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Biblioshelf Musings – ASAP by Axie Oh

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Hey Bibliofriends!

This week’s Biblioshelf Musings are about ASAP by Axie Oh. I was thrilled to win and ARC copy of this from Harper360 last year 💜 – and then even more thrilled when I discovered that it was a companion novel to XOXO! Upon being introduced to Axie Oh’s first K-Pop drama, I was incredibly taken with the fictitious world of this boyband. I’m so pleased that there was enough traction to develop the world of XOXO even further with ASAP which celebrates its UK publication release today! Read on to find out more in my spoiler-free review!

Book: ASAP by Axie Oh
Genre: Teens and YA
Publication Date: UK release – 15th February 2024
Publisher: Harper Teen / Harper360
Pages: 352
Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

New York Times bestselling author Axie Oh’s ASAP is the much anticipated companion novel to beloved romance XOXO, following fan favorites Sori, the wealthy daughter of a K-pop company owner, and Nathaniel, her K-pop star ex-boyfriend, in a swoon-worthy second chance love story.

Sori has worked her whole life to become a K-pop idol, until she realizes she doesn’t want a life forever in the spotlight. But that’s not actually up to Sori—she’s caught between her exacting mother’s entertainment company and her father’s presidential aspirations. And as the pressure to keep her flawless public image grows, the last person she should be thinking about is her ex-boyfriend.

Nathaniel is off limits—she knows this. A member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world and forbidden from dating, he isn’t any more of an option now than he was two years ago. Still, she can’t forget that their whirlwind romance was the last time she remembers being really happy. Or that his family welcomed her into their home when she needed it most. . . .

So when Nathaniel finds himself rocked by scandal, Sori offers him a hideaway with her. And back in close quarters, it’s hard to deny their old feelings. But when Sori gets an opportunity to break free from her parent’s expectations, she will have to decide: Is her future worth sacrificing for a second chance at love?

My Musings

ASAP takes place after the events of XOXO and returns us to the world of one of South Korea’s hottest boybands. Rather than offering up a direct sequel and continuing the focus on Jenny and Jaewoo, Axie Oh cleverly gives us a fresh narrative with the perspective of Sori. This was a brilliant curveball in that it opens up more of the XOXO world, rather than just churning out a sequel to an already well-rounded and satisfying conclusion from the previous novel. I really loved this direction change as we still get to explore what happened to this K-Pop band after XOXO ended, but we also got a brand new main character to offer fresh depth to this showbiz world.

Sori has immensely strong ideals. She cares about her family and wishes to uphold the traditional Korean values she is expected to exude. On the other hand, she also wants to stay true to herself and establish her own identity, but in doing so runs the risk of disappointing those around her. Trained her whole life for stardom as a K-Pop Idol, when the time finally arrives for Sori to step into the spotlight, she begins to doubt that this is her true career path and the life that she is destined for. When past-love Nathaniel of worldwide XOXO fame comes back into her life, Sori finds herself completely lost and unsure which path she wishes to venture down the most.

This conflict between familial expectation and personal desire was exceptionally well balanced and written. Axie Oh managed to portray all of Sori’s feelings in the open for the reader to bond and connect with, be it her relationship with Nathaniel, or her future career choices. She comes across as strong yet polite, humble but not weak-spirited, friendly yet not afraid to stand up for herself. This notion of a vulnerable rebel was a refreshing difference from Jenny’s characteristics in XOXO and firmly establishes ASAP as a fully-fledged novel in its own right.

We need to talk about the actual boyband that is XOXO! I’m not one for K-Pop (or boybands actually), but I found something remarkably charming about the dynamics between these boys. Experiencing more of their dramas brought me a happy sense of nostalgia that I had when reading ASAP’s predecessor. I enjoyed hearing the updates about Jaewoo and Jenny, gaining more of Sun’s wisdom and getting to read more of Youngmin’s joyous outlook on life.

The romance element in the book was tastefully done. Nathaniel had an air of brooding mystery about him which kept the angst and tension flowing from page to page. The perception of ‘forbidden love’ was subtle, yet effective. As relationships for K-Pop idols are highly frowned up and almost forcibly discouraged, the sense of forbidden love in ASAP is a refreshing twist against those where the two main love interests may be rivals or enemies. In a world where Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are actively cheering each other on and demonstrating their love to the entire world, the idea that musicians and those in the spotlight must deny themselves of any relationship happiness seems really backwards and archaic. This only ends up making the reader champion Nathaniel and Sori’s relationship even more and I was rooting for them so much by the ending of ASAP.

This book also offers some wonderfully delightful moments in the form of a TV reality show where the characters have to buddy up and find missing tokens; Sori and her penchant for stuffed animals; the awkward, cringey blind date set-ups; numerous references to Korean food (which if you’re anything like me will make your mouth water!) and of course, the return of Korean Karaoke!

All in all ASAP is truly a book that you can lost in, with characters that you will find yourself championing to the core! If you loved the first glimpse into the world of XOXO, then this companion novel should be right up your street!

Why Should I Read This?

As this is a companion novel to XOXO, I would strongly recommend that you read that first to get a true flavour of the world and the characters, however this isn’t entirely necessary as Sori and Nathaniel’s narrative is a story in its own right.

You should try picking up ASAP for:
> a heartwarming, sweet tale of two characters who embrace their second chance at romance
> the semi-escapist, dramatic world that is K-Pop and their idols
> the references to Korean culture which will have you putting Seoul on your travel bucket-list!

Find out more about this book here:

Amazon | Waterstones | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | Harper Collins UK | Author Website

Connect with me here:

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

Auto-Buy Authors

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Happy Monday Bibliofriends!

This week is the half term holiday and I am so happy to be able to sink into a little book cocoon for the week and catch up with some reading!

Whilst I was looking through various blogging things on the internet, I came across Jo Lindsell’s website. Jo discusses a range of different topics on her blog from fashion and lifestyle to travel and books. She had a really interesting post about a variety of book blogging topics for the whole of February and ‘auto-buy authors’ was one of the prompts!

I had a fair bit of fun thinking about this! When I first sat down to write my post, I began writing a list of author names in my journal, but the more I sat and pondered over how to compile these together, I started to really consider why I had chosen these particular authors above all of the others I have read.

What makes an author an ‘auto-buy’?

For me to add an author to my auto-buy list, I have to be completely, irrevocably swept away by the world they have created in my mind. I am one of those people that sees images in my head when I’m reading (I only recently learned that some people don’t do this, which is another intriguing topic in its own right). The crafting of a world, especially in SFF can sometimes be one of the most integral parts of investing into a story. The ability to do this well, fills us with hope that an author’s follow-up novels might be just as fleshed out and vividly appealing as their predecessors. If I can picture that world, as clearly as if it were a real-life place, then I can guarantee that will go a long way to making me fall in love with an author’s work and buy more of it.

Writing style is a hugely important factor. As a self-confessed logophile, the ability to balance elaborate and intriguing words in a way that doesn’t distract from the action of the plot is going to be a winner in my eyes. I teach English to 9 year olds and you can tell when they’ve regurgitated half the thesaurus into their writing just to try and make it sound more fancy – especially when half of the words are then out of context!

Appropriate word choices also go a long way in contributing to pace. Sometimes, all we’re in the mood for is fast-paced action which gets the characters from beginning to end in a way that doesn’t involve investing over half of our brain-power to it. Other times, the metaphors, imagery and language are actually what links us to the characters on the page and the emotions they’re going through. A heartbreaking scene can either be intensely heightened or left to fizzle out based on the vocabulary used to describe it.

Other times, all it takes is a series starter whose characters, plot, world-building, pace and narrative voice mix together in a wonderful cocktail of perfection, that we just can’t help ourselves going back for the next book, and the next book, and the next book… hoping they’ll be just as good as that first read. Then the author might branch out with a new series, or even a different genre altogether and we’re still picking up those works in the hope that we get to chase that flawless story which kicked off our passion in the first place.

So without further ado, here are some of my auto-buy authors and a few of the reasons why I’ll blindly follow their writing into the dark.

Carlos Ruiz Zafôn

Despite the fact that we sadly lost Zafôn in 2020, he was one of my first ever auto-buy authors and deserves his spot on this list as I own every single one of his books. My Nan had given me a copy of The Shadow of the Wind for my birthday and I had never heard of it before. Initially, I actually gave up reading it as I found it so hard to get into. However for some random reason, that book found its way back to me again, and when I dived in this time, I just couldn’t put it down! Zafôn’s beautifully lyrical writing style had me spellbound. He was an absolute artist with words and knew how to bend the magical realism genre in such an ethereal way. I’m so glad I gave his writing that second chance!

Sarah J Maas

Maas is the author I had in mind when I mentioned that perfect cocktail of perfection. Each of her books feel like they have imprinted themselves into my brain. Throne of Glass, ACOTAR and Crescent City are some of the most beloved books on my shelves. When my reading habits were cast slightly adrift after the ending of Harry Potter, these series gave me everything I was pining after and dragged me out of my mega reading slump. They gave me back my passion for reading and created this weird kind of soul-bond with their characters and worlds. Apart from the increasingly graphic smut scenes (ahem…), there is nowhere S J Maas can take her books that I wouldn’t follow. She could probably write a cookbook and I’d still have to buy it!

