August Round-Up
Here are the reviews posted during August. Please note, this is not a comprehensive list of books I read in August, but rather the books I had the time to review before month's end.
1) Lauren DeStefano, Wither: Problematic, but Promising
2) Geoff Johns, Batman: Earth One: Good Read
3) Kristin Cashore, Bitterblue: Below Standard
4) Lisa Mantchev, So Silver Bright: Good Read
5) Lyn Benedict, Lies & Omens: Couldn't Put It Down
6) Joe Hill, The Cape: Good Read
7) Bill Willingham, Down the Mysterly River: Good Read
8) Barbara Ashford, Spellcrossed: Good Read
9) John Scalzi, Questions for a Soldier: Good Read
10) Ben Aaronovitch, Midnight Riot: Good Read
11) Chip Kidd, Batman: Death by Design: Good Read
12) Connie Willis, Bellwether: Excellent
13) Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Steals the Show: Good Read
14) Ekaterina Sedia, Heart of Iron: Excellent
15) James S.A. Corey, The Butcher of Anderson Station: Good Read
16) Stacia Kane, Unholy Magic: Excellent
17) Sharon Shinn, Jovah's Angel: Excellent
18) Diana Rowland, My Life as a White Trash Zombie: Good Read
Total Number of Books Reviewed: Technically, it's 13 books, 3 graphic novels and 2 pieces of short fiction
Total Number of Books Read: Technically, 10 books, 1 graphic novel, and 2 pieces of short fiction
HOLY EPIC REVIEW MONTH, BATMAN!!!!
I blame all the reading I did while watching the Olympics. I knew that if I didn't post reviews on a near-daily basis, I'd have a backlog that would make me weep in despair. Which is why you all got 18 total reviews (did you know that of the whole month of August, there was only ONE DAY without a post?) for August, and why currently, I only have TWO books in my review backlog. Whew! What a crazy ride! I know some of you loved seeing something new every day, but I'm sure a lot of you were tired of so many posts (and so many books to add to your wishlists!). Here's hoping September will be more sane!
Favorite: Tough call. I read a lot of great stuff. Lyn Benedict's Lies & Omens got my highest rating, so that's the obvious answer, but Connie Willis' Bellwether is a close second.
Most surprisingly enjoyable: Another tough call: Stacia Kane's Unholy Magic because after feeling mixed on the first book of the series, I didn't have high expectations for this second book. However, Diana Rowland's My Life as a White Trash Zombie is a close second, because it was so unexpectedly enjoyable. Both books feature drug-addict heroines. Should I be concerned about that?
Biggest disappointment: Easy, but unfair, because I went in with low expectations: Kristin Cashore's Bitterblue. I'm not going to rehash the book's problems here, but suffice to say I don't like giving out that rating, and when I do, it means the book has some serious technical issues that inhibited my enjoyment of the story.
Mount TBR Stats: Mount Vancouver is accomplished with 25 books, so now it's on to Mt. Kilimanjaro and 50 books! Where am I on this noble quest? At this moment, 39 books (which includes 1 DNF).
Reading Goals: So far, the new purchase/old purchase rotation is keeping me happy, and I've also been able to refrain from getting too many new purchases and reading a few old purchases in a row, which makes Mount TBR happy. :)
Anyway, what were YOUR favorite reads from August? Which books did you love most? Which books, if any, were huge disappointments? Got a review list? Lay it all on me! :)
2012's resolution is to RECEIVE no more than 72 books a year, which means if I want to keep a monthly status, no more than 6 books a month! August tried to push the limit a bit, but I still made it under my limit, especially given that one purchase was a short story! This brings up my total for the year to 34, with it breaking down like this:
January: 6 books
February: 4 books
March: 4 books
April: 2 books
May: 5 books
June: 4 books
July: 4 books
August: 5 books
I'm still well within my resolution, so that's a good thing.
1) Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn (Amazon); REVIEW HERE
2) The Butcher of Anderson Station by James S.A. Corey (Kindle); REVIEW HERE
3) My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland (Kindle); REVIEW HERE
4) Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey (Kindle) **
5) Audrey's Door by Sarah Langan (Paperback Swap)
** = already read, review forthcoming
While I did well, I had an odd situation arise this month. As some of you know, I used to participate in LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program. I quit this year because I wanted to control the number of books I received in the year (duh), but also I didn't want these ARCs taking time away from my real focus, which was Mount TBR. However, I always glance at the updated list every month, because you NEVER KNOW. I often do this on my iPhone. And as a result, I accidentally and without knowing requested Hidden America by Jeanne Marie Laskas. When I discovered I was awarded this book for review, I emailed LT immediately and requested that be cancelled and the book go elsewhere. However, it seems that once winners are selected, LT doesn't have the ability to email the publisher and request a winner be taken off the list. So I was stuck getting it. I thought, at first, it might prove an interesting book to read. However, flipping through it turned me off rather than igniting my curiosity, so I've passed the book to a friend of mine who'll get far more out of it than me.
So yeah. That was annoying.
Oh, and I did receive a signed copy of Lyn Benedict's Sins & Shadows, signed by the author (thank you!). I'd loaned out my original copy and it found a new home instead, and I wanted the complete series. I don't count it against my monthly total, though, because I've already read the book and it didn't increase my TBR pile. :)
Anyway, August was solid. I've read everything except the Langan, but that's our October book club selection, so of course that will wait. And I'm SO GLAD I've caught up on The Expanse series! Now I'm set to pre-order the next installments without fear! I do wish I'd been able to score a physical copy of Ilona Andrews' Gunmetal Magic. I was certain my local Wal-Mart would carry it, but so far, no luck. Oh well. I'll get it eventually.
But not in September. It's full of pre-orders, and those pre-orders fill my quota of six books per month. Whew! I'm gonna have my hands full with all of that reading!
