Bookshelf Roundup 11/14/20: 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.
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!
An intriguing trio of new arrivals hit my mailbox this week. First, my thanks to Orbit for sending me a finished copy of Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen, a galaxy-spanning space opera about a young man’s single-minded quest for revenge. As you know, Sci-Fi November is in full swing, and silly me forgot to factor in new releases when I was putting together a reading list for the event! Nevertheless, I’m going to try my best to fit this one in before the end of the month, because I’ve really been champing at the bit to check it out.
Thank you also to Angry Robot for this next fantastic looking sci-fi title, The Rush’s Edge by Ginger Smith. Super soldiers and aliens feature in this high-tension thriller that was pitched to me as having Mass Effect and Firefly vibes, oh my. Sounds like another book I’m going to have to bump up my reading list.
Earlier this week I also got a wonderful surprise in the form of Honeycomb by Joanne M. Harris, a dark fantasy collection of fairy tale-inspired short stories. I’m not a big reader of anthologies, but I do absolutely make exceptions when it comes to my favorite authors, and Harris is most definitely one of them. Huge thanks to Saga Press for the ARC!
In the digital haul, I snagged a listening copy of From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back edited by Elizabeth Schaefer, featuring forty more tales told through the eyes of a supporting character recreating an iconic scene, this time from The Empire Strikes Back. I have the first volume, and you’re crazy if you think I could resist the second! With thanks to Random House Audio.
With thanks to Macmillan Audio I also picked up The Silver Shooter by Erin Lindsey, book three of the Rose Gallagher Golden Age paranormal mystery series by one of my favorite authors, as well as Ink by Jonathan Maberry, because even though Halloween is behind us, I’m still in the mood for some sweet, sweet horror.
Speaking of horror, I also received ALCs of This Is Not A Ghost Story by Andrea Portes, a YA thriller about a college-bound teen who gets a job housesitting a creepy mansion for a wealthy couple, as well as The Burning God by R.F. Kuang, the conclusion of The Poppy War trilogy. I loved the first book, was slightly disappointed by the second, so I’m really hoping for a strong finish to clinch the ending.
Reviews
We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Cabin on Souder Hill by Lonnie Busch (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Original by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal (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 
Um, I hate to ruin your optimism, so maybe skip my review of Rush’s Edge. Or maybe it’ll temper your expectations. Nophek Gloss looks really good, and so does that cover!
Hope everything’s going well down your way!
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LOL I went ahead and read your review anyway, and I’m glad I did. It really helped me get a better feel for the book, and while it sounds fun, it’s definitely not what I’m in the mood for right now. I was debating between The Rush’s Edge and Red Noise (another Angry Robot) book and you really helped me make the decision on what to read next. I’ll bump The Rush’s Edge back for another day 🙂
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Nophek Gloss sounds interesting. My Dad absolutely loves a good space opera, so I’m always on the look out this time of year. Excited to see your review when you read it.
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I’m hoping I can get to it before the end of the month! Even if I don’t though, I do plan on reading it and you’ll definitely see a review after I do 😀
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I’ve started Nophek Gloss yesterday and although I doubt I will be able to fit it into my SciFi Month schedule, I think I’m going to enjoy this one…
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I’m glad to hear that! Makes me excited to start it myself 😀
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Ooh nice new reads. I was a little disappointed by This is Not a Ghost Story. I guess I was just expecting a bit more from it…and a few more answers, but it wasn’t too terrible.
Hope you enjoy all of these lovely new reads!
My StS will be up tomorrow, so stop by then if you can!
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
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Oh no, that’s sad to hear, as I was planning on reading Not a Ghost Story Next. I’ll keep my expectations realistic 😀
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I really like that cover for Nophek Gloss. Hopefully the story is just as good. And I’d like to try The Poppy War trilogy at some point. Love those covers, too.
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The Poppy War was amazing! Maybe that was why I was somewhat disappointed by the sequel, since my expectations were so high. I’ve learned my lesson for this third book though, going to keep the hype down this time 😀
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I’m starting Rush’s Edge today, and I also got a surprise copy of Honeycomb. Its so pretty!
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I hope you’re enjoying The Rush’s Edge!
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Nice haul! I saw the From a Certain Point of View volumes back-to-back at Indigo last week and was curious, but so far I’ve resisted the pull of the Force. 🙂
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I’ve been falling so far behind on Star Wars books lately, and yet I still add more to my list. I can’t resist the Force 😉
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Hope you enjoy the Harris anthology. I’ve been eyeballing that one. Like you I don’t tend to enjoy collections – but Joanne Harris, so very tempting.
Lynn 😀
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Exactly my thoughts! Not an anthology person, but I will make exceptions for authors like Harris 😀
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Ohhh the new Kuang, but I still gotta read book 2
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I hope you’ll enjoy it more than I did! It was still good, but nowhere near as good as the first one.
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I’ve got Harris and From a Certain Point of View, looking forward to reading both! 😀
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I hope you’ll enjoy them! As behind as I am, I bet you’ll beat me to both of them 😀
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Insofar as I’m not a betting person I believe you might be right – I’m itching to get to the SW book and see what’s inside 😂
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Oooh, The Burning God! I’m so scared to read that book haha.
I’m really curious about The Rush’s Edge as well.
Hope you enjoy some of these!
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