Happy November!!! I can’t believe that we are two months away from it being 2020! This year has flown by so quickly, it’s insane. Anyways, before I go writing on about how crazy time goes by, ever since I posted my reading list for the rest of the year, I’ve been reading more avidly lately. I’ve been reading so much that after I finish Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I only have 3 more books to read to complete my 15 book goal! Reading has really become my escape these days and I’ve already been creating a list of books I want to read for the new year!
I forgot how much fun it is to wander around in bookstores, traveling from story to story to see what really sparks your interests. Although going to stores like Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble are fun, I’ve been loving going to second hand bookstores. I’ve gone to two here recently where I got 7 books combined for a total of almost $30! The most expensive book I think I got was for $6, which to me is a total steal. I’m so excited to start reading these books I picked up! So today, I thought I’d share with you what I got for not that much money!!
1. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
I think the last Charles Dickens book I read was Oliver Twist way back in 7th or 8thgrade, so I thought it was about time that I read some more of Dickens’ classic works. My brother and I are planning on reading this book together in the new year and I can’t wait to dive into this story!
2. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I’ve always wanted to read more of Fitzgerald ever since reading The Great Gatsby years ago, and I picked up this really cool copy of This Side of Paradise that I’m excited to read. I don’t really know much about it, but I feel like this is also one of his well known books.
3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre has always been a book I’ve been interested in reading because the summary is very ominous and I want to know what dark secrets there are involved! I wasn’t originally going to pick this book up, but it was like $4 and it was a deal I couldn’t beat.
4. Emma by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice was on my reading list this year, and it was a book that I absolutely loved reading. Even though I’ve seen the movie so many times, I couldn’t put the book down! After finishing that book I knew I wanted to buy more of Austen’s work to read in the future, so when I saw Emma in the store it was a must have. I really hope to grow my Jane Austen collection even more in the future!
5. Night by Elie Wiesel
This book has always been on my list to read, but I never really got the chance to read it and I didn’t have a copy. This copy I picked up has a really unique cover that I’d never seen anywhere else before, and you couldn’t beat the price of $1.95. Although it’s devastating and heartbreaking reading about concentration camps, I feel like it’s an important book to read so that we may never forget about this tragic time in history and the millions of people who suffered.
6. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
I feel like I’ve read this book a long time ago, but honestly I can’t remember. Even if I hadn’t read it, I thought it’d be another great one to add to my collection that wasn’t crazy expensive and still in great condition!
7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
All I had to do was read London and Paris in the summary and I was already placing this book in my pile to buy. London is one of my favorite places I’ve ever had the chance to go to in the world, and I love a good historical novel!
8. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This last book I actually didn’t get from a bookstore since it was gifted to me by my brother. He LOVED this book and really wanted me to read it so he bought a copy for me! I think as soon as I finish off the three books I have remaining for this year I’ll immediately start this one because we have similar tastes in everything and if he loved it, then I know I will too! If you’re reading this bro, thank you again you da best! 🙂
As you can probably tell, a majority of these books are classics. It’s a goal of mine to grow my classic collection, as well as to read more classic works of literature. Although I love reading and have read a decent amount of books from some of these classic authors listed above, I feel like I haven’t read enough! There’s just something about being transported back in time to a different decade that I can’t get enough of. Maybe it’s the history lover in me, but I’ve always enjoyed reading about older times in history.
I thought I’d mention exactly where I got these used books in case you’re in the area and are interested in exploring! The first three books on this list I actually got from a local store called Second Read Books that is in downtown Decatur, Alabama, and I couldn’t recommend going there more. It’s a perfect little shop to spend time wandering, and the condition of the books I got there are a little worn, but you can tell they were well loved and appreciated and are still in great condition.
Books 3-7 on my list I got from a chain store called 2nd & Charles. They have numerous collections of books, movies and music, and time seems to pass so quickly while you are in there. I think I could spend a whole day in there and never get bored!
And that is the end of this post and I hope you enjoyed this book haul! I highly recommend finding some second hand bookstores to check out if you ever want to pass some time. To me, it’s a perfect activity to do when it’s chilly outside besides reading itself! Thank you for stopping by to read this post today, I hope you have a great one! <3