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Hello Hello! How are you?
Today I’m going to be talking about all the books I hauled in September.
After my wisdom teeth surgery, I felt really down in the dumps, so I decided to treat myself to a few books, but when I saw that WOB (formerly World of Books) had a great sale on, things kind of got out of hand. Don’t laugh at me, okay?
So in September, I added 33 books to my TBR… 3 of which were gifted. I’m justifying them because the majority were from WOB, so second-hand and very cheap. I promise to do better in October…. or not. MOUHAHA!
So let’s take a look at the books I got in September
GIFTED
My mum gifted me these three books while I was recovering from my operation!
Nothing More to Tell by Karen K. McManus
Stephen from Stephen Writes actually reached out to me last month to suggest a buddy read of this book as we have read most of this author’s books together. I thought it was a great idea and got this one and her previous one. I haven’t gotten to this one yet, but hopefully will do sometime this month! I’m excited to read it as I love this author.
You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus
I already started this book, actually, right after I received it, and I am enjoying it. I’m halfway through and hoping to finish it very soon. It is a very easy book to read with the multiple POVs and all the secrets unravelling slowly between the characters, I’m very intrigued by the murder in this book so I’m just enjoying my time with it!
Angélique by Guillaume Musso
Guillaume Musso is and has always been my auto-buy author. I discovered him in my high school library when I was about 13/14 and once my father realised how much I loved his books, he went on a mission to buy all of them for me. Now that my father has sadly been gone for 5 years, every year when he releases his next book, my mum buys it for me. I’m so excited about this one and love the sound of it! I have to go back to his backlist as I read them in publication order, but once I’ve read the last 3 I was gifted, I’ll get to this one!
BLACKWELL’S
These are some books my fiancé picked for me (apart from the first one which I had already pre-ordered). I am still missing one from this order, which you’ll see in my October haul!
The Bullet That Missed (#3) by Richard Osman
As soon as the title for this third instalment in The Thursday Murder Club was announced, I pre-ordered it and I finally got it last month, and the signed edition too (proper chuffed)! Stephen and I have been buddy-reading this series for the past 2 years, so hopefully, we can pick this one up soon, I can’t wait!
Amari and th Great Game (#2) by B. B. Alston
Last year, I was on the #UltimateBlogTour organised by Dave and the team from @The_WriteReads for Amari and th Night Brothers, the first instalment in this series. It ended up making me cry (happy tears) and being my favourite book of the year. I’ve been itching to get my hands on the second book, and I’m so glad I finally picked it up. I think I’ll read this in December like I did the first one!
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
I’ve seen this one all over social media for a while now and everything about this book was calling to me. I love witches so much so I always jump at the chance to read any book featuring them. The blurb sounds incredible and I’m just so excited to start this book and so glad my fiancé knows me so well and picked it for me!!
WOB
I went a bit mad on WOB (World of Books), partly for the fact that there was a “Buy three, get one free offer”, and somehow… I seem to have made multiple orders. Ooops. I think I am just missing one from this batch of orders, which you will see in October on the blog!
The Sanatorium (#1) by Sarah Pearse
I had this on my TBR for a while and it just seems like such a “me” book. I’m not that into thrillers, I’m more of a murder mystery kind of gal, but I liked the sound of this one. I think it’s going to be a creepy book with a cold setting, so a great winter read I’m looking forward to!
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
I bought this one for a buddy read on Instagram, hosted by Hannah called Tackling That TBR. I liked the sound of this book as I really enjoy a dark and spooky atmosphere in stores, and I think this is what will be in store for us during this buddy read. I’ve also heard a lot of good things about this author, so I’m definitely looking forward to finally reading one of her books.
Cunning Women by Elizabeth Lee
This was one of the buddy read choices for Tackling That TBR, and I bought it on a whim even if it didn’t win the poll because again WITCHES, so how could I not? I’m currently buddy-reading this one with Amy from The Shelf of Unread Books and enjoying it, but I’m not that far into it so can’t say much more. I think I will end up liking it though, so stay tuned for my thoughts soon!
Unnatural Causes: The Life and Many Deaths of Britain’s Top Forensic Pathologist by Richard Shepherd
This is a book I saw in the sale and jumped on it because I put it on my Xmas Wishlist last year and was super sad that my family didn’t pick it up for me. I’m really fascinated by pathology and I would have LOVED to be a pathologist (if only I was better at maths!!). So I will live vicariously through this book when I get to it, probably in the new year when I’ll have more time, hopefully.
