Tag: Book Haul

Book Haul September 2024

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About

All books in this haul are pre-owned. None of them are directly from any websites. I obtained them from a friend’s bin of discards. Some of them were on my TBR beforehand, while others were added upon learning about them.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

I’m trying to give classic novels another chance now that I’m not being told to read them as school assignments. This one probably wasn’t on my school reading list, since it’s considered a banned book in a lot of places, but I think it’s the type of classic novel I should read at least once. It’s not very long, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get through, as long as the story isn’t boring. Hopefully it’s not, because I’ve heard a lot of people say they really like it, and some even say it’s one of their favorites. This copy is only around 200 pages, so I’m hoping it’ll be a quick and interesting read.

What is it?

A classic stand alone coming of age novel frequently on the banned books list.

The Folk of the Air, Vol. 1 by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince is volume one of the Folk of the Air series. I don’t know much about it, but I keep seeing it pop up in recommendations for certain genres and based on things in which I have interest.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy Fae romance.

Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography

I do not own any of the Series of Unfortunate Events novels, but I have read them. They are something I would like to have for my personal library at some point. This book is sort of a companion novel, and it’s on my list of things to read. It looks like it’s made up of a bunch of letters, newspaper clippings, photos, etc. I haven’t read anything in this style before, so it should be interesting.

What is it?

A companion novel to the Series of Unfortunate Events about the fictional author of the series, Lemony Snicket.

Lives of the Mayfair Witches, Vol. 3 by Anne Rice

I didn’t know Taltos was volume three of a series. I just grabbed it because it had Anne Rice’s name on it. It’ll have to sit on my shelf until I find and read volume one. So, probably not a spooky season read for this year.

What is it?

Based on the title, probably something with witches.

Pandora by Anne Rice

I only recently read my first Anne Rice novel. I want to try more of them to see if I’d be interested in looking into more of her books. The ones I’ve been grabbing, so far, have blatant supernatural aspects, like mummies and vampires. This book is not very long, so it’ll be a nice quick spooky season read to try something new.

What is it?

Some kind of Vampire novel.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

My school definitely covered this classic novel in class, but I did not read it or retain anything from the lecture. Maybe I’ll actually enjoy it now that it’s not mandatory reading.

There is a sequel novel, but I’m going to pretend it doesn’t exist. The way it got published was pretty shady, and I hear the story isn’t that great, because it invalidates things from this first book.

What is it?

A classic novel commonly covered in school curriculum.

The Vicious Deep, Vol. 1 & 2 by Zoraida Córdova

The Vicious Deep and The Savage Blue are volumes one and two of the Vicious Deep trilogy. Something said this series is recommended to people who like the Percy Jackson books, so that’s enough for me to try it.

What is it?

Some kind of YA fantasy adventure, possibly with mythological themes.

The White Rabbit Chronicles, Vol. 1 by Gena Showalter

Alice in Zombieland is the first volume in the White Rabbit Chronicles. I know little about it, but I like zombie stuff, so I want to try it. I’d like to track down a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies at some point, too. That’s not relevant to this book. I just want to try more zombie novels.

What is it?

Seems like an Alice in Wonderland story where she has to slay zombies.

Wicked Lovely, Vol. 3 by Melissa Marr

Fragile Eternity is volume three of the Wicked Lovely series. The series is on my TBR, but I don’t have the first book. This volume will save me time later, if I end up liking the series. The series appears to be approximately five volumes, plus maybe another five short stories.

What is it?

Some kind of fae themed fantasy.

Willow by Wayland Drew, Bob Dolman, George Lucas

I’ve never seen Willow before. Apparently it’s a well known movie in the fantasy nerd community, and I somehow went my whole life without ever hearing of it, until fairly recently. I read more than I watch movies, so I’m more likely to get through it if I read the novel adaptation. There will likely be some differences from the movie, but it should still be a decent version of the story.

There is a spin off trilogy from this book. It’s called Chronicles of the Shadow War. If I like Willow, I’ll look into reading that.

What is it?

A novelization of the movie Willow.

Book Haul May-August 2024

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About

This haul encompasses the months of May through August. Obviously, I have not been buying many novels lately. Four out of five of these books are pre-owned. Three of them are from a local bookstore across town, one of them was given to me, and the fifth was ordered on sale from Amazon. Like my April book haul, most of these are by the same author with different pen names.

Miscellaneous

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Ultimate Guide

This book is multiple times pre-owned. A friend passed it along to me once they decided they no longer wanted it. It’s a bit battered and has some marker dots and smears on the cover, but the pages are clean. The design of the book itself is interesting. It has a lenticular banner image across the front, and a magnetic clip, kind of like a journal. The extra fold for the design choice will likely make it take more space on the shelf, so keep that in mind if you’re interested in getting a copy.

What is it?

The book is a companion guide for the Percy Jackson series. It’s is full of information about various characters and lore related things. There are also a few fun extra things, like Percy’s camp activity schedule. I’ve only done a quick flip through, but it seems like an interesting read to get more world building and reminders

Novels

Burning Cove, Vol. 6 by Amanda Quick

When She Dreams is the sixth volume in the Burning Cove series. Burning Cove is seven books long, and probably ongoing. The last volume released was in 2023.

I have the first book, but have not yet read it. I usually like about ninety percent of things by this author, so I grabbed this volume anyway. It saves me money in the long run, because I didn’t have to pay any shipping when buying from a local store that had it pre-owned.

What is it?

A historical romance mystery of some kind, possibly with paranormal aspects.

Eclipse Bay, Vol. 2 by Jayne Ann Krentz

Dawn in Eclipse Bay is volume two in the Eclipse Bay series. I have volume one in my TBR, and the series is only three books long. Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz are the same author, representing different time periods. This one is contemporary, while Quick is historical. It’s probably obvious by now that I tend to grab anything I see available written by this author. I found this as a pre-owned copy.

What is it?

A contemporary romance mystery of some kind.

Garden of Lies by Amanda Quick

Garden of Lies is a stand alone novel. I’ve only seen it around in hardcover until now. Normally hardcover would be fine, but paperback is cheaper and takes less space in the long run. Stand alone novels by this author make good comfort reads for me. As you can probably tell from the spine in the picture, this is a pre-owned copy.

What is it?

A historical romance mystery of some kind.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Vol. 6

The Chalice of the Gods is one of the newer books in the Percy Jackson universe. It’s book six in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Despite being new, it’s supposedly supposed to fit chronologically after the Heroes of Olympus series and before Trials of Apollo. I’m slowly going through a reread of all the Camp Half-Blood stuff, so I plan to incorporate this book, and Wrath of the Triple Goddess, into the chronological order.

What is it?

A modern adventure series focused around Greek mythology.

Book Haul April 2024

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About

I didn’t plan on buying anything for a book haul in April, but put me in front of discount books and it’s hard for me to walk away with nothing. These four books are all from a fairly local store in pre-owned condition. All of the books are also by the same author. She has multiple pen names. The most popular of which are Amanda Quick, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Jayne Castle. Each name represents a different time period of past, present, or future for the setting of the book.

Burning Cove, Vol. 1 by Amanda Quick

The Girl Who Knew Too Much is volume one of a series called Burning Cove. The series has a total of seven volumes, with the last book released in 2023. I’ve seen this book around, but could only find hardcover copies, and therefore didn’t buy it. I know most readers prefer hardcovers, but space gets eaten up fast if everything is hardcover. I was glad to find this in paperback. My shelves are currently overpacked as it is.

Supposedly this series is in the same universe as the Arcane Society novels. I’ll find out for sure when I get around to reading it. It’s usually pretty obvious when anything crosses over with Arcane. I don’t have any reviews for Arcane Society posted, but I do plan to get some up eventually when I reread the series from the beginning. That’s a big time sink, so it’ll likely be a good while.

What is it?

A historical mystery romance.

Dangerous by Amanda Quick

This is one of Amanda Quick’s many stand alone stories. I don’t even read what they’re about before buying. I like all of her stuff.

What is it?

A historical mystery romance.

Vanza, Vol. 1 & 2 by Amanda Quick

With This Ring and I Thee Wed are both volumes of the Vanza series. I did not know this when i grabbed them. It’s kind of lucky that they turned out to be one and two. There are a total of four volumes in the series, so I managed to find half of it.

What is it?

A historical mystery romance.

Book Haul March 2024

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About

I didn’t buy any books this month. The only reason I have a haul at all for March is because someone gifted me a boxed set through Amazon. I’m counting boxed sets as the number of individual books in the set. They will be listed in the post as one item, because they’re all part of the same series.

There will be no manga haul for March. I didn’t meet my minimum threshold to bother posting. There should be one for the end of April, though.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This is the five book box set for the series A Court of Thorns and Roses. It contains volumes one through four, as well as a middle volume after three. The titles are as follows: A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight, and A Court of Silver Flames.

ACOTAR, as the series is commonly referred to, has been on my to-read list for a few years. I actually think I found it before I started seeing it everywhere. At some point it started to be everywhere in stores and all over my social media feeds. I had no idea it was so popular. It was just a random thing I found while browsing book descriptions online at one point.

But anyway, one of my close friends recently discovered the series, and they absolutely love it. She’s getting as many people as possible to try it, and she’s the one who gifted me this set. I guess it’s just the kick in the pants I need to get around to trying it sooner rather than later. And I have a feeling if she hadn’t gifted this to me, it probably would have been a while, because there are over 800 people waiting for volume one at my local library.

The first book is on my list of things I’ll be reading very soon, so expect a review for volume one within the next few weeks.

Below are pictures of the sides and top of the box for anyone curious about the box art.

What is it?

A fae themed fantasy romance. That’s all I know right now. More information will be available in my reviews when they are ready.

Book Haul September 2023-February 2024

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About

I haven’t bought many novels over the last few months, so this post covers everything since this past September. One book is from September. After that, I didn’t get another novel until January. I figured it’d be easier to just list everything since September all together in one post.

The majority of these novels are gifts to myself, because I have a February birthday and wanted to treat myself. A friend and I went bargain book shopping, so most of these are pre-owned or discount books. Most of the paperbacks are the pre-owned ones.

I’m actually very pleased with this haul. I found several books by one of my favorite authors for cheaper than if I had ordered them somewhere. Only three books in the entire haul were online orders.

Miscellaneous

The Official Fablehaven Cookbook by Brandon Mull & Cherie Mull

I mostly got this as part of my Fablehaven collection. The recipes in it actually look pretty child friendly and delicious. I’m looking forward to trying some. There’s also a short story inside called The Missing Brownies. Brownies, as in the mythical creature, not the food. I’ll probably read that at some point during my Fablehaven reread.

What is it?

A cookbook featuring recipes for dishes mentioned in the Fablehaven series or inspired by the series.

Novels

The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, Vol. 2 by Kenneth Oppel

Volume one of this duology is This Dark Endeavor, which I read and reviewed for this past spooky season. I liked it enough to get the second and final book to finish the story. That would be this one, titled Such Wicked Intent. It’s on my list of things to get to.

What is it?

A historical Frankenstein prequel story.

Chronicles of the Red King, Vol. 3 by Jenny Nimmo

This book was cheap at an overstock store. It’s Leopards’ Gold, the third and final volume of the trilogy. The series description sounded interesting, so I figured buying the third volume cheaply might save me money later, if I like the series. Apparently, this trilogy is also connected to a series called Charlie Bone, or The Children of the Red King. So, if I do end up liking this series, there will be more in the same world to read.

I honestly have no idea why this book says “The Secret Kingdom” on it. As far as I can tell, that’s not what the series is called. Maybe it’s an alternate or updated name? I don’t know. It’s probably not important.

I have another series written by the same author that I can’t start, yet, called the Snow Spider trilogy. I just need to get the first volume for that one, because I have two and three from when I found them pre-owned at a sale.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy adventure.

The Clockwork War by Adam Kline

The cover was eye-catching. That’s pretty much the only reason I grabbed this at the discount store. It looks like a short steam punk stand alone novel. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try it if it caught my attention.

What is it?

Some kind of stand alone fantasy.

Dragonlance: Dragons of a New Age, Vol. 1 by Jean Rabe

This is volume one of the Dragonlance trilogy Dragons of a New Age. It’s titled The Dawning of a New Age. I have absolutely no idea where this goes in the overall recommended reading order for Dragonlance as a whole. I’m trying to collect the entirety of it, and saw a book I didn’t have, so I grabbed it without knowing anything about it.

What is it?

A high fantasy novel in a D&D-esque world.

Eclipse Bay, Vol. 1 by Jayne Ann Krentz

As the first book of the Eclipse Bay trilogy, this book itself is titled Eclipse Bay. I didn’t know it was a first volume of anything when I grabbed it. I’m glad it is, though, because that means I can read it whenever I want to start the series. This is a book I blindly grabbed, because it’s by one of my favorite authors.

What is it?

Probably a mystery romance as usual for this particular author.

Family Man by Jayne Ann Krentz

I found this novel at the same store as Eclipse Bay and the Dragonlance book. All three are good finds, in my opinion. This one has some bettering on the outer side of the spine, but is still in overall good condition.

What is it?

A stand alone, probably a mystery romance as usual for this particular author.

Michael Vey: The Final Spark by Richard Paul Evans

This is volume seven of the Michael Vey series. I already read it a few years ago. It was the final volume of the series, or so I thought. It turns out they released a couple more volumes since then to continue things. Initially, I read them all from the library, or library related resources. But, I liked the series, so I figured for a reread I’d just purchase them for myself.

This is the first volume I’ve gotten, but only because it was cheap at the store. At the very least, it checks off one of the volumes I need to get, anyway. The rest are on my list of things to get. I don’t know when I’ll get around to it, but I’ll get them eventually.

What is it?

An adventure series about kids with electrical powers.

Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz

I found this book and Sleep No More both at the same store. It was a different store than the one where I found those other three books. I don’t know anything about this one. It appears to be a stand alone.

What is it?

A stand alone, probably a mystery romance as usual for this author.

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz

I grabbed this blindly just because of the author. It’s volume one of a more recent series called The Lost Night Files. Apparently, the series only has two books so far. Volume two came out in January.

What is it?

Probably a mystery romance of some sort.

The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro

This is the only novel I got in January. I’m a little late getting this. It’s one of Riordan’s newer releases, and it features Nico Di Angelo from the Percy Jackson series. I look forward to reading it, but it’ll be a while. I’m in the process of rereading the Percy Jackson universe stuff chronologically to refresh my memory and get reviews posted.

What is it?

A modern mythology romance adventure.

Sweetwater & The Witch by Jayne Castle

This is a book well into the Arcane Society and Harmony series, and I mean WELL into them. The universe for this series is long running. I started reading these books long before I even considered making a blog. Because of that, I don’t plan on posting any reviews for them until I circle back around for a reread some day.

I did already read this book. It’s the only book I got back in September. For anyone disappointed that I don’t have a review for it, I’ll at least share a rating here. It’s a three out of five, so I liked it. It was a good comfort read when I couldn’t decide what to read.

