Birthday Haul!

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And as I have recently obtained a fair few books, either by gift or voucher, it seemed fitting that I post about them! 

Knowing me, it'll be months until I get to any of these, but I'm going to write a post about them anyway. 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy! 

1. Angels (The Walsh Family #3), by Marian Keyes

Basically, when my friends are stuck on birthday/Christmas presents for me, I give them a book choices, so I don't just have book vouchers loitering in my purse. 

Angels, and Wolf Hall, was one such choice. Obviously, I ended up with both. 

This may seem like a random choice, as they're two completely different genres. But Angels is the next book in the Walsh Family series, by Marian Keyes. The Walsh Family series is one that I come back to every so often, but seem to have forgotten about recently. I read book 1, Watermelon, back in February, and book 2, Rachel's Holiday, the year before that, before I realised I'd stumbled across a massive series that is the Walsh Family. 

Angels introduces us to a third (out of five, I think) Walsh sister, Maggie. Compared to her older sisters, dramatic Claire, and reckless Rachel, Maggie has always been sensible, and chosen safety, rather than risk taking. But when she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her, and she's about to be fired from her job, she flees everything, to the only place she can think to be, Los Angeles, the city of angels- where her best friend resides. As she begins to contemplate her next move, she comes to the realisation that Los Angeles is not quite what she expected.

What can be around the corner for sensible Maggie, the third Walsh sister?

2. Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell #1), by Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall! Now I can finally start this series! 

Yeah, like that'll happen soon haha. 

Okay, it's not like it won't happen. After all, I own both Wolf Hall and Bringing Up the Bodies now. It's just one of those series' that I have to be in the right mood for, to pick up. 

And I've been wanting to pick this series up for years, since I remember being interested in the Bringing Up the Bodies release in Waterstones, over eight years ago. And despite my interest in the Henry VIII era, I've never actually read a book series set in that time. 

It's my understanding that this series takes place during Henry VIII's marriages to Catherine of Aragon, through to his marriage of Jane Seymour. Honestly, don't know more than that, but I think I'm just going to pick this up, without doing too much research about it. Sometimes it's nice to be surprised. 

3. Monstress, Volume 3: Haven (Monstress #3), by Marjorie M. Liu

As I write this, I plan to start this tomorrow (14th October). Mainly so I can finish my Goodreads Reading Challenge, but whatever! 

From what I've heard about this volume, Haven enters into uncharted territory. Maika has always relied on her flight ability, but now the tables have turned, and she must rely on others, in order to survive. 

From what I have read from other people's reviews, this one is a little chaotic, a little about the other characters, with a bit of everything- plot, relationships, and action. 

We'll see what I think of the third volume, and the direction the story takes. 

4. So, anyway..., by John Cleese

I spotted this in a random Travelodge last weekend- donate £1 to Rainbow Children's Hospital (I think) and I just couldn't resist. 

I love John Cleese, and his type of humour. I love Fawlty Towers, and I cannot wait to pick this up. (I just know I'm going to become obsessed with Monty Python when I'm reading this, and that is a-ok with me.)

Really don't know what to say, other than, I know I'm going to laugh out loud while reading this.

5. The Pools, by E. Lockhart 

6. The Sixth Faction (The Sixth Faction #1), by Veronica Roth

So, I didn't actually make a conscious decision to buy these two. 

When I walked into Waterstones last Wednesday, I had £30 of vouchers to use. 

I just knew that I would be walking away with whatever they had in store. The choices were: 

1. The Pools, by E. Lockhart 

2. Victorious (Villains #3), by V.E. Schwab 

3. The Sixth Faction (The Sixth Faction #1), by Veronica Roth

They didn't have Victorious in store yet, and that was that. 

Truly, I didn't mind which ones I walked with, because I want all of them. 

Let me know in the comments which one I should read first! 

7. Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brönte

The last three books on the list were gifted to me by Jordan's nan, who lives just down the road. She doesn't even want them back! 

Wuthering Heights is one of those books that I always planned to get around to reading, but was way down the priority list. It wasn't a book I'd see in a bookshop and think 'I have to read that soon!'. 

At least now I know it's on my bookshelf ready, for when I want it. 

Who doesn't love a bit of forbidden romance? And Wuthering Heights is about as good as you can get. 

8. The Long and Winding Road, by Lesley Pearce

When I was given this book, I thought it was just another Leslie Pearce book. But as it turns out, it's her autobiography. 

"From being rescued, aged three, found in the snow after

her mother's tragic, undiscovered death, to being sent to

 an orphanage. From a teenager seeking her fortune in 

swinging sixties London to being an unwed mother having

her newborn taken from her, Lesley Pearce has been no 

stranger to adversity. But as a true survivor, she turned

struggle into inspiration to become one of the world's 

bestselling storytellers. Now, for the very first time, she

tells us her own extroadinary tale- of loss, love and 

above all, hope." 

Certainly sounds interesting, doesn't it? I think I might have to read at least one of her novels before delving into this one though. 

I do have The Girl with the Suitcase upstairs, after all. 

9. The Potteries Girls on the Home Front (The Potteries Girls #3), by Lynn Johnson

Out of all of these books, this is the one I know the least about. Never heard of the author, and after finding out that it's the third book in the series, I might have to put this off for a while. 

Saying that, it looks like each of The Potteries Girls' novels each have a different protagonist, so maybe I'll pick this up sooner than I think (thinking of read a whole load of books, for one month, that look the least appealing). 

"Staffordshire, 1911: Betty Dean is sent into service. 

The work is long and gruelling, and her dreams of

making something of her life seem very far away. 

But soon, she is forced to return to The Potteries, 

carrying with her a dreadful secret which could

destroy her reputation. 

As WW1 strikes, a new job on the trams throws

her a lifeline. Meeting her fellow clippies brings

the joy of friendship, and when Duncan Kennedy, 

a sly but charming soldier, enters Betty's life, it

seems that she may finally find love. 

But opening herself up isn't easy, and when he 

leaves for the front, she finds herself alone once 

again. As the Great War brings heartbreak, can 

Betty overcome her own battles?"

I don't know guys. It seems interesting, as most books do, but I have so many. I have to wonder if this'll be one of those, sat on my shelf for years, collecting dust? Maybe I'll get the urge to read it in a few months, but definitely not at the moment. 

Okay! Those are all of the books I was gifted/purchased for my birthday! I hope you enjoyed reading about them, and as always, any comment is welcomed (don't forget to mention whether I should read The Pools, or The Sixth Faction first though). 

Okay, that is all that I have for you today! I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'll see you soon! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

October TBR (2026)!

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I cannot tell you how excited I am to be back doing TBR's! At one point I used to rely on them to count towards my posting goal, and there were months I'm ashamed to say, when TBR's and wrap ups were all I was posting. 

But since it's been a long time since I've done one, and had to rely on other ideas, I'm hoping I won't go back to that (I have a ton of new post ideas). 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy! 

1. Strangers in Time, by David Baldacci 

I picked this up because it looked the most appealing, from what I had on my unread shelf. 

I'd already selected this monthly TBR for October, but after finishing Every Heart A Doorway, had a few days spare, and I didn't want to start on this TBR until 1st October. 

But now, I'm one day away from the start of the month, and I'm 14 pages in, due to becoming engrossed in Down Among the Sticks and Bones. 

The way I'm feeling now, I might just give this book a week, to see how I feel about it, and if I'm not feeling into it, I might have to return it to the unread shelf for another day. 

If you didn't know, Strangers in Time is about two teenagers, Charlie and Molly, that are in the middle of WWII London, unaccounted for, without parents, just trying to get through the Blitz- and stay alive in the process. 

They are taken in by an unexpected ally, Ignatius Oliver, owner of The Book Keep (bookshop), and are all just trying to do their best to live through the Blitz as best they can- until their newfound peace is jeopardized as the past catches up to them... 

2. Monstress, Volume 1: The Awakening, by Marjorie M. Liu

3. Monstress, Volume 2: The Blood, by Marjorie M. Liu

4. Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, by Marjorie M. Liu

 

At the moment, I'm not sure if I want to re-read both volumes 1 &2, because it hasn't been that long, and Volume 1 is quite long, but I've stuck both on there, just in case. 

Monstress is the type of series where I want to be sure I've remembered everything, because you never know what could be important down the line. 

However, don't be surprised if I end up jist refreshing Volume 2. 

In spite of all that, I thoroughly enjoyed Volume 1 & 2, and am looking forward to reading Volume 3- no spoilers though- never for a series. 

5. If I Stay (If I Stay #1), by Gayle Forman 

6. Where She Went (If I Stay #2), by Gayle Forman

 

After looking high and low for my copy of If I Stay, I have ordered a copy from Ebay for about £2. 

Hopefully I enjoy it now as much as I did the first time I read it. 

Where She Went takes place three years later, reading from the POV of Adam. I won't tell you what happens in If I Stay, but I will say that it involves a lot of Mia in book two. Since I was satisfied with the If I Stay ending of the film/book, I was never that curious about Where She Went, until I came across it in a second-hand bookshop something a few months back. 

Basically, I saw a chance to finish another series, and purchased it. 

And now, I can't seem to get this sequel out of my head. 

7. XOXO (XOXO #1), BY Axie Oh 

I found this hidden under my bed, along with a couple other forgotten about unread books, and my long-lost copy of Icebreaker, about a month ago. 

XOXO in a nutshell, is probably best explained like this:

Jenny didn't get as good as she is at playing classical instruments without choosing work over fun. That is, until the night she meets Jaewoo, and finds herself walking through the night with him, the day before he flies home to South Korea. 

With Jaewoo an ocean away, there's no point in dwelling on the impossible. Dwelling won't get her into the best music school, after all. 

Until he turns up in the same town that Jenny and her mother have just moved to, to take care of her grandmother. Oh, and he's a student at the elite music school she's just been accepted into. 

Turns out, he's a member of a world famous K-Pop band. 

If only world famous K-Pop band members weren't banned from dating. 

When a relationship could ruin any possible music prospects, as well as cost Jaewoo everything he has worked for, Jenny has to decide how much she is willing to risk, for love. 

This probably isn't the best book for October, but what the heck! Sometimes you have to go with what you feel is right. 

And XOXO feels like the right book to read at the moment. 

8. Not Quite Dead Yet, by Holly Jackson

And then we skip to the murder. I included this in my Top Books I Want to Read Once I Finish this Godforsaken Re-read) post, as well as my Anticipated Releases (July- September 2025) post. Clearly this book went straight up my priority list when I bought it. 

If you didn't know, Not Quite Dead Yet, follows Jet, a twenty-seven year old, living in Woodstock, Vermont, with her wealthy family. She has never left town, never pursued a career, never really been in a rush to do anything. I have time to figure things out, she thinks. 

And then she's violently attacked, by an unknown enemy. 

The Doctors say she has a week, before she dies from a massive brain injury. 

So Jet has a week, to figure out who tried to kill her. 

Or die trying. 

Holly Jackson is the bestselling author of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, so I know this is going to be a gripping and intense thriller, that will hook me to the very end. 

I'm so excited to see what I think of her books. Almost predicting a 5 star read here. 

Okay! Those are all of the books I plan to read in the month of October! I hope you enjoyed reading about them and, as always, feel free to comment down below what you plan to read, watch or play, in this very spooky month of October! 

I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

 

September Wrap Up (and one book from August)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back, with my first wrap up since February! 

This would be my September Wrap Up, except for the fact that I managed to finish a book in three days in August, so I'll be including that as well! 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy it! 

(This one is going to be a long one- I've finished eight books since finishing SP!)

