Can you help me cull my Maybe bookshelf on GoodReads?

[Tracey Allen]

Hi guys, I’m hoping for a little help whittling down my Maybe bookshelf here on GoodReads. This is where I flag books of interest and they sit here on this shelf until I decide whether I want to read them or not.

If you know how to use the Compare Books function on GoodReads, I’d love it if you could compare my Maybe shelf with your shelves and make an argument for or against any of the titles I have listed. Do any of the books on my Maybe shelf stand out to you as great reading experiences or books to avoid?

My aim is to reduce the number of books on this shelf by either converting them to my TBR bookshelf or deleting them. I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments.

You can also view the shelf here if that helps: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Kerri_M]

Hi Tracey, I will have a go at the compare shelves thing on the weekend, I have only played with this feature before so not sure how I will go!

I culled my maybe list a while back by using the average ratings. I have noticed over time that I am a bit more stingy with my stars than average goodreads user so anything that gad average stars of less than 3.8 (which I figured to me would be a 3.5 tops) I looked at closely. I culled my list by about 100 books, and also consider this now before adding to the maybe list

Exceptions for
New to me authors - I look at ratings for body of work (librarything)
Favourite authors - will take a few bad reads in a row to make me ditch them
Debut authors, my TBR is so long I don’t tend to get to new authors quickly, so there is usually a bit of review history, but will just take a gamble if I really love the sound of it.

Also, I don’t tend to read reviews, because I don’t like to know too much of the story line before I read the book, but will read them AFTER I finish a so-so book to decide if I will stick with an author

This approach has worked well fo

[Andrea]

Hi Tracey, I used the Compare function and only came up with 6 on your list. One of those was Chromatopia: An Illustrated History of Color, which I rated 5 stars. I can almost certainly guarantee that you will love it. City Library has the hardback, full colour edition that is a joy to dip in and out of.

Two others I had read (3 stars), and the other 3 are languishing on my TBR. I’m not going in to bat for any those!

[Renee]

Little Disasters is the only one I have read from your list and I really enjoyed it.
Good luck with it all.

[Krystal]

I've only read three on your list, here's my thoughts and reviews of each:

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

2 stars from me. Basically didn't live up to the hype of all the pop culture references I've encountered lol Verdict: Not missing much

Lord of the Flies: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

3 stars. It's an iconic sort of book and there's a lot of symbolism, but I read it over a decade ago so I probably didn't appreciate it as much as I would now. The surface story is pretty nuts but the commentary on society is quite fascinating, so I think if you enjoyed books like 1984 and Animal Farm you would really enjoy this, too. Verdict: Worth a read

Vicious: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

4 stars. I really enjoyed this one but I'm a bit of a superhero geek so the unique take on that trope suited me well. It did drag a little and even though I rather enjoyed it I feel like maybe it's not quite to your tastes? The real meat of the story is in the concepts of good and evil and how these can be rather grey, as opposed to black and white. So I think if that theme catches your interest, give it a go. Verdict: Read for the theme rather than the action

Hope that helps! Our tastes are apparently 71% similar so do with that what you will lol. I think I am more okay with the crazy, out there kinda plots and you have more patience with details and rich histories.

[Carolyn]

Hi Tracey - I've read 14 of the books on your list and have a few on my tbr. The ones I've read are:

Classics:
Brave New World
The Woman in White
*A Room with a View
*Flowers for Algernon
*The Secret Garden
Lord of the Flies
*Madame Bovary
*The Harp in the South

Modern:
*Magpie Murders
*The Child Finder
*My Sister, the Serial Killer
*The Death of Mrs. Westaway
The Sisters Grimm
The Place on Dalhousie

Quite a few of the classics on your list I read in school or in my early 20s. I enjoyed them at the time but my opinion of them might be different today with a lot more reading under the bridge. They're probably all worth reading at some point just because they are classics and part of our literary journey. I've put an asterisk next to the ones I loved most: A Room with a View, Flowers for Algernon and Madame Bovary, which I loved for the beautiful prose as much as for the story. Also The Harp in the South, which is such a classic Australian novel by a great storyteller and The Secret Garden which I adored as a child.

