March Book Haul

It’s been nearly six months since I did a book haul. Whoops?? Still, hopefully getting back on track with my weekly recaps means that I’m on the way to getting back on track with everything else too. WE SHALL SEE.

For now, let’s talk about the books that I acquired in March.

THE STUFF I’VE ALREADY READ

Cure for the Common Break Up by Beth Kendrick (E-book)
This was cute, but nothing particularly special. Realistically? I would never have read this if I hadn’t been desperately hunting for a book that’s set in Delaware to help me towards one of my reading goals for this year…

Pitch Dark by Courtney Alameda (E-book)
I’ve already talked about this one once this week in my weekly wrap up. Aaaaaaaaand I did not love it as much as I was hoping I would. It was a weird mixture of sci-fi and horror that never really provided the answers I wanted.

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Paperback)
You guys KNOW how much I love this series and this book. It just…it tears my heart out and stamps on it, but it also brings me so much joy. This one finished off the trilogy fantastically and I loved every single second of reading it.

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed (E-book)
This book blew my mind, time and time again. It’s going to be right up there as one of my favourite books of the year, I can tell. It deals with rape and misogyny and rape culture so brilliantly, and it does it in an incredibly diverse way. It was phenomenal and intersectional and I loved every single second of it, even when it made me cry or want to puke.

Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles (E-book)
This one was ALSO absolutely phenomenal, and I honestly don’t understand why it doesn’t have more hype around it, because it was so incredibly powerful. It’s 2018’s The Hate U Give (but not in a copycat way or in a way that brings down either book. You know?), and it deals with similar themes in an equally amazing way.

Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein (E-book)
I had SUCH high hopes for this LoveOzYA book, I really did. I mean, a YA thriller where she thinks her imaginary friend is a kidnapper? Sign me up!! But while I thoroughly enjoyed this and ended up giving it 4 stars, I was let down by the predictability of this story. I’m not sure if I’m too good at guessing plot twists or if it was genuinely predictable, buuuuuuut I worked out what was going on at about the 20% mark. Sigh.

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw (E-book)
This one is basically Hocus Pocus, but where the three sisters possess teenage girls every summer rather than, like, corporeally coming back to life. It was very atmospheric, and I enjoyed the writing and the characters. But once again, I guessed the big plot twist well before it happened, to the point where I was like “Wait, didn’t we already know this??” when the plot twist finally appeared.

THE STUFF I HAVE YET TO READ

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (E-book)
Eeeeeeeeeeeveryone has been raving about this one, so obviously I bought it. Now I just need to wait for it to be pulled out of my TBR jar before I can read it… Although, honestly? I’m not sure I can wait that long!

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel (E-book)
This is another one that I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about, so when it popped up as a Kindle monthly deal, I snapped it up immediately. I’m a little hesitant to read this on my Kindle because I’ve heard it’s a mixed media format, but I’m hoping there won’t be as many graphic elements as there are in something like Illuminae…

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica (E-book)
I basically only bought this one because it’s set in Minnesota and it helps me cross something off towards one of my goals for the year. But…it sounds intriguing, so hopefully it will be a good read as well as helping me towards a goal??

Book haul October 2017

Guess what, friends? The IT department at work was able to fix my laptop for me (OMG ILU, IT STAFF), which means that not only do I have my laptop back, but I have my reading stats spreadsheet back.

HALLELUJAH.

This means that I can finally bring you a book haul! I’ve always sworn black and blue that I don’t acquire enough books to warrant doing hauls monthly. But then I started including the books I buy on my Kindle, and now it’s kind of out of control. Whoops?

Without further ado, here’s what I bought in October:

THE STUFF I’VE READ ALREADY:

The Diviners by Libba Bray (E-Book)

I bought this because a friend has borrowed my physical copy and I knew I wouldn’t remember enough of the story to jump straight to Lair of Dreams in preparation for reading Before the Devil Breaks You. Besides, it was like $8, and sometimes you NEED an e-book and a physical copy of your favourite books, right??

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray (Paperback)

Obviously. It’s gorgeous and I loved every second of it, even though it stabbed me in the feels about a thousand times more than I anticipated…

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterley (Paperback)

I have this on my Kindle, but I did a favour for a friend in Europe and it was easier for her to buy me books than to transfer me money, so I sent her a list of stuff I wanted hard copies of, and she went to town on Book Depository. This is one of the few times when the movie tie-in cover was the best cover option. I read it late last year and loved everything about it.

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde (Paperback)

Another one that I have on my Kindle and that Nikki sent to me. I loved this book so much when I read it earlier this year. It’s phenomenal from start to finish.

Longbourn by Jo Baker (Paperback)

Another one that I loved earlier this year and had Nikki get me a physical copy of. For those of you who haven’t heard of this, it’s a retelling of Pride and Prejudice told from the perspective of the servants. And it. is. AMAZING.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (E-Book)

I mean, obviously I read the biggest news in YA this year. And…frankly, I found it a little bit of a let down. The plot was meandering, the characters felt like characters rather than people, and while I appreciated the Own Voices nature of the mental health representation, I…didn’t love this.

The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud (E-Book)

The final book in the Lockwood & Co series features even more ghostly mayhem and ridiculousness. I got sick of waiting for a physical copy to arrive at work, so bought it on my Kindle.

It Only Happens in the Movies by Holly Bourne (E-Book)

Another one that was a little bit of a let down. Although in this case, it was probably my high expectations that made it a let down. I LOVED Holly Bourne’s Spinster Club trilogy, and this didn’t have the same strong female friendships that I loved so much in that series. It was only $0.94 though, so… *shrugs*

The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare (E-Book)

I really think discovering Tessa Dare’s books is one of the best things that’s happened to me all year. This one was utterly ridiculous from start to finish, and yet fast paced and funny and enjoyable as hell.

Hamilton’s Battalion by Courtney Milan, Alyssa Cole and Rose Lerner (E-Book)

I already talked about this in my weekly wrap up on Monday. It was stinking adorable and I’m so incredibly glad that I gave its little $5.99 butt a chance because I loved every second of it.

THE STUFF I HAVE YET TO READ:

Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh (E-Book)

I know basically nothing about this, except that I think it’s kind of like Pacific Rim?? But in Korea???? I think April talked about it in a video recently, and it sounded great then. So. I bought it.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (Paperback)

After a million and one glowing recommendations from Joce, how could I not buy this book?

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff (Paperback)

I’m kind of hesitant about this one. I LOVED Nevernight last year, but that was before the whole revelation that chunks of it were based on Maori culture in a not great way. So I’ve been putting this off because a) I’ve heard it’s a stab to the feels and b) I need (want) to reread Nevernight first, and I don’t know what I’ll think of it this time around…

Dodger by Terry Pratchett (Paperback)

Okay, technically I *have* read this before. But it was back in 2012, so I’m not entirely sure it counts at this point. I’m planning on rereading it soon, at any rate. This is basically Pratchett does Dickens. Essentially, the Artful Dodger was a real person who Dickens met, so it’s all seedy underbelly of Victorian London stuff, and I’m really excited to pick it up a second time.

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali (E-Book)

Another one I know very little about, but Saajid recommended it, so I bought it.

Arabella of Mars by David Levine (Paperback)

Another one that Joce recommended. I don’t know much about this either. I think it might be steampunk? But I could just be basing that on the cover… Still, I’m excited to pick it up sometime soon!

What books have you acquired recently?