V.E. Schwab

Addie La Rue is emphatically one of my GOAT characters. She introduced me to the universe of Schwab’s writing and I haven’t looked back since. The thing I love about Schwab is that she is very upfront in telling her readers that her books have completely different vibes. The things I loved in Addie La Rue will not be the same things that I loved in the Shades of Magic trilogy or in Gallant. Schwab manages to create such multi-faceted characters and worlds which constantly surprise and intrigue me. It’s for this reason that she is on my auto-buy list and I’m gradually making my way through her catalogue.

Emily Henry

Romance isn’t my usual genre at all – however, Emily Henry does such a brilliant job at making you fall in love with her characters. So much so, that you want to put yourself in the book to try and ascertain that character their happy ending. To me, Emily’s books are the perfect balance of comedy, tragedy and those heartwarming feel-good moments. Her characters are usually book-lovers, or are written in a way which mixes their inner complexities with a relatable persona. Her author’s voice feels way beyond just generic chick-lit that I appreciate every single chapter, and they always leave me wanting just that little bit more!

Notable mentions…

I wanted to include some other authors who I’m ~95% likely to buy their new books, but it might be for a particular series or because I’m still making my way through the rest of their works.

  • Leigh Bardugo – I’m yet to read the Hell Bent series, but I already have The Familiar on pre-order because it sounds right up my street! I enjoyed the Six of Crows duology way more than the Shadow and Bone series. The ending of Crooked Kingdom still breaks my heart and I would adamantly campaign for justice for one particular character!
  • Ernest Cline – Ready Player One and Ready Player Two are probably in my Top Ten Books of All Time! I’m hoping to read Armada at some point this year but if it’s just as good as RP1 then I can see myself automatically buying whatever Ernest Cline writes next! Fingers crossed there’s something soon!
  • Jennifer Lynn Barnes – any of Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ books in the Inheritance Games series is on my auto-buy list. I’m not too sure that her Debutantes or the Raised by Wolves series will be appealing to me but the Naturals series may also be worth me taking a punt on.
  • J.K. Rowling / Robert Galbraith – any new Cormoran Strike novel is always in my shopping basket, although I usually wait until it comes out as a paperback. I’m too invested in this crime series to stop now!
  • Stephanie Garber – I feel like I buy Stephanie Garber’s books for the hype surrounding them – I don’t want to get FOMO when nearly my entire bookish feed is filled with them! I initially got both Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart as part of my Fairyloot subscriptions and bought the sequels just to keep reading on. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy her books and the whimsical characters she creates, but I’m not sure I would have bought them as an ‘auto-buy’ if I hadn’t received them through book boxes first.

That’s pretty much the core of my auto-buy authors! Which writers would make it onto your list and why? Let me know in the comments, I’m intrigued to see what you come up with!

T xx

The Lunar New Year Book Tag

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Happy Lunar New Year Bibliofriends,

Whilst I was trawling the internet for a new Book Tag to sink my teeth into – this fantastic Lunar New Year Book Tag popped up! This tag was originally created way back in 2017 by Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit and Josh @ Thoughts and Afterthoughts. Both of their blogs seem to have been dormant for some time so I’m not terribly sure if there’s an updated version of this somewhere in the ether, however I’m using the original 2017 prompts and graphics from Tiff’s post.

Back in 2017, we were celebrating the Year of the Rooster which had the prompt of ‘Most Anticipated 2017’ release; obviously in 2024, we’re celebrating the year of the Dragon, but I decided not to swap any of the prompts around as they seemed to fit so well with the personalities of the animals. Therefore, the Rooster prompt will read as most anticipated read of 2024.

You may have already heard me rabbit on about this book before, so it should come as no surprise that my Royalty book prompt is the American Royals series by Katharine McGee! I love the drama, it’s like a bookish reality show!

No pun intended, but The Once and Future Witches had me absolutely spellbound from the very first page. There was something so magnetic about the spooky atmosphere that Alix E. Harrow created, that I just couldn’t help but be drawn into the world of James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna.

My own Zodiac animal, the snake! Hand on my heart swear, that when I was choosing the book for this prompt, I didn’t intentionally match up The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes with the snake, purely for all of the snakenesssss… I genuinely saw this cover on my Goodreads list and thought, yes – this book is filled with manipulating characters from every corner! Is there even a character in here who doesn’t manipulate someone at some point?!