From the modern list I would recommend Magpie Murders, The Child Finder and The Death of Mrs. Westaway. My Sister, the Serial Killer was fun and different. I really didn't like The Sisters Grimm which I felt didn't live up to its promise and was fragmented with constant switching between timelines without indicating that had happened.

Hope that helps!

[Tracey Allen]

Kerri_M wrote: "Hi Tracey, I will have a go at the compare shelves thing on the weekend, I have only played with this feature before so not sure how I will go! I culled my maybe list a while back by using the ave..."
Phillip GwynnePhillip Gwynne

Thanks so much for sharing your process and approach with me Kerri. I love hearing this sort of stuff. With so much choice out there, we need to have some systems in place to get through the sheer volume of books we come across and to prioritise our reading.

I just checked your TBR against my bookshelves and can thoroughly recommend the following:

- The Build Up by Phillip Gwynne (5 stars)
- A Time to Run by J.M. Peace (4 stars)
- Hunter by Jack Heath (5 stars)

Hope that helps and can't wait to see what you come up with when you can compare shelves with me.

[Tracey Allen]

Andrea wrote: "Hi Tracey, I used the Compare function and only came up with 6 on your list. One of those was Chromatopia: An Illustrated History of Color, which I rated 5 stars. I can almost certainly guarantee that you will love it. City Library has the hardback, full colour edition that is a joy to dip in and out of...."

Thanks Andrea, you know my reading tastes very well and you've convinced me to add this one to my TBR, thank you!!

[Gloria]

Hi Tracey I’ve read quite a few that are on your list and really enjoyed The Girl She Was & All That Impossible Space but check out my reviews and you can see the others I rated. Hope that helps.

[Kerri_M]

Tracey Allen wrote: "Kerri_M wrote: "Hi Tracey, I will have a go at the compare shelves thing on the weekend, I have only played with this feature before so not sure how I will go! I culled my maybe list a while back b..."

Well I have compared shelves now, and we have quite a few books in common, including some 5 star reads from both of us, but not so much on your Maybe shelf.

Only one book on your Maybe shelf that I have read and I gave it a 4* Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz.

I don't write reviews, just jot down brief thoughts. First looking at the title, I had a "oh yeah, good book" feeling. Looking at my notes for nearly 12 months ago:
Audiobook, and it had 2 different narrators for the different story lines. Book within a book. 2 different mysteries and I noted down I guessed one, and didn't guess the other.

I would say give it a go

[Tracey Allen]

Renee wrote: "Little Disasters is the only one I have read from your list and I really enjoyed it.
Good luck with it all."

Thanks Renee, I enjoyed your review of Little Disasters and have sent you a friend request if you're interested. Oh and I've taken your advice and added it to my TBR!

[Tracey Allen]

Krystal wrote: "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... 2 stars from me.

Lord of the Flies: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... 3 stars.

Vicious: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... 4 stars.

Hope that helps! Our tastes are apparently 71% similar so do with that what you will lol. I think I am more okay with the crazy, out there kinda plots and you have more patience with details and rich histories...."

Thank you so much for your input Krystal, you know my tastes so well I was smiling reading through your comments. Vicious is on my Maybe shelf because my husband expressed a passing interest once, so well spotted that it's not my usual bookish fare. 😊

I noticed Carolyn didn't love Lord of the Flies much either which is interesting.

[Marianne]

Loved Come Again
Lord of the Flies is sort of a must read
have not read any others on your list

[B the BookAddict]

Tracey, I read Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase and thought it was pretty pathetic. The burb says it's like Kate Morton and Sarah Waters work but I do not agree with that comparison. While normally, I do like a god historial family fiction, I was really, really disappointed with this effort. I rated it a 2 star which I think is generous, considering the work.

[Tracey Allen]

Carolyn wrote: "Hi Tracey - I've read 14 of the books on your list and have a few on my tbr. The ones I've read are:

Classics:
Brave New World
The Woman in White
*A Room with a View
*Flowers for Algernon
*The Secret Garden
Lord of the Flies
*Madame Bovary
*The Harp in the South

Modern:
*Magpie Murders
*The Child Finder
*My Sister, the Serial Killer
*The Death of Mrs. Westaway
The Sisters Grimm
The Place on Dalhousie
..."

Thanks soooo much for your feedback Carolyn, you've been a huge help! You've convinced me to convert: Magpie Murders, The Child Finder and The Death of Mrs. Westaway to my TBR shelf and I'm still working my way through the others you gave asterix to.

You're right too about some classics being worth reading anyway. Thanks a million for your help, I'm still working through some of the recommendations, I didn't expect so many 😊

[Tracey Allen]

Gloria wrote: "Hi Tracey I’ve read quite a few that are on your list and really enjoyed The Girl She Was & All That Impossible Space but check out my reviews and you can see the others I rated. Hope that helps."

Thanks Gloria, I'll go and check them out!

[Carolyn]

Tracey Allen wrote: "I noticed Carolyn didn't love Lord of the Flies much either which is interesting."

'Lord of the Flies' was a school text for me so I was totally over it by the end of that term. Same with 'Brave New World'. Having to analyse a novel and write essays on them from multiple angles in a class where a lot of the kids hate the books seems to suck all the joy from having read it! However, I do think both are worth reading and I'd probably enjoy them now some decades later!

[Sarah]

Hi Tracey,
Apparently our tastes are 86% similar for the 207 books we have in common and have both rated!
I've read four of the books on your "Maybe" shelf:
My Sister, the Serial Killer - I read this last year and, while I didn't write a review, I rated it 4 stars. I think it's worth a read, but helps if you have a dark sense of humour.
Verity - This is rated really highly (4.35) on goodreads, but I was underwhelmed, I have to admit. I gave it 3 stars. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Room with a View - I've read this two or three times over the years, and I love it! I would first have read it in the wake of the beautiful Merchant Ivory film adaptation in the mid-80s. The book is more nuanced than the film, but is a classic Edwardian drawing room romance-drama.
Lord of the Flies - I would first have read this as a set text at school, like many people, but have since read it as an adult and appreciated it more. Like Orwell's Animal Farm it's a clever investigation of human nature and political/social order set within the context of a group of children stranded on an island. Worth reading for its classic value, if nothing else. I suspect the low-ish (3.68) average ranking on goodreads is dragged down by unwilling student readers.
Another 13 books in your "Maybe" list I also have on my "to-read" list. Mostly classics I've been meaning to get around to, Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White, Woolf's A Room of One's Own, Plath's The Bell Jar and Brave New World. The more recent releases we have in common, I've mostly tagged after being intrigued by others' reviews on goodreads, which I presume is the same as you've done. I apply similar "funneling" strategies to what you do, based on average ratings as the readership of a book expands.
I will be interested to see how you choose to prune your "maybe" list and what you think of the books you do go on to read. Thanks for introducing me to the "Compare" feature!

[Tracey Allen]

Kerri_M wrote: "Well I have compared shelves now, and we have quite a few books in common. Only one book on your Maybe shelf that I have read and I gave it a 4* Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz...."

Thanks heaps Kerri, you've helped convince me to give Magpie Murders a chance, so it's now out of my Maybe shelf and onto my TBR.

[Tracey Allen]

Marianne wrote: "Loved Come Again
Lord of the Flies is sort of a must read
have not read any others on your list"

Thanks Marianne. I noticed that you and Krystal, Carolyn, and Sarah have all mentioned Lord of the Flies and you're right, it's such an iconic classic, I should probably give it a go.

