Bookfest Haul!

There is a glorious thing here in Brisbane called Bookfest. It happens twice a year–January and June. A huge conference hall is filled to the brim with secondhand books. I’m talking thousands of books. Tens of thousands. The hall is split into three sections–$1, $2.50, and high quality (price as marked–generally between $4 and $8)–and within those sections, long tables are split into various genres with the books piled.high.

As people paw through, it can get hard to sort through the books yourself, particularly in the children’s section where picture books are thrown on top of children’s chapter books. It takes a while to sort through, and time seems to go faster there. We left the house before 4:00 and got home just after 7:00. I don’t know what happened.

I tend to have the most luck in the “high quality” book section, where there are typically more YA books (you know me), but the $1 section caught my attention this time around because it seemed like my childhood had flown over and rained down upon it. I’m talking Babysitter Club, Pony Pals, Sleepover Friends, Boxcar Children, Jewel Princesses–I was in nostalgic heaven. (Particularly because my mom’s informed me that she’s selling my childhood. Woe.)

Alas, I didn’t get any of those, much as I wanted to. Just didn’t make sense at this point in my life, but I was so tempted. Please tell me someone out there remembers the Jewel Princess books and the super-awesome-had-to-have-it jewel necklaces that came with them!

Anyway, I came away with nine books–four for Cal, and five for me.

Cal’s Books:
Caddoran by Roger Taylor
Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley
The Lady of Sorrows by Cecilia Dart-Thornton
The Battle of Evernight by Cecilia Dart-Thornton

My books:
The Highwayman’s Footsteps by Nicola Morgan
Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier
The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
Dragonlinks by Paul Collins

I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t yet read Fire and Hemlock when Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite authors. Just wait–I’ll have reviews up soon!