Last Bookmail in July

Hi there!

I finally fired up the ol' desktop today and while I was waiting for Norton to update all the anti-virus things, I thought I'd edit another video for you all.

July was a great month for bookmail - I only wish I hadn't ordered all this myself! There are still some items that are currently MIA, however, I have high hopes that the AbeBooks will arrive in the next week or so... but that Powell's order from the US is still not here, and I am getting rather antsy about it.

Okay, I'm off now.  Hope your July reading was wonderful, and that you found something new and interesting, or rediscovered an old favourite.  Thanks for watching, and until I see you next time,

 

Mid July Reading Update

Woo-wee, is it cold! Thanks to an Antarctic front that's blustering up from the south, I am freezing my butt off.  In an attempt to get a little bit of sun - and to try a different filming location - I rugged up and ventured out into the back yard.  By more dumb luck than good management I happened to choose a time where the winds had died down for a good half hour, but it was still colder than it looks.  Seriously, if the temperatures drop below freezing there should be mandatory snow.  Winter here in rural QLD looks no different than high summer, except for the winter woolies I'm sporting.

On the bookish front, I have been rereading some of my urban fantasy series that have new books coming out soon.  I also read a little bit more from The Count of Monte Cristo, which I'm hoping to finish next month, perhaps, and just listening to more audiobooks as I go about my daily routine.  As it's been so cold here, I haven't spent any time in the office/library. I really need to start filming and creating extra videos so that I have a buffer for times like this.

Anyway, my fingers and toes feel like they are about to drop off, so I'm going to say thank you for watching, and until I see you next time,

 

#T5W is back with Hidden Gems

Hello there!  Yes, I've finally decided to get back into Top 5 Wednesday.  This week we are exploring Hidden Gems.  Your favourite books in your favourite genre that don't get a lot of hype.

Now some of these books I have never seen on BookTube, while others make a rare appearance, but they all have one thing in common - they are all some of my favourite Urban Fantasy series.  I've put the book synopsis down below for your convenience.  So without further ado, here are my Top 5 Favourite Urban Fantasy Hidden Gems

New books on the way

Last Friday night I couldn't sleep, so I decided to do a little online retail therapy.   While online I lost track of time, too busy scrolling through the pages of books on Book Depository.  Before I knew it, it was nearly 3:20am and I still hadn't been through the checkout!  So, it was nearly 4am before the lights went out - and I'm paying for the lack of sleep tonight - but I did find some more books to add to my already overflowing bookshelves.

In preparation for future book club selections, I hunted around to find a few series that sounded good  - and that I'll be OK putting aside for a little while - and, most importantly, that I hadn't read before.

* Discount Armageddon - Seanan McGuire

* Under Wraps - Hannah Jayne, and

* Darkness Unbound - Keri Arthur

As well as these, I also bought the second book in the Esther Diamond series by Laura Resnick, 'Unsympathetic Magic'.  Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic, since I still haven't read book one yet for book club, but it never hurts to be positive ;-D

Then there were 3 titles that are part of series that I've already started to read. Who could resist revisiting the very cool alternate world of Blud with 'Wicked as She Wants' by Delilah S. Dawson.  Then there was 'Dead on Delivery', and 'Dead Letter Day' by Eileen Rendahl, the next two books in her A Messenger Novel series.  And last, but certainly by no means least, is a replacement copy for LKH's 'A Kiss of Shadows'.  My original copy is falling apart (see below pics) due to very frequent re-reading (and what I'm sure was a poor gluing of the pages to the spine).  I have to be very careful when I open it these days as the pages are just sitting there :-)

My poor book!

It's finally beyond repair.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get the same UK cover - and I really liked that cover, too.  I've had to settle for the US cover.  I just hope that the spine doesn't crack on this copy when you try to read the book!   Hopefully, this should keep me going for the next couple of weeks.  I'm back off to restock my wishlist!  Hope you've found a great book, or three, to read this week too.  Happy reading ;-D

Books Galore

And I've been so good recently too!  Last week I just dived right in there at the local shopping centre.  I cut a swathe through QBD and Bookworld, sauntered through Big W and meandered in K-Mart.  I bought 7 books on my want list that I really don't need at the moment - seeings how I still have about half a dozen books left from my last little splurge :P  Still, I jumped right into them.  Moon Sworn is the last of Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson series.  I found it a little different from the other books, but not a bad read.  A good Aussie author, Ms Arthur has another series in the works that spins off from this one.  It sounds good and I will definitely give it a go.

