Hey everyone, and welcome back to the blog! Today, I’m here to talk about the books I’m donating to one of my local charity shops. Once again, I employed the Marie Kondo method, and these books do not spark joy. So without further ado, let’s begin.
The first book I’m unhauling is Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean, which is a YA fantasy that I read in January of this year. This follows Mari, a Japanese yōkai, who hides her demonic secret as she enters a competition to become the next empress of Honoku. If she survives the enchanted rooms, she can marry the prince and steal his treasure… Whilst I did enjoy it when I originally read this, I didn’t love it. I felt the ending was really disappointing and when I look back at it, I see a lot of tropes that didn’t work for me. I hope someone else will enjoy Mari’s world and fall into the world of Japanese mythology.
The next book on this unhaul is Danse Macabre by Stephen King, which is a non-fiction memoir. This includes information and observations about writing horror media. This was originally bought for 20p from a charity shop anyway, but is in a weird condition and smells funny. I’ve never really liked this edition or the cover, and I hope it will be accepted!
Next, I’m unhauling Nightmares and Dreamscapes and Skeleton Crew, both by Stephen King, which are collections of horror short stories. Yet again, these were both 20p from a charity shop, and again are in weird conditions with strange smells. Yet again, I hope the charity shop accepts them!
The next book in this unhaul is A Deadly Snow Fall by Cynthia Gallant-Simpson. This is the first book in the Provincetown Mystery series. This follows innkeeper Liz as she sets out to uncover the mysteries left behind by a spring snowstorm. I won this in a competition on social media in 2015, and I’ve never really been interested in this, so I hope someone else will be.
Next I’m unhauling Making History by Stephen Fry. This is a comedy science-fiction novel that follows a student and a physicist who are brought together to change history – for good or for bad. This book was found on a charity table by my mum, and after I read the first chapter, I realised that it’s sadly just not for me. Fingers crossed someone else will enjoy it though!
The first series I’m donating is the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, which is a children’s/YA fantasy series. This compromises of The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem’s Eye and Ptolemy’s Gate. This follows apprentice magician Nathaniel who summons djinni, Bartimaeus, and their adventures through an alternate London. This is a series I once loved, but it doesn’t spark joy for me anymore, and I hope someone else will enjoy the wit and adventure like I once did.
And the final series I’m donating is the first four books in The Wardstone Chronicles by Joseph Delaney, which is a children’s/YA fantasy series. This compromises of The Spook’s Apprentice, The Spook’s Curse, The Spook’s Secret and The Spook’s Battle. This follows Tom as he becomes an apprentice spook, to fight off the supernatural evil in fictional Lancashire, England. This is a huge series, and although I’ve had these first four, I’ve only read the first two. This was a great series growing up, and I hope someone else will enjoy it.
So that completes my sixth unhaul! Let me know what book/books you have unhauled lately, and if you have any recommendations for me to read, please feel free to let me know!
– ReadWriteZoe.
ReadWriteZoe 
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