September Book Haul

I can't believe we're already preparing for (marginally) cooler weather, the influx of everything pumpkin spiced, candy, and costumes. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO 2015?! Wasn't it just yesterday that I was ringing in the new year with friends and crossing out 2014 on everything? Anyway, since it is now October, let's talk about all the books I purchased last month.

Wicked is one of those books that I kind of can't believe I haven't read. Not because it's pretentious, or  difficult, or lengthy, but because it just seems like a fun read. I was super excited to pick up the ebook  for almost nothing when it was one of Nook's Daily Finds.

I was so excited to find Every Last Word for 99 cents on Amazon's Daily Deal this month that I shouted it from the rooftops  shared it on Twitter and Instagram! I have been wanting to check this one out for a while now. I'm discovering a ton of great new contemporary YA this year, and I'm loving every minute of it. 

I made a trip to my local used bookstore this month, and picked up a few books I'm really excited about, the first of which is the Spoon River Anthology. I first heard about this anthology through a friend of mine, and was completely fascinated by the premise, so when I saw it in the store, I knew it was fate. The anthology is a collection of poems written by the dead members of the fictional small town of Spoon River (based on a town of the same name located near Edgar Lee Masters' home). Each poem is it's own epitaph, and the characters share their thoughts about a variety of topics from observations about life to stories of their deaths. Needless to say, I'm super excited to read this (and potentially use it for an awesome poetry unit as well)!

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) is a book I've already read and L-O-V-E loved, but didn't have my own copy of. I debated whether I wanted buy it when I'd already read it, but I had such vivid memories of it's hilarity that I knew I would read it and enjoy it all over again. I raved about it and talked about my anticipation for Kaling's recent release Why Not Me? in a recent post.

Code Name Verity was a title that I recognized in a vague "supposed to be good" sense, but that I knew very little about. I picked it up, and was instantly attracted to the premise, about a female spy captured by Nazis during WWII. My love for historical fiction is a secret to no one, especially when that fiction is about WWII or strong and compelling female characters. This, I hope, will have both!

Finally, I picked up Neverwhere. I was first exposed to Neil Gaiman's work through Yulin Kuang's YouTube series called I Didn't Write This (she has a video about his poem Dark Sonnet) but early this year I listened to him narrate his novel The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It was absolutely brilliant and one of the most compelling stories I've read all year, and I knew I wanted to get my hands on more of his writing whenever I got the chance. After getting the book home, I realized that Neverwhere is actually a novelization of the BBC series of the same name, which he co-wrote. I'll be interested to see how Gaiman translates the script to a novel format. 

Things We Know By Heart is a novel I mentioned in a recent book tag as one on my wish list, so when it came up on Nook's Daily Find, I grabbed it immediately. I have a serious love for Nook's Daily Finds - I seem to find at least one book a month that I'm excited about, and they're at a great discount! When else can I find a book for less than the cost of a cup of coffee??

My next two purchases came from Dollar Tree, of all places. I went in (as per usual) for something completely different than what I walked out with, which was Falling for Hamlet, a modern retelling of the Shakespearean play. I love adaptations, and even if it's only okay, it was a DOLLAR. Totally worth it.

My second Dollar Tree find was Marcus Samuelsson's memoir Yes, Chef. I have an obsession with Food Network shows and chefs, and I knew from what I had seen/heard that Samuelsson has a pretty incredible story. I think the only other chef's memoir that I can remember reading is Gordon Ramsay's Humble Pie, which I listened to on audiobook probably about 6-7 years ago. I really enjoyed seeing a different side of him and hearing about his experience becoming a chef, and I hope I'll enjoy Yes, Chef just as much.

That's it for my September book haul. What books did you buy last month? And what books do I need to add to my wish list next?