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
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
Yep, that ol’ nature reading interest again.
Comics
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!)
Tags: books, comics, Marvel, non-fiction, Stacking the Shelves
Posted January 17, 2015 by in General / 34 Comments
I seem to have acquired some books this week! Though I’ve still been relatively conservative — my purchases were a novel and a novella, and the other book was bought for me by the wonderful Lynn. I’m still pretty much hanging in there with my resolutions: I’ve read some ARCs, I’m not buying anything on the spur of the moment, and I’m well within my budget. Woooo.
Bought/acquired
I’ve already read two of the three, too! And I’m a good chunk of the way into California Bones. Good choices, so far. But then maybe I did also purchase a lot of comics…
Lady Thor, Peggy Carter as a heroine, and the new Captain Marvel — how could I resist?
Library
I didn’t actually find any fiction I wanted this week at the library. Shocking, I know! I’m especially interested in The Lucifer Effect, as I recently reviewed another book by that psychologist (The Time Paradox), and this promises to discuss his most famous and controversial work, that of the Stanford Prison Experiment.
For review
Eeeee. That’s all I have to say about Shadow Study. Nalo Hopkinson will be good, of course; Will Grayson, Will Grayson should be fun.
Freebie
I haven’t actually read anything I already have by M.C.A. Hogarth yet, but this was free on the Kobo store, so I thought I’d grab it while I could.
What’s everyone else been getting? Broken your resolutions yet?
Tags: books, comics, Marvel, N.K. Jemisin, Stacking the Shelves
Posted January 10, 2015 by in General / 16 Comments
First full week of 2015; first chance for us to break all our resolutions and buy a load of books. How’s everyone else been getting along?
Comics
Late Christmas present from my dad. <3
Library books
At my parents’ place again for most of January, so this is what I got out of the library to keep me amused — as if I needed anything more than what’s on my ereader and on my shelves from their generosity at Christmas! Ahem…
Anyway, so far this year I’ve avoided buying any new books; I’ve finished the first book in my Open University course already, so I feel like maybe I deserve one, but I can’t choose. I do now have an Amazon wishlist which I’m trying to keep updated. If nothing else, it’ll serve as a list of ‘approved’ books when I do want to get something, and I’ve saved stuff I haven’t preordered yet onto there too.
Tags: books, comics, DC, Gail Simone, Stacking the Shelves
Posted January 3, 2015 by in General / 28 Comments
With my book-buying resolutions just coming into force, this might be the busiest Stacking the Shelves post you’re gonna see from me in a while. On the other hand, I am now in charge of acquiring books for my library, so surely it won’t count if I just buy one or two or three for them…
Okay, okay, I’ll be good.
Library books
My usual odd mix — I’m not sure why I’m so drawn to nature writing at the moment, but hey, I’ll go with it.
Fiction
There were sales! And I still had a voucher! And it wasn’t January yet!
Non-fiction
Pretty much all of these were bought with gift vouchers. I’ve read bad things about The Ancient Paths now, but it might be interesting anyway.
Awesome
Gift from my aunt for Christmas. <3 Look at that pretty cover! I had no idea this was even coming out until just before Christmas, but it’s Carol Ann Duffy, soooo. Yeah. Happy.
What’s everyone else been getting? Been breaking your 2015 bookish resolutions already?
Tags: books, Carol Ann Duffy, non-fiction, Stacking the Shelves
Posted December 27, 2014 by in General / 24 Comments
Or, Stacking the Shelves: The Christmas Edition! I think I’ve probably had similarly large hauls before, but still… I had a very good Christmas, and if I could just tear myself away from my new game (Final Fantasy Theatrhythm: Curtain Call), I’ll show you all the details. Plus my giant literary giraffe, a gift from my dad.
His name is Charles Parker, after Lord Peter’s best friend.
He turns up when you least expect it.
Turn around…
So yeah, that was a Christmas. And this is a haul…
Comics
The first four are from Mum and Dad — and don’t worry, I know it’s the first two feature Cassandra Cain as Batgirl, and the third Barbara Gordon — and the two Saga volumes are from my little sis. <3
Non-fiction
One of you lot recommended me The Trouble with Physics, and Dad got me that and the book on Lucy. The other three came from the Kindle sale.
Pure geekery
Little sister knows me well! Or, you know, remembered what I did some of my master’s work on.
Fiction
That’s a real mix of gifts, sales and randomness.
Audiobooks
I had credits to spend.
I also got a £20 Waterstones gift card, which I’ll be spending today, so watch out for next week’s haul, too… What’s everyone else been getting?!
Tags: Alastair Reynolds, books, Brian Vaughan, comics, DC, J.R.R. Tolkien, Marvel, non-fiction, Stacking the Shelves
Posted December 13, 2014 by in General / 12 Comments
It’s been a quiet week, despite the great temptation caused by people’s end of year lists. Like Tor’s Reviewer’s Choice, oh man. I gave myself a limit, though, and I stuck to it.
Ebooks
Daughter of Mystery and The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet were from best-of lists — possibly even the Tor one I linked. Legion: Skin Deep, I actually picked up two or three weeks ago but forgot to include back then. Mea culpa.
For review
A somewhat random choice from Bookbridgr!
Library
Someone in my book group said they wouldn’t rest until I read more of Brubaker’s work, so, tahdah. I thought I’d make sure they could rest. Crow Country was a somewhat random choice between that, Badgerlands and Otter Country; I feel in the mood at the moment to read about Britain’s indigenous species.
Anyway, that’s it for me. Anyone else been getting anything exciting? Or are you saving all the excitement for Christmas?
Tags: books, Brandon Sanderson, comics, SF/F, Stacking the Shelves
