TBR Lows & Highs #54

The WINNER of last week’s “lows” vote was… *drumroll*

EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker!

It was a tie between this and THE JUMBIES, so I flipped a coin. 🙂

As promised, I’ll now add this book to my “top-TBR” shelf on Goodreads to remind me to read it within the next 18 months.

Rules:

• Link back to the original post at Howling Libraries
• Sort your Goodreads TBR shelf by date added, ascending
• Find 5 titles to purge from your TBR (the “lows”) OR find 5 titles that are at the BOTTOM of your TBR—books you want to read someday, just not right now!
• Post those 5 books in the list, with a brief explanation
• Next, sort your Goodreads TBR shelf by date added, descending
• List the last 5 (or more!) books you added to your TBR, with a synopsis or your brief summary of why you added it (the “highs”)

(books that are LOW on my TBR (BUT NOT BEING REMOVED)—vote in the comments for which one I should move UP on my list and I’ll read it within 18 months!)

• Dividing Eden — Joelle Charbonneau [YA fantasy]
  • A pair of royal twins have always been close, but when they unexpectedly are forced to compete for the throne of their kingdom, they must turn against one another if they want to do what’s best for their people. I dunno about this one but I’ve had it on my kindle for ages.
• The King’s Man — Elizabeth Kingston [adult historical romance]
  • I’m really thinking I’ll like this one, so I don’t know why I haven’t read it yet. It’s about a retired mercenary who falls in love with a widow whose husband he was hired to kill years earlier.
• I’m Afraid of Men — Vivek Shraya [adult nonfic/memoir]
  • This is only in my lows because I don’t think I can get it from the library and I’m on a no buy, but this is a trans woman’s memoir about toxic masculinity and it sounds so good.
• Four Three Two One — Courtney C. Stevens [YA contemporary]
  • Four teen survivors of a horrible bus bombing incident connect in hopes of healing together.
• The Thief — Megan Whalen Turner [adult fantasy]
  • HOW. HOW HAVE I NOT READ THIS YET. 😂

• Siphon — A.A. Medina [adult horror; kindle unlimited]
  • I don’t really know what this is about, but I hear it’s really messed up. It features a doctor main character who I guess gets wrapped up in some pretty freaky accident at the hospital?
• Stranger Rituals — Kali Rose Schmidt [NA fantasy]
  • I added this based on Loretta’s review, because it sounds so good (and dark!).
• Frozen Beauty — Lexa Hillyer [YA mystery]
  • Three sisters are all in love with the same boy, but when one of the sisters is found dead in the woods, the other two sisters try to find out who’s responsible, and if it could be the boy they all loved.
• We Used to Be Friends — Amy Spalding [YA contemporary]
  • A story of a broken friendship, told in alternating timelines. I swear the world really does need more YA books talking about friendship break-ups, because it’s something that can hurt just as much as a romantic relationship ending sometimes, and nobody really talks about it. 🙁
    ✨ f/f rep! ✨

• The Best Laid Plans — Cameron Lund [YA rom-com]
  • I don’t think I’ve ever read a YA book that tackled common adult romance tropes like asking someone to take your virginity just so you can get it over with. 😂 Among other things… this is supposed to be really hilariously cringe-y and awkward and I’m just intrigued, you know?
• The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly — Meredith Tate [YA thriller]
  • These two sisters couldn’t be any more different, but when one of them is kidnapped, beaten, and held hostage, all she can do to save herself is to leave her body and visit her sister as a spirit, and attempt to lead her sister in the right direction to find her.
• Pet — Awkaeke Emezi [YA fantasy]
  • In the city of Lucille, children are taught that monsters don’t exist anymore, but Jam has just learned that they do. Now she has to figure out how to protect her best friend and herself while uncovering the truth.

Descriptions for all items below this point can be found in the latest Stacking the Shelves post!

• Inkblots and Blood Spots — Michael Bailey [adult horror/poetry; kindle freebie]
• Blind Date — Nick Clausen [adult thriller; kindle freebie]
• The Secret Name — Kendra Temples [adult horror; kindle freebie]
• Just a Little Terrible — Vincent V. Cava [adult horror; kindle freebie]
• To Watch You Bleed — Jordon Greene [adult horror; kindle freebie]
• On the Lips of Children — Mark Matthews [adult horror; kindle freebie]
• Mask of Silence — Alex C. Gates [adult horror; kindle freebie]
• Your Heart is the Sea — Nikita Gill [adult nonfic/poetry; print review copy]

• Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy — Mindy McGinnis [adult horror anthology; eARC]
• Body of Christ — Mark Matthews [adult horror; kindle freebie]
• Deadlocked Dollhouse — Mixi J. Applebottom [adult horror; kindle freebie]
• Padlocked Penthouse — Mixi J. Applebottom [adult horror; kindle freebie]
• Walking After Midnight: Tales for Halloween, Part II — Evan Camby [adult horror; kindle freebie]
• If These Wings Could Fly — Kyrie McCauley [YA magical realism; eARC]
• Scared Little Rabbits — A.V. Geiger [YA thriller; eARC]
• Sorry I Ruined Your Childhood — Ben Zaehringer [adult humor/comics; eARC]

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Which book from my “lows” do you think I should add to my “top-TBR” shelf?

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