Happy Friday bookish people! I can’t believe it is March already! I thought it might be fun to share with you all some of the books I own that I think have beautiful covers.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow
Shadow and Bone Collectors Edition by Leigh Bardugo
Where Dreams Descend and When Night Breaks by Janella Angeles
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Traitors Ruin by Erin Beaty
The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
Lily by Rose Tremain
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
The Hatmakers and The Mapmakers by Tamzin Merchant
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
That’s it for this post, I hope you enjoyed it. What are some of your most beautiful books?
Happy Tuesday bookish people! I am happy to be bringing you my March TBR today. I have a good feeling about March, I am hoping to get a lot of reading done, there’s so many good books on my TBR that I desperately want to pick up. Also, it’s my birthday on the 25th of March! I’ll be 23 and I had actually forgotten how close it was, I hadn’t made a list and so I was trying to think of the books I wanted and put them on an Amazon wishlist here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/3H1PW8BGD9KF7/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1
Anyway, onto the TBR!
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
I have heard so many good things about this book and even though I am not usually the biggest fan of romance novels, I am willing to give each one a try though so we shall see if I enjoy this one or not.
Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey
Again, another contemporary romance book but I mean it has books on the front so at least I will enjoy the setting, also it has enemies to lovers from what I have read and I do enjoy that trope.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
I loved The Starless Sea by the same author, it’s my favourite book and this seems to have the same magical realism so I am hopeful that I will really enjoy this book.
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
A historical murder mystery set on a boat. Of course I want to read this book.
Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco
I am so excited to continue this series, Emilia is one of my favourite female protagonists and Wrath is such a good morally grey character. I love it!
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
This is a book that I have been putting off for ages, well ever since I finished A Court of Thorns and Roses but I am excited to read it because I have heard it is the best book in the series.
City of Brass by S A Chakraborty
I have already started this book a year ago but I put it down for some reason and I haven’t thought about picking it up again until now.
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
This is another book that I have heard really good things about so I am excited to read this one.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow
Witches in a historical setting, I am very excited about this book.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune
This books kind of reminds me of the Umbrella Academy but a bit more peaceful so that’s why I was drawn to this book to start with.
The Girl in the Tower by katherine Arden
this is the second book in the bear and the nightingale series and I absolutely loved the first book so I am really excited to continue this dark and wintery series.
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
I have recently been enjoying books with an academic setting so hopefully I will enjoy this book.
Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
This books sounds very interesting to me and a friend has read it and enjoyed it which makes me want to read it even more.
Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
This looks like a very cute middle grade book. Plus I love the cover, it is very inviting.
The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman
This is the third book in the Invisible Library series, I really love Irene and Kai from this series and I can’t wait to see what adventures they are going to go on next.
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas
This is one of my most anticipated books of this year so I am nervous to read it, it is also huge so it might take me a while but I am very excited, I am trying my hardest to not see any spoilers for it.
That’s it for my march TBR, I hope you all enjoyed it! What are you planning on reading this month?
Happy Monday bookish people! Today I am excited to bring you my February Wrap-up. Well, I say excited – I barely read anything so not so excited about that but I accomplished a lot during February.
First of all, I handed in my first assignment for my PhD and that has taken a lot of stress away from me, I also completed the redecoration of my new room including buying seven bookcases and putting my books on them (that was a great day!). Also, I went through the next stage in the process of getting a guide dog which is both terrifying and exciting.
So, usually I would list the books I was supposed to read this month and say whether I did or not, well – I only read two books this month so I won’t be listing them I will just put them here instead.
I read:
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
Review to come shortly!
and…
The Maid by Nita Prose
So that’s what I read this month, it wasn’t a lot but considering how busy I was I am okay with the little that I managed to read, also I plan on reading Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix tonight which was on my February TBR so that might mean I read three books..
That’s it for this post, I hope you all enjoyed it! Tomorrow I will be posting my March TBR so if you’re interested in seeing what I will be reading make sure to check that out.
Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. It was recently Valentines day and I shared a few posts about different types of relationships and book couples so now I am sharing a few books that have no romance or very little in them.
I haven’t read all of these books so I can’t call them a recommendation but I am pretty certain that there isn’t any romance and I have heard good things about all of them.
Onto the books!
A List of Cages – Robin Roe
When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian—the foster brother he hasn’t seen in five years.
Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He’s still kindhearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what’s really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives…
The Black Flamingo – Dean Atta
A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen – then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist, The Black Flamingo. A bold story about the power of embracing your uniqueness. Sometimes, we need to take charge, to stand up wearing pink feathers – to show ourselves to the world in bold colour.
A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness
Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don’t quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there’s a visitor at his window. It’s ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.
Patrick Ness takes the final idea of the late, award-winning writer Siobhan Dowd and weaves an extraordinary and heartbreaking tale of mischief, healing and above all, the courage it takes to survive.
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.
By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.
But these are dangerous times. When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up, and closed down.
Lirael – Garth Nix
Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Now, two years past the time when she should have received the Sight that is the Clayr’s birthright, she feels alone, abandoned, unsure of who she is. Nevertheless, the fate of the Old Kingdom lies in her hands. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, Lirael must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil.
To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it. “To Kill A Mockingbird” became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.
Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, “To Kill A Mockingbird” takes readers to the roots of human behavior – to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.
The Hobbit – J RR Tolkein
The Lie Tree – Frances Hardinge
The leaves were cold and slightly clammy. There was no mistaking them. She had seen their likeness painstakingly sketched in her father’s journal. This was his greatest secret, his treasure and his undoing. The Tree of Lies. Now it was hers, and the journey he had never finished stretched out before her.
When Faith’s father is found dead under mysterious circumstances, she is determined to untangle the truth from the lies. Searching through his belongings for clues, she discovers a strange tree. A tree that feeds off whispered lies and bears fruit that reveals hidden secrets.
But as Faith’s untruths spiral out of control, she discovers that where lies seduce, truths shatter…
That’s it for this post I hope you all enjoyed it!
Happy Monday bookish people! And Happy Valentine’s day! Today I wanted to bring you some of my opinions on the couples – or characters that are often shipped together in some cases- in some of the books that I have previously read.
There may be spoilers in this post so read at your own risk.
Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn – Camille and Ada
Camille and Ada are already dating when the book begins and there is a lot of tension growing between them throughout the book and I enjoyed the relationship because they seemed to be struggling through real problems that readers can relate to even though it is a fantasy book.
The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh – Celine and Sebastian
These two have an enemies to lovers thing going on which I really enjoyed. They are both very strong and feisty characters that bounce off each other. I think their relationship fits well within the plot and doesn’t take over. I am looking forward to seeing how these two characters develop in the rest of the series.
Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen – Petula and Jacob
This was one of the first books I read that fit properly within the contemporary romance genre. It has a simple enough story but it is full of heartache and delving into characters with mental health issues that are also trying to navigate a relationship. I liked the build up to Petula and Jacob getting together but their relationship throughout the rest of the book was difficult to read about because I didn’t completely understand the struggles they were experiencing.
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton – Ned and Cecelia
Again these two characters start off as enemies which I love in books, also the reason they meet was one of my favourites in the books that I read last year. Their personalities lend to some very sassy dialogue and I enjoyed their pairing. The only thing is that both of them love their freedom and don’t seem the type to be in committed long relationships.
To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo – Lira and Elian
To be honest this book didn’t get much emotion from me, it was an average rating from me and so I didn’t feel that much for either of these characters or their relationship. I feel that the two characters were thrown together to make it into a Little Mermaid retelling but actually neither of them fit together well in my opinion.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern – Zachary and Dorian
I don’t feel like I saw enough of this couple. The Starless Sea is my favourite book ever and I would enjoy any couple that was written into it. It was great to see LGBTQ representation in this book and the only way to describe the way this couple was portrayed is enchanting.
Not Here To Be Liked by Michelle Quach – Eliza and Len
This is another book that I struggled to get any enjoyment from. I felt that the whole romance was forgotten generally or just used to forward the author’s views on feminism and the place it has in relationships. I really like Len as a character but I didn’t feel that Eliza was fleshed out more than a 2D character.
The Upside of Unrequieted by Becky Albertalli – Molly and Reid
I love this pairing. Reid was one of my favourite male characters until I properly started reading fantasy and he’s nerdy and sweet and exactly the type of man I like in books, and in reality actually. Molly is a very interesting character and I enjoyed being taken along with her as she discovered so much about herself and what she wanted.
