So many books. Sometimes, it’s overwhelming and it’s hard to decide what to read next. My To Be Read Pile could actually be my entire home and garage, but I’ll only mention the five books sitting beside me right now. And, I’ll be honest and say sometimes something catches my attention, and I read it straight through. But, often I read part of one book, and alternate with others. I’m usually reading several at a time. I always have one mystery. Sometimes there’s a nonfiction title, and a novel or two. But, the novels have to be very different. And, as all of you know who follow my blog, the mysteries are my favorites, so I’ll usually read that first.
This time, I have one book that’s already been published, so it will probably be the first to be reviewed, and I’ll add something to the pile to replace it. It’s a terrific collection, mostly forthcoming books.
So, before I share my TBR pile, tell me about yours. Do you read multiple books at the same time? How do you choose? What’s on your TBR pile right now?
Melissa Hill’s The Gift of a Lifetime is from the library. It’s set in New York City at Christmastime, and features a woman who receives anonymous gifts and clues that send her to some of the city’s most popular landmarks. The clues are perfect for a romantic comedy movie lover. But, who’s sending the gifts?
I’ve just started Paige Shelton’s mystery, Of Books and Bagpipes. The second Scottish Bookshop mystery comes out in April. That’s one that I’m ready to dive into, and read straight through, but I may need to do that over Christmas.
Christina Baker Kline is the author of Orphan Train. Her February novel is A Piece of the World. The new story is based on Christina, the woman who inspired Andrew Wyeth’s painting, Christina’s World.
The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir is Jennifer Ryan’s debut novel. As England enters World War II, the vicar decrees that the village choir will close because the men have gone to war. But, the women defy him, and “carry on singing” as the Chilbury Ladies’ Choir. It’s another February release.
The final February release is nonfiction, and it won’t be as easy to read. Helen Rappaport is the author of The Romanov Sisters. Her forthcoming book is Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917 – A World on the Edge.
And, in between the February releases, I’ll continue to read books that have already been published so I can review them, and you can find them in bookstores or your libraries.
As I said, “So many books, so little time.” Tell us, what’s on your TBR pile?
Lesa, like you, I have several books going at a time. I never know what mood I'll be in so I have several to read.
Like you, Lesa, my TBR mountain is in the 1000s of books. I usually only have 1-2 books going at the same time. Since it is approaching the holidays, I am moving up some Christmas mysteries to the top of my TBR pile: FELIZ NAVIDEAD by Ann Myers and WE WISH YOU A MURDEROUS CHRISTMAS by Vicki Delany. And then 3 eARCs to review: DARK FISSURES by Matt Coyle, A MEASURE OF MURDER by Leslie Karst and WHERE THE LOST GIRLS GO by R. J. Noonan.
As you know, I always have at least two books going at once. Somehow I have currently ended up with FIVE ebooks checked out of the library at once! Then there are the six other library books sitting on the shelf. But the ebooks only give me two weeks to read them, while the others have three and can be renewed for the most part, so the ebooks are first, right?
Currently reading Howard Waldrop's collection of science fiction and alternate universe stories, THINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME, and Brian Freemantle's MADRIGAL FOR CHARLIE MUFFIN.
On the TBR list:
Mick Herron, SLOW HORSES
Robert Charles Wilson, LAST YEAR
Simon R. Green, THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD
Iain Reid, I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS (I started this but put it aside for the ebooks first)
Jodi Taylor, JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER
Plus another 3-4 library books.
I don't see how I'm going to get these all read in time.
I have many bookcases filled with TBR books. I'll never get to them all, but I consider them all possibilities.
I'm with all of you. Possibilities! And, I have enough books to last my lifetime. Somehow, that's comforting.
Yes, I definitely have more books on my TBR bookcases and Kindle than I can possibly read in my lifetime. But I still love to see what others are reading or recommending, and adding new titles to my wishlist. It's an addiction, for sure!
