Book Haul #41: No Excuses

I have no excuses for the following book haul, except that the majority of items are e-books. Yo, those e-book sales are making my trigger-buy finger very happy. I just can’t help myself when I see them, which is odd because I don’t even like to read e-books. Chances are I’ll probably get physical copies of the ones I really like since the e-books were so cheap. I think the most expensive one was about $3.99, or something.

Quick note: All book titles are linked to their Goodreads page, since I don’t give much of a synopsis for some of them.

ARCs

Some of these you may have seen already in my Winter 2017 TBR.

The Storm King by Brendan Duffy

This is a thriller/suspense novel that will be out in February 2018. I received a review e-copy through NetGalley. It’s a dark, atmospheric novel about a doctor who returns to his hometown after the body of a childhood friend, who had disappeared years ago, is found. I enjoyed reading the story and was hooked despite it’s slow pace.

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

A YA fantasy novel set in the world of Hartman’s Seraphina series, where dragons can take on human form. I was super excited when I saw this book and requested it through NetGalley. (I squealed when I got it.) I enjoyed the Seraphina duology and craved to learn and explore more of the world upon completing the last book, Shadow Scale. This book instead focuses on one of Seraphina’s sisters who’s described as a troublemaker. Can’t wait to get back to reading some of Hartman’s writing. 🙂 This will also be published in February 2018.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Another YA fantasy novel. This one is about a girl who was stolen away to the High Court of Faerie with her two sisters after their parents were murdered. The story sounds interesting, especially since the fey in it despise humans, but I requested a physical copy of the book because I’ve never before read a Holly Black book, except the Spiderwick Chronicles, which she collaborated on with illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi (I follow him on Instagram. I love his illustrations of the fey there). The Cruel Prince will be out in January 2018.

Above the Timberline by Gregory Manchess (illus.)

This is described as a “painted novel,” which made me immediately want to get it without even knowing what it’s about because I’ve never read a painted novel before. The story, which is accompanied by Manchess’s paintings, is about a guy searching for his dad. It was published back in October, but I was contacted to receive a completed copy to review, which I was more than happy to do. That will be done pretty soon. In the meantime, check out Mogsy’s review to see samples of Manchess’s paintings and learn more about the story.

Physical books

Her Body and Other Parties: Stories by Carmen Maria Machado

I learned of this book of short stories from a Publisher’s Weekly post on the Big Indie Books of Fall 2017. In the post, Machado’s book was described as “eerie” with “inventive worlds shimmering with supernatural swerves,” which caught my interest. But what sold me was this praise: “Her stories make strikingly feminist moves by combining elements of horror and speculative fiction with women’s everyday crises.” I’m mad curious about it.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

My mom suggested that I buy this one because a) I should read some good books (I rolled my eyes at this because I do read good books) and b) she really wants to read this book. I also would like to read it, but have been procrastinating on it because it’s nonfiction and I wasn’t sure about the prose and all the usual nonfiction book worries.

Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake

I read, somewhere, that this is a seminal, classic fantasy novel that is as influential on the genre as the Lord of the Rings books. Titus Groan is the first in the Gormenghast series, which is dark and does not have the usual fantasy elements like elves and I think magic and such. I’ve heard it’s really good, so I bought it out of curiosity. If you’ve read it, please share your thoughts below, or link to your review.

Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays by Zadie Smith

So, I was in Warby Parker the other day picking up a new pair of eyeglasses when I peeped this book across the way. The cover beckoned to me and I was powerless to resist it’s call. I had to buy. I’ve never before read a Zadie Smith book, but I’m in the mood for essays, since I’m currently reading No Time to Spare by Ursula K. Le Guin, which I mentioned in my last haul (yeahie me for reading books I hauled).

Avatar: the Last Airbender: the Search (library edition) by Gene Luen Yang (writer), Michael Dante DiMartino (creator), Bryan Konietzko (creator), and illus. by Gurihiru

I’ve always wanted to get copies of the Avatar: the Last Airbender comics because I love the TV show. So when I heard of these library edition bind-ups that include comments from the creators and other contributors, I decided to collect them. I thought this, The Search, was the first set following the TV show, but it’s actually the second and it’s about the search for Zuko’s mom. The Promise is the first and I plan to get it.

Black, Vol. 1 by Kwanza Osajyefo, illus. by Jamal Igle, Robin Riggs, Derwin Roberson, and Tim Smith III

This volume came out in November. I had to get it because I’m eager to read the story. It’s set in the present day, and includes many of the social issues of today, except only Black people have superpowers.

E-books batch #1

A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan

Just about all these e-books are novels that I’m curious about but am not sure that I’ll like, which makes them even easier to buy for so cheap. Like this first one: I like the cover and the title makes me curious, but the reviews I’ve read of it make me unsure that I’ll like it. I still want to try it anyway because it’s about witches.

The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden

I’m not a fan of sci-fi, but this one is set in South Africa and is by a Black author and the reviews I’ve read of it were good, so I clicked the “buy” button.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Many of you already know about Nimona, or have read it. I’ve always wanted to read it, so I got it since it was on sale. I also want to experience reading a comic book in electronic format.

Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan

This Sword & Laser podcast episode featuring an interview with McClellan got me interested in the Powder Mage series. Basically the mages in the story use guns and gunpowder and … I just want to see how it all works with the magic.

E-books batch #2

Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan

The first bind-up of the Riyria Revelations books. I’ve been hearing about this fantasy series ever since I started watching booktube videos, so I got the book.

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

It’s the same with Abercrombie. Peeps often praise his books, which drove me to purchase his Half a King, which I haven’t yet read. I’ll get to both it and this in time.

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

I’ve wanted to read this for a while now. I wanted a physical copy, actually, because I like the cover. But since it is only available in hardcover in the U.S. at the moment, I avoided getting a copy until I saw the e-book on sale. If I like it, I’ll definitely get myself a paperback copy when it’s out. (It’s the same with Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo. I really want to get a copy and I like the cover, but I refuse to get the hardcover because I don’t like that format.)

The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington

This was more of a trigger-finger buy. I’ve seen this book mentioned or reviewed somewhere and when I saw it for only $2.99, my finger clicked “buy” before I could register what had happened.

E-books batch #3

Hellboy, Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction by Mike Mignola, illus. by various illustrators

A co-worker told me this is good and recommended it to me based on my comic book and novel interests. It was on sale (still is as of this post’s publication), so I got it.

The Sign of the Beast by Joyce Carol Oates

This short story was mentioned in a Publisher’s Weekly article on Amazon’s new imprint. I got it because I’ve never read something by Oates before.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Another sci-fi novel that, eh, I’m not sure I’ll like it but, eh, I’m curious so I got it. Also, the reviews of it I’ve read piqued my interest, and I liked Wells’s speech at the 2017 World Fantasy Awards, which I mentioned in my November wrap-up.

O.K. That’s it. Let me know if you’ve read any of these.