Happy Monday bookish people! And Merry Bookmas day 6. Are you getting excited for Christmas yet? I’m starting to feel the excitement but I’m not fully there yet but making all these blog posts is helping to raise my Christmas cheer, I hope they are doing the same for all of you! Today I am bringing you my answers to the Christmas Stocking Tag, the unfortunate thing is I can’t remember whose blog I saw this tag on.
You get up on Christmas morning and your stocking is full. You take it down and start to unwrap the treats inside. The first thing you see is…
An orange – Which book is refreshing and vibrant both inside and out?
For this I have to go for Caraval by Stephanie Garber because the world is just so magical and entrancing and as the question says, refreshing.
2. A bag of chocolate coins – which book have you bought recently that was expensive but totally worth the price?
I chose the special edition of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V E Schwab because I only bought it last week and I couldn’t help myself, this edition is so beautiful I would have regretted it if I hadn’t bought it.
3. A bath bomb – tell us about a book with explosive action scenes?
For this I instantly thought of A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer and I’m not completely sure why. There are lots of big action scenes in this series and it’s the main thing that I remember from the first book. I haven’t read the rest of the series yet.
4. A pack of playing cards – a series that won you over?
The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman. I read the first book and though I enjoyed it I still wasn’t too sure whether I would enjoy the whole series or not, then I read the second book – The Masked City and I realised I would love this series.
5. A candle – A character who is a symbol of hops? I will be honest here, my brain went completely foggy and I couldn’t think of any character that is a symbol of hope to me.
6. Socks – a book that encompasses all the distinctive tropes of it’s genre?
I think Take A Hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert encompasses a lot of the tropes of it’s genre, I’m not very up on my contemporary adult romance tropes but I know a big one is fake dating and that is definitely in this book.
7. A Notebook – An authors writing process you find interesting? For me it is Sebastien de Castell, his books are so fantastical and interesting that his writing process must be the same.
8. A bedside clock – Took you a long time to pick up but was worth it?
I had to pick A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas for this because it took me forever to pick it up but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.
That’s it for this book tag. I hope you all enjoyed it! Tomorrow I am bringing you my favourite book covers of 2021.
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 Monday bookish people! It is getting to the end of November and it is time to share my November wrap-up with you all. This month has gone by so quickly because I’ve had so much to do. This month has been for getting everything ready for Christmas and at last it is all done, prepared, ready. I’ve also been making all my posts for December because as I announced last week I will be trying to post every day in December, it has been fun but a lot of work. I haven’t finished them yet but I’ve done most and I am attempting to finish them today. On top of that I’ve been unwell for at least half of November and that has left very little time to read.
So, let’s talk about what I did and didn’t read and what I thought of the books!
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – I did not read this book this month, I wasn’t in the mood for a long fantasy book but I have moved this book to my December TBR
Vampire Brat by Angie Sage – one of the books in the Araminta Spook series and I did read this book. I liked it but it isn’t my favourite of the series.
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – I did not read this book but I have moved this one to my December TBR
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas – I did not read this book
These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan – I did not read this book, it’s another fantasy that I just wasn’t in the mood for this month
The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson – I didn’t read this book
The Howling Hag Mystery by Nicki Thornton – I did read this book, it was interesting but not all that enjoyable for me
The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White – I did not read this book
The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino – I did not read this book
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon – I didn’t read this book either
Take A Hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert – I did read this book! and it surprised me, I have posted a book review for this book if you are interested in my full thoughts
The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson – I did not read this book
Shadowscent The Darkest Bloom by P M Freestone – I did not read
Rose by Holly Webb – I wanted to get around to this book but in the end there wasn’t enough time
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch – I am currently reading this book and I will finish it before the end of the month and I am enjoying it a lot.
Pages and Co by Anna James – I did read this book and I enjoyed it so much I want to get the rest of the series.
Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T A Willberg – this is another book I wanted to get to but in the end I didn’t
Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey – I did not read this book
Ghostsitters by Angie Sage – another book from the Araminta Spook series and I did read this
Fable by Adrienne Young – I did not read this book
Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody – I did not read this
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare – I did not read this
By the Book by Amanda Sellett – I did not read this book
Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert – I did not read this book either
So I ended up reading five books off my TBR and I am in the middle of a sixth book from my TBR, outside of my TBR I read You’ll Be The Death of Me by Karen M McManus for a book tour so that makes my overall total for the month 7 books which I’m pretty pleased with.
