#Friday56 – Given to the Earth

September 11, 2020September 1, 2020 The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

Happy FriYAY Bibliofriends!

This week’s Friday 56 comes from Given to the Earth – the sequel to Given to the Sea in the Given Duet by Mindy McGinnis. A Given is the name for the girls who are born to be ‘given’ to the sea each generation to save the kingdom of Stille from being demolished by a giant wave.

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.

Faja is gone, Famoor as well. In a tree I spot what remains of his bridle, slashed to uselessness. I swear in Indira and kick at the ashes of the fire.

The Indiri race, Tangata cats and Hadundun trees were what really made this series for me. They bought something quite unique to a seemingly ordinary fantasy world. You can check out my full review here.

Amazon |

Drop me a comment below or connect with me here:

Twitter | Goodreads | Book Sloth: @thebiblioshelf |Email: thebiblioshelf@gmail.com

Biblioshelf Musings – Given to the Earth

September 9, 2020September 1, 2020 The Biblioshelf1 Comment

Hello Bibliofriends,

I read Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis (book 1 in this duology) when it came out back in 2017. It was one of the first books I ever received in my FairyLoot subscription and I became totally enamoured with the world featured in the story. As part of my 2020 reading mission to finally tick off some of those unfinished series, Given to the Earth was put on the August TBR list.

I originally intended to reread the first book in the series before attempting the finale however, with many books piling up on my shelves I settled for just reading the last few chapters of book one before embarking on the sequel. Needless to say, there are spoilers ahead for Given to the Sea, so if you haven’t read that yet and intend to… approach with caution!

Book: Given to the Earth
Series: Given Duology
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Genre: YA | Fantasy
Publication Date: 10th April 2018
Publisher: Putnam’s Childrens
Pages: 368
Rating: 📚📚📚

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Duty, fate, desire, and destiny collide in this intricately wrought tale, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

Although she was born to save the kingdom by sacrificing herself to the rising sea, Khosa’s marriage to King Vincent has redeemed her. As the Queen of Stille, she’s untouchable. But being Queen hasn’t stopped her heart from longing for the King’s stepbrother, Donil. And it hasn’t stopped her body from longing for the sea itself, which still calls for her.

While Khosa is made to choose between loyalty and love, Dara is on a mission for vengeance. Years ago, the Pietra slaughtered the entire Indiri race, leaving only Dara and her twin, Donil, alive. Now, spurned by King Vincent, Dara has embarked on a mission to spill the blood of Pietra’s leader, Witt, and will stop at nothing to show his people the wrath of the last Indiri.

As the waves crash ever closer to Stille, secrets are revealed, hearts are won and lost, and allegiances change like the shifting sand.

My Musings

OK, first off I feel like I need to address the elephant in the room with this series: the narration.
The Given duology is told from the perspectives of around 6 different characters. Some of the characters have 1st person narration so we read the chapter directly through their eyes; the rest feature third person narrations and we witness the events as an outsider to the story. Although there are character headings at the start of each chapter, there is no pattern as to who talks when and the constant flipping between narrative voices has been a bone of contention between some readers. For me, I wasn’t particularly bothered or distracted by this. Did it make me feel more distanced and less connected to some characters…? Yes, especially coupled with such short chapters. However, it clearly wasn’t enough to put me off reading this sequel and finding out how the story set up in Given to the Sea ended.

The main reason I liked this duology was for three very specific creatures/beings that form part of Given’s world.
> The Tangata cats are vicious and travel in packs called clowders. They are feared by many but the feature of one Tangata cat was a particularly memorable aspect of the story.
> The Indiri are a race of people, of which only the twins Dara and Donil remain. They have spotted skin like that of leopards and have magic that can connect with the earth and nature. I found them to be really intriguing characters and it was Dara’s narrative that I was especially drawn to in this sequel. Her journey, after the events of the first book, leads her upon an unexpected path which kept me guessing as to how it was going to be resolved.
> Finally, the Hadundun trees which soak spilled blood from the earth and have razor sharp leaves were such curious additions. It is their role within the story that ends up shaping certain character’s actions and consequences.
It is these creations which mostly drew me into this series and made me want to read until the very end. Their presence makes the vaguely medieval-style setting come alive and is one of my favourite aspects of the whole duology.

The plot itself was fairly straightforward. In dealing with the aftermath of the events from book 1, the characters now need to find a way to either deal with the consequences or find an escape. At first, this seems like a fairly simplistic trajectory, but typical complications along the way result in a tension-building, action-packed resolution with some shocking twists that I wasn’t quite expecting! There is tragedy, which I probably would have been more heartbroken over had I built a deeper relationship with the characters, but it still feels as if the author was prepared to take some risks with how certain characters fared during the ending of this series and I have respect for McGinnis in doing that.

