August 2016 Book Haul (from Hell!)

I've decided to start doing monthly hauls again. I will be doing them once a quarter and only at the END of the month. Why in the world would I post about the books I got at the beginning or middle of the month when I still have a few days of month to go? I will post them on the last day of the month. Months like December, September and April/May (Easter migrates) will probably have more books as they are the months when people give me things.

I decided to begin with August, since it was beginning at the other end of the week I decided to start doing monthly hauls again. I have bought/received/acquired/borrowed 49 books this month. There are so many that I won't even bother to put pictures and synopses for them. You'll find those later when I do wrap-ups for the month!

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Book #1: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

We first stopped at a memorial library and I saw this on the sale shelf. My mom is a huge Stephen King fan and she lent me her copy of this last year (or maybe the year before). Naturally the author in me wanted to keep it forever because, and I quote, “a memoir of the craft.” I needed my own copy. I found this one for $2 at the library in the edition that I was looking for and I am so happy. I wanted this hardback because the cover actually makes me think of my grandma's house.

Book #2: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Prefacing this by saying I really don't care about the TV show. I really really don't. Now then...Booktube is losing its collective mind over this one (and the next) and I wanted to know why. I have to know. Is it the physical setting, Scotland? Is it the temporal setting, 19th and 20th century? Is it the leading male, James Frazer that's making literally everybody love it? I normally don't like romance novels, but I really want to know!

Book #3: A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Go on, be mad at me if you want. I'm not caught up nor am I watching this on...HBO. I don't have HBO! I've wanted to read this one for a while. I am a lover of high fantasy and people loved this long before the television series came out. I've heard many great things about this and I'm excited to read. I got it for $4.98 at a second hand store.

Book #4: Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks/Anonymous

I remember the AP English class reading this when I was in high school. I also remember not being in the AP English class and being upset over it. They never had it in the school or town libraries and as I live in a small town (~ 3-5 thousand people), there was no just going to the bookstore for me. I would hve to go 45min on the interstate to get to the nearest chain store. I was very excited to find it so cheap and I am looking forward to when I get to it on the list. It looks like the sort of book I'll get through in a single sitting...probably no more than two hours. I might pick it up soon to push my Goodreads Goal up again. 

Book #5: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I saw this one a few different times on BookTube. It piqued my interest with the summary. I read a sample from Amazon and immediately put the book in my wishlist when I finished. I don't like adding adding books to my Kindle if I really want to read them. Anyway, I love the idea of wizards having a feud and having other people actually doing the fighting for them. Yes, I know that's likely not what actually happens, but that's the bit I read. When I saw it I squeed. I would swear this book is brand new. It looks like the person who bought it, just gave it right to the book store. Okay. Mine!

Book #6: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

This is actually the second copy of this book that I've bought. The first is a Signet Classics edition. When they first did the printing for the Signet one, the person in charge of keeping the margins loose for the center was not doing a good job. They didn't make the margins wide enough on the inside and the whole middle of the book is unreadable without tearing it apart. Of course by now I've forgotten why I even wanted to read it, but yeah. I bought myself a copy that I can read which makes me very happy. Yay for buying books with no idea why!

Book #7: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Why did I buy this? I have no idea! Because it was pretty and I wanted it? I dunno. Yeah. I've heard of this and it is where we actually got the catchphrase of Catch-22, which is like you can only do this thing if you've done that thing, but you can only do that thing if you've done this thing so really you can't do anything. I liked this edition the best (because it's a trade paperback). I didn't realize that the book beside it was it's sequel, so we know what we're getting when we go back!

Book #8: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

I have a vague recollection of at least making a poor attempt to read this book back in school. I either couldn't get into it (doubt) or I simply didn't have the time when I had it. I apparently never picked up up ever again. No idea why. I've seen bits of the movie and really liked them and really wanted to read the series. I'm happy to finally have my own copy so I don't have to go to the library, which is around a blind turn and there are no sidewalks. Funny story there. I actually found this at the library! They had this one and Eldest (further down) in the sale room for $1 each. So I grabbed them. I had originally purchased this in paperback, but I've been all for the hardback for a long time and I found both volumes one and two. Now to get reading!

