I stopped in the Barnes & Noble on 5th between 45th and 46th yesterday, mostly on a whim. I can’t pass a bookstore without going in. (Though, lately, I’ve been restricting it to Posman Books in Grand Central Terminal, which is an independent bookseller and not a huge conglomeration like B&N.) And, again, on a whim I checked the new fiction racks. I told myself, “Okay, if you find Written on Your Skin you’re going to buy it.” Imagine my dismay (and partial recession-related relief) when I didn’t spot it on the shelves!

Of course, then I spied a book tucked behind two others in the cluster of authors whose last names begin with “D,” and I reached back…yup! Victory! It was sort of like a sign. I was definitely walking out with Meredith Duran’s book. (After paying for it, natch.) Then I scooted over to the next rack and spotted The Fire King, by Marjorie M. Liu, which is also on my TBR list. I had to sit there and debate, “Do I just buy the one? Do I get them both? Which one must I have omgrightnow?” And The Fire King has a seriously eye-catching cover. All yellows and golds and reds, without a rippling chest taking up the bulk of it.

Ultimately, I put The Fire King back down, justifying it as a book I do want to read but one I can wait on. The principal characters in this Dirk & Steele book are new ones, and I don’t need to meet them right this very second. Had it been a book featuring Koni or Rictor, who are established characters in Liu’s canon, I would’ve dropped money on both her and Duran instantly. 

Ironically, the New York Public Library informed me today that one of her earlier novels, Shadow Touch, finally came in on reserve. Months and months after I put in the hold request. I ended up buying a copy of that because I got sick of waiting! Hopefully, I’ll exercise a little more restraint with Liu’s new release…

Yeah, who am I kidding? Ten to one I buy it before the month is out. LOL.