SuBsalabim [SuB = the German equivalent for TBR pile & Simsalabim = German equivalent of abracadabra] is a TBR reduction challenge a couple of friends and I started last year. Basically, every month we get a TBR pile of five books, one pick of each of the other contenders. The goal is to read as many of these as possible during the month or the year to score points. The gist is to read books one might not choose oneself to read next. It’s fun. And we’re more or less competitive and constantly argue about maxing out the fairness of our scoring system.
July
Alex’s Pick: Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
On my TBR since: 2016
Background: I’ve been a huge Melina Marchetta fan ever since I first came into contact with her work due to a reading group on GR in 2013. The pick of the month was Jellicoe Road. I inhaled it in one sitting and it’s one of my alltime favourites. In 2015, I read her Lumatere Chronicles, which are ALL THE FEELS perfection. Last year, I started purchasing her other contemporaries – mostly because I had to do something to keep me sane during the insanest workload of my life. Buying books is always a good option to accomplish this. I’m really looking forward to reading this!
Eva’s Pick: Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, #1) by Robin LaFevers
On my TBR since: 2012
Background: I purchased this one at Eason’s Galway during my semester abroad in Ireland. It had me at assassins. I almost started it once and already own both sequels.
Andrea’s Pick: Gefahr auf Sable Island by Susan Hughes
On my TBR since: 2011
Background: This book is from PonyClub/Pony/PennyGirl, which basically was a subscription box service for horse crazy girls with the small but important difference that the books were exclusive. I had a subscription from 2002 until early 2011 but made it one of my goals to collect all the books they’ve ever published (which I did). This one I got from a fellow club member who was so kind to sell it to me.
Steffi’s Pick: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
On my TBR since: 2015
Background: I loved Between Shades of Gray to pieces and was so very excited to get my hands on this book. Random House had a ton of ARCs of this one at the Frankfurt Bookfair in 2015. The goal of my friends and I was to talk the staff into giving each of us one of the remaining copies. They told us they wouldn’t hand them out till Sunday. When I arrived at their booth Sunday morning, they had already packed most of their books away, but I still spotted a copy and was lucky enough to get it. I was really eager to read it. I still am …
Isi’s Pick: Red Queen (Red Queen, #1) by Victoria Aveyard
On my TBR since: 2015
Background: I’m not into ebooks, but for some reason, I went on ebook buying sprees in the past. This is one of those I got. Back then, I found the blurb quite intriguing – now I’m rather sceptic.
