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25 book series I’ve Started and Not Finished

Happy Friday bookish people! I have been seeing a few different videos on BookTube where people look at the book series’ they have started and not finished yet. It got me thinking about how many series’ I’ve started and so I am making this post to share them with all of you! As you can tell by the title, there’s quite a few of them.. 25 actually which seems like a lot, well, it IS a lot but I honestly thought there would be more.

Let’s get onto the book series’ I’ve started and not finished!

The Spellslinger Series by Sebastien De Castell

I don’t know if there is a title for the series overall but I’ve just called it the Spellslinger series because the first book is called Spellslinger. My progress on this series is pretty good actually, I’ve read Spellslinger, Shadowblack, Charmcaster and Soulbinder so I only have two more books in the series left to read. And then I can start on the Way of the Argosi series which is like a spin-off series. I really like the blend of serious fantasy and comedy in these books and I find I can read them very quickly and enjoy every page. Also, on Monday I won the chance to be part of a zoom meet and greet with Sebastien De Castell which I am so excited for!

The Invisible Library Series by Genevieve Cogman

Again, I don’t know if The Invisible Library series is what these books are called but the first one in the series is called The Invisible Library. I haven’t read as many of this series as I would have liked to by now. I have read The Invisible Library and The Masked City. I’ve had the Burning Page on my TBR before but I didn’t get around to reading it. This series follows Irene who is a librarian spy, it is such an interesting premise for a character and the books have a variety of other fantasy creatures like Fae and Dragons.

Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo

I think I read this in the wrong order because I read the Six of Crows duology first – and loved them! – so when I read Shadow and Bone I felt I knew the world quite well. I have only read the first book in this series so far but I did enjoy it, especially the villain of the series, I do think this is a series I will get to eventually but it’s not one I’m in the mood to finish right now.

A Darker Shade of Magic series by V E Schwab

I got the first book in this series from a special edition box that Illumicrate did and it is a beautiful edition of the book. I loved the idea of having four different Londons and being able to travel between them. I have only read the first book in this series because the second and third ones are quite long but I am hoping to get to A Gathering of Shadows soon.

The Way Of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry

This series is set in Edinburgh and is a dark mystery series. I have read The Way of All Flesh, the first book in this series. I loved the atmosphere the book had and the mystery was eerie and dark and the reader is thrown right into the centre of the tension when the novel opens. I am looking forward to continuing this series over the Winter months hopefully.

The Brown Sisters Trilogy by Talia Hibbert

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This series follows the three Brown sisters, Chloe, Dani and Eve and their romantic exploits. This is a genre I rarely read and if I do read it I don’t usually enjoy it. I read Get A Life Chloe Brown earlier this year and it surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. It wasn’t a five star read but it was still good. I have the second and third book in this series on my TBR for November so maybe I will get this series finished this month.

Ship Of Shadows by Maria Kuzniar

I was put on the book tour for the second book in this series, Secrets of the Stars so I bought the first book in the series Ship of Shadows as well and read that before the tour. I’ve put this series on the list because the way Secrets of the Stars ended I think there is going to be at least one more book in the series.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

This is a series I am very excited to continue with very soon. I own all the books in this series but so far I have only read the first one, A Court of Thorns and Roses. A Court of Mist and Fury is on my November TBR and I can’t wait to be back in the world of Feyre.

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

In this series I have read Three Dark Crowns, the first in the series and I liked it but I didn’t love it. I want to continue the series but it’s not very high on my priority list. I liked the sibling dynamic of the first book and the magic elements.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series by Holly Jackson

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder follows Pippa and Ravi, who she meets in the first book, as they try to solve mysteries that from what I can gather steadily get more intense as the series goes on. I loved the feel of the mystery in the first book and I am looking forward to diving back into this series with the second book sometime soon.

The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden

This series is so dark and mysterious and filled with folklore and superstition. I loved the Bear and the Nightingale, the first book in the series and I have been waiting for the winter nights to come again to curl up with a hot chocolate and continue this series.

Scythe series by Neal Shusterman

I read Scythe, the first book in this series a few years ago and I remember really enjoying the worldbuilding and the competition element of the first book and I want to continue the series but as with a few of the others it’s not high on my priority list because I don’t anticipate it being a five star series for me.

