Bookshelf Roundup 10/10/20: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every 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 summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week 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.
Heya folks! I’m actually prepping this post in advance for Sunday instead of my usual Saturday, and by the time it goes live, I would have been out of town for much of this past week. So if you’ve noticed that I haven’t been around online as much to reply to comments or check out your blogs, it’s because I’m at the beach 🙂 I look forward to catching up on everything and everyone’s posts upon my return though!
Anyway, I usually don’t get much reading done while I’m away, and I also have some of my mail held so I won’t know what book packages are waiting for me until I get home, so this is going to be a somewhat quick update. However, I do want to take this opportunity to spread the word about Spooktastic Reads, which is a mini-event held from October 19th until midnight on Halloween, brought to us by hosts imyril, Lisa and Jorie. You might recognize some of them as the wonderful people behind the Wyrd & Wonder, and Spooktastic Reads is sort of the same thing except that it’s more casual, runs only for 13 days, and is focused on everything spooky-related. This can be horror, dark fantasy, ghost stories and urban legends, Gothic romance…seriously, anything goes as long as it’s sort of creepy! And the awesome thing is, the event isn’t even limited to just books.
Artwork by Sergey Nivens from 123RF.com
Seeing as I usually stack my October with horror and darker reads anyway, I think I’ll join up! Plus, I do have a couple of horror reviews lined up for later this month. If you want to take part too, the more the merrier, and since it’s so casual, there’s no sign ups or any kind of formalities – just hop on board and post your content and join the conversation, using the tag #SpooktasticReads and @WyrdAndWonder on social media. Hope to share in the Spooktastic fun with all of you very soon!
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
Here are a few books that arrived at the beginning of the week. With thanks to Seventh Street Books and Kaye Publicity for The Big Man’s Daughter by Owen Fitzstephen, a mystery inspired by The Maltese Falcon as well as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. And all the way from the UK, I also received a copy of Map’s Edge by David Hair, the author who also brought us The Moontide Quartet, which I LOVED. This is the first book of a new series called The Tethered Citadel, and my deepest thanks to the amazing folks at Jo Fletcher Books for the opportunity! Thank you also to Saga Press team for The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher, which I’m so excited to read! I plan to start it soon, hopefully just in time for coverage during Spooktastic Reads.
In the digital review pile, with thanks to Harper Voyager for The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst. I love her books and I can’t wait to check this one out! I also received Domesticating Dragons by Dan Koboldt, which will be published by Baen in early 2021. This was described to me as a bit like “Build-A-Bear Workshop meets Jurassic Park“, about a genetic engineer who goes to work for a company that wants to create custom-made dragons. Fun! With thanks for the author for providing a review copy!
In the audiobook haul, with thanks to Macmillan Audio for an ALC of A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe, as well as Hachette Audio for a listening copy of A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry (so glad this one’s finally coming to audio!)
Reviews
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (3.5 of 5 stars)
Fable by Adrienne Young (3 of 5 stars)
This Week’s Reads
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 
The beach? At this time of year? Well, I hope you have a great time!
LikeLike
We went to Myrtle Beach, still very warm for this time of the year, though probably not for much longer!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice. Considering I’m wearing hats and gloves for work now, going to the beach sounds really good.
LikeLike
Ugh you’re at the beach? You totally suck.
I mean, miss you! Hope you have fun! Hope you like… any of the books you collected this week (I’ve never actually heard of any of them) 🙂
LikeLike
LOL! Well, I’m back now to the grind, boo! The break was nice though 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have fun! Make us all envious: where is it?
I‘ve read the Doors of Eden weeks ago, and liked it – not as much as his first SF novel, though.
LikeLike
I went to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, a resort town that gets really busy during the summer, but early October was still nice weather and no crowds 🙂
And I completely agree with you on Doors of Eden. Good, but not his best.
LikeLike
I passed there some years ago, but it was January and fucking cold, haha 😀
Enjoy your vacation, there’s not enough of that. I pledge for six months vacations, twice a year 😀
On the other side, we get 30 days here (plus sick leave) and I won’t ever really complain.
LikeLike
Oooh, the beach! I hope you are having a wonderful time!
LikeLike
Yes, we had a great time, thanks! 🙂
LikeLike
Hello Mogsy. I fancy The Big Man’s Daughter. I haven’t heard of any of the books.
LikeLike
The Big Man’s Daughter was new to me too, but I’m intrigued by the ideas that inspired it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooh nice new reads! Those are all new to me ones. I hope you enjoy them all!
Here’s my StS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
I got a copy of The Hollow Places too, and it’s coming up soon on the pile. Hope you had a nice time at the beach!
LikeLike
We had a wonderful time, thanks! And yay for The Hollow Places, I’m hoping to start that one next after my current read.
LikeLike
Ooh I hope you had fun at the beach! That sounds pretty awesome. 🙂 And I love the sound of that spooky reading event too.
LikeLike
Thanks, we had fun at the beach. It’s nice that in the south early October is still pretty warm, and since it was off season, no crowds!
LikeLike
Ohh Bonemaker, curious!
LikeLike
I can’t wait to read that!
LikeLike
Glad to hear you’re taking some time off and I hope you’re enjoying it! I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts on Black Sun, The Doors of Eden, and I’m curious about The Hollow Places. Enjoy the book backlog next time you get the mail. 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, the break was amazing. But sadly, now back to work 🙂
LikeLike
Lol… I know just how you feel – I have just returned from a two-week writing retreat in a flat overlooking the sea and it was absolutely glorious! I hope you enjoy The Doors of Eden – I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I’m yearning for Domesticating Dragons, which looks like so much fun! I’ve also got an arc for Map’s Edge, which I haven’t started yet, as I’ve fallen a tad behind, as I haven’t read all that much while away. But I loved the Olympus trilogy he co-wrote with Cath Mayo. Let’s hope this is as fabulous! Enjoy your books:))
LikeLike
I really enjoyed A Golden Fury! Hope you will too 🙂
LikeLike
I’m so late on catching up on posts, so I hope you had a wonderful time at the beach or are having a wonderful time, if you’re still there. It’s good to get away for a bit, and I wish I could too.
I’ll look out for your thoughts on that T. Kingfisher book. I read their Twisted Ones but didn’t like it as much as I thought I would.
LikeLike
I hope your beach break was great and you had plenty of book mail to return to 😀
LikeLike
*sees the title “Domesticating Dragons”*
…*notes it down*
LikeLike
Looks like some good things on the horizon. I’m really interested to see what you think of The Bone Maker. 🙂
LikeLike