Stacking the Shelves: Holiday 2016 Edition

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, been gifted, or won to read.


Happy New Year! It's been a year since I participated in the Stacking the Shelves meme to show off my 2015 holiday book haul. I'm super excited and grateful for the books I got over the 2016 holiday season so I thought I would show them off as well:

To start off, a few books I received pre-holidays from the work I do as a bookkeeper for my dad's company:
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas - I ordered this shortly after completing Queen of Shadows, which I loved. I will hopefully get to reading this soon - certainly before the final Throne of Glass book comes out this year!

Leuchtturm1917 Dotted Hardcover Notebook (A5), Royal Blue - In the tail end of 2016, I decided to try my hand at bullet journalling and quickly fell in love. I've always been a planner and list-maker, but have always done so digitally - to varied success. With bullet journalling, there's something about planning in analog that just works for me and has been keeping me on track and motivated to be productive. So I decided to treat myself to a pretty new journal for the new year!

Holiday Gifts:
The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta - from Ambur of Burning Impossibly Bright
I've only read one Melina Marchetta book before - Jellicoe Road - and I found it to be so beautiful and impactful. So I'm looking forward to my next Marchetta read!

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson - from Sara of Just Another Story
I have heard nothing but the most amazing things about this author and this book and so I am stoked to read this!

Uprooted by Naomi Novik - from Micheline of Lunar Rainbows
Here's another one that seemingly everyone loved. I just KNOW that this one will end up being a favourite fantasy of mine!

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - from in-laws
My in-laws both loved this book a lot and thoughtfully thought I would like it as well.


As with last year, I can't help but feel SO lucky to have so many people in my life who are so thoughtful and know my reading tastes so well! I expect 2017 will be a good year in books for me :)

Stacking The Shelves: Holiday Edition

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, been gifted, or won to read.


I haven't participated in Stacking The Shelves in years, but I thought I would join in this week to share my great Holiday Haul because I'm very excited about all the books I received:

Vicious by V.E. Schwab (x2) - one copy from Sara of Just Another Story and one copy from Micheline of Lunar Rainbows
This is clearly a case of Great Minds Think Alike and These Ladies Know Me So Well because I received two copies of this book and I already know I'm going to LOVE it. At the moment, I'm feeling no need to get rid of one of these copies because I like both covers and want to keep both... Maybe I'll switch between the two when reading :p

Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine - from Zahida of Musings of a YA Reader
Zahida surprised me with this book during our last meet-up before I left Toronto. It's one she loved so I'm stoked about it! I'm going to miss our regular catch-ups and book signing events together!

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente - from Micheline of Lunar Rainbows
Yessss!! I've been wanting to read this one for YEARS and now I finally see it happening this year!

Eeny Meeny by M. J. Arlidge - from Lauren of Shooting Stars Mag
Lauren gifted me with this book with the knowledge that I love the Cormoran Strike books and this one is in the same vein as those - so that's definitely exciting! Something to tide me over until the next Cormoran Strike book is released!

Confess by Colleen Hoover - from Ambur of Burning Impossibly Bright
I remember mentioning to Ambur that I've never read anything by Colleen Hoover and I wouldn't know which book of hers to start with... and she surprised me with this one! I'm excited because Ambur is a big fan of hers and I def trust her opinion.

Roald Dahl Book Set - from husband
Roald Dahl was my J. K. Rowling before I read HP, but it's been many years since I've read any of my old childhood favourites. And now I can!!

Wolf By Wolf by Ryan Grandin - from husband
I had this one for review last year, but unfortunately I was so busy that the eARC period ran out before I could get to it. The premise has intrigued me since I first heard of it.

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman - from Penguin Canada via Goodreads Giveaway
I haven't really heard anything about this one yet, but I'm looking forward to finding out what it's about!

Harry Potter Colouring Book and Enchanted Forest Colouring Book - from husband
I will now be joining the recent adult colouring book craze with these two beauties - I hope I can stay within the lines!


How lucky am I to have so many people in my life who know my reading tastes so well and are so generous?! So lucky.

Stacking The Shelves (13): Three Months In The Making

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.


Soooo, it's been three months since I've done a book haul post! So there's quite a lot to share. But unfortunately no vlog. I've been so busy with packing and moving and studying that I never found the time to do another vlog in the past three months and that makes me sad. Hopefully I'll be able to do one again at some point, but maybe not anytime soon, sadly.