The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix

From this series I have read Lirael which is the second book in the series technically but Sabriel is sort of a prequel to the series. My partner was the one who got me to read this series and I ended up loving it. I don’t own them all yet but I am steadily buying up the series and looking for any chance to put them into my monthly TBR’s.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

This is one of my favourite book series’ I have read so far. I loved the first book, Caraval, and then I liked the second book, Legendary but not as much and I am excited to read Finale and finish up this amazing series. I’m worried the ending of the series will disappoint me but I am hopeful it won’t.

The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss

For this series I have read the first book and I have started the second book, European Travels for the Monstrous Gentlewoman. I loved the different characters in this series and how the author has made it so the different characters are interjecting into the writing process.

Cursebreakers series by Brigid Kemmerer

I have read A Curse So Dark and Lonely from this series and I liked how it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling but it was so much more than that at the same time. I’m scared to read the rest of this series because of the reviews I have seen and how people say that it breaks their hearts. I cry so easily anyway so I will definitely cry at these books I think.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

I have read the Raven Boys, the first book in this series and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. I still intend to read the rest of the series but I’m not in any rush to do so.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

I have read Truly Devious, The Vanishing Stair and The Hand on the Wall which is the main three from this series and I thought that would be the series finished but then the fourth book, The Box in the Woods, came out recently and of course I bought it because I loved the series and I am excited to continue with it.

Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco

This is another of my favourite series’ and I have read the first three books in it. I have read Stalking Jack the Ripper, Hunting Prince Dracula and Escaping from Houdini. My favourite of them was Hunting Prince Dracula and I didn’t enjoy Escaping from Houdini as much as the others but I am excited to finish the series soon.

The Prison Healer series by Lynette Noni

For this series I have read The Prison Healer and liked it and I think it has potential to be a great series. I own The Gilded Cage but I haven’t read it yet and Blood Traitor hasn’t been released yet.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

I really enjoyed the mystery in the Thursday Murder Club and the original premise of a group of elderly people being the investigators. I love the comedy in the series too. I recently bought The Man Who Died Twice and I’m hoping to read it very soon.

The Kingdom of the Wicked series by Kerri Maniscalco

I loved Kingdom of the Wicked the first book in this series, especially the character of Wrath and the dialogue between him and Emilia. I am so looking forward to reading the second book in this series.

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

I read Serpent and Dove on my way to Hampshire earlier this year and I loved it, I gave it five stars but I haven’t gotten around to continuing the series yet.

Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn

I have read the first book in this series and I enjoyed the premise of it and the found family aspect. It slightly reminded me of Six of Crows in that way and with the heist. I am looking forward to reading the second book and I love the title of the third book in the series: Glorious Poison.

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

This is the final series of my list of the book series’ I have started and haven’t finished yet. I read The Beautiful, the first book in the series and honestly I don’t remember a lot of what happened in the book but I do own the second book and I want to read it soon.

That’s it for this blog post, I hope you enjoyed reading about what series’ I have started and I haven’t finished reading yet, let me know if you have read any of these book series’!

Book Reviews, Uncategorized

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas Book Review

Happy Tuesday bookish people! It is time for another book review. I would usually put up book reviews on a Monday however yesterday was my Partner and I’s first anniversary so I spent the day with him. Today’s review is of a book that I have had on my shelf for forever, I have the whole series on my shelf but it took me so long to get around to it. Then finally I did and I loved it.

In this book review I will give star ratings for 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.

Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The plot of this book intrigued me, I kept seeing it described as a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and after reading it I agree it does have some similar elements which I enjoyed. I read this book in one sitting because I couldn’t put the book down until I’d found out what happened next – and then until I found out how it ended. If I’d had to I would have stayed up all night to finish it.

Personally I felt that the first 100 pages of the book is slow and didn’t keep me that interested but after the pace begins to pick up my interest returned as well. I felt that the plot had enough substance that there was always something happening, no page felt out of place in the story. Where the beginning was slow, I also felt the ending was slightly rushed, the big event at the end of the book I personally feel would have been better had it been explored further. Saying this I still enjoyed it and I did not predict most of the things that happened throughout the book.

