One thing I really like about Goodreads is that it allows me to keep track of all the books I want to read. I see a review on a friends' blog, or hear about a great book that I don't want to miss, and all I have to do is find it on Goodreads, mark it as "to read," then go on my merry way. When I'm next looking for a book, I have this ready-made list waiting expectantly to choose from. It's nice.
However, it can get overwhelming, as the books keep getting added much more quickly than they are taken off. To help myself cope with "potential reading list overwhelm," I make it a point to go through the list every so often, subtracting as I see fit.
One of the most helpful things I have done, though, is declaring my time limit for reading books on that list to be 3 years. I figure, if I haven't gotten to it in 3 years, it's time to move on. To that end, at the the start of a new year, I take a good hard look at any books that have been on my list for 3 years. I look them all up one last time and make a decision--am I going to purchase this, is it at the library to read, or am I just going to say goodbye?
I've only got 8 to decide on this time around, out of 107 total. Hey, I'm feeling pretty good about that, actually.
Here's the rundown for this year:
1. Fire in the Bones: William Tyndale--Martyr, Father of the English Bible, by S. Michael Wilcox
Available at the library? Yes! What do you know? Our library here actually has this one! Woohoo! I will look for it next time I go. Off the list!
2. You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life, by Eleanor Roosevelt
I am happy to report that I read this one recently! It came up as a cheap ebook and I snapped it up. Yay! Review coming soon. (And off it goes.)
3. Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World, by Sy Montgomery
Available at the library? No, though the movie starring Claire Danes is there. Hmm...may have to watch that sometime.
Amazon price: $9.99 (Kindle), $8.40 (paperback)
You know what? I'm just going to buy it. I have really enjoyed other books I've read by Sy Montgomery, and I'm still very interested in learning more about Grandin.
4. The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough
I actually own a copy of this one, given to me by my brother a couple of years ago. (Thanks Alan!) It's one that I ought to have read in my sweeping "read my own bookshelf" goal this year, but alas, did not. I still want to, though!
At this point, it will have to wait until we get back into our house, since all of our books are...somewhere in a box right now being de-smoked. It is definitely still on my radar and it's not like I need it on there to remember exact title/author or anything. I own my own copy. Off the list!
5. The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain, as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery, by Sam Kean
Available at the library? No, darn it!
Amazon price: $11.99 (Kindle), $9.80 (paperback)
Hmmm....this is one I still want to read, but I don't want to own it. At least, I would like to read it first before I decide if I want to own it or not. Reluctantly off the list. On the other hand, it has been 3 years now. I'll survive without it.
6. An Ember in the Ashes (Ember in the Ashes #1), by Sabaa Tahir
Available at the library? Why yes, actually. Our library has the first 2. Book 3 is out, but not book 4 just yet.
This one comes highly reviewed by many of my friends on Goodreads. I am put off, though, that the last book isn't out yet. I'm going to take this one off my list for now. When #4 comes out and the series is complete, I'll revisit whether or not I want to read it.
7. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, by Atul Gawande
Available at the library: No. Why doesn't my library have this one?! It was Best Book of the Year in many prominent publications.
Amazon price: $9.99 (Kindle), $9.35 (paperback)
Okay, I'm going to go ahead and buy this one. Partly because I think my husband will want to read it, too. If I don't want to keep it when I'm done, I'll donate it to my library.
8. The Wolf Wilder, by Katherine Rundell
Available at the library: No.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (Kindle), $6.28 (paperback)
To buy or not to buy, that is the question. [After reading several more reviews...] I am going to pass on this one. Most people loved it or hated it. The ones in the middle had some very valid-sounding issues with it that make me not to want to spend my time or money on it right now. If our library does purchase it at some point I will probably pick it up. Until then...
* * * * *
All right, done with that chore for the year! Feels good, I tell you. This little exercise has brought my "to read" list under 100 items for the time in recent memory. That's a victory, right there.
For those of you on Goodreads, how do you keep your "to read" list manageable? Or do you?
Showing posts with label to read. Show all posts
Showing posts with label to read. Show all posts
January 17, 2018
December 14, 2017
True Confessions: Reading Edition
If you are on Goodreads you probably know that the Goodreads Choice Awards were announced a few weeks ago. These are the best books in many different genres, as voted on by the reading community of Goodreads. They have to have been published within this year.
I have a confession to make. Just skimming through the awards, I hadn't read a single one. Not even in some of my favorite categories, like middle grade fiction, or memoirs/biographies. Several are on my "to-read" list, but I just haven't gotten to them yet. (I added a few more to my list as I went through, though!)
