Shelf Control #4 | The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey

Shelf Control

hosted by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Shelf Control is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available, and in most cases, sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers.

The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey

Synopsis (via Goodreads):
San Francisco, 1905: Rosalind, a medieval scholar, is hired by Jason, a powerful sorcerer. Jason's enemy offers to restore Rosalind's family fortune if she will betray Jason. And then the earthquake strikes. . . .

How I got it:
I picked this up at a thrift store. For $1. I loooooove thrift stores, you guys.

When I got it:
A couple weeks ago, maybe August 2016. Definitely not the unread book I've owned the longest, but one I'm eager to read.

Why I want to read it:
I've been very intrigued by the idea of Lackey's Elemental Masters series, so I really hoped this was one of them -after the fact I found out this is basically ground zero for the series, the beginning if not technically 'book one'- but mostly I got it because it's a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. As I mentioned in yesterday's Top Ten Tuesday, I'm trying to read ALL OF THE RE-TELLINGS before the live-action version hits theaters in March. (Wish me luck!) Plus, I've never read anything by Lackey before and, for a girl whose first love is fantasy, that seems like something it needs to be remedied, poste haste.

What series is on your To Read list that you seem to keep putting off?

June Wrap Up

It's been a busier month than usual here on To Read or Not to Read? but I hope you're having as much of a blast as I am! Miss some of the recent goings on? No worries!

It was awesome to share the newly revealed cover of a middle grade novel I've been dying to read:

• Upcoming Title | POTIONS IN THE PIZZA by Mikey Brooks

I also hosted a giveaway for Cheree Alsop's newly completed series GIRL FROM THE STARS SERIES. If you like tough heroines and space opera, check them out!

As you know, this was the Month of Memes! I had so much fun exploring corners of the book blogging world I've never seen before and I plan to keep on doing just that. I hope you'll stick around for more!

Top Ten Tuesdays is a meme I've been doing for awhile now and I really had fun with the two topics I participated in this month -especially the Favorite Heroines. I had no idea I had so many!

• Top Ten Tuesday | Ten (or Thirteen) Favorite Heroines
• Top Ten Tuesday | Most Anticipated Reads for the Second Half of 2016

Now for some of the new memes I played around with.

Teaser Tuesdays are fun because it helps me keep ya'll updated on what I'm reading -which I'll be the first to admit I have gotten pretty terrible at. Don't look at my Goodreads 'Currently Reading' shelf. Seriously. Don't. Do. It. (I'm begging you.)

• Teaser Tuesday #1 | Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Shelf Control is exactly the meme I've been looking for! I have so many unread owned books glaring at me whenever I bring something new home from the library, so featuring one of these TBR beauties reminds me how good they sound. Look! I'm already halfway through The 39 Steps!

• Shelf Control #1 | The 39 Steps by John Buchan
• Shelf Control #2 | Vicious by V.E. Schwab

#BookmarkMonday is a fabulous idea! Have I ever mentioned how much I love bookmarks? How much I obsess over bookmarks? That I have a drawer full of them? Here's my chance to show off my collection!

• #BookmarkMonday (1) | Laugh It Up, Fuzzball
• #BookmarkMonday (2) | 'Closing the Circle'

I looooove Exploring My Bookshelves! Just another collection I get to show off. ^_^ But seriously, some of these topics are a little mind-bending. You answer specific questions based on your personal book collection. So far, this Father's Day one was my favorite. I *achem* went a little overboard.

• Exploring My Bookshelves #1 | Favorite Bookish Fathers

*coughcoughachem*

Right. So. I'm a little into Harry Potter right now.

But just a little.

I swear.

Serendipitously, I came across an awesome weekly Harry Potter meme. So. Much. Fun. Unfortunately, since I haven't finished the series yet, I won't be able to participate every week, but I'll sure have fun with the ones I can!

• Harry Potter Moment of the Week #1 | Would You Have Wanted to Explore the Shrieking Shack?

