5 Biblioshelf Musings about… A Curse So Dark and Lonely [Spoiler Free]

April 4, 2019April 3, 2019 The Biblioshelf8 Comments

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Series: A Curse So Dark and Lonely
Genre: Fantasy (YA)
Publication Date: 29th January 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Pages: 477
Rating: 4/5 Shelfie Stacks 📚📚📚📚

A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Brigid Kemmerer. The story is a dual perspective novel and alternates between Harper and Rhen’s narrative. It is set between Washington D.C and Emberfall, the fictional location of Rhen’s kingdom.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Beauty and beast fairytale retelling!

Fairytales are my absolute favourite thing to read; I even wrote my university dissertation on them. When I discovered this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling I knew I just had to read it. There’s been a lot of hype surrounding fairytale retellings recently so I’m pleased that this was a fresh and different interpretation on the original. Even if I hadn’t known prior to reading, it is made very clear that that this story is based on Beauty and the Beast. The novel sticks to the main idea of the girl falling in love with the monster to try and break the curse but diverts away from it in the fact that Harper actually does have a chance to get to know Rhen as a human before he turns. Therefore it’s almost like Beauty and the Beast but in reverse… Harper’s character is in no way a wallflower either and it was the style in which her character was written that was one of my favourite parts of the novel.

Harper

It’s Harper’s modernity that is what keeps this retelling fresh. She’s a girl from Washington D.C who is used to all of the mod-cons of today’s life. Not only that, but she has cerebral palsy and her brother is involved with some sort of violent loan-shark. I really liked the way that Brigid tentatively dealt with Harper’s affliction without it taking over the story – and I don’t mean that in an insensitive way at all. Brigid’s light touches on Harper’s condition resembled how living with a limp and the other aspects of CP is part of Harper’s reality everyday and how normal it is for her. Harper is very clear that she doesn’t want to be seen as weak just because of her CP and that strength shines through in volumes. I absolutely loved her character. She bounced off the archaic chivalry of Rhen perfectly and I felt like their pairing was a great match. Elsewhere in the novel, Grey broke up the dynamics between Rhen and Harper, I’ve heard in some places that their relationship is likened to a love triangle but I didn’t really see it in this way to be honest. I really liked the input of the Harper’s brother and Noah as well. Their reaction to Harper’s story and the world of Emberfall was brilliant and definitely had me chuckling in some places.

“I am always surprised to discover that when the world seems darkest, there exists the greatest opportunity for light.”

Kingdom and Peoples of Emberfall

Emberfall seems like such a fun place to be – if you rule out the fact that a monster terrorises through the whole country periodically… The castle is your typical magical abode with mysterious music being played on instruments by invisible hands; food turning up deliciously cooked and seemingly from nowhere; the opulent surroundings of Harper’s room which are at odds with the visceral room of blood and gore; it suited this fairytale to a tee! I was so happy that we also got to see the wider world of the kingdom and meet the people of Emberfall. When Emberfall comes under attack from neighbouring territories and the evil enchantress Lilith, Rhen’s protection and sense of guardianship over his kingdom give the novel an added depth which sets it apart from older versions of the fairytale. It also provides for more action within the story which allows it to become meatier than just your average retelling.

Brigid’s Writing Style

I loved how easy this book was to read. Every time I picked it up it was like sinking back into a big fluffy pillow. The split narrative was easily distinguished by having the name of the character at the start of each chapter but also through the different voices of Harper and Rhen themselves. Harper’s language was much more contemporary whereas Rhen had the refined elegance of a Crown Prince. It suited them really well.

“My father once said we are all dealt a hand at birth. A good hand can ultimately lose – just as a poor hand can win – but we must all play the cards the fate deals. The choices we face may not be the choices we want, but they are choices nonetheless.”

Ending

For me, this is the one aspect of the book that just lost a little bit of love. Everything seemed to happen so fast and before I knew it all of the action was over and we were setting up for the next novel in the series. We sent so long in getting to know the charcaters and the kingdom, as well as the build up to the battle and the transition of Rhen from Prince to Monster, that I felt the transformation elements weren’t as well developed as the rest of the novel. Right at the beginning when Harper is in DC and Rhen is in Emberfall, the very blood underneath their fingernails is mirrored between their two narratives and I missed these little extra details and nuances towards the ending of the novel. Then from out of nowhere it just seemed to end and I’m still not even sure I’ve actually read the ending correctly…

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed A Curse So Dark and Lonely. It had me completely hooked whilst reading and was everything I was looking for in a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It is definitely more than just your average Disney-style echoing. The characters and world-building tied in neatly with plot. Although the cliffhanger of an ending left me slightly confused about what was actually happening, I’m keen to see where this series goes next. The sequel, A Heart So Fierce and Broken is set for release on January 28^th2020.

Have you read A Curse So Dark and Lonely? What did you think? Drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

Top Ten Tuesday – Things which make me pick up a book

April 2, 2019April 1, 2019 The Biblioshelf8 Comments

Yoohoo Bibliofriends,

It’s Top Ten Tuesday time again! Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly list themed book prompt hosted by Jana @That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme was the top ten things which make you pick up a book. Here’s mine!

Covers – Now I know there’s that famous saying not to judge books by their covers – but there are some freaking amazing cover design artists out there nowadays that I think we can safely relegate that proverb to the olden days when books were leather bound and cover art was non-existent! I’m such a sucker for a pretty, detailed front cover.
Author faves – If there’s an author I like then it’s a dead cert that I’m going to try and read their entire back catalogue. I seem to have developed a go-to list of certain ones including Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Neil Gaiman and J.K. Rowling/Robert Galbraith.
Bookstagram/Goodreads hype – It’s fair to say that if the people I’m following are raving about a certain book and I start to see it all over my feed then curiosity gets the better of me and before you know it, I’ve bought another book to add to the never-ending TBR.
Offers – I loved it when Waterstones did their 3 for 2 offer. It seems that Blackwells are the only store that does this now as most places are buy one get one half price. You’d always end up getting the third book just because you were essentially getting it for free. Also sale items / charity shop bargains are winners. I’m forever scouring the shelves at my local charity shops or the reduced sections in bookshops just to find a bargain!
Favourite themes – witchcraft/magic/water/enemies-to-lovers/flawed or tragic heroes/fairytale retellings are all guaranteed to make me hit that ‘Want to Read’ button on my Goodrerads account.
An exclusive – Cover/chapter/interview/sampler…you name it! The idea of any kind of exclusivity is more than enough to tempt me into picking up a certain read or edition of a novel.
Seeing an author at an event – Cheltenham hosts their Literary Festival every October. It’s one of the highlights of my year and I always come away from the 10 days with a whole haul of new books from authors whose events I’ve been to; it’s an additional temptation when they’ve been signed too.
A sequel/series – If I love the first novel in a series then it’s pretty much guaranteed that I’ll have to pick up the next one just to find out what happened next.
Reviews – Whether they be online ones from my favourite bloggers or those little comment cards you see in the books shops, be persuasive enough in how much you loved it and I’ll fall for it hook, line and sinker.
Freebies – Readers First is a great website for getting free books. You read a first look, submit your first impression then you’re entered into a draw to win a copy of the book to review. For every review you write you get points and points lead to prizes – in this case, more books! I managed to get free copies of To Kill a Kingdom and The Wicked King through this website. It’s pretty awesome!

There we have it. What makes you guys want to pick up a book? Drop me a comment to chat!

Keep reading!

T xx

5 Biblioshelf Musings about…Onyx and Ivory [Spoiler Free]

April 1, 2019March 31, 2019 The Biblioshelf1 Comment

Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett

Series: Rime Chronicles #1

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: May 12th 2018

Publisher: Balzer & Bray (Fairyloot Exclusive Edition)

Pages: 512

Rating: 4/5 Shelfie Stacks 📚📚📚📚

Onyx and Ivory is the first in a series of books by Mindee Arnett called The Rime Chronicles.

Synopsis from Goodreads

They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king years ago. Now Kate lives as an outcast, clinging to the fringes of society as a member of the Relay, the imperial courier service. Only those most skilled in riding and bow hunting ride for the Relay; and only the fastest survive, for when dark falls, the nightdrakes—deadly flightless dragons—come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: she is a wilder, born with magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals. But it’s this magic that she needs to keep hidden, as being a wilder is forbidden, punishable by death or exile. And it’s this magic that leads her to a caravan massacred by nightdrakes in broad daylight—the only survivor her childhood friend, her first love, the boy she swore to forget, the boy who broke her heart.The high king’s second son, Corwin Tormane, never asked to lead. Even as he waits for the uror—the once-in-a-generation ritual to decide which of the king’s children will succeed him—he knows it’s always been his brother who will assume the throne. And that’s fine by him. He’d rather spend his days away from the palace, away from the sight of his father, broken with sickness from the attempt on his life. But the peacekeeping tour Corwin is on has given him too much time to reflect upon the night he saved his father’s life—the night he condemned the would-be killer to death and lost the girl he loved. Which is why he takes it on himself to investigate rumors of unrest in one of the remote city-states, only for his caravan to be attacked—and for him to be saved by Kate.With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin have to put the past behind them. The threat of drakes who attack in the daylight is only the beginning of a darker menace stirring in the kingdom—one whose origins have dire implications for Kate’s father’s attack upon the king and will thrust them into the middle of a brewing civil war in the kingdom of Rime.

Magists

Ok, we need to talk about the Magists…These guys hold the monopoly on magic in Rime – if you’re not a magist then you shouldn’t be doing magic at all; you’re a wilder and you’re an outlaw. The only way to access magic in Rime is to buy it off a magist. This really struck a cord with me. Somewhere in the World Wide Web is an infographic which shows 10 major companies who supposedly control the world because they own pretty much every other ‘big business’ that’s out there saturating our mass market. Now I’m not going to go on a political rampage here, but I couldn’t help but link the role of the magists in Rime to these top ten companies. The way the magists are able to control everyone, including the royals who run the country, really pulled me into the story. I was immediately suspicious of them and quite incensed to be honest.