Why would that be the case?
Maybe it's because most of my reading choices come from recommendations of others. Not just any others though; others whom I trust. It can be fraught, at times. Suzanne from Such Stuff, and Amy from Sunlit Pages did a Book Blab episode on this very topic. Check it out if you haven't yet. It's good stuff!
Part of it could also be the Big Life Events we had going on this year: move, new baby, and now fire. I have gravitated toward tried and true comfort fare, more so than untested new books. It's okay. I can own it. I have needed an escape at times. Thank you, reading.
Only being able to check out 5 books at a time for the first 3 months we lived here played a big part, as well.
I think another part of it has to do with a contrary streak I have that tends to manifest itself when a thousand people are all talking about the same book. I never have read The Lovely Bones, but I remember when it was the hot new book that everyone was talking about. I even picked it up more than once and read the blurb, but it just wasn't a subject matter I wanted to dive into. No regrets here. (Sidenote: I have never seen the movie Titanic, either. Three hours of my life that I can spend on other things, thank you.)
Is this a big deal? I'm trying to decide how much I care. The truth is, mostly I don't, except the librarian part of me that feels like I should be keeping up with the new releases. I most definitely am not doing that. I have read some books published this year, just not any on any of those award lists. I prefer to think that I'm offering a different perspective than the mainstream, but that could be all in my mind!
As I'm thinking about Reading Goals for next year, perhaps this would be fertile ground.
What about you? Do you seek out new releases? Stick to highly recommended options? Or a mix of both?
Of all the new releases from 2017, which should I be sure to catch sooner rather than later?
I have a confession to make. Just skimming through the awards, I hadn't read a single one. Not even in some of my favorite categories, like middle grade fiction, or memoirs/biographies. Several are on my "to-read" list, but I just haven't gotten to them yet. (I added a few more to my list as I went through, though!)
Why would that be the case?
Maybe it's because most of my reading choices come from recommendations of others. Not just any others though; others whom I trust. It can be fraught, at times. Suzanne from Such Stuff, and Amy from Sunlit Pages did a Book Blab episode on this very topic. Check it out if you haven't yet. It's good stuff!
Part of it could also be the Big Life Events we had going on this year: move, new baby, and now fire. I have gravitated toward tried and true comfort fare, more so than untested new books. It's okay. I can own it. I have needed an escape at times. Thank you, reading.
Only being able to check out 5 books at a time for the first 3 months we lived here played a big part, as well.
I think another part of it has to do with a contrary streak I have that tends to manifest itself when a thousand people are all talking about the same book. I never have read The Lovely Bones, but I remember when it was the hot new book that everyone was talking about. I even picked it up more than once and read the blurb, but it just wasn't a subject matter I wanted to dive into. No regrets here. (Sidenote: I have never seen the movie Titanic, either. Three hours of my life that I can spend on other things, thank you.)
Is this a big deal? I'm trying to decide how much I care. The truth is, mostly I don't, except the librarian part of me that feels like I should be keeping up with the new releases. I most definitely am not doing that. I have read some books published this year, just not any on any of those award lists. I prefer to think that I'm offering a different perspective than the mainstream, but that could be all in my mind!
As I'm thinking about Reading Goals for next year, perhaps this would be fertile ground.
What about you? Do you seek out new releases? Stick to highly recommended options? Or a mix of both?
Of all the new releases from 2017, which should I be sure to catch sooner rather than later?
March 20, 2017
Catch and Release
The library book shelf (on top there.)
All of these books went back this week, including a few unread.
It seems like I often overestimate either my desire to read certain things or my time to do so. So I go to the library with my list, I find the books, I bring them home, and they sit. Nine weeks later, I'm out of renewals and there are still at least a couple that I haven't read yet.
I have always felt vaguely guilty about it, as though now that I've made the commitment (and kept them off the shelves for a couple of months,) the least I can do is actually read them. Lately, though, I'm just letting them go--along with expectations of myself to read them anytime soon. I may get to them again--I may not.
Hey, at least I know that the library has them, right? If I do want to pick them back up, I know where to find them. In the meantime, I still have plenty of books on my own shelves that I haven't read yet. In some ways, it's a relief to send them back, to be honest. By the end of the nine weeks, they seem almost reproachful there on the shelf.
Do you play catch and release with books? Do you have a limit of how many times you check it out or renew it before just sending it along downstream?
January 10, 2017
2 Potential Read-Alouds: Nancy & Plum, and The Magic Half
I read both of these as a preview to reading them out loud to my kids. Then December happened, the books became due (despite multiple renewals), and back they went before we ever sat down and read them together.
At least now I know what they're all about. There's always next time!
Nancy and Plum, by Betty MacDonald
3 stars: Two orphaned sisters take matters into their own hands.
Nancy and Plum are two orphans who live at Mrs. Monday's Boarding School. Life is not rosy for these sisters, as they are Mrs. Monday's favorite scapegoats whenever anything goes wrong. They live by their wits most of the time, with a bit of sass thrown in. They're definitely not afraid to tell Mrs. Monday what's what, which as you can imagine, does not do much to further her good graces. They do have an under-the-radar champion: Old Tom, Mrs. Monday's brother, the resident handyman and animal caretaker.
One fateful day they discover that they haven't been as forgotten by their extended family as they had supposed. They find an empty doll box addressed to them, the contents of which they have recently seen in the arms of Mrs. Monday's niece Marybell. That is the last straw. They decide they simply MUST get away from The Boarding School. So begins their adventure.
* * * * *
I think my kids would really enjoy this one. Nancy and Plum are a good balance for each other: Plum being the more impulsive, reckless (or brave, depending on your point of view) one, and Nancy a bit more timid but still willing to jump into any scheme.
The ending is warm and happy, but with enough obstacles along the way to cast into doubt a time or two.
(Finished reading Nov. 18.)
The Magic Half, by Annie Barrows
3 stars: A time-travel friendship, twins, and trouble.
Miri is unique. Well, her whole family is unique. There are 2 sets of twins with her in the middle: brothers older, sisters younger. The only sibling without a built-in partner, Miri often feels unnoticed, left out, or unimportant. When the family moves to an old farmhouse she gets her own room, for better or worse.
One day she discovers a way to travel back in time to 1935. Same house. There she finds another girl her same age named Molly. Molly's life is much worse than Miri's. Molly has an abusive adoptive family to put up with. Her older brother, in particular, is cruel and takes delight in terrorizing Molly. Miri wants to help Molly, but can't figure out how to make the magic work the way she wants it to. Before anything gets resolved, Miri finds herself back in her own time, but now she has a purpose: finding out more about Molly and trying to figure out how to save her.
* * * * *
Another one by Annie Barrows! I enjoyed this one, but I don't think I'm going to read it out loud to my kids. I think it would be too much for my daughter and youngest son, for sure. From what I can remember, Molly's physical abuse happens offscreen, but Miri overhears verbal abuse. Molly has bruises to show for her brother's treatment of her and truly fears for her life (with good reason, as it turns out.)
The resolution to Molly's perilous situation was well-done and satisfying, and the ending for both girls was truly magical. I just don't know that all the ending stuff would overcome the creeping anxiety from the middle part of the book. At least not for my younger two, and I don't know that my oldest son would be interested.
I will keep it in my for later on down the road, though. I found out on Amazon just now there is a sequel to this one as well, titled Magic in the Mix.
(Finished reading Nov. 25.)
* * * * *
What potential read-alouds have you come across lately?
At least now I know what they're all about. There's always next time!
3 stars: Two orphaned sisters take matters into their own hands.
Nancy and Plum are two orphans who live at Mrs. Monday's Boarding School. Life is not rosy for these sisters, as they are Mrs. Monday's favorite scapegoats whenever anything goes wrong. They live by their wits most of the time, with a bit of sass thrown in. They're definitely not afraid to tell Mrs. Monday what's what, which as you can imagine, does not do much to further her good graces. They do have an under-the-radar champion: Old Tom, Mrs. Monday's brother, the resident handyman and animal caretaker.
One fateful day they discover that they haven't been as forgotten by their extended family as they had supposed. They find an empty doll box addressed to them, the contents of which they have recently seen in the arms of Mrs. Monday's niece Marybell. That is the last straw. They decide they simply MUST get away from The Boarding School. So begins their adventure.
* * * * *
I think my kids would really enjoy this one. Nancy and Plum are a good balance for each other: Plum being the more impulsive, reckless (or brave, depending on your point of view) one, and Nancy a bit more timid but still willing to jump into any scheme.
The ending is warm and happy, but with enough obstacles along the way to cast into doubt a time or two.
(Finished reading Nov. 18.)
3 stars: A time-travel friendship, twins, and trouble.
Miri is unique. Well, her whole family is unique. There are 2 sets of twins with her in the middle: brothers older, sisters younger. The only sibling without a built-in partner, Miri often feels unnoticed, left out, or unimportant. When the family moves to an old farmhouse she gets her own room, for better or worse.
