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Happy Monday! Take a peek at our top ten bestselling paperbacks from the last week! 📚💜 #Waterstones #WaterstonesCribbs #waterstonesbookshop #waterstonescribbscauseway #booksbooksbooks #bookshop #bookstagram #perfectpaperbacks

Out in paperback now! This book was a highlight for some of our booksellers from last year and the new paperback looks stunning. For anyone who loves bookshops, this a fantastically fun yet creepy thriller following the true-crime-obsessed Roach and her picture perfect new colleague, Laura, with whom Roach becomes dangerously obsessed. Funny at times but dark at others, this is an excellent recommendation for those seeking a light-ish thriller. #waterstones #waterstonesaberdeen #aberdeen #deathofabookseller #aliceslater #thriller #newbooks #perfectpaperbacks @alicemjslater @hodderbooks

ʙᴏᴏᴋᴛᴏᴋ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴅᴏ ɪᴛ I've only ever had a fleeting curiosity about the fabled Booktok popular books, it's honestly not a platform I massively engage with. Most of the time I find the recommendations repetitive, and lacking. However - These books just would not leave my feed, and they simply wouldn't exit my brain. Weirdly, I enjoyed reading every single one of these Booktok popular books. Maybe there's something to be said for this after all. Or maybe my hidden inner fanfic girlie is happy to finally get recognition. Sure, the Eric LaRocca novel is technically cheating. I was always going to enjoy a weird, messed up horror novel that makes you feel disgusting inside. But the others, I would never have grabbed were it not for Booktok. Massive shoutout to @shannonhughrs for buddy reading both Haunting Adeline and Bride with me. Honestly bestie, if it wasn't for you, I'd literally never have read them. Big up. #booktokbooks #booktokmademedoit #adowryofblood #hauntingadeline #bride #thehuntingmoon #thingshavegottenworsesincewelastspoke #darkromance #paranormalromance #horrornovel #readmorehorror #readingvibes #bookishaesthetic #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #perfectpaperbacks #paranormalnovel #darkbooks #brutalbooks #hdcarlton #alihazelwood #susandennard #ericlarocca #stgibson

𝕱𝖊𝖇𝖗𝖚𝖆𝖗𝖞 𝖂𝖗𝖆𝖕-𝖚𝖕 9 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨𝔰 𝔱𝔬𝔱𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 3069 𝔭𝔞𝔤𝔢𝔰, 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥 𝔞𝔫 𝔞𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔞𝔤𝔢 𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔬𝔣 3.44 𝔐𝔶 𝔥𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔥 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔞 5 𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔯, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔪𝔶 𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔞 3 𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔯. 2 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔰𝔢 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨𝔰 (ℌ𝔞𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔄𝔡𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔅𝔯𝔦𝔡𝔢) 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔟𝔲𝔡𝔡𝔶 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔰 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔪𝔶 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨 𝔟𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔢𝔰 - 𝔴𝔥𝔦𝔠𝔥, 𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔲𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔶 𝔪𝔞𝔡𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔥𝔬𝔩𝔢 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔥 𝔞 𝔩𝔬𝔱 𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔣𝔲𝔫 𝔞𝔫𝔡... 𝔈𝔡𝔲𝔠𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔞𝔩? 𝔒𝔲𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨𝔰 ℑ 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔩 𝔄𝔩𝔩 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔪𝔶 𝔠𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔯 𝔣𝔞𝔳𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔢, 𝔟𝔲𝔱, 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔞 𝔯𝔢-𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡. 𝔐𝔶 𝔣𝔞𝔳𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔢 𝔫𝔬𝔫 𝔯𝔢-𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔉𝔬𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔇𝔢𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔰 ℑ𝔱'𝔰 𝔇𝔲𝔢. 𝔄𝔫𝔡, ℑ 𝔡𝔬𝔫'𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔨 ℑ 𝔥𝔞𝔡 𝔞 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔰𝔱 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔥, 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔶 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔭𝔯𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔶 𝔰𝔬𝔩𝔦𝔡 (𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔨 𝔯𝔬𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢/𝔳𝔞𝔪𝔭𝔦𝔯𝔢 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔴𝔬𝔩𝔣 𝔰𝔪𝔲𝔱 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨) #readingwrapup #februaryreadingwrapup #coverlove #perfectpaperbacks #beautifulhardbacks #theforestdemandsitsdue #readingvibes #bookishaesthetic #readingismylife #addictedtoreading #historicalfiction #smalltownhorror #horrorcommunity #readmorehorror #promotehorror #gritlit #thedevilallthetime #hauntingadeline #darkromance #vampirenovel #prettybooks #buddyreads #everythingthedarknesseats #aneducationinmalice #readersofinstagram

5/5 The Devil All the Time is a cruel, oppressive and seedy novel that delights in just how disgustingly messed up it really is. It's one of those books that burrows right through your body, till it reaches your core, and there, it sits, festering, rotting you from the inside out while it infects your blood. This right here is a heavily violent, gruesome and vicious novel - However, it's so much more than gratuitous savagery to shock and disturb. This is a novel with heart, a story with soul. Above everything, this is a tale about the crushing frustration of discovering one's own limitations. It's about the fetid stench of desperation that clings to the lives of these unfortunate characters. Ultimately, it's about the futility of it all. It is utterly, totally devoid of all hope. Yet, somehow, there manages to be such a profound and wonderful beauty to this enigma of a novel, something so entirely grotesque and difficult to describe. The Devil All the Time captures so perfectly a very specific feeling. And, while it's not quite clear what that feeling even is, it's there... With every turn of the page, and it's brutally lonely. The backbone of this entire novel is a bunch of unsavory, awful, horrible characters who constantly make insanely bad life choices. Despite all this, despite the dismal fog that envelops every last word, it's just so resoundingly gorgeous. There is, surprisingly, an almost peaceful sense to this novel, the small town heartbreak and gritty, back-roads violence is delivered with an unnerving ease, one can almost find comfort in the chaos. Donald Ray Pollock is a serious author. He is, the kind of author that so many aspire to be - Someone who can craft a strikingly raw and authentic narrative while sacrificing nothing. Pollock has given life to an explosive yet solemn story that's doused in gasoline, room temperature beer, and spent shell casings, then it's all set on fire and scattered to the wind. He'll lead you to rock bottom, you'll gaze upon your soul stripped bare into a bloody mass of pulverized viscera. If there ever was a novel so achingly sad it compelled readers to drink some bleach, it would be this one.

Starting the week with some fantastic new additions to our Buy One, Get One Half Price offer 🙌🏽📚 All new in paperback including our phenomenal 2023 Debut Fiction Prize winner, In Memoriam by @alicewinnauthor 👏🏽 It's time to get the Spring reading pile refreshed! @waterstones #waterstonesperth #waterstones #newpaperbacks #perfectpaperbacks #springpublishing #springreading #bookswelove #bookstagram #booksellerrecommends #books #choosebookshops

3.5/5 It's a warm and magical welcome back to the town of Hemlock Falls with The Hunting Moon, the gorgeous sequel to The Luminaries. Every bit as peaceful, calming and serene as the first installment, even with the stakes raised seemingly higher than ever, this beautiful little story is the perfect way to continue The Luminaries series. Despite how these things typically go, there isn't an ounce of middle book syndrome in sight. It is, at its core, a novel that feels like home - The most joyous and comforting thing, this delightful slice of tiny town life even with the constant threat of imminent danger lurking deep within the forest. Steeped in decadent and lush woodland lore, this is a delight for any and all world-building nerds out there. The Hunting Moon dives deep into what it means to be a Luminary, it offers up a better explanation of the magic system, we get answers to the werewolf question and the of course, the whisperer. Oh, how wonderful it is, to be allowed to examine the bones of Hemlock Falls. Much like the first novel, you're treated to stunning illustrations of the forest creatures, what an absolute charmer of a novel. The books in this series read on the younger side of YA, and that is perfectly okay. There's nothing wrong with books simply being fun and enjoyable (which this series is) In my mind, these books are party for the enjoyment factor, and partly to reminisce about a simpler time, when peak YA aesthetic was rotting in the woods together, romances with otherworldly creatures, and emos everywhere delighting at how many moody woodland scenes they got to consume. Both The Luminaries and The Hunting Moon act as fantastic callbacks to those years long gone. #thehuntingmoon #susandennard #fantasynovel #yanovel #paranormalnovel #coverlove #perfectpaperbacks #bookishaesthetic #readingvibes #bookreview #booksaremagic #bookrecommendation #readingismylife #addictedtoreading #theluminaries #yaseries #prettybooks #creaturefeature #smalltownmystery #smalltownhorror #yahorror

Congratulations author🎉🎉 . . . . . #wordsswiggle #amma #solo #solobook #author #published #publishedauthor #wordssiggleauthor #bestpublication #publishing #publication #book #writer #writing #hindi #hindipoems #perfectpaperbacks #hindikavita #maharanapratap #maharanapratapjayanti🚩 #book

Congratulations author🎉🎉 . . . . . #wordsswiggle #amma #solo #solobook #author #published #publishedauthor #wordssiggleauthor #bestpublication #publishing #publication #book #writer #writing #hindi #hindipoems #perfectpaperbacks #hindikavita

J a n u a r y W r a p U p ! 📖🎧💖☁️ Hello Bookworms! Today I bring you my most recent reads of January! 💖 Murder In The Falling Snow - was a very slow and not what I expected. ⭐️⭐️ 💖 Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by @junodawson woah what a ride! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💖 The Guest Book by Holly Martin - Yeah this wasn’t for me. - ⭐️ 💖 The Mistletoe Motive by @chloe_liese. Woah what a ride. So many emotions. Loved it so much. It now lives rent free in my brain and I absolutely loved the fact that I related so much to our main character a lot. And…. To top it off it was my FIRST ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read of the year!! I absolutely loved annotating this story so much!! 💖 🏷️ #bookstagram #chloeliesebooks #bookishlove #mybookishfeature #bookcommunity #booksbooksbooks #bookaddict #januarywrapup #bookphotography #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #romancereader #fantasyreader #yareader #youngadultbooks #youngadultfiction #ilovereading #fantasyreads #junodawson #hermajestysroyalcoven #kobobooks #perfectpaperbacks #bookstagrammer #jadereads_2019.

