Tag: sorcery of thorns

Book Tags

The Book Courtship Tag

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you all enjoy my answers to the Book Courtship Tag which was created by Socially Awkward Bookworm.

Phase 1: Initial attraction – a book you bought because of the cover

Phase 2: first impressions – a book you bought because of the summary

Phase 3: sweet talk – a book with great writing

Phase 4: first date- a first book of a series that made you want to read on

This isn’t the first book in the series, but it is the first book I read from the series then I went out and bought them all

Phase 5: late night phone calls – a book that kept you up all night

Phase six: always on my mind – a book you could not stop thinking about

Phase 7: getting physical – a book that you love the way it feels

Phase 8: meeting the parents – a book you would reccomend

Phase 9: thinking about the future – a book or series you will reread in the future

Phase 10: Tag someone

I tag everyone!

Book Tags

April Showers Book Tag

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all doing very well today. I am bringing you my first book tag of April, (and yes I say first because there will be a second one next Friday so check that out too!).

I found this tag on thissplendidshambles.com

Book With Water on the cover – Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

This is the very first book I thought of, it is covered in a blue/green wave pattern.

Classic Novel You’d Like To Curl Up On The Couch With – Emma by Jane Austen

Emma is my favourite Austen novel but honestly this question could also be answered with Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte but that is kept for rainy days so it is very cosy.

A scary book to read in a rainstorm – none of them!

Scary books freak me out anyway, let alone reading it during a rainstorm.

A good book recommendation for rainy days – Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

This is a good question, on rainy days I usually like to read a nice fantasy and the last time this happened I was reading Sorcery of Thorns and that is the book I would recommend.

The characters you’d like to spend a rainy day with –

Hmm… difficult choice.. I think I would have to choose Kellen from Spellslinger because he could keep everybody entertained with his wit, then I would choose lou from Serpent and Dove because she could do some magic and bring some of the amazing sounding food from the books then I would be stuck because I don’t have a room big enough for all the people I would like to have over!

A book that has blue on the cover – the upside of unrequieted

Again, I had to go with the first book I thought of and the Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli is a bright blue all over cover.

A book with a rainy setting at some point

This is very difficult because I can’t think of a single one!

A book you wouldn’t mind using as an umbrella

Catching fire from the Hunger Games series, just because I lent it to a friend when I was in high school and she left it in her bag, outside in the rain so it is already all curled up from the water damage so a bit more rain can’t hurt it any worse than it is already.

A character you would like to share an umbrella with

ooh, another good question. It is very hard because I would choose a male character, but I am so short (literally I am only 4 foot 11, I am tiny) so whoever I would share an umbrella with would also need to be tiny and there aren’t many characters that small…. okay, I am going to choose Eve brown from Act Your age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert, she is so bubbly that she could make anyone feel positive even in the rain and I also think she is quite short.

A novel with a dry beginning but an amazing ending

I am going to choose Dangerous Women by Hope Adams because the beginning takes a long time to set everything up but the book as a whole is brilliant.

Book Reviews

Book Review: Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson

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Happy Monday bookish people! Today, I am bringing you my book review for the new novella set in the world of Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson.

As usual, I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This short book is a follow up to the novel, Sorcery of Thorns, it follows Elisabeth and Nathaniel as they embark on their relationship together. In this new story the gardens and house of Thorn Manor have turned against the residents and are magically keeping them locked inside the house. I found this story extremely fun and engaging, I loved being back with the sorcery of thorns characters, it is one of my favourite books and this book still had that mystery element but in a much cosier way.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor Character:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

In this follow up you get to know the characters on a deeper level, they reveal more of their pasts. Especially Nathaniel who was very secretive in Sorcery of Thorns, it was also nice to see a lighter side to him. Elisabeth was her usual hot headed and interesting self which was great.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

There’s not much more I can say here, Margaret Rogerson is one of my favourite writers, her style of writing is engaging and magical and everything I would want in a fantasy novel.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars overall, simply because I wanted more! Give me all the sorcery of thorns novellas, I would read them all.

Synopsis:

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

I hope you all enjoyed my book review!

Book Tags

Totally Should’ve Book Tag

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today.

Today I am bringing you my answers to the Totally Should’ve book tag!

Gotten a sequel – Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

This book was left on an unacceptable cliffhanger! I was so annoyed when I read the end, I needed a sequel immediately and of course there wasn’t one. I think there is definitely more to explore with these characters that could fill a sequel.

Had a spin off series – The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

I loved this book and for me I thought there was a lot of room to go back and share more stories, maybe in a spin off series, from the apothecary when it was being used by women looking for ways to be rid of their husbands, like a series that would come before this book.

Author who should write more books – Erin Morgenstern

Erin Morgenstern is one of my favourite authors and I would love to get more books by this author.

