Stacking the Shelves (88)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews where you showcase all of the books you received for the week, whether it be physical or electronic books!

 OMGGGG… I definitely don’t do a stacking the shelves, two weeks in a row but I went to the Toronto International Book Fair this weekend so I have a ton of awesome books to show and SO MUCH to say about the event.

Ok, first of all. I met Deborah Harkness. She is by far my absolute favorite author and it was a dream to meet her. Of course, I had hardly anything to say when I got up to her because I’m so shy that I just instantly clam up but AH! I met her! I had to buy another book in order for her to sign it because Chapters basically had the run of this event (which was the major downfall for me) but it was totally worth it. Her event was called Imagining the Past and it was phenomenal. She is a completely engaging speaker, which makes sense because she is a professor but listening to her speak about how she created her characters, and how they were in the past, and how they came to be there was just amazing. I’d talk about it but there is a lot of spoilers for people who haven’t read the series.

The night before I went to the Jim Gaffigan even and got to meet him as well. He is absolutely hilarious, and his event was full of laughs. He wrote in my book, “Lauren: My pale hero”, which basically makes my entire life. If you know Jim Gaffigan, you know how much he references being pale so for him to write that just made my whole day! (And yes… I am extremely pale!)

I left the event on Friday being quite disappointed by what was there, but when I went back on Saturday I (as you will see below) seemed to discover a ton more things I needed to read haha. Entangled was also there, and they were giving away copies of their books! They are a really fun and enthusiastic publisher and I had a lovely conversation with the guy working the booth! (And I forget his name because I had just come from the Deborah Harkness event and could barely register where I was haha). The ladies at the Harlequin booth were also great and I had a fun time speaking with them as well. Actually I ended up being really talkative, and when I get home Nick said, “I feel like you might be exaggerating these conversations” haha. I told him I’m not sure what came over me as well because I’m normally SOOO shy but I was very talkative to the publishers. Now, it was probably due to the fact that there was no one else there when I was, I hate speaking when others are around, I feel so self-conscious!

I had a few qualms about the event, but overall I would label it a success after visiting again on Saturday. Without it, I would never have met Deborah Harkness! I will definitely be going back next year (and lets hope I get to these books by then :P).

Alright… that was all over the place, but you get the idea… NOW onto the books!!!

      
      
      
      
      
Lailah by Nikki Kelly
*Won giveaway on Goodreads – Macmillan Teen

Half Bad by Sally Green
*Purchased at the Penguin Random House Indigo booth (TIBF)

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan
Deviants by Maureen McGowan
Glory by Maureen McGowan
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (PB)
*Purchased at the Indigo booth (TIBF)

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare
Beautiful Oblivion by Jamie McGuire
*Purchased at the Simon & Schuster booth (TIBF)

Talon by Julie Kagawa
‘Tis the Season by Robyn Carr
A Country Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Maybe This Christmas by Sarah Morgan
Snow Angel Cove by RaeAnne Thayne
Christmas on 4th Street: Yours for Christmas by Susan Mallery
*Purchased at the Harlequin booth (TIBF)

Empress of the Night by Eva Stachniak
*Purchased at the Republic of Poland booth (TIBF)

Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross
Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander
The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel
*Given at the Entangled booth (TIBF)

Best Recipes from the Maritime Provinces by Elizabeth Baird
*Purchased at the Ontario Book Publishers Organization area (TIBF)

Joy Runs Deeper by Bronia and Joseph Beker
As the Lilacs Bloomed by Anna Molnar Hegedus
Traces of What Was by Steve Rotschild
*Purchased at The Azrieli Foundation booth (TIBF)

 I was so excited to win the giveaway for Lailah on Goodreads! I enter a ton of giveaways on Goodreads, but honestly never expect to win any of them because there is always a billion entries so imagine my surprise when I got the email that I had won! I have heard mixed reviews about this one but it sounds soooo interesting that I just am itching to read it! And I love the cover, it’s so creepy. I did a lot of cover petting when this arrived at my house haha. When I first arrived at the book fair I got a bit excited and grabbed the first book that I could think of on my TBR… Half Bad haha. Interesting choice, considering that it wasn’t exactly a hard to find title. I was a bit disappointed because the Penguin Random House booth was run by Indigo so there wasn’t any fair discounts on the books but ah well, this cover is so beautiful and shiny! Dad is Fat is Jim Gaffigan’s first book, and Food: A Love Story is his new release. I had started Dad is Fat on audiobook last year but didn’t finish it in time so it got returned to the library. I really enjoyed what I had read so I’m excited to get started on it. His new book sounds hilarious as it’s about food, and it’s what his discussion really focused on. He has such a funny take on everything so I can’t wait to read this one!

