Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week’s topic is Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection.
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers
Children of Ragnarok by Cinda Williams Chima
The Choice by Nora Roberts
A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab
A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab
A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab
I’ve been trying to be good about buying books lately so that’s all I have this week. What are your newest books?
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each week we talk about our top ten with a different topic provided by Jana. This week’s topic is the ten books I’ve most recently acquired.
Thronebreakers by Rebecca Coffindaffer
Devil in the Device by Lora Beth Johnson
Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare (B&N Special Edition)
Hey, lovelies! I’m absolutely done to do another preorder haul but with the move coming up, I knew I was going to need to wait until after we settled. So, since I can’t preorder anything, obviously all I can think about are the books coming out the rest of the year that I need to I’m buy once we’re in our new house. Since I’ve thought about this extensively, I wanted to share some upcoming releases that I will be preordering as soon as I’m unpacked.
The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Publication date: August 30, 2022 “To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her. But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player. Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.”
The Yosemite Six by Tess Sharpe Publication date: September 27, 2022 “This second action-packed Middle Grade Novel features Maisie Lockwood on all-new adventures along with everyone’s favorite dinosaurs from Jurassic World Dominion—roaring into theaters June 10, 2022! Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s Jurassic World Dominion releases in theaters on June 10, 2022, bringing with it all the wonder, adventure, and thrills of one of the most popular and successful franchises in cinema history. This all-new motion picture event sees the return of favorite characters such as Owen Grady, Claire Dearing, Maisie Lockwood, Dr. Ellie Sattler, and Dr. Ian Malcolm as well as all the dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures that fans love, including Blue; Tyrannosaurus rex; and Mosasaurus! This second book in the series tells the all-new adventures of Maisie Lockwood as she navigates a world filled with dinosaurs both ferocious and friendly.”
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal Publication date: October 11, 2022 “Tesla Crane, a brilliant inventor and an heiress, is on her honeymoon on an interplanetary space liner, cruising between the Moon and Mars. She’s traveling incognito and is reveling in her anonymity. Then someone is murdered and the festering chowderheads who run security have the audacity to arrest her spouse. Armed with banter, martinis, and her small service dog, Tesla is determined to solve the crime so that the newlyweds can get back to canoodling– And keep the real killer from striking again.”
Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai Publication date: October 18, 2022 “Indian Matchmaking meets Date Night in this fun, romantic adventure in which a match-made couple about to be engaged gets caught up in a caper that puts their future—and lives—in danger. At thirty-five, with a stable job as an accountant, Mira Chaudhary wants nothing more than to find a boring man to spend the rest of her life with. Having had enough excitement in her younger days and desperately trying to escape her dysfunctional past, she turns to a matching app specializing in Indian American singles to help her find someone to settle down with. Enter Naveen Desai. An English professor with an uneventful, normal, and—dare she say it, boring—life, Naveen is perfect. But just when things are going well, Mira receives news that her aunt has died. Suddenly a trip to Las Vegas to settle her aunt’s affairs turns into a mad dash to escape kidnappers, evade art thieves, and consorting with hackers who can decipher just what it was Mira’s aunt was involved with. Mira just hopes that Naveen isn’t chased away by the very same life of “excitement” that she’s been trying to get away from. But maybe, over the course of one wild night, Mira and Naveen will find the love connection that neither expected.”
A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams Publication date: November 1, 2022 “Country music’s golden boy Colton Wheeler felt the most perfect harmony when he was with Gretchen Winthrop. But for her, it was a love him and leave him situation. A year later, Colton is struggling to push his music forward in a new direction. If it weren’t about to be the most magical time of year and the support of the Bromance Book Club, he’d be wallowing in self-pity. It’s hard for immigration attorney Gretchen not to feel a little Scrooge-ish about the excess of Christmas when her clients are scrambling to afford their rent. So when her estranged, wealthy family reaches out with an offer that will allow her to better serve the community, she’s unable to say no. She just needs to convince Colton to be the new face of her family’s whiskey brand. No big deal…Colton agrees to consider Gretchen’s offer in exchange for three dates before Christmas. With the help of the Bromance Book Club, Colton throws himself into the task of proving to her there’s a spark between them. But Gretchen and Colton will both need to overcome the ghosts of Christmas past to build a future together.”
