Tag: reading

WWW Wednesday: 23rd May 2018

Ali@abookishlife26 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.

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

Due to a little bit of a wander off track at the weekend my currently reading list is pretty much the same as last week with the addition of Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.

The Last Family in EnglandThe Count of Monte CristoStalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper, #1)Spinning Silver

I have to admit I haven’t made much progress on either the Count of Monte Cristo or The Last Family in England. The first I was holding off on as the buddy read only started yesterday so I didn’t want to get too far ahead (and that’s my story and I’m sticking to it) and the second I’m just too scared to read as I just know something really upsetting is going to happen.

I have made some reasonable progress on Stalking Jack the Ripper and am past the halfway point now. I only have it on loan for about the next 6 days so I’m going to have to get it finished before I lose it. It’s reminding me a lot of Sherlock Holmes for some reason, which is both good and bad.

I only started Spinning Silver on Monday morning so I’m around a quarter of the way through but I’m absolutely loving it. It’s roughly based on Rumpelstiltskin and has that Russian fairytale element to it that I adore. It is however in a weird file format so I’m having to use the Aldiko app on my phone to read it. The writing is teeny tiny so not the easiest to read (thank goodness I’m short sighted) and it looks like it’s going to self destruct in around 40 days but it’s totally worth it.

Recently FinishedAsh Princess

Only two books finished this week, the first of which was Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian. I have to admit I’m a little on the fence about this one. It’s not bad, in fact once I hit the halfway point I did get hooked and found it difficult to put down, but it’s lacking in originality. It’s about a young girl with special powers who has to find a way to defeat an evil tyrant and free her oppressed people. I feel like I’ve already read this and in fact it reminded me a lot of Red Queen. There is some decent writing though and it did generate some feels.

VoxAfter Ash Princess I couldn’t face another YA fantasy and having received a copy of Vox from NetGalley I couldn’t resist reading a few pages. Needless to say I ended up finishing the whole thing the same day. It’s an absolutely fascinating premise in that in this society women are only permitted to speak 100 words a day. Their role is to stay at home, cook, clean, garden and raise the children while their menfolk make the decisions, go out to work. It’s a little similar to Handmaid’s Tale but without the forced baby factory element. I very much enjoyed it. It’s not out till August so unfortunately too early for a review but I would recommend.

Reading Next

Hmm pretty much the same as last week. I think Spinning Silver is gonna take me a while but it’s a long weekend here so hopefully I can make a start on at least one of these.

Smoke in the Sun (Flame in the Mist, #2)Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game #1)Cross Her Heart

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

Happy Reading ❤

Teaser Tuesday: 22nd May 2018

Ali@abookishlife3 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 Circe by Madeline Miller. Other than a quick skim through the first few pages I haven’t started reading this as yet but as I bought a copy at the weekend (the assistant at the bookstore talked me into breaking my ban for it) I couldn’t resist sharing a teaser. Needless to say it’s from very early on.

My Teaser

Once when I was young I asked what mortals looked like. My father said, ‘You may say they are shaped like us, but only as the worm is shaped like the whale.’

My mother had been simpler: like savage bags of rotten flesh.

~ pg3 Circe by Madeline Miller

BlurbCirce

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe has neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and is scorned and rejected by her kin. Increasingly isolated, she turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft.

When love drives Circe to cast a dark spell, wrathful Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her occult craft, drawing strength from nature. But she will not always be alone; many are destined to pass through Circe’s place of exile, entwining their fates with hers. The messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home.

There is danger for a solitary woman in this world, and Circe’s independence draws the wrath of men and gods alike. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

ARC Review: Legendary (Caraval #2) by Stephanie Garber

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Legendary (Caraval, #2)
Legendary by Stephanie Garber

I had high hopes for the sequel to Caraval and Legendary surpassed them all. I absolutely loved it and I can’t wait for book three.

Spoiler Alert: As this is the second in the series there may be some spoilers for Caraval from here on in.

THE BLURB

A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…the games have only just begun.

MY REVIEW

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Wow this book was just so good. As soon as I finished I wanted to go right back to the beginning and read it all over again. Having read a lot of great reviews and very much enjoying Caraval I did have high(ish) hopes but wow this surpassed them all.

The story picks up not long after Caraval and this time around follows younger sister Tella as she tries to fulfill her side of the deal she made to rescue her sister Scarlett from their abusive father and discover who Legend really is (something I very much wanted to know too). It’s not long before she discovers the only way to find Legend is to take part in the game and win. Tella may think that she’s been behind the scenes and knows it’s not real but this is a very different game from the one her sister played and the stakes have never been higher.

I did wonder how Garber could follow up Caraval and keep the mystery when the reader knows the truth behind it but she does it masterfully. From the very start it’s made clear that this is not the same. There’s no warning that it’s only a game and not to get swept away but instead that this time it’s real. But, is it or is the “it’s all real” just another part of the game? It’s such a wonderful spin that you still can’t help wondering what’s real and what’s not. We know some of the characters from the previous book and we know they’re actors playing a part but there are a few new characters and Legend is known for setting the scene well before the game begins so just what is an act and what is true, is anyone who they appear and just who is Legend? It’s even more confounding when it turns out that one thing we thought we’d discovered in Caraval was not remotely true.

I was right there with Tella as she quickly began to doubt her own convictions and started to question if everyone was in fact playing some kind of game with her. At moments it seems as if even sister Scarlett could be in on the game and don’t even get me started on love interests Dante and Jacks.

While picking up this book felt initially like sinking into a familiar and reassuring world with characters I knew and cared for Garber takes it to a whole new level, developing both the world and the people in it into something completely new, strange and unsettling but consistent with what came before. The magic system is further developed but there’s also more insight into the wider world, its people and the various religious and belief systems which added so much depth and detail I found myself completely immersed in this magical world.

For the most part I also loved how the characters were developed. I hadn’t been keen on Tella in the first book but she really made this story for me. She’d always seemed quite a selfish and shallow character, thoughtless and determined to get her way but it’s not long until we find her motivations were very different from what I believed. I adored how forthright she was. There’s no hesitation. She may be scared or have doubts but she makes a decision and she goes for it, putting on a show that nothing gets to her and relying on the fact that most people (myself included) underestimate her. She is a little reckless and her actions are frustrating at times but she’s young (something I kept forgetting) and it makes for such an exciting and engaging read.

Tella is also incredibly self reliant and I loved how she didn’t look to anyone else to solve her problems. She’s not looking for romance but that’s not to say she doesn’t find some and when she does it is truly swoon worthy. There were more than a few occasions when I just wanted to melt into a big puddle on the floor. I should add a warning that there’s a bit of love triangle going on but both of the love interests are just yummy and not necessarily what they seem. Dante may be flirty and sweet but he’s one of the performers so may be playing a game and Jacks is probably not part of the game but is very mercurial and changes from cold and nasty to charming from one moment to the next. I found myself completely hooked every time Tella had a scene with them.

To be honest though I found myself completely hooked on the story as a whole. It’s full of mystery and intrigue and there were so many sudden reveals and twists my jaw was almost constantly on the floor. There was more than one occasion when I was seriously considering just staying on the train and not going to work so I could keep on reading.

If I had one criticism, and it is pretty minor, I would have liked to see more in terms of the game and the other players. It feels like a very personal game this time and the focus is almost solely on Tella. I couldn’t help wondering what everyone else was doing, what the game was for them. I was also a little disappointed in Scarlett, how little she featured and how she acted. We are seeing her from Tella’s pov but she felt like a very different character than in Caraval.

This is however an absolutely brilliant read and moved the story on so well. The conclusion when it comes is fantastic but left me wanting more. I hope we don’t have too long to wait for the next book, Finale.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all views are my own

WWW Wednesday: 16th May 2018

Ali@abookishlife31 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.

