Added to the Pile + 125

Technically I only received one book this week that's getting added to my pile.  The other, BLOOD FOREVER by Mari Mancusi, was graciously sent to me, signed, by the author for reading and /or promotional purposes even though I already had a digital copy.  It's for this reason, among MANY others, that Mari is awesome.

Via PaperBackSwap -

WHITE CROW by Marcus Sedgwick

Some secrets are better left buried; some secrets are so frightening they might make angels weep and the devil crow. Thought provoking as well as intensely scary, "White Crow" unfolds in three voices. There's Rebecca, who has come to a small, seaside village to spend the summer, and there's Ferelith, who offers to show Rebecca the secrets of the town...but at a price. Finally, there's a priest whose descent into darkness illuminates the girls' frightening story.  (goodreads.com)

Horror!  Yes!  I have another one of Sedgwick's books in my review pile and I can't wait to get to both of them.  I may need to bump them up just for ambiance purposes.

Added to the Pile + 124

Two more books wending their way into my pile this week.

From Tor -

IRONSKIN by Tina Connolly

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.  (goodreads.com)

I've seen this one in my peripheral for a little while now.  Just the title and cover have drawn me in a bit.  I'm glad that Tor sent it on over.  It'll definitely be going into my pile despite the fact that I've never read Jane Eyre (it's a retelling).  The blurb is enough for me.

And from Macmillan -

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

Seven stories of passion and love separated by centuries but mysteriously intertwined—this is a tale of horror and beauty, tenderness and sacrifice.

An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking: the seven stories in this compelling novel all take place on the remote Scandinavian island of Blessed where a curiously powerful plant that resembles a dragon grows. What binds these stories together? What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside? And what might be powerful enough to break the cycle of midwinterblood? This is a book about passion and preservation and ultimately an exploration of the bounds of love.  (goodreads.com)

How does that NOT sound interesting?  There's so much going on here but the prospect that they're all interconnected keeps tugging on me.  How, dammit?  HOW?

Added to the Pile + 123

One lonely book this week, of which I'm okay with.  It came from PaperBackSwap and it's one I've wanted to read for a while now, mainly because it's a matriarchal post-apocalyptic world.  A rather rare point of view for this type of genre so I'm interested in seeing how Patneaude handles it.

EPITAPH ROAD by David Patneaude

2097 is a transformed world. Thirty years earlier, a mysterious plague wiped out 97 percent of the male population, devastating every world system from governments to sports teams, and causing both universal and unimaginable grief. In the face of such massive despair, women were forced to take over control of the planet--and in doing so they eliminated all of Earth's most pressing issues. Poverty, crime, warfare, hunger . . . all gone.

But there's a price to pay for this new "utopia," which fourteen-year-old Kellen is all too familiar with. Every day, he deals with life as part of a tiny minority that is purposefully kept subservient and small in numbers. His career choices and relationship options are severely limited and controlled. He also lives under the threat of scattered recurrences of the plague, which seem to pop up wherever small pockets of men begin to regroup and grow in numbers.

And then one day, his mother's boss, an iconic political figure, shows up at his home. Kellen overhears something he shouldn't--another outbreak seems to be headed for Afterlight, the rural community where his father and a small group of men live separately from the female-dominated society. Along with a few other suspicious events, like the mysterious disappearances of Kellen's progressive teacher and his Aunt Paige, Kellen is starting to wonder whether the plague recurrences are even accidental. No matter what the truth is, Kellen cares only about one thing--he has to save his father.  (goodreads.com)

Added to the Pile + 122

One book was a purchase that I couldn't pass up and the other is a NetGalley copy that I forgot to mention last week.  Oops!  I'm still a bit scattered.  My bad.

For $10 used I grabbed a pristine hardbound copy from my local indie -

THE ULTIMATE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE by Douglas Adams

Nope, I haven't read any of them yet.  I've been told I'm slightly blasphemous.

And from NetGalley -

CLEOPATRA ASCENDING by Maureen Lipinski

Yeah, pretty much anything to do with Egypt will suck me into reading a book.

Added to the Pile + 121

I've acquired a few books in the last couple of weeks that thankfully didn't get sucked into my moving void.  My move has put me in very close proximity to a pretty wicked independent bookstore that, HOORAY!, has book events and whatnot, the first of which I'll be attending on the 18th for Fierce Reads so I plan on acquiring even more books that I don't really need but WANT SO BAD.  Kind of.

