Posted April 11, 2015 by in General / 44 Comments
A somewhat acquisitive week for me! But at least I’m keeping from requesting loads of ARCs, given I have a challenge to meet that means reading 55 of them already… (Yes, that’s not even all my backlog. Just 30% of it. I am awful.)
Bought
The first three, well, I planned to get them anyway, since I’m enjoying both series. The Tanya Huff I’ve been eyeing for ages. And One Night in Sixes is a bookclub read, if I recall rightly.
Comics
Looks like a tie-in event for Captain Marvel? Might not be so fond of that… And I am getting tired of seeing Carol looking terrified/helpless on covers. Spider-woman looks fun, though.
How’s everyone else doing? Up to anything interesting?
Tags: comics, Gail Carriger, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Marvel, Stacking the Shelves, Tanya Huff
Posted April 4, 2015 by in General / 38 Comments
First StS of a new month! I can’t believe I’ve (mostly) been sticking to my resolutions so far… This has been a busy week, but I promise, I’m still sticking to my resolutions like glue.
Received to review
Making my sister burningly jealous! Alastair Reynolds was the author who got her back into reading when I handed her Century Rain; she hasn’t looked back since, and she’s read that one at least three times. I’ve read this already, but it’s actually a while before the review goes up… I’ve gotten awfully ahead of myself with scheduling!
Bought
I’ve been meaning to buy the SF Gateway Omnibuses of McKillip’s work for a while. Now I have them (thanks, Mum). I got The Mirror World of Melody Black because I loved The Universe vs Alex Woods, and Voyage of the Basilisk because I didn’t get round to my ARC in time. Also, I now have The Just City, which I didn’t own yet. I swear I’m gonna get a review up for it soon.
Library
I’ve been meaning to try Lindsey Davis for aaaages. This one is apparently a standalone, according to someone I was on duty with at the library, so that’s where I’m going to start — since we don’t have the first Falco book. Gah. Anyway, the others are mostly fairly random picks, except for Ringworld which is another upcoming read for the SF/F Book Club in Cardiff.
Comics
Yay Spider-Gwen!
And to finish off, a couple of things I’ve added to my lists lately on Scribd and Blloon.
So yeah, as usual, I have plenty on my plate. What’s anyone else been getting? Are you gonna make me expand my never ending to read list…?
Tags: books, comics, Marvel, Patricia A. McKillip, Stacking the Shelves
Posted March 28, 2015 by in Reviews / 10 Comments
I’m not quite sure whether I should be listing books I’ve saved on my book subscription apps this week! Best not, or I’d overwhelm my blog with book covers. But thank you to Blloon for sending me 1,000 free pages to trial the app (to get me more, if you’re in the UK, do consider signing up here! I’ll be reviewing the service soon), and Scribd for the free month. It’s been a quiet week, since I couldn’t really go to the library; I injured my foot last week, and getting to the library on crutches is just a bit too much faff.
So it’s just the two books I got myself to celebrate finishing my fourth OU textbook! Oh, and the book my sister got me.
Apparently ’tis the week of SF in translation? Anyway, I’ve been meaning to try The Three-Body Problem, and I enjoyed Andreas Eschbach’s The Carpet Makers, so when I saw these both for under £2, it seemed an obvious choice… My sister got me Angela Carter’s Book of Fairy Tales, which is the next pick for the Cardiff SFF Bookclub. <3
What’s everyone else been getting? Still behaving yourselves?
Tags: books, Stacking the Shelves
Posted March 21, 2015 by in General / 6 Comments
Hey everyone! If you were curious about how my year’s goals are going, you can swing by my resolutions update here. If you just want to see what I’ve acquired this week, well, read on. It’s not actually a big haul; instead of splitting them up into sections, I’ll just list them together this week, I think!
Super thanks to the publisher for Knight’s Shadow — I requested it based on being halfway through Traitor’s Blade, and I’m looking forward to it.
Tags: books, comics, non-fiction, SF/F, Stacking the Shelves
Posted March 14, 2015 by in General / 18 Comments
Hey everyone! I’ve had a busy week, but I promise it’s mostly library books. I was very tempted in Hatchard’s in St Pancras, but I elected to note down the titles and try to get them from the library instead. And lo and behold, they came through for me. I did buy two books, but only spent £5 on them; I had a £10-off for Waterstone’s!
Bought
I belatedly realised that several people I know (including the guy running the Cardiff SF/F book club) really hated Cannonbridge. Still, at the very least it’ll give me something to tear into, right? I was very unsure about getting Finn Fancy Necromancy, since the title makes it sound very silly, but flicking through convinced me to give it a try…
Library
Can you guess where I spent most of my time hanging out in Hatchard’s…? Although to be fair, I’ve wanted to read The Tale of Duelling Neurosurgeons for a couple of weeks now. Neurology! The Connie Willis books are for a reading challenge/book group. I haven’t been a major fan of Willis in the past, but I’m willing to try again.
