Last time with this meme I was very successful, and I wanted to keep going after I was done posting.
Then I got lazy.
I wanted to get rid of some on my own, but it didn’t work. So thank goodness for this meme. Thank goodness for Lia @ Lost in a Story for creating this blessing of a tag! (She’s my personal TBR superhero)
If you’re unfamiliar with this from last time, here are the rules:
- Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
- Order on Ascending Date Added
- Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous – or if you have a pile that has its own zip code like mine) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time
- Read the synopses of the books
- Decide: keep it or let it go?
Yes, I am only down 10 books, which still sets my TBR at a lofty 870, but I haven’t added anything (or did and it didn’t affect my count for some reason 🤔)…but I still have to remind myself that we will get through this.
I can conquer my TBR! (Repeat mantra as needed) ::takes deep breath::
All right…I haven’t looked at it since the 14th, which was way too long. So let’s see what we have, shall we?
*Omg, I added six more! I KNEW that I added some! DO NOT PANIC!!*
- Pavilion of Women: A Novel of Life in the Women’s Quarters – Pearl S. Buck
On her fortieth birthday, Madame Wu carries out a decision she has been planning for a long time: she tells her husband that after twenty-four years their physical life together is now over and she wishes him to take a second wife. The House of Wu, one of the oldest and most revered in China, is thrown into an uproar by her decision, but Madame Wu will not be dissuaded and arranges for a young country girl to come take her place in bed. Elegant and detached, Madame Wu orchestrates this change as she manages everything in the extended household of more than sixty relatives and servants. Alone in her own quarters, she relishes her freedom and reads books she has never been allowed to touch. When her son begins English lessons, she listens, and is soon learning from the foreigner, a free-thinking priest named Brother Andre, who will change her life. Few books raise so many questions about the nature and roles of men and women, about self-discipline and happiness.
I actually started reading this once and got kind of far. I don’t know why I didn’t mark it down on Goodreads…it might have been because I really hated it. Why, you ask? Because this woman, Madame Wu, basically MAKES her husband take a second wife and HE DOESN’T WANT TO! He only wants her. She is selfish because she wants to be “left alone.”
To me, when someone is that devoted to you, you don’t make him take a concubine. However, this story is the story of a woman who thinks she is doing what is best for her husband, and I can’t fault that. It’s not my place. (Even though I obviously already did fault it). I just can’t read about it.
THE VERDICT: GO
*There are a lot of the same author on here because for some reason, if I liked one book, I thought I should add them all. Bear with me, please.
- Sons (House of Earth #2) – Pearl S. Buck (remember what I just said, lol?)
Second in the trilogy that began with The Good Earth, Buck’s classic and starkly real tale of sons rising against their honored fathers tells of the bitter struggle to the death between the old and the new in China. Revolutions sweep the vast nation, leaving destruction and death in their wake, yet also promising emancipation to China’s oppressed millions who are groping for a way to survive in a modern age.
Have you read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck? It’s the one most people read in school? Well, back when I was in school….
Anyway, I read it and I fell in love with Pearl S. Buck…that’s why there are so many of her books on my TBR. However, since I read the first one, I will keep the second one, as one day I want to see what happens in the rest of the story.
THE VERDICT: KEEP
MY FIRST KEEP. Now it’s gonna get harder I bet, lol….
- Empire of the Sun (Empire of the Sun #1) – J.G. Ballard
The classic, award-winning novel, made famous by Steven Spielberg’s film, tells of a young boy’s struggle to survive World War II in China.
Jim is separated from his parents in a world at war. To survive, he must find a strength greater than all the events that surround him.
Shanghai, 1941 — a city aflame from the fateful torch of Pearl Harbor. In streets full of chaos and corpses, a young British boy searches in vain for his parents. Imprisoned in a Japanese concentration camp, he is witness to the fierce white flash of Nagasaki, as the bomb bellows the end of the war…and the dawn of a blighted world.
Ballard’s enduring novel of war and deprivation, internment camps and death marches, and starvation and survival is an honest coming-of-age tale set in a world thrown utterly out of joint.
