book review – Page 26 – Home

Signed Books That I Own

March 11, 2022March 4, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I thought it might be fun today to share what some books I have, that I have signed, are.

I would just like to say that I am not trying to brag about the books that I have I just thought it might be fun to share which books and where I may have gotten some of them.

The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino

I got this book as a wonderful signed edition from my monthly Illumicrate boxes

The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

I also got this book in a book box!

Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn

I also got this one in an Illumicrate box, I read it and loved it and now I own the second one in the series.

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

My friend ordered me this book from online because they had found a hardback copy and then when it arrived it was a great surprise to find out it was also signed

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant

I got this amazing book in my Illumicrate box too.

Mrs England by Stacey Halls

I managed to grab a signed edition of this book from my local waterstones

Haven’t They Grown by Sophie Hannah

I found this book in a charity shop and it turned out to be a signed hardback and it was an amazing bargain

A Line To Kill by Anthony Horowitz

I got this from a company called Forbidden Planet, I was just scrolling through their website and I ended up ordering a lot of books (oops!) and I managed to get a signed copy of this book from there.

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

I got this one in my Waterstones, it didn’t say it was signed and I was very happy when I got home and saw it was signed

Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow

I got this book and Once and Future Witches by the same author in my monthly book boxes

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

I got this one in my local Waterstones

Under the Whispering Door by T J Klune

I found a signed copy of this one in my Whsmiths and I was really excited to find this one

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff

I got this book in a recent Illumicrate box

The Desolation of Devil’s Acre by Ransom Riggs

I managed to preorder a signed copy of this book from waterstones

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

I got this book in my Illumicrate box too

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

I got this beautiful book in my Illumicrate box

One Of Us Is Lying/One Of Us Is Next/Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen M McManus

I got these books signed when I met Karen M McManus at YALC in 2019 which was amazing!

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

I also got this in my Illumicrate box

The Mapmakers by Tamzin Merchant

My local waterstones luckily had a signed copy of this book

This Woven Kingdom by Taherah Mafi

I also got this one in my Illumicrate box

Terciel and Elinor by Garth Nix

I was looking everywhere for a signed copy of this book and I finally found one in Whsmiths

A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab

I bought the special Illumicrate box for this book and along with some other items it got me a signed copy of this book

That’s it for this blog post, I hope you all enjoyed it! Do you have any signed books?

Book Reviews

Book Review- Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

March 7, 2022March 1, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! Today I am bringing you a review of one of the few books I read in February, Finlay Donovan is Killing it by Elle Cosimano.

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.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It Plot:

For the first 100 pages I wasn’t sure what I thought of this book, there was so much happening in so few pages that it should have felt fast but it actually felt like it was pretty slow, it took me a week to read the first 100 pages but then I picked it up to read a bit more and ended up finishing the rest of the book in one sitting. So my opinion on it changed. I ended up loving it, the mystery had a twist that I did not see coming and it has a strong motive for Finlay, being her children and keeping her family together. It felt realistic and it was something that I really liked about this novel.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It Characters:

So Finlay is the main character and she has a really great character arc, she has a focus on her children and her job and while her life is a mess at the beginning you see how hard she is trying to put it back together, I liked how relatable the character is even though the events of the novel aren’t realistic, it created a good balance.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It Writing And Dialogue:

As I said the pace of the novel felt slow for the first part and that might be the writing a little but for the rest of the book the writing was excellent, clear and helped me to be dragged into the story.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It Overall:

Overall I gave this book four stars because the second half was very entertaining but the first 100 pages let it down a little bit. I am excited to pick up the sequel as soon as possible.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Finlay Donovan is killing it…except, she’s really not. A stressed-out single mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: The new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written; her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her; and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet. She soon discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moments, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from award-winning Elle Cosimano.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Monthly TBRs

March TBR

March 1, 2022February 28, 2022 theblindscribe

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?

Monthly Wrap Ups

February Wrap-Up

February 28, 2022 theblindscribe

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.

Uncategorized

Ashes of Gold by J. Elle

February 8, 2022 theblindscribe

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:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1534470700/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sout?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sout_uk-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ashes-of-gold-j-elle/1139746695;jsessionid=7ED6A31DE73D0D236D24952555BA8087.prodny_store02-atgap06?ean=9781534470705

Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Ashes-of-Gold-J-Elle/9781534470705

Book Reviews

Book Review – The Maid by Nita Prose

February 7, 2022 theblindscribe

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:

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:

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:

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:

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!

Monthly Wrap Ups

January Wrap Up!

January 31, 2022 theblindscribe

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!

