Tag: bookaholic

TTT – Books on my Spring TBR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy reading!

T xx

Six for Sunday & Life Updates

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Happy Sunday Bibliofriends!

Six For Sunday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Magnus Bane and Alec (Shadowhunters – Cassandra Clare)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading Updates

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

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

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

Life update:

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

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

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

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

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

T xx

Greek Mythology Tag

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To me, myths and legends form the absolute baseline for the tradition which today we call storytelling. I recently listened to Stephen Fry’s Mythos audiobook and it has reignited my love all things mythical. I was so excited when Umairah @Sereadipity tagged me in this Greek Mythology Tag that she found Lau Reads’ blog, that it didn’t take me long to get started – choosing the books was obviously a lot harder, there’s so much great literature out there!

☆ Zeus: Favourite book

Of all time?! If I was forced to pick just one, I would probably say The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Záfon as it is so beautifully written.

☆ Poseidon: A book that drowned you in feels 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling– I’m one of those “I-grew-up-with-Harry” types of people and reaching the end of this series was like reaching an end of an era in bookish-life terms. The chapter The Prince’s Tale breaks my heart and makes me cry every damn time.
Always.

☆ Hades: Favourite dark book 

Lord of the Flies by William Golding – there’s just something about the realness of it that I find perturbing.

☆ Hera: Cutest couple

Rhysand and Ferye – ACOWAR Chapter 55; need I say anymore?!

☆ Athena: Favourite intelligent heroine 

Celeana Sardothian from the Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J Maas. I know that some people may not class her character as ‘intelligent’ necessarily but she is quite cunning and savvy. She always seems to have a plan for everything and if she doesn’t then she makes a point of finding out. She also loves her books.

☆ Gaea: Favourite world building book

Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien – I consider it to be one of the true greats in fantasy literature. To create a world like Middle Earth, base an entire collection of stories, poems and histories in it, then inspire someone like Peter Jackson to bring it to life on the big screen – that is some seriously epic world-building power right there!

☆ Aphrodite: Most gorgeous cover

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. The cover was design by a paper-cutting artist called Rob Ryan and I adore his work, it’s so intricate and pretty.

☆ Ares: Most violent book you’ve read 

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis – without a shadow of a doubt.

☆ Hephaestus: Hottest book you’ve ever read 

Sex and the City by Candace BushnellI guess. I don’t tend to read that much fiction that I’d define as hot so this was difficult! 😂

☆ Artemis: A heroine who doesn’t need a man to save her

Manon Blackbeak from the Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J Maas. I didn’t really like Manon that much at first, but then Queen of Shadows happened! Manon’s journey in Kingdom of Ash nearly killed me, I was in floods!

☆ Apollo: A book that is an exception to a genre you don’t usually like

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – I’m not really interested in spaceships / artificial intelligence / futuristic planets etc. but I loved Illuminae. (Like a lot of books, Gemina and Obsidio are on my TBR!).

☆ Hermes: A book that stole your heart 

One Day by David Nicholls. The ending played with my heartstrings far too much!

☆ Hestia: A book you go back to for comfort 

Harry Potter – every time! Whenever I visit the Warner Brothers Studio Tour my eyes always well-up when I get to wand shop at the end and I read the quote on the big screen: “No story lives unless someone wants to listen. The stories we love best do live in us forever. So whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.” 💙

☆ Demeter: Favourite book setting 

Anything that takes place in the sea/ocean or underwater. I don’t know why but I’m just drawn to water worlds; perhaps I was a fish in a previous life!

☆ Dionysus: A book you are most anticipating in the next year 

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal for a 2019 release; however, if we are talking about the next chronological year until March 2020 then I would have to say Queen of Nothing by Holly Black. After the ending of The Wicked King, I’m desperate to know what happens!

☆ Hecate: Favourite magical read

Harry Potter (again!), it brought the magic back into my love for reading!

☆ Nemesis: Favourite revenge story

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. The way Bardugo weaves all of the different characters and their stories/motivations together in one thrilling heist narrative was brilliant!

So there’s my list. Have a go if you like the sound of it and you’re a fellow Greek myth fan!

Happy listing!

T xx

Standalone books that need a sequel

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Happy Tuesday Bibliopiles!

