Category: General

Stacking the Shelves

Posted July 18, 2015 by Nicky in General / 16 Comments

Some lovely book-mail awaited me on my return from my month in Belgium, Canada and the US. So excite! Thank you to Susanna Kearsley and to Pan Macmillan for these, respectively.

Cover of A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley Cover of Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

Aaaand I was happy to reunite with the library, of course.

Cover of Poison by Sarah Pinborough Cover of The Death House by Sarah Pinborough Cover of One-Eyed Jack by Elizabeth Bear

 Cover of Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper Cover of The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black Cover of The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

One-Eyed Jack is a book I had as an ARC… ages ago. So I figured I’d get it from the library. I don’t know what exactly prompted me to try Sarah Pinborough’s books, but I’m intrigued. Susan Cooper is, well. Susan Cooper. ’nuff said. Been meaning to get to this one for ages. And The Darkest Part of the Forest features queer characters, so why the heck not? The Great Zoo of China… I haven’t heard 100% good things about it, but I felt like giving it a shot anyway.

Aaand just one comic on my pull list this week.

Captain Marvel & the Carol Corps #2

So what’s everyone else been getting? Anything you’re really excited about?

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ARC August

Posted July 16, 2015 by Nicky in General / 0 Comments

I just found I signed up for this last year, too, and I’m not sure I really got anywhere — some of the books I still haven’t read. Oops. Anyway, it’s time for another round of ARC August: a whole bunch of us getting together and cracking down on our lists of ARCs.

Because I plan my TBR in advance, I’m reasonably sure of what I’m putting on the list for August, which means I’m fairly sure of what I am determined to read during the month (though there might always be more, since I give myself wildcards — ten wildcards, next month, even). So here’s what I’ll be working on:

  1. One-eyed Jack, Elizabeth Bear. I picked this up from the library too, so now I have extra motivation and a slightly less guilty conscience. But it’s still in my Netgalley list, so down it goes.
  2. The Palace Job, Patrick Weekes. I don’t want to know how late I am with this one…
  3. Seven Forges, James A. Moore. I own this too, but it’s still in my NG backlog. And I keep getting nearly to the end and then getting distracted, which is a shame, because I enjoy it.
  4. The Hollow Crown, Dan Jones. Another one I’m grabbing from the library, and not as chronically late as the others, I think. Still late enough — it’s out in paperback now.
  5. The Galaxy Game, Karen Lord. Library as well as Netgalley. Which is good, because obviously I don’t have access through NG anymore, and I’m fairly sure it was a DRM protected file.
  6. Pacific Fire, Greg van Eekhout. I need to read California Bones first, though.
  7. Knight’s Shadow, Sebastien de Castell. I’m not chronically late with this one yet, at least.
  8. Fair Play, Josh Lanyon. Another one where I needed to read the first book and didn’t get round to it… but it’s Josh Lanyon, so it should be fun.
  9. Sorcerer to the Crown, Zen Cho. I’m hoping to finish this on a wildcard in July’s TBR, but if not, I definitely owe a review for this after begging for a copy.
  10. Gretel and the Dark, Eliza Granville. I’ve had this for ages, but only just refound the copy I was sent to review. It’s probably about time.

The last three aren’t strictly on the August TBR (at least so far), so I might replace those later or deprioritise them or something. I just like groups of ten…

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Top Ten Tuesday

Posted July 14, 2015 by Nicky in General / 10 Comments

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is the last books that you got your hands on, whether you bought them or got them from the library. There’s always my STS posts for that, but hey, I never miss a chance to squee about books. Plus, excuse to talk about all the cool bookshops I’ve been to.

  1. Adaptation, Malinda Lo. Picked this up at the Chapters in the West Edmonton Mall on the day I left Canada, and promptly read it on the plane.
  2. Inheritance, Malinda Lo. The sequel. I haven’t read this one yet.
  3. City of Stairs, Robert Jackson Bennett. I’ve been meaning to read this foreeeever. Also from Chapters in Edmonton.
  4. Artemis Awakening, Jane Lindskold. I don’t actually know much about this one, I just thought it looked kinda fun. From Chapters in the Chinook Mall, Calgary.
  5. Dreams of Shreds and Tatters, Amanda Downum. Eee, Amanda Downum. Looking forward to this. Got this one from the Indigo in the Core in Calgary.
  6. The Stone Prince, Fiona Patton. I’ve had this on my list for a while, and hey, Fiona Patton is apparently Tanya Huff’s wife? Cool. Got this from Fair’s Fair on 14th Street in Calgary.
  7. Illusive, Emily Lloyd-Jones. I had this as an ARC once upon a time. Heh. From Shelf Life in Calgary, on 4th Street.
  8. A Desperate Fortune, Susanna Kearsley. Aaaages ago, Susanna offered to send me a spare ARC she had. It finally arrived. Whoop!
  9. Sorcerer to the Crown, Zen Cho. Received to review via the publisher. I’m excited for this one; people mentioned Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and Georgette Heyer as influences…
  10. Heir of Fire, Sarah J. Maas. Bought in Fnac in Leuven while I was at my partner’s. Excited for this one, though I need to read The Assassin’s Blade first. Which I also got.