One day she discovers a way to travel back in time to 1935. Same house. There she finds another girl her same age named Molly. Molly's life is much worse than Miri's. Molly has an abusive adoptive family to put up with. Her older brother, in particular, is cruel and takes delight in terrorizing Molly. Miri wants to help Molly, but can't figure out how to make the magic work the way she wants it to. Before anything gets resolved, Miri finds herself back in her own time, but now she has a purpose: finding out more about Molly and trying to figure out how to save her.
* * * * *
Another one by Annie Barrows! I enjoyed this one, but I don't think I'm going to read it out loud to my kids. I think it would be too much for my daughter and youngest son, for sure. From what I can remember, Molly's physical abuse happens offscreen, but Miri overhears verbal abuse. Molly has bruises to show for her brother's treatment of her and truly fears for her life (with good reason, as it turns out.)
The resolution to Molly's perilous situation was well-done and satisfying, and the ending for both girls was truly magical. I just don't know that all the ending stuff would overcome the creeping anxiety from the middle part of the book. At least not for my younger two, and I don't know that my oldest son would be interested.
I will keep it in my for later on down the road, though. I found out on Amazon just now there is a sequel to this one as well, titled Magic in the Mix.
(Finished reading Nov. 25.)
* * * * *
What potential read-alouds have you come across lately?
December 26, 2016
Out With The Old in My "To-Read" List
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great time with extended family. Now that New Year's is coming up, I've started thinking about resolutions and goals and those types of things.
Something I've tried to do the past couple of years is to go through my "to-read" list on Goodreads about this time of year. I specifically look at the books that have been on there for 2 years. I used to have books on there for 3 or more years at a time, but I decided that was a little ridiculous.
I mean really, if I haven't cared enough about it to get around to reading it in 3 years, then obviously it is not a high priority. So it's got to go. Fish or cut bait, you know? I mentally put it into the category of "If I run across this at the library someday I'll pick it up," hit that delete button, and move on with my life. In a strange way, it can be a relief--releasing myself from that obligation.
So after a few years of this plan, I'm now looking at the books that have been on the list since 2014. In a few short days they'll have been on there for 3 years. It's time. There are 14 of them. (Next year I will have my work cut out for me, as the bulk of my *cough* 190! *cough* "to-read" items are from 2015. Oh dear!)
Part of the reason I haven't read many of them is because I'm a cheapskate, basically. My library doesn't have them and I haven't wanted to fork over the cash to buy a copy--especially since I don't know how much I'll like any of them. I'm weird that way. If I'm going to pay full price for something, I want it to be a book I already know I like and will re-read.
All right, here are my decisions--since I am certain you are dying to know!
1. The Lincoln Hypothesis: A Modern-day Abolitionist Investigates the Possible Connection between Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon, and Abraham Lincoln, by Timothy Ballard
Available at the library? Sadly, no. Not that I expected it to be, since it is pretty Mormon-specific.
Amazon price: $12.99 (Kindle), $14.04 (Paperback)
Deseret Book Price: $11.99 (ebook) or both of Ballard's for $19.99
Decision: Off the list. While this title still sounds fascinating, there's a good chance that either my parents or in-laws already have it (or plan to purchase it), or one of my siblings. I'm all about borrowing books from family when I can! Or I may be able to find it on sale at some point on one of our Utah trips. I'm not going to forget I wanted to read this one. I'll pick up a copy when I get a chance.
2. Hope Springs (Longing for Home #2), by Sarah Eden
Okay, this one should really not have been on here for 2 years! I own an ebook copy! I just haven't gotten around to reading it, partly because the subject matter sounds heavy--feuding violence, among other things--and I have not been in the right frame of mind....or something.
Decision: Off the list already! I'll get to it when I get to it.
3. Babylon's Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo, by Lawrence Anthony
Available at the library? Nope.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $12.77 (Paperback)
Decision: Tempting! What to do?
* * *
Okay, in the end, I'm taking it off the list. I'm sure I would enjoy it, but it's one I'll pick up if I run across it. I mean, 3 years on the list. That's a long time.
4. Rounding the Horn: Being the Story of Williwaws and Windjammers, Drake, Darwin, Murdered Missionaries and Naked Natives--a Deck's Eye View of Cape Horn, by Dallas Murphy
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $11.99 (Kindle), $12.47 (New Paperback), $4.98 (Used Paperback with Prime free shipping)
Decision: Off the list. Seeing that used copy really made it clear to me. Five dollars is well within my risk profile for purchasing an unknown book. When I still hesitated, I realized that while this sounds like it would right up my alley, I can certainly live without it for now. Done! Off it goes!
