Reader Voracious

You are here: Home / Anticipated Reads / January 2019 Book Haul // the month I kind of behaved

January 2019 Book Haul // the month I kind of behaved

(Last Updated On: June 25, 2019)

Friends I am so incredibly proud of myself – I only bought five books in January, and two of them were the same book! This is such a drastic improvement over my going completely overboard last year, and I am pleased that the majority of my haul was on sale.

You’ll notice that my haul post is in a slightly different format this month. I wanted to play around with it a bit and include the summaries from Goodreads rather than just listing everything. I also included ARC approvals so you can see what I have coming up, as well as the books that I told my local library they should buy. I recently started using my local library a bit more and have made it my personal mission to get more amazing and diverse reads into the collection!

As always, I want to reiterate that you do not need to buy and own a lot of books in order to be considered a book blogger or lover. I am quite frugal with everything else so that I can buy books because I love them, but I do not ever want to make you feel bad if you cannot afford to buy books or have poor access where you live.

✨✨ Physical Book Haul ✨✨

IMG_20190123_191259_567.jpg

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Young Adult, Historical Fantasy

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER

From New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi comes The Gilded Wolves, a novel set in Paris during a time of extraordinary change—one that is full of mystery, decadence, and dangerous desires…

No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.

It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history—but only if they can stay alive.

Read my ARC Review

Yes, I bought two copies of The Gilded Wolves. I pre-ordered the B&N Exclusive Edition, but then when I saw that the Mysterious Galaxy Fantastic Firsts choice was also TGW, I decided to host a giveaway for one of the copies on Twitter! I am so excited to share that the B&N Edition is on it’s way to Karlita in the Philippines, and I hope she loves it as much as I do!

✨✨ Electronic Book Haul ✨✨

Ignite the Stars (Ignite the Stars #1) by Maura Milan
Young Adult, Science Fiction

Everyone in the universe knows his name. Everyone in the universe fears him. But no one realizes that notorious outlaw Ia Cocha is a seventeen-year-old girl.

A criminal mastermind and unrivaled pilot, Ia has spent her life terrorizing the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home. When the Commonwealth captures her and her true identity is exposed, they see Ia’s age and talent as an opportunity: by forcing her to serve them, they will prove that no one is beyond their control.

Soon, Ia is trapped at the Commonwealth’s military academy, desperately plotting her escape. But new acquaintances—including Brinn, a seemingly average student with a closely-held secret, and their charming Flight Master, Knives—cause Ia to question her own alliances. Can she find a way to escape the Commonwealth’s clutches before these bonds deepen

I saw CW @ The Quiet Pond scream about this book – so when it was on sale for Kindle you bet your pretty little faces that I jumped on it! I am so excited to read this one as part of my Year of the Asian Reading Challenge!

✨✨✨

You (You #1) by Caroline Kepnes
Adult, Thriller, Mystery

From debut author Caroline Kepnes comes You, one of Suspense Magazine’s Best Books of 2014, and a brilliant and terrifying novel for the social media age.

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

A terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation, debut author Caroline Kepnes delivers a razor-sharp novel for our hyper-connected digital age. You is a compulsively readable page-turner that’s being compared to Gone Girl, American Psycho, and Stephen King’s Misery.

This was Destiny and Taylor’s fault. I bought the audiobook after listening to .365 seconds of creepy narration but I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. I did, however, begin rewatching Gossip Girl.

✨✨✨

The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious #2) by Maureen Johnson
Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery

All Stevie Bell wanted was to find the key to the Ellingham mystery, but instead she found her classmate dead. And while she solved that murder, the crimes of the past are still waiting in the dark. Just as Stevie feels she’s on the cusp of putting it together, her parents pull her out of Ellingham academy.

For her own safety they say. She must move past this obsession with crime. Now that Stevie’s away from the school of topiaries and secret tunnels, and her strange and endearing friends, she begins to feel disconnected from the rest of the world. At least she won’t have to see David anymore. David, who she kissed. David, who lied to her about his identity—son of despised politician Edward King. Then King himself arrives at her house to offer a deal: He will bring Stevie back to Ellingham immediately. In return, she must play nice with David. King is in the midst of a campaign and can’t afford his son stirring up trouble. If Stevie’s at school, David will stay put.

The tantalizing riddles behind the Ellingham murders are still waiting to be unraveled, and Stevie knows she’s so close. But the path to the truth has more twists and turns than she can imagine—and moving forward involves hurting someone she cares for. In New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson’s second novel of the Truly Devious series, nothing is free, and someone will pay for the truth with their life.

Read My Review of Book #1 Read My Review of Book #2

The last book that I bought for myself in January was The Vanishing Stair, the much-anticipated follow up to Truly Devious. I wanted to wait until the eBook went on sale but lasted all of 3 days after publication.

✨✨ Electronic eARC Approvals ✨✨

Will Haunt You by Brian Kirk
Adult, Horror
Expected Publication: March 14, 2019

You don’t read the book. It reads you.

Rumors of a deadly book have been floating around the dark corners of the deep web. A disturbing tale about a mysterious figure who preys on those who read the book and subjects them to a world of personalized terror. Jesse Wheeler–former guitarist of the heavy metal group The Rising Dead–was quick to discount the ominous folklore associated with the book. It takes more than some urban legend to frighten him. Hell, reality is scary enough. Seven years ago his greatest responsibility was the nightly guitar solo. Then one night when Jesse was blackout drunk, he accidentally injured his son, leaving him permanently disabled. Dreams of being a rock star died when he destroyed his son’s future. Now he cuts radio jingles and fights to stay clean. But Jesse is wrong.

The legend is real–and tonight he will become the protagonist in an elaborate scheme specifically tailored to prey on his fears and resurrect the ghosts from his past. Jesse is not the only one in danger, however.

By reading the book, you have volunteered to participate in the author’s deadly game, with every page drawing you closer to your own personalized nightmare.

The real horror doesn’t begin until you reach the end. That’s when the evil comes for you.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

✨✨✨

Second Lives by P.D. Cacek
Adult, Science Fiction
Expected Publication: April 11, 2019

When four patients unexpectedly wake after being declared dead, their families are ecstatic and the word “miracle” begins to be whispered throughout the hospital. But the jubilation is short lived when the patients don’t respond to their names and insist they are different people. It is suggested all four are suffering from fugue states until one of the doctors recognizes a name and verifies that he not only knew the girl but was there when she died in 1992. It soon becomes obvious that the bodies of the four patients are now inhabited by the souls of people long dead.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

✨✨✨

The Dark Game by Jonathan Janz
Adult, Horror
Expected Publication: April 11, 2019

Ten writers are selected for a summer-long writing retreat with the most celebrated and reclusive author in the world. Their host is the legendary Roderick Wells. Handsome, enigmatic, and fiendishly talented, Wells promises to teach his pupils about writing, about magic, about the untapped potential that each of them possesses. Most of all, he plans to teach them about the darkness in their hearts. The writers think they are signing up for a chance at riches and literary prestige. But they are really entering the twisted imagination of a deranged genius, a lethal contest pitting them against one another in a struggle for their sanity and their lives. They have entered into Roderick Wells’s most brilliant and horrible creation. The Dark Game.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

✨✨✨

Storm of Locusts (The Sixth World #2) by Rebecca Roanhorse
Adult, Urban Fantasy, Dystopian
Expected Publication: April 23, 2019

It’s been four weeks since the bloody showdown at Black Mesa, and Maggie Hoskie, Diné monster hunter, is trying to make the best of things. Only her latest bounty hunt has gone sideways, she’s lost her only friend, Kai Arviso, and she’s somehow found herself responsible for a young girl with a strange clan power.

Then the Goodacre twins show up at Maggie’s door with the news that Kai and the youngest Goodacre, Caleb, have fallen in with a mysterious cult, led by a figure out of Navajo legend called the White Locust. The Goodacres are convinced that Kai’s a true believer, but Maggie suspects there’s more to Kai’s new faith than meets the eye. She vows to track down the White Locust, rescue Kai, and make things right between them both.

Her search leads her beyond the Walls of Dinétah and straight into the horrors of the Big Water world outside. With the aid of a motley collection of allies, Maggie must battle body harvesters, newborn casino gods, and, ultimately the White Locust himself. But the cult leader is nothing like she suspected, and Kai might not need rescuing after all. When the full scope of the White Locust’s plans are revealed, Maggie’s burgeoning trust in her friends, and herself, will be pushed to the breaking point, and not everyone will survive.

✨✨✨

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings (The Twelve Dancing Princesses)
Expected Publication: August 11, 2019

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

✨✨ Library Recommendations ✨✨

january library requests

Last month I was able to request four titles to my library, 3 out of 4 being diverse books by authors of color! The library bought The Gilded Wolves based on my recommendation, yay! I hope that they buy the others soon.

Do we have any books in common? What books did you buy in January? Let’s talk book acquisitions in the comments, friends!

Also I am interested in hearing your thoughts on the new/trial format for my haul posts!

spacer_wLet’s go on another adventure together!