Horses

If you have read some of my recent posts then you’ll be getting to know that I love horses. 🐎 I am massively envious of Kate’s wilder ability to talk to them! The horse theme and Arnett’s love for these wondrous creatures definitely came through in her writing and really appealed to the horse-enthusiast in me.

Supporting characters

The band of supporting characters in this novel are absolute gold. Bonner’s loyalty; Signe’s sass; Dal’s dark humour; Raith’s mysterious-ness; Corwin’s Princely charms… I loved them all and they complement Kate perfectly! Each of them had their own role to play in the story and I found myself wanting to learn more and more about all of their backstories. A truly fabulous cast of characters.

The Relay

‘Running the gauntlet’ is the phrase I would use to try summing up what the Relay Riders have to do every day whilst delivering things around the world of Rime. And perhaps it’s my mischievous side coming through but this sounds like such a cool job! You get to ride your horse all across the country whilst trying to avoid the dangerous nightdrakes that come out in the dark…only to find that you then have to start dodging the daydrakes too – Royal Mail eat your heat out, these guys are the badass, tough-nuts of the Postie world! I’m definitely adding Relay Rider to my list of ‘fictional jobs I wish I could do’.

Storytelling

It didn’t take long at all for me to become engrossed in this story. The world building, characterisation and plot devices were everything I wanted from a fantasy story. I liked the suspense of trying to guess who the villains were (and whilst I guessed some of it, I definitely didn’t get all of it). I was rooting for the romance between Kate and Corwin. I was intrigued by the types of magic both from the magists and the wilders. I was thrilled by the fight scenes.

All in all, this made for a brilliant series starter which is why I gave Onyx and Ivory 4 Shelfie Stacks and put the sequel, Shadow and Flame, straight onto my TBR.

Have you read Onyx and Ivory? Did you love it as much as I did? Drop me a comment and let me know! ☺️

Txx

Six for Sunday – Debut Books and Authors

March 31, 2019March 30, 2019 The Biblioshelf1 Comment

Six For Sunday – Debut Books and Authors

Like a lot of us, I own way too many books! I would say that my TBR would be reaching, if not exceeding, the 100 mark and as we are planning on moving house fairly soon I’ve been on a self-imposed book buying ban since January (my Fairyloot subscription box doesn’t count!). Amazingly, I have been able stick to this and even more amazingly, I have been able to visit bookshops without buying anything! 😱 Most of my YA Fantasy books tend to come from my Fairyloot box therefore this year I’m trying to branch out and read more widely around the genre, especially as there are so many amazing authors and novels out there. I thought I would base my Six for Sunday this week on six debut books and authors which are on my TBR that I haven’t got around to buying/reading yet. Six for Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Steph @A Little But A Lot Pictures, title links and synopses all thanks to Goodreads.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tori Adeyemi

This is one of those books that I saw hyped up all over social media, so when I saw it last year on the shelves of Tesco no less… I had to buy it straightaway. I’ve heard lots of good thing so I’m really hoping that I’ll get to it at some point this year.

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

The blurb of this sounded amazing and I loved the Viking vibe as it added a new dimension to the YA Fantasy genre back when it was released last year. Sadly, I haven’t got around to reading it yet but I’ve heard that the audiobook is supposed to be good so I’m tempted to try that.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother’s betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

The Wicked Deep was another one of my impulse buys – purely because the title seemed to refer to the ocean/sea (and I still have no clue whether this book does or not!). It was also in one of those rare 3 for 2 offers that real-life bookshops seem to be doing less these days so Win/Win! It’s on my 2019 TBR pile…

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…
Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

I remember when this book came out; there was an interview on BBC with Samantha and I am positive that I heard this was a 7 novel series and the film rights had already been sold before the book was even published. Now whether that’s still true I’m not entirely sure, but this is one of those ‘must-read’ series I keep hearing about over and over again so I’m interested in getting around to reading it.

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab

*Shock alert* – I have not read a single V.E. Schwab book! My mission for this year is to at least make a start and what better way then with the republication of her debut novel. I really liked the way that Schwab said the only thing she would change about it was the cover, rather than any of the actual writing. She also made a post on Instagram recently which was one of those meaningful comments which come into life at the exact moment you need to hear it (I had to write it down and stick it into my diary straightaway). I’m really hoping I love her work just as much as the hype suggests I will!

All-new deluxe edition of an out-of-print gem, containing in-universe short story “The Ash-Born Boy” and a never-before-seen introduction from V.E. Schwab.

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

There are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger, a boy who seems to fade like smoke, appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

Ok, I know this book is not quite published yet, however I am so excited for this release and the cover looks beautiful. My bookstagram is full of people who seem to be loving this! It may very well be the book to break my self-imposed book buying ban for!

Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, dreaming of an unremarkable life. But when her beloved father is found dead, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of a surprisingly unstable kingdom. What’s more, Hesina believes that her father was murdered—and that the killer is someone close to her.

Hesina’s court is packed full of dissemblers and deceivers eager to use the king’s death for political gain, each as plausibly guilty as the next. Her advisers would like her to blame the neighboring kingdom of Kendi’a, whose ruler has been mustering for war. Determined to find her father’s actual killer, Hesina does something desperate: she enlists the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death, since magic was outlawed centuries ago.

