
Down The TBR Hole is a meme originally created by Lia @ Lost in a Story that revolves around cleansing your TBR of all those books you’re never going to read and sort through it all to know what’s actually on there. Lia is no longer blogging, so Jody @ I’m Into Books has taken over. Be sure to join the linky on her site!
Happy Saturday y’all! Today I will be finishing my journey down the TBR hole, cleaning out my Goodreads TBR shelf. As of writing this post, my current Goodreads TBR shelf has 254 books on it; my physical shelf, my ARC shelf, and Kindle TBR shelf have more than I care to share at this time (mainly because I don’t want to count them). Want to join me?
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. Of course, if you do this weekly (or monthly like me), you start where you left off the last time.
- Read the blurbs of the books
- Decide: keep it or should it go?
I’ve only being doing this once a month, typically the first Saturday. And I’ve averaged 10 or more each time. I started with my Goodreads TBR leaving only books I plan to read on there and removing all the others. I started this journey on a TTT post. You can see my whole journey here: Down the TBR Hole.

The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig
I purchased a copy of this book the day it released. I’m sad to say I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. Craig quickly became an auto-buy author for me. I love her dark, gothic style of writing. I cannot wait to dive into this story. Hopefully soon.
Verdict: STAYS
Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim
This one makes me sad. I’ve loved all of Lim’s books, but this one. I’ve tried it twice now. I had an eARC of it that I DNFed. I listened to the audiobook version and DNFed that one as well. I’d like to blame my mood at the time, but I know that isn’t the case. This one just didn’t hold my attention like I thought it would.
Verdict: GOES
Born of Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I love this series! I think I like it better than Blood and Ash. I’ve always enjoyed prequels, but seriously this is a favorite of mine. I’m sad that I haven’t read it yet as I own it in multiple formats 😅 I kind of want to binge the entire series when the final book comes out later this year (both Flesh and Fire and Blood and Ash). So I may make that my summer reading. If I can wait that long…..
Verdict: Stays
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
This was one of my most anticipated books last year, and I cannot believe I didn’t get it read. I even got a copy for my birthday from one of my book besties 🤦🏼♀️ I’m hoping to move this up my list to read asap so I can dive into book two when it comes out later this year.
Verdict: STAYS
What Monstrous Gods by Rosamund Hodge
All I needed to know was the author for this book to put it on my TBR. While Hodge isn’t my favorite author, she is pretty dang close. I love her twisted, dark fairytales. She is a master at them.
Verdict: STAYS
When Among Crows by Veronica Roth
Roth is one of my favorite authors. I’ve read most of her books to date. This one is an adult fantasy based on Slavic folklore. I really didn’t need to know more than that. I even have a copy lying around my house that I desperately need to read.
Verdict: STAYS
Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
I absolutely loved One Dark Window. I devoured it in less than 24 hours, almost one sitting, but I needed sleep. I was waiting for my copy of this one to come in so I could read it as well, but it took longer than expected. By the time it arrived, I was on to reading other things and never went back to it. I’m hoping to carve out time soon to read them both.
Verdict: STAYS
I added this one on the blurb alone. I love historical fantasy, and I love how this one is laid out in the blurb. I liked the way it sounded so much that I bought a hardcover copy and Moore’s The Library of Shadows because it also sounded right up my alley.
Verdict: STAYS
The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman
I enjoyed the first book of this duology, but I’d forgotten most of what had happened in it when book two came out. I own both so I’m hoping to find some time soon to read them together.
Verdict: STAYS
Untitled Sequel to We Shall Be Monsters
I don’t normally add these to my TBR until there’s a book in the making, but I absolutely loved We Shall Be Monsters. Think Frankenstein meets Indian folklore. It was everything I could have wanted in a book but didn’t know to ask for. I’m eagerly waiting on book two.
Verdict: STAYS
I enjoyed Vasti’s Ne’er Duke Well which released late summer last year which is why I added this one which follows a different character introduced in the first book. BUT I’m not sure I liked it well enough to actually follow through with reading it. If I happen to come across a copy, I wouldn’t pass it up, but I’m not going to actively seek this one out. At least not now.
Verdict: GOES
I devoured Sweet Nightmare. I seriously couldn’t read it fast enough. In fact, I like it more than Crave. It’s darker, more tension, more of everything. I liked seeing some new paranormal creatures, and the fact that this is like a prison school on an island in the middle of nowhere just adds to suspense. I cannot wait for book two.
Verdict: STAYS
The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones
I think I’ve found a new favorite author. I read The Bone Houses last fall and immediately fell in love with the world and writing style. It was haunting and drew me into the story. This book is set in the same world so I immediately found a copy, now I just need to find time to read it.
Verdict: STAYS
Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft
I am SO excited for this one. My son was obsessed with the Tinkerbell movies when he was a toddler. We’ve watched the all so much that I could start quoting them without context or reference. This book is tells the backstory that we get a glimpse of in Secret of the Wings. AND it is written by an author I enjoy. I cannot wait…just a few more weeks til it is released.
Verdict: STAYS
What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch
I’m always excited when I find a debut author. This book doesn’t come out for a few more months, but it looks and sounds amazing. I love a good, dark fantasy and this promises to be that.
Verdict: STAYS
The Deathly Grimm by Kathryn Purdie
I am so excited for this sequel. I really enjoyed The Forest Grimm. It combines all my favorite Grimm fairytales into a magical, cursed forest. The last book ended on a cliffhanger when I wasn’t expecting one (I thought it was a standalone), so I cannot wait to finish this story. Thankfully, I received an ARC so I will be starting it soon.
Verdict: STAYS
Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis
I am loving this sci-fi novella series from Beth Revis. It is so much fun to read. It’s high-stakes action with a little romance/lust thrown in. These are quick reads, but so much fun. I just finished the second one and cannot wait to read this one. It comes out in April, so thankfully not too long of a wait.
Verdict: STAYS

The Final Tally
Books Removed
144
Books Kept
269
Total on TBR
252
Well, that concludes my journey down the TBR hole, at least as far as my Goodreads shelf is concerned. I may be back in February to start going down my physical shelves….stay tuned.
Your Turn! Any books I should move to the top of my list? Any I didn’t keep you think I should? Share below
Well most of these stayed so hopefully you pick at least one of these to read this month!
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About half of those don’t come out til later this year, but some of the others I’ve already got ready to read.
Lots of good books here, it would be so hard to decide for me! I went through in December one day and just deleted a bunch off my Goodreads TBR. So many I added and know I’ll never get to. I didn’t do this post even though I wanted to because it was just easier to delete them all and go on, lol. But I love seeing what you’re keeping. I do still need to move on in JLA’s series. I have the second book, just haven’t picked it up. In fact, I need to find where I put it!
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…E-galley Review: After Life by Gayle Forman