Chapter 21 - So Many Books

I am in the process of trying to get my TBR (To Be Read) pile under control. This is a slow and painful process as I am divesting of books at the same time. I cannot even guesstimate how many books are currently residing in my house. We have bookshelves in the family room, bookshelves in my office, bookshelves in our bedroom, and bookshelves in the living room. In my purging endeavor I have put together bags of books to go to Goodwill, a box of books to go to my kids, and a bag or two to give to my favorite used book store.

I have friends who go to the library or to a used book store and come out with a manageable amount of books to read and then take back. I am not that girl. I collect books like extroverts collect friends. I like to have choices because I never know what I'm going to be in the mood for. I also try to switch things up with every book I read. I found out a long time ago that I can't read two World War II books back to back. I might read historical fiction this time, a thriller next time, and after that a new literary fiction book.

New books are a problem for me too as I want to gather them all together and give them a good home. It is a rare thing when I go into a book store and don't come out with at least one book. Anyway, here are a few on my TBR pile and why I picked them to take up space on my newly cleaned off shelves.

Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan - I have read quite a few of Colgan's book and I enjoy her writing. Make no mistake about it, this is pure unadulterated fluff! Jenny Colgan's book are my idea of romance. They usually take place in Scotland and always have fun characters and a happy ending. For me she is the consummate beach read.

Trust by Hernan Diaz - This is the book which shared the Pulitzer prize with Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead this year. It is a family saga which spans a century and is about what wealth can do to a family and the true cost of amassing a fortune.

The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick - I first came to know Phaedra Patrick through her book, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. Her books are great relationship books, usually take place in Europe, and provide a vacation when you just have to stay home.

The Secret Book of Flora Lee by Patti Callahan Henry - Henry is a terrific writer of multiple genres. Her latest is about a woman who discovers a book that may hold the answers to her past and the disappearance of her sister many years before.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins - I saw Rachel Hawkins at the Savannah Book Festival where she spoke about her book, The Villa, a 1970's reimagining of Mary Shelley's writing of Frankenstein albeit in a more contemporary setting. The Wife Upstairs borrows from Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre to create a current story about a "forbidden romance, an ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried". What's not to love?

How big is your TBR pile? How do you manage all the books in your house or am I just the only one who has more books than food? Let me know!