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco – Thomas Cresswell and Audrey Rose Wadsworth
One of my all time favourite couples. Thomas Cresswell is charming and intelligent and completely annoying but I love him. Audrey Rose is also incredibly intelligent and full of fire and personality, she lets nobody stand in her way and that sets them up for very interesting moments.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber – Julian and Scarlett/ Tella and Legend
Okay so there are two main couples in the Caraval series of books. The first is Julian and Scarlett, which I think are probably my favourite book couple ever. They start as enemies – do you see the trend starting here?- and develop feelings later but I love that Scarlett struggles to trust him, it fits perfectly with the plots and if there was a lot of tricks happening I would have trouble trusting him too.
Then there is Tella and Legend. Currently, I haven’t read the third book yet, I don’t love them as much. I think they would make a good pairing, he offers her the enchantment and the mystery that she craves but they don’t have as much of a spark in my opinion.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – Cath and Levi
I don’t usually like romance books but this one I ended up loving. Cath reminds me of myself in a lot of ways, particularly her shyness and then Levi is cheeky and cute and I would honestly love to find a Levi in real life to be with, you just know that no matter what he would be there for her.
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco – Wrath and Emilia
Emilia is a headstrong witch who, when her sister is murdered, decides to investigate for herself and summons a demon, Wrath. Wrath is so morally grey that I never know if he’s on the good side or the bad and this just draws me to him, the same as it does for Emilia and I think they challenge each other both physically and mentally which is great to see in book characters.
The Lady in the Tower by Marie Louise Jenson – Eleanor and Phillip Stanton
Another pairing that starts off as enemies, I really can’t help but have a type. I love the historical nature of the relationship, the bending of the boundaries. He is so charming and charismatic that I can’t help but like him even when the main character doesn’t. I liked the way this was a slow burn and you saw the moment when it all changed for Eleanor and she realised her feelings.
I am going to leave this post here as I have included a lot of great pairings but if everyone enjoys this I have plenty more couples to make a part 2 or part 3!
Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am bringing you a list of books that I have either read, want to read or have seen recommended that have LGBTQ+ representation.
Pumpkin by Julie Murphy
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn
Girl Serpent Thorn by Melissa Basherdoust
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M Danforth
Master of One by Jaida Jones and Dani Bennett
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth
The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson
That’s it for this post, I hope you all enjoyed it! Let me know some of your recommendations in the comments below!
Happy Tuesday bookish people! I am here today to talk about Ashes of Gold by J. Elle, the second book in the duology. The first book being Wings of Ebony. I was sent an ebook copy by Chelsea Apple so thank you for that. Unfortunately, with everything that has been happening recently I wasn’t able to read the book completely in time to do this post. However, I would still love to share with you what the duology is about because I think it is an amazing fantasy duology that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy with brilliant worldbuilding and a strong, fearless female lead!
Wings of Ebony
“Make a way out of no way” is just the way of life for Rue. But when her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, life for her and her younger sister changes forever. Rue’s taken from her neighborhood by the father she never knew, forced to leave her little sister behind, and whisked away to Ghizon—a hidden island of magic wielders.
Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue breaks Ghizon’s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence. And her sister, Tasha, is in danger of falling sway to the very forces that claimed their mother’s life.
Worse still, evidence mounts that the evil plaguing East Row is the same one that lurks in Ghizon—an evil that will stop at nothing until it has stolen everything from her and everyone she loves. Rue must embrace her true identity and wield the full magnitude of her ancestors’ power to save her neighborhood before the gods burn it to the ground.
Ashes of Gold
In the heart-pounding conclusion to the Wings of Ebony duology, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicole Yoon calls “bold, inventive, big-hearted and deeply perceptive,” Rue makes her final stand to reclaim her people’s stolen magic.
Rue has no memory of how she ended up locked in a basement prison without her magic or her allies. But she’s a girl from the East Row. And girls from the East Row don’t give up. Girls from the East Row pick themselves back up when they fall. Girls from the East Row break themselves out.
But reuniting with her friends is only half the battle. When she finds them again, Rue makes a vow: she will find a way to return the magic that the Chancellor has stolen from her father’s people. Yet even on Yiyo Peak, Rue is a misfit—with half a foot back in Houston and half a heart that is human as well as god, she’s not sure she’s the right person to lead the fight to reclaim a glorious past.
When a betrayal sends her into a tailspin, Rue must decide who to trust and how to be the leader that her people deserve…because if she doesn’t, it isn’t just Yiyo that will be destroyed—it will be Rue herself.
