Book Haul June 2023

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

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.

Book Haul March 2023

About

Most of the books in this haul are the first volumes to series of which I already have some other books. Obviously I can’t exactly start reading a series without the first volume. All of these are pre-owned purchases through Amazon.

And I Darken by Kiersten White

This is volume one of a trilogy. I already have books two and three, because the series was on my list and I found them cheap at the discount store. Obviously I couldn’t start the series without this first book, though.

What is it?

A fantasy romance of some sort? I’m not sure. I just know it’s on my list, because it interested me at some point.

East by Edith Pattou

I’ve heard good things about this book. The bargain overstock store had the sequel for cheap, so I grabbed that a while ago just in case I end up liking it. I still needed a copy of this one before I could read it.

What is it?

Supposedly a retelling of something called East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and involves a girl leaving home with a polar bear to go to a castle.

Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

This is volume one of the trilogy Clash of Kingdoms. I already have volume two, so I can’t exactly read that without this one first. Volume two was something I found randomly at a discount store. The series was already on my to-read list, and if I ended up liking it, it was cheaper to just grab the second book there than to have to order it online later.

What is it?

A fantasy romance of some sort where the main character’s father has been murdered and she must go on an adventure to find the murderer. At least, that’s what the description implies.

Omens by Kelley Armstrong

I’ve been trying to get my hands on this for a while. I tried being patient. The local library has a digital copy, but only ONE copy. It’s been seemingly eternally checked out. So, I resorted to buying a copy for myself.

I love Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series, so I want to try her other works. There’s a book on my shelf that contains Otherworld short stories as well as short stories for this series, so I figure why not start with this? It’s volume one of the Cainsville series.

What is it?

A mystery of some sort, maybe? A girl finds out she is adopted, and that her real parents are serial killers. She then runs away from home and ends up in Cainsville, Illinois. From the sounds of it, things get weird from there.

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

This is volume one of the series The Princess Diaries. I already have volumes two and three, because I found them cheap at a bargain overstock store. Now that I have this one, I can start reading the series whenever I feel like it.

This book was kind of gross when it came in. It looked like it had blood stains and some gunk on it, but I managed to get most of it off with a cotton ball and some rubbing alcohol. What do people do with their books to get them covered in blood (or blood-like substance)?

What is it?

Seems like a coming of age series regarding a teen princess, possibly with romance?

Book Haul February 2023

About

Most of these novels are things I purchased for myself for my birthday. They are overstock items from a bargain store, so they are a little random. I like to choose books this way once in a while to try some new things I may not have seen or heard of before, or just find some things I might not expect.

The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi

This is volume one of a series called The Beast Player. It apparently contains volumes one and two. My copy has a sticker for a Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in young adult literature as an honor book, so it must be good, right? The description sounded interesting.

What is it?

A fantasy about a girl who can communicate with magical beats. That was enough to sell me on it.

Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Mimh by Robert C. O’Brien

This sounds familiar and was not expensive, so I figured why not grab it. Apparently there is a movie based on it. I swear I’ve seen it, but I must have been rather young at the time, because I don’t remember anything about it. It’s also volume one of a trilogy.

What is it?

An animal story for children, possibly kind of dark.

Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy by Melissa De La Cruz

This is volume one of a series called The Chronicles of Never After. I’m not going to lie, I don’t know anything about this series. I added it to my pile when I saw the description mention a girl interacting with a character from her favorite book series.

What is it?

A fantasy adventure of some kind that has something to do with fairies and fairytales.

The Outcast by Taran Matharu

This is a volume zero prequel to the series Summoner. I have not read anything in this series, nor do I have volume one. I guess I will be starting with volume zero and working my way from there. Hopefully the series is will be equally enjoyable starting with this volume as opposed to others.

What is it?

Something involving fantasy and magic. I don’t know, it’s been a long time since I added the series to my list.

The Princess Diaries: Princess In Love by Meg Cabot

This is volume three of The Princess Diaries series. I have no idea if it’s anything like the Disney movies, but considering this series appears to be fairly lengthy, probably not.

What is it?

Seems like a coming of age series regarding a teen princess, possibly with romance?

The Princess Diaries: Princess in the Spotlight by Meg Cabot

This is volume two of The Princess Diaries series. The series is approximately twelve-ish books long, plus maybe some middle and side stories. I likely won’t be delving too deeply into things until I start actively reading the series. They didn’t have volume one at the store, so I will likely have to order that later in order to start reading these.

What is it?

Seems like a coming of age series regarding a teen princess, possibly with romance?

The Rise of Kyoshi by by F.C. Yee

This is the first volume of the Chronicles of the Avatar series, as in The Last Airbender, not the blue people. The first two are the Kyoshi novels, and the third is about Yangchen. They can be divided into sub-series by which Avatar they feature. I don’t know if there will be more than just the three novels, yet. If you’re familiar with the show, you’ve already heard of Kyoshi and Yangchen. This was given to me as a birthday gift, and I’m excited to read it. I grew up watching Avatar.

