Down the TBR Hole Revisited (3 of 3)

Huh. When I looked at this list, I really thought I’d cut some fat (although this part would be harder than the rest since some of these aren’t published yet, so I haven’t heard anything about them from other readers). I still managed to cut a little bit, which puts my Want-to-Read list under 150–which means overall, I’ve cut 90+ from the list since I started this (either through deleting or reading). I call that a win.

The big question is, what will this list look like in 2024-5 when I try this again?

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)

	Vanishing Edge by Claire Kells Blurb: FBI Agent-turned-Forest Service investigator is on the hunt for a killer in the Sequoia National Park. My Thoughts: I vaguely remember reading about this on a Crime Reads post–sounded good (still does), and I’d probably enjoy it. But…I know I’m not going to get around to it. Verdict:
	The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado Blurb: A pair of FBI Agents (both with troubled pasts) are on the hunt for a serial killer. My Thoughts: This one (and the next by Maldonado) were also featured in a Crime Reads post. The mini-blurb above sounds pretty generic, I know, but I remember something about the write-up that convinced me that Maldonado is somsone I want to try. So I put the first entries in her two series on the list, and am going to keep them there for at least a little longer. Verdict:
	Blood’s Echo by Isabella Maldonado Blurb: A Phoenix PD Detective is on a crusade to take down a local crime family My Thoughts: See above. I typically enjoy police detectives more than FBI Agents, so I’m leaning to trying this one first. Verdict:
	The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz Blurb: Owen and Luna have been best friends since college, the kind you always wonder why they didn’t end up together. When Owen’s wife is murdered, Luna starts putting pieces together with that murder and things that happened years ago. The book “examines the bonds of shared history, what it costs to break them, and what happens when you start wondering how well you know the one person who truly knows you.” My Thoughts: It’s Lutz, so of course I’m going to read it, she’s still on my “auto” list–writing the above blurb is the first time I even looked at a synopsis I have the eARC on my Kindle now, actually, it’s probably going to be the first novel I start in 2022. Verdict:
	How to Save a Superhero by Ruth Freeman Blurb: A ten-year old becomes convinced that a former superhero is a resident of the retirement community her mom works at. What’s more, she stumbles onto a conspiracy that puts him–and the whole human race–in danger. My Thoughts: I thought I remembered where I saw this book recommended, but it’s not on the blogs I thought it was. Whoops. Regardless, it sounds like a cute story. It’s staying, I need some MG fluff. Verdict:
	Fatal Storm by Carrie Vaughn Blurb: “Cormac and Amelia take a job at a quaint Victorian mountain lodge: keep an eye on the famous psychic there to judge whether the place is haunted. Simple, right? Three problems: the blizzard that snows everyone in for the weekend, the murdered body that shows up in the morning, and the fact that everyone is sure Cormac did it.” My Thoughts: I just need to take some time and read all the Cormac and Amelia stories, and keep forgetting. This story’s presence on the list is a mnemonic device to help. The pair was a big part of what made the Kitty Norville series work–am glad to see them keep the world alive. Verdict:
	Family Business by S.J. Rozan Blurb: “The death of a powerful Chinatown crime boss thrusts private eye Lydia Chin and her partner Bill Smith into a world of double-dealing, subterfuge, murder, and—because this is New York City—real estate.” My Thoughts: Like the Lutz book earlier, Lydia Chin/Bill Smith books are auto-reads for me. This one is waiting at the Library for me to pick up. I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while. Verdict:
	Dance Among the Flames by Tori Eldridge Blurb: I’m not even going to try to do this one. Click the links. My Thoughts: This looks like a heckuva departure from her Lily Wong series. I’m super-curious about it and am looking forward to its release. Verdict:
	The Awkward Black Man by Walter Mosley Blurb: A collection of short stories. My Thoughts: For years, I’ve felt like I’m missing out on not getting into Mosley–not a FOMO kind of thing, more of a “what is wrong with me that I don’t appreciate him.” After Allyson J Johnson mentioned it in a WWW Wednesday comment, I thought this might be a good way to jump start that effort (although a subsequent comment chilled me a bit). Verdict:
	How to Save a Superhero by Ruth Freeman My Thoughts: Okay, yeah, something about this clearly appealed to me because I put on the list twice. Whoops. Verdict: At least this helps me trim the number, right?
	Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney by Daniel Schwabauer Blurb: “Maxine Justice is an ambulance-chasing lawyer desperate for relevance and cash when aliens hire her to represent them before the United Nations.” My Thoughts: I saw an advertisement for this on Publishers Weekly, and the premise seemed so ridiculous and tongue-in-cheek I had to give it a shot. Verdict:
	One for All by Lillie Lainoff Blurb: A YA gender-bent Three Musketeers featuring someone who (today) would be diagnosed with POTS. My Thoughts: My daughter’s recently been diagnosed with POTS, so it’s been on my mind. When I saw this mentioned on my Twitter feed, I had to give it a shot. If for no other reason than to make sure my daughter gives it a read. Verdict:
	The Liar’s Knot by M.A. Carrick My Thoughts: I was really impressed with the first in this trilogy last year. I’ll likely be as impressed with this one–I will admit that I’m intimidated by the prospect of picking it up. Can I remember enough of what came before? Verdict: