Tag: reading

ARC Review: Force of Nature by Jane Harper

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Force of Nature by Jane Harper
Force of Nature by Jane Harper

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

The second book in Harper’s Aaron Falk series is just as good if not better than the first. Atmospheric and packed full of tension, this story of a corporate retreat gone wrong and a missing woman is absolutely riveting.

Please note that as this is the second book in the series it does follow on from the Dry but could easily be read as a standalone as there are only some very mild spoilers and very little overlap. This review is therefore spoiler free.

THE BLURB

FIVE WENT OUT. FOUR CAME BACK…

Is Alice here? Did she make it? Is she safe? In the chaos, in the night, it was impossible to say which of the four had asked after Alice’s welfare. Later, when everything got worse, each would insist it had been them.

Five women reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking along the muddy track. Only four come out the other side.

The hike through the rugged landscape is meant to take the office colleagues out of their air-conditioned comfort zone and teach resilience and team building. At least that is what the corporate retreat website advertises.

Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a particularly keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing bushwalker. Alice Russell is the whistleblower in his latest case – and Alice knew secrets. About the company she worked for and the people she worked with.

Far from the hike encouraging teamwork, the women tell Falk a tale of suspicion, violence and disintegrating trust. And as he delves into the disappearance, it seems some dangers may run far deeper than anyone knew.

MY REVIEW

I was a little late in discovering just how good Harper’s first book The Dry was, it felt like everyone had read it but me, but as soon as I finished it I knew I needed more. It was just so atmospheric and I found main character Aaron Falk very likeable and someone I wanted to know more about.

For me the highlight of this book was yet again the setting and character development. Unlike The Dry however there are no high temperatures and no drought but rather a cold, wet and rugged landscape where five women set out on a corporate team building event which ends in disaster. As they lose their way (and their supplies) in this remote and isolated location, the bickering and disagreements on how best to find their way or get help begin and in the end only four of them make it out. It’s one of those classic survival stories, mixed with a missing person investigation and I absolutely loved it.

This has a slightly different format to previous book but the writing is just as good. In The Dry the author interspersed flashbacks to different time periods and events within the narrative (something I found a little jarring at times) to give an insight into the characters motivations and thoughts. In Force of Nature however Harper alternates between two separate timelines, the first following Falk as he investigates the disappearance of his key informant and the other following the five women on the retreat.

I have to say I preferred this format but I did find myself more gripped by the women’s story than Falk’s investigation. It felt like Aaron and his partner Carmen were pushed a little to the side particularly in the first half of the book where they’re getting everyone’s story but that may just have been because I was rushing through their sections to get back to the retreat.

The sections on the corporate retreat are told in more or less chronological order and I found it absolutely riveting to read the changing dynamics within the group as their situation goes from bad to worse. Watching their relationships and attitudes shift as they move from their corporate personas and roles to their more natural, and at times primitive, behavior was by far the highlight of this story. It does make you wonder how well you know your work colleagues and how you would react in that situation. Would you really pull together or would it be every man for himself? What would you do if you thought your life was on the line and someone in the group was risking it?

As it’s told from the points of view of each of the women you do get a real insight into their characters and motives but it still keeps you guessing as to what happened between them until the very end. Did Alice really set out alone and get lost or did she push the others in the group too far?

Added to that there is a mystery around a serial killer who previously operated in the area and Falk’s current investigation into the shady dealings of the company Alice works for. Could someone associated with the killer have taken up where he left off, could someone have found out Alice was informing on them? There are so many potential options for what could have happened to her and so many red herrings thrown in that it’s impossible to figure it out and I suspected everyone at one point or another.

Like the previous book this isn’t necessarily a fast paced story but it’s no less gripping as a result. Yet again Harper creates real tension and atmosphere in the story and while I would have liked a bit more time on Falk I very much enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next one in the series

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

WWW Wednesday: 7th February 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 ReadingThe Duchess Deal (Girl Meets Duke, #1)

I received an email ages ago from NetGalley saying Tessa Dare’s latest book The Duchess Deal was available for request and being unable to resist temptation I requested then totally forgot about it. Needless to say I received notification during the week that my request had been approved and being on the hunt for some light and fun reading couldn’t resist giving it a try and I have to admit it’s been just what I’ve been needing. It’s a historical romance and has a Beauty and the Beast type plot and it’s absolutely hilarious. I don’t know if it’s just my weird mood but I can’t remember the last time a book made me laugh so much.

