Black Friday Book Haul

To my friend who asked for this blog post: you’re probably the only one who’ll read this so I hope you enjoy.

It’s that time of year again! As the holiday season approaches we have the (in)famous Black Friday. Now, deals certainly aren’t what they used to be in the 2000s, but this year I was looking forward to one offer in particular: Waterstones triple plus stamps.

Now for all of you who don’t live in the U.K. (or aren’t addicted to Waterstones) let me explain. The book store chain Waterstones has a points system: every time you spend £10, you get a stamp. Once you’ve got 10 stamps (aka have spent £100) you get a £10 voucher to spend in their stores. It’s a decent offer, made even better when they have certain periods throughout the year that offer double or triple stamps. Black Friday is one of these.

For the last few years, every Black Friday weekend they have offer double stamps, or triple if you spend over £100. And so for the last few years, I have consistently spent £100, and got £30 credit back in return.

This year was no exception, however I was looking forward to it even more because it’s the one time a year I can break my book ban. Let’s face it, I have too many unread books - you probably do too. So halfway through this year I decided to permanently inflict a book ban on myself. There’s a few exceptions, but most of the time I avoid purchasing any books. I add them to a wishlist instead and then can treat myself to 10 or so when Black Friday rolls around. Not only does this help me keep my physical tbr under control, but it helps me spend more consciously too, as I have to wait months before I can buy a book, giving me time to think about which ones I really want the most. So without further ado… here’s what I purchased this year...

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The Most

Jessica Anthony

“It is an unseasonably warm Sunday in November 1957. Katheen, a college tennis champion turned Delaware housewife, decides not to join her flagrantly handsome life insurance salesman husband, Virgil, or their two young boys, at church. Instead, she takes a dip in the kidney-shaped swimming pool of their apartment complex. And then she won't come out.”

I saw this book in a bookstore this summer and was instantly drawn to it. A literary fiction novella set in the 1950s that tackles gender roles and marriage? And a strong female lead? To me it sounds very Taylor-Jenkins-Reid-esque, so naturally I was extremely intrigued and knew instantly it would be one of my Black Friday picks. Now that it’s here, I’m excited to read it. I have a feeling I could devour the whole thing in an afternoon.

Marigold Mind Laundry

Jungeun Yun

“In this enchanting tale, the enigmatic owner of a magical laundromat that cleans the stains from people’s hearts must learn to find her own sense of peace before she can truly help others.”

This is a cosy magical realism translation, a genre that has become extremely popular in recent years. I read Before The Coffee Gets Cold last year and didn’t really enjoy it, but I see books of this genre so often and the plots always sound so unique and interesting, that I decided to give the genre another go. And the cute cover of Marigold Mind Laundry is what really drew me in.

The Blonde Dies First

Joelle Wellington

“A group of friends fight to choose their own fates in this trope-savvy, self-referential young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games, about a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies.”

After reading You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight earlier this year, I realised that I actually love Y/A horror. It has all of the thrilling elements without the gore or true fear (I’m a squeamish scaredy cat). So ever since, I’ve been on the lookout for a similar read. This one’s been on my radar since it was announced last year, and I’m excited to dive into it!

A Marvellous Light

Freya Marske

“When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, Robin Blyth discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known. Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it—not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else.”

Now this is a book I have had on my tbr for years. Genuinely I think I’ve wanted to read this series since the first book came out in 2021 and every time I see it in a book shop, I’m reminded of that fact, so saying I’m excited to finally have it is an understatement. This has everything I want from a series: queer historical romance? Check. Magical adventures? Check. Mystery? Check. To me, this book and the series as a whole sounds reminiscent of A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (and its sequels). That series is one of my absolute favourites, and I’ve never found anything quite the same, so I’m hoping this series will live up to the same standard.

Loveless

Alice Oseman

“It was all sinking in. I'd never had a crush on anyone. No boys, no girls, not a single person I'd ever met. What did that mean?”

