Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves and Recent Reads
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other weekend similar to Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as what I plan to read soon. I also round up what I’ve finished reading and/or reviewed since the last update, and sometimes throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
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This came out of my fortune cookie last week when the family and I got Chinese takeout. Oh cookie, it was like you and I were meant to be. You were delicious too.
RECEIVED FOR REVIEW
Lots of surprises again this week, as I’ve been curbing review requests and the number of books I accept for review since the beginning of fall. One reason for this is because I’m gearing up for SciFiMonth, trying to catch up on personal reads and sci-fi titles already on my to-be-reviewed shelf. Also, after much consideration, I think I’m going to do it. I’m going to do NaNoWriMo again. So yeah, November will be a busy month. Regardless, there are certainly a couple of new discoveries and a lot of really cool books in this haul that I want to check out! My thanks to all the wonderful publishers and authors!
Bound ARCs/Finished Copies:
Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie – Paperback, with thanks to Orbit. This is the third book of the Imperial Radch trilogy which first began with the award-winning Ancillary Justice, a book I’m sure needs no introduction! Its arrival was an unexpected surprise since I had already received an audio review copy of the book last week, but I’ll be sure to enjoy both!
Luna: New Moon by Ian McDonald – Hardcover, with thanks to Tor. The only books I’ve read by Ian McDonald are from his young adult series Everness, but I love them to bits. I’ve seen this one compared to Game of Thrones, except we’re on the moon. I’m totally lining it up for Sci-fi Month, which should come as no surprise, so keep an eye out for a review in November.
An Apprentice to Elves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear – Hardcover, with thanks to Tor. This beautiful finished copy arrived last week, and I’m quite excited to dive into it. It’s technically the third book in a series, but the publicist let me know that it works perfectly fine as a stand alone and that it builds on the first two books, but has a different protagonist and is a fine place to jump into the story.
Gold Throne in Shadow by M.C. Planck and Rising Tide by Rajan Khanna – Paperbacks, with thanks to Pyr. Yay, more finished copies! Both are sequels of books I read last year, so I am in a good place to continue either series. I’m especially hyped to read Rising Tide later this fall because I love airships and a good zombie post-apocalypse.
The King’s Justice by Stephen R. Donaldson – Hardcover, with thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons. This one was a surprise arrival that made me very happy! It’s a two-novella collection by Stephen R. Donaldson of the Thomas Covenant series fame, though I haven’t read any of those books and was initially concerned that I wasn’t going to be able to read this without getting completely lost. Happily, I later learned that both stories are new and original, or at least it sounded that way, so this is going right onto my fall TBR.
Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin – Print ARC, with thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via their NOVL program. This was pitched as “Code Name Verity meets Inglourious Basterds“, a YA alternate history novel about a teen who needs to win an epic motorcycle race across Europe and Asia in order to assassinate Hitler. Are you kidding me, that is like the most awesome premise ever.
A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond – Hardcover, with thanks to Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Occasionally I will receive unsolicited YA novels from Penguin Random House, and most of these I haven’t talked about in my Bookshelf Roundups because they are outside The BiblioSanctum’s scope in terms of genre. This time I’m pleased to feature A Song for Ella Grey though, a creative reimagining of the tragic tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. Wow! I always like to see more mythology-related retellings.
The Last Exodus by Paul Tassi – Paperback, with thanks to Talos. Skyhorse Publishing is generous as usual, surprising me with a copy of this book about an invasion that leaves Earth in ruins and a survivor who searches for his family in the aftermath of an intergalactic war.
Digital and Audio:
Star Wars: Battlefront: Twilight Company by Alexander Freed – eARC, with thanks to Del Rey via NetGalley. Some books I can’t resist requesting, like this one based on the upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront game (which I’m going to play the shit out of, by the way).
Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto – eARC with thanks to Balzer + Bray. Another thing I can never resist is a good story with a fantasy western setting and Edelweiss was so kind as to indulge me.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo – Audiobook, with thanks to Audible Studios. I’m prepping this post mid-week, so by the time it goes live I hope to be well into this one. I have heard such amazing things about this book, and I have a weakness for stories that feature heists.
WHAT I’VE READ SINCE THE LAST UPDATE
It looks like a lot, but I actually indulged in several novellas this past fortnight, and they were super quick reads. I’m also falling behind on writing reviews, but I suppose that’s a good problem to have if it means I’m making some good progress on my to-read pile. Fall and winter are my catch-up months and so far I’m off to a great start.
