Tag: books

WWW Wednesday: 11th May 2016

Ali@abookishlife17 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.

WWW Wednesday

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

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

Here’s this weeks WWW.

Currently ReadingDon't You Cry

Normal service has resumed this week and I have two books on the go at the moment, an e-book and an audio.

Having put it off for some reason I’ve finally made a start on Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica. I think I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind for a thriller as it’s a book I’ve been really looking forward to. I’m a big fan of Mary Kubica and while it’s early days I have a good feeling about this book.

Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, #1)As I can’t get my hands on any more Harry Dresden audio books at the moment (there’s a wait list) I decided to go for another paranormal series and have started listening to Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost. It reminds me a lot of Buffy the Vampire slayer as the main character is half vampire, half human and spends her time hunting vampires. Despite her hatred of the undead she does however end up teaming up with a vampire called Bones. It’s a bit ridiculous and the narrator does a really bad English male accent but for some reason I’m finding it completely addictive.

Recently Finished

I’m not too sure what’s been going on reading wise over the last week as I’ve been a little all over the place. I think it was maybe a combination of a major book hangover after the ending of Soldier by Julie Kagawa combined with some bad news at work and just generally not feeling too great. This resulted in me veering wildly off my reading plan and looking for some comfort reads.

Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina, #1)I did however manage to finish Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty which I was nearing the end of last Wednesday. It’s a children/middle grade book so I’m not exactly the target audience but I liked it a lot. I tend to avoid books for younger readers but I’m very glad I gave this a go. It’s simply written but somehow has some very strong messages, a lot of depth, emotion and atmosphere. You can read my full review here.

It was after this that my book choices became a bit more random and I felt the need to return to Sabrina Paige’s stepbrother romance series with Prince Albert. I was hoping for a bit of escapism but I’m afraid I found it just a little too ridiculous a plot even for me and I wasn’t a big fan of the leading man. He was just a little bit too crude for me.

Know Not WhyAfter Prince Albert I was in desperate need of some cheering up so resorted to some old favorites. I’d meant to just skim and read my favorite parts but somehow ended up reading both Know Not Why by Hannah Johnson and The Nothing Girl by Jodi Taylor from start to finish. They’re both coming of age stories in a way with slightly odd characters. They are also both books that make me smile and leave me feeling all warm and fuzzy. Just what I needed.

Reading Next

The Mirror World of Melody BlackGiven my wandering off plan, this weeks Reading Next list is very much like last weeks. First up will be The Mirror World of Melody Black by Gavin Extence which is not my usual type of story (it’s about mental illness) but I really need to read it if I’m going to the book club on the 18th.

After that I shall be back to my ever growing NetGalley shelf. There have been some fantastic books appearing there recently so I haven’t been able to resist. Going in order of archive date, first up will be The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L Armentrout which I’m very excited about. I haven’t actually read anything by this author before but I’ve heard a lot of good things and I’m enjoying YA contemporary books at the moment.

In the unlikely event I finish all of these books I then plan on switching back to crime with the Robert Bryndza book The Girl in the Ice. I’ve loved his Coco Pinchard series so I’m excited to see what he does in a different genre and I have the follow up The Night Stalker ready and waiting to read too.

The Problem with ForeverThe Girl In The Ice (DCI Erika Foster, #1)The Night Stalker (DCI Erika Foster, #2)

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

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Teaser Tuesday: 10th May 2016

Ali@abookishlife20 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat 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 Books and a Beat.

TeaserI was feeling a little bit down at the weekend so to cheer myself up I turned to The Nothing Girl by Jodi Taylor. I read it a year or so ago but had forgotten just how great it is. I had intended just to read the odd couple of pages but once I started I couldn’t stop and ended up reading the whole thing from start to finish. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me smile (a lot) but mostly it just made me feel all warm and fuzzy so I had to use it for this weeks teaser.

The Nothing GirlMy Teaser

Weddings are a long, rain-drenched nightmare when the only sounds are your relatives venomously hissing in dark corners. I don’t know how anyone who doesn’t have a giant, golden horse gets through them.