The Glass House by Eve Chase
Another book I had seen about a lot and had ben intrigued by. I love the cover, so I can’t lie about the fact that it made me click on it, lol. I’m glad I saw this in the sale because I don’t think I would have picked it up so quickly otherwise. I like the dark and sinister vibes I’m getting from both th blurb and the cover, so we shall have to wait and see wat’s going to happen in this bok.
The Ex Hex (#1) by Erin Sterling
I also bought this one for the buddy read planned with my buddies from TWR. I have started it and already love it. Once again, WITCHES, so that made me scream YES when the poll came up about what book to pick for October. I really want to get more into these kinds of cosy fantasy romances, so I think this is a good starter point for me, and it’s a series, so yay for more WITCHES.
The Foundling by Stacey Halls
I’ve had this book on my TBR (to-buy list as well) for years and I’ve ben so tempted to buy it so many times but never took the plunge. Thank you to the WOB sale because I snapped it up for so little money (such a win!). I’m really looking forward to adding more historical fiction like this one to my TBR in the new year, and it makes me happy to know I have this one to look forward to. It seems like a cosy book too, so great for when that reading mood strikes.
A Spoonful of Murder by J. M. Hall
I hadn’t seen this one about before but I was so intrigued by the look and the sound of it. Apparently, there is a trend about old people solving murders and I am really enjoying this vibe. This will be the perfect sort of cosy mystery for the cold winter months when I’m wrapped up in front of the fire, and it’s relatively short so that makes it even more appealing as it’ll probably be read in on sitting.
The Switch by Beth O’Leary
I’ve already got The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary on my TBR and started it once but got distracted by other books. I wanted a few more cute romances on my TBR for when I’m feeling down or in a reading slump, so when I saw this one on offer I knew I had to have it. Maybe this will be a summer read.
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood
Another book with old people solving crime – I am absolutely living for this trend, it’s amazing to have older characters centre stage and actually doing cool things and solving murders instead of being seen as just old people sitting at home all day. I’ve heard and seen this book about a lot so when I saw it, I leapt at the chance to read it. I have a feeling it will be a quick, fun and enjoyable rad, so will keep it aside for when I’m in that particular mood.
The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary
I decided to get this other book by Beth O’Leary because why the hell not? Since it was very cheap. At least I will have a nice variety of cute contemporary romances on my shelves for moments when I need a pick-me-up in the form of cute love stories. Definitely not my go-to genre, but one that helps getting me out of slumps and down days. I don’t really know what to expect because I’ve forgotten what the burb says, but I think I can sort of guess from the cover!
The Confession by Jessie Burton
This is another author I’ve been dying to get my hands on for a while. I started Things In Jars while I was in Stirling but got in a reading slump and then had to take it back to the library because of COVID restrictions, but I really want to read it one day! I thought this on sounded really interesting and it’s definitely my kind of book, with the dark atmosphere!
Mrs England by Stacey Halls
Another kind of gothic historical fiction, a genre that is really calling to me at the moment – it must be something to do with the weather! Again, an author I had wanted to try out for a while and I have heard good things about this book, so I am really looking forward to reading this one and more books in this vein.
The Crooked Sixpence (#1) by Jennifer Bell
This is the book for the October Middle Grade Marvels Book Club that I co-host with Noly and Holly. I thought it was better to get this in the sale as soon as I saw it instead of getting it off Amazon – with BREXIT, I’ve had to start getting all my books from Amazon because of the price of books rising and CUSTOMS TAXES which are crazy expensive. Anyway, I’m really excited to read this book this month with the buddies from MGM.
Cards on the Table (#14) by Agatha Christie
Following on with the buddy read for the Hercule Poirot series with some pals from TWR, I’m now up to the 14th book in the series and loving them all. I will do a “series update” kind of post soon, but I’m very excited to get to this book in October, and I’ve already ordered the 15th one, so I can continue on straight away. Hercule Poirot books are my go-to for cosy reads on the weekend after walking the pups in the forest, so hoping to get to it this weekend or next!
The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett
After reading The Appeal with Candyce from The Book Dutchesses, we decided to read the author’s second book with Hannah from Han Loves to Read. So I snapped this one up from WOB, really cheap and in hardback! I’m really excited to get to it because it honestly sounds so much like my kind of read, I’m going to love it if the first book is anything to go by!