What is it?

A paranormal romance mystery that takes place on a colonized alien planet with humans who have psychic abilities.

Terciel & Elinor by Garth Nix

I haven’t touched the Abhorsen series in a while, so I don’t exactly remember where this one goes chronologically. I’m pretty sure it’s a prequel volume about Sabriel’s parents. It’s the newest volume in the series, unless I missed something. I didn’t get it immediately upon release, so I haven’t been watching the series for updates very closely.

Eventually, I’ll reread the Abhorsen series and post reviews for it. Whenever that is, is when I’ll get around to reading this. Until then, I leave you with a strong recommendation for the series in general. It’s good.

What is it?

An adventure fantasy with magic.

Manga Haul October – November 2023

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About

I didn’t have enough books in October to bother doing a haul at the end of the month, so this haul combines the manga from both October and November. All of these books are in new condition. Two of the manga are Amazon purchases. The rest are from a local store. I prefer to buy locally if I’m able.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 10

I highly recommend this series. It’s become one of my favorites. I keep up with the series pretty closely, so reviews of most, if not all, of the volumes can be found in the index section. Volume eleven is scheduled for release in March of 2024.

There is an anime out now. I’m not sure how accurate to the manga it is, because I have not yet seen it. It’s on my list of things to watch.

What is it?

A Chinese inspired historical mystery romance, mostly taking place inside the Inner Palace of the emperor’s consorts.

Blue Exorcist, Vol. 3 & 4

I’m building up a buffer for this series to hopefully read it for fall of 2024. My first exposure to the series was the anime. I’ve only seen the first season, but I absolutely loved it. I hear the manga is a little bit different, but I expect to enjoy it just as much.

What is it?

An action adventure starring demons and exorcists. The main character wants to be an exorcist even though he is the son of Satan.

My Happy Marriage, Vol. 3 & 4

Volumes one and two already have reviews available.

I’m excited to read more of this series. The first two volumes are great. These two catch me up to current release. Five was supposed to be out this past October, but I think it got delayed. I think it’s slated to be released this coming January of 2024.

There is also a light novel version of the series, which I plan on getting eventually. I think that has more volumes out than the manga, so it is probably a bit farther into the story.

I haven’t seen the anime, yet, but I’m excited about it.

What is it?

A Cinderella inspired historical romance with paranormal aspects.

Noragami Omnibus, Vol. 8 (volumes 22-24)

I love the anime for this, but unfortunately it’s one of the many that were never finished. The manga is apparently supposed to be darker than the show, but better. I’m looking forward to reading this series. It’s just a matter of figuring out when. I’ll probably start it on a whim one of the days when I’m not sure what to read.

What is it?

An urban fantasy focused around gods and the spirit world.

Light Novel & Manga Haul September 2023

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About

I actually didn’t think I’d have enough books to bother with a haul this month. I expected to have maybe two at most, and I don’t do hauls unless I have at least four. But then, I remembered my one year milestone of learning Japanese happened this month, so I bought myself a few books to celebrate. So, anyway, on with the haul!

All books except two were purchased locally. The light novel came pre-owned from an Amazon seller, and Blue Exorcist came new.

Light Novels

Spice & Wolf, Vol. 10

I actually have two copies of this book. One of them is very damaged on the inside, because it was poorly inspected by the seller. It was not included in the haul for whichever month I got it, because I don’t count books like that as things for hauls. You can actually see the second copy in one of the piles in the background of the image. I’ve had rather bad luck with pre-owned book orders recently. I’m actually not yet sure what to do with the bad copy.

Reviews for several volumes are already available and can be easily found in the index. It has a spin-off series as well, but I’ve seen people say it’s best to wait until at least volume 17 of this before starting that. Slowly, but surely, I’ll get there.

What is it?

A commerce slow burn romance between a human and a snarky wolf girl.

Manga

Blue Exorcist, Vol. 2

At this point in time, I’ve only seen the first season of the anime, but I absolutely loved it. If I can get enough volumes, I might read this series for spooky season, 2024.

What is it?

An action adventure starring demons and exorcists. The main character wants to be an exorcist even though he is the son of Satan.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Vol. 1

All I really know about this is that it’s by the same person who made Fullmetal Alchemist. FMA is one of my all time favorites, so it’s a given I need to try this new series.

What is it?

Some kind of action adventure. I’ll know more when I read the volume.

Noragami Omnibus, Vol. 7 (volumes 19-21)

I love the anime for this, but unfortunately it’s one of the many that were never finished. The manga is apparently supposed to be darker than the show, but better. I’m looking forward to reading the manga. It’s just a matter of figuring out when.

I thought the series was finished since they have omnibus editions, but apparently it’s still going. The omnibus editions are almost caught up to the current releases of the standard print.

What is it?

An urban fantasy focused around gods and the spirit world.

Spy x Family, Vol. 5

I have not started reading this series, but I have seen the anime. From a quick flip through of the volume in the store, it looks like the anime and the manga are very similar, so I don’t feel like I need to read it any time soon. I can build up a buffer to binge later, while I enjoy season two of the anime.

What is it?

An action comedy featuring a family with a spy, an assassin, and a telepath.

Book Haul July 2023

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About

All books in this haul are pre-owned.

Due to the large size of my book hauls recently, it’s clear the way I type them is a bit inefficient. From here on out, I will be typing them the same way I do manga hauls. Books will be listed alphabetically by series name and volume number, and I will put the individual titles in the descriptions. This will group all relevant things together, so the information and connected novels will not be scattered throughout the haul.

I also like the system I used last month for organizing the piles, so I will be sticking to that when the hauls are large. The pile system in the picture from left to right:
-Volume ones to try
-Series which I still need the first volume
-Stand alone
-Series including first volumes and up.
-Later volumes in series I already own

Bloodline, Vol. 2 by Kate Cary

Bloodline is a duology. I’ll try almost anything that involves vampires or werewolves, so I just need the first volume, titled Bloodline, and then I can read the entire duology. The book in this haul, Reckoning, is the second volume.

What is it?

A historical vampire fantasy.

Blue Bloods, Vol. 2, 3, 4, 5, & 5.5 by Melissa De La Cruz

Blue Bloods is a vampire series I’ve been meaning to try. I saw this chunk of books on the shelf and just grabbed them all. Now I just need volume one, and then I will have a large chunk of the series to find out if I like it. The series is nine books long, possibly ongoing, and has some middle volumes.

The titles for this lot are: 2 – Masquerade, 3 – Revelations, 4 – The Van Alen Legacy, 5 -Misguided Angel, and 5.5 – Bloody Valentine.

What is it?

A vampire fantasy.

Circus Mirandus, Vol. 1 by Cassie Beasley

This is volume one of a duology. It doesn’t appear to have a series name aside from simply the name of the first book. It sounded interesting, so I grabbed it as something to try.

For those interested, volume two is called The Bootlace Magician.

What is it?

A middle grade fiction involving a circus and real magic.

Codebearers, Vol. 2 & 3 by The Miller Brothers

Hunter Brown and the Eye of Ends and Hunter Brown and the Consuming Fire are the second and third volumes of the Codebearers trilogy. I know absolutely nothing about it, but only one book is missing, so I figured it was cheap enough to try. Christian fiction is not really my thing, but it’s not always bad, so I’ll find out if this series is a hit or a miss when I read it. It stood out to me on the shelf because the series uses weird 3D art for the covers, which looks super corny.

What is it?

Sounds like some kind of Christian fantasy adventure.

The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender

I think this is a stand alone. It’s not super long, and it’s published by Scholastic, so it’s likely not very terrifying. I’ll probably read this around October for a spooky story.