Recently Finished

Force of Nature

The weather was pretty good at the weekend and I had some family events and a book signing so it’s been a bit of a slower reading week for me. I did however manage to finish two books, the first of which was Force of Nature by Jane Harper which I received from NetGalley. This is the second in the Aaron Falk series although it could probably be read as a standalone (but I do recommend the first book The Dry).

I am definitely going to be looking out for more in this series as I loved this book as much if not more than The Dry. This time the story’s about five women who head out on a corporate retreat but only four of them make it back. As Falk has a connection to the missing woman he becomes involved in the investigation. This is an absolutely riveting read and yet again it’s the setting and characters that are the stars. It’s another rather slow paced story but has so much tension it’s completely addictive.

The Belles (The Belles #1)The second book finished, The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton, was also a NetGalley pick and one of my most anticipated books of the year. I have to admit I found it a little slow in the beginning and I began to have my doubts about all of the hype around it but by around a third of the way through I was hooked. The world building and descriptions are absolutely brilliant and I found this world where beauty is all important to be fascinating. The plot is not necessarily the most original, you could see a lot of things coming but I did like all of the power plays and back stabbing. I’m hoping to get a full review up this week.

Reading Next

I’m currently juggling three team reading challenges (why do I do this to myself) which is restricting my reading choices at the moment but I have a couple of ARCs and a couple of library books which I’m really excited about and need to sneak in somehow. Most exciting of all is that I found The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue on Overdrive. I have been desperate to read this since I first heard about it, I just hope I haven’t built it up too much.

Batman: Nightwalker (DC Icons, #2)The Last LaughSkin DeepThe Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Guide, #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!!

Teaser Tuesday: 6th February 2018

Ali@abookishlife11 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 The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton. I received an advance copy of this from Netgalley and started reading it at the weekend. I will admit I had my doubts about it in the beginning but now that I’m just past the halfway point I am absolutely loving it. It has some brilliant world building and I suspect many of the characters are not who they appear to be.

My Teaser

“Some lies are delicious,” I say.  He doesn’t laugh. “Lies are as dangerous as a sword. They can cut to the bone.”

~ loc 2176 The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

BlurbThe Belles (The Belles #1)

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

Review: The Dry by Jane Harper

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The Dry by Jane Harper
The Dry by Jane Harper

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Believe the hype. This book is just as good as everyone says it is.

THE BLURB

A small town hides big secrets in this atmospheric, page-turning debut mystery by an award-winning new author.

After getting a note demanding his presence, Federal Agent Aaron Falk arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. Twenty years ago when Falk was accused of murder, Luke was his alibi. Falk and his father fled under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke’s steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now more than one person knows they didn’t tell the truth back then, and Luke is dead.

Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened to Luke. As Falk reluctantly investigates to see if there’s more to Luke’s death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. And Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets.

MY REVIEW

Everyone kept telling me how good this was but did I listen? I really wish I had as this book is absolutely brilliant especially when you consider it’s the author’s first. It may not have a wholly original plot (is there an original murder mystery?) or be particularly fast paced, but it has some great characterization and such a wonderful sense of atmosphere that it’s difficult to put down.

The setting of a small farming town in Australia is absolutely central to this story and for me was by far the highlight. There has been a long term drought, the weather is hot and so are the tempers creating such a powerful atmosphere. The whole town seems ready to ignite with the smallest little spark and it’s a close knit community where everyone knows everyone’s business and grudges are never forgotten.

