How My Book Ban Went + Book Haul (hahaha)

Hello, bookworms!

So I went on a book ban. My boyfriend challenged me to go not buy books for a month, and despite the misleading title (hehe), I made it!!

It was not too easy, really, especially on the first week it was borderline impossible not to buy a lot of books. I must have added like 50 books to my TBR in the meantime (probably more), and while I really wanted to get a few of those quite badly and there are one or two I actually still want to read this year, it was a good decision!

I went through the books I already had and made a big dent on my physical TBR, so I’m very proud of myself!

So, here are the books that I got after the book ban was over! (it ended around a week and half ago)

I promised myself I won’t buy more books after these, so hopefully that’s my last book haul of the year with books I bought myself! There’s Christmas and my birthday approaching, so I am hoping to get a couple books more as gifts 🙂 (are you reading this, mom?)

The Girl with the Dragon Heart, Stephanie Burgis

Goodreads / Amazon DE

This book is absolutely gorgeous!! It’s a middle grade story about a girl fierce like a dragon. I didn’t know anything about it, but I’ve been trying to read more books in German and I thought a sweet coming-of-age story with lots of magic might be the way to go.

This picture DOES NOT do it justice, the cover is more colorful and shiny and it caught my eye immediately… I am a bit confused though because Goodreads said it’s to be published in 2018, but I found it translated to German already?

Lesen, by Steve McCurry

Amazon DE

My father gifted me this book (thank you!), a lovely tabletop book with loads of pictures of people reading throughout the world… it’s beautiful and I love it and it’s in German but there’s barely any writing in it (yesss). I can’t wait to lose myself in those pictures. Maybe I’ll post a few here, what do you guys think? Or maybe on Instagram?

Penumbra: Nunca Desista de Quem Você Ama, by André Vianco

Goodreads / Amazon BR

En: I got this from my parents! (thanks!) This title translates loosely to “Twilight: Never Give Up On Those You Love”, which sounds like cheesy romance, but this Brazilian author writes horror stories, so don’t be fooled. I read another book by him this Halloween and really enjoyed it, so I’m looking forward to reading this one too!

Pt: Sou fã dos livros do André Vianco há muitos anos, e este ano finalmente li Estrela da Manhã. Penumbra foi publicado em 2017 e estou super ansiosa para ler! Ganhei este livro de presente dos meus pais (Obrigada!) e a capa é super macabra e já amei! Hahaha Aqui está o link para o book tour de Penumbra!

Watching Glass Shatter, by James J. Cudney

Goodreads / Amazon

I read this novel by the talented Jay in Kindle version and, a few chapters in, I just knew I needed the paperback as well. So I put Watching Glass Shatter in my cart until my book ban was over to make sure I wouldn’t forget to get it.

This is a family drama with lots of mystery and many twists. I love family epics, and this one was a hit for me, I very much enjoyed it and look forward to re-reading it in physical copy, too.

Leia: Princess of Alderaan, by Claudia Gray

Goodreads / Amazon

I confess that, although I’m a big fan of Star Wars, I hadn’t read any of the books with the expanded universe yet. And with Disney changing it with the new movies, I was a bit confused what to pick up now. Then I saw a few positive reviews of this book, which tells the story of Leia as a teenager as she grows to be the fierce princess we know, and I got it mostly out of curiosity. This ended up being such a fantastic read! Also it’s got a lovely cover!

All Things Beautiful and Strange, by James Markert

Goodreads / Netgalley

I received this book from Netgalley, and I look very much forward to reading it! It’s classified as a Christian novel, which made me very curious. It’s set during World War I in a small town in the USA, where people one day find a chapel in the woods. They feel peaceful there and consider it a small piece of heaven – until they realize there is an evil living in it, and supernatural things start to take place. It seems like a mixture of religion, belief, mystery and horror, so I think I’ll enjoy this very much!

Watch Me, by Jody Gehrman

Goodreads / Amazon / Netgalley

I also got this thriller on Netgalley (I’ve linked in case you want to get it, too!), and since it’s from St. Martin Press, I have a good chance of liking it – most of the books from them are books I really enjoyed. This psychological thriller is about a woman who used to be very successful but is slowly becoming less and less important and known. She then starts getting attention from one of her students and it develops into a dangerous desire. Sounds so good!

Bird Box, by Josh Malerman

Goodreads / Amazon

I have heard amazing things about this horror novel, and it’s plot intrigues me so much! There is something in the air causing evil in a town, and when you leave your house, you must have your eyes closed, otherwise it’ll catch you.

This sounds like a fantastic read and I saw so many people recommending it during this October I just couldn’t resist! The hardback copy is rather beautiful, so I’m very happy with it!

Brooding YA Hero: Becoming a main character (almost) as awesome as me, by Carrie DiRisio

Goodreads / Amazon

I simply have to read this book. In case you don’t know, the Twitter page Brooding YA Hero is a hilarious account of the many stereotypes of being a main character in YA, especially the typical brooding hero. If you don’t know it, I do recommend it highly, it’s very funny and doesn’t shy away from the casual sexism/racism in YA.

So, clearly, I must have this book and read it ASAP!

Heartless, by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads / Amazon

Believe it or not, I’ve never read any books by Marissa Meyer. I was not (and probably still am not) too big a fan of fairy tale retellings, but I’ve read some pretty amazing stuff lately that has been slowly changing my mind.

This book tells the story of the Red Queen so I had to pick it up immediately, or else my sister would immediately disown me as a sister (can she do that?). This sounds very interesting and I LOVE this cover so much!!

Heartstone, by Elle Katharine White

Goodreads / Amazon

I saw a review of this book and was immediately sold on it. Dragons + Pride and Prejudice? Oh my god, give me this now! This book sounds absolutely fantastic and the cover is everything and I can’t stop drooling.

I’ve been meaning to read more romance stories and retellings, and I suppose that is a great way to do that! I’ve never read a Jane Austen retelling before.

Scheele’s Green Ghosts (The Lundenwich Society, #1), by Terry Graves

Goodreads / Amazon

This book is set in an alternative universe where London is the most haunted city in the world. With hints of steampunk, supernatural and crime-solving, this sounds like a very entertaining read and I am very thankful to Terry Graves for providing me with a digital copy of it! I believe it’s middle grade, which I’ve been in such a mood to read, lately. I look very much forward to reading it!

Spellbook of the Lost and Found, by Moïra Fowley-Doyle

Goodreads / Amazon

I received this book by the lovely Kathy @ Books and Munches, so you can imagine how I screamed when I opened the package and this lovely book was inside! Thanks a million times!!

It’s a book full of magic, it’s set in Ireland and it’s about things that just seem to be lost with no reason or explanation. When a spellbook appears that could bring those things back, there could be a price to pay for it.

A Shiver of Snow and Sky, by Lisa Lueddeck

Goodreads / Amazon

This book seduced me into being the first one I bought in English a bookstore after the book ban. Its cover is absolutely gorgeous, with shiny snow falling and a fantasy young adult story with a lyrical writing and icy, gorgeous world building, I was sold on this for so long and it physically hurt not to buy this during my book ban. Ha! I have it now and I’ll probably read this still in December or by early January!

Wild Beauty, by Anna-Marie McLemore

Goodreads / Amazon

This gorgeous book arrived and I basically shoved it on my boyfriend’s face, yelling “LOOK AT THIS BEAUTY, LOOK AT IT”. So it’s safe to say I quite like the cover. This book, much like The Spellbook of the Lost and Found, is a magical realism story, full of lush, gardens, heartbreak and love. This sounds like a beautiful read and I hope it’s as gorgeous as its cover!