Christmas and Birthday Book Haul

Christmas and my birthday go hand in hand, with them being within three days of each other so any gifts I receive are split between the two days. The gifts I receive are always going to include books, every year I write a book list for my mum for her to try and attempt to find them in a book shop (She's not very good at this bless her, this year she gave me the list back and said "I can't find any of these books will you please separate what is fiction and what isn't"). Enough waffling this year I gathered many books and I'm so excited to read them and use the beautiful notebooks I was given.

Holy Cow - David Duchovny

This novel is weird - written in the perspective of a cow (Reminds me a little of Animal Farm by George Orwell). Holy Cow has been on my reading list for a good few months and now it's finally in my possession and the first book I picked up to read out of my pile. It's funny, bizarre and insightful into the (Suggested) mind of a cow.

Dark Places - Gillian Flynn

The only book I haven't read by Flynn and I cannot emphasis enough how excited I am to delve into this. With every novel by Flynn I have been fascinated with her style of writing, I absolutely love it and if it's anything to go by her previous novels then it will be amazing. I've also found myself buying books with black or white covers (Aesthetically pleasing) so this is a perfect addition to my shelves.

The Last Girlfriend on Earth and Other Love Stories - Simon Rich

I'm a sucker for romance (I sometimes hate to admit it) and these short stories will keep my stupid heart happy plus the abstract cover caught me. There seems to be a recurring theme of choosing books because of their beautiful covers - at least I'm judging a book by its cover for all the right reasons?

No One Belongs Here More Than You - Miranda July

I first read The First Bad Man by July and was struck by her way of writing especially in this strange tale of friendship, family and love so I figured reading another book of hers wouldn't hurt. No One Belongs Here More Than You is a series of short stories that once again I am excited to read.

Upstairs at the Party - Linda Grant

Set in the 70's surrounding university students and documenting fate. How one little change can affect the course of our lives, how fast life can change and how we have no idea of our next situation. This is one of those books I suggested to buy on a whim, I didn't know much about it and often I research a book before I buy it because I fear I'll begin reading it and dislike it. My worst fear is buying books and having them left on my shelves because I didn't enjoy the style of writing, 

Tiger Milk - Stefanie de Velasco

My brother brought me this novel for my birthday. I have absolutely no clue as to its plot, I haven't even read the blurb I choose it because the cover was pretty. (Judging a book by its cover, don't roll your eyes at me.) I'm looking forward to this book!

Heart-Shaped Box - Joe Hill

Sometimes like most avid book readers you become attached to one genre of writing and feel like a bad parent when you choose something different. I am a sap for romance stories, not the traditional Notebook kinda of tales but the quirky ones (Feel pretentious using quirky). Heart-Shaped Box is a ghost story about protagonist Jude who has a fascination with ghosts and the supernatural. One day a ghost is delivered to his doorstep in a black heart-shaped box and wants to make Jude run for his life.

Among my growing tower of books I received a notebook with an atlas print and GOLD pages (Freaking out, it's beautiful), a moleskine 2016 diary that I fully intend to use all year and not just for January if it helps me figure my life out... and finally a small book called Inspiration for Writers which features various quotes from famous writers encouraging you to write. This small book of writing joy will help me through the stages of my writing where I'm hitting a writer's wall. For when I feel my characters aren't developing as well as my imagination and mind had hoped. For when my plot feels like a dead end.

"Write for the most intelligent, wittiest, wisest audience in the universe: write to please yourself" - Harlan Ellison.