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

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The Rule of Mirrors by Caragh M. O’Brien Thanks so much to Macmillan! I am so excited for this series to continue!

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From the Scholastic Warehouse Sale! Thanks to Jocelyn @ Novels and Necklaces for the heads up! 

(Too tired to link these to Goodreads. Sorry 🙁 )

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Marked by Laura Williams McCaffrey via Netgalley, thanks to HMH!

Weekly Shenanigans

I only read two books this week. But, I did a lot of other stuff, so I am fine. PLUS, I liked them both. And one gave me a book hangover.

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1st-place While Underwater was good, The Love that Split the World was freaking amazing. Book hangover-inducing, really.

Giveaways:

Posts this Week:

(Yeah, I brought it back. I felt bad for not considering my mobile-using friends.)

Blogosphere Bulletin

Random Musings:

So, this happened.

Nano WIN

I wrote 10K words in about 36 hours to finish this jazz. I was so excited when the words had been verified that I cried a little. Also, Shay @ The Story Goes… is my hero. She helped me when I was being a newbie, she cheered me on, and she cheered me up, every single day. I am not at all done with the story, but it was a goal I never thought I’d meet.

Because of that, and feeling under the weather, I basically lost again at catching up on blog stuff. It’s killing me. I need just a few solid hours (maybe days, if I am being honest hah) to catch up, but what can you do? I will keep trying! Eventually I will get there. Probably in time to get behind again during BEA?

Also, first time this has happened to me: I had ideas but couldn’t write them down! Usually, I have no ideas, but want to write all the posts. This week, I have four drafts with ideas, all with maybe three sentences. This is strange!

Things we need to talk about this week:

        • The book trailer for Passenger is live here!
        • This article about 23 Life Lessons from The Hunger Games is so on point.
        • If you celebrate a winter holiday, have you finished shopping? I have, yay! 
        • Do you usually have a harder time coming up with ideas or actually writing out the idea?
        • Would you be interested in a giveaway where I let you pick from some books I have that need new homes? I am considering this.  

Have a fabulous week, loves!

Posted December 5, 2015 by Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight in Blog Recaps / 65 Comments

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65 responses to “This Week At Midnight (90)”

  1. Grace Fonseca

    Awesome stack of books this week. The Love That Split The World is getting a ton of buzz. I’m glad to hear that you loved it. So many good books. Christmas shopping is one of my hardest things since I try to keep things on a budget.

    Grace @ Books of Love

    Reply
  3. Cait @ Paper Fury

    I’M SO SO IMMENSELY PROUD OF YOU FOR FINISHING NANO!! WOOOOT!! REASON #30839 THAT YOU ARE ENTIRELY AWESOME. *sprinkles you with extra celebratory cake*
    And omg, thank you for linking to my fury post. I have been cranky all year. Fond memories. Sweet moments. Omg. :’)
    And now I’m intensely curious about the Split the World in Two book. So it’s one I utterly definitely need then?! SQUEE. I do love that cover. XD And my TBR is, of course, needing more books on it because I just read a book tonight and if I read one book it means I can go on goodreads and add 29482 more. #bookwormlogic

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      Aw THANK YOU!!! <3 <3 <3

      And I LOVED TLTSTW! It was so good, and I really wasn't sure how things were going to go down, it was like a contemporary setting with some fantasy elements and it was good! And yes, reading one book absolutely allows you to go on an adding spree! How else would our Goodreads TBRs stay in the quadruple digits? 😉

      Reply
  7. Sarah

    Ahhhh, I’m so happy you enjoyed The Love That Split the World. It’s probably my most anticipated book for 2016, and I trust your judgement 100%. I mean, no pressure. Oh, and BIG congratulations on your writing adventure! I just watched the trailer for Passenger, and ooooooh, YES! I’m excited for that one, too! Now I must go click through all your links because I am beyond far behind reading blog posts. XD

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      Aw thanks!! Now I will be scared that you will hate it 😉 No, I don’t think you even COULD hate it. Val loved it too, if that helps 😉 And thank you SO MUCH 😀 I am excited for Passenger too, I need to carve out some time to read it!

