Down the TBR Hole (10 of 24+)

This felt like I was trimming a lot of fat while I was writing it, but in the end, there’s plenty of thumbs pointing up (some due to the fact that I already paid for them). Still, it was a good exercise, if only to remind me about things I wanted to—and still want to—read.

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)

	Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon by Bronwen Dickey Blurb: “When Bronwen Dickey brought her new dog home, she saw no traces of the infamous viciousness in her affectionate pit bull. Which made her wonder: How had the breed—beloved by Teddy Roosevelt and Helen Keller—come to be known as a brutal fighter? Dickey’s search for answers takes her from nineteenth-century New York dogfighting pits to early twentieth‑century movie sets, from the battlefields of Gettysburg to struggling urban neighborhoods. In this illuminating story of how a popular breed became demonized–and what role humans have played in the transformation–Dickey offers us an insightful view of Americans’ relationship with their dogs.” My Thoughts: Think I’m going to pass on this, as fascinating as it sounds. If it’s as good as it looks, it’d just infuriate me and/or break my heart. And then I’d have to go adopt a pit bull, and I just don’t have room for that. Verdict:
	Conversations with Eric by Paul Casselle Blurb: “What would you do if overnight you were projected into a mysterious comedy crime novel? What would you do if at every turn you were confronted with gun-toting, murderous psychopaths, your life was threatened on an hourly basis and you suspected the police were as corrupt as the criminals? What would you do if you felt your head was about to explode with the comic madness of it all, and the only sane soul you had to talk to was your labrador? What would you do?…” My Thoughts: This is probably a lot of fun, or a frustating swing-and-a-miss. In the end, just not something I’m going to make time for. Verdict:
	In Twenty Years by Allison Winn Scotch Blurb: “Twenty years ago, six Penn students shared a house, naively certain that their friendships would endure—until the death of their ringleader and dear friend Bea splintered the group for good. Now, mostly estranged from one another, the remaining five reluctantly gather at that same house on the eve of what would have been Bea’s fortieth birthday.” My Thoughts: I’ve never been disappointed in a book by Scotch, and while it’s been awhile since I’ve read one, I could always use another. Also, I bought this for my wife years ago… Verdict:
	Sacrifices by Jamie Schultz Blurb: Magical (and possessed?) thieves are on the hunt for a relic to help out with the demon-possession thing, and have to align themselves with the F.B.I. My Thoughts: Don’t ask me why I didn’t read this when it came out. Must’ve been super-busy. I’ve read the first two novels in this trilogy and was wow’ed by them (read book 1 twice). It’s the last in the series, so I wonder if one of the reasons that I didn’t read it was because I didn’t want it to end. Which is silly. It’ll be dark. It’ll be grim. It’ll be good.Also, I own it, and it’s one of those taking up space on my montly Mt. TBR graphs.Verdict:
	The Unseen World by Liz Moore“Ada Sibelius is raised by David, her brilliant, eccentric, socially inept single father, who directs a computer science lab in 1980s-era Boston. Home-schooled, Ada accompanies David to work every day; by twelve, she is a painfully shy prodigy. The lab begins to gain acclaim at the same time that David’s mysterious history comes into question. When his mind begins to falter, leaving Ada virtually an orphan, she is taken in by one of David’s colleagues. Soon after she embarks on a mission to uncover her father’s secrets: a process that carries her from childhood to adulthood.” My Thoughts: I’m guessing this got on my radar thanks to Moore’s Heft, which I really liked. This, at least right now, doesn’t feel like it’d tick any of my boxes. Verdict:
	Dead to Rites by Ari Marmell Blurb: Nunc hoc in marmore non est incisum My Thoughts: It’s the third volume in the 1930’s Urban Fantasy about a Fae PI in Chiciago. Thought the first was great, Marmell’s a lock for a good read, own the second, but didn’t read it for whatever reason. Which is why I didn’t get around to this one (or the next). Something I should rectify. Verdict:
	How to Party with an Infant by Kaui Hart Hemmings Blurb: A book about a single mom in SF finding love from the author of The Descdendants. My Thoughts: Probably a great read. The Descdendants was great, it’s an interesting hook, but I don’t feel a need to shuffle my schedule to get to it. Verdict: Soft pass.
	Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia Blurb: Nunc hoc in marmore non est incisum My Thoughts: This tale of an overachiever trying to seal the deal on her Stanford admission by getting a literary agent just doesn’t seem like anything I’m in the mood for now. I’m probably going to miss out on something good, though. Verdict:
	King Of The Moon by Victor Schwartzman Blurb: “A satirical novel where Gulliver’s Travels meets Star Wars via Game of Thrones. Look into a dimension where everyone grows up believing Fox News! Plenty of jokes and cheap shots! A look at one week in the life of a new King who does not want to be King!” My Thoughts: Whhhhaaaaattt? Verdict:
	The Red Chameleon by Erica Wright Blurb: PI Kat Stone (and former UC NYPD officer) fears that someone has recognized her from her past. So she teams up with former colleagues. My Thoughts: Read and enjoyed books two and three in this series, but I always struggle going backwards. I really should do it, though. Verdict: