July Checkpoint! #TBR2018RBR

Posted on July 15, 2018 by

32 Comments

Hello, TBR Pile Challengers! 

We are now 7-months into the best reading challenge of all-time! (Yes, I might be biased.) I am thrilled to see that we’ve got 160+ reviews already posted! I know a lot of you have made some amazing progress on your lists and others are, like me, struggling a bit. Wherever you are at this point, good on you! The first goal is to have fun and to read some good books, right? The bonus is being able to finally knock some of those long-lingering books from your shelves. Even one or two is a win! 

We didn’t quite hit last month’s goal, so how about a re-do? It is summer after all. Do I dare challenge you all to get us to TWO HUNDRED linked-up reviews by the next checkpoint? Let’s try! 

Question of the Month: If you could recommend one book that you have read from your TBR Pile list this year, which one would it be and why? 


My Progress: 4 of 12 Completed / 4 of 12 Reviewed

Didion-WhiteI’ve read and reviewed 4 of my 12 required books. Yeah, you read that right. I’m way behind. I’ve made zero progress since last month. I’m going to commit right now to reading and reviewing AT LEAST TWO more from my list by next checkpoint, though, because that will put me to the half-way mark, which is something. The semester also starts up again in late-August, at which point all bets are off and I’ll be lucky to read one book a month. 

Over the next month, I should have time for reading and writing. I especially hope to get to these books on my “Summer Reading List,” some of which are on my TBR challenge list and some of which are on my Classics Club list. As for my TBR Pile challenge, the next two books I have coming up are: Joan Didion’s The White Album and Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson. Wish me luck!

My completed reads:

How are you doing?

index

Below, you’re going to find the infamous Mr. Linky widget. If you read and review any challenge books this month, please link-up on the widget below. This Mr. Linky will be re-posted every month so that we can compile a large list of all that we’re reading and reviewing together this year. Each review that is linked-up on this widget throughout the year may also earn you entries into future related giveaways, so don’t forget to keep this updated! At the end of the challenge, all entires will go into one big raffle for the $50 book prize! 

MINI-CHALLENGE #3

As promised last month, this month’s checkpoint comes with another mini-challenge! There is just one requirement: read a book from your list, write a review for it, and link-it up! When you’ve done this, go ahead and leave a comment right here on this post to let everyone know you’ve made some progress and are eligible for the mini-challenge prize! Speaking of which, one randomly selected “winner” will receive a book of their choice, up to $20USD, from The Book Depository. Good luck and happy reading! 

LINK UP YOUR REVIEWS 

Category: 2018 TBR Pile Challenge

32 Comments on “July Checkpoint! #TBR2018RBR”

  1. Shockingly, I’ve read TWO from my list this month. The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. I’m very happy with my progress so far as I’m more than halfway through my list. What I’d recommend from my TBR list so far? That’s easy – I think everyone in America should read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. We’ve only recently begun talking about the ways in which our justice system and prison system fail us, but that conversation needs to be amplified for the good of everyone in the US. I’ve read some great books as part of this challenge, but for Americans right now, that one is a must-read.

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    • Completely agree with you about JUST MERCY! I was privileged to be able to help bring Stevenson to my University a couple of years ago. He met privately with some of us instructors and students who were reading the book in class, and then he gave a public lecture. One of the highlights of my career to date.

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  2. Actually I have read The Siege by Helen Dunmore last month, but could only post the review today. It’s a remarkable story; a vivid portrayal of siege and hunger during WWII, and a triumph of humanity. It’s my 7th book for this challenge. I’m surprisingly right on the track this year from the beginning!

    My recommendation? The Siege! Everyone must read it, not only for learning something about WWII, but more for reminding us to not underestimating the power of humanity.

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  4. I’ve read and review nine books from my list! I would recommend The One And Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, a beautiful and heartwarming story about Ivan, a silverback gorilla and a little elephant. 5 stars for me.

