Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I round up what I’ve read since the last update and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
Thank you to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received. For more details and full descriptions of the books, be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages!
And away we go! Kicking us off are a couple of highly anticipated new arrivals from the amazing folks at Orbit: Olympus Bound by Jordanna Max Brodsky is the third and final book of the Greek mythology-inspired Olympus Bound trilogy, and I can’t wait to find out how things end. I’m also very excited for Blood of Assassins by R.J. Barker, the sequel to Age of Assassins which I read last year and completely adored.
Also thanks to Saga Press and the team at Wunderkind PR for this ARC of Pride and Prometheus by John Kessel, which sounds absolutely amazing. Gothic horror meets Regency romance in this novel described as a fusion of Pride and Prejudice and Frankenstein.
Thanks also to Gallery Books for sending me a copy of Apart in the Dark by Ania Ahlborn, an omnibus that collects the author’s horror novellas The Pretty Ones and I Call Upon Thee. I’m not a big reader of novellas, but I enjoyed Ahlborn’s The Devil Crept In so much last year that I’ll read anything of hers that I can get my hands on! So far I’m done the first story and about halfway through the second, and I’m enjoying myself (and thoroughly creeped out too).
Courtesy of St. Martin’s Press, I also received an ARC of Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope, an epic fantasy of magic and romance. By the way, if the cover looks a tad familiar, that’s because this book was a contestant in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off a couple years ago. More SPFBO books are finding their way to traditional publishers, I love it.
Next up is a surprise arrival, with thanks to Subterranean Press for sending me an ARC of Rough Justice by Kelley Armstrong. Seeing something new from the author always puts a smile on my face. I wish I knew more about the book, but at this time all I know is that it’s inspired by Welsh lore and Mallt-y-Nos, the lone woman who rides with the Wild Hunt. I feel all tingly just thinking about it.
And finally, a trio of finished copies from Tor! Child of a Mad God by R.A. Salvatore is the start of a brand new epic fantasy series called The Coven. The Midnight Front by David Mack is an alternate history which blends magic and sorcerers with the events of World War II. And Shroud of Eternity by Terry Goodkind is the second book of the author’s new series following the formidable Nikki, known as “Death’s Mistress”. I read and enjoyed the first book last year, so I’m hoping I can find time this winter to read the sequel.
On to the digital pile! From Edelweiss, I grabbed Feeder by Patrick Weekes, who is of course the author of the fantastically fun Rogues of the Republic series. With thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books for the chance to try more of his work. Earlier this week, I also spied Bad Man by Dathan Auerbach, a horror-thriller about a young boy who goes missing, and the brother who won’t stop looking for him. Looks like this book won’t be published until the summer, but nonetheless I would like to thank Doubleday Books for the early galley. From NetGalley, I also requested Obscura by Joe Hart after finding out about this sci-fi mystery-thriller from Tammy at Books, Bones and Buffy. With thanks to Thomas & Mercer for approving me so quickly!
Speaking of books I find out from other bloggers, I also added Art of War edited by Petros Triantafyllou to Goodreads after I saw it featured by Bob at Beauty in Ruins. Not even an hour later, I was contacted through the site by someone close to the project, who offered me a review copy. If you’re unfamiliar with this short story collection, I urge you to check it out. Produced by the people at Booknest.eu, this is a charity anthology which each author voluntarily signed up for, and all proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders.
I also picked up a pretty big audiobook haul this week. First, with thanks to Audible Studios for an audio review copy of The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo. I finally caved and decided to check this one out, and I’m glad I did! I typically tend to stay away from the random short fiction based on an author’s existing series or established characters (in this case, the Grishaverse), but this collection was nothing like I expected and I actually ended up enjoy it a lot.
From Penguin Random House Audio, I received The Gone World by Thomas Sweterlitsch, a sci-fi mystery involving time travel. I read one of the author’s cyberpunk titles a couple years ago and thought it was pretty cool, so I’m curious to see what this one will be like. From the publisher’s Listening Library list, I also received audio review copies of a couple of my highly anticipated YA novels: Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce is the start of a new series called The Numair Chronicles and I’m hoping to start listening to it soon. It’ll also be my first book by the author! About time, right? And last but not least, rounding up this book haul is Sightwitch by Susan Denard. This series and I have had our ups and downs, but for some reason, I just can’t seem to quit it! This book is actually a prequel novella, taking place about a year before Truthwitch. I would have preferred a sequel but, hey, I’ll take it.
Reviews
A quick summary of reviews I’ve posted since the last update:
The Defiant by Lesley Livingston (5 of 5 stars)
The Infernal Battalion by Django Wexler (4.5 of 5 stars)
The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman (4 of 5 stars)
The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor (4 of 5 stars)
Mass Effect: Annihilation by N.K. Jemisin and Mac Walters (4 of 5 stars)
The Sky Is Yours by Chandler Klang Smith (3.5 of 5 stars)
Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Supernaturals by David L. Golemon (3 of 5 stars)
Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk (2 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Here’s what I’ve “unstacked” from the TBR since my last roundup post. I’ve reviewed a few of these already, and the rest will be coming soon.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
The BiblioSanctum 
Oh, Dathan Auerbach of Penpal fame? I didn’t even know he has a new one coming up. Penpal had some haunting chapters that still terrify me when I think about the book; I’ll have to check this one.
R.J. Barker was one of my favorite surprises last year, looking forward to Blood of Assassins as well.
Great haul, Mogsy. 🙂
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Yep, that’s him! I heard he was quite a reddit sensation. When I saw that he had a new book coming out, I put it on the list immediately! 🙂
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I have a few of these waiting to be read. I wonder what the Tamora Pierce book will work out like – I haven’t read any of her books yet so perhaps this would be a good starting point.
