Teaser Tuesday: 11th July 2017

July 11, 2017July 10, 2017 Ali@abookishlife2 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 Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody. I received this from NetGalley and only started late last night so it’s very early days but so far I’m enjoying the writing style and I get the feeling I’ll love the story.

My Teaser

His body is cloaked in shadow, barely visible against the black and red stripes of the tent, except for the whites of his eyes and the light reflecting off his comb. With his scarred face and patched-up clothes, he looks like a beast who just crawled out of the kennel

~ 3% Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

Blurb

A darkly irresistible new fantasy set in the infamous Gomorrah Festival, a traveling carnival of debauchery that caters to the strangest of dreams and desires.

Sixteen-year-old Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Yet even among the many unusual members of the traveling circus-city, Sorina stands apart as the only illusion-worker born in hundreds of years. This rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own. Her creations are her family, and together they make up the cast of the Festival’s Freak Show.

But no matter how lifelike they may seem, her illusions are still just that—illusions, and not truly real. Or so she always believed…until one of them is murdered.

Desperate to protect her family, Sorina must track down the culprit and determine how they killed a person who doesn’t actually exist. Her search for answers leads her to the self-proclaimed gossip-worker Luca, and their investigation sends them through a haze of political turmoil and forbidden romance, and into the most sinister corners of the Festival. But as the killer continues murdering Sorina’s illusions one by one, she must unravel the horrifying truth before all of her loved ones disappear.

WWW Wednesday: 5th July 2017

July 5, 2017July 4, 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.

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 Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley yesterday and so far so good. It’s about a man and women in their twenties who have issues. Hers possibly being a bit more serious (and interesting) as she’s allergic to other people. I do like unique books and this definitely sounds a bit different from the norm 🙂

Unfortunately my audio book Attack of the 50ft. Women by Catherine Mayer returned itself to the library and I haven’t been able to get it back out so it’s on pause for the moment. I am kind of missing having an audio so if you have any recommendations please shout out. I have three free audible books to pick so all suggestions welcome. I was thinking about Game of Thrones to make the most of my freebie (it’s like 30+ hours) 🙂

Recently Finished

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) I’ve had another really great reading week with four books finished. First up, I’m very happy to say was Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. It was possibly just that I had a physical book and couldn’t cart it around with me but this seriously seemed to take me forever to read. It is slightly longer than my usual reads but it just felt really slow and drawn out. Yep, unpopular opinion time, I didn’t love it. There wasn’t anything particularly bad about it, I just found that I didn’t really care what happened. I also wish I’d known there were spoilers for The Infernal Devices trilogy which I haven’t finished. I do have the next book so I’ll keep going but I may swing back and finish TID first.

Two Nights

Second book finished was Kathy Reich’s latest release Two Nights which I received from NetGalley. I hadn’t read any of Reich’s other books or watched the TV show so I can’t compare but I liked this a lot. It’s been a while since I’ve read this type of book and I’d forgotten what I was missing. This is supposed to be a stand alone with a new main character but I’m kind of hoping she changes her mind and turns this into a series. I liked Sunday Night (yes, that is her name) a lot and while she is a little cliched (bit of an attitude, doesn’t like authority, gets into trouble) I would like to see more of her.

The Duet

Looking for something a lot lighter, and not involving murder or terrorism, my next book was The Duet by R.S. Grey. It’s a contemporary romance about two singers who are forced by their record label to collaborate on a duet for an awards show. As you can probably guess they initially clash before things get hot and steamy. It’s probably not going to win any prizes for literary greatness but I enjoyed it and it was the kind of book I was in the mood for. I do like to alternate between different genres.

Don't Close Your Eyes Fourth and final book finished this week was psychological thriller Don’t Close Your Eyes by Holly Seddon. I still haven’t figured out the reason for the title as it’s about twin sisters and their seriously dysfunctional families and relationships but it’s definitely one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in a while. I found it completely addictive reading and while it’s not necessarily edge of the seat and action packed it just drew me in completely. I did think the ending was a little bit of a let down (it was all over too quickly) but the writing was brilliant and it had a surprising amount of emotion in it.

Reading Next

I posted my reading list for the Summer TBR Wipeout challenge hosted by Candid Cover at the weekend (here) so whatever book I read next will definitely come from there (well probably). I’m thinking most likely one of these.