1. Tilt, by Emma Pattee

This is truly a book set in a disaster. 

Picture this: you're 37 weeks pregnant, out buying a crib you've been saving up for, for nearly nine months- and then the Earth starts crumbling around you. Next thing you know, you're in complete darkness. 

Now, I won't share too many of my thoughts on this, because I'm planning a review sometime soon. But an earthquake would be terrifying for anyone. Not least a 37 weeks pregnant woman, seperated from her partner. 

Tilt is absolutely ground-breaking. Pun intended. 

I will be recommending this to everybody that asks for a suggestion in the near future. You can guarantee that. 

2. Rebel Rising, by Rebel Wilson

A book that (metaphorically) had been collecting dust on my Audible shelf for months. At risk of losing my Audible streak, I decided to pick this up, instead of purchasing the audiobook for The Miniaturist, my current read (that I was struggling with at the time). 

Actually glad I picked this up. 

Granted, it's not the most compelling, most interesting, thought-provoking, or emotional memoir I've read, but it's a stellar, 4 star read. 

If you get the feeling from Rebel Wilson is an up-front, honest person, from her characters/ public appearances, you are absolutely right, and this book is proof of that. 

This was exactly what I wanted when I picked it up. I got to learn more about Rebel Wilson. I learned that I had in fact, watched all of her most noticed films like Bridesmaids, and of course the Pitch Perfect movies, but this made me want to check out her earlier comedy programs as well, before she made it big time. 

Also, like most author narrated autobiographies, I could not stop listening once I started. There was one part towards the end that, I felt, went over the same points a couple more times than was needed, but other than that, no repetition, no rushed chapters, nothing that wasn't needed. 

Worth the read if you're curious about her story at all, and definitely doesn't deserve the hate it receives. 

3. Journey to the Centre of the Earth, by Jules Verne

I've only had this a short time, but when my boyfriend surprised me with this, from the mysterious phonebox on the way home, I knew it wouldn't be long until an opportunity presented itself to read this. It didn't take me long to figure out: Journey to the Centre of the Earth is the perfect read-a-thon, because of how short it was. 

Perfect timing as well, I'd planned to wake up at six, a couple of days after my birthday, and read as much as I could. 

So, on Wednesday 16th September, I made a start. 

Now, honestly, the fact that it was written in 19th century, was a very large obstacle. I read an average of 30ish pages an hour working through this, it was that wordy. 

Nevertheless, like every difficult read, there were some points I loved, and flew through- and others, where I was near tearing my eyes out and praying to whatever God there is, that this book would soon be over. 

Once I got past the first part, and to the actual expedition, I definitely picked up speed. 

One thing I will say, is it definitely doesn't feel like a book that's under 200 pages. Believe me when I say, there's so much packed in! If you can withstand the roundabout style of story-telling, you will thoroughly enjoy this novel. There is no book like it. 

4. Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk

After grinding for hours at Journey to the Centre of the Earth, I was ready for something a bit less taxing. Ever since seeing this in Kibworth Books a few months ago, I have been extremely curious about this book. Obviously I'd heard of the film, starring Brad Pitt, but to me, it didn't make sense that it would come from a novel first. Fight Club is 200 pages exactly, which is why I selected it for my 18-hour-readathon. 

This book blew my mind. The ending was the best part. Every so often, my mind wanders to the ending of this book, and the realisation, and I can't help but reel at how it all worked out. 

Everybody I ask remembers seeing the film, but can't remember whether the film was the same as the book which, let me tell you, is very frustrating. 

You know when a book doesn't quite make sense at the start, but then you progress, and suddenly every weird thing, or description that didn't quite ring true, makes sense? That was this book for me. 

I think I need to distance myself from how amazing this book was before I watch the film, but don't doubt, I will watch this film, as soon as I'm able to. 

 

5. Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds

Book three of eighteen-hour-readathon. Having finished two books, and feeling pretty fatigued, and bordering on a reading slump, I decided to pick up a quick and easy book that I was familiar with (and one I'd been thinking about a fair bit recently). 

