Back Down The TBR Hole 25.2

You may remember I went down the TBR Hole a few years ago, for quite a while, looking at things on my TBR list I was never going to read, realistically. I will be posting monthly for a bit on a Thursday, then whenever I want to take some older books off my TBR shelf. And when I post Down The TBR Hole, I may well grab the Linky code and add it to the post.

Down The TBR Hole is a meme created by Lost in a Story, but Lia has permitted Jody from Jody’s Bookish Haven to adopt it since she is no longer blogging; the only thing changing is you can now link up to your post. This meme will revolve around cleansing your TBR of all those books you’ll never read and sorting through it all to know what’s on there. This is a laid-back meme, so post every week or month, whatever works for you.

Last time I went down the TBR Hole my list ended at 920 (plus 6 in currently reading). Then I read a book by Ruth Ware and added more of hers, plus some others to get more X, Y and Z titles for next year’s (and the current) Alphabet Soup Challenge.

So, starting point: Goodreads TBR list 923 (plus nine in currently reading)

Why am I adding the ‘currently reading?’ Because I tend to put them straight in there when I have too many on my TBR. Most of those do need to be read quickly (ARCs etc), but some go on for a long time.

I’m aiming to reject ten on each of these journeys.

We’re still talking about books I added in May 2013! I aim to reject ten on each journey down the TBR hole. Of course, there’s also the issue of whether I have a copy to read already…

This month’s journey Down the TBR Hole 25.2

The Warble by Victoria Simcox. This sits at 117 on my priority list, and not only do I have a copy, I started reading it at one point, or so my kindle says. Rereading the blurb, I can guess why I stopped. It’s well past my interest date. As that song goes… time to say goodbye. REJECT (1)

Steps to Heaven by Wendy Cartmell. A military crime series, this is the first. Wendy started writing around the same time I did, and was one of my first Twitter pals. She hasn’t been around much lately, but then neither have I, but I’d still like to read her book, and I have it on kindle. KEEP

Doodling by Jonathan Gould. I have a feeling I read something else by him which made me pause over this one, but when I check the blurb, it’s humour and YA scifi, not MG which I thought it was. Should I read it? I think it might be short. KEEP

Fargoer by Hanna Petteri. This is a set of short stories in a series. I have it on kindle. I think it’s Finnish, and I think that’s why I want to keep it. KEEP

Hide and Seek by Jenny Hilborne. Another I have on kindle, and it looks like a decent crime thriller. One of the reviews hints at why I have so many books on my kindle around this date – they mention the free kindle books, and yes, this was probably the peak period for them! Oh, KEEP

Chloe and the Half-World by Neon May. Another I have on kindle. The blurb does not thrill me, nor does the listing as first in the series, with no more books listed. REJECT (2)

The Backworlds by M Pax. I used to interact with M Pax somewhere, too. This is the start of a series with seven in it, and there seems to be war coming at some stage… I don’t want to go there, so let’s stop now. REJECT (3)

The Frenchman’s Daughters by Paul Sinkinson. WW2 adventure, focusing on the French Resistance. I remember it getting good reviews when it came out, although the ones near the top now are so-so (although one clearly displays little knowledge of the French part in WW2). KEEP

Surveillance by Lynette Sofras. In theory I want to read it, in practice I’m never going to, despite an excellent review from Jenny Twist. The cover puts me off anyway.. REJECT (4)

Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif. There was a lot of whale-based lit around in the early 2010s. I read several of the reviews and thought, I think I might be in the 2 star camp. REJECT (5)

Cat’s Paw by L A Taylor. When all the reviews are telling you it’s not exactly a twist, because everyone but the protag can see it coming, you wonder why it’s on your list. Even if they do then give it from 1 to 5 stars. I’m too cynical these days. I wonder whether I’d feel the same about the Princelings if I checked them on the same criteria? REJECT (6)

What About Barnaby? by Martha Rodriguez. It looks like Rodriguez ran a giveaway and never promoted it again, as the only review is by Julie Grasso, who gives it five stars and adds she won it in a giveaway. It doesnt encourage me to help look for the ‘missing mutt’. Maybe I’m just feeling old today. REJECT (7)

Hurricane Katrina: A Journey of Hope by Anthony Veltri. Two polite 3 star reviews suggests this is not really what the blurb says, and could be either way out of date, or with the new withdrawal of funding for FEMA, could be right up to date again. Whatever. REJECT (8)

A Kingdom’s Cost by J R Tomlin. This has got close to the ‘reading’ pile at times but currently languishes way down the list. I have an allergy to Scottish historical novels especially when written by Americans living in the new world, although at least she is second generation scots (I’m only fourth at best). But it could be a good read… KEEP

Hardware – the Trouble with Phillip (Dakoteroo #2) by Krista Michelle Breen. We were involved in the same MG project and I enjoyed the first book in this series. Over the years I’ve looked at it loads of times, and thought about buying it. But I haven’t. Am I too old for MG horse stories? You’re never too old for MG horse stories. But I think it’s time to say goodbye to this one. REJECT (9)

Realand (The Portal Series) by Dee Kirby. I have no idea why I have listed this. Apart from potentially interesting weird sealife, it’s geared towards younger MG. So are the Cavies of Flexford Common, but that doesnt mean I have to read everything the target audience might read. REJECT (10)

Summary

So I had to review 16 to get rid of ten. That seems to be about par for the course.

The TBR now stands at 915. Heading in the right direction, anyway.