Down the TBR Hole #7

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Hello Hello! How are you?

It’s that time of the week again for the Purge!! This post had to go up today instead of yesterday because I had a blog tour stop on Friday, but I’m so happy to be doing this today. I love writing these posts because they really motivate me to read books on my list that I had forgotten about and it helps clear a lot of unwanted books from the long list!

I had another little clear through in the Goodreads “Want to Read” list last weekend and was able to remove quite a few sequels and this TBR is definitely going down quickly now, hopefully, today I’ll get it down even more! I’ve been looking forward to doing my TBR Purge all week and I’m so glad that today is the day!

If you are unaware of how this weekly post works, head over to my first ever Down The TBR Hole to read all about it. Without further ado, let’s get on with this post! Again, I’m working on the next 20 books on the Goodreads TBR list. Last week, I was at 4,920 books by the end of the sixth Down the TBR Hole, but my list is now down to 4,427 books, honestly, that’s quite a big dent I made just removing the sequels, I guess I really like series aha! I am starting today where I left off last time at #73!

GOODREADS “WANT TO READ” SHELF

This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel

I bought this book last year while I was doing Kayla’s (Books and Lala) Buzz Word Readathon for books with the words Who, When, Why, How, What in the title and I bought so many books but only read about half. This is one of the books that really drew me in because it seemed like some of those books that don’t have much potential but end up blowing your mind. I’ve reread the synopsis and although it doesn’t really do much for me, I think I’m going to leave this on the list and try it out soon!

KEEP

The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson

I have absolutely no recollection of this book so I’m sure this is another book I added when I finished a book and Goodreads recommended about a million more and I used to add them all (as you do). I don’t really read Women’s Fiction, I personally need a bit of action, mystery or something in books and the few times I’ve read Women’s Fiction it’s fallen on its face and not captured me at all. The synopsis sounds interesting towards the end, but I nearly gave up reading it so I don’t think this is the right book for me right now.

REMOVE

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

Apparently we are having a Women’s Fiction and Literary Fiction week, it’s quite weird because they are among the genres that I never read and don’t particularly care for. I also struggled through this synopsis and found myself rolling my eyes at a few things, so I’m going to take this one off the list, I don’t think I would like it.

REMOVE

The Good Daughter (#1) by Karin Slaughter

And back we go to mystery/thrillers ha! I’m sure half of the list is compiled of mysteries and thrillers even though it’s a genre I hardly read, I know I want to read more but they either all seem the same to me or a bit too far-fetched. However, this blurb actually drew me in and I am quite excited to get to this one soon. I wasn’t expecting to want to read it but I have to say, the blurb is enticing!

KEEP

The Dry (#1) by Jane Harper

This one has been on my list ever since I heard Emily Fox on YouTube talk about reading it. I haven’t read any books set in Australia, but I do like watching the Doctor Blake Mysteries, although I’m sure this book doesn’t have any resemblance to the show. The blurb isn’t “very” interesting, but I know that a lot of people really like this book and I do want to give it a shot because I’ve heard so many different things about it and want to know my opinion on it! Have you read it?

KEEP

The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney

I’m actually starting to get annoyed about the number of mystery and thriller books on this list, it makes me want to take them all off, but I might miss out on something great, so I’ll be patient and do it properly! I skimmed the blurb quickly and remembered that this is one of those weird sounding books that are not really my cup of tea, so that was a really easy decision.

REMOVE

The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

I’ve heard so much about B.A. Paris and all her books, and even though the blurb does sound interesting and makes me want to pick up this book, I’m just not in the mood for a thriller at the moment, so I think I’ll take it off the list for the time being.

REMOVE

Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens

I need someone to stop me from adding thrillers and mysteries to my TBR, please? It’s really getting out of hand aha! This one sounds like a tonne of other thrillers and I’m just not getting any “want to read” vibes from this synopsis, so once again, an easy decision to make!

REMOVE

Silent Child (#1) by Sarah A. Denzil

I’m starting to get annoyed at my past self for being trigger happy on the add to “want to read” shelf banner that popped up every time I read a book. A word of advice, don’t be like me and add them all, you’ll regret it. But now that I’ve actually read the blurb, I think that this might be more my type of book, so I’m willing to give it a chance!

KEEP

The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle

You know the drill by now so I’m sure I don’t need to say anymore. This is another book that I don’t really feel like reading and it’s just taking up space on the list.

