Tag: Down the TBR Hole

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:

1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
4. Read the synopses of the books.
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?
6. 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?

Here we are with another 10 books to choose the fate of. I’m forcing myself to be ruthless with this project. Mostly. (I really don’t want to)

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

	Shall We Gather by Alex Bledsoe Blurb: “When one world brushes another, asking the right question can be magic…” My Thoughts: That’s it. That’s the whole blurb. Which actually makes me really curious. Also, it’s in the Tufa series, so I have to read it. Verdict: No brainer. Also, I bought it this weekend to force my hand.
	The Guts by Roddy Doyle My Thoughts: What is wrong with me. There’s a sequel to The Commitments that was published four years ago and I haven’t touched it? This has gotta end soon. Verdict: Have to keep this.
	Dogtripping: 25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-Country Adventure by David Rosenfelt Blurb: Subtitle pretty much says it all. My Thoughts: Rosenfelt talked about this some in his Lessons from Tara which was great, and made the book sound like a must-read. Verdict: Rosenfelt + dogs? Duh.
	Stay by Allie Larkin My Thoughts: I wish I remembered how this ended up on the list. Looks like a rom-com about a woman trying to get over a guy, so she buys a dog and then falls for the vet? Or something like that. Verdict: Probably cute enough, but it’s not really speaking to me.
	The Bastards and the Knives by Scott Lynch My Thoughts: So apparently this book didn’t get published, plans changed, etc., etc. Verdict: Seems pretty obvious, no?
	Other People’s Weddings by Noah Hawley Blurb: A romance between a wedding photographer and a caterer, exploring loss, recovery, and I’m guessing, love. My Thoughts: A few years back, I decided I needed to read the Hawley novels that I’d missed. So that’s how this one ended up on the list. Would probably enjoy it, but I have to admit to myself that I’m just not interested enough to track it down. Verdict: Sorry, Mr. Hawley.
	The Punch by Noah Hawley Blurb: Hawley’s version of This is Where I Leave You, but not as light? Verdict: Again, I’d probably enjoy it, but I have to admit to myself that I’m just not interested enough to track it down.
	Death Watch by Jim Kelly Blurb: The disappearance of one sibling is followed by the murder of another 18 years later. But what’s the connection? My Thoughts: I remember really enjoying the interplay between DI Peter Shaw and DS George Valentine as they investigated the crime in the first novel. No idea why I didn’t continue. Verdict: Gotta get on it.
	Dorothy Parker: What Fresh Hell Is This? by Marion Meade Blurb: A biography of Dorothy Parker. Verdict: ’nuff said. Why haven’t I read this yet?
	The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston Blurb: A YA novel about a teen daughter in Witness Protection with her father—who refuses to explain why they’re in the program. My Thoughts: Intriguing concept—good enough/popular enough to justify a sequel, too. Verdict: Intriguing, but not enough to get me to move forward.

Books Removed in this Post: 5 / 10
Total Books Removed: 12 / 240

That’s an average of 4 books per entry. That’s not going to trim this down too quickly if I don’t get stricter (still, 40% down is better than nothing).

Anyone out there read any of these books? Did I make the right call with any of them?

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

Back for Round Two!

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:

1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
4. Read the synopses of the books.
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?
6. 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)

	Monster Hunter Vendetta by Larry Correia My Thoughts: I read and enjoyed Monster Hunter International years ago, probably would’ve jumped on this follow-up if my library had a copy of it—or if I’d had the cash for it then. I liked International enough, and have heard primarily good things about the rest of the series. Gotta give it another shot. Verdict:
	City of the Sun by Daid Levien Blurb: A P.I. with a dark past hunts for a missing child. My Thoughts: I don’t remember what attracted me to this. Looks perfectly decent, but I have so many mysteries that I know why I want to read, I’m going to pass on this. Verdict:
	Unicorn Precinct by Keith R.A. DeCandido My Thoughts: See what I said about Monster Hunter Vendetta. Verdict:
	Jack Reacher’s Rules by Lee Child Blurb: “…this one-of-a-kind book compiles timeless advice from maverick former army cop Jack Reacher, the hero of Lee Child’s blockbuster thrillers…” My Thoughts: Why haven’t I read this yet? Verdict:
	Two Pints by Roddy Doyle Blurb: “Two men meet for a pint in a Dublin pub. They chew the fat, set the world to rights, take the piss… They talk about their wives, their kids, their kids’ pets, their football teams and – this being Ireland in 2011–12 –about the euro, the crash, the presidential election, the Queen’s visit.” My Thoughts: Doyle going the comedic route? (which is what it seems like) A sure-fire win. (and there are two sequels…) Verdict:
	Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks Blurb: “Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go. He’s been alive for more than five years, which is positively ancient in the world of imaginary friends. But Budo feels his age and thinks constantly of the day when eight-year-old Max Delaney will stop believing in him. When that happens, Budo will disappear.Max is different from other children. Some people say he has Asperger’s, but most just say he’s “on the spectrum.” None of this matters to Budo, who loves Max unconditionally and is charged with protecting him from the class bully, from awkward situations in the cafeteria, and even in the bathroom stalls. But he can’t protect Max from Mrs. Patterson, a teacher in the Learning Center who believes that she alone is qualified to care for this young boy. When Mrs. Patterson does the unthinkable, it is up to Budo and a team of imaginary friends to save Max—and Budo must ultimately decide which is more important: Max’s happiness or his own existence.” Verdict:
	A Ticket to the Boneyard by Lawrence Block My Thoughts: The first seven of these were compelling, and I’m not sure why I ran out of gas with these. A friend has been castigating me for that choice for a few months now. Gotta get back on that horse. Verdict:
	Dixie City Jam by James Lee Burke My Thoughts: I admired and respected the first six of these more than I enjoyed them. I’m betting this would be the same. Life’s too short. Verdict:
	The Nightgown by Brad Parks My Thoughts: A 32-page prequel to the Carter Ross series seems like it’d be 20 or so minutes of fun, but I can’t see me getting around to this (unless Parks writes another Ross book or two—might renew my interest, but even then…a singular short isn’t my style) Verdict:
	Trouble in Paradise by Marcia Clark My Thoughts: See above, but re: the Rachel Knight series. Verdict:

Books Removed in this Post: 4 / 10
Total Books Removed: 7 / 240

Anyone out there read any of these books? Did I make the right call with any of them?

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

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:

1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
4. Read the synopses of the books.
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?
6. 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?

I’ll probably be tackling 5 of these at a time, but this time I’m going for 10 because the first 3 are in one series, and it seems like cheating to have the first 3 of 5 to be answered together. I’ll probably slow down in the future.

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

	The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi My Thoughts: This is the sequel to Old Man’s War which was plenty of fun, but after I read it I couldn’t quickly get my hands on the sequel (although I could’ve gotten 3 & 4), and then I got distracted and…well, here I am 8 years later. Verdict: Yeah, I’ll have to re-read Old Man’s War first, but that should be a good time anyway.
	The Last Colony by John Scalzi My Thoughts: See above. Verdict:
	Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi My Thoughts: See above. Verdict:
	The Naming of the Beasts by Mike Carey My Thoughts: Similarly, I’ve read the first two of this series 3+ times, and the second two once, but couldn’t get my hands easily on this one (and it’s the only one not in my library system, how horrible is that?). Felix Castor was such a fun character, I really should get to this one—even if it means I have to spend a little money. Verdict:
	This Dog for Hire by Carol Lea Benjamin My Thoughts: A P.I. Novel with a Canine sidekick. This should be a slam-dunk for me. But when I read the blurb, something fails to grab me. Don’t ask me what. Just don’t think I’m going to get around to it. Possibly my loss. Verdict:
	To Speak for the Dead by Paul Levine Blurb: The first mystery in Paul Levine’s best-selling series, To Speak for the Dead, introduces trial lawyer and ex-Miami Dolphins linebacker Jake Lassiter, who has an uncanny knack for digging up the truth – and the danger that comes with it. My Thoughts: About 15 years ago, I gobbled up Levine’s Solomon vs. Lord series and probably should’ve jumped on this one at the time. I didn’t and have kicked myself for it frequently since. Maybe it’s the football thing? Odds are these are just as fun as the Andy Carpenter books. Verdict: I don’t know when I’ll get around to it, but I can’t bring myself to cut this.
	Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley Blurb: Set in the late 1940s, in the African-American community of Watts, Los Angeles, Devil in a Blue Dress follows Easy Rawlins, a black war veteran just fired from his job at a defense plant. Easy is drinking in a friend’s bar, wondering how he’ll meet his mortgage, when a white man in a linen suit walks in, offering good money if Easy will simply locate Miss Daphne Monet, a blonde beauty known to frequent black jazz clubs. My Thoughts: In casual conversation, I’d tell you I’ve read this. But a quick look at the blurb tells me that I haven’t. It’s more than a little unthinkable, really. I need to change this. Verdict:
	Pelham Fell Here by Ed Lynskey My Thoughts: I have no idea how this one ended up on my radar in April ’12, but it did (the author’s name rings a bell for some reason…maybe people on a Nero Wolfe discussion group have mentioned him?). The blurb is semi-interesting, but a couple of the quotations on Goodreads make me leary. Verdict: No idea what drew me to the book, leary quotations = time to go.
	A Cold Day in Paradise by Steve Hamilton Blurb: Other than the bullet lodged near his heart, former Detroit cop Alex McKnight thought he had put the nightmare of his partner’s death and his own near-fatal injury behind him. After all, the man convicted of the crimes has been locked away for years. But in the small town of Paradise, Michigan, where McKnight has traded his badge for a cabin in the woods, a murderer with the same unmistakable trademarks appears to be back. McKnight can’t understand who else would know the intimate details of the old murders. And it seems like it’ll be a frozen day in Hell before McKnight can unravel truth from deception in a town that’s anything but Paradise. My Thoughts: I remember reading that Hamilton has come back to this series after a while away. That blurb, my impression of Hamilton from his Nick Mason books, and the fact that Hamilton has been drawn back to the books make this a no-brainer. Verdict: If anything, I need to prioritize this.
	Detective by Parnell Hall Blurb: Stanley Hastings, the world’s most unlikely private eye, a struggling actor/writer trying to support his wife and kid in New York City, who chases ambulances for a negligence lawyer and carries a camera instead of a gun and photographs accident victims and the cracks in the sidewalk that tripped them, tackles his first real case, tracking down the murderers of a client he could not save because he wasn’t a real detective. My Thoughts: Like the Lynskey book, I have no idea how this ended up on my radar. Verdict: I dunno, just not feeling this.

Books Removed in this Post: 3 / 10
Total Books Removed: 3 / 240

Anyone out there read any of these books? Did I make the right call with any of them?

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)