Mini book haul

A few weeks ago I was wandering along Weymouth promenade and came across a charity stall selling bric a brac and a few second hand books.  Well, what book lover can resist a big old pile of books? Not me!

I spied one by Malorie Blackman with a striking black and white cover, and then another.  I've seen a few good reviews for the noughts and crosses series, and at 50p each they were a bargain, but two out of three does not a trilogy make.  I was missing the first one.  I bought them because Why the heck not?

I was coming around to the idea that I'd never find the first and would have to pay full price, but lo and behold I was out on sunday and we passed a car boot sale*. My cousin is having a baby and she can't pass a boot sale as she's in search of cheap baby gear. On the way around I found the missing book from my trilogy. I could hardly believe my luck. 30p and my collection was complete.  And lying right next to it were the first two Chaos Walking books by Patrick Ness.  The knife of never letting go keeps coming up in my book spas at Mr B's, couldn't pass them up at 30p each now could I?

I've been good and restrained otherwise, and only bought October's club book by Jeanette Winterson - The Daylight Gate. Which I'm looking forward to when it eventually gets here.  EDIT: I had a call from home, there's a parcel waiting for me... Gleeeeeee!

* A car boot sale is when you load up your car with your yard/garage sale items and drive to a prearranged location, usually a field or car park.  You park up and sell your items by laying them out next to you car. People walk around all the cars and hopefully buy your junk.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Just trying something with Bloglovin, a tool to track blogs you read regularly and receive email updates whenever there is a new post, saving the need to check back with each blog individually.

For a software consultant I'm a bit of a technophobe.  I'm not sure what this is meant to do, but I think I'm following the instructions properly...

EDIT - It worked!!!  Just added the Follow icon on the right...

A little something to make you smile...

A friend of mine posted on Facebook that it is International Book Week.  I don't know if it is or not, but I thought 'why not?'

To join in grab the nearest book to you, go to page 52, and copy out the sixth sentence.  Don't mention the book title.

So I grabbed the nearest book and thumbed through the pages looking for page 52.  In my book page 52 features a picture of a dog with a human boys head. There is no text, so I went to the next available page containing text and found the sixth sentence....

Wait for it....

It's pretty special....

"So that's it?"

Made me smile at least...

Where in the literary world are you?

Today I am on a small island off the coast of Wales.  I have made some unusually talented new friends while investigating my late Grandfathers life and murder.



Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

Top Ten Tuesday - 2013 Autumnal Reading List

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is all about my Autumn reading list... and to be honest it's mostly made up of the books I bought at my recent trip to Mr B's in Bath..  My TBR list is huge, and I know that no matter what I say here, some of these will not get read this Autumn.  Not because they aren't great books, but simply because life (and book club) get in the way sometimes, and other times you just don't feel like reading anything you already own...  I have therefore cut the list down to seven, and because these lists can leave you feeling a little guilty if you don't do exactly as you intended when writing the list I feel like adding the following disclaimer....

Though every effort will be made to read the books listed below this Top Ten List does not indicate a committment to read the books listed below, despite all intentions of the person who has compiled this list.  Reasons for failure to read any of the books listed below include, but are not limited to: Alternative reading requirements of the compilers book club; Life events; and inspiration to start and/or complete reading of any book.

Quesadilla's by Juan Pablo Villalobos - I loved Down The Rabbit Hole, and I'm really looking forward to this tale of family life and politics in Mexico.

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon - The book everyone is talking about?  Not only does it sound right up my alley the movie deal is done, all 7 books are written and it/she is the Next Big Thing.  Who can resist really?  I managed to get my hands on a first edition hardcover, now I just have to stalk find Ms Shannon to ask her to sign it... I was told signed first editions are selling for around £500!  I'd never sell though!

The City & The City by China Mieville - This plot reminded me a lot of one of my favourite TV shows of recent years - Fringe.  A tale of two universes, a murder is committed between the two and police from each side have to work together to solve.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Bit of a cheat really as I'm reading this right now, so far so good...

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor - I've seen this series appear so many times on other Bloggers' Top Tens.  Mythical creatures, everyday setting (I think?), sounds intriguing...

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith/JK Rowling - I tried so hard not to succumb to the lure of a new JK Rowling, but the reviews from before the time the authors identity was revealed convinced me to give it a chance.

The Grey King by Susan Cooper - Need to keep reading this series (4th in The Dark Is Rising sequence). My Greenwitch review will be coming soon. I'm told Grey King and the final book are really really good.  Well worth the effort.