Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas – #BookReview

Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

Goodreads: Birthday Girl
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Romance
Panda Rating:

JORDAN
He took me in when I had nowhere else to go.
He doesn’t use me, hurt me, or forget about me. He doesn’t treat me like I’m nothing, take me for granted, or make me feel unsafe.
He remembers me, laughs with me, and looks at me. He listens to me, protects me, and sees me. I can feel his eyes on me over the breakfast table, and my heart pumps so hard when I hear him pull in the driveway after work.
I have to stop this. It can’t happen.
My sister once told me there are no good men, and if you find one, he’s probably unavailable.
Only Pike Lawson isn’t the unavailable one.
I am.

PIKE
I took her in, because I thought I was helping.
She’d cook a few meals and clean up a little. It was an easy arrangement.
As the days go by, though, it’s becoming anything but easy. I have to stop my mind from drifting to her and stop holding my breath every time I bump into her in the house. I can’t touch her, and I shouldn’t want to.
The more I find my path crossing hers, though, the more she’s becoming a part of me.
But we’re not free to give into this. She’s nineteen, and I’m thirty-eight.
And her boyfriend’s father.
Unfortunately, they both just moved into my house.

*BIRTHDAY GIRL is a stand-alone, contemporary romance suitable for ages 18+.

This isn’t the type of romance that I often read and I don’t know what pushed me to pick it up since I had never heard of this author or book beforehand, but pick it up I did and … Yeah, it just wasn’t my jam. I liked that it was a slow-burn romance. I admit that the chemistry between Pike and Jordan was fire and the steamy scenes between them were all pretty hot and explosive. If my rating would be based on those scenes alone, I’d probably give this a 4-star rating.

But unfortunately, most of the story was just a little… meh and unbelievable? The majority of the characters were plot devices and I didn’t want to do anything but slap them for being truly awful people (especially Cole and his mother–I could not have rolled my eyes harder at these two characters. Just plain old disgusting). It was really hard for me to have any sympathy for a lot of these characters. One thing I’m glad of is that there was really no ‘love triangle’ aspect to this story because I honestly would’ve DNF’d it if it did (that’s really how much I hate love triangles because you know this panda does not DNF books lol). But there’s actually none of that in this book because Cole is the ultimate douchebag from page one and his hot/cold I-care-and-then-don’t-care attitude was just shitty and shady throughout. I would never cheat on someone but… Damn, Cole did not deserve half the respect that Jordan, and I’d even go so far as to also say Pike, gave him. I didn’t even care about his “redemption arc” at the end and I don’t feel it added anything at all. 🤷🏻‍♀️

There were moments that I found the relationship between Pike and Jordan a little weird because he’d act all reprimanding like her dad would and then obviously, there were the many other times when he’d have indecent very-not-fatherly thoughts about/towards her. I also found Pike annoyingly immature at times. Like, mate, you should be acting well above this immaturity right now. Some of his monologues also came off as sexist and fairly condescending towards Jordan/Jordan’s sister, and it just wasn’t a good look. For the most part, I did like Jordan’s character. She was strong, pretty mature (for her age and in comparison to the others), hard-working and wasn’t overly annoying or had unrealistic expectations about her life and relationships. Unsurprisingly for someone going through a tumultuous time in her early twenties, there were moments where she did get on my nerves, but I think Pike’s character managed to irritate me more.

I will say though that this was oddly addictive because I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. It was like another “The Stopover” moment for me where I was thinking “what the hell am I doing reading this book?!” and then at the same time being unable to stop reading it. 🤦🏻‍♀️ So I guess there’s that going for it?

Have you read Birthday Girl? How do you feel about love triangles?
Let me know in the comments and let’s chat!

November Possibility Pile

Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

It’s the start of another month so that means it’s time for another monthly possibility pile! This November I’m hoping to also step out of my comfort zone (again) but this time with Non-Fiction November!

