This Week at Midnight, it is Christmas!!
Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. It gives us a chance to share with readers what we bought, borrowed, swapped, won or got for review each week. Because I love books, and you love books, so let’s see the books!
The Books
For Review
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine
Banished by Kimberley Griffiths Little
Behold the Bones by Natalie C. Parker
The Steep and Thorny Way by Cat Winters
e-ARCs
Via Netgalley, thanks to Quercus!!
Won:
Illusive and Deceptive by Emily Lloyd-Jones; The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall thanks to author Emily Lloyd-Jones
Gifts of a bookish nature:
Huge thanks to Amber @ YA Indulgences who was my Secret Santa!!
From my family! So excited for these- my Hunger Games Funko Pop collection is complete, I have more prints from Evie’s Society6 shop to frame, AND a new Kindle!
And huge thanks to my #OTSPSecretSister!!
Weekly Shenanigans
I read four books! Yay!!! And they were quite a good bunch, too! I needed them!
Mockingjay re-read #10 notwithstanding, Nora & Kettle. SO GOOD.
Assassin’s Heart was really good!
Giveaways:
- The December Discussion Challenge link up and giveaway is happening!
- I have TWO Christmas giveaways happening!! YAY!
- Enter to win a hardcover of Half in Love with Death by Emily Ross.
- The December New Release Giveaway Hop is underway!
Posts this Week:
- I reviewed Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
- This week’s Top Ten was about my Santa list!
- I wished you all a very Merry Christmas!!
Blogosphere Bulletin (abbreviated Christmas edition)
- Holly @ The Fox’s Hideaway is usually down with any series/book ending, and wants to know if you are too!
- Alyssa @ The Devil Orders Takeout has some Chinese Mythology to share with you!
- Vlora @ Reviews and Cake wants to know how fast you can read! (This was SO fun!)
- Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction has published her epic blogger birthday and blogoversary calendar!!!
- Tonyalee @ Lilybloombooks talks about blog tours, and the positive and negative aspects of them.
- Melanie & Celine @ YA Midnight Reads celebrate their third birthday!!
- Ardis @ Pondering the Prose reminds us that maybe we should ease a bit of the insane stress levels of young people. (I wholeheartedly agree!)
- Mishma @ Chasing Faerytales turns ONE!
- Amanda @ Nellie & Co. shares her amazing new blog organizer design with you all- for FREE!
- Christy & Erica @ Novel Ink have posted the link up for their Countdown Survey!
Random Musings:
Christmas is hard. Children are… insane? Yes. It’s like non-stop bouncing off the walls, and then being so tired when actual Christmas comes that they just cry and whine all day. Good times! But they looked cute, at least!
I also need to get something together about reading challenges. Actually, this is as good a place as any, no?
Okay, so in addition to Goodreads (which I have not set my goal for yet) I plan on partaking in not many reading challenges 😉
This one is kind of ummm self-explanatory since I co-host it…
I loved this challenge so much last year, I definitely want to play again! I usually got to at least 2-3 debuts a month, so I think that’s pretty good! We’ll shoot for that again! Click the picture to go to Jana’s page and sign up!
I feel like there was one more that I wanted to sign up for so… maybe I will remember and add it in 🙂
Things we need to talk about this week:
- The covers of The Winner’s Kiss are back to pretty and matching! Of course, I already canceled my pre-order, and re-pre-ordered from Book Depository so… do I cancel again and re-re-pre-order? Then my books would match. But… I am tired.
- This year seemed to fly by, even though it wasn’t necessarily the best. How was your 2015? Any fun plans for New Year’s Eve?
