Shelf Control #72: City of Thieves

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! Fore more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: City of Thieves
Author: David Benioff
Published: 2008
Length: 258 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

During the Nazis’ brutal siege of Leningrad, Lev Beniov is arrested for looting and thrown into the same cell as a handsome deserter named Kolya. Instead of being executed, Lev and Kolya are given a shot at saving their own lives by complying with an outrageous directive: secure a dozen eggs for a powerful Soviet colonel to use in his daughter’s wedding cake. In a city cut off from all supplies and suffering unbelievable deprivation, Lev and Kolya embark on a hunt through the dire lawlessness of Leningrad and behind enemy lines to find the impossible.

By turns insightful and funny, thrilling and terrifying, City of Thieves is a gripping, cinematic World War II adventure and an intimate coming-of-age story with an utterly contemporary feel for how boys become men.

How I got it:

I don’t even remember. I picked it up used, somehow, somewhere.

When I got it:

At least 5 or 6 years ago.

Why I want to read it:

This book made it onto my “must check out sometime” list as soon as I read the very positive reviews when the book was first released. I always intented to get around to it… eventually. Realizing later on that the author is the same David Benioff as the Game of Thrones David Benioff gives me even higher hopes that I’ll end up really enjoying this book.

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments!
If you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and…

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21Feb2017

Shelf Control #71: The Secrets of Midwives

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: The Secrets of Midwives
Author: Sally Hepworth
Published: 2015
Length: 320 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

A novel about three generations of midwives (a woman, her mother, and her grandmother) and the secrets they keep that push them apart and ultimately bind them together

THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES tells the story of three generations of women devoted to delivering new life into the world—and the secrets they keep that threaten to change their own lives forever. Neva Bradley, a third-generation midwife, is determined to keep the details surrounding her own pregnancy—including the identity of the baby’s father— hidden from her family and co-workers for as long as possible. Her mother, Grace, finds it impossible to let this secret rest. For Floss, Neva’s grandmother and a retired midwife, Neva’s situation thrusts her back 60 years in time to a secret that eerily mirrors her granddaughter’s—a secret which, if revealed, will have life-changing consequences for them all. Will these women reveal their secrets and deal with the inevitable consequences? Or are some secrets best kept hidden?

How I got it:

I received an ARC via NetGalley when the book was released… and then never got around to reading it. Shame on me.

When I got it:

2015.

Why I want to read it:

I’m currently about 60% of the way through Sally Hepworth’s newest release, The Mother’s Promise, and I’m loving it. Last year, I read (and loved) The Things We Keep (review). So since I think so highly of this author’s second and third novels, it seems like a good bet that I’ll enjoy her debut novel, The Secrets of Midwives, as well. Plus, check out that synopsis! It has so many elements I love — multiple generations of women, family ties, historical settings, and strong female characters at the center of it all. This is one I really need to take off my e-shelf, and soon!

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments!
If you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

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14Feb2017

Shelf Control #70: Parts & Wreck

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: Parts & Wreck
Author: Mark Henry
Published: 2013
Length: 200 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

Wade Crowson, a brutish and brooding playboy and veteran vivisectionist for the Parts Department, runs into more than he bargained for in new partner, Lucid Montgomery, a quirky beauty with a bizarre secret and a string of psychiatric diagnoses she tries hard to keep hidden. Loving Luce will stamp a demonic target on her back and thrust Wade into a frenzied whirlwind of hilarious misunderstandings and, quite possibly, a stripping gig for empty-nesters. Can they withstand the savagery of an exorcism (with or without the split pea soup) and come out alive and …in love?

How I got it:

I think I actually bought myself the e-book.

When I got it:

2013 or thereabouts, after an author I really like blurbed the book.

Why I want to read it:

Okay, I am totally going out on a limb with this one! Not my usual fare, especially if you consider the books I’ve tended to DNF most recently. Still, I do sometimes love a good urban fantasy or supernatural thriller… and while I think the cover is totally cheesy, I may break down and give it a try when I want something light and fluffy. The Goodreads ratings range from abysmal to superb, so no real help there… but based on being alerted to this one by an author I enjoy, I can’t help feeling like I should (eventually) check it out.