It’s not that I don’t like NF books, it’s just that a lot of the time the facts, figures and ‘plain’ writing makes it hard to concentrate. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s like reading a textbook but I usually find myself reading the same paragraph countless times and my attention strays very easily! But I’m hoping to give NF November a go because I’ve actually added a few NF books to my physical shelf and I’m keen to get them read (so they don’t linger untouched forever lol). November isn’t going to be as hectic for me compared to October but I’m not going to be too ambitious with my pile, plus I’m definitely planning to read other books to break up the NF reads too! So without further ado, here are the books that I’m hoping to read this month:

Have you read any of these NF books or are they also on your TBR? Which one do you recommend I start out with?

October Monthly Wrap Up!

Dini @ dinipandareads10 Comments

Friends! Can you believe? Two months until 2019 is over and I honestly still can’t believe it. I have no idea where this year has gone but it’s definitely gone in a blink! October was such a hectic month that I don’t even know where the days went because time moved so quickly. That said, I’m surprised that I managed to read 19 books this month, which brings my Goodreads reading challenge up to 175/90.


⁍ The Wall of Winnipeg and Me (review coming)
⁍ Serpent & Dove (review coming)


⁍ Last Time I Lied (review)
⁍ The Dugout (review)
⁍ Wait for It (review coming)


⁍ The Bookish Life of Nina Hill (review)
⁍ House of Salt and Sorrows (review coming)
⁍ Rules for Vanishing (review)
⁍ Frankly In Love (review coming)


⁍ These Witches Don’t Burn (review coming)


⁍ (eARC Graphic Novel) Fair Lady Vol. 1 (review coming)
⁍ Dear Aaron (review coming)
⁍ Faker (review coming)
⁍ (eARC) The Sea of Lost Girls (review coming)


⁍ (eARC) My Life as Marlee (review)
⁍ Birthday Girl (review coming)


⁍ Falling for My Brother’s Best Friend (review coming)
⁍ Park Avenue Player (review coming)
⁍ To Have and Hate (review coming)

Thinking about it again, I’m not surprised I read 19 books this month because I read a ton of romances which I always speed through (at most it takes me 2 days to read one). While I took a little step outside of my comfort zone this month with Rules for Vanishing, I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t read any other spooky read, although being a mood reader I know that forcing myself to read something I’m not feeling just wouldn’t work.

I’m clearly still very much on that romance vibe, although I can also start to feel myself becoming a little jaded with some of these romances (maybe as evidenced by the lower ratings because I just wanted to roll-my-eyes-so-hard). But I think I’ve been hitting the romance so hard because my brain is just… TIRED? Like… I have no mental energy left on most days and that means I love reading romances that not only give me swoony feelings but I also don’t have to think very hard about. Let’s see if the romancing mood will continue in November!

Just like last time, you can find all my weekly memes in my menu bar since I’ve organized that a bit more. You can find the rest of the posts that I’ve made this month below. I actually didn’t write a whole lot of reviews this month, I’ve just been ‘too busy reading’ and that’s okay because I know I’m not obligated to write a review for every book I read (unless it’s an eARC) but I’ve come to realize just how much writing reviews really helps my memory! So… I’m on a mission (maybe tomorrow) to sit down and write some reviews before I forget even more than I already have!

ALSO I’ve been toying with the idea of giving my blog a bit of revamped look but I don’t know if I should do it right now (it’s not even been a year but playing with blog layouts has always been a fun time for me! LOL 😅). Might give it a go this weekend but will play it by ear! What do you think? Do you like changing up your (blog) look or is that just confusing?

Reviews

⁍ eARC Graphic Novel Review: The Black Mage by Daniel Barnes & DJ Kirkland
⁍ eARC Review: On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga #1) by Andrew Petersen
⁍ Cover Reveal: His Royal Highness by R.S. Grey
⁍ eARC Graphic Novel Review: Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Wu

I hope you all had a great reading month in October and I hope that November continues to be awesome! What was your favorite read this month? Come let me know in the comments & let’s chat!

First Lines Friday – 01 November

Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

Yayaya, HAPPY FRIYAY and HAPPY FIRST OF THE MONTH, book lovers and friends 😍We’re back with another First Lines Friday! This is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Here are THE RULES:

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

First lines:

We must, by law, keep a record of the innocents we kill.
And as I see it, they’re all innocents. Even the guilty. Everyone is guilty of something, and everyone still harbors a memory of childhood innocence, no matter how many layers of life wrap around it. Humanity is innocent; humanity is guilty, and both states are undeniably true.