That's my August. How'd you all do?
1) Lauren DeStefano, Wither: Problematic, but Promising
2) Geoff Johns, Batman: Earth One: Good Read
3) Kristin Cashore, Bitterblue: Below Standard
4) Lisa Mantchev, So Silver Bright: Good Read
5) Lyn Benedict, Lies & Omens: Couldn't Put It Down
6) Joe Hill, The Cape: Good Read
7) Bill Willingham, Down the Mysterly River: Good Read
8) Barbara Ashford, Spellcrossed: Good Read
9) John Scalzi, Questions for a Soldier: Good Read
10) Ben Aaronovitch, Midnight Riot: Good Read
11) Chip Kidd, Batman: Death by Design: Good Read
12) Connie Willis, Bellwether: Excellent
13) Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Steals the Show: Good Read
14) Ekaterina Sedia, Heart of Iron: Excellent
15) James S.A. Corey, The Butcher of Anderson Station: Good Read
16) Stacia Kane, Unholy Magic: Excellent
17) Sharon Shinn, Jovah's Angel: Excellent
18) Diana Rowland, My Life as a White Trash Zombie: Good Read
Total Number of Books Reviewed: Technically, it's 13 books, 3 graphic novels and 2 pieces of short fiction
Total Number of Books Read: Technically, 10 books, 1 graphic novel, and 2 pieces of short fiction
HOLY EPIC REVIEW MONTH, BATMAN!!!!
I blame all the reading I did while watching the Olympics. I knew that if I didn't post reviews on a near-daily basis, I'd have a backlog that would make me weep in despair. Which is why you all got 18 total reviews (did you know that of the whole month of August, there was only ONE DAY without a post?) for August, and why currently, I only have TWO books in my review backlog. Whew! What a crazy ride! I know some of you loved seeing something new every day, but I'm sure a lot of you were tired of so many posts (and so many books to add to your wishlists!). Here's hoping September will be more sane!
Favorite: Tough call. I read a lot of great stuff. Lyn Benedict's Lies & Omens got my highest rating, so that's the obvious answer, but Connie Willis' Bellwether is a close second.
Most surprisingly enjoyable: Another tough call: Stacia Kane's Unholy Magic because after feeling mixed on the first book of the series, I didn't have high expectations for this second book. However, Diana Rowland's My Life as a White Trash Zombie is a close second, because it was so unexpectedly enjoyable. Both books feature drug-addict heroines. Should I be concerned about that?
Biggest disappointment: Easy, but unfair, because I went in with low expectations: Kristin Cashore's Bitterblue. I'm not going to rehash the book's problems here, but suffice to say I don't like giving out that rating, and when I do, it means the book has some serious technical issues that inhibited my enjoyment of the story.
Mount TBR Stats: Mount Vancouver is accomplished with 25 books, so now it's on to Mt. Kilimanjaro and 50 books! Where am I on this noble quest? At this moment, 39 books (which includes 1 DNF).
Reading Goals: So far, the new purchase/old purchase rotation is keeping me happy, and I've also been able to refrain from getting too many new purchases and reading a few old purchases in a row, which makes Mount TBR happy. :)
Anyway, what were YOUR favorite reads from August? Which books did you love most? Which books, if any, were huge disappointments? Got a review list? Lay it all on me! :)
2012's resolution is to RECEIVE no more than 72 books a year, which means if I want to keep a monthly status, no more than 6 books a month! August tried to push the limit a bit, but I still made it under my limit, especially given that one purchase was a short story! This brings up my total for the year to 34, with it breaking down like this:
January: 6 books
February: 4 books
March: 4 books
April: 2 books
May: 5 books
June: 4 books
July: 4 books
August: 5 books
I'm still well within my resolution, so that's a good thing.
1) Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn (Amazon); REVIEW HERE
2) The Butcher of Anderson Station by James S.A. Corey (Kindle); REVIEW HERE
3) My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland (Kindle); REVIEW HERE
4) Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey (Kindle) **
5) Audrey's Door by Sarah Langan (Paperback Swap)
** = already read, review forthcoming
While I did well, I had an odd situation arise this month. As some of you know, I used to participate in LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program. I quit this year because I wanted to control the number of books I received in the year (duh), but also I didn't want these ARCs taking time away from my real focus, which was Mount TBR. However, I always glance at the updated list every month, because you NEVER KNOW. I often do this on my iPhone. And as a result, I accidentally and without knowing requested Hidden America by Jeanne Marie Laskas. When I discovered I was awarded this book for review, I emailed LT immediately and requested that be cancelled and the book go elsewhere. However, it seems that once winners are selected, LT doesn't have the ability to email the publisher and request a winner be taken off the list. So I was stuck getting it. I thought, at first, it might prove an interesting book to read. However, flipping through it turned me off rather than igniting my curiosity, so I've passed the book to a friend of mine who'll get far more out of it than me.
So yeah. That was annoying.
Oh, and I did receive a signed copy of Lyn Benedict's Sins & Shadows, signed by the author (thank you!). I'd loaned out my original copy and it found a new home instead, and I wanted the complete series. I don't count it against my monthly total, though, because I've already read the book and it didn't increase my TBR pile. :)
Anyway, August was solid. I've read everything except the Langan, but that's our October book club selection, so of course that will wait. And I'm SO GLAD I've caught up on The Expanse series! Now I'm set to pre-order the next installments without fear! I do wish I'd been able to score a physical copy of Ilona Andrews' Gunmetal Magic. I was certain my local Wal-Mart would carry it, but so far, no luck. Oh well. I'll get it eventually.
But not in September. It's full of pre-orders, and those pre-orders fill my quota of six books per month. Whew! I'm gonna have my hands full with all of that reading!
That's my August. How'd you all do?