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

Ummm….

The Last Family in EnglandAsh PrincessThe Count of Monte CristoStalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper, #1)

Yeah, things seem to have gotten a little out of control on the reading front and I’m currently juggling these four books.

  • I started The Last Family in England by Matt Haig first but given it begins with the dog Prince being taken to the vet to be put down I’m a little bit scared to read it (I think it might break me) so progress has been slow.
  • Ash Princess I’m finding difficult to get into I think because there’s a lot of info dumping at the start and it’s annoying me. Hopefully once it gets going and the world building is out of the way it’ll get better.
  • There’s a buddy read of The Count of Monte Cristo starting in one of the groups on GoodReads so it seemed like a good opportunity to read this chunkster. I have a physical copy and it’s around 1300 pages so I think I’m gonna be reading this for a while.
  • I’ve been wanting to read Stalking Jack the Ripper for a while so was very happy when my hold came in for the audio on Overdrive. I only started listening to it at the weekend so I’m around 2 hours in but so far so good.

Recently FinishedWhen a Scot Ties the Knot (Castles Ever After, #3)

I eased off on my reading last week as I had a new team reading challenge starting, a sick cat and a ton of reviews to actually write up so I only finished two books both of which were really quick historical romances by Tessa Dare, Say Yes to the Marquess and When  A Scot Ties the Knot. They’re probably not going to win any prizes for great literature but they’re funny, light and just really easy. Perfect for a bit of escapism.

Reading Next

I think if I manage to make some progress with my current reads I’ll be doing well but should I finish any I think one of these will be up next.

Smoke in the Sun (Flame in the Mist, #2)Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game #1)Cross Her Heart

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

Happy Reading ❤

Teaser Tuesday: 15th May 2018

Ali@abookishlife4 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purple Booker. If you want to join in grab your current read, flick to a random page, select two sentences (without spoilers) and share them in a blog post or in the comments of The Purple Booker.


This week my teaser comes from Legendary, the second book in Stephanie Garber’s Caraval trilogy. I received a copy of this from NetGalley and read it last week. I’ve been patiently waiting till closer to release to post a review but I think it’s safe to share a teaser. I loved this book so there were plenty of parts to choose from (I don’t really do the two random sentences thing) but I’ve resisted my initial temptation to use the quote on why messy rooms are a good thing and go for this one.

Please note that while my teaser is spoiler free this is the second book in the series so there may be some spoilers for Caraval in the blurb below.

My Teaser

This was why love was so dangerous. Love turned the world into a garden, so beguiling it was easy to forget that the rose petals were as ephemeral as feelings, eventually they would wilt and die, leaving nothing but the thorns.

~ 11% Legendary by Stephanie Garber

BlurbLegendary (Caraval, #2)

Stephanie Garber’s limitless imagination takes flight once more in the colorful, mesmerizing, and immersive sequel to the bestselling breakout debut Caraval

A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…the games have only just begun.

Review: The Good Son by You-jeong Jeong

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The Good SonA dark and disturbing story that had me gripped from the very first page until the very last.

THE BLURB

Yu-jin is a good son, a model student and a successful athlete. But one day he wakes up covered in blood. There’s no sign of a break-in and there’s a body downstairs. It’s the body of someone who Yu-jin knows all too well.

Yu-jin struggles to piece together the fragments of what he can remember from the night before. He suffers from regular seizures and blackouts. He knows he will be accused if he reports the body, but what to do instead? Faced with an unthinkable choice, Yu-jin makes an unthinkable decision.

Through investigating the murder, reading diaries, and looking at his own past and childhood, Yu-jin discovers what has happened. The police descend on the suburban South Korean district in which he lives. The body of a young woman is discovered. Yu-jin has to go back, right back, to remember what happened, back to the night he lost his father and brother, and even further than that.