I saw this movie with a very young Christian Bale. I fell in love. When I found out it was a book, I wanted to read it. Badly.
Now, though, I know there’s a sequel that was never made into a movie, and though I’m curious, I don’t really care to read either. The movie was good, but my tastes have changed when it comes to reading.
THE VERDICT: GO
All right, maybe this won’t be so hard…what’s next? ::cracks knuckles in preparation::
- A House Divided (House of Earth #3) – Pearl S. Buck
I’m not even going to do a picture for this…you saw it in the trilogy pic above. I think I would much rather leave Sons on there, and if (and hopefully when) I read that, I can re-add this one. There’s obviously a list that shows all the rest of the books in a series! 🤷♀️
THE VERDICT: GO
- East Wind: West Wind – Pearl S. Buck (geez, Steph, obsessed much??)
East Wind: West Wind is told from the eyes of a traditional Chinese girl, Kwei-lan, married to a Chinese medical doctor, educated abroad. The story follows Kwei-lan as she begins to accept different points of view from the western world, and re-discovers her sense of self through this coming-of-age narrative.
Ok, this does sound good. But Pearl S. Buck wrote like 30 novels. I can’t keep them all on my Goodreads shelf. If I get back into Pearl S. Buck, I can always put it back on the TBR. Right now, it’s taking up valuable real estate.
THE VERDICT: GO
- Bound – Donna Jo Napoli
YOUNG XING XING IS BOUND.
Bound to her father’s second wife and daughter after Xing Xing’s father has passed away. Bound to a life of servitude as a young girl in ancient China, where the life of a woman is valued less than that of livestock. Bound to be alone and unmarried, with no parents to arrange for a suitable husband. Dubbed “Lazy One” by her stepmother, Xing Xing spends her days taking care of her half sister, Wei Ping, who cannot walk because of her foot bindings, the painful but compulsory tradition for girls who are fit to be married. Even so, Xing Xing is content, for now, to practice her gift for poetry and calligraphy, to tend to the mysterious but beautiful carp in her garden, and to dream of a life unbound by the laws of family and society.
But all of this is about to change as the time for the village’s annual festival draws near, and Stepmother, who has spent nearly all of the family’s money, grows desperate to find a husband for Wei Ping. Xing Xing soon realizes that this greed and desperation may threaten not only her memories of the past, but also her dreams for the future.
In this searing story, Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of “Beast and Breath,” delves into the roots of the Cinderella myth and unearths a tale as powerful as it is familiar.
This book stays. A Cinderella retelling? Ancient China? Hello! This sounds AWESOME! This is what happens when our TBRs get too long: all the good stuff sifts to the bottom. I mean seriously, how many people want to read this book now? ::raises hand:: 🤚
THE VERDICT: KEEP (AND READ ASAP!)
- When We Were Orphans – Kazuo Ishiguro
England, 1930s. Christopher Banks has become the country’s most celebrated detective, his cases the talk of London society. Yet one unsolved crime has always haunted him: the mysterious disappearance of his parents, in old Shanghai, when he was a small boy. Moving between London and Shanghai of the inter-war years, When We Were Orphans is a remarkable story of memory, intrigue and the need to return.
No. Just…no. Did I even read the synopsis? Ick. Boring.
THE VERDICT: GOOOOO!
- Spring Moon: A Novel of China – Bette Bao Lord
At a time of mystery and cruelty … in an ancient land of breathtaking beauty and exotic surprise … a courageous woman triumphs over her world’s ultimate tragedy.
Behind the garden walls of the House of Chang, pampered daughter Spring Moon is born into luxury and privilege. But the tempests of change sweep her into a new world — one of hardship, turmoil, and heartbreak.
Is that it? That’s the synopsis? The book is over 400 pages and you can’t tell me more? Well, them you’re outta here!
THE VERDICT: BYE! (THAT MEANS GO)
- The Concubine’s Daughter – Pai Kit Fai (seeing a theme? I know, I know 😳)
In the bestselling tradition of Memoirs of a Geisha, a riveting saga of early twentieth-century China, where a mother and a daughter fight to realize their destinies in a world where women could still be bought and sold.
