So, I have a confession. See, I went to a really good Half Priced Books with a friend and they had all the things and I didn’t even buy all the things it was more like some of the things.

The ones you leave behind count as a win, right?

No? Darn.

Well, at this point I should just give up on the book buying ban. My TBR cart doth overflowith.

On to the books!

Ariande by Jennifer Saint

This is the story of Ariande, sister to the famous Minotaur of Crete, and what happens when the hero Theseus comes to town. I’ve loved Greek mythology since I was a child, so it’s no surprise that I would gravitate towards this one. This was a BOTM pick, by the by. Mind, I still haven’t read the other retellings I have, so I should probably do that too.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

The story of an Ojibwe woman who has to take care of her mother after a family tragedy. Until she witnesses a murder. I’m not gonna lie, mysteries aren’t the types of book I normally go for, but this one was getting such rave reviews that I had to give it a shot. Plus, it was available as a Book of the Month add on pick, so I nabbed it.

Golden in Death by J.D. Robb

A deadly poisoner is on the move in this, the 50th book in the In Death series. I already have this on my Kindle, but my bookshelves have demanded their own copy, and who am I to deny my bookshelves?

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy

The story of a group of Moms who get together one evening at a bar and then the unthinkable happens, one of their babies is kidnapped. This was my book club’s pick for May.

Exiles: The Ruins of Ambrai by Melanie Rawn

The story of three sisters who lives are torn apart by war and magic. I love this book. In fact, I already own this book. But it’s falling apart, and I need a new copy that isn’t held together by packing tape. You know, so I can read it again.

Anxious People by Fredrik Bachman

A would-be bank robber takes an apartment full of people hostage. This isn’t my usual cup of tea, but I’ve heard such good things about the author I thought I would give it a try.

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

This book involve spies, libraries, alternate worlds, stolen books, and fights to the death! I also already own this, but I found the physical copy and somehow it ended up in my shopping cart. I’m still not sure how that happened.

The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman

The sequel to The Invisible Library, I didn’t look to see what this one was about, as I want to read the first one, well first.

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

This is basically a feminist take on the “what if Jesus had a wife” trope. I had been debating this one since it came out to the point where I would put it in my shopping cart at Target and walk around the store with it for a while before putting it back every time I saw it. Every time!

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

Tracker is a famous hunter. He has been hired to find a young boy who disappeared three years ago. Tracker must now work with a cast of colorful characters to find this boy, who maybe doesn’t want to be found. It’s sounds so interesting.

The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick

The story of Ren, a thief and con artist who is surround by the corrupt on all sides, including corrupt magic. I’ve had this on my list for a while, and was happy to see it available for $5 through the Kindle store. Naturally, I snatched it up.

The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman

This particular book features a land ravaged by Goblin wars! Goblin wars! I picked up my copy at Scarborough Faire here in Dallas (cause why not) and it’s signed!

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

During a ceremony, Deka’s blood runs gold and she is condemned to a life on the outskirts of her village. Until a mysterious woman offers a chance at a new life. This YA fantasy sounds really good.

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Cinderella meets Prince Charming in this modern take on the fairy tale. I love the story of Cinderella, so I picked this up when I saw it in the used book store.

Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

This one has all the tropes: Evil dark lord, the chosen one, and magical artifact only the chosen one can wield.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

Now these I saved for last because they are special. I found these pristine copies in a damaged box for $15 a HPB. But what makes them special is that my mom used to own copies of this same set. In fact, I still have her copies of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. They even have her name in them. These copies don’t have anyone’s name in them, but I now have a complete set of something my mother once owned. Makes me smile a little bit.

So yeah, at this point it’s like what book buying ban?