4/5 Stoner is a deceptive novel, greatness lurks within its simplicity. After all, this is merely the story of an unremarkable life, told with straightforward, sparse and uncomplicated prose. It's just this, however, that gives this novel its incredible depth. The linearity of this story is what makes it so impressive, the fact it's lacking in any fancy tricks forces us to fully absorb the book's sorrow. It's a rather reserved piece of storytelling, yet never once dull or boring. Utterly exhausting and filled with an achingly intense melancholy, Stoner is a novel in which not much ever changes. The central theme of it all seems to be a man who is simply trying his best. As we move through the life of William Stoner, it's almost impossible not to share in his pain, he seems designed to get under our skin. As outsiders to this tale, readers picking apart a bleak and tragic life that we know has already concluded, it's easy to suggest where he should have changed. But his unwavering stoicism, his adoration of turning against the tide, is what aids in this novel's devastation, and ultimately, what makes it so brilliant. And really, that's what it's about. Stoner is a heartbreaking and demoralizing story. There's very little in the way of plot, it simply flits between a series of events that amount to nothing more than a collection of small disappointments. Despite this, John Williams conjures a special kind of magic that makes us so deeply care for his character. The beauty of this novel is that, like the life of Mr Stoner, it simply exists, and it exists with a mystical, enrapturing charm that we can't look away from, a searing ability to draw us all in while turning our hearts to dust. #stonerbook #johnwilliamsauthor #johnwilliams #classicliterature #classicfiction #historicalfiction #americanliterature #bleakbooks #depressingbooks #readingvibes #bookishaesthetic #readingismylife #bookreview #bookrecommendation #perfectpaperbacks #thedevilallthetime #notesfromunderground #classicnovels #literaryfiction

Out now in paperback… the 2023 Booker long-listed novel by Martin MacInnes, In Ascension. James, Rupert & Helen all loved this quietly profound book and it’s sitting proudly on the table as Rupert’s staff pick! Here’s Rupert’s thoughts: “This is a mysterious and beguiling book that unfolds itself gradually. An exploration of the depths of the ocean and the furthest reaches of our universe, that reveals the things that make us all unique and yet, on some level, all the same. It left me with similar feelings to 2001: A Space Odyssey, that difference between knowing and understanding.”

𝔔𝔲𝔢𝔢𝔯 ℌ𝔬𝔯𝔯𝔬𝔯/𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯 𝔑𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩𝔰 𝔗𝔥𝔢𝔰𝔢 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔞 𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔶 𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔠𝔱 𝔣𝔢𝔴 𝔬𝔣 𝔪𝔶 𝔣𝔞𝔳𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔢 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔢𝔯 𝔥𝔬𝔯𝔯𝔬𝔯 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩𝔰. 𝔅𝔶 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔭𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔱 𝔦𝔫 𝔪𝔶 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔩𝔦𝔣𝔢, ℑ 𝔥𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔟𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔱, 𝔡𝔦𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔢 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔢𝔯 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩𝔰 - 𝔟𝔲𝔱 𝔥𝔬𝔯𝔯𝔬𝔯 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩𝔰 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯𝔰 𝔴𝔦𝔩𝔩 𝔞𝔩𝔴𝔞𝔶𝔰 𝔟𝔢 𝔪𝔶 𝔣𝔞𝔳𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔢. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕾𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖉𝖘 𝔦𝔰 𝔞𝔟𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔰𝔢𝔵 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔡𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔦𝔫 𝔞 𝔤𝔩𝔞𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔷𝔢𝔡 𝔯𝔢𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔬𝔣 𝔏.𝔄. 𝕰𝖞𝖊𝖘 𝕲𝖚𝖙𝖘 𝕿𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖆𝖙 𝕭𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘 𝔢𝔵𝔭𝔩𝔬𝔯𝔢𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔦𝔠𝔨𝔢𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔦𝔪𝔭𝔲𝔩𝔰𝔢𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔰𝔢 𝔢𝔵𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔫𝔠𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔢𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔩𝔡. 𝕳𝖆𝖜𝖐 𝕸𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖆𝖎𝖓 𝔦𝔰 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔬𝔰𝔱 𝔲𝔫𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯𝔰, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔦𝔱 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔥𝔬𝔴, 𝔨𝔢𝔢𝔭𝔰 𝔤𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔦𝔫𝔰𝔞𝔫𝔢. 𝕿𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝕸𝖊 𝕴'𝖒 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖍𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝔦𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔤𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰𝔱, 𝔪𝔬𝔰𝔱 𝔭𝔲𝔫𝔨 𝔥𝔞𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔢 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩 𝔶𝔬𝔲'𝔩𝔩 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡. 𝕽𝖆𝖟𝖔𝖗𝖇𝖑𝖆𝖉𝖊 𝕿𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖘 𝔦𝔰 𝔞 𝔰𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔯𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔟𝔶 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔤𝔯𝔦𝔱-𝔩𝔦𝔱 𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔯𝔰 𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢. #queerhorror #lgbthorror #queerbooks #coverlove #bookrecommendation #beautifulhardbacks #perfectpaperbacks #readingvibes #bookishaesthetic #horrornovel #horrorcommunity #readmorehorror #promotehorror #horrorbookslove #readersofinstagram #theshards #eyesgutsthroatbones #hawkmountain #tellmeimworthless #razorbladetears #gritlit #bleakbooks #brutalbooks

Brand New Paperbacks! We've just got these five fantastic paperbacks in stock and we can't wait to share them with you. Whether you enjoy fiction or fantasy, any of these books will be the perfect start to your January reading. #thestripeybadger #choosebooks #choosebookshops #indiebooks #indiebookshop #shoplocal #grassington #yorkshire #themountaininthesea #raynayler #audreyburges #myramalone #amazinggraceadams #franlittlewood #ADayOfFallenNight #samanthashannon #cursedbread #sophiemackintosh #newbooks #newbooks2024 #perfectpaperbacks #newficiton #newfantasy

3/5 Having taken a long break from reading the typical thriller, my desire to jump back into the genre had waned a fair bit. Picking up The Writing Retreat acted as my foray back into the world of isolated, locked room mystery thrillers set against harsh, winter landscapes. The Writing Retreat is one strange novel, that surprisingly, takes a lot of risks, and from the very first page draws you in to a claustrophobic, yet thrilling ride. It's a story within a story. And these are, notoriously tricky things to pull off. Ultimately, either the core tale, or the one held within, is going to have the more compelling narrative, and it's next to impossible to balance the two into a state of equality. Unsurprisingly, here, the main story wins out, with its fast and intense pacing that never lets up. There's a constant stream of enjoyment to be had here, and it's an oddly fun experience. Thrillers are meant to keep us on edge, and entertained, and The Writing Retreat certainly achieves that. And, while at times, this novel becomes a little over the top as it descends into madness, it's undeniable, how fun it is to watch it all play out. At the same time, however, it's almost too easy to become comfortable within the chaos. What starts out as a pretty insane debut, eventually suffers from what so many thrillers before it have too, the mayhem becoming the ordinary. The Writing Retreat is an enjoyable read, it allows the reader to shut off their brain, and overall, is a solid 3-star novel. It's not bad by any means, it just isn't mind-shatteringly brilliant either. #thewritingretreat #juliabartz #thrillernovel #mysterythriller #greenbooks #bookstack #prettybooks #perfectpaperbacks #winterthriller #isolationthriller #bookreview #booksaremagic #addictedtoreading #readingvibes #bookishaesthetic #readersofinstagram #bookishlove #thedevouringgray #hex #ghosteaters #girlsoflittlehope #greenandpinkbooks

