Cleaning Up My TBR With a Giveaway (US Only) - Down the TBR Hole #23

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.   Inside the Outside by Martin Lastrapes:

By the time Timber Marlow is fifteen years old, she has already killed three men. Despite the bloody and violent nature of their deaths, Timber is hardly a murderer, at least not in the traditional sense. She has lived her entire life as a cannibal within a cult tucked away in the San Bernardino Mountains called the Divinity of Feminine Reproach. The Divinity keeps itself isolated from the Outside, which is the mainstream society beyond its invisible borders. When the opportunity presents itself, Timber escapes into the Outside, bearing witness to some dark and unsettling truths about the world around her and the integral role she plays in it. But no matter how long she stays away, Timber finds out the past isn't as far away as she thinks it is. In this debut novel, laced with scenes of horrific violence and uplifting humanity, Martin Lastrapes has written a one-of-a-kind story about love, friendship, sacrifice and cannibalism. 
 
My thoughts:
Hmm, this one is a strange sounding one.  But, very unique.  I think it might be one I might want to try some day.  Who knows.

Verdict: Keep



2.  Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon:

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam Deris.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

My thoughts:  
Sounds like a lot of other books that were popular around the time I added this to my TBR.  The fact that it takes place in Ireland makes me more interested. And of course that cover is awesome.

Verdict: Keep



3.  The Watch that Ends the Night by Allan Wolf:

Arrogance and innocence, hubris and hope--twenty-four haunting voices of the Titanic tragedy, as well as the iceberg itself, are evoked in a stunning tour de force.

Millionaire John Jacob Astor hopes to bring home his pregnant teen bride with a minimum of media scandal. A beautiful Lebanese refugee, on her way to family in Florida, discovers the first stirrings of love. And an ancient iceberg glides south, anticipating its fateful encounter. The voices in this remarkable re-creation of the Titanic disaster span classes and stations, from Margaret ("the unsinkable Molly") Brown to the captain who went down with his ship; from the lookout and wireless men to a young boy in search of dragons and a gambler in search of marks. Slipping in telegraphs, undertaker’s reports, and other records, poet Allan Wolf offers a breathtaking, intimate glimpse at the lives behind the tragedy, told with clear-eyed compassion and astounding emotional power.

Extensive back matter includes:

Author’s note
Morse code with messages to decipher
Titanic miscellany
Bibliography, articles, periodicals, government documents, discography

My thoughts:  
Another historical event that has always fascinated me is the Titanic. So this is a book that again sounds really unique.  Especially with all the extras in the back of it.

Verdict:  Keep



4.  A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron:

This is the remarkable story of one endearing dog's search for his purpose over the course of several lives. More than just another charming dog story, this touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here?

Surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden haired puppy after a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey's search for his new life's meaning leads him into the loving arms of 8 year old Ethan. During their countless adventures Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog. But this life as a beloved family pet is not the end of Bailey's journey. Reborn as a puppy yet again, Bailey wonders, will he ever find his purpose?

Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh out loud funny, this book is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.
 
My thoughts:
Yes, I love all things to do with dogs.  But no, no I just will not read any more of this type of book. I don't care that it is supposed to make us feel better about when our dogs leave us, that maybe they come back to us in our future pets.  Ever since I first had to make the decision to put one of my own dogs to sleep, a decision I had to make all on my own, I can't stand to read or see anything about their deaths.  I don't care how good this book is, dogs dying is just one thing I know will make me cry, but that I can't stand that crying because it leads me down the path of crying about my own dogs.  In fact, I'm tearing up as I write this! 

Verdict:  Toss

5.   All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab:

Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School's most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn't answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can't get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She's the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton's fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it,”especially since she's convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton's dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn't save.
  
My thoughts:
Eh, nothing that is grabbing me now.

Verdict: Toss



6.  Blank Confession by Pete Hautman:

Shayne Blank is the new kid in town--but that doesn't stop him from getting into a lot of trouble very quickly. The other kids don't understand him. He's not afraid of anything. He seems too smart. And his background doesn't add up. But when he walks into the police department to confess to a murder, it quickly becomes apparent that nothing is as it seems. There's more to Shayne--and his story--than meets the eye. As the details begin to fill in, the only thing that becomes clear is that nothing about Shayne's story is clear at all. 


Blank Confession is a compelling mystery that will keep readers turning pages, from National Book Award-winning author Pete Hautman.


My thoughts:
I know at some point I need to read a book by this author. But, not sure if this is the one that is going to grab my attention to read.

Verdict:  Toss



7.  Bruiser by Neal Shusterman:

"There’s a reason why Brewster can’t have friends – why he can’t care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can’t be explained. I know, because they're happening to me."

When Brontë starts dating Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins – the guy voted “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” her twin brother, Tennyson, isn’t surprised. But then strange things begin to occur. Tennyson and Brontë’s scrapes heal unnaturally fast, and cuts disappear before their eyes. What at first seems like their good fortune turns out to be more than they bargained for…much more.

My thoughts:  
So, while Neal Shusterman wrote one of my all time favorite YA dystopian series, the Unwind series, and I feel like I need to read this at some point, I don't know that I need to keep it on my Goodreads TBR.  It is a popular book, and is in my school library.

Verdict: Toss



 8.  I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan:

Here Comes the Bride — If She Can Pass Chemistry.


