely want to continue the series. I just love Anne!
I’m so glad that you loved Illuminae! Gemina is just as amazing, I can’t wait for Obsidio to release next year. I also love how these books look inside, so fascinating.
I quite often set myself TBRs and don’t stick to them but they’re always there to fall back to!
Gemina is happening soon! I want to read it before Obsidio is released at least!!
Sticking to a TBR is impossible!!
The Girls is completely uninspired and I wonder why it’s so popular. It’s a rehashing of the Manson Family, note for note and character by character. I knew each substitution down to the “plot”. Big disappointment. I wanted an original story, not a copy.
I agree with you! Maybe I should have just read Helter Skelter?
I can’t even plan two books ahead let alone books for a whole summer so I’m actually very impressed you managed to read like 1/3 of your list!! And omg Anne of Green Gables! This reminds me I started a reread some time ago, I should get back to that soon! ((And you edition has such a pretty cover omg!! I LOVE it!))
Thank you!
Anne of Green Gables was so good. I am mad it took me this long to read it!
I was kind of scared when I was rereading it this summer that it wouldn’t be as good as I remembered it from my childhood??? I’m so very glad I was wrong wow.
I’d love to read the Handmaid’s Tale in the future as well! I’ve watched the TV series of it and I LOVED THE SHOW, I feel like reading the book and watching the series would be a whole different feeling! Have you watched the show? If yes, did you enjoy it?
I want to read the book first and then watch the show! I have heard so many good things about it!
Haha you shouldn’t feel so bad I haven’t read Ann of Green Gables either! I’ve been told it’s great and I really want to visit the site in PEI, but I think I should read it before I visit!
I’m so so glad you liked Illuminae and Anne and are currently enjoying East of Eden!! American Gods is amazing too- so hope you like that when you get to it š
American Gods is still high on my TBR! Have you watched the show? I haven’t heard much about it!
No I haven’t yet and nor have I actually- I do want to check it out though.
I also suck at TBRs. I even break down my TBR into littler TBRs and I still don’t read all of them (usually).
It is crazy to me that people can actually follow their TBR. So jealous!
I also realized that I am really crappy at sticking to my TBR – I ended up reading books outside my TBR! I probably won’t do TBR thing again… the curse of being a mood reader!! lol
It’s so true! I wish I was less of a mood reader!
Ooooo, yas I’m so glad you read Anne! It’s so good! It’s one of my favorite books of all time.
It’s such a charming book. Definitely want to read the whole series!
I’m exactly the same, I haven’t set a Tbr as I know I’d never stick to it. A book always catches my eye and once I get into a book there’s no getting out of it I wouldn’t be able to follow a Tbr. You’ve read three though so that’s pretty good š
Thanks!! I was actually kind of surprised I managed to read 3 of them! It’s impossible for me to plan ahead when it comes to reading!
Same here a don’t even think I could do two š lol
Well, you read plenty of other books, so no worries about a TBR! I think it’s great that you’re a mood reader! š
Thank you Krysti! š
I’ve had American Gods on my TBR for a while and I need to get around to it sometime, but I did recently finish up the entirety of the Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman and I loved those. Also, I think The Handsmaid’s Tale has been on my Goodreads TBR practically the longest.
I love Neil Gaiman so I know I will like it. Just have to be in the mood for it!!
I want to read The Hand maids Tale before I watch the show!
Same here.