Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you all enjoy my book review of the third book in the Thursday Murder Club series, The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman.
In this book review, I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to avoid spoilers, but as a review of a book in a series there might be one or two.
The Bullet That Missed Plot:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I have a love hate relationship with this series of books. First, I struggle with how the author got published so easily because he is a celebrity and I feel that the books do reflect this, if they weren’t famous a few of the plot lines I do not think would have been published. As a fan of murder mysteries I will read all the books that come out, however, I often find in this series there are too many strands within it. I said to someone after I read the second in the series, it is like the author threw the kitchen sink at it.
In the Bullet That Missed I did enjoy it more than the second book, it had a clearer sense of the murder in the plot. If it veered from the subject it soon came back to it and the surrounding investigation which I liked.
The Bullet That Missed Characters:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I do love the characters in this series, each one has their own personality and by the third book in a series you really do feel as though you know them. I would have liked to see more character development in this book for Ron, he didn’t seem to feature or do much.
The Bullet That Missed writing and dialogue:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I think it is pretty obvious by now that Richard Osman can write, and he can write well. I do think that the books are straying form the cosy crime genre that it is pitched as being so I would like to see a return to that.
The Bullet That Missed Overall:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Blurb/Synopsis:
It is an ordinary Thursday, and things should finally be returning to normal.
Except trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club are concerned. A local news legend is on the hunt for a sensational headline, and soon the gang are hot on the trail of two murders, ten years apart.
To make matters worse, a new nemesis pays Elizabeth a visit, presenting her with a deadly mission: kill or be killed…
While Elizabeth grapples with her conscience (and a gun), the gang and their unlikely new friends (including TV stars, money launderers and ex-KGB colonels) unravel a new mystery. But can they catch the culprit and save Elizabeth before the murderer strikes again?
Happy Friday bookish people! It is March, the BEST month. Of course, I am biased, it is my birthday month and my Guide Dog’s birthday month – which makes it the best.
I have a variety of books on my TBR for this month and a lot that I am very excited about.
The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell
Your Turn To Die by Sue Wallman
Gwen and Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher
The Plague Letters by V L Valentine
Pandora by Susan Stokes Chapman
A Little Bit Country by Brian D Kennedy
Finale by Stephanie Garber
Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict
Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin
Bingo Hall Detectives by Jonathan Whitelaw
Paris Dallencourt is about to crumble by Alexis Hall
Happy Friday bookish people! I am back with another book tag and today it is the what’s on my bookshelf tag. It was created by Naty’s Bookshelf but I found it on zeezeewithbooks.wordpress.com
Rules: link back to me so I can see your answers, name one book for each category try not to repeat books, tag some people!
A Library Book: Veronica Speedwell series (I have the first three all library copies)
A book I got as a gift: Daughter of the Moon Goddess
A Childhood Book: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A magical book: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
A romantic book: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
A steamy book: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
An old book: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
A book that makes me happy/laugh: Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell
A book that made me emotional: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
A book with an ending I disliked: The man who died twice by richard osman
A book I wish had illustrations: Crescent city by Sarah J Maas
A book or genre I love to read when it is raining: any!
I love to be sat inside with a cup of tea and a book when it is raining, terrible lighting but a cosy atmosphere.
That is the end of this book tag, I hope you all enjoyed it!
Happy Friday bookish people! I know it has been a long time since I did one of these but I am bringing back my Friday First and Last segments where I take random numbers, one corresponding with a first sentence from a book and one that corresponds with the last sentence in a different book, I put them together and see what I can make from them. And yes, it took me a very, very long time to write out all the sentences and put them with a number.
I used to do five of these per post but I am only going to be doing three each time for the moment and see how that goes.
So, onto the first set of sentences!
Numbers 333 – which I think was from The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and number 111 -from The Six Tudor Queens: Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir
Which creates “Well let’s start with Elizabeth shall we, her skin was rather sallow” – this is quite the pairing. It sounds like an insult you’d get when you were in high school or on one of those roasting shows. If somebody started a book with this I’d think this book was going to have a character with a lot of attitude about them.
