As I mentioned my local independent bookstore is closing, so I’ve been stocking up on books.  They’re having a big sale so I decided to go to the city yesterday and snap some books up while there’s still a bit of selection.  Here’s what I bought:

• The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
• The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn
• The Secret Eleanor by Cecelia Holland
• Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
• Penelope’s Daughter by Laurel Corona
• Alchemy by Maureen Duffy
• The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau
• Mordred’s Curse by Ian McDowell

Out of all these awesome books I bought the other day, I think the one I’m most excited about is The Demon King.  I’ve seen it and the other books in the Seven Realms series all around the blogosphere so I figured I’d pick it up.  The premise is certainly intriguing and the excerpt I read sounded good, so why not?

Most of the other books I’m not very excited to read, but I’m looking forward to The Serpent and the Pearl as well as The Secret Eleanor.  Both are historical fiction and although I’ve never read either author before the blurbs sounded good.  I’ve read only one book about Eleanor of Aquitaine and that was a couple years ago, so it will be nice to get a little more detail about her life.  And while I’ve read books about the Borgias, seeing their world through the eyes of an outsider will offer a little more perspective.

When I picked up Red Riding Hood I had no idea it was the companion novel to the movie.  I’ve never even watched the movie, so we’ll see how things go.  Mordred’s Curse sounds interesting because I’ve always felt there was a little more to Mordred’s story than we get in the traditional Arthurian legend.  Penelope’s Daughter was a no-brainer for me because I do love Greek mythology and Xanthe is a character I’ve never really encountered before.  Alchemy was more of an impulse buy because I thought it had the potential to be good and in all honesty I just bought The Crown because it featured a nun.  That’s definitely not the traditional heroine of a story.

So, do you see anything you like?  Have you read any of these books?