The Spring Cleaning Book Tag

March 11, 2024March 10, 2024 The Biblioshelf2 Comments

Happy Monday Bibliofriends!

I hope you had a fun-filled weekend whether you were watching the Six Nations Rugby, celebrating Mother’s Day or just chilling with your favourite beverage and book! When the first signs of Spring are in the air, I get this in-built sense to go into clear-out mode and that has definitely been the case with some of my reads in the past few weeks. In an attempt to clear our a bit more bookshelf space, I’ve been ticking books off that have been sat on my shelves for far too long. Whilst putting together my blog post outline for the month, I stumbled across the perfect Spring Cleaning Book Tag over on 18 Cinema Lane to coincide with this and knew that I just had to do it!

1. The Struggle of Getting Started – A book or book series you struggle to begin because of its size

One of my lifelong reading goals has always been to read The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, along with the rest of the series. The sheer size of them initially prevents me from reaching out for these books, but also – as I’m such a mood reader, I know I’ll have to get my brain into ‘classics’ mode in order to properly focus on reading it.

2. Cleaning Out the Closet – A book or book series you want to unhaul

Being a Fairyloot and Illumicrate subscriber I have so many series on my shelves which I am yet to get started. A couple that have been majorly hyped up and that I’m hoping to get to this year are The Prison Healer series by Lynette Noni and the Kingdom of the Wicked series by Kerri Maniscalco.

3. Opening Windows and Letting Fresh Air In – A book that was refreshing

The People on Platform Five by Clare Pooley was a fantastically refreshing read. It’s such a feel-good story that leaves you with a positive feeling about the goodness of strangers and the forging of new friendships. I’m not much of a contemporary fiction fan but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both of Clare Pooley’s novels so far.

4. Washing Out the Sheets’ Stains – A book you wish you could re-write a certain scene in

I wouldn’t so much as rewrite, but perhaps remove a fair chunk of the smut scenes from A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas. I really don’t need to know about the hot, spurting of anything thank you very much!

5. Throwing Out Unnecessary Knick-Knacks – A book in a series you didn’t feel was necessary

It’s probably going to have to be one of the Mortal Instruments books by Cassandra Clare. I don’t really remember each individual book’s plot, but I feel like I’m sure there’s one part of it that could either be amalgamated or isn’t really a necessary part of the whole saga.

6. Polishing the Door Knobs – A book that had a clean finish

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – I had so many questions throughout reading this, but I feel like everything was wrapped up succinctly at the very end. It has an incredibly satisfying conclusion that I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

7. Reaching to Dust the Fan – A book that tried too hard to relay a certain message

I found a copy of Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist in a charity shop and purchased it due to all of the hype surrounding it and that it’s well-known as one of the best-selling books of all time. Having heard many, many things, I went into it thinking that it would be a groundbreaking story that would have me redefining my outlook on my entire life… but I think that was the killer. My expectations were way too high and the message being relayed about becoming your own Personal Legend just seemed to follow Santiago from failed mission to failed mission. I’m well aware that I’ve probably missed the central point of meaning within this whole text, but for me it just tried a little too hard and didn’t quite pull off what I had hoped to take away from it.

8. The Tiring, Yet Satisfying Finish of Spring Cleaning – A book series that was tiring, yet satisfying, to get through

Another potential unpopular opinion alert on the horizon… These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong is a series that I struggled to get through. I had high expectations for this duology however it didn’t quite hit the mark for my bookish brain. I think there was a lot going on between river monsters, rival gangs, romances, friendships, betrayals, etc… The satisfying element of it was that I absolutely loved the idea and premise of a 1920s Shanghai Romeo and Juliet retelling, and of course the hype following this series made me feel like I’d achieved something from completing it, but it wasn’t quite the enjoyable journey I had anticipated it to be.

