In a book haul’s sweet embrace,
Tales stacked high in every space.
My wallet cries, my heart sings,
Who needs groceries? Books are kings!
My name’s Griz.
I’ve never been to school, I’ve never had friends, in my whole life I’ve not met enough people to play a game of football. My parents told me how crowded the world used to be, before all the people went away, but we were never lonely on our remote island. We had each other, and our dogs.
Then the thief came.
He told stories of the deserted towns and cities beyond our horizons. I liked him – until I woke to find he had stolen my dog. So I chased him out into the ruins of the world.
I just want to get my dog back, but I found more than I ever imagined was possible. More about how the world ended. More about what my family’s real story is. More about what really matters.
I enjoy post-apocalyptic settings, especially as a teenager, I loved reading them, which is why I’m excited to have found a new book in this setting. And in the title, it mentioned ‘dog’… Well, what can I say… I love dogs.
Angelfield House stands abandoned and forgotten. It was once home to the March family: fascinating, manipulative Isabelle; brutal, dangerous Charlie; and the wild, untamed twins, Emmeline and Adeline. But the house hides a chilling secret which strikes at the very heart of each of them, tearing their lives apart… Now Margaret Lea is investigating Angelfield’s past, and its mysterious connection to the enigmatic writer Vida Winter. Vida’s history is mesmering – a tale of ghosts, governesses, and gothic strangeness. But as Margaret succumbs to the power of her storytelling, two parallel stories begin to unfold… What has Angelfield been hiding? What is the secret that strikes at the heart of Margaret’s own, troubled life? And can both women ever confront the ghosts that haunt them…?
I read ‘Once Upon A River’ by this author and absolutely loved it. The book was so unique and managed to create an eerie yet hopeful atmosphere unlike any other book I’ve read. Even though I couldn’t quite grasp the plot, it was all about the vibes for me. And that’s what I’m hoping for in this book too.
When Zachary Rawlins stumbles across a mysterious book containing details from his own life among its pages, it leads him on a quest unlike any other. Following the clues inside, he is guided to a masquerade ball, a dangerous secret club, and finally to an ancient library hidden far beneath the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians – it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. But when the library is threatened, Zachary must race through its twisting tunnels and sweetly soaked shores, searching for the end of his story.
I’ve been wanting to read this book for months because Books with Brittany, a Booktuber, enjoyed it so much, and I really like her taste in books. It’s another book I bought more for the vibes than the story. I’ve also heard that many people find the book boring, but I always tend to enjoy such books.
Our narrator’s days are numbered. Estranged from his family, living alone with only his cat Cabbage for company, he was unprepared for the doctor’s diagnosis that he has only months to live. But before he can set about tackling his bucket list, the Devil appears with a special offer: in exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, he can have one extra day of life. And so begins a very bizarre week . . . Because how do you decide what makes life worth living? How do you separate out what you can do without from what you hold dear? In dealing with the Devil our narrator will take himself – and his beloved cat – to the brink.
Japanese fiction books always appeal to me. The Japanese have a unique way of writing books, where you have to think beyond the words on the page to truly experience the full story, and that’s exactly what I love about these stories. After all, you don’t want everything spoon-fed to you.
A life without freedom to choose is not worth having.
Godwin Baxter’s scientific ambition to create the perfect companion is realised when he finds the drowned body of the beautiful Bella, who he brings back to life in a Frankenstein-esque feat. But his dream is thwarted by Dr. Archibald McCandless’s jealous love for his creation . . .
But what does Bella think?
I definitely want to see the movie with Emma Stone in theaters, so I thought, why not read the book as well?
This is the story of five women . . .
Meet Rachel Grossman.
She’ll stop at nothing to protect her daughter, Aviva, even if it ends up costing her everything.
Meet Jane Young.
She’s disrupting a quiet life with her daughter, Ruby, to seek political office for the first time.
Meet Ruby Young.
She thinks her mom has a secret. She’s right.
Meet Embeth Levin.
She has made a career of cleaning up her congressman husband’s messes.
Meet Aviva Grossman.
The Internet won’t let her or anyone else forget her past transgressions.
This is the story of five women…and the scandal that binds them together.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is still my favorite non-fantasy book to this day. I cried like a little baby. And even though I don’t expect that from this book, I do hope it’ll be an emotional journey too.
We are coming apart. We’re a rope, breaking, a single strand at a time.
America is a place of chaos, where violence rules and only the rich and powerful are safe. Lauren Olamina, a young woman with the extraordinary power to feel the pain of others as her own, records everything she sees of this broken world in her journal.
Then, one terrible night, everything alters beyond recognition, and Lauren must make her voice heard for the sake of those she loves.
Soon, her vision becomes reality and her dreams of a better way to live gain the power to change humanity forever.
I just finished ‘Kindred’ by the author earlier this year and was overwhelmed by how she managed to make such a profound historical issue compelling in this book. You can also read my review here. That’s why I had to buy the author’s next book right away.
Fritti Tailchaser is a hunter for his clan. His speciality is birds. Though catching mice and other rodents are also central to his repertoire. Except when he’s napping in the sun or chasing butterflies – something he does rather more than he should. Or at least did, until Hushpad vanished. Now Tailchaser has been drawn into a dangerous mission to discover her fate. It is the beginning of an extraordinary journey that will take him to the court of the Queen of Cat, through the terrifying northern wilds and deep into the underground realm of the ancient and hideous cat-god Grizraz Hearteater. For what begins as a simple quest to find a lost friend is destined to become a battle to save the entire world from destruction.
And here’s the absolute highlight of what I’ve bought. The German publisher, Hobbit Presse, has chosen a beautiful cover for an old classic. Tad Williams is my absolute favorite author, and I’m so glad I’ll soon be able to read his first work in this fantastic design. (You can read my reviews of the first Osten Ard series or Shadowmarch, both excellent books, here.) By the way, the book is called ‘Tailchaser’s Song’ in English.
Curious minds want to know: among these gems, which one is tugging at your literary heartstrings? Or is there a particular book you’re dying to read a review about? Spill the tea in the comments below!
The Reading Stray 
I loved Tailchaser’s Song. Tad Williams is a great author.
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Can’t wait to read it ! He is simply the best.
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I love your BookHaul posts, gives a lot new options hehe 🙂
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Sometimes too many… 😁
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A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World is one of.my all-time favourite books. Still recommend it to people five (I think) years later.
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That sounds promising!!! Can’t wait to read it !
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Now that I think of it, weren’t we talking/typing about The Gutter Prayer recently? They both came out the same year. A boy and His Dog topped it (barely).
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