The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin Publication date: November 1, 2022 “Every great city has a soul. A human avatar that embodies their city’s heart and wields its magic. New York? She’s got six. But all is not well in the city that never sleeps. Though Brooklyn, Manny, Bronca, Venezia, Padmini, and Neek have temporarily managed to stop the Woman in White from invading–and destroying the entire universe in the process–the mysterious capital “E” Enemy has more subtle powers at her disposal. A new candidate for mayor wielding the populist rhetoric of gentrification, xenophobia, and “law and order” may have what it takes to change the very nature of New York itself and take it down from the inside. In order to defeat him, and the Enemy who holds his purse strings, the avatars will have to join together with the other Great Cities of the world in order to bring her down for good and protect their world from complete destruction.”
Gleanings by Neal Shusterman Publication date: November 8, 2022 “There are still countless tales of the Scythedom to tell. Centuries passed between the Thunderhead cradling humanity and Scythe Goddard trying to turn it upside down. For years humans lived in a world without hunger, disease, or death with Scythes as the living instruments of population control. Neal Shusterman—along with collaborators David Yoon, Jarrod Shusterman, Sofía Lapuente, Michael H. Payne, Michelle Knowlden, and Joelle Shusterman—returns to the world throughout the timeline of the Arc of a Scythe series. Discover secrets and histories of characters you’ve followed for three volumes and meet new heroes, new foes, and some figures in between. Gleanings shows just how expansive, terrifying, and thrilling the world that began with the Printz Honor–winning Scythe truly is.”
A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L. Armentrout Publication date: November 15, 2022 “The truth about Sera’s plan is out, shattering the fragile trust forged between her and Nyktos. Surrounded by those distrustful of her, all Sera has is her duty. She will do anything to end Kolis, the false King of Gods, and his tyrannical rule of Iliseeum, thus stopping the threat he poses to the mortal realm. Nyktos has a plan, though, and as they work together, the last thing they need is the undeniable, scorching passion that continues to ignite between them. Sera cannot afford to fall for the tortured Primal, not when a life no longer bound to a destiny she never wanted is more attainable than ever. But memories of their shared pleasure and unrivaled desire are a siren’s call impossible to resist. And as Sera begins to realize that she wants to be more than a Consort in name only, the danger surrounding them intensifies. The attacks on the Shadowlands are increasing, and when Kolis summons them to Court, a whole new risk becomes apparent. The Primal power of Life is growing inside her, pushing her closer to the end of her Culling. And without Nyktos’s love—an emotion he’s incapable of feeling—she won’t survive her Ascension. That is if she even makes it to her Ascension and Kolis doesn’t get to her first. Because time is running out. For both her and the realms.”
Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake Publication date: November 22, 2022 “For Astrid Parker, failure is unacceptable. Ever since she broke up with her fiancé a year ago, she’s been focused on her career—her friends might say she’s obsessed, but she’s just driven. When Pru Everwood asks her to be the designer for the Everwood Inn’s renovation that will be broadcasted on a popular home improvement show, Innside America, Astrid knows this is the answer to everything that is wrong with her life. It’ll be the perfect distraction from her failed love life, and her perpetually displeased mother might finally give her nod of approval. However, Astrid never planned on Jordan Everwood, Pru’s granddaughter and lead carpenter for the inn’s renovation, who despises every modern design decision Astrid makes. Jordan is determined to preserve the history of her family’s inn, particularly as the rest of her life is in shambles. When that determination turns into a little light sabotage, ruffling Astrid’s perfect little feathers, the showrunners ask them to play up the tension. But somewhere along the way, their dislike for each other turns into something quite different, and Astrid must decide what success truly means. Is she going to pursue the life that she’s expected to lead, or the one she wants? “
Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca Publication date: December 6, 2022 “A high-powered attorney from a success-oriented family, Louisa “Lulu” Malone lives to work, and everything seems to be going right, until the day she realizes it’s all wrong. Lulu’s cousin Mitch introduced her to the world of Renaissance Faires, and when she spies one at a time just when she needs an escape, she leaps into the welcoming environment of turkey legs, taverns, and tarot readers. The only drawback? Dex MacLean: a guitarist with a killer smile, the Casanova of the Faire… and her traveling companion for the summer. Dex has never had to work for much in his life, and why should he? Touring with his brothers as The Dueling Kilts is going great, and he always finds a woman at every Faire. But when Lulu proves indifferent to his many plaid charms and a shake-up threatens the fate of the band, Dex must confront something he never has before: his future. Forced to spend days and nights together on the road, Lulu’s interest in the kilted bad boy grows as he shows her a side of himself no one else has seen. The stresses of her old lifestyle fade away as she learns to trust her intuition and follow her heart instead of her head. But when her time on the road is over, will Lulu go with her gut, or are she and Dex destined for separate paths?”
