The Weekend Update - 3.22.14

So, since my end-of-the-week post isn't just about what I got in my mailbox or on my Kindle each week -- though that is a big part of it, I won't lie -- I decided to change up the title and intro a bit.  I might tweak the format a bit over the next few weeks, but for the most part, it'll contain the same stuff:  stuff I got, stuff I did, and stuff that's coming up on the blog.  Plus, I get to use the awesome GIF you see here and blow kisses to all the people who sent me lovely books and bookish things.  Oh, and I've started linking up to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews since I'm not using a specific meme title anymore.  April's also doing her own Stacking the Shelves posts on Sundays.  Stop by and say hi!  =)

Um, I went a little crazy this week. At least with my audio, lol. But I'm taking full advantage of having access to the capital library's audiobook archive since I finally got my library card when I was in Austin visiting my sister last week. Big thanks to Jenn Renee for letting me know that you don't have to be an Austin resident to benefit from this service, as my tiny small town library has next to nothing available on audio...or any other format really. o_O

Anyway, here's what I scored this week:

physical goodies

For Review:

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (ARC) - unsolicited
Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell (finished copy) - unsolicited
Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald (finished copy) - unsolicited

I read the prequel story to Dorothy Must Die, and I wasn't all that impressed, but the snippet at the end for the full-length novel did intrigue me further. Can't wait to see if the book surpasses the short story. I haven't seen the best reviews for Dear Killer, but my curiosity was piqued by a juvenile serial killer a la TV's Dexter. I don't know much about Under the Egg, and I don't read all that much Middle Grade these days, but other reviews make this sound like a well-researched read.

Purchased:

See Me by Wendy Higgins (ebook)
Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover (audio)

I've enjoyed Wendy Higgins' Sweet Trilogy, so I was excited to see a self-published book about Leprechauns and faeries from her. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. I love Colleen Hoover, and despite some negative reviews for this book, I enjoyed it. Both of these should be reviewed on the blog next week.

Library:

The Beautiful & the Cursed by Page Morgan (audio)

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan (audio)

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (audio)

TBatC was a re-read/listen in preparation for the sequel, which releases next month. I have an ARC which I'll be reading and reviewing shortly. I had ARCs of both Uninvited and The Naturals, but I never got around to them, so I'm listening to the audiobooks instead, courtesy of the Austin Public Library System, which I can now access even though I live in the Dallas area. Woohoo!!!

Gifted:

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves (signed copy)
Covet by Tracey Garvis Graves (ARC)

April had an extra signed copy of On the Island, which she's always raving about, and she gave it to me, even though I won a digital copy from her back when she had a giveaway on her old blog. :) And she gave me her ARC of Covet because she plans to buy a finished copy because she loved this book so much. Isn't she the best?!? :D

+

A Mad, Wicked Folly swag from author Sharon Biggs Waller - a signed bookmark plus an original drawing and the poem referenced in the book

Traded:

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (ARC)

Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski (ARC)

I have a problem. I want all the Maggie books. I already have an audio and a hardcover copy (signed!) of The Scorpio Races, but I seriously coveted this ARC, even if it's a couple years old. And now the precious is MINE. I liked Doktorski's debut when I read it last year, and this one sounds even cuter, so I grabbed it up while the getting was good. =)

So, that's my haul.  How about you?  What did you get this week?

The Week in Review:

Reviews:

• Where the Stars Still Shine (April)
• The Kiss of Deception - Review in a GIFfy (Jen)
• Solving for Ex (Jen)
• Where You'll Find Me (Jen)
• Ashen Winter (April)
• Open Road Summer (Jen & April)

Current Giveaways:  All giveaways have ended. Check back soon for more!

Promotional/Discussion Posts:  Top Ten Books on my and April's Spring TBR piles, Blog Tours...Yay or Nay?

Jen's Currently Reading/Listening To:

I'll be finishing up my first real buddy read with April for Julie Kagawa's The Forever Song and then I'm going to force her to read Don't Look Back with me. :) If you'll remember, neither of us has ever read a JLA book before, so it seemed like the perfect time to remedy that.

I've put this one off long enough. I kind of wanted to re-read the first book, but at the same time, I feel like I should go into this one as blind as I did Arclight. So, I'm just diving in.

Upcoming Reviews:

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Labels: in my mailbox (imm), stacking the shelves, the weekend update