2014: The To-Be-Read Pile

I have posted my 2014 goals on the blog on a separate page where it can constantly taunt me and tease me, hold me publicly accountable, or I can just forget and ignore, until the end of the year, in a mild panic,I review it and realise just how much I didn’t achieve.

But I thought I would give the To Be Read pile its own post.

Initially, I thought I would peruse my teetering, out-of-control TBR pile and come up with 12 books – one for each month – a realistic goal. But I dragged out  a few more.

The problem with being a writer and making friends with so many writers is that writers become authors, and authors just keep writing more and more books. Damn them! My TBR pile is growing exponentially along with my guilt of not keeping up.

I have included friends in my TBR selections, along with authors new to me, books that intrigued me on the shelves, and established authors. And this is just a small selection of what I currently own: there will be many more added to the pile during the year as my writer friends continue to produce the goods.

1. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

This is sitting in my ‘hot’ book seat right now, and jumped back to the top of the pile as the movie will be released this month. I started reading this last year, was mesmerised by the beautiful writing, then got to the end of Part One and didn’t return for some reason. I’m at that point again and will return tonight.

2. The January Wish

A new novel by my critique partner, Juliet Madison

The January Wish

3. The Wild Girl by Kate Forsyth

This looks like an intriguing story and has sat on my bedside table waiting to be cracked open for a while, but I’ve been too pragmatic. Each time I’ve considered it, I’ve looked at the thickness of the book and thought ‘not now’. Soon, vey soon.

4. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

I’ve had similar thought about the volume of Life After Life. Again, the story sounds fascinating, but I just haven’t got there yet. 2014 it is.

5. Dexter’s Final Cut by Jeff Lindsay

I love Dexter. Whoever thought I would empathise with a serial killer? I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Lindsay at a author event a few years ago at Shearer’s Bookstore. Now that the series has ended, I will read some more of the books, and I love the Hollywood concept behind this one.

6. The True Story of Butterfish by Nick Earls

This one has been waiting for me to read it for too long.

7. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Last year I read Every Day  by David Levithan. The year before (I think) I read The Lover’s Dictionary. I love his writing.

8.  Once, Then, Now and After by Morris Gleitzman.

Roby loaned me these books and told me to read them.

9. Man Drought by Rachael Johns

My friend Rachael Johns is writing and releasing them faster than I can keep up.

10. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

This book had hyper buzz. I will have to read to see what all the fuss is about.

11. Killer Queens by Rebecca Chance

A comedy about royalty. It jumped off the shelve at me. I will read as soon as I have submitted my Cinderella story.

12. Wicked by Gregory Maguire.

I have read a few of Maguire’s story tale re-tellings and have been meaning to read this one since I saw the musical of Wicked. I know it is radically different from the musical but plan to read it this year.

13. Wise Children by Angela Carter

I have read The Bloody Chamber but have not yet read a novel by Angela Carter. I picked this one up at the Rotary Bookfest.

14. The Cleft by Doris Lessing

Another one I picked up at Bookfest.

14. The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes

It’s been a while since I indulged myself with a Marian Keyes novel. Have always loved her stories – chick lit with a serious side.

15. The Inevitability of Stars by Kathryn R Lyster.

I had the pleasure of attending Kathryn’s book launch at Byron Bay Writers Festival last August. Another for the must-read list of 2014.

16. Untamed by Anna Cowan

Untamed was a freebie at last year’s RWA conference and I’ve been hearing intriguing things about it. Time to dip into the historical.

17. Thornwood House by Anna Romer

Another newly acquired author friend. (My bank account says I must stop befriending authors.) At the recent Odd Writers lunch, Anna shared her eye-popping notebook which kept track of everything that happened in Thornwood House.

18. My own manuscripts, over and over and over.

19. Anything my lovely and talented critique partners send to me.

So what’s on your TBR pile for 2014?