Book #9: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

This is a favorite book of a friend of mine, which I'm sure is the sole reason why I bought this. I know virtually nothing about it. Yeah that's...it. I guess because I've seen a lot about it I wanted it. Miri made me let her look at the book before I bought it to make sure it wasn't the first American version which for some reason that I know (but escapes me) has the last chapter missing. I read why they removed it, but now I can't remember.

Book #10: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

I've seen the movie and fell in love with the little mouse, Despereaux Tilling. I guess to be accurate I saw most of the movie. When I found out it was a book, I nearly lost my mind. Then I completely forgot about it. Yeah, that happened. I was looking to bring my book purchase count up to an even-ish number and I saw this on the children's shelf. Had to have it.

Book #11: Life of Pi by Yann Martel

I wish I could remember where I heard of this first. Probably BookTube. 90% of the books I've seen are from BookTube. I loved the thought of a boy being stuck on a little boat with a large tiger. I've seen the movie before and I love reading books along with watching their movies to compare them. I forgot a lot of what happened, so this will be fun.

Books #12-14: Lord Foul's Bane, The Illearth War, and The Power that Preserves by Stephen R. Donaldson

So I got all three books in this part of the series? I think this is like the books by Cassandra Clare where there are several books in the series that are all in their own individual series. I put these all together because I bought them as a set. I asked Miri to suggest something for me to read. She hasn't steered me wrong yet. I bought these only knowing “it's like Lord of the Rings only the main guy is a snarky leper.” She definitely wasn't wrong! I started the first one either the day I got it or the day after. I like it despite people saying it's bad because he's cynical. He has leprosy, which was incurable in 1977 when this came out. He's allowed to be cynical.

Book #15: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

I have been looking for this specific edition for years. Ever since I saw The Freedom Writers on TNT or whatever station it was on. This was also the edition my teacher had in her room. I never actually read this. I plan to get to it soon though, now that I own a copy in print. I have always wanted it.

Book #16: Les Miserablés by Victor Hugo

Another book I've wanted since ever. I used to collect huge books because I thought it made me look smart. Then I realized actually reading the books made me smart. I wanted to read this for a very long time, but I was hesitant to take it out of the library because I know it would take me more than three (or six, rather) weeks to read it and you can only check it out a second time in a row. Then you had to wait three weeks before you could check it out again. I couldn't risk it being checked out. I got the cover I wanted. It's huge! Worse than I thought because the pages are very thin with tiny font. Here we go...another book I'll be reading for years!

Book #17: Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

I love horses and I already own a copy of this book. Sadly that one is a blue velvet one that has fallen apart on me, and while I did manage to have it fixed, I don't want to read it for fear it will come apart again. It's important to me. I want to reread this because I love that it's told from the persepective of the horse. I forgot much of the rest of the story so I should probably re-read it soon.

Book #18: Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James

This has been on my wishlist for a while. I loved Pride and Prejudice and when I read the synopsis of this one I had to have it. I've always wondered what happened to the families after the book ended and this talks about it. I am very excited to get to this one.

Book #19: The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

I already own a copy of Middlesex, though I haven't read it yet. Everybody's been raving more about The Virgin Suicides though, so when I saw it for $7 at the shop, I had to get it. I do like the simple cover. I am putting this one pretty high up on my TBR list. I laughed when I realized the girl on the cover is Kirstan Dunst. I think this is the sort of book that I'm going to read late in December when its the middle of the winter and I don't want to be near people. I bought it because BookTube raved about it a few weeks ago, and while I don't remember what was actually said, I remember everybody liked it and Middlesex so I figured I'd give them both a go.