Also, here are some links where you can grab yourself a copy of Ashes of Gold:
Happy Monday bookish people! Today I am so excited to be bringing you my book review of The Maid by Nita Prose, this was one of my most anticipated reads of this year and I was so excited to get around to it so early in the year.
In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.
The Maid Plot:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The premise of this book really excited me, a murder mystery set in a hotel where you follow the POV of Molly, the maid. The first half of this book really lived up to my expectations with a lot of plot twists and intriguing mystery that kept my attention. However, the second half of the book became quite predictable and the mystery sort of fizzled out for me by the end.
The Maid Characters:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I really felt that I could relate to Molly, the maid with her friendly although a little socially awkward personality. One thing I should mention is that she is portrayed in a very similar way to an autistic character but I haven’t seen anything describing her as actually autistic. I was rooting for her character a lot, especially during the second half of the novel, she came into her bravery a lot there.
The Maid Writing and dialogue:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The writing in this book is so clear and smooth and enjoyable. The writing drew me in from the very first page.
The Maid Overall:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I gave this book four stars overall because I really enjoyed most of the plot but I felt the ending was a little disappointing.
Blurb/Synopsis:
Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.
Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.
But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?
A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.
That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!
Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you all had a lovely January. If you have seen any of my recent posts here on my Instagram posts (@the_blind_scribe) you will know that my January has been full of ups and downs, honestly mostly downs. After being unwell for most of it and then my partner and I breaking up and having to move back in with my parents I barely read anything in January.
So, onto my January Wrap-up!
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – I did not read
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik – I did not read
Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert – I did read!
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare – I did not read
Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody – I did not read
Daughters of Night by Laura Shepard Robinson – I have recently started to read this, I won’t finish it by the end of the month but I am really enjoying the atmosphere and the lead female character so far.
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton – I have not read
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff – I did not get around to reading
European Travels for the Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss – I have read the first 20 pages or so of this book and I am enjoying it but I wasn’t in the right mood for it this month because of everything happening.
Finale by Stephanie Garber – I did not read
Furyborn by Claire Legrand – I did not read
The Killings at Kingfisher Hill by Sophie Hannah – I did read this!
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff – I did not read this
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty – I did not read this
Pages and Co Tilly and the Lost Fairytales – I did read this!
Queenslayer by Sebastien De Castell – I did not read this
Shadowscent by P M Freestone – I did not read this
The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman – I did not read
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi – I did not read
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley – I did not read
The Plague Letters by V L Valentine – I did not read
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas – I did not read
I also read The Enchanted Wood, The Magic Faraway Tree and The Folk of the Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton which wasn’t on my TBR. So that means I read six books and I started two more so I am actually really happy with the amount that I ended up reading this month.
That’s it for this wrap up I hope you all enjoyed it!
Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day and week. My week has been very upsetting and stressful, my partner and I ended up breaking up and I had to gather the things I needed and move to my sister’s house for a few days. Then I will be moving back in with my parents so it’s been really difficult and I’m not doing too great but things will get better soon I’m sure.
Spaghetti – A book with a friendship or multiple points of view
All I had to know about this book is that there’s a library and demons coming out of books so of course I want to read it.
Champagne – A character with anxiety
I don’t know much about this book but I saw a few people mention that if you like the book fangirl by rainbow rowell then you might like this one so that’s why I picked it up and I am intrigued.
Steak and Lobster – A book that looks expensive or has a fancy cover
I am so excited to read this book! And this cover definitely fits the prompt of looking fancy.
Ring Pops – a book featuring or revolving around a wedding
Yuzu – a sweet and tart character
I love anything Garth Nix so I am very excited to read this.
Truffles – A darker genre book e.g mystery or thriller
Leftovers – A book you DNF’d
I started this book about a year ago and I read the first 100 pages and then I can’t remember the reason why I put it down but I did and I hadn’t gotten around to picking it up again yet.
Baked Alaska – a book with a surprise
Edible Glitter – A book with magic or fantasy in it
Milkshake – a book where two characters have to go on a quest
Pizza – a comfort read
Strawberries – a book with a red cover
I know it doesn’t look very red here but I was very lucky to be sent a proof copy of this book and that one has a red cover, so I am going to count it.
That’s it for my February TBR, I hope you all enjoyed seeing what I plan to read. Let me know in the comments if you plan to join us with the readathon – there are prizes! – and what you plan to read for it.
Home | The Blind Scribe 