I’ve got to admit, I really struggled with this week’s Top Ten Tuesday for ‘standalones that need a sequel’. The books I tend to read are mostly of the YA / Fantasy genre and there seems to be plenty of duologies and trilogies and quadrologies, but not many standalones. So after scouring through my whole ‘Read’ list on Goodreads, I have come up with a grand total of 9 standalones which I feel need a sequel. That missing 10thbook is going to really annoy me so if anyone can kindly suggest one to fill the gap then I’d be very grateful! 🤓

10) Vacant spot…please feel free to fill in the comments! 😂

9) The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Now I know that after the ending of The Great Gatsby [which I won’t spoil here], that there may not need to be a sequel as such, but I do wonder what became of Daisy, Nick and Jordan and what their futures held.

8) Far from the Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy

This was one of the texts I had to read at school and I remember being thoroughly immersed in the storyline. It would have been fun to see how the characters’ lives played out after the ending.

7) Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn

I loved this book! It really gripped me and…that ending! I would be truly afraid to be a fly on the wall in that household but would be desperate to see what their futures held.

6) Burning Bright – Tracy Chevalier

William Blake is one of my favourite poets so I was naturally drawn to this book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and admired the way Tracy managed to weave the characters’ narratives into Blake’s work. I’d happily read a sequel to discover what happened next.

5) Neverwhere – Neil Gaiman

Gaiman is such a brilliant storyteller. I liked how unusual and literal his Neverwhere world was. I definitely wouldn’t say no to another instalment.

4) Stardust– Neil Gaiman

Ditto as above – I don’t think any Gaiman fan would turn down the chance to get their hands on a sequel to his work!

3) The Goldfinch– Donna Tartt

I read this as part of the Between Two Books book club (started by Florence + the Machine Fans) and was pleasantly surprised by how much the story captivated me. Although I was really satisfied with how it ended, I’d still love to see what happened to Theo Decker.

2) Kitchens of the Great Midwest– J. Ryan Stradal

This story was quite unique compared to any other novel that I’ve read before. A sequel would be a great way to show what happened to the characters and how their lives developed after the ending of the novel.

1) To Kill a Kingdom– Alexandra Christo

This was the first (and only, to be honest) book that came straight to my mind when I thought of the theme for this week’s TTT. In reality, it’s the only one on my list that I’d actually be pining after a sequel for. Christo’s brilliant characters and masterful settings created such a rich novel that I just wanted more, more, more!

Anyway, that’s my pathetic little attempt at keeping up to date with blog posts and TTT. Typical how when you always get into the swing of something, work comes along to distract you from it again! That’s what my week started off like. 🙄 I hope yours was better!

Happy reading!

T xx

5 Biblioshelf Musings about… Crooked Kingdom

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So my February mission was to try and start finishing some series which I was part-way through before every plot from every book I’ve ever read starts bleeding into each other. I read Six of Crows towards the end of 2018 and knew immediately that I wouldn’t be waiting very long before getting my hands on Crooked Kingdom.

I enjoyed this duology much more than the Shadow and Bone trilogy. To me, Bardugo’s writing was really well developed in terms of the clever plot and the characters’ interactions (and as an Ocean’s movie fan I was bound to love a good heist).

With an ending like Crooked Kingdom there is no way that I can keep this review completely spoiler-free so if you haven’t read these books yet then what are you waiting for? Go buy them, read them, then come back so we can talk about this!

Here’s just five of the many things I thought after reading Crooked Kingdom (I can’t promise that some of them won’t sound garbled, rant-ish or fangirly. Sorry, not sorry!):

Domhnall Gleeson would be my dream casting for Sturmhond/Nikolai…

Seriously, does anyone else visualise Domhnall Gleeson as Sturmhond? Now the image is in my head, I can’t unsee it. I think he’d be absolutely perfect for the role. However as this is now a Netflix TV show I’m not really sure he’d be in the frame but I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled on the casting news nevertheless. Who would be your dream Crow Club cast? Let me know below!

What is the deal with Kaz and Inej?

This is a ship I am constantly conflicted over. I was so happy at the end of Crooked Kingdom that Inej stays in Ketterdam and Kaz helps to reunite her with her family etc etc, but I can’t really see them as a couple, even though I want them to end up together and be happy – does that make sense? What is this confusion?!

I really like Inej. Her morals, her intuition, her integrity, her ability to blend into darkness or walk on tightropes in the air…this girl has a major coolness factor.

Then I think, what in Ghezen’s name makes her stick with Kaz Brekker?

BUT THEN, I also really like Kaz! He is so clever how he thinks of all of his schemes and plots. I can see how his actions and determination are due to the trauma and sadness in him from his brother’s death. He is a tragic kind of flawed-hero who reminds me in part of Severus Snape (one of my all-time literary heroes) and deserves that happy ending…just rip off the gloves Kaz and tell her how much you love her!!

Is Dunyasha an alien from another planet?

