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. I also decided that since I do a weekly recap, it really is just good sense to link up with The Sunday Post, hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer, because that is such a fun link up as well!
The Books
Good lord, the books. This book week makes me smile.
For review:
Huge thanks to Macmillan and Merit Press for these beauties!
I See Reality by Various Authors
The Last Place on Earth by Carol Snow
An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes by Randy Ribay
Via Edelweiss, with huge thanks to Simon & Schuster and Harper Teen!
Won:
Jackaby & Beastly Bones by William Ritter Thanks to Algonquin!!
The Next Together by Lauren James Thanks to Kirsty-Marie @ Studio Reads!!
Romancing the Dark in the City of Light by Ann Jacobus Thanks to Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books & Author Ann Jacobus!!
Weekly Shenanigans
I may or may not have stayed up all night last night just so I didn’t only read two books again. Spoiler: I did.
Air Awakens. By like, so so much. Because: 1) I freaking loved Air Awakens, and 2) I felt meh about Very and ragey about Inheritance of Ashes.
I decided that I am not doing “On the Blog” anymore because you guys are smart and can look at the sidebar.
Giveaways:
- The September Discussion Challenge link-up and Giveaway is underway!
- Still a few days left to enter the #ShatteringStigmas Giveaway!
- U.S. readers can win an ARC of The Rose Society by Marie Lu.
- U.S readers also can win Blood and Salt.
- The International September New Release Giveaway has begun!
Blogosphere Bulletin:
- Cyn @ Book Munchies talks about the fear of the five star (I feel this pain!)
- Lauren @ Bookmark Lit has an amazing, thought-provoking discussion on feminism, slut-shaming, and relationships in YA. This is such an important topic!
- Cait @ Paper Fury does not enjoy when series do certain things. So she tells us about it.
- Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction talks book sniffing (no, really!)
- Christina @ A Reader of Fictions has a Tyra Banks-ism in this edition of Cover Snark (also- I love Cover Snark, and you will too, if you somehow don’t already!)
- Aentee @ Read at Midnight shares her gorgeous graphics for the Throne of Glass series.
- Jeann @ Happy Indulgences reminds us to be good to ourselves.
- Kaitlin @ Reading is My Treasure talks about what the hardest parts of blogging are for her.
- Inge @ Whimsicality welcomes everyone to her new site with a motivational giveaway!
- Vane @ Books With Chemistry discusses how books can really influence us.
- Alyssa @ The Eater of Books has some fun news about Banished by Kimberley Griffiths Little to share! (I loved Forbidden and am so excited for Banished!!)
- Cassie @ The Magical Adventures of Cassie the Weird wants to know if you have the ability to live in denial when it comes to books.
- Jessica @ A Bookish Serendipity asks what a three star rating means to you (GOOD question!)
Random Musings:
I feel like I have been posting “too many” five star reviews lately. In fact, I have another coming up on Monday! The thing is, all the books I have been reading have not been five star books- you can see the evidence in my mini-reviews and such- but it seems the books I do full reviews of have been rated super high. There are reasons for this: One, I agreed to do tours because I loved the books. Two, the dates just kind of fell that way. I have read some um, not five star books, but the way the pub dates fell, you’ve been getting them all! Three, I really did have a streak where I was reading some phenomenal books! So when you combine those things, you get a lot of five star reviews.
Things we need to talk about this week:
- HUNGER. GAMES. TRAILER. Watch, then sob. Then let’s all hug it out in the comments.
- Also, less than two weeks until you (I) can buy Mockingjay Part 2 Tickets!! October 1, my grabby hands shall haveth! Will you be getting your tickets? When do you plan to see it?
- I have been trying to decide if a weekly update is worth it. What say you?
You ended up requesting Blackhearts haha nice! And yay for book mail! I got books this week as well! Comgratulations on all of the wins!! That’s great!
Oh, I had already requested it last week, and when I saw you’d been approved, I was sure I’d be denied- so imagine my happy surprise 🙂 I am so excited! And thanks so much 😀
Oh oh I have The Next Together too! 😀 It was a surprise ARC and I’m trying to decide If I should read it now or closer to release date. OH THE HORRIFIC DECISIONS A BOOKWORM MUST MAKE. *collapses*
MoCKINgJAy mAKEs ME NoT okAY.