That’s a wrap on the Spring Cleaning Book Tag! What are your thoughts? Consider yourself tagged if you feel like participating in your own Spring Cleaning bookish fun! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

The Barbie Book Tag

March 9, 2024March 4, 2024 The Biblioshelf1 Comment

Happy Barbie Day Bibliofriends!

Whilst trying to come up with a monthly outline for my blog posts, I discovered that March 9th is Barbie Day owing to the fact that on this day in 1959, Barbie made her debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York! Fast forward 65 years and Barbie now has a major cult following and an Oscar nominated film to her name. I was originally going to today as a prompt to pick out my favourite pink book covers on my bookshelves, but then I came across this Barbie Book Tag on the Buzzy Book Blog and I just had to have a go – you know how much I love a good tag!

Barbie is everything: the most amazing protagonist you’ve ever read?

It is so hard to pick just one from the whole ream of amazing protagonists that I’ve ever read… this was by far the most difficult prompt selection. However, without inciting too much violence, if you pointed a you-know-what at my head the first protagonist I would be screaming out would be Aelin Ashryver Galathynius from the Throne of Glass series – hands down. It’s no secret that I adore these books and I love every single fibre of this character’s existence! The journey that she goes on is immensely epic!

This Barbie is a mermaid: a book with magical creatures?

Last year, one of my school pupils brought Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell into the classroom. The bestiary of magical creatures transported me right back into that childish sense of wonderland that I had to get myself a copy. It was really enjoyable to be surrounded by Sphinxes, Griffins, Ratatoskas, Krakens and even more magical creatures. The illustrations were also divine so this would have to be my pick!

This Barbie is a doctor/lawyer/diplomat: a book with a female protagonist that takes place in a work environment?

I am currently reading Yellowface by R.F. Kuang and it feels like the perfect pick for this. It’s not exactly your traditional office-based tale, however the references to the working world of the publishing industry make it feel like it fits this prompt well.

This Barbie is a celebrated author: a book by your favourite author?

Again, I don’t have one particular favourite author, however Carlos Ruiz Zafôn ranks incredibly high on my list! His tale Marina is a deliciously gothic and macabre YA story about a mysterious shrouded woman encountered in a graveyard.

This is Midge: a book about motherhood?

I saw Ruth Jones (Nessa of Gavin and Stacey fame) at the Cheltenham Literature Festival in 2023 and although contemporary fiction – especially one so outwardly ‘woman-centered’ – isn’t really my cup of tea, Ruth Jones absolutely sold me on this book. The fact she narrates the audiobook was what really swung me into the Audible purchase to be honest. Love Untold centres around the narratives of four generations of women within the same family. It is a tale filled with love, humour, compassion and about the ultimate bond between mothers and daughters. I loved it so much I gave it 5 stars!

There’s only one Alan: a book with friends to lovers?

Every time I have the friends to lovers prompt, there’s only ever one book on my mind – and that is You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry. It has such a special and poignant significance in my heart!

He’s just Ken: a book with a trash boy

If I’m being perfectly honest, I’m not entirely sure on the actual meaning of a trash boy – however I choosing Damian Venturi from Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb. His was a character that I could not warm to in the slightest. It wasn’t that he had any majorly negative traits or off-putting qualities. He wasn’t a villain, he wasn’t exactly a hero either – he just made me feel a little… indifferent?!

If tags are your thing, then consider yourself tagged and have a go yourself! Don’t forget to share your links below so I can visit and see your prompt selections! No I’m off to celebrate Barbie Day by rewatching the movie! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

Biblioshelf Musings – We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart

March 8, 2024March 4, 2024 The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

Hey Bibliofriends!

This week’s Biblioshelf Musings are about We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart. I first heard about this novella on Book Riot’s SFF Yeah podcast back in 2021. At the time, it sounded intriguing and I’m a bit of a sucker for anything set underwater so a post-apocalyptic submarine adventure seemed right up my street. Read on to find out more in my spoiler-free review!