I am an absolute sucker for an eye-catching cover! As you can see, animals tend to be a running theme on these selections, however anything that is pattern-based, popping with colour and with a minutiae of intricate detailing is a winner with me!

Xander Hawthorne from The Inheritance Games is winning this prompt for me. He can always be relied upon to sneak up on a character, just at the precise moment to call them out or offer some witty one-liners and backchat.

This is my edited prompt to read ‘Most Anticipated 2024 Release’. With Crescent City 3 – House of Shadow and Flame already out in the world, it feels a little like cheating to mention that… Another read that I am desperate to get my hands on this year is The Grandest Game which is the fifth instalment in The Inheritance Games series! Out in August 2024! You can read my review for the previous book in the series The Brothers Hawthorne here.

The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue. Always. This book occupies a really special place in my bookish heart. Addie’s character captivated me in a way like no other and the bittersweet elements of the plot keep me coming back to this read over and over and over again.

When I first read Midnight in Everwood, I was astounded at the level of detail M.A. Kuzniar had put into researching her main character Marietta Stelle. In this Nutcracker retelling, the author not only created an in-depth world filled with all of the fantastical elements of this wonderful, well-loved ballet, but she also took a deeper look into the actual ballet dancers who shaped the role and used this to inspire her main character. It’s a fantastic piece of craftsmanship which I definitely feel needs a little more love. You can read my review for it here.

Erm… my book subscriptions themselves! Does that count?! I thought it wasn’t too bad to start with as I only get Illumicrate and the Fairyloot YA and Adult Combo each month, but then I started having to get the matching sequel editions to match… then came the gorgeous collector editions of books I already owned… it’s definitely a sickness. I’m in desperate need of a bookaholics anonymous society!

I could have gone with a multitude of characters for this. It seems like strong morals and ideals are an unofficial prerequisite for fantasy heroes on a crusade to save the kingdom. However, as my mind wandered, there was one character in particular who was exactly kind-hearted and resolute, even in the face of the darkest dark – step on up Samwise Gamgee! 💜

Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution – whilst I found the academic writing style a little tricky to get my head around, the powerful and poignant messages leaping from every corner of this book had me writing this down as my prompt pick almost immediately. Even R.F. Kuang’s brutally honest author note really put it out there. I wanted to high five for her reiteration that yes, although this book is set in a very real Oxford, the fictional liberties taken with dates and architecture were for the actual storytelling and not intended to be verbatim fact.

I mean, how can I not pick Divine Rivals for this…? For starters, that enchanted typewriter! 😱 Without sounding like Veruca Salt, “give it me now!” The way and Iris and Roman are drawn together, every element of their journey is so tender that is totally encapsulates the ‘sweet romance’ part of this prompt. I can’t wait to read the sequel Ruthless Vows!

That’s a wrap! Twelve Zodiac animals, twelve bookish prompts, twelve book selections! What do you think of them? Are you celebrating the Lunar New Year and do you know your own Zodiac animal?

As always, drop me a comment below to chat!
T xx

Biblioshelf Musings – The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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Hey Bibliofriends!

This week’s Biblioshelf Musings are about The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I have long been a fan of The Inheritance Games cycle, but when I first heard about The Brothers Hawthorne, I have to admit – I was a little apprehensive. I worried that taking the main narrative away from Avery and onto the Hawthorne brothers might have detracted from all of the elements I loved about the original trilogy… but boy was I wrong! Read on to find out more in my spoiler-free review!

Book: The Brother Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre: Teens and YA / Mystery
Publication Date: August 2023
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Pages: 480
Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Four brothers. Two missions. One explosive read. Jennifer Lynn Barnes returns to the world of her #1 bestselling Inheritance Games trilogy, and the stakes have never been higher.  
 
Grayson Hawthorne was raised as the heir apparent to his billionaire grandfather, taught from the cradle to put family first. Now the great Tobias Hawthorne is dead and his family disinherited, but some lessons linger. When Grayson’s half-sisters find themselves in trouble, he swoops in to do what he does best: take care of the problem—efficiently, effectively, mercilessly. And without getting bogged down in emotional entanglements.
 
Jameson Hawthorne is a risk-taker, a sensation-seeker, a player of games. When his mysterious father appears and asks for a favour, Jameson can’t resist the challenge. Now he must infiltrate London’s most exclusive underground gambling club, which caters to the rich, the powerful, and the aristocratic, and win an impossible game of greatest stakes. Luckily, Jameson Hawthorne lives for impossible.
 
