#bookhaul – It’s been awhile

Hey all!  It’s been awhile since I did a feature of books I have received via the mail, work, and through trades.  This week I received such a great mix of books for review and to add to my collection that I just had to share!

After speaking with Joshua Khan about his amazing new release, he sent my information to his publicist who then sent me a small package containing three arcs and a recent release.

Dream Magic by Joshua Khan–People throughout Gehenna are disappearing, even the feared executioner Tyburn. Many of the nobles believe the kidnappings to be the work of the northern trolls, raiding south for the winter, and when Baron Sable and others head off to fight them, Castle Gloom is left guarded by only the squires.

Lily is struggling with her growing necromantic powers. The castle fills with ghosts, drawn like moths to a flame by the brightness of her magic. Zombies roam the country, some left over from those raised in SHADOW MAGIC, others awakened by Lily. Families are troubled by the returning dead, so Lily tries to incorporate them into day-to-day life, much to the resentment of the living.

Then Lily is attacked in her own castle by a mysterious sorcerer known as Dreamweaver, a young man determined to conquer Gehenna using jewel-spiders, strange crystalline creatures whose bite doesn’t kill, but sends victims to sleep. Lily soon discovers that Dreamweaver is harvesting dreams to fuel his magic.

Lily enters the realm of sleep known as the Dream Time, in an attempt to awaken all the captive dreamers. Instead she finds herself trapped within a dream, one where her family is still alive. With the help of Thorn and the ever loyal Hades, she must somehow overcome the evil Dreamweaver by using his own magic against him – and reclaim her kingdom.

Published April 11, 2017 by Disney-Hyperion

Xander and the Dream Thief by Margaret Dilloway–Xander Miyamoto should be feeling great. It’s the beginning of summer vacation, his mother has returned from a long absence, and he has learned that he is a warrior with special powers. Xander never would have guessed that the old Japanese folktale about Momotaro, the hero who sprang from a peach pit, was real, much less part of his own heritage.

But instead of reveling in his recent victory against the oni, monsters bent on creating chaos, Xander is feeling resentful. What took his mother so long to come back? Why does his father insist on ruining the summer with study and training? And why is Xander plagued by nightmares every night? Maybe this whole Momotaro thing is overrated.

Xander’s grandmother gives him a special baku charm to use to chase his nightmares away. He just has to be careful not to rely on it too much. If he does, the baku will not only take his dreams, but those of everyone in the house, forever. Without dreams, there is no hope, no motivation, no imagination, no Momotaro. And then it would be far too easy for Ozuno, king of the oni, to wreak havoc. . . .

On his second quest, Xander explores new surreal landscapes, encounters more strange and dangerous creatures, and faces even higher stakes as he learns whether or not he has what it takes to be Momotaro.

To be published April 18, 2017 by Disney-Hyperion

Gum Girl by Rhode Montijo with Luke Reynolds–Gabby Gomez’s love of bubble gum has resulted in her becoming Gum Girl! With her new powers Gabby can save the day, but keeping her gummy alter-ego a secret is another matter altogether. Will she tell her parents who she is at the expense of admitting she disobeyed her mother’s strict orders? Or will a new adversary make coming clean impossible? Stay tuned!

Publishing June 2017 by Disney Hyperion

Watch the Sky by Kirsten Hubbard–The signs are everywhere, Jory’s stepfather, Caleb, says. Red leaves in the springtime. Pages torn from a library book. All the fish in the aquarium facing the same way. A cracked egg with twin yolks. Everywhere and anywhere. And because of them Jory’s life is far from ordinary. He must follow a very specific set of rules: don’t trust anyone outside the family, have your works at the ready just in case, and always, always watch out for the signs. The end is coming, and they must be prepared.

School is Jory’s only escape from Caleb’s tight grasp, and with the help of new friends Jory begins to explore a world beyond his family’s farm. As Jory’s friendships grow, Caleb notifies Jory’s mother and siblings that the time has come for final preparations.

They begin an exhausting schedule digging a mysterious tunnel in anticipation of the disaster. But as the hold gets deeper, so does the family’s doubt about whether Caleb’s prophecy is true. When the stark reality of his stepfather’s plans becomes clear, Jory must choose between living his own life or following Caleb, shutting his eyes to the bright world he’s just begun to see.

Published September 6, 2016 by Disney-Hyperion

Here’s a few recent trades from the Twitter hashtag that came in this week.  I’ve heard good things about Stalking  Jack the Ripper, so I picked up this arc to check out.  I was also able to get an arc of Truthwitch for my collection!  I’ve really taken to this series and the author.  Her newsletters are so helpful and uplifting.  I was also wanted a copy of Crossroads of Canopy because it sounded intriguing.

I purchased these 2 paperbacks this week since they were on sale on Amazon and in the hope that I can re-read both series in the near future and prefer paperback.  Also, this way my signed copies won’t collect as much wear!

Here’s the last two to share this week.  I picked up The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStephano and Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett from work.  These are both on my highly anticipated list and can’t wait to read them.  But first, I need to finish reading my May and June reviews 🙂