Book #20: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Yeah. I normally want nothing to do with YA contemporary books. It already makes me think of Paper Towns because the characters are similar. The boy who does/is nothing and the girl who changes him (maybe not for the better). I enjoyed Paper Towns and I hope to enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed that one. There's apparently a few scenes in this book that got it on the challenged/banned list. I'm really excited now!

Book #21: Animal Farm by George Orwell

I saw this and has been on my reading list since around high school I think, but I was unwilling to pay regular book store prices for it. When I found a hardcover version of it for a price I was willing to pay, I added it to the pile. I am interested to see the way he translated the Russian Revolution into a farm. It will be a good read.

Book #22: The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

I bought this because I wanted it. That's the entire reason. I've not heard much beyond the fact that that William Faulkner is a great author. I enjoy reading novels like this so I am expecting to enjoy this one as well. The review of this book are mostly 5s with a few 1s and 2s thrown in. I want to read it for myself. Find out why people rated it what the did and find out if I concur. I understand why the people rated it a 1-2 did, but seriously that was the stupidest thing I have read. The entire POINT of the story was that the character wasn't fully mentally present!

Book #23: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

A few years ago (2012) I got a Kindle from a friend. He got a new one and no longer wanted the one he had. He passed it on to me. The Help was on it, but the Kindle crashed before I had a chance to read it and as I never actually bought it there was nothing I could do. It was gone. I bought this copy so I can finally make it beyond chapter 1. I also love the cover design of the hardcover copy of this book.

Book #24: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

A friend, Miri, lent me her copy of this book, and while I love her to pieces, it was just too thick. I don't mind mass market paperbacks. Really. However, I cannot be carrying around something that I can't even open properly. I picked up the hardcover because, while still small, the font is larger. I've already started it, though I assume it will take me a while to get through.

Book #25: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

I have a hazy memory of someone telling me that this was a good book. I'm not sure if they know the book is actually her memoir? It still looks really interesting since it opens with her watching her mother dumpster diving in New York. What? I can't wait. It looks so good.

Book #26: Mordred's Curse by Ian McDowell

I love Arthurian legend and what better than a book told by Mordred himself? I wanted to know how Mordred would handle talking about his father. It looks really interesting. Boy I say that a lot. Anyway, I thought it would be a book that I would enjoy because I do like historical fiction novels. Yay! This looked really good and I wanted it so very much. I think that I'm going to like it regardless of the fact that I don't really read Arthurian legend. I had a few books that I got rid of because they were roughly numbers 8-14 of series where you can't just jump in wherever you want. You have to read from the beginning or you won't get it. Thankfully for me, this one is the first!

Book #27: The Complete Prophecies of Nostradamus trans. by Henry C. Roberts

I've checked this out from the library several times and never actually read it. Every time I would try, my cat would lay down right in the middle. Every. Single. Time. Now I can really just take my time with it and not have to worry about having to return it. I am always interested in weird things normally passed up, so this book speaks to me. I always watch the Prophecies of Nostradamus shows on the History channel and now that I have my own copy of this book, I'm very excited. I love reading them and seeing what they thought he meant by what would happen and their frantic scramble to lock us into various prophecies that haven't come to pass yet that we know of. The future is like a beach, each prophecy is a single grain of sand....anything could happen. Any vision is only a possible future as each decision you make changes the outcome. You would have to make a very specific set of decisions to reach any seen future, so these are just fun to look at for me.

Book #28: Blood Ambush by Sheila Johnson

Not much of a description, huh? I watch a lot of Investigation Discovery. I mean a lot. I remember watching one of the many shows that run, probably 20/20 on ID, and watching the story of Darlene Roberts. I'm curious to see how it does as a book. It has an average star rating of 2.83, so clearly there is no love lost here. It makes me wonder about the way other cases may have been presented. This is the sort of show that I watch when I can actually bother to watch television in the first place. I have no idea what it will be like seeing it all in print, but I'm looking forward to it. 

