HUGE Christmas 2016 Book Haul

It’s finally book haul time! Woohoo! These are books that I bought a few days before Christmas, got for Christmas, and got right after Christmas! There are quite a few books here guys so buckle in!

The Physical Books!

(I got a lot of these from Book Outlet during their Boxing Day Sale just a little FYI)

Night Film by Marisha Pessl

I actually have already finished this book since I got it and will hopefully have a review up for it soon because it is dark, twisted, and just all around amazing! I can already say I highly recommend reading it.

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In Real Life by Corry Doctorow

One of the many graphic novels I see others reading and recommending so I wanted to give it a try especially since it’s about female gamers…which I am also.

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Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Anderson

A collection of hilarious mini comics that I found to not only be funny but also very relatable! I am not sure if I’m going to have a mini review for this one or not and I’m also not sure it’s worth $10 even if it is hilarious because it was so short and quick….hmmmm.

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Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

This one I am a little leery of because it’s out of my comfort zone and it seems people either love it or hate it but I might as well give it a go because I got it pretty cheap from Book Outlet! This is a steampunk/historical fiction combo about girls attending a boarding school where they learn…well etiquette and espionage.

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The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

I actually picked this one up after seeing Regan talk about it on her Youtube channel Peruse Project. It sounded really interesting and the title is pretty self explanatory.

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Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

I actually find the WWII era very interesting but unfortunately I don’t always enjoy historical fiction. This book is about a pair of women on a vital mission for the Allied war effort but one has to bail out of their plane over enemy territory and is capture, she then recounts her tale for her captors.

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Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Another graphic novel I’ve had recommended to me many times about a girl who finds herself befriending a ghost who she meets at the bottom of an old well.

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Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Another book I picked up because of Regan at Peruse Project, this book is about a woman convicted of the murder of her former master and is sent to live with a family and await execution. So I’m thinking this will be a sort of character study/family study.

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I FINALLY GOT A COPY! I can hopefully start it soonish but right now I have too many ARCs that need reading. I don’t think I need to explain why this one is so exciting.

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The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Once I read the description I was SOLD, I absolutely love Greek mythology so a sort of retelling of the Trojan War sounds amazing! Plus I like picturing Achilles as Brad Pitt from “Troy”……if you haven’t seen that movie I highly recommend it not only for the plot but also the eye candy…..

(I’ll just leave this right here.)

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Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

This just sounds like a fun book and a little out of my comfort zone but I’d like to give it a shot. It’s about a Southern belle who suddenly finds herself part of an ancient order of guardians and must protect a school reporter. Like I said it just sounds like a fun book.

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The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

I like Nova Ren Suma’s type of “weird” and I think she has a unique style of writing just that had me interested in this book. It’s also apparently a mystery/thriller with a horror/paranormal twist, which I’m all about.

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Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

This one is a retelling of the Bluebeard fairy tale and just that had me sold on this book plus it was only $0.99 on Book Outlet so that helps.

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Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

I’m actually not quite sure how to describe this book or really what it’s even about but it’s a contemporary and it’s highly recommended by everyone who’s read it. I have very good feeling it will make me cry and break my heart though.

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The Rook by Daniel O’Malley

Lots of reviewers I trust enjoyed this book and it sounds interesting, like a good mystery/thriller on top of some urban fantasy.

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In The Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

I read and loved her other book “The Steep and Thorny Way” she blends historical fiction and the paranormal together seamlessly. So for someone like me who gets bored pretty easily with historical fiction Cat Winters makes it very interesting.

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The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics

I thought Lukavics other book “Daughters Unto Devils” was fantastic and actually scary and suspenseful! So of course I want to read her new book that sounds and LOOK equally as terrifying!

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The Call by Peadar O’Guilin

A YA horror book that also has some Irish mythology and I’ve seen this book floating around with great reviews so I’m excited to see what this one’s all about.

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The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

An epic fantasy book (that will be a series) about spirits who want to rid their land of humans and the queens who use magical abilities to protect them. Just sounds awesome and I am a stickler for fantasy.

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Survive The Night by Danielle Vega

I really liked Vega’s other book/series “The Merciless” so of course I’m curious about this other book of hers. I haven’t exactly heard too many great things about it but for $5 I figured I’d take my chances.

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Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

I’m kind of “meh” about this book because on one hand I hear it’s FANTASTIC and on the other hand I hear it pokes just a little too much fun at social anxiety to the point where it can be taken as offensive or insulting. Now I wouldn’t say my anxiety is directly linked to being social because I get it whenever, wherever but I DO suffer from anxiety so is this book offensive to me? I guess I’ll find out! I also got this for free so really I’m not losing anything here.

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Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Um…this book’s description is kind of a jumble of a lot of different things I’m not even sure I understand what it’s about. I know it’s a dystopian and it’s about a theater troupe. That’s about it. Yet another recommendation from Reagan at Peruse Project.

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Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

A YA fantasy about a princess who falls in love not with her prince but the prince’s sister instead. That right there makes me want to read it even though I’ve seen a few negative reviews I still want to see what this one’s like myself.

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The Leaving by Tara Altebrando

This is a YA mystery/thriller about six kindergartners who go missing and 11 years later only five of them come back. I think this sounds super intriguing!

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The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld

Yet another book recommended by Reagan at Peruse Project and it’s got a very unique premise. It’s told from the perspective of a death row inmate who watches as an investigator tries to uncover the truth about the prisoners and save them from execution. That’s the overall gist of it anyways.

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The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil by Stephen Collins

Another graphic novel that comes pretty well recommended that I picked up on Book Outlet.

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Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

A pyschological mystery/thriller that has some stellar reviews and is also a movie starring Nicole Kidman that I have yet to watch.

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The Emperor’s Blades by Brian Staveley

An epic fantasy book that comes with some pretty good reviews and I was interested enough to give it a try.

Now onto the E-Books I picked up as well!

These were all part of a one day Kindle deal for 80% off of Goodreads Choice Award nominees.

The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon

I’m not actually 100% sure what this book is about other than it’s a fantasy novel and about a girl with magical abilities.

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All The Ugly And Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

I’ve honestly heard nothing but good things about this book and also I need to prepare myself to cry while reading it apparently. I’m not ready! This one is about a daughter of a meth dealer who tries to raise her younger brother and also develops a relationship with one of her father’s thugs.

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My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

I was actually a little miffed when I saw this book as a part of the Goodreads Choice deals because I didn’t even know it existed! And it combines two of my favorite things: horror and ’80s things! So this is about two BFFs Abby and Gretchen and when they enter high school Abby notices Gretchen is acting differently and thus comes to the conclusion that she must be possessed.

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Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

I STILL haven’t read this book and I love YA fantasy!

Have you read any of these books?

What did you think of them?

What books did you receive or buy for Christmas?

Let me know in the comments!