~ page 100

If you like books with eccentric characters, romance, a tiny bit of mystery and lots of animals (including an imaginary/guardian angel horse called Thomas) I’d definitely recommend.

Happy reading everyone.

Book Review: Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty

Ali@abookishlife2 Comments

Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina, #1)Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a middle grade/children’s story Serafina and Black Cloak is obviously not meant for me. I’m most definitely not the target audience. But, do you know what, I liked it a lot. It’s very well written, has an exciting story that keeps you engaged throughout and a wonderful cast of characters. I loved it and I think it’s a tale that kids will love too.

While I read a lot of YA books I tend to steer clear of stories for younger children. I’ve found in the past that I just don’t get them, they read that little bit too young for me (unsurprisingly). However when I saw the cover and read the description of Serafina and the Black Cloak I couldn’t resist. It really is one of the prettiest covers I’ve come across and while I know you shouldn’t choose books on that basis sometimes I can’t resist and believe it or not I think the cover does actually give you a good feel for what the story is like.

Synopsis

The story follows Serafina, a 12 year old girl who lives with her pa in a very grand house owned by the Vanderbilts. She doesn’t get to meet the rich people upstairs however as her pa keeps her hidden away in the basement. She creeps around the house but keeps out of sight at all times, something she’s become very good at. It’s a lonely life and she longs for friends but her pa has given her the very important job of C.R.C. (chief rat catcher) to keep her busy.

One night when she’s out hunting rats she hears footsteps and comes across a man in a black cloak. He’s chasing a young girl through the basement. Despite her fear, Serafina tries to help the girl but ends up witnessing her disappearance into the very sinister cloak before having to run to save herself. When her pa doesn’t believe her she tries to find someone else in the house who’ll listen to her tale and ends up telling Braeden, the nephew of the Vanderbilts.

As another child disappears each night and the adults can’t solve the mystery it’s up to Serafina and Braeden to try to track down the man in the cloak. However when it seems the man is after Braeden, Serafina has to take matters into her own hands to save her only friend. This leads to a journey into the forest, where her father has always forbidden her to go, and the discovery of some secrets about her past.

Thoughts

Despite the storyline being very dark in places I thought that at it’s core this was a very sweet and heart warming tale. Serafina is such a lovable character. She’s lived a very lonely life with only her pa for company so she’s desperate to make a friend but is very self conscious and feels like there’s something wrong with her. She knows there’s something that makes her different from everyone else (why else would her father hide her away) and worries that she might be bad in some way. Despite this however she doesn’t hide when someone needs help. She takes that big brave step and puts herself out there even though she knows she could get in trouble and that people may not believe her.

What she finds however is a possible friend in Braeden. He’s an orphan and also a bit of an outsider who prefers animals to people but he actually sees and listens to Serafina. I thought the relationship between them was just sooo sweet. Both are lonely and neither seems to know what it’s like to have a friend but despite a very tentative start they quickly become attached to each other.

I absolutely loved the way the author wrote the relationship between them and in fact the writing was probably the highlight of the whole book. While I often find children’s books a little too simple and superficial this is not the case here. The writing is simple but somehow very powerful and packed full of emotion and feeling. The descriptions and dialogue are excellent and you get a real sense of atmosphere. The pacing is pretty much spot on and the author manages to generate some real edge of the seat tension in places. I have a feeling this is a book that would work well being read aloud and I could almost imagine the words being spoken.

It’s a very difficult story to talk about without spoilers but there is a lot of action and mystery which keep you hooked. It’s a little bit of a twisty tale and while I guessed the truth fairly early on (it is meant for children so it would have been worrying if I hadn’t) it’s enjoyable to watch the characters uncover the secrets and get to the truth.

Overall a great story with fantastic writing. Definitely one I’d recommend for young (and not so young readers).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for a review.

