JULY - Exploding BOMBS Progress Report

June - the halfway mark - and we are currently slightly ahead of our target with
52% for the end of June. With the arrival of summer we should all, lay back with a book from our shelVes and get the fireworks popping! The tickers (password BOMBS) are set so everyone can add their to the totals.

Here are the standings at the end of JUNE:
Together we've read 1,914 - 59 books above the average of books for 12 months to reach our goal!!! WOWWWW!
amz310783 reach her goal in April and ramblinivy had already reached her goal and is going to continue to help us toward the group goal. Several others are close to the promised land so let's keep going - the goal for July is 2,165. Mandymere reached her original goal of 250 and has re-upped for another 250!
FYI - At the end of June, for those that had not yet exploded a BOMB in 2012 I have moved them to the snail ticker. Be sure to let me know if your total is incorrect.

PLEASE ADD YOUR PERSONAL TICKERS HERE. IT REALLY MAKES IT EASIER TO DO THE MONTHLY TOTALS.
alphaorder 8 / 30 27%
amz310783 85 / 60 142%
AngelWitch 12 / 35 34%
AnnieMod 1 / 50 2%
arrwa 2 / 5 40%
auntmarge 40 / 50 80%
BBleil 3 / 25 12%
benitastrnad 23 / 24 96%
BILLIEJEAN / 25 0%
booksloth 40 / 50 80%
bowerbirds 3 / 36 8%
bragan 54 / 100 54%
brewergirl 22 / 30 73%
bucketyell 58 / 50 116%
cait86 18 / 40 45%
caramellunacy 9 / 25 36%
carmenere 8 / 32 25%
Conachair 18 / 50 36%
clue 12 / 25 48%
connie53 16 / 18 89%
cyderry 47 / 80 59%
deep220 35 / 70 50%
deltaqueen 55 / 110 50%
detailmuse 20 / 40 50%
doglover58 19 / 26 73%
duaney_h 7 / 20 35%
dudes22 39 / 70 56%
Ephemeralda 34 / 40 85%
FAMeulstee 16 / 15 107%
fjumonvi 2 / 25 8%
fundvogel 8 / 10 80%
helenbaker 26 / 50 52%
helenoel 8 / 25 32%
hemlokgang 20 / 30 67%
h-mb 1 / 30 3%
jonesli 92 / 120 77%
kac522 9 / 25 36%
karen_o 10 / 24 42%
kdogey 11 / 75 15%
kerryth 1 / 40 3%
LA12Hernandez, 8 / 50 16%
laura_88 7 / 20 35%
laurabrook 48 / 100 48%
lauranav 15 / 30 50%
lindapanzo 47 / 100 47%
lizamichelle 13 / 25 52%
lucindalibri 2 / 25 8%
majkia 11 / 30 37%
mandymere 311 / 500 62%
melonbrawl 26 / 50 52%
meredy 21 / 49 43%
mrsrochester 23 / 75 31%
paeonia 18 / 24 75%
pigletto 16 / 40 40%
Quaisior 21 / 50 42%
rabbitprincess 31 / 45 69%
ramblingivy 25 / 10 250%
readingwithtea 1 / 25 4%
riverwillow 30 / 100 30%
robertgreaves 17 / 35 49%
rocketjk 9 / 21 44%
rosefireandmoonshine 47 / 70 67%
sandykaypax 3 / 26 12%
sarahbradshaw 14 / 30 47%
seasons of love 25 / 60 42%
shabacus 0 / 40 0%
shearon 10 / 20 50%
sjmccreary 1 / 10 10%
squeakychu 8 / 20 40%
staffordcastle 19 / 35 54%
streamsong 26 / 30 87%
sturlington 3 / 20 15%
tallulahrose 18 / 20 90%
thorold 35 / 60 58%
tloeffler 39 / 50 78%
torontoc 27 / 30 90%
tropics 7 / 25 28%
tuckea 1 / 12 8%
tututhefirst 10 / 20 50%
tymfos 29 / 53 55%

NON STARTERS

alxa 0 / 64 0%
cataluna 0 / 50 0%
karenmarie 0 / 25 0%
xenaballerina 0 / 50 0%

Will try to do harder this month. I have at least 2 planned for July.

I also am going to try to do better - less library books this month.

Here's my ticker.




I've got a lot of nonfiction and some chunky fiction on tap for this month. Hopefully, I can make satisfactory progress towards my revised goal.

*holds ticker up to ear and gives it a shake*

No, doesn't appear to be stuck, even though it didn't go anywhere last month. Better luck this month, right!

Aaaaand we're off! Personal thread is here.




I have a couple of book group items to read, but otherwise it's clear sailing. Ahoy the shelves!

June total: 28/50. I've upated the group tickers.

Well, so much for my sunny predictions. Alas.

Here's mine for this month:




I'm ahead right now, but I always slow down in Nov & Dec so I need to read, read, read...

Feels good to be back to keeping up instead of catching up!

I'm here. We are in the middle of winter in the Southern Hemisphere so a good time to curl up with a book too. I'm reading a new one at the moment but hope to be back soon with a BOMB.

Here's mine:




I'm hoping for a good month. I need it, to make up for all the crazed book-buying I did in June.