What is it?

A ghost horror mystery.

Dragonlance: Chronicles, Vol. 4 by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, & The New Adventures, Vol. 2 by Jeff Sampson

I’m slowly collecting the Dragonlance universe books, and I think I have maybe nine, so far. That does not include these two. When I saw these on the shelf, I had no idea what they were. They didn’t look like any Dragonlance books I’d ever seen from my research, but the collection is massive, so I figured better to grab them than not.

To the Gates of Palanthas says it’s volume four of Chronicles, but I’m well aware that series is a trilogy, which I already own. I wasn’t sure if there was another Chronicles it was referring to. It turns out, this book is a shorter copy of part of the story. It’s part two of the second book, Dragons of Winter Night. So, I don’t actually need this book, but it’s cool to know they printed it in this format. It looks like it’s intended as a way for younger readers to have an easier time reading the usually lengthy books.

Wizard’s Betrayal says it’s volume two of The New Adventures, or Trinistyr Trilogy. Despite looking similar to the book mentioned above, this one is not a smaller divvied version of something else. So, I actually did needed a copy of this. I’ll find volume one of this trilogy some other time. It appears to be out of print, so I’ll have to poke around for some cheaper prices.

What is it?

A fantasy universe inspired by Dungeons & Dragons.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

I’ve seen the movie for this, but never read it. Books tend to be better, so I want to see how this one compares.

Apparently this is technically part of a series. It appears to be a stand alone novel, but it has a prequel book, Ogre Enchanted, that can be read on its own. There’s also an unofficial sequel called Fairest. I’m not sure if there are more, but these three can at least be read by themselves individually, so that’s good.

What is it?

A fairy tale retelling of Cinderella.

The Faelin Chronicles, Vol. 2 by C. Aubrey Hall

The Call of Eirian is the second book of The Faelin Chronicles trilogy. It looked interesting at a quick glance, so I grabbed it. I will have to get volume one, Crystal Bones, before I can start reading the series.

What is it?

A fantasy starring twins who are half-fae and half-human.

Gifted, Vol. 1 by Marilyn Kaye

Out of Sight, Out of Mind is volume one of the Gifted series. It’s a first volume, and it’s paranormal, so that was enough for me to grab it. Gifted appears to be a six book series.

What is it?

Sounds like a paranormal school setting involving supernatural powers.

House of Night, Vol 6, 7, & 8 by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

These volumes are (in order) Tempted, Burned, and Awakened. They are part of the House of Night series, which I have not yet read, but I’ve heard very good things about. I already have the first four books, so I didn’t see the harm in grabbing these three, since they were so cheap. If I get volume five, I have a significant buffer to find out if I like the series or not.

All three of these books are hardcover, but Awakened is missing the dust jacket, which actually isn’t that bad since the under-cover looks fine. I broke my own policy for these, because I figured it doesn’t matter if they are so cheap. Usually I wouldn’t buy hardcover books if I already started the series as paperbacks. Hopefully that won’t drive me up the wall later.

What is it?

A vampire fantasy.

Niebla, Vol. 1 by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

The Prince of Mist is volume one of the Niebla series, also known as Mist. It’s a trilogy, and I grabbed it as something to new to try. The description sounded interesting enough.

What is it?

Sounds like some kind of historical mystery, possibly involving a ghost.

The Osserian Saga, Vol. 2 & 3 by David Forbes

The Amber Wizard, volume one of this series, is in my June haul from last month. The series is a trilogy, so these two volumes complete the set. I have not read any of it, yet, but if I end up liking it, I now have all of it at my disposal.

Volume two: The Words of Making

Volume three: The Commanding Stone

What is it?

A fantasy series, probably involving magic.

The Princess Diaries, Vol. 6 by Meg Cabot

The Princess Diaries is a lengthy series that appears to be ongoing. I think it’s about twelve-ish volumes right now. I already have the first three for sure, but have not yet read them. This one is volume six, Princess in Training. I figured it couldn’t hurt to grab it for the low price just in case I like the series, less for me to have to worry about getting later.

What is it?

A coming of age story, I think, possibly with some romance.

Ranger’s Apprentice, Vol 2 by John Flanagan

The Burning Bridge is book two of the Ranger’s Apprentice series. This sixteen book series has been on my list for a while, and I already have the first volume, so when I saw the second one, I made sure to grab it. I don’t particularly need it right away, but it never hurts to have an extra volume or two to be able to read more of a series quickly.

The first volume, The Ruins of Gorlan, was in my End of 2022 haul.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

Rats of Nimh, Vol. 2 by Jane Leslie Conly

The first volume, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, was included back in my February haul. Rasco and the Rats of Nimh is volume two, and I just happened to find it. That gives me two out of three.

The first book is written by a different name than the other two. A quick google search tells me the sequels are written by the daughter of the original author. I’ve only read one series where another author took over, and I didn’t like that one, so this should be interesting.

Serafina, Vol. 2 by Robert Beatty

Serafina is a four volume series. Serafina and the Twisted Staff is volume two. The store did not have the first volume, but it was so cheap it was worth getting the second book first. When I get the first one later, I’ll have half the series to figure out if I like it.

The first volume is called Serafina and the Black Cloak.

What is it?

A middle grade historical fiction with fantasy and mystery elements.

Tomorrow Girls, Vol. 1, 2, & 4 by Eva Gray

These books have been on the shelf every time I’ve gone to the store. I debated on grabbing them a few times. Nobody else ever grabbed them, so I decided to go for it this time. The fact one and two are here gives me a bit to try, and if I decide I like the series, I can track down volume three. Apparently the series is only four books long, anyway.

The titles of these volumes are: 1 – Behind the Gates, 2 – Run for Cover, and 4 – Set Me Free.

What is it?

Some kind of dystopia.

Waterfire Saga, Vol. 2 by Jennifer Donnelly

Rogue Wave is volume two of the Waterfire Saga. The cover art for this book is pretty, so that’s what caught my attention. Waterfire is an interesting title for a series, so I’m curious to find out what it’s all about. The series is four books long.

The first book, which I will need to get to be able to start the series, is titled Deep Blue.

What is it?

A mermaid fantasy.

Book Haul June 2023

fantasticfictionsblog

About

This haul is significantly larger than usual, because my local store is having a sale to clear out a bunch of their used books. All except one book in this haul are from my local store’s sale. I think the price of each book comes out to be about forty-four cents.

The pile system in the picture from left to right:
-Volume ones to try
– Books in which I still need the first volume
-Stand alones
-Series in which the pile includes first volumes and up.
-Later volumes in series I already own

The Wizard’s Jokebook doesn’t fit into any of those categories, so I just put it in front by itself.

Above the Veil by Garth Nix

This is volume four of The Seventh Tower. Volumes two through five are in this haul. I will have to get volume one later.

What is it?

A fantasy.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

I’ve seen this book popping up in the lists of what my circle of friends have read, so I figured I’d try it. Apparently there’s a movie, too. I did not know that. If Tim Burton was involved, it must be good. Also, this appears to be part of a duology. Volume two is called The Last American Vampire.

What is it?

A paranormal historical fiction.

Aenir by Garth Nix

Aenir is volume three of the Seventh Tower series. Volumes two through five are in this haul. I’ll have to get the first book later.

What is it?

A fantasy.

The Amber Wizard by David Forbes

I don’t know anything about this, but it mentions a wizard, and I like magic, so that’s good enough for me to give it a try. It’s the first volume of The Osserian Saga, which appears to be a trilogy.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

This is volume one of the Robert Langdon series. I’ve heard good things about this book and the more well known sequel, The Davinci Code. Apparently you can read the books individually as stand alone novels, but I’d rather read them in order.