Book: We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart
Genre: Science Fiction / Novella
Publication Date: March 2021
Publisher: Tor.com Publishing
Pages: 160
Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Remy is a Chorister, one of the chosen few rescued from the surface world and raised to sing the Hours in a choir of young boys. Remy lives with a devoted order of monks who control the Leviathan, an aging nuclear submarine that survives in the ocean’s depths. Their secret mission: to trigger the Second Coming when the time is right, ready to unleash its final, terrible weapon.

But Remy has a secret too— she’s the only girl onboard. It is because of this secret that the sub’s dying caplain gifts her with the missile’s launch key, saying that it is her duty to keep it safe. Safety, however, is not the sub’s priority, especially when the new caplain has his own ideas about the Leviathan’s mission. Remy’s own perspective is about to shift drastically when a surface-dweller is captured during a raid, and she learns the truth about the world.

At once lyrical and page-turning, We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep is a captivating debut from newcomer author Andrew Kelly Stewart.

My Musings

It’s not often that I read many novellas but I find that they’re the perfect quick reads for getting through the TBR. We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep is set in a post-apocalyptic world upon a submarine which is trying to escape the rest of the world on the surface. The crew mates of the sub are organised into monastery style groups with Remy, our leading protagonist as one of the choristers.

Remy’s narrative voice was so beautifully written. Her perspective of life on board the sub is incredibly vulnerable and innocent. She can’t quite remember life upon the surface but doesn’t fully believe the spiel and directive which the Caplain continues to weave. Although the Leviathan should be a refuge for her, Remy doesn’t consider it a place of home or safety. As a girl in disguise, the friendships and bonds she makes are few and far between – this constant secret, allows the atmosphere of the novella to feel quite edgy and tense. You cannot help but warm to her character, especially towards the end of the story when Remy has to demonstrate her true potential and fight for what she believes is right.

The dystopian submarine warfare of the plot with its nuclear missile overtones and masculine vibes of religious grooming and control are perfectly balanced with the archaic forms of monastical heritage. Latin phrases and the inclusion of choral hymns juxtapose the military style discussions of launch keys and tactical strategy. Mentions of whale songs in the deep reinforce the lyrical, resplendent storytelling that Andrew Kelly Stewart weaves.

This is the perfect novella to dip your toe into the dystopian elements of the sci-fi genre. The pace is kept graciously consistent before rapidly ramping up to an explosive conclusion. Villainous characters achieve a shot of redemption, and whilst some take it… some don’t. We get to see perspectives on life both above and below the surface and are allowed to make our own minds about what the right or wrong courses of action are. My main take away from reading this was the superb storytelling – the way Andrew Kelly Stewart made me feel about Remy’s character, the military/monastic blends in the narrative, and those ending chapters ramping the tension right up just had to make me give it a solid 4 stars!

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Books to Film / TV adaptations I’m anticipating!

March 6, 2024March 3, 2024 The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

Hey Bibliofriends,

With the release of Dune Part 2 making headlines in the cinema world, I thought now would be a great time to think about some of the other Film and TV book adaptations that I’m highly anticipating. There will be a combination of confirmed projects which are coming out this year and also a some dream projects that I would love to be made into a reality.

Confirmed Releases

Dune: Part 2

Each week, my friends and I run a film club in our local town. This Friday’s night’s movie is Dune Part 2, in all of its IMAX glory. I read Dune for the first time a couple of years ago and although I can appreciate the vast, sweeping landscapes of Arrakis and complexities of the characters and plot – it was a real struggle to actually make it through the whole book. Unpopular opinion alert: I wasn’t completely bowled over the movie either… Our entire film group loved it and it became one of the club’s top ten films of that year, but I think there’s just something about the story that didn’t grip me. I’ll be rewatching Dune Part One before this Friday, but I’m really hoping that something in Part 2 awakens a little more love in me for this epic, Sci-fi classic.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3

I was totally swept away by The Summer I Turned Pretty, whilst I haven’t actually read the books yet – every single episode of this programme hit me in the feels. I’m not normally a fan of love triangles but I genuinely didn’t know whether I was Team Connor or Team Jeremiah – I still don’t! The finale of season 2 had me in floods and I desperately need to know what happens in the final instalment. Even though the third season was greenlit due to the increasing success of the show, writers’ strikes in America slowed down the production timeline. An article from February in People Magazine believes that filming make take place in Spring 2024 with a possible 2025 release date. I wonder if I can wait that long or if I cave in and read the books first!

It Ends With Us

There has been so much hype surrounding this book series. Admittedly I haven’t read it, and as it’s not my typical genre, I’m not actually sure I’m going to be adding it to my TBR anytime soon. So why am I hyped about the film you might ask…? Two words: Blake. Lively.
I adore Blake and her acting so much. From Gossip Girl to A Simple Favour, she manages to command an entire screen whether she’s actually got any dialogue or not. It will be intriguing to see whether the film makes me want to read the book after I’ve seen it and it will be interesting to hear the verdict of people who have both seen the film and read the book to hear their comparisons of the two. With Sony Pictures at the helm and Justin Baldoni of Jane the Virgin fame as director, this promises to be a blockbuster release. Due to the strikes, the film’s release date of February 2024 had to be pushed back and the film is now expected for a June/July 2024 launch depending on your territory.

Damsel

This Friday sees the launch of the Damsel film on Netflix! It’ll definitely be on my weekend watch-list. Originally written as a screenplay for Netflix, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Netflix had been working with Random House and Evelyn Skye into a novelisation to be released ahead of the film. Initially the film was scheduled for a 2023 release, with the book being published in March 2023, however the project was delayed until 2024. Again, whilst I haven’t read the book yet, I really love the worlds that Evelyn Skye creates so to hear of her involvement in the novel part of the project, makes me keen to see what this film holds.
Netflix blurb: A young woman’s marriage to a charming prince turns into a fierce fight for survival when she’s offered up as a sacrifice to a fire-breathing dragon.
With a stellar cast involving Millie Bobby-Brown, Ray Winstone, Robin Wright and Angel Bassett to name just a few, I’m incredibly excited for this – bring on the dragons!

Rumoured / In-Production Projects

It’s no secret that I love the Maasverse and anything written by Sarah J Maas. Long has the rumour-mill been swirling about adaptations of the ACOTAR and Throne of Glass series. And with that picture circulating the internet, getting all kinds of tongues wagging – I may be delusional, but if Margot Robbie and SJM are collaborating on a film project (rather than just having a friendly cup of coffee), the squeals of joy may not be contained! Whilst Hulu are claiming that things are still in development with the ACOTAR project, there has been no news about the rumoured TOG TV adaptation. With the hype surrounding this author’s work, someone somewhere has to bring this to the big screen right?!?!?

The Inheritance Games

Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures snapped up to the rights to this series for a potential TV series adaptation way back in 2020 although news has since stalled. The show is still marked as in-production and I am majorly hoping for some news about this soon now that the series is going from strength to strength!

Ready Player Two

I adore Ernest Cline’s duology and whilst the film version can never match up to my love for this book series, I think Spielberg and co. did a tremendously, fabulous job on bringing it to the silver screen – now I just need the sequel! I remember in the additional bonus content at the time of the DVD release, some of the actors hinted that their contracts practically bound them to doing a sequel should it be commissioned. Back in 2020, author Ernest Cline told readers that Ready Player 2 was in-development, but we are yet to hear any further news.

Fourth Wing

Unsurprisingly, with the hype surrounding Rebecca Yarros’ novel, acquisition rights to the development of Fourth Wing into a TV series were snapped up by Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society. There’s no further news about this series yet but you can read a little more behind the deal at (weirdly…) Town and Country’s magazine article here.