Slightly ahead at the start of July with 35/60 - don't know if I can manage to keep that pace up.

July ticker ahoy!

So far, I've read 9 books in July. (as of July 31, 2012) I want to read 75 books in 2012:



Here are my monthly totals again:

January 2012
Total books read: 10
Total rereads: 2
Total acquisitions: 5
Books taken off my TBR pile and sent to new homes: 6

February 2012
Total books read: 9
Total rereads: 1
Total acquisitions: 1
Books taken off my TBR pile and sent to new homes: 8

March 2012
Total books read: 7
Total rereads: 3
Total acquisitions: 4
Books taken off my TBR pile and sent to new homes: 6

April 2012
Total books read: 9
Total rereads: 3
Total acquisitions: 5
Books taken off my TBR pile and sent to new homes: 8

May 2012
Total books read: 9
Total rereads: 0 (yes!)
Total acquisitions: 0 (yes!)
Books taken off my TBR pile and sent to new homes: 6

June 2012
Total books read: 9
Total rereads: 1
Total acquisitions: 14 (3 ebooks)
Books taken off my TBR pile and sent to new homes: 13

July 2012
Total books read: 9 (as of July 31, 2012)
Total rereads: 1 (as of July 24, 2012)
Total acquisitions: 51 (as of July 31, 2012)
Books taken off my TBR pile and sent to new homes: 6 (as of July 30, 2012)

Average time between acquisition and reading: approximately three years (gasp!)
Average number of rereads of acquisitions: 1
TBR books still waiting for new homes: 149

So far, so good.

Here I am. I finished one yesterday, counts for July. I'm a little ahead of schedule. Updating group tickers.

Books read from my book shelf:

Marking the thread.

First book for July read. Tickers updated.

YAY, thread is up. I almost updated my ticker yesterday with my first July book, but remembered just in time to wait until June totals are in.

thanks for waiting... I tried to get the new thread up as fast as I could but family affairs kept me busy this weekend.

All's good!

Here's my ticker for July:




Hope to have another good month clearing my shelves!

>13 moonshineandrosefire: rosefire I admire your careful documentation. Still working on that myself, but I've made note of your system. Thanks!

Worked through some of the other reading that needed to be done but didn't involve BOMBS, so spending this holiday week focused on the BOMBS. Read much of Middlesex last night. Finished Adrienne Rich's The School Among The Ruins this morning.
Posting updated 2012 ticker and then back to it. My total TBR ticker is in my
individual thread (so as not to confuse things).




I can't remember, am I supposed to update the main list above somehow? or just post my ticker?

Thanks for the reading inspiration!

Edited on 7/5/12 to include link to my individual thread. Thanks to >26 brewergirl: brewergirl for the reminder :)
And fixed on 7/11/12 when I finally noticed that I had entered the link incorrectly :(

Thank you, Lucinda. I hope that you do well with your "clearing of the shelves" for yourself! Good luck to you! :)

Here is my ticker plus a link to my personal thread:

Nothing changed since my last message

Just a little cheerleading....

billiejean, connie53, tallulahrose, and torontoc are near the promise land of reaching their goal.

Let's give a big "YOU CAN DO IT!" Go, go, go.....

Heck yeah! make room for more, more more...

So, I just received confirmation today that another of my TBR graduates has arrived at her destination! Yay! :) Her Fearful Symmetry is currently kicking back and relaxing in Florida.

Yippy Skippy!! I just finished another one!
The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett. This was also an Early Reviewers book, so I was also able to finish a long overdue review!

So, as of July 11, 2012:
my 2012 tally is 4 out of a goal of 25
and my overall TBRs is now 323, so that means I've read 4/327 (though that total number is in constant flux).




For other BOMBS I'm currently working on see my thread at:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/136665

P.S. I also recently finished a non-bomb (new for book group): State of Wonder by Ann Patchett which I thought was wonderful.

I need to make a ticker. I just missplaced the one BOMB I was reading.... duh

I do not know even how to set a goal for BOMB

I feel at a loss, so I'll just start with 10! That should be do-able. Don't you agree?.

And I am assuming every book I have on my shelves, every one that is on my Nook, or my Kindle, these all count. The only books which will not count are those which I have not yet acquired. Right?

This should be easy. I have several book club books that I've already acquired, and must read. OK. I'll go find a ticker now.

Here it is:




Now what am I supposed to do next? I know I'm being a pain in the butt... but will someone take pity and help me?

You set your own goal and your own terms. For instance I am only counting books acquired before 2012 as BOMBS, but you don't have to do the same. There are no reading police - it is a tool to keep track and motivate yourself.

Thanks, Helenoel. I was wondering if I am supposed to give the address for my ticket to someone? To keep track of the group's accomplishments?

I don't, but I do report my total at the end of the month to this thread. Cindyderry is the statistician for the group. She adds everything up and keeps the group total. She also sets up the thread for the next month.

As helenoel said - this is a way to keep track of how many books you have taken off the shelf and keep track of it. Some of us start our own thread where we can post our books. I do this and include a running list of all books read during the year. I also write a short review and post it in that thread. Here, in this one, I only give the totals.