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments!
If you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

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7Feb2017

Shelf Control #69: Dissolution

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake, #1)
Author: C. J. Sansom
Published: 2003
Length: 443 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

It is 1537, a time of revolution that sees the greatest changes in England since 1066. Henry VIII has proclaimed himself Supreme Head of the Church. The country is waking up to savage new laws, rigged trials and the greatest network of informers it has ever seen. And under the order of Thomas Cromwell, a team of commissioners is sent through the country to investigate the monasteries. There can only be one outcome: dissolution.

But on the Sussex coast, at the monastery of Scarnsea, events have spiralled out of control. Cromwell’s Commissioner, Robin Singleton, has been found dead, his head severed from his body. His horrific murder is accompanied by equally sinister acts of sacrilege.

Matthew Shardlake, lawyer and long time supporter of Reform, has been sent by Cromwell to uncover the truth behind the dark happenings at Scarnsea. But investigation soon forces Shardlake to question everything that he hears, and everything that he intrinsically believes…

How I got it:

I bought it at a library sale.

When I got it:

Oh, a while ago. I feel like this book has been living on my shelf for years.

Why I want to read it:

I’ve heard such good things about the Shardlake books! The idea of a mystery series set in Tudor England sounds just brilliant.

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments!
If you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

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31Jan2017

Shelf Control #68: The Gallery of Vanished Husbands

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: The Gallery of Vanished Husbands
Author: Natasha Solomons
Published: 2013
Length: 339 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

London, 1958. It’s the eve of the sexual revolution, but in Juliet Montague’s conservative Jewish community where only men can divorce women, she finds herself a living widow, invisible. Ever since her husband disappeared seven years ago, Juliet has been a hardworking single mother of two and unnaturally practical. But on her thirtieth birthday, that’s all about to change. A wealthy young artist asks to paint her portrait, and Juliet, moved by the powerful desire to be seen, enters into the burgeoning art world of 1960s London, which will bring her fame, fortune, and a life-long love affair.

How I got it:

I bought it.

When I got it:

2 or 3 years ago.

Why I want to read it:

I don’t know how I first heard about this book, but when I stumbled across it at a book sale, it seemed familiar. The Jewish theme really calls to me, as does the idea of a young woman who’s already been pushed aside by society even though so much of her life is ahead of her. Between the setting and the time period, it sounds like a must read!

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments!
And if you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

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24Jan2017

Shelf Control #67: Rosemary and Rue (October Daye, #1)

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: Rosemary and Rue (October Daye series, book #1)
Author: Seanan McGuire
Published: 2009
Length: 346 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

October “Toby” Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a “normal” life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas…

The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening’s dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening’s killer.

How I got it:

I bought it.

When I got it:

Fairly recently — maybe last year or the year before?

Why I want to read it:

Call me late to the party, but I’ve fallen for Seanan McGuire’s writing. Every Heart A Doorway was what reeled me in completely, and made me realize I need more! The October Daye series includes 10 novels so far, and at least according to Goodreads, more are on the way. I’ve been pretty resistant when it comes to getting involved in any more ongoing series, but I may need to make an exception to my own rules in this case.

Have you read the October Daye books? I’d love to hear other readers’ thoughts!

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments!
And if you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and…

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17Jan2017

Shelf Control #66: The Undertaking of Lily Chen

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: The Undertaking of Lily Chen
Author: Danica Novgorodoff
Published: 2014
Length: 430 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

In the mountains of Northern China ancient custom demands that every man have a wife to keep him company in the afterlife.

Deshi Li’s brother is dead—and unmarried. Which means that Deshi must find him an eligible body before the week is up.

Lily Chen, sweet as a snakebite, needs money and a fast ride out of town.

Haunted by the gods of their ancestors and the expectations of the new world, Deshi and Lily embark on a journey with two very different destinations in mind.

They travel through a land where the ground is hard and the graves are shallow, where marriage can be murder and where Lily Chen is wanted—dead and alive.

How I got it:

I bought it.