Using the information provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of Yan at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

There we have it – six debut books and authors that are on my never-ending TBR list. Have you read any of these? Which one should I start first? Drop me a comment, I love to chat!

T xx

March Wrap Up

March 30, 2019March 30, 2019 The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

I can not believe ¼ of 2019 has gone already! I am so pleased that the sun is shining more and we are getting into warmer weather. We have so many blossom trees where we live and it’s beautiful when they all come out.

In terms of my Biblioshelf life I am so happy with how March has gone!

Positive things that have happened:

Managing to vaguely keep up with the Blog and Bookstagram (at least as much as I could)
New Blog and Bookstagram followers (💜 thank you all!!!)
My best month yet for reading (even though I’m still “2 behind schedule” according to Goodreads). I’m up to 10 out of 50 and half of those have been March reads.

Books I’ve read:

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo – In my bid to try and finish off some of the book series I was part-way through, I finally got around to ticking this off. What a stunning duology. I really enjoyed it. You can read my spoiler-ridden Biblioshelf Musings about it here.
Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett – I was way behind with reading my Fairyloot books from last year’s boxes so many of them are forming as my immediate TBR list to try and catch up. Onyx and Ivory was fab for getting me back into the fantasy genre and I really enjoyed reading it. I added the second novel Shadow and Flame onto my TBR straightaway.
The Duke, the Autobiography of David Nicholson – The Duke is one of our local heroes when it comes to horse-racing. He trained his horses in a village not far away from where I live and the trainer and his wife who run the Racing Club I am a part of both used to work for him as well. March was the perfect time to finish this book, which I’d started and then put down last year, as the Cheltenham Festival takes over the whole area where I live so there was a real buzz in the air. It offered a great insight and history into the sport and it was quite strange to read about people who I have met and even know in real-life.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer – I tried to read this in order to take part in the Fairyloot readalong as this was their February book, however my work schedule didn’t really give me that much time to read it during that week. I have now finished it and love it. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite fairytales and this retelling offered a fresh spin of such a traditional story. Biblioshelf Musings are yet to come…
The Time Machine by H.G Wells (Audiobook read by Kelsey Grammer) – As I have said previously in my Top Ten Tuesday post Audio Freebie, I’m not that keen on audiobooks. I think the price is something of an issue, plus I like to have a physical book in my hands to get lost in. This audiobook was free on iTunes so I immediately downloaded it. It’s quite a classic must-read novel for any fans of Science Fiction. I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed it. Grammer’s narration really suited the character of the time-traveller, almost as if he was the time-traveller himself. The story was just short enough and suspenseful enough to keep me tuned it. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who has this on their TBR.

Other hobbies in my life include going to the cinema. I am a co-organiser of a film club and we often see 2-3 films a week at our local cinema. Like with all things, I’ve missed a few of our film events due to doing other things but here are three of my top March film releases:

Fisherman’s Friends (12a) – I absolutely loved this! As I split my time between the Cotswolds and Cornwall it made me really nostalgic to go back to my little house by the sea! Stunning scenery and location aside, this film was heart-warming, funny and poignant in all the right doses. The only thing that disappointed me was that the tale of the ‘music manager falling in love with the village girl and buying the pub to save the day’ was purely fictitious! Anyway a fantastic film nevertheless; if anyone wants to join in a sea-shanty sing-a-long one Friday night down in Port Isaac then count me in!
Us (15) – This is probably going to be one of my Top Ten Films of 2019! It had scary bits, humour, mickey-taking, horror, doppelgangers, audacity, fairgrounds, violence, story-telling, mythology and pure, downright weirdness in buckets (or boat-loads 😉)! There are so many layers to this plot that keep you guessing right the way to the very end. Just when you think you’ve worked it all out, something else happens to make you think something completely different. It’s one of those films that you watch again and again and discover something new every time. I won’t spoil it for anyone who is going to see it but if dark, twisty, multi-layered psychological thrillers are your thing, then this is your must-see film of the year!
Fighting With My Family (12a) – Any film with The Rock in is immediately added to my cinema list. What I enjoyed about this film was how accurately it portrayed the real-life family which this film is based on. It represented a part of our society that does not get a lot of air-time (if only for the wrong reasons) and showed the hardships that they go through, the struggles they face just to make their way in the world and find a space for themselves. I honestly didn’t feel that this film would be my type of thing. I’m not a wrestling fan at all but that really didn’t matter – the key meaning to take away is about the sense of community and the dreams people can achieve if they all pull together. It’s a message of positivity in what can sometimes feel like a very negative world.