It’s a few books, but I’m trying to be more selective about the books I’m buying. All of these (except for Partners in Crime) are sequels to series’ I already own. Once I find my new local library, I want to visit it more often and try to read most newer releases that way (depending on their selection and whatnot). Do you have any preorders for these final months of the year?
Hi, lovelies! I’m sure you’re thinking, “Really, Amanda? A book haul? Aren’t you moving in like a month? Well, yes. Yes, I am. So, most of these I’ve made sure to read right away or they are books I bought and have already read.
New Books I’ve Read
For the Throne by Hannah Whitten The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston Nightwork by Nora Roberts
New to my TBR
How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mathers Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey The Man Ban by Nicola Marsh When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid Off the Grid by Tess Sharpe The Evolution of Claire by Tess Sharpe
Hey, lovelies. I did a bit of buying, a bit of trading, and had some preorders arrive. My haul for May is going to look large, but I didn’t spend much money, which is the goal.
Books I’ve Read
The Roommate by Rosie Danan Little Thieves by Margaret Owen Dark Age by Pierce Brown Iron Gold by Pierce Brown
New to my TBR
Book Lovers by Emily Henry When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney The Lost World by Michael Crichton The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
Did you buy any books in May? Let me know what new books you’re excited about!
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week’s topic is Books I Was SO EXCITED to Get, but Still Haven’t Read.
To Sleep in A Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
Gilded by Marissa Meyer
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte
Walk on Earth A Stranger by Rae Carson
The Inheritance Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin
The Ever Cruel Kingdom by Rin Chupeco
The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
Set Fire to the Gods by Sara Raasch and Kristen Simmons
What unread books have been on your shelves for awhile?
Hey, lovelies! I went a little overboard last month with book buying. But I had some visitors and we went to the bookstore for the first time since just after Christmas. So, some of these were gifts and some of these were to restock my romance TBR.
New to my TBR List
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez If You Ask Me by Libby Hubscher The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro The Genesis Wars by Akemi Dawn Bowman
New Books I’ve Read
Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality by Roshani Chokshi Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto Skyward Flight: The Collection by Brandon Sanderson & Janci Patterson The Duke and I by Julia Quinn The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon The Suite Spot by Trish Doller
Hi, lovelies! I almost decided not to share this post this month because my book haul is considerably smaller than usual, but I figured that it was an easy post and I could talk a bit about my buying this month.
Morning Star by Pierce Brown I’ve been slowly collecting the hardcovers of this series since reading the audiobooks from my library and falling in love with the story. So, when I saw Morning Star in a buy/sell/trade facebook group for less than $10, I knew I couldn’t pass it up even though I’m not supposed to be buying.
Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey This is one of the books that I preordered at the end of last year. I love some of Bailey’s other books, so I’m excited to read this series.
Gallant by Victoria Schwab I honestly had to treat myself with this one. On Sunday’s, I take my daughter to swimming lessons. But one Sunday last month, we were on our way and got a call that the lesson was canceled. To keep her from totally melting down (swim lessons are the highlight of her week) we went to Target. It was my first outing with both kids and it was a lot. So, I rewarded myself for surviving with the purchase of Gallant.
Tarnished Empire by Danielle L. Jensen I have no excuses for why I bought this book. I spent entirely too much money on shipping. I actually had changed my mind about buying it, but my phone had already registered my face ID and the purchase had gone through. But this book is absolutely stunning, so I’m not even mad about it.
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas This was the book I picked for the book box subscription that my MIL gifted me for Christmas. I actually already read this and enjoyed it. It was fun and a little over the top.
Hey, lovelies! I know, I know, another book haul, Amanda? Really? But, in my defense, I just had a baby and I went full-on ‘treat myself mode’ so don’t judge me. Also, some of these are just books I’ve already talked about in my preorder book haul post, but they arrived in February, so, I’m including them here. And Target got me with their buy 2 get 1 free sale and I just couldn’t help myself.
The Weeping Tide by Amanda Foody
From Lukov With Love by Mariana Zapata
The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
I didn’t buy too many books, but I did get some new ones. So, I thought I’d share those with you. Did you do any book buying in February?
Hey, lovelies! I did this last year a few times, and it was actually super helpful for me to remember which books I’d already preordered (rather than digging through my email). So, I’m here today to share with you the books that I’ve preordered for the first half of 2022.
Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon Publication date: January 11, 2022 “Ari Abrams has always been fascinated by the weather, and she loves almost everything about her job as a TV meteorologist. Her boss, legendary Seattle weatherwoman Torrance Hale, is too distracted by her tempestuous relationship with her ex-husband, the station’s news director, to give Ari the mentorship she wants. Ari, who runs on sunshine and optimism, is at her wits’ end. The only person who seems to understand how she feels is sweet but reserved sports reporter Russell Barringer. In the aftermath of a disastrous holiday party, Ari and Russell decide to team up to solve their bosses’ relationship issues. Between secret gifts and double dates, they start nudging their bosses back together. But their well-meaning meddling backfires when the real chemistry builds between Ari and Russell. Working closely with Russell means allowing him to get to know parts of herself that Ari keeps hidden from everyone. Will he be able to embrace her dark clouds as well as her clear skies?”
The Weeping Tide by Amanda Foody Publication date: February 1st, 2022 “Something is wrong at the Sea. The weeping tide, a carnivorous algae bloom, is eating up all the fish. Beasts are terrorizing the nearby Elsewheres. And Lochmordra, the Legendary Beast, is rising at random and swallowing ships whole. Barclay’s teacher, the famous Guardian Keeper Runa Rasgar, has been summoned to investigate, and as her apprentice, Barclay gets to join too. But Runa’s nemesis has also been called to the Sea, and he’s brought apprentices of his own. When the not-so friendly competition between them grows fierce, it’s Barclay—the only one from the Elsewheres—who can’t seem to keep up. The key to stopping Lochmordra lies in his mythical home, but as the flood of the weeping tide encroaches, time is running out to find it. If the rival groups can’t cast aside old grudges and learn to work together, soon the Sea will be destroyed completely. And all the while Barclay must ask himself: is there truly a place for him in the Wilderlands?”
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas Publication date: February 15, 2022 “Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds. The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent. In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.”
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake Publication date: February 22, 2022 “Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls—nothing is there for her but memories of a lonely childhood where she was little more than a burden to her cold and distant stepfamily. Her life is in New York, with her photography career finally gaining steam and her bed never empty. Sure, it’s a different woman every night, but that’s just fine with her. When Delilah’s estranged stepsister, Astrid, pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a five-figure check, Delilah finds herself back in the godforsaken town that she used to call home. She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid’s stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there’s some fun (and a little retribution) to be had in Bright Falls, after all. Having raised her eleven-year-old daughter mostly on her own while dealing with her unreliable ex and running a bookstore, Claire Sutherland depends upon a life without surprises. And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise…at first. Though they’ve known each other for years, they don’t really know each other—so Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly what buttons to push. When they’re forced together during a gauntlet of wedding preparations—including a plot to save Astrid from her horrible fiancé—Claire isn’t sure she has the strength to resist Delilah’s charms. Even worse, she’s starting to think she doesn’t want to…”
Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey Publication date: March 1, 2022 “King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he’s a guaranteed good time–in bed and out–and that’s exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. She’s immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his… personality? And wants to be friends? Bizarre. But he likes her too much to risk a fling, so platonic pals it is. Now, Hannah’s in town for work, crashing in Fox’s spare bedroom. She knows he’s a notorious ladies’ man, but they’re definitely just friends. In fact, she’s nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport’s resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker’s eye… yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can’t deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost. Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she’s walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and… and… man overboard! He’s fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he’s all in, she’ll choose him instead?”