Books to Film/TV Adaptations I’m Craving!

There are some books on my Read shelf that I’m just dreaming/craving to be made into a film or TV adaptation, and whilst there may be some small hints about these possibilities out there in the corners of the internet, I haven’t heard about them yet…

The American Royals series by Katharine McGee – if you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know how much I adore this series. I would love to see it brought to life on the screen in all it’s glitzy goodness!
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross – This Letters of Enchantment series would make such a brilliant historical fantasy series. I’m already picking Matthew Goode as my perfect Roman to Katherine Waterston as Iris!
Geekerella by Ashley Poston – I feel like we need a new contemporary YA series to get obsessed over and the sci-fi / fairytale retelling links that Geekerella can offer is just that! It has enough content to create several seasons and the costume department’s efforts for those Starfield and comic-con scenes and would be heavenly!
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen – I’m really not sure why, but the cosiness of this novel seems to me like it would make a brilliant film. You could have so much fun creating the different sets of this world – from Tanria’s monster creatures to Birdsall and Sons Undertakers, there would be so many cool things to bring to life on screen.

That’s a wrap! All of my film and tv adaptations of books that I’m anticipating or dreaming of! What books to movies are you highly anticipating this year? Which novel is high on your list of projects that you wish someone would bring to the big (or little) screen? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – Weird / Funny things I’ve Googled Thanks to a Book

March 5, 2024March 2, 2024 The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! How is your week going so far? This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is the Top Ten Weird / Funny things I’ve googled thanks to a book. This was submitted by Astilbe @ Long and Short Reviews and I’m not going to lie – this was a seriously difficult post to write. I’m pretty sure I’ve done this more times than I think I have, however I just can’t remember them so apologies if you don’t get a full 10 things from me this week. If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

How did Virginia Woolf die? I was reading The Hours by Michael Cunningham which is based on author Virginia Woolf and some of her most popular characters. The opening scene retells the story of Virginia Woolf’s suicide, and some weird part of me just had to google if that was actually how/what had happened. It was a brilliant story though, incredibly moving!
The Silver Swan Automaton – Several years ago, I became captivated by the story of a bird automaton which was a central plot device in Peter Carey’s novel The Chemistry of Tears. I was so intrigued by this object that when googling it, I found out that it was actually based upon a real automaton of a silver swan which eats fish from a glass pool. It’s such a remarkable creation and can be found at The Bowes Museum which is near Durham in the North of England. It’s a little too far away for a day trip but I’m certainly hoping I’ll be able to see it one day.

*_{Image from The Bowes Museum Website}*

Willie Lincoln’s death and the bardo – This one came when I was reading the book Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. I had no idea that a bardo is a buddhist or tibetan reference to the state of purgatory between death and rebirth. I was also intrigued to see how much of the references to Willie Lincoln’s death were also true.
Who has died on a toilet? A particular character’s death at the end of George R. R. Martin’s A Storm of Swords had me wickedly chuckling to myself; it reminded me that I had heard about Elvis Presley dying whilst on/in the toilet – so of course, I had to google it and find out the ~~internet’s version of the~~ truth!
Passetto di Borgo – I love a good conspiracy theory so I could probably have filled up this list with those kinds of things, however I remember reading one of the Robert Langdon adventures in Dan’s Brown’s books and having to investigate whether there was definitely a pentagram at Castel Sant’angelo and a secret passageway linking to the Vatican. Whilst the pentagram was added for the effects of the books and movies, the passageway is real. Known as the Passetto di Borgo, it was used as an evacuation / escape route for Pope Clement VII in 1527.
Mother, Maiden and Crone – I tried to find out more about the history / symbology of these when reading The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow.
Las Ramblas & The Cemetery of Forgotten Books – I’m a huge fan of Carlos Ruiz Zafôn’s work so upon discovering the fictional Cemetery of Forgotten Books, I had to google Barcelona’s Las Ramblas area to see if such a place did exist. It’s a city that remains high on my travel bucketlist!
Elizabeth de Munck’s Grave – Whilst reading Robert Galbraith’s The Ink Black Heart, I became fixated with the gravestones in Highgate Cemetery (a featured location within the novel), but particularly the grave of Elizabeth de Munck which is notable for its pelican imagery and symbolism. I then went on to visit the graveyard in a later trip to London, just to see it for myself!