Wait, when does it release there? It released like, 2 weeks ago in the UK I think? I tried looking it up on Goodreads, but it only shows the UK edition. It doesn’t exist yet in the US sadly. I mean, I own it because I keep taking quick flights across the Atlantic (fine, some plane that Book Depository uses does, whatever).
Also, Mockingjayyyyyy. What are we going to do?! HOW? Just HOW!?
A couple of your books are new to me this week. I see quite a few that look terrific.
Grace @ Books of Love
Aw thanks 😀
I don’t suppose there’s a thing such as too many five-star books, because GOOD BOOKS ARE EVERYWHERE. Besides, if coincidence says so … *shrugs* The Mockingjay Part 2 trailer is kind of not keeping certain plot twists secret for non book readers, and also killing book readers on the side. *clutches chest and dies of feels*
I’m not quite sure what you mean by a weekly update, actually? I mean, I enjoy basically all your posts so I suppose I would enjoy that too, but I’m genuinely confused over how updates would be different from recaps.
YAY I am glad you feel this way. I did throw in a crappy book today before I flail about another favorite at the end of the week 😉 I have been thinking about the whole business of spoiling the movie for awhile, because people have been outraged and such. On one hand, I understand, but then… it’s been YEARS, you know? But totally agree with the feels!
Oh, yeah, I meant this, recap, whatever I post on Saturdays haha. But hey, if you like it, I shall keep posting it 😀 Thanks for the input, and for making me feel happy 🙂
WOW! Great haul! You got some awesome ARCs, I’m looking forward to reading After the Woods. Nice wins! Lucky you this week! I hope you enjoy all of these! I’ll have to check out Air Awakens, I haven’t heard of it before. Have a great weekend!
Michelle @ Michelle’s Minions
Aw thanks!! I am So excited for After the Woods. It’s been on my radar for ages, and it’s here!! And definitely check out Air Awakens, I reviewed it on Goodreads (and will here eventually too) but it was SO good! The next book will be out in less than 2 months too!
Weekly updates are a lot of fun, but they’re one of the only posts I can’t actually schedule in advance. I find bi-weekly actually works better for me due to limited time etc., and some weeks there isn’t much to talk about. But I do enjoy your updates Shannon – so whatever works for you! Excellent haul this week, I haven’t heard of many of them so keen to hear your thoughtS!
Ooooh bi-weekly isn’t a bad idea! I seriously don’t know if I could NOT post an update every week, just because I have been doing it for so long but… some weeks there just isn’t much to say! I guess I’ll just play it by ear, thanks so much!!
Oh, yes! Those books 🙂 I can completely understand why you say it was a very good book week, Shannon. Enjoy!
Have a wonderful weekend and happy reading.
Aww thanks!! 😀
That’s one awesome bookhaul! After the Woods sounds so so so good! <3
Happy Reading!
Aw thanks! I agree, I am very excited for that one!
Congrats on your wins! Great haul 🙂
Thanks so much 🙂
These look like some really cool books! I hope you enjoy them all.
Thanks so much 🙂
The cover of Air Awakens look absolutely beautiful, glad to hear that the inside lives up to the gorgeous packaging!
Thank you so so so much for linking to my post, Shannon *beams*
Oh I know, the cover is like, epically amazing! I don’t know who is responsible for the gorgeousness, but WOW. And of course- your graphics are fabulous!! 😀
I like your weekly updates. Though I never make any discussion posts I like reading them. I’m sorry the Ashes book wasn’t very good. I’m interested to hear your rants now. I decided not to request it, good call as it turns out. Congrats on your five star streek. Nope, nothing wrong with that.
Ah, well, seeing as you’re the third vote for updates, they shall stay! But if I miss one, I will try not to freak out 😉
And I hope you saw the rant 😉 It was bad. Be so glad you didn’t request it, because none of it made any sense! And thank you! I think 5 stars are good too! I threw in the rant today though for good measure before I go back to flailing 😉
Your books make me smile too 🙂 An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes catches my eye this time around. Hope it’s good.
Aww thanks! It is SO pretty in person- I don’t even think the picture does it justice!
