WWW Wednesday: 9th December 2015

December 9, 2015December 8, 2015 Ali@abookishlife16 Comments

It’s WWW Wednesday time.

The WWW Wednesdays 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?

So here’s my W’s for the week.

Currently Reading

Unfortunately I seem to have gotten a little bit stuck on Dead Ringers by Christopher Golden. Last week I was at 25% and have now reached around the 40% mark. I’m so tempted to give up but am determined to finish. I think the main problems are that I don’t really like any of the characters and it’s not particularly scary. Maybe the second half will be better.

My chances of finishing Dead Ringers is also being reduced dramatically by the fact that I’ve started reading My True Love Gave to Me. It’s a selection of holiday themed short stories by young adult authors. Just started but I’m very excited as there are some great author’s stories included.

Recently Finished

It’s been a slow week as far as reading goes so only finished one book this time, Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. It’s the second in the Infernal Devices Series and while I wasn’t mad keen on the first in the series I thought I’d give it a try. I didn’t hate it but I have to admit I still prefer the Mortal Instruments series. Hopefully I should be able to post a review in the next couple of days.

Reading Next

As I’ve been really busy and stressed at work I’ve been resorting to my usual coping mechanism of acquiring books. Thankfully there wasn’t too much damage to my bank balance as most came from the local library or NetGalley.

From NetGalley I managed to get my hands on My Kind of Wonderful by Jill Shalvis and You and Me, Always by Jill Mansell so think I’m going to try one of them next. I feel like it’s time for a switch to chick lit. I also found Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick in the library so may squeeze that in somewhere.

If you have any other suggestions or if you’ve read any of these leave a comment below.

Happy Wednesday all.

Teaser Tuesday: 8th December 2015

December 8, 2015December 7, 2015 Ali@abookishlife12 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. 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 A Daily Rhythm.

TeaserTuesday-ADailyRhythm3 This week I’m reading Clockwork Prince, the second in the Infernal Devices series. I love Cassandra Clare’s writing so there was no way I could limit myself to just two sentences.

My Teaser

His breath against her ear made her shudder with each deliberately spoken word. “I have wanted to do this,” he said, “every moment of every hour of every day that I have been with you since the day I met you. But you know that. You must know. Don’t you?”

~ page 292

If she doesn’t want him I do.

Happy reading everyone.

WWW Wednesday: 2 December 2015

December 2, 2015 Ali@abookishlife4 Comments

It’s WWW Wednesday time.

The WWW Wednesdays 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?

So here’s my W’s for the week.

Currently Reading

I’m still going through a bit of a horror phase and have recently started reading Dead Ringers by Christopher Golden. As you can possibly tell from the title it’s supposed to be a creepy story about an invasion of doppelgangers. I’m only around the 25% mark but so far I’m not overly impressed. I’ll stick with it and hope it gets better as I think it may be my mood rather than the story or writing.

I’ve also started reading Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare which is the second in the Infernal Devices series. I do love Cassandra Clare’s writing style but wasn’t as keen on Infernal Devices as I was on the Mortal Instruments. I’m hopeful however that the series improves.

Recently Finished

I’ve had a very busy week so I haven’t had much time to post any reviews but I have managed to finish a couple of books. I read Six of Crows as part of a group read on GoodReads. It took me a little bit of time to connect to it but by the mid point I was totally hooked. I love the world and characters Leigh Bardugo creates as they feel so unique yet real.

I also managed to sneak in Endeavor which was book 6 in KM Shea’s King Arthur and her Knights series. This has to be one of my favourite series and I read this instalment in a couple of hours with a smile on my face the whole time.

Finally, I read Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. This was the first story by this author I’ve read and found it fascinating and so emotional. It’s left me with a bit of a book hangover and I think may be part of the reason I’m struggling with my current reads.

Reading Next

I still have a few library books lurking that need to be read over the next couple of days and I really want to read The Rosie Project before I have to return it. I noticed in my last visit that they have The Rosie Effect so if all goes well I may pick that up next time.

I also bought Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and have sneakily read the first few pages despite already having another couple of books on the go. So tempted to keep reading but need to resist till I finish the others. I prefer to read one book at a time.

If you have any other suggestions or if you’ve read any of these leave a comment below.

Happy Wednesday all.

WWW Wednesday: 25 November 2015

November 25, 2015 Ali@abookishlife6 Comments

It’s WWW Wednesday time.

The WWW Wednesdays 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?

So here’s my W’s for the week.

Currently Reading

I started reading Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo yesterday and, while it’s still early days, I’m enjoying it so far. I read the Grisha trilogy at the start of the year and really liked it so it’s nice to be back in that world again. Just need to get used to the new characters.

I’m also kind of re reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. I spotted it on kindle unlimited and couldn’t resist. I’ve watched the films many times but it has been a long time since I read the book. It’s strange but nice.

Recently Finished

It’s been a slightly slower reading week for me as I was forced to return to work or have no money to buy books. I did however finish Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. This was my first book by this author and I had slightly mixed feelings about it which you can read about here.

