Author: Ali@abookishlife

WWW Wednesday: 8th February 2017

Ali@abookishlife19 Comments

The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

WWW Wednesday

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Here’s this weeks WWW.

Currently Reading

The Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy, #1)I started reading The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams on Monday and am making slow progress so far. I got this from NetGalley on the basis of the great reviews I’d seen of the authors Copper Cat trilogy but I’ve been feeling a little bit lost with it. It jumped around in time (and between characters) in the beginning which left me completely confused but thankfully now that I’m a little further into the story it’s making a bit more sense.

I was still working my way through the audiobook of Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins but it has unfortunately returned itself to the library and someone else has borrowed it. I have a hold on it but not sure when I’ll be able to pick up again.

Recently FinishedThe Breakdown

The first book finished this week was The Breakdown by B.A. Paris which I received from NetGalley. It’s a thriller about a woman, Cass, who comes across a seemingly broken down car on a deserted road on a dark and stormy night. Too scared to get out of the car and offer help she continues home but finds out the next morning the woman in the car has been murdered. Wracked with guilt, she starts to unravel, forgetting things and worrying that someone is watching her.

 I very much enjoyed this story and found it addictive reading. I did find myself getting a tad frustrated with the main character, she was just a bit of a walk over, and the ending was a little too neat for me but still a book I’d recommend if you like a fast paced thriller. You can read my review here.

The Hating GameThe second book finished this week was The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I got this on sale in Amazon but honestly it would have been worth paying full price for. I absolutely loved it.

It’s about a man and woman who are forced to work side by side but absolutely hate each other, and I mean truly, genuinely hate each other. When they’re both put up for promotion, their battle comes to a head and the tension between them reaches boiling point. There is however a fine line between love and hate.

When I first read the blurb I thought this would be the same as all of the other books like this I’d read but it’s so much better. It’s funny, it’s hot and it’s kind of sweet. You can read my full review here.

The third and final book finished this week was Home Tears by Tijan. Unfortunately this turned out to be my biggest disappointment of the year so far. It’s about a woman who returns to her home town after doing a disappearing act 10 years previously. I suspect I just wasn’t in the right mood for this but I couldn’t really be bothered with it and didn’t particularly care what happened.

Reading Next

As you can probably guess I wandered in my reading again this week so my reading next list is similar to last week with NetGalley ARCs Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse and The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion at the top of the list. I do have a feeling I may abandon my list yet again however as King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard comes out tomorrow and I really want to read it.

SweetpeaThe Best of Adam SharpKing's Cage (Red Queen, #3)

Have you read any of the books above or have any other book you’d recommend? Leave comments and links below and I’ll respond when I can.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Teaser Tuesday: 7th February 2017

Ali@abookishlife20 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purple Booker. If you want to join in grab your current read, flick to a random page, select two sentences (without spoilers) and share them in a blog post or in the comments of The Purple Booker.


This week my teaser comes from The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I read this book last week but loved it so much I just had to use it for this week’s teaser. Reading this did get me in so much trouble but it was so worth it. Who needs sleep when you’re reading something this good.

My Teaser

It’s a corporate truth universally acknowledged that workers would rather eat rat skeletons than participate in group activities. I know I would.

~ pg 63 The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

BlurbThe Hating Game

Nemesis (n.)
1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;
2) A person’s undoing;
3) Joshua Templeman.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

Happy Reading Everyone

ARC Review: Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton

Ali@abookishlife4 Comments

Traitor to the Throne (Rebel of the Sands #2)Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Wow.

I think the second book in Alwyn Hamilton’s Rebel of the Sands series may actually be better than the first. There is some incredible world building, beautiful writing and an exciting and fast paced story that I couldn’t stop reading.

I’d definitely recommend this series but be warned you’ll want the next book now.

Note: as this is a sequel there may be some spoilers for the first book.Read More »

Book Review: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Ali@abookishlife8 Comments

The Hating GameThe Hating Game by Sally Thorne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My new favorite contemporary romance.

I loved, loved, loved this story about co workers at war. It’s brilliantly funny, witty and sharp, with great dialogue, lovable characters and some serious heat. It takes a familiar trope and turns it into something unique and memorable.

If you’re a fan of the genre I think you’ll love this book.

The Blurb (from GoodReads)

Nemesis (n.)
1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;
2) A person’s undoing;
3) Joshua Templeman.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

My Review

This is the best game I’ve ever played in my entire life

OMG I loved this book so much. I’d heard a lot of good things about it but if I’m honest I didn’t buy into the hype. When I read the blurb my first thought was “haven’t I read this before?”. It is quite a common trope, man and woman who hate each other are forced to work together and find out there’s a fine line between love and hate.

Despite having read more than one of these stories, this one was truly a stand out read. We’ve all had those people we don’t get on with at work but Lucy and Joshua take this to a whole other level. This is not the odd snarky comment or prank but a constant daily battle of wills as each tries win. It’s gotten to the stage where they have standard games they play, the staring game and the “you’re just so…” game. They’ve complained so much about each other they’ve worn out the HR department.

The story is told from Lucy’s point of view and I loved her so much. She’s 5 feet of bubbly energy and absolutely full of fire which means she gives as good as she gets when it comes to Joshua. She’s one of those people who wants to be liked, so is a bit of a pushover, but is actually kind of lonely.

Josh couldn’t be more different. Over 6ft calm, confident and super organised the whole office is terrified of him and he constantly looks down at Lucy (literally and figuratively) treating her like something he’s scraped off his shoes. He’s a bit of a mystery and like Lucy I found him absolutely fascinating

Needless to say the relationship between them is explosive. They glare at each other, they fight and they constantly try to one up each other. It makes for some absolutely brilliant reading. Honestly there were so many sparks flying I nearly combusted. It’s hot, hot, hot but also hilariously funny (don’t read in public or you will get funny looks) and occasionally very sweet and cute.

This is a story that’s been done before but the writing definitely lifts it above the usual to one of the best romances I’ve ever read. I kept thinking there’s no way the level of sexual tension could be maintained throughout but somehow it is. It’s not predictable either and I genuinely wasn’t sure how it would all work out.

If you can’t guess from all of the above I loved everything about this story. I’m trying to think of something bad but I’m coming up blank.

Read this book if you like a good steamy romcom.

ARC Review: The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

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The BreakdownThe Breakdown by B.A. Paris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Unputdownable. I can’t remember the last time I read a book this quickly.

Fast paced and gripping, once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I will admit to a little bit of frustration with the main character and having a fair idea how it would all end but I really enjoyed it and got completely swept up in the story.

Synopsis

If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?

Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside―the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…

Review

This was actually my first book by this author but I don’t think it’ll be my last. I’d heard a lot of good things about her previous book, Behind Closed Doors, but I hadn’t yet managed to get around to reading it (so many books so little time). I have to say despite some wariness due to the level of hype around it this didn’t disappoint. I wouldn’t rate it as an all time favourite, or even a particularly stand out read but it’s fast paced, exciting and addictive reading.

The story which centers primarily around someone seemingly losing their mind is fascinating to read and as it’s all told from their pov you can feel their frustration and confusion. While this was the highlight of the story however, it was also it’s biggest flaw for me. I hate to say it but I just really didn’t like main character Cass. Not that there was anything particularly bad about her, she was just a bit wet. She’s so passive and emotional in the story I ended up getting very frustrated with her. If I could have reached into the pages, given her a shake and told her to get a grip I would have. I felt like she over reacted a lot of the time and didn’t really take any action or make decisions. I wanted to see her stand up for herself and take control, although I suspect there wouldn’t have been much of a story if she had.

With the focus very much on Cass and her downward spiral, there aren’t many secondary characters which for me (with the memory of a goldfish) is a good thing. New husband Mathew, and best friend Rachel are probably the only ones who have a substantial part to play and even at that they’re viewed through Cass’s eyes so it’s difficult to work out their true motivations and character. Something which works very well in keeping you guessing.

Despite a few niggles therefore, I did really enjoy the story. I flew through the whole thing in a few hours desperate to know whether Cass was losing her mind or if the murderer was out to get her.

The writing and pacing is pretty much spot on and the author does know how to create tension and a truly gripping story. I did think the ending was a little too quick and easy but there was a little surprise that I wasn’t expecting.

Overall a good read and definitely a book I’d recommend if you like a fast paced thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all views are my own. The Breakdown is due for release on 9th February in the UK

WWW Wednesday: 1st February 2017

Ali@abookishlife21 Comments

The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

WWW Wednesday

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Here’s this weeks WWW.

Currently Reading

The BreakdownI’m having to write this post on a Sunday at my parents house as my internet is down at home so I’m not 100% sure what I’ll be reading by the time this is published but I’m going to assume it’s The Breakdown by B.A. Paris. I received this from NetGalley and have been really looking forward to it but haven’t had a chance to start it yet. I have to confess I haven’t read the author’s previous book, Behind Closed Doors, but it got some fantastic reviews so I have high hopes.

