So after a pretty frugal January I thought I would treat myself to a few new books this month. And by a few I mean 31…
My first mini book haul came from the unlikely place of my weekly grocery shop. Those ‘two books for seven pound’ deals are just too good to pass up! And the spines just look so aesthetically pleasing, when lined up next to each other.
‘Wonder’ by R.J. Palacio
Available in the UK and the US
Contemporary seems to be my new favourite genre, and I have seen this one has been floating about everywhere! The focus on a marginalised minority promises all of the heartbreaking feels.
‘Frozen Charlotte’ by Alex Bell
Available in the UK and the US
I honestly know nothing about this other than it is a young adult horror, and it is another book I have seen frequently talked about online.
‘When Breath Becomes Air’ by Paul Kalanithi
Available in the UK and the US
This non-fiction chronicles the life of a surgeon-cum-patient, after the discovery of a life-threatening illness.
‘The Muse’ by Jessie Burton
Available in the UK and the US
Another purchase I know woefully little about! I bought Burton’s debut release ‘The Miniaturist’ last year, and despite it still being unread I felt like I needed her newest release to complete my collection.
I also received an exciting amount of surprise book mail this month!
‘Countless’ by Karen Gergory
Available in the UK and the US
I was kindly sent this arc to review, and I could not be more delighted. So delighted, in fact, that I started reading it an hour after it arrived in the post. The focus of a pregnant teen with an eating disorder sounded too captivating and poignant not to!
‘Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee’ by Mary G. Thompson
Available in the UK and the US
I was also kindly sent this beautiful book for review. This young adult read has a thrilling, dark and triggering subject matter, and I am intrigued to see how the two worlds will collide.
‘Letters to the Lost’ by Brigid Kemmerer
Available in the UK and the US
This sounds like a poignant and harrowing contemporary about a young girl writing letters to her deceased mother. This one promises all the feels.
‘The Hate U Give’ by Angie Thomas
Available in the UK and the US
This was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, and that’s all I needed to know about it. It is also being adapted for the big screen and is set to star Amandla Stenberg (who played the beloved Rue in the Hunger Games movie).
‘Because You’ll Never Meet Me’ and ‘Nowhere Near You’ by Leah Thomas
Available in the UK and the US
Hard-hitting contemporary YA, with a focus on marginalised characters, is my new favourite genre. For that reason I am excited to dive into this beautiful duology.
Friends are nice, but friends who have books to donate to your cause of collecting a larger volume of books than you could ever hope to read in your lifetime, are nicer. I have no definite idea of when I will get to the following four high fantasy volumes, but I sure am glad to own them!
‘The Magician’s Guild’ by Trudi Canavan
Available in the UK and the US
I know nothing about this title or this author, but the synopsis sells this as a rural, high fantasy – my favourite genre!
‘Spellwright’ by Blake Charlton 
Available in the UK and the US
This was an especially exciting addition to my shelves, as it fits with my 2017 goal for reading more diversely. This features a dyslexic protagonist charged with the task of creating spells. Exciting!
‘The Dragonbone Chair’ and ‘The Stone of Farewell’ by Tad Williams
Available in the UK and the US
These are the first two instalments in the renowned author’s Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. I know nothing about them beyond the intriguing titles and covers, that reminds me of Game of Thrones.
Amazon’s free shipping when you spend over £10 is just too good to resist. So good, in fact, that I ended up adding the three following books to my order. Penguin’s Little Black Classics range features over eighty short stories and novellas by famous classic writers and most are priced at just 80p. It is the perfect way to decide if a certain author is for you or to complete your collection of your favourite authors work, like I did.
‘Goblin Market’ by Cristina Rosetti
Available in the UK and the US
I read this haunting Gothic poem for a University course and it quickly became, and stayed, my favourite poem. It is so nice to finally own a copy of it in physical rather than digital format
‘The Night is Darkening Round Me’ by Emily Bronte
Available in the UK and the US
I don’t know why it has taken me so long to own this when it was penned by the author of my favourite book, Wuthering Heights!