Keen to see your review of Iron Gold.
Lynn 😀
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Yay, I’m not the only one who hasn’t read Tamora Pierce yet! Now I don’t feel as bad 😀
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OOoh nice new reads! All totally new to me ones! I hope you enjoy each and every one of them!
My STS will be up tomorrow, so stop by then if you can!
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
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Thanks, happy reading!
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I’m really looking forward to Art of War and Blood of Assassins. I opted for the audio copy of BoA since the first one was pretty good in that format.
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Oh I simply cannot wait to read BoA, I loved the first book so much!
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Tons of great books this week! Bad Man caught my attention, and for some reason, Pride and Prometheus is really standing out to me? Not sure why. I’ve actually never even read Pride and Prejudice.
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I am not a big Pride and Prejudice fan, but I think Pride and Prometheus stood out to be personally because of that particular genre mashup. Sounds like something I might like 🙂
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I don’t have any plans to read any of the books on your haul but I hope you’ll enjoy them all!
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Thank you! Happy reading 😀
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I’m hoping that Olympus bound will be just as good as the rest of the series and I’m looking forward to your review.
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Me too, I loved the first book and enjoyed the second. I hope the trilogy will end well 🙂
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Let’s hope I didn’t steer you wrong with Obscura😉 I was eyeing Bad Man on NetGalley but ultimately decided it wasn’t for me. But who knows, maybe it will turn out to be amazing!
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I hope we’ll all enjoy Obscura! I think it’ll be great 😀
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“Iron Gold” is one of the books I most look forward to – as soon as I’ve read a few titles I have already lined up, that is… – but I can’t wait to get back to Darrow & Co. and see the post-revolution world’s shape. 🙂
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I enjoyed it! There were a few new perspective characters though, and not all were as equally interesting and one POV even bored me to tears. I think that was the only thing dragging it down, otherwise I had fun with the book 🙂
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Those first two, ohhhhh
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Oh yes, highly anticipated books upcoming from Orbit!
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I’m very curious about Olympus Bound since I liked The Immortals but was a little disappointed in the second one. The completist part of me will be bugging me to read it. 🙂 I love the cover of Rough Justice, and that premise has me mulling that one too.
The Gone World bears investigating too, I think. Nice haul!
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I felt the same way about the first two Olympus Bound books. Loved Immortals, but was slightly less enamored with Winter of the Gods. Hopefully this last one will lift things up again!
And I’m listening to Gone World right now, I’m really enjoying it so far!
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Wow, you are a reading machine Mogsy! Thanks for all the review content. 🙂
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You’re welcome, and thanks for swinging by! I fell way behind during the winter holidays, but I’m starting to get back into the rhythm again 🙂
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You always have the best hauls. Pride and Prometheus pretty much had me at Gothic. I hope I love it! Also, I think Song of Blood and Stone has one of my favorite covers this year so far. I hope we all love Obscura, especially since I know so many of us grabbed it after seeing it over on Tammy’s blog. Have a wonderful reading week!
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Ooh, what a awesome haul! I hope they all turn out to be great – they look amazing. I stopped reading the Greek series after the first one. I’m curious to hear how it turns out as a whole. I’m also anxious to hear your thoughts on the second Ahlborn novella. The first one wasn’t a hit for me, but I’d still like to read the second one at some point.
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My review of Apart in the Dark went up earlier this week. I enjoyed both stories, though the first one wasn’t what I expected either. The second story, however, is more of the “traditional” horror 😀
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I also got Song of Blood & Stone and I’m so happy!!! You had a fantastic haul!
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I’m excited for that one! Hope we both enjoy it!
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Great haul! I am hoping to find timme to read The Gone World, really curious to hear what you think of it!
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I finished The Gone World recently. It’s bizarre! In the good way 🙂
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I wish I knew more about the book, but at this time all I know is that it’s inspired by Welsh lore and Mallt-y-Nos, the lone woman who rides with the Wild Hunt. I feel all tingly just thinking about it.
…omg, I knew nothing about this but I’m totally sold on it from that. Waaant. I hope it lives up to that description!
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Me too! It sounds amazing!
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Pride and Prometheus sounds so cool, can’t wait to see what people think when the reviews start coming in.
*screams* ROUGH JUSTICE! Must be a Cainsville tie-in. I hope it’s good!
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I did wonder if Rough Justice might be related to one of her existing series! Hopefully I can read it on its own, even if it is!
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Song of Blood & Stone was a past SPFBO contestant? Huh. I had no idea. I just remember seeing the cover a while ago on Goodreads, and then reading the blurb, and then thinking, “That sounds pretty cool!” So I’ll definitely keep an eye out for your review on that one. And I’m also looking forward to Tamora Pierce’s new book! I pre-ordered a copy, so that should be arriving sometime next week. 🙂
In terms of new acquisitions, I bought The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (while I’d borrowed from the library a couple years ago and really enjoyed) and Night of Cake & Puppets by Laini Taylor on a whim. And a week or two before that, I got Ursula K. Le Guin’s nonfiction collection No Time to Spare. It’s still a bit sad that she passed away last week…
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Yep, they even kept the same cover, but I think they recolored it a bit. When I saw it on the St. Martin’s Press catalog I knew it looked familiar! 😀
I also really enjoyed the Tempests and Slaughter audiobook. Now I want to read more of Pierce’s books!
And I’ve heard so much about The Thief by Turner. I might be remembering wrong, but isn’t it a sequel though? I think that’s why I haven’t added it to any lists. And yes, so sad about Le Guin, the world lost a treasure that week 😦
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Nope. The Thief is the first book in her Queen’s Thief series. 😉
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