Late summer clean-up: ARCs, subscriptions, and TBRs (oh, my!)

Posted in Blogging, The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

It’s that time of year again… the point, close to the end of summer, when I look at all my reading plans and commitments, and feel entirely overwhelmed.

And so, I’m doing something about it.

I know we book bloggers and avid readers say this constantly — it’s so easy to get bogged down by ARCs and other reading obligations, and not make time for reading on a whim (which is my favorite way to read).

I’m not a huge fan of reading challenges, simply because I don’t like the pressure of structuring my reading around checking off prompts on a list. I know people LOVE reading challenges… but they’re generally just not for me, other than some very loose challenges around the number of books read in a year, or my current reading challenges on Storygraph (20th Century Decades Challenge and a challenge shared with my daughter focused on a bookish calendar we both own).

As for ARCs… it’s the eternal struggle! It’s wonderful to get early (free!) access to new and upcoming books, but they come with strings attached — namely, to read them and review them relatively near to their release dates. It’s easy to click that NetGalley request button every time some shiny new book catches our eyes… but then we need to find time to read them all!

I keep a spreadsheet of my ARCs, sorted by release date and with subtotals by month. (Yes, I’m an Excel nerd, and proud of it!) Despite trying to restrict my requests to no more than a few books per release month, somehow it’s all gotten away from me recently. So, I decided to take action.

I just went back to my NetGalley shelf, looked at all my upcoming ARCs, and put a cold, hard question to myself: How much do I really want to read each of these books? Are these books that would call to me if I were browsing in a library or bookstore? And, maybe most importantly, do I want to read these particular books more than all the other books already on my shelves?

I was able to identify about five books that didn’t feel all that important to me. Maybe something had caught my eye in the first place, but in going back through the list, I could honestly admit that I wouldn’t feel sorry to let them go. And that’s what I did: I went to the feedback page for each book, and clicked on the “I will not be giving feedback for this book” option. And lo and behold, the books are no longer on my active shelf. Instant sense of relief!

I’ve gotten myself down to 10 ARCs left for the remainder of 2025, plus 2 for 2026 releases… and that feels manageable. Of the ARCs I’m still planning to read, I can sincerely say that I’d read these books even if I didn’t have ARCs. And of course, if I start one and find it’s not grabbing me, I’m going to use that “not giving feedback” option. (Try it! It’s really freeing!)

Going forward, I plan to be much more restrictive with myself in terms of requesting ARCs. For certain authors and series, absolutely yes — but for new-to-me authors or books that look cute or fun or interesting but aren’t yet on my radar, I’m going to make my best effort to hold off on hitting the request button. If I still want to read a certain book by the time it’s released, well… there’s always the library!

I do hesitate a bit to acknowledge both cutting back and pruning my NetGalley shelf — does this mean I’ll be less likely to get approved for future ARCs that I really want? But you know what? That’s a risk I’m willing to take! Again… libraries!!

My other clean-up projects are a little simpler (I hope!). First, I get way too many book-related emails — I’m on so many lists about price deals and new releases and publisher spotlights, and I end up just deleting most of them anyway. (A lot of these can probably be traced back to entering giveaways… so hard to resist!). Anyway, one of my goals for these new few weeks is to get a little ruthless and click on the unsubscribe option as often as possible.

As for the TBR clean-up… well, this is a never-ending goal, but it’s nice to make a little dent. I tend to mark books as to-read on Goodreads every time a new title catches my eye, whether from reading a review or seeing an article about the author or stumbling across an interesting social media blurb. It needs to stop! My TBR on Goodreads is well and truly out of control, and I could probably stand to delete hundreds of books that I’m clearly never going to actually read! I started tinkering with this a bit over the weekend, and have gotten my Goodreads to-read shelf down from 856 books to 696 so far!