      And I feel you, I am SO behind myself. I am actually NOT a week behind this time, but only because I literally started over. Oops?

      Reply
  9. Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog

    So many books! hey all look lovely 🙂 SO happy to hear that you love TLTSTW. I need it to come out. Now. WOOT WOOT on NaNo and what not. Very cool on reaching your goal. I am also done shopping. Best feeling ever. Love that idea for a giveaway!!! Have a great week!

    Reply
  10. Emma @ Miss Print

    All of my Christmas shopping is DONE and only a few things left to wrap. And some to bake but I’m assuming that’ll be fine and done easily.

    Can we talk about the cover for Marked? It might be that I’m tired but I stared at that picture for a LONG time thinking you were showing off some new tattoo!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      WOW you have even wrapped?! Yeah, all my stuff is in boxes on the floor. It is BAD. I am impressed by your time management 😀

      And Marked DOES have an odd cover. True story though- I DO want a tattoo, a Mockingjay obviously, in that EXACT SPOT. So maybe it’s like, a push from fate that you thought that! A sign! An omen!

      Reply
  11. Genesis @ Latte Nights Reviews

    The Start of Me and You is a book that Lisa or Becca (or both?) had featured on their blog and the way they raved about it, I had to get it. Plus the cover is a beauty!
    Congrats on NaNoWriMo!!! That’s amazing! Now you can start relaxing 🙂
    I’m glad you enjoyed The Love that Split the World. I haven’t read it and wasn’t planning on it but now, maybe I should. I’ll have to check it out again!
    I hope you have a better week 🙂
    Here’s my STS

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      The cover is SO pretty! And I have definitely heard good things about it. Plus, it was there, so I had to buy it like a good book hoarder 😉

      And thank you SO much! I am hoping to get caught up a little at least- I wish relaxing was in my future! Catching up would be good though, I’d take that! And TLTSTW was so, so good. Val loved it, and peer pressured me into starting it next, and it was absolutely fabulous! I hope you do enjoy it if you decide to read it!

      Reply
  13. Kristen Burns

    Ok wait, do you mean to tell me you have NOT watched the Harry Potter movies? Because I have not either! And it should console you to know you will never be the last person on earth not to because I don’t ever plan to lol. (I don’t watch movie adaptations of books I like. I’m weird, I know.)

    Anyway, congrats on NaNo! I have major respect for anyone who can write that much in one month.

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      Nope! I have not! I really don’t plan on it either, if I am being honest 😉 I mean, I WILL watch adaptations (I am obsessed with The Hunger Games, after all) but I am just not interested at all!

      And thank you SO much!! I appreciate that so much 😀

      Reply
  17. Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

    The Scholastic Warehouse sale is the BEST THING EVER! I think the last one I came home with 60+ books for the kids (and a few for me). And I spent SO little – it was ridiculous!

    It’s funny that you say about writing down post ideas and not writing the actual posts. I did that with three posts myself this week!! And I NEVER do that. I did eventually finish the one about novellas. (Thanks for linking up to it!)

    Reply
  18. ShootingStarsMag

    Yay for reading two good books this past week. I am ALMOST finished getting Christmas gifts…I have a difficult time stopping sometimes though. So many cute ideas!

    Thanks for all the fun discussion/post links from other blogs. 🙂

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      Thanks so much! I feel you, I used to shop super early, but then I would buy WAY too much because I could never stop! Plus, now that the kids are older, I have to keep EVERY purchase in my room so… it’s overloaded for sure! Plus wrappinf is evil 😉

      Reply
  19. Olivia Roach

    I have been really busy trying to buy all my Christmas presents lately! And I just came back from a basketball tournament and I’m not kidding – EVERYTHING HURTS. But CONGRATS on conquering Nanowrimo! I didn’t know you were writing along until your previous post where you mentioned it. What is your novel about?