Master of Fire is the Mageverse story that I know alot of people have been waiting for.  It's about Logan MacRoy, the son of King Arthur and Guinevere.  I've been following this series on and off for the last 5 or 6 years.  Not a bad book, but not as great as Master of Swords.  The next book however, Master of Smoke, sounds like it'll be a cracker of a story.

Dead in the Family is the latest Sookie Stackhouse book out.  After reading the comments on the Amazon website for this book I was a tad apprehensive about reading it.  For me the series has been slightly less enjoyable for each book.   DitF was different.  I enjoyed it much more than I did Dead & Gone.  Sookie is finally finding her feet in the supernatural world, and she is in a stready and loving relationship.  She is able to say NO to people she would have trusted in the first couple of books, and there are some great moments in it.  All in all, a good addition to the series.

My copy of Magic Bleeds arrived in the mail last week too.  It was great.  I devoured it in a couple of hours - yes, I know that's quick, but I just can't help it.  And I also received my Amazon UK stuff as well (yeah Dr Who!).  Then to top it all off, last Friday I went on a day trip with some of the family and ended up in Maleny. 

For those who aren't familiar with it, its a gorgeous little dairy/craft town in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.  Absolutely stunning views as you climb the mountain range in the morning and look back over the coastline to see the sun reflecting gold off the water.  Although if you're looking to visit in winter... take a hot water bottle with you! :D  Unfortunately for me, once I got there I found 2 secondhand bookshops as I was wondering around the main street, and a few other little crafty stores that I just had to stop in.  Now, I went up there hoping not to buy anything, but I just found the most delightful looking fern (yes, I am a closet gardener okay!), and a nearby store that sold quilted blankets.  If I had of had a spare $250 dollars there was a beautiful country quilt that would have been accompanying me home.  One place I did indulge in was the handmade sweets shop.  The fudge was to die for!  I tried the Rum & Raisin (mum's favourite), but fell in love with the Cookies 'n' Cream fudge.  It was heavenly!  So we bought a few chunks, and went for a lovely hot coffe at a local bakery.

My one regret of the day was that I didn't buy a book at the secondhand shop that I was drooling over.  My only hope is that it will be there when we next go back... hopefully soon?

Not Again!

Hi there! If it's not one thing, it's another at the moment. I've just about given up on my old computer (6yo, but has had upgrades). It has a nasty habit at the moment of just dying on me. I'm extremely tempted to get a new one... maybe a Mac?... and then have a ceremonial tossing of the computer down the stairs. A little bit violent perhaps, but when I think about all the files that I've lost... grrrr

I've been reading quite abit lately - the only option open when your trying to entertain yourself at night while also trying to save a bit of cash - and have just been able to get my hands on the 3rd Carrie Vaughn book, Kitty takes a Holiday.

Now I have to admit that I haven't been able to find her 1st book, so I'll state right up front that the relationship between her and Cormac and Ben is still a little bit of a mystery to me (one of these days I'll find it at the book shop). I did like the story and the characters. You really feel for Kitty and her 'friends'.

Now its put me in a 'gotta read more shapeshifters' kick, so I've been raiding my large bookcase and replacing the other books that I've had in a smaller bookcase in my bedroom.

Note to self - I've got to get either a bigger bookcase, or a bigger bedroom to put all these ruddy books!

I've gone through my list of usual suspects, LKH, Yasmine Galenorn, Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, Christine Warren, Nalini Singh, MaryJanice Davidson, Christine Feehan, Carrie Vaughn, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lora Leigh, Tanya Huff, Keri Arthur and even Alice Borchardt. I desperately need some new shapeshifting authors.... can anyone out there HELP!