Lotus Feet. He would give his daughter the dainty feet of a courtesan. This would enhance her beauty and her price, making her future shine like a new coin. He smiled to himself, pouring fresh tea. And it would stop her from running away…
When the young concubine of an old farmer in rural China gives birth to a daughter called Li-Xia, or “Beautiful One,” the child seems destined to become a concubine herself. Li refuses to submit to her fate, outwitting her father’s orders to bind her feet and escaping the silk farm with an English sea captain. Li takes her first steps toward fulfilling her mother’s dreams of becoming a scholar — but her final triumph must be left to her daughter, Su Sing, “Little Star,” in a journey that will take her from remote mountain refuges to the perils of Hong Kong on the eve of World War II.
I know exactly why I added this: the allusion to Memoirs of a Geisha, which I adored. But this also sounds kind of fabulous too. But I just read the reviews,,,apparently it’s a “watered-down attempt at an Amy Tan novel,” according to a reviewer on Goodreads. I think I’ll just go with my gut and remove it. It doesn’t erase the book from history, and if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.
THE VERDICT: GO
ONLY ONE MORE FOR TODAY!
- The Daylight Gate – Jeanette Winterson
GOOD FRIDAY, 1612. Pendle Hill, Lancashire.
A mysterious gathering of thirteen people is interrupted by local magistrate, Roger Nowell. Is this a witches’ Sabbat?
Two notorious Lancashire witches are already in Lancaster Castle waiting trial. Why is the beautiful and wealthy Alice Nutter defending them? And why is she among the group of thirteen on Pendle Hill?
Elsewhere, a starved, abused child lurks. And a Jesuit priest and former Gunpowder plotter, recently returned from France, is widely rumoured to be heading for Lancashire. But who will offer him sanctuary? And how quickly can he be caught?
This is the reign of James I, a Protestant King with an obsession: to rid his realm of twin evils, witchcraft and Catholicism, at any price…
Ahhh. My witchy phase. I had read The Heretic’s Daughter and I wanted to read all sorts of witch books! But honestly, this sounds confusing and boring. I almost fell asleep reading the blurb (just kidding). Umm, no, I don’t think I’ll be keeping you. Which is a good note to end on for next time. 😉
THE VERDICT: GO
8/10 isn’t bad! That’s 80%!! (Yes, I can do basic math)
Let us raise our hands in TRIUMPH! 🙌🙌🙌
So…I feel better! Sorry about all the similar books…when you have an 800+ TBR, it’s mainly bc you added everything under the sun. I went a little add-happy when I first had Goodreads. I really need to get rid of some in-between the meme so you can see there’s not all the same book type on my TBR; I just wary through heavy phases. Get ready for my VC Andrews phase….that ones a doozy! 🙀🙀🙀
I love that you guys are part of all this! Let’s go run off into the sunset together!
Got a couple reviews coming, and I’m waiting on my giveaway until I return from BookCon! So bear 🐻 with me! We will have some crazy fun when I get back from NYC, AHHHHHHH!! 😍😍😍😍
Have you attempted this yet? Does it surprise you to see the crazy books on my shelf now…are you wondering where the YA is? 😂🤣😆 Stay tuned, bloggerinis!
Such a cool meme! I need to try this
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It’s so fun and so liberating!! 😄
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I have recently let go of a lot of books on my goodreads tbr. However, it always grows more then I take away so it will never ever end!
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It is a never-ending battle!! Makes me crazy!!
But it does feel good to get rid of the old stuff that I’ll never read!!
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I can’t say I have ever even heard of any of these books you listed 😛 😀 Glad to see you decluttering the TBR pile though… luckily I am just so picky with my books that the minute I have a sliver of doubt about a book, I discard it… granted, I may miss out on smth good being so presumptuous, but meh… win some, lose some! 🙂
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Well, I have gotten rid of a lot of the ones I wouldn’t ever read and soon you’ll see some that you’ll recognize! It just is going to take FOREVER unless I work on the TBR in between memes! Whew! 😅
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It looks like you were very productive saying good-bye to all those books! 😀
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And it feels so liberating!! I just feel like a weight has been lifted! 😂🤣
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I’m sure you’ll find more books to add soon!
