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?

Gathering Storm The Firebird (Slains, #2) Dear Mr. Knightley

Gathering Storm by Maggie Craig: I read this wonderful historical novel the previous week, but posted a review and Q&A with the author just this past week.

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley: Done! Loved it. My review is here.

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay: Done! My review is here.

What else happened this week in my reading life? Well, I freaked out a teensy bit about book genres. You can read all about it here.

And in the realm of reading with my kiddo:

Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bear: This sci-fi book isn’t the easiest for reading aloud, but my son and I are committed to seeing it through. It’s interesting, but not necessarily what we expected.

Fresh Catch:

Two new books came my way this week — both of which I tracked down based on recommendations from other book bloggers. Plus, I picked up a Sara Zarr novel at the library, since I enjoyed Roomies so much.

The Fate of Mercy Alban Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Moving Castle, #1) How to Save a Life

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

The Promise of Amazing

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine: I’m looking forward to reading this ARC. The book’s release date is 12/31/2013.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker: I’ve been wanting to read this book since the day it came out last spring! And now, with its paper release coming up at the end of this month, I’m finally committing to reading it. Plus, I’m scheduled to participate in the blog tour in January, so all systems are go!

One of my winter TBR top 10 picks is the Runaways graphic novel series. I’ve been hearing about it for years! Time to give it a try — and if I love volume 1, I’ll probably end up just plowing on through.

So many book, so little time…

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

17Dec2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

There’s nothing like a Wednesday for thinking about the books we want to read! My Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday post is linking up with two fabulous book memes, Wishlist Wednesday (hosted by Pen to Paper) and Waiting on Wednesday (hosted by Breaking the Spine).

This week’s pick:

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
(to be released July 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

One single mom. One chaotic family. One quirky stranger. One irresistible love story from the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You

American audiences have fallen in love with Jojo Moyes. Ever since she debuted stateside, she has captivated readers and reviewers alike, and hit the New York Times bestseller list with the word-of-mouth sensation, Me Before You. Now, with One Plus One, she’s written another contemporary opposites-attract love story that reads like a modern-day Two for the Road.

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever.

One Plus One is Jojo Moyes at her astounding best. You’ll laugh, you’ll weep, and when you flip the last page, you’ll want to start all over again.

Everybody seemed to be raving about Me Before You by Jojo Moyes when it came out earlier this year… and I’m ashamed to say that I still haven’t read it! I did read The Girl You Left Behind recently (reviewed here in September ), and found both the contemporary and historical storylines to be incredibly moving and well written. One Plus One sounds completely different — but also like it could be quite a lot of fun. I’ve been wanting to read more by Jojo Moyes, and this new one seems like something I’d really enjoy.

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

16Dec2013

The Monday Agenda 12/16/2013

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

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Roomies Gathering Storm The Firebird (Slains, #2)

Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando: Done! My review is here.

Gathering Storm by Maggie Craig: Done! Historical fiction set in Scotland in 1743 — not as “romance-y” as it looks. I’ll have a review posted a bit later in the week.

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley: Just started — but I’m so excited to finally be reading this one!

Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bear: My son and I are about 80 pages into this science fiction novel, which is a follow-up to the 1912 novel The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The early chapters were a bit confusing for both of us, but now the action in Dinosaur Summer is picking up and we’re having a slightly easier time with it. The jury is still out in terms of whether this will ultimately be an enjoyable choice for the kiddo and me — but we’re hanging in there!

Fresh Catch:

No new paper-and-ink books this week — which is a relief, since I’m about to be drowned by my TBR piles! I did pick up a few Kindle titles, taking advantage of holiday season price drops:

The Luminaries The Goldfinch The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1) After the Golden Age (Golden Age, #1)

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

The Firebird (Slains, #2) Dear Mr. Knightley The Promise of Amazing

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley: I’ve only just begun… so I expect this novel will take up most of my reading time this week.

BUT… if I’m able, then I’ll plan to start two ARCs that are in my queue for December:

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherin Reay

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

So many book, so little time…

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

11Dec2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

This week’s pick:

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
(to be released February 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

For a change of pace, I thought I’d go with a contemporary YA romance this week. Earlier this year, I read Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg, and thought it was honest, funny, and touching as well. I was impressed with the nuanced writing and how the author dug beneath the surface to get at the characters’ conflicts and really explore deeper issues, even while keeping it bubbly and entertaining. I’m really looking forward to Better Off Friends. It sounds like the perfect read for the mid-winter blues!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

9Dec2013

The Monday Agenda 12/9/2013

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

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Racing Savannah Hoot (Juvenile, #1)

Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally: Done! Light and romantic, this YA novel totally suited my mood at the beginning of the week. My review is here.

Dangerous Women, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois: This anthology is HUGE (784 pages), and I just don’t have the patience to read it all the way through, especially since I am notoriously bad at reading short stories in general. I wrote up my thoughts (here) on the first five stories that I’ve read. From here on out, I’ll be jumping in and reading stories in between other things — I just can’t read more than one or two stories in a row, no matter how good they are, without wanting to rip my hair out.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen: Done! My son and I had such a great time with this book — and loved the movie too. My thoughts on both are here.

Fresh Catch:

I adore the world of Fables by Bill Willingham, so I had to get my hands on Fairest in All the Land! Here’s the synopsis (per Goodreads):

In the spirit of FABLES: 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL and FABLES: WEREWOLVES OF THE HEARTLAND comes the first ever original graphic novel from the pages of #1 New York Times bestselling writer Bill Willingham’s FAIREST.

FAIREST has explored the secret histories of the most stunning beauties in Fabletown: Cinderella, Snow White, Briar Rose, Rapunzel, and the list goes on and on. In FAIREST IN ALL THE LAND, the best names in comics take their turns fleshing out the pasts of the loveliest Fables in existence. For all those wanting to dive into FAIREST or FABLES, this original graphic novel is a fantastic entry point, as well as a great new chapter for those that have been following Bill Willingham’s fairy tale epic for years.

Awesome, right? And seriously, if you haven’t tried Fables… what are you waiting for? It’s brilliant. Period.

Also this week, I got a bunch of new ARCs, and they all look terrific!

Don't Call Me Baby

Fan Art After the End (After the End, #1) See Jane Run

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

Roomies Gathering Storm The Firebird (Slains, #2)

Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando: This young adult novel about getting ready for a fresh start in college seems really promising.

Gathering Storm by Maggie Craig: I was thrilled to receive a copy of this novel from the author. Historical fiction set in Scotland during the 1740s? Yes, please!

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley: If you want to see me beat my head into a wall, ask me about my habit of buying new releases the second they come out and then not finding time to read them! I’ve had The Firebird since its release in June, and I love this author… so I’m putting my foot down. This book WILL be read this coming week!

And finally:

My son and I have just started Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bear, which was recommended to me by a friend who’s a true aficionado of science fiction and thought it might appeal to the kiddo. It’s actually an adult science fiction book, but so far seems more or less accessible so long as I pause to explain unfamiliar terms and concepts. It’s pretty cool so far… we shall see whether it works for the kiddo after we get a bit further in.

So many book, so little time…

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

4Dec2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

This week’s pick:

The Vanishing by Wendy Webb
(to be released January 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Recently widowed and rendered penniless by her Ponzi-scheming husband, Julia Bishop is eager to start anew. So when a stranger appears on her doorstep with a job offer, she finds herself accepting the mysterious yet unique position: caretaker to his mother, Amaris Sinclair, the famous and rather eccentric horror novelist whom Julia has always admired…and who the world believes is dead.

When she arrives at the Sinclairs’ enormous estate on Lake Superior, Julia begins to suspect that there may be sinister undercurrents to her “too-good-to-be-true” position. As Julia delves into the reasons of why Amaris chose to abandon her successful writing career and withdraw from the public eye, her search leads to unsettling connections to her own family tree, making her wonder why she really was invited to Havenwood in the first place, and what monstrous secrets are still held prisoner within its walls.

Creepy and mysterious — my kind of book!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

2Dec2013

The Monday Agenda 12/2/2013

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

Did everyone survive Black Friday? I avoid shopping frenzies like the plague… except I did venture out on Small Business Saturday to shop at my local (and wonderful) used book store. Always a great pick-me-up… any excuse to browse and play with books works for me.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

The Lover's Dictionary Rose Under Fire Racing Savannah

The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan. Done! My review is here.

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein: Done! My review is here.

Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally: Just started. A romantic, contemporary YA novel feels perfect right about now.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen: One chapter to go! The long weekend, with all the holiday festivities, really threw off our reading schedule. We should be done with Hoot today — a mother/son review will likely follow in the next few days.

Fresh Catch:

It’s a George R. R. Martin kind of week!

According to Amazon, my copy of Dangerous Women, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, has shipped! I’m expecting delivery on Tuesday. Why am I so excited about this book? Read on…

The Wit & Wisdom of Tyrion Lannister

My lovely daughter gave me a copy of The Wit & Wisdom of Tyrion Lannister as a Hanukkah gift — perfect!

Last but not least:

I had a bookstore voucher burning a hole in my pocket… expiration date just a few days from now… so I used it. Wisely, wouldn’t you say? Me + used book stores = throwing moderation to the wind! The new Jane Eyre I picked up is especially cute, with a rubbery purple cover. Adorbs.

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

17279560

I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on my copy of Dangerous Women, which should be here on Tuesday. Why? First and foremost, this anthology includes a brand-new novella by Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series. “Virgins” is a Jamie Fraser story (!) that takes place chronologically before the events in Outlander. Be still my heart! In addition to “Virgins”, I’m most looking forward to “The Princess and the Queen” by George R. R. Martin, a novella set in Westeros a couple of hundred years prior to A Song of Ice and Fire, and “Bombshells” by Jim Butcher, a story set in the Dresden Files world which focuses on Dresden’s protégé Molly. I think eventually I’ll read many of the other stories in this collection, but for now these three are my priority. (Jumping up and down now. Can it be Tuesday already? Please?)

