A BIG Book Haul 👀 & Reading Plans!📚

Let's talk about the books I've bought recently, and the books I've been sent for review — plus reading plans! Grab a seat and join me. xx

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MY BOOKS:

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Things mentioned:

Orpheus Builds a Girl by Heather Parry
Body Language: Writers on Identity, Physicality, and Making Space for Ourselves, edited by Nicole Chung & Matt Ortile
Ghost Music by An Yu
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee
The Pachinko Parlour by Elisa Shua Dusapin
Sick Magazine Issue 4
Violent Phenomena ed by Kavita Bhanot and Jeremy Tiang
Unexpected Vanilla by Lee Hyemi
Another Way to Split Water by Alycia Pirmohamed
Dinner Party by Sarah Gilmartin
Sealed by Naomi Booth
Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin*
How to Disappear by Gillian McAllister
Silent House by Nell Pattison
Silent Night by Nell Pattison
Silent Suspect by Nell Pattison
Vanished by Lynda la Plante [since filming, I realised this is the third in the series. I'm going to purchase the first one, which is called Buried]
Lucky by Rachel Edwards
Close to Home by Cara Hunter
The Curfew by T M Logan

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WHO I AM

Hello, I'm Jen Campbell. I'm an award-winning poet and bestselling author of twelve books, spanning short stories, poetry, picture books, and nonfiction.

My books for adults include The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night, The Girl Aquarium, The Bookshop Book, and The Sunday Times bestselling Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops series. My picture book trilogy Franklin and Luna, and my middle-grade book The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers, are published by Thames & Hudson.

I've won both an Eric Gregory Award and the Jane Martin Poetry Prize, my books have been translated into twenty languages, and I have two new titles forthcoming in 2023 — more details on those soon.

I've worked in the publishing industry for over fifteen years, initially as a bookseller, and now as a freelance editor, content creator and disability advocate. I review books online, in print and on the radio. I run a Youtube channel where I talk about books, the history of fairy tales, and the representation of disability and disfigurement. I also offer online writing workshops and editorial services, give talks at schools, publishing companies, universities and book festivals on a variety of topics, and I run a book club for TOAST clothing.

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Where to find me:

This video contains no sponsored content. Any books marked with * were sent to me for an honest review.

#BookHaul #Booktube #NewBooks #AutumnBookHaul #NovemberBookHaul

[jenvcampbell]

Hi folks! As I mentioned at 3:50, let me know in the comments section if you have any book recommendation requests for yourself or for friends/family members. If you already submitted a request via Instagram, I have those in a list, I just wanted to give you a chance to request them on here, too :) xx

[abbypage]

Dear Jen,
My mum has dementia, but she used to love to read. I want to get her something that's easy to read (preferably out loud – she has to read out loud to understand things these days) and perhaps has a lot of pictures, but doesn't seem like a kiddie book. Some things she loves: birds, tea, dogs, Hallmark movies, and ice cream. She's also a devoted Episcopalian and still reads a lot of religious pamphlets and the like. She used to love the Joanne Fluke baking murder mysteries.
That may be more information than you need (or not enough?) but thank you so, so much!
<3 Abs.

[juditkovacse]

Dear Jen, I would like a recommendation for myself. Something about resilience, and facing hard times, with a hopeful message. Not too rose tinted spectacles or saccharine, rather the more realistic kind. This year has been too much, and I need the inspiration.

[ameliabarlowbooks]

on the subject of dinner parties, there's a fantastic short story called Lambs in Maggie Shipstead's new collection that I LOVED, highly recommend ❤️

[ChemicalPenguinn]

Dear Jen, I'm looking for what you might consider a weird book, something along the lines of Bunny (Mona Awad) and Mrs Death Misses Death (Salena Godden). I also really enjoy books with social commentary, so if that's somehow part of the narrative, that would be great! I've probably read the more popular "weird" books, so the more niche the better!

[NoFaceInTheCrowd]

Hi Jen, I'm looking for a book with a theme of crafts such as knitting, sewing etc. A combination with historical fiction or magical realism would be a big bonus 😊
Thank you!

[tripurasundari]

Dear Jen, I'am looking for a book which is more or less plot-free (like Thomas Manns Magic mountain, or Shibasaki Tomokas Spring garden) so like description of a place with magic in it. Thank you, looking forward to ...Take care Pura

[TrishaGupta_]

Dear Jen, I'm looking for a book for my friend. Recently she has been reading books she has categorised as "Unhinged Women". She is a big fan of Shirley Jackson and I know she loved Bunny by Mona Awad and My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh.
Love this yearly tradition of yours xx

[dqan]

Those are some great looking books/journals. And now that I've said that, a visually interesting novel or short story collection sounds like a good gift idea for myself, particularly something for adults rather than kids.

[kreskova]

Hei Jen! I'd really like a book where the sea or ocean is featured as the main setting. Not sad or at least hopeful in the end. Thank you and have a beautiful week!

[emeline_]

Great haul! I'm interested in getting Spiritus Mundi and Silent House. Also the Tilted Axis books, I loved Strange Beasts of China and need to do another haul from them at some point.

Also, don't mind me getting teary eyed over seeing everyone's comments about looking for thoughtful gifts for the people in their lives 😭

[nompilo]

Hi Jenn, I have a gift recommendation request. My one friend is in a decade long reading slump, so she needs a page turner full of intrigue. Maybe a murder mystery? As a kid she enjoyed The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. She now works as a speech pathologist.

[jennyallen]

Hi Jen, I'd love a recommendation for a book for my nephew. He is 12 almost 13 and can be a reluctant reader. He loved the wimpy kid series until recently having decided he is too old for them and also loves sport...mainly football.

[flyleafdiaries]

Hi Jen, I’m looking for a book for my 87-year old father. He’ll read and enjoy pretty much anything I give him, but what he really enjoys are well-written, stories with heart. I gave him Remarkably Bright Creatures for his birthday and he loved it.

[jacquelinemcmenamin]

The Dinner Party has been on my kindle TBR for months. I hope I’ll get it read before the end of 2022.
I need book recommendations for my 2 grandnieces (7 & 4) and one grandnephew (3).

[irenewu]

Dear Jen, first I'd like to thank you for introducing the Frieda Klein series to me. I started reading in Jan and now I am on Day of The Dead!! I have such a great time reading the series. Can I ask for a book recommendation for myself? I enjoy reading novels on family, couple, and sibling relationships. I enjoyed Celeste Ng's Everything I never told you and Little Fires Everywhere, I also loved Silver Sparrow but not so much with commonwealth. I would love to hear another recommendation from you. Thanks a lot.

[sarahagen]

Dear Jen,

I am looking for a gift that's like an encyclopedia, except it's for fairy tales and fables. Some of the genuine ones I find can get really expensive (in the $100s) and I'm looking for something a bit less pricey. I've already read and loved Ed Brooke-Hitching's books.

[izikr]

Dear Jen, as always you are a saviour during Christmas time. I'm looking to get my boyfriend a book. He's an avid reader and hiker. He liked 'The Book of Trespass' that I got him and we both enjoyed Tea Dragon Society. The first book he got me was 'The Offing' and it's one of his favourites'.

[TheBecky]

Hi Jen, my niece (12) loves Alice oseman but has read all their books. Any books that are similar to their books would be great 🙂

[annamboland]

Hi Jen, I’m looking for a book for someone who enjoys how Murakami combines the surreal and mundane, but is interested in reading other writers.

Thank you so much.

Sending love,
Anna