_{Image Credit: The London Dead on Blogspot}

Paper Towns – After falling in love with Graham Greene’s novel Paper Towns, I became intrigued with the concept of what a paper town is and did a whole big google search about existing paper towns today – with digital technology it’s becoming a bit of a past-time, however it would still be fun to find one on a map!
The Secret (treasure hunt) – If you’re not new to my blog, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of treasure hunts. A couple of years ago, I became hooked on a mysterious podcast called ‘Rabbits’ which had an accompanying novel linked to the show. In it was referenced a real life treasure hunt hosted by Bryon Preiss called ‘The Secret’ where 12 treasure boxes have been hidden across the US and Canada. Clues to the locations are in a book published The Secret by Preiss and as of yet, only 3 of the 12 boxes have been discovered. If I ended up winning the lottery, cracking these codes and finding these boxes would probably become my new full-time occupation! I’m borderline obsessed! 😂

_{Image from The Secret (Treasure Hunt) Page on Wikipedia}

That’s it! My Top Ten weird / funny things I’ve googled thanks to books – lots of death, gothic, macabre and grave references…?! Have you read any of the books these selections have come from? What are some of your own weird and wonderful bookish google confessions? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

The Wrap – February 2024

March 2, 2024 The Biblioshelf3 Comments

Howdy Bibliofriends!

It feels so good to be wrapping up another month of the year! February was actually a pretty good month for me in so many ways!

Life Update

I have finally managed to update my OS software on my Macbook! The little nerd inside me is so happy about this as my Mac has been having issues for over a year! I thought it was well and truly destined for the Home of Retired Laptops, however after some extensive internet digging and offloading stacks of my old files, I was finally able to download the latest operating system and update Chrome! Every time I wanted to visit a website, it came up with security messages and some websites wouldn’t even work at all, so I am overjoyed that everything is now working again!

With Spring on the way, I have been having a massive decluttering of my office/library and managed to shift a load of old books and paperwork that I didn’t have a use for anymore. I really love the feeling you get from having a good clear out – of course, I’ll be filling up all of those spaces with new books though!

Where are my fellow Swifties at? Anyone else excited for The Tortured Poets Department?!?! That live stream drop during the Surprise Song Set on the Eras Tour had me so excited! I can’t wait for April 19th. If this album is anything like Folklore or You’re Losing Me then this will hit so hard!

The rest of this Wrap Post follows my usual format (Past Reads, Current Reads, Films/TV) so feel free to skip any irrelevant parts!

What I’ve Been Reading in February

February was a seriously good month for me! I’m actually a little shocked at how much I read! 😂 I had a week off for half-term and due to my Spring Cleaning drive, managed to get through quite a few books that I’ve had on my TBR list for a fair while!

The Sea of the Dead (Magicians of Venice #2) by Amy Kuivalainen ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I first got into this series though NetGalley and really enjoyed the first instalment. The mixture of Italy, Atlantis, Magicians and a magical archive really drew me in. I listed to The Sea of the Dead via Audible and I’m not sure if it was the narration or just the general pace and direction of this sequel that didn’t have me enjoying it quite so much. I’ll definitely read the final book in the series though, at some point!

A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses #5) by Sarah J Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the in-depth way this went into Nesta’s character and her development as one of the key figures in this book series. She has a really redemptive arc that was quite heartwarming to read. I love all of Maas’ work but I almost took half a star off for the over-exaggerated and almost unnecessary smut scenes. Fifty Shades of Fae wasn’t really what I signed up for… 😂 You can read my spoiler-free review here.

