This week’s Friday 56 comes from Can You Sign My Tentacle? by Brandon O’Brien – a beguiling, unique collection of poetry which merges together a hybrid mix of contemporary hip-hop and folklorian Lovecraft monsters in a fun fusion of science-fiction and poetry. On the surface, it offers an entertaining, comedic chronicle; however, between the lines it offers something much more meaningful and profound.
Thank you to the publishers Interstellar Flight Press and the author Brandon O’Brien for providing me with a complimentary e-ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hosted by Freda’s Voice, the Friday 56 is a weekly bookish prompt. It’s quite easy to do and could cover no end of different books and genres so seems great if you’re looking for a quick snippet to discover something new!
Rules:
*Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that’s ok.) *Find any sentence, (or few, just don’t spoil it) *Post it. *Add your (url) post here in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. *It’s that simple.
She’s read enough lifetimes to feel just as old as he does. In the small spaces between lines of postmodern poetry he can count entire continua clashing for a chance to sound.
From: The One – Can You Sign My Tentacle? by Brandon O’Brien
You can check out my full, spoiler-free review of Can You Sign My Tentacle? here.
Don’t forget about the Virtual Launch!
Interstellar Flight Press are holding their first ever Virtual Book Launch for Can You Sign My Tentacle? It’s a free event on Zoom so check out the details below if you’re interested!
Here’s the details! Sign up via Eventbrite to join us.
Date: August 20th at 6:00pm EST / 5:00 PM CDT
Online via Zoom/Eventbrite
You will receive info from Eventbrite on how to access the event after you register. This event is FREE to attend.
Summer is the perfect time of year for one of my all-time favourite foods – ice cream! Not gonna lie, I could probably eat ice cream at any time of the year but there’s just something nostalgic about hearing the tinkling melodies of the ice cream van or basking in the sunshine outside an ice cream parlour with your friends.
In a town not terribly far away from where I live, there is a place called Hoorays and they do the most magnificent variety of home-made gelato – there’s practically a flavour for every day of the month; we’re talking Lemon Drizzle, Blueberry Cheesecake, Bubblegum, Snickers, Unicorn, Pistachio – you name it, they’ve got it! They even change them regularly to fit in with different events and holidays!
My inspiration for this post came from an article that Penguin Books did in one of their latest newsletters called What you should read, according to your taste in ice cream. Whilst they focus on the complete range of ice creams and lollies you could buy from a Mr. Whippy van, I decided to match my most memorable reads of 2021 (so far!) to some of my favourite ice cream flavours. Here’s what I came up with!
Eton Mess – Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas
And boy was I a mess after finishing this one! At times sweet, at times sour and with a whole riot of berries and sugar in-between, the rollercoaster this book took me one is totally reminiscent of this dessert-turned-ice-cream-flavour.
Bubblegum – The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
Just like the amusement of trying to blow the biggest Hubba Bubba bubble, The Authenticity Project was fun, fun, fun – there’s so many endearing characters in this heart-warming, laugh-out-loud story.
Rum and Raisin – These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden
A grown-up flavour for a grown-up, edgy read. Rum is one of my favourite spirits: dark, spicy and rich – just like the world building and complex character personas within this book.
Chocolate – Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Comforting yet decadent and a firm-fan favourite, just like the stunning empire of Aritsar in Raybearer. I adored Jordan Ifueko’s tale and all of the nods to African folklore and mythology. I’ve already pre-ordered the sequel, Redemptor, and I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happens next!
Salted Caramel – The Favour by Laura Vaughan
Deliciously smooth yet with a salty undercurrent, this flavour immediately reminded me of the unreliability of Ada’s character in this mysterious and gripping read.
Phish Food – Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
One of my all-time favourite flavours and just like I could binge-eat the whole tub, I could totally binge-read my way through the Strike novels. With chocolate, caramel, marshmallow and tiny choccy fishies you never know what you’re getting with each spoonful and these crime novels always have me guessing the different twists and turns right until the very last page!
Blood Orange Gin – The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
Gin sorbets are definitely the new flavour on the block. Fresh, bold and zingy just like the world of constructs and bone magic in Andrea Stewart’s fascinating series. I’m totally championing the female STEM representation too!
Pink Grapefruit – The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
I can’t eat pink grapefruits raw as I find them way too bitter, but I adore Hooray’s mouth-watering Pink Grapefruit ice cream. Fruity but packed sass and bite just like the awesome, fiery female leads in The Gilded Ones.
Lemon Sorbet – A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas
Refreshing but also sour, this flavour gives me major Nesta vibes!
