Down the TBR Hole (7 of 24+)

I got on a roll after #6 and ended up putting this one together right afterward. I was surprised by a couple of my decisions here. When I first looked at this list I thought I knew what I would keep/cut, but by the time I finished writing about them, I switched my answer. Some good looking books survived—there are a couple here that I’m tempted to jump on today. Still, as of this post, I’ve cut 15% off the Goodreads shelf. Not bad at all.

This meme was created by Lia @ Lost in a Story—but Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts is the one that exposed me to this, and as my Goodreads “Want To Read” shelf is scarily long, I had to do this.

The Rules are simple:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
Read the synopses of the books.
Decide: keep it or should it go?
Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week! (or whenever)

What distinguishes this series from the Mt. TBR section of my Month-end Retrospectives? Those are books I actually own while Goodreads contains my aspirational TBR (many of which will be Library reads). The Naming of the two is a bit confusing, but…what’re you going to do?

(Click on the cover for an official site or something with more info about the book)

	The Authorities by Scott Meyer Blurb: “Sinclair Rutherford is a young Seattle cop with a taste for the finer things. Doing menial tasks and getting hassled by superiors he doesn’t respect are definitely not “finer things.” Good police work and bad luck lead him to crack a case that changes quickly from a career-making break into a high-profile humiliation when footage of his pursuit of the suspect—wildly inappropriate murder weapon in hand—becomes an Internet sensation.But the very publicity that has made Rutherford a laughing stock in the department lands him what could be the job opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to work with a team of eccentric experts, at the direction of a demanding but distracted billionaire. Together, they must solve the murder of a psychologist who specialized in the treatment of patients who give people “the creeps.”” My Thoughts: Nunc hoc in marmore non est incisum Verdict: It’s Meyer. Why am I waiting?
	Home by Matt Dunn Blurb: A Londener returns to the home he left 18 years ago (without looking back) to help out his aging parents and is confronted with his past. My Thoughts: I’m going to say no to this now, but Dunn’s work the kind of thing I’m trying to make myself read more of, so I may come back to this. Verdict:
	Mad Men Carousel: The Complete Critical Companion by Matt Zoller Seitz My Thoughts: I’ve read some of Seitz’s pieces about various episodes (of this and other shows). The guy is a great writer and he knows this show. Would probably be a heckuva read, but if I read this, I’m going to have to rewatch the show, and I’m just not up for that kind of committment right now (as attractive as that sounds) Verdict:
	The Gray Man by Mark Greaney Blurb: A CIA operative-turned-hitman on the run from former allies. My Thoughts: Every time I see one of the books in this series at a bookstore/Costco/whatever, I think “Oh, good the new one! I’d better pick it up.” Before remembering I’ve never read any in the series. How strange is that? It’s probably just my thing, but…I can’t seem to muster the enthusiasm. Verdict:
	The Custodian of Marvels by Rod Duncan My Thoughts: The first two books in this duology-turned-trilogy were really good. The only reason I didn’t read this one is that my library never added it to their collection and I have a strange mental block about buying only the third in a series. (“Just buy the first two while you’re at it,” Duncan/Angry Robot say.) Verdict:
	The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne Blurb: “Josh Hanagarne couldn’t be invisible if he tried. Although he wouldn’t officially be diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome until his freshman year of high school, Josh was six years old when he first began exhibiting symptoms. When he was twenty and had reached his towering height of 6’7”, his tics escalated to nightmarish levels. Determined to conquer his affliction, Josh tried countless remedies, with dismal results. At last, an eccentric, autistic strongman taught Josh how to “throttle” his tics into submission using increasingly elaborate feats of strength. What started as a hobby became an entire way of life—and an effective way of managing his disorder.” My Thoughts: I’d forgotten all about this book. Sounds fascinating. Probably fits into this group of books, too. Verdict:
	The Thorn of Emberlain by Scott Lynch My Thoughts: I’ll believe it when I see it. I’m not going to complain or bemoan or curse Lynch for the delay here (see also: Rothfuss, Patrick). If this ever sees the light of day, I’ll be there in a heartbeat. If not, I’ll relish the first three in the series. Verdict:
	Crush by Phoef Sutton Blurb: “Caleb Rush, a. k. a. Crush, is the toughest, coolest bodyguard/bouncer in Los Angeles, a man who lives strictly by his own moral code, which doesn’t exactly hew to the standards of US law. When Amelia Trask, the wild daughter of a scruples-free billionaire tycoon, comes to Crush for help, his quiet life roars into overdrive, and he has to use his wits, brawn, martial-arts training, and knowledge of the Russian mafia to stay alive and clean up the mess that young Amelia has created. Crush is a rollicking, page-turning ride through LA, full of action, suspense, memorable characters, and a sly wit.” My Thoughts: I seriously don’t understand why I haven’t gobbled this up yet. Verdict:
	Don’t Eat The Glowing Bananas by David D. Hammons Blurb: “It’s hard to find a decent brunch in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. But that’s all Henry Rosetta wants from the world. That, and not to be eaten by nomadic cannibals. Henry has traveled the nuclear bomb-blasted highways critiquing the finest radioactive eateries and cataloging his experiences…Henry must help the people of New Dallas and learn the great secret of how the world ended. And maybe get a taco along the way.” My Thoughts: This looks strange and wonderful and I wish I knew how I stumbled across it. Still, I don’t see myself making time for it at this point. Alas…. Verdict:
	The Sugar Frosted Nutsack by Mark Leyner Blurb: “Ritualistically recited by a cast of drug-addled bards, The Sugar Frosted Nutsack is Ike’s epic story. A raucous tale of gods and men confronting lust, ambition, death, and the eternal verities, it is a wildly fun, wickedly fast gambol through the unmapped corridors of the imagination.” My Thoughts: Love Leyner’s prose. Love the voice. He’s challenging, provactive and insightful. I’m sure this would be a great read. But for some reason, the idea of reading anything by Leyner feels like homework. And I’m just not that interested feeling that way. Verdict: