Incredibly Cheap Book Haul: 10 books for $10.53

I was traveling through Salem, Virginia when I spied a used bookstore and forced my brother to stop. Little did we know that they were having a Trick or Read deal for Halloween. The deal was that you could fill one of their retail bags with as many books under $4 that could fit and get the whole bag for only $10 (Plus tax, so I got mine for $10.53). 

I spent an hour and a half browsing while my brother shifted from foot to foot, asking intermittently, “Are you done yet?” Although kudos to him; he was very patient with me considering. I stuffed my bag to the brim and ended up with 10 books for the price of one paperback.

To say that I was thrilled is a gross understatement and I bragged about my thrifting genius to anyone who would listen. 

I bought…

two books that I had been eyeing for a while: The Poisonwood Bible and The Shadow of the Wind.

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is a historical fiction novel about a Christian family going on a mission trip to the Congo during the 1950’s. It is told through the perspective of the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, who is fiercely faithful.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is also historical fiction about Daniel who falls in love with a book and wants to find more works by the author. However, he soon discovers that someone has been destroying nearly every book by that author. He finds himself caught up in one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets.

three hugely popular books that I’m shocked I’ve never read: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Kite Runner, and The Girl on the Train.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson is about a journalist and his punk prodigy trying to find out what happened to Harriet Vanger who disappeared forty years ago.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is about an uncommon friendship between a wealthy boy and a servant that forms in the midst of Afghanistan’s political upheaval.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is a psychological suspense that follows a regular customer on a train who one day sees something shocking. 

Chocolat by Joanne Harris, which I didn’t even know was a novel. I had seen the movie cover everywhere (which I haven’t seen either), but had no idea it was a book as well. The novel follows Vianne, a chocolate shop owner who wreaks havoc on a town with strict values. As a chocolate addict, I’m really looking forward to reading this.

two books that I have never heard before but was attracted to the titles: The Memories We Keep and The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

The Memories We Keep by Walter Zacharius is a WW2 novel, a love story, and a tale of dangerous family secrets.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera follows two couples during the Soviet occupation of Prague as they try to make sense of their convoluted love lives.

and two bag fillers because why not: The Pirate Bride and A Purely Private Matter.

I mainly picked up The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo because I’m a sucker for pirates. Apparently it is the second book in a series, but it can stand on its own. It’s about a former private and the daughter of an infamous pirate coming together to find lost treasure.

A Purely Private Matter by Darcie Wilde is also the second book in a series. According to a review on Goodreads, these books are also standalone mysteries, but would be better read in order because of a few plot threads. Oh well! The series is inspired by Jane Austen novels and follows a woman who helps other women out of less-than-respectable situations.

If you are ever in Salem, VA, I strongly recommend checking out this used bookstore. It’s called Wonderous Books & More.