London Bookshop Vlog and Book Haul

On March 7, 2023 By Beth JonesIn Book HaulLeave a comment

Hi everyone! I recently visited London so I thought I’d include my London Bookshop Vlog here where I visited Daunt Books for the first time, which was so cool. Daunt Books has a ‘travel bias’, meaning a good portion of the shop is organised by place – for example, countries have separate shelves and these sections include travel books, non-fiction and fiction.

You can find my bookshop vlog below, and my haul further down the post.

These are the books I got in London and a few others!

Storygraph | Bookshop.org

Two friends meet across three dinners.
In the back room of a pet shop, they snack on dried shrimps and discuss fish-breeding. In a remote new home in the mountains, they look for a solution to a weasel infestation. During a dinner party in a blizzard, a mounting claustrophobia makes way for uneasy dreams. Their conversations often take them in surprising directions, but when one of the men becomes a father, more and more is left unsaid.
With emotional acuity and a wry humour, Weasels In The Attic is an uncanny and striking reflection on fertility, masculinity, and marriage in contemporary Japan.

I asked my boyfriend Mark to choose a book from Daunt for me to help me decide what to buy, as I like having a book as a souvenir when I visit a new shop or place. I knew I wanted one from the Japan section, so I gave him a few options, but just before we headed out he spotted the above book. It’s a short, 70ish page novella and I’m excited to check it out.

Storygraph | Bookshop.org

Take a story and shrink it. Make it tiny, so small it can fit in the palm of your hand. Carry the story with you everywhere, let it sit with you while you eat, let it watch you while you sleep. Keep it safe, you never know when you might need it. In Kawakami’s super short ‘palm of the hand’ stories the world is never quite as it should be: a small child lives under a sheet near his neighbour’s house for thirty years; an apartment block leaves its visitors with strange afflictions, from fast-growing beards to an ability to channel the voices of the dead; an old man has two shadows, one docile, the other rebellious; two girls named Yoko are locked in a bitter rivalry to the death. Small but great, you’ll find great delight spending time with the people in this neighbourhood.

This is one of the books I asked Mark to pick from, and I’ve wanted to read it ever since I saw it in Foyles Charing Cross Road a few years ago! Mark actually bought me both of these, thank you 🙂

Storygraph | Bookshop.org

In the aftermath of tragedy, it’s strange the things you remember.
The deafening boom as the house exploded.
The paralyzing fear as I searched for my wife.
The blinding smoke burning my eyes as I carried her out.
But carved into my soul for the rest of my days would be the earth-shattering realization that the woman in my arms wasn’t my wife.
Bree and I were the only survivors—not that either of us were truly living after that night. As a single dad with nowhere else to go, I moved into her guest house. And somehow, through the guilt and grief, we forged an unlikely team.
It took years, but I watched the gradual return of her smile—slow and life-altering. The two of us could sit outside for hours, talking about nothing, and it filled the massive hole in my chest with new life.
I may have carried her out of that fire, but the truth was, Bree saved me.
As we healed, the secrets and lies of the past smoldered in the ashes, threatening to ignite again.
Our love was born from the embers, and together we would go up in flames.

The day after we got home from London, I visited the bookshop I used to work in to pick up a few things, including From the Embers by Aly Martinez, which was sent to me from the publisher. Thank you, Hachette!

Storygraph | Bookshop.org

I also decided to buy a standard hardback of Chain of Thorns to round off my Last Hours trilogy! I now have the hardback rune editions and standard editions. I’m sure it’ll be a while still before I pick these up, but I’m glad to have them.

What have you purchased or received recently?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/thebooksareverywhere

Book Haul #1 | Recent books I’ve received from publishers

On September 17, 2022September 16, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book HaulLeave a comment

Hi all and welcome to a new segment of the blog! I used to take part in Stacking the Shelves, wrapping up the books I received and bought during the week on the weekends, but I’ve decided to start a new series where I share book hauls whenever I choose to.

For the first issue of this series, I’m thanking a few publishers that have provided me with some wonderful advanced copies of books I’m super excited for in the next few months!

Goodreads | Bookshop.org

On the outskirts of Tokyo, in a neighbourhood crossed by a commuter railway, local cats weave their way through the lives and homes of their owners as they navigate difficult times.
A cat named Chobi sends silent messages of courage to a young woman, willing her to end a faltering relationship; a gifted artist fatally misunderstands her boss’s enthusiasm for her paintings; a manga fan shuts herself away after the traumatic death of her friend, while her cat Cookie hatches a plan to persuade her outside; a woman who has dedicated her life to a distant husband learns a lesson in independence from her cat.
Against the urban backdrop of humming trains and private woes, SHE AND HER CAT explores the gentle magic of the everyday. Populated by both the friendly and the feral, it reveals – with heartstopping clarity and warmth – how even in our darkest moments, community and connection may lead us to a happier place.

Firstly, Penguin sent me a copy of Makoto Shinkai’s newest release, She and Her Cat, which is based on Shinkai’s first animated work from 1999. I’m a big fan of Shinkai’s more recent work (especially Your Name), so you can only imagine how excited I was to receive this!

Goodreads | Bookshop.org

Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favourite teacher. The case was never solved, but she’s sure that the three kids who found Mr. Larkin’s body know more than they’re telling, especially her ex-best friend Tripp Talbot. He’s definitely hiding something.
When Brynn gets an internship working on a popular true-crime show, she decides to investigate what really happened that day in the woods. But the further she dives into the past, the more secrets she finds.
Four years ago someone got away with murder. Now it’s time to uncover the truth . . .

Also from Penguin, I received a copy of Nothing More to Tell, which is Karen M McManus’s latest release! She’s definitely the queen of YA thrillers and this is the only book by her I haven’t read yet.

Goodreads | Bookshop.org

Three months after Fang Fest, Mina’s settling into her new life.
Despite the teething problems in her relationship with Jared, she has her sister back, new friends and a part-time job to die for.
Over Halloween, Mina and the gang have planned a spooky week of Gothic restaurants, horror movies, ghostly tours, creepy carnivals and a costume ball.
But the fun doesn’t last. Mina is on work experience with Detective Cafferty while the police are investigating a savage masked killer and a rise in suspicious ‘animal attacks’.
During her own investigations, Mina discovers a mysterious group of slayers, who are battling to control the rogue vampires.
The threats circle closer as Mina spends her days with the police and nights with the slayers.
Will she and her friends survive Halloween without being staked, stabbed or bitten?

The lovely people at Uclan publishing sent me a copy of Mina and the Slayers, the sequel to Mina and the Undead, which I read recently and really enjoyed! I’m hoping to dive into this one soon and continue the series.

Goodreads | Bookshop.org

Lari Ramires has always known this to be true. In Olinda, Brazil, her family’s bakery, Salt, has been at war with the Molinas’ bakery across the street, Sugar, for generations. But Lari’s world turns upside down when her beloved grandmother passes away. On top of that, a big supermarket chain has moved to town, forcing many of the small businesses to close.
Determined to protect her home, Lari does the unthinkable—she works together with Pedro Molina to save both of their bakeries. Lari realizes she might not know Pedro as well as she thought—and she maybe even likes what she learns—but the question remains: Can a Ramires and a Molina truly trust one another?

The lovely El at Harper Insider (a section of Harper Collins for Waterstones booksellers), sent me a parcel of proofs, including this one. I’m a keen baker and this one sounds so good – I always love books that focus on food!

Goodreads | Bookshop.org

Alice Sun has always felt invisible at her elite Beijing international boarding school, where she’s the only scholarship student among China’s most rich and influential teens. But then she starts uncontrollably turning invisible—actually invisible.
When her parents drop the news that they can no longer afford her tuition, even with the scholarship, Alice hatches a plan to monetize her strange new power—she’ll discover the scandalous secrets her classmates want to know, for a price.
But as the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual crimes, Alice must decide if it’s worth losing her conscience—or even her life.

I’ve been seeing this one around a lot so I was super excited to receive my own copy – how beautiful is that cover as well?!

Goodreads | Bookshop.org

Kelly Quindlen meets Casey McQuiston in this sapphic Jewish twist on the classic Christmas enemies-to-lovers rom-com, as college freshman Shani’s internship is interrupted by a whirlwind winter fling.
It all starts when Shani runs into May. Like, literally. With her mom’s Subaru.
Attempted vehicular manslaughter was not part of Shani’s plan. She was supposed to be focusing on her monthlong paleoichthyology internship. She was going to spend all her time thinking about dead fish and not at all about how she was unceremoniously dumped days before winter break.
It could be going better.
But when a dog-walking gig puts her back in May’s path, the fossils she’s meant to be diligently studying are pushed to the side—along with the breakup.
Then they’re snowed in together on Christmas Eve. As things start to feel more serious, though, Shani’s hurt over her ex-girlfriend’s rejection comes rushing back. Is she ready to try a committed relationship again, or is she okay with this just being a passing winter fling?

I love a cozy Christmas romance, and I always like having one on hand for winter. This one looks so cute, and I love the cover!

Goodreads | Bookshop.org

Falling for a superhero is dangerous. You have to trust that they’ll catch you.
Astrid isn’t a superhero, not like the ones she sees on the news, but she has something she thinks of as a small superpower: she has a perfect sense of time. And she’s not going to waste a single second.
Her plan for college is clear—friends, classes, and extracurriculars all carefully selected to get her into medical school.
Until Max Martin, a nerdy boy from her high school, crashes back into her life. Things with Max were never simple, and he doesn’t keep to her schedule. He disappears in the middle of dates and cancels at the last minute with stupid excuses.
When a supervillain breaks into her bedroom one night, Astrid has to face the facts: her boyfriend, Max Martin, is a superhero. Double-majoring as a premed was hard, but now Astrid will have to balance a double life. This wasn’t part of her plan.

Lastly from Harper, I’ve also been seeing this one all over social media and it looks so cool! I love the cover, the title, and the concept sounds pretty cool too.

Goodreads | Bookshop.org

Not every love is meant to be.
After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she’ll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.
But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.
Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can. . . .

I forgot to take a picture of this final book in the stack, but it definitely deserves a mention because I was so, so excited to receive a proof copy and I never expected to get one! You can see in the picture below how excited I was.

I love Stephanie Garber’s writing and Caraval is one of my favourite books. I really loved the first in this spin-off series when it came out last year, and I can’t wait to continue!

That’s all the books I’ve received from publishers in the past few weeks – thank you so much everyone! What did you buy or receive recently?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Stacking the Shelves #81

On May 7, 2022May 6, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Stacking the ShelvesLeave a comment

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!

Hi everyone! I bought a couple of books this week, but they were both really special ones I’m super excited about.

Goodreads | Alibris

Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.
Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.
And Sam picks up the phone.
In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.

I’ve wanted to read this one for a while and I love the hardback version, which has flowers under the dust jacket. I hunted around and managed to find a reasonably priced one at Alibris (linked above) which arrived a few days ago and is very pretty!