Tag: Stacking the Shelves

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

Cover of California Bones by Greg van Eekhout Cover of Half-Resurrection Blues, by Daniel José Older Cover of The Awakened Kingdom by N.K. Jemisin

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…

Thor #1 Thor #2 Thor #3

Operation S.I.N #1 Captain Marvel #11

Lady Thor, Peggy Carter as a heroine, and the new Captain Marvel — how could I resist?

Library

Cover of The Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo Cover of Pieces of Light by Charles Fernyhough Cover of When Life Nearly Died by Michael J. Benton

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

Cover of Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan Cover of Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder Cover of The Salt Roads by Nalo Hopkinson

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

Cover of Earthrise by M.C.A. Hogarth

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?

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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

Cover of Batgirl volume 4 by Gail Simone

Late Christmas present from my dad. <3

Library books

Cover of Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs Cover of Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Cover of Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Cover of The Time Paradox by Philip Zimbardo Cover of The Secret Life of Birds by Colin Tudge

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.

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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

Cover of Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen Cover of Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick Cover of The Relic Guild by Edward Cox

Cover of Otter Country by Miriam Darlington Cover of Badgerlands by Patrick Barkham Cover of The Sins of the Fathers by Lawrence Block

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

Cover of Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel Cover of The Forever Watch by David Ramirez Cover of Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie Cover of The Black Chalice by Steven Savile

There were sales! And I still had a voucher! And it wasn’t January yet!

Non-fiction

Cover of The Ancient Paths by Graham Robb Cover of Ashoka by Charles Allen Cover of A History of the World in 12 Maps Cover of Confronting the Classics by Mary Beard

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

Cover of Faery Tales by Carol Ann Duffy

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?

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Stacking the Shelves – The Holy Crap Edition

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.

Photo of me wearing a paper party hat, next to my five foot tall giraffe
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

Cover of Batgirl: Silent Running by Kelley Puckett Cover of Batgirl: A Knight Alone by Kelley Puckett Cover of Batgirl: Death in the Family by Gail Simone

Cover of She-Hulk vol. 1 by Dan Slott Cover of Saga vol 3 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples Cover of Saga vol 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

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

Cover of Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay by Simon Napier-Bell Cover of Sex & Punishment by Eric Berkowitz Cover of The Reluctant Yogi by Carla McKay

Cover of Lucy: The Beginnings of Mankind Cover of The Trouble with Physics by Lee Smolin

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

Maps of Tolkien's Middle-Earth Cover of Tolkien: A Dictionary by David Day

Little sister knows me well! Or, you know, remembered what I did some of my master’s work on.

Fiction

Cover of The Sea Road by Margaret Elphinstone Cover of Sold for Endless Rue by Madeleine E. Robins Cover of The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine

Cover of Mitosis by Brandon Sanderson Cover of Heraclix and Pomp by Forrest Agguire Cover of The Wild Ways by Tanya Huff

Cover of The Future Falls by Tanya Huff Cover of Mélusine by Sarah Monette Cover of Mindscape by Andrea Hairston

Cover of Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly Cover of Two Serpents Rise by Max Gladstone Cover of Full Fathom Five by Max Gladstone

Cover of Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch Cover of The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman Cover of Blue Remembered Earth by Alistair Reynolds

That’s a real mix of gifts, sales and randomness.

Audiobooks

Cover of Swordspoint audiobook by Ellen Kushner Cover of The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (audiobook)

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?!

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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

Cover of Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones Cover of Legion: Skin Deep by Brandon Sanderson Cover of The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

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

Cover of Nunslinger by Stark Holborn

A somewhat random choice from Bookbridgr!

Library

Cover of Crow Country by Mark Cocker Cover of Fatale by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

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?

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted December 6, 2014 by in General / 29 Comments

I’m doing really well and not buying books at the moment! But that doesn’t stop me going to the library (dun dun dunnn) or picking up comics. Though honestly, I picked these issues up a couple of weeks ago and forgot to include them then, so I thought I’d drop them into this post.

Review copies

Cover of The Very Best of Kate Elliott Cover of H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

I haven’t actually read anything by Kate Elliott yet, so this seems like a good place to start! As for H is for Hawk, I keep getting curious about it, but not curious enough to buy it… and then lo and behold, I get it on Netgalley. I’m quite interested to get round to reading it ASAP.

Library fiction

Cover of The Spirit Thief by Rachel Aaron Cover of The Spirit Rebellion by Rachel Aaron Cover of The Spirit Eater by Rachel Aaron

Cover of 7 Wonders by Adam Christopher Cover of The Iron King by Maurice Druon Cover of Starfish by Peter Watts

Cover of Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery Cover of Still Life by Louise Penny

Rachel Aaron and Adam Christopher have actually been on my TBR for ages, but that’s in ebook form, and sometimes I’m not in the mood for that. So I thought maybe getting from the library would kickstart me. As for the others, they come recommended by various people, and Emily of New Moon by my love of Anne of Green Gables, though I gather Emily’s a bit more saccharine than Anne.

Library non-fiction

Cover of Ladies of the Grand Tour by Brian Dolan Cover of The Galapagos by Henry Nicholls

I think a friend read Ladies of the Grand Tour recently, and The Galápagos has an obvious draw for me…

Comics (single issues)

DIG029097_2 DIG031290_3

Jessica Drew is awesome.

That’s it for me, and you may well add that that’s plenty for one person. What’s anyone else been getting their hands on?