I’ve been reading good and bad about Jackaby, I’m curious to read what you’ll think of it. I had a string of 5 star reviews at the beginning of the year, too, it felt weird, lol ! And sometimes, I wished I could give 6 stars… Oh well, good for us ! And for our readers. Enjoy your new haul 😉
Aw thanks! I agree, it’s good that we love our books! I had like, this weird wave- a bunch of 5 stars in late December-early January, then a BIG wave now, but I think that’s because a lot of books I have been REALLY excited about are coming out soon and I am finally reading and reviewing them, so I think it makes sense 🙂
Awesome haul! I have been wanting to check out The Next Together since I first heard about it, so congrats on the wins. I hope you have a great week and enjoy your new books!
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
Aw thanks! I am really excited for The Next Together, it’s been on my radar for quite awhile!
You always receive so many compared to the amount you read. Will you ever get to them all? Do you ever just start giving them away because there’s too many to think about ?
You made Coke Zero come out my nose! Bwhahahha. Will I ever get to them all? No. Never. I mean, the numbers are not on my side, that’s for sure. I WILL get to all the review copies though, because I make sure of that.
I assume one day I will start purging a bit. I have VERY limited shelf space left, as you can imagine 😉
We have some books in common! Great stack. I hope you enjoy them!
Check out our STS & enter our Giveaways!
Leydy @ OUaT
Thanks so much 🙂 Hope you enjoy them too!
Don’t stop your weekly recaps! I love them! I can’t wait to know what you think of Randy Ribay’s book too. 🙂
Okay, I promise, I won’t!! Glad I asked before I just stopped 🙂 And I know, it looks really good! Have you read it yet?
I’m only a few pages in and it’s okay so far!
Great haul of books! There’s quite a few I can’t wait to get my hands on so looking forward to hearing what you think of them!
Happy reading 🙂
Aw thanks so much! I hope you enjoy them when you do 🙂
Oooh, you won Jackaby! I really liked that one — it was a quirky mix of Sherlock and Doctor Who. I really hope you like it!
Aw yay! I am glad you liked it! I am nervous because I don’t really know much about those things, but I have heard good things, so fingers crossed 😀
What a nice haul!! I may or may not have stayed up all night several nights this week reading…I did. And my body regrets it! I hope you enjoy all your new books. Happy reading!
Aw thanks! And I feel your pain, I was falling asleep most days this week 😉 It’s always worth it though!
I really love the cover of Blackhearts and it makes me want to read it so much even though I have no idea what it’s about!
Hahah! I have done that in the past 😉 It’s about… pirate stuff? I don’t know, I don’t read synopses after I add books! But if you click the picture, Goodreads shall provide all information!
I’m confused, isn’t this the weekly update? Or do you mean with more personal information? I enjoy reading them. It’s the one time I come out from under my stone, post something and check out everyone else’s blogs to see what they’ve been up to the past week if I’ve been too busy to do it the rest of the week.
I REFUSE to watch the Hunger Games trailer. I don’t want to spoil myself, because I already know I’m going to watch the movie. I mean… I’ve read the book, I know what happens, but STILL. I don’t know when I’ll see it yet. It depends on who I can find to drag along. 😀 I went to the premiere the last two times, but it’s always so full I might as well wait a day longer, because that ish was cray. That parallel universe book sounds good, mainly because it has parallel universes in the title. 😀 I’ll check it out when it comes out!
Yes, yes, this is the weekly update! I wonder if I should continue doing it- but everyone so far has either also been confused (so clearly, I worded it in a bad way- sorry!) or says I should continue, so continue I shall!
Bwhaha I love that you KNOW what happens yet you still don’t want to be spoiled! I think that is pretty great, actually. Surprisingly, the premiere last year was not bad! I think because my theater had like, eight screens showing JUST Mockingjay- so I went with the third one. There was like, an 8:00, an 8:10, and an 8:20… so I just went with 8:20, figuring all the real loons would be at the 8:00, and I was right! The year before though, with Catching Fire?! Holy CRAP. So, fingers crossed that the movie theater behaves again. I will either be going with Val, or if she can’t make it down, my mom 😉
I See Reality sounds like a great collaboration book, I can’t wait to read it! eeeh I am SO excited to read Kim’s book too. Revenge in the Wild sounds awesome. Can’t wait to read your thoughts!
Thanks! I agree, they all sound amazing- I cannot WAIT to get to them all!
