Book Haul #74

Last updated on 10 November 2021

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The best way to kick off a new month is with a book haul!

You can quote me on that.

And fight me.

Because featuring a book haul at the start of the month is a great way to ensure the month will be good. Or something. Just go with it.

In the last few months, I’ve managed to score quite the number of books. These are a mixture of books which I have received from the wonderful publishing companies I work with, some from Christmas and some from my birthday. I even splashed out and bought some books while I was on holiday so I could finish my Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2020.

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

“International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.” So looking forward to reading the latest from Angie Thomas. I really enjoyed The Hate U Give and also On The Come Up. Concrete Rose follows one of the characters in The Hate U Give and has just been released in January 2021. Note this is a proof cover.

Challenge Deep by Neal Shusterman

Being a big fan of Neal Shusterman, it’s amazing that I had never read Challenge Deep before. But when there was a reprint of the 2015 novel, I knew it was my time. Thanks to Walker Books, I was able to get my hands on a copy at the end of 2020. Did I love it? Not really, unfortunately, but I am glad that I read it. If you’re after a Neal Shusterman book, then my suggestion would be Scythe, for sure.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

“Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.

Long ago, Lore Perseos fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.”

It was exactly as awesome as it sounds like would be. Check out my review of Lore here.

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

“With spellbinding lyricism, award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam tell a moving and deeply profound story about how one boy is able to maintain his humanity and fight for the truth, in a system designed to strip him of both.” While I haven’t read Punching the Air yet, it sounds so good and I’ve heard great things about the book. Thanks to HarperCollins NZ for this review copy.

The Cousins by Karen M McManus

The Cousins was your classic Karen M McManus novel: short, sweet, murder-infested and mysterious. It was easy to read, easy to digest, and easy to figure out what the secrets were before most of the main characters. Read the full review here.

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M McManus

While I didn’t enjoy Two Can Keep a Secret as much as One of Us is Lying or One of Us is Next, it was still a great read, and if you’ve enjoyed McManus’ stories in the past, then be sure to pick up Two Can Keep a Secret. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a masterpiece. I expected nothing less from VE Schwab. Schwab is a formidable writer and storyteller. She weaves Addie’s story (a tale that has been forming in Schwab’s head for a decade or so) with art and music and literature, with friendship and love, with connection and thought-provoking lines and ideas. Read the full review if The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue here.

Ickabog by JK Rowling

Rowling started writing this story a long time and read it to her kids a chapter a night. But when she got busy with other books, Ickabog went into the attic. Until COVID-19 hit and she dusted it off and started posting it online for children to read. There was a competition to illustrate the book, so when it was time to publish into a physical book, it was ready with images drawn by children all over the world. You can check out the website here: Ickabog.

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black

Finally, we’re swept back into the land of the Folk of the Air Series, as Holly Black, queen of Faeries, brings us short stories in How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories. This is a beautiful collection of illustrated stories from the land of Elfhame.

Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin

The second in the Serpent & Dove series by Shelby Mahurin. I really enjoyed Serpent & Dove, so when I received a voucher for Christmas I knew what I was getting my hands on!

House of Dragons by Jessica Cluess

If you’re into Young Adult, Fantasy, dragons, and a bit of Hunger-Games-esque trails, then House of Dragons is going to be the book for you. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and despite my ambivalence to the characters, I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series, War of Dragons.

Have you had a book haul recently?

Let me know below and be sure to let me know if you’ve read any of these!