Bruce’s Shelfies: We have come….to the end.

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Well. Sort of.  We haven’t come to the complete, grinding end, but it’s time to announce that I will be winding back my output for this blog over the next few months.  After nearly five years of blogging and nearly two years of posting five days a week, I have hit something of a wall in both reading and wanting to blog and I have therefore made the decision to ease off a bit.

It started with Fiction in 50.  At the end of last year I was unsure of whether I wanted to continue that feature because it felt like a chore more than anything.  I put the question to you good folk and some of you felt strongly that it should stay, so stay it has.  But my heart’s not in it.

Then over the past month or two I’ve had enormous trouble keeping up with my review schedule.  I just can’t seem to read fast enough to get through all the books I have scheduled.  And just when I get through one stack, a whole new slew of books arrives in the mail.  I’ve come to dread receiving book-shaped packages, to tell you the truth, which is a very sad thing for a Bookshelf Gargoyle.  I’ve been reading the same two books for a fortnight now and while I’m enjoying both, I don’t seem to be making much progress.

A few nights ago, instead of picking up my scheduled books, I started re-reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  I haven’t re-read it in years and for the last few days I have loved dropping back into that world.  I have ignored my reviewing responsibilities and I’m loving it.

I’ve also been having tech issues, with computers dying and troubles with posting on other devices.  Then there’s the fact that I really only get one day during the week to post, so I have to cram in five, sometimes six days worth of posts, into a few hours of sitting in front of the computer.

It has all begun to feel like too much work for something that is supposed to be a hobby.

So today I emailed the main publishers that I work with and asked that any requests for books that I have made for the rest of the year be withdrawn so I can sit back, relax and concentrate on getting through the books I have already received.  This was tricky to do because even as I looked through the list I thought, “Oh no, I can’t cancel THAT request, I just HAVE to read that book!” but I steeled my reserve and pressed send regardless.  And as if to illustrate the necessity of taking this action, I had no sooner sent the emails than the postman arrived with another book.

The crux of the matter is that for the next little while I will not be posting five days a week.  I may post once a week.  Maybe once a fortnight.  I will endeavour to post on the books that I have already received from publishers – about 14 in total – but I have completely ignored Netgalley for the last week and I don’t think I’ll get to the 20+ books on my Netgalley list.

I am taking a break.

And this decision has made me a lot more positively disposed toward the books already sitting on my shelf.

Until next time,

Bruce

 

 

Challenge Checkpoint #2: Halfway Through 2017

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It’s halfway through the year already (*insert cliched statement about how time flies and where did the year go here*) and therefore it is time to review where I’m at with my various reading challenges.  Let’s have at it!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2017 – COMPLETE!

Hurrah! I signed on at Pike’s Peak level – or twelve books – for this challenge this year and I am happy to say that I have now scaled to those dizzying heights!  You can check out the books I read here.

however…

since some of the books on the list are a little thin and I haven’t yet got through all the books I wanted to finish for this challenge when I signed on, I’m going to extend my goal and try for Mount Blanc level – 24 books by the end of the year.  This *should* be manageable, but I’ll have to really focus on getting those books read.

Epistolary Challenge – Progress Made!

10 Epistolary Books To Add To Your Winter Reading List

I feel like I’ve made some progress on this one in the last few months.  I’ve also acquired some epistolary novels in print copy or as review copies on Netgalley so I think this challenge is looking up. There’s no end goal or number of books to have read for this challenge, so I’m just seeing how I go at the moment.

Colour Coded Challenge – One Category to Go!

colour-coded-reading-challenge

This was never going to be a challenge that I failed, but I’m well ahead of schedule here.  I’ve only got the final category to go – a book with a pattern or rainbow on the cover – to complete the challenge, but I might extend myself and try to find more to fit the “any other colour” category.

Popsugar Challenge – Charging Ahead!

I’ve managed eighteen out of the 52 categories for this one and I’ve tried to really focus on this challenge in the last three months.  There are a few categories that I could really fit most of my books into (eg: a book published in 2017) and some that I can’t imagine I’m going to get done (eg: a book that’s more than 800 pages).  The trickiest part about this challenge is remembering to refer back to the categories each time I read a book.  Perhaps I should print out the categories now I have printer ink…..

Wild Goose Chase Reading Challenge – stalled

wild-goose-chase-challenge-button

I’ve read one book to contribute to this challenge since the last update.  That means I’ve got three categories to go.  Doable.  Again, I just have to keep the categories in mind as I’m reading.

Have you signed up for any reading challenges this year?  How are you going?

