Welcome to Over-Booked, my twice-monthly book haul post, where I share all the new books I’ve received for review or purchased. I’m linking up with Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga’s Reviews and The Sunday Post at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
So it’s been about three weeks since my last Over-Booked! I’m actually happy to say I’ve received less review books this month, which while a little sad (there is nothing more exciting than arriving home to find a book package on your doorstep, am I right??), gives me the chance to catch up in the next few months. I did go on a bit of a buying spree, although this is nothing compared to the buying sprees I used to go on, ha ha! Here’s what’s new on my shelves:
Books for review:
Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente. Finished copy courtesy of Tor Books! I love getting finished copies, and I’m very excited to have this beauty. I’ll be reading Radiance next, so stay tuned for a review soon. This book sounds CRAZY.
Tell the Story to its End by Simon P. Clark. Big thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin for this finished review copy! This is perfect for Halloween, about a boy who meets a creature in his attic.
The Book Collector by Alice Thompson. Big thanks to Salt Publishing for sending this all the way across the Pond! This was unsolicited, but it looks extremely creepy, plus it’s short, so bonus!
The Geomancer by Clay and Susan Griffith. Finished copy, thanks to Pyr! I’m still catching up on this series, so I’ll have to see when I can get to this one. This is book four in the Vampire Empire series, but it may act as a stand-alone. If anyone’s read this, can I dive in without reading the first three?
And finally…
Morning Star by Pierce Brown chapter sampler. Ummm, yeah, I requested the ARC, but the publicist said they weren’t doing ARCs for this book. Instead he sent this teeny tiny chapter sampler, LOL! (Sorry, I just can’t with the chapter samplers.) However, on Goodreads there are quite a few ratings, so either people are just so excited they’re giving the book a rating before they read it, or bloggers just aren’t getting review copies.
Digital review copy:
Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff. I’ve been a huge Matt Ruff fan for years, (I know most of you are probably saying “Matt who??”) and I just had to request his latest. I’m not so sure about the subject matter—the publisher describes it as a “devastating kaleidoscopic portrait of racism”—but I’m really curious to see what he’s doing these days. Big thanks to Harper for the review copy!
Purchased:
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I have been super excited to read this since the cover was revealed, and then it started getting excellent reviews from bloggers, so I knew I was going to buy my own copy. Plus, check out the gorgeous book design! Black stained page edges:
City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg. This has been on my literary “must read” list for a while, and when I saw it on sale at Costco, I snapped up a copy. This book is a monster: over 900 pages! But there are a bunch of graphics inside too. I hope I can make time to read this, it takes place in 1970s New York during the punk rock scene:-)
Carter & Lovecraft by Jonathan L. Howard. Here’s another book that I never got around to requesting for review, so I pre-ordered a copy instead. One of my favorite covers of 2015!
Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics. This came in my YA Book Riot Quarterly Box this month, which was (sort of) Halloween themed. This is supposed to be very good.
The Devil and Winnie Flynn by Micol Ostow and David Ostow. Another YA Quarterly book, one I’ve never heard of, but it looks like it could be interesting. This is probably my last Quarterly box. I feel they are overpriced and not quite as interestingly curated as they could be.
Are you planning on reading any of these? Or if you’ve read any of them, please let me know what I should read next!
Can I have all your books, please ? See, I ask nicely, lol ! What a great haul… I never think about teensy tiny chapters, but it might be a good way to discover if you love the author’s writing or if the beginning catches you.
Red Iza recently posted…Review / Graham Minett : The hidden legacy
Ha ha, you know, if you lived closer, maybe, LOL! I agree, chapter samplers do have their place in the world, just not in mine:-D
I’m really looking forward to Six of Crows. Radiance and City on Fire! Looking forward to seeing what you think.
Lauren recently posted…Mycroft Holmes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse – Review
I hope to read Radiance before the end of the month, I’ll let you know!
I wanted to jump on Geomancer, but I need to catch up on the Vampire Empire series too.
Haha, I’m glad I’m not the only one who went out and bought ALL TEH THINGZ. My weakness are Bookoutlet sales and those pesky Kindle deals though, generally I have to wait a while to buy new books but I am sure going to be keeping an eye out for a hard copy of Six of Crows because that’s very pretty! And it’s insane about Morning Star and Goodreads, I think people were rating it 5 stars even before Pierce Brown said he was finished writing it!