Ooh, I had no clue they switched back the Winner’s Trilogy cover! So, so happy — I have to say the original cover is glorious. And yay for completing your HG Funko Pop collection! I saw my first real-life Funko Pop in a store the other day and now I’m itching for one … can’t decide which one though. (Probably Mulan, but the HG ones are VERY tempting.) And thank you for the shout out, it means the world 🙂 🙂
Aw no problem! I have read your post, enjoyed it, and have had it open to comment on for like 4 days! It is kind of ridiculous- but it is first in line for tomorrow hahah. (It has been first in line for 4 days, actually- the line just keeps getting longer after it!) OOOH Mulan for sure! I feel like since Mulan has been out longer, you should get her first! I don’t know why 😉
And YEP, switching them back! Here’s the thing- on the international covers, Kestrel is wearing a pretty green dress. I don’t feel like the red dress on the US cover goes well with the mauve one she wears in the first book. BUT I also want a hardcover. BUT I also already paid for the green one. Decisions, decisions 😀
Nice haul! And you got some great bookish gifts! As you know, I had a pretty eventful week, lol. Your little ones are adorable. I hope you had a wonderful holiday!
Michelle @ Michelle’s Minions
PS: I’m exhausted!
Great haul and Congrats on your wins!! Happy reading 🙂
Wow, looks like an awesome haul! I reaaaally need to try reading something of Cat Winter’s. Hope you enjoy your books!
So much bookish goodness… love it! I’m not a chocolate (or sweets) lover but those Lindor chocolates are *divine.* And your goodies from Evie’s shop. Swoon! I recently bought myself a pillow cover from her with a quote from A Court of Thorns and Roses. Love it so much. And hooray for completing your HG Funko Pop collection! Life is good. 🙂 No New Years plans on this end. Or rather, my plan is to make no plans. The last month has been *insane* (hence my poor neglected blog) so I am nabbing every chance I get for quite downtime. If there’s a choice between staying at home or going out… I’m picking home every time lately. 🙂
Neat a new Amazon Fire HD and some FUNKO Pop vinyl figures! Lucky.
I started reading The Shadow Queen and the prologue hooked me already!
Okay, that mug is life. I need it.
I also got a Kindle!! I got a Kindle Paperwhite from the boyfriend.
I’m so happy to know you loved Assassin’s heart! I’ll be reading it soon so I need the motivation.
Your kids are so adorable and cute! You could just eat them with kisses.
I hope you have a fabulous week 🙂
Wow! So many great presents from everyone! That coffee mug is amazing. The Weight of Feathers is one I still need in my life. Glad you had a great reading week. 4 books is awesome. And your kids!! How freakin adorable!!!
wow, what a great Christmas haul, loved your Secret Santa gifts. You had an awesome book week!
Awesome haul. I love those little Funko Pop Dolls. Looks like it was a great christmas for you. You read so much faster than I do. 2015 seemed to fly by so fast.
Grace @ Books of Love
Squee!!! I can’t wait to read The Steep and Thorny Way! Nice haul!
Lovely haul! Nice to get a new kindle too. I know exactly what you mean about kids and Christmas! 🙂 I hope you enjoy your books.
What an amazing haul, Shannon. I’m glad to see that your Christmas was a good one! I am also glad to see your Hunger Games funko collection is complete. I just got Katniss in her Mockingjay and Wedding Dresses, also Peeta because bae! I can’t wait to get the rest of them 🙂
Novel Ink’s STS
Looks like you got some fantastic gifts this Christmas. I really love those Funko Pops – that’s awesome your Hunger Games collection is now complete. I might have to start collecting some of these; especially Harry Potter and anything Disney. haha
I imagine Christmas IS hard with children. My niece and nephew were here Christmas Eve and phew, they wear you out.
-Lauren
Since I am tired of repitition, GREAT STUFF! 🙂 Yes, children do tend to whine and cry more around the holidays. Is it because there is a wider audience pool? Anyway, my 15 year old brother nearly flipped the Mule with my younger cousins in it on Christmas, and then there was a football fight and tears and screaming and ugly words and separation. Meanwhile, I worked diligently in my coloring book. Ain’t nobody got time for that mess.
You know, I usually don’t like weekly recaps, but I have found myself looking forward to yours the past couple of months. You do them so well, and really do a good job of letting me know everything that happened that week and all the possible things I missed! Thanks for a great post/ blog 🙂
You got some great bookish Christmas goodies! And *ugh* I canceled my free 2-day shipping pre-order of TWK from Amazon and ordered from the Book Depository a day before the announcement -_- I ended up canceling my TBD pre-order so that I could have all matching hard covers, but I’m pretty annoyed I won’t have free 2-day shipping now. Happy holidays!
