In contrast to last month, I managed to show a modicum of restraint in October and didn’t pick up very many books, though it honestly wasn’t from lack of trying. Thrift stores can be a dice roll; sometimes you make great finds, and other times their selection is disappointing. Strangely, I’ve been seeing a deluge of the novels Three Day Road and Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden. Not sure what’s up with that, but I digress. I visited thrift stores several times in October but found nothing worth picking up, with one small exception. So it goes. I also went to a library book sale and walked away empty handed. I really tried to buy books even though I’m running out of space. What am I doing?

Let’s see what I did pick up.

New Books

This is now the third time I’ve purchased a copy of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. First, I bought an ebook, which is the copy I actually read. Then, I picked up an exclusive paperback because I loved it so much I wanted a physical book. Now, I’ve bought an even nicer hardcover, which will match my hardcover copy of Circe on the shelf. I swear this is the last time I buy this book, so long as my copies stay readable (I will probably give the paperback away).

I picked up Science Fiction Stories because it was an inexpensive thrift store find and I have a soft spot for vintage science fiction—at least conceptually, as I feel like I should still read a lot more of it. I don’t want to gamble on books like these too often, yellowed old paperbacks with eye-catching vintage covers, but this seemed a general enough sort of story collection that I’ll probably find something in it that I like.

Novel Discoveries

 

I can’t remember where I learned about Observations on the Human Condition by Paige Parker, but I enjoy the character design of the angel pictured on the cover and am intrigued by its minimalist approach to comic book storytelling (at least in the images that I’ve seen). I tried to see if the library would procure a copy but was unsuccessful. I’ll try to read it some way or another, at any rate.

You Are Deranged For This by Dave Contra, if I remember correctly, is a book by a web comic artist I frequently see pop up in my feed. I learned that he has this book out and was intrigued enough by the cover to want to give it a look. This is a “leap of faith” sort of book, where I otherwise have no idea what the contents are.

Zegaajimo: Indigenous Horror Fiction is an anthology I saw featured on my local library’s website. I’m always excited about different approaches to horror, so this is a collection I would love to check out sometime. Maybe I will do so next Halloween, maybe I will borrow it sooner than that. Either way, it’s on the TBR.

Why I Love Horror is an essay collection I also came across on my library’s website. This one I’ve actually put a reservation on already, as I’m still on a bit of a horror kick in the wake of Halloween. I don’t want to read anymore fiction at the moment, but I’d love to check out an examination of the genre; perhaps I will come away with a selection of yet more books to add to my TBR.

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Until next time, thank you for reading!