GIANT BookCon + Employee Appreciation Book Haul!!

There are A LOT of books for this haul!! I'm finally getting around to my BookCon haul (only a week and a half late) but not only that, right after BookCon was employee appreciation week at work! That could only mean that I buy way more books than I need - not that I even don't need books - but with a bigger discount. Just one of the perks of working in a bookstore. I did try to be good and not buy all the books even though I was sincerely tempted to.

BookCon Haul

This first part are all the books that I either bought while at BookCon or snagged free ARC copies of. 

Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal
Jackaby by William Ritter
The Keeper by David Baldacci
Galactic Hot Dogs by Max Brailler
The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
The Zodiac Legacy: Convergence by Stan Lee
The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry
Mafia Girl by Deborah Blumenthal
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken *
The Opposite of Love by Sarah Lynn Scheerger
The Diary of a Mad Brownie by Bruce Coville
Demon Dentist by David Wallace
The Curious Cat Spy Club by Linda Joy Singleton
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff **

* I didn't actually get the Passenger ARC from BookCon. They weren't giving out ARCs of it there. One of my managers went to BEA and he got me the ARC from there because he knows that's what I read. I really, really, really want to read it!! But I heard it's a super early draft and Alex Bracken has made significant changes to it since then so I'm a little hesitant. 


** Illuminae aka the most beautiful ARC ever created.

This second part is all the books that I got signed by their authors.

Penny Dreadful and the Poisonberry Fortune by Carl Paolino
Hatter M: Far from Wonder Vol 1. by Frank Beddor
The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness *
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

 * Though I got this signed, I actually brought this copy from home and since I brought my own copy of one of his books, Patrick Ness signed and gave me a copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go too because he's awesome like that.


I got a bunch of chapter samplers too though I gave all of them away at work except for the Felicia Day one. I read it and I'm really excited for her book to come out later this year.

 Employee Appreciation Haul

Shadow of the Wolf by Tim Hall
Off the Page by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
John Winchester's Journal by Alex Irvine *
The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard **

* I saw this and the Supernatural fangirl in me needed it. There's also Bobby's Guide to Hunting that I want to pick up at some point too. 

** Another book that I didn't buy but got brought back from BEA by one of my managers. 

I admit to having had a minor crisis moment when I realized I had 27 new or ARC books to choose from. But I finally decided I'm going to start with Queen of the Tearling - partly because I've heard good things about it and partly because Emma Watson is supposed to be starring in the upcoming movie version. After that, The Wrath and the Dawn is definitely my next go to.

What books have you guys hauled recently?

Happy New Year!! Let's begin with an Epic Book Haul

Happy New Year everyone!! Cheers to a great year ahead filled with amazing books worthy of all the fangirling!

I won't start the year with a New Year's Resolution for two reasons: firstly, that I'm rather bad at keeping them then feel bad later that they weren't kept and secondly, because my one year blogoversary is coming up in two days and I'll talk about my plans for this blog then. So instead I have a book haul of EPIC proportions. 

 

Why is it epic you might wonder? Three reasons: 

1 - Employee appreciation days and I work at a bookstore. Of course I had to buy all the books.

2 - My birthday and I asked for books.

3 - Christmas and again: I asked for books. 

Let's begin shall we? Books I bought for myself: 

Books Box sets that I got for my birthday:

 

Note: That Hobbit and LOTR box set is leather bound, pocket sized, and completely adorable.

Books that I got for Christmas:

 

I'm so excited to read them all! Technically, I read Fangirl and TFIOS already and the Hobbit and LOTR but they're due for a reread/finish. Problem is I have no idea where to start.

 

So, have you read any of these? Which is your favorite?

 Where should I begin?!

 

By the way, I also got Supernatural socks and am currently wearing ones that say "Keep calm and carry salt."

They make me happy.

Top Ten Tuesday #6: Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is summer reading TBR. Technically speaking, my last book haul post was my TBR list for the summer. So I won't bore you all by rewriting my blurbs about each book. Instead I'll just post the wonderful covers simply because they're oh so pretty.

Top Ten Books on My Summer Reading TBR List

  

 

Of these summer book haul books, I'm most excited to read Red Rising, Eon, and The Revenge of Seven. Eon is something that 1) I've heard great things about and 2) Tamora Pierce suggests it. Now I have to read it! Red Rising = adult dystopia! Exciting! And I've been waiting impatiently for The Revenge of Seven ever since The Fall of Five ended. That cliffhanger was pretty bad - not Mark-of-Athena-bad for pretty bad still.

 

Books not included in my book haul that I also plan to read are:

 

 

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell - I've heard really great things about this book. Half my co-workers have read it already and are raving about it. I must know why. Plus, I really liked Fangirl so I'm expecting to like this one as well.