Drawn into twisted games on opposite sides of the globe, Grayson and Jameson—with the help of their brothers and the girl who inherited their grandfather’s fortune—must dig deep to decide who they want to be and what each of them will sacrifice to win.

My Musings

From the very first page, I was instantly pulled into the world of Avery and the Hawthorne Brothers. With short, snappy chapters, a flashback from twelve and a half years ago, and the use of one of those 911-coded emergencies, it didn’t take me long at all to get sucked right back into this Inheritance Games novel.

We pretty much pick up from where The Final Gambit left off, but this time the central narration is a split perspective based on Jameson and Grayson’s POV. They each have different character arcs which focus on discovering more about the families on their fathers’ sides, and it is these familial branches which provide two weighty plot lines threading through the whole story.

As Grayson and Jameson’s characters are already well-established throughout the first three books – The Brothers Hawthorne allows for a perfect blend of action interspersed with character building. The high stakes, super-sleuthing and clue-solving still resonate within each chapter, whilst gradually chipping away at the brothers and their inner selves.

The idea of belonging and a sense of needing to feel needed is a key element within the development of both brothers. We see Jameson’s desire and absolute compulsion to win at all costs, how his relationship with Avery impacts upon that, and the secrets he is willing to sacrifice in order to succeed. Grayson on the other hand, is able to utilise his Knight in Shining Armour persona by coming up with clever tricks and strategies to help out his newly found family and relatives-in-need.

This novel is packed with an almost double dose of treasure hunting and problem solving. Whilst Grayson embarks upon his use of ciphers and cryptic puzzle boxes to find the means to an end, Jameson ends up on a full scale treasure hunt complete with stately home, ancient artefacts and secrets from a corrupt underworld thrown into the mix. There is danger, there is intrigue. There is suspense and betrayal. All of the quizzical gimmicks I adored in the original series are right back here unfurling page after page! At several times, I’m pretty sure I even gasped out loud when reading. The way Jennifer Lynn Barnes write these elements into the plot literally blows my mind!

The ending of this novel reaches an intensely satisfying conclusion, not to mention the jaw-dropping revelation and cliffhanger-y plot twist at the end – again, suspense by the bucket load! The scene is perfectly set up to whet your appetite for the fifth instalment of the series (The Grandest Game) which comes out later this year.

All in all, I can’t believe I waited so long to read this book. There is just something about the whole series which speaks to my bookish soul. It’s not just the treasure hunting, secret passageways and coded messages (although that is a hefty driver) – the Hawthornes stick together, and it makes you want to be a part of their crew. I think I’d happily live inside the world of these books if I could! The plot is written with the perfect amount of pace to drive the story forwards yet offering up enough world-building and character detail to keep turning page after page. I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for Avery, the Hawthornes & Co – and you can bet that when The Grandest Game comes out in August, it won’t be sitting on my TBR shelf for very long!

Why Should I Read This?

If you loved The Inheritance Games trilogy, then this refreshing continuation will be right up your street – what are you waiting for?!

If you haven’t read the original trilogy, then this you should try picking it up for:
> the sheer intrigue and cryptic bewilderment that is The Game itself…
> character arcs which combine morality with the need to discover self-identity and belonging.
> an easy reading page-turner which will have you second-guessing character motives at every turn!

Find out more about this book here:

Amazon | Waterstones | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | Penguin Books UK

Connect with me here:

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

The Wrap – January 2024

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Howdy Bibliofriends!

Happy February! 2024 is well and truly underway! I always look forward to reflecting on my entire month as it gives a real sense of closure. Also thinking about the month ahead is always exciting as I like to be positive about all of the good events that are on the horizon!

Life Update

Life in January started off incredibly well. Having a good chunk of time off over the Christmas period, with a lighter-than-normal schedule, meant that I came into 2024 feeling quite chilled and relaxed! I finally got around to starting up my blog again which had been on my mind for so long.

At the start of the year, I decided that I was going to make a list of 12 day trips to new-found places! The first one of those we did in the middle of January by going to Oxford. I’ve visited the city of dreaming spires many times before, but I’d never visited The Castle and Prison or been there to specifically hunt for bookshops. We found some wonderful stores including The Last Bookshop (which is where I bought a brand new Mexican Gothic for £4!), Gulp Fiction in the Covered Market (a coffee shop turned bookstore) and Arcadia (which doesn’t really have a lot of second hand books, but is predominantly a cute little fairyland/treasure trove filled with loads of assorted knick-knacks).

Work has been somewhat mad this past two weeks for various different reasons, however having the blog to try and keep persevering with is presenting a good distraction from my constant procrastinations over the joy that is being a teacher! I honestly love my job and my class are adorable, but this last month has been Challenging – yes, with a capital C!

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

What I’ve Been Reading in January

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely adored this book! Having loved the original trilogy so much, I was initially a little hesitant about a seemingly spin-off novel, however I am so glad I dived in! This brought back all of the things I loved from the series but from the fresh perspective of Jameson and Grayson. I can’t wait for the Final Gambit to be released later this year.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From one 5* read to another… boy am I glad I hopped on this hype train! This book came to me at the right moment and mindset for me to fall head over heels for it. Those closing paragraphs… what a cliffhanger!

King of the Cloud Forests by Michael Morpurgo ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was purely a school-based read. We’re doing a mountains topic and I was trying to find an English text which linked to that theme. I found the relationship between Ashley and the yetis so sweet. The ending was incredibly heartwarming too. I think our children will enjoy discovering Ashley’s adventures in the Himalayas.

A Storm of Swords (Parts 1 and 2) by G. R. R. Martin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After giving up on both the TV series and attempting to read this as a physical book a couple of years ago, I tried my luck with the audiobook and do not regret it in the slightest – I was hooked! And can we talk about that final chapter… 😱 Much has been said about Roy Dotrice’s narration, but I personally found it very charming. He managed to bring the characters to life in a way which just wasn’t happening for me on the actual page. I never realised he holds the Guinness World Record for the most character voices by an individual for an audiobook, but I guess if you’re solo narrating the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire Series’, you’re pretty much guaranteed the accolade right…? I wonder which book series has the most characters in ever? That would be an incredibly nerdy thing to find out! 🤓

#CurrentlyReading

Physical Book: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas – because y’know… Crescent City 3 👀

Audio Book: The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco – this is one I’ve had in my library for a while. I’m only a few chapters in but am quite intrigued the magical elements and the heartglass concepts.

Upcoming Reads

I have that standard bibliophile problem that my shelves are stacked full of unread books. I try to keep my TBR fairly flexible and rather than set a fixed, monthly TBR, I tend to go with my reading mood or something that I’m desperate to either start or finish. As February is a short month, I’m going quite conservative here…

  • Taylor Swift The Whole Story by Chas Newkey-Burden (a Christmas gift from someone who knows me all too well!)
  • A Feast For Crows by George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones #4 – on Audiobook)
  • Rivals by Katharine McGee (American Royals #3 – my friend gave me her copy 😍 thanks Nikki!)
  • House of Shadow and Flame by Sarah J Maas (Crescent City #3 – I don’t think I’ll be able to keep myself away from it for too long!)

What I’ve Been Watching

With Six Nations starting this weekend, we recently started watching the Six Nations Full Contact on Netflix. It’s such a brilliant behind the scenes documentary which really showcases some of the men behind their rugby playing personas. I was quite taken aback by the hardships some of them had faced to get to where they are currently. Still in the middle of making my way through the Percy Jackson series, I just had to start Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+. I like that it’s more true to the books than the movies, and that Rick Riordan had more control over it. It does a pretty good job of bringing the series to life.

Movies, we’ve seen:

  • One Life (Cinema) – I was actually really taken by this. It was a little hard to get into at first with the flashbacks between time periods, but the impact of Nicholas Winton’s actions and the legacy he created was so heartwarming. Anthony Hopkins is fantastic at displaying that on screen!
  • Priscilla (Cinema) – Ever since watching Marie Antoinette, I’m always intrigued by Sofia Coppola’s portrayals of historical events. With Priscilla, she completely nailed the boundary between the love story of Elvis and Priscilla, but also the flipside of how Priscilla was essential groomed into being the type of woman and wife that Elvis wanted. It was mesmerising but uncomfortable at the same time. I came away really enamoured with the film and wanting to find out more about Priscilla’s story.
  • Lift (Netflix) – Kevin Hart & Co in an airplane heist… Fast and Furious meets The Italian Job with a little Mission Impossible thrown in for good measure. Harmless, action thrills fun!
  • Poor Things (Cinema) – I can totally see why Emma Stone won the Golden Globe for this! Barbie Oscars drama aside, I would totally give Emma Stone the Academy Award for this. The way she fully encapsulated the awkwardness yet vulnerabilities of Bella’s character was just beyond! From her movements, to her facial expressions and the intonations and inflections in her voice… I was blown away! Don’t get me wrong, this film is graphic and rude and slightly perverse on so many morality levels, but it was weirdly refreshing to watch something that wasn’t a biopic or a superhero movie. It’s made me intrigued to now see what the book is like. Overall, the movie is quirky entertainment with a side of twistedness!