Other life stuff:

My friend got married – She had one of the most gorgeous wedding cakes I have ever seen! As a massive fan of the film Labyrinth, her three tier cake was themed around the film. The characters were made of fondant icing and there was even a dancing Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie at the top from the ball scene. It was almost too good-looking to eat but it tasted so delicious. We are massive fans of Gloucester Rugby and always go to their matches. We call ourselves the “Shed Family” after the area of the ground we stand in and in true Glaws Family style, we all piled into the bar to watch the Gloucester match that was taking place that evening – a true rugby wedding!
Cheltenham Races – I’ve already talked about this above and in a previous post but Race Week is always a highlight of March. Along with the Six Nations Championship the month is great for sports fans like me!
George Ezra – To be honest, if it wasn’t for my friend I don’t think I would have gone to see him live in concert but I am so glad I did! I have his album Staying at Tamara’s which is on constant repeat in my car at the moment and this sunny weather is perfect for blasting out Paradise and singing along at the top of my voice! He is even better live and the anecdotes he told throughout his set were funny too. He was supported by Sigrid who brought her catchy, bouncy pop songs to warm the crowd up. Before George came on they played Don’t Look Back in Anger into the auditorium and there is nothing like a classic Oasis song to get 15,500 people to burst into the biggest round of karaoke ever – fabulous! A brilliant evening and I’d love to see him again.

Tonight I am off out with friends to celebrate their birthdays. We are eating at The Botanist which is new in town so I’m really looking forward to trying it out. I’ve heard lots of great things about it. The restaurant looks so pretty and I bet they have an exceptional Gin/Cocktails list. Afterwards we are going to Mr. Mulligan’s Crazy Golf which I am extremely looking forward to!!!

I want to leave you with a quote from V.E. Schwab which I read from her Instagram post on 8^thMarch. It was one of those motivational things you read which seems to come along at the exact time when you need it. I read it after getting some disappointing news and it really helped me to hold things together and get through the remainder of the day. I’ve referenced to it as well in my Six for Sunday post which comes up tomorrow. I’ve written it down; I read it often; it gives me the motivation to carry on doing my own thing, on my terms in my own way. I may not read as many books as everyone else; I may not post stuff on a regular basis; I may not have a viewpoint or an opinion that is groundbreakingly different or that people are even interested in; but this is my little corner of the big wide blogosphere and I am learning to stop putting myself under so much pressure to meet deadlines for this or fit into a mould for that and to just be happy and at peace with my extremely blessed life!

‘Show up. Put in the work. Let go of the outcome. The list of things out of your control is too long. Success is not guaranteed, and sometimes you can do everything right and still miss the mark. Because the mark is arbitrary, and always changing. The only thing you can do is tell your story.’

Gold star to you, reader if you made it through my March ramble! Have a super weekend and enjoy whatever is you’re up to!

T xx

Top Ten Tuesday – Audio Freebie

March 26, 2019 The Biblioshelf4 Comments

Happy Tuesday Bibliofriends!

This Top Ten Tuesday was so incredibly difficult for me due to the fact that I rarely listen to audiobooks. I also don’t listen to music when I read as I prefer the quiet (even though SOME PEOPLE in my household clearly don’t understand the fact that when undivided attention is on my book I am therefore unable to read and talk at the same time… *cue the eye-rolling and huffing*)!

For some reason I just feel like it’s cheating and I’m not actually “reading” at all. Also, I find that I tend to forget what happens in the story a lot easier with audiobooks than I do with reading physical books. Yep, I’m one of ‘those people’. Sorry not sorry!

However, more recently I have admittedly been scrolling through the audiobook catalogues in a fit of desperation just to try and give my reading challenge a bit of a boost! I’m already on my second one this year and trust me, that’s a record! So for TTT this week I decided to gather together my own random list of audio things to do with books…

Some musically bookish accompaniments…

10) Harry Potter Soundtrack

Ok, so my thinking here is that I’ve become so in love with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that when I read the books I cannot help but hear the movie soundtrack in my head. The two things have become synonymous with each other in my brain and John Williams is a soundtrack genius!

9) The Lord of the Rings Soundtrack

Likewise with Harry Potter above, there’s just something about the soundtrack of LOTR that sends me immediately back to Middle Earth. For me, Howard Shore really got to the heart of the mash-up between Tolkien’s world and Peter Jackson’s vision.

8) Holst’s Planets Suite

I’m not the biggest classical music aficionado. I rarely get those really hard music questions on University Challenge correct, however Holst’s Planets Suite is one of my favourite pieces of classical music of all-time. It’s probably something to do with the Land of Hope and Glory vibe and I Vow to Thee My Country which are quite patriotic songs here in England. Mind you, if I listened to this whilst I was reading then I would probably be more focused on humming along to the tune than actually reading the words of my book!

7) 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music

This album is perfect to satisfy all of my classical music needs in one go. It’s surprising how many of the tunes are actually familiar when you hear them. I could definitely have this on as a bit of background noise when I’m absorbed in a good book.

6) The Fantasia Soundtrack

Fantasia was one of my favourite Disney movies as a kid and I still love it today. The way the cartoons were designed to match the different pieces of music is fantastic and again the lack of words to sing-a-long to would help me tune into my book a little bit more.

