This meme was started by Lost in a Story. Here is how it works:
- Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
- Order on ascending date added.
- Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
- Read the synopses of the books
- Decide: keep it or should it go?
1. The Continuity Girl by Leah McLaren:
Meredith Moore is the perfect continuity girl. An on-set film script supervisor, it is her job to make sure every frame of the picture is consistent with the one before. She is the error catcher. The needle-in-the-haystack finder. A cigarette in the left hand when it should be in the right, a prematurely melted ice cube in a half-empty glass of Scotch, a stray lock of an actor’s hair—these are the details by which she measures out her life.
But when Meredith wakes up on the morning of her 35th birthday yearning for a baby, her personal sense of continuity is thrown into flux. Determined not to marry, she impulsively flees to London to reunite with her eccentric single mother and accept a new job on a well-known producer’s film set. Her covert plan: to become a Sperm Bandit and find an unsuspecting donor to father her child.
Navigating London’s murky social waters, Meredith is thrown into a strange new story, one that quickly spins out of control. In her quest to get pregnant on her own terms, she will accidentally uncover a web of secrets that will change the way she envisions both her working life and the nature of love.
My thoughts:
Hmm, this sounds like one I might still enjoy. Haven't seen it around a lot lately. Afraid if I take if off the list I won't remember it.
Verdict: Keep
2. The Second Assistant: A Tale from the Bottom of the Hollywood Ladder (Lizzie Miller #1) by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare:
No political science degree could ever prepare Elizabeth Miller for her new job as a second assistant at The Agency, whose clients include everyone you’ve never met—but you know who they’re sleeping with. A former congressional intern in Washington, Lizzie made a bid for a life change that landed her a job a world away, where ethics and First Amendment debates take a backseat to pleading the Fifth for Ritalin-snorting boss Scott Wagner. He’s the hottest young agent in Hollywood, who devotes his days to playing online poker—that is, when he’s not closing a $30 million deal for one of his AAA-list clients. And while getting six-hundred-dollar highlights from Cameron’s colorist or organizing the strippers for George’s birthday party come close to causing heart failure for this East Coast girl, the real dangers lurk elsewhere.
But Lizzie is a survivor, and no Machiavellian assistant, lecherous producer, or power struggle at The Agency can douse her nascent dreams of climbing up the Hollywood ladder. But first she has to run down to the Coffee Bean to pick up that triple espresso, or Scott is going to throw something....
My thoughts:
I talked about book 2 last week, not sure why that was put on my list before book 1. Weird. Since I own a copy of this, I'll keep it on the list.
Verdict: Keep
3. The Goddess Rules by Clare Naylor:
When obsessed pet owners have pooches or kitties they want immortalized on canvas, Kate Disney is the artist of choice. From her shed (which doubles as a studio and apartment) in London’s Primrose Hill, Kate caters to the whims of the rich and famous while herself living a decidedly bohemian existence. The problem is, she has a tendency to cater to her on-again, way-off-again boyfriend as well. Jake is so erratic, that most of her friends don’t understand why she even bothers. But it’s hard to fall out of love with a man who writes her songs and calls her “Angel”–even if he disappears for weeks at a time.
Luckily for Kate, Mirabelle Moncur isn’t buying any of that claptrap. Mirri was an actress, a legend in her time. Now, at age sixty, she’s given up on fame and men and lives in Africa, where she raises lion cubs. But her reclusive nature has done nothing to dull her beauty, mar her incredible figure, or dampen her outrageous joie de vivre.
After sweeping into London to have Kate paint a portrait of her favorite cub, Mirri seizes hold of Kate’s life–from the baggy wardrobe to the hopeless taste in men. Under Mirri’s tutelage, Kate learns to dance on tables with abandon, drink like a dockworker, and flirt like a goddess. And when her old friend Louis reenters the picture, she begins to see things in a whole new light. But Mirri has secrets that hint at a less than divine future. Now it’s Kate’s turn to teach Mirri a thing or two about life, love, and being fabulous.
My thoughts:
I guess I probably added this one because the author is one from the last book I have on the list. That is something I tend to do, go add authors that I've either read one book by, or ones that sound good. This one sounds like a bit more of women's fiction as opposed to the chick lit I used to like or the romance I'm into now.
