HUGE Book Unhaul! Downsizing my collection :(

Hey readers! Recently there have been some big changes in my life that forced me to give away many of the books within my personal library. As sad as this is, I now have more space for future books that I will enjoy infinitely more than the ones collecting dust on my shelves. Today I am going to be listing all of the books I am giving away and why I am not keeping them, please enjoy!

Wild Rescuers by StacyPlays (Stacy Hinajosa)

StacyPlays was a YouTuber that I used to watch when I was younger and during the time I watched her videos she began writing and publishing a book series. It was a cute middle grade series (that was her main audience), and I enjoyed reading it at the time. I got the first two books in the series when they came out and thoroughly enjoyed them. And then I completely abandoned the series, lol. I think I just grew out of it, it was targeted for a younger audience and I was already on the older side when I began watching her videos. I look back on the series fondly but I’m just never going to read them again and I have no interest in continuing the series.

The Horses and Friends Series by Miralee Ferrell

This was a similar situation to Wild Rescuers. Before getting into fantasy, the main genre I read/wrote was “horse girl books.” Classic middle school girl obsession. Anyway, this was one of those series that I actually kept up with after my middle school horse girl obsession phase. But eventually I began buying new fantasy books rather than the new books coming out in this unfinished series. Maybe it’s finished by now, these books have been collecting dust on my shelves for years.

The Shadows by Megan Chance

I had the opportunity to buy a load of books for super cheap and this was one of the impulsive consequences. After confidently buying this book along with a few unfortunate others, I set them up on my shelves and almost immediately realized that I would most likely never read any of them. I went into denial thinking that maybe, just maybe, I would get around to reading those books. I didn’t. I’m so sorry to this author and this book. I’m sure it’s great, I just have no interest. My TBR is long enough already.

The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning

This book was a gift to me from the amazing Serena Stellington and I feel so bad getting rid of it. But I just can’t keep it. I have tried multiple times to read this book and I can never get more than a few chapters in before I quit. The main character is just so hard to read from, I could not stand her. I really wanted to finish this book and give it a solid chance since it was a gift from a friend, but after three tries I am officially giving up. I’m sorry, Serena.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

I had mixed feelings about this book when I first read it. I liked the plot line and most of the characters, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the romance. Rather, the romance tropes used. Namely the love triangle. As always, it was blatantly obvious which guy would be “the one” and to be honest both of them were kinda “meh.” I can’t reveal the main reason I was so annoyed without spoiling the end of the book, but let’s just say I was not a huge fan of how she ended up choosing one guy over the other. Overall it was an okay book, but I’ve had it for three years and never reread it once.

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Spear

This was a book that I had to read for school and I actually didn’t mind it. It just so happens that my copy was previously used by someone else, which typically doesn’t bother me, but it was at some point given to a small child and there are random scribbles in multiple different colors EVERYWHERE in the randomest of places. The cover isn’t in great shape either. I can’t look at it without cringing, which is the main reason I’m unhauling it, but I also have no interest in reading it again.

Emerald Windows by Terri Blackstock

This was one of those books that just somehow appeared in my collection and I have no idea where it came from. I was interested in reading it at first but then I read the description and decided it wasn’t for me. I think it’s better to rehome this one to someone who will really enjoy this book. I’m sure it’s great, it’s just not my genre and I have no interest.

Seaside by Terri Blackstock

Another Blackstock book! I think this one appeared at the same time the other did and I am booting it out for similar reasons. This book is a really short novella. If you don’t know, I’m not a huge fan of novellas. The only time I read them is when they are a part of a book series or from an author that I enjoy. This book was neither of those things so it’s going to be finding a new home.

Phantom Stallion: The Wild One by Terri Farley

Ah, another book from my middle school horse girl phase. This was the first book in a long, complicated series that I somehow avoided. I only ever read the first book, this one, by some strange miracle. I actually quite enjoyed it but this series is so freaking long I don’t want to get invested. The Cosmere is enough for now, lol. So I’m giving it away so that some other middle school horse girl can become obsessed with this series.

The Foxcraft Series by Inbali Iserles

This was a cute trilogy that I really enjoyed when I read it back in middle school. I am starting to see a trend here… I bought the first book as a buddy read and even though my buddy didn’t finish the trilogy, I decided that I liked it enough to own the whole trilogy. That was around four to five years ago and I have never reread the series since even though I quite enjoyed it at the time. Out it goes!

Past Darkness by Laurel Woiwode

I am unhauling this book for similar reasons to The Princess Will Save You. The main character was so insufferable. I tried multiple times to read it but it was too painful. I can understand an unlikeable main character, but there is a key difference between a character that is meant to be unlikeable than one that is not. This was the character we were supposed to be rooting for and I could not stand her.

Pulse by Judy G. Walters

Oh, remember those books that I impulsively bought for super cheap? Yeah this was one of those. For some reason I thought it was some sort of science fiction novel, like human experiments type stuff. But nope, it wasn’t like that at all. It was a medical novel. Like Grey's Anatomy or The Good Doctor. Not exactly my genre.

Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine

Gail Carson Levine was one of my favorite authors in middle school and I had read basically all of her books with a few exceptions, including this one. To this day I still enjoy some of her books (Ella Enchanted and Fairest, specifically), which is why when I found this book for cheap I decided to buy it. Unlike Levine’s other books that I typically enjoy from her, this is not fantasy but historical fiction. I wasn’t too concerned with this, historical fiction is usually a genre I can bear with. I think I would have enjoyed this book more as a middle schooler. For that age group it would probably be more of a fun and relatable read. It wasn’t bad by any means but I can’t see myself rereading this again.

The Skill of Our Hands by Steven Burst and Skyler White

This is the last of the books that I impulsively bought for super cheap. This one actually has a science fiction type of feel which is why I originally picked it up, however after further investigation I realized that it was super… New Age-y, I guess. It just seemed really weird. I almost read it, just for the heck of it, but then life got in the way as well as books that I actually had interest in.

The Book of Names by D. Barkley Briggs

I actually really enjoyed this book at the time I read it and I kind of regret getting rid of it. Thing is, I read it years and years ago and then never thought about it again. It was also the first in a series and I could never find the rest of it. I don’t know if the author just never finished it or if the marketing was bad or whatever, but I could not find the sequel. Although I liked this book, I don’t see myself rereading it and I simply do not have room anymore (sadly).

Well, that’s most of the books I am unhauling this time. There are a few more I didn’t list here because I didn’t want this post to be too long, but I think it’s obvious that I really did give A LOT of books the boot. As much as it pains me, it had to be done. At least I will have more room for books that I hopefully enjoy a little bit better than these ones!

Until next time!

~Lyn Winters