The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout Publication date: March 15, 2022 “From the desperation of golden crowns…Casteel Da’Neer knows all too well that very few are as cunning or vicious as the Blood Queen, but no one, not even him, could’ve prepared for the staggering revelations. The magnitude of what the Blood Queen has done is almost unthinkable. And born of mortal flesh…Nothing will stop Poppy from freeing her King and destroying everything the Blood Crown stands for. With the strength of the Primal of Life’s guards behind her, and the support of the wolven, Poppy must convince the Atlantian generals to make war her way—because there can be no retreat this time. Not if she has any hope of building a future where both kingdoms can reside in peace. A great primal power rises…Together, Poppy and Casteel must embrace traditions old and new to safeguard those they hold dear—to protect those who cannot defend themselves. But war is only the beginning. Ancient primal powers have already stirred, revealing the horror of what began eons ago. To end what the Blood Queen has begun, Poppy might have to become what she has been prophesied to be—what she fears the most. As the Harbinger of Death and Destruction.“
Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality by Roshani Chokshi Publication date: April 5th, 2022 “The Pandavas only have until the next full moon to stop the Sleeper from gaining access to the nectar of immortality, which will grant him infinite power. But how can Aru, Mini, and Brynne hope to defeat him without their celestial weapons? The Sleeper and his army are already plundering the labyrinth, and the sisters can’t even enter. Their quest to get in will have them calling on old friends, meeting new allies, and facing fearsome trials, like…performing in a rock concert? When the moment of confrontation finally arrives, it’s up to Aru to decide who deserves immortality, the devas or the asuras. The most unexpected answer will come from a most unexpected place. More surprises and delights, gods and demons, and laughs and tears await in this immensely satisfying conclusion to the wild ride that began with the lighting of a lamp.”
The Genesis Wars by Akemi Dawn Bowman Publication date: April 19th, 2022 “It’s been ten months since Nami narrowly escaped the Four Courts and Ophelia’s wrath. Ten months since she was betrayed by someone she once considered a friend. Someone she poured her heart out to. And now her family here in the afterlife are gone, captured, and Nami is utterly alone. On the run, only steps ahead of the AI forces pursuing her, and desperate to free her friends, Nami must take the allies she can find, even if she doesn’t fully trust them. And as she tests the limits of her own power, she must also reckon with the responsibility that entails. Stakes are high as Nami navigates old enemies, unexpected allies, and an ever-changing landscape filled with dangers and twists at every turn. Along the way, she’ll learn powerful truths about who she can trust and the sacrifices that must be made in order to fight for a better, freer world for all.”
Book Lovers by Emily Henry Publication date: May 3, 2022 “Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby. Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute. If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.”
For the Throne by Hannah Whitten Publication date: June 7th, 2022 “The First Daughter is for the Throne The Second Daughter is for the Wolf… Red and the Wolf have finally contained the threat of the Old Kings but at a steep cost. Red’s beloved sister Neve, the First Daughter is lost in the Shadowlands, an inverted kingdom where the vicious gods of legend have been trapped for centuries and the Old Kings have slowly been gaining control. But Neve has an ally–though it’s one she’d rather never have to speak to again–the rogue king Solmir. Solmir wants to bring an end to the Shadowlands and he believes helping Neve may be the key to its destruction. But to do that, they will both have to journey across a dangerous landscape in order to find a mysterious Heart Tree, and finally to claim the gods’ dark, twisted powers for themselves.”
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers Publication date: July 12, 2022 “After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home. They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe. Becky Chambers’s new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?”
These are all of the books that I’ve preordered for the first half of 2022. I’m sure I’ll end up buying others, but I won’t be preordering to many other than this because I’m moving sometime this year and I’m not sure of all the details for that yet. Have you preordered any books for 2022?
Hello, lovelies! I have one final haul from 2021 that I wanted to share. It’s a big of a huge one and I’m a little mad at myself for going as overboard as I did. But, in my defense, some of these books were gifted to me and some were bought with gift cards that were sent to me. Regardless, I bought too much, and now I’m not allowed to buy any more books (aside from some preorders which I plan to do a post about in February) until after I move (later in 2022).
New to my TBR
The Girl and the Goddess: Stories and Poems of Divine Wisdom by Nikita Gil The Name of all Things by Jenn Lyons The Memory of Souls by Jenn Lyons The House of Always by Jenn Lyons Ariadne by Jennifer Saint The Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag The Messengers by Margaret Peterson Haddix Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson The Helm of Midnight by Marina Lostetter Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
Read
In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone & Amal El-Mohtar (Illumicrate Special Edition) Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix Among the Imposters by Margaret Peterson Haddix Among the Brave by Margaret Peterson Haddix Among the Enemy by Margaret Peterson Haddix Among the Free by Margaret Peterson Haddix Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody Fresh by Margot Wood Dustborn by Erin Bowman A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities by Rick Riordan & others
What does your December 2021 book haul look like? Did you get any books as gifts or shop any of the sales?
