Tag: reading

WWW Wednesday: 10th May 2017

Ali@abookishlife23 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

ReleaseI currently have two books on the go at the moment, the first of which is Release by Patrick Ness. I bought the physical book of this so it’s taking me a little bit longer to read than usual as I’m only reading when I’m at home but I am really enjoying it. It feels quite different from his usual stories and he describes it himself as his most personal book so far so there are a few similarities and scenes from his own past. It’s a lot more real than his other books have been, although there is a side story involving a ghost.

Ness has been on tour in the UK over the last couple of weeks and I was lucky enough to see him in Edinburgh. He has a fantastic attitude and is a strong voice for diversity and YA books so if you do get the chance to see him I’d definitely recommend it.Obsession

The second book I’m reading at the moment is Obsession by Amanda Robson which I received as an ARC from NetGalley (although it’s out now). It’s a psychological thriller about two couples, Carly and Rob and Jenni and Craig who start out as friends but jealousy, obsession and secrets start to come between them when Carly asks Rob who he would go for if he could.

I found this very addictive reading in the beginning but now that I’m around halfway through I’m wondering if it’s maybe a little too long as I’m not sure it can keep the tension for another 200 plus pages.

 

Recently Finished

Spandex and the CityFirst book finished this week was Spandex in the City by Jenny T Colgan which was an ARC I received from NetGalley. It’s chick lit meets sci fi when single, 26 year old Holly somehow becomes involved with local superhero Ultimate Man and his nemesis.

This was brilliant fun and I absolutely loved it. Colgan is mostly famous for her cosy, food related chick lit (Cupcake Cafe, Sweetshop of Dreams etc) which I love but I have to confess I’ve been starting to find repetitive. This is definitely something completely different. It’s quirky, hilariously funny and like nothing I’ve read before. Just don’t read it in public.Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Bastard, #1)

The second book I finished this week was Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren which is a contemporary adult romance set in an office. I was in the mood for a trashy read and had heard good things about this so thought why not. I was a little disappointed by it as I think I was expecting more but it’s an okay read. I just felt like things were a little rushed and kind of repetitive.

If you’re looking for a hate to love office romance I’d recommend you read The Hating Game instead (I love that book)

Reading Next

Similar to last week I think I’ll be doing well if I finish the two books I’m currently reading but I’m participating in a group read of A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles on GoodReads so I’ll definitely be starting it this weekend. I’m also hoping to start Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh before it’s released.

Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1)A Gentleman in Moscow

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

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 9th May 2017

Ali@abookishlife8 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 Patrick Ness’s latest book Release. I started this towards the end of last week and while it feels very different from his other books I’m definitely enjoying it.

My Teaser

His chest still burned, so much he couldn’t tell where the anger stopped and the wound began. Because there was always a wound, it seemed, kept freshly opened by a family who also kept saying they loved him.

~ Page 64 Release by Patrick Ness

BlurbRelease

Inspired by Mrs Dalloway and Judy Blume’s Forever, Release is one day in the life of Adam Thorn, 17. It’s a big day. Things go wrong. It’s intense, and all the while, weirdness approaches…

Adam Thorn is having what will turn out to be the most unsettling, difficult day of his life, with relationships fracturing, a harrowing incident at work, and a showdown between this gay teen and his preacher father that changes everything. It’s a day of confrontation, running, sex, love, heartbreak, and maybe, just maybe, hope. He won’t come out of it unchanged. And all the while, lurking at the edges of the story, something extraordinary and unsettling is on a collision course.

Book Review: Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse

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SweetpeaSweetpea by C.J. Skuse

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Liked this a lot. It’s a cross between Bridget Jones Diary and Dexter. Hilariously funny at one moment and rather gruesome the next. I am slightly concerned with how often I agreed with main character Rhiannon’s thoughts but so far I haven’t actually killed anyone so I’m not quite at psychopath yet.

Definitely a story I’d recommend to anyone with a black sense of humor.

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WWW Wednesday: 3rd May 2017

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?

Currently Reading

Anatomy of a SoldierI’m kind of flipping between a couple of books at the moment because I can’t really settle on any one. I think I’ve been trying to read too much and am feeling a little burnt out.

The first book I’m working my way through is book club pick, Anatomy of a Soldier by Harry Parker. Initially when I heard it was as story about a soldier who’s injured by an exploding IED narrated through a series of objects I thought “oh no!!” but once I thought about it I really liked the idea and so far I am intrigued by it.

Spandex and the CityThe other book I’m reading is Spandex in the City by Jenny T Colgan. This is the NetGalley ARC I can’t resist picking up when Anatomy of a Soldier gets too serious and I need a bit of light relief. Jenny Colgan is one of my favourite authors but this is a bit different from her usual food related chick lit (which I must admit I was getting a bit fed up with). It’s still kinda chick lit but with some superheroes and villains thrown into the mix. I’ve only read a few chapters but so far I’m loving it.