After the woods looks good. I can’t wait to read Blackhearts 🙂 Happy reading!
Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy them!!
Fantastic book mail!! Congrats on the wins!! 🙂 I started reading Very in Pieces, but put it down around 16%. I just was having a hard time getting into it. I’m curious to see what you think of it, so I’ll be watching for your review. Enjoy your weekend! ♥
Aw thanks! You’re good to go with Very, honestly. It doesn’t really get more exciting, though I DO like Very herself. I reviewed it… last week one day? Maybe Friday? It wasn’t BAD, but it wasn’t great either. I waffled between 2.5 and 3 stars, but I rounded up because I was feeling generous 😉 Probably really a 2.75.
You have SUCH an amazing haul, girl! So happy for you _<
WHAT THE HECK! The comment section cut off my reply! That’s not very nice… I was saying that I hope you read these books soon and love them all the same! I don’t really care if you give us an onslaught of 5 star reviews 😉 If I could read and review 5 star reviews all in a row, I’d be dancing in the rain! I’ve had enough of these 2-3 stars I’ve been getting…
That was NOT nice of the comment section. I will have words with it later. Ugh, 2 and 3 stars are awful to review! They simply aren’t fun for anyone. You can’t snark them as much as you’d like, and you certainly cannot flail! I hope you break out of this slump soon. If it helps, I started a pretty crappy book yesterday 😉
Did you end up finishing Illuminae? I finished this morning. A pretty impressive read.
I did! On Sunday night maybe? It was really good! SO unique! I mean, a LOT of time and thought and effort went into that book, it is one of a kind!
I did enjoy it, but I’m still on the fence about the ending. Did you have a physical copy or an electronic one? I had some troubles “seeing” some of the unique pages in my eCopy that told the story. I don’t feel like I missed anything…plot-wise…but I do want to look at a physical book to see how it is laid out.
I got The Leaving Season too!! Congrats on all those wins! I was meh to kind of liked Very in Pieces. I think I liked it more when reading then after I was less impressed. Enjoy all your new books and have a great week!
Oh yay! I hope you enjoy The Leaving Season too! And thanks 😀 I agree about Very. It was okay. Not terrible, but definitely could have been better sadly!
AHH. OMG YOUR HAUL IS AMAZING SHANNON! I can’t wait to see what you think about all these wonderful books – especially An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes (the concept sounds absolutely incredible) and Jackaby! Thanks for sharing and, as always, amazing recap!
Aw thanks!! I will for sure let you know about them- An Infinite Number sooner than later for sure, I agree, the concept sounds amazing!
I love weekly updates, but I know they can be difficult to do/keep up with – so it’s ultimately what works for you! I’m so ready for Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 2, yet not, because I don’t want the series to be over. haha
I have Jackaby. I bought it awhile ago, so I really need to read it with the sequel coming out.
Aww you are sweet, thank you! For now, I will try to keep up with them, but I won’t be too hard on myself if I can’t. I agree about Mockingjay! Like, yes, I am SUPER excited but… GAH it cannot end! Like, what am I supposed to do with my poor fangirl heart?! 😉
I got Jackaby and Beastly Bones this week as well! So cool! Looks like a great haul for you this week. YOu can check mine out in the link below!
Aw yay! I hope you enjoy them too 🙂
Really looking forward to so many of these! Especially Blackhearts (which I’m hoping I’ll get approval for on EW) and The Last Place on Earth.
Happy reading, friend!
Ohh fingers are crossed for you and Blackhearts! I was worried because some people got approved last week, and I’d requested it ages ago, so I was sure I’d be denied, but it just seems like they’re a bit slow with the approval? So yes, fingers are all crossed! And thanks 😀
Oh, that trailer! I actually hadn’t seen it yet. Perfection. And they’re pulling out all the stops when it comes to ripping our hearts out. Ack!
RIGHT!? It’s like “oh, we’ll make you sob two months BEFORE we take your money, and then we’ll make you sob WHILE we take your money, and then you’ll sob because we are DONE taking your money”. Smart people, Lionsgate.
I love your haul! I’ve only heard of Jackaby (which I would like to read some day soon) but all the rest sound so appealing, too. Hope you enjoy them all 🙂 Here’s ours: Bibliojunkies Happy reading! ~ Bel
Aw thanks!! 😀