What is it?

I think it’s a mystery.

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

This book is the first volume of the Farseer Trilogy. I managed to find the entire trilogy at the store, so I have the whole thing in case I like it. The only part I’m missing is the prequel, which isn’t immediately important.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb

The Farseer Trilogy ends with this third volume. There’s an additional prequel totaling four books, but I don’t have that and will worry about it when or if I actually need it.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

Battle of the Beasts by Chris Columbus & Ned Vizzini

This is volume two of the House of Secrets trilogy. I found volume two so cheap that it’s worth getting just to have more to read in case I like the first volume, which I will have to get later. I didn’t look too closely at any description aside from skimming it for volume one. It mentions the occult, so I grabbed it.

What is it?

A children’s fantasy.

Castle by Garth Nix

Castle is volume two of the series The Seventh Tower. This haul has volumes two through five. The store didn’t have volume one, so I’ll have to get that one later.

I have the Abhorsen series and love it, so I’m getting more Garth Nix books to try.

What is it?

A fantasy.

The Chestnut Soldier by Jenny Nimmo

This is volume three of The Magician trilogy, also known as the Snow Spider trilogy. Volume two is also in this haul. I will have to get the first one later.

What is it?

A children’s fantasy involving magic.

The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby

I think this is a stand alone novel. I just kind of grabbed it because it’s nice to have some things that are not part of a series to read. It has something to do with clocks and three children.

What is it?

A children’s historical fiction.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Crazy Rich Asians is a three book series. This is volume one. I’ve heard good things about it, and I’ve never seen the movie, so I grabbed it to fill space and have something to try.

What is it?

A contemporary fiction, possibly with some romance. I don’t really know much about it.

The Cursed Towers by Kate Forsyth

This is volume three of The Witches of Eileanan. I’m missing book four, The Forbidden Land.

What is it?

A fantasy, probably with magic.

Daemon Eyes by Camille Bacon-Smith

Daemon Eyes is a two in one edition of volumes one and two for the series Daemon Inc. There are three volumes total in the standard series, so if I like this book, I will only have to buy one more.

What is it?

Based on the description, it sounds like an urban fantasy mystery detective series.

A Dark Inheritance by Chris D’Lacey

The Unicorne Files is a trilogy, and this is volume one. I only skimmed half the description before grabbing the book. It’s published by Scholastic, so it’s appropriate for kids. I’m pretty sure unicorns don’t actually have anything to do with the story, and that the name likely represents the fantastical, since it’s the name of an organization.

What is it?

A paranormal mystery adventure.

The Dark Planet by Patrick Carman

The Dark Planet is volume three in the Atherton trilogy. Volume two, Rivers of Fire, is also in this haul. I don’t have volume one, but if I get it later, whether I like it or not, the last two volumes only cost me about a dollar.

What is it?

A children’s sci-fi fantasy.

The Darkdeep by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs

I don’t think I even read the description for this book. It’s volume one of The Darkdeep trilogy, so I just grabbed it as something to try.

What is it?

A children’s horror of some kind.

The Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

The Dark Endeavor is volume one of the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein duology. I don’t know if the name has anything to do with the original Frankenstein, but the description sounds interesting, so I’m going to try it.

What is it?

A historical fiction adventure, I think, probably with some horror.

Dark is the Moon by Ian Irvine

This is volume three in the series The View from the Mirror. Volume one is also in this haul. I don’t have volume two. The series totals to four books in length.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

I added this book to my to-read list years ago and haven’t gotten around to it. This is volume one of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy. Aside from the three standard books in the trilogy, there is also a volume 2.5. It’s called Night of Cake & Puppets, and appears to be less than 300 pages long.

What is it?

A young adult fantasy.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

I’ve heard good things about this book from pretty much everyone. People and TV shows all give it high praise. It’s volume two in the Robert Langdon series, but I hear you can read it as a stand alone.

What is it?

I think it’s a mystery.

Double Eclipse by Melissa de la Cruz

This is volume two of Summer on East End, so I have the complete duology to find out if I’m interested in reading more by the author. Volume one is listed farther down in the haul because it’s alphabetical by title.

What is it?

A young adult witch story with romance.

The Dragon and the Djinn by Gordon R. Dickson

This is volume six of the Dragon Knight series. Volume five is also in this haul.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy sci-fi isekai involving a man who becomes a dragon.

The Dragons of the Cuyahoga by S. Andrew Swann

This is the first volume of the duology for the Cleveland Portal series. There is also an omnibus edition that has both volumes in one book. This is one of the many first volumes I got to try something new.

What is it?

An urban fantasy where fictional creatures have come through a portal to Cleveland.

The Dragon, the Earl, and the Troll by Gordon R. Dickson

Dragon Knight is a nine book series, and this is volume five. The store only had five and six, but I’m definitely interested in trying this series, so I got these later volumes in case I like it. The first book in the series is called The Dragon and the George.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy sci-fi isekai involving a man who becomes a dragon.

The Dragon Quartet Omnibus, Vol. 1 by Marjorie B. Kellogg

This is an omnibus edition for the Dragon Quartet series. It contains volume one, The Book of Earth, and volume two, The Book of Water. There are four individual books total, so there are only two omnibus editions. I grabbed this mostly because it’s a volume one of something fantasy for me to try.

What is it?

An elemental dragon themed fantasy that apparently takes place in medieval Europe and the distant future.

The Dragon Society by Lawrence Watt-Evans

Dragon Society is volume two of the Obsidian Chronicles. I mostly grabbed it because two and three were available. I will have to get volume one later.

What is it?

A fantasy involving dragons.

Dragon Venom by Lawrence Watt-Evans

This is the third and final volume of the Obsidian Chronicles.

What is it?

A fantasy involving dragons.

The Elvenbane by Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey

Elvenbane is another book I grabbed just because it’s a volume one of something new for me to try. It’s part of the Halfblood Chronicles, which is a trilogy.

What is it?

A fantasy about a half-elf child of destiny raised by dragons.

Emlyn’s Moon by Jenny Nimmo

This is volume two of the Snow Spider trilogy, also known as The Magician Trilogy according to the cover of this copy. I don’t know much about it, but I’m generally willing to try new children’s books lately. I will have to get volume one in order to start the series.

What is it?

A children’s fantasy involving magic.

The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

Back in 2021, I read the entire Maze Runner series. It was interesting, but generally average, in my opinion, but I’m curious to see if there are other things by the same author I would like better. So, after I finished, I poked around a little to see what else there might be. This is volume one of The Mortality Doctrine, which consists of a trilogy and one prequel.

What is it?

A young adult sci-fi involving gamers and hackers with a virtual internet, possibly dystopia.

The Far Kingdoms by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch

I already have volume three of this series. I don’t remember where or how I got it, but I do. It’s the the Anteros series. With this book, I can at least start the series and figure out if I even want to get volume two to be able to read volume three. The series is four books long.

What is it?

A fantasy adventure.

The Fathomless Caves by Kate Forsyth

This is volume six of The Witches of Eileanan. I think this is the final volume for the series.

What is it?

A fantasy, probably with magic.

The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens

The Fire Chronicle is volume two of a trilogy called The Books of Beginning. I don’t have the first volume, but it doesn’t hurt to already have the second since I found it cheap. Volume one, The Emerald Atlas, was already on my to-read list when I found this.

What is it?

A children’s adventure series involving time travel.