Karen, if you put your ticker in every month then Cheli can watch it and use it to double check the monthly totals. Some of us update the monthly ticker and our own, others who aren't so computer savvy let Cheli handle the monthly.

Thanks!

Maggie welcome!

Starting with a modest goal that is doable, is absolutely perfect. If you reach it and want to continue, you can adjust the goal or just exceed it - helping the group to reach the group goal. Helen is right, you set your own parameters as to what constitutes your BOMBS and work from there. I've added your goal to the overall one, and now all you have to do is go read! Enjoy those books as you detonate those BOMBS!

In a valiant effort to get to more bombs, I've created a pdf of my To Read category sorted by date entered. I'm hoping when I go looking for books to read that will prompt me to find older ones rather than the new and shiny.

36. The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig
37. Dead Reckoning by Lauren Willig
38. On the Prowl by Christine Warren
39. Bodyguard by Jennifer Ashley
40. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Vern

I don't think I will manage to finish anything else for this month.

40>> Jean, great idea! I'll have to check mine out.

41>> Jennifer - halfway there, girl, keep going!

I just received confirmation that Towards Zero arrived at her new home today - Roanoke, Virginia has a new TBR graduate! :)

At last a bomb for the month. I was side tracked reading a couple of newbies. So need to refocus to get back on target. Tickers adjusted.

Second book for July done and I'm so close to halfway point. Tickers updated.

>40 majkia: & 42 - I've been sorting my To Read collection by date entered to try and get some of my earliest ones out also. Trying to fit them into my 12 in 12 challenge at the same time.

Jean, why, oh, why did you do this to me? You made me look at the 450+ books that are waiting to be read. How do I decide?

Well, one thing on the bright side, the WWBF can come and I will survive.

Cheli, if you're stressing over Jean's 450+ books that are on her TBR pile, you truly don't want to know how many are on mine! I stopped trying to count them by the time I reached 200 or so! :) I must have close to quadruple digits at this point. Every bookshelf in my house is crammed full and my daughter is quickly and quite happily following in my footsteps. On the bright side, I've read three books this month that I've never read before and am currently well into my fourth.

no, Rose, my 450+...

If you add my TBR to my wishlist, I'm right there with you, Cheli. Alas...

No, my wishlist and my TBRs are close to 700!

Oh, I must have misread your post. Sorry about that, cyderry! :) Oh, why do authors do this to us all, writing such interesting books! :) LOL!!! By the way, what does WWBF stand for? Have you ever seen that old Twilight Zone episode cyderry, "All the Time in the World"? The world ends and the last man on Earth is finally able to read all the books that he wants - until he breaks his glasses. I have multiple pairs of eyeglasses laid in for the eventuality of the end of the world! :) Ha, ha ha! :)

My potential BOMBS material in the "unread" category (of books I currently own) stands at 440 as of this moment (until my Amazon package arrives :) . That doesn't count books I consider primarily reference books, more for consultation rather than for reading straight through -- and there are a lot of those on my shelf that have barely been touched.

I won't mention my 459-book wishlist here, as those are books I don't own yet; nor my "get from the library" lists, which add in another 450 books or so. . . which are constantly vying for attention with the books already on my shelves . . . ;)

You see, this is why I like this group. You all make me feel slightly better about my 482-book TBR pile. (And, yeah, let's not even talk about the wishlist.) :)

Oh my! You folks are amateurs! ;) I'm looking at over 1,000. That I have! TBR! In the house (or on my Nook) and not my wishlist. And more than that on my wishlist. At the rate I read, I probably have enough to last to the end. Or close to it.

>52 moonshineandrosefire:: WWBF - world wide book famine

Terri, my reference books have their own collection so they never get counted in the TBR pile.

>55 dudes22: - Thanks so much for the translation! :) I think that my TBR might be over 1,000 as well (gulp!) I tend to be a book hoarder, rereader, and library book sale junkie and to be totally honest, I'm suffering from slight library book sale withdrawal symptoms. :) I haven't gone out and bought a new book for about seven months which I'm cheering about; however, I still get books mailed to me because I swap my books online! :)

I think that my seven-month self imposed book buying ban may be broken on Tuesday as my daughter has a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card left over from her birthday and I'm sorry, I know I'm weak but I just can't resist buying a new book once in a while. :)

55 Oh, most of the stuff on my Sony Reader isn't even cataloged -- I have no idea how many . . .

Most of my "acquisitions" are on my Nook coming as Freebies - how can you turn down a free book, I ask you?

I've finally reached my halfway point, less than two weeks behind schedule. I've turned the corner, heading to the finish line.

>47 cyderry: to 59. I feel so much better about my 280TBR which includes 6 hiding under the bed until hubby goes to work tomorrow. They arrived in the mail yesterday and I secreted them inside. Haven't even opened them. A treat for tomorrow. LOL

hiding them under the bed....LOL

I don't mean to imply he would be angry...more I feel guilty but they were brilliant online bargains and despite ordering 9 all at once they have all arrived in individual courier bags. perhaps less postage for them.

I've been known to leave a bag of books from a library sale in the trunk of my car until I can sneak them in. It's not that he cares I buy them, it's the "where do you think you'll put them?" I have no answer for.

my hubby's standard reply (for really when I buy anything) is, 'so what can we throw out to make room for that'?

of course, He always finds room for his stuff! The noive of him.

That's my husband - "if you're buying more what are you getting rid of?" so I hide mine until I can squeeze them in somewhere. That's why my Nook is such a godsend...I have 180+ in one little container!

I have 300 + TBR's listed here on LT, but I also have quite a few lurking in corners that I haven't cataloged.

I made a double TBR challenge for myself with the idea that it would help me read from 'the bottom of the mountain'.

Goal: minimum of 30 books AND 150 points with the points being assigned as follows:

1. BOMBS entered into LT in 2006 --6 points
2. BOMBS entered into LT in 2007--5 points
3. BOMBS entered into LT in 2008--4 points
4. BOMBS entered into LT in 2009--3 points
5. BOMBS entered into LT in 2010--2 points
6. BOMBS entered into LT in 2011 --1 point
7. BOMBS not previously entered into LT but which have been around the house pre-2011 (most of these are pre-2006)--1 point

So far, 27 out of a goal of 30 BOMB's read. (Waaay ahead of schedule).

And 77 BOMB points read out of a goal of 150 (not impossible to finish the points goal this year, but I need to read more from the bottom of the stack. Sigh.) When I started this, I had foolish dreams about finishing all the tbr books that I entered in 2006, my first year here on LT.

Wow, that is a challenge!

>67 streamsong:: I was just thinking I ought to institute a point system for next year, with my "real oldies" -- the books I already had when I joined LT in 2007 -- counting double.

> 61 to 66: My 'problem' exactly. My books get send to my jobadres and sneaked into te house. I hide them in bags on my bike until hubbie is out and squeeze them in. Very nice to hear that I.m not the only one who does that sneaking thing.

My husband and I ran and owned a restaurant, and if I went to a yard sale at all I would buy bookcases or night tables and of course used books. My husband didn't mind my going to yard sales at all, but I had all the staff "trained" in minor subterfuge. If I had been to a yard sale, some members of the staff carried in the heavier items for me however, if they saw my husband sitting at the bar or a table and I was sitting with him, talking, if I looked up and shook my head just slightly, they could melt away like they were part of the woodwork. :)

I once read a quote that went something like this...

"Everyone has a certain number of books on their bookshelves that they are suppose read in their lifetime. I am so far behind now, I will never die!"

And now I can report another Bomb, but new books are so tempting. I have updated tickers. I think I need a reward system too. Perhaps if I can achieve my monthly target of TBR's then I can read a newby. Does your point system work this way stremsong?

Just added one more book.

HelenBaker, no I'm just using the system I mentioned above.

I **am** trying to only get books that I plan to read right away, but there are so many awesome books mentioned here and so many great group reads, that it's a struggle. If I make anything too formal so that I feel I 'not allowed' to acquire something, I'm afraid I would chuck the whole system out the window.

I think there's a group of people doing RTBYBO (Read Ten Before You Buy One) thread, and another thread where people figured out how much they spent on books last year and are keeping track of how much they spend this year, with the difference going to charity.

Bragan, your plan sounds good, too. Mine is a bit complicated. Yours would be simpler to keep track.

I have a book called Biblioholism: The Literary Addiction, by Tom Raabe. (It's got "National Bestseller!" on the cover. I remember being shocked by that for a moment, thinking "My god, are there that many of us?" before I realized that, well, no, there aren't, but every single one of us would buy that book as soon as we came across it. :))

Anyway, it's got an "Are You A Biblioholic?" test in it. Somehow, it seems relevant. I quote:

1. When you go to a bookstore with a friend, are you usually carrying more books when you leave than your friend is?

2. Do you wake up the morning after, unable to remember how many books you bought or how much you spent on them?

3. Do you, inexplicably, yank down a volume from the store shelves, open it, and shove your nose deeply into the binding, hungrily inhaling the ink and paper smells?

4. Have you ever bought the same book twice without knowing it?

5. When you go to a bookstore after work, thus arriving home late at night, do you lie about where you have been, telling your spouse you were at a bar?

6. At Christmastime, do you buy your loved ones books that you want to read?

7. Have you ever given up on a book before you started it?

8. Are you unable to walk through a mall without stopping at a bookstore?

9. Do you have a personal library on an entire subject, none of which you have read?

10. Do you ever buy books simply because they were on sale?

11. Have you ever bought a book because you liked the cover design?

12. When at a garage sale, is the first thing you look at the books?

13. Have you ever been fired from a job, or reprimanded, for reading?

14. Have you and your immediate family ever “discussed” your book-buying and reading habits?

15. When you watch TV, do you always have a book in your lap for slow parts and commercials?

16. Do you “watch” television sports with the sound off?

17. Does panic set in when you find yourself in a barber’s chair or under a hairdryer with nothing to read?

18. Have you ever become suddenly deeply interested in an obscure topic and immediately bought six or more books on that topic?

19. Do you ever lie about how many books you’ve bought?

20. Do you devise grand and devious strategies for getting your books in the house to avoid the scrutiny of your spouse or family?

21. Has your book buying ever embarrassed your family or friends?

22. When a stranger walks into your house or apartment, are his or her first words usually a comment about your books?

23. If someone asks you for a reading list of the twenty most influential books you’ve ever read, do you happen to have such a list on your person?

24. Do you have at least six books next to your bed?

25. When a bookstore clerk has been unable to locate a certain book in the stacks, have you ever been able to find that book?

(I scored a 14. But then, a few of the questions didn't apply to me at all. For one thing, I live by myself, so nobody ever gives me a hard time about how many books I bring into the house. Well, nobody by myself, anyway.)

I just finished my third book of July for this challenge, and updated the tickers. But I'm not sure I ever updated the group tickers for my second book of the month. (My personal ticker is correct.)

I scored a 15 but then I really don't have to hide my expenditures. My husband has golf, I have books...he knows not to complain.

21/25... that can't be good right?

I found myself chuckling my way through this list but only scored a disappointing 9/25. So maybe my buying is not out of control...yet.

I scored a thirteen, but some questions did noy apply to me. For instance 'garage sales' are not happening a lot in The Netherlands. But I know that i am an bookaholic for a long time. ;-)

Ok, 10/25 doesn't seem too bad but so many of them were not applicable since I don't have family in my house to whom I have to justify anything about my book buying. I only have a couple of friends who occasionally mention I could be getting rid of some of my books. The horror!

I forgot the scoring! Let's see:

Count up the number of yes answers. If you answered yes to more than four questions, you are looking down into the deep and woeful pit of biblioholism. If you answered yes to more than eight, you are hanging by your fingernails on the edge, your legs kicking in the emptiness and your eyes imploringly turned heavenward for rescue. And if you answered yes to more than twelve questions, you are in space right now, a full-throated scream careening off the canyon walls, and it's only a mater of time until you splat onto the canyon floor with a puff of dust and a hearty yelp a la Wile E. Coyote of cartoon fame. But then, you already knew you were kind of weird.

Sounds like we are all done for, beyond help...Ah well, at least we are in good company. It occurs to me that I have only ever had a few close friends, none whom share my addiction - but then there's my books. They understand me...

You're never alone as long as you have books! Books always understand you. :)

I just received confirmation today that two more TBR graduates have reached their destination safe and sound in Virginia. Yay! :)

Privileged Information and Skull Session both went to the same place in Virginia. :)

Cyderry, could I increase my total books that will be donated or purged this year to 70 instead of 60? I have faith that I can achieve 60 books very soon! :)

I scored a ten on Bragan's quiz, so I guess that's me barely hanging on by my fingertips! I have to admit one thing that really bugs me is when people come into my house and comment on the number of books as if they just can't believe their eyes. Most of my books are shelved neatly (at least in the public places) and I don't see why they should look so strangely at my books. Of course, there are the few kindred spirits who walk in and immediately are to be found browsing the shelves.

What I find disturbing is the number of houses I enter and find no books or maybe 2 or 3. What a sad existence.

My husband has a very healthy Star Wars book collection and for various reasons that bookcase is on the 2nd story balcony area very visible from the front door. One year as we were opening our door to Trick or Treaters, one young man (maybe 7?) didn't even notice the candy, he just stood there in awe at the Star Wars wonders on the wall above our heads. It was rather endearing, he got a little more candy than the others that night.

I don't actually think my husband was a bibliophile when we met. But I've reformed him and we fit together very nicely.

People don't walk into my house and goggle at my books the way they used to, because I have a bigger house now, and most of the books are in other rooms, while the living room is more given over to DVDs. But, boy, did they used to. The question most people asked -- and many still ask -- is "Have you read all these books?" My reply was usually, "These ones? Yeah." Because the TBR pile is in a different room, of course. Along with still more shelves of ones I've read, because who can fit them all in one room?

It's always struck me as a strange question, though. Do they think I keep them around for decoration? It's not like they're fancy, leather-bound books or anything. Mostly.

Both myself and my daughter are incredible bibliophiles. I can remember going to stay for the day at my grandmother's house with my brother and sister (also readers). Our younger cousins usually visited my grandmother and were typical rambunctious eight-year-olds, running around my grandmother's house and screaming. My brother, sister and I spent the entire visit after greeting my grandmother laying on the parlor floor reading in complete silence. :) It unnerved my grandmother so much, that she asked my mother, "Dear, are you absolutely sure the children are alright?" My mother assured her that we were just fine. :)

For some reason, adults loved to comment to my husband and I about our daughter's voracious reading habits when she was a teenager, "Mareena really should be getting out more and making some real friends, rather than sitting for hours on end with her nose in a book!" :( My daughter is perfectly capable of making her own friends and going out with them if she so chooses, thank you very much! Mind your own business! :P HONESTLY!!

Rose, no problem I have adjusted your goal.

My sister, Tina (tututhefirst) and I have a semi=annual book exchange. It cuts down on book purchases and then we have more to talk about. My husband, on the other hand, in 38 years of marriage, I seen read maybe 2 books not relate to work. I shake my head, sad that he doesn't know what he's missing. (I have gotten him to listen to a few audio books on car rides.)

> 76 Well, I/we are one of the 666 (significant number?) of LT Libraries containing this book. I scored a 10, but a few of the questions are not relevant - spouse and kid share the addiction so no one is going to challenge new books. Maybe I should find the book, read it and mark off another BOMB...

