November 2023 Book Haul

Another month of 2023 gone, another book haul to dive into! This was a rather small book haul month but I'm excited about everything I got. I got four books this month with three of them being preorders. Let's go ahead and dive right on in! 

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The first book I got this month was the Illumicrate edition of The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard. I love everything I've ever read by Susan and even though I haven't read The Luminaries yet, I am so intrigued by the idea of these books. I was a part of the Twitter choose-your-own-adventure that it started as and it was so much fun. Getting to see the books come alive has been quite exciting. This edition is also stunning and perfectly matches my Illumicrate edition of The Luminaries. 

Then I got my preorder of Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. This is the Waterstones edition and I'm thoroughly obsessed with it. These edges are some of the most stunning I've seen on a Waterstones edition and I'm so happy I was able to get it before it sold out in less than a few hours. I've also already read it and it was so good (I cried a lot). 

Up next, I got Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong. This is the Fairyloot edition with special artwork, stenciled edges, and came signed. It matches the Fairyloot editions of Foul Lady Fortune and Last Violent Call and looks so good on my bookshelf. This was one of my most anticipated reads of this year and I'm so excited to dive in (hopefully soon). This edition is also just stunning and I'm thrilled to have it. 

Lastly, I got the Australian paperback edition of Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. Like with Fourth Wing, I wasn't able to find this paperback until a week or so after the initial release but once I saw it available I immediately snatched it up. I've evolved over the last few years into a die-hard paperback girlie. More specifically, a floppy paperback girlie (with bonus points if it's a tall or oversized height). Australian paperbacks are pretty much perfect for that. Additionally, the Australian cover is the same as the American cover but not the UK one. Now that I have this paperback, I now have a version of that cover. The paperbacks are specifically for me to annotate and scribble all in without worrying about keeping a special edition perfect. 

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Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Lauren

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September 2023 Book Haul

Another month, another book haul! Surprisingly, I didn't get anything in August but I did pick back up in September. I visited home this month finally and I had a giant stack of books waiting for me at my parents' houses. Anything I didn't bring back with me to the UK isn't going to be in this haul but is safely stored away for future moving plans. Either way, let's dive into the five books that I do have for this haul! 

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The first book I hauled this month was an ARC of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. One of the books waiting in the giant stack at home was this one and I absolutely flipped out when I saw it. Fourth Wing is one of my favorite books of the year and I am so excited to have the ARC in my hands. This is, of course, the first one I packed to bring back to the UK with me and I'm thrilled to be able to add it to my Fourth Wing collection.

One of the first things I did when we landed was go to Target for shampoo and snacks. Of course, I had to check out the book selection while I was there. Assistant to the Villain was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I couldn't help myself when I saw it at Target. It's such a floppy fun paperback and I decided to get it rather than wait until I was back for the UK edition. One of the things I miss most about the US is the floppy paperbacks. 

Then I picked up The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. This has been on my wishlist for over a year now and when I did my trip to Barnes & Noble I had this one as my top pick. It also ended up being my only pick because wow book prices have gone up in the US. Either way, I'm so excited to have this in my hands finally and it's on my immediate TBR for October and spooky season. Plus, this paperback is super floppy and comfy to hold so I'm quite excited just about the physical aspect of it as well as the content. 

When I got back, it was time for the monthly book boxes. Up first was Illumicrate with A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid. When I saw it was going to be in the September Illumicrate box, I knew I was going to get it. And this edition is absolutely beautiful with the edges and artwork. I've been intrigued by this book for a while and I've heard nothing but good things from a lot of people who I trust with book opinions. I've also heard nothing but good things about this author so I think it's only fitting I start with this one. 

Lastly, I have the Fairyloot edition of Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares. This edition is beautiful but I'm also pretty excited about the book itself. It's a gender-bent Zorro retelling and I am beyond intrigued by that premise as I loved Zorro as a kid. Plus, this edition is absolutely stunning with the edges and the cover change. 

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Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Lauren

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December 2022 Book Haul

My last book haul of 2022 is here! I hauled *a lot* of books this month and I'm excited about all of them. I got 13 books this month, which was a mix of preorders the finally arrived, gift card purchases, and Christmas gifts. Let's go ahead and just dive right in!

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The first book I got this month was I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy. I'm sure most people know what this one is about but I've been eager to get my own copy for a while. I picked up this copy at the supermarket where it was on sale and I made an impulse buy. Hopefully when things settle down in the new year I'll get a proper chance to sit down and devote some time to this one. 