Taylor Swift: The Whole Story by Chas Newkey-Burden ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was given this as a Christmas present from someone who knows how much of a Swiftie I’ve become! Given that this was published around 2014, it really isn’t the whole story – anyhow, this read a little bit like a kid’s high school essay. The author clearly did a lot of research, but not all of the quotes were entirely verified. Most of it read as a track-by-track album analysis mixed with how Taylor’s dating life could have influenced her songs.

We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This novella has been on my TBR ever since I heard about it in the SFF Yeah podcast from Book Riot. I was quite taken by the main character and her narrative voice. I’ll be posting a Biblioshelf Musings post of it very soon!

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This popped up on my iBooks store and I must shamefully admit that I was initially drawn in by the pretty pink cover! The plot revolves around two co-writers who are struggling to work together and write their follow-up novel. The blurb reminded me so much of what I love about Emily Henry’s novels so I took a punt on it. Overall, it’s a pretty predictable romance but I managed to breeze through it in just a day so it’s definitely helped my 2024 reading goal tick along!

Rivals (American Royals #3) by Katharine McGee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s no secret that I adore this series! After getting my friend hooked on it too, she purchased the thirs book in the series and let me borrow it! I’m still reeling from the ending, and one character really had me warming to them until they went and did something sneaky at the end…! I genuinely have no idea where this series is going to end up but I am desperate to find out!

The Hours by Michael Cunningham ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book had been sitting unread on my bookshelf that in my Spring Cleaning blitz it became time to read it or throw it out! Thankfully I chose to read it because it was such a moving and interestingly sequenced book. It’s also in my copy of 1001 Books To Read Before You Die, so reading this ticked off many little goals. I’m not entirely familiar with all of Virginia Woolf’s work. I read Mrs Dalloway at University but that was about it. I admired the work Cunningham went into to link the three main characters together and layer their narratives around each other. It was highly effective and made this an intriguing and enjoyable read.

The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch #1) by Rin Chupeco ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I listened to this via Audible and it’s one of those books I have really conflicting emotions about. I can’t tell whether I liked it or not – there are definitely some aspects to it that I majorly appreciated but I just can’t put my finger on why I’m not exactly raving about it just yet.

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was another TBR purge or read choice and as it is such a well-known piece of fiction I made myself read it. Not gonna lie, I really struggled to get through it. Whether because of the writing style (lack of speech punctuation) or the genre type, I found it hard work. Whilst I wouldn’t say that I enjoyed reading it – I’m glad that I did as it is one of those key texts that is of high cultural and literary importance; again, one of my 1001 Books To Read Before You Die entries!

If I Have to be Haunted by Miranda Sun ⭐️⭐️⭐️
YA fantasy about a ghost speaker on a quest to resurrect the ghost of high-school enemy. This was quite cute, but it read a little bit like playing a computer game – one level after the other. The ending was pretty predictable but I really enjoyed the author’s description and world-building.

#CurrentlyReading

Physical Book: This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria – Ancient Greece meets AI robots and pirates… I’m enjoying it so far!

Audio Book: A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire #4) by George R.R. Martin – I have a renewed love for this series since discovering the audiobooks!

What I’ve Been Watching

As part of a Film Club, we’re often at the Cinema at least once a week so I watch a lot of movies. I’ve been using the app Letterboxd to track what I’ve seen and give them rating. If you’re on the app and want a new follower be sure to add me! My profile name is: tillyj

Over my half term break we watched the NFL Super Bowl for the first time! Being from the UK, we don’t tend to follow NFL as a major sport, but since one of the rugby players from our local club has transferred to America to try and make it in the NFL program, we were keen to see what it was about! We support Gloucester Rugby and our team made it through to the final of the Premiership Cup and with the Six Nations in full flow, February has been a fun month for watching sport!

