Book Haul: Edinburgh bookshops

Happy Friday!

I can’t believe it has already been a week since I was in Edinburgh. If you haven’t read it, I recommend you check out my Edinburgh bookshop crawl blog post in which I talk about the bookshops I visited and also briefly about the Edinburgh International Book Festival. I had the pleasure of seeing Alison Weir talk about her wonderful book Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen.

I am sure it’ll not come as a surprise to hear that during my time in Edinburgh I made a few book shaped purchases. I came away with six books in total which I am going to round up here and also mention a bonus book at the end. Enjoy!

Just a quick note to say that clicking the individual book images will take you through to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links is at no additional cost to the buyer and helps support my blog.

Working from bottom to top…

Book #1

Title: Stardust Nation
Author(s): Deborah Levy and Andrzej Klimowsk
Genre: Graphic Novel/Psychological Thriller
Publisher: SelfMadeHero
Bookshop: Armchair Books

I have to admit I picked this up on a whim. I’m really enjoying graphic novels at the moment and this unusual synopsis appealed to me.

Nick has unwittingly crashed into the consciousness of his boss. While Tom drinks to forget the troubles of his early life, Nick is forced to confront a past that is not his own: a childhood scarred by the small wars waged by an abusive father – and by the events that brought them to a close

— Taken from SelfMadeHero

Book #2

Title: Persepolis I & II
Author(s): Marjane Satrapi
Genre: Graphic Memoir
Publisher: Jonathan Cape Ltd (Imprint)/Vintage Publishing
Bookshop: Waterstones Edinburgh (West End)

I’m not sure this book needs much introduction but if you’re not familiar with the books, it is the memoir of a woman’s childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. I was fortunate enough to pick up this combined volume with both books and I’m very excited to get started.

Book #3

Title: Suicide Club
Author(s): Rachel Heng
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Publisher: Sceptre
Bookshop: Lighthouse Bookshop

I’ve had this book on my TBR shelf for a few months and toyed with pre-ordering it after I was unsuccessful in obtaining a proof. I spotted it in Lighthouse and decided to finally stop dithering and purchase it. I am slightly nervous about this book – I have a feeling I’m either going to love it or hate it.

Book #4

Title: The Gallows Pole
Author(s): Benjamin Myers
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bluemoose Books
Bookshop: Armchair Books

I snapped this up when I saw it in Armchair Books for just a few quid. It’s secondhand but in excellent condition and doesn’t even look like it has been read. I don’t think I would’ve picked this up if there hadn’t have been so much coverage about it recently. I am hoping it’ll push me outside of my comfort zone when it comes to choosing books.

Book #5

Title: City of Ghosts
Author(s): Victoria Schwab
Genre: Young Adult/Horror
Publisher: Scholastic
Bookshop: Waterstones Edinburgh (West End)

Now before anyone points it out in the comments, I know this book isn’t out yet. This was on sale in Waterstones in Edinburgh in advance of publication presumably because Victoria Schwab lives there (part-time) and because City of Ghosts is set in Edinburgh. I had this on pre-order so I’m sure you can imagine how excited I was to get a copy.

That was until later that very same day, I saw a tweet from Victoria Schwab, who had popped into Waterstones to sign the copies they had. The same day. The same shop. Hours after I had been in there. I frantically flicked through my copy just in case it was all a horrible mistake. But my copy is not signed. I am gutted. Luck was not on my side that day.

Book #6

Title: ?
Author(s): ?
Genre: Victorian Fiction
Publisher: ?
Bookshop: Golden Hare Books

The book at the top of my pile is a mystery book from Golden Hare Books. I spent ages going through the books and just could not decide what to get so I decided to let fate intervene.

Stay tuned for my Golden Hare Book blog special to find out what’s under the paper!

Bonus Book

As I made my way around the bookshops in Edinburgh there was one book I desperately wanted and could not find anywhere. Andrew Shaffer’s Hope Never Dies.

I had no joy so the following day I popped into the Waterstones in the MetroCentre, Newcastle, and managed to grab a copy there.

Elated, I skipped home with my final book purchase of the month, and proudly showed it to my partner who immediately declared it his own and I haven’t seen the book since.

You win some, you lose some.