WWW Wednesday: 22nd March 2017

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?

Currently ReadingSpring at Blueberry Bay

I’m kind of feeling like I have a bit of a book hangover at the moment so I’ve decided some light and fluffy reading is required. I’ve therefore just started reading Spring at Blueberry Bay by Holly Martin  which I received from NetGalley yesterday. I have only read a few pages so can’t really say much about it but I think it’s just the type of book I need.

On audio I’m listening to Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost, the second in her Night Prince series. I read this about 6 months ago but am gradually working my way through the series again so that I’m up to speed for the final book.


Recently FinishedA Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic, #3)

First book finished this week was A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab, the third and final book in the Shades of Magic series. This was a book I’d been looking forward to since finishing A Gathering of Shadows but for some strange reason I found it a difficult read. The writing is brilliant (as always), the story was exciting and I loved every single character but I kept finding reasons not to read it. I actually wandered off and read another book mid way through and found myself re reading old books as well. Possibly I just didn’t want it to be over.Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2

The second book finished this week was Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I ended up reading this from cover to cover in an evening after work (while midway through ACOL). I was a little bit wary of the play format initially but I think this style suited me. Dialogue, when done well, is often what I enjoy most in a book so to have a book which was pretty much all dialogue was perfect. I really enjoyed finding out what all of the characters were up to but the highlight for me were the new characters and Scorpius Malfoy in particular.

Eleanor & ParkThe final book finished this week, and the one that’s left me with a bit of a book hangover, was Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. This was my fourth Rowell book and was every bit as fantastic as the others but a little sadder. I love Rainbow Rowell’s writing, she somehow manages to create very real characters and makes you feel everything that they feel.

This is a “first love” story set in the 80’s but as Eleanor has a very troubled home life deals with some darker issues too. It’s sweet and funny and I loved the 80’s references but it did also make me angry and quite sad.


Reading Next

Unfortunately  all the progress I’d made on my NetGalley shelf has been wiped out over the last week as lots of really tempting books popped up and I just couldn’t resist requesting. I’m not sure what’ll be next but it will almost definitely be one of the following:

Legion (Talon, #4)Paris for One and Other StoriesLast Breath (Detective Erika Foster, #4)He Said/She SaidObsessionThe Cornish Escape

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: 21st March 2017

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 Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell which I finished late last night. I’m possibly one of the last people on the planet to read this book but in the unlikely event you also haven’t read it and like YA contemporary I’d definitely recommend. It’s quite sweet and funny with lots of 80’s references but is also really sad.

If you have read it can you please tell me what those three words are?


My Teaser

‘She wasn’t even into you, you know. She was just bored, and she thought you were mysterious and quiet – like, “still waters run deep.” I told her that sometimes still waters just run still.’

~ page 175 Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell


BlurbEleanor & Park by [Rowell, Rainbow]

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and she’s never felt more alone. All mismatched clothes, mad red hair and chaotic home life, she couldn’t stick out more if she tried.

Then she takes the seat on the bus next to Park. Quiet, careful and – in Eleanor’s eyes – impossibly cool, Park’s worked out that flying under the radar is the best way to get by.

Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall in love. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you’re 16, and you have nothing and everything to lose.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is funny, sad, shocking and true – an exquisite nostalgia trip for anyone who has never forgotten their first love.

WWW Wednesday: 15th March 2017

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?

 


Currently Reading

A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic, #3)At long, long last I’ve finally made a start on reading A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab. It’s the third and final book in her Shades of Magic series and is a book I’ve been on the edge of the seat waiting for since the end of A Gathering of Shadows. I’m only around halfway through but so far it’s not disappointing. There is something very readable and easy about Schwab’s writing style and the Shades of Magic series has a few of my all time favourite characters. Even the ones I wasn’t so sure about (Rhy) seem to be growing on me. I just don’t want it to be over though.


Recently FinishedBroken Prince (The Royals, #2)

Slightly shorter list than last weeks with only three books finished. The first of which, Broken Prince  by Erin Watt, I think I’d actually finished by lunchtime last Wednesday. It’s the second in Erin Watt’s (aka duo Jen Frederick and Elle Kennedy) Royals series and is completely addictive reading. It’s like an American soap opera with mean girls, rich bad boys, a bit of romance and a lot of drama. I have however decided that I was overdosing so taking a break before reading the third book.

