Woooo, it’s time for my September book haul! In the middle of October. Blame Europe. And laziness. And who knows, man. I’m adding some of the October arrivals, because they were presents for my birthday in September, and, as always, I do what I want. Also., I stopped numbering these posts, because I don’t really see the point and keeping track of the number is hard.

In this haul, you will see that a) I have the sweetest friends ever and b) publishers were very nice to me this month. It was a lovely birthday month, basically.

For Review from Penguin:
Stranger (The Chage #1) - Rachel Manija Brown & Sherwood Smith: Brown emailed me to offer this one, and Penguin sent it along. I couldn’t turn it down because it sounds just off-the-wall enough to possibly be hilarious and awesome and unique. I hope so.
Murder on the Ile Sordou (Verlaque & Bonnet #4) - M.L. Longworth: Also not pictured. Mom loves this series and is going to review this book for me. It will totally make her week if you guys comment when she posts it! I’ll probably read it eventually, since these mysteries are super cute, but I’m not as much of a mystery reader as she is.

For Review from Orbit:
War Dogs - Greg Bear: Not pictured because my parents stole it. Doesn’t look like my thing, but they’re going to read it. Mom’s started and verified that I probably would not have liked it. Ah well, this does happen with unsolicited stuff.
The Free - Brian Ruckley: Sadly, this unsolicited arrival does not sound like my cup of cocoa. I like my fantasy character-based and I definitely think this is more action-focused. Odds of a romance also look low.

For Review from Tor:
Touch of Evil (Thrall #1) - C. T. Adams & Cathy Clamp: The cover made me skeptical and I couldn’t make it through the blurb without laughing the ass off, so I don’t think this paranormal romance will really be my thing. This one was unsolicited, so I’ll be passing.
Mortal Gods (Goddess War #1) - Kendare Blake: Hells yeah, the sequel to Antigoddess. Kendare Blake’s writing has just been getting better and this series is so dark and awesome. Totally ready for more soon.
Silverblind (Ironskin #3) - Tina Connolly: Yessss, the third book in the Ironskin series. I’m all about this series and I’m so excited to have the last one in my grasp. Soon, my pretty. Soon. I hope it’s as good or better than Ironskin and Copperhead. May it have a ship as cute as the latter too.
The Black Stars (The Planet Thieves #2) - Dan Krokos: The Planet Thieves was pretty great middle grade science fiction, so the sequel’s arrival was a fun surprise. I have this one coming up soon!
The Glass Arrow - Kristen Simmons: As one of the people who really enjoyed Kristen Simmons’ Article 5 trilogy, I’m very curious to see what she’ll do next. Also, even if I’d hated it, that cover would have tempted me. *drools* Oooh, I hadn’t noticed it’s pitched as The Handmaid’s Tale meets Blood Red Road. This had better not be a lie.
The Accidental Highwayman - Ben Tripp: I already had the ARC, but holy moly the finished copy is gorgeous. I just want to stroke it for hours, but obviously that would be weird. *strokes book* THERE’S NOTHING TO SEE HERE. Anyway, I’m planning to read this next and have high hopes.

For Review from HarperCollins:
The Fall - Bethany Griffin: Since I loved Masque of the Red Death, I have high hopes for The Fall. Hopefully I’ll be getting to this one soon!
The Invisible (Brokenhearted #2) - Amelia Kehaney: The bad reviews put me off the first one, which I received last year, but I think the time has come to try them. Maybe I’ll be the positive black sheep? I can only hope.
Stray - Elissa Sussman: I already had an ARC, so I’ll be sending that to…someone. Though Debby wasn’t a fan, I’m hoping my love of fairy tales will pull me through somehow.

Free:
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda - Becky Albertalli: Albertalli was one of the speakers at Decatur Book Festival and there were some free copies of her ARC. Both Lindsay Ribar and Dahlia Adler have assured me this is a Christina book of the highest order so best find everrrrr.
The Secret Keeper - Kate Morton: So there’s this little book drop thing in Frankfurt where you can leave and take books for free. I happened to find one of the few English books in there and it is one I’ve wanted to read, so winning!

Gifts from Lenore (author of The Memory of After/Chasing Before)
Unnatural Creatures - Neil Gaiman, ed.: Lenore had two copies of this, so I stole one. MWAHAHAHAHA. Or, okay, fine, she offered it. I am distinctly not a badass. And also try not to steal from people nice enough to travel around Europe with me and to let me stay for two weeks.
The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone - Adele Griffin: Lenore’s a big fan of Adele’s work and was nice enough to gift me her ARC of this one, which she says is especially good.

