Bookshelf Roundup 12/12/20: 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.
Gah, I thought I would be making a bigger dent in my catch-up TBR pile by this point, but work has been busy lately. Granted, I’ve also been putting in extra hours because when you’re a self-employed contractor, you take work when you can get it, and I did spend like a drunken sailor this past Black Friday/Cyber Monday week! Did anyone else score some sweet deals last week? The good news though is that I am still on a self-imposed ban from NetGalley and Edelweiss, so on that front I have been good at resisting requesting any new books. And let me just say how hard it’s been when all the early 2021 ARCs are just now starting to drop, but I’ve been staying strong…somewhat.
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!
Just one new arrival in the mail this week, but it’s a good one! My thanks to Subterranean Press for The Dispatcher: Murder by Other Means by John Scalzi. This is the sequel to the novella The Dispatcher, which I really enjoyed, so it is very likely I will be reading this too. It is actually already available as an audiobook, but I am very glad there will also be a print publisher and a release date for the hardcopy in April.
Only one item in the digital pile this week. When Tor Books pitched me The Helm of Midnight by Marina Lostetter, I just couldn’t say no to the description of a “Silence of the Lambs meets Mistborn” fantasy-thriller about a city stalked by a legendary serial killer.
Reviews
Warlock Holmes: The Finality Problem by G.S. Denning (4.5 of 5 stars)
The Silver Shooter by Erin Lindsey (4 of 5 stars)
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline (3.5 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
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 
I wish I had found some deals on Black Friday. But no such luck. It was all crap I didn’t want…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I lot that a bought was for the kids…they always need new clothes, shoes, etc.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m looking forward to the new Scalzi novella, the premise for this continuing story was a truly fascinating one 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed! I really liked the first one.
LikeLike
That Scalzi cover is brilliant.
I wonder what you’ll make of Lucy Foley, I’ve read the Guest List and Hunting Party and enjoyed her style of whodunnit very much so far.
Lynn 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
You probably saw my review by now, I loved it 😀
LikeLike
I saw the preorder announcement for Murder by Other Means and I was so tempted, but I’ve been spending way too much money lately so I resisted!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m just happy that they’re pubbing the print! For a while it was just audio only 😀
LikeLike
Nice new reads! Those are all new to me ones. I hope you enjoy them all!
My StS will be up tomorrow, so stop by then if you can!
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike
Hello Mogsy. The Guest List is on my TBR list. It got very good reviews and I love a good thriller.
LikeLike
It was super! I hope you get a chance to check it out 😀
LikeLike
I enjoyed The Dispatcher, as well, so I look forward to trying the sequel. And I’m always a little leery of descriptions comparing a book to this meets that, but I do like the sound of the comparisons being made for The Helm of Midnight.
LikeLike
For sure. I’m usually wary of those kinds of blurbs as well, because they are almost never accurate, lol. Here’s hoping this one will be 🙂
LikeLike
Fantasy serial killer, interesting
LikeLike
They may be dark, but I love those kinds of stories!
LikeLike
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the dispatcher sequel. Like it was fine, but nowhere near as good as the first one to me. Hope you’ll like it though!
LikeLike
Ooh, thanks for your thoughts! I’ll be sure to temper my expectations…I loved the first one too 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Dispatcher certainly looks interesting- that cover has a certain pulpy feel to it. and The Guest List- I need to get that one.
LikeLike
Yes, the cover artist is a genius!
LikeLike
No but I’ve wanted to read The Guest List for a long time now!
LikeLike
Oh you must! I think you’ll like it 🙂
LikeLike
It’s very hard to stay strong when there are so many 2021 ARCs on Netgalley, I was happy with myself because I had resisted requesting a bunch of ARCs this year but, I already have a lot of 2021 ARCs and if I don’t start reading them soo, I’m going to be in trouble lol
LikeLike
I know right? I learned my lesson though, I still have a couple dozen books languishing in my NetGalley pile because I got request happy so many times earlier this year. I gotta get my stats up a litlte more before I go requesting again!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I should do that as well LOL
LikeLike
Looks like you’ve got a few interesting ones here. A new Scalzi!
LikeLike
Always a cause for excitement! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll be curious to hear what you think of “The Guest List” I had a hard time getting through it unfortunately.
LikeLike