Depending on my body's capabilities (but likely nonetheless) I will be in Montana when this is posted. I've been prepping for the trip for the past week- writing up post ideas (though not entire posts in one sitting), cleaning the house, making sure every scrap of clothing I own is clean so I can wear or pack whatever I wish. It's always nice to have a clean house to come home to. As per usual, I procrastinated on writing posts/reviews so this will be the last until I've recovered from traveling.
Recent Acquisitions (or the Piling of the-Piles):
the-pile Additions:
See "Better World Books" Haul Round 2 if interested. Also, for cat vs. dog goodness from my own clan- on video.
the-invisible-pile Additions:
Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston
Since I loved Their Eyes Were Watching God, I decided it was paramount to collect anything and everything she wrote. I was browsing the "About" page on her website and was shocked to learn although she did achieve fame in her lifetime, she went without a headstone for 13 (freaking) years. Thanks to fellow author Alice Walker, her work was put into the spotlight again, and she got her headstone.
Sunbolt (The Sunbolt Chronicles #1) by Intisar Khanani
Memories of Ash (The Sunbolt Chronicles #2) by Intisar Khanani
Since I enjoyed Thorn (but haven't reviewed it... yet), I was thinking of looking up the author's other works and adding them to my Amazon wishlist (which is filled with all the things I want to buy, but I wait until they go on a really good sale). As it happens, her books were already in "Litha Must Buy" territory at the price of $0.99 each (although Memories of Ash is a preorder). If you're interested in her books, you may want to head over to La La in the Library for her Cover Reveal and Giveaway for Memories of Ash: there's also an interview with the author.
NetGalley Approved Requests:
Spells of Blood and Kin by Claire Humphrey
Expected Publication: June 14th 2016
The blurb name-dropped both Alice Hoffman and Anne Bishop. I don't expect much of it yet, but I couldn't resist hitting "request".
Currently Reading (As of Friday):
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Assassin's Quest (Farseer Trilogy #3) by Robin Hobb
This one is so addictive, I intended to make progress "packing" and instead read the first two hundred pages today in one sitting. My poor animals felt neglected by the time I looked up and realized it was their supper time.
The Incarnations by Susan Barker
Rating: 4 Stars
This has a review, but the short summary is I enjoyed it, despite it's graphic content and characters I was slightly ambivalent to. It takes you on a time-traveling journey through the ages of China, but there is NO time-traveling involved, just reincarnation and past life biographies written by a mysterious stranger who claims to be another's soul mate.
To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgertons #5) by Julia Quinn
When He Was Wicked (Bridgertons #6) by Julia Quinn
Rating: 3ish Stars Each
I gathered two of Julia Quinn's Bridgertons series that I hadn't had the pleasure of reading prior, and read them both in short order. I really don't have any physical historical romance books (that I know of- most are historical fiction), so I devolved from my "physical book only" phase to read them. No one would really know from looking in my library that I like historical romance- I'm mostly a non-romantic fiction hoarder (although, truth be told, most of the books that constitute my classics collection could be considered romantic).
One Scandalous Kiss (Accidental Heirs #1) by Christy Carlyle
Rating: 2ish Stars
I was disappointed by this one due to the ending- it seemed to drag on forever. There's a certain point in some of the historical romances I dislike when I start muttering along to Katy Perry's ridiculously addictive "Hot N Cold" song, and then I know it's pretty much a given that I won't rate it above 3 Stars, if even that. Something about imagining that music video set in the Regency era appeals to me, though the lyrics would have to change.
Royal Assassin (Farseer #2) by Robin Hobb
As I professed to the Twitterverse, I haven't read an epic fantasy this good (AKA amazing) in too long. It reminds me of the good ol' days when I would read every day in summer from noon until midnight. Lately I've had a lot of focus problems with reading- I like the books, I just can't focus on them enough to read more than an hour at a time, but with this book that didn't factor in, as evidenced by my inability to sleep before reading the "finale".