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      Aw I am sorry that you are in pain! I remember those multi-day swim meets when I never wanted to see water again 😉 Hope the tournament went well!

      And thank you SO much! It’s a contemporary (which is pretty weird for me, actually!) and it deals with some mental health stuff, and some family stuff, and it’s just basically this girl trying to get herself together, somehow. It is not finished AT all. So that’s a little daunting. But I need a little break from her at the moment- she’s exhausting 😀

      Reply
  20. Jeann @ Happy Indulgence

    It sounds like you’re on a bit of a creative mood Shannon! That’s awesome to hear, at least the ideas are in draft mode. The cover for the Rule of Mirrors looks awesome and it looks like you scored at that SCholastic warehouse sale!

    Reply
  23. Cynthia @ Bingeing On Books

    Marked looks SO GOOD! I just requested it and I am waiting on my request to either be approved or denied. Fingers crossed! The Love That Split the World is one of my most anticipated books for next year, so I am thrilled to hear that you loved it. I have no doubt that I will too because, you know, we are book twinsies and all. 🙂 Congrats on winning NaNo! That is AMAZING!!!! I am so proud that you did 10,000 words in 36 hours. You are my hero. I didn’t finish my story, but like you, I am SO AMAZED that I was able to do 50,000 words. That is a goal that I was afraid I would never reach. I still have between 10,000 and 15,000 words before I finish my novel, but my characters have exhausted me right now. I am taking a much needed break from my story (while obsessing about plot details in my head, of course) and I will probably try to finish it in January. Then comes the REALLY hard part . . . editing! Yikes!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      OOOH my fingers are crossed for you!! The purgatory is kind of the worst, no? And TLTSTW is so, so good- I mean, you SHOULD love it of course, because I did haha, but also, Val loved it, so I know of at least two people who think it’s amazing.

      And thank you SO much! I am really proud of you as well! I saw that you’d finished and I was like MUST. CATCH. UP. Every time I checked, you were like, a thousand words ahead of me haha and I just wanted to catch up the whole time 😉 And WOW only 10-15K left is REALLY close! I probably have more. Like, 30. At least. And then I am probably going to have to cut stuff, which I NEVER thought I’d have to do, but yeah, I probably will. I am taking a break from them for SURE. And then I don’t know if I will want to continue with this one, or maybe at least START the one I really want to start… ugh. I just need more hours in the day, basically 😀

      Reply
  24. Brittany

    Congrats of course on your completion for Nano thingy!! WOOHOO! I’m glad you won! It makes my heart happy to hear that you loved TLTSTW since I will hopefully be reading it soon. Im pretty interested to hear what you think about Prisoner Of night & A Night Divided. I always like World war 2 kind of books. Noit b/c of the war but b/c they always seem to be rought with emotions. I hope you are having a great month so far love!
    ❤️Britt @ Please Feed The Bookworm

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      Aw thank you so much!! And yes, I LOVED IT. I really hope you do too, because I enjoyed it so, so much. I totally agree about the WWII books. Val is doing a WWII challenge, so I will probably save it for then, but I will definitely let you know!

      Reply
  25. Terri M.

    Chits as shopping is done and all the presents are wrapped.

    I need sleep and catch up time. It’s coming soon for me. I have the last two weeks of December off!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      NICE! I am impressed! The shopping is done, but the wrapping… is another story 😉 Aw, I am SO JEALOUS of sleep and catch up time! I would do just about anything for some of that. I mean, even a DAY would be perfect. I really hope you get nice and refreshed though!!

      Reply
  26. Charlie @ Girl of 1000 Wonders

    First, everybody would like to give books new homes. Hand ’em over, sista! I also think we all feel the same way about needing solid blocks of time to work on our blogs. I am right with you in all honesty that I need days. You can get all of your normal housekeeping done that never gets done and piles up, you can write new reviews, format new posts, get some ideas for other types of posts, chat with others – all that good stuff! Yes, we need days! However, you’ve been NanoWramo-ing, so it’s to be expected. CONGRATULATIONS! You can do it! I think I will be participating next year with my new writing project. 🙂

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      Hahah yay! I think I will. Some kind of Christmas think, perhaps? I kind of wanted to just GIVE them away on Twitter or something, but people get so… venomous over free books. So a giveaway is really almost the only organized way to do it.