So, without further ado, my book haul for the past THREE MONTHS!:

For Review

Vortex by S.J. Kincaid (Thanks to HarperCollins Canada! | My Review)

Asylum by Madeleine Roux (Thanks to HarperCollins Canada!)

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney (Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada! | My Review)

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick (Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada!)

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (Thanks to HBG Canada!)

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger (Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada!)

This Wicked Game by Michelle Zink (Thanks to Penguin Canada!)

Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron (Thanks to Penguin Canada!)

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Thanks to Candlewick Press and NetGalley! | My Review)

More Than This by Patrick Ness (Thanks to Candlewick Press and NetGalley!)

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon (Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley! | My Review)

Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson (Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss!)

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas (Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss!)

Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund (Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss!)

Purchased

The Iron Fey Trilogy by Julie Kagawa

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (My Review)

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (My Review)

Blood Red Road by Moira Young (My Review)

The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling (My Review)

Gifted

Insignia by S.J. Kincaid (Thanks to Liz of Planet Print! | My Review)

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Thanks to Lisa of Little Miss Trainwreck!)

Arclight by Josin McQuein (Thanks to Lisa of Little Miss Trainwreck!)

Stacking the Shelves (12) and Vlog (9)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.

Sorry about my shlumpiness in this vlog, but I just couldn't be bothered, to be honest!

As I mentioned in my vlog, this will be the last book haul/vlog post I will do for a while, as I am going to be making a more concerted effort at reducing the number of books I take in. I want to make a dent in the books I already have to read on my shelf as I will be going back to school again in the fall and won't be able to take those books with me.


For Review:
The Originals by Cat Patrick (Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada!)
Icons by Margaret Stohl (Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada!)
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (Thanks to Penguin!)
The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke (Thanks to Strange Chemistry!)

Bought:
Requiem by Lauren Oliver
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Won:
The End Games by T. Michael Martin

Posts mentioned:
My review of Requiem
My review of Clockwork Princess
The End Games ARC Giveaway

Stacking the Shelves (11) and Vlog (8)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.


In this overdue book haul vlog, I overuse the word exciting and swear I am not a stalker:

For Review:
Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris (Thanks to HarperCollins Canada!)
The End Games by T. Michael Martin (Thanks to HarperCollins Canada!)
This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith (Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada!)
The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa (Thanks to HarlequinTeen and NetGalley!)

Traded:
The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld

Mentioned in vlog:
T. Michael Martin's YouTube Channel

In other news, I've been GIF'd!! Bahaha!!!!

gif is from THIS Stacking the Shelves vlog

Stacking the Shelves (10) and Vlog (7)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.

This week, I gripe over cover changes and channel my feline side:

For Review:
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada!)
The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington (Thanks to Scholastic Canada!)
Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters by Suzanne Weyn (Thanks to Scholastic Canada!)

Won:
Dualed by Elsie Chapman (Thanks to Elena of Novel Sounds!)

Bought:
Reached (Matched #3) by Ally Condie
Shades of Earth (Across the Universe #3) by Beth Revis

Gifted (Thanks to Laura of Reading In Bed!):
Plain Kate by Erin Bow
If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Other Bloggers Mentioned:
Kristilyn of Reading In Winter
Leanne of Escaping With Books
Ambur of Burning Impossibly Bright

Post Mentioned:
My review of Etiquette & Espionage

Stacking the Shelves (9) and Vlog (6)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.

This week, I showcase the books I received for Christmas and am really, really excited about them:

For Review:
The Archived by Victoria Schwab (Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada!)
The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd (Thanks to HarperCollins!)
Mind Games by Kiersten White (Thanks to HarperCollins!)
Taken by Erin Bowman (Thanks to HarperCollins!)
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay (Thanks to Atria Books!)

Christmas Gifts (Thanks to the bf!):
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
John Green Box Set (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars)

Stacking the Shelves (8) and Vlog (5)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.

This month has been hellishly busy and stressful for me, but I still somehow found the time to make a quick vlog to update on the books I have received these past few weeks:

For Review:
Pantomime by Laura Lam (Thanks to Strange Chemistry!)
The Holders by Julianna Scott (Thanks to Strange Chemistry!)
City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster (Thanks to HarperCollins Canada!)

Gifted:
The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (Thanks to Sara of Just Another Story!)

