Tuesday 7 June 2016

The Great Haul

Recent haul posts have been entitled Haul of Fame and Haul of Mirrors, and I've given you fair warning that the puns will continue. Rampantly.

Great Haul, get it? Haha, ha, ha. At least Ron thinks I'm clever.
Haul: Dec 2015 - Mar 2016
Look how these books all match each other! I didn't choose this palette on purpose. Books are just endlessly photogenic, apparently.
The one I bought for 1p on Amazon because, though I'd been looking out for it in charity shops for years, I'd never found it, and needed an urgent copy for a Christmas reread.
(And if you think you can see through me and that 97% of the point of this picture is to further my SOMEBODY-PLEASE-READ-ICEMARK campaign ... you are right.)
Part of a late birthday present from my lovely friend Rose. I read Satrapi's graphic novel Persepolis years ago and adored it (though I'm fairly certain I was too young for it), though now I remember not so much about it. Definitely due a reread. I've not read this one yet but it promises to be a treat.
My well-meaning but misguided father got The Casual Vacancy (JK Rowling) for my mother for Christmas, ignorant of the fact that I've had a copy (still unread, miraculously) in my room for years. I was permitted to reap the fruits of this; TCV got taken back, and I got to pick a replacement. I'd never heard of this, but the cover attracted me. I read the first few pages and it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. I'm excited.
Our local Tesco has a miraculous used book bucket and my wonderful mother brought this home for me at a royal price of 30p. It was really good (Duffy = life). My favourite poem was called Shooting Stars and it is breathtaking. Read here.
Bought after much noise from Lauren and Cait. A paranormal YA that sounds just up my street.
This book's blurb (read here) intrigued me so much. I visited it for a while in Waterstone's (other people do that too, right? Find book, want to buy book, keep going back and maybe stroking book for a few months, eventually commit to book) and then was lucky to find it secondhand.
Ashley never shuts up about this book, and in the end I felt it was the least I could do to buy a copy. (After all, I spend most of my time virtually throwing my faves at your heads; I should accept your virtually thrown faves, too.)  I picked this up secondhand when in Durham in March. I read the first few pages and it was very, very funny (I had to force myself to put it down, actually).
Also, there's a character called Buttercup, right? DON'T TELL ME YOU DON'T FIND MY VISUAL PUNS FUNNY. Ha. Hahahaha.
My grandad gave me this a few months ago. It was my great-aunt's and there are dried flowers inside it. It has an adorable sleeve (see the main stack picture); I love a book in a box. Said box is quite battered but the volume is in beautiful condition. My great-aunt has since died and I like the thought of having a tangible link to her. I wrote a story about it recently, actually -- books as objects, imagining their pasts. (It was Edmund Ruskin making those ruminations. There's a surprise, eh?)
I've never really read much Burns but I look forward to it. 
Given to me by a friend clearing out books when she was moving. Honestly I'm unsure about this because EE Cummings', that is ee cummings' big thing was that he didn't use capitals. So this edition feels really wrong. Also, I've since discovered that we have a much nicer copy in the house, resplendent in lower case. I've not read any of the poems, though, so we'll see.
Huzzah! Also bought for 30p from the Tesco book bucket. I spend about 40% of my time rebutting the aggressive Stiefvater fans who threaten to burst my eardrums with shrieks of  “read The Scorpio Races!" I'm gonna, I promise. Soon.
~***~

26 comments:

  1. Books, glorious books!
    I feel as if I've said that before. Probably many times.

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  2. AFDJKSALD YOU HAVE TWO OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS IN THE UNIVERSE HERE SO THIS HAUL IS OFFICIALLY THE BEST OF EVERRRRR. LET ME SHRIEK. OR HYPERVENTILATE. OR SOMETHING. *tries to calm self*
    *fails*
    But omg The Accident Season is beautiful and creepy and amazingly written. I could probably eat it. Same with the Scorpio Races. <3333 I'm re-reading that right now and am in love with Sean Kendrick SO BAD I COULD LIKE JUST JUMP IN THE BOOK AND LIVE THERE FOREVER. AHHHHHH. Books are sometimes so torturous to give me best friends I can't, like, actually attack with my love. Sheesh.

    THIS IS SUCH A NICE HAUL, EMiLY!!!! I hope you enjoy them.! Particularly The Accident Season and the Scorpio Races, obviously. You must enjoy them. *pets dragons menacingly* No pressure, of course.

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    1. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO BOTH OF THEM. But yes hello yes! I say CAN I MARRY JAIME LANNISTER and my friends say no he isn't real and then I sob for a thousand winters. (It happens.)

      I love this haul, esp the colour palette! (Colour palettes really excite me, if you can't tell?) Thank you for stopping by :)

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  3. I keep meaning to read The Accident Season...*goes to check library website* I've ver much enjoyed Scorpio Races in the past, though! The writing is so lovely. And the rest of your books look lovely too!

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    1. Same! Can't wait for it or Scorpio (gotta get all that Maggie read!).

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  4. Oooh, impressive haul! Nice how the books match so well. ;D I sadly don't know of a lot of these, but I've definitely heard good things about The Scorpio Races and The Accident Season, and I actually have a copy of The Princess Bride on my shelf. Haven't read it yet, but the movie is hilarious and cheesy and a must-watch.