And speaking of Harry Potter, July happens to be Harry Potter Month and participating blogs get to compete for points to win the House Cup.

I am so in.

Which means that all those Harry Potter book reviews I haven't gotten around to yet -any and all thoughts and predictions I've been taking notes on- are finally going to see the light of day on the blog this month.

Three cheers, anyone?

Thanks for visiting. Fly casual!
What was your favorite post from this month?

Shelf Control #3 | Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

Shelf Control

hosted by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Shelf Control is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available, and in most cases, sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers.

Frozen Hearty by Elizabeth Rudnick

Synopsis (via Goodreads):
Told in alternating chapters from both Anna's and Hans' perspectives, A Frozen Heart takes a sophisticated look at events of Frozen, exploring the couple's backstories, motivations, and doomed relationship. 

How I got it:
This was a Hanukah present picked out by a few of my Frozen-loving niblings. (You know who you are!)

When I got it:
This would have been December 2015

Why I want to read it:
Aside from the promise extrapolated from me by their mother to read and review any book they sent me, I'm very interested to see something from Hans perspective. While I didn't love-love the film, I liked it well enough, and I always love to see things told from different perspectives. I'm interested whether to see if Hans retains his villainy in this version, or if his backstory changes him into a misused or misunderstood bad guy. Though, honestly, I'm getting really tired of those sympathetic origin stories. They work for some characters, but all right already! Can we just keep the villains villains?

Sorry. Tangent over. :P

What are your favorite or least favorite villain 'back stories'?
What book do you own that you need to finally just read already?

Shelf Control #2 | Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Shelf Control

hosted by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Shelf Control is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available, and in most cases, sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab 

Synopsis (via Goodreads):
Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

How I got it:
I bought this one for my Nook. On sale even. *win*

When I got it:
Uncertain. Either late 2015 or early 2016
 
Why I want to read it:
For a while, everyone in the booktube community was talking this book up. It's supposed to be fantastic and, after reading the synopsis, I knew I had to read it. At first, I thought my problem was not being able to find a copy. This is one of the more expensive books I've seen and I didn't have the money to dish out on something I didn't already know I'd love. Even after I got it discounted, I haven't sat down to read it yet. :P

What book do you own that you need to finally just read already? 

Shelf Control #1 | The 39 Steps by John Buchan

Another day, another meme! And since my ratio of owned books to read books is freakishly out of control, this seems like another perfect fit for To Read or Not to Read?

Shelf Control

hosted by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Shelf Control is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available, and in most cases, sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers.

The 39 Steps by John Buchan

Synopsis (via Goodreads):
Richard Hannay’s boredom with London society is soon relieved when the resourceful engineer from South Africa is caught up in a web of secret codes, spies, and murder on the eve of WWI. When a neighbor is killed in his flat, Richard, suspected, decodes the journal, runs to the wilds of his native Scotland in disguises and local dialects, evades Germans and officials.

How I got it:
Bought the series in e-book
  
When I got it:
February, maybe March

Why I want to read it:
A British spy/intrigue novel, first published in 1915. It was adapted into a play, a Hitchcock film, and, most recently, a miniseries on BBC (which is really, really good).

I discovered this because a local theater house put on a production of the play. It was hilarious. First of all, they had about 50 roles being played by four actors and a minimal amount of props. (The bi-plane they made out of a trunk and two ladders was phenomenal, but the slow-motion fight scene atop the train was even better.) So while both the play and the original Hitchcock film are more thriller/comedies, the recent adaptation from BBC was a straight up thriller; much more what I expected the Hitchcock version to be like.

Therefore, I was left with the question of: What kind of story was it originally?

All of these different versions were explored with a friend of mine, so it seemed only fitting we each pick up copies of the book (the entire series, actually) and experience it together.

I just haven't read the book yet. :P

This is the next read on my list -I've already promised, since I was supposed to have it read back in Feb/March- so I'll certainly let all ya'll know!

What book do you own that you need to finally just read already?