Dunyasha – some exotic ninja-warrior whose only real part in the story is to give Inej a run for her money. So who is she, where does she come from? It’s like she doesn’t fit in the Grishaverse at all. With a moniker such as the White Blade of Ahmrat Jen, this Ravkan assassin who was trained at a Shu monastery (of all places) and believes she’s some sort of Lansov heir…I need more on her! Some kind of novella or back story or something…pretty please? 🙏 Anyone else get this?

From a rushed ending to a proposed book 3?

The build-up in this book felt massive compared to the fast paced nature of Six of Crows. A fair portion of it was character development and setting the scenes for the showdown at the end which I understand, but by the time of the auction it all felt like it was over so quickly. They’re escaping the Church, then Matthias gets shot, then the bad guys go away, then Kaz saves the day, then they all disperse and that’s the end? I wanted just a little…bit…more before I parted ways with characters that I had been made to grow attached to! And now I’m told that there might be a third book but it may not happen until many years down the line…Leigh Bardugo, you are the Corporalki messing with my heartstrings! Good thing we have King of Scars to read whilst we’re waiting! 🙂

Poor, poor Matthias!

I guessed that at least one character might die as it seemed a little too twee that the whole group would come out unscathed, but not Matthias! Are you kidding me? 😱

‘Mattina’ was my favourite Six of Crows couple and to kill him off by a bullet wound to the stomach from a junior Drüskelle rather than in the midst of big action AND when they’re all about ready to ride off into the Ketterdam sunset?! It brought tears to my eyes when he died in Nina’s arms, especially as I thought he’d managed to escape the stupid junior Drüskelle guy. Then I cried again when they said goodbye to him and put him on the barge. #gutted

Someone out there needs to write a fanfiction where Matthias never really dies, he and Nina go to Fjerda, rescue his wolf Trassel and then live happily ever after. Any takers…?

So there we have it; my own rambled musings about this fantastic “duology-rumoured-to-be-a-trilogy”.  I’m really glad the hype surrounding this book swayed me into reading it. I’m now definitely a Grisha fan, not sure how much longer I’ll be able to hold back from buying King of Scars. 🙈
As always, drop me a comment below if you want to chat books!

Happy Sunday bookish friends! ☺️ Keep reading!

T xx

Happy World Book Day!

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It’s World Book Day everyone! Working as a Year 6 teacher in a primary school we get to have loads of fun by dressing up as our favourite book characters. I always dread the drive to work, just in case you get pulled over or have an accident and end up having to explain your weird outfit to strangers.

Today I went as Wally (Where’s Wally) which ended up being a bit of a Plan B as I originally intended to go as Luna Lovegood, purely because I own a pair of Spectrespecs! 😂 We took part in a BBC Live Lesson this afternoon which featured authors including Malorie Blackman, Cressida Cowell and Rob Biddulph.

During the middle of the broadcast they had a random fact montage and as soon as a word and it’s definition popped up on screen, I just had to write it down:

Tsundoku – It’s basically the Japanese way for describing the never-ending TBR pile! It’s their word for buying loads of books and never having the time to read them.

So in honour of World Book Day and my new-found knowledge of the word Tsundoku, I would like to list 3 books that have been on my never-ending TBR pile and pledge to read them before the end of 2019.

  • The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
  • Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
  • A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

What do you do to avoid Tsundoku? To be fair I should probably stop buying so many books…but let’s face it, hell may freeze over before that happens!

Feel free to post your own Tsundoku list in the comments! I look forward to seeing what you guys come up with.

Happy World Book! Enjoy celebrating one of the greatest days of the year for us book-lovers!

T xx

Bookish Adventure Tag!

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Umairah @ Sereadipity celebrated reaching 100 followers with a special Bookish Adventure Tag. This is my first tag and I had such a lot of fun!

Here are the rules:

Write about one place mentioned in a book you wish you could visit and why.

  • List 3-5 things that you would do there.
  • Mention which souvenirs, if any, you would bring back with you.
  • Then tag some more literary explorers and please link back to the creator

To be honest I had to condense it loads as I could ramble on forever about my Dream Bookish Destination! Here goes…

Dream Bookish Destination:

When someone says ‘Ultimate Bookish Destination’, Middle Earth is the first thing that pops into my head. I know it’s not exactly one destination but I can’t thing of a single place that I’d love to visit more. There’s just something so magical and unforgettable about Tolkien’s world. Trouble is, if I ever got to visit, I don’t think I’d ever want to leave!

