July Book Haul.

“People who are strangers to liquor are incapable of talking about literature.” – Mo Yan.

By the end of the month I have usually bought many books. As a result of this, I have decided that at the end of every month from now on I am going to do a big book haul post in which I will show you all of the books I have bought within the month.

I have never been one to buy in bulk loads all at once. Instead I buy one or two at a time throughout the month, sometimes once or twice a week. In the first two weeks of July I bought four new books:

• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.
• Clariel by Garth Nix.
• Dream a little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher.
• Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins:

“You don’t know her. But she knows you.”

This book was only published this year and from the second I set my sights on it in Waterstones when it was first released I knew I wanted it. I finally bought it at the beginning of the month and can’t wait to read it; however, I have so many books I want to read and have planned for this summer that for the time being this book is low priority.

The book is a psychological thriller which is honestly one of my favourite genres because I love the experience of reading them. I love it when you hit the climax in a book and you physically cannot tear your eyes away and you are reading the words so fast to uncover what is happening that it’s as if you’re skim reading even though you are taking in every. Single. Word.

Here is the synopsis of The Girl on the Train, taken from Goodreads:

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

Clariel by Garth Nix:

This is Nix’s latest release and it is a prequel to his Abhorsen trilogy. I have not yet read all of the the books in this series (Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen), but I am hoping to buy them all soon to read first. I only bought this book first because it was apart of the “buy one get one half price” offer in Waterstones. Below is the synopsis from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Clariel is not adjusting well to her new life in the city of Belisaere, the capital of the Old Kingdom. She misses roaming freely within the forests of Estwael, and she feels trapped within the stone city walls. And in Belisaere she is forced to follow the plans, plots and demands of everyone, from her parents to her maid, to the sinister Guildmaster Kilp. Clariel can see her freedom slipping away. It seems too that the city itself is descending into chaos, as the ancient rules binding Abhorsen, King and Clayr appear to be disintegrating.

With the discovery of a dangerous Free Magic creature loose in the city, Clariel is given the chance both to prove her worth and make her escape. But events spin rapidly out of control. Clariel finds herself more trapped than ever, until help comes from an unlikely source. But the help comes at a terrible cost. Clariel must question the motivations and secret hearts of everyone around her – and it is herself she must question most of all.

Dream a little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher:

This is the third book by Giovanna Fletcher. I have read Billy and Me and loved it, so I look forward to reading this book. Unlike the previous two books in this haul, this is a romance novel (it’s good to have a little variety, right?) so it’ll be a nice way to mix things up a bit. The Goodreads synopsis says:

Sarah is doing just fine. Sure she’s been single for the last five years, and has to spend an uncomfortable amount of time around her ex-boyfriend, his perfect new girlfriend and all their mutual friends. And yes, her job as a PA to one of the most disgusting men in London is mind-numbingly tedious and her career is a constant disappointment to her mother. But it’s really okay. She’s happy (ish).

But it’s not surprising that when Sarah starts dreaming about a handsome stranger, she begins to look forward to falling asleep every night. Reality isn’t nearly as exciting. That is until her dream-stranger makes an unexpected real-life appearance, leaving Sarah questioning everything she thought she wanted.

Because no one ever really finds the person of their dreams… do they?

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard:

“Power is a dangerous game.”

This book is one in which I was intrigued by the cover with the crown and the dripping blood. Reading the blurb, the division of a world into “Red” and “Silver” reminded me slightly of Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, a book I had read when I was younger. Reading on I noticed that this book is very different, but that slight similarity made me think that it’s something I would enjoy. Plus, this is a fantasy, young adult book so I thought that this book would be ideal for me. Furthermore, this is a book I have seen other people discussing and enjoying.

The synopsis on Goodreads says:

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

At the beginning of the third week of July I bought two more books (hey, they were buy one get one half price!):

• You’re the One That I Want by Giovanna Fletcher.
• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

You’re the One That I Want by Giovanna Fletcher:

I am so happy to finally own this book. Despite it being a new purchase I think I shall have to bump it up in my reading list to ensure that I read it before Dream a little Dream. It just seems like the right thing to do.

Goodreads synopsis:

Maddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob – the man she’s about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben – best man and the best friend any two people ever had.

And that’s the problem.

Because if it wasn’t Rob waiting for her at the altar, there’s a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself, but if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? And would he be right?

Best friends since childhood, Maddy, Ben and Rob thought their bond was unbreakable. But love changes everything. Maddy has a choice to make but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it…

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne:

This book is one of those classics which I have not yet read and as a result fully intend to read. I found it in Waterstones and fell in love with this cover. Usually, I try and get covers closest to the first edition of the book, but I really liked this one and knew I had to have it.

However, I do believe that this is a new edition which has been published. I couldn’t find the exact edition on Goodreads so I did add my own as I like having the covers match up. Here is the blurb:

Having been found guilty of adultery, Hester Prynne is forced to wear an embroidered scarlet letter “A” as a punishment for her sin. While her vengeful husband embarks on a quest to discover the identity of her lover, she is left to face the consequences of her infidelity and find a place for herself and her illegitimate child in the hostile environment of seventeenth-century Puritan Boston.

The fourth week of July I was starting to get low on money as I had to wait until the Friday in order to be be paid by Next, so my dad bought me a book for when we went on holiday to Rome:

• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn:

I am very much looking forward to being able to read this book after immensely enjoying Gone Girl. Also, I believe that this book is to be a movie and after having enjoyed the movie adaptation of Gone Girl I’m hoping this movie will be good too. Below is the synopsis from Goodreads:

When two girls are abducted and killed in Missouri, journalist Camille Preaker is sent back to her home town to report on the crimes. Long-haunted by a childhood tragedy and estranged from her mother for years, Camille suddenly finds herself installed once again in her family’s mansion, reacquainting herself with her distant mother and the half-sister she barely knows – a precocious 13-year-old who holds a disquieting grip on the town. As Camille works to uncover the truth about these violent crimes, she finds herself identifying with the young victims – a bit too strongly. Clues keep leading to dead ends, forcing Camille to unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past to get at the story. Dogged by her own demons, Camille will have to confront what happened to her years before if she wants to survive this homecoming.

These are all the books I have bought throughout July. Have you read any of them or are you interested in reading any of them? Let me know in the comments!

What books have you bought this month?

– Lauren