Reviews:
Here are the reviews I’ve written and posted since the last update, gathered together and listed here for your convenience and viewing pleasure.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (4.5 of 5 stars)
The Last Witness by K.J. Parker (4 of 5 stars)
Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson (4 of 5 stars)
Reign of Iron by Angus Watson (4 of 5 stars)
Sunset Mantle by Alter S. Reiss (3.5 of 5 stars)
Swords and Scoundrels by Julia Knight (3.5 of 5 stars)
Last First Snow by Max Gladstone (3.5 of 5 stars)
Queen of Shadow by Sarah J. Maas (3.5 of 5 stars)
Bat out of Hell by Alan Gold
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Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? Let me know if you plan to read any of these! Nothing makes me happier than sharing my love for books and I hope you found something interesting for a future read. Until next time, see you next Roundup! 🙂
~Mogsy/Steff~
The BiblioSanctum 
Ian McDonald’s is a book I’ve heard mentioned quite often these last few weeks, and it piqued my curiosity. The comparison about Games of Thrones makes it even more interesting, of course 🙂
Oh, and good luck with NaNoWriMo!!!!
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Thank you, I hope I’ll be able to keep up the word count this year! 🙂
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That’s a most awesome fortune from a fortune cookie. 🙂 And best of luck with NaNoWriMo!!
I know someone else who’s read Wolf By Wolf, and she still thinks her favorite book of 2015. So I hope you enjoy it, too, and I look forward to reading your thoughts on that, Tower of Thorns, Our Lady of the Ice, Walk On A Earth A Stranger… Um, well, a lot of your upcoming reviews. *lol*
Oh, and what do you think of Six Of Crows so far????
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Thanks, I’m definitely going to need extra motivation for NaNo this year!
And ooh, that makes me so excited for Wolf by Wolf! My Walk on Earth a Stranger review is up now, hope you’ll get a chance to check out the book! It was such an awesome read 🙂
And Six of Crows is very enjoyable so far! I am loving the characters!
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Just checked out your review on Walk On Earth A Stranger a little while ago. 😉 (I’m still in the middle of my Monday blog catch up; I let the blogging slide over the weekends so I can focus on novel revisions.) And yay about Six Of Crows! 😀
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I know many titles get compared to Game of Thrones these days,and I KNOW it most likely won’t live up to that, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to know more, because of the slight chance that maybe this might be one… just maybe it’ll capture me the same way GoT did.
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I know what you’re talking about. When it comes to a YA novel blurb describing itself to GoT, forget it, I know not to expect it. Adult novels on the other hand are sometimes hit or miss. Some try to emulate GRRM and either miss their mark or they do so in a way that’s too obvious an a complete ripoff. I just know nothing can ever be another GoT, but I would like to see the same kind of complexity. So…Luna, yeah. Ian McDonald is one hell of an experienced writer, and he’s good at what he does, so this should be interesting.
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Yay, new books 😀
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Can’t wait to read them 🙂
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I’m intrigued by Luna, will have to see what you think about it. I did NaNoWriMo one year, with an adjusted goal of about half the normal word count. It was lots of fun, but also so much time! 🙂 Best of luck with it! 🙂
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This is going to be my fifth year. I’ve “won” the previous four years too, so yeah, no pressure on myself there, ahaha 🙂
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I tried to comment yesterday but I couldn’t so here me again lol. You had so many new books and I confess that I’m curious about some many the Pyr books. Happy reading!
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Pyr puts out some great stuff, I wish I could read more of them too!
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If it’s in a fortune cookie, you know it’s true.
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No doubt!
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Awesome haul, as usual! I’m dying to read Six of Crows, and I’m very interested in Luna. Ian McDonald is one of my VERY favorite authors, although I don’t keep up with him these days, but you should read his older adult fantasies, I think you’d LOVE him. Can’t think of any book titles at the moment, I’m so tired! Oh and I need to start planning my Sci Fi November, thanks for reminding me:-)
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I’ve only read McDonald’s Everness series and I LOVE it! I’d really like to check out his other adult novels too, but never had the chance. I’m going to have to snoop out your Goodreads profile to see which books by him are your faves 🙂
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That.Fortune.Is.Perfect ♥
You have a lot of awesome looking books here – I’m curious about Gold Throne in Shadow, Rising Tide and Wolf by Wolf. I actually still need to start The Grisha series but I’m still interested in how you’ll make out with Six of Crows 🙂 Congrats on all of your goodies and happy reading!! xx
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Really enjoying Six of Crows so far! And I think you’ll enjoy the Grisha trilogy. I had fun with it, especially the first book. It’s great to be back in that world, even if we’re following different characters and it’s a different story 🙂
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