Yesterday it was our local Guide Dogs For The Blind paperback book sale which is a charity which I support by going to each of their bi-annual events. This year was no different so off we went to St Ouens (pronounced Wans) Parish Hall to see what we could find.
Not forgetting that I made a pledge not so very long ago to reduce those books I own on my TBR to a more manageable level, (actually this post was done less than a month ago), I only took one bag and was really there to browse and maybe pick up one or two books…. it didn’t work, I started off well but it soon descended into chaos as I picked the below stash…
Out of these The Chemistry of Death has been on my wishlist since I read the powerful Stone Bruises by Simon Beckett as has The Stranger House a standalone novel by the wonderful late Reginald Hill and then added another of his books, Pictures of Perfection which is part of the Dalziel and Pascoe series.
Another great find was The Missing One by Lucy Atkins, a story about secrets, which has also been on my wishlist since its release in January this year and the intriguing The Darkening Hour by Penny Hancock, a psychological story that has viewpoints from a Moroccan maid Mona, and her employer Dora.
Then I picked up some classics, these are both favourite books which I have read and loved but lost during the twists and turns of life as well as a couple of new reads for me including a couple of new Graham Greene books after loving The End Of The Affair earlier this year.
Rounded off with a cup of tea at a café by the sea I went home before lunch-time with my bag overflowing. What out of my haul, if any, would you recommend I read?
Cleopatra Loves Books 
Very nice haul! “The Darkening Hour” sounds intriguing and thus gets my vote. Enjoy! 🙂
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Thank you Sandra, it has been on my list for a while 🙂
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Fantastic haul! (And proof that you’re sooo much worse than me!) I’d read 1984, the two Reginald Hill’s and Hickory Dickory Dock first… (I always thought it was pronounced St Owens – see how educational your blog is?)
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Yes, it didn’t go as planned, even worse I have asked to borrow at least two of my friends finds. The Agatha Christie is going near the top of the pile as The Mousetrap is coming to Jersey at the end of July and I haven’t read any of hers for years. I’m really pleased with the Reginald Hill, guaranteed to be a good read. Glad to help out, one of the many names in Jersey that has an odd pronunciation.
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You successfully ignored your best intentions and gathered a bunch of great books, Cleo.
As I am convinced that you are going to read all of these books anyway, I tell you what I used to do when bringing home more than one book: I sorted them by the author’s family name. If there were two different authors with the same family name – I logically sorted by first name as well.
Nowadays, I try to switch genres from one book to the next.
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I started well by ignoring books I liked the look at but it soon crumbled (and all this, plus one for my son and some children’s books for £13) but as I have nowhere to put the books I now need to buy a new bookshelf! I’m going to start with the Agatha Christie I think, and then The Talented Mr Ripley.
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Don’t we all love book sales! 😀
Have I alread told you that we need to switch rooms, due to the increasing number of books? New bookshelves are also due.
After The Talented Mr Ripley, I recommend to read Graham Greene.
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I loved your post Cleo. I’m trying to avoid bargain book places, but no matter where I go, I find some very fine reads. I’m reading the Savage Surrogate. I told myself, this would be the sort of book you’d read. I’ll be reviewing by mid-week.
Hope your weather is better and you’re enjoying spring.
Best regards,
Eileen
Sent from Windows Mail
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I will look out for your review later in the week, the title alone does look like something I’d read. I go every year with a friend and we’re like kids comparing what we’ve found! The weather is lovely now that spring has sprung.
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You came away with quite a number of good reads I think. And all for a good cause. I am sure you will get many hours of pleasure reading them 🙂
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Yes I think over the years I’ve been going to these bi-annual sales I’ve added quite a bit to the charity’s coffers… Thank you!
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🙂
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I can never pass up Nora Roberts when I want to just enjoy reading. Always easy. Sometimes you just need smut with HEA ending
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I have never read a book by Nora Roberts and having seen many reviews while blogging had gone to the sale with the purpose of finding one to try and had several to choose from (note my fantastic self-restraint, I only picked one!)
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Enjoy – what a collection!! Glad to see there are other book addicts out there.
‘The Darkening Hour’ – builds great tension and is a real page turner until 3/4 point. I thought the ending was a bit of a let down.
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Thanks for the warning, I haven’t wanted to read this for some time… it’s a bit rubbish when the ending is a let down though.
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The only one of those I’ve read is A Little Fate.
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It is my first one by this author and I was sure I’d find one at the book sale… guess what there were lots to choose from (so if I like it I can get more next time)
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What a great way to spend a morning!
