Down the TBR Hole #22

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Hello Hello! How are you?

It’s time for my second post of the day and the weekly TBR Purge! I have got to admit that I have been adding books to my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf all week, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the number has gone up since last time, I’m definitely in need of today’s post.

You know the drill if you haven’t ever read any of my Down the TBR Hole posts before but you want to find out why I started and what rules to follow to do your own TBR list purge on your Goodreads, head over to the first edition of this post to find out more!

Today, I’m starting this post with more book than I did last week (yikes), with a total of 3,914 books on my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf, and as usual, I’m going to be looking through the next 20 books on my TBR shelf, starting at #240, wish me luck!

GOODREADS “WANT TO READ” SHELF

The Au Pair by Emma Rous

I remember adding this book to my TBR quite a while ago and it sounded like something I would enjoy then. Even though this still sounds like the type of book I could potentially enjoy, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not a fan of family thriller type books and I just don’t enjoy them as much as I want to, so I think I might remove this one for now and maybe add it again later if it takes my fancy.

REMOVE

No Exit by Taylor Adams

I first heard about this book through Kayla from Books and Lala on BookTube (you’ve heard that before haven’t you?), and I don’t think I ever bothered to read the blurb, oops. I’m also not really sure about this one, I kind of want to read it, but know that my current reading tastes would probably make me not really enjoy it as much, does that make sense? I’ve wanted to read it for a while, but I think I’ll get rid of it and see if I am in a thriller mood again one day!

REMOVE

The Light Over London by Julia Kelly

I usually always say yes to historical fiction, especially if it is a WWII historical fiction, but for some reason, this story sounds really similar to a book I read not too long ago, and I know that I have so many other historical fiction novels on my TBR, so I think I’m going to concentrate on those first!

REMOVE

The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye

This book is described as a historical fiction thriller/mystery, and that sounds like something really intriguing! I haven’t read many books set in the 1920s and I do really want to read more books set farther in the past. The fact that the main character in this book is intertwined with race in the 1920s including the Ku Klux Klan and a disappeared mulatto child. I think I’m really going to enjoy this one and I can’t wait to get to it.

KEEP

The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set as far back as 1000 AD, and I think it’s the reason I added it to my list, and I’m very intrigued by fantasy historical fiction as it’s both of my favourite genres in one book. It sounds absolutely incredible and the added elements of magic, gods, adventure and fighting just make me want to read it so much!

KEEP

The City of Brass (#1) by S.A. Chakraborty

I still haven’t read this series yet but having just read the blurb again, I remembered why it has been on my list for years. Another fantasy historical fiction, this one sounds wow. I love stories with adventure, magic and hidden/secret cities, I’ve heard so many people rave about it and it’s about time I get to it as well!

KEEP

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

We are not going to kid ourselves, I added this to my list and bought myself a copy the minute it came out because of one thing: DRAGONS. I absolutely love, love, love dragons and I haven’t gotten the opportunity to read many books with them in yet, but every time I read this blurb, I’m reminded why I picked it up in the first place and I really must make this a priority soon!

KEEP

The Fandom (#1) by Anna Day

I remember adding this one a while back and it does still sound intriguing to me, but I have so many fantasy series on my list and a lot sound better to me than this one does. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone I know talk about it, so I think I will get rid of it now and maybe add it again later. Have you read it?

REMOVE

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Now, I don’t usually read that much contemporary fiction, I haven’t really been in the mood for it for a while and my reading tastes have changed so much just since last year, but, when I saw this book, in ENGLISH, in my French bookshop that has only ever stocked Harry Potter in English, I bought it so quickly hehe! The fact that this book is about the art world really drew me in and I absolutely need to get to it soon.

KEEP

When Life Begins by Abu Yahya

I’ve never heard of this book before, I’ve never seen it and don’t actually remember adding it. I’m not a religious person, so I don’t really see much point in me reading this book as I couldn’t appreciate it or give it a proper chance, so this is an easy remove.