Thats another one for me this month and it was great, Mudbound by Hillary Jordan. Tickers updated.

Well, both Mareena and I went a little nuts at the library book sale - 51 hardcovers and 19 paperbacks between us! :) $70.00 spent altogether! They carted out our haul in three boxes on a hand truck! :)

>95 moonshineandrosefire: Well done, what a great heist, it's good to have a partner in crime! Hehe. Hope you have room to store them.

You guys, I think I'm the worst here, or at least the most afflicted: I scored a 23 out of 25! The only ones I didn't respond yes to were the one about lying to your spouse where you'd been all night (I live alone) and having a list of influential books on me at all times (I can rattle them off from memory fairly well). And people wonder why I don't have a roommate - my BOOKS are my roomie!

I've read another 11 in the last month - tickers are updated. My total for the year is 59 right now - just 41 more to go!!!

95 Ah, those library book sales . . . ;)

97 I haven't taken that "test" yet -- I'm afraid what my score will be!

96 and 98: Library Book Sales are our downfall, I suppose! :) My "partner in crime" got quite a number of books for herself, then proceeded to gather up books she thought that I might like! hee hee! She made the right choice for me with the majority of the books that she chose! I set her at the far end of the room and sat myself down at the other end to investigate all the books in the sale and ten minutes later she needed my help to transfer her 20 potential buys over to the table that we commandeered for ourselves in the corner. :) A lady walked by and dropped this little gem: "Going to do some reading there?" :) Oh no, ma'am, not really! ;)

As regards having room to store them all - in my dream house we have just built our third wing! :) In reality, I was able to bring up one box of books up in our elevator (my daughter is in a wheelchair) and half the contents of another. There is still one and a half boxes downstairs in our garage waiting to be transported upstairs later.

Me personally I think that all walls should be lined with book shelves. Wouldn't they make good insulation? Save on utility bills.

I used to live in an under-insulated trailer, and I swear, all those books I had lining the walls did help some in winter. :)

Finished The Forgotten Garden, a long one that had been on my shelves a very long time :)
I really liked it, but not as much as her first book, The House at Riverton, which I loved.

Another bomb, tickers updated. The bonus of a wet weekend.

one more #29

#103 I was thinking how much I love reading when it rains. Maybe I should take my book, booklight and chair out to the maple tree in the dead of the night when the sprinkler is running as I'm trying to save it from the drought.

I think I scored a 20/25, but then I think I've always known that I have been teetering on the edge of an abyss and slowly sliding into empty space (and I don't mind even a little bit!) We transported another box of books up from the garage this afternoon! :) I have read five books so far in July - my most recent acquisition (apart from the library book sale purchases and four swapping site acquisitions) was gotten on July 14, 2012 and was a swapping site acquisition.

I'm not too sure whether I can legitimately call this particular book a BOMB because it actually joined my TBR pile this month, but I just finished it last night. The four other books that I've read so far can definitely be classified as BOMBS - three were bought at a library book sale that we went to in April of 2009 and one was from a library book sale that we went to in December of 2009! :)

One more BOMB for this month. Tickers updated.

One more BOMBS finished Drakenziel by Robin Hobb. (That's the Dutch version of Dragon Haven ) part 2 of the Rain Wild Chronicles
Now reading my final book for the challenge Drakenstad by Robin Hobb (City of Dragons). And I'm on my summerbreak so I can read a lot. Summer is finaly here and of to the garden I go..
I will change my own ticker. And post this info in my own topic.

Have people not been updating the ticker this month? It's hardly budged since the end of June.

109 - its been a slooooooow month for me. Too much sunshine I suppose.

I transported the last box of library book sale acquisitions up in the elevator today :) The librarian knocked off 50 cents for the total we spent! :) Hee, hee! Anyway, I now have to find a place to put all my new books! :)

#109 - I have read five books so far this month - my total is now at 58 books read and I'm in the middle of my 59th book. :)

I was just wondering. Usually, by now, we're well on our way towards the number Cheli identified as our goal for the month. This month, we've hardly budged the ticker at all.

For instance, to stay on pace, Cheli suggested that we'd be at 2165 by the end of July. Instead, we're at only 1948, which is only 34 above the end of June's totals.

Maybe people aren't reading as much this month? This just seemed strange to me.

I don't do anything to the total ticker. (I don't feel digiwise enough to do that)Although I read a lot in July they were mostly new books.

So, I just revised the number of library book sale acquisitions that Mareena and I bought on Friday - 51 hardcovers and 39 paperbacks were bought altogether. That's a shocking 90 books added to our TBR piles! Oh my goodness!!

>109 lindapanzo:: I confess, I haven't been updating the group ticker. It seemed like too much of a hassle to do it for every book I finish. I already change the collection it's in, write a review, post my review on Club Read, post about it on this group if it qualifies and update my personal ticker... That just seemed like one too many things to do to me, so I started just updating the group one at the end of the month. Then, of course, of course, Cheli told us not to touch it at the end of the month...

#116 There are a lot of tickers to update, that's for sure. I update my 75 books group ticker, my 12 in 12 ticker, and also my Books off the Shelf group ticker.