5. As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride, by Cary Elwes
Available at the library? Yes! Wait, what?! They have an ebook copy? Since when?
Decision: I have now placed a hold on the ebook copy, so I'm going to delete it off my Goodreads list. Another one down!
6. Voyage of the Turtle: In Pursuit of the Earth's Last Dinosaur, by Carl Safina
Available at the library? No such luck.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $14.16 (Paperback)
Decision: I thought I remembered my sister-in-law had read this one. When I checked on Goodreads, she had, and she only gave it one star. I'm not going to pay $10 for a possible 1-star read. Off the list!
7. Twice Upon a Time (Half Upon a Time #2), by James Riley
Available at the library? Nope.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (Kindle), $7.99 (Paperback)
Decision: I read the first in this trilogy and really enjoyed it, then I actually found it at the thrift store! Score! So now do I get #2 (or 2 & 3--they're both the same price)?
* * *
Okay. I added them to my Amazon "Home Library Wishlist." Is that a copout? Yes, in a way.
I haven't given up hope of finding the other 2 more cheaply, but if I don't find them, I will suck it up and buy them at some point. Off the Goodreads list.
8. Kraken: The Curious, Exciting and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid, by Wendy Williams
Available at the library? [Yawn.] No.
Amazon Price: $12.99 (Kindle), $17.28 (Hardcover)
Decision: Off the list. This is a book I would happily read for free, and it does still sound interesting, but I just can't bring myself to shell out $12 for a book about squid. So long, Kraken!
9. Dragon's Bait, by Vivian Vande Velde
Available at the library? No. (They only have 1 of her books! One! It's a disappointment.)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $13.95 (Paperback)
Decision: Off the list. I know that I like her books and this one looks good, but I'm not dying to read it. (Obviously! Since we're coming up on the 3-year mark!) I'll just keep an eye out for it. I'm sure I will snatch it up the next time I come across a cheap or free copy.
10. And There Was Light: The Extraordinary Memoir of a Blind Hero of the French Resistance in World War II, by Jacques Lusseyran
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $9.23 (Kindle), $9.72 (Paperback)
Decision: Okay, I still really want to read this one! According to Amazon, this was chosen as one of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century. Oh, the choices!
* * *
I'm doing it. Paperback copy headed my way. Woohoo! (And hence, off the list!)
11. While Beauty Slept, by Elizabeth Blackwell
Available at the library? No, no it isn't.
Amazon Price: $7.99 (Kindle), $11.30 (Paperback)
Decision: Tough one! I enjoy fairy tale retellings and the price isn't bad. Thinking...
* * *
After reading several more reviews of this one, I'm going to pass. There's enough people who thought it was just mediocre that I'm not willing to buy it.
12. The Unhappening of Genesis Lee, by Shallee McArthur
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $9.48 (Hardcover), $9.99 (Paperback)
Decision: Off the list. Interesting premise, but I've read a lot of dystopian teen novels lately. I'm not ready to pay $10 for another that could be just run-of-the-mill.
13. The Deadly Dinner Party: and Other Medical Detective Stories, by Jonathan A. Edlow
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $16.00 (Paperback)
Decision: Off the list. I would read this for free in a heartbeat, but to pay $10 for it? Um, no thanks. I'll live without it, I guess. (We have discussed how I'm a cheapskate, right?) Besides, there's always #14 to decide on, too!
14. The Medical Detectives, by Berton Roueche
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $11.98 (New), $6.77 (Used but with Amazon Prime shipping)
Decision: This looks so good! Can I justify the purchase?
* * *
Yep, I guess so, because I just bought this! (Last one, off the list. Yes!)
* * * * *
So, in the end, I purchased #10: And There Was Light, and #14: The Medical Detectives. Amazon had a promotion running to take $5 off a $15 book purchase. I also had a $10 Amazon gift card. Using both of those, my total was a little over $7 for 2 books I have wanted to read for 3 years now.
YES! I feel like a winner! :)
* * * * *
What is your process for clearing out the old books on your "to-read" list? Do you even think about it? For some reason it helps my sanity to not have too many lingering on there forever and ever.
Something I've tried to do the past couple of years is to go through my "to-read" list on Goodreads about this time of year. I specifically look at the books that have been on there for 2 years. I used to have books on there for 3 or more years at a time, but I decided that was a little ridiculous.