Posts you may like

Reader Interactions

67 comments

  3. yay for not buying ALL the books! and heck yes to recommending more diverse reads for your local library collection 📚 love the new haul format too, btw 😉

    I also snatched up Ignite the Stars when it was on sale, and I’m so excited to finally (eventually) read it! also just finished Truly Devious recently and I’m dyingggg waiting for my hold on The Vanishing Stair! so many books. so little time. *sighs*

    Reply

  4. That is great!! I totally commend you on restraining yourself last month as I, myself, am working on a similar endeavour(i.e. an ARC ban!)

    I have the ARCs for Red Wolf, Black Leopard and The Gilded Wolves(similar names. what a coincidence!). Idk why but TGW is not capturing me currently so I’m pausing it for a while. Reading ‘The Paragon Hotel’ at the moment(another coincidence as it’s Black History month and this one’s about…Black history! xD The world works in mysterious ways)

    Reply

    • Good luck with your ARC ban! I have banned myself from Feb, March, and April release requests because I am at capacity for those months, but there are so many books I want to read! I wish I could read while sleeping. Or that I didn’t need to sleep. Can I have the sleep removed like Lorne in Angel?

      TGW does throw the reader right into a descriptive world and the worldbuilding is a bit confusing, so I can understand why you might be struggling. I hope you go back to it and enjoy it as much as I did when the time is right!

      Reply

      • Much thanks :DDDD! And I know! Not enough time for all the bookssss :'( I have a confession though, I broke my ban for one book…it was available straight for download on EW…I tell myself I did dodge many (sometimes impulse) requests…I’m still disappointed in myself though.

        And yes! I think you’re spot on on why I wasn’t feeling much for TGW. I will take your advice and try it again at a more suitable time :)))

        Reply

  6. I also have an ARC of The Dark Game waiting on deck! Looks to be quite fun.

    I find it’s so hard to exercise self-control with ARC requests… I’m new to book blogging, and I did NOT expect to be approved for as many as I am! So that’s equal parts cool and nerve-wracking–I really feel an obligation to read as fast as possible to get through all of these! 😛

    Reply

    • I am so excited to read The Dark Game! I’ve loved almost everything of Janz’s that I have read so far, and the story for this one sounds like a lot of fun.

      I know what you mean, though! I think all book bloggers start out and over-request because you don’t think you will be accepted… and then you get accepted for a bunch and then you weep eternally because of the hole you put yourself in. I did it, and after reading nothing but ARCs for a few months straight, I decided to limit myself to 4 titles per release month. It’s been really helpful for me! Just read what you can, and welcome!

      Reply

    • Ooooh, have you read You yet? It’s still on my TBR stack but I might be in the mood for it this weekend. It’ll be my first time doing audio along though, so we’ll see.

      Let me know how the audio for Then Gilded Wolves is!!!

      Reply

  8. Kal look, I am really trying to not buy more books or at least not put them on my tbr. So you need to stop this. No just kidding because I’m going to add so much to my tbr, yolo am I right. There are a bunch of books I don’t know, so I’m going to check those out. I do already own The Gilded Wolves and I’ll probably read them after I finish Gemina, Obsidio, This Mortal Coil and This Cruel Design (this is all your fault)

    Reply

    • I CANNOT BE STOPPED! I relish in my ability to make TBRs quake with fear and bloggers curse my name!
      Honestly it makes me so excited that so much of your TBR is my fault??? Please shout at me with your thoughts on all of those as you read! I am about 1/6th into Obsidio though… so check first with that one lol

      Reply

  10. I love requesting my local library purchase new books. If they do buy it, i’m first on the list when it comes in!

    I really want to read Black Leopard Red Wolf, and Second Lives and House of Salt and Sorrows looks really good.

    Reply

    • Yes, I love that about requesting books too! I laughed when I was granted the eBook loan though because I’ve read it and own it already, but that just meant I was able to return it right away and get it to the next person on the list!

      I also really want to read Black Leopard, Red Wolf. I kind of regret not getting the ARC from Edelweiss because it was download now for me, but I the length and my reading pile really meant I shouldn’t. Second Lives looks SO COOL and I can’t wait to pick that one up soon!

      Reply

  11. I also ended up with 2 copies of the Gilded Wolves. I bought the Barnes and Noble Exclusive not realizing that it was also going to be in my first Owlcrate box, but that edition has an annotated chapter as well and a different cover, so i am selfishly keeping both of them. Also, I can’t believe I missed The Vanishing Stair sale!

    Reply

    • Yea, I loved the different cover and the extra chapter in the B&N edition and I was so tempted to keep both of them too! And you didn’t miss a sale on Vanishing Stair, that’s the one book I paid full price for because I couldn’t wait. UGH!

      Reply

  12. There are so many good books on this list! I’m so glad you decided to start including the synopses (my TBR is happy, too, because it just grew a ton — haha). I can’t wait to read Ignite the Stars and House of Salt and Sorrows. I hope you enjoy them!

    Reply

  13. Awesome haul! I’ve heard really good things about Black Leopard Red Wilf. I can’t imagine your library wouldn’t buy that😁 Enjoy!

    Reply

  15. I love the new post format! I still have yet to read the Gilded Wolves (I might wait a few months before reading it, but we’ll see!). I thankfully didn’t squander too much money purchasing books on January either. I’ve mostly been utilizing OverDrive! ❤️

    Reply

    • awww yay, thank you!

      Yay for using OverDrive more, that’s awesome! I am trying to get into the habit of at least checking there first before just going off to buy the book. I hope you enjoy The Gilded Wolves when you do pick it up!

      Reply

  16. So excited for Storm of Locusts, definitely pre-ordering that one! I’ve been using my library more lately as well, I should check in on some recent releases and recommend them if the library hasn’t gotten them already. Great haul!

    Reply

  17. This is such a great haul, I loved The Gilded Wolves so much! <3 I'm glad to see you got approved for a copy of House of Salt and Sorrows, this book sounds SO intriguing, can't wait to hear your thoughts on it 🙂 Happy reading! 🙂

    Reply

    • Thanks so much Marie, and I am so happy that you also loved The Gilded Wolves. Honestly I think about it a couple of times a week, and I read it in November. It’s my favorite 2019 release that I’ve read so far for sure. I am super excited to read House of Salt and Sorrows & share my thoughts. Happy reading to you as well, love!

      Reply

  19. Hehehe… I’m so glad to have helped convince you to buy YOU! It’s so good and weird and creepy. I loved it. And yay for your library getting TGW!! <3 I'm dying for my region to start actually USING the order lists I'm working on for our collections. They haven't been able to buy many books lately (space limitations — we're in a small, temporary location until this summer when we move to a bigger building), and the YA order they just placed was all requests from the person who was in charge of acquisitions BEFORE me. I'm a little sad that they didn't let me add to the list but her list was also amazing and had a ton of great diverse reads so it's like 5% bummed, 95% super hella excited haha.

    Reply

    • I love good and weird and creepy, so You will probably be an excellent read! It’ll be my first attempt at just audio, so we’ll see how that works for me. If the weather continues to be stormy, I might give it a try this weekend though. I was SO GLAD my library got TGW! And I am really interested in learning more about your job and kind of how libraries work on ordering in tandem with the requests from patrons. But how exciting about the awesome YA order, and I am sure your future orders will be amazing and wonderful!

      Reply

  20. Haha I am glad you were able to control your book buying 😀 I am trying to control my book buying too but it is always so difficult. I want to buy The Gilded WOlves too but it is so costly at the moment 🙁 I hope to get it soon.

    Reply

  21. This is a great haul! I also got ARCs for The Gilded Wolves & House of Salt & Sorrows. I loved them both, and I actually like TGW a lot more than the book that encouraged me to pick it up (Six of Crows). It felt so much more authentic and I LOVED the diversity. Great haul!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much! I loved The Gilded Wolves to the moon and back, all the happy vibes it gave me. I wanted to love Six of Crows… but I DNF’d it after much suffering and coming to terms with Leigh’s writing not being for me.

      Reply

  22. “You” keeps appearing and now that there is a netflix show, I think I might have to read it. I haven’t watched the show yet – not sure I want to.

    In Janaury, I started buying all the books for my “Read The World” bookshelf. If I read it and liked it, I would buy it. So I added about 20 books or so to my shelf. I don’t buy many, so that was a large haul for me!

    Reply

    • I actually picked up You because of the Netflix show! One of my blogging buddies was tweeting about how creepy it was, and then Destiny and Taylor busted in like “THE BOOK IS WAY CREEPIER READ IT GET THE AUDIO” I still haven’t read it, but I want to before checking out the show!

      Aww that’s awesome that you enjoyed so many books, what a great haul that would have been!

      Reply

  24. Great haul! I really wanted to request House of Salt and Sorrow but I stopped myself before I could feel the burn of disappointment bahaha, also thank you for reminding us that to do this we don’t need to be throwin’ out the dough! (Also how awesome that your library is picking up TGW because of you!)

    Reply

    • The burn of disappointment is such a sad bummer when it happens, I was really surprised to have been accepted – especially so early. Looking forward to reading it though! And of course, I don’t ever want my buying habits to make others feel less than.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Bookstagram
Top
%d bloggers like this: