Thursday, September 13, 2018

Should I Stay or Should I Go?: September 2018

I was inspired by Lia at Lost in a Story 's Down the TBR Hole and Carole at Carole's Random Life in Books's Books From the Backlog. Both these memes are a way for us book hoarders to whittle down our TBRs. I also want to make this interactive by having YOU tell me, which book you think I should read next. (Yes, it's a million memes in one!)


NUMBER OF BOOKS CURRENTLY ON MY TBR: 1060
(Don't judge me!)

Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
Tina Ferraro
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte
Year Added: 2013
Goodreads
Sophomore year, Nicolette Antonovich was dumped two days before prom by the hottest guy at school. As a result, she became the proud owner of one unworn, perfectly magical pink vintage dress. But Nic is determined to put that night behind her for good. She's a junior now— older, wiser, and completely overwhelmed by a new set of problems: (1) The bank's ready to foreclose on her childhood home. (2) Her father's too busy with his "replacement" daughter to care. (3) Her best friend's brother is an eternal thorn in her side. (4) Her best friend isn't exactly the rose attached to that thorn. (5) Rumors are flying around school that could get her kicked off the volleyball team, which would (6) ruin all chances of a college scholarship. (7) She still likes the boy who dumped her in the first place. (8) And what in the world do you do with an unworn prom dress, anyway? Strangely, it's getting to the bottom of this last dilemma that just might hold the answer to all Nic's problems.
This is one of my daughter's favorite books. She read it in 2012, and has never stopped raving about it. I really do believe I would enjoy this book, and Kiersten knows me quite well.

VERDICT: STAYS

The Fine Art of Pretending
Rachel Harris
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Spencer Hill
Year Added: 2014
Goodreads
According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.
The cover sort of screams "SAM", but we also have the in-love-with-the-best-friend trope, that is always great for me, and I have heard it's super cute and fluffy. Seems to be calling my name.

VERDICT: STAYS

Let's Get Lost
Adi Alsaid
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Year Added:
Goodreads
Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named Leila. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth—sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.
This was another one Kiersten enjoyed, and has been telling me I would like. I love the concept and the cover eludes to things I love. OMG! This is really hard.

VERDICT: STAYS


Ask Again Later
Liz Czukas
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: HarperTeen
Year Added: 2014
Goodreads
Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.

Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be?

Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests--even if he wants to share all his feelings?

Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...
I have read books by Czukas' alter ego and enjoyed them. I have been wanting to read some of her YA books to see what she does there. The set up for this sounds so fun, and who doesn't like going to a dance?

VERDICT: STAYS


Open Road Summer
Emery Lord
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Year Added: 2014
Goodreads
After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own.

Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence.

This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes
Who am I kidding? This is an Emery Lord book, and we all know I fell head over heels for her books last year. There is no doubt in my mind, that I will love this book.

VERDICT: STAYS

You can see I failed miserably with eliminating books from my TBR and that's why I asked for YOUR help. Are there any you read, which you think would be a waste of time? If you had to pick one of those books for me to read this month, which would you pick?

Which do you think I should read first?
Do you think I should rethink my choices?
Let me know in the comments!

42 comments:

  1. I want to read ASK AGAIN LATER too!! I'm down to buddy read if you ever feel like it. Same for LET'S GET LOST. I've been meaning to read that foreverrrrr.

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    1. We should definitely coordinate one of these for November or December. I am game.

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  2. Lol SAM! That's not how you trim down your TBR!

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    1. I know! I am a terrible book hoarder. This is why I have over 1000 books on my TBR. I saw somebody tweet how they have over 200 books on their Kindle, and I giggle, because I know I have wayyyyy more than that on my Kindle and over 1000 in my cloud.

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  3. OK I laughed a little at how you kept ALL of them! Hahaha!
    I have read The Art of Pretending, the Liz Czukas and Emery Lord and they were all good, so I think keeping those was a good idea.

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    1. I am glad to have your support, and yeah, I pretty much failed this stack, but they all sound really good to me. Maybe I should shift through TBR books I don't own. Maybe I will be more ruthless

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  4. I can't remember if I read Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress by the author or another book she wrote. LOL At any rate, I haven't read any of the others so I can't really say!! I hope you can read some of these soon though and they are enjoyable for you. Too funny you put Stay for all of them though. It can be tough to get rid of things sometimes, especially e-books because they don't really take up room per se.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. Obviously I need help. 🤦‍♀️
      I don't think I know any other book by Ferraro, but my daughter wore this book out

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  5. We’re twins! I posted about a similar topic today. I haven’t read any of these, so I’m zero help, but I do want to read an Emery Lord book someday. People tend to rave about them.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. Yeah! Happy to be your twin. This is the only Lord book I have left to read, and i adored all the books i read. I hope you get a chance to read one (or more)

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  6. I haven't read any of these but would totally have kept them all too! And I would go with the Emery Lord book first.

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    1. It's really a lot harder than everyone else makes it look. I am definitely putting that book on my October TBR.

