A Pile of Guilt: Do you fret over your TBRs?

Forgive me bloggers, for I have sinned.  The cause of the recent rainy weather is my TBR pile–it’s BLOCKING the sun, preventing it from shining. 

In an act of desperation, I recently moved my TBR pile from my desk, where it was taking up prime real estate, to a dark corner of my office, out of view.  Why did I do this?  Simple.  The guilt over the leaning tower of TBRs was eating away at me, gnawing on me each time I plopped into my chair.  I tried rearranging and restacking them, to no avail.  They didn’t go away or look less daunting, so I banished them to the corner.

How did I find myself in such a conundrum?  Way back in February, at my request, a book blogging friend sent me a box of books as I prepared to launch Book, Line, and Sinker.  I wanted to have some books to review and feared I wouldn’t have enough material.  This kind blogger sent me a box of 20 books and I was overjoyed.  I pawed through the box, reading dust jackets and flipping through pages.

I picked out a book and blazed through it.  And then I started jotting down other bloggers’ suggestions for books and I even started getting review copies from some publishers and authors.  And the 19 books began to collect dust because I was reading everything else first!  Even though the blogger has told me repeatedly that it’s no big deal, I still feel terrible!  

Then, as if I didn’t have enough stuff to do, I created an insane challenge in which I thought I’d read 30 books this summer.  So far, I’ve made my way through 6 (and want to KISS the person who suggested Gargoyle–it was UNBELIEVABLE).  I’m going to keep plugging away but will be content to finish all 30 by Labor Day 2010! 

So, the 19 books are still lurking in my TBR pile only now they’ve found themselves piled below 12 others that are lined up for reviews in August and September.  Will I ever get to them all?  I have a book review each week for the next 8 weeks but should be able to squeeze in some of the 19 between now and September. 

Are you guilty over your TBRs?  How do you handle it?!  I need an intervention or at least have to say a few Hail Marys to assuage my guilt!

Reading Challenge: Book Blogger Picks

After almost four months on the book blog circuit, I have yet to partake in any of the challenges out there.  Some of the challenges are pretty clever, but I’m going out on a limb, creating a challenge just for me, with your help.

For my own reading pleasure, I’m going to create a list of books to read based purely on blogger recommendations.  Anyone who’d care to comment is welcome to leave the title and author of one of your favorite books.  The book can be your all-time favorite read or just a book that you recently read and thoroughly enjoyed. 

I’m going to be reading across genres, so no fretting about that.  I’m just looking to generate some fresh titles and authors for my personal challenge.  Summer is fast approaching and I need some stuff to read while I lounge on the beach.

Are you monogamous?

Hello. My name is Natalie and I’m a literary polygamist.

As you can tell from my sidebar, I keep company with several different reads simultaneously. I hope you won’t think less of me for my wanton ways.

During a typical week, I am in the middle of four different books at school (currently: Of Mice and Men, Great Expectations, A Raisin in the Sun, and The Importance of Being Earnest), a book in my car (Foreign Body), and a book or two at home (American Wife).  I’m a book ho’ and am proud to shout it from the top of my book brothel blog. 

So, do you step out on your books and see others?  Are you able to keep plots and characters straight in your head when your moral compass leads you astray?

Hold That Page: Do You Use a Bookmark?

As an English teacher and avid reader, friends, family, and students often give me book-themed gifts.  To that end, I’ve amassed quite a collection of bookmarks. 

I have traditional paper bookmarks with images of Shakespeare or flowers emblazoned on them; I have ribbon bookmarks with beads and trinkets dangling from the end; I have metal bookmarks that are essentially ornate paperclips.  What I’m trying to say is that I have whole drawers (or draws as we say in Jersey) full of bookmarks.

So, are you ready for the punchline, or did you see it coming from a mile off? 

I rarely, if ever, use any of the bookmarks.  Usually, I  grab whatever’s handy to mark my place–a ponytail holder, a bill, a stray piece of grosgrain ribbon, or even a dollar or coin. 

I’m not sure why I don’t use my bookmarks–maybe because I don’t have them handy when I’m reading?  What I can tell you is that under no circumstances will I dog-ear a page or leave the book open to my page, face down, in a cruel, spine breaking Russian-split.  (I can hear the book screaming in agony and protest!)

I’m not persnickety when it comes to marking my pages and will grab whatever’s handy…but how about YOU?  Are you a spine-breaker?  A dog-ear-er?  Or do you have a favorite bookmark that you just can’t live without?