Gifts from Debby (Snuggly Oranges):
The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus #1) - Rick Riordan: Basically, this is the most appropriate gift Debby could ever give, since she’s the one who convinced me to give the Percy Jackson series a much deserved second chance. She was totally right and I’m so glad to have done so, because I would have missed serious awesomeness. Obviously, I need to read the next series SOON, though I’m going to take a brief break, so everyone can be happy for a little while before shit hits the fan again.
The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2) - Rick Riordan
The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) - Rick Riordan
The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus #4) - Rick Riordan

Gifts from Ellis (Finding Bliss in Books/The Random Transliterator):
The Letter for the King (The Letter for the King #1) - Tonke Dragt:
Someday, Someday, Maybe - Lauren Graham: Eeeeek, Lorelai wrote a book and this timing is appropriate since I am almost done with my rewatch. I’ve heard it’s actually amazing, which means my crush on Lauren Graham will only intensify.
Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? (Confessions of Georgia Nicholson #10) - Louise Rennison: Ellis mocked me for buying nine out of ten, but has now rectified my terrible error. Thank you for this, Ellis. Hopefully I love them now, because the pressure is ON.

Gifts from Gillian (Writer of Wrongs):
I’ve Got Your Number - Sophie Kinsella: It has been too long since I read a Sophie Kinsella novel, and Gillian says this one is a pure delight, so yesssssss.
Anne of Green Gables box set - L.M. Montgomery: Look at the pretty editions (which I could not find as a box set on GR and I’m too lazy to link up each book. You guys can find them on your own, because you’re smart)! Thank you, my dear bosom friend. We will get drunk on all the raspberry cordial, which might be masquerading as margaritas, in Cancun.

Gifts from Bekka (Great Imaginations):
The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy #1) - Jennifer A. Nielsen: I’ve heard only amazing things about this series, so I’m really looking forward to getting to it one of these days. I always need more good fantasy series in my life.
Winger - Andrew Smith: I’ve heard great things about Winger specifically and I just really want to read more Andrew Smith ever since Grasshopper Jungle, which was one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read but also was amazing. Thanks for these, Bekka!

Gifts from Kara (Great Imaginations):
Long Lankin - Lindsey Barraclough: I know Kara really liked Long Lankin when she read it ages ago and she is part of the reason I want to read this one, so very appropriate to get it from her. I hope it charms me too!
1Q84 - Haruki Murakami: I’ve been curious about this book for ages, and I am oddly attracted to the cover. I’m not going to get to it for a while, because honestly it’s a brick, but I am happy to welcome it to my shelves. I mean, 1984 in Tokyo = want forever. *hugs Kara*

Gifts from Meg (Cuddlebuggery):
Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen: Meg knows me so well that she sensed I probably have an old, battered edition that I love but also want to replace but don’t have the heart to replace. Now I also have this gloriously lettered edition and it’s not like I do not have enough love for this book for multiple editions, lbr.
The Last Unicorn (The Last Unicorn #1) - Peter S. Beagle: I cannot believe I never read The Last Unicorn as a child, because I was all about unicorns. Also, I love the animated film of this, even though I know it’s super creepy. WHATEVER. And this edition is the prettiest of them all. *pets*
Beware the Wild - Natalie C. Parker: Gillian just read this one and absolutely loved it. Since I didn’t have a copy of it, Meg graciously sent me her ARC and will read the egalley instead. I hope it captures my imagination the way it did Gillian’s!
Deathless (Deathless #1) - Catherynne M. Valente: After reading the Fairyland books, I’ve really wanted to check out Valente’s other fiction, and I’ve heard Deathless is one of the best ones. Plus, THAT COVER YO. ATTACKS MEGASUS WITH LOVE.

Purchased:
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) - Sarah J. Maas: Though signed, my ARC of Heir of FIre has to go, because it got all beat up, even though I baby my books as much as I can. It got a bit twisted in the box from BEA, and there was no fixing it. This book’s outside needs to match its inside, so lovely finished copy for me.
The Letter for the King (The Letter for the King #1) - Tonke Dragt: OOOOPS. So I met up with Ellis after this shopping trip and found out she’d gotten for me. If I’d been thinking, I might have expected that, but also I was just like OMG BOOOOOOOOKS. Not so much with the thinking. Anyway, Gillian will benefit, so not a loss.
Earth Flight (Earth Girl #3) - Janet Edwards: Yessss, this was a major coup, since this book doesn’t come out for ages in the US, not that I’ve read book two yet, but oh well. I adored Earth Girl and love the UK covers for this series very much.
Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas is one of Lenore’s favorite novels and I am very weak to shiny things, so this cover was irresistible to me.
Equal Rites (Discworld #3) - Terry Pratchett: I am not a person who can pass up gorgeous UK editions of Terry Pratchett novels. Well, okay, I actually did pass up several, but I picked out a selection of the cheapest and prettiest. I love them so much.
Guards! Guards! (Discworld #8) - Terry Pratchett
Moving Pictures (Discworld #10) - Terry Pratchett
Lords and Ladies (Discworld #14) - Terry Pratchett
Midwinterblood - Marcus Sedgwick: Another pretty UK cover. Also, this one happened to be on sale, so it had to be mine. I’ve only read one Sedgwick novel (She Is Not Invisible) and the writing was lovely, so I needed to own this anyway.