3 𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖐𝖘 𝕭𝖊𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖄𝖊𝖆𝖗 𝕴𝖘 𝕺𝖚𝖙 December is always my slowest reading month, work is insanely busy, I'm constantly tired, and finding the time to read feels almost impossible. But, these 3 books, I really want to read before 2023 comes to a close. Will I? Probably not. But there's always hope that my never ending TBR will eventually shorten. Being a mood reader is quite the pain - but I might start Mindbreaker tonight! #tbrbooks #tbr #coverlove #prettybooks #beautifulhardbacks #perfectpaperbacks #bluebooks #bookishaesthetic #readingvibes #readersofinstagram #decembertbr #addictedtoreading #booksaremagic #booksaremylife #mindbreaker #ourshareofnight #thedeathofjanelawrence #scifiseries #sffnovel #queerbooks #lgbtbooks #horrornovel #queerscifi

I was super excited to see disconnection at number 49 in the sci-fi mystery bestseller list on Amazon. I really loved writing this book and hope that you’ll check it out and read it and enjoy it as much as I did writing it. I do recommend the print book over the e-book because the e-book layout doesn’t do the story justice. . . . . . #instabook #stephenking #horrorstories #booksofinstagram #horrorpaperback #spookybooks #reading #paperback #horrorbooks #horrorbook #bookstagrammer #horrornovel #horrorauthor #strongestkindoffear #perfectpaperbacks #horrornovels #instahorror #scifi #horrorreads #readersofinstagram #novelsinverse #horrorpaperbacks #paperbacksfromhell #read #horrorthriller #spookyreads #bookcommunity #novel #horrorreaders #paperbackhorror

𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝖓𝖔𝖜 𝖓𝖊𝖝𝖙. This month I felt like reading a few of the classics that I read as a kid - Back then I couldn't fully appreciate them, and now, I feel like I'm in a solid place in my reading journey to give them a go again. I just finished reading The Picture of Dorian Gray and I absolutely adored it. Next up is Frankenstein, one of my favorite books from childhood (also this edition is amazing) and then after that - The Sins of the Cities of the Plain, which I know next to nothing about. But, It's a recommendation from a friend who I highly trust when it comes to their taste in literature. #readingplans #tbrbooks #bookishtbr #thepictureofdoriangray #frankenstein #thesinsofthecitiesoftheplain #classicliterature #booksaremylife #readingvibes #bookishaesthetic #booksaremagic #addictedtoreading #readersofinstagram #beautifulbooks #perfectpaperbacks #beautifulhardbacks #prettybooks #novemberreads #lgbtbooks #queerlit #readinggoals #oscarwilde #maryshelley

4/5 When the Reckoning Comes is a fantastically immersive piece of Southern Gothic fiction. It acts as a fresh and rather bleak way to explore a ghost story. The ghosts of this novel, they aren't there to scare us, you won't be left staring into the darkness wondering what lays lurking beyond the shadows. Instead, you'll be treated to a tender look into the painful pasts of the spectres that haunt these pages, in a way, it's oddly endearing. Sit down and listen, the ghosts that make up this novel, they have stories to share. This was absolutely not what I expected when I picked up this novel. Never did I think I was going to be faced with such a nuanced story. Yes, at its core, this novel tells the tale of a reckoning, but, there's also a deep and troubled history that's displayed in all its gruesome glory. It's a beautifully executed look at one woman's journey to confront her inner demons. It's a tale that displays the full brutality of a life of slavery, it's so much more than simply another ghost story. The most haunting and horrific parts of this novel are the gorgeously written interludes that are peppered throughout the novel, though these are used rather sparingly, they give us a more detailed glance at the ghosts that haunt these pages, they're given back their voices and allowed to finally tell their stories. A novel such as this was never going to be an easy one to stomach, it's bleak and oppressive and makes for a pretty uncomfortable reading experience. However, it's also a greatly enjoyable and extremely important story to hear. #whenthereckoningcomes #latanyamcqueen #horrornovel #ghoststories #horrorcommunity #readmorehorror #promotehorror #ilovehorror #coverlove #bookreview #bookrecommendation #thrillernovel #historicalmystery #historicalfiction #beautifulbooks #perfectpaperbacks #traumahorror #bookishaesthetic #readingvibes #addictedtoreading #booksaremylife

Happy Friday!!✨️📚 #perfectpaperbacks The weekend is almost here after another crazy busy week😂 and the weather is more and more turning away from summer heat so cosy reading time is finally upon us after a week of it raining on and off 😁 This week's #fridayflatlay are most of my paperbacks, as recently I've been favouring trading hardbacks but I just want to read a good paperback - I am picking up the Pumpkin Spice Cafe later on today which is quite different from what I usually read but I'm looking forward to it 😁 Do you prefer hardback or paperback? I hope you all have a good Friday and weekend 🥰💙

Look what I managed to snap up yesterday!!!! I read Babel at the beginning of the year and absolutely loved it so I couldn’t resist getting the paperback too! I mean how gorgeous?? Have you read Babel yet? What did you think? #babel #darkacademia #rfkuang #rfkuangbabel #darkacademiareads #prettybooks #perfectpaperbacks

4/5 It's a little over 10 years since I last read any Faulkner, a fact that's left me feeling slightly at a loss with how to approach this review. Light in August is an extremely reflective novel, one in which Faulkner translates so beautifully the darkness of the human heart. It's so masterful, this portrayal of the inner workings of the soul, it forces us, as readers, to begin to contemplate our own effect on the world around us. There stand not many novels like this one, not many stories that can so brutally rip through us, forcing readers to bear witness to such sorrowful and tragic lives. Light in August distances us from its characters, almost feeling as if we're witnessing the unfolding of these lonely, bleak and violent lives from afar. This is perhaps, one of the finest examples of Southern Gothic literature. Overwhelming in detail and extremely stylistic prose, it's an all-consuming, enamoring novel, one that leaves behind feelings of emptiness. It's a tormenting and torturous tale, equal parts ugliness and beauty. Faulkner explores the destruction of man so tenderly, and employs a stunning level of elegance when examining lives left in ruin. His mystical and often times perplexing prose works hard to leave a stain upon the soul of the reader. Much like the stylistic choices of McCarthy or Lautréamont, Faulkner's approach to his craft will be more than a little off-putting to some. However, it forces us to slow down, to absorb every moment passing us by, it gifts us the time to revel in the truth of his gorgeous words. Light in August is said to be the most accessible of his novels, a fact that, I'm not equipped to comment on. However accessible or not, this is a worthwhile and worthy work of art. #lightinaugust #williamfaulkner #southerngothic #southernlit #americanliterature #beautifulbooks #perfectpaperbacks #classicliterature #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookishaesthetic #fortheloveofreading #readersofinstagram #readingvibes #ilovereading

Mini Book Review! The Luminaries by @stdennard ‧₊ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ Summary: Hemlock Falls isn’t like other towns. You won’t find it on a map, your phone won’t work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you… Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie’s town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night. Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal—and restore her family’s good name. Or die trying. But in order to survive, Winnie must enlist the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for. Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark. My Review : Firstly the book has trigger warnings such as : Graphic: Grief, Blood, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence Moderate: Child death. Overall I think the book had great atmosphere and great plot lines that intrigued me and at one point it was all I could think about. However…. It did take me a while to get into the book itself, and at times the main character drove me absolutely mad but in the long run it was a good book. I loved the family dynamics in this and was rooting for Winnie at the half way mark which kept me reading. I will definitely be picking the next one up when I have the chance. Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 Hare House, a picturesque, peaceful estate. Rolling hills, proud forests painted green, the luscious beauty of Scotland at its most fine moment. Does something sinister lurk here hidden away in the shadows? Are the quiet whisperings of witchcraft true? A decadent and slow burning gothic novel, Hare House acts not as a thriller, but as an atmospheric, lingering tale much akin to the traditional gothic stories of years past. There are so many moments of tranquil beauty in this novel, the carefully described countryside, the flakes of snow blanketing everything in silence, it's charming and eerie at once. This novel is perfect for those cold Autumnal nights that seem to close in upon us so fast, it has all the gentle spooky vibes without ever fully committing to being a horror story. It's an odd one, certain to leave you with the chills and a sense of dread but not much else. I think, had this novel decided to be a bit more intense, had it fully played the part of a gothic horror story, it would have been perfect, as it stands though, it's an enjoyable, riveting stroll through a piece of gothic literature. #harehouse #sallyhinchcliffe #gothicfiction #gothicliterature #coverlove #fantasybooks #booksaboutwitches #bookssetinscotland #beautifulbooks #perfectpaperbacks #creepybooks #supernaturalbooks #addictedtoreading #readingismagic #bookishaesthetic #mysterynovel #bookreview