Until next time,

Bruce

 

 

 

Bruce’s Shelfies: Christmas in (Almost) July!

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It’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas, so today I am going to provide you with a round up of titles that I have my eye on for the second half of the year….you know, in case any of you feel like getting a little present for your friendly neighbourhood gargoyle.  These are books that I would love to get my grubby little claws upon had I a tad more disposable income and a bit more space on the TBR shelf.

First up of course is the hardback, illustrated, large format edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I managed to pick up a second hand copy of this edition of Philosopher’s Stone at a suitcase rummage late last year for $18.  BARGAIN!  Then I may or may not have recently splurged on this edition of Chamber of Secrets.  And in the same transaction I may or may not have ordered the hardback, 20th anniversary Ravenclaw House edition of Philosopher’s Stone.  And while we’re being honest, I may or may not have already actually put this edition of Prisoner of Azkaban on pre-order.  Because it’s releasing in October and you know, I wouldn’t want to be unprepared for Christmas or anything.  I regret nothing.

Next up is Penguin Bloom: The Odd Little Bird Who Saved A Family…

penguin bloom

I actually had plenty of opportunity to receive a review copy of this one back when it was released but at the time I thought it wasn’t really my thing.  Since then, the dwelling has had its own family of extremely friendly magpies come visiting on a regular basis and all of a sudden I desperately want to read this book.  The magpie in this one seems much more tame than even the highly trusting and relaxed birds that come almost into our kitchen when they visit, so I’m interested to read more about her.

Then there’s this atmospheric and creepy little number…

white is for witching

I can never go past a haunted house tale and White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi looks particularly enticing.

And then there’s Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw…

strange practice

I want this one so much I nearly pre-ordered it last week.  It’s got Helsings, a doctor to the undead, murderous monks and a murder mystery all in one.  How could I pass it up?

Then there’s Wed Wabbit by Lissa Evans…

wed wabbit

I’ve read and enjoyed a number of Lissa Evan’s other books and this one looks like a bit of a change of pace.  The blurb sounds a bit subversive to me and I’m intrigued by that scary wabbit shadow on the cover.

Then there’s the Cool Japan Guide by Abby Denson…

cool japan guide

It’s a graphic novel travel guide!!  I haven’t given up on my dream of visiting Japan and following in Mad Martha’s footsteps, despite financial impossibilities and the difficulties of getting stone on a plane and I think this book would be the perfect inspirational tome.

Then of course there’s Ben Hatke’s entire back catalouge…

mighty jack and the goblin king

But I’d settle for Mighty Jack and the Goblin King, being the second in the Mighty Jack graphic novel series.  I reviewed the first one earlier this year and I am itching to get my teeth into this next installment.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start for Santa, don’t you think?  What about you?  What books are on your Christmas list for 2017?

Until next time,

Bruce

 

 

Bruce’s Shelfies: My Christmas, Unwrapped #Whographica # DoctorWho

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Since we’re among friends, I think it’s safe to make you all jealous by telling you how many books I got for Christmas.  Are you ready?  I think you’ll be shocked and amazed…

I got……

One.

Yup, you read that right.  One single, solitary book for Christmas.  But am I crying? No siree, Bob!  Because the book I received is an absolute cracker of a read – and best of all, I didn’t even know it existed!

So what was this intriguing, involving and all around excellent book?  Whographica: An Infographic Guide to Space and Time by Simon Guerrier, Steve O’Brien and Ben Morris.

whographica

Now, if  you aren’t a fan of Doctor Who you can probably switch off now because I’m not sure you’ll appreciate how kick-ass this book really is.  If you are still reading, I will assume that you too are a fan of all things Who, so here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

Captivating, intriguing, beautiful and strange, Whographica explores the rich universe of Doctor Who like no book before it. Through creative visualisations, infographics, charts, maps and more, it offers a unique introduction to the extraordinary worlds of the show – from the Doctor’s family tree to the strangest weapons in the universe; from a star chart showing the exact co-ordinates of Gallifrey to a flow diagram of allegiances between Daleks and Cybermen throughout history.

Bursting with colour, expert knowledge, and fun, Whographica will delight new and long-term fans alike. And, like the show it celebrates, it will make you see the world in an entirely new way.

If you, like me, are a fan of Doctor Who and would like to extend your Who-related knowledge, but lack the time to watch every episode ever made or read long nonfiction texts about the series, its creators, its social impact and other bits of Who-minutiae, you should really get your paws on this book.  Every single page in it has an infographic about some fascinating aspect of the show – from the Doctors themselves to the actors who played them, from when and where particular episodes were screened, to the frequency of words used in their titles, from the comparative appearances of cybermen to daleks, to the percentages of male-to-female job roles in the production team – this book will tell you every little thing you ever needed to know about Doctor Who.

