Welcome to Over-Booked, where I share my latest and greatest book acquisitions! I’m linking up with Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga’s Reviews.
Ah, you guys I miss regular book mail so much! I still wait impatiently for the mail each day, even though I know that the chances of getting book packages are slim these days. I have plenty of new digital galleys, but it’s just not the same…
I’m also having trouble getting my pre-orders from Goldsboro books in the UK. I guess overseas shipments are just super slow, but it’s disappointing to pay quite a bit of money for limited edition books and not get them. I’m still waiting for my copy of The City We Became to show up, and it shipped over a month ago:-(
Anyway, I know I shouldn’t complain because I have SO MUCH TO READ right now. I hope everyone is well and staying safe and all that jazz. On to the books!
Physical books for review:
I was not expecting a copy of Firefly: The Ghost Machine by James Lovegrove to show up, but huge thanks to Titan Books! This is the fourth book in this series, and I do still need to catch up with books #2 and #3, but I don’t think you have to read them in order. Anything Firefly related is always a good thing:-)
And a special thank you goes to Sharon Lynn Fisher and Blackstone Publishing for this wonderful ARC of The Raven Lady, which is the second book in Sharon’s Faery Rehistory series. Isn’t the cover gorgeous? I’m super excited to read this, although it doesn’t come out until October, so I’ll probably wait a bit.
Finally, a surprise from Tor Books showed up, and I’m happy to say I now have all four books in Sarah Kozloff’s The Nine Realms series, with the arrival of book #4 The Cerulean Queen. I’m definitely getting to these at some point, I’ve heard excellent things about them:-D
Digital books for reivew:
Seriously, look at all of the eARCs! I’m excited for each one. Let’s start with Lone Jack Trail by Owen Laukkanen. This is the sequel to last year’s Deception Cove, which I loved. This series has an Marine veteran with PTSD and she has a service dog who plays a big part in the story (hopefully Lucy will return in the sequel!)
The Blade Between by Sam J. Miller. I still haven’t read Miller’s Blackfish City, which is on my TBR, but I thought I’d request his next book anyway. This sounds like a real genre mash-up and I can’t wait:-)
I accepted a review copy of this intriguing book, Belle Vue by C.S. Alleyne, a horror story that centers around an insane asylum. It’s not up on Goodreads yet, but if you click the book title, it will take you to the author’s website and you can read the blurb.
I’m really excited to read Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne. I’ve never read any of his books before, so this will be my first:-D
Super excited to be approved for Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse! This is a book I recently featured on Future Fiction, and it’s the start of a new series.
The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison is another highly anticipated book on my TBR. Many of the Wyrd & Wonder participants are doing a readalong this month of Addison’s The Goblin Emperor, and I so wish I had time to add that book into my May pile!
The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson. Wow, this has a bunch of five star reviews already on Goodreads. I’m excited to add this to my “witch” books!
Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer. The author contacted me and offered a review copy of his latest collection of short stories, centered around holidays. I’ve heard plenty of bloggers talk about Demmer and his books, so I’m very happy to finally check him out.
Blood World by Chris Mooney. This sounds so different from every other book on this list, a sort of urban fantasy/thriller/police procedural. I can’t wait!
A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry. I’ve already read a couple of glowing reviews of this book, so I immediately downloaded it when Orbit offered me an eARC.
The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence. I’ve been making my way through this for over a week now and I keep putting it aside for something else. I know that’s not a good sign…It finally hit me that I don’t really like Lawrence’s writing style. I feel bad because I’ve wanted to read a Mark Lawrence book for a long time now. But I am going to finish, right after I finish that other book I started, lol.
Big thanks to Mulholland Books, Ecco, Crystal Lake Publishing, Del Rey, Gallery/Saga Press, Tor, Ace, Calvin Demmer, Berkley Books and Orbit!
Purchases:
I few weeks ago, fellow blogger and science fiction author S.J. Higbee mentioned that Amazon was running a special on the first book in the series, Running Out of Space, and I thought this would be a good time to start collecting the series. I also ended up with book two, Dying for Space. How did that happen?? Thanks for the heads up, Sarah!
And you may have seen me blathering on about my recent discovery of Riverdale. I saw A Werewolf in Riverdale on Barb’s blog and decided to buy a copy, especially since JUGHEAD is on the cover. At the same time I realized my deep need for a Jughead Pop! figure, so that’s how that happened. Next up: I need to find a good Jughead beanie and t-shirt. Yes, I’m slightly out of control, but damn, Jughead you guys!!! As someone who regularly picks apart characterizations in books, Jughead is everything I look for in a carefully drawn character. Please tell me there are other Jughead fanatics out there…
How many interesting new books! I am sad to hear that you are having problems with the mail, and I hope your boo would arrive ASAP!
And I got approved on NetGalley for Raven Lady so I hope to read it soon!!
Cool, I hope we both love Raven Lady:-)
The mail being slow really sucks. I should’ve gotten my new bus/tram pas this week but no such luck!
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…Monthly Wrap-Up — April 2020
It’s so weird, and I can’t understand why the postal service is in trouble financially. EVERYONE is having packages shipped!
A copy of The Cerulean Queen showed up for me yesterday too, which I didn’t expect with all the book mail stoppages. I had already requested the audio and listened to it, d’oh! But you’re right, I’m happy to have the full series in paperback now. I really need to check out Deception Cove too, thanks for the reminder! And wow, Sarah’s books look so pretty in person…until now I’ve only seen cover images online!