Your Secret Santa is AWESOME! I love the goodies. We got the same Harper package! I have them already so I don’t really want them, so I’ll give them away. I hope you enjoy all of your new books, Shannon!
Have a fabulous week. 🙂
Check out my STS post!
Soooo much awesome, I don’t even know where to start!!! I’ll start with Evie’s design prints because they’re GORGEOUS!! Her designs are all absolutely stunning. I’m totally obsessed with them and drool over them often. I have no shame. Secondly, THG Funko Pops!!!! So adorable!!! I got the Mockingjay one from my wonderful TBTB Secret Santa and now I need the rest of the gang! I have a SLIGHT Funko Pops! obsession to go along with all of my other obsessions. 😉 I hope you have a wonderful holiday/bookish weekend! Enjoy all your new goodies!!
What a great haul! And what a great holiday! You’ve got some really neat things and I truly hope you enjoy your new reads!
Visit My Book Gathering!
I can’t wait for The Shadow Queen! It sounds completely amazing. Also, I hope you enjoy your new Kindle! I got one for the first time last February and I’ve been loving it. The new HD one, from what I’ve heard, is pretty great. Have a lovely weekend!
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
Well, at least you all made it through the holidays in one piece! And you got some fantabulous bookish gifts to make it all worthwhile! 🙂
WAIT. THE WINNER’S KISS COVER IS BACK? YES! I had no idea about this – thanks so much for letting me know Shannon. It seems all the critiquing blog posts definitely changed their minds. 😉
And I am so excited to see what you think of The Conspiracy of Us – I loved that one a ton. And I’ve heard some great things about The Shadow Queen too, so I hope you enjoy that! Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous recap! ♥
Ha, your kids look so cute! 🙂 I know you don’t share pics of them often so thanks for that. And yeah, my kiddo was over-excited about the family get-together, too. He’s too young to really understand Christmas but with the whole family doting on him (he’s the first of the grandchildren, I’m the oldest kid from that side of the family so none of my cousins have children yet) he was really tired at the end of the day.
Ooh, you got some lovely presents, I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
YAY for Kindle! My boys’ got a new one this year – mine is old and i need to replace it, too!
Also, I am happy to hear that Assassin’s Heart is good. I am super excited for it!
What an amazing haul, Shannon!
Happy New Year to You!!
Dang, you’ve been busy! Yours is the second blog where someone got The Masked Truth. I think it sounds like a scary, but thrilling read. Christmas is SO HARD!!! I am taking a total break from my family to try and regain some sense of myself (and give my aching hip a rest!). Have a great week.
Awww it’s so perfect that Amber was your secret santa! Wow so many Funko Pops 😀 I hope you and the family (and those cute little humans) had a great holiday. <3
Hey, that’s so cool you read Mockingjay! I didn’t know you were into the series. I quite like it too. 🙂 Have you mentioned it before? Hang on, now that I’m writing this I feel like you might have mentioned it once or twice… PER POST. 😀
Those prints look really good and the Secret Santa and Secret Sister presents too!
YESSS Bookish presents are the best! That print looks absolutely stunning on the right, I need to check out this store! A shame Aussie shipping is so expensive! Wow, you got so many amazing books, I particularly want to pick up The Shadow Queen as well. Cute picture of the kids too! Happy reading Shannon.
I have yet to start The Winner’s Curse series and I should maybe get on that soon. Assasin’s Heart looks so good. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed it! I spent Christmas with my family, which included my eleven year old nephew and nine year old niece. Man, kids are EXHAUSTING, but so adorable. Yours look super cute. 🙂 I am still recovering from jet lag from my trip back to Italy from the States so I will be taking it easy on New Years’ Eve.
Jealous of The Shadow Queen and Banished. I didn’t realize they’d done a change on the Winner’s covers again! Will have to go check it out. Hope you have a great week coming up! I didn’t do a Sunday post this week. Just didn’t have time with working at my part time job at the bookstore all weekend.
Are those brownies?? Cause if they are I am super jealous. I love my kindle, hopefully you love it too.
Enjoy your new books!