Audiobooks I’ve read/listened to:

5) The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (read by Paul Michael)

I think I bought this as a CD set because it was on sale. I can honestly tell you that I loved the premise of Dan Brown’s novel (as always) but I have no recollection of what actually happened! I couldn’t even begin to guess which character would have been the bad guy! At least I have a physical copy now for a re-read… at some point… when my TBR is not as full…

4) Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl (read by Chris O’Dowd)

Chris O’Dowd is such a fantastic narrator and his voice was perfect for this childhood classic. I sometimes play these audiobooks in my classroom during art afternoons and the kids love it.

3) The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (read by Kelsey Grammer)

This is my ‘currently listening to’. My first motivation for downloading this was that it was free on iTunes. The second was that this is one of those classic Sci-Fi reads that is probably on the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list. And thirdly, I need to do whatever I can to help me get my read count up! I’m kind of enjoying it so far although it is quite hard to keep up with the story, especially when I’m listening to it in the car on the way to work!

2) Mythos by and read by Stephen Fry

I am so glad that I downloaded this and listened to it on the long journeys down to Cornwall and back. Fry is an excellent orator and his storytelling really bought the Greek myths to life. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who loves either audiobooks or the Greek myths.

And finally…The ultimate reading soundtrack…

1) SILENCE – Reading is the chance to escape whatever is going on in this reality and jump into a new world. For me, the perfect way to absorb right into that is with no sounds around at all. There are so many distractions around already from the TV or mobile phones etc. that sometimes it’s nice to switch off completely with a good read and the sound of silence.

Woohoo, I made it through to the end…if you’ve cared enough to read this far then thank you! I’m not managing to get around to writing as much as I’d like to recently as my head is filled with so many things taking up much more of my time than I’d like; which then in turn leaves me frustrated and angry as I really don’t want to neglect my blog again. Thankfully, the Easter holidays are nearly here and I should be able to try and get ahead of myself rather than try to keep chasing my tail all the time! Anyone else have patches like that?

To all of the readers who continuously read my posts and like/comment on them – I love you guys!

Happy reading everyone! 3 more sleeps until the weekend!

T xx

Six for Sunday – Favourite Genre

March 24, 2019 The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

Happy Sunday bibliofriends!

Six for Sunday was quite an open topic this week with it being ‘Favourite Genre’ so I went for six sequels from my favourite genre, YA Fantasy, that I’m really looking forward to reading.

Ever since I caught wind of ‘bookstagram’, I kept seeing pictures of absolutely gorgeous books. It was all I needed to kick my reading habit into overdrive and all of sudden I just had to have a book subscription box and get my hands on all of the books I had seen hyped and raved about all over Instagram.

So rather than list six of my all-time favourite YA Fantasy novels (which the universe could probably guess anyway…) I thought I would list 6 YA Fantasy sequels that are on my ‘got-to-get-my-hands-on’ list which I haven’t got around to reading yet or are due to be released within the next year.

Rage by Cora Carmack

Sequel to: Roar

I loved the elemental magic in Roar and the way they harnessed the power of storms. I’ve heard some fairly mixed reviews about this story and I feel like it’s one of those marmite ones that people either love or hate – obviously I’m in the ‘love-it’ camp! Bring on Rage!

Fierce Like A Firestom by Lana Popović

Sequel to: Wicked Like a Wildfire

Wicked Like a Wildfire was so beautifully written. The magic was quite different to anything I’d read before and the way the author set the scene and described Cattalo (the real-life city Kotor) in Montenegro made me put the place on my travel bucket-list!

Shadow and Flame by Mindee Arnett

Sequel to: Onyx and Ivory

Now I don’t know whether or not Mindee Arnett intended to write a seemingly real-life message into the heart of her story, but the way I interpreted the magists and their monopoly on magic in Rime made me draw so many parallels with the way our world is governed today by huge corporations and organisations. Obviously I really enjoyed the story as well, particularly the cast of characters. As I’ve only recently finished reading it I’m hoping to get a Biblioshelf Musings written up fairly soon.

All the Wandering Light by Heather Fawcett

Sequel to: Even the Darkest Stars

I remember being really sucked into this story. The mountain setting was so dramatic and really heightened the tension. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao

Sequel to: Empress of a Thousand Lanterns

Empress of a Thousand Lanterns was one of my favourite reads from last year. This Evil Queen retelling was riveting and I’m so keen to find out how that dramatic ending all panned out!

Evermore by Sara Holland

Sequel to: Everless

The premise of Everless really sucked me in! The idea of letting your blood and using the iron in it to make money – the literal meaning of ‘time is money’ was such a brilliant concept. Add to that the legendary tale of the Alchemist and the Sorceress that weaves through the narrative…This sequel was immediately added to my TBR after closing the last page of Everless.

So there you have it, have you read any of these books? What YA Fantasy sequels are on your TBR list for 2019?

Enjoy the remains of the weekend!

T xx

Friday 56 – A Curse So Dark and Lonely

March 22, 2019March 22, 2019 The Biblioshelf14 Comments

Happy Friday Bibliofriends!

The weekend is finally here and it’s Friday 56 time. After receiving A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer in Fairyloot’s February ‘Beast and Beauty Box’, I aimed to take part in their readalong (you can access their blog here), however as with all good intentions, work seemed to get in the way! Nevertheless, I’ve managed to make a start and am just up to Chapter 10. I’m really surprised by how quickly I became invested in the two main characters, Rhen and Harper; I’m definitely hooked!

