Teaser Tuesday: 5th December 2017

December 5, 2017December 2, 2017 Ali@abookishlife4 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 Muse by Jessie Burton. This is not my usual type of read, it’s historical fiction, but it’s this month’s real life book club book and there is definitely something tempting about that cover. I did find it a little difficult to get into and having now finished it I’m not sure I liked it but it did turn into quite an engrossing read.

My Teaser

Her body was taut, every muscle tensed on her spare frame, the set of her jaw fixed as hard as the stone satyr in the fountain. She inhaled deeply and pulled the trigger.

~ Pg 275 The Muse by Jessie Burton

Blurb

A picture hides a thousand words . . .

On a hot July day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the stone steps of the Skelton gallery in London, knowing that her life is about to change forever. Having struggled to find her place in the city since she arrived from Trinidad five years ago, she has been offered a job as a typist under the tutelage of the glamorous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick. But though Quick takes Odelle into her confidence, and unlocks a potential she didn’t know she had, she remains a mystery – no more so than when a lost masterpiece with a secret history is delivered to the gallery.

The truth about the painting lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own. Into this fragile paradise come artist and revolutionary Isaac Robles and his half-sister Teresa, who immediately insinuate themselves into the Schloss family, with explosive and devastating consequences . . .

WWW Wednesday: 29th November 2017

November 29, 2017November 28, 2017 Ali@abookishlife11 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.

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?

Currently Reading

I started reading an ARC of Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard yesterday and am making good progress already. It’s a YA contemporary about a girl whose 15 year old best friend runs off with one of their teachers. I have to admit I’m not sure how I feel about it story wise given the subject matter. It’s definitely not the most comfortable reading but Barnard’s writing is as always very good. What I am liking is the way she looks at friendship and loyalty. I am very curious about where this is going to go.

La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust, #1) Also still working my way through the audio book of La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman. I didn’t do as much driving over the last week as usual so I’ve only made it through a couple more discs. I’m now on disc 9 of 10 so should probably finish it over the weekend which works out pretty well as it’s due back to the library on Wednesday. I am enjoying it but I can’t say I’m loving it, maybe because it’s taking me so long to get through it on audio.

Recently Finished

Two books finished again this week, damn you Netflix. Actually that’s not fair it was Holly Bourne’s How Do You Like Me Now? which was mostly to blame. I literally couldn’t put it down and became a bit obsessed with it so when I finished it I needed a bit of a break (plus it wouldn’t have been fair to start anything else while it was still buzzing round in my brain). I was kind of expecting some fluffy chick lit/rom com type book but there’s so much more to it than that. It’s much more a commentary on what it’s like to be in your 30’s in today’s society, especially when you’re not where you think you should be. There was so much I could relate to in this and I think I’ve highlighted half the book. It’s not out till June next year so it’s far too early to post a review but one of my top books of this year.

The second book I finished was My Side of the Diamond by Sally Gardner which I’d received from Readers First. It’s a very strange and sometimes confusing story which I mostly liked but I wasn’t too sure about the way the story was told. It’s in the form of various characters giving their accounts to a mysterious Mr Jones of events that happened a number of years ago. You only ever hear one side of the conversation (or interview?) though which is kind of irritating and I felt like it also distanced you from the story.

It was fascinating in some ways but I wasn’t overly invested in any of the characters or the relationships between them. I also felt like it skimmed over a lot that I wanted to know more about. It is a very quick read and not particularly taxing once you figure out what the heck is going on but didn’t wow me.

Reading Next

I just posted my Winter TBR yesterday so I should probably try sticking to it for at least a few days before I wander off and read something completely different 😀 I think the next book will likely be The Muse by Jessie Burton as it’s a book club book and the meeting is next week.

Have you read any of the books on my list this week? Any others you’d recommend? As always please feel free to leave comments and links below.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

12 Books on my Winter TBR

November 28, 2017November 27, 2017 Ali@abookishlife29 Comments

The theme for this weeks Top Ten Tuesday over at The Broke and the Bookish is top ten books on your Winter TBR which is perfect for me as I was planning on writing a winter TBR post. I’m not very good at sticking to a plan for my reading but I do find it helps to motivate me if I actually note them down. I can’t guarantee I’m going to read all of these but they are the ones I hope to get to.

ARC’s

I’ve been making great progress on my ARC’s over the past few weeks and finally managed to get my NetGalley ratio over 80%. Assuming I don’t go too nuts with the request button I only really have the following books due.

