Books · Monthly Tags

November Book Haul – 2020

November Book Haul - 2020

Hello, you beautiful people!
My November Book Haul was HUGE! And by huge – I mean 30 books. It was my birthday last month, so I have received a lot of books from my family, friends, as well as my followers. There were also many giveaways that I won as well. I can’t express how grateful I am to be able to read books I love. I decided to only feature 8 books in this post, but all the other books can be found on my Instagram profile, under the highlights section.

Without further delays, let’s get into the books I’ve received in November:

1. The Coffinmaker’s Garden by Stuart MacBride

Huge thanks to the team at HarperCollins as well as the team at LoveReading UK, for sending me a copy of this book. This book is coming out on 7th January 2021, so keep an eye for it!

Synopsis:

A village on the edge…
As a massive storm batters the Scottish coast, Gordon Smith’s home is falling into the North Sea. But the crumbling headland has revealed what he’s got buried in his garden: human remains.

A house full of secrets…
With the storm still raging, it’s too dangerous to retrieve the bodies and waves are devouring the evidence. Which means no one knows how many people Smith’s already killed and how many more he’ll kill if he can’t be found and stopped.

An investigator with nothing to lose…
The media are baying for blood, the top brass are after a scapegoat, and ex-Detective Inspector Ash Henderson is done playing nice. He’s got a killer to catch, and God help anyone who gets in his way.

November Book Haul - 2020

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

2. This Is Not A Ghost Story by Andrea Portes

Thanks to the Harper360 team, I was able to get an uncorrected proof of this amazing book and add it to my November Book Haul list. I am so excited for this one, and hope to read it very soon!

Synopsis:

I am not welcome. Somehow I know that. Something doesn’t want me here.

Daffodil Franklin has plans for a quiet summer before her freshman year at college, and luckily, she’s found the job that can give her just that: housesitting a mansionfor a wealthy couple.

But as the summer progresses and shadows lengthen, Daffodil comes to realize the house is more than it appears. The spacious home seems to close in on her, and as she takes the long road into town, she feels eyes on her the entire way, and something tugging her back.

What Daffodil doesn’t yet realize is that her job comes with a steep price. The house has a long-ago grudge it needs to settle . . . and Daffodil is the key to settling it.

November Book Haul - 2020

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |
Amazon US |

3. Together By Christmas by Karen Swan

In the summer, I participated in a blog tour for The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan, and that was the first ever book I read by her. And I fell in love. Then, I read The Greek Escape, and it was amazing too. So when I had the chance on a blog tour for Together By Christmas, of course I did it. And guess what? I loved it! Read my review HERE!

Synopsis:

When Lee first came to Amsterdam, it was with a newborn baby and a secret. Five years later, her life is approaching normal: her career as a celebrity photographer is flourishing, her son Jasper is growing up, and they are enjoying the run-up to Christmas with their tight circle of close friends.

But all this changes one morning when Lee finds a book in the basket of her bicycle – and scrawled inside it, a desperate message. Who left it for her, and why? Lee feels compelled to help and tracks down the book’s author, Sam. With an instant, undeniable connection it seems they might have a shot at a real future together.

Until her past comes calling. As the snow falls and ice thickens on the city’s canals, the secret Lee has never told resurfaces. Suddenly everything she holds dear hangs in the balance. Christmas is a time for being together – but what if the truth means she ends up alone?

Escape to the snow-covered streets of Amsterdam in this deeply romantic read, featuring twists, turns and characters you’ll fall in love with.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

4. Return to Virgin River by Robyn Carr

After reading Virgin River back in January, the team at Mills and Boon asked me if I want to Return To Virgin River, just in time for the start of Season 2 of the Netflix TV Show as well, and I just couldn’t say no. I already read this book, and loved it! You can find my review HERE.

Synopsis:

Kaylee Sloan’s home in Southern California is full of wonderful memories of the woman who raised her. But the memories are prolonging her grief over her mother’s recent death. A successful author, Kaylee hoped she could pour herself into her work. Instead she has terrible writer’s block and a looming deadline.