‘I run my fingers over the surface of the map, dried paint slick where it notates cities. Wildthorne Valley. Hutchins Forge. Blackrock Plains. At the center of the map, near Silvermoon Harbour, is an elaborately painted castle.
The map doesn’t look like the United States, that’s for sure.’

Plot Synopsis (thanks Goodreads!)
Fall in love, break the curse.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

I can’t wait to see what happens in this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It feels fresh with Harper being a modern-day US girl but still in-keeping with the traditional fairytale style with Rhen’s chivalrous charms.

Have you read ACSDAL? Did you take part in the Fairyloot readalong?

Drop me a comment below to chat. Enjoy your weekend!

T xx

TTT – Books on my Spring TBR

March 19, 2019March 18, 2019 The Biblioshelf6 Comments

Bibliofriends, it’s Tuesday! That means it’s time for one of my favourite lists of the week!

Top Ten Tuesday is a book tag hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is ‘Books on my Spring TBR’. Last week I could barely think of ten things to put in my list whereas this week there are absolutely no shortage of books which could fit into my top ten; I could probably write a Top 50 to be honest! Saying that, my time for reading is becoming increasingly shorter and I cannot thank Goodreads enough for the persistent reminder that I am ‘3 books behind schedule’. 🙄

So here is my Top Ten Spring TBR or as I like to call it – “a list of all the Fairyloot books I haven’t read yet, with some others from my shelf”.
[Synopses from Goodreads]

10) The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson [Fairyloot]
An extra ARC goodie from December’s Dragon box!

In the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire, magical, elemental Crows are part of every aspect of life…until the Illucian empire invades, destroying everything. That terrible night has thrown Princess Anthia into a deep depression. Her sister Caliza is busy running the kingdom after their mother’s death, but all Thia can do is think of all she has lost. But when Caliza is forced to agree to a marriage between Thia and the crown prince of Illucia, Thia is finally spurred into action. And after stumbling upon a hidden Crow egg in the rubble of a rookery, she and her sister devise a dangerous plan to hatch the egg in secret and get back what was taken from them.

9) Skyward by Brandon Sanderson [Fairyloot]
Rookie alert: I have never read anything by Brandon Sanderson and I’m not a typical Sci-fi kinda girl BUT I’ve been hearing loads of great things about this one.

Defeated, crushed, and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and (perhaps most importantly) persuade the strange machine to help her. Because this ship, uniquely, appears to have a soul.

8) Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan [Fairyloot]
Pink sprayed edges and the promise of a forbidden romance – I am there!

In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it’s Lei they’re after–the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king’s interest. Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king’s consort. But Lei isn’t content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable–she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she’s willing to go for justice and revenge.

7) Mirage by Somaiya Daud [Fairyloot]
This book premise intrigues me (in a good way); I thought it was some sort of Middle Eastern style desert fantasy and then I read ‘star system’…

In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon. But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place. As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection…because one wrong move could lead to her death.

6) Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth Durst [Fairyloot]
Dragons on the cover; mention of a heist – welcome to the TBR list!

In Sky Hawkins’s family, leading your first heist is a major milestone–even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It’s a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you’re a wyvern–a human capable of turning into a dragon. Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family’s wealth and rank in their community. With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society–a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.

5) Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye [Fairyloot]
Espionage ninja warriors…the anticipation builds!

Sora can move as silently as a ghost and hurl throwing stars with lethal accuracy. Her gemina, Daemon, can win any physical fight blindfolded and with an arm tied around his back. They are apprentice warriors of the Society of Taigas—marked by the gods to be trained in magic and the fighting arts to protect the kingdom of Kichona. As their graduation approaches, Sora and Daemon look forward to proving themselves worthy of belonging in the elite group—but in a kingdom free of violence since the Blood Rift Rebellion many years ago, it’s been difficult to make their mark. So when Sora and Daemon encounter a strange camp of mysterious soldiers while on a standard scouting mission, they decide the only thing to do to help their kingdom is to infiltrate the group. Taking this risk will change Sora’s life forever—and lead her on a mission of deception that may fool everyone she’s ever loved.

4) The Lost Sisters by Holly Black
This is going to be like my slow dose of deliberately administered poison (Jude fans – you get this right?!). I’m going to try and read it little by little just to tide me over until Queen of Nothing which seems so…far…away…! What are the chances I’ll devour it in one go?!

While Jude fought for power in the Court of Elfhame against the cruel Prince Cardan, her sister Taryn began to fall in love with the trickster, Locke. Half-apology and half-explanation, it turns out that Taryn has some secrets of her own to reveal.
The Lost Sisters is a companion e-novella to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince by master writer Holly Black.

3) The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
This book had me at the word ‘witchery’.