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 Tuesday bookish people! I was meant to be putting this post up yesterday but I ran out of time because my partner and I were visiting his parents. So I’m putting it up today instead!
This month I have used the prompts for Believathon round 4: Escape from the Jungle – hosted by Gavin from How To Train Your Gavin on YouTube, but I am twisting the rules just a little bit…
The premise of the Readathon is to read middle grade books that fit the prompts – there are thirty prompts in total. I don’t own that many middle grade books so I am just going to use any books I have to fit the prompts and get some of the middle grade I own in there as well.
Onto my TBR for November!
November TBR:
Take A Hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert – This is from my October TBR but I still want to read it so I have moved it to this month
Rivers of London by ben Aaronovitch – another book taken from my October TBR
Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert – and another brought from October
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas – it is about time I read this book, I have had the whole series for ages now
The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson – have read one or two of her books before and really enjoyed them so I am looking forward to this one.
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon – this is a series I have seen a lot of good things about
The Howling Hag Mystery by Nicki Thornton – this is the first middle grade book on my TBR so I’m excited to get this one on there
Rose by Holly Webb – this is a book that was a favourite of mine when I was a child and I am looking forward to trying it again now
Fable by Adrienne Young – I love books that feature water so I have high hopes for this one
Shadowscent by P M Freestone – I’m not sure how I will find this one but hopefully I enjoy it
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – I’m so excited to finally get around to reading this one and to be back with Feyre and Rhysand
Pages and Co by Anna James – another middle grade that sounds like it will be really good
Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T A Willberg – this was on my October TBR but now I am really in the mood to read it
The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino – I’m scared to read this one
Ghostsitters by Angie sage
Vampire Brat by Angie Sage
Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey – a book about a book shop, I’m definitely excited about it
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare – I am excited but scared to read this book
The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson – I love the cover of this book
By the Book by Amanda Sellet – I really want to read this book immediately
These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan – I love books with fae in them
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White
Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody
That’s it for my October TBR I hope you enjoyed it and let me know in the comments if you have read any of these and what you thought of them!
Happy Friday bookish people! I’m back with another book tag! I was tagged in this by @moonraa23 (sorry if I’ve spelt this wrong) on Twitter, so thank you to them.
The idea of this tag is – telling you all five of the books on my TBR that I find intimidating and why. It was very difficult to get it down to just five, there’s a lot of books that anticipate me for many different reasons. Also, I will say the book title and then I will give you the synopsis of the book and then the reason that it intimidates me.
Let’s get to the first one!
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.
So… I read A Court of Thorns and Roses at the beginning of this year and loved it and I’m very excited to pick up A Court of Mist and Fury but it intimidates me. Simply because I’ve heard so many good things about it and especially about Rhysand that I’m worried about reading it even though I’m 99% sure I’m going to love it.
Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Evangeline Fox was raised in her beloved father’s curiosity shop, where she grew up on legends about immortals, like the tragic Prince of Hearts. She knows his powers are mythic, his kiss is worth dying for, and that bargains with him rarely end well.
But when Evangeline learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she becomes desperate enough to offer the Prince of Hearts whatever he wants in exchange for his help to stop the wedding. The prince only asks for three kisses. But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’s pledged. And he has plans for Evangeline that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy…
This book isn’t out yet, I can’t wait for it to be published! I absolutely loved the Caraval series and that’s why I’m intimidated by this one, I’m hoping I’m going to love it at least as much but we shall see once I get it in my hands and get around to reading it.
Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
From Harper Lee comes a landmark new novel set two decades after her beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, To Kill a Mockingbird. Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch—”Scout”—returns home from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise’s homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in a painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past—a journey that can be guided only by one’s conscience. Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humor and effortless precision—a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill a Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to an American classic.
I really enjoyed reading To Kill A Mockingbird, luckily I didn’t read it for school otherwise I might not have enjoyed it as much. I was surprised when they brought out this book and I’m not sure on it because To Kill A Mockingbird worked perfectly as a stand-alone so I want to read it but I also don’t.
Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M Danforth
Our story begins in 1902, at The Brookhants School for Girls. Flo and Clara, two impressionable students, are obsessed with each other and with a daring young writer named Mary MacLane, the author of a scandalous bestselling memoir. To show their devotion to Mary, the girls establish their own private club and call it The Plain Bad Heroine Society. They meet in secret in a nearby apple orchard, the setting of their wildest happiness and, ultimately, of their macabre deaths. This is where their bodies are later discovered with a copy of Mary’s book splayed beside them, the victims of a swarm of stinging, angry yellow jackets. Less than five years later, The Brookhants School for Girls closes its doors forever—but not before three more people mysteriously die on the property, each in a most troubling way.
Over a century later, the now abandoned and crumbling Brookhants is back in the news when wunderkind writer, Merritt Emmons, publishes a breakout book celebrating the queer, feminist history surrounding the “haunted and cursed” Gilded-Age institution. Her bestselling book inspires a controversial horror film adaptation starring celebrity actor and lesbian it girl Harper Harper playing the ill-fated heroine Flo, opposite B-list actress and former child star Audrey Wells as Clara. But as Brookhants opens its gates once again, and our three modern heroines arrive on set to begin filming, past and present become grimly entangled—or perhaps just grimly exploited—and soon it’s impossible to tell where the curse leaves off and Hollywood begins.
A story within a story within a story and featuring black-and-white period illustrations.
A murder mystery set in a school sounds amazing to me, and it reminds me of a more adult version of Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson a little bit but I’m intimidated by this book – not only because it is massive, but also because it might be too much of a thriller for me.
The Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir
I won’t give you a synopsis here because this is a whole series not just a single book. So, this one I’m intimidated by because I love books set in the Tudor Period and Philippa Gregory is one of my favourite authors but I’ve read all her books so I needed some new Tudor historical fiction and I’m hoping Alison Weir can give me that.
That’s it for this tag, I hope you all enjoyed it!
Happy Friday bookish people! It’s a bit miserable where I am this morning but luckily I get to spend the next three days reading for a readathon challenge – hosted by MegWithBooks on YouTube, so I’ll be happy.
Today I’ll be doing the Rip it or Ship it challenge, I’ve seen a lot of people do it on YouTube and I thought why not try and do it on my blog. So I wrote down the names of two or three characters from each book I’ve read that I thought would work, put them all in a bowl and picked out two each time until there were none left…. I ended up with 40 pairs. Now, that’s quite a few so I’m only putting fifteen up today and maybe if you all enjoy it I’ll put up some more rounds later.
Onto the pairings!
1. Kellen (Spellslinger series) and Sameth (Lirael)
I would have to Rip this pairing (just imagine I’m tearing up the names..) because they are both quite similar characters, both find themselves in the middle of nowhere, in danger, with an animal sidekick who’s there to help but doesn’t do much helping.
2. Nathanial (Sorcery of Thorns) and Alina Starkov (Shadow and Bone)
I have chosen to ship this couple. Because Nathanial can be quite snarky especially when you’re first getting to know him and Aline would be having none of that which I think he’d like, plus both of them technically have a form of magic which I think would be nice for their pairing.
3. Jaren (The Prison Healer) and Mary Jekyll (The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Duaghter)
Definitely not. This wouldn’t work at all. Mary Jekyll, although she does many unladylike things, sees herself as a Victorian lady and considering her opinions in the books Jaren would not be gentlemanly enough for her, she’d probably end up slapping him and goodness knows she wouldn’t be found in a prison – which is the only way they’d meet because that’s where he is..
4. Cardan Greenbriar (The Cruel Prince) and Cecelia Bassingthwaite (The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels)
This is an interesting one. I think I’m leaning more towards shipping it because their personalities probably would work well together, he would definitely be surprised by her and the fact that she goes wherever her mind takes her.
5. Nesta Archeron (A Court of Thorns and Roses series) and Thomas Cresswell (Stalking Jack the Ripper)
Yes! I ship this. Nesta could well be a bit much for him to handle but they both have very fierce personalities and their wits would battle well I think.
6. Emilia (Kingdom of the Wicked) and Blue Sergeant (The Raven Boys)
Absolutely not. Rip it. Emilia has gone through a lot so far (and I think she’s got a lot more hardship coming her way too) and I don’t think that her and Blue would mesh together, their opinions on things would be too different.