And that’s a wrap! How was your January? Are you still on track with your 2024 TBR or reading goals? I’m totally looking forward to my February TBR pile and having the half term holiday to sink my teeth into it! What are you all looking forward to reading in February?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

Characters of the Year Tag – 2023 Reads

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Happy Thursday Bibliofriends!

I was still reminiscing about last year’s reads when I stumbled across this great Characters of the Year Book Tag on Books are 42 blog. With it being Awards Season at the moment, this tag felt like a brilliant way to celebrate last year’s reads.

Favourite Male Character of the Year

This has to go to Jacks, the Prince of Hearts from the Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy by Stephanie Garber. I really enjoyed trying to work out the motivations behind his character and the complex hero/villain vibes he gave off.

Favourite Female Character of the Year

This was quite tough as I read some pretty fierce famous characters this year. After scrolling through my reads, this accolade just has to go to Alex from When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. I totally fell in love with her character arc. From her naivety of the world around her, to the sheer maturity, resilience and determination she imbued to try and overcome her obstacles – I absolutely devoured her narrative!

Most Relatable Character of the Year

Reading so much fantasy, this was probably the most difficult of all of the prompts to be honest. If I had to pick one character, I would say Xiomara from The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo – purely the facet of her that works so hard at trying to live up to the expectations put upon her by others. If that isn’t a relatable trait then I’m not sure what is!

Couple of the Year

Be still my beating heart… Iris and Roman from Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross were such a shoe-in for this role. I wouldn’t quite call them ‘enemies‘ to lovers, but the rivalry between them definitely adds to the building chemistry and tension. I can’t wait to find out what happens to them in the sequel which is very near the top of my 2024 Reading List.

Villain of the Year

This was another prompt which really made me think. Ian Hammond from Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton definitely caused a fair bit of villainous chaos! I was originally going to go with the dinosaurs themselves, but thought that wasn’t very fair to them considering they didn’t really ask to be brought back from extinction…! 😂

Most Disliked Character of the Year

Again, another difficult one… Sirscha from Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee was my pick for this, only because she was a main character which I never really bonded with or bought into when reading. Something about her, and pretty much the whole novel to be honest, just didn’t click with me.

Royal of the Year

Hands down, Princess Samantha from the American Royals series by Katharine McGee wins Royal of the Year. I’m so glad I stumbled across these books. Sam brings the perfect antithesis to the rule-abiding Princess Beatrice, and whilst I could have chosen them both as Siblings of the Year (along with Prince Jefferson, of course!), Sam’s refreshing bursts of rebellion and rule-breaking add some fantastic humour to the story. I’ve really enjoyed her transformation and character journey and can’t wait to read about what lies in store for her in the remaining books.

Sidekick / Non-Main Character of the Year

I mulled over this one for ages but I think I have to give it to the entire Bestiary from Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell. This is such a wonderful book about an archipelago of fantastical creatures and the creatures themselves steal the show. From Gelifen the Griffin, to the Sphinxes and the Ratatoskas, this book was filled with so many wondrous side characters who brought this magical world so vividly to life.

Siblings of the Year

Camino and Yahaira from Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo deserve this siblings of the year award. I was so taken by this found family story and how both of the girl end up coming together and making space for each other in their respective lives. It was a really heartwarming ending to what began as quite a tragic story.

There you have it, my characters of the year from my 2023 reads! Have you read any of the books these characters came from? Which characters would make your own character of the year awards? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

2023 Reading Wrap

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Happy Saturday everyone!

How are you spending the weekend? I am off to the dreaming spires of Oxford to wander round and see if I can spot any little bookstores hidden away!

I know we’ve passed the middle of January but I haven’t quite got around to wrapping up my 2023 reading year just yet. I set myself a Goodreads challenge to complete 60 books and I literally just completed it on New Years Eve!

2023 was a fairly busy year for me but although I read 5 fewer books than 2022, I managed to read about 3,000 more pages (25,067 in total). On average, my typical book length was about 400 pages. I made my way through a range of genres including SF-F, Crime, YA and Literary Fiction.

