February 17-28 Book Porn

Thirteen books this time, with four review copies (including the hardcover release of a book I've already reviewed based on the galley proof) and nine purchases. One is a new edition of a book I've owned for six years now and four are in Spanish (but most are/will be available in English translation). One graphic novel and four short story collections, along with a couple of YA-marketed books, round out the haul.

Top: Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower (read this last year after borrowing it from the local library, buying a copy to read for the March 9-15 Blogger Book Club discussion); Catherynne M. Valente, Palimpsest (finished reading this on Friday; good prose, but I didn't like it as well as her recent The Orphan's Tale duology, but some of that may be due to reading it while feeling tired and irritated about work issues, so will re-read it later before reviewing it in full); Tobias Druitt, Corydon and the Siege of Troy (YA trilogy concluding volume. Will have to read the first two volumes before considering reading this one, but it does look interesting); Carolyn Turgeon, Godmother (modern-day twist on the fairy godmother element. Likely will read later this spring); Jeff VanderMeer, City of Saints and Madmen (I already own the Prime hardcover edition, but since there are updates here, thought I'd better get off my lazy ass and get it, as I really enjoyed the previous edition); Benjamin Rosenbaum, The Ant King and Other Stories (published by Small Beer Press, little surprise it reminds me in tone so far, 50 pages in, of Kelly Link's stories. Good so far); Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Brief Lives (seventh volume, this was one of the stronger volumes to date for me).




Top: Roberto Bolaño, El gaucho insufrible (this 2003 short story collection was the last published in Bolaño's lifetime; about to start reading it); Roberto Bolaño, El secreto del mal (Bolaño's posthumous 2007 story collection, his fourth. To be read shortly); Roberto Bolaño, La literatura nazi en América (just finished reading it and might write a full review this weekend); Francisco Casavella, Lo que sé de los vampiros (2008 Premio Nadal winner, will read in the next month or so); N.D. Wilson, Dandelion Fire (second volume in a YA series. Will likely buy the first volume to read, as this seems interesting, based on the blurbs at least); Peter Brett, The Warded Man (already read and reviewed).