Book Review: You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan

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You Know Me WellYou Know Me Well by David Levithan & Nina LaCour

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You Know Me Well is a fantastically well written story about friendship, love and working out what you want to do with your life set during San Francisco’s Pride Festival. As you can probably tell there is a strong LGBT element however it deals with issues that everyone has faced at some point in their lives regardless of sexual orientation.

It’s an enjoyable and emotional read that once I started I just couldn’t put down. Although the time period covered is short, there is a real journey for all of the characters and I found myself really rooting for them and caring for them. I could definitely relate to a lot of the issues and problems they faced.

If you like YA contemporary books with a lot of feels I think you’ll definitely enjoy this book.

Synopsis (from GoodReads)

Who knows you well? Your best friend? Your boyfriend or girlfriend? A stranger you meet on a crazy night? No one, really?

Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.

That is until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.

When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other — and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.

Thoughts

I think I spent around the first third of this book trying to figure out what film it reminded me of. It drove me nuts for ages until I finally figured out it was Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. It just had that indie, crazy night out, quirky character type vibe to it. As you all probably know (but I didn’t) David Levithan co wrote the book the film is based on which is no doubt why it felt so familiar to me and why I enjoyed it so much.

The story starts with Mark and Kate meeting in a bar at the start of the Pride Festival. Kate is supposed to be somewhere else meeting a girl she’s been fantasizing about for ages and Mark has been abandoned by his best friend Ryan, the boy he’s been in love with forever but who may not feel the same. Both are at a bit of a cross roads in their lives, having a bit of personal crisis but discover in each other the person they need at that point in time.

I think most people will have met someone at some point that they just instantly click with and that’s what happens with Mark and Kate. It’s so great to read a story about friendship rather than romance and that’s exactly what this is. It’s about finding and keeping people in your life who will support you, advise you, encourage you to take chances and be there for you if/when it all goes wrong.

Don’t get me wrong there is a little bit of love and romance but it’s the realistic, non perfect kind rather than hearts and flowers and everyone living happily ever after. It’s unrequited love, fear of putting yourself out there and saying how you feel, feeling not good enough and being rejected (or accepted). Basically it’s real life as a teenager at that crucial point in time when you’re leaving school and deciding what you want to do with your life.

Of the two main characters I think Mark was probably my favourite. He’s the openly gay jock who’s madly in love with his best friend Ryan but is scared to tell him as he has a suspicion his feelings aren’t returned. He was just so sweet and nice, devoted to Ryan but terrified of telling him in case he loses him. I was so proud of him throughout the story and just wanted to hug him.

Kate (or Katie) was a little harder to warm up to but I think that was more due to frustration with her than dislike. She’s a talented artist who seems to achieve everything she wants but is terrified of going for it. She’s been accepted to one of the best art programmes, has the chance at an exhibition and is due to meet the girl she’s been dreaming of forever but just wants to run away from it all because she doesn’t think she’s worthy. I could definitely relate to that feeling but it didn’t make it any less annoying. The main thing I loved about her however was the way she supported her friends.

The other characters in the book were also exceptionally well written. I loved them at times, they annoyed me at others but they were just very real. I’ve definitely met at least some of them in my non book life.

Each chapter of the story alternates between Mark and Kate’s perspective and I assume with the two authors David wrote Mark’s chapters and Nina Kate’s (although I don’t know for definite). This works incredibly well and the flow feels very natural and easy rather than in any way disjointed. Overall I thought the story was well paced. It’s contemporary young adult so there’s obviously not going to be a huge amount of action and excitement but it definitely had me hooked and wanting to know how it would all end.

There were a lot of moments that made me laugh and smile and the occasional tear so it’s safe to say I enjoyed it a lot. If you like this genre (and possibly even if you don’t) I think you’ll really like this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. It’s released on the 2nd June in the UK.

WWW Wednesday: 4th May 2016

Ali@abookishlife20 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.

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 kind of skipped last weeks WWW as I was feeling a little guilty about not really reading anything but thankfully there’s been a bit more progress over the past week.

Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina, #1)Currently Reading

Started reading Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty yesterday and I’m around 80% through as for some reason I just can’t stop reading. I requested it from NetGalley mostly due to the cover but I’m enjoying it a lot more than expected. It’s a middle grade/children’s book which I’m obviously not the target audience for but it seems to be exactly what I need at the moment. I think I can more or less guess how it’s going to end but the writing is just so nice to read.

Technically I’m also still midway through the audio book Grave Peril by Jim Butcher which is the third book in the Harry Dresden files. I say technically because I was around a third of the way through when it returned itself to the library. I will get it back out again at some point so I can finish it but I’m on a wait list.

Recently Finished

UnrivalledI read very little while I was away on holiday so I’ve been playing catch up over the last few days and managed to finish quite a few books although I’m still a little behind on my reviews.

First up was  Unrivalled by Alyson Noel which is a contemporary YA (although I would say maybe more new adult) set in the Los Angeles night club scene. It’s told in alternating chapters from the point of view of four different character, three who wannabe famous and one who already is but has a secret. I loved Alyson Noel’s Immortals Series so had high hopes but found it a bit average rather than anything special. You can read my full review here.

Following Unrivalled I went on a Talon saga reading binge over the bank holiday weekend and finished all three of the books, Talon, Rogue and Soldier, that are available now.

Talon (Talon, #1)Rogue (Talon #2)Soldier (Talon, #3)

I’ve had my doubts about Julie Kagawa’s books in the past but I’ve come to the conclusion that the more she writes the better they get and this is possibly her best series to date. I think if you like YA fantasy, dragons and don’t get too upset about love triangles you will enjoy it. I finished the latest book Soldier on Monday night and without giving too much away the ending is incredible. The series is worth reading for that alone. Hopefully I’ll get reviews up this week.

The final book of the week, which I snuck in between Talon books, was Cannon by Sabrina Paige. Her stepbrother romance books have become a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. They are a little on the trashy side but sometimes I need a bit of trash in my reading life. This is the third in the series and for me possibly the best so far.

Reading Next

The Mirror World of Melody BlackI’m very excited this week as I’ve joined a book club with actual real live people as opposed to virtual ones. I’m naturally quite shy and quiet so it may not work for me but hopefully it’ll be good. First meeting is in just over a week so I’m thinking it might be an idea to start the book sooner rather than later.

The book selected is The Mirror World of Melody Black by Gavin Extence which is not my usual type of read but sounds interesting. Hopefully it’ll trigger some good discussion.

Don't You CryI’ve also been back on NetGalley again so have a few more ARCs that I really want to read over the next couple of weeks. I think first up will be the thriller Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica. I’ve had issues in the past with psychological thrillers not being particularly thrilling (I’m looking at you The Girl on the Train) but having read and loved her previous book, Pretty Baby, I have high hopes for this one. It certainly seems to get good reviews.

Following a trip to the library I do have a few other books I may be reading but I would be guessing if I said which one will be next 🙂

Have you read any of the books above or have any other book you’d recommend? Any advice to a book club newbie? Leave comments and links below.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Teaser Tuesday: 3rd May 2016

Ali@abookishlife10 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat 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 Books and a Beat.

Teaser

This bank holiday weekend turned into a bit of a Talon saga read-a-thon with all three books read over the last four days. I finished the latest book Soldier late last night and I think it might take me a while to recover from THAT ending!!! Julie Kagawa is evil. How am I supposed to wait for the next one?

Anyway, while I’m obsessing over dragons and soldiers and trying to guess what happens next here’s this weeks teaser.

Soldier (Talon, #3)My Teaser

For just a moment, I remembered the words of a certain human soldier long ago, when I first accused him of paranoia. It’s not being paranoid, if they’re really out to get you.

~ location 469

Happy reading everyone.

