Down the TBR Hole (22 of 24+)

Cut a lot of items off the list in this entry—which is sort of the point of this. And I’m really looking forward to the ones I didn’t add to the list and need to get moving on them.

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)

	Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton Blurb: “Ethan Frome is a poor farmer, trapped in a marriage to a demanding and controlling wife, Zeena. When Zeena’s young cousin Mattie enters their household she opens a window of hope in Ethan’s bleak life, but his wife’s reaction prompts a desperate attempt to escape fate that goes horribly wrong.” My Thoughts: Like I said in the last entry, I think I read some article a couple of years ago about “why you need to read Edith Wharton.” I don’t remember where I read it or any of the content. So I really don’t remember why I put this 20th Century Classic on my list. From the description, it’s not my cup of tea. Verdict:
	Devil’s Peak by Deon Meyer Blurb: Alcoholic detective with a marriage and career on the ropes on the hunt for a vigilante killer in Cape Town. My Thoughts: I wish I knew how this got added to the list. Looks promising, but the series looks like too muh to take on. Verdict:
	One Man: A City of Fallen Gods Novel by Harry Connolly Blurb: “Presumed dead after a disastrous overseas quest, [a young nobleman] now lives in a downcity slum under a false name, hiding behind the bars of a pawnshop window. Riliska, a nine-year-old pickpocket who sells stolen trinkets to his shop, is the closest thing he has to a friend. When a criminal gang kills Riliska’s mother and kidnaps the little girl, Kyrioc goes hunting for her.” My Thoughts: I read this and blogged about back in July. Verdict:
	Kalanon’s Rising by Darian Smith Blurb: “Solve a Murder. Stop a War. Save the World. Magic, murder, and a strangely alluring enemy ambassador. Brannon’s life just got complicated.” My Thoughts: A murder mystery in a fantasy world—you know it’s calling my name. I read and heard a couple of rave reviews for this, too. True, I’d forgotten about it since putting it on the list, but I remember it now. Verdict:
	Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke Blurb: “When it comes to law and order, East Texas plays by its own rules – a fact that Darren Mathews, a black Texas Ranger, knows all too well. Deeply ambivalent about growing up black in the lone star state, he was the first in his family to get as far away from Texas as he could. Until duty called him home. But when his allegiance to his roots puts his job in jeopardy, he travels up Highway 59 to the small town of Lark, where two murders—a black lawyer from Chicago and a local white woman—have stirred up a hornet’s nest of resentment. Darren must solve the crimes – and save himself in the process – before Lark’s long-simmering racial fault lines erupt. A rural noir suffused with the unique music, color, and nuance of East Texas…” Verdict:
	A Friend is a Gift You Give Yourself by William Boyle My Thoughts: I had this on the list twice, covered it back in #18. Whoops. Verdict:
	The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry My Thoughts: I had this on the list twice, covered it back in #19. Whoops again. Verdict:
	Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo Blurb: This is not something I can sum up in a paragraph or two, click the link. My Thoughts: Not really my thing, though, not sure why I added this to the list in the first place. Verdict:
	Reverting to Type: a Reader’s Story by Alan Jacobs Blurb: A “reader’s memoir,” describing his development as a reader over the course of his life. Verdict:
	Hero Forged by Josh Erikson Blurb: “Gabriel Delling might call himself a professional con artist, but when walking superstitions start trying to bite his face off, his charm is shockingly unhelpful. It turns out living nightmares almost never appreciate a good joke. Together with a succubus who insists on constantly saving his life, he desperately tries to survive a new reality that suddenly features demons, legends, and a giant locust named Dale—all of whom pretty much hate his guts. And when an ancient horror comes hunting for the spirit locked in his head, Gabe finds himself faced with the excruciating choice between death…or becoming some kind of freaking hero.” Verdict: