What books have you bought in the last month?

[Yourinmyspot]

I try and get most of my books from the library, but I also love buying new books. I had a bit of a splurge this month. I got four for my birthday: Hooked by Asako Yuzuki, The Public confessions of a Middle age woman by Sue Townsend, The Midnight Train by Matt Haig and Last one out by Jane Harper.

I’ve also bought Artemis, The Martian and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, Titan Red Dwarf by Rob Grant and Andrew Marshall, and The Burning Tide by William Shaw.

should keep me going for a while.

Oooo nice. I definitely want to get The Midnight Train, after thoroughly enjoying The Midnight Library and The Life Impossible by Matt Haig.
I've had Butter by Asako Yuzuki on my book shelf for about a year now 🤦‍♀️

I am similar OP. I try to use my local library as much as possible, but also love scouring the shelves of my local charity shops for books and I also buy a lot from World of Books.

I've recently bought:
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (book shop)
The Power by Naomi Alderman (book shop)
Dead Famous by Greg Jenner (charity shop)
My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (charity shop)

Currently reading The Power, which I'm enjoying. Not sure what I'll go for next, depends on my mood when I finish my current book.

I've just had a birthday, so had a splurge with a voucher. I got -
Decomposition Book by Sara Van Os
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
Bloom by Delilah S Dawson
Hooked by Asako Yuzuki
A Good Person by Kirsten King
Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward
Cleopatra by Saara El Arifi (already dnfed unfortunately, so dull).
Molka by Monica Kim.

I bought a copy of Big Bad Wool - the second in the series made into the Sheep Detectives film. Haven't read the first though but hoping it won't matter.

I’ve just bought Rainforest by Michelle Paver. She’s so good at ghost stories! I’m saving it for my holiday.

I'm half way through The Women by Kristin Hannah. Have a couple of charity shop books after that. Lisa Jewell's Before I Met You and a Bob Mortimer one.

Master Georgie by Beryl Bainbridge which I bought on a whim because I know nothing about the Crimean War and love Beryl Bainbridge. I’m reading it now and it’s not letting me down!

How Did I Get Here from There? - Claire Rayner’s autobiography which I also bought on a whim. Looked it up and bought second hand.

ive also been sent The Correspondent from my book subscription

Bought Helen of Nowhere and The Palm House as part of my Booker longlist reading.
Also got Three Days in June by Anne Tyler and I’m filling in my Anne Patchett gaps with State of Wonder and Whistler. Also just got Land to read.

John McGahern’s Letters, Sara Baume’s Opening Night, and Sigurd Nunez’s It Will Come Back To You.

Kindred by Octavia E Butler , someone recommended it. Reading it now, it is good .

Harvest by Jim Crace. Mainly bought because it said shortlisted for the booker and it looked intriguing. Thought id read one of his before but that was actually Tim Pears.

I’ve recently bought and read The Correspondent - by Virginia Evans & loved it, adored Sybil. I loved how the story was told entirely through letters, and both made me laugh, and moved me to tears.

Wild Dark Shore- I enjoyed it, I thought it was descriptive, dramatic & evocative. But thought it was excellent but I didn’t ‘love’ it.

I’ve just finished The Calamity Club, and I’m sad I’ve finished it. I can’t remember enjoying a book so much. Kathryn Stockett is (to my mind, anyway) an exceptional storyteller. The strong, eclectic female ensemble, the exquisite descriptions of 1930s Mississippi, the clever inter weaving of the multiple narratives & just its deep heart & humour. I will remember this book for a long, long time.

I’m just started reading Mad Mabel. To be honest any book was going to struggle to match up, after I’d finished the exceptional Calamity Club, but so far, so good - Mad Mabel is excellent so far.

I’ve just pre-orderd The Golden Hours by Louisa Young the daughter of Elizabeth Jane Howard and it’s a continuation of The Cazalet Chronicles. I didn’t even realise it was coming out until last week and I’m looking forward to reading it.

The lie maker - Linwood Barclay
Bolt -Dick Francis
Sea Wolf - Jack London

and a few others I saw on Bookbub

I've taken delivery of the following:
The Dark Labyrinth John Fowles
Piranesi Susanna Clarke
The Magus John Fowles
Tales of the Greek Heroes Roger Lancelyn Green (my set book in Year 7, so very concise. Helpfully, with Greek and Roman names for the gods)

You can probably see a bit of a theme here...

Gosh, I was obsessed with John Fowles in my mid-teens for some reason. I found The Magus properly meta and mid-blowing, but I've never reread it since.

(Isn't The Dark Labyrinth by Lawrence Durrell?)

This month I have bought Look What You Made Me Do by John Lanchester, All Among the Barley by Melissa Harrison, A Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes and two of Andrew Taylor's Lydmouth series, all second hand. Have only read the first Lydmouth one so far.

Yes, sorry I put John Fowles in twice by mistake. So, as you say, Lawrence Durrell - my thoughts are already labyrinthine!

And they will only get more so once you start The Magus!

I found Fragrant Harbour, John Lanchester, a very interesting read set in Hong Kong. I didn't find a spark with A Sense of and Ending - but I remember it was made into a film.

I rarely buy books but was on holiday in France and picked up a couple (one in the supermarket, one at a motorway services):
Loin de chez moi (far from home) - TV journalist/ war correspondent Maryse Burgot (France Télévisions) tells about her experiences mostly abroad including Kosovo, Ukraine. Already finished, was very good.
Tenir Debout (staying upright)* *by Melissa de Costa. Some sort of love story, I loved a previous one of hers so I bought on impulse. Not read yet.

*translations are my own

@tourdefrance - when I read Le Grand Meaulnes, I wondered how much more I would have understood if I could have read it in French.

All the colours of the dark. Incredible book. Couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks after