The Book Vault

Photograph of two advance copy paperback books. Celestial Lights by Cecile Pin, and Paradiso 17 from Hannah Lillith Assadi. Both due to be published in March 2026. And chocolate, brownie style in 3 x 3 chunks with two missing after testing, a second layer underneath. Sent courtesy of LJ Ross.

Benefits of a bookshop! First post brought two advance copies. Having read Wandering Souls, very much looking forward to Celestial Lights by Cecile Pin. Both titles due out in March.

And chocolate! Courtesy of LJ Ross, had to test it purely for safety reasons of course.

#booksky

Photo of our new crime book table with hardbacks from Richard Osman, Lee & Andrew Child, Mick Herron, Janice Hallett facing forward standing up at the back with others such as Baldacci, Sophie Hannah, Val McDermid side on. With two rows of paperbacks in front from David Baldacci, Uketsu, Harlan Coban and others.

We were too busy to photo first books of the day earlier, so in approx. order - two ordered Clive Cussler paperbacks, National Book Tokens, and a few from this table! Reacher, Peter James, and others.

For followers in our area, it is late shopping in Barnsley and we are here until 7pm.

#booksky

Photo of lots of boxes of books! Delivered from supplier Gardners, from memory around 65-70 boxes pictured here in a row of stacks of five, with a couple of extras perched on top.

A bookshop journey... this image is from six years ago today, our first book delivery! Took two days to unpack and get in some kind of bookcase order. Our anniversary of opening is less than a week away!

#booksky

Photo of part of a table of books with Richard Osman The Impossible Fortune standing in centre, between other recent hardbacks by Ann Cleeves, Lee & Andrew Child, Peter James.

Slightly later than planned, we have sold some books today! This was the first, another copy of The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman. Picture here with signed Reacher, signed Peter James, and others on our new crime table.

#booksky

Good news! Best wishes for the future.

Photo of two books, The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, limited hardback edition with green design and gold lettering on a black background. And Joseph Heller, Catch 22 paperback.

First books bought today, seasonal gifts! The special hardback edition of The Inheritance Games, and Catch 22.

#booksky

You should be charged for that one. A sentence in long-lasting confinement, placed in a dura-cell.

Had a great time in here this week. And I'm excited to read my copy of 'Eely' by Steve Ely - an epic poem that references, amongst other things, the North Atlantic Gyre, the head of mercian King Penda, Cornelius Vermuyden, and the 1974 FA Cup Final.

And the second book was Milly too, along with Richard Osman The Impossible Fortune.

Photo of copies of Milly Johnson, Let the Bells Ring Out, six copies standing in an informal formation on top of three boxes full of signed copies of the book, with another open box in view to the side.

First book sold today, again! @themillyjohnson.bsky.social Let the Bells Ring Out. We still have signed copies in store, and Milly will be in store signing in person on Sunday 14 December, 11am - noon.

Our December Sunday opening starts tomorrow, 10.30 - 2.30, come and buy books!

#booksky

Photo of a book - Magical Bedtime Stories, 27 Classic Tales. Violet cover with a rectangle in centre of an image of owls seemingly in conversation on a branch, with night sky, stars and moon with a face looking on in the background.

Photo of a book, The Anglo-Saxons from Marc Morris.

Compare and contrast! First two books sold today, The Anglo-Saxons from @marcmorris.bsky.social (second copy this week) and Magical Bedtime Stories - a new collection of classic children's stories with full-colour artwork throughout.

#booksky

I have their albums (vinyl!) from xx years ago. Still listen to the radio sessions compilation.

We have Possessed in store, along with other British Library titles in Weird Tales, Classic Crime, and hardback collections. A thread on the background of Possessed.

#SYNTONSPOSSESSED #booksky

ROOOOOTTTT!

#thecricket #ashes

Looks a good list, pleased to see how many of these we have in store! Any other suggestions that people would like to add?

#booksky

Business rates reform a ‘disaster’ for indie bookshops as BA fears ‘deluge of increased costs’ The Booksellers Association has expressed ‘real concern' about the business rates reform outlined in this week’s Autumn Budget, warning it could catalyse ‘a deluge of increased costs' for already hams...

There is a myth from the budget presentation that business rate changes would leave smaller stores better off. Certainly for retail that is not is the case. There have been comparison examples elsewhere to show rates will increase not decrease for 26/27... 1/2

www.thebookseller.com/news/busines...

And that is before the increase in valuations that many in this article are facing. And so are we. Our rateable valuation (i.e. on the property) has increased by roughly 30%. For us and others in the article, that means costs increasing above what has been cited in 25/26 to 26/27 comparisons. 2/2

Business rates reform a ‘disaster’ for indie bookshops as BA fears ‘deluge of increased costs’ The Booksellers Association has expressed ‘real concern' about the business rates reform outlined in this week’s Autumn Budget, warning it could catalyse ‘a deluge of increased costs' for already hams...

