Bookshelf Roundup 05/21/23: 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
With thanks to Tordotcom for:
- Witch King by Martha Wells. I received a finished copy earlier this month, which I dug into immediately. I hate to say this, because it’s been years since I’ve read Martha Wells’ fantasy and I was very excited, but it ended up leaving me cold. I just wasn’t feeling the main character, I guess? Anyway, a review up will be up soon where I’ll talk about it some more.
With thanks to Angry Robot for:
- The Judas Blossom by Stephen Aryan. Yay, finished copies are here! I actually read this months ago so I could blurb it, and I was delighted to open my book to see that it was also signed by the author! Now that the embargo on reviews has ended, look for my full review in the coming days.
With thanks to Rocky Pond Books for:
- The Islands of Elsewhere by Heather Fawcett, from Penguin’s newest children’s and YA imprint. I jumped on this one as soon as I saw Heather Fawcett’s name on the pitch email I was sent; it’s no secret I ADORED Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and I’m excited to try one of her Middle Grade novels. My daughter has already set her sights on this one too, so who knows, maybe you’ll see her back for another guest or joint review.
With thanks to Nightfire Books for:
- Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds, which has a fascinating premise. I don’t think I can do it justice, so I’ll just let the publisher description do the talking: “Heart-Shaped Box meets The Haunting of Hill House in Schrader’s Chord, Scott Leeds’s chilling debut about cursed vinyl records that open a gateway to the land of the dead.”
With thanks to Tor Books for:
- Starter Villain by John Scalzi. While we’re on the topic of fascinating premises, check out this one from the king of quirky modern sci-fi. The book arrived around the time the US cover was revealed so I hadn’t seen it yet, so you can imagine my surprised and amused response when I opened the package.
With thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for:
- To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose, which follows a young Indigenous woman at a dragon academy after she finds an egg and bonds with the hatchling. However, she soon finds herself at odds with the people who run the school, who are also the colonizers who rule her land. I wondered at the wisdom of reading another dragon academy book so soon after Fourth Wing, but this one seems quite different with a lot to offer.
It’s here, it’s here! This week also finally saw the arrival of my hardcover copy of The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson, AKA Secret Project #2. Production delays meant that these beauties didn’t start shipping until last week, but it was worth the wait. That said, I didn’t actually wait to read the book; ebook copies were made available on schedule so I’d already read it last month and I’ve just been being a lazy bum about getting a review up. This was a fun one, so I promise it will be soon!
Reviews
- 4.5 of 5 stars to Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
- 4.5 of 5 stars to The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
- 3.5 of 5 stars to Paradise-1 by David Wellington
Recent Reads/Upcoming Reviews
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!
The BiblioSanctum 
Your review copies all look super interesting this week. I’m definitely looking forward to your review of Witch King as all of the others I’ve seen have been so positive. It’s always good to get a different view.
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I’m glad others enjoyed Witch King! Sadly it was just not for me. I was so disappointed because I love the author.
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Oooh nice new reads! Those are all entirely new to me ones! I hope you thoroughly enjoy each and every of them!
Happy Reading!
Here’s my StS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
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I haven’t started Witch King yet, but now I’m a little worried. Looking forward to your review!
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I am curious to hear what you’ll think of it!
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You always get the good books 🙂 Witch King is next on my reading stack, hope I take to it a little better.
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Seems like you did! It was a good story, I suppose. but I just couldn’t get over how flat the writing was.
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Sorry to hear about Witch King, but I suppose that does happen sometimes. Many of the rest of the books here are new to me, or at least I think they are. 🙂
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It was disappointing for sure. I’m a big fan of the author, and was so excited to read her fantasy again.
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I’m sorry Witch King didn’t work for you. I’m glad you loved the Ferryman! I still need to read Tress.
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I hope you’ll enjoy Tress, it was such a breath of fresh air!
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You’re lazy? I still haven’t finished reading Tress lol
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Haha! Well, I am also about five or six reviews behind, ugh!
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The Aryan does look really good
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