    Speaking of book hauls, just today I picked up Mortals by Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee for about $5. Hardcover! I COULDN'T SAY NO. Those usually go for $20-$30.

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    1. Can't wait to read those three! I've heard the film is vair vair good, but of course I want to read the book first ;D

      OOh! That is an excellent find! I hope you enjoy :)

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  5. ADFGHJKJHG AHAHAH THE PRINCESS BRIDE AND THE BUTTERCUPS OMG IT'S SO PUNNY I COULD FLAIL I PROBABLY AM ALREADY FLAILING. also your blog name is super punny and perfection and how come I didn't know about this place until like ten seconds ago??? SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS SORCERY.

    omg so back to The Princess Bride (always and forever back to The Princess Bride. XD) I listened to the audiobook read by William Goldman and AAAAH BEST THING EVER. <3 okay i'm done.

    I LOVE YOUR BLOG THANK YOU EVER SO FOR STOPPING BY MINE!! eeep! :D
    abbiee

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    1. I LOVE PUNS CAN YOU TELL?! Well I'm glad you're here now! <3

      I CAN'T WAIT TO READ IT!

      THANK YOU! This comment has way too much all caps considering we just met but OH WELL I LOVE YOUR BLOG TOO! :D

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  6. The Accident Season looks pretty interesting, although paranormal's not usually my genre. AND THE SCORPIO RACES. I JUST LOVE IT TOO/SO/VERY MUCH.

    Also, I read that poem you linked to and it's pretty amazing, even though I didn't understand the first read-through and had to read the explanation-y bits at the end. (Poetry just isn't my thing because I try to read them as fast as I read books but then I don't understand anything and get lost and confused and frustrated. You seem to enjoy it, though, which is cool :) )

    (Also, would you be interested in swapping MS critiques at some point? I'm not sure if you're available right now or whatever, but the offer's out there.)

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    1. SO EXCITED FOR THEM BOTH!

      I loooove it! It's so beautiful oh my WORD. I normally have to read poems twice before I understand them. Often I find reading out loud helps because it forces you to slow down and get the rhythm of the language.

      I'm not sure what an MS critique is! Could you enlighten me?

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    2. I haven't thought about reading them aloud, that might be my problem.

      A manuscript critique is when I send you my book and you send me yours, then we give feedback. It's like beta reading, but the workload goes both ways.

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    3. You should try it :)

      OH! MS for manuscript! Got it. YES. !!! Is it Formulas? Will you email me?!

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    4. Sure, what's your email? (I would have emailed you in the first place but I couldn't find it :) )

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    5. Email me on emmilobb@gmail.com :)

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  7. You should definitely read The Accident Season first, followed by The Scorpio Races, and then The Princess Bride! Great finds! I especially like the looks of that Princess Bride cover! Have you watched the movie? Because if you haven't you are missing out! :)

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    1. I will keep you updated on my progress! I haven't seen the film (reading the book first because I'm that kind of annoying purist) but I've heard it's very good :)

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  8. Omgosh look at all those beautiful books! I still haven't read The Scorpio Races, but I heard it's amazing!

    Joy @ Thoughts By J

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    1. Lots of people have recommended it highly! Thanks for visiting, Joy :)

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  9. Ooo, I hadn't heard of Westwood, so thanks for the introduction! I really enjoy Gibbons' writing. Even if you get a book that isn't great, it always has a very interesting quirkiness to it.

    I love Burns' poetry!

    Happy reading!

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    1. Very much looking forward to Westwood, because of that stunning opening passage. I've not read any Burns yet but I look forward to it! :)

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  10. ZOSEIFJA'SDFKJ! YOU BOUGHT THE PRINCESS BRIDE?! (Okay so I knew that already.) I mean, The Princess Bride? What is this book of gloriousness? You say you had to make yourself put it down, huh? That sounds promising. Perhaps I pick it up asap and see what it's all about. *cough* ;)

    I love all the books! (Also, love the Buttercup pun!) The Burns book sounds really good. I love books with a history like that. That is so cool that your great aunt had pressed flowers between the pages!

    There is a lot of poetry here. I feeling a mild urge to run to the library and borrow some. Except that my TBR is currently horrendous. Also, The Icemark Chronicles. I think when I've finished Percy Jackson, I'll have to seek it out.

    The Accident Season looks really good! Also, The Scorpio Races. Because Maggie S. and horses! Obviously, I need to read it. We all need to read it. Let's have a worldwide read-a-thon. And when the worldwide read-a-thon is such a success nobody wants to stop we shall keep reading with The Princess Bride. . .

    I like your photos. And the title. :)

    My bookshelf right now looks very sad as I am going through the process of packing. Also there is the awful experience of what books do I take with and what books do I have to leave? It's traumatizing.

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    1. Ha, let me know if you do end up picking it up ... ;)

      Me too! <3

      YOU SHOULD?!! I'm currently reading Shakespeare's Sonnets (MIND-BLOWING) and River by Ted Hughes, which is a joy eternal. I recently read Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, which was marvellous and I think you'd really like it.

      PLZ SEEK OUT TIC PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SOMEBODY.

      I know, can't wait to read them both! (In the worldwide read-a-thon ... good idea!)

      Thanks <3

      That is so sad! I send you my support. Wait wait but when are you moving?!

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Thanks for commenting! :)