Roar (Stormheart, #1) The Rome Affair Waiting For Columbus

It should really be Waiting for Columbus as that’s my RL book club book and the meeting is next Friday but I just don’t fancy it and the reviews are less than encouraging (One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest meets Mills and Boon). If anyone has read it and wouldn’t mind giving me details of exactly what happens so I can fake it that would be great 🙂

As always please feel free to leave comments and links below.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 4th July 2017

July 4, 2017July 3, 2017 Ali@abookishlife7 Comments

This week my teaser comes from psychological thriller Don’t Close Your Eyes by Holly Seddon which I received for free from Readers First. I finished this late last night and enjoyed very much. It’s seriously addictive reading and unusually for a thriller did somehow manage to make me cry.

My Teaser

The matching tattoo they both have is just visible from her angle. The quote from Labyrinth, mirrored on her own arm: “It’s only for ever, not long at all.”

~ pg 268 Don’t Close Your Eyes by Holly Seddon

Blurb

A gripping novel of psychological suspense centered on two sisters whose lives have taken them apart, and the shocking family secrets that bind them together.

Twin sisters Robin and Sarah haven’t spoken in years.

Robin can’t leave her house. A complete shut-in, she spends her days spying on her neighbors, subtly meddling in their lives. But she can’t keep her demons out forever. Someone from her past has returned, and is desperate to get inside.

Sarah can’t go home. Her husband has kicked her out, forcibly denying her access to their toddler. Sarah will do anything to get her daughter back, but she’s unraveling under the mounting pressure of concealing the dark secrets of her past. And her lies are catching up to her.

The novel takes readers back in time to witness the complex family dynamics that formed Robin and Sarah into the emotionally damaged, estranged young women they’ve become. As the gripping and intricate layers of their shared past are slowly peeled away, the shocks and twists will keep readers breathless long after the final page.

WWW Wednesday: 28th June 2017

June 28, 2017June 27, 2017 Ali@abookishlife14 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 on Kathy Reichs newest book Two Nights on Monday morning but haven’t made a lot of progress as my train buddy is back and he expects me to talk to him rather than sit reading on our commute 🙂 It does seem a bit cliched (troubled PI trying to deal with their demons by helping others) but I don’t mind that provided it’s done well and there have been some nice one liners which are always good.

I haven’t made a huge amount of progress on my audio book Attack of the 50ft. Women by Catherine Mayer, mostly because I haven’t been doing much driving and when I have there has either been someone else in the car or I’ve been using the satnav (satnav and audio books are a bad combination. I have however made quite a bit of progress on Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. It’s a big heavy hardback so I’m only really reading at weekends and evenings but only around ~~150~~ 30 pages left so should finish ~~in the next couple of days~~ tonight.

Recently Finished

The Bed and Breakfast on the Beach: A summer sizzler full of sun, sea and sand

This has been a pretty good week for me with three books finished and most of them very enjoyable. The first of these was The Bed and Breakfast on the Beach by Kat French. It’s a light and fluffy summer read about three thirty something women who, when their lives go a bit pear shaped, end up buying a B&B on a little known Greek Island. It’s a nice read and perfect for lying on the beach or beside the pool. I’m not sure having three separate storylines worked for me (I would have preferred the focus on just one) but I loved the way the author depicted the island and the locals. You can read my full review here.

After the Bed and Breakfast on the beach I abandoned my original plan of reading a thriller next and decided on Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig. I’d received this a couple of months ago but put off reading it as it was a little out of my comfort zone, as the whole story is told from the pov of autistic, 14 year old Ginny. I knew I’d either love it or hate it and thankfully it was the former. Considering this is the author’s first book it is truly incredible. It’s completely unique, addictive, frustrating, funny and a little bit heartbreaking. Definitely one I’d recommend.

The third book finished, When Dimple met Rishi by Sandhya Menon, is one that had been sitting on my Amazon wishlist for ages but I was lucky enough to get from NetGalley. I think I possibly built this up a bit too much as while I did enjoy it, I didn’t love it as much as I hoped I would. It is quite a cute read but it wanders into “afternoon special” at times and Dimple is not the most likeable of characters. I do have to applaud it however for bringing some cultural diversity into a YA contemporary romance. How accurate its depiction of Indian culture is I have no idea (I suspect not completely based on some of the reviews I’ve seen) but it definitely made a change.