Since I’m usually terrible about reading short stories, once I read these three, I’ll probably put the anthology aside for a bit and just pick it back up here and there for random reading.

Meanwhile, for the rest of this coming week? For once, I really have no idea what I’ll read next, once I put down Dangerous Women. The suspense is killing me!

So many book, so little time…

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

27Nov2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

This week’s pick:

The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley
(to be released January 2014)

Synopsis via Amazon:

An Ancient Castle, a Tragic Love, and a Web of Secrets Begins to Unravel…

Emily Braden has stopped believing in fairy tales and happy endings. When her fascinating but unreliable cousin Harry invites her on a holiday to explore the legendary town of Chinon, and promptly disappears—well, that’s Harry for you.

As Emily makes the acquaintance of Chinon and its people, she begins to uncover dark secrets beneath the charm. Legend has it that during a thirteenth-century siege of the castle that looms over the city, Queen Isabelle, child bride of King John, hid a “treasure of great price.” And in the last days of the German occupation during World War II, another Isabelle lived in Chinon, a girl whose love for an enemy soldier went tragically awry.

As the dangers of the past become disastrously real, Emily is drawn ever more deeply into a labyrinth of mystery as twisted as the streets and tunnels of the ancient town itself.

The Splendour Falls is actually an older book by Susanna Kearsley, first published in 1995, which is getting a spiffy new cover and relaunch this coming January. Sourcebooks has been reissuing the author’s earlier works over the past several years, mixed in with some newer ones, and just looking at covers, the results are phenomenal. I mean, they’re all so pretty, I just have to have them on my shelf!

But hey, it’s about more than just looks! I’ve read all of the above (except for The Firebird, which I hope to get to in the next few weeks), and have reviews posted for Mariana and The Shadowy Horses. Susanna Kearsley is a lovely writer, with lush and romantic settings and descriptions, a fine touch when it comes to tugging at the heartstrings, and a keen ability to weave historical threads into contemporary stories. At this point, she’s really one of my auto-buy authors, so naturally I’ll be reading The Splendour Falls once it’s reissued in January!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

25Nov2013

The Monday Agenda 11/25/2013

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

After spending two days in bed with a fever and chills (woe is me!), I’m getting back in the swing of things. I’d like to say that it was refreshing to be off-line for a couple of days — but really, it was mostly just frustrating and left me with a back-ache. On the plus side, I did get a lot of reading done! Without two days in bed, I probably wouldn’t have finished anything this week… so, yay?

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Shadows The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic

Shadows by Robin McKinley: DNF. I stuck with Shadows through 150 pages, but ultimately had to face the fact that it just wasn’t working for me. Unfortunately, I never felt involved with the characters and found the world-building in this book confusing and slow to develop. I’m generally a big fan of Robin McKinley and have really loved many of her books, but — sad to say — Shadows just isn’t for me, and I won’t be finishing it.

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker. Done! My review is here.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen: Well, we should have been done with Hoot this week… but I was too out-of-commission to finish the last couple of chapters this weekend. My kiddo and I are both really hooked on the story — it’s totally fun, with lots of laughs and some good heart-felt content too.

Fresh Catch:

Nada! I didn’t go the library, and I didn’t buy any books. What’s the world coming to?

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

The Lover's Dictionary Rose Under Fire The Universe Versus Alex Woods

I’m planning to start with The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan.

Next — FINALLY — I’ll be reading Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein. I loved Code Name Verity so much, and have been really looking forward to this one for months.

And if there’s time, I’ll read The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence, which has been sitting on my Kindle for far too long now.

So many book, so little time…

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

20Nov2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Nothing like a Wednesday for thinking about the books we want to read! My Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday post is linking up with two fabulous book memes, Wishlist Wednesday (hosted by Pen to Paper) and Waiting on Wednesday (hosted by Breaking the Spine).

This week’s pick:

The Winter People

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
(to be released February 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

West Hall has always been a town of strange disappearances and legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who was found murdered in the field behind her house in 1908, a few short months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie, drove her mad. People say that Sara’s ghost still walks after dark, and some leave offerings on their doorstep to keep her from entering their homes uninvited.

Now, in present day, Ruthie lives in Sara’s farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister, Fawn. Alice has always insisted that they remain on the fringes, living off the land without internet or outside interference. But one morning Ruthie wakes up to find that Alice has disappeared without a trace. When she searches the house for clues, she is startled to find a secret compartment beneath the floorboards that contains two objects. One, a gun. And two, a copy of Sara Harrison Shea’s diary.

The story the diary tells is one of a mother skating on the edge of sanity, willing to do whatever she can to bring her daughter back even if it means dabbling in dark and dangerous territory. As Ruthie gets sucked deeper into the mystery of Sara’s death, she discovers that she’s not the only one looking for someone that they’ve lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.

Why do I want to read this? Mysteries, ghosts, dual time-lines. secret diaries… The Winter People sounds like it has all the ingredients of a terrifically chilling read!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

So what are you doing on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