Friday Friyay: 'The Starless Sea' by Erin Morgenstern

I survived this week, which I wasn't entirely sure would happen until roughly 3pm yesterday! It was a lot, but thankfully my weekend started this morning so I plan on spending all of today reading for fun, and then getting back to university work and prep on Saturday and Sunday. I also managed to post two reviews this week for Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses and Heroes Handbook by Liv Albert and Because They Wanted To by Mary Gaitskill. The book I finally want to start reading tomorrow (I couldn't help myself and started yesterday) is The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues—a bee, a key, and a sword—that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth. 

What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians—it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also of those who are intent on its destruction. 

Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose—in both the mysterious book and in his own life.

Book Beginnings is at home on Rose City Reader, hosted by Gilion Dumas, and Friday 56 at Freda's Voice, hosted by Freda. I'll also be joining the Book Blog Hop, hosted by Charlie over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

BB:

'There is a pirate in the basement.' p.1

Omg, can I just start reading now (time of writing: Thursday evening)? I think this is probably be the shortest BB I have ever posted but I am completely and utterly on board with it! 

F56:

'Zachary Ezra Rawlins sits on a train bound for Manhattan, staring out the window at the frozen tundra of New England, and begins, not for the first time today, to question his life choices.' p.56

In my copy this is the start of a new chapter so it felt perfect for sharing. I'm honestly not too surprised that having a pirate in your basement might require some reconsidering of choices made, but then I can't be entirely sure it was Zachary who had the pirate in his basement.... I can't wait to start reading!

Book Blogger Hop:

This week's question was suggested by Nicco from Sunny Buzzy Books:

Do you have a monthly/yearly budget for books? Or are you a "what's a book budget?" kind of reader?

Honestly, I'm not a budget person in general which explains a lot about me. Part of the reason is that I'm very good at talking myself out of self-imposed restrictions, especially when books are involved. I do have a general limit on how much I'm willing to spend on a single book, which has occasionally saved me from making unwise purchases. My only saving grace is that I know myself and roughly know my bank balance at any given time, so that I know when to keep walking  and when I can afford to lose a few hours and Euros in a bookstore. 

I'm a big impulse shopper when I'm actually in a bookstore, like a magpie with a fondness for everything. This is especially the case when I'm in a second-hand bookstore. When I buy books online, which I try not to do too much, I am much more picky because I usually have something in mind already, and then I will actually consider the price more.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!