Overall, Given to the Earth was a very satisfying end to a series which keep me guessing and entertained until the very end.

Why Should I Read This?

For: intriguing creatures and beings which make a plain(ish) world quite unique.
For: a love triangle where you genuinely don’t know which one you’re really rooting for.
For: a fulfilling and enjoyable (and in one case – brave!) ending to a series.

If you enjoyed Given to the Sea then you’ll probably be content with the ending to this series. It’s a hard duology/book to review and describe – a little vanilla, but the good kind…with the bean, and I definitely like it!

Find out more about this book here:

Amazon |

Connect with me here:

Twitter | Goodreads | Book Sloth: @thebiblioshelf |Email: thebiblioshelf@gmail.com

#BookTag – Sunshine Blogger Award

September 8, 2020September 7, 2020 The Biblioshelf5 Comments

Good morning Bibliofriends,

Last week I received my first ever Sunshine Blogger Award Nomination from Alex over at Mybookworld24! I have seen this going round so many times on people’s blogs that I’m so excited to finally get a chance at doing my own!

Rules
(1) Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog.
(2) Answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you.
(3) Nominate 11 people and ask them new 11 questions.
(4) Notify the nominees by commenting on one of their posts.
(5) List the rules and display the sunshine blogger award in your post.

Alex’s Questions:

One life lesson you want to share?
To not waste time on toxic relationships – you spend more time living their life when you could be living your own.

The next book/movie you want to read/watch?
There are so so many, I always seem to be looking forward to something! Next book: Ready Player Two is one of my most anticipated books for later this year. Excited is not a strong enough word for my feelings on this sequel!
Next movie: James Bond No Time To Die – I am so ready for this now and I keep trying to avoid the trailers so I’m not spoiled too much!!!

What’s your wish for the world?
That humanity doesn’t destroy planet Earth.
We haven’t been around on this planet all that long but we seem to be destroying things quicker than we can rebuild them. It worries me that future generations may not get to see some of nature’s beauties and wildlife because humans never gave them a chance to live and survive here. Robbie Arnott wrote about this in his wonder eco-fable The Rain Heron. You can read my review for that here.

What’s your dream job?
To travel the world in a little book truck selling books and inspiring people to read.

What’s the animal you can connect with the most?
Horses – I’m involved with some racehorses and often spend time down at the stable yard hanging out with them and feeding them carrots. It definitely helps blow the cobwebs away, those early mornings on the gallops.

Ever been on holiday and if yes, where?
I am such an adventurer and love going on holiday! This year I was supposed to be going to Peru to trek Machu Picchu, climb Rainbow Mountain and drink Pisco Sours in Cusco – but then it got cancelled, there’s a global pandemic apparently!
My last abroad trip was Disneyworld Florida and it was incredible! I can’t wait to visit America again!

The most thing you use?
Other than the standard: phone, MacBook etc…
Probably my notebooks and stationery – I’m always jotting things down and making lists, I find it very therapeutic; plus, I’m a stationery addict so I’m always trying out different colour pens and things!

Something you want to do before the end of 2020?
To be honest, I think I’m already done with 2020! I worked through the pandemic but because of lockdown all of the social events/activities just stopped – it really felt like all work and no play…
Although we have planned to celebrate New Year with my extended family in Cornwall so hopefully that can still happen as I’m sure it’ll be a fun and special time.

Your go-to drink?
Gin, Prosecco, Cider, Cherry Pepsi, Tea, Coffee – I’m not picky but I like lots of things depending on the mood I’m in!

Favourite childhood cartoon?
So many noteworthy classics: The Animaniacs, Rugrats, Recess, Mona the Vampire, Cow and Chicken, The Powerpuff Girls, The Flintstones, Arthur… but I think my all-time favourite would have to be Scooby Dooby Doo!

What’s one thing you do to uplift yourself?
Crazy dance-out to Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and The Waves or playing music full-blast through my Skullcandy headphones (they really amplify the sound private disco style!).

My Questions

What inspired you to start your blogging journey?
What is your favourite quote? (It can be a well-known saying/proverb, bookish quote, music lyrics etc.)
If you had to live in any fictional world where would it be and why?
What would the title of your memoir be?
If you had Aladdin’s three wishes, what would you wish for?
Favourite book to film/TV adaptation?
What’s your zodiac sign and do you follow it?
If you were gifted a copy of any book in the world which would you hope for?
Who is your biggest inspiration?
Would you rather go to an all-day beach party in Mykonos or spend the night watching the Northern Lights from an igloo?
What has been the greatest experience of your life so far?

My Nominees

I’m rubbish at nominating people for things so no pressure guys!

Just Reading Jess

Journey Through the Chapters

Bookworms Anonymous

Vee_Bookish

Reading Girl Reviews

Life in the Book Lane

And YOU! If you feel like having a go at my questions for the Sunshine Blogger Award then consider yourself tagged! 😉

Happy Tuesday people!

