Book Haul: April 2013

Over the past few weeks I have been going crazy (more than normal) with the book buying. I thought it'd be fun to share my insanity so here's my first book haul post. Hope you enjoy!

I purchased all these books within a span of 1.5 weeks. Unfortunately, since I ordered some online and one was shipped at a painfully slow rate,  I already read a couple (I couldn't help myself).

However, aside from 2, the rest are completely new and have not been opened except maybe to read the first paragraph because that's just something I do with all my new books when I purchase them. 

Let's get into the haul!





First off, I wanted to show the covers for each book, just in case the spine photo above doesn't depict it well. Enlarge the photo if you want a clearer view of the titles.

Top Row [L-R]: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Metamorphosis, Around the World in Eighty Days, Jane Austen: A Life, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Bottom Row [L-R]: Sense and Sensibility, The Name of the Star, Eleanor & Park, Shards & Ashes


Now for the part of the haul where I get a little rant-y. I'll use bullet points and try to keep it short- mostly just mention where I bought the books from and why I wanted to buy them.
Enjoy my ramblings! I'll go in the order purchased.


The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka

• purchased from: local independent bookseller
• reason for purchase:  I mentioned in my Fly On the Wall review that I had an urge to read this book, so I immediately went out and purchased it. Since this was my first purchase, and I had to wait quite a while for the last online purchase, I've already read this one.

To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee

• purchased from: local independent bookseller
• reason for purchase:  Classic book that I have never owned a copy of. I spotted this cover (prettier in my opinion than the ugly lavender with the bird's nest version that I read back in high school) and decided to snatch it up!

Shards & Ashes - Melissa Marr

• purchased from: Amazon
• reason for purchase: I have been wanting this book since it's release and finally decided to go for it. I'm looking forward to reading Veronica Roth's story. It'll give me something of hers while I watch for Divergent 3. 194 days!

Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell

• purchased from: Amazon
• reason for purchase: yet another book I have greatly anticipated since even before it's release. I don't know what it was about this book. Maybe it was the beautiful cover or the simple title, but it was a book I knew I immediately had to have.

Jane Austen: A Life - Carol Shields

• purchased from: Amazon
• reason for purchase: I have been wanting to read a Jane Austen biography for the longest time. What made me lean towards this one were the high ratings and reviews from Amazon. Most reviewers seem to agree that this biography is not only accurate, but is free of assumptions made of Austen's life. Exactly what I'm looking for. Come to think of it, I think this may be my first biography I've read outside of school. Exciting!

The Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson

• purchased from: Barnes & Noble
• reason for purchase: I got this back when Barnes & Noble was doing their Easter promotion. It was about time I got a Maureen Johnson book (the only thing I've read from her is from Let It Snow) and I thought I'd start with this one.

Around the World in Eighty Days - Jules Verne

• purchased from: local independent bookseller
• reason for purchase: I've really wanted to read Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, but this particular bookseller didn't have it on the shelves so I picked up this one instead. I've heard this title (was it a Jackie Chan movie?...) and since Bantam Classics are fairly priced, I decided to get it.

Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

• purchased: local independent bookseller
• reason for purchase: No reason needed for an Austen novel! However, I guess there is a reason. I'm currently reading Persuasion and it's the last unread Austen novel that I own so I thought I'd pick this one up in anticipation.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne

• purchased: Amazon seller
• reason for purchase: I might actually return this one. I was trying to buy a specific cover but (as usual with many Amazon sellers) the cover I got was not what was listed. I'm still deciding if I should return. I've been dying to read this book though so I'm hesitant. It's frustrating because this was the book that I was waiting for that delayed this hauled, and I paid slightly more than I would if I bought the Bantam Classics version, but I don't want to return it because I really, really want to read it immediately. Tough decision..

That ends this book haul!
I hope you enjoyed it. Maybe I'll do more in the future. (: