If you've read my post here, you know that I've been trying to be patient and not go to the bookstore, because I have a 5$ off coupon for any purchases over 35$ in January. Since the coupon is actually online (here - Chapters/Indigo/Coles), I can basically just print and use it as many times as I want. Alas, the problem was there were no book to buy!! Well, well, well... problem was resolved last week!!
Basically, I stalked Chapters/Indigo online, checking for books on the online indicator. Some of the clerks must wonder how I always call the day where they just put out the books, LOL. Well the answer is easy, I check every single day... more than once ^_^; Anyway, it paid off last Wednesday because this book showed up:
and that meant, all the Mira and HQN books showed up as well!! Yay :) So in addition to Second Chance Pass by Robyn Carr, I got...
Kristan Higgins has become one of my auto-buy author, because I love her previous books... Fools Rush In and Just One of the Guys. Too bad she's only releasing one book a year. Sigh. Ransom My Heart, well that's because of Rowena and Katiebabs who loved it :) Between the Devil and Desire by Lorraine Heath and Fireside by Susan Wiggs, those two, I have to admit, were surprises to me. I somehow missed Between the Devil and Desire when it came out... and I had no idea about Fireside!! I bet that Fireside is considered fiction and not romance, so when I was making my list, it slipped past me. Anyway, I like both authors so that's why I picked it up :) As for the Maureen McKade... well, I needed 35$ (although at this point, I was way past LOL) and then, I want to read Mail Order Bride by this author... Only problem is can't find it at the bookstore, so I'll settle for another of her books... which turned out to be Where There's Fire. Also, you can never have enough romantic suspense... right? LOL :)
Then, I went to buy manga! Oh manga!! The series I follow in French are actually imported by France... So here, in Montreal, I'm always one to two months behind the release dates in France... which is okay. The only thing is when Christmas or summer vacations come, then, for some reasons, the shipping is late... So basically, I haven't bought any mangas since... November!! and that's an extremely long time. Anyway, long story short, I got my hands on:
- Hanakimi, vol 23... This was the final volume and I was able to buy the deluxe version!! It basically comes with a different cover than original, a magnet and notepad!! Cool LOL :) This is a shoujo manga about a Japanese girl from California who admires an athlete boy in Japan. In order to get to know the boy, she passes herself as a boy and enters the same boarding school as him. Very cute story, was hugely popular in Japan :)
- Full Metal Alchemist, vol 19... This is one great series!! If you have a chance to read it, go for it. The manga version is much better than the anime. Basically the story of two brothers, Edward and Alphonse who taught themselves alchemy from the books their father left behind. When their mother died, Ed and Al tried to bring her back using alchemy - which is forbidden. As a result, Al's body disappeared... Luckily, Ed was able to attach Al's soul to an armor; however, he paid a heavy price - a leg and an arm. Both brothers are now looking for the philosopher's stone in the hope they'll be able to get back their bodies... However, something much bigger is going on. Really good series!
- One Piece, vol 46... Yep, volume 46 and it doesn't look like it'll end soon. Doesn't matter though, because this is another awesome series :) Story is basically about pirates and their adventures... Volume 46 starts a new story arc which isn't the greatest... but as a whole, I just love this series :) Lots of series go through ups and downs, so far, One Piece had a lot more ups... and the story arcs are damn good and clever!
- Yakitate Japan! vol 19... This series is just hilarious. It's about a boy, Azuma, who becomes a baker and dreams to make a bread that will represents Japan. Seriously, it sounds boring... but manga can make any subjects sound interesting. Love this series, but I have to admit that the first 2 story arcs were much better.
- Samurai Deeper Kyo artbook. This is a series I finished a while back... now, they are releasing the artbook. Have to admit, I'm really glad they are releasing the artbook, even though it's a bit pricey... I mean, have you seen the art (the image on the right is from Samurai Deeper Kyo)? How can you not want it? Especially when you have 38 volumes of the series? LOL :)
You'd think that would be enough in a week... or at least a night? Right? Well nope... because there was another book that I wanted available... Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong. Yep, this one turned out quite early last week (Monday or Tuesday)... Thing is, I needed 35$ to use the 5$ coupon... and the book is a hardcover. Now, if I ordered it online, I would have saved a bit more money... but I would need to find other books so my order would total more than 39$ to get the free shipping... Plus, I'd have to wait till January 27 at least so it wouldn't be considered a pre-order and I wouldn't have to pay the extra shipping fee of 5.99$... See my dilemma here? Order online, save a bit of money but have to wait... or buy it at the bookstore and save less, but instant gratification... I'll let you guess what I chose, LOL :)To make 35$, in addition of Men of the Otherworld, I got Witch Heart by Anya Bast.
Seriously, there's no bigger thrill in my life at the moment than to get my hands on books before their release date... it sounds pathetic, but that's how it is... Sooooo... on Friday, when I checked for Kill for Me by Karen Rose and realized that the bookstore had received 4 copies... I couldn't resist and went on a hunt LOL :) I have to admit, Kill For Me was a bit more tricky to find... Unlike Men of the Otherworld, I showed up at the bookstore on the exact same day it showed on the online indicator... and the bookstore which received it is not one known to be fast to unpack... so after checking the shelves (as if it would be there) and all the carts... there were only two boxes left. Quick peek... it's not in the first one... Look around for any clerk, none in view. Quickly moved the box and look into the second one... and YES!! There it was, Kill For Me! LOL.
What I got in addition to make it 35$?
I blame The Solomon Sisters Wise Up by Melissa Senate on Rowena again, LOL :) But then, for 5$, it's a bargain :) Falling In Love by Pauline Trent was a bit of an impulse buying. Never read her book, but again, it was cheap... 5$ too. The Briar King, well I was looking for a new fantasy to read and it seemed to fit the bill... finally, Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, well that was for my sis. She saw the movie on Thursday night and was curious about the story.
So that's all the books I bought... now, I just have to read them :) I've already finished Men of the Otherworld... I'm half-way through Second Chance Pass... and I finished my re-read book :) So all is going well :)
Now, I'm on the look out for Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs... or perhaps I should order online?