There was one book where I wasn't sure if I'd updated the group ticker or not, so I figured better not to do it twice.

I just received confirmation that the twin of The Haunted Mesa - which turned up about a month ago - has arrived at his destination in Georgia today. His brother became prison reading material in June in Texas. Does this mean that I've graduated "one bad boy" and one straight and narrow solid citizen? :)

I wouldn't worry about it right now. As long as everyone updates their individual ticker, I can make the adjustment at the end of the month.

Personally, I've had a bunch of library books this month, so my monthly total is down.

Yes, the library has been pulling me in as well! Do they put out on display all the really good books during summer to tempt us, or what?

I don't think I'll get a book from the shelf finished this month. Next month, for sure!

Do they put out on display all the really good books during summer to tempt us, or what?

Of course!

I'v just finished book 18 for the challenge! So it's completed.

Way to go Connie! Congratulations!

Thanks! Next year i will set my goal a bit higher!

Congrats, Connie!

I'm reading a bunch of library books too, much to the disappointment of my groaning shelves. Maybe August will be better? (And holy crap, how is it almost August?!?)

Same here, and same question - what happened to July?

Well, I just finished my 7th book for July. Very rarely do I finish one book and read another entire book in one day, but I did today! :) And I thought I was doing relatively well in reading BOMBS off my TBR pile. However, I also knew that I eventually would break down and start reading new recruits! That happened with the last book that I just finished reading. The Carousel by Rosamunde Pilcher was one book that I bought from the library book sale that Mareena and I went to on Friday. It was large print and a fast read for me.

I don't update till the last week of the month when I don't think I'll finish any more. That way I don't forget one. And I try to get it done before Cheli puts the moratorium on.

Wow, rosefireandmoonshine, nice job! Can you send some of that reading mojo to me? I'm feeling a bit bogged down.

Sending a bottle of my reading mojo right along to you, melonbrawl! :) I think it's just a drop in the ocean for me, though, because I have somehow managed to acquire a whopping 48 new-to-me books since July 21st. Granted, I've read two recently acquired books in July, so maybe they can't be classified as 'true BOMBS' but I'm calling them BOMBS anyway! :)

Funny story - a friend of mine is starting an organization business and I volunteered my house for her to get a start and use before/after photos in her promotions. She came over this morning to get the lay of the land, and see what had to be done and to take some "before" pictures. After seeing all of my books and bookshelves, she started asking all kinds of questions like "do you keep every book you read" and "how many books do you buy every month", etc. When I told her I tend to get rid of and pass along about half of my books, she was shocked! I prepped her for the amount of books that I have, but I think she was still stunned by seeing them live and in person. :) I know that I'm in very good company here!

Huzzzah! Finally detonated another: Agent of Change. It backfired though! I completed one book and bought the next five in the series. It's hopeless, I tell yah, hopeless!

(All tickers updated)

>133 majkia: LOL . . . exactly!! I'm so proud that I'm working on my BOMBS, but I just signed up for a Louise Erdrich symposium next month so I'll be buying (or reading from the library) a few more of her books to read before then . . .

>72 cyderry: Love that quotation . . . will try to keep it in mind :)

I do have some July updates, but now that I'm in the midst of the ReadaThing and hope to make extraordinary progress, I'm going to wait a few days before posting the list and updating the tickers.

Wow, it's almost the end of the month and I completely spaced on adding my ticker here. I plan on updating my totals at the end of the month.

Lisa's 2012 Bombs Away Effort

OK, I polished off one more for the challenge, my fourth for the month. All tickers updated. I noted with a smile when I updated the group tickers that mine was book number 1984 for the group. Shame I wasn't reading Orwell . . .

My goal for today is to get that one book I'm reading finished, although, sad to say, I can't claim it is a BOMBS. Sigh, I bought it new in a B&N because the cover caught my eye. I'm so weak. But it is a pretty good book.....

I've got a busy weekend and even though I might finish one more book, I decided to update the group tickers for my reads this month now just in case Cheli decides to work on the totals. So I've added my 5 for this month and if I finish the one I'm reading now, I'll just keep it for next month.

Did not finisch any more BOMBS this month, because I've been rereading The Kingkiller Chronicles.

Futhermore I added quite a lot of books to my shelves and have now one more TBR on them then at the start of the year. It's not running good for my extra rules, that I have read 20 more books off then I added to the shelves.

I am now up to 62 read in total. I didn't update the ticker.

Managed to finish one more and update the tickers

I'll be looking at the totals tomorrow while I sit home with the window replacement men, so please be sure to update your personal tickers at least.

Catching up on my BOMBS since May. Adding 8 more detinations to the
ticker. I'm at the halfway point!



May: Mommywood - Tori Spelling 2.9/5

June:
The Old Gringo Carlos Fuentes - 4.75/5
On Chesil Beach - Ian McEwan - 4.95/5
The Glass Menagerie - Tennessee Williams - 3.90/5
Goodbye, Mr. Chip's - James Hilton - 5/5
Stephen Hawking's Universe John Boslough - 3.99/5
Still Alice Lisa Geneva - 4.5/5

July:
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

One more to add- makes my total 30 books

I'll say five BOMBS neutralized for July (I may finish another right at the end of the month, but we'll see). Personal ticker updated for a total of 36. Haven't touched the group tickers.

