February is just about over which means it’s time for my February book haul! I love how I say that as if it’s an expectation that I will only do one haul a month – I WILL TRY. But let’s face it, I probably could do with doing at least two. I do not have a book buying problem. NOPE.
I believe I have been very good this month – at the start of the year I put in place a Kirstie-We-Need-To-Get-A-Grip book buying schedule. It’s very complicated as it involves writing the books I want to buy down and then going AKLJDFHF on the Book Depository for several days straight until I narrow it down to the four books I’m allowed to buy, *shoots daggers at past self*. But my wallet is rejoicing, so yay for my wallet!
A couple of things to note: I mostly focussed on buying books to continue series I’ve already started and a couple of strays here and there. I’m also going to show you the e-ARCs I’ve got from NetGalley (courtesy of my DO-NOT-REQUEST-ANYTHING-ELSE-FROM-NETGALLEY agenda, #EpicFail), what e-books I purchased AND what I’ve stollen borrowed from friends.
But enough fiff-faffing, I’ve got quite a lot of books to show you so LET’S. DO IT.
The Part of my Haul that Was Supposed to be ‘It’
This month I ordered my main books from Angus & Robertson Bookworld and they came in this AWESOMELY HUGE package. Try to imagine how excited I was when this appeared at my door. A package. Stuffed with books. Mwhaha.
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Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes
Book number two in the Falling Kingdoms series
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Published: March 2014
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 416 {paperback}
I read Falling Kingdoms in January and was so amazed at how great it was! I’m absolutely dying to dive into this book and I’m sure it won’t disappoint!
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Rise of the Arcane Fire by Kristin Bailey
Second book in the Secret Order series
Genre: Young Adult, Steampunk
Author: Kristin Bailey
Published: February 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 480 {paperback}
This is the second book in a steampunk series, the first book being Legacy of the Clockwork Key, and it’s AWESOME. I loved, loved, loved the first one and I’m so ready to continue the series. Not the mention the third (and final?) book comes out the 1st of March!! Eeeeeep!
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The One by Kiera Cass
Book three in The Selection series
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fluff
Author: Kiera Cass
Published: June 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Pages: 323 {paperback}
I’ve been meaning to get a copy of this for SO LONG. I’m absolutely loving this series because it is just simultaneously the worst and best thing ever. It’s 100% fluff and Maxon is a total babe. I’m trying to not read them all in one go really quickly because I’ll be so sad when it’s all over. And those covers. Unf.
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Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor
Book two in The Looking Glass Wars series
Genre: Retelling (Alice in Wonderland), Fantasy
Author: Frank Beddor
Published: October 2008
Publisher: Speak
Pages: 371 {paperback}
I LOVE THIS SERIES. I’m a sucker for Alice in Wonderland retellings and this is right up there with A.G. Howard’s Splintered trilogy. It’s completely bonkers and I cannot wait to continue the series. It’s going to be fabulous!
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Akarnae by Lynette Noni
Book one in The Medoran Chronicles
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Author: Lynette Noni
Published: February 2015
Publisher: Pantera Press
Pages: 436 {paperback}
Apart from somewhat difficult to say right at first glance, this book sounds awesome! I wasn’t originally planning to get it but, let me explain: for my February ‘cap’ (how many books I plan on getting) I couldn’t decide between Ten Thousand Skies Above You (Claudia Gray) and Cinder (Marissa Meyer) and I stumbled across this in Dymocks where a promotion meant I could get this for $5.00! So I thought, let’s save the trouble and get this instead of the others. So voila! Logical reasoning: level 2. In all fairness, this about magic and magic schools so why wouldn’t you want to read this?
February Pre-Orders
The Shadow Queen by C. J. Redwine
Book one in the Ravenspire series
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling (Snow White)
Author: C. J. Redwine
Published: March 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 400 {paperback}
This is one of my most anticipated releases for 2016!! AHH. I loved Redwine’s previous series, Defiance, and I was so excited when I found out about this one. It’s a Snow White retelling and it. is. amazing. I HIGHLY recommending checking it out!! Also, that cover.
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Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Book one in the Rebel of the Sands series
Genre: Young Adult, High Fantasy
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Published: February 2016
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Pages: 358 {paperback}
This book was the that came in the February box for the YA Chronicles subscription company (you can see my unboxing here). THE COVER IS TO DIE FOR. This is a book that I’ve been super excited about because it sounds like it’s going to be so much fun. I can’t wait!!
What I Borrowed
Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart
Genre: Biography, Humour
Author: Miranda Hart
Published: October 2012
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Pages: 323 {paperback}
One of my friends was kind enough to lend me her copy of this book and I AM READY. I’ve recently begun watching the wonder that is Miranda and I’ve been slowly making my way through Call the Midwife (both of which she’s in) – so I just HAD to read this book. Miranda is hilarious and I’m sure I will die of laughter throughout this book.
e-ARCs
I just couldn’t help myself, okay? I love to peruse what NetGalley has on offer and I came across a few books that I went ooohhhh, why not! Because clearly I don’t have enough to read. All of these sound like they’ve got a lot of potential, though – so WATCH. ME. READ. THEM.
Amid Wind & Stone by Nicole Luiken
Book two in the Otherselves series
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Author: Nicole Luiken
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 410 {paperback}
RELEASE DATE: 7th March 2016
Firstly, this is the second book in the series and I totally didn’t realise until after I requested it. BUT. The premise of this book genuinely sounds amazing so I checked out the first book and went – WHY AREN’T PEOPLE READING THESE? I’ve bought the first book since and am slowly making progress through it – it’s so much fun so far!
