Monday, August 2, 2010

Musing Monday...Heads or Tails

This week’s musing asks…

What book tops your TBR (to be read) pile right now? Is it something you own, or something you have to borrow, or something you’ll be purchasing? Why do you want to read it so badly?

What do you mean...I am suppose to pick just one?
See there is my problem. All these books, pulling at me, crying to be next.
Some are ARCs...some I bought...some I won. Gosh, I have a small pile here from the library and one is from Amazon Vine, another from Library Thing's Early Reviewer. And for various reason, I want to read each next.

ARCs fall into two categories, those yet to be published, whose publication date goes on my calender and that I pretty good about reading and reviewing close to that date. But then there are the ones that are already out. Without the pressure of that looming date, they tend to get put aside a bit. But someday, their time will come, worked into the general mix.

The Amazon Vine books and the Early Reviewer books tend to go to the top of the TBR pile, because there is the pressure to get those reviews up to stay in good graces with the 'program'. With Vine, you have to have 2/3 reviewed before you can request anymore and since you never know what might be available next month, you want to be ready! ER has the same issue, in that you have to show you have reviewed the previous books you received to expect to have any chance to be awarded another. Then there is always one or two that some publicist is e-mailing me about, wonder when the review will go up.
It can all be a bit confusing...

Then, sometimes. it all get disrupted. Like last week I purchased a copy of Tess Gerritsen's new book, Ice Cold. I have loved all her books and when I got my hands on that one, it went right to the top of the TBR list. After all, it all comes down to my enjoyment. I read for pleasure first of all. This is not a job (sadly...because that would be cool), this reading and reviewing and blogging. So, I really wanted to read Ice Cold, and I did. But as of last night, Tess is done and today I have to pick the next in line.

Since I have a Vine and a LT Early Reviewer waiting, it will be one of these two. From Vine, I have Pete Dunne's Bayshore Summer which is a non-fiction book about the Jersey Bayshore and from ER, I just received Queen of the Night by J.A.Vance. I am leaning toward Bayshore Summer, well, because it is so summery here. But on the other hand, I love me a mystery. Oh my...

Does anyone have a coin I can toss?



Musing Monday is hosted, as always, by MizB at Should Be Reading. Drop by and check out some other answers.


14 comments:

  1. I totally understand! Last night I was looking for a book to read while hubby was watching tv. I came downstairs with 4 because I simply could not decide (and ended up reading the first few pages of all four before going to bed).

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  2. I have a ton of books just waiting to be read - some for book tours/reviews and some ones that I picked up because they look so good. I always have such a hard time choosing what to read next, and always look at my calendar of scheduled posts to see if I can sneak one of my own books in before reading my next review book.

    Here's my answer.

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  3. I think all book lovers feel that way...what to read, can't wait to read...such an addiction that only avid readers can understand.
    CMash

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  4. Absolutely agree with all of the above. The ARCs keep piling up, and I keep sitting on my hands saying no more, no more, but then one appears that is TOO GOOD to pass up.

    I too will put LT's ER books at the top of the list, and then ARCs that I specifically requested from the authors or publishers come next.

    I'm doing an older book for a book club that meets tomorrow, but also am reading "Happy Hour" by Michele Scott (already out), and "The Doctor and The Diva" (coming out this week). I try to work in one new, one old, but like you, I'll drop everything for a favorite author.

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  5. I should be reading my LT ER book, How to be an American Housewife but somehow, sans coin toss, a thriller by Tim Green is what I am perusing. Maybe it was The Big Guy's influence. . . ."that was a good one, that was a good one" Ok, ok, I'm reading it! And it IS good. The Fourth Perimeter is the title if you're wondering.

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  6. Yes, I do sort of like to do "one for them"..them being ARC or Vine or ER and then "one for me"..be it a book I bought, often on another blogger's recommendation, or a library book.

    You have to keep a balance!

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  7. LOL, like the post. I don't have a TBR ...not really. I do have books I haven't read yet...but I am a mood reader...it really does depend on my mood as to what I will actually read next. Here' s mine

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  8. Isn't it fun to see which book you will pick next? I honestly don't know until that very moment which one it will be. I am that fickle.

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  9. Yes, they're all crying for attention. I have a couple of tours coming up, so those books are at the top of my TBR pile.

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  10. Oh I agree it is so difficult sometimes to choose which book to read next. There are some books I love to read in the winter, when I want to feel all warm and cozy, and in summer I like to read summer time light reading. Right now I am reading my library books before I start back on my own TBR pile. My TBR pile just keeps growing...

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  11. I agree with it coming down to our pleasure! I like to start a few books and see what grabs me or what mood I am in.

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  12. Ah, the constant dilemma...even though I ended up picking something for this particular musing, I did go through all these processes in order to decide.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

    I want to read Ice Cold, too!

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  13. Definitely J.A. Jance. Hopefully I'll get to meet her later on this week when she appears at The Poisoned Pen!

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  14. I know what you mean about picking out just one book. My "next" book periodically changes around, but is usually guided by what I have to review.

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