Grit-lit is probably my favorite ever sub-genre of literature. The grim, gritty, and bleak nature of these stories speak to a part of me so unsatisfied with tales of happiness and love. Of course, it's not enough that these stories are gritty and depressing. No, the very best examples of grit-lit offer a striking juxtaposition of dismal circumstance set against beautiful and vibrant descriptions of nature. The masters of this niche style of literature are often the very best nature writers too. These four beautiful books are perhaps my favorite grit-lit novels I've ever read. From The Appalachian Mountains to rural Ohio these four brilliant examples of grit-lit explore terrible people making equally terrible choices, they showcase the delicacy of nature, they detail the pain and torment brought about by an unfair life with unflinching detail. #gritlit #grittybooks #whenthesemountainsburn #thedevilallthetime #thenightalwayscomes #bearskinnovel #davidjoy #willyvlautin #jamesamclaughlin #donaldraypollock #beautifulbooks #naturewriting #perfectpaperbacks #favoriteauthors #booksilove #bookishaesthetic #addictedtoreading #southerngothic #hillbillynoir #crimelit #bookrecommendation

4/5 Upon cracking the spine of this novel, you're welcomed to the town of Hemlock Falls, a small, quaint, if isolated place, tucked away by a luscious forest that breathes life to nightmares. The Luminaries is an extremely nostalgic novel, one that's so very reminiscent of times past, easier days when becoming absorbed in the latest teen fiction offering was the only care one would have in the world. This is a truly lovely tale, one that so fantastically captures the heart with all its tiny town charm. It'll worm its way to your bones, leaving you feeling hollow, and discarded on the forest floor. Brilliantly crafted monsters populate this novel, you'll encounter your usual fare, werewolves and of course, the undead, but you'll also run into creatures made of whispers and shadows. There's a ton to see, there's mystery upon mystery woven into the story to uncover, you'll even be treated to sketches of the beasts that haunt Hemlock Falls. From the get go, it's abundantly clear that this novel is laying the groundwork for a series, more questions get raised than answered, and the narrative almost pushes the reader to start spinning theories of their own. You won't find anything earth-shattering here, on these pages, you will however, be met with a wonderfully sinister small town atmosphere. It's pretty typical YA, but enjoyable, and entertaining nonetheless. Rather than being a page-turner, The Luminaries is somewhat muted plot wise, existing more as an ethereal, beautiful, dreamlike experience instead of a gripping story to race through. It's a peaceful and quiet callback to the early 2000s, a return to the feelings evoked during the storm that was YA literature back then. #theluminaries #susandennard #horrornovel #yahorror #coverlove #prettybooks #perfectpaperbacks #paranormalnovel #urbanfantasynovels #bookishaesthetic #readingismagic #readingvibes #bookreview #fortheloveofreading #addictedtoreading #readersofinstagram #spookybooks #booksaremylife

Happy Autumn In August Readathon Day 1. Hosted by @perfectpaperbacks & @vanillaxmoon 🍁 Here is my T B R S T A C K. Books In The photo: 🍁 The Luminaries 🍁 The Familiars 🍁The Copy Cat 🍁 Blood Mercy. Happy Reading Friends 💖 🏷️ #booklover #bookstack #autumninmyheart #readathon #booksofigfeature #booksofinstagram #vanilamoon #bookstagrammer #bookaddict #booknerd #bookshelvesofinstagram #bookishcommunity #fantasybooks #booktok #darkacademia #witchybooks #witches #youngadultbooks #yaallegiance #yareader #avidreader #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #perfectpaperbacks #ilovereading #igreads #jadereads_2019 #autumninaugust🍂 #autumninaugustreadathon

Perfect poolside reading!☀️⛱👙 Luckily I had a comfortable lounger, plenty of sun block and drinks and snacks to keep me energised, because Ian McEwan's 17th novel, 'Lessons', is pretty epic in both length and scope! It maps the life, loves and loses of Roland Baines. From his parents' and parents-in-laws' struggles during WW2, through many personal, social and political upheavals, to arrive at the 21st century and the covid era - there's so so much to absorb here! I will admit it took me a while to warm to Roland. And (in my opinion of course!) the 1st quarter of the book is slightly harder-going than the rest. But trudge through this section and the going gets easier, and I raced through the 2nd half, not wanting to put it down! Amazing insight and fabulous writing by Ian McEwan, as always. I'm definitely going to be picking up some more of his work soon. Give me a recommendation! What's your favourite Ian McEwan? #ianmcewan #lessons #holidayreading #perfectpaperbacks #bookrecommendations

Perfect holiday reading!☀️⛱ #onedayishallastonishtheworld is a gentle, quirky, easy read about the ups and downs of Susan's life. From her early ambitions and a particular friendship, through love, marriage, parenthood and more, Susan manages lifes complexities with patience, sympathy and humour. #summerreading #perfectpaperbacks

𝕵𝖚𝖑𝖞 𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖂𝖗𝖆𝖕-𝖚𝖕 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩, 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘷𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮, 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘳. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐬: 𝘈𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 16 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩! 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 3,844 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴. 𝘔𝘺 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘵 4.0 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 3 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 4.5 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘐'𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘈𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘱𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳.

4/5 When it comes to post apocalyptic, end of the world fiction, it seems to be that Russian authors have carved their works into a fine art, making their tales some of the most gripping and engaging that the genre has ever seen. This is no different for Metro 2033, often touted as one of the best, must-read, must-experience apocalyptic stories. I'm not well acquainted with the world of Metro, my only experience before this novel being watching videos of the games being played. While reading this book I was experiencing some of the most extreme burn out I've ever faced, and had been struggling to write reviews, and honestly, even to read, but this book pulled me out of my slump. Not only is Metro 2033 an ultra disturbing, freakish journey to be on, it's also one of the most intensive, most stress inducing, most claustrophobic novels that I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. The atmosphere absolutely drips off the pages from the very second this novel is opened, it's almost too easy to become sucked in to the story, to become absorbed by the world of religious cults, nightmarish monsters, and factions vying for control of the tunnels. It's so easy in fact, that eventually the reader will lose themselves within this twisted little tale. For the duration of this novel, the tunnels are your home. This entire book is just one extremely grim, depressing and torturous experience. Everything that's contained within these pages is absolutely horrific, imposing and oppressive. This is one of those stories that worms its way under your skin, that burrows right into your brain. It's a sprawling epic, a tale that's so much more than the sum of its pages, a story that will greet you with legends and lies, mythos and uncertainty. I urge any reader who is on the fence to give this novel a shot, because despite the wall-to-wall pages of text, despite how intimidating a novel like this one can feel, it's a book that you will absolutely devour. Because once you enter this world, you'll find it hard to leave. #metro2033 #dmitryglukhovsky #scifinovel #sffnovel #horrorbooks #horrorbookslove #isolationhorror #horrorcommunity #readmorehorror #coverlove #perfectpaperbacks

3.5/5 Shifty's Boys tells a quiet and comfortable kind of story, one that offers us a comforting slice of rural living. Taking a step back from the intensity of the first book, and dialing down the pace, the second offering in the Mick Hardin series spends its time focussing mainly on the daily lives of the characters, and the inner workings of the town. Straddling a line between fully fledged Grit-Lit and Detective Noir novel, this is a story in which the character dynamics hold much more weight than the actual crime does. It's a relaxing kind of read, which almost feels strange to say given the subject matter at hand. However gruesome the crimes committed may be, one can relax here, and lose themselves in the blissfulness of small town living, in the local plant life, in the animals and people that populate the surrounding area. As much as this is a crime novel, it's also a book about The Hills, about nature, about life in a forgotten and overlooked town. This works greatly as a standalone, though I think it's best when you have the context of the first book. Ultimately, I do think I preferred The Killing Hills. Where Shifty's Boys reads like a waltz through a small town while a crime unfolding, The Killing Hills was more action packed and exciting. However, this still remains an enjoyable read from an author who clearly excels at writing about rural America. #shiftysboys #chrisoffutt #gritlit #grittybooks #coverlove #crimenovel #southernlit #southernnoir #thrillernovel #crimeseries #smalltowncrime #americanliterature #noirnovel #perfectpaperbacks #prettybooks #thekillinghills #addictedtoreading #readingismylife #bookishaesthetic #thenightalwayscomes #willyvlautin #bleakbooks #bookreview #readersofinstagram