The Wolf of Cape Fen by Juliana Brandt

This one is a stand alone novel. I don’t really know anything about it. It’s one I grabbed a bit randomly.

What is it?

Sounds like a Rumpelstiltskin-like mystery adventure thing.

Book Haul January 2023

About

All of the books in this haul are from either Amazon or ThriftBooks.

Eleventh Grade Burns by Heather Brewer

This is volume four of the five volume Vladimir Tod series. I ordered it through ThriftBooks.

What is it?

A teen half-vampire series.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

I received this book as a gift through Amazon. The cover is absolutely gorgeous. This is volume one of the Graceling Realm series. I’m not sure when I’ll get to reading it, but it’s been on my list for a while.

What is it?

A fantasy romance, from the sounds of it.

Kender, Gully Dwarves, and Gnomes by Margaret Weis and Tracey Hickman

This is volume two if the Dragonlance Tales trilogy, and completes my set. I got it from ThriftBooks, and it’s in better condition than I was expecting. I have a long way to go before my entire Dragonlance collection is complete. There are A LOT of Dragonlance novels.

What is it?

A Dungeons and Dragons-esque fantasy.

Return of the Dragon Slayers by Brandon Mull

This is the fifth and final volume of the Dragonwatch series. Dragonwatch is the sequel series to Fablehaven, and supposedly stars several of the same characters. I haven’t started reading it, yet, so I can’t personally say for sure. This completes my Fablehaven/Dragonwatch collection, unless something else is released later. I ordered this from Amazon to help ensure a manga did not get lost in the mail as a small package a second time.

What is it?

A fantasy adventure sequel to Fablehaven, probably revolving around the previously mentioned dragon lore.

Twelfth Grade Kills by Heather Brewer

This is the fifth and final volume of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, and it completes my set. I still need to get The Slayer Chronicles that goes with it. This book was a ThriftBooks order.

What is it?

A teen half-vampire series.

Six Month Book Haul, End of 2022

About

I haven’t bought enough books each month to bother doing hauls for regular novels, and I haven’t been keeping track of them as well as manga and light novels. So, for roughly the past six months, I’m just going to do one massive haul to show what I’ve gotten. Think of it as one big end of the year haul.

Aurian by Maggie Furey

I’m always on the lookout for new books (new to me, not necessarily newly published) to try, so I often grab some seemingly random things if they look interesting enough. This is one of those things. I bought it from my local used book store. Or at least, I think I did. There are no stickers on it to verify.

This is volume one of a four volume series called Artefacts of Power.

What is it?

A magical fantasy adventure.

Blood Vow by J. R. Ward

This is volume two of the Black Dagger Legacy series, which is intended to be read in tandem by publication date with the Black Dagger Brotherhood. I don’t have volume one of this series, yet, because I’m not quite ready to start it. There are a few more volumes of Fallen Angels and BDB for me to finish first.

I was at my local used book store the other day and I caught this volume out of the corner of my eye. I knew what it was, just not which volume, so I grabbed it for two dollars instead of ordering online for six or more later.

What is it?

A sexy and edgy urban vampire novel that is part of a larger series/universe of books.

The Crossroads of Illys’thoph by Jean William Quantrell III

This is book two of a series called The Chronicles of Tyrfus Hillock. The series is rather new, and my family knows the author, so you should definitely check it out. It can be found on Amazon. I’ll also include a link to volume one. I don’t have reviews for these yet, but it’s on my to do list.

What is it?

A fantasy.

The Dark Glory War by Michael A. Stackpole

I’m not entirely sure, but I think I got this from my local used book store. It doesn’t have a sticker, so I can’t verify that.

This is apparently part of a series called The DragonCrown War Cycle. It’s four volumes including this one as the prequel.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

Dragon’s Blood by Jane Yolen

I bought this from my local used book store. It’s volume one in a four volume series called Pit Dragon Chronicles.

What is it?

A Dragon themed fantasy.

Eight Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

This is volume one of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. I initially read this from the library, and enjoyed it, so I’m collecting the series to read all of it. There are only five volumes, but there is also a spin-off series. I think it’s about a vampire hunter, and it’s called The Slayer Chronicles. There are a couple graphic novels for volumes one and two of Vladimir Tod, too, but I have no interest in those.

I ordered this from ThriftBooks

What is it?

A teen half-vampire series.

Eye of the Beholder by Jayne Ann Krentz

I think I got this one from a library sale, because it is used and doesn’t have any stickers on it. As far as I know, this is a stand alone novel.

What is it?

A mystery romance.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

I bought this one from my local used book store. It’s volume one of a series called Firelight. It appears to be a trilogy.

What is it?

A fantasy romance with dragon shifters who secretly live among humans.

Ghost of a Chance by Jayne Ann Krentz

This book was purchased at my local used book store. As far as I know, this is a stand alone novel.

What is it?

A mystery romance.

Guild Boss by Jayne Castle

I ordered this on Amazon. It’s book fourteen in the Ghost Hunters or Harmony series, which is an extension of the Arcane Society series. I did read this already, but I did not review it because I don’t want to review a series super far in. When I go back and reread the entirety of the series, I’ll do the reviews at that time.

What is it?

A paranormal romance with psychics.

Halls of Law by V.M Escalada

I honestly can’t remember where I got this one. The stickers or lack of, does not give me any clue.

This is volume one of a duology called Faraman Prophecy. I don’t know any more than that.

What is it?

An epic fantasy with military and psychic themes.

Love and War by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

This is volume three of the Dragonlance Tales trilogy. I bought it from my local used book store.

What is it?

A Dungeons and Dragons-esque fantasy.

The Magic of Krynn by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

This is volume one of the Dragonlance Tales trilogy. I bought it from my local used book store.

What is it?

A Dungeons and Dragons-esque fantasy.

Mister Monday by Garth Nix

This is volume one of the series The Keys to the Kingdom. It’s a seven volume series.

I picked this up at my local used book store, because I read the Abhorsen series by Garth Nix and loved it, so I want to see if I like other things he’s written. I will reread Abhorsen at a later date and post reviews for it.

What is it?

A fantasy adventure.

Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer

This is volume two of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. I ordered this one from ThriftBooks after I bought volume three in store.

What is it?

A teen half-vampire series.

The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

I bought this from my local used book store. I think it was on the same day as the two Garth Nix books.

This is volume one of a series called Ranger’s Apprentice. The series appears to be pretty long with sixteen volumes.

What is it?

A fantasy of some kind.

The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

This is volume one of a series called Sea of Trolls. It appears to be a trilogy. I don’t know any more than that since I haven’t read it, yet. I can’t remember where I bought it, but wherever it come from it was used.

What is it?

A middle grade fantasy. It might have a touch of mythology in it. I’m not sure.

Serpent in Paradise by Jayne Ann Krentz

This book was purchased at my local used book store. This is a stand alone novel. I have already read and reviewed it.

What is it?

A harlequin romance.

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

This book was purchased at my local used book store. It’s one I grabbed from browsing, because it sounded interesting. It has a sticker on it that says it’s an autographed copy, but sometimes I wonder when I see stuff like that, because most of the time you can’t read the signature anyway.

This is the first book in a series called The School for Good and Evil. The series is six volumes, plus two prequels, and one companion book. Volumes 4-6 appear to be a sequel series called The School for Good and Evil: The Camelot Years.

The series appears to be ongoing.

What is it?

A middle grade fantasy with fairy tale themes.

Soft Focus by Jayne Ann Krentz

I think I got this one from a library sale, because it’s used and doesn’t have any stickers on it. As far as I know, this is a stand alone novel.

What is it?

A mystery romance

Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer

This is volume three in the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series. I got this from my local used book store. It was the only volume of the series they had.

What is it?

A teen half-vampire series.

Troubletwisters by Garth Nix and Sean Williams

This is volume one of a four volume series called Troubletwisters. It has Garth Nix’s name on it, so I want to read it to see if I like more things he’s written.

What is it?

A fantasy adventure.

Wait Until Midnight by Amanda Quick

This book was purchased at my local used book store. As far as I know, this is a stand alone novel.

What is it?

A victorian mystery romance.

Way of the Wolf by E. E. Knight

I bought this one from my local used book store while browsing for new things to try. It’s volume one of a series called The Vampire Earth. There are eleven books in the series.

What is it?

A post apocaliptic fantasy.

The Witches of Eileanan by Kate Forsyth

I bought this book from my local used book store. It’s volume one in a six book series called The witches of Eileanan.

What is it?

A fantasy, probably with magic.

Wolf in the Shadows by Maria Vale

I ordered this from Amazon. It’s volume five in the series The Legend of All Wolves. It’s a great series. I will reread the entirety of it and post reviews later.

What is it?

A wolf shifter romance.

Wolf’s Bane by Kelly Armstrong

I ordered this from Amazon. It’s the first volume of a series called Kate and Logan, which is a sequel series to Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series. It stars Kate and Logan, the twin children of Elena Micheals and Clay Danvers.

What is it?

A fantasy where werewolves, vampires, witches, necromancers, etc. live among us in secret.

Wolf’s Curse by Kelley Armstrong

I ordered this from Amazon. It’s volume two of the series Kate and Logan. I’m not sure if there will be more volumes after this one.

What is it?

A fantasy where werewolves, vampires, witches, necromancers, etc. live among us in secret.