Cleaning Up My TBR With a Giveaway (US Only) - Down the TBR Hole #29

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?

Because I have so many to do, I'm going to try to do this weekly, and do 10 at a time.


1.   The Dig by Michael Siemsen:

A mysterious woven metal artifact is found at a paleontological dig in Africa. Mystified experts, confounded by the impossible timeline they get from traditional dating methods, call upon a stubborn young man with a unique talent. Matthew Turner's gift is also his curse: When he touches any object, his awareness is flooded with the thoughts and feelings of those who touched it before him. It is a talent that many covet, some fear, and almost no one understands. Despite being exploited as a child and tormented by the unpleasant experiences imprinted on him from the various items he has "read," Matthew agrees to travel from New York to the forests of Kenya. There, threatened by unknown enemies and helped by a beautiful but prickly ally who begins to understand his strange ability, he journeys back in geological time to make a discovery so shocking that it forces us to rewrite all human history.
 
My thoughts:
Once again this fits into the genre of books I read constantly for a while ago. And I do have the wish that I'd become a paleontologist or archaeologist, but not sure I'm that into this anymore.

Verdict:  Toss



2.  Single in the City by Michelle Gorman:

Take one twenty six year old American, add to a two thousand year old city, add a big dose of culture clash and stir.

To think Hannah ever believed that Americans differed from Brits mainly in pronunciation, sophistication and dentistry. That’s been the understatement of a lifetime. She lands upon England’s gentle shores with no job, no friends and no idea how she’s supposed to build the life she’s dreaming of. Armed with little more than her enthusiasm, she charges headlong into London, baffling the locals in her pursuit of a new life, new love and sense of herself.

My thoughts:  
Kind of sounds cute, again like what I was reading at the time I added it to my TBR.  But not really as much my thing these days.

Verdict:Toss




3.  Differentiation That Really Works:  Language Arts by Cheryll Adams and Rebecca Pierce:

Differentiation That Really Works in Language Arts provides time-saving tips and strategies from real teachers who teach language arts in grades 6-12. These teachers not only developed the materials and used them in their own classes, but they also provide useful feedback and comments about the activities. The strategies included in the book are tiered lessons, cubing, graphic organizers, exit cards, learning contracts, and choice boards. Every strategy includes directions and offers opportunities for differentiation.

My thoughts:  
Last week I kept the science version of this book on my list.  So I'll get rid of this one, as I would expect to go teach science if I went back to teaching.

Verdict:  Toss



4.  11/22/63 by Stephen King:

Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away...but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke... Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten...and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful.
 
My thoughts:
As this is a Stephen King book, and a popular one, I don't think I need to keep it on my Goodreads TBR. Although I do think sometime I will read it.

Verdict: Toss

5.   Love at Absolute Zero by Christopher Meeks:

Love At Absolute Zero focuses on a top physicist determined to find his soul mate within three days using science. In this comic romp, Gunnar Gunderson, 32, has just been given tenure at the University of Wisconsin, and now he can think of only one thing: finding a wife. His research falters into what happens to matter near absolute zero ( 459.67 F), but he has an instant new plan. Channeling his inner salmon, he's determined to meet his love. Can Gunnar survive his quest?
  
My thoughts:
Kinda sounds good, but don't know that I'll get to it anytime.  And ratings aren't that spectacular on Goodreads.

Verdict: Toss



6.  Starters  by Lissa Price:

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . . 

My thoughts:
I feel like some day I should read this.

Verdict: Keep



7.  Here by Denise Grover Swank:

Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before. 

Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he's volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she's been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he's really from.

My thoughts:  
Sounds good, and it's set in my state.  So, maybe I'll read it some day!

Verdict:  Keep


 8.  Unraveling the Mysteries of The Big Bang Theory - An Unabashedly Unauthorized TV Show Companion by George Beahm:

4 Science Geeks + 1 Savvy Blonde Waitress = A Big Bang

You don’t have to be a theoretical physicist to understand why The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular shows on television. Brains meet beauty in a calculus of comedy that always adds up to smart and hilarious results.

Unraveling the Mysteries of The Big Bang Theory: An Unabashedly Unauthorized TV Show Companion is a quantum leap beyond the typical TV show guidebook. Exploring every nook and cranny of the Big Bang Theory universe, it provides a wealth of information about our favorite television show:

• A profile of “intelligent designers” Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady
• A detailed look at what went wrong with the unaired original pilot—and what went right in the reboot
• In-depth background on the principal actors and the characters they play
• A photo-illustrated breakdown of the Sheldonian universe, from couch to cosmos (including the show locations you can visit in real life)
• How to get your geek on, Big Bang—style
• A primer on the show’s key scientific concepts, plus its galaxy of guest star scientists
• A concise guide to every episode and the meaning behind each title, organized by season
• An A-Z guide to the pop culture miscellanea mentioned in the show
• And more!

