April Book Haul | Part One | 2021

It is just gone the middle of the month, so time for my April Book Haul Part One, with all the books I have been sent by publishers, gifted or bought myself now shops are open again in the UK, woohoo. #AprilBookHaul #Haul #BookHaul

Books Mentioned…

Dear Senthuran by Akwaeke Emezi
Real Estate by Deborah Levy
Assembly by Natasha Brown
All Adults Here by Emma Straub
Corpsing by Sophie White
Poison for Teacher by Nancy Spain
Resistance by Val McDermid and Kathryn Briggs
Man Enough to be a Woman by Jayne County
A Cheese Mongers History of the British Isles by Ned Palmer
The Seaweed Collectors Handbook by Miek Zwamborn
An Extra Pair of Hands by Kate Mosse
After The Storm by Emma Jane Unsworth
Nothing by Daniel O’Connor
Consumed by Arifa Akbar
Dreamland by Rosa Rankin-Gee
The Lost Storyteller by Amanda Block
Everybody by Olivia Laing
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
The Country of Others by Laila Slimani
Places I’ve Taken My Body by Molly McCully Brown
My Mess is a Bit of a Life by Georgia Pritchett
Boys Don’t Cry by Fiona Scarlett
The Divines by Ellie Eaton
The End of Her by Shari Lapena
Poor by Caleb Femi
Two Besides by Alan Bennett
The Colour by Rose Tremain
The Z Murders by J.Jefferson Farjeon
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Burning Bright by Helen Dunmore
Trick or Treat by Lesley Glaister
Plantopedia
Me Elsewhere…

[CharlotteBrown-sxsp]

On the subject of charity shops :
When I volunteered at Oxfam we received SO MANY books that took over our stockroom we were very grateful when people bought books and we could get through our stock. Unfortunately, alot just got recycled after being sat on the shelves for too long which broke my heart. So, even though it doesn't directly help the authors, you are doing charities a massive favour by buying from them. From personal experience, I completely agree with you about how they are an accessible way to discover new authors too; boy can new books be expensive!

[RoisinsReading]

I love Alan Bennet too, he's so good at seeing the wry humour in the kitchen sink drama, and is so good at the sort of witty aside. I love his accent too, love hearing him read his work

[corneliusowl]

Almost all the books I bought as a kid were from charity shops, we used the library a lot but I'd never have been able to own so many without them but I also think you're dead right about discovering authors that way. I found a 2 books in one of Midwinter of the Spirit and Crown of Lights Phil Rickman book in the bargain bin when I was at uni over 10 years ago, and I've bought every single book he's written since. He's one of the few authors I occasionally break my 'avoid amaz*n where possible' for, in order to pre-order his novels. <3 :) think you're right, it's about balance as well as accessibility.

[triciapearce]

I loved All Adults Here. Astrid is such a great character! Hope you like it too, Simon.
Today I received the first stave of Boys Don't Cry from the Pigeonhole. I can't wait to get to it but first I am watching your Book Haul video 🤗

[kimswhims]

You are in for a treat with The Poisonwood Bible.

[scoutharris]

I had kind of a rubbish day but watching this video has cheered me right up. Thank you! I’ll be adding some of these to my TBR - especially Plantopedia - I’ve not been in a garden centre for some time but have recently purchased some plants online and need more. 🌱🤓

[CJReads]

stop that real estate gloating!!! I need to find a proof!! hahaha. some lovely choices here, cant wait for the new emezi

[miaarndt]

I would love to watch you do a try a chapter, try a cheese video - the books could be on a theme or your “should they stay or should they go” and you try a new cheese with each book!

[susprime]

Speaking of art, nice jacket on Klara and the Sun. Okay, read The Remains of the Day, but as novels stand alone, start wherever you wish. The one about the Anglo-Saxon parents wandering about is also interesting. I placed a book on Kindle only to have my husband tell me, " you know, we already read this book." Oh well, the blurb did not sound familiar. Antherium is the most vulgar looking plant, which may be why I so like them.

[miaarndt]

The Undocumented Americans is amazing 💕

[GreenBitterfly]

I purchased in April, A Darker Domain, The Skeleton Road and The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid. I re-read the Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson last year, so I fancied re-reading both the Karen Pirie and Carol Jordan/Tony Hill series by Val. I've also re bought Chocolat and Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris. I've bought Hood Feminism and Brown Baby as new reads and I also I've bought Lowborn to re-read. I've bought some books from my childhood which I didn't have copies of anymore, so now I have!

[victoriaclark]

Oh my days, you need to read The Remains of the Day, it is so moving and insightful. Wonderful.

[helenhickey]

It was so nice to get back out to book shops again and I bought a signed copy of Open Water and This One Sky Day with the beautiful sprayed edges. I picked up The Colour by Rose Tremain too in a new charity shop that has opened up where I live. Looking forward to book club tomorrow 🙂

[danielintheantipodes]

Loving the British Library Crime Classics! I can never remember which ones I have, so I am going to create a spread sheet. I hate spread sheets, but I really need one or I am wasting money!
Thank you for the video!

[Nabru]

A video dedicated to cheese? I'm signed in, already holding a glass of Sauvignon Blanc lol. My bookhaul this month consisted of Convenience Store Woman (read it already and really liked it), Tender is the Flesh, Fun Home and The Great Gatsby.

[lizk]

I would still recommend watching Seaspiracy :) While yes, there are inaccuracies, there's still so much truth in it. The untruths that marine biologists are pointing out are important but don't change the effect of other horrifying facts, e.g. the human rights violations involved in fishing.
Can't wait for Ariadne and The lost storyteller to come out😍 Currently reading Klara and the sun and I'm really enjoying it😊

[leeh]

This is my fave Rose Tremain mostly due to the setting - enjoy 😊 weird I’m commenting again a day later but life got in the way 😂 so I’m watching part 2 now.

[marierichardson]

You talked about Dreamland in Margate; watch the film Jellyfish . It is set in Margate and Dreamland appears in it. Really excellent film but also very disturbing.

[bellst]

I also go into bookshops and sometimes can't remember whether I have a certain book. Rather than make a list of my huge book collection, I use an App called My Library - there are lots of similar Apps out there. You can add books by just scanning their ISBN numbers so it isn't too time consuming. I haven't listed all my books but it's really useful for ones I can't easily see e.g. some that I keep inside a window seat.
As for your buying books from charity shops, I think you are still supporting the author as you then tell all your followers about the books with the result that many of us do buy the books new or borrow them from the library.
Thanks for another great video!

[littlechicks]

"Books and Cookies" Is there anything else we need in life? I dont think so! Its really funny because sometimes you hold up a book and i see the cover and read the title i immediately think "nope, im not interested in that one." Then you start telling us about it and i really want to read it because youve intrigued! Poison For Teacher by Nancy Spain is the stand out one for me out of this little haul. Thankyou for showing us these gems.