When I got it:

In 2014, after reading a review soon after the book was released.

Why I want to read it:

It sounds great, doesn’t it? I love the idea of the ghost bride, as well as the combination of old traditions and new society. I’m always on the lookout for unusual graphic novels, and this one sounds like something really different.

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments!
And if you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and…

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27Dec2016

Shelf Control #65: Soon I Will Be Invincible

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guideline sat the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: Soon I Will Be Invincible
Author: Austin Grossman
Published: 2007
Length: 319 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

Doctor Impossible—evil genius, would-be world conqueror—languishes in prison. Shuffling through the cafeteria line with ordinary criminals, he wonders if the smartest man in the world has done the smartest thing he could with his life. After all, he’s lost every battle he’s ever fought. But this prison won’t hold him forever.

Fatale—half woman, half high-tech warrior—used to be an unemployed cyborg. Now, she’s a rookie member of the world’s most famous super-team, the Champions. But being a superhero is not all flying cars and planets in peril—she learns that in the locker rooms and dive bars of superherodom, the men and women (even mutants) behind the masks are as human as anyone.

Soon I Will Be Invincible is a wildly entertaining first novel, brimming with attitude and humor—an emotionally resonant look at good and evil, love and loss, power and glory.

How I got it:

I bought it.

When I got it:

Several years ago, I think — probably at one of our library sales, where I seem to get most of my Shelf Control books!

Why I want to read it:

Who doesn’t love a good superhero story? It’s got some great reviews from people I trust, and just strikes me as a fun, not particularly heavy, amusing kind of book. Maybe a good vacation read?

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments!
And if you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

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20Dec2016

Shelf Control #64: Vicious

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guideline sat the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: Vicious
Author: V. E. Schwab
Published: 2013
Length: 364 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

How I got it:

I bought it.

When I got it:

About 2 years ago, when the paperback edition was released.

Why I want to read it:

Talk about buzz! It seems like EVERYONE has read this book and raved about it. I feel so left out! But really, I was pretty intrigued by the premise from when I first heard about it, and I really liked the idea that here was a sci-fi/fantasy/supernatural book that stands on its own, no series needed. The relationship between the two main characters sounds complex, and the concept of an experiment going wrong as the catalyst for the conflict seems really intense. I think I need to make this a must-read in 2017!

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link in the comments!
And if you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and…

Have fun!

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13Dec2016

Shelf Control #63: Conversion

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guideline sat the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

My Shelf Control pick this week is:

Title: Conversion
Author: Katherine Howe
Published: 2014
Length: 402 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane comes a chilling mystery—Prep meets The Crucible.

It’s senior year at St. Joan’s Academy, and school is a pressure cooker. College applications, the battle for valedictorian, deciphering boys’ texts: Through it all, Colleen Rowley and her friends are expected to keep it together. Until they can’t.

First it’s the school’s queen bee, Clara Rutherford, who suddenly falls into uncontrollable tics in the middle of class. Her mystery illness quickly spreads to her closest clique of friends, then more students and symptoms follow: seizures, hair loss, violent coughing fits. St. Joan’s buzzes with rumor; rumor blossoms into full-blown panic.

Soon the media descends on Danvers, Massachusetts, as everyone scrambles to find something, or someone, to blame. Pollution? Stress? Or are the girls faking? Only Colleen—who’s been reading The Crucible for extra credit—comes to realize what nobody else has: Danvers was once Salem Village, where another group of girls suffered from a similarly bizarre epidemic three centuries ago . . .

Inspired by true events—from seventeenth-century colonial life to the halls of a modern-day high school—Conversion casts a spell. With her signature wit and passion, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe delivers an exciting and suspenseful novel, a chilling mystery that raises the question, what’s really happening to the girls at St. Joan’s?

How I got it:

I bought it.

When I got it:

Last year.

Why I want to read it:

I’d had my eye on this book since I first heard about it as an upcoming new release. I thought Katherine Howe’s earlier novel, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, was pretty terrific! Conversion is another witchy book, and I love the sound of The Crucible being incorporated into a contemporary YA story.

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