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum recently posted…Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves and Recent Reads
Sorry, missed your question about The Geomancer which I’d meant to answer. Yes you can read it without the first three books! I was told it’s a new beginning for the characters, though I wouldn’t say that 100% true after reading it – there are lots of references to past events, though not to worry as the Griffiths won’t leave you hanging. The original trilogy will make reading The Geomancer a richer experience no doubt, but the authors also sufficiently explain everything you need to know so dive in!
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum recently posted…Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves and Recent Reads
Oh good to know about Geomancer. I’ve been known to read series out of order, so it shouldn’t be a problem for me;-)
I really don’t understand why people rate books that they haven’t read on GR, oh well! Regarding Kindle deals, I have to say that’s one thing I’m not into, which I guess is good for my TBR pile. I always go for a physical book when I buy something new:-)
I really want to read Six of Crows! I’ve heard lots of praise for it. And that TEASE with the Morning Star sample!!! Gah! 😀
Lisa @TenaciousReader recently posted…Stacking the Shelves: October 24, 2015
Ha ha, yes quite the tease! Oh well, think of all the books they’ll sell if bloggers don’t get to read/review ahead of time, LOL!
You have no idea how giddy and excited UI got when I saw Morning Star! But then I read that its a chapter sampler lol. I love that edition of Six of Crows, it looks amazing!
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence recently posted…Co-Blogger Announcement: Introducing Aila & Jenna!
I love Six of Crows, it’s really beautiful! There is something mysterious about a book with black page edges:-)
I love the black stained edges! I probably would have bought Six of Crows just because of that! XD
I read Catherynne M. Valente’s short story, Planet Lion, earlier this years and it was strange; good strange, though. I’ll be interested to read some reviews for her new novel.
I’m excited for City On Fire too! Enjoy!
vvb recently posted…Stacking the Shelves – 10.24.15
Six of Crows is so BEAUTIFUL, I also love the black edges <3 although I still have to get it myself! 🙁
Happy reading!!
Carla @ Lipstick & Mocha recently posted…Etiquette with the Devil by Rebecca Paula
I’m very excited to hear what you think of Radiance! I think it may end up being my first Valente novel. Every single person I know has loved Six of Crows, so I’m sure it’s going to be a fantastic read! I hope you love it. 🙂
Danya @ Fine Print recently posted…Review: Owl and the City of Angels by Kristi Charish
Isn’t it great coming back from a bookshop with a pile of things you can’t wait to dive in to? I’ve only read the first of Leigh’s book, but I REALLY want to read the rest, I loved the first one. It helps that people are still buzzing about here, and SoC, but I don’t always get the big hype books in YA, so that only goes so far. I’ve not read anything from Cat Valente yet but I definitely want to read something from her soon.
Ailsa @ The Book Bundle recently posted…Clariel by Garth Nix book review
Nice haul! Enjoy them all!
Isn’t the Six of Crows hard copy so pretty?? 😀 I hope you enjoy reading it! It’s one of my favorite books of the year.
Sara L. recently posted…Chronicling The Craft: Draft #2 Revisions – 50% Complete
I don’t know that I will ever read Six of Crows (wasn’t a fan of her other series), but that is a really neat looking book. I love the black edges! My coblogger just got her quarterly box too, and I think she was a little questioning about what she received in it. I’ve actually never heard of either of the books, which doesn’t mean anything really, but I guess I would anticipate that they would put some buzzed about books in there.
Anne @ Lovely Literature recently posted…Owl Crate Unboxed: Spooky October!
All those books sound great! It would be hard to choose what to read next, given those great choices! I Think you will love Six of Crows if you are a Buffy fan. There are a lot of great kick-ass female characters in it. I am a new follower via Bloglovin.
Ardis recently posted…Book Review: Magnus Chase & The Sword of Summer
Awesome haul! I do love the edges of the pages of Six of Crows. And you got some really great books I need to read. I’m like you, I don’t like the chapter samplers. I just want to read the whole book. Hope you’re having a great week! You can check out my Sunday Post in the link below!
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…Sunday Post #40 and Stacking the Shelves October 25th, 2015
Daughters Unto Devils keep catching my eye. I hope it is fantastic. I hope you enjoy all these! Happy Reading!
Jamie @ Vailia’s Page Turner recently posted…Stacking the Shelves 94