Best of all, for someone like me who likes a bit of variation in illustrative style, the infographic designs range widely.  There are some infographics packed full of graphs and bits and bobs, like the pages devoted to each specific Doctor:

whograhpica-two

Note the pictograph showing relative heights of each doctor!! There are geographical infographics galore – this particular one shows all the countries in which 50th Anniversary episode The Day of the Doctor was simultaneously screened:

whographica-one

There are many infographics devoted to the Doctors’ companions, like this one about Sarah Jane Smith:

whographica-three

There are plenty of infographics that just have interesting facts that you may never have considered.  This one, for instance, names the six episodes in which every speaking character, not including the Doctor and his companion/s, ends up dead:

whograhpica-four

Don’t be too downhearted though, because this infographic is a companion to an earlier one, which shows all the episodes in which everyone lives.

For us bookish folk, there’s even a graphic showing the dominant colours on the covers of all the published Doctor Who novelisations!

Truly, I was immediately engrossed in this nifty, satisfyingly chunky book as soon as I unwrapped it and I have had it on my shelfside table ever since.  I will no doubt be dipping into this one for a long time to come yet and I would heartily recommend it to anyone who considers themselves part of the Doctor Who fandom.

Did the Annual Gift Man leave any book-shaped packages under your tree last year?

Until next time,

Bruce

 

2016 Challenge Wrap Up Post …and new challenges for 2017

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It’s time for me to take stock of the challenges in which I participated this year and start looking ahead to new challenges for 2017.  I’ve had great fun completing the challenges I chose for this year – some have been quite tricky in parts, but I’ve knocked them all over and now I’m ready to start the process again.

2016 Challenges – completed!

I went in for three challenges this year.  The first was my own challenge – the Title Fight Reading Challenge 2016″

Title Fight Button 2016

I had to read seven books for this one, and completed it on November 13th.  You can check out the books I chose and their reviews here.

The most useful challenge for me this year was the annual My Reader’s Block Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2016.

I signed on at the lowest level for this challenge – Pike’s Peak, or 12 books from my TBR pile – because I wasn’t sure what my review schedule would be like.  I managed to finish all the books I chose at the beginning of the year, plus a few extras for a total of 16 books.  I’m really pleased with that achievement and I’ll be aiming to equal it next year.

I also managed to complete the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge hosted by Escape with Dollycas.

alphabet soup challenge 2016

After a few false starts on some letters, I finally managed to complete the alphabet on December 10th.  I did hope to find books that began with each letter (without a “the” or “a” or whatever in front), but I didn’t manage to find an appropriate X book and had to settle for a book with an X elsewhere in the title.  Overall though, this was a pretty simple challenge to complete and a bit of fun.  You can see which books I chose and what I thought about them here.  I have decided not to sign on to this one next year but I may well do it again in the future.

2017 Challenges

I’ve signed on for four challenges for 2017.  The first is, of course, my own challenge: The Wild Goose Chase Reading Challenge 2017.

wild-goose-chase-challenge-button

You can check out the guidelines for the challenge here and sign up to join in!  I won’t plan the books I will read for this challenge before hand, but rather wing it (pun intended) throughout the year.

Next up, I’ll be having another crack at the Mount TBR Reading Challenge hosted by Bev at My Reader’s Block.

I’m joining up at Pike’s Peak level again, which requires me to read 12 books.  One a month is certainly doable and I’ve chosen in advance the books I want to knock over.  You can see them here.

Next up, I’m jumping on board the Epistolary Reading Challenge 2017 hosted by Whatever I Think Of!

epistolatory-reading-challenge-2017

Epistolary Reading Challenge 2017

This one requires you to read books that are, in all or part, in the format of letters, diaries or emails etc.  It’s a pretty low key challenge because there are no levels or check ins.  I am not going to set myself a level, but see how many I can find to fit this challenge as I go next year.  You can check out the challenge and guidelines here and sign up.

Finally, I’m getting on to another My Reader’s Block annual challenge, the Colour Coded Reading Challenge 2017.

colour-coded-reading-challenge

This one requires you to read nine books with different colours in the title OR on the covers.  Since my own Wild Goose Chase Challenge  already requires me to find certain elements within titles, I am going to focus on cover colours for this one.  Luckily, my TBR shelf is arranged in colour blocks, so this shouldn’t be too tricky!  Once again, I’m not going to plan which books I’ll read in advance but discover them as I go.  You can check out the guidlelines for this one and sign up here.