Everless by Sara Holland (YA Fantasy) – There seems to be quite a lot of hype around this which is making me kinda nervous about it but so far all of the reviews look positive so I am looking forward to it. I do love the idea of time as a currency.
Everything is Lies by Helen Callaghan (Thriller) – I read and loved the authors debut novel Dear Amy (review) so I jumped at the chance to get a copy of her new one. This one is about a woman who finds her parents dead in an apparent murder suicide. She doesn’t believe it so starts digging into the past.
Cruel Prince by Holly Black (YA Fantasy – This will be my first Holly Black book but I can’t wait to read it. It’s been far too long since I’ve had fey in my life.
Furyborn by Claire Legrand (Another YA Fantasy) – Hmm there seems to be a lot of YA fantasy on this list, oh well. This is a book I was swithering over requesting on NetGalley and ended up getting a copy in a book subscription box.

Library Books

Because I clearly don’t have enough books to read I’ve been hitting up the library yet again to get some more.

The Muse by Jessie Burton (Historical) – This is my next book club read but is one I’ve been curious about for a while. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction but there’s something very tempting about that cover
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (YA Contemporary) – I know I swore after reading Looking for Alaska that I was never ever reading another book by Green but it seems to be everywhere so I feel like I have to read it. We’ll see how it goes and whether my Green ban is reinstated or ditched.
Forgive me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick (YA Contemporary) – I read another Matthew Quick book a year ago (which I totally can’t remember the name of) and found it weird but brilliant so I’ve been keeping my eye out for another book by him.
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell (Gothic Horror) – I spied this at the library and couldn’t resist picking it up. I like a good spooky ghost story so I have high hopes.

Owned

I have so many books, physical and ebooks, that I just never seem to get round to reading that I’m hoping now my ARCs are semi under control I can finally get to. These are probably more possibles than definites as it will depend what I’m in the mood for.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (YA Contemporary) – I keep buying Silvera books but never seem to get around to reading them. This is my latest purchase and probably the one I’m most excited about.
It only Happens in the Movies by Holly Bourne (YA Contemporary) – I’ve literally just finished an ARC of How Do You Like Me Now? and absolutely loved it (it’s rare to come across a book which is just so real) so I really want to read another book by Bourne and this one is sitting on my kindle waiting for me.
When It’s Real by Erin Watt (NA Romance) – With all of these serious books I think I’m going to need a bit of romance so would really like to pick up this one.
The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye (YA Fantasy) – I have started this book three times and haven’t made it past chapter 2 yet. Nothing against the book, it’s just never been the right time. It does seem like it’ll be a good one for the Christmas holidays so maybe I’ll go on a series binge, fueled by mince pies and chocolate.

So that’s my TBR for the next couple of months. I would also really like to sneak in a classic or two, maybe a re read of Jane Eyre and my first attempt at Great Expectations or another Dickens, but we’ll see. I’m not generally very good at sticking to a reading plan.

Do you have a list of books you’re hoping to read over the winter period? Can you stick to a reading plan or are you more of a mood reader? Have you read any of the books on my list? Any I should race to read or avoid like the plague?

Feel free to leave comments below and links to your own top ten’s.

Teaser Tuesday: 28th November 2017

November 28, 2017November 26, 2017 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

I really, really want to post a teaser from Holly Bourne’s new book How Do You Like Me Now? but as it’s not out till June next year I probably shouldn’t which leaves me a bit stuck as I’m not actually reading anything *runs off to hunt bookshelves*.

OK I never posted a teaser from Killman Creek by Rachel Caine so let’s go with that. This is the follow up to the brilliant Stillhouse Lake and is just as good. I won’t say much about it due to spoilers (and I wouldn’t advise reading the blurb) but my teaser is spoiler free and will possibly make you really paranoid about social media.

My Teaser

You never understand how vulnerable you are in this age of social media until something breaks against you, and then . . . then it’s too late. You can shut down Facebook, Twitter, Instagram; you can change your phone number and your email. Move to new places. But for dedicated tormentors, that isn’t a barrier. It’s a challenge.

~ Loc. 2051 Killman Creek by Rachel Caine

Blurb

Every time Gwen closed her eyes, she saw him in her nightmares. Now her eyes are open, and he’s not going away.

Gwen Proctor won the battle to save her kids from her ex-husband, serial killer Melvin Royal, and his league of psychotic accomplices. But the war isn’t over. Not since Melvin broke out of prison. Not since she received a chilling text…

You’re not safe anywhere now.

Her refuge at Stillhouse Lake has become a trap. Gwen leaves her children in the protective custody of a fortified, well-armed neighbor. Now, with the help of Sam Cade, brother of one of Melvin’s victims, Gwen is going hunting. She’s learned how from one of the sickest killers alive.

But what she’s up against is beyond anything she feared—a sophisticated and savage mind game calculated to destroy her. As trust beyond her small circle of friends begins to vanish, Gwen has only fury and vengeance to believe in as she closes in on her prey. And sure as the night, one of them will die.

WWW Wednesday: 22nd November 2017

November 22, 2017November 21, 2017 Ali@abookishlife25 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.

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?

Currently Reading

I’m currently reading an ARC of How Do You Like Me Now by Holly Bourne. It’s not out until June next year (there’s not even a cover yet) so should probably be further down my reading list but it just sounded like the type of book I was in the mood for. It’s Bourne’s first adult novel (although I have to confess I haven’t read any of her YA books) and is about a 31 year old self help guru who’s life is not going as well as her bestselling book would suggest. I only started this late yesterday but finding it difficult to put down. The MC is not overly likeable but she’s a very real character and reminds me of more than one person I could name.

La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust, #1) I’m also still listening to the audio of La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman. As of writing this I’ve just started disc 7 of 10 (this whole CD thing is weird) and I’m still really enjoying it. Michael Sheen does the narration and he’s really, really good. There are a couple of things that are still bugging me a little about the story but they are the same things that bugged me about the original trilogy so I can’t really complain.

Recently Finished

Only two books finished this week as I ended up having a bit of a Netflix movie marathon over the weekend. Does it count if I watched Mockingjay? Anyway the first book finished was Hold Back the Stars by Katie Khan. I received this from NetGalley then realized I already had a copy which I’d found in a bargain bin (sorry) in the newsagents. I obviously really liked the sound of it but couldn’t remember its name.

I did really love the concept, that a couple are adrift in space with only 90mins of air left, but this is definitely a lot more romance than a sci fi as the focus is very much on their relationship. There were parts I loved, parts that made me cry and the world building is incredible. There were just a few things about it that didn’t feel right. I finished it feeling very confused about the whole thing and I’m still not sure whether I would say I enjoyed it or not.

Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake, #2) The second book finished was one of my most anticipated reads, Killman Creek by Rachel Caine, which I received from NetGalley. I read and absolutely loved Stillhouse Lake a few months ago so I was very happy to get my hands on the sequel. I’m not sure I would necessarily say it’s as good but I think that’s more because my expectations were higher rather than anything to do with the story. It’s a really gripping read, the stakes are even higher, and the conclusion is truly epic.

Reading Next

Miraculously I seem to have managed to get my NetGalley shelf under control (well almost) and my feedback is up to 80% so I think it’s time I read some of the bought books I haven’t had time to yet. Probably one of the following:

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic (Grisha Verse, #0.5, #2.5, #2.6) They Both Die at the End Wonder Woman: Warbringer (DC Icons, #1) Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1) It Only Happens in the Movies Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress, #1) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Seek Memories of Ash (The Sunbolt Chronicles, #2) The Break Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas, #1)

Have you read any of the books on my list this week? Any others you’d recommend? As always please feel free to leave comments and links below.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 21st November 2017

November 21, 2017November 19, 2017 Ali@abookishlife6 Comments

This week my teaser comes from Hold Back the Stars by Katie Khan. This is a book I bought ages ago then accidentally requested on NetGalley and got approved. I read it at the end of last week as I was looking for something different and it’s definitely that. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it. There were bits I loved and bits I didn’t. I’m so confused

My Teaser

‘Settling,’ scoffs Gwen. ‘We all settle. There isn’t a person alive who matches every element of the fantasy we wish for. Every person in a relationship has settled. What you choose to compromise on is up to you.’

~ 81% Hold Back the Stars by Katie Khan

Blurb

‘We’re going to be fine.’
He looks around, but there’s nothing out here: nothing but the bottomless black universe on their left, the Earth suspended in glorious technicolour to their right.

Carys and Max have ninety minutes of air left.
None of this was supposed to happen.
But, perhaps this doesn’t need to be the end…
Adrift in space with nothing to hold on to but each other, Carys and Max can’t help but look back at the well-ordered world they have left behind – at the rules they couldn’t reconcile themselves to, and a life to which they might now never return.
For in a world where love is banned, what happens when you find it?

Hold Back the Stars is a love story like no other.

WWW Wednesday: 15th November 2017

November 15, 2017November 15, 2017 Ali@abookishlife29 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.