MORE BOOKS FROM OTHER PLACES OR PEOPLE
Rose Rage by Illana Cantin
While I was still working in the library, I saw this book advertised in one of the magazines I was prepping for our readers and it sounded so good I had to order it from my local bookstore. It’s about a girl who gets expelled for calling out sexual harassment and abuse by other students. She organises protests that the whole female body of the school goes on to overturn these dangerous stereotypes and practices among institutions and I am just dying to read it!
While I was recuperating from my operation, Hannah from Han Loves to Read posted an unhaul on her IG stories and I found happiness in her books so treated myself to a load, so here they all are.
The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
I’ve seen this one around a lot and while I don’t think it it my usual kind of read or genre, I was really pulled towards it. I think it will be very poignant and beautiful, if the blurb is anything to go by, so I’m going to give it a shot and I have a good feeling about it!
The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale
Hannah had mentioned really enjoying this one a few months ago and recommended it to me so when I saw she was unhauling it, I jumped on it, lol. I love the sound of it, it sounds whimsical, magical, great for a cold winter’s night and I’m saving it for just that perfect moment!
People Like Us by Louise Fein
I love WWII historical fiction, and I like learning about new places or people who were affected or lived during this time period. I hadn’t heard of this book before but when I read the blurb I knew that it was my kind of book. I think I’ll keep this for the start of next year, or for when I’m in this kind of mood, but I’m really looking forward to it.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
I have wanted to get my hands on a copy of this book for such a long time and always held back for some reason, but grabbed it as soon as I saw that Hannah was unhauling it! I’m going to buddy-read it this month with Yvonne!! and I am sure it is going to be such a poignant, important and beautiful read that will leave me utterly broken and sobbing at 2 am. Bring it on!
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
Another book that has been on my radar for a while. I really like reading about different countries and cultures and I think this is going to be the best opportunity to do that. It is also set during the civil war in Syria if I’m not mistaken, so I’m looking forward to learning more about that as I’m afraid I just don’t know much.
Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth MacNeal
Last year, I buddy-read The Doll Maker by this author with some buddies from TWR and I really enjoyed it. When I saw she had written another book I wanted it so badly, but never got around to buying myself a copy until last month. I’m so glad to have this on my TBR and I’m pretty sure I’m going to enjoy it as much as her other book.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
I’ve also wanted to try this author out for a very long time and I don’t think I would have originally picked her last book as a starting point, but since Hannah was unhauling it, I thought “Why not?” as I knew I was interested in it anyway. Again, more historical fiction set in a different country, culture and time period which I want to learn more about, I am so excited to finally discover Kristin Hannah’s work!!
I had a job interview for a bookseller position in September, and on the way out, some books accidentally fell into my hands, so here are my final books on my September TBR, from a big cultural centre near me that I like to visit for books and crafting stuff!
Débarquer by Hugo Boris
I had seen this book in the “new releases catalogue” we get at the library I worked at, and I thought it sounded right up my alley. Funnily enough, my fiancé and I visited Omaha Beach while we were on holiday in Normandy this August, and both wanted to learn more about all the events of D-Day. It’s quite a short book and the writing is big, but I’m sure it is going to pack a punch, and I’ll read it when I’m mentally stable because I think it will break me.
Alabama 1963 by Ludovic Manchette and Christian Niemiec
I have already started this book and I’m enjoying it so far. Another one I must have seen in a magazine or catalogue at my library and was intrigued by. I liked the premise of it and I love murder mysteries, so I think I am really going to enjoy it. I also heard this author duo is great so will need to read more of their work if I really enjoy this one.
La Vie après Burkenau by Simone Veil
And the final book on my September haul is a kind of witness statement by Simone Veil, a very well-known French minister, activist and Holocaust survivor. I’ve been so intrigued by her life for so long and when I saw it stick out of the shelf I knew I needed to get it. It’s a really short book, but I think it will be quite a hard read, but I am definitely really looking forward to it.
Well, that was a very long list but I’m glad I got all of these virtually on sale or very cheap so I’m not feeling quite so guilty about them, haha! I have 2 more books from these orders I’m still waiting for, so you’ll see them in my next haul post.
I’m so excited to get to all of these books, some sooner than others!
That’s all for now, I hope you enjoyed reading this post.
See you soon, stay safe,
Ellie xx