Stacking The Shelves is a weekly event hosted by Tynga’s Reviews that shares the books (both physical and virtual) that you recently purchased, borrowed from a fellow reader or the library, won from a giveaway, or received as gifts. Stacking The Shelves will post on Saturdays as new books are added to my shelves.
*Please note that, starting with today’s edition, Stacking The Shelves will feature links to each book’s Goodreads page instead of their Amazon pages. That way, if you’re on Goodreads, you can any of the featured books to your Goodreads shelves.*
Some of you might remember that last fall, I was looking for recommendations for fantasy novels with fairy characters. I’ve been meaning to do some “market research” on such books because the protagonist and other characters from my WIP, The Keeper’s Curse, are Faeries. Something I should have done a lot sooner than Draft #2, but better late than never, right?
So, I finally bought my first batch of fairy novels for market research, as well as another YA fantasy classic I’ve been meaning to get a hold of. And they are…
Fairy Novels…
Top row, left to right:
The Falconer (The Falconer, Book #1) by Elizabeth May (YA Steampunk Fantasy): I added this to my wishlist after reading Bibliosanctum’s Tough Traveling feature on novels featuring fairy characters. (Mogsy, you have NO idea how awesomely dangerous your list was. *lol*) I also have a soft spot for kick-ass heroines, and Aileana Kameron (fantastic name!) sounds like quite the spitfire.
Ironskin (Ironskin Trilogy, Book #1) by Tina Connolly (Steampunk / Fantasy): A Nebula-nominated steampunk fantasy inspired by Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre? Forget the fey factor. All I needed to know about Ironskin was that first sentence, since Jane Eyre is one of my favorite novels of all time. 🙂
Bottom row, left to right:
Faerie Wars (The Faerie Wars Chronicles, Book #1) by Herbie Brennan (YA Fantasy): A friend on Goodreads recommended this one to me. I’d never heard of Herbie Brennan before then, and his name doesn’t pop up often on the fantasy / book review blogs I follow. (Have any of you read his stories before?) Faerie Wars sounds pretty interesting, though. In a way that reminds me of Harry Potter and The Dark Is Rising.
Blackbringer (Faeries of Dreamdark, Book #1) by Laini Taylor (YA High Fantasy): Before her best-selling Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy, Laini Taylor wrote a couple fairy novels. I didn’t know that until I browsed through her back catalog. Now, I still haven’t read Daughter… even though I bought it after Christmas. But I’ve read nothing but praise for Laini’s writing, and Blackbringer‘s fairies sound like they’re the closest ones to the kind I’ve written for The Keeper’s Curse. (Although mine are life-size, while Laini’s are tiny.) So, once I finish my current read, Blackbringer will be my first Laini Taylor novel and the first from this batch of fairy books.
Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters, Book #1) by Juliet Marillier (Fantasy): While this Juliet Marillier classic features fairy characters (the Fair Folk), I would have bought it in the future regardless. Several people have recommended her books to her over the past few months – which convinced me that I NEEDED to add Daughter of the Forest to my TBR list. So much so that I’m already thinking this will be Fairy Read #2 after Blackbringer.
… And a Non-Fairy Novel
Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness Quartet, Book #1) by Tamora Pierce (YA Epic Fantasy): Time for a confession – I’ve already read a later book in the Song of the Lioness Quartet. *runs away and hides* I know, I know. Bad Sara for reading a series out of order. But I wanted an Alanna of Trebold novel so badly after I first heard about Tamora Pierce a few years ago and… well, I bought the only one I could find at that time. Since then, I’ve been meaning to read the others but kept forgetting to look for this series. Now I’ve got Alanna: The First Adventure, and I’m going to squeeze it in this year between the fairy novels and new releases. Does absolve me of my bookish sin? Just a little bit? *prays*
What books did you recently buy or acquire? Have you read of the books shown / discussed above? Feel free to share your opinions and most recent hauls by commenting below.
Sara Letourneau 
These all sound so interesting! I’m definitely going to check them out
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Michelle! Can’t wait to start reading them. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am on a self-imposed “no book buying” rule at the moment… transcontinental move looming overhead, and no money to ship even more books back (because I’m not selling them again!! The horror!) At least I still have a ton to read… I’m looking at Steven Brust’s Draegera series, and Discworld, and some Gaiman I haven’t read yet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would also convince me not to buy any books for a while. But that’s good that you still have a lot of books left to read.
Ooooh, which Neil Gaiman books? I’ve only read The Ocean at the End of the Lane, but I liked it a lot; and I have Stardust and Neverwhere waiting to be read now.