There is a myth from the budget presentation that business rate changes would leave smaller stores better off. Certainly for retail that is not is the case. There have been comparison examples elsewhere to show rates will increase not decrease for 26/27... 1/2

www.thebookseller.com/news/busines...

I was about to sort out a photo of first book sold of the day and realised it is on here! We have sold a few copies of The Strength of the Few by James Islington, another one first thing this morning.

#booksky

Photograph of Claire Throssell and Michelle Rawlins at the beginning of their talk about For My Boys. With a large screen behind them showing Barnsley Libraries in chalkboard style writing.

We were pleased to be able to support this event at Barnsley Library today, Claire Throssell talking with @michellerawlins.bsky.social about her book For My Boys. An emotional story with a determination for justice, with the law scheduled to be changed to offer protection for children.

#booksky

Panel 1. A character holding a mobile phone. Ping! An alert arrives: "Your order has been received!" (Image of happy-looking book) Panel 2. Ping! "Your item has been dispatched!" (Image of happy-looking van, driving along) Panel 3. Ping! "Your package has been delivered!" (Image of happy-looking box on doorstep) Panel 4. Ping! "Your book has been neglected: left on the shelf, unread and forgotten, gathering dust for several months." (Image of unhappy-looking book, dusty and covered with cobwebs, accompanied by a spider) Panel 5. The character looks sad and guilty about the unread book. Panel 6. Ping! "Your order has been received!" (Image of new, happy-looking book)

My cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com books.

Lots more here: www.theguardian.com/books/series/tom-gauld-s-cultural-cartoons

We've got one signed copy left in our store as well, if anyone seeing this is local to us!

#booksky

I see you are due at Barnsley Book Festival (hope you know about this! 2 March) hope to see you.

Graphic showing the covers of all 4 books by SF Said - Varjak Paw, The Outlaw Varjak Paw, Phoenix and Tyger - all illustrated by Dave McKean

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!! I'm not on social media much at the moment, working hard on my new book, which I feel sure will be my best one yet when it's done! In the meantime, I'm giving away signed copies of all my books so far. Follow & repost to enter, and say which book you'd like & why. Closes Dec 5!

Photo of crime fiction books on a table, two centre were our first copies sold today, Harlan Coben Nobody's Fool, and Strangers in Time by David Baldacci. Also new in paperback is Tim Sullivan, The Bookseller, Indie Book of Month for December.

It's the time when people are buying gifts surreptitiosly and we can't always take photos! So from our crime table, first books sold today were Harlan Coben and David Baldacci. Also in shot, The Bookseller by @timsullivanauthor.bsky.social which is Indie Book of the Month for December in the UK.

We have a range of poetry from Simon Armitage and Roger McGough, to new Tom Paulin, the excellent @salenagodden.bsky.social, to local writers Andrew Webb, @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social, Ian McMillan, and others. Plus Best American, Forward, classics, an ever-evolving selection.

#booksky

Poetry books! Three shelves of bookcase in view with various titles facing forward. Books from Steve Ely, Mark Goodin, Angelina D'Roza along with the collection The Footing. Simon Armitage, Tom Paulin, Salena Godden, Paul Brookes, Andrew Webb. Roger McGough (a distant relative of mine!). Plus a couple of different titles, The Door to Door Poet, A History of England in 25 Poems.

Time flies when you're doing all sorts of things you weren't planning to.

Later than planned, more poetry! On the top shelf you can see new arrivals from @longbarrowpress.bsky.social - The Footing collection, Steve Ely, Mark Goodwin, Angelina D'Roza and others. Shelves need some re-order... 1/2

Photo of the book Lobster by Hollie McNish. Arty red lobsterish shapes on a green background, with the main title in pale yellow across top centre.

First sale of the day, Lobster from @holliemcnish.bsky.social

More on a poetry theme later, we have been updating our section and have more books!

#booksky

If it is a title and/or author we aren't already aware of or considering, 2/3 copies ordered is enough for us to look at stocking it. We're always looking at extending ranges, options for people. Supporting authors by ordering is a very simple way you can support both their work and the publisher.

Photo of large format hardback artbook The Art of Time Travel from Peter McKinstry, a book on Doctor Who. A vivid orange background on the front cover with what I assume is the Timelords home in centre.

A little later than planned, this was the first book sold today! An excellent large format new release by Peter McKinstry, Doctor Who, The Art of Time Travel.

#booksky