Reading Next

I think my reading next list is more or less the same as last week’s due to my wandering off course so I plan to read one of the following.

Yesterday: The thriller of the summer Don't Close Your Eyes Daughter of the Burning City

Have you read any of the books above or have any other book you’d recommend? Leave comments and links below. I may be a little bit slow in responding and visiting everyone’s posts this week as internet on my phone isn’t working so apologies in advance.

I will also be dragging my poor cat to the vet this evening to get him checked out after an asthma attack at the weekend 😦

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 27th June 2017

June 27, 2017June 25, 2017 Ali@abookishlife2 Comments

This week my teaser comes from Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig which is about a 14 year old girl with autism who’s trying to escape her adoptive home to find her baby doll. I received this from NetGalley a few months ago but only got around to reading last week. I’m so sorry I put this off as I absolutely loved it and would recommend to everyone. It’s so completely unique and engaging.

My Teaser

So I say, “Larry, I am not a babe. I am thirteen years old. Don’t you know that yet? This is tedious”

~ 2% Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig

Blurb

Meet Ginny. She’s fourteen, autistic, and has a heart-breaking secret…

‘Brilliant’ – Graeme Simison, author of The Rosie Project

Ginny Moon is trying to make sense of a world that just doesn’t seem to add up….

After years in foster care, Ginny is in her fourth forever family, finally with parents who will love her.

Everyone tells her that she should feel happy, but she has never stopped crafting her Big Secret Plan of Escape.

Because something happened, a long time ago – something that only Ginny knows – and nothing will stop her going back to put it right…

A fiercely poignant and inspirational story a lost girl searching for a place to call home. Ginny Moon will change everyone who spends time with her.

WWW Wednesday: 21st June 2017

June 21, 2017June 20, 2017 Ali@abookishlife17 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

The Bed and Breakfast on the Beach: A summer sizzler full of sun, sea and sand

I started The Bed and Breakfast on the Beach by Kitty French on Friday and I suspect I will probably finish it today. It’s a romantic comedy about three thirty something year old women who, needing a change, buy a Bed and Breakfast on a secluded Greek Island. I received this from NetGalley and it’s proving to be perfect summer reading. Definitely one for the beach or beside the pool.

Not much progress with Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare or Attack of the 50ft. Women by Catherine Mayer. I’m not very good at juggling a few books at the same time so my focus has been on my ebooks.

Recently Finished

Stillhouse Lake

Another relatively slow reading week for me with only two books finished. The first of these was thriller Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine which I received free through Kindle First. It’s about a woman who’s forced to go into hiding with her children after she discovers her husband of many years was actually a serial killer.

I really, really liked this book. It has the feel of quite a traditional who dunnit but brought right up to date with internet trolls, social media etc. It definitely kept me guessing (which is rare with the number of murder mysteries I’ve read/watched) and I really liked main character Gwen/Gina which I did not expect. You can read my review here.

The Foxe & the Hound The second book finished this week was romance The Foxe and the Hound by R.S. Grey. Grey’s books are a fairly recent discovery for me but they are fast becoming my go to when I’m looking for something light, funny and steamy to get me out of a reading funk. This one is possibly my favourite so far. A clumsy mess of a heroine with a giant out of control puppy and an attractive vet make it my perfect read. I think I read the whole thing with a smile on my face.

Reading Next

Not sure what I’m in the mood for next but given my recent light and fluffy spree I think it’ll be something a bit more serious. Possibly one of the following.

Yesterday: The thriller of the summer Two Nights Don't Close Your Eyes Daughter of the Burning City

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!!!

Top Ten Series I’ve Been Meaning to Start

June 20, 2017 Ali@abookishlife20 Comments

I was planning to do a post on the “series I really, really want to read but have never quite gotten around to yet” and coincidentally that happens to be this weeks Top Ten Tuesday 🙂 Isn’t that lucky.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they post a new Top Ten list. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post and, if you want to, add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s posts (typically put up midnight EST on Tuesday) so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists!