𝐻𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓎 𝒮𝓊𝓂𝓂𝑒𝓇𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓃 It's July 7th which means it's time for the @thisissummerween readathon, running until the 13th, this readathon brings all the spooky vibes of Halloween into the summer season. My TBR is finalised and my reading plans are officially organised. I've lucked out here too, this readathon falls over my week off meaning that after work today I can become a hermit and do nothing but read. As with any good readathon this one comes with it's own set of prompts to fulfill! 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓽 1 is to simply read a book at night - basically all of my books can fit this one since I'm normally an evening reader anyway. 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓽 2 is to read a thriller - For this prompt I've selected ℌ𝔞𝔴𝔨 𝔐𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔦𝔫 - An obsessive story that asks if love and hate are truly indissoluble, when a man is forced to confront his old Highschool bully. 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓽 3 is to read a book that takes place during the Fall - For this one, I've gone with ℌ𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔫 𝔉𝔦𝔢𝔫𝔡 - A creature stalks the streets of a tiny town every night, looking to collect a live offering from each household. 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓽 4 is to read a book with orange on the cover - This one is going to be 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔓𝔯𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔦𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔊𝔦𝔯𝔩 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔊𝔯𝔞𝔳𝔢 - When 3 girls meet with some new friends at a graveyard out in the woods, none of them truly know what sinister forces lay in wait. It's only meant to be a game, after all. 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓽 5 is to read a manga, graphic novel or novella - and for this final prompt I've selected 𝔗𝔬 𝔅𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔳𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔢𝔡 - Ever wandered what carrion tastes like? Well, you're about to find out. #summerween #readathon #summerweenreadathon #tbrbooks #bookishtbr #prettybooks #beautifulhardbacks #perfectpaperbacks #horrorcommunity #ilovehorror #readmorehorror #readingvibes #bookishaesthetic #coverlove #horrorbookslove #readersofinstagram #theprettiestgirlinthegrave #tobedevoured #hawkmountain #halloweenfiend #horrornovella #queerhorror #thrillernovel #lgbthorror #spookybooks

𝔍𝔲𝔫𝔢 𝔚𝔯𝔞𝔭-𝔘𝔭 10 books. 3,009 pages and an average rating of 3.7. All in all, June wasn't that bad of a reading month. Out of the 10 books I read in June, I think that Ozark Dogs is probably my favorite. June was another long and difficult month, I was still battling feeling burnt out, feeling like work would just never come to and end, which exhausted me and made me feel like I didn't have time to read, which is kinda my escape from stuff so you know. But, I did manage to read 10 books, so I'm not too mad about that. Now that we're in July, I feel like I'm finally back into the swing of things. I'm sleeping better, feeling rested, have a better work life balance, and I'm enjoying reading a lot more now. I mean, it's July 4th and I've almost finished my 3rd book for the month, and so far, every book has been a banger. The Summerween readathon is also quickly approaching and I've finally picked my TBR for that, which I'm ultra excited for! #junereadingwrap #readingwrapup #monthlyreadingwrapup #coverlove #beautifulhardbacks #perfectpaperbacks #prettypaperbacks #readingismagic #readingvibes #ilovebooks #readersofinstagram #bookishaesthetic #bookishlove #thebookeaters #ozarkdogs #thedisenchantment #horrornovel #westernnovel #gritlit #queerlit #southernlit #southerngothic #gothichorror

🌊 July is here and we have a brand new crop of books of the month, starting with our fiction pick Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin! 🌊 A story of a lifelong love, we follow the friendship of Sam and Sadie. From an unlikely bond built over games of Super Mario Bros. during hospital visiting hours, to a chance encounter in Harvard Square, to a partnership which sees their own gaming masterpiece take the world by storm, #TomorrowX3 is a saga like no other. You will laugh, you will cry, you will wish you’d read it sooner. Deansgate has been in awe of this novel since its hardback release last year and the love for it amongst booksellers has only grown 💗 • #waterstones #waterstonesbookshops #waterstonesmanchester #waterstonesmcr #waterstonesdeansgate #tomorrowandtomorrowandtomorrow #gabriellezevin #newfiction #summerreads #perfectpaperbacks #holidayreads #readersofmanchester #manchesterbooklovers #manchesterbookshop #beachreads #beachread

3/5 When I first picked this book up, I had no idea that it was actually a reissue of Moreno-Garcia's first novel, nor did I really know what it was about. I simply saw the cover, thought, oh, that's beautiful, and purchased it. Little did I know that Signal to Noise is a wonderfully told coming of age story, a tale that explores the deep scars left by grief, garnished with just a sprinkling of magic. Alternating between the present day and the 80s, this is a story set against the stunning backdrop of Mexico City. Although the magic here is an integral part of this plot, it's woven so seamlessly into the characters lives, that it almost becomes background noise, giving way to the fractured lives these characters live. This is a rather quiet sort of novel, not much really happens, and there isn't some grand excitement. It simply sits at a simmer, letting itself be casually enjoyed by the reader. In fact, parts of this novel exist in a dreamlike state, feeling almost hazy and ethereal. Overall, this coming of age story is wildly enjoyable, if a little toned down. #signaltonoise #silviamorenogarcia #coverlove #beautifulbooks #perfectpaperbacks #comingofagenovel #magicalrealism #yafiction #readingvibes #bookishaesthetic #readingismylife #booksaremagic #readersofinstagram #urbanfantasynovels #yanovel

Review - Book Lovers by Emily Henry “I did not kiss colleagues. I did not kiss people I knew next to nothing about. I did not kiss men I had no intention of dating, or men I was incompatible with. I didn't let random bouts of lust call the shots. Until Charlie Lastra.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Workaholic and cut-throat literary agent Nora Stephens isn’t the cutesy girl next door who falls for the small town lumberjack. Small towns aren’t even her thing, but when her sister persuades her they need a holiday together to reconnect, Nora ends up swapping her high flying job for small town life. It should be a nice break for them but soon her city life comes back to haunt her, in the form of her work rival Charlie Lastra. Will Nora’s summer plans be ruined or will her story take a path she never saw coming? Emily Henry writes the most quintessential romcoms. They’re always cute, cosy and the perfect easy read and Book Lovers is no different. It’s the perfect summer read, the characters Nora and Charlie are so likeable and the plot gives you all those heartwarming feels. The cute flirting and witty banter had me hooked and I was rooting for Nora and Charlie all the way. I loved how they both really understood one another and it didn’t feel like they were at loggerheads the whole book. Although, I was pretty confused that this has been marketed as an enemies to lovers book because it really didn’t feel like they were ever enemies. I know that might disappoint a lot of people but it was a sweet story of friends to lovers and I really enjoyed it for what it was. This book also feels like Emily Henry’s ode to books and romance tropes. It was kind of meta, her referencing all these cliches but without mocking our love for them 😂 Overall this was a four star read for me and I’m looking forward to reading Happy Place when it’s out in paperback… if I can wait that long! 👀 📚📖❤️🥰 "I'm cursed," I say. "That's all."…"I'm the cold-blooded, overly ambitious city slicker who exists as a foil to the Good Woman. I'm the one who gets dumped for the girl who's prettier without makeup and loves barbecue and somehow makes destroying a karaoke standard seem adorable!"

Hello June ☀️ The sun is out and so are our new Books of the Month! 📕 #Trust, our fiction pick for June, is a literary puzzle about unreliable narratives and the darker side of wealth perfect for fans of Succession. 📗Thriller of the month #TheSanctuary is a dystopian thriller following one man’s travels to a utopian Islam which may not be the vision of paradise he first expected. 📘 Our kids pick #TheCaseOfTheLighthouseIntruder is an island mystery featuring a group of friends as they track down a shadowy figure. The perfect summer read for fans of Enid Blyton and Shirley Jackson. 📙 #TheEscapeArtist is the true story of one man’s escape from hell and his subsequent battle to prove it exists. As always, you can enjoy a free hot drink from our cafe when you buy one of our books of the month ☕️ which one will you choose? • #waterstones #waterstonesbookshops #waterstonesmanchester #waterstonesdeansgate #waterstonesmcr #botm #bookofthemonth #waterstonesbotm #waterstonesbookofthemonth #kereengetten #hernandiaz #jonathanfreedland #andrewhuntermurray #perfectpaperbacks #newbooks

4/5 Wolves of Eden is an extremely slow burning blend of a literary historical fiction novel, and a tense, nail-biting Western. The result of this is a thing of beauty; a novel that's stripped of any flashiness while also being told with gorgeous prose, a story that's made to be savored, while also being filled with action. McCarthy has delivered a strikingly profound depiction of The American West in this brutally honest and raw account of two brothers who will do all they can to survive their precarious lives. Spanning three separate, but eventually intertwining narratives, this is more than just a simple story about some cowboys. This is an intoxicating and sweeping thing, an adventure that traces the paths taken by these two brothers, and the consequences that are racing to catch them. As a novel, this just feels so authentic, and so very real. It's acts almost as a history lesson, just with all the boring monotony burned away. 𝔖𝔫𝔬𝔴𝔣𝔩𝔞𝔨𝔢𝔰 𝔡𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔦𝔫 𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔩𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔫 𝔩𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱. 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔬𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔰 𝔟𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔳𝔶 𝔟𝔬𝔩𝔱𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔞𝔪. 𝔖𝔞𝔣𝔢, 𝔎𝔬𝔥𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔨𝔰. 𝔖𝔞𝔣𝔢, 𝔤𝔬𝔡-𝔡𝔞𝔪𝔫 𝔦𝔱 𝔞𝔩𝔩. That quote is kind of everything I adore about the nature writing in this novel, it never once feels overwrought or rife with needless description, and yet it's still so powerful. The backdrop of this tale, The American West, has always been a harsh and unforgiving place, and it's here that it becomes something even more sinister, the landscape lurking in the background ready to wage its final war against man. It's no secret that I adore novels, and authors who can so fantastically deliver nature writing while never once slowing down their initial narrative. I've read many such a book, and this one also sits proudly on that list. #wolvesofeden #kevinmccarthy #westernnovel #westerns #coverlove #perfectpaperbacks #historicalfiction #adventurenovel #naturewriting #historicalmystery #beautifulbooks #mysterynovel #fortheloveofreading #bookreview #bookrecommendation #addictedtoreading #bookishaesthetic #readersofinstagram #readingismylife #bookishlove #readingvibes

H e l l o B o o k s t a g r a m ☁️ Hello bookworms, Today is coronation weekend here in England, so I am enjoying my Sunday with a spot of Reading. ☀️ I’m currently reading my first ever @tessabaileyisanauthor book ‘my killer Vocation’ and i am just adoring this book so much. In all honesty though this book was a cover buy for me! 🤣 I hope your all having an amazing Sunday wherever you are! ˚. ✦.˳·˖✶ ⋆.✧̣̇˚.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ 🏷️ #mybookishfeatures #bookishlove #mykillervacation #tessabailey #coverbuybooks #springvibes🌸 #pastelcover #booksbooksbooks #bookstagramuk #bookstagrammer #avidreader #booklovers #bookishpost #booknerd #bookaddict #bookishphotography #jadereads_2019 #piatkusbooks #perfectpaperbacks #beachvibes #summervibes #cosy #cosyvibes #ilovereading #sunshine #grumpysunshine #endmiestolovers #romancebooks #romcombooks #bookishcommunity

3.5/5 The Axeman's Jazz serves first and foremost as a murder mystery novel. But, secondly, it serves as a love letter to the brilliant city of New Orleans. With its evocative imagery, and it's refreshingly vibrant cast of characters, this is an explosive novel. One that's told with tight, sharp prose, and is even loosely based around real events. The greatest strength this book has to offer is its atmosphere. Celestin has brought to life New Orleans, from the bustling city streets, to the grime caked back alleys, the neighborhoods full of suspicion and the taverns and bars where mobsters roam, it all feels so fantastically alive. The people of this city are so richly woven into the novel, they become an integral part of the storytelling. What an absolutely brilliant way to debut, and to set up what is hopefully a cracking mystery series. #theaxemansjazz #raycelestin #historicalfiction #historicalmystery #mysterythriller #murdermystery #crimethriller #crimelit #coverlove #perfectpaperbacks #crimeseries #addictedtoreading #readingvibes #booksaremylife #readingaesthetic #booksaremagic #bookreview

Despite the snow this morning, we're embracing the spirit of spring with this beautiful paperback edition of the bestselling debut fantasy novel, 'Daughter of the Moon Goddess'! Inspired by the legend of Chang'e the Moon Goddess of Chinese mythology, this is a beautiful novel of love, family and magic for fans of fantasy mythology retellings. #waterstones #waterstonesaberdeen #newbooks #sprayededges #perfectpaperbacks #daughterofthemoongoddess

Updated and revised April TBR. The last TBR photo I posted was taken before my birthday, before the huge 16 book haul I got, and before all the books I was sent had arrived. After sitting down and seeing over 20 new books on my shelves, I was too excited to read them, and ended up going way off my original tbr. So, I've to take the photo again, featuring the books I feel that I'll actually read this month. So far I've already read Ghost Eaters, and I'm currently reading Wolves Of Eden, its safe to say that this TBR is going better than the last. #apriltbr #tbrbooks #horrorbookslove #horrorcommunity #readmorehorror #2023reads #westerns #translatednovel #bleakbooks #beautifulbooks #perfectpaperbacks #bookishlove #addictedtoreading #readingvibes #readingismylife #ghosteaters #wolvesofeden #theluminaries #citiesoftheplain #thesongsofmaldoror #bookhaul

3/5 I've been on a real Western kick lately. But, I've been running out of Westerns to read. While going over a list of what's on my shelves I realized, I've never actually read a book about the Oregon Trail. I figured, what better place to start, than this book? On the Oregon Trail tells the stories of a multitude of characters, all of whom up sticks and head towards a better life in Oregon. The road there is dangerous, however, the journey is arduous it's full of treacherous conditions, and there's a group of bandits robbing wagon trains, leaving nothing but bodies in their wake. This story is one of courage and determination. Feeling much like a traditional, slower paced Western, this is a fairly short and pretty easy read. But, despite the slim page count, Vaughan paints the scenery so damn beautifully, it feels as if you're right there, in the Wild West yourself. Perhaps there was a touch too much romance and happiness for me, I'm much more into stories of despair and desperation than of happy families settling down. Overall, though, this was a solid, enjoyable Western, and perfect to scratch that itch I was having. #westerns #westernnovel #coverlove #adventurenovel #ontheoregontrail #robertvaughan #prettybooks #perfectpaperbacks #addictedtoreading #readingvibes #readingismylife #bookishlove #bookreview #truegrit #vengeanceroad #readersofinstagram

𝕸𝖆𝖗𝖈𝖍 𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖂𝖗𝖆𝖕-𝖚𝖕 12 Books. 4,924 pages. Average rating 3.75. March was a pretty successful month reading wise, no single book that I read was below a 3 star. I think my overall favorite was A Day Of Fallen Night, but The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi comes in a close second. The Whispering Muse was also one of the better books that I read this month. I also turned 29, and got to celebrate with some of my favorite people in the world, and managed to take home a giant book haul! So far, April's reading has been even better, let's hope that trend continues. #readingwrapup #marchreadingwrapup #coverlove #prettybooks #beautifulhardbacks #perfectpaperbacks #fortheloveofreading #addictedtoreading #bookishaesthetic #readingvibes #booksaremylife #adayoffallennight #nogodsnomonsters #ordinarymonsters #theaxemansjazz #godkiller #thewhisperingmuse #historicalmystery #historicalfiction #horrornovel #readmorehorror #mysterynovel #gothicfiction #gothicnovel #creepybooks

This was supposed to be my April TBR. I had every intention of making this my April TBR, in fact, I've already read one of the books. But, for my birthday, I went to London and ended up with an insane book haul. (15 books!) So, it's probably going to be a little difficult to get to these ones now, since I'm so overly excited about all the new books I got. That said, I am a huge mood reader so who knows what's gonna happen. Typically I struggle to stick to my TBR's anyway. #apriltbr #tbrbooks #perfectpaperbacks #crimelit #queerbooks #lgbtbooks #prettybooks #beautifulhardbacks #historicalfiction #theaxemansjazz #themonsterswedeserve #signaltonoise #thelocal #crimethriller #thedisenchantment #horrornovel #horrorcommunity #addictedtoreading #readingismylife #bookishaesthetic

4/5 𝕻𝖊𝖗𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖒𝖚𝖘𝖊 𝖍𝖆𝖘 𝖎𝖓𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖒𝖊, 𝖆𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖆𝖑𝖑. Melpomene, the tragic muse. The inspiration behind many a great play. The one called upon by actors and actresses alike, who dream of ascending beyond stardom, to something far greater. But for what price comes her assistance? At what cost, comes her wrath? Here, reader, open this delightful little novel and you shall see. Obsession, pride, jealousy and power burn at the heart of this deliciously gothic tale. Luscious and theatrical, The Whispering Muse is the latest offering from perhaps the best modern day gothic novelist, Laura Purcell. And this, is exactly what the world of gothic literature needs right now. A gore slicked, chilling Victorian melodrama that's as beautifully written as it is grotesque and disturbing. This is one of those reads that's perfect for those long, cold nights, where you're huddled under a blanket with only a flashlight to aid you, as the rain lashes at your windows. The storytelling here is phenomenal, the world of the theater leaps off of the pages, intent on enthralling every reader that dares pick up this book. I struggle to think of many modern day authors who bring to life the world of classic gothic literature like Purcell does. There's an all consuming, obsessive nature about the way that she writes, and this novel is further proof of that. If ever you need a tragically beautiful tale to keep you up at night, look no further than this book. 𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖜𝖆𝖘 𝖒𝖞 𝖘𝖈𝖊𝖓𝖊, 𝖒𝖞 𝖒𝖔𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖑𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙. 𝕴 𝖓𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖊𝖓𝖉. #thewhisperingmuse #laurapurcell #historicalfiction #gothicfiction #gothicliterature #gothicnovel #coverlove #beautifulbooks #readingvibes #bookreccomendation #bookreview #thelighthousewitches #antioch #horrornovel #readmorehorror #horrorcommunity #readingaesthetic #addictedtoreading #historicalmystery #gothicmystery #readingismylife #acosmologyofmonsters #perfectpaperbacks

4.5/5 𝔓𝔢𝔬𝔭𝔩𝔢 𝔥𝔞𝔡 𝔟𝔲𝔦𝔩𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔬𝔣 𝔞 𝔰𝔥𝔦𝔭, 𝔥𝔞𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔲𝔠𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔰𝔬 𝔳𝔞𝔰𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔦𝔫𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔡𝔦𝔟𝔩𝔢 𝔦𝔱 𝔯𝔦𝔳𝔞𝔩𝔢𝔡 𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔫𝔢𝔱𝔰, 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔰𝔬 𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔫𝔤 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔴𝔬𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔯𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔦𝔱 𝔴𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔬𝔫𝔩𝔶 𝔟𝔢 𝔡𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔶𝔢𝔡 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔟𝔶 𝔞𝔤𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔡𝔢𝔠𝔞𝔶, 𝔟𝔲𝔱 𝔟𝔶 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔫𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔟𝔶 𝔰𝔲𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔞. ℑ𝔱 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔞𝔴𝔢-𝔦𝔫𝔰𝔭𝔦𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤. ℑ𝔱 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔲𝔫𝔟𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔢𝔳𝔞𝔟𝔩𝔢. ℑ𝔱 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔦𝔪𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔞𝔩. As someone who is relatively new to the world of sci-fi, I was drawn to The Immortality Thief because of it's attention grabbing premise, and stunning cover. And while I still haven't delved much into my exploration of what is becoming a favorite genre, this felt so wonderfully fresh and vibrant. There's something special about this novel, something that almost defies explanation. A huge chunk of my adoration for this novel comes from how intensely immersive it is. The Immortality Thief is a book that you can lose yourself in, it's so utterly absorbing that you can feel yourself on board the ship becoming a part of the crew, as if you're right there, uncovering the many mysteries the ship has to offer. At its heart, this novel is a space-opera, it has that theatrical flair, and a dramatic narrator whose personality seems to bleed off the pages. At times, this novel even borders into horror, the ship is crawling with monsters, and there's this suffocating atmosphere that makes for quite a feverish reading experience. #theimmortalitythief #taranhunt #scifinovel #sffnovel #coverlove #prettybooks #beautifulhardbacks #perfectpaperbacks #spacenovel #spaceopera #spacehorror #bookssetinspace #queernovel #lgbtbooks #queerbooks #deadspace #kaliwallace #thelongwaytoasmallangryplanet #beckychambers #bookrecommendation #bookreview #addictedtoreading #booksaremylife

4/5 The Son is a sweeping family saga, it's the tragic tale of the rise, and the fall of the McCulloughs, and the violent story of the birth of Texas. Part coming of age tale, and part Texan epic, this is a novel that is so quintessentially American, so quintessentially Texan, in fact, that it stands in line as one of the great American novels. Split into three separate plot lines, this novel treats us to an almost overwhelmingly vivid reading experience. We'll thunder across the dusty Texan plains on horseback, ride with the Comanche, experience the loss of brothers and fathers, witness the rise of an oil tycoon, and see firsthand the harrowing and violent legacy of the American West. Overall, the tone of this novel is vaguely reminiscent of the work of Cormac McCarthy, it's hidden in the violence and bloodshed, in the unflinching portrayal of the land and it's brutality. Though this is a tale with an abundance of tragedy, there's a lingering beauty here which surfaces as haunting passages told with captivating detail. This book might have been a little long, and maybe some parts could have been trimmed down. Regardless, there are sections of this book that were so perfect, I wouldn't have missed them for the world. #theson #philippmeyer #westerns #westernnovel #bleakbooks #brutalbooks #fortheloveofreading #historicalfiction #readingvibes #bookrecommendation #bookreview #perfectpaperbacks #booksilove #truegrit #whiskeywhenweredry #americanliterature #beautifulbooks #addictedtoreading

Can’t decide on the perfect Mother’s Day gift? Then get two! Make use of our fabulous Buy One Get One Half Price tables to find the best books for mum. From fiction to non-fiction you’re sure to find something to suit every taste. #mothersday #lessonsinchemistry #bonniegarmus #perfectpaperbacks #bookshop #newbooks #bookshopsofinstagram #bookstagram #currentlyreading #waterstones #waterstonesbasingstoke #beautifulbooks #bookworm #booknerdigans #bookstagram #booklist #books #book #bookaddict #reading #amreading #reader #instabook #booknerd #newbook

4/5 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦 - @gabino_iglesias 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔡𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔱𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔫 𝔞 𝔡𝔢𝔰𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔢 𝔪𝔞𝔫 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞 𝔡𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔪𝔞𝔫 𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔟𝔢 𝔞 𝔣𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔬𝔣 𝔡𝔬𝔩𝔩𝔞𝔯𝔰. Gabino Iglesias has cemented himself as an author whose work I will always buy. After reading Coyote Songs, and then Zero Saints, I was convinced that he was among my favorite authors ever. Now, having read The Devil Takes You Home, I'm even more convinced of that fact. Grief can lead a man towards some pretty terrible choices, and in this novel, we get to experience a series of bad decisions and terrible outcomes that come together to create one hell of an intense revenge story. It's a violent one, too. Sure, it's a tale about someone who becomes a hitman to escape the clutches of poverty, who happens to end up taking on a cartel, it's blatantly obvious that there's going to be bloodshed... But, oh my goodness, Iglesias has a special brand of violence that borders on being magical, and here, it's on full display in all its glory. This is an extremely bleak and depressing story. People say that this is a thriller, and maybe that's true because there's certainly never a dull moment, however, it's more, a violent glimpse at what unrelenting pain and suffering can do to a man. It's an eye-opening look at how loss of faith, and being trampled on by an unjust world leads to cruelty and death. There's just sadness lurking at every corner of this disturbing little novel, but not in the way of it being overdone. Simply put, this is the work of an author who knows how to create masterpieces. And that leaves us with the ending. That ending was utter perfection. What a way to finish a book like this. I'm sad that it's over, but I'm not sad that I got to experience that ending.

4/5 𝔇𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔞𝔩𝔴𝔞𝔶𝔰 𝔳𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔪𝔢 𝔦𝔫 𝔄𝔲𝔤𝔲𝔰𝔱. 𝔄 𝔰𝔩𝔬𝔴 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔡𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔠𝔦𝔬𝔲𝔰 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔥 𝔴𝔢 𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔬 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔰𝔴𝔦𝔣𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔟𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔞𝔩. The Cloisters is similar in many ways to other traditional gothic novels. It's a dramatic slow burn with a beautifully decadent atmosphere, the entire novel simply radiates intrigue and mystery, and the prose is soul catchingly stunning. What sets this book apart from the rest is the decision to base the story around Tarot, an art form that I'm personally very strongly attached to, one that I feel doesn't get enough love in gothic stories. 𝔄𝔫𝔡 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥 𝔴𝔢 𝔥𝔞𝔡 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔩𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱, 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔯𝔬𝔬𝔪 𝔦𝔱𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔣 𝔟𝔢𝔤𝔞𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔣𝔢𝔢𝔩 𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔢𝔯 𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔩𝔩. 𝔄𝔰 𝔦𝔣 𝔴𝔢 𝔞𝔩𝔩, 𝔞𝔰 𝔦𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔩𝔦𝔟𝔯𝔞𝔯𝔶 𝔦𝔱𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔣, 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔭𝔲𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔡 𝔡𝔢𝔢𝔭𝔢𝔯 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔶 𝔬𝔣 𝔗𝔥𝔢 ℭ𝔩𝔬𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰. 𝔄𝔰 𝔦𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔠𝔢𝔦𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤, 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥 𝔦𝔱𝔰 𝔯𝔦𝔟 𝔳𝔞𝔲𝔩𝔱𝔰 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔰𝔰𝔠𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔡 𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔪𝔰, 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔰𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔩𝔶 𝔣𝔬𝔩𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔡𝔬𝔴𝔫 𝔬𝔫 𝔲𝔰. 𝔅𝔲𝔱 𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫 𝔟𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔶𝔦𝔫𝔤, 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔞𝔟𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔦𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔣𝔢𝔩𝔱 𝔡𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔠𝔦𝔬𝔲𝔰. There was an almost hypnotic quality in the way that this book managed to take hold of me. The sheer amount of beauty, elegance and mysteriousness locked within these pages, at times, verged on overwhelming. As is typical with novels like this, it's setting became a character of its own, with the rickety old building begging to let go of its secrets. It's crazy to think that this is a debut. Every page exudes not only talent, but a confidence often only found in seasoned authors. It's safe to say that Katy Hays is now one to watch. ℑ 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔨 ℑ 𝔡𝔬 𝔟𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔢𝔳𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔭𝔢𝔬𝔭𝔩𝔢 𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔱𝔢𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔣𝔲𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔢. 𝔅𝔲𝔱 ℑ 𝔡𝔬𝔫'𝔱 𝔨𝔫𝔬𝔴 𝔴𝔥𝔶 𝔞𝔫𝔶𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔰 𝔱𝔬 𝔨𝔫𝔬𝔴 𝔥𝔬𝔴 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔯 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔯𝔶 𝔢𝔫𝔡𝔰.

