Time for another round up of books from my TBR to go through! Each week I’ll be going over a selection from my physical unread books and deciding what to keep and what to purge. There will be a third option–undecided–which I might ask for your input on why you think I should keep or purge that title from my list. You can also check out my full TBR pile here.

Smoke and Shadows by Tanya Huff

When Tony Foster relocated to Vancouver with his vampire Henry Fitzroy, he knew it was his chance to get his act together. In an example of art echoing life, Tony landed a job as production assistant for the syndicated TV show Darkest Night, a series about a vampire detective. And except for his unrequited crush on the show’s handsome costar, Lee Nicholas, Tony was pretty content.

Until everything started to fall apart on the set.

It began with shadows—-shadows where they didn’t belong, that almost had an existence of their own. Tony tried to ignore it–until he found Nikki Waugh’s body, and felt the shadow’s touch, and a stunt crash went wrong for no discernible reason–and Tony knew that he had to find out what was threatening everyone on the set.

This is the follow up series to her Vicki Nelson series. I’m still planning on reading these but it will most likely be in audio so I’m okay with letting the print versions go. PURGE

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.

Arelon’s new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping — based on their correspondence — to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.

But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.

I actually have a lot of Sanderson in my TBR. I keep wanting to read his books but then feeling pretty ‘meh’ with them. I’ve only managed to get through the first two Mistborn books so far. I still plan on checking out this one though! KEEP

Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn by Robert Asprin

The world’s top fantasy writers spin stories and loop the loop with each other’s characters in Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn, the second collection in this unique anthology series set in the amazing city of Sanctuary, where you can enjoy the quiet elegance of Ambrosia House; sample bizarre pleasures at the House of Whips; sip ale in the Vulgar Unicorn, and listen to some of the most strange, dangerous, magical and deadly tales ever told…

Philip Jose Farmer, A.E. Van Vogt, Robert Asprin, Lynn Abbey, Janet Morris, David Drake and Andrew J. Offutt have dreamed up a world of wonders – a fabulous reading adventure!

I think this is one of the Thieve’s World anthologies, and I thought it would be fun to check these out but I have no more interest in reading this, unfortunately. PURGE

Jaran by Kate Elliott

In the future, Earth is just one of the planets ruled by the vast Chapalii empire. The volatility of these alien overlords is something with which Tess Soerensen is all too familiar. Her brother, Charles, rebelled against them at one time and was rewarded by being elevated into their interstellar system—yet there is reason to believe they murdered his and Tess’s parents.

Struggling to find her place in the world and still mending a broken heart, Tess sneaks aboard a shuttle bound for Rhui, one of her brother’s planets. On the ground, she joins up with the native jaran people, becoming immersed in their nomadic society and customs while also attempting to get to the bottom of a smuggling scheme she encountered on her journey there. As she grows ever closer to the charismatic jaran ruler, Ilya—who is inflamed by an urgent mission of his own—Tess must choose between her feelings for him and her loyalty to her brother.

I have a lot of Kate Elliott books in my TBR pile because I love her writing, I just need to work up to reading it all haha. Definitely want to hang on to these. KEEP

The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia A. McKillip

Scholar Phelan Cle is researching Bone Plain-which has been studied for the last 500 years, though no one has been able to locate it as a real place. Archaeologist Jonah Cle, Phelan’s father, is also hunting through time, piecing history together from forgotten trinkets. His most eager disciple is Princess Beatrice, the king’s youngest daughter. When they unearth a disk marked with ancient runes, Beatrice pursues the secrets of a lost language that she suddenly notices all around her, hidden in plain sight.

 

Of course this is McKillip so it’s staying in my TBR. Even if I never get to read all of these the covers are so lovely. 🙂  KEEP

That’s all for now! This brings my total count to:

Keep	Purge	Undecided
196	68	34

A few more to add to the purge pile. Maybe I’ll get up to 100 purges at this point, that would be something. What do you think about my choices here? Anything you’d do differently? Leave a note in the comments, I’d love to chat!