Movies/TV, I’ve seen:

American Fiction (Cinema) – I found this so funny! I love it when films poke fun of their own subject matter. This was about a black American writer who found that his work wasn’t being published because it wasn’t ‘black enough’. A hilarious plot ensues, with an ending that made my spin as if to say, ‘What just happened?!’ If you love bookish movies, this one may well be for you!
Dead Poets Society (Streaming) – So of course, with the announcement of a certain upcoming album titled ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, my mind kept dragging back to this move and the fact that I hadn’t seen it. Boy, did this film steal a little bit of my heart. For starters, Robin Williams! 🧡 Secondly, he plays an English teacher in a Prep School, which as a teacher at a Prep School, I obviously connected with. I must say, I wasn’t prepared for the turns the movie would take, and there were definitely tissues needed… but that ending!!! I loved it!
Argylle (Cinema) – Quirky action film, had me rolling my eyes at some points. I enjoyed the Kingsman vibes and the references to the main character being a novelist. A little absurb at times. It was good, not great!
Castaway (Streaming) – Winston, dear Winston!! Definitely the hero of this piece! Again, an ending that had me screaming at the TV, but what an iconic film!
Bob Marley: One Love (Cinema) – Go for the music – not for the storyline. The pace is very slow and steady, they do a good enough job at explaining the events leading up to Marley’s shooting, his Exodus tour and what happened post-tour leading up to his death. I would have liked a bit more background about the Wailers and their initial success in Jamaica to really get into the history of such an iconic artist and band.
The Marvels (Streaming) – I haven’t seen Miss Marvel and I definitely felt like there was a piece of my Marvel history knowledge missing when watching this. Not the worst Marvel film the studio has put out since Endgame but it didn’t have feeling ecstatic about superhero films again. Goose the Cat and his Kitten parade was the only takeaway I think I’ll remember!
One Day (TV series – Netflix) – Finally something which lives up to the masterpiece that is David Nicholls’ novel One Day! The main characters were just superb and I loved the way each episode was broken down into different years. They also took their time to give each year exactly what it needed, some episodes were 30 minutes long, others were about 20 mins. The final episode hit me really hard – although knowing what was coming was bad enough, but the fact they took the time to do the ending of the book justice made me love this series – even if it did leave me in floods!
Anyone But You (Cinema) – A Much Ado About Nothing inspired rom-com. Predictable but laugh-out-loud funny all the same!
Players (Netflix) – This was predictable in all of the wrong kinds of ways. I appreciated how the ‘sports playbook’ made it interesting, and how it reminded me of How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days, but overall, I just could not care less about these characters and their happy ending. Sorry!
Wicked Little Letters (Cinema) – I knew this would be right up my street from the first few seconds of the trailer! Hearing Olivia Coleman and Jessie Buckley fling graphic swear words and scenarios at each other in a slanging match had me laughing so hard! This film is based on a series of explicit letters which were posted to residents in the village of Littlehampton. It’s based on a true story and has a balance of humour and darkness. I loved it! Definitely not for the faint of heart, or for people who show the slightest hint of outrage at the word ‘crap’.

And that’s a wrap! How was your February? Did you have a productive month? I’m totally looking forward to Spring being on the horizon and putting together my March TBR pile! What are you all looking forward to reading in March?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

Biblioshelf Musings – A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas

March 1, 2024February 27, 2024 The Biblioshelf1 Comment

Hey Bibliofriends!

This week’s Biblioshelf Musings are about A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas. I don’t know why I left it so long to pick this book up. I’m not sure if it was the utter tragedy of finishing A Court of Wings and Ruin, or if it was more that I felt that the original ACOTAR series had already been wrapped up nicely. 🤷🏻‍♀️ However, after sinking my teeth into all 784 pages of this tome, I now realise how much I needed this Nesta / Cassian instalment in my life! Read on to find out more in my spoiler-free review!

Book: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: February 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 784
Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