The Good Son deals with the ultimate taboo in family life, and asks the question: how far will you go to protect your children from themselves?

MY REVIEW

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

This was such a great read and so different from what I was expecting when I accepted the publisher’s offer of a copy. Based on the reviews I skimmed through prior to picking it up, I will admit I was a little wary. There was a lot of “it’s a slow burn” and “you have to stick with it” but this was not my experience of reading it at all.

From the very first page I found myself gripped and completely immersed in this story. There may not be a huge amount of action (although I should warn it is violent and a little gruesome in places) and it’s heavy on internal monologue and flashbacks (something I usually hate) but the whole story and Yu-jin in particular absolutely fascinated me.

The central premise of “main character awakes to discover a brutally murdered body and has no memory of what happened” is not a unique one but it is one that intrigues me and this author does it so well. The story is told almost entirely from the point of view of Yu-jin and I found being in his head a very interesting experience. There is clearly something not quite right but I found myself drawn to him and wanted to know more.

The truth of what happened to his mother and the reasons behind it are uncovered very slowly over the course of the book as Yu-jin finds clues, makes deductions and recalls the events from the night before (and further into the past) while simultaneously trying to cover everything up for as long as possible. It quickly becomes clear that there was something not right in the relationship between mother and son but, while we’re given the impression that she’s overly controlling and he’s afraid of her (and his Auntie), it’s obvious that Yu-jin may not be the victim he first appears and there could be a reason he’s kept on a tight leash.

I will say I wasn’t necessarily surprised by what is revealed over the course of the story as the author leaves enough hints and clues along the way for you to figure it out but this wasn’t the main draw for me. I was much more invested in what was coming next and what would happen to Yu-jin. I wouldn’t say I liked him, and he admits himself that he’s a skilled liar so you know not to trust him, but I was intrigued by him. Despite being the classic unreliable narrator he is very convincing and I found myself empathizing with him even when I knew I shouldn’t.

There’s a very claustrophobic, dark and disturbing feel to this story and while it’s not all action all of the time there were more than a few moments which had me on the edge of my seat. It is fairly limited in terms of scope, it’s primarily set within the apartment, takes place over a short period of time and there are very few characters (or interactions between them) making it quite quiet and intense but for me this just added to the suspense and anticipation.

The ending when it comes was brilliant but I will admit I found it a little disappointing. It wasn’t bad, I think it was more that the rest of the story had built my expectations up so high that I was expecting more.

If you can’t tell by now I really loved this book and would recommend to anyone who loves a thriller that really gets into a characters head.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy. As always all views are my own.

WWW Wednesday: 9th May 2018

Ali@abookishlife29 Comments

The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

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 ReadingMeddling Kids

I’ve gotten seriously behind on my reviews (blog posts in general, housework, work work, life etc) so I’m determined not to pick up anything new till I’m at least slightly caught up. That being said I did start reading Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero at the weekend so I’ve been dipping in and out. It hasn’t really gripped me so far which is a good thing as I don’t really want to disappear into book obsession right now.

Recently Finished

Legendary (Caraval, #2)

The first book finished this week was Legendary, the sequel to Caraval, by Stephanie Garber and wow this book was everything. Having spotted a lot of rave reviews I did have high hopes for it, so high I kept putting off reading it, but it exceeded them all. I wasn’t sure I would like Tella as a main character but she made this book for me. She’s reckless and impulsive and goes for what she wants no matter the risk which makes her so fun (and only occasionally frustrating) to read. I also had some doubts that Garber would be able to keep the level of mystery but I found myself questioning everything and some of the reveals were jaw dropping (I was very tempted to stay on the train and not go to work). I have written up my review for this but I need to wait a little closer to publication before I post it.Romancing the Duke (Castles Ever After, #1)