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Oh I’m sure it’ll go back up, lmao!! 😂🤣
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I need to do this, I can’t remember adding half of the books on my list haha! Well done cutting yours down!
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Thank you!! It’s really become fun but it does take awhile to write the posts! It’s worth it in the end though!! 😊😉
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Again, very impressive! You’re at 12 less than you started! If you can stay ahead of how many you’re adding, that’s a win haha. 🙂
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So true!! That’s what I have to remember!! 🤔😘
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Hahaha absolutely!
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This is such a great way to cut down your TBR – means you can keep adding lots of great new releases 🙂
Megan @ http://wanderingsofabookbird.blogspot.co.uk/
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Yes, it makes me happy to have more room on my TBR! ☺️
I hope I get the whole thing down to books I really hope to read though.
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Wow you’re really dedicated to clearing down your TBR list Stephanie. 🙂 Hopefully you manage to get through some more but I wouldn’t worry about adding more books to it in the meantime. I’ve given up trying to control my TBR, I think having an out of control one is just part of being a book blogger. 😀
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Me too! I think it’s a book blogger’s issue lol.
But when I forget the books on there, I have too many. I have a lot I forgot about! Bound by Donna Jo Napoli sounds awesome and it was all the way at the bottom!
I try to make sure I get as many I don’t want off of there so I can see the ones I really do! 😊❤️
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There are probably a lot I’ve forgotten about as well. I just tend to get rid of those. Most times anything that’s been on my to-read list longer than three years is something I automatically get rid of. I’m never likely to get around to those books. 🙂
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That’s actually a good rule of thumb! Apparently a lot of my books would be gone then!!
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I figured if I haven’t got around to a book that’s been on my to-read list that long I’m likely never going to. 🙂
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Such a good point! I’m taking your advice!
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It does cut down on the books you end up with on your TBR list. 🙂
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Lol! For me it’s just not happening. I have come tithe conclusion that I will
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Damn cut myself off! I was going to say that I’ve come to the conclusion that I will always be sitting on a huge tbr pile and I’ve made peace with that 😂
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That’s good!! Accepting the problem is the first step! But then again, if you are cool with it, then I give you props!!
I think the only reason it bothers me is because I have old stuff on there and my tastes have changed drastically. Plus there are books I added from recommendations and stuff like that…I just want to clear all that crap away to see what’s left at the end lol!
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Lol. Oh it it’s there niggling my subconscious! But it just stresses me out to acknowledge it 😉
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Agreed. It’s stressful to come to terms with the monster that is my TBR.
👹 <—- my TBR
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Wow, these books definitely looks like old stuff! Keep on going! XD
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Exactly lmao!! That’s why it HAS TO GO!! It was a phase and I’m done with it now! 😉🙌
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Good job on cutting lots more fluff from your TBR!
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Thank you!! High five 🙌!
It’s so nice to get those old books off of there…makes me want to do 100 at a time, not just 10 lmao!! 😂
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It’s soooo much fun looking at others go through their TBR and clean it up. I actually ended up adding Empire of the Sun.. just when you took it out. It just sounded so interested; after all Spielberg decided to make a movie out of it! Nice clean-up though! 😀
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That’s what I’ve heard from others: that they have found good books from my TBR list! 😂
I seriously think it’s going to be a good book, and if I return to historical fiction I will pick it up. For now, though, I had to get rid of the books I don’t plan on reading soon so I can get the amount of books to a manageable number!
If you do read it, I am eager to hear what you think! 😊😘
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Wow you really had a China book phase. XD
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I DID! It was crazy! Like, I loved Amy Tan and Lisa See, and I have OCD on a lesser scale, so I wanted to read books JUST LIKE THOSE. I get into ruts and then repeat something or binge something until I’m sick of it: with food, books, collections, tv shows, etc.
