TBR Status: There’s empty space! Quick, fill it, before it changes its mind.

Listen. Things happened this month. Books were ordered. Mistakes were made. It is what it is.

Honestly, part of it is totally Tammy @ Books, Bones, & Buffy’s fault, because she said I had to read Lagoon, which I didn’t have access to. When Tammy says I have to read something, I listen to her. So of course I ordered it. And to get free shipping, I had to spend $35.

Then, I was grieving this month, so I bought more books to make me feel better. It didn’t. But yay, more books anyway? Then my Mommy gave me money to order even more books to help distract me (because she may have met me once or twice). So I did. That one worked a little better. So I got three boxes of books in the mail last week.

To be perfectly fair, though, I also got two new bookshelves, which are still half empty, even after three boxes of books, so I was really just getting a jump start on making them less bare.

They’ll look better without so much empty space, right? That’s what I’m going with, at least. Totally justifiable purchases.

The Kindle haul, at least, wasn’t as bad as normal, so I’m gonna go ahead and call this month an overall win. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Because that’s how I roll.

Physical Haul

First we’ve got some book mail from the authors!

The Birth of Agent Big Butt: Minion and I have already jumped into this one! It combines humor with some superhero/supervillain dynamics and lots of family bonds. Minion’s really enjoying it so far.

May Day: I received this and a copy of the short story prequel, Killian’s Dead, and I’m just starting both. So excited to read this, because I listened the the author’s reading on her website and knew I was going to love these characters! They’re my kind of people.

Hench: I can’t be sure, but I think I got this from a Shelf Awareness Pro ARC giveaway, which I had 100% forgotten about because it was so long ago. And then it arrived and I was a little … huh? But OMG, you guys, I remembered … it’s about a woman working for a villain! Which I thought was such a unique angle. When she’s injured by a “hero,” she figures out the line between the two is a bit blurred, and in the age of social media, she has the power to control it. I’m actually super excited to read this one!

I also struck gold at the local dollar store. I make sure to check the book section at least once a week, because sometimes they get some really nice things in, and I’m especially on the lookout for Terry Pratchett books, since there’s only 10,000 more of those for me to buy (because yes, I need the whole collection … for reasons).

I actually got Wintersmith in the boxes with all the other books, but Maskerade, Sourcery, and Pyramids were dollar store finds, along with Tongues of Serpents, which I didn’t realize was book SIX!! My bad. I just saw dragons and panic bought it. Also, it’s a series that I’ve been recommended many times and wanted to read. I should’ve maybe paid a little more attention, but no regrets.

I received two ARCs this month for blog tours, and the first two books of A Chorus of Dragons for an upcoming Memory of Souls blog tour.

I’ve been meaning to read The Ruin of Kings and The Name of All Things for years now and just didn’t have the chance, so when I saw the third book pop up, I knew it was time. Before I fell too far behind. Besides, I read chapter one of the first book and immediately fell so hard in love that I lost all common sense. Not that I was working with much to begin with.

The Faithless Hawk: Upcoming tour for TBR and Beyond Tours (August 24 is my day), and I’m so excited for it! Spoiler alert: I may have gone out and purchased the first one upon being accepted to this tour. Okay, I totally did. I’ve been told repeatedly how much I needed to read this, and it’s gonna be a thing now.

Raybearer: This is for an upcoming Hear Our Voices tour (August 13 is my day). I can’t get over how beautiful this cover is. It’s like a ray of sunshine. I don’t even know where to begin with this one, because everything about it sounds like my kind of book.

Are you ready for the real bulk of the haul now?! Take a deep breath, because it’s a lot (and they’re all pretty, obviously, but steel yourself).

When You Trap A Tiger: A middle grade book based on Korean folktales! Heck yes. Everything about this sounds absolutely perfect, and I suspect I’m going to completely love it.

Rebelwing: I went back and forth about whether to get this one, but do you see that dragon on the cover? And it’s a sentient cybernetic dragon. Color me sold. I just couldn’t resist. Also with an Asian protagonist!

Spirits, Spells, and Snark: I realize this is book two and I don’t have book one, but, A, this was on sale and, B, I live for all three of these things, so it was obviously a perfect match. I couldn’t say no. The fact that this means I’ll have to buy yet another book in the future is really just icing on the cake.

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy: Listen. I haven’t read the first one. No, put down the pitchforks. I intend to read it. But I also intend to love it, and this was on sale, and I couldn’t resist. It’s gorgeous, and now I get to read them both together and never have to leave that world. See? Win-win.

Charlie Hernández and the Castle of Bones: This is a thick book, but also happens to be gorgeous. I haven’t read the first book in the series yet, but they’re taunting me now on the shelf, now that I have both of them. No reason to put it off anymore.

The Merciful Crow: See, this purchase just made sense, because I have to read the first before I can read the second, right? Of course.

Steel Crow Saga: I know there’s a lot of controversy around this one, given the author’s behavior, but in the end, I did love the book. I bought it with the intention to donate it to the library, but now I’m looking at it and it’s gorgeous and I want it. xD I’ll still probably donate it. But it’s also still gorgeous.

There Will Come A Darkness: Susan @ Novel Lives has been telling me repeatedly for the last almost year that I need to read this book, and I guess it’s about time I listen? Especially since now she keeps talking about the sequel. I’m falling behind.

Spirit Hunters and The Island of Monsters: This was a little for me and a little for Minion, as I continue with my crusade to find books that she likes. She’s still intimidated by large books, but she also loves anything that’s spooky and involves hauntings. Probably gets that from me, come to think of it. I’m so proud. Anyway, these two were a yes from her that she’ll read them, and if she actually does, I’ll be impressed.

Ice Wolves: Yeeeah, this one was just for me, because I haven’t read Amie Kaufman’s middle grade work yet and I want to. This world sounds extremely cool, and it involves two of my favorite creatures: wolves and dragons.

An Enchantment of Ravens: I’ve been wanting to read this one for a while, and somehow, neither libraries I have a card with has it on Kindle? I’m not sure how that’s possible, but it happens sometimes. Finally, I’ve gotten my hands on it, though!

Lagoon: I still blame Tammy for this. But also … it’s set in Nigeria! It’s not like I was going to not read it. I’ve had some pretty good luck lately with books set in Nigeria and enjoying them, so hopefully this follows that trend.

We Set the Dark on Fire: Continuing on with my theme of being behind on books … we have this one! Which has a sequel already! I’m reading Paola Santiago by this author, and I’m really enjoying her writing, so it seemed like a good point to pick up her other work.

Nine: I’ve gone back and forth on this one, but I found it really cheap, so I went for it. It doesn’t have great ratings, but I do so love me some dystopia, and the concept sounds fascinating.

The Librarian of Auschwitz: This is another one I bought with the intent to donate it to the library. Don’t get me wrong, I intend to read it myself first (and I bought it because I wanted to read it), but it was just a couple more dollars for the hard copy versus what I was going to buy to read personally, so I figured I might as well, since it’s the sort of book our patrons love.

Turning Darkness into Light: DRAGONS. Enough said. It’s my dream to own ALL of the Marie Brennan Memoirs of Lady Trent books, because DRAGONS but also, they look really neat on the shelf next to each other and exhibit even more dragons. Which I consider a big win. Until then, this one is stunning, and it’s supposed to be a standalone (though I’ll probably go back and re-read it after reading the original series, when I get it).

Kindle Haul

           

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London: I went back and forth on this one for a while, but you know what? Booksellers are like librarians, and I couldn’t say no. I also think this might be a good one for the library patrons, so I wanted to check it out! This sounds like it’ll be a heck of a book.

The Other Side of the Sky: First … Amie Kaufman. Obviously, I was going to read this. Other than that, I’m super curious about this one, and I’m a sucker for prophecies. Let’s not forget that it’s comped to Laini Taylor and Brandon Sanderson, too, which is an interesting combination.

The Language of Ghosts: Listen. That title? Fabulous. That cover? Charming. The fact that the secret key to saving the world that everyone’s looking for is a freaking language? The linguaphile in me is already excited. Yes, please!

           

The Secret Life of Sam: This Sam is quietly hoping it involves plotting world domination and studying necromancy. The blurb suggests otherwise. Which is fair. Can’t let the general masses know what’s really going on, can we? It’s also comped to Bridge to Terebithia, which I take to mean this will rip out your heart, hold in front of your face still beating, and then squash it into pulp with its bare hands. So … fun?

Waterboarding a Phoenix: I don’t read poetry as often as I’d like, but this one caught my eye and I just had to read it. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, and the poem in the blurb grabs my attention.

The Last Halloween: Children: Keeping up with my theme of wanting to read more graphic novels … ta-da! Monster invasions are fun, right? This sounds like absolutely the perfect read going into the fall season, and I am so in love with the art style on the cover.

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