Pull up a seat—just not Sheldon’s, which is in a state of eternal dibs—and get ready to unravel the mysteries of The Big Bang Theory.

My thoughts:
You know I love this show if you know me at all. But, like with all the Supernatural tv show extra books, it probably isn't something I'll ever get around to reading. 

Verdict: Toss


9.  Article 5 by Kristen Simmons:

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

My thoughts:
I feel like this is another one I really need to try some day.

Verdict: Keep


10.  Moonlight and Oranges by Elise Stephens:

A timeless tale of young romance.

Lorona Connelly is ready for a change from her carefully planned, bookish life. When sparks fly at a costume party, she embraces a chance for romance with the handsome Kestrin Feather. However, she quickly realizes that even love and destiny may not be enough to overcome the reality of an overprotective mother-in-law and Kestrin's long, tarnished history of relationships.

When Lorona's curiosity leads her to Kestrin's journal, doubt plagues them both with insecurities and threatens the relationship. Can true love overcome the odds, or was their whirlwind romance just a frivolous crush? Author Elise Stephens shares a journey of young love, fate, and wounded trust in the story of Lorona and Kestrin, a couple who must learn to overcome their fears to share a life together.

My thoughts:
Honestly this description is pretty bland and unoriginal.  Doesn't grab me at all.

Verdict: Toss


Final Thoughts:
Keeping three this week out of the ten, not as good as last week, but still more gone than kept! Still haven't had time to do any unpacking to get rid of books, so real ones are still waiting to be looked over.   Once again you can see that I may have dropped some, but you can also see how many I've added during the week as well because I'm also pointing out how many books are on my Want to Read list on Goodreads each week.  This week, after taking these 7 off, I have 3,184 books listed now, and last week I ended with 3,190. So I got rid of some and didn't add a lot more I guess! 

Have you read any of these?  Would you suggest I keep any I'm tossing?  And if you're inspired to do this on your blog, please feel free to join in and share a link in the comments, since it will also get you an extra entry into my giveaway at the bottom of this post.      
 

Giveaway:
Once again this is a US only giveaway, unless you are International and see a book here you really want and would be willing to pay for the difference in the shipping through Paypal or some other way.  This week I'm upping the prize, you get to pick any two books from the pictures below, as long as they don't get traded away, or picked by last week's winner, and I will pick a surprise book from the piles to add to your choice.  Here are your choices:   

2018 ARCs:

2017 ARCs:

I'm continuing to add in my early 2019 ARCs now.  You can pick one of your two choices from the picture below, the other book you pick needs to come from the pictures above.

Once again I'm going to let you pick two, along with me throwing in a surprise third book!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below. 

   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Yes, My Accent is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven't Told You by Kunal Nayyar

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases that we're eagerly awaiting.  I've chosen a nonfiction book for a change this week.  It comes out next week, and is by an actor on one of my all-time favorite TV shows, The Big Bang Theory.  I guess he was at BEA this past summer, when I wasn't able to go.  :-(  Meeting him would have totally made any cost worth it, if I'd had any way to get the money together.  The author, Kunal Nayyar, plays Raj on the show, and I can't wait to read what he has to tell us about.  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Of all the charming misfits on television, there’s no doubt Raj from The Big Bang Theory — the sincere yet incurably geeky Indian-American astrophysicist — ranks among the misfittingest. Now, we meet the actor who is every bit as loveable as the character he plays on TV. In this revealing collection of essays written in his irreverent, hilarious, and self-deprecating voice, Kunal Nayyar traces his journey from a little boy in New Delhi who mistakes an awkward first kiss for a sacred commitment, gets nosebleeds chugging Coca-Cola to impress other students, and excels in the sport of badminton, to the confident, successful actor on the set of TV’s most-watched sitcom since Friends.

Going behind the scenes of The Big Bang Theory and into his personal experiences, Kunal introduces readers to the people who helped him grow, such as his James Bond-loving, mustachioed father who taught him the most important lessons in life: Treat a beggar as you would a king. There are two sides to every story. A smile goes a long way. And, when in doubt, use a spreadsheet. Kunal also walks us through his college years in Portland, where he takes his first sips of alcohol and learns to let loose with his French, 6’8” gentle-giant roommate, works his first-ever job for the university’s housekeeping department cleaning toilets for minimum wage, and begins a series of romantic exploits that go just about as well as they would for Raj. (That is, until he meets and marries a former Miss India in an elaborate seven-day event that we get to experience in a chapter titled “My Big Fat Indian Wedding.”)