Determined to escape distractions and avoid the holiday season, Kaylee borrows a cabin in Virgin River. She knows the isolation will help her writing, and as she drives north through the mountains and the majestic redwoods, she immediately feels inspired. Until she arrives at a building that has just gone up in flames. Devastated, she heads to Jack’s Bar to plan her next steps. The local watering hole is the heart of the town, and once she crosses the threshold, she’s surprised to be embraced by people who are more than willing to help a friend–or a stranger–in need.

Kaylee’s world is expanding in ways she never dreamed possible. And when she rescues a kitten followed by a dog with a litter of puppies, she finds her heart opening up to the animals who need her. And then there’s the dog trainer who knows exactly how to help her. As the holidays approach, Kaylee’s dread turns to wonder. Because there’s no better place to spend Christmas than Virgin River.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

5. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

This is a book I received from one of my followers, Tom. Tom – thank you so much! You have no idea how much this gift means to me, and I hope that you continue to enjoy my blog posts and reviews! I am really looking forward to reading Queenie!

Synopsis:

Queenie Jenkins is a 25-year-old Jamaican British woman living in London, straddling two cultures and slotting neatly into neither. She works at a national newspaper, where she’s constantly forced to compare herself to her white middle class peers. After a messy break up from her long-term white boyfriend, Queenie seeks comfort in all the wrong places…including several hazardous men who do a good job of occupying brain space and a bad job of affirming self-worth.

As Queenie careens from one questionable decision to another, she finds herself wondering, “What are you doing? Why are you doing it? Who do you want to be?”—all of the questions today’s woman must face in a world trying to answer them for her.

With “fresh and honest” (Jojo Moyes) prose, Queenie is a remarkably relatable exploration of what it means to be a modern woman searching for meaning in today’s world.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

6. Quite by Claudia Winkleman

The amazing HQ Stories team reached out to me and sent me this book. I don’t usually watch the telly, but I have heard of Claudia Winkleman before, and I do love her personality! I am QUITE excited to see what this book brings!

Synopsis:

Funny, moving and truthful… Quite

Claudia Winkleman’s warmth, humour, no-holds-barred attitude and smoky eye have made her the favourite broadcaster of millions and a much-loved household name.

In this, her first ever book, Claudia invites us all into her world. She shares her observations on topics such as the importance of melted cheese, why black coats are vital, how it’s never okay to have sex with someone who has an opinion on your date outfit, how nurses are our most precious national treasure, and why colourful clothing is only for the under 10s (if you’re reading this sporting a bright red jumper and you’re 9, great! If you’re older, sorry).

This is a love letter to life – the real, sometimes messy kind. Quite celebrates friendship, the power of art, the highs and lows of parenting, and of course, how a good eyeliner can really save your life.

Heartfelt, wry and unmistakably Claudia, this book gets to the heart of what really matters.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

7. The Elephant In The Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan

The team at Piccadilly Press were so kind to send me a copy of The Elephant in the Room. It comes out in March 2021, and it tells a story about a girl called Sila and her mum. It also features travels to Turkey. And honestly, I am so excited to dive into it! A lovely addition to my November Book Haul.

Synopsis:

It’s been almost a year since Sila’s mother traveled halfway around the world to Turkey, hoping to secure the immigration paperwork that would allow her to return to her family in the United States.

The long separation is almost impossible for Sila to withstand. But things change when Sila accompanies her father (who is a mechanic) outside their Oregon town to fix a truck. There, behind an enormous stone wall, she meets a grandfatherly man who only months before won the state lottery. Their new alliance leads to the rescue of a circus elephant named Veda, and then to a friendship with an unusual boy named Mateo, proving that comfort and hope come in the most unlikely of places.

A moving story of family separation and the importance of the connection between animals and humans, this novel has the enormous heart and uplifting humor that readers have come to expect from the beloved author of Counting by 7s.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

8. Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent

This is a book I received by the team at Penguin Random House, Penguin Ireland in particular, in preparation for the blog tour I’ll be joining in January. This is a mystery thriller, and I am so excited to start the new year with an intense read. Keep your eyes peeled for this one – it will be a gem.

Synopsis:

This story begins with a funeral. One of three brothers is dead, mourned by his siblings. But which one? And how? And, most importantly: why?