I mean really, if I haven't cared enough about it to get around to reading it in 3 years, then obviously it is not a high priority. So it's got to go. Fish or cut bait, you know? I mentally put it into the category of "If I run across this at the library someday I'll pick it up," hit that delete button, and move on with my life. In a strange way, it can be a relief--releasing myself from that obligation.
So after a few years of this plan, I'm now looking at the books that have been on the list since 2014. In a few short days they'll have been on there for 3 years. It's time. There are 14 of them. (Next year I will have my work cut out for me, as the bulk of my *cough* 190! *cough* "to-read" items are from 2015. Oh dear!)
Part of the reason I haven't read many of them is because I'm a cheapskate, basically. My library doesn't have them and I haven't wanted to fork over the cash to buy a copy--especially since I don't know how much I'll like any of them. I'm weird that way. If I'm going to pay full price for something, I want it to be a book I already know I like and will re-read.
All right, here are my decisions--since I am certain you are dying to know!
1. The Lincoln Hypothesis: A Modern-day Abolitionist Investigates the Possible Connection between Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon, and Abraham Lincoln, by Timothy Ballard
Available at the library? Sadly, no. Not that I expected it to be, since it is pretty Mormon-specific.
Amazon price: $12.99 (Kindle), $14.04 (Paperback)
Deseret Book Price: $11.99 (ebook) or both of Ballard's for $19.99
Decision: Off the list. While this title still sounds fascinating, there's a good chance that either my parents or in-laws already have it (or plan to purchase it), or one of my siblings. I'm all about borrowing books from family when I can! Or I may be able to find it on sale at some point on one of our Utah trips. I'm not going to forget I wanted to read this one. I'll pick up a copy when I get a chance.
2. Hope Springs (Longing for Home #2), by Sarah Eden
Okay, this one should really not have been on here for 2 years! I own an ebook copy! I just haven't gotten around to reading it, partly because the subject matter sounds heavy--feuding violence, among other things--and I have not been in the right frame of mind....or something.
Decision: Off the list already! I'll get to it when I get to it.
3. Babylon's Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo, by Lawrence Anthony
Available at the library? Nope.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $12.77 (Paperback)
Decision: Tempting! What to do?
* * *
Okay, in the end, I'm taking it off the list. I'm sure I would enjoy it, but it's one I'll pick up if I run across it. I mean, 3 years on the list. That's a long time.
4. Rounding the Horn: Being the Story of Williwaws and Windjammers, Drake, Darwin, Murdered Missionaries and Naked Natives--a Deck's Eye View of Cape Horn, by Dallas Murphy
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $11.99 (Kindle), $12.47 (New Paperback), $4.98 (Used Paperback with Prime free shipping)
Decision: Off the list. Seeing that used copy really made it clear to me. Five dollars is well within my risk profile for purchasing an unknown book. When I still hesitated, I realized that while this sounds like it would right up my alley, I can certainly live without it for now. Done! Off it goes!
5. As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride, by Cary Elwes
Available at the library? Yes! Wait, what?! They have an ebook copy? Since when?
Decision: I have now placed a hold on the ebook copy, so I'm going to delete it off my Goodreads list. Another one down!
6. Voyage of the Turtle: In Pursuit of the Earth's Last Dinosaur, by Carl Safina
Available at the library? No such luck.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $14.16 (Paperback)
Decision: I thought I remembered my sister-in-law had read this one. When I checked on Goodreads, she had, and she only gave it one star. I'm not going to pay $10 for a possible 1-star read. Off the list!
7. Twice Upon a Time (Half Upon a Time #2), by James Riley
Available at the library? Nope.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (Kindle), $7.99 (Paperback)
Decision: I read the first in this trilogy and really enjoyed it, then I actually found it at the thrift store! Score! So now do I get #2 (or 2 & 3--they're both the same price)?
* * *
Okay. I added them to my Amazon "Home Library Wishlist." Is that a copout? Yes, in a way.
I haven't given up hope of finding the other 2 more cheaply, but if I don't find them, I will suck it up and buy them at some point. Off the Goodreads list.
8. Kraken: The Curious, Exciting and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid, by Wendy Williams
Available at the library? [Yawn.] No.
Amazon Price: $12.99 (Kindle), $17.28 (Hardcover)
Decision: Off the list. This is a book I would happily read for free, and it does still sound interesting, but I just can't bring myself to shell out $12 for a book about squid. So long, Kraken!
