TBR Status: There’s two months left in 2020. Surely I can get through some of these books and ease up the TBR to start 2021 a little more relaxed? Surely? Probably? Send help?

Not gonna lie, I’m kind of looking towards the end of 2020. I’m hoping that 2021 has better things in store! The end of the year, though, means all sorts of bookish rush, like finishing your Goodreads challenge or trimming your TBR beast so that its New Years Resolution isn’t to devour you whole. You know, important considerations.

I definitely bought more books this month than I should have, but I also know that my Director has talked about cutting the YA/MG book budget this fiscal year because of everything. Since that’s pretty much 90% of what I read, I figure every book I buy, unless I absolutely love it and refuse to part with it, will go to the library, so there will at least be a somewhat steady flow of new books. See? Win-win. Even hubby couldn’t argue with this logic. Okay, so he sort of could, but I still won, because it’s solid logic, darn it!

Physical Haul

Let’s start with the ARCs, shall we? I forgot that I actually got The Fires of Vengeance last month and thus added it in the last recap … which is probably not a great sign, but OH WELL. It was so good that this is just a reminder that you should obviously go read the series, okay?

Frozen II: Dangerous Secrets: I loved Frozen II, and I really want to explore the story of the girls’ parents! More backstory! Heck yes!

Call of the Bone Ships: Ummm … dragons? But also, I have the first one and clearly need to continue the series. Duh.

Spellbreaker: I really enjoyed the first Holmberg book I read earlier this year, so I wanted to give this one a read, too! Plus, I peeked at an excerpt ahead of time and just loved the voice in the first chapter! Sounds like a super interesting world.

Since we’ve already touched on what will be a theme of this post … DRAGONS! I swear I’ll be making a dragon shelf for my bookshelves, because I clearly need it.

I got The Rage of Dragons for my birthday, and I’m so glad I did! This is a series I’ll be re-reading for sure!

I’ve wanted the Lady Trent series for quite a while. I was going to go for hardbacks, but I decided I like the paperbacks more, since hardbacks are such a pain to read. So I picked up A Natural History of Dragons and In The Labyrinth of Drakes. I figure I’ll eventually get the whole series, even if I have to buy one here and there.

Thanks so much to Dini @ DiniPandaReads for the gift of Aurora Burning for my birthday!!! Definitely squeed when I opened it. LOOK AT THAT FACE. You wish you were that fierce. I’ve already got a buddy read planned for this, soon as I get through the first one!

I’ve been wanting How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse for the longest time now and neither library I have a card for has it, so I finally just purchased it. The sequel is coming out, and I didn’t want to put off reading it for too much longer!

I’ve also heard mixed reviews about Give the Dark My Love, but it sure sounds like my type of book! I found it on sale, so I grabbed it to give it a try.

I’m a huge sucker for anything involving Loki (both Marvel Loki and good ol’ Norse myth Loki), so I really wanted to give The Gospel of Loki a try, and if I like it, I’ll grab a copy of the sequel.

And because I totally didn’t think through the order of these pictures or planned it out at all, really, I ended up with My Plain Jane, which is technically book two of The Lady Janies, but WAIT FOR IT.

Technically, Sherlock Holmes and the Beast of the Stapletons should’ve gone up in ARCs, even though it’s a finished copy from the publisher. As I said, I planned nothing, and that might be a teensy bit obvious at this point. Anyway, I love Sherlock Holmes. I love Sherlock Holmes spin-offs. I had to jump on the chance to read this!

You know … it’s just occurred to me that my director still has my copy of The Night Circus, since I let her borrow it for her son. And I still didn’t read it lol. I’m horrible. Thankfully, I don’t really need to have read that in order to read The Starless Sea, which I figured I’d read and then donate to the library, because I’m of the opinion that we should obviously have it on our shelves.

Also, I love Jay Kristoff’s work, so it’s probably not a surprise that I bought DEV1AT3. I plan on buying book three when I get a chance, too.

After doing the Tour the World in 30 Days blog tour during September, I really liked the sound of Patron Saints of Nothing, so I grabbed a copy when I saw it on sale.

I totally haven’t read Trail of Lightning yet, but I went ahead and bought Storm of Locusts, because … I plan to read it? See, I can totally plan things! Go me!

In case you forgot, LOOK, here’s book one of the Lady Janies. Let’s just pretend I totally did this in order, okay? I’ve heard such good things about this series, and I can use some lighter reads, so I grabbed My Lady Jane and the second book so I can start them. At some point, I’ll have to grab the next one, too.