On audio I finished listening to Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost. This was actually the second time I’ve listened to it but while I knew where it was going it was no less enjoyable.

The New Rules of Work: The Modern Playbook for Navigating Your Career Job, and Waking Up Excited for Work Every DayThe third and final book finished was The New Rules of Work by Alexandra Cavoulacos and Kathryn Minshew. It’s not often I read a non fiction book but I spotted this on NetGalley and was kind of curious. I’ve been working in the same job for 11 years now so was interested to see what advice they had to give for someone stuck in a rut and thinking about a change. Have to say that I did find it incredibly useful. It’s possibly one of the most comprehensive books I’ve come across and covers everything from working out what type of job would suit you, to how to get it and for those with a job they’re happy with how to be more productive, communicate effectively and impress your boss so much you’ll get a promotion.

There were a lot of things I already know but still some useful tips and tricks that I will be trying out.


Reading Next

I’m gradually making some progress on my NetGalley shelf so I think I’m going to keep at it and see if I can hit that elusive 80% feedback ratio (I’m currently at 75%). On that basis I think I’m planning on picking up either He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly or Paris for One and Other Stories by Jojo Moyes. I did however also pick up Harry Potter and the Cursed Child from the library so there’s a fair chance I’ll sneak that in somewhere too.

Paris for One and Other StoriesHe Said/She SaidHarry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2

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: 14th March 2017

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.


At long last I’ve finally started reading A Conjuring of Light by Victoria Schwab so I absolutely had to use it for my teaser this week. I love Schwab’s writing so I have been merrily highlighting my way through the whole book.

Note, this is the third book in the Shades of Magic series so while the teaser is spoiler free the blurb has spoilers for earlier books and is best avoided if you haven’t read them yet.


My Teaser

She forgave him nothing. She owed him everything. And before she could say so, he was gone.

~ 18% A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab


BlurbA Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic, #3)

Witness the fate of beloved heroes – and enemies.

THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED…
The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.

WHO WILL CRUMBLE?
Kell – once assumed to be the last surviving Antari – begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?

WHO WILL RISE?
Lila Bard, once a commonplace – but never common – thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.

WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?
And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.

Review: The Trespasser by Tana French

The Trespasser (Dublin Murder Squad #6)The Trespasser by Tana French

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The latest book in Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series is possibly my favorite so far. It’s not a fast paced story with action on every page (if you’re looking for that try a different author) but a character driven, complex murder mystery with some of the most intense scenes I’ve ever come across.

It definitely reminded me just what I love so much about her writing.Read More »

Review: King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard

King's Cage (Red Queen, #3)King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another enjoyable installment in the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard. I found it a little bit wordy in places but the character development and world building are incredible and it builds to a truly epic conclusion that had me on the edge of my seat.

I can’t wait for the fourth and final book in the series.

Warning: This review may contain spoilers for earlier books in the seriesRead More »

WWW Wednesday: 8th March 2017

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?

I was on holiday last week so didn’t post so this week I’m doing a bit of a catch up of everything I read over the last two weeks.


Currently ReadingBroken Prince (The Royals, #2)

As I was on holiday and have a week off work at the moment I’m currently reading some of those books that have been on my TBR pile for a while but haven’t had a chance to read. I was looking for something light yesterday so finally made a start on Paper Princess by Erin Watt (aka duo Jen Frederick and Elle Kennedy).

I enjoyed it so much I somehow managed to finish the whole thing by lunch time so now I’ve moved on to the second book in the series Broken Prince and as of writing this am 75% through. Once Burned (Night Prince, #1)

On audio I’m currently doing a re listen (is that a thing?) of Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost. I originally listened to this (and the other two books in the series) in August last year but with the fourth and final book in the series, Into the Fire, out last month I decided to start from the beginning again to refresh my memory. It also helped make a three and a bit hour flight that little more enjoyable. I do have to be careful though as Jeaniene Frost books do have a bit of a tendency to make me laugh out loud.


Recently FinishedKing's Cage (Red Queen, #3)

As I’m covering two weeks worth of reading there are quite a few books on my recently finished list this time. First up is King’s Cage, the third book in Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series. This was probably one of my most anticipated books of this year and I think I had maybe built it up too much in my head. I did like it a lot and there is some great writing and truly epic scenes but I didn’t love as much as I hoped I would. I’m planning to post a full review this week.