      And thank you SO much! It’s true, we all DO need those days. I wish I HAD those days. Do they exist? How can I get some? 😉 And I am excited that you’ll be participating next time, it’s so fun to share in the anxiety with others 😀

      Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      It IS weird, isn’t it? And you are not the only person who thought I got myself some new ink 😉 (I DO actually want a tattoo around there, of a mockingjay of course). But it doesn’t even really look like a cover. Strange. And I am excited to read Prisoner of Night and Fog, it sounds incredible, I am glad to hear that you loved it!

      Reply
  28. Shay @ The Story Goes...

    Aw… *blushes furiously* I’m so happy you won! And you give me too much credit but I’m vain so I’ll take it! =)

    Book hangover inducing? I must get my hands on The Love That Split The World…though I honestly don’t know what it’s about… I’m so BEHIND on new/upcoming releases!

    I have the hardest time writing ideas most the time, though of course I go through stints where I have none. No joke, I have 50+ posts drafted that I’ve never finished, most have a few sentences though, so that’s SOMETHING. Oh, and yes, I celebrate Christmas and have finished ALL MY SHOPPING, it’s sad, I didn’t even have to go to the mall this year (which is sad only because I LOVE all the decorations they put up there). Also, yes to the giveaway, I’m interested in anything that means the chance of free books. 😉

    Glad you had a pretty good week, Shannon! Most mine was spent dying my hair actually, but I did finally read some too! =)

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      You have no idea, seriously. You were just so, so helpful. Logging into that damn site sometimes made me cringe, but then seeing your fun messages totally cheered me up every time! So please, take the credit 😀

      And YES I was so bummed having to pick up a new book because I just wanted to read TLTSTW again! It’s fun- it’s like, contemporary-ish but then there are these elements of supernatural, and I loved the characters and the plot and all of the things!

      I didn’t have to go to the mall either! I did all the online shopping and it made me happy. I did go to the mall for something random, and it was hellish, and I ran out of there laughing at the people who had to stay 😉

      OHHH WHAT COLOR!!? I need to know! I still want to dye mine someday. Soonish. Maybe.

      Reply
  29. Zeee @ I Heart Romance & YA

    Congrats on finishing nano! Nano envy right here… but I didn’t sign up for this.. maybe next year.

    I actually have a hard time coming up with ideas. But I have learned that everytime an idea pops up, I should write it down. I have a small legal pad that i carry with me everywhere so i can just jot things down. The bad thing about is that I think about ideas while driving, so sometimes, I forget them by the time I get to my destination. Can’t be writing while driving, yeah? Haha

    Reply
    • Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

      Aww thank you so much! Definitely give it a shot next year if you can!

      I do the same- I HAVE to write it down, because I am the worst with ideas. I do the same thing while driving too! I try to just keep repeating it in my head over and over, just hoping to remember! The struggle of blogging, I suppose 😉

      Reply
  31. Lisa Mandina

    So jealous of Rule of Mirrors ARC! I may have to write to the publisher and ask for one myself. We’ve got the Scholastic Warehouse sale going on this week and next I think. But I have to wait till next week after I get paid. 🙁 Love those sales! You can see my post in the link below!

    Reply
  32. Vlora

    CONGRATS AGAIN on reaching 50k!!! That’s so awesome, you can be really proud of yourself! I wrote 20k during the first two weeks and then stopped. Oops? I’m looking forward to reading Passenger, but I wasn’t thaaaat blown away by the book trailer. And I haven’t finished shopping, but I have three or four presents ready, which is better than when I bought everything on the 23rd, so.

    Reply

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