Book Review: Unrivalled by Alyson Noel

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UnrivalledUnrivalled by Alyson Noel

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Unrivalled is the first in the Beautiful Idols series by Alyson Noel. It’s set in the L.A. club scene and is all about the quest for fame and fortune and the lengths people will go to. It’s an enjoyable and easy read but despite my excitement there wasn’t anything that really wowed me. The writing is as good as I expected but I felt like it was a little on the slow side and the characters, while well described, were difficult to connect with.

I have a feeling though that this is just an introduction to the world and characters. The potential is there for a great series and I will definitely be looking out for the next book.Read More »

Teaser Tuesday: 26th April 2016

Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat 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 Books and a Beat.

Teaser

I scheduled this post over a week ago as today will be the final day of my holiday so I really don’t know what I’m currently reading (if anything). I am however planning to make a start on Talon by Julie Kagawa so it seemed like a good choice for this weeks teaser.

Talon (Talon, #1)My Teaser

“He was about my age, maybe a little older, with cropped hair that glinted a pale gold in the sunlight. He was tan, lean and muscular, as if he spent most of his time out in the sun and the rest at the gym”

~ page 65

Per last week’s post I’m not sure what access I’ll have to my blog but will respond to any comments and work my way round everyone’s teasers when I can.

Happy reading everyone.

WWW Wednesday: 20th April 2016

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.

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?

So here’s my W’s for the week.

Currently Reading

Carry OnI’m writing this post on Sunday when I should really be packing my suitcase for my holiday so I should probably keep it brief 🙂

I’m still not really reading anything this week as I’ve been too keyed up about going away. I’m finding it hard to concentrate on anything so it wouldn’t really be fair. Instead I’m doing what I usually do and re reading bits of some of my recent favourites such as Him by Sarina Bowen, Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye (I know I’m obsessed with this book at the moment) and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.

I have however started a new audio book, Grave Peril by Jim Butcher, which is the third in the Harry Dresden series. Early days but so far I’m enjoying.

You Know Me WellRecently Finished

It’s been bit of a quiet reading week for me but I did manage to read You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan which I picked up as an ARC from NetGalley during the week. This wasn’t a book that was on my planned reading list (the list didn’t last long did it) but when I saw it I just couldn’t resist picking it up immediately. It’s not due for release until 7th June so will post a full review closer to the time but if you like YA contemporary I think you’ll like it.

My Harry Dresden obsession also continued during the week and I finished the audio book of  Fool Moon by Jim Butcher in record time. This may have been due to me listening to it at every possible opportunity. I really, really love James Marsters voice. There is just something so soothing about it.

Reading Next

I think my reading next list is largely unchanged from last week considering I completely abandoned it in favour of reading You Know Me Well (oops).

The hope is therefore that I’ll manage to read Riverkeep by Martin Stewart, Unrivalled by Alyson Noel and Soldier by Julie Kagawa, which are ARCs I received from NetGalley. All are due for release at the end of the month or start of May so I really need to get reading. Particularly as Soldier is the third book in the Talon series and I haven’t read the first two yet 🙂

RiverkeepUnrivalledSoldier (Talon, #3)

In case you’ve missed the first hundred posts mentioning this (sorry) I will be in Italy when this post goes out so not sure if or when I’ll be able to respond to any comments. I’ll try to respond and visit everyone’s blog when I can but apologies in advance if it takes me a while.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Teaser Tuesday: 19th April 2016

Ali@abookishlife2 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat 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 Books and a Beat.

Teaser

This week my teaser comes from You Know Me Well by David Levithan and Nina LaCour. It’s a YA contemporary story about Mark and Kate who meet during Pride week in San Francisco at a time when they each need a friend the most. This is my first book by either of these authors and I’m enjoying it a lot.

You Know Me WellMy Teaser

“I am so mad at him and I am so in love with him, and it hurts to be realizing it like this. Would I fight for him? I have been fighting for him for years. And I’m losing. No matter what I do, I’m losing. But I have to fight anyway.”

~ 40%

I’m on holiday this week and have scheduled this post in advance so apologies now if I don’t manage to reply to any comments. I will definitely catch up on them at some point.

Happy reading everyone.