The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

This is volume one of The Forgetting, which appears to be a duology. I don’t really know anything about it aside from the fact it involves people forgetting things on a regular basis and only being able to remember things that are written down. The main character is the only person who has never forgotten anything.

What is it?

Probably some kind of dystopia, possibly with science fiction and maybe a mystery.

For the Win by Cory Doctorow

This looks like a thick MMORPG themed stand alone novel. I haven’t really found any VR or MMORPG themed novels that I like, yet, but I haven’t tried very many, either. I’m hoping this one will be better than Ready Player One, which I didn’t even bother to finish, because I didn’t like it.

What is it?

Seems like science fiction, maybe dystopia.

Ghost Dog Secrets by Peg Kehret

I blindly grabbed this one because it looks like a children’s spooky story and I want to try more of those.

What is it?

A children’s ghost story.

The Glass Word by Kai Meyer

This is the final volume of the Dark Reflections trilogy, also known as Merle-Zyklus. Volume two is also in this haul. I don’t have volume one, yet.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy set in Italy.

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Glow is volume one of the Sky Chasers trilogy. I grabbed it as something to try.

What is it?

A young adult science fiction dystopia.

Grand Passion by Jayne Ann Krentz

Grand Passion is a stand alone novel written by Jayne Ann Krentz, also known as Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle. This is her contemporary setting pseudonym. I don’t know what this book is about, and I don’t care, because I will pretty much read anything by this author.

What is it?

A contemporary mystery romance.

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

This is volume one of the Underland Chronicles. It’s five books long, and written by the same author as The Hunger Games. I like The Hunger games, so I want to try other things by the same author.

What is it?

A children’s fantasy adventure.

The Hunger Pains: A Parody by The Harvard Lampoon

This is a Hunger Games parody book. Some parodies are really good while others are really bad. It was too enticing on the shelf for me to pass up.

What is it?

A parody book for The Hunger Games.

Impossible Odds by Dave Duncan

I don’t have the first volume for this series. It’s The King’s Blades series, and this is volume five. I do randomly have volume four, though, so I figure it doesn’t hurt to grab this one ahead of time.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy.

Inferno by Dan Brown

This is volume four of the Robert Langdon series. This brings me to three volumes from the same series in this haul, but I’m missing volume three. Apparently you can read the books individually as stand alone novels, but I’d rather read them in order. Unfortunately, this is the movie tie-in edition, but it was super cheap, and they didn’t have any other copies.

What is it?

I think it’s a mystery.

Into Battle by Garth Nix

This is volume five of The Seventh Tower series. Volumes two through five are in this haul. I will have to get volume one later.

What is it?

A fantasy.

The Jaguar Knights by Dave Duncan

The Jaguar Knights is part of The King’s Blades series. It’s volume six, right after Impossible Odds, which is also in this haul. I’m missing the first three volumes of the series, but with how cheaply I found these, it’s worth it to have them as a just in case.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy.

The Keeper by David Baldacci

This is volume two of the Vega Jane series, also known as The Finisher in the Netherlands. It consists of four volumes, and one is already on my list of things to read, but I don’t have it. I grabbed this one so I’ll have the first two to try when I get around to buying the first one.

What is it?

A dystopian fantasy.

The Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda

This is volume one of the Rondo trilogy. I didn’t have much time left to look at books, and this one mentions a witch, so that is good enough for me.

What is it?

A fantasy adventure.

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

This is a stand alone story. Liesle & Po and The Spindlers are both written by the same author. This one is apparently supposed to be really good.

What is it?

I think it’s a stand alone children’s fantasy adventure.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

I’ve only read two books by John Green, and they didn’t really interest me. This is the last one I’m going to try. If I don’t like this one, I won’t read any more by this author.

What is it?

A coming of age contemporary fiction stand alone novel.

The Lost Heiress by Catherine Fisher

Relic Master is a four volume series, and this is volume two. I still need to get volume one to be able to start the series. This one was so cheap that it makes it worth it to have the second one in case I end up liking the first book.

What is it?

Some kind of sci-fi fantasy, possibly dystopia.

The Lost Medallion: The Adventures of Billy Stone by Bill Muir and Alex Kendrick

This is a stand alone novel. It looks like this might be a movie tie in edition because the cover looks like a movie poster. Apparently this is religious fiction. I didn’t realize that when I grabbed it. I probably wouldn’t have if I’d known. Christian fiction is very hit or miss for me.

What is it?

A children’s Christian fiction adventure.

The Lost Swords: The First Triad by Fred Saberhagen

This is an omnibus for volumes one through three of the Lost Swords series. Honestly, I only grabbed this because the entire series was on the shelf.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy from the 80s.

The Lost Swords: The Second Triad by Fred Saberhagen

As with The First Triad, this book is an omnibus edition for The Lost Swords. It contains volumes four through six.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy from the 80s.

The Lost Swords: Endgame by Fred Saberhagen

This is the final omnibus edition for The Lost Swords. It contains volumes seven and eight.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy from the 80s to early 90s.

The Magician’s Lie

This is a stand alone novel I found in a section in which I don’t normally find anything that catches my interest. It’s recommended for people who like Water for Elephants and The Night Circus. I’ve read both of those, and liked both, so I figured I’d try it.

What is it?

A historical fiction mystery involving some magic.

The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

I mostly just grabbed this because it’s volume one of a series. The series is called The secret, and it’s about five volumes long. Volume six is a do it yourself mystery, and I’m not sure if that one is necessary to read/write.

What is it?

A children’s mystery adventure.

Of Monsters and Madness by Jessica Verday

This is volume one of the Of Monsters and Madness duology. I don’t know anything about the series, but this volume is supposed to be a retelling featuring Edgar Allen Poe and his character Annabel Lee. I’m not familiar with any of that, so I won’t be comparing anything to this when I read it.

What is it?

A historical fiction horror retelling.

Phantom by Terry Goodkind

My May haul had a large chunk of this series. It’s called the Sword of Truth. This is volume ten. I believe I’m still missing six and eight, but I’m set with a good buffer to try the series. Someone at the store said it was good, so I’m optimistic.

What is it?

An epic fantasy, I think.

The Pool of Two Moons by Kate Forsyth

This is volume two of The Witches of Eileanan. This haul finishes off the entire six book series collection except for a single volume. I already have volume one, but have not yet read it. The only one I’m missing at this point is volume four, The Forbidden Land.

What is it?

A fantasy, probably with magic.

Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Kretnz

This is volume two of the Cutler, Sutter, & Salinas series, also known as the Sons of Anson Salinas. It’s a trilogy, and all three volumes are in this haul.

What is it?

A mystery romance.

Quest for Celestia by Steven James

I mostly just grabbed this one because it’s a stand alone and the description mentions the word fantasy. It’s a retelling of a book I’ve never heard of before, so I don’t really know anything about it.

What is it?

A reimagined retelling of The Pilgrim’s Progress. It looks like it’s a Christian fantasy of some kind.

Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews

This is volume one of the Red Sparrow trilogy. I’ve seen the movie, but never read the book, so I figured I’d give it a try. Unfortunately, the book got a little torn while traveling from the store to my home. It’s not too bad, though. Mostly a small tear on the back cover that effects the last few pages, which are only a preview for another book, anyway. The store had a copy of the movie cover version and a standard version, so I went with the standard.

What is it?

A mystery thriller with espionage.

Rivers of Fire by Patrick Carman

Rivers of fire is volume two of a trilogy called Atherton. I don’t know much about it, but the store had the last two out of three volumes, so I figured why not. If I find the first book somewhere, two and three basically only cost me about a dollar. Even if I end up not liking it, that’s not much of a waste.

What is it?