I also read the extended extract of Truthwitch by Susan Dennard which I received from NetGalley. I’ll be posting a sneak peek soon but it definitely has the potential to be big next year.

Finally, as predicted, I couldn’t resist reading Northwoods by Bill Schweigart which I also received from NetGalley. It’s the follow up to The Beast of Barcroft and takes the horror up a notch. I’m not supposed to review till nearer the release date of February but I definitely recommend the series to anyone who likes Stephen King or James Herbert books.

Reading Next

I have a huge big pile of library books which are due back in just over a week so should really be reading them. It seems unlikely I’ll get through them all in that time but I’m hoping to read The Rosie Project and Delirium.

I also have an ARC of Dead Ringers which I should probably already have read (I think it may have been published) so hopefully I can squeeze it in somewhere too.

If you have any other suggestions or if you’ve read any of these leave a comment below.

Happy Wednesday all.

Teaser Tuesday: 24 November 2015

November 24, 2015November 23, 2015 Ali@abookishlife9 Comments

TeaserTuesday-ADailyRhythm3 I’m going to be a bit of a cheat this week as I’ve just started Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and don’t want to flick in case I come across something that gives away the plot so I’m going for first two sentences.

My Teaser

“Joost had two problems: the moon and his moustache.

He was supposed to be making his rounds at the Hoede house, but for the last fifteen minutes, he’d been hovering around the south-east wall of the gardens, trying to think of something romantic to say to Anya”

~ page 3

Have to admit I’m kind of curious about why his moustache is a problem.

Happy reading everyone.

WWW Wednesday – 18th November 2015

November 18, 2015November 17, 2015 Ali@abookishlife13 Comments

It’s WWW Wednesday time.

The WWW Wednesdays 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?

So here’s my W’s for the week.

Currently Reading

I’ve just started reading Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. This is my first book by this author which is ridiculous as I’ve been hearing great things for a long time. Only a few chapters in but so far so good.

I’m also reading an extended extract of Truthwitch by Susan Dennard which I received from NetGalley. This is a book with a lot of buzz around it and from the few chapters I’ve seen so far this buzz seems well deserved. It’s due for release on 5th January 2016 and I’ve already added to my Amazon wish list.

Recently Finished

It’s been a really good week for books this week. I finished the remaining books in KM Shea’s King Arthur series, Embittered, Embark and Enlighten. I love KM Shea books they are always fun, easy reads, with strong female characters. You can find my review of the series here.

I also finally got to read Winter by Marissa Meyer. It’s safe to say I’d been waiting for this for a while. It is an epic conclusion to the series and I loved it. Only downside, nowhere near enough Cress and Thorne. Haven’t had a chance to post a review yet but it should be coming soon.

Reading Next

I still have a stack of library books lurking around the flat that I really should read before they are due to be returned but realistically I know I won’t get to them this week as I’m participating in a group read of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. This is another book I’ve been desperate to read for a while but had been hoping the price would come down. It hasn’t but I’m going to cave and get it anyway.

I should also be working my way through some of the ARC’s that are due for publication over the next couple of weeks but I think I’m probably going to be bad and read Northwoods by Bill Schweigart. It’s also an ARC from NetGalley but isn’t due to be published till February 2016. I just can’t resist starting it now as it’s the follow up to The Beast of Barcroft which reignited my love of horror.

If you have any other suggestions or if you’ve read any of these leave a comment below.

Happy Wednesday all.

Teaser Tuesday – 17 November 2015

November 17, 2015 Ali@abookishlife6 Comments

TeaserTuesday-ADailyRhythm3 Last night I started reading Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. I’ve heard a lot of great things about Colleen Hoover but this is the first book by her I’ve gotten round to reading. Only a few chapters in but enjoying it so far. Anyway here’s this week’s teaser.

My Teaser

“I can’t distinguish between butterflies or a stomach virus, but either way I’m not fond of the way that voice penetrates right to the pit of my stomach. I stiffen and slowly turn around, all of a sudden aware that I’m no where near as confident as my past would lead me to believe.”

~ page 28

Happy reading everyone.

WWW Wednesday : 11th November 2015

November 11, 2015November 11, 2015 Ali@abookishlife11 Comments

It’s WWW Wednesday time.

The WWW Wednesdays 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.

The three W’s are:

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

So here’s my W’s for the week.

Currently Reading

I’m still (not very) patiently waiting on the release of Winter so I’ve been putting off starting anything too heavy. To get me in the right frame of mind however I am currently working my way through KM Shea’s King Arthur series. It follows young American girl Britt Arthurs who is pulled into the past by Merlin when the real Arthur runs off with a shepherdess. Merlin gets her to impersonate Arthur (a 15 year old boy) to try to bring the Kingdom together. It’s a fun, easy read like all of KM Shea’s books so I’m finding it quite addictive. At this very moment I’m midway through Embittered which is book 3 of 5. Lancelot has finally arrived and Britt is off in search of a round table.