William, Brian, and Luke are each born a year apart in a lower middle class Catholic family in 1960s Dublin. William, the eldest, rises to the top of the heap in the film industry as a successful movie producer. Luke, the baby of the family, surprises everyone by morphing into a worldwide pop star. Brian, the compliant middle son, is the eternal adult in the room: the helpful, steady one, the manager of finances and careers.

But none of them is actually quite what he seems. Wounded by childhood, they have betrayed one another in myriad ways, hiding behind little lies that have developed into full blown treachery. With an unnerving eye for the complexities of families, Nugent delves into the secret life of a deeply troubled household and provides stunning insights into the many forces that shape us from childhood.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

9. The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak

This is actually one of the books my boyfriend gifted me for my birthday. But the reason it’s special is because this book was recommended to me by my dear friend from Macedonia, who also used to be my teacher in high-school. As soon as she told me about it, I couldn’t stop talking about it as well. And that’s how my boyfriend ended up buying it. So it holds a special place in my heart, and I am sure I will love it, because my teacher never fails to recommend gems to me that touch my heart and mind.

Synopsis:

Discover the forty rules of love…

Ella Rubinstein has a husband, three teenage children, and a pleasant home. Everything that should make her confident and fulfilled. Yet there is an emptiness at the heart of Ella’s life – an emptiness once filled by love.

So when Ella reads a manuscript about the thirteenth-century Sufi poet Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, and his forty rules of life and love, her world is turned upside down. She embarks on a journey to meet the mysterious author of this work.

It is a quest infused with Sufi mysticism and verse, taking Ella and us into an exotic world where faith and love are heartbreakingly explored. . .

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

10. Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

I loved Ready Player One and I can’t wait to read the second book as well. I will actually be reading it this month too. In all honesty, I am a little afraid that it might not deliver, because the first book finished quite well. I didn’t expect a sequel, and I was surprised when it was announced. I just hope that the quality is as good as it was in the first book.

Synopsis:

Days after winning OASIS founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything. Hidden within Halliday’s vaults, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the OASIS a thousand times more wondrous – and addictive – than even Wade dreamed possible.

With it comes a new riddle, and a new quest – a last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize. And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who’ll kill millions to get what he wants. Wade’s life and the future of the OASIS are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

And that’s a wrap up for my November Book Haul. I can’t wait to dive into all of these books! What’s your November Book Haul? I would love to know what books you acquired last month! Let me know in the comments.

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Books · Monthly Tags

October Book Haul – 2020

October Book Haul in 2020. I am so excited to share the books I have received in the month of October with you.

Hello, you beautiful people!
My October Book Haul was very interesting and rich. I am not sure what exactly happened, but many publishers suddenly started reaching out to me, and I won many giveaways as well. I am reading some of them in November, but not all of them. Without further delays, let’s get into the books I’ve received in October:

1. Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung

Huge thanks to the team at HQ Stories, for sending me a copy of this book as part of the giveaway, as well as a pizza kit to make two mozzarella pizzas at home. This is how our pizzas turned out.

Synopsis:

Eighteen years old, pregnant, and working as a pizza delivery girl in suburban Los Angeles, our charmingly dysfunctional heroine is deeply lost and in complete denial about it all. She’s grieving the death of her father (who she has more in common with than she’d like to admit), avoiding her supportive mom and loving boyfriend, and flagrantly ignoring her future.

Her world is further upended when she becomes obsessed with Jenny, a stay-at-home mother new to the neighborhood, who comes to depend on weekly deliveries of pickled covered pizzas for her son’s happiness. As one woman looks toward motherhood and the other towards middle age, the relationship between the two begins to blur in strange, complicated, and ultimately heartbreaking ways.

Bold, tender, propulsive, and unexpected in countless ways, Jean Kyoung Frazier’s Pizza Girl is a moving and funny portrait of a flawed, unforgettable young woman as she tries to find her place in the world.

October Book Haul in 2020. I am so excited to share the books I have received in the month of October with you.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

2. The Silent Stars Go By by Sally Nicholls

This is a book that I’ll be reading in November, because I’ll be part of the Instagram Book Tour hosted by Kaleidoscopic Tours. Huge thanks to Andersen Press for sending not only a copy of the book, but also plenty of surprise goodies, that I have to open once I reach a certain page milestone. I cannot wait to start this – look out for my Instagram Stories, where I will open the goodies as I read the book.