The next book I got was A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L. Armentrout. My copy finally arrived and I'm so excited. I haven't yet read the first book as I was waiting for this one to come out. I've heard good things and I've also heard that it's better than From Blood and Ash. The new hardcovers now also come with fanart and foiling on the hardcover, which is the main reason I was excited to finally get this. 

Up next I finally got my Fairyloot edition of Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong. This is my second edition to arrive and it's absolutely gorgeous. This one has an alternate cover, stenciled edges, embossing, artwork, and is signed. I'm obsessed and can't wait to put it next to my Fairyloot editions of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends. 

The next book I got was the Fairyloot edition of The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix. This was the November YA book that finally arrived mid-December. This edition has ombre edges, an alternate cover, artwork, embossing, and is signed. This was one of my most anticipated debuts to come out and I'm quite interested to see how it goes. This edition is also pretty nice and I'm eager to put it on my shelves when we're moved into our new place. 

Up next I got the Illumicrate edition of A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross. This edition has an exclusive cover, stenciled edges, artwork, and is signed. I got this one to match my Illumicrate edition of the first one, A River Enchanted. I haven't yet read these but I've heard nothing but good things. This edition is also stunning and I think I like it even more than the first book's edition. 

I then finally got my Waterstones edition of Alone With You In The Ether by Olivie Blake. I ordered this ages ago and it was late arriving in store. I finally picked it up though and it's rather stunning with its stenciled edges that match the cover. I've not yet read this one but I've heard so many good things about it (and ngl the hype is a bit scary). But I'll go ahead and add this to my shelf of unread Olivie books that I'm looking forward to lol. 

Then I got my Fairyloot edition of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. This was the December Adult book and I'm in love with it. The cover is stunning but my favorite is definitely the stenciled edges. This edition has an exclusive cover with foiling, artwork on the hardcover, stenciled edges, artwork, and is signed. This book sounds like the epitome of cottage core and cozy fantasy. I'm so excited to read it and hope to get around to it soon.

Then I got some books for Christmas. Up first I have All of Our Demise by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman. This is the sequel to All of Us Villains which I got last year. I was waiting for this sequel to come out before binging them both and I'm thrilled to finally have this one in my hands. It's the UK edition that will match my copy of the first book. Once we're moved into a place and I have my books out of storage I'll be binging these ASAP. 

The second book I got for Christmas was A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair. This is one of my favorite books and I originally read it in the self-published form. It was picked up and republished by a traditional publisher, though, and I knew that I wanted to get the updated version before the sequel came out. I was lucky enough to get this for Christmas and I'm thrilled. It's so floppy and shiny and I can't wait to reread it when the sequel comes out later in 2023. 

Then my preorder of the Fairyloot edition of Kingdom of the Feared by Kerri Maniscalco arrived. I ordered this ages ago to match my Fairyloot editions of the first two books and it finally arrived a few days ago. It's beautiful and the edges are just as stunning as the others. Once our books are out of storage I'll be able to put this next to the others and see them in all their glory together. Then maybe I can finally finish reading them.

The last three I got were the first three Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Deserted Island Diary mangas by Kokonasu Rumba. I just discovered recently that there are Animal Crossing mangas and I knew I had to get them. These are so cute and I will definitely be reading through them all in the next few days before I have to head back to work. From what I've heard, they're definitely a bit wacky and silly as well. 

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Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Lauren

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October 2022 Wrap-Up + Haul

Well, October was another underwhelming reading month. I had hoped to read a bunch of spooky books, get through some newly hauled books, and just have a better reading month than September. However, I only read a single book again. I struggled a lot with reading due to our current living/working/commuting situation. However, I've already read two books in November so I'm hopeful this upcoming month will be a turning point in my reading year. Who knows, maybe I'll get quite a bit more in before the year is concluded. 

I also only hauled four books this month, which was good for my bank account and I honestly was too stressed to think about buying books. I am really excited about all of the books that I got this month, though, and can't wait to talk about them. 

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1. 

Title: A Lair of Bones

Author: Helen Scheuerer 

Rating: 4 // 5 stars 

Review TK

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September 2022 Wrap-Up & Haul

Unboxing: Fairyloot's "Farewell My Love" (September 2022)

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The first book that I got this month was my Fairyloot edition of The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni. I ordered this all the way back in April (and was lucky enough to snag a matching stenciled edge) and it finally shipped! I knew it wasn't going to ship until around this time but the wait was still quite long. Now that I finally have my copy of the third book in this trilogy, though, I can binge read it all at once! 