Basically, this follows fifteen-year-old Will, in the lift, with his gun in his pocket, about to avenge his brother. Who has just been murdered. 

See, there are three rules in his neighbourhood- that everybody live by when the worst happens. 

1. No crying. 

2. No snitching. 

3. Always get revenge. 

And Will is just about to do that. 

Except, people keep getting into the lift with him. 

Dead people. 

The mentor of Will's brother. A childhood friend. His Uncle Mark. His Dad. The guy that killed his brother's mentor. Even his brother. 

Question is, can they persuade him to turn around, or will he follow down the same path as the ghosts around him?

Every time I read this, it takes me about an hour. It's so fucking powerful, so bloody real, and despite what it's about, it's more hopeful than you'd think. One of the best graphic novels I've ever read, truly. 

6. Every Heart A Doorway (Wayward Children #1), by Seanan MccGuire

I read a number of these very short, very dark novels about six years ago, very quickly. I then got bored of them, and now I'm probably three books behind. 

I picked this up, so I could re-introduce myself to this wonderful, mystical series, in order to continue at my own pace (also to continue my Audible streak, which is now at 10 weeks). 

It was such a relief to merge back into this series. 

The Wayward Children series starts at Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, and it is for children that have seen doors, in their ordinary homes, and those doors have taken them to other places, sometimes for years at a time, that suits them better than any other place could. 

They have then come home, and are not able to deal with it. 

On the whole, so creative, so imaginative, and very very dark. Couple that with the fact that, on 1.7% speed, I can finish each book within three hours, then what's not to like?

(Also, it helps my Goodreads Reading Goal a lot, because I'm only five books away from finishing.)

7. The Miniaturist (The Miniaturist #1), by Jessie Burton

8. The House of Fortune (The Miniaturist #2), by Jessie Burton

I FINALLY GOT TO THESE! 

If you didn't know, I first read The Miniaturist back in 2019, after a Waterstones member of staff recommended it to me. Wasn't the sort of book I typically gravitated towards. 

To my surprise, I really enjoyed it. Historical fiction standalone. Great. 

Until I came across the sequel, The House of Fortune, in July 2022. 

Remembering how much I enjoyed the first one, I purchased it, thinking I would need to re-read The Miniaturist first. 

And now, four years later, I finally finished it! 

Oh, by the way, totally worth waiting four years to re-read book one, and then read The House of Fortune. Much like The Miniaturist, once you get past a certain point, you can't help but read the second half of book two, in one afternoon. 

The House of Fortune will most definitely make my favourites list at the end of the year. 

It's so well-written, so compelling, without being too similar to the prequel, but you definitely cannot read book two without reading book one. 

Even having written all of the above, I feel I still haven't scratched the surface with these two. Anybody want to say review? I'm definitely considering it. 

9. Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2), by Seanan McGuire

At the time of writing this sentence, I haven't even started this yet. 

This is my next audiobook, and with the correct reading speed, last approximately 2.5 hours. Peace of cake. 

Down Among the Sticks and Bones takes place in the timeframe, before book 1. This is where Jack and Jill's world is, after they go through the door. 

And fast forward to the next day, when I have finished said book. My God, was this book good! Just, so good. 

The Moors. Filled with creatures. Vampires, re-awaken, werewolves. And two very different twins. 

At this point, I doubt the series could get any better. 

So short, but so enticing. 

Just as good as the first book. 

I know it's been years since these books were released, but if you like a bit of horror, a bit of murder, some dark tales, that are short and sweet (with a bit of magic on the side) then this is the series for you. 

Okay! Those are all of the books I read in September (and one in August too). Audiobooks were at an all time high for this month, with me finishing my fifth tonight. 

Let's hope the saga continues. 

So, that is all that I have for you today! I hope you enjoy it, and feel free to comment below! I hope you have a wonderful evening, and I'll see you all soon with my October TBR! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx