Wednesday 15 October 2014

At laaast // a little haul, and more than a little fangirling.

I'm finally sixteen! Hooray, hurrah and cake for everyone! As you may know I'm currently in Singapore and was able to spend my birthday (Monday) very enjoyably: first I went with my brother to the Bras Basaar (not a shop specialising in odd underwear but a retail complex) and did some secondhand book shopping, and then we went to Singapore's famous Raffles hotel for afternoon tea. 

Tiffin Room
Picture of the Tiffins Tea Room taken from the hotel website. [I do not own this picture]
I'm glad to be sixteen at last - I've not noticed this in previous years, but for the last few months I felt like I'd been fifteen for about 3.7 years. I cannot believe that only 368 days ago I was fourteen. This seems crazy. But maybe that's just me ... does anyone else get this? Anyway ...


Presents! Clockwise: Toblerone; Miranda series 1-3; SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT BOOK 9 ASFKAJSDFKASJ WHAT WHAT WHAT; book bought secondhand with my brother (thanks HHL); watercolour pencils; Lush bath bombs. I am v. happy and grateful for all these presents; cap locks probably indicates which I'm one I was most excited to unwrap.
I also scored some money from other relatives and book tokens from my always-reliable-for-a-bookish-present aunt. As you will know if you ever read any book-rants of mine, Blue Lily, Lily Blue is coming out on October 28th and despite my aversion to paying full price for new books, I may have to go right into Waterstone's and translate my vouchers into a shiny new book.


Dog cards - a staple of any of my birthdays. From my aunt/uncle/cousins; from my other aunt and uncle; from my other cousins.

Classic granddaughter card (we've all received them); surrealist but beautiful card from my brother in Norway; card from my other brother/sister-in-law. It's meant to be ironic, I promise.

My two favourites: gorgeous illustration card from my parents; card from my nephew! We were all forced to agree that it's not a masterpiece of graphic or artistic design, or originality - I'm told that the card selection in Singapore is not fantastic - but it is of course my first ever card received as an aunt! 

Now, wouldn't you like a closer look at my book stacks? (I knew you'd say yes.)
Series collection: I am a fan of series collection, though for once this stack is not predominated by books I've already read. (I have a penchant for buying my favourite series secondhand, even when I've read them.)
Magyk by Annie Sage -- OK, so this is the one I have read. The Septimus Heap series is one of a few series which I loved but managed to fall off the end of -- as in, they were coming out once a year, and if the library didn't get it in, I ended up losing track. For this reason I never finished this brilliant series, but now I can reread the first one, and hopefully then all the rest!
Sequins, Stars and Spotlights by Sophia Bennett -- #1 example of times not to judge a book by it's cover or title. This is the third and final book in the Threads trilogy, and can I see I was inwardly squealing when I found this is in the secondhand shop. I read the first two books a while ago - maybe eighteen months - but the library didn't have the last one, so sadly I never finished this powerful, amazing series - but now I can!!!! ~dancing~

Anne of Windy Willows by LM Montgomery -- Anne of Green Gables #4. This is exciting because the pathetic library only has the first 3 books out of 10 of the Anne series, so once I finish the third one (which I'm reading very soon) I'll be on my own. Now I have the fourth once at least. I love this series.
Skulduggery Pleasant: The Dying of the Light by Derek Landy
...
...
...



closely followed by



with a good dose of

.

I mean, I've not even read the book yet. I know nothing that happens. (Translation: spoil and I'll kill you.) But I know enough about Derek Landy's evil mind to know that TERRIBLE THINGS ARE GOING TO TRANSPIRE.

Also, that cover, though.

Is anyone else thinking what I'm thinking???

~hysterical gaspy breathing~ IS ANYONE?????

*ahem*

Maybe I won't read it. Maybe I'll just sit and hug it for a while.

I mean, of course I'm going to read it ... I'm worried, though. I will no doubt have a major book hangover. I can't believe that after five years of waiting excitedly for the next Skulduggery book to come out, it's going to be over. I will need to do some serious comfort reading afterwards - Anne of Green Gables and Georgia Nicolson are lined up for the job.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro -- I've heard this praised very highly so I was happy to snap it up. I know own two Ishiguro books, though I've still not read When We Were Orphans. So many books and so little time ....
Inglorious by Joanna Kavenna -- I'd not actually heard of this, but I have read Come to the Edge by Joanna Kavenna, which was absolutely stunning and beautiful and ugh. No words. It was also soul-destroying. No words, no words, no words. Review is here. So, anyway, when I saw Inglorious I had to pick it up.
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters -- never heard of this; picked up purely because the spine and then the cover and then the blurb attracted me. 
All in all, a pretty good collection! Tell me: have you read any of these books? Do you like them? And what is the last book you received that you fangirled excessively over, like me and The Dying of the Light? If you've had a book haul post recently, link me up!

Emily x

8 comments:

  1. It was my birthday last week as well but I didn't get to spend it frickin singapore! You are one very lucky girl.

    Hope you enjoyed your very special day and are indulging into your new bought books!

    Lucy xxx

    mylittlelifeandallthat.blogspot.com

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    1. Happy birthday! Haha I know :D

      I certainly am! Thanks for stopping by :) xx

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  2. Happy Birthday! Wishing you all the best.
    I remember reading Magyk a while ago and loving it, although I can't, for the life of me, remember what it was about...
    Olgia @ Orange Owls & Books

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    1. Thanks! It's about magic ...... no surprises there! A kingdom, I think, somewhere snowy ... I think there's a castle involved ... possibly some alchemy, in one of them ... something happens with a bog. And a wall. I, uh, think it's definitely due a reread; it's gone very foggy in my mind!

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  3. Hi there!

    Sixteen is a special age. I'm not sure why. But I totally loved being sixteen. I hope this is a wonderful year for you. Happy Birthday!

    Book Haul's are the absolute best.
    I've yet to read Skulduggery Pleasant, but some of my sisters have and they loved them. So I should add it to my list.....I should actually start a list. Like a physical list. Because I say I'm going to, but when I actually make it to the library, every book I've ever wanted to read and added to the "list" drops from my memory and I just stare at the rows of books forever trying to remember. :)

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    1. Really? Good! I've always had a feeling as if 13-15 are the 'meh' years of being a teenager and it should get better from here ... but who knows. Maybe that's wishful thinking!

      Yes they are. You really should do both those things! Skulduggery is actually soooo good, it's about MAGIC (ie the best kind of book) but it's also hilarious. The characters are the greatest. I love them so much :') :') :') As for physical lists, they are v. exciting, though I think it depends what kind of person you are. I love my list - I love the feeling of ticking things off, and I am a very list-loving person - but some people say that they are just a reminder of ALL THE BOOKS that you will probably never get round to reading! You need to have the will to cull your list mercilessly, and not read things just cause they're on it. In my opinion, anyway.

      I like it because I can avoid memory-loss-library-syndrome! Though it is also nice to find something new in the library and start reading it straightaway ... rather than adding it to your already 17 page list ;)

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  4. Happy Birthday! Hope you have another great year!

    Looks like you had a great day! I've heard many great things about Never Let Me Go. I read Magyk last year and I remember enjoying it. I still haven't read the rest of the books though. I hope you enjoy all your books!

    My birthday is next month and I can't wait. :)

    Carly @ Books and Etc

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    1. Thanks! I'm really looking forward to Never Let Me Go, and also for a Septimus Heap reread. I think I'll definitely enjoy the rest of them too!

      Ooh, happy birthday next month! =)

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Thanks for commenting! :)