My Reading Pile #85

So it was a quiet week in the mailbox this week – as in I got no physical books in the mail. But I did cave last week and agree to a trade so I’m hoping that I’ll have a few books in next week’s mailbox to share.

Especially as I am trying so hard to make it to year-end before reaching out to publishers for some of those coveted titles I so desire. But it’s been really, really hard. As there are so many seriously amazing books releasing this winter.

And while I didn’t receive any physical books in the mail, I did receive an eARC for review and that is…

[Credit for mailbox sharing goes to TSS]

I am so super psyched to have an eARC of LUMINOSITY by Stephanie Thomas for review thanks to Entangled Teen. I received an early copy because I’m on the blog tour for LUMINOSITY in November and while my stop isn’t a review stop, I definitely plan on reading and reviewing this book prior to my stop.

Because ever since I saw the amazing cover and read the description I’ve been dying to read it. And now I have it. Yay!

And while I wish I could add it to the top of my reading pile this week, I do have a couple other titles ahead of it. But it just might end up on the pile next week.

Anyway…

Here are the books I have in my reading pile this week.

(October 28 – November 3, 2012)

First up on the pile is DARK TRIUMPH (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers. Thanks to the amazing Jaime of Two Chicks on Books, I received an ARC last week and I’ve been fighting the urge to pick it up ever since then.

I know it’s super early and that I have a million and one other books I should be reading now, but the idea of an epic adventure with beautiful writing and setting, and a story that I already know and love is just too tempting to resist. Besides, I have been so curious to know more about Sybella, someone I wasn’t wholly certain I could trust when I first met her.

But I can’t wait to read this story told from her perspective. I can’t wait to find out more about her backstory than was revealed in Grave Mercy. I can’t wait to see just who she meets imprisoned in the dungeons. If it’s who I hope it is, I will be so incredibly happy.

And if all this wasn’t enough of a reason for me to be excited to read this book this week, the fact that the description calls this “heart-pounding” and promises “betrayal, treachery, and danger” that will keep me on the edge of my seat should just about do it.

If this book is even half as amazing as Grave Mercy was, then I will be a very, very happy reader this week.

Next up on the pile is BLACK CITY by Elizabeth Richards. I also received an ARC of this book from Jaime last week. And this is another book I’m so curious about that I just have to read it now.

While I’d seen the cover across the blogosphere awhile back, I hadn’t checked out its description until very recently on Parajunkee’s blog and my curiosity was piqued. A post-apocalyptic forbidden love story with a “deadly conspiracy” and a “bloody war” sounded just so incredibly awesome I decided to pre-order it.

But now that I have an advance reader’s copy, I can’t resist the chance to read it just a little bit early.

I can’t wait to meet Ash Fisher and Natalie Buchanan. I’m so very curious about just what Darklings are and why there’s such animosity between the races. And I want to know just what it is about Natalie that causes Ash’s heart to beat. Especially since the description says it had been “long-dormant.”

I hope this book is every bit as riveting as it sounds, that the two characters aren’t executed for being in love, and that the conspiracy is one they’ll be able to discover before it’s too late.

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Wishful Thinking reads:

Can I say EVERBOUND by Brodi Ashton again? I think I’m obsessed with this book. I might have been okay if I hadn’t thought I had an early copy coming to me. But when that didn’t pan out I became mildly obsessed with the idea of finding out just what happened after that “oh my gosh you’re kidding me I can’t believe you just did that what just happened there no no no no no no no no no” ending in EVERNEATH.

And now that I heard this book is even more amazing than the first, I’m dying. Literally. Okay, maybe not literally but it feels a lot like it. So of course I have to add this to my wishful thinking reads this week. Because I’m wishing and hoping that the copy I traded for arrives. And if it does I am wishing and hoping that I will be able to squeeze in a few hours to read it.

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Those left behind:

It was another week where real life took over most of my spare time. And getting sick didn’t help, either. So I didn’t get a chance to read two books this week. And the book that I did read was one I went off-pile to read.

I happened to be out and about with a Kindle that didn’t have SPLINTERED on it or the ability to download via 3G. So I ended up taking a peek at UNRAVELING by Elizabeth Norris. And once I did, I couldn’t possibly step away from that story. So, every free moment – not that there were many – I had this week I spent devouring that book.

And while I haven’t finished it, I will be finishing it today and getting right back to SPLINTERED, which I hope to finish before I start on this new pile of reads I have. I am also hopeful that I’ll be able to squeeze in UNDER THE NEVER SKY because that book is one I want to read now and don’t want to become a “back on the pile” read.

I also hope to finish those lingering reviews for STARLING and COVET. Because with NaNoWriMo starting this week, I just don’t know how much time or mental capacity I’ll have to write reviews this month.

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NetGalley Pile Adds:

I was so good this week, hiding from NetGalley. Until last night. And if I’d created this post earlier I could have said that I refrained from requesting anything.

I can’t say that now. Because I did end up requesting two titles from Penguin – NATURAL BORN ANGEL by Scott Speer and THE MADNESS UNDERNEATH by Maureen Johnson. Two books I don’t think I’ll be approved for. But I just had to try.

I would have loved to spend last week reading. Sadly that didn’t happen. And I’d love to spend this week reading instead of doing all those things that I should be doing like working, sleeping, blogging, writing. But I won’t be able to avoid those responsibilities… except for sleeping, maybe.

But the amount of books I’ve read this year has been atrocious. Embarrassing. Shocking. And the amount of books I’ve reviewed this year has been even more mortifying. Horrifying. Despicable.

So, I’m really hopeful that with my new goals for my third year of blogging in place I’ll be able to refocus on the reading and reviewing. Because I miss all those hours I used to have to get lost in a book.

Anyway… enough about me. What about you?

Do you have anything exciting to read this week? A book that you’ve been waiting forever to move to the top of the pile and now you finally can? A book whose release date has arrived and it’s just begging to be read?

I’d love to hear what books you’ve received and are planning on reading this week!

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Do you create a reading pile?
If so, what’s in your pile this week?