REMOVE

The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre

I was going to say that I was going to remove it without even reading the blurb, but then I did and now I really want to read this book! It sounds super interesting and I’m going to need to read it soon because I’m really intrigued!

KEEP

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

I’ve heard of Sarah Pinborough quite a few times and I’ve wanted to read her books for a few times, but I honestly don’t feel like reading this one, it doesn’t sound like something I want to read so I’m going to be taking this one off my list.

REMOVE

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan

FINALLY!!!! A book that isn’t a thriller or a mystery, hallelujah! I love historical fiction, especially when it concentrates on one event or one person. I think that this book has a lot of potential and I’m really looking forward to being able to read it soon!

KEEP

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

This one honestly does sound interesting, and I haven’t read a historical fiction set in China before, but the blurb was so long on Goodreads that I ended up getting bored and giving up reading it (I know, I’m a very bad person!), so I think I might remove this from my list right now and maybe come back to it in the future when I’m in the mood.

REMOVE

From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon

I’m glad this is another historical fiction set during WWII, and this one sounds so original and interesting! I’m getting some Robert Langdon vibes from this one because of how it is centred around the Church and one of the characters is a priest in the Catholic Church who hides Jews. I think that this one would be really interesting to look into how the Church dealt with the war and what their views were of the events. I hope to get to this one in the near future (that means somewhere in the next 20 years if you were wondering 😊).

KEEP

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan

This book’s premise honestly sounds really intriguing, and once again, it sounds like an original historical fiction, this time set in America and from the point of view of the first-ever female diver working at the Brooklyn Naval Yard. However, I don’t feel a strong need to pick this one up and it doesn’t seem to have very good ratings or opinions, so I think I might take it off the list.

REMOVE

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

Another historical fiction, I’m sorry I’m getting so predictable! This one has been on my list for such a long time, I remember someone on YouTube talking about this and I have wanted to pick it up ever since. I’ve read a lot of historical fiction, but I haven’t read that many from the point of view of a Jewish family (it’s a bit weird considering what happened) and the different family members as they all try to survive the war by themselves and in different places of the war. I feel like doing a historical fiction month later in the year and I think that I might add this one to the list! If you have any other great historical fiction books to recommend, please do so in the comments, I’d love to hear all about your faves!

KEEP

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

I’m glad to be well and truly back on the historical fiction bandwagon, I’m sorry these posts aren’t more diverse though aha, former Ellie didn’t seem to know what diverse is! Ohhhhh! I remember having the exact same reaction last time I read the first lines of the blurb and being totally captivated by the premise. This one sounds absolutely incredible, to have the viewpoint of a person who had conspired to assassinate Adolf Hitler and for the widow of one of the conspirators to look for all the families of fellow resisters to protect them! I also haven’t read that many books that are set at the aftermath of the war and how people rebuilt their lives after the war was finally over, so I’m intrigued to see what is going to happen to these three women. I think that I’m really going to like this book, I don’t even need to read the blurb in full to know that this one has to be on my 2020 TBR!

KEEP

Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford

I’m really quite intrigued about this book, the blurb sounds really interesting and I think that it will make a nice change to read a book set in 1909, in Seattle, and it’s even inspired by a true story! I’m really intrigued to see how Ernest’s life evolves in the brothel and the relationship he has with the two girls he meets there, I’m expecting to really enjoy it and I think it’s going to be another lovely book about friendship!

KEEP

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (#1) by J.K. Rowling

Do I even have to explain this one?

KEEP

That was a bit of a strange bunch of books, but I’m actually quite impressed that I managed to get rid of 9 out of the 20 I looked at. I still have such a long way to go, but every book that I don’t want to read that gets removed from the list gives me a chance to find one that I will love!

Some of these were so easy to remove and others I just couldn’t be bothered to keep them on the list, but I’m happy to have been reminded of some good books that I still need to get to! I’ve only managed to get down to 4,418 books and have stopped on #83, but it’s still an improvement on the original 5,000 something books I had in week 1.

P.S. I’ve had a little peak at the next books I’ll be going through next week, spoiler alert, you’re all going to laugh because it’s going to be a completely new bandwagon!

That’s all for now, I hope you enjoyed my little attempt at purging the beastly TBR! See you soon, stay safe,

Ellie xx