The second book finished was audio booStorm Siren (Storm Siren, #1)Storm Siren by Mary Weber. It does have a lot of the common YA sci-fi/fantasy tropes (love triangle, special snow flake destined to save the world etc) but it’s a lot darker than a lot of the others and has enough unique aspects to it to make it worth a read (although I’m not happy about the ending). It also deserves special props for using the words “man treasures” to describe a certain anatomical area that gets kneed.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus, an ARC I received from NetGalley was the next book finished. It’s a YA thriller One of Us Is Lyingwhich is kind of like a mixture of The Breakfast Club and a murder mystery. Five very different teens end up in detention together but within 15 minutes one of them is dead and the other four are suspects.

As a huge fan of The Breakfast Club this was right up my street. I did guess fairly early on who did it but it didn’t really diminish my enjoyment of the story and there are enough reveals to keep you questioning. The highlight for me was the four characters and how they develop over the course of the story. It’s not out for a couple of month’s so I’m holding off on a full review until closer to publication date.

SweetpeaThe next book finished, Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse, was also an ARC from NetGalley (I will get my shelf down). I’ve loved Skuse’s previous YA books so was excited to see what she would do with her first adult read and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s probably not one for the easily offended or the squeamish but I found it very funny.

It’s like a combination of Bridget Jones and Dexter, as the story follows Rhiannon, your average woman who just happens to be a bit of a psychopath. Like Bridget she keeps a journal but rather than recording her weight etc each entry begins with a list of the people she wants to kill, from the cashier at her local supermarket to co workers and even boyfriend Craig. It did worry me how often I kind of agreed with Rhiannon’s thoughts and it often made me laugh out loud. My main criticism was that it was maybe a little too long and lacked direction at times.

The Upside of UnrequitedNext up, was the Upside of Unrequited by Becky Abertalli, author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda (another NetGalley ARC). It’s kind of similar to Simon vs in that it’s a diverse coming of age story about a girl called Molly but while I was decidedly underwhelmed by Simon vs I really liked this one. This seems to be contrary to all of the other reviews I’ve read but I suspect it’s due to expectations. I went into this with much lower expectations and consequently enjoyed it a lot more. Again this isn’t out till next month so I’m holding off on a review till nearer the time.

Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter, #1)My next book was Angel’s Blood by Nalini Singh. I can’t remember where I heard about this author but I bought this, the first in the Guild Hunters series a while ago and only just got around to reading. I wasn’t too sure about it at the start. First thought was “argh, not another paranormal romance” but within a few chapters I was completely hooked which is always good until you realize there are like 11 books in the series and you’re going to end up reading them all 🙂

After Angel’s Blood I decided I needed a thriller so picked up Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney (another ARC). It begins with main character Amber Reynolds realizing she’s in a coma but with no memory of how she ended up there other than the feeling that it wasn’t an accident. I absolutely loved this book. Completely gripping and addictive reading I finished the whole thing in a day. It’s probably my favourite thriller of the year so far and definitely a book I would  recommend.

The final book finished (and started) yesterday was Paper Princess by Erin Watt, which as I’ve already mentioned above I won’t go into detail about.


Reading NextA Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic, #3)

Based on the number of books read over the past couple of weeks and lack of reviews I should probably take a break from reading to get caught up. I think I will however finally make a start on A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab. Despite being desperate to read it I’ve been kind of putting it off due to a combination of fear that it won’t live up to expectations and just not wanting it to be over.

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 March 2017

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.


I’ve read so many good books over the past week or so I struggled to decide which one to use for my teaser but have finally settled on psychological thriller Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney. This was an ARC I received from NetGalley and honestly I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a thriller quite so much. I read the whole thing in the space of a day, I literally couldn’t put it down. Definitely one I’d recommend.


My Teaser

Little girls are different from little boys, they’re made of sugar and spice and scar for life. I’ve still got my scars, just because they’re on the inside doesn’t mean they’re not there.

~ 79% Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney


Blurb

My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:

1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.

 


Happy Reading Everyone

Review: The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney

The Girl BeforeThe Girl Before by J.P. Delaney

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Enjoyable story with some aspects that were fascinating but I didn’t connect to any of the characters and as a result the whole thing left me a little bit cold.

It’s well written however with plenty of twists and turns and reminded me a lot of The Girl on the Train. I think this is a book a lot of people will really love. It just unfortunately didn’t quite work for me.

Read More »