Currently, as of writing this, I have 553 books on my tbr list.
My Storygraph tbr list that is.
I like Storygraph since I don’t have anyone following me on that platform. That way I can keep my tbr list and the reviews I'm working on private.
I cared a lot more in the past about the quantity of unread books on my tbr list. I think since Goodreads is a social website it was easier to get wrapped up in things that didn't matter - like that I had a 1,000 unread books on my tbr list. For some reason, I don’t care at all on Storygraph. So this non-stressful atmosphere Storygraph has given me makes me want to challenge myself...
I want to read through as many books on my tbr as I can in the most chill way possible.
To do this I plan on clicking on the home page and choosing one of the five books that pop up from my to-read pile. It gives me a good amount of choice so I’m not stuck to one book and if I don’t really want to read any of the books on my list that signals to me that I should remove at least one. Either way, this’ll be a fun way to get more reading done and not leave books forever on a list floating on the internet. I have it in my mind to get down to 100 books eventually maybe even 50 but it might be difficult since I am sure I’ll be adding books at least once a month to the list. Still, let’s see how far I can take this experiment.
I also wanted to shout out _katelynslibrary who wrapped 305 books on her physical tbr. I can’t do that with my tbr but it’s what sparked this idea.
The first book I chose was Raising the Horseman by Serena Valentino. When it’s an immediate yes when I see it on my list then it’s an easy choice. I’ve been feeling in a rather spooky mood so it makes sense this is the one I would go with first. You can find my thoughts on the book down below.
The two-hundredth anniversary of the Headless Horseman's haunting is fast approaching. Everyone in the town of Sleepy Hollow is excited to join in the festivities surrounding the legendary tale. Everyone that is except for the many greats granddaughter of Katrina van Tassel whom the Headless Horseman was reported to be in love with. It is said that he would continue to protect the firstborn daughter of the van Tassels as long as they honored the first Katrina by having her same name. Kat used to buy into the ghostly superstitions of her town's popular tourist attraction when she was younger but not anymore. She's more concerned about feeling tied to a town forever, her family's high expectations following her everywhere, and the boyfriend she's expected to call a husband. She prefers reading books by The Oldest Tree and daydreaming about going away to college to become a writer. Her wants are very much reminiscent of the first Katrina's story. Her mom, Trina, a beloved Katrina, gifts her the original Katrina's diary for her to read to warn her against repeating the same mistakes. As she reads the original Katrina's story, Kat learns of the mirroring struggles they both face and the arrival of someone new that will upend everything. Kat soon finds herself on the same path. She must decide if ghosts are truly real, who she can trust, and if she is strong enough to take her own destiny into her own hands.
I knew I was going to love this book after reading the first chapter. Maybe it was because I was in a spooky mood or maybe I just love retellings (although I've never read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow) but something clicked while reading this story.
What initially drew me in was the small-town atmosphere that reminded me of Gilmore Girls set during Halloween. As I read the first chapter, it felt like the quiet beginnings of a teen girl's coming-of-age story where everything shifts and she must make a decision that will affect the rest of her life. Also, when a main character also loves to read, I feel closer to them.
But it was when Kat started reading the original Katrina's story - that's what sold me on this book. I loved getting a peek into the past, finding out both Katrina's stories mirrored each other, and flipping the pages to see where they would deviate.
It was also nice to see that both of their parents were so loving towards their children. Although each dad was gruff in their own way they were really teddy bears who just wanted their child to be happy. The moms radiated meddling mom energy but they were supportive of their individual daughters wanting to achieve their happiness. I found the character development of the boyfriend who is "supposed" to become the husband fascinating to watch as well as the dynamic of Mr. Crane entering the storyline. Raising the Horseman surprised me with how much it brought me joy. I could not put it down until I turned the very last page.
I didn't expect such a low rating on Goodreads at first. I can guess why though. There were a lot of obvious things that were "hinted" in a not-so-subtle way. I didn't care about the romance between Kat and Isabel. I'm sure more people were looking for a cute sapphic romance but I wasn't focused on that aspect of the story. Also, I'm sure it deviated a lot from the original story but since I haven't read the original, it didn't affect me. So I get it. But I was so fascinated by the characters' lives, especially the original Katrina's side of things that I was only focused on discovering what happened next. Raising the Horseman was too much fun to focus on any flaws.
TBR Reads Results
Initial Book Count: 553 books
Current TBR Count: 552 books
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