I’ve read and liked “The Talented Mr Ripley”, and “Hickory Dickory Dock” is one of my favorite Agatha Christie books. And of course, “Catcher In The Rye” is wonderful.
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I loved it! I think I’m going to place The Talented Mr Ripley at the top although the Agatha Christie won’t be far behind as I haven’t read one of her books for years… there were lots to choose from too.
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I picked up 5 books at a yard sale this weekend–all thrillers by Vince Flynn. Now I’m not a thriller reader….that’s the sad thing. But, they were in pristine condition and they were only 5 for $2. You just cant beat that. I think I need to branch out into another genre, don’t you?
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Reading different genres is good but we all know what we like. My passion is psychological thrillers as I love working out what a character is going to do.
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Oh lovely! A library nearby is having a sale this weekend; I want to try and go even though I KNOW I don’t need any more books. I would love to find some Agatha Christie books since I want to read more by her.
Lauren from http://www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com
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I haven’t read any for years and was on the look out for one… there was a copy of ‘Then There Were None’ under its original title but I couldn’t bring myself to buy it despite it being one of my favourites.
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Oh, goodness, you are worse than me! Although, admittedly, a library sale, with its low prices, is perhaps more tempting than a book fair. I went to the Geneva Book Fair this Sunday and was really pleased with myself that I only bought 3 books (OK, and then ordered a couple more once I got home, as the Swiss book prices are a bit prohibitive).
Excellent choices, hard to know which to recommend. Except that ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ is probably one of my all-time favourites.
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The Talented Mr Ripley is definitely near the top of my list. I bought all of these and a couple that I have given to others for £13 which didn’t help my addiction, I can’t resist a bargain… I now need to buy the new bookshelf though 😉
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I don’t know whether I’m shaking my head or laughing! It just feels so typical! I want to read Simon Beckett, so he’d be top of my list, but with a haul like that…
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I know but I did justify each purchase and even put one back! 😉 I now need to invent a serious amount of time to read them all!
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Wow, you found some terrific books at the sale!
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Thank you, I was very pleased with my finds – the partner less so as apparently I have enough books, pah 😉
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Book sales are really very, very dangerous. I am sure all those books didn’t fit in that one bag you took with you 🙂
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No… not quite, part of the problem was going with my friend who I’m sure ‘found’ me books just to test me! They do look lovely though 😉
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Oh Cleopatra, you have so many I would say ‘Start This one Now!!!’ Orwell, Salinger, the Greenes (of course) The Collins – and a little more up to date, the Highsmith.
Go for The Talented Mr Ripley as its a shortish read, and quite disturbing because he is an unpleasant man who is alarmingly charming. Highsmith hooks the reader into very ambivalent territory. Well, she got me remarkably uncomfortably ambivalent about Tom Ripley! and best of all, if you like it, there are several more Ripleys to discover at other book sales!
All I can say is thank heavens you didn’t take a second bag! (though taking a friend in lieu of a second bag was as dangerous a manoeuvre
Though I could see that however weak your resolve was with the books you are a woman of stirling firmness of purpose regarding refreshments……there was no mention of ‘an cake’, just a refreshing cup of tea (unless you just felt too ashamed to tell us that you had not 1, not 2, but THREE pieces of cake
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Oh Lady Fancifull, thank you for your thoughts. I last read 1984 many years ago but I’m longing to read it again, but I did look at the thickness and decided The Talented Mr Ripley has to be the first read.
The friend was definitely a bad move but we always go together and she gets worse! Since I had been told not to bring more books into the house until the pile to read had gone down we did consider her posting them through the letterbox one by one 😉
I was good on the cake front and we just had beverages so although I’m hugely weak where books are concerned I can resist some temptations 😉
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What a great haul..enjoy!
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Fabulous! Our semi-annual library sales are my favorite events of the year… but yes, very, very dangerous! Looks like you scored — enjoy!
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Thanks, I now have enough to protect me from any book drought that may sneak up on me unexpectedly 😉
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Yes, it definitely is dangerous 🙂
Enjoy reading your books!
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Oh, so dangerous an endeavor but what fun! You are worse than me. I always go with the intent to browse and don’t even bring a bag. Wouldn’t you know it, the fine people at the book sale always have extra bags that they are only too happy to give to me. So I end up with a book or two or three. 🙂
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😆 I’ve been without bags before, it never works and in my defence I could have chosen many more;-)
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My aunt started me on book sales when I was just a wee pup, and I’ve been addicted ever since. Sounds like you took home quite a haul. There is just so much out there to read, I sometimes (well, daily) get overwhelmed.
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It was more than I expected although I have gone to this particularly fundraiser for years but there were lots that ‘found me’
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