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week’s topic is Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each week we talk about our top ten with a different topic provided by Jana. This week’s topic is ten of the most recent additions to my book collection.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Dustborn by Erin Bowman
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson
The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey
Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
Fresh by Margot Wood
The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart
The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody
The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim
I bought all but one of these at the Barnes and Noble 50% off hardcovers sale because I absolutely have no self-control. What are the newest books in your collection?
Hello, lovelies! No huge surprise really, but I bought more books in September. I’m happy with what I bought and how many of them I’ve already read. Some were belated birthday gifts, some were given from others that don’t hoard books like I do, and the rest were absolutely impulse buys.
Books I’ve Read
For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Half Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young
The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi
Books New to my TBR
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee
You’d Be HomeNow by Kathleen Glasgow
The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw
Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer
Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore
I bought a few of these so that I could reread them. And I’m incredibly excited to read the ones new to my TBR. Some of them are on my TBR for October, so hopefully I’ll have them read by the end of the month. Did you buy any new books last month?
Hello, lovelies! I recently did some preordering for the last few months of 2021 (holy cow, how is it already almost 2022?!). I enjoyed sharing my preorder haul earlier in the year (find that here) so, I thought I would do another one as we make our way into the end of the year.
September 21, 2021 The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi “In love they breathed. In destiny they believed. In the end, will divinity be their demise? After Séverin’s seeming betrayal, the crew is fractured. Armed with only a handful of hints, Enrique, Laila, Hypnos and Zofia must find their way through the snarled, haunted waterways of Venice, Italy to locate Séverin. Meanwhile, Séverin must balance the deranged whims of the Patriarch of the Fallen House and discover the location of a temple beneath a plague island where the Divine Lyre can be played and all that he desires will come to pass. With only ten days until Laila expires, the crew will face plague pits and deadly masquerades, unearthly songs and the shining steps of a temple whose powers might offer divinity itself…but at a price they may not be willing to pay.”
September 21, 2021 Into the Dying Light by Katy Rose Pool “In the jaw-dropping conclusion to the Age of Darkness trilogy, hearts will shatter, cities will fall, and a god will rise. Following the destruction of the City of Mercy, an ancient god has been resurrected and sealed inside Beru’s body. Both are at the mercy of the Prophet Pallas, who wields the god’s powers to subjugate the Six Prophetic Cities. But every day, the god grows stronger, threatening to break free and sow untold destruction. Meanwhile, far away from Pallas Athos, Anton learns to harness his full powers as a Prophet. Armed with the truth about how the original Prophets killed the god, Anton leads Jude, Hassan, and Ephyra on a desperate quest to the edge of the world. With time running out, the group’s tenuous alliance is beset by mounting danger, tumultuous romance, and most of all by a secret that Anton is hiding: a way to destroy the god at the price of an unbearable sacrifice. But the cost of keeping that secret might be their lives—and the lives of everyone in the Six Prophetic Cities.”
October 19, 2021 A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout “Born shrouded in the veil of the Primals, a Maiden as the Fates promised, Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. Chosen before birth to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people, Sera must leave behind her life and offer herself to the Primal of Death as his Consort. However, Sera’s real destiny is the most closely guarded secret in all of Lasania—she’s not the well protected Maiden but an assassin with one mission—one target. Make the Primal of Death fall in love, become his weakness, and then…end him. If she fails, she dooms her kingdom to a slow demise at the hands of the Rot. Sera has always known what she is. Chosen. Consort. Assassin. Weapon. A specter never fully formed yet drenched in blood. A monster. Until him. Until the Primal of Death’s unexpected words and deeds chase away the darkness gathering inside her. And his seductive touch ignites a passion she’s never allowed herself to feel and cannot feel for him. But Sera has never had a choice. Either way, her life is forfeit—it always has been, as she has been forever touched by Life and Death.”