Because Legendary blew me away so completely I have to admit I struggled to pick up anything else for a day or two and ended up doing that thing where I started something, read a chapter or two before putting it down again and switching to something else. I therefore did what I usually do when a slump is looming and went for a light and fun romance with Tessa Dare’s Romancing the Duke. Ever since I read her latest book The Duchess Deal I’ve been wanting to pick up something else by Dare and as they don’t require a lot of thought (and are available on Overdrive) it seemed the perfect choice. I didn’t enjoy as much as The Duchess Deal, but I’ll blame that on the slump and it did get me ready to read something more serious.The Good Son

The third and final book finished this week was The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong, which I’d received from the publishers via NetGalley. I think this is probably the first book I’ve read by a Korean author and it was absolutely brilliant. It’s a mystery/thriller that digs deep into the mind and memories of one character. It has a lot of things I generally dislike, lots of internal monologues, flashbacks, unreliable narrator but it just worked for me. It’s dark and a little bit gruesome and I found it completely addictive.

Reading Next

I still need to get my NetGalley shelf under control as despite it creaking at the seams I haven’t stopped requesting more and more books (I need a Netgalley addicts anonymous group or something). I think I am going to be looking for a fantasy read next so I’m thinking one of the following.

Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1)Smoke in the Sun (Flame in the Mist, #2)Ash PrincessAce of Shades (The Shadow Game #1)

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

Happy Reading ❤

Review: Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

Dear Martin by Nic StoneA fascinating read that really opened my eyes to some of the issues around race relations in the US. I did think it was maybe a little on the short side but well worth reading.

THE BLURB

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack.

MY REVIEW

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As an ever so slightly older than teenage white woman who lives in a small town in Scotland I don’t think this book was really aimed at me, and I suspect I didn’t “get” it in the same way it’s intended audience would, but I did find it an absolutely fascinating read. My experience of the impact of racial stereotyping is very limited and gun violence isn’t really a thing here (although gang culture is) so this really opened my eyes and highlighted a lot of the issues in a very real and natural way.

At only 210 pages, I did find it a surprisingly quick read (I finished it within a couple of hours) but while I appreciated the fast pace and ease of reading it I think I would have preferred a little more depth and detail. It moves at such a speed that I never felt connected to the characters or emotionally invested in the story. That’s not to say that this is not an emotional read (there were a few truly heartbreaking moments) but I think if there had been more background to the characters and more relationship building I would have felt so much more.

As far as main character Justyce goes I can’t say that I ever connected to or fully understood him and his actions although I suspect this is likely more to do with our relative backgrounds and ages rather than the writing as he is very convincingly portrayed by the author. In fact I think the author did a brilliant job of portraying all of the characters in this story and the dialogue and interactions between them felt especially real.

I also have to give the author praise for presenting the issues in a very clever way so that they’re clearly demonstrated without the story ever becoming preachy. The use of Justyce’s letters to Martin Luther King combined with the discussions at the debate club and his experiences were ideal ways of getting points across and combining both the facts/statistics and the emotional impact on Justyce in a natural way. I do think the author could have gone deeper in certain areas and developed them a little further but there is no doubting that the key messages come across loud and clear.

This is a book with a lot of buzz around it and a very important message so I am glad to have been given the opportunity to read it. It’s definitely one I would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. All views are, as always, my own.

Teaser Tuesday: 8th May 2018

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purple Booker. If you want to join in grab your current read, flick to a random page, select two sentences (without spoilers) and share them in a blog post or in the comments of The Purple Booker.


This week my teaser comes from The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong, a disturbing thriller I received from NetGalley. I read this over the weekend and absolutely loved it. It’s such a dark and chilling read that really takes you into the mind of a very unique character.

My Teaser

I could figure it out. Or at least I could make it make sense. I had always had a gift for reshaping a scene to make it comprehensible, though Mother disparaged this skill, calling it ‘lying’.

~ 12% The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong

BlurbThe Good Son

Yu-jin is a good son, a model student and a successful athlete. But one day he wakes up covered in blood. There’s no sign of a break-in and there’s a body downstairs. It’s the body of someone who Yu-jin knows all too well.