My physical shelves at home are another story, and I’ve been working on these all year. I started selling on Pango Books last year, and it’s helping me cull the books I don’t really need to keep. I haven’t done a tremendous amount in terms of actual sales, but even just listing the books is helping me separate out the ones I don’t need to keep and move them into storage bags. As a result, I’m able to free up some shelf space, which lets me make things a bit tidier and easier to enjoy.

This week, I’ve been adding more books to my Pango listings and dropping the prices on books that have been listed for a while, just to see if that helps move more books out of my house. Hint: If you’re new to Pango and use the discount code in my sidebar, you get a discount!

I’m also shuffling off a bunch of older, shabbier books that aren’t quite in sellable shape (or might be so old that no one would be interested), using them to restock my Little Free Library whenever the space empties out.

The goal, of course, is to improve my reading life! To me, that means free myself from reading obligations and deadlines, and basking in the luxury of reading whatever suits my mood in any given moment.

Here’s to reading on a whim!

Has anyone else considered getting off the ARC merry-go-round? How are you feeling about your reading commitments these days? And do you have any tried-and-true approaches for making sure you can read according to your whims? Please share your thoughts!

21Jul2023

Early, late, or right on time: When do you post your book reviews?

Posted in Blogging, Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

I finished a book I absolutely loved this week… and I think I’ll probably hold off for another four to six weeks or so before I share a review.

Why?

Because it’s a new release scheduled for publication in early September. And while, I’d normally want to share my rave review immediately (because who doesn’t love shouting about how amazing a book is?), it also got me thinking about the timing of reviews and what might be the best approach.

The general rule of thumb for sharing reviews based on ARCs seems to be to hold reviews until close to the release date. Based on NetGalley confirmation emails, most publishers seem to request not posting far in advance, and some state that reviews should be posted no more than two weeks (or at most, a month) before the publication date.

And yet, when I go on Goodreads, I see reviews posted months in advance of publication (which Goodreads allows, although retail sites like Amazon do not).

There’s something to be said for pre-release buzz, and authors I’ve followed have explained more than once that all preorders add to their release weeks stats. The higher the sales that week, the more likely it is that they’ll continue to be promoted, or even that a sequel might be greenlit. Given that, it would seem like early reviews (especially super positive ones) can only help a book. On the other hand, if someone is hyping a book three months before anyone can even get it, will that actually make an impact on sales? Sure, other bloggers/reviewiers may go request the book on NetGalley as a result — but while that boosts exposure, it doesn’t necessarily translate into people making purchases.

From the blogger/reviewer perspective, I get wanting to share thoughts while they’re fresh, and I suppose some readers/reviewers like the idea of being first, even if that means reviewing a book that the general reader audience won’t be able to access for many months.

For me, my target review window is right on time, occasionally a little early (a week or maybe two in advance), and (accepting that life is not perfect) late when it can’t be helped.

In general, I try to time my reviews right around the week a book is released, or possibly a week ahead of time. It mostly comes down to simple logistics for me — no matter how hard I try to keep my ARC commitments within reasonable limits, I still always find myself with a pretty hefty schedule to keep up with, and it usually just isn’t possible for me to get out ahead of the publication dates — even if I wanted to.

Another reason I prefer “just on time” reviews is wanting to be able to talk about a book. Read too far in advance and share a review, and no one will be available to discuss it with. Sure, it’s nice to get reactions along the lines of “sounds great!” or “hey, I’ll check it out”, but it’s even better to find other readers’ reviews, share ideas, and bounce reactions back and forth.

Beyond that, I suppose I just see it as courteous to follow publisher guidelines whenever possible. Receiving access to ARCs is a privilege, after all, so I think it’s reasonable to be expected to stick to the publishers’ preferences when posting reviews.

As for late reviews… well, I try, but life gets in the way! With ARCs, I always aim to post by the week that a book comes out, but sometimes it just doesn’t work. A late review is better than no review! I’m much more forgiving of myself than I was when I first starting blogging and reviewing. Bottom line, I read for myself and my own enjoyment first and foremost. ARCs can be wonderful to have, but they’re not the only books I read, and if I need to delay reading or reviewing a book because I’m busy with other things or other books I want to read… that’s okay too.