November 2, 2021 Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe “Experience the propulsive love story of two Greek gods—Hades and Persephone—brought to life with lavish artwork and an irresistible contemporary voice. Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love—witness what the gods do after dark in this stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of mythology’s most well-known stories from creator Rachel Smythe. Featuring a brand-new, exclusive short story, Smythe’s original Eisner-nominated web-comic Lore Olympus brings the Greek Pantheon into the modern age with this sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.”
November 9, 2021 Roxy by Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Schusterman “The freeway is coming. It will cut the neighborhood in two. Construction has already started, pushing toward this corridor of condemned houses and cracked concrete with the momentum of the inevitable. Yet there you are, in the fifth house on the left, fighting for your life. Ramey, I. The victim of the bet between two manufactured gods: the seductive and lethal Roxy (Oxycontin), who is at the top of her game, and the smart, high-achieving Addison (Adderall), who is tired of being the helpful one, and longs for a more dangerous, less wholesome image. The wager—a contest to see who can bring their mark to “the Party” first—is a race to the bottom of a rave that has raged since the beginning of time. And you are only human, dazzled by the lights and music. Drawn by what the drugs offer—tempted to take that step past helpful to harmful…and the troubled places that lie beyond. But there are two I. Rameys—Isaac, a soccer player thrown into Roxy’s orbit by a bad fall and a bad doctor and Ivy, his older sister, whose increasing frustration with her untreated ADHD leads her to renew her acquaintance with Addy. Which one are you?”
November 23, 2021 Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson “Spensa’s life as a Defiant Defense Force pilot has been far from ordinary. She proved herself one of the best starfighters in the human enclave of Detritus and she saved her people from extermination at the hands of the Krell—the enigmatic alien species that has been holding them captive for decades. What’s more, she traveled light-years from home as an undercover spy to infiltrate the Superiority, where she learned of the galaxy beyond her small, desolate planet home. Now, the Superiority—the governing galactic alliance bent on dominating all human life—has started a galaxy-wide war. And Spensa’s seen the weapons they plan to use to end it: the Delvers. Ancient, mysterious alien forces that can wipe out entire planetary systems in an instant. Spensa knows that no matter how many pilots the DDF has, there is no defeating this predator. Except that Spensa is Cytonic. She faced down a Delver and saw something eerily familiar about it. And maybe, if she’s able to figure out what she is, she could be more than just another pilot in this unfolding war. She could save the galaxy. The only way she can discover what she really is, though, is to leave behind all she knows and enter the Nowhere. A place from which few ever return. To have courage means facing fear. And this mission is terrifying.”
December 21, 2021 The Scratch Daughters by Hannah Abigail Clarke “It’s been a wild year for Sideways Pike. After forming a coven with the three most popular girls in school and developing a huge crush on a mysterious stranger named Madeline, Sideways’ Halloween was ruined by finding out that Madeline wasn’t trying to make out with her, but to steal Sideways’ specter, the force that gives witches the ability to cast magic spells. From Madeline’s perspective, it’s not her fault: after a doomed relationship with one of the creepy near-identical Chantry Boys turned into a witch hunt, they took her specter, so, really, she’s only borrowing Sideways’ until she can recover her own and punish the Chantrys. The specter-less Sideways is in a horrid, distracted mood, unable to do magic and with part of her consciousness tied to Madeline’s, on the lam as she uses Sideways’ specter to hunt Chantrys. The other Scapegracers are much jollier, heading into the winter holidays having set up shop as curse crafters for girls in their school who’ve been done wrong by guys. When Sideways—through Madeline—gets a flash of how to track down both her foes at once, she asks the Scapegracers to help entrap them, only to be told her plan is unsafe and unwise. So if she’s going to find Madeline, her only ally is Mr. Scratch, the inky book demon currently inhabiting her as life support until she gets her spectre back. Sideways is used to being an outcast loner, and is desperate to do magic again, so she’s not going to let little barriers like facing an betraying crush and a family of six demented witch hunters practically alone stop her. But she and her trusty stolen bike are in for a bumpy ride…”
There we have it! These are all of the books that I have preordered for until the end of 2021. I’m extremely excited to see The Gilded Wolves series and the Age of Darkness series both come to an end. I’m also really excited for Armentrout’s new series set in the same world as From Blood and Ash. Will you be reading any of these books when they come out?
classyxbookreviews.wordpress.com 