Recently Finished

I’ve been on holiday from work for the last week so I’ve managed to finish a few books. As well as the first two books in the King Arthur series, Enthroned and Enchanted, I also finished the two books I was midway through last week, The Beast of Barcroft by Bill Schweigart and What Might Have Been by Matt Dunn. I was pleasantly surprised by the Beast of Barcroft which is a monster lurking in the woods type of story. It reminded me of the horror stories I used to read in my late teens. You can find my full review here.

Matt Dunn’s What Might Have Been was also quite an engaging story but in a completely different way. I haven’t had a chance to write a review as yet but it’s about a guy trying to win back the girl he thinks he’s in love with. It’s quite unusual to find a good chick lit book written by a man but it definitely gives it a unique slant and it’s a very humorous read.

On the more traditional chick lit side I completely devoured Meet Me in Manhattan by Claudia Carroll. I had no idea before I started that it was Christmas story so it was a nice surprise. It’s romantic, funny and has a couple of very unexpected twists that set it apart from the usual type of Christmas romance. The highlights for me though were the descriptions of New York in the snow. It’s somewhere I’ve never been and now desperately want to visit. Click here for my full review.

Finally this week I also read Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick. Another slightly creepy tale but of the young adult variety so not too scary. First book by this author and it’s made me hopeful for her series Hush Hush which is currently lurking on my kindle. You can find my review here.

Reading Next

I’m sure you will be totally unsurprised to learn that Winter will be my next read. Can’t wait until it’s out tomorrow. I have it pre-ordered so it should be there waiting for me on my kindle when I get up and I suspect that will be me for the rest of the day.

After that I think I’ll be in need of something completely different and following a trip to the library I have quite a few options available. I managed to get my hands on The Rosie Project, The Shock of the Fall, The Perfect Match and Before I Fall. They are all physical books so I should really try to read them before I go back to work and have to carry them on the train.

Not sure which to go for first so if you’ve read any of them and have a recommendation let me know.

Happy Wednesday all.

Teaser Tuesday – 10th November 2015

November 10, 2015November 9, 2015 Ali@abookishlife8 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm where you grab your current read, flick to a random page and select two sentences (without spoilers).

TeaserTuesday-ADailyRhythm3 At the moment I’m reading What Might Have Been by Matt Dunn. It’s a girl meets boy, boy leaves girl, girl gets engaged to someone else and boy decides he wants her back type story. Reminds me a bit of a soap opera but for the most part I’m enjoying it.

My Teaser

“The moment he’d seen her, he’d known with an absolute clarity that coming home was the right thing to do, and that Sarah was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Although given how the look on her face had changed so quickly from astonishment to what he hoped wasn’t anger, and the way she was gripping a bottle of Chardonnay rather menacingly by the neck, he wondered whether the rest of his life might not actually last that long.”

~ page 79

Happy reading everyone.

WWW Wednesday : 4th November 2015

November 4, 2015November 4, 2015 Ali@abookishlife14 Comments

It’s WWW Wednesday time.

The WWW Wednesdays 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.

The three W’s are:

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

So here’s my W’s for the week.

Currently Reading

I’m still working my way through The Beast of Barcroft by Bill Schweigart as part of my Halloween themed reads. I’ve just passed the halfway point and am really enjoying it so far. There’s a large cat (or possibly something else) lurking in the woods and picking off pets in the neighbourhood. Actually finding it a little bit creepy. Reminds me a bit of some of James Herbert’s older stories such as the Rats. Review should be coming soon.

I’ve also started an audio book which is a rare occurrence for me. The only other audio book I’ve listened to was The Girl on the Train which I wasn’t too keen on. This time I’m listening to What Might Have Been by Matt Dunn. It’s a boy meets girl, boy leaves girl and then changes his mind and decides he wants her back type story. There isn’t a huge amount happening and it’s a bit frustrating but I’m still loving it. It makes a pleasant change to find a relationship book written by a man and I think the audio is improving it. I was sitting giggling in a traffic jam yesterday.

Recently Finished

Only managed to finish one book so far this week and that was Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J.L. Bryan. This was another of my Halloween themed reads and I was hoping for a creepy ghost story. Unfortunately that isn’t really what I got as it turned into more of a science manual for ghost catching. It’s well written and has some great characters but just not what I was looking for. You can read my full review here

Reading Next

I’m not so patiently waiting on Winter the next in the Lunar Chronicles to be released so I’m struggling to know what to read next. I think I will try to work my way through some of the ARCs I have received from NetGalley. I just received The Masked City by Genevieve Coleman and have realised it’s the follow up to The Invisible Library which has been on my TBR (and kindle) for a while now. I think it’s probably time I read it. It says it’s for fans of The Eyre Affair so should be a good choice for me as that was one of my favourite series.

I also hope to make a start on Meet Me in Manhattan by Claudia Carroll (one of my favourite authors) but I probably need to finish What Might Have Been first as I don’t think I can read more than one romance at a time.