2 new-to-me books for under $5!

While I was out and about with my daughter, we stopped at the local library and then at our local bookstore. I know, wasn't I just there last week? My purpose was to be sure that there was not an unabridged version available of The Count of Monte Cristo (which I was certain there probably wasn't, I would have noticed that beast of a book beside the tiny one I purchased). I was right, there was not one available. While I was there though, I did let my daughters each pick out 2 books, and I myself picked out 2 books. Don't start thinking I am too crazy, as I only spent $13 on the 6 books. I made sure we all only purchased used books, and I also brought a stack of old books we no longer wanted to sell to the bookstore. We received $20 in store credit that can be used to pay for up to half the price of any used books. So my 2 books came to the whopping total of $4.37. Here are the new books I got and why:

The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks, this specific edition. I absolutely love Star Wars The Phantom Menace, also by Terry Brooks, a large part of that is because of his writing. I love the Star Wars prequel trilogy to begin with, and his writing in The Phantom Menace made me love it even more. He is one of the only present day writers that I think writes really beautifully (him and Cornelia Funke). I was always disinterested in all the other books Terry Brooks writes, but decided today that I really wanted to give one a try. If I end up liking the fantasy world so many of his novels revolve around, it will open up a lot of books for me that I am bound to love. I spent only $1.87 on this novel!

Dracula by Bram Stoker, this specific edition. The back cover of this book is a little beat up, but I am trying to remind myself that I don't need to have the most perfect books to give them a try. I once read a wonderful novel that was a retelling of Dracula from the point of view of Mina, and loved it. Since then I've wanted to read the original. My first go, I was really unimpressed and couldn't finish it, as I despised novels written in journal form. Recently, however, I have enjoyed biographical journals and letters, so I thought I would give this novel another go and see if I think differently now. If I end up loving it, I will most definitely be getting myself a better copy, but for now this beat up copy for only $2.50 will do!