Characters:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

There are plenty of characters in this novel, some have larger parts than others however all are important to the story. Starting with the antagonist of the novel, it was unclear for most of the book who the real antagonist was as there were a few possible contenders. I think the villain was just the right amount of cruel and mysterious for this book while leaving space for one of those other contenders to become the antagonist in later books in the series.

The main protagonist, Feyre, is sharp-minded, fierce, and loyal. She is a character that I felt connected to because of how relatable she is. Feyre’s family is briefly mentioned however from what I know, they become more important throughout the series. The character of Tamlin, I did not like him at all to begin with in this book. I felt he was distant and cold and as a reader I had no connection to him but as the book went on little pieces of information about him and his backsotry were given and by the end of the book I liked him better than I did at the beginning. I will admit that because the series has been around for a while and is popular on booktwitter, booktube and bookstagram I have heard things about this character that has influenced my opinion on him throughout the firs book.

Finally, Rhysand, he is exactly the kind of character I always get drawn to, cheeky and witty, he isn’t in the first book that much however I already know I’m going to love him in the next books of the series.

Writing and dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The writing in this book is cleverly weaved with interesting dialogue. It is clear, fast-paced and easy to read. The dialogue is one of the main features that made me enjoy this novel as much as I did. It felt natural and completely fitted each of the characters.

Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Overall I gave this book four stars because I enjoyed it and I am very excited to get the next book in the series onto a TBR as soon as I can.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price …

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

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

Book Tags, Uncategorized

Cake Flavoured Book Tag

Good morning bookish people! It’s Friday again. This week has been a rough one for me, my Mum has had to have a big operation so it’s been rather stressful. So I thought for today’s post I’d do a short. light-hearted book tag about cake. I mean who doesn’t like cake?! I found this tag on ZeeZeewithbooks. Let me know- what’s your favourite type of cake? And what books would you answer these questions with?

Enjoy!

Starting off very nicely with chocolate cake: a dark book that you absolutely love?
For this one I’m going to go with The Bear and the Nightengale by Katherine Arden. It was my first five star read of 2021 and I LOVED it, the atmosphere is really dark though and I’ve heard that the series gets darker…

Vanilla cake: A light read?
Hmm… most of the books I read are pretty dark fantasies but one that is coming to mind is Blooming Grand by Carmella McKenzie about a girl, a boy, a garden shop and a little it of magic. It’s light hearted and just a lovely story.

Red Velvet Cake: A book that gave you mixed emotions?
Ooh, so many! I think I’m going to go with The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen. It was good and I enjoyed it but I didn’t love it, in particular the ending. Confession time.. I have never had red velvet cake…

Cheesecake: (I love cheesecake!) A book you would recommend to anyone?
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern hands down! It’s my favourite book, I suggested my friend read it – she did and loved it, it’s just a wonderful, magical, whimsical book.

Coffee Cake: A book you started but never finished?
I am ashamed to say it but this has to be The City of Brass by S A Chakraborty, I rarely don’t finish books but I put this one down to do something and just could not find the motivation to pick it back up. I will eventually but right now.. not so much. It’s a big book.

Carrot Cake: A book with great writing?
Again, so many! For this one I think I’ll go with the Spellslinger series by Sebastien De Castell. I love this series, it hooked me from the first page and the writing, I think, is brilliant.

Tiramasu: A book that left you wanting more:
This tag is full of tough decisions! I’ll choose Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson for this one. Simply because it’s a stand alone book that ends on a sort of cliffhanger and when I finished reading it I would have given pretty much anything to find out what happened after that ending.

Cupcakes: A series with 4+ books?
I literally can’t choose one for this, pretty much all of my books are in series’ longer than four books… nope, I can’t do it. I won’t choose between them!

And finally Fruit Cake: A book that wasn’t what you anticipated?
The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman, not in a bad way, I enjoyed the book and I’m going to continue with the series but I expected James Bond mixed with librarians but it wasn’t like that at all.

That’s it for this book tag, I hope everyone enjoyed it!