I can’t even remember who told me about The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club, but it sounds so fun and magical and wonderful that I had to get a copy! The little excerpts I’ve read here and there are definitely super cute and written in a voice I love, so I’m hoping this’ll be a win!

I have a thing for wolves … and also books set in Russia? I don’t know. I seem to really enjoy the ones I’ve read lately, anyway. So when I saw Wolf Wilder, I grabbed it on a whim. It looks really good, though!

I had somehow never heard of The Gates, but that cover totally grabbed me! The library apparently recently got rid of its copy after it was damaged (I didn’t know!) so I just grabbed a copy to read.

Kindle Haul

                   

D: A Tale of Two Worlds: I’m a little nervous that this rating has tanked since I requested it as reviews came in, but the concept was too good to pass up! It sounds like a super cute middle grade read, so I’m gonna ignore the ratings and give it a chance.

The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn: I read the blurb of this and was instantly curious. Read the first chapter and, yup, Ardor Benn is clearly my people. New series to add to my favorites shelf? Maaaaaybe. It certainly has all the makings to be!

The Shattered Realm of Ardor Benn: Wait, you didn’t think I just grabbed the first one, did you? Hahahaha, when have I ever done anything in moderation?! I mean, technically, I didn’t request the third one, so I did act in moderation. But still. Pretty sure I’m gonna love this.

Hollowpox: Yeah, so, I already read this. It was fabulous. You want to read this. I promise. The only downside of devouring this book in a day is that now I need to wait for the next book, and I’ve just made that wait that much longer … I didn’t think this through.

Blade of Secrets: HI, GORGEOUS, COME TO ME! *grabby hands* I actually really liked The Shadows Between Us (so much so that I talked my library into getting it, like I do). So when I saw a new book by the same author that sounds just as amazing, I jumped on it. Also, that cover. I would marry it. You know, if that were a thing and not totally weird of me to say. *slinks off to pretend to be a normal person*

                   

The Forest of Stolen Girls: I feel like I sort of missed the boat with The Silence of Bones, which everyone tells me is fantastic (even though I still totally plan on reading it). So I did the next best thing and requested the next book by the author. Also, this sounds fabulous.

Ghosts of Weirdwood: Listen, I realize this is a sequel and I haven’t actually read the first book yet, buuuut … dragon? I’M SORRY. It gets me every time. Plus, it sounds a little weird and quirky and way fun, so I’m just gonna go ahead and grab a copy of book one and pretend I totally requested this for non-shallow reasons.

Firekeeper’s Daughter: Uhhh …. where do I even begin with this one? Yes. Just … all of it. Yes. First, biracial American Indian protagonist is a big YES for me right off the bat. But also, murder! Yay! I mean … awww … how sad? Forget it, I’ll just cheer on the inside.

The Nightmare Thief: You know what? I’m really digging these whimsical reads lately, so that’s a big buzzword for me. Also, the idea of being able to craft dreams and nightmares has always been a trope I love, especially since there’s so many things you can do with it!

Crown of Bones: Because I’m a super up-to-date person who doesn’t live in a cave at all (note the sarcasm), I thought this book was already released. I feel like I’ve seen it everywhere and I wanted to read it. Also, that blurb has a real Avatar: The Last Airbender tone, so I couldn’t not request it. I’m only human, yo.

                   

Fire With Fire: DRAGONS! I mean, these days, do you really need anything more than that? Come on!

The Cousins: This is for a TheWriteReads blog tour, and I’ve heard wonderful things about it so far! Can’t wait to dig in! This is an author everyone seems to love, and this is my first book by her, so I’m doubly looking forward to it.

Amari and the Night Brothers: Another one I’ve already read! Definite a contender for favorite 2020 read. It was a lot like Men in Black meets Harry Potter, with a little Black girl lead. This book was just … perfect. I can’t even, I love it so much.

Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery: I read and enjoyed the first one, so I’m looking forward to seeing what new struggles befall the poor Winterborne children! Something tells me it’ll be a fun one. 😉

Even and Odd: Maybe Minion’s rubbing off on me, seeing as how there’s a giant unicorn on the cover? This sounds like one that’ll have lots of sibling bonds, and I’m definitely up for that!

           

The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book: I’ve actually never read the Greenglass series, though the patrons of our library love it! So I’m looking forward to checking this out. It says it’s a standalone set in the same world, so it’ll be interesting to read this before reading the other series.

Game Changer: NEW NEAL SHUSTERMAN! Yeeees. He’s an auto-request author for me, and I love his work, so I couldn’t be more thrilled to be able to read this!

The Part About the Dragon was (Mostly) True: You know … there almost seems to be a theme here … I just can’t seem to put my finger on what it is …

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