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Margot Allan was a respectable vicar’s daughter and madly in love with her fiance Harry. But when Harry was reported Missing in Action from the Western Front, and Margot realised she was expecting his child, there was only one solution she and her family could think of in order to keep that respectability. She gave up James, her baby son, to be adopted by her parents and brought up as her younger brother.

Now two years later the whole family is gathering at the Vicarage for Christmas. It’s heartbreaking for Margot being so close to James but unable to tell him who he really is. But on top of that, Harry is also back in the village. Released from captivity in Germany and recuperated from illness, he’s come home and wants answers. Why has Margot seemingly broken off their engagement and not replied to his letters? Margot knows she owes him an explanation. But can she really tell him the truth about James?

October Book Haul in 2020. I am so excited to share the books I have received in the month of October with you.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |

3. Beneath Cruel Fathoms (The Bitter Sea Trilogy #1) by Anela Deen

When the author Anela Deen reached out to me to read this book, I has a quick look at the cover and I was immediately hooked. Then, the synopsis also got me. I mean, it’s about mermaids – what more can I ask for!

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Day 5 of #tandembooktober couldn't have started better. 🔮 The prompt is Black Magic, and just this morning I received an amazing parcel with Beneath Cruel Fathoms by Anela Deen. (@aneladeen) 🌊 This is book one of The Bitter Sea Trilogy and I cannot wait to start it! 🌊 🐚 Synopsis: 🐚 After a violent storm destroys her ship, Isaura Johansdottir knows better than to hope she’ll be rescued from Eisland’s vast Failock Sea. Adrift and alone, her plans to start over lost, it’s a tragic conclusion after the disastrous end of her marriage – until she’s saved by Leonel, one of the merfolk, a creature long believed extinct. In repayment for her life, Leonel enlists her help to investigate the Failock’s mysterious and deadly plague of squalls. But when Isaura discovers Eisland’s ruthless new Lord commands the storms, her life will be in more danger on land than it ever was at sea. As guardian of the Fathoms, Leonel must find the cause of unnatural storms ravaging the tidal currents and destroying the sea life. There are rumors of dark magic stirring in the Orom Abyss, the resting place of old, vanquished gods who tried to submerge the land millennia ago. Yet without proof, no one in King Ægir’s court will listen to him. And if it’s discovered he broke the Blue Laws to save a shipwrecked landweller, he might not survive the consequences. As storms spread, Leonel and Isaura uncover secrets as forbidden as the bond that grows between them. Betrayal lurks in the restless sea, and when ancient powers lay siege to Eisland’s coast, the truth may be drowned along with everything else.

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Synopsis:

After a violent storm destroys her ship, Isaura Johansdottir knows better than to hope she’ll be rescued from Eisland’s vast Failock Sea. Adrift and alone, her plans to start over lost, it’s a tragic conclusion after the disastrous end of her marriage – until she’s saved by Leonel, one of the merfolk, a creature long believed extinct. In repayment for her life, Leonel enlists her help to investigate the Failock’s mysterious and deadly plague of squalls. But when Isaura discovers Eisland’s ruthless new Lord commands the storms, her life will be in more danger on land than it ever was at sea.

As guardian of the Fathoms, Leonel must find the cause of unnatural storms ravaging the tidal currents and destroying the sea life. There are rumors of dark magic stirring in the Orom Abyss, the resting place of old, vanquished gods who tried to submerge the land millennia ago. Yet without proof, no one in King Ægir’s court will listen to him. And if it’s discovered he broke the Blue Laws to save a shipwrecked landweller, he might not survive the consequences.

As storms spread, Leonel and Isaura uncover secrets as forbidden as the bond that grows between them. Betrayal lurks in the restless sea, and when ancient powers lay siege to Eisland’s coast, the truth may be drowned along with everything else.

October Book Haul in 2020. I am so excited to share the books I have received in the month of October with you.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

4. A Cornish Betrothal by Nicola Pryce

Huge thanks to Corvus Books and ReadersFirst for this amazing copy. I cannot wait to start reading it!