I've changed my method of calculation, discussed here, but the important thing is my BOMBS for 2012 are up to 10 out of 25.




In July I've finished:
The School Among the Ruins : poems, 2000-2004 by Adrienne Rich
The Spirit Level : Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett
Acedia & me : a marriage, monks, and a writer's life by Kathleen Norris
The Cloud of Unknowing
The Lesbian Fantastic by Phyllis Betz
and
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Complete list for 2012 at my personal thread.

Update July 30, 2012: Squeezed in another one this morning and updated my ticker to 11/25.
The Ordering of Love by Madeleine L'Engle

No BOMBS this month- need to break my library habit and finish up an LT-ARC -

Sorry no BOMBS from me, either. I've read two new books. *blushes and hangs head in shame*

No BOMBS from me as well, so my total remains 9 out of 25. I promise to do better in August. Really. Truly. Cross my heart.

End of July report:

Bombs detonated: 4
Duds: 8
Added to the pile: 3

Not added to the ticker.

I might have one more dud to add before the month actually ends but never mind.

I'm really getting into ebooks now, which is one reason why the physical TBR pile is going down so slowly. I also have a friend who gets quite insistent in lending me books and ignores pleas that I have a lot of books of my own still to read. He will not take 'no' for an answer.

> 150

Thats why I fear ebooks! My physical TBR books will be so disappointed and alone when I switch to ebooks (all 500+ of them) ;-)

I read 2 BOMBs this month, so I am up to 20 for the year.

Just in time for the end of July, finished The Leftovers. Unfortunately, I did not like it, but on the positive side, another book for donation to the library :)

Finished another last night, so a total of six BOMBS this month and 37 in all. I've updated my personal ticker but not the group ticker.

I met my goal of 2 this month for a total of 14 for the year. My updated ticker is in 16. My big plan is to read MORE than 2 a month although that's what the goal is but I keep dragging home those shiny new library books. I was thinking I would get Charlotte Grey finished tomorrow but the reality is that it will probably be the first for August. Ticker is updated.

I finished reading or listening to four books off of my shelves. I did not update the ticker. It was a good month for defusing BOMBS.

I'm aiming to finish one more today.

Benita, Doesn't that put you over the top?

Just finished my one and only BOMBS for July and have updated the ticker. This brings my total to 15/30. Only 15 more to go!

Okay, everyone I have done the preliminary totals and updated the tickers!

If you finish a book today or tomorrow, please add them to the ticker and let us all know here!

Total as of 7/1/12: 8

14 for me this month. I've updated my personal tickers, but didn't touch the group ticker yet. I didn't want to mess up anything!

My tickers are in message 135.

I just finished my 8th book off the shelf for July, giving me 55 for the year.

I've updated the tickers.

It's unlikely that I'll finish another before month's end.

I finished three BOMBS in July. That's 13/20 for the year.

Sorry, but I did not update the ticker. Last time I touched it I screwed it up.

I raided the airport shop and took a whole bunch of new books on holiday, thus making my total 'off the shelves' for the month a measly 1. Both totals adjusted.

I finished only one in July, but have proudly added to the tickers.

Is anyone else having trouble posting to LibraryThing? :(

I've been posting OK off and on this morning.

Finished one more, an e-book, but it counts by my rules. That makes a total of five for this month, and brings my annual total up to 34 (out of goal of 53).

All tickers updated.

> 167

Yes, just a few minutes ago I was thrown of LT, but now it is okay again.

My total of books off the shelf is now 27. That puts me over the top as my goal was 25. I can't believe I met it so early. I have been forcing myself to stay away from bookshops and not buy anything or check out books from the library so I am concentrating on reading books I already have. All of which is good because I will be moving in September and the more books I read the less I will have to move.

170: Yay! Congratulations on exceeding your goal! :)

Cheli, I just finished my last book for the month and have added it to the ticker. My monthly total is 9 books, and my yearly total is 64/110.

I read 2 books in July, bringing my total to 24 out of 25. I think I am going to make it after all. :) I will update the ticker.

detonated one bomb, New Amsterdam which I've been trying to read for years. Yay! I've updated my ticker and the group ticker.

OK, I snuck one more book in before the month ended, putting me at 62/100. I have updated all the tickers.

One more for a total of 3 in July. Didn't touch a ticker, except for my own.

I only updated my personal ticker (I didn't touch the group ticker at all!) I've read a total of 9 BOMBS for this month, as a result, I have read 62 books out of 75 for 2012 (Finished my 9th book just tonight.) I donated 6 more books this month, bringing my overall total to 53 books out of 70 donated in 2012! Yay, I'm doing rather well for myself if I do say so! :)

Totals for July:

Total TBR at start: 1140

Old TBR at start: 1069
Old books read: 5
Old TBR at end: 1064

New TBR at start: 71
New books added: 12
New Books read: 10
New books at end: 73

Total TBR at end: 1137

I have read 5 Bombs this month taking me to a total of 90 for the year, I have updated my ticker, but not touched the group tickers.

new thread up

http://www.librarything.com/topic/140408