This is the town where policeman Aaron Falk grew up before he was driven out of town. He’s forced to return when childhood best friend Luke becomes the victim in a triple shooting. The police believe it to be a murder suicide, he killed his wife and son before turning the gun on himself, but his parents aren’t so sure. They convince Falk to stick around for a few days and look into things. As he works with the local policeman Raco he also begins to have his doubts that everything is as it seems but what motive could someone have for killing them and how long can Falk stick around in a town where almost everyone seems to hate him.

There isn’t a huge amount of action in this story but it’s still gripping reading. Aaron Falk makes for an intriguing main character with a dark past. Yep it’s a little cliched, detective forced to return home and face his past while investigating a case, but Harper does it so well that you don’t mind. I particularly liked that the author didn’t go down the route of lone detective going against the authorities but instead had Falk forming a partnership with the local police officer and the relationship between them was brilliant.

I loved the methodical nature of their investigation and how they followed the clues, interviewed witnesses and suspects to get to the truth. There isn’t any super high tech forensics or moment of inspiration but rather a good old fashioned investigation where one clue leads to the next. That’s not to say there isn’t the odd red herring or that it’s easy to guess the ending as this story certainly keeps you guessing. I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers but I can honestly say the ending of this surprised me.

If I had one small niggle, and this is just my personal preference rather than a fault with the story, it’s that I felt the author wrapped up a little too much. That’s not to say everything is fully resolved, there is a lot that’s left open (it is the first book in a series after all), but there was one answer in particular that I didn’t want.

This is definitely one I’d recommend if you’re looking for a great mystery that may not be fast paced but is absolutely packed full of atmosphere and tension. I can see Harper becoming one of my favorite authors.

Review: The Last Romeo by Justin Myers

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The Last Romeo by Justin MyersThe Last Romeo by Justin Myers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wonderful writing and a scarily accurate portrayal of the dating scene make this a very readable and addictive story. It left me with very mixed feelings but that can only be a good thing can’t it?

THE BLURB

James is 34 and fed up. His six-year relationship with Adam has imploded, he hates his job making up celebrity gossip, and his best friend Bella has just announced she’s moving to Russia.

Adrift and single in loved-up London, James needs to break out of his lonely, drunken comfort zone. Encouraged by Bella, he throws himself headlong into online dating, blogging each encounter anonymously as the mysterious Romeo.

After meeting a succession of hot/weird/gross men, James has fans and the validation he’s always craved. But when his wild night with a closeted Olympian goes viral and sends his Twitter-fame through the roof, James realises maybe, in the search for happy-ever-after, some things are better left un-shared. Seriously, wherefore art thou Romeo . . .

MY REVIEW

When I finished this, very early one Saturday morning, I felt so mixed up about it. Did I enjoy it? I’m honestly not sure. I think it was so completely different from what I was expecting it confused me.

There is certainly a lot to really like about it. The writing is excellent and there’s a lot more depth and realness to it than I was expecting. It’s wonderful to finally come across a book with a gay main character who’s looking for love that gives such an accurate portrayal of the dating scene.

As a main character, James (or Jim) is very genuine. He’s far from perfect, he’s insecure, doesn’t seem to really like or value himself but he is someone I’d want as a friend and there was so much I could relate to. I didn’t particularly agree with everything he did (a lot frustrated or worried me) but I could certainly understand it. Similarly his experience of dating, while uncomfortable and awkward a lot of the time was very believable and true to life.

I really loved the other characters and the way the relationships between them were portrayed. I think the author really captured modern friendships and how your circle of friends can become in fact your family. I also loved the commentary on celebrity and social media and found it so relevant. Myers has a very successful blog (I hadn’t read it before picking up the book but have now and it’s brilliant) and works as a freelance writer and columnist for several major publications so his knowledge and experiences really shine through.

Unfortunately however I think it was the realness and the depth that stopped me from loving this. For some reason I was expecting a bit of a light and fluffy romance and the fact that it was so completely not this threw me off. It has some funny moments but at times it goes a little bit dark making it more uncomfortable rather than enjoyable to read.

Overall, I’m not sure my feelings on this will ever be clear. The more I think about it the more I think yes that bit was brilliant or I’m really not sure I liked that bit. It definitely challenged me so I think I’ll just suggest that you read this for yourself and make your own mind up.