So, on to this weeks prompt…

Top Ten Series I’ve Been Meaning to Start

I have a terrible book buying addiction so I actually own a lot of first in series books that I really want to start but somehow never find the time. The biggest challenge on this is limiting myself to just 10, but here we go…

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) 1. The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – I bought physical copies of both books in the series so far around 6 months ago and they have been languishing on my bookshelf ever since. They do look very pretty and I love the idea of the format of the book so I really, really must read them soon. On a related note, I also own a copy of Nevernight and haven’t started it either *hangs head in shame*

This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)

2. Monsters of Verity by Victoria Schwab – There is a real reason (or real in my head) for why I haven’t read this yet, I don’t like reading more than one series by the same at the same time. I’ve been absolutely loving ADSOM so I didn’t want to make a start on this or Vicious (another one that could be on this list) until I finished it. However I am genuinely planning to read this series in July as I’m going to the authors Edinburgh book tour stop in August.

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)

3. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – Same reason as the previous one for this. I’ve been reading and loving Throne of Glass so I didn’t want to start a different series by the same author. It does now seem like Throne of Glass is going to take a few years to finish so I may need to abandon my aforementioned rule and just read this.

The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn, #1)

4. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh – I have both a physical and ebook version of the first book in this duology but again I haven’t gotten around to it. I do love the sound of the story and I really enjoyed Ahdieh’s Flame in the Mist so…

Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)

5. The Graceling Realm by Kristin Cashore – I’ve heard a lot of really great things about this series, a few GoodReads friend have claimed it as there favourite ever so I rushed out to buy the first book in the series a year or two ago and it has lurked on my kindle ever since.

Poison Study (Study, #1)

6. Study by Maria V. Snyder – I own a ridiculous number of Snyder books especially considering the fact that I’ve never read a single one. They keep appearing at bargain prices on Amazon and I really can’t resist buying them. I have got to find some way to stop book buying, particularly later books in series when I haven’t read the first one and have no idea if I actually like the authors writing.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1)

7. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor – I recently read Strange the Dreamer and enjoyed it so I’m very tempted to swing back and read Daughter of Smoke and Bone (another series I own all of). It does seem to get great reviews but I’m not entirely sure about the authors writing style.

Wolf By Wolf (Wolf By Wolf, #1)

8. Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin – To be perfectly honest it was the cover that made me first want to read this series. There’s just something very intriguing about it. I’m not generally a fan of historical fiction either but the blurb does make it sound like my kind of read.

The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game, #1)

9. The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye – Honestly, I have started the first book in this duology about four times and haven’t made it past the third chapter. Nothing against the book or the writing, it’s just never been the right time to read it.

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)

10. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater – Shameful confession time, I’ve never read a single Maggie Steifvater book. This one does seem to get great reviews so I feel like I really must read it soon, even just so I can say I’ve read a Maggie Stiefvater 🙂

So that’s it, my Top Ten series I really must start. I’m kind of ashamed of quite a lot of these as I feel like I’m possibly the only person on the planet who hasn’t read at least the first book in the series. Do any of these make your list, or am I the only one?

If you have read them, what did you think? Are there any I really must read immediately?

Feel free to leave comments and links to your posts below.

Teaser Tuesday: 20th June 2017

June 20, 2017June 18, 2017 Ali@abookishlife17 Comments

This week my teaser comes from romance read The Foxe and the Hound by R.S. Grey. Grey’s romances have become a little bit of a guilty pleasure for me and I absolutely loved this one. It was just so funny and cute and has a giant puppy. Perfect for pulling me out of the slump I seemed to have fallen into.

My Teaser

Eventually, I will have to leave the agency or learn to put up with Lori in a healthier manner…like killing her with kindness, or murdering her with smiles, or disemboweling her with compliments. That sort of thing.

~ 7% The Foxe and the Hound by R.S. Grey

Blurb

When your life is a hot mess at twenty, it’s cute. At twenty-seven…well, not so much.

It’s just that my lofty dreams—making it as a real estate agent, paying rent on time, showering daily—have stayed just that: dreams. Oh, and love? I’ve decided love might be a little ambitious for me at the moment. Instead, I’ve settled for the two guys who will never leave me: Ben & Jerry.

That is, until Dr. Adam Foxe takes up residence as the town’s new vet.

With his strong jaw, easy confidence, and form-fitting scrubs, it’s not long before every housewife in Hamilton is dragging neglected tomcats in for weekly checkups.