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town. Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under. Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into. Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters. But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

2) Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
Wonder Woman + Bardugo = immediate TBR inclusion

Daughter of immortals.
Princess Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mortal. Diana will soon learn that she has rescued no ordinary girl, and that with this single brave act, she may have doomed the world.
Daughter of death.
Alia Keralis just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted by people who think her very existence could spark a world war. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.
Together.
Two girls will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. Tested beyond the bounds of their abilities, Diana and Alia must find a way to unleash hidden strengths and forge an unlikely alliance. Because if they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

1) A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer [Fairyloot]
Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite fairytales therefore I was so happy when this came in February’s Beast and Beauty box. It will definitely be the next book I read!

Fall in love, break the curse.
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope. Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

There we have it! Have you read any of these yet? Let me know your thoughts!

Happy reading!

T xx

Six for Sunday & Life Updates

March 17, 2019March 16, 2019 The Biblioshelf4 Comments

Happy Sunday Bibliofriends!

Six For Sunday

I see the Six for Sunday tag in a lot of places and was keen to try and give it a go. For those that don’t already know, Six for Sunday is a weekly meme created by Steph @ A Little But A Lot and has a different weekly prompt based on a monthly theme.

March’s theme is ‘An Ode To…’ and this week’s prompt is ‘Bookish Couples’. As almost every story I read seems to contain a couple of some sort it wasn’t very hard to think of at least six which could be included here. I picked couples that the author made me buy into and really gave me those bookish feels as opposed to the ones whom I wasn’t 100% invested in (Ron and Hermione, I’m talking to you!).

Feyre and Rhysand (A Court of Thorns and Roses Series – Sarah J Maas)

Everytime someone says ‘bookish couple’ I automatically think of these guys! ACOTAR reignited my love for reading and their ship gives me all the feels!

Arwen and Aragorn (Lord of the Rings – J. R. R. Tolkien)

This was the first bookish couple I fell head over heels in love with. It was probably helped by the fact that Aragorn was played by Viggo Mortenson in the film series but this pair was a dead cert for S4S this week.

Jude and Cardan (The Folk of the Air Series – Holly Black)

This book series is my new obsession. Despite the ending of The Wicked King [no spoilers, don’t worry]…I am still Team Judan! Roll on Queen of Nothing!

Magnus Bane and Alec (Shadowhunters – Cassandra Clare)

For me, Magnus Bane is the coolest character BY FAR in The Mortal Instruments Series. I just loved the way his relationship with Alec unfolded and the journey they went on through the books (honestly…I think I’m just a little jealous).

Lou Clark and Will Traynor (Me Before You by Jojo Moyes)

I don’t even know where to begin describing this couple…or this book. I loved it, even though it made me bawl my eyes out! A tragic but lovely story.

Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy (Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen)

Surely there can be no list of bookish couples without a nod to the ultimate classical pairing! I find it amazing how these stories and the relationships within them still seem to have relevant meanings and messages today.

Who would make your list? Drop me a comment an let me know!

Reading Updates

Next week, the Fairyloot readalong for A Curse So Dark and Lonely begins so I’m hoping to clear my currently reading shelf in preparation for that!

Earlier in the week, I finished Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett. I really enjoyed it and was surprised at how invested I became in the characters. Kate and Corwin very nearly made my list of Bookish Couples above but in the end I settled on the others.

I’m also trying to finish my other read which is the autobiography of David ‘The Duke’ Nicholson who was a famous local horse-racing trainer. I’ve had it on hiatus for a while so I could catch up with some other reads but it’s been hovering on my currently reading list for a little too long now therefore I’m trying to power through it.

Life update:

What a week this has been! Work has been super busy, and at times pure evil; not the kids, they were delightful as always. It’s just all of the extra add-ons that come with being a teacher, sometimes they get on top of you and this week was one of those weeks! We have Parents’ Evenings next week so I’m not sure there will be any let up on that front yet either!

The Cheltenham Festival arrived and it always seems to take over life (and the area where I live) for the entire week. There were four tremendous days of horse-racing filled with some true fairytale stories and heart-warming moments particularly for Andrew Gemmell, a man blind from birth who’s horse Paisley Park won one of the feature races; Willie Mullins finally won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on his 7^thattempt; Bryony Frost (& Frodon) became the first female jockey to win a Grade 1 race at the Cheltenham Festival, such an amazing testament to women competing in the sport. It’s almost sad to think it’s over again for another year.

Yesterday was the final of the Six Nations Championship. Super Saturday definitely lived up to its namesake with Wales winning the Grandslam of the Rugby tournament. As an England fan I’m obviously gutted that we didn’t top the table, and slightly baffled as to what happened in the second half of our match against Scotland; however, I’m sure that we’re now all looking forward to the Rugby World Cup which starts in September later this year.

The cobwebs were well and truly blown away yesterday morning as I was able to fit in a visit to the stable yard where I am a part of their Racing Club (horse-therapy 💖!). It was so windy on the gallops that I could barely open the door of the car and then we kept getting buffeted by the rain. I honestly had to plant my feet firmly in the ground to stop the wind from knocking me over – and I’m not that light! 😂 To top it all off, I finally managed to shift into productivity gear and caught up a little bit with my blog posts too!

What have you all been up to this week? I hope you’ve got some exciting plans either in the book-world or the real-world for the week ahead!

T xx