Birthday haul & trip 📚 Books, ghosts and my favourite places in York!

27 and still full of chaotic energy ✨ My visit to the Tower of London and York for my birthday! Featuring a book haul, souvenirs from York and my favourite places in the city including the York Ghost Merchants 👻
Books mentioned:
Persuasion by Jane Austen
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel
The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Blood, Fire and Gold by Estelle Paranque
Matrix by Lauren Groff
Places mentioned:
The Tower of London & Superbloom
York Minster
Walmgate Ale House
York Cocoa House
York Merchant Adventurer’s Hall
The York Roast Co.
The Ghost Merchants
Museum Gardens
Minstergate Books
Eboracum candles: eboracumcandles.co.uk
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Keywords: Birthday book haul, book shopping vlog, 24 hours in York, July book haul, August book haul, August TBR, historical fiction, Visit York, Things to do in York, candle haul

[@bfranklin1052]

Happy belated birthday, Claire!🎂📚

[@rowenaroberta5244]

🎂 Happy Birthday, Claire!!

[@joanleaks69]

Happy birthday, Claire!! ♥️

[@hannahthewildreader745]

I love living in York 🤎 cities just don't get better

[@hannahthewildreader745]

Happy birthday as well! I got engaged in Museum Gardens too and so I think I'll have to pick up the eboracum candle

[@magorzatamilczarek1088]

Happy birthday!!!⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

[@clairethackray82]

🎂

[@Sarah_Naomi]

Happy birthday Claire! I've never thought of paying such close attention to the first book I read after my birthday, but I will now. What a lovely tradition! And thank you for the York recommendations, I hope to visit one day! 🎂

[@kristelh]

🎂🎂🎂🎂 happy birthday!

[@janiceallan2981]

🎂 xx

[@WhatVictoriaRead]

💛💛💛

[@cupofteastudio]

👏👏👏

[@putusita9052]

🎂happy belated birthday 🎂🥳

[@mariamoody1027]

Great vlog, happy birthday

[@SeleneFlorio]

🎂!

[@rosetheline6357]

Happy Belated Birthday 🎂

[@babettedejong2975]

I was blown away by Matrix. It's so VIVID and LUSH. 🎂

[@janedraycott5919]

Happy Birthday! Blood, Fire and Gold is on my TBR but I read Matrix last year. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, quite different to Lauren Groff's Monsters of Templeton, which I really enjoyed a couple of years ago. I've never really thought about buying multiple copies of the same book but it would definitely be handy when it comes to trying to reread large hardbacks - I bought Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell in hardback when it first came out and it's so cumbersome! I tried to reread it during the pandemic but didn't get very far and that Vintage version is so beautiful I may try and get a paperback copy of it. I'd love to see your full ghost collection - maybe you could do a video about them, like your tote bag one? Pair them with ghostly books so it's technically a book video ;) ?

[@jenvcampbell]

Happy birthday! I love ghost merchants, too. The two little ones you got are like little ghost lighthouses

[@heytherejuliee]

🎂 great haul, happy belated Claire!

[@lits3212]

🎂🎂🎂

[@janegrace8743]

🎂thanks Claire, I love York too.

[@nerdfighter_and_unicorn2422]

Happy Birthday Claire🎂 your videos never fail to lift my mood ❤️

[@DawnMarie1123]

Happy Birthday, Claire! 🎂

[@lindenreads]

Happy Birthday, Claire 🎂🎂🎂

[@Bonnie-gc2zu]

🎂 You are an absolute delight, Birthday Girl!

[@debbiemcdonnell7882]

🎂 Happy Birthday!

[@KindaSassy1]

Happy Birthday Claire 🎂

[@adrienne4028]

Wonderful video! Thanks Claire! 🎂🍰

[@norajacobsen]

Happy birthday!🎂 This video was lovely! ✨

[@Olivia-gf8ve]

happy birthday Claire 🎂🍰💛

[@badfaith4u]

Happy birthday 🥳🎉🎂

[@KikiFu]

Happy Birthday Claire! As soon as you mentioned loving wildflowers...I started wondering what kinds of wildflowers are your favorites? I'm an artist and I'm currently working on a floral series. I'm planning on auctioning off a few pieces next spring to support environmental conservation groups. Anyhow, attending a super bloom sounds so wonderful!

[@KikiFu]

🎂That's what I get for commenting before you've finished. lol 🌻

[@xcherry.inkx1950]

A bit late, but Happy Birthday! ❤️ Another absolutely fantastic video. Your love for York is palpable and I'm so glad that you are able to move to your happy place! Here's your scrumptious emoji 🎂 xx

[@gogo_lopez]

Happy belated birthday!!! 🎂 It's so good catching up with you!! I can't wait to visit York someday, it's so dreamy and beautiful 🥺💕

[@pwmel1]

Happy Birthday! Hope you had a wonderful day with Ben. It sounds like you did.

