Showcase Sunday #6

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicki at Books, Biscuits and Tea. Its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. 

For Review:
Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Children's for the digital ARC! I was kind of curious about the praise Doller's debut, Something Like Normal, received, if not the subject matter itself. And the advance praise for Where the Stars Still Shine has also been very positive, so I jumped at the opportunity to review it for myself. I loved it and plan to have my review up by the end of next week.

Received: 

Asylum by Madeleine Roux

I received my very first print ARC after participating in my very first Epic Reads' Tea Time. Thanks, ladies! The more I've come to hear about this book, the less sure I am that this is a "me" book, however. I may give it a try to see if it works out, but if it doesn't then I plan on sending this on to a friend who I know is eager to read it herself.

Purchased:
The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns, #3) by Rae Carson

My very first book pre-order since becoming a book blogger - this Showcase Sunday is apparently turning into a list of quite a few firsts. I may not have read The Crown of Embers just yet, but I plan on it soon. I enjoyed The Girl of Fire and Thorns (my review) and am looking forward to completing this trilogy. I can never get enough epic fantasy with a "chosen one" hero.

A Girl of the Limberlost (Limberlost, #2) by Gene Stratton-Porter

I snagged an e-copy of this classic after reading Heidi's lovely review. I definitely need to read more classics and I'm loving the fact that Amazon does provide free Kindle editions of many books whose copyright has expired. I'll always support a thriving public domain.

Lady of the Forest (Sherwood, #1) by Jennifer Roberson

In high school, my friends and I experienced the magic of Roberson's stories through old library versions of Lady of the Forest and Lady of the Glen. They've been out of print for a little while, though, so when I found reprinted editions on Amazon, I felt the need to re-read one of my favorite Robin Hood retellings and support this talented author. Seriously, a Robin Hood story told from Marian's perspective and filled with romance? I highly recommend this book and will do a full review upon re-reading it.

Borrowed:
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
This was my book club's pick for September. It's a memoir about a woman who, after her mother's death, decides to take her life in a drastically different direction by hiking the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT) from Southern California to Oregon. It was...not really my type of book, although it was interesting to discuss. My review should be posted towards the end of the month.
Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

I borrowed this to read in the car on the way to visit family a few weeks ago. I've heard good things about Suma's writing and was intrigued by the few reviews I read. Not only was this not really the best choice for a car ride book, but I didn't find it to be quite as good as I'd hoped it would be. Too bizarre, too few things explained, with no truly likable characters. Could just be a me thing, though. My review.

Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross

As far as I can tell, this novel hasn't experienced much hype. The little I have heard about it, however, has led me to believe that I'd really enjoy it. I love historical fiction but am pretty picky about which time periods I'll read. I love that this takes place in 19th century France, and that it's based on a short story by Émile Zola where ugly young women are hired to act as foils to make their wealthy female companions seem more beautiful by comparison.
The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan

Another book about Belle Epoque France, you say? Why not? By no means will I become an expert in this era after reading these two books, but it will be interesting to get two different authors' perspectives on what life was like for those who did live in France during this time period. Also, this one apparently has to do with Edgar Degas' paintings of young ballerinas. I love it when stories can tie into other media forms, especially art.

Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente

I thought that my first Valente work was sure to be The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, but then I saw Deathless on my library's shelves. Mixing together Russian folklore and a sweeping history of Russia sounds freaking fantastic. My 12th grade history class spent an entire semester on Russian history and it was pretty interesting, so I'm up for learning some more about this culture.

Let me know what books you've recently acquired!