First I bought a couple -

DEJA DEAD by Kathy Reichs
IRON'S PROPHECY by Julie Kagawa

Kathy Reichs actually did a signing at another local bookstore (that I didn't go to but hooray for yet ANOTHER active local indie, thanks AZ) and I've been wanting to read her books for a while.  I'm a big fan of Bones so why not give her books a try, right?  As for IRON'S PROPHECY I'll pretty much read anything Julie Kagawa right now.  Plus the download was .79.  I'll take it.

As part of a going away gift -

STAR ISLAND by Carl Hiaasen

Not something I'd actively choose for myself but it sounds like I might be interested in it so I'll give it a try.

From Pyr -

A GUILE OF DRAGONS by James Enge

I think I toggled back and forth about whether to ask for this one for review.  Lo and behold I received it anyway and it sounds good so yes, I shall partake.

And finally from the author via Penguin -

BLOOD FEVER by Mari Mancusi

Another author that I'll read pretty much anything they put out.  Not to mention I really like this series.  Satire is so underrated in YA.

Added to the Pile + 120

Just one lone book this week through NetGalley.  When I read the blurb I found out I had a kinship with it because I mean, really, who DOESN'T feel this way when they're younger?  And perhaps now?

MORE by TM Franklin

Ava Michaels used to think she was special.

As a child, she fantasized about having magical powers . . . making things happen. But Ava grew up and eventually accepted the fact that her childish dreams were just that, and maybe a normal life wasn't so bad after all.

Now a young college student, Ava meets Caleb Foster, a brilliant and mysterious man who’s supposed to help her pass Physics, but in reality has another mission in mind. What he shows Ava challenges her view of the world, shaking it to its very core.

Because Caleb isn't quite what he seems. In fact, he's not entirely human, and he's not the only one.

Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bound to protect humans, but only after protecting their own secrets—secrets they fear Ava may expose. Fighting to survive, Ava soon learns she's not actually normal . . . she's not even just special.

She's a little bit more.  (goodreads.com)

Added to the Pile + 119

While my posting has become sporadic I do want to make sure I declare any books I receive just to keep the FTC from inserting itself into my bum.  I hear that can be rather unpleasant.  So I did receive a couple of books this week and I'm pretty excited to read both of them.

BLACK BOTTLE by Anthony Huso from Tor -

Tabloids sold in the Duchy of Stonehold claim that the High King, Caliph Howl, has been raised from the dead. His consort, Sena Iilool, both blamed and celebrated for this act, finds that a macabre cult has sprung up around her.

As this news spreads, Stonehold—long considered unimportant—comes to the attention of the emperors in the southern countries. They have learned that the seed of Sena’s immense power lies in an occult book, and they are eager to claim it for their own.

Desperate to protect his people from the southern threat, Caliph is drawn into a summit of the world’s leaders despite the knowledge that it is a trap. As Sena’s bizarre actions threaten to unravel the summit, Caliph watches her slip through his fingers into madness.

But is it really madness? Sena is playing a dangerous game of strategy and deceit as she attempts to outwit a force that has spent millennia preparing for this day. Caliph is the only connection left to her former life, but it’s his blood that Sena needs to see her plans through to their explosive finish.  (goodreads.com)

I think it sounds really good except it's a sequel.  So I'm going to have to get my hands on THE LAST PAGE, its predecessor, before diving into this one.  But I'm just a little bit excited.  And the cover makes me drool a little.

THE LOST PRINCE by Julie Kagawa from Harlequin via NetGalley

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them. 
That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’s dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.  (goodreads.com)

It's part of Julie Kagawa's IRON FEY series.  I'll read it pretty much unabashedly, also most likely with a bit of drool.

Added to the Pile + 118

Just a single book this time via NetGalley.  I've been wavering on this one for a little while; I wasn't too sure and was teetering on requesting it until it was featured on a blog tour where I was able to get a deeper look into it.  The authors sound pretty good and the stories are supposed to be dark.  That's right up my alley.  Please I was able to read some excerpts on the blog tour.  I'll take it.

TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES: DARK RETELLINGS OF MOTHER GOOSE RHYMES, edited by Georgia McBride and Michelle Zink

In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young.  (goodreads.com)

Added to the Pile + 117

I got a short stack this week that I am both thrilled to read and want to cry a little for adding to my already overflowing TBR pile but I'm sure I'll manage.