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  7. Ha! Well, you tried. :-)

    The only one of these I've read is Let's Get Lost, which I thought was good but not super memorable. I definitely vote for the Emery Lord book---I want to read more of her!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. It's the last Lord book I need to read (until her new release). I feel confident, that I will read it in Oct. (and right, I really did try)

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  8. Liz Czuckas' books are so cute! I remember loving Ask Again Later, so I'm so happy you decided to keep it. Also no shame on 1k on the TBR--I had the same number before I did a purge at the start of this year!

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    1. I like her NA stuff, and am really curious. My GR TBR includes books I own and books I would like to own. I almost feel like I should try to pare down the not-owned books. Maybe I will be more successful.

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  9. I choose Prom Dress. I don't think your daughter would steer you wrong and if you read it you can talk about it together.
    sherry @ fundinmental

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    1. I think my child would be overwhelmed with joy if I finally read that book. And, oh! How I miss talking about books with her. She doesn't read as much since she finished grad school and has to work all the time. *sad face*

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  10. OMG, I am howling over here. Everything stays! Bahahaha!
    I vote for Open Road Summer first simply because that was on my TBR for ages before I finally weeded it out. Now you can read it and tell me how wrong I was. LOL

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    1. It's sort of ironic, because I was so ruthless with my actual things when we moved last year, but titles on a shelf - KEEP THEM ALL! More votes for Lord. She will definitely be on my Oct TBR

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  11. I vote to keep: Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress and The Fine Art of Pretending.

    The Fine Art of Pretending because I'd heard of that one, have it on my tbr too, and think it sounds awesome. Friends to lovers!! 😍

    Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress because I'd never heard of it before but it sounds awesome and fun and your daughter wouldn't steer you down a complete rabbit hole.

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    1. I have a good feeling I will be reading ALL of these books. It's so easy to forget the older books your own, when you are getting a lot of new books. I am working on a new feature called One Old, One New, where I read and review two books - one ARC/new release and one backlist

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  12. Ha ha! I love that you’re keeping them all. I have 800+ on my tbr and it’s so hard to get rid of them. What if I cut one I’d love? I haven’t read any of these so I can’t help you out. Sorry.

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    1. Maybe next month, I should pick one I KNOW I will get rid of. When I looked at my TBR, there were all these books, which I forgot about, and they sounded so good. I think I may actually work all of these into my weekly TBR before the end of the year.

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  13. I can't believe how many books you have on your TBR 😂😂 I can see myself getting there slowly, but surely too, though, a little clean-up every now and then is a good thing haha. I'm happy you're keeping Let's Get Lost, I read this book a little while ago and had a really fun time with it :) <3

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    1. I have so many books, and then, there are all the books I WISH I had. It's terrible. Maybe it's a good thing I don't seem to get approved for an EW/NG ARCs anymore. It will give me time to read my own books. I liked the Alsaid book I read, and my daughter liked this one. I couldn't see myself giving it the heave-ho.

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  14. Well now I understand the 1000 book TBR haha. I have read most of these and I truly think (except the one that is your daughter's favorite which I haven't read) that you can heave-ho them all except the Emery Lord. Harsh, I know, but hard choices must be made....
    Jen Ryland Reviews

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    1. I see a cute book and want to read it. I just can't help myself! The good thing is I read a LOT of books, and can afford to have many on my "someday" list. These are all books I own, so, of course, I hope to read them someday, but Lord will definitely be on my October TBR, because my review books are winding down. I hardly have any for Nov and Dec.

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  15. Let's Get Lost was pretty fantastic. I hope you'll enjoy it. :)

    Lauren @ Always Me

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    1. I have been wanting to read it for so long. I think I might try and get all 5 of these in my TBR next month.

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  16. The Fine Art of Pretending was cute. I didn't love Let's Get Lost but it's more that his writing style doesn't work for me - still a cute story.

    I want to read Open Road Summer. I hear great things.
    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. I am definitely reading Open Road Summer the 3rd or 4th week of Oct.

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  17. Oh Top Ten Uses for a Prom Dress for sure! That cover for one, the premise and the fact that your daughters loves it = winning!

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    1. I think she will be overjoyed that I finally read it.

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  18. Bwahahahaha not judging I promise Sam! I must not be far from you you know ;-)

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    1. But you know what came out if this? All 5 are going on my Oct TBR. Maybe this was a good way to shame myself into reading my own books. 🤣

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  19. Let's Get Lost is one I remember thinking sounded good, so I'd definitely keep that one!

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    1. I like Alsaid, and if my daughter, who is more of a dystopian reader approves, it must be good.

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  20. I've not read any of these but they actually all sound good so I don't think I'd be able to part with them either. If I had to pick a couple to read asap, I'd go with Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress which just sounds like fun and of course I'd go with the Emery Lord book. That one is still on my TBR too but I love her books so much.

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    1. I am going to read them all next month. I only have 9 Nov review books and 4 for December. Going to hit the backlist hard, and since I have all these books, and they sound great, I am going to start with them.

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  21. I love how you were trying to shift books off of your TBR and have failed epically. I am usually like that although I did get a little cut throat when I sorted out my goodreads shelves. I mean, I'd struggle to shift most of these books off of my TBR too. I also now really want to read The Fine Art Of Pretending, it sounds like the exact kind of book I need Netflix to make into a film so now I want to read.

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    1. I will tell you if it would be a good movie once I read it. 😊 I think I have both an ebook and an ARC of that book, so I really should read it.

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