Stocking The Stacks — Library Haul

Stocking the Stacks is a weekly features inspired by Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga’s Reviews a weekly feature which is all about sharing the books we are adding to our endless To Be Read Piles (both physical and digital)!

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Hello everyone, Haley here, and welcome to another Stocking the Stacks, a feature where we talk about the books we’ve recently added to our never ending physical and digital TBRs. As you saw in our Thursday Tea Time post, I am officially on a book buying ban but that doesn’t mean I’m not taking full advantage of my library and thought I would share my recent haul!

Library Haul

Physical Books

Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim

When I was in eighth grade I began an intense love affair with classic literature. I read some monstrous books (including War and Peace, The Iliad, The Odyssey, and Gone with the Wind). Yet one my most poignant memories is when spent an entire Thanksgiving break with my nose in The Count of Monte Cristo. So you bet, when I heard about a gender-swapped Count of Monte Cristo retelling thanks to The Professional Book Nerd’s podcast I put a hold on a physical copy at my library and am about half way through already.

Night Country by Melissa Albert

I feel like I am in the minority but I loved The Hazel Wood. I know there are very strong opinions about it but I sit firmly in the love camp and am so excited to finally have the sequel in my hands. I cannot wait to read more intriguing, twisted stories from The Hinterland.

Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao

This is a group read in the TBR and Beyond Book Club which Emily helps moderate. It was initially brought to my attention because of the controversy around its initial publication. The author is of East Asian descent and writes about indentured servitude in a fantasy world. I will definitely keep my eye out for any problematic things but I also take YA Twitter controversies with a grain of salt because, well, its YA Twitter.

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez

This was a January BOTM YA pick and I honestly wish that more people were talking about it. It is an ownvoices fantasy novel grounded in Bolivian myths with a gorgeous cover that was designed by the author. A decoy condessa takes the place of the last royal in an arranged marriage and relies on magic that manifests in the form of weaving messages into tapestries. It sounds amazing and I cannot wait to dig in.

Audiobooks

The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villisante

This was a book I heard about on my other favorite bookish podcast: Reading Glasses. Brea, who loves sci-fi novels that tackle current social issues recommended it as a heavy but important read about what it means to allow room for grief and how we consciously, and subconsciously, treat people who are different from us. I cannot wait to listen to this audiobook!

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

This book is described as Project Runway meets Mulan and while I won’t openly admit it in public I, like so many, love a good reality tv show competition. I have seen this book get mixed reviews but I have an ARC of the sequel so I definitely want to get this one so I can read my ARC before its release date.

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

I was unsure about picking this one up. It seemed really heavy and while I enjoy dark and disturbing, I have to be in the right mood to tackle books that treat emotionally draining topics like in this case, survivor’s guilt. Plus, I have seen a lot of people who get Book of the Month raving about it so I figured I might as well give it a shot.

Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

So I picked this one up become I can hardly contain my excitement for Arnold’s next book: Red Hood, which is a dark retelling of Red Riding Hood (not that Red Riding Hood isn’t already dark). But I thought to prepare I should listen to Arnold’s most recent dark retelling which is apparently a re-imagining of the Rapunzel story with dragons (or some thing). Plus, I listened to the first few chapters already and the chosen narrator is perfection!

Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zetner

I adored The Serpent King but haven’t read another book by Zetner since. But this book, about two friends who host a weekly show about campy horror movies set against the backdrop of the girls’ senior year of high school as they prepare to go their separate ways. I imagine, like all of Zetner’s books, this one will be an emotional roller coaster and I am here for it.

Sadie by Courtney Summers

I am always hesitant when it comes to thrillers, and especially YA thrillers, because I feel like they all promise “the twist that you won’t see coming” and too often the writing is subpar and the twist can be guessed a fourth of the way. But, I have heard amazing things about Sadia so I’m giving it a shot.

What About You?

Have you checked out any awesome books from your library recently? Have you read any from my haul? What did you think? Let us know in the comments!