I’ve read the Heartstopper books (most of them, anyway) but I’ve never picked up any of Alice Oseman’s novels… until now. I’ve known of her books for a few years now, but it was recently when we got new covers for them all in the U.K. that I really started to want to buy one. And so I went for Loveless - a deep exploration of aroace identities. I try to read diverse fiction, but I think aromanticism and asexuality is a part of the LGBT community that lacks representation in media, so I’m really looking forward to diving into it in this book.

A Tempest of Tea

Hasfah Faizal

“On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it--and she can't do the job alone.”

Recently popular on Booktok and Bookstagram, I saw a lot of people excitedly raving about this book at the start of the year. And once I read the blurb, I became excited too. Tea, vampires, a ragtag crew and a HEIST?! Need I say more?! This is another one that I’ve wanted to pick up every time I’ve seen it at the bookstore, and now I’ve finally got my chance. (Also the description literally says “Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six Of Crows - NEED I SAY MORE???)

Throne of Glass

Sarah J Maas

“In a world without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she will be released from prison to serve as the King's Champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.”

This is a book (and an author) that needs no introduction. I read my first SJM book this year (House of Earth and Blood) and gave it 5-stars, realising that the hype around her is in fact very justified. Since then I’ve been wanting to tackle one of her longer series, and Throne of Glass called to me more than ACOTAR, because of the stronger fantasy elements (I believe ACOTAR is classed more as romantasy). A friend of mine is also a massive fan of this series, so I trust her opinions. It’s a lengthy series that I have a feeling I’ll really sink my teeth into and I can’t wait to begin the journey.

The House in the Cerulean Sea

T.J. Klune

“Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world. Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light.”

A cosy fantasy with found family?!? Literally say no more, I’m already sold. This is another one that’s been on my tbr for what feels like ages because it just sounds so up my alley. I had eventually planned to buy it at the beginning of 2024 but never got around to it, so I’m incredibly glad to finally add it to my shelves.

Vicious

V. E. Schwab

“Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe). Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find.”

After the summer of Schwab (aka my obsession with her Shades of Magic series this June and July) it was practically inevitable I would try one of V.E. Schwab’s other most-famous series. Tbh, I’ve picked up Vicious purely because of the fantastic recommendations I’ve seen online, and my love for the author, of course. But the plot sounds intriguing and I’m really excited to dive into another one of her worlds.

Not for the Faint of Heart

Lex Croucher

“When Mariel finds out that her band of Merry Men have kidnapped the wrong person, she's a whole new level of miffed. They were not supposed to kidnap Clem - a chatty, freckled, curly-haired whirlwind of a teenage girl who is unnervingly cheerful about being knocked out with horrible-smelling herbs and bundled into the back of a wagon.”

Last year I read my first book by this author (Gwen & Art are Not in Love) and I absolutely LOVED it. So when I saw this announced, I knew I would inevitably read it. A sapphic twist on Robin Hood sounds truly iconic, and I already know I love the sense of humour and adventure the author brings into their works. It’s sure to be a fun, light and heartwarming read.

Floating Hotel

Grace Curtis

“Welcome to the Grand Abeona Hotel: home of the finest food, the sweetest service, and the very best views the galaxy has to offer. Year round it moves from planet to planet, system to system, pampering guests across the furthest reaches of the milky way. The last word in sub-orbital luxury - and a magnet for intrigue.”

The only book not yet arrived, I decided to preorder the paperback of this one, so I’ll be getting it in February. A sci-fi about a fancy hotel in space with odd mysteries - I’m not quite sure why, but this one just sounded appealing to me. I haven’t read loads of sci-fi but I’ve enjoyed what little I have consumed. Plus the cover is cool, so there’s that too. I’m eagerly anticipating its arrival.

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I’m super excited to read all these. There’s something nice about letting books marinate on your tbr for a while that makes you all the more joyful when you finally get them. I don’t know which of these I’ll read first, or even if I’ll read any of them in the near future. But for now, I’m simply excited to add them to my bookshelf and look forward to their potential.

Well, that was my Black Friday haul. I had a lot of fun picking my books to buy this year (the basket was originally three times the size!) Did you do a Black Friday haul? If so, which books did you pick up? Let me know in the comments below <3