Episode 15
The TBR has drifted back up to 103 – how did that happen? I’m sure someone must sneak in and add things when I’m not looking. Oh well, I’ll just have to restrict myself to one winner this week, despite the fact that I would really like to read them all.
So, with my usual grateful thanks to all the reviewers who’ve intrigued and inspired me over the last few weeks, here are:
The Runners-Up…
Three novellas each based at a critical time in New York’s history…
Mrs SW says: “…the retrospective perspectives and sense of overwhelming guilt or the way in which the events are shrouded in deceit and mystery prevents a completely reliable picture of events emerging and it is this element of mystery and the way it forces the reader into the story in order to decipher McGrath’s subtle nuances of meaning that brings the stories to life.“
See the full review at Mrs SW’s World of Books
*******
Murder in a women’s refuge and a new detective on the block…
Cleo says “This is just the sort of book I enjoy, there are so many different stories all playing out; those of Marnie, Noah, the social worker Ed and the female residents have clear personalities and stories to tell without slowing down the pace or preventing a bucketful surprises along the way. I love a book that makes you gasp and this one did.“
See the full review at Cleopatra Loves Books
*******
Classic western but with a touch of humour…
That’s What She Read says: “I gushed a little hard over McCarthy’s The Road and I’m a fervent fan of No Country for Old Men, but Charles Portis has one thing McCarthy will never have: a sense of humor. Mattie’s narration is matter-of-fact, and rife with dry wit. She doesn’t waste words and I like plots that get straight to the point without trying to misdirect or be too clever.”
See the full review at That’s What She Read
*******
A story of the sea, sailors and their wives…
Book Lust says: “In this story that is both tragic, inspiring, and darkly humorous, we find a young man searching for his father in order to confront him for leaving his family; an old man who discovers he still has much to learn about the world, even after years at sea, and that he’s still capable of love; a widow who would rather destroy the town than see any more young men leave.”
See the full review at Book Lust
*******
And the winner is…
A sinister and creepy tale of crimes and treachery…
Reading, Writing and Reisling says “This is a beguiling read; the slow, straightforward relating of this tale in the first person cleverly builds tension and creates mystery… the reader does not get the full picture immediately but is fed crumbs that lead us to a path of death and mayhem. As you turn each page you will continue to wonder where this story is heading, and will question what is to happen next…“
See the full review at Reading, Writing and Reisling
*******
Ooh, that was too hard this week! I want to add them all…
FictionFan – I know what you mean! I always want to read a lot of what I find on blogs (like yours – ahem! 😉 ) too. I saw that review on RWR as well and it has sorely tempted me. So if it’s any comfort, you’re not alone.
It is a comfort – maybe we should set up a TBR Survivors Support Group… 😉
😆
FF – have you read The Farm – Tom Rob Smith – I think that might appeal to you. Or Beams Falling – P M Newton? I think some of the very old books on your list must be wiped off 🙂
Go away! GO AWAY!! I’m not listening any more!!! 😉
I’ve started removing anything that’s been on there a year and not been read yet – it’s not helping!!
That is a good start….
And with an athletic bound (DAMN, just sprained my ankle) she hobbled over to Mrs SWs, and then limped to the Your basket is waiting to be filled page. At least I did it ‘for later’ having already bought a DVD and a soundtrack this morning
Yes that one sounds good…but I thought We The Drowned might appeal to you too… 😉
I thought SOME OF US are meant to be restraining our TBRs. It doesn’t behoove SOME OF US to be trying to drive others of us further down the road to hell of unread books paved with good intentions to read them
Especially as I LIED and didn’t place the McGrath in the basket for later as I discovered a) I had read another McGrath at an earlier time, with enjoyment so……trust this one will be a pleasure too and b) discovered a market place seller with ridiculously priced used. I really enjoy used books and hope to discover (sensible) annotations and underlinings therein. Somehow, the piles of real books on chairs are beginning to seem friendly TBRs than the pages and pages and pages of TBR titles on the kindle. Perhaps its because being able to see them, trip over them, have them go flying as a cat decides to play climb the wobbly book mountain, makes them friendlier and more enticing. The problem with 90 odd titles (my Kindle TBR) is that I have forgotten what most of them are!