Book #29: Wild Heart: A Life by Suzanne Rodriguez

I suppose I'm technically borrowing this because I don't own it. I'm borrowing it from my uncle. No idea where he got it. It just showed up. I was really intrigued because of the content. It's a biography of Natalie Clifford Barney and how she moved to Paris. She is one of the most renown lesbian writers of her time. I even considered changing my TBR to fit this one in right away.

Book #30: Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevy

My uncle (from #29) and I rarely agree on anything. Especially when it comes to television. He likes a bunch of stuff that's humiliating or hurtful and I just...I can't. However! We stumbled across Hemlock Grove on Netflix and we both fell in love with it. I got even more excited when I found out it was based on a book. I saw it for $4.99 on BookOutlet and had to have it. There are werewolves, witches, and other paranormal beasties that make this perfect for an October read!

Book #31: Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz

All of my friends know I'm crazy about Sherlock Holmes...my dad even bought me something that wasn't on my wishlist because it was Sherlock and I had been raving about it. So when I saw this, I got very excited. I'm not sure if it's actually part of a series or not because it's listed as number two, but it doesn't appear to be remotely related to the first one. I'll find out! This one looks so pretty too!

Book #32: The Ghost Brush by Katherine Govier

Japan. Historical Japan. I am obsessed with Japan. I adore the culture and this book looked so cute. I can't say no to an adorable book about Japan. This one just struck my fancy as it's a story about a famous print maker's daughter being told by her. I can't wait to see how she does with Edo (now known as Tokyo) and it's surroundings. 

Book #33: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

I've been seeing this book pop up everywhere. It was really popular a few years ago when it came out, then again when the Infernal Devices came out, then a third time with the movie/television show. And now finally with the release of the first book in the Dark Artifices series. I finally decided to buy myself the first book in the overall series to see how I liked it. I'll pick up more if I like them.

Book #34: Under My Skin by Charles de Lindt

I have no idea what this is even about. Shifters I think. I bought it because it was cheap and I liked the cover. I recognized the author's name. I have another book he wrote (that's signed!). I have to admit this was totally a cover buy. It's a YA that looks really funny. 

Book #35: A Reader's Book of Days by Tom Nissley

Totally thought this was going to be something else entirely. One of those devotional things. Not so much. I mean, it is, but it isn't? It has a few really cool thing and I want to grab it to read in 2017 before it went out of stock. I really like the design and I've always wanted a daily book thing.

Book #36: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson 

People have been saying all sorts of things about this book. I've heard it's good. I've heard it's bad. I've heard its somewhere in between. I have no idea which one it actually is. Here's to reading it myself and finding out what I think of it and where it falls on the great vs terrible debate.

Book #37: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

A futuristic dystopian retelling of Cinderella. How could I say no to that? Seriously? I am excited to read it and start my journey down the road of keeping up with what's popular and trending (almost). Everybody lost their minds for this one as well as quite a few others that were back in the haul or in other hauls. I need to know why people think these are so good. I need to!

Book #38: Horns by Joe Hill

This is just me turning into my mother. She's a huge Stephen King fan, and as everybody now knows....Stephen King is Joe Hill's father. He announced it. I have also seen this movie already and absolutely adored it. I loved the story it told and I cannot wait. It's so freakin' cute. So yeah. I grabbed it cheap when it was on BookOutlet.

Book #39: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Be careful whom you trust! A few months ago this book made the rounds on the big name BookTube channels. I put it right on my wishlist because it would be the perfect book to read late one cold December night. You know know when the urge to read books will strike though, so I could read it in October. I don't know.