Things I would do:

  • Rent a room at the Prancing Pony and drink pints with hobbits.
  • Attend one of Gandalf’s famous firework parties in the Shire then eat breakfast, second breakfast and elevenses the morning after.
  • Sit and read books by the waterfall in Rivendell.
  • Go horse riding with the Rohirrim across Rohan.
  • Visit the Lonely Mountain and try and steal a bit of Smaug’s treasure.
  • Have tea with Radagast the Brown and his amazing menagerie of animals.
  • Wander through the streets of Gondor and see the famous White Tree.
  • Steer well clear of Minas Morgul and the creepy spider lair.
  • Go on a walk with the Ents.

Souvenirs:

  • The Light of Eärendil – because it would be way cooler than using my phone as a torch…
  • If I couldn’t bring back a horse from Rohan, I’d make do with a Rohan flag that I could use as a throw-cover or something.
  • A piece of treasure from the Lonely Mountain; just to say that I, like Bilbo, could pass for a thief and because I like shiny things! 😂

Tag! You’re it! Feel free to have a go at your own Dream Bookish Destination.

Thanks again to Umairah for creating the Bookish Adventure Tag. I had a blast!

T xx

Top Ten Tuesday – Characters I’d Like to Trade Places With

The Biblioshelf8 Comments

Hey Bibliophiles,

It’s that Top Ten Tuesday time again! This week’s theme is Characters I’d Like to Trade Places With. The way this term is going at work I’d happily hop into a bookish portal and body-swap with any of these guys right now; no hesitating or looking back required!

10) ‘Traitor Kate’ from Onyx and Ivory [Mindee Arnett]

I’m currently reading this book and loving it! As a Relay Rider Kate has to gallop across the country of Rime delivering things for the Royal Courier Service. Part of Kate’s wilder magic gives her the ability to speak to horses and connect with their essence; perfect for a horse-lover like myself!

9) ‘Flora’ from Summer at the Lake [Erica James]

She gets to hold guided tours around the beautiful City of Dreaming Spires for a day job, then jets off to the picturesque Lake Como in Italy where all her dreams come true and she meets and falls in love with the man of her dreams…What’s not to want to switch with?

8) ‘Isabel’ from The Mortal Instruments Series [Cassandra Clare]

Isabel is one of my favourite Shadowhunters and I think it’d be pretty cool to have a lightning whip!

7) ‘Robert Langdon’ [Dan Brown]

I am such a nerd when it comes to conspiracies and symbolism! I’d really love to have Langdon’s eidetic memory and visit lots of historic cities and landmarks cracking codes and solving puzzles.

6) ‘Wade Watts’ from Ready Player One [Ernest Cline]

Get me to the OASIS! Ready Player Onewas one of my favourite reads of last year! I basically just want to be Parzival’s character and go on my own Treasure Hunt to find 80s pop culture easter eggs!

5) ‘Elizabeth Bennett’ from Pride and Prejudice [Jane Austen]

Two words:

Mr.             Darcy

That is all.

4) ‘Lysandra’ from theThrone of Glass Series [Sarah J Maas]

Ok, so I’d only switch places after the magic has been freed and then I could shapeshift into anything or anyone I wanted right? Or is that cheating, like Aladdin wishing the genie for more wishes…?

3) ‘Buffy’ [Joss Whedon]

Now I know Buffy is more famous for being a TV show, but they also did books too. This TV show is one of my all-time favourites. I so badly wanted to be a vampire slayer when I was a kid! I haven’t read the new Slayernovel by Kiersten White yet but I’ve heard lots of great things.

2) ‘Professor McGonagall’ from the Harry Potter series [J. K. Rowling]

As a teacher myself, who better to switch places with then one of the fiercest teachers at Hogwarts? Alas, I guess I’ll have to stick to teaching the muggles for now!

1) ‘Arwen’ from The Lord of the Rings [J. R. R. Tolkien]

Reasons to switch places with Arwen:

Elven – check
Wears swishy long dresses – check
Adorned with ultimate Evenstar bling – check
Lives in Rivendell – check

Anything I’ve forgotten? Oh wait…

In love with Aragorn – BIG CHECK!

That’s the end of TTT for another week. Who would be your ultimate character to switch places with? I’m looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with!

T xx

5 Biblioshelf Musings about ‘The Wicked King’

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After reading and loving The Cruel Prince, Holly Black’s sequel, The Wicked King,was immediately added to my TBR and I was thrilled to be lucky enough to win a copy from Hot Key Books through Readers First back in January. Now that I’ve finally got around to finish reading it here’s five things (as spoiler-free as possible!) I loved about The Wicked King.