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  5. You’re doing way better than me. I joined & then wandered off to think about butterflies, then turned off my blog. 😀 😛

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  6. So far this month I’ve read and linked up:
    Landline by Rainbow Rowell
    Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid
    Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid
    City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

    I’m currently reading Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

    From my list, I highly recommend City of Bones! It’s a popular series for a reason! lol

    So far I have read 9/12 books!

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    • How was Landline? I really enjoyed Carry On and can’t wait for the sequel!

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  7. I’m still stuck at 4! I’ve been on vacation visiting family for the last few weeks and I hardly ever have the time to read on these trips. I did manage to finally write up my thoughts on that fourth book though, so I linked that.

    Gonna cheat and recommend two off my TBR challenge list: Dark Money and Homegoing

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  9. I’m way behind all of you with one –yes, one!–book read from my TBR list. How pathetic is that? The good news is that my reading is well ahead of last year, so perhaps the next six months will be better for this challenge. I won’t finish all 12, but maybe I’ll be able to make a little dent. Oh, and the solitary book was WISE BLOOD by Flannery O’Connor. Not my favorite of hers.

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    • I saw your review for Wise Blood. I haven’t read it for years but I remember having mixed feelings.

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  10. I’ve read 13 out of the 14, and they’re all linked up. I set aside one but haven’t decided if I am going to try to finish it or just leave it. It’s hard to narrow the recommendations down to just one, but mine would be Adam Bede by George Eliot. I wasn’t sure ahead of time how well I would like it, but I *loved* it. I didn’t discover Eliot until my adult years. Daniel Deronda is my favorite of hers, but I enjoyed Middlemarch very much, too.

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  12. Thanks for the mini-challenge! You gave me an excuse to make sure to knock out another one quickly. So I read Village School by Miss Read this past week… and it was lovely! Linked up my review today. And now… I’m starting a bigger TBR read… Moby Dick. Not sure how long this one will take. 😀

    Of my 7 TBR reads so far this year… my favorite, that I could recommend to practically anyone, would have to be Peter Marshall’s The First Easter. Beautifully, it tells the story of Christ’s last days on earth, filling it with so many other details we usually don’t remember or just wouldn’t know, without having studied biblical times in-depth.

    Tarissa
    http://inthebookcase.blogspot.com

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    • You’re welcome! I’m glad it helped motivate you. Moby-Dick is a sloooooow read for me, but worth it.

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    • I’m about to start Moby Dick as well. It’s one I’ve put off for a long time! I hope it ends up being an enjoyable reading experience!

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  13. I just linked my review for Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov which put me at the halfway point on my reviews. I should be able to get at least one more review up before the next checkpoint. I would definitely recommend Nabokov as he is an extremely talented wordsmith. I would also recommend Italo Calvino’s If on a winter’s night a traveler. His use of language to create a totally different reading experience is nothing short of exceptional.

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  14. I have linked up 5 of my TBR challenge books. I hope to get one more for July but time is flying!! I’ve had a good reading year so far, so I would actually recommend any of the 5 on my list, but specifically, I’ll mention The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society because it’s such a pleasant, feel-good book to read for the summer.

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  15. I’ve finished my tenth book for the challenge, London War Notes by Mollie Panter-Downes. It took more than two months but I’ve finally finished it! I’m on track to finish my list, including my two alternates. So far this year 70% of my my reads are from my own shelves, yet the number of unread books remains the same. Must work harder!

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  16. I’ve got eleven done (with ten reviews logged so far). I just linked up the most recent review for Women Sleuths and hope to have the last review caught up by tomorrow night (fingers crossed).

    The recommended book from my list is The Wrong Box by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is a hilarious mystery spoof with just the right amount of dark comedy.

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  17. For the mini-challenge, I’ve just linked up my review on Agatha Christie’s The Murder on the Links.

    I’ve read several of the books on my list this year, but I really need to review some them — will have more up soon.

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