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

WWW Wednesday: 31st January 2018

Ali@abookishlife47 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 ReadingForce of Nature

My reading is a bit all over the place at the moment, I keep starting books then changing my mind so technically I’m probably partway through about five. My main focus at the moment is however on Force of Nature by Jane Harper which I received from NetGalley. I started it on Monday and unlike the other books I’ve started since the weekend it’s definitely holding my attention. It’s the follow up to The Dry (although it could be read as a standalone) and I think may turn out to be even better.

Still no progress on Frankenstein I’m afraid. I wandered off and started listening to something else over the weekend so this was put on hold.

Recently Finished

The team reading challenge I’m participating in is still playing havoc with my reading plans at the moment, which is proving to be both good and bad. I’m finally getting the push to read those books that have been on my TBR for years but the timing is not always right for my mood and I have found myself having to rush them at times to meet a deadline. I have however finished x books this week which is pretty impressive for me.Moxie

The first book finished this week was Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu (technically I finished it last Wednesday but I’m still counting it). This was one of those books I’d bought ages ago but had been putting off due to all of the hype around it. I’m always super wary of hyped books (particularly YA contemporary) as they often disappoint, but this was one of the exceptions.

It’s not perfect (I wouldn’t say it was a five star read) but I did find myself really enjoying it and think I read the whole thing it a couple of days. It’s about the girls in a school who get fed up being treated as second class citizens and decide to take action. It’s got a really strong feminist message but doesn’t get preachy so one I would recommend all YA’s read (girls and boys).

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, #1)The next book finished, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, was all about the boys. Two 15 year old Mexican-American boys in fact, Aristotle and Dante, who become friends and discover some unexpected truths about themselves and the world around them. Unpopular opinion time, I didn’t love this. It may just have been that I was in the wrong mood for it (I’ve been working 60 hour weeks, totally stressed and still not completely free of that virus) and didn’t have much empathy for two teenage boys moaning about not fitting in / no one understanding them but the style didn’t really work for me either. It just seemed too episodic, jumping from one scene to the next with no real story (or point). I could appreciate a lot of the writing but sorry I just didn’t enjoy it.The Dry

The third book finished was RL bookclub book The Dry by Jane Harper and at long last we finally have a book club pick I really enjoyed. This is a murder mystery set in small town Australia during a drought. It’s not a fast paced or particularly original story but what I really loved was the sense of atmosphere the author created. It reminded me a little bit of Tana French’s stories where the focus is less on the murder or the action and more on the community and the detectives. I think this is going to be a new favourite series for me.

The Alchemist

The fourth and final book finished this week was the audiobook of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This was a bit of a random pick to fit a challenge task but I’m glad to have listened to it. I saw another reviewer describe it as a fable and I think that word describes it perfectly. I did really enjoy this, it’s not very long and has quite a simple story but does make you think. The one thing that I didn’t like about it is the way it portrays women. There are almost no women and those there are seem to be there solely as love interests or as an interference to the hero’s personal legend.

Reading Next

I’m going to see Pierce Brown at his Glasgow book tour stop tomorrow so I had been hoping to read Iron Gold before then but realistically that is never going to happen. I do still want to read it though so hoping to pick up at the weekend. I also have a couple of ARCs which are due to be published in February, The Belles and The Last Laugh so hopefully I’ll make a start on them too.

The Belles (The Belles #1)Iron Gold (Red Rising, #4)The Last Laugh

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. I may be a little slow responding this week again due to work pressures but I’ll get there eventually.

Happy Reading!!

Teaser Tuesday: 30th January 2018

Ali@abookishlife6 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 Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe which I read at the end of last week. This is one of those books that’s been sitting on my kindle for a while and I’m only now finally getting around to reading. Unfortunately though I don’t think I was in the right mood as I just never connected with it and found it a bit of a struggle (probably not helped by having to rush the last 100 pages). I can however say that I loved a lot of the writing and highlighted many sections making it the perfect choice for this week’s teaser.