I found myself in the unusual situation this summer of not having a ton of ARCs in June, so I got through a few of my July books early, and even read one of my August books. For the August book, I was so happy to have read it that I lost sight of the release date and went ahead and posted a review right away. Only after it was posted did I stop and realize how early it was, but at that point, there were already comments posted, so I decided to leave it as is.

Which brings me back to the book I just finished — the 17th book in the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire… which just happens to be my very favorite fantasy series. I would absolutely love to share some thoughts, but it’s just too soon — the book will be released in early September. I know if I hadn’t read it already and stumbled across someone’s review of it, I’d be pretty peeved at this point.

Friends, the book is SO good! And what’s more, there’s another installment coming in October — a first in this series, to have two new books released just one month apart. Will I read #18 right away? You betcha.

But as for the reviews, I think I’m going to hold off. I mean, I’ll go ahead and draft the reviews while my thoughts and feelings are fresh… but I’ll wait to post until the release date is much, much closer.

How do you approach early reviews? Do you time reviews to release dates, or post reviews whenever you finish a book, regardless of dates? Do you have some other approach entirely?

I’d love to know what other people do when it comes to the timing of ARC reviews — especially when you love a book and you’re dying to talk about it.

Please share your thoughts!

10Dec2019

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten ARCs for early 2020

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is a Freebie, so we each choose whatever topic we’d like. I’m keeping it simple this time. I’ve decided to focus on 10 ARCs I have coming up to read and review in the first few months of 2020. I’m excited for all of these!

(Covers and synopses via Goodreads)

1. Welcome to the Pine Away Motel & Cabins by Katarina Bivald – release date 1/7/2020

What it’s about: A charming tale of the folks who reunite at a ramshackle roadside motel in Pine Creek, Oregon, after the unfortunate death of Henny, a local who worked at the cabins all her life, and who isn’t going to let a tiny thing like death stop her from living fully — not when her friends and her little town need her the most.

Why I want to read it: I loved Katarina Bivald’s first novel, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend (review). This new book sounds just as sweet and quirky.

Release date: 1/7/2020

2. The Vanished Birds by Simon JImenez

What it’s about: Nia Imani is a woman out of place and outside of time. Decades of travel through the stars are condensed into mere months for her, though the years continue to march steadily onward for everyone she has ever known. Her friends and lovers have aged past her; all she has left is work. Alone and adrift, she lives only for the next paycheck, until the day she meets a mysterious boy, fallen from the sky.

Why I want to read it: Time travel and space travel and mysterious encounters… this definitely sounds like a book for me.

Release date: 1/14/2020

3. Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

What it’s about:Lately, seventh grader Nizhoni Begay has been able to detect monsters, like that man in the fancy suit who was in the bleachers at her basketball game. Turns out he’s Mr. Charles, her dad’s new boss at the oil and gas company, and he’s alarmingly interested in Nizhoni and her brother, Mac, their Navajo heritage, and the legend of the Hero Twins. Nizhoni knows he’s a threat, but her father won’t believe her.

When Dad disappears the next day, leaving behind a message that says “Run!”, the siblings and Nizhoni’s best friend, Davery, are thrust into a rescue mission that can only be accomplished with the help of Diné Holy People, all disguised as quirky characters. Their aid will come at a price: the kids must pass a series of trials in which it seems like nature itself is out to kill them. If Nizhoni, Mac, and Davery can reach the House of the Sun, they will be outfitted with what they need to defeat the ancient monsters Mr. Charles has unleashed. But it will take more than weapons for Nizhoni to become the hero she was destined to be . . .

Why I want to read it: I loved Rebecca Roanhorse’s The Sixth World books (and can’t wait for more!). This middle grade novel sounds like such fun, and I already know I love the author’s writing.