Should have ended differently – Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Only because of that one character’s death, I personally feel that was out of place and I would have liked the ending better if it hadn’t happened.

Been a movie franchise/Had a TV series

These are two separate questions but because I am giving the same answer for both I put them together. That answer is pretty simple: all of them!

Only had one point of view

I am honestly struggling to think of an answer for this on so I’ll unfortunately have to pass on this question

Had a cover change – The Left Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

I love this book, I love this author, I do not like the cover on the one that I own. It just doesn’t fit the weird, whimsical story.

Should have kept the original cover – The A Court of Thorns and Roses series

I did not like the changed covers and now my editions don’t match because of the cover of A Court of Silver Flames!

Stopped at one book – Spin the Dawn

Without giving away any spoilers, I enjoyed Spin the Dawn a lot with the competition and magic plotline, even the little bit of romance in it but I didn’t like the plot twist event that happened near the end and is consequently the main plot in the second book, I just don’t think it needed it at all.

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

Book Tags

Folklore Book Tag

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. The book tag I am doing today is the Folklore Book Tag which I found on laurensboookshelf.com but was created by lisa @A Whisper of Ink. It looks like it will be a very fun tag so I am looking forward to sharing my choices here.

The 1: A book with an ending that left you speechless

Ooh that’s starting with a difficult one… I think I am going to go with Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell because the first book in the series ends in a way I wasn’t expecting but obviously I can’t say how it ends here because of spoilers

Cardigan: A book that makes you feel happy and sad all at once

I am going to go with The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner, there’s two different timelines within this book and both of them constantly made me feel happy and sad when I read it.

The last Great American Dynasty: A book with a fascinating and well-told story

I have to choose Cecily by Annie Garthwaite for this one, it is one of my favourite books of 2022 so far and it is haunting and just overall brilliant.

Exile: A book you wish you hadn’t read

I am afraid this has to be The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, I just did not enjoy it and I still own the rest of the series.

My tears ricochet: A book that made you cry uncontrollably

Books don’t make me cry like that, I might tear up but not cry uncontrollably so I don’t really have an answer for this one.

Mirrorball: A book that feels like it was written just for you

This is definitely The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, I love the magic of this book and it feels like it was the perfect book for me.

Seven: A childhood book that makes you feel nostalgic

The Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton, I always loved this series as a child and I still love to reread them now.

August: A book that reminds you of summer

I honestly can’t think of a book that makes me think of summer, I am sure that as soon as I post this book tag three of them will come to my mind but right now I have no answer.

This is me trying: A book that deals with loneliness and sadness

the first book that comes to mind is Holding Up The Universe and I read that when I was in secondary school a while ago and I can’t remember it all that well.

Illicit Affairs: A book that gave you a book hangover

most recently Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan, I’m not sure why other than I didn’t love the book but I didn’t read for nearly two weeks after that book.

Invisible String: A book that came into your life at the exact right time

Caraval by Stephanie Garber definitely, I read it at a time when I was searching for a really great book about magic, fates and sisters.

Mad Woman: A book with a female character you adore

I know I have just used it but I have to go with Scarlett from Caraval, she is a headstrong yet caring female character.

Epiphany: A book that was haunting

Ooh another one I don’t have an immediate answer for… I think I have to choose City of ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Betty: A book couple that fills you with yearning

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell from the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco

Peace: A book character you’d die for because you love them so much

I think I would have to say Elisabeth from Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Hoax: A book that you thought you were going to love but didn’t

A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz. I loved Moonflower Murders by the same author but this one just didn’t have the same enjoyment unfortunately.

That’s it for the Folklore Book Tag, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Tags

Spring has sprung book tag!

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Happy Friday bookish people! I am excited to be bringing you another book tag today, the spring has sprung book tag!

Flowers – Look on your bookshelf, what is the most beautiful book inside and out: A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross the Illumicrate edition

This cover is just stunning, I haven’t read it yet but I’m sure that the story is just as beautiful

Grass – what is a book that you find others like way more than you did: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

I have a review post up of this book but I did not like this book very much yet I hear so many people talking about how good this series is

Rain – what is a great book that lifts your spirits when you’re down: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Dew – what’s a book that made you feel alive: Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

this mystery book had my heart beating very fast and that’s why I chose it as my answer for a book that made me feel alive

Storms – what’s a book that you found unpredictable: Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz

Rainbow – what was a book you struggled with but you were glad you finished it: Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Chilly weather – a book you couldn’t finish or didn’t enjoy: Lily by Rose Tremain

Warm weather – a book you loved and you wanted more of: any books by Kerri Maniscalco!

The stalking Jack the Ripper books series and the Kingdom of the Wicked series, I love all of them!