I have worked hard to get my TBR books down to 450! My next up book is Factory Girl by Josanne La Valley. The author spent time living with the Uyghurs in China. My husband believes that he is descended from them. This is the second book about them that I have read. It is an interesting way to learn about their customs and present living conditions.
450! Even that sounds formidable, Carol. That's interesting about your husband and his ancestry. Always fascinating to read books that relate to our history.
If that's the worst addiction some of us have, that's OK!
Several years ago, my husband and I did a serious cull of our books (both read and unread). We ended up giving about 300 books to a co-worker who was converting a spare bedroom in her home to a library (must be nice); we donated about the same amount to the Friends of the Library for their book sales–and we're still drowning in books! I have done a lot better about buying books–even used–and try to get most of my reading done through library check-outs. Nonetheless, the tbr pile continues to grow. Sigh! I guess I'll never have a zen-spa, clutter-free home. Here are a few of the books on my side table right now (they're all library books and most are due back before December 31–thank God for on-line renewals):
ALL THINGS CEASE TO APPEAR by Elizabeth Brundage: a woman is murdered–is her husband the killer?
MRS. DREW PLAYS HER HAND by Carla Kelly: Regency romance about a widow learning to love again.
ROBOT UPRISINGS edited by Daniel H. Wilson and John Joseph Adams: short stories by a variety of authors (including Cory Doctorow and Ernest Kline) about self-aware robots. As one blurb put it, you'll never look at your Roomba the same way again.
THE PLANTER'S WIFE by Dinah Jeffries: novel set in Ceylon in the 1920s about a woman who marries the owner of a tea plantation after a whirlwind courtship. But why won't her husband talk about what happened to his first wife?
THE MOTH CATCHER by Ann Cleves: the latest Vera Stanhope mystery. Of all the books I currently have on my tbr, this is the one I feel most confident about starting–and finishing.
One more comment in light of all of our monster tbr stacks: I believe it was Schopenhauer who observed that we buy books in the hope that we will live long enough to read them.
I have more books than I have time to read and asked for more on my Christmas list.
Of all the books I need to be reading I checked out ebook from the library. Never heard of the book or author. No Cats Allowed by Miranda James. After finishing The Women in Cabin 10 I needed a book that would be light and relaxing.
I have two books that I started a few weeks ago and got pushed aside because The Women in Cabin 10 was a ebook that I had on hold and there were so many people a head of me that it was a long wait. Since you can have it for only 14 days I had to put others a side. The book wasn't worth the time I pent reading it.
Oh, Lesa, if I could only read faster. I don't dare count how many books are on my TBR list, and as you say, it's still sometimes hard to decide what to read next. And, each year I give myself a bag of books for Christmas, adding to an already impossible amount of books to read. Then, you go and list some books that I now want to add, too. There are worse problems to have.
In my immediate TBR pile are a few I should have gotten to already and a few coming out in 2017. Alex Marwood's The Darkest Secret, Ann Patchett's Commonwealth, Terry Shames' An Unsettling Crime for Samuel Craddock (out Jan. 3rd) and Clare Mackintosh's I See You (out Feb. 21st).
Deb, I'm doubting that I'll live long enough to read them, but I can't resist.
Charlotte, I think you'll like Miranda James better than The Woman in Cabin 10. Let me know!
Kathy,
Yes! The Terry Shames book. I have that, and it's getting close enough to Jan. 3 that I can read it, right?
After the dastardly Bill Crider posted a link to THOUSANDS of free Kindle books (until 12/20, you you still have time) I downloaded: 10 Heather Graham books for Jackie and too many others for me (by Brian Freemantle, Brian Garfield, Fritz Leiber, Brett Halliday (westerns this time), plus non-fiction by Bel Kaufman (essays) and Ann Corio (about burlesque), short stories by William Humphrey, etc.
Go to Amazon Kindle and type in Open Road Media (there are sub-genres).
My Kindle book total is up to 419.