Are you planning on participating in any reading challenges in 2017?  Let me know!

Until next time,

Bruce

A Mini DNF-a-Thon: DNFs with Potential…

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I have had a mini-swathe of DNFed books of late so I thought I’d share them here in case there are any of you whose interest is piqued by their content.  I hasten to add that none of the following books is bad in any major way, but they just didn’t really suit my tastes or my mindset at the time of reading, possibly because two out of three of them came unsolicited from the publishers. Here we go then.

The Diabolic (S. J. Kincaid)

*We received this one from Simon & Schuster for review * 

Categories: YA, science fiction, speculative fiction, playing politics, survival the-diabolic

DNF’ed at: page 77

Comments:

This one was sent unsolicited (ie: I didn’t request it) for review, so I wasn’t initially sure what I was getting into.  I was actually quite engaged during the first section of the book, but as soon as Nemesis got on the ship to head off to intergalactic court to impersonate her mistress, I lost interest.  This book is getting absolute rave reviews all over the place though, and my loss of interest may have had more to do with being too busy to focus on it, rather than the book suddenly becoming uninteresting.  I may well pick this one up again in the future and would recommend it to fans of sci-fi or YA that isn’t set in your typical fantasy or contemporary worlds.


The Fifth Avenue Artists Society (Joy Callaway)

*We were sent this one for review from Allen & Unwin*

Categories: Adult fiction, historical fiction, period romance  fifth-avenue-artists-society

DNF’ed at: page 36

Comments:

This one was also unsolicited, but I like a good period piece as much as the next gargoyle so I thought I’d give it a crack.  I could have probably found myself enjoying this if I didn’t have a whole bunch of books lying around waiting to be read, honestly, but overall this one was a bit too out-of-period for me.  I prefer my historical fiction from this era to be British rather than American.  There were a few turns of phrase in the dialogue and in the general writing that hit me as slightly out of place, but again, if I was an ordinary reader who read one book at a time, I may have found more to enjoy here.  This one is a victim of just not being my thing.  But it might be yours!


The Amateurs (Sarah Shepard)

*We received this one from Allen & Unwin for review*

Categories: YA, murder mystery the-amateurs

DNF’ed at: chapter ten

Comments:

This was a definite fail for me.  I was excited to read it because it features a group of amateur sleuths who chat online and try to solve cold cases.  Just my thing, I thought!  Unfortunately, the author insists on going off at annoying tangents by having her characters constantly reflect inwardly about various peoples’ hotness and whether they should really be hanging out with this person or encouraging advances from that person’s running coach, ad nauseum. I just wanted to know about the murder mystery, kids – save your adolescent angst for a romance book!  While I really did want to know who murdered Helena Kelly, I wasn’t prepared to wade through a bunch of cliched tripe-filled characters to find out.  Shame really.


Have you read any of these?  What did you think?

Until next time,

Bruce

Bruce’s Shelfies: My Year in Book Titles 2016

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It’s time once again for a cheeky look back on my 2016 – in book titles!  You are welcome to join in with this fun little game that I have been playing since 2014.  Essentially, I have a set of sentence starters and finish them off with the titles of books that I have read this year.  Given that this year I have read more books than ever before, I will be spoiled for choice!

It’s fun.  It’s frivolous.  It’s frivolous fun.  Join in!

So far, I would describe this year as being: Fuzzy

I’m tipping that the next big thing in Reality TV shows will be: Crochet Taxidermy

I could have cried when: The Monster on the Road is Me

I would love to have some respite from: Peril at End House

The most unexpected thing that happened this year involved: Lily and the Octopus

My non-bookish friends would say I’m:  Oddest of All 

My motto for 2017 will be: Don’t Get Caught

I am most looking forward to: The Birth of Kitaro

A recurring dream I’ve had this year features: Summer, Fireworks and My Corpse

If you looked under my couch you would see: The Nose Pixies

If I could no longer blog, I would probably pursue a career in: How Not to Disappear

Something most people don’t know about me is: I Am Princess X

 

fuzzycrochet-taxidermymonster-on-the-road-is-meperil-at-end-houselily-and-the-octopusoddest-of-alldont-get-caughtbirth-of-kitarosummer-fireworks-and-my-corpsethe-nose-pixies

how-not-to-disappeari-am-princess-x

Until next time,

Bruce

 
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