What’s everyone else been getting? Any exciting bookshops?

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Review – The Compatibility Gene

Posted July 11, 2015 by Nicky in General / 15 Comments

The Compatibility Gene by Daniel DavisThe Compatibility Gene, Daniel M. Davis

I read this in a bit of a piecemeal fashion, due to holidays, so my impressions of it are probably a little more scattered than usual. It’s basically a book which combines immunology and genetics, and even some neurology, to discuss the way certain genes work in humans. Since that’s right up my street, I found this fascinating, although I found some chapters really slow going.

One thing I’m not 100% a fan of is the personal details about some of the scientists, because it’s not really relevant. Whether a female scientist prioritises children or her career doesn’t have any effect on the importance of her findings, and as a way of identifying motives for studying stuff, it’s pretty weak. Not everything has a personal connection.

The main thing I’m taking away from this book is that we still don’t know half there is to know about the immune system, about genetics, about our own bodies. If that doesn’t speak to the importance of such research, I don’t know what does.

Did you know that dogs have a sexually transmitted cancer? Not just an oncovirus like HPV, but a contagious cancer.

Rating: 3/5

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted July 11, 2015 by Nicky in General / 14 Comments

A smallish haul this week — my last hurrah in Canada, at West Edmonton Mall. Boooooks!

Cover of Adaptation by Malinda Lo Cover of Inheritance by Malinda Lo Cover of City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

I had Adaptation and City of Stairs as eARCs once upon a time, but I’m still in a phase of wanting to read all my books in dead tree. So, tahdah.

I’m travelling back to Wales today, so I might be slow to comment, but I’m excited to see everyone’s hauls. What’ve you been getting? Tell me, link me, tweet me — whatever you like! I wanna know.

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Top Ten Tuesday

Posted July 7, 2015 by Nicky in General / 16 Comments

This week’s theme from The Broke and the Bookish is “top ten hyped books I’ve never read”. Hmmm, let’s think…

  1. Breaking Dawn, Stephanie Meyer. I read Twilight, because I thought I ought to give it a chance, but it’s really not for me and I have a whole lot of objections to it.
  2. Divergent, Veronica Roth. I think it’s technically on my TBR somewhere.
  3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling. Though I am planning to read this soon, ’cause I’m doing a readalong with some other folks.
  4. City of Bones, Cassandra Clare. Doesn’t really appeal, especially since I know about the author’s history of plagiarising.
  5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson. I have this to read, but I’m pretty uninspired about getting round to it.
  6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky. It’s never appealed at aaaall.
  7. The Fault in Our Stars, John Green. It really doesn’t sound like my thing, even if cancer didn’t freak me out unbearably.
  8. A Game of Thrones, G.R.R. Martin. I am actually going to read this. Eventually.
  9. On the Road, Jack Kerouac. I’m sorry, I hated it.
  10. The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks. Not my thing at aaaaall.

What about you guys? And are you listing books you intend to read someday, or books you never read?

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted July 4, 2015 by Nicky in General / 10 Comments

Yet more shenanigans in Canadian bookshops! Why do I gotta go home?

Cover of Dreams of Shreds & Tatters by Amanda Downum Cover of Sing the Four Quarters by Tanya Huff Cover of Fifth Quarter by Tanya Huff

Cover of No Quarter by Tanya Huff Cover of The Quartered Sea by Tanya Huff Cover of Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff

Cover of Artemis Awakening by Jane Lindskold Cover of The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison Cover of The Stone Prince by Fiona Patton

And yes, I already had The Goblin Emperor, but as an ebook, which isn’t ideal for flipping to the back and checking the extra stuff. Plus, excuse to reread!

Also, a ton of comics between me and my partner…

Cover of Rat Queens: Sass and Sorcery Cover of Sex Criminals vol 2 by Matt Fraction Cover of The Movement vol 2 by Gail Simone

Cover of ODY-C vol 1 by Matt Fraction Cover of Ms Marvel: Crushed by G. Willow Wilson

I think that’s the end of my Canadian book spree, particularly since I’m no longer sure this lot will fit back into my suitcase to go home… What’s everyone else been grabbing?

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July TBR

Posted July 2, 2015 by Nicky in General / 2 Comments

So June’s TBR didn’t really go down as well as I’d hoped. I’m gonna blame the holiday, though: so much to do, so little time. I’m not going to have everything in the catch-up section, just the ones I think I actually will get round to. Here goes…

ARCs

  1. The Raven’s Head, Karen Maitland.
  2. The Dead in their Vaulted Arches, Alan Bradley. (I know, I know. Way late.)
  3. The Philosopher Kings, Jo Walton.
  4. Adaptation, Malinda Lo.
  5. A Suitable Replacement, Megan Derr.