Book Reviews

Book Review: Pages and Co by Anna James

January 24, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. I am all tucked up in bed not feeling too great but with a lovely stack of books next to me just waiting to be read. Today I am bringing you a book review of Pages and Co by Anna James.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Pages and Co Plot:

Pages and Co is a story that focuses on Tilly, a young girl who lives with her Grandparents in their bookshop, who finds that there is a lot more magic in books than she thought possible. I loved the magic in this story, it embodies the wonder that children feel when reading and living the enchantment of books. It also carries a childlike innocence throughout that gives the whole story a lighter tone despite the serious moments. The plot of this book was so unique and it drew me in from the very first chapter

Pages and Co Characters:

Tilly is the main character in this book, she is headstrong and adventurous. I loved following her as she discovers where her life is going. I felt that Tilly had a great character arc in this story but also I think her character still has a lot of room for growth in the rest of the series. Something else I loved about the characters in this book is the friendship between Tilly and Oskar.

Pages and Co Writing and Dialogue:

There’s not a lot that I can say about this other than it was clear and smooth and I felt that the writing helped to carry the plot on.

Pages and Co Overall:

I gave this book four stars overall because I really enjoyed the story and I am excited to continue reading the series (at the time of reading this I have already read the second book in the series).

Blurb/Synopsis:

A magical adventure to delight the imagination. A curl-up-on-the-sofa debut from a uniquely talented author.

Eleven year-old Tilly has lived above her grandparents’ bookshop ever since her mother disappeared shortly after she was born. Like the rest of her family, Tilly loves nothing more than to escape into the pages of her favourite stories.

One day Tilly realises that classic children’s characters are appearing in the shop through the magic of `book wandering’ – crossing over from the page into real life.

With the help of Anne of Green Gables and Alice in Wonderland. Tilly is determined to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother all those years ago, so she bravely steps into the unknown, unsure of what adventure lies ahead and what dangers she may face.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

Book Review: Murder On Christmas Eve

January 17, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! Today is a very busy and exciting day for me, I am going with my sister to see her try on wedding dresses. But before that I am here to share a book review or two, starting with Murder on Christmas Eve – an anthology of short stories all set on Christmas Eve.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Murder on Christmas Eve Plot:

I will start by saying I don’t think there was a story in this anthology that I didn’t enjoy. My favourite of them being the one about the cat, The book isn’t near me now so I can’t check the title but if you read the book then you’ll know exactly which one I mean. There isn’t much more I can say about the plot except to reiterate how much I really enjoyed it.

Murder on Christmas Eve Characters:

This category is also hard to describe because there are so many characters throughout the stories but there is a wide range, old, young, tall, short, the villains aren’t always who you expect it to be and I loved that.

Murder on Christmas Eve Writing and Dialogue:

Each of the stories are written by different authors, some of which I had read before and others that I hadn’t. It was nice to read some work by new authors and start to enjoy their texts.

Murder on Christmas Eve:

I gave this book four stars overall because it kept me very entertained while on a car journey. Each of the stories are very intriguing and contain great mmysteries.

Blurb:

Christmas Eve. While the world sleeps, snow falls gently from the sky, presents await under the tree … and murder is afoot. In this collection of ten classic murder mysteries from the best crime writers in history, death and mayhem take many festive forms, from the inventive to the unexpected.

From a Santa Claus with a grudge to a cat who knows who killed its owner on Christmas Eve, these are stories to enjoy – and be mystified by – in front of a roaring fire, mince pie to hand.

The trinity cat / Ellis Peters —
The Santa Claus Club / Julian Symons —
The four seasons / Michael Innes —
No sanity clause / Ian Rankin —
The footprint in the sky / John Dickson Carr —
A wife in a million / Val McDermid —
The dagger with wings / G.K. Chesterton —
Cambric tea / Marjorie Bowen —
As dark as Christmas gets / Lawrence Block —
On Christmas day in the morning / Margery Allingham

Book Reviews

Book Review: Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

January 10, 2022 theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. It is the new year and I am getting around to putting up my first book review of the year! The book review is for Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert and it is the final book in the Brown Sisters Trilogy.

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.

Act Your Age Eve Brown Plot:

Okay so first I will admit that I only started this trilogy so that I could read this particular book. I thought the description of Eve was something that I could relate to and the grumpy and sunshine trope was something I hadn’t read before.

Now my actual reading of this book wasn’t as enjoyable as I hoped it would be. The beginning was something I did enjoy, with the introduction of Jacob and the setting of the Inn. It felt very warm and cosy and I was looking forward to the romance of it, which is very rare for me. However, one of the things that I really don’t like in books is when drama is added for the sake of having drama and that is what it felt like at some points in this book. A good point for it though is that it has representation of autism that I felt was good.

Act Your Age Eve Brown Characters:

Eve was my second favourite of the sisters, Chloe being my favourite, and I loved her bubbly personality and how she went from being supported by her parents and having no confidence in herself to how she is at the end of the book. Jacob is the love interest in this book, he is the grumpy character at the beginning and I liked how he was represented.

Act Your Age Eve Brown Writing and Dialogue:

Talia Hibbert’s writing is very enjoyable because of it’s witty dialogue and humour. It was clear and well structured.

Act Your Age Eve Brown Overall:

I am giving the book three stars overall because it didn’t quite live up to my expectations but I did really enjoy the characters and the dialogue.

In Act Your Age, Eve Brown the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard—literally.

Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong—so she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It’s time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she’s not entirely sure how…

Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.

Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!