Bookish Thursday - Last Book Haul of 2022!

Yeah, it's quite a stack. However, only 4 of the books I actually paid for. Well, there is 5 because one I forgot to add to the stack because I already read it.

Legends & Lattes has been all over BookTube, which is how I found out about it. This is what I am calling a 'cozy fantasy'. There are cozy mysteries and cozy romances - you know, those books where you know already what is going to be the final results, but it's just a fun, no-thinking, read. 

Baldree's book lived up to the hype I was seeing. And as I play World of Warcraft and there are orcs, what could be better than orcs and coffee. Viv, the orc and main character, is leaving her life as a mercenary behind to start up a coffee shop. 

The fun part is the populace is not familiar with coffee. Gasp! And slowly, as Viv works toward her dream, she gathers around her an assortment of new friends who quickly become family.

It's a fun read, with coffee and cinnamon rolls thrown in. Which means I needed coffee and cinnamon rolls while reading. And actually, at just under 300 pages, you could finish this book in a lazy afternoon. I stretched it over 2 afternoons during the super cold snap we had - even more perfect time for coffee. (Actually, my coffee is more of a latte. A very sweet latte. Ok...I have a little coffee with milk and sugar!)

But back to the stack!

The bottom book is Lord of Maps by Isaac G. Dushku. I back it as a kickstarter project. He drew all 50 states and some countries in the style of maps you find in the front of fantasy books. And having tried to draw one myself, I was really impressed with the effort. It's a fun coffee table book to have.

Then the thick book, North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook is for my Master Gardener class starting in February. I was informed buying the book was not required. However, in talking to someone who is already a Master Gardener, it is a great reference book to have on your shelf. 

Dowry of Blood and Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries are the November and December Fairy Loot adult fantasy books. 

The rest, with the exception of Save the Cat! Beat Sheet Workbook, are books I 'won' on Goodreads. I also have 2 e-books I won recently. 

There are also 3 books I received to review for a book blog tour and another one which will be audio. I am waiting for another book which I will doing a book blog tour, but it has been delayed in publishing. 

With the exception of Legends and Lattes, I have started and DNF'ed 3 books. I am sure it isn't because they are 'bad' books. I think it is the mood I have been in. 

However, with the HUGE pile of books I need (and want to) get through, I am not doing much library borrowing until I get my TBR pared down. Especially since there are at least 7 books I got prior to this stack I want to get through. One of my 2023 intentions is to read what I win when I win it.

So lets see what 2023 brings in the form of reading!