Also, major plus: there was a wolf puppy/cub in this book.
Rating: 5 Stars
Heather @ Based on a True Story reviews Bitch Planet. I want it, and a foam finger too.
Guiltless Reader posts on #BookmarkMonday (238): Colouring bookmarks from @BookDepository!... you know, just in case you need incentive to buy books.
Erin @ The Paperback Stash reviews Magic Stars by Ilona Andrews, a Kate Daniels series novella I haven't gotten around to yet.
La La in the Library hosts a Cover Reveal and Giveaway for Memories of Ash, Intisar Khanani's newest addition to her Sunbolt Chronicles. As it turns out, the author and I have some favorite books from our formative years in common.
Becca @ A Little Penguin's Bookshelf posts her thoughts on Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, a book I've been considering adding to my wishlist.
In My Life:
Unit #1 of the Minion army is beginning to assemble, Unit #2 (nicknamed the Flower Children due to all of them being flowers) needs a little more time to fully deploy.
These pictures were from Day 10 (March 15th) and both of Unit 1 but I didn't have time to run down there and take and edit photos like I normally do. Anyways, I'm super happy with my plants so far, and I'm so excited to see the colors I get with the rainbow varieties I've planted (both rainbow heirloom tomatoes and rainbow coleus).
Hope your week and weekend were wonderful- happy reading!
Can't wait for Memories of Ash! I want to reread Sunbolt in advance of the sequel coming out -- thanks for reminding me!
ReplyDeleteGlad to help- although I have yet to read the series yet. I'll get around to it soonish- depending on how the ending for Assassin's Quest is. ;)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting, Jenny!
~Litha Nelle
Thanks a bunch for the shoutouts! I hope you are enjoying your trip. The Robin Hobb book covers remind me so much of 70s Fantasy covers. I love them. I am so happy so many people are picking up the Sunbolt books. I haven't read Sunbolt yet. I started it a while ago and really didn't want to put it down, but I have gotten myself in trouble with ARCs until summer. Ha ha! I need to get some potting soil and sort out what I want to plant in my porch containers. I need to order those ball carrot seeds soon. Your seedlings look great. Here's to a bountiful harvest come fall. Have a wonderful week. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Yes, those covers are most definitely dated- it's hard to believe they were only published in the '90s. I'm a little miffed that I'm more than halfway through and haven't had any dragons in Assassin's Quest, though.
DeleteI've come to the conclusion that my reading diet does best when I read ARCs only sporadically and only those I would kick myself for not reading. If I'm not that intrigued by the blurb, I pass it by- I'm sure I've missed some good ones, but it isn't as though I can't read them later on my own dime.
Yes! I'm hoping our sprinkler system hasn't died over the winter (there was a suspicious puddle in the snow that we still haven't figured out) so my garden won't be neglected as it is when I hand-water it. Hopefully everything will work out.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, La La!
~Litha Nelle
I hope you have a wonderful trip! I have never been to Montana, although my mother owns land there. My father had orignally bought the land as a bachelor, hoping to settle there where he could be a hermit. It never came to pass. I'm sure you didn't need to know all that. :-) I hope you enjoy the Anne Bishop books. I haven't read the two you acquired yet, but I think I may have copies. I was approved for Spells of Blood and Kin too--hopefully it will be a good one.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great week!
Montana would be a great place to be a hermit... if you could have your neighbors keep out of your business (I suppose it worked for Ted Kaczynski, but people get curious, even in tiny, tiny towns). Even just the land there is pricey anymore, so I suppose that would've been a good investment. ;)
DeleteWell, I'm glad someone else will be reading Spells of Blood and Kin. Just off of the Goodreads ratings when I was approved for it, it wasn't the most popular book- sometimes that can turn around as more opinions come in. I can't resist a blurb when they name drop like that.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Wendy!
~Litha Nelle