Mint Choc Chip – Lore by Alexandra Bracken
Just as mint and chocolate go lovingly hand-in-hand, Greek Mythology and a deadly competition come together seamlessly in this adventurous, contemporary read.
Raspberry Ripple – The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
That tangy raspberry ripple winding it’s way through smooth, creamy vanilla makes me think so much of the duality of Mikey’s character as he goes from schoolboy to fierce drag-queen in this iconic book.
Vanilla – How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black
Sometimes, you just can’t beat the originality of vanilla. Returning to Elfhame in Holly Black’s follow up to her Folk of the Air series felt like coming right back home to the world of the fae.
Stracciatella – The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Omg, this story! 💗 Those little flecks of bitter, dark chocolate running throughout velvety, vanilla gelato made me think about all of the harsh realities and poignant issues this book raises and how they are flecked throughout each of our lives.
That’s a wrap! Did you agree with my flavour and book combos? Which is your most memorable read so far of 2021 and what type of ice cream would you pair it with? Feel free to drop me your favourite reads and flavours below!
This week’s Friday 56 comes from These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden. This 3-part story set in a fantastically dystopian version of Earth introduces us to a memorable band of characters as they seek to repair a tear in the universe and bring two warring communities together.
Hosted by Freda’s Voice, the Friday 56 is a weekly bookish prompt. It’s quite easy to do and could cover no end of different books and genres so seems great if you’re looking for a quick snippet to discover something new!
Rules:
*Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that’s ok.) *Find any sentence, (or few, just don’t spoil it) *Post it. *Add your (url) post here in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. *It’s that simple.
He was the first Suriia she’d ever met who acted… almost human. Not sure what to make of the strange encounter, Thorn spent a few minutes testing the locks on the windows before she wandered into the bathroom. She’d never been able to take a hot shower that wasn’t filled with panic at the thought of being caught and killed.
These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden
You can check out my full, spoiler-free review of These Violent Nights here.
Happy New Years Eve to you all! I don’t know about you but I am so pleased to be saying ‘good riddance’ to 2020 and HELLO 2021! Even without that teeny tiny global pandemic, this year has definitely been a toughie, particularly in the mental health and work department.
In spite of that, this is the first year since 2017 that I’ve actually managed to reach my Goodreads Reading Challenge Goal – hurray for the small wins!
This year I really managed to get my ass in gear on my blog and with Netgalley so some amazing books landed in my reading shaped lap. Surprisingly it wasn’t that difficult for me to sift through and pick out a top 7 books that I loved this year and then it was a little more difficult to try and fill out the remaining 3 spots to make it a top 10 – the pedantic-ness in my brain prevented me from quitting at the Top 7… I mean who ever heard of that? 😂
10. A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer
This was a surprisingly enjoyable read for me as I wasn’t expecting to warm to the new narrators after loving Rhen and Harper’s viewpoints so much. Needless to say, I now cannot wait for the final instalment of this series to come out next year especially after reading a sneak peek a short while ago! Read my review here!
9. Romanov by Nadine Brandes
What a magical retelling this was! The sentimentality and personalisation in Anastasia’s character really made me warm for her. The mystery of the Romanovs is one of my favourite historical conspiracies so I was overjoyed that I enjoyed this read so much. Read my review here!
8. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
I totally binged this book in a day. After hearing so many brilliant things all over socials it was one of the first books I bought from an ‘in-real-life’ bookshop after lockdown. The intrigue had me turning page after page! Read my review here!
7. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
This book had been on my TBR for ages but the sheer size of it had always been putting me off. Thankfully lockdown gave me a little headspace in order to tackle the tricky narration of Cromwell. I loved the way Mantel characterised Cromwell; it was almost like seeing the historical period through his eyes rather than a 20th century historian’s. Fabulous! Read my review here!
6. My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories by Mark Newman
I was so thrilled to be approached by Odyssey Books to review this collection of short stories by the fabulous Mark Newman. His storytelling was the perfect antidote to the strange times that we were living through and really made me love this genre again. Slightly macabre with a hint of the weird and wonderful I highly recommend this collection! Read my review here!
5. Anna K by Jenny Lee
Crazy Rich Asians meets Sex and the City in this retelling of Anna Karenina. Although I’m not familiar with the tale of Anna Karenina it didn’t matter in the slightest as I was completely engrossed in the messy lives of these teenage New York rich kids! Read my review here!
4. The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott
This eco-fable had me really pondering the impact we humans have on the natural world. The magical elements of the legendary creatures woven into the story certainly appealed to my fantasy loving nature whilst at the same time delivering a powerful message to the reader. Read my review here!
3. Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez
It was really refreshing to read a fantasy story rooted in Bolivian folklore and culture. Ximena’s talent with woven animals is one of my favourite magical abilities. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out next year, it’s definitely one of my most anticipated releases for 2021.
2. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
By golly did the opening of this book pitch me straight back in time to 1893 New Salem. I really love a distinctive narrative voice and this is definitely what Alix E. Harrow brought to this tale. The insertion of women’s suffrage and empowerment, a sapphic romance, witchcraft-a-plenty, and the bond between three sisters made this a total 5-star read for me – it blew my mind! Read my review here!
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
If you’ve read any of my posts, lists or tags since October then this should be no surprise that Addie LaRue is my all-time favourite book of 2020. It was the book I didn’t realise I needed in my life. Addie’s story was told so poetically and beautifully and I loved the way Schwab tackled the theme of identity and what happens when you’re not really sure who you are anymore. This book has definitely made its way into my God-Tier of favourite books EVER! I loved it! Read my review here!
That’s a wrap!
Dear 2020, You’ve been a pretty crap year to be honest – but thank you for bringing so many fabulous reads into our lives. I guess you weren’t all that bad after all!
What were you favourite books of 2020? Did you read anything that you know you’ll treasure for all time?As always, drop me a comment to chat! Thanks for putting up with me this past year. Have a wonderful New Year everybody and enjoy ringing in 2021!
How was everyone’s Christmas? I hope you all got to spend it in the nicest way possible given all of the Covid “restrictions” etc…
This week’s Six For Sunday is gearing up for one of the biggest party times of the Year with Characters We’d Want To Spend New Years With! Now, as we are still under pandemic times, I’m forgoing the rule of six and turning it into a rule of seven as I would love to go to a massive-non-socially-distanced-rave-style-mosh-pit-party with these guys! 😆
For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is weekly meme hosted by Steph over at A Little But A Lot.
Characters I Want To Spend New Years With
Addie LaRue
Jesper (Six of Crows)
Gandalf – with Fireworks! (Lord of the Rings)
Peik Lin (Crazy Rich Asians)
Tyrone Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Cassian (ACOTAR)
If only fictional worlds were one big reality where I could actually play that party out in real life!!! #eclecticbunch!
Which characters would be on your invite list for a New Years Party? How do you think you’ll be spending NYE this year?Are you looking forward to finally seeing the back of 2020?! As always, leave your links below or drop me a comment to chat!
Our Six For Sunday theme of Festive Goodness takes on the dreaded Christmas Shopping element this week! I wish more of my friends love books as much as I do as it would make things so much easier! Nevertheless, here’s the books I be buying as presents – let’s hope Secret Santas aren’t reading this! 😂
For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is weekly meme hosted by Steph over at A Little But A Lot.
Books I Want To Buy As Presents
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
I would buy everyone this book! I know it probably wouldn’t be to everyone’s taste but I love it so much; it’s my favourite read of the entire year and one of my favourites of all time.
Songteller: My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton
I’d have to buy two copies though… one for my Dolly-loving friend – and one for me! 😂
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
I have a friend who I think would really appreciate the world building the plot concept in this book. It was a really good read and I can see them liking it!
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
Again, I would have to buy two copies of this and give one to a friend so I had someone to chat about it with! I have to admit, I’m so nervous about finally being able to read the sequel. The first book is one of my all-time favourites so the sequel will have a lot to live up to!
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
We can list books we’d want to buy as presents for ourselves can’t we?! 🙈
Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
The above comment works for this one too! I actually do have a friend who I would buy this for. She loves YA and I know she hasn’t got around to purchasing this one for herself yet.
Which books would be on your own Christmas list or which books are you buying for other people this holiday season? As always, leave your links below or drop me a comment to chat!
Our Six For Sunday theme of Festive Goodness is really getting me hyped up and excited for Christmas and New Year. What better way to start thinking about which books I’d want to be spending the holidays in than with this week’s S4S prompt?!
For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is weekly meme hosted by Steph over at A Little But A Lot.
Books I’d Like To Spend The Holidays In
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
There’s just something about the world of Narnia which screams Christmas to me! Perhaps it’s the wintry landscape but I could definitely imagine this being a really cosy and twinkly place to spend a white christmas.
Christmas at Hogwarts
Nothing says Christmas Banquet like a Hogwarts Christmas Feast. I would love to go to Warner Bros. Studios to see the big Christmas tree in the Great Hall and sip on some butter beer whilst listening to Flitwick and his random toad choir!
The OASIS from Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
If you don’t know already, this is one of my all time favourite books in the whole universe so it’s no surprise that I’d take any opportunity I could get to go exploring all of the different sectors and worlds within the OASIS. I bet there’s even a planet where it is actually Christmas everyday just so you could sing the Wizzard song and it would actually come true for a change!