[@Lynn_Ann_Jackson]

Happy Birthday, Claire!🍨🎂🌹I so enjoyed your lovely video…it made me so homesick for York! I’m from Buffalo, NY, and I did my junior year abroad at Loughborough University where I met my husband to be, who is from York. We were married on a stunningly glorious day at St Wilfrid’s, across the street from the Minster. Even though we now live in the US, our hearts remain in York.❤️❤️

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thank you for watching! All the best people get married in York 😉❤️

[@kirstypritchard2872]

Happy birthday 🎂

[@Sandy-cx9cw]

🎂 Happy Birthday ! Just found your channel. watched a couple of your older videos and it's scary how similar our reading tastes are. :)

[@Gypsy-Bluebird]

Happy Birthday! 🎂 Love your ghosts … my St Saviour is winging its way to me in Australia right now. Cannot wait to receive it! I’m also very excited to visit York again when I’m in the UK in November … the ghost merchants is first place on the itinerary! Thanks for the York recommendations too .. I’ll definitely try the hot chocolate and look for the candles too .. they look gorgeous. Lovely video … thanks Claire

[@novelideea]

Alison Weir has a permanent spot on my tbr.🎂 I have been watching since Uni days! In fact, the first video I watched of you was a review of Persuasion! Happy 27th!

[@thoroughlyenjoyedbooks8565]

This was such a lovely video. I'll definitely be popping to the York Ghost Merchants next time I'm there!!

[@ReadingNymph]

Adding Alison Weirs book to my tbr! I need to go to York, Ive been to Whitby and loved it but never been to York itself. Those ghosts are sooo adorable 🎂🍰

[@jantelleking9711]

🎂 🍰 its nearing yr next birthday 😅 however I couldn’t resist. I have loved stumbling upon yr channel. Thankyou for yr lovely videos, they’re a real pleasure.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@marywong9976]

I am currently reading Jonathan Strange and Dr Norrell and just noticed the York reference! As well as the mention of THE cathedral and the statues there that turn to life! Would love to visit it someday!

[@shalryma]

I have been wanting to visit York for ages (I live in Newcastle so I think it's particularly shameful that I haven't committed to going there yet)! So thank you very much or your recommendations! It will be nice to get to know York for more than what I can see from the train.

[@gatitamarra]

Happy Birthday, Claire! The city of York should pay you an advertising fee or something because I want to go see York and the surrounding areas sooooo badly after all of your videos! I need a pretty little ghost in my life....

[@irhonda31]

I must go to York and get a ghost! My birthday is on Halloween, so it makes sense! 👻 🎂

[@Claire_Fenby]

100%! Send me a picture of the ghost when you do ahaha

[@betweenthelines2129]

Happy Birthday Claire 🧁Looks like you had a wonderful time 😊 I am getting married at the end of the month and trying to work out what books I’d like to take on my honeymoon. I was wondering if could recommend a few good honeymoon reads? Thanks 😊

[@gillwoolley6515]

Happy Birthday Claire 🎂 So intrigued by the ghost shop. What sort of prices are they? Fab vlog,thank you xxx

[@angelajones129]

Happy Birthday, Claire! 🎂 Love all the ghosts and the story behind them. THE Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrell book sounds fascinating! How many pages?!

[@sandraraedeer4849]

1006 pages (paper back)

[@katyfolk3433]

Omg I NEED a ghost in my life! Planning to visit York nearer Christmas, hoping I can persuade my husband to queue 😐🤣

[@Claire_Fenby]

I love them so much! I’d recommend going before opening time to be at the front of the queue 🎄

[@chockycake1]

Really enjoyed this vlog … I’m intrigued though. I was brought up to never break the spines on books. I understand your reasoning about buying two copies of a book, but I find it a little sad that you have books on your shelf that will never be read. I need to visit York soon, haven’t been for years. 😊 ps Happy Birthday 🎈

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thank you for watching! I mean all the books are read but just not all editions if that makes sense? I have a few editions of my all time favourite books (Mrs Dalloway etc) that I like to keep as collectibles especially if they're special editions like folios or certain editions that have gone out of print like the version of Jonathan Strange in this video. I like to protect them against wear and tear (scuffed corners really distress me 😅) because they're often meaningful gifts so I like to display them. I often read my OG copy of a book rather than the collectible gift so no book goes unread... a part from my huge TBR 😂

[@chockycake1]

@@Claire_Fenby 😊that’s ok then 😂 love your vlogs, always beautifully filmed 😊

[@sirrykr1679]

Happy birthday. 🎉😊 Forgive my curiosity but do you have Russian or perhaps Armenian or Iranian origin. You have such beautiful eyes and something about them remind me of people descended from Slavic and the area between east and south Caucasus and northern Iran. But maybe that is just my imagination. Anyway, I have seen á few of your videos and enjoyed them all. Regards from Iceland and happy reading. 😊

[@Claire_Fenby]

Nope!

[@gracetaylor7351]

🎂

[@biancamitran9931]

🎂🎂

[@luke28]

Happy belated birthday, Claire! Thanks for taking us along and showing us bit more of York. Thanks to you, it is high on my list to visit!

[@laurakopu8970]

🎂

[@heyiamholly]

🎂

[@LivRainbows]

🎂

[@soniaxv]

🎂

[@heathers_happily_ever_afters]

🎂

[@joanleaks69]

🎂🎂🎂

[@inesvdasilva]

🎂

[@asentinelofstars]

🎂

[@Petra888]

🎂