I knew this was going to happen….
Though I still had a gift card from Christmas, for a while I avoided the current big blowout sale at Barnes & Noble. I had a list of books I wanted to buy that were not in the sale. Except said sale had other titles I also really wanted….
In short, I cracked. And this won’t be the last part of my birthday book haul, either.
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

I do not think I’m alone in saying I loved Big Mav from The Hate U Give, and was super excited to learn he was getting a prequel novel.
The Damned by Renee Ahdieh
Tales from the Hinterland by Melissa Albert


These next two books are sequels/companions to series, one I have begun and the other I have not. Tales from the Hinterland is the book of fairy tales that inspired the events of The Hazel Wood. The Damned is the sequel to The Beautiful, a vampire romance series I hope to start at some point this year.
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin


I’ve wanted so badly to read Serpent & Dove and its sequel Blood & Honey. Besides witches, one of my absolute favorite supernaturals, it’s set in historical France and has a hate-to-love romance between a witch and a witch hunter that are forced to get married. I know these books have received some mixed reviews, yet I can’t deny the excitement I feel.
The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

I love adult literary fiction and they had some great selections in the Barnes & Noble sale. I managed to narrow it down to these four as ones I absolutely had to own. Two of these, Valentine and The Last Story of Mina Lee, were previous Book of the Month selections I was interested in. The Exiles is a historical fiction on England sending unwanted individuals to their colony in Australia. Lastly, Florence Adler Swims Forever is a family drama set during World War II that I had high on my radar.
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

Most Likely by Sarah Watson

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige

Traitor by Amanda McCrina

Smash It! By Francina Simone

More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood

Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy

I don’t think my love for young adult literature is going to change any time soon. These titles in particular are what made me blow money on the sale. Especially, The Black Flamingo and Punching the Air, two coming-of-age stories told in verse, and Faith: Taking Flight, which is about a plus-size superhero.
Today Tonight Tomorrow, More Than Just Like a Pretty Face, and Loveboat, Taipei sound like adorable YA romances that will do a good job distracting me until I find a job. I Killed Zoe Spanos, Traitor, and The Ravens sound like thrilling, entertaining YA mysteries and fantasies I will fly through. Lastly, Most Likely and Smash It sound like the empowering young adult novels I wish I had when I was younger.
What is your favorite thing to do for yourself on your birthday?