Oh, I’m restraining mine! (Sort of.) But you’ll need to develop your own willpower – I have none to spare…
I don’t even count some of the ones on the Kindle any more – I dread to imagine what the figure would reach then. No, only ones that I actually want and intend to read. But some of them will inevitably have to fall by the wayside if I can’t restrain myself from constantly adding more. And I could only do that if I stopped reading other people’s reviews. Cloning is the only realistic answer…
There’s a book in your list that the professor is familiar with! I’ve never read it, but I’m quite familiar with the story. I have it on my shelves somewhere… True Grit is a dadblame choppy read, I think. That’s why the professor hasn’t read it.
Is that glass depicted on the front of the winning book?
Oh, I wondered if that one might appeal to you – I assumed you’d have seen the film. I must watch the film myself sometime – the Wayne one rather than the remake. Is it good?
Yes I think so – a glass door. Creepy cover!
The professor has seen both films. Wayne’s is far superior. He’s a professorish hero, you know. I like it…so you better. 😉
It would be creepier if I was on it.
I may have seen the Wayne version myself when I was young, but don’t really remember it. I’ll do my best to like it… 😉
But they’d have to make the book taller to fit your top hat in.
Let me know if you see it…
I lost it.
I will.
Oh no! The Professor won’t be the Professor without it! You’ll have to get a bowler hat instead.
Yucketh!
My review of A Pleasure and a Calling isn’t up yet, but I can genuinely recommend it. It’s got that sinister, creepy feel perfectly right, without any need for fireworks or going overboard with nasty descriptions.
Oh, that’s good to hear! It certainly looks nice and creepy from the blurb and I am getting very tired of over-the-top violence at the moment…
I think the answer to the growing TBR list is to stop reading reviews – has anyone worked out how to do that?
The professor has. I’ve got a gift for it. But I do read FEF’s reviews…and she’s been growing my list. So, never mind.
I’ve decided to stop adding things to my TBR and just add them to yours instead… 😉
No, but if you do, market it – you could make a fortune!
Thanks for the shout-out! I know what you mean about unruly TBRs. Mine is now up to 148. I try to read them in order of when I added them, but some books (especially the really long ones) have been on there for upwards of two years. I try to go through it every once in awhile to clean out what I’m not interested in anymore, or books on current events that aren’t timely anymore because I waited too long >.<
My pleasure! I suspect We The Drowned is going to sneak onto my TBR when I’ve got my back turned – when I re-read your review to do this post, I got all enthusiastic about it all over again…
148!!! You have no idea how good that makes me feel! In fact it means I can add another 30 or so and still not be the worst. 😉 I know what you mean about current events – I think some of the pop science on my list probably dates back to when we still believed the world was flat…
Thank you so much for the link to my favourite crime novel of 2014 (so far) I have given up counting now so I’m off to read the Patrick McGrath review 😉
I fear it may make it onto my list at some point, ‘cos it does sound good – but you teased me with the winner and then RWR followed it up straight away with a glowing review…and I MUST restrict myself – I fear insanity isn’t too far off… 😉
Thanks for the link! I’m so impressed by your ability to have/maintain an organized reading queue (even if it is always increasing). I like to stack books on my nightstand in the order I plan to read them, but then I’ll get sidetracked by another. The end result is little piles of books all over the apartment. 🙂
😆 Believe me, being organised doesn’t help! My house is also full of piles – the TBR, the ones I’ve read but have no space on the shelves for, the ones I mean to take to the charity shop…and then there’s the Kindle! But keeping a list allows me to pretend I’ve got the whole thing under control… 😉
Restrict the TBR, never! The heart wants what the heart wants 😀 This is a very cool post series.
Thanks! Haha! I talk about restricting the TBR, but I never actually succeed – and reading all the great reviews in the blogosphere really doesn’t help… 😉
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