A children’s sci-fi fantasy.

The Roads of Heaven by Melissa Scott

I grabbed this book on a whim. It looks like it’s an omnibus edition of a science fiction series from the 80s. It costed practically nothing, so I figure no harm done by trying it. There is no barcode or ISBN anywhere on the book. It looks like it might have been published before that was a standard.

The individual books for the trilogy inside this omnibus are Five-Twelfths of Heaven, Silence in Solitude, and Empress of Earth.

What is it?

A space travel sci-fi trilogy omnibus from the 80s.

Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb

This is volume two of the Farseer trilogy. I don’t really know anything about the series.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

This is book two of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. It’s four volumes long, and I’ve actually already read it before. I read the whole series from my local library, but I found it so charming I wanted my own copies. This is the first one I’ve found, so it’s the only volume I currently own. The copy I initially read also had a different cover than this one, but I don’t think that really matters in the end.

Something interesting to know about the series is the volumes were not written in order. I don’t remember what the written order is, but there is an excerpt in one of the books that explains why and how they were written outside of chronological order.

What is it?

A fairy tale-esque fantasy with dragons.

A Shadow on the Glass by Ian Irvine

I was getting to the point of trying to fill space during one of my trips to the book store and I saw this was a volume one for a fantasy, so I just grabbed it. It’s part of the series The View from the Mirror. I don’t really know anything about it.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

The Skull of the World by Kate Forsyth

This is volume five of the series The Witches of Eileanan.

What is it?

A fantasy, probably with magic.

Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

This book actually made it onto my list only about a year ago. It’s volume one of the Chicagoland Vampires series, which appears to be about thirteen volumes long, with a smattering of half volumes throughout. There also appears to be a spin-off series called Heirs of Chicagoland, which appears to still be releasing. Volume five is scheduled to release this November.

What is it?

An urban fantasy with a vampire theme.

Sphinx’s Princess by Esther Friesner

Sphinx’s Princess is part of two series. It’s volume three in a series called Princesses of Myth, which contains the other series, a duology, by the title Sphinx’s Princess. I think I can read this without reading the books before it, because it looks like Princesses of Myth is made up of a bunch of duologies. This particular one is Egyptian themed, so it caught my interest when I saw it on the shelf. It stars Nefertiti.

What is it?

A historical fiction, possibly with some fantasy and mythology mixed in.

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

I never knew what to read when I was younger, so I’m always on the lookout for good children’s books to try. This one is a stand alone novel, and it’s written by the same author as Liesl & Po. Between the time I got it, and making this post, I’ve already managed to read it, so there is already a review available.

What is it?

A children’s fantasy reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland.

Stone Field by Christy Lenzi

I grabbed this while trying to fill space at the end of one of my store runs. I don’t really know anything about it aside from it being a stand alone novel. Apparently it’s supposed to be a retelling of Wuthering Heights, which I’m not familiar with, so I will not be comparing the two.

What is it?

A stand alone historical romance.

The Stone Light by Kai Meyer

This is volume two of the Dark Reflections trilogy, also known as Merle-Zyklus. I only grabbed it because it sounds like a fantasy adventure, and the store had 2/3 of the books. I still need to find the first one to be able to read the series.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy set in Italy.

The Storybook of Legends by Shannon Hale

This is volume one of the Ever After High series. I grabbed both one and two of the series just to fill some final space in my basket. Based on the cover, it kind of looks like a more adorable version of The School for Good and Evil, which I have not yet read, either. I’m expecting some similarities.

What is it?

A fairy tale themed fantasy.

The Summoning by Kelly Armstrong

The Summoning is volume one of the Darkest Powers series. Apparently it’s supposed to take place in the same universe as the Otherworld series, which is one I love, so I’m looking forward to reading this. There’s also a sequel series to this one called Darkness Rising.

Unfortunately, this book is one I ordered from an unfamiliar Amazon marketplace seller that supposedly had 91% positive feedback. It was supposed to be in very good condition with “gently used” as the description. That’s not how it looks. It looks more like good condition with all the scrapes and creases on the cover. I don’t care enough to complain, but I probably won’t be ordering from that seller again.

What is it?

A young adult paranormal urban fantsy.

Sunwing by Kenneth Oppel

Sunwing is volume two of the Silverwing trilogy. I didn’t realize this was part of a series when I grabbed it. I was rushing to choose a few final books at the store that day. Honestly, I only grabbed this one because I have a friend who likes bats, so I figured I’d give whatever this is a try.

What is it?

A fantasy adventure with animals.

Sweep, Vol. 3 by Cate Tiernan

This is volume three of the Sweep series, which appears to be an omnibus edition of the series Wicca. It contains volumes seven ( The Calling), eight (Changeling), and nine (Strife) of the series. Volume one is already on my to-read list, so I figure if I end up liking it, it’s better to have the other books in the series bought cheaply. Volumes four and five of these omnibus editions are also in this haul, so I’m only missing the first two, which are the equivalent of six standard books.

What is it?

A young adult witch themed series.

Sweep, Vol. 4 by Cate Tiernan

This is volume four of the Sweep series, which appears to be an omnibus edition of the series Wicca. It contains volumes ten (Seeker), eleven (Origins), and twelve (Eclipse).

What is it?

A young adult witch themed series.

Sweep, Vol. 5 by Cate Tiernan

This is volume five of the Sweep series, which appears to be an omnibus edition of the series Wicca. It contains volumes thirteen (Reckoning), fourteen (Full Circle), and fifteen (Night’s Child). This book is the last volume for these editions, so in total I have three out of five of the Sweep books.

What is it?

A young adult witch themed series.

A Taste of Magic by Tracy Madison

I don’t think this is my usual preference, but it might be paranormal enough for me to enjoy. It sounds like there is at least a little bit of witch magic involved in the story. It’s volume one of a four book series called Magic.

What is it?

A paranormal story involving wish-granting baked goods, possibly with romance.

Time of the Witches by Anna Myers

This is a stand alone story involving Salem witch trial accusations. It’s short, so I grabbed it as something to try. The book is published by Scholastic, so it’s probably intended for children.

What is it?

A historical fiction.

Triple Moon by Melissa de la Cruz

I have something else by this author on my to-read list, but the store doesn’t have that, so I grabbed this instead. It sounds witchy, so I’ll probably like it. The series is called Summer on East End, and it’s a duology. I managed to get both in this haul.

What is it?

A young adult witch story with romance.

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Unbreakable is volume one of a series called The Legion. It currently has two volumes with no release date for the third. Upon doing some quick research, it looks like the third book will likely be independently published whenever the author gets around to it. Because of that, this likely will not be urgent on my to-read list.

This is the same author as Beautiful Creatures, and I liked that series, so I figured I would grab this to try something else by the same author.

What is it?

A young adult paranormal series involving ghosts and uniquely skilled teens to fight them.

The Unfairest of Them All by Shannon Hale

The Unfairest of Them All is volume two of the Ever After High series. This series appears to have a couple spin-offs as well, but I won’t delve into those unless I end up liking these first two volumes.

What is it?

A fairy tale themed fantasy.

Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz

This is volume three of the Cutler, Sutter, & Salinas series, also known as the Sons of Anson Salinas. It’s a trilogy, so this is the final volume.

What is it?

A mystery romance.

Uprising by Sean McCabe

This is volume one of a series called Vampire Federation. It’s apparently a duology, but it’s vampire themed, so that immediately catches my interest enough to try it.

What is it?

An urban fantasy involving vampires.

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Virals is a spin-off series from Bones, also known as the Temperance Brennen series. This is the first volume. I’ve seen almost all of the TV show for Bones, and I read the first volume of the novel series a few years back, so I figured I’d give this a try. It looks like it’s more paranormal than the core material.