Bought Used:
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

After this weekend, I will be taking a wee break from blogging for the holidays, but will still be reachable by email, twitter, and facebook. Happy Holidays and see you in 2013!!

Stacking the Shelves (7) and Vlog (4)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.

This week, I made my fourth vlog, despite being almost thwarted by an annoyingly incessant car alarm. But the show must go on, as they say:

For Review:
Dust Lands: Rebel Heart by Moira Young (Thanks to Big Honcho Media!)
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor (Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada!)
Splintered by A.G. Howard (Thanks to Abrams!)
Elemental by Antony John (Thanks to Penguin!)
The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell (Thanks to Penguin!)

Won:
The Mad Scientist's Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke (Thanks to Paranormal Indulgence and Strange Chemistry!)

Bought:
The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Stacking the Shelves (6): My Third Vlog

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.

This week, I made my third vlog, in which I am intense about dragons, excited about maps in books, and say the word "excellent" a lot:

Books Mentioned:
What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton
Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill
Darkwater by Catherine Fisher
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielson

Huge thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada, Penguin Canada, and Random House Canada for sending me books to review!

Blogs Mentioned:
Alluring Reads
Alison Can Read
Small Review
Bookurious

Post Mentioned:
My review of What Happens Next

Stacking the Shelves (5): My Second Vlog

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.


After some indecisiveness about whether I would make another book haul vlog after my first attempt, I decided just to go for it! I feel like it went better than the first time. It's been a very long time since I've done a book haul post, so this actually encompasses the past 3 months!

For Review:
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larson by Susin Nielson (Thanks to Random House Canada!)
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (Thanks to Random House Canada!)
Blind Spot by Laura Ellen (Thanks to Thomas Allen & Son!)
Black City by Elizabeth Richards (Thanks to Penguin Canada!)

Traded:
Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr (Thanks to Becky from Stories & Sweeties!)

Bought:
The Queen's Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner
The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

Blogs Mentioned:
Musings of a YA Reader
Small Review
A Girl, Books and Other Things

Post Mentioned:
My review of The Casual Vacancy

Stacking The Shelves (4): My First (And Possibly Last) Vlog

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.


So, I did it. I filmed my first - and in all likelihood, last - vlog. I'm at a loss for how people are able to talk to a camera alone and act natural. I'm a fairly socially awkward person normally (I always find myself cringing in agreement with that Socially Awkward Penguin meme) so to put a camera in front of me is to magnify that awkwardness tenfold. And if I seem flushed and sweaty, it's because it's freaking hot.

Anyways, let me know what you think and if you have any feedback for me. And don't be surprised if this video magically disappears off the internet after a few days...

For Review:
The Blessed by Tonya Hurley (Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada)
Embers and Echoes by Karsten Knight (Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada)
Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis (Thanks to the author)
What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang (Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss)
The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver (Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss)
The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke (Thanks to Strange Chemistry and NetGalley)

Bought:
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Stacking The Shelves (3)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase any books that I have received for review, bought, borrowed, or won to read.

For Review

Ashen Winter (Ashfall #2) by Mike Mullin (Thanks to Tanglewood Press/NetGalley)

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo (Thanks to Random House/NetGalley)

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schultz (Thanks to Candlewick Press/NetGalley)

I may need to impose a book request ban on myself because I've had very little restraint lately and it's becoming a bit overwhelming. So these are the last requests I'll be making for a while (hopefully)! I loved Ashfall and therefore needed to request its sequel, Ashen Winter. I've heard good things about Love and Other Perishable Things (previously released in Australia as Good Oil) and I've really been trying to read more contemporary, so I needed to request it as well. I don't actually know anything about Splendors and Glooms except that it's published by Candlewick Press, is written by a Newberry Medalist, and is a gothic fantasy, so I can't go wrong, right?

Bought

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Finally, I own Cassandra Clare's latest book, City of Lost Souls! I wasn't over the moon about City of Fallen Angels, to be honest, but I love these characters so much that I would read pretty much anything so long as I got to spend time with them.

Freebies

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsh

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

In case you haven't heard, SYNC will be giving away one free YA audiobook and one free Classic audiobook for every week this summer! I have picked up some really great free audiobooks from them for the past few summers that have led to hours and hours of listening pleasure. Head on over to SYNC's website to pick up this week's picks, The Eleventh Plague and The Grapes of Wrath, but only until Thursday when they'll giveaway another two audiobooks.