Do you recognize the book these first lines come from?

Okay, okay, calm yourself Loki, mate...

*drumroll please!*

The book is: Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) by Neal Shusterman

Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Have you read Scythe or is it on your TBR? Can’t wait for The Toll!
Leave me a comment and let’s chat 🙂

The Dugout (Brentwood Baseball #2) by Meghan Quinn – #BookReview

Dini @ dinipandareads5 Comments

Goodreads: The Dugout (Brentwood Baseball #2)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, New Adult
Panda Rating:

Let me ask you a question:
If someone is vying for your spot on a team and just so happens to injure you during practice, would you believe it was on purpose?
Word around campus is . . . it was no accident.

That injury has cost me everything; my starting position, my junior year—and the draft. Now, I’m a senior fresh off recovery, struggling to find my groove, until the day I run into a nervous, fidgety, girl with freckles, in the dining hall.

They call Milly Potter The Baseball Whisperer, The Diamond Wizard, and The Epitome of All Knowledge. She believes in baseball. She breathes it. She’s the queen of an infamous dynasty, but no one actually knows who she really is, and she plans to keep it that way.

One mishap in the panini line, one miscommunication in the weight room, and many failed attempts at an apology equal up to one solid truth — Milly Potter never wants to speak to me again — no matter how good my forearms look. Little do we both know, she’s about to become more than just my fairy ballmother.

I’m not that big of a sports fan IRL (except for when it comes to tennis and footy) and I know maybe next to nothing about baseball but that didn’t stop me from really enjoying The Dugout! I found myself swooning and laughing my way through this story.

At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it because Carson comes off as an entitled asswipe from page one and I didn’t like how he was so unnecessarily rude and abrasive. I get that he had a chip on his shoulder but it’s just not a good look, mate! That said, he really grew on me as the story went on and I’m positive a lot of that had to do with the introduction of Milly into his life. Milly is AWESOME. She’s a little bit nerdy, down-to-earth, and insanely smart and talented at coaching baseball! Want to know a random/fun fact about baseball? Milly can supply. Having trouble getting your shit together on the field and need coaching? Milly is your girl. I was worried that there would be one of those “She’s All That” moments where the nerdy girl suddenly transforms into this stunner by shedding the baggy clothing and stepping out in “sexy clothes”, but she sticks true to herself and I was here for it! I really enjoyed seeing Milly and Carson’s relationship grow from friendship to love and their banter was spot on. I like that she continued to be straight up with him, but that his softer and more mature side was brought out more because of her. They had great chemistry and I’m glad Quinn built that up well. I’d probably give the heat factor a four in this book. I think there were more steamy scenes in this one (and it was definitely hotter) than the other Quinn books I’ve read. Ain’t mad about it either 🤷🏻‍♀️ lol

While I liked both MCs, I think that my favorite thing about this story were the friendships. Milly’s best-friendship with Shane and Jeremy was hilarious and pure. They brought an extra little spark of fun and quirkiness that I really enjoyed. What I really loved though was the camaraderie between the whole baseball team. When Milly went over that night to get introduced to the boys, I don’t think I stopped laughing and swooning once! Seriously, from the minute the door opened I was bent over cracking up. I wanted to give them all hugs forever–they were SO CUTE I wanted to know more about all of them and I really hope that they all get stories. Seriously, I really hope so *hint hint Meghan Quinn!*

The reason I took off half a star is because I thought how some characters reacted in certain situations (especially during their monologues) was a little OTT. There were also moments where the narration would switch from first person to second person and back and it was a little annoying. Overall though, I had such a fun time reading this book and I can’t wait to go back to book 1 of this series because I’m definitely curious to know more about Carson’s BFF, Knox (you don’t need to read it to understand this book though).

Have you read The Dugout? Are you a fan of sports romances?
Let me know in the comments and let’s chat!

The Book Blogger Memory Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

I wasn’t tagged by Emer @ A Little Haze to do this tag (lol) but I saw it on her page and knew that I wanted to hop right on it because not only did it look like fun but my memory sucks major suckage and I wanted to see how it would do in a challenge like this! So, without further ado, let’s do this.