They are really pretty in person! Now I need to buy the third book, maybe in my next Amazon order:-)
I got an e arc of Raven Lady. Very curious about it. I really liked the first book.
Annemieke recently posted…Raise the Banners | Wyrd and Wonder 2020
Me too, I really love her books and I hope this new one is just as good.
So glad to hear that ye picked up Sarah’s books. I really enjoyed the series. And thank ye kindly for letting me know about Sam J. MIller’s new book. I went back and read me review for blackfish city and got excited all over again and immediately went and requested the new book. Here’s hoping I get a copy. Arrrr!
x The Captain
Good luck! I definitely have plans to pick up Blackfish City at some point.
You have a fantastic collection of books to read! I plan on reading The Year of the Witching, and Belle Vue looks really good to me, too.
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…Writing Update
Cool, I hope we both enjoy them:-)
Wow! The Firefly books are already at 4. How did I miss that?!
Ouuuu! Looking forward to your thoughts on Black Sun.
Happy reading 🙂
I somehow missed book #3, I was aware of #2. They must have an accelerated release schedule.
They must! Weird.
Waiting on book mail is so frustrating. I’m so sorry it’s taking you so long to get The City We Became! Uuuugh.
I did email Goldsboro and they said they are short staffed right now (of course) so it’s taking much longer. I shall try to be more patient!
I got approved for Ink and Sigil too! I’m so excited since I love The Iron Driluid Chronicles. 🙂
It was a “wish” book for me, and I’ve never been granted a wish on NetGalley, so I’m excited:-)
Of these I’m most curious about Black Sun. But I also really like the cover of The Girl and the Stars, so it’s too bad that one’s not working for you. I still need to try something from him, see how it works for me.
I haven’t given up yet! I’m just taking a detour, I guess:-)
All four books in Sarah Kozloff’s The Nine Realms series? I’m jealous! I loved the first, but wanted to skip digital and pick up the whole series in paperback before finishing it.
I was surprised to get them, to be honest. I guess I’m on a mailing list, and of course grateful for it:-)
How could I forget about the Firefly books??? I loved so much the first one I read – still by James Lovegrove – and I will have to hunt down the others: a journey aboard Serenity is always a welcome interlude… 🙂
maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…WYRD and WONDER 2020: 5-Star Books in 5 Words
Agreed! And these books do a really good job of keeping the same feeling as the TV show:-)
I loved Girl and the Stars but I had the background of the Book of the Ancestor trilogy. I also find that to start some fantasy worlds I do much better with audiobook but I think you weren’t a fan. Anyway, I would start with Red Sister. I also got Blood World, which I keep think of as Blood Money because it’s by Chris Mooney. It looks very different.
Enjoy your reads! It looks like you got some great options.
Anne – Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
I hope Blood World is good, it definitely grabbed my attention:-)
Got Black Sun, and I got the Angel of the Crows! So excited to read both of them! Sorry you’re bouncing off The Girl and the Stars – I enjoyed Red Sister and hope to finish the first trilogy in the next few months.
Caitlin G. recently posted…Monthly Wrap Up: April 2020
I’m thinking maybe I should have read the trilogy first, but not sure that’s an option right now, time wise. I’m going to push through!
Lots of interesting books! 🙂 I remember seeing a few Firefly episodes and never understood why it had such a following…lol. Mainly watched it for Nathan Fillion after watching Castle with him in it…lol. 🙂 Kind of curious about the books though…lol.
I actually saw Firefly before I saw Castle (I was late to the party!), and loved it. Then when I started finally watching Castle, I loved it even more!
I have Year of the Witching too and can’t wait to read it after seeing so many excellent reviews already.
Yeah, I’m excited! I’ve read some good “witch” books recently, hopefully I can add this to the list.
Ooh, goodies.
I would love that Roanhorse book but don’t think it will be available in the UK atm anyway.
Lynn 😀
Oh bummer. I’m sure it will eventually!
I totally feel you on the book mail pangs! I keep checking the mail box hopefully, but alas…
wow, I didn’t know there were Firefly books still coming out, that’s pretty cool 🙂
They don’t market the Firefly books enough, the first one I read was really good:-)
I was worried about The Girl and the Stars because I read a little bit of Red Sister and gave up on that one. I’ve heard a lot of people complain about his writing style, too, but it hasn’t bothered me in The Girl and The Stars. Although… I still haven’t picked it up back up this week… LOL
So many great things here! I know what you mean, when a book comes in the mail it feels like Christmas!
Ha ha I think by the time book mail is rolling again it will be exactly like Christmas:-)
Digital books for sure are just not the same. I never got much book mail at all, but the few things I’m expecting right now are running late, and I’m just like … ugh, COVID. xD Which of all the things I can complain about as far as COVID, this seems like a non-issue, so I’m trying hard not to complain lol.
Man, we’ve got so many of the same ARCs, and I’m eager to read all of them. I can’t wait to see what you think about them, too! I didn’t read The Iron Druid Chronicles, either, but Ink & Sigil sounds too good not to read! I suppose if I like it, I’ll probably end up going back and reading the first series, like you do. xD
I’m so excited to read A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians! I’ve been waiting for it to come up haha. I added it to my TBR immediately after finishing The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep and realized the author had another book announced already. It sounds so good, and based on how much I enjoyed the author’s first book, I’m pretty sure I’ll love it. 😉
I’m really curious about that Firefly book!