Countdown to 2023 – Day 13 ‘Feast’ (18 days remaining)
13 December 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Countdown to 2023, Day 13, Emily St John Mandel, Feast, Sea of Tranquility
Today is day 13 of my countdown to 2023. Today’s prompt is ‘Feast’. The prompts can be found here if you want to join in. I’m hoping to use mostly books read this year. Let’s begin:
FEAST (A book that was magnificent)
Earlier this year I read Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel and frankly I don’t think I can even begin to express how in awe I am of this author. What an amazing book. On the face of it, this is a standalone book and so you can read it on it’s own but I would suggest backtracking and reading the earlier books because this will then mean so much more. Layers people, many layers. Please do yourself a favour and read this author – I beg you.
Tomorrow: Christmas pudding – if you could squeeze in just one more book for 2022
Countdown to 2023 – Day 12 ‘Holly and Ivy’ (19 days remaining)
12 December 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution, Countdown to 2023, Day 12, Holly and Ivy, RF Kuang
Today is day 12 of my countdown to 2023. Today’s prompt is ‘Holly and Ivy’. This is another fairly recent book that is beautifully written. The attention to detail, the research that has clearly been undertaken and the whole ‘ode to words’ is mesmerising. The prompts can be found here if you want to join in. I’m hoping to use mostly books read this year. Let’s begin:
HOLLY AND IVY (A book with great world building)
Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang. Really, this book is so well thought out. I loved the academic setting, the historic feel and the wealth of information that goes into setting the scene.
Tomorrow: Feast – a book that was magnificent
Countdown to 2023 – Day 11 ‘Under the Tree’ (20 days remaining)
11 December 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: A Restless Truth, Countdown to 2023, Day 11, Freya Marske, The Last Binding #2, Under the Tree
Today is day 11 of my countdown to 2023. Today’s prompt is ‘Mistletoe’ and I’ve chosen a very recent read that was simply lovely, a locked room style, cosy murder mystery with magic, a slightly steamy romance and some crazy characters, not to mention the odd ghost and a talking parrot. The prompts can be found here if you want to join in. I’m hoping to use mostly books read this year. Let’s begin:
MISTLETOE (A little bit of romance)
This book was a delight. I loved it and it fits today’s prompt perfectly. A Restless Truth (The Last Binding #2) by Freya Marske
Tomorrow: Holly and Ivy – a book with great world building
Countdown to 2023 – Day 10 ‘Under the Tree’ (21 days remaining)
10 December 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Countdown to 2023, Day 10, Piranesi, Susanna Clarke, Under the Tree
Today is day 10 of my countdown to 2023. Today’s prompt is ‘Under the Tree’ and I’ve chosen a book that I bought but haven’t yet got round to reading – there were a few to choose from I’m ashamed to say!. The prompts can be found here if you want to join in. I’m hoping to use mostly books read this year. Let’s begin:
UNDER THE TREE (A book you forgot you owned)
I was so excited to buy this book and also in a ridiculous rush to own a copy and yet I still haven’t read it – what is wrong with me *mutter, mutter mutter*. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke – has anyone read this one yet?
Tomorrow: Mistletoe – a little bit of romance
Friday Face Off: Darklord
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book (this doesn’t have to be a book that you’ve read), compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future’s themes are listed below – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout.
I’ve added themes in below. For information, I’m trying out some new ideas so along with coming up with particular items for book covers I thought we could also look for certain elements contained within the book or that play a large part in the story – this really broadens things out because I have plenty of more ideas with this – I’ve gone for a few of the Tough Travel Themes (so a book with that theme – just choose any book – the theme isn’t necessarily on the cover, then compare covers), also, I’ve thrown in some genres and some colours. Hopefully this will open things out a little and give us some more freedom to come up with new books.
This week’s theme:
Darklord
Firstly, some news. As of the new year the Friday Face Off will be changing slightly which is why I haven’t posted a new list of themes. The FFO has been running for a few years now and I’ve had a lot of fun coming up with themes and finding books with covers that fit, but, I think the idea of themes has run its course and so from the new year the face off will be taking a more general course. This opens things up a little I think so you can choose any book that you’d like to compare the covers of.
Anyway, back to this week’s theme – Darklord. I’ve gone for Voldermort and I’ve chosen to use the last ook in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling. Here are some of the covers:
My favourite:
It’s difficult to choose really.
Do you have a favourite?
If you’re taking part in this week’s theme feel free to leave your link in the comments below. Also, you may have noticed that I’ve not updated the list. I’m making a change to the Friday Face Off and will post more soon on that front.
If you know of an event that’s coming up let me know and I’ll try and include covers that work for the event itself so that you can link up to the Friday Face Off and, as always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment – or if you’d like to host a week then simply let me know. Also, I would just mention that it’s very possible that some of these might be repeats from previous FFOs although I have tried to invent more ‘open ended’ prompt that can be interpreted differently and also prompts that relate to emotions. Finally, don’t struggle with any of these, this is meant to be a fun way of highlighting books. If you can’t come up with a book you think fits for a particular week use a freebie – perhaps a recent read for example:
Next Week’s Theme : Grimdark (most recent/favourite, etc)
2022
