APRIL BOOK HAUL

It looks like April is going to be a busy reading month for me, if my haul is anything to go by. I’ve actually bought so many books in the past few weeks that I’ve had to split this haul in two, and it’s only the 11th of April! Admittedly I did buy a couple of these books towards the end of March, but I’m going to include them in this anyway. I know that my recent book posts have been a little long so I’ll try my best to keep this short and sweet.

First is The Color Purple by Alice Walker, which is this month’s choice for the book club at work and an award winning novel. Set in the deep American south and written in a series of letters, Celie, a young black girl who is born into poverty, tells the story of her life which is full of abuse and segregation. Though after meeting the singer Shug Avery, Celie begins to discover her own powerful spirit. I’m looking forward to reading The Color Purple after seeing so many rave reviews, but I’m also aware of the fact that this is a hard hitting story covering some dark topics.

Dracula, by Bram Stoker. Need I say more? I’ve always been interested in supernatural/paranormal stories, so I thought it was about time I read the original tale that so many others have taken inspiration from.

My Life Next Door is a contemporary young adult story that has received some high review ratings. At first I worried that it would be just another “summer romance” story, but after browsing a couple of reviews, it sounds as though this book covers a whole range of issues, from family matters, to politics, to the inevitable – love. 

The Diviners is another book that I’d watched at lot of Booktubers talk about and I’m really excited to read it! Set in 1920s New York City, Evie O’Neill finds herself shipped off to stay with her uncle after causing another scandal in small town Ohio, though this is exactly what she’s always wanted. Though, New York City isn’t all just about flappers and jazz, young women are being murdered across the city. And Evie wasn’t just trying to escape the oppressive town of Ohio, she was running from the knowledge of what she could do. A mysterious power. A power that might just be able to stop the killer – if he doesn’t stop her first.

I bought The Dark Days Club without knowing anything about it. I simply read a review that said “If you like The Mortal Instruments, buy this book”. So I did. In 1812 London, Lady Helen Wrexhall is about to step into Regency Society. But little does Helen know, that same step will take her from the polite and glittering ballroom into a world of demonic creatures and deadly powers.

Throne of Glass seems to be all over Booktube and in a lot of peoples recommendations, so when I saw it for less than £3, I could hardly say no! In the salt mines of Endovier an 18 year old girl is serving a life sentence, Though she is a highly skilled trained assassin, she got caught. Offered a deal, her freedom for one huge sacrifice, Celeana must represent the price in a to the death tournament. Whether she live or die, she will be free and she will discover her true destiny. Had I come across this book myself I don’t think I would have given this a second look, but I’m a sucker for book hype!

Finally, Outlander. Ah, Outlander. I have recently become obsessed with the TV series (finishing the first season within a week) and am already oh so excited for the second series. I had heard about the book several times, but didn’t fancy it until I saw the story unfold on screen. Claire, back from the war in 1945, she and her husband are on their second honeymoon in Scotland. Aftrer walking through a stone circle in the highlands, believed to be magical by some, Claire finds herself in 1743. Suddenly she is a Sassenach, in a Scotland torn apart by the English invasion. From what I’ve heard and seen, Outlander is a heap of action, romance, historical fiction and dark deep drama all in one. I can’t wait to read it! Just a warning – the TV series is pretty graphic and hard to watch at times (most episodes! and so it probably isn’t one to watch with your gran in the room!

If you couldn’t tell,I love a good fantasy/supernatural story with a bit of romance thrown in there. I can’t wait to get stuck into my April reading, and I’ll be posting the second part of my haul and an April TBR (to be read) list soon.