REMOVE

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

I don’t know why I always get excited when I see the Goodreads genre as either fantasy or historical fiction ahah! I get even more excited when it’s a book I’ve heard great things about and have seen everywhere on social media. The first sentence of the blurb was enough to win me over and now I need to get myself a copy soon, I love it when I get super excited about a book, and this is one of those times.

KEEP

Aru Shah and the End of Time (#1) by Roshani Chokshi

Thank to the Middle Grade Marvels book club I host with Holly and Noly, I have gotten into middle grade a lot over these past few months and I’m loving the books we are reading! As someone with Indian ancestors, I absolutely adore anything Indian, especially any history, myths or cultural elements and the added magic vibes I’m getting from this blurb are just great, so I really need to start this series soon. It’s on the MGM nomination list, so we will have to see if the random number generator picks it one month!

KEEP

Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo

I’m pretty sure I added this book because of the title and the fact I love Keane, I hadn’t actually read the blurb or seen what genre it is, and I’m unfortunately not a big romance or K-Pop/ celebrity plot fan, so I think I’m going to let this one go.

REMOVE

Spin the Dawn (#1) by Elizabeth Lim

I have wanted to read this book ever since it was released (sound familiar) and I just recently read a review of this book which made it sound amazing! I read The Shadows Between Us a few months ago and just really loved the fashion and sewing parts in it, so I feel like this book would really be my type of read. I’m a big Disney fan so I was won over as soon as I saw that it was likened to Mulan, so I really do have to read it! The blurb bit about three magic dresses (sun, moon and stars) reminds me a lot of Peau D’Âne (apparently also called Donkey Skin in English) or is it just me who sees the resemblance?

KEEP

Truly Devious (#1) by Maureen Johnson

Eeeek, another YA mystery!!! Please forgive my excitement, I’m in a huge YA mystery mood and seeing this book on my TBR has made me want to drop everything. I loved A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and this book is giving me those vibes as well as some Sherlock Holmes vibes, I love books with mysteries like this one, so I am sure I will love the first instalment in this series when I get to it.

KEEP

The Binding by Bridget Collins

I actually think I bought this book prior to adding it to the list, it was either one of my London or Cork buys and I have to say that I bought it for the cover and the naked hardback… am I sorry? Not in the least. OMG I have just read the blurb again and now I know why I did get this book and I so want to get to it soon, it sounds amazing, I love books about books, it’s fantasy historical fiction and this week’s purge has been so great for finding such amazing books, I’m ridiculously happy.

KEEP

Fallen Mountains by Kimi Cunningham Grant

I don’t think I’ve ever seen this book before so I must have added it while on one of my adding sprees. I tried to read the blurb and struggled through it, so I think that speaks for itself and maybe this isn’t a book for me, so this is an easy decision to make.

REMOVE

Shatter Me (#1) by Tahereh Mafi

I still have no read this book or series despite it being published for quite a few years and it being on my list for at least half that time. I do love my old-school YA science fiction dystopias, I know they are often problematic and probably not the best literature, but there is just something about them that drags me in and this is one of those occasions so I’m really excited to finally get to it one day soon.

KEEP

The Consequence of Falling by Claire Contreras

I don’t know how this one made it on to my list either and I don’t read that much romance, the only romance I do read is a particular type of romance, and this doesn’t really sound like something I would enjoy, so I’m going to take this off the list.

REMOVE

Be The Girl by K.A. Tucker

Another romance book I didn’t know was on the list and that I don’t particularly care for, so this is another easy choice to make.

REMOVE

I feel like I haven’t done too badly today and I actually managed to remove a total of 9 books out of the 20 I looked at, which isn’t as good as last week but is still pretty okay. I think I was also able to remove some same author books from the list so that my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf is now down to a total of 3,903 books. Next week, I will be starting the purge at #251.

That’s all for now, I hope you enjoyed this post. Were there any of your favourite books on the list? See you soon, stay safe,

Ellie xx