Number 424 – from The Library of the Unwritten by A J Hackwith and number 121 – I can’t actually remember what book this one is from because I didn’t write it down next to it
Which gives us “This is my last entry in the librarians log, we dreamed of carving our dragons”
This one also works really well together. It turns what could be an uninteresting statement into a fantastical, want to know more story. I would love to read a book about a librarian who had a relationship with some sort of dragon, I can imagine it being there in the corner of the library, turning the pages with it’s dragon paws and trying not to sneeze and burn the pages.
And finally, number 18 – from The Upside of Unrequieted by Becky Albertalli and number 36 – from Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
Which gives us “I’m on the toilet at the 9:30 club, I hope somebody is listening”
… okay, first I have to say these numbers are chosen at random and I have no idea what to say about that last one other than if I was in that character’s position I would hate for somebody to be listening.
Okay, That’s it for this set of first and last sentences, I hope you all enjoyed it!
Happy Saturday bookish people! If I am scheduling this right this should be my first post of 2022 which is crazy because 2021 went by so fast. I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year and that you are all excited about what 2022 could bring.
So let’s talk about what I did or didn’t read in December 2021 and what I thought of the books!
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – none of you will be surprised that again, no I haven’t read this book yet. I will but I didn’t get to it in 2021.
All Of Us Villains by Amanda Foody – I was so excited for this one but I wasn’t in the mood to read such a dark fantasy so I am hoping to read it soon.
Dance of Thieves by Mary E Pearson – I didn’t get around to this one either.
Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia – I did not read this book.
Good Girl Bad Blood by Holly Jackson – I did read this one! I liked it but not quite as much as I enjoyed the first book in the series.
In the Crypt with the Candlestick by Daisy Waugh – I did not read this one.
It Sounded Better In My Head by Nina Kenwood – I didn’t read this book.
Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco – I really wanted to get around to this one but in the end I didn’t.
Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens – I read this one and I really loved it, except for the ending.
Murder in Midwinter – I started reading this one but I haven’t quite finished it.
Not Here to be Liked by Michelle Quach – I read this book but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – I also was very excited to read this but I didn’t in December.
Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian – I didn’t read this book.
The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict – I did read this one and I have posted a book review of it.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – I didn’t read this one
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – I wanted to read this one but then I heard some reactions to it and it has put me off a little bit.
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – I read this one and I liked it but again it wasn’t as good as the first book in the series.
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood – I didn’t read this one
Traitors Kiss by Erin Beaty – I didn’t read this one either
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – I didn’t read this one
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson – I did not read this
Well Met by Jen De Luca – I did not read this one.
So from my TBR i ended up reading five and I started reading one other. On top of my TBR I read Murder on Christmas Eve, Rivers of London, Unsolved Deaths, and six of the books in the Pony Mad Princess series. That brings my total of book read to 14 in December which is a great amount.
That’s it for my December TBR, I hope you all enjoyed it!
Happy Wednesday bookish people! And a merry bookmas! As I announced last week I am going to be posting every day in December and this is the first of these posts. Of course I had to start my blogmas/ bookmas with my TBR for December so I hope you all enjoy reading about what I plan to read in December and the thoughts I already have about the books.
My December TBR:
Well Met by Jen de Luca – This month I have included lots of books that are outside of my comfort zone in my TBR and this is one of them. It mentions a Renaissance fair and that sounds very unique and interesting.
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – I read his first book either this year or last year, I can’t quite remember and it was very enjoyable so hopefully the second book lives up to it.
Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia – I am interested in reading this book because it has been compared to Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and I loved hat book.
Kingdom of The Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco – I love Kerri Maniscalco’s work and Kingdom of the wicked is no different, I can’t wait to be back with Wrath and Emilia.
Dance of Thieves by Mary E Pearson – The description makes me think of Six of Crows a little bit so I have high hopes for this one.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – again this book is on my TBR, I will read it eventually!
Not Here to be Liked by Michelle Quach – I’m not usually drawn to this genre but the synopsis really interested me and I’m not completely sure why.
All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody – this is like a very dark version of the Hunger Games mixed with family gangs.