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?

Currently Reading

I literally just finished a book five minutes before writing this post (on Tuesday evening) so while I’m sure I will have picked something to read on my commute this morning I’m not sure what that will be yet (I have plenty to choose from).

La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust, #1) I do however have a new audio book on the go. I was wandering round the library (cos ya know, 400 books on my TBR is not enough) when I spotted some CDs one of which was La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman. Needless to say I couldn’t resist. I do have the physical book but I just haven’t had the time to read it so this is working out really well.

I’m almost finished disc 3 of 10 and really enjoying it. It’s narrated by Michael Sheen who does an absolutely brilliant job at bringing the story to life. I will definitely be looking out for more books narrated by him.

Recently Finished

My house is an absolute disaster zone, I’ve had quite a few late nights and completely neglected my boys but it’s great news as it means I’ve finally got my reading mojo back. I finished three books over the last week and every one of them has been worth giving up sleep for (who needs it anyway).

Renegades (Renegades, #1)

The first book finished was YA superhero story Renegades by Marissa Meyer which I’d received from NetGalley. It reminded me a lot of X-Men with two groups of people with super powers battling it out for control. It’s full of all of the best superhero type cliches, secret identities, tragic backstory, development (or loss) of powers, high tech gadgets and a bit of betrayal. The highlight for me though was how Meyer had me constantly switching allegiance. She is brilliant at writing sympathetic villains and less than perfect heroes. It does suffer a little from too many characters and a lot of world building and back story but the second half in particular I couldn’t put down. You can read my full review here.

Second book finished was another NetGalley pick, If There’s No Tomorrow by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It’s a YA contemporary and in a not uncommon story is about a girl who makes a mistake that has life changing consequences for her and those around her. I started this on Sunday morning intending to read just a couple of chapters before I got up and ended up reading the whole thing in one go. I just couldn’t stop. It’s an incredibly emotional read and should probably come with a warning (or at least a box of tissues) but I really enjoyed it. It’s not wholly original in terms of plot so not a stand out read but still one I’d recommend if you like contemporary.

Copycat

The third and final book finished was Copycat by Alex Lake. I’d won this in a Goodreads giveaway and started it a couple of weeks ago but had to park it while I caught up on ARCs. I finally managed to get back into it on Monday and ended up blitzing my way through it. It’s about a woman who discovers someone else has set up a duplicate facebook account in her name and is sending emails to friends and family claiming to be her.

It is one of those books that’s kinda frustrating as the characters do silly things you want to shout at them for but it does keep you guessing. The ending was a little rushed and there were a couple of things that didn’t make sense but it was a very enjoyable read.

Reading Next

I finally managed to get a copy of Killman Creek by Rachel Caine (it’s Read Now on NetGalley) so I’m very tempted to read it straight away however having just finished a thriller I’m thinking I should read something else first. I should really be picking up Goodbye Perfect or My Side of the Diamond but I think I’m in the mood for a romance so any recommendations gratefully received.

My Side of the Diamond Goodbye, Perfect Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake, #2)

Have you read any of the books on my list this week? Any others you’d recommend? As always please feel free to leave comments and links below.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 14th November 2017

November 14, 2017November 13, 2017 Ali@abookishlife10 Comments

This week my teaser comes from Copycat by Alex Lake, a book I had to put on the back burner while I caught up on ARCs but have finally managed to pick up again. I actually won this in a GoodReads giveaway. It’s a psychological thriller about a woman who someone has it in for. They set up a fake facebook profile in her name, send emails claiming to be from her…. It’s pretty creepy and does make you a bit paranoid about your online presence.

My Teaser

There was a strange paradox at the heart of it: she felt totally comfortable with him, trusted he loved her whatever she did, yet at the same time she still wanted to impress him, still wanted to show him she was a strong and intelligent and beautiful woman who merited his ongoing love and attention. She didn’t resent the feeling, because she didn’t think she had to do it.

~ Pg 83 Copycat by Alex Lake

Blurb

Your stalker is everywhere.
Your stalker knows everything.
But the real problem is that your stalker is you.

Sarah Havenant discovers–when an old friend points it out–that there are two Facebook profiles in her name.

One, she recognizes: it is hers. The other, she has never seen. But everything in it is accurate. Recent photos of her and her friends, her and her husband, her and her kids. Even of her new kitchen. A photo taken inside her house.

She is bemused, angry, and worried. Who was able to do this? Any why?