Then I picked up The River of Silver by S.A. Chakraborty. This is a collection of stories that is a companion to the Daevabad trilogy. The stories are set before, during, and after the trilogy (I think) and I'm so excited to give these a go on my next read through. I love this world so having more time with characters I love is going to be quite exciting, I think. 

The third book I got was my Illumicrate edition of The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake. This is the sequel to The Atlas Six (which I've still not read) and is absolutely stunning. I love the edges and that it has a completely redesigned cover. I can't wait to put it on the shelf with the first book and see how they look together. Hopefully I'll also enjoy reading them. 

The last book I got in October was my Fairyloot edition of These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan. I ordered this even farther back in February and was lucky enough to snag the stenciled edge version and have no issues with the shipping. This is absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to finally finish this duology now that I have this. It came out during the summer but wasn't scheduled to ship until now so I'm just glad the wait is finally over for it.  

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Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Lauren

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You can follow my bookstagram here for more bookish content!

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August 2022 Book Haul

Another August, another substantial book haul. I definitely wasn't planning on getting this many books but I also feel I did okay this month in terms of what I got. I got a total of ten books, some used, some new, some special editions. September will definitely be smaller, though, as I'll be focused on moving apartments and an increase in bills (thanks inflation). Let's go ahead and dive in! 

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The first book I got this month was Husband Material by Alexis Hall. This is the sequel to Boyfriend Material, one of my favorite romcoms of all time. I am so incredibly excited about this one and definitely would have read it already were it not for having to finish my dissertation this month. The cover is also stunning and looks spectacular next to the first book. I can't wait to dive into it in the coming weeks!

The next few books I got were from a charity/thrift shop I went to. I got four books for less than the price of one brand new, so I consider it to be a pretty good deal. The first one I got was the original UK paperback edition of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. I was shocked to find this cover there as it's been out of print for a couple years but I had to get it even though I already had one. 

Then I grabbed Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen. I've never heard of this but the cover drew me in and then it sounded like a pretty badass historical fiction book I might enjoy. I've not got much else to say about it as I haven't read it yet or know too much but I will say that I am looking forward to reading it eventually. 

Up next I grabbed The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. I'd seen the cover around for a few years so I decided to finally read the flap and I decided that it was right up my alley for the price. It's a murder mystery and I'm a big fan of those in TV shows, so I'm looking forward to potentially diving into similar books. This was apparently pretty popular and is the first in a series, so if I like it I'll definitely pick up the others too. 

The last book I got from the charity shop was Becoming by Michelle Obama. I've had this one my wishlist for years, so I couldn't leave it behind when I saw it. I'm not sure when I'll get to finally reading it but I am looking forward to it as I've heard nothing but good things over the years. I'm also just so happy with thrift shops and the ability to get hardcovers like this for affordable prices. 

Then I got my August YA box which included Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen. This Fairyloot edition has an exclusive cover, ombre sprayed edges, artwork on the endpages and hardcover, a ribbon bookmark, and came with a signed bookplate. I think this is a stunning edition and it looks great on my shelves. I also have heard pretty good things about this one so I'm looking forward to reading it soon. 

Up next I got the UK hardcover of She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. I wanted to get this because it's such a beautiful cover, the paperbacks in the UK are so stiff, and the hardcover goes out of stock once the paperback is released. Luckily I was able to get this right in time before it sold out and it really is just as stunning in person. I also have just heard excellent things and am looking forward to eventually diving into this one. 

My Illumicrate book-only arrived next with Babel by R.F. Kuang. This edition comes in a slipcase with artwork printed on the hardcover, an exclusive cover, digitally sprayed edges, bonus content, and is signed. I knew when it was announced that I wanted to get it and this edition does not disappoint. It is stunning in person and I already know how I want to display it on my shelves in the future. I'm hoping to get to this book in the next few months as well as the hype around it has been insane.

I then got my Fairyloot preorder of Blade Breaker by Victoria Aveyard. I ordered this a few months ago to match the first book's edition and I think it's beautiful. I like the simplistic elements of the special edition features and I think I prefer it over my Waterstones edition. I think the Fairyloot editions of this series are going to end up being my favorite and I can't wait to see what the third one will look like. 