My “YA” binge has been the longest so far and I think that’s because there’s so much diversity in the books: action, drama, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary….all so different so you can’t really get sick of it. So I feel like I’ve finally found a bingeworthy genre for the rest of my reading days, lol.
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I love YA so much. Especially fantasy but I’ve never really read the same thing for a long time and then switch to something else. I read a lot of genres. BUT YA IS SO AMAZING!
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YA is amazing and I glad I started it…but yeah. I tend to get stuck, and it drives my mom crazy. She thinks books are another obsession of mine and that it will pass. But this is different bc I have always loved books. I just had different obsessions in book genres. If I love something, I want a ton more of it, you know? 😂
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My parents tell me when I become an adult I won’t read that much and that I’ll get over it. I’m all like “No. You have no idea what you are talking about. If I am 13 years old and have read like 700 books, I am not just going to stop.”
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Wow, I didn’t know you were only 13! But that’s amazing. I have read since I was a kid. I stopped for awhile when I was a teen (there weren’t blogs back then) but I got back into it like 6 years ago and I won’t stop again. Parents think they know everything and a lot of the time they do, I’ll give them that, but being a heavy reader isn’t just something you “grow out of,” so you should be proud to have all those years ahead of you to read so many books!!
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I know. I love reading. Sometimes I want to just shake my parents and be like: At least I don’t obsess over video games or do stupid stuff. XD
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Yeah, at least it’s a healthy obsession!
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Exactly 😀
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Ok I promise to begin this meme this week! I need to do some cleaning and maybe cleansing o my TBR 😂
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I can’t WAIT to see what’s on there! I’m so excited bc I love this meme for anyone – I get to see what you axe and what you keep! 😉
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Your post just reminded me that I was supposed to take part in this meme but forgot due to a terrible blogging slump this past week. Oops. 🙈 BUT YAY for taking more books off of your TBR! I’ve actually read one of the ones you put as keep, Bound by Donna Jo Napoli. I think I read it back in middle school and loved it. I don’t remember too much about it but I remember enjoying it. 😊
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Well that’s good! I normally don’t read MG books, but I have heard good stuff about Napoli. I have used books of hers in practice lesson plans but haven’t read one yet!
I’m glad I reminded you, bc I want to see your post!
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Well, I hope you end up enjoying Bound! It’s pretty informative too in a historical context, though not sure how accurate. And I’m planning on drafting one this weekend for next week if I remember. 😊
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I’ll keep that in mind, and I cannot WAIT to see yours!! 😍
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Too bad about When We Were Orphans. This one sounds like it has the potential to be maybe culturally rich and somewhat unique. I may add it to my own haha 😉
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Hey, that’s good! A lot of ppl have said they’ve received recs from my TBR removals, so at least if you read it, and it’s good, I’ll know to readd it! 😉😘
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Hah, true. Let me do all of the leg work lol 😛
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Don’t lose hope! My TBR is huge too and I keep adding books without taking any out XD
Good riddance, I say! ^^
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Hahaha! Good riddance to the old books or to the long TBR? 😂
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The old books! 😆 But I guess the long TBR as well? Hahaha
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YES! I am totally stealing this concept. I recently went through and roughly sorted my TBR into three levels of interest, but I like the idea of actually culling it.
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It makes me feel so much lighter and I remember the books but my tastes have changed so it also feels like I’m specifying my genres.
I think it would be great to see your post! Let me know when you do it: I love reading other people’s TBR memes! 😊😉
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I am just going through the process of organizing my TBR right now. It is definitely a daunting task! 🙂
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Oh my goodness yes! I wish you all the luck in the world! If you do this meme, I’ll be glued to the page bc I love seeing what people have to cut and what people keep! 😘
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I really need to try this… I will not let my tbr list consume me (my mantra here)
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That is a great mantra…can I borrow it, lol? 😂🙏
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Sure, I think we all need it 😂
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I completely agree! 😆🙌
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