I read Heartburn by Nora Ephron because, at some point in my memory, it had been a book pick for the Between Two Books book club. If you haven’t come across it before, they are a Florence + the Machine fan-based book club, Florence even picks some of the chosen reads for it herself! Although The Ink Black Heart was an absolute door-stopper of a book, I felt like it was a real achievement to make it all the way through to the end – I also like to think it acted as a bit of subtle weight lifting too… 😂

The Books…

First read of the year: Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries by Alan Rickman
Last read of the year: Congo by Michael Crichton

My Favourite Reads and Highlights!
Looking back at what I actually did read in 2023, I could rant on about why I read these particular books and even some funny stories about how/where I bought them from, but here’s just a few of my best bits!

  • Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries by Alan Rickman – I’m a huge Alan Rickman fan and devoured his diaries. The end-notes from Rima were almost too heartbreaking to read but I found this to be such a fascinating insight into his life.
  • Happy Place by Emily Henry – Oh how I adore Emily Henry’s writing! She has such an ability to craft a plot and characters in a way which make my heart melt!
  • Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton – One of my favourite movies, I’m so glad I took the chance on reading this. If I didn’t love the film so much, I’d say the book was better!
  • When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill – I listened to this on Audible and for some reason it completely had me hooked. I don’t think I fully got my head around the ‘women as functioning dragons in society’ part but Alex’s character completely sucked me into her narrative.
  • Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross – This was one of those reads that was definitely worth the hype! Magical typewriters, rivals to lovers, weird mystical creatures relating to some sort of world mythology… I can’t wait to read Ruthless Vows!
  • Throne of Glass rereads – This was the year I also finished my Throne of Glass rereads on Audible. It’s one of my all-time favourite series and I’m so excited for Crescent City 3 coming out later this month!
  • American Royals by Katharine McGee – I stumbled across an ARC of this in a charity shop and bought it on a whim. Boy was I glad I did! It’s one of those guilty pleasure reads and once I started, I just couldn’t put it down!
  • Darker Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab – After my little pilgrimage to the Portobello Book Shop on a trip to Edinburgh, I finally made my way through this series! I’ve finally been introduced to Lila Bard and the infamous Kell! I’m excited to see where Schwab takes the next part of the series.

And that’s 2023 all wrapped up! Have you read anything on my 2023 list? Are some of these on your never-ending TBR? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T – The Biblioshelf 🤗

#SixforSunday – Books I’m Too Scared To Read!

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Happy Sunday Bibliofriends!

We’re finishing off the seasonal Ooky Spooky Bookys theme this month on Six for Sunday with a post all about books we’re too scared to read! I had so much fun putting this together and browsing for some good old fashion horror stories to include!

For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is weekly meme hosted by Steph over at A Little But A Lot. November’s theme is ‘Ooky Spooky Bookys’. 

Books I’m Too Scared To Read!

Some of my favourite orange books that I’ve read or are sitting on my physical TBR pile! ☺️

  1. The Shining by Stephen King
  2. It by Stephen King
  3. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
  4. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
  5. Button, Button by Richard Matheson
  6. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

As always, leave your links below to your own posts or drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#SixforSunday – Favourite Spooky Books!

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Happy Sunday Bibliofriends!

We’re continuing with the seasonal Ooky Spooky Bookys this month on Six for Sunday! Today is all about our favourite spooky books. As a big SFF fan, there are plenty of spooky elements within the genre that gave me so many options for these next 6 prompts!

For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is weekly meme hosted by Steph over at A Little But A Lot. November’s theme is ‘Ooky Spooky Bookys’. 

Favourite Spooky Books!

Some of my favourite orange books that I’ve read or are sitting on my physical TBR pile! ☺️

  1. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
  2. Never Have I Ever by Isabel Yap
  3. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
  4. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
  5. The Prince in the Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
  6. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

As always, leave your links below to your own posts or drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#SixforSunday – Books That Scared Me!

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Happy Sunday Bibliofriends!

We’re continuing with the seasonal Ooky Spooky Bookys this month on Six for Sunday! Today is all about books that scared us. Not gonna lie, I read so much fantasy and YA/romance novels that I don’t really think I’ve ever been scared by a book – at least not to the extent of Joey from Friends…! I’ve had a go anyway, so here’s some of the spookier books I’ve read…

For those who don’t already know, Six for Sunday is weekly meme hosted by Steph over at A Little But A Lot. November’s theme is ‘Ooky Spooky Bookys’. 

Books That Scared Me

Some of my favourite orange books that I’ve read or are sitting on my physical TBR pile! ☺️

  1. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
  2. Hag: Forgotten Folktales Retold
  3. Dracula by Bram Stoker
  4. The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
  5. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  6. Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel

As always, leave your links below to your own posts or drop me a comment to chat!

T xx