The Rules

You must answer these questions without looking anything up on the internet and without looking at your bookshelves! (Pretty simple, right?)

1. NAME A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AUTHOR CALLED MICHAEL

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton.
I’m finding myself just a little pathetic for getting so excited about getting this one straight out the bat.

2. NAME A BOOK WITH A DRAGON ON THE COVER

GAME OF THRONES! I mean… Obviously? Lol

3. NAME A BOOK ABOUT A CHARACTER CALLED GEORGE

Curious George!
You know, the children’s book with the curious and entirely cheeky little monkey called George? I really don’t know how this was the first book that came to mind lol

4. NAME A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AUTHOR WITH THE SURNAME SMITH

Welp, I spoke too soon. I cannot for the life of me recall any author with the last name Smith! *walks away grumbling in shame and defeat*

5. NAME A BOOK SET IN AUSTRALIA

IT’S THAT BOOK BY BILL BRYSON! Is it called Australia? Down Under? Does this count as a correct answer?! I hope so… I know he wrote a book about Australia…

6. NAME A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF A MONTH IN THE TITLE

The Ten Thousand Doors of January! Woot, I’m so glad that I literally just bought this book on BD not 10 minutes ago!

7. NAME A BOOK WITH A KNIFE ON THE COVER

My Lovely Wife!!
I know there are different covers for this one but I’m thinking about the white one where the wife is holding the knife and you see the reflection of hubbo in it. I have the other boring one on my Kindle lol

8. NAME A BOOK WITH THE WORD ‘ONE’ IN THE TITLE

One Day in December 😍 BAHA! I almost got stuck with this one. Thank you, brain!

9. NAME A BOOK WITH AN EPONYMOUS TITLE

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell
Wow, I didn’t think this would be the first one to pop into my head because I haven’t read it yet but I’ve been meaning to read it for ages and *just* downloaded it onto my Kindle library!

10. NAME A BOOK TURNED INTO A MOVIE

The Shining by Stephen King
Yay for having just mentioned this book on my TTT this week! Good thing too because sadly I’m pretty sure my brain would’ve scrambled thinking too hard about this one and then blanking out lol

AAND THAT’S IT! I think I actually did OK? I missed two… But yeah, that’s better than I thought I would do 😅 That was totally fun! Feel free to do this tag too and link back to me so that I can see your answers!

Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager – #BookReview

Dini @ dinipandareads13 Comments

Goodreads: Last Time I Lied
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

Panda Rating:

Have you ever played two truths and a lie?

Emma has. Her first summer away from home, she learned how to play the game. And she learned how to lie.
Then three of her new friends went into the woods and never returned . . .
Now, years later, Emma has been asked to go back to the newly re-opened Camp Nightingale. She thinks she’s laying old ghosts to rest but really she’s returning to the scene of a crime. Because Emma’s innocence might be the biggest lie of all…

Holy wow, what a ride! Excuse me while I still try to scrape my jaw up off the floor. I was meant to read this as part of a group read organized by Mel @ My Nights Booked but in typical Dini fashion, I managed to forget that I signed up for it and missed the conversation 😅But I’m so glad I decided to pick it up anyway because once I did I absolutely couldn’t put it down! This is my second Sager book and it’s now clear to me that he likes to throw a jaw dropping twist at the very end of his stories!

I’ve been in a restless reading funk over the last few days, so the pacing of the story was a bit slow for me to start. I initially wasn’t sure that I could resist putting it down for something else, but I kept on and as the story progressed, I quickly found myself hooked and jumping from 20% to 49% to 80% in the blink of an eye! Last Time I Lied was deeply atmospheric–I definitely got all the creepy camp vibes with the many hidden clearings, the legends/myths of Lake Midnight and Camp Nightingale, and the cabins and woods. I did think that it would be more ghost-spooky than mystery-spooky but I’m so glad that it wasn’t because it would’ve taken me so much longer to get through it!