Looking for Alaska by John Green - I've only read TFIOS and Looking for Alaska seems to be the next biggest thing John Green has written. I read the first few pages at work but didn't get very far. It seemed pretty interesting. It's sort of a toss up though whether I want to read this or Papertowns first.

 

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien - This is just a long, long, long overdue reread. Plus, I've never actually read The Return of the King. I think it's time to now. It was either reread this or reread Harry Potter. I've read Harry a lot more than I've read LOTR though so I'm trying to even that out more a bit.

 

Book Haul Time!!

So I've been really good not really these past few months in the book buying area. I told myself that after my last huge haul over Christmas and my birthday, I wouldn't buy anything again until summer. I mostly stayed true to that. My last haul had me reading Percy Jackson for the first time. Of course, after I finished the first series I had to buy the next one - that was just a given. I've also borrowed a few books since then too. But I read ten out of the thirteen books in my last haul so all things considered, I've been good and I've worked on reading things strictly from my TBR pile. Happy dance with me:

 

I skipped the Top Ten Tuesday topic this week because I knew I wouldn't be doing my summer reading haul until today. So this post is on topic for TTT but isn't exactly a TTT.

 

Summer Book Haul

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper - This is something that I've been reading on and off during down time at work. It's a middle grade book about a girl, Melody, who was born with a disease that cost her most of her bodily functions. She eventually learns to flip herself over and her thumbs work fine but for the most part, Melody has no control over her body and is confined to a wheelchair. She also can't talk and this is what frustrates her the most because she is incredibly smart and has a lot to say. From what I've read of it so far, it's pretty good. I'm hoping to sit down and actually finish it soon.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner - I've been wanting to read this book for a long time and now that the movie is coming soon. I figured now is as good a time as any. The trailer looks amazing, by the way. Thomas wakes up with no memory surrounded by a bunch of strangers also with no memory. All that's around them is the maze which is always changing and it's the only way out. I honestly don't know much about the plot of this book but I've excited to read it anyway.

 

 

Eon and Eona by Alison Goodman - I have heard great things about these books. AND Tamora Pierce reviewed them! She is one of my favorite authors. Eon is training in Dragon Magic in hopes to become the Dragoneye. However, he has a secret that must stay hidden. He is actually Eona, a sixteen year old girl. Girls are forbidden to study Dragon Magic and if anyone discovered the truth about Eon, she would be sentenced to death. This is a very similar plot basis to Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce which is something I practically read to pieces and I'm really excited to find out more about Eona.

 

 

Red Rising by Pierce Brown - My first non-YA book in a while. It was actually a customer at work who first told me about this book and he basically said it's the adult version of The Hunger Games. This is the first book in a new adult trilogy about Darrow, a Helldiver who lives and works under the surface of Mars. It is said that Mars is uninhabitable and the work that Darrow and his fellow Helldivers do will go towards one day being able to live above the surface. However, Darrow finds out that this is a lie and Mars truly is habitable and has been the living area for generations of people called the Golds. Darrow and other rebels plan to infiltrate the Golds and take down their oppressors. Again, I'm really excited to read this book. I had to order it so I'll have it soon but I definitely can't wait.

 

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira - Technically, I just finished reading this and I've already reviewed it. Although I only gave this book 3.5 out of 5 stars, I liked it enough to want to buy it after I only borrowed it from work. There were a surprising amount of quotes in here that I really really loved and now that I actually own the book, I can go about tagging my favorites.

Books I'm Anticipating This Summer

 

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake -  expected publication: June 17, 2014. I know that this book is old and is out already but since I only read the first part last December, I figured I'd wait until the paperback came out to buy it so my set could match. Yeah, I'm weird like that. Basically in this book, Cas can't get over Anna's sacrifice and he begins to see her everywhere in dreams and in waking nightmares but wherever she shows up, she's being tortured and now it's his turn to save her. I really liked Anna Dressed in Blood a lot more than I thought I would actually. Plus, I'm pretty sure Kendare Blake is a Supernatural fan. Dudes, her main character's name is Cas and he's a ghost hunter. Whether she's a fan or not, she gets bonus points anyway just because the book reminds  me of Supernatural without being a rip off.

 

The Revenge of Seven by Pittacus Lore - expected publication: August 26, 2014. Does anyone read these books? Tell me I'm not the only one out there who reads these. DON'T WATCH THE MOVIE!!!! I repeat: DO NOT WATCH THE MOVIE!!! I think the movie killed this series' fandom which is unfortunate because these books are awesome. This is the fifth book in the main series. I have to catch on the little mini-books but I have time for that and they aren't absolutely necessary to the main story. I don't like the cover though. It's kind of gross looking - like moldy slime. I'm not going to go into a summary of this book because to say anything would give away spoilers to the previous four. Let me just say that, if for some reason you have watched the movie, Four (not Tobias/Four but John/Four - who came first, by the way) is so much cooler in the books. And his hands aren't massive flashlights. And he has an awesome shape-shifting dog. And Nine. I swear if Nine dies... The whole Walking Dead phenomenon if Daryl dies? Yeah, that will be me if Nine dies. Nine isn't allowed to die. Or BK.

 

 

Well, folks, that's it for my summer book haul! I'm sure I'll add a few things here and there but these are the books that I'll definitely be reading this summer. Have you read any of them? Is there anything you think I should add? (Excluding City of Heavenly Fire - sorry, I'm just not going there.)

 

Are you one of the rare Lorien Legacies fans? LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE!!! I need to fangirl with you.

Birthday and Christmas Book Haul

I have the lovely experience of having my birthday and Christmas fall within three days of each other and what that means is LOTS of bookish presents!! I know, normal people who get a book for Christmas are probably like, "Ick, a book? Really?" but not me! I love getting books as gifts. So today, I'll be listing out all the books I received this past holiday season - all of which I've really been wanting to read - and some of which have been sitting on my to-read list for quite a while. Let's start with the two awesome box sets I got:

The Legend Trilogy box set (with the novella Life before Legend) by Marie Lu - Legend has been a book I've been wanting to read since I heard about it. Honestly, I didn't know much about it except that it was a trilogy set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic America. I've really begun to love the action and quick pace of dystopian (YA only - I haven't yet read any adult dystopians) novels ever since I read The Hunger Games. I was hoping that this series would be just as fun and exciting. I'm halfway through Prodigy now and so far it's pretty good but I'll do a full series review when I'm done with Champion.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series box set by Rick Riordan - These books have been on my reading list for so incredibly long - basically ever since I first saw the first movie. (I've yet to see Sea of Monsters). However, from what I've read from reviews, the books are completely different from the movie. I enjoyed the movie for what it was but I'm really excited to see how much more exciting the books are because of course, the books are always  better. Plus, it involves Greek mythology - that's practically a guarantee right there that I'll love them.

Now for the non-box set books I received:

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld - I first heard about this book a really, really long time ago. I've never read anything by Scott Westerfeld before, but after reading a non-spoiler review of this book, I really wanted to start this series. It's set in alternate-history World War I where the opposing sides are the Clankers versus the Darwinists. The Clankers use technological warfare while the Darwinists' weapon of choice is of a biological nature. When I first heard about this book, I had just finished reading The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare so I had been eager to get my hands on another steampunk-ish type of book. This one seems really good and hopefully, once I read it, I'll be picking up the rest of the trilogy.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein - Honestly, I have no idea what this book is about. My interest in it came from a high recommendation from a co-worker. I know it's set in World War II but I'm not too clear on the plot exactly. All I know is my co-worker liked it and Rick Riordan gave it five stars on Goodreads - therefore, it has to be good.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - This is another post-apocalyptic book that I've been hoping to read for a while now. It's set in a world where you're either a Dweller living in government controlled cities or an Outsider living in the Wastelands. The main character, Aria, is a Dweller who becomes exiled and meets Perry, an Outsider. I was initially curious about this book for a couple of reasons excluding the hype of it actually being pretty good considering it's a debut novel. First, it's in third person, which is different from the trend of first person POV books that has been dominating the YA shelves recently. Second, from what I've heard, the love interest in this story isn't instantaneous like most YA books. I'm interested to read about how this develops because insta-love has become a really big pet peeve of mine.

Seeing Redd and Archenemy by Frank Beddor - I read The Looking Glass Wars in the middle of last December and I absolutely loved it. I loved the way the author twisted the classic Alice story, embedded it into history, and completely made it his own. I loved Wonderland as Frank Beddor created it, especially the way he used the imagination and gave it tangible (that's not quite the word I'm going for) rather than just hypothetical or metaphoric power. It's definitely not a  sequel to Carrol's Alice stories in any way but it was never intended to be that. I can't wait to read further about Alyss, Dodge, Hatter Madigan, and General Doppelgänger. And, for next Christmas, I want Hatter's hat.

So there they are, the last thirteen books I received in 2013! Here's to hoping they live up to my expectations! Cheers!

- Jazzie Kings aka The Book Dancer

Currently reading: Prodigy by Marie Lu
Progress: page 291
Thoughts so far: So far, I'm really enjoying this series. There's a few points that I think could have been developed further to be more believable including the Day and June's relationship (again, the whole insta-love thing doesn't work quite right) and the public's decision that Day is their hero. Putting those aside, however, it's definitely been a fun reading experience so far.