7.Julain Santos (Caraval) and Sherlock Holmes (The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter)
Hmm….. I love Julian but he is very mischievous and kind of lies a lot which I don’t think would go down well with Sherlock Holmes so rip it.
8. Eli Ever (Vicious) and The Darkling (Shadow and Bone)
I have to ship this simply because can you imagine these two together? They’d destroy the world.
9. Scarlett Dragna (Caraval) and Dorian (The Starless Sea)
If I didn’t ship Dorian with the person in the Starless Sea that is perfect for him I would probably ship him with Scarlett, she can be fiery and I think he could calm her when needed.
10. Lirael (Lirael) and Mal (Shadow and Bone)
Okay, ignoring the age difference here for a minute I think their personalities would go well together and they have a similar upbringing in that they don’t know their parents and they’ve been brought up in communities that have shaped them into the people they are.
11. Irene (The Invisible Library) and Jesper Fahey (Six of Crows)
Yes, I ship this. A librarian spy and a sharpshooter? Of course I’m going to ship this.
12. Cath (Fangirl) and Zachary (The Starless Sea)
I could see this working. They both really like books and are both quite introverted.
13. Kai (The Invisible Library) and Wrath (Kingdom of the Wicked)
I love a bit of chaos, I’d ship this. A dragon and a demon – what could go wrong…
14. Inej Ghafa (Six of Crows) and Reid Diggory (Serpent and Dove)
I think this would work. He would want to try and be over protective of her but I can’t see her liking that but I can see them working it out. If she doesn’t just stab him first.
15. Feyre Archeron (A Court of Thorns and Roses) and Jude Duarte (The Cruel Prince)
I could see these two being friends, and being a bit of a force if they worked together, they are quite similar.
That’s it for this challenge, I hope you all enjoyed it!
Happy Monday bookish people! It’s Monday which means it’s time for another book review post.
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.
Crescent City Plot:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
To begin with I was undecided if I was going to buy this book or not because I owned the whole Throne of Glass series and the whole A Court of Thorns and Roses series but I hadn’t read any of them yet – plus this book is huge! It actually didn’t take me as long to get around to this book as I thought it would. I wanted some good fantasy and that is exactly what I got. One of the things that I loved about this book was how information and secrets was weaved throughout the book. The mystery it self had so many parts to it, and there was a lot of things that were a cause and effect. The tension in this book was so good, I didn’t know which characters were lying and telling the truth.
Crescent City Characters:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I loved the main characters in this book. Bryce is a very fiery female lead, I loved her wit and personality. I loved that she had flaws, and they were explored properly – they had consequences and this isn’t often shown in books. Then there’s Hunt who I think balanced out Bryce’s character well although he also got under her skin.
Crescent City Writing and Dialogue:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
This book convinced me to read some of Sarah J Maas’ other books because I enjoyed the writing style. I especially loved the dialogue between Bryce and Hunt, dialogue is one of my favourite parts of books usually.
Crescent City Overall:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I gave this book five stars overall because I loved my reading experience and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters.
Blurb/Synopsis:
Bound by blood. Tempted by desire. Unleashed by destiny.
Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.
Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.
As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.
With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.
Happy Friday bookish people! It’s finally time to reveal my top ten favourite quotes! I have been having so much fun getting the quotes together and deciding which order I’d place them in and getting to tell everyone about them. I hope you’ve all been enjoying it too.
So, without further ado let’s get to my top ten favourite book quotes!
At number ten is a quote from a duology…
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
10. “No mourners, no funerals” – this being said to show that the characters are a group is something that I really liked about this quote.
Next is a quote from my favourite book….
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
9. “We are all stardust and stories” – this is so whimsical and beautiful, as the whole book is and it reminds me why I love the book.
At number 8 is a quote from a book recently turned into a TV series…
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
8. “Fine, make me your villain” – I think I gasped when I read this line in the book, and it was so good that they kept it in the TV series.
At 7 is a quote from a classic…
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
7. “I am a free bird and no net ensnares me” – this has always been one of my favourite quotes.
Next, is a quote from a book with a beautiful green cover…
A Heart so Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer
6. “The most dangerous person at the party is always the girl sat alone with a book” – yes, I can imagine that this is true, I don’t go to parties but if I did I would take a book.
