Decluttering my Goodreads TBR #4

I’m just going to say now that I’m not very good at this. So far I’ve only gotten rid of TWO books! See parts one, two, and three here!

This was started by Lia @ Lost in a Story and is a good way to go through your Goodreads to-read list!

It works like this:

• 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
• Read the synopses of the books
• Decide: keep it or should it go?

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Sybil Exposed: The Extraordinary Story Behind the Famous Multiple Personality Case By Debbie Nathan

Sybil: a name that conjures up enduring fascination for legions of obsessed fans who followed the nonfiction blockbuster from 1973 and the TV movie based on it—starring Sally Field and Joanne Woodward—about a woman named Sybil with sixteen different personalities. Sybil became both a pop phenomenon and a revolutionary force in the psychotherapy industry. The book rocketed multiple personality disorder (MPD) into public consciousness and played a major role in having the diagnosis added to the psychiatric bible, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

But what do we really know about how Sybil came to be? In her news-breaking book Sybil Exposed, journalist Debbie Nathan gives proof that the allegedly true story was largely fabricated. The actual identity of Sybil (Shirley Mason) has been available for some years, as has the idea that the book might have been exaggerated. But in Sybil Exposed, Nathan reveals what really powered the legend: a trio of women—the willing patient, her ambitious shrink, and the imaginative journalist who spun their story into bestseller gold.

I remember watching the Sybil movie in my psychology class in grade 10 and then adding this to my TBR when I learned it was a book. Since then, I’ve read some sketchy things about it, and although my mom owns a copy, I don’t think I’ll ever read it.

Verdict: bye

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The Maze Runner by James Dashner

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.

I’ve seen the movie and thought it was good(ish). But I think I missed the boat on this book unfortunately and can’t see myself reading it.

Verdict: bye

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Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child “unwound,” whereby all of the child’s organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn’t technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state, is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

This sounds interesting! But honestly idk if I’ll ever get to it. BUT it has some fantastic reviews on Goodreads, so I moved it to my TBR for this year!

Verdict: keep

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The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

A love letter to reading, a book for the feral reader in all of us, a return to that rich vein of storytelling that our parents loved and that we loved as children. Diane Setterfield will keep you guessing, make you wonder, move you to tears and laughter and, in the end, deposit you breathless yet satisfied back upon the shore of your everyday life.

The enigmatic Winter has spent six decades creating various outlandish life histories for herself — all of them inventions that have brought her fame and fortune but have kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she at last wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. She summons biographer Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth, hidden by those who loved her most, remains an ever-present pain. Struck by a curious parallel between Miss Winter’s story and her own, Margaret takes on the commission. 

As Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good, Margaret is mesmerized. It is a tale of gothic strangeness featuring the Angelfield family, including the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, a topiary garden and a devastating fire. Margaret succumbs to the power of Vida’s storytelling but remains suspicious of the author’s sincerity. She demands the truth from Vida, and together they confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves. 

This sounds super interesting and I’ve recently read some good reviews from people I follow here on WordPress, so I think I’ll keep it for now.

Verdict: keep

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Luna by Julie Anne Peters

Regan’s brother Liam can’t stand the person he is during the day. Like the moon from whom Liam has chosen his female namesake, his true self, Luna, only reveals herself at night. In the secrecy of his basement bedroom Liam transforms himself into the beautiful girl he longs to be, with help from his sister’s clothes and makeup. Now, everything is about to change-Luna is preparing to emerge from her cocoon. But are Liam’s family and friends ready to welcome Luna into their lives? Compelling and provocative, this is an unforgettable novel about a transgender teen’s struggle for self-identity and acceptance.

Hmmm so I think this sounds super interesting, but the first 6ish reviews are 1 and 2 stars on Goodreads, which is generally not a good sign, especially for an LGBTQ+ book. Someone called it a “a giant self-congratulating pat on the back for cisgender transphobes who want to consider themselves ‘allies.'” So I think I’ll let it go.

Verdict: bye

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Total

Keep: 2
Delete: 3

Total kept: 16
Total deleted: 5

Not bad!!! I deleted more than I kept this time, so I’m happy about that!

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Thanks for reading! xx