From Pyr I received what hopes to be AWESOME fantasy reads -

SHADOW'S SON by Jon Sprunk
THE STORMCALLER by Tom Lloyd
WORLD'S END by Mark Chadbourn
THE CROOKED LETTER by Sean Williams (which I inadvertently found the download for after requesting it last week)
THE LAZARUS MACHINE by Paul Crilley

And from Penguin, the next book in THE WATCHERS series which I'm really looking forward to starting -

BLOOD FEVER by Veronica Wolff

Added to the Pile + 116

One little book this week and it was kind of by accident.  I was combing through Pyr's catalogue and reading blurbs online when I got to this one.  It just so happened Pyr had it for free download on their site so I pretty much said why not.  It looked interesting enough despite the vague descriptions and I was going to request it anyway.  Might as well sample it digitally, right?

THE CROOKED LETTER, BOOKS OF THE CATACLYSM #1 by Sean Williams

When mirror twins Seth and Hadrian Castillo travel to Europe on holidays, they don’t expect the end of the world to follow them. Seth’s murder, however, puts exactly that into motion.

From opposite sides of death, the Castillo twins grapple with a reality neither of them suspected, although it has been encoded in myths and legends for millennia. The Earth we know is just one of many “realms”, three of which are inhabited by humans during various stages of their lives. And their afterlives…

In the tradition of Philip Pullman and Ursula K. Le Guin and inspired by numerous arcane sources, the Books of the Cataclysm begin in the present world but soon propel the reader to a landscape that is simultaneously familiar and fantastic.  (www.sfsignla.com)

If your interest is piqued you too can own a digital copy for absolutely free from Pyr.  Just go to their website and clicky.

Added to the Pile + 115

I got a glorious surprise this week from Pyr thanks to an amazing book blogging fairy that shares my love of AWESOME fantasy.  For that I am thankful.

THIEF'S COVENANT by Ari Marmell
FALSE COVENANT by Ari Marmell
HUNTER AND FOX by Philippa Ballantine

And I have a couple of NetGalley titles to throw in there as well.

BLADE SONG by JC Daniels
GIRL OF NIGHTMARES by Kendare Blake (omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg)

Added to the Pile + 114

One lone book this week from Tor -

DARK COMPANION by Marta Acosta

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member.

Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?  (goodreads.com)

I've been on the fence about this one for a while now.  The premise sounds all intriguing and dark and slightly horror-filled but the whole boarding school aspect is an instant turn-off for me.  But I read Marta's blog all the time and she's got a good voice.  Since I have a copy I'll give it a try but I'm still really straddling the fence here.

Added to the Pile + 113

One book added this week.  I really am starting to deviate from YA.  I need VARIETY.  Thanks for helping me out in that regard, Netgalley!

BAD GLASS by Richaed E. Gropp

Something has happened in Spokane. The military has evacuated the city and locked it down. Even so, disturbing rumors and images seep out, finding their way onto the Internet, spreading curiosity, skepticism, and panic. For what they show is—or should be—impossible: strange creatures that cannot exist, sudden disappearances that violate the laws of physics, human bodies fused with inanimate objects, trapped yet still half alive. . . .

Dean Walker, an aspiring photographer, sneaks into the quarantined city in search of fame. What he finds will change him in unimaginable ways. Hooking up with a group of outcasts led by a beautiful young woman named Taylor, Dean embarks on a journey into the heart of a mystery whose philosophical implications are as terrifying as its physical manifestations. Even as he falls in love with Taylor—a woman as damaged and seductive as the city itself—his already tenuous hold on reality starts to come loose. Or perhaps it is Spokane’s grip on the world that is coming undone.

Now, caught up in a web of interlacing secrets and betrayals, Dean, Taylor, and their friends must make their way through this ever-shifting maze of a city, a city that is actively hunting them down, herding them toward a shocking destiny.  (goodreads.com)

Part Jericho, part Walking Dead, THIS IS WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW.  Something different yet familiar.  Something that I can get sucked into that may or may not give me nightmares.  I know a book is leaving it's mark when I start dreaming about it.  I need that kind of impact in my life right now.

Added to the Pile + 112

Without a doubt the BEA edition.  I haven't received or acquired any other books within the past few weeks except for what I snagged at BEA.  While I ended up with a lot of books some of them weren't for me so this is the final pile that's getting added to my ever-growing TBR pile.  Lucky for me some of these titles were already on there in some form or another.  But I've still got a hefty haul.

