As planned, I headed over to one of the large chain book store locations last night to pick up my much awaited and anticipated copies of Cellist of Sarajevo and Geography of Bliss. Seeing as how I had a total of $75 in gift vouchers, I was confident I would be able to pick up some others as well.
I wandered around the store looking for deals, and finally after much deliberation decided on The Jane Austen Book Club (Karen Joy Fowler), The Last Wife of Henry VIII (Carolly Erickson), The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Kidd) and for that all important fluff factor, Remember Me? (Sophie Kinsella).
Arms laden, I went over to the checkout counter where the charming young man rang in the books, beamed at me and said, "That will be $132.65 Miss."
I nearly had a coronary! Even with the gift vouchers, that was a difference of almost $60 that I just couldn't afford. So, I had to choose carefully from the list and I finally came away with the original 2 + these ones below.
As I left the store with only half of the books that I thought I'd be able to purchase, it was a good reminder to me why I stopped shopping at the Evil Empire of Chapters in the first place and switched over the way more customer friendly BMV (Books, Music, Video) and ABC Books stores where I could have gotten a whole pile up of books for $75 and perhaps even a second hand freebie thrown in as well. 
6 comments:
I liked Jane Austen Book club and was wondering what happened to the movie version? did it release already?
I hear ya kiddo! There is something about the mega book palaces though, isn't there? Something intriguing, lovely to browse in, but it's all so 'new'. The thing I like about the BMVs is the books have something additional with them...they have the lifes of all the people who have held the books, read them and loved them...so much more than the megas could ever give and for a fraction of the price.
Now, having said that...have you heard about the huge new mega coming to the Don Mills plaza in April?
Penguin Pal
Let me know how the Wife of Henry VII is... I need to feed my Tudor obsession.
6 books for $132?!?! You buy the whole store at ABC for that!! I'm sorry for forcing you to shop at 'the enemy' by giving you a gift card. Unfortunately ABC doesn't do gift cards. Oh well, books is books, whether they're all new-y or loved-y, it's all good.
Stop by ABC some time on a Monday or Tuesday evening and feed your habit.. I mean, say HI! ;)
The Book Pimp
Hey!I saw the movie this weekend and I liked it as much as I liked the book - of course there was a 4 yrs gap between the 2 which might help but still....
@PP: My goodness, you got all poetic there talking about the "lifes of all the people who have held the books, read them and loved them..." BINGO! And unlike a new car smell, a new book smell isn't pleasurable at all.
@the Bride: Not high on my recommendation list. Instead, try The Constant Princess (Phillipa Gregory) and The Queen's Own Fool (Jane Yolen & Robert Harris). The former is about La Infanta, Catherine of Aragon and the latter about Mary Queen of Scots.
PS: welcome to the blog!
@Da Pimp:I've been staying away from the stores only because there's no such thing as "just a look" when it comes to me and books! Am horribly broke right now, and the only reason I bought these was thanks to the birthday vouchers.
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