Book #40: Nightfall Over Shanghai by Daniel Kalla

This was totally a cover buy. It's the third in a series, so I do have to buy the first two (The Far Side of the Sky and Rising Sun, Falling Shadow) and read them first before this one or I'm sure it won't actually make any sense! I'm currently obsessed with WWII, Japan, Germany...and things that somehow relate to it. They are in my next cart for BookOutlet. I'll definitely get The Far Side of the Sky but I might have to wait for Rising Sun, Falling Shadow since they only have one! Anyway, this looks fantastic and I can't wait.

Book #41: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

I know what this book is about. I've known for quite a long time, so you don't need to warn me or anything. I got this. I heard about it back in high school during English class (if you couldn't already guess, that was my favorite, followed closely by Fine Arts). This has been on my Books to Buy list for quite a long time and I am excited that I found it for $1 at the library. It's the pretty 1955 hard bound edition with the little ribbon and it just looks perfect for my leather classics shelf. Yay for pretty books!

Book #42: The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright

I remember holding this in my hands many weeks ago. I can't find a copy of it in my room at a quick glance so I guess that means I never got it. I can look better later. It looked really interesting and I have been enjoying books like this lately.

Book #43: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

I was told that "if you loved Gillan Flynn's Gone Girl then you'll love this book!" I've never actually read Gone Girl. I listened to half of it, and at the same time learned that I cannot do audiobooks. Within seconds I forget what I heard. I saw this one at the library sale nearly brand new for only $1 and I just had to grab it and give it a go. Yeah!

Book #44: Eldest by Christopher 

Okay. So when I got this...I was like "I don't know if this is number two or number three and I don't care either!" I already had the first one, and I knew that this was not number four on the list. That one is Inheritance and green. I couldn't remember if Brisingr (black cover) was #2 or #3. Turns out that it's #3 and I managed to actually get #2. Wooo! My friend Kae and I love dragons and I've been wanting to get my hands on this book series for a very long time. Hopefully I can soon get the others in the same edition and complete my collection.

Book #45: The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

This is one I'm borrowing from a friend. She had lent me The Bone Season a few weeks ago by the same author and if you saw my Goodreads review of this, you'll understand why I absolutely lost my mind when she told me she had the second one and would lend it to me to read. I got it and actually did squeal loudly. This one is the second volume and the third is set to come out sometime this year I think. I don't remember.

Book #46: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir 

Same friend from book #45 lent me this one. She asked if I'd read it and I was like "No, but I want to." She gave me this to read at the same time she gave me The Mime Order. I have no idea what it's actually about, but it just looks so pretty and I need to read it and maybe even buy a copy for myself to have it on my shelf to just be pretty (and if I want to re-read it).

Book #47: Fallen by Lauren Kate

This one is actually a library book! I know, right? I don't usually put library books up here. My library FINALLY opened to the public on 8/22 and we went up on 8/25 to check it out. I proceeded to borrow (I got yelled out for saying "rent") three books from there. I've finished this one already and it's in my August Wrap-Up post (previous to this one). I'd seen it before and the cover piqued my interest. I'm definitely picking up Torment the next time I'm up there and can check books out.

Book #48: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Yep. Two Laurens in a row. This is my second library book. I saw this one around the same time I'd seen Fallen and the last in this trilogy, Requiem. The premise was very intriguing. I couldn't believe that they would think that. I had to read it and find out what in the world made them decide that love of all things was a dangerous disease. Can emotions even be diseases? Is that possible? I will be picking up Pandemonium next library trip!

Book #49: The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

Many years ago for Christmas, my dad bought me this terribly expensive (to me), set of leatherbound classics that were all Charles Dickens books. It was the Dalmation Press Classics Library six volume set. There were many that were not included in it, and this was one of them. I saw it at the library and just jumped on it. I try to limit myself to three or fewer books every time I go, so I wound up only getting this as the very last one for this trip because I know me...and I know that I won't be able to read more than three books in three weeks. If I finish them I can go up early and return them! I love classics and this one just looked right up my alley!

August 2016 Wrap Up

Hello my loves. I did a lot of shopping this month and not so much reading. Ooops? I bought um...~51 books (I have to count them and some aren't arriving until September). Anyway....I read 4 books this month.