But this, it soon turns out, is just the beginning. It is only now–almost as though someone has been watching, waiting for her to find the profile–that her problems really start…

WWW Wednesday: 8th November 2017

November 8, 2017November 7, 2017 Ali@abookishlife23 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.

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?

Currently Reading

I started reading Renegades by Marissa Meyer yesterday morning and while I’m only about 5% in I am already loving it. I just really like her writing, it draws you instantly, and I’m a big fan of the whole superhero thing so this this is right up my street. Fingers crossed it lives up to expectations.

I also still have Copycat by Alex Lake on the go but have had to pretty much park it while I try to beat publication dates for some of the ARCs I have.

Recently Finished

I got a bit distracted by ~~stalking Benedict Cumberbatch~~ the filming that was going on in Glasgow last week (pic above from outside my office) but I managed to finish three books.

The first of these was YA thriller Bad Girls with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten which I’d received from NetGalley. I’d previously read and loved the author’s previous book Suicide Notes fro m Beautiful Girls but I think this might have been even better. Honestly it was so good I was picking it up at every possible opportunity.

It’s a dark and twisted story about girl who’s in love with her best friend and is trying to pluck up the courage to tell him when his cheating ex reappears in his life and starts trying to win him back. Girl sets up a fake email and insta to catfish the ex but it all goes disastrously wrong. I posted a raving review at the end of last week with all of my feelings but in summary I loved it and would definitely recommend if you like a good thriller.

The second book finished this week was another NetGalley pick, Strange Weather by Joe Hill. It’s a collection of four short novels very loosely linked by bizarre weather events. This is the first full book I’ve read by Hill (I started the Fireman but still haven’t finished) and I really enjoyed it. I did prefer some stories to others but each one had something about it I loved. The shorter format was both brilliant and really annoying (I need to find out what happens next). It’s definitely encouraged me to go back and finish The Fireman and also read some of his other books.

The third and final book finished was The Truth and Lies of Ella Black by Emily Barr. I read and absolutely adored Barr’s previous novel The One Memory of Flora Banks so I was very excited to receive this from NetGalley a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately while it does have a lot of similarities in writing style I’m not sure I can really say I enjoyed this. There was one really disturbing incident pretty early on in the story that I just couldn’t get past and from there on in I think I was just looking for problems. Something that wasn’t too difficult as there were quite a few things about it that made it uncomfortable reading.

I’m still swithering over whether to review it here but you can find a draft with my initial thoughts over on GoodReads.

Reading Next

I discovered last week that the publication and archive dates for a lot of the books on my NetGalley shelf are a lot sooner than I thought (and than it says on the shelf) so I’ve had to rework my reading plan a lot. I can’t really complain when they’re some of my most anticipated reads 🙂 I think the following will be up next.

Have you read any of the books on my list this week? Any others you’d recommend? As always please feel free to leave comments and links below.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 7th November 2017

November 7, 2017November 5, 2017 Ali@abookishlife12 Comments

This week my teaser comes from Strange Weather by Joe Hill which I received from NetGalley. It’s a collection of four novellas (each around 100-150pgs) written at different points in Hill’s career each with some kind of weather link. I enjoyed some a little more than others (Aloft was my favorite) but all are brilliant.

My teaser is from the first story Snapshot about a Polaroid camera that erases memories with each picture it takes.

My Teaser

“Invent a way not to ged old,” he said. “It is a terrible goddem trick to play on someone. Gedding old is no way to stop being young.”

~ 3% Strange Weather by Joe Hill

Blurb

A collection of four chilling novels, ingeniously wrought gems of terror from the brilliantly imaginative, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman, Joe Hill

“Snapshot” is the disturbing story of a Silicon Valley adolescent who finds himself threatened by “The Phoenician,” a tattooed thug who possesses a Polaroid Instant Camera that erases memories, snap by snap.

A young man takes to the skies to experience his first parachute jump. . . and winds up a castaway on an impossibly solid cloud, a Prospero’s island of roiling vapor that seems animated by a mind of its own in “Aloft.”

On a seemingly ordinary day in Boulder, Colorado, the clouds open up in a downpour of nails—splinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. “Rain” explores this escalating apocalyptic event, as the deluge of nails spreads out across the country and around the world.

In “Loaded,” a mall security guard in a coastal Florida town courageously stops a mass shooting and becomes a hero to the modern gun rights movement. But under the glare of the spotlights, his story begins to unravel, taking his sanity with it. When an out-of-control summer blaze approaches the town, he will reach for the gun again and embark on one last day of reckoning.