Release date: 1/14/2020

4. A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers

What it’s about:In 1895, sixteen-year-old Juliet LaCompte has a passionate, doomed romance with the married Parisian painter Auguste Marchant. When her mother — a witch — attempts to cast a curse on Marchant, she unwittingly summons a demon, binding her daughter to both the artist and this supernatural being for all time. Juliet is fated to re-live her affair and die tragically young lifetime after lifetime as the star-crossed lovers reincarnate through history. The demon — who appears to Juliet in all her reincarnations as a mysterious, handsome, and worldly benefactor-has been helplessly in love with her since 19th century France, even though she forgets him each time she dies. He falls for her in 1930s Hollywood, in 1970s Los Angeles, and finally in present-day Washington D.C. — where she begins to develop powers of her own. In this life, she starts to remember her tragic past lives. But this time, she might have the power to break the cycle…

Why I want to read it: More timey-wimey intrigue and romance! Sounds amazing.

Release date: 2/11/2020

5. Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales

What it’s about: When Ollie meets his dream guy, Will, over summer break, he thinks he’s found his Happily Ever After. But once summer’s ended, Will stops texting him back, and Ollie finds himself one prince short of a fairytale ending. To complicate the fairytale further, a family emergency sees Ollie uprooted and enrolled at a new school across the country—Will’s school—where Ollie finds that the sweet, affectionate and comfortably queer guy he knew from summer isn’t the same one attending Collinswood High. This Will is a class clown, closeted—and, to be honest, a bit of a jerk.

Ollie has no intention of pining after a guy who clearly isn’t ready for a relationship. But as Will starts ‘coincidentally’ popping up in every area of Ollie’s life, from music class to the lunch table, Ollie finds his resolve weakening.

The last time he gave Will his heart, Will handed it back to him trampled and battered. Ollie would have to be an idiot to trust him with it again.

Right?

Right.

Why I want to read it: Doesn’t it just sound sweet and fun? I think by March, I’ll be ready for a strong dose of YA romance.

Release date: 3/3/2020

6. In Five Years by Rebecca Searle

What it’s about:Where do you see yourself in five years?

When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.

But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.

Why I want to read it: More time-shifting! Plus romance! Plus, I just read my first book by this author, The Dinner List (review), and completely fell in love with it.

Release date: 3/3/2020

7. A Murderous Relation (Veronica Speedwell #5) by Deanna Raybourn

What it’s about: Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian colleague Stoker are asked by Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk to help with a potential scandal so explosive it threatens to rock the monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a regular visitor to the most exclusive private club in London, known as the Club de l’Etoile, and the proprietess, Madame Aurore, has received an expensive gift that can be traced back to the prince. Lady Wellie would like Veronica and Stoker to retrieve the jewel from the club before scandal can break.

Why I want to read it: I love this series! Veronica is an amazing heroine, and her adventures with Stoker are always exciting, funny, and steamy. I’ve been ready for this book ever since I finished #4, A Dangerous Collaboration (review).

Release date: 3/10/2020

8. The Deep by Alma Katsu

What it’s about:Someone, or something, is haunting the Titanic.

This is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the passengers of the ship from the moment they set sail: mysterious disappearances, sudden deaths. Now suspended in an eerie, unsettling twilight zone during the four days of the liner’s illustrious maiden voyage, a number of the passengers – including millionaires Madeleine Astor and Benjamin Guggenheim, the maid Annie Hebbley and Mark Fletcher – are convinced that something sinister is going on . . . And then, as the world knows, disaster strikes.

Years later and the world is at war. And a survivor of that fateful night, Annie, is working as a nurse on the sixth voyage of the Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic, now refitted as a hospital ship. Plagued by the demons of her doomed first and near fatal journey across the Atlantic, Annie comes across an unconscious soldier she recognises while doing her rounds. It is the young man Mark. And she is convinced that he did not – could not – have survived the sinking of the Titanic . . .

Why I want to read it: Horror set on the Titanic? I need no further convincing — this is an absolute yes for me.

Release date: 3/10/2020

9. The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian

What it’s about:The first time Alexis saw Austin, it was a Saturday night. Not in a bar, but in the emergency room where Alexis sutured a bullet wound in Austin’s arm. Six months later, on the brink of falling in love, they travel to Vietnam on a bike tour so that Austin can show her his passion for cycling and he can pay his respects to the place where his father and uncle fought in the war. But as Alexis sips white wine and waits at the hotel for him to return from his solo ride, two men emerge from the tall grass and Austin vanishes into thin air. The only clue he leaves behind is a bright yellow energy gel dropped on the road. As Alexis grapples with this bewildering loss, and deals with the FBI, Austin’s prickly family, and her colleagues at the hospital, Alexis uncovers a series of strange lies that force her to wonder: Where did Austin go? Why did he really bring her to Vietnam? And how much danger has he left her in? Set amidst the adrenaline-fueled world of the emergency room, The Red Lotus is a global thriller about those who dedicate their lives to saving people, and those who peddle death to the highest bidder.

Why I want to read it: I’ve never yet been disappointed by a Chris Bohjalian book! The plot sounds fascinating — I’m dying to know what happens.

Release date: 3/17/2020

10. The Last Human by Zack Jordan

What it’s about:The last human in the universe is on the run from a godlike intelligence in this rip-roaring debut space opera.

Sarya is the civilized galaxy’s worst nightmare: a Human.

Most days, Sarya doesn’t feel like the most terrifying creature in the galaxy.

Most days, she’s got other things on her mind. Like hiding her identity among the hundreds of alien species roaming the corridors of Watertower Station. Or making sure her adoptive mother doesn’t casually eviscerate one of their neighbors. Again.

And most days, she can almost accept that she’ll never know the truth–that she’ll never know why humanity was deemed too dangerous to exist. Or whether she really is–impossibly–the lone survivor of a species destroyed a millennium ago.

That is, until an encounter with a bounty hunter and a miles-long kinetic projectile leaves her life and her perspective shattered.

Why I want to read it: Who doesn’t love a good/funny space adventure?

Release date: 3/24/2020

Are you planning to read any of these? What books are you most excited for in early 2020?

Please share your thoughts, and if you wrote a TTT post, please share your link!

16Feb2019

A Reader’s Reality: Let’s give the “Get To” approach a try!

Posted in The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

It’s the age-old lament of book lovers everywhere: So many books. So little time. What’s a reader to do?

Sometimes when I contemplate my huge stacks of books waiting to be read, I feel all mopey and lost. I dream of a day when I can do nothing but read.

But since I live in the real world — one filled with bills and taxes and work and responsibilities — my dream of reading 24/7 will have to wait.

And that means that I have to prioritize. And like so many bookworms, I keep telling myself that I need to focus on the books I already own. Stop buying new books! Stop requesting books from the library! Stop picking up even more library books on a whim! And the biggie for book bloggers;

Stop requesting so many ARCs!

Because ARCs are simply dominating my Kindle right now, and with the ARCs comes a sense of obligation, or even worse, the guilt that hangs over our heads when we just don’t get around to reading them.

The direction my house is heading in…

Now excuse me for a second while I take a detour…

While staying at a relative’s house this past week, I happened to be in a room where the TV was on most of the day, and one day, the group there was watching some morning talk show. No idea which. In any case, the host and the guest were talking about either a book or maybe the guest’s motivational speaking topic (?) — I didn’t catch all of it. But what did strike me in that moment was the approach the guest was promoting, using a reframing of language to change the way we think about things.

Two examples stuck in my mind:

Rather than talking about “going through a hard time”, substitute the word “growing”: I’m growing through a hard time right now.

Um. No. Not for me. Way too hokey, although if it works for some people, more power to them.

But this one I kind of liked:

Instead of “have to”, try “get to”. Rather than “I have to go to work today”, try “I get to go to work today”. I like this! Kind of puts a more positive spin on things we think of as obligations or objects of dread.

Which brings me back to ARCs. Ah, the long, long list of ARCs. Look, I totally believe that getting ARCs to read is a privilege, and one that I really and truly appreciate. That said, I do get way, way ahead of myself and end up with so many ARCs that they take over my reading life, which leaves me feeling frustrated when I have to ignore all my other books in order to read the ARCs in a somewhat close proximity to their publications dates.

I realize that I’ll probably never tame my impulse to request ARCs, and that’s okay. Because I’m trying my new positive spin!

So no more saying: I have to read so many ARCs this spring.

Instead, I’m celebrating! Because…

I get to read so many ARCs this spring!

What do you think? Does shifting the language also shift the attitude? I’m ready to give it a try. And here I’ll be, reading away to my heart’s contect, relishing my ARCs as well as my other books… all the wonderful stories I get to read!

23Jan2017

Top Ten Tuesday: The next 10 ARCs I plan to read

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is a FREEBIE. I love freebie weeks — it’s such fun to see all the unique top 10 lists everyone comes up with.

My top 10 topic? It’s all about the ARCs.

I’m working hard on getting my reading life organized, keeping track of my pending review copies, and making time for all the other books I want to read too. I’d taken a rather big pause in terms of requesting ARCs last year, but somehow I’ve ended up with quite a few for the first half of 2017. So, without further ado, here are 10 upcoming books, to be published between February and July, that I plan to read on or about their respective release dates. The ARCs are just sitting there on my Kindle, calling my name…

Going by release date:

1) Always by Sarah Jio (2/7/2017)

2) The Gilded Cage by Vic James (2/14/2017)

3) The Mother’s Promise by Sally Hepworth (2/21/2017)

4) Next Year For Sure by Zoey Leigh Peterson (3/7/2017)

5) Mister Memory by Marcus Sedgwick (3/7/2017)

6) The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (3/21/2017)

7) Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel (4/4/2017)

8) The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion (5/2/2017)

9) Coming Up For Air by Miranda Kenneally (7/1/2017)

10) South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby (7/4/2017)

Are you planning to read (or have you already read) any of the ARCs on my list?

What’s your freebie topic this week? Please share your link!

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29Apr2016

DisembARCing

Posted in The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

That’s it. I’ve reached my limit. No more!

I hereby declare my freedom to read like a leaf on the wind… (excuse my mélange de metaphors). Watch how I soar!

Way back when — on January 1st, to be precise — I made all sorts of promises and resolutions. And, well… I suck at resolutions.

I swore that I’d cut back on ARCs and concentrate more on reading the books I already own, and to tell you the truth, I didn’t do an awful job. I did cut back. I paid attention to release dates. I made myself a handy-dandy Excel worksheet so I could track my ARCs. I tried to make sure I didn’t have more than 2 or 3 per month for the first half of 2016, and I did my best to read them all as their publication dates rolled around. And for the most part, I actually did pretty great! Yay me!

But…

I’m still frustrated. I’m down to my last 10 ARCs (ignoring the unread ARCs from previous years), and I feel duty-bound to read them — but damn it all, I have so much else I want to be reading.

My books are piling up, and I’m feeling weighted down. And my overall feeling is:

I DON’T WANNA!

I don’t want to read according to a schedule. I don’t want to read what’s next on my calendar. I don’t want to read because I said I would.

I want to read what I want, when I want.

This isn’t anything earth-shattering, and I know I’m not alone. We all get frustrated. It’s the same old, same old story:

I’ll repeat myself:

I’ve had it. I’m done. I need my space.

So yes, I’m going to finish the 10 ARCs still sitting here waiting to be read. After all, they’re all books that I wanted to read — I made sure to only request ARCs for books I’d read anyway, whether in ARC format, fresh from the library, or even requiring actual money to change hands.

But once I’m done, I’m done. I’m not requesting any more ARCs this year. Which feels like a huge step to take, but I mean it. If I want to read a new release that badly, I can get it from the library or bookstore. And once it’s in my hands, I’ll know if I really want to read it at that very minute.

I’m just sick of delaying the books that strike my fancy because there’s an obligation book staring me in the face. So no more!

I’m getting off the ARC train.

DisembARCing.

Starting now.

18Nov2013

The Monday Agenda 11/18/2013

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Not a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?
The Rosie Project

Picture Me Gone

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. Finished at the end of last week, posted my review this week. This book just makes me happy. 🙂

Just One Year by Gayle Forman: Done! My review is here.

Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff: Done! I chose not to write a review for this book, as I found myself in the unusual (for me) position of just not really having anything to say. This book is well-written, and I’ve loved some of the previous books by this author, but Picture Me Gone simply didn’t work for me. The story was kind of flat, not much happened, and I didn’t find the characters’ actions and motivations terribly compelling.

Unthinkable by Nancy Werlin: Done! My review is here.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen: Moving right along! My son and I are really enjoying Hoot, and hope to wrap it up within the next two weeks.

And in book news… Outlander fans were saddened to learn that the March publication of book #8 in the series (Written In My Own Heart’s Blood) would be delayed… but all heaved a big sigh of relief when a new release date was announced a couple of days later. So who else is counting the days until June 10, 2014??

Fresh Catch:

Three new books this week:

The Lover's Dictionary Sinful Folk Damn' Rebel Bitches: The Women of the '45

The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan: Borrowed from the library. After reading so many of the author’s young adult novels, I’ve been wanting to check this out too — I’ve heard great things!

Sinful Folk by Ned Hayes: Just received a review copy, looking forward to reading and reviewing this one closer to its January publication date.

Damn Rebel Bitches by Maggie Craig: I treated myself to this history book focusing on the women of the Jacobite rising of 1745 — a gift for my inner Outlander fanatic!

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

Shadows The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic

First up, I’m really looking forward to reading Shadows by Robin McKinley.

Next, I’d like to start The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker. Guilty confession: I’ve had this ARC sitting on my Kindle for a long time now… but I haven’t forgotten about it!

I think these two will take up the whole week, but if there’s time, I’ll dig into The Lover’s Dictionary as well.

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

11Nov2013

The Monday Agenda 11/11/2013

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

How did I do with last week’s agenda?
Palace of Spies Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story The Rosie Project

Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel: DNF. I got about 75% through this book, and came to the sad realization that I was just forcing myself. Palace of Spies seems charming, and I’m sure plenty of young adult readers will enjoy this tale of false identities, royal intrigue, schemes and blackmail, and — oh, yes — even love. It’s well-written and lively — but it just wasn’t for me.

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield: Done! My review is here.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. Finished late Sunday. What fun! Review to follow.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen: My kiddo and I are about a third of the way into this book, and it’s a lot of fun so far! Our reading time has been pretty scattered this week, but we hope to make more progress this coming week.

Fresh Catch:

One new book this week:

S. by J. J. Abrams and Doug Dorst. I’m completely intrigued by this work of art, which is hard to look at as “just” a book. With marginalia and scraps of paper filling up the book within the slipcase, I’m not sure I’ll even know where to start when I’m finally ready to read it. Still, it is rather superb just to look at.

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles, I’ve basically reached my goal of catching up on my NetGalley backlog! I swore that I wouldn’t read anything else until I’d gotten through all of my review copies for books published up through the beginning of November, and ta-da! I made it.

Okay, I did decide to omit a few that I received on the late side. Since they were already post-publication, I figured there was no rush… but overall, I’m just tickled pink to be where I wanted to be… and to finally be able to dig into the books I’ve been drooling over for the past several weeks!