Green – a book you haven’t read yet but really want to: Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments

Pink – a book in which you felt a strong connection to the characters: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Purple – what’s a book that when you read it made you feel safe: I don’t have an answer for this one unfortunately.

Orange – what book do you feel is intelligently written: any Agatha Christie book

Yellow – what book puts a smile on your face: the Pages and Co series by Anna James

That’s the end of this book tag, I hope you all enjoyed it! How would you have answered these questions?

Bookmas 2021

Merry Bookmas Day 12 – 12th December – The Christmas Song Book Tag

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Happy Sunday bookish people! And Merry Bookmas day 12! I thought it would be really fun to do another book tag today. I found the questions over at thesassygeek.wordpress.com.

Let’s get into the book tag!

You’re A Mean One Mr Grinch – Name A Villainous Character You Can’t Help But Love

For this one I had to choose Victor Vale from Vicious by V E Schwab because he’s a morally grey character and as a reader you’re never really sure if he’s a good guy or a bad guy and I really liked that. I also really liked his dialogue and his interaction with other characters – he is what made the book enjoyable for me.

All I Want For Christmas Is You – Which book do you want to see under the tree this year?

I have quite a few different books on my wishlist but one of the books I really want is The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi.

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – Name a character that overcomes major obstacles and learns to believe in themselves

There are so many characters I could choose for this but I eventually chose Zaf from Take A Hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert because at the beginning of the book Zaf has so much anxiety and he has ideas of what he wants to do but there are things holding him back and by the end his character has really grown and I loved that.

Santa Clause is Coming To Town – Which character is on the naughty list and which character is on the nice list?

I’d put Tamlin from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas on the naughty list and Elizabeth Scrivener from Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson.

Frosty The Snowman – Melts your heart?

For this I thought of Cath and Levi from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell because I felt there were lots of similarities between Cath and myself and it was nice to see the romance in this book even though usually I don’t like romance at all.

Feliz Navidad – Choose A book that takes place in a country other than your own

Again, there were so many books I could choose for this one. I settled on The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden because it is one of my favourite books that I have read.

It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year – Which holiday themed book do you use to spread Christmas joy?

I’ve struggled to think of an answer to this question because I haven’t read any holiday themed books yet.

Sleigh Ride – A fictional character to spend the holidays with?

I haven’t got a reason for this choice but my mind instantly went to Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

Baby It’s Cold Outside – A book you didn’t like and that you would sacrifice to a fire to keep yourself warm?

First of all, I wouldn’t put any books into a fire but a book that I didn’t like is a good question. I would say We Are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupo because I just did not like that book at all, I actually gave it to my best friend and they enjoyed it so I’m glad I gave it to her.

Do You Hear What I Hear – Which book do you think everyone should read?

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco!

That’s it for this Christmas Song book tag, I hope you all enjoyed reading my answers. What would you all have put for your answers, let me know in the comments!

Uncategorized

Rip It or Ship It!

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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!

Book Quotes

Favourite Book Quotes – top 100, 20 – 11

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Happy Friday bookish people! I’m back with the next set of ten in my top 100 favourite book quotes series. We are getting so close to the end of this! I don’t know about anyone else but I’ve been enjoying making the lists (I LOVE lists, anyone else? No? Just me, okay…) and talking through my choices for my top 100. So, today’s is numbers 20 – 11 so when I said we are close to the end, we are really really close, as in next week will be the top ten….

But first, at number 20 is a book I got a special edition of…

A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwaab

20. “I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still” – this is a very well known quote I think and every time I hear it I wish I was a more adventurous person, although that will never happen because I quite like being in my comfort zone and alive.

Up next is a quote from a book I only rated three stars…

Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu

19. “We’re goddamn witches, don’t tell us we can’t”

At 18 is a quote from a sequel….

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

18. “Fear is a pheonix, you can watch it burn a thousand times and still it will return”

At 17, is the first book in a duology…

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

17. “The heart is an arrow, it demands aim to land true”

Up next is a quote from a book I haven’t read yet but I love the series….

Queenslayer by Sebastien De Castell

16. “I’ve discovered that a death sentence can be some what liberating for someone who’s spent their life curtsying”

At 15 is the finale in a trilogy..

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

15. “I have plucked snowdrops at midwinter, died at my own choosing and wept for a nightingale, now I am beyond prophecy”

Next is a quote from a book I do not own yet…

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout

14. “You’re an absolutely stunning murderous little creature”

At 13 is a quote from one of my favourite books…

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

13. “Roses have both petals and thorns”

At 12 is a book from one of my favourite series’…

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

12. “You are yours to give” – just yes.

And finally for this list of ten, a book with a library in it…

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

11. “It was always wise to be polite to books whether or not they could hear you”

That’s it for this weeks ten, I cannot wait to bring you my top ten next week!

Book Tags, Uncategorized

Cake Flavoured Book Tag

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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!