9. Dragon's Bait, by Vivian Vande Velde
Available at the library? No. (They only have 1 of her books! One! It's a disappointment.)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $13.95 (Paperback)
Decision: Off the list. I know that I like her books and this one looks good, but I'm not dying to read it. (Obviously! Since we're coming up on the 3-year mark!) I'll just keep an eye out for it. I'm sure I will snatch it up the next time I come across a cheap or free copy.
10. And There Was Light: The Extraordinary Memoir of a Blind Hero of the French Resistance in World War II, by Jacques Lusseyran
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $9.23 (Kindle), $9.72 (Paperback)
Decision: Okay, I still really want to read this one! According to Amazon, this was chosen as one of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century. Oh, the choices!
* * *
I'm doing it. Paperback copy headed my way. Woohoo! (And hence, off the list!)
11. While Beauty Slept, by Elizabeth Blackwell
Available at the library? No, no it isn't.
Amazon Price: $7.99 (Kindle), $11.30 (Paperback)
Decision: Tough one! I enjoy fairy tale retellings and the price isn't bad. Thinking...
* * *
After reading several more reviews of this one, I'm going to pass. There's enough people who thought it was just mediocre that I'm not willing to buy it.
12. The Unhappening of Genesis Lee, by Shallee McArthur
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $9.48 (Hardcover), $9.99 (Paperback)
Decision: Off the list. Interesting premise, but I've read a lot of dystopian teen novels lately. I'm not ready to pay $10 for another that could be just run-of-the-mill.
13. The Deadly Dinner Party: and Other Medical Detective Stories, by Jonathan A. Edlow
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (Kindle), $16.00 (Paperback)
Decision: Off the list. I would read this for free in a heartbeat, but to pay $10 for it? Um, no thanks. I'll live without it, I guess. (We have discussed how I'm a cheapskate, right?) Besides, there's always #14 to decide on, too!
14. The Medical Detectives, by Berton Roueche
Available at the library? No.
Amazon Price: $11.98 (New), $6.77 (Used but with Amazon Prime shipping)
Decision: This looks so good! Can I justify the purchase?
* * *
Yep, I guess so, because I just bought this! (Last one, off the list. Yes!)
* * * * *
So, in the end, I purchased #10: And There Was Light, and #14: The Medical Detectives. Amazon had a promotion running to take $5 off a $15 book purchase. I also had a $10 Amazon gift card. Using both of those, my total was a little over $7 for 2 books I have wanted to read for 3 years now.
YES! I feel like a winner! :)
* * * * *
What is your process for clearing out the old books on your "to-read" list? Do you even think about it? For some reason it helps my sanity to not have too many lingering on there forever and ever.
April 20, 2016
Paring Down my "To-Read" List
I happened to notice last week that my "To-Read" list on Goodreads was nearing 300 books. It was 287, to be precise. That is way too many! Maybe half of the books I read come from my "To Read" list, but even assuming I did nothing but choose books from there, it would take me more than 2 years to read them all. That's not taking into account the fact that I frequently add to the list!
I know, I know. It's not like there's a limit on the number you can have on the list, or anything. At least, Goodreads does not limit that, but I decided that I needed to get it back down to something reasonable--say 100 books. For my own sake. I would at times get overwhelmed looking at the list, feeling like it was an unmet obligation.
I love having the list, because I can always find what to read next, but when I can see that several of the books have been on the list for 2-3 years, it also tells me that they're not a very big priority for me right now--and haven't been for awhile. I'm not going to force myself to read something just because it's on the list.
So, I started deleting things left and right. It was a time-consuming process! While adding something to the list takes one simple click, deciding to delete it took some time. I wanted to read the synopsis--and any reviews by friends--to decide if I would really read this, or not. I checked to see if my library had it. If not, I would check Amazon to see how much it cost to buy.
After several passes through, and much deliberation, I got it down to 194, and I can't see how I could possibly cut out 100 more. Hey, I'm breathing a little easier, at least.
Curiously, the books I owned were some of the first to go. I guess I figure if I have the book I can read it any time I want--it's not like I'm going to forget about it. The pressure's off, in a strange sense.
Okay, my Goodreads friends--confess! How many books are on your "to-read" list? Do you have rules for what gets deleted (or for what goes on in the first place?) Or are you like me, and click in haste only to read in leisure?
February 10, 2016
My Current "To-Read" Pile
Ever since I discovered Goodreads, I have not lacked for ideas of what to read next. When I see or hear about something that looks interesting, I click the "Want to Read" button and go on my merry way. Right now I have 270 titles on my "To Read" shelf, which--admittedly--is a bit excessive. For awhile I was trying to keep it under 100, but obviously that has gone straight out the window.