Simon & Schuster had a fantastic booth at the fair. The set up was so fun, with sofas and beds and it was basically set up like a little home. It was so cozy looking and the wall decorations were lovely. I actually got a few ideas for my book room wall art 😛 They had a great 20% (I think so, correct me if I’m wrong but I’m almost sure) discount off their titles so I thought it was a great time to grab The Bane Chronicles (as it’s a hardback) and Beautiful Oblivion (because it’s priced as an adult paperback which are always more expensive)! I’m really thrilled to finally be able to read The Bane Chronicles. I had read the first one, but there was no way I was purchasing ten little novella’s knowing that they were going to be released in a bundled book! Magnus Bane is one of my favorite characters in the series so this will definitely be a recent upcoming read. Ok, I will tell you a secret. I want to read Beautiful Oblivion yes, but the MAIN reason I purchased this was because of the cover. Peacock feathers?! HELLO! I am obsessed with peacock feathers in any form and this is actually going to be going in a fancy front facing book stand to display its beauty in full 😛 I picked up both Deviants and Glory because I have the second book (Compliance) in this series. I haven’t found these anywhere else so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to complete the series, considering they were right in front of me. Unfortunatly, I wasn’t able to hear Maureen McGowan speak but as she is a Canadian author I’m sure there will be another opportunity (Hopefully!).

I own Shadow of Night in hardback but I needed to buy one of the books for her to sign so I purchased it in paperback as well. I was hoping they would have Discovery in hardback, but no such luck! Ok, I really had no intention of buying Talon and I wasn’t sure if I would read it (I hadn’t even selected it on Goodreads!) but OMG… when I seen this cover I nearly died. It is seriously gorgeous, and has the most unique cover treatment! It has ACTUAL SCALES, well not actual ones obviously, but the cover is raised like it’s scales. And the red and gold… gorgeous 🙂 Now, when I read the synopsis on Goodreads, it really does sound like an awesome book; I have no idea why I didn’t have it on my TBR before. This will definitely be another one of those books that will be displayed in a front facing stand! I purchased Empress of the Night because I really, really enjoyed the first book in the series, The Winter Palace and it was on a fabulous discount. My knowledge of Catherine the Great prior to it was zero so I had a really fun time reading it. I’m excited to see where this book takes the story! ‘Tis the Season was one of the books included in the holiday bundle at the Harlequin booth. I haven’t read any of Robyn Carr’s books but this is another one I will be reading before Christmas!

A Country Christmas, Maybe this Christmas, Snow Angel Cove and Christmas on 4th Street were also included in the Harlequin bundle. It was such a fantastic deal (only $30 for all 5!) that I couldn’t resist. I really had my eye on Maybe this Christmas so the others are just a fantastic bonus 😛

I went to the Entangled booth because I wanted to see what titles they had available to purchase. I was specifically hoping that they would have Whatever Life Throws at You, and it turns out they did! Entangled was being extremely generous and they were actually giving away all of the books available so I was able to get Whatever Life Throws at You as well as two others I hadn’t heard of Love and other Unknown Variables and The Book of Ivy! I’m really excited to check these out as I have fast becoming interested in Entangled!

The last four books unfortunately didn’t have pictures available on Goodreads so I wasn’t able to put any up. One was a cookbook: Best Recipes of the Maritime Provinces. I am from Nova Scotia, and I really, really miss the cooking. I spent a lot of time looking through this and the recipes seem authentic so I had to pick it up, especially since there was a discount as well! The last three books I got were from The Azrieli Foundation. They sell Holocaust memoirs and had a ton of beautiful titles. I spoke with the lady at the booth for quite some time and she helped me pick out three titles: Joy Runs Deeper (which is actually written by lovely Jeanne Beker’s parents!), Traces of What Was and As the Lilacs Bloomed. I’m really looking forward to reading these, although I know they will have to be spaced out as they are going to be tough, touch reads. I’ve linked to them above as well!

 
      
Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes
*Free download from Entangled
You by Caroline Kepnes
*Purchased on Kindle
The Practice Proposal by Tracy March
*Free on Amazon
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
*Borrowed from the library

I’m very intrigued by Olivia Twisted! I hadn’t heard of this title before yesterday, but Entangled gave me a card so I could access this on e-book when I visited their booth at the fair. It sounds really good! You was on as a Kindle deal and after Cass’s review, I added this to my TBR. I was really excited to get this one (although I certainly didn’t need to add any other books to my TBR after the fair haha) and it will definitely be read in the near future! The Practice Proposal was free on Amazon and since I’m really interested in Entangled as of late, I had to get it! I love a good adult romance, so I love stocking up on these titles when they are available free or on Kindle deal. AND CROWN OF MIDNIGHT! Finally, just finally! I got this from the library because I want the entire series in hardcover and since my bookstore only has them in PB, I have to order them online. Obviously I can’t wait for that to happen so the library it was 🙂 I will be starting it this week because I cannot wait any longer!

Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Lyla Payne
*From Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books

I couldn’t resist requesting this from Netgalley! I am such a sucker for holiday books and I had added this to my TBR recently, and then seen it on Netgalley! I want to do a ton of Christmas reviews in the month of December so this is perfect. And plus it just sounds FUN!

 
None this week!

What books did you get this week? Did you attend the International Toronto Book Fair? What were your thoughts on it if so? Link up!!