I’m still working my way through the audiobook of Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Not as much progress as I’d hoped as I’ve not been doing much driving (which is when I usually listen) but still enjoying revisiting this story.

Recently Finished

Traitor to the Throne (Rebel of the Sands #2)The first book finished this week was Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton which I received from NetGalley. It’s the sequel to Rebel of the Sands, which I read and really enjoyed last year, and I think may actually be better.

It is a lot lighter on the romance aspect and there is less of the desert (which was a little disappointing) but it’s more than made up for by a story which seems to have a lot more direction and purpose.  It’s absolutely packed with action but what I really loved was the intrigue. There are a lot of twists and turns and more than one surprise. I also loved the way the author did on occasion take a step out of the story and change the narrative to read more like a myth or legend. I’m hoping to get a full review up soon (internet permitting).

Caraval (Caraval, #1)The next book finished this week was Caraval by Stephanie Garber. I usually try to rotate genres but when I received this in my book subscription box I couldn’t resist starting almost immediately. The hardback is just sooo pretty.

Caraval was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it didn’t disappoint.There were a few niggles with certain aspects but the story is brilliant. It’s absolutely packed full of magic and mystery and genuinely keeps you guessing about what’s real and what’s not from the beginning to the very end. Definitely worth a read.

Reading Next

Given my wandering off course at the weekend my reading next list is largely the same as last week with NetGalley ARCs Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse, The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion and The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams at the top of the list. All very different so it’ll probably depend what I’m in the mood for.

SweetpeaThe Best of Adam SharpThe Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy, #1)

Have you read any of the books above or have any other book you’d recommend? Leave comments and links below and I’ll respond when I can.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Teaser Tuesday: 31st January 2017

Ali@abookishlife13 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purple Booker. If you want to join in grab your current read, flick to a random page, select two sentences (without spoilers) and share them in a blog post or in the comments of The Purple Booker.


This week my teaser comes from Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton which I received from NetGalley. It’s the sequel to Rebel of the Sands which I read last year and enjoyed but didn’t love. This however, I did love. It’s full of magic and adventure, legends and myths and has some of the best world building I’ve come across. There’s also quite a bit of intrigue and betrayal and quite a few surprises.

Warning: As this is a sequel there are spoilers in the blurb for the first book (the teaser is spoiler free)

My Teaser

And just like that, everyone was looking at me. If I’d known I was doomed to get this much attention I might’ve brushed my hair.

~ 85% Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton

BlurbTraitor to the Throne (Rebel of the Sands #2)

This is not about blood or love. This is about treason.

Nearly a year has passed since Amani and the rebels won their epic battle at Fahali. Amani has come into both her powers and her reputation as the Blue-Eyed Bandit, and the Rebel Prince’s message has spread across the desert – and some might say out of control. But when a surprise encounter turns into a brutal kidnapping, Amani finds herself betrayed in the cruellest manner possible.

Stripped of her powers and her identity, and torn from the man she loves, Amani must return to her desert-girl’s instinct for survival. For the Sultan’s palace is a dangerous one, and the harem is a viper’s nest of suspicion, fear and intrigue. Just the right place for a spy to thrive… But spying is a dangerous game, and when ghosts from Amani’s past emerge to haunt her, she begins to wonder if she can trust her own treacherous heart.

Happy Reading Everyone

Review: Behind her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Ali@abookishlife4 Comments

Behind Her EyesBehind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first book by Sarah Pinborough but I don’t think it’ll be my last.

I can be a bit hit or miss with psychological thrillers but this one had me hooked from the very first page until the very end.

It’s not a fast paced read (and there’s not a huge amount of action) but it’s an intriguing and twisty story with a main character I actually kind of liked, something which is too rare at the moment in this type of book.Read More »

WWW Wednesday: 25th January 2017

Ali@abookishlife32 Comments

The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

WWW Wednesday

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Here’s this weeks WWW.

Currently ReadingTraitor to the Throne (Rebel of the Sands #2)

I started reading Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton at the weekend. It’s the sequel to Rebel of the Sands which I read and really enjoyed last year. I was very lucky to have my wish for it granted on NetGalley (I’ve never had a wish granted before) so I couldn’t resist starting immediately. I currently around halfway through and I think it may actually be better than the first book. Loving it.

I’ve also started listening to the audiobook of Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. I had forgotten just how much I loved the original books so I’m enjoying working my way through them again. I have to admit however there are times when I want to speed it along a bit to get to the good bits 🙂

Recently FinishedBehind Her Eyes

The first book finished this week was Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough. This was a thriller I received from NetGalley about the relationship between seemingly perfect couple, David and Adele, and single mum Louise who gets caught in the middle of it.

It’s a twisty tale that keeps you guessing more or less to the very end and, while I wasn’t sure about a certain plot element that I can’t go into (spoilers), once I got into it I found it very addictive reading. I also liked some of the characters, something which is rare for me in a thriller.

New York, Actually (From Manhattan with Love, #4)The second book finished this week was New York, Actually by Sarah Morgan (it seems like there are Sarah’s everywhere at the moment) which I also received from NetGalley. I love Sarah Morgan books, they’re just so funny, romantic and kind of hot and it was just the type of read I was in need of.

This is the fourth book in her From Manhattan with Love series but it can be easily read as a standalone. The story follows Molly, a blogger and writer who gives relationship advice despite her most meaningful relationship being with her dog Valentine, and Daniel, a divorce lawyer who isn’t looking for a serious relationship. They meet when he borrows a dog to try and catch her attention in the park and sparks fly.

It’s a common storyline but Sarah Morgan does it so well and there are a few surprises and laughs in there. I read the whole thing from cover to cover on Saturday. It’s like settling down to watch your favorite rom-com.

Reading Next

Sooo, I may have gone a little bit nuts on NetGalley recently (when I’m stressed I request) but there are just so many good books coming out soon. I still don’t think I’m going to have a lot of reading time over the next week but I do want to try and make a dent in my shelf. After my current read I think I’m therefore going to pick up The Breakdown by B.A. Paris (I like to switch between genres so it’s time for another thriller).

 In the unlikely event I get that finished I’m going to try and make a start on either Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse, The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion or The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams.

The BreakdownSweetpeaThe Best of Adam SharpThe Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy, #1)

Have you read any of the books above or have any other book you’d recommend? Leave comments and links below and I’ll respond when I can.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

ARC Review: New York, Actually by Sarah Morgan

Ali@abookishlife5 Comments

New York, Actually (From Manhattan with Love, #4)New York, Actually by Sarah Morgan

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I always look forward to Sarah Morgan’s next book and this one, the fourth in her From Manhattan with Love series, didn’t disappoint.

It’s funny, romantic and kinda hot. There are some definite sparks in this contemporary romance and I’m loving the New York setting. Perfect for a lazy day spent reading.

The Blurb (from GoodReads)

Meet Molly

New York’s most famous agony aunt, she considers herself an expert at relationships…as long as they’re other people’s. The only love of her life is her Dalmatian, Valentine.

Meet Daniel

A cynical divorce lawyer, he’s hardwired to think relationships are a bad idea. If you don’t get involved, no-one can get hurt. But then he finds himself borrowing a dog to meet the gorgeous woman he sees running in Central Park every morning…

Molly and Daniel think they know everything there is to know about relationships…until they meet each other that is…

Thoughts

It’s not the most original of stories, man pretends to be something he’s not to catch the eye of someone he fancies, but Morgan does it so well. It’s an addictive and fun read that I read from cover to cover in the space of a day. Molly is a very likeable character and, while she has a troubled past she was trying to get away from, it wasn’t at all what I thought it would be and definitely brought a unique twist. I loved how she was both vulnerable and also quite fiery. She doesn’t take any nonsense and is very able for the supremely charming and persuasive Daniel.

Daniel, well he’s determined to get what he wants and will go to any lengths to get it (even if it means borrowing a dog and pretending to be a dog person) but you can’t help but like him. He also hasn’t had the best past and despite the charm and the polish there’s a very kind and caring man underneath it all.

The relationship between the two is brilliant. Morgan knows how to create some real chemistry between her characters and there were some definite sparks. There’s a lot of banter and teasing (and one hilarious moment of revenge) but there are a lot of quite sweet moments too. They were definitely a couple I was rooting for.

The supporting characters were well developed and I loved how heavily the dogs Valentine and Brutus featured although I do now want a dog. This book did introduce a few new characters who weren’t in the original trilogy and for me they were welcome additions.

Overall a great story that I’d recommend to any one looking for a fun and romantic read with a few surprises along the way. I should also add that while it is the fourth in the series it could quite easily be read as a standalone as there isn’t too much of an overlap with previous books.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC. All views are my own.