At the halfway point, the next quote is from a historical fiction novel…
White Princess by Philippa Gregory
5. “The white rose of York has been stabbed in it’s pure white heart and is bleeding scarlet red”
At number 4 is a quote from a book I read this year…
Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
4. “Love makes fools of us all darling” – I love this quote, there’s just something about it.
At number 3 is a quote from a huge book..
Crescent City by Sarah J Maas
3. “Through love all is possible” – this would be a lovely quote to live by, and on top of that to know what this quote means to the characters in the book makes it even better.
At number 2 is a quote from a book I am excited to read soon…
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
2. “Hello, Feyre darling” – Yes! I want this on everything, t-shirts, blankets, EVERYTHING.
Finally, we are at number one….
My favourite book quote is from the second book in a four book series…
Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco
“catch me if I fall alright? A smile curved his lips in a most delightful manner “I’ve already fallen hard Wadsworth, perhaps you should have warned me sooner” – of course this had to be top, Thomas Cresswell has so many brilliant lines.
So, that’s it – This is my top ten favourite book quotes, and if you go back through my blog you can see my top 100 book quotes. I hope you have all enjoyed reading these!
Happy Saturday bookish people! It is the end of July… this month has felt like a long one for me. I submitted my new PhD application at the beginning of this month and I’m not sure how I feel about it, the first time I sent in an application I wasn’t confident exactly but this time any confidence I might have had was completely gone. Anyway, I also got to see family in July which was really nice!
So in terms of reading for the month of July: Once again I did not complete my TBR, I’m not surprised about this at all because I had a couple of book tour reads I had to do and I spent four days in Hampshire and I mostly mood read for that. I packed five books and read four over this weekend so even though I didn’t read much off my TBR I still read a lot of books, I think my final number was fifteen. I’ll know for sure at the end of this wrap up.
Let’s see what I did and didn’t read this month!
My July TBR and thoughts:
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – I did not get around to reading this (again) I will read it at some point but I need to be in a certain mood and have time to really get engrossed in the book, I mean Rhysand is in it so I’m definitely excited to read it.
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn – I read this one! I took this one with me to Hampshire and read it in the hotel room on one of the evenings, I really enjoyed this book and of course now I want the whole series. I will be putting up a review of this book very soon.
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir – I didn’t read this book. I am still very interested in this book I just didn’t have enough time this month.
Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin – I read Serpent and Dove in June and loved it, however I wasn’t ready to go back into this world yet so I will read this one in a couple of months time.
European Travels for the Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss – I have started reading this one but I have not finished it yet.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V E Schwaab – I haven’t read this one because I have a feeling it will make me cry and I didn’t feel like crying too much in July.
The Killings at Kingfisher Hill by Sophie Hannah – I didn’t get around to reading this one either.
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo – I feel like I should read the final installment in the Shadow and Bone series first so I haven’t read this one.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonne – another one I haven’t read this month.
Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch – I have read this one. I wanted a light and fluffy read, I didn’t quite get this but it was an okay read.
Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M Danforth – big books strike again, I didn’t read this because it is a huge book.
Pumpkin by Julie Murphy – I read this one, this was my first read of the month, I really liked this one. I will have a review up for this book soon too.
Save the Date by Morgan Matson – I don’t read very much contemporary so I’m not surprised that I didn’t get around to this one.
The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden – again I was very much mood reading this month so I didn’t get to this one.
The Plague Letters by V L Valentine – I thought this book would be a bit dark for me this month so I didn’t read this one either.
Threadneedle by Cari Thomas – I didn’t read this one.
Finally Turtles All The Way Down by John Green – I di not read this one either.
So, from my TBR I read three books and started one other. Outside of my TBR I read some other books, these were:
Lirael by Garth Nix – which I ended up loving, my boyfriend suggested I read this and he was right about how much I would enjoy it. I will be putting a review up soon.
Charmcaster by Sebastien De Castell – I finally read this book, as with the rest of this series I very much enjoyed it.
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco – I have started this book and I’m nearly finished – it’s amazing.
That is my reading for this month, I read 13 books and started two others so overall this was another good reading month. I am actually pretty confident I will reach my 100 books challenge for 2021.
