This was a pretty good week for books. Also, I’m almost to the point where I can start reviewing books read in 2010, which makes me happy since that means I’m closer to caught up with reviews than I have been since before the holidays. Right now I have one review about halfway written that I am hoping to put up tomorrow and after that there are only two more to go (with another book almost finished, but three is not too far behind, especially with more recently read books).

Now on to books received this week.

The Summer Queen by Joan D. Vinge

My very favorite book read last year ended up being the last book I read in 2009, The Snow Queen, so of course I had to order the sequel soon after reading it. I read part of the first chapter and cannot wait to read it although I have told myself I cannot until I have reviewed The Snow Queen (which I’m working on a review of now). This is one I will definitely need to read sometime in the near future even if it is so massive it will probably take me forever to do so.

Salt of the Air by Vera Nazarian

Since I ordered The Summer Queen, I got another book so I could get free shipping. Normally I don’t buy short story collections, but I do have a soft spot for fairy tales and couldn’t resist when I saw this had some, including a retelling of my favorite “Beauty and the Beast.” Also, I really like Vera Nazarian’s writing style. Plus it includes “Lore of Rainbow,” which is set in the same world as Lords of Rainbow, the novel I read by this author (and loved).

Warriors edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois

This was another unexpected ARC, and one I was very excited to receive – I’ll definitely be reading this anthology. It includes a new Dunk and Egg story set in the same world as George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” plus stories by many other authors such as Robin Hobb, Peter S. Beagle, Naomi Novik, Diana Gabaldon, David Weber, Carrie Vaughn, Tad Williams and Robert Silverberg. It will be released on March 16.

Sea Dragon Heir by Storm Constantine

This is the first book in “The Chronicles of Magravandias” trilogy. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that a friend and I made a deal to read each other’s three favorite books from last year in 2010. She sent me the ones I didn’t already have and this was one of them. It was her very favorite from last year (well, actually I think the third book in this series was but that’s not really a good starting point) so I’m supposed to read it sometime by the end of February. Even though I loved Constantine’s Wraeththu books and really liked her short story collection The Oracle Lips, I must admit I’m actually a bit nervous about reading this one. I’ve heard it is one of her weaker books and the reviews for it are very mixed.