However, despite all those good ideas, I have found that my actual physical (or digital) "books to read" pile tends to fluctuate quite a bit. Part of that is because I'm a cheapskate, and also a librarian at heart. (Why buy when I can borrow?) My local library is quite small--it's just one building--and they only have so much to spend on new items. So I would say at least 60% of the books I want to read are not there.
When I'm in a dry spell, I usually start by perusing my own bookshelves for thrift store purchases I haven't gotten around to yet, or old favorites. I do still go to the library to browse, and generally come home with a stack of randoms.
If I'm really desperate, I'll start going through my Goodreads "to-read" list and checking Amazon prices, to see if anything is cheap enough to spend actual money on. You see, I generally only buy books that I've read before and know that I like, so I have a hard time buying untried specimens. Anything under $5 I'm willing to take a chance on; $6.99--maybe, but kind of pushing it. Higher than that, I usually wait--unless I'm just dying to read it.
Then we come to this week. I have experienced a book downpour! (One of my favorite kinds!) At my last library visit, I found a sequel I had been waiting on for ages, plus 4 books straight off my "to read" list.
Then, when I got on Overdrive (digital lending library), no less than 23 of the books I've been wanting to read were suddenly available. Wait no, actually 33, because I maxed out my checkout and holds limits (5 books for each). The rest are patiently waiting on a wish list now. There must have been some recent purchases. AWESOME!
If that weren't enough, a good friend heard that I wanted to read the last book in the Lunar Chronicles, had a copy, and actually dropped it off at my house. Yesterday. I've been on the library waiting list for that one for months!
So, preview of coming attractions! Here's what I've got lined up (in no particular order):
Winter, by Marissa Meyer
Sorcery & Cecelia OR The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer
Bone Gap, by Laura Ruby
Life in Motion: an unlikely ballerina, by Misty Copeland
Shadow Scale, by Rachel Hartman
The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley
Curse of the Thirteenth Fey, by Jane Yolen
Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy, by Karen Foxlee
Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters, by Shannon Hale
Candy Bomber, by Michael Tunnell
Once I'm done with these, there's 25 more where they came from. It makes me want to ignore all of my life and just read for a few days...or weeks.
It's always good to have plenty to choose from.
What do you do when you get desperate for a good book?
However, despite all those good ideas, I have found that my actual physical (or digital) "books to read" pile tends to fluctuate quite a bit. Part of that is because I'm a cheapskate, and also a librarian at heart. (Why buy when I can borrow?) My local library is quite small--it's just one building--and they only have so much to spend on new items. So I would say at least 60% of the books I want to read are not there.
When I'm in a dry spell, I usually start by perusing my own bookshelves for thrift store purchases I haven't gotten around to yet, or old favorites. I do still go to the library to browse, and generally come home with a stack of randoms.
If I'm really desperate, I'll start going through my Goodreads "to-read" list and checking Amazon prices, to see if anything is cheap enough to spend actual money on. You see, I generally only buy books that I've read before and know that I like, so I have a hard time buying untried specimens. Anything under $5 I'm willing to take a chance on; $6.99--maybe, but kind of pushing it. Higher than that, I usually wait--unless I'm just dying to read it.
Then we come to this week. I have experienced a book downpour! (One of my favorite kinds!) At my last library visit, I found a sequel I had been waiting on for ages, plus 4 books straight off my "to read" list.
Then, when I got on Overdrive (digital lending library), no less than 23 of the books I've been wanting to read were suddenly available. Wait no, actually 33, because I maxed out my checkout and holds limits (5 books for each). The rest are patiently waiting on a wish list now. There must have been some recent purchases. AWESOME!
If that weren't enough, a good friend heard that I wanted to read the last book in the Lunar Chronicles, had a copy, and actually dropped it off at my house. Yesterday. I've been on the library waiting list for that one for months!
So, preview of coming attractions! Here's what I've got lined up (in no particular order):
Winter, by Marissa Meyer
Sorcery & Cecelia OR The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer
Bone Gap, by Laura Ruby
Life in Motion: an unlikely ballerina, by Misty Copeland
Shadow Scale, by Rachel Hartman
The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley
Curse of the Thirteenth Fey, by Jane Yolen
Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy, by Karen Foxlee
Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters, by Shannon Hale
Candy Bomber, by Michael Tunnell
Once I'm done with these, there's 25 more where they came from. It makes me want to ignore all of my life and just read for a few days...or weeks.
It's always good to have plenty to choose from.
What do you do when you get desperate for a good book?
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