Full of heart, but never taking itself too seriously, this witty and often inspiring collection of underdog tales follows a young man as he traverses two continents in search of a dream, along the way transcending culture and language (and many, many embarrassing incidents) to somehow miraculously land the role of a lifetime.

So much that sounds so good!  I am hoping to find it as hilarious as other books I've read by actors like this.  

So, what book are you eagerly awaiting this week? 

And while you're here, don't forget to go enter my September is for Sequels Giveaway. 

Stacking the Shelves - August 17th, 2013

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is a way for us to share the new books we have collected. Another REALLY slow week, but again, needed as I have a ton of books on my TBR piles to read already! I actually only have 1 book to share this week:

Purchased:

Since I got the 3rd book in this series as an e-galley, I had to get the 2nd one read.  Unfortunately I was unable to find it at ANY library!   But fortunately, we had it in paperback at the bookstore where I work, so I purchased it this week.  

Non-Book Purchases: 

I don't know much html, other than how to make a link, so I figure this will come in handy as I continue to blog, and if I ever consider maybe moving away from Blogger.

This is a small poster I had made at Staples online for like $3.00!!  I plan to use it on a display in my new library later this year.

And while this boxed calendar has NOTHING to really do with my blog or reading, I'm just excited to have a copy.  It was supposed to be published in July, but it never came out.  And then when we started getting the boxed calendars in our store in August, I checked one more time in our database, and I found it!!  Hope it's as good as the one I planned to make myself!

So really, not much going on my bookshelves, which are getting cleaned and organized soon, so expect a video tour of my bookshelves later this year!  What did you add to your shelves this week?

Hazards of Working at a Bookstore May 2012

I haven't done one of these posts for a looooooooong time, it's not that I haven't found lots of books I want, I just haven't had the time to post the entries.  So I decided to do one today.  I also wanted to say that in the next couple weeks I may have a few posts that aren't book reviews, or contests, or memes.  When I go to BEA I may post some stuff about my experiences there.  So look for those in the next couple weeks.

Okay, I now have 3 books to talk about, ones that I would really like to have, but I just don't have the money right at the moment to spend on books like these.

First is one that really is cool.  When I got my tattoo, I had exactly what I wanted in mind, it had a meaning for something that was important for me, one of my favorite books.  I've always also thought it would be cool to have a dinosaur tattoo, as I'm a huge fan of dinosaurs too.  And this book has some people who do have them!  It is called Science Ink.  Here is the description from Goodreads.com:

If you have ever thought of having an image of the double helix imprinted on your forearm or buttocks, this is the book for you. We should note however that the science-minded men and women represented in this weirdly arresting illustrated book have tattoos that go far behind decorative DNA diagrams. Listen for example, as software designer Zermelo-Fraenkel talks about his arm-covering tat: "This tattoo is the Zermelo-Fraenkel with Choice axioms of set theory. From these nine axioms, one can derive all of mathematics."
















Second is another "science" related book.  It's about my favorite tv show, The Big Bang Theory.  Like a lot of other tv shows and movies, it now has its own book about the philosophy of the show.  See the description from Barnesandnoble.com:


A lighthearted meditation on the philosophical quandaries of the hit television show The Big Bang Theory

Ever wonder what Aristotle might say about the life Sheldon Cooper leads? Why Thomas Hobbes would applaud the roommate agreement? Who Immanuel Kant would treat with "haughty derision" for weaving "un-unravelable webs?" And—most importantly—whether Wil Wheaton is truly evil? Of course you have. Bazinga!

This book mines the deep thinking of some of history's most potent philosophical minds to explore your most pressing questions about The Big Bang Theory and its nerdy genius characters. You might find other philosophy books on science and cosmology, but only this one refers to Darth Vader Force-chokes, cloning Leonard Nimoy, and oompa-loompa-like engineers. Fo-shizzle.

• Gives you irresistibly geek-worthy insights on your favorite Big Bang Theory characters, story lines, and ideas
• Examines important themes involving ethics and virtue, science, semiotics, religion, and the human condition
• Brings the thinking of some of the world's greatest philosophers to bear on The Big Bang Theory, from Aristotle and Plato to Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Simone de Beauvoir, and more

Essential reading for every Big Bang Theory fan, this book explores whether comic-book-wielding geeks can lead the good life, and whether they can know enough science to "tear the mask off nature and stare at the face of God."

And finally, I really don't read too many books about dogs.  Like Marley and Me they are almost always going to have an ending that makes me cry almost uncontrollably.  There is not much that I love more than dogs.  And having had to make the decision to put two dogs to sleep on my own in the past 10 years, it really hits me hard.  I don't know for sure this book ends this way, but maybe I could read up until the end.  It is called Giant George, and here is the description from Goodreads.com:

With his big blue eyes and soulful expression, George was the irresistible runt of the litter. But Dave and Christie Nasser's "baby" ended up being almost five feet tall, seven feet long, and 245 pounds. Eager to play, and boisterous to the point of causing chaos, this big Great Dane was scared of water, scared of dogs a fraction of his size and, most of all, scared of being alone.

GIANT GEORGE is the charming story of how this precocious puppy won Dave and Christie's hearts and along the way became a doggie superstar. In 2010, George was named by Guinness World Records as the Tallest Dog in the World-ever. He appeared on Oprah, and even has his own global fan club. But to Dave and Christie, this extraordinary animal is still their beloved pet, the one who has made them laugh, made them cry, and continues to make them incredibly happy.

So, those are the 3 books I saw the past few weeks that I remembered to post about.  I'll try to do a posting each month maybe, if I don't end up with too many!  :-)

First day of school, sort of

So today was kind of the first day of school. 6th graders, and new to the school 7th and 8th graders came for half a day. I was getting a lot done and on the road to being ready for tomorrow the first "real" day of school, until we had to meet about Greater Gator, a class which to me is a waste for all but those in the special CA or Math classes. But that's another story. Got kind of busy this weekend and forgot to blog every night. Well, part of the problem is that I opened my new laptop, which meant I got to play Sims 3. And of course, now I'm addicted.

Anyway. I still have 2 book reviews to do. I'll try to get them in tomorrow night. Hopefully the rain won't be when I get time to walk tomorrow night. I'm going to try to do 7 miles each day the next 3 days, that should get 21 miles in before I weigh in next. But my step-mom has surgery Wednesday, and I'll need to go visit her at the hospital Wednesday night. Then Thursday night there is a party at a B&N co-worker's house that I've planned to go to. It's supposed to start at 6, but I may get there a little later.

I plan to do another pork tenderloin in the crockpot while I'm at work tomorrow. Just putting it in the crockpot with a jar of taco sauce instead of salsa this time. After I get home from work, and then from walking, I'll be able to have a pork soft taco. They were so good last time, I'm hoping using the sauce instead of salsa will make it not so runny and messy. I need to see what kind of snacky food I would like to bring to the party Thursday night.

Okay, I'm going to finish watching The Big Bang Theory and go to bed. Oh yeah, got set up to record the Twilight Weekly update show on the Reelz channel tonight, so I can't wait to watch it!!

Two for the money

Yeah, I don't know what the title of this blog has to do with anything. Just thought it was cute. Got quite a bit done in my room today. Went to the doctor and finally we may be onto something. She thinks it is my sacroiliac joint that is the problem. If that's the case I may need either physical therapy, or she says a shot of prednisone, but an epidural shot, which scares me. She had me do some blood work to check this hypothesis. She also gave me some Celebrex samples to try. So far, they seem to be working. I did have to call my brother, who is a pharmacutical (sp?) sales rep, and ask about the drug. I have heard on those lawyer commercials this drug name before and so I was curious. He gave me some info, said it was probably okay since I wasn't probably going to be on it long term. But now I can do some research into it and the injury on my own. The doctor said this didn't seem to be a muscular injury that massage probably wouldn't do any good.

Got to walk 5 miles today, but kind of late, so still going to bed later than I planned. Tomorrow is Convocation at PVBC in Liberty. I hate Convo, it's a waste of time in my opinion. I don't want to see the person who got my library job, and I really don't want to go sit through the science curriculum meeting, it is an hour and a half this year. I swear it has always been only an hour. Oh well. I intend to go talk to some bank people about getting my finances in order so I can think about quitting the district at the end of the year. Other than that and my meeting, I am bringing my book to sit and read through most of the time I have to be there. I refuse to go sit at the stupid motivational ceremony. Maybe I'll leave for lunch or do some shopping at the Target during that time instead. Tomorrow night supposed to go see Harry Potter on the IMAX. It will be my 3rd time, my dad and step-mom's first. I'm excited to go, it was really good.

Okay, going to go to bed, or at least to go watch an episode of The Big Bang Theory and then go to bed. Driving to Liberty adds some time to my morning.