Ooooooh an “epic-book” list? What a great idea!! 
I’m excited. I LOVE lists!!
Cristina is not only a sneak reader (see her past confession) but she also has a secret list of our most highly recommended books! And she swears it has never failed her yet. No matter what new book she’s squirreling over, and/or excited to read, if she hits a bump and can’t get out of the book funk, her special “Epic Book Recommendations” list gets her going back on track again.
She explains:
…but… you see… I have this TBR sub-list which consists of what I call “epic reads.” It’s the lists of books that so many of you have gushed about over and over again. I keep this list at bay for times when I hit a reader’s block and NOTHING seems to hold my attention. These books are the perfect cure for this ailment. Every time I have hit this “block” I pick one of these books to read and it sends me on a roll to the next book, and the next book, and the next book… you get the picture.
My TBR sub-list, AKA, “Epic book list” consists of a single book and/or series that is widely loved and talked about by mostly everyone. For instance, my previous books on that list have included “Fever series” by Karen Marie Moning, the Tristan and Danika series, Badger, Experiment in Terror series, etc. You get my drift? The best of the best.
I created this list because I got bombarded every single week with so many great books that I wanted to read based on reviews, excerpts, recommendations, etc., that my head would spin and I would feel overwhelmed. I had SO MANY on my TBR list already, and when I’d look through it, I found out that I easily forgot about the “epic” ones. They got lost in the shuffle.
These are the books that received such high praise and reviews, and were loved by so many all across the board. I think of it as the “honors list” of books. I keep this list on reserve for when I hit that reader’s block and absolutely NOTHING is grabbing my attention. They are my “ace card” and I have yet to read one that let’s me down.
AWESOME idea, Cristina, and I shall do the same. I have so many mini TBR lists (that mostly consist of reader recommendations, but also books with blurbs that gave me that *jolt* that I’m curious about – recommendations or not). But you’re right. There are quite a few that are recommended over and over again, and get that same SUPER-reaction from readers, that you just KNOW, it’s something BIG. Special. It’s probably epic.
I’m going to start my own now, too!! YAY!! Another list for me!!
So… my fellow readers. Confess! Do you have one of these lists too? What’s on it that you KNOW you just have to read for that epic book-fog effect, but still haven’t read yet?
I am happily addicted to reading but I need to expend my book energy (especially when one puts me in an emotional frenzy - SO fun!). So, I release my feelings about the stories, by writing them down here. It's my book therapy. 
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
OMG, this is soooooo me! There are times when I finish a really awesome book and have book hangover to the 5th power and am unable to decide what I want to read next. It drives me wonky when that happens, lol. I have so many books to in my “Maryse says it’s really really good” list that I want to read, but then something new comes out (such as When Life Happens) that Maryse will say “read this now” and I feel compelled (lol) to read what she’s reading. But….(sigh), I feel out of the loop when someone on the blog mentions a well loved book or series such as Colleen Hoover’s Slammed that I haven’t read yet or mentions a fave character that I have no idea who it is (such as Kellan, what book is he in). I just read the Gabriel’s Inferno Trilogy and loved it even though Julia’s character annoyed me frequently and the ending left me feeling empty. When I’m in book limbo, I go to your 5 star list and choose the cover that I like the most. Yes, I’m a book cover snob. Anywho, it’s nice to know that I’m not the only person that is so indecisive about what to read next.
Yes, it’s called my tbr.
But really I do forget what possible gems I have until I randomly scroll through my books. It’s kinda awful, really. You know all those books I just had to have at the time…..
Yes, Maryse make a list. Now. Please and Thank You.
No, Joy do not read Thoughtless (you really do not want to meet Kellan Kyle) Please and Thank You.
Yeah – what bev said. No Kellan Kyle…actually, I can take or leave Kellan, but I simply could NOT handle Kiera. I cringe every time I think of her and her blushing and insipid behaviors and….arrrghhhh. Just no!!
On it bev!!!!
Yes, Maryse an Epic list sounds great. It seems my tbr list is either “meh” or I’m overwhelmed with all the new releases and your recommendations of a must read.
To quote Bev, “please and thank you.”
Like Bev said, it’s my TBR.
But with 700+ books, it’s overwhelming. I use the “compare books” on GR to see my friends 5***** that are on my TBR.
I think I have probably already read all the “big” ones in CR genre…I finally tackled Tristan & Danika this year.
Wait!!…..There are a few popular ones I haven’t read that I have been saving for a rainy day:
Beauty from Pain – Georgia Cates
Find You in the Dark – Meredith Walters
Rook & Ronin – JA Huss
One True Loves – TJR (I am afraid to read this one)
Joy, I LOVED Thoughless series and Kellan. So…different strokes for different folks!
I “saved” Beautiful/Walking Disaster because I heard they were so amazing. Maybe I expected too much, but I didn’t love
I’m currently stockpiling An Exaltation of Larks by Suanne Laqueur and Love, in English/Spanish by Karina Halle in case of a reading emergency!
Stacey, I forgot about Love in English!!! I am stockpiling that one also.
Forbidden is the one I’ve been holding onto forever. I finally bought the paperback and it just sits here glaring at me.
I am so anal *giggles* about my book list. I have a spread sheet that has different sections sorted by S/As , completed series, series not yet completed ( i will wait until it’s completed because I can’t remember the story or the characters – and I abhor cliffhangers – LOL). I make little notes beside each book to remind me of the Story i.e. cop/ waitress etc.
The top recommended get a 5* so I know those are my go to books when I need a little something extra.
Kulti and Mists of Serengeti are the ones that I have been saving. Maybe because I have heard that they are so good, I don’t want them to be over!
MARYSE! MARYSE! Shout this out to everyone – the first of RK Lilley’s Tristan and Danika series, ‘Bad Things’, is currently $0.00 on Amazon Kindle!!
Oooooh I LOVE that book!!!!!
Thank you Janet!
LOL Joy!!!! Birds of a feather.
I totally get you!