April Book Haul

This month was a crazy one for buying books. I went nuts and somehow ended up with 20 new books to add to my collection! However before you go crazy I would just like to say that I got all 20 books (3 hardcovers | 17 paperbacks) for a grand total of £20 ($25 | €23) so I don't feel too bad. I've also managed to read a significant portion of these books, ticking off three of the new buys. And now the moment you've been waiting for; the books!


Into the No Zone by Eugene Lambert
The Epic Sequel to The Sign of One.
So much for being a hero. Kyle's on the run again. Caught between Slayers and Rebels, there's only one place left to hide- in the lair of the Reapers.

I loved this book, having dreamt about it since I finished the first book last year. This book was released this month and I bought and read it all on the same day. It was phenomenal and I can't wait for the last book to be released next year!

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Every year Isabel spends a perfect summer at her family friends' house. There's the swimming pool at night, the private stretch of beach- and the two boys.
Conrad- unavailable, aloof- who she's been in love with forever.
Jeremiah- friendly, relaxed- the only one who's paid her any attention.
But this year something is different. They seem to have noticed her for the first time. It's going to be an amazing summer...and one she'll never forget.
This book cover is gorgeous; I'm so glad I found this one instead of the original one. I flew through this book, so naturally I also had to buy...

It's Not Summer Without You also by Jenny Han
When something is perfect, you hope it never ends...
Isabel's lazy, long hot summers at her family friends' beach house are over.
Conrad- sexy and unavailable- is the only boy she's ever loved. He's left for college, taking her heart with him. Jeremiah, his gorgeous brother, is still Isabel's best friend- but maybe friendship isn't enough for him.
Isabel wants everything to stay the same, because change means moving on. But if she stops looking back, will he find a future she never knew she wanted?

I read this book the same day as the first one, and enjoyed i just as much as the first one. And of course this cover is just as beautiful.

The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman
Sally Lockhart is 16, an orphan, and she's just struck a man  dead. Not with a weapon, though she has a pistol, and probably the heart to use it. Sally killed Mr Higgs with just 3 words- The Seven Blessings. Unfortunately, she still has no idea what they mean, and why her drowned father's colleague died of fear when he heard them. Sally only knows that she'll do anything, say anything, be anything to find out... I've been craving murder mysteries recently, so when I found this I knew I had to pick it up. Admittedly I've never read His Dark Materials, but I do own the first book in the series. Maybe this book will be a good introduction to Philip Pullman's writing.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other.
Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive- when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.
As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner...I'm so excited to read this, especially after the cliffhanger in Cinder!

The House At The End Of Hope Street by Menna Van Praag

When tragedy strikes Alba Ashby, she finds herself at the door of a house she's never noticed before. Number Eleven, Hope Street in Cambridge is no ordinary house. Its walls are steeped in the wisdom of past residents: Virginia Woolf, Dorothy Parker and Agatha Christie to name a few. Alba accepts an invitation to stay, offered to her under the condition she has 99 nights, and no more to turn her life around.
Guided by the energy of the house, where portraits come alive, bookcases refill themselves and hot chocolate has healing properties, the enchanting experience Alba and her new friends share will change their lives forever.

A book about a house full of authors and refilling bookcases...Need I say more?

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Every year, the Scorpio Races are run on the beaches of Skarmouth. Every year, the sea washes blood from the sand. To race the savage water horses can mean death, but the danger is irresistible.
When Puck enter the races to save her family, she is drawn to the mysterious Sean, the only person on the island capable of taming the beasts.

Honestly, I didn't like The wolves of Mercy Falls series, and I did
n't even finish the last book. However I've heard amazing things about this book so I'm willing to give Maggie Stiefvater a second chance because I loved her writing style, just not her plot line.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. But Wanderer, the invading"soul" who occupies Melanie's body, finds is former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who has avoided invasion and lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Soon Wanderer and Melanie set off to to search for the man they love.

I've tried to read this book once before, but didn't manage to get through it before I had to return it to the library. However what I did read I enjoyed so now that I have a copy I'll be able to read it in my own time. 

The Power of Five series by Anthony Horowitz

When Matt Freeman gets into trouble with the police, he's sent to be fostered in Yorkshire. It's not long before he senses there's something wrong with his guardian, and the entire village.

Then Matt learns about the Old Ones and begins to understand just how he is different. But no one will believe him,and no one can help.

I've actually already read the first book in this series, in graphic novel form. So when I saw the whole series for less than £10 I knew I had to buy them all. Surprisingly the first 4 books are all less than  400 pages so I should be able to finish them pretty quickly.



The Adventure Series by Enid Blyton (last 4 books)
For Philip, Dinah, Lucy-Ann and Jack, the holiday in Cornwall is everything they'd hoped for - until they begin to realise that something very sinister is taking place on the mysterious Isle of Gloom. But they're not prepared for the dangerous adventure that awaits them in the abandoned copper mines and secret tunnels beneath the sea.

As I've said before, all English book lovers have read at least one Enid Blyton book, and I'm no exception. This is the only Enid Blyton series I haven't read so I'm super excited to have the last four books in my possession. Hopefully I'll be able to read these books soon to finish another series.  

The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan
This year, like every other, the magicians of Imardin gather to purge the city of undesirables. Cloaked in the protection of their sorcery, they move with no fear of the vagrants and miscreants who despise them and their work-—until one enraged girl, barely more than a child, hurls a stone at the hated invaders...and effortlessly penetrates their magical shield.
What the Magicians' Guild has long dreaded has finally come to pass. There is someone outside their ranks who possesses a raw power beyond imagining, an untrained mage who must be found and schooled before she destroys herself and her city with a force she cannot yet control.

I know literally nothing about this trilogy, except for the blurb on the back. However, one of my goals for this year is to read more fantasy novels, so when I saw the entire trilogy in hardback for £5/€6 I had to pick it up.

So that wraps up all the books I've bought this month. My bookshelf is now bulging and my TBR is sky-high, but I regret nothing. I'm now going to be seriously studying and exam-taking so hopefully (fingers crossed) I won't buy more than 5 books throughout May and June. I'd love to know how many books you bought this month, or if any of these books sound interesting to you. And if you've read of any of these books tell me your thoughts about them down below! 
Until next time, keep reading!