Synopsis:

Cornwall, 1798.

Four years have passed since Midshipman Edmund Melville was declared missing, presumed dead, and Amelia Carew has mended her heart and fallen in love with a young physician, Luke Bohenna. But, on her twenty-fifth birthday, Amelia suddenly receives a letter from Edmund announcing his imminent return. In a state of shock, devastated that she now loves Luke so passionately, she is torn between the two.

When Edmund returns, it is clear that his time away has changed him – he wears scars both mental and physical. Amelia, however, is determined to rekindle their courtship and nurse him back to help. Luke, who has always understood that Amelia’s love for Edmund would take precedence, backs away.

But soon, Amelia begins to question what really happened to Edmund while he was missing. As the treads of truth slip through her fingers, she doesn’t know who to turn to: Edmund, or Luke?

October Book Haul in 2020. I am so excited to share the books I have received in the month of October with you.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

5. Make It Happen: How To Be An Activist by Amika George

The amazing HQ Stories team reached out to me and sent me this book as part of the International Day of the Girl, which was on 11th October. I am so glad I was part of that initiative, and could raise awareness about the rights that girls have around the world. As a person that was born and raised in Macedonia, this is a very important topic, and one very close to my heart, and I am glad I could promote awareness. I have already read this book, but I will be re-reading it soon so I can give it a proper book review as well.

Synopsis:

GET UP. SPEAK UP. DON’T GIVE UP.

In the spring of 2017, 17-year-old Amika George founded the Free Periods movement on behalf of every schoolgirl who couldn’t afford tampons or sanitary towels.

Three years later, in January 2020, these products became freely available to every schoolgirl in England for the first time, funded by the government.

Anyone can make history, including a teenager launching a global campaign from their bedroom. And Amika will show you how, in this essential guide to being an activist.

With chapters on finding your crowd and creating allies, going public with your campaign, how to use social media effectively and how to look after your mental health while protesting, Amika will show you how you can effect real and lasting change in your community, on the streets of your city, on your social media feed, in your country and in YOUR world.

October Book Haul in 2020. I am so excited to share the books I have received in the month of October with you.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

6. The Human Son by Adrian J. Walker

I am so glad that I won this book through a giveaway! It sounds amazing, and I cannot wait to dive in!

Synopsis:

It is 500 years in the future and Earth is no longer populated by humans.

The new guardians of Earth, the genetically engineered Erta, have reversed climate change. They are now faced with a dilemma; if they reintroduce the rebellious and violent Homo Sapiens, all of their work will be undone.

They decide to raise one final child; a sole human to help decide if humanity should again inherit the Earth.

But the quiet and clinical Ima finds that there is more to raising a human than she had expected; and there is more to humanity’s history than she has been told.

October Book Haul in 2020. I am so excited to share the books I have received in the month of October with you.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

7. The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison

Again, another title I won through a giveaway, but that also sounds amazing! I was hoping to read this for October, because it gave away a spooky vibe, but my TBR was already huge, so it’ll have to wait for now.

Synopsis:

This is not the story you think it is. These are not the characters you think they are. This is not the book you are expecting.

In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings under a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. And human beings remain human, with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent.

Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows.

October Book Haul in 2020. I am so excited to share the books I have received in the month of October with you.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

8. The June Boys by Court Stevens

I received The June Boys thanks to the team at Harper 360. Another spooky read that I cannot wait to dive in.

Synopsis:

The Gemini Thief could be anyone. Your father, your mother, your best friend’s crazy uncle. Some country music star’s deranged sister. Anyone.

The Gemini Thief is a serial kidnapper, who takes three boys and holds them captive from June 1st to June 30th of the following year. The June Boys endure thirteen months of being stolen, hidden, observed, and fed before they are released, unharmed, by their masked captor. The Thief is a pro, having eluded authorities for nearly a decade and taken at least twelve boys.

Now Thea Delacroix has reason to believe the Gemini Thief took a thirteenth victim: her cousin, Aulus McClaghen.

