Down the TBR Hole #6

Welcome to the Down The TBR Hole meme. It’s been nearly two years since I last did this, but in the interests of enlivening this blog a bit, I thought it would be fun to return.

The aim behind this game is to whittle your TBR down a little by going through and removing books you’ve lost interest in or aren’t truly likely to pick up.

My TBR is not as out of control as some of yours, but I figure it’s probably still worth trying to get it down a bit. I’d love your comments on any of my decisions.

Here’s how it works, feel free to join in!

• 1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
  2. Order on ascending date added.
  3. Take the first 5 (or 10 — or even more if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course, if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
  4. Read the synopses of the books
  5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

So, without further ado!

Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk

While this sounds like an interesting take on Greek-gods-in-the-modern-world… but the ebook is expensive and my library doesn’t have a copy… I’m not really feeling strongly enough about it to go the effort of obtaining a copy. 

~~ Decision:  GO ~~

Dear Mr You by Mary-Louise Parker

Honestly I’m not even sure why this was on my TBR… non-fiction epistolary format? Not really my thing at all. This is an easy decision.

~~ DECISION:  GO ~~

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson

This one sounds intriguing! It might get a bit too literary for me but it has aliens and big decisions and lost loves, so I think I could get into it!

~~ DECISION: KEEP ~~

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman, translated by Henning Koch

This is by the same author who wrote A Man Called Ove and there are quite a few 5-star reviews among my GoodReads friends. That said, I’m not really sure it’s for me.

~~ DECISION: GO ~~

Betrayal: the Crisis in the Catholic Church by the Boston Globe

There is no doubt this an important book. It’s the story of the Boston Globe journalists who broke the story of the mass cover-ups of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Having said that, I’m much inclined to read non-fiction in the form of articles and blogs, rather than books. I don’t think I’m likely to read the book.

~~DECISION: GO ~~

TODAY: 1 keep, 4 go.

ALL TIME: 15 keep, 20 go.

Wow, that was rather ruthless! Do you have any opinions about my choices today? Let me know in the comments!

You can read my previous Down the TBR Hole posts here.

See you next time!

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Down the TBR Hole #6

Welcome to the Down The TBR Hole meme. The aim behind this game is to whittle your TBR down a little by going through and removing books you’ve lost interest in or aren’t truly likely to pick up.

My TBR is not as out of control as some of yours, but I figure it’s probably still worth trying to get it down a bit. I’d love your comments on any of my decisions.

Here’s how it works, feel free to join in!

• 1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
  2. Order on ascending date added.
  3. Take the first 5 (or 10 — or even more if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course, if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
  4. Read the synopses of the books
  5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

So, without further ado!

Inconceivable! by Tegan Wren

I’m a bit torn about this one. It sounds cute and I enjoy a royal romance as much as the next person. But it’s a full on romance-to-marriage-to-trying-to-have-a-baby within 350 pages? Honestly sounds like it might be trying to do a bit too much and while I appreciate a book that explores infertility, I’m not sure it’s for me.   

~~ Decision:  GO ~~

5 to 1 by Holly Bodger

Honestly… as much as the idea of a dystopia set in future India feels different and fresh, I think I’d rather read one from an Indian author. Also a few reviewers that I follow say the world-building is sketchy, which means I’m bound to pick it apart and ask too many questions. I’m going to let this one go.

~~ DECISION:  GO ~~

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

This one sounds really good! I’m not sure if it’s a fairytale retelling exactly, but it has djinn! I love djinn! They’re one of my favourite mythological creatures and I am willing to read any book featuring them. So this is a kepeer.

~~ DECISION: KEEP ~~

Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet by H. P. Wood

There’s a note at the end of the blurb for this on stating that it’s not a children’s or YA book. Which is weird because the blurb totally reads like middle-grade. And based on some of the reviews, the things that would have drawn me to it – Coney Island, carnival oddballs – are not actually a major feature. Apparently it’s more about an outbreak of yellow fever, with a bit of magical realism thrown in. Again, I don’t think it’s for me.

~~ DECISION: GO ~~

Stitching Snow by R. C. Lewis

Fairytale retelling! Yay! Sci-fi? Yeeehhh? But it sounds intriguing? Gonna keep this one for now.

~~DECISION: KEEP ~~

TODAY: 2 keep, 3 go.

ALL TIME: 14 keep, 16 go.

What do you think of these choices? Have you read any of these titles? Would you have chosen differently?

You can read my previous Down the TBR Hole posts here.

See you next time!

#Medievalathon – May 2020 – TBR!

Wheee, nothing quite like finding out about a readathon the day before it starts and deciding to take part anyway!

During the month of May, I’m going to be participating in Medievalathon, hosted by Holly Hearts Books.

I plan to read at least seven books this month and become divine Empress of the four corners of the globe. Or something. Anyway. Here are the levels you can aim for:

And I’m going to do that while wearing some pretty rocking outfits. I had a lot of books that fitted the outfit prompts. 😂

OUTFITS

A pristine book: The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Under 300 pages: Greythorne by L. M. Merrington

Green on the dust jacket: Harlequin’s Riddle by Rachel Nightingale

A book with a dragon on the cover: Ochre Dragon by V. E. Patton

WEAPONS

A romance: The Beast’s Heart by Leife Shallcross

A heavy book: Angel Mage by Garth Nix

A book I have high expectations for: The Dry by Jane Harper

Pet COMPANIONS

A scary book: The Grief Hole by Kaaron Warren

Orange on the dust jacket: A Pocketful of Eyes by Lili Wilkinson

And that’s it for not! I’ve spent way too much time putting this together this morning and I need to go get ready for work! At least it’s a work from home day. I’ll do a progress post about halfway through the month and see you then!

Down The TBR Hole #5

Welcome to the Down The TBR Hole meme. The aim behind this game is to whittle your TBR down a little by going through and removing books you’ve lost interest in or aren’t truly likely to pick up.

My TBR is not as out of control as some of yours, but I figure it’s probably still worth trying to get it down a bit. I’d love your comments on any of my decisions.

Here’s how it works, feel free to join in!

• 1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
  2. Order on ascending date added.
  3. Take the first 5 (or 10 — or even more if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course, if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
  4. Read the synopses of the books
  5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

So, without further ado!

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway

This is a time travel romance and to be honest, nothing about this summary jumps out at me anymore (it’s been on my TBR for a full five years). This is any easy go decisions. 

~~ Decision:  GO ~~

Far, Far Away by Tom McNeal

This one’s summary is a bit wordy, which always makes me wonder about the book itself. Does it meander, too? Given the voice the MC hears is that of Jacob Grimm, presumably this has something to do with fairy tales, but there’s nothing there to really hook me so this is another one to say goodbye to.

~~ DECISION:  GO ~~

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

I’m not entirely sure about this one but it has a lot of good reviews and many of my friends have really enjoyed it. And it’s a book-about-books, and those are usually good (says the philistine who didn’t like 84 Charing Cross Road). I think I’ll keep this one for now.

~~ DECISION: KEEP ~~

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

The blurb of this doesn’t give much away, to the point where I wasn’t even sure if it was a fantasy or something more sinister, like a thriller about a group of kidnapped kids. But Goodreads says it’s fantasy, and I’m intrigued. It’s got mixed reviews from my friends but I want to make up my own mind.

~~ DECISION: KEEP ~~

The Axeman’s Jazz by Ray Celestin

I’m a bit of sucker for historical crime fiction, particularly if there’s a serial killer involved. And this one is partially based on fact? Yeah, gonna have to keep this one.

~~DECISION: KEEP ~~

TODAY: 3 keep, 2 go.

ALL TIME: 12 keep, 13 go.

What do you think of these choices? Have you read any of these titles? Would you have chosen differently?

You can read my previous Down the TBR Hole posts here.

See you next time!

Down The TBR Hole #4

Welcome to the Down The TBR Hole meme. I stole this idea off Sofii at A Book. A Thought. a year ago, did three posts and then never got back to it. But in the interests of making this blog a little more active again, I thought it would be a good series to get back into.

My TBR isn’t as out of control as some of yours 😋but it is probably still worth trying to get it down a bit. I’d love your comments on any of my decisions.

Here’s how it works, feel free to join in!

• 1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
  2. Order on ascending date added.
  3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course, if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
  4. Read the synopses of the books
  5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

So, without further ado!

Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming

I’m kind of torn about this one because on the one hand, I love Alan Cumming as a performer. On the other hand, I don’t really love memoirs… but the GoodReads listing for this makes me intrigued enough to still want to take a look at it.

~~ Decision:  KEEP

24 Hours by Claire Seeber

Man, when was the last time I read a good thriller? Feels like such a long time ago! I wish there was a bit to the blurb for this one, though… it’s hard to decide based on a couple of lines… so I think for the moment I’m going to let this one go.

~~ DECISION:  GO ~~

The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine

Um, yeah, a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses set in Jazz Age New York? That’s a no-brainer.

~~ DECISION: KEEP ~~

The Witch of Lime Street by David Jaher

As much as this sounds really interesting and I do love anything to do with the early twentieth century’s obsession with the occult… reading the reviews it sounds like this isn’t the most well-written book on the subject. It also sounds like it gets quite dense at times and I suspect I would love interest quickly.

~~ DECISION: GO ~~

Alice Takes Back Wonderland by David D Hammons

It’s my lifelong quest to find good Alice in Wonderland retellings/continuations/adaptations. There have been a few but most of them end up really disappointing me… and yet I continue searching. While I’m not 100% wowed by this book’s description, the fact that it contains characters from other fantasy stories is intriguing, so I will keep it on the list.

~~DECISION: KEEP ~~

TODAY: 3 keep, 2 go.

ALL TIME: 9 keep, 11 go.

What do you think of these choices? Have you read any of these titles? Would you have chosen differently?

You can read my previous Down the TBR Hole posts here.

See you next time!

Down The TBR Hole #3

Welcome to the Down The TBR Hole meme. I have stolen this idea off Sofii at A Book. A Thought. because it seemed like a great way to get my TBR down. Mine isn’t as out of control as some of yours 😋but it is probably still worth trying to get it down a bit. I’d love your comments on any of my decisions.

I actually have my GoodReads TBRs sorted into standalones and series, with another separate shelf for books I plan to read for the Australian Women Writers Challenge. For purposes of these posts, I’m going to start with the standalones shelf (which is effectively the want-to-read shelf on GoodReads).

Here’s how it works, feel free to join in!

• 1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
  2. Order on ascending date added.
  3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course, if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
  4. Read the synopses of the books
  5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

So, without further ado!

Em & Em by Linda Budzinski

Pros: it’s pretty short, the blurb makes it sound like there’s some interesting suspense going on.

Cons: on GoodReads it is mostly shelved as romance and the publisher is a romance imprint as well, which means the romance might actually overshadow the things that sound interesting. It also sounds like maybe it gets a bit preachy?

~~ Decision:  GO ~~

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

While I’m not 100% sure that I would enjoy this book, I think I have to keep it on my list. I love fractured fairytales and the idea of a boy propelled into a fairytale world that reflects the fact that he is in mourning for his mother, sounds really intriguing. The reviews are mixed, but I want to make up my own mind.

~~ DECISION:  KEEP ~~

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This book has really mixed reviews, but I think this is another case of wanting to find out for myself what the book is like. The blurb gives very little away, but it sounds like it’s  YA psychological thriller? And I like those! Also sounds like it might be a bit literary, which I am less into. But I think I’ll keep this one just so I can eventually find out what everyone is talking about.

~~ DECISION: KEEP ~~

The Last of the Spirits by Chris Priestley

So I enjoy a spin an old story as much as the next person, and this version of A Christmas Carol from the perspective of two street urchins pushed aside by Scrooge sounds quite intriguing. It’s also only a short book and my library has a copy, but… I just don’t find myself pulled in by the description.

~~ DECISION: GO ~~

Time Storm by Steve Harrison

Ehh… time travel isn’t my favourite and the idea of a boatload of eighteenth or nineteenth century convicts figuring out twenty-first century Sydney honestly doesn’t appeal to me… even if the main character’s name is Kit, which is one of my favourite names, and even if he is a gentleman.

~~DECISION: GO ~~

TODAY: 2 keep, 3 go.

ALL TIME: 6 keep, 9 go.

What do you think of these choices? Have you read any of these titles? Would you have chosen differently?

See you next time!

Down The TBR Hole #2

Welcome to the Down The TBR Hole meme. I have stolen this idea off Sofii at A Book. A Thought. because it seemed like a great way to get my TBR down. Mine isn’t as out of control as some of yours 😋but it is probably still worth trying to get it down a bit. I’d love your comments on any of my decisions.

I actually have my GoodReads TBRs sorted into standalones and series, with another separate shelf for books I plan to read for the Australian Women Writers Challenge. For purposes of these posts, I’m going to start with the standalones shelf (which is effectively the want-to-read shelf on GoodReads).

Here’s how it works, feel free to join in!

• 1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
  2. Order on ascending date added.
  3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course, if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
  4. Read the synopses of the books
  5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

So, without further ado!

A Curious Tale of the In Between by Lauren DeStefano

Just looking at the cover, I was nearly ready to get rid of this one, but then I re-read the synopsis, and it has ghooooosts! (Probably should have figured that from the reflection with no figure above the water). I love ghosts! And going by the reviews, it is a really charming but emotional MG read. So I’m going to keep this one.

~~ Decision: KEEP ~~

Ash by Malinda  Lo

On revisiting, this one… just doesn’t sound that interesting. My friends’ reviews seem to suggest that while the writing is very good, the plot meanders a bit.  And fairytale retellings are so popular now that if I want to find a lesbian Cinderella, there’s probably another one to  choose.

~~ Decision: GO~~

Mortal Musings by Arai Glazki

Aghh, that cover is so cute. But I feel like I’ve read things very similar to this since I first added it to my TBR. While I have enjoyed modern day stories with characters from Greek mythology in the past, I’m not sure it’s really my thing anymore. Also I think there’s probably more sexy times in this one than I generally prefer. So I’m going to let this one. go.

~~ Decision: GO ~~

The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry

I don’t think this is quite my thing. I’m not terribly into Victorain comedy-style stuff and the blurb gives me vibes of Gail Carriger’s Soulless, which was not one of my favourites. There are many other Victorian murder mysteries waiting in the wings that I would rather pick up.

~~ DECISION: Go ~~

The Fantastic Fable of Peter Able by Natalie Grigson

Oh man. I’d love to keep this. It sounds very clever – the story of what a fictional character does once his series has wrapped up and he is no longer bound by a plotline… but the reviews aren’t great and when I checked the preview, I wasn’t impressed (it was all EXPOSITION!!!). Also I often miss allusions to other works of literature, and the author says in her own review that there are lot of those.

~~ DECISION: Go ~~

TODAY: 1 keep, 4 go.

(I was rather ruthless today, wasn’t I?)

ALL TIME: 4 keep, 6 go.

What do you think of these choices? Would you have chosen differently?

See you next time!

Down The TBR Hole #1

Welcome to my first Down The TBR Hole post. I have stolen this idea off Sofii at A Book. A Thought. because  it seemed like a great way to get my TBR down. Maybe. Mine isn’t as out of control as some of yours 😋but it is probably still worth trying to get it down a bit. I don’t know how often I’ll have a chance to post these, but I’d love your comments on any of my decisions.