1. We need to talk about Cardan… future-hero or long-time villain?

Back in The Cruel Prince, I found Cardan to be a very self-absorbed character which I wasn’t that interested in…but now, in The Wicked King, I’m completely fascinated by him. And what’s more, I can’t work out whether he really is a long-time villain and is just as cruel and wicked as the titles of Holly’s stories suggests OR whether Cardan’s nastiness is all just a ruse before he swoops in to save the day. The way he plays back and forth with Jude was mirrored with the way I felt about his character. I’m secretly hoping that he’s some kind of flawed-hero who will come good in the end. I guess we’ll have to wait until The Queen of Nothing to find out!

 2. Who’s that Jude?

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by Jude and her growth of character in this sequel. In the first book I wasn’t terribly keen on her and I can’t actually put my finger on why. But it seems that her role as the seneschal of King Cardan has given her a new dimension. She is much more ruthless and calculating whilst at the same time battling against her feeling of being out of place in Elfhame. I like the way Holly Black explores that sense of not-belonging in the role/world you find yourself in and how she has Jude with this in the story.

“Once upon a time, there was a human girl stolen away by faeries, and because of that, she swore to destroy them.”

3. Diving into the Undersea

Sounds strange, but in a previous life I definitely believe I lived in the ocean…I think that’s why I am drawn to any stories about pirates, mermaids, sea adventures and underwater worlds. I was so happy that we got to see what The Undersea is like in The Wicked King; I liked the way the world is shaped from reef coral and sea kelp and how the Mer Folk go about on their turtles. I hope we get more of it in the finale.

4. Deception, Lies and Secrecy

The twists and turns in this book come in thick and fast. I really enjoyed the political intrigue and second-guessing which ran through the story. There are so many different court factions who all have their own loyalties and priorities which make for a fascinating narrative. I wound up constantly changing my mind about which characters were good and which were bad. Whilst I’d love to say that I figured out which character had betrayed Jude, I still wasn’t 100% certain until I read it in black and white. Add to that the mystery of good-guy/bad-guy King Cardan then The Wicked Kingcertainly kept me on my toes.

“Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold on to.”

5. THAT ending…!

It’s fair to say that Holly Black has mastered the cliff-hanger ending. Just when we were thinking that all was well – BAM – there goes the rug, pulled right out from under your feet and you’re questioning all you thought you knew about how this tale was going to turn out… It’s hard to describe without giving away loads of spoilers but it’s safe to say that I didn’t see it coming and, as alluded to before in my feelings about Cardan, I’m not entirely sure whether Cardan is protecting Jude and being the “hero in disguise” or whether he really has managed to get his own back after what Jude did to him at the end of The Cruel Prince.

“And the single last thing in my head: that I like him better than I’ve ever liked anyone and that of all the things he’s ever done to me, making me like him so much is by far the worst.”

Needless to say, the only way I will find out the answers to the many, many questions buzzing through my head is with the final instalment in this trilogy, The Queen of Nothing, set for release in 2020. I thoroughly enjoyed returning to Elfhame to see what lay in store for Jude, Cardan and the rest of the characters in this series. Again, thanks to Readers First and Hot Key Books for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Have you read The Wicked King? If anyone wants to chat Book 3 or Cardan theories then feel free to drop me a comment below!

Friday 56 – Crooked Kingdom

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Happy 1st March Bibliophiles!

I cannot believe how fast 2019 seems to be going, where did January and February go…?

It’s Friday 56 time! In a bid to start finishing some of the book series I’m still part-way through I’m currently reading Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. I’m enjoying this series much more than the Shadow and Bone trilogy as it seems to have many more layers to its story and is more dark and twisty.

‘And yet amid the clamor of suspicion, she could hear the soft chiming of another bell, the sound of What if? What if she let herself be comforted, gave up the pretence of being beyond the things she’d lost?’

I really like Inej’s character. She has strength but shows vulnerability at the same time and I really think this quotation sums that up. Here’s to hoping her story has a happy ending! I’m so close to the end and it’s getting towards the stage where I’m late leaving the house for work because I just can’t put it down…!

Any other Grishaverse fans out there? If you could be in any Grisha Order which would you want to be in and why?

I always thought I’d want to be something to do with the elements, like an Inferni or a Tidemaker. Being late to the Bardugo party, I only recently realised that there is an actual Grisha quiz you can take on www.grishaverse.com to find out what Order you would be suited to. Typically I didn’t get Inferni or Tidemaker…turns out I’m a Heartrender and the character I am most like in the Grishaverse is Nina – which now makes sense the further through these books I go…

Hosted by Freda’s Voice 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.

Have a super weekend guys! My friend is getting married today so we’ll be partying in style tonight!

T xx