But the game changes when one of the kidnapped boys turns up dead. Together with her boyfriend Nick and her best friends, Thea is determined to find the Gemini Thief and the remaining boys before it’s too late. Only she’s beginning to wonder something sinister, something repulsive, something unbelievable, and yet, not impossible:

What if her father is the Gemini Thief?

The June Boys by Court Stevens

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

9. Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

I am so excited about this one. It seems like such an intriguing thriller, and I bet it’ll have an unpredictable plot twist in the end.

Synopsis:

Maybe you don’t know your neighbors as well as you thought you did . . .

“This is a very difficult letter to write. I hope you will not hate us too much. . . My son broke into your home recently while you were out.”

In a quiet, leafy suburb in upstate New York, a teenager has been sneaking into houses–and into the owners’ computers as well–learning their secrets, and maybe sharing some of them, too.

Who is he, and what might he have uncovered? After two anonymous letters are received, whispers start to circulate, and suspicion mounts. And when a woman down the street is found murdered, the tension reaches the breaking point. Who killed her? Who knows more than they’re telling? And how far will all these very nice people go to protect their own secrets?

In this neighborhood, it’s not just the husbands and wives who play games. Here, everyone in the family has something to hide . . .

You never really know what people are capable of.

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

10. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Another mystery thriller that I wish I received earlier, just so I can add it to my spooky TBR for October. But it’ll have to wait.

Synopsis:

THEN
She was fifteen, her mother’s golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter.

Poppy is precocious and pretty – and meeting her completely takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?

Who still has secrets to hide?

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

11. One More for Christmas by Sarah Morgan

I actually won Sarah Morgan’s giveaway and won a signed copy. Can you believe that!? I already read a few books by her, a couple of them Christmas ones, and I am in love with her writing. And honestly, I cannot wait to dive into this one, right in time for Christmas. I truly hope the November TBR prompts will be kind to me and allow me to add this one on my list.

Synopsis:

Gayle is a highly successful and motivated business woman, but her success has come at a price – she hasn’t spoken to her daughters, Ella and Samantha, for years. But when Gayle has an accident at work, she realises she needs to make amends with her family.

And so she invites herself to join Ella and Samantha for their Christmas in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. The sisters are none too pleased that their mother has inserted herself into their Christmas plans. They have each other – and don’t need their mother back in their lives. Or so they think…

As they embark on their first family Christmas together in years, will the three women learn that sometimes facing up to a few home truths is all you need to heal your heart?

One More For Christmas by Sarah Morgan

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

12. Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley

I am so happy to be part of a bookstagram readalong, hosted by Tandem Collective UK and John Murray Press, starting on the 1st November and finishing on the 5th November. Thanks to the above teams, I am also able to host a UK giveaway as well, where you can win a paperback edition of Starve Acre, as well as a tote bag and a pin. Just head over to my Instagram page to find out more!

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📖 READALONG AND UK GIVEAWAY 🇬🇧🎁 I am so happy to announce that I have received a #gifted exclusive edition of Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley, published by @johnmurrays, as well as a tote bag and a pin from @tandemcollectiveuk as part of their readalong from November 1st – 5th. I will tag all the participants in the comments, so don't forget to go and check them out as well 🥰 If you already own a copy, or manage to buy it or borrow it from your local library, you can join us all in reading this book! DM me if you want more info on this. ♥️ As part of this big celebration and readalong, Tandem is allowing me to host a giveaway as well. This giveaway contains a paperback copy of Starve Acre (regular, not a special edition), a tote bag and a pin. 🎁 To enter this giveaway: – Must be 🇬🇧 UK only – Follow me and @tandemcollectiveuk – Like this post – Tag a friend in the comments – Share on your story and tag me The giveaway will close on 5th November at 20:00 UK Time. 📖 Synopsis: The worst thing possible has happened. Richard and Juliette Willoughby's son, Ewan, has died suddenly at the age of five. Starve Acre, their house by the moors, was to be full of life, but is now a haunted place. Juliette, convinced Ewan still lives there in some form, seeks the help of the Beacons, a seemingly benevolent group of occultists. Richard, to try and keep the boy out of his mind, has turned his attention to the field opposite the house, where he patiently digs the barren dirt in search of a legendary oak tree. Starve Acre is a devastating new novel by the author of the prize winning bestseller The Loney.