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𝕱𝖊𝖇𝖗𝖚𝖆𝖗𝖞 𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖂𝖗𝖆𝖕-𝖚𝖕 𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔞𝔟𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔰𝔥𝔦𝔭𝔰 𝔥𝔦𝔡𝔡𝔢𝔫 𝔞𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔤𝔰𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔯𝔰, 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔲𝔰𝔱𝔶, 𝔠𝔯𝔞𝔪𝔭𝔢𝔡 𝔩𝔦𝔟𝔯𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰 𝔩𝔦𝔱 𝔬𝔫𝔩𝔶 𝔟𝔶 𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔩𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞 𝔥𝔦𝔤𝔥 𝔰𝔠𝔥𝔬𝔬𝔩 𝔠𝔞𝔪𝔭𝔲𝔰 𝔞𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔞 𝔰𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔞𝔩 𝔨𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯𝔰 𝔯𝔢𝔦𝔫 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔬𝔯, 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨𝔰 ℑ 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔥 𝔱𝔬𝔬𝔨 𝔪𝔢 𝔬𝔫 𝔞 𝔧𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔶. ℑ 𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔡𝔲𝔰𝔱𝔶 𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔗𝔢𝔵𝔞𝔰, 𝔤𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔫𝔤𝔰𝔦𝔡𝔢 𝔞 𝔣𝔞𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔥𝔦𝔱𝔪𝔞𝔫, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔴𝔞𝔱𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔰 𝔞 𝔰𝔪𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔬𝔴𝔫 𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔬𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔢𝔡𝔤𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔬𝔰. It's almost impossible to say what my favorite book was this month. The Shards, The Immortality Thief, The Crossing, and The Son, all fantastic books deserving of the title of favorite. I don't even think that I can single one out just yet, with so many great reads, February was very likely my strongest reading month ever. Monthly stats: 𝟏𝟏 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬, 𝟒,𝟒𝟏𝟔 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟑.𝟗𝟓. Current yearly stats: 𝟐𝟒 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬, 𝟖,𝟖𝟑𝟑 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟑.𝟕𝟓. #februaryreadingwrap #readingwrapup #coverlove #theimmortalitythief #thecrossing #tastinglight #thedeviltakesyouhome #thecloisters #needlessalley #theshards #booksilove #beautifulhardbacks #perfectpaperbacks #addictedtoreading #westerns #scifinovel #horrornovel #gothicliterature #readingvibes #readersofinstagram

3/5 Creating a satirical novel that manages to be comedic while still retaining the right amount of tension and drama can't be an easy task to accomplish, however, with This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us, Cantero has achieved just that. This kind of book really shouldn't work, and yet somehow it does. It's a very self-aware novel that plays on the stereotypes of modern detective fiction. While I didn't enjoy this as much as I enjoyed Meddling Kids, it's still a fantastic and hilarious read with an absolutely bonkers storyline. With this book, Cantero has shown that he's able to inject hilarity into extremely serious situations without affecting the impact those scenes carry. And yes, at times, this may be a goofy novel, and it might have its readers giggling like raving lunatics, but it's not just for laughs. There's a seriousness here that can't be overlooked, and it's followed up by a damn good detective story. Somehow, this is one of those novels that manages to click in all the right places. It may not be the best book I've ever read, but it's certainly one of the most entertaining. #thisbodysnotbigenoughforthebothofus #edgarcantero #coverlove #detectivenovel #mysterynovel #crimenovel #fortheloveofreading #perfectpaperbacks #bookreview #satiricalnovel #crimenoir #noirnovel #bookishlove #readingismylife

3/5 It goes without saying that, quite often, sequels don't live up to the expectations set by the original. And, in a lot of reviews, that's what I'm seeing, however, I went into this one entirely blind, not even realizing it was a sequel when I purchased this book. Having not read the first novel, nor anything by this author, there's almost nothing I can compare this book to. Equator, in fact, does start off pretty damn great. There's plenty of action and the book really does deliver on that traditional Western feel. There's also plenty of beautiful moments within this book, moments where the writing and the scenes come together so fantastically, moments that jumped off of the page, that made me utterly fall in love with this book. "ℑ 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔯, 𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔪𝔶 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔪𝔶 𝔣𝔢𝔢𝔱, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 ℑ 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔠𝔯𝔶𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔟𝔢𝔠𝔞𝔲𝔰𝔢 𝔫𝔬𝔟𝔬𝔡𝔶 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔭 𝔪𝔢. 𝔗𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔞𝔡𝔡𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤, 𝔓𝔢𝔱𝔢, 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔫𝔬𝔟𝔬𝔡𝔶 𝔴𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫 𝔴𝔞𝔫𝔱 𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔞𝔩𝔨 𝔪𝔢 𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔦𝔱. 𝔑𝔬𝔟𝔬𝔡𝔶 𝔢𝔵𝔠𝔢𝔭𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔩𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔩𝔢 𝔟𝔯𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯, 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔶𝔬𝔲'𝔡 𝔩𝔢𝔣𝔱 𝔰𝔩𝔢𝔢𝔭𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔢. 𝔓𝔲𝔱𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔪𝔶 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔫𝔬𝔬𝔰𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔞 𝔡𝔲𝔱𝔶, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 ℑ 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔰𝔞𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔬𝔫𝔩𝔶 𝔴𝔞𝔶 ℑ 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔭𝔯𝔬𝔳𝔢 𝔪𝔶 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔥." But, after a while, it kind of lost its Western feel and the narrative started to shift into what almost felt like travel writing. This book is obviously extremely well researched, and the author's clear historical interest shines through, at times though, this was almost detrimental to the story, leading to sections that became bogged down. Since the general consensus is that the first book was leagues better, maybe I'll try that one, and see how it goes. #westerns #westernnovel #historicalfiction #coverlove #perfectpaperbacks #bookreview #antoninvarenne #booneslick #thedevouredandthedead #truegrit #ontheoregontrail #bleakbooks #fictionintranslation #translatednovel

4/5 There's something about books set in lighthouses that will forever call to me. They're dreamy, ethereal places with an oddly romantic quality to them. These evocative buildings almost become central characters in their stories, tall, unmoving beacons of light that guide ships home across perilless nights even when sinister forces lurk inside of them... Passion and love beat at the heart of this intensely creepy story, which is as much of a mix of folklore and superstition as it is a tale of desire and obsession. The Lighthouse Witches is beautifully written, containing three timelines that are seamlessly woven together to create one all encompassing story that will totally envelop its readers. This is one of those books that leans into becoming a gothic novel, the slow building tension and sense of dread almost calls back to classic gothic literature. It's one of those books that demands to be read on a cold, dark night, where the rain is beating down on your window, when you only have a single light, and the rest of the room is shrouded in darkness. It's a book that I devoured almost entirely in a single sitting, and had to force myself to put it down, just to make it last a little longer. The world of literature needs more modern gothic tales like this one. It was absolutely breathtaking. #thelighthousewitches #cjcooke #historicalfiction #coverlove #perfectpaperbacks #beautifulbooks #gothicfiction #gothicliterature #creepybooks #readmorehorror #horrorcommunity #horrornovel #readingvibes #readingaesthetic #booksaboutwitches #booksaboutlighthouses #mysterynovel #bookobsessed #readingismylife

4.5/5 Wow. Just. Wow. This novel is an unparalleled experience. Presumably this is going to be McCarthy's last published novel, something I hope I'm very wrong about, but, if that's the case, what a mind-blowing way to conclude a fantastic career. This is presented as a coda to The Passenger, and I definitely think that it needs to be read within the context of the duology. The entire text here is made up of transcripts of Alicia's or Alice's sessions with her therapist. And it very much reads like a deep dive into McCarthy's worldview. It feels almost intimate, as if you're getting a glimpse into the inner workings of the authors mind. Stella Maris encapsulates pretty much all of the philosophical and religious views that are present throughout McCarthy's work, and while this novel doesn't serve to answer any questions and is, in fact, written with a fair bit of ambiguity, it's still precise and impactful. In my mind, there's not many other authors that could pull this level of work off. #stellamaris #cormacmccarthy #historicalfiction #authorsilove #coverlove #bleakbooks #beautifulhardbacks #mysterynovel #perfectpaperbacks #bloodmeridian #alltheprettyhorses #thepassenger #theroad #nocountryforoldmen #thepassenger #bookreccomendation #bookreview #addictedtoreading #readingismagic

January really felt like one of the longest months I've had in a while, and I'm not all that sad to see the back of it. Pretty much the only saving grace has been how much I've been enjoying my reading. In total I read 11 books in January, which worked out at about 3877 pages. My average rating ended up being a 3.55, so while it wasn't exactly my strongest reading month, I did have some pretty incredible reads. My highest rating was a 4.5 and my lowest was a 3, with All The Pretty Horses, and Mindwalker being the two books I enjoyed the most. There are so, so many books that I cannot wait to get to on my TBR right now, the next few months should be pretty exciting reading wise. #januaryreadingwrapup #readingwrapup #perfectpaperbacks #beautifulhardbacks #coverlove #westerns #sffnovel #scifinovel #fantasynovel #historicalfiction #mysterynovel #queerhorror #queerbooks #lgbtbooks #yahorror #mindwalker #thecityoflastchances #thedeadandthedark #alltheprettyhorses #booksilove #readingismagic