Last week, I spent an amazing week in Palm Springs with my boyfriend. We spent our days lounging by the pool, watching Love Island (I’m kind of OBSESSED now), and eating the absolute best food. Visiting downtown Palm Springs, they had the absolute cutest bookstore: The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs. There was such an amazing selection of books that I couldn’t just pick one. So here is my book haul: all of the books I bought in Palm Springs and why.

Careering by Daisy Buchanan

A surprise pick

I had not heard of this book before, but once I read the summary, I was hooked. Described as a hilarious novel about the trials and tribulations of the lengths women will go to achieve their dream jobs—and the yawning gap between fantasy and reality in the working world.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

A classic I could reread forever

Frankenstein is one of my favorite classics. I have read Frankenstein about three times and written multiple essays about it, and I could read it repeatedly and still find something new. But when I stumbled upon this gorgeous copy, I realized that for all the times I have read this novel, I don’t own a copy.

I bought this book to be my forever copy—one that I re-read and make annotations in throughout the years.

The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty

A book everyone is talking about

The Rabbit Hutch won the National Book Award in 2022 and I have seen this book make the rounds on Bookstagram. Gunty’s debut novel follows the lives of multiple tenants in an apartment complex in the Midwest. I am excited to dive into this book to see what all the hype is about.

Blurb Your Enthusiasm by Louise Willder

My favorite niche read: books about books!

I picked up this book as the rest of my books were being rung up, and I had to ask my boyfriend to grab it from the top shelf.

A collection of tidbits, stories, and fun facts about the world of book publishing? Take my money! I love books, but I especially love books about books, writing, and reading, so this choice was a no-brainer.

Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

A novel I have been waiting ages to read

This book has been on hold on my Libby account for months and I am still waiting. So when I saw a brand new copy on the shelf, I snatched it up.

Penguin Random House describes Disorientation as “a Taiwanese American woman’s coming-of-consciousness ignites eye-opening revelations and chaos on a college campus in this outrageously hilarious and startingly tender debut novel”

I am beyond excited to finally have a copy to read.

Do I have piles of books at home that I should be reading? Yes. But did I absolutely NEED to buy any new books? Also yes. After this haul, I might have to go on a book ban and dedicate myself to a strict reading schedule to tackle my TBR pile. The only question is: what book should I start first?