Thanks guys, I've now moved it over to my TBR.

[Tracey Allen]

B the BookAddict wrote: "Tracey, I read Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase and thought it was pretty pathetic. The burb says it's like Kate Morton and Sarah Waters work but I do not agree with that comparison. While normally, I do like a good historical family fiction, I was really, really disappointed with this effort. I rated it a 2 star which I think is generous, considering the work. ..."

Thanks for your thoughts on Black Rabbit Hall B. I love Kate Morton's novels but don't enjoy reading Sarah Waters anywhere near as much. I also enjoy a good historical family novel with secrets.

[Tracey Allen]

Carolyn wrote: "'Lord of the Flies' was a school text for me so I was totally over it by the end of that term. Same with 'Brave New World'. Having to analyse a novel and write essays on them from multiple angles in a class where a lot of the kids hate the books seems to suck all the joy from having read it! However, I do think both are worth reading and I'd probably enjoy them now some decades later!..."

I totally get it Carolyn, analysing a text can sometimes break a novel down too far and rob us of any initial enjoyment. Anyway, after discussing it here, I've decided to give this one a go. At least I'll be able to have an opinion on it either way.

[Tracey Allen]

Sarah wrote: "Hi Tracey, Apparently our tastes are 86% similar for the 207 books we have in common and have both rated! I've read four of the books on your "Maybe" shelf: ..."

Hi Sarah, I'm so glad I was able to introduce you to the Compare feature on GR and thanks for accepting my friendship request. I can't believe how similar our reading tastes are either, wow! Thanks for your thoughts on My Sister, The Serial Killer, Verity, A Room with a View and Lord of the Flies.

I've now converted Lord of the Flies, and after looking deeper into A Room With A View, have decided to remove that one from my list. I know you said you love it dearly, but I think I added it because of the movie and the classic title. Looking at the blurb with fresh eyes, I don't think it's for me. (Check out how many recognisable actors are in that movie though, wow! And two from the Harry Potter movies, small world.)

I looked again at the reviews for Verity by Colleen Hoover and while you didn't like the sex, I'm hoping I'll enjoy the clever literary devices you mentioned so I'm going to convert that too, which should hopefully take my Maybe shelf down to below 100 titles, yippee!

I enjoyed hearing briefly about your 'funnelling' strategies and in your TBR, I can see you have a tonne of great books to get to, some of which are my all time favourites. Thanks again.

[Tracey Allen]

Thank you so much to everyone above who has helped me come to some important bookish decisions, I really appreciate your time and effort.

I'm just popping back to give you an overall update:

- I've managed to reduce my 'Maybe' pile by 23 books so far;
- I've moved at least 14 of those books to my TBR shelf;
- Which means I deleted approx 9 from the 'Maybe' shelf

This is great progress for me but I'm still turning my discerning eye over the titles in my Maybe shelf, so if you're only just seeing this now, I'd still love to hear from you.

[Krystal]

Tracey Allen wrote: "Thank you so much to everyone above who has helped me come to some important bookish decisions, I really appreciate your time and effort.

I'm just popping back to give you an overall update:

- I..."

Strong start! Well done. :)

If it helps, I have quite a few of your maybes on my TBR:

Asylum by Jack Adams
All That Impossible Space by Anna Morgan
Company of Liars by Karen Maitland
The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Also looks like you've since added The Night Circus which I thought was a beautiful story. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I think you would actually really like this one. It's odd but really atmospheric and I think the strangeness might appeal to you.

[B the BookAddict]

Tracey, I would definitely move Madame Bovary to your TBR; Gustave Flaubert is such an important author to read.

[Tracey Allen]

B the BookAddict wrote: "Tracey, I would definitely move Madame Bovary to your TBR; Gustave Flaubert is such an important author to read."

Oops, how did I miss this? Thanks B!