I usually find unreliable narrators really frustrating so I’m surprised that I never felt that about Emma, as she was a very unreliable narrator and her desperation to understand what happened and figure out what was wrong had me often itching with the need to know myself. I was questioning so much of what happened and what was happening as I read because I was constantly questioning Emma’s narrative. Was she actually schizophrenic and hallucinating everything that happened and was happening? Was she the one who actually made the girls disappear? Was everyone playing along with her by making believe that she was okay when she really wasn’t because of some misguided desire to protect her? But then was everyone else guilty as well? I mean I don’t think there was one moment in the story where I didn’t think everyone was guilty because in true Sager style, he makes you question everything and every character he puts before you! I couldn’t settle on whodunit up to the very end and even then it actually wasn’t who I expected.

And I mean, that ending though?! Talk about being completely thrown by it! I really thought I was going to be a bit disappointed with how everything was playing out but I actually barked out loud (with shocked laughter) when Sager threw that final twist because of course everything we learn at the very end had my jaw dropping even further! I really love how Sager is able to take his stories in such unexpected directions–it really makes the whole reading experience so much more exciting. Even though that ending still left me with questions and the strong need to know more, I’m actually pretty satisfied with it. Although I’ve only read two of Sager’s books, they’ve both really been a hit with me and I’m eager to read his others to see if I’ll feel the same way about them.

Have you read Last Time I Lied? What did you think?
Let me know in the comments and let’s chat!

#WWWWednesday: 30 October

Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

It’s time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:

  1. What did you read last?
  2. What are you currently reading?
  3. What will you read next?

What did you read last?

I haven’t been able to read as much as I’ve wanted to over the last week because life was still incredibly hectic but I’m slowly getting back into the groove and was happy with what I did read. It’s pretty clear from the list that I’m still on that romance kick and unfortunately, a few of the ones I read this past week were not my jam. I still have TONS of reviews to do but I promise they’re coming!

Falling For My Brother’s Best Friend by Piper Rayne ★★☆☆☆
Not even an Alaska setting could save this one for me and we all know how much I love Alaska settings!
Park Avenue Player by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland ★★☆☆☆
Most misleading title ever and most disappointing Ward + Keeland book I’ve read to date.
The Dugout (Brentwood Baseball #2) by Meghan Quinn ★★★★½ (Yaas, gimme all that baseball!)
Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager ★★★★½
A chilling read that made me glad I never went to camp! My new favorite Sager.
To Have & Hate by Donna Alam ★★☆☆☆
I’m not gonna lie, I was objectifying the guy on the cover (he’s hot, please don’t judge me) and that’s why I decided to read this one. Welp, not my best decision 😅

What are you currently reading?

So I’m late for the buddy read because I totally forgot that I was also part of a Riley Sager buddy read and wow, bad organization panda! I’m about to finish up Frankly in Love tonight and… I’ve really been loving it and the fact that it’s more than just a love story. As a TCK I really relate to Frank’s cultural identity crisis and I was so ready to give five stars, but then Frank had to go and do something that made me so damn angry (I frankly don’t care what your damn ‘excuses’ are, Frank Li!) but let’s see how the rest of the story plays out.

What will you read next?

I want to give focus to Non-Fiction this November but I’m hoping to give Wicked Saints and Under Locke a read before diving into some non-fiction reads. I know me and I know that I won’t be able to stick to only non-fiction next month, so I’m definitely going to break it up with some more romances, maybe some SFF (THE TOLL!) and maybe even some thrillers. Also, eARCs need focus but we all know that 😅

What are you currently reading? How’s your week and reading going?
Leave me a comment and let’s chat 🙂

#TopTenTuesday: Spooky Books I’d Read If I Wasn’t A Chicken (Halloween Freebie)

Dini @ dinipandareads47 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: Halloween freebie! Since this week is a freebie, I’ve decided to go with the first topic that came to mind: the spooky books I’d read if I wasn’t such an epic chicken/if I only had the guts. I don’t think it would surprise anyone to know that 90% of this list consists of King books! Is it kind of ridiculous that I don’t want to include these book covers in this post because that means I’ll have to actually look at them up close and I’m frankly terrified? 🙃

IT by Stephen King
I already detest clowns (SORRY NOT SORRY) and call me crazy but the idea of one lurking in wait in the drains is just not my jam? Like, at all.