Verdict: Toss
4. Everything Nice by Ellen Shanman:
A few wrenching twists of fate later and Michaela has a new job and a reinvention she never expected. But there are more surprises to come. It seems fate won't be finished with her until she finally realises going places in life doesn't always have to mean going it alone...
My thoughts:
I don't remember this one being added. But it does sound like one I would still enjoy reading some day. Again, it's not a big name author, so I'd hate to delete it and forget about it.
Verdict: Keep
5. The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham:
Ten years later, Milly is a very different person and engaged to Simon—who is wealthy, serious, and believes her to be perfect. Milly's secret history is locked away so securely she has almost persuaded herself that it doesn't exist—until, only four days before her elaborate wedding. To have and to hold takes on a whole new meaning when one bride's past catches up with her and bring the present crashing down.
With her trademark style of keen insight, and razor sharp wit, Madeleine Wickham introduces her fanatical fan-base, plus a host of new readers to a fresh and irresistible heroine in The Wedding Girl.
My thoughts:
So, this is Sophie Kinsella's other name she writes under, and this is definitely one that sounds good still. So I think I'll keep it on my TBR because I really don't want to forget this is one I want to read, because some of the others she's written under this name are ones I'm not interested in.
Verdict: Keep
6. Impossible by Nancy Werlin:
A beautifully wrought modern fairy tale from master storyteller and award-winning author Nancy Werlin. Inspired by the classic folk ballad "Scarborough Fair," this is a wonderfully riveting and haunting novel of suspense, romance, and fantasy.
My thoughts:
Gah! Most of my books I'm looking at this week are ones that I think I want to keep on the list! This one definitely sounds like one I want to read some time.
Verdict: Keep
7. The Lives and Loves of Daisy and Violet Hilton: A True Story of Contioned Twins by Dean Jensen:
A richly detailed account of the romantic adventures of these attractive and accomplished young women who were at the epicenter of one of the most celebrated sex scandals of 1930.
Chronicles the hurly-burly history of American entertainment from the turn of the 20th century through the 1950s.
Illustrated throughout with rare black-and-white photographs.
My thoughts:
This is one that is a topic I'm always curious about. I think it is something that some day I will want to read.
Verdict: Keep
8. A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans:
Laura Foster is a hopeless romantic. Her friends know it, her parents know it—even Laura acknowledges she lives either with her head in the clouds or buried in a romance novel. It’s proved harmless enough, even if it hasn’t delivered her a real-life dashing hero yet. But when her latest relationship ends in a disaster that costs her friendships, her job, and nearly her sanity, Laura swears off men and hopeless romantic fantasies for good.
With her life in tatters around her, Laura agrees to go on vacation with her parents. After a few days of visiting craft shops and touring the stately homes of England, Laura is ready to tear her hair out. And then, while visiting grand Chartley Hall, she crosses paths with Nick, the sexy, rugged estate manager. She finds she shares more than a sense of humor with him—in fact, she starts to think she could fall for him. But is Nick all he seems? Or has Laura got it wrong again? Will she open her heart only to have it broken again?
My thoughts:
This definitely sounds like one I'd still be interested in reading at some time.
Verdict: Keep
9. Shelf Monkey by Corey Redekop:
My thoughts: So, I think I chose this one because of the character working at a bookstore, like I do. However, it just doesn't appeal to me anymore really.
Verdict: Toss
10. The Lake House (When the Wind Blows #2) by James Patterson:
My thoughts:
So, I read the first book and liked it. However since this is a big name author, and big series, I think it's one I don't need to keep on my list on Goodreads.
Verdict: Toss
Only getting rid of 3 books this week. Have you read any of these? What do you think about my choices to keep or toss?
Giveaway:
Last week I did this giveaway on Sunday, but then I got to thinking, it kind of goes with cleaning my TBR off. While this blog post is for what is on Goodreads list, this giveaway will help me clear off my actual shelves. So, I think once a week, whenever I do this post, I'm going to give away a couple books from my Books for Trade pile. The picture below is what I currently have, although between this post and next Friday, the ending day, that may change by one or two. But I'll let the winner know when I email them. You will get to pick one book, and I will add one other one of my choice to mail to you. Unfortunately this is going to be US only giveaway. :-( I can't figure out how to do international without spending a ton on postage. I mean if you really wanted the books, I guess you could send me the money through Paypal to cover the difference between shipping in the US and International. But otherwise, I can't afford to do it. Here are the books:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
