2024 Physical TBR

You've seen the Kindle TBR - now it's time for the physical TBR! While I love my Kindle dearly, nothing beats a good ole book. I do tend to read more books on my Kindle, and there are a few reasons for that. Kindles are more convenient because you can easily fit them in a purse or bag without weighing it down and it's easier to get books for cheap and even free. Regardless of those two exceptional reasons, physical books are still superior. Walking through a bookstore with a coffee on a Sunday afternoon finding that perfect read is something I will never give up, no matter how convenient the alternative may be.

The unread section of my bookshelf is far smaller than I thought it was - thank god! Most of them I bought in one day as well. I found myself in a Half Price Books on Labor Day weekend and I went a little crazy. On top of their already great prices, they were having a storewide sale for Labor Day. Five of the books listed were bought on that day. One is borrowed from my boyfriend's aunt. Two are from the books section of Costco, the best section. Lastly, I have one remaining physical copy of a giveaway book I won. Only nine books total grace the shelf and we'll be going over them one by one below.

#1 Wolfsong - TJ Klune

I was so excited when I found out I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. I had seen Wolfsong and the following books in the series everywhere this year. I have almost picked up this book countless times, but just haven't been able to crack it open yet.

It is a fantasy book, I am still dabbling in that genre. Fantasy books intimidate me because they tend to be very detailed and long, Wolfsong is no exception. The book comes in right around five hundred pages and I am sure with it being able to be that long is also very detailed. Since it takes me longer to get through fantasy books I usually save them until the winter when I have more time. I'm sure Wolfsong and the other longer fantasy book I have will be some of my first 2024 reads!

#2 Reckless Girls - Rachel Hawkins

This book gives off Lord of the Flies vibes and I could not be more excited about it. I read Lord of the Flies in middle school and while I don't remember a whole lot, I remember it being creepy and I loved it. I am hoping Reckless Girls is the thriller I am anticipating it to be. I plan to save this book until the summer months to break up the summer romance novels I'm sure will be lined out the door for me to read.

There are multiple books I have been wanting to read by Rachel Hawkins. Hopefully, I like this book and feel the need to continue on the rest of her books.

#3 Run Run Rose - James Patterson + Dolly Parton

James Patterson himself is a common household name among authors, and to bring on Dolly Parton, one of America's most beloved country singers, is unmatched. I surprisingly have not read any books by James Patterson. Although, his name was not what made me pick up the book - it was Dolly's. I was paroozing the books at Costco and saw her name on a book and immediately picked it up. The synopsis made it an easy pick to throw in the shopping cart. I doubt it will draw many parallels to the show Nashville (the ABC drama that started in 2012), but I can't help but think of that show when I read the synopsis. Run Run Rose sounds like a thrilling story set in the country music business, I can't wait to read it!

#4 The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood

I have been personally victimized by how many times this book has been brought to my attention via BookTok. It took me a long time to get onto BookTok, now every other video on my feed is a book influencer. While I appreciate those people sharing their views, just like I do here and on Goodreads, it can be a little much sometimes. It does help me find new books to read - ALL the books. Sometimes I just wish I could go into a bookstore and find a book organically like how I used to in middle school. Now everywhere I go there are shelves labeled "BookTok" books and even if they aren't separated as soon as I look at a book all the past videos are popping into my head.

"This was so smutty."

"Wish I could get the time back it took me to read this."

"Best book of my life."

"Absolute trash."

However, when many books make their appearance on TikTok there are conflicting views. Just like with any book. We all have our own opinions and that's okay. Books that have everyone on one side are rare. The Love Hypothesis is one, I haven't seen a bad review video yet.

I can see why people love it, the synopsis sounds absolutely addicting. It has some tropes that are absolute home runs every time, combine them and it may be a masterpiece. I have very high hopes for The Love Hypothesis and just writing this makes me want to read it ASAP.

#5 Summer Sisters - Judy Blume

Throwing it back to 1998 with the next book on the list, Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. I came across this book this summer when I was looking for a good summer read, but never got to it. Fast forward a few months later to my boyfriend's aunt's house in Seattle. It was Labor Day Weekend and I was showing her my haul from Half Price Books. She starts to pick up books from the table next to her stacked with books to show me what she's read and immediately two books catch my eye, The Rabbit Hutch (you can find the review farther down this blog) and Summer Sisters. I say "Oh my gosh, I've been wanting to read those! How were they?" and like the sweet angel she is she just hands them to me and says "Why don't you read them?". So then I went home with an even bigger haul and am obviously still playing catch up.

While Summer Sisters obviously precedes Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation by nearly twenty-five years I can't help but see some similarities. Having read People We Meet on Vacation in 2023 it was still fresh in my mind when I found Summer Sisters and I hope it makes up for everything People We Meet On Vacation was lacking. Summer Sisters seems like the classic definition of a summer read. As I have to get this book back to Seattle sooner rather than later I'm sure it'll be my first summer read, if not before that.

#6 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larson

If you haven't heard of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, you live under a rock. I say this, but honestly, I had no idea what it was about past hearing the title a million times till I was in Half Price Books and was curious. After reading the back, I could not have been farther off what I thought this book was about. It's based in Sweden (written by a Swedish author that has been translated) and it is about a very rich old man looking for his missing niece. He then hires two people who in the real world I doubt could solve a forty-year-old cold case and yeah, that's it.

With the abundance of literary awards, I have all the faith that this book will a be fantastic start to the series. Even better, there is a movie adaptation that I can force my boyfriend to watch with me.

#7 Two by Two - Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks' books and movies have single-handedly made me want to traipse all over the Carolinas. I have a feeling Two by Two will be no different. I have surprisingly only read one of Nicholas Sparks's books, The Guardian. That book is what made me start to get into reading again. I found this book in the on-sale section of Half Price Books, yes they have one of those. I got a hardback version of this book for $2.99, I'm not joking. It's $25.99 on Amazon, so yeah I'm pretty damn proud.

The book itself does not seem remotely up my alley, especially compared to the rest of the books, but I couldn't pass up a hardback Nicholas Sparks for that price. However, if anyone can make me fall in love with this storyline it will be him.

#8 The Horsewoman - James Patterson + Mike Lupica

Back on the James Patterson train, toot toot bitch. This was the first James Patterson book I picked up at Costco, Run Run Rose followed a couple of months later. Neither has been read, I suck. Now, I know James Patterson is a household name, he was one of my grandfather's all-time favorite writers. However, I have yet to dip my toe in the Patterson water. I do not know if he commonly co-writes novels or if those are just the ones that end up as Costco specials. Regardless, both of the books I have on my to-be-read shelf are co-written. The Horsewoman goes in a totally different direction than Run Run Rose. This book focuses on a mother and daughter who are both champion equestrians. I think this book will be a little slower pace than Run Run Rose, which is why I think The Horsewoman has been collecting dust for so long. The reviews are a mixed bag, but I am seeing an alarming amount of one-star reviews. I'm hoping this book exceeds expectations, which going in is pretty low.

#9 The Guest List - Lucy Foley

I know I said The Horsewoman had a mixed bag of reviews, but The Guest List REALLY has a mixed bag. Several of my friends on Goodreads have reviewed it, and the results are:

1- five star

2 - four star

1 - three star

The rest of the reviews seem to go similarly, a lot of four and five-stars with threes mixed in with a one-star every once in a while. The plot seems to be fairly cut and dry by reading the synopsis, but given the reviews it is anything but. I'm hoping I don't guess whodunit and the storyline doesn't get messy.

There is it, the nine books that I hope to read by the end of the year. I feel confident all will get read except for maybe one or two. That does depend on whether I end up buying more and putting those in front of these poor books. You may think this is it... but no we still have to go over the series I have to continue reading. I think this is why I have anxiety... but I'm nothing but not an anxious organized maniac. If you'd like to check out any of the books I have listed above, please take advantage of my organized tendencies. There are Goodreads links to all of them below.

❤ Les

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