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The Syndicate by Sophie Davis
Book one in the TimeWaves series
Genre: Sci-Fi (time travel)
Author: Sophie Davis
Publisher: Sophie Davis Books
Pages: 600 {paperback}
RELEASE DATE: 1st March 2016
I liked the cover. I liked that it involves time travel. And it just sounds cool. They are my reasons. In all honesty though, this book sounds like it will be crazy awesome if pulled off well, have a read:
In a future where time travel has been outlawed, a black market exists for anyone with the money, connections, and nerve to request items from days past. As a Runner for one of the underground syndicates that now controls the timewaves, Stassi 2446-89 has seen it all: the fall of Rome, the rise of Hitler, the end of democracy, the establishment of time tourism, and the devastating consequences of it. Her job is to seamlessly slip through the past, in search of items of value to the syndicate’s clientele.
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Rising from the Ashes by Caren J. Werlinger
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Author: Caren J. Werlinger
Published: February 2016
Publisher: Corgyn Publishing, LLC
Pages: 306 {kindle}
This book is set in Ancient Ireland. I’M IN. I cannot express how excited I get when I discover a book that is set somewhere (place or time) that is unique, different, or lacking in representation. Tell me, how many fantasy books out there are set in ANCIENT Ireland?! I’m getting way too excited just thinking about this book.
e-Books
So there were also a few e-books that I acquired this month, which doesn’t usually happen. This was mostly because of my slip up with the NetGalley ARC but also for convenience.
Through Fire & Sea by Nicole Luiken
Book one of the Otherselves series
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Author: Nicole Luiken
Published: May 2015
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 354 {e-book}
Tah dah! I just had to get my hands on the first book to find out what it was all about. From my brief and basic understanding this is a fantasy world where there are four separate ‘worlds’ – each a different element. This book is set in the Fire world and the Water world. Just everything about this sounds awesome and I do not understand why this isn’t a huge THING. Come on people! (It’s very cheap in iBooks right now). Also, cover/10.
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Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Book one in The Princesses of Westfalin Trilogy
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling (The Twelve Dancing Princesses)
Author: Jessica Day George
Published: February 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Pages: 227 {paperback}
I got this book because it was the monthly read for a Goodreads group that I moderate, Fantasy Lovers – but unfortunately I haven’t had the time to get around to it yet. Nonetheless, you can’t go wrong with a retelling!!
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The Bone Knife by Intisar Khanani
Book 0.5 in The Theft of Sunlight series
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Author: Intisar Khanani
Published: October 2012
Publisher: Smashwords
Pages: 35 {kindle}
The main reason I got this one (it’s currently free on iBooks) is because I LOVED Khanani’s previous book, Thorn (a retelling of The Goose Girl). I highly recommend checking it out! Because I enjoyed it so much I’ve been hanging out to get her other works and this is a prequel novella that builds up to her next series. I’M SO EXCITED. It’s a series involving Fae. Enough said. It’s kind of crazy how these books are working out – this came out in 2012, but Thorn came out last year. YET, the trilogy that this book introduces is a companion trilogy to Thorn. Whew.
Oh dear lord. That’s a lot of books . . . . HOOOORAAY. I will not be regretful because all of these books will be amazing. I cannot wait to continue the series I started in January because all of those are fabulous – and don’t even get me started on how ready I am for more Maxon time. I can’t wait to munch through these and do it all again in March!
What book are you most excited to read in March?
Let me know in the comments below!
Upside-Down Books 
Beautiful haul! In March I will be reading Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal, and Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History. If I have time, I will also be reading The Pecan Man by Cassie Dandridge Selleck that I was supposed to read in February.
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Thanks! That sounds like you’ve got some amazing books in the pipeline for March! I hope you enjoy Red Queen – I read that just recently and I absolutely adored it!! You should let me know what you think of it 🙂
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Will do 🙂
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Such a great haul. I never know what I am going to read. I make plans and then they all change at the last minute.
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Thanks 🙂 I do that a lot too! It’s so hard to stick to a reading plan – I always get distracted by other books that pop up! But I’m pretty darn excited for all these so hopefully I read them all soon!
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THIS IS SUCH A NICE HAUL *asdfghkl*
I absolutely adore the look of “The Shadow Queen” – that cover is seriously stunning! Also, I’m looking forward to you reading “Is It Just Me?” on your behalf!! It’s honestly hilarious, and by the sounds of it you will definitely enjoy it – it’s basically Miranda’s usual hysterical self but in book-form 😛
By the way, I’ve tagged you for the Totally Should’ve Book Tag should you want to do it – no obligations, of course!!
https://introtoblurb.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/the-totally-shouldve-book-tag/
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Thanks!! You should read The Shadow Queen – I was SO excited to get into it and and and as I started reading it, it turns out there are also DRAGONS in it *faints with excitement*.
Yay! I think Is It Just Me? will be amazing then, there’s no way I won’t love that!
And thank you! I’ll totally check it out and have a go 🙂
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Ahhhhhh DRAGONS and a TWISTED FAIRYTALE?! I’m in. Seriously though, I feel like I would happily just bestow my TBR list-making duties to you – you keep recommending such awesome books! 😛
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Haha you’re welcome 🙂 You won’t regret this one!!
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Call the Midwife is one of my absolute favourite shows and Miranda is so great in it. I’d like to read her book – can’t wait to see what you think of it!
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Yes it is!! It’s addictive to watch. I can’t wait to get around to it myself 🙂
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