Bag of Bones by Stephen King
I have this one and I really want to read it but it’s also supernatural ghost-y and that’s usually really not my jam. Serious question: What is with cabins in woods by lakes being haunted?!

The Shining by Stephen King
I was forced to watch the movie and I honestly… Ugh. I questioned my choice of friends for months afterwards. Not cool, people, not cool!

Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
I really really really want to read this book. BUT IS SCARED.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
I really wish I had the guts to read this because I got the book as part of the September Owlcrate box and I honestly don’t know if I will ever read it.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
This is a legend/story that has creeped me out ever since I heard stories about the headless horseman when I was a kid. Years later, this legend is actually what I always picture when I think Halloween!

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
This one sounds like a total mindfck. Reading the synopsis already has me confused and questioning whether it’s real or not and I’m doubting myself. If I feel this now, how will I feel after reading it?

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
I really really want to read this one but I’m already terrified of the deep, dark ocean and while I love the idea of mermaids and sirens, I’m not a fan of the creepy killing kind lurking in said deep dark ocean.

Pet Semetary by Stephen King
Dead pets… I just… I don’t know if I can handle it? I like my pets alive and not haunting me, thanks!

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
The synopsis of this alone really freaks me out. I’ve come across it several times in store and have always been tempted to buy it but never do because I don’t think my mind will be able to take how horrifyingly messed up this story is? It’s just a feeling lol

Have you read any of these spooky titles? Would you read them? Do you wish you could read them? If you’ve also done a TTT, please leave your links in the comments below so I can come check it out! 🙂

Down the TBR Hole – 05

Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

We’re back with another episode of Down the TBR Hole! Y’all, I’m proud to say that I’m down to 1,014 books. Over the last two weeks I’ve only reviewed five books each week and haven’t managed to cut out any books. It’s getting harder to do, friends. The pressure is definitely on! 🙈I’m back to reviewing ten books this week though, so let’s see how this goes…

Down the TBR Hole is a weekly book meme created by the wonderful Lia @ Lost in a Story that attempts to organize our ridiculously long Goodreads TBR list by choosing either to keep or eliminate the books we’ve saved on there. Here’s how it works:

  • Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course, if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go

Verdict: Keep

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. I’m a bit torn about whether I want to read this or not but it seems that a lot of my book loving friends love it, so I think it’s a keeper?

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. I love historical fiction and especially books set during WWII. Everything about this book essentially falls under “things-I-love” so I honestly don’t know why I’ve been hesitating to pick it up.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I absolutely loved this movie and have been curious about the book. It’s got amazing reviews but I’m honestly a little nervous that I won’t enjoy the book as much as I loved the movie.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Everything about this book screams at me to read it ASAP!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. A classic that I feel like I’ve read in middle school but I honestly can’t remember… It sounds like a book I’ll love and I love the title; it always grabs my attention!

East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Just like Grapes of Wrath this is a book that I’ve had sitting on my shelf for a very very long time but it intimidates the heck out of me so I’ve been super hesitant to pick it up. It’s staying on my list though.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. This is another tome that’s been on my physical TBR for an age but I’m too intimidated to pick it up. One day… One day (I swear)!

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I mean… It’s an insanely popular classic that I don’t want to pass up reading. When will I get to it? Eventually…

Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy #1) by Chinua Achebe. I remember reading this in high school but for the life of me I can’t remember anything about it except the fact that I enjoyed it. So technically it’s a book I’ve read?

Verdict: Bye-bye-bye!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I found out about the movie before knowing it was a book first, and I was so excited to get into it. It’s got some really great reviews, but there’s just something about it that makes me also not want to read/watch it. So for now, I think I’m gonna say bye-bye-bye!

bluepanda

Alright friends, it’s safe to say that this week was another not so great week of cutting out books from my Goodreads TBR. I managed to remove 1/10 books 🙈It’s just so hard? All of these books are ones I really do want to read, I’m just either too intimidated to read them or they slip my mind because they’re so far back on my backlist. Oh well, next week is another week to try eliminating books? Lol

Have you read any of these books? Would these make your keep list or would you say bye-bye-bye to them? Leave me a comment and let’s chat!