I haven’t heard of Steven Brust or Draegara before. What is that series about?
On the bright side, though, you can catch up on new books after you move to Canada. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Neverwhere is my favorite!! Reeeeeeaaaad it! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Also, I’ve only read the first book, Jhereg, and it’s amazing. Snarky thief in a sci-fi fantasy world with a dragon familiar, and clans that take on the characteristics of beasts in their personalities. It was amazing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
:O Adding it to my wishlist now! Thanks, Alex.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great haul! I’ve seen the Falconer around quite a lot lately and everyone seems to enjoy it. Happy reading!
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Krystianna! I think the sequel to The Falconer is coming out this summer, so maybe people are catching up on it before the new book comes out. Will check out your haul in a bit!
LikeLike
ooh The Falconer XD Nice haul, happy reading.
Maura @ monsterofbooks.blogspot.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Maura! 🙂 I’ll check out your haul in a little bit.
LikeLike
Heehee, oops! I see at least three of those were likely from my Fae list 😀 I hope you enjoy them, I absolutely adored Daughter of the Forest, The Falconer was really fun (looking forward to reading book two this year) and you know I’ve read Copperhead but not the first book Ironskin yet, but it sounds as awesome as its sequel!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha! Yes, I added The Falconer after reading your article. 😉
I think there’s also a third book after Ironskin and Copperhead…. Silver-something? (That’s not the actual title; I just don’t remember it except for the word “silver.” *lol*)
LikeLike
I haven’t read any of these books, but they all sound interesting. The Falconer has caught my attention the most though. As I’m also writing a fairy story, perhaps I should be doing some research as well… hm. Hadn’t thought about that…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Phoenix! I had read somewhere that it’s good for unpublished authors to read books that are similar to theirs so they know how their story fits into or stands out in the market. So I think by doing this, I can help potential readers for TKC get a clear idea of what kind of fairies to expect in the story. From what I’ve seen so far (mostly from the blurbs), there are a few different takes on fairies in fantasy lit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m planning to review all of these books once I’ve read them, too. So if you’re looking for fairy novel recommendations, stay tuned. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looking forward to reading the reviews. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t feel bad about jumping into a series without reading the 1st book. I know it’s against the Law of Book Reading (lol 😉 ) but it has happened to me before too.
I recently found the first 3 books in the Eragon series, and a Fairy Tales Grimm collection! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oooh, nice finds! Although I admit I haven’t read the Eragon series yet… *blushes*
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me neither, but I hope to change that this year once I get around to reading these! 🙂 And I’ll let you know what I thought of them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Time Flies!: April 2015 | Sara Letourneau's Official Website & Blog
You already know about my love for Alanna, but I need to get my hands on Ironskin. Jane Eyre and faeries? Just like you said, that’s all I need to know!
I most recently bought Gone Girl, but I’m not far enough in yet to say whether it lives up to the hype. On the other hand, I just finished A Game of Thrones and it was wonderful. Well, maybe wonderful is the wrong word since they cut off you-know-who’s head, but I think you know what I mean 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes yes yes! 🙂 I had heard good things about the Ironskin Trilogy anyways, so I’m looking forward to it regardless.
I haven’t read Gone Girl or seen the film adaptation… But based on what I’ve heard, it sounds like a real head-trip. Not sure if I’d be able to handle it… Let me know what you think.
*lol* Yeah, it’s hard to call Martin’s series “wonderful” because of all the character deaths and other… content. *ahem* But I know exactly what you mean. 😉
LikeLike
Once you go Marillier, you can’t go back :p You’ll drop everything else to read her entire library! See if you don’t!
I’m currently reading all of Tamora Pierce’s books on Oyster and I love them so much! Joining Oyster Books is probably the best decision I’ve made all year.
LikeLike
*lol* You’re not the first person to say something like that about Marillier’s work. I’ve heard nothing but praise for her stories, so I can’t wait to dig in.
And hey, don’t I know you from Facebook? 🙂
LikeLike
Pingback: Recent Reads: “Alanna: The First Adventure” by Tamora Pierce | Sara Letourneau's Official Website & Blog
The Alanna books are great, even read out of order. So are the rest of the Tortall novels, but the Trickster books – Trickster’s Choice and Trickster’s Queen – are some of my favorites, and my sister’s absolute favorites. They’re about Alanna’s daughter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really want to read more of Tamora Pierce’s books, since they’re all the kind of fantasy I enjoy most. But… so many books to read! *lol* So I’ll be good and finish the Song of the Lioness Quartet first.
Thanks for stopping by!
LikeLiked by 1 person