Yu-jin struggles to piece together the fragments of what he can remember from the night before. He suffers from regular seizures and blackouts. He knows he will be accused if he reports the body, but what to do instead? Faced with an unthinkable choice, Yu-jin makes an unthinkable decision.

Through investigating the murder, reading diaries, and looking at his own past and childhood, Yu-jin discovers what has happened. The police descend on the suburban South Korean district in which he lives. The body of a young woman is discovered. Yu-jin has to go back, right back, to remember what happened, back to the night he lost his father and brother, and even further than that.

The Good Son deals with the ultimate taboo in family life, and asks the question: how far will you go to protect your children from themselves?

WWW Wednesday: 2nd May 2018

Ali@abookishlife15 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.

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 and didn’t have time to schedule any posts before I left as I planned to do due to a troublesome little black cat. This therefore covers the last couple of weeks reading.

Currently ReadingLegendary (Caraval, #2)

I finally started reading Legendary, the sequel to Caraval yesterday and while I’m only around a quarter of the way through I am already loving it. I have to admit that knowing the story followed Tella (the wilder, more reckless of the two sisters) I was a little wary going in as I didn’t really take to her in Caraval. However, she’s turning out to be a very interesting character. She knows (and speaks) her own mind and isn’t afraid to take a risk which makes for a pretty exciting read. It’s not hurting that there’s a bit of flirtation with the resident bad boy 😉

Recently Finished

I’ve had an odd couple of weeks with 5 days in Spain horse riding and a cat who decided that just before I left was the perfect time to develop a limp. Needless to say I’ve been a bit stressed so I’ve been doing what I always do and escaping into some light (ish) reading to take my mind off things and I managed to finish 6 books.

SnapDear MartinA Summer Scandal

  • Snap by Belinda Bauer (NetGalley) – Bauer is fast becoming one of my go to authors when I’m looking for a pretty fast paced and twisty thriller and I very much enjoyed this one. It has an absolutely brilliant beginning before diverging into three seemingly unconnected stories before coming back together. There are maybe a few too many coincidences but if you just go with it it’s a great read, and I loved Jack.
  • Dear Martin by Nic Stone (NetGalley) – There’s been a lot of buzz around this story of race relations and it is a really fascinating read. I did find it a little on the short side (I finished it in a couple of hours) and therefore lacking a little bit of depth and emotion but it is worth reading.
  • The Summer Scandal by Kat French (NetGalley) – French is one of my favorite romance authors and this turned out to be a great poolside read. It’s sweet and fun read with a little bit of mystery and a lot of romance. And, as always it has French’s usual slightly quirky characters.

Chaser (Dive Bar, #3)Twisted Palace (The Royals, #3)Northanger Abbey

  • Chaser by Kylie Scott (NetGalley) – I’d only read one other Kylie Scott (Lick from the Stage Dive series) before picking this up but while it’s the third book in the Dive Bar series it can easily be read as a standalone. It’s quite a sweet story about a barman who doesn’t like commitment but can’t resist getting involved with a young pregnant woman
  • Twisted Palace by Erin Watt (Kindle Unlimited) – I was looking for something light and easy and remembered this the third book in the series was lurking on my kindle. These books always feel like a bit of an American soap to me (think Dallas without the oil) so they’re great for a bit of escapism.
  • Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (owned) – Possibly my fave Austen I re read this for a challenge and very much enjoyed (I swear I could read this every year).

Reading Next

I’ve been going a bit nuts on NetGalley yet again (it’s just too tempting) and currently have about 50 books sitting on my shelf which is not good (although it kinda is cos there’s a lot of good books there) so my focus this month is going to be on getting all caught up. I think one or more of these four will probably be my next read.

Cross Her HeartRed Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1)Macbeth (Hogarth Shakespeare)The Good Son

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

Happy Reading ❤