Book #1: The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Adventure Begins. Narnia... where Talking Beasts walk... where a Witch waits... where a new world is about to be born. On a daring quest to save a life, two friends are hurled into another world, where an evil sorceress seeks to enslave them. But then the lion Aslan's song weaves itself into the fabric of a new land, a land that will be known as Narnia. And in Narnia, all things are possible....

This was the second-to-last book we read for the buddy read of the Chronicles of Narnia. I rated this one a 5/5 because I enjoyed the story immensely. I think it's interesting that they ended up screwing themselves when they let Jadis escape in Narnia. But then, how were they to know what she would do? The scenes during the birth of Narnia itself were absolutely amazing and I couldn't have wanted anything more from a book. I liked it. 

Book #2: The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

The last battle is the greatest battle of all. Narnia... where lies breed fear... where loyalty is tested... where all hope seems lost. During the last days of Narnia, the land faces its fiercest challenge - not an invader from without but an enemy from within. Lies and treachery have taken root, and only the king and a small band of loyal followers can prevent the destruction of all they hold dear in this, the magnificent ending to the Chronicles of Narnia.

Unfortunately (more for the book than me) this one only got 3/5 stars. I just, I didn't like it. It seemed almost unnecessary to even have it. I'm sure if it weren't for Mr. Lewis's salvation theory working it's way in, this book would not have even existed in the series. It was just him wrapping it up fully and telling the readers that he believed everybody went to heaven when the died. Yeah. Spoiler warning for anybody who didn't read it: the kids all die. Why did we need that in a children's book series? Why? I can understand why of all the books, this one would never end up as a movie. No one would bring their kids to see it. I'm pretty sure I'm never going to read this again now. 

Book #3: Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen R. Donaldson

He called himself Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever because he dared not believe in the strange alternate world in which he suddenly found himself. Yet the Land tempted him. He had been sick; now he seemed better than ever before. Through no fault of his own, he had been outcast, unclean, a pariah. Now he was regarded as a reincarnation of the Land's greatest hero--Berek Halfhand--armed with the mystic power of White Gold. That power alone could protect the Lords of the Land from the ancient evil of Despiser, Lord Foul. Only...Covenant had no idea of how the power could be used! Thus begins one of the most remarkable epic fantasies ever written...

This is the only book I read this month that I also bought this month. Miri and I went to a bookstore and I know she loves sci-fi and fantasy so we went to that section and I gestured saying, "What do you suggest I read from this area?" and she gave me this with the note that it's like Lord of the Rings only the protagonist is a snarky leper. Well....she wasn't wrong. I rated this book 5/5 because it's funny and witty. Yes, he's snarky. He also has (what at the time) an incurable disease! He's kind of entitled to be afraid of where he is, to not want to believe it could be real. I think it's well written and I'm very excited to get to the rest of the series. I do own them, I just haven't picked them up yet!

Book #4: Fallen by Lauren Kate

What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours? 17-year-old Lucinda falls in love with a gorgeous, intelligent boy, Daniel, at her new school, the grim, foreboding Sword & Cross...only to find out that Daniel is a fallen angel, and that they have spent lifetimes finding and losing one another as good & evil forces plot to keep them apart. Get ready to fall...

I checked this book out from my local library now that they've FINALLY reopened to the public (I've been waiting for more than a year. They moved to a new building and had to do a complete overhaul to get ready!). I rated this book a 5/5 stars because though I could see the twist coming, it was still really enjoyable to watch it unfold for Luce. Only someone who was barely skimming the pages wouldn't have caught on to him being an angel. Some of the others surprised me, then I was taken back to reading the Sweep series because I think the main antagonist in that one shares his name with the one in the Fallen series. I liked how Luce was incredibly confused about all of it. I will definitely be picking up Torment next time I go up to the library.