What is it?

A young adult paranormal science fiction mystery.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

This is volume one of the Warm Bodies series, which I think is primarily a trilogy. I saw the movie years ago and didn’t find out until after that it was based on a book. It’s been sitting on my to-read list ever since, and I just haven’t gotten around to it. Now I can at least read the first volume and see what it’s like compared to the movie.

What is it?

A zombie apocalypse romance in which the love interest is a zombie.

When All the Girls have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz

This is volume one of the Cutler, Sutter, & Salinas series, also known as the Sons of Anson Salinas. It’s a trilogy, and all three volumes are in this haul. I have no idea what it’s about, and I don’t really care, because I like the author.

What is it?

A mystery romance.

Wickedly Wonderful by Deborah Blake

Ever heard of Baba Yaga? Well, that’s the name of this series. This is volume two, and supposedly that name is a title carried by a select few, instead of an actual person. The series has four volumes plus some half volumes, and a prequel story.

What is it?

An urban fantasy with witches and dragon dogs.

The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

This book is a stand alone story by the same author who wrote the Artemis Fowl series. I’ve never read that series, but I’ve heard good things, so I figured I’d try this to see if I like the author. The description says it’s a race between the demonic and the divine to claim a soul.

What is it?

Some sort of paranormal fantasy.

The Wizard’s Jokebook by Chris Tait

As a nerd, I couldn’t pass this up. It’s just a thin book full of bad jokes.

What is it?

A children’s jokebook filled with wizard themed dad jokes.

The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell

This is volume one of the series The Wizards of Once. It’s four volumes long by the same author as How to Train Your Dragon, which I have not read, but would like to.

What is it?

A fantasy adventure.

The Wolf Princess by Cathryn Constable

This is a stand alone story. I dug through the boxes of kids’ books at the store, and it looked interesting.

What is it?

A stand alone middle grade mystery, maybe. I’m not sure.

The Wolves of London by Mark Morris

This is one I grabbed toward the end of one of my store runs while trying to fill space. It’s the first volume of the series Obsidian Heart.

What is it?

A time travel mystery.

Book Haul May 2023

fantasticfictionsblog

About

All of these books are pre-owned from my local book store. There is a big sale going on right now, so my hauls over the summer for novels might be larger than normal.

Some of the books in this haul are later volumes of series I already started buying, but have not yet read. It doesn’t hurt to get some ahead of time if they’re going to be cheaper than getting them elsewhere in case I like them. Others are first volumes for me to try, or later volumes in a series I have not yet started buying for things I’m pretty sure I’ll like, so will save me money in the long run.

The Awakening by Thomas K. Martin

This book is volume one of the Magelord trilogy. I don’t know anything about this. It’s volume one of a fantasy, so I just grabbed it in hopes I might like it.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind

This is volume three of the Sword of Truth series.

What is it?

An epic fantasy, I think.

Chainfire by Terry Goodkind

This is volume nine of the Sword of Truth series. I do not have volume eight, nor do I have volume ten.

What is it?

An epic fantasy, I think.

A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist

This is volume four in The Riftwar Saga. I still need to get two and three at some point if I like the first volume, which is also in this haul.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy.

Darksword Adventures by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman

I’m not entirely sure what exactly this is. I will generally buy any book by these authors. Everything I’ve read from them is great. This particular book is a little unusual. I get the impression it’s part story and part RPG game book. I’m not sure what exactly that means, so I’ll have to look into it more later.

What is it?

A complete guide to “venturing” in the enchanted realm of Thimhallan.

Deception by Amanda Quick

I buy everything I can find by this author and her other pseudonyms. I don’t even check what they are about before I get or read them. Amanda Quick is the pseudonym for historical novels, though, so I know that much. It usually doesn’t matter to me to know more, because I tend to like everything she writes.

What is it?

A historical romance.

Dragon Keeper by Carole Wilkinson

This is volume one of the Dragon Keeper series. This book is printed by Scholastic, so it’s definitely a children’s book.

What is it?

I think it’s a Chinese setting for a fantasy about protecting dragons.

The Fire Within by Chris D’Lacey

This is volume one of The Last Dragon Chronicles. It’s printed by Scholastic, so it’s definitely a children’s book.

What is it?

A dragon themed fantasy.

The Golden Cord by Paul Genesse

This book is volume one of The Iron Dragon series. I didn’t look at it too closely in the store. I just generally like stories with dragons, so I grabbed it.

What is it?

A fantasy adventure involving dragons.

Heart’s Blood by Jane Yolen

This is volume two of the Pit Dragon Chronicles. I already have volume one, but have not yet read it. It’s a four volume series, so this gives me half to find out if I like it.

What is it?

A dragon themed fantasy.

Hung Out by Margaret Weis & Don Perrin

This is volume three of the trilogy Mag Force 7. I usually buy Margaret Weis novels because they are fantasy in theme, but this one is a science fiction style story instead. I need to get the first book to find out if I will like it.

What is it?

A science fiction fantasy, maybe a space opera. I’m not really sure.

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

This book is volume two in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. I haven’t read Stalking Jack the Ripper, yet, but I’ve heard great things about all books in the series. My plan is to read Stalking Jack the Ripper first before reading this one. I just happened to find this one first.

What is it?

A historical fiction mystery.

Icons by Margaret Stohl

This is volume one of the Icons duology. I added this to my list back in 2018.

What is it?

Post apocalyptic dystopia, I think. I haven’t looked into it much.

Idols by Margaret Stohl

This is volume two of the Icons duology. The store had both, so I figured why not just get the whole thing.

What is it?

Probably a post apocalyptic dystopia.

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

This book is volume one of the series The Great Library. I skimmed the description in the store, and saw it’s basically dystopian in theme, and that was enough for me to grab it to try.

What is it?

A dystopian series involving books, and maybe the Great Library of Alexandria.

Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist

This is volume one of The Riftwar Saga, which I think is a four book series. I apparently added this to my list sometime in 2016. I don’t really know what it’s about, but it sounded interesting at the time I when I read the description.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy,

The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick

This is volume two of the trilogy Ladies of Lantern Street. I don’t have volumes one or three, yet, so this will be shelved until then. I think this series crosses over with Acrane Society and Ghost Hunters at some point, because I recall seeing some mention of characters from it while I was reading those.

What is it?

A paranormal historical romance.

The Pillars of Creation by Terry Goodkind

This is volume seven of the Sword of Truth Series. I do not have volume six, nor do I have volume eight.

What is it?

An epic fantasy, I think.

Soul of the Fire by Terry Goodkind

This is volume five of the Sword of Truth series. I do not have Faith of the Fallen for volume six.

What is it?

An epic fantasy, I think.

Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind

This is volume two of the Sword of Truth series.

What is it?

An epic fantasy, I think.

Tale of the Thunderbolt by E.E. Knight

This is volume three of The Vampire Earth. I already have volume one, but have not read it, yet. If I like volume one, I will be sure to get volume two.

What is it?

A post apocaliptic fantasy.

Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind

This is volume four of the Sword of Truth series.

What is it?

An epic fantasy, I think.

Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind

This book is volume one of the Sword of Truth series. It looks like a fantasy series with thick volumes, so I grabbed as many of the series as I could find on the shelf. It’s cheaper to get them this way than to try one volume and order them later. This way I have a large chunk of the series, and I didn’t spend much on them. So if I like it, I’m good for a while, and if I don’t, I can just donate them or something.

What is it?

An epic fantasy, I think.