these came my way

I had some interesting books come my way recently. A few I requested, and a couple just showed up, one way or another. Who doesn't love a surprise book?


I heard about a new series by J.K. Beck, the first book named When Blood Calls. This is one I requested, because even though it's a paranormal romance, I felt like giving it a try. Now I normally don't go for the romance books (read so many in my late twenties, early thirties) but if I know what to expect going into a book, it is fun to read a romance novel once in a while. I should have read this last week, and I intended to, but things like work, grandchildren and time got in the way. So I'll be starting this book this week, and hope to finish it so I can review it.


Another book that I requested was Pegasus. I blogged about this before, but I'm excited about it. Robin McKinley is the author and the book comes out in October, so I hope to be reading this pretty soon also.


A surprise book that I didn't know was coming was The Replacement, a YA novel by Brenna Yovanoff that is coming out in September - late September. It involves fae and changelings and mystery. Sounds good, so I want to read it and post my amatuer review.



A co-worker of mine likes to shop garage sales, and she came across a book titled Penelope. Penelope was made into a movie few years ago, kind of a contemporary fairytale, with a family curse, a pig nose, true love and acceptance. I've seen the movie, so I know how it turns out. This book is an adaptation (from a screenplay) written in the first person. I kind of want to read it to the fourth graders that I'm working with this year. I know for sure, that I want to read it for myself.


And of course, there's Glory, a b-day gift - which I did already start, but put temporarily aside so I could finish the book for the GLBT challenge ....which I sort of failed on. Glory is a good book - from what I've read already, and I want to finish reading it soon, so I can also post a review on it. It's a YA urban fantasy with a pandemic twist. Reminds me of the TV show from England (Survivors). Author is Devin O'Branagan, and some other books are coming out by her soon.

The GLBT Mini challenge - I was supposed to read and review at least ONE book written by or about Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual or Transgender characters. I had decided on The enchantment Emporium, because I hadn't read it yet, and I know that the author is in a same-sex relationship (for years). What I didn't know was that the book itself deals with bi-sexual relationships (among cousins, which kind of bugged me at first, but then there are a lot of second and third cousin marriages happening around the globe) AND one of the secondary characters is a gay man who is struggling with his relationship. The book is good, and the bi-sexual cousin relationships have something to do with magic and rituals and family ties (the way I'm explaining it is coming across as mega-creepy, but I don't think that was the intent of the author). I haven't quite finished the book, so there might be more explained later on.


It also occurs to me that I'm a very selfish or rather book-greedy person. It's September and I'm dealing with my yearly book-buying withdrawal thing (because of paychecks and the summer off), I HAVE over fifty books that I've collected over the last two years to read, and a few of them are books that have been released within the last year - This means I have books to look forward to, as well as books that a couple "book-fairies" have sent my way and I'm STILL yearning for a trip to the bookstore. I KNOW that there are new releases coming from authors I love to read (Ann Aguirre, Suzanne McLeod, Ilona Andrews....) as well as authors that I've just found out about (thanks to Suzanne McLeod for pointing out David Bridger and Jaine Fenn as authors with books coming out, or just released). But I still feel the strong NEED, the URGE, to go to the bookstore and buy books. Even though I know I wouldn't be able to get to the reading of the books right away.....I just need to buy these books when they come out - the very day, if possible - so I can have them with me, on my shelf - ready for me to read when I can.....This is greedy of me.






This is why I end up with a lot of books on my shelves. This is why there are a couple of books in a series that I have that I haven't read yet, and that I've lost interest in as a series. Thankfully, this doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. I just HAD to buy a few books, sometimes two or three in a series, in the last few years - I've lost interest in reading them...I used to love them, but just don't feel like readin them now. I should give them away, but I keep thinking that I'll get back "into" them soon. It's possible - but tastes do change. Either that or my obsessions change a bit. I have the fourth Cassandra Palmer book sitting here, as well as the two of the Weather Warden Books here - in fact, I haven't even bought the last Weather Warden Books. Used to love them. They're good. The writing is good. The dialogue is good. But, when I had a choice to buy one of them, or say a debut book from 2010...I usually picked the debut book. There was an amazing amount of kick-ass debut books released in 2010.



Hell, I've even been known to put off buying clothing when I am running out of clothes just so I can have a book right when it comes out - or in the case of my annual September book-buying withdrawal - just so I can go binge on buying books. Just think how crazed I would be for books if it weren't for my birthday falling in July every year. I just hope my birthday continues to come in July in the future years! Seriously - for the past two July's I've been able to win a couple book giveaways. For the past five or more years, my wonderful husband and sons have been great about buying me giftcards to Borders, or giving me cash for books. They can't always give a lot, but it's always enough to pick up at least three paperbacks. I love it! And for the past two years, I've had some wonderful women I met online who have shared books with me - one all the way from England. I can't even begin to express how much I appreciate that. I hope y'all realize just how thankful I am that you two have been there for me in the last year or two. It's been amazing (oops, I think I might be getting a bit maudlin here - LOL).


I try to pay it forward, by either buying books for students who seem to really want a book here and there, or sending a book on when I know someone really wants a book that I think I can "let go of". :) But I don't think it compares to what others have done for me.

Now - I just need to concentrate on reading for a bit