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Synopsis:

The worst thing possible has happened. Richard and Juliette Willoughby’s son, Ewan, has died suddenly at the age of five. Starve Acre, their house by the moors, was to be full of life, but is now a haunted place.

Juliette, convinced Ewan still lives there in some form, seeks the help of the Beacons, a seemingly benevolent group of occultists. Richard, to try and keep the boy out of his mind, has turned his attention to the field opposite the house, where he patiently digs the barren dirt in search of a legendary oak tree.

Starve Acre is a devastating new novel by the author of the prize-winning bestseller The Loney. It is a novel about the way in which grief splits the world in two and how, in searching for hope, we can so easily unearth horror. 

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US |

And that’s a wrap up for my October Book Haul. I can’t wait to dive into all of these books! What’s your October Book Haul? I would love to know what books you acquired last month! Let me know in the comments.

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Books · Monthly Tags

November 2020 Book Releases I’m Excited About

Hello, lovely people!
This November Book Releases post is the first post of its kind, but it was requested by so many of you.

November seems the perfect month to start this. It’s my birthday month, and usually a month where I’m excited about many things. Mostly, my birthday presents. But also winter. Usually it snows in November in Macedonia, and I am hoping it might snow in the UK as well. And also – November is just one month away from Christmas, so that makes me excited too!

But this time, we’ll talk about books. Books that are going to be published in November that I am personally excited about. I will be reading a few of these in November, so stay tuned for my updates. Let’s get to the list, shall we?

1. The Searcher by Tana French

Publishing Date: 05th November 2020
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Why I’m Excited: I haven’t read a Tana French book before, but I already have two on my shelves, and this book has been receiving a lot of hype, and it makes me wonder why people love Tana’s mysteries so much. Also, the setting of a remote Irish house in the mountains seems like a perfect setting to start a cold day wrapped it a blanket.

Synopsis:

Cal Hooper thought a fixer-upper in a remote Irish village would be the perfect escape. After twenty-five years in the Chicago police force, and a bruising divorce, he just wants to build a new life in a pretty spot with a good pub where nothing much happens.

But then a local kid comes looking for his help. His brother has gone missing, and no one, least of all the police, seems to care. Cal wants nothing to do with any kind of investigation, but somehow he can’t make himself walk away.

Soon Cal will discover that even in the most idyllic small town, secrets lie hidden, people aren’t always what they seem, and trouble can come calling at his door.

Our greatest living mystery writer weaves a masterful tale of breath-taking beauty and suspense, asking how we decide what’s right and wrong in a world where neither is simple, and what we risk if we fail.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |Amazon US |

2. The Silent Stars Go By by Sally Nicholls

Publishing Date: 5th November 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Why I’m Excited: I don’t always read historical fiction, but this synopsis captured my heart. I love emotional stories and they are my way of escapism. The cover is also beautiful, and I think this will be a truly lovely read, full with emotions!

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Margot Allan was a respectable vicar’s daughter and madly in love with her fiance Harry. But when Harry was reported Missing in Action from the Western Front, and Margot realised she was expecting his child, there was only one solution she and her family could think of in order to keep that respectability. She gave up James, her baby son, to be adopted by her parents and brought up as her younger brother.

Now two years later the whole family is gathering at the Vicarage for Christmas. It’s heartbreaking for Margot being so close to James but unable to tell him who he really is. But on top of that, Harry is also back in the village. Released from captivity in Germany and recuperated from illness, he’s come home and wants answers. Why has Margot seemingly broken off their engagement and not replied to his letters? Margot knows she owes him an explanation. But can she really tell him the truth about James?

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |

3. Ready Player Two (Ready Player One #2) by Ernest Cline

Publishing Date: 24th November 2020
Genre: Science fiction, Young-Adult, Fantasy
Why I’m Excited: I loved Ready Player One and at first I was surprised there was a second book coming. Read my review of Ready Player One HERE. The first book could easily go as a standalone. But this also means there’s another opportunity to five into the virtual world Ernest Cline made, and the gamer in me screams YES!

Synopsis:

An unexpected quest. Two worlds at stake. Are you ready?