I actually have my GoodReads TBRs sorted into standalones and series, with another separate shelf for books I plan to read for the Australian Women Writers Challenge. For purposes of these posts, I’m going to start with the standalones shelf (which is effectively the want-to-read shelf on GoodReads).

Here’s how it works, feel free to join in!

• 1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
  2. Order on ascending date added.
  3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course, if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
  4. Read the synopses of the books
  5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

So, without further ado!

Treason, Treason! by Josh Langston

This is an alternate history where the United States never existed and North America is still under British rule. In 2012, two scientists have invented time travel and go back to the War of Independence in the hopes of finding George Washington and helping him secure a better future.  I’ve had it on my TBR since 2014! And I actually do have the ebook already, and I’ve read the first chapter or two and enjoyed it.

~~ Decision: KEEP ~~

The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas

I already own a copy of this one, too! And it was highly recommended to me by some friends. I’m not sure that it will be exactly my cup of tea (I suspect it might get a little too deep and philosopohical), but I am definitely interested enough to keep it on my TBR.

~~ Decision: KEEP ~~

The Android’s Dream by John Scalzi

I read John Scalzi’s “Red Shirts” a few years back and wasn’t a big fan, but I always said I wanted to try another of his books. Having said that, the way the blurb of this one is written on GoodReads, it sounds like the humour is similar, and that’s one of the things I didn’t really click with in Red Shirts. I don’t think I’ll worry about this one.

~~ Decision: GO ~~

Mademoiselle Chanel by C. W. Gortner

I was interested in this book as a fictionalised version of Coco Chanel’s rise through the fashion world. But to be honest, I don’t actually have that much of an interest in fashion or in Chanel personally so I’m not really sure why I sought this out. I can’t see myself being terribly interested in this.

~~ Decision: GO ~~

None of the Above by I. W. Gregorio

This is a book about a girl who discovers she was born intersex, a fact that gets around her whole school before she is able to properly process this herself. There are very few books that depict this experience and I try to read about diverse experiences, so this is on is staying on my TBR.

~~ Decision: KEEP ~~

I was going to do ten, but I’ve already had this post in draft form for a week and I want to get it posted, dammit! Haha. I guess 3 keeps and two goes is not too bad! I’ll keep whittling away at it through these posts whenever I get the chance.

See you next time!

July-August 2018 TBR

Read my June reading wrap-up here!

I can’t believe it’s already July! Half the year gone!

I’ve written myself a completely new TBR for the next couple of months. Previously, I was carrying over any unread books from the last list, but I’m just not in the mood for those at the moment so they’ve gone back into my TBR Jar for later. I’ve been a bit reading slumpy for the last few months (work and other life things have contributed to that), so I haven’t left it up to the chance of the TBR Jar this time. I’ve deliberately selected books I think I’ll enjoy.

Blackwing by Ed McDonald

The Dry by Jane Harper

The Finisher by David Baldacci

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot #17)

The Olmec Obituary by L. J. M Owen

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

Where Shadows Rise by Amy Laurens (Sanctuary #1)

Through Roads Between by Amy Laurens (Sanctuary #2)

With the exception of I Had Such Friends, which is an ARC from NetGalley, the rest of these are books I own. I am a little behind on my Australian Women Writers Challenge and will need to also get a few books from the library to make a move on that.

What are you planning to read this month?

March-April 2018 TBR

Read my February reading wrap-up here!

I made it through six of the eight titles on my Jan-Feb TBR list, which is not too bad in my book! (Haha, book pun, geddit?) I’ve carried the remaining two over for the next two months, and have finally had an opportunity to use my TBR Jar to pick out my next few reads! Plus I have one ARC that I know of and a couple of others pending at the time of this writing. It’s really great to be putting a hole in both my physical and virtual TBRs!

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Scapegallows by Carol Birch

Treason! Treason! by Josh Langston

Call Me Sasha by Genna Leigh

Daddy Darkest by Ellery Kane

Anne of Green Gables by E. M. Montgomery

A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald by Natasha Lester

What are you reading this month?