ISLE OF NIGHT by Veronica Wolff (I have the sequel and I've wanted the first to check it out so hooray!  This one came in the Penguin tote at the Bridging the Gap panel at the New York Public Library)
CARNIVAL OF SOULS by Melissa Marr (stood in a nice long in-booth signing line for this one at HarperCollins)
THE FARM by Emily McKay (this one was up for grabs at the Penguin panel)
SHADOWS by Ilsa J. Bick (OMFGBBQ!!! lucky grab from the Egmont booth)
CREWEL by Gennifer Albin (in the right place at the right time at the Macmillan booth)
RED RAIN by RL Stine (much circling but ultimately a nice short signing line at Simon & Schuster)
RAYVEN'S AWAKENING by Sherri L. King (booth grab from Ellora's Cave)
FALLING KINGDOMS by Morgan Rhodes (a meticulously timed Penguin booth grab)
THE SPINDLERS by Lauren Oliver (a luckily-timed booth grab at HarperCollins)
ALBERT ADELAIDE by Howard Anderson (an intriguing grab from Grand Central Publishing/Hachette, first the cover and then the blurb totally sucked me in)
THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray (another luckily-timed booth grab, this time at Little, Brown)
THE VENICE CONSPIRACY by Sam Christer (a random booth grab from Overlook Press)
ANGELFALL by Susan Ee (random booth grab from Amazon Publishing)
FOUR SECRETS by Margaret Willey (gift bag from the Carolrhoda Lab breakfast, already in my pile)
SKYLARK by Meagan Spooner (gift bag from the Carolrhoda Lab breakfast, already in my pile)
THE CURIOSITIES by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff (gift bag from the Carolrhoda Lab breakfast, already in my pile)
THE BEST NEW YOUNG ADULT PARANORMAL READS featuring samples of Chloe Neill, Gwen Hayes, Rachel Caine, Deborah Cooke, Mari Mancusi, Veronica Wolff and Joan Frances Turner (a sampler book from the Penguin panel)

Added to the Pile + 111

Three sweetnick books this week, all from NetGalley.  I'm amassing a mighty collection from them.  Considering a couple of these are rather lengthy omnibuses I have a bit of reading ahead of me.

THE BLACK ISLE by Sandi Tan
OBSIDIAN & BLOOD by Aliette de Bodard (currently in the cooker)
SAMANTHA MOON by JR Rain (already attempted to read and gave up rather quickly, like record settingly quickly)

As you can see I'm kind of branching out.  I need me some variety and a little less YA.  Not that there's anything wrong with YA.  I just need more variety.  Mainly high fantasy.  Good high fantasy.

Added to the Pile + 110

Two glorious books this week . . .

From my evil twin on my birthday -

GRACELING by Kristen Cashore

Yeah I'm pretty much well aware that I'm probably the only person who hasn't read this one.  I shall remedy that soon.

And from HarperCollins -

DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN by JA London

Am I the only one that's completely freaked out by The Ring-looking chicks that keep appearing on book covers?  Should I be worried that she's going to crawl off the cover and distort my face?

Added to the Pile + 109

Two more books fell into my digital lap thanks to NetGalley this week (I really need to remember to declare these NetGalley titles more.  I keep forgetting about them.  Or have been.).

BEYOND by Graham McNamee
WILDE'S FIRE by Krystal Wade

Can I tell you just how desperate I am for some good YA horror?  I've read a few but nowhere near enough.  DESPERATE.

Added to the Pile + 108

Three approvals via NetGalley came through in the last week -

ADVENT by James Treadwell
FREAKS OF THE HEARTLAND by Steve Niles
THE INFECTS by Sean Beaudoin

Am I the only one that's stupid excited for a new Sean Beaudoin title?  He just does mindfuck so well.  I need, like, a cigarette or something after reading one of his books.

Added to the Pile + 107

A book from PaperBackSwap popped up in my mailbox this week. Gotta love it when I completely forget I have one of these coming in.

THE STONE CHILD by Dan Poblocki

And a few more digital copies from NetGalley made their way onto my approved list. Hooray!

THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas

SKYLARK by Meagan Spooner

FOUR SECRETS by Margaret Willey

THE CURIOSITIES by Maggie Stiefvater, Brenna Yovanoff and Tessa Gratton

ASHEN WINTER by Mike Mullin

Added to the Pile + 106

Three lovely books have found their way into my pile this week.

Using my own purchasing power to sate the ravings of my evil twin -

DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

From Tor -

CHRYSANTHE by Yves Meynard

From Penguin -

SILENCE by Michelle Sagara