Recently Finished

Things calmed down a little bit at work this week and I had the long weekend so managed to fit in quite a bit of reading and finished 4 books.

Legion (Talon, #4)The first of these was Legion by Julie Kagawa which I received from NetGalley. This is the fourth of five books in the Talon series and picked up where the previous book finished with a big giant cliffhanger. I have been really enjoying this series and this one was no exception. I did find this was maybe not quite as good as the previous book Soldier but I have a feeling it’s building to a big conclusion in the final installment. I am both terrified and excited to read it. My full, spoiler free review can be found here.

Holiday in the Hamptons (From Manhattan with Love #5)The second book finished was another NetGalley ARC, Holiday in the Hamptons by Sarah Morgan. It’s the fifth book in the From Manhattan with Love series but could easily be read as a standalone as each book tells a different characters story. I love Sarah Morgan stories and was very excited to receive this. It’s a second chance romance about Fliss (who you’ll know if you’ve read New York, Actually) and her ex husband Seth. It is a little on the predictable side but I still loved it. Morgan writes some great characters and there’s always a real spark. It’s not out for a few weeks so I’m holding off on my review for a bit.

Next book finished was Never, Never part 1 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher. This was a re read to meet a task on a challenge so I’m not going to review.

Also this week I finished my audio book Into the Fire by Jeaniene Frost. It’s the fifth and final book in the Night Prince series and while I think I enjoyed earlier books more this was still a great listen. It is a paranormal romance but to be perfectly honest it’s the humour I love the most.

Reading Next

I think I’ll probably be doing quite well if I finish the two books I’m currently reading but I’m off to see Patrick Ness in Edinburgh on Saturday so I’d really like to sneak in his new book Release which comes out tomorrow. If I have any more time I also want to read either A Dark so Deadly by Stuart MacBride or Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh both of which are NetGalley ARCs.

A Dark So DeadlyReleaseFlame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1)

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

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 2nd May 2017

Ali@abookishlife15 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 Spandex and the City by Jenny T Colgan. I’m really not supposed to be reading this at the moment (I should be reading my bookclub pick) but I couldn’t resist. Colgan is another of my favourite authors and this just sounds like such a quirky and fun read that I had to start it.

My Teaser

I swore mightily to myself. I am not in the least bit brave and will not pee in a room that a spider is in or has been in or might once have been in but –

~ 8% Spandex and the City by Jenny T Colgan

BlurbSpandex and the City

LOCAL GIRL SWEPT OFF HER FEET

Mild-mannered PR girl Holly Phillips doesn’t think much of costumed vigilante ‘Ultimate Man’ – and after his superpowered antics leave her hoisted over his shoulder and flashing her knickers in the newspaper the next day, she’s embarrassed beyond belief.

But when Holly’s fifteen minutes of fame make her a target for something villainous, she only has one place to turn – and finds the man behind the mask holds a lot more charm than his crime-fighting alter-ego.

Can Holly find love, or is superdating just as complicated as the regular kind?

WOULD LIKE TO MEET: NICE GUY, LIKES DOGS, GSOH AND NO SUPERPOWERS

ARC Review: Legion by Julie Kagawa

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Legion (Talon, #4)Legion by Julie Kagawa

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Phew, I made it to the end. Kagawa is truly the master of the epic, edge of your seat finale. The ending of the previous book Soldier just about broke me and I thought this one might actually finish me off. She’s definitely not one of those authors who shies away from killing off her characters, something I both love and hate.

As this is the fourth book in the series and the previous book had such a big finish it’s almost impossible to write a review without spoilers so I’ll need to keep this short. The writing is as always excellent and there is plenty of action throughout as well as some real character development. Ember is really growing up and taking control rather than letting her impulses run wild.

This time the story focuses a lot more on Dante and we learn a lot more about his background and relationship with sister Ember. He’s one of the most interesting and complex characters in the book so I really enjoyed getting to know him better and gaining a more deeper understanding of his character and why he does what he does. I enjoyed the flashbacks to their childhood so much that I kind of wish there had been more of them but there was so much going on in the story that there probably wasn’t time.

The other characters from the previous books are more or less all present and correct and there is plenty of the banter between them that makes this such an enjoyable series. Jade, the eastern Dragon has a much bigger role to play (something I loved) but unfortunately Wes was pushed a little to the sidelines (something I didn’t love).

I will admit that I didn’t quite enjoy the story as much as in the previous book (there was a certain storyline that I’m just not buying) but I get the feeling that it’s building to the fifth and final installment which I think will be truly epic. I both can’t wait and am terrified to read it.

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

Blurb (from GoodReads) –

*Contains spoilers for previous books in the series*

The legions are about to be unleashed, and no human, rogue dragon or former dragon slayer can stand against the coming horde. Book 4 of 5 in The Talon Saga from New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa.

