Tiny Book Haul

I had a pretty busy and stressful week last week, so when Friday afternoon rolled around and I realised the weekend had started, I decided to treat myself to something nice…

When I turned 19 (over a year ago, I’m now 20) I got two book vouchers for my birthday, and one of them was still sitting in my wallet up until Friday, waiting to be used. That might seem quite surprising, since I love (owning) books. And it’s not as if I hadn’t gotten around to going to the bookstore and getting some nice books… No, it’s just that once I’d be there, standing in front of that huge bookcase full of great (and not so great) books, I just didn’t know what to get! I’d be walking around there, reading lots of blurbs and first pages, and then, after about 45 minutes, I’d walk out again, empty handed. I just wasn’t able to figure out which books were worthy of my voucher — there were so many great ones!

I’m not very good at making decisions…

Anyway, last Friday I swore to myself that I was not allowed to leave the book store until I had at least one book to spend my voucher on. Mission accomplished, I should say, because I left with three new books! Since yesterday’s post only consisted of pictures, I thought I’d share with you the results of my tiny book haul today!

The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy

In 1945, Elsie Schmidt is as eager for her first sip of champagne as she is for her first kiss. She and her family have been protected from the worst of the terror overtaking her country by a high-ranking Nazi who wishes to marry her. When an escaped Jewish boy arrives on Elsie’s doorstep, she understands that opening the door would put all she loves in danger.

Sixty years later, in El Paso, Texas, Reba Adams interviews the owner of Elsie’s German Bakery for a feel-good Christmas piece for the local magazine. After that first day, Reba returns to the bakery again and again to hear more of Elsie’s story — a story that resonates with her own turbulent past. As the two women’s lives become intertwined, both are forced to confront the unsettling truths of the past and to seek out the courage to forgive.

My thoughts: As I was typing the blurb I noticed the part about the “feel-good Christmas piece”, so that seems a perfect excuse to read this book around Christmas! Even though it doesn’t exactly seem like a cheerful story, of course… I have high hopes for this novel and can’t wait to read it.

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Peaches for Monsieur Le Curé by Joanne Harris

When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she allows the wind to blow her back to the village in south-west France where, eight years ago, she opened up a chocolate shop. But Lansquenet is different now: women veiled in black, the scent of spices and peppermint tea, and, on the bank of the river Tannes, facing the church: a minaret.

Nor is it only the incomers from North Africa that have brought change. Father Reynaud, Vianne’s erstwhile adversary, is disgraced and under threat. Could it be that Vianne is the only one who can save him?

My thoughts: I only found out about a month ago there was a third novel about Vianne Rocher (after Chocolat and The Lollipop Shoes) and since I absolutely loved the first two I was really excited to come across this one in the book store on Friday! Can’t wait to read this one either.

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Where’d you go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

To Elgie Branch, a Microsoft wunderkind, she’s his talented, volatile, troubled wife. To fellow mothers at the school gate, she’s a menace. To design experts, she’s a legendary architect. But to 15-year-old Bee, she is quite simply Mum.

Then Bernadette disappears. And Bee’s search for her mother reveals an extraordinary woman trying to find her place in an absurd world.

My thoughts: I’ve only been blogging for about a month and a half now, but during that time I’ve already encountered several reviews of this novel, and those reviews were very positive. So when I was looking for a third book on Friday afternoon, and I saw this one on the bottom book shelf, I decided to take it with me and see if I would love it as much as everyone else seems to do.

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So, those were the three books I chose! It took quite some time (and quite some careful consideration) but I was feeling all happy and cheerful when I left the book store again, which was exactly my intention when I decided to treat myself.

I’m really excited to read these books, and although I probably won’t get around to reading all of them for a while … I’ve got something to look forward to!

Have you read any of these books? How did you like them? No spoilers, please! 🙂