#120 For the love of libraries (and a free! haul)

I'm forever adding new books to my TBR whilst my pile (okay multiples piles and a shelf) of unread books stays just that - unread! I find it hard to leave Waterstones empty-handed is a book buyers version of alcoholics anonymous? Now, this is where the library is a godsend I can come home with a tote bag full of books and all I've had to spend is a quid for the bus home!

I'm lucky enough to have two main libraries -one decently sized and a much larger one close by so why did I stop using the library? Whatever the reason I've fully fallen back in love, they're such wonderful places that we really do take for granted! 



Strings Attached, Judy Blundell
The tale of a sixteen-year-old girl caught in a mix of love, mystery, Broadway glamour, and Mob retribution in 1950 New York.

I'm very excited to read this, the only other book set in 1950s New York that I've read is Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín and the other historical YA fiction has been excellent so I'm excited to dive in at some point!

Counting Stars, Keris Stainton
Six 'friends', one flat, big dreams... what could go wrong?

I've finished this book last night and let me tell you it's fantastic! I'd actually been on the hunt for this book in both Waterstones and WH Smiths and eventually, I stumbled upon it in the library and I picked it up straight away! Although it seems at first that it's just going to Anna's story we see the perspective of each character, which Keris has done so effortlessly!

hi is it spring yet I'm really not
a fan of this terrible lighting
that not even editing can save

Here We Are Now, Jasmine Warga
Taliah embarks on a three-day journey to find out everything about her 'father' and her family.

I read this last week and I really enjoyed it, although set across just a few days it still had a good pace and didn't feel rushed at all! I loved how it explored grief and family and guilt and it was such a lovely story!

Paper Aeroplanes, Dawn O'Porter

An unforgettable snapshot of small-town adolescence and the heart-stopping power of female friendship.
I saw people talking about this online a while ago and I've kinda been looking for it on and off ever since so when I spotted it I thought I'd give it a go, it seems like it's gonna have those Sara Barnard/Non Pratt vibes.

The Monstrous Child, Francesca Simon
A stunning, operatic, epic drama, like no other. Meet Hel, an ordinary teenager - and goddess of the Underworld.
This is pretty different to my usual reading habits but it just sounds so intriguing! But according to Goodreads, this is the third book in a trilogy so I think I'm going to have to hunt down the first two books first!

Let me know if you read any of these books and go check out you're local library and let me know if you find any gems!

“She sounds like someone who spends a lot of time in libraries, which are the best sorts of people.” 
― Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making