T xx

#SixforSunday – Clever Characters

September 6, 2020August 25, 2020 The Biblioshelf6 Comments

Happy Sunday Bibliofriends,

There’s a brand new theme for this month’s Six For Sunday lists and I’m so excited to get stuck in to Characters Ahoy! I think we can really underestimate at times just how important some characters are to stories and the way that we as readers interact with them – particularly those side-kick, lesser-known, periphery characters who can be a tiny cog in the big machine of a story yet crucial to making the whole thing tick.

As I kept filling out these lists each week, I became glaring aware of the fact that my choices of characters/novels seem to be limited to my ‘God-tier’ kind of books – I could literally fill each prompt with characters from my favourite worlds (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Throne of Glass) but then I keep getting bored of picking the same well-known fictional people over and over again. So this month, I’m trying to be a little more diverse in my selections of characters and although I can’t cut out some of my favourites completely, hopefully you’ll start to see a wider range of influences from all across my reading pile!

This week is all about Clever Characters. For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is weekly meme hosted by Steph over at A Little But A Lot. Steph also hosts a Twitter chat for Six For Sunday each Sunday evening around 6pm but I never seem to make it as I’m always busy! Maybe this month…?! 🤔

Clever Characters

I find ‘clever’ such a tricky bracket to put characters into. The Cambridge English Dictionary defines ‘clever’ as “having or showing the ability to learn and understand things quickly and easily”. The main problem, is that being clever can sometimes be heavily stereotyped, and not always in a positive way. Clever characters are often the bespectacled book-swots, straight A students who don’t have many friends, or plain characters merely exist to retain a lot of information.

So often, we forget about the other definitions of ‘clever’ such as “skilful” or for an object, “something well-designed”. Being a teacher, I think clever characters are important representatives in today’s fiction. We encourage our students to perform their best in a system rigged with exams and gradings when actually, all of us has an ability to be clever in some element of our life and not all of us fit the education-style mould when it comes to proving our cleverness.

So here’s to my six clever characters who, despite being invariably different, are all shining beacons in being their own kind of clever.

Hermione Granger – Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Dubbed ‘the brightest witch of her age’, Hermione’s character maintains all of the ‘cleverness’ tropes: exam success, homework always completed (her own AND Harry’s and Ron’s), good grades, can often be found in the Library, avid reader etc… She even starts of the whole series being lonely and having very few friends. But towards the end, being part of the golden trio and masterminding part of the downfall of one of the greatest villains in fiction, Hermione’s cleverness is celebrated by all – and let’s face it, Ron and Harry wouldn’t have made it through their first year at Hogwarts without her!

Wade Watts – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
I have so much love for this novel! Wade Watts makes it onto this list for his extensive ‘cleverness’ knowledge of James Halliday, 80s pop culture and his brilliant problem-solving mind. I can’t say much else without blurting out spoilers to the whole book, but his ability to try and figure out the reality from the virtual reality, spot the red herrings in a challenge riddled with easter eggs, and try to crack the mind of one of the greatest inventors in the Ready Player One world – he truly deserves his place on my clever characters list.

Magnus Bane – The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
For me, Magnus Bane is the saving grace of the The Mortal Instruments series. I love his quirkiness and the cool edge he brings to the Shadowhunters’ world. What gave him a spot on my Clever Characters list is the fact that he always seemed to know exactly what to do whenever anyone came to him for help. He’s a mightily powerful warlock and I definitely wouldn’t want to be pissing him off!

Gandalf – Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Where do we start with Gandalf’s cleverness? His extensive range of magical abilities, his skills as a tactician, his knowledge of the routes, passes and ways of Middle Earth, his sharp, quick-thinking when in danger… Everyone looks to him as a leader because he is often able to give guidance and counsel – that’s definitely earned him a place on my list.

Robert Langdon – The Dan Brown novels
Similarly to Wade Watts, Robert Langdon is an expert in his field has a vast knowledge of history related to conspiracy theories and organisations around the world. His photographic memory also helps him to quickly solve puzzles and outsmart the antagonists and rivals he’s often working against.

Don Tillman – The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
As a Professor of Genetics, there’s no doubting that Don Tillman is clever. But what I find endearing about Don’s character is that he’s one of those ‘clever people’ who knows everything there is to know about his speciality but really has no idea how to navigate human existence at times – especially when it comes to Rosie!

There we go. Six clever characters, each showing cleverness in different ways and positive lights, but all of them being comfortable and confident with who they are deep down inside.

Which clever characters would make your list? What traits do you think define cleverness?
As always, leave your links below or drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#FaeFriday – Longest/Largest Book

September 4, 2020August 30, 2020 The Biblioshelf2 Comments

Happy Friday Bibliofriends,

Starting the new school academic year always feels a little like New Year. The fresh start gives me all kind of resolution and new habit vibes so for September I thought I’d jump into the Fae Friday trend!