Carcassonne (Labyrinth) from The Languedoc trilogy by Kate Mosse
I really love the world building in this series. Kate’s description of the medieval towns really wants to make me visit this beautiful region of France.
Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
Party on the Heimdall anyone?? Pre BeiTech involvement obviously…!
The Shire (The Hobbit) by J.R.R. Tolkien
I can just imagine Christmas in the Shire being such a great time where everyone comes together to have a big festive gathering at the Green Dragon or the Prancing Pony! I’d definitely by up for a Christmas party there, especially if Gandalf brings his fireworks!
Where would you want to spend the holiday season? As always, leave your links below or drop me a comment to chat!
I’m finally getting around to writing my Wrap up for November! It was a month of epic proportions, read more below! ☺️
Life Update
This month has been so hectic, it’s unreal! School is just always so crazy and it seems that it’s only my social life that is in lockdown while work has gone full throttle!
In other news… I’ve actually moved house! We have been gradually renovating a property for a few years with the intention of moving into to when it was fully finished but other circumstances had us quickly having to move out of our old house and into our new one in a bit of a rush! It’s because of all those goings on that I have barely had the energy to read, let alone blog or tweet so there’ve been more gaps than I would have liked in my posting schedule this month! Thankfully, we are gradually getting our furniture set up and the boxes unpacked. I now have my own Office/Library space and my new house is just a walk away from the village centre where there is a library AND a bookshop! I’m in book heaven! Haha!
Blog Life
What I’ve Been Reading in November
The Savage Garden by Mark Mills – literally… that’s it – this is how my family know it’s a hectic time; I can;t remember the last time I only ever read one book in the month!!
I am part-way through reading a book called The Last Gospel but there’s still a fair way to go left in that before I finish it!
What I’ve Been Watching in November
The Umbrella Academy – I finally finished it! It had such a strange ending and I have so many more questions so I hope there’s going to be another series coming out soon!
We’ve finally caught up with The Crown ready for the new season! We’re such big fans of it in our house that we’ve already finished Season 4! The costumes and make-up are on point; it’s amazing how the actors really look and sound like the royals! Such drama!
I binge-watched Emily in Paris on one Saturday (seeing as we were in lockdown 2.0 and all!). It’s such a cute series, nowhere near as fun and original as Sex and the City was but it’s still a wonderful show to watch. I loved the characters and the costumes as well as that glorious Paris scenery. Roll on Season 2 – I need to know what happens next after that cliffhanger of an ending!
Little Italy – If you ever need a film that’ll make you crave pizza, this is it!
Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island – This premise and location had so much potential – unfortunately, I felt it was bit of a let down.
What I’ve Been Listening to in November
What with all of the US Election hype – I found myself addicted to the Americast podcast just to keep up with all of the goings-on.
Ready Player One (Audiobook) – deal of the week for just £3.99 – YES PLEASE! Ready Player One is one of my all-time favourite books ever so it’s been great listening to the audiobook before the release of the sequel. I think I missed out on the Waterstones signed editions but it safe to say that I can’t wait until August next year for the paperback to come out! I definitely need to read this soon!
Miley Cyrus’ Plastic Hearts album finally dropped – I have been downloading all of the live covers I can get my hands on in the promo run up to this album and I absolutely love it! It’s practically been on repeat with her duet of I Got So High That I Saw Jesus with her sister Noah Cyrus and the Heart of Glass Blondie cover she did too. It definitely feels like Miley has evolved from her chrysalis into a beautiful musical butterfly with this album.
What I’m Looking Forward to it December
Spending more time reading and finally finishing some books.
Unpacking the rest of my boxes and actually living in our new house.
Seeing people from my support bubble.
CHRISTMAS!!!
What are you looking forward to reading and doing in December?
It’s finally December!! For the past few years, I seemed to have lost my Christmas mojo and it just became another time of year with an excuse to eat and drink far too much – but this year I am getting super excited for Christmas! Maybe all of the crazy lockdown life has made me grateful for a time to celebrate with family, even if it is “restricted” more this year!
Anyway, before we actually get to Christmas we have a brand new Six For Sunday theme and this month it’s all about Festive Goodness! For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is weekly meme hosted by Steph over at A Little But A Lot. This month is all about the red and white coloured books – nothing says Christmas than a little red and white striped candy came right?!
Red and White Books
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
I binge read this book in less than 24 hours. Mysterious clue-solving treasure hunt for a massive inheritance around a big grand mansion… I sure did love it! If you enjoyed the film Knives Out then you’d probably enjoy this read! You can read my review here.
Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel
I took the opportunity during the first lockdown to actually pick this mammoth brick up and read it. After I got over the narration style it was actually thoroughly enjoyable and incredibly well-written. I’m not sure how long it’ll take me to get around to reading the next two instalments though! 😂
The Truth About Ruby Valentine by Alison Bond
This was one of those books where I read the review in a Sunday magazine and just had to have it. I would trawl the second hand bookshops just looking for a copy until I finally got one!
Everless by Sara Holland
I loved the concept of blood and time being currency in this book as well as the folklore surrounding the Sorcerer and the Alchemist. It seemed so unique and originally described. A five-star read from me but sadly I didn’t feel the sequel lived up to it as much.
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
It wouldn’t be a Biblioshelf post without a something from Throne of Glass right?! 🙄
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
What a furore this caused when it came out!! I won’t spoil it for anyone wanting to read it but I am glad that they didn’t use this book as the screenplay for the third film – this is one of those instances where I’m afraid I love the movies more than the books!
What are your favourite red and white books covers? What kind of colours make you think of Christmas? Are you looking forward to the Festive Season? As always, leave your links below or drop me a comment to chat!
There are so many hectic things going on in my life right now that I’m getting waaaayyyy behind on all of my scheduled blog posts! 🙈 Normally, I get into a good habit of scheduling posts a week or two in advance but with a house clearance and Parents’ Evenings at work there has been very little time for reading or blogging! 🙃
The Savage Garden by Mark Mills is a book I picked up at an English language bookshop whilst visiting my friend in Lanzarote. I was immediately sold by the fact that the story is set in a large Memorial Garden near Florence in Italy (my favourite city ever!) and bought it straightaway. I’ve been trying to get through my gigantic, colossally mammoth large collection of books as part of my house clear-out so it seemed a perfectly good time to pick this one up.
Book: The Savage Garden by Mark Mills Genre: Fiction / Mystery Publication Date: 2007 Publisher: Harper Pages: 388 Rating: 📚📚📚📚
The story of two murders, four hundred years apart – and the ties that bind them together.
From the author of the acclaimed national bestseller Amagansett comes an even more remarkable novel set in the Tuscan hills: the story of two murders, four hundred years apart-and the ties that bind them together.
Adam Banting, a somewhat aimless young scholar at Cambridge University, is called to his professor’s office one afternoon and assigned a special summer project: to write a scholarly monograph about a famous garden built in the 1500s. Dedicated to the memory of Signor Docci’s dead wife, the garden is a mysterious world of statues, grottoes, meandering rills, and classical inscriptions. But during his three-week sojourn at the villa, Adam comes to suspect that clues to a murder are buried in the strange iconography of the garden: the long-dead Signor Docci most likely killed his wife and filled her memorial garden with pointers as to both the method and the motive of his crime.
As the mystery of the garden unfolds, Adam finds himself drawn into a parallel intrigue. Through his evolving relationship with the lady of the house – the ailing, seventy-something Signora Docci – he finds clues to yet another possible murder, this one much more recent. The signora’s eldest son was shot by Nazi officers on the third floor of the villa, and her husband, now dead, insisted that the area be sealed and preserved forever. Like the garden, the third-floor rooms are frozen in time. Delving into his subject, Adam begins to suspect that his summer project might be a setup. Is he really just the naive student, stumbling upon clues, or is Signora Docci using him to discover for herself the true meaning of the villa’s murderous past?
My Musings
Now I’m not just saying this because it’s set in Italy but the setting and the Memorial Garden featured in this novel really hooked me in – right from the map of it on the very first page! The fact that the whole plot basically spirals out of the design and layout of a garden was a pretty unique concept and it’s probably this element of the story that I enjoyed the most.
Like with my love of treasure hunts and all things Robert Langdon-esque, the way each of the statues and groves related to Greek mythology and provided clues for the murder mysteries at the centre of the plot was intriguing – whilst the references and links to Dante added that extra layer of geeky literary goodness.
Overall, the main character Adam was a good narrator. He didn’t reveal all of his findings directly to the reader which made the suspense and guessing last a little longer, but he did reveal enough to let you wonder how he was going to then ‘tell-all’ to the other characters in the story. There was enough action and character conversation balanced with Adam’s internal dialogue to keep the pace moving quick enough. What I also loved was the way that the story didn’t just end as soon as the culprits had been discovered, there were additional twists near the end of the story which made me respect the whole book that little bit more.
If you’re on the lookout for a gently suspenseful mystery filled with a little Dante, a dash of Greek mythology and set against a glorious Tuscan landscape then you might enjoy spending a little time with The Savage Garden!
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