‘The Beautifull Cassandra’ by Jane Austen
Available in the UK and the US
I own everything else by the renowned Austen and this was the last title to complete my collection.
If you’re a book lover who is not aware of Goodreads: what are you doing with your life? If you’re on Goodreads and not a part of YA Buddy Reader’s Group: WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE? The two moderators, Sarah and Abbie, run monthly themed group challenges with ebook prized distributed for the winners. I received the four following books as a winner of their January challenge. Go me!
‘The Winner’s Curse’ and ‘The Winner’s Crime’ by Marie Rutkoski
Available in the UK and the US
These are the first two books in the Winner’s trilogy. This young adult series has a focus on magic and romance and has recieved rave online reviews.
‘The Kiss of Deception’ and ‘The Heart of Betrayal’ by Mary E. Pearson
Available in the UK and the US
These are the first two instalments in the Remanant Chronicles trilogy. These fat young adult fantasies sound like they will deliver the perfect other world to get lost in.
I received the next set of exciting titles from NetGalley. This site delivers digital arcs (advanced reader copies) to book lovers across the globe in exchange for honest reviews. I was honoured to be granted the follows books:
‘Sea’ by Sarah Driver 
Available in the UK and the US
I was honestly sold by this intriguing cover and auto-clicked before even reading the synopsis. On receiving this I discovered it was about a female pirate and knew I had made the right decision!
‘The Creative Spark’ by Agustin Fuentes
Available in the UK and the US
I had initially assumed, from the title, that this was a book about the arts when in actuality it is “a bold new synthesis of paleontology, archaeology, genetics, and anthropology that overturns misconceptions about race, war and peace, and human nature itself, answering an age-old question: What made humans so exceptional among all the species on Earth?” Interesting.
‘The Doll Funeral’ by Kate Hamer 
Available in the UK and the US
Because you can never have enough thrillers in your life, especially when they come with as gorgeous a cover and an intriguing a title as this one does.
‘Close Your Eyes’ by Nicci Cloke
Available in the UK and the US
This story about a high-school shooting sound emotional and intriguing. Told through the interesting format of interviews and online messages this promises to deliver something exciting and different
‘Antisocial’ by Jillian Blake
https://twitter.com/danniiellereads/status/829082282908667904
Available in the UK and the US
Possibly my most exciting request. This was described as Pretty Little Liars meets Wikileaks. Can I get a hell yeah!?
‘Sometimes I Lie’ by Alice Feeney
Available in the UK and not yet available in the US
I seem to request far too many thrillers on NetGalley so I am trying to reduce how many I request each month. However, the short but sweet synopsis for this just screamed ‘please read me’:
My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:
1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.
‘Stolen Futures: The Complete Trilogy’ by Cat Lyons 
Available in the UK and the US
I honestly know nothing about this other than it was a complete science fiction trilogy with The Wizard of Oz vibes and I was down for binge reading it.
‘The White Hare’ by Michael Fishwick
Available in the UK and the US
The synopsis of this coming-of-age tale gave me immediate fantastical and eerie vibes, which the intriguing cover and title heightened.
‘Raising Royalty’ by Carolyn Harris 
Available in the UK and the US
This details how the royals raise their young and spans 1,000 years and almost every continent. I requested this for research purposes for a book I am writing, that features a princess from a fantastical realm. I’m also quite nosy and this sounded like a fun read.
‘The Complete King Arthur’ by John Matthews and Caitlín Matthews
Available in the UK and the US
Looks like I have been on a non-fiction requesting kick this month…
So, of these 31 I only actually purchased 7, myself. These odds seem in my favour and make my less guilty about all the book buying I am anticipating doing in March!
What book shopping did you do this month? See any similar titles on the list? Let us know in the comment section, down below.