My Teaser

Her eyes were like the night sky in the desert.

It felt like there was a whole world living inside her. I didn’t know anything about that world.

~ 43% Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

BlurbAristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, #1)

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

ARC Review: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

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The Hazel Wood
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow this book was good. So dark and creepy and just wonderfully well written. I found myself becoming lost in the story which considering how tired and stressed I was while reading it was pretty impressive.

THE BLURB

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the strange bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate – the Hazel Wood – Alice learns how bad her luck can really get. Her mother is stolen away – by a figure who claims to come from the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother’s stories are set. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: STAY AWAY FROM THE HAZEL WOOD. 

To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother’s tales began . . .

MY REVIEW

I have to admit that while I initially had high hopes for this book, I did see some negative reviews that put a little bit of doubt in my mind. Thankfully though this book was right up my street. I am a huge fan of retellings and all things fairy tale and this, while not really being a retelling, certainly has the feel of one albeit a very dark and creepy one.

This is a story about stories where the lines between the real and the imagined become decidedly blurred. It’s a little confusing and frustrating at times and occasionally nonsensical but there’s so much mystery and so many twists that it’s difficult to put down. The world the author builds is incredible and draws you in so completely that it feels real. It’s dark and disturbing pretty much all of the time and I found myself getting genuine chill in places.

I’m not going to say much about the story as I think you really need to read it for yourself but essentially it’s a voyage of discovery for Alice as she tries to find her mother after she suddenly disappears. She uncovers a link to her recently deceased grandmother’s collection of dark fairy tales and has to find her way first to her grandmother’s estate, The Hazel Wood and then to the place that inspired her stories. She’s pretty much on her own with no other family and no money or resources so has to rely on a boy from school to help her but he seems a little too excited about going to the Hazel Wood.

The story is told entirely from Alice’s point of view and she is very much the focus of this story. There are other characters but they generally appear briefly, play their part and then move on. I’m not sure I would necessarily say I liked Alice but I’m not sure you’re supposed to. She’s cold, sharp and angry and not very nice but I did admire her determination and liked how the author developed her over the course of the story.

It was though, the other characters who left more of an impression on me despite only their relatively brief appearances in the story. They tended to the eccentric, with erratic sometimes violent behavior and talking in riddles (this is where it goes a little Alice in Wonderland). It’s rarely clear whether they are there to help Alice, are playing with her or using her for their own ends. I can understand some may find them frustrating and annoying but I just loved the mystery around it and found myself wanting more of them. There were a couple of characters in particular who I really wish we’d gotten to understand more about but if I’d gotten everything I wanted the book would probably be twice as long.

The one problem I will say I found with the characters however is that I thought the relationships between them were a little lacking. There just isn’t enough time spent fully developing them and consequently I didn’t feel their connection to each other. The relationship between Alice and her mother for example is key to the story, the whole plot is Alice trying to find her, but because her mother only appears briefly I didn’t feel any closeness. We have to rely on Alice’s assertions of how much her mother means to her which for me is not the same as showing it. Similarly the relationship between Alice and the boy who’s helping her just felt a little odd and uncomfortable. That may be intentional but even by the end there was something incomplete about it.

That being said though I did love the story. It drew me in completely, so much so that I almost missed my stop on the train. I especially loved the dark fairy tales that are told as part of the story and would really love it if the author wrote the whole complete collection at some point. Almost every story is left unfinished or interrupted and they were just so creepy and dark that I want to know how they end.

Overall, despite a few niggles over the relationships I have to say I really loved this story. It’s one I’d recommend to anyone who likes fantasy and fairy tales with a dark twist.

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

The Hazel Wood is due to be published on 30th January in the US and 8th February in the UK.

WWW Wednesday: 24th January 2018

Ali@abookishlife34 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

MoxieI started reading Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu on Monday morning and I’m very nearly finished it already, it’s such an easy and enjoyable read. I do love books with feminist themes but have to confess I did have my doubts over whether this book was as good as a lot of the reviews made out. It has however really impressed me and also made me pretty angry about the way the girls in the school are treated. I do think it’s maybe a little exaggerated (or at least I hope it is) but it’s certainly very relevant and has made me think about behaviors and attitudes I’ve experienced.

No progress on my current audiobook Frankenstein I’m afraid. I haven’t really driven anywhere in the last week and I mostly listen in the car. This one seems to be taking forever but I’m determined to finish it.

Recently Finished

The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1)

Work is still completely crazy at the moment and to make matters worse we’ve had a lot of snow which has been making getting anywhere a bit of a nightmare. Needless to say I haven’t been managing to read as much as I would like. I have however finished three books this week, the first of which was an ARC of The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. Wow I really loved this book. Considering how completely exhausted and stressed I’ve been it managed to hold my attention and I actually found myself getting lost in it at times. It’s a story about stories and has some Alice in Wonderland type elements to it but it’s really creepy and dark. I’m hoping to have my review up tomorrow but failing that it’ll be up at the weekend.

The second book finished, The Deal by Elle Kennedy was a reread for me. It fit a challenge and it’s a book I really love so I couldn’t resist. It’s just so funny and sweet and I love the relationship between Garret and Hannah. Their banter and flirting just makes me smile so much.They Both Die at the End

The third and final book finished, They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera was probably a bit less of a fun read but I did really love it. It’s one of those books I bought when it first came out but kept putting off because it didn’t feel like the right time. It ended up fitting a challenge though (orange cover) so it gave me the push I needed to brave it. The title does suggest it may not have the happiest of endings but I kept hoping throughout that it was wrong. I absolutely adored MC Mateo and wanted him to have a happily ever after. I’m not saying what does happen but yep this book pretty much broke my heart. My review went up on Sunday and you can find it here.

Reading Next

My reading is still being driven by the Cutthroat Book Club team challenge I’m taking part in at the moment. This is probably one of the most restrictive team challenges I’ve ever taken part in but I have to admit that it’s pushing me to read a lot of the books from my backlist which is no bad thing.

Next up though will probably be The Dry which is my next book club book (the meeting is the 1st so I really need to make a start) followed by The Belles which is an ARC that’s due out at the start of February too. I also want to pick up Iron Gold by Pierce Brown as I’m going to see him when he comes to Glasgow next Thursday on the Red Rising book tour.

The DryThe Belles (The Belles #1)Iron Gold (Red Rising, #4)

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. I may be a little slow responding this week again due to work pressures but I’ll get there eventually.

Happy Reading!!

Teaser Tuesday: 23rd January 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 They Both Die at The End by Adam Silvera. I bought this book when it first came out last year and am only now finally getting around to reading it. As I write this I’m around halfway through and I’m really loving it. It’s just so sweet and funny and I suspect it’s going to break my heart.

My Teaser

It’s all ending today and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it. I can’t journey across dragon infested lands to retrieve scepters that can halt death. I can’t hop onto a flying carpet in search of a genie to grant my wish for a full and simple life. I could maybe find some mad scientist to cryogenically freeze me, but chances are I’d die in the middle of that wacky experiment. Death is inevitable for everyone and it’s absolute for me today.

~ Pg 8 They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

BlurbThey Both Die at the End

When Mateo receives the dreaded call from Death-Cast, informing him that today will be his last, he doesn’t know where to begin. Quiet and shy, Mateo is devastated at the thought of leaving behind his hospitalised father, and his best friend and her baby girl. But he knows that he has to make the most of this day, it’s his last chance to get out there and make an impression.

Rufus is busy beating up his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend when he gets the call. Having lost his entire family, Rufus is no stranger to Death-Cast. Not that it makes it any easier. With bridges to mend, the police searching for him and the angry new boyfriend on his tail, it’s time to run.

Isolated and scared, the boys reach out to each other, and what follows is a day of living life to the full. Though neither of them had expected that this would involve falling in love…

Another beautiful, heartbreaking and life-affirming book from the brilliant Adam Silvera, author of More Happy Than Not and History Is All You Left Me.