Eighteen-year-old Bronwen Oliver has a secret: She's really Phoebe, the lost daughter of the loving Lilywhite family. That's the only way to explain her image-obsessed mother; a kind but distant stepfather; and a brother with a small personality complex. Bronwen knows she must have been switched at birth, and she can't wait to get away from her "family" for good.

Then she meets Jared Sondervan. He's sweet, funny, everything she wants — and he has the family Bronwen has always wanted too. She falls head over heels in love, and when he proposes marriage, she joyfully accepts. But is Jared truly what she needs? And if he's not, she has to ask: What would Phoebe Lilywhite do?


My thoughts:
So, I'm not sure about this one?  I mean, marriage?  For a teenager who needs to pass chemistry?  Um, when does this book take place? 

Verdict: Toss



9.  Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore:

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. 

Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.

My thoughts:
Not sure if this is really one I'll ever get around to reading.  So not sure I need to keep it on the list.

Verdict:  Toss




10.  Sea by Heidi R. Kling:

Still haunted by nightmares of her mother's death, fifteen-year-old Sienna Jones reluctantly travels to Indonesia with her father's relief team to help tsunami orphans with their post traumatic stress disorder-something Sienna knows a lot about. Since her mother's plane went missing over the Indian Ocean three years before, Sienna doesn't do anything if it involves the ocean or planes, so this trip is a big step forward.


 But the last thing she expects is to fall for Deni, a brooding Indonesian boy who lives at the orphanage, and just so happens to be HOT. When Deni hears a rumor that his father may be alive, Sienna doesn't think twice about running away with him to the epicenter of the disaster. Unfortunately, what they find there could break both their hearts.


My thoughts:
I like that it is set with the aftermath of the tsunami, but not sure if I'll ever get around to this one. 

Verdict:  Toss


Final Thoughts:
Tossing all but 3 again this week!  Although the way this week started, keeping those first three, I thought I was going to have a problem.  I also think I'm going to start pointing out how many books are on my Want to Read list on Goodreads each week. So you can see that I may have dropped some, but you can also see how many I've added during the week as well.  This week, after taking these three off, I still have 3,188 books listed.  

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's not really catching on, I'm not going to waste time with the link up this week.  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:

2014-2015 ARCs:

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: Glittering Shadows (Dark Metropolis #2) by Jaclyn Dolamore

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 another sequel this week.  This time to a book I got an ARC of right about this time of the year last year.  Unfortunately I haven't received the sequel as an ARC.  I'm very excited to read on and see what happens next. And while I love this cover,  I feel like it doesn't quite match the feel of the first one in the series, Dark Metropolis.  But enough about that, here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Bodies line the streets of Urobrun; a great pyre burns in Republic Square. The rebels grow anxious behind closed doors while Marlis watches as the politicians search for answers—and excuses—inside the Chancellery.

Thea, Freddy, Nan, and Sigi are caught in the crossfire, taking refuge with a vibrant, young revolutionary and a mysterious healer from Irminau. As the battle lines are drawn, a greater threat casts a dark shadow over the land. Magic might be lost—forever.

This action-packed sequel to Dark Metropolis weaves political intrigue, haunting magic, and heartbreaking romance into an unforgettable narrative. Dolamore's lyrical writing and masterfully crafted plot deliver a powerful conclusion.

Sounds like there will definitely be some resolving of the questions left at the end of the first one, especially since this is the conclusion to the book.

So, what are you waiting for this week?  

Review: Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore

First I have to say thanks to Disney-Hyperion for sending me an ARC of this title when I requested their Summer of Chills titles.  While it was a pretty good read, I find it interesting that this was the one I was most excited about receiving, yet the other 2, Don't Look Back, and Far From You, I actually ended up liking a lot more than I really liked this one.  But don't let that change your mind about this one if  you are looking forward to it, it was still a fun read.

The main character is Thea Holder.  She's only 16, but she has to work because her mother has what is called Bound-Sickness.  When people used to get married, they often would be bound, a type of magic spell.  And what that means is that when one was away, they missed them physically.  Thea's father died in the war.  The place she works is called the Telephone Club.  They have musical shows like a cabaret, and famous or rich people often come in and eat there.  Her best friend is named Nan.  She meets a handsome boy named Freddy at the beginning of the story when he is dining at the club.  He's very intriguing, both personality wise, and also looks, as his hair is white, yet he is about the same age as Thea.  At one point, Nan disappears.  Then, Thea's mom gets so bad, and it is noticed by those people around them, and so she is taken away to a mental health center to help her get better.  But someone in the city is reviving the dead people.  Including Nan.  We catch up with Nan when she wakes up from being dead.  She is now underground, and is working.  She can't remember quite who she is, or what happened.  And there is some serum she is supposed to take or else supposedly she will die again.  And they even see people in cages that are being punished by not getting the serum.  And those people turn into basically blood thirsty zombies.  All the main characters, Thea, Freddy, and Nan, must figure out their own part of the mystery, and do what they can to survive.  Even Freddy has a secret that will be a big shock to Thea, but can also help to solve some of the issues.

An interesting story.  I'm going to be ready to read the next one to answer some questions about this world.  The magic is there, almost like it is just an every day normal thing.  so is this a future of our current world?  Or a whole different world altogether?  I hope to learn more in the next book, and as I said, look forward to reading it when it comes out.