Comics
So, I think that’s it. How’s everyone else doing? I should put up my update on this year’s progress with my resolutions soon, but how are you doing?
Tags: books, comics, non-fiction, Stacking the Shelves
Posted March 7, 2015 by in General / 36 Comments
Hmmm, I’ve had a bit of a busy week for acquisitions, compared to what I’ve read. Time to buckle down and get on with it, I think! I’m still within the bounds of my resolutions though, whew. How’s everyone doing?
Bought/received
I do love Claire North’s work, even if I found her last book disappointing. A Darkling Sea I’ve picked up based on a recommendation, and The Buried Giant is a) by Ishiguro and b) contains Arthurian stuff. Of course I got it on release day!
Received to review
Maybe I should’ve finished the first book before requesting this, but hush.
Comics
Is that a different artist on Spider-woman? Or just the cover? I should go and look. Anyway, yay!
Also, how about that Avengers trailer? Omg, Bruce/Natasha. <3
Tags: books, comics, Marvel, Stacking the Shelves
Posted February 28, 2015 by in General / 31 Comments
Hey everyone! I’ve been very good this week, and have nothing really new to report — just an ARC, and some titles from my pull list. I’m impressed by how long I’m keeping up my resolutions this year! How’s everyone else doing?
Review copy
I found the last book a little too predictable in theme, plot and character, so I’m hoping this breaks the mould a little. I have loved Maitland’s books, but I fear she may be stuck in a rut… One more chance, and then I’ll give her books a rest for a while. Still, excited to get the ARC!
Pull list
Working on a post to go up soon about my pull list, and how people lie when they say there’s no cool female superheroes… (Not, Marvel, that I’m saying there’s enough. Did you seriously put back the date of your Captain Marvel movie for Spider-man? Really? I’ve seen Spider-man. I need you to have the guts to give us a female superhero front and center. Black Widow would work too.)
And just to finish up, here’s a photo of the bunny in total relaxation, since I’m currently staying with her and my partner!
Tags: books, comics, Karen Maitland, Marvel, Stacking the Shelves
Posted February 21, 2015 by in General / 15 Comments
Quite a busy week! But I’m still sticking to my goals, fear not.
Bought
A Darker Shade of Magic was, of course, a pre-order; I had Half a King as an ARC and never got to it, so now I have the paperback; my sister bought me Impulse because we both love a bit of space opera. Obviously it sounds rather Star Trek-ish, but it could be fun anyway.
Received to review
One word: eeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Library
I’m going away! I had to stock up! Annihilation is so weird; I had to grab the next two to see if there are any answers… Susanna Kearsley, I read and liked The Rose Garden not long ago, so I’ve grabbed some more of her work.
Comics
Tell me again about the lack of female superheroes?
So there we go! Quite a busy week for me… How’s everyone else been doing? Any exciting acquisitions?
Tags: books, comics, Marvel, Stacking the Shelves
Posted February 7, 2015 by in General / 37 Comments
And another week gone! This year is flying by already… which in a way is fortunate, because I was excited for the two books I picked up this week, both out on 03/02 (coincidentally, my mother’s birthday). Now it’s just A Darker Shade of Magic to go and then I’ll have the books I’m most eagerly coveting…
Bought
The cover of Karen Memory is just perfect. I’m already partway through — might even have finished it by the time this goes live — and enjoying it very much. I’ve already finished Trigger Warning…
Library
Guess who’s onto the chemistry section of their Open University textbook? And Stonehenge, well, who can resist archaeology about Stonehenge?
For review
I still haven’t read a single book by Ian Tregillis. I have them. I just need to, you know, read them. Oops.
Comics
Peggyyyyy. I really need to watch Agent Carter, too. Mind you, I still really need to watch Agents of SHIELD and, uh, Norton’s Hulk (though really Mark Ruffalo is the only Bruce Banner for me, sorry).
Anyway, this was quite a big haul for me, but I’m still keeping to my resolutions! For now, at least. I do need to hurry up and get reading my review copies, though. How’s everyone else been doing? Any massive hauls?
Tags: books, comics, Neil Gaiman, non-fiction, Stacking the Shelves
Posted January 31, 2015 by in General / 18 Comments
Once again, a quiet week! Which is good, since that’s what I’m aiming for. I did get two new books — rewards for finishing books two and three of my Open University course!
Bought
I’ve read (and reviewed) Prickle Moon already; it’s lovely. And I’d been wanting Dreamer’s Pool for a while!
Library
Just one, a bit of self indulgence — I’ve read all of Mary Stewart’s romances, but this was the first one I read, and I’m looking forward to going back to it. Frothy comfort reading for the win! Though right now, I’m digging into Soulless (Gail Carriger) for that!
Oh, and the latest issue of Thor came out, too.
Comics
How’s everyone else doing? Broken your resolutions yet?
Tags: Juliet Marillier, Mary Stewart, Stacking the Shelves