Like everyone else, I’m intrigued. Even after I spoil my chance at a good first impression, he still offers me a proposition I can’t refuse: play his girlfriend at a family function and he’ll hire me as his real estate agent. Welcome to love in the 21st century.

It’s too bad I underestimated Adam’s irresistible charm and the undeniable attraction that burns between us. The day he pins me to the wall and silences me with a kiss, the line between reality and ruse begins to blur. Every teasing touch brings me to my knees. Every kiss promises more.

It looks like my hot mess of a life is about to get a little hotter.

WWW Wednesday: 14th June 2017

June 14, 2017June 11, 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.

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

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) I think I might be in a bit of a reading slump at the moment as I’m juggling a few different books and not making a huge amount of progress on any of them. I started Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare at the weekend and have made it about a third of the way through before I had to park it for a bit. I have the hardback version and it’s huge so there’s no way I’m carrying it on my commute. Enjoyment wise it’s ok. I’ve seen quite a few rave reviews but so far I haven’t been wowed. It has been surprisingly easy to put down.

As I can’t carry Lady Midnight about with me I’ve started reading ebook thriller Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine. I joined Amazon Prime and got this as my freebie first read book. I quite like Caine and I think this is possibly the first adult thriller book of hers I’ve come across. It’s about a woman who discovers her husband was actually a serial killer and, when people don’t believe she wasn’t involved, she takes her children and goes into hiding. The first chapter of this was brilliant. Really hooked you in so I think it’ll be good.

Attack of the 50 Ft. Women: How Gender Equality Can Save The World! The third and final book on the go at the moment is audio book Attack of the 50ft. Women by Catherine Mayer. I thought it was about time I tried a non fiction audio and I’ve been curious about this book since it was published earlier this year. I’ve only managed to get a couple of hours listening in so far but it is fascinating. Feminism and equality is something I’m interested in and it’s definitely making me question my belief that things aren’t really that bad as far as gender equality goes (or at least where I am it isn’t too bad).

Recently Finished

Perfect (Flawed, #2)

It’s been a slightly slower reading week for me (I blame Lady Midnight) so the only book finished this week was Perfect by Cecelia Ahern. This is the sequel to her debut YA book Flawed about a dystopian society where those who are found guilty of moral or ethical crimes are judged to be flawed and branded with a litter F.

Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this as much as I hoped I would. I didn’t dislike it but it was just kinda ok. I felt like the main character who had developed really well in the first book reverted back to being naive and frustrating and there just wasn’t the tension or emotion the first book had.

Reading Next

Given my current slump I think I will be in need of some light and easy reading next. It would be good to get something off my NetGalley shelf too so I may pick up The Bed and Breakfast on the Beach by Kitty French or The Rome Affair by Karen Swan

The Bed and Breakfast on the Beach: A summer sizzler full of sun, sea and sand The Rome Affair

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: 13th June 2017

June 13, 2017June 11, 2017 Ali@abookishlife10 Comments

This week my teaser comes from Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. I bought the special edition of this a while back but am only now getting around to reading. I loved The Mortal Instruments but was a little less awed by The Infernal Devices so I was a bit wary going into this. I’m currently around a third of the way through and enjoying but not wowed the way other readers seem to have been. It just feels a bit long and slow and I’m not sure I like any of the characters.

My Teaser

Emma looked at the ocean and felt what she always felt: a mixture of yearning and terror, a desire to throw herself into the green cold that was like the desire to drive too fast, jump too high, leap into battle unarmed.

Thanatos, Arthur would have called it. The heart’s desire for death.

~ pg63 Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Blurb

In a kingdom by the sea…

In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word.

A parabatai is your partner in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other—but they can never fall in love.

Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter, and the best in her generation. She lives for battle. Shoulder to shoulder with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles, where vampires party on the Sunset Strip, and faeries—the most powerful of supernatural creatures—teeter on the edge of open war with Shadowhunters. When the bodies of humans and faeries turn up murdered in the same way Emma’s parents were when she was a child, an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma’s chance for revenge—and Julian’s chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held prisoner by the faerie Courts. All Emma, Mark, and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks…and before the murderer targets them.

Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets. What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents—and can she bear to know the truth?

The darkly magical world of Shadowhunters has captured the imaginations of millions of readers across the globe. Join the adventure in Lady Midnight, the long-awaited first volume of a new trilogy from Cassandra Clare.