Fae Friday is a weekly blog prompt hosted by the wonderful Kristy at Caffeinated Fae. It seems like the perfect way to spread a little more magic across the blogosphere every week.

Here are the rules:

Link back to this page on Caffeinated Fae.
If the prompt idea is from another blog, link to that blog as well.
Use #FaeFriday when posting to social media so we can all find each other!
Participate when you can & have fun with the prompt!

September 4th prompt:
Faeries are known to have exceptionally long lives, and in certain lore, they’re immortal. The prompt this week is inspired by longevity. This week this curious wannabe fae wants to know:
What is the longest/largest book you have read?

The longest book I have ever read was the 50th Anniversary One-Volume Edition of Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I’m not very good at reading multiple books at the same time so I read the whole thing cover to cover. It took me about a month to get through all 1031 pages but it’s one of my favourite stories of all time so was totally worth it!

What’s the longest book you’ve ever read? Feel free to leave me links to your own Fae Friday and I’ll check them out!

Enjoy your weekend Bibliofriends!

T xx

#Friday56 – Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton

September 4, 2020August 22, 2020 The Biblioshelf2 Comments

Happy FriYAY Bibliofriends!

This week’s Friday 56 comes from Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton. This book in a series about Women Composers explores some of the meanings and influences in the songwriting behind some of Dolly’s most well known songs. Huge thanks to Netgalley, the University of Illinois Press and Professor Lydia R. Hamessley for giving me the opportunity to read a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rules:

But Dolly’s song has a chorus and verses for different musical effects, narrative details and commentary. The energy of the song, with its pounding percussion heartbeat, builds relentlessly to its chilling, suicidal end.
Lydia R. Hamessley on “The Bridge” Just Because I’m a Woman 1968

This brilliant book is an absolute must-read for any fans of Dolly’s music, anyone interested in the history of country music or those curious to know how song writers go about honing their craft and skills. You can check out my full review here.

Amazon | University of Illinois Press | Waterstones | Lydia Harmlessly on Twitter | NetGalley

Drop me a comment below or connect with me here:

Twitter | Goodreads | Book Sloth: @thebiblioshelf |Email: thebiblioshelf@gmail.com

Biblioshelf Musings – Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton

September 2, 2020August 21, 2020 The Biblioshelf1 Comment

Hello Bibliofriends,

Breaking away from the fantasy genre today and into the world of one of my favourite musical artists of all time – Dolly Parton. From listening to my grandparents’ Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash cassettes as a child, to taking up line dancing and even publishing my own dances online – it’s safe to say that despite the small country music scene we seem to have here in the UK, country music has always been a part of my life – and no one does country quite like Dolly Parton.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic wiping out most of the best social events of the summer, including the famous Glastonbury Festival, BBC iPlayer started to replay many of the greatest sets from across the years and one of them was Dolly’s 2014 show where she performed in front of approximately 180,000 people (and wowed everyone by playing the Benny Hill theme tune on a bejewelled saxophone!). It was one of those concerts that you really regret not being at… Since re-watching that set, I’ve been on a song downloading and book-buying mission to find out more about the Queen of Country.

When Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton by Lydia R. Hamessley became available to read on Netgalley, it was a given that I’d be clicking the ‘Read Now’ button! A big thank you to Netgalley, the University of Illinois Press and Lydia Hamessley for the opportunity to read a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Book: Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton
Series: Women Composers – Pioneering Women in Music
Author: Lydia R. Hamessley
Genre: Biographies and Memoirs | Entertainment | Music
Publication Date: October 12th 2020
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Pages: 312 (e-book)
Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis (from UI Press – Book’s webpage )

The creative process of a great American songwriter.

Dolly Parton’s success as a performer and pop culture phenomenon has overshadowed her achievements as a songwriter. But she sees herself as a songwriter first, and with good reason. Parton’s compositions like “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene” have become American standards with an impact far beyond country music.

Lydia R. Hamessley’s expert analysis and Parton’s characteristically straightforward input inform this comprehensive look at the process, influences, and themes that have shaped the superstar’s songwriting artistry. Hamessley reveals how Parton’s loving, hardscrabble childhood in the Smoky Mountains provided the musical language, rhythms, and memories of old-time music that resonate in so many of her songs. Hamessley further provides an understanding of how Parton combines her cultural and musical heritage with an artisan’s sense of craft and design to compose eloquent, painfully honest, and gripping songs about women’s lives, poverty, heartbreak, inspiration, and love.

Filled with insights on hit songs and less familiar gems, Unlikely Angel covers the full arc of Dolly Parton’s career and offers an unprecedented look at the creative force behind the image.