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson – I love her books and a fantasy book about magic and nuns sounds amazing.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – again, another book outside of my comfort zone but I am looking forward to giving it a chance.
In The Crypt With A Candlestick by Daisy Waugh – a 1920’s themed murder mystery makes me think of Agatha Christie which I love so hopefully I will enjoy it.
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood – this is written by the writer of Death In Paradise which is one of my favourite TV shows so hopefully this book is good too.
Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – I love the Caraval series and this book follows one of the characters from that so I’m excited to read it.
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – this is a book that I have heard a lot about so I want to get around to it soon.
Traitors Kiss by Erin Beaty – I don’t know much about this book other than it has a lovely cover.
The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict – this is a festive themed book that I am excited to read
It sounded Better In My Head by Nina Kenwood – I don’t know much about this book either, other than it is outside my usual genre
Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian – it’s set in an ice cream shop, I don’t need to know anything else about it.
Good Girl Bad Blood by Holly Jackson – I loved A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder and I can’t wait to read the second one in the series
Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens – another festive themed book that I am very glad I managed to get onto my TBR.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – I have seen so many good things about this book and I know it has comedy in it so I should enjoy it.
Murder In Midwinter – a collection of crime short stories set in winter should be a nice change of pace.
That’s it for my December TBR, have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?
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’!
Happy Friday bookish people! This post is going up later than I would have liked it to, this week has been super busy for me with my job, University, hospital etc.. and this morning I got my second Covid jab so hopefully I’ll get this written before any side effects kick in.
I’m starting a little series (in case you didn’t notice by the title of this post…) where I show and maybe talk about, depending on my mood, my 100 favourite quotes from books. But doing ALL 100 in one post might have been a bit much so I’m splitting it down into sections of ten. Also it will give it a bit of mystery, you’ll be thinking ooh I wonder what’s going to be on the next set of ten and I wonder what quote will take the top spot – no? Just me? Okay…
Well, with all that said lets go to the first set of ten.
In last place at 100 we have a classic from….
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
100. “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same” – I really dislike Wuthering Heights but this quote just managed to squeeze into my top 100.
Coming in at 99 we have a quote from….
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
99. “Fate […] is a very weighty word to throw around before breakfast” – I mean yes, it certainly is. I don’t usually eat breakfast so if you want to talk to me about fate you’re going to have to wait until after I’ve eaten something for lunch.
Speaking of food we have number 98…
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
98. “It was a well known fact that there were no calories in homemade cakes” – if only that was true.
Quote 97 is one that came from a series of books I read in my early years at Secondary school….
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
97. “Dreams, dreams. I walk them; I live them. I delude myself with them” – I can definitely relate to the deluding yourself with dreams part, I’m well known for daydreaming.
A much more serious quote at 96…
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
96. “The only way to learn is to live”
At the halfway point for this first installment of favourite quotes is one from a favourite series of mine…
Legendary by Stephanie Garber
95. “There were shipwrecks more graceful than Tella” – I am more graceful than Tella and I need more than ten fingers to count the amount of times I fall and trip each day.
At 94 is a quote that reminds me of a few people who I know….
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
94. “It’s not exciting if nothing can go wrong” – I completely disagree with this statement and that’s not at all because I’m scared of everything, including people. Some particular people.
Moving on quickly. 93 is a quote that I wrote down on a sticky note while I was reading the book because of how much it caught my attention….
Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
93. “Seize the wind, don’t become the kite that never flies” – as illogical as trying to catch hold of actual wind is, this is still a beautiful quote.
Up next is a quote from a book that has vampires in…
The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh
92. “She was no lamb, she was a lion” – I won’t tell you the character name who says this but this quote sums up her character arc very well.
and the final quote of this first installment is…..
How The King Of Elfhame Learned To Hate Stories by Holly Black
91. “A heart of stone can still be broken” – simple and a little sad this quote tells you a lot about two characters – the one who says it and the one they are saying it to.
That’s it for this blog post, I hope you all enjoyed the first installment – have you seen any of your favourite quotes yet? Are there any quotes you are hoping might show up further up my list? Let me know in the comments.
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