Days after Oasis founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything. Hidden within Halliday’s vault, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the Oasis a thousand times more wondrous, and addictive, than even Wade dreamed possible. With it comes a new riddle and a new quest. A last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize. And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who will kill millions to get what he wants. Wade’s life and the future of the Oasis are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance.

Lovingly nostalgic and wildly original as only Ernest Cline could conceive it, Ready Player Two takes us on another imaginative, fun, action packed adventure through his beloved virtual universe, and jolts us thrillingly into the future once again.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |Amazon US |

4. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (The Folk of the Air #3.5) by Holly Black

Publishing Date: 24th November 2020
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Why I’m Excited: This book is a spin-off from the Folk of the Air series. I loved the Cruel Prince so much – read my review HERE! And this is a book that features our loved/hated character Cardan, and I just cannot miss this one.

Synopsis:

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue.

Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone . #1 New York Times bestselling author, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective.

This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |Amazon US |

5. The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy #1) by Nora Roberts

Publishing Date: 24th November 2020
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Romance
Why I’m Excited: I have read a couple of books from Nora Roberts, and she never fails to impress me. I don’t recall reading fantasy books by her before, but the synopsis looks promising, and I already know I love her writing style. I am extremely excited about this one!

Synopsis:

In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…

When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twentysomething mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name. It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.

This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here, she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying Come home, Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home. Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a land of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny…

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |Amazon US |

6. These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights #1) by Chloe Gong

Publishing Date: 17th November
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy
Why I’m Excited: This is a Romeo and Juliet re-telling set in Shanghai, and something about this makes me eager to read it. Also – the cover is beautiful!

Synopsis:

The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.

A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.

But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule. 

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |Amazon US |

7. One by One by Ruth Ware

Publishing Date: 12th November 2020
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Why I’m Excited: The setting of a rustic mountain chalet – we already established how much I love this. And then, on top of it, we have a corporate mystery – and I am so intrigued.

Synopsis:

Getting snowed in at a beautiful, rustic mountain chalet doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world, especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a cozy fire, and company to keep you warm. But what happens when that company is eight of your coworkers…and you can’t trust any of them?

When an off-site company retreat meant to promote mindfulness and collaboration goes utterly wrong when an avalanche hits, the corporate food chain becomes irrelevant and survival trumps togetherness. Come Monday morning, how many members short will the team be?

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |Amazon US |

8. Spellbreaker (Spellbreaker Duology #1)  by Charlie N. Holmberg  

Publishing Date: 1st November 2020
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic
Why I’m Excited: I don’t know why, but this book gives me The Night Circus vibes. There’s magic, two sides of the story, good versus evil and a possible romance. And I’m all here for it.

Synopsis:

A world of enchanted injustice needs a disenchanting woman in the newest fantasy series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.

The orphaned Elsie Camden learned as a girl that there were two kinds of wizards in the world: those who pay for the power to cast spells and those, like her, born with the ability to break them. But as an unlicensed magic user, her gift is a crime. Commissioned by an underground group known as the Cowls, Elsie uses her spellbreaking to push back against the aristocrats and help the common man. She always did love the tale of Robin Hood.

Elite magic user Bacchus Kelsey is one elusive spell away from his mastership when he catches Elsie breaking an enchantment. To protect her secret, Elsie strikes a bargain. She’ll help Bacchus fix unruly spells around his estate if he doesn’t turn her in. Working together, Elsie’s trust in—and fondness for—the handsome stranger grows. So does her trepidation about the rise in the murders of wizards and the theft of the spellbooks their bodies leave behind.

For a rogue spellbreaker like Elsie, there’s so much to learn about her powers, her family, the intriguing Bacchus, and the untold dangers shadowing every step of a journey she’s destined to complete. But will she uncover the mystery before it’s too late to save everything she loves?

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK |Amazon US |

And there we have them – books coming out in November 2020 that I am excited about! Please note that these are my thoughts, and among these titles there are also many others coming out next month as well. These are just a few that I’m excited about, based on my preferences.

What books are you excited about? And also – what other details would you like included in the next month’s edition? Let me know in the comments. 🙂

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