November-December Book Haul: “Very Merry” Edition

Happy New Year All! I mean to get this book haul up a lot earlier, but better late than never right? This festive edition of a book haul comes from Christmas gifts, book sales, and gift cards received over the holiday season. I notice the older I get I become more picky about what books I’m buying. I just don’t have the space anymore.

In the meantime, I’ve been curbing my spending habits a bit and working on unhauling some novels I just don’t have an interest in anymore. I’m not sure if I’ll be doing a full-on book-buying ban in 2023, but I do plan on buying way less or focusing on finishing up a series I’ve already started to collect.

Now onto the book haul!

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Bought

All I Want for Christmas by Wendy Loggia – A sweet Christmas romance about a girl with one wish: to kiss someone under the mistletoe.

Talk Santa to Me by Linda Urban – A teen girl gets the perfect second try at a first kiss in this young adult romantic comedy. Seems like it will be a fun read!

Heartstopper Vol. 3 by Alice Oseman – Just trying to work on finishing collecting this series. One more book to go. This series is an LGBTQ+ drama about teen friendship and young romance. It’s very wholesome while also tackling some serious topics. I highly recommend it.

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 2 by Kamome Shirahama – The world-building in this fantasy story truly whisks the readers away to Coco’s world full of whimsy and wonder. Her energetic spirit will warm the reader’s hearts as she does her best to navigate her journey as a witch.

The Christmas Clash by Suzanne Park – An holiday rom-com, two rivals get together to save their families’ livelihoods and Christmas, too. This seems like a cute YA novel.

Flora’s Travelling Christmas Shop by Rebecca Raisin – It was a cover buy. But I always enjoy a good cozy Holiday Romance read. I’ve read Raisin’s works before and I’m looking forward to reading this for the next holiday season.

Chocolate Vol.7 by y Ji-Sang Shin, Geo – So close to completing this series for my manhwa collection! It’s a series about K-pop, fandoms, celebrities, and falling in love. An older but great series.

Crimson Hero Vol.1-11,14 by Mitsuba Takanashi- I have been looking to collect this series since it’s so hard to find. I hope they’ll do a reprint in the future. I splurged on these copies I found at Youmacon 2022. They were discounted and in pretty good condition. This Sports manga follows a teenage girl in the competitive world of high school volleyball. It’s one of my top favorite Sports manga!

Whiteout by Various Authors – A story anthology filled with six interconnected stories of young Black love during the Wintertime. I picked this up during Barnes & Noble’s 50% off sale. Putting my gift card to good use!

Cafe Kichijoji de Vol. 1 & 3 by Yuki Miyamoto – These were deeply discounted during a sale at RightStuf so I thought why not give this trilogy a read? The story five bishōnen and their rather unlucky manager as they go about their daily routine at their café. Now all that’s left is to hunt down Volume Two.

Chéri, My Destiny! by Okoge Mochino – I watch a lot of manga YouTubers and this book recommendation caught my eye. When I saw it on sale, I decided to finally purchase it. It’s a manga about a food war between a pastry chef and a Japanese confectionery.

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Gifted

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree – So much hype has been surrounding this novel, plus it just sounds like a book I would enjoy. I received this book as a Christmas gift from my friend Justine! I’ll probably read this very soon.

Crumbs by Danie Stirling – Another anticipated read on my TBR! This was also gifted to me by Justine. This looks like such a fun graphic novel and the story is themed around love, friendship, and magic.

How to Self Publish Your Book: A Complete Guide to Writing, Editing, Marketing & Selling Your Own Book by Jan Yager – As a person who is still trying to navigate through the world of being an author, this gift from my uncle was very appreciated. Hoping to find some nuggets of wisdom in this book.

You Should Sit Down for This: A Memoir by Tamera Mowry – I’m very picky about my celebrity memoirs, but growing up watching sisters Tia & Tamera meant a lot to me for on-screen representation in the 90s. So excited to dig into this memoir! This was also gifted to me from family.

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ARCs/Review Copies

The Aziza Chronicles: Awakening by Trevaughn Malik Roach-Carter – This novel is a thrill ride of a fantasy story from beginning to end. The novel follows Justice a teenage girl who learns she is part of a legacy of guardians and powerful beings. She opens her eyes to this new world as best as she can while trying to navigate her powers. (Review)

Lone Women by Victor Lavalle – Lone Women blends shimmering prose, an unforgettable cast of adventurers who find horror and sisterhood in a brutal landscape, and a portrait of early-twentieth-century America. (Review to come in February)

Zora Books Her Happy Ever After by Taj McCoy – A heart-pounding, curvy romance about an indie bookstore owner who finds herself in a love triangle when she meets the author she’s had a crush on for year and his best friend. (Review to come in March)

The Bookstore’s Secret by Makenna Lee – A sweet, friends-to-lovers romance, set in the small town of Oak Hollow, that will speak to the heart of a bibliophile. (Review to come soon)

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That concludes my November-December book haul! What books did you buy these past months? What books have you recently added to your TBR? Tell me in the comment section below.