Library

  1. A Dance in Blood Velvet, Freda Warrington.
  2. The Goddess Chronicle, Natsuo Kirino.
  3. Half the World, Joe Abercrombie.
  4. Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling.
  5. Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling.

Owned

  1. Assassin’s Blade, Sarah J. Maas.
  2. Heir of Fire, Sarah J. Maas.
  3. Fair Game, Josh Lanyon.
  4. An Ember in the Ashes, Sabaa Tahir.
  5. Clariel, Garth Nix.

Rereads (including books counting as owned-unread because of ebook duplicates)

  1. The Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch.
  2. Red Seas Under Red Skies, Scott Lynch.
  3. Powers, Ursula Le Guin.
  4. Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban, J.K. Rowling.
  5. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling.

Catching up (from last month’s TBR)

  1. Heartless, Gail Carriger.
  2. Timeless, Gail Carriger.
  3. Abhorsen, Garth Nix.
  4. Named of the Dragon, Susanna Kearsley.
  5. The Winter Sea, Susanna Kearsley.

Wildcards

  1. The Killing Kind, Chris Holm. (ARC.)
  2. One Night in Sixes, Arianne ‘Tex’ Thompson. (Bought, book club read.)
  3. Poison, Sarah Pinborough. (Library.)
  4. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling. (Challenge read.)
  5. Sorcerer to the Crown, Zen Cho. (ARC.)

ETA: tweaked this a bit because I forgot about a book challenge I was doing. Some of the original list, alas, will have to wait!

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Top Ten Tuesday

Posted June 30, 2015 by Nicky in General / 13 Comments

This week’s theme is the top ten books read so far in 2015. Which is at least easier than all-time favourites or something like that!

  1. Voyage of the Basilisk, Marie Brennan. Or Tropic of Serpents, in fact. I gave them both five stars!
  2. Acceptance, Jeff VanderMeer. Though it’s the whole series, really; they’re so weird, and I think you do need to read all three to get a good picture.
  3. Grave Mercy, Robin LaFevers. Or the second book… I might even prefer the second book. But yeah, I was surprised by how much I liked these.
  4. The Just City, Jo Walton. Nobody’s surprised. Are you?
  5. Season of Storms, Susanna Kearsley. Go on, break my heart, you meanie.
  6. Lock In, John Scalzi. Really fascinated me.
  7. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke. Okay, okay, I know it’s a reread, but I discovered a whole new appreciation for it.
  8. Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie. I might not have given it five stars myself, but it is pretty awesome.
  9. A Court of Thorns & Roses, Sarah J. Maas. I wasn’t a huge fan of Throne of Glass, though it’s fun, but ACOTAR… yeah.
  10. The Lie Tree, Frances Hardinge. I don’t love it like I loved A Face Like Glass, but. Yeah. <3

Looking forward to seeing everyone else’s, but bear in mind I’m in Canada on holiday right now and might not get much chance to comment!

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted June 27, 2015 by Nicky in General / 20 Comments

Greetings from Canada! Though my WordPress scheduling still has stuff going up at my standard UK posting times, I am indeed far from home.

So the haul this week… I got The Long and Faraway Gone due to a giveaway Chris Holm did. <3 I hadn’t heard of it before, but I’m intrigued. And then, well… Canadian bookshops. Calgary is amazing.

Cover of The Long and Faraway Gone by Lou Berney Cover of Through Wolf's Eyes by Jane Lindskold Cover of Buffalo Gals and Other Animal Presences by Ursula Le Guin

Cover of Mission Child by Maureen F. McHugh Cover of A Fistful of Sky by Nina Kiriki Hoffman Cover of Reading in the Brain by Stanislaw Dehaene

Cover of Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link Cover of Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Cover of Armor by John Steakley

Cover of The Thousand Names by Django Wexler Cover of Dinosaurs Without Bones by Anthony Martin Cover of Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones

And me and my partner jointly got Nimona. And she got Sex Criminals and Loki: Agent of Asgard. We share comics anyway; reminds me I need to lend her The Wicked + The Divine if I haven’t yet. And is the next TPB of that out?

Cover of Nimona by Noelle Stephenson Cover of Sex Criminals: One Weird Trick by Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky Loki: Agent of Asgard #2

Seriously; Shelf Life on 4th Street SW was okay, Indigo in the Core was great, but Fair’s Fair on 9th Avenue/8th Street was a paradise.

And here’s our weird Canadian encounter for the week: while stood at a bus stop with our bags of purchases, my partner and I noticed a guy walking towards us with a book in hand. Naturally we wondered what it was, but I didn’t let her ask (I’m too British). As he came up to us, he asked if we liked books. Partner said yes and showed him the bags as proof. He dropped his book into the bag and walked on before we even had chance to say thank you.

Cover of Margin for Murder by Bronte Adams

I’m not sure if I’m gonna read it, but I will keep it for the story of how I got it…

What’s everyone else been getting? Are you anywhere exciting this week?

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