Lastly, I couldn't help but get a physical copy of Triple-Duty Bodyguards by Lily Gold. I read this in the beginning of August and absolutely loved it. It quickly got put on my favorites list and I stuck the paperback on my wishlist to eventually buy. Then it went out of stock for ages and is undergoing a new cover so I decided when I saw this cover back in stock to get it immediately just in case. I'm so excited to have this and annotate it when I decide to reread in the future. 

Well, those are the ten books I got in August. The autumn in general will be a slower book buying time for me but I hope it's a time to power through all the books I've gotten lately. Did you see any favorites in this haul? What have you gotten lately? Let me know in the comments! 

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Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Lauren

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You can follow my bookstagram here for more bookish content!

To get more awesome posts like this post, click the follow button to the right!

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May 2022 Wrap-Up + Haul

May was a very interesting month for me. I only read two books and didn't really love either. I was very busy this month and tended to turn to watching my favorite shows to relax rather than read. Oh well! I did haul eight books as well, which was quite exciting. I can only hope that June will involve more reading and less stress.

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1.

Title: Stealing Their Harley

Authors: Amanda Perry & AJ Anders

Rating: 2 // 5 stars

2. 

Title: Unwritten Rules

Author: Eliah Greenwood
Rating: 3 // 5 stars 

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April 2022 Wrap-Up

April 2022 Book Haul

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The first book I picked up this month was my preorder of Book of Night by Holly Black. This is the signed Waterstones edition with the gorgeous stenciled edges. I've heard good things about Holly Black's adult fantasy so I'm hoping that I'll enjoy it. Additionally, the edges on this one are stunning. I think most importantly, though, I used a gift card that got thrown away to preorder this so I couldn't cancel for a different edition without losing the money. 

Speaking of, I also got the Illumicrate edition of Book of Night this month as well. This edition has an exclusive cover, sprayed edges, fancy endpages, embossing on the naked hardcover, and bonus content. It's a beautiful edition, though I do think I prefer the edges on the Waterstones one. I do really like the cover change to a lighter cover as I think it was a bold choice that differentiates this edition from others. 

I picked up a copy of Payback's A Witch by Lana Harper. This one was on my wishlist and TBR from last fall (specifically around Halloween time). I didn't pick it up then, though, as I wanted to read it from the library first and I just never got to it. However, when I saw it go on sale for 1/4 the original price, I snatched it up. I adore the premise of this witchy, sapphic romance and the cover is stunning. I probably will wait to read it, though, until we're closer to spooky season.

Up next I got Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li. This is the Illumicrate edition from the April box and I'm so excited about it. I wanted a copy of this book and finding out Illumicrate were doing a special edition was so exciting. I had to wait a while, though, for this edition to come in after release. This edition has an exclusive cover, sprayed edges, artwork on the dust jacket, embossing, and is signed. I love it and I can't wait to read it this summer.

Then I picked up the new UK paperback of Illusionary by Zoraida Córdova. I love the UK covers for this duology and I had picked up the paperback of the first book last fall when it was on sale. My plan right now is to read the duology from these paperbacks and annotate and tab them. I just want a set of this duology that is annotated and looks well-loved. 

Up next I got my preorder of the Waterstones paperback of A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas. This is the paperback edition that has recently published with a bonus story at the back (that was originally included in the hardcovers). I am looking at getting the new paperbacks of this series and annotating them in the near future. However, I'm even more excited for the Barnes & Noble paperback later this year that has an exclusive cover change. 

I also grabbed Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake. This book was recently picked up for traditional publication but I knew that I wanted the indie version as well before that happened. AWYITE has also been blowing up recently online and I've heard nothing but good things. It's a bit intimidating but I'm also very intrigued to read it. 

The last book I got in May was The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah. This is the Fairyloot edition that came in the May YA box. I knew this was the book in advance and I was excited for it as I've heard good things and it was on my wishlist. I'm also quite happy with the customizations on this one. It has an exclusive cover, sprayed edges, artwork on the endpages, embossing, and is signed. I love the purple changes as purple is my favorite color. However, my copy did come a bit damaged so I'm waiting to hear back from Fairyloot on if I qualify for an exchange/replacement. 

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Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Lauren

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You can follow my bookstagram here for more bookish content!

To get more awesome posts like this post, click the follow button to the right!

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link

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