Dragon hatchling Ember Hill was never prepared to find love at all–dragons do not suffer human emotions–let alone the love of a human and a former dragonslayer, at that. With ex-soldier Garret dying at her feet after sacrificing his freedom and his life to expose the deepest of betrayals, Ember knows only that nothing she was taught by dragon organization Talon is true. About humans, about rogue dragons, about herself and what she’s capable of doing and feeling.

In the face of great loss, Ember vows to stand with rogue dragon Riley against the dragon-slaying Order of St. George and her own twin brother Dante–the heir apparent to all of Talon, and the boy who will soon unleash the greatest threat and terror dragonkind has ever known.

Talon is poised to take over the world, and the abominations they have created will soon take to the skies, darkening the world with the promise of blood and death to those who refuse to yield.

WWW Wednesday: 26th April 2017

Ali@abookishlife21 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 ReadingLegion (Talon, #4)

I started reading Legion by Julie Kagawa yesterday so I’m only around 15% in. It’s the fourth book in her Talon series and it’s off to a good start. It’s pretty much impossible to talk about without spoilers for the previous books in the series so I’ll just say it’s a YA fantasy about dragons and leave it there. I’ve had mixed views of Kagawa’s books in the past but I’ve been enjoying this series (and her Blood Of Eden series too). I am a little bit wary though as the last book had one of the most edge of the seat endings ever. I have a horrible feeling this could be the same and I’m not sure I can take it.

On audio I’m still listening to Into the Fire by Jeaniene Frost. It’s the fourth and final book in her Night Prince series and I have been absolutely loving it. There are just so many bits that make me laugh out loud.

Recently Finished

Want You Gone (Jack Parlabane, #8)Things have gotten really busy at work again so I only managed to finish two books this week, the first of which was Want You Gone by Chris Brookmyre. Want You Gone is the 8th book in his Jack Parlabane series about an investigative journalist. While it is part of a series it could be read as a standalone as each book has a different story and theme. This time Parlabane is pulled into the world of cyber crime and industrial espionage when a hacker he’s used as a source calls and asks for his help.

This was a great story. It has a really clever and well thought out plot that doesn’t get too techie despite involving hacking. It was also good to have Jack back in a more prominent role than in the previous book in the series as he’s a great character. Without giving too much away, if you like an Ocean’s Eleven style heist in your books you’ll like this. You can read my full review here.More Than This

The other book finished this week was More Than This by Patrick Ness. This was actually a re read as I’d previously read it back in August last year. I’d picked it for real life book club (I was put on the spot and it was the first book I thought of) and it turned out to be a really good choice. All of the books we’ve read so far have been either literary fiction or crime so it was good to shake things up with something completely different. Not everyone liked it (the word “nonsense” may have been used by one person) but it definitely generated a lot of discussion. Personally I think I enjoyed it more on the second reading.

Reading Next

I went to see Stuart MacBride at a book signing last week so I’m more keen than ever to read his latest book  A Dark so Deadly. He’s one of my favourite authors and I know a few people have already read this and loved it so it’s one I’m looking forward to. I’m also going to try and make a dent on my TBR with one or more of the following books.

A Dark So DeadlyWintersongHoliday in the Hamptons (From Manhattan with Love #5)Carve the Mark (Carve the Mark, #1)

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

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 25th April 2017

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.


I’ve literally just finished a re read so I’ve been a bit undecided over which book to use for a teaser this week. As I don’t want to flick through one of my upcoming reads for fear of coming across spoilers I think I’ll go for one of my favourite reads Know Not Why by Hannah Johnson. I’m not sure what it is about this book but it just makes me happy.

My Teaser

We go through a door with a ‘DO NOT ENTER’ sign on it.

“But it says-” Kristy starts.

“If it’s not locked, then they don’t really mean it,” Cora replies bluntly.

~ 73% Know Not Why by Hannah Johnson

BlurbKnow Not Why

Howie gets a job at Artie Kraft’s Arts ‘N Crafts hoping to score with his lady coworkers. After all, girls love a sensitive guy, and what’s more sensitive than dedicating your life to selling yarn and … stuff? (Okay, so maybe it’d be a good idea to actually learn what one sells at an arts ‘n crafts store.) But things don’t go exactly according to plan. Coworker #1 is Cora: tiny, much-pierced, and way too fierce to screw with in any sense. Coworker #2 is Kristy: blonde, bubbly, unattainable perfection. And Coworker #3 is, well, Arthur. It goes without saying that he’s not an option. Right?

… Right?

Yeah, Howie’s life just got straight up confusing.

Pun intended.

Review: And I Darken by Kiersten White

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And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga, #1)And I Darken by Kiersten White

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

When I originally read the blurb for this I immediately thought “must read”. Seriously, gender switching Vlad the Impaler story, how could I resist….and then I saw some of the reviews which weren’t exactly glowing and it gave me pause. Thankfully I trusted my initial instincts and I’m so glad I did as this book is absolutely brilliant.

It’s packed full of action, political maneuvering and intrigue and has some incredible world building and a strong female main character. I can’t wait for the rest of the series.

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