My new number one goal? Get through the stack of four new YA novels that I’ve been dying to read!

My most wanted (to read) list:

Just One Year by Gayle Forman
Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff
Unthinkable by Nancy Werlin
Shadows by Robin McKinley

I’ll definitely be starting with Just One Year, and then will let fate (or, okay, my arbitrary whims) decide what I read next.

Yippee and hurray!

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

4Nov2013

The Monday Agenda 11/4/2013

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Parasite (Parasitology, #1) The Tulip Eaters The Expeditioners and the Treasure of Drowned Man's Canyon

Parasite by Mira Grant: Done! My review is here.

The Tulip Eaters by Antoinette van Heugten: Done! My review is here.

The Expeditioners by S. S. Taylor: Done! My son and I really loved this steampunk adventure. My review is here.

Fresh Catch:

One new book this week, and it’s gorgeous! I’m thrilled to have my very own copy of the brand-new Fables Encyclopedia:

Fables Encyclopedia

If you’re a Fables fan, you’re going to want this! And if you’re not a Fables fan, what are you waiting for? Fables is my super-duper, absolute favorite comic series. Start with the first paperback volume (Legends in Exile), and you’ll be hooked!

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?
Palace of Spies Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story The Rosie Project

I’ve just started Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel, and so far, it’s a lot of fun.

After that, I’ll be reading one review book and one library book:

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Hoot And in the world of reading with my kiddo, we’ve just started Hoot by Carl Hiaasen. We read Chomp earlier this year and loved it, so we have high hopes for Hoot as well. Judging by the first few chapters, this should be a… ~~hoot~~ (no, I won’t go there!) blast.

Once I finish Bellman & Black, I’ll be caught up on my review copies! I still have quite a few more to get through, but none are late (except for the ones I intentionally held off on, and even those, I’ll get to in the coming month).

Do you know what that means? I can finally start digging into my Pile of Sadness (aka, the books I simply HAD to buy the second they came out, but haven’t allowed myself to read yet)! Next week should be fun too:

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

28Oct2013

The Monday Agenda 10/28/2013

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Science fiction, contemporary fiction, YA fiction, and a graphic novel — what a fun week it’s been!

The Incrementalists by Steven Brust and Skyler White: Done! My review is here.

How To Be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman: Done! My review is here.

Reality Boy by A. S. King: Done! My review is here.

RASL by Jeff Smith: This newly released hardcover compilation of Jeff Smith’s RASL comic series is about parallel universes, art theft, Nikola Tesla, quantum physics, and government conspiracies, among other things. Plus there’s a very creepy little girl, lots of desert landscapes, and plenty of sex and violence. In other words, not for kids! Jeff Smith is the creator of one of my all-time favorites, the Bone series, which my son and I both love. RASL is not one that I’ll be sharing with him any time soon! That said, I really enjoyed RASL. It’s mind-bendy, twisty, smart, and fast-paced, with a great hero and plenty of food for thought to go with all that action. If you like a good graphic novel every once in a while, check it out!

The Expeditioners by S. S. Taylor: Such a great kids’ adventure story! The end is in sight…

Fresh Catch:

I’m still respecting my self-imposed reading diet — no reading books from my shelves (or the library’s shelves) until I catch up on all of my review copies! I did get one new book this week, preordered some time ago:

Argh! It’s so hard to be good!

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

This week I’ll be reading:
Parasite (Parasitology, #1) Palace of Spies The Tulip Eaters

I’ve just started Parasite by Mira Grant. This is going to be a good one!

Once I’m done, next up will be two more review books:

Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel
The Tulip Eaters by Antoinette van Heugten

Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story And if by some miracle I get through all of these (which is unlikely), then I’ll move on to Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield, which I’ve really been looking forward to.

Believe it or not, after these four books, I’ll be caught up (for now!), and can start sprinkling in some of my new on-my-shelves books in between upcoming review copies! Oh, happy day!

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.