Tag: Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves

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

Cover of Slow Bullets by Alastair Reynolds

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

Cover of Od Magic by Patricia McKillip Cover of The Tower at Stony Wood by Patricia McKillip Cover of Song for the Basilisk by Patricia McKillip

Cover of In the Forests of Serre by Patricia McKillip Cover of The Bell at Sealey Head by Patricia McKillip Cover of The Just City by Jo Walton

25050340 Cover of Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan

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

Cover of Master And God by Lindsey Davis Cover of Ringworld by Larry Niven Cover of Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson

Cover of The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino Cover of On Such A Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee

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

Spider-Gwen Operation S.I.N

Yay Spider-Gwen!

And to finish off, a couple of things I’ve added to my lists lately on Scribd and Blloon.

Cover of The Sanctuary Seeker by Bernard Knight Cover of Trance by Kelly Meding Cover of Get in Trouble by Kelly Link

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…?

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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.

Cover of The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu Cover of Lord of All Things by Andreas Eschbach Cover of Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales

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?

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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!

Cover of We Are Our Brains by Dick Swaab Cover of Knight's Shadow by Sebastien de Castell Silk #2

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.

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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

Cover of Finn Fancy Necromancy by Randy Henderson Cover of Cannonbridge by Jonathan Barnes

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

Cover of A Place of Execution by Val McDermid Cover of Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey Cover of Blackout by Connie Willis

Cover of Half the World by Joe Abercrombie Cover of To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis Cover of Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell

The Compatibility Gene by Daniel Davis Cover of The Riddle of the Labyrinth by Margalit Fox Cover of The Tale of the Duelling Neurosurgeons by Sam Kean

Cover of Homo Britannicus by Chris Stringer Cover of The Universe Within by Neil Shubin

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

Captain Marvel Thor

Spider-gwen Ms Marvel

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?

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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

Cover of A Darkling Sea by James Cambias Cover of Touch by Claire North Cover of The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

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

Cover of The Infinite by Lori Lee

Maybe I should’ve finished the first book before requesting this, but hush.

Comics

Operation S.I.N. Spider-woman

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

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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

Cover of The Raven's Head by Karen Maitland Cover of The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey

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

Cover of Spider-Gwen #1 Thor

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!

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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

Cover of A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab Cover of Half a King by Joe Abercrombie Cover of Impulse by Dave Bara

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

Cover of Pacific Fire by Greg van Eekhout Cover of Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan

One word: eeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Library

 Cover of Season of Storms by Susanna Kearsley Cover of The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley Cover of The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

  Cover of Annilation by Jeff VanderMeer Cover of Authority by Jeff VanderMeer Cover of Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer

Cover of Memory of Water by Emma Itaranta Cover of The Explorer by James Smythe

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

Ms Marvel Silk #1

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?

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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

Cover of Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear Cover of Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman

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

The Periodic Table Cover of Stonehenge by Mike Parker Pearson

Guess who’s onto the chemistry section of their Open University textbook? And Stonehenge, well, who can resist archaeology about Stonehenge?

For review

Cover of The Mechanical by Ian Tregillis Cover of The Errant Prince by Sasha L. Miller Cover of Gates of Thread and Stone

Cover of Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas Cover of Nightshade by R.J. Scudiere Cover of The Adventures of Monkey Girl and Tiger Kite by Kai Schalk

I still haven’t read a single book by Ian Tregillis. I have them. I just need to, you know, read them. Oops.

Comics

Ms Marvel Operation Sin #2

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?

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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

Cover of Dreamer's Pool by Juliet Marillier Cover of Prickle Moon by Juliet Marillier

I’ve read (and reviewed) Prickle Moon already; it’s lovely. And I’d been wanting Dreamer’s Pool for a while!

Library

Cover of The Gabriel Hounds by Mary Stewart

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

Thor #4

How’s everyone else doing? Broken your resolutions yet?

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted January 24, 2015 by in General / 14 Comments

Haven’t bought any books this week! I know, it’s shocking. I do actually owe myself a book from finishing my second OU textbook, and I think I know what I’m going to get, but I seem to be holding out on myself. (I’m probably going to get Owl and the Japanese Circus, by Kristi Charish. They actually approved me for an ARC of that on NG and immediately, literally seconds after, archived it so I could never have downloaded it anyway, though, so I’m a liiiittle bit cranky about that. No fair teasing like that!) Anyway, I have got some library books and it’s starting to get to the point where my pull list means I get at least one comic every week, woo.

Library books

Cover of The Secret Life of Trees by Colin Tudge Cover of Wildwood by Roger Deakin

Yep, that ol’ nature reading interest again.

Comics

Spiderwoman #3

Eee!

So how’s everyone else been doing? Still sticking to your resolutions? (I posted a bit about mine here just this week, if you’re interested!)

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