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted November 29, 2014 by in General / 24 Comments

This week looks quite busy, but I have excuses, I promise…

Library

Cover of Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon Cover of The Language Wars by Henry Hitchings Cover of Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

Cover of Creation by Adam Rutherford Cover of If Walls Could Talk by Lucy Worsley

I’ve been meaning to pick up Bitter Greens for a while, and my sister loves Elizabeth Moon, so that’s why those two — and the non-fiction, well, they were fairly random picks from the library non-fiction section. I do love having random non-fiction to read.

Bought

Cover of Native Tongue, by Suzette Elgin Haden Cover of The Terrorists of Irustan by Louise Marley Cover of The Glass Harmonica by Louise Marley

Cover of A Seed on the Wind by Cat Rambo Cover of Queen & Commander by Janine A. Southard Cover of Hive & Heist by Janine A. Southard

This looks fairly busy, but I spent less than £5 myself — a friend from a book group bought me Native Tongue, after a discussion went pretty nasty in the group, which picked my mood up greatly. The Terrorists of Irustan was a rec that came out of that, too. And then I spotted Damaged Worlds, which contains those four books plus a short story by Cecilia Tan for under £1. So I thought I might as well give them a go.

So, not a bad haul for me, and pretty cheap too! What’s everyone else been grabbing?

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted November 22, 2014 by in General / 10 Comments

This week has been a library week…

Fiction

Cover of The Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart Cover of The Savage Knight by Paul Lewis Cover of Dangerous Women ed. G.R.R. Martin

Cover of The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley Cover of Labyrinth by Kate Mosse Cover of The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

Cover of The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross Cover of Osama by Lavie Tidhar Cover of Fever by Mary Beth Keane

Cover of Tooth & Claw by Jo Walton Cover of Ghost King by David Gemmell Cover of Last Sword of Power by David Gemmell

Cover of A Taste of Blood Wine by Freda Warrington

I don’t think I actually ever got round to reading The Hollow Hills, so I’m looking forward to it after enjoying The Crystal Cave more than I used to. I do actually own the whole trilogy, but it’s a massive hardback, so I got the library book for reading convenience. The Savage Knight sounds interesting; I think Abaddon books probably deserve a prize for the fake manuscript-provenance story around the story, which has seemingly caught some other reviewers out. Arthuriana, yay! Tooth and Claw, The Hero and the Crown and Labyrinth are rereads of varying quality; my brain seems to need something familiar right now.

Poetry

Cover of Darwin: A Life in Poems by Ruth Padel Cover of Hand in Hand, ed. Carol Ann Duffy

Padel is a great-great-great granddaughter of Darwin, so this was an interesting read, even if I didn’t love it. And I liked the idea of Carol Ann Duffy’s anthology, too — modern poetry in conversation with older. I’d been meaning to grab these for a while.

Non-fiction

Cover of UKCAT for Dummies

Not exciting in the traditional way, perhaps, but it is nice to be preparing myself…

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted November 15, 2014 by in General / 6 Comments

This week, I have been super restrained. No, I really mean it!

Review copies

Cover of Brood by Chase Novak Cover of The Wicked + The Divine by Jamie McKelvie and Kieron Gillen

I didn’t even request Brood — I’m not sure why Bookbridr sent me it, because it sounds like it might be a bit too gory for me. Maybe I clicked something by accident? But I’m glad to have an ARC of The Wicked + The Divine; I actually have a pre-order for the TPB anyway, but now I get to read it sooner.

Bought

 Cover of Do No Harm by Henry Marsh Cover of Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch

I’m guessing I’m going to see a lot of Foxglove Summer around in the next couple weeks; it just came out on Thursday. I’m excited! And Do No Harm was something I spotted in the bookshop and ended up getting with what I had left of a book token: it’s all about brain surgery, which both icks me out and fascinates me. I can’t see myself as a brain surgeon, but neurology is fascinating…

Comics

Captain Marvel #9

Captain Marvel #9! I’m not caught up at the moment, but hey, it’s nice to support the Carol Corps.

What’s everyone else been getting?

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted November 8, 2014 by in General / 28 Comments

It’s been a very acquisitive week for me, even though I keep telling myself I mustn’t go over 365 books bought this year. Not that my book-buying urge has ever listening to such logical things, so there y’go. There’s been a fair amount of yarn buying, too, so I am predictably pretty broke already, even though it’s just the first week of November. Anyway! Some awesome stuff, this week.

Review copies

Cover of The Just City by Jo Walton Cover of Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers Cover of Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

Cover of Myth and Magic, ed. Radclyffe and Stacia Seamen Cover of World of Trouble by Ben H. Winters Cover of The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston

I was actually kindly lent a print copy of The Just City, which is in my Top Ten Books I Don’t Own and Want To Read post, by Robert. Then naturally Tor approved me for the ARC on Netgalley as well, even though they’ve never approved my requests before… Ah well, I’ll probably read the print copy anyway. I’ve heard mixed things about Robin LaFevers, but I thought I’d try. And queer fairy tales are right up my street.

Print books

Cover of What Matters In Jane Austen? by John Mullen Cover of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North Cover of Dark Entries by Robert Aickman

Cover of Fearsome Magics, ed. Jonathan Strahan Cover of The Sleeper and the Spindle, by Neil Gaiman Cover of Elizabeth of York by Alison Weir

Cover of Drunk Tank Pink by Adam Alter

I couldn’t resist getting The Sleeper and the Spindle, especially because of some of the art I’ve seen inside it. Claire North is apparently another pseudonym of Catherine Webb/Kate Griffin, whose work I’ve been following since she published her first novel. Excited! The other stuff is a mixture of random choice and stuff I’ve been meaning to pick up. I had an ARC of Elizabeth of York, and my guilt induced me to finally just buy it…

Anyway, as this goes live I’ll be heading out to the local Comic-Con. Looking forward to seeing what the dealers have! What’s everyone else been getting?

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